Chapter Text
Tonight it was just Mac and Wyatt for dinner, just like it had been for the last two days, seeing as Riley was on a mission that needed her expertise, otherwise she would have done the cooking. Mac hated it when his wife wasn’t there to cook seeing as his daughter wouldn’t even try whatever he cooked. Even though she was a huge fan of his chocolate chip pancakes, but anything beyond that was a no go. Instead of fighting with Wyatt to eat something he made, he ordered a medium pepperoni pizza that he knew for a fact she would eat.
As Wyatt ate her pizza Mac took that as an opportunity to check in with Riley. As much as he loved spending alone time with the little girl, who was the spitting image of her mother, he missed Riley. He was happy that he and Riley could give Wyatt the family that neither one of them had growing up.
“Daddy, I’m finished.” Wyatt smiled as she dropped her crust to the ground for Artemis to enjoy.
Mac smiled back as he sent a quick text to Riley letting her know that they love and her miss.
Mac knew that Riley was more than capable of taking care of herself, but he wanted to be there with her. God forbidden something happened and he wasn’t there to protect her.
“Munchkin, did I just see you throw the best part of the pizza to Artemis?” Mac questioned as he laughed making sure to hide of the evidence of the pizza box, and then made his way over to Wyatt who was covered in pizza sauce from head to toe.
“I don’t like the crust, but Artemis does. He eats the things I don’t like.”
“Are you sure you’re my daughter? Come on let’s get you washed up and ready for bed.” Mac said as he picked Wyatt up as he felt her wrap her tiny hands around his neck.
“Mommy says that I take after you even though I look like her.”
“If you say so.”
Once Mac got Wyatt all cleaned up from dinner it was time for bed. Before making his way down the hall to Wyatt’s room, he stopped by the front door to set the alarm and turn off the lights. He did this as Wyatt was clinging to his neck and following his every move was no one other that Wyatt’s personal bodyguard, Artemis.
Mac decided to let Wyatt pick out what she wanted to wear to bed. He watched her as she searched through her dresser drawers for whatever she chooses to wear. He wasn’t shocked when he saw that she had a Rolling Stones T-shirt and a pair of plaid pajama shorts in her hands.
“I know your mom says you take after me, but you my dear are truly your mother’s daughter.” Mac chuckled as he watched Wyatt’s tiny feet run towards him as they hit the wooden floor.
“Okay. I got ‘em.” Wyatt says as she handed Mac her choice of bedtime clothing.
“Alright, let’s get you ready for bed.”
Mac helped Wyatt get ready for bed, he and Riley agreed to only help Wyatt when she insisted on needing their help. As she got dressed Mac left Wyatt with Artemis as he went to the kitchen to grab her nightly glass of water. When Mac returned from the kitchen he saw that Wyatt was all ready laying in bed waiting for him to tuck her in, awhile Artemis laid on the floor at the foot of the bed which him.
“Daddy.. I’m already for bed.”
“Oh yeah?” Mac asked as he set the glass down on the nightstand beside the bed. “Did you brush your teeth?”
“Yes.”
Mac smiled as he took a seat on the edge of the bed as his part of his world was staring back at him. “Let’s see you’ve brushed your teeth and changed into pajamas. I think that’s all.”
“No it isn’t.” Wyatt whispered as she raised her eyebrows just like Riley does when Mac forgets to do something.
“How so?” Mac teased as he knew exactly what he was forgetting he just wanted to see if Wyatt would tell him.
“You always tell me a story. You haven’t done that yet.”
“But earlier I heard you tell mommy that you were too old for bedtime stories.”
“You heard that?”
“I did.”
“I was just kidding.”
“Alright. What story would you like me to tell tonight?” Mac asked as he knew what she was going to say. It was always either the story of how he fell in love with Riley or how he proposed to Riley.
“The one where you fell in love with mommy.” Wyatt smiled as Mac couldn’t help but return the smile.
Mac couldn’t lie he loved telling his and Riley’s mini me the story of how he fell in love with the woman who meant everything to him.
“That’s my favorite story to tell.”
“I think Artemis enjoys the story too.”
Mac looked over in Artemis’ direction who was now laying at the foot of Wyatt’s bed staring back at him. He just chuckled as he moved towards Wyatt pulling her into his arms as he felt her rest her tiny head against his chest.
Mac looked down to his daughter who was looking back at him with her mother’s eyes. Wyatt has had him wrapped around her finger from the moment Riley told him she was pregnant.
“Maybe he does! Shall I get started on the story?”
“Yes please!” Wyatt smiled as Mac felt her latched onto him even tighter.
“When I first met your mommy I knew she was going to be someone very important to me, I just didn’t realize how important at the time. One night at work your mom and I had to go to Area 51.”
“Oh, where the aliens are?”
“Yes. Where the aliens are. Anyways, we had to head there on foot. While we were walking there was a shooting star. And I just remember your mommy saying that when she was a kid that she believed that shooting stars were alien space ships passing through. I told her that maybe they were and she looked at me and said that I didn’t really believe that. I told her that I did. Then I rambled on about the stars and aliens. Then she proceeded to smile and laugh at me. She had never looked more beautiful than she did in that moment.” Mac smiled as he couldn’t get over how lucky he truly was.
“Mommy is the most beautifuliest mommy in the whole.”
“I absolutely agree, kiddo! But it was in that moment that I fell in love with her, under a night full of stars. I can still hear her laugh to this day. I know that it took me quite some time to come to terms with the fact that I loved her.”
“Have you ever loved anyone else the way you love mommy?”
“No. I never have loved anyone else like I love her and I never will. Your mommy is the best woman I’ve ever known. She has protected and saved me more times than I can count.”
“She’s the best.”
“She truly is. And to think our story began with a paperclip!”
“Do you still have that paperclip?”
“I do. Don’t tell mommy otherwise I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“I promise I won’t tell.”
“Pinky promise?” Mac asked as he put his pinky out for Wyatt.
“Pink promise!” Wyatt responded as she latched her tiny pinky to Mac’s cementing their promise of never speaking of the sacred paperclip that started it all.
“Well, I think it’s time go to sleep.”
“Good night, Daddy. I love you!” Wyatt said as she let out a yawn.
“Night, Wyatt! I love you very much.” Mac responded as he got up from his current position. Mac made sure Wyatt was all tucked in. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Before making his way towards the door he kissed Wyatt’s forehead just like he has every other time he had put her to bed.
“Yes. Maybe we can have pancakes!”
“Sure thing! That’s about the only thing I know how not to mess up.”
“Good night, Artemis.” Wyatt said as Mac looked over to see Artemis still at the foot of his daughter’s bed. He knew once the ghost was clear and he shut the door that Artemis would make his way to Wyatt and cuddle with her until she fell asleep.
Mac started to make his way towards the door when he noticed Riley leaning against the door staring at him and Wyatt. He couldn’t help but smile as he saw that his wife had returned home to him safe and sound.
Mac quietly shut the door behind him as he didn’t want to wake Wyatt. Once the door was shut he pulled Riley into his arms. “I don’t know you were coming home so soon. I was under the impression that Wyatt and I still had a few more days of fending for ourselves.”
“We were able to finish early. When I talked to you earlier we were already on our way back. I didn’t want to disrupt your quality time together not to mention I felt like surprising you.” Riley smiled as Mac felt her wrap her hands around his neck as his hands found their way around her waist.
“I’m glad you’re home!”
“Oh I bet you are! You ordered pizza, didn’t you?”
“Maybe I did. You know that I’m a terrible cook. Wyatt won’t touch anything I cook unless it’s pancakes.”
“Oh I heard we’re having pancakes for breakfast.”
“We are! Have I told you how much I love you?”
“You have but I’ll never get tired of hearing it. I love you too, Mac.”
“I’ll never get tired of saying it.”
“So Mr. MacGyver were you ever going to tell me about the paperclip?”
“Oh fuck. You heard that?”
“I did indeed! I just can’t believe you and our daughter are in cahoots. Pinky promise, really Angus?”
“Hey now! You’re not allowed to call me Angus because that’ll get us both in trouble. And second, I didn’t want you to know about the paperclip because I know you’ll never let me forget it.”
“Where is this paperclip?”
“In my wallet. I’ve had it in there since that day. I’ve never taken it out.”
“Now I know you’re lying about taking it out. Come on let’s go to bed. I’m exhausted.”
Mac wrapped his arm around Riley as they laid in bed. He couldn’t help but count his lucky stars. He had the life he had always dreamt about. One day he hoped that he and Riley would be able to give Wyatt a sibling because Artemis just wasn’t going to cut it. And he’d be able to tell their future children of how he fell in love with the woman who was asleep in his arms. But for now Mac was content with just the four of them.