Chapter Text
"Oh now you want to talk." Mac replied taking a swig of his beer.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Riley asked.
"Nothing." Mac replied setting his beer down.
"No, it meant something. You're upset. I get it. You have every right to be, but that's why I'm here. I wanted to explain---"
"Explain what?! How you were going to leave without telling me?" Mac raised his voice and cut Riley off.
"Mac...Look. I'm sorry. Okay? I never meant for you to find out about my resignation the way you did." Riley replied.
"Feels like I was never meant to find out at all." Mac retorted.
"You know what? Maybe coming here tonight was a mistake. You're clearly still upset and trying to talk to you right now is like talking to a wall. I will come back when you've pulled your head out of your ass." Riley said as she started walking to the door.
"Wait. I'm the one with my head up my ass? What about you? " Mac asked walking inside behind Riley.
"What?" Riley turned around surprised at Mac's reply.
"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" Mac asked, "and don't give me some crap answer about how you didn't have time or you never got the chance. You have every opportunity to tell me before I found out. It's only two words. It's not that hard. So, why didn't you tell me?"
"I..." Riley hesitated with her answer.
"Well?" Mac asked impatiently. Riley opened her mouth to answer but nothing came out.
"That's what I thought," Mac answered, "Well this has been a great chat, but if you don't mind, it's been a long day and I just want to enjoy my beer in peace. You know where the door is." Mac turned around and walked back to the bonfire, sitting back down next his beer and staring at the flames. Riley stood and watched, tears streaming down her face. She watched Mac as he sat by the fire. No. I'm not going to let him walk away again. Riley though to herself. She mustered all the strength she could, took a deep breath and marched over to Mac.
"No." She said as she stood behind him.
"Riley? What are you still---"
"It's my turn to talk," RIley cut Mac off, "You're right. I had a lot of chances to tell you that I'm leaving and I should've told you from the beginning. So, for that I am sorry."
"Riley---"
"I'm not done. Look, I know I screwed up and you can be mad at me all you want. You can be mad at me for not telling you that I'm leaving, you can be mad about how you found out about it, and you can hate me for this whole thing for the rest of your freakin life, but let me make something VERY clear," Riley took a breathe before continuing, "This is NOT easy."
"I know." Mac sighed.
"No, you don't. If you did, you wouldn't have said that it was." Riley asserted.
"Right, cause' what do I know about saying goodbye to someone I care about?" Mac replied sarcastically.
"That's not...that's not what I meant." Riley replied.
"Yes, it is, but it's okay. You're right." Mac replied.
"What?" Riley asked back surprised.
"I never should have insinuated that leaving was easy. It's just...I thought our relationship was stronger than everyone else. I mean...I really thought the first person you would tell about your resignation was me," Mac said with watery eyes, "But I was wrong. I wasn't the first person. I wan't even on the list of people you were going to tell. That shows how strong our relationship really is."
"You really think I would leave without telling you?!?" Riley asked tears streaming down her face.
"I didn't but after yesterday I don't know what to think." Mac replied frusturated.
"Mac, I was always going to tell you!" Riley exclaimed tears running down her cheeks like a waterfall.
"Really? When?" Mac asked.
"Yesterday. After I finished packing my stuff, I was going to hand in my resignation to Russ and then come straight here to tell you." Riley replied.
"Look at that. I did end up on the list after all." Mac replied letting out more sarcasm.
"Argghh! You're so INFURIATING!" Riley said throwing her hands up in the air.
"Feeling's mutual." Mac smirked and took another swig of beer.
"Why are you being like this?" Riley asked.
"Like what? A person who found that someone they care about is leaving and they were never going to know?!?" Mac asked.
"I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how!" Riley responded angrily.
"What do you mean you 'don't know how'? You just SAY IT." Mac asserted.
"FINE. MAC, I'M LEAVING THE PHEONIX. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE, BUT I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY FOR ME TO FINALLY STOP EVERYTHING!" Riley burst, letting out feelings she's been keeping in.
"I..." Mac opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.
"YOU THINK THIS IS EASY FOR ME? YOU'RE THE REASON I'M A PHEONIX AGENT IN THE FIRST PLACE. NOW, I HAVE TO TELL YOU I'M LEAVING AND THAT I DON'T KNOW WHEN I WILL GET TO SEE YOU AGAIN?" Riley kept going.
"WHAT ABOUT ME? YOU'RE LEAVING ME. YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO LEAVE ME AND NOW YOU'RE BREAKING YOUR PROMISE." Mac responded.
"I'M DOING THIS FOR YOU, MACGYVER!!" Riley raged.
"I DIDN'T ASK YOU TOO!" Mac raged back.
"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO! YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PROTECT SOME YOU LOVE!!" Riley's mouth spoke words faster than her brain could comprehend.
"What are you talking about?!?" Mac asked.
" 'Sometimes, to do whats right, you have to sacrifice the things you love.' Isn't that what you said before you risked everything to stop Codex?" Riley replied.
"Okay. Hold up. I said that because I was undercover. That has nothing to do with what we are talking about right now." Mac retorted.
"It has EVERYTHING to do with it, Mac!" Riley responded, "Don't you get it? I'm doing this for us...for you because I..."
"Because you what?" Mac asked.
"I..." Riley hesitated.
"Because you WHAT?" Mac asked again.
"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" Riley said the words that were stuck in her throat.
"YOU...love me?" Mac asked surprised.
"Mac, if you hadn't figured that out by now, then you are not as smart as I thought you were." Riley replied.
"Hey--"
"No. Don't say anything. I don't need to hear about how you still love Desi and..."
"Riley..."
"...and how you two just moved in together and..."
"Riley!"
"and how nothing could ever happen between us because our friendship is too important and..."
"RILEY!" Mac said finally getting Riley's attention.
"WHAT?" She replied.
"I...I love you too." Mac replied, a wave of relief washing over him.
"You...do?" Riley asked.
"Riles...you asked me in Banja-Luka, that if I had known there was a door where I always thought there was a wall, would I have gone through." Mac replied walking towards Riley.
"Yah...I..uh...I remember." Riley said as Mac took her hands in his.
"Riley...,"Mac said starring into Riley's eyes and tucking hair behind her ear, "In a heartbeat."
"Mac..." Riley said eyes watering. Before she could say anything else, Mac had leaned in and gently placed a kiss on her lips. Warmth spread through both their bodies as they melted into eachother. After several seconds, they split apart. They both looked at eachother and smiled, feeling a happiness neither had felt in a very long time. They sat down by the fire and talked for the rest of the night. It wasn't until they both felt a sense of peace, that Mac would ask the one question that would reveal more truths and leave him with more questions than answers.