Chapter Text
He slowly came to, his head pounding with one of the worst headaches he ever experienced and an absolutely disgusting taste in his mouth.
Opening his eyes he immediately shut them again, the light hurting in his eyes.
Slowly taking his time to wake up, he stretched, then letting his arms fall back onto the mattress.
His left arm hit something, and a small sound came from there.
Mac turned around, squinting, seeing Riley, wrapped up in her blanket like a burrito, growling at him for interrupting her sleep.
„Riles?“ he nudged her again.
With a „Hrmph,'' she finally opened her eyes, looking around, then between them and the bed they were sharing. „What on earth happened?“
Mac took in his surroundings, realising that they were in a hotel room as the fuzzy memories from yesterday flooded his mind.
„Uhh… the bad guys caught and drugged us. But we managed to flee… but after that? No idea what happend. I don't know how we ended up here... this stuff really took a toll on us“
Riley finally sat up too, holding her head. „I can't remember either…“
„Let's just hope we didn't do something stupid,“ Mac joked, getting up out of the bed, stretching his joints softly popping, and Riley laughed.
But suddenly she stopped. „Uhh… Mac?“
The urgency in her voice made Mac's heart skip a beat, and he immediately turned to her.
Riley held up her left hand, a small gold band, set with a few diamonds on top, sitting delicately on her ring finger.
They stared at it for a moment, before both of their eyes almost automatically wandered to Mac's hand.
He held it up in disbelief, staring at the matching ring on his own finger.
„Did we...?“
Riley jumped out of bed, frantically searching the room for more evidence, Mac doing the same, opening every drawer and closet.
Finally he found it, his heart almost stopping when he saw the paper.
A marriage certificate.
For Angus and Riley MacGyver.
Wordlessly, Mac held the paper out, Riley snatching it, slowly sinking down on to the bed while her eyes flew over the paper.
She finished and let the paper sink.
Mac sat down next to her, staring at the wall.
„We did…“ he answered their previous question, still completly and utterly shocked.
Riley stood up, pacing the room, „Oh my god, we fucked up… a hella lot, what is my mom gonna say? And Matty and Russ? They're gonna kill us!..“
Mac stood up, catching her by her wrist, stopping her panicked walk. „Hey, hey, Riles Stop! Look at me! We're gonna fix this! Matty is not gonna kill us! We'll find a way. We can just get it anulled, no big deal. Calm down, breathe!“
Riley closed her eyes and nodded, as Mac pulled her into a soothing hug, slowly stroking her back.
He finally pulled back. „We’ve got this!“
But if he was honest, he wasn’t sure about this. He had been having feelings for her for so long, and she had too, at some point, but she had decided to close the door.
But why did she marry him then?
Was it really just the drugs? Or was it something deeper than that?
He didn’t knew. His head hurt and he was still feeling groggy and he wanted nothing more than a shower and getting back into bed.
But that was not possible right now.
They had to get to the Phoenix before Matty sent someone to look after them.
The drive to the Phoenix was quiet. Both of them still thinking about what on earth they did, Trying to search their scrambled memories for an explanation.
Riley searched through her laptop, then let out a sigh. „I pulled out the data… we really did it… it’s officially licensed“
„Damn,“ Mac murmured, then looking at her for a second. „Can you check my bank account please?“
It dawned on her why he asked when she saw a purchase made yesterday night.
The rings.
„You legally bought them.“ she assured him and he let out a sigh of relief.
„Good. I was kinda scared i broke into a jewelry store and stole them.“
Riley snorted „As if you’d do that“
Mac gave her a side eye „We were so drugged that we got married i’m not taking any chances…“
„Right,“ Riley murmured, staring out of the window.
This was something that had happened in her dreams. Not in this way, but still.
She had feelings for him.
But she told him that they were gone, that the door was closed.
He couldn’t know that it was open. It would ruin everything. Their friendship. She couldn’t lose him over a love confession.
Deep down she knew he would never leave her. But she didn’t want to get her heart broken even more, when he told her that he didn’t feel anything back.
He had told her that he thought that it was a wall and not a door, but he had only said that rhetorically, right?
But then, why did he freaking marry her?
This drug had really fucked him up, for it to get that far…
She wished she could remember. Maybe she could find some video footage?
But that would have to wait. They arrived at the Phoenix at that moment and Riley pushed her thoughts aside.
Walking into the war room, Matty gave them a look. „Where were you two? We were worried and couldn’t find you!“
Mac winced, his head still pounding. „Sorry, Matty… the bad guys drugged us. We managed to get away, but then we kinda had a Blackout. Woke up this morning in a hotel room with no memories. Phone batteries were out… couldn’t call. Just came here.“
Matty sighed. „I’m just glad you’re alright. Get checked out in the medstation for the drug. Then go home and get some sleep. We’ll do the debrief tomorrow.“
„Umm…“ Riley started awkwardly „We have to tell you something? We kinda did something very stupid while on the drugs?“
She looked at Mac, then handed Matty the certificate.
Matty read it then letting it slowly sink down, looking at them in disbelief. „You did WHAT?!“
Both awkwardly lifted their hands, showing their boss the matching wedding rings. „We can’t remember… we just found out this morning…“ Mac mumbled.
Matty shook her head, smiling. „Only you two… alright, I see what I can do to reverse this… I don't think either of you want a ‚divorced‘ in their files… and I don't want that either. It could compromise your careers.“
They both shook their heads. They hadn’t even thought about this showing in their files.
„Thanks Matty,“ Mac said, as they left to go to the Phoenix med station.
They sat there, next to each other, while the doctors checked over them, testing eye reactions, reflexes, temperature and their heart beats, then taking blood samples.
Instinctively Mac reached for Riley’s hand, as the doctor pushed the butterfly needle in the crook of her arm. He knew how much she hated needles.
She gave him a grateful smile, and a few minutes later they were dismissed, with painkillers and the order to sleep.
The drive home was silent, both of them completely lost in their thoughts.
Riley couldn’t help but toy with the ring. She hadn't taken it off yet. She was wearing rings all the time, but this one was weird.
Weird, yet it felt just right.
She sighed.
Mac turned to her „Are you okay?“
Riley shrugged. „Honestly i don’t know… it’s another day in my life, where i woke up and forgot everything that happened, only to find out we did something entirely out of our control because of the drugs… it’s like that nano tracker thing all over again…“
„I’m sorry, Riles…“
„It’s okay, Mac… at least this time no one controlled us like puppets…“
Mac nodded as he stopped in front of her place. „Call me if you need anything, okay?“
She gave him a nod and climbed out of the car. He watched as she got inside, before taking a deep breath and driving home. He couldn't wait to spend the day alone with his racing thoughts… yay.
After a quick shower he flopped down onto his mattress, closing his eyes, and pushing his unruly, still slightly wet hair back, with a deep sigh.
Opening his eyes he stared at the ring. He hadn't taken it off. Somehow he wanted to keep it.
Suddenly a thought shot in his head.
Did they kiss?
They had gotten married, so it wasn’t really weird if they did, but he really hoped they didn’t. First, because it meant he would have violated her body and consent, secondly, because if they ever got that far, he’d really like to remember their first kiss.
Luckily, he could be sure they didn’t do anything else, proved by the fact that they both had woken up fully clothed, because if they had done that, Mac could have never forgiven himself.
He couldn’t deny that he never had thought of how it would be, but he always pushed these thoughts away very quickly. He respected Riley way too much to let his thoughts about her ever go that far.
But sometimes he did imagine what it would be like to be with her. The two of them, cuddled up on the couch, cooking together or working on some projects together, all that domestic fluffy stuff.
Mac pulled the ring off with a heavy sigh, setting it down on his nightstand.
It wasn’t real, probably never would. He couldn’t keep dreaming about something he could never have.
Tomorrow they would fix this mess, then after Bozer and the rest of the team were done laughing, they’d all just forget about it, maybe just bringing the incident up a few times but nothing more.
He had to talk to Riley at some point, being honest with her. But right now it wasn’t the time.
Closing his eyes, he drifted off into an uneasy sleep, a weird memory flashes in his mind, not sure which of them were real. They did get married in a few of them, but there were none of them kissing, and maybe this eased his mind at least a bit.
He woke up the next morning, by the sharp tone of his ringtone, groaning, he picked it up to see that it was Matty. „Blondie, you need to come in right now. We have a problem.“
„On my way.“
Climbing out of bed and getting dressed, he stared at the ring on his nightstand, before grabbing it and putting it in his pocket. Maybe he’d need it for whatever reason.
As he arrived in the Phoenix parking lot he saw Riley also pulling in.
„Good Morning,“ he greeted her, „slept well?“
Riley shrugged „had weird dreams… I think they were pieces of memories“
„Yeah, me too,“ Mac said as he held the door open, greeting the receptionist, before getting into the elevator. He saw Riley pulling out the ring of her pocket, his heart quickening up when he realised she took it along. „If you like it you can keep it…“ he offered.
Riley’s head whipped around „What? No, that thing was so expensive!“
Mac softly smiled. „And? I don’t care about the money, but you seem to like it, so… just keep it. Just add it to your collection of rings. As a memory of us having weird ideas while on drugs.“
Riley shook her head, „If I keep it, I’ll pay you back!“
They laughed at that as they got out of the elevator, stepping into the war room.
It was just them and Matty, her immediately fogging the windows up. „I think you should sit down. I have some news for you… not necessarily bad ones, but they have a lot of impact on your lifes for the next year.“
Mac and Riley exchanged a glance. What did that mean now?
Matty sighed „So, I pulled up, the info from the place where you got married, and long story short you took place in an marriage experiment they offer, were you get married and after one year you get asked if you wanna stay married or get it canceled, and only after that year it is possible to get unmarried without any record or traces staying in your files. Also you’re gonna have a marriage evaluation lawyer coming by, asking you questions to make sure you’re really married and not just for tax benefits and other reasons. You’ll have to move in together and will get a catalogue of questions you need to prepare for.“
Mac and Riley stared at her, the information slowly sinking in. They had expected Matty telling them she pulled some strings and now everything was back to normal as if nothing happened, but not this.
Not living together and pretending to be married for a year.
Matty made her way to the door. „I’m giving you a moment. There are other options, but all of them would compromise your files and careers. I’ll let you think about it. Make a decision. Tell me when you’re ready.“
They sat there in silence, still shocked.
„Wow,“ Mac finally muttered. „That's not what I expected.“
„Yeah“ Riley whispered, utterly fazed
„So,“ Mac asked, „what do you want to do? Go through with this? We’ll just be roommates for a year, wear these rings, answer this lawyer question and that's it? But if you don’t wanna do it it’s fine… I mean we would get this ugly stamp in our files, but as long as you’re comfortable I'm okay with what you decide on, no questions asked.“
Riley looked at him, in awe, thankful that he was giving her a possible way out. But honestly, what was a year in comparison to a lifetime of their files being compromised?
So, she shook her head, „thanks Mac, but I think I'll go through with it… I already was your roommate for quite some time and i liked it. So… let’s do this… as long as you want it?“
He nodded, then looked up at her. „What do you think if we just let it simmer for today? And if we’re still sure tonight, we’ll go through with it?“
Riley nodded, before Mac stood up pulling her into a hug. „Whatever we decide on… we’ll do it like we always have. Together.“
Riley’s heart almost bursted at these words, remembering how she had used them at the firepit when they had decided on using the hyperbaric chambers.
She was glad that he was okay, after almost dying that day.
Well, he did die, but luckily only for a few seconds.
He had still been with Desi back then, but they had broken up like the day after, Mac saying something about a near death experience, putting things in perspective. But him and Desi had decided to be friends after that, and just a month later, they had found Evan, Desi’s fiancé, alive, and now she was back with him.
If Riley was honest, if Mac and Desi still had been together, she would have immediately shot the idea of staying married for a year down. But they were both single right now, so she didn’t have to experience Mac with someone else, which she wasn’t sure she could take.
Living with Mac would have it’s hurdles and she knew it. Watching him in his daily life, all natural, already made her fall harder for him back in quarantine, but she wouldn't let him carry the other consequences if they wouldn’t go through with it.
So, this was the better option…
The rest of the day they quietly worked next to each other in the lab, Mac doing something on Sparky, Riley searching for video evidence.
She found videos of a surveillance camera where they ran out of the warhouse the bad guys kept them in, the footage showing how they hid in an aisle between two houses after 3 blocks, sinking to the floor, the drug catching up to them.
Minutes later she watched them getting up on the grainy footage, holding onto each other laughing, clearly high af and barely able to walk.
Before she could continue to watch, the Lab door swung open, Bozer, Desi and Evan barging in, just coming home from a mission.
„You two did WHAT?“ Bozer yelled, obviously just being informed about Mac and Riley's misadventures by Matty.
Mac sighed, sharing a glance with Riley. „We were drugged. We can’t remember anything.“
Desi laughed „I didn’t believe Matty at first, but now… not gonna lie, but this is funny!“
„And now you have to stay married for a year?“ Evan asked, eyebrows raised but still not able to hide his grin.
„Yep,“ Mac and Riley answered simultaneously, Riley then adding, „and we need to live together and are gonna get questioned by some marriage lawyer to make sure we’re really married… which we’re obviously not, but you know… we need to maintain our cover.“
„Oh, that's gonna be fun… Mr. And Mrs. MacGyver," Bozer grinned.
Mac and Riley both froze at his words, the reality really hitting now, Riley becoming aware of the fact that she actually took his last name.
Mac saved the situation by throwing Bozer a dirty look. „You’re gonna tease us non stop about this, aren’t you?“
Bozer shrugged „How could i not man? Oh what I would have given to see this live… the two of you so high…“
„Bozer! One more word and I'm leaking all of your old social media accounts…“
„You wouldn’t dare…“
„Two keystrokes and it’s all up for the world to see…!“ Riley shot back, Bozer opening his mouth to answer, but then his phone pinged, along with Desi’s and Evan’s calling the 3 agents into the war room, leaving Mac and Riley alone in the Lab again.
„So,“ Mac asked tentativley „We’re gonna do it? '' I mean you explained to them that we’re gonna do it, so…?“
She nodded. „Yeah, I guess… we’re doing it… I’m gonna have to call my landlord and organise a moving truck… if I live with you for a year i’m not gonna pay rent for that apartment too“
„Alright… let’s do this…“ Mac said, before turning to Sparky again. Luckily he had turned the speech feature off, otherwise the robot probably had commented on his unusually fast heartbeat.
If Mac was honest, he was a little scared. 1 year of living with Riley, one year of having to hide his feelings in his own home… this was not gonna be easy.
But if they had known what this year would bring them…