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Riley stirred when Mac sat down on the mattress. Greeting her with a kiss he handed her a steaming mug of hot cocoa.
„Good morning, beautiful,“ he greeted her.
„Morning handsome,“ she murmured back into the kiss.
„You good?“ Mac asked then. „And the baby?“
„All good… so far my nausea is keeping itself at bay.“
Mac set his hand down on her belly. „Nova is still asleep in her room. I guess the day at the museum yesterday took her out.“
Riley smiled. Their daughter turned two a bit ago, and she was a little over 3 months pregnant with their second now.
A few months ago, they had decided to try again, they wanted their kids close in age, and they lucked out again, quickly getting pregnant.
„So we have some time?“ she asked Mac.
He didn’t get the hint immediately. „right now, yeah… but Matty called me in for later today. So I can’t come to your appointment with you today… but I hope the doctor can write down what we’re having so we can find out together again.“
„Sure,“ Riley said. „But that's not what I meant.“
„What?“
„Lock the door, Angus.“
Mac didn’t need to hear that twice, jumping up immediately and being back in bed within seconds.
When later on they had finished their morning couple activities and had gotten dressed, now preparing breakfast, Riley nudged Mac.
„So, what is your prediction this time?“
Mac tilted his head from side to side. „I have no clue this time honestly… I'd love to be a double girl dad, but I also love the thought of having one of each… what do you think?“
Riley smiled. „Well, I came across the name Connor three times yesterday, so I think we’ll have a boy this time.“
Mac looked up. „Now that's a cool coincidence… or it could be the Baader-Meinhof-Phenomenon.“ He paused for a moment. „That is when you start seeing specific things everywhere Because you recognize them and your brain focuses on them especially. For example, since you’re pregnant, you start noticing how many other pregnant women are out there.“ He smiled. „you can try it. I bet you’ll see the number 20 everywhere today.“
Before Riley could answer, Nova's voice called out of her room.
„Momma, Daddy, wake.“
Mac walked in to get their daughter, the little girl standing in her crib, stretching her arms out to Mac. „Up-up.“
He got her out, placing a kiss on her cheek. „Hey, little lady, did you sleep well?“
Nova nodded, slinging her little arms around his neck as he carried her out of the room.
„Momma,“ she squealed happily upon seeing Riley, who laughed and kissed her.
„Babay?“ she asked then, and Mac had to grin. They had explained to her that she was getting a sibling, and even if that was a hard concept to grasp for a 2-year old, she always asked how the baby was.
„All good honey,“ Riley reassured her before setting her down in the high chair.
Mac took a plate out of the cupboard. „Today we’ll have pancakes for breakfast, isn’t that great?“
„Want 20!“ Nova shouted, and Mac laughed. Nova loved using numbers, even if she didn’t understand the concept of them just yet.
„How about two?“ he asked, sliding the pancakes onto a plate.
„Otay, Dada.“
Riley gave Mac a look as he cut the pancakes down into smaller pieces.
„She… she said 20.“
Mac chuckled. „told you you’d start to notice it everywhere.“
Later, after they already had lunch, Nova was ready to spend her afternoon with Uncle Bozer and Aunt Leanna, while Mac had a small mission today, and Riley had an appointment at her OB’s office.
Riley kissed Mac goodbye in the car. „I love you.“
Mac grinned. „I love you 20²⁰.“
Riley playfully rolled her eyes before making her way out of the car. „You’re an idiot.“
Mac laughed. „I know, but I’m your idiot.“
„True that.“
Laying down in her doctor's office, Riley let her know to write the gender down.
„Sure,“ the older woman told her with a smile.
She was the same one that had already been the doctor for the pregnancy with Nova. She was an absolute angel.
Looking at the results of the blood test, she scribbled it down and put it in an envelope. „any predictions?“
Riley nodded, but then put her fingers on her lips. „But I won't say. Part of my job is to read facial expressions and I don't want to find out without my husband by accident.“
The doctor laughed. „understandable. How is he doing by the way?“
„He is well, but he has to work today. That's why we’re doing the envelope again.“
Meanwhile at the Phoenix airstrip
Mac sat down in the jet. He had to fly to San Francisco today. A meeting with some government dude.
He’d much rather be with Riley right now, but this guy only wanted to talk to him and him only, for whatever reason.
Upon landing about 1 and a half hours later, he made his way to the address, a small hotel.
Something felt weird, but he ignored it, thinking it was due to his annoyance about this mission. He told Riley he’d call her soon. Hopefully, he would be back on his way to the airport by then so he could have dinner with her.
Greeting the clerk at the hotel he pulled out his I.D. „I’m here to meet Mr. Westminster.“
He was led into a room with two big comfy chairs and a table standing there.
A waiter handed him a drink. Something fruity, which was exactly to Mac’s liking and luckily without alcohol. He didn’t drink on the job unless it helped maintain their cover.
Taking a sip from it, he leaned back, smiling as he saw a message from Riley. A selfie of her holding the envelope into the camera. He couldn’t wait to call her when this meeting was over.
With a chuckle, he put his phone back into his pocket.
He heard the door open and tried to stand up, but swayed, his vision fading.
He saw two faces in front of him. He recognized them.
But before his instincts could kick in, the world went dark.
He woke up groggily, his brain feeling like it was completely fogged.
He was sweaty, chained to a wall, standing upright.
The air was stale, and his shoes were gone.
„Well, well, well. You’re finally awake.“
Mac squinted, finally recognizing the two faces in front of him.
„Simon and Alexei Crowns. Mind telling me how you two got out of prison?“
„We have our ways,“ Simon sneered and Alexei added. „We’re asking the questions today.“
Simon Crowns walked over to a table with Mac’s shoes, knife, phone, necklace with his wedding rings, and wallet.
He opened it, pulling a few pictures out.
Mac swallowed. He knew exactly which pictures they were.
One of the whole Team and then Him and Riley on their wedding day, The day they found out they were pregnant with Nova, and another one of when he first got to hold her. A relatively new one of her sporting a Big Sister T-Shirt, and an ultrasound pic of their new baby.
„Nice family you have there,“ Simon chuckled and Mac tensed.
„As I see you’ve got another one on the way?“ he turned to Mac. „I’d say congratulations, but I don’t like you.“
He paused for a moment. Before picking up the picture of Mac holding his baby, looking at her in pure adoration.
„What is your daughter's name, Mr. MacGyver?“
Mac pressed his lips together.
Alexei gave him a sickening grin. „No need to tell us. We know.“ He toyed with something that Mac recognized as the pink bracelet he had gotten from the hospital after his daughter's birth. He had kept it in his wallet ever since he took it off. Alexei continued, „Let’s just say the name Nova would look so pretty on a gravestone.“
Mac’s eyes widened, then hardened. „If you even think about looking at my daughter, my wife, or our unborn child the wrong way, I swear I will kill you.“
His voice was calm and collected, but inside he was angry.
It was quiet anger. The most dangerous type.
Simon Crowns stepped closer, a syringe in hand.
„Nothing will happen to them, as long as you cooperate.“
He pulled the safety cap of the syringe. „Remember this?“
„Dolore Animae“ Mac spit out. „Yes, I remember.“ And internally he shuddered. The truth serum that hurt like hell and only gave you relief when you told the truth. He had experienced it once and honestly didn’t want to do it again. Last time Riley had saved him, by asking him questions he could easily answer.
„Good. Just that this time no one is here to save you.“
Alexei stepped next to his brother. „And this time there are no questions to relieve you. Just pain.“
Mac ground his teeth as the syringe rammed into his arm.
He knew that after a while his muscles and nerves would be so strained, that eventually, it would result in cardiac arrest.
He thought about Riley as the pain fogged his consciousness, climbing into every part of his body. Riley the love of his life. Nova, his baby girl. She was just two. If he died she wouldn’t remember him. Riley would have to raise her and the new baby all alone. And he would never get to truly know his kids.
Tears welled up in his eyes. He had to come home somehow. He couldn’t leave them.
Back home
„I’m telling you, Matty, something is not right.“ Riley told her boss. „He is always on time when he tells me he is gonna call. He has never been even a minute late. And he always picks up my calls. Now it’s going straight to voicemail. Also, his signal got cut off in the hotel.“
Matty frowned, then tapped something in her tablet. "On it. Let’s see what's happening.“
„Thank you, Matty.“ Riley exhaled. „I have to go now, I have to pick up Nova in 20 minutes.“
There it was again. The number 20.
Matty just nodded. "Bring her here. I’m pretty sure we still have that pack-and-play somewhere in the closet. I’ll tell the intern to take it out."
Riley gave her a grateful nod before she went to her car.
She tried again to reach Mac, but only got the voicemail.
„You’ve reached the voicemail of Angus MacGyver, unfortunately, I can’t take the phone right now. Leave me a message and I’ll call you as soon as I can.“
She put the phone down.
Wherever Mac was, he was probably in trouble. Even if he had to take his phone apart, he’d send her a message beforehand.
He had a shortcut for that, it was just one button. And him not having reception wasn’t an option either. She had connected all their phones to satellites. The only way it couldn’t get a signal would have been if he was underground.
Which, if she thought about it, was probably the case.
She drove off, her mind full of worry, not knowing what was happening to her husband.
Arriving back at the Phoenix, Riley sat her sleepy daughter down in the playpen and then immediately opened her laptop to search for information.
She got something almost immediately and it made her blood freeze.
Simon and Alexei Crowns had somehow gotten out of prison and CCTV had picked up their faces in San Francisco.
Mac’s current location
Jumping out of her chair, Riley looked up at Matty. „The Crowns brothers got him.“
She felt her ears ring as she sunk into the chair again, while Matty yelled orders.
„Let me go with them,“ she finally managed to say, but Matty shook her head. „No, you need to be there for Nova and I can't let you endanger yourself and your unborn child. Jack is leading a 20-man team. They will get him.“
There it was again, the damn 20
Riley swallowed hard. „I know but… who knows what they are doing to him right now…“
a Basement in San Francisco, one hour later.
To Mac’s credit, he hadn’t made a sound yet. He told himself that Riley’s labor had probably still been worse than what he was feeling right now, and that was what kept him going.
He had to make it through this so the team had time to figure out what was wrong and get him back.
Back home. To his family.
He knew Riley would figure it out. He trusted her.
But he also hoped she wouldn’t blame herself if she didn’t manage to get him out in time.
On the other hand, Mac felt guilty about the thought of potentially leaving her alone. He had to pull through. He just had to.
„Such a tough little bug,“ he heard Simon slur through the fog of pain.
„If only he knew we’re going for his lovely little family after we’re done with him… just his life is not enough to pay off the debt.“
Hearing these words, Mac saw red, a scream escaping him as he gathered all his strength, preparing to make the Crowns brothers wish that they had never been born.
Jack quickly walked through the narrow corridors, the gun drawn, his tac team right behind him.
He signed them to halt when he heard something. Screaming. Yelling. Things crashing. His heart plummeted as he continued walking forward, ripping the door of the room where the sounds came from open.
The scene he saw in front of him was far from what he expected.
Simon and Alexei Crowns lay on the floor, bloody and bruised, beaten down and unconscious.
Mac stood above them, heaving.
His clothes were ripped and full of sweat, his fist and wrist were bruised and bloody, his hair messed up, blood dripping from his nose, the shackles still hanging on his wrist, and the chains ripped out of the wall.
The table was destroyed.
„Mac, buddy?“ Jack called out.
Mac turned at the sound, chest still heaving and eyes bloodshot.
„Jack!“ he croaked out, and Jack could tell that his friend was in pain.
„No one hurts my family!“ he rasped out hoarsely before his legs gave out underneath him, and he collapsed into Jack’s arms.
Jack told his team to take care of the Crown's brothers and to gather Mac’s belongings, then took him outside to be treated by a medic.
Activating his comms, he called the Phoenix.
„We got him. He is safe.“
Riley almost collapsed when she heard these words. Leanna pulled her into a hug, while the tears poured out of her eyes.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the digital clock in the war room that displayed 24-hour time, because that's what Mac preferred, a chuckle escaping her when she saw the time.
20:20.
Mac groggily came to the plane.
He was wrapped in a blanket, an IV with saline, and pain meds in the back of his hand.
„How’d you get me out?“ he asked groggily, his memories fuzzy.
Jack tilted his head. „You got yourself out, buddy. When we arrived, the brothers were unconscious, and you stood above them heaving like an angry bull. You even ripped the chains out of the wall. I have no clue how you did that.“
„Hysterical strength,“ Mac mumbled.
Jack looked at him, questioning, and Mac sighed. „Usually our body limits our strength so we don’t hurt ourselves. But in extreme situations, we can access our full power. I guess the pain plus them threatening Riley just… made that happen.“
„Unleashed the beast,“ Jack grinned.
„How’s Riley, is she okay? They didn't somehow have someone go after her, right?“
Jack shook his head. „No. She is home and waiting for you. And the doctor already cleared you, so you don’t have to stay in the med bay.“
„Good,“ Mac sighed. He closed his eyes.
It was finally time he got back home.
Opening the door, Mac immediately saw Riley, pacing through the dimly lit corridor. It only took a second before she threw herself at him with a sob.
He couldn‘t hold back his tears as he cradled her in his arms, kissing the top of her head.
Riley then helped him shower, and treated his injuries, kissing his wrists, bruised from the cuffs…
Afterward, Mac slowly took a peek into Nova’s room, looking at their little girl sleeping.
He was grateful he’d still be here to watch her grow up.
Carefully, he wiped a few of her soft blonde curls out of her face, then placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
It woke her up for a second, her sleepy blue eyes blinking up at him. „Hi, daddy,“ she murmured, before falling right back to sleep.
Standing up, Mac gently closed the door, then slipped into the bedroom where Riley was waiting for him.
They just laid there for a bit, in each other's embrace, until Riley reached over to her nightstand with the envelope
„So, what do you say?“
Mac chuckled. „Yeah let’s see.“
Carefully opening it, a grin broke up on both of their faces.
Mac kissed Riley, then scooted down, putting a soft kiss down on her bump.
„Hey Connor, this is your daddy. Your mom, your big sister, and I are waiting for you and we love you!“
He scooted back up, kissing Riley. „And I love you to the moon and back.“
Riley snickered. „Sounds a bit cliche, don’t you think.“
He smiled. „Well, in a lifetime a heart pumps enough gallons to drive a truck to the moon and back, so when I say I love you to the moon and back, I mean I love you with all my heart for all of my life.“
„Nerd… but I love you to the moon and back too.“
A Month later, Riley watched as Mac put the crib he had originally built for Nova into Connor's Room.
He had built a big girl bed for Nova and she loved it.
The walls in the new room were painted in a light blue and soft gray.
„What would you say if we make his room moon themed?“ She asked then.
„Since Nova’s room is star themed, I think it would be a good fit.“
Mac smiled. „I love that idea.“
He snorted when he looked at Riley. „And as I see, even your cravings fit the theme.“
Riley looked down at her hand, only now realizing that she was holding a moon pie.
She chuckled. „Remember when I loved Starfruit when I was pregnant with Nova?“
Mac nodded. „Yeah… and Meatball sandwiches.“
Riley pouted. „I’ve always liked them… in my pregnancies just a bit more.“
„I know.“ Mac stood up. „That is why we will go to the shop now to buy moon-themed decorations and on the way, we’ll get sandwiches and milkshakes.“
Riley’s face lit up. „I know why I married you!“
Later on, they sat in the arcade, Riley happily munching on her sandwich, while Nove eyed the claw machine with big eyes.
Mac winked at Riley, remembering the stuffy he had won for her at a fair a few years back. A fluffy elephant with a yellow bow that she named Armarillo. And the black Angus Cow Jack had won for her as a kid that she had named Mooey Moon.
Checking that no one was looking, Mac set the machine into maintenance mode, then set the claw up the stuffy that Nova was pointing at.
A Capybara.
To Mac’s surprise, the Machine grabbed two toys, dropping them in the chute.
Nova clutched her newly possessed Capybara stuffy, then held up the second one, a lamb. „For Connor“
Mac shared a smile with Riley, before putting the machine back in normal mode. He couldn't wait for them to become a family of four.
5 Months later
Riley woke up from her afternoon nap when a sharp cramp shot through her.
Her due date was in 5 days, but just like Nova, this baby was a tiny bit early too.
„Mac!“ she croaked after the pain had subsided. „I think it’s time.“
He rushed into the room in an instant.
„Okay, what do you think? Should we go right now?“
Riley rolled herself out of bed. „This Baby is gonna come today, but I still have time for a shower.“
„Good,“ Mac stood up. „I’ll call Jack and Diane to pick up Nova, you go into the shower, I’ll be with you in a second.“
After making sure she got into the bathroom safely, Mac picked up his phone dialing Jack.
„Hey, Jack. It is Time.“
„On our way.“
Mac then picked up Nova, who was sitting in her playpen in the living room.
„Your brother will be born tonight. Are you excited?“
Nova nodded. „Take Luna for Connor.“
Mac grinned. Nova unknowingly had called Connors the stuffed lamb that he had won, Luna. The Spanish word for moon.
„We will,“ he assured her. „You be a good girl for grandpa and grandma, yes. my little star?“
Nova nodded.
Mac grabbed her little overnight bag, before handing her off to Jack who was waiting outside. He gave her one last kiss on the forehead. „Daddy loves you.“
„Love you, Daddy,“ Nova singsonged, and Jack gave Mac a clap on the back. „Good luck, buddy.“
Mac nodded gratefully, then went back inside to help his wife.
Helping her shower and then get dressed, he grinned when Riley grabbed his Red and Black plaid shirt.
He loved it when she wore his clothes, but especially this shirt.
Her wearing this held so many memories.
So many movie nights, their first time, endless dates, and of course Nova’s birth. And now she had it for Connor too.
He helped her to the car, then they drove through the afternoon traffic.
With Nova, they reached the hospital at 4 am, which was more comfortable. Now it was 4 pm.
Reaching the hospital, they were in luck, getting a private room right away.
Phoenix Health insurance had its advantages.
Riley almost squealed, when the same midwife that had already been there for Nova’s delivery, entered the room to check on her.
„5 cm dilated,“ she said then, „Looks like the little man will still need a few hours.“
Riley just nodded. „Not my first rodeo.“
Mac sat by her side as the minutes and hours ticked by, her contractions getting more painful and longer.
But then it felt like a blur again, the doctor telling her it was time to push, the pain, Mac at her side, holding her hand and whispering encouragement in her ear.
And then finally, that first cry as they set the baby down on her chest, wiping him down to stimulate him and clear his airways.
Mac kissed her, tears in his eyes when he saw their son. His face was all scrunched up, the dark locks on his head all fuzzy. But his eyes were blue again.
"I’m so proud of you." he whispered to Riley, before he cut the cord, just like he did with Nova.
„Welcome to the world Connor.“
An hour later things finally calmed.
Connor was asleep, and Mac snorted when he saw their baby boy's chart.
Riley looked at him confused. „What is it?“
„Do you remember the day we found out we were having a boy?“
„I do… it was nerve-wracking.“
„Do you remember what I told you about the number 20?“
Riley nodded, then followed Mac’s gaze to the chart.
Connor Wyatt MacGyver
20th August 2026
8:20 pm
20 inches
7 pounds, 1 ounce
Riley chuckled. „I see what you mean… and technically his time of birth is 20:20 too.“
Mac grinned. „It gets better… 7. Pounds, 1 ounce are 3220 grams… so there is another 20.“
„You are my favorite Nerd, you know that?“
„I do.“
Mac looked down at the baby, swaddled in the blanket he had crocheted for him. Light Blue with a big moon on it and his name embroidered into it, just like he had done for Nova.
„I have something for you, by the way,“ he told Riley, then pulled something out of his pocket.
It was a Necklace with two charms on it, a Star and a moon. The star was engraved with an N and the Moon with a C.
Riley gasped. „Mac, this is beautiful!“
Putting it on her, they were interrupted by a knock on the door, Diane carefully sticking her head in, Nova at her side.
„She refuses to sleep before seeing her little brother “
Riley laughed. „Stubborn like her dad… come here, little lady.“
Mac picked her up, holding her over the crib. „There, but you need to be careful and quiet, he is sleeping, yeah?“
„uh-hu.“
„Good, then here we go.“
Nova was in awe over her little brother, and Mac was glad that she wasn’t jealous or anything.
His heart melted when she leaned down, setting a small kiss on her brother's head, the baby scrunching his nose, but remaining asleep when she did.
Just 5 minutes later, she fell asleep in Mac’s arms who then handed her off to Diane again.
She left with a chuckle and said she’d be back tomorrow. As soon as the door closed, Connor woke up and fussed.
Mac picked him up, handing him to Riley so she could nurse him, sitting next to her on the bed.
Eventually, he fell asleep again, drunk on milk, but Riley held him a bit longer, and Mac held Riley.
She turned her head to him. „Thank you for the necklace. It’s perfect.“
Mac leaned in to kiss her. „I love you.“
„I love you too. Mac.“
He smiled between the kisses because he knew their next words would be the same.
„-to the moon and back“