by Cindy Combs
Checking the loft in a sweeping gaze, Naomi turned back. "Jim, is Blair around?"
Seeing a trace of worry cross her face, Jim replied reassuringly, "Actually, you've missed him."
"Oh dear. When is he getting home?"
Jim politely shrugged, lifting his hands in apology. "I'm sorry, Naomi. He left this morning for a week in Colorado."
Disappointment radiated from Blair's mother. "I was hoping to see him. He had such a nasty cough the last time we spoke. He said it was nothing, but I didn't like the sound of it."
Joel and Simon exchanged glances. They knew that Blair tried to keep his mother in the dark about most of his misadventures with the police. They were not surprised Blair hadn't told his mother about the abduction or the resulting illness.
"Plus, it seems that someone was trying to track me down recently. I was afraid it might be you because Blair was sick. Then when no one answered his cell phone or the phones here and at the University this afternoon, I decided I'd better check on him."
The glance exchanged between Simon and Joel was more serious this time. To the best of their knowledge, neither Jim nor Blair was looking for Naomi.
Jim's poker face was in full force. How should he field this one, especially with Simon and Joel there? He could read Naomi's deep worry for her son by her rapid pulse and lined face. Before he could come up with an answer, there was another knock on the door. Oh hell, it could not be this easy. With a feeling that the disaster had just arrived, Jim opened the door again.
"Hi Jim. I was hoping to catch Sam and Blair before they left. Are they still here?" It was MacGyver who had walked through the door.
"Sorry, Mac," Joel replied warmly, "they left this morning. You'll just have to make due with us old cops." He and Simon both knew and liked the multi-talented man who had helped them through many a tough situation.
However, it was Naomi's reaction Jim was interested in. He definitely saw one. The slim woman had lost all the color in her face, staring at Mac like she was seeing a ghost.
Mac's eyes had finally caught Naomi's, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. After trying to trace her throughout several countries on two continents, he hadn't expected to see her here. A quick check revealed that she had matured from the pretty girl he remembered into a beautiful woman. A woman who did not look happy to see him. Tentatively, he asked, "Naomi?"
Naomi's mouth opened and closed a couple of times before any sounds came out. "What, what are you doing here?"
"Why shouldn't I be here?" Mac returned firmly. He was tired of trying to track down answers to a question he desperately needed to settle.
"But, but..."
Joel and Simon turned from Mac to Naomi and back, trying to figure out what was going on. They glanced at Jim, whose total concentration was on the drama playing out in front of him. Inconspicuously, they started edging towards the door.
"But what? Are you surprised that I know Blair?"
"But..."
"Why shouldn't I know Blair?"
"But..."
"Am I Blair's father?"
Both Joel's and Simon's jaws hit the floor at the same time. Jim continued to watch.
Naomi struggled to find the words. "But, but you're DEAD!"
Mac blinked. That certainly was not an answer he had expected. "What do you mean, I'm dead?"
"YOU'RE DEAD!"
Mac rolled his eyes to the ceiling in frustration. "Naomi, do I LOOK dead?"
"But you're dead!" Naomi insisted. "I saw your name on the lists. I even found your name on the Wall!"
"I am NOT on the Wall! I came back!"
"No, you didn't. I saw your name. Albert MacGyver."
Mac rubbed his face. "My first name is not Albert."
"What do you mean it's not Albert?" Naomi asked, shock and confusion still in her face. "I saw your id card. It said, 'A. MacGyver'." How on earth could I be wrong!
With a long-suffering sigh, Mac stated, "The 'A' does not stand for Albert. Trust me, Albert would be an improvement."
Naomi still continued to stare at Mac in shock. Escape forgotten, Joel and Simon were glued to the floor, mesmerized by the strange turn of events.
"You still haven't answered my question. Is Blair my son?" Come on, I need to know.
Finally, Naomi blinked, then drew herself up to her full height. "Why do you think you have the right to ask such a question?"
Let's just skip the facts and jump right to the defensive. She certainly hasn't changed much. Mac continued to stare sternly at her, trying to pull out the answer. "Because the timing is right. Is he my son?"
Naomi shrugged, hiding the fear and pain she thought she'd let go. "You are one of the possibilities."
"ONE of the possibilities?" Mac repeated. It hurt to think that he had been replaced so soon after she had hurt him so badly. Old Leary sure didn't waste any time.
"Okay, one of the better ones. But I rather doubt it, since Blair isn't anything like you. I raised him not to be like you. Blair doesn't even look like you."
At those words, Jim simply shook his head, and Joel looked puzzled. Blair was so damn much like MacGyver it wasn't even funny.
However, Mac felt stunned. Naomi still hated him that much? "Well, I don't think you succeeded," he softly whispered before turning and retreating onto the balcony.
Naomi watched him disappear. "Why is he here, Jim?"
"He is a friend of mine and Blair's," Jim stated softly, yet firmly. "It's..."
"Tell him to leave," Naomi interrupted.
Jim rubbed his eyes, feeling like he was between a rock and a hard place. "No." Damn it, this is not how it was suppose to go down.
Naomi glared at Jim, then stormed into Blair's bedroom, slamming the door.
The room was quiet. Finally, Simon cleared his throat. "Ah, Jim, you knew about this, didn't you?"
Jim shot Simon an uncomfortable look. "Yeah."
"Is... well... do YOU think it's true?"
Jim nodded, "Yes."
As Joel turned to study his friend on the balcony, Simon gave Jim a puzzled look. Jim paused, glanced at Joel's back, then rubbed his nose. Comprehension slowly crept across Simon's face. "Does Blair know?"
"No," Jim replied. He sighed. "With Blair so sick the last few weeks, we decided to wait until he was better and Mac had contacted Naomi."
Joel turned back. "Thank God Blair wasn't here for this. He didn't need to witness that scene."
Jim nodded in agreement, wondering how to clean up the fallout before his friend got home the next week.
"Does Sam know?" Joel asked.
"I don't think so. Mac was trying to keep it quiet until he had contacted Naomi."
Simon glanced to the balcony, then back at the bedroom. "Is there anything we can do to help? Should we leave?"
Jim glanced out to the desolate figure on the balcony. In this kind of situation, he usually relied on Blair's gifted touch with people. Yet this time he was on his own, with a lot riding on the outcome. "Could one of you make sure Mac doesn't jump off the balcony while I talk with Naomi?"
Joel gave a small smile. "Should be an easy job, considering how much Mac hates heights. I can do it."
Simon looked surprised. "MacGyver is scared of heights?" Both Joel and Jim nodded. "Damn, just like Blair."
Jim sighed and rubbed his face. "That's just one example. I've found many more." He took a deep breath and walked towards Blair's bedroom with determination. He had to get this settled for Blair's sake.
Thursday evening, Uncompahgre National Forest, CO
Blair's foot slid on the snow-covered slope, slamming the exhausted young man into the ground. Coughing, Blair pulled his knees through the snow up under his body, but just couldn't manage to get to his feet. Snow was lightly falling, deepening the gloom of the approaching night. Damp, hurting and shivering, Blair had had it. Yet he didn't want to stop. Stopping meant that a new psycho might catch up. Stopping meant he'd have to start thinking again.
Sam turned arou
nd and spied Blair on the ground. Damn it, Murdoc, Blair's not well enough for this! Walking back through the knee-deep snow, Sam knelt beside his coughing friend. Man, Ellison was going to kill him. He again scanned the woods around them, trying to see if there were any more grenades flying their way. At least Blair's brown coat and his forest green one gave them some camouflage. "Easy, Blair. I think we lost him for now." Sam picked up the backpack Blair had been carrying and searched an outside pocket. Finding the paper packet, Sam pulled out a cough drop. "Here, suck on this."
Blair managed to sit back up on his heels and took the drop. "Thanks." Still struggling to make his weakened lungs work in the thin, high altitude air, he glanced around them. "This snow is getting heavier."
"Yeah," Sam agreed, "and I haven't a clue as to where we are. Do you?"
Blair chuckled hoarsely. "You're asking me?"
Sam smiled, "Oh yeah, I forgot who I was talking to." Taking another deep breath, Sam glanced ahead. "I think I see something in those trees. Feel like checking it out?"
"Do we have a choice?" Blair asked breathlessly. He attempted to stand, but nearly slipped again.
Sam steadied him, then gently draped Blair's arm across his shoulders. "Come on, Indy, let's see if we can find someplace dry."
Thursday evening, Ellison's loft
One of the more popular topics in science fiction is the alternate timeline theory. I can see the appeal. Life would have been so different if I had stayed with Naomi and joined her cause. I would have never gone to Nam. I might not have met Pete nor joined the DXS. I wouldn't have lost so many friends to bombs and psychos. Maybe I'd have been in the country when Mom died. Most of all, I would have had the pleasure of watching my son Blair grow up. However, there is no way I could have made that decision and be the same person I am today. While my life has had its low moments, it has its high points, too. I wouldn't have met Pete, Penny, the Coltons, or Lisa. I'd have missed the opportunities to help all the people I've aided over the years. Worst of all, I wouldn't have met Kate nor had our son, Sam. Guess the problem with alternate universes is that you don't get to mix and match lives. You can only live one of them.
I just wish Naomi didn't hate me so much. I had hoped that she'd have mellowed, would have forgiven. Guess the differences that tore us apart then are still at work, even after all this time. Even if I had stayed, our opposing natures would have clashed eventually. Now I just have to find a way to keep it from affecting our son. Our son, that delightful blend of my logical nature and Naomi's spiritual one. Above all else, I don't want him hurt. I simply want to be there for him, if and when he needs me.
The door behind MacGyver opened and Joel stepped out. After silently standing on the balcony for several minutes, Joel carefully asked, "How are you doing?"
"I've been better," MacGyver admitted. He sighed, then glanced at his friend. "Sorry for the scene. That wasn't how I had planned it."
"That's all right," Joel replied. "That was probably more action than the Jags game."
Mac faintly smiled. "Yeah, probably was. I'm just glad Blair and Sam weren't here to witness it."
Joel gently laid a huge hand on his friend's shoulder. He had greatly respected his explosives instructor since the first day of class, realizing that this man had been on the front lines and knew what he was talking about. They had become good friends during the course, a friendship that had grown over the last few years. Once, Mac had told him how much he missed seeing Sam grow up. Joel could only imagine how much pain missing out on a second son's childhood would cause him.
"Well, I have to admit, you must have good genes." At Mac's questioning glance, Joel continued, "Blair's a good kid with a good heart. In spite of what Naomi said, there is a lot of you in him. I should have spotted it before."
"Yeah," Mac slowly admitted. "He also has my Grandma MacGyver's curly hair and my Mom's eyes. Man, how Mom would have loved playing grandma."
Joel gave Mac's shoulder a squeeze, not knowing what to say.
"I just wish I could have been there for them. Joel, how did I get so lucky, having two sons who managed to grow up into great adults without me?"
"Like I said, great genes." Studying his friend's tired face, Joel gave his shoulder another squeeze. "Hey, do you have a place to stay tonight?" MacGyver slowly shook his head. "Then you're coming home with me. I've got a spare room, and I can make a whale of a breakfast. By then, maybe we can figure out a way to settle things before your boys get home."
Mac nodded, following Joel back inside. Simon and Jim were in the kitchen talking. "Any luck?" Joel asked.
Jim ruefully shook his head. "Naomi is meditating. She will ignore everything and anything until she wants to come back. Last I knew, her 'personal best' was five hours, and I doubt she had as much to 'process' then as she does now."
"Oh man," Mac muttered. "I didn't mean to upset her that much."
Jim gave him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry. I'm sure once she is done, she will be easier to talk to. We'll try again in the morning."
Thursday night, Uncompahgre National Forest, CO
"... basically, Dad and Pete are Murdoc's only failures. That ruined his reputation, so he blames Dad. For almost 20 years, he has made several elaborate attempts on the lives of Dad and his friends. Even after he's been declared dead, he just keeps coming back. Murdoc has got to be Dad's greatest nightmare." Silence fell as Sam finished the history between his father and Murdoc.
The building Sam had seen turned out to be an old cabin that was partially destroyed by a fallen tree. He and Blair had sought shelter in the one end still standing. A fire in the fireplace was starting to warm up the small area. Their wet jeans hung nearby. Hopefully, they would be dry by the next morning. Too bad Jim hadn't slipped in an extra pair of jeans along with the extra sweatshirt Blair found in his pack. In the firelight, Sam could see Blair huddled in the ragged blanket they had found. Between the coughing and the unusual quietness, Sam was growing concerned. This trip was turning out a whole lot rougher than they had planned.
Suddenly, Blair snorted. "Guess I'm not the only one to attract the attention of psychos," he commented.
"No," Sam admitted. "Me, too. I'm not exactly welcomed in Bosnia anymore."
The two shared a smile before Blair's eyes turned serious again. "Do you think what he said was true?"
Sam met Blair's deeply circled eyes across the flickering flames. "Yeah, I suspect it is."
Blair felt his stomach lurch. For the last hour, he had been trying to tell himself that crazy Murdoc was out to lunch, especially about Mac being his father. He had expected Sam to say the same. Hearing such a positive response shook him. "Why?"
Sam took a deep breath, trying to find the words to explain his suspicions. "Well, Dad's been pretty gung ho on you from the start. Talked about your University work, your work with the police force, how you handled yourself with that bomber. That's why I wanted to meet you."
Blair nodded, remembering Sam saying something about that the first time they had met.
"Then, when he told me about Kincaid and his militia abducting you, I could tell he was still pretty upset by it. While Dad tends to take things to heart, he will usually shake stuff off after a situation is over and everyone's safe. The only time I know of something affecting him that much was when my poly sci class was taken hostage."
"Your Poly Sci class?" Blair repeated in disbelief.
"Yeah, a Prof was upset because someone cut his grant and decided to take it out on us. But anyway, Dad tends to let things get to him a little more when I'm involved. I could see the same thing happening with you." Sam glanced back at Blair, wondering how he was taking all this. "Then, last week when I was visiting, he was on the phone a lot. I caught enough of one conversation to realize he was trying to find someone. Someone named Naomi Sandburg."
Puzzled, Blair asked, "My mother? Why would he want to find my mother? Unless..." All of a sudden, the whole situation hit him. A lifetime of loneliness, wanting, ang
er, rejection, and insecurity dropped on him with crushing intensity. "Oh man," Blair moaned, dropping his head on his arms. MacGyver was his father? That was just too big a concept for his tired mind to process. His body shook as his mind stalled out again, questions and fear pushing out his rational thought.
Alarmed, Sam stood up and jumped over next to the man who might be his brother. Damn it, he should have known Blair wasn't in any condition to handle this. He wrapped his arms around the too thin, shaking body, thinking up every curse he had ever heard of and wishing it upon Murdoc. Upon the circumstances that seemed intent on separating the MacGyver family.
"Why?" Blair finally managed to articulate. "Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't he WANT me?"
Sam tightened his embrace. "Dad adores you, Indy. He probably just didn't know about you before. I'll bet that even now he doesn't know for sure. That's why he's trying to reach your Mom."
For several minutes they huddled together, Sam gently rocking, trying to offer comfort. When Blair started coughing again, Sam pulled back. Rubbing Blair's shoulder, he commented, "You realize Ellison is going to kill me."
Surprised at the change of subject, Blair blinked at Sam in tired confusion.
"I promised him I'd take care of you. Now look. We are lost, hungry, freezing, exhausted, and hiding out from a psycho in a dilapidated building. You might as well shoot me now to prevent the slow death Jim will dream up."
As Sam had hoped, a tired chuckle accompanied the faint smile crossing Blair's face. "Nah, I'll threaten his beloved '69 Ford with a blow torch. That should stop him between the water torture and the flaying."
Sam chuckled, glad to see a little of the feisty Blair he had grown to like reappear. He started rummaging through his pack. "Well, I do have some Snickers in here. You hungry?"
"Snickers? Empty calories in an extra dose of fat? Man, you are as bad as Jim."
"So you don't want one?"
"I didn't say that."