"Really Sloan?" Mackenzie was whining.
"I planned this way before I knew you'd need me."
"I know. I'm just not sure who else I trust enough to see me like that."
"Mac, you're a grown women. It's strange that you are just now doing this. But I think, despite the recent setbacks, Will is always an option." Sloan knew that Will would be more than willing to help out.
"Recent set backs?"
"Look. I'm out of town, Jim is out of town. You kind of need Will."
"I can do it myself." Mackenzie stated.
"You can't."
"I can and I will."
"Just ask Will-" Sloan was standing up, preparing to leave the room.
"Ask me what?" Will barges into Mackenzie's office.
"See, this is exactly what I don't want to happen." Mackenzie held up her arm, gesturing towards Will.
"What's happening?" Will takes a seat across from Mackenzie at her desk.
"Nothing."
"Mac, ask him."
Sloan leaves quickly, Mackenzie looked at Will for a moment as if to size up her choice around the matter.
"What do you need to ask me?"
"Can you please not make a big deal of this?"
"Sure,"
"I need someone to help me on Friday."
"What can I do?"
"I have to have some minor surgery on Friday. I need a ride home and someone to watch me until the sedative wears out."
"Done. What time?"
"8 am. So I should be okay after dinner, you might be able to make it back in time for the show."
"We'll get Elliot to cover, just in case."
"I'm serious, I don't want people here to know whatever I say or do while I'm drugged."
"Mac, you'll be fine with me. What are you having done?"
"I need to have my wisdom teeth out."
There was a moment of silence and then Will looked at her questionably, "why did you wait this long?"
"I didn't know!" She replied. "Stop looking at me like I'm weird."
"I'm not."
"I'll pick you up Friday morning, with Lonny - He won't say anything either. And I'll stay with you until Saturday morning."
"Thank you." She replied quietly.
"You could've asked me first. You know, I'll always take care of you."
"I know. I'm just embarrassed and nervous."
"That's not necessary. You'll be in good hands."
"I hope so." She let out a shaky breath.
"Rundown in 10?"
"Yes." She smiled, gathering some papers.
The week went pretty quickly, much to Mackenzie's demise. She was dreading the idea of the whole operation. She had never been trough any surgery, other than when she was stabbed, but that wasn't technically surgery.
She was a bundle of nerves and anxiety when Will rang the buzzer to let him up. She sighed and looked in the mirror again before allowing him to come up.
"You're gonna wear that?" Will referred to her business casual attire.
"What am I suppose to wear?"
"Sweat pants and a hoodie."
"I don't own a 'hoodie' and I'm not going to be in sweat pants in public."
"You are going to be drugged, so no one will judge you."
"Will, please?" She looked up at him as she slid on her heels.
"You plan on wearing heels?"
"I can't wear my gym shoes with my dress pants.
"You've never been knocked out before, have you?"
"They said it wouldn't be a big deal."
"It won't be a big deal at all, but you won't be able to walk very well."
"I can walk just fine." Mackenzie turned around to look at her empty apartment.
"Ready?" Will asked, trying to hide his smile.
"Yeah." She wiped her sweaty hands on her pants. "Let's go do this." She exhaled loudly.
In the waiting room she couldn't stop her hands from shaking. Her nerves were starting to get the best of her. This was a simple procedure. She'd be home in a few hours, in her bed, high on some medication. That's where she wanted to be. Will tried to make small talk, while she was waiting, but it didn't cut through her anxiety.
She calmly talked to the dentist as they started to prep her. And when they knocked her out, she went quickly into a deep sleep.
She knew she was awake. Her brain was moving, sluggish, but her cognitive process was booting up. Her brain registered that she couldn't see, which sent off a panic alarm. Her throat was dry and it was difficult to swallow with the cotton gauze folded between her upper and bottom jaw. Everywhere that she touched, it felt unnatural and frightening, yet her brain has processing things for her to understand.
"Mackenzie," a soothing voice was suddenly wrapping around her head. "It's okay, you're okay." The voice kept repeating.
"Wa?" She forced out difficultly. Her shaking hands fumbled around the body that was in front of her. She could feel his chest and the cotton of his shirt. She had made it up into a sitting position, feet dangling over the edge, ready to run. She felt him move in closer and pull her tiny frame towards his body. He stood between her legs, her hands shakily exploring his body. She could recognize the smell and feel of Will anywhere, but it had been so long since she was this close. This closeness and confusion pushed out some tears. He pulled her head into his chest and whispered to her softly.
"I want to go home." She tried to say coherently.
"I know hon," his hand rub up and down her back comfortingly. "Just calm down and they'll let us leave."
"Okay," she nodded against his chest. She fisted her hands in his shirt and tried to take slow, controlled breaths.
"That's it." He urged her. "Shhh."
There was a knock on the door before the nurse walked in promptly.
"Once she can walk, she can leave. We called in a pain medication at her pharmacy. She should be under observation for the next 24 hours, don't operate any machinery or vehicles during this time. It's important that she doesn't throw up, if the medication makes her nauseated then call us for a different option."
"Thank you." Will said to her.
Mackenzie started to get down from the doctor's office bed that she was on. She could see better now, more aware of her surroundings, although her conscious seemed to slip in and out.
She managed to wobbly walk out of the office, but once they were in the elevator Will scooped her up. Her head rested on his shoulder, one arm dangling freely, she kept trying to talk with gauze still stuck in her mouth.
Lonny was waiting by the curb, as soon as they walked out he was helping Will get Mackenzie's drugged body into the backseat. Once he settle in next to her, she laid her head in his lap and closed her eyes. His hand cradled her head. She was gripping into his jeans, trying to steady herself in the vehicle and understand her surroundings.
"Kenzie, do you want your place or mine? I'm closer, if you want to get settled quicker."
She slowly nodded her head.
"Lonny, take us back to my place. But I'll need to go back out for her prescriptions."
"I can get those," Lonny looked in the review. "I'll drop you guys off and then get whatever she needs."
"Thanks Lonny." Will looked down at Mackenzie. He hoped for her sake that the worst was over for her and that the recovery would go smoothly.
Mackenzie was completely out by the time they got back to his place. Will carried her up to his loft, Lonny following close behind.
"You think I should change her clothes? I could wake her up."
"She has to take medication in an hour," Lonny pointed out. "Let her sleep until then. When she wakes up, you can have her change clothes too."
"I'll be back." Lonny stated.
Will pulled out some cash and handed it over to him. "For the medication, keep the change. I appreciate you helping out like this."
"No problem." Lonny nodded and left.
Will removed her shoes and covered her with one if the throw blankets. He added one of his pillows under her head for extra support. The couch wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, but for now she'd be okay.
When Mackenzie did wake up a few hours later, she felt the pain. A pounding headache. Her throat was dry and on felt like sandpaper. Her jaw hurt, my mouth hurt; it seemed like her entire head hurt in some way. She sat up slowly, waking herself up one section at a time. She recognized that she was at Will's house.
She opened her mouth to talk and almost passed out from the pain and discomfort.
"Hey," Will came from around the corner of the couch.
"Billy," she barely whispered.
"You're okay. You had your wisdom teeth pulled. Remember?"
She nodded her head.
"I've got some pain meds for you. Are you hungry? You can try to eat? Lonny got jello, applesauce, yogurt and we've got some mashed potatoes or oatmeal."
She just nodded her head.
"Let's get you into comfy clothes and your meds. Then try to eat."
"Okay." She got out.
He led her to his bed room where he already had some sweatpants and one of his shirts laid out.
"Will." She held on to him for support. "I don't feel good,"
"Sit down," he pushed her to the bed. "What's wrong?"
"I feel dizzy. Light headed."
"It's the medication." He told her. "It'll pass."
He grabbed the clothes that were sitting on the other end of the bed and brought them closer to her.
"Do you want help?" He asked.
She didn't move for a moment, but then she looked up at him. Her eyes were glassy with tears ready to spill over.
Will kneeled down in front of her. He started to undo the buttons on her blouse. "You're okay." He repeated.
"I don't like feeling like this." She mumbled as she help shrug off the shirt.
"It'll go away, don't worry, this is why they wanted you with someone."
"I know." She smiled the best she could. He helped pull one of his shirts over her head, careful of her jaw.
He stood to grab the sweatpants, she followed suit, standing up too quickly.
She swayed, falling back down to the bed in a sitting position. Will helped her with her pants, trying to make it the least uncomfortable as possible.
The last time he was intimate with Mackenzie was almost 6 years ago, but the second that his fingers brushed along her thigh to pull up the waistband of his sweat pants, he was completely overtaken with feelings.
"Let's get you something to eat." Will pulled her towards the kitchen trying to change the subject quickly.
"I'm really not hungry, I just want to sleep. Everything hurts."
"You have to eat something if you want pain meds."
"It's going to be more painful to eat..."
"This is not a discussion."
"I'm not eating." Mackenzie crossed her arms.
"Then you can't have pain medication. It says not to be taken without food."
"Fine."
"Can I sleep here?" She gestured towards his bed.
"Or the guest bedroom. I don't care." Will got up to leave.
"You're mad?" Mackenzie questioned.
"I'm just trying to take care of you. I can't do much if you don't let me. Maybe you are better off alone." Will walked out. "And actually, do me a favor," he stuck his head back inside the room. "Stay in the guest room. I don't want to hear you bitch when you are in pain."
"Maybe I'll just go home."
"Have fun getting a cab with no money." He countered. "All your things are at your apartment."
"Fine. I will wait until Lonny gets back and ask him to take me home."
"Fine. Do it in the guest room."
"I will!" Mackenzie slammed the door to the guest room. Her mouth an jaw hurt so badly. She couldn't help the tears escaping down her cheeks. She was tired, so she decided to rest until Lonny came back. If she could just fall asleep...
Which she did eventually, after an hour or so of tossing and turning. When Will went to check on her after a few hours, he found her passed out cold. He watched her sleep for a few minutes, hating that he fought with her and that she had to be so stubborn. He could tell she had been crying - but he didn't know if it was from their fight or the pain. He knew that the pain must've been strong, when as she slept, because she had fisted the blanket in her hands. She has holding on so tightly than her knuckles were white.
"Kenzie," he gently shook her.
"Hmmm?" She woke quickly. Her face instantly displayed the amount of pain she felt.
"Let's get you some medicine."
"Okay." She swallowed hard and slowly crawled out of the bed.
"You hungry yet?"
"Yeah." She nodded her head. "But I can't-"
"Let's just try, okay? I got you jello."
She reached for his hand when they started walking to the kitchen. "Billy?"
"What's wrong?" He turned to face her, stopping in his tracks.
"I'm sorry." She whispered and started crying. "I'm sorry."
"Sweetie," he pulled her to his chest. Her head slammed into him as she sniffled. "It's okay. You're okay."
"I don't know," she let out a sob before she could finish.
"Kenz, you're all high on drugs. It's perfectly okay."
"I don't like not being in control of everything."
"It's me. Let me take care of you for the next couple of days. Then you'll be back in control and bossing me around again."
"But Billy," she started to say. He held I finger to her mouth gently.
"Let me take care of you."
"I don't..."
"Mackenzie, let me be in control. You know it's me," both of his hands on holding her face gently. "You know I'm going to take care of you."
"Okay." She said in a small voice.
"Okay." He replied. He continued to lead her to the couch. He watched as she folded up into a ball, head resting gently on a pillow.
When he returned, food and pills in hand, her eyes were already drooping.
"I've got yogurt and some jello. We can try one and see how it works, okay?"
"Water?"
"Yup." He watched as she swallowed two of the pills. He handed her the yogurt and a spoon. He settled in next to her as she started to eat slowly.
It took a good 15 minutes for her to finish it, but then she asked for more.
Around dinner time, Will made himself something to eat and then woke Mackenzie for more medication. He was happy that the anesthesia was keeping her out. She could experience less pain that way. She took her pills, ate another yogurt and allowed Will to tuck her in his bed for the night.
As he started to walk out, she grabbed his hand quickly.
"Billy? Stay."
"I was going to use the guest room or the couch."
"Please," she pleaded. "Don't go."
"You sure?" He asked. Their friendship was rebuilding slowly, but it had not made it to this level yet. Still, Will knew that if he stayed with her, she'd get some comfort out of it. When she nodded, he climbed in on the other side. She gently laid her head on his chest and let her body relax. The medication would kick in soon and she would be out cold.
When Will woke up in the early morning, he had almost forgot about Mackenzie curled up next to him. She was shivering slightly, her head resting across his chest arm holding on tightly across his waist.
They hadn't been this close in a long time. He gently combed loose hair behind her ear. He watched her sleep for a little longer, struggling with his feelings for her. He eventually pulled himself away from her grip. She started to wake up, mumbling in protest.
"Go back to sleep." He whispered, tucking the comforter around her tightly and positioning the pillow under her head. He rubbed the back of her shoulder comfortingly until her breathing evened out again.
"Thanks for letting me stay." Mackenzie was packing up the few things she had at Will's.
"Anytime Kenz." Will smiled. "If you get home and realize you need anything, just let me know."
"I'm sure I'll be fine."
"You should. But just in case," Will pressed.
"Thank you for everything. You've been too sweet."
"Lonny will take you home and make sure you are settled."
"Thanks." She hugged him quickly and walked out.
Will contemplated telling her to stop and stay with him, but something stopped him. There were still feelings there, and the last 48 hours proved that. But he was going to need a little more time to move forward.