A story I've been thinking about for some time. Hope you enjoy, I have most of it written already so I should be able to update quickly. Hopefully there will be a few surprises along the way. As always, I own nothing.

Will slumps down onto the couch, he can barely believe what has happened in the last few hours. How could the last twelve hours have turned his life literally upside down? How could she have done this to him again after everything they'd been through? How could she have left him again?

He was sitting there barely even able to breathe, with her ring and a piece of paper in his hand. None of this made any sense to him and he started to go through the last few weeks again in his mind hoping for some kind of explanation.

ooo

Since they had been back together, everything was perfect in his eyes. He loved being able to touch her again. He loved being able to be open about his love for her. He loved that they would argue at work and come home together at the end of each day. They had stayed in his apartment every night since the proposal. From all accounts both seemed mutually ecstatic to spend almost every moment together. From Will's perspective he just couldn't get enough of her. He was literally trying to make up for lost time.

From day one, they were open about their relationship and had even made a Skype date to announce the news to her parents the day after the proposal. He was nervous to say the least, but just as she had told him, he really had nothing to be nervous about. Her parents were totally on board with the engagement and whole heartedly welcomed Will to the family.

In the office, they really tried to make a conscious effort not to overdo the public displays of affection; however, there were still lots of loving glances, quick kisses in their offices, or small reassuring touches on the arm or shoulder. There was one time though within the first few days of being engaged were they had gotten into an argument during the run down of whether to lead with the economy or Syria. It was quite a heated debate and neither wanted to back down.

"I can't believe you aren't backing me on this Will."

"I am the managing editor and I have final say."

"Oh, so that's how it is? You're the managing editor and you expect me just to obey and follow your orders, master?"

Will couldn't help noticing how cute she looked when she was really angry over something. There had been so many times over the past years when all he wanted to do during one of their arguments was really to grab her in the throws of passion. He smiled quickly, realizing that now he could. He stepped forward, not hearing the last parts of her argument at all, grabbed her waist, leaned in and kissed her melting all elements of reason from her mind. The kiss was so passionate that neither of them could help moving into the bathroom for a quick love making session. After all, it was their first fight after being back together. Will decided that after allowing this behaviour in the office, she had strict rules about this type of conduct, that he would give in.

On the home front, Will was delighted that Mac had seemed to like being at his apartment. There was some discussion over the weeks and the plan was that she would move it with him. Although, now that he thinks it over, there were a few slight hints. In the beginning she was ready to hire a mover and over the last few weeks she always seemed to change the subject. Like about a week ago when he tried to bring up the subject. It was late one night and they had stopped again to get some more of her stuff on the way to his apartment.

"Mac, why don't we just hire movers and take care of this so we don't have to keep stopping by your place all the time?"

"We will darling, it's just that I don't have time to pack everything and I'd really like to go through my stuff. I didn't have much time when I moved last and I'd really like to do some purging. Besides, we are together every night darling, the whole moving in thing is just a detail. I don't ever want to wake up without you Will, you know that." She quickly grabbed her bag and kissed him, maybe even trying to divert the conversation. "Let's go home, Billy." Honestly, Will was so happy to have her back in his life that the details and logistics really didn't mean much to him.

Now that he is thinking about it, there were some other conversations that should have flagged something for him. In fact, in the days immediately following their engagement, she was talking about wedding details. There was a particular time just about 3 days after their engagement that they were cuddling closely by the fire that he remembers quite fondly.

"I don't want a big to do, Will. I just want something very small and very quick, I've waited long enough to be your wife."

"My wife, I can't tell you how sexy that sounds coming from you. I honestly don't care what kind of wedding we have as long as you are mine forever." She turned to kiss him, obviously enjoying the remark.

"I'll start talking to my parents, I want to make sure that my mother doesn't take over, but I'd like to plan a time when they can be here."

"So you want a wedding here in New York?"

"Yes, it's our home and honestly I'd like some of our staff to be able to celebrate with us, they are part of our family."

"Whatever, you want darling, however you become Mrs. McAvoy is just a detail for me."

"Say that again, Billy. I love it when you call me Mrs. McAvoy."

"Mrs. McAvoy." With that she turned to straddled him, kissing him passionately, which was followed by another heated love making session.

She had had a conversation with her mother and had even started looking for a wedding planner. Even though she wanted something small and simple, she wanted it to be elegant, and neither of them had the time in their schedules to deal with all of the details. Come to think of it, it seemed that something changed about 3 weeks ago. She said that she could not find the right wedding planner and that work had been too much lately for her to worry about it. Will didn't think anything of it, she was right that work had been crazy. Since the whole Genoa lawsuit, there had been a number of late nights and the team really was working extra hard to get their trust numbers back.

The more he thought over the happenings of the last few weeks, the more he wondered if he should have realized it sooner. There was the time about 3 weeks ago when she just seemed a bit off. She had a lunch meeting with a potential source for a new story and when she got back Will swore that she looked as if she'd been crying. When he asked her about it, she just brushed it off saying that the story hit a bit too close to home. She said that she couldn't tell him about it, but that if the story panned out that he would understand. Had she just been feeling guilty over her indiscretions? Had she just returned from sleeping with him?

Even the events of that very morning where in retrospect somewhat bizarre.

He woke up to Mackenzie being wrapped around him. Although this was really how they'd woken up most mornings since his proposal, he remembers her being even closer, her grip on him being just a bit tighter than normal.

"Good morning Billy." He remembers now that her voice was different, softer. He had thought that it was just because she'd just woken up, but now he wonders if she knew the whole time.

"Good morning gorgeous." He responded by kissing her hair as her head rested on his chest.

She rose to look at him with sincerity and something else, almost desperation, he wishes now that he would have seen the hints. "I love you Billy. I love you more than anything I hope that you know that." Even before he can respond she kisses him with such passion and now he wonders if she knew that it would be the last time.

"Mac, we better get ready for work darling." He said as the kiss ended.

"Forget about work, Billy, make love to me." She responded with another kiss.

"I have this EP who hates being late, she'll be nagging me all day if I'm late."

"Please Billy, I need you. Let's just put work aside for a little bit longer this morning, ok?"

He didn't need much more persuading beyond that, Mac telling him she needed him was definitely enough. She kissed him again and they made love. It was slow, passionate, and intense. He understands now, she was trying to capture the moment. She knew it would be the last time.

"I love you Billy." She had said it a few times now while laying in his arms after making love. They had been saying it quite often since their reconciliation, but he never tired of hearing it, so never even thought to ask why.

He thinks over the events, still not fully believing what has happened. How could she seem so sincere, so loving, and stab him right in the back, again. He was just so angry and shut down. He looked down at the ring and the hand writing note that she had given him as she left. He didn't know what to do. Why would he even read it? What could she possibly say? Why should he fucking bother to hear more of her lies. He just held them, it was all he had left of her now. So much for their happily ever after.