Of course she knew.
Just a little vignette that popped into my head as I sit here trying to do a decent job of my other story. Which is coming slowly, and should still be up by tonight/tomorrow...
He was so ready for this. Looking over his notes once more, he failed to notice Mac sidling up to the anchor desk. He was only alerted to her presence when she leaned onto the desk and said,
"What was the rest of the message?"
John Adams said that the United States of America was definitely not founded on – wait. What?
"What?" He heard that wrong, right? Please say she had not just asked him that.
"'I'm not just saying this because I'm high…' – saying what?"
Shit. As he looked at her, he could tell – he could see right through her. It was that face that Mac always put on when she had just had an idea – or when she had just realised something and was now sweeping her fishing rod around the pond trying to hook the prize. She knew exactly what was on that voicemail…
And how he wanted to tell her! So much of him wanted to just answer her there and then, get it all out in the open – especially after the blockbuster of a day they had just been through. Emotions running high, the bittersweet taste of success and then the relief that New Night 2.0 would continue with him at the helm. But he just couldn't.
He could plainly see the glimpse of longing which was lurking in the deepest point of her eyes, but he couldn't tell her. Not yet. When he was high he had felt free, he hadn't really had control over what he was doing…how much easier this all might have been if she had just received that damn voicemail. Because the other triumph of this week was the realisation that Mackenzie loved him still.
The conversation with Jim in the hospital, her frequent visits, her unfaltering determination to bring him back from the brink; she still loved him.
But he hadn't forgiven her yet. Dr Habib's "betrayal theory" was still racing around his mind, and he had not yet figured out how to do something about it. He was more optimistic though. The feeling of renewed hope that had been building since his realisation about the phone hacking had all but exploded after their victory against Reese and Leona; and now it was seeping into his trying relationship with Mackenzie. And he was okay with that. He was even glad of it.
Knowing he was going to disappoint her, he looked away; sensing that he had been correct in his prediction as her head drooped. She remained at his side for a few seconds, and he determinately stared at his notes although he couldn't read them due to her distracting closeness.
She sighed, and inwardly he relaxed his muscles in advent of her finally moving away. But she only pulled back for a second before leaning in and placing a very gentle kiss on his cheek.
Automatically his eyes closed as she lingered there; his breath caught in his throat.
"Knock 'em dead." Her breath ghosted across his ear.
And then she was gone.
Damn you, Mackenzie.
But he couldn't help the small smile which tugged at his lips as the News Night jingle started up, and the cameras started rolling. Of course she knew. She was Mackenzie.
:)