Mac was in the kitchen fixing a bowl of cereal when Will walked in, still in his boxers and t-shirt, rubbing his eyes.
"Good morning," Mac said.
He walked over to her and took her in his arms. "Good morning. Why are you up so early?"
"I have a doctor's appointment in about an hour," she explained.
"What kind of doctor?" he was more awake now. "Are you all right?" he asked pulling back some so he could see her face.
She smiled at him. "Relax, I'm fine. It's with my gynecologist for my annual pap smear and exam." She laughed at the face he made. "It's no different than you having a prostate exam." He made the face again.
"As long as you're okay."
She loved him so much. "I am, but if I don't eat now I'm never going to make my appointment. Do you want some cereal?"
"No thanks," he said looking at the box of cereal. It was full of raisins and twigs and things he was sure that humans weren't meant to eat. "I'll fix something later."
"Do you want to taste it," she offered knowing there was no way he'd try her cereal.
"No thanks." She burst out laughing and pulled him close.
"I love you, Will."
"I love you, too."
He kept her company while she ate and then walked her to the elevator when she was ready to leave. "I'll see you in a little while," he said.
"Bye," she said as the elevator door was closing.
They'd been back from England for about a month and so far things were going well. Mac talked with Meggie and Michael at least twice a week and they Skyped when they could. He knew that Mac was really missing her family.
The phone rang and when Will answered it was Michael. "Good morning, my boy."
"Good afternoon, Michael."
"Is my daughter about?"
"She just left, I'm sorry. You could try her cell," he suggested. "Is everything all right?"
"No worries at all, William. I just found out my next assignment and I was going to share that with her."
"Are you coming to New York," Will asked, hoping he was guessing correctly.
"Meggie and I will be there in two weeks. I won't take my post for another month but that will give us time to get settled and into a routine."
"That's fabulous news, Mac will be ecstatic. She's missed you both so much, as have I. It will be great having you here."
"We're looking forward to it as well. Tell me, is there a ring on Mac's finger yet?"
"Soon, Michael, very soon."
"All right, I'll leave you alone about it, but please take my advice and don't wait too long."
"I promise. Call Mac's cell and tell her, you'll make her day."
"Talk to you later, William."
"Bye, Michael. Give Meggie our love."
"Thank you." With that Michael disconnected and left Will standing in the living room smiling. It was going to be great having family around. But first, he had to do something about making himself a permanent member of the McHale clan…his thoughts drifted to a certain engagement ring and what the future held for him and Mackenzie.
Will started to worry when Mac still wasn't in the office nearly three hours later. In the short few weeks they'd been back together he found himself increasingly unable to let her out of his sight for very long. At first, he had been able to convince himself that it was perfectly normal. He had spent too many years without her by his side and in his bed, and good Lord, they were ravenous for each other.
But it wasn't just in the bedroom that he longed for her. Several times a day he would wander into her office for absolutely no reason and he always spent an hour or so at lunch with her. He feared he was starting to smother her, but so far, she had been exceedingly patient with him.
Just then he saw a flash of dark hair pass through the newsroom and he bolted for the door.
"Where have you been?!" he shouted, once inside her office.
"At the doctor. I told you that Will," she said, hanging up her coat and setting her purse on a chair.
"That was three hours ago Mackenzie! Your doctor is five blocks from the office!" he roared.
"She was running a little late and then I needed to ask her a few questions. Jesus Will, take a breath, would you?" she replied, sinking into her chair.
"What questions? Is everything ok?" he asked worriedly, trying to calm his racing heart and taking a seat before he collapsed.
"I told you, everything is fine. I just wanted to know what medications I could stay on if we tried to get pregnant, that's all Will."
"And?" he asked, leaning forward in his seat.
"While not ideal, I could remain on two of them, the rest would have to go," she told him, all the while looking down at her folded hands in her lap.
"Shit," he mumbled under his breath. He knew just how many pill bottles there were lined up on their countertop at home. Keeping Mackenzie functioning took a small pharmacy. He couldn't imagine how she would survive a year without those pills. Actually, she would probably be fine. Mackenzie was strong. He would be a wreck.
"I can do it Will. I really think I can," she said firmly.
"No, you can't Mackenzie. I've seen the looks doctors get on their faces when they see your x-rays and MRI's. It's that horrible poker face they must have been taught in medical school. The one they're supposed to plaster on when they have to tell someone they're dying or crippled for life. They look at those damn films and then they look back at you like they're wondering how the hell you're even standing up!" he shouted.
"Well, I've been doing it for years now. I suspect I'll do it long after some of those doctors have retired. And I damn well plan to have children if I want them!" she shouted back.
"That's just it Mac. There is no `me' or `I' here anymore. It's the two of us now. You might want to take my feelings into account on this one and I am telling you I can't watch you suffer like that. Hell, I can barely stand watching what you go through on a daily basis right now but at least I know, if all else fails, you can take more Vicodin before you go to sleep!" he shouted, now standing in front of her desk and looking down at her.
For a few moments the only sound to be heard in the room was their ragged breathing as they stared each other down, then suddenly the silence was shattered by the sound of a door opening.
"We don't have to do five minutes on the economy tonight if that's what has you two all hot and bothered. I thought once you guys starting sleeping together again we'd finally get some peace and quiet around here. Guess I was wrong," Sloan said as she peeked around the door at her bosses.
"What do you want Sloan?" Will grunted.
"I want to stop hearing about Mackenzie's gynecologist appointment from all the way down the hall," Sloan pleaded.
Mackenzie started chuckling and ducked her now furiously blushing face down onto her desk.
"Oh my God! You could really hear everything we just said from your office?" Mackenzie asked, mortified.
"Yeah, did you want to take an office poll? I'm all for a baby. I say it will be a girl. She will be beautiful and smart and one hell of an argumentative little thing. She will also know how to count without using her fingers and toes because I will be teaching her the fundamentals of economics. Now that all that's settled, could we head to the conference room and start the rundown meeting?" Sloan asked sweetly.
"We'll be there in a minute Sloan," Will said sharply.
"This isn't over Mackenzie," he told her, blocking her way to the door.
"I didn't think it was Will," she stood toe to toe with him, until she couldn't bear the tension anymore and she planted a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth.
"Don't try to change the subject," he whispered into her hair as he pulled her close for a hug.
"I'm not trying to change the subject. I'm trying to calm your temper down before you go into that conference room. I can handle your bluster, some of the interns can't."
"I just worry about you Mackenzie. You do too much. You're trying to pretend there's nothing wrong, but there is Mac. Please, for me, slow down," he pleaded.
"Dinner tonight. In bed. You and me. I promise I'll take an extra pill or two and sleep for ten hours tonight. Ok?" she told him.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now get your ass in that rundown meeting Will."
"Yes ma'am. By the way, did your father get a hold of you?" he asked her as they walked.
"He left me a message. Looks like it's a good thing you and I got back together. I would be out of a home otherwise. I still have a few things at the brownstone that we'll need to get out of there before Dad and Meggie get here."
"Jesus Mac. How much more stuff do you have? The guest room already looks like a closet."
"Just a few more things. Books, mainly. And a few more pairs of shoes. Get used to it Billy. You're stuck with me for the rest of your life. Me and all my stuff."
He froze and she kept walking until she realized he wasn't beside her. She walked back to him and said, "what's wrong?"
"Where are we going to put a baby? We have no room, now." She could tell he was starting to panic again.
"We'll figure it all out, Will. We don't have to find a solution right this minute."
He started moving again but she knew that this conversation wasn't over.
They'd made it through the pitch meeting and Mac was back at her desk trying to catch up from the time she missed earlier in the day when Will walked in and sat down. He didn't say anything he was just watching her.
"What's up?" she asked, looking up from the documents she was reading that Jim had given her.
"Are you hungry?"
"Sloan and I are going to get some lunch, want me to bring you something?"
"You're going out?"
"Yes, with Sloan," she explained again.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Are you going to want anything other than a turkey sandwich?"
"Probably not, but I'd like to know just in case there was another option," he defended.
She just looked at him.
"Okay, I want a turkey sandwich, sue me."
She smiled at his gruffness. "We'll be back in about an hour." He got up to leave and when he was in her doorway she said, "see you later."
He smiled at her and went back to his office.
Sloan was the next to arrive and Mac decided that she just wasn't going to catch up today. "You ready? I'm starving."
"Sure," she said pushing away from her desk. "Where did you want to go?"
"Any cravings?" Sloan asked.
Mac knew she wasn't going to leave this alone. "How about the Greek place two blocks over?"
"That sounds great, come on."
As they were walking to the restaurant Mac's phone rang. "This is Mackenzie. Hi, Dad." She touched Sloan's arm and mouthed, "sorry."
Sloan shook her head. Mac finished her conversation with her father as they arrived at the restaurant. "I'm sorry," Mac said.
"It's fine. How is he doing?"
Sloan didn't yet know about Meggie or the divorce.
"He's good. He got his new posting today."
"Where?"
"The UN."
"Mac, that's great. You'll get to see so much more of him."
"It will be nice having more family here," Mac said.
Sloan thought for a moment and finally said, "you mean Will?"
"Yes, Will is part of my family."
"Is your mom coming, too?" Sloan asked and she saw Mac react like she'd never seen before. She could see the anger appear on her face. "Okay, I guess not. Do you want to talk about it?" When she didn't answer her she said, "Kenz, it might make you feel better to talk about it."
"I've talked about it and it doesn't."
The greeter sat them at a table and handed them their menus.
"You know you can talk to me, right? I love to push your buttons but I'm here if you want to talk and it will stay between us."
"My parents are divorcing."
"Kenz, I'm so sorry," she said touching Mac's hand.
"It's for the best. They'd been essentially separated for years and my mother met someone, so she asked for the divorce."
"How'd your father react?"
"I don't know. The proceedings have been going on for a while. The divorce will be final in a week or so. I didn't know until Will and I flew over after the hostage situation."
"They didn't tell you?" Sloan asked.
"No. They've both moved on and at least my father is now happy."
"What about your mother?" Sloan was getting a weird feeling.
"I can't talk about her, Sloan. Maybe with copious amounts of alcohol I'll be able to talk about it with you, but not now."
"So, do you like the woman your father is seeing?"
Mac smiled. "He's with the person he should have been with all along."
"You know her?"
"He's with my Aunt Meggie."
"Your mother's sister?" Sloan asked.
Mac nodded.
"You've got quite the soap opera going on, Mac."
"You have no idea Sloan," Mackenzie mumbled under her breath.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? And why is Will so diametrically opposed to you getting pregnant? And what the hell is with the way the man follows you around like he expects you to keel over at any moment? You're not pregnant already are you? God, that would explain the stick up Will's ass!"
"Sloan! Jesus, can you stop talking for two minutes and let me answer a question?"
"Sorry," Sloan apologized, ducking her head a little in embarrassment.
"No, I'm sorry I snapped. I know you're just curious, but believe me, there is absolutely no way I could possibly tell you everything about the unending drama that is my life in our one hour lunch break," Mackenzie told her friend, shifting in the hard-backed restaurant chair and trying desperately to find a comfortable position.
"You ok Kenz?" Sloan asked, worriedly.
"I'm fine. What are you ordering?" Mac asked, trying to change the topic of discussion.
"Spanakopita. It's wonderful here. What are you getting?" Sloan asked.
"Order the same for me. I'll be right back," Mackenzie replied, standing slowly and grabbing her purse.
Once safely inside the ladies room she searched her bag for her pill bottle and popped two Vicodin in her mouth and washed them down with a handful of water from the sink. She splashed some water on her face and looked in the mirror.
"Damn, I look like hell," she mumbled. It was getting harder and harder to hide her pain. Usually she didn't even bother to try with Will. He always could see right through her anyway. But if there was any chance that he would say yes to a pregnancy, she couldn't let him see how much worse she was. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and marched back toward the table.
"Don't let me forget we have to pick up a sandwich for Will on the way back," she reminded Sloan.
"Because he couldn't possibly order out or send an assistant for it. It's not like he's, you know, a multi-millionaire or anything," Sloan mumbled.
"He could have sent someone, but I offered to get his lunch Sloan. There's nothing wrong with that," Mackenzie defended.
"You two are joined at the hip," Sloan whined.
"Oh my God Sloan! Are you actually jealous of Will?!" Mackenzie nearly shouted.
"Shut up! I am not jealous of Will. I love you Kenz, but not like that," Sloan whispered harshly.
"Then why are you acting like someone stole your favorite calculator?" Mackenzie asked, giving Sloan's shoulder a friendly nudge.
"I am not acting like a child Kenz. I'm acting like someone who hasn't spent an evening alone with her friend in weeks!" Sloan said, more than mildly annoyed.
That caught Mackenzie off guard. She had no idea she had been neglecting her only true friend and she felt more than a little ashamed.
"I'm so sorry Sloan. You're absolutely right! Will and I have been so caught up in our own little world these past few weeks that I haven't been a very good friend, have I?"
"No, you haven't. Can I have those Manolo's you're wearing as a token of your appreciation?" Sloan asked, envying the lovely pair of heels on Mackenzie's feet.
"You may be getting a lot more than just this pair in the near future," Mac said, just as their lunch arrived. She toed off her shoes under the table and tried to stretch her legs out to stop the shooting pain that was darting down from her lower back all the way to her toes.
"What? What are you talking about Mackenzie?" Sloan asked.
"Nothing. Eat your lunch. We have to be back at the office in less than a half an hour. You and I will talk later and I promise, we'll go out this weekend. Have a few drinks, or something. I miss you too Sloan," Mackenzie said as she carefully picked at her lunch.