So I realize that this is very short. I'm currently working on a longer Newsroom piece, and this was going to be part of it until I decided that I want the original piece to be much more plausible, and this... isn't. So I took it out, and thought I'd share it with you. Because it kinda seems to fix all their problems, right?
Let me know what you think.
Mackenzie was sitting in the 11 am conference – the first one of three they had each day – half-listening (okay – checking her emails on her phone) to Neal pitch a story for the run-down. He'd done a power-point and everything, the least she could do was let him finish.
She was about to tune back into Neal's presentation on the very real likelihood of extraterrestrials on Mars when her phone pinged, signaling a new email. From Nina Howard. Interesting.
All it read was, Because you should know.
Weird, thought Mackenzie, pressing the button to return to her inbox.
Hey it's me. Will. Listen – I swear I'm not saying this because I'm high, Mackenzie and Will locked eyes, his pleading with her to turn it off, to not listen, and if the answer is 'no' then just do me a favor and don't call me back or bring it up or anything. She'd been dying to know what the message said. She hadn't pushed him on it, after that night, but she desperately wanted to know. And she didn't think she'd be able to turn it off even if she wanted to. But I have to tell you – I mean after tonight I really wanna tell you, Will broke eye contact and stood up, that I've never stopped loving you. You're it for me, Mac. So if you wanna try again… I want to try again too. K. Sleep tight.
Mac's eyes brimmed with tears as the message ended, and the silence was oppressive in the room. Will didn't look back at her as he walked out the door.
Mackenzie stood up immediately, making her way out the conference room door and into the newsroom, which Will was already halfway across. They had, as usual, attracted the attention of the entire staff. Those who had been in the conference room were too stunned to do anything except line the glass with their ears, and everyone else had stopped what they were doing to watch what they had thought would be one of their bosses' legendary arguments unfold in the middle of the newsroom. Jim had learned quickly that Mackenzie McHale didn't do things quietly or behind closed doors, so he was eagerly, although there was kind of a nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach, waiting for Mac to start screaming at Will.
"Will wait!" she called, but he didn't turn around – picked up the pace if anything. "Will!" still no response. The newsroom was silent. "I love you too, you idiot!"
Will stopped and turned around, seething. He slowly walked towards her, until he was about five feet away. He took a deep breath, and then, "Why, Mackenzie? Can you tell me that? Why? Why must you make our personal lives the business of this entire building?!"
Cheekily, she responded, "Anything else?" she looked him straight in the eye.
"Yes," he huffed. "Would you like to go to lunch later?" he said each word carefully, as though it pained him. She knew it didn't. She knew him.
"Love to."