A/N: I heard this song and literally the first thing I thought of was Will and Mackenzie in their first relationship, because Mackenzie and Brian were so incompatible, and Will was like a breath of fresh air for Mackenzie- to quote her, 'he was perfect'.

For Ali, because we flailed together over it.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.

"I've been spending the last 8 months thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end, but on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again. You said you never met one girl who has as many James Taylor records as you- but I do," –'Begin Again', Taylor Swift

Mackenzie McHale was trying to relearn how to interact with men.

Brian had dumped her over a month ago, and she knew she had to get herself back in the game. She couldn't sit in her apartment and mope; her sister Beth was getting on her case more and more, and her mother called three times a day to see if she'd seen daylight. It was only a matter of time before her brother drove up from New Jersey and dragged her ass somewhere.

So she sat in a small café, a cup of tea and the New Yorker in front of her, warm Wednesday sunlight streaming in through the wide bay windows. She'd chosen to sit on the second floor, in the middle of the eating area. There were a few people scattered over the surface, reading or talking quietly with their friends or family.

She wasn't expecting the gentle tap on her shoulder; she jumped, looking up from her newspaper, startled by the bright blue eyes hers encountered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to start you," the man said, his tone sheepish. His voice sounded incredibly familiar, but she couldn't remember where she'd heard it before. She cleared her throat, trying desperately not to sound flustered.

"It's fine, I just didn't hear you walk up," she replied, sending him a reassuring smile. "Can I help you?"

"You're Mackenzie McHale, right?" he asked, and she nodded, tilting her head slightly. "Mind if I take a minute of your time?"

"Go ahead," she said after a moment of thought, gesturing to the empty seat across from her. The man slid into the chair, running a hand through his blonde hair.

"I'm Will McAvoy," he said, and that's when she recognized his voice.

"You're from News Night," she said and he nodded, his eyes meeting hers. They were so warm, and engaged in what she was saying- it was so different from being with Brian. "What could you possibly need to talk to me for, you run a great program."

"I need a new EP," he said, and her eyes widened. "And I heard you were the woman to go to."

Her lips parted, mouth suddenly dry. Her, work for News Night? With the Will McAvoy?

She was suddenly desperately, incredibly happy she'd left her apartment this morning.

"You know I've only worked small stations before now," she said, reminding him, one eyebrow raising slightly as she ran her thumb over the edge of her coffee mug. He shrugged, giving her a warm smile.

"I believe you're the only woman for the job," he replied, and she bit back the pleased smile that elicited from her; her cheeks flushed a rose color at his compliment. "So what do you say? Willing to give me a chance?"

She looked up at his word choice; the double meaning of his words sank in and she bit her lip, contemplating. There were a few heartbeats of silence, and then she answered with a single syllable.

"Yes."

"Ready?" Will asked, ducking his head into her office. She nodded, grabbing her coat and meeting him at the door, welcoming the gentle kiss he pressed to the corner of her mouth and the hand he laid on her lower back.

"We had a good show tonight," Mackenzie said as they rode the elevator down, Will nuzzling his nose into her hair, pressing a kiss to her neck and jawline, causing her to sigh in contentment. Will murmured his agreement against her skin, hand squeezing her waist gently.

The cab ride back to his apartment was quiet; they softly conversed about their day and what their night held- Mackenzie started to fall asleep against his chest, and when the cab stopped, Will shook her gently, guiding her to the elevator.

Mackenzie yawned as Will made them late night pasta and played James Taylor; she was the only woman he'd ever met that had as many records as he did. She smiled as she listened to him sing along to 'Carolina On My Mind' and stir alfredo sauce, and she didn't think she'd ever loved someone so much. It had only been eight months, but she already knew Will was perfect.

"You're beautiful when you smile like that."

She startled at his voice, flushing as she bit her lip, feeling the tips of her ears turn red.

"Smile like what?" she asked, running her thumb along the edge of her wine glass, meeting his eyes.

"Like no one's watching," he replied quietly, and that fluttering in her chest increased tenfold. She wasn't used to this and it was wonderful and incredible and she never wanted the butterflies to end. "Why are you smiling, though? If you don't mind me asking."

She contemplated it for a moment, then met his eyes and gave him a genuine smile.

"Because it's beginning again," she answered, setting her glass down and reaching over the island for his hand, squeezing gently. He looked confused but accepted, bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing her knuckles, eyes meeting hers.

Then a new James Taylor song came on and he was singing again and she was laughing, throwing her head back and really, truly laughing and he was joining her. The sound filled the kitchen, and Mackenzie McHale remembered that Wednesday morning eight months ago.

Love began again.