Trail Blazer

The Newsroom

Leona/Will

…

The thunder roared as Will McAvoy left ACN for the evening; the day had gone from bad to worse…Lucas Pruit antagonising most of the team in one way or another. Mac had left early with Charlie to try and figure out a way to deal with Pruit which wouldn't end in them killing him. As Will drove along the busy streets, the anger in him was building and building. The last thing he needed was some young no it all telling him how to do a job that he's spend the last twenty odd years doing well enough without assistance. As the rain began to fall heavily, Will stopped the car and looked out the window to find himself parked outside the townhouse of former owner of ACN. He sat in his car for a few moments before finally bracing the down pour, walking quickly up the long path to the large white door. He knocked loudly twice and waited as patiently as he could, there was no answer so he banged heavier a few more times.

"Alright, alright I'm coming. What is the big emer…..Will?"

"Leona…can I come in."

She stood debating for a few moments and saw how soaked he was from the rain and stood aside to allow in inside. The warmth hit him immediately, music playing softly in the background as he followed her through to her sitting room.

"Drink?" She asked turning to face him.

"Sure."

"Bourbon alright?"

"Bourbon would be good thank you."

He watched her closely as she poured the drinks, turning back to him she handed him a glass and saw him shiver.

"Why don't you go up stairs and put those clothes in the drier, there's a robe in the guest room, you can borrow it until your suits dry."

"That's not necessary."

"My ass it's not, I don't want you getting my couch water marked…go and change, upstairs and it's the bedroom at the end of the hall."

He set his glass down on the coffee table and went upstairs to change; he entered the room and found the robe on the back of the door. He quickly changed before coming back down stairs, his wet suit in his hands. Leona looked up from the paper she was reading to see him standing before her, setting down the paper, she stood up and took his clothes from his arms and went through to the laundry room and put his clothes in the drier before returning to him.

"About half an hour, can you wait that long?"

"I guess so, it really wasn't necessary. I just wanted a quick word."

"Well now you can a proper conversation, judging by the look on your face when you first arrived I assume you have plenty to say to me."

…

Leona sat back down and patted the seat beside her, motioning for Will to join her. He let out a sigh before taking his place beside her, picking up his glass and taking a big gulp of Bourbon before turning to face the matriarch.

"So, are you going to tell me what th…."

"What the hell did you think you were doing huh?" He asked.

"I beg your pardon."

"You heard me, you gave up…just like that, you just stopped caring and let a shark like Lucas Pruit take a company you spent your life building away from you without a even a fight."

"No just hand on McAvoy I…."

"No, you're not my boss anymore so I think it's safe to say what I want now."

"Not in my own home you don't, you have no ri…."

"Leona stop, look at me…really look at me and tell me this is what you really wanted to happen."

Leona sat staring in to Will's eyes, the anger and concern…the sudden softness in his tone as he watched her closely.

"Leona…"

"Of course this wasn't what I wanted; ACN was my company…my life. Do you really believe for a minute that I didn't fight for it?"

"I don't believe you fought enough no."

"Will, what ever you may think of me…a heartless cow or whatever, which is probably what everybody thinks of me then you…"

"Nobody thinks that."

Leona suddenly felt her stomach clench and tears forming in her eyes as she thought about the company she gave up, the people in her life she'd gave up.

"I would have done anything and everything I could to keep control of ACN but the truth is…I just don't have the money."

"Come Leona, surely you…."

"Aren't you listening to me, I don't have $4 billion dollars…I have nowhere near as much as that and believe me buster if I did…you think I'd be sitting here on my ass, letting that low life son of a bitch ruin what I spent a lifetime building…not a chance."

…

Leona slammed her glass down on the table before getting up and coming to stand in front of the roaring fire, she looked out at the flickering flames, feeling the heat on her face as a few tears fell from her eyes. In that moment Will watched one of the strongest, fearful women he knew give in to her emotions. In all the years he's known her, worked for her…never once had he seen he cry. He set his own glass down and came to stand at her side; she turned away from him and froze when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She slowly turned to face him and for the first time didn't feel afraid or ashamed to allow a former colleague see her tears.

"Leona…I'm…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things; Pruit's just driving us all crazy right now."

"If there was anything I could do to get my company back I would, it was my life and I was proud of it, I was proud of you all."

"I know."

Will removed his hand from her shoulder and began pacing in front of her, thoughts running through his head, Leona watched on as he muttered to himself.

"Will what the hell are you doing?"

"Hang on a minute, give me a second."

"Alright but I…."

"What if you had an investor?"

"What."

"An investor, a partner for ACN."

"If that had been possible then we would have. Charlie and I discussed that option but neither Charlie nor even Reese were able to do so."

"Okay…so just think for a moment and see what you think about me."

"You…you what?"

"What if I were to be a partner in ACN."

"You?" She said with surprise in her voice.

"Why not, we both put in half each and a little extra to get Pruit the hell out…why not."

"Why would you even want…"

Will came and stood in front of Leona, his hands on both her arms holding her on the spot.

"Because ACN is not just a company…a business. We're a family; we're there for one another no matter what. I've spent the best part of my career at ACN, Charlie's been there since the very beginning. That place has survived because of you and Charlie, you have both worked long and hard to make it what it is today and you can't let some prick like Pruit take it all away form you. That's not who you are, that's not what we all know you as…you're a fighter Leona, you take down anyone in your path who threatens you or your team, it's why we all admire you and I think you know that."

Leona's hand came up and covered Will's, the heat from the firing glowing.

"Why are you doing all of this."

"Because we need you back…I need you back."

"Will I don't know, I…."

Her words were cut off when Will's warm lips covered her own, causing a small sound of pleasure to escape her lips. Will's arms came around her waist and pulled her closer to him, her own arms finding there way around his neck.

"Wait…what are we…what's happening here, we can't do this." She chuckled.

"Take back you company, or me kiss you."

"Both."

"Do you have at least half the money you need or not."

"Well yes but I…."

"Alright then, and I have the rest. Oh…and as for what's happening this second, well I've always had a thing for powerful women…and you Leona Lansing are one hell of a trail blazer."

…

-Fin