Election night is over, Will has proposed and now they are trying to settle into their new life together amidst everything else that is going on.
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The Day After

With the sun shining into his penthouse bedroom it was a rare November morning where waking up wasn't as unpleasant as it normally was this time a year, especially considering that he was a late riser on any given day.

Will let out a quiet groan at the sun blinding him, but then he remembered the night before and was suddenly much more awake then just a second ago. He was engaged to MacKenzie, and she had accompanied him home after a successful election show and the spontaneous engagement party with the staff that had followed. The combination of alcohol and sheer exhaustion had led to them passing out almost immediately after arriving at his apartment, and he was very sure that he hadn't gotten more than three hours of sleep.

With a tired smile Will moved his arm to the other side of the mattress in search of his fiancée but found her half empty, sheets cold. A move of his head confirmed that he was indeed alone in his bed and he braced himself on one elbow, only to see Mac sitting on the floor at the side of the window front. She was wearing one of his large t-shirts she had put on the night before, covering her legs she had pulled up to her chest, and watched him with a cup of steaming coffee in her hand.

„Mornin'." His voice was gravelly from disuse and he frowned while trying to focus. „Why aren't you in bed anymore?"

Mac blinked once and then shrugged, looking a little sheepishly. „I couldn't sleep anymore."

„I can see that, but why aren't you in bed?" Will was confused. Mac had always enjoyed her first coffee in bed, surrounded by newspapers or with her laptop on her knees, while he was still asleep. Why wasn't she next to him right now, especially on a day like this, merely a few hours after accepting his proposal? Did she perhaps have second thoughts?

She took a sip of her coffee before answering. „I'm just thinking... I brought you a cup, too." She pointed at his nightstand.

„Thanks." He let his hand run over his face to get rid of his drowsiness and then scratched the back of his head. Even only just having woken up he could tell that something was off. „Why don't you come back to bed?"

„In a moment."

Now Will was getting worried. „Okay, then what are you thinking about?"

Mac sighed. „I'm still catching up. Last night I thought I would never see you again and now I'm here. In your bedroom. With your ring on my finger."

Will smiled and relaxed a little. „And I can't tell you how happy that makes me."

She returned his smile but then turned serious again. „Me, too, Billy. But still... This is... It's all happening so fast." She shook her head and showed the same sheepish expression as before. „This is crazy. For so long I have wanted nothing more than to be with you again, and now I am and... You know, if this was April 2010, right after I walked back into your life... But now, with everything that has happened..."

„And that is on me, Mac... I'm so, so sorry for all I have done..." After last night's revelation Will was prepared to take full responsibility for the fact that it has taken him so long to pull his head out of his arse, but he sensed that there was something else bothering Mac. „What's the matter, Honey?"

Averting her eyes she now looked out of the window, but her fingers, nervously running along the rim of the coffee mug, betrayed her. Finally she turned her eyes back at him and quietly said „I was wondering if maybe... if we could just take it slow for a while?"

Seeing the confused, but also slightly hurt expression on Will's face she quickly added. „I love you, Billy, of course I do. And I have wanted this for so long, but now that it's there I can't quite believe it. My brain somehow can't keep up with my heart..."

Will just looked at her for a moment, trying to understand what she meant, and then he nodded. „You probably feel a little overwhelmed by all of this, I get it. It's not that I have given you much that would have made you think we'd end up here..." Reaching out his hand to her he went on. „Come here."

Seeing the hesitation in Mac's eyes he smiled again and spoke softly. „I'd just like to hold you. We won't do anything you're not ready for."

Mac didn't immediately respond, but then she hung her head. „I'm sorry."

„Don't be. I promised you that I will never hurt you again and I meant it."

Mac nodded, relaxing when she realized that Will wasn't angry. „I know."
Still she hesitated, but when he lifted the covers for her to join him in bed she put the coffee down and slowly got up to slide under the blanket and lean against him. „I know, Billy, I just need a little time..."

„Take all the time you need, Honey. I sure have taken mine." Will chuckled and pressed Mac against his chest. „You've said it yourself last night; it took me long enough... But here I am and I love you, MacKenzie."

„I love you, too, Billy." Letting out a relieved sigh she snuggled up further against him. „Thanks for understanding."

They both remained silent, and with the pressure taken off her they both enjoyed their closeness. It was still early enough so that they didn't have to rush to the office right away. Finally she voiced the thought that had preoccupied her before.

„Will? What happened last night? Why did you all of a sudden..." She didn't go on but put her arm around his waist and pressed a kiss to his chest through his t-shirt to reassure him that she was here; that she didn't actually doubt him but was simply confused and felt like being on a roller coaster ride.

Before answering he took her hand and entangled their fingers on his chest. „I love you so much, Mac, I have never stopped, not once during all this time. But I also thought I couldn't forgive you... And then last night... You've opened my eyes to what I have done to you over the past years, and Charlie said something and then the thought that I would never see you again..."

Will let his hand run up and down her back and took a deep breath. „Suddenly everything I had been holding on to felt so inane and I knew that this was it... If I ever want the chance to be happy again I had to get my head out of my ass and just go for it, instead of hanging on to the past. I can't tell you how relieved I was that you said 'yes`."

Mac smiled. „Did you really think there was a chance I would say 'no'?"

„After that fight we had? It definitely was a distinct possibility, but I am very glad I was wrong."

Stretching herself Mac moved on top of Will to face him and let her fingers run through his hair. „Me, too. I mean, I'm happy that you came looking for me and proposed. I was already seeing me sitting in my apartment, alone, out of a job and only getting to see you on TV." About to place a kiss on his lips she pulled back at the last moment. „By the way... Do I still have a job?"

„Mmmh..." Will grinned. „I think I have to do a throrough interview with you first. After all I didn't get to do that the last time you walked into my newsroom... Job history, experience, your vision for the show..."

His gaze was met with a stern look, contradicted by a sparkle in Mac's eyes, „Shut it."

This time their lips touched and after starting out slow the kiss quickly became deeper. Will groaned and let his hand run down her back, but before he got completely carried away he hesitantly ended it, remembering her earlier request for more time, and murmered against her lips. „I would really like to wake up with you in my arms tomorrow."

Mac bit her lip and let her finger run over his eyebrow. „I think that can be arranged... I... Today I just needed to think about everything and..." Suddenly she looked a little embarrassed once more, which caused him to let out a quiet laugh.

„What? Did you think I would ravage you the moment I opened my eyes?"

She blushed, but then grinned. „Wouldn't have been the first time..."

„You're the one to talk...I distinctly remember you being the culprit on many such occasions."

„Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it." Mac smiled broadly, enjoying the banter.

„Did you hear me say that?" Will teasingly lifted his eyebrows.

„No, but I..." Mac stopped and then let out a sigh. „I missed this, you know? This back and forth between us without being afraid it's going to blow up in my face any moment."

„I know..." He pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. „Me, too."

After a look at the alarm clock Mac leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against Will's lips, who returned it just as gently. „We have to get up in a minute, Billy... Talk tonight?"

„Yeah..." After a last kiss he let go off her so she could slide to the edge of the bed and get up. Watching her walk towards the bathroom he called after her. „I love you."

Mac turned around in the door to look at him and gave him a wide, unguarded smile. „I know."