Sloan opened the door to Mackenzie's office without so much as a knock.
"What is wrong with you?" she asked without preamble.
While she was a brilliant economist, Sloan's people skills were a bit like Dirty Harry's – blunt and lethal!
"What makes you think there's something wrong with me?" Mac asked. Her tone and body language were answer enough for Sloan…even it she hadn't noticed a change in her Executive Producer and friend over the past few days. Normally Mac would respond to a question like that with an indignant reply that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her. But the spit and vinegar that were normally part of Mac's demeanor had drained away and Sloan meant to find out why.
"Come on Mac, you're barely there during the run-down meetings. You are slumped behind your desk like a defeated soldier. It's Will isn't?"
"What makes you think it's Will?" asked Mackenzie. She wouldn't meet Sloan's eyes and chewed her bottom lip nervously.
"You love your work. The news is your passion. It's also clear even to someone with my limited empathy that you're still in love with Will. Since there are no issues at work…it must be Will."
Mac sighed and dropped her face into her hands. "For a long while, after I returned to ACN, I thought that I could fix things, make up for my stupid fucking mistake. Our working rapport was always there. And gradually I felt like Will was beginning to forgive me. But that's all changed since Nina's wrongful dismissal suit…and Rebecca Halliday!"
Sloan had worked with Mackenzie for two years and had never seen her down or defeated. Producing a nightly news broadcast was an ever-changing, ever-challenging job but Mac seemed born to it. Her style was a curious mixture of histrionic outburst and raw determination. But it worked for her…and for the NewsNight team. Her working relationship with Will, her former lover, had been tempestuous from the start. But they worked well together. His cool intellect was a good balance to Mac's passion.
Thanks to an errant e-mail, the entire staff was familiar with their back-story. Mac, who had cheated on Will, was ostensibly the villain. But her open acknowledgement of her own fault and her passion for the team and the work dissolved any misgivings they had about her.
A parade of blond, leggy young women, snide remarks and the curious choice of Mac's ex-boyfriend (and partner in cheating) to write a lead story on Will and NewsNight were part of Will's tortuous way of dealing with Mac's betrayal. It had to have been painful for Mac but she'd taken it all in stride.
"I never worried about Will's bevy of cheerleaders. I felt fairly certain he would tire of conversation about shopping and reality TV. The possibility of Will and I was always still in the air. But Rebecca is in a whole other league. She's a gorgeous brunette with a Georgetown law degree and intellect to match." Mac dropped her head onto her desk with a whimper.
"Mac, as smart and beautiful as she is I'm still not sure that Rebecca Halliday is a match for you. I've never seen him look at her like he looks at you!" said Sloan.
"Sloan, I completely trust your judgment when it comes to the economy but maybe not when it comes to inter-personal relationships" said Mac as Sloan was leaving.
"Illegal immigrants are being literally hunted like animals in Arizona," Maggie sputtered in indignation. "Come on, that bill is one of the fairest pieces of legislation drafted by any state in recent memory. Why should tax-paying citizens pay for the social costs of illegal immigrants?" Will countered, sneaking a peak in Mac's direction. He expected her face to crease in thought as she tried to volley back a retort. He loved the look on her face as she stumbled over a reply she'd only half thought out in advance. It was adorable really and Will just couldn't resist teasing her. He was stunned when she didn't rise to the bait this time. In fact she didn't even glance in his direction.
She'd been taking a back seat in run-down meetings for a week or so now…not really participating and letting Jim run things. He assumed that Mac was giving Jim a chance to step up and shine. Jim was certainly capable and deserved it. He'd been Mac's right hand man through two stints reporting in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But her reaction, or lack thereof, was something entirely different. In retrospect, the air had seemed to be leaking slowly out of her spirited personality for a while.
He laid a hand gently on her shoulder as they were leaving the meeting. "Mac, is there something wrong?" he asked. "No, nothing, really, nothing" she replied, barely looking in his direction. She strode to her office and closed the door firmly. Will looked after her in stunned silence.
Mac was furious with herself. Regardless of what Will had thrown at her this past year she'd been able to square her soldiers and keep forging ahead. But Rebecca's obvious interest in Will was definitely testing her belief in happy ever after. As always she took refuge in her work and buried her nose in research from the staff for upcoming shows. Normally she'd be out in the bullpen talking this over with them directly but today she couldn't face the cheerful camaraderie out there.
The evenings' broadcast had gone well. Mac had barely said a word into Will's ear. She hadn't really needed to but if Will was honest he missed it. Then again he didn't necessarily want to go back down that bumpy road.
He rose from the anchor desk and sauntered into the newsroom. Will's forehead creased in concentration as he moved toward his office. "What the hell was wrong with Mac? She was preternaturally still as she stood talking to Jim. Normally she'd have some jibe or comment for him when he had congratulated them on the evening's broadcast. But tonight she just smiled wanly and turned back to Jim.
Rebecca Halliday was chatting with Sloan about the economy but when Will emerged from his office in a sweater and jeans it was clear she was really hoping to catch Will. That fact was not lost on Mac who was still ostensibly talking to Jim. Sloan was making noises about heading out for the evening and Rebecca drifted over towards Will.
"Fascinating broadcast tonight, Mr. McAvoy. You really nailed the interview with Assad's minister on the situation in Syria" Mac heard Rebecca say as she was heading back to her office. "It's these guys…and Mac in particular who makes the show run. I'd be lost without them" said Will waving his arms around the newsroom. Just then Will caught Mac's eye. What he saw reflected in her normally animated face made his chest constrict. He swore tears were threatening in her big brown eyes. "What's wrong, Mac?" His question fell flat against the closing door of Mac's office.
"Mac, what the hell is wrong?" Will asked again as he barged into Mac's office.
Mac was looking out over the city skyline bathed in darkness and didn't turn to face Will.
Will approached Mac and softly placed a hand on her shoulder. The gesture itself was full of the easy intimacy they still shared. The tears he'd seen earlier had over-flowed the banks of her eyes and were silently running down her cheeks when she turned to face him. And then she began to speak -words tripping over themselves on the way from her brain to her mouth. "I know its for the best. What we both need to do. And she's a beautiful, intelligent woman. And I screwed everything up and I deserve to feel like this…"
"Slow down, Mac. What or who are you talking about?"
"Rebecca. You're moving on. With a smart, gorgeous woman who is worthy of your charm and intellect. I understand but it feels like a bomb has exploded in my chest!"
"Whoa, Mac. That's a leap, even for you! I haven't even asked her for a coffee." Will had not seen this conversation coming but now the past week was starting to make sense.
"She's down in the newsroom all the time and it's nothing legal! No, sorry, I mean her interest is unprofessional er…I mean she's not down here for professional reasons. She's flirting with you, Will. And you're flirting back."
Tears were still pouring down Mac's face and her chest was starting to heave. She was threatening a category 2 meltdown.
"Mac, look at me" Will said tipping her chin up with his hand. "I don't want to move on. As gorgeous and smart as she is, I don't want Rebecca. I want you, Mac."
Mac stared back at him. She blinked her big brown eyes and opened her mouth but no words came up. She blinked again and asked very quietly, "Me?"
Will nodded. "It's always been you, Mac. Even when I hated you." His hand was still resting under her chin. He stepped closer, lips on hers, nipping tentatively at her lips. When Mac answered back with her own lips they dissolved into a soft, sensuous kiss. It was full of longing and heartbreak but also of forgiveness and promise.
"What now?" asked Mac when the kiss broke.
"We can't just pick up where we left off. But we can move forward, together. How about dinner?"
Mac nodded as Will pulled her into his arms. "And breakfast?" he added mischievously.
"I'm not that kind of girl" protested Mac, swatting him gently on the arm.
"Oh, but I know differently" replied Will.
"How do you like your eggs?" asked Mac returning his happy grin.