Not Mine. Based on the preview to next episode where Will and Nina are talking in his lounge.
You're Perfect Billy.
It's not that Mac hates Nina because the woman is dating the love of her life.
It's not that Mac hates Nina because time after time she has written falsified stories regarding either Will, herself or their team.
It's not that she hates Nina because she held onto the voicemail message from Will and didn't give it to Mac until Mac had to borderline beg her for it and even then Mac feels like their was something dodgy about that.
It's not jealously or pettiness or anything even remotely close.
Really, it's not.
It's more the fact that every time Nina decides she should put her two cents in, her gossip columnist, bitchy, voyeuristic, non-humility two cents, Will always seems to regress to the former Leno days of NewsNight.
Like now for example.
"You can't be serious?"
"I just think we should lay off religion."
"You think so or your unqualified girlfriend think we should lay off religion."
"This isn't about that?"
"Really? So it was completely your idea to cancel the follow up interview with the Catholic League?"
"That's no the point. We shouldn't make an enemy of these people as it just makes me seem less likable."
"That's funny because I'm liking you less now after you cancelled the interview."
Silence.
Complete silence like this from William Duncan McAvoy means his next statement will be either really good or really fucking hurtful.
"I wasn't aware I wanted you to like me."
The second option it is.
"Nice."
"My likability numbers have taken a severe battering Mac! You can't pretend that you haven't realised that."
"Of course I've noticed but that doesn't mean I particularly care."
"Well… you should."
"Why? We aren't doing NewsNight 2.0 to be nice or to make friends. God, I can't believe I'm telling this to the guy that called the Tea Party the American Taliban."
"We shouldn't be aiming to make enemies and if you remember I got taken of the 9/11 coverage thanks to that."
"Well… if only you'd dated Nina sooner. Then she could have saved you from that blundering mistake… hey! Pity you weren't dating here back in '10 as she could have stopped you from doing this whole show!"
"Maybe I should have. Maybe I should have started dating her seven years ago."
Mac closes her eyes in an attempt to hold back the tears because she really should have prepared herself for this. After all every exchange between these two eventually go back to the same thing, her affair 5 years ago. She wants to scream and punch him and tell him to move on but the unwelcome vision of Nina walking into the pen reminds her that moving is exactly what Will has done.
"What are you two arguing about?"
Maybe Mackenzie should punch Nina instead and just as Mac starts to imagine the satisfying crunch of the gossip columnist broken bones Will pulls her out of her thoughts with a crushing of Mac's heart instead.
"Nothing honey. Just wait in my office for a minute."
Honey.
He just called her honey.
What's next? Darling. Love. Sweetheart. Baby.
Once upon a time these were all Mac was called by a certain blue eyed, blonde anchor.
Now it's the reserved for Nina Fucking Howard.
As always with Mac the fight or flight option is suddenly here and instead of running like she always has (to Brian, to Afghanistan, to anywhere) suddenly she's full of fight.
"It's far from nothing Nina. In fact, I'd say you know what this about? After all you were the one to suggest to William that he be less combative, weren't you?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about?"
"You don't? You mean Will suddenly started to be brainwashed with your stupid rating whore ways by himself!"
"Sorry that I wanted my boyfriend to be seen as more affable!"
"He's not running for the fucking Presidency! He's a news anchor who should be grilling people each and every night. He doesn't need to be affable- he needs to be firm, unshakable, smart. All of which he has been for two years."
The unspoken before you echoes through the room.
"I'm just giving him tips on improving the sho-"
"Well when we start doing stories on who got a secret boob job and Charlie Sheen's latest meltdown, I'll be sure to call until then how about I do the job that your are wildly inadequate to perform."
"How dare you speak to me like that?"
"How dare you exist?"
The argument is getting petty and the last line was borderline childish but Mackenzie can't seem to help herself. How dare that woman mess with her anchor? Even Will must notice the brawl that's about to break out and tries to intervene.
"Nina was just trying to help Mac."
"Well until she has two Peabody's how about we follow my direction."
"I'm his girlfriend."
"Fuck that! I am the one who's actually accepting of his personality!"
"What does that mean?"
"Do want Will to be seen as more easy-going because you think it will help the show or because you want people to like your boyfriend?"
"I don't see why they are mutually exclusive."
It takes al the effort Mackenzie has left not to throttle the tall blonde who just admitted to being more concerned about how people saw Will than how Will actually was.
Didn't she realise that Will is amazing and he is perfect and he's so kind and soft and just so… Will. He watches the movies that you like and he takes you to the restaurants that you want to go to and he just… puts whoever he is with first. Mac had never been happier then when she was with Will and no matter how much she hurt him there was never, no one single point where she wished to change a single thing about him. For god's sake, she even put up with his hatred of the Democrat Party.
How could Nina want to change anything about Will just so he'd fit better into the mould that the world wanted for public figures. Such a multileveled, fascinating man as William Duncan McAvoy would never fit into just one category.
"You're a fucking moron. Will's perfect and he deserves better than both of us. You seem to want to change him so that he's more deserving of you when really it should be the other way round. You should be jumping through hoops in order to gain his attention. His amazing, perfect, devoted attention."
"You really think that?"
Suddenly she remembers Will is in the room and she's feels bad for him because she basically just his girlfriend to admit to wanting him to be different- something that Will certainly doesn't deserve. However eh doesn't deserve for Mac to lie to him either so she has to tell him the complete truth.
"Of course I do Will. I love you but never deserved you. You were always more perfect than I merited."
"Nina, I want you to leave."
That might be the best six words that Mac has ever heard.
That might be six of the worst words that Nina has heard.
"Will, I didn't mea-"
"Please Nina- just leave and I'd prefer it if you didn't return."
As he says this, his eyes are on Mac and neither of them can really comprehend how long it takes for Nina to get on the elevator and leave, as they never break eye contact.
At least not until Will firmly but gently grabs Mac's wrist and pulls her into his office.
As soon as he shut the door he's questioning her.
"Did you mean that?"
"Mean what?"
"Don't play with me Kenzie. Did you mean everything you just said? That you love me? That you don't think you deserve me? That I'm… fine just how I am?"
"I've never meant anything more in the world. You couldn't be more perfect so of course I love you and of course I don't deserve you. I didn't feel like I deserved you the first time round."
"Is that why you cheated?"
"It played a major role in why I cheated."
"But if you still feel like that then maybe you'll…"
"Cheat again? I would never hurt us like that again William. I… I don't care if I deserve you or not William. I love you and if you ever gave me another chance I wouldn't question it or us. I would just… worship you… because you're perfect Billy."
What happens next completely takes Mac by surprise.
Will has stepped forward and his lips are on Mac's and with that the world no longer seems to exist as all Mac needs is attached to her mouth. It fiery and fierce and firm and everything that is Will McAvoy and at the same time it's soft and gentle and tender and everything that Billy is and she wonders how one man can have so many layers and how many more there are to find. She can't think much past that though because as his tongue enters Mac's mouth all her thoughts are clouded by the scent, the touch, the existence of this man in front of her and she can't help but moan in delight. She has to break it off though and as much as it kills her the not breathing thing might actuallykill her and she recognises that if she dies now she'll never have the pleasure if kissing him again.
"Thank you Mackenzie," Will mutters and he places another chaste kiss to Mac's lips and for a second she doesn't understand why he's thanking her and she really hopes it's all okay. "When you first came back you asked me if I was in and I told you that I was, well now… now I'm all in. I'm the show, I'm in this NewsNight family, and I'm in with us."
Another kiss.
"You mean…?"
Another kiss.
"I mean that I am in love with everything that is Mackenzie McHale and if she would do the honour of starting out as my girlfriend than I would very much like to one day marry her."
Another kiss.
"I think she'd be honoured."
Another kiss.
"Really?"
Another kiss.
"Oh yeah. She's all in as well and has been since day one.
The End!
What did you think if that short one shot!
Review and let me know! Also if you have any suggestions for one shots that you'd like to see I am very much open to ideas!
I love you all! Expect an update with my other story within the next few days!