In the Bleak Midwinter... Ch. 2

I have decided to dedicate this story to all you lovely reviewers! You're kindness, encouragement and equally great enthusiasm for this show just puts a massive (slightly weirdo) grin on my face every time I read what you say, so thank you so much all of you! :D xx

Also should have said: this is set just before "I'll try to fix you".


They reached the elevator in silence.

Although Mac knew that Will had made the offer with no ulterior motives or intentions, knew that he was just looking out for her, she still couldn't help but think about the last time they had been alone in an apartment: the night she had confessed. And as her mind wandered back to that night, other memories crawled, unbidden, out of its shadows as she one more contemplated the life she had thrown away that night.

Judging by the fact that Will had made no attempt at conversation either, Mac suspected he was having similar thoughts. Shooting a glance out of the corner of her eye she could see that his jaw was firmly set and his gaze was directly ahead of him. She bit her lip, thoughtfully.

She had known what the outcome of confessing would be. She had known that Will had been too traumatised by his father to trust someone a second time after they had betrayed him once. It had broken her heart to do it; and she was worried that Will didn't fully understand that part – not that she expected any sympathy from him; it was her own fucking fault.

Yet slowly over the years, she had begun to heal – though she still bore the scars. She knew she'd never be able to forgive herself, even if by some miracle Will did. But she had made enough of a recovery to feel able to return to his side as his EP. What she had not been expecting was to have that wound torn open again; but that was what their post-email confrontation had done.

Will had said that if she had not come clean about the affair then they could have just carried on as normal. Well, he would have done, anyway – none the wiser. But deep down, she knew that she would never have been able to live with it, even if he thought it was selfish of her – it was just wrong.

The simple knowledge that there had been another option – that there had been a way in which their relationship could have survived (even if it was poisoned) was so painful for Mac. And that she knew she had taken the opposite path, albeit unknowingly, just made it even worse. The lift pinged to alert them that they had reached the ground floor.

Still mired in her rather depressing thoughts, Mac tried to focus on the sheer mass of snow fall that was now clearly visible through the glass walls of the lobby. They both stopped for a moment to take in their enemy. It was going to be a tough fight.

A soldier reaching for hear armour, Mac delved into her bag and pulled out an indigo, patterned bobble hat and pulled it down firmly around her ears before pulling out a set of matching gloves. She was ready for this beast.

And then a snort of laughter came from just behind her left shoulder. She turned around to find out what Will was laughing at – it was adorable. He was leaning back against the reception desk, a warm mirth in his eyes as he looked between her new head garment, her gloves and then down to the willies on her feet. She glared at him and he tried to recover himself, though he was getting nowhere near managing to hide the massive grin from his face.

"Yes?" She asked pointedly, nose in the air, arms folding across her chest.

Sniggering, he tried to speak normally. "You have a scarf to go with that?"

Again she glared at him, standing still for almost a minute before begrudgingly, though trying to act as though she couldn't care less what he thought, reaching down and pulling a matching scarf from her bag. He burst into laughter once more, and she turned away nonchalantly wrapping the offending scarf around her neck but secretly loving the sound of him being happy.

She decided that she would just stand and wait, still turned away from him, until he had composed himself (as she was clearly the more dignified of the two of them…except…well, the bobble hat didn't count). But she felt his hand on her elbow as he, still chortling, led them to the doors, waving at the poor, miserable looking security guard as they left.

"It's cold you know." She defended.

"Really?" Will asked, grinning. "I'd never have guessed."

She pouted her lips, trying to look hurt, but he only shook his head, still smiling at her.

Pulling on his "man gloves" – which you can't actually feel anything through because they're so bloody thick – they made their way through the exit.


Okay so I got a bit ahead of myself….but I promise the hand-holding, crazy taxi drivers and hot cocoa are coming soon! Within the next hour or two! Okay…maybe not the cocoa…but definitely the first two.

This was also a bit more angsty than I had intended. Oh well. I love them still :)