"Go lay down Mac. I'll finish cleaning up in here" Will reassured her as he watched her eyelids droop again. Mackenzie had taken some Nyquil just before starting in on the soup he heated up and now she seemed to be fighting its effects.
"No, I'm fine" she slurred.
"I'm sure you are Mac, but you're about to do a face-plant into your soup so just go lay down please."
He watched as she pulled herself out of the kitchen chair and sleepily trudged from the room. He finished cleaning up the dishes and looked through the fridge and cupboards for any signs of actual food. Damn Mackenzie, do you ever go grocery shopping? There was nothing in this place but tea, coffee and yogurt. He decided he better make a few phone calls. He ordered some groceries to be delivered and then put in an order for Chinese from the place down the street they used to love. The moment he hung up the phone it started ringing and he grabbed for it before he could stop himself.
"Hello?" he whispered harshly, wondering if the noise had awoken Mackenzie.
"Who is this?" a crisply accented voice barked back at him.
"John?" Will questioned back. Oh shit, Mac was going to kill him.
"William? Good to hear your voice again. Are you and that daughter of mine stirring the pot over there or are you just sitting back and not offending anyone with your middle of the road broadcasts?"
"You don't really think your daughter would let me get away with that do you?" Will asked the man he had once considered a father.
"Of course not, just checking. Why are you answering the phone at the brownstone at half past one on a Sunday afternoon?" Will could hear the hopeful tone in the man's voice. He hated to be the one to let him down.
"Mac's a little under the weather. Just here to bring her some soup."
"Are you sure that's the only reason you're there?" the old man asked and Will swore he could see him winking and grinning from across the Atlantic.
"Absolutely" Will answered quickly.
"If you insist. Tell Kenzie I called, would you?"
"As soon as she wakes up. Good talking to you John."
"You too William."
Will hung up the phone and walked into the living room to find Mackenzie sprawled out on the couch. He grabbed a blanket to throw over her and then went off in search of Woodward and Bernstein.
"Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds Mac? What ever happened to names like Fluffy and Spot?" he mumbled as he climbed the stairs in search of the animals in question. Just then the dog ran past him into Mac's bedroom, presumably, in search of Bernstein.
"Give it a rest would you Woody?"Will pleaded. Woody paused in his search for his new friend and seemed to be appraising Will. He slowly trotted over to the bed and hopped up. He pawed at the duvet until he had made himself a little nest of blanket to climb into and then he settled down for a nap.
"I don't think she really wants you up there Woody" Will told him, but the dog paid absolutely no attention and curled up to go to sleep.
"Fine, but if anyone is getting in trouble for this, it's you pal" Will warned as he climbed into the bed and grabbed the remote to flick on the television. Just then Bernstein made an appearance from behind the armoire in the corner of the room.
"Hey Bernie, sorry we've invaded your territory. We're harmless, I swear." As if seeming to understand this, the cat stalked around the bed and gracefully leaped on top of it. He curled up in the space between Will's legs and glared at Woody. The dog stared for a moment and then hid his snout in the sheets and sighed.
"Good move Woody. It's best to be diplomatic about these things. Accept that your relationship with Mackenzie has changed. Just because Bernie is here doesn't mean she loves you any less" he reassured the dog and patted his head.
"Did you want to get him an 'I'm the big brother' t-shirt too?" Mackenzie snorted from the doorway, causing Will to jump slightly.
"Jesus Mac! I thought you were still asleep?"
"I never could sleep in the middle of the day very well. Not even with medication. Thanks for cleaning up the kitchen" she told him, taking a seat on the bed next to Woody.
"Not a problem. I ordered you some groceries too and that God awful vegetable stir fry you like from Yen Ching. Should be here in about an hour."
"You didn't need to do that Will."
"Yes I did. You have a kitchen most professional chefs would kill for and there is absolutely no food in it. That's a disgrace."
"Ok, fine. Stock my kitchen. Most of it will go to waste though. As you well know, I can't cook" she said, almost sadly. Cooking had always been his domain in their relationship. She handled bill paying and vet appointments and politely turning down dinner invitations and cocktail parties because she knew he hated them. They had once had things down to a science, the two of them. He missed that.
"I thought I could cook for you sometime soon" he replied quietly.
"What are we doing Will?" she asked, climbing more fully onto the bed and watching Bernie clean his paws as he stretched out on Will's lap.
"We're sitting here talking and hoping Bernstein doesn't scratch Woodward's eyes out before the day is through."
"That's not what I meant and you know it" she sighed, leaning back into her pillows. Woody nudged his snout under her hand and requested a good head scratch. Mackenzie complied and the dog sighed in happiness. Will knew how he felt. Even though it was incredibly awkward, sitting here in a bedroom they had once shared, Will relished being this close to her again.
"I know that Mac. I don't know what we're doing. I haven't known that for a few years now" he sighed. They sat in silence for a few moments, willing the uncomfortable feeling to pass.
"He likes you" Mac whispered, nodding toward the cat.
"Yeah, well now we can tell Reese that the focus group data on cats is in and apparently even they think I'm charming and affable. He'll be thrilled. This will open up a whole new demographic for ACN."
Mackenzie started chuckling until it turned into a nasty sounding cough and she turned her head away.
"You really should stay home tomorrow. You don't want to cough all over the staff and get everyone sick."
"I'll see how I'm feeling in the morning. Thank you for bringing me soup …and Woodward."
"The soup you can keep. Woody goes home with me." He thought maybe he was telling the dog this just as much as he was clarifying the situation for Mackenzie. Woody looked like he would be perfectly happy to stay in bed with Mac.
"He seems quite content where he is Will."
"I know he does, but he keeps the other side of the bed warm, so he comes with me" he said like a whiny, petulant child.
"Fine" Mackenzie grunted as she climbed under the covers. Just then the doorbell rang.
"I'll let the delivery man in and put the groceries away and then we'll head out. Did you need anything else?"
"No, we're fine thanks" Mackenzie said, scratching Bernstein behind his ears.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow. Please don't come in if you're still sick. We can handle things on our own for a day or two."
"No middle of the road pandering please Will" she reminded him. He chuckled at how much she sounded like her father.
"I won't go rogue on you Mackenzie. Your team wouldn't let me. Oh, by the way, your father called while you were asleep. He wants you to call him back" Will remembered just as he was leaving.
"You talked to him?" she asked.
"I didn't want the phone to wake you, so yes, I answered it and I spoke briefly with your dad."
"And how did that go?"
"We solved the world's economic crisis and have settled the age old dispute of whether or not the U.S. would still be part of England if George III hadn't been King."
"Ah, of course. Forget Cabinet secretaries and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Will McAvoy and John McHale can solve the world's problems with a single phone call" Mac chuckled.
"Damn right we can. He may still wonder why the hell you fell in love with a Republican but he has always respected my opinions."
"Yes he has Will. Not sure he respects mine too much anymore" she mumbled.
"What? What are you talking about Mac? You and your father get on famously. It's your mother that drives you insane."
"He didn't know Will. Not until I sent an email to the entire staff directory of AWM. He didn't know what I had done" she said sadly.
"Oh, that" he said quietly. Damn, when you blow the lid off a story you really do it all the way don't you Mac?
"Yeah, that. Don't worry about it Will. I'll call him later when I'm not doped up on cold medicine. He already raked me over the coals months ago. He just likes to rub it in every now and again and I'll need my wits about me for that conversation."
"I can talk to him if you want" he replied.
"What?"
"I can talk to him for you. This really isn't anyone else's business Mac and if you weren't so technologically ignorant it would have stayed that way. No one else needs to be lecturing you on my behalf. If anyone is going to have that conversation with you it's going to be me. Not Sloan or a tabloid or even your father. You and I will sit down, alone, and hash that one out." He stopped his tirade and watched the tears streaming down her face.
"Thank you Billy. You don't have to talk to my father but I would very much like to have that conversation with you. Thank you" she said, almost relieved, and sank into her pillows.
He wasn't quite sure where that whole speech came from but for the first time in nearly five years he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Maybe he was ready to stop blaming and being angry. Maybe he was ready to move on…maybe they both were. He walked over to the bed and pushed her hair out of her face, wiped her tears, and kissed her softly on the forehead.
"Get some rest Mac and go easy on your dad, he just wants you to be happy."
"I know he does, that's why he's so angry at me for mucking up my only chance at happiness" she told him, closing her eyes and leaning into the hand he had placed on the side of her face.
"Maybe not your only chance Mac. If Woody and Bernie can make peace there may be hope for us yet" he told her, nodding at the two animals sniffing at each other in the corner of the room. She nodded her head at him and watched him lead Woody from the room.
"I hope you're right Will. I hope you're right" he heard her whisper as he left.
