Thanks again for reviews :) I don't own any of the Newsroom.

chapter 4.

Will woke up to the sun streaming through the glass walls of his apartment. And to the image of Mackenzie, tears on her cheeks..Slowly he got up, before his eyes had even fully opened he was turning on the coffee machine. Despite the fact he hadn't slept till after 3, and that he didn't start work until 11, as usual he was up at 7am. He picked up the paper and the second he saw the headline, threw it across the room. He heard the shatter of an empty picture frame as it hit the ground.

'The Media Elite, shamed and disgraced'

Despite knowing if it has been any other network they would have reported the massive fuck up, his hatred for print journalism intensified. He began picking up the frame from the floor and, carefully, the larger pieces of glass. He looked at the picture in the frame. It was one of the regular stock photos that frames come with. Before you place over it, a moment from your life you never wanted to forget. He'd never filled it. Suddenly he was aware of the sadness of that. He'd had nothing to display since she left. When he'd been with Mac they'd always framed their favorite photos. But all of those frames were stuffed in the storage locker he rented. He'd never been able to throw them out completely. He finished cleaning the glass and placed, the now glassless, frame back on the shelf. For a reason he couldn't quite put his finger on, he didnt want to throw it out. Maybe it could be fixed? It was broken. But maybe not beyond repair.

After finishing the coffee he'd poured and checking for breaking news, he headed onto his balcony for his morning cigarette. The New York peak hour traffic buzzed below and he thought Mac was most likely, currently in a cab on the way to work. She was always the first to arrive at ACN. She told him years ago it wasn't just her workaholic nature that dictated that. There was something about an empty newsroom that she loved. The silence before the anarchy. He missed her. So much. Even though everything was messy and painful and unknown, that much he knew. He missed her and he loved her. And he hated that the only time he's able to admit that fully is when he's alone. Or high, he thought, with an exasperated sigh. Tired of letting his mind turn when none of the problems could be fixed by sitting here and smoking, he made his way inside to dress for work and head in early.

He was right. Mac was already in her office when he walked into the bullpen, he watched her twirl a pen between her fingers as she looked at whatever she was reading. She was that kind of beautiful you couldn't imitate. He saw Sloan wave at him from on the upper tier and she gave him the 'don't you walk anywhere before you come here' look. He figured if he ignored she'd follow him, the woman was a pitbull when she wanted to be. Be in about Mac, drones, or trying to get him to convince Mac to give her a few more minutes in the rundown, once Sloan Sabbith had you in her sights you couldn't escape. He headed towards her office wondering which one it was today.

- morning Sloan. You're here early.

- I had breakfast with Mac. She wasn't in the best mood she's ever been in I'll tell you that.

- is anyone here Sloan? Our shows in ruins.

- yeah I didn't mean about that Will.

Will didn't answer right away. He hated his private life being a topic at work. And since Mac returned it had been, much more than is normal in any work place. Crazy and public and messy. All the things you expect when Mackenzie MacHale is your EP.

- I'm going to pretend we're not having another one of those moments where you try to pull information out of me. I'll ask about your report for the day, you'll ask if I watched the game. You'll probably throw in a loosely veiled personal comment. But all in all we'll leave this conversation the way we normally do. With me saying nothing and you learning nothing. Can't we just skip to that?

- Okay as bruised as my ego is now I realise how predictable my interrogations tactics are, no we can't.

- I'm walking out this door Sloan, I'll see you later.

Will turned and headed out the door, he had to give the woman credit for her commitment.

- You're going to loose her one day big brother.

Will paused and turned to stare at her.

- She loves you. I'm probably not supposed to tell you that. But it's true so I guess maybe she can't hate me for it. But she does. And she's waiting. Everyday. Everyday you brought another date here. Everyday you punished her. Everyday Brian was here. Just, just everyday she's here loving you. But she's human Will. And there's only so long you can punish someone until... they stop being the person that you love anymore. So if I'm wrong. And you don't love her. Let her go.

Will had no response. Her words had sliced straight through him. Through the bravado, through the walls and straight into his core.

- You know I love you Sloan. You're my family.

With that he turned and walked straight down the stairs, nearly knocking over Don, who was heading towards the office he'd just left. She'd stop being who is she? She'd have taken that much bull shit from him it would kill the fire that was Mac? Were his punishments really that horrible? He didn't even need to answer that. He looked towards the woman he loves office. Suddenly he was too ashamed to go in there. Luckily he was given a reprieve from his guilt in the form of Neal.

- Hey Will, I just ran into Charlie and he wants you in his office when you're free.

- did he say what about?

- no, sorry. But he had a new bow tie on so maybe it can't be all bad.

Will gave Neal a small smile and put his hand on his back.

- thanks Sampat.

Mac rushed to work after leaving Sloan after breakfast. The economist was going to speak to someone about the recent... Well someone about economics. As usual she was the first to arrive. She headed to her office and knew, before she looked to confirm, that Wills office would be empty. As she sat back into her chair she listened to the steady hum of her computer as it turned on. She'd said too much to Sloan at breakfast, and as much as she loved the woman. She wasn't known for her ability to keep those things to herself. Sooner or later she was going to say something to Will. As it did multiple times a day, the fantasy of Will's moment of clarity danced in Mackenzie's head. Will realizing he's as unable to live without her as she is without him. She wasn't under any illusions that it would be easy to fix and try again. But god she wished the man wanted that fight as much as she did. Suddenly her landline phone rang.

'Morning Mac, can you come up to my office?'