"We don't do this shit!" Will shouted annoyed while he paced the length of Mac's office. She just told him about Pruit's latest plans for News Night and had to listen to Will's ranting now. "He wants to use the show as advertising space," he yelled and threw his hands in the air.

"He wants us to interview his…"

He stopped her sentence by grabbing the papers on her desk. "This isn't an interview! Don't tell me you're not seeing that this is advertising."

She sighed. "Of course I see it."

He smashed the papers back on their place. "I hate it, Mac, I really hate it."

"I hate it too."

"And I hate him," he went on. "This stupid moron thinks he can do everything." He can, she wanted to say but bit her lip. "He wants his stupid internet friends to come to our show so they can advertise for their businesses!" he repeated loudly. "He sent Jim the questions I should ask!"

"I know."

He stopped his pacing and pressed his hands on her desk, looking intensely at her. "Mac, we won't do this, okay. Promise me that you'll find a way."

"I will talk to him and make clear that we won't do this," she said firmly but they both knew she would never convince Pruit to let off his plan. Will nodded, though, and straightened his back. Right in this moment Lucas Pruit walked in without bothering to knock at the door.

"Speaking of the devil…," Will said and turned to him.

"You were talking about me? Well that's nice," Pruit said with a smug grin on his face. "I just wanted to hear how you are going to implement my plans for Friday night show."

"We won't."

"Will," Mac hissed and rose from her chair.

"What does that mean?" Pruit looked from one to the other.

"We were just talking about your… plans," Mac tried to keep her voice on an even level. "But we haven't come to a conclusion yet."

"You better do. I want to see this on Friday."

"That's going to be difficult. We need more time."

"I'm not giving you more time. If I'm not seeing this on air on Friday I'm going to fire people."

"You can't do that." Mac replied, more for the people down in the newsroom than for herself.

"Okay, then I'll fire you."

"You can't fire a pregnant woman," Will interjected.

"Well, that isn't my fault, is it?" Pruit said spitefully and Will jumped forward, grabbing Pruit's collar.

"Billy!" Mac shouted and jerked inwardly. She never wanted to use his nickname in front of Pruit.

"You never, ever, talk like this to my wife again, do you understand?" Will warned him, his voice dangerously low.

"Tell your watchdog to back off," Pruit said outwardly unimpressed to Mac, who had rounded her desk quickly.

"Will, stop it." She grabbed his arm. "Come on, Will, let off him… He's not worth it," she added with a glare at Pruit.

Finally Will dropped his hands and Pruit turned to the door. "Don't forget Friday," he called over his shoulder.

The door closed behind him and Mac slapped Will's chest. "What did you want to achieve with that?"

"I hate how this guy talks to you."

"I don't like it either but that's not important. Important is how we run Friday night show."

"We can't do it the way he wants."

"I agree but you heard him," she gestured to the door. "I doubt we can do anything that would let him change his plans."

He looked at her and she noticed a challenge in his eyes. "What if we'll do it the way we want to without asking him?"

"We can't do that. It would be against his express wishes."

"I know."

She was irritated by his behavior. "Spill it, Billy, what do you have in mind?" she asked, confused and impatient.

"Look, Mac…" He took her arm gently and they sat down in her chairs. "Don't you think it's time to draw a line? Show Pruit that he cannot do everything he wants with us? We are no puppets after all."

She sighed deeply. "Of course it would be nice to show him his boundaries but it's too risky. I have to think of my people and you heard what he said. He's going to fire at least some of them and they need their jobs. As much as I wish to do this, I can't."

Despite his anger and the difficult situation, Will smiled proudly.

"I know," she said before he could and raised her hands disarmingly. "I noticed it myself. I'm getting the hang of this job." His smile grew and she rose from her chair.

"Do you like things how they are now?" he asked when she stopped at the window.

"Of course not. And if I would still be your EP I wouldn't hesitate for a second," she said sincerely. "But I'm not your EP anymore. I'm the president of ACN."

She gazed out of the window and he knew he just had to wait a moment until her curiosity would take over.

He was right and after seconds she turned to him. "Do you have a plan?"

He grinned inwardly while giving her a serious response. "I thought Sloan could do the interview. It's her field after all."

Mac nodded quietly. She knew what Will was implying. Sloan could take anyone apart. "Pruit wants that you do the interview," she said because she had to. "If we give it to Sloan, we would be openly insubordinate. We can't do that. It would be at the expense of our people down in the newsroom."

"That's why we don't tell them. He won't fire people who are not involved."

"I'm not so sure."

"He's maybe an ass…"

Her eyebrows shot up. "Maybe?"

"He's an ass and an idiot," he said, stood and walked next to her. "But he can't fire people without a reason. And he has none when we don't tell them," he told her firmly. "And Sloan will find a new job quickly."

"What about us?"

"We could take some time off, taking care of this one," he laid his hands on her belly. "Maybe even work on another. And you could teach."

"And you?"

"I stay at home."

Her eyes got wide. "You don't want to work? Who are you?"

He grinned. "I thought I could spend a little time playing in Bo's band."

She shook his head at his childish wishes. "You thought about this situation. You're prepared."

"I did think about this situation, yes," he admitted.

She groaned frustrated and turned away.

"Mac, what is it?" he asked softly.

"I feel like we're betraying Charlie," she whispered.

"It would've been the same with him. Ask Sloan."

"Sloan?" she faced him with a frown.

"Sloan told me that Charlie didn't want to go through everything he went through with Leona and Reese a second time. Did you know that the two of them even met with another investor?" Mac shook her head. "Charlie had the same thoughts we have now when he just met Pruit."

"Charlie had a vision; a vision of a good newscast, Will," she said, still unconvinced. "We would stamp our feet on it."

"Pruit's stamping his feet on it. We would try to keep it alive."

"We still would be openly insubordinate. We never were when Charlie was our boss."

"We did a few things…"

"It's a high risk," she interrupted him short-tempered.

"I know that this can end badly. I'm sure, though, that Charlie would be proud if we're showing Pruit his boundaries."

Mac pondered his words and finally nodded defeated. "We'll talk to Sloan and if she agrees we talk to Jim." Will opened his mouth but she went on. "He needs to know. And I trust his gut. If he agrees too, we'll do it."

"If Jim is involved…"

"He and Maggie want to go to Washington. I'll make sure that she can start working for Terry Smith and I'll help him find a job at another network."

"Okay."

They smiled sadly at each other and when he saw tears in her eyes he hugged her tight. "We'll make it, Mac. You'll see," he whispered in her hair.

"I wish Charlie could be here," she mumbled with a trembling voice into his chest.

"He is."

There stood for a while longer until he slowly released her and gently wiped her tears away. "I guess I better get down to the newsroom. We'll talk to Sloan and Jim after the show?"

She nodded and with a last smile at her he left the room. She remained at the window and stared at the bowtie which lay still in its place in her shelves. Suddenly, without further ado, she stepped forward and grabbed the phone.

"Nancy? This is MacKenzie…"