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characters.

Getting to US chapter 11

"We'll drop you off at your place and then Lonny and I will pick up some groceries and Chinese for dinner. You'll have about an hour to pick up your mail and pack your bags. Does that work?"

"Your Chinese food days are over. I've been reading about what you can eat and Chinese food is loaded with salt. Time to give it up Will."

"Are you serious?! You can't be! We live on Chinese take out Mac. I love it!"

"You can still have Chinese. You have to find a good Chinese cook who will make your favorite dishes with low salt Soy and no salt in the cooking. Go and talk to your guy at First Wok and see if he can do that, or find someone else who will. Otherwise Chinese is off the menu for life Will."

" She's tough, but she's right"

" Since when do body guards stick their noses in their client's business?" You guys are ganging up on me. I love my Chinese! How about one "last supper"? That'll give me time to find a solution to the worst idea you've ever had Mac! Deal? "

"Deal"

"Can I leave my ball breaking EP in the newsroom and take my sweet docile girlfriend home now...PLEASE ?"

" You're in the wrong movie if you're hoping for docile, my darling."

Lonny was chucking in the front seat. These two were a riot. She's got him going in circles and he loves it, he thought to himself.

Mac looked around her apartment and realized just how much her life had changed in just a few days. This wasn't home any longer. Home was where Will was. She felt a sudden surge of fear. What if it didn't work out with Will? It was a scary thought. She wouldn't be able to stay in her job and face him every day. She would be starting over yet again, jobless and leaving his home to come back to what? Nothing really. Not a good train of thought.

She needed to put those fears away and deal with them another time.

She tossed her mail into a bag and packed some clothes and toiletries for a few days and cleaned out the few things in her fridge. Other than some books and CDs there was nothing here to miss. She locked the door behind her.

Maybe this was the start of a new life. She hoped so.

Will saw her small bag and looked puzzled. " Is this all you're bringing?"

"Yes. Why?

" Oh nothing. Come on let's go home."

Will realized that his question wasn't fair to Mac. She couldn't assume anything and he hadn't said anything really. Just that he wanted her near. He needed to figure this out. That was only fair to Mac. She was in her late 30's and…. it was complicated. He didn't want to think about that now.

Lonny escorted them to their door and did his usual walk through before leaving them alone. Mac started to unpack the food bags in the kitchen while Will started a fire. It was gas, but it had a real flame and was cozy.

"Will, what on earth did you do? There is enough food here to feed an army!"

"Well…since it's the last Chinese take-out of my life….I thought I should try everything. It seemed logical to me."

There were take-out cartons of Chinese food covering every inch of the large kitchen island. Mac didn't know whether to laugh or be mad at him.

" Don't think I don't know what you're doing McAvoy. You just want to eat leftovers for the rest of the week. That was not the deal!"

" Look, I even got them to give me lite soy sauce. Less sodium. I though you would be pleased " Will said sheepishly.

Mac put her arms around his neck, looked him straight in the eyes and said:

"For tonight….I give up. Go crazy Will, because this is it!"

Hi kissed her hurriedly , anxious to start tearing open the cartons while Mac just stood back and shook her head.

Dinner was an Asian feast and she loved it almost as much as he did.

"Come on, let's get in bed and talk."

She curled up against him and settled in to listen. It was rare for Will to actually ask to talk. Usually he just launched into it. Talking in bed had always been a treasured time for them.

I'm troubled about this Erin thing, more than I can tell you. I know you said that it's not my fault but on some level I think it is. Or at least I contributed to it. Do you think that's right?"

" I won't judge you darling. And you certainly don't deserve what is happening now."

"But…?"

"But it was like a week long booty call, at least from your side, wasn't it Will?"

"She came after me pretty hard, and I was alone and she told me she was separated from her husband. "

"Fine but you were still using her for sex and it backfired. So it wasn't the best decision you ever made. That's all I'm saying, and only since you asked. "

Will was quiet. It was all true.

" Will, I've done the same thing. I know what it feels like. You know you're in the wrong place with the wrong person, but you do it anyway. You shut off the part of you that doesn't really want to be there and you go through the motions. That's all it is. The difference is that you're a public figure and even if you're on your own, you have to keep your nose clean or our show will suffer."

Will was silent. 'If you're on your own.'….why would she even say that? It was just an expression and she was making a point, surely that was all she meant. But even so, he saw it as yet another sign that he better sort some things out and declare himself. Last time he waited too long and he almost lost her forever. This time he couldn't let that happen.

They feel asleep, too tired to act on the arousal they both felt every time Will pressed his groin into Mackenzie . In the middle of the night he woke her up with a huge erection and they made love, sleepily, eyes closed, clinging to each other in the pitch black, in a half dream state. It was intensely erotic to fall asleep with his cock still inside of her, like floating in a deep state of euphoria . They slept soundly until Charlie work them very early with the news they all feared.

" I won't say good morning, because I'm afraid it's not."

" Shit Charlie. What does it say and where is it running?"

"It's not out yet, but the network publicist has had calls asking for a statement from you. Several rags are ready to go to press and of course they hope to have 'Will's side'. I told them- 'not a hope in hell.'

" What happens next?"

" Next we wait. We're preparing a few alternate draft statements for you to issue after the articles come out. We'll hold them until we see what they write."

" Can this get any worse?"

" I can. You and Mac can let this get to you and screw up what you have together. Don't let that be the outcome of this Will. Get that right and everything else is gravy."

Are you hearing me?"

" I am. We'll be there soon."

"Did you hear all that Kenz?"

Mac rubbed her eyes and kissed Will's cheek tenderly.

"Pretty much. Let's just rip off the bandage. We have to get the pain over with and put it behind us and focus on our show and us. Ok Will.?"

God, I hope I can do the same…Mac thought. Dr Hadad had called and was waiting for her to return, this time with Will …. She couldn't think about that now.

"Come on. Let's go and face the music together. We need to tell the team to be prepared for this. You have to tell them Will. They need to hear it from you first."

" I guess so. I love you Mac."

" I love you back."

Mac called the pitch meeting to order. Will had been to legal and read the statements they had drafted. He and Charlie came into to room just as Mac was finished speaking.

"Will has something he wants to tell you." she announced.

Sloan shot Mac a puzzled look. This couldn't be the 'We're together' speech… If it was, Will needed to get that pained look off his face. What was this about?

" Some of you may recall that I took a break after my Northwestern…soliloquy. As it turns out I was not alone, and the person with whom I shared the beach and copious quantities of liquor…has decided to spill the details of my debauchery and our illicit affair the press.

We expect the news to hit sometime today and no doubt some of you will be canvased for comments. This was not my finest moment. In fact it ranks up there as perhaps the worst of my life and I pledge to you it will remain so. I'm truly sorry guys and most of all….. I'm sorry McKenzie. "

The room was silent. Charlie rose and put his hand on Will's shoulder.

"Stupid yes, but not unforgivable. I know I can speak for everyone in this room when I say that we all have your back Will.

I think now, for those of you who may have been on Mars during Will's sojourn to St Lucia, that we should tell you that Erin Andrews is the rat or should I say 'ratess' in this soap. The tell all is a ratings ploy and we all have to help Will and Mac rise above it . Are there any questions before I leave you to resume your meeting?"

Shock waves went through the room as the impact of this news registered.

They were embarrassed to be hearing this in front of Mackenzie. No one looked at her. They wanted this to be over.

Silence prevailed and Charlie left them to continue the pitch meeting.

"Jim could you take over please?" Mackenzie said as she rose to leave the room, signaling Will to leave with her. She had seen his face and knew that he needed some time away from the group to cope with his remorse.

They went to his office and she shut the door behind them.

" I need to call someone before this breaks. I need to call Kevin Andrews and apologize. Separated or not, there is no excuse for what I did. She was still his wife and I was way out of line. I may not be the one telling the press, but withoutmy actions there would be no story to tell. "

"You're a good guy, you know that don't you? You acted badly but you're trying to make amends. You're trying hard and that's a big part of why I love you Will."

"I would do this in person, but the Jet's are playing in Atlanta. I doubt I could pay him a visit without being seen. Not what he needs right now."

"Ok, I'll leave you to call him and get back to the pitch meeting. Let's just take this day as it comes, hour by hour. In the meantime let's focus on tonight's show. "

Will pulled Mackenzie to him kissed her deeply. Then he stood back and held both her shoulders, and looked squarely at her. "You're what I want Mackenzie. Last night was incredible and I am going to repair any damage this brings on us. I promise you that."

The pitch meeting wrapped. Everyone was more quiet then usual. Sloan stayed behind to talk to Mackenzie.

" Can I do anything for you Kenz.?"

" I wish you could but there really is nothing to do but wait."

" That was a class act. Apologizing to you in front of all of us, I mean."

" I was so caught up in Will's feelings that I didn't really focus on that part."

"He was telling us all that you're together and he's sorry that this story will be embarrassing for you, and that he loves you Kenz. That's what we all heard ."

Mackenzie's eyes welled up with emotion. She realized that Sloan was right and it touched her deeply. The sooner she could tell Will everything, the better.

God, how was he ever going to bear it? She couldn't seem to stop hurting him. Even when she was the victim, Will ultimately had to pay the price. She went to her office to call Dr Hadad. It would need to be soon.

The story came out in a national gossip magazine later that afternoon.

It would hit the newsstand across the country by morning. It went viral on the internet within minutes Erin was on the cover . The cover line read:

Will McAvoy's Secret Love

How their beach affair broke Erin's heart and ended her 10 year marriage

The article described Will as a womanizer who was back with his cheating ex-girl friend. Erin claimed to be devastated over his deception and broken hearted. Within hours the press were crowding around the doors to the ACN building, cameras poised and ready for Will and Mac's exit after the night's broadcast. Entertainment Tonight was planning to open with the story. The writers of the late night talk shows were rewriting, making Will the target of their opening monologues. Letterman's top 10 list was being rewritten.

Charlie called Will and Mac to his office.

"Leona wants to see us. We're going upstairs, but before we do, I want you two to take a deep breath and remember that the worst is over. You're going to go home tonight and I sure as hell hope that 'home' is in the same damn place for both of you because you've wasted enough time and you have some major catching up to do. Just focus on that and let the shit fly where it may. Do you understand me? "

"We're working on it Charlie. We really are"

"William McAvoy, you sound like you're building the Great Wall of China! You just go with your feelings. Be happy. Make babies. Do what people do when they're in love for God's sake. Leave the angst behind and get on with living.

Now let's go. Leona will be fine. She's had her share of…liaisons, trust me I know! "