Some one has asked me to re post the first chapters which were Part 1 of this series. I will, when I figure out how to do it. In the meantime you should be able to look for Getting to Us...the original series. It's still up. Would love some new chapters to the great stories in progress from all you wonderful writers..

In the meantime, I don't own the newsroom!

Part 11 Getting to US Chapter 33

It's was only two weeks till her wedding day and Mackenzie had one more thing she needed to do to make her day perfect. She couldn't tell Will her plan in advance because he would have a fit and accuse her of meddling with other people's lives…or as he so eloquently put it..'life ruining.'

But in this case it was necessary. Jim was like a kid brother to her. They had literally been through a war together. He had nursed her through her trauma after she was raped and had kept her secret. And now while she was laid up in bed for most of each working day, he was working overtime to carry the load so she could have a healthy pregnancy and still keep her job

The least she could do for him was help him sort out his disastrous love life.

He was dating a woman he didn't love, leading her on which went against his nature and was tearing him up. All the while watching Maggie with Don, another total mis match, all because he was too nice a guy to want to disrupt their already fragile relationship. She had an idea…

"Jim, hey its me, wondering if you can come here for a lunch meeting after the pitch meeting ends?"

"Sure Mac. Anything in particular you want me to bring in the way of files?"

"Nope, just bring yourself. See you soon."

This was perfect timing. She knew that Will had a lunch date today so he wouldn't be barging in on them and grilling her later on what she as up to. Even if she feigned work, Will had a way of knowing when she was plotting something. It was at times like this that she had to break her "no secrets" rule. There were some things that Will just didn't need to know.

"Hi Mac. You look great! You really are blooming you know."

"Thanks, come in the kitchen and help me carry this tray into the living room. I've made us sandwiches and there is some great left over pasta salad that Will made, and grab whatever you want to drink from the fridge."

Jim carried everything to the coffee table, and Mackenzie got comfy with her feet up and a tray on her lap.

"Ok all set. What did you want to talk about Mac?"

"I want you to do me a favour. There's research I want you to do. Hilary Clinton is thinking of announcing her intention to run in the next election and she agreed that if she ever did decided to run she would give Will the exclusive interview. Of course we're going to hold her to that promise. I want you to go to Washington and interview her former press secretary and a number of other names that I'll give you. We need up to date opinions from the people closest to her. We need to be ready as soon as she's thinking of announcing. This is important, and face to face will be much better. Oh yes…and take Maggie with you. You'll need two days to cover off the list. "

"Whose going to exec produce if I'm not there for two days next week?"

" I am, from here, no problem. Of course I'll still be there for the broadcast. I'll run the pitch meetings on video conferencing, and anyway, Neil is ready to step in and help. It will be good for him to get the experience."

"Why do I need Maggie? I can handle this on my own."

"It just looks better, more professional, if we send two of you, and she can take notes and do the follow up."

"Ok..if you really think is important."

"I do, and Jim?"

"Yes…"

" I hope you haven't forgotten about' gather ye rosebuds'?"

"Are we back on that?"

"We are Jim. I can't stand to watch you wasting so much time with the wrong girl. Even if you just broke up with Lisa, you might send Maggie a signal that you're free and waiting for her. At very least use this time away with Maggie to talk to her and have dinner alone with her…and.."

"Ok,…I get the picture. Are we even thinking about Don at all…in this scheme of yours?"

"Don's had plenty of time to get it together with Maggie. Obviously it's not working and he's too chicken to get out of it. You would be doing him a huge favour if you gave him an out. Trust me Jim. I can see that this situation is a train wreck waiting to happen. You need to derail it now, before you all crash. Just think about yourself and your own happiness for once…please?"

"Why now Mac? Why are you so bent on taking the extra work on this now of all times when you have so much on your plate?"

"Because I'm happy Jim, and I'm getting married. I don't want to look around and see a person who I love , and know that he's miserable, with the wrong woman, at my wedding, if I can possibly help him fix it, that's why. This situation has gone on far too long."

"A year ago I would have said 'who are you to give advice?'…but now I can see how happy you and Will are...maybe I should try this."

"Good, and for God's sake don't tell Will about this!"

Jim laughed out loud at Mackenzie. "And you honestly think that Will won't figure this out for himself?"

"Not if you don't plant the seed. Of course he has to know that you're going to do the interviews, but nothing else. Now go back to the studio and just tell Maggie the plan and to organize the flights and hotel, and you set up the interviews ..today!"

Jim was grinning. Two nights alone with Maggie, away from Don…Mac was really doing him a favour. He hoped he could finally act. Mackenzie shut the door, pleased with herself. Now if she could just keep the whole motive under wraps so Will didn't freak our…. In truth she had planned for all those interviews to happen, and they had already discussed Will getting the exclusive with Hilary…the only difference was that Jim was going to do the pre interviews in person. Made sense, considering the importance of getting this scoop.

"Where the hell is Jim?"

Will bellowed from his office, looking for his acting EP who it seemed took an extremely long lunch out of the office. Something he never did.

"Jim should be back any minute" Maggie explained. "He was meeting with Mac to go over some notes…. for tonight I guess."

Will was silent. Funny Mac didn't mention that Jim was visiting her for lunch. Wonder what couldn't wait for this afternoon? Oh well, she probably just wanted the company…he thought. If he'd known he would have gone himself. But his lunch date had cancelled last minute, so he just decided to have a sandwich as his desk instead.

A few mins later Jim returned and slide into his desk.

"Will is looking for you Jim" Maggie warned him "He sounds kinda mad."

Jim organized his thoughts. He would tell Will casually that he was off to Washington and not mention Maggie. That would be logical. He popped his head around the corner of Will's office door.

"Heard you were looking for me?"

"So, how was Mac?"

"Great. We just needed to catch up on things without all the noise. By the time she gets here at 6:00 every day it's so crazy we don't have time to do much planning"

"Makes sense. I wanted to talk about a few of next week's segments."

"Sure. By the way I'm going to Washington to do the pre interviews for the Clinton exclusive. We think face to face will be better."

"Who is filling in for you?"

"Mac's pretty sure she can run the pitch meeting from home, and its only two meetings. Then I'll be back"

" I see. Have to write my scripts now."

"Didn't you want to talk about some of next week's segments?"

"Nope, not if you're not going to be here."

Will was not going to interfere with Mac's instructions to Jim. He respected her too much for that, and anyway she would be angry if he did. However he was going to have words with her later. Sending the one person who was covering for her to Washington for two days made no sense, and she knew that. For now he was just silent.

Mackenzie arrived at 6pm and had the meeting for the final run down and Will was uncharacteristically quiet. Jim decided he had better warn Mac that he had told Will about his assignment, but had not mentioned Maggie going with him. Maggie of course knew and had not stopped smiling since.

At the end of he meeting Maggie blurted it our in her usual fashion:

"Mac, just want to say thanks for letting me go on the pre-interviews in Washington. I'm totally psyched!"

Will could not believe his ears. He just glared at Mackenzie, who didn't react, as if this was a non event. Again he stayed silent. Whatever she was up to, it was not going to disrupt tonight's show. He refused to fight with his increasingly pregnant girlfriend in front of the team, and he wanted to give her time to tell him what was going on, herself.

Will stayed focused on his script and gave a solid performance and did not banter with Mackenzie or seek her out in the control room to take her home, as he usually did. He went to his office and waited for her. After almost anl hour of no Mac…he went looking for her. Her found her laughing and talking to the team, just as she used to, with no regard what so ever for the time…

"Mac, if it was up to you I suppose you would sleep here?"

"Sorry just lost track of the time, and I knew you would tell me when you were ready to go home."

"I was ready an hour ago. Let's go!"

Oh…he's mad. She knew that look and that tone, very well. He dumped his bag and went straight to the bar to pour himself a scotch. Not a good sign.

"Will don't be mad. I know Jim told you that I'm sending him to Washington for 48 hrs. It's no big deal. I can handle the EP stuff from my bed, no problem."

"Yes… I suppose now you're going to tell me that he needs Maggie too?"

"Oh Will, come on. You know how I feel about Jim. I'm just so happy and I want him to be happy. He doesn't have a chance with Don watching him like a hawk."

"So you cooked this whole thing up, no discussion. Did you think I wouldn't catch on to your scheme Mackenzie?"

" I honestly wasn't thinking about you! I was thinking about Jim. Why does its always have to be about you and me not doing what you think I should be doing?"

"Because you're pregnant!" Will bellowed. "Any decision you make that affects your work load IS my business. Is that so hard to understand? And you didn't tell me precisely because you KNEW I wouldn't like it and I wouldn't agree to it!"

"Will, you're smothering me! Just like this morning. I was perfectly capable of walking through that apartment myself. I didn't need you telling the agent I was pregnant and needed to use the elevator to go up one floor! Obviously I'm pregnant. The man was not blind. He could see that perfectly well for himself, and I was happy to take the stairs!"

"I cannot believe we're still fighting about the same thing. You want to carry on as if nothing has changed, forcing me to police your every move, and now I have to worry about what you're scheming behind my back!"

"Is this how we're going to make decisions about our child Will? Are you expecting me to call you and discuss what our child should wear that day, or what I'm thinking of packing for a school lunch! "

"Hardly. I can't imagine you making lunch for anyone. I will making sure our child doesn't starve !"

"Do you know how mean that sounds?"

" I do actually. The last thing I want to do is be mean to you Mackenzie, but do you know how mean it is to play tricks on me, scheming behind my back and then having the nerve to tell me it's none of my business?"

"I wouldn't have to go behind your back if you weren't totally unreasonable about every little thing I want to do!"

"Not every little thing Mac. Just the things that affect the well being or OUR unborn child!"

"This is a ridiculous conversation . Don't you think we should be having it in front of Abe, before it gets any worse?"

"Fine. Call him in the morning. And go in the kitchen and eat something PLEASE! I'm heating up some of that casserole. I may be furious with you Mackenzie, but I still want you to eat and go to bed NOW !"

Mackenzie was tired of being treated like a petulant child and Will was tired of playing the role of babysitter. For the first time since either of them could remember, they went to bed mad.

Somewhere during the night their bodies found each other and Will woke up spooned around Mackenzie. He loved her so much, but something had to give. He couldn't keep up this constant pleading with her to be responsible.

She was relieved to wake up in Will's arms. He was the love of her life but he was going to drive her mad with his endless reprimands and fussing over her every move. Please god...she thought, let Abe help them out of this impasse.

"So, Mackenzie, you look wonderful. Will, come and sit down. I want to begin by telling you that I read the file your file that Dr Knoll sent over so I have a clear understanding of your condition Mackenzie. I understand that your activity has been curtailed and you're spending far less time at the station. That must be a challenge for you?"

"It's not so bad now that I have a system. I work from home in the mornings, and my team keeps me in the loop. Then I go in to the studio in time to produce the broadcast. I can manage just fine, if no one breathes down my throat."

"Will, it must be difficult not to worry about Mackenzie'

"Not really. I mean what is the point since I know she's going to do what she wants, not matter what I say"

"So, there in lies the problem. I am going to short circuit this and remind you both of your histories…or as Will likes to call it 'baggage'.

Will is a care giver. He related to his mother and his siblings as the persons who he tried to take care for. He felt responsible for protecting them. That is how he shows his love. His instinct is to protect those that he loves.

Mackenzie, you were raised in a privileged home. You were no doubt doted on and given a very strict set of rules to live by, with very little freedom. Your instinct is to resist authority, and find ways to escape it. Your relationship with your parents was probably based on exhibiting fierce independence. So it should come as no surprise that when you are under pressure you both resort to the patterns that you know well. A high risk pregnancy is by definition. "pressure' on both of you."

" I have a question. When I arrived back at ACN, Will was completely disengaged. In fact he was famous for not giving a damn. Not what you've described at all."

"Will's indifference was his protection mode. He learned that when he cared about someone, they generally abandoned or betrayed him, starting with his father who abused him and his mother who died on him, when he was still a very young person. "

"And let's not forget the betrayal…while we're on the subject," Will smirked.

Mackenzie was horrified that Will would bring this up, and throw it in her face, yet again.

"I can't do this. I can't listen to this. I just can't".. she sobbed and stood up to leave.

"Will you've hurt Mackenzie by raising something that she thought you two had put behind thought you had forgiven for. Forgiveness means no longer wishing to hurt her by accusations. Was it your intention to hurt her?"

Will looked stunned. "I…I…I would never…I mean of course not" he said.. his voice cracking.

"Well perhaps you should apologize."

"I'm sorry Kenz. I didn't mean to hurt you" Mackenzie stared at Will, and sat down.

"Mackenzie, do you think that you can understand why Will's instinct is to protect you, and why it's taken him a lot of courage to care so deeply about your well being and the well being of this child?"

"Yes I can"

"So perhaps you could show some sensitivity when he over does it?"

"Yes."

"Will, can you understand that when Mackenzie is bucking your attempts to protect her, it's not meant to hurt you? Can you see that she does not do well under authority and perhaps needs you to give her more latitude? "

"Yes"

"Your challenge, both of you, is not to revert to your patterns of behavior and get so polarized that you lose the ability to feel what the other person is feeling. Mackenzie, this pregnancy is happening to both of you. Will deserves to be included fully. And Will, it's Mackenzie's body that is going through the physical changes. ultimately she has the right to decide what she's capable of doing, and she deserves your trust in her to decide that."

Will and Mackenzie were silent. They didn't challenge anything that Dr Habib was saying. They just listened. Everything he said rang true. But most of all, they had both experienced a moment of pain, when they deeply hurt each other..and that scared them both into silence.

"Now, I am going to leave you to do what I have a feeling you do best. Come out when you're ready. And come back next week. Don't wait for another crises to come back to therapy. We have much to discuss. A lot is happening for both of by the way, my partner and I would be delighted to celebrate your wedding day with you. Thank -you for inviting us."

Dr Habib left the room and closed the door behind him.

Will spoke first. "Kenz I'm so….." but before he could finish his sentence, Mackenzie was in his lap, kissing him.

"Abe's right. We're good at this part Kenz"

"Yes we are darling"

"Then let's just do more of it..." Shuss...just kiss me Will."

After 15 mins. Dr Habib knocked gently on the door, and pushed it open. He found them still necking on his sofa, Will's shirt was well rumpled and his hand had slipped under Mackenzie's maternity dress, and he was stroking her thigh, as she sat on his lap, kissing him with one hand under his shirt..

Dr Habib laughed "Excuse me, hate to interrupt but my next patient is here, and you two should get a room!"