I know you guys are going to get so pissed at this chapter... sorry but the freaking muse likes to mess with my head. No matter how hard I try to make one thing happen, it drives me to do so mething else. The story has changed so much since my original outline I almost don't recognize it. so forgive me in advance.

I'll have more chapters up as soon as I can check them for consistency. Later,

S.K.

Morning After

Mac stirred the next morning, as the incessant ringing of her alarm clock woke her. She reached out and slapped the snooze button and felt the warm body next to her. Her eyes widened, as she realized what had happened. What she had done? Guilt began to overtake her again. Slowly she turned to face William and shook him awake.

"William," Mac whispered running her hand through his hair. "Your Majesty?"

William opened his eyes and smiled at Mac, "That's rather formal Mackenzie."

"I know," Mac said sliding out of bed pulling the sheet with her. "I apologize but this can't be happening. I should have never done this with you. I'm still married."

William watched her as she reached for her robe. Of course he understood. It was the sort of thing he would have told someone he had just gotten his jollies off of. Someone this well known was bound to find this situation a little bit too sticky. "I understand Madam President." William stated leaving the bed.

Mac sort of froze mid motion. She turned to look at him, and hesitated at the sight of his naked form getting covered by a pair of jeans. "No, wait." Mac said coming to him, "William, I'm sorry. This, last night, made me realize that there could be many reasons why Rod had done what he did."

"Maybe, you should try again." William stated pulling his shirt on.

"Yes," Mac stated walking into the closet and pulling out a set of sweats.

"Believe me, I understand your position. I just wish that I hadn't..." He started then he stopped himself, " I just wish we hadn't."

Mac dressed quickly, "I don't, I enjoyed it," Mac said standing in front of him fully dressed, "I'll walk you out."

William followed her towards the door but before she opened it, he stopped her and turned her around to face him. He wanted her to think of him every time she and her husband made love. So he leaned in and gave her a kiss that started out soft and grew in intensity, so much so that Mac was ready to go again with him.

Mac shivered in the Prince's arms and she pressed her body close to his. Once the kiss broke, William looked her in the eye. "If you love him, go for him. Don't hang his infidelity over his head. Whatever we had last night makes you and he even. Start anew, and consider him for the man that he is... and not what he has done to you."

Mac thought about what he had just said as she walked him out to his waiting Royal guard. That makes us even, she thought as she climbed up the stairs. She was going to shower and get back to bed. But when she passed by the living room she heard, "This is the first birthday in twenty two years that I don't spend with you."

Mac stopped short and turned her head towards the sound of Rod's voice. "What are you doing here? Where's Amy?"

"She's in bed, we got here a few minutes ago, she insisted on a red eye back home." Rod answered.

"Ah," Mac said walking towards him.

"Mac," Rod started, " I want you back. I can't sleep, I can't think. I feel as if I'm definitely going to loose you. You don't seem receptive to me, but I have apologized a million times over, and I will apologize a million times more."

Mac listened to Rods dissertation, and though she had decided to take him back, she wanted the groveling. She craved it. She wanted to see his pain, a pain that until that moment she thought she bore alone.

Once she grew tired of the talking, she moved closer and gave him a kiss. Rod deepened the kiss when he realized that she had given in to him. "I love you Rod."

"I love you too," Rod grew tired and yawned, "I've got to get some sleep."

Mac smiled, "I was heading back to bed myself."

"Want some company?"

"To sleep?" Mac asked not really wanting her husband to lay next to her in her bed, and catch her smell that was mixed with some other man's.

"Yes, I'm Tired." Rod said leading her towards the presidential bedroom.

"I'm not that ready, maybe we can try that tonight." Mac said, "See you later." She walked into her bedroom and stared at her bed. The night before had made them even, so why did she feel guilty? She took a deep breath and flinched.

She began to strip her bed then stopped. "Why am I feeling guilty?" Mac said lying in her sexually scented bed. "He cheated, not me. Now we're even." She took in the scent of her and William one more time, then headed to the shower.

Rod got out of his suit. He was glad that Mac had decided to give him another chance. But he was frustrated that it would never be the same with her again. Just when he had settled into bed, there was a soft knock at the door.

Rod slid off the bed and padded to the door. No one knew he was home but security and Mac. He hoped it was the one person he wanted to see at the door. He opened the door a crack, and was rewarded by a vision in a terrycloth robe. There she stood soaked from the shower, "Can I come in?" Mac whispered.

He opened the door wider so that she could get inside. "What's up?"

"I was with someone last night." Mac said softly, "He... helped me, look at what you did a bit differently."

Rod felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. She didn't want him in her bed, because she had just had someone else in it. When she had kissed him earlier, the saltiness in her skin was there because someone else had tasted her, sweat on her. Her lips were fuller than usual because she'd been kissing someone else. But Rod could not possibly blame her for that. They weren't really together.

"I want to be with you, but I had to wash him off of me." Mac said honestly standing by the window and looking out. "We're even now, let's just wipe the slate clean."

Rod walked up to his wife and turned her to face him. "Thank you for your honesty."

Mac wanted to say, something about his dishonesty towards her, but if she was going to wipe the slate clean she couldn't. So she leaned forward and kissed him, allowing her robe to open as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Rod groaned into the kiss when he felt her bare abdomen with his hands. One of them traveled up her torso to a perfect breast, as the other wrapped around the back to her bare buttock. He was instantly aroused as he walked her back to the bed removing the robe on the way. He couldn't help but think that someone else had touched her like this less than twenty-four hours before. He tried to push it out of his mind as he lay her down and removed his nightclothes.

Mac looked at the conflict in his eyes. He looked the same way she seemed to feel about the fact that he could have been with anyone other than her. She almost said something, but kept her mouth shut. It was control he wanted and she was going to give it to him. But then she thought about it. "Rod," Mac said stopping him.

He looked up at her, "what is it?"

"We need to get tested." Mac answered, "For both of our state of mind."

"Come on Mac," Rod whined a little.

"Rod, How do we know if the ones that we slept with were as healthy as you and me?" Mac said, " I don't know where my partner has been, and I definitely don't know where Michelle, or anyone else you might have been with had been."

"It was only her." Rod defended himself.

"How was I supposed to know that Rod?" Mac said getting a bit indignant, then thinking the better of it. "That isn't even the point anyway."

Rod nodded, realizing she was right. " How about we... protect ourselves from each other until we are certain that we are clean?" Rod asked kissing his wife's cheek.

"Condoms?" Mac said and laughed softly, "Oh god..."

"What?" Rod asked pushing an errant wet lock out of Mac's eyes.

"We haven't used one of those in years." Mac said a little bitter, "Not since the Vasectomy anyway."

"I did," Rod said reassuring Mac that he had been protecting himself anyway, "I did."

Mac looked at him, "I didn't."

"What?" Rod asked. "How could you?"

"Rod, I never thought this would happen for us again, and last night wasn't exactly planned." Mac stated squaring off with him. "Besides I was not, entirely sober at the time."

"Funny, you don't look hung over," Rod said still a little angry, but completely understanding what she meant.

"Have I ever?" Mac responded then shook her head to change the subject. "So, do you still have any of those things?"

Rod looked at his wife, and smiled slightly. She reached her hand out and touched his face bringing his lips closer to hers she kissed him. Much of the morning was spent like this. A lot of discussion, and a little sex. Maybe there was hope for them after all.

At around nine thirty that morning, Mac came out of her husband's room, glowing and more exhausted than she had been earlier in the morning. She headed to her bedroom to dress.

Rod soon followed her out and headed to the breakfast table at the residence. His children sat there, with their grandmother. He smiled a greeting to them and sat at the head of the table, as he was accustomed.

"What are you doing here?" Becca stated gruffly, "Mom will freak."

"Your mom invited me to breakfast." Rod stated.

Mac stopped just outside of the dining area and listened to the discussion at the table. She remembered the time when her parents had separated for the same thing. She had been sure she wouldn't be like her mother and forgive a man something like that. But her dad stayed faithful to Kate since. If not for Kate's sake, it was for Mac's.

"You hurt her so bad, and now she's just willing to let that go?" Becca stated, "Well I guess she can forgive you, but don't expect me to any time soon."

Becca walked out of the dining room, passing Mac on the way. Mac didn't try to stop her. The betrayal didn't only happen to her, but to her children and Becca had a right to feel the way she did. Horace followed soon after and paused a moment to look at her then he walked off to his room. Mac stepped to the dining room where Kate Rod and Amy still sat. "Mommy!" Amy shouted

Mac winced, remembering the drinking she had done the night before with a smashing headache. "Hey baby." Mac said hugging her baby girl.

"I told daddy that I couldn't sleep in the room in New York. And he brought me home." Amy said.

"I'm glad to see you baby." Mac said and headed to her seat, "Morning mom."

"Good Morning." Kate answered scooping a spoon full of her bran cereal into her mouth.

"I think we should go talk to the twins," Rod stated.

Both Mac and Kate leaned back in their chair, "Not yet." Mac said

"Why not?" Rod asked.

"They don't even want to see you right now, you betrayed them." Kate said scooping another bit of cereal.

"And I just look a bit weak to Becca right now, She'll come to me when she is ready." Mac added.

"How do you know?" Rod asked Mac.

"I've been there before. I want you to know what a miracle it is that you are even here." Mac said taking the last bite of her muffin. "I'm going to the gym, Join me?"

Rod watched Mac walk towards the door. "Are you kidding me? James will kill me."

"Drat, foiled again." Mac said with a smile, "Amy? Tennis?" She asked. Her youngest leapt out of her chair and headed out of the residence with her mother. Rod and Kate looked after her then at each other glad to see the woman's sense of humor return to her.

"She's back." Rod said turning back to his mother in law.

"And how," Kate responded then looked at him seriously, "You cheat on her again, and I will hunt you down and maim you."

Rod stared at his mother in law. The graveness in her voice told him she was not kidding. He nodded at her, and watched as the older woman walked out of the room.