Okay, so this is what you guys have been waiting for... or not. The end... This is my final chapter to be immediately followed by an alternate ending. I hope you like this. I have been made aware that the whole Mac/Will is totally unrealistic... though I thought as much, I held on to a little hope in this. That is okay for the sake of fiction we bend the rules all the time. Including this time. I want to thank DK for letting me know what was up. I hope you like this installment.

Much love-- S.K.

Inauguration

Mac woke up on January 20th, the day before her 48th birthday. It had been a hell of a year for her, and that day she was getting her reward. Preparations for the inaugural ball had been ensuing all week and Mac was ready to enjoy it. She was going to dance all night! She had won; she had made it through.

Mac was excited; this was the very first time she had been chosen to do this job by the people. She was to be sworn in for a whole new set of problems that morning, and had spent the last two months in her previous term rearranging her staff to her liking.

She had a partly new cabinet; Rod had become her Attorney General. She was glad that he had accepted, because she truly felt that there could not be a better person for that position. "I can't believe you appointed him."

Mac looked at William on Christmas Eve night. They had been wrapping the girls' presents at the foot of the tree in the living room. "This isn't personal William, he's really good, and I need to work with someone whose principals I agree with."

"What are those? You lie and cheat in one thing..."

"Let's not bring that up." Mac said holding her hand up, "Look at where that has brought us?"

"Right, fine..." William conceded, "He is a rather good choice isn't he?"

Mac smiled and crawled over to William. "I'd much rather be doing something..." She kissed him softly, "a lot more fun."

William chuckled into another kiss as she tackled him on the living room floor. Just then Horace stepped out of his bedroom and out towards the kitchen. "Eww... get a room."

Mac sat up and smiled at her son. "Help us wrap your sisters' gifts."

"Sure mom." Horace said and sat at his mothers other side.

William had left soon after the New Year. As she geared up to start the new administration. It was finally the day that she would be sworn in as president elect. She still hadn't gotten off her high. She swung her legs off of her bed and headed towards the shower.

She had been hoping William would be here for this, but it seemed that it wouldn't happen. She had been thoroughly disappointed that he hadn't come the night before. All through the night she hoped that he would show up, just like the night before Katie was born.

Mac stepped out of the shower and dried herself. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked great for 48. Her breasts were still pert... mainly because they were engorged with milk, but still they weren't down to her knees when she was on empty. She was toned, as she had been working out throughout her pregnancy, and even more afterward.

She stared and laughed as her breast began to drip milk, "Oh miss Katie, I think its time for breakfast." She muttered putting on her bathrobe and heading out for the nursery.

The baby lay in her bed staring up at the mobile above her. She smiled when her mother peeked down at her, and Mac couldn't help but smile at the three-month-old. "Hey there pumpkin," She said lifting her into her arms, "Are you hungry?"

Mac sat in her rocking chair and began to feed the baby. Becca passed by the room and spotted her mom sitting there and stopped. Mac hadn't noticed her eldest daughter walk into the room. She was talking to the baby; "Today mom is officially a president chosen by the people."

Katie just looked up at her mother as if she understood what she was saying. "We worked hard for it honey, and we made it."

"Does that hurt?" Becca said coming inside.

Startled Mac looked up at her then smiled; "You asked me that the last time."

"It just looks like it hurts."

"It does at first, but after a while it's like a relief, because your mom is a milk cow."

Becca made a grossed out face and leaned against the doorframe. She thought her mother and sister looked beautiful that way, but she would never admit that out loud. "Can I help you with anything mom?"

"Burp her while I go change." Mac said as Katie lost interest in eating and was focusing on her sister instead.

"Okay," Becca said taking the baby somewhat uncomfortably out of her mother's hands.

"Thanks baby." Mac said and walked out to her room. Her dresser has come with her from England and she was grateful, because now she always looked her best. She smiled at her in greeting and looked at the five outfits that she had picked out just for the swearing in.

Mac sulked the entire way to the capitol steps. She was definitely excited but she was also lactating like an evil milk cow, and her husband was not there to stand by her side, at her inauguration like he'd promised.

She looked around in the car; all four of her children were there with her, not to mention her mother. Family surrounded her. So she breathed deeply and dispelled her disappointment for the moment.

The car stopped in front of the Capitol steps. Mac was nervous again. She knew she had done this before, but never like this. She stepped out of the car gingerly, followed by her family. She looked down at her feet as she began the assent of the capitol steps. "Mom, look." Becca whispered in her ear.

"What?" She asked and looked up to where the podium stood. She could hardly keep herself from running up the stairs. When she finally reached the top she smiled brilliantly and reached out to William who had been waiting there for her. "You came!"

"I promised I would." She kissed him soundly drawing a few responses from the crowd.

"Madame President, if you will." Chief Justice Aleto had come up behind her. She turned and smiled, keeping a hold on William's hand with her left hand just a little longer.

"Of course." She let go of his hand and placed it on the bible that the Justice held in his hand. She raised her right hand she looked around at her family then back at the man in front of her. "I, Mackenzie Spencer Allen, do solemnly swear to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States..."