Epilogue I

„Are you sure you don't want me to call the police?" They were up in her apartment and after the adrenaline rush from what had happened (both the mugging and his confession) had died down, the atmosphere right now was one of akwardness, as they stood in her living room.

Mac nodded. „Yeah. Nothing happened, I don't even have a scratch. And with the way you scared them off, I doubt that they will try that again. They were just kids."

She looked almost sad at the last words, which caused Will to step up to her and take her hand. „Can I make you a cup of tea then?"

This time she shook her head, but smiled softly. „I will make it, you've never been here before. But I appreciate the offer."

„Honey, you have always streamlined your way around the kitchen. And the bathroom, come to think of it. I bet I could find anything in there with my eyes closed."

Of course Mac took the bait, as he had been certain she would, and after a moment she smirked and squeezed his hand before she walked towards the couch. „Raspberry-vanilla then, please."

While Will rummaged around the kitchen Mac sat down and let her head fall back.

What a night!

Her head was still trying to catch up with the last fifteen minutes, starting with Will's attempt to kiss her, then the failed mugging turning into him confessing his love to her. And the latter was definitely overshadowing everything else, forcing its way to the fore like a bright neon sign blinking in the desert at night, refusing to be ignored. Her heart beat faster at the thought, and a few overly zealous butterflies started to dance in her stomach.

When Will joined her he handed her a steaming cup of her currently favourite tea and sat down next to her, facing her small figure with his elbow resting on the back of the couch and one knee pulled up.

„Thank you." Mac gave him a thankful smile and embraced the warmth of the ceramic mug in her hands. They both sat in silence, until she finally took a deep breath.

„Well… Is it still you?"

Will had the decency to look somewhat ashamed, but his voice was firm. „Yes. Forget about Duncan. I just needed… I needed to get into a position where I could listen to you. Really listen, without being caught in this vicious cycle of anger."

Mac carefully thought about his explanation and finally moved a hand to touch his that was resting in his lap. „That was pretty smart."

He shrugged and absently let his thumb run across her skin. „Habib helped. He said I needed to try to not let my perscepctive get in the way all the time, so I thought taking on a different persona might help. Turned out it did." He smiled at her. „And of course it really helped that you immediately knew what I was getting at and introduced yourself as Morgan."

„Are you kidding me?" Mac laughed incredulously. „I didn't have the slightest idea and just tried to keep up with you. I knew you were up to something, but fuck me if I knew what that was."

Will's eyes turned to a darker blue at her words, and a suggestive grin spread across his face, but he didn't follow up on it, knowing full well that right now wasn't the moment. And rightly so, as Mac nervously bit her lip after she had spoken.

„So… You didn't just say it because of the moment? Because of the adrenaline rush out there?"

Will shook his head and let the fingers of his other hand play with her hair. „No. I love you. I have actually never stopped loving you, but I was just so angry and couldn't look past it…" He sighed. „I'm sorry I didn't let you explain before. And also for all the shit I put you through over these past years."

Placing the tea on the table she turned to him. „I'm sorry, too."

He smiled sadly. „I know."

Again she hesitated before she spoke. „Did I… No, did Morgan answer all your questions?"

„I think so, at least so far. I just…" He stopped and didn't go on, until Mac gave him an encouraging, but still careful nod.

„I think it's the right moment to get it all out, don't you?"

„Yeah…" Will sighed. He didn't want to ruin the moment, but he knew she was right and took a deep breath. „I… I was pretty surprised that you saw us as only dating early on. I thought we were in a steady relationship basically right from the get-go."

Mac sighed. „I know that now, and I wish I had been on the same page with you right from the start. But fact is, that I wasn't. I had just been dumped by Brian and was humiliated and felt… yeah, kind of worthless. I needed to show him, and probably myself, too, that I was still desirable, that somebody wanted me."

She stopped to look at him and squeezed his hand. „And then there was you, a nice, successful and good looking guy and… I mean look at you! Women are hurling themselves at you! I thought I would just be another fling for you!"

Will lifted her hand to press a tender kiss to her hand. „You could never just be a fling, but I understand."

„You do?" Mac's voice was hopeful, and when he nodded she gave him a wide smile that lit up the whole room. „Thank God."

When Will leaned in this time, very slowly to gauge her reaction, she lifted her hand to cup his cheek and pulled him closer. „I've never stopped loving you, either, Billy."

The first contact of their lips after more than five years was gentle and almost tentative, but almost immediately there was a sense of familiarity. However, before they let themselves fall into the kiss, Will broke it. "Mac... Out there... I wanted to kiss you, not Morgan."

A wide smile appeared on her face and she cupped his cheek. "Billy…"

The next kiss was more passionate and they both let out quiet moans when their tongues explored each other. Only when breathing became a necessity they slowly pulled apart, leaning their foreheads against each other.

When they had calmed down a little Mac pulled back, and her face took on an almost mischievous look. „I'm going to miss Duncan; I actually liked some of his sides..."

„Like what?" Will sounded distracted, as he was mesmerized by the sudden sparkle in her eyes and the faint flush in her cheeks.

„Well, he was charming, generous, and he listened and tried to understand."

„I can do all of that."

„I know." Then Mac winked. „If you want to."

Will smirked. „Okay, I give you that one. But I will listen in the future, I promise."

„Good." She moved into his lap and put her arms around his neck. „But maybe once in a while Duncan can make a reappearance? Like for a date?"

„Mmmh…" He let his hands frame her hips and pulled her closer. „I like role playing..."

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Epilogue II

The next morning at work Mac waved Will to come into her office, and then called for Sloan to follow them.

When the economist entered the room, expecting a discussion about the night's economic segment on the show, Mac grinned at her. „Well, you wanted to know who my date is?"

Sloan looked confused and let her eyes wander to Will and then back to Mac, silently asking the question what he was doing in her office for this conversation. „Uhm… Yes, sure. But..."

When she didn't go on, Mac simply gestured towards Will. „May I introduce? William Duncan McAvoy."

Her friend just turned her head back and forth between them and frowned. „Why would you introduce Will to me? You surely remember that we've been working together for more than two years now?"

Slowly repeating her words, Mac put specific emphasis on the middle name. „William Duncan McAvoy."

It still took Sloan a generous amount of time, but suddenly her eyes popped wide open. „D!"

„Yep." Biting her lip to hide her laugh Mac moved closer towards ‚D' and let him put his arm around her shoulder, intensely watched by Sloan.

„You… You… You?"

„Yep." This time it was Will who confirmed her words, but still she wasn't really able to process these news.

„My synapses seem to have overloaded. Did I understand correctly that you two have been secretly dating and are back together?"

„Well, it's a little more complicated than that, but basically you got the gist of it." Mac grinned again. „How about we meet for a drink tonight and I fill you in?"

„You make me wait until tonight?That's not fair!" Even while she was protesting Sloan knew she was at her friend's mercy, so she sighed and closed the distance between them. „I am absolutey thrilled for the two of you, you know that, right? It was about fucking time."

She hugged them both tightly, then looked at them with an unbelieving smile, before turning to Mac. „Tonight!"

She left the room, never stopping to shake her head in disbelief, and Will pulled Mac into his arms. „That was kind of cruel, Honey."

„Mmh… She'll get back at me, don't worry." Mac wrapped her arms around Will's waist and looked up at him, not caring that anybody could see them. „At least she'll take care of letting everybody know. I bet you that there won't be a single person at the first rundown, who's still in the dark about us."

„Oh, so that was all part of your elaborate plan?" He smiled and pulled her to his chest, leaning down so only she could hear him next to her ear.

„Maybe I didn't love you
Quite as often as I could have
And maybe I didn't treat you
Quite as good as I should have
If I made you feel second best
Girl I'm sorry I was blind

You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind..."