Will was overcome with gratitude. Yes, she'd forced the issue but in the end she'd brought them back together. The alternative made him shudder. How many more years would we have lost?

'I'm glad you decided to break down walls, Mac,' he told her, his voice heavy with emotion. 'I don't know that I would have gotten here otherwise.'

He stroked her hair, tilting her chin up so he could see into her eyes. What he saw there - an expression of such love and longing - left him mesmerized. He leaned down to kiss her softly and she returned the kiss with fervor, fueled with intense relief that they were finally going to be okay. He met her lips with equal force and had just pulled her into his lap when Dr. Habib cleared his throat, reminding them that they were not alone. Will turned three shades of pink and MacKenzie's face was scarlet.

'Sorry – forgot you were here,' Will said sheepishly.

'Evidently,' Dr. Habib smiled.

MacKenzie was mortified. She quickly uncoiled herself from Will's lap, settling herself down beside him. She straightened her shirt, crumpled from Will's fists, as Dr. Habib looked from one to the other. He was more than a little taken aback by the display he'd just witnessed. Although he'd always known Will was in love with MacKenzie (despite Will's protests to the contrary), he'd had no way of gauging the depth of MacKenzie's attachment to Will. Now, observing them together, their passion for one another so clearly on display, he found himself wishing - for Will's sake - that MacKenzie had forced the issue long ago. Clearing his throat, he tried to get the session back on track.

'Will,' he said quietly. 'The news about MacKenzie's friend hit home for you?'

Will rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 'Yes,' he said, taking MacKenzie's hand and gazing at her tenderly. 'I feel like we dodged a bullet.'

MacKenzie nodded and squeezed Will's hand.

'A fair assessment,' Dr. Habib agreed. He looked at his watch and noticed their time was almost up. 'We're almost out of time, but is there anything either of one of you would like to discuss before we stop for today?'

A question that had plagued Will for years bubbled to the surface. Although he wasn't sure he actually wanted to know the answer, he thought maybe if everything was finally out in the open they could move forward.

'I do have one question,' Will said tentatively. 'Look, Mac - we're fine and if you don't want to answer this you don't have to but … I've always wondered, when it came right down to it, what did you say to yourself to make it okay for you to sleep with him? I mean, you must have known I thought we were in an exclusive relationship. How did you justify it to yourself?'

MacKenzie looked at him, knowing her answer to this question had the potential to destroy the hard-won connection they'd forged in the last couple of days.

She plucked at a thread on her sweater and tried to figure out how best to convey her thoughts at the time. They sounded so asinine now, but he was asking her to be honest.

She took a deep breath and squeezed his hand.

'Will, we never had a conversation about being exclusive so when Brian called I told myself I wasn't deceiving you. More than that, I honestly thought it didn't matter because you and I couldn't possibly have a future together.' Will winced but she continued, knowing how important it was to him to understand her thoughts at the time.

'I was absolutely convinced we were living on borrowed time and that you would break up with me as soon as you found out I was a fraud. I can't explain it except to say that even though you and I were dating, every time we were together it was like I was in the relationship all by myself. There was just no room for you. I had this internal dialogue going on that left no room for anything at all – it was just me and my insecurities. Does that make sense?'

Will looked at her soberly and nodded. 'Earlier you said that at some point you finally started to let me in. What changed?'

MacKenzie sighed as she remembered those days. 'I guess that as I got more confident in my work, I realized I was better at it than I'd given myself credit for. It occurred to me that maybe you actually did love me for who I was - maybe I wasn't the colossal fuck up that Brian thought I was after all. That's when I started to let you in and I began to trust your feelings for me.'

'Okay,' Will said, seemingly satisfied. 'I've got one more question.'

'Anything, Billy.'

He looked at her tentatively, embarrassed at his next question, but still, he needed to know the answer. 'When I brought Brian in to write the article…did you think about getting back together with him?'

MacKenzie burst out laughing.

'No,' she said. 'If I'd wanted him back I would have said yes when he asked me if I wanted to give our relationship another try.'

'He said that?'

MacKenzie nodded. 'The last day he was here. He said he'd missed me and that he was still in love with me."

Will was furious. And jealous. He'd been a fucking moron to bring that asshole back into MacKenzie's orbit.

'What did you tell him?' he said harshly.

She shrugged. 'I turned him down.'

'Why?'

'Because I was in love with you, you idiot! Even though you and I weren't together I hadn't given up the hope that we'd get there one day. And now we have,' she said, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek.

'What did you tell him exactly?'

'Why do you want to know?' she teased.

'I just do. Humor me. Please?'

She smiled. 'At first I thought he was joking – honestly we spent nearly every minute he was here arguing - so I asked him if he was serious and he said he was. I told him I was in love with you and he got angry and said I was a fool, that you were never going to forgive me. I said maybe that was true but it didn't change the fact that I'm in love with you,' she said, looking into his eyes. 'And that I will be in love with you until the day I die.'

As MacKenzie spoke, she could see the emotions play over Will's face as he listened: fear, anxiety and finally relief. She had both addressed and allayed his deepest fear: she would not betray him again.

Dr. Habib seemed to be mulling something over. He looked at MacKenzie, then at Will. Finally, he spoke.

'Will, before we end for today, would you mind if I had a moment alone with MacKenzie?'

Startled, Will said, 'Sure,' He kissed Mac's cheek gently and brushed his lips against her ear. 'You okay with this?' he whispered.

MacKenzie nodded, even though she wasn't sure about this at all. What did Dr. Habib want to say to her and why did it require Will's absence? As Will headed for the door he turned around on impulse to make sure MacKenzie was okay with this. The expression on her face, as if she were being hunted, quickly propelled him back to her side. He dropped down next to her on the couch and draped one arm protectively around her shoulder.

'You know,' he said, 'If it's all the same to you, and if Mac doesn't mind, I'd like to stay. I don't mind hearing whatever you want to say to her.'

'Are you worried that Will may be upset if he stays?' MacKenzie asked uncertainly.

Dr. Habib looked at them both thoughtfully. 'Not upset so much as uncomfortable.'

''Well, as long as he's okay with it, I'd like him to stay.' She turned to Will. 'I don't want any secrets between us.'

'Okay,' Dr. Habib said. He leaned forward and ran his fingers (nervously, MacKenzie thought) through his hair.

'MacKenzie, I don't know how much you know about abused children but they are a lot less emotionally resilient than those who grow up within a loving family. I say this because Will is emotionally fragile. When he says he won't survive another betrayal, I want you to believe him.'

MacKenzie swallowed hard. 'Go on,' she said, gripping Will's hand tightly.

'It's clear to me that you love Will very much, but what I'd like for you to think about is whether your feelings are strong enough to carry you through the rest of your lives, through the possibility that you may not have children of your own, through the trials of aging. Are you prepared to be the one Will turns to, the one he relies on emotionally for everything? I'm not trying to scare you off. I just want you – both of you - to think about these things before you jump headlong into this.'

MacKenzie exhaled the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Will's face was ashen but all she felt was relief; she was prepared for these questions because she'd asked them of herself before she'd crawled into his hospital bed. She decided to speak frankly, needing them both to know she was a worthy custodian of Will's heart.

'Billy, I know how fragile you are,' she said, grabbing his hand and staring into his eyes. 'And I wouldn't have gotten into bed with you the other night unless I was absolutely sure of my feelings for you. And I am. I love you, Will. No, love isn't strong enough - I adore you. Completely. Unreservedly. With every cell in my body.'

Will smiled and she felt him relax beside her.

'You are my magnetic North and I want you to know that all roads to lead to you. Despite everything we've been through there hasn't been a moment since the day I fell in love with you that I haven't dreamed of spending the rest of my life with you, loving you and being loved by you.' She picked up his hand and kissed it, staring deeply into his eyes. 'And I want you to know that I'll protect that love until the day I die.'

Will reached for her and kissed her gently, leaning his forehead against hers. Then he pulled her into his lap and gathered her into his chest. He couldn't bear to let her go.

#####

Will and MacKenzie returned to his apartment and spent the rest of the day in bed. There they read the paper, napped and made out. They'd just gotten down to business, anxious to finish what Will had started with his tongue, when he heard MacKenzie's stomach rumble. It was late in the afternoon and they'd forgotten to eat lunch so Will placed a quick order to the nearest Chinese place. He spent the next 20 minutes kissing his way down MacKenzie's body and up again, using his teeth to suckle at her throat. His goal was to bring her to a fevered pitch and only then would he give her what she needed. When the doorbell rang announcing the arrival of their food, MacKenzie cursed before tumbling out of bed, throwing on a pair of running shorts and a discarded tank top. Hot and sweaty, she brushed the hair from her forehead and grabbed some cash from her purse before opening the door.

She gulped when she saw Sloan and Don.

'I thought you were the food delivery…' Mac said awkwardly. They looked MacKenzie up and down. It was obvious what she'd been up to.

'Mac,' Will called from the bedroom. 'Come back to bed – we can eat in here.'

Don looked at MacKenzie in amusement as she turned beet red.

'Charlie said Will had been discharged so we just wanted to make sure he was okay,' he said. 'But I see he's in good hands.' Noting the lick of sweat trickling down her neck, he added, 'You might want to turn the air conditioning up.'

Sloan stared at MacKenzie. She'd never seen her look quite so ... messy. At ACN MacKenzie was always immaculately dressed. Even after a broadcast the only visible signs of a long day would be strands of messy hair that had fallen victim to an unforgiving headset. Right now, MacKenzie looked like she'd just finished a 20 mile run but her eyes were alight with a contentment Sloan had never seen before. Oh yes, it was clear what she and Don had interrupted.

Smiling mischievously, Sloan pointed to a large red welt on MacKenzie's neck. 'Is that a hickey?'

'What?' MacKenzie's hand automatically went to her throat. 'Dammit, Will!' she yelled in the direction of the bedroom. 'I told you not to use your teeth!' Then she groaned. How had she forgotten Don and Sloan were still standing there?

'I'm sorry, Mac, but you know I find you irresistible,' Will answered loudly. 'Do I have to come out there and drag you back to bed?' He stumbled out of the bedroom, clad only in boxer shorts and looking every bit as disheveled as MacKenzie. He cursed as he tripped on a towel he'd left in the doorway. He picked it up but stopped in his tracks when he saw who was at the door.

'I didn't know we had company,' he said sheepishly, thankful he'd unthinkingly pulled on some clothing before exiting the bedroom. He was even more thankful that the towel was covering his erection. 'Sloan, Don. Nice to see you.'

'Yeah, well, we didn't mean to interrupt. We just wanted to check on you – glad you're feeling better,' Don said quickly, grabbing Sloan by the elbow and trying to make a hasty retreat. 'See you on Monday.'

'Why don't you stay for dinner?' Will said casually. 'I ordered enough food for ten people.'

Mac looked at Will in surprise as Don and Sloan gaped at each other.

Without waiting for an answer, Will said to Mac, 'Give them the money and they can answer the door when the food comes. Mac and I are going to take a shower,' he announced, grabbing Mac's hand. Mac shoved some money towards Sloan and followed Will down the hall. 'Be right back,' she said cheerfully. 'Make yourselves comfortable!'

When she knew they were out of earshot, MacKenzie sputtered, 'Will, what on earth are you doing?'

'The cat's out of the bag, so we may as well try to control the spin.' He looked at her, suddenly realizing she might have an opinion. 'Do you mind?'

She shook her head. 'No, I guess not.' Truth be told, Mac was a bit relieved. She hadn't been looking forward to the staff's reaction when news of their reunion became public. She knew they would be happy for them, but sometimes the atmosphere in the bullpen bordered on sophomoric. A few well-placed jabs and snickers were sure to follow any congratulations.

Will and MacKenzie took their time in the shower, soaping each other down and kissing. He rinsed her hair, smoothing it back from her forehead as she pressed her breasts against his chest, grinding her hips against him.

'I can't go out there like this, Mac,' he said, placing her hand on his erection.

'Are you suggesting we have sex while Don and Sloan are fifteen feet away?'

'They think that's what we're doing anyway,' he said, kissing her ear.

She smiled and turned her back to him, rubbing her ass against him. He groaned and she bent over, placing her hands on the shower bench under the shower head. She spread her legs and he moved between them, admiring the curve of her back and the glimpse of her swinging breasts as he reached around and flicked her clit. 'Do it, Billy,' she said hoarsely. As the warm water coursed down her back he plunged into her, using one hand to pull her ass flush against him and the other to manipulate her clit. God, how she loved the sensation of his cock pistoning into her. It was only at these moments that she felt utterly complete. She moaned and prayed the sound of the shower would be enough to muffle the sounds of their lovemaking.

Her strangled cries let him know she was close so he flicked her clit and adjusted his angle to give himself better penetration. The new angle and the force of his thrusts sent her over the edge, making her sob with pleasure as she screamed his name into the back of her hand. Hearing her cries was all it took and he used both hands to pull her against him, ramming into her brutally. The white hot heat of his love for her erupted as he bellowed her name in ecstasy, unable to help himself, forcing himself as deeply into her as he could. He shuddered against her, slowly turned her around and pulled her in for a kiss. 'I love you so much, Mac – God, I love you.'

'I love you too, Billy,' she said shakily. Then she laughed. 'Do you think they heard us?'

'I don't know but I don't care,' he said, breathing hard, pressing his forehead against hers. 'Nothing matters but you, Mac,' he murmured. 'The rest of the world can go to hell.'

Weak from their exertions, they stumbled out of the shower to put on fresh clothes and rejoin their guests in the dining room. The food had just arrived so Don was setting the table while Sloan got out the silverware.

Will grabbed some beer from the refrigerator, his hands shaking, and they all sat down to eat. Neither Don nor Sloan made any mention of the noise so Mac and Will assumed their exploits hadn't been overheard. That wasn't exactly true but Don and Sloan had convinced themselves the sounds they'd heard must be coming from the TV in Will's bedroom.

'Were you two watching a porno?' Sloan asked nonchalantly.

Will coughed. 'What?'

Mac caught on first. 'It's an art film,' she said quickly. 'Not a porno but lots of … explicit situations. Will, remember I asked you to put it on pause before we had a shower?' Will looked at her blankly.

'Sorry about that,' Mac said to Sloan.

'No problem but it sounded intense,' Sloan said. 'What's it called?'

'I – uh, can't remember.' Mac said, looking at Will, who was trying not to laugh. She kicked him gently under the table. 'I'll find out and tell you later.'

MacKenzie got the feeling Don wasn't buying what she was trying to sell but he was too polite to say so.

They were all famished, for different reasons, so the next five minutes were spent piling food on plates and shoveling it into their mouths. As his hunger dissipated Will took MacKenzie's hand, bringing it up to rest on the table, his fingers intertwined with hers.

Looking between Don and Sloan, Will acknowledged the elephant in the room. 'As you two have probably guessed, MacKenzie and I are back together.'

'Yeah, we read about it,' Sloan said nonchalantly, spearing a bit of spring roll and dipping it in sauce.

'Where?' he asked.

'Page Six,' she said matter of factly. 'Didn't think you had it in you, big brother – making a public declaration of your love. It was cute. Kinda wish I'd seen it in person but hey, at least I saw the pictures.'

'Pictures?' Will said.

'Yeah. They were pretty grainy but those pajamas looked all kinds of good on you. And I liked the fact that you weren't embarrassed to be seen barefoot in public,' she said, waving her fork at him. 'I think that'll go a long way towards softening your image.'

'Is that a good thing?' Will glowered.

'Just trying to be optimistic.'

Will rolled his eyes.

'Well, that saves us from having to tell everyone,' MacKenzie muttered.

'Totally,' Sloan said. 'No need for that – it's all anyone is talking about.' MacKenzie put a steadying hand on Will's thigh. Don't blow a gasket, she implored silently but Will was surprisingly nonplused. He didn't care who knew.

All that mattered was that MacKenzie was by his side.