Hopefully this helps clear some things up...

"How did this make you feel?"

"How do you think?" Will snapped.

"I'm just trying to figure out the emotions your feeling. You said that when you dad came after your mom and sister, that you would hit him back."

Will nodded his head. "I ha to do something."

"But Brian isn't your father Will. If you go after him, you could lose your job, get hurt yourself, end up in jail - not to mention, Mackenzie could get even more hurt." Dr. Jack Habib broke it down for him.

"What do I do?" Will looked completely defenseless.

"I think the best thing right now is to protect Mackenzie and be her rock through all of this."

"I wish I could do more though. It doesn't seem like enough."

"It doesn't, but it is." Jack smiled. "You said that she went to the hospital? The authorities know what happened?"

"Yeah." Will sighed, leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. "They said to just lay low. They would be in contact with us."

"And when was that?"

"How long does a fucking rape kit take to get processed?"

"I assume a few days." Habib responded. "Will," he paused. "What happened to her is not your fault."

"But she was doing it to save my ass. How do I not feel some responsibility for that?"

"She said she's in love with you? When someone loves another person, they will do whatever it takes to protect that person."

"It was a bad decision. She can't fight like that, Mac is strong, but not that strong."

"Maybe. But maybe she didn't think it would reach that point. If this has been going on for the last 3 months, it's easy to see how she'd slip into a state of numbness to the events. People shut down in these instances, doesn't mean they aren't strong or that they are weak."

"Mac is the strongest person I've ever known. Even when I put her through so much shit when she came back... I always thought of her as someone so strong."

"That old Mackenzie is still there. She's put up some walls - not to keep you out - but to protect herself."

"How do I help her?"

"By being there for her. She needs support and to know that she has someone on her side."

"What about her loving me? How do I deal with that?"

"How do you feel?" Habib already knew this answer.

"I love her."

"But?"

"But I'm also terrified of being let down again."

"Will, I think you already know this so I'm not going to dance around it. Mackenzie messed up, she knows this and she has paid for this mistake. She has subconsciously decided to protect you at whatever the cost may be. In this particular instance, she gave up a lot to protect you from someone that was threatening you."

"Yes, I-" Will started to say.

"The fact that she risked her life daily to protect you, that alone tells me that she'd never hurt you again."

"Wow." Will slumped back into his chair. "I um..."

"I think it's safe to say that when Mackenzie says she loves you, she's telling you the honest to God truth. And I think it would be in your best nature to believe her."

"Okay." Will sat with his thoughts. Still absorbing the shock from the blow of what was just said.

"Our time is up this week. Go home and spend time with her."

"Right." Will stood up and head out.

-/-

"I don't really see the point in being here." Mackenzie sat paced back and forth.

"Mackenzie," Habib sighed. "Please sit down."

"I'd prefer to stand though. I'd like to stay here."

"Your nervous energy won't help anything. If you sit, we can talk through anything on your mind."

"There isn't much to talk about."

"Let's talk about what happened with Brian."

"Okay." Mackenzie sat down, wringing her hands, another nervous habit she picked up.

"You are safe here - I'm here, Will I'd right outside that door. You say the word and he can be in here with us."

She nodded her head. The blood rushing to her brain, leaving her body feeling light and burning with heat. She hadn't opened up about this yet - not even to Will. She wasn't sure where to start.

"Tell me about the last time Brian saw you." Habib prompted.

"It was the Wednesday after Will and I got away for the weekend. I wasn't feeling well and decided to head home early. Brian was waiting for me when I showed up." She took a breath to steady herself. "I let him in and we had a casual conversation about work and the weather or something like that. Then he asked if I was ready. And I said ready for what? He followed me into my room and it happened. And then I called Jim, but he was running the show, so I came into the bathroom. The next thing I know, Brian is back and he's hitting me, punching me, and I just fell to my knees and waited. Will came and then I told him to take me to the hospital."

"You said, 'and then it happened.' What exactly happened?"

Mackenzie stared at the floor. She tried to control her heartbeat, tried to keep the tears in her eyes at bay.

"You've got to learn to talk about it, it's how you'll heal."

"Yes, I know."

"Would you like me to grab Will?"

"No," she took a deep breath and thought about his question. "Actually, yes."

"It's good to recognize who your support group is." Habib opened his door, Will was pacing back and forth in the hallway. "Will? Could you step in my office?"

"Yeah," he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Everything okay?"

"She just needs support."

When everyone was settled, Habib took control again.

"Mackenzie. Close your eyes, walk me through the events that happened with Brian on Wednesday."

She nodded her head and closed her eyes. "He followed me into my bedroom. He started kissing me. I pushed against him, but pushed me onto the bed. He was on top, pinning me down, but I was hitting him and pushing against him as much as I could. He grabbed my hands and held them tightly. I was screaming and crying, but he kept going. He never took off my shirt. He'd always pull my pants down," Mackenzie stopped. Both Will and Jack saw tears falling from her still closed eyes. Will reached over and grabbed her shaking hands in his. She immediately knew his hands and squeezed tightly. That was enough courage to get through the rest of the story. "He pulled my pants down and he undid his own pants, he told me I was the the best he's ever been with and that I would never escape him. He said that if I tried he would kill me. I told him I was in love," a choked sob came out unexpectedly. "I told him I was in love with someone else. He started hitting me and punching me in the stomach." Mackenzie opened her eyes. "He left shortly after that, I put some clothes on and headed into the bathroom. He came back in, punched me so hard that I fell to the ground and told me to never mention that I was in love with anyone again."

"Kenzie, honey, I'm so sorry. I should've been there for you." Will pulled her to him. Mackenzie finally broke down and cried into his neck while he held on to her tightly.

"I'll leave you guys the room." Habib stood up and headed out, "Lock the door behind you Will."

Will nodded and turned his attention back to Mackenzie.