Hi everyone around here! So this is a collab one shot I (blackrose538) wrote with a friend of mine (Fourteen Lights). She once tweeted the song and after I listened to it several times I went back and asked her if she wanted to write a story with that song and said that I would love to do it. She suggested the idea of a collab project and I said, I never did this before, but I hey, I tried a lot of new things lately so I agreed. And this story is the result of a few days of exchanging Emails, talking about ideas and reading it again a few times till we were both satisfied. So we created this account to post our first collaboration story and maybe, if you like this one shot than we might do another one later :)

Disclaimer: We don't own anything CSI: NY, or else it would've turned out this way on the show and Stella would have never left. ;)

Working on this story had been fun, so I would love to do it again. So a few words to my partner: Thank you for suggesting it and thanks for the great time working on it :)

A/N: words in bold and italics belong to the song "Glitter in the Air" by Pink.

So, ENJOY and I hope you like it!

Glitter in the Air

It had been a wonderful day and an even better night. It was way after midnight and Stella was laying in bed, her head rested on the bare chest of the man she just married. A man she loved for so long and a man she trusted like no one else in this world. A man she nearly lost to some stupid women who had no idea how much they were hurting her and him. Luckily, one had left New York for good and went back to London, her hometown, where she belonged, and the other one was still in town, but lost the battle. She just didn't know what that man, Stella's man, needed and wanted. But she, Stella Bonasera Taylor, knew him better than he sometimes knew himself and vice versa.

Yes, she just married Mac Taylor, her long time best friend and partner for almost fifteen years. It had been a long and stony way till they finally got where they were now. Happily married and laying in bed after they spent a wonderful wedding day and just as wonderful wedding night.

Stella was lying in his arms, unable to sleep. She listened to his heart beating calmly and constantly and his slow and even breath while he was sleeping, his arms wrapped around his wife. She was thinking about the day that had ended with them making love and just enjoying their new life together. She was thinking about the past and the long way that lay behind them. To all her memories she had one song in her mind, the song they had chosen as their wedding song. A wedding song that fitted them so well and yet left some space for a happy ending. A happy ending to their long story.

Have you ever fed a lover with just your hands?

Stella remembered the evening of their first indirect date.

She had invited him over for dinner at her place. It was just supposed to be a dinner between two best friends. She had been nervous about that evening. She had wondered why she even was that nervous about a dinner with Mac. They had done it a lot of times before, but lately things seemed to change between them. They were much flirtier around each other and they much more fun together as they had before, but she had actually liked that. It had reminded her of the Mac Taylor she knew before Peyton had broken his heart and before he had met Aubrey Hunter.

She had made some chocolate cake for dessert and she wanted to surprise him. She had led him to the kitchen and wanted him to close his eyes, which he didn't do in an instant, but was convinced to after she threatened to blindfold him if he wouldn't comply. She had cut a piece of the cake and broke a piece of the sliced cake and told him to open his mouth. She had fed him with a piece of cake, just with her hands.

Mac had liked the dinner and the cake. After they finished their dessert and shared another glass of wine, they ended up with Mac telling Stella what he should have told her long before.

"You know I was spending time with Aubrey lately…" he had started and the mention of that name nearly broke Stella's heart. "I had tested the romantic waters again, but I guess she wasn't the one I was looking for. She clearly lost the battle."

"The battle? With whom was she fighting? With you?" Stella had been surprised.

"No, she wasn't fighting with me. She was fighting with you."

"With me?"

"Yeah, she was jealous of the great bond and the understanding we have. She didn't have that with me… but then I wasn't in love with her."

"But?" Stella had dared to ask.

"But I am in love with you." He had confessed in a heartfelt tone and with so much honesty and love in his eyes. Stella thought this was all a dream, but she knew it wasn't.

"Believe me Stella, I've been in love with you long before I met her, but I was just too blind to see that."

And so their dinner had turned into a date.

Closed your eyes and trusted, just trusted?

Stella tightened her grasp around Mac a bit more and snuggled closer to him as she remembered the evening that changed her life forever. An evening she would never forget.

It had been their two-years-as-a-couple-anniversary. Mac had asked Stella out for dinner, but he had kept it secret where he would take her to. At 7pm, he had picked her up and she had been nervous like a lovestruck teenager on her first date. She liked surprises and she had been anxiously waiting to see where he would take her to. As they had reached the car, Mac had told Stella that he had to blindfold her, so she wouldn't see where they were going. She had agreed. She trusted him with her life and she had always trusted him, so she didn't think twice about closing her eyes and led him blindfold her with a red silk scarf he had then given to her as a gift.

After they hat reached their destination. Mac had helped Stella out of the car, taken her hand and had led her to a small place. It had been a small yacht, which a friend of Mac owned. He had volunteered to play the waitress and chef for that special evening. It had been a warm summer night and when Mac had removed the blindfold, they had been standing on the sun deck of the small yacht, a small table with two chairs, candles and roses on the table and petal of red roses on the floor and table. A few candles were placed on the railing. Stella had been speechless and happy.

It was the night Mac asked Stella to marry her.

Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?

After they finished their dinner, Mac and Stella were standing on the railing of the yacht and they watched the lights of the city and the stars reflecting in the water around them. That was when Mac had taken the small box out of his suit jacket's pocket and had dropped onto one knee, looking up to her. He had opened the box and revealed a beautiful silver ring with a small diamond on it. Her engagement ring. She had no idea what she should have said that moment and she didn't even remember what she was thinking at that moment.

"Will you marry me?" he had asked, nearly shyly, but with so much determination and love in his beautiful blue eyes that Stella couldn't answer fast enough.

"Yes!"

He had taken the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger, before he had gotten up and she had pulled him into her arms, rewarding him with happy smile and a kiss.

"I love you," she had whispered into his ear. At that moment, she would have loved to throw some glitter into the air and let it surround them, but instead of glitter, the stars and the lights of the city were sparkling around them. The sky, in the streets of the city and the windows of the skyscrapers also on the water sparkled with life. That evening, Stella had been the happiest woman on earth, much like Mac had whispered into her ear that she made him the happiest man on earth.

Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, "I just don't care?"

Stella's next memory was one of those tough moments she had to ensure Mac and they did the right thing, that she wanted their relationship and that she didn't care about that stupid protocol or whatever Sinclair would say. But yet, she had been surprised by his reaction.

"Stella, are you sure we really should tell him? Are you …" Mac had started as they stood in front of Sinclair's office.

It was a month after Mac's proposal and it was half a year before their wedding. They had decided that it was now time to see their boss and tell him about their little romance, because they knew Sinclair didn't like surprises. The day Stella would walk into his office and tell him that he now has two Detective Taylors, he would have been pissed that he didn't know it before. So they were standing in front of his office, Mac not really sure if it was a good idea to tell him or what Sinclair would say.

"Mac," Stella assured. "you know we're doing the right thing here. We've talked about it a dozen times and you know we need to do it. I don't care about protocol and I don't care about what Sinclair will be thinking of us or what he'll say. If he wants to be pissed off, so then he can, but he wouldn't and can't change anything."

They finally made it into his office, Sinclair looking up at them from his desk, a look of surprise and uncertainty in his eyes.

"What can I do for you Detectives?" he asked in a warm tone.

"Well… I think it's time that we come and talk to you…" Stella had started only to have Sinclair looking at them a bit confused.

"About what?"

"About us… because we think you should know that… um…" She let a few seconds of silence linger. "you'll have two Detectives named Taylor in about half a year from now." Stella had finally managed to say.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That means that Stella and I are going be married in about half a year from now." Mac had finally said.

Sinclair's expression was priceless, before it had turned into an unexpected bright smile.

"Well, guys, that was about time." He had gotten up and walked toward them, shaking their hands. "I'll better be invited."

They glanced at each other with the most confused looks on their faces. It was like he spoke to them in a foreign language.

"Wait… you're not pissed?" Mac had dared to wonder.

"Mac, you two have my blessing, because I know that whatever happens between you two will never affect your job. And on the other hand… even I could see that you two are meant to be. And now get the hell out of here and plan your wedding. But don't forget to do your job." Sinclair had teased and they had left his office with a surprised smile on their faces.

"I told you it's worth to look fear in the face and say 'I don't care about it.'" Stella had then whispered into Mac's ear. He had smiled at her as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

It's only half past the point of no return
The tip of the iceberg, the sun before the burn
The thunder before the lightening, the breath before the phrase
Have you ever felt this way?

So many things were racing through Stella's brain, letting her stay awake. She wondered how Mac had felt when he was with Peyton. What did they do when they went out on a date? What did they talk about, how did she treated him? Did she really love him? Did he really love her? Stella had noticed a scene between them, when Peyton had her hand on his cheek and he had pushed it away, when Stella walked up to them. He thought she didn't notice, but of course she did. She saw the hurt in Peyton's eyes, she noticed how he had nearly given her an angry look, but he didn't mean it as Peyton thought he meant it.

Stella now thought back to the day Mac his relationship with Peyton no secret. The very day so many people of their team were hurt, the day their lab had been destroyed by a bunch of guys who wanted "their" cocaine back. The very same day Stella had stayed in the lab with Mac, defending their place of work. They had faced fear and death together and fought the bad guys together with Sheldon.

The moment Stella was outside and Mac's self made pipe bomb exploded, she had feared that he had been killed in the explosion, just as the two other guys who had been left in the lab. Stella had feared that she lost her best friend for good, but the moment she saw him walking out the door, soaked with water, just like herself she had been more than happy to see him. But then Peyton came running toward them and her happiness was somehow taken away. Although she smiled at his answer and acted like she had been happy for him, she wondered if he did even know how she felt as he walked away with Peyton in his arms, leaving her all alone with the mess they left behind.

She looked up into her husband's peaceful expression and remembered the events of today, their ceremony and the vow that Mac wrote for her, and she thought of how she felt when she listened to his words. She had been more than happy. She had smiled, she had cried happy tears and she had felt like she never felt before. To him she was the most important thing in his life, the most important person and the only one who really mattered to him. He loved her more than anything and she had felt like all the things Pink mentioned in the first chorus of her song. Their wedding song.

Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone
Your whole life waiting for the ring to prove you're not alone?

Her thoughts then suddenly shifted to the pre-Mac-and-Stella-dating memories. These memories were currently the foundation of Mac and Stella's marriage. Those memories were the ones where they were "only friends." Those were the moments where they had to question whether they were friends or something more.

After that performance, Stella couldn't really face Mac. Sure, she could watch him from a distance, but being in front of him and talking to him was hard. After exchanging those smiles, those smiles that were intimate but spoke a million things, she began to think about their friendship. The way they endured everything together and the way they cared for each other. She wondered if there was something more to this friendship.

Stella couldn't confront him, but here she was in her apartment, lying on the couch. The television droned on to some television show she wasn't paying attention to. Her eyes stared directly at the phone. She wasn't sure why. She wasn't expecting any call from the person she had mixed feelings about, but she was hoping to hear the little jingle from her cell phone.

Sometimes she asked herself, "Why am I doing this?" Of course he wasn't going to call, but she wanted to hear his voice. Stella didn't want to call because she knew he was hurting because of that letter. Mac needed his time, so she gave him his distance. She didn't want to take big leap at the moment because of how fragile he was right now.

When Stella was about to doze off and fall asleep, the phone sprang to life and played the little jingle, startling her a little. But that wasn't the reason why her heart felt like it was going to break through her chest.

"Bonasera," Stella answered, turning the television off.

"Stella?"

It was Mac, surprisingly. He sounded more tired and weary than he should be. And it was only half past midnight (he's usually in his normal work mode at this time.)

"Um, hey," She was trying to cover up the fact that she was expecting his call. "What's up?"

"It's late, I know. I was looking for you at the bar after the performance. Where were you?"

"Oh, sorry. I was kind of tired and I remembered I had to do something back here. Do you need to come here and talk? I'd be more than welcome to."

"Yeah. Fifteen minutes?"

"Just take your time."

Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?

"Are you okay, Stella?" Mac asked, setting his steaming hot mug of coffee on Stella's kitchen counter. He noticed how she acted: staring into space, rarely talking, and avoiding contact with him. With fifteen years of friendship, they could read each other like a book, no matter how unemotional their expressions would be. Of course something was wrong with his partner, but he didn't want to push things. He started off slow by asking the question of care and concern. Everything was silent, just like in the movies when two people are having a deep and serious conversation. This wasn't a movie, though. It was real life.

Stella, in reply, actually glanced at him from across the counter for more than one second and said, "I should be asking you that question."

She knew.

Mac leaned forward, his arms and elbows supporting the weight. His face was a few inches away from Stella's. He glanced off to the side and shrugged.

"I'll get back to you on that," he said softly. Stella stared at him, frowning. Now she had care and concern for Mac, and it seemed to be colliding with each other. "How did you know?"

"I had a case file you needed to sign. You already left, so I just thought I'd leave it for you tomorrow. I threw it on the desk -sorry- and the letter fell. I'm sorry for reading it, I knew I shouldn't-"

She was rambling. To stop her, Mac led his palm to her cheek, leading Stella's green eyes to look upon Mac's blue eyes. She grabbed Mac's hand, laid it down on the table and closed her eyes. His fingers made its way over Stella's hand very gently. The effect it had on her! A single lone tear escaped the prison of her eyes as thoughts came rushing in her head. Thoughts that she didn't want to hear at the time.

Mac, why are you doing this?

"Stella, what's wrong?"

Everything's wrong. We're both hurting, but you don't know I'm hurting. I've missed you ever since you were in London with Peyton. I love you.

Stella opened her eyes and wiped that lone tear. Her throat hurt as she tried to hold back more tears that were daring to fall over the edge. She gave Mac a look to show that she wasn't going to break down. His face softened.

"I..." Stella started to say. The words love you seemed to be trapped at the edge of her mouth. He was still hurting. It was too soon.

But when would too soon become too late? She set her thoughts to the side.

"Not right now," she whispered. Stella pulled her hand away and the silence fell upon Mac and Stella. Next time, she'll tell him, but she hopes it wouldn't be too late.

Have you ever invited a stranger to come inside?

Turning her head to glance at her sleeping husband, Stella thought about the interval from when she and Mac were just "friends." All those cups of coffee and little outings of dinner ("No, it's not a date, you twelve-year-olds.") and little intimate smiles, hugs, and kisses to the cheek led to this. Somehow it all led to this. Somehow, she knew it would lead to this moment, to that revelation that they loved each other. Actually, when she looked back, Stella wondered how she and Mac never noticed their closeness. They were almost like strangers, no matter how close they were. They always took the risk of trusting each other. She compared to them walking at the edge of the cliff, ready to fall at any moment. Now here they are: they fell, but no one got hurt.

It's only half past the point of oblivion
The hourglass on the table, the walk before the run
The breath before the kiss and the fear before the flames
Have you ever felt this way?

Stella felt the body next to her shift around. She seemed to forget that she had been lying on the bed for God knows how long. She checked the time. It was only half past three in the morning. Plus, it still looked dark outside. She glanced at her husband, smiling at him. Mac smiled back.

"Hey," Stella mumbled. She leaned forward to kiss him on the lips.

"Hey," Mac replied. "How long were you awake?" Stella narrowed her eyes and leaned her head against his.

"You know me too well. I actually don't know. Maybe an hour or two? Last time I remember it was twelve midnight."

"Something must be on your mind then."

"I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"Us."

"Care to be more specific?"

Mac sat up, taking Stella with him. He was behind her, his arms wrapped around Stella's chest.

"Specific? Um, I don't know. I'm just thinking about everything we've been through. I just can't believe all this happened. One moment, we're going out for coffee being just friends now here we are, happily married. It seemed like it flashed in front of our eyes."

"But that doesn't mean we didn't savor every moment, though."

"Of course, we did. It's just... wow. Kind of like looking back at your high school years, only this one being more meaningful." After two seconds of silence, she said, "What do you think Claire would think?"

Claire. Mac stiffened at the sound of his first wife's name. He would never forget that moment when those Twin Towers fell and he got the heartbreaking news that they never found Claire.

He took a few moments to think about her. Stella and Claire were very good friends, always joking with each other and going out all the time.

"You know, I think this is the best thing she would want."

"Yeah. I recall a conversation with her once. 'All I want is Mac to be happy,' she said. 'I always see him with a frowny face whenever he comes back home from work.' Those were her exact words. I miss her."

"I miss her, too."

There was another minute of silence.

"Do you want to take this conversation to the kitchen?" Mac asked. "I'm kind of hungry."

"Sure."

There you are, sitting in the garden
Clutching my coffee, calling me sugar

Mac and Stella were now sitting in the kitchen, which was now filled with the aroma of coffee and food. Stella had a small plate with two sandwiches standing in front of her on the small kitchen table. It was now their first breakfast as husband and wife, but still she felt no difference to the breakfasts they had shared before, the only thing that changed was the ring on her hand and her last name. But there was still a new feeling of belonging and love. Mac came walking up to her, two cups with steaming coffee in his hands. He placed one cup in front of Stella and the other one on the other side of the table, the side where he was now sitting down at. Stella smiled at him, happily. Her husband… She watched him taking a sip from his coffee. She noticed he drank the coffee right away with no cream or sugar.

"What? No sugar today?" she asked as she noticed the slight frown he tried to hide from her.

"I have you, what do I need sugar for?" he asked with a smirk.

Stella smiled.

"Yeah, but you can't put me into your coffee."

"True." He said as he took two sugars out of the small sugar box on the table and tried his coffee again.

You called me sugar…

"So… I'm sugar, huh?" Stella teased him, waving a finger at him.

"You're sweet as sugar, not a piece of sugar." Mac teasingly looked up as if he was in deep thought. "I wouldn't marry a piece of sugar."

"Why not?"

"It would be no fun," he said playfully.

"Mister Taylor, you have a one track mind."

She smiled.

"Only when it comes to you, Mrs. Taylor. But it's not the only thing that's fun."

"Good."

They finished their snacks and their coffee and they decided to go back to bed and just enjoy the fact that they could stay there all day and nobody would disturb them. Mac leaned his back against the wall, his pillow between the wall and his bare skin and pulled Stella into his embrace. She rested her head on his bare shoulder, her arm rested on his chest. She smiled as Mac's fingers draw lazy circles on her back.

Have you ever wished for an endless night?
Lassoed the moon and the stars and pulled that rope tight?

Stella's mind drifted back to the first night they'd spent together.

She had been waiting for that night to happen since she knew that she'd fallen in love with Mac. Though she thought it would never happen, she had been more than happy that her secret wish had come true. It had been a wonderful evening. Mac had asked her out for dinner at their favorite restaurant. After dinner, they had gone for a walk in Central Park, a walk under the stars. As they sat on a bench, Mac held Stella close to him and she had nothing more but wanted to stay like this forever. They had gone back to his apartment where they shared another glass of wine, before they enjoyed each other in the most intimate way that was possible. He had been gentle and careful, not wanting to hurt her in any way, but he had also been loving and passionate. A side Stella wanted more of.

Stella wished this night would never end and they could be like this forever, carefully held in each other's arms, where they belonged, right under the gallery of the moon and his stars.

Have you ever held your breath and asked yourself "Will it ever get better than tonight?"

Stella looked up at her husband's blue eyes watching her with a smile. She yawned. Now she was paying for staying awake for so long, not being able to sleep. She was now hit by tiredness. Mac's smile widened. Slowly he moved back to a sleeping position and Stella snuggled close to him. She had thought that their first night together had been a night that couldn't have been any better, but tonight she was more than happy to have him at her side. She was the happiest woman on earth, once again. She also thought of their wedding ceremony, the great party with all their friends and that amazing wedding night. Did she deserve to be that happy?

Tonight…

Stella rolled her eyes at that ridiculous thought. A single tear of happiness rolled down her cheek as she finally fell asleep in her husband's arms, not noticing the pair of sapphire eyes carefully watching over her.

So? How did you like? Would you like to read another collab? Please, leave us a small note! We're curious and nervous to see how you guys like it!

Have a great day!

blackrose538 and Fourteen Lights together: BlackLights