Title: Games of the Mind

Summary: With the compass killer sending a new taunt, Stella worries that these mind games will push Mac over the mental edge. SMACKED based on eppy 6.03 Latitude 40 Longitude 73

Disclaimer: I don't own Mac Taylor but I wish I did (course then I'd have no time for writing)!

~Note: words in italics and "double quotes" directly from the eppy~

He didn't have to say a word to her, she could tell just by his stand, his tightly closed fists and his short curt replies that something more than the days trying events was eating away at him inside. The past few weeks events were starting to slowly pick away at his hardened exterior, Don's outward reactions to Jessica's death, Danny's shooting and stressful physio, work piling up at the lab...budget talk…everything and now this; a killer taunting him from within his own beloved city – her mind recalling the second compass sent directly to Mac; a sinister taunt from a heartless enemy. And this coming on the heels of a case that dealt Mac a personal blow with the recalling to mind the sad memories of his father.

Stella watches him head into his office and slump down into his chair, allowing it to spin and face the window. She hovers in the doorway, watching his contemplative gaze before his eyes look up and finally lock with hers, his frown lessening.

"Tough day?" She asks almost rhetorically and his face relaxes and nods before he turns around to face her.

"He was here," Mac comments.

"What? Who?" Stella inquires in surprise.

"Carole's husband."

"Husband?" Stella counters as she recalls Flack's words, "Carole Hillcroft…she was a 40 year old widow." "But I thought Flack said…"

"He did, she's a widow."

"The who came in to view the body?"

"The Compass killer," Mac groans as he just shakes his head, his fist tightly closing around the sealed plastic edge of the evidence bag that holds the second compass.

"What? When?" Stella wonders as her hand reaches out and gently rests on his.

"Just left Sid's now…Sid's okay but he was here. Pretended to be the husband ID'ing the body," Mac informs Stella as his hand loosens the bag under her tender touch; his mind thinking back to Sid's words, "her husband came in to view the body."

"What did Sid say about him?"

"Nothing much. Said he came in with a dark hoodie pulled over his face, his room is dark, he didn't get a firm ID," Mac sighs as he pauses, rubbing his face and uttering a heavy sigh as he leans forward on the table. "Andhe wasn't there to ID anything…he left this," Mac pulls out another compass wrapped in an evidence bag.

"νόθος" [bastard] Stella offers in Greek, bringing a small smile to Mac's face as he hands her the bag. "Spinning?"

"Means we have no idea where he's going and he's shown us again just how in control he is and we're not. I hate these damn mind games!" Mac curses as his fist lands hard on the table, making a nearby pen jump, roll and clatter to the floor; Stella arching her brows but saying nothing in return, her eyes still examining the piece before her.

"I can't fault Sid...I fault myself," Mac groans as he leans back in his chair, his mind remembering Sid's remorseful voice when he acknowledged "the killer was here," in such a way Mac didn't even have to comment on it. There would be no point, Sid didn't know and wouldn't have willingly let him slip away into the night without alerting anyone.

"This guy is just playing games, he's the only one to blame for all this," Stella sighs as she places the bag back down on the table. "You wanna work on this now or in the morning?"

"What do you think?"

"I think its…χρόνος να ληφθεί το σπίτι συζύγων μου [time to take my husband home]," she finishes her ethnic statement with a warm smile. "Don't make me offer an ultimatum," she winks and his face softens.

"Trust me, I've given up trying to win after that comeback," Mac replies warmly as they both stand up. "Let me deliver this to the lab and we'll go."

The ride to their apartment is spent talking about the case and Flack's recent behavior after Jessica's death and the meeting with her father.

"He just needs to come to terms with this on his own," Mac comments as they enter their quiet abode. "Stella…I'm not..."

"You missed lunch so dinner is a given," she interrupts. "I'll make us something light okay?"

"I'm really not that hungry."

"I ate alone last night," she reminds him with a tight lipped smile. "Indulge me your company tonight."

"Sure," Mac replies as his eyes lock with hers for a few seconds before he turns and heads into the bedroom to hand up his jacket and then come back to join her for dinner.

Stella watches him go and leans against the doorframe and mutters something to herself in Greek. Games…mind games…and mind games from a killer no less; it was going to drive Mac to mental hell if this didn't come to an end sooner rather than later. What if he gets another compass? What if there is another body? What if starts to become personal? Too many questions race around her mind as she pulls open the fridge and tries to find something for dinner.

Stella hears Mac come into the kitchen behind her and doesn't say anything until she feels his arms around her, pulling her back into his strong embrace for a hug. He holds her against his chest, no words spoken for a few minutes as their hearts race in tandem, before he pulls away and then opens the cupboard where the dishes are.

Her hand rests on his cheek for a few seconds before she turns back to the meal and continues to work at making something for them; Mac disappearing into the living room and turning on the TV to add some extra noise to fill the silence.

"We will get him Mac," Stella mentions softly as she hands him a glass of wine.

"Tomorrow?'" Mac lightly growls as he takes the glass and then takes a sip. "I wanted the scotch."

"This will help you sleep better."

"Sleep? I know that word," Mac playfully arches his brows and she just shakes her head, sending a myriad of golden curls in all directions.

"Okay so this will make you think you'll be able to sleep better…it's all in your head Mac."

"His taunts are real."

"You will get him."

"Before how many more bodies fall?" Mac counters gruffly.

"Well I know the next one that's gonna fall if supper isn't eaten," Stella winks as she hands Mac a plate and they both head into the living room, the TV volume, instantly falling to a whisper. "Have you talked to Don today?"

"Not much," Mac confesses with a small frown as he gazes down at his plate and then back up. "You?"

"No and I feel like a terrible friend," Stella confesses with a small frown of her own, Mac looking back up as she answers. "I think we need to keep a closer eye on him…Mac I have a bad feeling he's gonna bottom out without telling us or letting us be there to help."

"We won't let that happen okay?"

"Okay," she gives him a firm nod in return. The conversation quickly turns to sports and news events and Danny's progress in the physio. About an hour later, both of them head into the bedroom, dress for bed and then climb in, Stella curling into Mac's arms; Mac holding her close but his mind forcing his eyes to stay awake. Finally they close but his night ahead was to be fraught with twisted dreams of a killer taunting one of New York's top forensic investigators.

About three hours later, Stella rolls onto her side, expecting to bump into her husband but instead ends up grasping nothing but air and some blanket.

"Mac?" She whispers in a groggy tone as she rolls back the other way and slips out of bed, padding toward the living room where she has found her husband sitting a few times in the past few months of marriage. She notices his still frame silhouetted against the window pane and feels her heart sink.

"Did I wake you?"

"Am used to this by now," Stella comments lightly.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. You'd know if I didn't like it," she replies in truth. "What did you see this time?" Stella asks in a soft tone as she places her hands on his bare back and starts to tenderly massage his tense shoulders.

"I saw myself surrounded by spinning compasses and um…"

"Another body?" Stella finishes quietly and Mac nods. "Who?" She dares to inquire.

"First time was Flack's…and then…yours," he looks up with a tormented expression. "Stella, we hafta get this guy. He can't end up an unsolved on my desk."

"We will get him," she reminds him as she lowers herself down onto his lap, smiling as his hand slides down her back and plays with an exposed section of skin. "But you do need your rest. Mac he's playing a game with you he's not worth the burnout. I need you...the team needs you on top of your game."

"I'm glad you're here to remind me of that," he offers warmly as his hand rests on her bare thigh, her head now resting atop his. "Just the dreams..."

"Flack?"

"Stella, he's alone and just lost the woman he loves and…"

"And you've been there and you want to help," she finishes and his hands on her slightly tense their grasp. "It's okay," she replies as she kisses his cheek. "I know this compass killer case is eating away at you inside and you want to focus more on Don…Mac I know that but he nor I blame you," Stella insists as she gently lifts Mac's face to look at hers.

"Flack won't ask for help out rightly."

"Yeah its a guy thing," she replies flippantly.

"I hate not being in control…I remember the cabbie killer…he literally brought the city to its knees…Stella, we can't let that happen again."

"Okay so I'll make you a deal. You come to bed right now and get at least a few hours solid rest and then we wake up early and head into the lab and work on that spinning compass."

"We normally would do that," Mac replies in slight sarcasm.

"Then there is nothing to worry about is there?" Stella lightly teases and a small smile tugs at his lips. "I have faith my love that you will get him."

"Only with your help," he assures her as his grasp around her tightens as his fingers draw her mouth to his and rewards her with a soft kiss before he rests his head on her belly, her arms enclosing his shoulders, her fingers gently massaging his scalp. "I love you."

"I love you too," she replies in truth. "Just close your eyes a bit okay? Just try to calm that racing heart," she instructs; Mac's eyes briefly closing as she continues her loving massage. The two of them linger in the darkness for a bit longer before Stella slowly gets off his lap, stands up before him and offers her hand.

"Come on…we have a deal right?"

"Deal," Mac repeats as he takes her hand and slowly stands up. But before she can pull him toward the bedroom, Mac's hand with hers still in it, pulls her back toward him, holding her captive against his chest, his other hand pushing a stray curl behind her ear.

"You keep me sane," he confesses warmly before he leans in and kisses her tenderly on the lips.

"I think the line is…you complete me," Stella teases and his face offers a warm smirk.

"Ah yes that's right," Mac nods as he gives her one more squeeze and the two of them slowly head back toward their bedroom, leaving the gloom of the darkened living room behind. "I meant what I said earlier," Mac mentions as they both curl under the covers, Stella turning off the light.

"You return the favor Mac trust me," she confesses, her body pressing a bit closer into his. "And together we can help keep Flack sane."

"Sane and not alone," Mac reminds them, getting a small nod from Stella in the dark.

"This killer…he must be alone."

"Why do you say that?"

"His notes…the tone…so much remorse. He's expressing his angst and sorrow through his notes with each killing. Doesn't make it right but I think it could explain a lot."

"We need…"

"No Mac, I was just making a final comment," Stella gently pushes her finger to his lips and stops his speech. "Sleep now. We can worry about the rest of the case in the morning."

"Our deal?"

"Our deal," she replies with a smile in her voice, something not lost on him in the dark, his lips nuzzling her ear for a few seconds.

This time it was Stella's turn to remain awake, letting Mac fall asleep first as her mind tries digests his tormented words from earlier on his nightmares. It was the head games…the games of the mind that she knows Mac hates the most as they were hard to anticipate; motivation lost on the no nonsense ex-marine. But killing games were anything but predicable and this one, she fears will get a lot worse and a lot more personal before it gets better. And in that moment she promises herself that no matter the distance they are forced to walk before this twisted killer was brought to justice, she'd make sure that if Mac was forced to play the game for longer than wanted, that she'd be at his side the entire time and in the end they would win.

"Goodnight my love," she whispers before darkness whisks her away into the same nightmarish realm as her husband, morning coming all too soon.

THE END!

A/N: Okay so a a bit rusty at these and hope this wasn't lame! But hope you all liked this little one shot and please do review before you go as it lets me know what you thought and if you'd like some more. Thanks in advance!