Flack watched Stella through the glass wall of Mac's office. It had been a day and a half since their boss was taken, and tensions were running high. Outwardly, Stella was handling things well. she had taken charge of the team and the lab without hesitation, and she ran a ship almost as tight as Mac.
But Don knew better. He could practically see the heavy worry weighing on her shoulders, and every time their eyes met, he was sure that he could see the edge of panic that she was dancing near. He wanted to reach out and hug her, to let her know that everything was going to be okay. Right now, though, she needed to focus on the few leads they had, and she needed to keep herself strong.
A few hours earlier, the Chief of Detective had come down to talk with her. Flack had heard the Chief told Stella to prepare for the worst, that it was likely that Mac Taylor was already dead. She refused to believe that, and had asked him to leave as politely as she could.
"Is there a reason you're hovering?" she asked suddenly.
Flack blushed and walked into the office. "Sorry."
Stella shrugged. "What do you need?"
"Nothing...I was just worried about you."
Her eyes dropped to the desk. "I'm fine."
He nodded. "Right. Of course you are." Turning to leave, he glanced back over his shoulder. "Hey, Stell? You know if you're ever not okay...I'm here, right?"
She looked up, giving him a grateful smile. "I know. Thanks, Don."
Before he could respond, Danny rushed into the room, his eyes wide.
"We got a hit on the car."
"What? Where?" Stella asked, moving around the desk."
"Parked in a garage on Riverside Drive reserved for deliveries. Neighbor called it in."
Stella was already out the door.
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Almost everything was a blur. Stella didn't remember putting on her vest or mounting the stairs as they searched the building. The only thing she remembered about kicking in the door was how painfully loud it sounded.
But as soon as she and Flack were inside, everything came in a rush, making it difficult for her to breathe. Mac was there, his captor a few feet away and pointing a gun at him. Flack was already yelling, identifying themselves as the police and telling him to drop his weapon.
He didn't drop his weapon, though. And just as Stella realized this, she saw his finger put pressure on the trigger. She heard the sharp intake of breath from Flack beside her, and she knew that he was firing his own shot even as she moved towards Mac. Her hands reached him only a split second before the bullet, but it was just enough; the force of her touch moved him a couple of inches and the bullet nicked his shoulder instead of his heart. Both of them went tumbling to the ground as Flack's bullet hit home and Mac's captor finally dropped his weapon.
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"You're okay."
Mac paused, his t-shirt in his hands as he looked up and saw Stella standing in the doorway. Her arms were crossed over her chest and there were tears in her eyes as she looked everywhere but directly at him. He could still feel the weight of her body on top of his as they landed on the ground. Her breathing had been warm on his neck, and for those few moments, he didn't even realize that he had been shot. He was just thankful that they were both alive.
"Doctor said the bullet grazed me. It only took a few stitches." He paused, seeing the way she still avoided his eyes. "You seem to have picked up a habit of saving my life."
Stella shrugged. "Somebody's gotta do it."
Mac watched her closely, and he could see that she was barely holding it together. Her bottom lip was trembling and her entire body tense as she tried to bring her emotions under control. He couldn't stand to see her in so much pain. Reaching out, he took her hand in his and pulled her up against his body, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She sank into him, her arms around his neck as she buried her face against his uninjured shoulder.
"A day and a half," she whispered. "I didn't know where you were, or if you were even alive..."
He tightened his hold on her. "Stella," he murmured, his voice low as his own emotions were starting to overcome him.
They held onto each other for a long time. Stella's hands were warm on his bare back, and Mac closed his eyes as he breathed her in. Her fingers moved slowly, rubbing little circles on his skin, and he sank against her, pulling her body more firmly between his knees.
"Stella," he sighed.
She pulled her head back slightly, just enough so that she could meet his gaze. One of her hands slid up to his jaw, gently caressing the skin there.
"I can't lose you, Mac."
He saw it in her eyes, and he knew that they had finally reached that point - the point where they would have to make a decision on where they were headed. He could still back out, all he had to do was turn his head or clear his throat and the moment would be lost. But then he remembered them lying on the floor again, her breath against his neck. In that one moment, they could have lost every moment, but she had saved him. She was always saving him.
So he didn't turn away. He lifted one hand and let his fingers drift over her lips, watching the way her eyes fluttered shut. Then he leaned in and kissed the corner of her mouth. Stella gasped, her hold on him tightening as he let his lips drift over hers until he reached the other corner and placed another kiss there.
"Mac," she whispered.
There was no more room for words after that. Their mouths fused together as they drank each other in, stealing the very breath from the other. Mac took her bottom lip in his teeth, nipping at it gently before running his tongue along it and then deepening the kiss. They both moaned, and Stella tightened her grip, her nails digging into his back. Mac's fingers danced along the hem of her shirt, slipping under the fabric and setting her skin on fire.
"Hey Mac -"
The two detectives pulled away as Flack stopped in the doorway and stared at them. Stella could feel herself blushing furiously, but Mac still hadn't let go of her, and there was no way to deny what they had been doing.
"Sorry," Flack stammered, not entirely sure what to say.
Mac gave him a small smile. "Don't worry about it, Don." Ignoring Flack's raised eyebrows, he kissed Stella again. "Let me finish getting dressed and I'll meet you out there."
She nodded, slightly breathless. "Okay."
She turned and followed Don out of the room, shutting the door firmly behind them. Flack tried not to smirk, but he couldn't help it as he glanced over at her and saw that she was still blushing.
"Guess you're doin' okay now," he said.
Stella glared. "You shut your mouth, Donald Flack, or I'll make sure people know about what you and Angell do in the locker room after long shifts."
Flack's eyes widened and he swallowed hard. "My lips are sealed."
It was Stella's turn to smirk. "That's what I thought."
"Hey Stell?"
"Yeah?"
"You gotta admit it's about damn time though."
She smiled, nodding. "Yeah, I guess it is."