MISUNDERSTANDING

MISUNDERSTANDING

By Ruby72

Chapter 1

Summary; Everything isn't always as it seems. Don/Stella.

Disclaimer; It's not mine, don't own it, unfortunately.

Rating; T (For the moment, will be M eventually)

Chapter 1

Flack gets off the elevator and heads straight for Stella's office, looks in the window to see she's not there so he heads to Danny's lab.

"Hey Messer, you seen Stella?"

Danny looks up but doesn't meet his eye, he knows how Don feels about Stella and doesn't relish telling him that she has gone on a date.

"I think she shot out early, something about a date or other".

Don is speechless, he doesn't know what to say, he looks at Messer and sees how uncomfortable he is.

"Oh, anyone I know?"

"Didn't get a name". Just then Lindsey comes into the lab, "Hey Flack, did you get a loada of Stella, she looked really hot in that slinky green dress, can you believe she's on a date, and not just a first date but a second date", Danny is making cutthroat signs at Lindsey which she totally misses but Flack doesn't, he looks at Danny, defeat in his eyes and leaves. Lindsey hears the heavy footsteps and meets Danny's eyes,

"Something I said?" Danny looks at her and just shakes his head.

Flack decides against the elevator, he makes for the stairs. He bursts out on to the street and gulps for air as he couldn't quite catch his breath. He knew it would happen, knew that someday she would start dating again but he had been hoping that when she was ready he could come clean and tell her how he really felt. He really thought they had grown closer over the last few months and not just as colleagues but good friends, he thought she trusted him, but obviously not enough to tell him about the new guy in her life, the guy she gets all hotted up for. The steam was coming out his ears and he felt like hitting something, he looks around waiting for anyone to give him an excuse to pummel them.. Messer thought it was best to give him a few minutes to calm down, but he could see him out the window looking ready for a fight so he ran down the stairs and reached him just as he was getting stuck into a guy for illegally parking his car.

"Whoa big guy", he jumps in between Flack and the guy, looks at the guy "Beat it buddy, fast"

Flack looks at Danny, rubs his head, he looked so lost. Danny's shift was over and he was supposed to meet Lindsay later for a drink but thought Flack needed to talk. He rang and told her he needed to take a rain check that he'd explain tomorrow. He hangs up and steers Flack down the street to Flathertys. As they were sitting into the booth, Danny gave the nod to the Sean for their usual. He waited for Flack to talk, Don looked at Danny

"Well looks like that's it, its over, what am I saying, how could it be over when it never began, why did I think she'd look at me as anything other than a friend, I let myself dream that the last few months meant something but while I was giving her space she's out on a date, a second date Danny, what does that mean., he puts his head in his hands. Danny has never seen his friend look so despondent.

"Don, have you ever actually told Stella how you feel?"

"Of course not, she wasn't ready to hear that I've the hots for her, she obviously doesn't see me in that light, I'm just good old reliable Don, good for a shoulder to cry on but nothing else." He downs the beer and orders another.

A/N: My first fic. Please, please read and review. Be gentle!