Game Changer

Disclaimer: The characters belong to CBS.
Spoiler: You need to read "Just a Game" first, or this won't make much sense to you.
Rating: T
Summary: Sequel to "Just a Game". It's time for dessert and it's Mac's turn to ask the questions.
Feedback: Always appreciated.

They ate in silence for five minutes. Stella glanced at Mac who was occupied with his meal. What was he thinking? Why didn't he ask her anything? Her expectations were killing her. She wanted to say something just to end this awkwardness.

And that was exactly why he kept quiet!

He was using his cop-tricks on her to get her talking. Everybody knows that the best way to get a suspect to open his mouth is to give him the silent treatment. The sneaky little weasel.

But Stella wouldn't fall for that.

So they finished the meal without talking. The waitress returned and cleared the table.

Holding his glass of beer in his right hand Mac leaned back in his chair.

Stella smirked. So now the interrogation would begin.

"What about you? Are you happy?" he asked.

Stella sipped on her wine. "Most times."

"That's vague."

She snorted. "Coming from the king of ambiguous answers, that's quite a compliment."

Mac opened his mouth to answer but closed it without saying a word. What should he say? She was right, damn it. This game would be much easier, if Stella wouldn't be so smart. But he supposed, then it would also be much less fun.

What he needed now was something to catch her off guard.

If you can't defeat them, confuse them. Something like that.

Mac grinned. "What animal best describes your personality?"

Shaking with suppressed laughter Stella almost spilled her wine. "Did you read my Cosmo again?"

"Not your time to ask, Stella."

Chuckling Stella arched a brow.

Mac's face reddened. That didn't exactly go as planned. "I was bored!"

Oh, he was so cute when he was flustered. If her plan worked, he would remain in that state. "A dogat," Stella said, trying hard not to laugh at his expression.

Mac gave her the same look he had given Danny after he had freed them from the elevator.

This was so much fun. "That's my personality-animal," she clarified. "A dogat."

That look remained on his face. His eyebrows almost met. "What's that?"

"I hoped you'd ask."

Mac shook his head then took a great gulp from his beer. "You're evil."

"A dogat is half dog half cat." Stella chuckled. "A dog-cat. See?"

"That you see yourself as an animal-mutant? Trying to picture it right now."

"Sweet," she said dryly.

"Talking about that. Have you decided on what dessert to share?"

"Sweet."

"I know it should be something sweet." Mac rolled his eyes. "It's a dessert and I've known you long enough, I was asking what you– Why are you smiling?"

Stella was practically beaming at him.

The corner of Mac's mouth twitched as well. Although he had the feeling, he was missing something big, this was way too much fun to not enjoy it.

"Because, including the question about my smile, you've already spent six questions."

"Damn."

Leaning towards him, Stella placed her folded arms on the table. "Look on the bright side."

"What would that be?"

"You're making me happy. Seventh question, by the way." Stella was still smiling. Of course she was, she was on a roll.

"Noted," he said. She was so beautiful when she smiled. One reason why he didn't stand a chance against her was probably that he always got distracted by her beauty. "Is there a man in your life you care deeply about?"

"Wow, that's a game changer." Stella looked at him with widened eyes.

Indeed it was. "I only have thirteen questions left. Time to concentrate on the important things."

"The men in my life?"

"Exactly." She had asked about his love life and he wanted to get back at her. At least he wanted her to think that. If he wasn't very careful, this game could get dangerous for him. Mac placed the beer on the table. He had better stay as sober as he could.

"Fine." She sighed. "Because you asked so nicely. There is more than one man in my life."

"W-what?" Maybe he should drink more instead of less. A whole lot more.

Stella started counting out on the fingers of her left hand. "There is Danny and Flack and Sheldon and Sid and you."

He gave her his best glare. The woman was unbelievable. "You think you're so funny."

She just grinned at him. "As a matter of fact, I know, I am."

Unbelievable. And yet, he still wanted to feel that grin against his lips. "You know that wasn't the question I was asking."

"You said 'care deeply for'." Stella shrugged. "I care deeply for all of you."

She cared. She was his best friend. Mac's heart sank. She was still leaning towards him. He loved the twinkle in her eyes. He should drop the topic before he got hurt. "I wanted to know, if you are in love with someone else." He blamed the beer that he couldn't.

Stella gave him another shrug. "Then you should've asked that."

"Fine." Mac straightened himself up. "Are you in love with someone?"

Maybe it was a reaction to his face going blank because he worked so hard to keep his emotions in check, maybe it was something else, but Stella pulled away from him. Only her right hand stayed on the table, clenched into a fist.

"Are you just playing, or do you really want to know?" she asked, her voice tentative.

"Stella…" She didn't even look at him.

"If I answer that, you don't get to run away." Stella felt the hard wood of her chair against her back, then the soft touch of a warm hand over hers. She looked up again.

"I won't run," Mac said quietly. "I'm not playing around."

Gulping Stella turned around her hand, so their palms met. Her next words would be a game changer, too. "There is nobody else."

"Else?" Mac frowned.

"The first time you asked, if there is somebody else I'm in love with." She held onto his hand. "There is nobody else, Mac. There's just you."

Although, he almost got a heart attack, because all his heart seemed to be doing was skipping beats for Stella, this was the best game ever. "I love you, too." His voice was so hoarse, he didn't even recognize it, but he didn't care.

"Good," she said. Stella had smiled at him all evening, but he swore, the smile on her face now was even more beautiful.

Holding hands, they just looked at each other. Holding hands, they just looked at each other, communicating only with touch and their eyes. A look says more than thousand words. Mac couldn't stop grinning.

The waitress interrupted their moment. "There's a couple who want me to ask you if you would mind changing to another table. They said they had their first date on that table and wanted to recreate it for their tenth wedding anniversary."

Maybe this was fate.

Two minutes later they left the table and watched two happy people taking their seats.

Outside of the restaurant, Stella turned to Mac. "Are you going to kiss me or what?"

He chuckled. "Not your turn to ask, Stella."

His kiss was the best dessert.

THE END

A/N: The game finally came to an end! Thank you all for staying with me and the story.

Extra-Special-Thanks with cookies goes to lily moonlight for kicking me in the butt when I needed it, for believing in the story when I didn't and for general awesomeness. Also, of course, for being such a brilliant Beta!

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story!