CSI:NY are the property of Jerry Bruckheimer, Anthony Zuiker and CBS. No Copyright infringement is intended.
Flowering Anew
The New York CSI lab was never without a constant hum of activity. However, on Sunday morning there was the most chance of quiet and solitude. Especially in September when New York's baseball and football teams were all playing. More people found reasons to take the weekend days off albeit tied to ever present on call devices.
Less chance of discovery led Stella Bonasera to pick this time to dismantle her office. Technically her last day in the New York Crime Lab was to be on Monday. She'd decided to skip it. She'd had dinners or lunches or breakfasts with everyone she'd wanted to bid farewell. Stella was willing to forgo the obligatory cake in the break room along with the emotional partings.
She contemplated a cardboard box she'd recycled from the paper supply room. It had a lid and enough space for her personal items. There'd be plenty of room; partly because she'd never replaced the picture from her wall that had turned out to be a stolen ancient Greek masterpiece.
Besides, after her years in the orphanage and in foster care—Stella was a woman used to travelling light. Plus, Mac Taylor insisted all paperwork and case files be up to date. She agreed because in their line of work you never could predict what life would bring. If anything happened, your cases could go on allowing you to continue to serve the people of New York City.
Now, she'd be serving a wider base. Her new job at Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. meant working on cases and threats from around the country. It wasn't just the money or the title for Stella; it was a chance to prevent tragedies along with working on crimes.
She'd been flattered when the offer came to her even though she figured she was second choice to Mac. Chief Sinclair made it clear that she'd been approached as the number one choice of the Feds. Her education, her experience and her fluency in languages catapulted her to the top of a short list.
Sinclair didn't want her to go and he didn't want Mac approached as a second choice.
Mac.
He was as usual in the forefront of her mind and the worried crease on her forehead smoothed out a bit thinking of him. This job offer had come out of nowhere and yet he'd never missed a beat. He discussed the pros and cons with her. Stella never felt professional pressure either way. In the end, the offer was too good and too important to turn down.
She planned to put her apartment's contents in storage until she found a new place. Her dream address would be in Georgetown if she could afford it. Everyone made her promise to have a guest room so the Manhattan crowd could drop in for the Cherry Blossom Festival or a trip to the National Zoo to see the pandas.
Mac had been the first to offer a letter of reference, the first to offer to help her pack up her apartment and the first to offer a toast. She appreciated all his offers, however she hadn't needed them. His quiet presence had been even more evident to her as the clock ticked down on her time as a CSI.
She sighed. This wasn't getting her packing finished. Once she made it out of the lab she'd email Mac about being done. Stella was aware it could be considered cowardly even hurtful. It couldn't be helped; this was the best way to go.
Stella swept her personal pictures to the side. They'd go on top cushioned by the sweater she kept in the office for days when there was a chill in the air. A quick glance at the photos reminded her of her past in this workplace—the team that included Aiden, Lindsay's tentative smile in her first group photo, Jess trying not to lean into Flack in a celebratory gang shot.
Mac.
In each picture he was with her. Next to her or directly behind her they were the glue everyone else stuck to and reacted to. However, like the other photos, there would be a new arrangement next time the camera snapped.
Her desk set fit into the box without a problem. The stapler was department property so it stayed along with the pencils and most of the pens. The exception was the Cross pen. Mac had given it to her after her last promotion. He'd joked that the lower the class of criminals, the higher the class of ink required for signing reports. She carefully tucked the pen into the original box retrieved from a desk drawer.
Pulling up the blotter revealed a few newspaper clippings from previous cases and events. There was also a file folder no longer shielded by the blotter. It didn't have a date or name on the index tab. Stella tried in vain to remember why she'd put it in a safe place until she opened it and gasped.
The lone item inside was a dried and pressed red rose.
Mac.
In a flash, her memory sizzled with the sight of Mac's hand holding it out to her with a flourish. It had been during the murdering magician case. Mac determinedly working to get into the guy's head had practiced turning a white paper flower into a real rose. She vaguely remembered him making some point to Danny and her as they faced him at his desk.
She'd been enchanted by the trick and had to quickly snap herself back to case mode. Stella had carried the single red bud back to her office and placed it carefully in a glass until she could find a vase. Her memory reminded her she'd eyed it and smelled it constantly.
They'd ultimately solved the case and that meant paperwork. She'd been deeply immersed in it when she became aware of him.
Mac.
Stella didn't have to look up that night to see those blue eyes on her. Something linked them, making words and announcements superfluous. It was just a certainty and so comfortable.
She had signed her name with a flourish and offered him the file, "Ta-duh."
"I'll see your 'ta-duh' and raise it to, for you." Mac set the report down with one hand and used the other to reveal a piece of white paper. He repeated the paper flower to red rose trick in front of her. They were alone and this time she allowed herself to sigh in pleasure. Her reaction made Mac flash his rarely seen boyish grin. It reached all the way to his eyes.
They'd ended up walking out together and chatting about inconsequential things before separate cabs took them to their opposite ends of the city. Stella had taken the second rose home with her. She let that one dry too and slipped it into the back of a picture frame holding a photo of Mac and her snapped by a newspaper photographer at a crime scene.
That memento was one of the casualties of the condo fire. She'd replaced the picture but had forgotten about the rose, well both roses until now.
Stella blinked back tears and began to carefully nestle the rose back in the file folder.
Mac.
He appeared from the forefront of her mind to directly in front of her. She held the dried rose and her breath as her eyes swept up his body to his face. Would there be anger or disappointment at her cowardice?
Instead, she found understanding and empathy in those blue eyes. Her sea nymph eyes that changed from a calm summer sea to storm tossed waves brimmed with new tears. She fought them back to find her voice. "Hi."
"Good morning." It was his turn to let his eyes roam and they took in the whole office as he stepped closer. "I figured you'd be looking to make a no-fuss getaway."
"I'm busted."
"Yes, you are." Mac gave her a little smile. "Stella, I would have helped."
"Of course you would. I didn't want to ask, that would have defeated being here under the radar. People notice when the boss is in the house."
"And people always notice you because you're so beautiful."
"Mac," her voice softened, "Thank you. I'm nearly done and if you'd like, I'll buy the coffee."
"Maybe I want more…"
"I can spring for breakfast if you'd prefer and have time." She noticed he was dressed in his usual workday attire and that one of his hands had never come out from behind his back.
He came closer and stared at the dried rose. He frowned, "A keepsake from some previous date?"
Her smile was wistful. "No, it's from you." Before he could react she continued, "The magician case, remember? You perfected turning paper flowers into the real thing. You gave me…"
"And you saved it? I'm sure you have been showered with flowers before and after I gave you this. And you saved it."
His intense gaze unsettled her. She started to pick up the folder again. "I saved the second one you gave me at the end of that day too. I had it at my old place unfortunately it was one of the things lost in the fire."
"Sometimes the planets align." He brought forth the hand from behind his back. "These are for you Stella." He was offering her a nosegay of red roses. It was packed with buds and barely opened blooms.
"They are…oh, Mac." Tears leaked out and her hands were now full, one hand held the dried rose and the other the small nosegay.
"Let me." Mac gently wiped the tears away and tipped her face to his. He repeated, "Let me." Then, he leaned in and tenderly kissed her. It was barely a brush of lips but it was enough to jolt their eyes open.
Mac picked up the empty file folder and waited until Stella carefully laid the dried flower in it. He added it to her box of belongings. "Your past is secured; let's talk about the present and beyond."
"Okay." Stella unconsciously and automatically leaned into his space. She was always more comfortable with him near. "Why are you here?"
"I had a meeting with Sinclair. He wasn't happy about an early Sunday morning session, however, I thought it was for the best and it was certainly necessary."
"Some new hot-button case, Mac?"
"No, it was about personnel matters."
Her heart clutched. The NYC CSI Lab really was moving on as was she. "Best to talk about promotions without the likely candidates hovering."
"You're right but we weren't talking about your replacement."
"No?"
Mac placed a hand on her arm and squeezed it. "No, we were talking about my replacement."
"Mac, what do you mean?"
"My resignation letter. I gave it to Sinclair this morning."
"Don't joke."
"Sinclair said the same thing and I assured him it was no joke." Mac stroked her arm, "You were right. I could do this job without you. I just won't."
"Mac, I think I'm dreaming."
"You're not. Stella, please let me come to Washington with you. I want you more than I want this job or any other."
"All this time and you never said a word…"
"I couldn't upset you or influence you. And truly Stella, this is an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity. I want this for you."
"What would you do there?"
"I'm sort of hoping to be a kept man at least for awhile."
"Hmmmm, dinner ready when I get home. My own personal cabana boy, Hmmmm. Yes, very tempting."
"You should be able to afford me." His smile widened at her nod, "Seriously, there are a lot of opportunities in D.C. I've already spoken to an ex-marine at the FBI. He mentioned a few things. Beside, there's teaching or another police department. I'll find something."
"This is the most generous offer anyone has ever made to me."
"It's not an offer Stella, it's a promise. I want to be with you."
She wanted to believe him. It was confusing coming like a bolt out of the blue. Stella sniffed the flowers and sniffled back her emotional tears. "Mac, this has been your city and your life—good and bad for years. I don't know if I can take that away from you or you away from it."
The hand that had been stroking her moved into her hair and he inched closer. "Listen to me please, Stella. That is the past and I can easily leave it behind for a present and future with you."
Her eyes locked on his and they were clouded with uncertainty. Mac closely studied those expressive eyes; maybe they were also a little hopeful. He went on, "I'm an idiot, Stella. I forgot my strongest piece of evidence. I love you."
She gasped.
The fact she seemed stunned ripped at Mac's heart. "It's true. I've loved you for a long time. As long as you were here, I guess I believed I didn't have to act on it. When this chance came along for you, I loved you enough to let you take it."
"Then why all this? Why tell me now?" She clutched his lapel with her hand.
"Because my life is no good without you in it. I hope, I pray, I suspect you feel the same way and I want us to make this work."
"Oh, Mac—I do love you and it's been killing me to imagine my daily life without you right there." She touched her lips to his and let her forehead lean on his. "I'll stay. I can cancel all this."
"No. You've sacrificed for me over the years. There were other offers or promotions and I know you turned them down. You stayed with me until I was back on my feet and taking small steps back into the world."
"I never minded."
"And I don't mind this. We will have a new start if you'll let me part of it."
"When does your resignation take effect?"
"Forty-eight hours. Sinclair knows that we conduct business in a manner that allows the decks to be clear. Anyone can step in and deal with the caseload." As he spoke he started packing things like her coffee mug into the box.
"There's your office to pack up."
"Already done, Stella and the boxes are sitting at the guard desk waiting to be picked up. We can put this with them."
"Okay, your apartment and Reed…"
"I've got money set aside for the apartment if it doesn't sell quickly. Reed is on a sublet so I thought I'd offer him my place until it sells. It's paid off, what about your place?"
"It goes on the market tomorrow. My agreement with the DHS calls for them to buy it if doesn't sell in ninety days."
"That's my shrewd bargainer," Mac got a laugh out of her as he continued, "As for Reed, I do want him to know our plans and I think he'll be okay with it when we tell him."
"I wouldn't want him to blame me for disrupting one of the few links he has to his mother, Mac." She bit her lip, "I understand that need."
"Your compassion defines you. Reed will understand. He credits you with helping him find that link. After all, he originally zoned in on you as the woman he sought."
"Seems like a long time ago, yet you two have forged a bond."
"You'll help me make that stronger with our plans." He took a deep breath, "Stella, I don't want to only live with you. I want to marry you and have a family with you."
Stella was afraid she'd wake up and find this was all a dream; a bizarre, mind blowing, wish fulfilling dream. She figured on one way to prove it. She buried her nose in the flowers. The petals were soft and fragrant. Her free hand reached out to touch Mac. He was warm, solid and with an anxious look on his face. A quick step put them closer and she whispered, "I think you'd better kiss me."
Their lips met hesitantly and then more firmly. He tugged her closer and found her lips soft and open. The kiss went on as they changed angles and the scent of roses added to the sweetness of the mating of their lips.
Mac eased his face back, "Real enough for you?"
"Guess this isn't a dream. It's a dream come true."
"And?" His blue eyes burned with love.
"And yes, Mac I will marry you and we'll be a family, one with plans for expansion."
"You've made me happy and content; those are two things I never expected to experience again."
"Mac, you've given me those for the first time along with a sense of being cherished."
"Get used to it. From now on darling, you're not alone."
She thrilled at the endearment slipping from his lips and reassured him, "I wasn't alone with you in my life."
"It's official now."
"We should go to breakfast before our joy bubbles over and sets off alarms here."
Mac held her back. "I'm not planning on waiting. I called Mayor Giuliani to see if he could get us married on a Sunday."
"Presumptuous, Mac or predicting?" Stella was stunned that this normally cautious man was acting impulsively when it came to them.
"Hopeful, Stella more than anything else. Anyway, since we don't have a license we're out of luck until tomorrow morning. Am I forgiven for jumping the gun?"
"Don't make a habit out of it. Yes, you're forgiven." Stella fiddled with his lapel, "We're going from zero to sixty in a nanosecond if you're talking a wedding."
"We can wait if you want but I'd rather not waste any more time. We no longer work together and we won't be working together and I want us to be together."
"Yes, it's time for us to be together and I don't want a big production. We can do the license on line except for signatures and turn it in at the Clerk's Office."
"Which opens at 8:30 tomorrow morning. Mayor Giuliani offered to help get the 24-hour waiting period waived and to be a witness."
Stella smiled, "That's very generous of him. He thinks the world of you, Mac. I'm not sure I'm worthy."
"Yeah, yeah, you should walk ten paces behind me." He shook his head, "The Mayor knows who you are, and he rarely misses anything. Or we can ask anyone you like."
"I'd like it to be just us separate from the lab." She snapped her fingers, "Reed. We'll ask him to join us. We can call him from breakfast."
"I believe that would be perfect, Stella. You brought him into our lives and this keeps that strong. He likes you and has dropped several not too subtle hints about us."
"That's settled."
"I have a list." Mac looked sheepish as she burst out laughing. "Fine, I'm predictable."
"What's on your list?" Her eyes sparkled with laughter, "Did you cross off—propose to Stella?"
"Smartass." He grabbed a slip of paper from his inside suit jacket pocket. "Oh wait. I simply wrote: propose, without a name."
"Good thing for me that you saw me first, huh, Mac?"
He looked toward the doorway, "I guess I could see who else is here."
"Now, who is the smartass? We've got a deal pal and I'm not giving up these roses."
"I'll make sure you have fresh ones for tomorrow or whatever else you want."
"These will be fine in my fridge overnight. Let's go drop off the boxes and these. Then, I will take you to breakfast."
"Okay, we need to find an open jewelry store for your engagement ring."
"And wedding rings. Mac, will you wear my ring?"
"Proudly darling." He didn't think he'd ever seen her smile this radiant. He felt his own face light up in response. "We need to figure out some logistics.
"It's simple, tomorrow we get married and from there it's on to D.C."
"Sorry, Stella, we need to put in an appearance at your…" Mac raised that expressive eyebrow, "…surprise gathering."
She sighed, "As much as I like cake, I wanted to avoid that whole experience."
"You'll fall in love with me all over again because I told Flack we'd do better catching you off guard at breakfast. I volunteered to bring you to the coffee shop."
"That means you can cross a wedding cake off your list."
"Okay, but not a honeymoon."
"Mac, I have to be at work next Monday." She shrugged her shoulders, "However, I love you for trying."
"Not trying, we take off for forty-eight hours minimum tomorrow. I don't want you to do without anything."
"Is there a destination on your list?"
"Maybe, maybe it says New Orleans." He noticed her eyes widen in delight, "No objections to a couple of nights in 'The Big Easy'?"
"My love, I've always wanted to go there and it shouldn't be too busy this time of year." She kissed him quickly, "You're on."
He felt his heart soar at her endearment and wanted to be the recipient of all that stored up affection. "Great. Also, I figured we could check out some real estate websites for our new home. I'm betting you were thinking Georgetown."
"I'm not going to have any air of mystery around my husband."
"You'll always be exotic and enigmatic to me." His hand ran down her arm to link with her fingers. Later today, she'd be wearing the engagement ring they chose. "Still, I think we'll be checking out older brownstones with a garden in the back. I'll plant you a rosebush, a red one."
"Oh Mac, promise me this is real."
"I can promise you a lot more than that." He squeezed her hand and let it go to wrap his arm around her. "Let's get started on the rest of our life."
"Call Reed on the way to my place—offer him breakfast or a drink with us tonight."
"Sure or maybe this afternoon."
"No, we finish our errands and then we take some time to ourselves."
"You want to get to the virtual planning for the honeymoon or the house hunting."
"Not as much as I want you Mac; that is the best way I can think of to seal our engagement."
"I can send Reed a text right now."
Stella laughed at his eagerness, "I love you Mac."
He looked up from his phone and gave her one of his rare wide smiles. "I like hearing that."
She finished wrapping the photos in her sweater and placed them in the box. Stella carefully nestled her nosegay of roses into the carton of possessions. "Get used to it. I want it to be as automatic as breathing."
"Let me hold up my end Stella. I love you."
Stella's emotions were on a rollercoaster. She'd gone from laughing a moment ago to blinking back happy tears. "We have seen too often Mac how a few minutes can change the course of someone's life."
"Part of the job."
"Yes, but today you changed my life for the better in that same span of time."
"Selfishly, I did the same for myself. It's time Stella, time for us to bloom in a new place just like the rosebush I'll plant for you."
Stella leaned in and kissed him. "Let's get started."
Mac took the box and together they moved forward confident in their love, their lives and their future.
###
A/N: This is the one and only time I plan to make mention of this horrific event because I've now fixed it to work for me. The story was already in the works with Stella going to D.C. when I heard the "real" world answer. So in my twisted mind, I came up with a "reel" reason to send them to NOLA.
Now, back to Stella and Mac where they belong: in NYC and in each other's arms.