Disclaimer: If a mountain goat goes into a valley does it make it a valley goat? Oh, um, yeah, CSI NY and such, not mine.

Category: Mac and Stella friendship

Rating: K

Spoilers: Post-ep for "Time's Up" (er, I think that's the name – the time travel ep)

Author: Traci

Summary: Picks up right where the episode ended.

Author Note at end due to spoilers and a slight rant.

When You Fall I Will Be There

The audience slowly cleared as the night went on. Stella remained by the bar amazed at the inner strength Mac displayed. Only hours earlier he had been telling her, with a smile, that it was Peyton who had pursued him and it was worth the risk so she knew his heart was shattered.

With the lights dimming and the bartender wiping down the bar, Mac shook the hands of the other band members, carefully packed away his gear and made his way over to Stella.

"So what brings you out here?" he asked, equally amazed that she always seemed to know when he needed her most.

"Mac, I…" Her eyes met his. "I saw the letter. It fell off your desk when I put some files down and…" She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. "I'm so sorry."

Trying to be strong, but knowing with Stella it was always so easy to fall apart, he gave her a quick squeeze back then pulled away. "Not here. My place?"

She merely nodded and followed him out the door.

They walked back to his apartment in silence.

Being the true gentleman he was, Mac held the front door open for her then unlocked and opened his apartment door, allowing her to step inside first.

She turned to him and watched him put his stuff away. She remained standing in the living room while he disappeared into his bedroom for a moment, returning wearing the same jeans but a worn out t-shirt that she recognized immediately as one of his favorites.

He was doing perfectly fine at maintaining control until he looked at Stella still standing in the same spot. He felt his control slip away when his eyes found hers and he completely lost it when he felt her arms around him once more, this time in private.

Stella managed to get them over to the couch where they still held each other.

Finally, as his tears subsided, he said, "A little ironic."

"How so?" she whispered against his ear.

"Me telling you to take the risk. That it's worth moving on."

Affectionately, she placed a kiss just behind his ear. "You were right, Mac."

He looked at her. "So, you are going sky diving?"

She smiled. "Not likely. You're right that it's time to move on but not with someone who is basically stalking me. But you need to take your own advice. Don't close yourself off because of this. What you and Peyton had was wonderful while it lasted. And it will be again." Stella cupped the side of his face and used her thumb to wipe away the last of his tears.

He pressed his cheek against her palm and smiled sadly. "Is this another 'we take care of each other' moments?" he teased.

Nodding, she pulled him close once more. "And we will always have these moments."

The End

AN: I have but one little issue with the ep – the gift that Stella got from her stalker and Mac encouraging her to give the guy a chance. As someone who attracts those psycho stalker types (think I just got rid of my latest one but he did email me today so…) – obviously that scene was written by a man!! Really? She's a cop, in NY, she, of most people, would know that that is not the sign of a normal guy! And Mac should know better too! A woman pursuing a man (especially a co-worker. Peyton was not some random woman who saw him in a store and stole his card to follow him!!!) is not quite as scary as a man so aggressively pursuing a woman – not in today's world! That said, yes, there are psycho women too :D. Rant done.