Dream, when you're feeling blue

Dream, that's the thing to do…

Dream, and they might come true

"Dream"

By Rita Widmer

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the CSI shows.

Author's note: I love feedback, please tell me what you think good or bad.

Her hands shook as she opened the small package. She somehow knew whatever was inside was important. The lid popped open and what is inside causes her heart to stop a moment.

It was so him. The message so simple but so meaningful, and in her wildest dreams she never expected it.

Her eyes met his with tears shinning. There was only one thing to say.

"I love you too."

As they both broke into shy smiles, she couldn't help but think of the path that got them here. Two heated moments, an outreach, and time spent together healing each other's wounds.

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

Stella strode into Mac's office shutting the door tight behind her before turning to face him. Taking a deep breathe to soothe her nerves as she prepared to get him to talk to her.

"Talk to me, Mac."

"Something wrong, Stella?" he asked barely giving her a glance from his desk.

"Yes!" she said barely controlling her voice. "You've been locking yourself in this room for the last two weeks since the bar shooting going through the evidence over and over again. It's not going to tell you anything different Mac than the last time. I want you to talk about it to or somebody else I don't care. Just do it!"

He finally looked at her, and the anger she saw there only made her stomach turn more in pain for the loss he saw behind the anger. He stood up and leaned against it before replying. She knew that stance well; it was supposed to put his subordinates in place by showing him as the boss.

"Do I need to remind you I'm your boss? I have let you get away with telling me what to do often before when I shouldn't. This is none of your business. I will do my job as I see fit."

"Fine, sir. I'm sorry for caring and trying to be your friend. I was wrong and it won't happen again." She turned away from him before he could see the tears in her eyes. As she left his office, she could feel his eyes upon her. A quick moment's decision made her turn around, and stare back at him so he could see the pain and continued to do so until he sat back down and went back to work.

That night she went to a nearby bar, and had a little too much to drink and one willing man to give her the passion she wanted from another man. The only problem was it was Adam Ross, her subordinate. It was a mistake, but it was so nice to feel wanted for that one evening.

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

It was two weeks later, and the relationship between Mac and Stella had not gotten better. Unless it was work related they kept apart and impersonal. Then last night Mac had put himself into great danger, and Stella had enough of it. She knew going in she was risking everything including her job, but it would be worth it if she could get through his thick skull.

This time went much better and he seemed to hear what she had to say until his phone rang. As he was about to lead them out the door, she put her hand on his arm to stop him.

"Friends?"

He looked into her eyes and the quick closing and opening of his eyes was his nod of assurance, and she knew things would be okay. They weren't back to what they were a month ago but somehow she knew things would be okay.

When they finally solved the case, once again she found herself going to his office not to get him to open up but to show that she was there for him. They worked for an hour packing up all the case files and evidence. When everything was said and done, an idea came to her.

They walked together out of the crime lab, and as he hailed her a cab, she brought it up to him. "I'm sorry that I pressured you into talking when you weren't ready so I have an idea. Next time either one of us needs to talk we will let the other one know that way we won't ever feel forced to do so.

"You mean me not we."

"Semantics, do we have a deal?"

"Yes."

And to Stella's surprise, he hugged her right there on the street in front of their workplace. When he let her go, she gave him her biggest smile to show her appreciation. She got in the car, and after giving her address, she sat back and knew this was the beginning of something which she wasn't ready to give words to yet.

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

Weeks had passed since the agreement; Stella had called upon his friendship twice since then. First, it was for herself when she received a letter from Greece telling her the latest research dug up on her family hunt. The answer there was nothing coming up. It seemed her mother had distanced herself from her family so much no one could find them.

Then the second time, she did it for Mac. She had noticed the toll on him after dealing once again with his relationship with his father. With some light questioning he opened up to her.

She was starting to wonder if he would ever approach her first. Then after the ordeal with Sheldon, she came in the next morning to find a package on her desk. Inside was a necklace with a small emerald hanging from the chain. When she lifted the necklace up she found the note underneath. There was only one word written on it, "Dinner?"

Before getting up from her desk, she put the necklace on. She left to go to his office where she found him already at work on reports. He looked up at her and smiled when he notices the necklace.

She walked over to his desk and leaned back on it facing him. "Dinner?"

"You are always bugging me to eat I figure why not together." He gave her a crooked smile.

"I think I can live with that. Pick me up at 7:30, and don't be late."

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

Stella watched Mac eat quietly. She thought he seemed to be doing fine recently so she wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about with her and in a public place. He finally scoops his last bite, and her curiosity gets to her.

"Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

He looked at her, and gave her his crooked smile while shaking his head no.

"Are you worried about something?"

Once again she only got a shake of his head while his smile started to straighten out, and she felt more frustrated by his actions.

"Is it some kind of anniversary?"

"No."

'Well that's better,' she thought. It was a word. "You gave me a necklace and took me out to dinner for no reason?"

"No. I did this because I thought it was about time to show you how much your friendship means to me. I realized how close I came to loosing that after our fight." He gave her a shy smile. "If it is all right with you I think I would like to continue doing this."

She barely controlled her jaw from dropping. "I've wanted that for a long time, Mac."

"Good. Now it's getting late and we have an early morning tomorrow."

After he paid for the bill, they walked out of the little diner with his hand on her back. When she gave him another astonished look, he told her quietly, "Get used to it."

"Yes, sir."

Those two words wiped the smile off his face. He wrapped his other around her, and whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry," then kissed her cheek.

"I was just teasing this time, Mac. I'm here now, and will be for as long as you allow me to be."

A cab pulled up, and they got in. He took her hand in his as they rode to her apartment in silence.

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

The weeks passed quickly. They went out to dinner at least a couple of times a week Then after the ordeal with Don, he had come to her place and they talked about the pain of loss and the resolving it to move on with life. He talked about Claire and what he had gone through. That night she just held him as he allowed a few tears to fall.

Something happened that night, she couldn't quite explain. When he got up to go home to change for work, he was looking at her differently. Deep down she knew what he was showing her but she wasn't willing to fertilize it in her mind.

When the Compass Killer was finally caught, he had suggested the whole crew go to dinner. It was the happiest she had seen him in a long time. He came back to her place that night, and he talked about how great it was to have his crew almost back to normal again.

Just before he left that night he kissed her on the lips softly, almost platonically except for the jolt that went through her was nothing like a friendly kiss.

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

Stella carefully removed her shirt. Her shoulder blade had been aching all day, and now as she looked in the mirror she realized why. The bed of knives had ripped the top layer of skin off her back. Not enough to make it bleed, but enough to cause prolonged pain from being rubbed.

She was glad she hadn't told him about the pain she was having. He had spent the whole day worried about her as they moved between the riddles trying to find two people. She had been worried if he knew the truth he would kick her out, and she wasn't willing to leave him in the death house. She had to protect him too.

Next week is Christmas, and she still hadn't bought him a gift. The next day she had an idea what to get him, but first she had to invite him to her place for dinner on Christmas Eve. He had almost too eagerly responded yes. She was used to a shyer Mac to her invitation, but he said yes.

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMS

Stella had enough of the staring, so she stood up and wrapped her hands around his head and kissed him deeply. Taking a breath, she looked up at him, and asked, "How long?"

"I really don't know. The distance we had those couple of weeks after the fight made me realize how much I needed you. How long?"

"Since day one. Now hush and kiss me again."

He complied easily with her wish. She really didn't need to know how long all she wanted was his love. Then she allowed herself to get lost in the kiss.

The next day they encouraged the others join them in handing out presents. As they watched, he gently pulled her against him and kissed her cheek with everyone in view, but only one person noticed, Sid, who gave them a zippered mouth motion before smiling widely at them.

They smiled at each other knowing for the moment their relationship was still a secret.

The End

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