"It's love, Stella."
The older woman rolled her eyes. "No, it's not. It's sex - pure and simple."
"How can you say that after everything that's happened?" Lindsay asked.
"Easily. There aren't any feelings there, kiddo. It's just two attractive and compatible people having sex. Nothing more."
Lindsay frowned. "I sometimes wonder if you're human," she muttered.
Flack backed away from the door to Stella's office and headed back down the hall, his fists clenched in anger and his eyes filling with tears.
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"Flack."
"Hey," Stella said warmly. "How are you?"
"Fine. What's up?"
She frowned, catching the bitter tone in his voice. "I was just wondering if you wanted to grab dinner." There was a long pause on the other end. "Don?"
"I don't think tonight's gona work, Stell."
"What's wrong?" she asked. "You're acting weird."
"Look, I can't talk right now. I'm at a scene. Can we do this later?"
"Sure, but -"
The line went dead, and Stella stared at the phone in disbelief. Flack had just hung up on her.
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"What is your problem?" Lindsay finally asked sa they were leaving the crime scene.
Flack frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You. You're being all...cranky. You snapped at the uniforms, and you've barely said two words to me all afternoon."
His jaw set, and he kept his eyes locked on the road. "Yeah, well, maybe I didn't like you and Bonasera talkin' about me behind me back."
Lindsay's brow furrowed. "What?"
"I heard you two this mornin', in her office. I know what she said about me." He shook his head and tightened his grip on the wheel. "She said she was gonna tell you about us today. I just didn't think -"
Her eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. "Oh, Flack, no. She told me about you guys during our morning coffee run. We weren't talking about you in her office."
He paused. "Then who -"
Lindsay shrugged sheepishly. "Grey's Anatomy was on last night, and two of the interns hooked up."
He took a deep breath. "Really?"
"Really." She squeezed his arm gently. "Stella cares about you, Flack. You should have seen her telling me how you two got together. She was practically giddy."
"I'm an idiot."
"No, you're just head over heels for her, and that makes you scared."
"Thanks, Linds. I'm glad you told me before I did somethin' real stupid."
She smiled at him. "No problem."
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Stella was surprised when she opened her apartment door to find Flakc standing there. remembering the way he had hung up on her, she put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you couldn't do tonight."
He sighed. "I came to apologize, Stell. Can I come in?"
She thought about it for a minute. "Yeah, sure."
Flack walked in, waiting while she shut and relocked the door behind him. Then he tentatively took her by the hand, leading her over to the couch. After she sat down, he stretched out across the cushions and rested his head in her lap. Stella couldn't help but think how much he looked like a little lost boy, and she ran her fingers through his hair, the anger seeping out of her.
"Talk to me," she urged quietly. "Did I do something wrong?"
"I thought you had," he admitted, not quite meeting her eyes. "I...I heard you and Monroe talkin' today about some show you watch."
"And my watching Grey's is a problem?"
He closed his eyes. "I thought you were talkin' about us."
Everything suddenly clicked, and Stella understood why he had been so upset. Pulling on him until he was sitting up, she kissed him softly, her fingers caressing his face.
"Oh sweetheart," she murmured.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have -"
She kissed him again. "Don't. It's okay, Don. I just...I thought you knew how much this...you...mean to me."
"I do now," he said. "I don't suppose you'd still like to have that dinner?"
Stella shrugged, smiling at him. "I think I might be able to rearrange a few things, fit you in my schedule."
"That's very generous of you."
She kissed him, longer and deeper this time. "What can I say? I'm a giver."