Wardrobe Malfunctions
"What are you still doing here?" Stella pokes her head into Mac's office.
"I was reading this nice form the chief gave me today. We need to have a talk about this," Mac holds the papers up.
"Is it about me? I don't think I've done anything to get another complaint," she takes a seat opposite him.
"Your… wardrobe needs to change, Stel. Some guy filed a complaint because he claims he couldn't help but tell the truth to you with the shirt you were wearing; says you were trying to… seduce him just for a confession. Funny part is the guy's a rapist."
"What exactly are you trying to say? I couldn't help the fact that he had his eyes glued to my chest. It's his own fault."
"So you didn't change your shirt so it was cut lower or unbutton it more before going to interrogate the man from yesterday?" he asks uncomfortably.
"When he saw me at the scene that morning, I had coveralls on because Sheldon conned me into searching the dumpster in the alley where the body was found. I obviously didn't have coveralls on in interrogation. I wore the same shirt all day."
"The chief asked me to tell you the… lowness of your shirts needs to change. Your whole…," he gestures to her body, searching for a word to use without embarrassing himself, "… chest should be covered. All the men are distracted from their work when you come walking in."
"Really? I thought it was just Sid and Danny," Stella jokes. "Then again, it really could be just those two and the chief just hates me. And what makes him hate me even more is that he can't keep his eyes off me either. It's not my fault all men were made to be so easily… distracted by the presence of a woman."
Mac feels the need to defend himself. "Not all men are distracted, as you say."
"Well, every man is except you. Actually, Mac, you completely ignore me unless we're working on a case together or we have something important to say to one another. What, you try to hide from me so you don't get caught checking me out?"
"I don't… look at you like that."
"There's nothing wrong with checking a girl out, Mac, unless you're related to her or something. You don't have to be ashamed of it. All guys do it," she decides to use his reluctance to the subject against him.
"We're best friends, Stel. I don't fell comfortable looking at you… in a romantic way."
"Then I won't tell you what I think of you."
"What do you mean? You seriously… check me out? I'm like ten years older than you. Besides, there are plenty of guys closer to your age around here," Mac tries to keep his heart from pounding. Secretly he did look at Stella and imagine what it would be like to kiss her.
"Well, you look much better without the tie, Mac. And that," she moves so she is leaning against his desk right in front of him and pokes his chest, "has to be the best I've seen that wasn't on TV or in a magazine."
"Really? What do you do, watch me when I shower in the locker room?"
"I just can't resist," Stella smirks.
"Please tell me you're joking, Stella," he's not sure what to think of her.
"I told my secrets, now it's time for your. Start spilling."
"What do you mean?"
"You heard my opinion. I'd like to hear yours."
"But I really don't have one, Stel. You're beautiful, but other than that, I don't really… pay attention to what you look like."
"Stop lying. You might not be as obvious about it as the other guys, but I can still tell you look at me," she tries to keep the knowing look off her face.
"Why does it matter if I check you out or not?"
"You brought it up with the complaint."
Mac looks away from her, trying to hide his embarrassment. "You've got the most beautiful body I've ever seen. The clothes you wear accent your beauty. Any man would kill to marry someone as gorgeous as you look."
"Was that so hard?" Stella places her hands on his shoulders.
"What are you trying to do to me? Your behavior is very…"
"Inappropriate? Save the speech; I've heard it before. If I gave you the chance to sleep with me, would you accept it?"
"No," he says after a pause. "It's not right for me to sleep with my best friend, who just happens to be female."
"Stop thinking, Mac. Now, tell me what your heart says."
"Yes."
She leans forward and kisses him. "You need to relax, loosen up a bit. It's okay for you to love again; Claire will always be in a special part of your heart that's just for her."
"I know that, Stella. It's just… what if I fall in love again and this woman is also taken from me. Losing one was bad enough; I can't imagine losing a second."
"I'll still be here for you if it happens again," she places her hand on his cheek.
"Maybe you're the one I've fallen in love with," Mac gently wraps his fingers around her wrist and brings her hand to his mouth to kiss her knuckles.
"I'm not planning on leaving you anytime soon."
"You might not see it coming in the future, but someone else could want to take you from me."
"You'll just have to stay beside me all the time and make sure that doesn't happen, won't you?" Stella smirks.
He stands, placing his hands on her waist. "Consider this my promise never to leave you alone."
"I expect you to never break that promise," she wraps her arms around his neck.
Smiling, he kisses her passionately. After a couple minutes, he pulls away to let her breathe. "Are we going to your place or mine? Or if we're really desperate, I think the AV lab will work."
"Doesn't matter to me, but I think a bed would be a lot more comfortable than a table," she chuckles.
"We won't risk it just in case anyone else is still here." Mac takes the complaint from the chief and rips it up. "Wear whatever you like. The guy who filed against you is being charged with raping two women; no one in their right mind would believe him."
"Thanks."
Wardrobe
Stella wakes up the next morning with a strong pair of arms holding her tightly against their owner's chest. She smiles to herself and tries to turn around to face him; his arms left her no wiggle room. Straining her neck to kiss his cheek, she pries his hands apart so she can get out of bed.
On her bedroom floor, she finds his shirt, which she puts on and buttons, along with both of their underwear. As tempting as it was to put his boxers on, Stella puts on her own underwear, leaving him something to put on when he wakes up, not that she minded seeing him without clothing.
Hungry, she goes to the kitchen in search of something to eat. For once, she decides to actually cook something for breakfast instead of having cereal or toast. French toast sounds good to her; she can't remember the last time she's had it.
Half way through her cooking, a pair of arms snake around her waist. "I was wondering where my shirt went. It looks much better on you than me."
"Morning, Mac. I highly doubt that; you look pretty darn handsome. Of course, I prefer seeing you this way," she indicates his bare chest.
"So you're actually cooking for once in your life?"
"Believe it or not, I can be domestic."
"Did I tell you how sexy you look when cooking?" Mac gets out the plates, forks, and knives to set the table with before returning to her side.
"Really?"
He nods. "But my favorite time to watch is when you're processing evidence and concentrating intently. If only you didn't have to wear a lab coat…"
Stella laughs and shakes her head. "Do you watch me all day when you're supposed to be working?"
"I can't help it, Stel. Besides, I'm sure you don't mind the attention," he kisses her cheek before leading her to the table. "What time is it?"
"Six-thirty."
"I know you did this just for me, but I really, really need to get home and shower. I'm sorry for ruining -"
"Call in and say you'll be late. Alarm didn't go off or something."
"Does that really work? Can't I get fired for being late?"
"Mac, you've never been late in the ten years I've know you. They can't fire you for being late once in a decade," she passes him the French toast.
"You're probably right," he concedes.
"I'm always right," Stella grins, taking a bite of her food.
"Sure, Stel; I'm not going to argue with you. But we can't both call in late. Besides, your car is still there."
"I can shower and stuff by then. You can drop me off, or I'll take a cab. Go home and get ready while I run the lab for an hour or two."
"Or I could shower here with you and then just have to go home to change," Mac suggests, trying not to imagine that shower together.
"Why would you get a shower and put dirty clothes back on? And if you were to get in there with me, I wouldn't get to work on time."
Wardrobe
"Hey, Stel, got anything new? I hate to say it, but I'm getting kind of bored here. Don't you have anything?" Don complains.
"Sorry, but I've done all I can for now. The techs are working on it."
"Well… got anything to talk about? Hear any good gossip lately?"
"Nope," she turns the page of her book.
"Do you know what's up with Mac?"
"What do you mean?"
"He's relaxed, not mad, smiling for the first time since I met him. Why is he suddenly different?"
"How would I know, Flack?" Stella smiles to herself.
"You're always telling him to loosen up. What made him listen this time?" Flack tries to concentrate on her face instead of her dangerously low neckline.
"You know what guys go for."
"Sex. Wait, you two didn't… no, Mac wouldn't. Are you and Mac sleeping together?"
"Don, mind your own business."
"Oh my God, you did. I finally know about something before everyone else."
While he wanders off to spread the news, she goes to Mac's office. "Don's telling everyone we slept together."
"They're finally spreading something truthful," Mac shrugs.
"What'll Gerard do?" she stares out the window. "Maybe he'll go easier on us if I'm the one who talks to him. He'll just nod like an idiot while staring at me, ignoring what I say."
"I don't like the idea of other men looking at you, Stella. Maybe I do need to monitor what you wear to work," he smiles.
"Don't worry, Mac. You're the only one who'll see me without my clothes on."
A/N: This story turned out way different than I pictured it would be. Then again, halfway through I got stuck and couldn't figure out what to right. I've been meaning to post this since Monday but was too lazy to do so. My next story is also a one chapter thing. That is typed but not yet edited; hopefully I can get it up for you guys Sunday. Then I've got six or seven chapters for you guys; this ones another songfic. That's also done; I just don't remember what happens in it. I've started a new story; I think I'm on the fourth chapter. This one will be twenty or so chapters, so it might be a while before it's posted. I'd like to be at least halfway through writing it before posting the beginning. My brother starts baseball games next week so it shouldn't be hard for me to find time to type then. Only three more days of school left for me. Tomorrow and Monday we're like doing nothing, then Tuesday is finals. I have Spanish and Band then, and that afternoon is our band cookout thing. Lucky me had a good schedule so it worked out I have both electives on the same day for exams. Next year I'll have to go the first day for band and the second for Spanish, assuming they didn't change my schedule and I pass the OGT tests. What else has happened... nothing, really. The guy on the salt truck last night wasn't as exciting this time as last time. I still like the Congressman hitting on Stella though; that's funny. I wonder what Mac would do if he knew. Twenty minutes until Providence. They're changing it next week; Providence is on some Lifetime channel at seven and ten, the same episode both times. Next week it's only on at seven, therefore I miss the beginning on Mondays. How unfair. Spike has me confused about NY reruns. First they were Sunday, then Tuesday, and now Wednesday I think. This week it was on Monday. No matter when they put it, I can't watch it. Over the summer though, I can watch it. I read somewhere Recycling is the one next week; I really want to see that one. If it's on Wednesday, I can watch it since I don't have school the next day; if Monday, I have exams the next day and my mom won't let me stay up until then. I'll shut up now. Please tell me what you think. Thanks.