A/N: So, this is my second ever CSI: NY fanfiction. I am picking up on a lot of chemistry between Stella and Mac, and not necessarily the crime solving kind. Holy crap, I thought my brain was going to explode with the overload of Smacked in "Grounds For Deception". It's an amazing episode. On to the fanfiction.
Takes place a couple days after "GFD".
Warrior: A One-Shot (or not, depends.)
Stella had changed. Mac saw this in her eyes.
Gone was the fierce determination.
Gone was the light.
Her dull green eyes were nothing but.
All of her emotions had been buried deep inside her after the Professor's death, hidden away, under lock and key.
Like he had done so well for so many years. But to see Stella, his light, his love, do this?
It broke him. Shattered what was left of his marred heart. She was supposed to be the one with all anger, ferocity, and bitterness showing on her face.
Not him.
Not now.
He was angry. At the Professor, for betraying her, at her mother, for dying, at himself, for not seeing how much this affected Stella. It was much more than personal.
It was private.
It was her only source of trust.
It was the only vestige of truth that Stella had held onto all these years.
He too felt that way. He hated this situation, hated what it did to her.
He hated himself for not realizing until now what he should have all those years ago, when Stella had offered her embrace, sheltering him from the torment of reality.
He hated himself for not loving her sooner.
He could still change that.
"Mac?" Stella's hand brushed his hand with hers.
Lifting his sunglasses from his face, he turned to her in the orchard.
Apart from the scattered news teams, he and Stella were the only ones left in the orchard.
It was symbolic, really, the orchard being the place of truth. In an orchard, things grew, flourished. Much like Stella's understanding of her heritage. Much like Mac's understanding that his greatest love was a warrior.
Face hardened and determined with a renewed vigor, Mac turned to Stella, capturing her in an embrace.
"I want you to know, that whatever happens from here on out, you are my Warrior." Mac whispered into her hair.
"And you my Protector." Stella whispered back, her lips brushing his ear.
Pulling away, Mac brushed a stray tear from her cheek and smiled tenderly at her.
Today was a day of heartache. He wouldn't tell her how he felt, not today.
There was always tomorrow.
A/N: A little short, but I hope I get good reviews from y'all. It's up to you whether or not I continue this, so review and tell me what you want.