Deeper Than Desire
Chapter One : Truth

Summary: MacStellaFlackOC. Stella is heartbroken when she learns of Mac's relationship with Peyton and embarks on a new relationship with Flack. But will this bring them happiness? Eventually MS and FlackOC.
Set after 'People with Money'.
Please review! This is my first Smackers fic! Vikki xx.

The hallways of the New York City Crime Lab were empty at this time of day. The day shift were leaving and soon the swing shift would be coming in. It had seemed to be the perfect time for Mac Taylor and Peyton Driscoll to rendezvous. At least it had been for them. For Stella Bonasera things were about as far from perfect as they could get. She had always thought that there was something special, a bond of some kind, between her and Mac. Obviously the death of Mac's wife had been a major trauma and Stella could easily understand why he would be wary of entering a new relationship, especially after what had happened with Frankie. However, she had never expected Mac to become involved so passionately with someone else without her knowing. Stella felt a stab of something, was it jealousy? Was it betrayal?

Stella turned back around and headed in the opposite direction to where she actually wanted to go. Anything was better than having to face Mac and Peyton and wish them happiness and success. It wasn't that she didn't want Mac to be happy, because she did, but he would look her in the eye and know that she wasn't being genuine. Stella usually liked the way that Mac seemed able to read her mind but it had it's disadvantages too. She tried to block out the mental images of the kiss she had witnessed between Mac and Peyton but it seemed to be emblazened in her mind. Stella thought that she had dealt with her feelings for Mac when she had begun dating Frankie. That had been a big mistake, possibly the biggest of her life. Mac had been good to her then but so had Flack. Don had been her rock and her emotional support while Mac had tracked down the evidence to prove that she had acted in self defence. Suddenly, those arms that had been so comforting before were around her again.

"Sorry Stel, my mind was on other things, I forgot to look where I was going!" Don Flack apologised.

"It's okay, it was just as much my fault as yours. Were you too busy thinking about all those phone numbers you got earlier?" She teased him.

Flack blushed as he laughed. "Nah, I'm off home for a quiet night in, as rock and roll as that sounds!"

Stella smiled and her reply was on impulse only.

"Have you got time for a coffee first?"

Flack didn't even need to hesitate. "Sure."

Mac and Peyton were totally unaware that they were not alone in the corridor until Mac heard the sounds of heels clicking away in the distance. Mac looked up just in time to see Stella disappearing around the corner. Had she seen them? Had she seen the kiss? Mac felt guilty, he hadn't thought about Stella at all when he and Peyton had first got together. They had built up a strong friendship over the years and he didn't want his relationship with Peyton to change any of that. He knew that it would though. He understood how Stella must feel though because he had felt the same when she and Frankie had first started dating.

"Mac?" Peyton asked tentatively, her voice breaking through his thoughts.

"Shall we go?" He replied, there was no point in going home to think about how he had hurt Stella. Peyton wanted to be with him and have dinner with him. Hopefully being with her would help him to forget about everything else.

Stella and Flack went to the nearest Starbucks for their coffee and chose a table in the corner away from the main crowd. Flack went to order his espresso and Stella's almond latte while she stared out of the café window. Couples passed by outside, deep in conversation, holding hands and exchanging kisses. Stella felt truly lonely now, more than ever since Frankie. Maybe the discovery of Mac and Peyton was still causing her shock. She was brought out of her reverie by Flack putting down two mugs of coffee.

"Thanks Don." She said gratefully as Flack sat down opposite her.

Flack smiled across at her, reaching out for his espresso and sipping on the hot liquid. Stella observed him as she drank from her latte. His brilliant blue eyes were mesmerising and Stella could feel herself being drawn into his gaze.

"Are you okay, Stella?" Don asked, setting his mug down and studying her face with his intense eyes.

She attempted the brightest smile she could manage. She didn't really want to talk about what was really wrong but Flack had some way of making her what to confide everything in him.

"I'm fine." She assured him.

Don nodded, taking another sip of hot coffee. He had been a detective long enough to know when someone was lying especially when they showed it as openly as Stella did.

"How was your first day back? Was it good to be out on the streets again?" Stella asked, more than eager to change the topic and turn the focus away from herself.

"It was certainly good to be back." Flack replied, choosing his words carefully. "I never really thanked you for how good you were to me while I was in hospital. Thank you Stella."

Stella smiled, touched by his gratitude. "You were there for me when I needed you Don, it only seemed fair that I returned the favour."

Subconsciously they reached out for each other across the table.