Prompt: bring

She brought her lunch to work every single day. In a brown bag.

A little middle school, sure, but after ten years at CTU, and the DOD spending hours and hours without eating she'd set her mind at being healthy at this job.

She loved being a detective, solving cases, and getting to help the world her way. She also liked not working 23 hours a day, not constantly being in danger, and not watching people, she loved dying all around her.

So, new life, new job…and sacked lunch.

&&&&&&

The first time she missed her sack lunch was three months after she started work. She was working on a case with Mac and he'd ordered food for them to eat in his office.

She thought about saying no, explaining that she had lunch, but she didn't want to insult him.

Besides Mac was nice, even if he was a little serious, maybe even a little dark.

Not that she was interested in him that way.

It was just lunch…sacked or not.

&&&&&&

The second time she didn't eat her sack lunch it was because she and Mac grabbed a slice after a long case ended.

Then one day they were so busy that her lunch had gotten all gross and Mac talked her into going for a late dinner.

This went on and on, a series of accidental lunches and dinners that Mac always paid for and after a while, they left her with an unsettled feeling in her stomach.

She started to wonder if she and Mac were….dating.

&&&&&&

"So is this…is this like how you date?" she asked one day after he'd bought her a slice of pizza and a beer.

He stopped cold with his own beer halfway to his mouth, "I don't know. I haven't dated in a while."

"I thought you were involved with the old M.E."

He didn't look surprised that she knew, gossip mill and all that, "Well, she kind of pursued me. Ever since Claire died I haven't….really known how to be in a relationship."

Michelle sighed, "I know the feeling. I think…maybe we could start by going to a real restaurant, one that we plan to go to instead of one that's on the way to or from the lab."

Mac smiled, "Does that mean you're going to go back to bringing your lunches in little brown bags?"

She let out a shriek or disgust and threw her napkin at him, "Dating 101, Mac, you don't make fun of your date ever."

"I'm sorry. Maybe I could make it up to you?" He leaned in suggestively.

She smiled and leaned back, "Give it your best shot."