Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm beginning to feel like a broken record with that. Anyway, er, Bruckheimer, CBS, etc. are the current owners. So treat them nicely over there!!!!!

Rating: K

Spoilers: None

Category: SMacked.

Author: Traci

Summary: Things aren't always as they seem.

Author's note: The idea was taken from some late-night show I was watching last night. It's short but to the point :-). No real story.

Not As It Appears

Stella's world froze around her in that one instant. That one instant when she heard a loud 'pop' and turned her head quickly only to see her partner's eyes go wide and look towards her before he collapsed on the frozen ground.

Stella's body refused to move. Her voice refused to sound. She heard another shot from somewhere nearby and barely registered their suspect also falling to the ground.

Stella's life felt as if it might have ended right there and then. Mac was lying on the ground – unmoving.

"Mac!" she was finally able to scream, replacing her gun in its holster. Assured the suspect was dead and being taken care of, she ran over to Mac and knelt beside him.

"Mac!" Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her voice strained as she spoke. Her fingers trembled as she searched for a pulse. "Hang on, Mac," she pleaded.

Just as quickly as he fell, Mac Taylor coughed as his eyelids fluttered open. "Someone could have told me how much that hurts," he muttered, struggling to sit up.

"Stay still." Stella gently pushed down on his shoulders and sniffling. "The ambulance is on its way."

His blue eyes sought out and found her green ones. "Stella? Are you alright?"

She laughed through her tears. "Me? I'm fine. I'm not the one who was shot."

"Shot?" His eyes grew wide again then a smile spread across his lips as he opened his shirt. "I'm fine, Stel."

Wiping away her tears, she stared down at his chest. "What? When? How?"

He stood up then took her hands and pulled her up with him. "I'm sorry. I thought you knew. Flack suggested the vest since I was the main target. I…" He paused for a moment only just realizing how upset she had been. "I thought Flack told you."

Stella shook her head and immediately found herself wrapped in Mac's arms.

"It's alright," he whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry."

For the second time that night, Stella was unable to find her voice so she merely tightened her arms around him and sighed while feeling his heart beat against her.

After a few moments, Stella pulled back slightly and looked at him. "Mac, can we just go home?"

Giving her another small smile, he discreetly leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Anything you want, Sweetheart," he whispered.

Separating, neither realized they were being watched.

As they fell back into their professional selves, Detective Flack grinned. Not only were Mac and Stella finally together but he strongly suspected he had won the lab's pool on when that would happen - his bet had been for two months earlier.