"Well, I guess it's just you and me," Flack remarked to Stella after having his dance partner taken away.

"Guess so," Stella laughed, and took Flack's offered hand. Stella was surprised at the shiver that went through her body as she was pulled into Flack's arms. This is Flack! She mentally scolded herself, what is wrong with you?

Flack smiled to himself as he pulled Stella closer. It felt so good to finally have her in his arms. He'd had feelings for Stella for what seemed like forever, but never had the courage to do anything about it. He reminded himself to thank Danny later for forcing him and Stella together like he had. Don didn't know if he would have had the guts to ask Stella to dance on his own.

"You're a good dancer," Stella said suddenly, causing both of them to blush slightly.

"My ma taught me," Flack explained, even though she hadn't asked.

"Oh."

"I've never seen Danny this happy in a long time," Flack remarked.

"I know," Stella said, "probably not since before Aiden died."

"Yeah," Flack agreed, "I almost told him that, but didn't want to ruin the day."

"Good thinking, Flack," Stella said with a slight air of sarcasm.

"Are you being snippy with me, Stella?" Flack pulled Stella closer.

"What if I am?" Stella asked, her lips being magnetically drawn closer to Flack's. "Then what?"

"Well, I'll just have to get you back in line."

"And how would you do that?"

Flack didn't answer, instead his lips crashed down onto Stella's. Stella closed her eyes and reveled at the feeling of Flack all around her. It seemed to be a scene taken straight from a cheesy, cliché romantic comedy that Stella, Lindsay and Peyton watched together on their Girl's Nights. Yes, she saw fireworks and heard the Hallelujah chorus and all that jazz. She was able to look past the mere corniness of the situation, however, because as it turns out, Donald Flack Jr. was an exceptional kisser.

Flack reluctantly tore his lips away from Stella's, cutting their kiss very short. "What's wrong?" Stella asked, breathless even though the kiss only lasted about thirty seconds.

"This is Lindsay and Danny's day," Flack said, slightly ruefully, "I don't want to take the focus away from them. Besides, I'd never hear the end of it from Danny and Hawkes if they saw us kissing."

"I see your point," Stella said pouting slightly. "We could always just leave," she said, a flirtatious smirk on her face and a glint in her emerald eyes.

Flack groaned slightly. "Don't even tempt me," he begged, "If Danny weren't my best friend, I'd be in the car and gone in thirty seconds."

"I can arrange that," Stella said, batting her eyelashes. She paused a moment before saying, "After the reception is over."

"I think I'd be ok with that," Flack said as the song ended and he and Stella walked slowly off of the dance floor.

"Think?"

"I know I'd be ok with that," he corrected himself, putting emphasis on the word 'know.'

After the reception, Stella slipped discreetly into Flack's car without anybody noticing. "So, where are we going?" she asked wickedly.

"You'll see," Flack replied, backing the car out of the parking space.

They sat in silence for the entire car ride. It wasn't awkward, however, they both just felt that there was no need for words at this point. Flack down streets and alleyways that Stella had never seen before and eventually ended up in front of an old-fashioned pizza parlor called Rosario's. Stella looked questioningly at Flack, but still didn't say anything as he opened the door for her and led her into the restaurant

A bell tinkled softly when Flack pushed open the door. Immediately, a short, squat man with wild black hair and quite the moustache came running from a back room to greet his customers. His eyes lit up when he saw the tall, dark detective. "Donny, my boy!" he exclaimed, "It is good to see you! And who is this lovely lady you bring with you, huh?"

Stella and Flack both blushed. "This is Stella, Bernardo," Flack said, still very embarrassed, "Stel, this is Bernardo, owner of Rosario's and a old friend of the family."

Stella held out her hand for Bernardo to shake, but instead he kissed it, startling Stella slightly.

Flack cleared his throat rather loudly. "A table, Bernardo?"

"Right, right," the little Italian man scuttled around the empty room to find table settings. "We was just about to close," he said, huffing and puffing slightly from all the excitement, "But you, Donny boy, are almost family. I could not turn you away."

Flack smiled politely, and wished that Bernardo would stop calling him Donny boy.

Bernardo was finally ready, after having searched high and low for matches to light the candles he'd placed on the table. "Please take a seat," he said formally. Stella choked back a giggle, and Flack had to fight not to laugh at Bernardo's sudden change in demeanor. "Here is a menu," Bernardo continued in the same formal tone, handing them each a menu. "I go get you some wine, yes?"

Flack nodded, "Thanks Bernardo."

Bernardo scurried back with the wine and poured it for them. They ordered a pizza with everything on it, and fast as lighting, Bernardo was back with a fresh, steaming hot pizza pie. He then disappeared and left the couple to eat in peace.

"He's quite the character," Stella laughed, taking a bite of her pizza.

"Yeah, he is," Flack agreed, "But he's a great chef," he gestured to the pizza in front of them.

"I'd say," Stella remarked, "that this is probably one of the best pizzas I've ever had."

Don nodded, chewing a bit of the delicious pizza.

The two talked for hours until it got to be late and Bernardo ushered them out. Flack drove Stella back to home. He walked her up to her apartment. They stood there outside the door for several minutes, neither one wanting to say anything, in fear that it'd be the wrong thing to say. "Do you want to come in?" Stella asked finally.

Don battled internally for control of his emotions, before finally managing to say, "No."

"Oh. Ok." Stella looked a little hurt, and fumbled through her purse for the key. She slid it into the lock and pushed the door open when Flack caught her arm, stopping her from going inside.

"Wait." He said.

Stella stepped back out side and closed the door. "What?"

"I want to have a relationship with you, Stella," he blurted out before he lost the nerve. "I care for you, a lot, and if we're going to do this I want to do it right.

Stella couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. "I want a relationship too, Don."

Flack smiled. Stella rarely called him Don, and he loved it when she did. He kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Goodnight, Stella," he said, walking away to prevent losing control.

"Goodnight, Don," Stella said almost dreamily, a soft smile on her face as she watched him retreat down the stairs.

A/N So…. what do you think of the beginning? I've never done a Stella/Flack fic before, so I might need a bit of help. Or, if you think it's totally lame, I'll just delete it…. I need feedback, people!

xoxo

Lia