Disclaimer: I don't own any of the CSI:NY characters, but I do have some pretty good recipes for cakes.
Stella walks down the corridor. Labs to the left, labs to the right. She doesn't enter any of them. She stays in motion. Her high heels send clicks in all directions, reflecting off the walls. If she closed her eyes she would still find her way. They have walked here so often.
If she closed her eyes the sounds she hears would tell her where she is. A printer wheezing to her right. It should have been replaced weeks ago, but it's not something that will make a difference when catching a criminal so they drag it along. Voices on her left lowering to an embarrassed whisper every time she passes. She has lost count of how many times that has happened today, that trying to conceal a budding love. She's lost count of how many times she has felt his hand on her back, today, like a ring more felt when taken off. Feeling the lack of it. She concentrates on the sounds.
The sounds of the lab on any day. No hectic, business going on as usual. That's what he had said before he left. Business as usual. Keep it up, don't let it show. So she's trying. She puts on a show, passing along the corridors as she does so often. But she's not going anywhere, she just has to keep moving because otherwise time might stand still. And along the way she hears the sounds of the lab as if it were a normal day. Because nobody is looking for him.
If she closed her eyes, could she imagine that it is just another day? She doesn't want to close her eyes. She's sure then she would only hear the one sound that she misses. Footsteps at her side, firm and steady. Walking along the corridor together. Hearing the same sounds together. Staying in motion because that helps them think, helps them make progress in a case. But she's not getting anywhere. Maybe she should stop walking, stop thinking about it. Sit down and relax, that's what she would tell him to do. And he wouldn't listen, just like he hadn't listened when she had told him not to take that risk. Just like she wouldn't have listened, had it been the other way around.
If she closed her eyes the sounds she hears would tell her what she is.
Alone. Left behind. Worried.
An unexpected sound sneaks into her awareness. She may as well have had her eyes closed, walking along so lost in her thoughts, unseeing. The difference in the sound pattern alerts her and she looks up to see Adam stand in a doorway with a box. A tentative half-smile on his lips. She returns it.
"I … hum," he starts, "I've got some cake and was wondering if you'd like a piece?"
She looks at him. Cake?
"I thought … maybe, it might make you feel better." he explains, "You seem a bit … well, with Mac gone, I mean … not …" He stops, unable to find the right words. He thinks he sees a glint in her eyes that has nothing to do with her usual sparkle.
He opens the box to reveal several pieces of different cakes. "It helps me, especially the ones with chocolate."
She still looks at him, the color creeping into his face. She doesn't quite know what to say.
"I'm sorry. That was thoughtless of me. I didn't … didn't mean to intrude." He looks down at the cakes and a connection leaps into his thoughts, flushing more color into his face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that it's so simple, that it's just a piece of cake … but … Mac, he was a marine. He will get through this."
A marine, yes. It was precisely that background that made Mac so suitable for this undercover mission. And his experience will help him sure enough. But to send Mac Taylor on an undercover mission in New York, how does that make sense? The chances that his cover will be blown are just so big. Never mind that lately he has just seemed to be a Mac-net for trouble. But he's not known under that name for the moment. She hopes that will help.
She realizes that Adam is still apologizing. "Adam. Adam," her hand on his arm she's able to stop him, "I'm sorry. It's okay, really, you did nothing wrong. I'm sorry, I was just so surprised." He looks at her and she continues, "That's very nice of you. But I'm not having one without you, so let's go to the break room and make some coffee, okay?"
He nods and follows her. They sit down, the coffee machine purring comfortably in the background. Stella chooses a cake with cinnamon and other spices and puts it on her plate. She's already feeling better, not alone in this.
Flack enters the room, "Hey, cause for celebration? Why wasn't I told?"
"No cause for celebration yet." Stella explains, "But Adam has thought of providing some comfort food."
"Wonderful idea." Flack says. "Could I have some too?" he turns to Adam.
"Yeah, sure, just … um," Adam looks at Stella, "which one do you think Mac would … like best?"
Her finger is pointing to a piece with a chocolate harp on it before he can finish the sentence.
"Irish Coffee, I should have guessed." he mumbles. Carefully he sets the piece apart from the others, then lets Flack take his pick.
Flack chews the bite of chocolate cake delightedly. Comfort food indeed. And he is worried about Mac too while he knows that for Stella it's much worse. And he starts just like her when her cell rings.
"Mac!" The relief is obvious in her voice.
"Am I interrupting anything?" Flack hears the head of the lab ask, sees a smile spread over Adam's face.
"Is it over, you got him? Where can I pick you up?" Stella asks instead of a reply. She's already standing, ready to leave. Not breaking up the meeting, just fetching one more guest.
Flack shovels another forkful of cake into his mouth. Cause for celebration.
"Hey, Adam." Stella spares a moment to pull the lab tech into a hug, "Thank you."
And she's off, down the corridor, the sound of her footsteps the rhythm of a joyous dance.
Thanks for taking the time to read. I hope you liked it. Please don't hesitate to let me know what you think. All comments are welcome any time, and I'm willing to share recipes with my reviewers :).