Chapter 2: Thoughts Afterward

"Well they burn the candle at both ends

As they danced into the flame

Making love and making plans

Driving Mother Mary insane

Strong as the beads of a rosary

Never too young to die

Some souls only know one speed

Faster than angles fly"

Stella tries to roll over but something is blocking her. Slowly she opens her eyes, immediately discovering the barrier; someone is in her way. To identify the man, she lifts her head up and looks at his face. Why is Mac in my bed? she thinks to herself, trying to get out from under the sheet. A rush of cold air hits her when the sheet is off her, and she looks down at herself. Where the hell are my clothes and why aren't they on me?

When she looks over at Mac, she practically screams; he too is naked. Although she had loved the man since she met him and fantasized about waking up next to him, she is shocked at the situation. She unwraps his arms from around her middle and dresses in a pair of pajamas she gets from her drawer.

It being only six in the morning, she sees no need to wake him and goes to the kitchen to make some coffee and think. After taking a big sip of coffee, she rests her head in her hands and sighs.

"Is everything alright?" Mac asks, sitting next to her.

"Did we use protection?" she whispers, barely able to talk about it. "It's not that I'm afraid of getting some disease because I'm sure you're fine. I just can't be…"

"Yes," he takes her hand. "I knew you wouldn't have been taking your birth control if you had any so I made sure I did to keep you safe."

"Thanks." They sit in silence for a few moments, not daring to look at one another. "So… are we just going to forget this ever happened?" Stella breaks the silence, as always.

"I don't want to," he says quietly. "I've never cared about anyone like I care about you. Since Claire passed away, at least." She remains quiet, staring into her mug. "Would you like to go to dinner with me this evening?"

"Aren't you supposed to date someone before you sleep with them?"

"Yes."

"I'm sure a relationship would have worked between us if we had done it right, but I don't know about it working now since we slept together."

"We won't know unless we give it a try."

"Do you love me, Mac?"

He hesitates, "Do you love me?"

"Yes," she says without thinking about it.

"I will always love you, Stella."

"Then I will have dinner with you tonight."

Mac smiles about to speak, but his cell phone interrupts. "Taylor."

"We've got a scene. And lots of bullets. Only three victims though," Flack says.

"Only three?"

"You'd be surprised if you were looking at what I'm looking at."

"I'll call Stella; we'll meet you there in forty-five minutes. And call Hawkes, would you?" he hangs up.

"A triple?"

"Yep. Apparently there are also many bullets."

"And I suppose I get to analyze them all?"

"Yes."

"I guess sleeping with the boss doesn't keep you from getting the sucky jobs after all," Stella pretends to pout as she heads to the bathroom for a shower.

He follows her, "I kind of need to use your shower too."

"You're going to wear the same clothes? I think they'll know something is up if you do."

"We'll stop by the office; I've got a spare set there. And you can get your car."

"And you think you're getting in with me?" she turns to ask in the bathroom before she strips.

"If you let me, maybe I'll talk to the boss, and he'll give you a better job next time."

A/N: So Mac made it okay after all. I didn't have school today; it was career exploration day. So I took the PSAT. And Friday I went to a forensic lab. But I couldn't really do anything except a tour since you can't help them process evidence. And one of the guys gave us a presentation on what you do and what you need to take in college/high school to get a job. I still have band tonight though. I don't know why he can't let us leave at like eight or eight-thirty instead of nine because you can't see anything really past seven-thirty. But we're going in at eight-thirty and we have to help those who don't have their music checked off yet. That's not me. Okay, so if you go on YouTube, there's a video preview of tonight's show and it shows Mac and some other guy singing; and Stella's there. The way she is looking at Mac, there's got to be something going on between them. I can't wait. I'll probably update this Saturday sometime. Please continue reviewing; I love to hear what you've got to say. Thanks. And yes, you should be worried about the character deaths, but I can't tell you who dies.