Title: Unlikely Match

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY, Anthony Zuiker and CBS do.

Author's Note: A culmination of the Stella/Russ story.

Beta'd by: csiny96

Genre: Romance

Rating: T

Epilogue: Several Years Later

August 1, 2024

It had been a long week at the New Orleans FBI field office. Russ and his colleagues had wrapped up a case where a young boy was taken by the psychotic ex-lover of the husband who wanted him back an then tried to use the child as a pawn. Russ and his crew were able to locate the ex-lover's house (thanks in part to the help from Stella's team) and rescue the boy before the psychopath killed him. When he saw the reunion between the parents and their son he smiled and at the same time he felt his heart twinge a little; he couldn't imagine what it must have been like to go through the ordeal, if it had been his little girl, Elaine, he probably would not have stayed so calm.

Yes he was a dad again and had a little girl of his own. Elaine Kira Josephson or Lanie, as she was known, had inherited his ears and eyes but the rest was a spitting image of Stella with her olive complexion, wavy hair and beautiful smile. Lanie was named after Russ' paternal grandmother Elaine Madeline Josephson and they picked Kira together because it meant 'light' in Latin and Lanie was most certainly the light in his and Stella's life. Lanie had many aunts and uncles and her brother - Tyler - who all adored her and she's inseparable from her cousins; Ellie, Lucy and Jo and Mac's daughter Whitney.

He made sure he was there for Lanie when Stella had to work late and he was there to spend time with her on the weekend as Stella had also shown him that there was more to life than to work, and he wanted to make up for all the time he did not spend with Tyler when he was her age.

Now, following the debriefing, his boss had let him and his crew leave early. He headed out the office, after quickly getting refreshed, and on the way home decided to get a dozen rose bouquet for his beloved Stella, before going on the short drive from the office to the modest three bedroom, two bathroom home he and Stella bought two months before they got married.

He remembered the first time he found out he was going to be dad again.

-mid September 2015-

Russ and Stella had gone to their favorite café for a quick lunch before heading back to the office. Usually Stella was animated, talkative and loved to eat but that day she was quiet. Russ had to say something because the quietness was concerning him, "Stella, my love, are you okay? Is anything wrong?"

Stella looked up and into her husband's expressive grey eyes. She wasn't sure if he would receive the news well because she didn't know if he wanted any more kids. There was only one way to tell him and that was to spit it out.

Taking a deep breath she began, "Russ, remember how I had been feeling nauseous and throwing up last week and snapped at you for no reason? Well... I'm pregnant."

It took Russ a good minute to process what Stella said, when it finally registered with him he was all smiles…he was going to be a dad again, he was ecstatic. He stood up and pulled Stella in to a big hug. Stella, who took it as a good sign laid her head on his shoulder and hugged him back.

When they came apart and sat back down Russ stroked her face and said, "Stella baby you made my day a whole lot better. I do want to know, how many weeks are you?"

Stella smiled and she replied, "Six weeks."

Russ did the quick calculations and realized their baby was conceived during their first wedding anniversary celebration. They made plans to go in together for Stella's ultrasound at eight weeks and it was there they saw the tiny human being growing instead Stella. Going with Stella to the doctor was a unique experience he had passed up when Jo was pregnant with Tyler and now looking back he regretted that decision. He made the decision that this was one experience he wasn't going to miss. At twelve weeks they had heard their baby's first heart beat and it a sound he will never forget. However, it was during Stella's sixteen week checkup and ultrasound the most moving moment. It was there that Stella's obgyn, Dr. Lane first asked, "Mr. and Mrs. Josephson, would you like to know your baby's gender or keep it a secret until the due date?"

Stella and Russ looked at each other and Stella said, "Even though it is my first child, I think we should find out now so to make the decorating easier."

Russ looked at her and asked, "Are you sure?"

Stella caressed his slightly stubbled faced and answered, "Yes I am."

Russ went in for a quick kiss and then they both looked at the doctor and said, "Yes we would like to know."

Dr. Lane smiled and announced, "Well mom and dad, say hello to your daughter."

Stella and Russ gasped in unison, they were having a little girl! Stella grinned brightly and turned to Russ and said, "I hope you are ready to be surrounded by pink."

Russ only beamed, he didn't care about the color he was about to be faced with, he was just happy he was going to have a little girl. He had been envious of Jo ever since she adopted Ellie fourteen years ago.

The pregnancy agreed with Stella and Russ fussed over her whenever he could and thought she looked cute with a baby bump. Of course news travelled fast and it wasn't long before Jo and Lindsay got a hold of the news and during her maternity leave–in which her doctor had given the okay for her to travel, they had traveled to NYC for the planned baby shower. As luck would have it their baby girl decided they wanted to come early. So on the 28th of April Elaine Kira Josephson made her debut at Trinity General.

-April 28, 2016-

Subsequent to enduring ten hours of labor in which Stella fired a few choice words at Russ and then pushing for an hour, Stella now enjoyed watching Russ holding and talking to their newborn daughter. A short time later there was a knock on the door and Jo and Mac came in. They visited for a short time before Stella spoke up, "Jo, Russ and I would be honored if you and Mac would be Elaine's godparents."

Jo who was in shock when she heard the announcement but came out of it quickly and said, "Stella, Russ... Mac and I are honored you asked us to be godparents to this sweet little girl, yes! Of course we will accept."

Stella and Russ both smiled they knew it was the least they could do after Mac and Jo had asked them along with Danny and Lindsay to be their daughter, Whitney's godparents. Jo immediately held her arms out and Russ relinquished his daughter briefly. As Mac stroked the downy cheek of his goddaughter Jo began cooing at baby Elaine, "Why hello there sweetpea, you are just gorgeous, aren't you? Yes you are!"

Now for Stella; it was slightly hard to believe that ten years had flown by so fast, for the most part there were no bumps in the road. The only time they encountered a problem was shortly after they had returned from their romantic honeymoon in Antigua and Russ was starting out at the FBI field office in New Orleans, they decided that they would meet up for lunch at least once a week. It began during one visit when he began receiving unwanted attention by the receptionist, Chantelle, who worked at the crime lab.

Every time he was there Chantelle made multiple attempts to seduce him. He had been warning Chantelle, because he knew the consequences that would happen if he didn't, but Chantelle didn't seem to get the picture. One day he had had enough and he managed to set it up to have Stella walk in on her and it worked. Stella had caught her in the act of trying to make a move on him and kiss him and Stella not only reported Chantelle to her supervisor but also put in a recommendation to be reprimanded severely. Russ learned later the receptionist was fired because of her history of flirting with married men who were not interested and had been warned many times before.

When he got home he noted the house was quiet, he remembered Lanie had gone to stay with Jo and Mac for two weeks and spend time with her family in New York before school started at the end of August, which was good because tonight was a special night and he did not want to be disturbed; tonight was his and Stella's tenth wedding anniversary.

He noticed that it was a little too quiet and he noticed a slither of light coming from the master bedroom. With a bouquet in one hand and a special gift in the other he headed towards their room. When he reached it he noted soft music playing, as he pushed the door open he noted the ambiance and the way the room was decorated; then he saw Stella lying on her side in bed and he felt his heart speed up as his lungs constrict. Stella was in lingerie that left almost nothing to the imagination. Suddenly she got up and sauntered her way over to him. Once she had placed her hands on his smooth face she pulled him for a big kiss in which he deepened.

When they came up for air he whispered to her, "Happy anniversary Stella mou, I got these for you."

Stella took the time to smell the roses and then she saw him produce a blue box and opened it in. Sitting there was a ring she knew would signify their ten years together. With a big cheesy grin on his face he began, "Stella twelve years ago we met and started dating not long after and then ten and half years ago you agreed to marry me and then August that same year we became husband and wife, nearly two years later Elaine entered our lives. You have fulfilled my life in more ways than one and I love you so much and hope that we can have many more years of happiness together."

With a salacious grin on her face, Stella pulled Russ down for another kiss and it was a brief time later and they were celebrating their devotion for each other by making beautiful love deep into the night.

A/N 2: Thanks for reading the final chapter of "Unlikely Match". Reviews are appreciated and I may have another Stella/Russ story in the works.