Chapter 4: Chasing Cars
"We'll do it all
Everything
On our own
We don't need
Anything
Or anyone
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Will you lie with me and just forget the world?"
"Morning, Stella," Lindsay says cheerfully as she enters the lab where Stella is processing trace evidence.
"Hi, Linds."
"You have a good weekend with Mac?"
"Yes."
"That's it? No detail of what you did?" Lindsay asks.
"Nope."
"What did we interrupt Friday night?"
Stella looks up. "We were just…," her mind goes blank.
"In bed together?" she says knowingly. "You two are together?"
"Maybe."
"Ah, you spent all weekend in bed with him."
"No," Stella tries to defend herself but gives up. "Alright, maybe we were in bed together that night. Just, please, don't tell anyone."
"I'm not going to tell."
"If anything gets out, I'm going to blame you."
"So, was it good?"
"Lindsay!" Stella says sternly.
"Okay, okay, I was just wondering."
"Wonderful," Stella whispers quietly.
Lindsay smiles, "Of course it would be."
"What's with you and Danny?"
"We're friends."
"You want me to believe that?"
"I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel
Those three words
Are said too much
They're not enough
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?"
"How was your first day back?" Mac asks, walking behind her.
"I was only gone for one day," Stella turns around in her computer chair.
"Is there a reason why Lindsay came up and congratulated me today?"
She smiles sheepishly, "I told her we're… together."
"And surprisingly the whole lab doesn't know yet. Then again, Lindsay is not like the guys."
"So where are you taking me for dinner?"
"Who said anything about dinner?" he chuckles at her ability to read him so well.
"You did, Taylor," she stands up and grabs her coat, winter in full force.
"Funny, I don't remember asking. Would you care to join me for dinner, Detective?" he takes her hand.
"Of course I will, Mac," she kisses his cheek.
"Stel," he warns.
"Who cares if they find out? They will eventually."
"It doesn't mean they have to know now."
"I can guarantee the whole lab will know by the end of the week."
"Are you trying to steal more of my money, Stella?"
"Of course not, Detective. Now, let's go; I'm starving."
"Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around out heads"
Mac watches Stella while he lays on her bed. He stares as she takes off her jewelry.
She looks over at him. "Mac, your mother taught you everything that makes you so perfect, yet she must not have told you how impolite it is to stare."
"Oh, she did. But after ten years of staring at evidence, I acquired the habit again. Plus, I had you working next to me," he smiles.
"You're such a flatterer," she rolls her eyes.
"My mother taught me that too."
"Of course she did," Stella sits beside him.
He pats beside him. "Lay with me, Stel?"
She ignores his request. "Are there times when you want something so bad, but you know you can't have it?"
"Yes," he pulls her gently onto the bed and to him.
"I've felt that way my whole life. First, as a kid, I always wanted parents, a family. Then I wanted you, but you and Claire were engaged. After the towers fell was my chance, but I didn't take it for five years."
"All those night you came to my office after we closed a case to say goodbye. You were all dressed up, and I wanted it to be fore me. But it was for man who ended up trying to kill you."
"This is the only time I've felt safe since then."
"I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Will you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life"
"What're the three things you're most afraid of, Stella?" Mac asks, wrapping an arm around her.
She puts her head on his chest, "Something happening to you, spiders, and someone I trust trying to hurt me. What about you?"
"Having another love die, losing my best friend, and my Stella getting hurt again."
"They're all about me."
"Yes. All that matters to me is you."
"I love you too, Mac. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get to sleep," Stella pokes him in the chest.
"Are you kicking me out?" he jokes.
"No, you're a good pillow. Stay if you want."
"So all I get to do is lay here?"
"No, you can sleep too."
"Oh, alright, if you insist."
"Like you don't want to?"
Mac doesn't reply, just listens to her breathing slow until he's sure she's asleep. Carefully he slides out from under her to change into more comfortable clothes for sleeping. As he puts a t-shirt on, Stella opens her eyes. "Why don't you get under the covers, sleeping beauty?"
Stella smiles, cuddling up to him as he lies back down. "I would have moved if you asked."
"I know, but you look so peaceful sleeping."
"All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see
I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all"
Stella's alarm breaks the silence. Mac turns it off, surprised Stella didn't move yet. He yawns and rubs his eyes. "Stella?" No answer. He looks at her a second before poking her stomach.
She giggles, "Hey."
"Good morning to you too, Stella," he leans down to kiss her cheek.
"I don't want to get up."
"Obviously you're not a morning person."
"How observant you are, Taylor, after five mornings together," she teases.
"Shut up."
"I'm hungry."
"You don't listen, do you?"
She grins, "Nope."
"Why don't you get ready while I make breakfast?" Mac suggests.
"I'm in the mood for French toast," Stella says, shutting the bathroom door.
"Finally, a good mood instead of angry at everyone. And of course you had to be difficult," he calls.
"You'd better watch yourself, Mac."
CSI: NY
Mac and Stella climb out of the elevator later that morning, heading into the lab.
"Going to the Christmas party?" Mac asks, touching her back.
"Don't know. Why?" she walks into the locker room and puts her stuff in her locker.
"Well, I was thinking we could go together."
She pauses from putting her badge on her belt, "Uh… sure. I'll go with you, Mac."
"You and Lindsay can go this weekend to find dresses together. Come on, we should get out there." Before exiting, he kisses her quickly. They walk into his office together to get their cases for the morning.
"Here, you get started on… Stel?" he stops, noticing her lack of attention.
"What in the world…?" Stella mutters.
"If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?"
A/N: Snow Patrol. What is it? Fun day: my brother broke a bone in his elbow. And my dance teacher was not there today. And yesterday I had to go to some wedding reception. I must get to work studying for midterms. But that won't happen until Monday. Good thing today was while my dad was with my brother at soccer and my mom was with the other one getting a cast on, I typed about two chapters. Only five and a half to go. And I've got almost half of my next story written; it's only a short, one chapter, songfic thing. And I just came up with an idea for a sequel with another song while listening to the somewhat illegally downloaded songs on my iPod yesterday. Can't remember it now. I think my mom knows I write. She keeps walking in on me while I'm in my room, and I've got my notebook next to me, opened with my handwriting in it, nothing like school stuff, and song lyrics next to me. The whole fanfic writing though, I don't think she knows it's about Mac and Stella or on the internet. Hopefully it'll stay that way for a while. Unless she sneaks in my room and reads it while I'm at school or goes through my files on the computer. Don't think she does though. Oh, and CSI Valentine is getting started. Tell me if you want the website address to sign up and I'll send it to you. I'll update Monday or Tuesday. Thanks.