A/N: This is it! Hope you all enjoyed it, and thanks to everyone who read and reviewed!

"What's this?" Stella asked when Mac dropped an envelope on her desk.

"Your invitation."

She glanced up at him with a smirk. "Haven't we had this conversation before?"

"We have. Except that this time it isn't a masked ball we're being invited to."

"Oh?" Stella raised an eyebrow. "What is it then?"

Mac shrugged as he headed for the door. "Open it. And Stella? Your attendance isn't required this time, but I really think you should go."

She watched him go, a nervous excitement building in her stomach. Reaching out, she picked the envelope up and slowly opened it. Inside was a card, telling her that she was "cordially invited" to Sophia Flack's princess birthday party. Stella couldn't help but smile at that as she took in the fairy princesses all over the front of the invitation. When she opened the card, a piece of paper fell out, and she stared at it for a moment before unfolding it.

Stella –

Please come.

- Don

Her smile broadened at the simplicity of it. She wasn't one for flowery speeches and pretty words – for her, it was just enough that he wanted her there. Glancing down at the date, she immediately put it down on her calendar. Whatever her fears might be, she finally realized that she wasn't willing to pass this up.

"What's that?" Lindsay asked, coming into the office.

"My invitation to Sophia's party. I'm sure it looks just like yours."

The other woman snatched the invitation out of Stella's hands and looked it over. "We didn't get invitations – Mac just told us where to be and when. You got an invitation?"

Stella nodded slowly. "Yeah, and…

"And what?"

She smiled shyly. "A note."

Lindsay's face lit up. "From Don? What did it say?"

"Please come."

Lindsay sighed happily. "Really?"

"Yes." She ran her hands over her face. "God, I'm blushing like a teenager."

"No, you're blushing like a smitten woman. And there is nothing wrong with that." She paused. "We're not gonna have to twist your arm to go this time, right?"

Stella shook her head. "No. I'm definitely going this time."

"And you'll tell him? Who you are?"

"I want to."

"Then do it!"

Stella sighed. "You make it sound so easy."

"That's because it is. You say, 'Hey, remember that really hot chick you danced with and fell head over heels in love with? Yeah, that was me.' See? Easy."

She laughed. "I'm going to try for something a little more eloquent."

Lindsay shrugged. "Whatever. Just do it."

"I will," Stella promise. "I will."

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"Miss Stella!"

The C.S.I. turned to see little Sophia Flack running towards her in a pink dress and fairy wings. She leaped into Stella's arms and hugged her tightly, smiling and waving at the rest of the team as they came in.

"You came!"

Stella smiled. "Of course we came. You look very pretty in your dress."

Sophia's smile faded just a bit. "But you don't have a costume!"

"We didn't know it was a costume party."

The little girl thought for a moment. "I have a tiara you could wear. But I think my Uncle Don wants to talk to you."

"I'm sure he does," Lindsay murmured.

Stella glared at her and then smiled at Sophia. "You go have fun and I'll come see you in a little bit, okay?"

Sophia nodded and ran back over to her friends. Stella turned to the rest of her team, but they were already moving away towards the tables.

"Tell him!" Lindsay whispered as she walked by.

Stella looked up to see Don walking towards her, dressed down in a pair of jeans and a blue long-sleeved shirt. His eyes sparkled, and she found herself grinning at him.

"Hey."

"Hi," she replied. "Thank you for inviting us."

"I guess we're trying to say thank you." He glanced over at his niece. "You saved her life."

She followed his gaze. "How's your brother handling everything?" she asked, nodding at the man sitting next to Sophia.

Don smiled. "He hasn't left her side since he got back. He's still mad at himself for not being here when it happened, and he feels guilty that it was Justin, but –"

"That wasn't your fault," Stella said firmly. "You made a mistake when you were kids, but nothing justifies what he did."

"I know," he said quietly.

They stood there for a moment, neither sure of what to say next. Stella clasped her hands in front of her, trying to keep them from shaking.

"I got your note," she finally said, cursing the blush that she felt creeping onto her cheeks.

Don smiled. "Good. I'm really glad you came." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually…I was wondering if maybe…you'd like to dance."

"What?"

He shrugged. "It's cheesy Disney princess music, but –"

Stella reached out and rested her hand on his arm. "I'd love to," she said.

He let out a sigh of relief and gently took her hand in his. Stella knew that the others were watching them, but for once she didn't care. As soon as Don pulled her into his arms she was lost again, memories of their first dance flooding back to her. Letting her hand rest on the back of his neck, she moved with him to the music, her eyes locked with his.

They continued to dance, oblivious of the music as one song ended and another began. Stella's skin was warm where his hand rested in the small of her back, and her mind was racing as she tried to figure out how to tell him who she was.

"Do you hate me, Stell?"

Her eyes locked with his as she looked at him in confusion. "What? Of course not."

"Do you dislike me at all?"

"No, Don…I actually…I like you quite a lot."

He swallowed hard, moving just a little closer to her. "Then why didn't you tell me? That it was you I danced with that night?"

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him. "How did you find out?" she whispered.

Don gave her a small smile. "I saw the mask in your drawer." She blushed, and he set his hand under her chin, bringing her eyes back to his. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked again.

"I was scared," she admitted.

"Of what?"

"This. Us. What might happen. I was afraid…that it wasn't real. That I would get my hopes up and everything would come crashing down."

He brought his face up to hers. "This is real, Stell. Whatever this is between us, it's real. And I don't wanna let it go."

"Neither do I," she whispered.

"Have dinner with me tonight," he murmured.

"Yes."

"And tomorrow night."

"Yes."

"And the night after that."

"Yes –"

He pressed his lips to hers, cutting her off. Stella's eyes fluttered shut as they stopped moving, one of Don's hands coming up to cradle her head. The kiss was slow and gentle, and it made her head spin – it was everything she had been afraid of, and everything she wanted. Silencing the voice of doubt in her head, she sighed and kissed him back, letting herself sink into him.

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"Is Miss Stella a princess?" Sophia asked as she sat next to Lindsay and watched the pair kiss.

The C.S.I. smiled. "Yes, she is."

"So Uncle Don is her Prince?"

"Yep."

"Then what happens now?"

Lindsay turned to look at her friend, still locked in an embrace with Don. Her smile widening, she turned back to Sophia.

"They get to live happily ever after, of course.".