Awwww, I love you guys :-) You are really great, thanks SO much! You make this story really a lot of fun to post. Um, okay - after the little fluff in the last chapter... I hope you don't hate me for this, but never forget the intro of the story (don't say I didn't warn you...). Me and my urge to stay true to the characters... #tssss# - so we have Mac's hesitation and Stella's temper...

Hope you still like it - I promise it's gonna be some real fun in it soon ;-)

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Chapter 10 – The Morning After

The next morning, Stella entered the locker room, finding Mac alone in there. He was just changing his shirt when she approached him.

"Hey Mac!" she cheerfully greeted him and was just about to give him a little hug. Not that she had ever done that before, at least not just to say hello in the morning. But after last night she felt just like doing something to show him how much she liked it.

"Stella! Don't… Please," he anxiously looked over her shoulder to check the door while he repelled her approach with his left arm.

Stella was so shocked by his behavior that she wasn't even able to immediately react. She pressed her lips together and slowly went over to her locker.

"I finally get it," she snapped after a moment of silence.

"Get what?" he asked confused, still having an eye on the door.

"Why you shield yourself from emotions, from any kind of personal contact."

"I don't shield myself, Stella… I just didn't want to… " Mac tried to return, but Stella wasn't in the mood for a conversation.

"Yes you do!" she interrupted him. "And it's a smart thing to do. By not allowing anyone into your heart you avoid getting hurt."

Mac took a deep breath and let it out again.

"You're wrong Stella, very wrong," he helplessly tried to object.

Stella gave a small sarcastic chuckle. She heard him speak but she wasn't listening to what he was saying. She closed her eyes trying to keep some sort of control. It wouldn't help to yell at him and she certainly wouldn't start crying now.

Mac watched her standing in front of her locker, her back turned towards him. He realized she was shivering a little. His stomach clenched at this sight, the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her. He quietly approached her until he was standing by her side and wiped away a tear on her cheek with his thumb.

"Through all the years that I've known you I never saw you get emotionally attached to anyone after Claire, therefore I never saw you get hurt," she reproachfully continued as she turned away from his touch.

"So I take it, it must be working. Maybe I should follow your example. Don't care about other people's feelings and don't let anyone get close and you won't have to worry, right?"

"After all these years you HAVE to know how much you mean to me," he tried to defend himself.

She quickly turned to throw him an icy glare.

"Yeah. You just showed me…"

Her words were full of sarcasm and they hurt. But he knew that he deserved it. Her eyes were cast down.

"Please, look at me," he asked pleadingly.

Stella slowly looked up for a short moment, her eyes expressing hurt and disappointment. Then she turned around and left without saying another word.

Mac pressed his lips together and tried to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat. His heart dropped, he didn't even look up when she left. Unable to speak, unable to jump up and tell her how wrong she was, to tell her what he really wanted to tell her.

Sadness overcame him, fear that he might have ruined everything that ever was between them. He was furious with himself.

Why couldn't I work up the damn courage when I had the chance?

He felt a single tear slowly rolling down his cheek.

Damn it! Why did things suddenly become so complicated? We never had a problem talking to each other about anything… Why now? Yesterday was such a nice evening, we've been so close…

TBC

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#sighs# Yeah... I know. Evil ;-) But realistic, hum? Okay guys - you think you can manage to crack the 100 reviews with this chapter? Geez, scary... If you do - I promise to update already tomorrow, so it's your turn now #ggg#

xxxlittlesheepxxx