Disclaimer: I am not connected in any way with the creators of any of the CSI shows. (I wish I was though, so Danny and Lindsay would get together already.) These are just my mind's version of the events that transpire on the show.


After Stella reentered the break room, she grabbed a cup from the counter and tried to look like she'd been there the entire time. She hoped that people would attribute the flags of color on her cheeks to the excitement of welcoming the new year. She casually glanced around and saw Jordan and Lindsay looking at her suspiciously, and she quickly averted her eyes.

Shortly after she returned, she noticed Mac trying to look casual as he came in. Only she saw the slight confusion under his impassive exterior. Or so she thought.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Danny and Flack had also noticed Mac's reappearance. Almost at the same time, their eyes narrowed in thought and they turned to look at each other with raised brows.

Stella groaned inwardly. Damn. No doubt, the two would talk to Lindsay and Jordan about it and in no time, the girls would figure it out. For the first time in her life, Stella cursed the fact that women were too intuitive. She still wasn't sure about what she and Mac were doing and she didn't want the lab to figure it out before they did.

Stella took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. She had to laugh at how frazzled she was. Get a grip, Bonasera, she told herself firmly. This isn't the first time a guy grabbed you to sneak a kiss. Then again, this is the first time that the guy you've been mooning over for the past few years grabbed you to sneak a kiss.

A bubble of hilarious laughter was building up inside her and she tried to suppress it. She looked around to look for the third pair in the group and was greatly relieved to find Hawkes and Cassie distracted in the corner.

She saw Mac looking at the pair with raised brows and she quickly went up to him.

A jolt went through her as she placed her hand gently on his arm. "Let them be, Mac. Cassie's just tired." Mac looked away from Hawkes and Cassie and shifted his gaze to Stella. He felt himself suddenly forgetting what it was he was thinking as he momentarily let himself drown in her intense green eyes.

Despite his best intentions, his face softened imperceptibly. Only Stella would be able to make me forget what I'm thinking, he mused ruefully. He tried to redirect his thoughts to the matter at hand. He brought his gaze back to Hawkes and Cassie and said, "Maybe Hawkes should just take her home so she can get some sleep."

He saw Stella swallow and she said, "I'll talk to him." She quickly dropped her hand from his arm and approached Hawkes and Cassie. As she walked away, Mac felt half-relieved that he now had a chance to bring himself under control and half-longed to pull her back and tell her not to go anywhere.

He watched as Hawkes gently pulled Cassie to the door and waved his goodbye to the two members of his team. To his disappointment, Stella did not return to his side, but instead, she started chatting with two of the lab technicians.

Mac settled in the corner and looked around the lab with an unreadable smile pasted on his face. Every so often, his gaze would return to Stella and he hungrily drank in the way her eyes sparkled with life, the proudly vibrant toss of her head, the generous curving of her mouth as she smiled.

It's been years since Mac has felt like this about a woman. And it only seemed right that he felt like this about Stella Bonasera, the woman who had been his friend and his rock.

As though she felt his eyes on her, Stella looked up and found herself the object of Mac Taylor's steady gaze.

She desperately willed herself not to blush as one of the lab techs asked her, "Stella, are you okay? You look a little flushed."

So much for not blushing, Stella thought wryly to herself. She smiled a bit too widely and said, "Yeah, I'm fine." She quickly excused herself from the group and headed to get herself another drink.

She almost went giddy with relief when Mac announced regretfully that the party was over and that everyone who was on shift should get back to work and those who weren't should head home because they were on duty tomorrow.

The on-duty staff quickly filed out of the break room and went back to their work stations. Out of the members of the team, Flack and Jordan were the first to say goodnight, walking out the door with their arms linked.

Pretty soon, Danny and Lindsay followed. Before they left, Lindsay gave Stella a hug and a stern reminder that they were having lunch together the next day. Stella had to fight the urge to bury her head in her hands as a sign of defeat.

She smiled at Lindsay and said sure, but inside, her mind was racing and she wondered what she was going to tell Lindsay when the inevitable question of where she had been around midnight would be asked.

And that's not even the difficult question, Stella thought sardonically.

Marty and Adam left soon after Danny and Lindsay and before Stella knew it only she and Mac were left alone in the break room.

Stella glanced hesitantly at him. His face was still molded in a passive expression. Stella had always prided herself on being the member of the team who knew Mac the best, but at that moment, she couldn't tell what he was thinking if her life depended on it.

For most of her adult life, Stella had always been a very confident woman, even around men. She knew that she was smart and attractive and she had always been able to hold her own around guys. But Mac was different. She knew that with Mac, there would be no dancing around and flirting, no will he or won't he dilemmas. The fire between them had been there for too long and there was no way to ignore it now.

If she was totally honest with herself, Stella would say that this is the first time in her life that she had been unsure. She didn't know how this was supposed to work. Hell, she didn't even know what "this" is.

So instead, she forced an overly bright smile on her face and jerked her thumb at the door. "So, I guess I'll be heading home."

She spun around quickly and started to walk to the door. Before she could take a step however, she heard Mac say, "Stella, wait."

She paused and turned around slowly. She took a deep breath to brace herself before looking at him. "Yes?" she asked expectantly.

She didn't expect him to walk over to her. She was even more surprised when he put his hand under her chin to tip her face up so that she could meet his gaze.

"What's wrong, Stella?" he asked, his eyes darkening in concern.

Stella shook her head and stubbornly insisted, "Nothing. What could be wrong?"

Mac raised one eyebrow skeptically. "Stella, we've been friends for too long and I know you better than that."

Stella sighed in resignation. "Okay, fine. Something is wrong. But I don't know what is, okay?" She glared at him, "Happy?"

Mac couldn't help but laugh at the disgruntled expression on her face. "You wouldn't by chance be worried about being interrogated by Lindsay and Jordan, would you?"

If anything, the scowl on her face deepened and she grumbled, "You know me too well, Taylor."

Mac was still smiling, but he understood that this really was a big thing. "What do you want to do?" he asked mildly.

Stella shrugged. "I don't know. I really don't. My plan was to be evasive."

Mac asked gently, "Why?"

Stella's eyes flashed, "Because! Mac, I don't even know what's going on. I don't think you do, either."

She stormed past him and exited the room.


I know I promised fluff, but I think it's time for a little conflict. Thanks to a reviewer, I'm going to try and inject a few twists in the story. I don't know what I can come up with, though. The reviewer suggested conflict with the girls' parents in Montana, so, I'll try to see what I can think of on that end. However, an impending proposal will keep the DL at a high fluff level. Any suggestions for conflicts for Hawkes/Cassie and Flack/Jordan will be highly appreciated and acknowledged in the upcoming chapters. :D

Please review:D