Huge apologies to you all for not updating quicker. I've just started university, so my fanfic writing time has quickly and heartbreakingly deminished :( I hope this will satisfy your needs untilI find time for season 6. Thank you all for your amazing reviews aswell. They make a homesick girl vair happy :)

"Hey, Mac?" Stella asked, leaning against the door frame to her boss' office, "You okay for 7ish?"

He looked up from his mountain of paperwork, "7 sounds good. Want me to bring anything?"

"Nope, its all sorted"

A glimmer of…something flashed across her eyes. He wasn't sure what exactly it was, but he wasn't so sure he liked it. He decided he'd go around to hers a bit earlier, just in case.

She disappeared back through the door and away.

XXX

Stella Bonasera was… a wreck. Her nerves were fraught and her stocked cupboards and fridge were bearing nothing acceptable for dinner. Anatoli was due in less than 3 hours, Mac in two, and alls she had prepared was a bottle of wine in the fridge.

This was a big meal. She was supposed to be cooking for her grandfather. Her family. Someone completely new. She couldn't just serve up take out and pass it off as her own like she probably would have done had it been Danny or Aiden coming. Could she cook something Greek? But Anatoli was Greek, so maybe he would have wanted something different. Maybe he didn't…

A knock at her door momentarily broke her from her panic. She checked the clock on her way just in case, and swung the door open. She breathed a sigh of relief seeing Mac on the step. "Oh thank god"

"Happy to see me?"

"More than I have ever been in my life" She said, pulling him into the room

"I knew something was up"

Stella gave a look of confusion

"In my office, I knew you weren't as confident as you usually were, that's why I'm here early" he smiled, undoing the buttons to his blazer jacket. "So, what's up?"

"I don't know what to do" she moaned, her shoulders slumping, "I don't know what to make for dinner"

"What do you mean you 'don't know what to make'?"

Stella explained her dilemma about whether to make Greek, her speciality, or something else.

Mac pulled her down on the sofa. "Stella, sure he may have had Greek before, in fact I'd put money onto it, but he hasn't had your Greek. You're his granddaughter, Stella, you've never made him anything before, so anything you make tonight, will be the best meal he's ever eaten, believe me. So, what was that meal you made for me just after Claire died?"

"Moussaka?"

"Yes, make him your special Moussaka, and have a glass of wine now to calm yourself down"

"How is it I've been staring into my kitchen for the last hour and found nothing, and you come in and knock up something perfectly plausible in a matter of minutes?"

"I was a Marine, Stella"

"Yeah, sure, that's it" she sassed, standing up and going back to the kitchen "You want a glass of wine too?"

"Sure"

XXX

"Mac, Danny messed up, he knows he messed up. He looks up to you, he cares about what you think. You just got to cut him some slack" Stella advised, leaning back on her chair and resting her glass on her chest.

"I know I do, and I know he regrets what's happened between us, but its just not that easy. I went out on a limb hiring him, and now I'm getting flack for it. He needs to understand that"

"He does, Mac, believe me, he does" She continued. Her attention was broken by knocking to her front door. Stella took a deep breath, rising from her seat.

Mac stood, taking his jacket from the back of the seat and slipping back into it. He cleared away the glasses and did up the buttons, standing to attention for Stella's grandfather.

He watched as she hugged the elderly gentleman, then gestured to the apartment. Although Mac couldn't hear what was being said, he recognised his cue for entrance.

"Anatoli, this is Mac Taylor"

"Sir" Mac smiled, walking forwards and shaking his hand

"Please, its Anatoli. Stella talks very highly of you, son"

"Well, it's returned" Mac said, smiling at Stella's blush as she disappeared into the kitchen

"I've never had the opportunity of embarrassing my granddaughter by gushing about her" Anatoli grinned, leaning into Mac, "How'm I doing?"

"You're a natural, sir" Mac chuckled, recognising Stella's sense of humor.

Stella returned, carrying three glasses of wine. She handed them off and nearly spilled hers as she realised she hadn't taken Anatoli's thick winter jacket. She quickly put her glass on the table and tried to take his coat from him, but he stopped her and just asked for the direction of the coat hooks. When her grandfather was out of earshot, Mac rubbed a hand up her arm and told her to calm down. He'd never seen her like this before. She was always the strong one, telling Mac to relax, it felt different on this side of the emotions. And he didn't much like seeing Stella so uneasy.

Anatoli hobbled back to the waiting couple, his walk showing a back complaint that Stella had picked up on on their first encounter. "So, what are we eating?"

"I didn't know what to make, or what you liked, so I went with my speciality: Mousakka"

"Excellent" he smiled genuinely

Mac watched as Stella visibly relaxed slightly.

"Great! It'll be ready any minute. Why don't you two go and sit down at the table, and I'll bring it in?"

Mac showed Anatoli the way to the already prepared table. Regardless of the last 4 hours he'd spent in the house, he already knew the layout from after-work drinks and post-9/11 talks. Those hard months after Claire's death, he swore he'd spent more time in Stella's home than he had his own.

Mac and Anatoli sat down around the table Mac had only vacated moments ago. Stella appeared soon after with a huge dish of Moussaka, placing it in the middle of the table.

The chef was given commendations from her guests as she dished out the steaming course.

After a couple of mouthfuls, Anatoli just had to ask, "Did the…home teach you cook like this?"

"No, actually. They didn't teach me anything about my heritage. This is all home grown" She smiled. "I taught myself to speak both Greek and Italian, and how to cook dishes from each culture"

Anatoli's eyes widened with pride, and sadness "I'm sorry you had to do that alone"

"Don't be. Be thankful I wasn't forcing you to eat my food at the beginning of my learning curve" she chuckled. She didn't want Anatoli apologising or feeling any worse about what had happened to her. Stella had realised a long time ago that regret and anger with hindsight didn't make much of a difference.

As Stella left the table, clearing dishes and retrieving the dessert of Tiramisu, Mac eyed Anatoli suspiciously. "You know, when Stella told me of you, of what had happened, I admit I was cautious. She tries to brush it off, but I know that her childhood is still a touchy subject, and I didn't want her to get hurt. So I did a little digging. A little research."

"I understand, son. I have been on the right side of the law all my life. Not even a speeding ticket"

"I know" Mac smiled "But, well, I went deeper. You're on health benefits. The kind that is associated with-"

"Cancer"

"…How long?"

"Three months" Anatoli said with a nod.

"Have you told-"

"No. And I don't want you to either. That is on me"