I don't own CSI:NY. Probably a good thing.

Stella was not awake. The late December cold and snow weren't providing any early morning energy, either. Sighing, she threw her coat on her desk and began her mission to find coffee. She was about three steps into that journey when Linday blocks her path.

"Um...Stella? Can I ask you a question?"

Stella smiles. "Sure. What's on your mind? If it's the new girl detail Mac's got you on, don't worry. It's a tradition in the lab. Mine involved intestines, in places...well, places you really don't want to think about intestines."

"No! No! Actually, well, this is a bit embarrassing, but...I'm a bit homesick. This is my first Christmas away from my family."

Pain flits across Stella's features for a brief second, as she places her hand on Lindsay's shoulder. "I'm sure it's hard. New York can be overwhelming the first couple of months."

"Yeah, yeah it is. So, I started to think that maybe I could make it a little less impersonal starting with work." Lindsay hands her a card. "I realized the other day that no one besides me had been in my apartment, so I figured I could invite you all for a pre-Christmas get-together. Nothing big, I'd cook a dinner and we could spend sometime together, away from death and crime."

"Sounds like fun. Let me know if you need any help. With our crazy schedules, cooking is my one luxury. So, who's 'we'?"

"Oh, Flack, Hawkes, and Messer," Stella's eyebrows shot up with the last name. "I need your help with the last person."

"Who?"

"Uh...Mac. I was talking to Messer and he said that Mac never comes to things like this, but if I wanted to get him to come, I should get you to ask."

Stella smirks. "I wouldn't say that. I'd say my odds of getting Mac to do anything social, at best, are 50/50. But sure, I'll ask him."

Lindsay beams. "Thanks! I've gotta go. Messer's alone with the evidence, and I need to make sure he doesn't mess anything up."

Stella smiled and shook her head at the retreating figure. After accomplishing her quest for coffee, she headed toward Mac's office and found him there, frowning at a stack of papers. "Hey," she said quietly, handing him a cup of coffee.

"Thanks. Sometimes, I think I should demote myself and promote you, so you could handle all this damn paperwork."

"Not gonna happen. Not with as many red marks as there are in my personnel record."

"What good are you to me, then?"

"I brought you coffee. What more do you want?"

"This," he said, gesturing to the papers, "to be done."

She wiggles her nose. "Damn, my magical powers aren't working today." She grins as he looks up her, amused. "So, how's the new girl?"

"She's bit green, but she has great instincts. She'll be on the promotion chart in no time." He gets up to grab a manila file. "Besides, a rookie means less time for me to be picking through dumpsters."

She laughed. "Well, Lindsay's having a little Christmas get together, and she would like you to come."

He froze. "Stella..."

She plowed ahead. "I know you don't like being social, Mac. But it's going to be a small group: Don, Sheldon, Danny, Lindsay, you and me." She moves toward him, and places a hand on his upper arm. "I know it's a rough time for you. Claire always loved Christmas."

"Stel--"

Not thinking, she placed her index finger over his lips. "Mac Taylor. The poor girl moved out here from Montana, from everything she knows. She's homesick, overwhelmed and reaching out. The least you can do is show up, eat some food, and make her day." She drops her hand to his arm. "Now, what are you doing on Saturday?"

"I'm going to Lindsay's, to eat some food and make her day."

She gives his arm a pat. "Good. Now I have to get started on some paperwork of my own." She exits, catches Lindsay's eye and winks.

"So, Montana, you got them to come?" Danny asks.

She sighs. "You know, my name is Lindsay. I've only told you what? A thousand times since I've met you? And yes, I got them to go. Do you doubt my skills? All I had to do was say 'homesick.'"

"Excellent."

"Now, can I ask why you are so interested in the two of them?"

"You weren't here right after his wife died. He wouldn't leave the office for days at a time, and Stella, she was goin' nuts worrying about him. Beggin' him to eat, to leave, to mourn. But he'd just sit in there, doin' paperwork and when he thought no one was looking, starin' a picture of Claire and then at the skyline. It was really hard on all of us, but most especially Stella. She'd beg and beg, maybe gettin' him to eat a few bites here and there, maybe to take a shower in the locker room and change clothes, but never gettin' him to leave. Finally, one night, I was headed to the locker room and heard this -- this -- I don' know how to describe it, but it was the most horrible, heartbreaking sound. It wasn't loud, it was just -- devastating. Mac, Mac had finally lost it. He was on the floor, his head cradled in Stella's lap, just shakin' and sobbin'. She's jus' holdin' on to him, runnin' her hand back and forth, tears streamin' down her face. I left before either of them could see me. It was too private -- a moment for just them." He runs his hand through his hair. "They both have been through so much, they deserve some happiness."

She is visibly shaken, but hides it behind sarcasm. "Wow, Messer, that was deep."

"Yeah, well, I'm full of surprises." He puts his arm around her shoulder and whispers in her ear. "So, you got the most important part?"

She rolls her eyes and shoves his arm off. "Yes, I got it."

Mac and Stella ran into each other in the foyer of Lindsay's apartment building. "Hey," she smiles. "I'm glad you showed up."

He smiles at her, placing a hand on the small of her back to guide her to the elevator. "Well, someone was very persuasive."

"Well, I'll have to meet this 'someone' so they can teach me the tricks of persuading Mac Taylor." she says, as the elevator doors open and the step in. "But seriously Mac, how are you doing?"

He turns toward her. "Every year, I think it will get easier, and every year, I'm wrong."

"Mac," she starts to reach out to touch him, but the elevator doors open.

His hand finds its way again to the small of her back. "Well," he grits. "On to the holiday cheer!"

The two walk to the apartment and knock. "Oh hi!" Lindsay answers. "Everyone else is here! I have to apologize, I don't have much room here, so we're going to have to eat um...on the floor. Here, let me take your coats! Would you like something to drink?"

They stepped in and shrugged off their coats. "I'd love some wine, if you have some." Stella said.

"Yes! Um...Sheldon brought some. And you Mac, what would you like?"

"A beer."

"Sure! Have a seat -- somewhere. Hey, Sheldon, would you help me open the wine?"

"No problem." The two made their way to Lindsay's kitchen.

"Hey Montana!" Danny calls out.

She rolls her eyes. "You know Messer, I'm starting to worry about your mental abilities if you can't remember a simple fact like my name is Lindsay."

"Well, Lindsay, you and Hawkes are under the mistletoe! You know what that means!"

Lindsay blushes bright red. Hawkes leans down and kisses her cheek.

"Nope," Flack chimes in. "Doesn't count if you don't kiss on the lips."

"What? Is this some kind of New York rule?"

"Just because you don't do it in Montana..."

"Fine." She pulls Hawkes' face down and gives him a peck on the lips. "You happy, Messer?"

"Gee, you really make a guy feel loved." Hawkes retorts.

Unable to think of a reply, she's saved by the sound of the oven's buzzer. "The food's done!"

Lindsay brings out the dishes of beef, potatoes, carrots and salad. Everyone helps themselves, and settles in to eat. The course of the conversation turns to Christmas traditions and family memories. Mac moves closer to Stella, so that their arms touch, knowing that she would not have stories to join in the conversation. She looks at him, flashing him a grateful smile.

"...and then, this wonderful watch, which I had begged my dad for six months, well, a cow ate it. I ran to my dad, in tears. 'Daddy! The cow ate my watch!' He just looks at me and says, 'Linds, you'll just have to wait for it to come out the other end.'"

"So, you're used to digging through crap, Montana?"

She wads up her napkin and throws it at him. "Lindsay!"

Flack checks his watch. "I hate to break up this little shindig, but I have to go."

"What?" Danny asks. "You got a hot date?"

"Actually, I'm gonna meet Aiden for a few drinks. Don't wait up for me, mom."

Stella smiles. "Don! Tell her that we all say hi."

"Will do. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Hawkes stands up. "Me too. I better get going, I have a long trip to visit my family tomorrow."

"So, Stella," Mac says as he stands up, after the two men left. "Why don't we be good guests and help clean up a bit?" The two gather up a few plates, as Lindsay grabs the rest. Lindsay disappears into the kitchen, and Mac and Stella head that way.

"Hey, Stella!" Danny calls. "You 'n' Mac are under the mistletoe. You know what you gotta do!"

Stella wanly smiles as Mac glares at Danny. He leans down to kiss her cheek.

"Naw, naw. That's not gonna work. I made Montana 'n' Hawkes kiss on the lips. On the lips, you two."

"Danny..." Mac growls.

Stella turns to look at him and grins. "Really, Mac, kissing me is that repulsive to you?"

"No, it's just..." Knowing he dug himself a hole, he shifts the plates in his hands so he has one hand free, to place on her chin and tilts her head up. Their lips meet lightly and briefly, watched by both Danny and Lindsay, over dirty dishes.

"So," Mac says, turning to Lindsay. "Where should we put these?"

She shakes herself out of the daze she was in. She couldn't believe Messer's little plan worked, but didn't at the same time. No long, passionate kiss. No second kiss. No declarations of love. She was a little disappointed. "Umm...here in the sink."

Stella follows him, a thousand questions in racing through her head. After they deposit their dishes in the sink, Mac turns to Stella. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." They gather up their coats. "Thanks Lindsay for having us. This was nice."

Mac nods in agreement. "Thanks. The food was excellent."

"Thanks! Have a great night." she says as the two go out of the apartment. Sighing, she turns to Danny. "So, there goes that plan, Messer. What's up your sleeve now?"

"I don't know Montana, I think it might have worked better than you think it did."

She steps toward him. "What do you mean?"

"You know what, Montana? We're under the mistletoe," he says, as he wraps his arms around her waist.

"You know what, Messer?" she asks, as she slides her arms around his neck and leans in, whispering into his ear. "My name's Lindsay." She shoves out of his embrace and laughing, enters the kitchen. Throwing a dish towel at him, she declares. "I'll wash, you dry, and maybe you'll get lucky, Messer."

Dumbfounded, he replies, "You've got a deal!"

The ride down the elevator is filled with an awkward silence. Outside, Mac hails a cab and turns to Stella. "You wanna ride?"

"Sure." She gets into the taxi, looking out at the city as Mac gives the cabbie her address. "I can see how this city would be overwhelming to someone --"

She is silenced as Mac comes closer, tilts up her chin and kisses her. This kiss is everything that the other was not: long, passionate, and telling the story of many years. As they separate, Mac leaves a hand on her face, rubbing away the tears that threaten. "Do you really think I could kiss you once Stella, and ever be the same? That I could stop doing it?"

"Mac..."

"I realized Stella, a long time ago, that without you, I never would have survived. Without your strength, your smile . . . . I needed you. You helped me back on my feet after Claire's death, you helped me slowly regain myself. I've realized that you have become an integral part of my life. I just -- you know how I deal with emotions -- I need someone to prod them out of me. So, while I am upset that it took Danny's and Lindsay's blatantly obvious matchmaking ploy to back me into a corner, I am happy to finally be telling you this."

She smiles, and leans into him again. "We'll have to send them a thank you note."

"Definitely."

They kiss again, sweet and slow, pent up with years of longing. She sighs as she breaks the kiss, wrapping an arm around his waist and laying her head on his shoulder. As he wraps his arm around her shoulder, she looks up. "You wanna come in for coffee when we get there?"

"Absolutely."

She smiles.