Chapter 5: Checkers

"Mac, we were almost late this morning; why are we going back to your apartment? If you don't mind I'd like to go home," Stella says as they head towards his home instead of hers after dinner.

"I told you I would take you home after we ate, and that's what I'm doing. But first I have to go to my place to get clothes for tomorrow," Mac says.

"Who said you could spend the night?"

"Me," Mac smiles as she raises her eyebrows.

"Since when do you live in my apartment?" she smirks.

"Well, I figure you're mine so everything of yours is mine too. And because I'm yours, you own everything of mine," he takes her hand and brings it to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

"We're not married, Mac, unless that was your weird way of proposing like you strange way of asking me out. Therefore, you don't own me." She pulls her hand away from his.

"You're cruel, Stel. You wouldn't let me kiss you or barely touch you. They all know we're together at work; we don't have to hide it. I've got an idea. How about we play checkers when we get to your apartment?' Mac asks reaching out to tuck a strand of curls behind her ear.

"Don't own it, Mac."

"I'll get mine and bring it. Speaking of marriage what do you think of us getting married?" he pulls the car into a parking spot by his apartment building. Stella doesn't answer right away. "You want to come up?"

"No, I'll wait here and think about my answer to that question," she gives him a small smile.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he kisses her cheek before heading inside.

Ten minutes later he comes back out. After putting his stuff in the back Mac climbs back in beside her.

"I'd like us to, but it's too soon since we started going out, just yesterday. And I'm not sure it's going to be easy for me to be able to do more than kiss you, Mac, although you're one of the best men to be with. I know it's not going to be easy after last night even if I am over him. Memories, what I thought were good ones until I saw them on the internet where anyone could see them, come flooding back when I think about us together. I know you wouldn't do that to me, but – maybe we just need to so I can get over this," Stella looks over at him curiously.

"I'm not forcing you to do anything, Stella. I am fine with whatever you want to do. You're the only one who can decide. Okay, now about our checkers game. A little bit different than normal unless you get uncomfortable. Every time you jump the other person, they not only lose their piece but an article of clothing. We each get one free jump. When you lose all your pieces or your clothes, you lose," Mac explains.

"I've got eleven, counting my jewelry as one. How many do you have?" Stella asks.

"Ten, with my watch and ring. I'm sure you can find something else for me so we are even," Mac says with a small smile. "I take it you want to play."

"Why not?" she grins. "I think I've got an NYPD hat somewhere I've never worn that you can have if you want after we play."

---CSI: NY---

"Ladies first," Mac says as they sit opposite each other at the kitchen table ready to begin.

After a few minutes Stella is stuck and can't move anything without getting jumped. Finally she moves a piece. "What will it be?"

"Hm… oh, so you know it has to be the top layer so I can't ask you to take off your sweater because you still have your jacket on. I think I'll take that though," Mac jumps her and holds out his hand.

She hands him her jacket and jumps him back. "Your tie has to go."

Ten minutes later Mac had a sock, his pants, shirt, underwear, and the hat Stella mentioned on without a free space along with his ring and watch. Stella still had her free jump as well as her jewelry, undershirt, bra, pants, and underwear.

Stella breaks the tie with a double jump. "I'll take your other sock and your ring." He hands them over, knowing that when they get their belongings back, he won't put his ring on again.

"What do you think about having kids?" Mac asks moving his piece so she couldn't jump him again.

"Us having kids or having kids in general?"

"Kids in general. Do you want to have kids or adopt or… what?"

"Um… well there's no way anyone at an orphanage would let me have a kid if I wanted one. I guess I haven't thought of having my own kids partially because I have not found someone to spend my life with yet. I'm not sure I want to go through all that, plus I wouldn't make a good mother, especially with our hours," Stella says, jumping him again. "Take the hat off."

"Stel, you'd be a great mother. I remember you with the baby from the case you were working around when Danny got in trouble for shooting that undercover cop. You're good with kids. And what about me? Do you not think I'm the one?" Mac jumps her, and slides a ring off her finger, then takes her bracelet, and moves around her to get her necklace.

"Yeah, right. We still have a lot to work out before thinking about having kids. I want you to be the one, and if only you had said something that night before I went out with Frankie. All this would have never happened. Free jump," she says as Mac jumps her again.

"I wish I had too. You don't know how much I wish you didn't have to go through that. What do you want now?"

"Shirt, please," she smiles as he takes it off.

"Maybe we should go to the bedroom," Mac picks up the board and leads her down the hall.

Stella lays on the bed while Mac sits opposite her with the board between them. A few minutes pass and Stella loses her shirt.

"Embarrassed, Stella?" Mac jokes when she pulls a blanket from the end of the bed over her.

"No, I'm cold. There's only you here, and I was almost naked on the internet. Why would this embarrass me?"

"I don't know. Maybe because women are very self-conscious of how they look, especially around men when they have almost nothing on? Don't worry, Stel, you look beautiful, with or without clothes on your toothpick body," Mac receives a shocked look from Stella.

"Was that a compliment?" he nods. "Well I think you should think that over."

"What, you think you can beat me up? You couldn't get away from Frankie when he had a knife to your throat, there's no way," Mac argues as her eyes tear up.

"You did not just say that," she says, getting up with the blanket wrapped around her.

"Stella," Mac calls as she storms to the kitchen. He follows her, "I'm sorry, Stel. I didn't mean it like that-"

"You're right: I can't defend myself," she shakes her head.

"You're wrong: you're the strongest person I know. Maybe not as in beating people up, but as in you always get up when something knocks you down, and you can still hold your head high as if nothing happened," Mac puts his hands on her bare shoulders, the blanket fallen off. "I want to be the one to protect you, Stella. You are good at protecting yourself, but… I want to be your someone." Cautiously Mac wraps one arm around her waist and puts the other on her cheek. Slowly he leans in to kiss her. Her arms wrap around his neck as it depends, and suddenly she pulls away.

"Mac, just one thing. Talking about Frankie isn't exactly helping. Can we… try to leave it be?"

"Sure, Stella. I love you."

"I love you too. Where were we?" Stella teases as he kisses her again. Slowly they feel their way to the bedroom without breaking apart.

As Mac lays her down on the bed, Stella hits her head on the forgotten checker board. Her hand leaves him as she reaches to rub her head. "You alright?" she smiles and nods. "I don't think we need this anymore," he pulls the game out from under her head.

"No, we're doing fine without it." He goes back to kissing her after finding the other pieces under her.

"Protection?" he stops kissing her shoulder to ask.

"Yeah."

"You're comfortable with sleeping together?"

"I would have stopped you if I was uncomfortable," Stella smiles reassuringly and pulls his head back down to her. "Mac?"

"Hm."

"What's with all the silly games in our relationship?"

A/N: I hope you liked the story. That's it; it's over. I'm looking for a beta so if anyone would like to, give me an email. I'll start typing the next story soon. Thanks for reading.