The Cause and Affect of Extreme Situations

SUMMARY: Mac is having a bad day and all it does is keep going further and further down hill. Especially when there's an accident while they attempt to apprehend a suspect. SMACK! Mac/Stella all the way eventually. Lots of Angst!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own... that's y me and my friend are planning a huge heist to kidnap Gary ;) lol. Don't sue... trust me you'll pay more money on the lawyer then u will get out of me.

Authors Note: Ok so this is chapter one! Sorry if the characters are a bit OOC but that's the best I could do. This is the ONLY CSI I watch and the only one I like probably because I completely love NY and cause I love Mac (Gary Sinise) his story, background and all that, Stella, and the guy that plays Danny (I always forget his name) but anyway yeah he's hot. lol anyway yeah new chap soon if i get the reviews!

MAJORLY IMPORTANT! IF U READ ANY OF MY GILMORE GIRLS STORIES THEY ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD! I'm SOOOOO SOOORRRYYY I havent updated in MONTHS! ugh i kno u all hate me i hate myself so u have a right to hate me. I dug myself into a hole with them and have major writers block so im moving on to this. My summer is over on the 6th so yeah. I didn't update or anything 1 cause of the writers block and 2 because I really just needed a break and decided to relax this summer and concentrate on my drawing. Im gonna try and update a new chapter for both stories by the 3rd at least but idk if i will be able to. This story has the first few chapter written so it wont be in the way hopefully ) lol i just couldnt wait to make this i had to do it!

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CHAPTER 1

by cripticwolf

Detective Mac Taylor sighed frustratingly as he maneuvered his car through the everyday clutter and traffic of New York City. He cursed silently under his breath and honked his horn at a guy who was backing his truck up into the middle of the road and blocking traffic up more because in the middle of it he stopped to talk to someone in another car. He left his apartment at 7 o'clock and it was around 8:30 already. His day didn't even technically start yet and already he had a headache. Honking again, he started a whole chain of honks that finally got the guy to finish his conversation and pull completely out. Just as the guy was about to drive forward Mac saw the guys hand shoot out of the truck window and flip them all off. He smirked and just shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee. He only had about 20 blocks to go before he reached the CSI building and he couldn't wait to get there and out of all that traffic.

Mac didn't know what was wrong with him lately. He was loosing it, too many nights without much sleep and to much stress. He was working himself into the ground and he knew it but things had to get done and he had to do them. 'Its not like I have anything else to do...' he'd tell himself. Nothing was going right lately. Stella was mad at him for something, their last 3 cases turned cold because they didn't have enough evidence to nail the guy that they all knew in their guts was guilty, it was coming up to the anniversary of Claire's death, and he was just plain tired of it all. He couldn't remember the last time he took a day off and he knew that there'd be no time for one anytime soon.

He had a feeling that today was going to be one of his worst and it hadn't even started yet but he knew, he just knew, that today would cause him some kind of hell. He couldn't shake the feeling but he just felt like he should have stayed in bed today.

'I have to try and make up with Stella today... hopefully she'll at least hear me out. I hate when she's mad at me. She's the most important person in my life and I always tend to piss her off. Maybe I should get her something -' Mac was jerked out of his thoughts when a typical business man, suit, cell in one hand and briefcase in the other, ran into the street and just narrowly avoided being killed by Mac's SUV. He stomped on the breaks stopping a few inches from the man and almost getting plowed into from behind, spilling his coffee all over himself in the meantime. Mac half glared half stared at the idiotic business man as he gave a smile and waved at Mac with the hand that had his cell phone in before taking off into a run again, nearly getting run over by the oncoming traffic in the other lane, and not even reacting to the fact that he almost got killed twice. Most New Yorkers were just plain crazy. (a/n: I'm one so don't take offense))

"Dammit..." Mac growled as he took some napkins and tried to get the hot coffee off of his white dress shirt and pants. Luckily the coffee stains weren't noticeable on his black pants but his shirt was one big brown stain. Sighing he continued driving tensely toward his building, his office, and some Tylenol. Still not being able to shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

Stella Bonasera was sitting in the lab working on something on the computer when she saw a very aggravated Mac Taylor walk down the hall, with coffee in his hand and all over his shirt, she chuckled slightly at that but it quickly faded into a wince when she saw him go into locker room and slam the door in his wake. 'Uh oh... must have had a crappy morning.' she sighed 'he's gonna' be a joy to work with today.'

A few minutes later she saw him walk out of the locker room with a black CSI T-shirt on. Laughing, Stella got up from the computer and hung up her lab coat before exiting the lab and walking toward his office which he had just entered. 'He must by dying right now, in a T-Shirt and not a suit.' She smirked 'Im gonna have to make a bet with Danny later about what time he thinks Mac will end up going home to change.' Stella smiled. But as she got closer to Mac's office and looked at him through the glass it turned into a frown. 'He looks miserable. Ugh why the heck wont he relax and take a day off or something and it's almost September so no doubt that he will be working himself into the ground more then ever?' Stella rolled her eyes, sometimes Mac just made her so mad. She cared about him more then he would ever know. She suddenly remember that they were fighting right now but ignored that fact and knocked on his door anyway when she saw him massaging his temples with his eyes closed tight, obviously nursing a headache.

Mac's head snapped up and his eyes opened immediately when he heard the knock on his door. He stiffened slightly but relaxed again when he saw it was Stella and invited her in, motioning for her to take a seat in the chair in front of his desk.

"What's up Stella? You need something?" Mac asked folding his arms across his chest and leaning back in his chair. His shirt was really irritating him. He had thought that he had a spare dress shirt in his locker but this was all he had. He was uncomfortable and he was trying to hide it.

"Nope." Stella replied trying to suppress the laugh at how uncomfortable Mac looked, no doubt because of his attire. "What's up with the shirt Mac? Thought you'd take a walk on the wild side today, be a rebel, and wear something normal and casual?" She smiled, hoping he didn't lash out or take offense at the comment.

Make couldn't help the small smile from forming on his lips he hadn't smiled alot lately. "No, actually I didn't have a change of clothes in my locker and couldn't wear the shirt I originally had on because in my attempt to not plow a man over with my car this morning I spilt coffee all over myself."

"Gotcha. So uh... if you spilt your coffee all over yourself then what's that?" Stella asked eyes the full cup of coffee sitting on Mac's desk.

"Oh right," Mac stood up and grabbed the coffee before walking over to Stella and handing her the cup. "That was for you." He told her actually sounding shy and nervous.

Stella smiled at him, taking the offered cup. "Peace offering?" She asked taking a sip with raised eyebrows.

Mac smiled crookedly and raised one of his own eyebrows. "Maybe... so did it work?"

"Its a start." She told him still smiling and relieved that he looked better, not only this morning but better then he has in a while. Mac suddenly turned serious.

"Look Stella, I'm sorry-"

"No Mac it's okay... I shouldn't have reacted the way I did." Stella cut him off.

They sat in silence in his office for a few minutes, her in the chair drinking her coffee and him leaning against the corner of his desk staring at the ground. "So are we good?" He asked, and she could hear the hidden desperation in his voice that warmed her heart and made her think that maybe he felt the same way...

"Of course Mac." She set her coffee down and hugged him, semi-surprised when he hugged her back tighter. They stood like that for a minute or two before separating and grinning at each other.

"Okay...well I have some work to do and...-" He motioned backwards toward his computer, secretly not wanting her to leave but knowing that he had work to do.

"Got it, I've got some of my own to do also." She smiled at him, masking the fact that she was disappointed, but she understood. "I'll be in the lab." She grabbed her coffee and headed out of his office looking back at him once outside through the glass. She grinned slightly at the sight of him in the CSI T-shirt hard at work on his computer, smiling so lightly that only those that knew him and worked with him everyday would notice. Turning back and walking down the hall she took two steps before she saw Danny and Aiden walking toward her.

"Hey Stella." Aiden said

"What's up?" Danny said cheerfully in his thick New York accent.

Before she could answer Aiden said in disbelief. "Holy crap is that Mac I'm seeing in a T-Shirt?" Danny followed her gaze and looked toward Mac's office. His mouth dropped slightly and he said. "Wow. I've never seen Mac, at work, and not in a suit." Stella chuckled slightly.

"He spilt coffee on himself 'in an attempt to not plow a man over with his car this morning," his words not mine so I have no idea." She explained smiling. Danny and Aiden laughed and all three of them started down the hall to the lab.

They were almost there when Stella said. "So... bets anyone?"

"I'll give it an hour."

"I say by noon." Came the immediate responses from Danny and Aiden.

Stella grinned before getting back to what she was doing in the lab before.

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TBC...

Hope u guys liked. If u want more please review! Thanks for reading!