Hi all, Thanks to y'all for your reviews x

This chapter is slightly different to what I had already written, in fact, it's completely different lol I'm not one to refute advice, and I realise I may have neglected some finer point to this story.

It's not that I forgot to write things, like Mac's whereabouts, but I wrote about 6 chapters of this before I posted the first, so things like that were cleared up at a later date, but without psychic abilities, you wouldn't know that! Duh!

So this chapter is a tie-up of all the loose ends encountered so far. It doesn't change too much to future chapters, so the story is still intact and how I envisioned it.

Thanks again, Becs x

Mac,

So great to hear from you! Everyone misses you and sends their love.

The lab is doing fine. I'm taking good care of it.

As for the Temporary Supervisor (I refuse to say 'Replacement') - he is an ass. He only moves from your office for coffee and donuts!

We're basically down to two men - and that's including Palmer's temporary replacement for Aiden (The most useless piece of trailer trash if I ever saw some).

But I am not reverting to 'semi-automatic wielding 'Rambo Stella'', thank you very much. I'm staying calm, collected and, dare I say, cool?

Don't worry.

Stay safe, soldier. With love

Stella

P.S. Graham from the Garages is having another baby. I swear he's going for his own football team.

---

"When did you get this?" Danny asked, taking another sip of his beer.

"I found it in my inbox when I got home last night." Stella replied, taking the printed email back.

Sullivan's was relatively quiet, save for some cops from the 55 Division on the far side. Stella and Danny occupied a table in a corner, relaxing after another taxing day.

"Did you reply?"

"Yeah, I just told him about Palmer and Carlson. Oh, and Graham from the Garages. Jus the regular drabble as if he was here."

Danny nodded his understanding. "Still no clue where he is?"

"Not one. He says he's not allowed. I don't appreciate it, but I think I understand. I don't want him in trouble, so I didn't pry when he said it was 'classified'."

"It seems so…historic to do that now."

"I know. Sometimes I wonder if it's just Mac not telling me. Maybe he thought that if he didn't tell me where he was, I wouldn't be scouring new broadcasts for that place, y'know?" A twinkle in her eyes told Danny she believed that scenario more than she was letting him believe.

"You really think he'd do that?"

"I don't know what to think anymore. I mean, he's over there, somewhere, seeing and living things a thousand times worse than anything you and me see here. And it's not his first time of living it." She sipped her wine. "He doesn't think I see how much it still affects him, but it does. Like when Ellan Valasquez died and Mac went loco in the interrogation. We were watching through the mirrors, but whatever that was, it was not something we see everyday."

"So you don't really think this town is 'hospitable' then?"

"Not a chance. He's saying what we want to hear."

"I thought so too. You gonna call him on it?"

Stella shook her head. "No way. This is his way of protecting us."

"How d'ya think he'd take our newbies?" He asked with a knowing smirk.

"Oh they'd have had a serious talking-to by now." Stella smirked back.

"I've been on the receiving end of Mac's talks. They're not fun."

"I know. I've had a few myself in my time."

"I think he'd have marched up to Highbourne by now too. I know the Chief's an ass at times, but what possessed him to hire those two?"

"I did a bit of asking around and it turns out Palmer is pretty well known in some circles. He handled that Jersey Senator murder a few years back."

"I think I remember that case. It turned out it was the girl who stabbed him?"

"Yeah. He convicted her in record time. Did a good job by all accounts, but is still kind of riding those coat-tails. Leaning back and basking in the glory."

"So Highbourne figured he'd get a 'celebrity' of sorts to take over while Mac is away. Got to be good for the reputation."

"Exactly"

"But what of Carlson then? Riding his coat-tails and more?"

Stella grimaced at the thought, "I think so. She's barely out of college, but has Palmer's attention and recommendation."

"Sleeping her way up CSI."

"Wouldn't be the first one."

"So, what? We let it slide for the next few months until Mac's back?"

"I think so. I mean, neither one of us are really in Highbourne's good-books. Different reasons, but still, I think our credibility is wearing thin."

"So…to perserverance?" Danny held up his bottle.

"Perserverance. For us and Mac."

They clinked drinks.