Apologies! I'm a bad author.

Mac woke up to an empty bed. With no clocks to look at, he instinctively turned to the patio window to look at the night sky. He wasn't expecting to see the door open, the white net curtains wavering in the playful breeze.

He rubbed at his eyes as he rolled out of bed, looking across the balcony and seeing Stella sat on a white plastic chair, her feet propped on another. She was staring intently out to the distant sea, her mind a million miles away from her body.

He kissed her curls as he passed her to a free chair, startling her from her reverie. "What time is it?"

"I'm thinking about four-ish. Did I wake you?"

He shook his head and raked a hand through his hair. "What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking," she said, turning back to the star-spotted ocean. "There's something about the sea that makes you think."

"It's very therapeutic," Mac agreed, following her gaze.

"I was thinking about the past few months. Then the next few months. Where I want to be in five years…"

"What did you decide?"

"That anything can happen. Maybe Natalie'll get pregnant again, actually go to term. Maybe Danny and Aiden will get married," Mac looked at her, "Hey, it could happen! Maybe they'll marry and maybe someone close to us will die again."

"Well, I'm not planning on going anywhere."

"Me nether, but that's not how it works, is it? I mean, if you asked me five years ago where I'd be now? I would never have dreamed I would have been sat on a balcony in Portugal with you of all people. I would have said that I would maybe have been a Supervisor myself, maybe not even in New York, but still working way too many hours. I would have said that you would still be happily married to Claire, probably with a couple of kids by now. And look at us?"

"I don't think we've done too bad for ourselves. We've had our ups and our downs, but ultimately, I'm happy."

"Oh, me too, don't get me wrong," she smiled, grabbing hold of his hand, "But it just makes you think, you know?"

Mac nodded, entwining his fingers through hers. "Where do you see yourself in five years, now?"

"At the risk of scaring you off…right here," she smiled at him as he kissed her hand.

They sat in silence for a while, breathing the early morning air and contemplating the universe. Stella stole a glance to her side, looking at the profile of the man she never thought would be hers. He was so handsome, and, as he said, looked happy. She took secret pride to that, not just for their antics a few hours before. It had taken him a long time to look happy again, to be back to the Mac she knew so well. She also took pride to the fact that the smile that wasn't so deeply buried wasn't with the help of any secret of Victoria's.

Xx

Mac and Stella strolled through the foyer of the hotel, Stella's attention buried in the 'New York Times' they'd managed to find. Mac partook in some people watching, his observation skills hard to lose even when on vacation. After creeping back to bed and catching a few more hours sleep, they'd spent the day in the town, taking in the bars and shops, relishing in the fact that they were just two holiday makers away together, not the controversial CSI Supervisor and right-hand woman.

They came to a stop at the elevator doors, "You got the key?" she asked, holding her hand out, still looking at an article.

Mac silently graced her palm with a key.

"No, it's a swipe card, remember?" Stella said, looking to the Yale-lock key in her hand.

"I know," he nodded. What was going on?

"What's this then?"

"The key to my place. I want you to move in."

Stella stopped dead. Her body frozen on the spot, watching as Mac stepped into the carriage and turned back to face her.

"What?" she managed to ask, her throat suddenly dry. The doors began to close springing Stella into action as she jutted her hand in between the closing gap. She stepped in, her eyes never leaving his face. "What?"

"I want you to move in," he reiterated, looking straight at her. His emerald green eyes the only place expressing the fear and insecurity he felt. He clicked the button for their floor, the doors sliding shut again.

"You're not ready…" she said after a beat, not sure herself if it was a question or not.

"You have to stop doing that, you know." Her face questioned his statement. "Telling me if I'm ready or not. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think I was ready; If I didn't think I wanted you to live with me and if I didn't think I loved you."

Her tense body softened. She wondered if he realised that that was the first time he'd said he loved her since the confessional that began their relationship. "You're sure?"

He smiled, his own body relaxing knowing that she was close to saying she would. He wrapped his arms around her waist, "I'm sure."

Stella gave a content sigh and clasped her hands behind his neck, "Then I will."

Mac chuckled at the size of her grin and leant in to kiss her.