Do not adjust your set, your eyes do not deceive you - this actually is an update!

So many apologies, hope you all had a good holiday xx

Stella studied the chalkboard menu above the counter. She gave the girl her own order and Danny's, who was busy working their case back at the labs. She was digging into her purse when she heard her name.

"Angela Cordoe," she smiled, spinning to the voice seated at an empty table. She and Stella had worked Narco together, more years back than either would care to remember. Stella asked for Danny's order to go, joining Angela with her own.

She took a seat at the table. Cordoe had barely changed. Same caramel-chocolate coloured eyes and skin, same bright smile that dulled just a bit every year with all the sights she saw as head supervisor of Narcotics.

They slipped right back into their old routine, chatting as if they had just seen each other yesterday, and not the 12 years it had really been. Sure, they'd passed the other in the hall, each saying that they really should do lunch and catch up, but neither actually taking the initiative to set the time and place.

"It must be fate that we met today," Angela said, slipping another potato chip into her mouth.

"How's that?" Stella asked, her eyebrows knitted in intrigue.

"Well, there's actually a job opening in Narco, shaped perfectly to your knowledge."

"Really? How come I've not heard about it?"

"The last owner of the title is leaving under less than favourable circumstances. The Powers That Be want the position filled as quickly as possible, handing it out to the best suited rather than opening it up for all. Your name came up in conversation…"

"Who do I have to thank for that?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Angela shrugged elaborately, pointing the finger straight at herself. "I'm pretty sure Adam Simpkins still has that crush on you, maybe it was him…"

"Mmhmm," Stella smirked, falling for none of it. She listened as Angela laid out the finer points to the position.

"On top of all that, it's an extra 3-grand to what you're on now, and a whole boat load of people under you, which we both know is buckets of fun."

"That is true, but I'm comfortable here. I know my job, I know my colleagues, and most times I know the rules and limitations. It would be so much work to start from scratch again…"

"What is there really holding you to CSI now?" Angela asked, leaning forward with her arms crossed on the table. "You and Mac have been broken up for a while now-"

"You knew about that?"

"It was big news in every department."

"Great!"

"Exactly. You and Mac are no more, you can do the job with your eyes closed…Don't you want a bit of excitement? Actually take that gun out of it's holster and shoot it a couple of times?"

Stella dryly chuckled. Angela obviously hadn't spent a day as a CSI.

"You remember what it was like in Narco," Cordoe continued. "Working so closely to one case, knowing the perps inside and out and knowing without a shadow of a damn doubt that you will have saved hundreds of dumb teenagers lives. Don't you want that rush again?"

Angela sat back with a gleeful smile. She could tell by the glossy look in Stella eyes that she was getting through to her.

Stella sighed, "Can I think about it?"

"Of course. Deadline for names is Friday, so let me know by then." She stood up, bag in hand. "Hey, you never know. Maybe Adam will be the new Mac…"

"Go!" Stella laughed, watching Angela pass her with eyebrows in her hairline.

Xx

Stella made it back to the labs and passed off Danny's lunch to the thankful worker-bee. She was stashing her purse back in her locker when Natalie came crashing in, telling her of a big break in their case that needed immediate presence.

They headed to the car for what was going to be a long drive unfortunately. Stella's mind was still twisting and turning the facts of the conversation with Angela. Did she really want to leave? Could she leave? Or would she be leaving people in the lurch?

Could she handle working Narco now? Could she actually do the job? Could she actually remember a damn thing about the procedures, the chemicals, anything?

Suddenly, a penny was thrust into her eye-line. "What the-?"

"Penny for your thoughts," Natalie smiled, knowing something was going on.

She could do with saying it all out loud, maybe it would clarify some things, and get a fresh perspective on events. "I saw an old friend at lunch today. We worked Narco together. She said there's a job there for me if I wanted it…"

Nat's eyebrows rose, "And do you?"

"That's the thing, I don't know."

"Well, if it's eating you up so much, you're obviously tempted."

"Angela brought up some interesting points, all siding with why I should leave CSI and take it."

"Number one being Mac?"

"Pretty much. Did you know we were the talk of the town? Every department knew apparently."

"It's what sells the papers, honey," Nat smirked, before switching back to their original topic. "Isn't it a step back though? I mean, you've been with CSI for what, ten-"

"-twelve-"

"-Twelve years. You've done Narcotics. Been there, done that, got the mental scars to prove it. Do you really want to go back?"

"What has CSI still got for me though? Yes, you've all become family to me, but you all have your own proper families and lives going on to miss one person. Anyway, Mac has obviously moved on with The Looker, why shouldn't I move on?"

"You're not talking about moving on to a different relationship, which Mac is supposed to have, although I still find Connor to be a bit of an unreliable source for that information. Anyway, you're talking about moving to a completely different department, in a different borough. That's big."

"That's the problem."

Xx

Natalie dropped Stella off at her place on the way back from the scene. Working the actual scene came as a relief, her mind and energy was on different subjects and not on the job front. She had Angela's, Nat's and her own views on the situation, but she knew who the one person was who's opinions would be the most useful.

Mac.

It wasn't wholly because of their history, though he was the one to steal her from Angela in the first place, but he would be the objective party that she really needed to hear right now.

She got comfortable on the chair, her legs curled beneath her, and dialled his number. She didn't have to wait too long for an answer, though it wasn't quite the voice she was hoping to hear.

"Hello?" A female asked.

Oh, God. Was that The Looker? Perfect. "Is Mac there?"

"Mac?"

'Oh, I'm sorry, maybe you know him as 'honey bunny'?' she though sarcastically. She was rethinking the whole calling thing already. "Mac. Tall. Broody. Marine?"

"Oh! You might mean the previous owner. We've only lived here for 5 weeks. I think I have a forwarding number here somewhere, would you like it?"

He moved? "Yeah…please, that would be great."

She waited for a minute or two and could hear drawers opening and shutting down the line. The woman eventually came back and read out the address and digits. Stella thanked her and rang off.

He moved out? He actually moved house and didn't mention a damn thing to her? Wasn't that actually one of those petty reasons that they broke up in the first place? She didn't know whether to be angry or hurt. Hurt, definitely hurt.

Well, that sealed it then. If he couldn't talk to her about a major event in his life, why should she talk to him about one in hers?

Was anything actually holding her back to CSI?