Chapter 26 – Boxing Day, December 26, 2006

She knew she was humming as she ploughed through her paperwork, but she really didn't care. She was happy and she was allowed to show it. They'd made breakfast together Christmas morning and had made it half way through eating before Mac called. It surprised them both that Mac hadn't called them in before hand. Lindsay had cornered Stella and given her the third degree before she'd found out the test results had interrupted breakfast between Stella and Mac – apparently a Christmas traditions since Claire had died and Stella didn't have any family to speak of – and they figured there was no point in calling anyone else in until later.

Stella would never know how thankful Lindsay would be.

She'd debated that morning when she'd gotten out of bed how to wear her bracelet. As corny and cheesy as it sounded, she wanted to keep it with her at all times, a little memory of Christmas and the season that had changed the entire essence of her relationship with Danny. So far, she'd had no reason to take it off. It fit snugly and so she really had no reason to take it off since it wasn't getting in the way.

Even with the lack of scenes to process, she'd been racing all over the lab, a day she hated above all else. All she wanted to do was to relax in a hot bath with bubbles and a glass of wine. She stepped onto her floor with a tired sigh, breathing in some sort of delicious scent. She figured the sweetheart three doors down was busy cooking something for his girlfriend. When the smell got stronger as she approached her apartment, she was forced to rethink her analysis.

She unlocked her door, breathing in the delicious scent with closed eyes. Garlic?

"Hello?"

"Montana."

She smiled, dropping her coat and purse where they were and headed to the kitchen. "Are you cooking?"

"As stereotypical as it is, spaghetti," he answered with a smile as she moved to stand behind him.

It suddenly hit her how domestic this was, how nice it was to come home and find him in the kitchen. She like it, loved the intimate feel but there was no way she'd allow herself to get wrapped up in it. She'd learned that things she was blessed with, could just as quickly be taken away. She sighed lightly, using his shoulder as support as she kissed his cheek. "What for?"

"I can't just cook you dinner?" he asked, looking down at her.

"Mmm," she murmured, leaning her head against his arm.

"Tired?" he asked, resting the wooden spoon he was using against the side of the pot and stroking the back of her head.

"I shouldn't be," she responded, groaning softly when his fingers wove into her curls and started massaging the back of her head.

"What did you do today?"

"Ran more tests than I'd ever like to admit. I know that's a big part of the job, but if I see the GCMS one more time in the next twelve hours, I might break it."

He chuckled as he turned, wrapping his arms around her completely. "Stella cornered me in the break room and asked if I got you somethin' for Christmas," he said conversationally.

"And?"

"I evaded her questions. We haven't decided if we're tellin' anyone yet. The last thing I wanna do is get you mad at me when we haven't even gotten a week into this."

She sighed, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her ear just over his heart. "I don't know what I want to do."

Unlike her, Danny had put lots of thought into who they should tell. His conclusion? "I was thinkin' we keep this to ourselves for a bit."

She nodded against him "Sounds like a good idea."

"You just didn't want to make the decision."

She chuckled. "I want this to work as much as you do so I want to make sure we're doing things that we agree on."

"You didn't want to tell anyone, did you?"

"No. It took us so long to get to this point…"

He agreed, pressing a kiss to her head. "This should be ready, you wanna sit down?"

"I'll set the table."

"You don't mind me crashin' your night, right?" Danny asked as he stepped into the kitchen again after dinner.

She'd insisted on cleaning up since he'd cooked. "Of course not, Danny. I'd tell you if I wanted to kick you out."

"Does that mean I get a kiss when I tell you I started a bath and I'm gonna head home?"

She looked up sharply. "You don't have to go."

"As much as I appreciate the offer, Montana, you're exhausted and before you deny it, I know you, I can tell. Take a soak, I'll call you tomorrow morning before I head out so I can pick up breakfast, fair?"

"No way. I'll pick up breakfast and meet you in the office," she returned. "You cooked for me, tonight and I'd cook you breakfast but we both know the chances are slim. I'll pick up breakfast."

He wasn't stupid enough to argue with her tired, even if it meant he could physically take her. "Fine, Monroe. Now, go take advantage of the hot water, I'll finish up here."

"You cooked, I clean," she repeated. "But stay until bathtime?"

He chuckled. "Of course. You wanna tell me more about your day?"

"I told you everything," she said on a laugh. "What about you?"

"I missed you." Her reaction was the one he was looking for and she blushed.

"You saw me."

He waved his hand in dismissal. "We're through the watchin' at a far and worryin' stage, Montana."

Her blush intensified at the implication. "So you don't watch?"

"I admit to anythin' and you're gonna pounce on me."

Putting the last dish to dry, she unplugged the sink and pulled her gloves off. "Bathtime."

"I'll see you for breakfast tomorrow?" he asked unnecessarily.

"Thank you, Danny," she said, pressing her lips to his.

His hands immediately came to press her closer, one at the small of her back and the other back in her hair. He loved her hair and loved it even more when she left it down. She allowed his tongue when it pressed against her lips and settled her own hands on his hips, allowing him to take whatever he wanted before she started fighting back.

"I don't know if I want that bath anymore," she whispered when they pulled away..

He made a strangled sound in the back of his throat. "Don't tempt me. Go soak and call me before you go to bed, okay?"

"Sometimes, Danny, you worry too much. I'll talk to you later."

He pulled her close again, his kiss chaste and sweet. "Goodnight, Monroe."

"Good night Danny. Thanks again for dinner."

"Anytime."

Crap. You have no idea how often I rewrote this. I had almost no ideas for what they could do especially since the Christmas season is over. Maybe Danny should take her dancing tomorrow, what do you think? I bumped forward the two angsty chapters, because Stella is going to take Lindsay shopping. And January 1st will be the first chapter of the sequel. What I'll do is post 2 versions of the sequel, the M-rated one and a T-rated one that doesn't have all of the sexual situations in it. I'll let you know more of the details as the sequel gets closer.

Oh, and has anyone else had trouble with the review and chapter alerts? I haven't gotten any for the last two days….