Thanks everyone for your great comments – each of them is truly appreciated. Sorry that I have to update so shortly after the last chapter, but in this case I have to post it today of course. For those who didn't read the previous chapter yet – just review them one after the other GGG

Happy Valentine's everyone!

Chapter 3

She stared at the card and the rose, immediately understanding the connection. But was it possible? Could this flower, this beautiful rose and this extremely romantic card…

…could it be HIM??

She knew that under his professionally covered appearance there was a soft and tender heart beating that he didn't dare show, afraid of being hurt again after the love of his life had been taken away from him. She felt that he needed time and she was willing to give this time to him, as much as he needed. Or was she just daydreaming about things that were only in her imagination?

God, what should I do now?

As she ran back and forth in her office, still holding the card, Mac slowly approached her office, the look on his face near that of a rabbit facing the snake that's planning on eating it for lunch.

For more then 10 minutes, he stood outside the door, arguing with himself about entering the office where he saw her pacing up and down without looking up - or leaving and moving to the South Pole, which in his eyes would be the only alternative after what he had just done.

Unaware of the fact that he was being watched the whole time, he finally summoned all his willpower together and started knocking.

Inside the office, Stella nearly stared in shock, being involved so deeply in her thoughts that the knocking at the door totally threw her off. Still extremely confused, she slowly went to the door to open it.

"Mac!" she breathed. She looked down at the card that she had dropped upon seeing him, then turned to the red rose lying on her desk and back to the bouquet of roses in his hand.

When you're all caught up in sweet surrender
Simple truth is sometimes hard to see
Here between the tough times and the tender
It all comes down to you and me

And you may see my heart of darkness
I may stumble now and again
But underneath this heart of darkness
There's a heart that's lovin' you right till the end

"It WAS you!" She looked at him in a mixture of disbelief, relief and upcoming overwhelming happiness.

He was a little unsure about her little 'outbreak' and the undefined look on her face that changed about four times within the last ten seconds.

"Sorry for this late intrusion… it's just that I … normally I don't … but I had to … and then I wanted …" he stammered, angry about himself as he had planned another, more elegant entrance - and now?

God, she must take me for an ultimate idiot!

But instead, she just smiled softly at him, her eyes saying something like 'It's ok, I know…" - or was it just what he read in them?

"Um, wanna come in?" she carefully asked, not wanting to scare him off.

"Ok," he whispered, still not moving an inch.

Suddenly he remembered the bunch of roses he still held clasped with his hands and handed them over to her.

"Those are for you, I think," he murmured.

"Ah! They are coming to visit their friend, hum?" Stella tried to ease the situation with the poor attempt of a little joke.

Before Mac could doubt what that was all about, she regretted her words.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it in a funny way. It's just - I was so confused before you appeared, before the one rose was brought, after that song on the radio…"

"You DID hear it!" Mac exclaimed.

"Yeah, but why? What…"

"Well, just because the whole thing would be a little ridiculous if you hadn't," he tried to explain.

"Ridiculous? Mac, this is soooooo romantic!"

He started to feel a little uneasy. They both stood facing each other in the open door, only inches between them. He moved a step closer, taking her face in his hands, then placing his lips on hers in a careful, but tender and caressing kiss.

So hold me close, come hold me darlin'
'Cause I want you to know
This love of ours

Is no common flower
You know this love is like a red, red rose

She felt her knees getting weak and put her arms around his neck to keep balanced and to pull him closer to her. After what seemed to be a never-ending eternity, they pulled away, but only a little bit. Stella tried to catch her breath again.

"Maybe now we should better really go inside, hum?"

"I agree," Mac answered with a slightly hoarse voice.

"Mac?" Stella whispered, picking up the card from the floor.

"Hum?"

"The answer is 'Yes'," she smiled while they entered the office and closed the door behind themselves, not losing their tender embrace.

"So you believe me NOW that I'm not seeing anyone?" he teased her.

Instead of an answer, she closed his lips with another tender kiss.

This love of ours

Is no common flower
You know this love is like a red, red rose

XXXXX

(Outside in the corridor:)

The door of next door's room was carefully shut. Lindsay smiled satisfied and turned to Danny.

"Good work, Cowboy! Guess we gotta send a gift basket to Hawkes' friend at the radio station on Monday, hum?"

The End