When Stella woke up the next morning she was covered with a blanket, and the blinds were closed against the sun. She stretched and rubbed her eyes wondering what time it was. Vaguely, she recalled waking up once before, when Mac left to go to work. She had teased him about wearing a t-shirt and jeans to work and he had grumbled at her, realizing he was going to have to run home. She was surprised he had slept there all night, but pretty pleased with it.

Standing from the couch she folded the blanket and left it on the cushions, then shuffled into the kitchen. There was a pot of coffee started and her favorite mug sitting by it, and she smiled. He knew her so well. She yawned and poured the coffee, looking forward to having a day off. It had been a while since things had been slow enough that her day off hadn't turned into pulling a double. Rolling her neck, she went into the bathroom and turned on the water, looking forward to soaking in a hot bath for an hour or so. She searched under her sink for some bubble bath, finally finding some that wasn't four years old. She poured a capful into the tub and went back into her bedroom to find something to wear. Her cell phone was sitting on the dresser where she had left it the night before, and she picked it up. Four text messages from Lindsay.

So?

Um, it's midnight. Is he still there?

STELLA, WHAT'S GOING ON?!

Okay, this is just mean!

She giggled and wrote a quick message back.

Glutton for girl talk. I just woke up, give a woman a break.

She left the phone in her bedroom and climbed into the tub, staying there, relaxed until the water was cold. She dressed slowly and took her time on her hair and make-up. She usually had some music going, but she didn't really want it today. She was enjoying the silence, the ability to play last night over and over in her head, the chance to imagine tonight and tomorrow and perchance the rest of her life.

She giggled to herself for indulging in such girlish thoughts. She wasn't thirteen anymore, and Mac wasn't the hunkiest kid in school who had asked her, with sweating palms, to go to the dance. He was however, the hunkiest guy in the lab, so she felt justified in her immature mental ramblings.

Her phone rang and she picked it up, rolling her eyes when she saw it was Lindsay.

"Hey Linds."

"You're killin' me here, smalls."

"You have the best greetings."

"I do what I can."

"By the way, you never call me."

"I figured this warranted a phone call as I can't adequately convey my curiosity about this subject over a 140 character text."

"Man, being married must really be boring if you're looking for gossip about me and Mac."

"It's not gossip if you tell me Stell."

"Alright, you win, but only because I have to talk to someone about it."

"Thanks for the love. Are you working today?"

"No, I'm off."

"Me too. Come over and have lunch with me and Lucy."

"Alright, I'll be there in a little while."

"Ste-yuh!" Lucy squealed when Stella stepped through the door.

"Hi baby girl."

Lucy gave her a gummy, drooly smile, then held up a block.

"Are you building towers?"

Lucy put the block on the top of her tower, then growled and knocked the whole thing over.

"You are your father's child."

Lucy clapped and giggled then stood up and tottered over to Stella, holding her hands up. She grunted and Stella picked her up, peppering her face with kisses. Lucy giggled in delight and kicked her legs while chewing on her finger.

"I love your runny nose, honey," Stella said, grabbing a wipe out of the dispenser that was sitting on the coffee table. She wiped Lucy's nose and received a glare in return.

"Yes, I know you hate me."

"She's been saying your name all morning," Lindsay said as she came into the room.

"Really?"

"Well you are the one that sneaks her gummy bears when I'm not looking."

"Yeah, I'm pretty darn cool."

"And I'm the one that feeds her vegetables. You're always going to be cooler than me."

"Yeah, but once you start giving her allowance she's gonna forget all about me."

"But then you'll take her to the mall to spend that allowance and most of your money too."

"She's easy to spoil," Stella agreed with a smile.

"Don't let her know that, she'll take you for everything you're worth."

"She'll be so disappointed when she finds out how little that is."

Lindsay chuckled.

"Did I tell you that Danny already has a bank account for her college fund?" she asked, going back into the kitchen.

"Really? She's not even two!"

"I know. It's kind of cute though."

"It doesn't surprise me."

"I'm just looking forward to watching him when she starts dating."

"And you're going to sit there and watch him clean his gun and grumble, aren't you?"

"I will probably mock him too."

Stella chuckled and settled Lucy in her high chair.

"Mama!" Lucy shouted, pounding on her high chair tray. "Num!"

"Geez, chill out kid," Lindsay replied, putting some cut up chicken fingers on the tray. Lucy grabbed a piece and tried to put it in her mouth, but missed and ended up chasing it down her arm.

"Such a little lady," Stella commented, sitting down at the table.

"Alright, so what happened last night?" Lindsay asked, putting two bowls of pasta on the table.

"We went to this arcade and played mini-golf in the basement."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It was actually fun. Plus, he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt so that was a bonus."

"The casual male, a friend to us all. So what did you do after that?"

"We went for another walk."

"Are you guys gonna be one of those couples that has matching track suits?"

"We haven't talked about that yet, but I wouldn't put it past us. Anyway, we kind of had a talk about where this is going."

"And?"

"We didn't exactly make a timeline, but we're on the same page."

"Meaning?"

"Neither one of us are going anywhere."

Lindsay grinned and sat back in her chair.

"And after the walk?"

"We went back to my apartment to watch a movie. Fell asleep on the couch. Woke up this morning when he left for work."

"Wow, that is a good date."

"It was just so comfortable, you know? I mean, it was new and exciting, but it was like we'd been there before, or like we were supposed to be. It all works though. It's kind of perfect."

"Stell, seriously, you have no idea how happy I am to hear that."

"Did you think it wouldn't work?"

"No, I was sure it would, I just was afraid that you two would get too scared to let it."

"It is kind of scary, but not scary enough to back out."

"I understand that," Lindsay agreed, reaching out to catch the piece of chicken that Lucy was about to throw off her tray.

"How do you do that?"

"What?"

"Know that she's going to throw something before she does it?"

Lindsay looked down at the slobbery piece of chicken in her hand, her expression one of amazement.

"I don't know. Reflex?"

"Useful one."

"Very. So how was the kiss?"

"What?"

"You said he kisses on the second date and last night was the second date…"

Stella looked crestfallen for a moment.

"I fell asleep."

"You fell asleep before the kiss? I'm still surprised that he didn't attack you at the door, but you fell asleep before the kiss?!"

"I am a dating failure," Stella said, burying her face in her hands.

"No, no you're not," Lindsay answered, wiping Lucy's face and letting her out of the high chair. "You just have a different style. Don't balk on this now, Bonasera!"

"Okay, freak out over."

"Ste-yuh!" Lucy shouted, grabbing Stella's leg. "Up!"

Stella obliged and Lucy grinned, pounding on the table.

"Watch out, she'll steal your food."

"Beggar."

Stella's heels clicked down the quiet hallway as she looked for Mac. It was late and most everyone had gone home or were in the lab with headphones, shutting the world out while waiting for test results. It was almost eerie, but it was also how she liked the lab the best. The hustle and bustle was nice, but this was better. She walked towards Mac's office and leaned against the door jamb, watching him as he finished up a phone call. He was standing near the window, his eyes searching the city. He reminded her of a sentinel, like if he stood there long enough, kept watch, nothing bad would happen.

He ended the call and turned around to hang up the phone, smiling when he spotted her.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"What are you doing here on your day off?"

She gave him a half shrug and crossed the room to lean on his desk.

"I just wanted to see you."

"Oh really?" he teased, reaching over to tweak one of her curls. She ginned and pushed his hand away.

"I guess it's okay, 'cause I wanted to see you too."

Their eyes met and she smiled at his confession.

"You know, I was thinking…"

"What?"

"Last night should be repeated," she said, her fingers curling around his.

"I concur."

"Though I do apologize for falling asleep so early."

"I didn't mind."

He was going to have to stop looking at her like that if she was going to keep speaking coherently.

"Tomorrow work for you?"

"Right now works for me, but it's getting late," he said, even though he really wanted to blow off this paper work and take her out dancing or something. Just being with her would be good enough.

"I share that sentiment. I also think that you should go home. You look tired."

"Thanks, Stell."

She smiled and pulled on his hand until he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her. She rested against him, feeling at home.

"Hey," he said after a moment, his hand reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hmm?"

He crooked his finger and tipped her chin up, smiling before his lips met hers. She almost gasped in surprise. They'd kissed before, but this one had more behind it. The previous ones had been borne out of a need to cut the tension. This one was full of hope and commitment, outlined with a passion she had never felt before. Their lips slid together, finding a comfortable place, one that she couldn't imagine ever leaving. It was a longer kiss than any of their others had been, and it left them all in the dust. He held her close, not out of desire or lust, but out of the need to connect with her, to establish what they were becoming. He broke the kiss, but she didn't let him go far, holding onto the lapels of his jacket.

"We'll definitely be repeating that," he muttered. She grinned and leaned up for another, albeit short kiss.

"So, tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow night."

"I should go so you can get some work done."

"Don't."

"Sorry Taylor, I still care about your career."

"So you kiss me in my office?"

"I like to walk on the wild side sometimes. But not twice in one night."

He chuckled and released her, their hands lingering together.

"Night, Stell."

"Night Mac."