Hey Everybody! I'm back with Chapter 9 :) Well, I'll be quite busy with learning again, because I have to do 2 extra exams next week so it'll take a bit before I post the next chapter. Hope you'll understand that. But before I'll be busy again I decided to give you one more chapter so that it'll be okay to wait :) It shortens the time you'll have to wait ;)

Well, I want to THANK YOU all for reading this story so far. Special Thanks for reviews to: Alexis93, Andorian Ice Princess-AIP, Catulicious, csi kane, csi-ncis, , ellivmacstellaiwish, Forensic Girl554, Fourteen Lights, gsr4ever15, Leighton Conrad Taylor, MARNIC, phantom of the mental ward, rocksmacked, roos (not registered), SMACkedHuddy, Stephanie (not registered), sucker-4-SMacked and Wildweasel. THANK YOU for your kind words and lovely reviews! I hope I forgot nobody, if so I apologize for that. It's not meant in a bad way. :)

So, I hope you'll like this chapter, too :) ENJOY!

Chapter Nine: Feeling Home

It was already late in the evening, but Mac and I were still at the lab. Mac wanted to finish one last case file and I said I would be in my office and doing some clean up there or some research of things I wanted to know. Truth was that I did neither of that. I sat in my chair in front of my computer and was looking at some pictures I saved there. Normally I'd never save private photos on any of the work computers but since we moved in here and I only shared my office with Lindsay and both of us had our own computer I saved some of the photos from my blackberry on that computer. The first pictures were pictures from a Christmas party 2 years ago. I had taken some pictures of the whole team and of Mac with each member of the team, also with Sid and I had taken pictures from the other ones, too. And someone had also taken pictures form Mac and me. The next pictures were those I took in Greece. One of the natives living in Thessaloniki wanted to take a picture of Mac and me, because he thought we were a couple. Well, sometimes we acted like we were, but it was just how we usually act around each other and how we usually treat each other. Sure, when Mac said he cared about me I felt much better than I did before just knowing he came after me because of the case. True reason was that he wanted to make sure that I was okay and that I would return home safe. That was what he told me when we were back home. I was just staring at that picture because it was kind of magic for me. Mac had his arm around my shoulders and I was supposed to have mine around his waist and yet this picture looked so… natural. Just as if we do that every day. As if it was reality. I mean the couple thing the person who took that picture insisted on.

Totally lost in my thoughts with a small smile on my lips I didn't notice that Mac was leaning at the doorframe watching me. I noticed him when I heard a soft knock on the door which caused me to look up and look at him. A soft smile was playing on his lips as he took a step into my office.

"Hey." I greeted him smiling back at him.

"Hey. Looking through pictures?" he asked as he looked at the very same picture on my screen that I had been staring at before. "Didn't know you kept that one." He added as he recognized it.

"How could I not keep such a... nice picture of us?"

"True. So… you're ready to go home?"

"I always want to go home but I guess you won't let me…" I said grinning.

"Well… you know that saying "My house is your house"? I don't have a house, but I have a home and so it is also your home for the time you're staying with me at my place." Mac states firmly.

"Want to share your home with me, eh?"

"Just want you to feel home. You know, I never mind having you around me." He said and smiled.

"I know. So… let's go?" I suggested, got up and took my coat, after I switched off the computer.

xXxXxXxXx

I was walking through the car park. It was late afternoon and starting to get dark. Mac was walking next to me we were both smiling. I assume he or I had said something funny. He had his arm laid around my shoulder, holding me close to him, as he sometimes did before. Suddenly there was a man standing in front of us, a knife in his hand. Mac and I froze in place. I look up to him and see his worried but also angry look as he steps in front of me, pulling his gun, which was a mistake, because the guy stands close enough and knows that he has no chance against a gun, so he kicks it out of Mac's hand as soon as Mac had raised it. I thought about pulling my gun, but the guy is quick to pull the now unarmed Mac toward him, turn his back toward him and raising the knife to his throat using him as a weapon against me.

"Pull the gun and he'll die." He says. I am defenceless.

"What do you want?" I dare to ask him. An evil smile shows up on his face.

"You." He says. I look at him and then at Mac and again at him. I have no choice.

"You'll never get her, bastard!" Mac growls and piled his elbow into the guy's stomach. He is convulsed with pain and lets go of Mac, but is soon to raise his knife hitting Mac's abdomen. I finally pull my gun and hear people running behind me. I can hear something that sounds like an alarm clock…

I quickly opened my eyes in shock. I was covered in sweat and soon realize that my alarm clock was really ringing. I turn it off and sit up in my bed. I rub my eyes and got up, picked up the thing I needed and went to the bathroom locked the door behind me and took a quick shower and got dressed.

As I entered the kitchen I was greeted by a warm smile and a pair of beautiful blue eyes looking at me. Mac was leaning against the counter and I make my way over to him offering him a quiet good morning.

"You look tired… didn't sleep much?" he asked me now worried.

"Nightmare before my alarm clock went of." I answered as he handed me a cup of coffee.

"Want to talk about it?"

"I don't know…" I said and let out a heavy sigh.

"That bad?"

"Well, the guy we're looking for getting you nearly killed?" I finally managed to say and he looked at me and a frown appeared on his face.

"Okay… that's bad…" he said.

"Very." I whispered, but again the same thing as I had with Danny the day before, he heard it and of course he would look at me surprised and questioning.

"Not that again… please."

"What?"

"I had that same thing with Danny yesterday. Saying something that I shouldn't have said."

"You have every right to say that, Stella."

"How's that?"

"Because I would say the same when it comes to you." He said and looking at me with a warm expression, making me smile.

"You're bad, Mac, you know that?" I teased him.

"What? Why am I bad?" he asked, acting confused.

"Because… I just can't stay at the bad mood I have, when I am together with you."

"And that is why?"

"You won't let me."

"See, it's hard to see my best friend in a bad mood when she's so much more beautiful when she smiles." He said now smiling shyly. I just can't help it, but smile back.

"Thanks."

"So breakfast in that diner down the block?" he suggested.

"Sounds great, but this time it's on me."

"Okay. So… let's go.

So Mac and I left the apartment to have some breakfast and then head to the lab and getting the day started.

So, how did you like it so far? Still interested? I hope I don't bore you... :) Well, let me know what you think before you leave, please?

blackrose538