Hey Everybody! I hope you haven't given up on this story, yet. Am sorry that it took so long to update. Those of you who are rady my other story "Tragedy and Joy" also, already know why I couldn't update sooner. Sadly I've been sick last week and before, as you know, I've been busy. I am now done with school and am very happy about that! :)

So here is chapter 11! I hope you're still liking it and hope you'll like this chapter, too.

A/N: I want to apologize, before you can read the story. I want to apologize to those who reviewed this story and haven't gotten a reply. First I wanted to but haven't had the time to and then I couldn't remember who already had received a reply. I am truly sorry if I haven't replied your reviews... so I want to do that now with a few simple words and then I let you read the chapter! Thank you everybody for your kind words and your support! I am really happy to know that and how you like my work and I am always curious to see how some of you also add some thoughts about the case or our favorite couple. Thank you for that! I hope you all know that your reviews are always most wanted and most appreciated. I can't think of a better reward for my work! :) Thanks again!

And now go and enjoy this chapter and don't forget to let me know what you think about it.

Chapter Eleven: Living with

my boss

A few days later, it was Saturday, Mac and I had the weekend off and so I was spending the weekend together with him. During the rest if the week after Jennifer Grace had been murdered we haven't really found much. The search for Patos' parents turned out to be a waste of time and the search for his brother didn't go very fast. All we had was the fact that Jennifer Grace was murdered the same way like Harris and we had the prove that it was the same guy. Despite that the rest of the week wasn't really busy. One evening Mac had asked me out for dinner at our favorite little restaurant down the block from his apartment. That had been really nice.

Now it was early in the morning. A soft knock on the door woke me up. As I opened my eyes I smile instantly, knowing that it was Mac who had knocked at my door. He slowly opened the door and looked into the room. He smiled as he saw me smiling.

"Wish you a very good morning." I said.

"Really?" he said as he closed the door behind him and came up to me handing me a cup of coffee.

"Could get used to that." I told him and he just smiled with his usual shy but charming smile.

"You know, I'm glad you agreed to come here till we get that guy…"

"I know. Thank you."

"Why haven't you agreed when I first offered it after your apartment was on fire?"

"I snore…" I said not really knowing why I hadn't agreed to that.

"I don't care now and I didn't then. By the way, you don't snore."

"Really?"

"Yes. I was up quite early and I never woke up by the sound of someone snoring in my apartment."

"Well… this time it's different, Mac. I know you would have insisted on police protection for me… and I just wouldn't have a change to convince you I wouldn't need it."

"But you could have chosen the hotel instead of my spare room… Not that I'm complaining… I'm really glad you're here." He said quickly. I looked at him.

"Think you're the better company." I countered, causing both of us to smile. He slowly sat down on the edge of my bed, making sure he wouldn't take too much space and then looked at me. I, to my surprise, couldn't see what he was thinking right now, but he looked like he wanted to say something and I didn't know what.

"What is it, Mac?" I finally asked him a bit too curious than wanted.

"Do you know the really good thing about you staying at my place?" he asked causing me to look at him in surprise.

"What is it?"

"I have a reason to go home." He said smiling shyly. I smiled back, not really knowing what else to do.

"Well, for me it's a good opportunity to spend some time with my best friend. Some much needed time."

"True. Well, I should let you get up, hu?"

"Oh, I don't mind staying in bed the whole day." I joked and he looked at me in shock.

"You don't really mean that, eh?"

"Don't worry, I was just joking."

"Good." He said as he got up and then left the room, closing the door behind him.

I got up and went into the bathroom to take a quick shower and get dressed in something comfortable. I chose to wear track pants and a red top. I put on a slight note of my favorite perfume and then left the bathroom, brought my things back to my room and then I head into the kitchen were Mac's already busy preparing breakfast. He chose to make pan cakes and much to my surprise he did not take them from the freezer. Well, actually I don't know who said that he can't cook… he was already baking the first ones.

"Hmm… smells good." I told him as I stood next to him. "Smells a bit like vanilla and lemon."

"Yep. Put some vanilla sugar and some lemon flavor in it. Secret recipe from my mother." He told me with a small smile and I smile back at him.

"Now it's not a secret anymore." I teased him.

"Guess I can tell you."

"So you trust me? You recommend your secret to me?"

"Why not." He shrugged. "I always trust you, Stell."

"Good."

I quickly got myself busy with setting the table.

xXxXxXxXx

After breakfast we did the clean up together, talking, joking and making fun and a lot of laughing while doing it. I watched Mac as he put some dishwashing liquid into the sink and then let water into it. I knew he had used a bit too much of that liquid and he knew it, too, but he didn't seem to care about. I picked up the dishes from the table and walk over to him and placed them in the water. Mac started to clean them. As I walk up next to him, a towel in my hands to dry the dishes, he looked up at me with a mischievous smile.

"What?" I asked him just as he pulled some of the lather out of the sink with one finger and placed it on the tip of my nose. He looked at me and then smiled.

"Looks good on you." He said and I just smiled back.

"Really?" asked back, distracting him so he didn't see that I'm just about to do the same with him, he did with me.

"Well, bet everything looks good on you." He countered. I instantly stopped my action and looked at him.

"Mac Taylor, are you flirting with your best friend?" I asked him teasingly.

"Um…" his face lightly flushed. "Guess I am…"

"Good." I said putting some lather on the tip of his nose, too. "Don't look that shy... you know me for more than 10 years, Mac."

"Can't help it. It's my nature."

"Your nature around women."

"Only around y… um…" he stops and quickly start to put the dishes away.

"I know." I said and helped him to put the last items into the cupboard. He picked the towel from my hands and softly wiped the now liquid lather from my nose, before he wiped it from his own nose.

"Thank you." I state and he just smiles. Somehow I got the feeling that I was totally lost every time he smiled at me. Maybe my inner voice was right and I truly was in love with him.

Of course am I right… go for it and take your chance, Stella. My brain scold instantly. I gave my head a shake and pulled the thought into the back of my mind, where I still thought it belongs. I didn't notice Mac was still watching me.

"You okay?" he asked me again with a worried tone.

"What? Yeah… I'm fine. Just had to shake away some thoughts that do not belong here."

"You sure they do not belong here?"

"Can you read my mind?"

"Sometimes. This time it was that smile before you shook your head."

Oh no…. I'm in real trouble right now… I thought. To my surprise he didn't ask any further.

"So, what are we going to do today?" I asked him.

"Um… normally I would read or just watch TV when the housework's done… But I just can't say that… I mean I'm not alone and I don't want you to bore you."

"You have no idea, hu?"

"Well, I have but… it's nothing you normally would do with your best friend." He said his face once again lightly flushing.

From his face and the way he looked at me I could tell what he was thinking about, but I didn't want to ask him about that. Those tiny little moments of flirting between us were something I missed during the past few weeks. I was happy that he finally did it again and so I didn't question his intentions. I looked outside the window to see that the sun was shining and it wasn't raining so I looked back at him with a questioning expression.

"What?" he asked me a few seconds later.

"How about going to the Park and out for a walk? You know, enjoying the sun and such." I suggested and after a few moments of thinking he finally nodded his head in agreement and rewarded me with a small smile.

So... I hope you're still interested and not bored. The next few chapter will be only our Smacked and I hope you stay tuned for that! Please, let me know what you think and write a few thoughts in a review! This time I promise, everybody will get a reply again, like I always used to do it!

Oh, and blackrose538 will be very happy if you would take a look at her other stories, too, especially the other active one "Tragedy and Joy" (which updated a few days ago) but also the older ones if you like and would leave a small comment there, too :) [grin]

blackrose538