Author's Note: I'm going to try to get this one finished before Wednesday's episode, because I see we might find out what Stella's verdict will be. This chapter takes place just before the episode "What Schemes May Come" when Stella tells Mac she wants the DNA test done. I am taking creative license with the timeline, storyline, etc.

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Date Until Test Results- Three Weeks

Thunder and lightning lit up and rocked New York City, drowning the city in a downpour that hadn't let up for the past three hours. Stella patiently waited for CODIS to spit out a hit on a sample she'd put in about a half hour ago. Outside, a bolt of lightning lit up the sky and the power went out in the lab. Several groans of disappointment rang out from around the lab. The blue-tinged emergency lights came on, and Mac Taylor called up and down the hall, "Relax, it's only temporary," he was telling everyone. He passed by the DNA lab and poked his head in. "Hey."

Stella sighed. "Hi."

He nodded at the computer. "Not gonna get anything from that now," he said.

"Don't I know it," Stella groused.

"Maybe you should take a break," Mac suggested. "Come on. Vending machine. I'll buy."

Stella shook her head and smiled. "Well, I'm sure not gonna turn down the boss," she said, carefully removing her latex gloves and tossing them into a bin and washing her hands. Then she followed Mac down to the candy machine.

"Pick your poison," Mac said. "I think M&Ms are B8."

"B8 it is," Stella agreed, waiting with a small smile on her face

. Mac put some change in. As the last quarter fell, he rolled his eyes. "Oh. This isn't gonna work, huh?"

Stella smiled amusedly. "No. Powered machine."

"Uh huh. Well, there goes 75 cents," Mac shrugged. Another bolt of lightning lit the sky, and a rumble of thunder shook the building. "Big one," he noted. He looked at Stella. "So how you been?"

She shrugged. "Oh, you know. Second guessing myself, panicking. The usual."

"Everything will be fine," Mac told her.

Stella bit her lower lip "So everyone keeps telling me."

"That's because we all know you. You won't let this stop you. You're just that strong." Mac smiled.

Stella gave him a hug. "I appreciate the pep talk, Coach," she said. "And thanks."

The power came on, and Mac quickly hit B8. Not one, but two bags of M&Ms dropped to the slot. Stella looked at Mac, surprised. He fished them out and handed one to her. "Lucky, huh?" he said.

"Yeah," Stella said, accepting the bag. "Lucky."

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Stella flicked the light on in her apartment. Her clock above her microwave was blinking that it was midnight. She rolled her eyes and went into the kitchen to set it. When she had set it to the correct time, she heard her phone ring. The caller ID read "Lindsay."

"Hey, you," Stella answered the phone.

"Hey. Plans for the night?"

"Flack's working a double shift, so no. Why, what's up?"

"Girl's night." Stella could practically hear the grin in Lindsay's voice. "My place. Nothing but chick flicks and food that's bad for you. Mainly chocolate. Interested?"

Stella found herself smiling. "Let me change from work, and I'll be there in about a half hour?"

"Great! See you in a bit! Oh, and bring Kate and Leopold, Peyton hasn't seen it."

Stella sighed. "I'll attempt to find it. See you in a bit!"

"Bye!"

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"So then he goes, 'Darlin', for you I'd rope the moon an' tie it above the Kickin' M.' Trust me, there was no second date."

Stella had never laughed so hard in her life. Lindsay had had some interesting relationships in the past. "He was so lame!" Lindsay finished. "He was cute, though. Not going to lie to you there, he was a good-looking cowboy." Lindsay had decided to do a girl's night to get Stella's mind off of her test results, which were all her friend had been thinking about for the past few weeks. Lindsay wanted her to have some fun.

"Does Danny know about your good-looking cowboy?" Peyton couldn't resist asking.

Lindsay grinned. "Nope. Besides, that was sixth grade! Somehow I don't think Danny will care."

"Oh, I've had some that have been that picky," Peyton said, snatching another handful of popcorn. "As if some twelve year old kid is going to give them competition."

"This is my favorite part," Stella said, nodding to the movie. They were watching Kate and Leopold because Peyton was a huge Hugh Jackman fan. Onscreen, Jackman's Leopold had just hopped on a white horse and went tearing through Central Park after the man who'd stolen Meg Ryan's purse. "That's what I want. A white knight."

"You have one," Lindsay pointed out. "He just comes riding up in a squad car brandishing a nine millimeter." She smiled at her friend. "So. You and Flack, huh? How'd that one come about?"

Stella smiled fondly at the day. "It was about six months ago. Flack was up in the lab one day, checking on some evidence for a case, as I remember. I was playing with something in Reconstruction, and hadn't closed the door. He walked in and stood behind me. I didn't see him there. I pull back my hand with a knife or something in it and felt someone grab me. I turn around, and there he stands. He scared the living daylights out of me. After I recovered, he asked me out."

"Does he let you call him Don?" Peyton asked. "Nobody here calls him by his first name. I thought it was the strangest thing when Mac introduced me to him. 'This is Flack' he says. Just like that. No last name. I didn't even know he had a first name until I saw it on a report!"

"He would, but I don't use it," Stella said. "His dad's a legend in the NYPD. I guess Flack didn't want to be in his dad's shadow, so he just used his last name. A tribute, I guess."

"I see," Peyton said, nodding.

"Anyway," Stella said, deciding to get the conversation off her love life and onto someone elses's, she turned to Lindsay. "So you and Danny, huh? It's about time!"

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When Stella got home at two in the morning, she noticed her door was unlocked. I know I locked it behind me, she thought. She pulled her gun from her purse and carefully eased the door in. A pair of shoes that didn't belong to her were in her doorway.

Stella smiled. Flack. Ever since he'd found out about the whole HIV thing, he'd spent quite a few nights at Stella's, taking his promise to be there for her to the next level. Stella had once teased him about turning the living room into a bedroom for him.

Not that she would have minded.

She tiptoed into the living room, and sure enough, there he was, out like a light. A stray piece of black hair fell over his forehead. Stella pulled the afghan off the back of the couch and threw it on him before heading to bed.

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Figured this story could use some lighthearted moments. Like/love/hate it, please review! Lemme see...six more reviews puts me at 25 total, that's a nice number...