A/N: So this is it. This is the last part of the story. Thank you all for taking this ride with me and thank you all for your wonderful reviews as well. I hope you enjoy the ending, after the rather cruel cliff hanger last time. LOL

Epilogue

"I still believe that your answer shocked him," Mac told her and watched Stella walking around in her apartment.

"Maybe," she just replied, because she didn't really listen to him. She was searching for something but couldn't find it.

"Well I'm sure," he stated and leaned against the doorway. "What are you looking for?"

"Just..something…." came the very helpful reply.

"Ah," Mac raised his brows and didn't ask any further.

"Have you been shocked as well?" she suddenly asked.

"Shocked? No. But stunned. I think we all were and still are," he told her honestly.

"Well I won't change my decision."

"So you still think that this was the correct decision?" he asked and sounded a bit doubting.

"Don't you think it's a little too late to ask that?" she gave him a disbelieving look. "And weren't you the one who brought me into this situation in the first place?"

"Maybe," he smirked a bit. "But can't you understand me? It's not that easy for me as well."

"Oh poor, Mac," she drawled. "Please enlighten me."

"Well," he started and walked to her. "You're both my friends and now.."

"We're still your friends," she finished for him and smiled when he took her in his arms.

"I'm still not sure if I like that…," he sighed and was interrupted by another voice.

"Well I'm sure that I don't like what I'm seeing."

Looking into the voice's direction, Stella's eyes began to sparkle and her smile became even wider. "Hey."

"Now, now Taylor, get your hands off her," the other man pointed his finger at the marine. "I can't leave you two alone for a minute…"

"A minute?" Mac laughed. "Says the one who hasn't shown his face for over two weeks now and let me do all the hard work."

"Doesn't mean that you can touch her," the other man argued back, but it was hard for him to stay serious.

"Should I leave you two alone? To finish your cockfight?" Stella chimed in looked at Mac.

Mac gave her one last squeeze, just to tease the other, before he let her go. "I guess it should be me to leave you two alone," he said when Stella walked away. "That's a good idea actually, then you can carry all the boxes, or what's left of them."

Laughing, Horatio wrapped his arms around Stella. "Hey," he greeted her softly and kissed her forehead. "Did the marine over there entertain you while I was away?"

"Mhm, he did," she snuggled into his chest and giggled when she heard Mac's snort. "I thought you wouldn't make it until tomorrow?"

"Calleigh kicked me out of my office and the others had rebooked my flight. I think they wanted to get rid of me."

"Unbelievable," she sassed.

"Hey! I can leave if you want to."

"No," she quickly wrapped her arms around his waist to stop him from leaving. "It's been too long."

Yeah, those last two weeks had really been too long for his liking. He had missed her of course, but thinking about their future together had lessened the lovesickness. "Mhm.. but now I'm here and we can pack the last things." Looking around, he noticed that her apartment was almost empty. "Though I doubt that there's a lot more to get packed anyway."

"A lot can happen in two weeks, Horatio," Mac grinned at the couple. He still couldn't believe what was happening. Stella was about to leave New York and start her new life down in Miami. Has it really been four months ago when Horatio had asked her to come with him in the middle of the Crime Lab?

Unbelievable. Yet, it was true.

"True," Horatio agreed and gently freed himself from his girlfriend. "I guess I need to thank you to help us out so much," he walked to Mac and held out his hand.

"Don't worry about it, Horatio. I'm her big brother, right? It's my duty to help her," Mac replied easily and shook his friend's hand.

"How could I forget that? The family resemblance is striking," Horatio laughed. "But seriously, Mac. Thank you for all your help. It means a lot to me," looking at his woman, he added, "to us. And I guess since you're family, you're more than welcome to visit us in Miami if New York is getting you."

"Mhm I think I might take you up on your offer some day," Mac replied and looked at his watch. "And now it's time for me to leave you two alone. I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked Stella in particular, because it was her officially last day as a CSI for the New York Crime Lab. She still had some vacation time left over and would use it to get some things done here and then to get things settled down in Miami. Most of the paperwork had already been finished and approved, but some things had to be done in Miami.

"Absolutely," she replied and hugged him goodbye.

"Good, I'll see you tomorrow then," he waved and shook his head when they followed him. "I think I can find the door, don't worry."

When they heard the door shut, Stella and Horatio turned towards each other and smiled. "Do you think I'm going to hear another big-brother-speech?" he asked her amused.

"Probably yes," she laughed and pulled his head down to her. "So where's my kiss?"

"Mhm," he tilted his head. "Didn't I kiss you?"

"On the forehead," she stated incredulously.

"Hm, now that's not enough, is it?" he grinned and captured her lips.

"Nope," she gasped and practically melted into the kiss. Oh how she had missed that. It was a good thing that they would never have to live apart that long again. In only a few days she'd be a Miami citizen and an old CSI in a new Crime Lab. She would have a real home again and a small but mighty family waiting for her.

Would she miss her friends here in New York? Oh yes she would. But she wouldn't lose her friends here; she would just make new ones in addition to them. New York had been her home for all her life, so she wouldn't and couldn't ever forget them.

"Are you nervous?" Horatio asked after they broke the kiss and gathered her in his arms.

"No," she told him honestly. "I can't wait to be back in Miami. And most of all, I can't wait to be home again."

Every ending was a new beginning of something else in the end.

And she was looking forward to travel down this new road with Horatio by her side.

The End

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