The ride back to the lab is again, another uncomfortable one. Still feeling uneasy about their fight earlier, they both remain silent through most of the drive. Mac eventually lets out a heavy sigh and breaks the silence; "Look, Stella... I'm sorry if I was a little overbearing back there."

"A little?!" Stella scoffs.

"Hey, I was just looking out for you!" Mac snaps back at her.

"Well maybe I don't need you to protect me all the time, okay? I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

"Really?" Mac asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, really. You know what? It's you. You feel the need to show up on your white horse all the time to protect me, and I just turn into this vulnerable mess. That's not who I wanna be, Mac"

"Stella..." Mac voice is softer now. "It's okay to be vulnerable sometimes"

"Well apparently not, because you seem to think it will affect my job performance. I'm a detective Mac, and a damn good one. And I don't need you feeling sorry for me all the time." Stella huffs, refusing to look at Mac, as she stares out the window.

"Look, Stella, I'm your friend."

"Well maybe its time you just start acting like my boss, instead of my friend. Maybe I don't need you to be my friend all the time!" She says as crossly as she folds her arms across her stomach and remains staring out the window.

Mac can hardly believe these words are coming out of her mouth. He feels a hard lump in his throat as he tries to swallow. And, being the stubborn Mac Taylor we all know and love, he decides not to try and rationalize with her anymore, and concentrates on the road ahead of him.

They arrive back at the lab and without speaking a word to eachother they both exit the truck and go their seperate ways as Stella heads towards her car and Mac goes inside the building.

[A few hours later]

Flack enters Mac's office. Mac was just putting on his jacket, ready to call it a night.

"Hey Mac"

"Hey. Did you bring Connor Dunbrook in?"

"Yep"

"Well? Is he talking?"

"Are you kidding me?" Flack laughs "He's practically singin' about it. We've got more than enough on Dunbrook. He gave us a couple names too, of who came to the bar that night. I've got uniforms bringin them in now. All the high priced lawyers in the world won't protect him against Connor's testimony."

Mac puts his hands in his pockets and nods at Flack.

"Everything okay?" Flack questions.

"...yeah" Mac replies, hesitantly. "I'm just glad this is over."

"Mac... We just broke one of our biggest cases, and you look like someone just ran over your dog. What's goin on with you?"

"It's Stella... we got into a fight. She thinks I'm too protective of her, and its getting in the way of her doing her job."

"Look, Mac..." Flack lets out a soft sigh "Things have a way of getting pretty heated around here, and yeah, sometimes we let our emotions get the best of us. Thats when you need to step in as our leader, and decide who's fit to work the case or not. And honestly, I don't envy you for that. I know its tough. But you wouldn't do it if you didn't care about us, right?"

Mac nods slightly.

"I mean hey, you've always had my back. I know I don't always seem grateful at the time, but I am. Grateful." Flack says as he gives Mac a pat on the shoulder. "Stella will come around, she just needs to cool off. But she'll realize you were just doing what you thought was best for her."

"I hope your right" Mac says with a sigh.

"Well I've gotta get back to the station. But hey, you should get outta here and get some ---he stops himself before he can say that dreaded word (sleep)—a beer or something..."

"Nice recovery" Mac laughs

"Thanks." He winks.

Flack leaves the office as Mac chuckles and shakes his head.

[end scene]

Meanwhile at Danny & Lindsay's apartment, Stella helps them get settled in. Lindsay sits on the couch as a nervous Danny frantically runs around the apartment to get pillows and blankets to make his wife more comfortable. "Danny!" Lindsay says sternly. "Will you relax! You're making me tired just watching you!"

Stella can't help but chuckle to herself. "Seriously Danny, you need to tone it down, just a little."

"Alright, alright, you win" Danny replies, raising his hands in the air in defeat. He takes a seat next to her on the couch and places an arm around her.

Lindsay smiles as she leans her head onto Danny's shoulder.

"So, Mac must be pretty happy to finally take Dunbrook down huh Stell?" Danny inquires.

"Yeah... I guess..." She replies reluctantly.

"You guess? What's that about?"

"Oh, its nothing Danny, forget it." She shakes her head slightly.

"Stell... come on. Look who you're talkin to here. Tell me what's wrong."

"Mac and I... we got in a fight. I think I was a little harsh on him. I don't even know why I said half the things I said to him. I didn't mean it, but it's too late. He's furious with me now."

"Stella..." Danny begins as he grabs her hand "I love you guys, but you are both by far, the most stubborn people I know. So you got in a fight? Big deal. Just know Mac's a softy when it comes to you!"

Stella flashes a quick smile.

"Yeah, see? There. Just flash him that famous Bonasera smile, things will be back to normal in no time."

Stella sighs "I hope you're right".

"Only one way to find out..." Danny winks at her.

She pushes herself up from the couch and smiles.

"Atta girl!" Danny exclaims. "Go get 'em".

Once outside Danny and Lindsay's apartment Stella gets into her car and picks up her dials the number to Mac's office. She waits impatiently while it rings, and rings. "hmmm, no answer. He must have left for the night" she thinks to herself. She picks up the phone again, this time dialing his cell number. Straight to voicemail. She sighs as she looks at her phone and tries one last number.

"Flack here" the voice on the other end answers.

"Flack, it's Stella. Listen, I'm looking for Mac, have you seen him?"

"Um, not for a good half hour or so. He was on his way out of the lab. He was pretty upset Stell."

"I know, I just... I just need to find him. Did he say where he was going?

"Beats me. He didn't say."

"Alright, well thanks anyway Flack." She flips her phone shut and puts it back into her purse. She runs her fingers through her hair in frustration when suddenly a revelation comes over her: "I know where he is!" she thinks to herself, as she pulls away from the apartment building.

**Sorry to leave you hangin like this :P

More SMacked comin at ya soon!**