Seven PM on a Friday in New York City was most people's favorite time of the week. But while most would have left their respective offices in the direction of wherever home may be by seven PM, certain members of New York's Police Department weren't quite so keen to leave. Detective Mac Taylor sat stoically at his desk, where he'd barely moved from since his return to the lab two hours ago. He sighed and loosened his tie, undoing the top button of his dark shirt as he continued to read over the report Hawkes had left on his desk sometime during his absence. Though he had no urgent desire to go home, there was still a small feeling of regret that haunted him at the thought that he had little to go home to. Days like today threw him off balance, days away from his team, his lab, people who had become his family. Six hours spent giving evidence in court, defending himself and his lab's ability to gather and analyze evidence. Not his favorite way to spend a day.

He felt eyes on him, not unusual considering the design of the lab, but made him look up from reading non-the-less. The unease he'd felt eased considerably as his gaze fell upon his partner, beautiful as always even in the harsh unnatural light. She was speaking with two of the techs who had only recently started, recruited straight out of university, but her gaze kept traveling to him almost conspiratorially, as if they had a secret they were enjoying keeping between them. Her sparkle never ceased to entice him; she had a passion for life that he both admired and envied in equal parts, drawing him to her like an addict wanting his fix. He watched her, enjoying the smile that widened at his continued eye contact and causing him to wonder what her game was tonight.

Mac followed her movements as she broke off from the two young men, noting with bemusement that the pair seemed a little smitten as she walked away, towards him, still wearing that secretive smile. She pushed open the glass door, pretty curls bouncing as she moved. "You busy, Mac?"

"Nothing that can't wait." He fixed her with an expectant expression, waiting for the inevitable reason she was practically bouncing from secretive energy.

"Court today... ?"

"Mitchell looks set to be convicted. My part is done and closing statements are set for Monday morning." He smiled as he decided to call her on her odd behavior. "Was there something you wanted, Stella?"

She grinned, mischievous sparkles reaching her green eyes as she set her hands on his desk, leaning forward. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Why?" Mac shot back, amused and forcing his eyes to remain on her olive skin and green eyes rather than drifting down to the inadvertently clear view down her shirt, her gold necklace swinging back and forth, taunting him.

"It's my turn to buy dinner." Stella supplied, as though that was all he needed to know.

He looked at her, disbelief written all over his face as he waited for her to continue. She didn't. "Why do I suspect you have an ulterior motive here, Stell?"

She laughed, standing up straight and moving towards the stand in the corner which held his suit jacket. "Because, Mac, you've been in this city's law enforcement for too long." One of Mac's patented grey-blue stares only made her laugh again, apparently choosing to alleviate some of his suspicion when she continued; "It's nothing sinister, I promise."

"Then why does a sense of foreboding suddenly come over me when you say that?" He asked, but his smile remained in place. He was fairly sure had this woman not been a constant in his life over the past decade, he'd be completely unable to laugh. Somehow she always managed to make him enjoy himself; when he was determined to work himself into the ground, she would force him to eat, sleep or simply sit with him while he worked. He couldn't ever be sure she understood how much she meant to him, how much he valued her company and her concern for his well-being. He wasn't able to express himself the way he'd like to, having always been somewhat shy of emotions, of showing the affection he felt for others; for her. Stella, however, was the exact opposite, balancing their partnership, their friendship, with her affinity for physical affection. She kissed him rarely, but her regular touches were like white lightening through his system, comforting and arousing in equal measure, something else he could never share with her, though there were times he had wanted to. "I assume you've chosen where we're going?"

Plucking his jacket from the stand, she moved towards his side of the desk, pulling the forgotten report from his hands and placing it on the large desk. "No, you can pick the place." She reached to her left, grasping the set of keys that had been thrown haphazardly next to his clock a few hours ago and transfered them to his now empty hand. "I'll even let you drive."

Clearly relinquishing the driver's seat was supposed to be the deal-breaker, confirmed by the dazzling smile she was still sending in his direction. "Now I'm intrigued." He slipped into his jacket as she handed it to him, watching as she made her way to the glass door of his office as a clear indication that they were leaving right now.

He chuckled at her determination, making his way over to her and placing his hand on her lower back as he guided her out of his office in the direction of the elevators.

***

As Stella listened to him tell her about a newly discovered restaurant Don Flack had mentioned to him during a case several days ago, she found herself wondering if another man in his place would ever make her feel the way she did about Mac Taylor. It was something she chose to hide very well, something not shared with anyone, under any circumstances. She often felt they weren't able to spend as much time together as she'd like, despite working side by side most days of the week and for far too many hours. It was the rare occurrences of these purely social, relaxed evenings that she treasured far more than the occasions of trying to create a bond with a man she'd only recently met; men that had never once come close to measuring up to her best friend.

She studied his profile as he drove, pleased to see Mac in a surprisingly upbeat state of mind; the usually tightly wound muscles of his shoulders seemed almost relaxed. Mac in a state of relaxation was a sight to be marveled at; simply because it happened so rarely. And while Stella relished every moment her friend spent with a little less weighing his emotions down, it was also a time she had to be especially careful of the attraction she felt towards him, correct herself before she misinterpreted small touches and smiles as something more than his good mood. It became all too clear to her on these rare occasions just how much she loved him; or at least how much she loved spending time with him in a personal sense. While she was aware that on some levels her subconscious had decided she'd fallen head over heels for him years ago, her realistic conscious mind chose to ignore the small, insignificant fact that she was attracted to her best friend. The possibility she might actually be in love with him was buried under several layers of denial that even the most talented of investigators wouldn't be able to extract in the form of a confession from her.

He turned to glance at her quickly, breaking her out of her thoughts as she returned his gaze along with a reassuring smile. She was obviously causing him concern at her quiet thoughts. Stella wasn't usually one for silence unless she needed to think and of course Mac knew that.

"You alright, Stell?"

She smiled at him, enjoying the way the light rain on the windshield and headlights outside cast dancing shadows across his face. "I just like seeing you relaxed. Doesn't happen often enough, you know."

Mac's answering smile said it all, a trace of amusement flashing in the grey-blue of his eyes as he made a right turn, early evening traffic thickening as they edged closer to their destination. "I could say the same to you."

"But you wouldn't."

"I wouldn't?"

Stella shook her head, an impish grin brightening her face. "I'm buying dinner, so I can withhold dessert should I so choose."

He turned to glance at her again, as if checking she was kidding before he laughed. "Best behavior, Stell, I promise."