Author: Ditzy D
E-mail: ditzy_n_delusional@yahoo.com.au
Disclaimer: I have absolutely nothing to do with Stingers, it's
cast, 
crew or creators.  But, I'd love a job.  I'll do
anything...be your 
assistant...bring your lunch...pour your coffee...shine your shoes! 
Note: This is my first eva fic.  Feedback is always welcome, but only 
because I LUV receiving e-mail. :) (And, of course, because I would 
like to know what u think!)


.....One More Time With Feeling


Pete stood on Mac's front doorstep contemplating whether it was a 
good idea to knock. 
After the way they had left things, he was rather unsure about what 
her reaction would be if she saw him standing there.  `Well, I
can 
only try...' he thought as he knocked.
Mac walked up to the front door, quite aware that it was late, and 
cautiously opened it. 
She wasn't in the best of moods, and whoever it was, was sure
going 
to get a good reaming.
Pete heard the turning of the lock and turned to face the door, as 
Mac opened it to look out.  As soon as she saw who it was though, the 
door shut again.
Pete was too quick for her though, and anticipating her movement, 
jammed his foot between the door, stopping it before it closed.  All 
the while pushing on it slightly with his hands.
Mac wasn't going to give up though.  She continued trying to push
the 
door closed, but to no avail.  Pete was stronger, and nothing was 
going to move him.  Giving it one more good shove, Mac turned and 
retreated back into the living area.
Pete felt her resistance on the door leave, and carefully pushed it 
open, closing it behind him before making his way inside.
Mac stood in the middle of the room waiting for him to appear. 
`Why 
was he here,' she thought.  `I thought that we'd made it
quite clear 
that we didn't want to see each other. 
Well I for one am not going to forgive him for what he said.  He had 
no right...'
Pete took a deep breathe before entering the room.`Mac...'
`You had no right in saying any of that.'  Mac fired back
before he 
could say anymore. 
`How would you know what it is like, eh?  Did you even think
about 
what you were saying?  Did you even think about how much it might 
hurt me?  I guess you didn't, and I guess any feelings of mutual 
respect and friendship meant just about nothing to you at that time.  
Well I'll tell you one thing now Church.  Any `trying to mend
the 
situation' is not going to work, because as far as I'm
concerned you 
really don't give a damn about me, and therefore I couldn't
care less 
about you!'
And with that she turned and made her way upstairs slamming her 
bedroom door, leaving Pete slightly taken aback and extremely pissed 
off.
`How could she pile all the blame on him?'  True, he started
it.  But 
her retaliation had hurt him just as much.  He hadn't come all
this 
way to have her yell at him – again.
All thoughts of reconciliation vanished as he took the stairs two at 
a time making his way to her closed bedroom door.  Fuming.  This time 
he didn't even bother knocking, forcing the door open with such 
strength that it not only frightened him, but Mac who had been
standing in the centre of the room.  She backed herself slowly 
against the far wall, as he started with his barrage of accusations.
`How can you say I don't care, eh?  I have been there for you
more 
times then you would care to admit.  You really aren't as
independent 
as you believe you are.  But if that is the way you feel, then fine.  
No skin off my nose if you decide that you don't need friends. 
Just don't expect me to be there when you decide you do!  I have
no 
idea what I ever saw in you, and why I have even tried to sustain 
this friendship.  It's more than obvious that you couldn't
care less 
about it.'
`Couldn't care less…..' Mac retaliated.  `You
mean…meant… more to me 
than anything somedays.  You `were' there for me, and I'm
glad you 
were because I don't know how I would have survived
otherwise.'  She 
shifted from her vulnerable stance against the wall, to face him full 
on.  Rising to her full height as she added her opinions to the 
growing argument.  
`And you can believe all you want about me, but I do need friends
–
everybody does – and at least I try to treat mine better than you 
treat me!'
`Well I don't remember hearing any complaints about the way
I've 
treated you before!'
Pete yelled back, mimicking her body language and looking her in the 
eye before he added, `you used to love the way I treated you. 
But 
you broke that one off didn't you.'
`I had no choice……'
`You always have a choice.  You just never knew when you had it
good!'
`Don't flatter yourself Church.'
`Don't think too highly of yourself MacKenzie.'
`You said you didn't know what you saw in me, well I sure as
hell 
don't know what I saw in you!' Mac yelled back, before adding 
softly `You can't tell me it didn't mean anything to you
though.'
`Nope.  Nothing.  Not a single thing!' Pete was on a roll and
wasn't 
about to back down now.
Mac though had backed down a little, stepping away from the 
confrontation and turning slightly.
`What?  You backing down, eh.  Good ol' Ellen MacKenzie
isn't as 
strong as she makes everyone believe she is, hey!  What's this,
you 
can't tell me it meant something to you!'
Mac turned and looked over at him, before turning her back.
`Just leave.' She said quietly.  This argument wasn't
going to 
resolve anything.
Pete looked over at her. `Shit', he thought.  He'd only
just started 
to realise what he had said in the heat of the moment.
`Mac…'he watched her tense slightly as he stepped closer to
her.
`Mac.  I'm sorry.... I'm sorry.  I didn't mean
it…I was….'
`It sounded like you meant it to me.  Now just go, okay.'
`No.  I came over here tonight to apologise, for what I said this 
afternoon…'
`You have a great way of apologising'
`Let me finish,' Pete said before he continued.  `I
wanted to 
apologise for my behaviour and what I had said to you.  You're
right 
I don't know what it is like, but I wish you could talk to me
about 
it, so I can help you.'
`I'm fine.  I can take care of myself.'  Mac cut in
defensively.
`I know you probably can, but I care about you, more than you
know.'  
Pete was now
standing behind Mac and placed a hand on her lower back.
`You have a great way of showing you care.  Do you insult all of
your 
friends or am I the only one that receives special treatment?' 
Mac 
turned to look at him.
`Mac.'  Pete looked her in the eye.  `It did mean
something to me.' 
He said, rephrasing the answer to the question she had asked him 
previously.  `And it still does mean something...'
`Pete we can't...'
`Yes we can..'
`No..'
`We can.  You're the boss now.  We have no-one stopping
us...'
`It didn't work last time, look what happened.'
`You said you had to break it off.'
`I did...'  Mac turned her head slightly, ducking it. 
`But it wasn't 
going to work anyway.  We're too different.'
Pete took her face in his hands, lifting it again to look at her.
`It can work,' he said.  `If we want it to work, it
will.'
He leaned in and kissed her tenderly.
`Think about it, okay.'  He said softly before turning to
leave.
`One more time with feeling, eh.' Mac added.
`Yeah, something like that...' Pete answered as he made his
way 
downstairs, shutting the front door quietly.

*************
  The End
*************