Okay, this is the sequel to ....One More Time With Feeling.  I wasn't 
going to write one,
but I got bored, so here it is.  Oh, and you might want to read the 
other one, cos otherwise this might not make much sense.

Author: Ditzy D
E-Mail: ditzy_n_delusional@yahoo.com.au
Disclaimer: What else can I say.....I have no affiliation with 
Stingers.
Note:  This will probably be my last Fic for a while.  I start Uni 
for the first time on
Monday, and I have no idea what the workload will be like. (But I'm 
assuming rather
large and very time consuming!)


******************************
Taking The Road Less Travelled
******************************

Mac stood in her room after Pete had left, contemplating what she 
could do.  Her heart
was telling her to run after him, to tell him that it would work, 
that she wanted him - that
she needed him.  But her head was telling her that it would never 
work.  That it would be
like last time, and that they had both changed too much for any kind 
of relationship. 
Anyway, they'd just about ruined any friendship they had had with 
that argument, and she
didn't want to enter a relationship if she was only going to get hurt.
Logic won over, and she sighed heavily as she got herself ready for 
bed.  She had no idea
what the repercussions of tonight's fight with Pete would have on 
their already rocky
relationship.
'Can't wait for tomorrow....' She muttered sarcastically to herself, 
climbing under the
covers and drifting into a restless night's sleep.

***************

Pete slipped silently into Mac's office, managing to go un-noticed by 
her.  Everyone else
had left, and Mac had discarded her paperwork - opting to read a 
novel she had found
instead.  This was what she was doing when Pete had entered.  He 
watched her; she was
too engrossed in her book to even notice him until he spoke.
'You've been ignoring me.' He stated quietly.
Mac jumped a mile.
'Shit! Pete, what are you doing?'
'You've been ignoring me.' He repeated.
'No I haven't.' She brushed him off, returning to her book.
'Why didn't you join the others down the pub?' Pete continued.
'Nah, I'm too busy.' Mac answered automatically, forgetting what she 
really was doing.
'Really.  Cos you don't look that busy to me.  You didn't want to go 
cos you thought I'd be
there.'
'That's rubbish; I couldn't care less if you were there.  Now if you 
don't mind, I have
things to do.'
'Mac!  You're reading a novel for crying out loud.  You're not even 
doing any work.  So
why are you avoiding ME!!!'  Pete was becoming rather frustrated at 
her lack of a
response.
Mac didn't answer.
'Is it because of the other night?'  Pete could tell he was heading 
down the right track,
Mac had turned slightly, trying to block him out.
'I meant it you know.' He moved towards her, kneeling by her seat and 
looking up at her. 
'We could give it another go.'
'You make it sound so easy.'
'It is easy.'
'No it isn't.' Mac pushed her chair away from him and stood.
Pete stood also.  'The other night you seemed....'
'I wasn't myself the other night.' Mac replied.  'Now if you don't 
mind...' she finished
waving her hand in the direction of the door.
Pete watched her for a few more moments, but she avoided his gaze.  
He sighed aloud as
he left her office closing the door behind him.  Then making his way 
to his car, to join
the others at the pub.

*******************

Mac sat heavily, leaning forward onto her desk.  She listened to Pete 
speed off, before
putting her head in her hands.  What was she doing?  She had no 
idea.  Her heart was still
telling her to throw herself into his arms.  To kiss him deeply and 
with all the passion she
could muster.  But again her head counteracted her hearts wild 
fantasies, and again logic
and reason prevailed.  It could never be.
Mac stood gathering her things, deciding to go home.  She wasn't 
working anyway.
She stopped laughing suddenly.  She thought back to the conversation 
with Pete, how she
told him to leave because she was working, all the while she was 
holding her novel in
one hand.
'What am I doing?' She thought, as she turned out the lights and 
headed home.

******************

The days passed, all like the previous ones.  Pete would try and talk 
to Mac, but she
would brush him off, claiming she wasn't ignoring him - that she was 
just busy.
'That's the signal.  All units move in.  I repeat all units move in!' 
Mac yelled as she exited
the van, joining the others in arresting yet another dealer they had 
been pursuing for
weeks.

'Great job today guys,' Mac congratulated her team, as they all sat 
around the work area. 
'Now go and enjoy your weekend.  I'll see you on Monday.'
Everyone got up, and said their respective farewells before arranging 
to meet up later for
a few drinks.
'You coming Mac?' Danni asked.
'Nah, I think I'll just go home.  Thanks for the offer anyway.'
'Suit yourself,' Danni answered before turning to the others, 'See ya 
later then.'

********************

Mac entered her house.  It was quiet, just what she needed.  The day 
had gone well,
another crim out of circulation, and all she wanted to do now was 
curl up somewhere
with a good book and an even better bottle of red.  She went up to 
her room, changing
then heading back downstairs, finding her novel before setting up 
camp on the lounge. 
She had hardly read the first page, when someone knocked on the door.
'You have got to be kidding me...' she mumbled as she made her way to 
the front door.
Pete stood anxiously waiting for Mac to answer.  He knew she was 
home, he just didn't
know whether she would be too pleased to see him.  'Well it can't be 
as bad as last time...'
he muttered, as the door in front of him opened.
Mac looked out and sighed.  'What do you want?'
'Can we talk?'  Pete was going to start with something else, but this 
seemed the safest
approach.
Mac thought for a second before opening the door further before 
heading back to her spot
on the lounge.
Pete entered, shutting the door behind him.  A sense of déjà vu
swept 
over him as he
entered the living area.
Mac looked up at him.  'Okay, talk.  But make it quick, I've got 
things to do.'
'Now I know that's a lie.  We just closed a big case, you have 
nothing to work on.'
'Is that what you came to tell me?'  Because....'
'I was only saying it so you couldn't use work as an excuse to avoid 
me anymore.'
'I don't use work....'
'I came here to get an answer.  This is the last time I ask, it's all 
becoming too much.  If
you refuse, then I want bother you anymore.  I promise, but that is 
only because I don't
think I can keep chasing something that may never be.
Mac looked up at him.  She didn't know what to say.  Her heart and 
head were pulling her
in different directions.  She stood, shaking her head as if it could 
help put everything in
perspective.  She stood opposite him, placing her hands lightly on 
his chest.
'Pete....it won't work.'
Pete was confused by the mixed message she was sending out.  She'd 
approached him
and he was sure she was going to say yes, but then she told him that.
'Is that the way you feel?' He asked.
Mac took a step back, 'No, that is the way I know.'
'If that is what you want then, I won't bother you anymore Mac.'  
Pete looked at her one
last time, before leaving.
Mac looked after him, longing for him to come back and ask her 
again.  'No this is for the
best...' she told herself.  But nothing she told herself could stop 
her feeling the way she
did.  Now that the offer was no longer there, she knew what she 
wanted.
'This isn't practical...' she told herself.  'But it's what you 
want....'
Mac let out a small scream, throwing her arms in the air in 
frustration.  She was tired of
the game of 'tug-o-war' her heart and her head were playing.  She had 
to do something -
she had to be decisive.  With that thought in mind she grabbed her 
car keys and ran out of
the house.

******************

Pete had decided not to join the others at the pub, and he sat at 
home cradling a beer, and
staring at the muted television.  'You gave it your best shot...' he 
mumbled as he went to
answer the door, hoping it wasn't the guys deciding to bring the 
party to him.
Mac stood on the stoop having no idea what she was doing.  On the 
drive over, her head
started to drive some sense into her again.  She turned to leave, but 
it was a little too late
- Pete had opened the door.
'What do you want.  I'm kinda busy,' He said using her well-worn 
excuse.
Mac watched him deciding that it was now or never.
'Can I come in?'  She asked timidly.
Pete opened the door further, allowing her to enter.  He locked it 
again before turning
towards her.  Mac didn't waste a second, afraid that she'd lose any 
courage she had.  She
stepped forward kissing him deeply, pressing him up against the 
door.  One hand rest
gently on the side of his face, as the other found his hand, taking 
it and placing it around
her waist.
Pete hesitated at first, surprised by her sudden movements.  But he 
soon relaxed within
her embrace and soon found himself kissing her back, holding her 
tightly against him.
Mac pulled back suddenly, gasping, as she only just realised what she 
was doing.
'It's okay.' Pete said quickly, letting her step back, but still 
keeping hold of her waist.
'I needed to do that before I chickened out.  I'm sorry.'
'It's okay....'
'No, it was inappropriate.'
'Was it what you wanted?'
Mac looked around, stepping out of Pete's reach, as he watched her 
carefully.
'I don't know...I...my heart is saying yes, but I can think of so 
many reasons why we
shouldn't.'
'Mac hasn't anyone told you that you should always follow your heart.'
'Not when your head always comes up with a very convincing 
argument.'  Mac replied
softly.
Pete stepped closer to her again.  Enveloping her in his arms.  'Then 
we are just going to
have to talk that head of yours around.' He whispered in her ear.
Mac smiled gently, inhaling deeply then sighing.
'It can work Mac.'
'It might not.  It would be easier to just forget about this.'
'Don't even think that.' Pete spoke, taking her face in his hands, 
waiting for her to look at
him, before he spoke again.
'Following your heart is taking the road less travelled....'
Mac looked away.
'....and sometimes taking the road less travelled has the best 
outcomes in the end,' he
finished.
Mac looked up at him again.
'We'll only do this if you want too.'
Mac gazed at him, lifting her hand and letting her fingers run gently 
over his face.
'I want to.' She whispered.
Pete smiled as he leaned in to kiss her, taking his time as she once 
again got used to his
touch.

*********************