Mac was there at ten til to follow her home. By that time Brenna was more than ready to head home. She had already written the day off as one of the most stressful and unproductive of recent history.

Mac followed her home and exited the truck carrying a paper bag of Italian takeout, a small bag of dog food and his overnight bag. Reego trailed close on his heels.

"What is all this?"

"This is dinner," he lifted his right hand, "and this is everything Reego and I need to spend a couple days here."

"Oh really? Do I have any say in this?" She unlocked the door and both man and dog followed her inside. Mac made a sound similar to clearing his throat. Reego's ears stood to attention and he took off into the depths of her darkened home with his back straight and his nose to the ground.

"He's just checking the house. It'll just be a minute. As for your question, I understand how you might not like it and I totally understand if I'm relegated to the couch but I won't sleep any better at home worrying about you. Or sleeping in my truck down the road if you absolutely refuse."

Reego returned with a much more relaxed posture and Mac gave him another command, a treat and a vigorous body rub.

Brenna exhaled loudly and dropped her hands at her side before heading to the kitchen. Mac visibly relaxed having anticipated a much larger show of disapproval. In fact, her simple acceptance belayed her obvious unease with the situation. He dropped his bag on the couch and followed her into the kitchen.

"We have work in the morning, pretty early; I promise we'll try not to disturb you too much."

Brenna filled a glass from the tap and stood leaned up against the counter watching him. Her face was unreadable and Mac felt uncomfortable. Belatedly he regretted his high handed decision to barge in and protect her without consulting her first. It crossed his mind that he might have just destroyed his chances with her.

After a moment she put her glass down and approached him, her face still blank. He had no idea what was coming but braced for whatever it was. He was surprised when she rose up on tip toes and kissed him lightly. "So what have you brought for dinner?"

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

Several hours later he listened to her breath softly in the dark. They'd eaten dinner and he'd watched television with Reego while she'd taken a bath. When he'd asked her for sheets and a blanket for the couch she just chuckled and led him upstairs.

They hadn't done anything. He'd been too wrapped up in her safety and had forgotten to stop by the store to replenish their store of protection. He'd confessed his failure before their kissing could get too out of hand and she assured it was fine as she'd had a long and day and more than anything just wanted him to hold her.

She fit perfectly against his body with her head on his shoulder. He liked that every breath he took smelled of soft lavender and Brenna. His arm was starting to fall asleep but he'd be damned if he'd move it and risk disturbing her.

It had only been four weeks since he'd met her in the crowded concourse boarding area. He had no idea how she'd become so very dear to him. When he thought of Herrick anywhere within 10 feet of her his blood boiled and his hands and teeth clenched.

Mac wasn't an unintelligent man; he knew that anger is a secondary emotion. He knew that the source of his uneasiness was truly fear. Fear of losing the woman nestled in his arms and causing his hand to tingle painfully.

In a very short time she had become essential to his life. The thought of her being injured or harmed in anyway created tightness in his chest and difficulty breathing.

She was strong and she was smart but she didn't work with scum every day. She didn't know how they thought or what they were really capable of. He believed her that she would be careful and watchful but he still worried and wanted to be close to hand.

Mac trusted Pete, he disliked Brewster on a personal level but knew he'd have to trust him to do his part, it was in their jurisdiction and technically out of his hands, not that he intended to stay out of it in anyway. Not until the threat to Brenna had been eliminated.

He pulled his woman closer shifting her more onto his chest and relieving a little pressure on his arm. This was his woman, He'd waited a long time for her and he'd be damned if anyone was going to take her from him.

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

She awoke to muffled movement in her bathroom. A slow smile crept across her face at the obvious effort he was undertaking to be quiet so she could sleep. The gray light of morning was just barely sneaking through the window.

A loud thump was preceded by a very low growl of frustration which made her smile even wider. Quietly he emerged from the bathroom in his uniform and froze when her saw her awake and smiling at him.

"I guess quiet didn't really work huh? I'm sorry."

She just continued to smile as she took in the sight before her. There was nothing sexier than a man in a uniform. She'd always had a thing for them and had truly appreciated Greg in his but Mac's tight black t-shirt and tactical pants with his gun belt on his side was breathtakingly sexy.

She rolled to her knees and crawled to where he stood at the end. She ran her hands up his chest slowly and linked them behind his neck pressing herself suggestively against his chest.

"You sir need to return home wearing exactly this ridiculously sexy uniform and prepared for the resulting sexual fallout."

Mac couldn't help the foolish smile he felt taking over his face or the blush creeping up his neck. He simply leaned down and expressed what he thought of her boldness with at kiss.

"I will fulfill your wish if you promise me to be very watchful on your way to work, not go for any walks, and call me and Pete if anything at all happens that makes you even slightly uncomfortable."

"Deal." She kissed him back and released him. She reached down to pat Reego good morning. "Good morning fur face. Take care of this guy ok?"

With a final kiss Mac headed out to work and Brenna to the kitchen for coffee.

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

The day was going a lot better than its predecessor. She'd slept great with Mac in her bed, perhaps because she'd felt absolutely safe and content. She'd written her statement and shipped it off to Pete with a note to him about Mac staying with her for the time being so he wouldn't have to set up a security detail.

She'd had a nice conversation with Lana about her latest date with Brad, which seemed to be going very well then had the same conversation with from Brad's point of view a little later in which he had confirmed things were going very well.

Brenna was immersed in a set of building plans when Mark came charging through her office door.

"Why do I have to hear about you being stalked by our number one suspect by the report showing up on my desk? Is it really that hard to pick up the phone and just call me?"

"Hello Detective Brewster, what a lovely day we are having wouldn't you say?" She was in too good a mood to allow him to ruin it.

"Don't, just don't Brenna!" he warned in a low voice.

"It's being handled Mark. Pete took the report; I'm being more watchful, Mac is staying over and being overly protective. I don't need anyone else charging to my rescue and telling me what to do so you can pack up your ego and march your happy ass right back out that door if you think that is what you are going to do."

Mark was visibly taken aback. He'd never seen Brenna with her back up before and didn't know how to respond.

"Brenna you don't understand," He took a breath. "He must have been watching the fires. That is the only way he'd know who you are and what you are doing. Now the hammer is coming down on him, we are getting closer and closer and he's feeling the pressure. You were the first person to investigate, you are the person who noticed the pattern and raised the red flag and got law enforcement involved. He likely blames you for ruining everything for him."

"I do understand that Mark."

"He is an unstable man. He could hurt you." He threw his hands up in frustration.

"I understand that as well."

Mark gave up and decided to switch tactics. "I've put a call into the state lab and pushed to get the flare you found processed. I'm hoping it will give us something concrete. We've got plenty of circumstantial evidence; I'm not sure it would get me a warrant but I'm going to try anyway. I want him off the street so that you are safe."

"I am safe. Brad is going everywhere with me, he even brings me food so I don't have to leave. Mac follows me home to make sure no one else does. No one could possibly get past Reego let alone make it up the stairs without Mac hearing them and going Marine on them. By all means, get this guy and put him away but do it because he's burning down homes and one day the home he chooses isn't going to be empty and we'll be dealing with a murderer then."

Mark stood silently staring at her with his hands on his hips.

"So Mac's living with you now? Sleeping in your bed apparently? Don't you think that is irresponsibly fast?"

"Mark that is absolutely none of your business and I refuse to discuss my personal life with you." She turned her back to him and her eyes back to her blueprints. "This conversation is over. Let me know what the lab says about the flare."

He continued to stand there staring until Brad walked through the door with 2 white bags in his hands followed by Reego and Mac.

"Lunch has arrived and look who I found with the exact same idea in mind." He placed one of the bags on her desk and nodded to Mark. "Hello Detective Brewster."

"Hey Brad." He tried to lighten his tone but failed as he glared daggers at Mac.

Mac with his own white paper bag in hand pulled a chair up next to Brenna at her desk. Reego sensing the detective's malevolent mood gave a light warning growl.

"Easy boy." Mac admonished. "Hey babe." He kissed Brenna's temple. "Everything all right?"

"Oh yes, Detective Brewster came by to talk about Herrick's behavior and the steps he's taking to get a warrant issued but we're done now. He was just on his way out." Her tone was unmistakably a dismissal.

Mark crossed his arms as he weighed his options and came to the conclusion he had none. He crossed to Mac and pointed at the man.

"Keep her safe or so help me God I'll ruin you." He turned to stalk away but stopped at Mac's voice.

"I'll keep her safe, not because I'm in any way intimidated or afraid of you but because she is the woman I love. If you ever threaten me again you'd better be prepared for the backlash. This is your only warning." With that he took his eyes away from Mark and attended to his sandwich.

Mark left the room in the shocked silence and Brenna simply stared open mouthed as the man beside her bit into his sub and began to chew. It seemed surreal in the strong fumes of salami and pepperoncinis that he'd just made such a public declaration of his feelings. He was pointedly not making eye contact with her and Brad was trying his best to shrink into obscurity on the other side of the room.

Mac finished chewing and threw piece of pepperoni to Reego. He cleared his throat self-consciously. "Yes I said it, and yes I meant it. Is that a problem? I hadn't planned on telling you this soon, or in this way but it's out there now and it's how I feel."

"No, no problem." She stated simply.

"Ok. You should eat your sandwich then, Reego is eyeing it hard." With that she simply accepted the light sensation in her chest and the flip in her stomach and took a bite of her sub.