Mac took in her words and got to the heart of it immediately, "you still have feelings for him, don't you?"

Gus spit out her mouthful of soda and cranberry. Mac patted himself off and waited for her to speak. "Don? No! Its fine, I mean I'm the one that left and so he moved on, normal and natural right? I mean look at you and Peyton, she wanted to stay in England and you belong here, so clearly you can't stay together..." Gus trailed off.

"The difference being you two are in the same city in the here and now," Mac pointed out.

"Weren't you the one that was against me and him as anything more than partners in the first place?" Gus protested.

Mac shook his head slightly, "I will admit that I think it could have repercussions neither of you thought about, but I certainly am not for you self-destructing or punishing yourself for no good reason. Like I was telling Stella earlier, we are the type to look for excuses to not fall for others, and sometimes you just have to take the plunge."

Gus took in his words and then exclaimed, "were telling Stella? What's going on with her, is this that coffee guy?"

Mac looked unsure if he should say anything, "he's been sending her gifts, I told her to go for it."

Gus narrowed her eyes slightly, "you better hope he is a good guy."

"She already ran him through the system. Now back to you," Mac deflected.

"I don't know where I stand with Don. I can't blame him for being angry with me, I understand why he would never forgive me, frankly I am shocked he is even wanting us to work together," Gus looked perplexed.

Mac waited for their food to be delivered before answering his niece. "Have you considered that maybe Don has already forgiven you and you just need to forgive yourself?"

Gus stabbed at her dish, "you are awfully prosaic for a man who has just been dumped by letter."

"Better than e-mail, I suppose," Mac said with a wry smile, but Gus could tell he was wounded by Peyton's decision.

Gus got up and landed a peck on his cheek and a quick squeeze, much to his chagrin. "I know I may not have been her biggest fan, Uncle Mac, but she's has no clue what's she's letting go," Gus said before digging into her food.

Later as Gus watched Mac on stage with the rising star musician, she spotted Stella out of the corner of her eye. Stella didn't see her, but caught Mac's eye and gave him a slight wave.

Gus moved beside her friend, causing her to jump slightly. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I didn't know you were coming."

"Neither did I, I just thought Mac might be able to-" Stella cut off, not knowing if anyone else knew about the letter she had found in Mac's office.

"I know about the letter, and yeah, I think he could use a friend more tonight than his moping niece," Gus placated her.

"Heard you got stuck working with PI," Stella said after a few moment of silence.

"Not for long, if I can help it, I lost my gun thanks to bringing my libido home instead of my head," Gus grumbled.

Stella felt bad for Gus and patted her on the shoulder, "we all make mistakes."

"Yeah, I know, just have to forgive myself, Mac already gave me that speech tonight," Gus paused and then switched gears, "heard you have an admirer."

Stella nodded, "yeah, but I still don't know what to make of it."

"Well, I think we need a girl's night soon to dish on all of our recent pursuits," Gus prompted.

"I agree," Stella nodded.

"Friday night, my place?" Gus offered.

"Works for me," Stella said as the set ended.

"I think I am going to head home. And Stella, thanks for being a good friend. To Mac and me," Gus said as she made her way out of the crowd.

Gus looked at her caller id as her phone buzzed on her way out home and smiled, "Broussard."

"How about that dessert, sunshine, it is tomorrow, after all," Flack said over the line.

"Only for another ten minutes," Gus shot back.

"Well then you better hurry up, otherwise you've stood me up."

Gus could hear the smile in his voice and felt her stomach do a little flip, "fine, where are you?"

"Out in front of your place with a pie from City Bakery, and I am pretty sure I am about to get mugged for it."

"I'm right around the corner, stay strong", Gus laughed hanging up. Flack met her coming out of the 23rd Street station. "How did you know I was coming from the subway?"

"Because your phone kept going to voice mail and I knew you had been with Mac at Cozy's," Flack explained as if it should be obvious.

"If you weren't a detective you would make an excellent stalker, Flack," Gus laughed and then leaned in, "you know I don't have a weapon if someone goes for the pie, right?"

Flack rolled his eyes,"how about you carry the pie and I'll cover you then?"

"How are you enjoying PR work?" Flack asked as they settled in with their pie and glasses of milk at her dining room table.

"About as much as you enjoy runners," Gus retorted savoring the sweet tartness of the apples in the pie.

Flack took in her noises of delight, "Should I leave you and the pie alone?"

Gus wrinkled her nose, "maybe", she teased.

"Seriously, how long are you stuck in Siberia, because while I love the team, I can only take so much of the geek squad, and this last case was way more up your alley than mine," Flack admitted, scooping more ice cream onto his pie.

"I don't know, it sucks though because Paul thinks I am his department spy and Sinclair thinks I am his puppet."

"He ask you out yet?"

"Despite emails to the contrary, I am pretty sure Sinclair is happily married!" Gus admonished.

"Nice try, Gus," Flack countered.

"Sort of, in a round about way," Gus admitted.

"Better choice than gangsters. Angell said he's hot," Flack tried to sound casual.

"That she did, I will have to introduce the two of them. And I was not seeking out a gangster, I was seeking out someplace to wipe the dirt and blood out of my knees before I got gangrene!" Gus protested.

Flack couldn't resist, "gee mom, he followed me home, can he handcuff me?"

Gus crossed her hands over her chest, "yeah, well what's your excuse?"

Flack leaned back in his chair, seemingly unaffected, "wasn't aware I needed one."

His words stung enough to make Gus drop her arms and start playing with her pie.

"Look, sunshine, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." Flack trailed off.

Gus shook her head, refusing to look up at him and trying to swallow the lump in her throat, "I know you didn't and you don't. I was dumb, I know that. But I am human, I make mistakes like everyone else, I just do them in spectacular fashion."

Flack didn't say anything immediately, studying Gus, willing her to look up from her plate. "Did you just admit you were human?" he joked finally.

Gus peered up through her hair, "maybe," she replied, shoving some crust through the melted ice cream pooling on her plate.

"You deserve better, sunshine," Flack said, while carrying their plates to the kitchen.

"So I have been told," Gus said under her breath.

"I should probably head home", Flack said, coming back from the kitchen.

Gus nodded, feeling a bit sadder suddenly, but knowing it was late, "guess so."

She walked Flack to the door, feeling like she should be saying something more to him, not knowing the Flack was feeling much the same way.

"Give Matthews hell over there, would ya?" Flack said, kissing the top of her head.

"On it. Good night, Don," he said waving and watching him walk down the hall to the elevator. She shut the door right as he turned and said, "sweet dreams, sunshine."