Title: Only In My Mind
Author: Jaxson K.
Pairing: Don/Mac
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Summary: Don's curiosity get the better of him!

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Don was excited about today! He and Mac both had the day off, and Don wanted to make the most of it. Mac had suggested doing a whole lot of nothing, just laying around relaxing, and maybe later they might go to Central Park. All of this sounded like heaven to Don. He didn't care what they did so long as they did it together. Even though Don and Mac had been together for nearly 3 years, time off spent together was a treat.

The two men stopped at Mac's favorite diner for lunch, and while they were eating, Mac got a phone call. He left Don sitting at the table and walked toward the restrooms to take the call. He wasn't on the phone long, and came back to the table fairly quick. Don asked about the phone call, and Mac explained that Peyton called regarding some autopsy results.

After they finished eating, the two headed for the park. They walked some of the walking trails and made their way toward the lake. They watched the people lounging on the grass and also watched some boys playing football. The two men talked about everything and nothing, just enjoying each other's company. Don heard the ice crème man's bell tinkling on the breeze, and asked Mac if he wanted some ice crème. Mac said he did, and Don headed toward the path where the man had stopped his cart.

As Mac watched Don make his way to the ice crème cart, he thought about Peyton and the phone call at the diner. He felt bad for lying to Don about the nature of the call, but he knew that Don wouldn't understand. Peyton had called to see if everything was okay with Mac since their conversation got cut short the day before. Mac didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to become attracted to Peyton, and she knew this. She knew about he and Don, and that didn't seem to faze her at all. She was willing to look past the fact that Mac was with Don because she was just as attracted to Mac as he was to her.

Mac didn't know what to do. He had a good thing with Don, and he didn't want to hurt the man. He and Don had been through a lot together, and Don had stood by him when a lot of people would have given up and walked away. Those were just a few of the reasons he couldn't tell Don about Peyton and all the time they had spent together talking. There were some things Mac could talk about with Peyton that he knew he couldn't talk to Don about. He knew that he needed to find a solution and soon!

Don made his way back to the bench were Mac sat. He handed Mac his ice crème and the two men sat there eating their treats like a couple of 10-year-old boys. Mac laughed at the fact that Don had managed to drip some of his ice crème onto his shirt, and had smears of the sticky stuff around his mouth. He was just about to reach over and wipe Don's mouth when he heard raised voices coming from near the trail leading to the trees. He could see a couple of teenagers arguing over a cell phone. The girl was yelling about a text the boy had gotten from another girl. The boy was trying to get the girl to listen to him, but she was having none of it. The girl yelled at the boy that she was through with him because he was a sorry cheater, and she never wanted to see him again.

Don laughed and looked at Mac. Mac just shook his head, and smiled.....

"I sure as hell wouldn't want to be him right now." Don laughed.

"That's for sure!" said Mac.

"You think he actually cheated on her, Mac?"

"Don't know...but you know how hormonal teenage boys can be..."

"Do I!"

Don laughed and thought about what he was like as a teen. Mac wasn't too far off the mark.

"Mac, I have a question..."

"What is it, Don?"

"I don't want ya to get pissed, but have you ever cheated on me?"

Mac felt a chill go down his spine at Don's question. Surely he couldn't know about Peyton, could he? He stalled for just a split second , turned to Don and said:

"Only in my mind, Don, only in my mind....."

THE END

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