Title: Stop The Wedding
Author: Jaxson K.
Pairing: Mac/Don (pre-slash), Mac/Peyton
Rating: R
Summary: Don decides to take action before it's too late.

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Don stood there stunned. He had just poured his heart out and confessed his feelings to the man of his dreams, and said man just sat there. Another minute passed, and Don decided that this had been a huge mistake. He should have kept his feelings to himself and gone on about his business. Just as he was about the get up and leave the office , Mac spoke.....

"Don, I don't understand....."

"What's to understand, Mac? I've told you how I feel, but obviously you don't feel the same. Tell you what; why don't we just put this behind us and never mention it again...."

"That's not what you want to do, is it?"

"It looks like it's the only thing to do."

Don stood up and left the office. He went to the restroom and washed his face. When he was done, he headed back to the precinct. Mac was still sitting at his desk deep in thought. Don had finally come to him saying the words he had longed to say to Don, and he'd done nothing. He didn't say anything because he wasn't quite sure what he wanted.

The team noticed a change in Don. He wasn't his usual cheerful self. He faked it pretty good, but wasn't really fooling anybody. No one was sure what to do, and when they asked Don how he was , he would reply that he was fine. Mac, on the other hand, was moody and brooding. He did his best to cover things, but was failing miserably. When Mac was at home alone, he would try to puzzle out why he was acting the way he was. He was okay with the rest of the team, but was a bit stand-offish toward Don. Don took this to mean that he had offended Mac, and tried to stay away from the man as much as possible.

What Don didn't know was that Mac had recently become involved with Peyton, and that Mac was starting to have doubts about the situation. Mac thought about what Don had told him, and couldn't make up his mind one way or the other. Mac could see that his inability to make a decision was construed by Don as lack of interest, but Mac didn't have the balls to tell the man the truth.

Time passed, and things pretty much went back to normal except for the fact that Don and Mac stayed as far away from each other as they could. Mac continued to see Peyton, and soon things became serious. The couple started talking about wedding plans and even went out and picked out wedding rings. When Don found out about this, it deepened his depression. Now he understood why Mac didn't want to be with him. No one was more surprised than Don when Danny invited him to Mac's bachelor party. Don declined the invitation, much to his best friend's disappointment. On the night of the party, Danny tried once more, but Don turned him down again. Later that night (actually it was early the next morning), Don got a call from a frantic Danny telling that they couldn't find Mac. Danny asked Don if he would please help them find him because he was drunk, and didn't have any money for a cab. Don reluctantly agree to help find Mac and got out of bed to go do so.

Don didn't have to go far, though. He found Mac in the lobby of his apartment building. He took Mac upstairs, and started a pot of coffee. While waiting for the coffee to get ready, the two men sat in silence. Don poured two cups and sat down at the kitchen table. When he did, Mac began to speak.....

"Don, I know you're angry with me, and I know you're hurt."

"Nah, Mac, I'm over being both of those....."

"I don't think you are....."

"How can you tell as drunk as you are?"

"Noticed this stuff before I got drunk, Detective....."

"They why did you let me go on being mad and hurt, Mac?"

"Because I didn't have the balls to face up to the fact that I was the problem..."

"So you just let me keep suffering?"

"Shitty thing to do, huh? I did think about the things you said to me, though...."

"And?"

"Nothing's really changed, Don. I have feelings for you, but I don't want you hurt. Besides, I have feelings for Peyton, too. The thing is, my feelings for you are stronger than my feelings are for her....."

"Okay, Mac! That's enough! You're not putting me through this shit again. I'll call you a cab...."

"Don, please....."

"No, Mac.....I'm done!"

Don walked over to the phone and called the cab company, gave his address, and went to get Mac his coat. He gave Mac cab fare and hustled him out the door. He wsatched from the window as Mac got in the cab and was driven away. He fell across the bed and cried himself to sleep.

The next morning found Don feeling really low. He showered, dressed, and had breakfast. He read the paper for a while, but couldn't concentrate on what he was reading. His mind kept going over the conversation he's had with Mac the night before, and he knew there was something he was missing, he just couldn't put his finger on what it was. He decided to go for a walk in Central Park, and while he was out walking, it hit him! Mac really did want to be with him, he just couldn't find a way to get Peyton out of the way because he didn't want to hurt her or Don in the process. Don knew exactly what he had to do. He had to stop that wedding. He just hoped that he was right , and hadn't misunderstood.

Don ran all the way to the church where the wedding was taking palce. He ran up the walk, and burst through the doors yelling, "Wait! Wait! Stop the wedding....." Everyone in the chapel turned to look at Don like he'd lost his mind. Don walked up the aisle toward Mac and Peyton and began to speak.....

"Mac, if Peyton knew the inside story, she would tell you that what you are making a mistake. I know you don't want to hurt either one of us, but if you go through with this, you'll only regret it. Think about it; you'll only be fooling Peyton into thinking you want to be with her when in reality, you really want me."

"Peyton, I confessed my feelings to Mac before the two of you became engaged. He told me just last night that he didn't want to hurt me, but if he marries you, it'll kill me, especially since I know he really wants to be with me."

"Mac, please don't do this. Don't fuck around and break not one, but two hearts. Don't do it, Mac, please....."

"Mac, is there any truth to any of this?"

"Yes, Peyton.....Don's telling the truth."

"I see.....well, Mr. Taylor, you needn't keep Don waiting....."

With that, Peyton walked away from the altar. Mac looked at Don, who had tears in his eyes, and reached out his hand. Don took Mac's hand and they walked out of the church and into the sunlight, together at last.

END

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