Set quite a few years ago, Stella is only 28 now
It was just past one in the morning, the sky was black and the lights of New York glowed in the night's sky.
A man lay in an alley, blood covering his limp body, he was about 50 years old, his hair was greying and he wore shabby, worn out clothes.
A twelve year old was kneeling over his body, attempting to give him CPR with tears were streaming down her face as she clung to the lifeless body of the man before her.
He was already dead, that much was clear, when the CSI's arrived, it was Stella Bonasera and Mac Taylor on the case.
Stella approached the young girl carefully, "Sweetie, can you come with me?"
The girl looked up, her eyes filled with fear, as she shook her head to say no, "He has to live, he has to, he is all I have"
Stella sighed, "He's gone, there's nothing we can do, you'll have to come with us now"
The young girl continued to cry, and Stella moved forward, and moved the young girl away from the body, allowing Mac to access the body.
Stella sat down with the child, and the body was sent back to the morgue with the evidence, and Mac came over and sat down with them.
Stella turned to the now calmer child, "What's your name sweetie?"
The little girl bit her lip nervously, "I can't tell you" she pulled back, "I have to go home"
Mac watched her, she looked familiar, her hair and eyes matching Stella's, "Were here to help, we need to know your name, ask you some questions and then we will take you home"
She shook her head, "If you know my name, you'll send me back, and if you send me back they'll kill me, and I can go home on my own, I'll be fine"
Stella looked curious, "Back where?"
She looked down, "The care home"
Stella hugged her tightly, "We won't let them get you, I promise", she said looking at Mac, as he nodded in understanding.
She sat back and looked at the two detectives, "My name is Melissa Bonasera, I used to live at the care home but I didn't like it, so I ran away, I live just around the corner from here, the man's name was Jack, I don't know his last name, but he was the only family I've ever known, he looked after me since I ran away a couple of years ago and he even built me a place to stay"
Mac nodded, "Can you show us where you stay?"
Melissa smiled, "Of course"
Stella looked shocked, and had only heard her name, "Where are your parents?"
Mel shrugged, "I don't know, they ditched me as soon as I was born"
Stella frowned, "What are their names?"
Mel looked down, as Mac watched them, they looked so alike, "If I tell you will you help me find my mother? I know she didn't want me but maybe if I find her, she might have changed her mind"
Stella smiled, "Of course"
Mel smiled, "I don't know my fathers name, but my mothers name is Stella Bonasera, I would show you a photo, but I have no idea what she looks like, and I don't actually have one, well I do but she's only three in the photo I have" she said nervously as she showed the photo
Stella looked shocked, "You're meant to be dead"
Mel laughed, "Jeez, you're nice aren't you? Who the hell are you? And why'd you want me to be dead?"
Mac watched, as Stella explained, "My name is Stella Bonasera" Mel looked shocked, "They told me you were dead, they wouldn't even let me hold you, I can't believe your alive" She hugged her tightly, "My little princess, I wanted you so much, you have to believe me, I would never have given you up"
Mel clung to her mother tightly, crying.
Stella pulled back to look at her, "You gonna show us where you live then?"
Mel nodded and smiled, "I think you'll like it, its pretty cosy"
Mac smiled, "Im sure we will"
They stood up and Mel walked around the corner and towards a water fountain and she stood on the side, indicating for the detectives to follow, making them look slightly confused, and Mel ducked down behind it to pull back a make shift door, and crawl into a bush, where there was a mattress, covered with a sleeping bag and a couple of candles, and a backpack.
Stella crawled inside, shortly followed by Mac.
Stella moved in so that Mac could get in as she asked, "This is your home?"
Mel nodded and smiled, "Yep, it's a bit messy, I've never had visitors before", she said as she lit the candles.
Stella looked at Mac, worry clear on her face, and he asked, "How about Jack? Where did he stay?"
"The bench outside by the fountain", she replied simply
Mac nodded, "So he never came in here?"
Mel shook her head, "Nope, well, only when he made it for me"
Mac looked curious, "Why did he make it for you?"
Mel smiled, "Because, I have been running away since I was 6, and that's when I met him"
Stella looked shocked, "You ran away when you were six!"
Mel laughed, "Woah, she already has the overprotective mother thing off to perfection"
Mac laughed, "She should be protective, no six year old is safe running around New York alone"
Mel shrugged, "I was fine, and then when I ran away permanently, he built this for me, and he gets me food too, and he got me a new coat yesterday"
Stella smiled sadly, "How bout you get your errm...stuff? and come home"
Mel tilted her head to the side in confusion, "Home? I am home"
Mac shook his head, "No, home with your mother where you belong"
Mel smiled, "Belong...Ive never belonged anywhere before. Will you be there too?"
Stella smiled, "If he wants to be"
Mac nodded, "Yeah I do"
Mel smiled, "Awww you two are so cute together, are you like married or something?"
Stella shook her head, "No were not"
"Engaged?", Mel asked curiously
Mac shook his head in a 'no' response.
Stella laughed softly, "We could be doing this all night, were aren't together"
Mel looked slightly disappointed, "You should be"
Mac looked rather interested, "Why?"
Mel smiled, "Why do you think?"
Mac chuckled, "Is it that obvious?"
Mel nodded and Stella looked confused, "Is what obvious?"
He looked nervous, "That I love you", he said taking her hand softly.
Stella smiled, and cupped his chin to make him look at her, "I love you too"
Mac leant forward kissing her softly, and Mel cringed, "Ewwwww!! Mother!"
Mac and Stella laughed, and Mac said, "She is definitely your daughter, Stell"
Stella laughed, "Lets get you home, we can set up the spare room for you for now, and then we'll have it decorated however you want"
Mel smiled, and hugged her mother, "Does this mean I get to call you dad?" she asked looking between the new couple.
Stella and Mac looked at each other, unsure as Mel continued, "Well, I'm gonna anyways, I've never had a dad, or a mom, It'll be cool to have both"
They smiled and got her back home
They showed her to the guest room, and on the way back they had brought her some clothes, as hers were a little worse for wear and she had had a bath, and something to eat before going to bed.
Stella and Mac stayed together in her bed, they had admitted their love properly that night.
Melissa had been amazed by quite a few things in the house, especially the TV, it was a widescreen, she'd never seen one before.
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