A Sequal to "Never Went To Mexico" I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I think it might be a little out of character, but I'm not sure. I hope you like it! There are links to pictures on my profile!!!
Disclaimer: I Own nothing!
I think everybody is settled at the hotel" Mac announced as he entered the apartment.
"Good, how many more people are arriving tomorrow?" Stella wondered.
"Just Paxton and Elena, I think" He answered.
"So the best man and the maid of honor won't be here until the day of the rehearsal dinner?" She laughed. Mac smiled and half shrugged. He sat down on the couch next to her.
"Only a couple more days" He mentioned, taking her hand and rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.
"I know, I'm excited" Stella gushed. Mac leaned in and kissed her. He then quickly moved to stand up. Stella immediately disapproved of the lost of contact. "Where are you going?" she asked with a pouty expression.
"I'll be right back" He assured and kissed the pout off her face. As promised, Mac returned with his Marine uniform and a white cloth in hand. Stella cocked an eyebrow at him. "I have some polishing to do" he grinned. She watched as he got to work.
"I'm glad you decided to wear your dress blues" she mused, relaxing back into the couch.
"I don't often get to wear them so I figured I'd take advantage of the opportunity" He replied, looking up to smile at her. "You work tomorrow, correct?" He checked.
"Yes, I have the early shift" Stella informed him.
"And I work the regular shift." Mac added, setting his attention back to the brass button he was working on.
The following day, Stella was just finishing up her shift. She was headed to turn her paperwork into Mac.
"You leaving?" Mac asked as she walked in.
"Yes" Stella started , checking her watch. "Pax and Elena should be landing soon" she explained.
"And what are you doing after you pick them up?" He wondered.
"I think we'll go to lunch then Pax is going back to the hotel because Elena and I have an appointment at the spa." She smiled.
"You're not going to take my best man to get a manicure?" Mac laughed.
"Would you want a manicure?" Stella pointed out.
"Ok, ok good point, well enjoy yourself. I'll see you tonight" He replied.
"Don't be late! This is our rehearsal dinner."Stella warned.
"I won't, I promise. I even have my clothes in my locker just in case." He said sincerely.
"That means no last minute crime scenes." She clarified.
"Yes ma'am, I'll meet you at the church at 7 sharp" He said with a nod. Stella walked around his desk and kissed him lightly.
"You better" she said with a smirk. The truth was, she was only half joking. She had the slightest fear that Mac would get caught up in work.
"Hey Stel, I see ya tonight" Lindsay called as Stella gathered her things in her office.
"Yes, and do we need to do another last minute fitting on your dress?" Stella inquired. Lindsay looked down at her slightly swollen belly and set a protective hand over the bump.
"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea." She said with a light laugh.
"Ok, tonight we'll run by the shop and we'll do it then." Stella instructed. Lindsay nodded and let Stella leave.
On Stella's way out, she ran into Flack. That reminded her; she had some things to tell him.
"Hey Don" She called.
"Yes Mrs. almost Taylor" He responded.
"Can you do me a couple favors?" Stella asked hopefully.
"I can sure try" He sent her one of his smiles.
"First will you make sure Mac makes it to the rehearsal on time?" she began.
"Yes, that one's easy, I drag him there if I have to" Don answered affirmatively. "And the other favor?" He pressed on.
"Do you think you could, uh, would you like to, uh walk me down the aisle tomorrow?" Stella stuttered.
"Stel, I'd be honored" Don said, setting a hand on her shoulders.
"Thanks" she added.
"Elena Grace!" Stella yelled as she saw her best friend coming out of the terminal.
"Stella Bonasera!" Elena replied rushing towards her. The two met for a huge hug.
"Elena, you look fantastic!" Stella complimented.
"So do you! If this is what a little Marine lovin' does to a girl. I'm going to have to get one of my own!" She laughed.
"As long as you don't steal mine, I'm ok with that" Stella shot back.
"Oh honey, you know Mac wouldn't look at another woman if his life depended on it!" Elena pointed out. Stella blushed. Elena was absolutely right. "Now, where are we off to?" she prompted.
"We have to go to baggage claim. Paxton said he'd find us there, I think his plane landed a few minutes before yours" Stella answered.
"Paxton? That name sounds all official. Who's he?" Elena wondered.
"The best man, he's Mac's Marine buddy" Stella explained.
"Ooh, is he single?" Elena inquired.
"Actually, no, he has a sweet wife and she just had their second child a couple months ago." Stella replied as they headed to baggage claim. Elena put on a mock pout causing them both to laugh.
Almost immediately Stella recognized the blonde man with a crew cut carrying a military issue backpack.
"I hope your tux is not stuffed in there, Daniels" Stella commented.
"It's not, that's getting picked up tomorrow, Bonasera" Paxton quipped, sticking his tongue out at her.
"How you been Pax?" Stella laughed.
"Good and how are you? Great I presume since you're getting married tomorrow." He asked in return.
"Well, I just realized I'm planning on spending the rest of my life with Mac" She joked.
"Oh wow, you must be pretty bad then. I mean it is Mac Taylor after all. He's a pretty hardcore dude" Pax played along. Stella rolled her eyes. "Nah, he's great" he smiled. Stella couldn't help but smile back.
"So how's the family?" She wondered.
"Just wonderful, you should see how big Erika is already. Les is loving being a big brother" Paxton spoke proudly of his young family.
"You have pictures I assume?" Stella guessed.
"Of course but later" Pax affirmed.
"Paxton, this is my best friend and maid of honor, Elena Grace" Stella introduced the two.
"Paxton Daniels, nice to meet you" He said offering Elena and handshake.
The three went to lunch at a small diner and got acquainted and reacquainted. Paxton was soon dropped off at the hotel and Elena and Stella headed off for some pampering.
"So what does your dress look like?" Elena wondered, noticing her friend was getting her nails done in blue with white tips and rhinestone accents.
"That's right you haven't seen it!" Stella gasped.
"Nope, What are your colors even? Obviously blue because that's what color my dress is, but what else?" For being the maid of honor, Elena felt out of the loop.
"Blue and white, I coordinated with Mac's uniform" Stella answered.
"That's cool, it's cool that he wants to wear his uniform too" Elena replied. "Paxton isn't wearing his uniform is he?" She checked.
"No, we had originally thought about that and we were going to have the rest of the groomsmen wear their police dress blues, but we really wanted Mac to stand out" Stella explained.
"I see" Elena understood. "So now, what about your dress?" She reminded.
"You just have to wait" Stella teased.
"That's just not fair." Elena objected.
"I'll show you when we get done here, it's hard to explain" Stella clarified.
"This is a great apartment, Stella!" Elena expressed as she walked through the door.
"It was Mac's, I hadn't really found a place I was happy with since the fire." Stella mentioned.
"I'm sure you're happy with this place" Elena noted.
"Very" Stella agreed. Elena wandered around the apartment, looking at the pictures scattering the walls.
"These pictures are cute" she commented.
"Which ones?" Stella questioned.
"The one of you guys and the truck and the one on the beach" Elena indicated. "Who is this little girl?" Elena had never seen Mac with a child.
"That's Maeli, one of the detective's daughter. She's got Mac wrapped around her finger" Stella answered.
"It's not Det. Flack is it?" Elena sounded worried. Stella couldn't help but laugh at her friend's distraught state.
"I'm sorry, unfortunately it is. That's little Maeli Flack. Don's been off the market for almost four years now" She broke the news to her friend.
"Who snatched him up?" Elena demanded.
"Another detective, Jessica Angell" Stella informed.
"Lucky woman, that man s gorgeous." Elena mumbled to herself.
"Oh get over it" Stella said playfully.
"I want to see your dress" Elena changed the subject.
"Ok, stay here, I'll go put it on" Stella directed.
Then minutes later, Stella emerged from the bedroom in her wedding gown.
"Oh Stel" Elena gasped. The dress was strapless with a dark blue edge across the top and the bottom. The blue fabric ran around the dress and down the middle of the back in a pleat where it eventually fell to the floor to from the train. Along the edge of the blue fabric was beaded embroidery. "Mac is going to be speechless." She noted.
"That's what I'm hoping for" Stella admitted a little teary eyed.
"You alright?" Elena checked.
"Yeah, I'm just really happy" Stella assured her, wiping away the few tears the fell. Elena smiled.
"Now is this the same color as the bridesmaid's dresses, correct?"Elena inquired.
"Yes, it's Marine blue" Stella confirmed.
"Is that the color of the guy's vest and ties too?" Elena half assumed.
"Yep, now I'm going to change before anything can happen to this dress" Stella informed.
Both girls changed and left to get Paxton to go to the church.
"Hey Mac, you need to get ready for the rehearsal" Flack mentioned when he found Mac still at his desk.
"Yeah, I know, I'm just finishing this paper work." Mac replied.
"That paperwork can wait, Stella will kill you if you don't get there on time" Flack warned.
"I guess you're right" Mac laughed, stowing his papers and leaving his office. On his way out he changed out of his work clothes.