A/n Here's a new story I've been working on. Hope you like it. thanks to DNAisUnique for betaing it for me. RandR
Disclaimer- I don't own the characters.
Drive-By
Chapter 1
Mac slowly lifted his head up off the floor. He couldn't believe what just happened. One minute, Stella was giving a toast to Jess, and the next, bullets were flying.
"Stella!" There was no reply. "Stell!" he called again as he looked around. Finally, he spotted her. She was lying face down ,and motionless. He scrambled to his feet and rushed over to her. Tears filled his eyes, upon seeing the hole, in the middle of her back. He carefully turned her over and noticed another gaping wound on her chest also. He took off his jacket and pressed it tightly against her wound. "Hang on, Stella. Help's coming. Stay with me. Where's the ambulance!"
A wave of panic swept over him as his hands and jacket became saturated with her blood. "Stay with me!" The rest of the team, slowly got up from their position's, and walked over to Mac. They were scared too, but they knew Mac needed them.
Finally, after what felt like hours to Mac; the ambulance arrived. Mac stepped back so the paramedics could work on her. He watched through tear-filled eyes, as the medics inserted an IV into her hand. She looked so pale and weak, it scared him. You can't die on me, Stell. I need you.
"Stella's strong. She'll make it," Don said,placing a hand on Mac's shoulder. Mac looked down at his jacket, and hands stained with Stella's blood. I can't lose her. He had already lost one important woman in his life; and Stella was there to pick up the pieces, and put him back together. He couldn't lose Stella, he'd fall apart, and there would be no one to pick him up. Taking a deep breath, he headed over to the ambulance, and climbed in, shutting the door behind him.
"I'm so sorry. I promise I will find the bastard who did this," He said, gently caressing her hand, careful not to bump the IV. A while later, they reached the hospital. The medics quickly got up and rushed Stella into the hospital, Mac following behind. Soon as they entered, a doctor approached them. "What do you have?"
"GSW to the chest, through and through."
"Okay, let's go," with that, they quickly headed down the hall towards the OR. Mac started to follow them, until a nurse stepped in his way. "You can't go back there."
"That's my partner." He protested.
"I understand, and she's in very good hands. Dr. Thompson is one of the best we have. He'll come and see you when he's finished with her. The waiting room's further down," The nurse replied,stepping back.
Mac let out a frustrated sigh as he headed down the hall to the waiting room, went in. He was angry and scared. She has to make it.
He was anxiously pacing back and forth, waiting for the doctor when he heard the door open. He whirled around and saw Danny, Lindsay, and Don. Danny walked over to Mac and placed his hands on Mac's shoulders. "How is she?"
"I- I don't know. The doctor's still working on her. "
Danny led Mac over to the couch and sat down beside him. Lindsay, needing to feel useful, spotted a coffeemaker in the corner of the room and quickly retrieved a cup for her boss.
"Thanks." Lindsay sat down on the other side of Mac and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Stella's stubborn, She'll make it."
"Yes, she is very stubborn." He replied, thinking back to their argument, when she handed in her badge ,went to Greece and then, when she read his coffee grounds. "I don't need coffee grounds to see how lucky I am to have you in my life Mac," He was the lucky one, he didn't know what he'd do without her.
Don sat down in a chair next to the couch and waited anxiously with the rest of them.
A few hours later, the door opened, and a man with short brown hair and brown eyes entered. He walked toward the group and looked down at Mac. "Detective Taylor."
"Yes, how's my partner?"
"As you know, the bullet was a through and through. There's no major damage to the main organs, so that's good, but she's lost a lot of blood, and the bullet nicked the spinal column on its way out."
Mac stared at the doctor in shock, as the coffee cup he was holding fell from his hands onto the carpet. "She's- she's paralyzed?"
Don couldn't believe his ears, Stella was so strong and independent. He shook his head, he just couldn't believe it. "Are you telling us,she'll never walk again?"
Lindsay laid her head on Danny's shoulder, as tears filled her eyes. It could have been any one of them , lying in that hospital bed. Why'd it have to be Stella? Danny wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, then turned to the doctor. "This is temporary though, right? I mean, what are her odds?"
"She's a fighter. She made it through the surgery, so right now her odds are good. Later, she can come back for Physical Therapy. It'll be a lot of hard work, and demanding. If she really works at it, I'd say she's got a 50/50 chance of walking again." The doctor replied then turned back to Mac. "Would you like to see her?"
Mac nodded then slowly got up and followed the doctor out. As they headed down the hall to the ICU,Mac's mind was racing. He was glad that she was still alive, but the thought of her being in a chair made him angrier. And, how would she take it?
