Summary: Stella is due to give birth any day now. Something happens to Sheldon and Jackie. Teenage girls go missing and then found dead several days later. The prime suspect is someone on the team.
AN: I noticed in the last chapter of Say A Little Prayer, that I wrote that Stella was 31 weeks pregnant. Ops, I was wrong. She was just 21 weeks at the time. Sorry If I made anyone confused.
-I-
27th March. 09:30
Mac hummed to himself as he looked in the fridge for something to make breakfast out of. Stella was still asleep and she needed it desperately. She and Mac had been told that it was important to rest close to the due date. However, it wasn't easy. Stella's big belly made it difficult for her to find a comfortable position. It took a lot of her energy to carry the babies and she tried to rest as much as possible. After being up all night, she had finally fallen asleep next to Mac. Then he had woken up after five hours and decided to make breakfast. Mac cut some bread and but butter and ham on them, Stella loved ham. Then he went to the stove to boil some water for Stella's tea. While he was doing that, Missy, Stella's cat decided to play with Mac. She her a few tricks that she loved and her favourite victim was Mac. She would be mean to him and then look up at Stella with innocent eyes. However, Stella knew what Missy was doing. Teaching Missy not to drive Man insane was the hard part though.
Missy jumped up on the counter, even though she wasn't allowed while there was food on it. She looked at the wood and walked gracefully towards it. Then with one quick move, she pushed the plate with food off the table. Mac turned around the sound of a falling plate. He growled at Missy, as she simply sat on the counter, looking down at the mess she had created.
"Missy." Mac growled, "One day… I'm going to target practice on you."
Mac would never harm Missy. He did love the little cat, even though she bothered him. He gently placed Missy down on the floor and started over with the breakfast again. As he made the sandwiches again, the water boiled and he finished the tea. Missy saw her chance again and jumped up on the counter. However, this time Mac was faster and gently pushed her down again.
Once the breakfast was finished he walked with the plate towards the bedroom. He and Stella were now living together in a new apartment, that they had bought three weeks earlier. It was bigger had two extra bedrooms. When he opened the door, Stella was already awake and started to sob as Mac sat down in the bed with the plate in his hands. Stella was very emotional and had mood swings. Mac was used to it. She would cry one moment and be angry the next. She tried to be as happy as she could though and Mac was very careful not to say or do the wrong thing.
"Good morning gorgeous." Mac grinned and gave Stella as kiss.
"Good morning. Oh, you're like a prince Mac." Stella sobbed and wiped her tears away.
Mac handed her the plate and watched as she ate.
"You're not hungry?" Stella asked.
"I already ate."
"And you didn't wake me up to eat with you?" Stella asked.
"Well, I wanted my queen to have breakfast in bed." Mac smiled and kissed her again.
"Oh Mac." Stella grinned widely.
Mac touched her belly as she ate. He was completely fascinated by the fact that she was carrying their children in there. That they would be parents and that they were married. Four months ago they had married in front of their friends and family.
Mac was now part-time Chief with Chief Cornell. He worked as Chief in a big office Mondays and Tuesdays, while Cornell had the other three days. The other times they were in their own departments. Mac in the lab and Cornell in the homicide department. Even when Mac was in the lab, he was still Chief. Stella and Lindsay were on maternity leave and therefore Mac had hired a new CSI, named Kimberly Jensen. Kim for short.
"Soon." Mac smiled and pointed at the belly.
"Yeah, soon we'll have to feed two babies in the middle of the night, change diapers." Stella chuckled, "Please don't freak out the moment you smell baby-poop."
"Why would I?"
"Have you ever seen a guy actually hide as his baby needs to change diaper?" Stella asked.
"No."
"Well I have. A guy I knew a long time ago, would almost faint as he could smell it." Stella said.
"Hey. I work with dead people, I'm sure I can stand the smell of dirty diapers." Mac chuckled.
Stella bent forward to kiss Mac, but was interrupted as Missy decided that she needed attention. She jumped up on the bed and laid down between Mac and Stella.
"I wonder how Missy will react when there are two babies in this place." Mac said.
"She will have to learn to share us with them." Stella smiled and scratched Missy.
-I-
13:30
Adam had never hated his own birthday as much as he had on his last one. For his 30th birthday, Danny and Sheldon had decided to challenge Adam and signed him yp for a competition. It wasn't just any competition, it was a sort of a mountain bike race, outside NY city. The competitors were pairs. Married, friends and divorced couples for example. Danny had teamed up with Adam. However, Adam would do the hard work. The bicycle was custom made for the competition, it had a little cart on the side, where the map-reader would be sitting, which was Danny. While Adam would be steering and pedalling trough 20 miles of forest. It was Adam's birthday gift from two months ago. Adam had had two months to get in shape and train for the rough terrain. And he had been training like a madman too. Adam felt in shape and ready for the challenge. He felt even better knowing Danny would be scared to death riding with him. The team would be standing by finish line, waiting for the boys.
"Ready Adam?" Danny asked as he sat down in the cart.
"I guess so." Adam sighed.
He had looked at the other competitors, most of the were athletes and would definitely win. Adam was going to make a complete fool out of himself. Danny put on a goofy looking helmet and Adam chuckled.
"Where did you buy that one?" He asked.
"My mom gave it to me." Danny blushed.
It was yellow with two giraffes on the sides. And it was a good helmet. It would protect Danny's head if something happened. Adam had a black helmet that he put on and then he sat down on the bicycle.
"I have to think of my revenge for yours and Sheldon's birthday." Adam said.
"As long as it's not life threatening you can do whatever you want." Danny smiled.
"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen!" The host of the competition said, "The rules are simple, there are several different tracks in this forest and you can take anyone you want. Don't hurt anybody else or cheat because then you will be disqualified. And also remember, no switching places within the couples."
The host left and Adam shrugged. Simple rules like he had said. Shouldn't be too hard. A gun shot was heard and everybody were off. Adam took the middle track, while everybody else took two tracks to the right and one to the left.
"Adam! Maybe the professionals have a good point in following each other on the track to the right?" Danny asked, "Which means we should follow them?"
"I think this one is better. Look, it's a straight line." Adam said and was pedalling as fast as he could.
Danny looked at the map and found the track they were on. There was a straight line for several miles a head, no turns until after 6 miles.
"Okay." Danny shrugged.
After thirty minutes, Adam suddenly noticed how the track seemed to disappear for a moment.
"I think we're coming to a down slope." Adam said and gasped as he got closer.
There were big and middle rocks everywhere. Adam had to avoid them or something bad could happen. Not to mention that there was dozens of trees in the way too.
"Oh shit, turn around!" Danny yelled, "We're going to die!"
"I can't turn around Danny." Adam said and tried to keep the bicycle as steady as possible as he went down the slope.
It was a bumpy ride and he barely missed a big rock and a tree.
"Please God save me!" Danny said.
It was the scariest thing ever to drive down the slope and pass the trees and the rocks, Adam was going so fast that he only heard the wind. Soon they came to a river and a bridge in the middle. But Adam had to turn to get to the bridge.
"To the right!" Danny yelled.
Adam turned hard and put his foot down to slow the speed down. He tried to turn on the same time and almost crashed into the bridge railing.
"Adam, you just saved my life." Danny panted.
Maybe riding with Adam hadn't been such a good idea though. Adam kept on pedalling over the bridge and then, thank god, there was a straight line again. After pedalling for 15 miles, they reached a hill. Adam stopped the bicycle and just looked up.
"This is going to take forever." He panted, "Danny we have to carry the bicycle up."
Danny got out of the cart and pulled the bicycle up with Adam. They slipped several times and almost lost their grip on the bicycle.
"Adam, after this there is another slope, and damn you if you don't take it slow this time." Danny said.
"I will take it as slow as possible." Adam said.
As they reached the top of the hill and looked down they sighed in relief as they saw that the slope wasn't as bad as the other one. There were no rocks in the way, just a few trees.
"Alright, let's do this." Danny said and sat down in the cart again.
Adam just pushed the bicycle forward and kept it steady as they went down the slope. As they reached the end of the slope, a deer suddenly ran out right in front of the bicycle. The boys screamed and Adam tilted the bicycle to the side to slow it down. The deer ran way.
"Nice save Adam." Danny said and let out a deep breath.
Adam nodded and pulled the bicycle up again. For the next five miles there were many turns and small hills, but Adam handled it perfectly. Soon they could see the finish line and even two other competitors coming up next to them.
"Come on Adam!" Danny cheered, "Pedal!"
As the team saw Adam and Danny approaching they started cheering.
"Look, there's daddy!" Lindsay smiled at Benjamin, who was four months old now.
"Come on Adam!" Sheldon yelled, "You can do this!"
One of the other two couples got in front of Adam and the other behind him. Danny cheered and laughed. Never had he thought they could end up in second place!
"You're doing great Adam!" Danny said.
Adam was getting tired and the couple behind him and Danny managed to slip past them. As they all passed through the finish line, Adam thought he was going to collapse. He was exhausted but happy.
"Third place!" Danny cheered and hugged Adam, "Adam you're the best! Third place is awesome!"
The team hugged them and congratulated them. Later in the afternoon, Adam and Danny got a small medal and a diploma.
"Let's have dinner, I'll pay for you two." Sheldon grinned and the whole team went out for dinner.
-I-
19:45
Nicholas, who had recently turned five-years-old, was asleep in Sheldon's arms as he and Jackie got home after an evening in the forest watching the competition and then dinner with their friends and family. Sheldon and Jackie were also tired.
"I'll put this little guy in bed." Sheldon smiled.
Jackie and Sheldon had only been dating for four months, but already lived together in Sheldon's apartment. Nicholas had even started calling Sheldon, daddy. However, Nicholas knew that his real father was in heaven. Sheldon always smiled when Nicholas called him daddy. He didn't mind it at all. He loved Jackie and wanted nothing else than to be with her for the rest of his life. And he loved Nicholas as if he was his own child.
Nicholas stirred as Sheldon put him down in bed.
"Goodnight my little man." Sheldon smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Goodnight daddy." Nicholas yawned and then fell asleep again.
Sheldon and Jackie were also tired and decided to get to bed early. Sheldon was the first one to fall asleep, while Jackie had trouble closing her eyes. She had a strange feeling that something was wrong. When she couldn't take it anymore, she climbed out of bed and decided to take a look through the apartment. She turned on all the lights and checked every room, until she only had Nicholas's room left. She opened the door and took a quick look. But as she closed the door she shook her head, had she really seen Nicholas in bed?
She opened the door again and found the bed empty. She walked in and found Nicholas in the corner of his room.
"Nicholas, what's wrong baby?" She asked.
"Mommy, someone is here." Nicholas whispered.
Jackie paled, Nicholas never lied to her and had never imagined having monsters under his bed. Someone had to be in the apartment if Nicholas said so.
"Mommy, he walked past the door before you came in." Nicholas said, he was trying not to cry, but he was scared.
Jackie got scared and opened the closet door.
"Hide in here Nicholas, don't open the door unless daddy or I tell you to." Jackie said and Nicholas nodded.
Jackie took a deep breath and walked out in the hallway, she heard a chair move in the kitchen and ran to the bedroom. She shook Sheldon awake.
"What is it Jackie?" He yawned.
"Sheldon, someone is here."
Sheldon sat up and listened. Both he and Jackie heard a door close. Sheldon grabbed his gun from the nightstand and slowly walked out in the hallway. He aimed the gun in front of him. Jackie was close behind.
"Where is Nicholas?" Sheldon asked.
"Hiding, like I told him to." Jackie said, "Sheldon I'm so scared."
"It's okay. Everything will be fine." Sheldon said and walked towards the kitchen.
Just as he was about to enter the kitchen, he was hit in the face with a frying pain. Sheldon dropped his gun and lost consciousness, Jackie tried to wake him up and screamed as big man in black clothes stepped out in front of her.
Jackie's first instinct was to run and protect her son. She ran to Nicholas's room, but the man was close behind. Just as Jackie tried to close the door, the man kicked it open and Jackie was knocked backwards. She fell towards Nicholas's chest of drawers. Jackie stood up and tried to hit the man as he grabbed her. The man threw her against the drawer again and this time Jackie didn't move.
The man didn't seem to know that Nicholas was just a few feet away from. Instead he picked Jackie up and put her in a big trunk. Then he did the same to Sheldon. He ripped the phones off the walls and threw Jackie and Sheldon's cell phones in the toilet. He tossed his clothes out the window and put on some of Sheldon's clothes instead. When he tried to carry both trunks down to his car on the same time, one of Sheldon's neighbours helped him.
"Thank you, sir." The man smiled.
"No problem." The neighbour said and then left.
Before driving away, the man went back to the apartment and wrote a note that he left on the inside of the front door.
"We'll see each other soon again, Dt." The man said and also put a picture of the Dt. He wanted to meet together with the note.
Then he finally left. Leaving Nicholas alone in a closet, unable to call for help. And Jackie and Sheldon would be far away from NY within a few hours.
TBC…
AN: Please review!