Anyway
"You can spend your whole life building
Something from nothin'
One storm can come and blow it all away
Build it anyway"
"I can do it."
"No, Stel. It's too dangerous for you."
"I'm just as able as an undercover. Let me do it, Mac."
"I can't let you risk getting hurt," he turns away, knowing she is right and will end up in there.
"There's not much time left. I can do this; just give me a chance."
Mac sighs, "Alright, Stella."
She gives him a quick hug, "Thanks."
"Stay safe, η αγάπη μου," he smiles.
She grins back.
MS
"Ready, Stella?" Flack asks through the microphone.
"Yes."
"Good luck."
She knocks on the door, "I'm looking for Spencer Thompson."
"That's me," the tall, thin man replies. "What do you want, ma'am?"
"I'm Detective Bonasera, NYPD. I was wondering if we could talk about one of your neighbors. We suspect him of murder," Stella says.
"Come in, sit down," Spencer closes the door behind her. "Would you like anything to eat, drink?"
"If you don't mind, I'll take a glass of water."
"Anything for New York's finest," the man leaves the room.
Stella wanders quietly around the apartment, looking for the girl he is holding hostage. As she walks down the hallway, she is drawn to a closed door on her right. Carefully she pushes it open.
On the bed is a girl, tied up. When she sees Stella, her eyes plead for help.
She enters, locking the door behind her. "Stella Bonasera, NYPD. I'm here to help you, Rebecca. You'll get out of here safely." Quickly she works at the knots binding the girl.
Footsteps sound from outside the door. The knob is wiggled but doesn't budge. "Open up," Spencer orders. Stella doesn't move. He throws his body toward the door, busting it out of his way.
"You can chase a dream
That seems so out of reach
And you know it might never come your way
Dream it anyway"
Stella frees the girl from the bed and moves her behind her back, protecting her.
"Excuse me, Detective, but I thought you were here about a neighbor, not to search my apartment."
"Let the girl go," she says calmly.
"You're both stuck here now," Spencer grins wickedly.
"We'll get you either way. Give up and let us go. If you fight, the jury will go harder on you."
"I've kidnapped, raped, and killed five girls; I'm going away for life if not put to death."
Mac's face appears behind the suspect. There was a whole group out there, waiting to take him down. He catches her eye before counting down with his fingers: 3…2…1…
Stella pulls the girl to the floor as bullets start flying.
Spencer moves towards the two females and fire stops so they don't accidentally hit one of them. He grabs Stella by the arm, twisting it as he pulls her up.
"Ow," she screams in pain. Her arm cracks, and it immediately swells.
"That's what you get for doing this. You set me up," he yells, pushing her to the floor.
Mac raises his gun and fires once. The target falls to the ground next to Stella.
Stella stands slowly, using all her strength in one hand. She winces as she attempts to move her arm. Rebecca, still lying on the floor, looks towards Stella. She moves in front of the girl, blocking the image of the dead man from the young, traumatized girl.
Rebecca takes Stella's uninjured hand and stands. "Are you okay?" she whispers, wrapping her arms around Stella's legs.
Stella bends down, pulling the girl close to her. "I'll be fine. There's someone waiting to see you." She leads the girl to her parents waiting outside.
"Thank you so much," the mother says, hugging her daughter.
"No problem," Stella smiles weakly, her arm hurting worse. She watches the family leave, Rebecca waving over her father's shoulder.
"God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway"
Mac comes up behind her as she watches, placing a hand on her back. "You need to get your arm looked at."
"It'll be fine," she insists stubbornly.
"Stella," he touches her broken arm, making her wince, "it's broken; you're going to get a cast on it whether you want to or not." He gently urges her to the car, helping her in.
"You don't have to do this."
"I think I have to, or we'll be here all day," he buckles her in before going to the driver's side. "I'm sorry I doubted you at first."
"You didn't doubt me, Mac. You were just trying to protect me."
"Believe what you want."
MS
Three hours later they emerge from the hospital. Stella's cast covered arm hangs heavily at her side.
"Would you like to join me for dinner?" Mac asks.
"Sure, that would be nice," she says, trying to get into the car. She slips, and he catches her with his hands on her waist. They both look away, embarrassed.
"Sorry," he mumbles, helping her back into the seat.
She stares out the window as he drives. "Mac, we can't eat here. I'm not dressed up."
Mac turns off the car and looks at her. "You dress up everyday."
"That's for work. You wear fancy clothes aka. dresses or skirts to a restaurant like this. Plus it's really expensive. You don't have to take me here."
"Don't worry about it," his hand touches her fingers on the console. "You look beautiful even with the cast."
Stella blushes. "You come here with a date, not a coworker."
"Maybe it is."
"Don't you think you should ask the woman you're taking on a date if she's okay with it as a date, not just going out?"
"It is okay, Stel?" he wraps an arm around her, helping her out.
"Have to think about that," she kisses his cheek quickly.
"This world's gone crazy
And it's hard to believe
That tomorrow will be better than today
Believe it anyway"
"May I please be the first to sign your cast?" Mac asks, touching her good arm softly from across the table.
"Of course you can, but I don't have a marker for you to use."
"I'll go find one," he stands, heading to the cash register. A minute later, he returns with a black marker. "Where do you want me to sign, Detective?"
"Doesn't matter," Stella says, not paying attention. Her bright green eyes continue to stare out the window.
"What're you thinking about?" he begins writing on the white surface.
"Hm?" she looks back at him.
"You've got something on your mind. Care to share it?"
"It's nothing; I was thinking about earlier in my life when I was little. Couldn't exactly be called a childhood."
"And why's that?"
"It was awful. Your childhood is supposed to be the fun part of your life." Her eyes drop from his, but she's not sure if it's in fear or nerves from finally telling someone this. "My arm has been broken before by the same man that did so today."
Mac frowns in confusion, "I'm lost already."
"The man you shot today tried to rape me when I was eleven. He just grabbed me one day as I was walking back to the orphanage and dragged me to an alley. I fought him as best I could. There was a cracking sound like today, and I got a really bad pain in my arm. It took him by surprise, and I kicked him as hard as I could and ran. They took me to the hospital, but I never told anyway what really happened. I said it was just a couple boys from school following me home. They were antagonizing me so I fought back with them. One of them pushed me to the ground, and my arm snapped," she explains, desperately trying to hide her tears from him.
"He obviously didn't recognize you."
"I had to be the one to do this, save the girl, when I saw his face."
"You did a good job."
"You can love someone with all your heart
For all the right reasons
In a moment they can choose to walk away
Love 'em anyway"
"I admire you, Stella. You've worked so hard all your life to get where you are. And you've succeeded; you may not be rich and famous, but you've made a difference in the world, or at least New York City, and helped so many victims get the justice they deserve to have. And most important to me, I can't count how many times you've been there for me, especially after Claire died, or saved my life when we're out there pursuing a suspect. Thank you, Stella," Mac takes her hand and brings it to his lips.
"You've done the same for me," she protests.
"Stel, you stole my heart."
"I… I love you too, Mac. I have since the day we met even though I knew there was no chance for us to ever be together."
"There is now. I want to make this work if you do. And we can."
"Am I dreaming?" Stella asks, a solo tear running down her cheek.
"No. This is real," he assures, wiping the tear away.
"I can't believe this. This only happens in my dreams. And now it has come true."
"I take it you want to make this work."
"Yes," she smiles.
"You're as perfect as it can get."
"I'm far from perfect, Mac," she laughs, lightening their conversation.
"You've got everything a man could want."
"Tell me, Detective, why am I not married yet if I'm so perfect?"
"Because you haven't found the right man for you yet."
"Yes, I have. He's sitting in front of me."
"I'm honored, Stella," he places his hand on hers, rubbing it with his thumb gently.
They sit in silence, waiting for their food to come, each lost in thought.
Mac breaks the quiet. "I'm sorry you haven't had the best life."
"You couldn't have done anything to help me."
"Well, I'm happy you trust me enough to talk about it with me."
"Of course I trust you. What are these things that make me so perfect to a man, as you say?"
"God is great
But sometimes life ain't good
And when I pray
It doesn't always turn out like I think it should
But I do it anyway
I do it anyway"
"The first thing a guy wants is a girl who's pretty. You're way past that; I can't even think of a word to describe how beautiful you look," Mac begins.
"You're not just saying this to make me feel good, are you?"
"All of this is true. Next they look at personality."
She interrupts, "Oh, there has to be some lies in here."
"You're very outgoing, helpful, I'd say funny but some of those things I think you say to amuse yourself."
She laughs, "You forgot hot-tempered, impatient, and easily bored. Or are you just listing the good points?"
"You only get angry and impatient with me and suspects. Half the time I can't blame you."
"So what next?"
"Obviously you're very intelligent since you are a scientist. You work with the evidence to put people behind bars for doing wrong. That also takes a lot of bravery. Like today, you went in there to save that girl, knowing you're putting yourself in danger. And to pay for it, you got a broken arm," he gestures to her arm.
"It's nothing. I signed up for it when I started the job." She watches the waiter put her meal in front of her. "Um, Mac… can you help?"
He takes her plate and cuts half of her steak for her. "Anything else you need help with?"
She shakes her head, "Thanks."
The waiter comes back when the two are finished. "Any dessert today?"
Before Stella is able to decline, Mac orders, "Two brownie sundaes. To go." Five minutes later, she returns with the sundaes and the check.
Mac pays, then stand, ready to leave. He holds out a hand to help her up and places it on her back as they walk out to the car.
"Thanks for dinner, Mac," Stella smiles as he slides in next to her. "You really didn't have to."
"I enjoyed my evening with you. Don't worry about it, Stel."
"You can pour your soul out singing
A song you believe in
That tomorrow they'll forget you ever sang
Sing it anyway
Yeah, sing it anyway"
Mac, being a gentleman, walks Stella up to her apartment. "Sure you can manage?" he asks, not wanting to leave her just yet.
"I'll be fine. But why don't you stay with me for a while, if you don't have plans? We can have dessert together later and watch some stupid movie or something in the mean time," she offers, seeing the sadness in his eyes, and not wanting him to leave her alone yet.
"Sure, as long as I'm not interrupting anything."
"No, when I'm home at this time, I read or watch TV or something, but that hardly ever happens," she takes his hand and leads him in. "I have to get into more comfortable clothes, if you don't mind. Help yourself to a drink and the remote."
He walks to the kitchen and gets out two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. Putting the glasses on the coffee table, he sits on the couch, grabbing the remote to look for something for them to watch.
"You do know I'm on pain killers, right?" she comes back in wearing pajama pants and a tank top. "I can't drink a lot."
"One glass won't kill you," he puts an arm around her shoulders as she sits next to him.
"Find anything?" she motions to the TV.
"No," he continues to flip through channels.
"Oh, go back. Have you ever seen Finding Nemo?"
"That's a kid's movie, Stella. Of course I haven't."
"So? It's really cute," she begs.
"Fine," Mac puts the remote down, and she curls up next to him, head on his shoulder. "Did I forget how persuading you can be, and I can't help but give in to whatever you want?"
"Yes, but I've noticed. Or at least most of the time you give in to me."
"You'll make a good supervisor someday," he remarks, kissing her ear.
"You better not be leaving me, Taylor," Stella warns, glaring at him.
"How could I possibly leave you?"
She settles back down and is asleep by the end of the movie. Mac carries her to her bed, expecting her to let go of him as he places her under the covers. She holds on to him tightly, refusing to let go.
"Stel, I'm not going to leave you. If you don't mind, I'd like to go home and get some rest," he whispers to her, trying to peel her arms from his neck.
"Don't go. Sleep here with me," she mutters.
"Scoot over or let go so I can get in the other side."
She moves over and releases him, only to cuddle up next to him again as he lays down beside her. "It's funny how I can get you to do anything I want without you putting up a fight."
"I'm just so mesmerized by you."
"I love you, Mac. Good night," Stella kisses him one last time before falling asleep again.
"I love you too." Shortly after, he too is sleeping.
In each others' arms, they feel safe and happy, loving the other.
"I sing
I dream
I love
Anyway"
A/N: Martina McBride. I'm so nervous for Wednesday, but I can't wait. And I've almost got my story for the episode done. Should I post it Wednesday? Anyway, the sequel to this fic will be posted Tuesday, in time for Valentine's Day. Please review.