Title: A Good Haunting
Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:NY, Anthony Zuiker and CBS do.
A/N: This story came from one of three prompts lily moonlight gave me and the three prompts led to three one-shot stories that follow each other.
Special thanks to lily moonlight for helping me editing and helping me lengthen the story.
Genre: Humor/Romance (with a bit of supernatural)
Rating: K+
-July, 2015-
After spending four years as the head of the crime lab in New Orleans Stella returned to New York, although she loved New Orleans, New York is always her first home. Soon after her return, she and Mac had finally stopped dancing around their feelings and come clean. Things then moved quickly, and it hadn't been long after that before they were engaged and married. A week after their wedding found them enjoying a romantic honeymoon exploring the Northern coast of California.
For the first week of the honeymoon they stayed in Napa. In Napa they went on a hot air balloon and the view they saw was breathtaking. The day they had picked for the hot air balloon trip provided them with a real treat. It was a clear day and they were able to see all of wine country and even the city of San Francisco. As Stella had her arms wrapped around Mac's body she whispered, "Oh Mac these views are absolutely beautiful."
Mac smiled and whispered back to her, "Of course my darling only the best for you Stella."
Stella felt her heart melt, it seemed like Mac was now good with words and knew just what to say. After the balloon ride they also went on hikes and saw equally stunning vistas in Sonoma and explored the town of Healdsburg. During the second week they stayed in the city of San Francisco and one of the ways they explored San Francisco was renting bikes and the two of them enjoyed themselves riding the bikes across the historic Golden Gate Bridge. They also, of course, did some shopping and got souvenirs to give the team when they returned to New York. Mac had saved enough money to be able to spend on Stella, and treat her to meals out at restaurants every night and stay at luxury hotels.
On the evening of the second to last day of their honeymoon, Mac received a text (he and Stella had agreed that they were only allowed to check their phones once a day) and half laughed, half groaned. Stella noticed, asking immediately, "Mac what's wrong?"
Mac looked his wife in the eyes and responded, "I got a text from Don, on behalf of our team and it said we have been dared to visit a haunted house. Very helpfully, he's suggested the Winchester Mystery House."
Looking intrigued, Stella replied, "Ohhh, they've dared us? Well, I've been interested in The Winchester Mystery House for a while now, we should go to the second to last tour."
Mac looked at her funny and asked, "You really want to do this?"
Stella answered, "Like we have any other choice to back out, it is a dare remember?"
Then she realized that this was a perfect time to do the one thing she loved, tease him. Stella asked in a low and clear voice, "You are not scared to go are you?"
Mac raised his eyebrow and answered, "That is preposterous Stella where did you that idea?"
Stella shrugged nonchalantly. Mac shook his head and smiled; Stella could be incorrigible and very hard to resist. So after they had spent their final day at Carmel-By-The-Sea they went to the Winchester Mystery House. They bought their tickets for the second to last behind the scenes tour, as the final tour of the night was fully booked.
During the tour of the basement Stella was distracted by a vase that she thought was a Greek antique and distracted by an old fashioned music player and it brought slightly hilarious outcomes. They were out of it until they heard the lights being turned off and the door to the basement close and all was suddenly eerily quiet. Mac went to go and try to open the door but it was locked. He turned around and tried to feel his way around in order to find Stella. Stella could kind of see in the dark and looked at Mac while Mac looked at Stella as they tried to figure out what to do next. After only a few seconds, Stella spoke, "I guess we are going to have to wait for the next tour group to come by to get us out."
Mac nodded slowly as he tried to slow his breathing, he disliked being in a room with closed doors for too long especially when there wasn't a single window to be seen. Stella on the other was a little scared the old tales she heard as a child at St. Basils helped take the edge off but this place is incomparable to the tales she heard and was beginning to feel goose bumps one her skin.
They decided to sit close together and as it began to get a little drafty in the basement, Mac wrapped his arms around Stella to keep her warm. Then they heard an unexplained sound that caused Mac and Stella to jolt. The noise sounded like ghosts moaning mixed with door thumping and table banging nose. That was when Mac remembered Stella's tease from earlier and asked, "You're not afraid of ghosts are you?"
Stella recovered from the sound and replied, sounding indignant, "No I'm not. Are you Mac?"
Mac didn't answer so Stella assumed, "You are scared aren't you?"
Mac looked at Stella in disbelief and answered, "Who said I was?"
Right then they heard the same noises again and again this time it was un-relentless which caused Mac and Stella to jump again and to feel their way back to the door and try to open the door and bang on the door.
They continued to try and open the door and call for help when the door open again an hour later. Mac and Stella stood up, very relieved to see the tour guide coming in with the last group. She was very surprised to see them and asked, "Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are you guys okay?"
Mac and Stella answered at the same time, "Yeah we're okay."
Once the tour guide had given a tour of the basement the two of them then followed the last group out and as they walked with the group the felt more than embarrassed and knew they would be teased insistently by the team if they found out so they made a silent vow not tell them the team After they exited the estate, they went back to their hotel for the last night of the honeymoon before heading back to New York.
A/N 2: Thanks for reading "A Good Haunting". As always reviews are appreciated! Two more SMacked one-shots to come.