He woke at night to the sound of thunder, and tears in his eyes. He wanted her so bad, he wanted to feel his lips on hers, he wanted to feel her embrace in a hug and he just wanted to be there for her.

He had a dream about her every night but it wasn't enough. She was all he could think about since Frankie attacked her. It was getting to the point where he wanted her so bad it hurt. It killed him that night seeing her that way. He just didn't know if she felt the same.

There was one thing and one thing only that kept him up at night like this, one thing that he shed tears for besides his wife's death, that thing, no not thing that person was Stella Bonasara.

He knew she was probably crying right now to, but not for the same reasons, he knew that ever since Frankie attacked her she was so vulnerable, any noise through the night would keep her up worried sick, and every noise kept him up just thinking about how she would be crying alone. Mac looked over at his alarm clock, but the room was completely black.

"Great the power went out," he thought to himself, "Now Stella is alone." It's completely dark and the massive crashes of thunder every 12 seconds made it even worse for both of them.

Mac knew that Stella probably lay awake in the dark scared and crying but what he didn't know, she was up for the same exact reason he was. She was thinking about Mac. She felt so bad for him, knowing how he loved his wife so much and then she unexpectedly died and also she knew how much Peyton hurt him.

She lay there in the silence the only sound heard were her tears gently sloping down her soft cheek, she thought about how much she really loved Mac and how she was actually in love with him. But she wasn't allowed to love Mac; they were partners.

But she needed comfort and at this moment she felt her heart full of love and sorrow. She reached over to the table next to the bed, and searched in the shadowy dark for her phone. Finally she found it and dialed the first number on her mind, his number.

She didn't even need to look at the phone his number was stamped into her brain. She didn't want to wake Mac but she knew there was a chance he was up, he hasn't sleep much since Clare's death.

Mac heard his phone vibrate on his side table his hand followed the vibrations and he found it. He quickly looked at his caller ID and love filled his whole body, he needed this, he needed to hear her voice.

"Hello?" Mac said in a whisper.

"Hi Mac, I didn't wake you, did I?" Stella whispered.

"No I- I can't sleep"

"Me either."

"Are you ok?" Mac asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm- I'm-" a tear came rolling down her cheek.

Mac heard her start to cry, he felt weakness in his heart hearing her cry. "I'll be right over."

"Thanks Mac," Stella said faintly. They both hung up at the same time.

Mac didn't care what he looked like. He didn't care if he got a ticket for speeding. He rushed over to Stella's apartment as quick as he could.

He knew that she wasn't in trouble but he didn't care, he knew that she was lonely and afraid. He needed her, he felt his blood rush through his veins as he drove like a maniac, passing two red lights but he didn't care, the only thing on his mind was Stella.

Mac found the closest parking spot there was he didn't even check if it was a handy cap spot, Stella was worth the fee of the ticket. He ran inside his legs controlling his whole body. It was completely dark the power out but he knew exactly where the stairs were and exactly where her apartment was. He knocked once and heard sobs.

This made his heart tear in half, he knew Frankie was dead, but it still didn't make him feel better, nothing was worth seeing Stella the way she was now. She opened the door, and even though it was completely dark Mac could tell she was crying. Stella ran up to Mac and gave him a hug, her head rested on his shoulder, Stella felt perfect in his arms.

"Mac thanks for coming" she smiled at him, this was the first time in 3 months that Stella smiled and even though it was completely dark Mac could tell. Mac's heart filled with love felling Stella smile against his shoulder. The lights flickered on and Mac looked into Stella's eyes. What he saw changed his life forever, her eyes filled with love.

Mac lost control of himself he lifted her chin so she was looking up at him and kissed her lips deeply. Mac wasn't the only one who was losing their head; Stella kissed Mac back she wanted this moment to last forever. Stella put her arms around Mac's neck; Mac rapped his arms around her waist. Mac pulled back and whispered the three most powerful words against Stella's lips. "I love you", Stella couldn't hold her feelings back, a tear slipped down her face,

"I love you to" she whispered. This moment was so tender and love filled they both wished it could last forever.