Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: NY characters, or the song the story is based on. I do own any original character.
Why don't you stay/I'm down on my knees/I'm so tired of being lonely/Don't I give you what you need/When she calls you will go/There is one thing you should know/We don't have to live this way/Baby why don't you stay, yeah "Stay" by Sugarland
Stella sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the clock on the wall across from her. The man lying next to her on the bed was fast asleep. Any minute, she knew, his phone would ring. She hoped he wouldn't answer it, or leave. A second later the cell phone on the nightstand close to him rang. She hung her head. He stirred then picked up the phone.
"Hello?" he asked.
He talked for a little while then pushed the end button and put the phone back down. He turned to Stella and put a hand on her shoulder.
She tried to hold back the tears as she heard him get up from the bed. He began to dress.
"Don't go," Stella begged as he was standing in front of her.
"I have to. I'll call you." He put his hand under her chin and lifted her head. He kissed her forehead and started toward the door.
She let her tears fall. "Is this how it's always gonna be?" she asked.
"She's my wife Stella; we have a child together." He opened the front door and walked out.
She fell back down on the bed. She was sobbing. She hated this. Almost every night he would call, take her to dinner or for drinks, and then they would go to her apartment. Then his wife would call and ask when he was going to be home and he would leave.
She always wanted him to stay with her. She knew it was impossible. He would never stay past the time when his wife would call. Was she an idiot? She should've known when she found out that he was married that she should've ended it.
She pulled herself off the bed and went to the bathroom to get a shower. Was she in love with him? She felt like she was. Or was she just lonely? After Frankie there had been no one for months. Now she just lonely, she wanted some kind of companion.
"I promise," he was saying. "We've been having problems for months. She keeps threatening to leave, and when she does," he put his hand on her face from across the table, "I promise you and I will be together."
God, she wanted to believe him but he had been making the same promise for months. She pulled away from his hand and picked up her wine glass. She didn't know what to say. When she had confronted him before she had not only felt like an idiot but she had been embarrassed by him causing a scene.
He put his hand on hers. "I promise, Stella."
"I know." Her heart was breaking with every word he spoke.
That night it happened again. Like clock-work his phone rang, he dressed, kissed her and left. And again she cried. Then she got her own phone call, but hers was to come to work.
When she walked up to the scene she still had a look of disdain and sadness on her face. She forced a smile at Flack then he filled her in on the case. When he finished she said nothing.
"Are you ok?" Flack asked.
She stood up from her position next to the body. "I, uh…not really, but I will be." She flashed him a smile. "Don't worry about it."
"You sure? You wanna talk about it?"
"No, I'll be ok."
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"Hey, baby," he started. "You want to meet me for dinner, maybe around eight."
"You know I don't think so. James, I can't do this anymore. I've been hearing for months about how you're going to leave your wife and be with me and it hasn't happened yet."
"I told I will, soon."
"Stop making promises you can't keep. I don't want to hear it anymore. And when it does happen, or should I say if it does, do not call me. I've given you so much and I actually fell for you, and what did I get? I got to be on the back burner when your wife wasn't good enough. I deserve so much more than that. This thing we had is done now. Goodbye." She pushed the end button then set the phone down on her desk
"You go girl," she heard Lindsay say from the doorway.
Stella just smiled and wiped the single tear that had made its way down her cheek.
I can't take it any longer
But my will is getting stronger
And I think I know just what I have to do
I can't waste another minute
After all that I've put in it
I've given you my best
Why does she get the best of you
So the next time you find
You want to leave her bed for mine
Why don't you stay