I walked off the airplane wanting to see my best friend more than anything else. I had not heard from her the two weeks I had been in London, and what a two weeks it had been.

First, the hotel we had been staying in caught fire, Peyton and I lost all of our belongings, save for a few sets of clothes. When we went to find another hotel, they were all full. So after a while of searching we settled on sleeping in a park. It was there that mine and Peyton's relationship came to a close.

Over the next 2 weeks I spent a lot of time thinking about my past and I realized I was happiest when Stella was around.

I went straight from the airport to the lab, hoping she was there. She wasn't, but the rest of the team was in the break room talking quietly.

I walked up to them and said, "Hi guys, where's Stel?"

They looked at me and then looked at each other. Then Danny asked, "Mac, which one of us is your favorite and please don't lie and make this harder on you and on us?"

"My favorite, why" I asked confused, looking at each of them.

"Just answer the question, Mac" Flack said.

"Okay, well then I'd have to say, Danny." I said looking at all of them they seemed elated except for Danny who looked like he had just gotten the death penalty.

"Mac, can we talk in your office" Asked Danny eyes cloudy.

"Yeah, sure" I said following Danny.

"Sit down, Mac" Danny said looking out of the clear glass walls of the office.

"Danny, what's wrong, what……" I broke off looking off in the direction Danny was looking, "Is it Stella" I jumped up when Danny nodded and shouted, "Where is she! What happened to her?"

"Mac, sit down" Danny said trying to calm his boss. Only when I sat down did Danny continue "We were working on a case when the perp took Stella hostage. A negotiator was sent out, but that didn't help whatever happened angered him even more. Mac, he shot her. Stella's in a coma."

'Stella's in a coma. 'Stella's in a coma' that's all that was going through my mind as Danny drove me to the hospital.

When we reached the hospital, I vaguely heard Danny yell her room number before I was gone. I raced up the stairs as fast, knowing the elevator would be to slow, as I could.

I finally reached her room, but the curtains were surrounding her. I quietly walked in and sat down beside her.

"Stella, it's, Mac" I said holding her hand, "Please don't die, I need to tell you that……" I stopped there and then said, "Remember when I took you to the dog show and afterwards you convinced me to take you out to eat and we went to see Wolf Creek. You wouldn't let go of me for the rest of the night, I even had to stay the night next to you to protect you." I started to cry then, "That was the best day of my life."

I laid my head down next to hers and closed my eyes. After Claire died, I hadn't believed in God, but at that moment I prayed that Stella would wake up. I prayed that Stella would be ok. I prayed that if those two things would be granted I would do anything.

While I was praying I felt Stella's grip on my hand tighten. I looked down at our hands and looked back up to her face. The smile on my face mirrored hers.

"You're awake" I said, laying my head down so close to hers that our foreheads touched.

"Mac, what are you doing here?" Stella asked confused.

"What do you mean, Stel?"

"Aren't you supposed to be with Peyton in London?"

"Stel, it's been two weeks since I left for London and besides Peyton and I broke up."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mac" she scooted over and said "Here lay with me."

I gladly obliged and said, "That's ok and besides while I was in London I figured out who I was truly in love with."

"Who" Stella wonders aloud.

I leaned in and kissed her for what seemed like an eternity, until the need to breathe became to strong to resist and we broke apart and I said, "You. I love you, Stella Bonasera."

"I love you, Mac Taylor."