Chapter 2: Beautiful Disaster
"He drowns in his dreams
An exquisite extreme, I know
He's as damned as he seems
And more heaven than a heart could hold
And if I try to save him
My whole world could cave in
It just ain't right
No, it just ain't right"
His alarm goes off, breaking the silence. He opens his eyes, curly brown hair blocking his line of vision. Stella is curled up at his side, and somehow his arm had wrapped around her waist.
"Don't you think you should turn that off?" Stella mumbles, not moving.
Mac reaches over to the nightstand and hits the off button. "Stella?"
"Hm?"
"Can you please move?"
"Why? I'm on the other side of the bed, away from you; I'm not in your way," she opens her eyes. "Oh, no, Mac. I didn't mean to…"
"It's as much my fault as yours. We're in the middle of the bed," he sits up as she moves away. "You can go back to sleep, you know."
"I have to get ready for work," she scoots to the edge, putting her feet on the floor.
"You're not going to work today."
"Why not?" she argues.
"Look, I'll call in and go late. I can help you repatch your injuries if you take a shower. You sleep for a while while I get ready."
Stella lays back down and covers up again. He runs a hand through her hair before heading to the shower.
"Oh and I don't know
I don't know what he's after
But he's so beautiful
Such a beautiful disaster
And if I could hold on
Through the tears and the laughter
Would it be beautiful
Or just a beautiful disaster?"
Mac has bagels and coffee set out for them when Stella finishes her shower. He looks over at her, cheeks immediately reddening when he sees her attire. "Not getting dressed today?"
"You don't have to be embarrassed. I thought it might be easier for you to cover my wounds if I waited to dress," she explains, looking down at her bathrobe to make sure she was covered.
"Okay, I've got the stuff," he points to the counter, which she sits on.
He begins with her legs, him putting on the cream while she fits the piece of gauze. After covering her arm and face, he brings her over a bagel and the cream cheese.
She mutters a thanks while putting on the cream cheese, wondering how he was planning on covering other areas with cuts.
He watches her face as he unties the knot on her robe, and her expression doesn't change. Carefully he brushes away the material, exposing her stomach. He realizes she has already put her undergarments on. Mac tries to avert his eyes from her chest as he bandages her up. "Shoulder, Stella," he says, letting her figure out how to do this.
She pulls her arm out of the sleeve before taking her bra strap off her shoulder and resumes eating her bagel.
He puts the strap back in place and puts her arm back in the sleeve after finishing. Softly Mac runs a hand on the back of her head, feeling for a bump. Finding it, he kisses the side of her head, leaving her sitting there, shocked, bagel halfway to her mouth.
"He's magic and myth
As strong as what I believe
A tragedy with
More damage than a soul should see
And do I try to change him
So hard not to blame him
Hold on tight
Hold on tight"
"What?" she manages to utter, sliding off the counter.
He doesn't reply and continues to eat his breakfast.
"I'm going to go, um… get dressed," she says quietly, walking away.
What was that for? He shouldn't have done that. We're just friends, nothing more. Yet, I strangely don't mind the kiss. Does he want to be more than my friend? No, it was just a friendly get better kiss. That's all. Then why was he staring at my chest? Must be a guy thing, when he likes a woman he stares at her. Happens all the time when I go out. But I've never seen him stare at anyone else except Claire. They were married; it was okay because they loved one another. Then does he… no, he can't. He's still not ready. Then why was he staring? He must, Stella thinks while dressing.
I gave myself away. How could I do that? She doesn't want more than my friendship; it was a long shot anyway. But I think I really love her. What am I going to do? Stella doesn't feel the same, and she definitely caught me staring. I'm a mess, Mac thinks as he sits at the table, pretending to read the newspaper.
"Oh and I don't know
I don't know what he's after
But he's so beautiful
Such a beautiful disaster
And if I could hold on
Through the tears and the laughter
Would it be beautiful
Or just a beautiful disaster?"
"How about I cook dinner tonight?" Stella suggests, entering the kitchen again.
"Sure," he doesn't look up.
"Shouldn't you be going?"
He looks at his watch. "Yes. See you later, Stella." Mac touches her shoulder softly before leaving.
CSI: NY
"This is excellent, Stella. Claire was trying to teach me some of her recipes when the towers fell. The meal was wonderful when she cooked it, but when I tried, it just never tasted the same. I could never measure up to your cooking," Mac compliments.
"Thanks. So, anything happen without me at work?"
"Nope, just a normal day. If you're bored here, I'll let you come back Monday. I like coming home to your cooking though."
"As much as I loved cooking today and having an actual homemade dinner, I'd like to come back," she smiles across the table at him.
"Done?" She nods and lets him take her plate. He refuses to let her help with the dishes.
Mac walks out to grab something while Stella finishes her one glass of wine she allowed herself to have for the night while she was still on painkillers. She hears footsteps behind her as she puts her glass in the dishwasher. "Here, I got these for you."
"I'm longing for love and the logical
But he's only happy hysterical
I'm waiting for some kind of miracle
Waited so long
So long
He's soft to the touch
But frayed at the end he breaks
He's never enough
And still he's more than I can take"
She turns to find him holding a vase of red roses. "You didn't have to," she says as he sets them on the counter.
He comes around behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I wanted to. Do you know why?" She shakes her head, tense at his touch. "I think I'm in love with you, Stella."
She turns around in his arms. "That's good because I'm in love with you, Mac." Stella wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him.
He kisses her back, fumbling to the bedroom while trying to undress her. Kicking the door closed, he pins her to it. Mac feels the light brush of her fingers on his chest while she unbuttons his shirt and knocks it to the floor.
Stella pushes him away from the wall, and they fall back onto the bed. He rolls her onto her back, and she winces at the pain from the bruises covering most of her back.
Mac moves his lips away from hers and kisses up her shoulder. He gently nips at her neck, leaving a mark as his hand moves slowly up and down her side.
Her hands tangle in his hair. "Mac…" she says softly. She rolls over again, and he unclasps her bra, tossing it to the floor. Her teeth tug at his earlobe causing him to lose all thought.
The pair is so wrapped up in each other they are oblivious to their cell phones ringing in the kitchen.
"Oh and I don't know
I don't know what he's after
But he's so beautiful
Such a beautiful disaster
And if I could hold on
Through the tears and the laughter
Would it be beautiful
Or just a beautiful disaster?
He's beautiful
Such a beautiful disaster
Beautiful
Beautiful disaster"
A/N: Kelly Clarkson. Can anyone find this story on the actual list or did you get it from alerts? I can't find it anywhere, nor have I gotten the message saying they received, but they're still getting alerts out, and obviously they did if you guys read it. I have a headache; stupid Spanish homework and school bus, no offense to any Spanish speakers who read this. Anyway, I still haven't finished writing the end. Maybe it will be done tomorrow or Wednesday. I really wish it was Wednesday. I'm not even halfway done typing though, but since we get out early next week for midterms, maybe I can get more done then, assuming my mom isn't around. Thanks for reading.
