**A little more fluff than normal, but I needed to fill in what's developing in the story. Please read and review!**

Stella was almost asleep when a young doctor, who looked like he wasn't a day over 30, marched in to the room barking orders. "Okay, I need you to leave us alone for a few minutes while I complete the exam. Should only take about 20 minutes to get her all finished up."

Mac started to protest but the doctor already had several male assistants ready to remove Stella from his arms if he didn't set her down on the bed immediately. Mac gently sat her on the bed and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I love you, Sweetheart. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Stella immediately whimpered, "No," and held on to Mac's shirt.

Mac gently pried her hand from his shirt and kissed her cheek. "I'll be back as soon as you are done, I promise." He shot the young doctor a dirty look and quickly exited the room. "What kind of doctor kicks the family out of the room before they even introduce themselves?" Mac wondered aloud as he entered the waiting room.

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The young doctor was getting increasing frustrated with his patient. She refused to say a word, only silently crying and jerking violently away from his every touch. Her IV had ripped out of her arm 4 times already and he hadn't even begun the procedure. Finally getting annoyed, he jerked her leg into the stirrup and strapped it in place. Almost immediately alarms started sounding and Stella made a choking sound, causing his attending doctor and three nurses to enter the room.

Stella felt as if the room was closing in on her and she couldn't catch her breath. She tried to cry out for Mac, but no sound escaped her lips except from a small whimpering followed by a severe coughing fit. She struggled desperately to catch her breath and free herself from another set of restraints to no avail. Her whole body ached and she felt like she might pass out from pain. That's when the alarms started sounding, and a whole new flood of strangers entered the room.

The attending doctor was an older man, obviously in his late 50s who immediately took charge of the situation. He took a damp cloth and tenderly wiped the dirt from Stella's face, speaking in a low but firm voice. "Stella, I'm Dr. Kenton. I want to help you, but I need you to relax. No one is going to hurt you." When Stella failed to give any sign that she had even registered his voice, Dr. Kenton immediately turned to Elizabeth. "Does she have family in the waiting room?"

"Yes Sir, there are several family members waiting on news."

"See if she has a primary care doctor we can get in contact with. She's having a panic attack and I need her medical history to now how to properly treat her. Also see if someone is willing to come and sit with her, and hopefully help her calm down some."

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Mac was pacing the waiting room anxiously. He knew that Stella was in no shape to be left alone with a stranger and resented that the doctor had kicked him out of the room without even giving his name.

Mac barely noticed Elizabeth until she touched his shoulder, "Mr. Taylor, I need some information about Ms. Bonsera's medical history. Does she have a history of panic attacks?"

"No, I'm sure she's just frightened because the doctor didn't bother to even introduce himself or find out a damn thing about Stella's situation before he started barking orders and kicking me out of the room!" Mac snapped angrily.

Sheldon rushed to Mac's side to rescue the young nurse from Mac's wrath. "I'm Dr. Sheldon Hawks, I work with both Mac and Stella. Please doesn't take him personally, he's just upset and scared.

Elizabeth smiled kindly, "I'm Elizabeth, and I certainly understand Mr. Taylor's concerns. Dr. Macon should have taken more time to introduce and find out about the situation; instead of assuming he already knew everything. I'll speak with his supervisor later about it. You said you were a doctor, do you know anything about Ms. Bonsera's medical history?"

Sheldon frowned, "She doesn't have a history of anxiety attacks that I'm aware of, however this isn't the first time she's undergone this type of exam for a sexual assault. Her boyfriend at the time, attempted to rape and kill her about 4 years ago. He was unsuccessful and was killed by Stella during the confrontation."

"Listen would you and Mr. Taylor come on back, our attending Dr. Kenton is with her now and he asked for a family member that can help keep her calm. You might be able to help him while Mr. Taylor helps her relax."

Sheldon and Mac follow Elizabeth back into the room where Stella is still struggling to catch her breath. The moment she spots Mac, she jerks forward trying to sit up and reach for him. Mac crosses the room quickly and lays her back on the bed, smoothing her hair away from her face and making quiet hushing noises.

"Her oxygen level is dangerously low, we need to get her on pure oxygen for a few minutes to try to slow down her breathing," Dr. Kenton stated to both men.

Sheldon nodded and moved to the opposite side of the bed from Mac. Taking the oxygen mask from Dr. Kenton, Sheldon spoke softly to Stella. "I'm going to put a mask over your nose and mouth, I want to you concentrate on breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth."

Stella swatted at the mask a few times, but stopped as both men gently moved her hands away from her face. She looked at Mac for confirmation that it was okay to do as Sheldon said and Mac smiled tenderly. "Breathe with me, Sweetheart." Mac took several slow deep breaths and smiled as Stella did her best to follow his lead.

Dr. Kenton smiled, "I'm glad to see that she's responding to you. I was beginning to worry that she was suffering with such severe anxiety that she wasn't able to respond to anyone."

Sheldon chuckled sadly, "I'm afraid the only person she will respond to is Mac. She obviously understands what I'm saying to her, but made no move to respond or follow my directions."

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"I think I'm going to be sick," Adam protested as he looked at the crime scene photos from where they had found Stella.

"Why dude? It's not like you haven't seen her naked before, damn" one of the lab techs teased.

"Do you have any class what-so-ever? My God she was attacked and raped, I don't think these pictures are anything like seeing her naked. And furthermore what she and I did or didn't do is none of your concern. Go find something useful to do before a smash your skull in!" Adam snapped angrily.

Danny poked his head into the AV lab, "You alright in here, man?"

"Not really, did you see these pictures? Stell looks pretty beat up."

"Sheldon says she's having a rough time of it. I just hope she can get through this. I feel like a real ass for leaving her out there alone."

"Stop blaming yourself, Danny. It was a careless mistake. Could have happened to any of us. Stella is stubborn, annoying so sometimes. It gets the better of everyone, even Mac, at times. We need to focus on getting this bastard convicted and put away for good."

"I can't help it. I should have been there."

Adam chuckled, "For what? So you could have been injured too, or even killed? Come on, Danny! You made a mistake, but I seriously doubt Stella blames you. That mistake probably saved your life!"

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After almost half an hour, Stella had finally calmed down enough for Dr. Kenton to attempt to complete the exam. He stood at the foot of Stella's bed and spoke in a firm but kind tone, "Stella, can you look at me?" Stella made eye contact with the kind doctor while moving slightly closer to Mac. Dr. Kenton smiled, "Alright, I want to make this as comfortable for you as possible, so I'm going to need you to talk to me. Do you want to use the stirrups or simply bend you knees on the bed and promise not to kick me?"

Sheldon chuckled, "That's a gamble even on a good day."

Stella looked at Dr. Kenton and then back to Mac. She snuggled into Mac's chest and sighed heavily. "I...want..t...to...go...h...home," she said softly to Mac.

Dr. Kenton smiled understandingly, "Stella, I would love for you to get to go home and cuddle with Mac tonight. But we have to get you all fixed up first. Okay? Why don't you allow Sheldon to strap your legs into the stirrups and we'll get this awful exam over with."

Stella shook her head and drew her knees toward her stomach, rolling onto her side. Sid poked his head into the exam room and frowned at what he saw. "I'm Sid Hammerback, the Medical examiner at the crime lab. I came by to see how she was holding up. I take it by her current position that she's having a rough go of it."

Dr. Kenton frowned, "She doesn't seem comfortable with anyone outside of her family touching her."

Sid smiled, "Perhaps I could assist you then. Stella, darling, can you lay on your back for me?" Stella rolled to her back and allowed Sid to stretch her legs out on the bed. He gently lifted her left leg into the stirrup and loosely placed the velco strap over her calf. He repeated the process with her other leg, gently tickling her foot as he finished.

Stella giggled and gave Sid a smile before attempting to remove her legs from the stirrups. "No..." she whimpered softly.

"It's not going to hurt, Sweet girl. Scoot your bottom toward me and rest your head in Mac's lap." Stella's eyes welled with tears, but she did as he asked. "Talk to me, Stell. What's wrong?"

"I...d...don't...t...tr...trust...him..." Stella managed between shaky breaths.

"Atta girl. Would it help if Sheldon and I are the only people to touch you?" Stella nodded and gripped Mac's hand in hers, squeezing her eyes shut. Sheldon moved to the foot of the bed and scrubbed up in the sink. He quickly took the swabs from Dr. Kenton and sat down on the stood.

While the exam might have only taken a few minutes to complete, to Stella it felt like hours. She whimpered and squirmed the entire time, wanting desperately to pull away even from Sheldon's gentle touch. Sid's hand on her belly kept her hips firmly in place. "Just focus on taking nice deep breaths, we don't need you having another episode. It will be all over soon," Sid comforted gently.

By the time Sheldon moved to scrap under her nails, Stella was nearing another panic attack. Dr. Kenton spoke softly to Mac, "Many patients respond well to familiar comforts, something you might do if she became upset at home or work."

Mac nodded and kicked his shoes off before swinging his legs onto the small bed. He pulled Stella into a firm hug and held her head gently against his chest. Stella quickly wrapped her good arm around his chest and let out a whimper, as Mac tenderly rubbed her back. Sure enough after several minutes of quietly laying against his chest, Stella began to calm and her eyes falling closed and her breathing evening out. Sid frowned for a moment and asked quietly, "Will she freak out if I touch her to scrap under her nails?"

Mac chuckled, "I wouldn't think so. Normally she's a heavy sleeper."

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