Lindsay, Danny and Flack spread out over the few blocks between Stella's apartment and the crime scene hoping to find someone who would be able to be an alibi for Stella. After an hour of nothing, they all met up at a local deli that Stella frequented.

Flack approached the owner.

"You are Stella's friends, aren't you?" the owner observed.

Nodding, Flack asked, "Did you see her at all last night?"

With a sad look, he answered, "I did. I wish I could say otherwise, but she came in here for a soda around nine. I remember because that was a strange hour for her to be in here and she looked rather shaken."

Lindsay and Danny shared a brief look, neither wanting to be the one to have to tell Mac.

"Do you remember anything else? Did she do anything out of character for her?"

The owner thought for a moment. "Like I said, she seemed rather shaken up. When she went to get a soda, she dropped a lot of change and spent a bit of time collecting up what she could."

Flack looked back at the others and Danny immediately went over to the refrigerator getting on his hands and knees. Suddenly he stopped and his heart sank. With a gloved hand, he carefully reached behind the unit and pulled out a gun. Holding it up for the others, he watched them shake their heads in disbelief.

Mac sat in his office while the commissioner let him know they would be bringing Stella up on charges of attempted murder within the hour. As much as Mac argued, he knew it was pointless. As had been pointed out, it was an election year after all.

Flack walked in when the commissioner left. "Not good?"

"No. They are filing charges within the hour. Attempted murder. There has to be something we're missing. Maybe her gun was stolen awhile ago and she just didn't realize it."

"Um, Mac, that's what I came to tell you. We found it. It was hidden behind a soda machine at Manny's Deli. He said she came in last night around nine and looked shaken. Danny is running the prints and Sheldon is doing the ballistics."

"What if it does all point to Stella, Flack? Then what?"

And for the first time since working with Mac, Flack felt scared. Scared at the realization that Mac felt completely and utterly helpless and there was nothing any of them could do to help.

Sheldon was on his way to give Stella her next dose of medicine when he ran into Mac in the elevator.

"How is she?" Mac asked.

"She should be home in bed," Sheldon responded frustrated. "I'm sorry, I know everyone's trying. She's not getting any worse. I think it's just a forty-eight hour bug."

Mac nodded. "I have to go talk to her so I'll take her the medicine."

As much as Sheldon wanted to see Stella himself to offer support, he understood the special bond Mac and Stella shared so gave no protest.

"Thank you for everything, Sheldon," Mac softly said as he stepped off the elevator.

Hawkes waited by the printer as it spit out the results of the ballistics test and sighed.

Danny, meanwhile, held his breath waiting for the computer to run the prints. He was a bit hopeful in that they found two different sets of prints on the gun. One was Stella's but the other was unknown and he prayed whoever they belonged to was in the system.

Swallowing the pills, Stella handed the cup back to Mac. "They want me to go before the judge in a few hours," she said.

"I know. Everyone's working around the clock on this one, Stel."

"I know." She tried to stifle a yawn. "Have you ever had to spend time in prison?"

He shook his head. "And I'm not going to let you, either."

"Just bake me a cake with a file in it," she joked but then broke down in his arms. "Mac, I'm just not this strong."

"No one said you had to be," he whispered back, holding her tightly. "I'm amazed you held out as long as you did." He winced as her fingernails dug into his back but did not mind. "When this is over and done with, I'm taking you to a cabin in the woods for a long weekend, I promise."

She laughed into his shoulder. "The way my luck's been lately, we'd probably get attacked by a bear."

"Then the shore. Anywhere you want, Stella."

She held onto him that much tighter and cried.

Mac had not realized how much time had passed until Danny stood outside the iron door and he realized Stella had cried herself to sleep in his arms. He looked over at Danny. "Please tell me you found something that will help her."

"I hope so. I ran the prints and one set obviously was Stella's but the other… not a match to anyone in the system."

"That's not much."

"I know. That's why I looked a little further into it. The unknown ones were on top of Stella's on the gun which means Stella wasn't the last person to use the gun."

Stella stirred slightly but did not wake up.

"Look, Mac, I know it's not much but at least it's something."

"What about ballistics?"

"The gun matched the bullet."

Mac glanced down at Stella. "Give me a minute and I'll be right up."

After Danny walked away, Mac gently shook Stella. "Stel, wake up."

"Is it time?" she asked sleepily as she sat up.

"Not yet, and hopefully not at all. Danny ran the prints and there is an unknown one on your gun – have you let anyone else use your gun?"

"No."

"Then this may be just the break we were hoping for. The unknown is over top of your prints." He released her from his arms and stood up. "I'll be back soon."

Tbc…..