"Stella! Wake up Stella! Come on, wake up!" Mac yelled, his voice escalating while shaking Stella in an attempt to wake her up. "Help! We got an officer down over here!" Mac shouted to the paramedics. Mac started CPR while the paramedics scramble to get over to them. The paramedics got her on the stretcher and took over compressions while taking her to the ambulance with Mac right behind and into the back with them while holding Stella's hand.
Stella looks around at her surroundings. Everything was white, except her clothes, which are same as when the restaurant blew up. "Hello? Is anybody here?" Stella calls out in a shaky voice. Her question echoes throughout the space around her. "hi" a voice says from behind Stella. The voice is definitely female; it is small like a child's voice. Stella whips around to look at the beautiful young girl, about 7 years old, with dark curly hair. The girl may be smiling but her eyes tell of pain and sadness. "What's your name?" Stella asks softly. This girl looks vaguely familiar to Stella and she wants to know how she could know this person. "My name here is Marie Anne Wyatt." The young girl replies. "What do you mean your name here? Isn't it the same everywhere? And where is here exactly?" Stella asks. "This is death, heaven, hell, the afterlife, whatever you believe. On Earth I did not have a last name, only a first and middle. When I got here I chose a name and stuck with it." Stella stared. "Wait, Marie? You mean you're" "Yes" Marie cut her off. "It's only been 6 months, how are you this big?" "I was allowed to grow to talk with you today and to deliver a message." "What message? What are you talking about?" "You can't stay, it's not time, you can't stay. The love of your life is waiting. I wish you could stay but you need to go? Now! I love you." "I love you. Never forget that." Stella replied hysterically. Stella blinked and Marie was gone. She blinked again and she was in a hospital room with Mac's top half laying asleep on the bed, and the bottom half sitting in a plastic chair. "That must be uncomfortable." Stella thought to herself. She started shifting in her hospital bed to get more comfortable herself, carefully in an attempt to not wake Mac. She was still reeling from her dream and just wanted time alone. But the second she moved even slightly, Mac's head shot up and said "Stella! You're up!" then pushed the call button immediately and started on a list of questions. "Do you hurt? Are you thirsty? Hungry? Are you cold? Warm?" "Mac, calm down; I'm fine." Stella said with a hoarse voice and that seemed to settle him enough to sit down. Mac took a deep breath like he was going to say something, right then the doctor walked in. "Hello. Good to see you awake. My name is Doctor LaRue. A piece of shrapnel was lodged in your abdomen, but we were able to remove that. Now we just want to keep you for the next few nights for observation, and to help your lungs heal from breathing in the smoke and ash from the explosion for the short time you did. Any questions?" Dr. LaRue explained. "Nope, you Mac?" Stella replied. "No" Mac said absently, not really having heard the doctor. "Ok, I'll leave you two alone, but if you come up with any questions just ask a nurse to page me." Dr. LaRue stated before leaving.
"You feeling ok?" Mac asked Stella, who looked a bit pale. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a headache, I probably hit my head when I fell. How are you? You seem pretty shaken up. I feel like I should be freaking and you be the voice of reason." Stella observed. Mac tried to correct his facial expression in an attempt to mask his feelings, not wanting to scare or startle Stella. "Mac, it's ok, I find it refreshing. The 'tough boss who never shows emotions' is showing emotions. Don't worry, I won't tell." Stella joked making air quotes with her fingers. "Sorry. I'm just really worried about you. You were literally dead in my arms, and I was worried about you." Mac somewhat reluctantly shared. "Don't worry Mac. I'm fine. But hey, look on the bright side, I'm going to have to stay longer than expected. You are going to overdose on Stella-ness!" Stella exclaimed half-heartedly. She just wanted to sleep to see if that would help her headache at all. "Not possible." Mac replied with a smile. "Do you mind if I sleep? I'm really tired." Stella said. "Of course not. Sweet dreams." Mac replied. He started getting comfy in the plastic chair next to the bed, he was not leaving her side until he was physically thrown out.
With Mac sitting there, Stella's heart tugged in her chest. "Mac, come here." Stella said, patting the bed next to her after she moved to the side. "Stella" Mac began. "Mac, you are not sleeping on that uncomfortable plastic chair. Get up here." Stella practically demanded. Mac climbed in obediently. With both of them comfortable, they fell into the best sleep either of them have had in a year.
