Chapter 7: The Transfusion
Stella manages to keep the encounter to herself and not tell Mac about it, despite the fact that every time he asked if she was alright, she would say yes, and he seemed to believe her even though her body language clearly indicated she was not. That changes three days later at the hospital while their daughter is in the operating room.
"She came the other day while you had to run in to the lab. And she threatened to take Elizabeth because I killed her son, and she doesn't think I can raise a child that might look like the man who tried to kill me."
"Mrs. Mala?" Stella nods. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
She ignores his question. "She said we can still have children of our own so we wouldn't be missing anything. Then she said Frankie took better care of me than you do because you went to work the other day and weren't with me."
"I had to or I'd have a lot of work when I went back. You know that," Mac says.
"I know," Stella agrees.
"I'm not going to let her take Elizabeth."
"You can't say that. If the jury decides I can't raise her, we'll have to give her up; you'll get in trouble for withholding her."
"Stella, you're perfectly fine. They won't take your child away. Why did you hide that from me for three days?" Mac asks again.
"I didn't want to seem… scared or bothersome to you."
"Don't hold your emotions in, Stel. You are strong, which is a good thing for our job, but sometimes I think you're too strong," he says quietly.
"That's nice, coming from you. You buried yourself after Claire past. I can't just… open up. I grew up alone, keeping to myself. I still keep to myself, or at least what I feel," she says, angry at first but turning to sadness.
"You need to vent or you'll end up exploding on a friend like I did."
"Miss Bonasera," the doctor comes out of the operating room. "Your daughter is fine. They're taking her to a recovery room now. Nick is doing okay. It'll be awhile before we know if the blood took or not."
"She's not giving blood for him again; they'll have to deal with it," Stella says.
"I'm sure she won't have to donate again for a year or so."
"I -" she begins.
"That's good," Mac cuts her off.
"You should be able to leave in a few hours," the doctor leaves.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Mrs. Mala before," Stella whispers.
"It's okay, Stella. Don't worry about it; Elizabeth won't be taken away," Mac kisses her softly.
"Your daughter is in a room now; she should be waking up soon," a nurse says, leading them to her.
They sit next to Elizabeth's bed quietly, Stella putting her head on Mac's shoulder. Just as she falls asleep, the baby wakes up. Mac looks down at Stella, surprised she hasn't said anything yet. He is a little frightened knowing he's alone in taking care of the child for now while Stella's sleeping. He gets up, careful not to wake Stella, and picks up his daughter, or at least that's what he considers her, rocking her gently.
"You're just like your mother," he says as Elizabeth grabs his tie. "She hates it when I wear these." Elizabeth seems to laugh at that.
Stella opens her eyes, watching them. "You're good with her, Mac."
He turns around, smiling, and hands her their daughter. "She didn't cry that time," but as soon he says that, she lets out a whimper. "Maybe you should feed her."
"I think we should start to bottle feed her," she suggests.
"Embarrassed, Stella? I've already seen you without clothes; it doesn't bother me," Mac teases. She smacks him in the arm. "Do what you want, Stella."
"I think I will so I can make you get up in the middle of the night to feed her."
A/N: Question: The team got kicked off Sheldon's case because they worked with him; how come when the found Stella in her apartment when she killed Frankie they weren't forbidden to work the case? They just as easily tampered with evidence to prove self-defense. I know they didn't, but it could still happen. Any, must listen during Jamalot tonight. When she talks to Frankie on the phone, I swear she says she'll meet him at her place (when we later find out she wouldn't let men she dates come to her apartment). Maybe I was just imagining things. Oh, there was definitely an increase in MS stories around Christmas. It made me so happy. I'll post Friday.
