June 2000

Stella was a wonderful mother and wife. She also was a wonderful CSI and she loved her family. But no one knew that there was something she was hiding. At least the thought that nobody knew she was hiding something. But Mac noticed that something seemed to be off. And he had noticed it two weeks ago for the first time and hoped that she would talk to him. When he entered her office he saw her looking out of the window. He walked to her and sneaked his arms around her waist. She jumped and let out a scream. When she turned around and saw that it was Mac she was ashamed.

She turned around again looking out of the window. "Did you have zo sneak up like that Mac?" He could still hear the tremor in her voice. "I am sorry Stella.------ Stella are you alright?" She nodded and said. "I am alright Mac." He out a hand on her shoulder and he could feel that she was totally under stress and unrelaxed. She seemed to relax a little under his touch. She reached for his hand on her shoulder and he gave her a reassuring squeeze. He slowly steped to her and wrapped his other arm around her waist. She wanted to resist his touch but she felt unable to do so. She felt safe and secure with him. So she leaned back into his embrace.

Mac turned her around in his arms and looked her in the eyes trying to read her. He could read total insecurity in her eyes. "Stella what is the matter?" She did not answer him. Instead she leaned her head against his chest. He wrapped her into a hug and pulled her into him. But he wondered what she is hiding and is not willing to tell him.

"Stella please talk to me." "Mac." He could see that she was fighting it. He lead her to her chair. She sat down on it and he leaned against the table. "Stella please talk to me." She looked up from her lap. At that moment Danny entered her office and gave her a report. After he had left she got up and said. "I have to work again." She wanted to walk past Mac put he grabed her arm to hold her back. "Stella! Sweetheart what is it?" "Not now Mac."

When he came home in the evening he found her lying on the bed faceing the wall with her back to the door. From the door he could see that she was crying. He slowly walked around the bed and knelt down infront of her. He stroked her back and tried to soothe her and calm her with comforting words.

After a while she slowly sat up on the bed and Mac sat down next to her and opened his arms and she grafetully moved into them. He had never seen her this worked up and still being able to keep things from him. He had to admit that he was worried about her. He needed to know what happened and what is bothering her. He just let her cry against his chest for a while.

After she had calmed down a little he tried to talk to her again. "Sweetheart are you feeling better?" "Yeah." She looked up at him. "What is bothering you Stella?" "Well we had a lot of had cases in the last few weeks." "Stella we always have tough cases." "I know but we had too many cases including children in any way." "The kids in trhe cases brought all this up." "Well part of it but not everything."

She got up from the bed and went to check on the kids. She then went to the kitchen with Mac following a few minutes later. "Stella what else is there?" She went to the livingroom and sat down on the couch. He followed her and sat down next to her. "I was attacked a few days ago while walking down the street." "What? Someone attacked you?" "Mac please." "Where did that happen?" "It happened a few blocks away from here. The guy said that you would pay for what happened to his brother." "Do you know who it was?" "No idea. Mac what if he hurts the kids." She had tears streaming down her cheek. He pulled her into a hug. "Stella it will be alright."