Hey, peeps! How was everyone's week? Hope it was good, and I hope you are all doing well.:)
K-Ha! I like how you put it: 'green eyed monster attacked our green-eyed Greek.' Nice.
So, I love Stella and Mac equally. Both characters have a lot to like about them. And Mac's been the focus of this fic, therefore you get to see how he feels/experience what he experiences so much in it. Stella is indeed beautiful, full of light, and has so many other wonderful qualities—but so does Mac (e.g. he's brave, kind, unselfish...). And that can get lost when you only see things through one person's eyes (mostly). Plus, it makes Stella more realistic and identifiable if she has to struggle with something like insecurity—and the fact that she still rises above it makes you respect her.
I'm glad you laughed. That single sentence in your review is my very favorite. Thank you very much, my dear K.
Lily, how awesome is your review? Also, I feel the same way when I see you've posted a new chapter of your fic.;)
About the slight to Gianni: Well, Gianni is a man who goes by his emotions too much. Being treated the way he was by his family made him bitter—which is why I picked that lyric excerpt at the beginning of the last chapter. He is too weak to rise above his feelings and do the right thing, choosing instead to go with his latent angry, vengeful emotions. This is why he has the plans he has (which I go more fully into later in the fic). Often in life, I've found, to do the right thing you have to pay the cost of rising above your feelings. It takes strength to do that. So, that dig Terranova unwittingly lobbed at him just made Gianni more bitter. It's just one more hurt he keeps in his subconscious and uses it to fuel the bad things he does. And, as it goes in life, he'll pay for it.
There is definitely danger ahead. In fact, there's about three chapters until things start getting really dark. I'm not as good as you at it, but it's there... Glad you're looking forward to it. Haha
Thanks! I'm glad you liked that she told him he was handsome, and that you liked their exchange.:) I wanted to show Stella dealing with her emotions as she's done in the show. She has an understandable reaction in the circumstances, but she wants to do the right thing—which takes strength and goodness. This is what separates her from Gianni, in that respect. He took the bad things done to him in life and harbors them inside, and looks at people in a light colored by that. Stella had a rough life growing up, orphaned, living in foster care, but what did she do with what life handed her? She didn't take that and become bitter and angry at the world (and people). She took her life and made something good of it, made the world a better place by helping people find justice and closure with her job. She learned how to connect with people and help make a make-shift family at work, which blessed those around her. Her life has meaning, and she makes the world a better place by existing and trying to be good, unselfish, warm-hearted, sympathetic and gracious.
I guess it reminds me of Mac at the end of "Manhattan Manhunt." The bad guy brutally murdered multiple people because of how his abandonment made him feel. Mac understood how he could be angry about it, but he also made no excuses about how that made it okay for him to harm others. Well, there is the difference between Stella and Gianni. Everyone gets hurt by others in life. Everyone goes through pain. What you decide to do about it is what shapes your future.
Haha about Mac's guns. (It's been awhile since I've seen them, but I recall Gary—and therefore Mac—having nice arms). Also glad you liked the ending, too. Thanks again, sweet Lily.:)
Speaking of next chapters—ahem!—how is the next chapter of your fic going? I'm looking forward to that!;)
Re-watch: Well, guys, it's been busy, and I've watched one more episode and started "Jamalot," but have only gotten a little into it, so, no re-watch notes this week.
To my amazing, faithful readers from around the world: You are appreciated more than you can know. Thanks for sticking with me, and thanks to my new readers for giving my fic a chance.:) Also, a special shout out to Singapore. Thanks for reading!:)
We're heading into rough waters ahead, you guys, but I hope you will trust me. There's going to be some darkness, some hotness (in the next chapter, amongst a couple of others), some violence, and also some good stuff (read: fluff). Remember, I love Mac and Stella, too. I want them to be happy, and I want them to be together, just like you.
This next chapter is small, but it sets up a lot of what's coming up afterwards. Part of Gianni's plan for taking out Salerno and his men is based on the O'Banion flower shop hit.
Have a great week, peeps!:)
Chapter Nine
"...Measure not the work until
the day's out and the labour done;
then bring your gauges..."
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Aurora Leigh"
Mac, Tom, Gianni, Sal, and Big Tony and Frank, had all just finished a very good meal of sumptuous Italian food at La Luna restaurant. Gianni, Tom and Big Tony were all puffing on their after dinner cigarettes, smoke swirling around the table and around the glasses of wine and beer scattered there, while Gianni instructed them as to what he wanted to happen next Wednesday, the day the meet was set for.
Sal had set it up. It had taken him a bit of networking, through a mutual 'friend,' who was more an acquaintance in Salerno's organization, but they'd eventually met, and Gianni had pitched a (fake) deal. Salerno had said he wanted time to think it over. Which was not unexpected. He'd eventually given the go ahead and had had his right hand man, Dominic, set up a meet with Sal to finalize plans and set up details to get things rolling.
"So, Wednesday, you're gonna go down there to Salerno's restaurant, La Scala, and you're gonna stay outta sight. Scope things out, wait a bit...make sure nothin' seems off. The meeting's not scheduled until eleven o'clock. Some of Salerno's guys might have tha same idea, decide to scope things out early, make sure we're not double-crossin' 'em." Gianni snorted at this—highly self-satisfied. "And I want your girl, Stella, in on this one, Mac. She's an unknown. No one will recognize her."
Big Tony, who'd been sitting next to him in the restaurant, gently punched his shoulder knowingly. He leaned over (while Gianni was busy talking) to gruffly, yet reassuringly, murmur, "Don't worry. I know how he's gonna play dis. I'll take care o' her for ya, kid."
Mac nodded and shifted uncomfortably, not happy with this turn of events. Up till now, Stella hadn't had to do anything for Gianni; he really hadn't had much use for her, as he'd told Mac awhile back. Maybe it was because she was a woman, and, being raised up in the family, he'd subconsciously followed the line of thought of the mafia that women weren't allowed—mostly. Mothers, sisters, wives, female cousins, whatever...they stayed out of 'business.' Very rarely was a woman allowed in, historically. Old habits. But Gianni wasn't back in the family yet, and as he was the boss of this small-time group of dealers, he didn't technically have to go by those rules.
Whatever the reason, she hadn't been used, and that had suited Mac just fine. Though, Stella had been torn about it, not wanting to be involved in criminal activity, or to sit on the sidelines watching it being perpetrated and be unable to do anything about it. On the other hand, she did want to have Mac's back, and Tom's. She was also used to working five days a week, and had had a bit of trouble getting used to being at 'home' so much, without a formal job, so to speak. But, she accepted, with professionalism, that this was temporary and that everyone had a role in this operation—there were many ways to support the guys and help take down the bad guys.
Eventually, she'd adapted to her role and even enjoyed taking care of them in her own way. And, honestly, Stella was what helped get him through many days. Though she helped them both greatly, for Mac, she was his port in the storm, his haven.
But, now it seemed, if Stella was useful to him in a particular situation, then Gianni hadn't the least hesitation in using her. And so, Stella was going in on a job with them—and not just any job, this one involved the ostensible murder of a rival boss and his lieutenants. It could get messy. Mac knew he couldn't protest, though, without drawing undo attention to himself from Gianni, or pissing him off and possibly costing them their lives. They were on probation as it was. Mac still hadn't really proven himself, wasn't really 'in' yet. Gianni was a very careful, suspicious man and also a cold-blooded killer. He didn't need much of a reason to terminate them. He knew it was only because of Tom that Gianni hadn't just had them killed that night in the alleyway.
Bringing his focus back into the conversation, he heard Gianni continuing his orders.
"...Sal, Tom and Mac will bring up the rear. First, I'll have Stella go in, casual-like, check around. See if anything looks suspicious inside. Make sure it's not an ambush, none of Salerno's men lurking around to surprise us. Then I want her to signal at tha window and go to the kitchen. There shouldn't be many people there at that time of night—a cook and a couple of waiters, since they close at ten. She needs to keep all the employees in the kitchen, make sure some idiot doesn't try to use his phone, try to call in to alert Salerno." Gianni nodded towards Tom and asked, "Since she ran with you and Mac, back in your street thug days, I'm assuming she knows her way around a gun?"
Knowing he had to respond honestly (Stella might need to use her gun someday, and he didn't want any slip ups or contradictions), Tom, wearing carefully schooled features, calmly replied, "Sure, boss."
Mac shifted in his seat to hide his ire. He absolutely did not like to think of Stella as the expendable first string in a mob war. He almost decided to go ahead and speak up, ask if he could go in first instead, even though Salerno's gang might know his face, since he'd been hanging with Gianni's crew for a while now, which defeated the purpose. He opened his mouth, but then saw the look in Tom's eyes, and quickly shut it again.
Tom knew what his buddy was feeling, felt it himself, but he also knew Gianni, knew how capricious he could be with the lives of others when he was questioned. Gianni knew what he wanted, and his people did it. Period. If not, he made a violent example of them to the rest. It was his favored way of keeping them in line.
"Okay, then Big Tony and Frank will follow, shortly thereafter. Check around, make extra sure the restaurant's clean. No guns hidden anywhere or anything of that nature. This is a great deal for Vito, so I doubt he'd do somethin' stupid. But you know how I hate to take chances."
Big Tony nodded and Frank grunted in acknowledgement. Tom, Sal and Mac remained quiet, waiting for Gianni to continue.
"Once Big Tony and Frank come back out and give the all clear, you three will go in. I want all of you to memorize what these guys' faces look like. So that when they get there, you guys'll be ready for them. Go in one at a time. Sit near tha door. Let them get inside first before you shoot, but don't give 'em time to think, to grab their weapons. They should have their guard down since it's their home turf, and since Vito and I don't have a beef with each other. He has no reason to think this isn't legit. But don't let anyone get away, that includes any stray customer finishing up the last of their dinner, or it's your asses that'll pay."
Sal nodded in acknowledgment to Gianni, who took a deep drag on the cigarette he was smoking. He expelled a breath of smoke and then continued.
"Big Tony and Frank will be outside, waitin' in a car close by, in case they have anyone hidden on the street, and just in case any of them actually makes it outside." Gianni took one last drag from his cigarette and then crushed the stub out into the ashtray nearby. "Take care of business, then I want you guys outta there. No givin' the cops time to get there, or some witness on the street time to identify you. It'll be dark, and late, so I doubt you'll have much trouble with that aspect of it. I want this clean and quick, ya hear?"
"You got it, boss," Sal assured.
"No fuck ups. Everything is ridin' on this deal. If one of you fucks this up, I'll fuck you up—personally. Got it?"
Mac tried not to think about Stella being there. He knew she was capable of handling herself, had done so in worse situations than this. He knew this, but he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling of something bad coming. It'd been hanging over his head like The Sword of Damocles for some time now. He felt they'd been too lucky all this time. Something had to give soon.
He shook his head to try to dislodge the thoughts tumultuously swirling around in his head. This was Stella. She was tough, resilient, smart. She'd breeze through this. This was Stella...
That was the issue though now, wasn't it?
Everything he'd listed off about her was true. But it was also true that she was a human being, with all the frailties a human being carried with them, and she was mortal... He clamped down on that line of thought again, knew better than to psych himself out before any mission. There was a higher chance of screw ups when you did that. Besides, knowing his luck, he'd be so busy keeping his eye on Stella that he'd mess up out there; he'd be the one more likely to get hurt or die. Or he'd screw up and get them all three killed by Gianni.
No, he just had to be careful to know his part, not lose focus and not kill anyone. The FBI would have some plan to back them up, so there'd be no killing. He could handle this. He was an ex-Marine, after all. He'd had to survive far more tenuous situations. Mac forced himself to relax, not overthink things, and decided to enjoy the rest of the evening with Stella when he got back to the house.
In his experience, that was always best before a dangerous mission.
"...Enjoy the little things in life
because one day you'll look back
and realize they were the big things..."
- Robert Brault, National Enquirer