Chapter Ten
There was a tense silence.
Mac sat in one of the easy chairs, face in hands while Charlie paced the room and made sure the gun in his hand was still pointed at his brother. For what seemed like an eternity, he just sat there, thinking back over the the past two days. His world, his perfect world, had come crashing down around him. He felt like he was being suffocated. Stella had been kidnapped. Sheldon had helped. Mac's brother had done it. Stella was probably dead. Mac's brother was alive. It was just too much for him to comprehend. How was he supposed to adjust to the fact that his brother was alive? He'd been killed two years ago, in some sort of drug raid. The details had been fuzzy when Mac had gotten them, so he never quite knew just what had happened. All he had known was that his brother was dead. But here Charlie was, standing in front of him and holding a gun on him.
"Why?" Mac whispered hoarsly.
Charlie turned to him, surprised. Mac had gone so long without talking, he thought his brother was going to stay silent until Sheldon decided to get his ass there. He thought for a minute, shrugging as he paced back in Mac's direction, twirling the gun around his finger. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"Why on earth would you fake your death?" Mac snapped, his somber look quickly transforming into a glare.
"Oh, that!" Charlie laughed, shaking his head. "Got mixed in with the wrong crowd.. doing drugs, making hits for the mafia, covering up the works.. and Internal Affairs were getting wise so I decided to close down shop."
Mac's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Drugs? Mafia hits?"
Charlie scoffed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned up against the window. "Please, don't act so surprised. It kills me, really it does." He smirked, glancing from the window and back to his brother. "I'm not the person you think I am, Mac. Not at all."
"Apparently," The other man muttered. "Why'd you kidnap Stella?"
"Well.. Sheldon Hawkes was on a little revenge quest and I came to New York in hopes of killing you and stealing your identity, but Sheldon offered me money to kidnap her." He laughed. "With the money he's paying, I can get a brand new identity and disappear into a foreign country. Anyway, that's why." He crossed his arms, and to Mac, looked proud of himself. The sight made Mac sick to his stomach and he bit the inside of his jaw to keep from saying something nasty.
"And Sheldon? Why did he want revenge on me?"
"Well, Mac, Would you like the long version or the short version?" A new voice spoke. Mac turned sharply to it, eyes narrowing. A smiling Sheldon Hawkes had just entered the room and was standing a few feet behind the chair he was sitting in. Mac felt a growl rise in his throat.
"Surprise me." He barked.
Sheldon laughed. "Okay. Do you remember when I was accused of murdering that bartender?"
Mac nodded.
"Well, after that whole ordeal, I began having feelings for Stella. And not just friendly feelings. Feelings that I was starting to fall in love with her. We'd have lunch together, go to movies, hang out.. I really thought she was starting to feel the same until you finally got up the nerve to ask her out.. and when I found out you were going to propose, that was the last straw."
"How did--"
"I know you were going to propose? Simple. Gina, who sold you the ring, Is my cousin." Sheldon sighed. "You just had to interfere didn't you, Mac?" He shook his head in mock sadness, or at least Mac assumed it was mockingly.
"And people say I'm moody," Mac snapped. "All of this just because you wanted Stella? If you really loved her, you would want her to be happy."
"Same goes for you." Sheldon snapped back, his face hardening. "You should want her to be happy."
"I do want her happy, but she's not happy with you!"
"SHE WAS!" Sheldon screamed. It surprised even Charlie, and for a few minutes, the three sat in silence.
"You know what.." Sheldon said calmly, adjusting his jacket. "It doesn't matter anymore." He snapped his fingers. "Kill him, Charlie."
CSI NY
"That's it. I'm going to look for Mac."
Lindsay's worried voice cut into Danny's thoughts like a knife. He looked up from his exam of the note Mac had recieved, to see his Lindsay wearing her jacket, keys in hand. She was staring at him, eyes glistening with tears. "I don't care if you come, I'm just really worried and scared that something happened to him."
Danny had to admit, he was a little worried himself. He'd tried calling Mac a million times with no success, and one would think no matter how much the man was scared to death, he'd at least return the calls. This was Mac, they were talking about. No matter what, he always kept a level head. He nodded slowly, grabbing the jacket off the back of his chair as he stood. "Okay, Montana, I'm with you."
She offered him a weak smile, hugging him slightly as he joined her. "Where should we look first?"
"How about we go in order? Stella's apartment, Mac's apartment?"
Lindsay nodded slowly. "Sounds like a plan, Messer."
Danny grinned at her, catching Don's attention. "Yo, Don! We're going on Mac hunt, a'ight?"
Don nodded his acknowledgement just as the pair got into the elevator.
CSI NY
Mac's hands were sweating as he stared evenly at Charlie. The gun was in his face, pointed in perfect position at the spot between his eyebrows.
"You won't." Mac said, anger detectable in his voice.
"I will." Charlie replied, voice blank of all emotion. He cocked the gun.
"Yeah, that's right. You kill him Charlie. You'll feel a lot better." Sheldon encouraged.
"You have no reason to kill me. I never did anything to you."
"Reed."
Mac frowned. "How did you know about Reed? I just met him not too long ago."
"Reed.. is my son. I was the fling Claire had in college." Charlie's hand was shaking now and Mac couldn't believe his ears. His step-son was his nephew?
"What?" He whispered.
"Claire... was supposed to marry me. If she'd married me, she never would have died."
Mac's brain was racing. He couldn't stop to think about this now, he had to somehow stall Charlie and Sheldon and somehow get some help. "Charlie, you don't know that. She.. she could have died in a car accident. Shot. Kidnapped."
"No she wouldn't have!" Charlie cried, tears burning his eyes. He held back a sob and Sheldon's grin deepened.
"That's right, Charlie.. just pull the trigger. You'll feel better, trust me.."
"No you won't Charlie. You'll feel worse, guilty.." Mac countered.
"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!" Charlie yelled, now waving the gun at Sheldon. "Just. Shut. Up."
CSI NY
"...Well, doesn't look like he's here. Guess we'll try his apartment now." Danny squinted up, seeing Lindsay walking towards him with a bewildered look on her face.
"Yeah.. umm.." She looked around, glancing at the ceiling as she did so. "Do you hear something?"
Danny frowned, looking down at the floor as he listened intently. Wait a minute.. what was that noise? It sounded like a soft thumping. "What the hell is that? Someone in the house?"
Lindsay shook her head. "I didn't see anyone and I looked everywhere."
"Come on.." Danny took Lindsay's hand, leading her into one of the two bedrooms, the one that belonged to Stella. He looked around. "You hear that? Its louder in here."
Lindsay glanced at the closet, pointing wordlessly. Danny went to it, looking at Lindsay before taking the gun off his belt and cocking it. He then through open the door and pointed the gun inside, stopping and staring.
"Stella?!"
CSI NY
"Charlie.. You won't solve this by killing me."
"Sure you will. Just go ahead and kill him Charlie."
Charlie was fine now, but he still hadn't killed Mac. Something in his brain was telling him it wasn't right, no matter how much he'd loved and wanted Claire. Maybe someday he could meet his son, maybe. But not now. Now wasn't the time. He turned to Sheldon. He'd already been paid, so now all he had to do was make up his mind. And he had. "Sheldon.." He mouthed the word 'no' just as the door opened. Charlie pulled the trigger, shooting Sheldon. Sheldon fell backward and Mac lunged at Charlie, but he was faster and managed to slip out the window. The rest was a blur. Danny, Lindsay, Don and a group of SWAT Team members and cops swarmed into the room. People were yelling and asking Mac if he was okay, and a group set off after Charlie. All Mac could do was nod, and stand there.
It was over. It was finally over.
He started working his way out of his apartment, glancing at the paramedics getting Sheldon ready to go to the hospital. This whole thing had shook him up. His brother was alive, Sheldon was a criminal.. Stella was-- Where was Stella?
"Mac?"
He stopped, hearing his voice called above all the commotion. He turned slowly around, seeing a very exhausted looking Stella staring at him. Tears were streaming down her face in a steady flood, and she smiled as she saw him. They met halfway, hugging and kissing and staring at her, laughing. Unable to believe that they were finally back in each other's arms and safe.
"Stella, will you marry me?" he whispered into her ear.
She grinned, pulling back long enough to whisper 'yes', before kissing him for all he was worth.
CSI NY
Charlie was never caught. The NYPD assumed he'd gone on the run and possibly assumed yet another new identity. Sheldon recovered from a bullet to his shoulder, but was tried and convicted for Accsessory to Kidnapping, and Attempted Murder. He got twenty years in jail without parole. Mac and Stella married six months later and honeymooned in France. The pair put the ordeal behind them and did great. And one thing was for sure.. Stella and Mac were smiling again.
END
Author's Note: Its finished! Wow, I can't believe it! I'm so proud of it, but I couldn't have done it without you guys! Your great reviews encouraged me to keep it going! My thanks go to mj0621 for giving me the idea in the first place, my friend Lucas for helping me with some of the twists and of course everyone who gave me great reviews! You guys rock! And also, please let me know if you'd like the sequel to this! Again, you're awesome guys! Its been awesome!
Jade
