Chapter 12: Going Undercover

"What do you need me to do?" Stella asks on the ride to her apartment.

"Everyone else knows their job; we've got men in your apartment in case he actually tries to kill you, some are hidden outside to follow you after he takes you to be sure nothing happens to you, and others are trailing the director," Mac assures her. "All you have to do is act normal. Eat, sleep, watch TV, maybe run some errands. He'll come after you; the director probably told him you're not at work because you're suspended. Let him take you. Struggle, but don't get away from him."

"I don't know if I can do this," she says nervously.

"We're there. Nothing bad will happen to you. Now, after he gets you, he'll call the director. The director will come and… we'll stop him after he gets there. Don't worry, Stel."

"What if he tries to rape me again?" she asks worriedly.

"We'll get you out before he does. After this is over, I'll take you out for dinner. Some fancy place. Wherever you choose," he promises.

"I – Mac, right now I really don't care about dinner. I just hope I make it out okay, that we all do. But I appreciate you offer; it's not good timing. I know you're just trying to keep my mind off things," her hand meets his on the console.

"You'll be fine, Stella."

"Where are you going to be during all this?" she looks over at him. "The others too."

"Danny and Lindsay are keeping an eye on the director, Hawkes and Flack are in you place, and I'm outside to follow with a couple uniforms," Mac answers.

"What if I mess up and can't do this?"

"Hey, as long as we're able to get the guy who raped you, we'll be fine. He'd definitely confess to the director paying him for kidnapping you if we give him a deal," he tells her. "If you need us to get you, give us some kind of signal."

"Like what?"

"How about my name?" he suggests.

"Okay," Stella agrees timidly.

"Love you. See you in a few hours," Mac kisses her softly before letting her go up to her apartment. She takes a deep breath and steps out. As he pulls away, he catches a glimpse of her in the mirror. Mac doesn't think he had seen her so scared as long as he had known her.

Stella enters her apartment, immediately flooded by memories she had forgotten over the past two days. She feels like saying his name just so she is not alone, but she knows better. After grabbing an orange, Stella sits on the couch, turning on the TV. Noelle jumps up next to her. "Hey, Noey, did you come up here to protect me?" The sleek cat purrs loudly as she runs her hand over its back.

Stella, still tired from the lack of sleep, falls asleep soon after finishing her snack, Noelle lying contently on her chest, still purring softly.

"Hello, Stella," a cold voice says from behind. Her eyes shoot open as a hand clamps over her mouth, the other around her neck. The cat jumps off as she squirms to free herself. "Glad to see you again. I've been looking forward to torturing you for getting away. Where shall we begin?"

A/N: The director person in my story is odd. Most likely he wouldn't do this to her, but you never know. He's only been on like one episode. Can't wait for tonight. Just started the second book where someone's stalking her too but I left it in the car and my mom just left. Oh well. I'll continue to type for a while. No school tomorrow, but I can't get in to the see the lab because they're all randomly going to Columbus tomorrow. Maybe next year. Still haven't thought of name; keep forgetting to ask my friend for help. Although I'd probably have to explain the whole fanfic thing to her and no one I know personally knows that I write fanfic so… maybe I'll get this story done while I'm home tomorrow. My mom will be gone most of the day, and I only have eight chapters left.