Okay, I know we said that we would try to have this story finished by Christmas, but we didn't make it. I'm sorry. But I update this though today. I celebrate christmas the 24th, I know there's some of you who celebrates the 25th. But Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all get a wonderful time!

Mac's POV

I wondered what'd gotten into Stella last night, she'd run off with no understandable reason.
And on top of that, she hadn't returned home. After being up and waited until 3 am, I went to bed, thinking that she maybe would sneak in if she thought I was sleeping. But no luck there either.
I sighed and took another sip of my coffee, and I stared out through the kitchen window in hope that I would see Stella somewhere.
Where could she be now? Where could she have gone?
And why did she run? Was it because of me? What had I done to hurt her?

I felt that I had a beginning to a small headache, I guess it was because the lack of sleep, and the lack of Stella.
The last nights we've actually slept in the same bed. She'd insisted that I didn't have to sleep on the couch.
"You have to take care of your back, the couch is pretty hard to sleep on" She'd said.
"Are you trying to tell me that I'm old Stella?" I had teased her.
She'd just snorted and threw a pillow on me.
Well, honestly it hadn't been so much for sleep there either, but it had a soothing effect on me to hear someone else's breaths next to me. And I knew I could just turn my head and see her, the woman I dreamt of sharing a bed together with, for I don't know for how long.
I could stay awake just to see her calm and beautiful face when she slept, and just to hear her breathing.
It's funny how you get used to the good stuff in your life in such a short notice, and misses it immediately when it's gone.

It suddenly occurred to me that I could trace her cell phone through my laptop. If she'd brought it, which I hope she'd done.
I typed her number which I could have dialed in my sleep, and waited for the computer to do the work.
How annoyed I would become if she'd just left her phone at home for recharging, but luckily I got a match; and I froze when I saw where she was.
She was at Linda and John's. I knew John were supposed to be at work this time a day, but you'll never know what he can do.

I grabbed my coat and headed towards Linda and John's house.
The sun was shining and it was a wonderful day, but I knew in a blink it could turn into something completely different.
I sighed and put my hands in my coat pocket. I made sure my gun that I brought couldn't be seen.
It would be very embarrassing for me, if Linda and Stella just sat and talked, and I stormed in through the front door.
I cleared my throat and knocked on the door. If Linda opened, I would ask her if she'd seen Stella, and if John opened, well… I ask him too.
But I hadn't a third option about what I should do, when no one opened the door.
I knew Stella was in there somewhere, or her cell was at least in there, it gave me many reasons why I should search the place.
What if Stella was in danger? But on the other side, she could have gone somewhere with Linda, they seemed to get along pretty well.
Better than I actually would like to, I mean, we're here to do our job, and she could easily be emotional involved with this case, and that's hard to cooperate with later.

After a few knocks on the door, still no one who opened, so I decided to open it by myself, like an uninvited guest.
But hey! My wife was in there, somewhere!
I was surprised to find the door unlocked, so I snuck in and closed the door behind me carefully.
I searched the apartment for the two women, but no luck.
They could have gone for a walk I guessed, but then I spotted Stella's high heels in the hallway, which can mean two things; one: she's still in the apartment, or two, the worst scenario: She'd been dragged to somewhere else, probably dozed or worse; or beaten down, or maybe even killed.
But I also noticed John's shoes in the apartment, they looked like they'd been recently used, and careless lined up on the shoe shelf.
Damn. My stomach clinched with fear and my whole body got tense, preparing itself for a possible fight.
Taking a deep breath I tried to calm down. Freaking out wouldn´t help me now.
So I continued to search the apartment, as the good detective that I am, ignoring that loud voce in my head that demanded I should hurry up, call the police, call the fire department, call someone, or at least shot someone, because Stella was in danger...
But no more signs for Stella. The voice in my head started screaming.
In the kitchen I spotted a napkin, I didn't need a second look or sniff to determine it's drenched in Chloroform.
But the last thing that I noticed on the napkin was the small stains of women's lipstick, a little bit bleached, but still I recognized it as Stella's.
She's the one who'd been dozed by Chloroform in this kitchen. I tried to control my heavy breathing.
I continued my search, and spotted a door slightly ajar, I guess it was to the basement.
"Huh?" A male voice said. "Why don't you tell me where your friend Mac Taylor is?"
"I don't know" A female voce said, barely noticeable.
I gasped when I recognized the voices, the female voice I didn't need a second thought about; it was Stella's no doubt. But it was a little bit harder for me to tell who's the male voice was, but it had to be John's.
I crept down the stair to the basement with my gun in my right hand.

Merry Christmas!
I want reviews for Christmas! Please...?