Disclaimer: I do not own the CSI:NY characters or the FRIENDS storylines. If I did own CSI:NY, Mac and Stella would be together. You know they belong together as do I.
Notes: This is the third one shot that has been influenced by lily moonlight. It's the second one dedicated to her. Like always, enjoy.
The One With The Deafening Silence
No one heard him over the sounds of rain flooding from the heavens. He wasn't meant to be heard. He wasn't meant to be seen. And he certainly wasn't meant to be there. He wasn't supposed to be doing what he was doing. It was certainly morally and legally wrong. Every fiber in him told him not to do what he was going to do. He ignored that and raised his weapon. He fired. She fell. He ran.
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"Morning," Mac told her when she got to the lab that day.
"Morning, Mac," Stella replied. He tossed the case file to her. "Ah yes, a case file. Very romantic, Mac." He laughed.
"I thought you would want to work this case," he got his kit from the table. She picked hers up from the ground.
……………………………………………
"It's a beautiful day," Stella told him. It was pouring down rain.
"You're joking right?" Mac asked.
"No, it's a beautiful day somewhere," she replied. He nodded. They entered the building and were met by Detective Flack.
"You guys finally got here! I was about to go looking for you," Flack was a little angry.
"Traffic," Mac answered. Flack nodded. The traffic was a killer that day because of the storm.
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"Welcome home," Hawkes hugged her as he met her at her gate.
"You didn't have to meet me here," Kelly whispered.
"I wanted to. I missed you," he told her. He kissed her forehead and rocked her back and forth.
………………………………………………..
"Stella, do you have the results?" Mac asked impatiently.
"Not yet. Patience is a virtue, Mac," she answered. He stopped tapping the table. "Thank you." He left her to work.
……………………………………………………
"Here are the results," Stella tossed them to Mac. She could tell that he was anxiously waiting for a lead.
"Thanks," he said reading the paper. Stella walked over and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up.
"What's wrong? I've known you for long enough to know that something's bugging you. Don't lie either," she questioned him.
"This case is bugging me. I don't know why, but something seems wrong," he told her.
"It's a pretty straight forward case. Autopsy," she thought suddenly. She thought he went to autopsy, and apparently he thought she went. They stood up and walked quickly to autopsy.
"Oh, you two finally decided to show up," Sid told them. They looked at each other and grinned.
"Sorry, we forgot," Mac explained.
"Well, you won't forget this," Sid gave them the autopsy report.
……………………………………………………………
"How about we go to lunch and talk about the case?" Mac suggested.
"Sure," Stella put her coat on. They walked the stairs down. They didn't like riding in elevators during storms. Kelly and Hawkes knew why.
"Should we drive or walk or get a cab?" Mac asked.
"You afraid of the rain? Let's walk"
"Okay," Mac walked with her through the water. It was several inches deep. An umbrella was pointless.
………………………………………………………………..
He walked by them as they laughed. He saw the love in their eyes. He despised them. He wanted them to hurt. He walked slower now anticipating their next moves. He watched the woman. He watched the man take her hand. He saw the lack of care that they were soaking wet. He hated them. He had to do something. He had left something at their scene. Something that connected to him to the murder. He raised his gun and fired. She fell. She fell, and he ran.
"Stella!" Mac yelled as he fell to his knees. He fumbled inside his jacket for a radio. Where was his luck when he needed it? He finally gripped the radio as he put pressure on Stella's shoulder. She was coughing. He could barely hear the words leave his lips. The world was spinning fast. He didn't notice the ambulance show up behind him. He saw them take Stella away and felt powerless. He couldn't do anything, and he couldn't face that.
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"Hello," Kelly answered her phone. She was eating lunch with Hawkes.
"Stella's been shot," Flack told her. Kelly sprayed her drink on the table.
"What?!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Just get to the lab, pronto," Flack hung up. Hawkes was confused and had Sprite in his face.
"Sorry, but Stella's been shot," she told him quickly. He dried his face. He didn't know what to say.
"Lab?" he asked. She nodded. They paid and got the heck out of there.
……………………………………………….
"I don't think he should work this case," Lindsay told the others. They nodded in agreement. You wouldn't want to stick Mac in that interrogation room. Though who would be the one to tell him to back off the case? Out of process of elimination and because she was the only one who didn't fear Mac, Kelly was chosen. She actually was a little scared this time. The others abandoned her. She rested her hand on her holster. She wasn't expecting to use her gun, but it made her feel safer.
"Mac, we should talk," she told him when he got into the lab. Her heart was pounding. What was his reaction going to be there?
"Yeah," he said impatience threaded in that word. Kelly was starting to wish she wasn't so nervous.
"We… uh… er… thi-"
"Yes?" Mac was getting angry at her. Kelly kind of wanted to shrink down. She had been the target of his anger but not his rage.
"We think you should back off the case," Kelly replied at one hundred miles an hour. Mac blinked once trying to find an alternative meaning to that phrase.
"We?"
"Danny, Lindsay, Hawkes, and myself. Mac, you can't work this one," Kelly was getting more confident.
"Does it look like I care what you think?" he asked gruffly. Kelly shot a glare.
"You know what, Mac? We are only doing this because we care about you. You're obviously hurting," Kelly told him understanding this situation.
"You wouldn't understand," he said instantly regretting his choice of words.
"I wouldn't understand? How dare you say that! You should know that I of all people would understand. Now, if you weren't in this state I would be suspended for telling you this. Mac, you are leaving this lab because we can't have you compromise the evidence. Go home," she ordered. He stood his ground. She did the same.
"You think that my judgment is impaired? Kelly, you remember your last suspension," Mac threatened. Kelly didn't move from her spot. Danny, Lindsay, and Hawkes were watching this safely from the elevator. It wasn't going as well as they thought it would.
"I do remember that suspension. I also remember that when I was acting as I was that you made me talk to you. I told you everything. I'm going to tell you something else too. Stella isn't dead. She's in surgery. I saw the lights go from my brother's eyes because of what I did. This isn't your fault. Either go home or to the hospital. You are getting the heck out of this lab," she whispered fiercely. He stood where he was. He never expected her to say this to him. She knew when to back down. She was in the wrong. Well, she was from his point of view.
"What are you doing, Kelly?" he spat.
"I'm doing the same you would do to me if Hawkes was shot. You know how much the team means to me. Do you honestly think that we can't handle this case? You hired us because we were the best at what we do. That's what you tell us. But if you don't honestly believe that, why would you say that? You are the most honest person I know so honestly I'm telling that as someone who cares about you go to the hospital," Kelly was starting to move forward causing Mac to back up.
"Look, Kelly, I'm not leaving this lab," he was losing this battle.
"But yes you are. Mac, stop fighting. You know you wouldn't be able to concentrate with her in the hospital. You know that you would make a mistake. Yes, Mac, even you would make a mistake. Just go, Mac, just go," and with that he left. Kelly had a smile on her face. It took some of her interrogation tactics to get him to leave.
"Good job," Hawkes told her. She nodded. For some reason, it was different yelling at Mac now. Probably because of going to Dallas and to her brother's grave.
"Let's get this case closed," Kelly sighed. They just wanted this to be over. Tensions were going to run high when Stella came back. They all sensed that.
……………………………………………………
"Hey," Mac greeted her since she was awake.
"I hate this," she told him. "It's not that bad of a wound."
"They said that it was two inches above your heart, Stell," he chuckled at her stubbornness. He still looked a little defeated.
"How did they get you here instead of at the lab?" she asked.
"Can't I just be here for you?" Mac asked in a mock offended manner. Stella smiled.
"Mac, I know you too well," she replied. He sighed.
"I think Kelly was pretty near punching me to get me out of the lab. They abandoned her. I think she was shaking at first," he told her holding her hand.
"Well, I'm glad you're here," she smiled. He kissed her hand.
"You should be out of here in a few days then I'll look after you," he told her. The hours passed, and they talked, but that wasn't a surprise. He watched her sleep as the radio softly played.
I promised you the world again
Everything within my hands
All the riches one could dream
They will come from me
I hoped that you could understand
That is not what I had planned
Please don't worry now
It will turn around
'Cause I need more time
Just a few more months and we'll be fine
So say what's on your mind
'Cause I can't figure out just what's inside
I hoped that you could understand
That this is not what I had planned
Please don't worry now
It will turn around
'Cause I need more time
Just a few more months and we'll be fine
So say what's on your mind
'Cause I can't figure out just what's inside
So say alright
'Cause I know we can make it if we try
'Cause I need more time
Just a few more months and we'll be fine
We're off to new lands
So hold on to my hands
It's gonna be alright
It's a whole lot brighter
So stand by the fire
It's gonna be alright
Yeah, the road gets harder
But it's not much farther
It's gonna be alright
You know it ain't easy
Please believe me
It's gonna be alright
Please don't worry now
Yeah, please don't worry now
Oh, please don't worry now
'Cause it will turn around
'Cause I need more time
Just a few more months and we'll be fine
So say what's on your mind
'Cause I can't figure out just what's inside
So say alright
'Cause I know we can make it if we try
'Cause I need more time
Just a few more months and we'll be fine
Mac drifted off to sleep next to Stella wishing that this was all a dream.
…………………………………………………….
He stood watching four CSI's go outside to process the scene. He noticed how affected they were by the missing team member. He thought of the gun dumped in the second trash can at Grand Central Station. He laughed. He saw their effort as futile. They rain had washed away evidence. He laughed again. He was drawing attention to himself, but he didn't care. He felt invincible. He noticed the touches between investigators. He despised the cops. All cops. He was getting brave and cocky.
"You'll never catch him. You can't deal with the rain. Lost your evidence, have you?" he yelled ticking off the wrong CSI.
"You want to say that again," Kelly took off her latex gloves.
"Kelly, it's just a New Yorker get over him. Concentrate on what cannot lie, the evidence," Hawkes tried to calm her down.
"He said him. I think this guy knows something," Kelly whispered fiercely.
"Come on, can't take the heat. We all know that you can't do your job. I hope your CSI dies," he shouted. The man let her go.
"I don't think you want to say that," Kelly went out from under the tape and shoved him against the wall.
"Look what you're doing. I think you are assaulting me," he pointed out.
"Whatever," Kelly let go of him, turned around, and took a step to walk off. She then had a second thought, turned back around, and punched him as hard as she could in the jaw. She heard something crack. "I don't really care at this point." She walked away.
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"Detective Higgins," Sinclair called after her. She knew she was in a lot of trouble. She stopped and faced the Chief of Detectives.
"Yes, sir," she tried to be as polite as possible. She wasn't fooling anyone.
"We may have let your interrogation tactics slide, but you assaulted a civilian," he told her sternly.
"He's guilty. We proved that," she protested.
"It doesn't matter, Detective Higgins. You're being suspended. Two weeks without pay. You should just be happy that he isn't pressing charges," he walked off after taking her gun and badge. She mentally kicked herself. Now she had the wonderful job of telling the team and Mac since it would be better coming from her than Sinclair.
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"Hey guys," she told them when they met her outside.
"What's up?" Danny asked.
"I've been suspended again," she sighed. A look of disbelief passed through the eyes of her friends.
"Why?" Lindsay questioned.
"I assaulted a civilian," she rolled her eyes. Hawkes stayed silent.
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Mac was sitting by Stella's bedside talking to her. They were laughing. Kelly hated having to come in right then, but she had to. She knocked on the door and entered.
"Hey," Mac was surprised to see her there.
"Well, we solved the case," she started with that. Yes, that was a good place to start. Good news first. Normally, people liked it the other way. Bad news first. But normalcy wasn't really her style.
"I heard. What are you doing here?" Mac asked.
"Well, I came in to say hi to Stella and make sure she's okay which she is. Mac, can I talk to you outside for a minute?" she asked. He nodded and got up.
"What's wrong?" he automatically knew that whatever she was going to tell him wasn't good. She sighed which also told him he was right.
"How do I say this? Well, I'm suspended after breaking the guy's jaw," she blurted out catching Mac off guard.
"I would say that I'm surprised, but then I would be sort of lying. Whose jaw?"
"The guy who shot Stella. He was provoking me, Mac. It was a good reason. I swear, well, it wasn't an accident. But you have to give me some credit for breaking his jaw with one punch," Kelly told him. Mac shook his head.
"You over reacted, Kelly. Sinclair made the right choice," Mac didn't say any more on the subject.
"Well, it's for two weeks. I guess I'll see you then. I hope Stella gets better soon," she left him standing there still angry at her for what she said. He walked back into the hospital room.
"Sinclair suspended her for assaulting a civilian. She said it was the guy who shot you," Mac told her.
"Are you surprised that she's suspended?" she asked. He shook his head.
"Honestly, I'm not. Do you want anything? I'll get you a water or something," he offered.
"I'm good, Mac, this isn't your fault," she told him. He nodded but didn't let the guilt go.
"Well, I'm going to look after you. I love you, Stell," he told her sitting by her.
"I know, Mac, I know"
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If I don't say this now I will surely break
As I'm leaving the one I want to take
Forgive the urgency but hurry up and wait
My heart has started to separate
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you
There now, steady love, so few come and don't go
Will you won't you, be the one I always know?
When I'm losing my control, the city spins around
You're the only one who knows, you slow it down
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you
And I'll look after you
If ever there was a doubt
My love she leans into me
This most assuredly counts
She says most assuredly
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
I'll look after you
After you
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
Oh, oh, oh
It's always have but never hold
You've begun to feel like home
What's mine is yours to leave or take
What's mine is yours to make your own
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Be my baby
Oh, oh, oh
……………………………………….
After Notes: My first one over three thousand words! I'm excited. If you guys want a one shot dedicated to you, you have to send me a request. I hope this one lived up to standards. Sometimes (recently), I have bad writer's block. I have gotten some help from lily moonlight, a brilliant writer. Please, please review! I would like to thank my reviewers: GregRox, EverythingIsConnected, lily moonlight, Bonasera, Blue Shadowdancer, and CSIMiami17! They rock! I almost forgot. The first song is More Time by Needtobreathe. The second song is Look After You by The Fray. Ironically, Look After You is the title of the trequel (so what if that's not a word) I'm going to be working on with luf100, iluvthejoebros, and CSIMiami17. Just saying. It's not on fanfiction. Hope you had a great day! :D