By the time the weekend rolled around, they had Gail Coker back in the U.S. and in jail. Mac got everything packed Friday and rented a jeep for this trip. He dressed in his jeans and red t-shirt, along with a plaid overshirt, unbuttoned. He knew it would be cool in the mountains, so he brought along a jacket. He put on his black hiking boots and got his backpack. He took one last look to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything. He put his shades on and went out to the jeep. He smiled. He hoped Stella was ready for this.

Mac drove to Stella's apartment building and went inside. He knocked. The door opened, and Stella was there. She was dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt, with a white long-sleeved shirt over it, and brown hiking boots. Mac smiled. "Mountain woman," he said.

Stella gave him a sarcastic look. "Don't be trying to make a mountain woman out of me," she said.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Of course." Stella went inside and got her backpack and a duffle bag.

Mac raised his eyebrows. "You're gonna carry all that up the mountain?"

"Yes, I am."

"Okay, lets go."

They went out to the jeep. "Wow, a jeep," Stella said, and looked at Mac.

"What did you expect? A Cadillac?"

Stella smiled and shook her head. She threw her duffle bag and backpack into the back of the jeep and climbed in. Mac put his shades on. "You ready?" he asked.

Stella put her shades on. "I'm ready for anything you can throw at me," she said.

Mac smiled. "We'll see," he said.

Mac cranked the jeep and they headed out. Of course, they had to wade through evening traffic in New York City. Mac turned his music on and smiled at Stella. She had to laugh at his moving to that music. She thought this was going to be a fun weekend. "If we only had your cheeseburgers," she said.

"Now, you know that you'll enjoy those fish," Mac said. "We'll have trout for three meals a day, and snacks in between."

"You really know how to treat a girl."

Mac had to laugh. He remembered another time she had told him that. He had asked her to go and have a 'sit down' dinner with him, which had turned out to be a hotdog at a dog show. He could have never done that to anyone but Stella. She had won that bet too. Mac looked at her. "Are we going to make any bets?" he asked.

Stella looked at him. "What did you have in mind?" she asked, trying to create some dejavu.

"I think we've been here before," Mac said, looking over his shades at her.

"I remember."

"Do you?"

Stella smiled. "I remember every moment I've spent with you."

"Me too."

Mac looked ahead of them. "I'll tell you what. I'll bet that you can't make it all the way to that cabin with both of those bags," he said. "I'll bet you're going to have to have help before we get there."

Stella folded her arms. "Are you saying that I'm a weak little woman and need help from my big strong man?"

"Absolutely not. I'm just saying that you're not used to climbing a mountain, and I'll bet you can't carry that all the way up there."

"How do you know that duffle bag is heavy?"

"I saw you leaning a little with it."

Stella gave him her smirky look. "Okay, how much do you want to bet?"

"Lets say ten."

Stella held out her hand. "Deal," she said.

Mac shook her hand. "You think you'll walk away with my money again?" he asked.

"Yes, and I'll take it like I did last time."

"I know, but you gotta win first."

"You've met your match, Taylor."

Mac smiled his sly smile. "I know, Bonasera."

They both laughed. Mac started paying attention to his music again. Stella didn't know he was so into his music. She had seen him play at his club, but she had not seen him dancing or moving around like this. "You really get into your music, don't you?" she asked.

"Music is a living thing," Mac said. "You have to let it move you."

Stella smiled. She had never moved to music all that much, unless it was a slow dance. She did when she was young, but she supposed people slowed down when they got older…except Mac. She wondered what he would be doing if he weren't driving.

Mac stopped at a gas station when they finally got out of the city. "You want anything?" he asked.

"Maybe some water," Stella said.

"There's plenty back there. I brought a whole case."

Stella looked in the back of the jeep. There was a whole case of "Dasani" water in the back. "This is the only kind you drink, isn't it?" she asked.

"Most of the time," Mac said.

"I prefer 'Aquafina' myself. It tastes clean."

"Oh, are you going to start criticizing my water now?"

Stella laughed. Mac looked at the gas pump. He would fill it up. He hoped he wouldn't have to fill up again before they got up to the mountains. It was hot out here. Mac wiped sweat off his forehead. He hoped maybe it would be cooler in the mountains. He looked at Stella, who was looking out the other way. He hoped he could finally find his way through that barrier he had put up for himself. He thought maybe he could when they were up there alone, where everything was quiet and they weren't worried about a murder.

When Mac had the tank full, he got into the jeep and they headed on up the road. They were both enjoying the scenery as they went. It was so different out here away from the city. "Wow," Stella said. "You hardly know all this is in New York."

Mac nodded. "We're always running a rat race," he said. "No time to look at nature."

"I'm glad we're taking time this weekend."

"Me too."

Stella leaned back in her seat. She sighed. She could just sit here and enjoy herself while Mac drove. She looked at him. "I'll drive a while if you get tired," she said.

"Thanks," Mac said. "I don't think I'll get tired, but if I do, I'll let you know."

Now that they were out in the countryside, Mac turned his music up louder. They were on the "Taconic State Parkway", which was a scenic route up to highway 90. Mac liked taking this way. It was all nature. They would go through Albany and then on up to the Adirondack Park.

When they got to the park entrance, Mac went to the Ranger Station and checked in, while Stella took a bathroom break. They proceeded on after that. Stella was surprised when they got a few miles in, Mac turned off the highway and headed up a dirt trail. She looked at Mac. "You mean we don't have a highway up here?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. "No," he said. "I told you, when we get on up here, we have to hike about two miles up to the cabin."

Stella was starting to think she might lose that bet after all. She thought this road was built in Noah's day. It had plenty of potholes and some of them had water in them, which splattered on her some of the time. Stella looked at Mac. She thought he was just trying to test her. Did he think she would say, 'Get me down from here?' She would show him. He looked like he was having the time of his life, even when a branch knocked his baseball hat off his head. He was lucky it fell in the back.

Mac looked at Stella and smiled. "Nature," he said.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Is there a such thing as too much nature?" she asked.

"Well, I could have taken you out west and we could have taken horses and…"

"Never mind."

Mac laughed. "You're having too much fun out of this," Stella said.

"Now that's not even possible," Mac said. "You can't have too much fun."

"Oh, please."

Soon, Mac came to what looked to Stella like a makeshift parking lot. He parked the jeep. He looked at Stella. "This is where we get out," he said, with a sly grin.

Stella looked around them. There was not even any indication of a cabin anywhere. It was all forest and rocks. She looked at Mac. "Okay, lets go," she said.

Mac smiled. He got out and put his case of water into his backpack with his other stuff and put it onto his back, and then picked up his own duffle bag. They put a tarp over the jeep. "You ready?" Mac asked.

Stella got her backpack on and her duffle bag. "I'm ready," she said. She put her hands on her hips. "You're going to carry that pack of water on your back?"

"I used to carry a hundred fifty pounds or more on my back in the Marines," Mac said. "This is light compared to that."

Stella watched Mac start up the hill. She followed him. They climbed for what seemed like forever. Stella knew why he had made that bet with her now. She was no mountain goat. She looked at Mac's back. She would get him for this. How could he come up here like this and look like he wasn't even breaking a sweat. She thought he must stay on the stair climber an hour a day. She hated the stair climber, but right now, she wished she had been on it too.

Mac looked back at Stella. "You alright?" he asked.

Stella stared at him. "I am fine," she said.

"We can stop a minute if you want."

"You would love that, wouldn't you?"

Mac smiled. "City girl."

"Did you bring me up here to insult me?"

"No. I brought you up here to tease you and…get more acquainted."

Stella looked at him. "You may find that difficult if I'm so sore I can't move."

Mac chuckled. "Hey, I come up here every time I have a chance when the snow isn't three feet deep."

"So, you're a mountain goat."

"Baaaaa," Mac said, in mocking a goat.

Stella thought she would clobber him if he were close enough. He looked back at her and smiled. Stella had never seen Mac like this. Maybe this was the Mac Taylor that was hidden under all that tough exterior. Did he always just let loose when he was away from the office? She wondered. Stella had to admit, even though the climbing was hard, it was a beautiful trail, and she was having fun. "Okay, Mountain Goat," she said. "How much farther?"

"We haven't even gone a half mile yet," Mac said.

"Is it a steady climb the whole way?"

"No. It levels out a little when we get nearly there."

Stella shook her head. 'Nearly there', he said. That meant she would be climbing a lot longer. Well, she supposed she wouldn't have to worry about her exercise while she was up here. They came to a pretty steep place. Mac climbed up and then offered his hand to Stella. "This doesn't count," he said. "I don't want you to fall."

"Thanks," she said, and took his hand.

Mac pulled her up and they stood there a moment and looked down into the valley. "So beautiful," Stella said.

Mac looked at her. "You're the first person I've brought up here with me," he said.

Stella smiled. "Are you being charming now?" she asked.

Mac smiled. "Am I?"

"You could be a little more charming when we're climbing."

Mac pushed her curls back and kissed her. "If I were charming, you might not enjoy it as much," he said.

"Give me another one of those kisses, and I'll beat you to that cabin," she said.

Mac smiled and kissed her again. Mac held her hand as they walked on. It wasn't as steep now, but they were still climbing some. He loved the feeling of her hand in his. It seemed so natural. Stella felt the same way. It didn't seem so far now. They soon arrived at the cabin. Mac opened the door. Stella took her shades off and looked around the cabin. It was definitely built for roughing it. There was a table and two chairs, a fireplace, a kitchenette and a cot over to one side. She could see the entrance to the bedroom Mac had told her about. "Where's the bathroom?" Stella asked.

Mac looked at her with a sly grin. Stella stared at him a moment. "You have got to be kidding," she said. "No bathroom?"

Mac smiled. "Yes, I'm kidding. It's in there."

Stella narrowed her eyes at him. "You just wait," she said.

"Wait for what?"

"You'll see."

Mac put his shades in his shirt pocket and unloaded his backpack. He was glad he would be taking less back than he brought up here. The cabin was a little dusty, but it was clean other than that. It was starting to get dark outside now. Mac got some wood from the pile outside and filled the tinder box and put some in the fireplace. He got a good fire going and squatted in front of it. Stella came back in there. "I love a fireplace," she said.

"Me too," Mac said. He sat down on the wooden settee. "Come here."

Stella sat beside him. They watched the fire. Stella had taken off her long sleeved shirt. Mac rubbed her arm while she leaned on his shoulder. "It's so quiet," Stella said. "No sirens or horns honking."

Mac thought he would drift off. "Yeah," he said, dreamily.

Stella looked at him. "Are you tired?" she asked.

"I guess."

"Why don't we get some rest and get up early in the morning and…go fishing?"

Mac smiled. "I think that would be a good idea."

Stella moved closer to him and kissed him. "Sleep well, my love," she said.

Mac stared at her a moment. "You too."

Mac watched Stella go into the bedroom. He didn't know how well he would sleep knowing she was in the next room. He went to his cot and took off his boots and jacket and pulled the blanket around him. He looked toward the bedroom. He could hear Stella moving around. He wondered what she was sleeping in. He heard the cot squeak when she lay down on it. He heard small squeaks as she tried to get comfortable, and then silence.

Mac turned over on his back and looked out the window he was sleeping under. He could see the moon and a few stars. He drifted off into their beauty and dreams of Stella.

Stella was awakened during the night when Mac said something. She sat up. "Mac?" she said. Then she realized he was dreaming.

"No…we didn't know it," Mac was saying. "They weren't supposed to be in there…"

Stella wondered what he was dreaming about. "You hang in there, Marine!" Mac said.

Stella knew then that he was dreaming about the war. "I'm gonna get you through this!" Mac said.

Stella didn't know if she should wake him up or not. He seemed to be almost whimpering now. Then she heard him gasp. She thought he must have woken up. "Mac?" she said.

Mac was wiping sweat off his forehead and face when he heard Stella call to him. "Yeah?" he said.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry if I disturbed you."

"It's alright."

Mac lay back down. He would stay awake. He didn't want her to hear his nightmares. He didn't know if it was really nightmares. He thought he was reliving memories. That was one of the reasons he didn't sleep much, he supposed. He knew those nightmares were waiting for him in a place that he had no control. Claire had always endured his nightmares. She always loved him back to sleep.

Mac looked toward the bedroom. He wanted to have that kind of love with Stella. He knew it was there. He just had to let it in. He stared out the window. He could only see the stars now. They would have a good day tomorrow.