Mac was awakened by his phone. He took it off the coffee table and looked at it. He couldn't even read the number. He was lying on his stomach on the couch. He dropped the phone in the floor and just went back to sleep. He felt exhausted.

The next time he woke up, he realized it was dark in the apartment. Mac looked out the window. It was dark! He looked at his watch. It was 10 pm. He was shocked. He had slept all afternoon. He sat up. He was supposed to take Stella to lunch and go to Aubrey's funeral. He had missed everything. He remembered his phone waking him up. He picked it up off the floor where he had dropped it. It had ten missed calls on it. Mac rubbed his eyes. He looked at the missed calls. Five were from Stella, two were from Sheldon and the other three were from Don Flack.

Mac called Stella. She answered promptly. "Mac!" she said. "Where have you been?"

"Asleep," Mac said. "I just woke up. I slept all afternoon."

"I tried and tried to call you."

"I'm sorry. I don't know. I must have been exhausted from that session with the doctor this morning."

"What happened?"

"I think I jumped in the pool." Mac leaned his head on his hand. "I'm not sure of anything anymore. I think I'm going crazy."

"Mac, you really do need a vacation. You need to get away from here and relax."

"I think you're right."

"I don't think I can go with you. I'm still too sore."

"I could wait until you get better."

"No, you need to go now, Darling."

Mac smiled a little. "You're quiet," Stella said. "I've always wanted to call you that."

"I like it," Mac said.

Stella smiled. "I'm sorry we missed lunch, but I'm glad you got some rest."

"I guess I needed it."

"I had everybody calling you."

"Yeah, I had ten missed calls."

"I'm sorry. I was worried about you."

"That's alright. I must have been exhausted."

"I'll see you tomorrow. Lets have breakfast."

"I'll be there. I told you I would get you out of that apartment."

"I'll be ready. Seven?"

"I'll be early."

"Okay."

Mac put his phone away. He rubbed his face. He was starting to worry about himself for real. Was he coming unglued? All this was eating at him. Stella and Dr. Johnson were right. He needed to get away by himself. He had to get somewhere that he could think without seeing anything familiar. Mac was afraid he would get off somewhere and not want to come back. He was so stressed out that if he found relaxation, he might want to stay. He set his alarm clock for the next morning so he would be sure not to oversleep.

When the clock alarmed the next morning, Mac thought he couldn't wake up, but he had to. He sat up on the side of the bed. He was taking Stella to breakfast, but he was supposed to go to therapy this morning. He couldn't do everything. Why did he have to be pulled in so many directions? Mac didn't know how he could sleep all night and be this stressed out first thing in the morning. He didn't think he was resting while he was asleep. He didn't remember dreaming last night. He was glad he didn't dream.

Mac got a shower and went to Stella's apartment. He started to knock, but she opened the door, which startled him just a little. "Good morning," Stella said. "Are you jumpy?"

Mac nodded. "I am all the time," he said.

Stella kissed him. "How's that?"

Mac smiled. "Very good."

"So, where are we going?"

"A new place I found. They have an 'all you can eat' buffet."

"Mmmm, are we going to pig out?"

"I hope so. Maybe if my stomach is full I won't feel so nervous."

Stella put her arm around him as they walked. "Are you considering that vacation?"

"Yes."

"I'll miss you, but I really think you should go."

Mac looked at her. Stella could see the dark circles under his eyes, and that worry line in the center of his forehead. She touched it. "Relax," she said.

"I'm trying," Mac said.

They went out to Mac's car and he drove over to the restaurant. It was crowded when they got inside. "I guess everyone else likes this place too," Stella commented.

"I guess," Mac agreed. He took a deep breath. "Smells wonderful though."

"Sure does. I think I'm going to eat too much."

Mac smiled. "I think I will too."

When they finally got up to the buffet, it had everything that anyone could want for breakfast. They fixed their plates and found a table. Mac looked out the window as he took a bite. He could hear all the noise out there: horns honking, people yelling, even sirens blasting. Why did it bother him so bad now? He did not think anything about it before.

"Mac!" Stella said.

Mac looked at her. He had been zoning out again. "I'm sorry," he said.

Stella looked at him a moment. "Are you okay?"

Mac shook his head. "No."

Stella was worried. She had never seen Mac like this. All this was really taking its toll on him. "Eat. This food is delicious."

Mac looked at his plate. Yes, he needed to eat. He didn't eat very much yesterday. As he ate, he thought about that dream he had. It had been crazy. He was glad that relationship with Anita was over. Why did he feel so bad? He had broken a date with her, but she didn't seem to be upset about it.

Stella watched Mac. She could see he was deep in thought again. She wished he didn't think he had to keep everything bottled up inside. She wondered what that psychiatrist was telling him. "When do you see Doctor Johnson again?" she asked.

Mac looked at his watch. "I'm supposed to see her at eight."

"Are you going?"

Mac frowned. "I thought I would rather spend more time with you."

"Are you sure you want to miss a session? I can sit in the waiting room."

Mac looked at her. "You sure?"

"Of course. Cheer up, Mac."

"About what?"

Stella stared at him a moment. "Well, there's always me."

Mac realized what he just said. "I didn't mean…"

Stella put her finger on his lips. "I know. I want you to smile."

Mac rubbed his eyes and looked out the window. "Stella, what's happening to me?" he asked.

"You're stressed out," Stella said.

"I don't know how to get out of this. Maybe I should take the medication Doctor Johnson offered me."

"It might help."

Mac held out his hand. "See?"

Stella looked at his hand as it trembled. She grabbed his hand and kissed it. "Why don't we go somewhere today and have some fun?" she asked.

"Where?"

"The carnival over on Staten Island. We can go over there and play today and eat cotton candy."

Mac smiled a little. "I haven't eaten cotton candy in years."

"Everybody needs to eat cotton candy once in a while."

Mac nodded. "That's very important."

Mac coughed. "I haven't done that in a few days," he said.

"Must be something in the air."

"I guess."

When they were done eating, they went to Dr. Johnson's office. They sat in the waiting room. "Do you think coming here is helping you?" Stella asked.

"I don't know," Mac said. "I unload a lot of stuff. I guess it makes me feel better to talk to somebody."

"You could talk to me, you know."

Mac looked at her. "Yes, I know. I felt better after I came and told you how I felt."

"I'm glad you did." Stella hugged his arm. She looked at her cast on her left arm. "I'll be glad when this thing comes off."

"They are itchy. At least it's not your…" Mac felt that déjà vu again.

"My what?"

"Your right arm. It wasn't easy signing all those reports with my arm in a cast. There's no way I can use my left hand to do that. I am totally right handed."

"So am I. I've seen people who wrote with their left hand, and they turn the paper almost upside down."

"Me too. That's amazing. I'll bet they're good artists. You have to use the right side of your brain to be an artist. If you are left handed and used to that, I guess it would be easier to learn to draw."

"Did you ever take drawing classes?"

"Yes, but I was never any good at it. The right side of the brain is the creative side. You have to learn to use it. I remember that teacher telling us that. I was just a kid, but I thought that was weird anyway."

"So, the left side of the brain is the intelligent side and the right side is the thinker."

Mac chuckled. "I don't know, but I know creativity comes from the right side."

"This is the strangest conversation we've ever had. We're discussing the brain."

"Well, I'm sitting in a psychiatrist's office. I guess it's natural to talk about the brain."

"I always liked psychology. It was very interesting."

"One of the most interesting classes I ever took. I loved reading though. I think I've learned more over the years from reading than I did anywhere else."

"Reading is good, especially if you absorb what you read."

"I think I'm a sponge."

Stella laughed. "I'm more of a sea urchin, I think. I block out anything that I don't want in there."

Mac chuckled. Stella was glad to see him smiling. He had looked so sad earlier. Soon, the doctor called Mac. He went into her office and sat down on the couch. "So, how are you feeling this morning, Mac?" she asked.

"Actually, right now, I feel pretty good," Mac said. "I didn't this morning."

"What's different?"

"I've been talking to Stella."

"Oh. She makes you feel happy."

"Yes. I feel like I can talk to her about anything."

"That's good."

"She doesn't judge me about anything."

"You think you'll have a long relationship?"

Mac nodded. "I think it will last forever."

Dr. Johnson smiled. "Does that make you feel good? Nervous?"

"Not nervous. I feel good about it. I want something that will last forever. I want what I had with Claire. I think I can have that with Stella."

"You think she will help you overcome your fear of water?"

Mac frowned. "I don't know."

"Mac, you can't overcome that over night. It's going to take time. It was brought on by trauma."

"I went through Marine training, I fought in wars, I've put probably thousands of people in prison. How can I be afraid of water? Why me?"

"I don't know the answer to that. I know that you can overcome it if you give yourself time and don't be jumping into the pool and terrorizing yourself all over again."

Mac nodded. "I'm sorry. I had that stupid dream and that's what I did in it, and I swam. I just wanted that to come true."

"I wish it was that easy."

"Nothing is easy."

After Mac's session, he and Stella went to Staten Island where there was a big carnival going on. They ate cotton candy, rode some of the rides and played games most of the rest of the day. When they got to Stella's apartment, they were both still laughing. "I can't believe you won that thing!" Stella said, referring to the giant pink teddy bear Mac was carrying.

"Hey, anything for you, my love," Mac said. He flexed his muscles. "I'm the strong man."

Stella laughed, as she unlocked the door. Mac had won that bear by ringing the bell on the strong man challenge. He dragged the teddy bear into her apartment. "Where do you want it?" he asked, with a mischievous grin.

Stella put her hands on her hips. "How can I resist such a gift?" she asked.

"You can't. You love me too much."

"You can put it in my room. I'll decide where to plant it later."

Mac took the bear into Stella's room and set it up in the middle of the bed. Stella came in. "Mac!"

Mac smiled. "Hey, he'll remind you of me when you go to bed," he said. "You'll have to shove him out of the way."

Stella walked over to Mac and put her arms around his neck. "I would never shove you out of the way," she said.

Mac swallowed. He put his arms around her waist. "You wouldn't?"

"Never."

"Your cast is poking me."

Stella smiled. "You joker."

Mac became serious and pushed her hair behind her ear. "You make me happy, Stella."

"I've never been so happy."

Mac kissed her lightly. "I'm not too sore to kiss you, Mac," Stella whispered.

Mac pulled her closer to him and they shared a passionate kiss that left them both breathless. "I told Doctor Johnson that nothing is easy," Mac said. "I was wrong. Falling in love with you is easy."

Stella ran her fingers through his hair. "I've been in love with you a long time," she said.

They kissed again. Mac thought he could stay here forever. Stella was kissing his neck. Mac felt like he would explode with desire. He backed away. "I think I should go," he said. He couldn't help but remember that dream he had.

"Mac, why?" Stella asked. She smiled slightly. "We can shove pinkie off the bed."

"You think we should go that far already?"

"We could take a nap together; lie here and talk. What do you think we're going to do?"

Mac stared at her. He couldn't see himself and Stella lying on a bed together only talking. They had a heated passion that burned him up. "We could always sit on the sofa," he said.

"Whatever," Stella said.

They went into the living room and sat down. "You want something to drink?" Stella asked.

"Sure," Mac replied. He turned the TV on while she went into the kitchen.

"How about lemonade?" she asked.

"Sounds good."

Mac turned to the news channel. He felt like he was neglecting his job. He thought he should be at the office. He wasn't injured bad enough to be lying out like this, and he was even planning to go off on a vacation. Or would he? When he was with Stella, he didn't feel like he needed to go away. She made him feel relaxed, although tense in another way. He definitely didn't think of his problems when he was with Stella. His mind was totally on something else.

Stella came back with two long-stem glasses with lemonade in them. She smiled at Mac's expression. "I thought we could drink it in style," she said.

Mac smiled. "Are we making a toast?" he asked.

Stella looked into his eyes. "To us?"

Mac nodded. "To us."

They touched their glasses together and drank. "Mmmm, that is good," Mac said. "Lemonade in a wine glass."

"I don't care. I'll drink what I want."

Mac smiled. "Adventure."

"It's only crystal."

Mac sipped his lemonade again. "I still think I need that vacation," he said. "I don't want to leave you though."

"Mac…"

"No, I don't want you to try and convince me. You give me rest, Stella. When I'm with you, I don't feel stressed out." Mac looked at her. "I want you to go with me."

"Can you wait until my arm is out of a cast and I don't feel like my body is one big sore?"

Mac gave her that tender look that made her want to melt. "Of course," he said. "Is the pain less now?"

Stella could see concern in his eyes now. "Yes. It's not near as bad as it was at first." She leaned back on the couch. "You never did tell me what all happened when you were kidnapped. I've gotten bits and pieces, but I want to hear the whole story from you."

Mac leaned back next to her. He told her what all happened while he was in the woods and trying to escape. "Wow," Stella said. "She actually took the bullet out?"

"She had to," Mac said. "We couldn't get out of there and I would have died." Mac sighed. "I have never had pain like that before."

Stella looked at Mac. "I'm glad you could handle it," she said.

Mac shook his head. "I don't know how well I handled it," he said. "I passed out."

Stella leaned on his shoulder. "I love you, Mac. I feel so safe with you."

Mac put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "You always will be."

Stella put her arms around him. Mac put his glass on the table and lay on down on the couch, and they went to sleep. Mac did not dream this time. His dream was in his arms.