This has gone totally OOC imo, but, heh, who cares! lol This chapter can only be described as fluff.

Thanks for all the reviews! Means alot x

"Haven't told me what?" Stella asked, joining the conversion. She placed a bowl of Tiramisu in front of her dumbstruck grandfather. "Huh? What don't I know?" a worrying silence enveloped the room.

"This looks great" Mac smiled, digging his spoon into the sponge

"Thanks" Stella smiled, before turning back to Anatoli. "What aren't you telling me"

Mac watched as Anatoli spoke silent words, searching for something to say. "You have to tell her"

Anatoli sighed, his head drooping. Wisps of gray hair fell into his face. "Stella. My beautiful Stella. I was hoping for a little more time with you before I needed to tell you this"

"What is it?" her heart was pounding faster, the hairs on her arms beginning to prick from worry-full anticipation.

"I have cancer" he went into detail with his illness. Although only select words were reaching her ears after the initial confession, she noted the words "lung" and "inoperable", each instilling more fear than the last.

Mac watched Stella. Gauging her reaction. Her eyes had taken on a shine, not unlike that time in the diner when he told her about Claire and that September morning.

"There's new treatments now. I know people at the hospital. They can get you into programmes. Give you drugs. Give-"

"-Stella, its to late. I've tried it all. I didn't want it anymore. I don't want it anymore"

"H-how long?" her eyes shone more with unfallen tears

"…Three months"

"Thr-three months! You come into my life after 38 years, and I get to spend 3 months with you!" Stella was pacing the room

"I know its not fair-"

"Fair! This is no where near fair!" she went on to mumble something in Greek. Although Mac didn't understand it, from Anatoli's pained expression he did. "I-I cant do this" she said, before walking away and closing her bedroom door behind her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for her to hear us. I just wanted you to know I knew" Mac told. Regret and pain for Stella seeped through his veins.

"Its not your fault, Mac. She…She was going to find out sooner or later". He took his napkin from his lap.

"I've never seen her do that before: walk away like that. I've seen her in some…hard times, but I've never seen her run" Mac said, looking at the door, as if to see through it.

"You've never seen her with family though. To lose someone you love with all your being, and have only known for a short while is the hardest thing you can ever experience. I went through it 4-fold: my daughter and son-in-law; my wife; then Stella"

"I know that feeling" Mac practically whispered. Compared to how he was going to know her, he barely knew Claire at all.

"I think I'd better go" Anatoli pushed his chair back. "Can you apologise to her for me? And tell her tonight was wonderful?"

Mac stood next him and laid his hand on the older man's shoulder, "of course. Can I call you a cab?"

"I can find one myself, you just take care of her" he looked to Stella's room. "If she's anything like her mother, and grandmother, you've got your work cut out for you"

Mac chuckled lightly. The thought of going through a 'Stella rampage' with three generations was a daunting thought.

Anatoli put his jacket back on and opened the front door, casting another look to Stella's room. He turned back to Mac, "well, Mac, it's been a pleasure to finally meet you"

"And you, sir"

"Take care of her, son" and with that, he was gone.

XXX

Mac closed the door with a click and turned back to the case in hand. He felt partially responsible. If he'd just left it be, Anatoli would have been able to tell Stella in his own time, not rushed out on a special night. But, it was done. There was no changing it now.

He prepared himself for what he was going to see beyond her bedroom door. Total destruction? A crying mess? An open window with bed sheets linked together dangling outside? Who knew with Stella Bonasera.

Mac opened the door slightly, knocking as it went. He saw her lay out on top of the bed, her hair fanned out behind her, her hands clasped on her belly. She didn't flinch when he lay down next to her. "You okay?"

"Great" she snarked. She sighed deeply and apologised

"You've never needed to apologise to me, Stella"

Stella gave a small smile. "Has he gone?"

"Yeah, just. He wished me luck"

"Luck?"

"He said that if you're anything like your mom and grandma, I'd need it"

She chuckled at that. "What am I doing, Mac?"

"You're lying on your bed" he sassed, trying to alleviate the tension in the room

"I'm acting like a child, running from my problems." She raked a hand over her hair, exasperation in her voice as she said "I didn't even do that when I was a child. I was always getting pulled up by the sisters for acting 'un-God-ly' towards the outside kids who'd shout stuff through the gates"

That image was all too visual for Mac, who smirked secretly.

"Now, look at me. Anatoli tells me something and I go and hide-out in my room. Alls I need now is something very loud and very angry blasting out!" She say up and swung her legs over the side.

"Stella…" he got up and walked around to sit next to her. "This is new territory. For you and Anatoli. You reacted" he shrugged.

"I didn't react well"

"There's no right or wrong way to react to finding out your grandfather has cancer. There's no right or wrong way to react to anyone having cancer. It's just that split second between them saying those words, and them sinking in that determines what you're going to do. In the circumstances, I think you reacted well"

With a deep sigh, Stella leant to the side and rested her head on Mac's shoulder. "What am I going to do, Mac?"

"I don't know," he rubbed his hand up and down her arm, "but I know you'll be fine"