A/N: I've really enjoyed writing this chapter. Hope you like reading it and thanks to everyone that has reviewed this story. Thank so you much for being in this journey with me. More to come.

Chapter 7: Walk away

Oh no … here comes that sun again
that means another day … without you my friend

And it hurts me… to look into the mirror at myself
and it hurts even more … to have to be with somebody else
and it's so hard to do… and so easy to say
but sometimes… sometimes you just have to walk away
walk away

( Walk Away – Ben Harper )

Stella followed Mac quietly through the entire lab to his office. Not a word was exchanged, not even a glance. He was getting angrier with every second it went and she didn't seem to find a good explanation to tell him.

"Close the door." Mac told her.

Stella did as told and waited patiently for Mac to make himself comfortable.

"Please, take a sit"

"I'm fine" she answered.

Mac sighed in despair. Clenching his teeth together, he said:

"Will you please take a sit?"

Stella observed him. He was trying hard to control his emotions but he was like a bomb ready to explode. She knew it was going to be hard for him and finally agreed to his petition.

"Fine."

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked him.

He laughed high and sarcastically.

"You tell me"

"If you aren't more explicit…." She said

He stood up, put his hands on the table and looked at her angrily.

"Come on Stella… Are you mocking me?... I know you're pregnant"

"Then… why bother asking?"

"You know why."

He was giving his back to her. Looking through the window of his office, he tried to calm. She thought for a moment about telling him the truth but soon she rejected the idea realizing it would only make things go worse.

"What do you want to know? If you're the father?"

He turned around to face her. His eyes were filled with angst, fear, sadness and angriness. She was also having mixed emotions.

"You have nothing to worry about it"

"Then if it's not mine… from who?" he asked

"I guess this is none of your business."

"Don't give me that crap. Who is it? Do I know him?

'You know him more than you think' Stella thought. Did he deserve an explanation? An explanation that wasn't true?

"No you don't know him. Just some guy that I met in a bar"

"Are you having a baby from a man you have only seen once?" Mac asked not believing it.

"It doesn't take too much, does it?" Stella said now being the one who was sarcastic.

"You're unbelievable." Mac said to her, putting his hand on his face and sighing deeply.

"Look who's talking"

"I'm not the one who is pregnant from a night-stand"

"No.. you're only the one who runs away after a night-stand"

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"What do you think they're talking about?" Danny asked Hawkes, who was by his side pretending they worked on some fibres.

"What do you think?" Hawkes answered him. "It's obvious. And Mac doesn't seem happy to know Stella is going to be a mom".

"It's not like he cares…. He's with Lindsay now" Danny said sadly.

Hawkes observed his friend. Everything was wrong. That was not how things were supposed to be. The voices from the office were rising up in volume and both of the contenders were more and more infuriated with every second it went.

"20 bucks she says the last word" said Danny to Hawkes putting a 20 on the table.

"Ok… 20 against…. Mac's gonna end the conversation."

The sound of a slapped face made everyone in the lab turned their heads to Mac's office.

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Mac put his hand on his red cheek. She really knew how to hit. Physical pain was beginning to fade but the angriness between them grew a little more. By then, they had moved their argument to the door of his office. Everyone was staring at them.

"I could have you suspended for that."

"Do it." Stella said daringly.

"Stella…" Mac said to her in warning tone of voice.

"I've said: do it! I'm not going to beg you to forgive me for slapping you."

Mac knew she had every reason to hit him but he was far too angry with her to accept her behaviour, so he took the worst decision he could take.

"You're suspended of job and pay for a full month"

"Fuck you!"

And Stella did have the last word.