It is impossible to say how much I love you guys! All doubts about that last chapter not being up to par were seriously squashed and I cant thank y'all enough! I hope this one lives up :)

Also? I dont own Bon Jovi, 'cos if I did, lots of lovely and naughty things would be happening ;) x

When word got out that Mac was back, the phone hadn't stopped ringing. Friends from past and present calling to 'say hello', 'welcome back' and 'Get better, y'hear?'. He'd been very good, giving civilised answers, keeping his annoyance at bay. Why do people always love you when you nearly died?

Mac had been back in New York for just over 24 hours, and he looked near breaking point. He hadn't slept the night before. When the Massimo's pizza arrived, Mac and Stella had settled onto the couch with a couple of beers and a movie. At around 10, she'd announced she would let Mac be alone and see him in the morning. He asked her to stay. She did.

They stayed up, flicking between TV shows and movies, but Stella eventually crashed. Mac carefully laid her down across the cushions and covered her with a blanket. He moved over onto the chair and watched her sleep for a while, before sitting out on the stoop.

Stella woke at what she guessed was close to 2am and Mac was nowhere to be seen. She went up to his bedroom quietly, but it hadn't been slept in, and the bathroom door was open, so he wasn't there. She found him sat on the step, staring at what stars he could see through the City lights.

Her hand was enclosed around the door handle, when she took a step back and decided not to disturb him. She fell back asleep not long after.

Mac had made her breakfast when she woke up. It was only toast and coffee, it was all he could manage one-handed, but she liked being able to eat with him again.

They discussed what the day ahead was to entail. Stella knew he just wanted to go to work and be back to normal, but there was no way that was going to happen until his arm was healed. He promised her he'd take it slow, so decided on just visiting Claire and grabbing Chinese on the way home.

Xx

Stella drove Mac to the florist, then to the Grave yard in late afternoon.

Walking down the flagstone path, they passed the varying tombstones symbolising infants to elderly.

They took a left at the bottom, underfoot changing to grass as they walked the short distance to Claire.

When they came to a stop, Stella drooped her head, feeling as if she was imposing on a private meeting between a man and his wife. She was, in essence. In her peripheral vision, she saw Mac smile his 'Hello' and sit down in front of the stone, flowers resting on his lap.

As she took a step back, giving them some space, Mac unwrapped the bouquet. The red roses and pink lilies fanned out in the paper. He took them one-by-one and slotted them into the vase, his eyes reading the stone for the umpteenth time.

Claire Susannah Taylor
1965 – 2001
Beloved Wife and Daughter
"'Til The Heavens Burst"

The last line always got to him. Underneath the pretty and innocent, blonde exterior of Claire Taylor, stood leathers, biker boots and chains. She would have Bon Jovi and Heart blaring in the kitchen while she made dinner or washed up. Although it was a lyric from her favourite song, it also symbolised Mac's love. Another reminder that whatever Stella was feeling should be kept to herself.

"I'll get some water," She whispered, turning in the direction of the outdoor tap.

She barely got a step away when she heard Mac's voice. "I saw him go down, you know."

Stella slowly spun on her heel, unsure if it was actually meant for her. His gaze bore unwavering at Claire, but when he said "I couldn't just leave him there," and turned to look her, she knew. She moved back and sat on the grassy verge next to him, while he stared back into the distance again. He took a deep breath and slowly relayed the memory.

"We'd just driven into this little town. Kids were playing soccer in the street and came running to us asking for candy and sweets. We gave them what we could. We always did. The civilians were mostly hospitable to us. Of course, not everyone was, but you dealt with it as you could. Until gun shots rang out.

"All the civilians scattered, we took cover and tried to isolate the directions. Then, an explosion. When the dust cleared, some men were calling out that a man was down. That's pretty much to be expected, but to see him not 5 foot away and not being able to get to him without endangering your own life? That's a whole new experience and one I couldn't handle.

"I called for backup over the shots and shouting, asking the men to cover me. I ran to Stankevich and just dove on him as another bomb exploded. When the dust cleared again, I scooped him up and ran back to the truck and threw us both in the back.

"I looked him over. He was bleeding pretty badly. He had a through-and-through to the arm and a deep laceration across his left temple where a bullet just skimmed him, that I could see. I put pressure on his arm as he came in and out of consciousness.

"Suddenly, everything went quiet. They'd gotten the bomber and shooter on one of the rooftops: shot him down. Then they started shouting orders and the truck was moving back to base.

"Stankevich regained consciousness on the ride and told me I was bleeding. I just thought it was his at first, before I saw the steady trickle from my shoulder. It must have been the adrenaline that helped me to carry him to the truck, because as soon as I saw it, it hurt like hell. My wrist was broken too, from shrapnel from the bomb, and I hurt my ankle.

"When we got to the mobile infirmary, they took him off to surgery and I got sewn up. I was barely hurt compared to him. As soon as they patched me up, I was certain I was going back out. The nurses wouldn't let me. I know why…but it was so frustrating not being able to do anything. It still is."

Stella watched in awe as he told her more in one sitting than he ever had about his past travels and traumas. She thought it better that she didn't over-emphasise that fact, in fear Mac closed off again. "What…what happened to Stankevich?"

"I don't know, I never found out. I was shipped home before I was told." He fixed the sling around his wrist, giving a humourless chuckle as he said, "You know, I actual feel guilty for being here? I'm there Major, I'm there to protect them, and here I am…broken."

"You're not broken, Mac."

He had just told her that she was right. He was feeling guilt rather than anger. And the look in his eyes told her that there was no way he'd be convinced otherwise, not for a while at least.