My lovely beautious readers, this is will be the last update for a while. I fly outfor a much needed vacation on Saturday, but fear not, the fanfic book is already packed along with an empty book in case ;) I have plans in place for the next couple of chapters, so I'll have two weeks to explore them :) Thank you to everyone for sticking with me this far, and hopefully I might see you back here in a fortnight? Lovelovelove xxx

Thanks to Eri for the beta again :)

Stella sauntered through the halls, files in hand, destination in sight. She took a casual look around before slipping into Mac's empty office. If the walls hadn't have been glass she would have snuck in on her tip-toes just to give effect. But she had a reason: she had files that Mac needed to see immediately…or, well, the day after would have done really.

She just wanted to see the new pictures. If she had a look while Mac was there, he would have been uncomfortable and trying to explain each photograph and memory; if she'd have taken Nat with her, she'd have been grinning to herself and giving 'knowing' looks. It was just easier to look by herself.

The first thing that struck her was the distinct lack of Claire. Her breath stuck a little when she saw just how many pictures of herself was there. He really was moving on; and he was moving on with her. It felt like it was just sinking in as she looked over the photographs, remembering the New Years party and recognising her birthday party, although that one was a bit of a surprise to see before her.

Did Mac remember what they had been talking about? Did he remember Stella talking him into giving his marriage one more try?

1997 had been a tough year for the Myerson-Taylor's. Every marriage goes through a rough patch, even the most loving. Careers had gotten in the way: longer hours, shorter quality time. Nobody else knew, only Stella, being the go-to-girl for both parties whenever they needed to vent. It hadn't been the easiest of times for Stella either, stuck in the middle of her bosses and her best friends' marriage woes, but she knew that Mac and Claire didn't want to break up. They just needed reassuring of that fact.

He must remember that, right?

She began to over-analyse the situation when Connor brought her crashing back to reality. "Stel? You busy?"

"Erm, no. What's up?"

"Well, Nat's supposed to be helping me out with this interview, but said she needed to go to the restrooms before we head over. She's been an age though, and we're running out of time with this suspect…"

Stella tried to hide her smile. Connor was completely oblivious to the fact that Natalie was pregnant, and more than likely in there experiencing an ever-delightful bout of morning sickness. He may be a top-rate scientist, but he was still a man after all. "I'll find her."

"Thanks. It's just, y'know, ladies room an' all…" Connor said, looking uncomfortable.

She chuckled as she followed him through the halls. "So, the case going well?"

"Everything's pointing to the guy we have in custody, so after today it should be going even better."

"Don't go jumping the gun," she warned, seeing Mac coming at them from the opposite direction. Was that aimed at Connor or at herself?

"I thought you had a guy on ice," Mac said Connor, not expecting to still see him at the labs.

"Yeah, just waiting for Natalie," he said, gesturing to the ladies room ahead.

"That's where I come in," Stella called, disappearing behind the door. She was perfectly fine with the gruesome sights of crime scenes, but hearing the sound of someone vomiting always turned her own stomach, so she braced herself as she opened the second door. What she saw was something entirely different.

Natalie was sat on the cold tiled floor; her skin tainted blue from the overhead lights, her eyes glistening but barely focussed. Stella stood still for a beat, taking in the rest of the young woman, right down to the darkened patch in her grey slacks: Blood.

She ran back out the doors, shouting "Call EMT now!" to a startled Mac and Connor. She hardly heard Mac's phone flip open immediately as she disappeared back into the restrooms as fast as she came out.

Stella threw herself on the floor behind Natalie, bracing her in her arms. "It's okay. Everything's going to be okay."

"This wasn't supposed to happen…" Nat barely whispered, her head slowly twisting to face Stella.

"Shh, you're going to be fine."

Mac slowly opened the door, peeking his head around the corner. His face fell when he saw Stella staring back at him, tears in her eyes. He could just about hear Natalie say "Things were supposed to fall into place…"

Xx

"How's she doing?" Stella asked Steven as he closed Natalie's door behind him. The paramedics had gotten to them in record time, but there was no hope. The baby was declared dead when they got to the hospital, a scan identifying the fact. Although they'd called Steven straight away, ordering him to the hospital, mid-town traffic had hindered his arrival. Stella was the one to hold Natalie's hand as the nurse searched desperately for a heartbeat, the search proving fruitless.

"…Not good. She won't talk to me. Says it's all her fault and I should just go." He wasn't doing so well himself. His shoulders were slumped and his hair was sticking out in all directions from raking his hands through it. He was trying to fight them, but tears were brimming in his dejected brown eyes.

"Want me to talk to her?"

"Would you?"

"Of course. Mac's gone getting a soda, he'll be back soon." She squeezed his shoulder before knocking on Nat's door and slipping inside.

If nothing was more insulting than being told you're unborn child was dead, it was the fact that you was still made to stay in the maternity ward. The walls of the private room were decorated in baby friendly designs, various infant-related machines against the walls. Just what she needed.

Natalie was lay under crisp white sheets, her head turned away to the far wall. Stella closed the door behind her and pulled a chair up to the bed on the side she was facing. "Hey, honey."

"Hey," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. She wiped away a wandering tear.

"How you holding up?"

Natalie shrugged, another tear running down her cheek when she blinked.

"Steven's about the same."

"He should just go."

"He won't do that, and you don't want him too really."

"He doesn't deserve this. He was so happy, so excited about the baby."

"He wasn't alone there, and he doesn't want to be alone now. He's out there with Mac when all he wants to do is be in here with you. He doesn't blame you for what happened. No one does."

"They should…" she muttered under her breathe.

"Natalie," Stella snapped, "You did not bring this on yourself. Nobody thinks that and neither should you. We know more than anyone that evil things happen in this world, sometimes without reason. This was one of those times. There was no reason, there was no excuse."

Natalie watched her silently. "I don't know what to say to him…"

"You tell him you love him, that's all he wants to hear."

She wiped away another escaping tear and nodded.

"Okay," Stella smiled, squeezing her chilled hand. She raked a hand through her curls and walked away. Steven spun to her when the door opened, a hopeful look on his face. Stella nodded to him and kept the door open. He mouthed a 'thank you' as he slipped past her.

Mac smiled sadly at her, holding out a steaming cup of hospital coffee. "Natalie okay?"

"She'll be fine," she nodded as he led her to the plastic bucket seats against the wall.

"And you?"

"Getting there…" she sipped the coffee, grimacing at the bitter taste. "God, this is worse than Danny's," she slid down in the chair, "Ugh, what a day."

"What a day indeed." He entwined his fingers through Stella's as she rested her weary head against his shoulders.

"We're going have to get going. Danny and Connor can't handle it all by themselves…"

"I'll go back. You stay here, or go home; I don't want to see you at the labs."

"No, Mac-"

"You went through this too, Stella."

She sighed, emotionally drained and exhausted. She didn't fight him on his order, silently thankful. "Did you ever think of children? With Claire, I mean."

Mac took a breath. "Yeah, it came up. That was one of the main reasons we hit that rough patch," Stella's ears pricked. How did they not tell her it was about children? They'd never mentioned children in their vents to her… "I wanted children, she wanted a promotion. We eventually said we'd give ourselves five more years of our careers, then devote everything to starting a family."

"That would have been…2002?"

Mac nodded wistfully. "We never had a chance."

Stella sat upright and kissed him. She hadn't heard that extent of sadness in his voice since Claire had died. "There's still time. Plenty of time."

"Heh, we'll see."