This chapter is pretty much just an A-to-B one, getting them from Chicago and to Portugal.

The fun begins next week ;)

Though, gotta say, pretty proud you all liked Lillian heehee I was thinking of my Nan while I wrote her lol

It was such a weird transition. If Lillian Taylor and Stella Bonasera had been left in a room together just one day ago, fireworks would have gone off. But now? Not only were they alone in a room, but in a whole house while Mac collected some groceries for his mom.

Stella and Mac had been invited for breakfast, before there afternoon flight to Europe. It was going amazingly well, a completely different reception from the matriarch of the family.

"So where is my boy taking you?"

"Portugal," Stella smiled, bringing her coffee to her mouth. "It's my first time to Europe."

"It's beautiful this time of year," Lilly nodded, "Michael on The Weather Channel said so yesterday." She moved her remote control onto the other arm of her chair, as if solidifying this Michael's knowledge.

Stella smiled, "Well, it's my first time out of the country, so it'd be beautiful even if it was pouring with rain." She received a look of mild shock. "I grew up in an orphanage," she explained, "so we couldn't exactly afford it then. I worked two jobs to get me through college so not only couldn't I afford a vacation, I didn't have time. Then I've worked with Narcotics and CSI for the past 18 years and just never really got around to one. I don't like taking the time off, and didn't really have someone to go with until now."

"You've had quite a life, haven't you?"

"Not quite enough for my own True Hollywood Story, but getting there." The reference left Lilly cold, but she smiled non-the-less. "Is that Mac?" Stella asked, spying a picture on the mantle-piece and getting up to take a closer look.

A young boy, of no more than 12, stood by a lake his back to the chest of presumably his father. The shining green eyes unmistakably Mac's. The older man held out a reel of fish, obviously caught in a father-son team, his demeanour so proud. "That's my boy with his father, Julian."

"Where they close?"

"When Juli was home, yes. You couldn't not be close to Juli, he just had that aura about him. I think Mac got it from him. Mac idolised him, even went so far as to follow him to the Marines. Broke my heart that day. My baby signing his death warrant."

It hadn't gone unnoticed that she used the exact words Mac had. "I've only known 'ex-Marine' Mac. Didn't quite know what to make of him being reinstated."

"It was a shock for me too. I know you stood by him though. He would tell me of your emails in the calls home he made." She looked at her pointedly, "He often talked of you, you know. After Claire's death, he would say how it was you who was holding him together. It killed me that I couldn't be there for him, but my sister just kept on hanging on," Lilly said, as if it was typical for her sister to inconvenience her. "And what you said yesterday about Mac not loving you as much as Claire? Ah, baloney! A mother knows."

"I'm back!" Mac called, closing the door behind him. "I'd have been back sooner but Mrs. Finchburgen caught me in the hallway."

Lillian got up and followed her son into the kitchen, leaving a dumbstruck Stella still clutching the photograph.

Xx

The Captain informed the passengers that the rest of the flight looked like it should run smoothly, with 'Flubber' being the in-flight movie and approximately five more hours left in the air.

Stella had taken the window seat, Mac the middle, an unknown sleeping gentleman the aisle. They'd put the seat-divider up between them, partly due to the sleeping man's rolling head, partly so Mac could see out the window (and partly so Mac was up close to Stella).

The seemingly bottomless ocean shimmered below the plane, the late-afternoon sun dazzling off the waves. Serenity at it's best.

Xx

Stella dropped her suitcase near the chest of drawers, Mac closing the door behind him. He watched as she took a furtive glance around their new home-away-from-home, before heading straight to the balcony and throwing open the curtains. "Look at that view…"

"Beautiful."

"I meant the sea," she smirked, unable to rip her eyes from the cliff-tops and ocean in the not-so-distance. The setting sun shimmered on the waves.

He didn't reply.

Stella spun back around, assessing the room like it was a scene, although dreading what she might find if actually processing it as it was. Bathroom to the right of the front door; double closet on the wall; double bed. Amazing view. This actually was heaven, she was there.

She sat down on the bed, rolling shoulders before leaning all the way back.

"What do you want to do? We could go out and get a meal…"

"Sleep…" she murmured, her eyes already closed.

"Or we could sleep," he chuckled. He set his suitcase on the floor and clicked the clasps, bringing out a tee-shirt to wear. Stella managed to tear herself away from the comfort of the bed for long enough to grab her sleep-shorts and vest top. As she rifled through the case, her fingers hit the box of her Victoria's Secret surprise. Maybe tomorrow.

They both changed and climbed under the sheets, Stella resting her head on Mac's shoulders. With a kiss to her curls, they both promptly fell asleep.