Chapter 5 - Shake, Shake, Shake

Two weeks after I had woken up, I was released from the hospital. Instead of returning to my own apartment, Mac has made me stay at his place, because Wayne was still on the loose and he didn't want to put me in any more danger.

Now, I'm not sure if me going back to my own home could be seen as putting myself in danger, but I let it slide. I mean, Mac has a big apartment, big enough for the whole team, and to tell you the truth, I'm pretty scared still. Almost every night I wake up from a nightmare, and the only thing that can calm me down again is the sound of Mac's voice and his arms around me holding me close to him.

So after I spent the first three nights in his spare room with nightmares and unable to calm myself, Mac decides that it would probably be better for the both of us if we shared a bed. I was trying not to bother Mac with my nightmares, he had enough to deal with already, but every time I woke up, Mac would rush into my room, to tell me that everything was alright, that I was save and that he would do everything in his power to keep me save. So naturally, when morning came around, we would both wake up, a bit disorientated, in one bed in his spare room, both extremely tired and sore, for the bed was quite small. So when it was time for bed on the forth night that I was staying at Mac's, he grabbed my hand and led me towards his bedroom.

I must say, it wasn't anything like I had expected. Not that I had given it much thought, but when I entered his room and noticed the warm interior I was surprised. There were pictures all over the room and even some of Reed's toys had found their way inside.

Mac led me to left side of the bed and after he made sure I was tucked in nicely, he walked around and slipped in behind me. I rolled onto my left side, facing Mac and snuggled closer to his chest. In return he wrapped his arms tightly around me. Soon, we both fell asleep, and I must say it was the best sleep I'd ever had. I didn't wake up with a nightmare for the first time in weeks.

X

I wasn't really sure what Stella would say, after I suggested sleeping in one bed. For the last couple of nights we both had had very little sleep. I didn't really care if I had a little sleep, I've always had trouble with it, but Stella really needed her rest if she wanted to get better. And it seemed that the only way for her to get that rest, was to sleep together. And not in that way…

But apparently Stella was thinking along the same lines, 'cause she immediately agreed. So, now we're in bed together. Supposedly sleeping, but right now I'm having a very hard time falling asleep. Stella is laying across my chest, but she seems to be comfortable, so I guess it doesn't really matter that I don't sleep. I settle for watching her sleep instead. Snoring softly.

The next time I look at the time, I notice it's already 5 in the morning. I must have fallen asleep at some point. However, Stella is still sleeping, so I don't dare moving around.

An hour and a half later I hear small footsteps in the hallway and only a second later the door opens. Reed sticks his head around the corner.

'Daddy? Can I come in?'

I see the pleading look in his eyes and I can resist the small boy. I nod my head, but also put a finger to my lips, telling him to be quiet.

He tiptoes further into the room and I carefully scoot over so he can get in the bed as well. As soon as we're all settled again, I feel Stella stirring.

X

Slowly I open my eyes and look straight into a pair of brown ones. Mac doesn't have brown eyes…

'Good morning Stella,' Reed whispers.

'Morning,' I reply, 'and to you too,' I turn my head towards Mac's face as he smiles at me.

We stay in bed like that for half an hour longer, but then we're all wide awake and in need of breakfast. Reed hurries out of the room to watch some cartoons in the living room and Mac and I walk into the kitchen, only to find Millie already preparing a wonderful breakfast.

We all bid each other a good morning and sit down at the table. Reed has abandoned his cartoons for the time being.

After breakfast Mac demands that I rest for awhile on the couch while he cleans up, Millie has taken Reed into his room to get ready for school. He treats me like I'm an invalid. I mean, I can still do things myself, I don't need to rest all the time. But then again, Mac wouldn't be Mac, if he would allow me to do something strenuous. So I just listen to him for once, and sit down on the couch. After a couple of minutes I can hear Reed bouncing out of his room again, now properly dressed for school. He eyes me sitting on the couch and carefully inches closer. To let him know that it won't hurt me when he is his usual, happy self, I open my arms and invite him to snuggle up to me. He must have realized what I meant, as he comes running up to me to give me a big, but still careful, hug. We settle for watching Tom and Jerry for a few more minutes, but then Millie tells Reed it's time to go to school.

Reed slowly and reluctantly gets up from the couch and turns around to give me a quick kiss on my cheek, before running out the door with his grandma.

X

'Grandma?' Reed asks from the backseat of the car.

'Yes, honey'

'Is Stella gonna be living with us from now on?'

'Well, she is going to stay for a while, but eventually she has to get back to her own apartment,' I try to explain.

'Oh,' Reed sounds disappointed, 'why can't she stay?'

'I'm not sure if Stella would want that, sweet boy. But why don't you ask your daddy?'

I know it's not nice of me, but I'm hoping that Mac will come to his senses when Reed will ask him this sort of questions. I know my son is in love with Stella, and I was hoping he would see reason when she woke up that fateful day in the hospital, but it has been two weeks since then and he still hasn't said anything. Maybe he just needs this little push from Reed. It would be so great if the three of them could be a real family.

X

When Millie is gone to take Reed to school, Mac joins me on the couch. He has barely sat down, when the phone starts to ring and he picks it up. After a few nods of his head, which the person he's talking to can't see of course, he agrees to something and hangs up again. Not sure if it's my business, but I ask anyway.

'Who was that?'

'Oh, that was Lindsay. She has to go to court this morning, but their sitter just called in sick, so she was wondering if we would watch Lucy this morning,' Mac answers, 'Will you be okay with that, because I kinda agreed already?'

'Yes sure. You know I love Lucy, Mac. Besides, I need to do something useful, I'm starting to feel … I don't know … bored' I look at him with puppy dog eyes, hoping that he soon realizes that I want to go back to work.

'I know you want to go back to work, but I still think it's too soon. How about, you slowly start again next week?'

'Really? Yes, yes, yes!' I almost yell.

Happily I swing my arms around his neck and plant a kiss on his cheek. Accidently it ends up a bit closer to his mouth than I was meaning to do, but I don't really care.

Then we hear the doorbell ring, and Mac goes to open the door. Even from my position on the couch I can hear Lucy's exited squeal when she sees Mac. Then I hear Lindsay saying goodbye to her daughter and the door closes again.

Now, a soft pitter-patter of small feet can be heard in the apartment, and soon Lucy bounces around the corner and into the living room.

'Auntie Stella!' apparently she's really excited that I'm here as well.

'Hey Lucy. Are you spending the day with me and uncle Mac?' I ask.

'Uhm,' Lucy nods her head. Her blond pigtails bouncing up and down. 'I likes it with you and uncle Mac. Reed too?'

'No sweety, not yet. Reed has to go to school first. He'll be home in a couple of hours,' Mac tells her. 'What do you want to do today?'

'I wanna play dwess up with you and auntie Stella'

And that is exactly what we do for the next two hours. Lucy has talked Mac, with my help, into wearing some colorful garments, but then it was my turn, and I had to parade in impromptu princess gown. Lucy was dressed up as a queen with a very big crown.

'Auntie Stella? Don't you knows how this faiwytale goes? You have to fall asleeps now fow hundwed yeaws, and then the pwince has to kiss you awakes,' Lucy explains to me.

I share a look with Mac, but then I quickly lay down on the couch and pretend to be fast asleep. I close my eyes, but every few seconds I sneak a peek. I can see Mac pretending to ride a horse and he's slowly 'galloping' towards the couch. Then he bends over and quickly pecks my lips.

'Yeah! You saved the pwincess uncle Mac,' Lucy squeals and I snap my eyes open. 'Now we lives happily evew aftew'

'Yes we do,' I reply with a smile on my face. Mostly because Mac just kissed me. 'But now it is time for our queen to take a nap'

Instantly Lucy groans, but we have no mercy and Mac scoops her up in his big, strong arms to carry her upstairs to the guestroom. He still has some stuff left from when Reed was smaller and it comes in very handy at times when Lucy stays over.

While Mac is upstairs getting Lucy to sleep, I clean up the living room. A couple of second later I hear the door open and Millie saying that she is back. After she dropped Reed of at school she got a call from a friend, so she is a little bit later than normal, because they had a cup of coffee somewhere. After that she also went to pick up some groceries, and now we're putting everything away together.

I'm about to call upstairs, because Mac is taking an awful long time getting Lucy in bed, when my phone rings.

'Bonasera,' I answer, 'hey Don, what's up?'

'Stell, this is important. Are you with Mac right now?'

'He's upstairs, why?'

'Can you get him to come down? He needs to hear this as well'

There's no need to call for Mac, since he's already making his way downstairs and joins me and Millie in the living room.

'Alright Don, Mac is here with me. if you hang on a sec. I'll put you on speaker'

'I have some, how will I put this… disturbing news,' Don starts, 'after you told us the names of the people that were helping Wayne and David, I tried to track them down as well. Turns out, Wayne and Seymour met in prison when David had beat up Kendall when she was sixteen. Wayne was sitting for armed robbery. My guess is, David told Wayne what had happened to him and they made a pact to harm Kendall. Wayne probably went along, because of a grudge against the cops who brought him in.' Don explains his theory.

'Oke,' Mac answers, 'that sounds plausible. What about the other guys?'

'Well, Rob Fischer was indeed married to Jennifer, but I don't know more yet, because we can't really barge in on them, as we don't know where the snipers or followers are right now. I'm guessing Jennifer knows about the whole plan and can get in contact with everyone, since she had to get out of the lab if they really had to harm you guys. But as I said, we can't just pick her up to question her.'

'Alright Don,' I say, let us know when you know more?'

'Sure, but I would recommend you to stay inside the house. They may still be following you.'

Don hadn't finished talking or bullets scattered the windows in Mac's apartment. Glass was raining down on us and we all dived for cover when the bullets were flying over our heads.

'Get out!' Mac shouts, 'mom, you and Stella have to get out now! I'll be right behind you, but I have to get Lucy first!'

Too stunned to move, Millie has to grab my hand and drag me towards the door. We hurry down the stairs and out on the street. Then we run through the crowd, making our way to the precinct. I was still on the phone with Don when it happened, so he must have heard everything. With shaking hands, and still running, I'll pull my phone out again to call Don back.

'Flack! Pick up Reed from school, please? Bring him with you to the precinct and I'll wait for you there.'

I don't say more and Flack knows I don't need to say more.

TO BE CONTINUED

I'm sorry, I know this update is kinda late. Again. I'm just not really sure what is going to happen next, so it is a bit difficult to write. If you've got some good ideas, let me know.