And here we go with the next chapter :) I want of course thank you all again for your support and your kind words. I'm truly honored and I'm very happy that you all like my work :)

A/N: Words in italics in the beginning are quote from the following episodes: 1x12 "Recycling"; 1x07 "Rain"; 2x19 "Superman"; 4x05 "Down The Rabbit Hole" I hope it's nor confusing for you...

I want to dedicate this chapter to StellaBonaseraTaylor because she started this story a bit later and read all of it. She wrote the longest reviews I got so far and I just want to say Thank You! You're awesome!

Chapter twenty three: Friends and Mothers Always Know

I was lost thoughts. But this time it were happy thoughts. Thoughts about me and Mac and all the good times we shared and also the fun we had. I thoughts of the day we went to that dog show, the first time I saw him going anywhere without a tie. I remembered him telling me that he never wears a tie on a dog show. I also thought about the friendly wager and the outcome.

"You're going to make me pay?" he had asked me after I won the bet.

"Yeah, I'm going to make you pay." I had answered, still grinning about the fact that I won the bet.

"I thought you were kidding."

"Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant."

Thinking of that statement a small smile appeared on my face. I was still sitting on the edge of Mac's bed, my face turned to him and my thumb gently stroking the back of his hand. My mind drifted back to a day when Mac and I were at a crime scene…

"There's something gooey here." I had said.

"Gooey? That's a good forensic word. Gooey. I'll have to use that more." He had made fun of it.

Later that day he used that word, too and I called him on his good choice of words. And another thing I always liked to do was talking about his childhood and what he liked or did when he was a kid. It was always fun to get to know him better and to see how his eyes lid up when he talked about something he liked. And one day in the past we had a case where a man dressed in a superman costume died.

"When you were a little kid, did you ever tie a towel around your neck, pretend to be a super hero. A little Mac-man?" I had asked him.

"Sergeant Rock." He had told me. "You couldn't get me out of my fatigues when I was a kid."

There were a lot of great moments we shared. I was thinking about so many moments we shared. It kept me in a better mood and somehow it held back the tears that still wanted to build in my eyes, although I knew Mac was going to be okay. At least this was what I kept saying myself, because I wanted to believe it. I wanted to share more tense moments, more happy moments and more of those moments that actually were filled with sparks and love. I wanted to make fun again, if he did something like trying to flirt with someone on Second Life. I remembered Mac trying to flirt with a suspect…

"I like your name." he had started. "I like waterfalls don't you?"

"Oh my god." I had stated after his suspect hadn't shown any reaction.

"What?" he had asked me innocently.

"You have no game whatsoever."

I smiled at this memory. It was funny to see Mac like this. Well, he actually didn't have to flirt with anybody at this time, because he had Peyton, who broke up with him a bit later…

A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. The door opened and Jess walked into the room, lightly smiling at me. Slowly I stood up, but didn't move away from the bed.

"Hey." I greeted her.

"Hey, Stell. How's he?" she asked with a worried look on her face.

"I don't know… didn't wake up yet and he caught a traumatic fever…"

"You that he's going to be okay, right?"

"I hope he will be okay."

"Stella, he will be fine. He has you, what else does he need to be okay?"

"Jess…"

"I know you're in love with him, Stella, we've talked about that a lot. And I also know that he's in love with you, too, even though he might not want to admit it to anyone else."

"I know… I mean that he wouldn't admit it if it was true."

"Why are you always doubting it?"

"Because it's too good to be true?"

"Yeah, maybe… Don said you wanted me to get a few things for you?" Jess got back to the topic why she was here.

"Yeah right…" I said and told her what I needed, gave her the key to my apartment and thanked her. Then I was alone with Mac for another half hour before Jess came back with the things I asked her to get for me.

"Thanks Jess." I said.

"You need to tell him how you feel for him, Stella. You can't wait until it's too late."

"I know… we… we were so close… Mac was so close to take that step I feared to take… and then Don called and he pulled back again… I… I don't know why… Jess… I didn't ask him why he pulled back again… I should have called him on that when we were on the way to the lab." I said sadly.

"You gonna get the chance to talk about that." Jess said.

"I know, but… I just feel bad… the events yesterday showed me what life can do and how unfair it can be… I should have told him so much earlier…"

"Stella, your not gonna hear 'I told you so'. I won't say that, but… you can tell him when he wakes up… Promise me you will tell him, when he's awake."

"I do."

"Good girl." She smiled. "Gotta go now, before someone reports me missing. Gotta lot of work to do…"

"I know. Thanks, Jess."

"You're welcome. See you, Stell."

"See you." I said and Jessica was gone, leaving me all alone with Mac and my thoughts again.

xXxXxXxXx

It was around midday when I head another knock on the door. This time I didn't get up from where I had sat down again: the edge of Mac's bed, his hand in mine. The door opened and I saw an elderly woman coming in. She had long blond hair and was a bit smaller than Mac, but had a normal figure. She closed the door behind her and walked up to us. She had a small smile playing around her lips and her eyes, which were of the same beautiful blue color as Mac's, looked at me calmly and warm. I figured that she must be his mother since I didn't know anybody else who would visit him. She walked up to me and stopped next to me, shortly looking down at Mac with a worried glance before she offered me her hand.

"Hi. I'm Millie." She said in a warm and friendly tone.

"Hi. Stella Bonasera." I said shaking her hand.

"You can call me Millie. I don't mind. Mind if I just call you Stella?"

"No. I don't mind. Stella is just fine."

I watched Millie Taylor lightly bending down to her son and gently stoking his cheek.

"McCanna… what are you doing…" she lightly demanded.

She turned her gaze back to, noticing that I still had her son's hand in mine. She offered a soft smile.

"You know, my son talks a lot about you, when he visits me on rare occasions or when we're talking on the phone. Did you even go home since he's here?"

"Never left his side, Mrs… Millie." I answered her question.

"That's how he described you the first time he mentioned you. Caring, loving and always there for those you care about. He really likes you, Stella, and I can see why. I'm happy he has a friend like you."

"Thank you. Mac is just the same… for those he cares about."

"Would you tell me how this happened?" Millie asked me and I nodded my head. I started to tell her how it got to her son being shot. I told her about the break in into my apartment and that Mac offered me to stay at his place, till we caught him. And I told her that we were on the way back to the lab, coming from a crime scene when he was shot. I also told her about the threats against me. I didn't know why I told her all this. I just trusted her. The moment she looked at me the first time I instantly liked her. Well, she had the right to know about this. After I had told her what I could tell her she remained silent for a while before she gently touched her son's cheek again, a smile on her face.

"That's my son. My McCanna. Always protecting those he cares about, no matter what happens. I know he cares a lot about you, Stella. I'm proud of him, that he wanted to protect you and that he offered you his spare room. If I know something very well, it's that my Mac loves you." She said and turned back to me.

I was still sitting on the edge of Mac's bed and just remained silent, not really knowing what to say. So… Mac loves me? I mean, he really does? I thought only to have my brain and heart shouting at me: WHAT DID YOU THINK, SILLY! Of course he loves you. Remember, he wanted to kiss you? Think he would do that just out of a mood?

Oh, that was stupid… but hearing it from his mother, someone completely strange to me at this time was something that made me wonder if it was really this obvious. Still I wondered ho she actually knew it. She must have seen the question in my eyes because she asked:

"Wondering how'd I know?"

"Just pondering if it's that obvious…"

"Maybe not for you two, but for people from the outside it is. I knew it right after he told me that you were at the bar the night he played after that Peyton broke up with him. He visited me once after that and I'll never forget the sparks in his eyes when I asked him about you and he told me something about you." Millie offered me a soft smile. "You're good for him."

"Thanks…" I whispered and felt new tears filling my eyes. Those felt like happy tears somehow. She was saying all this because she felt I needed it. That was what she told me later. And yes she was right. It felt good to hear that and gave me new hope. Hope I needed and most importantly Mac needed. We sat in silence for a while and while I held Mac's hand Millie softly stroke his cheek.

"You know Mis… Millie, I can leave you two some alone time if you'd want…" I offered but Millie just moved her hand.

"Not necessary, Stella. I know he needs you at his side. But if you'd like to go and get some fresh air… I don't mind staying with my son and make sure he doesn't scare you again." She smiled. And while I thought about actually taking her offer and go for a walk in the small hospital park, my thumb gently caressed the back of Mac's hand.

"Think I'd probably need to get some fresh air… some I dunno…"

"Some alone time, just for yourself to think about things, other than fearing for Mac?" she suggested.

"Kinda."

"Go and take your time, Stella. I'm here now, I'll take care of him."

"Thanks, Millie." I sad and gently kissed Mac's cheek before I quietly left the room, promising I won't be gone too long and then made my way down to the small hotel park where now a few patients with families and friends were taking a walk and enjoying the warm weather.

And my usual "goodbye line": Please let me know what you think! I still hope I don't bore you ;) A little surprise coming next chapter :) Stay tuned!

So, have a great Friday and a even greater weekend!

blackrose538