Sorry for the long wait, but I had a few thing in my mind that I needed to do so... I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

Hope you'll like it!

A/N: Words in italics at the end of the chapter are quotes from the episodes: 4x04 Time's Up and 5x24 Grounds For Deception. Hope it's not confusing...

Chapter twenty four: Caring Friends

My trip into the hospital park only lasts about ten minutes and then I was back inside. Mac's mother stayed a few more minutes and then said goodbye, but told me she'd stay in New York for a while now and left me her hotel address and phone number and I promised to call her the minute Mac woke up.

"Oh, it's not necessary that you call the moment he wakes up. Half an hour or even an hour later will be just fine." She had smiled.

That was about an hour ago. It was early afternoon now and still I haven't heard anything from Don or Danny and was just thinking about calling Danny when a soft knock on the door made me change my plans. As the door opens Danny and Lindsay walked into the room, Danny carrying a sleepy Lucy on his arms. Their daughter was about a year old now. She smiled when she saw me and tried to free herself from Danny's arms. He let her down to the ground and she came running toward me, as fast as she could. I knelt down and picked her up.

"Hey sweetie." I said with a soft smile.

"Auntie!" she squealed.

"Sh… not that loud, Luce." Danny demanded.

"Sowry Dadda." Lucy said quietly and then yawned.

"Aww, there's someone tired, huh?" I asked the little girl and she nodded and then pointed toward Mac's bed.

"No, you can't sleep there, Lucy." I added, but she shook her head.

"Not sleep. Uncle Mac's tired, too." She said in her sweet and naïve way. She was so adorable that I couldn't help but smile.

"Yes… he is, sweetie."

I sad down on the chair again taking her onto my lab and she instantly leaned against my chest and couldn't hold her eyes open.

"How's he?" Lindsay asked, now getting her chance to actually talk to me.

"I don't know… was hoping he would wake up today, but he's got a traumatic fever so… it's gonna take more time." I answered glaring at Mac with a worried expression.

"Well, he tough, Stell. He's gonna pull thru. And he's got you watching over him." Danny said. "What else does he need?"

"Danny…" Lindsay scolded lightly, shooting him a warning glance.

"Sorry, didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's okay, Danny. I am hearing that a lot lately. You didn't hurt me." I told them.

"How are you holding up, Stella?" Lindsay asked me in a worried tone.

"Trying my best to keep me sane? Lately a lot of memories occupy me. I'm trying to be hopeful and strong."

"How about you share an early dinner with us down in that cafeteria?" Lindsay said.

"I don't know… last time I left him alone he scared me to death…" I tried.

"You gotta eat somethin' Stell. It's not helping Mac when you're starvin'" Danny put himself on Lindsay's side and I knew he was right, but somehow I just didn't want to leave Mac's side. The shock of the last time I did still lingering inside of me and next to that the fear that it might happen again. But I left his bedside a few times earlier today and nothing happened, so why not trying it? When I was starving I wasn't a big help for Mac.

"Well, you're right. I won't be able to help him when I'm stared." I agreed and then got up, carefully trying not to wake Lucy. Danny took her from my arms and bend down to Mac and told him I would be right back and then left his room with Danny, Lindsay and Lucy.

"How's the case going? Any news on that brother, yet?" I asked on the way to the cafeteria.

"No. We tried to track him down but it seems like he turned into dust. Don's still on it and so is Adam. Don will call me when they got him." Danny said.

"Ah… he can't just turn into dust… maybe I should go out there and try to track him down myself. I mean he's targeting me and I'm sure he knows I'm still alive…" my voice trailed of, because the pictures of that day came back into my mind. I couldn't go on, it was just too hard.

"Stella, there's no way any of us would let you do that. We'll get him." Danny said seriously.

"I was just saying it… I couldn't do that to Mac, or any of you."

"Good."

We reached the cafeteria and sat down at an empty table, eating our early dinner. The first real food since the lunch I had with Mac. It was good to have Danny and Lindsay here with their little girl. They occupied my mind, so there was no space for worries or anything else. It was good to see that they were not only worried about Mac, but also about me. It was always the same. Mac needed me to take care of him and made him eat when Claire died and I needed someone who took care of my well being. Mostly Mac was the one to do that, but also Don worried a lot about me. And I knew that the others did, too.

"You going to be okay, Stella?" Lindsay asked me after we shared a coffee after dinner. "I mean you never went home and you're here ever since it happened…"

"I'm fine, Linds, thank you. I am needed here." I said.

"Okay… well, maybe this is the safest place for you right now. I hope we get him fast."

"Yeah… but he better won't be alone with me."

"Stella…" Lindsay started worried but I cut her off.

"Don't worry Linds, I'm just saying it."

"Nah… I won't give too much on that, right now, Stell. Love can do a lot… not only good things…" Danny said.

"What do you mean?"

"Do ya really think I dunno that you and Mac… ya know… been in love for I dunno how long?" Danny grinned.

"Danny…" I started but this time it was Danny who cut me off.

"Don't worry, Stella. I won't tell anybody… Ya know, friends always see those tiny little things called love."

"You're right, why denying something that is true… But you gotta keep your mouth shut in this case. Nobody except you is supposed to know it just yet. Especially when you guys come across Sinclair… I don't want him to know until I know it myself."

"Know what, Stella?" Lindsay asked.

"This love thing. You know, Mac and I haven't had a chance to work on that… we were so close to taking that next step, but then Don called and he pulled back again… I should have asked him… I should have told him he didn't need to pull back… but I didn't…" I just blurt off.

"Stella… you couldn't have known…" Lindsay said.

"Yeah, you gonna get the chance. You hear me? You gonna get that chance."

A while later I walked them to the main entrance of the hospital. As we reached the main entrance I knew it was time to say goodbye to Danny and Lindsay and the cute little girl on Danny's arms.

"Thank you guys for coming." I said and hugged Lindsay.

"You're welcome Stella. We needed to see him and you…" she said and offered a soft smile.

"Yah. She's right. If you need anythin' let us know, will ya?" Danny said and hugged me, too.

"I will. Thanks."

I kissed Lucy, who was still asleep, on the cheek and watched them leaving the hospital. I stood in the hallway for a while and just stared outside, fixed in time and space.

"Miss, are you okay?" a female, worried voice forced me back to reality. I turned my head and looked at a chubby, dark haired, but still young nurse.

"Yeah, I'm fine… just lost on thoughts." I said and smiled, before I turned on my heel and headed back to Mac's room.

xXxXxXxXx

It was already late in the evening when Dr. Hendricks came into Mac's room again. He offered me a surprised, but warm smile and walked up to Mac's bed.

"You're still here, Ms. Bonasera?" he asked me surprised.

"Yeah." I answer shortly.

"Well, most people would have gone home by now or would have other people replacing them…"

"Not in this case. I'm doing it alone and I grant my coworkers and friends their time with their family or their alone time and their good nights sleep."

Dr. Hendricks checked on a few things and took Mac's temperature again.

"How about you?" he suddenly asked.

"What do mean?"

"No family to go home to? No good nights sleep you grant yourself with?"

"No…" I nearly whispered. "I mean, I have no family and I know I am needed here." I said.

"You know, Ms. Bonasera, I would tell you to go home and get some rest, sleep and something proper to eat, but I think it would be a waste of my breath."

"It definitely would be."

"I know you're in good hands here in the hospital and I am glad that Detective Taylor has someone like you at his side. I'm very satisfied with the progress. His heart rate had been steady the whole day and the fever's nearly gone. Seems as if he had luck and got it in it's beginning."

"I'm glad to hear that, Dr. Hendricks." I smiled.

"Yeah. I think he's going to wake up soon. Tomorrow perhaps."

"First good news these days." I said and sighed in relief and he offered a soft smile.

"You know, it's just perhaps, but still, everything looks like he could wake up any minute. I just think it'll take till tomorrow, because his condition's still weak. So don't call me on that."

"I won't. It's just good to hear something positive after the last day's events."

"He's going to be fine. Nothing indicates another shocking turn, like yesterday."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome and so far the only one I am supposed to talk to. Well, gotta go. Good night. See you tomorrow." Dr. Hendricks said and then left.

I took my cell phone, sneaked out of Mac's room and called Millie Taylor.

"Hello?" she asked after she picked up.

"Millie, it's me, Stella. I just wanted to call you and tell you that Mac seems to be better now. Dr. Hendricks said he's waking up soon. Probably tomorrow." I tell her.

"Thanks for calling me Stella. Good to hear that."

"Still, hard to believe he's actually here. This should be me…" I started this misery all over again. I couldn't believe it myself. Actually I didn't want to do that again.

"Stella… that's not your fault. Free yourself of that thought. The one who shot my son… and wanted to… kill you… it's his fault, not yours."

"Thanks. Actually I turned my fault into anger against that guy. Sorry."

"It's okay. Sometimes you need to talk it off."

"Yeah… well, am not gonna steal more of your time, now…"

"Your not stealing my time, sweetie. I got nothing to do actually. I'm just a visitor in one hell of a big city." Millie chuckled.

"Thanks… see you tomorrow?"

"I'll come and see you two somewhat around noon. Gotta take a look around the city my son came to love so much."

"Okay. Have fun. And if you're lost, call me and I'll pick you up." I said with a smile.

"Nah – you gotta stay with McCanna. Bye Stella."

"Bye." I said and she hung up. I went back into Mac's room and sat down on the edge of his bed again, taking his hand in mine. I watched him a while before I got up and whispered into his ear:

"You know, it's not the best way to get some sleep and not my favorite place to spend my days and nights, but… I do it for you, Mac… and only for you. I love you, Mac." The last sentence was barely hearable. I sat down on the chair next to his bed again and my thumb softly caressed the back of his hand. I couldn't believe I just told Mac that I loved him, although I doubted he would have heard it, but… I just said it like I'd never told him anything else. Thinking of that my mind wondered back to the day when Peyton broke up with him. The day I got that parachute from Drew…

"You and I are alike in a lot of ways." He had started and I had put my arms on the box and watched him curious about what he would say now.

"We both do everything to avoid this sort of thing. Sometimes you just gotta take the plunge."

"So you're telling me to fall for all this?" I had asked him back. But his answer didn't convince me. It was actually strange, having him telling me that.

"Stella, Peyton pursued me. I never thought I'd enjoy another relationship either. Forget about all the risks of romance and enjoy the rewards."

That was what he had told me, never could he have known that he would get that break up letter from Peyton that very same evening. I felt so sorry for him that evening, but still he hadn't convinced me properly to really go for this Drew guy and a few days later I knew why. And thinking of my barely hearable confession I remembered the time we had in Greece, when he came after me to make sure I was going to be okay and to show me that I could always count on him, too, no matter what. I'll never forget what he told me back there.

"Mac, I know I was wrong to keep investigating after you told me to step down. I'm sorry I made it difficult for you and for the department." I had apologized for my actions.

"This isn't about my job or the department. It was difficult because I care about you." He had confessed and I had uttered a soft thank you.

With that thought a smile appeared on my face and a few moments late I fell asleep on my chair, Mac's hand in mine. Another night of waiting for Mac to finally wake up.

So... how'd you like it? Interesting? Boring? And what do you think about the surprising visit from Danny, Lindsay and little Lucy? Just leave a short (or a longer) note before you go!

Next chapter, next surprise! :) Stay tuned! It won't take that long till Mac wakes up. I promise! :)