Chapter 9: Lips of an Angel

"Honey, why you calling me so late?

It's kinda hard to talk right now

Honey, why are you crying?

Is everything okay?

I gotta whisper 'cause I can't be too loud"

Stella sat in the break room, a month after the explosion that put Mac in a coma, eating pizza with the rest of her team. Her phone suddenly rings, and she answers it immediately, seeing the number of the hospital.

"That's wonderful. I'll be there soon. Thanks." She hangs up whiles standing. "Cover for me, guys; Danny, you're in charge. Mac just woke up," she runs out of the lab.

CSI: NY

"Mac, I missed you so much. Thanks God you're awake," Stella hugs him.

"Hello, Stella. It's good to see you. Did I miss much?" he kisses her cheek.

She smiles and kisses his lips softly. "Just New Years. But I was here with the gang. They kept teasing me that kissing you didn't count because you were unconscious."

"Did you just eat lunch?" She nods. "What'd you have?"

"Pizza. Why?"

"I can taste it," he laughs. "Should have brought me some."

"Sorry. I was just so happy you were awake."

"I saw Claire again."

She frowns, "How?"

"Well apparently I went to Heaven while they appealed for my life. And obviously she was there. We talked a lot. And I could even see you. There were these binocular things, and they showed you whoever you wanted to see." Stella looks away from him.

"Well, my girl's in the next room

Sometimes I wish she was you

I guess we never really moved on

It's really good to hear your voice saying my name

It sounds so sweet

Coming from the lips of an angel

Hearing those words, it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye

But, girl, you make it hard to be faithful

With the lips of an angel"

A week later Mac is able to come home. He asks Stella to stay with him to help him; he was thinking of even asking her to move in with him since they would be getting married next December.

"I need to talk to you, Mac," she says one night, laying beside him in bed. "You were never supposed to find out, but I have to stop this feeling of guilt."

"Know what?" he asks, pulling her close.

"I don't know how to say this. I cheated on you, Mac, while you were in a coma. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

"The guys talked you into it, Stella. I don't really mind as long as it never happens again," Mac kisses her forehead.

"No, I could've said no, and they wouldn't have done it. Wait a second – how did you know there were two of them?" she looks up at him.

"I was watching you, Stella. And it was true; I could have not woken up at all."

"It ended, Mac. I told them it would be over the second you woke up. It'll never happen again. I love you."

"Will I have little children running around soon?" he teases.

"No, I'm on birth control pills, Mac. And the guys used protection since they thought it might not work 'cause sometimes the pills don't work if you're under a lot of stress. So as far as I know, no kids."

"Yet."

"What, you want kids?"

"Yes, it'd be nice. Not necessarily now since we aren't getting married for ten months. But someday."

"It's funny that you're calling me tonight

And, yes, I've dreamt of you too

And does he know you're talking to me

Will it start a fight?

No, I don't think she has a clue"

"I heard Stella cheated on you," Peyton smiles at him on his first day back as she tells him of the COD of the body on the table.

"It's nothing, Peyton."

"Well, maybe we could… get back together, and you can show her how it feels."

"We're through, Peyton. Just face it: I don't and never did love you."

"Fine, Mac Taylor," she walks away, hurt.

He wanders off in search of Stella. He spots her analyzing the gun in ballistics from their scene that morning with Hawkes. "Stella."

She looks up, "Hey, Mac. Have something?"

"No." He moves next to her and whispers quietly, "Did you tell anyone besides me about you and Flack and Hawkes?"

"No."

"Somehow Peyton knew about it."

"She was at the scene when Sheldon and I were talking about it. Maybe she overheard us. How would that help her?"

"Oh, she's trying to get back with me. Thought it could be revenge. I told her no."

"I love you."

"Need help?"

"No, but you can run the fingerprints from this morning," she hands him the lifts.

"Well, my girl's in the next room

Sometimes I wish she was you

I guess we never really moved on

It's really good to hear your voice saying my name

It sounds so sweet

Coming from the lips of an angel

Hearing those words, it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye

But, girl, you make it hard to be faithful

With the lips of an angel"

"Good work, Stella," he praises as the guy is handcuffed.

"You still doing okay, Mac?" she asks, concerned.

"Fine. You up for dinner?"

"Yeah, I haven't eaten since breakfast."

"Chinese okay?" She nods.

As they leave, a figure, not one they recognize, runs to the elevator from the lab. He pulls out a remote and pushes a button as the doors close.

"Get down," Mac yells, pushing her to the floor. He lands next to her, shielding her as the lab explodes. Glass flies everywhere, making small cuts in their skin. "You okay?" he whispers as the noise dies down.

"Yes," she sits up, "you?"

"Alright. Let's get out of here." Mac calls the fire department as they walk down the stairs.

There is a detective outside that takes their statements when the reach the ground floor. After a few questions, they are released.

He puts his arm around her as they walk to the car. "Looks like the techs won't be getting anything done for a few days."

"Thanks for saving me, Mac."

"It was nothing. I hope we catch this guy soon."

"It's really good to hear your voice saying my name

It sounds so sweet

Coming from the lips of an angel

Hearing those words, it makes me weak

And I never wanna say goodbye

But, girl, you make it hard to be faithful

With the lips of an angel"

Mac and Stella get out of bed the next morning, surprisingly when the alarm goes off and not with a phone ringing. He kisses her, "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Too early," she mumbles.

"You can shower first."

His phone rings, "Taylor."

"Okay, give us an hour. Bye."

"What now?" she asks.

"Another kill from him. Also a bomb, which bomb squad is taking care of now."

"Just great."

"We'll get him today."

"I doubt it. Happy Valentine's Day, Mac. And it begins with a crime not of passion," she closes the bathroom door.

CSI: NY

Just Flack is at the scene with a couple uniforms when they arrive. He tells them what he knows so far, then walks away to continue interviewing.

Mac bends down to examine the body, "Same as the others: shot to the back of the head."

"There he is, Mac," Stella says, pointing to a man.

"And I never wanna say goodbye

But, girl, you make it hard to be faithful

With the lips of an angel

Honey, what you calling me so late?"

A/N: Hinder. Not really what I had in mind for this song, but it wouldn't fit in the story how I wanted it. I pictured Mac and Peyton together and getting married or engaged or something where Mac's in too deep to leave her when he finally realizes it's Stella he truly loves. My rewrite song later sometime. And so sorry to have Stella cheat on Mac, but it's fiction people. That's why this isn't happening on the show, although we really want it to, minus the cheating part of course. My friend came up to me at lunch and said she didn't think Mac and Stella would ever get together. I think she's right, but there's always hope. Anyway, they're back together and happy again. At least for now... dun, dun, dun. I should go write some more.