Alright guys. I know it's been a long time and I know I normally update both stories by turns, but I just can't update "Millie Taylor" yet, because honestly I am at a loss for creativity lately. Seems my muse has gone MIA and with the next semester already having started you guys know I rarely find time to write and post. But since I am done with writing for this story, I thought I'm just going to update to let you all know I am still alive and will keep my stories up and I DID NOT forget you. Though I noticed reviews have dropped and a few of my readers do not seem to come back, which is sad :( but all you faithful readers, coming back faithfully and reading and leaving a review I want to say a huge thank you again! I hope you haven't given up yet.

Enjoy!

Chapter 18: Showdown

~ S ~ B ~

I lay in bed, carefully held in Mac's loving grasp and tried to fall asleep. Though I had my eyes closed my mind was spinning. I had too many things going through my brain. He seriously asked me to marry him and I said yes without even really thinking about it. But as we were talking about it a little more at Millie's she was okay with the fact that we didn't want to get married here, because we actually really didn't want to rush things and we also didn't want to lock the team out, as they were our, well, mostly my family, too. Millie apologized for her sudden question, saying she thoughts we had been dating longer than we actually did, given the fact that we agreed to this undercover thing. We both said that we weren't mad and I really wasn't mad at her. I knew she just wanted her son to be happy and seeing us like that she knew we were happy.

"It really took me by surprise… you know her asking us about getting married and such…" he had said as we were on the way back home.

"Mac… it's okay, really." I had tried to assure him.

"It's just… you know, I wanted to propose properly if I ever was to get married again. I feel like I deprived you of that."

"Mac… you still have time for that. Even if we got married tomorrow, I'd be the happiest woman on earth."

"Really?"

"Mac, if you proposed with a ring from a vending machine I'd say yes."

"But I didn't…"

"You still can."

"Right." He had finally agreed.

My mind played that scene over and over again and I still couldn't believe that we actually wanted to get married. Though I would have liked the old fashioned romantic proposal, I would have been okay with getting married tomorrow, but I do hope that with saying he still could propose properly his mind and heart was settled and I indeed would get that proposal every woman dreams of.

But that wasn't the only thing that kept my mind busy. I was also wondering about what everyone in New York would say and think if we got back and told them that we were getting married. I felt a little like I betrayed them or locked them out, but since we said we wanted to take some time, I figured that we could take a little time before telling them. The first thing they needed to know was that they were officially a couple and were indeed dating now and I knew that the rumors said we did long before we went to Chicago. Some even had a bet going on as to when we would get married or something, but I used to make fun of those, never thinking about the fact that it might come true one day.

As I lay close to Mac and was carefully held in his arms a feeling of security and being home grew inside and I gently tightened my grip around his waist, as if I was afraid to loose him. I knew that he was just as awake as I was. His heartbeat wasn't as calm as it had been the night before and his breathing wasn't slow either. I knew that he probably was thinking about the same things that I was thinking about, our minds too busy to just let us sleep. I moved my arm to a different position and slowly started to draw small circles on his chest.

"Thought you were sleepin'." Mac said, actually sounding tired.

"Too busy thinking." I replied quietly.

"Me, too."

Just as he started to gently caress my back his phone buzzed to life and the quiet moment between us was broken, the little bit of magic, gone. He looked at me with an apologetic expression and then answered his phone, listening to the person on the other end.

"We'll be there shortly." He said before he hung up and then looked at me, his expression serious.

"Another victim?" I dared to ask and he nodded.

"Yeah, but this time the woman is alive. Steve wants us to meet him at the scene." He told me as we both got up.

"Sometimes I hate this job." I stated wryly and yawned. Mac just looked at me with a tired smile and nodded.

xXxXxXxXx

As we got to the scene the ambulance was still there and a woman who looked a lot like me, just a little smaller and a softer feature than I had was sitting in the back. A man was sitting next to her, holding her close and I assumed that he was the victim's husband. Steve was already waiting for us and greeted us at the tape and quickly told us what was going on.

"The woman is Ashlee Esterly-Farrel and the man next to her is her husband. He probably saved her from being killed." He started right off.

"Her husband is Cody Farrel?" I asked him and Steve looked at me with a surprised expression.

"Yes, how did you know that?"

"I uh… know his ex-wife. Allyson and his daughter Amy." I told him as we walked up to them.

"Then you know the attacker." Steve said, causing Mac and me to look at him in surprise.

"And not only that, Steve." Amy Dubois piped up, showing us the exact same picture that they found at every crime scene.

Mac and I looked at each other with knowing glances. We both thought that it could have been Allyson who did all these murders, but to hear that this was indeed the case, was something we didn't really expect.

"This woman is driven by jealousy." Ashlee said who heard us talking.

"We have to find her." I said to Steve and Amy as I turned around to look at them and I got nods of agreement from everyone around.

~ M ~ T ~

As soon as Stella said that we had to find Allyson we were heading to the cars. We were undercover, but we both knew that all we could do was to help them with the arrest while the actual arrest had to be done by one of the Chicago detectives. We headed to Allyson's house and found the dark SUV in front of it and there was still light in the house. I stopped the car behind Steve's and then Stella and I got out. We both got a bullet proof vest and then we were heading for the front door and rang the door bell.

"CPD! Open up!" Steve called as he rang the second time.

This time Amy opened the door, obviously dressed in pajamas and she looked scared. She looked at me and Stella with a surprised and confused expression.

"Is your mother at home?" Steve asked and Amy nodded, before she let us in.

"She's in the living room I suppose." She said just as we heard a door being opened and Steve entered quickly being followed by Amy and an office while Stella and I looked at each other before quickly moving around the house. Stella just arrived at the corner of the house when Allyson came running around. She saw us all in front of her house and ran into the other direction and down the sidewalk, Stella and I closely behind her. Just before Stella could catch up Allyson pulled out a gun, turned around and reached out for Stella and pulled her into her grasp. She turned her around so Stella was with her back against Allyson's chest and Allyson had her gun pressed against Stella's side.

"Don't move or she dies!" Allyson shouts at us, me now being joined by Steve, Amy and the two officer that came with us.

"Allyson… don't do it." Stella tried her luck.

"Shut up, bitch. Always knew something was up with you two." She taunts. "Should've killed you, before getting to that bitch."

"You don't have to do this, Allyson. It's not worth it."

"What do you know about it? You know nothin'."

"Mom?" her daughter Amy suddenly piped up next to me.

"Amy… love go inside."

"No… you did all that?" Amy asked again, her voice sad and she was close to tears. "You killed all these couples?"

I noticed that Allyson loosened her grip around Stella and she noticed the same. Stella locked eyes with me, we didn't need words to know what we wanted to say and in moments like this it was very helpful. Stella was hoping that if Amy kept talking to her mother that she could free herself and take her down, without getting anyone hurt. I nodded slightly, almost invisible for anyone else.

"Keep talking to her, Amy." I said quietly, only for Amy to hear and from the corner of my eyes I could see her nod.

"Tell me, did you kill them?" Amy asked her mother, the look on her face had an impact on Allyson, she had tears in her eyes.

"Baby…" she started.

Stella quickly grabbed Allyson's hand and pulled the gun from her side before turning around and pulling Allyson's arm behind her back, like she learned to do it many years ago. At the same time Allyson broke down. She let the gun fall to the ground and started to cry, her daughter turned around and ran into the house, one of the officer following her, while Steve and Amy took Allyson from Stella's grasp and I walked up to her, pulling her into a small hug and kissed her cheek.

"You okay?" I asked in a gentle tone, a slight bit worried.

"I am." She said and locked eyes with me again.

"You two really know each other well." Steve said as he walked up to us and Stella and I looked at him. "Good work, detectives."

"Poor girl…" Stella said sadly and I gently wrap my arm around her waist.

"Anything else we can do for you?" I asked Steve.

"Actually there's nothing left to do. We'll take her to the precinct and will question her tomorrow morning, well actually later today. I suggest you two go and get some rest and we'll see you back at 9 for questioning." He replied with a small grin, as Stella rested her head on my shoulder.

"What happens to Amy now?" Stella suddenly asked, looking at Steve.

"We'll call her father and take her there."

"Okay." She replied with a small nod. "Then see you later."

Steve nodded and then went to wrap this up and we went to the car and went home. A part of me couldn't believe that this case was almost closed now. That meant that we'd be going back to New York soon. As soon as I stopped the car in the driveway I felt tiredness finally kicking in and even Stella had to fight to not fall asleep on the short way home. We got out of the car and went back into the house to go to bed, but even though we both were tired it took us some time to finally settle for the night, as we both were still thinking about the latest events, though I was glad this case was over.

I felt Stella snuggling closer to me and smiled. There definitely was a good thing to remember about this case: I got the most amazing woman in the world and actually thought about getting married again. Though my mother got us to this, I couldn't really fault her. She just wanted me to be happy and with Stella I knew I was happy. And while thinking about that, I cemented the plan in my mind to propose to her properly and that I wanted to do in my hometown at one of the most beautiful places I knew.

"I love you." I whispered just before I finally closed my eyes and fell asleep.

Did you like it?

So, where do think Mac's going to propose to Stella (properly)? Think he'll wait till they're back in New York?

I hope this wasn't lame. So please don't forget to leave me some feetback! I'd really love to 'hear' what you guys think!

A/N: So I kept you guys in the dark a little bit concerning the number of chapters for story... I think I should tell you now, that there is only one more chapter left, BUT there may be a chance that I'll extend this story for one more chapter if you guys wish so, after reading the next chapter.