The main characters don't belong to me but to the creators of CSI NY tv series.
Well, here we are, facing the final curtain in this story. I wish to thank all the readers, and especially those of you who took your time to send a review. That encourages a lot a writer to continue. I tried to answer every review, forgive me if I missed some of them.
And very particularly I'm grateful to Lily Moonlight for her help with the English version of this fic. Her suggestions and corrections did the story much better. She's more than a teacher, she's a master. Thanks, Lily.
I Can't Say Goodbye
Chapter 24
The day after their return to New York, Mac and Stella felt rested enough and eager to see their friends, so they decided to make a visit to the CSI Lab. When the elevator doors opened on the 34th floor and they entered there hand in hand, the turmoil of the century was formed. Shouts and cries of joy followed them as they walked down the main corridor. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to see them, especially Stella, for whom they had so long yearned. And then... the size of her belly provoked the most authentic 'Wows' and 'Heys' wherever they went. The break room became a meeting place, full of hugs and kisses, laughter and toasts with coffee and milk.
Lindsay kept her arms around Stella all the time, as if trying to prevent her from escaping again. She only relaxed after Stella and Mac promised her that that night they would go dinner at the Messer's home, to see Lucy and spend time with all the family.
Later that day, when Mac and Stella were back home preparing to go to the Messers, Mac brought up a subject he was worried about... He cleared his throat not quite sure how to begin.
"Stella, you know tonight Danny and Lindsay are going to have a lot of questions..."
"Yeah, I guess," Stella laughed softly. "We have to explain a few details to them... But don't worry, Mac. They're our friends, right? Not that there's anything we have hide... They saw us that night, they knew how we were and how we'd been drinking. I'm sure they already drew a few conclusions, more or less accurate. Don't forget they're both top-notch detectives."
"Yeah, yeah, I didn't mean that part. I mean, they'll probably be wondering about our future plans." Mac took Stella's hand, looking at the engagement ring and showed it to her, raising the hand to her eyes, smiling. "They'll want to know when we'll get married, and you know with all the bustle of the move we haven't discussed that yet."
Stella sat down, suddenly thoughtful.
"I don't know, Mac, I'd like to wait until I recover my normal figure... I don't know what kind of wedding gown I'd need to fit me the size I am at the moment."
"You'll be the loveliest bride, no matter what size you are, how can you doubt that? But if that's what you want..." Stella, however, could not miss the subtle gesture of disappointment in Mac's eyes. She took his hand.
"What do you want, Mac? It's not only what I want, there are two of us in this... Well, almost three." The two smiled.
Mac spoke looking directly at Stella's eyes. "I want our marriage to be as soon as possible. I don't need a big ceremony or anything like that, only you with me forever." He scratched his head timidly before continuing. "Call me old fashioned, but I'd like to be married when our daughter is born. And I'd like our wedding to be the year before her birth, which means before the end of this year. I know, I know. I'm going too far with traditions."
Stella laughed.
"That's why I love you, silly. You like to do things in the proper way... Well, I also think that by doing what you propose could save us some questions from our daughter when she reaches that stage in life when kids start to question love, relationships and analyze our own." Both of them smiled at the thought of their baby reaching that stage. Stella continued.
"I don't need big ceremonies either, Mac, I only need you. We, our friends, your mother and that's all. We can have a wedding like Danny and Lindsay's and then go on to have lunch together." She stood up to look at the calendar that was on the table. "So, what do you think about the 27th? It wouldn't interfere with Christmas and your mother will be still here then."
Mac didn't let her finish. Hugging her, he kissed her with all his passion. When they finally parted, breathless, Stella continued, resting her forehead on Mac's.
"I gather that's okay then. The 27th it is. We have to fix the paperwork for that day. Mac... I have also to go to my doctor, see if Dr. Samaras sent my medical history to him, and then start with the childbirth classes... Mac! And we haven't bought any Christmas presents! I have to make a list..." Mac kissed her again with full force. When he released her, Stella had forgotten all concerns.
"Stay calm, OK? Everything will be perfect and you don't have to get anxious for anything, just enjoy life. Do you promise me?"
Stella took a deep breath.
"I promise."
Epilogue
February 13th
Mac hadn't thought Stella could be so strong. Yes, she was a trained woman, athletic, young and healthy, in the fullness of her life. But so much strength in her hand as to almost disintegrate his, reducing his fingers to ground grain, that he never would have believed. Yet with each contraction she squeezed his hand as her support for the superhuman strength she had to use to bring their daughter into the world. Mac suffered from her, with her. Everything had gone pretty fast, and Stella hadn't wanted any type of anaesthesia.
"Never again!" Stella had cried when the baby almost crowned on its way to the outside world. Mac had looked in panic to the gynaecologist, who had shaken his head, while he winked. The midwife, a sympathetic woman, had said:
"Don't worry, sir, all the women say that at this point... and most of them are back here in the same circumstances, not long after, crying "Never again."
Only three hours before they had reached the hospital, after Stella's water had broken and almost simultaneously she had felt the first contraction. It was now midnight and Mac hadn't had time to warn anyone that they were already in the hospital.
The next contraction and Stella's push made her daughter's head appear at last. A little more force and with the help of the midwife the baby had her shoulders out, followed quickly by the rest of the body, into the waiting hands. She immediately cried loudly.
"Hey, we have a new girl in the world! Born at 00.05 on February 14th."
Mac looked at Stella, still amazed, while a couple of tears ran down his cheeks without any shame at showing them. Stella was craning her neck as much as possible to see her daughter when the midwife put the baby on her. She couldn't avoid the tears as well. Both of them looked at the little one like they hadn't seen a baby before in their lives, and then they looked at each other, only to laugh as they wiped away their tears.
"She's beautiful!" Stella was able to articulate, stroking her daughter's back. Then, taking Mac's hand, she said "Happy Valentine's Day, Daddy!"
"So this was your gift? Happy Valentine's to you too." He bent to kiss her and then from that position, they looked at the sulky little face of their daughter, making funny faces which ended up again in a loud cry. The nurse took her then to finish the cleaning, vacuuming the rest of secretions that might obstruct her airway and making the first test. She didn't stop crying as she received her first bath and quickly the nurse put her in a diaper and a pink hat before wrapping her in the blanket to bring her back to her mother. The contact with Stella immediately calmed her down. The midwife smiled.
"We have a future bel canto diva here, with this lung capacity it wouldn't surprise me..." They all laughed. "She's perfect, exactly four kilos and 53 cm tall, perhaps another option for her is to become a basketball player... or a top model. It seems incredible that the birth was so easy for such a big baby girl. Good job, Mrs. Taylor!"
Mac leaned over to kiss his two girls. He took a little time on Stella's lips as he muttered:
"I couldn't agree more... Good job, Mrs. Taylor"
The End
Again, thank you all.