A/N: Don't own them, just borrowing for a bit. I don't make money off this. I do it for the reviews! Thanks to Lisa for the prompt/help.
Oh, and in my little world there is no relationship between Stella and the firefighter (other than friendship, because seriously, no chemistry there at all).
Stella could feel his fingers slipping through hers as she tried to hold on and pull him back from the edge. She watched in slow motion as Adam's hand slipped from her grasp, his eyes wide as his body descended to the churning froth created by the waves crashing to the rocks below the cliff. She collapsed to the earth as she felt the tears coursing down her face as she yelled out his name in desperation.
Stella awoke with a start, the image of Adam falling still burned into her retinas. Her heart was still pounding in her chest. The clock beside the bed flashed 3:55AM. She felt a pair of arms tighten around her waist and pull her back into a warm body.
"Stell? Everything ok?" Mac's voice was thick with sleep. When she didn't respond right away Mac pushed himself up on his elbow to try and look at her. He placed his hand under her chin as he pulled her gently to face him. "Stella look at me, you were just dreaming. You're safe. It's ok."
Wordlessly she turned in his arms as she burrowed deeper into his embrace. "It was so real Mac. It was all my fault. I should have done something to help him, but I didn't. I knew that case had gotten to him; that he was hurting, but I let him go, I let him walk away."
Mac sighed as he tightened his grip on her as he brought his hand up to stroke the mass of curls still pulled into a loose ponytail. "You can't fix everyone Stell. It's not your duty to try and undo years of damage that Adam's father did to him. You're only one person."
Stella breathed in deep, letting Mac's scent wash over her and comfort her as she traced the scar on his chest with her finger. She silently nodded, knowing he was right, but still wanting to do something to help the younger CSI. "I'm just mad at myself, you know? I mean I know he has a crush on me so I try not to do anything to give him a false hope, but at the same time, he needed a friend, and I wasn't there for him."
"I have an idea. I've got that meeting early tomorrow morning with Dunbrook, so why don't you take Adam out to breakfast or something, sit down and talk with him."
Stella's eyes locked with Mac's as she offered him a small smile. "Have I mentioned lately how lucky I am to have you?"
Mac chuckled. "I still think I've got the better end of the deal but as long as you're happy. Now sleep," he said kissing the end of her nose as she snuggled into his embrace, closing her eyes again.