Title: All I Need is You
Chapter 13 - Rescue from Hell
The ride to the location of the payphone was spent in miserable silence for Stella. She was sure that Ella wasn't going to kill Mac, but even now that possibility did cross her mind and the thought of raising Mac's child alone, was almost too much to bear. Especially if Mac didn't want to give in to whatever Ella asked him as she suspected; that could bring abuot his ultimate demise. She had to quickly change her thoughts to something else as she felt a small twinge in her belly and knew her anxiety was starting to take its toll.
Mac, please hold on, I have to believe you are still alive, her mind would state over and over again. She would hear him calling to her for help and cursed the fact that Ella was probably doing things that Mac would regret allowing her to do.
He has to believe I'll forgive this, she thought again. And unlike the time when Ella showed up at the lab and said she tempted Mac in her underwear to, he was able to walk away. What if he can't now? Obviously if he was able he'd have left long ago, she told herself. Marital fidelity was never something she questioned with Mac and wasn't about to start, but the thought that Ella would be able to force herself onto her husband made her heart race even faster.
"Stella?" Jessica asked softly as she turned around and looked at her friend in concern.
"Just a few twinges but not as bad as last time," Stella replied with a slight gasp. "I am trying to picture best case scenario but I know if Mac were able to leave he would have."
"You have to believe that Mac is alive Stella."
"I do, but in what state? What if she..." Stella started and then stopped as a lump formed in her throat. "Are we there yet?"
"Almost," Flack answered. "I am hoping that this payphone will belong to a certain building, but if not we might need to do a remote activation for his phone."
"And if she hears it turn on..." Stella's voice trailed off.
"Could mean even more trouble for Mac."
"Damn it!"
Flack offered a weak smile as he brought the police issue cruiser to a complete stop and then all three looked at the lone payphone surrounded by run down apartment buildings on all sides. Stella looked up to see various lights on, not realizing that her eyes had already rested on the apartment where her husband was being kept against his will.
"Could be in any of them. How do we narrow it down and still keep the element of surprise?"
"We can't," Stella gently moaned.
"Is there any way we can remotely turn it on and then set it to silent and just keep dialing?" Jessica pondered as Flack pulled out his own phone.
"Worth a shot," Flack mentioned with a heavy frown. "Just hold on Stella, if Mac's here we'll find him."
"Yeah but what will he have to endure before then?"
XXXXXXXX
Mac had continued to pull against the handcuff willing his strength to last so he could at least find some give on the rusted headboard that he could use to his advantage and get the handcuff completely off. He had listened to Ella humming to herself in the other room and closed his eyes, willing his anger to subside so he could talk to her in a normal voice, praying she'd finally listen to reason and uncuff his wrist. But the drugs had taken over and once again his body would not listen to his brain telling him to at least try to move or flex to keep his circulation where it should be so that when he was free he could help himself in some way.
When all when quiet, however, his heart started to quicken at the thought that she was once again planning something that would lead to his mental or maybe even physical demise. He finally heard her footsteps nearing him but when he crooned his neck to see her in the doorway, he stifled a gasp at her state of undress.
"Black is your favorite right?" Ella smiled as she stood before him in just some lacy underwear.
"Ella...don't do this," Mac gently begged as she slowly walked up to him and then carefully straddled his trapped waist, her fingers instantly on his belt buckle to undo it. His free arm tried to push her away but with his lack of strength and her holding him down, his efforts were in vain.
"Oh I want to do this Mac."
"But..."
"Your body is firm Mac," Ella smiled as she tossed the belt away and undid his button and zipper, revealing dark fabric below his belly button. "Mmmm black underwear is my favorite also. Can't wait to see all of you."
"Ella, we can't..."
"Of course we can."
"Ella..." Mac lightly grunted as her weight shifted on his captive frame as she eased herself down on top of him. Controlling his desire was easy as he told himself he wasn't turned on and not about to show her that he was in any mood for love making; that intimate expression he saved only for his wife.
"Do you find me sexy Mac?" Ella whispered as her lips hungrily devoured his mouth and then moved to his ear.
"Mac?" She asked again.
"Feels um..." was all he answered, not being able to actually say the words that would betray his wife. I love Stella, his brain kept chanting over and over again. Her fingers moved around his chest, touching whatever they could land on before moving lower. His free arm finally managed to snake in between her mouth and his and he was able to push her back, offering a small gasp for air.
"Can't...breathe," he grunted.
"Sorry Mac."
Mac once again felt his body groan involuntarily as her fingers moved around his groin, but his arousal didn't respond to her touch; he simply didn't love her and wasn't about to give her something just to satisfy what she thought she needed. She didn't love him, he knew that and this paltry display was another sign that her sanity and sense of reason were rapidly waning.
"I don't care how long it takes you Mac," She smiled. Mac looked at her in disbelief. It'll never happen, his mind yelled at her. You'll be waiting a long time. "Love the way you feel beneath me Mac."
Mac kept his eyes fixed on the wall behind her, not wanting to give her further reason to think his eye movements were finding any kind of pleasure in her actions. She held his other limp arm at his side; ensuring he wasn't able to push her away. Thanks to the muscle relaxing and the morphine mix, he could do little else but wait until she let him go.
"Do I feel good on you Mac? My body on yours?" Ella whispered into his ear once more as her fingers started to mess his hair and then run up his captive arms. She turned his face to look at her once more.
"Mac, are you turned on?"
"Ella..."
"Love when you say my name Mac..."
"I want to hold you," Mac tried in desperation, knowing he could easily over power her if he was free.
"Really?"
"Yes. Yes I do. With both arms."
"This is kinda kinky Mac. Having you handcuffed like this. Do you like kinky sex? Should I use the other handcuff?" She asked with a smile, looking at him directly.
Mac gulped hard as her fingers continued to touch what they shouldn't but with the drugs and sweet liquid still playing with his brain he found it hard to concentrate as well as he wanted.
"Mac?"
"I'm an old fashioned kinda guy. Not really my thing," Mac tried. And while he knew he was more than turned on by being handcuffed at Stella's mercy, this woman wasn't his wife and he wasn't about to allow the bonds of marital bliss be broken by giving himself willingly to anything she wanted. Besides wit the other wrist cuffed he'd be doomed. He had to believe she'd listen.
"Old fashioned, I like that," Ella smiled was about to kiss him once more. But just as her lips nears his, her phone rang and the mood was broken, much to Mac's relief.
"Damn it!" She angrily cursed as she looked down at Mac with a frown. "It can wait."
"Could be important," Mac tried, wanting more than anything for her to get off him. "Please answer it, for me?"
"Okay but then when I get back can I take your pants and shirt off?"
"All the way off?" Mac queried, knowing she'd have to uncuff him completely to do so.
"But Mac..."
"Ella, I can barely move as it is but I really want to feel both of my arms holding you."
"You do?"
"I do," he lied, his heart racing at the thought of near freedom. "If you undo this cuff I'll let you undress me."
"I'd like that. Be right back."
Ella offered a large smile as pushed herself off his captive frame and hurried to get her phone, passing by Mac's phone that was now on and ringing in silent mode.
"Hey baby," Carl greeted her. "I miss you. When are you coming home?"
"Carl, where are you?"
"Right around the corner."
"What?"
Ella raced to the window, thinking that Carl was actually outside her apartment but he wasn't; his implication was that he could be wherever she needed when she needed. However when she looked outside, she caught sight of Stella Taylor, Mac's wife across the street, looking up.
"Damn you Carl! You brought her!"
"Who? What are you talking about?"
"Stella! You brought her here?"
Stella! Mac's mind called out!
"Ella, I have no idea where you are. I am at home. I meant right around the corner as in I can be there if you need me to right now."
"She's here on her own then?" Ella huffed.
"Who?"
"How the hell did she find me!"
"Ella what are you talking about? Who?"
"Damn that woman!" Ella hissed as she closed her phone instantly and then looked in Mac's direction in a panic. "If they find me with him, I'll go to jail." She hurried to the stove and turned it off and then rushed for her jeans and sweater, getting dressed in a panic.
"I hate that woman!" Ella mumbled over and over again, referring to the woman she now blamed for finding Mac and once again taking him away from her.
"I have to leave and then come back...yeah leave here for a bit and then come back when they have gone. If they don't find me, they won't find Mac."
After she was dressed, Ella grabbed another small needle and then hurried back to Mac's room, telling herself that if she drugs him again and leaves him in the locked room and goes out, the cops will leave and then Mac will be hers. She knows she only had one shot of the knock out drugs, but she didn't count on Stella finding them so fast so she'd have to use the one with the heavy sedative and hope that it would keep Mac sedated enough to be quiet and she got back.
"Ella, what is going on?" Mac asked as he looked at the items in her hands.
"Have to go out for a bit my love. We'll have to have sex when I get back," she mentioned in haste as sat down beside him. Mac tried to push her away as she went to cuff his other wrist to the bed. His free arm shot out and held her at bay, a surge of adrenaline starting to finally help him; however, his sterngth wasn't what it should be and he soon found himself tiring out. Ella tried to pull away, but Mac's fingers dug further into the sweater and yanked her back.
"Let go Mac! I have to go out for a bit."
"Let me come with you," Mac stated as he felt his body heating up as she struggled to pull herself free. Ella managed to twist herself around onto his body pressing into the fresh stitching on his side and forcing his side to constrict and his grasp to loosen. This allowed her to finally get away.
"Time to rest now Mac. Please...this is for us."
"Ella, don't do this!"
"I have to go out for a bit Mac. But I'll be back soon. You just need to rest for a bit okay?"
But he felt his panic starting to rise further when she produced a small needle. She leaned in and kiss him on the cheek and then pulled back with a smile.
"Just some morphine Mac, it'll help you rest. I'm sorry I don't have anything else," she smiled as she prepared to push the needle into his neck.
"NO!" Mac growled in anger, shaking his head from side to side but Ella just smiled and continued with her actions.
"Don't worry Mac, it'll make you feel better. I promise. It made me feel better in the institution. You'll have no pain and feel really sleepy and warm. I have to go out for a bit. Something has come up and..I can't let anyone find you..."
Stella! Mac's mind yelled. Stella is here!
Mac felt the needle point enter his skin; but just as she had gotten only half of the contents into his vein, he moved his neck, snapped the tip of the needle, leaving the rest of the drugs inside the syringe.
"Stella..."
"She can't have you!"
"Listen to...me Ella..." Mac tried, his body slowing down again. But if Stella was here, his freedom was almost assured and Ella could soon be arrested.
"Damn it Mac!" Ella cursed, knowing she was out of time. She leaned and kissed his cheek once more. "I'll be back a bit later. Just go to sleep now okay?"
Mac looked at her in anger and hatred, but as he felt the drugs starting to once again assault his system he could to little more but lie back in a dazed stupor, no fight or energy left to warn anyone as to his whereabouts. Ella fixed his wrist in the other cuff, turned off the light, locked the door, grabbed her jacket and purse and rushed for the door.
"Damn you Stella Taylor, you will pay for this!"
XXXXXXXX
Stella had been looking up at an apartment and for a split second could have sworn she saw Ella looking back down. But knowing that is what she wanted to see she gave her head a shake. You want it to be her, Stella's mind told her. But when she looked back up the apartment was now dark and an odd feeling started to grip her; a feeling she knew she just couldn't ignore as a passing whim.
"I think I know where Mac could be," Stella mentioned.
"How?" Flack asked in surprise.
"Women's intuition and don't you dare call me on that," she added firmly.
"But..."
"Don, please don't. Your men have canvassed this area but I think we are on the wrong side of the street."
"But.."
"Stella, just lead the way," Jessica added in haste; forcing Flack to look at her in wonder. "Trust me if it was you up...well wherever...I'd listen to Aliens."
"Right," he smirked. "Stella, where?"
Stella nodded to the building across the street as she waited for the traffic to pass and then hurried for the run down building, Flack and Jessica right behind her. But just as they reached the front entrance, Stella caught a glimpse of blond and looked at the two with her.
"I think that was her."
"I'll get her," Jessica told them as turned on her heel and then raced toward the back entrance.
"What floor Stella?"
"Fourth."
Both hurried up the stairs, Stella calling Danny on the way to take Mac's phone off silent and have it ring normally so she could hear where it was coming from. They reached the quiet fourth floor and stopped to listen. Sadly instead of only one phone ringing, they heard two.
"I'll take the one at the end," Flack told her as he pulled his gun.
Stella neared the first door on the left, the door to the apartment that not only faced the street but housed her beloved husband. She heard Flack knocking on the door but when she tried the handle to the apartment she was in front of, it opened.
"Mac?" Stella called out as she peered into the darkened room before her. Her ears strained to pick out faint muffled sounds coming from the apartment causing her to flip the light switch and look inside further.
"Mac!" Stella called again as she carefully made her way inside; gun drawn, heart racing.
"St...el...la..." Mac tried, his throat raw and dry; sound unable to be heard. But thanks to the drugs he could only feel his eyes water at the fact that he might be overlooked and trapped for good. Stella! His mind tried again.
She looked around and finally spied Mac's coat hanging behind the door. "Mac..." she whispered as she turned and headed toward the kitchen. His phone buzzed to life once more, a few feet from her left hand, causing her to jump back a bit before she grabbed the phone and briefly talked to Danny before she listened once more. The door to the room Mac was in was at an angle and at first glance appeared to be a wall.
"Stella?"
"Don, he's gone," Stella lightly lamented. "But his things are here. Do you think she killed him and um..."
"He's not dead. We'll find him," Flack assured her as he headed toward the bathroom to inspect. Stella walked a few more feet in the direction of Mac's bedroom and frowned when her eyes finally rested on the small closed door. She hurried toward it, found it locked, quickly pulled the lock out and then opened it with a gasp.
"Mac! Don I found him," she called out frantically as she flipped on the light and gasped at the sight of her husband. Cuffed to the bed, clothes askew, pants open, smelling like something sweet with lipstick traces on exposed skin. But it was his lifeless expression that worried her most. Mac's weary eyes looked at her but thanks to the drugs in his system, he had no fight. She quickly sat down beside him as Flack rushed into the room.
Stella, his mind breathed as he felt his chest offer a heavy sigh of relief. His eyes begged her for help and was thankful that when he felt her sit down beside him that it wasn't a dream.
"Ste...lla..." Mac whispered hoarsely.
"Mac, I found you," Stella whispered as her eyes blinked away fresh tears. "Hold on."
"Hold on Mac, we'll get you out," Flack told his friend as he hurried to uncuff one of Mac's wrists.
"Sorry..." Mac tried again.
"What did she give you?"
"Morphine. Muscle relaxant...strong sedative...not sure what else," Mac tried with a slight intake of breath. His stomach was sick from the drugs but his system refused to work the way he wanted it. He could feel Flack freeing his wrists as Stella zipped up his pants and then started on his shirt, but he couldn't get his watery eyes to focus clearly or his head to stop spinning.
"Feel...sick..." Mac mumbled as Flack finally uncuffed the second wrist and finally allowed Mac to curl on his side and throw up whatever his stomach could afford. Stella gently rubbed his back as Flack heard someone enter the apartment and went to investigate.
"Are you okay to get up?"
"No."
"I know Mac but you have to. We are going home, okay?"
"Okay."
"Stella, Jess and I will help him. You get his things," Flack told Stella. Stella hurried to get his shoes while Flack and Jessica gently lifted Mac into a sitting position.
"How you feelin' Mac?"
"Dizzy," Mac answered with a frown. "Sick."
"Morphine withdrawals are killer," Flack frowned. "Sadly he'll have to wait it out without help. Sorry."
"Don't be...sorry," Mac huffed as he looked down as Stella finished with his shoes. "Stella...I'm sorry...I missed..." he managed.
Stella gently touched his cheek and offered a tense smile. "You're safe now Mac. Let's go home."
Mac simply offered a small nod but then a sharp gasp as Flack and Jessica forced him upright to leave. He closed his eyes, willing the room to stop moving and his head to stop pounding. But as he slowly opened them again, praying for them to focus properly his body refused to cooperate. Stella followed behind as they slowly walked Mac out of the room, an officer already on his way up to stand guard over the apartment in case Ella McBride decided to return.
"Where is she?"
"She got away on me," Jessica informed them in remorse.
"She can't hide forever," Flack tried to assure them as they slowly made their way down the stairs with Mac held firmly in their arms. "We'll get her and she'll be arrested this time."
Mac's body naturally grunted as he tried to will himself the strength to walk on his own, but his brain refused to send the correct signals to his legs; forcing his mind to curse his ineptness. They finally made it down to the street and then Stella helped Mac into the back of the car while Jessica got in the front and all three waited while Flack gave a few more instructions to the arriving officers.
Stella brushed aside some sweaty strands and kissed Mac's forehead, trying to get her mind to erase the image of him bound to the bed with his pants open. But the smell of Mac's sweat mixed with Ella's own scent and perfume made her stomach lurch and she had to force herself to believe that she scared Ella away before she could force Mac into sexual compromise.
The ride back to their new apartment was spent mostly in frustration as Don and Jessica talked to each other in low tones and Stella tried to hush Mac from his angry curses in Ella's name. They finally reached home and were thankful the elevator was working as climbing ten flights with a Mac's dead weight in their arms wasn't something they would relish in.
"Stella, you going to be okay?" Flack asked in concern as he helped Mac lay down on their bed and then stood up to face her.
"I'll be much better now that I know my husband is safe," she answered with a strained frown.
"We have an officer out back and one out front, just in case. You won't have to live like this forever, but we don't want to take any chances tonight," Flack told her before Jessica offered her one more hug and then both took their leave, Flack promising to come back the following day to see how Mac was doing.
Stella locked their front door and then hurried back to find Mac trying to get himself upright.
"Mac?"
"Need to...sit up," he managed with a heavy frown, looking at her in remorse. Stella helped him sit up only to have Mac lean to one side, grab the nearby bowl and throw up the rest of the drugs still dancing around in his system. Stella rubbed his back and then helped him lie back down.
"Please just rest."
"Missed the...exam," he stated in misery, his watery eyes begging hers for forgiveness. "Sorry."
"I rescheduled Mac," Stella assured him. "I wasn't going to have that without you."
"Thank you." Mac's lips offered a slight smirk which ended up more like a grimace but Stella understood that he was happy she didn't do it without him.
"We are in this together Mac. Now just rest and I am going to get you cleaned up."
"Stella, please rest...with me," Mac begged as he looked at her slightly trembling hands.
Stella's watery eyes looked away, not wanting to show weakness right now as she knew she needed to be strong in order to help him through the next few hours. He gently touched her hand and a tear escaped his own eye as he looked at her saddened state. "Stella," Mac whispered. "I'm so...sorry."
"I thought I lost you Mac," Stella stated as she leaned in and hugged him close, wrapping her arms around his slightly shaking body and holding him tightly against her.
"I love you," he told her in truth as best he could, forcing a smile to automatically form upon her tired lips. "What can I do?"
"Please just close your eyes and rest, that's the best way you can help me right now."
Mac offered a small nod with his head and then smiled when Stella planted a warm kiss on his closed eyes. Stella gently pushed herself up off the bed and slowly headed into the kitchen to allow Mac some rest, praying his body would quickly dispel the rest of the drugs and he could eat and shower. She slowly sat down in a nearby chair, folded her arms on the surface, buried her head and allowed herself to expel whatever fluid emotion needed to come out. Finally she felt the twinge in her stomach starting to ease and knew it was time for a small snack.
An hour later she slowly headed back into the bedroom to see Mac on his side but still asleep. She quickly changed and then carefully eased herself beside him, covering his body with another blanket but thankful that his shaking had stopped. Maybe she didn't give him very much, Stella's mind pondered as she studied the tense expression on her husband's handsome face.
Mac's slightly parted lips offered whispered curses but this time she couldn't fault him or herself when she heard Ella's name whispered in contempt. She couldn't imagine the horror he must have felt when she first drugged him and then him waking up to find he was trapped and unable to escape.
She knew how seriously Mac took personal things in his life and for him to be unable to attend the first ultrasound test she knew he would have blamed himself; probably adding to the already tension his stomach was feeling inside. Also adding to that was the fact that Ella had also caused her so much pain before she knew Mac would also allow that to affect him.
No wonder he's sick, she thought as she gently touched his cheek. She closed her eyes and didn't allow herself to awaken until a few hours later when Mac's angry cry forced her wide awake; pulling himself from a dream where Ella had succeeded in forcing him to have sex with her.
"Mac?" She asked in concern.
Mac's eyes finally focused on his wife as he frantically looked around to ensure that he was safe at home.
"You're safe with me Mac," Stella smiled as she touched his face once more.
"Stella I'm so sorry that I missed..." he started off in a frantic ramble forcing her to place a warm finger on his flushed lips to stop his unnecessary apology.
"Nothing to be sorry for Mac, you didn't miss on purpose."
"I'm sorry I worried you, are you okay?"
"I am now," she assured him.
"How are you feeling?"
"Mac, you need to rest."
"Stella, tell me please. Are you okay?"
"Just some cramping Mac, but it's not as bad as last time."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I called Dr. Marsh but don't worry she said as long as there is no bleeding I'll be fine. I'm okay Mac. I knew it was her and I knew you'd be safe," she stated in half truth, mostly to soothe her own rattled nerves.
Mac looked at her in misery, his heart in agony that he could have caused her any more pain.
"Mac, do you um..."
"Stella, I didn't have sex with her."
Stella looked at the expression on his face and knew he wasn't just telling her what she wanted to hear, it was the truth and for that she was thankful. "Because when I found you, your um...well your underwear was..."
"She tried but...she didn't. There wasn't time. I hated feeling like that. But I didn't give her or tell her anything that would betray our love."
"I know Mac."
"I tried to reason with her," Mac admitted with a heavy sigh. "She's not mentally stable any longer. She blows hot and cold for no reason. It was a fake call that got me there. A call about a case and..."
"Don called the clerk's office; that much we knew. Just wasn't sure until I saw the drugs how she got you to stay."
"That was the only way Stella, I told her I had to go and she then took drastic measures with the drugs. Damn her."
"We can talk more tomorrow Mac, you need to rest now."
"I didn't cheat Stella, I give you my word."
"I believe you Mac," Stella smiled as she leaned in and kissed his lips. "You smell like her."
"I need a shower, I want her off me," Mac grunted as he slowly sat up, the room still spinning.
"What did she give you?"
"Drugs and iced tea."
"Sugar."
"Bad combo," Mac frowned. "But I am a bit hungry."
"Just rest here and I'll make us something. Are you sure? You might throw up again."
"I'm not a junkie Stella, my system wasn't affected as much. Trust me. Did you eat?"
"I'm always hungry. Or should I say we are always hungry," she smiled and he finally rewarded her with a slight smile. "Be right back."
Mac watched her leave and then allowed himself to offer a heavy exhale, closing his eyes and once again willing the room to finally come to a complete stop. Thankfully when he opened his eyes next the room had stopped but his head was still pounding and his stomach still tender. He didn't feel like eating but was thankful that he was only given a small amount of the drugs so he was sure whatever he put into his stomach would stay down.
He looked down as his rumpled clothing and then cursed when he looked at his chaffed wrist. He slowly eased off his dress shirt and was thankful Ella wasn't allowed to tamper with the stitching on his side as he feared she would. His mind flashed images of Ella's hand on his groin and he felt his stomach start to tighten and so quickly cast his eyes to a nearby picture of him and Stella and picked it up, forcing his brain to latch onto that happy memory. He finally looked up to see Stella leaning on the post watching him.
"Was worried," were the two small words she offered that slammed him hard in the gut.
"Come here," he begged as he extended his hand to her.
Stella walked up to her husband and grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull her into his embrace.
"Feels good to hold you Stella," he whispered as he kissed her cheek.
"When I was waiting in the clinic and then Flack told me you had already left I um..."
"Stella I'm sorry."
"I thought something bad had happened and..." her voice trailed off in a slight sob, forcing Mac's arms to wrap around her tighter as her eyes flooded with tears. "I love you Mac, so much and I just thought that...I'm not weak and..."
"Your love and concern for me is never a sign of weakness. Don't you always say that to me?"
"Thought I lost you Mac."
"I'm not going anywhere Stella."
"Came to close tonight."
"We've been close before Stella but we survived that and this. The cops will pick up Ella and she'll be reassessed for further..."
"Treatment didn't help her before," Stella mumbled in anger. "She's beyond help."
"I might have argued that point before, but I believe you."
"I know you like to give people the benefit of the doubt if you can but..."
"Stella, my first priority is to my family, remember?" He asked with a soft smile as he gently raised her face to look at his. "You are my life. Protocol be damned this time."
Stella gently kissed his warm lips and offered a small smile as the over timer dinged. "Be right back. You need to eat and then shower and then rest."
"In that order?" He asked with a slight smirk.
"In that order."
Mac watched her leave and a smile formed upon his lips as his eyes took in his wife's body as she moved away from him. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever known, inside and out and wasn't ever going to let anyone destroy his last chance at future happiness, especially a woman he didn't care about at all.
His mind started to find some rest as he heard Stella humming to herself in the kitchen and then watched in simple amazement as she entered with two plates of food. He could tell by the way she tried to hide her grimaces that she was in pain and his heart once again ached that he was, for even one second, responsible in some way.
"Please come and rest with me, I know you are hurting," Mac insisted.
"The pain is easing now Mac."
"Is our um...baby going to be okay?"
"I haven't lost any blood yet Mac, so that means our baby is still safe and sound right here," Stella gently rubbed her belly, forcing Mac to once again lean in close and plant a warm kiss on her tender skin. "Mac, please eat now."
Although it did hurt a bit to eat, Mac knew he had to force himself to take in some nourishment and get his strength back up in order to be the one his wife now relied on to take care of her. They talked about when the next appointment was going to be and Mac was thankful he only had to wait two days and then they would both see the first picture of the miracle they created together.
However, as Mac continued to slowly eat his meal, his mind now wondered where Ella was and in what mental state she was in. He watched Stella's tense movements and knew this whole ordeal, while only lasting, thankfully a few hours had started to take its toll on her and she needed to rest. But he also knew that she wouldn't rest until he had washed off any residue of Ella McBride.
"Supper was amazing and now I'm going to take a shower."
"Mac you can wait..."
"Trust me Stella, I want her off me as much as you do," Mac told her and Stella's face relaxed a little bit more. She offered him a small nod and then he quickly put the plate down and gently pushed himself off the bed, took some fresh clothes to sleep in and headed for the bathroom; while Stella finished her dinner, put the dishes away and then got herself ready for bed.
The hot water made Mac feel dizzy again and so while effective in washing Ella McBride away, it didn't last as long as he didn't want to pass out and give Stella something else to worry about. And while his wrist did sting from the hot water, he was thankful his useless pulling attempts didn't actually cut the skin. He finished his shower, tossed the dirty clothing and then headed back into the bedroom to see his wife waiting for him already in bed with a smile on her face.
"Time to rest," Stella urged with a kind smile as she pulled the covers back for him. Mac happily climbed in beside his wife and pulled her close, kissing her on the lips and offering her a contented smile with a slight frown. Stella took his wrist and it them with a frown.
"So after she um...well did what she did and..."
"Stella?"
"Did she ruin our intimate fun Mac? I mean after that whole ordeal will you still be turned on if I use the black furry handcuffs?" She asked quietly.
"Of course."
"Mac...if you are saying that only to..."
Mac gently guided her lips to his and warmly tasted them before pulling back with a warm smile. "Stella Taylor, I love you and only you. And no matter what happened tonight, I am not going to let anyone ruin anything for us. She'll never mean anything to me Stella, my heart and my life belong to you. Always."
Ella raced further into the night and only stopped when she found a small darkened building and pushed her way inside, find some hidden solace in the private laundry facility. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall, cursing the name of Stella Taylor with every breath she drew.
"That bitch ruined it for me!" Ella stated in a huff. "Mac was going to have dinner with me willingly and then he said he wanted to hold me while we had sex! He was going to stay with me and she ruined it!"
Ella banged her head back against the wall in angry frustration, her fists balled tightly as her mind served up images of Stella's face looking up at her from across the street.
"He was going to stay with me," she chanted over and over again. "I made him love me and he wanted to have sex with me willingly."
She heard her phone ring and offered a slight gasp as she jumped in the dimly lit room; pulling it from her purse and answering it in haste.
"Carl you ruined everything!"
"Ella what is going on with you? Where are you? And who is Stella?"
"I need to take back my life Carl."
"I'm not stopping you Ella but you are scaring me now. You have that tone."
"What tone?"
"The tone that landed you in solitary for a few days when you were in Albany."
"I HATE THAT PLACE!" Ella yelled into the phone and then quickly hushed herself for fear of making herself known prematurely. "Never mention it again."
"Okay baby I'm sorry. Where are you?"
"It's all her fault!"
"Who?"
"That bitch that stole the man I love!"
"Molly?" Carl asked, referring the woman that had tried to befriend Ella in the rehab center.
"Stella!"
"Who? Who's Stella?"
"She ruined everything. He doesn't need her."
"He? He who? Ella calm down and talk to me. What is going on?"
"Carl I um...I'm going to ensure my future happiness. I have to go now."
"Okay that sounds like a good plan. How are you going to do that?"
"By getting rid of the one person that stands between me and the man I love," she stated before she snapped her phone closed. "If I get rid of Stella Taylor then I'll never have to worry about her taking him away from me again."
Ella finally found something to smile about and as the darkness started to consume her, her mind finally settled on a plan to rid herself once and for all of the one person who was her perceived biggest threat, Mac's wife; Stella Taylor.
"Once she's dead, Mac will be with me forever."
A/N: Okay guys so this is me and you know I would never kill my Stella. But what do you think Ella will do?