Disclaimer - I do not own CSI New York or any of it's characters!
Chapter Eleven
When Stella came home from work Tuesday evening, she found Madeline curled up on the sofa underneath a blanket. Stella's brow furrowed with concern, Madeline had seemed fine at lunch time.
"Hey sweetie, what's wrong?" Stella asked as she kissed Madeline on the top of her head.
"I don't know. I just started feeling awful a couple of hours ago. My head hurts and I threw up after I had dinner." Madeline said.
Stella put her hand across Madeline's forehead, it felt like fire under her cool hands.
"Woah, you're burning up!" Stella exclaimed.
She ran off to the kitchen and got a glass of water, and then she went into the bathroom and got a cold flannel. She brought both things back to the living room and handed them to Madeline.
"Here, drink this and put this on your head. Do you think it was something you ate at lunch?" Stella sat down on the sofa and pulled off her shoes.
"Could be, but we had the same thing. Why aren't you ill?" Madeline asked, turning her body so that she was facing Stella.
Madeline stretched her legs out and laid them across Stella's lap.
"Hmm, could just be a bug. If you're not better by tomorrow I'll take you to the doctors." Stella replied, placing her hand on top of Madeline's.
That night Stella slept on the sofa, leaving Madeline the double bed in Stella's room. Previously they had been sharing the bed but Stella felt it was better to leave Madeline the space since she was ill. Stella heard Madeline get up a few times in the night to go the bathroom. Occasionally she would check on her but Madeline was only sick once more. After that she fell asleep and stayed asleep.
In the morning, Stella forced herself up off the sofa. She was due to start work at 9 o'clock, it was half 7 now and factoring in about half an hour for travel, she only had an hour to get ready and make sure Madeline was okay.
Stella pushed open her bedroom door. Madeline was sitting up in bed reading an old magazine. The colour was back in her face but she looked extremely tired.
"How're you feeling today?" Stella asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"Not great but not as bad as yesterday. I didn't really sleep last night. My stomach and my head still hurt but I'll be okay."
"You sure you don't need to go to the doctors or anything? I can take the day off if you want me to stay home with you?"
"No it's fine, thanks anyway though." Madeline smiled. She turned away and carried on reading her magazine.
Stella got up off the edge of the bed and walked over to the wardrobe. She pulled out a pair of black trousers and a dark green shirt. She took them both to the bathroom and got changed. Just as she was about to leave the room, the door flew open, almost knocking her backwards. Madeline burst into the room and dropped down beside the toilet where she was promptly sick.
"Oh, sweetie" Madeline sighed.
She knelt down next to Madeline and pulled her hair back out of her face. She grabbed a hair tie off of the edge of the sink and tied Madeline's hair up in a ponytail. Stella stood up and walked into her bedroom, where she picked up Madeline's water bottle and brought it back into the bathroom.
Stella sat back down on the floor and handed Madeline the bottle. Madeline took a big gulp of water and spat it back out again. There were little beads of sweat on her forehead.
"Feel better now?" Stella asked as she grabbed the flannel from the sink and wiped Madeline's forehead.
"Actually, I do. I think I'm just going to shower and then go back to bed." Madeline got up off the floor and flushed the chain. She brushed her teeth and washed her hands.
Stella sat down on the edge of the bath and looked at Madeline.
"I'll call Mac; I'll stay home with you today. We'll go to the doctors this afternoon." Stella stated. She stood up and began to walk towards the door.
"No, don't. It's just a migraine, it's happened before. I'll sleep for a few hours and then I'll be fine. Promise. If I'm still ill, then you can take me to the doctors. Yes?" Madeline reasoned.
Stella looked at her for a minute. She didn't seem too worried, and if it had happened before then maybe she would be okay. Stella followed Madeline into the bedroom. Madeline climbed into the bed and Stella leant against the door frame.
"Fine, but if at any point during the day you feel even the slightest bit ill, call me. I'll come home around 1 and check on you. I'm serious Madeline; if you're ill in any way at all, you need to call me." Stella ordered.
"Yes detective." Madeline smiled and stuck her tongue out.
"You're cute." Stella smiled back. She picked a pillow up off the bedroom floor and chucked it at Madeline. "I'll see you later." She called out as she left the apartment.
The weather was pleasant so Stella decided to walk to work. On her way she thought over how her life had changed since last week. Her whole world had been turned upside down. This time last week she had been quite content living alone in New York City. She had a lovely apartment, a great group of friends and a job that she absolutely loved. Of course she had always had a daughter, but she was never a mother until a few days ago. Now she had an 18 year old who seemed to have taken over all of that.
Stella felt a stab of guilt for thinking like that. She wasn't angry at Madeline for being there; in fact, she kind of liked having her around, but to go from living alone in a quiet place to living with a hormonal young girl? It was all very intense. As Stella rounded the corner towards the office, her phone beeped in her bag. It was a text message from Madeline.
"Medical Update: Nothing happened like I said it would. I'm going to shower x'
She smiled at her phone and dropped it back into her bag.
Stella worked hard that morning. It was the first time since Madeline arrived that she was actually able to concentrate on work. Every half hour she would check her phone, but she only got one more message from Madeline that said she was going to try and sleep. Aside from that she heard nothing. Stella was sat at her desk reading over a case file when Mac walked into the room.
"You busy?" He asked, sitting down at the desk.
Stella looked up from her work and smiled.
"Well yeah, but apparently that's what I do now, forget about my responsibilities." She smiled half-heartedly.
Mac could see it in her eyes that something was bothering her. Her beautiful green eyes had sort of lost their shine.
"Paperwork can wait Stella, c'mon, I'll take you out for lunch." Mac smiled.
He left her office and walked to get his coat from his own. Stella sat back in her chair her heart sank a little. She had the feeling that was lunch was going to turn into a confessional. It was easy for Mac to read Stella, like he always knew what she was thinking, and Stella was totally aware of this. She took a deep breath and stood up. Stella put her jacket on and grabbed her bag, taking one last look at her phone.
"Stella?" Mac called out from down the hallway.
"I'll be right there!" She shouted back.