Author: Merrianna

Story: From Tragedy Love: 3 of ?

Series: A Crime Lab Romance

Spoiler: Anything that has happen before "All Access".

Note: I thank Sam for betaing this story for me. I couldn't not have done it with Sam's continued encouragment.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive. samwise_baggins@yahoo.co.uk

Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/samwise_baggins/index.html

Stella fought against the blankets as she sat up from the grip of her dream. Her green eyes were unfocused and her hair hung limply with perspiration. The nightmare had left her shaking and gasping for air.

"Stella," a worried masculine voice came out of the semi-dark room. With a cry of fear the brunette attacked, only to be caught up against a firm body, strong arms wrapping around her, holding down her arms. The distraught woman struggled on. "Stella, it's me. It's Mac. It's okay; no one is going to hurt you."

Shuddering, Stella wilted into Mac's embrace, wrapping her own arms around him. "I'm sorry."

Stella clutched on to Mac like a lifeline. She gave herself to the strength and warmth of his embrace. It was only at that moment that the terror of the past few days started to fade. She was safe.

Her arms tightened around Mac's waist as she buried her face into his shoulder. The smell of bath soap and the musky scent of the man filled her senses, chasing away the memories of blood and the stale stench of fear-based sweat. She was frightened by the strength of her emotions, something she normally accepted. There had always been an outlet, whether it was crying, shouting, laughing or any other number of different reactions; this time she was afraid to let go. Stella's emotional control was in tatters and her normally strong defenses were crumbled at her feet.

Mac stroked a hand up and down the distressed woman's back, the other caressing the mass of brown curls, trying to sooth her along with his whispered words. As words spilled out, Mac couldn't help but wonder what Stella would have done if she'd actually stayed at her apartment. He knew that Stella was a strong woman and it took a great deal to bring her down. But even strong people had their limits; he only wished that it hadn't happen to such a spirited individual as Stella.

They sat within each other’s arms for what seemed like hours. In reality only twenty minutes had passed. Mac could feel the tension begin to drain out of his partner. She hadn't cried, just reflexively clutched on to him. He didn't press just waiting for her to either start talking or pull away, wanting to avoid what was bothering her. Stella eventually let out a steadying breath but she didn't pull away, as if in doing so she would lose the courage to talk about the incident.

"Jesus. Mac, I thought that he was going to kill me. If Frankie had known more about guns he would have shot me. I was just luck he'd never handled a gun before." Stella's voice hitched at the end as the memories of the attack still clouded her mind. She tightened her hold on him once more as if he was her anchor to stem the tide least she get carried away.

Mac swallowed away a lump that had formed in his throat. He'd only read the reports and had imaged what Stella had gone through, but hearing her going through it once again, though it was from a relived nightmare was horrible. It had been heartbreaking losing Claire; he hadn't thought he could go through something like that again. It wasn't until now that he'd realized how deeply Stella had gotten past his barriers.

"Stella, you're alive. Don't dwell on the might haves. You're here and really that's all that matters." Mac's voice was rough with emotion that he couldn't hold back. A feeling of possessiveness came over him that he was unable to stop. If Frankie had still been alive, Mac was certain that he would have made him wish he wasn't. It was cold comfort for himself that Stella had been able to take the man out. The problem was that she had killed and now that everything was over, she would begin to doubt herself and whether it had been the right thing to do.

"I know, but he got into my apartment. He'd never been to my apartment before. He was able to get in. I'm a CSI God damn it! I should have known. After the internet thing, I shouldn't have underestimated him." The words came out of Stella almost incoherently.

Mac frowned, puzzled by part of Stella's words. "What do you mean after the internet thing?" The words came out soft, but in Mac's best boss's tone.

Stella responded, not noticing the tightness that had come into her friend’s voice. "Frankie had been upset the night you had been working on the Sonny Sossano case and I got called in to work a different one. To apologize he gave me a sculpture. He said it was based on a Bolivian myth named Aresanob. When I got home that night I tried looking it up on the Internet. At first I had spelt in wrong then I realized it was my name backwards..." Stella's voice trailed off as she stifled a sob that wanted to escape.

Mac waited, knowing that with Stella having said that much she would ultimately finish her story. He just continued to hold her, offering support, though it still didn't feel like enough.

Several minutes later, Stella continued. "Frankie had created a website that..." she paused and took another breath before finishing the tale.”He had video tape us in bed and put it on the Internet." Stella's voice held anger and embarrassment.

Mac froze in shock at first then a little hurt that Stella hadn't gone to him with the incident. Anger quickly replaced both feelings as the extent of Frankie crimes came to light. The man had violated Stella in every way: Her trust, her home, and her body. Mac really wished the bastard was alive so he could make him pay.

Even in Stella's emotional turmoil she felt the shifting emotions that conveyed themselves from Mac's body. "Mac?"

"Why didn't you tell me about this before now?" Mac's voice was tightly controlled; he didn't want to hurt Stella but he needed an answer, because she hadn't confided in him.

Stella tried to pull away, but Mac wouldn't let go so she avoided looking to his eyes, "I just wanted it to go away. I broke up with him and threw the statue out. I didn't want anybody to see it," she whispered in reply.

Mac allowed her to evade his eyes, knowing that she was more than likely embarrassed. "Stella, I would've helped you whether it was to press charges or just to give you moral support. I may have been dealing with a lot of other things, but I always have time for you."

Stella sagged against him once more, burying her head into his shoulder. She knew she couldn't answer why she hadn't gone to Mac. He was the one person who's respect she coveted more than anyone else's. She felt close to Mac since the first time they met. They had fit together as partners even through the rough patches. She had always ignored the obvious physical attraction she had felt, knowing that he was happily married. That only increased when she had met Claire. They had become fast friends, with Mac and shopping being their common interests. It had been difficult when she died; Stella was aware that she had to be there for Mac and silently grief for her friend herself. Added to the fact that Claire was gone, that attraction had begged to come out. She had been often caught unawares by her own actions and was only grateful that Mac hadn't realized the displays were anything other than friendly gestures.

Mac held her a little closer, wanting to let Stella know that he wasn't angry with her. Their proximaty finally stirred up other feelings other than comfort and unfortunately his body chose that moment to remember that it was only human with specific needs.

The way they were positioned eventually seeped into Stella thoughts and the memory of the bath came to the fore of her mind. Stella pulled back and took a chance, lifting her gaze to meet that of her partner.

Looking up into Mac's blue eyes, Stella saw desire and love reflected within. She reached up with a trembling bandaged hand to caress down his roughened cheek, sliding it around his neck. Slowly she leaned forward, brushing her lips softly against his, searching for a response. With a low moan, Mac's lips parted as he pulled her closer and deepened kiss. His tongue teased along her lips encouraging her to let him in. At the first questing touch, she parted her lips, allowing him access. Their tongues caressed over each other: exploring, tasting, and driving themselves crazy with wanting.

In the back of Mac's mind, he knew that this was exactly why he'd been distancing himself from her, but Stella's response demolished his good intentions. The morning would be soon enough to have misgivings.

Mac’s fingers tangled into her curly hair, kneading the back of her neck, which invoked a mewl of pleasure from the statuesque brunette. She leaned backward into the massage and pressed her clothed upper body into Mac's solid chest. They both moan as they savored the feel of the other.

Mac pulled Stella forward for another soul-searing kiss. The action caused her to tumble into his lap, straddling him. Stella gasped into his mouth as she felt the extent of Mac's arousal through the sweat pants he wore.

Continuing the kiss, Mac let the backs of his fingers graze over her hidden flesh as he released the buttons of Stella's shirt.

Drawing back, Mac slowly glided his hands down from Stella's neck under the fabric of the parted shirt, sliding it off her shoulders and arms and finally removing it completely. The vision that sat before him once more took away all coherent thought. He drank in the nude beauty that he'd exposed before him.

As he gazed at Stella in the dim light, he could see bruising from her hips up to her collarbone. He could imagine that it was from when Frankie had dragged her across her apartment floor to the bathroom and over the steps along the way. Mac lightly caressed the marred flesh with callused fingertips. He bent forward as far as he could to place tender kisses where the damage had been done. He worked his way up her body, tenderly exploring the ill-treated skin with fingers and lips everywhere he could reach.

Stella sighed in pleasure at the attention he was lavishing on her. Her body tingled at the contact and when she realized what he was doing, a wave of love and affection swamped her. Tears finally slid down her cheeks as, for the first time, she felt cherished... not just a piece of ass that men merely wanted to get in the sack. Her breath came in pants as she ran her hands from Mac's hair, over his shoulders, down his back, and up again.

When Mac's journey came to the tops of Stella's breasts, he felt a tug on either side of his head. He initially ignore it as he paid homage to her glorious orbs by cupping the undersides while using his thumbs to lightly brush over her. He placed kisses from one side to the other just above were his hands where. In between kisses, Mac's heated, moist breath would drift down, making her arch further into his hands as they would contract and release. Again she tugged; this time he allowed himself to be pulled up.

Quickly Stella brought her mouth over his lips, tasting, then plunging her tongue urgently into his mouth. She crushed herself into him, desperately wanting to reciprocate. Uncaring of her bandaged hands, Stella raked her fingers over Mac's shoulders, down his back, until she reached the waist band of his sweatpants. With a frustrated groan she pulled away, staring hungrily into her partner's blue eyes. Without words, they separated briefly to let Mac divested himself of the garment and the underwear beneath. Stella watched, trailing the tip of her tongue across swollen lips.

Mac's body throbbed in reaction to the scrutiny of Stella's green eyes and her demonstration of desire. He had difficulty staying in control. The thought was never very far away in his mind that it had only been a few days since she had been attacked. He didn't want to scare Stella. She was making it clear that she wasn't thinking at all.

Mac laid down, letting Stella take control of the situation. He knew even if she didn't that this small gesture would mentally and emotionally give her back some of the things that Frankie Mala had taken from her. He was giving her his trust, something that he hadn't been able to do with any woman since his wife died.

Stella said nothing; she was surprised but encouraged that Mac hadn't decide to flee when the opportunity had presented it self. Tears again trailed down as she went to him, straddling his thighs. She leaned forward, placing a soft kiss of appreciation on his lips. It quickly turned passionate as the need to be with Mac took hold once more.

Stella worked her way down from Mac's mouth, kissing and nibbling as she went, her gauze covered hands preceeding her mouth. They slide over his chest, briefly staying to play. Mac's groan of pleasure made Stella grin as she followed her hands with her mouth to suck, nip and lather with her tongue.

Mac moaned, letting Stella know without words the effect that she was having on him. It was hard to let her stay in control, but he reigned in his desire to take over.

Lingering only briefly, continuing down over his well-muscled stomach, there she played fleetingly with his bellybutton before moving further down. Her right hand finally reaching it's intended goal.

Mac burrowed his fingers into her riot of curls, he laid his head back, relishing in the feelings that she was creating. Reluctancly, he gently pulled her head away and back up for another mind numbing kiss.

Still deep into the kiss, Stella ajusted their body's sank down onto his. They broke the kiss, needing to breath from the overwhelming sensation coming from the feel of finally being connected.

Stella began to move, sliding off a little before coming back down to surround him again squeezing as she did. It was slow at first with Stella setting the pace. She felt so full it was unlike any other time in her life.

They carressed and kissed until the slow pace changed with a need to speed up and reach the ultimate goal of release. Stella leaned forward, gripping Mac's shoulders as she tried to get leverage, to increase the pressure and quickness, to achieve the desired climax.

Stella couldn't keep the rythm anymore. Even with the need for release her movements were jerky, though she had begun to move faster. Mac's hands which had settled on her hips, gripped them, steadying her as he finally began to thrust, meshing their bodies together. The friction was exquiste and her body enevloped him completely making him want to burst. He held back, waiting, knowing that Stella was near her own release, he wanted to exprience that with her. As he set a faster, harder rythm, he moaned feeling her go over and allowed himself to also plunge along with her.

Stella screamed as the waves of pleasure coursed through her. She distinctly heard her own name resounding in her ears, as well as screaming Mac's before she lost conciousness.

Mac lay with his arms around Stella after he carressed a her hair away from her face. He smiled softly at her sleeping expression. "Sleep, Stella your safe here." Mac placed a lingering kiss on her forehead as he to drifted off to sleep.