failegaidin

Wanna Be by Nine Days

The super had to finally let him into the apartment. She hadn’t answered her cell phone the entire day, and nobody had heard from her. Mac would have checked up on her himself, but another case had come in, demanding his attention. Don had offered immediately, his own worry gnawing at him to the point where he was afraid he was going to be sick.

The apartment was dark as he walked in, the shades open so that he could see the rain slashing against the windows. He closed the door behind him softly and then moved through the rooms, looking for her.

“Stell?” he called quietly.

That was when he heard it – a quiet sob from the back of the apartment. He moved toward the last door and found it ajar. Pushing it open, he stopped, his heart breaking. Stella was curled up in a ball on the floor, rocking back and forth as she cried desperately.

He moved towards her, suddenly needing to protect her, even if it was just from her own dark thoughts. She didn’t pull back as he reached down, pulling her into his arms and picking her up from the hardwood. Cradling her against his chest, he moved them to the bed, laying down and holding her tightly.

“Shhh, Stell. Baby, it’s okay.”

She shook her head almost violently. “It’s not okay. I hurt you.”

He closed his eyes, fighting back his own tears. “You can’t help how you feel, Stell –“

“No.” She pulled her head up so that her eyes met his. “You don’t get it, Donnie. I lied to you. I told you I didn’t feel anything, but I lied. I lied.”

He tried to remember to breathe. “Why?”

“You scare me,” she whispered. “But I’d rather be scared with you, Donnie, than deal with this hurt. I can’t breathe. I miss you so much.”

He gave her a smile then, brushing his lips against her forehead. “You have me, Stell. I’m not goin’ anywhere. I promise you that.”