Hey, First I all I just want to say a HUGE thankyou to everyone who sent me feedback on my last fanfic 'La vita e bella'. For all those who asked it means 'Life is Beautiful' in italian. Sorry i haven't had a chance to write back to you all individually and say thanks, but hopefully I'll get time to soon! =) Here's another fic I wrote a couple of weeks ago... Sarah :) Unusual Occurrences by Sarah Harrison Authors Note: Inspiration for this fic is drawn from real life. I'm writing this following a little... `incident' my sister and I encountered the other night. So this is therefore dedicated to Kate - Thanks for not panicking (too much ) Unusual Occurrences "Pete you don't have to," Mac stated once more as she followed him through the carpark making a mental note as to which level they'd parked on. "I know." He smiled, looking at her momentarily before adding, "I want to." Mac allowed herself a small smile as they entered the shopping center, climbing on the escalator one step behind Pete. "So, what do you feel like eating?" He asked lightly, glancing around as they came level with the shops. "I don't mind. Whatever you want." "Mac! It's your treat, you choose." They slowed to a stop in the Piazza, surrounded by cafes, restaurants and fast food stores. Mac spun around slowly. "You know I hate having to choose," she whined playfully, a smile spreading across her face. "Our lives don't depend on it, it's ok," he replied semi-condescendingly grinning as she swatted him jokingly with her bag. "Ok fine, ah... Italian." She looked at him smugly, proud of her decisiveness. Pete rolled his eyes, holding back a laugh. "Italian it is then." -- ** -- "Urgh I am so stuffed," Mac complained as she grabbed her bag and her coat, inching her way out of the restaurant. "Yeah, well maybe if you hadn't eaten a huge plate of pasta, and then two gelatos, you wouldn't be so stuffed," he smirked. "Hey it was my treat!" He grinned, looking around to try and find the nearest ATM. "Mind if we make a short detour?" Mac shrugged happily, causing Pete to wonder how many glasses of wine she'd actually had, as they wandered through the mostly deserted shopping center. "So how'd you find out it was my birthday?" she asked, watching him curiously. He entered his pin number and she grinned, he still hadn't changed it. "Looked on your file. How else?" "Those files are confidential Peter..." He cut her off, "Don't go giving me a lecture Mac. I remembered from when we were together. Remember we celebrated it that time...?" He trailed off grinning and Mac gave him a knowing smile as he continued, "Anyway so I was pretty sure but I checked on your file anyway. Sorry." "Thanks for tonight Pete." Pete nodded an acceptance as he retrieved his card and grabbed his money. "This way's quicker," he pointed towards the exit. They exited the center, then entered the car park through the driveway entrance. "We have to go up a level," Mac pointed out, pulling her coat on feeling the freshness of the evening breeze. They walked slowly towards the stairwell in the centre of the carpark chatting comfortably, the conversation flirting between work and the very limited social life they both lived. The thud of the door closing rung out as they slowly climbed a flight of stairs to their level. The noise of their footsteps echoed throughout the stairwell as they mounted the last step and Pete grabbed for the door handle. He pulled on the handle, then jiggled it roughly when it failed to open, before glancing up at Mac. "Don't bullshit Pete," Mac warned feeling her chest tighten as he fiddled with the door handle even more. "It's locked." "Shit! Pete, you're bullshitting right?" she asked, her voice almost begging him to agree. "Mac!" He turned to her grabbing her shoulder, "it's okay. Let's just go back down a level." Mac nodded quickly, gulping as she tried to calm herself down, unable to draw her eyes away from the concrete walls that surrounded them. Pete brushed past her calmly, pausing momentarily to ensure she was okay before descending a flight of stairs to where they'd entered. Mac arrived next to him after a moment, wide eyed and completely alert. Pete reached for the handle, turning it firmly. "Shit." He turned hastily descending yet another flight of stairs to discover the same result. Mac reached the landing breathing deeply and erratically, her whole body beginning to tremble when Pete shook his head slowly. "Hello??" she shouted, pounding her fist so roughly on the door that she could feel her knuckles aching instantaneously. Pete thumped the door with the palm of his hand, before kicking the door in frustration. Mac leant against the door, her breathing shallow as she looked around, the levels seemingly endless below and above. "We're trapped," she whispered her eyes darting around. "Hey," Pete put an arm around her supportingly, "it's gonna be okay. Let's just go back up another level. There were still cars there so someone's gonna have to come past and hear us. Right?" Mac nodded quickly, running up the flight of stairs and resuming her pounding on the door as she felt tears start to escape. "Hello??" Pete called out again, before letting out a short laugh in realisation of the situation. "What?" Mac asked frantically, glaring at Pete for finding some humour in the situation. "We're stuck in a stairwell." He let out another laugh gesturing with his hands around them. "I don't see how you find it funny that we're trapped here. At 11:30 at night! Where's the humorous side of that??? Who knows when someone will hear us. All we know is that we're stuck in a concrete... box and there's no way to get out!" Mac finished almost hysterical, sliding down against the door frame, feeling her chest tighten and her breaths becoming tiny gasps of air. "Mac," He said sliding down next to her and placing an arm loosely around her shoulders, "it's going to be okay." "We're trapped in a bloody stairwell! Have you not noticed??????" she almost screamed as she felt the walls closing in on them. "If we continue to knock on the door, someone passing will hear us and let us out." "I can't," she stated simply, breaking out into a sweat. Pete paused at a loss for words, his right arm around Mac, his left hand rhythmically pounding the door. "I get scared in confined spaces," Mac finally admitted, forcing herself to close her eyes. "I feel like the walls are closing in on me." Pete squeezed her shoulder as she rested her head on his shoulder, trying to block everything out. "Someone's going to hear us," he assured her quietly, feeling his own palms becoming sweaty and his muscles grow tenser by the minute. "I think I'm gonna be sick..." Mac murmured feeling queasy. "Everyone might've left and we wouldn't know." "Mac you're just stirring yourself up." "We could be trapped here till morning..." He rubbed her back gently, still pounding the door with his other hand. "Help!?!?" Mac screamed suddenly, infuriated and terrified, jumping up and pounding on the door. Pete suddenly came to life, pulling himself up and shoving his hand in his pocket to find his phone. Reception. There was reception. He saw part of the terror in Mac's eyes disappear when she saw the phone momentarily forgetting all about knocking on the door. Pete hit the speed dial, balancing the phone between his shoulder and his ear and his knocked on the door with one arm and grabbed Mac's trembling hand with the other. "Oscar?" Pete asked the moment the phone was answered. "Listen we're at the..." "Shhhhh..." Mac waved at him for a second before shoving a hand over his mouth to shut him up. They both strained to hear something. Anything. There it was. Mac's eyes lit up at the sound of footsteps in the carpark. They both started thumping on the door loudly, their knuckles red and dry from contact. "Don't worry," Pete said to Oscar hanging up the phone and shoving it quickly in his pocket. The door seemed to open hesitantly, two young faces on the other side as Mac and Pete almost fell out the door. "We went in and it got locked and we were trapped," Mac stuttered shaking uncontrollably as Pete gushed something equally incomprehensible. They both stared at the young couple who'd opened the door for them muttering their thanks, still in a state of shock. The young couple nodded, walking off together trying desperately not to laugh until they were out of hearing distance. Mac tried to wipe away tears that were still slipping down her cheeks, as she gave a short laugh. Somehow they'd managed to end up on the right level. They reached the car, both collapsing inside. Pete sighed deeply; that was something he definitely didn't want to have to experience every day. He placed his hand on Macs supportingly, relaxing slightly when he heard her breathing become more regular. "That was really embarrassing," Mac stated, not even glancing up at Pete but knowing he understood. "Tell me about it." Pete smiled softly, seeing Mac's tremblings cease, watching her as she tried to regain her composure. Her cheek muscle twitched and she laughed, "We got stuck in a stairwell!" She laughed first lightly, then almost hysterically. Pete wrapped his arms around her tightly as her laughs turned to chokes and she cried in his arms. "I'm glad I got stuck with you though," Pete murmured softly as he held her tightly. Mac whispered, "sorry I..." Pete cut her off, "hey, I was bloody terrified too." Mac nodded in his arms as he held her, wishing he'd never let go. fin. (BTW Feedback would be great... please?!??)