1. CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 1
It has been 5 months………5 challenging, heartbreaking, beautiful months.
Five months ago….Maya married the love of her life in front of the people she called family. Five months ago…Maya lost her position as captain and was demoted back down to lieutenant in front of the people she called family. If it wasn’t for her wife and the firefighters at Station 19….she would have crumbled to the ground in defeat. But, they reminded her that she couldn’t have lived with herself if she hadn’t reacted quickly at that fire scene. She made the right call.
She also couldn’t have lived with herself if she didn’t acknowledge the grief and sadness that took over her fire house….that black lives matter…period.
All of this acted against her and she was demoted. When it came time for the official hearing to determine what would be done permanently with her position in the Seattle FD, she was convinced that she was going to walk away. That she was going to have to start a new chapter away from the fire department. But that was okay. That was okay because she had Carina DeLuca in her corner…no matter what. When you have a woman like Carina DeLuca in your corner…you can do anything.
However, the hearing did not go as planned. What Maya wasn’t counting on was that her family did not just contain Station 19 but all firefighters in the Seattle FD. While some like Sullivan were not willing to fight for Maya others did…and she was saved. It became clear not only from the testimony of those closest to her at Station 19, but all the other fire captains in the city respected her…and would fight for her. The white hats had no choice but to give her back her command.
Maya thinks back at those moments and can’t help but get chocked up that she is still here...in this office…with this house…doing what she was born to do. She laughs to herself and pinches her nose with her fingers before bringing her attention to a picture of Carina and herself on their wedding day. She gazes at her wife’s face and immediately grabs the phone on the desk.
Meanwhile, at Grey-Sloan Carina is walking towards the nurses’ station to check on a few charts when her phone starts to go off in her lab coat pocket. She reaches for it and immediately smiles when she sees ‘Hot Wife’ pop up on the screen.
“Hello my love.” Carina says into the phone.
Maya immediately smiles at the sound of her wife’s voice. “Hi Babe.”
“What are you doing?” Carina asks before resting her cell phone on her shoulder as she grabs an iPad from the nurse’s station.
Maya continues to smile and leans back a bit in her chair. “I’m just sitting at my desk…thinking about my hot wife.”
“Oh yea.” Carina says with a slight chuckle as she continues to scroll through her charts.
“What are you wearing?” Maya asks playfully while biting her bottom lip.
Carina thoroughly amused shakes her head. “I went for the dark blue scrubs today.”
“Fancy….though you know I love you in pink.”
“I’m heading into surgery in about ten minutes.” Carina says through another laugh before turning her attention solely to her wife. “Have you been busy?”
“We had a couple calls for ambo, nothing too major.” Maya informs the good doctor before something crosses her mind. “Hey Babe, don’t forget that we are working an extra 6 hour shift tomorrow….I’ll be home around 4.”
“Sounds good.”
“When are you heading home? After your surgery?” Maya asks.
Carina simply shakes her head before sighing. “I’ll probably just stay here.”
Maya knows this is code for she is going to be in and out of an on-call room with maybe an hour sleep accumulated throughout the night. She can hear the tiredness in Carina’s voice and can almost feel the stress and anxieties through the phone.
“Carina, you need to sleep.” Maya says firmly wanting her to take care of herself.
“I know Bambina, I know.” Carina says from the other side knowing her wife worries. She takes a beat before letting out another sigh. “I just miss you.”
“I miss you too Babe.” Maya agrees.
Even with the numbers of Covid patients improving drastically and the vaccine becoming available to those in the medical field they have both been busy….really busy. On their busiest days both women think back on their quick honeymoon they took in the mountains where they rented a VRBO on a small lake.
“You know what else I miss?” Carina says as a small smile takes over her face. “The lake house.”
“I miss the lake house too.” Maya agrees once more before thinking back fondly. “I miss the view from the kitchen.”
Carina hums back before biting her bottom lip. “I miss the soft rug in the living room.”
Maya can’t help but blush thinking about the endless hours of kissing they did in that living room….not even sex…just kissing. It is a type of intimacy that was foreign to Maya before Carina.
“Why don’t you come here tomorrow after shift?” Maya suggests.
“Bambina, all I want to do is sleep.”
“You can sleep here.” Maya urges her wife before grinning. “I’ll be your big spoon.”
“Oooh, I love it when you are the big spoon.” Carina giggles before continuing to play along with her wife. “But what if you have to leave on a call?”
“I’ll just leave someone behind. Who do you want?” Maya teases playfully. “Miller? He’s got the buff arms.”
“Absolutely.” Carina laughs before noting the time on the wall. “Maya, I need to go.”
“Okay, kick ass Dr. DeLuca.”
“Will do Captain.” Carina says into the phone before taking a breath. “I love you.”
Maya smiles brightly on the other end as she notices Andy walking up to the door. She waves at her friend who is leaning against the door frame before offering a goodbye to her wife on the phone. “You too…bye.”
“Hey, foods up.” Andy says.
Maya nods her head and hangs up her phone “I’ll be right there.”
Andy smiles and nods her head towards the phone. “Were you one the phone with Carina?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve got your googly eyes.” Andy teases as she points to her friend. “Our captain is just a big mush ball.”
Maya rolls her eyes a bit can’t deny it. “Yea, yea.”
“I have decided that I am going to just ignore my failing marriage and live vicariously through yours.”
“Solid plan.” Maya says as she gets up and walks out of her office with Andy.
“I thought so.” Andy adds as they walk away towards the beanery.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
“What do we got for dinner?” Jack asks as he walks in with Travis and Dean where Vic has been busy preparing a feast for the team. It was her turn for family meal and she decided to splurge and prepare one of her famous dishes…hoping that they get to finish it before a call comes through.
“My famous ginger honey pork loins.” Vic says as she takes the foil of the two cake pans filled with meat. She has set everything up on the counter for them to dish up.
Travis takes a big whiff and claps his hands together. “It is a wonderful day in the neighborhood.”
Dean nods head in agreement and grabs a plate. “I’m so hungry and tired.”
“And sweaty.” Vic adds as Dean rubs against her arm briefly.
“Blame Warren.” Dean says as he motions to Ben walking up to the counter.
“If you stay ready you don’t have to get ready.” Ben says through a laugh before grabbing a plate. “What’s for--?”
“Oh my god!” Vic exclaims when she sees Ben’s hands.
Ben rolls his eyes at the reaction and sets his sight back on the food trying to ignore his hands not wanting to make a big deal of his hands covered in cuts and scrapes.
“What happened to you?” Travis asks as he examines the firefighter’s hands wrapped up in gauze and multi colored band aids. “You look like a 3rd grade art project.”
“Looks gnarly bro.” Dean says before filling up his plate with more food.
Ben just raises an eyebrow at Miller. “You didn’t notice before.”
“No.” Dean shakes his head before licking honey glaze off his thumb.
Ben rolls his eyes. “We’ve been running drills together all day.”
“Yes, we have.” Dean says slowly before walking over to the table to take a seat as Maya and Andy come walking in to the beanery for dinner.
“Very perceptive Miller.” Maya chirps after hearing the last bit of the conversation.
“Noted Captain.” Dean says before taking a bite of pork chop.
Jack puts a roll on his plate before looking around the counter. “Where’s the ketchup.”
Vic hears this and points her finger at the man. “Put ketchup on my ginger honey pork loins and die a slow painful death.”
“I’ll just take extra honey glaze.” Jack says cautiously as he holds out the plate.
“You bet you will.” Vic chirps back before spooning more glaze on his meat.
Maya looks at the counter of food and just shakes her head. “Would it kill us to prepare more vegetables?”
“I made French fries.” Vic says defensively before taking a seat next to Dean at the table with her food.
“We need more greens.” Maya says laughing before looking to her best friend for back up on the matter. “Andy, you are with me here right.”
“More greens.” Andy agrees as she too looks at the counter. “Healthy things that grow from the ground.”
“There are carrots right in front of you.” Vic defends once again.
“Also! Reminder!” Maya says from the counter as she puts some carrots on her plate. “We are working an extra 6 tomorrow.”
“No problem.” Travis says as he takes a seat at the table.
Vic just nods her head. “We’ll keep crushing it.”
“What’s going on with B shift again?” Jack asks looking over his shoulder to the captain.
“They need to up their PPE and SCBA certification.” Maya explains before taking a seat next to Travis at the table.
“Clowns.” Dean chuckles.
“Okay, Warren.” Vic says as she looks across the table at Ben who is trying to cut his pork chop with a knife. “What’s the story?”
Ben knowing he is not going to get out of this explanation gives in. “During the height of the pandemic Miranda and I were either apart or concentrating solely on our jobs.”
“And now?” Andy asks as she takes her seat next to him at the table.
Ben just shrugs his shoulders. “And now Miranda wants to do the things other people were doing during quarantine.”
“Like binge watching Tiger King?” Travis asks.
“We have been wine tasting and making….” Ben starts to say before lifting up his band aid covered hand. “Sushi.”
“That’s how that happened.” Vic says through a slight laugh before breaking out into a huge smile. “How?”
“Cleaning the fish.” Ben says before taking a bite of his meal.
Travis just snorts from his seat. “Amateurs.”
“I thought you had surgeon hands.” Andy teases as she nods over to Warren’s hands.
Ben just rolls his eyes. “That’s not a thing.”
“Oh it’s a thing…trust me.” Maya says thinking about her very skilled wife’s hands as she raises her eyebrows at Travis
“Nice.” Travis says as she holds out his fist to fist bump the captain.
“It was a disaster.” Ben continues to go off on a tangent. “We used the wrong rice and mixed too much wasabi in the soy sauce.”
Travis hearing this drops his fork on his plate. “You did what?!”
But Ben is saved from Travis’ wrath when Theo Ruiz and probie Carter Willet come walking into the beanery. They have been helping at Station 19 sporadically when needed.
Today they have been working on aid car and had been called to a wellness check at the nursing home earlier that evening.
“We’re back….finally.” Theo says as he walks into the beanery with Carter behind him.
“That was a long call.” Carter says as she looks over the food on the counter. “Hopefully, things will settle down.”
Miller instantly glares over at Carter along with the rest of the table. “You did not just say that.”
Before Emmett can defend himself the alarm goes off with the next call through the loud speaker.
Dispatch: Engine 19, Ladder 19, Aid Car 19. Structure Fire, Hadley Street.
“Let’s go 19.” Maya says as she immediately gets up from the chair and rushes towards the barn.
“Way to go Probie!” Miller yells as he rushes away from the table.
“My bad!” Carter says back before following the other firefighters.
Travis leans over to Vic’s ear still appalled over what he just heard. “He mixed the wasabi and soy sauce.”
“Travis.” Vic says with an eye roll as she rushes ahead not having time to listen to his rant about proper sushi etiquette.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Station 19 is first on the scene to the small abandoned office building in the Longfellow neighborhood on the west side of the city. Bishop assesses the scene and gives everyone their orders quickly.
“Windows are all blocked. The only way in or out is through the front. It's a death trap.” Andy says mostly to herself as she looks up at the building.
Jack goes up to Maya and points at the building. “Cap, this building is known to have squatters. We've got to get inside to do a search.”
“We have no choice. Everybody proceed with extreme caution. Floors and stairs might be weak.” Maya says to her team before pointing to Andy and Travis. “Herrera you take the primary search, Montgomery will follow you.”
“Copy.” Andy and Travis both say as they head towards the building.
“I’ve got truck. We’ll clear a path for engine to get their attack lines in.” Jack says.
“Hughes, let’s get that door open.” Maya says a she motions for everyone to disperse. “Okay, spread out.”
From inside the building Andy and Travis are making their way to the stairs. “Fire department, call out!” Travis calls out.
Andy looks around and motions to Travis. “This floor's clear. Let's move up to the third.”
“Copy.” Travis says.
“We have nothing on the initial sweep, going to go up to the third and fourth floors.” Andy says in her walkie.
“Cap are we good?” Jack asks eager to get the command to go inside the building to look for victims.
“Get in there Gibson…take 1 and 2 floors.” Maya informs her lieutenant as she points to the building. “Check every square inch. Squatters could be hiding anywhere. Engine 51, you're clear to bring in the attack lines.”
Inside the foyer of the building Jack and Dean get ready to do a secondary search with Vic and Ben ready to opens the lines up to start fighting the fire inside.
“Fire department! Call out! Let's clear a path for engine.” Jack says to Dean as Vic and Ben follow behind them with the hoses.
“On our way.” Vic says as she gets ready to soak.
Jack continues walking through the floor yelling out. “Fire department! Is anyone in here?”
Outside the building Maya is ordering a second engine truck that has pulled up to swing by the back and attack the fire from the other side. She then turns to the building and starts to map out where her team is on the inside.
Maya continues to look out from outside the building before going to her radio. “Herrera what’s the status?”
“Cap we’ve gotta get off this floor! Exit’s blocked!” Andy says from inside the building.
On the other side of the hallway Travis yells out to Andy. “The fire is accelerating fast Lieutenant!”
“There’s another stairwell in the corner, 40 feet due west!” Andy yells back.
“Herrera, do a sweep the final floor and then get out of there.” Maya says into the radio. “We’ll let engine do a soak.”
“Copy.” Andy replies back before continuing the search. “Seattle Fire Department!”
“Fire department! Make a noise or call out!” Travis yells out as he flips over a piece of rubble looking for victims before he notices the fire from the other end. “Lieutenant the flames are closing in.”
“We are all good on the first and second floors…nobody is here.” Jack says into his radio.
“Captain we’ve got one more room to check on this floor.” Andy says from the fourth floor.
Maya nods her head and continues to assess the situation before speaking into her radio. “Good, we are all finished checking the other floors, Check it and get the hell out of there.”
“Fire department!” Andy yells out before stopping in her tracks. She hears the noise again and turns to Travis. “Do you hear that?”
Travis pauses and nods his head. “Is that crying?”
Andy nods her head and gets down closer to the ground to get a better look. She keeps scanning the room following the cries when sees a small cardboard box with an infant inside near incoming flames.
“Oh my god.” Andy says as she rushes towards the crying baby.
Travis sees this and goes to his radio. “Cap we got a baby up here.”
“What?!” Maya exclaims from the ground thinking the building was going to be all cleared.
“Looking for the mother now.” Travis adds.
“No need to look far.”Andy says to Travis as she takes the baby in her arms before motioning to the body on the floor. “She’s dead….overdose.”
“Let’s get out of here.” Andy says as she covers the baby up in her arms.
Travis nods his head and hoists the woman’s body over his shoulder. “I got her.”
Andy and Travis make their way out of the building slowly as the fire starts to take control of the ceilings. They finally make their way over to the 19 trucks and aid car.
“He’s been conscience and responsive.” Andy says to Theo before handing him the baby.
“We’ll take him.” Theo says as he takes the baby over to Carter and the ambo to do a more thorough examination before heading off to the hospital.
Theo hands the baby to Carter in the back before going to his radio. “Dispatch this is Ambo 19 we are on our way to Grey-Sloan with--”
Maya watches Theo close his door and speed off with the small victim before turning to Travis to her left. She can see Andy and Travis breathing heavily and knows the emotional weight of pulling a dead victim out of a fire like that.
“Are you two good?” Maya asks.
Andy nods her head and lets out a long cough trying to clean out her lungs while Travis lays the body of the woman down slowly on the ground.
“Cap, the building is clear.” Travis says.
Maya nods her head and radios Warren and Hughes on the other side of the building. “Warren and Hughes you’re good to soak.”
“Got it Captain.” Vic replies back before she and Warren open up the hoses.
Maya watches as Andy and Travis cover the woman with a tarp before radioing again. “Dispatch this is Station 19 we need another ambo at this location for a DOA.”
“Affirmative 19, Ambo 52 is on route.”
“Gibson and Miller go back up Warren and Hughes.” Maya commands Jack and Dean before pointing back to the burning building. “Gibson take the East, Miller take the West.”
“You got it Cap?” Andy asks.
Maya nods her head and looks her friend over once. “You good?”
Andy just shrugs her shoulders. “That baby just lost his mother.”
“Well…another 5 minutes…we would have lost that baby too.” Maya says to Andy offering a silver lining. “Good work Lieutenant.”
“Good work Captain.” Andy says back before heading back to the truck.
Maya nods her head and lets out a long breath before turning her attention back to the building that is being soaked by the fire engines on scene.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the hospital Teddy and Amelia are walking through the OB wing looking for Carina who they find standing by the board…staring off into the distance.Amelia looks over to Carina and sees her lost in a daze. “Are you okay?”
“Am I standing or sitting?” Carina asks her friends.
“Standing.” Amelia replies.
“Then I’m good.” Carina says.
“I’ve never seen OB so busy before.” Teddy says as she looks at the OB board on the wall.
Carina just nods her head and continues to write her notes. “Couples were cooped in their houses for months with nothing to do.”
“A sexual renaissance.” Amelia says with a big grin.
Teddy chuckles and shakes her head. “A new generation of baby boomers.”
“Coronials.” Amelia says thinking to herself of a name for the new generation before letting out a small smirk. “Or…Covidians.”
“Covidians.” Teddy says picking the one she likes.
Carina just laughs at her friends before shaking her head. “Whatever you call them...they’re coming.”
“How did your c-section go?” Teddy asks.
Carina lets out a long sigh and stretches her neck once more. “There was a blood clot with the mother…but she is stable.”
“Do you want me to do a consult?” Amelia asks a little too eager while Teddy nudges her with her arm.
“What?” Carina asks confused.
Teddy rolls her eyes and fills in the blanks for the OB. “She’s bored.”
Amelia had just been complaining to Teddy that she hasn’t done a real meaningful surgery in about a month…and she was getting antsy. During the height of the pandemic she stayed home with the kids and now all she wants to do is get back to work and busy herself with surgery after surgery. That has not happened thus far….hence the trolling for patients in other departments.
“Maybe...check for bleeding.” Amelia says as she gets a little pep to her step. “I could check the babies.”
“I’m sorry.” Carina says as she looks up from her chart and raises an eyebrow. “Are we now hoping for brain bleeds with newborns?”
“Well, not when you say it like that.” Amelia huffs back.
Teddy just shakes her head. “You need a hobby.”
“I need to cut something.” Amelia says firmly before getting an idea in her head. “I’m gonna go check the pit.”
“Be nice to my trauma nurses please.” Teddy warns Amelia.
“I stepped on one foot, one time.” Amelia throws back before she quickly makes her way over to the elevator to head down to scavenge for surgeries.
Teddy continues to chuckle before turning to the tired OB. “Do you want to grab something to eat?”
“Sure.” Carina says with a smile as she looks at her watch. “I should have a break in my--”
“DeLuca, Heather Girardi was just admitted.” Wilson interrupts as she as she walks up to the other doctors. “She’s in 6.”
Teddy sucks in a breath between her teeth. “So close.”
“Have you checked dilation?” Carina asks her prodigy.
Jo nods her head. “She’s at 8.”
“Wow, that was quick.” Teddy says.
Carina nods her head and grabs the chart from Jo to take a look. “This is her fourth bambino; she probably could deliver this one herself.”
“She did mention that.” Jo says with a slight laugh. “Multiple times.”
“I will go see her.” Carina says to Jo. “Can you please check on the Weaver newborn for me in peds?”
“Of course.” Jo says before she walks away from Teddy and Carina.
Teddy looks over and sees Carina rub her hand over her hair. “Do you want me to get you a sandwich?”
“Don’t you have to get the ER?” Carina asks.
Teddy just shakes her head. “Amelia’s got it.”
Carina lets out a small laugh before making a request. “Coffee?”
“You got it.” Teddy says before the nurse at the station calls for her attention. Leah the nurse on duty puts the phone on her shoulder to speak with the head of trauma.
“Dr. Altman.” Leah says.
“Yes?” Teddy says.
“Stella in the ER is requesting you come get Dr. Shepherd.” Leah says.
Carina can’t help but laugh out loud. “That was quick.”
“She made an intern cry.” Leah adds.
“Good grief.” Teddy says as she starts to walk away to go handle the damage.
Carina calls out after her. “I still want that coffee!”
“Yea, yea.” Teddy throws back before getting on the elevator.
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After delivering yet another baby Carina was still on the move. Maya had called her and told her about the call at the abandoned warehouse and asked her if she would check on their baby from the scene. Carina immediately agreed and soon made her way over to the Pediatric wing where she was met with the ever so smug Doctor Hayes. He is charting notes over by the incubators when he notices his colleague walking over.
“Dr. DeLuca.” Cormac Hayes greets the other doctor.
“Dr. Hayes.” Carina says back before making her way to the incubators.
“Are you ready for the match this weekend?” Hayes asks with a smirk.
“I am too tired to talk trashing to you Hayes.” Carina says with a grin. “But…Italia is going to crush your boys in green.”
“I doubt that…but we’ll see.” Dr. Hayes chuckles to himself before turning back to Carina and seeing the tired lines on her face. “Busy?”
“Very.” Carina says with a nod of her head before turning all her attention to the baby boy in the incubator. “Is this the little guy from the fire?”
“It is.” Hayes says a bit surprised that she heard about him.
“My wife’s station was on the call.” Carina tells Hayes filling in the blanks. “She asked if I would check on him.”
“Ahh yes…Captain Bishop.” Hayes says with a smile. “Congratulations by the way.”
“Thank you.” Carina says with a big smile before turning her attention back to the baby.
Hayes grabs a hold of his stethoscope and also looks down at the baby. “Well, you can tell the good captain that he should make a full recovery.”
“Really?” Carina questions, always happy to give her wife and the other firefighters at Station 19 good news.
Hayes nods his head. “His oxygen levels are steadily improving.”
“Good.” Carina says with a smile before finally noticing the name tag on the incubator. Her breath gets caught in her throat as she reads out loud. “Wesley Kensington.”
“We’ve been calling him Wes Kenny.” Hayes laughs as he rubs the baby’s tummy a few times before noticing the strange look on Carina’s face. “Do you know him?”
Carina gets quiet for a moment and remembers this baby’s birth. The birth was long but the mother looked to be in good spirits. She had clearly dome demons in her closet that she was dealing with but she was excited about being a mom.
“He was one of mine…I delivered this baby.” Carina says as she tilts her head at the baby giving him a soft smile.
“Oh.” Hayes says quietly.
Carina nods her head before letting out a sad breath. “His mama was very sweet.”
“Yea.” Hayes breathes knowing how the story ended for the young woman.
“And you are sure that he will recover?” Carina asks making sure that he truly will be alright
“It’s looking really good.” Hayes says before holding his fingers up in the air. “Scout’s honor.”
“I’m not exactly sure what that means…but I’ll take your word for it.” Carina says with a chuckle.
Hayes returns the laugh when one of his pediatric nurses Sierra comes walking over with an iPad to show the doctor.
“Dr. Hayes your test results for Baby Jane Doe are in.” Sierra says as she hands Hayes the iPad.
“Good.” Hayes says as he starts to take a look before thanking the nurse. “Thank you Sierra.”
“Jane Doe?” Carina asks as the nurse makes her exit.
“A baby girl was dropped off here yesterday.” Hayes informs his colleague. “Safe-haven case.”
“Is she okay?” Carina asks.
“A little malnourished.” Hayes says as he continues to scroll through the test results. “I just wanted to run other tests for her records before CPS took her for placement.”
“Do they have a home set up?” Carina asks.
Hayes sadly shakes his head no. “I don’t think so.”
“Poor Bambina.” Carina sighs thinking of the poor baby all alone before figuring she should get back to her own bambinos under her care. “I’ve got to go.”
“You really have been busy.”
“It is a wave of Covidians.” Carina huffs.
Hayes immediately raises an eyebrow in confusion. “I’m sorry?”
Carina simply laughs before pointing to the incubator. “Will you let me know if anything changes with Wesley?”
“Of course.” Hayes says with a smile as Carina makes her exit.
Hayes continues for the next ten or so minutes making his rounds when a young man in his early twenties comes walking in clearly looking for somebody. The doctor watches the kid look around before they make eye contact. The kid walks over with something white in his hands.
“Is this where the babies are kept?” the kid asks as he grips what looks like an envelope in his hands.
“Yes…..yes it is.” Hayes says hesitantly wondering what this kid is doing here.
“Some chick paid me to drop this off.” The kid says as he hands Hayes the envelope.
Hayes slowly takes the envelope before nodding his head to the kid. “Thank you.”
“Easy twenty bucks.” The kid says before making a quick exit.
Hayes watches the kid leave before opening the envelope to reveal a letter inside. He flips it open and as he starts to read the contents inside his stomach drops to the floor. He can’t help but let out a small gasp before running his hand over his bald head.
He looks around in shock before immediately heading out of the pediatric ward and towards the chief’s office. When he gets there he barges in catching Miranda Bailey off guard at her desk.
“Hayes.” Miranda greets but can sense immediately that something has happened. “What is it?”
Hayes takes a breath and rubs his hand over his head. “Did you hear about the baby that was surrendered yesterday?”
“Of course I know about the baby, this is my hospital.” Dr. Bailey says as she places her hands on her hips. “I know everything.”
“Not everything.” Hayes says under his breath before taking the envelope out of his coat pocket and handing it to the chief. “Here.”
“What is this?” Miranda asks as she opens the envelope.
“It was just dropped off….concerning the baby girl.” Hayes says before nodding at the letter in Dr. Bailey’s hands. “Read it.”
Dr. Bailey begins to read the letter and immediately the color leaves her face and her mouth drops to the floor. She clutches her chest before looking up at Dr. Hayes in shock. He simply nods his head as she goes back to the letter.
“Oh my lord.” Miranda says under her breath.
“Yea.” Hayes sighs.
Dr. Bailey still in shock holds the letter up in the air. “How credible is this?”
“I don’t know.” Hayes says with a shake of his head before letting out another sigh. “But…I think she has his eyes.”
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The next morning at Station 19 Maya is sitting at the table in the beanery with Travis and Vic. The team got through the night with no other calls and was able to start fresh this morning with their chores before the aid car was called out. The other members of the house continued with their work which included placing stickers on little red plastic fire helmets for an upcoming school visit. Vic and Travis drew the short stars on this assignment and have been sporadically arguing over the task for the last half hour.
Vic watches Travis struggle with yet another sticker and snaps at her person. “Could you go any slower?”
“They keep sticking to my hands.” Travis says as he tries flick yet another badge sticker of his hand.
“Yea Trav…they’re stickers.” Vic chirps back at her friend.
Travis glares at his friend before turning his attention to his boss. “Why did we get delegated this job.”
“Because Warren and Herrera are on a call with the aid car, Gibson is filling out that report of our last call, and Miller is on his break in the gym.” Maya informs the firefighters as she continues to take sips of her coffee while finishing her own reports.
“When do we get a break?” Vic huffs.
“When all of those plastic helmets have stickers.” Maya says sweetly to Vic before pointing back at the job at hand.
“We should have made Willet and Ruiz stay longer this shift…made them do it.” Vic says as she grabs another helmet.
Travis just looks at his fingers. “I’m getting blisters.”
“Come on guys.” Maya says urging them to have better attitudes. “We are delivering fire safety books and plastic helmets to Baker Street Elementary next week.”
“Can’t we just throw them some cash instead?” Travis begs.
“Stickers.” Maya retorts.
Travis knowing the conversation is over goes back to work. “Yes Captain.”
As they continue with the task a tall beautiful woman with long brown hair waltzes into the beanery much to the delight of the station’s captain.
“Hey Carina!” Travis greets the visitor, embracing the much needed distraction.
“Hi Babe.” Maya says as she gets up from her seat to meet her wife at the counter.
“Coffee…I need coffee.” Carina drawls tiredly as she trudges on over.
“Uh oh.” Vic says with a laugh from the table. “Must have been a tough shift if you are willing to drink our coffee.”
Carina nods her head and rests her hands on the counter. “Sì.”
Maya looks at her wife and runs her hand down her long brown hair before settling on her lower back. “You okay?”
Carina smiles slightly as she feels her wife rubbing comforting circles on her back. “I had back to back c-sections on top of three other deliveries.”
“Yikes.” Maya says with a wince as she watches Carina pour herself some coffee. “Did you have a chance to check on the baby from our call yesterday?”
“Wesley is doing great.” Carina says with a smile before looking around. “Where’s the--”
Maya reaches over and hands Carina the cream. “Here.”
“Thank you.” Carina says gratefully before looking around for a second time. “And the--”
“Right here.” Maya says before handing her the sugar packet.
“I love you.” Carina says to her wife as she starts to pour the cream and sugar in her coffee while Maya leans over and kisses the side of her face.
“What am I witnessing?” Vic asks Travis back at the table.
Travis lets out his bottom lip at the cute sight. “Our captain covered in marital bliss goo.”
“It’s interesting.” Vic teases.
Maya hearing this glares at the two firefighters at the table. “Don’t you two have work to do?”
“And miss the show.” Travis says offended.
“Excuse me?”Carina asks confused before taking a sip of her coffee.
Vic jumps in and answers this for Montgomery. “You two are like a walking Hallmark movie.”
“I mean...if Hallmark celebrated same sex relationships.” Travis chirps jumping in.
“Preach.” Vic agrees.
“Do better Hallmark.” Travis adds.
“Go to work!” Maya exclaims through ha laugh. “Clean something! Complete a drill!”
“Yes Captain.” Vic says quickly as she gets up from the beanery table.
Travis gets up to make his exit when he notices Dr. Bailey and another woman make their way down the hallway towards the beanery.
“Is that Dr. Bailey?” Travis asks.
“Dr. Bailey! Sorry about the sushi mishap!” Vic calls out.
Dr. Bailey just waves the woman off. “Keep it moving Hughes.”
“Yes Mam.” Vic says as she retreats down the hallway.
Travis following close behind holds his finger up. “Sushi is actually really hard to make if you--”
“Not the time Montgomery.” Dr. Bailey says cutting him off.
“Yes Mam.” Travis says quickly before leaving.
Carina chuckles and turns to Maya. “She is my favorite person.”
“Literally everything I want to be.” Maya agrees.
“Captain Bishop.” Miranda greets the captain before turning to her doctor. “Dr. Deluca.”
Carina nods her head. “Chief.”
“If you are looking for Ben, he’s not here right now.” Maya informs Miranda quickly figuring that is the reason for the visit. “He went out with Herrera in the aid car on a call.”
Miranda takes a steadying breath and clutches her hands together. “We are here on official business actually.”
“Oh.” Maya says confused.
Miranda then introduces the woman next to her. “This is Amy Kentzman; she is a case manager with Children Services.”
“Hello.” Mrs. Kentzman says.
“Captain Maya Bishop.” Maya says before motioning to Carina. “And this is my wife Dr. Carina Deluca.”
“Hello.” Carina says to woman as she shakes her hand. “It is nice to meet you.”
“Hello.” Mrs. Kentzman says back to the doctor.
Carina then glances at her wife before pointing to the other room. “If you will excuse me, I will leave you all to meet in private.”
“Dr. DeLuca could you stay actually.” Miranda jumps in quickly. “This concerns you as well.”
Carina surprised stops in her tracks. “It does?”
Miranda takes a breath before nodding her head. “Yes.”
“This must be about our last call.” Maya says to her wife figuring that is the one thing they have in common professionally at the moment.
“Of course.” Carina says thinking back to Wesley. They probably want to talk about her experience with Wesley’s mother at the time of delivery.
“Well, we are here to help in anyway.” Maya says to the two women offering any help she can give. “We can give you multiple eye witness statements for any reports you need to complete.”
“Si, and Dr. Hayes said the baby is doing well….should make a full recovery.” Carina adds before tilting her head to the side a tad. “He was one of my deliveries…very sad about the mother.”
Amy Kentzman hearing all of this finally jumps in utterly confused. “I believe there has been a mistake.”
“Mmmmm.” Miranda hums knowing there absolutely has been a mistake.
“I don’t understand.” Maya says.
“Mrs. Kentzman and I are not here about the baby found at the Longfellow fire.” Miranda tells the fire captain.
“Oh?” Maya says simply before scrunching her face. “I’m confused.”
“Me too.” Carina says as she points to herself. “If it isn’t about Wesley why did you need to speak to me too?”
“Bailey?” Maya asks wanting an explanation.
“Ummm.” Miranda hums not exactly sure on how to continue. Luckily, Amy Kentzman breaks the ice.
“We are here about another child that has been signed over to the state of Washington.” Amy Kentzman says.
Miranda nods her head and lets out a small smile. “A little girl.”
“All parental rights have been forfeited on the mother’s end.” Mrs. Kentzman continues.
Maya shakes her head trying to figure out what is going on. “Was the baby dropped off here during B or C shift? Did I miss something?”
“The baby was dropped off at Grey-Sloan two days ago.” Miranda goes on to explain delicately to the two women. “And a note about the child was delivered last night.”
“Bailey…what is going on?” Maya says firmly.
Carina nods her head in agreement. “Yes, please just tell us.”
“You said the mother’s end.” Maya says as she tries to connect the dots. “What about the father?”
Dr. Bailey takes another breath before turning her attention to Carina. “The reason the baby was dropped off at Grey-Sloan is because the father…used to work there.”
“Yes…that is correct.” Mrs. Kentzman confirms. “Unfortunately it has come to our attention that the father is deceased.”
“Oh my god.” Carina stutters out before feeling her wife’s hand slip in her own.
“Miranda?” Maya simply says.
Miranda just nods her head. “Yes.”
Amy Kentzman looks at her notes before continuing. “Andrew DeLuca has been identified as the baby’s father.”
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