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Chapter Text

Vic had been weird all day and Travis couldn’t figure out what was going on with her.

She was constantly fidgeting and he even saw her biting her nails earlier.

He had been looking all over the station for her and he eventually found her pacing back and forth in the turnout room.

“Vic” he called her name, but she didn’t look up.

“Vic” he called again, this time a little louder and she turned to face him, looking slightly startled.

“What is going on with you today?” he asked.

Vic took a deep breath before answering, “I’m just a little stressed.”

“Okay...,” he said hesitantly, “Why?”

She was honestly starting to scare him a little bit.

Vic took another deep breath, “Ripley just told me his sister Jennifer is coming to town this weekend and she wants to have brunch with us, as in her, Ripley and me, as in all three of us, as in he wants me to meet his sister,” she rushed out nervously.

“So you’re worried about meeting Ripley’s sister?” He asked gently.

Vic shot him a look that said “duh.”

“I’m sure she’ll love you,” he said, trying to be reassuring.

“Really?” Vic said with disbelief, “She’s going to love the 20-something, firefighting, subordinate?”

“No,” Travis continued, “She’s going to love the brilliant, firefighting, doesn’t give a shit what anyone thinks about her, badass.”

“You don’t know that” she said pointedly.

”I do know that because I know you and you’re awesome” he replied.

Vic smiled at him and reached out and squeezed his hand, “Thanks Trav.”

“Anytime,” he replied as he squeezed her hand back.

They stood there in silence for a few moments.

“So,” Travis said with a smile, “Meeting the sister, that’s a big step.”

Vic just nodded slightly in response.

“Is this maybe becoming more than just a hobby?” Travis asked curiously.

“We may have said the L word,” Vic admitted, going slightly pink.

Travis looked at her in surprise, but before he could say anything Maya and Andy walked into the turnout room talking to one another.

“This conversation is so not over,” he whispered to Vic on his way out of the room.

Chapter Text

“Do you want your dada” Vic cooed at the fussing baby in her arms, who only screamed more in response.

“I know,” she said soothingly, “I miss him too, but he had to go back to work today.”

Apparently Seattle couldn’t be without it’s Fire Chief for longer than 4 weeks.

She started rocking the still fussy baby in her arms, trying to settle her down, but nothing seemed to be working.

“Maybe we should call daddy,” she murmured to the baby, “will that make you stop crying?”

The baby just continued to wail, so Vic picked up her phone to video call Lucas.

It rang for a few seconds before Lucas finally picked up, and he looked almost as exhausted as Vic did (it probably didn’t help that they were up with the baby four times last night), but as soon as he saw them a huge smile spread across his face.

“How are my girls?” he said affectionately.

Vic was about to reply but as soon as he spoke the baby in her arms stopped fussing.

She looked down at her daughter in surprise.

“We miss you,” she whispered, trying not to startle the baby.

“I miss you too,” he said quietly into the phone.

“Are you going to be home very late tonight?” Vic asked in a low tone.

“I’m hoping to be home by 5:30” he replied and Vic smiled.

On the other end of the call she could hear a knock on his door.

“I better let you go,” she said reluctantly.

He nodded warily.

“Can you keep sending me photos of her?” he asked, “They are the only thing getting me through today.”

“Of course,” she replied as she smiled at him, “Love you.”

“Love you too Eggy.”

Chapter Text

Andy, Maya, Jack, and Dean were all eating breakfast in the beanery, making idle conversation before the start of shift.

“Did you see Vic this morning?” Dean asked.

“Yeah,” Jack replied, “She came in a little late, I think she’s still in the locker room getting ready.”

“I know, but when I saw her this morning she was practically limping,” Dean said worriedly, “Do you think she’s okay?”

“I think she’s a lot more than okay” Maya said with a laugh, and everyone turned to look at her quizzically.

“I saw Vic this morning too and I can tell you exactly why she’s not walking straight,” Maya said suggestively.

“Why?” Andy asked, still not getting what Maya was alluding to.

Jack and Dean also still looked confused.

“Really?” Maya huffed, “Do I have to spell it out for you?” she asked looking at all their puzzled expressions.

“It’s a sex injury,” Maya said blatantly.

Jack almost spit out his cereal, while Andy and Dean were both taken aback for a moment.

“I knew she had the swagger recently!” exclaimed Dean triumphantly.

“I didn’t even know she was seeing anyone,” Andy said.

“Neither did I,” Maya admitted.

Meanwhile, Jack was trying really hard to keep his face neutral.

“Who do you think it is?” Dean asked.

“Maybe it’s what’s his name from station 23 again,” Andy suggested.

“Maybe,” Maya conceded, “Or maybe it’s someone new.”

“I’m sure Vic will tell us when she’s ready,” Jack said, desperately trying to end the conversation.

“Well whoever he is, can he come over and do it to me because it has been awhile,” Andy said off-handedly.

And at that comment, Jack did spit out the cereal he had been eating, all over the table.

“Ew, Gibson!” Andy shrieked, as Dean pounded on his back and Maya went to go grab some paper towels.

Chapter Text

The ride back to the station was tense, so much so that you could practically taste it, but Vic was determined to be professional and not bring it up at any cost.

Lucas told her the other night that Sullivan had found out about their relationship, and ever since then she had been trying her best to avoid her Captain.

It had been working up until he put himself on aid car with her, so she was stuck with him for the day.

It wasn’t so bad on their way to calls or during calls because it was so busy and they were focused on the task at hand, but the ride back to the station was excruciatingly awkward.

Sullivan cleared his throat for the third time, clearly trying to start a conversation, but he couldn’t seem to find the words.

“So...” he finally said, glancing over at her as she tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

“We need to have a...chat,” he said, somewhat uneasily.

“I don’t think that’s-“

“I just have one question,” he said cutting her off.

She kept her eyes on the road, but nodded hesitantly.

He took a deep breath, “Is it consensual?”

“Yes,” she replied immediately, still not taking her eyes off the road.

“Good,” he said, letting out a sigh of relief.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat before he continued, “I already told Luke this, but I just want to let you know that you are a part of my team and I protect my team.”

“I appreciate that sir, but I don’t need protection from Luke,” Vic said firmly.

“I wasn’t referring to Luke, I was referring to the rest of the department,” Sullivan replied.

Vic took a deep breath, “I’m not naive here, I know that it won’t be easy, and I know what people are going to say, especially about me, but it’s - he’s worth it.”

Sullivan gave her a small smile as they pulled into the garage.

“I just wanted to make sure you knew I had your back,” he said as he got out of the aid car and headed back into his office.

Maybe Sullivan wasn’t as bad as she originally made him out to be, Vic thought to herself as she restocked the aid car.

Chapter Text

“How was your day?” Vic asked from her seat on the couch as Lucas entered her apartment, looking tired.

“It was good, but I’m glad to be home,” he replied, setting his bag down and taking off his jacket.

As he turned towards Vic, she gasped as she saw something that caught her eye.

On the side of his neck, peaking out from his collar was a bright purple hickey, that Vic had surely left during their activities the night before.

Lucas looked at her curiously, “What?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Vic replied, looking slightly amused.

“Have you by any chance looked in a mirror today?” she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

He narrowed his eyes at her before answering, “No, why?”

“Maybe you should,” she suggested, fighting the urge to laugh.

He walked past her, into the bathroom and about a minute later Vic heard a surprised gasp followed by an expletive.

Lucas walked back into the living room with a stunned expression on his face.

“It’s not that bad,” Vic said, trying to reassure him.

“Not that bad?!” He replied, “I went to work with a hickey!”

Before Vic could say anything in reply, he started spiralling.

“No wonder my assistant was looking at me funny all day!” he groaned, rubbing his head with his hand.

“I’m sure no one else even noticed,” Vic said, motioning for him to join her on the couch.

Instead he started pacing the room, rubbing his beard, which he did when he was nervous.

“Oh my god,” he said suddenly, stopping halfway through the length of the living room.

“I ran a meeting with all the Battalion Chiefs with a hickey!” he exclaimed as he buried his head in his hands, before looking back up in horror.

“I did a press conference this afternoon for the apartment fire on First Avenue!” he proclaimed, sitting down on the edge of Vic’s couch.

Vic moved from where she was sitting to rub his back, “It’s going to be fine, everyone will forget about it in a few days,” she said, trying to contain her laughter.

Lucas just closed his eyes and sighed in response, letting his stress wash away as Vic leaned over to give him a brief kiss.

Vic ended up being right, he had to endure a few days of teasing from his assistant and his Battalion Chiefs, but eventually it was forgotten.

Chapter Text

“These dates my mother is setting me up on are going to kill me,” Dean said as he entered the beanery, and sat down at the table, putting his head in his hands.

“I’m sure they’re not that bad,” Maya said reassuringly.

“Trust me,” Dean said into his hands, “They’re bad, all bad.”

“Haven’t you been on like seven dates?” Travis questioned from the kitchen where he was making coffee.

“Yeah,” Vic agreed, sliding into the seat across from Dean, “You must of been on at least one decent date.”

Dean looked up and shook his head, “I’ve been on thirteen dates in the last two months and all of them, and I mean all of them have been terrible. The women are either boring, remind me too much of my mother, or don’t like my job, or me very much for that matter.”

Maya patted him on the back in a reassuring way as she came around to sit at the table, “This is exactly why I stick to self care Wednesdays,” she said pointedly, “I don’t have to get to know anyone and they don’t have to get to know me.”

“I’m sure you will find someone who likes you for you, even if it’s the last person you’d expect” Vic said with a faint smile gracing her lips and a far off look in her eye.

“Yes, because you know so much about dating. When was the last time you even had a date? Because the last time I checked you haven’t been out with anyone since Mayhorn” Dean shot back.

Vic opened her mouth to reply that she had gone on a date last night before freezing with her mouth wide open and then stumbling for words when she realized that that would be cause for more questions.

“Exactly, you don’t get to judge me” Dean retorted back as she continued to trip over a mumbled explanation.

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe you said no,” Andy said to Vic as they entered the beanery, having just gotten back from dropping their patient off at the ER.

“Said no to what?” Travis asked from the table with his mouth full of pasta.

The rest of the team was sitting around the table eating lunch.

“It’s nothing,” Vic said dismissively, starting to make a plate for herself while shooting Andy a look to drop it.

Andy ignored her look and pressed on, “Why did you turn him down?”

“Turn who down?” Maya asked, the conversation quickly grabbing the attention of the rest of the team at the table.

Vic tried to ignore them, putting her food in the microwave to heat it up.

“The hot doctor that asked her out after we finished dropping off our patient” Andy said, still not even bothering to get her food, as she seemed to be more preoccupied with the conversation at hand.

“So why exactly did you turn this hot doctor guy down?” questioned Maya curiously.

Travis and Gibson both shot her knowing looks, before sharing a look themselves and then continuing eating.

“He’s not my type,” Vic said shrugging.

After all, she couldn’t exactly tell them that the reason she turned him down was because she was secretly in love with and dating Lucas Ripley, their boss’s boss’s boss. Not that she would have gone out with the doctor anyway. Sure he was attractive, but something about him gave her a bad feeling.

“He’s a tall, good looking doctor,” Andy said with a look of disbelief, “he’s everyone’s type.”

“Then maybe you should go out with him,” Vic suggested, hoping it might shut her up.

“I would love to,” Andy continued, “but he didn’t ask me out, he asked you out.”

“And I said no, so can we drop this now,” Vic snapped back somewhat angrily.

“Sorry,” Andy said, shrinking back slightly at her tone of voice, “I just thought you and Dr. Avery could have some fun together considering you haven’t been out with anyone in awhile and-“

“Dr. Avery?” Ben asked, cutting Andy off before she could finish her sentence, “As in Dr. Jackson Avery?”

“I think that was his name,” Vic said, slightly irritated that this conversation was still going on (couldn’t they tell she wanted to drop it?).

“Do you know him?” asked Andy eagerly, “What’s he like?”

“Yeah, I worked with him when I was at Grey Sloan,” Ben replied, “He was a decent guy when I was there, but I think he just got out of a pretty serious relationship like a week ago.”

“And he’s already asking out another girl?” Dean asked with a laugh, “he sure doesn’t waste any time.”

“That’s nothing,” Ben said, “he once interrupted a wedding and ran away with the bride while his girlfriend was sitting right next to him. He seems to be incapable of being single for longer than 5 minutes.”

“Sounds like I dodged a bullet,” Vic said while sitting down at the table to eat her lunch.

Everyone nodded in agreement and to Vic’s relief, the subject quickly changed.

Chapter Text

“So, what did you and your hobby end up doing this weekend after you and I went cycling” Travis asked quietly as he put his dishes in the sink, glancing around the beanery to make sure there was nobody around to overhear them.

Vic also glanced around quickly, pouring herself some coffee before answering, “Not much, after our shift on Friday and then cycling Saturday morning with you, I was tired, so we pretty much spent the rest of the weekend in bed.”

Travis waggled his eyebrows at her meaningfully and she picked the dish towel up off the counter and hit him in the shoulder with it, “That’s not what I meant” Vic huffed while going slightly pink.

He gave her a pout as he pretended to be offended and she laughed at him as he rubbed his shoulder.

“Do you want to go cycling again this weekend? And the offer still stands for your hobby to join us” Travis said carefully as he finished cleaning his dishes at the sink while Vic was leaning against the counter still drinking her coffee.

“We can’t this weekend, we are flying up to visit his sister and her family,” she replied nonchalantly, sipping on her coffee.

“You guys are going away for the weekend, to visit his sister?” Travis asked, voice sharp and his eyebrows raised dangerously high.

Vic just nodded in response as Travis let out a low whistle.

“I guess this hobby is really serious for you than,” he said, but before Vic had the chance to respond they were interrupted.

“What hobby?” Dean asked from the other side of the island, picking up an apple and biting into it.

Vic and Travis both turned around and glanced at each other in surprise, clearly neither of them had heard Dean enter the room.

Dean was looking at them expectantly, while taking another bite of his apple.

Vic stumbled over her words as she tried to think of an appropriate response, while Travis apparently just blurted out the first thing that came to mind as he practically shouted, “Tennis!”

“Right Vic?” He asked her, shooting her a panicked look.

She glared at him, but decided it was easiest to play along, “Yeah, I recently started playing tennis,” she lied.

“That’s great!” he exclaimed, surprising both Vic and Travis.

“My parents made me take tennis lessons for like 5 years as a kid, we totally have to play a match sometime!” He said, completely oblivious to the looks on their faces.

“Yeah, totally!” Vic said with forced enthusiasm, sending Travis another glare as Dean started going on and on about tennis.

Chapter Text

Vic looked up at the clock and realized it had been almost an hour since Lucas had taken Bella upstairs to put her to bed so she decided she better go check on him.

She figured Bella had probably roped her dad into reading her a second bedtime story (that little girl had Lucas wrapped around her finger, even more so than Vic did).

As she climbed the stairs and got closer to Bella’s door she heard Lucas’ voice but stopped just inside the doorway when she was able to make out what he was saying.

“...and then Mommy proposed to me“ Lucas said from where he was sitting on one side of the bed.

“And you said yes!” Bella exclaimed, she was leaning forward and her eyes were wide as she hung onto Lucas’ every word. She was clearly completely enthralled with the story.

Lucas chuckled and nodded, “And then I said yes, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made” he said kissing her forehead and pulling the covers over her and Vic swore her heart was glowing.

“Mommy?” Bella asked as she caught a glimpse of Vic in the doorway and Lucas looked over at her and smiled.

“Busted” she said with a grin and moved out of the doorway over to the other side of Bella’s bed.

“Daddy was telling me the story of how you and Daddy met and fell in love and got married” Bella said excitedly.

“It’s a really good story isn’t it?” Vic asked her daughter while giving Lucas a wink.

“Yes!” Bella exclaimed.

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed the story, but now it’s time for bed” Lucas said.

Bella nodded and turned into her pillow as Vic helped Lucas pull the covers over her again and they both kissed her forehead, whispering goodnight as they turned off the lights and closed the door quietly behind them.

Out in the hallway, Vic turned to Lucas with a smirk, “So story time took a little longer tonight huh” she said with an eyebrow raised.

“What can I say” Lucas said wrapping his arms around her waist, “It’s a great story.”

“The best,” Vic whispered as she wound her arms around his neck, pulling him down into a kiss.

It was meant to be a chaste kiss but sooner than later Vic had pressed up against him and his hands were pushing up her shirt as they made their way across the hall to their own room.

All of a sudden, a cry rang out from further down the hall and they reluctantly pulled apart.

“I’ll get him” Lucas whispered as he kissed her cheek and headed down the hall to their son’s room.

As Vic watched him enter the room she couldn’t help but think how lucky she was to have Lucas and their family.