Work Text:
Maya couldn’t remember a time she was happier than right in that moment, surrounded by her loved ones, arms around her wife as they slowly swayed in their place. Sure, she had been incredibly happy the day she won her medal, she had even cried but those tears were from a mix of happiness and relief because, deep down, she was afraid of what would her father do if she didn’t bring home the gold. She had been happy the day she graduated from the fire academy with the best scores alongside Andy. On the day chief Ripley informed her that she was going to be promoted to lieutenant, she was happy for a moment until she wasn’t as she didn’t want to transfer to station 23, and then, that bittersweet feeling had turned into dread when the news of Andy and Sullivan never making it to Rainier First came. She was supposed to be on aid car that day but Andy switched with her so she could impress Ripley. Yeah, that day hadn’t been a really happy one. However, she was beyond grateful when Sullivan requested Ripley she stayed at 19, even if it was unusual to have 3 lieutenants on one team. She was so happy, she even hugged her captain, taking both him and herself by surprise. And of course she had been happy when she became captain, but that happiness didn’t last long as it almost cost Maya her team and her friendship with Andy.
All those moments of happiness were always mixed with something unfortunate that didn’t let her bask in the joy. However, in that moment, on her wedding, Maya was completely and utterly happy as she gazed into her wife’s eyes, hands wandering her body, aware of the comforting weight of her wedding band on her left hand’s ring finger as she gently brushed her fingertips over the fabric of Carina’s beautiful jumpsuit, chests pressed together, feeling her soft breaths over her lips.
She was not only happy, she felt at peace. Like everything in her life was finally falling into place. She had a great job, loyal friends, her mom was there and she had just married the love of her life.
Wow.
She never thought she’d say that.
“I know I’ve said this before but… God, you are so beautiful, Carina.” Maya whispered against the brunette’s lips as her right hand moved up from her ass to her waist and her left traveled down the doctor’s arm.
Carina’s soft smile widened at her wife’s words. “Sei più che bella, sei bellissima.” Her parted lips hovered close to Maya’s, the tips of their noses brushing.
The blonde was the one who leaned in first, letting her tongue dart out as she took Carina’s lips into hers. They stayed like this for a few moments, minutes even, the kiss was languid, unrushed, meant to say without words how they felt for one another. They switched angles a few times, giggling as their noses bumped or hair got in the way before kissing again.
When they finally pulled away, the taller woman rested her forehead on the blonde’s, eyes closed as they kept swaying.
It was a few moments after that Carina pulled back again with the intention of spinning Maya on her spot before pressing herself into the blonde again but as she lifted her face, her gaze shifted to a spot behind Maya’s shoulder and she noticed the odd looks everyone was giving them.
The doctor’s nose crinkled, which Maya noticed. “What’s wrong?” She asked, bringing her hands to the sides of the brunette’s neck.
Carina softened her expression as her brown eyes met blue ones. “Nothing’s wrong is just…” She looked down at the inexistent space between their bodies, trying to dismiss the whole thing. “Your friends are staring at us.” She slightly tightened her grip on Maya’s waist.
The firefighter chuckled and chewed on her bottom lip. “It’s hard to keep one’s eyes away from you. You are a vision.” At that, Carina’s crinkle returned and this time it included her nose and brows, making the blonde chuckle again “It means you’re so ravishing you don’t seem real.”
The Italian flashed a broad grin. “You’re such a flatterer, you might get some tonight if you keep that up.”
Maya gasped and pretended shock. “So, me getting some tonight is in question? Oh my, I have to up my game.”
The couple laughed again and just when Carina was about to lean into a kiss, her eyes shifted again and she saw the same look on their guests’ faces.
Concern.
The doctor tilted back, making Maya pout by her retreat. With her eyes still on Maya’s friends’ faces, Carina spoke. “Maya, I think something happened.”
The blonde's lips set in a line as she turned around to face her team. Carina was right, the looks on their faces didn’t announce anything good.
Maya let her hands drop from her wife’s shoulders to hold her hands and squeezed them before letting go of one and pulling Carina as she walked towards the latina.
Andy started walking towards them as well, meeting the newlyweds halfway, still a little away from the rest of 19.
“What’s going on? Is there a five alarm fire? Do you all need to go?” Maya asked in rapid succession. She didn’t want her friends to leave but duty came first.
Andy’s jaw tensed and she looked down to her hands where she was still holding her phone. “Maya…” She glanced up to meet the blonde’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Andy, if there’s a fire, there’s nothing to be sorry about. Go, you were subbing for me the next few days anyway.” Maya encouraged her friend, placing her free hand on her shoulder.
The lieutenant sucked in a breath and placed one hand over Maya’s. “It’s not a fire. We got an email from the brass.”
Maya scrunched up her face before realization dawned on her. “Is it about our last call?” She asked fearfully, instinctively tightening her hold on Carina’s hand who returned the squeeze.
Andy swallowed and then nodded. “You should check your phone.”
The color drained out of the blonde’s face before letting go of Carina and tramp towards the door leading to the backrooms, her heels clicking as she went.
Carina stood next to her wife’s best friend not knowing what had just happened. “Andy, what’s going on?” If it had to do with their last call, it couldn’t be good. Maya had told her she had pissed off the fire chief but everyone’s reaction was too bad for the retaliation to be a simple punishment.
The latina placed a hand on Carina’s forearm and squeezed. “You should go with Maya. She’s gonna need you.” She simply said. If Andy was being honest with herself, she was too much of a coward to tell Maya or even Carina what had happened, especially since her husband had played a big part in it.
The doctor’s expression hardened but she nodded at the other brunette before following the same path Maya had a few moments ago.
She went inside the room everyone used as a changing room earlier, where she knew Maya had left the clothes she was wearing before as well as her phone and wallet. She found the blonde standing in the middle of the room, her back towards the door and her head looking down at the device on her hands.
“Maya…” Carina softly said, closing the door behind her.
But Maya didn’t say anything just yet. She kept reading and re reading the email she had gotten two hours ago but hadn’t seen as she was too busy being happy with the woman she loved.
“Maya.” The Italian called out again, placing a hand on her wife’s lower back.
“I was relieved of my duties as captain of station 19.” The blonde whispered, her voice emotionless.
The doctor opened her eyes wide and stepped in front of Maya, fingers around her forearms and ducking her head to try to meet Maya’s eyes. “You what?” She asked even if she had heard clearly. It had to be a mistake, right?
The firefighter lifted her chin and Carina finally saw her tears filled eyes. “I was relieved of my duties as captain for the duration of the investigation.” Her lower lip trembled as her voice started to crack. “Depending on the results, I will face disciplinary actions that could go from suspension, to demotion or even termination.” Clenching her jaw, Maya fought back the tears flooding her eyes. “And, judging by what the chief told me two days ago, I don’t think I’ll get off with the lightest punishment.”
Carina’s heart broke at the sight of her crying wife. As soon as she wrapped her arms around her, the blonde broke down, sobbing into the brunette’s neck. “Shhhh, andrà tutto bene, starai bene.” She soothed, rubbing circles into Maya’s naked back.
The firefighter tightened her hold around the brunette’s waist, resting her forehead on her shoulder. Carina could feel the hot tears land on her skin which made her held tighter to Maya as well. “Let’s go home.” She whispered into the blonde’s hair, pressing a kiss when she finished her sentence.
Maya sniffed and pulled away from the brunette, using both hands to wipe the tears of her face, inadvertently smudging most of her makeup. “S-shit, I’m ruining our wedding.” She studdered.
The doctor brought her hands to Maya’s upper arms and gently dug her fingers into her skin. “You’re not ruining anything. We had a lovely day, amazing actually. This, right now, is not your fault.” She assured her while one of her hands traveled from Maya’s arm to under her chin, softly lifting it so she could meet her eyes again. “Let’s go home.” She repeated.
The blonde licked her lips and was about to agree when she remembered something, her eyes opening a little wider. “M-my mom! She probably doesn’t know what’s going on, all the others got the email but she –”
“I’ll go talk to her, okay?” Carina interrupted with a small smile. “You get our stuff in the car while I deal with her, sì?”
Maya nodded in response before leaning forward and press her lips against her wife’s. “Thank you.” She said still close to the other woman.
The doctor tilted her head to give Maya another kiss, this one on her cheek, before pulling away from her. “I won’t take long.” She promised as she exited the room.
Carina sighed as she walked back into the main room, wiping a tear away with the back of her index before it even fell from her eye.
When she entered the main area, everyone was in the same spot as when she had followed Maya, except from Sullivan and Andy who where nowhere to be seen. All the members of 19 where talking among themselves, visibly angry at what was happening. She looked to the tables and found Katherine talking with Lenya, Vic’s mom, as her dad had started collecting the dirty dishes, noticing the celebration had ended by everyone’s demeanor.
Carina was about to make her way to her mother in law when Vic approached her, concern clear on her face. “How’s Maya?”
The Italian sighed, stuffing her hands in the small pockets of her jumpsuit. “Not good. I’m taking her home, I’m just gonna talk to her mom first.”
Victoria crossed her arms over her chest as she shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Carina. This just ruined the night.”
The doctor’s brow furrowed as she nodded, her lips twisting in displeasure. “Well, there’s nothing anyone can do right now. But thank you.” She said, placing a hand on one of Vic’s elbows. “This was wonderful right until now.”
The firefighter smiled sadly at the Italian. She liked her a lot, liked how happy she made her friend. It was terrible that their wedding day was ending that way. “You’re welcome, Carina. You take your girl home, we’ll take care of everything here.”
The brunette nodded again and returned the smile before turning around to walk towards Katherine. She heard the older blonde laughing with the other woman as they said how they never thought their little girls would end up being firefighters.
Katherine lifted her gaze when she noticed Carina. The doctor smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
Before the older woman could answer, Vic called out from the other side of the room. “Mom, come here, please.”
The polish woman stood up from her chair to go to her daughter and Carina occupied her empty seat.
“What happened, dear? I just saw Maya storm off but no one is saying what happened.” Katherine asked, reaching for her daughter in law’s hand on the table.
The doctor pressed her lips together. “It’s just work stuff.”
“They’re being called into a fire on her wedding day?” The older blonde joked, Carina could even tell she was smiling behind her mask by the way the corners of her eyes creased.
“Well, fires don’t stop just because we got married.” The doctor joked, hoping to lighten the mood a bit. “But that’s not it, it’s…” She sighed. “It’s complicated. Bureaucratic stuff.”
“Oh, I hope is nothing bad.” Katherine sounded worried and it showed in her eyes.
The doctor forced a smile. “Hopefully, is not. Maya and I decided to call it a night but she asked me to check up on you before we left. Do you need anything? You could come with us right now if you want.” The brunette offered, unsure of how Maya’s father would react at his wife being there. The firefighter probably wanted to spend the night just the two of them but she wouldn’t refuse to help her mom if the situation was bad.
But Katherine immediately started to shake her head. “Oh, no, darling, it’s your wedding night, I wouldn’t intrude like that.”
Carina extended her other hand and set it on top of her mother in law’s. “Are you sure? You could go to a hotel if you wanted, I’m more than happy to pay for it.”
The older blonde shook her head one more time. “No, dear, it’s not necessary. I… I can handle Lane tonight.” She firmly said, even if her eyes betrayed her a little. “What Maya said before, when I visited her at the station, was true. He has never laid a hand on us.” She rubbed her thumb into the doctor’s knuckles.
“Can we drive you, at least?” Carina insisted. She wanted to do everything she could to help the woman. “Or I can get one of the guys to drop you off.”
“That would be helpful, dear.” Katherine finally agreed.
The Italian stood up and prompted Katherine to do the same, briefly hugging her without caring about social distancing. “Thank you for coming.”
The older blonde patted her new daughter in law softly on the back, the way only a mother knew how. “Thank you for making my daughter so happy.”
Carina beamed at those words, a rebel tear rolling down her cheek. After a few moments they pulled away and the doctor asked Dean if he could take Mrs. Bishop home, which he happily agreed.
Meanwhile, Maya was waiting in Carina’s car, which she parked behind the restaurant. She had already loaded most of their stuff, except the wedding dresses she didn’t wear, she would ask Vic to drop those off the next day, and now sat in the passenger seat silently crying with her head pressed against the window.
To think she was so happy. To think she had just told Carina they had a drama free wedding because they had had enough drama before they got married. To think her life was perfect just for a few moments before everything crashed and burned, quite literally.
Well, not everything.
She still had Carina.
Maya smiled at the thought of her wife and that smile widened a bit when she saw the brunette walk out the backdoor of the restaurant and towards the car.
She grabbed a tissue from the tissue box Carina kept in the glovebox and tried, unsuccessfully, to remove the messed up makeup and the tears streaking hot tracks down her pale cheeks.
The Italian opened the driver’s side door and climbed inside. She sifted in her seat so her torso was sideways, just enough to look at Maya without craning her neck. The blonde did the same and the couple ended up facing each other inside the car.
“Are you okay?” Carina asked, even though she knew it was a dumb question. She extended her hand, palm up, silently asking Maya to take it.
The blonde let her hand drop on top of Carina’s, rubbing the inside of her wrist with her thumb. “Not really.”
Carina nodded and they remained in silence for a few seconds.
“What did you tell my mom?”
The corner of the brunette’s mouth quirked up slightly. “I told her there were some bureaucratic issues. She didn’t ask more and I didn’t elaborate.”
“What is she gonna do right now?” A small crinkle appeared between Maya’s eyebrows. “Is she going back to my dad?”
The brunette sighed. “I offered her to stay with us or at a hotel but she refused, said she could handle your dad. I asked Dean to take her home.”
Maya nodded slowly, her eyes not looking at Carina as she was thinking. “I’m really happy she came.”
The taller woman smiled. “I’m happy, too. I’m really proud of you for standing up to your father.”
The blonde’s eyes landed on Carina’s, giving her a tiny smirk. “Yeah, that felt good.”
The brunette leaned over and pressed a kiss on the firefighter’s forehead. “Let’s go home.”
Maya only nodded and they let go of each other’s hands to settle correctly in their seats and put on their seatbelts.
They drove in silence, Maya not in the mood to talk and Carina not wanting to push her, but they held hands all the way to their apartment, not letting go even when Carina had to switch gears. They arrived to their place shortly after and they went up carrying just their coats, phones and purses, all the other stuff could stay in the car overnight.
The brunette opened the door and as soon as it closed behind them, Maya pushed Carina to the nearest vertical surface, leaving a trail of wet kisses along her jawline and then dipping down to her neck.
Carina was surprised by the unexpected action but didn’t want Maya to stop. She tangled her fingers on the blonde locks and took a sharp inhale through the nose as her wife focused on her pulse point.
It took her a moment to remember the bad news Maya was given, in which moment she opened her eyes and carefully pushed Maya away, cupping one of her cheeks. “Maya, wait.”
The blonde’s pupils were huge, the blue in her eyes was almost gone as desire flared in them. “Wait what? This is our wedding night, Carina.” She purred, smirking as she leaned in again.
The brunette, however, stopped her from pressing her lips into her again. “I want to make sure you’re okay, bella. Talk to me.” Her thumb moved lightly over the firefighter’s cheekbone.
Maya dipped her head, trailing the bridge of her nose across the doctor’s exposed shoulder. “I don’t want to talk about it. Not now, at least.” She added before Carina could protest.
“I don’t want you to bottle up your feelings or try to ignore them through sex.” The doctor whispered into Maya’s ear.
She lifted her chin again and gazed into the brunette’s eyes. “I don’t want to have sex with you, Carina. I want to make love to you tonight, on our wedding night and every night after that.”
The corners of the Italian’s lips quirked up slowly until the small smile became a full grin. “È così?”
Maya matched Carina’s grin and nodded, answering as her lips got closer to hers. “Sì, è la verità.”
The kiss they shared then wasn’t as hungry as Maya’s early advances were. It was slow, tongues shyly darting out at first, the blonde dragging hers along the Italian’s lip before permission to enter was granted and they started to dance along. As their lips parted several moments later, foreheads came to rest together.
Carina didn’t need more convincing and decided to give her wife what she needed at the moment. To forget as they got lost in each other, skin rubbing against skin when their clothes was discarded, lips parting as they gasped for air, backs arching when they teetered over the edge, muscles aching as they reached their limit, heart beats slowing down only to start racing again as they went for another round.
By the time their muscles ached too much to move, they had lost count of how many times each had made the other see stars. Barely covered from the waist down by the sheets, the newlyweds were trying to slow down their breathing as they stared at the ceiling.
Maya shuffled over and rested her head right over Carina's heart, enjoying listening to it still beating fast. She brought her hand up to the doctor's clavicle where she started running her nail from one end to the other and slung her leg to rest on top of Carina's. The Italian wrapped her arms around the shorter woman and pressed her lips at the top of her head.
Neither said anything for a long time and Carina even thought Maya had fallen asleep until she heard her breathing hitching a little as well as a something small and wet landing on her chest.
Maya was crying.
“Maya Bishop.” Carina started but stopped when she felt the other woman tense. She probably thought Carina was asleep since she hadn’t moved in a while and her breathing remained the same, calm and even.
The Italian started to move a hand up and down her wife’s back to get her to relax. “Maya Bishop.” She tried again. “If someone had told me that night we first met at the bar that I had just encountered the love of my life, I would have laughed.” And she did just that, she chuckled, Maya enjoying listening to the rumble in her chest as she spoke.
“You weren’t the first woman I had met in that bar that made me want to get to know her at first sight.” She thought of Arizona for a second before pushing her out if her mind. “You weren’t the first woman I had met in that bar whose smile made my heart flutter. But you were the first one who rejected my advances.” It was Maya’s turn to chuckle. “And that only made me want to get to know you more.”
Carina took a deep breath, her chest rising and Maya’s head along with it. “I knew you were special right then and there but… I just didn’t know how special you would be. I had no idea that I had just found my home.” She felt the blonde’s leg move a little higher over hers and her foot rubbing her calves. “Sono sempre a casa quando sono con te. I want to build our home together. And I know it will be strong because our love is strong. And it’s pure. And it’s forever.”
Maya let out a shaky breath through her mouth, overwhelmed by the words coming out of Carina’s lips.
“You’re going to be okay, bambina. Whatever happens.” The Italian said when Maya didn’t speak.
“We are going to be okay.” The blonde corrected. “We’re going to be okay. Even if I get demoted or lose my job because I don’t regret what I did. I saved a life, a child’s life. They they don’t get to take that away from me.”
The doctor smiled and dipped her head when Maya craned her neck up, pressing her lips against hers. “We’re going to be okay.” She repeated.
And Maya believed those words. With all her heart. Cause, no matter what happened, if Carina was by her side, nothing could be that bad.