Chapter Text
Maya was laying alone in bed, she laughed a little when she realised that it was wednesday, and normally she would have someone next to her on wednesdays. But no, instead, the blonde was laying perfectly still waiting for a response on a text she sent hours ago. She put both of her hands in front of her face and resisted the urge to scream, letting out a half assed groan instead. She was not this person, she didn't lose sleep over texts with people she hadn’t even slept with yet, they hadn’t even kissed. Still, Maya thought the gorgeous Italian ought to start paying her some rent, because it was not fair that she had lived in her head for free ever since that night at Joe’s three weeks ago.
The phone started buzzing on the nightstand and Maya immediately felt butterflies, she hadn’t been expecting Carina to call, but maybe that was the next logical step in this taking it slow business, Maya wouldn’t know. She picked up the phone and frowned when she didn’t see the name she expected across the top of her screen, it was an unknown number. She huffed out a “this better be important”, before answering.
“Hello?” She said.
“May I speak to Maya Bishop?” The woman on the other end of the line sounded professional and Maya found herself sitting up in bed, straightening her back.
“Speaking.”
“Sorry to bother you this late, Ms. Bishop. My name is Anja Nilsson, I’m calling on behalf of Child Protective Services. Now, I’ve been informed that you had a brother named Mason Bishop, is that right?”
The use of the past tense was not missed by Maya.
“Yes.” She rasped out. “Is he okay?”
“No. I am sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but your brother died about a week ago, apparently it was an overdose.”
“Oh.” Maya would be lying if she said she hadn’t been waiting for that call her entire adult life, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.
“Are you aware that Mr. Bishop had a child?” Maya almost dropped her phone in shock.
“He did?” Dread spread through her entire body at the thought of what that child must have gone through.
“Yes, and looking through his belongings, we found a note saying he would like her to go to you should something happen. I’m terribly sorry it has taken us this long to get in touch Ms. Bishop, Maeve is currently in an emergency foster placement.”
“Maeve.” Maya muttered, still not quite comprehending what was happening. “Parents. Ehm my parents. We, ehm, I have parents.” Maya managed to string out.
“Yes, I just got off the phone with your father. They did not want her to stay with them.” Maya was sure the woman was paraphrasing, her dad more than likely berated Mason, and then this woman for trying to place his daughter with them.
“Oh, okay.”
“The note found amongst Mr. Bishop’s things is not legally binding, but we always try to place the children with family. Granted you are willing and able to take her in, naturally there will be a series background and security checks as well.”
“I can-” She paused. She couldn’t do this. She had never even met the child, she didn’t even know how old Maeve was. “How old is she?”
“13 months.” A one year old, Maya thought. She couldn’t handle a one year old, she could hardly handle herself and her new job as captain, she was just starting something with Carina and a child would just, well, it would throw her life completely off course. Maya didn’t do well with distractions from her goals. Breathing was becoming more and more difficult, and thinking was becoming impossible.
“When do I have to decide?”
“The sooner the better, we are going to have to start looking into permanent foster placements in a couple of days.” Foster placement, she had never heard of a child in the system who came out of it without trauma. Her mind wandered to Jack for a second as she thought about some of the stuff he had told her he had to endure, she was sure that hadn’t even been half of it.
“Can I call you back tomorrow morning? I just need some time to think about this.”
“Of course,” the woman answered, but all Maya heard was ‘why do you even need time to think? This is what your brother wanted.’
“Actually, nevermind. I’d like to take her in.”
Maya had been warned both by CPS and by her foster parents, that Maeve was a crier, no, a screamer. Maya had shrugged them off, she dealt with loud sirens all day long and how loud could a one year old be?
Really fucking loud, it turned out.
“I know, little love. I know. You miss your daddy. But you have to try and sleep now.” She swayed her entire body, that’s what people did to calm down babies. Right?
“Let’s go lay down in my bed. Maya needs a nap too.”
Maeve had been staying with her for a little over a day and the two of them had yet to have a nice, peaceful moment. Not that Maya could blame the girl, she would be crying too had she lost her dad, and been moved around from place to place ever since.
“Shh, Maeve. You’re going to stay here with Maya for a long time, it’s okay to calm down.” She laid down on her bed with Maeve on her chest and was amazed to find that the girl stopped screaming. Her cries subsided to whimpers, which eventually turned to deep breaths as the girl fell asleep. Maya immediately felt her eyes shut too.
There was a bloody knock on her door.
Maya ignored it at first, but it became increasingly louder and Maya now feared that it would wake the sleeping baby. She untangled her as carefully as she could, placing a barrier of pillows around her before jogging to the door.
“I’m coming.” She muttered, mostly to herself as she swung the door open. In barged a fired up Italian.
“Oh Maya, I was so worried about you.” Carina engulfed her in a hug before pushing her away.
“Why didn’t you answer your phone? Stupida, I thought you were dead.” She hit Maya three times on her arm, and Maya grabbed the spot.
“Ouch”, she mumbled. “And can you please keep your voice down?”
“Are you sick? You smell like sick.”
“Gee thanks, ever the charmer. No I’m not sick, I’m-” Maya was interrupted by a loud wail coming from her bedroom.