Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1
Station 19 stands tall…tucked away in the Queen Anne neighborhood in Seattle. The red bright doors are surrounded by white brick and grey steel paneling. Since 1908, Station 19 serves as a shining example of what is means to serve with honor and distinction. The station’s stats have always been the envy of every other station in the city, a testament to the dedication of its crew and the legacy left by Captain Pruitt Herrera. The firefighters who call Station 19 home wear their history with pride. They know they stand on the shoulders of heroes, the ghosts of their predecessors guiding their every move.
Station 19 stands tall, its walls infused with the spirit of generations of firefighters, its legacy woven into the very fabric of the city. It serves as a sanctuary of heroes…a beacon of hope for all.
Across the street, an old firefighter stands with his gaze fixed on the familiar building…his heart pounding in his chest. The sound of his own breath pulses in his ears as he brings his hand to the rub the back of his neck…a nervous habit that had followed him even after all these years.
Lieutenant Jack Gibson left 12 years ago.
He left without a word, with no real explanation. He simply gave his resignation to Chief Ross and slipped the note in his locker before driving away from the station…12 years ago. And he never looked back….until today. Jack glances up at the flag fluttering in the breeze by the entrance, and wave of good memories rush back. But there are other memories too…ones that he buried deep down the moment he took off from Seattle. It wasn’t easy, leaving behind his family at 19…but then again, it felt like the only choice.
But now the time has come to face the past…to see those he left behind. Jack Gibson runs his hand over his face before taking a calming breath and crossing the street.
Inside the firehouse, the afternoon is buzzing with activity. The sounds of clinking equipment, muffled footsteps, and the distant hum of engines fill the air. The day had started with a jolt as alarms sent the team towards a garage fire in the downtown area. The urgency of the call had left their morning routines abandoned. The firefighters of Station 19 got cleaned up and now are slowly trickling into the beanery where their captain is gathering them for an afternoon meeting.
The walls are filled with photographs of past operations and plaques showing the station’s achievements and rich history.
Firefighter Jesse Roper sits alone at the big table in the beanery with a couple slices of cold pizza on a paper towel in front of him. He lifts a slice to take a bite when fellow firefighters Nicky O’Shea and Colin Mendoza come walking in. Nicky, her fiery spirit matching her vibrant red hair marches over to Jesse and playfully slaps the back of his head.
“Hey, watch the hair.” Roper says as he tries to straighten his wavy brown hair down along his ears. “It took me forever to get out the smell of spoiled gas and smoke from this morning.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Mendoza chirps with a smile as he takes a seat and grabs a slice from Roper before taking a big bite.
“Jesse, you really have some nerve.” O’Shea says from across the table.
Jesse chuckles before playfully bantering back. “Is this about our call earlier and my stellar performance with the ax to crack open that safe…I was just doing my job.”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” O’Shea chirps back as she waves her finger at her fellow firefighter and friend. “I just got off the phone with my friend Rita…she says you’re ghosting her.”
“Dude.” Mendoza laughs through ha mouthful of pepperoni.
Roper rolls his eyes and finishes off a slice of pizza. “I can’t help that your friend fell in love with me at the Polish Festival last weekend.”
“You were definitely flirting with her.” O’Shea argues back.
Roper rolls his eyes and holds out his hands. “I flirt with everybody.”
“It’s true…he does.” Mendoza chimes in with a goofy smile. “Which is why I keep my grandmother away from the station.”
Roper laughs before looking back at his friend. “It’s not like we went out on a date and I ghosted her…we split a potato pancake.”
O’Shea thinks about it before exhaling a breath and rolling her eyes. “Fine…I take back the slap.”
“That’s not how it works.” Roper chuckles lightly before noticing one of their lieutenants walking into the beanery. “Montgomery! Nic slapped me for a crime I did not commit…tell her I get to spray her with the hose.”
“What did I tell you about spraying people with the hoses?” Travis chirps back before pouring himself a cup of coffee.
Mendoza thinks about it as he bites his bottom lip before smiling. “You told him that if he sprayed somebody again with a hose that you’d bungee cord him to the flagpole outside and leave him for the raccoons.”
“Thank you Probie.” Travis chirps back before walking over with his coffee cup.
Colin Mendoza exhales harshly before scrunching his face. “I’ve been here almost two years…why am I still the probie.”
“Because...you are the probie till the next one comes along.” Roper explains yet again as Nicky smiles amused from the other side.
“Well…I think it’s time we get another firefighter.” Colin Mendoza states as he leans back in his chair. “I mean…Marshall left for Miami 5 months ago.”
“Lieutenant is there any news on a new firefighter for A Shift?” O’Shea asks.
Travis shakes his head and takes another sip as he watches his fellow lieutenant walk into the beanery from the break room where he has been taking a call. “Ask Grandpa over there.”
Lieutenant Benjamin Warren rolls his eyes before pointing at his old friend. “I didn’t love being referred to as ‘Dad’ back in the day and I don’t love ‘Grandpa’. Just….FYI.”
“How’s the baby?” Nicky asks with a smile knowing Warren has been on the phone with Dr. Bailey.
“Really good….she looks just like Joey.” Ben brags proudly as he thinks back on the pictures his wife sent him over the text. “Miranda’s going to stay in Minneapolis for another week to help out.”
Travis breaks out in a big smile and clasps his hands down on Ben’s shoulders. “Congratulations again Grandpa.”
“Thanks.” Ben says through another light laugh before looking around the beanery. “Any idea why we are meeting in the beanery and not lining up in the barn?”
“Bad news.” Dan Barnes grumbles through a deep chuckle as he walks over and grabs the slice of pizza from Mendoza before taking a seat. “Captain tends to break bad news in the beanery.”
Twelve years ago, Firefighter Barnes was struggling to find a permanent placement after the closing of Station 23. It was the new captain of Station 19 that finally came to his rescue after searching for a new house for three years.
Mendoza rolls his eyes at the sudden robbery. “Really.”
“What?” Travis exclaims through a chuckle. “That can’t be true….is that true?”
“Huh.” Ben retorts as he runs his tongue along the inside of his mouth.
Mendoza watches Barnes finish the pizza and shakes his head. “Hey, you gotta stop throwing your dress blues in with my wash…all my white shirts are now light blue my dude.”
“Come on.” Barnes laughs.
“I’m not a rookie anymore, do your own laundry.” Colin Mendoza chirps back.
Barnes just shakes his head. “That’s not how that works.”
“That’s not how that works. “Travis agrees with a shrug of his shoulders. “You three will always be the rookies until we get new blood.”
Nicky O’Shea looks over at her lieutenant annoyed. “Roper and I have been here for 5 years.”
Lieutenant Warren hisses through his teeth. “Sorry.”
“We gotta get a new probie.” Roper says with a shake of his head as their captain walks into the beanery from the stairs.
Captain Andrea Herrera walks towards the table, noticing the expressions of focus and anticipation from her team members. With a flick of her fingers against the clipboard she held, she signals the start of announcements.
“Okay, 19, I got a lot to go over, so let’s get to it.” Captain Herrera says with a steady voice before slipping the clipboard under her arm. “First off….gutter duty.”
A collective groan erupts from the team. A symphony of disgruntled voices echo in the room.
Captain Andy Herrera watches the reactions with a knowing smile as she lifts upper her wrist to get a look at her watch.
“Okay, get your griping out the way.” Herrera declares, her tone allowing for a hint of amusement with her firefighters. “You got ten seconds.”
The firefighters of Station 19 don’t waste a moment. Their groans and grumbles combine with various shouts and whines. Captain Herrera keeps an eye on the time with a smirk on her face before seeing somebody make their way up the stairs from the corner of her eye.
“Alright, alright.” Herrera says as she clears her throat before nodding her head towards the stairs. “Listen up everybody, the battalion chief wanted to come up here with one more matter to address.”
The firefighters fall into hushed anticipation as Battalion Chief Maya Bishop walks into the beanery and makes her way to the team. She walks up to stand by Captain Herrera’s side as her gaze flickers to all of her firefighters.
“As you well know it is time for another firehouse inspection.” Chief Bishop announces causing the firefighters to once again groan and grumble during the afternoon meeting.
Jesse Roper shakes his head and grumbles under his breath. “And just like that…we go from heroes to human mops.”
“What are you all complaining about?” Chief Bishop asks as a small smile escapes her lips as she examines the firefighters in front of her. “We spruce up the place a bit, we get in our dress blues, we let Deputy Commissioner Malarkey take a quick look around, and then…I’ll slip him a nice bottle of whiskey, and he can be on his way.”
“Malarkey has a soft spot for Kentucky Owl.” Captain Herrera chuckles in agreement under her breath as the other firefighters giggle and laugh from their seats.
Chief Bishop nods her head. “It’ll simply be the cherry on top for the deputy commissioner.”
“Chief is right.” Ben Warren says to the others. “This is already the cleanest firehouse in the city.”
“That’s right.” Travis says as he holds out his hand for Ben to slap his down on.
Ben nods his head and claps down before crossing his arms across his chest. “Heck, it could be the cleanest firehouse on the entire west coast.
Jesse Roper snorts under his breath and looks to Ben. “Heck Grandpa?”
Laughter echoes the walls, but before Ben Warren can say anything back the elevator doors open, the ding drawing the attention of the firefighters. In walks in somebody nobody expected to see ever again…let alone today. The years are etched on his now bearded face, but his eyes are exactly the same.
Jack Gibson’s eyes.
The room falls into a stunned silence, the camaraderie and humor now replaced by surprise and disbelief. Especially, by the four veterans that at one time considered Jack Gibson their family.
The veteran firefighters exchange wide-eyed glances as they struggle to process what is standing right in front of them while the newer members look confused.
“What’s going on?” Mendoza whispers to Jesse.
Roper just shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders. “Beats me.”
Nicky O’Shea recognizing him from old pictures on the wall rolls her eyes and shakes her head before leaning to whisper to the oblivious duo. “You two are actually morons.”
Captain Andy Herrera is the first to recover out of duty, her voice steady as she speaks. “Well, look who decided to drop by unannounced.”
“And uninvited.” Chief Bishop bites as she looks the man up and down.
The mouths of Mendoza and Roper immediately fall open.
Jack Gibson nods his hand and rubs the back of his neck feeling self-conscious. “I uhhh…..was back in town…thought I’d stop by.”
“Uhhh……” Ben Warren stammers as he clears his throat. “Roper, O’Shea, Mendoza meet Jack Gibson.”
Travis simply his head and clicks his tongue. “He used to work here.”
“Oh.” Roper says before realization takes over and he glances over to Nicky. “Ohhhhh.”
Chief Bishop looks over to Jesse Roper and rolls her eyes before straightening where she stands. It only takes a second for her and Andy to make subtle eye contact. But before either woman can says anything to each other or their visitor the alarm goes off.
Dispatch: Engine 19, Ladder 19, Aid Car 19. Auto Collision, Harrington Street. Fire on Scene.
The firefighters snap to attention and in one swift motion, they leave their seats and make their way to the fire poles. They descend down the poles with the clatter of shoes echoing down in the barn as they head to the rigs.
Jack Gibson watches the firefighters head down to the bar leaving only him and Maya and Andy left in the beanery. The two women exchange a quick glance, their eyes speaking volumes about the unexpected turn of events. Without a word, they turn and head towards the stairs to make their way down to the barn.
Jack watches the two women leave before looking around at the now empty beanery. The man holds his breath and tries to keep all of the old memories from drowning him in the middle of the room. The man simply closes his eyes and remembers how to breathe when he can hear the rigs making their way out of the doors.
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In the bustling chaos of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital’s emergency room, Dr. Nico Kim stands at the nurses’ station with his eyes fixated on the digital clock behind the desk. The interns were supposed to arrive two minutes ago to gather charts and help cover the pit. In his 14 years at Grey Sloan, he has transformed himself from a first year attending to being the Head of Trauma. The man runs the ER with a firm hand…and a very, very tiny slice of patience for unorganized interns.
As the digital clock ticks over to the next minute a group of frazzled first year interns rush into the ER and over to the desk where a clearly annoyed Dr. Kim waits.
Dr. Kim shakes his head and stares down the five inters. “You are all late.”
“It’s only three minutes.” Dr. Max Diaz murmurs under his breath to another intern whose eyes go wide.
Dr. Kim zeroes in on the intern with the mouth. “Three minutes can be the difference between having a well organized emergency room and total chaos. Three minutes…can mean the difference between life and death.”
Dr. Max Diaz swallows his nerves and nods his head. “Sorry Dr. Kim.”
“Anybody else have anything they want to share…out loud?” Nico asks the interns.
Dr. Laurie Jonas eyes go wide as the other interns quickly shake their heads. “Absolutely not.”
“Good.” Dr. Kim quips as he points to the iPads on the counter. “Rounds…now.”
The interns quickly grab the iPads and make their way to the numerous cubicles to check and assess the patients. Dr. Nico Kim takes a deep breath and shakes his head as another doctor comes walking over.
“Take a deep breath Nico.” Dr. Carina DeLuca says under her breath amused as she continuous to type in some notes on the chart she’s working on.
Dr. Kim shakes his head and lets out a grumble. “These interns are not the brightest we’ve ever had…they make Lucas Adams as an intern look like a genius.
Dr. Adams hearing the comment as he walks by rolls his eyes and clutches his chest. “Hey! I wasn’t that bad!”
“We all had bets that you were gonna quit and become one of those TikTok doctors.” Dr. Kim snipes back playfully as Carina covers her mouth to keep from laughing.
“And we all thought you were gonna get lured away to be some rich old lady’s personal massage therapist!” Lucas snips back with a grin before walking away.
Dr. Kim’s mouth drops open offended before he calls after the other doctor. “It was the Seattle Mariners! Not some old lady!
“If you say so!!”
Dr. Kim gets ready to yell back as Carina giggles under her breath before his cell phone goes off. He takes it out and reads the message before turning to the other doctor. “Can you keep an eye on the interns for a bit, I have to check on some x-rays?”
Carina nods her head. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” Nico grumbles back before walking away.
Dr. Carina DeLuca watches him walk away before going back to finish her notes on the iPad. The seasoned doctor runs her fingers through her long brown locks before letting out a sigh. It is quiet moments like this where she thinks briefly of how her life has changed since she walked into this hospital seventeen years ago.
It doesn’t take long for a couple of interns to quickly make their way over to her with identical looks of panic. Dr. DeLuca looks over to the young interns and waits for them to speak.
“Yes?” Carina asks...not wanting to waste time of them just standing there like baby deer in the street.
Before the two interns have a chance to speak though Dr. Lincoln makes his way over and smiles at Carina. “Hey, I was looking for you.”
“Hey.” Dr. DeLuca greets back with a sigh as she takes another glance at the standing intern statues. “What’s up?”
“Are we still on for tomorrow night?” Link whispers with an excited grin plastered on his face.
The two still interns slowly turn to look at each other….their heads already spinning in the hospital rumor mill.
“Absolutely.” Carina says with a smile.
“Awesome.” Link says as he places his hand on Carina’s shoulder before noticing the weird interns staring at them. “Uhhh…good luck.”
Carina just nods her head as Link walks away before again focusing on the two interns in front of her. “Do you two need something or are you working to keep this part of the floor down on the ground?”
Dr. Max Diaz motions his head to the cubicle he and the other intern were in. “Mr. Hudson needs a comprehensive metabolic panel done, right away.”
Carina stares at the two interns just standing there and takes an exasperated breath…losing her cool.
“Why are you looking at me?!” Dr. Carina DeLuca shouts firmly in her scary voice as she waves her hand at the interns. “Go order it.”
The now scared interns quickly turn on their heels and rush down the hallway to go take care of the lab work. Dr. Lucas Adams hears the exchange and again walks by with a low chuckle under his breath.
“I do not miss that.” Dr. Adams quips as he walks by.
Carina rolls her eyes and continues to wave her hand. “It helps them, okay. They need to be scared.”
Chief of Surgery Teddy Altman shakes her head amused after hearing the last part of the exchange. She quickly walks over to the nurses’ station to talk to her old friend.
“Our interns are a bit green...but I have a good feeling.” Dr. Altman says as she leans back against the counter and crosses her arms across her chest.
Carina snorts and goes back to her chart. “Even Diaz?”
“Even Diaz.” Teddy says with a slight laugh. “Thank you again for coming in…I really appreciate it.”
“Of course.” Carina says as she swipes through the chart.
Dr. Altman nods her head and shrugs her shoulders. What do you think about picking up some extra hours…maybe coming back to the hospital on a more permanent basis?”
“Dr. Altman.” Carina murmurs warningly under her breath. “I have my practice and all the work I do with the Bailey Clinics.”
Teddy nods her head and rolls her eyes. “I know…I know.”
“But I am glad to continue here on my part-time status.” Carina reiterates as she finishes with the chart and puts the iPad back down in one of the organizer shelves on the counter. She then looks at her watch before up at the chief. “I also have to go…you know just another example of why I cut my hours down at Grey Sloan.”
“I know…I know. “ Teddy drawls as she walks away in playful defeat. “Thank again for coming in.”
Carina smiles at her old friend and calls after the woman. “Ci vediamo presto per un ottimo vino!” (Let’s get together soon for great wine!)
“I only was able to translate the word wine and I’m in!” Teddy calls back.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Later on at Station 19, after the firefighters got back from the call, Battalion Chief Maya Bishop strides into the lobby from the barn, the scent of fire lightly clinging to her white dress shirt. Firefighter Dan Barnes follows closely, as he tries to catch up with the chief. The others unload their gear before wiping down the rigs in hopes of having an early dinner in the beanery.
“Chief Bishop!” Barnes calls out, his voice carrying a note of urgency. “I was wondering if I could talk to you about something.”
Maya turns around and nods her head before picking up a file from the front desk. “What’s up?”
“Well, I was asked by an old instructor of mine to help out at the fire academy and Captain Herrera thinks it’s a good idea.” Barnes goes on to explain to the chief. “But I’d have to miss a few shifts so the cap wanted me to run it by you.”
“If Captain Herrera thinks it’s a good idea, then I’m on board.” Maya says with a small smile as she grabs the file and heads to the stairs. “Just make sure to check scheduling and get floaters to cover your shifts.
“You got it Chief!” Barnes exclaims with gratitude before heading back towards the barn.
Maya Bishop makes her way up the stairs towards the Battalion Chief’s quarters. The woman opens up the folder to start reading and opens her office door. She enters her quarters and walks towards her desk…her face still on the file she is reading. But before she gets ready to take a seat at her desk the sound of a throat clearing startles her. Bishop jumps slightly where she stands and turns to see Jack Gibson sitting on her couch.
“Gibson.” Maya says.
Jack runs his hand nervously over his thick curls before holding it up. “Hey.”
Maya simply stares at him for a moment before shaking herself out of the trance. “I have things to finish up before I head out…I’m working a straight 12 today.”
Gibson exhales a long breath before glancing to the crossed bugles and gold bars on her white uniform shirt. “Congratulations….I always knew you were gonna make it to battalion chief.”
“Mmmmm.” Maya simply hums before nervously tapping her fingers on her desk. “I’d ask you where you’ve been…but it seems dumb to ask after twelve years.”
Jack nods his head and shrugs his shoulders. “It’s a long story but I got myself on a fishing boat and wound up in Jamaica.”
“Fishing boat?” Maya questions.
Jack nods his head and holds out his hands. “I then hopped some other places before finding my way to Baltimore…worked for the B.C.F.D….for a while.”
“Awesome.” Maya bites shortly with her eyes on the desk. “Just….awesome.”
Jack can tell Maya is crawling in her skin and he slowly makes his way over to the desk. “Maya, I’m sorry for leaving like I did.”
“I’m not doing this….not now.” Maya chuckles sarcastically under her breath before glaring up at Jack. “I am not talking about how you left without a word.”
Jack nods his head and shrugs his shoulders with his hands now in his pockets. “I was really messed up…you know that.”
“Yea Jack! I know! I also know that one moment you were trying to help us have a…” Maya’s sentence drops off and she goes dead silent behind her desk.
Jack still looking at Maya rubs his hand over his face in defeat. “I know.”
“It’s fine.” Maya insists before waving towards the door. “You were in town and stopped by…it was good to see that you’re alive and not dead.”
Jack knowing Maya is done turns to leave before quickly turning back to face Maya. “I heard about you and Carina…I’m sorry.”
“What are you talking about?” Maya asks confused as a lump forms in her throat.
Jack clears his throat before biting his bottom lip. “I heard you and Carina split up…I’m sorry.”
Maya stares straight at Jack before squinting her eyes. “Who told you that?”
“I reached out to an old fire academy buddy from back in the day…he told me some stuff that made its way around the rumor mill.” Jack explains with another shrug of his shoulders. “I only talked to him the one time.”
Maya just nods her head. “Oh.”
Jack exhales a long breath before nodding his head to the door. “I uhh….I wanted to see everybody…you know again, before I leave.”
Maya swallows the lump in her throat. “If Captain Herrera is okay with it than so am I.”
Jack offers a small smile before heading to the door. As he opens the door he stands in the doorway before once again turning back to Maya who is now sitting at her desk. “For what it’s worth…I’m also sorry the baby thing didn’t work out. At the time…I really wanted to help you guys…you know--”
“Have a good night Jack.” Maya states as she cuts him off firmly.
Jack closes his mouth hand offers another tiny nod before leaving the battalion chief alone in her quarters. Once the door closes Maya leans back n the chair and exhales a deep breath she has been holding since she saw him earlier in the beanery.
Maya stretches her fingers before tightening them in cold fists. Once her breath is under control she leans forwards in her chair and stares mindlessly at the door. If she ever wondered how she would feel if she ever saw Jack Gibson again now she knows. Confused….annoyed….and really, really pissed.
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Meanwhile downstairs the in the barn, Travis and Ben are in the turnout storage room. The smell of smoke from the gear hangs in the air. Warren takes a seat on the bench and runs his hand over his bald head as Travis once again glances down at his watch. Every now and then the two men exchange a knowing look. The last thing any of them expected that day was for Jack Gibson to stroll on into the firehouse.
When the door finally whips open, the two guys rush over to meet Andy as she shuts and locks the door quietly behind her.
“Oh my god.” Travis sighs.
Andy just takes a breath and holds up her hand to try and calm down her lieutenant. “Okay.”
“Oh my god!” Travis hisses once more as his mind tries to process the day’s events.
Warren looks to the fire captain and shakes his head and keeps his voice low. “This is crazy.”
“Montgomery have you tried Hughes yet?” Andy asks.
“Not yet.” Travis says with a shake of his head as he takes out his cell phone to dial Vic’s number to bring her in on a FaceTime call. “She’s still in Dallas for another 3 days.”
As they wait for Vic to answer the call there is a loud knock on the door before somebody on the other side starts to mess with the door handle trying to get in.
“Guys! You in there?” Mendoza yells through the door.
Travis rolls his eyes and yells at the door. “OGs only!”
“Oh come on!”
“Go make a sandwich or something!” Travis yells again.
“But we’re out of the spicy pickles I like!”
Andy grumbles and steps closer to the door. “Not now Mendoza! The grownups are talking!!”
“Man!!” Collin Mendoza yells before stomping away through the barn.
Travis shakes his head once more before Vic finally answers the call on the other end and her face fills the screen for the three firefighters to see. When Vic sees her three old friends close to the screen she can’t help but chuckle.
“Is this some sort of intervention?! You finish one bottle of Jose and attempt to run around the neighborhood naked once…jeesh.”
“This is not an intervention.” Travis corrects with an eye roll as he runs his hand over his face before hissing through his teeth. “We’re sending out an alarm!”
“Why are you whispering?” Vic asks confused.
Warren takes a breath and places his hand on Travis’ shoulder. “Jack walked into the station today.”
“Jack Campbell from that night at Joe’s?” Vic asks annoyed as she shakes her head. “I told that man not to fall in love with me…what you tell him?”
Travis bites his bottom lip before holding up his hand. “We are not talking about the Coors Light guy with the weird eyebrows.”
“His eye brows were not weird Travis.” Vic snaps before reality starts to dawn on her and her eyes snap open. “Wait…Jack?!”
Ben clicks his tongue against his cheek and snaps his fingers. “There it is.”
“What the actual hell!!” Vic yells before she looks around embarrassed at the other people in the hotel lobby where she paused to take the call. She sheepishly apologizes to those staring around her. “Sorry, my bad…family emergency back home.”
Andy who has gone quiet touches her forehead with her palm before there’s another loud knock on the other side of the door.
“Yea?!” Andy yells.
“Hey Cap! Can we order Chinese for dinner? Mendoza’s freaking out over pickles!” Firefighter Jesse Roper calls from the other side of the door.
“Yea!” Andy calls back as she exhales and places her hands on her hips in an effort to calm her thumping heart in her chest.
“You okay there Cap?” Vic asks after hearing her friend groan and grumbles on the other end of the call.
Andy slowly stretches her neck before chirping back. “Oh yea…living the dream.”
“Well…where is he? Where the hell has he been this whole time?” Vic asks.
Travis shrugs his shoulders. “We don’t know…he just kind of stood there.
Vic goes silent on the other end before rolling her eyes. “Oh…so he’s still a moron.”
“Seems like.” Travis snips.
“What’s his new phone number? I’ll chew his ass.” Vic grumbles under her breath.
Ben steps in and waves his hand down. “Let’s not spook Gibson….we don’t want him to run.”
“What is he….a freaking deer in the woods now?” Vic bites back annoyed.
“Let’s just…take moment and…plan this out carefully.” Ben chimes in as the voice of reason yet again.
Vic still in shock starts to walk to the elevator to get to her hotel room when a pulsing thought finally makes its way through her mind.
“Does Maya know?”
Instantly the three firefighters look to each other before Warren nods his head towards the screen.
“Chief was here when he walked in.” Ben says as he sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth before shrugging his shoulders. “She was very…Bishop about it.”
Vic’s eyes on the screen go wide for the second time. “This is going to get so messy.”
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Maya Bishop stands in the doorway of her home, the craziness of the day fighting against the warmth and comfort that always envelopes her when she steps in the door. The smell of something delicious makes its way through the air, instantly soothing her tired muscles and frayed nerves. As Maya walks towards the kitchen her eyes are immediately twinkle in reflex at what she sees.
There in the kitchen, a tall woman with long, wavy brown hair pulled back in a long braid that cascades past her shoulder blades. Her sleeves are rolled up, revealing arms slightly dusted with flour.
Maya smiles gratefully at the sight in front of her as she quietly walks over to the woman and gently places her hand on the small of her wife are back. The blonde takes a beat and puts her nose to the pot before leaning up to whisper in the other woman’s ear.
“Questo minestrone di pollo ha il suo profumo quasi quanto il tuo.” (This chicken minestrone smells almost as good as you.)
Carina turns, her eyes crinkling into a smile as she meets Maya’s gaze. “I can’t believe you are spouting off that same line after 15 years.”
“Yea, but now I can say it in Italian.” Maya retorts with cheekiness in her voice before placing a kiss on the woman’s cheek.
“Okay….okay.” Carina drawls back under her breath before dipping her spoon in the pot to scoop out a small taste for her wife. “It’s the fresh garlic from that new store on Cantor Street. I told you fresh garlic is a game chaser.”
“Changer.” Maya corrects before taking the bite.
“Whatever.” Carina murmurs as she waves the blonde off.
Maya enjoys the soup in her mouth before looking her wife up and down. “How was work today?”
“Good.” Carina says as she keeps stirring the soup before glancing back at Maya. “Oh, before I forget….Link is going to come over after work tomorrow to talk about his big trip surprise for Jo.”
Maya sighs and nods her head. “Right.”
“He wants tips for traveling in the Mediterranean.” Carina says with a smile as thoughts of her own trips with Maya on the coast of Europe travel through her mind.
“Sounds good.” Maya says before grabbing a crouton from the salad on the counter and popping it in her mouth.
Carina again glances over to her wife. “How was your day?”
“Well.” Maya stammers nervously as she tries to figure out how to bring this up with the feisty Italian next to her. “Ummmmm…..”
Carina’s hand stops stirring and she looks over to her wife. “Uh-oh.”
“We had a visitor to Station 19 today.” Maya says hesitantly before clearing the lump in her throat.
“Okay.” Carina drawls slowly…unsure of where this is going.
Maya inhales a long breath before exhaling. “It was Jack.”
Carina snorts and shakes her head while chuckling. “That’s not funny.”
“Sweetheart, I’m not joking.” Maya replies quickly with a tilt of her head.
“Jack.” Carina sputters…the name sounding foreign on her lips. “Jack Gibson?”
“Yes.” Maya says through a heavy sigh.
Carina’s mouth drops open in complete shock before she shakes herself out of the trance. “What did he want?”
“I don’t know.” Maya says back as she thinks back to their awkward run-in at the station. “I was in shock and he was…rambling.”
Carina rolls her deep brown eyes in annoyances and picks up the spoon from the pot and starts to wave it around in the air. “Ovviamente! È ancora un idiota sconclusionato che dimentica come parlare da adulto.” (Of course! He is still a rambling idiot who forgets how to speak like a grown up.)
Maya notices the sauce fling up on the cabinets and gently reaches for the spoon. “Okay, let’s put down the spoon.”
“Where has he been?” Carina asks confused as Maya places the spoon on the counter.
“Jamaica…apparently.” Maya mutters as she runs her hand over her blonde hair. “He’s been on the east coast for a while…..Baltimore.”
Carina rolls her eyes again. “Eh.”
“Jack thinks we’re divorced.” Maya grumbles as she again places her hand on her small of Carina’s back.
“Why would he think that?” Carina hisses….once again utterly confused.
“I didn’t stay around long enough to ask.” Maya says before swallowing the lump in her throat and biting her bottom lip. “That’s not it.”
Carina inhales a sharp breath…not sure if she wants to hear anymore. “What?”
“He is also under the impression…that the insemination didn’t work.” Maya states carefully.
Carina’s mouth drops open again as her eyes go wide. But before Maya can open her mouth to reassure her wife a voice calls to them from the upstairs.
“Mamma! Have you seen my lacrosse stick?!”
“You left it in the backseat of my car!” Carina calls back before placing her hand on her forehead to try to regain her balance.
“Grazie!”
Maya notices Carina looking shaky and reaches over to try and steady her wife as a different voice can be heard.
"When you're out there can you grab my math book?!"
"No!"
"Come on! I'll give you a dollar!"
"Deal!"
Carina closes her eyes as her wife starts to rub a comforting circle on her back before shaking her head. “What are we going to do?”
Maya sighs and looks past Carina towards the living room where she can see the steps that lead to the upstairs bedrooms. “I don’t know.”
The doctor sighs and notices the worry lines spreading along her wife’s forehead. “Are you breathing?”
“I don’t know.” Maya answers honestly. “You?”
Carina blows out a gasp of air between her lips. “I don’t know.”
Maya just leans over and places another kiss on her wife’s cheek before walking away. “I’m going to go grab us a bottle of wine from the basement for dinner.”
“Prendi la Contari Vodka dal nostro viaggio.” Carina says before rubbing down her face tiredly with her hand. (Grab the Contari Vodka from our trip.)
“I will grab both.” Maya corrects as she opens the door to head down to the basement.
Carina watches her wife disappear before blowing her bangs away from her eyes and shaking her head once more. “Oh my god.”