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The explosion had been unexpected. Nobody could’ve seen it coming, and everyone knew that. It just so happened that Maya had pulled her team out in time, and while a couple of them had actually thanked her, she couldn’t take credit - it had been luck. But at least nobody was hurt - that was the main thing.
Well. Almost nobody.
She’d felt the debris hit her at the time, but had promptly forgotten as she jumped back up to make sure everyone was okay. However when she’d gone to shower on their return to the station she felt the pain when lifting her arms to remove her top.
It was fine though, it couldn’t be that bad considering she’d managed to get back up and carry on. She ignored the pain, getting in the shower and washing off the dirt of the scene. It had been a horrible one, they’d all felt it - too many lives lost. Maya knew she needed to get clean and go check on her team.
That being said, she did spend a good few minutes in the shower under the hot water, giving herself a moment to breathe. Carina had taught her this, taking some deep breaths, feeling the heat from the shower, focussing on these alone to calm herself as she let the water run down her body.
Unfortunately she couldn’t spend too long in there and had to peel herself away from the shower, quickly getting dry and putting on a fresh uniform. She had to make a call to the Chief, before heading out to see how everyone else was.
The building was subdued. Those that showered first had taken over the cleanup from those that had headed up now. Everyone was doing their jobs, but quietly. Maya walked into the barn, looking around properly, seeing where she could help. Everything seemed under control there, so she went through and found Vic stacking hoses. Maya didn’t say anything, she just joined.
They worked together quietly. Vic had given her a grateful nod, but they didn’t speak while they did the job. Maya enjoyed stacking the hoses once in a while. It wasn’t considered a captain’s job, but for her it was a comforting one - repetitive, steady, quiet.
However when they finished, Maya knew it was time. “Vic can you get everyone into the beanery? I’ll be up in 10.”
Vic nodded, heading out. Maya didn’t follow, she sat down on the benches, wincing and holding her side. She’d felt the pain building while they were moving the hoses, but ignored it. Now it was burning and she needed a moment before she went upstairs to speak to everyone.
Unfortunately time passed quickly and so she stood up, carefully, and made her way upstairs.
Vic had done as asked, and everyone was sitting at the large table, mostly with cups of coffee. Everyone looked exhausted which wasn’t surprising.
“I won’t keep you long. I know that was a rough call,” she started. “I’ve been on to the Chief. There are still 12 hours left of the shift, and we will have to remain at the station, but they’re going to try and avoid calling us if possible. You’ve all done a great job clearing up after the job, so make sure you rest and eat, and if you need to talk you know where I am. Diane is going to pop in first thing too.”
She paused as a stab of pain hit her again, wincing.
“You alright Captain?”
Maya shook herself back, “yes, yep. All good. I’ll be in my office.”
She made a quick exit and ran into her office, then her bunk bathroom, shutting the doors behind her and leaning against the sink, taking deep breaths. The pain was rippling now.
“Ow!” she let out as another wave came, then she immediately looked at herself in the mirror and shook her head. “Stop whining, you’re fine,” she told herself, standing up.
It was probably just a muscle she’d pulled from falling down with the impact. That’d be it. She unbuttoned her shirt, leaving her in the tee she wore underneath and decided to try stretching it out a little.
Except that quickly turned into a mistake when a light stretch seemed to make it even worse. “Fuck!”
“Uh- captain?”
She spun around, feeling a tad dizzy as she did, to see Dean standing at the door. “Knocking is usually customary, Miller.”
“I did, I don’t think the door was shut properly - it opened,” he explained. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, I don’t imagine that’s why you came here?”
“Well no, but you were-”
Maya raised an eyebrow at him, and that seemed to do the job because he cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“We’ve made a pasta dish up, if you wanted to join?” he asked. “I know it’ll be nothing on what your girlfriend makes, but it’s the best we can do.”
“All of you?” she asked.
He shrugged, “everyone’s tired, but everyone’s hungry, so we did it between us. We didn’t purposefully leave you out, by the way, just figured you’d be busy.”
It was hard to say no to that, really. And she was hungry. “Yeah okay, I’ll be up soon,” she nodded and waited for Dean to leave before she moved again, unsure how her body was going to react. Once he was gone she took a tentative step forward. It hurt, but she could walk. It would do - she was fine.
The stairs were more difficult than usual, even more difficult than when she went up earlier, but then again she was tired, so it made sense. When she did make it back up to the beanery she walked over, grabbing some food and joining them at the table, but when she sat down everyone was looking at her. “What?” Immediately they all started looking at each other, and Maya knew what that meant. “Will one of you spit it out? I will literally nominate someone if you don’t.”
Finally Ben took one for the team. “You were hobbling just now, and Dean said you looked in pain earlier.”
“So you’re gossiping about me?” she asked.
“We’re concerned about you,” he quickly corrected. “Vic said she saw you getting up from the floor after the explosion, did you get hurt?”
Maya sat back, crossing her arms. “I just pulled a muscle, I’m fine. Now I came up here for dinner, not an interrogation, so can we eat?”
That seemed to appease them, and they got back to eating.
Thankfully conversation moved away from her after that, and she listened to the crew chatting away while she ate the just about palatable pasta in front of her, grateful that Dean was around to at least provide flavour. When she’d finished she stood up, excusing herself to get paperwork done and reminding them all to rest before she went back downstairs.
Except getting paperwork done was apparently not allowed. The first time someone knocked on the door she accepted it - she’d told them all she was there for them to talk.
“Everything okay?” she asked when Cutler walked in.
“Yes, fine Captain. Was just wondering if I should get on and clean the engine - not really feeling like sleep so…”
Really?
Maya resisted the urge to make a sarcastic comment. “Whatever you want, I can’t force you to sleep,” she replied. “But take it easy,” she added. After all, she still wanted to be sure they were okay.
He nodded, backing out and shutting the door.
She’d got her head down again, but it was barely ten minutes later when there was another knock. She sighed, putting her pen down and calling them in. It was Vic.
“Captain! Listen, nobody can really sleep, we’re considering a card game if you want in?”
Maya rubbed at her head. “Hughes I have reports to write.”
“You’re allowed to take some time out,” Vic shrugged. “We all need some downtime.”
“And you’re welcome to it, but I’m busy,” she gestured to the paperwork in front of her.
Vic nodded, giving up. “Alright, but you need to take it easy too - not just telling us to.”
“I’m fine, Vic.”
“So you keep saying.”
Vic left, and Maya picked her pen back up again.
There were two more interruptions that hour, not even including the fact that the card game apparently was very active and the increasing noise was driving her up the wall. Her concentration was out of the window, and the pain was only getting worse too.
Maybe she’d been sitting down for too long. That would make sense. Plus it was late now, and she was tired, but she still needed to finish this report. Coffee - that was the answer.
Standing up, she headed out into the hall, trying to ignore how every step made it hurt more. She’d just about made it upstairs when Jack bumped into her. Pain shot through her abdomen and she had to grip the side to stay upright.
That’s what made her snap. The final straw. “For fuck’s sake Gibson! Look where you’re going!”
“Sorry, uh, are you-”
“I’m fine! I’d be even better if people would leave me the fuck alone!”
Jack took a tentative step towards her, “do you need-”
“I need everyone to back off!” she seethed, finally standing back up properly and walking by him into the beanery, quickly grabbing a coffee and going back to her office, ignoring the looks from everyone as she did.
The coffee did help a little, and clearly her little outburst had scared off anyone else from knocking on her door, at least it had for a while, because there was now another knock.
Maya took a deep breath, sitting up a little more in her chair and calling them in. Except the person that walked through the door was not who she expected. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s nice to see you too,” Carina responded as she stepped inside the office, shutting the door behind her.
She sighed, “I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean it’s 3am right now. Not exactly the time you’d usually come in for a visit, plus you love your sleep.”
“I was on shift,” she explained.
Of course she was. Maya knew that.
Carina walked around the desk, leaning against the edge. “You didn’t reply to my messages earlier, I was worried, bambina.”
It was only at that moment that Maya realised she hadn’t even looked at her phone since she’d returned from the call. Where even was it? She looked around, trying to remember the last time she’d seen it.
“Maya, I was worried, and then I get a call from Andy telling me you are hurt?”
Andy had done what?! Maya shook her head, standing up. “I’m sorry, she shouldn’t have called you. I’m fine, I just haven’t looked at my phone since I got back, I’m sorry. It was a rough call.”
“I know, Maya, I work in the hospital,” she pointed out.
Shit.
“Carina I’m sorry, I’ve been so focussed on the team, but I swear I’m f-”
Her girlfriend quickly held a finger up, “don’t you dare tell me you’re fine again. You winced when you stood up, and you’re standing weirdly. Show me.”
“Show you… what?” she asked. Carina had that voice on, the once that told Maya that she already knew the answer, and wasn’t going to let Maya get away with it.
“Your abdomen. There’s a bruise, no?”
Maya sighed, “I think so.”
“You don’t know?” Carina asked.
“I didn’t look,” Maya explained.
She walked over, “can I?” she asked.
“I guess,” Maya shrugged, she knew there was no getting out of it now, and quite frankly she wasn’t feeling all that great. “It’s nothing major though, probably just need some painkillers.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Carina replied, carefully untucking her top. Any other time this would be a much more enjoyable experience, however as she lifted up the top Carina’s fingers grazed over what must have been a bruise, and Maya felt incredibly dizzy. Her vision started to go, and suddenly Carina was holding her up. “Maya! Okay let’s get you sat down.”
She couldn’t argue anymore, her legs weren’t holding her up anymore. Carina managed to help her to her chair, and then crouched in front of her. “I’m going to take you to the hospital.”
“No, I don’t need…” but her head was still spinning.
Carina placed a hand on her knee, “Maya please, you are hurt, the bruise is very big, there could be internal bleeding. Let me take you.”
She went to sit up, but the pain rushed across her again. “Okay, okay, but just you.”
“Just me, prometto, but I will have to tell Andy I’m taking you,” she explained.
Maya nodded, “go and tell her, I will change. I don’t want to go in uniform.”
Carina insisted on retrieving her clothes so Maya could change in the chair, which was probably sensible, she supposed. Changing wasn’t easy, but she just about managed it, and when Carina returned she assured her that Andy was keeping everyone out of the way while they left.
At least they wouldn’t see her like this.
“I’m still mad at you,” Carina told her as they walked back into the apartment, supporting Maya as they walked. “You got lucky that there is no internal bleeding, bambina.”
Maya huffed. She was still angry about being told she needed to rest for a few days. What was even worse is that Miranda had been the one to see her so there was no way she could get away with sneaking into work - news would get back to her fast.
“It’s still nothing major,” she mumbled, sitting down on the edge of the bed when they got there.
Carina immediately pointed that terrifying finger of hers. “You had a blunt force injury and you didn’t tell anyone, then you nearly collapse on me. It might not be internal bleeding, but it is major enough for them to prescribe you an NSAID and tell you to rest. So rest.”
She relented, carefully changing into the pyjamas that Carina handed over with her assistance, before moving herself to lie down on the bed - she had to admit that between the injury and lack of sleep, she was now quite tired. “You’re gonna stay, right?”
“I live here now, remember? Maya please tell me you didn’t hit your head and-”
Maya reached out, catching Carina’s hand that was just close enough. “I know you live here. I meant in bed, with me, you’ll stay?”
At first she wasn’t sure if her girlfriend was going to walk away, but eventually she walked closer to the bed. “On one condition - you tell someone next time you’re injured. Next time it could be worse and I don’t want to go through that.”
Her wounded pride could go to the side for now, because Carina was scared. Suddenly she could see it - the worry that next time she might not get so lucky. “I promise.”
Carina nodded, letting go of Maya’s hand and after grabbing them both some water and changing into her own pyjamas, she joined Maya in the bed. There weren’t many ways for them to comfortably cuddle, but they managed to work it with Maya’s head resting on her chest. Usually it was the other way round, but today she was happy to let Carina hold her.