Chapter Text
8 long years have passed since Maya last parked her car in this familiar spot, the one adorned with the distinctive 'Captain' sign in station 19's parking lot. The last few months went by fast, with Carina concluding her most recent study and the previous agreement of moving to Seattle when that happened, to actually doing so and finding a captain position for her to fill in SFD.
With Captain Vogel's departure, forced by his family's relocation to Arizona, the stars aligned for Maya to find herself back in this place she once called home, among the people she once considered family—until they turned their backs on her the moment they believed she was wrong.
The weight of that thought tightens Maya's grip on the steering wheel, not in anger, but in sorrow and pain. Her former self was a complex being, seeking validation for her captaincy from those she thought would be proud of her. The heartbreak she experienced when it was denied was the reasons she left, or at least half of it.
She couldn't suppress the urge to be there the moment she opened her eyes, so she arrived early, way early than usual. Having an abundance of spare time now, she leaned over to her backpack on the passenger seat and retrieved some cash. Stepping out of her car, she took a stroll down the street. She walked for a while until her eyes locked onto what she was looking for.
La Piazza stood precisely where it had always been. She ventured inside the coffee shop, well aware that it was still too early; only two other customers occupied the space. Approaching the counter, she placed an order for her customary breakfast out—a cappuccino and a cornetto. After paying the bill and collecting her order, she settled at a table near the window. Capturing a photo of her meal, she promptly send it to Carina, accompanied by the caption, 'It's still here, and I'm embracing my inner Italian :)'.
As she finished her breakfast, a wave of uncertainty washed over her. Walking back to the station, unsure of what awaits her today. She wants to recognize where everything is, this was her home for many years. She knew the exact location of every oil stain in the barn and that one slightly loose tile in the showers. She can't help but pray that no one hurls an axe at her.
Arriving at the parking lot, she retrieved her backpack from her car, preparing herself to venture inside, now it’s time to go in.
Walking through the door, she notices that the basic layout of the reception area remains unchanged, although the map of Seattle on the wall seems different. She supposes the city has change, expanded since her departure.
Lost in her thoughts, the blonde remains adrift until a voice echoes from the stairs, jolting her back to the present moment.
“Bishop? It’s that really you?”
Maya's attention snaps to the source of the voice, and her gaze lands on Travis descending the stairs. His expression is etched with disbelief, mingled with the evidence of a few new gray hairs, causing her to take pause and observe his transformation.
As he approaches her, he abruptly stops and voices his doubts, "You're not a product of my imagination, are you?" His tone carries a hint of distrust as he scans his surroundings, wary of another potential dream. "This isn't another dream, right? Because I remember waking up this morning," he muses, his gaze returning to Maya. "But then again, that could have been all part of the dream too"
"I'm very real, Montgomery. You're not dreaming" Maya reassures him.
In an attempt to verify his reality, he jests "Can you pinch me to make sure?"
Before Maya can respond, the front door swings open once again, drawing their attention. Battalion Chief Gorniak enters the room, a man reaching his 70s, who played an important role in Maya's decision to join 19.
"Captain Bishop, good morning. Welcome back to 19" he greets her warmly, extending his hand with a genuine smile.
Returning the smile, Maya firmly shakes his hand and replies "Good morning, Chief. It feels good to be back" though she wasn’t completely sure of that.
Other pleasantries are exchanged, ending to allow Maya to go in the captain’s bunk to change into her uniform. She stops for a minute in front of a mirror to check everything is in its place. She reads her name tag ‘Capt. Bishop’, that’s not right. She assumes everything else that has her name on it, it’s likely to be wrong as well. She makes a mental note to send an email, or better, a phone call to whoever deals with this in headquarters to rectify the issue.
As Maya exits the captain's office and heads towards the barn, she notices as she crosses the door a lighter shade of gray than what she remembers in one area of the floor. That’s odd for a mere concrete floor. Why is that part different? Her train of thought is interrupted by Chief Gorniak as she stands beside him.
"Okay 19, this is Captain Maya Bishop, the new firehouse commander" he enthusiastically announces to the crew. "You may remember her as she was captain of this house many years ago. I really hope you treat her well. I had to call in a personal favor from the Chief of NYCFD to let her go without a fight" he chuckles.
During this introduction, Maya assesses the individuals present—some familiar faces and some new ones. Where’s Dean? Gibson isn’t lieutenant anymore? Sullivan isn’t Chief either? She files away all her questions, knowing she will probably never ask them. Her mind drifts back to the overthinking she has been doing since she woke up today or since she accepted Chief Gorniak's offer. She recalls telling Carina that it would have been foolish to turn it down. Carina had expressed genuine concern about Maya returning to her old workplace. Maybe it is not too late to take Tacoma FD’s offer. The drive would be longer, yes, and it would take free time that she would much rather spend watching Pimp-
“Captain Bishop?”
That gets the blonde out of her pretty head. She looks at the Chief, realizing it is her turn to speak. She straightens up, takes a deep breath in preparation. This is it.
"Hello 19. Eight years is a long time" Maya remarks, internally criticizing the obviousness and banality of her statement. But there is no turning back now; she must keep going. She clears her throat and continues, "Chief Gorniak has brought me up to date on the station's activities during my absence, and I must say, I'm quite impressed. Between the clinic and the development of the Crisis One program... I always knew your brains and hearts were even bigger than those muscles. I'm very proud" Maya manages a small, timid smile.
"We don't need your pride" a whispered voice reaches Maya's ears, barely audible. She knows exactly where it's coming from—the same voice she used to hear during morning runs, complaining and asking her to slow down. It belongs to the woman she once considered her best friend. Those words sting Maya's heart. She wasn't so naive as to think everything would go well this morning.
"I will post a weekly chore sheet in the beanery. Each of you will have an assigned color. Let me know if you want a new color" she tries to continue with the cheeriest tone she can muster given the circumstances. "I'll see you around. All dismissed"
As the crew disperses, Maya turns to Gorniak “Chief” nodding her head slightly, receiving a ‘Captain’ in response. With that, she turns around and walks to her office, almost as if her life depends on it. Closing the door behind her and shutting the blinds, she rests her head on the plastic, and starts humming a melody.
The reality didn't align with Maya's expectations, but then again, she hadn't formed concrete expectations about how it would unfold. Her focus had been on familiarizing herself with the station's layout, intentionally diverting her thoughts from the individuals within it. Surprisingly, it wasn't as terrible as she had imagined. Despite receiving a snide remark, at least no one had thrown an axe in her direction. That was a small victory in itself.
A knock interrupts her thoughts, prompting Maya to compose herself and open the door.
“Warren” she greets the familiar face.
"Hi Cap, I won't take up much of your time. I just wanted to say welcome home. We missed you" the older man expresses, his kindness still evident. Maya chuckles, finding it difficult to fully believe his words after the earlier comment.
"You'll see" Ben retorts, as he leaves her office. "Have a good first day back"
-------------
True to her word, Maya heads up to the beanery to put up the chore sheet for the week. As she ascends the stairs, she remains vigilant, ensuring she doesn't cross paths with her old colleagues. Fully absorbed in her task, she double-checks for any spelling errors and ensures the sheet it’s not crooked. She startles at the sound of a familiar voice.
"Hey stranger" exclaims Vic, causing Maya to clutch her chest in surprise. Taking a moment to steady herself, she turns to face her unexpected visitor.
"Cazz-Damn it, Hughes!" Maya exclaims, her heart still racing. She faces Vic with a mix of relief and amusement.
"Sorry" Vic giggles. "Just wanted to see your chore list. Some things never change" she says, giving her Captain a tight smile.
"Well, organization is key to know when we’re going to need to get food delivered for our meals to make sure we don’t end up with food poisoning thanks to Gibson’s cooking" Maya jokes, finding herself slipping back into familiar banter.
"And for that, we thank you" Vic responds with a playful bow of her head.
A brief, awkward silence hangs between them until Hughes breaks it. "So... New York? That's where you've been all these years?"
Maya eyes Vic warily. "Sure" she answers quickly, eager to escape this conversation and return to her office.
"Wait!" Vic chases after her, catching up by the time Maya reaches the bottom of the stairs. Something in Maya's peripheral vision catches her attention—the display case she purposefully avoided looking at, knowing there’s a picture of Captain Herrera there.
She approaches it, her voice barely above a whisper. "Dean?"
Vic confirms her worst fears with a somber tone. "About a year after you left" she says.
“How?”
"We were on a call... I got electrocuted, and he saved me." Her voice trembles at the end, and she clears her throat. "There was a fire caused by a massive gas leak. Dean and some others were checking around the house to see if they could go in for a search. 23’s Captain opened a door, and the whole thing exploded." She takes a deep breath, her voice heavy with grief. "Miller didn't make it."
“Travis tried to reach out to you to let you know but-“ Vic starts to explain.
“I changed my number” Maya interrupts, completing the sentence.
“And your Email apparently” Vic adds
Maya nods, feeling the weight of grief for the loss of a family member. She allows a few tears to escape before hastily wiping them away. She’s on the job, she’ll grieve later. But still, she can't help but ask.
"What about Pru?"
"Warren and Bailey are taking care of her" Vic informs her. "She visits at least once a week. And I have no idea when second-grade math became rocket science" she shrugs, and Maya can't help but laugh.
Their conversation is interrupted by the sound of the klaxon. They rush to the barn, getting into their respective trucks. Maya is ready for her first call back, embracing the adrenaline and anticipation that comes with being a firefighter once more.
-------------
Arriving back at the station, fatigue hangs heavy in the air. The crew had just dealt with a foolish fire caused by adults in their 40s playing with illegal fireworks.
"I can't believe the stupidity of those people. What were they expecting by pointing skyrockets at a window?" Travis grumbles loudly, venting his frustration.
It's a rhetorical question, but Jack feels compelled to respond. "They wanted to see if it would break," he shrugs. "I may or may not have wondered the same thing for years," he adds.
“Please don’t try all the things your brain tells you to try” Vic chimes in the conversation.
Maya interjects, addressing the whole crew after removing her turnouts. "Nobody should be playing with illegal fireworks. That's an order to follow even when you're off duty" she asserts. "Good job out there, guys. Now, go get a shower. Y'all stink" she wrinkles her nose in disgust.
“That’s probie’s fault, he should have seen the septic tank sign” Cutler complains.
Maya chuckles “He made a mistake, nobody got hurt, so it’s a lesson learned” she looks at Tremblay, the probie “you pay attention to what’s around of you before move, you don’t want to step on dog poop in the future like you just did on human poop” she adds, adopting a serious tone, but it’s clearly a joke.
“Yes Captain, I’m sorry Captain” Tremblay responds, nodding earnestly.
"For now, it's okay. But be careful" Maya concludes, satisfied with the probie's acknowledgement.
The rest of the crew stands in stunned silence, realizing that this is not the Captain Bishop they remember or the one they have heard stories about. She seems surprisingly relaxed and forgiving about such a foolish mistake. Maya senses their confusion.
“What?” she asks, genuinely perplexed.
After a few moments of silence, Travis finally speaks up "Is he getting bathroom duty as punishment?"
Maya ponders for a moment, Montgomery is in bathroom duty for the week. Perhaps this is his way of evading the task."No" It’s her answer, Travis whines.
"But since it was your fault" Maya turns to the probie, her tone serious. "You will clean the showers after everyone is done, and do everyone's laundry today. And don't forget to scrub the seats on the ladder. Make sure to clean everything thoroughly, please" she instructs, receiving a firm ‘Yes, Captain’ in response.
With that conversation concluded, Maya starts walking back to her office, in need of a shower and some peace and quiet to write her report.
-------------
Seated around the table in the beanery, the group enjoys a late lunch after showering and observing the probie complete his punishment. Theo breaks the silence, sharing his observation.
"That was not the cold, heartless person you guys described to me ages ago" he remarks to the group.
Vic, eating alongside him, responds "I never said she was a cold, heartless person"
“Don’t speak with your mouth full Hughes, aren’t you old enough to know table manners?” Ben scolds her from across the table.
"Sorry, dad" Vic shrugs, eliciting laughter from the rest of the table.
“Just you wait Ruiz and you’ll-” Andy begins.
“Just you wait” Vic sings. Her interruption receives a glare from Andy. "It's the song from Hamilton. You can't expect me not to sing it if you say the line" she defends herself. "The actor who plays James Madison from the original Broadway cast reminds me of Dean" she adds, causing a somber moment as they remember their late friend.
"Point is, Maya will do whatever it takes. She doesn't care about collateral damage, and she's good at getting what she wants" Jack speaks up.
"And when she doesn't, she'll just run away and leave you to fix her mess without a word" Andy adds with annoyance in her tone.
"Would you have listened to her if she had told you she was leaving?" Ben asks Andy.
She scoffs in response "Of course, I would have opened the door for her myself. We don't need disloyal people here”
"Years later, and you still hold a grudge?" Ben shakes his head.
"I mean, she's kind of doing it again" Travis reasons, attempting to lighten the mood. "We needed a new captain, and somehow she got the job" he jokes, but it falls flat.
"Why did she leave in the first place?" Vic ponders aloud.
"I think that question has an obvious answer" Theo points out.
"Because she couldn't handle being wrong" Andy states matter-of-factly.
“And certainty not because you guy completely shun her” Ben says under his breath.
"Why did she come back then?" Theo challenges Andy "According to the Chief, she was so good in New York, he had to call the department chief to get Bishop. Why come back?" he questions, feeling oddly protective of Maya. It may be due to his own experiences as an outcast after making the biggest mistake of his life. However, he believes he deserved the consequences, while he doesn't think Captain Bishop does.
"She wants to flaunt her success" she retorts. "She wants to prove us wrong and show that no matter what, she's better than us" she adds with frustration.
Ben sighs, realizing that it seems to be a losing battle with this group.
"Sully, you're very quiet over there" Jack calls out to Sullivan.
"Don't call me Sully" Sullivan corrects him "And you all are making assumptions about a person you haven't known for years. So, I'm not sure we're well-equipped to judge her" he remarks.
"Of course, you're on her side" Andy rolls her eyes "You were the one who promoted her in the first place. This mess is thanks to the mistake you still refuse to take accountability for!" she retorts, seething with frustration.
An argument is on the verge of erupting, but before it can begin, the firefighters at the table hear footsteps and turn to see their origin. Maya enters, holding a Tupperware container.
"Oh, don't mind me. I just came to heat up some food" Maya nonchalantly announces when she realizes all eyes are on her, revealing her container.
"You're not eating with us?" Ben queries.
"I brought food. Don't worry" Maya replies dismissively, trying to play it cool. She didn't want to assume that the crew would invite her to eat at the table with them "These leftovers have to be eaten”
Vic gets up from her seat and makes her way towards Maya as she puts her container in the microwave. "Whatcha eating?" Vic asks, pulling herself up onto the island countertop.
"Um, trenette al pesto" Maya hears a hum from the woman behind her. "It's pasta with pesto sauce, potatoes, and green beans" she clarifies as she retrieves the container and starts leaving the beanery. "Have a good lunch, guys" she says.
"Pasta?" Jack is the first to comment, astonished. This isn't the Maya they know. She wouldn't typically consume that kind of food. "Now I'm scared, guys. First, she didn't blow up at the probie for his dumb mistake, and now she's eating carbs?”
"It's been eight years, Gibson. People change. You've changed" Ben tells him. "Why is it so hard to believe that she has changed too?”
"Because if she did, then she would have learned from her mistakes and wouldn't be making them again!" Andy exclaims. She abruptly stands up, places her plate in the sink, and storms out. She's done with the conversation and has other things to attend to.
-------------
Maya rushes back to her office, she has an improvise lunch date to attend. She quickly locks the door and ensures that all the blinds are closed. Taking a seat in her chair just in time, her phone begins to ring—an incoming FaceTime call from 'Dr. DeLuca-Bishop’, Carina laughed when she discovered that’s how Maya has her on her contacts now, but didn’t argue. Maya props her phone against a stack of binders and answers the call, placing her food on her desk.
"Hello, my love" she says with the biggest grin on her face. She's in her own office at Grey Sloan, with a similar setup and a Tupperware container of trenette al pesto.
"Ciao" Carina responds with an equally large smile. "How's your first shift going?"
"So far, so good" Maya shrugs. "We've only had one call so far, but I'm not sure you want to know about it”
"You can't say that, now I must know" Carina insists, as both women start digging into their meals.
Maya begins to tell the story "It was a house fire caused by dumb people playing with fireworks. But the best part was when Cutler and Montgomery were holding a hose with Tremblay behind them. They started to move to the side, but the probie didn't see the sign and essentially walked into the top of a septic tank that was certainly built poorly" Maya shakes her head. "He fell into it and dragged the other two. Needless to say, we're gonna need a new ladder if the probie can't get the smell off of it”
“É così schifoso!” [That’s so gross!] Carina wrinkles her nose, now unsure if she wants to continue eating.
“Sono d’accordo” [I agree] Maya giggles. It was so dumb.
"I'd rather be covered in amniotic fluid than poop" the doctor comments.
"Me too" the firefighter agrees. "Especially if it's yours" she adds, wiggling her eyebrows, and they burst out laughing, reminiscing about old times.
They continue eating their pasta while chatting. Maya avoids discussing how the crew has been treating her, as it's not necessarily bad, but it doesn't feel good either. Carina picks up on this and drops the topic, knowing that Maya will talk about it when she's ready. Once their containers are empty, it's time for Carina to return to work. They bid each other farewell and end the call. Maya returns to her paperwork, going over the clinic's fundraiser plans for the near future. The sound of the klaxon interrupts her, signaling that it's showtime once again.
-------------
The remainder of her shift was uneventful. Maya intentionally avoided interacting with the crew as much as possible, not wanting the chance to start arguments with anyone. The only exception was Ben, who brought her dinner. He wanted to stay with her, but she insisted he spend time with the crew and relax while he could. It felt strangely familiar, reminiscent of the old days, though not exactly the same. She’s hasn’t been openly defy so far, but she couldn't shake the feeling of isolation. She knows she needs to apologize for her attitude back then, and the crew probably believed she’s doing it again; taking Andy’s job.
They received only one more call in the middle of the night, disrupting everyone's sweet dreams. It was a long call, but everything went smoothly.
As it approached 8 am, the end of the shift drew near. Most of the B-shift crew had arrived. Maya was in her office meeting with Captain Adam Olsen, the captain of the B-shift. As the new firehouse commander, she would be meeting with the captain of C-shift in the near future as well.
"Alright," Maya said, standing up as their meeting concluded. "It's been a pleasure to meet you, Captain Olsen." She extended her hand across the desk. "The pleasure is all mine, Captain Bishop," he replied, taking her hand and shaking it. "It's not every day you meet an Olympic gold medalist, not to mention a beautiful woman" he added, trying to charm her.
"You won't get new turnouts by sweet-talking me" she smirked.
"That's not my intention at all" he innocently stated.
“And I’m very much taken”
"That’s what everyone says. Now I better go change. Until next time" He slightly nod his head, Maya nodded in response as he left. She felt a little bit uneasy with their interaction ended.
Maya picked up her backpack from her bunk, already in her civilian clothes. She made her way out of her office and headed towards the entrance doors. However, she was interrupted in her tracks when Ruiz, her lieutenant, approached her. He was also in his own clothes, with a bag hanging off his shoulder.
“Captain Bishop”
"Yes, Ruiz" Maya gave him her attention.
"I just wanted to say welcome back to 19" he said with a kind smile. "I know you'll be a great captain”
That caught Maya off guard. She assumed the rest of the crew would have informed him about her past.
“Oh…Thank you” she replied
“Have a good day Cap. See you on Thursday”
“Yeah, you too”
With that, Maya resumed her stroll, walking through the doors and getting into her car to drive home.
------------
20 minutes later, Maya pulls into her driveway, ensuring her car is parked a safe distance away from Carina's to avoid triggering an Italian rant about potential accidental scratches. She can't really complain, though, considering the value of Carina's Porsche exceeds her annual salary.
After turning off the engine, Maya steps out of the car and enters their house. They purchased a fixer-upper last year, allowing them time to prepare for the move and renovate the interior to their liking. Staying with Carina's brother for a month before moving in. They were fortunate to find a property with a spacious backyard, but there are still some pending renovations required on the exterior. The contractor is scheduled to begin work on that next week, and do a few little things inside as well.
First things first, after locking the door behind her, leaving her backpack on a nearby chair. She walks over to the entryway hall cabinet, placing her keys in the bowl. She takes her wedding ring from the replica of her hand that Carina helped her make years ago, when she returned to active duty, just for the purpose of holding her ring, taking off her black silicon ring from her finger, replacing it with her gold band and placing the silicon on her plaster hand’s finger. Now that everything is in order, she proceeds down the hallway, following the inviting aroma of food wafting from the kitchen, skillfully navigating around the boxes that still await unpacking 3 weeks after moving in.
Carina stands at the stove, engrossed in cooking some kind of sauce for later. She wears an AirPod in her left ear, humming along to a song, seemingly lost in her own world. Unbeknownst to Carina, Maya quietly maneuvers around the kitchen island, wrapping her arms around the Italian's waist and planting a tender kiss on her cheek.
Carina is unfazed by this action, already accustomed to it. "Ciao, bambina," she greets with a smile, reaching behind her with her right hand to stroke Maya's jawline. Maya leans into the gesture.
"Hi" Maya replies, leaving another kiss, this time on Carina's shoulder.
“How was your night bella?” Carina asks.
"It was nice until we received a call at 2 am that lasted nearly 4 hours" Maya grumbles, tightening her arms around Carina.
"Then you'll need a nap, and it's your lucky day. There’s a great nap buddy waiting for you in our bed" Carina jokes.
"Every day is my lucky day, my love" Maya responds.
"Remember not to tell him things like that, or he'll think he can sleep in our bed whenever he wants" Carina giggles.
"I think he already does" Maya shrugs, joining in the laughter. “How is he still sleeping?”
“He had a bit of a restless night without you” the Italian informs her, Maya nodding in acknowledgment.
"How's 'you-know-who?” She proceeds to ask.
"As much as it kills me, we still don't have an answer" Carina sighs.
"I know... patience," Maya says, showering Carina's cheek with more kisses. Carina continues stirring the orange liquid in the pot.
"What are you doing?" Maya inquires
"Enjoying my gas stove while I can before being forced to switch to an induction one next week" Carina laments.
"I'm not forcing anything" Maya defends. "I presented you with a long list of pros and cons, and you said, and I quote, 'Sai che non posso discutere con te quando mi mostri queste liste bella' and you agreed with me” [You know I can't argue with you when you show me these lists, bella].
“Oh Zitta” [Shut up] Carina pouts. "You know I can't resist your lists; they are so sexy for some reason”
“Me! I’m the reason” Maya smirks. She releases her arms, stepping to the side, placing her hand on Carina's cheek, coaxing her to turn and face her. Leaning in until their lips meet, a languid and profound kiss, parting to catch their breaths, resting their foreheads together, cherishing the moment.
"I'm almost done here. Then I'll head off to work. You should go take that nap" Carina instructs "God knows you'll need it" she whispers.
Maya nods, taking a few steps back "Okay, I'll see you at 5?"
"Si. Oh, and I almost forgot, I found the box with the pictures for my office" Carina says happily. "Yours is still hiding somewhere"
"We're not hiring those movers again" Maya states, shaking her head.
"Don't worry, bambina, we're not moving again either”
"Good" Maya says, yawning.
"Ora vai a dormire” [Now, go to sleep] Carina orders with a stern look as she points her finger towards the stairs.
“Yes Chief” Maya mock salutes her as she makes her way up the stairs to her room.
She opens the door slowly, careful not to awaken the Sleeping Beauty, who is likely the three-year-old lump shaped under the bed covers. Quietly, she retrieves some sleepwear from the closet and heads to the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. Returning to the room, she circles the bed to reach her side, opening the sheets and slipping in. Soon, she feels the lump shifting, as the little head emerges.
“Mommy?” he says sleepy.
“Hi baby, Ho bisogno di un compagno di pisolino, potresti aiutarmi?” [I need a nap buddy, could you help me?] She asks
He nods, snuggling into her side, resting his head on Maya's chest, and drifting back into his dreams. Maya brushes his little curls away from his face, placing a kiss on the top of his head and enveloping him in her arms. With the assistance of the best nap buddy, she closes her eyes and falls asleep.