The best is yet to come

Where you belong

- October 7th 2024 -

Leslie walked back in the beanery with the girl a few minutes later and they both felt everyone's gaze on themselves.

"Team this is Treena. And she's having lunch with us today." The probie spoke, gesturing to the girl and giving everyone a smile that felt more like a 'please help her feel comfortable'.

Andy stood up immediately and greeted the girl.

"I'm Andy. The Captain. Come sit with us." She turned a chair so that Treena could sit on it.

"Like mother like daughter." Travis wispered in Vic's ear, reminding her how Maya and Carina had rescued Leslie years ago.

Leslie took the free spot next to her and began eating while looking at the girl who hadn't touched the fork yet.
A few moments later Maya walked in, taken aback by the moment Treena tensed up and turned towards the noise of the closing door.

"Hey. It's okay. She's our Chief...and my mom." Leslie explained while the team silently looked at them both and then at Maya who walked towards the table a little in disbelief, giving her daughter a questioning look.

"So...how old are you Treena?" Vic asked kindly while taking a bite of the pasta Leslie had cooked for them.

It took the girl quite some time before answering, her hand reaching for the fork to take the first bite.

"I turned seventeen one month ago." She explained eating. Leslie took a deep relieved breath finally seeing her do it and then turned towards her mother.

Maya looked deep in her daughter's green eyes and finally deciphered her expression. She raised her brows and nodded questioningly.
Leslie nodded in responce and lowered her gaze sadly.

"Oh September." Vic nodded still talking to the girl. "Do you live here?" She asked again, hoping it wouldn't bother her but knowing that they needed to know something more about this terrified girl.

"Yeah I - I was born in Michigan, but I live here." Treena answered again, taking the last bite of pasta from the plate and looking into Vic's eyes for the first time.

"Where do you live?" Maya asked from the opposite side of the table. Leslie kicked her under the table and mouthed 'don't push' at her mother.

"I - I have a place." She explained looking at the woman in her bright blue eyes.
Maya assessed how pretty she looked with her red and a little dirty cheeks, her discarded caramel hair that surrounded her square face and her dark brown eyes.

The Chief nodded taking also her last bite of food and turning back to her daughter who nodded in approval. She remembered how she reacted when years ago Carina tried to push her to talk and she knew it wasn't the right approach with the girl.

"I should probably go now." Treena spoke a few moments later. The room had fallen in a deep silence that she eventually decided to break.

"Let me walk you downstairs." Leslie suggested standing up along with the girl and guiding her back to the door.

"What do we do?" Andy asked turning to her Battalion Chief.

"Nothing Andy. We don't know anything about this girl so...nothing." the blonde explained.

"Thanks. For the food." Treena spoke once they were downstairs, facing the door.

"Just feel free to come back. Whenever you want." Leslie told the girl who turned again towards her one last time.