Five months (One-shots)

I love you but... I can't do it (part 2)

-  Andrea, come on. It's time to go home. Carina said quickly, surprised to see Maya again.

- Carina, I.. I'm...

- Andrea, say thank you so we can go home. Carina added again, avoiding the blonde's gaze.

- Ok mama. Bye thank you! Said the little girl and ran back to her mother's side.

Carina took the little girl by the hand and turned around without looking back. She needed to get out of there as fast as possible. She couldn't believe that after six years, seeing Maya again still made her feel butterflies in her stomach. She tried to completely ignore that feeling and at that moment thought that going back to Seattle had been a mistake.

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2 weeks later.....

Like every year Station 19 was going to schools to give a little talk on how to act in case of a fire, this week Travis, Maya and Vic were the ones in charge of giving the talk. Unlike Vic and Travis who were very excited, Maya wasn't looking forward to going at all. After the meeting with Carina, she couldn't get her out of her mind, the image of the Italian with the little girl in her arms had stuck in her memory and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't forget it and that had made her spend the whole week in a bad mood.

- I don't think Maya should talk to the kids, she's going to scare them. Vic joked as they entered the room full of little ones painting in coloring books.

Maya didn't react to the comment, her eyes fixed on the floor as her mind flashed back to the image of Carina and little Andrea.

- Maya are you okay? Travis asked as he saw Maya lost. Maya didn't respond. - Do you think she's okay? He asked again, this time to Victoria.

- I don't know, she's been acting weird since the Halloween party at my house, but I can't get her to talk to me.

- Ok, children these firefighters have come to give you a little talk, please pay attention and then you can go back to coloring. Said the teacher, before introducing each of the firefighters and leaving them in charge of the class.

Vic and Travis finished giving the talk and all the little ones were very excited. Many hands were raised in anticipation of asking questions of the firefighters. Maya was still lost in her world until a familiar voice brought her out of her bubble.

- When I grow up I want to be a firefighter. Said a little girl. - My mom says firefighters are like superheroes, they help those who are in danger.

Maya looked up and immediately met the little girl's eyes, her blue eyes sparkled with excitement and Maya couldn't help but smile. The little girl immediately recognized her and smiled back.

- Hey Andrea, isn't it? Said Maya approaching the little girl, the talk was already over and the children had gone back to coloring their notebooks.

- Yes! Smiled Andrea. - You're the firefighter who gave me a lot of candy on Halloween, aren't you? she added.

- Yes, my name is Maya. Maya Bishop, captain of Station 19.

- I shouldn't be talking to you. Said the little girl shyly.

- What? Why not?

- Mama told me that I shouldn't talk to strangers and that if I saw you again I shouldn't talk to you because you were a stranger.

- Well but I'm not a stranger anymore, you know my name is Maya and I'm the captain of station 19. Maya smiled, although inside it hurt her to know that Carina now considered her a simple stranger. - Maybe you and I can be friends?

- Are you one of mom's firefighter friends? The girl asked innocently.

- What do you mean?

- Mama is always telling me stories about her firefighter friends. She says they're some of the best people she's ever met, but after she went back to Italy they didn't talk anymore because they were too far away. After the other day mom was very sad, I thought it was because seeing you made her miss her friends. Said the girl, who for some reason felt she could trust Maya. Maya felt a twist in her stomach.

- Yes, I'm one of your mom's firefighter friends, well I used to be. She faked a smile.

- And you can't be friends again? Andrea asked hopefully.

- I'd love to, but it's complicated. Maya smiled. - We can keep this conversation a secret between you and me. I don't want your mom to be sad for me again. Maya whispered.

The little girl just nodded, before the teacher interrupted them.

- Andrea, they're here for you. Said the teacher.