Troublemaker | Station 19

68. Are We Ready To Try This Again?

"Rise and shine, sleepy head!" Maya shook her 14-year-old daughter gently, who was still fast asleep wrapped up under the sheets. Lizzie was sleeping at the end of the bed, unbeknownst to the teenager who was still fast asleep.

Maddie stirred slowly and lifted her head slightly off the pillow, "No. I don't want to wake up... and remember what happened," she groaned and threw her head back down onto the pillow.

Maya smiled softly and patted her shoulder gently, "I know that you don't want to but come on, you can't stay in bed all day, even so," she poked her shoulder slightly. "Come on kiddo, up you get," she added.

Maddie groaned and sat up slowly in bed where she looked around confused, "Wait, did I fall asleep at the station," she noted Lizzie curled up asleep at the end of the bed. "And how did Lizzie get here?" she asked.

"You looked peaceful and neither mama nor I wanted to wake you up," Maya explained as Maddie sat on the bed moving to pet her puppy. "Mama thought that if she brought Lizzie here then it might cheer you up as well," she told her.

"Oh. Have you and mama made up now?" Maddie wondered inquisitively.

"Yes, why?" Maya asked as she glanced at her daughter confused.

"Well darn, guess there's my answer to Thai for dinner," Maddie couldn't help but joke.

"Maddie!" Maya scolded.

Although she would not admit it, Maya was the slightest bit relieved that her daughter hadn't entered a depressive phase and was still able to joke at least.

"I'm just kidding," Maddie giggled slightly. "So, is mama here still?" she questioned.

"Mama's had to pop to the hospital and she'll be back in a little bit but in the meantime, how does some breakfast sound?" Maya offered.

"Sure, why not," The younger blonde agreed reluctantly. "Can I bring Lizzie with me?" she asked as she picked up the small dachshund.

"I don't see why not, I'm sure that the rest of the team will fall smitten with Lizzie," Maya agreed with her daughter. "Come on, lets' go find them all," she added.

Maddie reluctantly got off the bed and followed the older blonde into the Beanery where the rest of the team were all eating breakfast and engaging in conversation.

"Hey, look who is finally awake!" Dean spotted the younger blonde walk in with the puppy in her arms.

"Morning, squirt!" Vic exclaimed, from where she sat at the table with a bowl of cereal in front of her.

"Hey, Mad-Dog!" Jack said, holding his hand out to fist bump with the teenage girl which Maddie accepted, giggling slightly when the man made explosion sounds.

"Hey, trouble!" Travis waved over and spotted Lizzie. "Oooh, there's the puppy!" Travis he gushed in excitement. All of the firefighters turned to look at him amusedly. "What? All I'm saying is I'm a dog person," he added.

Maddie couldn't help but laugh, "Do you want to hold her, uncle Trav?" she questioned.

"You bet I do," Travis exclaimed as he walked over to his niece and picked the puppy up out of her arms. "Oh, she's so adorable, all tiny and cute," he continued to gush.

"I didn't realise that you brought the ankle-biter with you," Jack said and glanced in the direction of Lizzie who was lapping up the attention from the rest of the firefighters.

"Her names Lizzie, uncle J!" Maddie reminded him.

"Right, of course, well she's always gonna be known as ankle-biter to me," Jack said as he grinned.