Coming to Terms

Chapter One

Coming to Terms

Set after the pride parade.

"Has anyone seen Herrera?" Vic asked and looked around the table, watching as everyone shook their heads. "Why isn't she eating with us?"

"I don't know." Maya said. "She kind of snapped on the protesters at the parade though."

Everyone except Ben furrowed their eyebrows and looked confused.

"Herrera did?" Robert had to clarify and when Maya nodded he frowned. "She's always the calm one though. She literally always tries to keep things calm between us but she let random protesters get under her skin?"

"He's right. That doesn't seem like something she would do." Travis said, confused.

Maya and Travis look at each other and a lightbulb clicks in their minds. Both get up and walk into the locker room area.

"You're thinking the same thing I am, aren't you?" Travis asked.

"No one knows this but back in the academy we kind of, maybe, sort of fooled about a bit." Maya blushed. "But I've never seen her even the slightest bit interested in a woman since then."

Travis was surprised to hear that Andy wasn't as straight as she seemed.

"So we are thinking the same thing?" Travis asked again, trying to clarify. Maya nodded. "So what do we do?"

"You go back and eat, I'll try to find her." Maya told Travis. Travis nodded and walked back into the beanery while Maya went to look for their captain.

Maya went down the stairs and checked the Captain's office. The door was open and the doors to both the bathroom and bunk room were also open. She frowned. The barn. Maya thought. Maya walked into the barn and looked up at the catwalk, knowing that it was one of Andy's favorite places in the station.

Andy wasn't there. The engine. Was Maya's next thought. Maya walked over to the engine and climbed up and let out a sigh of relief.

Maya saw Andy on top, eyes closed with tear tracks on her face. Maya frowned, finished climbing up and lay down beside her. She heard Andy sniffle so she turned and rested a hand on Andy's arm, trying to give Andy some comfort.

"Andy, what's going on?" Maya asked gently. Andy exhaled slowly and opened her eyes. She looked straight up at the roof of the barn before closing her eyes again.

"Nothing." Andy answered shortly.

"You know, you've never been a good liar." Maya told her and sat up. Looking at Andy. "Andy," Maya watched Andy's eyes open. "Talk to me."

Andy sighed. "You look like you already know, so what's there to say?" Andy asked and she sat up herself. Scooting towards the edge, away from Maya.

"Andy, come on. It's me. You can talk to me." Maya moved closer to Andy and rested a hand on Andy's back. She felt Andy take a deep breath. "Please. I don't want you to bury your emotions."

Andy let a tear roll down her cheek, too tired to wipe it away. "In the academy I didn't know who I was. I was lost." Andy admitted to Maya and she just kept rubbing Andy's back. "Maya, I don't know what's going on. I really don't, so please, can I have some space?" Andy asked, trying to shake Maya's hand off of her back.

Maya sighed and made her way off the engine.

Andy ran a hand through her hair, closed her eyes and lay back and let out the breath she was holding. She heard someone clear their throat but she just ignored them and kept her eyes closed. She heard whoever was there slide down the firepole and she sighed.

I just want to be alone. Why can't they fucking leave me alone?

Andy listened to the person begin to climb up and lay down next to her. They wrapped an arm across her stomach. Andy was surprised at the bold move but didn't fight them.

"I don't know what's going on with you right now, Cap, but you know I'm always here for you like you were for me." Vic told Andy.

Andy opened her eyes, turned her head and looked at Vic. When she saw the care in her eyes tears began to fill her eyes once again and she couldn't hold back any more and started to sob. Vic pulled Andy into her arms and just held her, not saying anything.

Once Andy had calmed down, Vic loosened her grip and Andy sat up, wiping her tears away and letting out a shaky breath.

Vic gave her a moment before moving closer to Andy and running a hand up and down her back.

"Andy, I get your captain now, but that does not mean you have to stop talking and confiding in us." Vic told her and pulled her into a side hug. "Please talk to me." Vic pleaded as Andy rested her head on Vic's shoulder.

Andy sighed. "Ry- Ryan," Andy's voice cracked saying his name. "Jack, Robert." Andy listed.

"What about them, Andy?" Vic asked, grabbing Andy's hand and rubbing circles on the back of it. "Come on, out with it."

Andy looked at Vic, wanting to tell her but knowing it would never happen so she ran a hand through her hair. "I can't. I'm sorry but I can't talk about it." Andy told her and climbed down the engine and ran to her office. Closing and locking the door before going into her bunk and closing that door.

Vic climbed down the engine and was going to knock on Andy's door but saw Maya coming down the stairs.

"Did she talk to you at all?" Maya asked.

Vic shook her head. "No." Vic frowned. "It looked like she wanted to but she hesitated."

Maya was going to knock on the door, knowing they needed to talk, when the alarm went off.

Crisis One, ladder 19, potential jumper at 2816 Sunset lane.

Maya and Vic rushed to get into the ladder truck while Andy got in the aid car with Travis.