Truth comes out
Station and Ross find out Andy lied about why Maya blackmailed the Chief.
It was halfway through the shift when everyone was in the beanery, eating when Ross came in.
"Chief, hey," Andy said, standing up from the table along with everyone else except for Maya.
"I have an announcement," Ross started. "Beckett will not be coming back as captain." Everyone looked at each other. Theo and Andy exchange looks.
"So, are you finally making me captain again?" Maya asked and everyone turned to look at her, shock on their faces at how bold she was being. Andy turned to look at her.
"I'm sorry but why would I promote someone that tried to blackmail me?" Ross asked, anger clear on her face, confusing everyone but Maya and Andy.
"I mean, she only blackmailed you to get Herrera's job back," Ben said, not understanding why Ross was mad.
Ross' eyebrow raised. "Is that what she told you?" Ross looked around the room and saw Andy looking down. "Herrera? Did you tell them that?" Ross asked, knowing that she and Bishop were close. Everyone looked at her, confusion on their faces, starting to feel like they didn't have the whole story. Ross looked around the room. "That isn't what happened. Lieutenant Bishop tried to blackmail me when she assumed Lieutenant Sullivan and I were having sex, which, for the record, we are not," Ross said and saw the shock on everyone's faces. "Anyway, I have to get going. Ruiz and Herrera, you'll be the two I consider for Captain." Andy and Theo nod and Ross walks out of the beanery.
Everyone stood in silence when Herrera started to move and began to walk out.
"Where the hell do you think you're going, Herrera? We need to talk about this." Vic said.
"You let your best friend just cover for you? Wow." Montgomery asked, looking at Maya.
"You know she spends more time sticking up for you than you ever have for her," Jack said, thinking back to how Maya moved them around like pawns when she was after the captain position the first time.
"Gibson, Montgomery, It's fine. It's okay. I was the one who did it. Maya never asked me to spread a lie around the house" Andy said, sighing and running a hand over her hair.
"But you heard us gossiping and knew it needed to stop. You saved her ass. This house runs on trust so what the hell?"
Andy looked down. "Look, Maya is my best friend and Sullivan is always going to mean the world to me since he was there for me when my dad died, I am always going to try to protect them."
"By lying to us?" Vic asked, anger clear on her face.
"I'm sorry I lied, okay? I just felt helpless and wanted to help Maya."
Andy watched everyone but Maya and Robert shake their heads. The house was clearly not in agreement with how Andy chose to handle stopping the gossip.
"Compared to how much you've helped Maya, why would you want to help her? I mean she got captain when you were meant to after Ryan died." Travis said and Andy's face dropped. Vic and Ben noticed.
"Travis, that wasn't needed," Jack said, a disappointed look on her face, looking at Travis. He knew Ryan is still a sore topic for Andy.
While everyone was looking at Travis Andy tried to sneak out of the room again.
"Andy Herrera get back over here and sit down," Theo said, and Andy paused, trying to decide what to do. "Now."
Andy sighed, nodded and sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen island.
"Standing up to Sullivan at the police/firefighting training, saying what a great captain Bishop is in front of Dixon, saying that we were proud to serve under her during inspections when you were trying to catch that human trafficker, going to McCallister's office to fight for you to keep your job." Vic listed off. "She needed one friend and asked you to be there for her after Ryan had died, but you were more focused on captain."
"Hey, I've stood up for her too," Maya tried to defend herself.
"When?" Travis asked, not being able to think of any time when she did either.
Maya looked at everyone, "Look, I let her stay with me when Carina had just moved in and when Andy was separated from Sullivan and again after when she and Sullivan were getting divorced until she started to stay with Dean."
"But..." Jack started but Andy cut him off.
"Enough!" Andy shouted and got everyone's attention. "Look, I know this wasn't a good choice by Maya or myself, but Maya and I have always been there for each other. When I was at 23 she was one of the few people that would actually hang out with me." Andy told them and everyone except for Robert, Jack and Maya looked down. They knew they treated Andy like a stranger when she wasn't working at 19 anymore. "So don't you dare say that she's never there for me," Andy told them. Standing up, walking up to Maya and pulled her out of the room and to Maya's bunk.
"Maya," Maya avoided eye contact. "Look at me, Bishop," Andy ordered, and Maya looked up. "You know I don't feel how they do, right? You've been here for me when I've needed someone for most of the hard times in my life." Maya nodded. "So, ignore them, Maya." Andy rubbed Maya's arm.
"It was still wrong to blackmail the Chief and let you lie about it though," Maya admitted.
"Not our finest moments, that's for sure," Andy said and chuckled.
"Thank you for being there for me, Andy," Maya said with a small smile on her face.
"Thank you for being there for me too, Maya," Andy said, uncharacteristically pulling Maya into a hug.
