Pressure

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

4 updates in one day. You're welcome :)

.... Actually, no. I'm cruel. Sorry.

Two weeks later

It was two weeks later and the station's morale, despite losing Theo, was up from when she first became captain. The station was starting to feel like a family again and Andy was incredibly grateful for it, but she still felt like something was missing and she knew that was because Theo and Jack weren't there anymore.

Andy had been running every morning, working out at the station once a day, inviting the team to join her one shift which was filled with lots of smiles and laughs. Everyone trying to outdo each other on the weights. After the workout they all went to the beanery and made lunch together, also filled with laughter.

Andy was getting ready for bed before she had to go on shift tomorrow when she received a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Is this Andy Herrera?"

"it is, who is this?"

"It's Teddy Altman from Grey-Sloan." Andy's heart dropped. "Your cousin, Michelle Alvares was just brought in."

"Is she okay?" Andy asked, voice shaking while jumping out of bed. "Please tell me she's okay."

"Andy, I'm sorry. She died from her injuries." Andy closed her eyes. "We let her parents know and they told us to call you to let you know."

"Thank you for calling me, Dr. Altman." Andy let a couple of tears fall. "How did she get injured?"

"A head-on collision," Teddy answered. "I'm so sorry, Andy," Teddy said but didn't hear a reply. "Andy? Herrera?" Teddy asked when she didn't hear a response.

"Thanks for letting me know." Was all Andy was able to get out before hanging up and falling back onto her bed.

Andy sat on the side of the bed, eyes glazed over. It was a moment before tears started to fall from her eyes and she let out sobs. She slid off the bed and onto the floor, body overtaken by sobs.

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At the station the next morning

Everyone was in the beanery eating breakfast when they realized Andy was missing.

"Where's Herrera?" Travis asked and everyone looked up.

"I have no clue. We're fifteen minutes into shift though." Maya said. "I'll try calling Andy."

"No need. I'm right here." Andy said, coming into the beanery. She grabbed an apple and walked out as quickly as she came in.

Everyone looked on, shocked. Andy hadn't given them that cold shoulder in two weeks. Maya got the best look at Andy when she came in. She could see bags under Andy's eyes, and it looked like she hadn't slept at all.

Maya was putting her empty plate in the sink and was going to rush down to talk to Andy, but Andy had called for a lineup.

"Alright 19, today is a clinic day but if we do get called out, Warren, Bishop, Sullivan and Larsson on Engine with me. Green, Powell, Beckett, Kline and Cutler are on the ladder. Hughes and Montgomery on aid car." Andy said, walking up and down the line of firefighters. "Hughes and Bishop, you're on Crisis One today," Andy said and watched them nod. "Wiggins, desk duty. That's all. Dismissed." Andy said. She walked out of the barn and to her office, locking the door behind her.

Andy got into her office and sat down on her chair. She opened her laptop and began working on the schedule for next month, but her focus kept drifting to her sister-cousin. Her eyes teared up when she heard a knock on the door.

Andy sighed, got up and opened the door. She came face-to-face with Sandra and Johnny and the tears she worked to hold back, fell. She pulled them into the office and closed the door.

"Tia, Tio, I am so sorry," Andy said, pulling them into a hug. Andy pulled back 20 seconds later and saw Sandra wiping her tears off her cheeks.

"We just wanted to come and see you." Andy nodded. "The funeral is going to be in a couple of weeks, We're still figuring out the exact date, but we wanted to let you know in person rather than on the phone." Andy nodded again. "We're going to go home. We need to make some more calls. We'll come and see you or call you when we know the exact date." Andy nodded, pulled them into another hug and then walked them out of the station.

Andy watched their car drive away and let a tear fall. She quickly wiped it away and walked back into the station.

Three minutes later she had gotten changed and was on her way to the gym when she ran into Maya.

"Whoa, Bishop. Careful."

"My bad, Cap," Maya said, chuckling.

"It's fine," Andy said and continued to walk to the gym, leaving a surprised Maya behind. She walked into the gym, put the boxing gloves on and went to the bag. Before she could even start hitting the bag, she felt a hand on her back.

"Andy, you okay?" Maya asked, concern on her face.

"Yeah, I'm good," Andy said, looking at Maya, a small smile on her face. Maya nodded and walked out of the gym. Andy exhaled and dropped the smile from her face when she was sure Maya was gone.

Andy began punching the bag.

Michelle is dead.

Punch.

Ryan is dead.

Punch.

My father is dead.

Punch.

My mom abandoned me.

Punch.

Dean is dead. 

Punch.

Jack will never be an active firefighter again because I didn't push him to get checked out sooner.

Punch.

Ruiz had to be let go because Ross decided to prioritize her relationship with Sullivan over the department's needs.

Punch.

Andy stopped after she spent another couple of minutes hitting the bag. Sweat poured down from her forehead. She leaned over and rested her hands on her knees. She stood up straight a minute after regaining her breath. Andy took the gloves off and moved over to the bench press. She saw the weights that were on the bar already and decided to add onto it. She did two sets of 12 presses before she called it.

Andy left the gym, went down to her office and changed before coming back upstairs. Andy went into the beanery and saw everyone sitting down for lunch.

Andy grabbed a bottle of water, and a grilled cheese and sat down at the table. She smiled and laughed along with the team but felt numb. Andy got up as soon as everyone was done eating and went to her office after checking in on the Clinic. Andy closed the door and blinds, slid down onto the floor by the captain's bunk room and stared straight ahead.

:(