Everyone Has Their Breaking Point
Set after Morris in season 7. I'm so cruel and this isn't even the worst one-shot/story that's yet to come. Theo is still at the station.
Everyone could feel it, and everyone could see it. Their captain was doing great. Morale had risen since they were told Jack could never be a firefighter again thanks to her, but they could all see that she lacked the passion she once had for the job.
They knew Andy struggled with change, they knew Andy could handle almost everything thrown at her, but they didn't know that what she was about to lose would break her.
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Everyone was sitting in the beanery, their captain absent, however. For the third straight shift.
"Anyone know where Andy is?" Vic asked when she was done eating. She looked around and saw everyone shaking their heads.
"Bishop? You don't know?" Sean asked, knowing how close the two women were.
Maya shook her head. "We haven't really talked much lately," Maya admitted. Everyone turned to look at her. "What? I'm not glued to Herrera 24/7."
"We know that. But I mean you haven't talked to her in a week?" Theo asked.
"No," Maya told them and then frowned. "I guess the days just blurred together." Maya paused. "Maybe she's sick?"
"Andy is never sick, Maya." Vic points out. "So, no one knows where she is?"
"Who?" Natasha asked, coming into the room.
"Captain Herrera," Robert said, looking at Natasha. He watched Natasha and saw her expression change. "You know where she is, don't you?"
"She took a week off sick, but I thought she would be back today though." Natasha told them and walked out of the beanery just as quickly as she came in.
Natasha went into the conference room, closed the door, locked it and then pulled out her phone to dial Andy's number.
"Hello?" Natasha heard Andy's scratchy voice and her concern grew.
"Andy, are you okay? You said you would only be out a week. I thought you would be back today." Natasha waited for a response and her eyes widened when she heard Andy let out a sob. "Herrera?"
"I- I. Um. I need another day, Chief. That's all." Andy tried to silence them, but Natasha could hear Andy sniffling. "I gotta go," Andy told her and quickly hung up.
Natasha looked worriedly at her phone and quickly went to her desk to look through employee files. Once she found Andy's she raced through the station and drove to Andy's. When she got to Andy's she knocked on the door and continued to when she didn't answer right away.
It was two minutes later, and an angry neighbor later when Andy opened the door.
"What?" Andy asked, attitude dripping from her voice. Natasha didn't even care when she saw the state Andy was in. Her hair was in a messy bun, she had a blanket wrapped around her and her eyes looked bloodshot. "Oh. Chief, I'm sorry," Andy said, blushing.
"It's fine. I just wanted to check in." Natasha tried to play off her concern but knew it was a lost cause when Andy raised an eyebrow.
"Uh huh. Come in," Andy said, opening the door wider. She closed the door and turned to face Natasha. "Why did you come here?"
"You didn't sound okay on the phone, and you do not look okay now." Natasha said and watched Andy sit down on a kitchen stool and sighed. "Andy, talk to me," Natasha pleaded.
Instead of Andy saying anything she watched Andy pull out her phone, and a few seconds of tapping on the phone later she sat it down and Natasha listened to the message that played.
"Andy, it's captain Rendon. I know we haven't spoken since Ryan...You know. But I really need to talk to you about your family. There was a car crash. Just, please class me back. Thanks."
Andy stopped the message and shut her phone off.
"What happened?" Natasha asked, scared to hear the answer.
Andy sighed and let a tear fall. "Michelle, my Tia, Tio and my mom." Andy said and Natasha's heart plummeted. She didn't know Andy that well, but she did know that those were the four bio family members Andy had left in her life.
"How?" Natasha was shocked and didn't know what to say.
"Drunk driver. Head on collision. Sandra and Johnny were in the front seats, killed instantly. Michelle and my mom in the back, both hit their heads and had shards of glass pierce their bodies. They died on the way to the hospital." Andy told Natasha numbly.
"Andy, does anyone else know?" Natasha asked. Rubbing Andy's arm.
"I don't know. And I know it sounds horrible, but I don't even care." Andy told her and looked up. "I'm tired of losing people." Andy told her and Natasha watched Andy break down. She didn't know what else to do so she pulled Andy into a hug. She felt Andy grip her shirt, like she was scared she would disappear.
"Did you want to call anyone, Andy?" Natasha asked, pulling back as Andy wiped her cheeks. Andy shook her head. "Would you like me to?" Andy shook her head again. "What can I do?"
Andy sighed and stood up. Natasha watched her take the blanket off of her, place it on the couch and turned back to face her. "I know it doesn't seem like it right now after I just broke down on your shoulder, but please, just leave me alone." Andy pleaded. She just wanted to be alone.
Natasha sighed. On one hand she needed to get back to the station, while on another she didn't know if she should leave Andy alone right now.
"I'll be checking in later." Andy nodded, knowing there was no getting out of her boss checking in on her. "Can you do me a favor?" Andy nodded, hesitantly. "Call someone if you feel yourself panicking."
Andy paused. "I will."
"Good." Natasha rested a hand on Andy's shoulder. "If you go to sleep please send me a text before you do." Andy nodded. "I'm so sorry this happened Andy. But you know 19 will always be there for you." Andy nodded again, looking down.
She loved her 19 family, but she felt heartbroken knowing that she would never have a Sunday family barbeque ever again. Andy swallowed back the sob that threatened with that thought and walked Natasha to the door. Andy closed the door and locked it and rushed into her bedroom, closing that door as well and broke down into loud, heartbreaking sobs. She didn't know how she was going to make it through this.
