Come Fly Away With Me

Pains of the Past

"Maya! Grazie a Dio sei tornado!"
"Gabriella, oh my God your head!  What the hell happened?"
Maya rushed into the hospital room and embraced Gabriella in a tight hug, practically lifting her out of her bed as she looked up at Jessie.
"Seriously, what the fuck happened? Where is Carina? Where is Katie?"
"There was an accident and-"
"I already know that part!  I want to know who the fuck took my wife and how the fuck they managed it!"
Jessie shook his head, running his fingers through his hair as Maya turned her attention back to Gabriella.
"It was so fast Maya, and your friend Kate, she was so brave and so lucky.  If the bullet had been just an inch higher...I wouldn't have been able to save her and she would have bled out right there in the road."
Maya blinked, her blue eyes wide as her mind raced at top speed trying to make sense of it all.  The plane ride back from Greece seemed to take forever and she had felt numb since the moment she woke up in Lucy's lap on the floor of the bathroom with Lucy crying over her and Jane on the phone demanding a private jet be ready immediately.  Jane had relayed the news and with every word Maya had felt like the world was shrinking away from her. Once they were on the plane Jane had called Ernie and he took down Maya's description of the woman from the bathroom and had run a facial recognition program until Maya confirmed that was what she looked like.  Jane had been on the phone with Kai who had confirmed that he was still back at the villa and Liam was safe and no one else was in any danger.   Maya was absentmindedly sitting next to Lucy who was trying to hold back tears and failing.  Maya didn't even realize she had reached for Lucy's hand and was holding it when Ernie popped back up on the screen attached to the front wall of the jet to ask Maya if it really was Sami Yang in a social media post with the woman who had sprayed her.  Nodding, Maya could hear wind rushing through her head as every single noise became dull and muffled, similar to the time she had been blown back from the exploding furnace when she and Andy were trapped in the hot box garage.  When they arrived at the hospital Lucy had raced inside to find Kate while Jane jogged down on Maya's heels toward Gabriella's room. She was getting an update from Ernie as Maya had gone in.  She came in now shoving her phone into her back pocket.
"Ernie says that he's scrubbing cameras from all over the area of the kidnapping and he's got BOLO's circulating at all transportation facilities.  But if he kept to a car, we are going to have to rely on street cameras and luck.  Jessie, where's the other one you took into custody? "
"He's handcuffed and secured in the doctor's lounge down the hall.  I checked his phone and it looks like he is one of Buratti's boys so are we thinking Sami Yang was told by her husband that if she wanted to fuck with Maya the best way would be by taking Carina?"
Gabriella was holding Maya's hand when she looked up, her eyes flying wide open.
"Buratti? Giancomo Buratti? Sei serio cazzo?"
Everyone turned to look at Gabriella as Maya grasped her hand tightly.
"What is it?"
"Maya...he's the one who assaulted Carina back when we were in college."

Carina slowly opened her eyes as she adjusted to the harsh white light bulb aimed at her face.  Her shoulders ached and she felt a slight panic rise as she realized her arms were tied to a chair.  Looking down, she saw that her ankles were also secured, making it impossible for her to move. 
"Bentornata Principessa.  Sorry for the inconvenience but I can't have you trying to get away now can I?"
Carina squinted but couldn't make out his face, instead only able to see his boots within the small circle of light around her.
"Cosa vuoi bastardo? Why am I here?"
"My boss wants to see you.  It's been a very long time."
"And why would I care about that?"
"Because Principessa, my boss is Giancomo Buratti."
Carina felt her body start to shake and her blood run cold as her kidnapper began laughing at her reaction.

Maya stepped quietly into Kate's room and came to stand next to Lucy who was sitting in a chair next to the bed, holding Kate's hand.  Feeling her heart catch in her throat, Maya laid a hand on Lucy's shoulder as she held back tears at seeing her friend in such rough shape.
"How is she?"
"Sleeping.  She hasn't woken up yet from the surgery but the doctor was just in here and told me she did really good.  He said she's lucky that there was a doctor on the scene and that if the bullet had been an inch higher..she...she-"
Lucy's voice cracked and she couldn't stop the tears.  Maya knelt down as she pulled the chair so she could get a better look at Lucy.
"Listen to me, Katie is going to be fine.  She's a fighter and she never, ever gives up, especially when she knows she has you sitting right here waiting for her.  Gabriella told me she was incredible and I don't doubt it for one second.  This is just a little hiccup, you watch and see. Katie is going to wake up and be itching to get back in the mix.  Do you know how I know this?"
"Because I was lucky enough to have Eyes Forward Bishop as my personal cheerleader."
Kate's voice was weak and crackly as she responded, causing Lucy to stand up and place her hands on Kate's face as she leaned down and kissed her. Maya moved around to the other side of the bed and sat down, picking up Kate's hand and waiting for the tender moment to play out.  It made Maya think of all the things she and Carina had recently gone through, but Maya found herself switching the track in her head quickly as she felt the panic and anxiety start creeping up.  Kate squoze her hand and looked over at Maya.
"I am so sorry I failed you."
Maya held tightly to her friend's hand and spoke in a reassuring tone.
"Stop it.  I know for a fact that you didn't go down without a helluva fight.  I don't blame you Katie, I'm genuinely thankful that you are ok, all things considered.  I'm also holding on to the tiniest shred of sanity right now and I need you to be ok so I can stay focused on bringing Carina home to me and Liam safely."
Kate looked at Maya, tears building up and falling from the corners of her eyes as she stared at her friend.  She let go of Maya's hand and pointed to the table where her things were.
"I think I broke it when I tried to hold on to Carina, I'm sorry."
Maya got up and moved a few things before spotting her wife's tennis bracelet.  She felt her breath catch in her throat as she picked it up and held it to her chest, brushing her necklace with her hands. Pulling it away from herself, Maya looked at the bracelet and felt a white hot rage come over her as she shifted her gaze to Kate and Lucy.
"Pray I don't find this fucker first, because I will kill him if he's done anything to Carina or our babies."
Before either woman could respond, Maya's phone began to ring and she pulled it from her pocket, glanced down at it and hit the ACCEPT button as she moved toward the door.
"Hey Andy, I have something I have to tell you..."