PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 17: I'll take care of you always

The crew, caught off guard by the sudden interjection, immediately quieted down. They all shared amused smiles, realizing they must have spoken louder than they thought.

Jack rolled his eyes again but kept his mouth shut, not wanting to incur the wrath of a sleepy and irritated Maya.
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Travis, still chuckling slightly, whispered to the group, "I think Cap just made it clear she's had enough socializing for the night."

Andy smirked, whispering back, "Duly noted. I guess the grumpy-sleepy combination is a force to be reckoned with."

The crew quietly settled down, allowing both Maya and Carina to rest in peace.

The room fell into a comfortable silence, punctuated only by the occasional beep of Maya's monitor and the soft shuffling of blankets as Carina shifted in her sleep.

Travis, glancing over at the sleeping couple, whispered jokingly to the others, "Now that they're finally quiet, shall we start a betting pool on how long it'll take for them to start talking in their sleep?"

Carina, still dozing, started to stir. The dry, parched feeling in her throat woke her up just enough for her groggy mind to register that she needed water.

She mumbled groggily, "Water... mouth... dry..."

Maya, feeling Carina moving beside her, partially woke up as well. She heard the mumbled request and immediately sat up a bit, concerned. "Hey, hey... Carina, baby, you need water?"

Carina, still half-asleep, nodded weakly. She managed to mutter out a soft, "Yes... water... please..."

Maya, still feeling pretty groggy herself, gently eased Carina into a slightly upright position. She reached for a nearby cup of water and brought it to Carina's lips.

She softly encouraged her, "Here, baby, drink slowly."

Carina weakly took a few small sips, the cool liquid instantly soothing her parched throat. She managed a tiny, grateful smile and mumbled, "Thank you... Bambina..."

Maya, seeing Carina's appreciation, smiled softly. "No problem, baby. Just rest now, okay?"

She gently put the cup back on the nightstand and laid back down, pulling Carina close against her chest.

Carina, feeling safe and cared for in Maya's embrace, felt a wave of affection wash over her. In a soft, drowsy voice, she whispered, "I love you, Bambina..."

The words, simple yet heartfelt, held an emotional weight that caught Maya off guard. She froze for a moment, her eyes widening slightly, as she felt the sincerity behind Carina's words.

Maya felt her heart flutter in her chest, her eyes softening with surprise and happiness. She gently stroked Carina's hair, her own voice thick with emotion. "I love you too, Carina... so much."

The two women held each other close, the words hanging in the air like a soft, affectionate secret between them.

The crew, who had quietly watched the exchange, held back their smiles. They knew this was a big moment for their teammates.

Travis, unable to suppress a grin, whispered to the others, "Did that just happen? Did Carina actually say the 'L' word?"

Andy, feeling genuinely happy but trying to downplay it, replied in a hushed tone, "I think she did. Damn, I didn't expect Carina to be the one to say it first."

Jack, pretending to be unimpressed, muttered, "Big deal. They're practically disgustingly obsessed with each other. It was bound to happen eventually."

The others shot him mildly irritated looks, silently disagreeing with his dismissiveness.