In Flames // 9-1-1 Fox (seasons 1-4)

seventy-two

"I gotta ask," Mariana broke the silence. "Are all Texans as intense as you? Because I share a bed with a Texan and he kinda has the same cocky attitude as you."

Shelby let out a surprised laugh. "Well, I wouldn't say every Texan but I guess. Do all Angelenos complain as much as you?"

"Ay, don't be fucking rude," Mariana snorted. "I've been told I'm special."

"Your dad doesn't count."

"Well he's dead so..."

"Aw shit. I'm sorry," Shelby groaned. "I'm such an asshole."

"You're fine. Seriously. I lost my birth father a long time ago but my captain...he's practically my father in every way but blood."

"I get that. Owen took me on when I had nowhere else to go. He's like my dad and TK's a bonus brother."

Mariana nodded and fished her phone out of her pocket as it buzzed with a notification. She grinned at the text on her screen and fired back a response.

"Sorry, it's bedtime for my boys and they wanted to say goodnight."

"I didn't realize you were a mom."

"It's new. Well, the officiality of it is. We finalized the adoption papers for my nephew right before we came to Texas and I'm going to adopt Christopher, Eddie's son, next."

Mariana pulled her phone out again to show the blonde a photo of the four of them, her face brightening just at the mention of her boys. Shelby smiled almost sadly as she gazed at the smiling family.

"You have a beautiful family. I didn't even realize you and Diaz were together."

"We try to keep work and home separate. How about you?"

A dark look passed over her face and she shrugged. "Divorced, no kids. Not dating anyone anytime soon, I can tell you that. Focusing on work more than anything."

"Yeah, I know what that's like."

"Speakin' of which, I'm sick and tired of sitting here on my ass and doing nothing," Shelby complained. Mariana looked over at the motor pool and frowned, a thought coming to mind. One that would cause Eddie to kill her and Bobby would help hide the body.

"Have you ever hotwired a car before?" she asked the Texan.

"...I told you I grew up on a farm, right? That means my expertise is horses and tractors."

"C'mon, time to learn how to hotwire a firetruck."

///

"Pliers," Mariana whispered from where she was laying on her back under the seat of the fire truck. Shelby glanced nervously around as she passed the tool to the brunette who started adjusting wires.

"Where the hell did you learn this? Is this a thing they teach in Los Angeles?" she hissed. Mariana lifted her head, the flashlight trapped between her teeth shining a beam across Shelby's face. She opened her mouth and let it fall onto her chest, a pensive look on her face.

"Legally...I don't know if you want to learn the answer to that," she replied before leaning back to continue working. Shelby threw her hands up in exasperation and then ducked behind the door when she heard footsteps.

"Shit, Ramirez, hide!"

Mariana shimmied down but it was too late. Two figures rounded around the corner and came face to face with the two women. Buck stared at his sister who glared at him while Shelby sheepishly waved at a dumbfounded TK.

"What are you doing here?" Buck inquired.

"...I am doing some repairs on another truck. I was asked to," Mariana shot back.