"What do you think about getting married?" Maya asked one evening as she and her girlfriend of two years were eating dinner in the kitchen. She had been wanting to propose to Carina for a few months now, but they never actually talked about marriage, so she decided to wait awhile.
Carina looked at Maya like she had just been brought back from the dead. "I don't believe in it," she stated flatly, making Maya furrow her eyebrow in confusion. "My parents had an ugly marriage which led to a nasty divorce. I don't want our kids to go through that."
Now, it was Maya who was speechless. "Who said anything about kids?"
"I did. I want at least two kids."
"I-I can't be a mom, Carina. My father was awful to me. I can't have a child be inflicted with that pain," Maya defended strongly.
"If we get married, Maya, that'll lead to kids. That's what everyone does when they get married."
"Not me, sorry. Like I said, I can't let anyone have me for a mom. I'll be terrible."
Carina scoffed slightly. "How would you know? You run away whenever a surrendered baby comes to the station, all except that one little boy a few years ago. You were so good with him and even gave him one of the station's stuffed animals."
"That's different and you know it," Maya said. "I was just doing my job and waiting until the social worker came to pick him up."
"You would be such an amazing mother, Maya, but you're too scared to keep the past in the past and just move forward."
Maya stood up from the table to clear her dishes. "I have put the past in the past, Carina. All I'm saying is that I don't feel comfortable having children," she said angrily before softening her facial expressions. "At least not right away."
"I guess I can think about marriage."
"So you guys are still arguing about marriage and kids?" Andy Herrera, Maya's best friend and most faithful lieutenant at the fire station asked three months after Maya and Carina's argument.
Maya rolled her eyes as she sat down at her desk, allowing Andy to sit in one of the chairs in her office. "Sort of. We haven't talked about it since the initial argument."
"But you're still together?"
"Still together, just... with differing opinions on certain topics."
"How's that working for you?" Andy asked, watching Maya's movements very carefully. "Any feelings you need to get off your chest?"
Maya laughed softly. "Nope, not really. I'm okay. I know where she stands and she knows where I stand. It's working for us, at least right now it is."
"Cap!" Someone said from the hallway by the front door of the station. "Come here, please!"
Maya ran out of her office, to find her other friend Vic standing there, watching a little girl walking around. She did not look a day over ten and she looked traumatised.
"She just walked in, hasn't said anything," Vic explained, giving Maya time to figure out how to approach the little girl.
She cautiously walked to the young child, who turned around and just stared at Maya. "Hey, sweetie. My name is Maya, I'm not going to hurt you. I just need to know your name and how old you are."
The girl looked between the floor and Maya, unsure of what to say. She finally settled on, "I'm Mac and I'm twelve."
"Good, good," Maya said as she put a reassuring hand on Mac's back, rubbing it gently, and catching the eyes of her friends. "Why did you come to the fire station, Mac?"
"I don't want to go back! I can't! They're mean!" She shouted as tears streamed down her cheeks and Maya felt her heart breaking. "They're going to hurt me if I say anything else. They'll find me, I'm sure of it."
"Look, Mac, I know it's scary, but they're not going to come for you. They won't hurt you ever again, I promise," Maya said as she carefully wrapped her arms around Mac and let her cry into Maya's chest. "It's okay, sweetie. Nobody's going to come for you."
Andy and Vic exchanged a glance as they watched Maya interact with Mac. They had never seen her this interested in a surrendered child, more like a runaway child. It was like nothing they had ever seen before, and both women were somewhat puzzled as to why Maya was taking such interest in Mac.
"Now, come on. Let's get you some new clothes and something to eat, okay? Then we can talk about what happened, of course only if you want to," Maya said as she took Mac by the hand and led her to her office, handing her a pair of sweatpants and a sweater to change into.
It only took Mac a few minutes before coming out of the Captain's bedroom in her Station 19 gear borrowed from Maya. When she came back out, Maya was sitting on the sofa with a plate of food waiting for her.
"Thank you, Maya," Mac said as she took the plate and sat down next to the blonde. "What do you need to know about me?" She asked as she took a bite out of the sandwich that Vic made.
Maya smiled softly before taking a good look at Mac. She had flowy red hair, and these insane bright blue eyes. She is beautiful, is what Maya thought when she first saw Mac. "Well let's start with your name. Can you tell me your full name please?"
"Sure. It's Mackenzie Rose Miller, but as you know I go by Mac."
"That's such a pretty name."
"Thanks. Anyways, I've been in the foster home since I was little, I think two days. I guess my birth parents were teen parents and couldn't take care of me," Mac began saying. "Anyways, this was my tenth group home and they were way too abusive for anyone's liking. Of course, they pretend like they're the sweetest people which allows them to get more kids in their home, but don't fall for their act."
"Who else is in the house with you?"
Mac thought for a moment before beginning to speak. "There's Alec, he's fifteen and the oldest one there. Grace is thirteen, Josh is eleven, Bea and Joe are ten, Lucy, Luke and Leo are eight, Isaiah is seven, Vince and Violet are five, Kai is three and Cami is one."
"Woah, that's a lot. That's a big group home," Maya said as she wrote down some notes about the group home so she could tell social services. "So... what made you run away?"
"Well I never got along with any of them there. Except for Josh. He and I were the ones that got bullied the most. We came up with this... this plan to escape the home. It was supposed to work, but Jake, the man who runs the home with his wife, found us. He-He..."
"Shhh, Mac. You don't have to continue if you don't want to," Maya interjected, reassuring the young girl. "Go ahead and keep eating. I'm going to go talk to my friends, okay?"
Mac nodded and went back to her food while Maya exited her office. She walked to the reception desk, where Andy and Vic were waiting patiently for her.
"Well?"
"Tough situation," Maya said as she set her clipboard down on the table. "She's only twelve and has been in foster care since she was two days old. There are thirteen other kids in that group home, ranging from fifteen to one. And I think they're all being abused in one way, shape, or form. At least that's what Mac told me."
"That's terrible," Andy said and Vic nodded in agreement. "What are you gonna do?"
Maya looked at her feet before looking through the door of her office, watching Mac eat the food she brought. She knew what her options were: call child protective services, but she knew she could not do that, at least not yet. "I'm going to call Lisa at child protection services and sign Carina and I up to foster-to-adopt."
"Are you sure about this, bambina?" Carina asked that evening as she and Maya watched Mac sleeping soundly in their guest room. Maya had brought Mac back to their apartment since Lisa added them as a foster family in the system and was working on the paperwork for the couple to adopt Mac.
Maya nodded with a bright smile. "I've never been more certain of anything in my life, well, except for dating you. There's just something special about her, Carina, and I don't know what it is yet."
"Okay, bella. I've got to go back to the hospital, I have a patient. Will you be okay here?"
"Yeah, don't worry," Maya said as she hugged Carina. "Love you."
"I love you too," Carina said before leaving the apartment again, leaving Maya in the hallway by herself. She decided on making some popcorn and watching a movie, so she set up a few pillows on the sofa and picked out a movie to watch.
She was halfway through Star Trek when she heard faint shouts coming from the guest room. Jumping up, she ran into the room to find Mac thrashing in the bed and yelling something.
"Shhh, Mac... Wake up, sweetie, it's just a dream," Maya said soothingly as she gently shook Mac's shoulder to get her to wake up. The redhead was awake in seconds, breathing heavily with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Come here, I've got you."
"I'm... I'm sorry, Maya," Mac choked out through sobs while Maya rubbed her back. "I-I thought... I wouldn't... have them."
Maya smiled softly as she stroked Mac's hair. "It's okay, sweetie. I still have nightmares all the time," she said, getting Mac confused. "Do you want to come into the living room with me? I'm watching Star Trek and eating popcorn."
"Yes, please," Mac said. She followed Maya into the living room and sat on the sofa with her. Maya threw a blanket over both of them and put the huge bowl of popcorn in between them. Mac looked around, but did not see the tall Italian. "Where's Carina?"
"Oh, she had a patient so she's back at the hospital. She probably won't be back until late," Maya replied before restarting the movie so that Mac could watch from the beginning.
Mac's mind was racing with thoughts of the group home, her previous home and foster families, and she felt her breathing increasing tremendously. Placing a hand over her heart, Mac began taking deep breaths. Maya quickly noticed this and paused the movie again.
"Okay, Mac, this is a panic attack. Have you had one before?" She asked and Mac shook her head. "Okay, well I'll help you. I have them quite often."
Mac nodded as she started listening to Maya's soft voice, wishing that whatever was happening to her could stop.
"Okay sweetie, I need you to tell me five things you can see. Can you do that for me?" Maya asked as she held Mac and tried to help her steady her breathing.
"I-I see... the brown door... the-the TV... I see the cup on the table... C-Carina's pastas hanging... and you."
Maya nodded, proud that Mac had been able to identify those things. "Okay, now can you tell me four things you can touch?"
Mac took another deep breath. "Y-Your hands... the sofa... p-popcorn... and t-this blanket."
"Good, Mac, very good. What are three things you can hear?"
"I can... hear the cars outside... the owls, hooting... and your voice."
"What about two things you can smell?" Maya asked.
Mac looked at Maya with shimmering and watery eyes. "I smell... your scent... and the cheese in the fridge."
"Last one, sweetie," Maya said softly. "What's one thing you can taste?"
"My salty tears," she said with a slight laugh. After breathing for a few more minutes, Mac felt better and more refreshed. "Thank you, Maya. That helped a lot."
Maya smiled brightly. "Of course. I only learned from the best. Carina helps me through all my panic attacks too."
"You get panic attacks?"
"Frequently, yes," Maya said as she handed Mac a glass of water to drink from. "My first one was when I was ten."
"This is the first time, but why did I get one?"
Maya sighed as she continued holding Mac in her arms. "Sometimes when you go through a big trauma, little triggers can add to a panic attack and increase the severity of it," she said. "Is there anything you could think of that started this?"
Mac was silent for a few moments, just thinking, but then it donned on her. The entire reason why she was even up was because of him: Jake. "I think it was my nightmare..."
"Do you mind telling me what it was about? Just so I can see how I can help you better next time and try not to trigger your anxiety or anything."
"It was when... when Jake beat Josh last year," Mac said as she took a deep breath. "We had planned our escape and everything was going great. Somehow Jake found out about our plan... He took us to the basement and locked us up with chains, saying that he would torture us individually and make the other watch."
"Oh Mac..."
"He only got through Josh. Hitting him until he turned blue, and using his belt too. The only reason why he didn't get to me was because Jane called him for dinner," Mac continued. "Josh and I were stuck in the basement with no food, and he was bleeding terribly."
Maya remained silent as she watched Mac fiddle with her fingers, a sign that showed she was nervous or anxious about something. "Jake let Josh get cleaned up by Jane but brought Luke in with me. I guess he had disobeyed them or something... Anyways, Luke had to watch me... watch me..."
"Hey, you don't have to finish that sentence okay? I promise you that much," Maya said quickly as Mac began sobbing again, slightly embarrassed about the situation, but Maya knew better. She knew that she would have to do something. Something to bring justice to these poor children. Maya knew how much Mac and the others needed her to save them at this very moment, so she began thinking of all the ways she could save them from more agony and torture.
Mac continued sobbing quietly into Maya's chest and eventually fell asleep, sprawled out on Maya's lap and the rest of the sofa, which is the sight Carina saw when she came home at one in the morning. She found Maya underneath Mac, both of them sleeping soundly. She snapped a quick photo before retreating back to her and Maya's bedroom, allowing the two girls to continue sleeping in the living room.
"Good morning, bella," Carina said when Maya walked into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes slightly. She had woken up a few minutes ago and had just watched Mac sleep. When the girl woke up, she went to her bedroom to change into a new pair of clothes for the day. "How did you sleep?"
Maya smiled as she wrapped her arms around Carina's waist, kissing her neck softly and smelling in her wonderful scent. "I slept alright. It's not everyday that I sleep on the sofa, though."
"Is she okay?" Carina asked as she flipped more of the french toast she was making her girls for breakfast. "I got a cute picture of you guys sleeping when I came in this morning."
"Yeah, I think she's better now," Maya said as she set the table. "She woke up with a nightmare so we watched Star Trek together but something was triggered and she had a panic attack."
"You helped her through it?"
Maya nodded. "Yeah, it felt weird being on the other side of one, but I really admire all you do for me."
"Always, bambina, always," Carina said as she kissed Maya before placing the plate of french toast in the middle of the table. "We'll talk more about this later. What are you up to today?"
"I'm going to call Lisa and see how the paperwork is coming. She said that we're really good candidates for adopting and even fostering. The one thing I want to do though, is buy a house."
Carina furrowed her eyebrow. "A house?"
"If we're going to be fostering, adopting, and have children of our own, we're going to need the space," Maya said with a slight smirk as she watched Carina's expression become confused. She continued staring at Maya in confusion, knowing that Maya never wanted children. "I've changed my mind about children, Carina. I think seeing Mac brought back memories about my life and how I don't want anyone else to have to go through that."
"Oh bambina, I'm so happy," Carina exclaimed as she flung her arms around Maya and kissed her on the cheek repeatedly. "You're already the best mamma."
Mac entered the kitchen at that moment, and smiled as she watched Maya and Carina interact with each other. She could only wish that she would eventually have a family that loved her unconditionally, with parents who have a love as great as Maya and Carina's love for each other.
"Morning Maya, Carina," she said politely as she sat down at the table.
"Hi bambina, how did you sleep?" Carina asked as she put the plate with a huge stack of french toast in the middle of the table, sitting down next to Mac and across from Maya.
Mac smiled slightly. "Good, after cuddling with Maya. Thanks again."
"Of course, not a problem."
"What's going to happen to me today?"
Maya sipped on her coffee. "I'm taking you to the station. We're going to meet my social worker, Lisa. She's very nice," Maya said with a slight smirk, knowing exactly what she was going to tell Mac next. "We're going to talk about setting up a court date to put Jake and Jane in jail. And then... we're going to tell the judge that Carina and I want to adopt you and Josh."
Mac remained silent as she processed the information, looking between Maya and Carina in shock.
"Wait... you're serious?" She asked nervously as she fiddled with her fingers. "Like... actually serious, about this?"
Maya stood up and walked over to where Mac was sitting, gently wrapping her arms around Mac and smiling softly. "Dead serious, sweetie. We've been wanting to start a family and we think you and Josh are the perfect way to do that."
"Oh... my... gosh! I'm so excited!" Mac exclaimed as she flung her arms around Maya and hugged her tightly, tears streaming down her face.
Maya noticed and gently wiped away her tears. "Don't cry, sweetie, this is a good thing," she said with a huge smile as she looked at Carina, who was watching the interaction with a huge grin.
The three of them were ready to leave fifteen minutes later, having finished eating and after Mac calmed down and was ready to talk to Lisa when she and Maya arrived. Carina drove them to the station, smiling the entire way and falling more in love with Maya as she drove. When they got to the station, they walked into Maya's office and while Maya worked on some paperwork, Carina took Mac to the beanery, where they met Andy and Vic there.
"Hey Carina!" Vic said when she saw the Italian. "Hi Mac, how are you?"
"I'm good," Mac replied as she stayed near Carina when Travis came over to them.
"Hi, I'm Travis. I'm a friend of Maya, Vic, Carina and Andy," a tall man with black hair and who was holding a mug with coffee said. Mac smiled and shook his hand when he extended it. "It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," Mac said.
After talking with the firefighters for a bit, Carina looked at her phone and decided to excuse them since Lisa had entered Maya's office already.
"Well, we're headed downstairs. We'll see you later," she said and escorted Mac out, who looked at her questioningly. "Lisa's here."
Mac froze right in front of Maya's office when they got there.
"It's okay, Mac. She's just going to ask us some questions about what happened and then talk to us about adopting you and Josh."
The two walked into Maya's office holding hands, to see Maya already in conversation with a woman with brown hair, both of them sitting down. Maya was in her chair and Lisa was sitting opposite her.
"Hi guys," Maya said with a smile as she stood up and hugged them both, before leading them to the sofas that were in her office. "This is Lisa Jenkins, she's the social worker I told you about," she introduced and Lisa smiled, shaking both of their hands. "This is my girlfriend, Carina, and Mac, the girl I was telling you about."
"Pleasure to meet you both. I've heard wonderful things about both of you," Lisa said with a huge smile as she sat on one sofa, across from the other three. "I'm just here to ask a few questions to you, Mac."
Mac nodded and began fiddling with her fingers.
"Can you state your full name and your date of birth?"
"Mackenzie Rose Miller. My birthday's the fifth of March."
Lisa nodded and wrote in her notebook. "Which group home are you in right now? Registered, at least."
"Jake and Jane's Home for Kids. There are thirteen others there with me all ranging from 15 to one."
"Are they nice?" Lisa asked and Mac hesitated. "You don't need to go into details, just a yes or no would work."
Mac took a deep breath. "No, they're not. They're mean to us but pretend to be nice so they get more kids."
"Okay. What's bad about them?"
"They abuse us," Mac said, barely above a whisper, and she looked down at her feet. Maya noticed this and put a gentle arm around Mac, holding her close to her and reassuring her that she was there with her.
Lisa nodded as she continued writing her notes. Carina's heart broke just watching Mac be so nervous about the situation. She never knew what it was like with a tough family situation, other than her father being bipolar and her mother leaving when she was sixteen. But it was not the same as Mac's situation.
"Who in the group home are you closest to?" Lisa asked. "It can be another kid or one of the parents."
"Josh, no doubt. He's 11 and my best friend."
"What's his last name? I think I remember that name from somewhere."
"Johnson. Joshua Johnson," Mac said.
Lisa nodded and then thought for a moment. "That's right. He's the one that ran away from two other group homes in the past two years."
"We almost ran away from this one," Mac whispered again, letting Maya pull her closer to her and hold her more tightly. "We had a plan all mapped out last year, but... but it didn't work. We were found out by Jake."
"What happened then?" Lisa asked and Mac froze again. She kept playing with her fingers and she started shaking.
"Shhh... Mac, it's OK... Just remember what we did," Maya said reassuringly as she placed a gentle hand over Mac's heart. "Breathe... in and out."
While Maya was calming Mac down, Carina admired them. She knew how Maya was against having children, but just watching her with Mac made Carina's heart burst. It was like she was a changed woman because of Mac. Lisa also noticed how Maya was handling Mac.
She and Maya met a few years ago when a safe surrender came to the station. He was only 2 months old, but bonded with Maya when she had to care for him because the other firefighters were dealing with a call. When she was called to the station, she was expecting for Travis or Ben to be holding the small child as she had met them the last time a safe surrender came. But she was surprised when she saw the strong and very reserved fire captain holding the little boy.
"OK, you're OK Mac," Maya said as she watched Mac breathe in and out, each time a little better than before. "You're with me, sweetheart, it's all good. Nobody's going to come and get you."
Mac took a deep breath and smiled softly at Maya. "Thank you, Maya, thank you for helping me again."
"Again?" Lisa asked with a raised eyebrow.
"She had a panic attack last night that I helped her through," Maya began saying, rubbing Mac's back. "We did the 5-1 technique. It's one that Carina's helped me use frequently."
"That's right... You have panic attacks too," Lisa said. "But it's good that you do. It makes it easier for you and Carina to help Mac, and even Joshua too."
"So we can adopt both of them?" Maya asked, hopefully.
Lisa nodded. 'The odds are in your favour right now, everything looks in order for the adoption to go through. All we need to do is arrange for a court date in front of a judge so that we can get Jake and Jane in jail for their actions."
"You're adopting Josh too?" Mac asked, slightly surprised.
Maya chuckled and shook her head. "Of course we are, sweetie, why wouldn't we?"
"I... I don't know... I thought you'd just take me and leave him to the wolves or something."
"We would never do that, Mac, promise."
"Mac! You came back for me!" A boy with black hair and bright green eyes said as he ran at full speed toward the redheaded girl, flinging his arms around her waist and letting her hold him. "I thought you'd never come back."
Mac chuckled as she ruffled his hair and kissed the top of his head. "I will always come back for you, Joshy. I would never, never leave you. Ever."
The two kids continued hugging, while Maya and Carina watched from the other side of the room. It was time for them to collect Josh, since the trial was over and the Jake & Jane Group Home was finally closed for good. Grace and Isaiah were sent to live with Vic and Travis. They all bonded instantly. The triplets, Lucy, Luke and Leo were sent to Jack, who had agreed to take them all in without hesitation. Bea and Joe went with Dean. He was excited to have a boy in between his daughter Pru, and Bea. Vince and Violet went to live with Ben and Miranda, who agreed with their boys that they wanted twin siblings. Alec was sent to be with Andrew, who gladly accepted.
Mac had been living with Maya and Carina for a few weeks already, and the couple had bought a house not too far from the fire station. Carina's dream was coming true: at least, the dream of having kids. There was one more dream that she had, and she knew Maya wanted it too.
"So you're my new moms?" Josh asked shyly once he and Mac pulled away from their hug but continued to hold hands. "I've always wanted a mom."
"Yeah, we're your moms, bud," Maya said with a grin as she took his hand and kissed it softly. "We do have a question for you, though."
"What is it?" Mac asked.
Carina smiled and she knew Lisa was listening.
"How would you like a brother and a sister?" Lisa asked as she walked in holding little Cami in her arms and holding onto Kai's hand as they walked. Kai was short with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes that almost mimicked Carina's. Cami, on the other hand, had blonde hair and light blue eyes that were as clear as the ocean.
Kai was the first to notice his new surroundings. "Bosh!" He screamed as he ran straight for Josh and let himself be hugged tightly.
Maya turned to Lisa as she took Cami from her, cradling the twelve month old in her arms. "Thank you, Lisa, we really appreciate it."
"Of course, Maya. You let me know if you need absolutely anything else," Lisa said with a grin before hugging both women and then leaving their house.
After Lisa left, the other firefighters and their new children came over to Maya and Carina's house for a cookout. Andy ended up fawning over Cami the entire time, saying how much she looked like Maya and that Kai looked so much like Carina. Mac and Josh stayed near each other the entire evening, never once straying from the other.
Carina interacted with her brother, who had taken Alec in and was happy to find the two of them getting along well together and with the other individual families.
Toward the end of the evening, the younger kids had crashed in the living room of the Bishop-DeLuca household, while the adults still hung out in the backyard with the older kids.
"Are you ready for this?" Andy asked Maya as she pulled out a ring box. The two were standing in a secluded spot in the backyard, waiting for Maya's nerves to calm down.
"Yeah, I'm ready. I think she's ready for marriage now that we have four kids," Maya chuckled. "We kind of skipped a step there, you know?"
Carina walked over to the two a few minutes later, smiling softly at her girlfriend. "What's going on over here, bella?"
"I'll leave you to it," Andy said with a smirk before walking back to the party, who were all ready for the big proposal. Maya had been planning this for weeks, ever since they knew the kids were officially theirs.
"Hi bella," Carina said with a huge smile as she kissed Maya on the cheek. "How are you adjusting?"
"Beautifully. I love having a full house, and I'm glad the kids feel at home here," Maya admitted which made Carina smile even more. As much as Maya was against kids a few months ago, she had really come a long way and Carina was glad to see this change in her girlfriend. "I'm happy at the spot where we are, Carina. With four kids, two boys and two girls. It's all so perfect."
Carina nodded as she and Maya held hands. "Si, bella, it's perfect because I'm with you."
"I know you were a little hesitant about taking this step with me, and I was hesitant too. But now that we're here, together, and happier than ever... I feel like I need to get this off my chest," Maya said and Carina looked at her confused.
"W-What...?"
"Carina, you have been my guiding light for as long as I can remember. Ever since we met, I felt myself falling for you more and more with every day that passed. I have been in awe of you for two years now, and I hope to be in awe of you for many many more years. Whenever I felt myself at my lowest, you never allowed me to stay there for very long, which I appreciate with the deepest gratitude," Maya said as she held Carina's hands in hers and their closest friends and family watched their interaction. "You have made me a much better person, Car, so I thank you. I want to ask you something," she continued as she pulled out the small black box and got down on one knee, making Carina gasp in surprise. "Carina DeLuca, will you marry me?"
Everyone was silent as they awaited Carina's response to the question, but Maya was a nervous wreck on the inside. This gesture could either go well or not, all depending on Carina's mood and ideas about marriage, specifically if they had changed or not.
"Si, Maya, si!" Carina said after a few more dreadful seconds. "Of course I'll marry you, bella, I love you so much!"
A/N: If y'all have any ideas or suggestions for stories, please comment or dm them! I'd be happy to work with your ideas!
Also, sorry for the wait, I'm at the airport and completely forgot about posting. See you all next week!
- Scout <3