Carina wanted to surprise Maya and her team with the homemade chicken and mushroom Ravioli with Tomato sauce that she had made. It was her day off and Maya wasn't going to get back home till midnight, so she decided to visit her with food.
Hoping that they weren't called in for a fire, she entered the firehouse. Usually someone would be at the reception to greet her but that day it was not the case. She entered Maya's office without knocking, as she always did, but was presented an empty office. When the doubts of them being on a call started creeping up, she heard laughter coming from the beanery and that was her invitation to go upstairs.
As soon as she entered a beanery, she was welcomed by a series of 'Hellos and hi'. Travis moved from behind the counter to hug her and helped her with the bag she was carrying with herself.
"I brought you all Ravioli!"
And as expected, everyone roared and clapped while dramatically thanking her for her delicious food.
Carina was happy that the firefighters were all pleased with that but one particular hot blonde firefighter, whom she was looking for, was out of her sight.
When all of them started serving their plates with the pasta, she asked them, "Do any of you have any idea about the whereabouts of Maya? I haven't seen her since I arrived."
Everyone paused their moments for a second before glancing at each other and resuming their actions. As everyone knew that Vic was the worst at keeping secrets, Travis stuffed her mouth with a cup cake while answering Carina's question, "Yeah...she must be in her office."
"No, I checked before coming upstairs. Never mind, you guys enjoy the food while I go find her," Carina turned around but paused when she heard Andy screaming at her to stop.
"I'll go and find Maya. Please sit down," Andy said not even giving her a chance to respond as the Latina quickly made her way downstairs.
Andy entered her office and made her way towards the room attached to the office. She knocked and opened the door to find Maya sleeping with a hand placed over her eyes.
She slowly made her way to sit on the edge of the bed and shook Maya's leg to awaken her. When she saw Maya rub her eyes and open them, she spoke up, "I'm sorry to disturb you but Carina brought food and she is looking for you."
Maya immediately sat up, "Oh my God! Did she suspect anything?"
"Thankfully, no. But, how are you feeling now?"
Maya let out a sign, "The rashes haven't yet disappeared but my fever is down. It's just about a 100 degrees Fahrenheit now."
"Will you be able to come up and meet her?" Andy questioned, even though she already knew the answer.
"I have to, Andy. If I don't, she might get suspicious."
Maya stood up and pulled her SFD jacket over shoulders as she made her way towards the beanery with Andy.
She entered the room and found Carina turn around and walk towards her to meet her half-way, "Hi bella! Where were you?"
Maya stepped closer to place a kiss on her lips before answering, "I...I was just checking the engines, just making sure everything was alright. That's why I didn't see you enter."
"But, checking the trucks is not the captain's job, is it?" Carina questioned her.
"Yeah, but I had nothing else to do so..." She shrugged.
Carina placed her hands on her cheeks to pull her in for another kiss but suddenly pulled away before their lips met, "Bambina, you're hot."
"So are you," Maya replied with a smirk.
"No! Not like that! I mean like that also but right now, you are very warm. Are you feeling well?"
"Yeah...ya- it's probably because I was also working out a few minutes ago. Nothing much. Come on now, I'm starving. I can't wait to eat my wife's delicious pasta," She said pulling Carina towards the table.
She hated lying to Carina but she knew that it was worth it. She was anxious, but a little excited, to watch Carina's reaction when she found out what Maya had done.
They both joined the others and got engaged in the banter that was talking place across the table. Dean and Jack were recounting how many times the other one had screwed up during their training days while the others kept laughing at their silliness.
Carina suddenly noticed something that she wasn't able to point out earlier, "Maya, why are you wearing a jacket? No one else is and it's so hot in here. And as I mentioned earlier, you also feel very warm."
Maya was almost sweating but she knew that if she removed it, Carina would be able to point out the cotton gauze pads over her collar bone.
"Uh...It's- I was just..." Maya was not fast enough to think of a response but it was almost like a miracle when the klaxons went off, calling them all to tend a fire. She quickly kissed her bye and ran out of the barn with her team.
Carina wanted to wait for her wife to return but before going out, Maya had asked her not to bother so she decided to back home and find some work to engage herself in.
A few hours later, the firefighters were back in their respective vehicles, covered up in soot but happy, nonetheless, to have controlled the fire without any casualties.
It was almost 11 O'clock and only an hour was left for their shift to be over. They quickly showered and Travis and Dean started prepared some soup and salad. Even though the firefighters were like hungry lions who were picky with their food options, soup and salad would have to suffice for now as none of them had the energy to cook a proper meal and they didn't want the extra burden of cleaning up after cooking elaborate meals. After all, B shift would be there in about an hour.
All of them had showered and were sitting around the table waiting for their meal to be served.
"How are you feeling Maya?" Jack asked her as he picked an apple from the fruit basket.
"I'm good. It's still a bit itchy but I'm fine." She said slowly running her hand over her collar bone.
"You know honestly, I'm so proud of myself to keep a secret for the first time and that too from Carina, I didn-"
"What secret, Vic?" Carina suddenly asked emerging through the door that lead into the beanery.
Maya quickly stood up and made her way towards her, "Uh...Hi Carina! What are you doing here? It's late and you should be at home, sleeping."
"I noticed that you were acting weird in the afternoon so I thought you are not well and I came to pick you up." Carina said moving closed to the rest of the team and continued, "Now, is anyone gonna tell me what exactly is the matter?"
"Love, everything is fine-"
"Maya, stop."
The blonde raised her hands in surrender and stopped talking while the others tried to muffle their laughter as they watched their captain lose an argument with her wife.
Carina looked back at the group but none of them said a word. Vic was stuffing her mouth with a banana so she could not get the chance to open her mouth. She sighed defeatedly and turned back to her wife who was still standing with her gaze on the floor.
"Maya, please tell me, what's wrong?" She moved closer to her and suddenly noticed a bump and a white something near Maya's collar, her breath hitched as she put her hand forward to feel it but Maya held it before she could reach her.
"Carina, please. Do you trust me?"
"Yes. More than I trust myself," She replied quickly.
"Well, then believe me when I say everything is ok. We were about to eat, do you want to join us?" Maya said moving to sit with everyone else.
Carina noticed that during the meal, Maya kept glancing at her apple watch but she forced herself to contain her curiosity. After all, if Maya was hiding something, she knew that she would definitely tell her when the time was right. She was deep in her thoughts when she heard Vic, almost yell, "Maya, it's 12!"
Everyone checked their watches before turning to Maya who in turn, turned towards Carina and held her hands. Maya motioned her to stand up. She bid everyone goodbye and walked to her office, taking Carina with her. She asked Carina to wait in her office as she retrieved a few items form the attached room and place them on the table.
Maya then walked forward to hold Carina's hands in her own.
"Carina, five years ago, I met the most beautiful, intelligent and kind person I've ever known. If it hadn't been you who offered me a drink and spent the night talking to me, I would have probably felt like a loser all my life. You came into my life literally like a silver lining...or like a bright sun and brightened my entire life. So, to celebrate the five year anniversary of us meeting. I have a few things I want to give you," Maya finished and turned to pick up the items.
By that time, Carina's eyes were already filled with water.
Maya turned around and handed her the things one by one. She first placed an envelope in the brunette's hands, "I know how much you love letters. So, this is a very very big handwritten letter from me. You should probably read it later otherwise we'll be here all night."
"Maya, I-"
"Shhh..." Maya cut her off and continued with her actions. She placed a small package in her hand.
Carina opened it to find a customized notepad with a picture of herself and Andrew on the cover. "You are the only few psychopaths I know who loves to maintain a diary diligently. So, this is for you and it will always keep you close to your other half." She heard Maya say with a chuckle and broke into tears while Maya wiped them away quickly.
The blonde then handed her a sliver pendent which had 'C+M' written on it. She moved her hands behind her neck to place it correctly and lock it.
Maya then spoke up, "Well, as you know I have a limited amount of creativity in me. So I was not able to decide on the fourth gift...so, would a kiss suffice as the fourth gift?" She asked raising her eyebrows.
Carina chuckled before placing the envelope and the notepad on the nearby chair and came back to hold Maya's cheeks in her hands, "It would more than suffice," With that she closed the gap between them. Maya pulled her closer by the waist. Carina moved her hands to engage them in the shoulder length blonde curls and they explored each other's mouths until they had to pull apart for air.
"Okay, time for the last one...But, Carina promise me you won't freak out ?"
Carina doubtfully nodded her head.
Maya took a step back and slowly unbuttoned her uniform from the bottom. She was wearing a blue tank top underneath and as soon as she opened the last button of her collar, Carina saw a huge cotton gauze pad on her right collar bone.
"Oh my god, Maya! What-"
"You promised not to freak out."
Carina let out a breath, "Are you hurt?"
"No, silly, I'm not. Now, if you don't mind, will you please remove this bandage for me?" Maya asked completely discarding her uniform.
Carina nodded and hesitantly brought her hand to the dressing tape that was holding the gauze against her collar. Carina had seen a lot of sick and badly injured patients in the hospital but this was her wife. She was afraid to see her in pain, so she lowered her eyes at the ground when she pulled off the tape and without looking, she threw it in the bin next to her.
"Carina..." Maya said as she placed a hand under her chin and forced her to look up.
When Carina finally saw what Maya wanted her to see, immediately, rows of tears started flowing down her cheeks. The area near Maya's right collar bone had reddened a little because she had gotten a tattoo of Carina's name over there - Carina Deluca Bishop❤
"Maya..." Carina held her neck and pulled her towards herself to join their foreheads, "I-I don't even know what to say..."
Maya had tears threatening to fall down her own eyes but she wiped the ones on her wife's cheeks, "Do you like it?"
"I...Maya, I love it. I love you, I love you so much. But, you shouldn't have gone through so much pain for me. I-"
Maya silenced her by joining their lips together. But, she pulled away first, "My love for you gives me the strength to push through all the pain in the world. I love you, Carina. And my life has changed for the better ever since you walked into it. Call me selfish but I want to always keep you near me. You are the best part of me and, therefore, I decided to engrave your name onto myself. I want to spend every moment of my life with you. And even if that is physically not possible, this," She pointed to the tattoo, "Will always remind me to come back to you because I belong to you. "
"And I belong to you," Carina said slowing tracing the tattoo with her index finger and blowing slight air on it, "I never thought I could love you more than I already do but you always manage to make me fall in love with you more as every day passes."
Carina wrapped her arms around her pulling her in a hug and they stayed in that position for a considerate amount of time until Maya spoke up, "Well, how about before going home, we show the tattoo to others because they have been begging me to see it but I haven't shown it to anyone."
"Okay, sounds good. And then we can go home and celebrate privately," Carina replied winking.
"As you wish, my lady."
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Hope you enjoyed it;)
I have finally separated the two books and for everyone here who has read all the previous chapters, I have published a new one shot in that book too. So, if you guys want, you can check that out too. The new chapter over there is called 'Sick days' (Chapter 8).