"Hey. We're back!" Maya called out as they walked into the apartment after they had gotten back from the station. There wasn't any response, "Maddie?" She called out for her teenage daughter.
"I'm in my bedroom!" Maddie called out from her bedroom.
Maya furrowed her eyebrow, realizing that Maddie hadn't actually left her bedroom the whole time that they'd been out.
"I'm starting to get worried about her," Maya confessed to Carina.
"What do you mean, Bella?" Carina wondered, confused about what Maya meant.
"Maddie hasn't left her bedroom the whole time we were out," Maya expressed her worries. Carina cocked her head confused. "Let alone barely ate and well she's slept but only when Sarah was next to her." She added.
"Maddie, come here, Bambina," Carina called out to the teenager. It was a few seconds later that Maddie appeared out into the hallway.
"What?" Maddie asked. Carina was taken back and surprised by her sudden attitude.
"We just wanted to check that you were okay," Carina stated. Maddie nodded and shoved her hands in her pockets.
"I'm fine. Can I go back to my room now?" Maddie asked clearly not in the mood to talk. Maya sighed and nodded her head.
"You know it's not good to keep that grief built up inside of you. I know that you're hurting as well so if you need to cry then just do it," Maya told her daughter who shook her head furiously.
"I'm fine Mom, honestly. I am fine." Maddie insisted, trying to bury all the emotions that she was feeling inside. Maya frowned, not believing a word that her daughter had said but letting it go for the sake of saving an argument between the mother and daughter duo. "Can I go to my room? " Maddie repeated. Maya just sighed and nodded, watching her daughter sceptically for any sort of breakdown in the midst.
"Alright, go on then." Maya agreed with a sigh.
"Hold on a second Bambina," Carina said, Maddie paused and looked at the Italian confused, "Don't leave it too long to get ready for the Memorial," She told the blonde girl.
"What Memorial, tonight? For Zio?" Maddie asked.
"Si. It's tonight at Grey-Sloan. All of the doctors will be there," Carina explained.
"Ben is going to take us but if you don't want to come then I can always ask Andy, Vic or somebody else at the station if you can stay with them?" Maya asked, uncertain if Maddie was going to come or not.
"No, no, it's okay. I want to come to the Memorial," Maddie said which surprised both of the adults thinking that she wouldn't want to attend. "I want to say goodbye," she added quietly.
"Okay. Well, you will need to get ready soon," Carina stated, checking the time on her watch to see that it was close to 5 pm already.
"I am just going to finish watching the movie that I am watching and then I will get ready," Maddie said. Maya frowned.
"Kiddo, perhaps just leave the movie until another day or something, you won't have enough time to watch it now and then get ready," Maya said. Maddie frowned.
"It'll be fine. I will have enough time to do both." Maddie said before she walked away into her bedroom. Maya sighed and shook her head.
"What's the matter, Bella?" Carina wondered as they both went into their bedroom to get themselves ready for the Memorial service.
"I am just worried about Maddie," Maya said with a sigh. "I know that she has all of this built-up grief that she is refusing to let out, she refuses to cry and I am worried that it's not good for her," Maya continued to express her feelings.
"Well, would you like me to talk to her, Bella?" Carina wondered. Maya sighed and shook her head.
"I can't ask that of you, you have your own grief to deal with, she's my kid... you don't need to worry about Maddie as well," Maya said. Carina frowned and shook her head.
"Bella, I know that I am hurting for the loss of my brother but even so, Maddie is important to me and if she is hurting then I want to be able to help her and encourage her to open up. I would hate to think of her suffering in silence because she doesn't want to upset me," Carina told Maya who smiled softly as she continued to change into a checkered blazer with black pants and some white pumps to go with them.
"And this is why you're the women of my dreams. I love you so much," Maya leaned over to kiss Carina on the lips who just smiled and embraced the kiss.
"Ti amo Bella," Carina said with a smile on her face.
"Maddie are you almost ready!? Ben will be here soon!" Maya shouted from where she was stood in the kitchen. Maya was growing frustrated, having gone into her daughter's bedroom only half an hour ago to see that her daughter hadn't even started to get ready yet to go out.
"Almost, yeah. Chill Mom!" Maddie shouted back from her room with an attitude that just irritated Maya further. The older blonde groaned and shook her head.
"We told her to be ready and of course here we are now waiting for her to finish getting ready. I told her not to watch that film and yet she did anyway," Maya said as she checked the time on her phone, "Ben will literally be here in ten minutes and we're waiting on my daughter who has poor timekeeping skills," Maya rambled annoyed as Carina watched her girlfriend, she couldn't help but feel amused at her girlfriend ranting, despite them waiting on the teenager who wasn't ready yet.
"Bella, just relax. We have plenty of time," Carina chuckled lightly.
"That's not the point Carina, half an hour ago she still hadn't attempted to get ready and instead she was watching damn TikTok!" Maya continued to grumble. "Madison, hurry up now! We need to leave, come on!" Maya shouted out again.
"Calm down mother, I am here now. What's with the rush? Ben isn't even here yet." Maddie said, rolling her eyes as she shoved her iPhone into her pocket.
"I suggest you lose the attitude," Maya warned, aggravated with the girls' sudden change of behaviour. Maddie continued to roll her eyes.
"Bambina come on, you need to drop the attitude please," Carina interjected, knowing it wouldn't be long until Maya blew up and she didn't want that right now.
"Sorry," Maddie mumbled apologetically. Ben honked his horn from outside as Maddie went to say something further.
"That's Ben," Maya pointed out.
"See, I had plenty of time to get ready. I don't know why you were rushing me so much!" Maddie muttered as Maya was practically pushing them all out of the apartment, not wanting the firefighter to be waiting too long for them. "You literally worry so god damn much," Maddie mumbled.
"Enough with the attitude, Madison!" Maya shouted all of a sudden as they got outside and was climbing into Ben's car. "I am not in the mood for any of your sarcastic comments. Not tonight please!" Maya added, looking at Carina who looked saddened that Maddie was acting like this.
"Hey guys," Ben exclaimed, shocked by Maya's sudden anger that was directed towards her daughter. "Woah, everything alright?" He asked.
"I don't have an attitude mom," Maddie mumbled as she pulled her iPhone out of her pocket.
"Ciao Ben," Carina said giving him an apologetic look.
"Hi, Ben. Sorry, my teenage daughter seems to have gotten a slight attitude problem tonight," Maya said as she gave her daughter a pointed look while she buckled herself in.
"I don't have an attitude problem," Maddie muttered under her breath so Maya nor Carina could hear her.
"Don't sweat it, Cap. I know exactly what teenagers are like, we've had the same problem with Tuck in the past," Ben said as he pulled out onto the road and drove towards the hospital. Lucky enough, it wasn't that far away from where their apartment was.
"Yes, well if she doesn't curb her behaviour then she will be finding herself without a phone," Maya warned and continued to give Maddie a look.
"My behaviour is just fine," Maddie snarked, which irritated Maya further with the way she was acting. Carina knew it was just her way of being closed off and not expressing her feelings. Despite this, Maya was ready to blow up and so Carina was glad that they arrived at the hospital.
"Oh look, we're here," Carina announced, saving the argument between the two of them. "Thank god," She mumbled to herself.
They were met by Richard walking over to Ben's car as Maddie saw the older man and it brought back all of them feeling's that had her having sudden cold feet.
"I can't do this," Maddie mumbled, looking out of the window she saw all the different doctors who she recognized that worked on Andrea and memories continued to flood back. Maya and Carina shared a look between themselves before Ben had the chance to even climb out of the car yet.
"What do you mean, Bambina?" Carina asked. Maddie slumped down into her seat further and shook her head, "We're in this together, we can do this. Come on," Carina continued to encourage.
"Kiddo, it will do you good to say goodbye to your Zio," Maya said, concerned that this would be the breakdown that her daughter was going to have. "However, if you really don't want to then I can ask Ben if he will drop you over at Andy's?" Maya offered. Maddie shook her hand, taking hold of Carina's hand as she climbed out of the car with her after Ben jumped out and opened the door from them.
"You got this, trouble," Ben said with a soft smile, knowing the struggle that the girl must be feeling.
"Hello, Maddie." Richard politely said, joining them. Maddie waved and kept a tight hold of Carina's hand. It was a shock to the two women to see the abrupt change in Maddie's behaviour on the spot, although they knew it would be difficult for her.
"Shall we go and find a seat?" Maya wondered. Maddie grew more nervous, seeing that all of the doctors including Owen, Miranda and Helm were staring at them with sympathetic smiles, all she wanted was for everyone to stop smiling at them.
"I think that would be a good idea," Carina spoke. They found some seats at the front, Maddie ended up sitting on Carina's knee instead of her own seat but Carina didn't mind at all, she was growing concerned that Maddie hadn't let any of her grief out yet, other than the night that they were here at the hospital and she lashed out to the point where her knuckles bled.
"Are you okay, kiddo?" Maya asked. Maddie shrugged and rested her head on Carina's shoulder as Richard came up and stood in front of everyone.
"Everybody, can I have your attention, please?" Richard Webber called out. "Thank you. I appreciate you all being here tonight. Grey-Sloan is a family. And Andrew DeLuca was a member of that family." Richard continued, Maddie swallowed the lump that formed in her throat as she continued to listen to him speak "And his death, however brave... Well, it's still heartbreaking. We can't honour his life like we might have in the past, but we can still honour him." Richard continued to say and then turned to the other doctor Maddie didn't recognize other than spot him around earlier. "Dr Perez?" Richard motioned to start the video.
On the side of the building, there was a video that popped up of several different doctors that spoke about Andrea. Maddie stared up at the building, listening to Jo Wilson speak about her beloved Zio.
"You doin' okay?" Maya wondered concerned as she briefly looked at her daughter while she squeezed Carina's hand in comfort.
"Mhmm," Maddie said feeling stubborn that she wasn't going to let out any more tears, she didn't want to seem weak in front of everyone.
"If you want to cry then you can kiddo, don't hold it all in," Maya whispered. Maddie shook her head and continued to watch the video.
"Bambina your moms right so just cry if you want to," Carina whispered, running her hand through Maddie's blonde curls. Maddie shook her head furiously and stared up at the building as another doctor who she recognised as Schmitt, who worked on Andrea the time it happened, speak fondly about her Zio Andrea.
It wasn't until the video of Andrea sitting at a desk with a formal suit applying for his residency appeared on the wall and Maddie could feel herself losing it, the tears rolled down her cheeks freely as she listened to the words her Zio spoke.
"Hello. Uh, my name is Andrew DeLuca, and I'm thrilled to be applying to the surgical residency program at Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital. A bit about me. I am Italian, but I grew up in Wisconsin. A lot of doctors in my family, including my big sister, Carina. Um, I grew up stealing her game of Operation, so I guess you can say it's, uh, been a dream of mine for a very long time." Andrea chuckled on the video. Maddie continued to watch the video, trying her hardest to hold it together, "The idea of doing my training at Grey-Sloan and... and learning from surgical legends like Richard Webber and Miranda Bailey and Jackson Avery and Meredith Grey... uh, well, it just doesn't get any better than that. I think the reason I want to become a surgeon is that" Andrea sighed and continued. "I've always had this insatiable desire to help people. And I think I get that from my mom, who I lost too soon. And, uh, she had this really giving heart, and she always pushed me to do as much good as possible, so I guess I'm doing this for her. Now, you should be warned, I can be relentless at times, and very stubborn. But I promise that, if I match with you," Andrea paused and spoke Italian, Maddie's Italian was very weak so she didn't really know what he said, "I will give you the very best of me. Thank you." The video of Andrea finished as it came up with a picture of him, his birthdate to the year that he died.
"Zio... Andrea, come back, please," Maddie cried out loud. Maya reacted instantly, taking hold of Maddie's hand to try to calm her down as Carina attempted to smooth her hair and rock her in her arms as she continued to cry.
"Oh Bambina, it's okay," Carina spoke as she had her own tears streaming down her face. "I know that he is gone, I know, let it all out," Carina said, continuing to comfort the distraught teenager. All of the doctors looked over with worry but Carina ignored them as her main focus was on the girl in her arms who was hysterically upset.
"Maddie, sweetheart, it's okay." Maya said, feeling helpless she couldn't do anything other than hold her hand as Maddie clung to Carina, "Oh come here kiddo," Maya said. Maddie shook her head.
"No, I want Carina. I want Mama," Maddie said still hysterical. Carina froze realizing what she had said and looked at Maya who although was worried about her daughter couldn't help but smile at how Maddie had referred to Carina as her Mama.
Maddie continued to have her head buried in Carina's chest as she cried, finally after almost two days, she had broken down after she had kept it bottled up for such a long time. Maddie's breath started to hitch as she continued to cry and Maya looked at Carina with panic.
"Maddie, Bambina, you need to breathe," Carina said. "Can you do that for me? Remember them techniques that we did," Carina said, remembering the last time that Maddie had a panic attack after the death of Pruitt. Maddie started to take deep breaths and Carina nodded, "That's it. Good, well done Tesoro." Carina praised, feeling a slight relief that Maddie wasn't going to have a full-blown panic attack.
"You feeling better, Mads?" Maya asked worriedly. Maddie nuzzled her head further into Carina and shook her head.
"Oh, Bambina," Carina said with a sigh.
"I miss Zio. I miss him so much, Mama!" Maddie cried. Carina's eye's welled up with tears, hearing her say them words again.
"I know Bambina, I know you do. I miss him as well," Carina told the teenager as she continued to comfort her.
"Thank you for your kind words, Richard," Carina spoke with the older man. Maddie had reluctantly let go of Carina so Maya currently was sitting down with her daughter as she was still upset.
"I meant each and every word, Carina. Your brother was a fantastic doctor and he will truly be missed," Richard said. "I hope that Maddie is okay. She seemed very upset," Richard said concerned.
"I think it's finally hit her, she has kept a lot of her feelings bottled up," Carina explained, looking over at her two girls to make sure they were both okay, "I think that she is just exhausted now," She added.
"I think that she just needs some cuddles," Catherine spoke, smiling sadly at the girl who was curled up against Maya who ran her fingers through her hair. Carina had to admit the teenage girl look absolutely shattered and knew it wouldn't take long to fall asleep tonight.
"Excuse me, I am going to head back to my girls. Our Bambina looks like she is ready for bed," Carina said with a soft smile before she excused herself.
"Of course. See you soon Carina, take care." Richard said.
"Goodnight Carina," Catherine said. Carina waved slightly and made her way back over to her little family.
"Shall we head back home? The Bambina looks tired," Carina said.
"M' fine I'm not fallin' asleep," Maddie mumbled tiredly. Both Maya and Carina chuckled.
"I think your speech speaks for itself with how tired you are. Come on kiddo, let's go home," Maya said, chuckling lightly.
"I'm not tired," Maddie said.
"Of course your not Bambina," Carina said, although she knew five minutes in the car and she would be asleep.
"Hey, guys. Ready to go?" Ben asked, walking over to them with Miranda.
"Judging by the way Maddie looks like she is about to fall asleep, I'd say so," Miranda said, noticing the teenager almost passed out in her mom's arms.
"M' not tired," Maddie said. All four adults couldn't help but chuckle, the tiredness was evident in her voice.
"Alright. Let's head back to your apartment," Ben said. Maya stood up with Maddie in her arms, she was used to carrying heavy things in her turnouts, her daughter barely weighed much so it wasn't that much of a struggle.
True to Carina's thoughts, within five minutes of the car journey and Maddie was spark out in the middle of the backseat, leaning her head on Carina while she had her arm wrapped around her protectively.
"Well that didn't take long at all," Carina said, pointing down towards Maddie who was asleep.
"And she said that she wasn't tired," Maya chuckled. Miranda turned around to look and smiled.
"Tuck used to be exactly the same, insistent that he wasn't tired and the minute he got into the car, he was passed out. I used to feel bad about waking him so we used to have to wait in the car until he woke up," Miranda said. Ben smiled and looked at his wife, nodding in agreement.
"I don't want to wake her up to get her inside the apartment since she hasn't slept much at all," Maya said with a sigh.
"Well you carried her to the car so I will carry her into the apartment," Carina offered. Maya nodded in agreement.
"Thanks for the ride tonight Ben. I don't think it would have been wise for either of us to drive,"Maya said as Ben turned the corner to the street that the apartment was.
"Si, thank you Ben for doing that," Carina said. Ben nodded.
"No problem. We've arrived at your destination," Ben said as he pulled up onto the sidewalk.
"Great," Maya said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Goodnight both of you," Maya said as she climbed out of the car to run ahead and open the apartment door.
"Goodnight Ben and Miranda," Carina said, unbuckling both hers and Maddie seat belts before she climbed out of the car, gently lifting Maddie into her arms as she gently shut the car door behind her.
"Goodbye Carina," Both Miranda and Ben said through the window. Carina easily carried Maddie upstairs into the apartment and through to her bedroom.
"Do you think that she will be okay tonight?" Carina wondered, turning her attention to Maya who followed her in to find out some of Maddie's pyjamas as Maddie tiredly woke up.
"We're home Bambina. You just need to get ready for bed," Carina spoke as Maya helped Maddie get ready for bed since she was exhausted and couldn't keep her eyes open.
"Climb under the covers kiddo," Maya said after Maddie was ready for bed. "Alright kiddo, goodnight, I love you," Maya said, pressing a kiss to the top of Maddie's head.
"Goodnight Bambina, sleep well. Te amo," Carina said, moving to lean over and kiss the top of her head.
"Goodnight Mom, goodnight Mama," Maddie said sleepily before she curled up with her duvet cover and fell asleep.
Maya and Carina smiled to themselves as they exited the teenager's bedroom. Maya headed into the lounge while Carina went into the kitchen to grab two wine glasses out along with a bottle of red.
"Maddie called you Mama," Maya said with a wide smile on her face as Carina came to join her on the couch.
"Lo so, how do you feel about her calling me that?" Carina asked wearily, not sure if that was something that Maya would mind or not.
"I feel fine about it, at the end of the day she has formed a bond with you and if she wants to call you that then I am happy enough to let her. How do you feel that she called you it?" Maya wondered, she still had a smile on her face.
"Honestly it took me off guard and I was surprised for her to call me that but it was nice, I don't know if she called it me just because she was upset or tired, but I liked the sound of it," Carina said smiling as well. Maya grinned as she leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her girlfriends' lips.
"I am relieved that Maddie finally opened up about her feelings, well as such that she had a break down but that she cried and maybe now she won't bottle up her feelings and she can grieve," Maya said. Carina nodded in agreement.
"Lo so, I was beginning to get a little worried myself," Carina said.
"Maybe it would be a good idea for her to speak to that therapist again at the hospital? Or I could even have her speak with Dr Lewis who works with SFD. Either way, I think that she needs to talk to somebody about this and if she refuses to speak to either of us then she needs to speak to someone else," Maya said.
"Si I think that would be a good idea," Carina agreed. The two women drank their wine and settled on watching a romantic comedy on the film, enjoying spending time together. Maya was happy that her girlfriend' wasn't back lying on the kitchen floor and she could actually help her grieve now. "What do you say that we take our wine into the bedroom and spend some quality time together?" She wondered with a seductive wink.
"I'd say that we would have to be quick because I have a feeling that our child is going to end up sleeping in our bed tonight," Maya chuckled. Carina smirked as she playfully grabbed hold of Maya's hands and pulled her towards the bedroom.
"I will take my chances," Carina said as Maya squealed in delight when the Italian woman pushed her on the bed as she quietly shut the door before she moved back over to her bed and began to seduce her girlfriend.
They got into a heated kiss full of passion as they started to take one another clothes off, moving under the covers. They were so into it that they did not hear the footsteps or their door being opened.
"Mom, can I sleep in your bed? Ew, gross!" Maddie spoke, alerting both of the women who jumped in shock. They moved quickly to cover themselves.
"I did tell you to be quick," Maya chuckled as she grabbed a nearby blanket to wrap around herself to stand up while Carina had the duvet.
"Just give us a moment Bambina to get changed and then you can come and join us in our bed?" Carina bargained. Maddie nodded and headed back into the hallway, letting the two women get dressed quickly in shorts and vest tops.
"Alright kiddo, you can come back in now," Maya said. Maddie was quick to run back into the two women and dive into the middle of their bed. "Woah, you have a lot of energy all of the sudden. I thought you were tired?" Maya teased, tickling her daughter.
"I am tired still. I feel exhausted after crying," Maddie pouted, moving to lie in the middle of the bed beside the two of them.
"Get some sleep Bambina. We're here now. We've got you," Carina encouraged. Maddie nodded and shut her eyes again tiredly.
"We can always try again tomorrow," Maya whispered to Carina who just chuckled, moving to wrap her arm around Maddie and Maya who moved closer into her.
"Le mie due ragazze, siete la mia casa," Carina spoke fondly. Maya smiled as she understood some words but still wasn't quite sure.
"What does that mean?" Maddie asked tiredly.
"My two girls, you are my home." Carina translated for the teenager who smiled and side-hugged the Italian woman. "Buona Notte ti amo," She added.
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Bit of a late time to update but I wanted to make sure that I had another chapter up this week as I am busy the next couple of days...
I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and let me know your thoughts!