*Aria's p.o.v*
Ben was helping check me out. Maya tried, but I told her no so Ben stepped in.
Me: I faced death
Ben: Yes you did
Me: And I didn't die
He puts the oxygen mask back on my face to make me stop talking. Everyone was talking and I looked over at Vic getting checked. Then we heard the captain was at the station so everyone gathered around him. He started saying that we made the news and he wanted someone to tell what happened. Maya started explaining to him what happened and I decided to walk away. I was sitting on the stairs when I saw Vic running up.
Me: Hey, thank you for getting that song stuck in my head
Vic: We did face death
Me: Yeah *chuckles*
Vic: I've never gotten that close to death before. Knowing *pauses* it could all be over right then
We hear the door of the lobby open and we both looked up. We looked at the door of the barn and we see Ben entering the lobby.
Ben: Tuck?
Tuck: Thought I'd stop by and say hi before school started, take you up on seeing that fire truck
Ben: Absolutely, yeah. Let's go.
Dispatch: Aid car 19. Single response needed. Possible man down. 1647 Grace Road
Dean: Warren you up for one more before the shift ends and we go out day-drinking?
Ben: Um.. nah, my my kid's here, so, you know
Tuck: Dad. Are you kidding me? This is your job. You got to go.
Ben: Miller wait up!
We watch as Ben leaves Tuck behind and follows Dean. I looked over at Vic after Ben left.
Me: I'll see you later, I have to do something *I smile*
Vic: Okay, bye little Bishop
I went down the stairs and I went to the living room. I sat down on the couch and I leaned back. I closed my eyes and I felt my body relax. I heard dispatch calling for the rest of the trucks. I didn't have the energy to go so I stayed behind.
*half an hour later*
I hear the trucks come back in and park. Everyone gets out and the place starts to get noisy again. I opened my eyes and I stood up. I went over to my locker and I grabbed my backpack. I grabbed my resignation form and I walked over to the captain's office where I saw Andy sitting in. I knocked on the door and she told me to come in.
Andy: Aria? What are you doing here?
Me: I just need to hand you something. *I hand her the form and I looked up at her*
Andy: You're resigning? Did you tell Maya?
Me: I don't need that talk right now. Just take the form and I'll fill out a station switch tomorrow. Have a nice day Captain Herrera
I walked out of her office and I walked out of the station. I took a deep breath and I got into my car. I drove to my apartment complex and when I arrived I went straight to my apartment. Once I got inside, I changed into some new clothes and I laid in my bed. I ended up falling asleep really quickly and I got comfortable under my sheets.
*Andy's p.o.v*
I called Maya and Vic to tell them to come over to my house saying that I needed some company. Once they arrived, I went outside and brought some beer out and we sat on the patio.
Me: *I open the door* I'm so glad to see you
Vic: Beer *chuckles* that's cute. I brought vodka
Me: You know, my dad is uh I don't know what to do with him. He-he's refusing to stay home, he thinks he needs to get some desk job. Then I made a mistake talking to him about Frankel.
Maya: Pause. For a toast to your first day as a captain and one hell of a first shift. You murdered it.
Vic: I will day-drink to that.
We all take our shot of vodka.
Me: Frankel didn't see it that way
Maya: Well, Frankel doesn't pay compliments because she never got them. She had it tough coming up.
Me: And she thinks I didn't
Vic: You didn't. Well not like her. None of us did, partly thanks to her.
Me: True and that's true. *Maya gives me another shot* To Frankel
Maya: To Andy
Vic: To Vodka
Maya: Day-drinking is a good first step, but you need to treat yourself.
Me: Yeah, I-I was thinking I might head out to Gold Bar and get in a good rock climb.
Vic: Your treats and my treats are not the same
Me: I like to climb. It-it gets out of my head. Maya, you run all the time
Maya: That is self-discipline, not self care
Vic: And what is your self care?
Maya: Oh, lots and lots of sex. I highly recommend it
Vic: New lady on the horizon? Spill.
Maya: More like a series of ladies and gents. Monogamy is for the weak or the very, very dedicated
Me: Oh wait enough talk about this. You guys won't believe who went into my office awhile ago.
Vic: Who?
Me: Little Bishop
Maya: What? Why?
Me: She handed in a resignation form. Saying something about switching stations and sending an email about the request tomorrow.
Maya: No, rip the paper up.
Me: Maya, I can't do that
Maya: Well you're going to because we're all gonna talk her out of it.
Me: I can't get involved again with your little sibling fight.
Vic: What did you do to make her hate you so much anyways?
Maya: I broke a promise to her that destroyed her life. I didn't know how badly it destroyed her until she explained it to me yesterday. Look, I'm gonna need you guys to come with me. I can't talk to her by myself.
Vic: You know what, fine.
Me: Ugh I guess so
We all get in the car and I started to drive. Maya told me Aria's address so I started to make my way there. Once we got there, we didn't really know her apartment number so we asked the front desk. They gave us the number after we told them we were firefighters 'searching' a fire. They easily believed us and led us to her floor. Once we got to her door we started to knock.
*Aria's p.o.v*
I woke up from my nap when I heard banging on my door. I took a pill since my whole body was in pain. The knocking kept getting louder and I got annoyed. I started rushing making the pill bottle fall over. I ran out of my room and I started yelling.
Me: STOP BANGING ON THE DOOR
I heard the person stop banging and I walked over to open the door. My eyes were still a little closed and when I opened the door I saw Andy, Maya, and Vic. I rolled my eyes and shut the door but I heard someone's hand stopped it from closing. I heard their footsteps walking into my apartment and I walked to my room. I entered my room and I shut the door and locked it.
Maya: Aria why'd you turn in a resignation form?
I stayed silent and I laid down in my bed and covered my body with the sheets. They stopped talking and I heard them walking away. A few minutes passed and I heard someone walking towards the door again.
Vic: Aria? It's me Vic
Me: What do you want?
Vic: I just want to talk
Me: I don't
I started to shiver in my sheets. I didn't know why because it wasn't really cold. I stood up and I went to the bathroom. I went over to the toilet and I started to throw up. I heard shuffling outside of my bedroom and I realized they picked the lock. I felt someone's hands rubbing my back and I turned around and I saw Vic.
After I saw Vic, I looked back at the toilet bowl and I threw up some more. After throwing up for a bit, I sat back on the wall shivering. I saw Vic watching me and she looks at me confused.
Vic: Aria, what's wrong?
Me: I'm s-so cold
I watch as she stands up and gets out of the bathroom. She comes back a few seconds later with one of my blankets and she wraps it around me. I stay under the blanket even though it felt like I was in a really cold freezer.
Vic: Aria, d-did you take anything? I saw the pills on your counter. It was knocked over
Me: Painkillers *I go over to the toilet bowl again and I threw up some more*
Vic: How many did you take?
Me: One. every hour
Vic: Aria you can't- you can't do that
Me: Well what do you expect Hughes. I'm in pain. My body is in pain.
Vic: And we can help you.
Me: I don't need your help
Vic: Well get up.
Me: What?
Vic: Get. Up.
I stand up still shivering and she tells me to lay down on the bed. I watch her as she texts someone on her phone. She joins me in the bed and she lays down.
Vic: Come on, bring it in. *she opens her arms*
Me: What are you talking about now?
Vic: I'm gonna stay. Right here beside you. And I'll take care of you until you get those pills out of your system. So, bring it in
I roll my eyes, but she wouldn't stop nagging about hugging me. She gave up and went closer and hugged me. I was still cold so my body was still shivering. We stayed in this position and I felt my body warming up. My shivering started to stop, but I didn't feel her letting go.
*10 minutes later*
We heard a knock on the door and Vic immediately stood up. She opened the door and there I saw Andy standing outside with a bowl of soup. I saw her hand it to Vic and Vic closes the door again. She tells me to sit up and eat. I start eating and I feel my body getting even more warmer.
Vic: So, Aria can I ask you a question?
Me: I guess
Vic: Are you really resigning?
Me: Really? Out of all the questions you chose that
Vic: Yeah, so are you?
Me: Look it's not like I want to. It's just... it's too much for me to handle seeing Maya again.
Vic: Well you're gonna have to give her another chance some day
Me: Well not today. This is my career ok? I don't think I can do it if I have to see her face everyday.
Vic: Then why not just switch shifts? Take B shift or something. You don't have to switch stations
Me: Why? You don't want me leaving Hughes?
Vic: No, little Bishop. After that fire happened and we got stuck in the middle of it, it made me realize that knowing someone who went through the same thing as me and knew how I felt, it just made me see you in a different way.
Me: Aweee Hughes don't get all sappy on me now. I mean you did almost save me from having another asthma attack. But it still doesn't change what I did. I'm sorry
Vic: Well all I want to say is that, if you do change your mind I'll be there waiting for you *she smiles*
Me: Okay, but I don't want you to get your hopes up if I don't come back
Vic: I guess so *she rolls her eyes*
Me: Wow disrespectful are we?
Vic: *she looks at me seriously*
Me: What?
Vic: Please just follow the instructions with the painkillers. Please.
Me: *I nod* also who cooked this?
Vic: Maya or Andy I have no clue
Me: Well it's something
I tried to finish the soup but it just didn't taste right so I set it down. I put it on the counter and I laid down and went under my sheets again. I felt Vic's arms wrap around me again and I just let her stay like that. The next thing I knew everything went dark and I felt relaxed.