Her reaction was never discussed during dinner and Mariana thought she was fine until Bobby joined her in cleaning the truck. She was wiping down the interior from their last sooty call when Bobby climbed into the cab and shut the side door before gesturing for her to close the door on her side. Mariana sighed but complied nevertheless.
"What was that back there?" he asked kindly. "You looked as if Buck was about to hit you."
She leaned her head back on the headrest and let out a rush of air before nodding slowly. "Yeah, i-it happens sometimes. Yelling...arguing, it sets me off. Usually I can keep it under wraps and not react, but that's when I'm working or on a call. This is, uh, a safe place? I guess? For me, that is. And...y'know..." She trailed off and Bobby smiled gently in understanding.
"I'm sorry that we scared you, Mari. It was unprofessional of me and I shouldn't have yelled. Are you comfortable with telling me more about why you react that way?"
"Thought it was pretty obvious," she spat. "Got the shit kicked out of me as a kid. Bad foster placements and my, uh, my uncle wasn't the greatest caretaker. He, um, he was the worst. But they took me outta there when I was sixteen. My abuela took care of me and Luis after that." She fiddled with the respirator in her hand and refused to make eye contact but Bobby was proud of her for being so open. Mariana had been working at the station almost two years before he had joined and yet Hen and Chimney admitted that they didn't know much about her either. Mariana spoke about her work and some activities outside of work, that was it. She invited them to the soup kitchen, regaled them with stories about a crazy injury brought into the ER, or about a book she read. He had never heard about her family or anything that happened between them.
"Luis?" he asked.
"My brother." The answer was simple and curt and Bobby knew not to push it. He grabbed a respirator to help her with cleaning them down.
"Thank you for being willing to open up," he said, holding out his hand. Mariana finally made eye contact with him and hesitated but grabbed his hand. "We're a family here, Mari. No one will ever try to hurt you and if they do, they'll respond to me directly."
Mariana let a small hint of a smile creep onto her lips and Bobby would claim that to be one of the biggest victories in his time as captain so far. The moment was cut short by his phone ringing and he quickly answered.
"Hello? Who is this? Okay!" Bobby scrambled out of the truck and Mari followed suit, concerned at what the phone call was about.
"Alright everybody, let's gear up!" he shouted. "Let's go, let's go!"
"For what? I didn't hear a bell," Buck exclaimed.
"It's Chimney. Hustle everybody!"
The bell began to ring and dispatch announced an auto accident. Mariana could have sworn a blue streak. Driving angry wasn't driving smart. She grabbed her turnout gear and yanked it on in seconds before sprinting to the truck.
"I'll drive," she announced, not giving anyone else a choice. She barely gave Buck a chance to shut the door to the truck before she was peeling out of the garage, heading for the freeway.
"What was that about driving angry is driving stupid?" Hen called as Mariana accelerated down the road.
"I'm not angry," she replied calmly as her foot pressed on the gas. Flipping on lights and sirens, she merged onto the freeway and began to easily weave in and out of traffic. The flashing lights up ahead indicated that she was on the right track and she eased on the brakes, stopping just before the accident scene. Bobby was out of the truck before she even had the brake engaged.
"You guys stay here," Bobby ordered before he followed the other captain to the car. He reappeared minutes later, face drawn and pale. He gestured for Mariana to follow him to the ambulance and the others came with.
"He has a piece of rebar through his head."
They all froze, staring at Bobby in shock. Mariana had seen her fair share of impalements in the ER, but none through the skull.
"He's conscious?" she exclaimed as she grabbed her medic pack.
"He's alert and talking, doesn't appear to be in any pain."
"He's got a piece of rebar through his skull. How is that even possible?" Buck asked as they grabbed their packs and tools and followed Bobby.
"Brain tissue has no nociceptors. No pain," Mariana explained. "Shock blocks out the rest of the pain and adrenaline is one hell of a drug."
"This hasn't registered yet. He knows he's pinned but that's it so keep it cool," Bobby reminded them. Mariana set her shoulders straight and approached the vehicle. The sea of first responders parted at the sight of her.
"Heya Chim. How many times have I told you that driving angry is driving stupid?" she greeted as she crouched down to see her friend better. He let out a breathless laugh at her words.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. I'm sure you've never done something like this."
"Oh, I never said that. Hen, can you check his airways please?"
"Wow, you're actually...kinda nice when you want to be, Mari."
"It's cause you're a patient and not just a pain in my ass."
"Airways sound good," Hen announced from the passenger seat. Mari nodded and Bobby spoke up from next to her. "What's your pain level?"
"Not much pain. I don't think there's any spinal damage. I can feel my legs but when I try and move my head-"
"Don't!" they chorused. Mariana let out a shaky breath as the reality of the situation hit her. This wasn't just a regular patient or victim. This was Chimney, her friend.
"What's going on?" Chimney demanded. "Wh-wh-why aren't you guys like cutting me out of here?"
"It's complicated," Bobby explained as Mariana grabbed Chimney's hand in a comforting gesture. Her fingers rested over his pulse to reassure her of its steady beat.
"Why?"
"You've been injured, Chim."
"How bad is it?"
"It's not good," Buck interjected. Mariana shot him a withering glare before turning her attention back onto Chimney.
"Well, I want to see it!"
"No, you don't," Bobby protested.
"Yeah, I do! Bobby, show me."
Bobby finally relented and whipped out his phone, filming the damage. He flipped the phone around and showed Chim the video as everyone fell silent. Chimney whispered out a "holy crap" as the weight of the situation settled on his shoulders.
"How come I'm not dead?"
"Because you are the luckiest and unluckiest son of a bitch on the face of the earth all at the same time."
"Guys, I can't even feel this. Please get me out of here before I start to."
Mari's lips quirked up slightly and she placed her free hand on Chimney's shoulder. "I'm going to do everything in my power to ensure that you will leave this car safe and placed in the hands of the best neurosurgeons in the area."
"Does that mean Mariana is in charge? Because I wasn't nervous before but I might be now."
"Alright, asshole. Second you're back to work, I am accidentally dropping a halligan on your foot. I think our best course of action is to transport the entire car to the ER and extract him once we're closer in range to medical. I need a sturdy c-collar and we need to tie him down and ensure there's no movement in the process. Can we do that?"
Bobby nodded and left to gather the resources and get the tow truck ready while Mariana moved over so she could see Chimney better. "Trust me, Howie. We've got this."
"I trust you with my life, Ramirez."
She smiled. A real, genuine smile. Then, it disappeared and her stoic face returned.
Thirty minutes later and Mariana was holding his body steady as they cut through the rebar outside of the ER. Buck helped her carefully extract him out of the seat and onto a gurney which they wheeled towards the doors. Two nurses met them and took hold of the stretcher.
"We'll take him from here," the man assured them. Mariana started forward and she got right up into his face.
"You give him your best, most utmost care or I will have your ass fired. You hear?" she growled. The nurse nodded, a hint of fear in his eyes. She glanced down at Chimney and at their clasped hands. She gave him one final comforting squeeze before stepping away and walking back towards the truck.
///
After Bobby's declaration of Chimney's status, Mariana found herself buzzing with energy. Usually she would beat a boxing bag or go for a run, but a call could come at any time and she had to be ready. They were down a paramedic meaning she and Hen had to be ready.
So when the bell rang, Mariana only felt a small sense of guilt at the relief of something to occupy her mind.
When they got on scene, Mariana immediately slung her paramedic bag onto her shoulder and bolted towards the truck that cops were swarming around. Hen joined her as they waited for Buck and Bobby to saw the lock off.
"What kind of asshole just leaves people out here in heat like this?" Mari muttered.
"Let's find out."
The two women rushed to the cab but it was locked. Mariana hoisted herself up onto the steps and peered into the window. The driver's license was strapped to the mirror and she smirked victoriously.
"Art Guile," she called back to Hen. "I'll let one of the officers know."
They hopped back down and Mariana rushed off to inform an officer before running back just as they opened the doors of the trucks. Her heart dropped into her stomach at the sight of all the people laying in the boiling metal.
"Agua, agua, por favor," one man cried. Voices clambered over one another as people desperately reached out for the first responders. Mariana surged forward, helping carry a little girl off the truck and into the arms of another paramedic.
"Permite! Permite! Necesito ayuda las personas en el camión," she shouted as she crawled into the truck. "I need saline and IV lines!"
She stripped off her turnout coat and spread it on the hot metal floor before she laid a person on it. The woman's eyes were slowly opening and closing but her hand gripped Mariana's wrist tightly.
"Mija. Regresaste," the woman gasped.
"Lo siento pero soy una bombera. Me llamo Mariana. Cómo se llama?"
"Teresa. Teresa Gutierrez."
Mariana stilled in her rapid movements before she shook her head and began to administer a saline line. "Teresa fue el nombre de mi mama."
"Moriré?" Teresa asked softly. Mariana shook her head firmly, flagging down an officer to help carry her out of the truck.
"No, no hoy. Hoy es origen de una vida nueva."
Teresa held her hand the entire time Mariana and the officer carried her outside and to the yellow tarp. Once they had her settled and Mariana ordered an officer to hold the saline bag until they were able to get transport, did she leave her side to go help at the red tarp.
She stood, her eyes trailing over everyone watching the scene. Hen was about to pass her when Mariana grabbed her arm and pointed at the tall man standing near the back of the crowd. "That's him. That's the driver."
Before Hen could stop her, Mariana was striding forward and beckoning towards him. "Hey asshole! Don't you even think about running!"
He turned to start running and Mariana burst into a sprint, ducking under the tape and tackling him like a two hundred pound linebacker. The small woman grunted as they slammed into the ground but she wouldn't let him flee. Rolling over, she wrapped her arm around his shoulders and pulled him back to the ground as she twisted his arm back with her other hand.
"There are families in that truck. Children. Who the fuck do you think you are? Huh?" she snarled. "Scum like you deserve to rot."
One of the officers grabbed her shoulder and gently pulled her back as another officer began to arrest the man. Mariana's chest heaved up and down and her flushed face was either a sign of anger or exertion.
"That was badass! Hen said we weren't here to blow off steam but you clearly just did," Buck laughed, patting Mariana on the back. She grabbed his wrist and threw his hand down at his side before scoffing.
"You know what you can blow," the brunette snapped. She spun on her heel and marched back to the tarps.
///
Nearing the end of their shift, Bobby took over for driving. He directed the truck towards the hospital and everyone was too tired to argue or question. They knew what he was thinking and for once, Mariana was glad to be at the hospital for something other than work.
"Neuro recovery is floor five," she mumbled to Bobby. He nodded and led her, Hen, and Buck to the elevator. They rode up silently, everyone too numb to speak. Bobby introduced himself at the nurse station and the nurse at the desk agreed to show them back.
"He's a tough nut," she said as they stopped outside his room. "He's gonna be in this room for a few more days. Intubation tube is out, obviously, but the catheter's still in."
"Can he hear us?" Buck asked.
"I always treat them like they can," she offered. "All right, two minutes and then I'm kicking you out."
They filed in and Mariana joined Bobby on Chimney's left side with Buck and Hen on his right. Bobby carefully picked up Chimney's hand and glanced at the team before looking down at Chimney.
"Hey Chim. We're all here for you, buddy."
He must have heard Bobby because his fingers curled around Bobby's hand. Hen and Mari took a seat at the bottom of his bed. While Hen rested her hand on her friend's leg, Mari fussed with his blanket and smoothed it out.
"Hey, I was thinking maybe when you come back to work, yo-you should do the Maneuver instead of me," Buck added. Mari let out a soft huff of laughter as Hen glared at him.
"To motivate him to get better," he whispered.
"He can't do the Maneuver," Hen hissed.
"Yeah he can. Hey Chim, you can do the Maneuver, right?"
Bobby slowly pulled his hand away, revealing Chimney's weak thumbs up. They all let out small laughs at the sight.
"I tried to get a hold of your parents," Hen spoke up next. "There's a sixteen hour time difference with Seoul, you know, so maybe...maybe that has something to do with it."
"That's alright," Bobby murmured. "His family's right here."
They all exchanged a glance and Mariana leaned closer to Chimney. "You hear that, bud? We're family and...and I need you back to work soon. I promise I won't drop a halligan on your foot and I'll even let you win once."
She gently placed her hand in his and his fingers lightly squeezed around her calloused skin. Her lips quirked up into a sad smile, knowing the significance behind that.
"Please don't ever let him do the Maneuver," Hen laughed.
They all loosened up as Buck and Hen started to bicker about letting Chimney do the Maneuver. Mariana watched them before she swung her head to the side to look at Bobby. The fire captain grinned at her and she knew what he was thinking.
This was her new family and Mariana was determined not to lose them time.