15. Live, Work, Pose

With Dean at the wheel, Ladder 19 swings into the barn and comes to a stop. The engine soon follows and the team jumps out of both vehicles, getting to work straight away with their chores. It has been that way ever since Pruitt’s death, everyone keeping busy and doing the best job they can – their way of honouring their former Captain.

Maya keeps her head down, hoping to slip away unnoticed.

She fails.

“Uh, Captain?”

Her shoulders drop and she sighs, taking a moment to paint a smile on her face before she turns around. “Yes Hughes?”

“Don’t forget we still need to get a photo for the calendar.”

Maya’s whole body sags, her head dropping to one side. “Don’t you have one you can use?” Her heart sinks when she sees Vic’s face scrunch, the answer an obvious no. What was wrong with her hands anyway?

“Fine,” Maya says in defeat. “Give me ten minutes, then come and find me.”

She walks around the back of the fire truck, the low mood she has carried over the last week momentarily lifted by the buzz she always gets from a successful call out. As she pushes open the double doors towards her office, she halts when she sees a familiar figure in the reception area.

Carina is standing in front of Pruitt’s picture, dropping a note into the collection bucket as she browses the messages that have been left for him. Her face is serious as she reads, her long hair falling forwards over her face. In her hands is a familiar box, wrapped in a red ribbon.

“Hey you,” Maya greets her.

Carina looks up and smiles, although it doesn’t go unnoticed that her happiness at seeing her girlfriend doesn’t quite hit her eyes. “Maya!”

It has been a few months since they first met and still the way she speaks her name makes Maya’s stomach flip.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, stepping closer.

Carina shrugs casually. “Do I need an excuse to come and see you?”

Maya smiles. “No.” Her gaze drops to the box in Carina’s hand. “Although I’m hoping one of the reasons you stopped by was to deliver that box of cannolis.”

“Cannoli,” Carina corrects her.

“Hmm?”

“One cannolo, two cannoli,” Carina says.

Maya rolls her eyes. “Okay. So, is that box of cannoli for us? Please say yes?”

Her eyes sparkle as she pleads and Carina is happy to see her brighter than she has been in days.

“They are,” Carina says, dropping her head to place a brief kiss on Maya’s cheek.

Maya’s eyes sweep to the left, checking whether the firefighter at the front desk is watching, but he is distracted by his cell phone and whilst it is something that Maya would normally berate him for, she lets it slide this time.

“Should we take them up to the kitchen?” Carina asks.

“Not until I’ve had first pick,” Maya says selfishly, knowing that as soon as the rest of the team know that Carina has brought her favourite sweet treats, they will be gone.

Carina chuckles. “So… how has your shift been so far?”

‘How was your meeting with Dixon?’ is what she means.

“Okay,” Maya says vaguely. She tips her head towards her office door, silently inviting Carina to continue the conversation in private.

Maya moves first and Carina follows. As soon as they walk into her office, Maya’s stomach drops and she groans.

“Oh God.”

Behind her, she hears Carina burst out into laughter.

“Maya…”

“Don’t ask,” Maya says, knowing it is a hopeless cause. She tosses her helmet on to the desk.

“I have to!” Carina says, taking in the setup in front of them. “Why…”

“…is there an inflatable unicorn in my office? Blame Vic. She has us all posing for a calendar to raise money for Pruitt’s funeral.”

Carina’s smile drops and she frowns. “Andy can’t afford his funeral?”

“His line of duty funeral,” Maya explains. “They’re usually held for fallen firefighters who are killed on duty. It’s a big affair, all the firefighters across the city come together to honour them. But since Pruitt was retired, the Fire Department view him as a civilian and they won’t pay. As if his death wasn’t tragic enough…” She trails off, her lips pursed in anger.

“Hey,” Carina consoles her. She places the box of cannoli onto the cabinet next to the coffee machine and reaches out, grabbing one of Maya’s hands and giving it a brief squeeze. “I think a calendar sounds like a great idea.”

Maya shakes her head, still unconvinced about the fundraiser. “Vic has me posing in a swimsuit in front of a unicorn.”

Carina’s eyebrow arches in curiosity. “A swimsuit?”

Maya can’t help but smile at Carina’s not-so-subtle interest in her attire. “Shut up.”

Carina chuckles, before turning serious again. “Will you tell me now how your hearing went?”

She had spent the night before listening to Maya repeat her story over and over again, determined to explain what had happened on her own terms. Her confidence knocked, Carina knew how nervous Maya had been about facing Dixon. Not only had she lost a colleague and mentor, Maya had lost a member of her fire family and it was not easy replaying the moment she had seen Captain Herrera fall through the roof and into a raging fire. 

Maya perches on the edge of her desk, immediately fidgeting as the bathing suit she is still wearing underneath her turnout gear rubs in the wrong place.

“He gave me a hard time. I think he was pretty close to demoting me, but I stood my ground,” Maya says. “Or rather, I made it pretty clear that if he tried to move me onto desk duty, I wouldn’t hesitate to tell the press and anyone else who wants to hear about what really happened that day. And that wouldn’t reflect well on him.”

Carina smirks, a look of pride on her face. “Good for you. Are you doing okay?”

“Yeah,” Maya answers with a small smile. “I’m just glad it’s over.” She reaches out for Carina’s hands, holding them in her lap. “What about you, are you okay?”

Carina’s smile falters, proving that Maya’s concerns were right.

“Andrew?”

“I spoke to Doctor Bailey today about checking him into a residential facility,” Carina says quietly, her voice trembling.

“Oh Carina, I’m sorry,” Maya says, pulling her close and wrapping her up in a tight hug. She can feel Carina’s body trembling in her arms and she tightens her hold. She doesn’t bother to tell her it will all be okay, knowing it will only be received as an empty gesture.  

“I’m sorry, I didn’t come here to dump all my feelings on you,” Carina mutters into her shoulder.

Maya pulls back, a scolding look on her face. “Hey – you can always talk to me about this. No matter what else is going on. God knows I’ve leaned on you enough lately.”

Carina nods. Maya has already proven herself to be a safe shoulder to cry on when it comes to her brother. It surprises her sometimes, when she thinks back to their first hook up and realises how far they have come in such a short space of time. With Andrew’s illness and inevitable breakdown coming, Carina is grateful that Maya came into her life when she did. She hasn’t said it out loud yet but she doesn’t know how she would have got through the last few months without Maya by her side.

Carina kisses her then, pushing down all the guilt and worry she feels and losing herself in Maya’s embrace instead. Maya is taken aback by the ferocity of her kiss and she knows Carina is avoiding her feelings, but she indulges her. Now is not the time to get into a deep conversation, not when she could be called out on another emergency at any moment.

When they break apart, Carina’s eyes sweep her up and down, taking in her visible discomfort caused by the odd outfit she is wearing. “Why don’t you get out of this big coat and we can tuck into these cannoli before your friends know they’re here.”

Maya narrows her eyes. “You just want to see me in a swimsuit.”

“Si… yes, I do,” Carina teases. She holds the zipper of Maya’s turnout coat and starts to pull it down slowly, while dipping her head and placing a soft, slow kiss on Maya’s neck. Her tongue sweeps across Maya’s skin as her lips suck at the sweet spot she finds there.

Maya closes her eyes and lets out a satisfied moan. “Hmm. I really like it when you visit me at work.” A smile crosses her lips as she slips her arms around Carina’s waist and pulls her closer, her head rolling in her neck.

“Yes! That, right there!” comes a voice from the doorway.

Maya’s eyes fly open as Carina spins around.

“Vic!”

Vic shrugs nonchalantly, not caring that she has just interrupted a personal moment.

“You said ten minutes. And I’m serious, that right there – body relaxed, happy smile. That’s what we need for the calendar.” She steps inside the room and fiddles with the camera, winding on the film so that she is ready for the next shot.

“Maybe I should go,” Carina says, extracting herself from Maya’s arms.

“Uh, no way,” Vic says, blocking her path with a hand. “You need to stay and work your magic to get this one to relax in front of the camera.” She looks at Maya with expectation. “Well… come on.”

With a roll of her eyes, Maya slips off the table. The first thing she does is close the door to her office so that no-one can watch her humiliation, then shrugs off her coat, placing it carefully on her desk beside the props to display her name as she had before. She hears Carina hum in satisfaction.

“Red looks good on you,” she teases as she leans back against the cabinet next to Vic.

Maya feels her cheeks blush, turning the same colour as her swimsuit, which causes Vic to laugh. Maya shoots her a withering look.

“Okay, where do you want me?”

“Back in front of the desk,” Vic says. “And try to look happier this time.”

Maya steps in front of the desk. She pulls her hair tie from her head so that her hair falls messily down her back. Just the sight of Vic with her camera at the ready makes her feel awkward and she curls her fists, remembering Travis’s criticisms of her hands earlier that day.

“I’m no good at this,” she laments.

“Didn’t you pose for a Wheaties box when you were in the Olympics?” Vic questions.

Beside her, Carina laughs. “Really?”

“Yes really,” Maya says. “And no, you can’t see it.”

“Google,” Vic mutters under her breath towards Carina, earning her another look from Maya.

Before the two firefighters can get into a sparring match, Carina propels herself forward.

“Bella,” she says softly. She places her hands on Maya’s hips and shuffles her backwards until her ass hits the desk. “Deep breath, in – “ she inhales, waiting for Maya to copy her… “and out.”

Her breath is warm on Maya’s skin and her eyelids flutter instinctively. Carina runs her fingers through Maya’s hair, guiding it over her shoulders and letting it fall naturally across her collarbone. She places her hands on Maya’s shoulders, squeezing them gently and encouraging them to relax.

“Good,” Carina murmurs. “Now stand up straight.”

Maya straightens her back, squaring her shoulders. Carina leans across the desk and picks up Maya’s helmet, placing it carefully on Maya’s head.

“Seriously?”

Carina grins. “You look hot.”

“I feel stupid.”

“You look hot,” Carina repeats, dipping her head and brushing her lips against Maya’s.

She takes Maya’s hands and guides them to her suspenders, looping her fingers around the straps.

“There,” she says. “Now smile.”

Maya lifts her eyes and meets Carina’s, running her tongue across her lips as a coy smile spreads across her face.

It is not until Vic coughs that they remember that they are not alone in the room. Carina steps back.

“Okay, she’s ready,” she says, giving Vic a confident nod.

Maya takes a deep breath, her eyes flicking to Carina for a moment and she smiles. Vic snaps away, taking ten maybe twelve photos.

“Okay, all done.”

Maya breathes a sigh of relief as she takes her helmet off her head and tosses her hair back over her shoulders, resuming her seat on the edge of the desk.

“So when will these calendars be ready?” Carina asks.

“A couple of weeks,” Vic says. “Why, you want one? An extra ten bucks and I’ll get Maya to sign it for you, too.”

“Deal.”

Even Maya laughs at that. “Don’t you have chores to do?” she says pointedly to Vic.

“Yes Captain,” Vic says, taking the hint that she is no longer welcome. As she turns towards the door, her hand reaches out and she swipes the box of cannoli from their spot on the cabinet.

“Hey!” Maya objects.

“Nuh huh, sharing is caring.”  

Maya contemplates throwing the lifeguard’s buoy that sits on top of the unicorn at her, but decides against it. “Get out of my office,” she says instead, although her voice is light and tinged with playful annoyance.

Vic throws her a teasing salute as she walks towards the door.

“Victoria?” Carina calls after her.

Vic pauses and turns around. “Yeah?”

“Make that two calendars.”

Maya shoots her a curious look and Carina grins cheekily. “One for home, one for work.”

Vic cackles as she exits the office, pulling the door closed behind her to give them the privacy she knows they want.

“You’re not funny,” Maya chides. 

“Yes I am,” Carina says, still smiling as she saunters over to the desk. She tucks her finger under the edge of one strap of Maya’s turnout pants and runs it down her body, the back of her hand brushing the thin fabric of her swimsuit suggestively. When she reaches the top of Maya’s turnout pants, she tugs. Maya slips off the desk and is immediately pinned against it.

Carina dips her head and embraces her in a deep kiss. Her hands roam Maya’s body, running down her arms and enjoying the curve of her muscles. She lets out a guttural moan.

“Voglio le tue mani su tutto il corpo.”

Maya has no idea what she is saying, but can guess from the way her girlfriend’s hands are currently caressing her biceps that it has something to do with her arms. Carina has always appreciated her arms. There is no better sound, Maya thinks, than Carina’s laugh than when she lifts her up onto a desk or table or the kitchen counter.

“You’re very… affectionate,” Maya comments. A spark has returned to Carina’s eyes and Maya knows it has nothing to do with avoiding her feelings this time and everything to do with her outfit.

“Well, what do you expect when your hot firefighter girlfriend is dressed in a skimpy swimsuit?” Carina says with a sly grin. “You know, this look is very sexy.” Her eyes drift to the door to the Captain’s bunk. “Do you have time to…?”

Maya lift her eyebrows in anticipation.

“…take a break?” Carina completes her sentence.

“I have time,” Maya says with a knowing smile. She pushes Carina backwards, her hands gripping her hips.

“Oh… are you going to carry me?”

“In this outfit? My boobs really would pop out,” Maya says.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Carina’s eyebrows wiggle playfully.

Maya laughs happily, pushing Carina towards the bunk.

“Get in there and let me show you what these arms can really do.”