20. CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 20

Carina sits quietly in the exam room waiting for official word from Shepherd and Bailey on what caused her nose bleed earlier. As she sits alone she can’t help but think about everything that has happened since the accident…hell she can’t help but think about everything that has happened since the wedding. Life has thrown some curveballs their way…some good…some bad. Carina can’t help but think that they should be done with the obstacles in the road…isn’t it somebody else’s turn. The doctor immediately rolls her eyes at herself when she thinks that…how could she wish misfortune on somebody else just because she feels like she has had enough?

Carina sits quietly while waiting for her friends and can’t help but wish her wife was here with her…she should have called her. But…why worry the blonde when has been through so much if she didn’t have to. She closes her eyes as the door opens and Dr. Bailey walks in.

“Anything?” Carina asks.

Dr. Bailey nods her head and motions to the door. “Amelia should be right behind me.”

Carina nods her head and waits in silence for another minute with Dr. Bailey when Amelia finally comes walking back into the exam room with the results of Carina’s CT scan.

“Well?” Carina asks terrified of the answer.

“Well?” Dr. Bailey parrots….also quite nervous at the results.

“No aneurysm.” Amelia says with a small smile... the relief evident in her voice.

“Really?” Carina asks hesitantly, not sure if she truly believes this.

“You had a blood vessel burst in the anterior part of your nose.” Amelia goes on to explain.

Carina closes her eyes relieved and soaks in the good news. “Thank god.”

Amelia nods her head and waves her hand towards Carina. “There is nothing to worry about…you can text your wife.”

“CARINA!”

“Too late.” Carina huffs after hearing her wife in the hallway.

Amelia sucks air through clenched teeth to hide her amusement. “She doesn’t sound pleased.”

“She does not.” Carina huffs again before glaring at Miranda Bailey.

“I did not call your wife.” Miranda says in defense.

Maya Bishop then comes barging into the exam room and the relief she feels when she sees her wife sitting up on the exam table is clear to everybody in the room. Carina sees the look on her wife’s face and can’t help but feel like a jerk for putting her through this.

“Carina.” Maya sighs with relief at the sight of her wife sitting up on the exam table.

“Bambina!” Carina says as Maya walks over to her on the exam table. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean what am I doing here?” Maya asks as she wraps her arm around her wife to rub circles on her back. “Your nose started bleeding? What happened?”

“I’m fine…it was just a little one.” Carina assures her wife calmly. “Did Andy call you?”

Maya shakes her head no. “Warren told me.”

Carina rolls her eyes and zeroes in on Dr. Bailey. “Seriously.”

Miranda simply shrugs her shoulders. “Ben is your emergency contact after Maya. You said I couldn’t tell Maya…so…”

“Sneaky.” Carina mutters.

“I’m sorry.” Amelia says as she turns back to Carina. “Warren is your emergency contact?”

Maya rolls her eyes and points to her wife on the exam table. “Amelia.”

“Not the time.” Amelia retorts back before getting back to business. “Carina’s scans look good.”

“You checked her whole brain?” Maya asks the neurosurgeon as she brings her hand up to cup the back of Carina’s head softly.

Carina leans back into Maya’s touch. “Bambina.”

“Shh.” Maya softly hushes before waiting for Shepherd to answer.

Amelia just nods her head. “Yes Captain Bishop...I checked your wife’s whole brain.”

“Then what happened?” Maya asks wanting answers as she moves to wrap her arm around Carina shoulders.

Amelia takes a breath before looking back at the chart. “Going off of her scans and our earlier examination I would say that a blood vessel was compromised in the accident and finally ruptured in the anterior part of her nose.”

“That sounds bad.” Maya says as she examines her wife’s face.

“Nose bleeds like this are fairly common…especially after a trauma.” Amelia explains to try to alleviate her fears.

“It stopped almost immediately.” Carina goes on to explain to her wife before grabbing hold of Maya’s hand and bringing it up to her lips for a kiss. “I’m okay.”

“Okay.” Maya says softly as she squeezes Carina’s hand back. “Good.”

Carina smiles at her wife as the door opens and Andy and Robert come walking in. When Andy sees her best friend in the room she quickly walks over and reassures everybody involved that she was not the cause.

“I didn’t tell her.” Andy says to Carina.

Carina nods her head. “I know.”

Andy smiles at Carina before turning her attention to Maya. “I wanted to tell you so bad.”

“I know.” Maya huffs.

“Good.” Andy says relieved before wanting an update on Carina. “How did your scan go?”

“Dr. DeLuca is fine.” Amelia says.

“Thank god.” Andy sighs relieved before smiling.

Robert nods his head and smiles to Carina. “That is really good to hear.”

“Thank you both for your quick actions earlier.” Carina says to Robert and Andy.

“Are you kidding?” Andy says as she places her hand on top of Carina’s head. “Of course.”

“I was panicking for a second there and you both kept me calm.” Carina adds incredibly grateful that she wasn’t alone when her nose started bleeding.

“I am really glad that you are okay.” Andy gushes.

Robert nods his head. “Me too.”

Carina smiles back before turning to Bailey and Shepherd. “Can I go home now?”

“Yes.” Amelia says slowly before holding her hand up. “But I want to see you in three days for another check-up...and if you feel dizzy or light headed I want you to come back here.”

Carina nods her head. “I will.”

“Good.” Amelia replies as he goes back to Carina’s chart to mark down some final notes.

“And you are going back on leave.” Dr. Bailey says sternly.

Carina’s mouth drops open at her boss. “Chief Bailey I am ready to return to work.”

“We will continue to cover your patients while you take a few more days to rest and recuperate at home.” Bailey informs the still recovering woman.

Carina getting frustrated shakes her head. “I don’t--”

“Honey.” Maya murmurs keeping her voice gentle.

Carina seeing the worried look on her wife’s face immediately gives in. “Okay….I will take a few more days.”

Dr. Bailey nods her head at Carina before pointing to the door. “Why don’t we give them the room before Carina checks out?”

“Good idea.” Amelia says as she follows Dr. Bailey out of the room.

“I’m going to wait for you two in the waiting room.” Andy tells her two friends.

“Prendersi cura di se stessi DeLuca.” Sullivan says as he heads to the door. (Take care of yourself DeLuca.)

“Grazie Sullivan... a più tardi.” Carina replies back to the man. (Thank you Sullivan…see you later.)

Andy smiles at Carina before walking past Maya to whisper something in her ear. “Are you going to tell Carina about you know who?”

“Who?” Maya asks with a glare.

Andy shakes her head. “I’m sworn to secrecy.”

“Travis?” Maya guesses immediately.

“Jack actually…apparently Travis has been in the fetal position since you left.” Andy says before heading out of the room with Robert leaving the two wives alone.

Carina lets out a relieved breath and takes in the quiet. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Maya says back shortly.

“You’re mad at me.” Carina guesses.

Maya lets out a sigh and shrugs her shoulders. “I’m not thrilled with you at the moment.”

Carina sticks out her bottom lip before reaching for Maya’s hand. “Bambina, I just didn’t want you to worry about me…especially if there was no reason to.”

“I love you…of course I worry about you.” Maya says to her wife. “I worried about you before the accident and I will keep worrying about you for the rest of our lives.”

“I know.” Carina sighs.

Maya grins at Carina and runs her hand down her long brown hair. “I worry…it’s what I do.”

“I’m sorry.” Carina apologizes softly. “I should have called you.”

“Your health is the most important thing in our lives right now.” Maya says before waving her hand at the two of them. “We need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to get you healthy.”

The doctor nods her head. “I will take it easy…I promise.”

“Oh I know you will.” Maya says with determination. “Because Ginny and I are going to make sure of it.”

“Oh really.” Carina laughs.

Maya nods her head and offers her own laugh. “We plan on double teaming you…full court press.”

Carina squints her eyes at Maya. “That’s a sport idiom?”

“It is.” Maya laughs before leaning down to Carina’s face.

“Knew it.” Carina says before placing a soft kiss on her wife’s lips. “I’m sorry Bambina.”

Maya lets out a long breath before deciding to rip off the band aid. “I’m sorry too.”

“What?” Carina asks confused before assuring her wife that she has done nothing wrong. “You don’t need to apologize to me.”

“I do actually.” Maya says as she slips her hands into her coat pockets. “I was going to keep something from you too….for a little bit.”

Carina notices the change in Maya’s body language. “You were?”

“My father stopped by the apartment today.” Maya blurts out under her breath.

“What?!” Carina gasps.

“Hey….easy.” Maya says as she rests her hand on Carina’s back, not wanting her to get agitated over this. “You need to stay calm.”

“What did he want?” Carina asks wanting to know everything. “Are you okay?”

Maya nods her head. “Apparently he saw you and Ginny at the grocery store the other day and wanted to know what was going on.”

“I didn’t see him there.” Carina says as she tries to think back on that day. “How was he?”

“About as friendly as he was the day you met him at the hospital.” Maya says with a sad chuckle before continuing. “He went on about me jeopardizing becoming Battalion Chief one day and then said something about biological children.”

“Bastard.” Carina mutters under her breath before tilting her head at Maya. “I’m sorry Bambina.”

“It was weird though.” Maya says.

“What was?” Carina asks.

“I had Ginny in my arms when I answered the door.” Maya says as she starts to explain what happened. “And when he started to belittle me it didn’t feel like it did when I was a kid.”

“Mmmm.” Carina hums understanding what she means.

“I felt like an adult…and I know that probably sounds stupid.” Maya says as she closes her eyes before contouring to try to explain. “But I just wanted to protect Ginny…I wanted to be her shield.”

“You make our daughter feel safe and loved.” Carina says as she reaches over to Maya’s hips and brings her closer so she is standing in front of her. “I see it all the time…in small and big ways.”

“I’m not my dad.” Maya says with a shy smile.

Carina nods her head and returns the smile. “You are definitely not.”

“Wow.” Maya says as it all hits her at once…that she is not like him. “I am not my dad.”

Carina squeezes her hips lightly and tilts her head to gaze at her wife. “You are an amazing mother and wife…Ginny and I love you very much.”

“Look at me…here you are back in the hospital and I am making it all about me.” Maya says as she looks down to the floor.

“First…I am not back in the hospital and second…I love you.” Carina says as she moves her hand to lift Maya’s chin up. “I want you to talk to me…always.”

“I know.” Maya sighs as she looks into her wife’s brown orbs. “You’ve just been through so much.”

Carina wraps her arms tightly around Maya’s waist. “We both have.”

“I love you.” Maya says as she leans her forehead closer to Carina.

“I love you too.” Carina says as she kisses Maya’s lip before placing one on her forehead for good measure. “Now…can you please take me home?”

“Yes.” Maya says with a nod of her head as she steps back to help her wife down off the exam table. “Ben dropped me off so we can take your car home.”

“Perfect….my stuff is up in my office.” Carina says as she stretches out her neck. “How is the nursery coming?”

“Well…it was close to done.” Maya murmurs before sucking in a breath. “But I left the guys there with Ginny so…who knows.”

Carina laughs as she and Maya head out of the room. “Are we still going to get pizza?”

“Yes.” Maya says.

“Can we get the Capricciosa?” Carina asks getting excited.

Maya nods her head and takes Carina’s hand in hers as they head down the hallway.

“Good.” Carina says as they continue to walk before she abruptly stops in her tracks. “Will you prevent Gibson from bringing a minced meat and pickle pizza into my home?”

Maya can’t help but laugh out loud. “I will personally stand guard and prevent another cheeseburger pizza from getting through the door.”

“This is why I love you.” Carina says with a big smile as she leans over and kisses Maya’s cheek before they continue on down the hallway.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later on at the apartment, Maya and Carina’s carefully decorated living room has turned into a basketball court complete with two wicker clothes basket on each end and a baby blanket wrapped in painting tape as the ball. Somehow throwing stuffed animals into the basket turned into an all out death match between the OG members of Station 19 vs. Ruiz, Willet, and Ginny who has found herself in her baby carrier strapped to the probie Carter Willet.

Jack moves the ball in front of his from side to side as Willet tries to guard him. “Are you gonna make a move probie or what?”

Willet rolls his eyes and tries to grab the makeshift ball out of Jack’s hands. “We’re up by 4.”

“You ever hear of a comeback story?!” Jack says as he pump fakes a shot getting Carter to jump high to try and block which results in loud giggles coming from the baby strapped to his chest.

Travis skips over to the clothes basket on the dining room table and points to the air. “All right, Gibson, alley-oop me, okay?”

“Come on!” Jack yells out after the miss.

Carter runs over and grabs the ball before motioning for Theo to run towards the other clothes basket on the other side of the living room. “Go, go, go!”

“I’m open!” Theo yells as he playfully posts up in front of Vic who quickly squeezes his sides to try to distract him.

Jack yells to Travis to double team Ruiz. “Get ‘em!”

Carter tries to run around Gibson to get open for Ruiz but can’t get open as Travis and Vic both move to double team Ruiz over by the couch.

“Probie! Come back, come back, come back!” Ruiz yells to the kid to try to get him open for the ball.

Carter fakes to the left and round the coffee table where Ruiz throws him the ball. He does a quick spin and shoots up the ball towards the wicker basket where it immediately goes in resulting in cheers from the newbies and jeers from the OG squad.

“Crap!” Jack yells out.

“Damn it!” Vic yells hating to lose as much as anybody.

Willet flexes his muscles and looks down to Ginny with a big smile on his face. “Super Sonics are back baby!”

Ruiz jogs over and places his hand in front of the baby in the carrier for a high five. “Good job Ginny!”

“That's your fault, Travis.” Jack mutters.

Travis insulted points to himself dramatically. “Me?”

“Get your head in the game, man.” Jack adds before going to the clothes basket to take out the blanket ball they have created.

Vic nods her head and points to the other team still celebrating. “We’re gonna lose to the new kids!”

“Let’s go!” Jack yells as he throws the ball in the air but it hits the ceiling and drops to the side resulting in a melee of action as they all go for the ball.

“Loose ball! Loose ball!” Carter yells to Ruiz as he takes hold of Ginny’s hands with his fingers.

Travis is the one to grab the ball and his eye go wide when Ruiz barrels towards him.

“Go ahead, man. Shoot!” Jack yells to Travis who has the clean shot.

Ruiz smirks at his old friend and nods towards their basket. “You got nothing, bro. Take a shot, I dare you.”

“Watch the hair.” Travis demands as he turns his back to protect the ball. “Watch the hair.”

Theo smirks and reaches to touch it again. “What about that?”

Travis smacks his hand away and holds up his finger in warning. “Hey.”

When Travis is distracted Theo smacks the ball out of his hands and grabs it in victory. “Boom! MVP!”

“Come on!” Vic yells out in frustration.

Ruiz laughs and points for Carter and Ginny to go back to their basket. “Down the court!”

“To the left!” Carter calls back as she starts to do little jumps to get away from Jack, causing Ginny to go into a fit of giggles at the funny movement.

Vic goes over and pulls Travis’ hair to get his attention. “Dude.”

“What I tell you about my hair?” Travis bites back at his best friend.

The game continues in a wild frenzy as the door opens to the apartment with Maya, Carina, and Andy walking through. They walk in into the dining room and freeze when they try to take in the crazy messy scene in front of them.

Andy looks around with wide eyes and shakes her head. “It looks like a stuffed animal massacre in here.”

“Oh my god.” Carina mutters as she notices the stuffed animals thrown all over the floor before watching Travis jump on Theo’s back.

Maya sighs and tilts her head back and forth. “I was expecting worse, actually.”

“Is your probie wearing our baby?” Carina asks her wife.

Maya looks over to Carter and nods her head. “Yup.”

“Maya.” Carina sighs with urgency in her voice.

“I’m on it.” Maya says as she walks further into the apartment before yelling out. “Hey!!”

“Score!!” Travis yells out before seeing his annoyed Captain by the dining room table. “Hey.”

Carter swallows the tired lump in his throat and tentatively waves. “Cap…hey.”

“Bishop.” Jack mumbles quietly.

Maya looks around at her team. “What are you dorks doing?”

“Just…babysitting.” Vic says innocently.

“This place is a mess.” Andy says with a light laugh in her voice and she continues to look around.

Travis’ eyes go wide and he places his hand on his chest. “We’ll clean it up.”

Maya takes the make shift ball from Travis and holds it up. “What is this?”

“We wrapped a baby blanket in painting tape.” Travis mutters.

Maya nods her head and points to the mess on the floor. “Gotcha….and the stuffed animals all over the floor?”

“Dunk contest earlier got a little intense.” Jack pipes in.

“Mmmm.” Maya hums as Carina walks past her to get to the probie.

Carter smiles nervously at the OB/GYN. “Hi Dr. DeLuca.”

“Hello Carter.” Carina chirps back at the young man before pointing to the baby. “May I?”

“Oh yea.” Carter replies as he moves his hands so Carina can unclip Ginny out of the carrier.

Carina smiles at the baby and takes her out of the straps before lifting her in the air. “Hi Mimma!”

“No worries….I blocked her face from getting hit.” Carter says with a proud smile.

“I appreciate that.” Carina says as she settles Ginny down in her arms before rubbing her back.

Maya still in shock at the buffoonery glares at her lieutenant that she left in charge. “What are you doing?”

“What?” Jack exclaims innocently through a hearty laugh.

Carina shakes her head in amusement as she walks over to the nursery to take a look and is immediately surprised by what she sees. “Hey! It looks great!”

Maya hearing her wife walks over and sees the baby’s room completely painted. “You finished painting.”

“We finished up the last coat and were able to put some of the furniture back.” Jack says as she walks over and leans against the door frame with his arms crossed across his chest.

“Thank you.” Maya says with a sincere smile to Jack and the rest of her friends. “It almost makes up for you guys turning my living room into the Staples Center.”

Vic smiles at Maya before turning to Carina. “Are you okay?”

“I am okay.” Carina reassures the worried room before shrugging her shoulders. “Just a small bloody nose…everything is fine.”

Travis lets out a relieved breath. “Good.”

“Yea.” Vic agrees as she reaches over and rubs Carina’s back before smiling to Ginny.

“And what about you?” Jack asks Andy before pointing down to her stomach. “How is the human growing inside of you?”

“The human is good.” Andy tells the team before clapping her hand together. “And hungry.”

“We ordered pizza on the way here….it should be here soon.” Maya says through a laugh.

“Sweet!” Carter cheers as he follows Travis towards the kitchen.

“Yea…winning makes me hungry.” Ruiz says with a smug smile.

Vic rolls her eyes and pushes her boyfriend playfully towards the kitchen. “Okay.”

Before Jack heads to the kitchen he quickly turns around to face Maya. “Hey! Did you get the cheese--?”

Carina shakes her head. “We did not.”

“But it’s my fav--” Jack starts to pout but is cut off again by the Italian.

“I got hit by a truck Jack…move on.” Carina bites back before taking Ginny into the kitchen.

“She told you.” Andy whispers to Jack before following her into the kitchen.

Jack in shock quickly turns to Maya who is biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud.

“How long does she get to use that?” Jack asks Maya before waving his hand around. “The truck didn’t even hit her.”

Maya shakes her head in amusement and throws back an answer to the man as she heads towards the kitchen. “For as long as she wants Gibson…for as long as she wants.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the evening was spent eating pizza and making sure that the makeshift national basketball association cleaned up their living room before they all headed out. Maya thanked her friends once again for all their help with the nursery and backing her up with her dad. She knows that they are her family but it is moments like this where she truly feels it in every part of her being.

The wives eventually said good night to their guests and continued on with their nightly routine to get Ginny for bed. Now they sit on the edge of their bed with their arms resting on the railing of the crib looking down at their sleeping daughter. Carina and Maya rest their chins on their arms and look down at the little girl dressed in her very favorite pair of yellow jammies…complete with little dancing monkeys and bananas.

“Ginny is the cutest baby…in the universe…ever…period.” Maya says as she continues to look at the sleeping baby adoringly.

Carina smiles and leans down to pull up Ginny’s blanket. “She is the cutest.”

“We should keep her crib in her full time….we could turn the nursery into a home gym.” Maya suggests.

Carina snorts and shakes her head. “Bambina, no.”

“Why not?” Maya asks with grin.

“Because I don’t want to end up sharing a room with a rambunctious toddler one day.” Carina explains before clicking her tongue with her teeth. “Plus I kind of enjoy having sex with my wife.”

“Oh yea…that.” Maya mumbles as she rests her chin back down on her arm.

“Oh yea…that.” Carina laughs as she playfully nudges her wife with her arm.

Maya nudges her wife back before gazing back down at their little girl. “She’s just so freaking cute.”

“She’s developing a little curl…right there.” Carina says as she reaches down and touches a little girl that has developed behind her left ear.

“I’m obsessed.” Maya says.

“Me too.” Carina says as she smiles down at the baby along with her wife.

Maya keeps smiling until she can feel her wife get quiet next to her. When she looks up she can see the tiredness on Carina’s face. “Are you okay?”

“Today was kind of emotionally draining.” Carina admits with a sigh.

Maya nods her head slightly. “Yea.”

“I think I was repressing a lot of feelings about going back to the hospital.” Carina says finally giving in to her true feelings before she closes her eyes. “And then the nose bleed happened…it was a lot.”

Maya reaches over and begins to massage the back of Carina’s neck gently with her fingers. “I wish you would have told me.”

Carina leans back into her wife’s touch before sighing. “I know.”

“When Ben told me about the nose bleed and the CT scan….” Maya says as she places her hands on her thighs. “It felt like my insides were being ripped apart.”

Carina immediately reaches over and places her hand on top of Maya’s. “Bambina, I’m sorry for not calling you.”

“I’m sorry too.” Maya says.

“You really were not going to tell me about your dad coming here?” Carina asks as she tilts her head to get a better look at her wife.

“Well…there were other witnesses so…” Maya drawls with a slight grin in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Probably.”

Carina not amused squints at her wife. “Bambina.”

“You haven’t been out of the hospital that long.” Maya says in defense of her actions. “I didn’t want to stress you out….you’re still healing.”

“I know that I was hurt and you want to protect me and keep me safe but I’m not some fragile child.” Carina explains to the blonde next to her. “I can handle the hard stuff…including your father.”

It is now Maya’s turn to squint her eyes at her wife…not truly believing this. “You just said that you’ve been going through a lot of feelings about returning to the hospital and everything….I do not want to add to that.”

Carina shakes her head and points to herself. “If you are going through something I need to know about it…even if I have my own stuff going on.”

“That goes for you too.” Maya says sternly.

Carina nods her head. “You’re right.”

“I’m your wife.” Maya says before waving her hand around. “I need to be the first one you call when something happens.”

“You will be.” Carina says as she takes Maya’s hand in hers again. “Next time I have a medical emergency you will be the first one I call.”

Maya shakes her head and sucks in a harsh breath. “Let’s hold off on any other medical emergencies in this family for a while.”

“Right.” Carina says with a slight chuckle before bringing Maya’s hand up to her lips. “We are a pretty good team.”

“We are.” Maya agrees before nodding her head down at the baby in the crib. “She deserves it.”

Carina nods her head in agreement and looks at their little girl before seeing her wife go quiet next to her. The look on Maya’s face is one that Carina knows well at this point in their relationship. The fire captain can get lost in her own thoughts so quickly….like quicksand.

“What are you thinking about?” Carina asks.

Maya smiles sadly at the woman she loves before shrugging her shoulders. “I look at Ginny and I can’t imagine how my dad could treat me the way he did all those years.”

“You didn’t deserve to be treated that way.” Carina says before placing a soft kiss on Maya’s cheek.

Maya smiles into the kiss before nodding her head. “I know that now…Ginny will never feel the way I did…or you did.”

“Never…not from us.” Carina agrees.

Maya smiles and gently grabs Carina by the neck to bring her closer before whispering against her mouth. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Carina whispers back before nuzzling her nose against Maya’s.

Maya’s smile turns from sweet to smoldering pretty quick. “I love everything about you…”

“Do you?” Carina giggles.

Maya nods her head and slowly moves her lips to the sensitive spot on her wife’s neck. “From your toes…to your neck…”

“Maya we can’t.” Carina says as she attempts to take a steady breath.

Maya grumbles in her neck. “Why not?”

Carina laughs and nods her head towards the crib. “Ginny is right there.”

“Oh yea.” Maya murmurs before moving her eyebrows up and down. “What if I just wheel her out into the hallway for a little bit?”

“Maya!” Carina hisses under her breath.

Maya reaches over and squeezes her wife’s thigh. “Ten minutes! I can be fast.”

“I don’t think so.” Carina laughs.

Maya grumbles and pouts to her wife. “Then can we go in the hallway?”

“Mmmmmmm…tempting.” Carina says with a small smile. “But I’m actually very tired.”

“Okay…okay.” Maya sighs giving in before reaching her arm around Carina. “Is cuddling out of the question?”

Carina leans over and kisses Maya sweetly on the lips. “I will always want to cuddle with you…Captain Softie.”

“No.” Maya deadpans.

“What?” Carina teases innocently.

Maya scoffs playfully. “I prefer Captain Badass.”

“Okay Captain Badass.” Carina giggles before a thought enters her brain and she runs her hand over her long brown hair. “Today has got me thinking about something.”

“What’s that?” Maya asks.

Carina exhales a long breath. “I need to call my dad and tell him about Ginny…and probably everything else.”

“All you can do is tell him…how he handles it is not on you.” Maya says gently.

“I’ll tell him tomorrow morning.” Carina whispers as she goes back to gazing down at Ginny lying peacefully in the crib. “Will you sit with me when I call him?”

Maya nods her head and runs her hand down her wife’s long brown hair. “Holding your hand the entire time.”

Carina looks to Maya with appreciation in her eyes before nodding her head back. “We should probably get some sleep.”

“You go ahead…I’m going to watch her sleep a little bit longer.” Maya says quietly as she goes back to watching Ginny sleep.

Carina’s face breaks out in a smile and she wraps her arms around Maya’s arm before resting her cheek on her shoulder. “Okay.”

“Carina, you can go to sleep.” Maya assures her tired wife as she smiles at the cuteness of the brunette Italian.

Carina shakes her head and closes her eyes as she holds on tighter. “I’m good right here.”

Maya smiles and leans over to kiss the top of her wife’s soft brown locks before gazing back down at the little baby with the same brown locks. Maya Bishop has everything she will ever need…right in front of her. And for the first time in her life…she believes that she actually deserves it.