Author's note: Hey everyone!

Thank you for coming back! I know how long this has been waited for, so I won't say anything other than I hope you enjoy, and that you leave me your thoughts if you want to!

It is Monday morning, and Andy finds her captain is in her spot again. The place where she goes when she likes to be alone, when she wants to take a moment to breath and clear her thoughts.

She had told him that she uses this exact place to think, to clear her mind, and she expected him to never show up again, considering the fact they are trying to run into each other as little as possible. She can't say they have been doing that with much success up until now. They are trying to avoid each other, because every time they do run into each other, every time they come face to face, one disagreement or another rises between them, and one of them can't help but pick a fight with the other.

"I should probably go." Andy mutters, mostly to herself, as she sees him leaning against the rail. He seems like he is brooding, thinking deeply about something, and she realizes he probably didn't notice her making her way towards him, even though her footsteps were anything but quiet.

"You are early." He says just as she is about to turn and leave, lower the friction between them to the bare minimum necessary between a captain and his lieutenant.

"I am." She confirms, and she notices he doesn't look her in the eye, but instead stares straight forward. Maybe this is the reason he decided to spend some time here, even though he knows it is her spot. He just didn't figure out she is going to be at the station at all. "I couldn't really sleep, so I thought I might come here early and get some chores done, maybe start on breakfast before everyone else shows up." Andy bites her lower lip, debating if she really wants to get into a conversation with him. She could walk away right now, but tomorrow she won't have as many choices, so maybe she should stay, and try to feel less anxious in his presence, try to learn how to make small talk with this man who just refuses to open up, for his daughter's sake. "You are early, too."

"I usually come in early, now that Livia is old enough to make her way to school by herself." He lets her know. She never really noticed it until this moment, but thinking back at it, she can vaguely remember him watching them arriving at the station from his seat by the desk in the captain's office, on a few different occasions "I like my mornings to be productive. It gets the whole day kick started the right way." It sounds like a slogan he read over and over again in some kind of a self help book, and the image in her mind of him reading one of those books which is supposed to lead you to a better self is unavoidable. Thinking about it, there is no way his man reads a trashy mystery novel or binge watches something on Netflix on his off time.

Yes, Andy decides. He most definitely reads self help books when he doesn't have to be in the station.

"You know, she hates when you call her that way." Andy recalls the way the sixteen year old kept rolling her eyes again and again whenever her father decides to use that specific nickname.

"Oh, believe me, I know. She made a very big deal reminding me just how much she dislikes it yesterday over dinner. But I just can't help it. When she was just a toddler, she couldn't really grasp the concept of a mirror. She used to run to every single reflecting surface that she could see herself in on those little, chubby legs, and she used to call 'Livia' over and over again, touching the mirror every single time, leaving sticky finger marks." Andy looks at him, and even though he still hasn't made eye contact for the entire time she was standing by his side, she can see his smiles as he reminisces. It is the first time she has seen him smile ever since he was introduced as the new captain of her station.

Andy knew he really loves his daughter, but she didn't realize this cold and harsh man was capable of loving someone, anyone, as much as she can tell he loves Olivia. Maybe he is not as distant and stern as he makes others perceive him to be. Maybe underneath all these layers, deep down, there is another man, waiting for them to notice him.

"She couldn't pronounce the O in her name, and Claire just found it hilarious." Sullivan continues. "So that is how the nickname was born, and by the time she started to protest it, asking people to call her 'Liv', it was too late." He shrugs, and Andy notices that as he mentions his late wife, Liv's mother, the smile wipes off of his face completely.

"You raised a great young woman." Andy compliments, even though she doesn't know how much weight her thoughts have on him.

"Thank you, Herrera. I appreciate it, more than you know." He nods at her in acknowledgment. "When my wife died, I had to be her everything. I was the only family she had, and I was so afraid to mess everything up in so many steps along the way. I guess it is nice to hear from someone else that I did a good job, after all."

He is finally, finally letting her in, sharing something personal about his life. All she had to do is talk about his daughter, apparently.

"Speaking of her." He shifts his body, so now he is facing her. "I heard she invited you over for dinner tomorrow evening."

"She did." Andy nods. "The word invited doesn't really fit, though, for how that particular conversation went down. Persuaded, commended, forced. Those are all words that I find describe it better." Andy smiles, recalling the girl trying to convince her again and again, relentless, reluctant to take no for an answer.

"Oh yeah, she can be like that sometimes. More often that not, actually. You said that I did a good job raising her, but sometimes I believe I have done the job too well, raising her to stand up for herself and never give up until she gets whatever it is she wants. And unfortunately, it came back to bite me in the ass so many times in the past sixteen years." They both chuckle at that, and the air between them is lighter than usual. She makes a mental note to keep their conversation, other than the professional one it is necessary for them to have, around his daughter, a topic that seems safe enough.

Sullivan places a finger on his lips, and he seems as if he is debating the next thing that he is going to slip out of his mouth. "I actually came here, and I hoped you would show up. I just wanted to let you know that you are not under any obligation to have dinner with us tomorrow night, and you can cancel at any time during the shift. I know my daughter, and I am sure she gave you her phone number by now."

Andy nods, because yes, she did, just after they settled on Andy teaching Liv how to become a firefighter. Liv has been texting her every day, letting her know whether she is planning to drop by the station or not, so Andy can be prepared for their so-called lessons. "Why? Do you prefer I won't be there? Cause if it doesn't work out for you, we can definitely schedule for another day, later." She mumbles, trying to figure out if he is showing her a way out, and debating if she should take the offering.

"I am just saying, you probably have something better to do than to spend your free time after a long shift with your captain and his daughter."

She thinks about it for a long moment. She has readied herself for a long night of uncomfortable silences and awkward moments, so she came up with an idea that will keep all of them entertained and occupied, so they will be able to avoid any tension that might build up between the two of them. But thinking about it, thinking about the way he acted during this conversation, it might not be as awful as she dreaded it to be.

And frankly, the sixteen year old intimidates her more than she would like to admit.

"Look, I know for a fact that the both of us would much rather do something else tomorrow night other than sharing a dinner with each other, especially considering how the last
meal we shared went down. But your daughter insists on it for a reason that I cannot understand, so I think it will be best if the both of us will just swallow the pill and do as she bids."

Sullivan smiles at her, and mumbles. "Oh, you have no idea, Herrera."

Then she hears a loud noise of chatter and laughter coming from the entrance, and she can see Vic, Jack and Warren all make their way through the barn and to the locker room to change.

Andy knows the moment is over when she brings her attention back to him. His shoulders slump, his body tenses up, and the traces of the rare smile that showed on his face are now completely undetectable.

"I should probably start on breakfast." Andy excuses herself. He dismisses her with nothing more than a nod, and she turns around and makes her way to the beanery.

He watches her until she is completely out of his eyesight, and he can't help but think that his daughter might have something in her words after all.

Andy Herrera is indeed very, very pretty.

To Andy's misfortune, there are no significant calls during the entire shift.

Maya and Jack are on aid car, and they are the only ones getting a call from time to time, but they return to the station quickly, reporting of nothing but a drunk who broke his nose in a bar fight and a diabetic kid whose insulin pump didn't work, but didn't notice until he started to feel sick and lightheaded.

Liv let her know earlier that she won't be arriving at the station that day, and overall it seems like the most boring shift they had had in a very, very long while. Most of the time she would appreciate the rare peace and quiet, the opportunity to spend some time with her friends as they clean the station and go over the usual chore list, or even just the chance to have some alone time to sort through her thoughts.

Yet today, she could have really used a blissful distraction from her own mind, one a big fire or two could have easily provided. Because as she counts supplies and rolls hoses, she can't help but let her thoughts drift to the dinner she is supposed to share at the end of the shift, and from there the thought about the extent of that potential disaster are almost unavoidable.

She should have really taken the get out card he seemed so eager to hand her over while she had the chance, but she knows that Liv will not be satisfied with her making such a decision, and she can't risk rubbing the girl who keeps her fed and happy the wrong way.

With no calls, it seems like the clock refuses to move, every minute stretches out and feels like an hour, every hour stretches out and feels like a day. Yet somehow time still passes, even though in a long, draining way that keeps Andy's thoughts spiraling . She calls it an early night, yet sleep doesn't come easy for her. She twists and turns in her little bunk, trying to clear her thoughts unsuccessfully, until her mind succumbs to the exhaustion of her body and she finally, finally drifts to a blissful sleep.

Tuesday morning comes with no special events, and as the end of the shift rolls by, Andy catches a glimpse of Dean making his way to the gym. She thinks back for a moment, and understands that even though the conversation they had yesterday was not at all awful, Miller is the one who will have exactly the thing that will help calm down her nerves, and avoid any uncomfortable silences and awkward moments that might appear. She decides to follow the idea she had, just in case.

She better be safe than sorry, and until now, she wasn't able to catch Dean alone for the length of the entire shift, weirdly enough.

She is climbing her way up to the gym, and leans against the door frame before she says his name. "Miller."

"Herrera?" He questions. He lifts another weight off the ground, and releases the air in his lungs when he lowers the object.

"Montgomery." She hears Travis say his own name, waiting for someone to acknowledge his presence in the small room, as he cycles away, moving nowhere.

She didn't plan on having the extra company. It is going to be hard enough on its own, and she would like to keep her evening plans a secret, as much as possible. She loves Travis, but she knows that if he is going to hear what she is about to say, well, then she can count on everyone else asking her how dinner went, including firefighters who are not even on the same shift as they are.

"Travis." Andy tries to come up with the sweetest voice she can master. "I need something from Dean, so can you just give us the room for a moment?" She begs. "I am sure it won't take long."

"Oh no, no way." Travis refuses. "If you want me out, it means you are hiding something, and I would really like to know what it is. So either you spill it right here, Herrera, or you walk away, without whatever it is that you want so badly."

"I hate you, Montgomery." Andy huffs in annoyance.

"No you don't." Travis argues. "You love me. Everyone loves me."

Travis is not a proud man, but he is right, and both him and Andy know that much. He is friendly and very sweet, and one can try all their might, but there is no way a person doesn't like Travis Montgomery.

"We like you fine, Travis, as long as you don't try to make us eat that veggie meatloaf of yours ever again." Dean comments, and Andy can't help but laugh at that. "How can I help you, Herrera, and for how many weeks are you willing to do my laundry in return?" He asks.

Andy looks down at the floor, trying to find the right words to say, words that will be specific enough, but won't leave any room for questions. "You always say that your margarita making stand keeps you out of sight and out of mind in events that might get a little bit uncomfortable, like family dinners, right?"

"Yes?" Dean's answer comes out as a question of his own.

"Then I need the recipe." Andy blurts, as if Dean was supposed to read her mind and understand her meaning on his own by now.

"Why? Do you have some kind of a family dinner you wish you could avoid, but can't?" Travis asks, and why did he refuse to leave when she asked him to?

"None of your business." Andy spits, praying and hoping he would let the whole thing go, knowing that if he won't lay the subject off, she will be the talk of the station come next shift. She takes a deep breath, then adds the other of the questions she wanted to ask, but didn't have the chance yet. "Can you make your famous margaritas virgin? You know, I bet you have some underaged relatives in your family."

"No, I actually don't." Dean answers, as he lifts the weight again.

"Why can't you just use tequila like normal people do? Unless…" Travis trails off, and Andy can almost see the imaginary wheels in his brain spinning just as fast as he moves the real ones. "It has something to do with Sullivan's kid you always hang out with, doesn't it?" There is a smug smile on his face, and this is the exact moment she knows neither of these two men will drop the subject and let her off the hook.

She just wanted the recipe for Dean's cocktails.

"Andy, it is a very delicate and precise process. You can't rush the rita. And there is no chance in hell I am going to let you treat it like a kool-aid." Dean shakes his head and goes back to his workout routine.

"Wait, does that mean you are going to eat dinner with Sullivan? Outside of work? In his house? The same Sullivan who won't eat dinner with us when we are at the station? I don't know if you have done something good or something completely bad, I don't know if it is an honor or if I should feel sorry for you." Travis laughs.

"Montgomery, enough with the questions." Andy hisses.

"Miller won't share his recipe with you until you spill the details." Travis decides.

"Miller has a mouth of his own. He can decide if he wants to give it to me or not." Andy glares pointedly at Dean, waiting for his response.

But her hopes that he would let her off the hook easily turn out in vain. "No, I am with Travis on this one. We will get the details, and then I will consider letting you completely ruin my perfect recipe by taking the best part, which is the alcohol, of course, out of it."

"Fine." Andy sighs, finally giving in under the pressure. Sometimes she hates everyone's tendency in this station to gossip in every given opportunity they have. "Liv invited me over to dinner tonight, and I really need to have something to keep me occupied, otherwise we will probably start fighting in front of his daughter, which will end up badly for all individuals involved. Now, can I please get the instructions?"

"Why can't you just not show up?" Travis asks, and Andy is surprised by how naive he is.

"Have either of you had a real conversation with that girl?" Andy inquires, and when the both of them shake their heads to say that no, they haven't exchanged too many words with the sixteen years old, Andy continues. "I swear, this girl has a way of convincing people of doing things exactly her way, even if it is the last thing on earth you would like to do."

"Sounds just as scary as her father." Dean notes.

"She is actually very different." Andy feels like she has to speak good of the young woman who is not present in the room. "She is very warm, and funny, and open minded. I really like her. Now pay up." She reaches out a hand to Dean, as if he is actually going to pass her some bills.

Andy fishes her phone out of her pocket and opens a new, clean note, ready to listen carefully to each and every word Dean says.

"I really don't want to give it away." Dean mumbles.

"Miller." Andy hisses his name and gives him a harsh look, one of her glances a person can feel deep inside their souls.

"I give up." He places the equipment on the floor and raises his hands in the air, a sign of his surrender. "My version of margaritas are the frozen kind. I just find it makes all the tastes stronger, and you are able to detect the flavors easily."

"Miller, I didn't ask for a bartending class, I just need the recipe." Andy bites, and she is thumping her foot down on the floor nervously by now.

"Fine. I usually use one two shots of tequila and one shot of an orange liqueur for each glass I make, but you have to use a really good quality orange liquor, otherwise it won't be as good ." Andy gives him a look, and he stares at her back, trying to tell her to be patient. "Now, you want your cocktails to be virgin and boring, so I would just use one cup of orange juice, third of a cup of lime juice, and some agave syrup for sweetness, depending on how sweet you would like it. If you don't have it, a normal simple syrup will work, too. Just add those to a blender with some ice, and blend until you get a slushy texture to your drink. It is supposed to make around three servings I think." Andy nods and types down his instructions quickly, word by word, making sure she doesn't miss anything. "I serve mine in margarita glasses, and I top the rim with some more lime juice, salt and a piece of lime."

"You remembered all that by heart?" Travis asks. He might have looked surprised, but he is red in the face and covered with a layer of sweat, so Andy can't really tell.

"You have no idea how many times I used that recipe to get me out of awkward silences and uncomfortable questions. So, so many times, more than I can count."

"Thank you Miller." Andy says, and shoves her phone back into her pocket. "And let's just agree that this never happened, and I never told you what my dinner plans are, OK?"

"No way." The two say unanimously.

Andy huffs in annoyance before she mumbles, "I guess it means I need to go grocery shopping for agave syrup and limes." then leaves the two firefighters to wonder why she couldn't just search for a margarita recipe online.

More author's notes: The margarita recipe is completely made up. Don't try it at home!