Just a little something I've been working on for a while. Enjoy!
Maya had been on birth control since she was 21 and finished the Olympics and finally had time to explore her sexuality.
She had been on the pill for a while, but as soon as she decided to become a firefighter, she decided to get an IUD because her schedule was too unpredictable to take the pill and Maya was not about to get pregnant.
She had never been in a relationship for any significant period of time before Carina, so she had always made sure to have her regular checkups and keep up with her chosen form of birth control. One of the perks was that she basically never got a period anymore.
Once she was in a serious, monogamous relationship, she didn't think about it. However, about six months into their relationship, Maya had her yearly gynecologist appointment and had to decide what to do about her birth control. She talked to her gynecologist and decided that she was going to take a break from birth control because she didn't really need it for any reason other than to prevent pregnancy and there was exactly a 0% chance of Carina getting her pregnant. She had her old IUD taken out and left the gynecologist feeling good about her choice.
Everything was fine for about six weeks. Then, one day while she was working, Maya started feeling bad. Her stomach was upset and crampy, and she just wasn't feeling right. Her emotions were all over the place, and she actually almost cried when Dean took the last cup of coffee. She figured she was just coming down with something or she ate something that didn't quite agree with her.
By lunch time, she wasn't quite feeling like eating so she just skipped it. Around 1, there was a knock on her door.
"Yeah," she called, not getting up from her seat.
"Hi Bella," Carina said, smiling as she came in, "Have you eaten yet?"
"I wasn't hungry," Maya said, shaking her head as Carina walked over, "I'm not feeling super great today."
"What's wrong?" Carina asked, setting down the container of that looked like soup on Maya's desk.
"My stomach just feels blah," Maya said, "I'm sure I just ate something that didn't agree with me."
"I'm sorry Bella," Carina said, frowning, "Is there anything I can do?"
"I don't know," Maya said, shrugging, "I think I need to go to the bathroom."
Carina nodded as Maya got up, walking up the stairs to the bathrooms. As Maya pulled down her pants, she groaned, suddenly realizing why she had been feeling so incredibly shitty. She had gotten her period for the first time in almost four years.
It was then that she also realized she had exactly zero supplies. She felt like a 12-year-old as she folded up some toilet paper and stuck it in her underwear until she could find something. She then walked out of the bathroom, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw Vic walking into the locker room.
"Vic," Maya said, going to her friend, "Thank god. Please tell me you have a tampon or something."
"I thought you didn't get your period," Vic said, confused.
"I got off my birth control last month because it didn't seem like I needed it because, you know, it's not like Carina is going to get me pregnant any time soon," Maya said, leaning on the lockers, "But I didn't even think about getting my period again, and I literally have nothing."
"Let me show you where the station's stash is," Vic said, motioning for Maya to follow her.
She showed Maya into the bathroom and opened one of the cabinets, opening a non-descript box in the back, revealing multiple kinds of pads and tampons.
"Thanks," Maya said, smiling at her friend.
"Of course," Vic said, nodding.
Maya grabbed what she needed, going back into the stall, grateful to not have to walk around with toilet paper in her underwear all day.
Once she was done, she headed back down to her office, startling a little when she walked into her office and Carina was still there.
"You alright Bella?" Carina asked as Maya walked toward her chair.
"Yeah," Maya said, nodding, "I figured out why I feel like shit today. I got my period for real for the first time in like 4 years."
"What?" Carina said, confused.
Maya hadn't told Carina she went off her birth control because it didn't seem relevant at the time.
"I went off birth control for the first time since I was 21 last month," Maya said, suddenly feeling very shy about it for some reason, "I had an IUD since I started working here because it was just easier, but it made my period basically stop, but because we're in this relationship, and I'm not worried about getting pregnant for the first time since I started having sex so I decided not to get another one and now I feel like garbage because my body seems to be pissed off about the fact that there aren't hormones preventing it from doing what it is supposed to do."
Carina smiled a little, realizing that this was just one more step Maya had taken to show how serious she was about this relationship.
"I know how to make you feel a little better," Carina said, smiling seductively, motioning for Maya to come sit in her lap.
"I feel about as far away from sexy as I could right now," Maya said, shaking her head as she got up, moving to Carina.
"You are very sexy to me," Carina whispered in Maya's ear, nipping at it a little.
Maya groaned, turning her head to kiss Carina. Just as they were about to move into Maya's bunk, the alarm went off.
"Noooo," Maya groaned, tears filling her eyes, "No. I don't want to."
"I'm sorry Bella," Carina said, brushing a tear off Maya's cheek, "I promise I will be at home when you get there in the morning and we will finish this then."
Maya nodded, blinking as she leaned in and gave Carina one more kiss before running out of the office, grabbing her gear and climbing into the engine with Vic and Andy.
"What is going on Maya?" Andy asked, pulling off her headphones as she saw the look on her best friend's face.
"Nothing," Maya said, shaking her head.
"She's on her period," Vic called from the back.
"I thought you were on birth control?" Andy said, confused.
"I got off it last month because I didn't see any point," Maya groaned, "And now my body hated me. And Carina was about to make me feel better and then we got this stupid call."
"So now you're hot and bothered and hormonal?" Andy said, "Damn. Probie better not do anything to screw up this call or he'll be sorry today."
Maya gave her a look as they pulled up to the scene.
Unfortunately for their probie, today was not his day, and he ended up getting an earful from their captain when the hose got run over by a car because he didn't stop traffic and then he failed to keep a patient in the aid car to get oxygen and the woman ended up passing out. Luckily, Maya caught her but that almost made it worse. By the time they finished with the call, their probie was almost in tears and Maya was practically smoking with rage.
"I am going to kill him," Maya said as they started back to the station, "I am actually going to murder probie if he does one more stupid thing today."
"Maybe just let us handle probie," Vic said, laughing from the back, "I mean, he did really screw that call up, but he's gonna quit."
"If he can't take a little yelling, he shouldn't be on my team," Maya said crankily.
"Maya, you need to shower and then go cool off," Andy said, shaking her head.
Maya was going to argue, but she knew her friends were right.
"Sorry," she said quietly, knowing she had blown up at all of them for stupid reasons during the call.
"It's ok," Vic said, "It happens."
They got back to the station, Maya going into her office to drop off some papers. She found something on her desk that almost made her cry. There was a box of her favorite chocolates as well as a heating pad, some flowers, and a note.
The note said "Bella, I wish I could make you feel better, but until I can, hopefully this will help. See you in the morning. Love, Carina."
Maya opened the chocolates as she pulled out her phone, shooting Carina a thank you as she popped one of the candies in her mouth.
"Thanks for the surprise Babe," she texted, "It is exactly what I needed. Love you so much."
She then headed upstairs to shower, happy that there was one open for her.
She then headed into the beanery, suddenly very hungry from skipping lunch. She opened the fridge and found the container of soup that Carina had brought earlier with a note on top that said, "Property of Captain Bishop." This time, she actually did tear up, wiping furiously at her eyes as she put the soup in the microwave.
"Everything alright Captain?" Montgomery asked, walking into the beanery and seeing Maya's face.
"Everything's fine," the blonde said, feeling her anger grow at herself for not being able to control her emotions, "Just got something in my eye."
Travis gave her a look as he poured a cup of coffee but decided not to push, having already experienced enough of cranky Maya for one shift. She took her soup down to her office, sitting down to start working as she ate.
However, as she worked, her back started hurting more and more. She pulled out the heating pad from Carina, plugging it in and putting it between her chair and her back.
All she wanted to do was go home and let Carina help her feel better, but she was determined to power through the rest of her shift. She worked for a few hours until there was a knock at her door.
"Come in," she called, shifting uncomfortably in her chair.
Vic came in, closing the door behind her.
"Hey," Maya said, finishing typing up her report before looking at her friend, "What's up?"
"Just wanted to check in," Vic said, "And tell you that Andy and I handled damage control with Probie, but also stuck him on the desk for the rest of shift because he actually does deserve that because that woman could have gotten a concussion from passing out if you didn't catch her."
"Thanks," Maya said, nodding, "I should probably apologize for yelling at him."
"Eh," Vic said, "You probably shouldn't. He's fine. He needs to toughen up anyways and learn to own his mistakes which he currently sucks at."
"Alright," Maya said, nodding.
"Did Carina send you flowers?" Vic asked, seeing the vase on Maya's desk.
"Yeah," Maya said, "And chocolates and a heating pad."
"Damn Bishop," Vic said, shaking her head as she looked at the beautiful bouquet, "If you two weren't in such a happy relationship, I would try to steal her for myself. Well, that, and the fact that I am not into women which would make it a little complicated."
Maya smiled a little at her friend, shaking her head.
"Dinner's almost ready," Vic said, "Are you going to join us?"
"I should," Maya said, nodding, "I don't feel much like eating, but I need to."
"Come on," Vic said as Maya switched off her heating pad before following Vic upstairs.
"Hey Captain," Travis said, smiling from his place at the stove.
"It smells good," Maya said, "What did you make?"
"Veggie chili," Travis said, "And garlic bread."
"Yes," Maya said as she helped Vic get the bowls, cups, and spoons out, "That is by far one of the best things we eat around here."
The whole team sat down for dinner, chatting happily as they ate. Probie avoided eye contact with their captain, and Maya wasn't about to try to talk to him either, knowing she was probably not going to be very nice if she did. Halfway through dinner, the alarm went off.
"Probie, clean up," Maya barked as they headed out.
Maya was still grumpy, but she was able to take some deep breaths to avoid ripping Jack's head off when he chose not to listen to her yet again. Of everyone on her team, he was still the one who refused to treat her as their real captain even though they were coming up on eight-month mark at this point.
They got back to the station around 4 am, everyone tired from the nearly eight-hour long fight against the structure fire.
"Everyone shower and try to get some sleep," Maya called as she headed into her office.
She was feeling gross and bloated and realized that Travis's chili was not agreeing with her already touchy stomach. She pulled some Pepto out of her drawer and taking it before sitting down at her desk, starting to work on her reports, knowing her team would be in the showers for at least the next half hour. Her head was starting to pound as the words swam on the page in front of her, and she decided to put aside the paperwork for now.
She went upstairs, hoping maybe there would be an open shower. She almost started crying for what felt like the millionth time that day when she walked into the shower room, seeing that one of the showers was open. She quickly got clean before going back down to her office.
It was nearing 5 am at the point, and she wasn't sure what to do. Her stomach was still feeling gross, her back ached, and her head was pounding, but she was also very sure she was not going to be able to fall asleep.
She decided to go lay down in her bed with her heating pad. She pulled out her phone, seeing she had a few messages from Carina asking how things were going. The last one had been sent only twenty minutes ago so she decided to chance it and call her.
"Bella?" a sleepy Carina said, answering.
"Did I wake you up?" Maya asked, feeling bad.
"I was just resting," Carina said, sitting up, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Maya said quickly, earning her a look from Carina and she relented, "Not really. I'll be fine. Just feeling bad from my period. My back hurts and my head hurts and Travis made one of my favorite dinners tonight but it's not agreeing with me right now."
"Bella," Carina said, frowning, "I'm sorry you feel so bad."
"I'll be ok," Maya said, adjusting the heating pad against her back, "I just want this shift to end. What time do you get off?"
"8," Carina said, "Same time as you, and then I'll come over to yours?"
"Sounds good to me," Maya said, "No promises I will be good company, but I want to see you."
"You are always good company to me, Bella," Carina said, smiling.
"I should let you sleep," Maya said as Carina yawned a little.
"You should sleep too Bella," Carina said, laying back down on her couch.
"I probably won't," Maya said, shrugging.
Just then, the alarm went off again.
"Now I know I won't," Maya said, getting out of bed, "I love you. See you later."
"Love you too," Carina said, "Be safe."
The fire was luckily a simple care fire that they got out quickly. The driver, who was alone in the car, escaped with minimal injuries before the car exploded so they made it back to the station just after shift end.
"Nice work today everyone," Maya said as they all headed up to the showers, "See you in a few days."
Maya decided to skip the shower and just go straight home, knowing that it would be faster than waiting. She walked through her front door, smiling when she saw Carina's purse sitting on the table. She put down her own stuff before going into the bedroom, knowing she was in desperate need of a shower.
"Bella," Carina said, smiling as Maya walked in, "How are you feeling?"
"Still not great," Maya said, walking into Carina's arms, "I'm probably just going to shower and crash, we were on calls all night."
"I have a better idea," Carina whispered into Maya's ear, "How about I join you in the shower and get you feeling a little better?"
"I think that is a much better idea," Maya said, feeling her knees go weak as Carina slipped her hand under her shirt as she pushed her toward the bathroom, "God, I don't think I have ever been more grateful for your research."
Carina laughed as she pulled Maya's shirt off as they headed toward the shower, the Italian doctor planning on putting all of her research to good use.
So what did you think? Let me know if you have any other prompts for Marina.