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Maya had agreed to go out with everyone because they hadn't all be to Joe's together in a long time. She stopped getting invited after she made Captain, and finally, after 6 months, they had finally all figured out how to make it work and they were slowly rebuilding their friendships. Carina also had agreed to meet them there which was another reason Maya decided to go.
Truthfully, they had had a long shift and she wasn't feeling very well. Her stomach had been feeling off since around lunch time, but she figured it was just exhaustion mixed with not eating super great the past few days and the fact that her period was due the next day.
She made it to the bar, grabbing a beer and joining the rest of her team at a table near the dart board. She was feeling really warm, despite it being winter in Seattle. She took a swig of her beer, looking at the bottle offensively as she tasted it.
"Something wrong Bishop?" Montgomery asked, seeing her face.
"This beer is not good," Maya said, shrugging, "I mean, it's beer. I'll drink it, but it's not good."
"Really?" Travis said, "I thought that was your favorite?"
"Maybe this bottle is bad or something," Maya said, taking another drink to check.
It still tasted bad to her and it was making her stomach feel worse. She was debating going and getting something else when she felt arms wrap around her body and lips on her neck.
"Carina," Maya smiled, turning around and kissing her girlfriend.
"Hello Bella," Carina said, pulling back for a second and smiling at her girlfriend before leaning in to another kiss, "Um, Maya, are you feeling alright? You feel warm."
"It's just stuffy in here," Maya said, brushing it off, "Want me to go get you a drink?"
"I got it," Carina said, shaking her head, "Do you need another?"
"I'm good," Maya said, holding up her mostly full beer bottle.
Carina nodded, giving her one more kiss before going up to the bar. Maya smiled as she watched her girlfriend walk up to the bar. Carina came back a few minutes later with a glass of wine. They chatted with her team, Maya playing a round of darts against Miller and beating him.
However, as the night wore on, Maya was slowly starting to feel worse. Her stomach was cramping and she was starting to feel really hot.
About an hour and a half into the evening, Maya excused herself to use the bathroom. She turned on the tap, running the cool water over her wrists in an attempt to cool herself off and calm her churning stomach.
However, it didn't work and she dropped to her knees in front of the toilet not a second too soon. She threw up for a solid minute before leaning back against the wall. She just sat there for a second, not having the energy to get up when she heard a knock on the door.
"Occupied," she croaked out, wincing at how awful she sounded.
"Maya?" Andy said from the other side of the door, "Are you alright?"
"Ye…" Maya started before she leaned back over the toilet, throwing up again.
It was then that she realized she had forgotten to lock the door as her best friend opened it and came in, rubbing her back and holding her hair.
"Are you already this drunk?" Andy asked when Maya finished.
"No," Maya said, shaking her head, "I've only had like half a beer. I haven't been feeling well all day, but I thought it was just…"
And then Maya was back over the toilet for the third time.
When she finished this time, Andy handed her a paper towel before slipping out of the bathroom. Maya couldn't blame her. She knew she was gross right now and as soon as she had the strength to get up, she was going to go home. However, right now, she just didn't have the strength to get up.
She had her eyes closed as she leaned against the wall so she jumped a little when she felt a hand on her knee.
"Andy told me you weren't feeling well," Carina said, "Why didn't you say something?"
"I thought it was just an upset stomach," Maya said with a sigh, "I thought it would go away until about the second before I started throwing up."
"What can I do?" Carina asked.
"Help me up?" Maya said, finally feeling well enough for the time being to try to get home.
Carina took Maya's hand and helped her up. Maya went to the sink, rinsing out her mouth and washing her hands.
"Let's get you home," Carina said, wrapping an arm around Maya and guiding her out of the bathroom. "We're heading out," Maya said as they stopped to say goodbye to her team.
"What, no," Vic said, "We haven't all hung out in so long. You can't go. You haven't kicked everyone's ass in darts yet."
"Trust me, I want to stay," Maya started. "Then stay," Travis said.
"I would, except I just spent the last ten minutes puking in the bathroom and I'm pretty sure I have a fever so I don't think I'm the person you want to hang out with tonight," Maya said, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh," Travis said, taking a step back, "Yeah. Go home. Please don't come to work until you're better."
Maya nodded as she and Carina turned to leave, a chorus of goodbyes and feel betters coming from her team.
"Bye everyone," Carina said, waving before turning all her attention to Maya.
"Shit," Carina said as they walked outside, "I left my car at the hospital."
"That's ok," Maya said, "I can walk. I'm feeling a little better right now and the cold air is helping a little I think."
"Are you sure?" Carina asked, knowing Maya was the master of downplaying sickness.
Maya nodded as she and Carina walked across the street to the hospital and to the employee lot. By the time they got there, all the better that Maya had been feeling was gone.
"Maya," Carina said as they got to the car, "You are looking very pale."
Maya just shook her head, running over to some bushes and throwing up in them. Carina held her hair back, rubbing her back gently.
"Ok," Maya said, "I'm good now. At least for the amount of time it's going to take to get home."
Carina helped Maya into the car.
"So do you think it was something you ate or a virus?" Carina asked as she started driving.
"I haven't eaten anything not at the station or with you all week," Maya said, hand on her stomach, "So if it was that, someone else would be sick. I'm sure I picked something up at work. We've had so many walk ins lately and there was a preschool group that came through a few days ago and I ended up giving them the tour."
Carina nodded, putting her hand on Maya's. They pulled into the parking lot of their place that used to just be Maya's before the blonde asked her girlfriend to move in.
They made their way upstairs, Maya beelining it to the bathroom. Carina sighed as she followed, grabbing an elastic and pulling Maya's short hair back. After she finished, Maya pushed herself up off the ground.
"I need a shower," she complained, "I literally sat on the floor of the bathroom at Joe's which is so disgusting. Everyone hooks up in there. Including us."
Carina smiled, knowing Maya was right.
"Do you want me to join you?" Carina asked.
"No," Maya said, "I'm not going to take a long one. I feel terrible."
"I will leave you to shower," Carina said, "Call if you need me."
Maya nodded, pulling off her sweater that felt like it was strangling her. She got in the shower, trying to wash all the nastiness from Joe's off before her stomach rebelled again. She ended up throwing up again, just making it to the toilet.
She groaned as she grabbed her towel, wrapping it around herself before she grabbed her toothbrush. Her mouth tasted horrible so she brushed her teeth before going into her bedroom.
"Feel better?" Carina asked, already dressed in one of Maya's old t-shirts and some shorts.
"I feel cleaner," Maya said, pulling out pajamas for herself, "But my stomach feels terrible."
"Can I get you anything?" Carina asked as Maya climbed into bed.
"Can you put a trash can next to the bed?" Maya asked, "Hopefully, I won't need it, but just in case."
Carina nodded, grabbing the bathroom trash can and setting it next to the bed before climbing in.
"You might want to sleep somewhere else," Maya said, curling into a ball as her stomach cramped, "I'm sure I'm super contagious and I doubt I'm going to get any decent sleep tonight."
"I don't mind," Carina said, "Now, do you want to sleep or watch something?"
"Watch something," Maya said, "I'm beyond exhausted, but I'm not going to sleep until my stomach calms down."
They curled up in bed, Maya laying on Carina's chest as Carina put New Girl on her laptop. About every twenty minutes, Maya ran for the bathroom, her stomach rejecting everything she had put in it recently.
"I don't think there is anything left in my stomach," Maya said, "And yet, I keep throwing up."
"I'm sorry you feel so bad Bella," Carina said, kissing her warm forehead, "Can I do anything?"
"You should go to sleep," Maya said, curling up in a ball, "It's 3 am. I'll be fine. Plus, I think my stomach is calming down a little. I made it 45 minutes between vomiting sessions that time."
"You should try to sleep too," Carina said, yawning as she laid down.
Maya moved closer to her and Carina wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close. Maya settled into Carina's arms, falling asleep quickly.
About an hour later, Maya woke up with a terrible yet familiar feeling in her stomach. She moved to make a sprint for the toilet, but she was stuck. Carina's arms were wrapped tightly around her, holding her in.
"Car," Maya whined, trying to move the brunette's arms off, "Move."
The brunette only tightened her grip.
"Carina," Maya said, reaching back and shaking her girlfriend, "Come on."
The brunette moved then but it was too late. Maya sat up, not even having time to get her hands over her mouth before she started throwing up all over her pajamas and comforter.
"Oh Maya," Carina said, sitting up, turning on the light, and rubbing her girlfriend's back.
"Sorry," Maya choked out, not totally sure what to do, her fever clouding her judgment.
"It's alright," Carina said, getting out of bed and pulling back the comforter. Luckily, the sheets were still clean, meaning it was easier to get it cleaned up.
"Go get in the shower," Carina said, seeing that Maya had vomit all over her pajamas.
"I'm so sorry," Maya said, tears springing to her eyes.
"Bella," Carina said, "It's alright. This kind of thing happens. I am a doctor, remember. I have had mothers throw up on me before. Trust me, you are fine. Go shower."
Maya nodded, getting up and going into the bathroom, pulling off her shirt and throwing it in the sink before climbing into the shower.
When she was done, she went back into the bedroom, surprised to see that Carina had put a new blanket on the bed and had fresh pajamas ready for her.
"We will have to take the duvet to a laundry…" Carina paused, not remembering the word.
"Mat," Maya said, pulling on her clean pajamas, "Laundry mat. I know. Seriously, Car, you should go sleep somewhere else. It's not fair for you to lose sleep because I'm sick and I am going to give this to you."
"I won't get any sleep knowing you are in here not feeling well," Carina said, shaking her head, "Besides, I am off tomorrow."
Maya relented, climbing into bed with Carina.
"I hate being sick," Maya said, shivering a little bit because of the fever.
"I don't think anyone likes it," Carina said, laughing a little as she moved to put her arms around Maya.
"As much as I love you holding me, Car," Maya said, stopping her, "We only have so many blankets and I don't want to do any more laundry than I'm already going to have tomorrow."
Carina laughed, leaning over and kissing Maya's cheek before moving back, just running her fingers up and down Maya's back, soothing the blonde to sleep. Maya was up three more times before the sun came up.
Finally, around 8 am, she fell asleep and stayed that way for almost three hours. When she woke up again, the bed was empty. She still didn't feel well at all and immediately went into the bathroom to dry heave.
Once she was done, she brushed her teeth before wrapping herself in a blanket and going to find Carina. She wandered out to the living room where Carina was curled up on the couch, reading a book.
"Good morning Bella," Carina said, smiling at her, putting down her book as Maya walked over to her, "How are you feeling?"
"Not great," Maya said, "But I went three hours between rounds of heaving this time so that's progress."
"Did you just get sick again?" Carina asked as Maya leaned back on her chest.
Maya nodded, closing her eyes.
"I wish there was something I could do to help you feel better," Carina said, running her hands through Maya's short hair.
"You are," Maya said, sighing, "That feels amazing."
"You need fluids," Carina said.
"Not yet," Maya said, shaking her head and Carina knew she was right. Maya's stomach needed time to calm down.
"Will you read me some of your book please?" Maya asked, loving when Carina read to her in Italian.
"Of course," Carina said, grabbing her book and picking up where she had left off.
Maya didn't speak much Italian and could not understand what Carina was reading, but the sound of Carina speaking Italian calmed Maya more than almost anything else.
Maya dozed for a while on Carina while the doctor just read her book. Maya woke up after about an hour, groaning as she did so.
"Did you have a good nap Bella?" Carina asked, smiling down at her girlfriend.
"Kinda," Maya said, rubbing her eyes.
"Are you ready for fluids?" Carina asked.
"No," Maya said, "But I need them."
"Yes, you do," Carina said, kissing her forehead as she moved Maya so she could get up.
"Can I have grape Pedialyte?" Maya asked, sitting up.
"Of course," Carina said, opening the fridge and grabbing the drink they kept on hand for hangovers, "Do you want it with ice or without?"
"With ice please," Maya said, hands on her stomach that was crampy and achy from all the vomiting, "Man, this is almost worse than the stomach bug we passed around the academy. I feel awful."
"What happened at the academy?" Carina asked, carrying the glass of juice and a sleeve of saltines into the living room, handing the glass to Maya and setting the crackers on the table.
"Someone got a stomach bug," Maya said, "And before we knew what was going on, over 2/3 of my class had it. I was crashing with Andy and her dad at the time because I had to be out of my old place, but this place wasn't going to be ready for another week and of course, that was the week everyone got sick. It was so bad I couldn't hold down a sip of water for over a day and a half."
"That would be awful to be at someone else's house and have to deal with being sick," Carina said, taking the glass back from Maya after she took a sip.
"I wasn't there very much," Maya said, "I went to training."
"Are you serious?" Carina said, mouth falling open, "How?"
"Eyes forward," Maya said, looking at Carina, "Embrace the pain. I mean, I realize now that it probably wasn't a good idea, but at the time, that was literally all I knew how to do."
Carina just pulled Maya into a hug, kissing her forehead. She knew what Maya's life was like before she was a part of it, but every time Maya said something, it broke her heart just a little bit.
"So what do you want to do today?" Carina asked as they settled on the couch.
"Not puke anymore," Maya said dryly, "Can we watch one of your Italian movies?"
"Si," Carina said, nodding, "Any one in particular?"
"Whichever one you feel like," Maya said, moving so she was laying down in Carina's lap again, "I'm probably not going to be able to pay attention. My head hurts and I'm so tired."
Carina nodded, grabbing the remote and turning on her favorite movie. She loved that Maya loved listening to Italian. The blonde was slowly trying to learn some of her girlfriend's native language, but with all the business of their lives, it was slow going. Carina sat back and enjoyed one of her favorite movies as Maya fell in and out of sleep in her lap.
The sleep lasted about an hour before the blonde's eyes popped open. Carina was about to ask her how she was feeling, but Maya jumped up, running for the bathroom, slamming the door.
About five minutes later, Maya came stumbling back out to the couch.
"Pedialyte does not taste good coming back up," Maya groaned, curling back up with Carina on the couch.
"I'm sorry," the Italian woman said, laughing a little.
Maya just stuck her tongue out weakly at Carina before closing her eyes, shivering a little. Carina grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch, wrapping it around Maya.
"Thank you," Maya mumbled, not opening her eyes.
Carina just rubbed her back, Maya falling asleep again relatively quickly.
The next time Maya woke up, she was alone on the couch. She looked in the kitchen, not seeing her girlfriend. She got up, wandering into the bedroom in search of her. She found Carina in bed, sound asleep. Maya smiled, glad her girlfriend was getting some rest. She was about to climb into bed when her stomach flipped, and she ran back to the bathroom.
There cannot be anything left in me Maya thought as she heaved over the toilet, bringing up a mouthful of bile. When she was done, she sat there for a second, just trying to catch her breath.
As she was about to get up, the bathroom door opened and Carina ran in, dropping to her knees in front of the toilet as she started throwing up. Maya moved quickly, grabbing Carina's hair as she rubbed her back.
When she was done, Maya got up, grabbing her a cup of water and handing it to Carina before brushing her own teeth. The brunette took the water, swishing it around before spitting it out.
"You were right," Carina said, leaning back against the wall, "You were contagious."
"Sorry," Maya said sadly, sitting down next to her girlfriend on the floor.
"Why were you in here?" Carina asked, looking at Maya, "Are you still getting sick?"
"Yeah," Maya said, nodding, "This is the stomach virus from hell. I am so sorry I gave it to you."
Carina just shrugged before leaning over the toilet again. Maya pulled a hair tie off her wrist, pulling Carina's hair up into a ponytail before rubbing her back again.
Once Carina was done, they just sat there for a little while, neither of them feeling well enough to move. After the third time Carina threw up, Maya pushed herself up, getting her another cup of water before reaching her hand out, helping Carina off the floor.
"Let's go back to bed," Maya said, wrapping an arm around Carina.
The brunette nodded as they headed back into the bedroom.
"Should we watch some more New Girl?" Maya asked as Carina crawled into bed.
"Yeah," Carina said, laughing a little bit, "I guess that's going to be our "sick say thing."
"Yeah," Maya said, nodding as she grabbed her computer, "Our sick day thing. As much as I hate how terrible I feel and that I shared it with you, I like that we have a sick day thing."
Carina smiled, leaning back against the pillows thinking that she couldn't agree more with her girlfriend.
Guys, this Month of Marina is almost over because Station 19 comes back this week! I'm so excited! However, that doesn't mean I'm going to stoy writing for Marina so if you have any suggestions, let me know!