Hi friends! I hope you enjoy this post 6x15 reaction fic. My muse is stubbornly stuck on Surrera friendship moments, so for now, that's what I'm writing!

It had been a hell of a day for Andy Herrera. She began it with the bizarre, uncomfortable, infuriating meeting with Maya and the Chief. From the moment Maya had shown her the pictures, her feelings and thoughts had shifted as quickly as the springtime Seattle weather. She was angry at Robert for lying and worried that if the pictures helped Dixon win the mayoral election, it could spell the end of Crisis One, or even Station 19. She was also aware enough to know that if the genders had been reversed, a male chief would like have been met with slaps on the back and perhaps admiration, rather than judgment. Vic and Ripley had been in a similar situation, and no one had had them followed or taken any salacious pictures to use for personal gain.

All of this was made more complicated by the fact that she respected Chief Ross. As the first female fire chief in Seattle, and a woman of color, Ross was fighting a tough battle against the established "old guard" in the SFD, and Andy was sure that even the smallest of victories were only won because of Ross's tenacity and grit.

Then they had been called to the housefire, where she watched her friend and teammate fall through the roof, an accident that was painfully similar to the one that had claimed the life of her father. Ben had survived, of course, but those moments waiting to see if he could make it out of the burning building were ones that she knew would haunt her dreams when she eventually tried to fall asleep. She couldn't imagine having to don her Class A uniform for yet another funeral, this time for a friend who also happened to be a loving husband and father.

The team was still gathered in the beanery, laughing and teasing in the slightly excessive way that was common after a close call. It was as if the noise and exuberance were a way to remind themselves that they were still alive, but after a bit, she began to find all the levity unsettling. So, grabbing a spoon and the pint of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy ice cream she had hidden in the back of the refrigerator, Andy headed to the catwalk that overlooked the barn. From the first time her father had brought her to Station 19, it had been her spot for contemplation and observation.

After her mom had left, she spent many afternoons and evenings at the station. When her dad was busy and her homework was done, she found she enjoyed watching the rhythms of the station from the catwalk. It was a psychological study of sorts, allowing her to observe her father's interactions with each crew member, analyze the behaviors of the firefighters as they got ready to respond to calls or after they returned from the particularly difficult ones, and sometimes hear the private thoughts of those who didn't think to look for the captain's daughter sitting quietly above them before they began to share the personal details of their lives. From that vantage point, Andy began to develop an understanding of the type of firefighter, and leader, she wanted to be: tough, but fair, with high expectations for herself and others; a leader, who like her dad, could find a balance between being a member of the station "family" and being firm and decisive at a scene.

As Andy reached the catwalk, she wasn't completely surprised to find Robert there. It was also his place in the station for quiet contemplation. He stayed at the communal table in the beanery long enough that his absence would not be a point of conversation, but Andy had noticed he barely touched the small amount of food he had put on his plate. He had joined in the dinner conversation for a few minutes but quickly excused himself, washed his dishes, and left the room.

"You took my spot," Andy said without preamble, announcing her presence.

Robert looked up, and rather than respond to her comment, he began the apology he had rehearsed ever since Tash had explained the chain of events, from Dixon, to Maya, to Andy, to the awkward conversation in her office, and the tense meeting with the union.

"Andy, I'm sorry…"

He only managed a couple of words before he was cut off.

"Not tonight, Robert," Andy said, a little sharply.

She was angry, that much was clear. Robert wasn't about to apologize for his relationship, but he did want to let Andy know that lying to her had not been part of a larger plan of deception. It started out with the dating app, a minor deceit meant to allow him and Ross to communicate without drawing suspicion. By the time Andy asked him directly about his relationship, he was so caught up in the lies that he didn't even think before denying it.

That evening, however, he was not going to force a conversation. It had been a difficult day for Andy, so if she wanted to avoid him, and eat her feelings with a pint of ice cream, he wasn't going to interfere.

"Ok, I'll leave you be," Robert responded, before stepping back from the railing where he had been leaning.

However, as he took his first steps to leave, Andy placed the ice cream she was carrying on the ground, and the spoon carefully on top, before speaking.

"One of these days, you'll explain to me why you felt the need to lie to me, and there may or may not be some yelling," Andy began, the corners of her mouth turning up into the smallest of smiles.

"But not tonight. Tonight I'm just glad that we're all alive, and I'm not going to ruin that with an argument with you about honesty, friendship, and your terrible choices in your personal life."

Her tone was light, and the slight grin on her face blunted some of the sharpness of her words, but her smile didn't reach her eyes, and it didn't take an expert in nonverbal communication to realize that there was a gulf between them that hadn't been there a few days earlier.

As Adny spoke, Robert returned to his place on the catwalk, bending his tall frame over so that he could rest his forearms on the top railing. Andy did the same, and for a moment they stood quietly, staring at the quiet barn, each lost in their own thoughts.

After a moment, Andy sighed shakily, and Robert turned to look at her. There was a barely perceptible sheen of moisture in her eyes, and he could tell that she was trying hard not to cry.

"You know," Robert began gently. "You're so good at looking out for everyone, and keeping the team together, it's ok to let them look after you every once in a while."

"Travis approached me before dinner," Andy responded. "And he said he'd be willing to listen if I needed to talk."

"And did you?" Robert asked. "Need to talk?"

"No" Andy replied somewhat dismissively. "Ben's fine. I'm fine. None of us has any guarantees."

Robert didn't respond, but instead stepped back from the railing and opened his arms, allowing Andy to step into his embrace. As Andy rested her head on his chest for a moment, she flashed back to falling apart in her bunk when she had learned her dad's cancer was back, and the days she spent in the haze of grief after her father had died. Her distress wasn't as raw as it was then, but it was still there, just buried further down. After the day she had, she knew it wouldn't take much for it to bubble up to the surface, so rather than allow herself to completely break down, she took a deep, calming breath and stepped back.

"Thank you," she said, quickly wiping a stray tear from her face as she did.

From the side, Vic watched her two colleagues on the catwalk. She had made no attempt to hide her presence but they were so focused on one another they had not heard her footsteps. She was worried about Andy, and given the gossipy texts she had been receiving from a few friends at other stations, she figured Robet's day was equally difficult, but for very different reasons.

As Andy stepped away from Robert, she noticed Vic and turned to face her. When she did, Vic could see the pain in Andy's eyes despite the somewhat composed exterior. Vic knew that mask; she had worn it herself. Both women knew the pain of losing someone they loved deeply, and both also knew the conflicting emotions that occurred each time they came close to experiencing that pain again. It was a strange combination of sorrow and relief. They had almost experienced tragedy once again, escaped mostly unscathed, but were once again hit with a reminder that any day, any shift, they could lose someone they care about or their own lives.

Rather than speaking, Vic did what Robert had done moments before and opened her arms to Andy. Pondering for a millisecond how she became so comfortable accepting hugs, Andy once again stepped into the embrace of one of her Station 19 family members. Over the last few years, she and Vic had created a bond literally forged in fire. They had seen the job claim their loved ones and had survived, but sometimes, like today, a call hit too close to home and the fear and grief came rushing back.

Robert stood back and watched the two friends embrace. He was thankful that Andy had people looking out for her even when the support wasn't fully appreciated. After she was attacked, he had done what he could in the immediate aftermath, but Vic and then Jack had been there, day after day, as Andy came to grips with what had happened and figured out a way to prove her innocence to the district attorney

Vic pulled back a little, looking Andy in the eye as they separated from the embrace.

"Everyone's ok," she said simply.

That statement was what Andy needed to hear. Sometimes after a traumatic day, it took a while for the body to catch up with what the brain knew to be true. Repeating a simple phrase, almost like a mantra, supported the release of the tension that existed even hours after an incident.

The women held one another silently for a moment before stepping back. Then, Vic turned to Robert and repeated the gesture of opening her arms for a hug. He looked at her quizzically; while they had had friendly moments, they weren't exactly "hugging" kind of friends, but she nodded, and they embraced, briefly.

As Robert stepped back, Vic knew she owed him an explanation.

"Lucas told me what you said when you first found out that we were dumb enough to start a relationship in spite of the rules," Vic begin with a small self-deprecating laugh. "You said that if things ended badly, you would protect me, not him. He was your friend, but you were my captain, and you made it clear that you were going to look out for me."

Vic paused for a moment before continuing. The next part of her explanation would take some tact.

Holding up her phone, Vic continued: "I only know what the rumor mill is telling me, and I don't really need to know anymore, but if the choice is between supporting Seattle's first female fire chief and supporting my friend and teammate, my teammate is going to win out every time."

Robert appreciated the gesture, probably more than Vic realized. He didn't know what the next day would bring after his relationship with Ross became public knowledge among the "rank and file" firefighters in Seattle, but all he could hope for was that his years of service to Station 19 and the SFD would count for something.

"Thanks, Hughes," Robert said with a slight nod.

Not wanting to let the moment get too heavy, Vic decided to make a quick exit.

"I'll see you both later. I"m going to see if there are any pancakes left in the beanery," she said with a smile.

As Vic walked away, Andy sunk down to the ground next to the ice cream she had placed there. The adrenaline that had been coursing through her body was beginning to recede, and she felt weary. Robert sat down next to her and watched as she opened the ice cream, scooped out a spoonful, and stuck the spoon in her mouth.

"Want some?" she asked, extending the pint toward him, her mouth still somewhat full of ice cream.

"I don't really feel like going back in the beanery for a spoon," Robert answered honestly. If Vic knew about the Ross situation, he was sure everyone else did as well, and he wasn't up for the questions, comments, or accusations he was almost sure would be directed toward him.

"You know…" Andy said with a wicked grin, this time, one that reached her eyes.

Somehow, Robert knew exactly what she was going to say. His mind flashed back to their fight at the aid car, almost 3 years prior. It felt like he had lived an entire lifetime in those three years.

"Don't say it," he said with a chuckle.

Andy laughed along with him. After the day they had both had, the shared moment of levity felt good.

"Ok, ok," Andy acquiesced. "I won't say it, but…given our history, I think sharing a spoon is probably not a problem."

Robert reached out and took the spoon from Andy's hand, before helping himself to a scoop of ice cream from the container she held out to him.

So, I had fun writing callbacks to pivotal moments for our favorites, and a few others from past seasons. There are at least 4 big ones. If you're in the mood, feel free to post them in the comments/reviews…and a virtual "high five" to the first person to list all four episodes (names and numbers).