Chapter Three

Writing seems to be the only thing that makes me feel the slightest piece of happiness right now, so here's another chapter.

Vic and Andy watch as Travis leaves the office. Vic turns to look at Andy again and even though she wasn't looking at her Vic went up to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek before walking out of the office and into the barn to join everyone else stocking and cleaning the trucks.

Meanwhile their captain locked the door, went into her bunk room and closed that door too and just broke down, sobbing.

Vic walked into the barn, ignoring Travis and everyone else and just going to stock the Aid Car where Maya ended up being.

"Need a hand?" Vic asked the lieutenant.

"Yeah, sure." Maya had a smile on her face but it got wiped off when she saw the down expression on Vic's face. "Can you pass me those last two bags?" Maya asked, pointing to the med bag and O2 tank that was on the barn floor by the aid car.

Vic hands the bags to Maya one at a time, Maya putting them where needed before she pulls Vic into the back of the Aid Car and closes the doors.

"Okay, what's going on Hughes?" Maya asked when she saw Hughes looking down. "Why have you taken such an interest in Andy's love life?"

"Maya, it's none of my business as much as it's none of yours." Vic continues to look away when something clicks for Maya.

"Oh my god." Vic looks up.

"What?"

"Oh my god. How long?" Maya asked, sitting down across from where Vic was seated in the Aid Car.

"Officially? A couple weeks." Vic said, looking down again, not being able to face another disappointed teammate.

"Oh my god."

"Would you quit saying that!?" Vic exclaimed, looking at Maya.

"Hold on. Is that why Andy's seemed more happy than we've seen her in a long time?" Maya asked, smiling at Vic.

"Yes. it is. I am." Vic nods, giving Maya a small, forced smile.

"What happened in her office? I saw Travis coming in saying the Captain wanted us to work on the trucks and he looked like a lost puppy." Maya's smile dropped.

"I messed up in the beanery, Trav was teasing Andy trying to get answers out of her. I ended up playing along when I walked in and Andy got more tense. It was my fault what happened up there. I could've told Travis to just leave her alone." Vic told her, rubbing a hand over her face.

"Okay, well Travis looked shocked in the beanery but not like he does now." Maya paused, looking at Vic. "What happened in her office?"

"Travis came in, walked in when we were holding hands. Kind of put two and two together and like you, asked how long, told him two weeks."

"Then what happened? You seem just as down and only came out like two minutes after he did."

Vic sighed. "Travis kind of said something. Said that Andy would end up breaking my heart. Said all she does is leave a trail of broken hearts. With that and what Robert said in the beanery I guess she's just fed up and wants to be left alone."

Maya was silent for a few moments before she spoke "what else is going on? I can tell there's something deeper going on here."

"We may or may not be thinking about rushing into something so we can go out in public. Together. As a couple." Vic told Maya, hesitantly and looking down.

"Marriage?" Maya grabbed Vic's hand when she saw her nod. "That has to be a big step for you Vic. Andy too probably. No one knows this, but she took a week of personal time off when she was at 23 after her divorce was finalized. She was devastated. Felt like she was being like her mom. Cutting and running. Think half the time in her room was spent crying." Maya paused, looking at Vic. "oh god."

"She's probably crying right now, isn't she?" Vic asked, looking up again.

Maya nods, gets up, rushes out of the aid car and makes her way towards the captain's office. When she got to reception she saw Diane.

"Diane!" Maya exclaimed, surprised to see her.

"Hi, Maya." Diane said. "Do you know where your captain is? I knocked on the door but there was no answer and the door's locked."

Maya sighed. "There's kind of an ongoing situation happening right now. I think she might be in her bunk room. She probably won't come out until there's a call or a walk-in."

"What kind of situation are we talking about?"

"She's in a new relationship, most of the station knows that she's with a woman. But-"

"Wait, you're telling me Herrera is gay or Bi or whatever after all the marriage drama she's had?"

"Diane, she was talking to her cousin in the beanery when Travis walked in. Started teasing Andy and asking her who he was. Didn't know it was a she and when Vic walked in she played along. When everyone else and I walked in things kind of got more heated. Andy was looking down, trying to get past everyone but Jack and Robert physically got in her way. Robert said some things."

"What kind of things?" Diane asked, hating how this seemed to be unfolding for Andy, who has already dealt with enough.

"That she was incapable of loving anyone. It took her admitting, and I guess coming out, and saying it was a she not a he for them to back off and she walked out."

"And she's been in her office since?"

"Yes." a third voice came in. "Michelle, her cousin, followed her and seemed to calm her down."

"I'm guessing you know what's going on?" Diane asked Vic.

"I went into the office, Michelle left. Andy and I were talking about what should happen next. What we should do next."

"We?" Diane asked. "What do you mean "we"? Isn't this Andy's problem?"

"Diane, Andy and I, we're-"

"-Dating. They've been dating for the last couple of weeks." Maya cut in, seeing that it was hard for Vic to tell people.

Diane looked surprised. "Okay someone sum up what happened in the office before I go in guns blazing."

"Travis walked in on them holding hands, asked how long it had been going on, when they told him they wanted to go public, he told Vic that Andy just leaves a trail of broken hearts when it comes to relationships."

"Vic, go back to work. Maya, knock on the door, tell her that there's a walk-in that needs immediate help." Both women nod and go their separate ways, while Diane stays where she is by reception.

Maya walks up to the captain's office door and starts to bang on the door, "Captain! Captain Herrera! There's a walk-in that needs attention!" Maya looked back at Diane and mouths convincing enough?

Diane nods just as Andy comes out. Andy looked panicked and had a med bag in her hand.

"Where are they? How badly are they injured?" Andy looked around and when she saw Diane and no walk-in she put the bag down. "What's going on?"

"I just came by to talk to you about something when I heard about what happened upstairs." Diane told Andy and saw her bring a hand to her forehead.

"Can I ask why?" Andy asked, facing Diane.

"Can we go into your office? I don't know if you want the whole station hearing this."

Andy nods and gestures for her to go into her office.

"I don't know what you've heard but I can handle this myself." Andy said once Diane had closed the door.

"You don't look well, Andy. You have the job you've wanted for the longest time and you look miserable right now." Diane said, being the straight shooter 19 knew her to be.

Andy lets out a slight chuckle. "You always did shoot straight when talking to me."

"Damn right I do." Diane looks at Andy and sees the slight redness under her eyes. "You've been crying, Andy. Tell me what's up."

Andy sighs, looking like she was ready to fight but moved to sit on one of the chairs in front of her desk. "I don't know why I keep falling for people at this station," Andy starts "but it just keeps happening."

"First it was a lieutenant, then a-"

"Whoa." Andy cuts Diane off. "Ranks hold no fold in this. If you think that's what this is, me just crossing off a list of 'which rank of firefighter can I get with' it is so off base, okay?" Andy stands up.

"I didn't mean to imply anything like that, Andy." Diane told her, putting her hands up. Andy just looks at her and raises an eyebrow. "Alright, maybe I was going in that direction." Andy just looks at Diane and shakes her head. "Andy, I didn't mean it like it was sounding."

"Then what did you mean?" Andy asked, sitting down on her desk chair.

"You keep falling for people in the department because you spend so much time around firefighters."

"Seems to be the only place to meet people" Andy tells her.

"I just gotta ask you something Herrera." Andy looks at Diane "where do you see yourself with Vic in two days?"

"Together, probably at my apartment. What does this have to do with anything?"

"Where do you see you both in two weeks?"

"A courthouse. We decided if after a month we really stayed connected, honest and loyal to each other to get married and I don't see any reason that anything would change from how it is right now." Andy paused "we'd know we'd be rushing into it. Quicker than with Ripley and Sullivan but we both know this is different."

"How?"

"How what?"

"How is this different?" Diane asked, sitting down on a chair.

"Vic has struggled with dating since Ripley. She doesn't think she'd ever find anyone that measures up to him and when she met Ruiz she thought she'd found a good one." Andy shakes her head. "But he just ended up being a massive ass who kissed someone as soon as they broke up at the firefighters ball."

Diane nods. "Where do you see you both in two months?"

"I see myself asking her to move in with me." Andy stops Diane from asking another question. "I know, if we're already married we should already be living together. I just don't want one of us to give up our space if we end up not working out. We decided that along with getting Married we'd give ourselves a two week grace period. We both have some personal days saved up that we would like to use for each other, as a honeymoon." Diane smiled at that. "We're using up a week to go on vacation, going to come back to Seattle, move in with each other, see how it goes and then make a final decision." Andy smiled. "If after that week's trial things are still going well, our work and personal life are balanced, we'll come out to the team."

"And if the team doesn't take it well?" Diane asked, this time she stopped Andy from answering right away. "I mean, the team didn't take too well with your marriage to Robert and they ended up being right."

"Thanks for that, Diane."

"Sorry. I just mean, how are you two going to handle it? Hughes and you have both worked your asses off for years to get where you are. You're finally captain of 19."

"And I don't plan to ruin that in any way." Andy told her firmly.

"So what's the plan?"

"Ross has given me full reign to do with my team as I see fit."

"Meaning?"

Andy sighs. "I have a couple of firefighters who I think could make a good fit at 19. They're both incredible and right now they're at station 7. They both deserve better. Both women too. Haven't really had a fair shake."

"Kat and Duval?"

Andy nods. "Anyways, back on topic, If Ruiz and Sullivan can't handle seeing us together I will be more than happy to get an excuse to get rid of Ruiz for hurting Vic and well, Sullivan, he has a temper so I may need Ross' help. But I know what needs to be done if things get ugly."

Diane nods. "Okay. Sorry for all the questions, it just seems rushed to me."

"Of course it does. It's rushed to us too." Andy stands up and looks at Diane. "But I love her, Diane." Diane is shocked by the tone change. "I want to be with her and the only way to do that is this way."

"If you're happy, Herrera," Diane paused, "look at me, Andy." Andy looks at her "If you really love her, if you really want to be with her, if you really want this, don't let anyone tear you down. Let what happened with Travis and Robert today roll off your shoulders. You know who you are, don't let yourself doubt that."

Andy smiles. "I won't. Not anymore."

Diane and her wisdom, right? :)