Chapter Four

"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 smiles back at her. "I think Vic is overflowing with concern, want me to tell her it's safe to enter?"

Andy giggles "Yes, please." Diane turns to leave. "Diane," Andy calls "Thank you."

Diane nods at her and leaves. Two seconds later Vic walks into the room and makes her way straight to Andy and pulls her into a hug.

"Vic, I'm okay."

"I know you are. I'm just so sorry for-"

Andy cuts Vic off "-Vic, please stop. It's okay." Andy told her. "It's okay"

"You sure?" Vic asked, still feeling guilty. "I shouldn't have gone along with Travis' teasing."

"Ya, you shouldn't have, but you did." Vic sighs "I'm okay though, Vic. I promise. I had no clue Diane was going to stop by today but I'm glad she did. Helped me clear my head."

"So what do we do next?"

"Well, the day started off with only Michelle knowing about us. Now Travis and Maya do. That's two more people than I would like to know about us so early into our relationship." Andy told her as she locked the office door before going back to Vic to hold her hands. "It's been two weeks and it's been the best two weeks of my life, Vic."

"It's been the best two weeks of my life too, Ands," Vic told her, grinning ear to ear.

And smiles too. "Do you think we need to talk to Travis and Maya or do we just stay on the down low and hope they don't ask a bunch of questions?"

"I don't think we should do anything until we need to," Vic told her

"Thank you, Vic. I know this relationship would be so much easier if we were at different houses and if I were just a non-ranking firefighter bu-" Andy was cut off when she felt Vic's lips on hers and melted into the kiss, closing her eyes and bringing a hand up to Vic's cheek. Andy felt herself smiling into the kiss when there was a knock on the door. Andy pulls back from Vic and sighs. "Damnit. I was enjoying that." Andy quickly pecks Vic's lips. "Sit down. Make it look like we were having a meeting."

Vic nods as Andy goes to open the door, quickly wiping away any evidence of a make-out session before opening the door.

"Lieutenant Bishop? What can I do for you?" Andy asked, inviting Maya into the office and closing the door.

"Okay, no. I can't pretend I didn't find out what I just found out."

Vic laughs and Andy groans. "What do you want to know, Maya?"

Maya chuckles. "Sorry for the intrusion but I wanted to talk to you, cap."

"Everything okay?"

"I need to ask you about Ruiz and Sullivan." Andy's facial expression turns serious.

"Why? Is somethingng wrong?" Andy asked.

"Yeah. I know that you are dating and serious, so I have a question."

"Spit it out, Maya," Vic spoke up.

"What happens when they find out about you and Vic?" Andy looks away "Vic told me you plan to get married if you're still together in a couple weeks."

"That's the plan, yeah. Why?"

"What happens after you come out to the station? Both your guys' exes work here." Andy laughs

"I actually just had that conversation with Diane." Andy paused and smiled.

"Andy?" Maya asked, confused that her friend was smiling about a complicated situation.

"Chief Ross has given me full reign over this house. With the equipment we'll need or if the staff needs to be changed or someone needs to be disciplined."

"So? Where are you going with this?"

"I have two firefighters I'd like to bring here from station 7. Two firefighters that deserve better than that house."

"Who?" Maya asked, sitting down on a chair next to Vic.

"Do you remember Kat?"

"The one who came in the station wandering around, seeing if the station was a fit for her? The one who tried to bandage up her own shoulder since she didn't want to ask for help?" Vic asked

"That's her. We also helped her with her grip on using the rice." Andy told her

"Wasn't she also at that 5-floor apartment? When we were looking for Penny in that blackout?"

"Yeah. After that night she kept in touch with me. She was doing fine at station 7 but it kind of got bad for her when they transferred Maddox and Barnes from 23 to there. Kat told me that the house was friendly, they had a woman captain but when Aquino needed a house they moved him there and made the woman, I don't know her name, a battalion chief, and with Maddox and Barnes there it became a boys' club. The only friend she's got is Duval."

"Isn't Duval the only other woman that was at 23?"

"Out of the 15 months, I was at 23, she was only there for the last three. So, not like it did much" Andy looks down.

Vic gets up and walks towards Andy "Hey." Andy looks up at Vic. "I know that was a difficult time for you but you're here now."

Andy looks back up at Vic. "I know. It doesn't mean that those 15 months weren't the worst of my life though." Andy wipes a tear that fell down her cheek. "I hated it." she looked from Vic to Maya. "Maya, do you know how much it hurt that I didn't have anyone from this station fighting for me?"

"Andy-"

"No. I may be done at that house but the memories are still so clear." Andy interrupted. "Maya, back to your question though. If the rest of the house finds out and there's a bad reaction I have the power to transfer anyone I need to."

"So, If Ruiz or Sullivan don't play nice they'd be gone?" Maya asked.

"That, or I take in Kat in the next month or sooner. Having someone new around may help tempers from flaring." Andy told Maya. "Maybe it's just wishful thinking."

"I hope it would stop tempers too. I'd hate to lose either of them." Andy just looks at Maya and ends up nodding.

"Maya, would you mind leaving us? I still need to talk to Vic." Andy asked, going to unlock the door.

Maya nods and makes her way out.

When Maya leaves Andy locks the door again and turns back to face Vic.

"What's up, Andy?"

"I may or may not have just wanted to be alone with you." Andy smiled and wrapped her arms around Vic's shoulders, pulling her in for a kiss which quickly turned heated. Andy pulled Vic closer to her, lips on lips while moving their hands under each other's shirts. getting so caught up with each other that it took them a minute to realize that someone was knocking on the door. Andy rested her head on Vic's shoulder, taking deep breaths to try to calm her breathing. "Fuck." Andy pulled back from Vic and fixed her shirt and looked at Vic. "To be continued," Andy told Vic, pecking her on the lips quickly before she walked to open the door for whoever was there.

"Kat? Oh my god. What are you doing here?" Andy asked her, pulling her into the office.

"I can't stay at station 7 anymore." Kat told her before seeing Vic behind her, "I'm so sorry if I'm interrupting anything. I just felt like I needed to talk to you, Captain Herrera."

"It's okay, Kat." Andy told her "We were just finishing up. Hughes, come see me after shift."

Hughes nods and makes her way out.

"Kat, what's going on?" Andy asked her, moving her to a chair. "Something going on at 7?" Kat was just looking down so Andy moved and kneed by the chair, trying to catch her eyes.

"Andy, I just need to get out." Kat finally met Andy's eyes and she saw that they were red.

"Kat, I was planning on bringing you to 19 since we have a spot open but I need to approve it with Ross first."

"Really?"

"Yes. Come back tomorrow and I'll talk to Chief Ross with you."

"Thank you so much, Andy. I appreciate it." Kat said, getting up.

"Kat," Andy said, stopping her from leaving "I need to know what's going on before I talk to Ross."

Kat looks up at Andy "I just can't take it at that house. It's like a fucking frat house."

"Come back tomorrow, Kat. we can talk to Ross together. Get some rest."

"I will. Thanks again, Andy."

Andy just nods at Kat and watches as she leaves. She pulls out her phone and texts Diane and Ross separately asking for them to come to the station tomorrow and that she needs to talk to them about something. They both reply back saying they can come around 8 am so Andy texts Kat and lets her know that she should come around 8:30.

Andy looks at the time on her phone and when she sees it's 10 pm she decides to go to her bunk room to get some sleep. She leaves her office door open but closes her bunk room door. As soon as she lay down she heard the door open.

"Did you lock the door?" Andy asked her visitor.

"Of course."

"Good. Come here." Andy pulls Vic down onto the bed and Vic settles into her arms, each closing their eyes after the long day they've had.

I don't know how good this chapter is but I've wanted to bring Kat and Duval into a story for a while.