Chapter Two
I think this is going to turn into a Jandy fic fair warning. I really want to do my take on one.
"He's never going to be a firefighter again. He's at risk of developing a CTE and Dr. Shepherd said that he's done. That no doctor would clear him, nor would the department." Andy told her in one breath. Not wanting to talk about it any longer than needed.
"Shit," Vic said and looked down and Andy took the chance to escape and rush to the exit of the hospital.
She got to the exit and ran the rest of the way to her car and just broke down once she was inside. What the fuck do I do now?
Andy took a breath and left the hospital parking lot. She couldn't stand to be there anymore so she went back to the station figuring that she should throw herself into her captain's work to distract herself. She wasn't in the office for more than two minutes when there was a knock. She sighed and looked up and stood up from her chair when she saw that it was Chief Ross.
"Chief, is there something I can do for you?" Andy asked, stepping around the desk.
Natasha ignored Andy's question. "Why are you here and not at the hospital? I told you I would oversee the paperwork and anything else that could only be done here while you stayed at the hospital with the team waiting for news…" Natasha watched Andy look down. "Oh." She realized. "What did the doctors say?"
Andy leaned against the desk, shoulders sagging. "Dr. Shepherd said that that he developed a CTE."
Natasha didn't know what to think. She hated that her first thought was that she was going to be losing one of her best firefighters but then thought about how much of a loss this would be to 19. She knew how serious CTEs are. She had seen so many careers end because of them but it never got easier. She looked at Andy and noticed that she was still looking down.
"Captain Herrera. I need you to look at me." Natasha demanded and Andy knew that that was her "no bullshit" tone so she looked up. "Go home. There's nothing for you to do here. Especially since you're now off shift."
Andy wanted to fight, she wanted to tell Ross that she could handle this, that she could use work as a distraction, but she just nodded. She walked into her bunk, got changed and walked out of the office, passing by Natasha.
"Ross, let me know if you need me, okay? This stuff with Gibson is hard, but I'm still captain of this house." Andy paused. "Hold on. Do you think I should stay with the team?" Andy asked, knowing that it would look bad to the rest of her team if she let them deal with this alone.
"It depends on what you feel you need, Herrera." Ross walked in front of Andy. "If you need to be with your people, go and be with them. If you can't handle seeing Jack that way, stay in the waiting room. If you feel like you need to breathe, stay here for another half an hour, and go back. Herrera, if you're on the verge of a breakdown, go home and come back stronger tomorrow." Ross suggested and Andy nodded.
"Thank you, Chief." Andy gave her a small smile and then walked out of the office. "Let me know if you need me please." Andy watched Natasha nod and then walked out of the station and got into her car.
Home or hospital. Andy kept debating on what to do. Her whole team was at the hospital. Going home right now would send the wrong message to her team. She was exhausted and just wanted to go home but she did want to go to the hospital to support Jack.
Home or hospital.
"You can do this, Andy. Time to put your game face back on and be strong for your team." Andy sighed and drove to the hospital. She got out and walked to the ICU and stopped short of Jack's room when she saw Marsha.
"Why didn't you call me sooner? I was going crazy calling his phone, calling all the hospitals" Marsha said, coming into the room.
"I- I called his sister," Andy told her, and she didn't realize how truly stupid it was until she said it out loud.
"Brooke? He barely knows her. I'm more family than she is." Marsha glared at Andy. "You call me when he's not answering his phone. I expected more from you"
Andy looked at Marsha and tried to keep calm. "You're absolutely right, Marsha. I'm very sorry."
"Oh, my poor boy. I'm here now. I'm sorry I took so long,"
Andy had left the room right after that. She knew she was in the wrong. She knew Marsha should've been her first call. Andy was frozen. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to go and hold Jack's hand. Andy let out a big sigh and walked closer to the room. She knocked on the door and waited for Marsha to turn around.
"Andy."
"Marsha, I am so sorry for not letting you know sooner. I guess I wasn't really thinking clearly and I'm so sorry. You should've been my first call," Andy said and moved to the other side of Jack's bed and grabbed his hand.
Marsha didn't say anything. She just stared at Andy. She saw the way she cared for him. She saw that Andy was always there for Jack and she knew that Jack was always there for her too.
"Andy." Marsha waited for Andy to look up and when she saw the tears in her eyes she was taken aback. "I don't know everything about you and Jack. I don't know about your history, but…"
"Just ask what you want to ask, Marsha," Andy said, running a hand through her hair.
"You and Jack, did you two ever…you know?" Marsha watched Andy blush.
"Years ago, Jack and I were kind of in our own bubble. No one at the station knew. It was complicated and messy but when it was good, I don't know. It just felt right."
"Did you love him?" Marsha asked and Andy was taken aback by the question.
"I know he was in love with me." Andy deflected and looked at Marsha. "we were making out in the turnout room when I felt a box in his pants pocket." Andy blushed again, not thinking she would ever be talking about this. "I pulled it out, opened it and it was a diamond engagement ring," Andy told Marsha and she looked surprised. "Yeah, I was shocked. I couldn't say anything. I couldn't find the right words. We had only been fooling around, god that sounds awful to say to someone as close to Jack as you are, for around six months. He was in love with me, but I wasn't even ready for a relationship with him. Let alone an engagement." Andy tried to explain.
"That wasn't what I asked," Marsha said, and Andy sighed. "Do you love him, Andy?"