Chapter Eight

"Crisis One is safe, Vic still has a job, and now I'm captain again." Andy laughed, relief flooding her as Carina pulled her into a hug.

Andy walked into the station the next day, an hour before shift to get to her office and put the bars back on her Captain's shirt. Andy smiled. She was so relieved to be captain again. She was shaken out of her thoughts when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Andy called, putting her badge on as the door opened. "Chief Farris," Andy said, surprised. "What can I do for you?"

"I just forgot something in the bathroom. Is it okay if I grab it?" Andy just nodded and he walked to grab it. "Hey, Herrera," Drew called, and Andy turned to look at him. "For what it's worth, I think what you did was incredible. Not many people would do that."

Andy gave him a small smile and a nod of thanks. Drew gave Andy one last smile and left the office.

It was an hour later, and Andy was in the beanery making French toast when Maya came in.

"Hey, Herrera, wake up in a good mood or something? You never make your French toast here." Maya asked, confused at why Andy would be in a good mood when she thought Andy would be coming into shift every day upset. Andy just smiled at Maya. "What? Did something happen?" Maya asked, walking closer to Andy.

"Something happened yesterday morning and I'm just waiting to tell the whole team together." Andy's smile grew.

Maya raised an eyebrow at Andy, wondering why she was being so vague but shook her head and grabbed a couple of pieces of the French toast.

"How long have you been here?" Maya asked, sitting down on a stool at the island.

"An hour," Andy said, the smile still on her face.

Maya looked at Andy after taking a couple of bites, not saying anything and tried to read her friend's face. "Okay, seriously Herrera, talk to me."

Maya watched Andy look around, making sure no one else was around.

"I may or may not have had a conversation with Ross yesterday," Andy told her. "That's all the info you're getting for now, Lieutenant."

Maya playfully glared at Andy and Andy tried to hold in her laugh. She turned her attention back to the stove and focused on flipping the pieces of bread.

"Ooh. What's the special occasion?" Travis asked as Vic and he walked into the beanery. "You never make your French toast at work."

"That's what I said," Maya said, mouth full.

"Gross, Bishop. Finishing chewing before you talk." Travis said, grabbing some toast for himself, Vic following behind him.

"I just woke up in a good mood, okay? I wanted to make everyone breakfast." Andy told them, a smile still on her face.

Travis and Vic look at her, then at each other, raise an eyebrow and look back to Andy.

"Uh huh," Vic said and moved over to the beanery table with Travis. Everyone came in shortly after, asking the same question Travis and Maya wanted an answer to.

Everyone was at the table, almost done eating. Andy looked over and cleared her throat. When everyone was eating, Andy had snuck away and put her button-up shirt on. Cpt. Herrera on it. She smiled and watched everyone look over. She didn't say anything, just waited for someone to notice.

"Oh, my God," Maya said, and Andy giggled. "How?" Maya asked, smiling.

Andy didn't say anything, she looked at the others and waited for them to clue in.

"What? What are we missing?" Ben asked as Vic stood up.

"When did that happen?" Vic asked, walking closer to Andy, pointing to her shirt, and helping everyone else clue into what was going on.

Andy's smile grew. "I talked to Chief Ross yesterday morning." Andy paused and moved to stand at the head of the table. "She said that she managed to move funds around to make sure that I could be captain."

"What did she have to get rid of?" Robert asked.

"Before anyone freaks out, let me explain, okay?" Andy tried to tread carefully.

"She cut Crisis One, didn't she?" Ben asked.

Andy shook her head, and everyone let out a sigh of relief. "Not only is Crisis One safe, but it's also going national. The Hutton Foundation is exploring a partnership with us," Andy told them, a smile still on her face.

"Holy shit," Vic said and almost ran the rest of the way over to hug Andy.

"Don't hug me, Hughes. This was Ross and Diane's doing." Andy told her, still wrapping her arms around Vic. Andy waited for Vic to go back to the table and sit down before asking Maya to sit down at the beanery table too. "I do need to come clean about something though," Andy said, nervous.

"What is it?" Robert could tell Andy was stressed from the way she was playing with her hands. Everyone could tell.

"I didn't get demoted randomly. I asked to be demoted so there would be room for Vic and Crisis One." Andy rushed out. looked around at everyone and saw the shocked looks.

It was silent in the beanery for what seemed like forever when Vic cleared her throat, and everyone turned to look at her. "You did not need to do that, Andy," Vic told her. "I could've handled myself."

"You're worth it, Vic. We're a team. I'm always going to look out for all of you." Andy told her. "I wanted to tell you the truth because this is a team that runs on trust. With everything that's gone on lately I know morale isn't the greatest, so I just wanted to tell all of you. You guys deserve to always know the truth. Especially when it comes to the captain's honesty. You guys blindly put your trust in me, and I need to assure you that I can be trusted." Andy ranted and was grateful when no one looked upset.

"Herrera," Andy looked at Travis. "You know we're always going to trust you. We know you'd never lie to us. Especially after the Jack stuff seven years ago and Robert a few years ago." Travis said and made Andy blush.

"Um. Wait a minute." Maya said. "Why are you blushing like that?"

"It's just, um. When you first became captain Jack and I kinda messed around a couple of times when I was numb after Ryan had died." Andy admitted and watched everyone look at her, shock on their faces. "yeah, I know. I'm sorry I didn't tell any of you. I mean, Sullivan knows but it wasn't really any of your guys' business."

"But it was Sullivan's?" Vic asked, eyebrow raised. It took her a minute, but something clicked. "Oh, ew. Okay. No more details." Vic said and Andy's blush grew, wondering how Vic came to that conclusion.

"I just want you all to know that you're my family. I know I say it often, I know I sometimes miss you when some of you are struggling," Andy looks at Maya, regret on her face. "but I'm always going to be here for you. We're nineteen. We fight the fight together." Andy smiled at everyone. "19!"

"19!"

Fin