You Don't Have to Hide From Me

Carina finds Maya crying in the shower (based on the Halloween episode) First Marina one-shot in this series, so I'm sorry if it isn't great.

Carina was in the beanery, at the sink, eating something. "Maybe I'm pregnant." Carina blurted out a couple of seconds after Maya had come into the beanery. She looked at Maya and Maya suddenly snapped her head to face Carina.

"What?" Maya asked, stopping what she was doing and looking at her wife, shock and surprise both clear on her face.

"I'm hungry all day today. I can't stop eating. I think it's a good sign." Carina said, snacking on something.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's good. That's good." Maya said, exhausted and filling up her water bottle.

"Are you okay?" Carina asked, worried about how tired her wife looked.

"Yeah. Mm-hmm. I'm just tired. Thirsty. I'm gonna go shower," Maya was walking away but then turned around. "And then I'm gonna, I'm gonna come home. Mm yeah. I shouldn't, I shouldn't work, uh, like th- this. And it's not safe for the others, so"

Carina nodded, relief clear on her face. "Yes, Bella, you should sleep in bed at home with me."

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that is, um, exactly what I need." Maya nodded and held Carina's face in her hands. Maya gently kissed Carina's lips before walking out of beanery and to the showers.

Maya sighed and went to her locker. She rested her head against it and took a couple of deep breaths. Maya opened her locker and put her water bottle in it. She let out a shaky breath and closed her laptop. She slammed her locker closed and walked into the showers. She walked into a shower stall, and turned on the water, not caring how cold it was. Maya stood there, head under the water flow, numb. She slid down the wall of the shower, brought her knees up to her chin, took the sock off of her swollen ankle and broke down into sobs.

Carina waited in the beanery, expecting to see her wife after half an hour after she had left but frowned when she didn't see her. Carina pushed the chair back and then walked out of the beanery. She walked to the locker room and frowned when she didn't see her wife. Carina heard water running so she walked into the showers and saw a curtain closed.

"Maya?" Carina called. "It was taking you a while and I was worried. Are you okay?" Carina asked, walking further into the room. Carina frowned when she got no response. Carina looked at the bottom of the shower and saw what she thought to be legs. Carina rushed over and pulled the curtain back.

There her wife was. Maya was sobbing into her knees, Carina noted that her ankle was swollen, and water was still pouring down from the shower head. Carina quickly turned the water off and not caring if she would get wet wrapped Maya in her arms. She held Maya as she let out heartbreaking sobs. Carina's heart was torn in two. She should've done more to try to help her instead of just trying to push her into therapy.

Carina held Maya tightly in her arms, body shaking along with every sob Maya let out. Her heart was breaking for her wife. Once Maya's sobs slowed Carina pulled back and wiped the tears off of Maya's cheeks. Carina held each side of Maya's face in her hands and made her look up at her.

"Let's get you home, Bella," Carina said and gently lifted Maya, being mindful of Maya's ankle. Maya nodded and wrapped an arm around Carina's shoulders.

They had just walked out of the showers when Andy came in. Rather than ask what was going on Andy grabbed a towel and walked closer to the couple.

"Carina, do you mind if I help get these clothes off of her?" Andy asked with empathy on her face. Carina shook her head and the two of them began to take Maya's clothes off of her, making quick work in case someone walked in. Once Maya was dry and in a different set of clothing Andy grabbed a tensor bandage that was in Maya's locker and began to wrap her ankle. She grimaced when Maya flinched and whimpered. "Sorry, Maya." Andy apologized and finished wrapping her ankle. Andy helped Carina get Maya to the car and once she was outside of the station and inside Carina's car, Carina turned to Andy.

"Grazie, Andy."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Andy asked, feeling helpless and like an idiot for not realizing how much her friend was struggling.

Carina ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know. I'll text you and let you know how she's doing tomorrow, okay?" Andy nodded, gave Carina a quick hug and watched them drive off. Andy's guilt and concern for her best friend overtake her body. She sighed and made her way back into the station, going to the roof, not wanting to be around anyone and trying to think of ways to help Maya and how to make Beckett change his ways.

Either Beckett needs to learn how to run this house the proper way, or someone else needs to do it for him.

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When Carina got to their apartment she helped Maya through the door and walked to their bedroom. Carina sat Maya down at the foot of their bed and asked her to wait there while she got changed. Carina grabbed a couple of pain meds for Maya to take, sure that her ankle was killing her at this point and grabbed some ice as well. Carina ran a hand through her hair and sighed.

Carina took the pain meds, water and ice to the bedroom and made sure Maya took the meds and put the ice on her ankle before Carina turned and got changed. When she turned back around she saw Maya leaning against the headboard with a pillow under her ankle, elevating it. Carina saw Maya looking at her and gave her a small smile.

"I'm so sorry, Carina." Carina's smile dropped and she rushed to the bed. Carina sat on the bed and turned Maya's head to make sure Maya was looking at her.

"Maya DeLuca-Bishop you have absolutely, and I mean absolutely nothing, to apologize for," Carina told her. "I'm so sorry I've been trying to push you to someone else when you should've felt like you could talk to me." Carina pulled Maya into her arms. "I want you to know that I'm here for you, okay? I'm always going to be here for you. I'm just so sorry that I didn't tell you all of this sooner." Carina kissed Maya's forehead and her heart broke at the silent tears that fell down her wife's cheeks. "Oh, Bella." Carina leaned back against the headboard and pulled Maya tight into her arms, ice on her ankle forgotten as Maya cuddled into her wife. Carina kissed the top of Maya's head. "I love you so much, Bambina."

"I love you too, Car."

Carina was sitting up for who knows how long when she finally felt Maya's breathing even out. "I am so sorry, Bella. I'll do better. I promise. You never have to hide from me." Carina kissed the top of Maya's head again. "You don't have to hide from me."