They don't know (I've waited all my life)

chapter 7

Tired was an understatement.

Maya Bishop was exhausted. She'd worked on countless four-alarms during her time as a firefighter and each one had drained her immensely. Seeing bodies burned and scarred beyond the point of saving and being inside buildings that had been burned to ashes had always been hard but what was worse was standing outside giving her teams orders while seeing people's families standing outside waiting for hope that their loved ones were still breathing.

She'd just got word from the station 22 captain that the last of the floors was clear and all civilians inside the building had been safely evacuated. Now all that was left was for stations 19 and 21 to surround and drown the fire and get out as safely as possible.

The Battalion Chief had radioed all her captains asking them on updates. Stations 21 and 23 had been the first ones to respond saying both teams had made it out safely. Station 22 had been on triage and she knew about the team's whereabouts but was still relieved when the Captain had responded with his all clear.

Station 19 had been the last ones to respond, which had worried Maya at first, not wanting to lose any people today, but she had eventually heard Andy's voice cackle through the radio saying "All clear chief" before she saw them rush out of the building.

She'd been relieved till she'd seen that Andy was covered in smoke and had a huge cut dripping with blood on her arm that she was holding on to. "Herrera? What Happened?"

"A structural beam fell on her but thankfully she mostly dodged it" Ben said with a slight tone of anger in his voice "but she won't let me check her out" and at that Andy had rolled her eyes and looked away

"Andy, go with Ben to get checked out at the aid car" Maya had said but she'd seen that Andy hadn't moved a muscle "Captain, aid car NOW." the blonde said in a slightly louder tone this time before Andy slowly started taking steps towards the ambulance with Maya on her tail

Ben had just put an oxygen mask over her face after checking her out before Maya had stepped inside the aid car behind them to give the captain a piece of her mind.

"Are you out of your mind Herrera? Why wouldn't you report this back to me as soon as it happened?" Maya said angrily "What if it had been anyone else on your team huh?"

Andy had mumbled a response

"I know you would've dragged whoever it was to the Aid car Andy I know you, so why didn't you let Ben check you out?" the Battalion Chief said not even caring that ben had been standing there while she screamed at Andy like she was a child

"I'm sorry, okay? I just wanted to make sure that everyone made it out safe" and Maya sighed "You would've done the same thing"

The blonde let out another sigh "I'm not blaming you Herrera, I know I would've but I just need you to be a little more careful. I don't need a firefighter dying at my hands because they couldn't follow protocol and let someone check them out."

"Yes Chief" Andy said, sighing knowing Maya was just doing what any other Battalion Chief would've, today had more than ever convinced her that the blonde was a good chief and she still cared about the team even after everything.

"Good. Now Warren take Herrera to Grey-Sloan and make sure that wound is treated and make sure they check you and the rest of the team for smoke inhalation too"

"Copy that Chief" he said smiling as Maya walked off to make sure the rest of her teams made it to Grey Sloan before she made her way to the station to complete important paperwork now more exhausted than ever after that scare.

...

Carina had finally made it home after her shift and had immediately noticed the empty apartment knowing her wife was probably still at the scene. She'd turned on the TV and had navigated on to a news channel covering the fire.