Chapter Text
Carina sinks a little deeper into the corner of Maya’s couch, one leg tucked under her, hands wrapped around the mug of tea Maya made her.
It’s quieter than usual, still no music, something Carina is suspecting will never be a thing in the Bishop house.
It’s not silent though, they’re still able to hear Oliver’s voice, though Lorenzo has been quiet all day.
Maya notices it too.
Of course she does.
“Are you- would it help him if maybe we just let them watch Spider-Man?” Maya asks as she sits down next to Carina, leaning her shoulder against the backrest.
She exhales softly, a small smile on her face. “He should be fine, he was excited to come over. He’s good at letting me know when he needs a break. Thank you for offering though. He’s not-” she sighs, thinking back to his frown at pick-up, “he’s a little… off balance because I wasn’t warned that they didn’t have gym today so I couldn’t prepare him.”
The Captain's mouth presses into a thin line, not one of judgement, one of understanding. “That’ll do it.”
Carina nods, but her gaze drifts toward the ceiling all the same. It’s hard to shake the worry, even though he seems fine, just a little quiet, which isn’t too surprising. She knows he does that when it’s too much, but he was insistent he still wanted to go for their short playdate with Oliver, so here they are.
Still quiet.
Still not quite his usual loud self.
But still happy to build Lego with Oliver and ask Maya specific questions about the ladder truck.
“I have a question…” Maya’s words draw Carina’s attention away from the ceiling and back into the moment.
“Uh-oh,” her tone is teasing as she sips her tea.
“I’ve seen someone else picking Enzo up a couple of times and-” she feels herself getting cold feet halfway through, “-and I’m being too nosy for my own good,” the captain shakes her head. “Please don’t feel like you have to answer. I was being nosy.”
Carina chuckles. “That’s Avery. She’s Lorenzo’s babysitter. She picks him up when I’m working and his Zio isn’t around.”
“Ah, that makes sense,” Maya nods, relieved she doesn’t seem to have crossed an invisible line and poked too deeply. “You don’t have a firehouse load of people you can use for school pickup. What days does she have him?” Then, feeling like again she might have overstepped again she adds, “so I know not to suggest a playdate on those days.”
“Thursday afternoons,” Carina answers. “But Avery also does drop-off on most Wednesdays because they are my surgery days and I usually start early. You have a babysitter for Oliver right?”
“Just Thursday mornings, it’s the only morning I can’t spare anyone and the meeting with the captains for our battalion is that morning… early of course,” she huffs softly. “She’s called Riya, and she’s a med student actually.”
Carina’s eyebrows lift, a small, genuine smile pulling at her lips. “That’s awesome, does Oliver get along with her?”
“A lot!” Maya grins. “He loves her. How about Enzo and Avery?”
The smile on Carina’s face softens, fading just slightly at the edges. She looks down into her tea for a second. “He still doesn’t love her unfortunately. Avery is nice, she’s wonderful,” she sighs, fingers tightening a fraction around the mug. “She’s patient, calm and follows his schedule perfectly. There’s nothing wrong with her.”
“But,” Maya prompts gently.
Carina sighs. “Lorenzo just doesn’t love her. He tolerates her, which is already something. But he’s different with her, I think. More withdrawn maybe? He doesn’t-” she gestures vaguely. “He doesn’t settle.”
The blonde leans back into the couch, considering it. “Like he doesn’t feel completely comfortable?”
Before the OB can respond, there’s footsteps hurrying down the stairs.
“MOMMY!”
Oliver runs into the room, Enzo trailing behind, slower, more deliberate, one hand trailing lightly along the wall.
“We need snacks,” the blond boy announces seriously. “Animal crackers, goldfish, dinosaur fruit snacks and grapes… but you hafta cut up the grapes so we don’t choke because you always say they’re a choking risk.”
Maya’s mouth opens slightly before she turns to look at Carina, who’s nodding, a soft smile on her face.
“Of course you do.” The blonde pushes herself up with a quiet groan before heading toward the kitchen. “Because the snack that I gave them twenty minutes ago has done nothing,” she mutters under her breath, a slight smirk on her face betraying her amusement.
Oliver beams, completely unbothered by the comment. “They’re the best snacks,” he replies as if it’s common knowledge, bouncing over to help Maya.
Enzo, however, simply hovers near the edge of the kitchen, his fingers tap lightly against his thigh in a steady rhythm and his eyes flicker between his Mamma and Captain Maya, something that doesn’t escape his mamma’s notice.
“Hey, bambino,” her voice is calm and soft, “animal crackers are the ones that Amelia always has, remember?” She watches recognition dawn on his face, softening the crease in his brow. “And you don’t have to have the goldfish or the grapes.”
His nod is small and quick, and when Maya returns with two laden snack plates, he follows easily towards the couch.
“Sorry we don’t have our normal plates Enzo,” Oliver says, kneeling at the coffee table.
“It’s okay. I don’t eat snacks off those plates.”
“That’s great then!” Oliver shrugs happily tucking into his plate, horrifying Maya as he takes a bite of both grapes and goldfish at the same time.
“Can we have these at my birthday party next week?” he asks through a mouthful, wide expecting eyes looking up at Maya.
“I think we can manage that,” she replies with a laugh.
“It’s all animal themed, Enzo! So it fits!”
Enzo simply nods before continuing to eat some animal crackers one by one.
The taller boy, however, turns to Carina like he just remembered something important. “You’re coming too, right?”
Carina doesn’t hesitate. “Of course we are,” she says warmly. “You gave us our invitation two weeks ago, remember? We wouldn’t miss it.”
Oliver grins, clearly pleased, before launching into a ramble. “There’s gonna be animal stuff everywhere!” He says, gesturing wildly. “And mommy has cake, and games, and all animal things, and-”
“Slow down, Probie,” Maya mutters, a soft smile clear on her face.
Carina smiles softly, glancing over at Lorenzo. “It sounds like a very big party.”
“It will be! Oh! Enzo!” He says, turning towards his friend, holding up a fruit snack, “I told mommy there has to be dino decoration too because dinos are animals also. It will be so fun!”
The younger boy watches him for a moment, taking everything in. “Is it gonna be… loud?” He asks a little uncertainly.
The room softens, and Maya crouches down next to him. “It might be a little,” she answers honestly, “but we can make sure there’s a quiet place if you need one.”
Carina watches him carefully, something tight in her chest loosening just a fraction. There’s something about him asking, daring to ask. Something about the way Maya answers, not dismissing or pretending it’s a big deal, simply meeting him where he’s at. It fills her chest with something she doesn’t know how to name.
“Okay,” he agrees after a moment, reaching for another cracker, “I’m definitely gonna come.”
“Yay!”
Carina smiles softly, taking it all in.
It’s gentle.
There’s no expectations here.
Enzo can be himself.
She can relax.
Maya gets it.
There’s no pressure.
They’re just in the living room, the boys on the floor, the two moms on the couch, quietly talking about Oliver’s party with the occasional comment from the blond boy himself.
It’s easy.
Enzo stays mostly silent, his movements more precise, his posture slightly stiff. He doesn’t initiate, doesn’t lean into Oliver the way he normally does.
But he stays.
Carina notices it, the way his shoulders remain higher than usual, the carefulness in every moment, but she also sees what isn’t there. He’s not pulling away or retreating. He’s not on the verge of tears. He’s not asking to go home. He’s still there.
Comfortable.
Included.
Nobody pushes him, Maya doesn’t say anything. Simply continues the conversation about the party like normal.
In any case, Oliver doesn’t let the room stay silent for long; he's quieter, sure, like something in him recognizes the shift without needing to be told. But he’s still there, piping up with his own comments about the party whenever he has one, even with his mouth full of whatever weird combination of snacks he’s trying out.
After a while though, it’s Lorenzo who stands first, brushing his hands together. “I want to go upstairs, please.”
Oliver is already on his feet. “Let’s go!”
Upstairs, the noise doesn’t pick back up in the way it usually does. No immediate crash of toys and loud declarations. The movements are softer, more careful.
Without needing to be told, Oliver adjusts.
He simply builds beside his friend instead of with him. He lines his blocks up and leaves space.
Together but separate.
Parallel.
They don’t stay much longer, Monday playdates never last as long because of Carina’s nightshift, and when Carina calls the boys down, Lorenzo comes without protest, slipping on his shoes with practised movements.
“Mommy, why can’t Enzo stay here? He can sleep in my bed!” Oliver asks while clinging to Maya’s leg.
“Enzo has to go home, Probie. His Zio-,” she glances at Carina who nods, a small smile forming on her lips because Maya remembers, “-is staying over with him. And he doesn’t have any of his stuff here. Maybe some other time though, just not tonight.”
“But I have extra blankets! And he can borrow my pj’s mommy! And… and we can share a toothbrush!” Oliver insists.
Enzo’s nose wrinkles along with the adults’.
“Nope, we don’t share toothbrushes.”
“But that one time-” Oliver begins to protest.
Maya feels her cheeks flush. “That was a one off, in the airport… when my case went missing.”
“Okay, but it’s okay, because we have spare toothbrushes, or we can just go to the store so it’s fine. He can stay.”
Carina bites her lip, muffling a laugh while Maya huffs softly.
“Not tonight, buddy.” She turns her head to look over at Enzo with a smile. “We’ll see you soon, Recruit. Okay?”
“Wednesday?” Oliver asks hopefully.
Enzo looks up at that, looking between his mamma and Captain Maya. “Yes, cus we have dinner on Wednesday.”
Maya chuckles. “We do!”
“At whose house?” Oliver practically shouts.
“Your house, Mr Oliver.” Carina smiles, before turning to Lorenzo, “ready, Bambino?”
He nods and waves goodbye to Oliver and Maya as he walks out the door that quietly shuts behind them.
There’s all of five seconds of silence before Oliver looks up at Maya. “Enzo wasn’t playing with me today, Mommy,” he says, still clinging to his mommy’s legs.
She bends down to pick him up, carrying him towards the kitchen, knowing that the snack wouldn’t satisfy his appetite for long. “He wasn’t?”
“No. Normally we both play with the Lego, but this time he was just lining his bricks up while I played,” he says, tucking his head into her neck. “Your hair smells nice, Mommy.”
“Thanks, bud,” she turns to press a kiss into his hair. “I think that’s okay too, that Enzo played like that. Do you?”
“Yeah, it still counts,” he says with a casual shrug, “it’s just different.”
“I agree probie, it definitely counts.”
He grins and leans towards the plate on the counter where some Animal Crackers were still left. “Oh, Mommy, we need more for my party.”
“Of course we do, I’ll make sure to buy enough.” Maya huffs as she shakes her head.
Before they know it, Wednesday rolls around again in a whirl of toy trucks and loud laughter from the boys at the kitchen table.
“I’m telling you,” Maya says from her spot in the corner of the sofa, her voice just slightly lowered compared to normal. “Greyson’s mom, Sky? Apparently she’s cheating on her husband with Chloe.”
Carina raises an eyebrow. “Chloe as in-”
“Clover’s mom,” Maya confirms immediately. “Chloe, who has a girlfriend.”
“So… they’re both cheating?”
“Exactly! Apparently Carter's bonus mom saw them kissing in Sky’s minivan before pickup last week!”
“Just a kiss?” Carina repeats, raising an eyebrow.
Maya huffs softly. “Well it’s not exactly a private place, you’d hope they’d be smarter than-” she stops herself, looking over at the boys.
Carina huffs a quiet laugh, shaking her head. “They got caught regardless. But- wait, how do you know this? How many parents are you talking to when I’m not there!”
“I swear nobody-”
A phone rings on the coffee table, immediately Carina recognizes the ringtone. She knows it will be the hospital before she even reaches for it. Her shoulders tense as she answers, turning away from Maya.
“Dr. DeLuca.”
Maya looks over at the boys, they haven’t noticed anything yet, still carelessly playing with their firetrucks. She’s trying not to eavesdrop the call, but she can tell from the way Carina has transformed that it must be serious. That somewhere there's an emergency which can only be fixed by Carina.
There’s a pause in Carina’s replies before she speaks up again. “Sì, I can come in,” she says quickly, whilst she pushes herself up to stand. “How far along?”
She nods, already looking for her bag. “I’ll be there in twenty.”
“I’m so sorry,” she starts, the words tumbling out as she turns back to Maya, fingers brushing through her hair. “They need me. It’s a complicated case and-”
She cuts herself off, her breath catching just slightly.
Lorenzo.
He’s still at the table, firetruck now abandoned, as he looks at her, attention caught, eyes worried.
She knows he’s watching her. Waiting to follow her lead.
So she slows. There’s no time for the usual careful explanations. Not enough time to prepare him like normal. To ease him into the transition. She can’t stop this from being abrupt. Can’t ensure that it won’t be too much. But she can try.
She can ease this so there’s not a meltdown.
And it starts with an albeit brief explanation.
“Lorenzo?” She starts, walking over to him. “I have to go to work.” Her voice is softer now, but still clearly laced with urgency. “It’s an emergency, I need to help.”
“When?” He asks immediately.
She swallows. “Now.”
Lorenzo’s fingers still against the table. His posture goes just a little more rigid and his eyes flick between the door and her.
“Where do I go?” His voice is quieter, it carries an air of worry she is all too familiar with. She watches as he begins to stim, twisting his fingers around each other.
It’s a practical question, something he needs to know, something important. At the same time, it’s something that makes Carina’s heart twist.
Because she doesn’t know. She hasn’t thought that far ahead.
“I-”
Andrea is at work. Avery would take too long.
There’s no buffer.
“He can stay here.” Maya’s voice cuts in. Her words are simple, steady. She’s not loud about it, not pushy, it’s just an offer, just there for Carina to accept.
Carina looks at her, at the blue eyes looking at her with a painful clarity, which she already knows isn’t mirrored in her own eyes.
She can’t do that, she can’t just leave Lorenzo here. He’s not prepared for that.
This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.
Maya has never watched him without her. There’s too many uncertainties. Surely she can’t put Maya through this.
“Maya, I don’t want to impose. I didn’t plan-”
“It’s okay,” Maya cuts in gently.
There’s no hesitation in her voice, no sign that this is a big ask, nothing to suggest she’s doing this to be polite.
Everything to suggest she truly means it.
She watches Maya’s gaze briefly move to Lorenzo offering him a gentle smile, before meeting hers once more. “I’ll follow his lead.”
And that is what does it.
Because Carina has learned that it’s what Maya does. She follows his lead. She’s shown Carina this. This isn’t some easy useless reassurance. It’s not a promise that everything will run smoothly.
What it is is understanding.
She’ll follow his lead.
And that’s all Carina can ask.
Her throat tightens and she looks back at Lorenzo. “If you want, you could stay with Maya and Oliver,” she says carefully. “Just for a little while, and I will be back as soon as I can.”
His gaze shifts, unsure, first to Maya, who still has a kind smile playing on her lips, then back to his mamma, eyes seeking reassurance.
“Enzo! You can stay here! With me!” Oliver interrupts, clambering onto his knees on the chair.
Lorenzo doesn’t answer immediately, and Carina can feel the seconds ticking away.
Seconds she doesn’t have. Seconds she should be using to get to brief Maya and get on her way-
“Okay.”
Carina blinks once.
The simplicity of his answer hits harder than anything else. There’s no resistance, not even reluctance. Just acceptance.
Somehow it feels… strange.
She should be happy, this is good news. This is a good thing.
So why does it feel so conflicting?
“Okay?” she echoes softly.
Lorenzo nods, and his attention is already moving back to the engine he was holding before, driving it a few inches forward. Seemingly unbothered, an easy decision in a space that’s become more and more familiar in the past weeks.
“That’s- that’s good,” she replies as she stands up.
Maya steps closer and places a hand on her lower back. “I’ve got him.”
She nods but she doesn’t move yet. Something in her chest is still aching.
Taking a breath, she focuses her attention back on her son again. “You’ll still have dinner here. Fries and nuggets, you like those, sì? And Maya even got the same brand we have at home.”
He nods, though his attention remains on the trucks in front of him.
“And then, maybe you play a little-”
“With me!” Oliver interrupts.
“With Oliver,” Carina smiles. “And I will come back as soon as I can. I hope two or three hours, but I will let Maya know if the plan changes, okay?”
“Two or three.” He repeats, anchoring it. “And Captain Maya will tell me if it changes.”
“Yes.”
She hesitates, then looks up at Maya.
“I- I know you know but, he- he doesn’t like loud sounds, and especially not if he’s already tired,” she says quickly. “And he might not want to eat right away, especially because the plan is changing and sometimes he just-”
“Carina, I’ve got it,” Maya says again, softer now. She’s not dismissing her, just offering her gentle reassurance.
Carina exhales shakily. “Okay.”
Her eyes move over everything, the room, the kitchen, Lorenzo, Maya, Oliver.
She turns back to look at Maya, at the stability she radiates. “You’re sure?”
Maya doesn’t flinch, smiling softly up at her. “I’m sure.”
She looks over at Maya once more before leaning back down, pressing a quick kiss to Lorenzo’s hair. “I’ll be back soon, bambino. I love you.”
“Okay, I love you, bye mamma,” he replies easily, then turns to his friend. “Oliver! Your Captain- I mean your Mommy got the same nuggets I have at home!”
Maya smiles, nodding. “Yes! We have yours!”
Carina freezes for a fraction of a second, because he’s-
Fine.
Not just fine, he seems engaged, excited.
Without her.
The feeling remains sharp and unfamiliar, relief tangled up with something she doesn’t want to name.
Maya notices, of course she does.
“He’s okay,” she says quietly.
The doctor nods, but her eyes linger just a second longer before she forces herself to turn towards the door. “Text me if anything…”
“I will.”
She grabs her bag, keys in hand, but just before she steps out she looks back. Lorenzo is still playing at the table, talking a mile a minute while Oliver chimes in left and right.
The blonde is just behind her, unhurriedly following her.
She looks at her son once more, swallows, then leaves.
The patient is already under general anaesthesia when she enters the OR. It was supposed to be a routine C-section, but Dr. Wilson discovered that the placenta invaded deeply into the uterus, something that had been missed before.
Jo had been scared of rupture, both placental and uterine, and that’s how they ended up here, having called in Carina as the senior OBGYN.
She shifts slightly, gaze narrowing.
The placenta has invaded deeply, and when she follows the tissue lower, her stomach sinks. “Cazzo,” she murmurs quietly.
Wilson glances up at her immediately. “Bladder?”
She nods once. “Yes.”
Placenta percreta.
It was missed completely until they opened her.
The room shifts subtly around that realization, the recalculation that comes with it.
One of the nurses, Gayle, is already moving. “Should I go ahead and page urology?”
She nods distractedly, still focused on the surgical field. “Sì, please. Do we have blood ready?”
“Two units are on the way.”
Good.
She knows these cases, knows the risks, the reality that a hysterectomy is the safest option. “Wilson, what would you recommend for the uterus?”
“A hysterectomy is the safest thing to do.”
“Correct, is the baby okay?”
Wilson’s face immediately relaxes, relief flickering over her. “Yes, baby is fine, dad is with him.”
Good.
She steps back briefly while they wait for urology, and right when she does she can hear the buzzing off a phone. Nurse Gayle looks at her. “Dr. DeLuca? It’s your phone.”
Tension builds immediately, settling into her chest. “Is it from Maya? Lorenzo is with her and-”
She hesitated for a second, because what if it is Maya? What if it’s Lorenzo. Did she leave too fast? Maybe she should’ve stayed, find a different way. “Could you read it for me, please?”
“You got a message from ‘Maya, Oliver’s mom’,” she says, voice soft. “He’s good, nuggets and fries are a hit.”
The tension in her chest loosens, Gayle shooting her a kind look. “He’s alright.”
He’s good.
Not overwhelmed. Not shutting down. He doesn’t need her to fix anything. He’s just… good.
She exhales slowly, “Okay,” she murmurs.
“So… you left Enzo with Maya?” Jo starts.
But before she can reply, the doors of the OR open again. “Urology’s here.” And Carina slips back into focus.
By the time Carina pulls up outside Maya’s house, she’s exhausted, utterly done with the day.
She was fine during the surgery.
The controlled urgency, the clear steps, the knowing exactly what to do. It’s second nature, it’s what she’s good at.
But now?
Now she just wants to go home and get into bed, but despite what she would want to do, she has to go get Lorenzo. And hope he is doing alright.
Please let him be alright.
Maya hadn’t texted to say anything went wrong, and she trusts her, trusts her and Oliver with Lorenzo. But it’s still new, it’s stressful, something to adjust to.
What if he isn’t alright?
Her fingers tighten slightly around the steering wheel before she forces them to relax. She checks the time again, despite already knowing it.
She was gone for just under three hours.
Long enough.
Too long.
So much could’ve happened.
Too loud. Too much. Too unfamiliar.
Lorenzo could’ve shut down instead of melting down. What if he couldn’t manage with the Bishop’s yet without her?
Maybe she should've asked Avery to pick him up instead, only a small amount of time alone before Avery could have taken him home.
She exhales slowly, unbuckles and steps out of the car. She smooths her hands down the front of her jacket like it would press the worry out of her.
He’s fine.
Maya said she would follow his lead.
She gets him.
He’s fine.
He’s fine.
She’s about to knock on the door when it opens.
Maya.
She looks up at her with a soft smile, her eyes are reassuring, calm. “Hi. I saw the headlights and-”
“Guessed it would be me?” Carina cuts in, a small laugh escaping her.
“Yes.” Her smile turning slightly embarrassed, but she does step aside to let Carina in.
Inside, the house is… normal.
Warm light is spilling in from the living room, there’s a low murmur of voices and a small smile grows on her face when she hears Spider-Man on the TV.
Of course they are.
She pauses inside of the doorway, simply observing, like she’s afraid to disturb them.
The boys are sitting next on the couch, close but not touching, a blanket half-draped over their legs. Oliver is leaning forward, completely invested. Lorenzo sits a little straighter, his hands slowly turning his fire engine over.
He’s stimming.
But he’s calm.
Regulated.
Himself.
Something in her chest loosens so unexpectedly it almost hurts.
“Hi,” she says softly.
Oliver looks back, waves, and goes back to Spider-Man.
But Lorenzo…
Before he even fully turns to face her he’s already standing up, quickly crossing the space between them. “Mamma!”
He wraps his arms around her, pressing in close and she drops her bag without thinking, her hands coming up immediately, one cradling the back of his head, the other steady against his back. “Ciao, amore,” she murmurs, leaning down to press a kiss into his hair.
She waits, tension slowly creeping back into her shoulders.
She waits for his tension, for the way his body can stay too tight, too heavy or too… off.
But-
He’s fine.
Grounded.
He pulls back after a moment, not clinging, not unraveling, not looking for space either.
“Hi.” His voice is softer this time.
“Hi,” she echoes, her voice just a bit unsteady. “You okay?”
A smile tugs at his lips while he nods. “We had nuggets! And fries! Just like the ones at home, mamma.”
She huffs out a small, breathless laugh. “Of course you did.”
Behind them, Oliver is scrambling off the couch, making his way toward them, clearly having decided he needs to be a part of this too. “Enzo’s mamma, can Enzo stay for one more Spider-Man?” He asks, pointing to the TV. “Just one more! Please? We’re almost done-”
“We’re not almost done,” Lorenzo corrects, interrupting his friend.
“We are!” The blond boy insists.
Her first instinct is no. It’s late, though not too late, she’s tired, Lorenzo must be reaching his limits and-
She hesitates.
Because Lorenzo doesn’t look tired, doesn’t look like he’s pushing past his limit.
He looks… settled.
Present.
Maya takes a step forward, now next to her. “How about, and you can say no, we let them watch one more, then we wrap it up, calmly.”
Oliver beams. “Yes!”
“It’s not a yes, Probie, it’s an idea, and maybe Carina and Enzo have to go.”
But Lorenzo is nodding, his gaze creeping back to his spot on the couch, where he was sitting earlier and she can see Oliver deflate at the idea of his friend leaving.
She watches them both for a second longer, glances at Maya and back at the boys. “Alright, one more.”
Oliver bounces around. “Yes! That’s a yes, mommy! That’s a yes!”
“It is a yes! Good job, Probie. How about you and Recruit go back to the couch and press play? We’ll be right there.” The blonde suggests.
“Can I press play, Captain Maya?” Enzo asks, looking up at her.
“Sure, can you let Recruit do it Probie?”
“I can share!”
“Tea?” Maya asks, already moving into the kitchen.
She seems calm, like it’s nothing, like she hasn’t just quietly read the entire situation. Like she didn’t sense, maybe even before Carina did, that she needs a moment to calm down before going home with Lorenzo yet.
She focuses on her breathing, making sure to exhale slowly, dropping her shoulders. “Yes. Please.”
Although slowly, she follows the Captain into the kitchen. Somehow, it feels lighter there, or maybe that’s just because of the tension that’s finally starting to ebb.
Pausing at the counter, she leans against it, her arms folding loosely while her fingers press into her sleeves. “He’s…” Carina starts, peering back at Lorenzo.
A warm mug is handed to her with a soft smile. “Yeah.”
Carina lets out another breath, almost out of disbelief. “I thought-” She shakes her head, cutting herself off. “I kind of expected him to be exhausted, or maybe dysregulated or shut down.”
“He had a moment, close to dinner. But he just needed a minute.” Maya admits.
“What happened?” The edge to her voice is clear.
“I think he got a little worried about the food and he got quiet.”
She takes a breath, making sure to keep her voice steady. “What did you do?” It’s not accusatory, she just wants to know how Maya handled it.
“Nothing special, just followed his lead, and after a couple minutes he decided to try. I didn’t pressure him, I promise,” the Captain says with a soft smile.
“I didn’t think you did.” Carina reassures her. “Thank you, for letting him take his time. I was worried he wouldn’t settle, so I’m glad it went well.”
“I was thinking,” Maya started carefully, trying to portray that what she is about to offer is something easily refusable. “Thursday afternoon is usually pretty calm here.”
Carina looks up, meeting Maya’s eyes, a soft expression on her face.
“I could pick him up. From school. If you want.” Maya offers. “Gives you, and him, one less moment with Avery..”
Carina’s grip tightens slightly on the mug in her hands. “Maya-”
“No pressure,” she adds immediately. “Really, take your time, you don’t have to decide anything now. Or at all. Just, maybe think about it?”
She watches her, something conflicting and fragile going through her.
This is more than just logistics.
It’s trust, letting go.
It’s letting someone else step into something she’s been holding close.
“He was okay,” she mutters under her breath, barely loud enough for Maya to hear.
The engine doors slam shut behind them, echoing through the barn. “Alright,” Maya calls as she shrugs her own turnouts off. “Let’s aim for dinner in twenty?”
“On it Cap!” Travis replies easily, already on his way toward the stairs. Behind him, the rest of the team lets out tired groans, some “yes, Captain’s” following.
It’s normal, routine.
Yet, by the time Maya steps into her office, her routine gets broken. Instead of the station settling into a post-call lull with showers running and lockers slamming, the door opens behind her, and Vic and Andy waltz in.
“No.” Maya says, before she even turns to look at them properly.
“Wow, you didn’t even consider hearing us out, did you?” Vic grins, letting herself fall down into one of the chairs in front of Maya’s desk.
“Did I have to? What are you doing in my office?”
Andy leans against the doorframe with her arms crossed. “What? We can’t hang out with our friend now?”
Blue eyes narrow as she looks between her friends. “You’re normally rushing for a shower, or helping with dinner, and instead, you’re here… making my office dirty.”
Vic presses a hand to her chest with a dramatic gasp. “I’m offended.”
“Good.” Maya smirks.
And although she could, she doesn’t kick them out, and Andy takes that as her invitation to sit in the chair next to Vic. “So, Vic has a thing.”
“A thing?”
“She wouldn’t tell me until she could tell us both.”
“Okay,” Vic says, clapping her hands once. “Important question.”
“Why does this sound like something I’m not going to like?” Maya sighs before settling down in her own chair.
“Because you don’t like fun,” Andy says, raising her eyebrows.
“I like fun,” the Captain shoots back.
Vic gives her a look before opening her mouth. “Name one fun thing you’ve done this week.”
Her lips part slightly before closing again, her brows furrowing slightly, then a smile grows on her face. “Carina and Enzo were over, that’s always fun.”
“Which is great but that doesn’t help my question,” Vic chimes in.
Maya rolls her eyes, but there’s a faint twitch of a smile in there. “Fine,” she mutters, “what’s your question, Hughes?”
“Lucas tried to fix the sink yesterday,” she starts, leaning forward slightly, “tried being the key word here. Tried. Really hard.”
“I see.”
“It was bad.”
“How?”
“There was water everywhere,” Vic says. “He said it was ‘under control’ while he was standing in like, an inch of water!”
“I see.”
“And like,” she continues, “I really shouldn’t be as surprised about this as I am.”
Maya leans back into her chair, arms crossed, a slight smile on her face as she shakes her head. “You married him.”
“I know! It’s- it’s a personality flaw.”
Andy snorts, softly kicking Hughes on her shin. “You love him.”
“I do,” Vic admits easily. “But I can’t decide how long to be mad at him for.”
“How sorry did he look?” Andy tilts her head.
She pauses, thinking. “Very.”
“Then you’ve got, what, a few hours left?”
Vic huffs. “That’s not enough.”
“Or,” Maya says, trying, and failing, to hide the smile on her face, “until he makes it up to you.”
She seems to consider that for a moment, lips twitching. “He did offer take out.”
“I guess that will work too” Andy says with a shrug.
Vic shakes her head, a smile pulling through now. “I hate that it does though.”
There’s a pause after that, and Maya stares out the window as something quiet passes through her expression, something about the way talking, or complaining, about Lucas always seems to dismantle her.
Did she used to-
She doesn’t let it settle. Instead, she turns towards her friends, ready to send them both off for dinner, but Andy beats her to it.
“Is Oliver ready for his birthday next week?” she asks with a smile.
She doesn’t bother trying to hide the smile growing on her face. “So excited! He’s loving the animal theme, though it would probably be easier if he would just pick a favourite animal.”
“He still hasn’t picked something?”
“Nope, but he’s excited, and that’s really all that matters. And- well Enzo is coming and I think maybe that is all that matters to him.”
Vic and Andy exchange a knowing look before Andy turns back to look at Maya. “How’s the tiny recruit doing?”
“He’s good,” Maya answers, smile widening before her shoulders tense slightly. “He had a rough start to the week but- even when he had to stay with us without Carina on Wednesday he did great.”
Vic watches her for a second. “How is she?”
The blonde falters, not expecting the question. Her mouth presses into a thin line, not closed off, simply considering. “She’s… good. Carina’s good.”
“You’ve been seeing them a lot,” she says lightly.
Maya nods. “A bunch of playdates. Dinner Wednesday's."
Andy hums. “That’s nice.”
It’s simple. Not loaded and Maya nods again, a little slower. “Yeah. It is.”
There’s a pause.
Vic leans back in her chair, while Andy leans forward, observing Maya quietly. “You like her,” she says, not a question, not a tease, just a simple observation.
“I-” Maya exhales through her nose. “Yeah, she’s my friend.”
The words sit different now, no longer doubtful like they did weeks ago. She knows they’re friends now, they see each other multiple times a week, definitely every Wednesday for dinner, and more often than not one or two playdates for the boys a week as well.
Yes, she’s pretty damn sure Carina DeLuca is her friend.
Andy catches the way her words are more deliberate now. “Not just ‘mom friend’?”
The blonde shakes her head, gaze flicking between her two friends. “No, definitely not. She’s… easy to be around,” she admits. “Doesn’t expect anything, you know?”
Hughes sends her a soft smile. “Those are the best kind of people, you deserve that.”
Something flickers in Maya’s eyes, she’s not quite ready to agree, not quite rejecting it either, but regardless of what it is, it weighs heavy on her.
“And it doesn’t have to be… anything,” Andy adds. “Just, people. Friends.”
There’s a carefulness in Andy’s words, a line they’re not crossing. The memory and weight of Nate hangs between them.
“Yeah, I know.” Maya’s voice is softer now, her gaze trailing off towards the window for a moment before she straightens up, pushing off the desk. “Alright,” she starts, voice firmer now, shifting back toward the captain. “Dinner soon, let's move it.”
“Rude.” Vic groans.
“We’ll be in the kitchen,” Andy agrees as she stands up.
Vic follows with a smirk, though just before stepping out she glances back. “Hey, Maya.”
She looks up to see Vic’s smirk turn into a warm smile. “I’m glad you have her.”
Maya doesn’t answer her right away, but she doesn’t deflect either. “Yeah.”
With a satisfied nod, Hughes disappears into the hallway, the door closing behind them.
It’s the weekend when Lorenzo is playing in his room, cross-legged on the floor, a small cluster of fire trucks lined up around him while he moves them in circles, wheels tracing the same path over and over.
Andrea had gotten there about ten minutes before, but Lorenzo hadn’t spared him a second glance.
He’s content with his trucks.
Regulated.
Present in his own way.
Carina’s gaze shifts back to the hallway every couple of minutes, something Andrea doesn’t miss.
“You know he’s not going anywhere, right?” He asks lightly, leaning back into the couch with a grin. “Unless a firetruck shows up outside of the house, he might elope if that happens.”
She gives him a look that immediately makes him raise his hands. “He’s in his room, safe, comfortable, he’s not going anywhere but to the living room when he gets bored.”
“I know, I know.” She sighs, a small smile flickering across her face.
And still, she looks back at the hallway, to where she knows his room is, to where she knows he’ll be pushing his engine again, same path, same rhythm.
“He was okay,” she says after a moment, turning back to her brother.
“He was..?” - he doesn’t know what she’s on about
“At Maya’s.” She fills in.
“Ah, he was.”
“More than okay.”
There’s something about the way she says it that makes him look at her properly.
Not with concern. No, she sounds almost surprised, like she’s still coming to terms with it. She rolls the edge of her sleeve between her fingers while her gaze drifts towards a photo of him.
“I thought- I was so sure he would struggle with it. He always does, it’s- I changed the plan without warning, a new plan he’d never had before.”
Andrea tilts his head slightly. “But he didn’t.”
She shakes her head, a small smile still tugging on her lips. “He was calm, talking, engaged, stimming but-” she pauses, searching for the word. “Easy.”
“That’s good!”
“It is,” Carina agrees quickly.
Too quickly.
Andrew catches that too, he doesn’t push, simply waits for her to be ready.
“He didn’t need me.”
Her voice is softer now, she doesn’t frame it as a complaint, but somehow, it lands heavier than that.
He studies her for a moment before nudging her with his foot. “Carina,”
She looks up at him, a hint of sadness crossing her features.
“That’s the goal,” he says gently.
She huffs, but there’s no real argument behind it. “I know,” she says. “I know.”
Her gaze flicks back to the hallway again. “It just…” she exhales slowly, shoulders dropping slightly. “It felt strange.”
“Strange how?” Andrew asks after a moment.
She doesn’t answer immediately, opens her mouth before closing it again. Because is there really a way of wording this without sounding unreasonable?
This is what she wants for him.
She wants him to be comfortable in other places.
She wants his community to grow, to have other people he feels safe with and understood.
“He was… comfortable,” she says eventually. “With them. With Maya. Like- Like it wasn’t new? Like he didn’t have to adjust too much.”
She presses her lips together. “And I don’t know if that’s because we’ve been going there more often, or because Oliver is-” she gestures vaguely around them. “-Oliver. Or maybe just because Maya gets him in a way nobody has ever had.”
Another pause.
“Or maybe all of it.”
He watches her carefully now, making sure to keep his voice light, curious, not accusatory. “And that bothers you?”
Her head snaps up. “No,” she says immediately. “No. It doesn’t bother me.”
She closes her eyes, posture softening. “It’s new. And I’m so happy for him, I am, but he’s disapproved of so many people since- well- forever, that I’m just not sure how or even why this is happening.”
From the hallway she can hear Lorenzo mimicking a siren under his breath with scary accuracy and Carina’s shoulders loosen just a fraction.
“You trust her.”
It’s not a question, but it makes her pause nonetheless. Because that, that is the part she hasn’t said out loud yet.
“She offered to pick him up on Thursdays.”
“Yeah?” He asks, raising his eyebrows.
Carina nods. “It would be one less moment with Avery”
“And?”
She hesitates for a moment. “I told her I would think about it.”
“Wait what!” He exclaims, confusion clear on his face. “That’s like a yes coming from you, why not?”
She frowns slightly. “Because- it’s not a yes.”
“It’s not a no either.” He argues.
She doesn’t reply to that but his smirk says enough.
Oliver is long asleep, but Maya is still watching TV on the couch. She has one leg tucked underneath her, a blanket half-pulled over her lap and her phone rests loosely in her hand.
Party planning is stressful.
Steamers, plates, napkins, balloons.
Almost 5 year old Oliver didn’t care half as much as almost 6 year old Oliver does.
Luckily though, he’s been set on an animal theme for weeks, and he didn’t change his mind once.
Her son will be six next week.
Where did the time go?
Oliver has been talking about it non-stop though.
Who’s coming, what they’ll do, what time will people be there.
In a way, it’s easy, showing up for him like this.
She’s good at planning, clipboards. It’s clear, concrete. There’s steps and lists, things she can check off and know they’re done right.
She can do that.
Her gaze shifts to the ceiling, like she could see through it into Probie’s room. He fell asleep mid-sentence tonight, still on about his party and how they needed monkey decoration too because. “Enzo loves monkeys, mommy.”
She’d agreed with a soft smile, mentally adding monkey balloons to the clipboard.
After he fell asleep she stayed a minute longer than usual, just watching him sleep, one hand loosely curled into the fabric of his stuffed bear.
She’s been doing that more lately.
Staying longer.
Watching.
It feels like she’ll miss something if she doesn’t, and her chest tightens at the idea. Because he has already missed so many things.
Things she can’t fix with themed plates and enough snacks.
She leans her head back against the couch, her eyes closing briefly.
Nate would’ve-
The thought infiltrates her thoughts before she can stop it.
Automatic.
Familiar.
Though it’s been less frequent lately, she knows Nate would’ve gone overboard with it. Decorations everywhere, probably some ridiculous fire hazard in the backyard that would turn the party into an event.
She exhales slowly, a soft smile on her face.
He would’ve made it bigger.
Louder.
Fuller.
Her jaw tightens slightly because Oliver would’ve loved it.
It doesn’t cut like it used to anymore, but the thoughts are still there, still heavy.
Oliver is fine, happy, excited and safe.
But some days she worries about the things he doesn’t know he’s missing, about the version of his life that was supposed to exist, the one she was promised.
She swallows and blinks the thought away before it can root too deeply, because that way doesn’t help anyone.
It never has.
Her phone buzzes softly beside her.
Maya glances down, hesitates for just a second, then picks it up.
A message.
Carina.
She doesn’t open it right away.
Instead, she just looks at the name for a second.
Lets the feeling settle.
It’s… different. Not overwhelming. Not demanding.
Just there.
Easy, safe, comfortable.