Chapter Text
Maya steps out of bed with a deep sigh, preparing herself for the shitstorm that should be another day as Captain of Station 19. She typically likes to start her day with a protein shake and a run before shift, but today Maya had a gnawing feeling of dread… A burning anxiety that sat heavily in her chest and caused the hair on her neck to raise.
Something bad was going to happen today; she could feel it. Maya had always possessed an uncanny ability to see things before they were going to happen. Not like a psychic, but more of a heightened intuition for her environment. Maya wipes the bad feeling free with a shaking of her head and settles for no breakfast, hurrying out the door to just get the day over with.
As Maya trudged into the station, that persistent heaviness continued to creep into her chest. She was not looking forward to another 24 hour shift with her team who had made it all but blatantly clear that they rejected her as a Captain. She was a natural born leader, with an insatiable drive for success and performance, but that didn’t always translate well in terms of career ambitions.
The team felt slighted; as if she had snatched the promotion out of Andy’s hands. The truth is, Andy had shot herself in the foot and ruined her own chances, and Maya seized an opportunity. Sure, she could have explained that to Andy and been honest and up front with her about her decision to enter the running for Captain, but Maya’s intentions were pure and she never meant to hurt Andy in the process. Truly, Maya had always envisioned the two of them being captain of their respective firehouses together one day.
After settling in, Maya walked into the room where the team was eating breakfast.
“Good Morning everyone, I have listed everyone's duties for the day on the list, please ensure that your specific tasks are finished after your breakfast and morning line up.” Maya huffs.
Andy rolls her eyes in response and scoffs “Thanks Captain Obvious, you’ve only put our chores on the list for the last 6 weeks straight. I think we know where to look.”
Andy’s comments are met with laughter as Maya swiftly turns her back to march back to her office.
The team frequently gave her attitude, with snide tones and responses to her orders, undermining her authority on calls and outright refusing to interact with her outside of calls. They went from a family that spent a majority of their time together to a fragmented & shattered group.
Like most instances, Maya found herself alone against the world. The feeling wasn't unfamiliar to Maya, as her dad’s abuse and intense training schedule had isolated her from most of her peers & family growing up. Maya was more than accustomed to fending for herself, going at it alone. You’d think with years of experience in darkness and isolation, that it would begin to hurt less. That was not the case.
The fragmentation of Station 19 at the hands of Maya has been eating away at her. She’s been reclusive and moody, drinking more than ever, and neglecting her mental health. Maya often used running as a form of release when her feelings felt too big to process. Each day after shift she found herself either hitting the bottle of whiskey or hitting the pavement to run until the point of exhaustion.
Shoving her feelings aside she entered her office to get started with her daily paperwork, ignoring the voices from down the hall as the team enjoyed their breakfast together.
Ben had noticed a change in Maya, and absolutely hated the way that the team was treating her. He tried his best to stand up for her and defend her name to the rest of the team, but his points never landed because he was still viewed as a rookie or the old guy of the group.
Ben decided to speak up “Come on guys, give Maya a break. It’s been almost 2 months and you’re all still punishing her. It’s not fair, she’s just trying to do her best.”
Travis sighs deeply and interjects “Warren, it is imperative to have a captain that we all trust to keep us safe and make the right decisions in high pressure situations. Maya went behind Andy’s back and stole her Captaincy. How on earth do you expect us to trust someone with our lives that would snake her best friend like that?”
Andy nods in agreement and offers “Travis is right, she stabbed me in the back, who is to say she wouldn’t put us in danger or continue making decisions that only benefit her?”
“But guys you have to see this from Maya’s perspec-” Ben tries to offer but is swiftly cut off by the sound of the Klaxon roaring throughout the firehouse
“Engine 19 Respond, Aid Car 19 Respond - Structure Fire”
Maya picks herself up, takes a deep breath and runs out of her office to join the team, while her lingering dread tags along. As Maya steps into the truck, her thoughts echo in her mind:
“Something bad is going to happen today”