Chapter Text
Lieutenant Maya DeLuca-Bishop hurried through the chaotic scene, her adrenaline pumping in her chest as she ascended the smoky staircase of the office building. Each step felt like a battle against the weight of the thick, acrid smoke swirling around her, but she was driven by a singular purpose: to save lives and fight fires, the very calling she had been born to do. The urgency of the moment propelled her forward, each heartbeat echoing the necessity of her mission.
As she reached the fifth floor, the world around her was cloaked in a dense haze, visibility limited to just a few feet. The sounds of crackling flames echoed ominously in the distance, mingling with the frantic beeping of alarms and the distant cries of people in distress. “Seattle Fire Department, call out!” she yelled, her voice cutting through the chaos. She could hear Andy and Theo echoing the same words a few feet behind her.
Suddenly, she heard a voice, faint but desperate, drifting through the smoke. Urging her to push forward into the room and begin her search for the source. Instantly, she began to scan her surroundings, her training kicking in as she focused on the contours of the room, trying to locate the person in need.
After a few tense seconds, she spotted him—a man crouched beneath an office desk, his eyes wide with fear and his face smudged with soot. He was low to the ground, desperately trying to shield himself from the smoke and heat, but it was clear he was struggling. Coughing violently, he looked up at her, his expression a mix of terror and relief as he recognized that help had arrived.
“You’re okay!” she shouted over the noise, her voice firm yet encouraging. “I’m here to get you out! Can you walk?”
The man hesitated for a moment, his instincts screaming for him to stay hidden, but as the smoke thickened around him, he realized he had no choice. As Maya approached, his eyes widened and he instinctively reached out, gripping her arm tightly as if she were his lifeline.
Without hesitation, Maya knelt beside him, her heart going out to the frightened man. She could feel the tremors coursing through him, the raw fear radiating from his body. “I’ve got you,” she assured him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She hoisted him up, guiding him from his refuge beneath the desk.
He coughed again, the smoke filling his lungs, but Maya remained resolute. “I’m right here,” she encouraged, her voice steady despite the chaos surrounding them. Together, they navigated through the haze, Maya leading him away from the desk and toward the door. The heat from the fire pressed against them and Maya could feel sweat dripping from her forehead but she pushed forward.
As they reached the corridor, Maya caught sight of the light from the exit sign shining through the smoke. Yet, with each step, she felt the man’s grip on her tighten, making it harder for her to move as she bore much of his weight. She could feel his heart racing against her side, a reminder of just how precarious their situation was. “You’re doing great,” she said, her eyes locked on the door ahead. “Just a little further.”
Finally, they burst into the open air outside, where the coolness of the evening greeted them. Maya quickly brought him to the nearest aid car, where Ben Warren and Travis Montgomery were ready to assist. She swiftly helped him onto the gurney, ensuring he was comfortable and stable before she turned around to go back to the burning building.
“Wait! What’s your name…?” he called out, glancing at her gear and reading her surname, his voice hoarse from smoke inhalation.
“I mean.. what’s your first name, DeLuca-Bishop?” he rasped, his words mingling with persistent coughs.
Maya paused, caught off guard by his question. In the midst of the chaos, she hadn’t thought to introduce herself. “Oh um, it’s Maya,” she managed to say, her focus still on the urgency of returning to the fire and helping others.
His face broke into a grateful smile, even as he struggled to catch his breath. “Stephen, Stephen Davidson. That’s my name,” he coughed, his voice cracking slightly.
Maya flashed him a small smile and nodded her head in a gesture of pleasantry, before she sprinted back toward the building to combat the raging fire.
The rest of the callout went relatively smoothly, although during her final extraction, Maya selflessly gave up her oxygen mask to a woman struggling to breathe. It was a quick decision that left her coughing and short of breath, but she would do it again in a heartbeat.
After delivering the last civilian to the aid car, Ben immediately placed an oxygen mask on Maya, noticing her labored breathing and the strain on her face. Maya tried to push it away but Ben persisted “Bishop, you need this,” he said firmly, ensuring she took a moment to recover.
Once the fire was finally extinguished and the team was preparing to leave, Chief Ross ordered Maya, Andy, and Theo to get checked out at the hospital for smoke inhalation. They were still attached to oxygen, coughing intermittently from the residue of the smoke.
“We’ll be fine,” they all muttered in agreement, but Chief Ross wasn’t having any of it and insisted on following through with her orders. As she walked away, Maya humorously said through her mask, “Carina is going to be so mad at me.”
Andy chuckled, then coughed in response. “Yeah, Mai, I’m glad I’m not in your shoes because she definitely will.”
Upon arriving at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, Maya took in the hectic scene. Those they had rescued were already being triaged, and the air buzzed with the sounds of medical personnel rushing about. Maya quickly scanned the room but didn’t spot her wife. Although she wanted to see Carina, she preferred her to see her after being cleared, to ease any worries she might have.
In her haste, Maya overlooked the familiar figure of Stephen, who was desperately trying to catch her attention from a nearby hospital bed. Meanwhile, Miranda guided the three firefighters away from the bustling ER to a quieter room. Though Maya felt a gaze on her, she didn’t investigate further and simply followed Miranda.
Stephen, thrilled to see the brave blonde firefighter again, had kept his eyes on Maya since her arrival in the ER. Disheartened that she hadn’t noticed him, he made mental notes of her direction, hoping to catch her before she left.
Once inside the quieter room, Miranda instructed the firefighters to take a seat on the gurneys.
“Have you… um, have you told Carina I’m here?” Maya asked Miranda, coughing slightly as she tried to catch her breath.
Miranda smirked at her, an eyebrow raised. “Well…”
Before she could finish, the door swung open, and Carina rushed in, her concern evident on her face. “Maya! Maya! Oh my god, are you okay?” she exclaimed, running her hands up and down Maya’s arms, checking for any signs of injury.
“I’m fine, I’m fine! Don’t worry. Just a little smoke inhalation, right?” Maya said, glancing at Miranda for confirmation.
“I’m about to check Maya over, but yes, I believe it’s just smoke inhalation,” Miranda confirmed, addressing both women with a reassuring nod.
“See? I’m okay,” Maya insisted, trying to ease Carina's worries.
“I saw the fire on the news; it was huge! I was so worried, bambina,” Carina admitted, her voice laced with anxiety. She leaned in for a kiss, but as their lips met, Maya let out another cough.
“Sorry,” Maya said sheepishly, “still have a bit of a dry throat.”
Carina opted for a kiss on Maya’s forehead instead, her eyes softening with love. She then turned to Andy and Theo, who were also sitting on gurneys, looking weary and covered in soot.
“And you two, are you okay?” she asked, her gaze shifting between them.
“Just some smoke inhalation, but we’ll be fine,” Andy replied, offering a reassuring smile.
Maya squeezed Carina’s hand. “We’re okay. But don’t you have somewhere important to be, babe? You’re still on shift.”
“Jo is covering for me for the rest of the shift; I couldn’t work, I was too worried,” Carina said.
Maya felt a pang of empathy as she watched her wife. She hated that her job had this effect on Carina, the worry etched on her features.
“I told you not to watch the news when I’m on a scene; it worries you too much,” Maya said, squeezing Carina’s hand tighter, wishing she could take away her anxiety.
“I know, but I worry anyway, and it was on the waiting room TV, so I couldn’t help it,” Carina replied.
Maya smiled at her but their conversation was interrupted when Miranda returned from checking over Andy, to now conduct Maya’s tests.
“This won’t take long, and then you two can be on your way,” Miranda said reassuringly, her demeanor professional yet caring.
“Grazie, Miranda,” Carina said, grateful for her friend and colleague’s help.
About an hour later, Stephen grew impatient in the hospital. He had hardly been seen yet, classified as stable, and other patient in a more serious condition, mean’t that he was still waiting for a doctor to attend to him. When Dr. Helm finally arrived at his bedside, he seized the opportunity to ask about Maya. “I’m looking for the firefighter who saved me—Maya DeLuca-Bishop. I saw her here; do you know if she’s still around?”
Dr. Helm, preoccupied with her own responsibilities, replied, “I’m sorry, it’s been busy in the ER. I don’t know where she is.”
“I just want to thank her,” Stephen insisted, a sense of urgency rising within him. “I wouldn’t be here without her.”
Dr. Helm apologized once more as she hurried off to assist another patient. Growing more impaitent, Stephen decided to get up from his hospital bed. He walked down the hallway, searching for Maya but finding no sign of her or any of the firefighters. He noticed the doctor who had ushered Maya and her crew earlier and asked if they were still there.
“No, they’ve gone now,” the doctor, Miranda, replied curtly, clearly in a rush.
A wave of disappointment washed over Stephen. Determined, he returned to Dr. Helm, who had just spoken to him. “I couldn’t find Maya DeLuca-Bishop, the firefighter who saved me. I really want to thank her. Could you tell me which station she works at?” he asked, trying to remain polite but direct.
Dr. Helm, still overwhelmed with tasks, didn’t think much of his inquiry and quickly responded, “She works out of Station 19,” before rushing away to assist another patient.
After finally being seen and receiving his discharge papers, Stephen made his way out of the hospital, his mind racing as he replayed the moments of Maya rescuing him. He could still picture her courageous demeanor, the way her steady voice cut through the smoke as she guided him to safety. He felt an undeniable connection to her, a bond forged in the heat of that life-or-death moment.
Once outside, Stephen pulled out his phone and searched for the contact information for Station 19. He located their number and address, contemplating whether to call first or drop in unannounced to thank her.
Deciding to call, Stephen's heart raced as he waited for someone to pick up, pacing back and forth as he listened to the ringing on the other line.
“Station 19, you’re speaking with Gibson. How can I help you?” a male voice answered.
“Hi, um, I’m looking for Maya DeLuca-Bishop. I was saved by her during the fire at the office building today,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady and calm.
“She’s finished her shift for the day. However, if you want to leave a message, I can make sure she gets it,” the voice said.
“No, that’s okay,” Stephen replied, disappointment flooding over him. “I just wanted to thank her. Can you tell her that Stephen called?”
“Um, sure, I’ll let her know when she’s back at the station,” the voice assured him.
“Thank you,” he said before hanging up, a sense of unfulfilled longing settling in his chest.
As Stephen made his way home, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had to express his gratitude to Maya properly. Thoughts raced through his mind about how he could make it special. An idea sparked in his head—he would bring her flowers. It was a simple gesture, but one that he hoped would convey the depth of his appreciation. Yes, that’s what he would do; he would drop by the fire station and surprise her.
With renewed determination, Stephen planned his visit, envisioning the moment he would finally get to thank the woman who had saved his life. He was sure that Maya DeLuca-Bishop would appreciate a surprise.