Chapter Text
His sex appeal is undeniable: when she first laid eyes on him her knees nearly buckled from the force of his innate masculinity. He
has to be AT LEAST six foot four, with muscles that strain the seams of his uniform and model-quality features. As he addresses the
team for the first time his dark eyes meet hers and 'lock on' for a few seconds...and she barely stifles a gasp (successfully faking a cough,
which she covers with her fist). His voice is deep and resonant, he clearly was an athlete earlier in life, based on his sinewy, sure movements.
"My door is always open, and I plan to be available to the teams after shift while I acclimate myself to the way the station operates. I'll meet
each of the Lieutenants this evening, beginning with Lt. Gibson. Lt. Herrera, will you take control of any scheduled training, chores, etc, please?
Thanks. Are there any questions before we start the shift?"
Travis Montgomery raises his hand: "Sir, didn't you play basketball at Washington State in the '80s? My dad's a big fan."
The new Captain smiled. "I did; both Chief Ripley and I formed quite a potent tandem in the day."
Vic leaned over and whispered to Andy "PO-tennnnt", in a breathy voice. The Latina Lieutenant colored and elbowed her friend discreetly;
luckily Sullivan didn't notice. To avoid the smirks of Vic Hughes and Maya Bishop (Andy's best friend) she assigns solitary chores to herself
(skipping lunch-her stomach does flip flops whenever her mind wanders to those dark, INSIGHTFUL eyes of their new station commander)
until the evening when The Captain sends Montgomery to find her. "Please sit", he offered once they are behind the closed door of his
office. When she is settled he began by saying "I'm going to lean on the both of you-you and Gibson-to help me navigate the team dynamics,
and so forth. You two have the Station's PULSE for lack of a better word and based on the mountain of paperwork already in my 'inbox', most
of my attention will be on IT unless we are called out. I don't yet who might always be willing to take another shift, or whom on the teams require
additional training; those types of things. The Chief updated me that your father was once the Captain of this house and that you aspire to that
position someday. I have no problem with that IF you pout-shine Gibson when you're 'up' to prove yourself as acting Shift Commander, as practice
for possible future promotion. What are your questions?"
"Just a comment , Sir: as for myself I'll do whatever is needed to bring you up to speed as soon as possible, and I know Gibson very
well: he'll do the same. We're here as your resources, WHATEVER YOU NEED."
"In that respect, I've served in various fire stations around the country in my nearly twenty years on the job, and this job as much as any other-
in some ways than some...is MORE LIKE A FAMILY...we're both grown-ups, so I'll say it plainly: Chief Ripley did mention that this house has a
reputation as...OVERY-INCEST prone. That needs to end immediately. Are we clear?"
"Clear, Sir."
Good, Thank you...I noticed that you didn't have lunch with the team"...
'Neither did YOU ' she said to herself.
"...why don't you get some dinner...that's all for now."
"Join us...Sir", she offered before she could stop herself.
"I'll make a dent in this pile first...see you upstairs?"
"See you upstairs...Cap", she replied. Her stomach flips again as she leaves the office.
****
"This is a supremely bad idea, Baby Rambo...of the many MANY questionable choices I'M aware of, this has got to be the worst-worse than
hooking up with Gibson, or..."
"WE BOTH hooked up with Gibson as I remember, and if we're re-litigating 'questionable choices' the biker chick FOUR-WAY..."
"Bup-BUPBUPBUP!-we're talking about YOU and what you are about to do with OUR FUCKING NEW BOSS!"
Vic arrives, interrupting the mildly quarreling best friends. "WHOAAA-WHO EXACTLY is fucking our new boss? WAIT-is Sullivan gay ?
Is it TRAVIS? If he's fucking Travis..."
"WHAT THE FUCK!-Dial it back Crazy Town...HERRERA is the one prowling for what by all appearances is the new Captain's large bore hose"...
"You checked out the Boss' 'trouser snake '-SLUT!" Andy exclaimed.
"The same way that YOU, and YOU, Vic...and Montgomery, and Bowers have: so don't come for ME! I know when you're in heat, and YOU Missy
are on the prowl."
" 'Stas pendeja , Olympics" Andy retorted, opening the 'fridge and reaching for a bottle of beer before changing her mind and
taking a ginger ale instead. "I'm being a good Lieutenant, being of service to the new Commander; besides I'm on a path, and the sooner he
is promotable I'M promotable, and YOU, and YOU, Hughes. It can't hurt to build brownie points with Sullivan, who is RIPLEY'S best
friend, by the way."
"HA!", Vic hooted. "You DO THAT SHIT, Herrera! You review that LBH for the good of 19!" She walks into the bathroom laughing.
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Later, in her bunk 'La Legada' (The Legacy*) lay their re-thinking her intention to find a way past the new Captain's defenses. As hot
he is it's actually more than that: her Dad would certainly not be happy that she didn't do what she could to make him part of the
'19 family'. She had to admit to herself, though that when Jack 'crept' past earlier for some late evening *fun* part of the reason
her very real interest in CAPTAIN ROBERT SULLIVAN...the truth is that if her father (the station's former commander) hadn't become
aware of her and Jack's involvement they would like still be hooking up (not that Pruitt Herrera would find a liaison with Sullivan any
more palatable)...she decides on a whim to call her cousin in Miam for advice: Detective Second Grade ANNALISE VILLA...
"During particularly troubling times in our lives, we sometimes glom onto the familiar, which I'm glad you resisted that temptation
this time. Not to rub it in Prima but in the past, you either made a dash for that Ryan guy or the one you work with-Gibson?-to 'soothe'
yourself during stressful times-or whenever you're in heat and the fact that you resisted...I'm proud of you, Girl?!"
Though they are very close in age 'Lis has always had a more sensible approach to romance, career, etc. That pep talk inspired Andy to
reach for her iPhone and cue up a song that she and her Prima would listen to in trying times ('Many Rivers To Cross' by Jimmy Cliff)
which reminded them to never give up:
Many rivers to cross
But I can't seem to find my way over
Wandering, I am lost
As I travel along White Cliffs of Dover
Many rivers to cross
And it's only my will that keeps me alive
I've been licked, washed up for years
And I merely survive because of my pride
Oh, that loneliness won't leave me alone
It's such a drag to be on your own
My woman left and she didn't say why
Well I guess I'll have to try...
She decided to call Annalise the next day and go over her new plan of action...