i swear i thought i dreamed her

by amaltheazwrites

Summary:

Anna: Can I stay for a while?

William: You can stay forever.

- Notting Hill

or

that notting hill au

Chapter 1: act one: chapter one: pretty woman

Notes:

Hi everyone!

Here we are with day three and a whole new story, and I promise, this one isn't going to hurt like iwatbl. This fic is inspired by Notting Hill. I had been torn as to whether I wanted to follow the movie beat for beat but y'all know me, I just don't do that. But I hope that this story will keep with the spirit of Notting Hill.

Az doing a romcom? Should be interesting 😂

Enjoy!

Much love,
Az ❤️❤️❤️

P.S.: Fic title comes from the song Work Song by Hozier.

P.P.S.: Image used was created by @mayastherapist on Twitter 🫶🏼

ACT ONE

Anna: Can I stay for a while?

William: You can stay forever. 

- Notting Hill

chapter one: pretty woman

Carina rolls her eyes at the sound of an overdramatic sigh beside her. 

“Are you really not going to talk to me for the next sixteen hours?” she asks, playfully elbowing her brother’s side as they casually walk the air bridge to board their plane. 

Aside from a few grunts and some monosyllabic replies, Andrea has stayed mostly silent and fuming next to her. He could have chosen to sit anywhere else while they waited to board too but apart from going for a restroom break, he stayed by her side all the way until their group number was called to board.

He shoots her an icy glare as he adjusts the shoulder strap of his messenger bag. “You know that we could have just taken a later flight and we would still have been on time for the wedding.” 

She rolls her eyes once again, more than tired of this argument. He was the one who told her to take care of everything. He was the one who did not want the responsibility to book their flights back to Sicily. He was the one who had no objections when she texted him the date and time. And he had more than plenty of time to say something too.

But Carina wisely doesn't say a word to fight back, knowing well enough that her grouchy little brother has never been fun to deal with when he’s running on little sleep. Especially when he had a surgery the day before that ran longer than expected. But once he gets some coffee and food inside him, he will be less insufferable. 

Carina is so caught up in being annoyed with her brother though that her walking pace slows down enough to cause the person behind her to bump right into her and step on her heel. Despite the hiss of pain, Carina knows that it's her own fault for slowing down. She shoots an apologetic glance over her shoulder, seeing only a navy blue cap in her vision. 

“I’m so sorry,” she hastily utters, quickening her stride to catch up to Andrea before the other person can even form a reply. 

They're holding up their boarding passes as they board their plane. Andrea goes in front of her, taking the lead to their seats. “Look at it this way, fratellino, now we can sleep in a little bit when we get there and not be so jet-lagged during the wedding,” she points out.

He grumbles at her logic while taking his seat. Carina shakes her head at him for not wanting to admit that she's right. She stores her bag in the overhead compartment before going to sit beside him. 

She glances up at the TV monitor in front of her, her heart fluttering when she's greeted by a familiar pair of blue eyes. “Andrea look, they've got all the movies that your girlfriend is in.” 

They both turn around when they hear a gasp behind them. 

“Oh no, she’s not—” Andrea starts to protest, awkwardly chuckling as he attempts a warmer smile for the passenger behind them. “She’s not my girlfriend. My sister just likes to tease me because I admire her work so much.” 

When the passenger sheepishly nods in response, Carina snorts, turning back around in her seat before she buckles her seat belt. “Sì, ‘admire’. That is exactly the word for it.” 

“You're so annoying,” Andrea sighs. “And don't pretend like you're not going to watch her movies too. You 'admire’ her way more than I do.”

Carina shrugs, unbothered by the accusation as she pointedly gestures at the screen. “She’s incredibly talented and she is also very easy on the eyes. I ‘admire’ her very much.”

She waggles her eyebrows. This time it's Andrea who rolls his eyes. 

“Annoying,” he mutters, shaking his head before turning to gaze out the window. 

Carina lets out a quiet chuckle as she thoughtfully scrolls through the filmography section of one Maya Bishop.

---

She chuckles to herself, listening to the pair of siblings quietly bickering as they make their way to their seats. 

A flight attendant interrupts her eavesdropping, greeting her with a warm smile. “Welcome aboard, Miss Bishop. My name is McKenzie, and let me help you with that.”

Her backpack is pulled off her shoulder. “Oh, that's not necess—” she pauses, realizing that she's much too late to protest as her backpack has now been deposited on her seat. She gives McKenzie an awkward smile. 

“Thank you so much,” she murmurs, taking off her navy blue cap and setting it on the small table attached to her seat. 

She sighs quietly as she takes her seat, thankful to be leaving so early. From what she saw earlier, there aren't a lot of other passengers leaving this morning so there's a very little chance of being seen or recognized. Even the paparazzi somehow hadn't been tipped off about her departure, which feels almost miraculous. 

Maya thinks about getting some sleep but the script that Julia gave her to read through has been burning a hole in her backpack for the last week and a half. With another week left before shooting, Maya figured going away to a beautiful Italian resort would spark her enthusiasm for this next project. Not that she'd have any time to enjoy said beautiful resort unfortunately. From the sheer weight of the script alone, Maya is sure it’ll take her entire stay to get through it all. 

Maybe once she's done with this project, she can come back. Unless Jules has her doing something else. 

“Is there anything I can get for you before we take off?” McKenzie asks her just as she's taking the script out of her backpack. 

She looks down at the script in her hand. “I suppose it's a little too early for whiskey,” she jokes, smiling a little when McKenzie laughs along. “Orange juice, please?”

McKenzie nods. “Coming right up.” 

She pushes the sliding door, though keeping enough open space just so McKenzie won't have to knock when she comes back with her drink. She can fully close it after that. 

She’s fully in the middle of an internal debate over whether she should start reading now when she hears somebody trying to get her attention. Maya looks up around her until she catches the eye of the stranger sitting in the aisle next to her. 

“Hey, you're her, aren't you?” the stranger asks in a terrible attempt at whispering. 

Maya gives them a quizzical grin when she notices them pointing to their TV monitor. 

There she is. 

There’s her face plastered all over the screen. 

She fights the urge to wince at the too-bright smile glaring back at her. She really hated that photoshoot. 

But this isn't her first time being recognized where she doesn't want to be and it most likely won't be the last. So she meets her aisle-mate's gaze, widening her own eyes. “Oh no, that's not—you think I look like her?” she asks, high-pitched in her fake-disbelief as she points to herself. 

Putting on a thoughtful frown, she continues, “I guess I can kind of see the resemblance, with the hair and oh, maybe the eyes.” She shrugs. “But nope, sorry. That’s not me.”

Her little performance—admittedly weak, but come on, it's much too early in the morning for something Oscar-worthy—earns her a narrow-eyed stare, dubious and filled with uncertainty. But Maya has been doing this long enough to know that it's almost always too easy to fool people into believing her. 

As long as she maintains steady eye-contact, which she does. 

“Hm, I guess you are right.” 

“An honest mistake.” She nods, relief going through her. Maya sets her thumb to the button for the divider, giving the stranger a lopsided smile. “Sorry, I’m just gonna—” she firmly presses the button, her smile turning awkward as the divider takes its sweet time going up. 

Once it finally and fully shields her from view, Maya breathes out a sigh. 

Maybe Taylor had a point with those private jets.

Chapter 2: chapter two: the first time ever i saw your face l

Notes:

Hi everyone!

Phew, it's been awhile, huh?

I'm sorry to all those who have been waiting for an itge update. It's been awhile since I've taken this long to post anything but if you guys have been following me on my socials, you'd know then that I got super SUPER sick and that took me out of commission way longer than expected. And coming back to write after awhile was a little hard, but I am back and hopefully with this update, that means an itge update will also be coming soon!

For those who have been waiting for this update, I am also sorry for keeping you waiting. I honestly was waiting to finish itge before focusing on this and my other story. But itge was kicking my butt a little and I needed something that wouldn't be as emotionally taxing to work on, and also a little fun so here we are!

Good news is I also have outlined the next few chapters which should be fun to work with. I've told y'all before, even though this story is tagged as a notting hill au, I won't be following the movie beat for beat but I hope that you won't mind that too much.

Enjoy!

Much love,
Az ❤️❤️❤️

Bella: The more I think about things, the more I see no rhyme or reason in life. No one knows why some things work out and some things don't. Why some of us are lucky and some of us get…

- Notting Hill

chapter two: the first time ever i saw your face 

One of Carina’s favorite things about flying is when she gets to see the sunrise. 

There’s just something so tranquil and calming about getting to see it from this height against the deep blue skies. So it annoys her a little that her brother took the window seat because he knew that she'd want it. He’s not even awake to enjoy it either which makes it even more annoying. Honestly she doesn't even know how he can sleep so peacefully; she barely managed a couple of hours before spending the rest of the time reading the medical journal she brought with her and then watching her favorite Maya Bishop movies once she got tired of reading. 

It isn't much longer after seeing the sun rise and having been served breakfast that they're making their full descent. Landing, however, is not Carina’s favorite part about flying at all and so she lifts her feet off the floor just before the wheels make full contact with the runway. Gabriella has always teased her about this little quirk but it’s something that Carina has always done since she was little that she just never stopped, even well into adulthood. 

She sighs once the plane slows down, taxiing down the runway until they eventually get to their gate. They've made it. 

And somehow Andrea managed to sleep through it all. 

Carina waits until they've come to a stop before smacking his shoulder. “Andrea, stop drooling. We have arrived.”

Her brother jolts awake. “Wha—I’m awake. I’m awake.”

She arches her eyebrow as she watches him lift his arms up to stretch, letting out a big yawn as he does so. “You are? So all that drool all over your face is a choice?” she teases, watching in amusement as he tries to subtly wipe his mouth, his cheeks flushing when the flight attendant opening the curtain that separates the cabins, catches his eye. 

Passengers have already begun to stand up to grab their bags out of the overhead compartment, talking quietly amongst themselves about what they're going to do once they leave the airport. Carina can only think about getting coffee that hadn't been brewed in an airplane before going right back to sleep in Gabriella's guest bed. The wedding rehearsal isn't until much later in the afternoon so she has plenty of time to rest. 

Once people start walking towards the exit, Carina finally unbuckles her seatbelt so she can grab her bag from the overhead. Andrea follows suit, putting his jacket back on before picking up his backpack. 

“Double check to make sure you have everything.”

Even though he didn't take anything out, her brother thankfully obliges her and checks the front pockets of their seats. “All good,” he tells her, giving her a thumbs up at the same time. 

She nods, draping her own jacket over her arm before joining the thankfully brisk moving line of people disembarking the plane. Carina had noticed that it wasn't a full flight which was one of the main reasons that she bought tickets for it, and a surprisingly quiet one despite the five families that had toddlers with them that she had seen walking about during the flight. 

As they pass through first class, Carina spots that navy blue cap again. 

---

Maya usually likes to wait until the entire plane is emptied out of passengers before she starts making her own way out. 

Her neighbor thankfully had known well enough to leave her alone while she made through some of the script that Jules had given her. She's still not particularly enthusiastic about this project even though Jules was right to say that she'd be good for it. It's exactly the kind of role that Maya has always been so good at playing and that's wherein lies the problem. It's not challenging enough anymore and Maya is starting to feel that burn-out from playing the same kind of characters over and over again. 

She needs something brand new, something more meaningful. But every time she asks her agent, Jules always comes back to tell her that there's not really anything good enough for her. Still, it doesn't stop Maya from asking every time they have their weekly catch-up. 

She looks up from her phone to see McKenzie approaching her. “That was the last one, Miss Bishop,” 

She gives the flight attendant a warm smile, pocketing her phone. “Thank you, McKenzie. You’ve been really great this entire flight. Is there maybe anything you’d like before I go?”

A bashful look crosses McKenzie’s face. “Well, I’d never say no to a selfie.”

Maya softly laughs, nodding as she stands up. “I can do that. Is there anybody else who’d like to join in?”

Her words were apparently the magic words as the other flight attendants appeared and took their spots around her while McKenzie stayed next to her. It’s a good thing that she's not in a rush to be anywhere, she thinks as she gives her best Maya Bishop smile for the camera. 

It's about a half an hour later when Maya finally exits the plane, waving to the flight attendants before making her way to passport control. It takes a little more time to get through but nothing she isn't used to and at least she's traveling on her own. Once that's done, she heads straight to the baggage claim after checking her phone to see that the driver she booked is waiting for her outside. 

There is a whole line of strollers going past her on the belt when she spots her duffel bag wedged in between two of them. Maya shakes her head, grateful that she didn't bring anything remotely breakable with her as she rushes to grab it. In her haste to get to her bag, she accidentally bumps into somebody else. “Oh shit, I’m sorry.”

“It's no proble—”

She immediately catches the flash of recognition in his eyes and quickly presses her finger to her lips, silently asking him to not say anything. Maya breathes a sigh of relief when he slowly nods, giving her what she assumes is an attempt at a charming smile. Not bad but she has seen better. 

But still she nods, grateful that her anonymity remains intact. She quickly picks up her duffel bag and makes her way through the exit. 

---

Carina spots Andrea’s bag approaching and so she turns to let her brother know since he said that he would grab their bags for them and she's already got her bag.

But she finds him not paying attention to the bags and is instead facing the complete opposite direction. She catches the look on his face and rolls her eyes, knowing exactly what must have caught his eye. She smacks his shoulder. “Andrea, stop daydreaming. Your bag is coming.”

He shakes his head. “I wasn't—I wasn't daydreaming.” 

“So you didn't just see a pretty girl?” she asks, arching her eyebrow in disbelief. 

Her brother gives her a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his neck. “Well…”

She rolls her eyes once again, shaking her head at how predictable her brother is. “Men,” she mutters, pulling her bag behind her. “Come on, go get your bag. Gabriella is already waiting for us.”

She waits until he’s pulled his bag beside hers. “You couldn't wait until we left the airport to find somebody to flirt with?”

“I wasn't flirting!” Andrea protests heatedly. “I thought I knew who she was but I was wrong.” 

She narrows her eyes at him. “Who did you think it was?”

“Uh, Arizona,” he quickly answers before wincing. “Sorry.”

“Why are you being so weird?” she asks, exasperated by her brother’s behavior as she glares mildly at him. She’s almost sure that he didn't see her ex-girlfriend. The way that he keeps scratching at his chin is how she knows that he's keeping something from her but she can't really tell what. “Arizona and I broke up many years ago, Andrea. I am over her.”

He raises his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. Like I have said so many times before, I just think it's going to be awkward. No need to get mad at me.” 

Her frown deepens. “Who is mad? I’m not mad.”

“Sure,” he replies, sounding doubtful. 

“Wait,” she stops in her tracks when something occurs to her, reaching out for her brother's shoulder, “are you saying that Arizona was the pretty girl you thought you saw?” 

Andrea’s mouth drops open. “I—that was not what I meant!”

An evil grin stretches across her face as she takes her hand off his shoulder and resumes her trek towards the spot where Gabriella said she’d be waiting. “Hm, it seems that maybe you are going to be the awkward one pining after one of the brides.”

“I’m so happy we're traveling together. All this sibling bonding is going to be so amazing,” he deadpans when he catches up next to her. 

She snorts. “Just think, fratellino, Gabrie will be with us for the rehearsal dinner and the wedding tomorrow.”

“Oh god, is it too late to go back home?” he whines, clearly distracted by his dramatics that he doesn't realize the attention he’s getting from people passing them by.  Carina shrugs at all the amused looks thrown her way. 

Baby brothers. 

---

It doesn't take long after Maya has checked into her room for her to get settled. 

She’ll have to remember to get Spencer something really amazing before she goes back home, for organizing everything for her. Though she's sure her assistant is most likely enjoying her own downtime with her family before they both get back to work when Maya starts filming again. But for now and for the rest of the week, Maya is going to enjoy her cozy room with a view of the glittering Ionian sea (which she totally didn't look up during the flight). 

After a short nap, Maya takes a seat on her terrace outside her room, carrying both her laptop and script and placing them on the table. Room service will be on the way with her late lunch soon so maybe she can get through half of this script and she’ll actually have something to tell Jules when she calls in a couple of days. 

Maya has barely made it a few pages before her phone starts ringing. “Oh, thank fuck.” She frowns slightly when she sees the caller ID before tapping to accept the call. She leans back in her chair, using her pen to bookmark where she left off. “Hey Andy, what's up? Isn't it ass early in the morning for you right now?”

Her best friend snorts. “I’m in Chicago so it’s like, 3, so I guess, yes.” Maya hears the familiar sound of water being poured into a glass. Andy must have only just gotten done with her day. “Your mom texted me and said that you’re spending a week in Sicily even though I know you don't have any events going on until you start shooting, and then I thought, Maya? Our Maya? Going on vacation? There's just no way.” 

She rolls her eyes. “I brought the script that Jules sent me.”

“And there it is,” Andy triumphantly cries out. “Maya, please tell me you're gonna go outside and get a tan. God knows you need a little more color on you,” her best friend teases. “Seriously, please tell me you're not sitting wherever in your hotel room right now with some old episodes of Jeopardy playing on your laptop and that script open on your lap.”

A warm blush spreads across her cheeks at the near-apt description of her current state. That's what happens when they've been friends for nearly ten years now. “Shut up,” she mutters. “And I am on the terrace actually.”

She hears her best friend sigh, a knowing chuckle coming through the speaker. “Okay well, promise me you’ll go swimming on the beach or something.” 

Maya scrunches her nose at the thought of going to the beach with all that sand. “I promise I will go swimming,” she replies, thinking about how swimming in the pool totally counts. 

However, Andy proves once again that she knows her far too well. “On the beach, Maya.”

She groans. “Fine, fine. On the beach,” she repeats, rolling her eyes.

“Good. I’m going to pass out now,” Andy unceremoniously tells her. “I'll call you tomorrow or later today or whatever and we’ll do a proper debrief.” 

She chuckles. “Sounds good. Love you, Andy.”

“Love you too.”

Her phone buzzes just as she’s about to place it back down on the table, frowning slightly when she sees that it's from Andy. 

Andy: maybe get laid too, that thing’s catching cobwebs 

She swiftly replies with the middle finger emoji. 

---

It is official. Carina hates rehearsal dinners. 

She wasn't lying to Andrea this morning when she said that she's over Arizona. She is. What she isn't over is the way people keep giving her pitying looks as if it wasn't Arizona herself who invited her. 

At first, Carina was very understanding about it. It's not like a lot of people really know that despite how bad their break-up was, they managed to become friends over time. Not the kind of friends that catch up regularly but friends in the sense that there aren't any bad feelings between them anymore. 

Is it a little weird that Arizona is getting remarried to her ex-wife in the country that her ex-girlfriend is from? Maybe. But Arizona asked if it was okay and Carina wasn't exactly sure on how to make any kind of argument against having their wedding here that wouldn't make her sound like a jealous and bitter ex. And Carina is anything but jealous or bitter. 

But it doesn't stop everybody from gossiping otherwise. She supposes the fact that she also hasn't been in a serious relationship since Arizona, and that her plus one happens to be her best friend, is not exactly helping her case. But still, neither of these things is good reason to pity her. 

Carina glances around the room. It really is a beautiful space in an equally beautiful location. Arizona and Callie made a good choice with this resort. She watches all her friends and colleagues loitering around, dancing and talking to each other, and it hits Carina that she really is the only single person in attendance. Even her brother is with Meredith right now, who he has been flirting with for the past few weeks. 

It's not that Carina doesn't miss being with someone for longer than one night. She does. But she hasn't exactly met anybody who makes her want to see them for longer than one night. She’ll know when she meets that somebody. 

She breathes out a frustrated sigh when she catches a sympathetic look from Callie’s father. “Gabrie,” she whispers, leaning in after nudging her best friend’s side, "I’m going out for some air.”

A concerned look passes over Gabriella’s face. “Do you want me to come with you?”

She shakes her head, giving her a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine.”

---

She absolutely did not go swimming on the beach today.

But Maya did still go to the beach, taking a picture of the crashing tides of the sea to send to Andy so that her best friend will know that she at least left the hotel. She hadn't really been in the mood to swim but after having been on a plane for more than sixteen hours, being outside didn't seem like such a bad idea. It certainly doesn't hurt that this resort has a private beach area so Maya won't ever have to worry too much about prying eyes.

She's not as confident about being at the hotel bar though, pulling the visor of her cap down a little more after looking around the room and seeing just how many people there are around her. They're all dressed way more elegantly than she is with her jeans and her gray Henley, which makes her stick out more than she is comfortable with. 

Just one drink and then she’ll go back to her room. 

Maya takes an experimental sniff of the beer that the bartender put in front of her after telling him that she wanted to try a local brew. Her eyebrows lift at the slight honeyed scent that she's getting from it. She takes a wary sip, humming immediately at the expected sweetness though surprised by the salty aftertaste. Maya peers up to see the bartender carefully watching, waiting for her judgment. She gives him a thumbs up to which he nods in relief before going off to serve the customer who just walked up the bar.

“Hi. Red wine, please.”

Shooting a sideways glimpse to see who has taken the seat next to hers, Maya tries not to choke on her drink or spit it out. Unsure on what to do next, she decides that she's just not going to move a muscle at all because there is no possible way for the woman that just sat right next to her, to be real. There is just no way at all. The beer is obviously much stronger than Maya previously thought. She’s hallucinating or god forbid, completely passed out on the bar. 

She takes another glance and the woman is still sitting right there, in a dress that is revealing way more leg than Maya is prepared for. 

Maya has met many gorgeous people in her line of work—hell, she herself has made it on lists with those same gorgeous people. But she has never seen somebody who looks like she can literally stop traffic with barely an arch of her eyebrow. If Maya had even a smidge of her brother's talent, she'd be drawing that face every single chance she gets. 

She’s fully in a trance watching the graceful hand wrapped around a wine glass and wishing that she could be that wine glass. Or maybe the wine that's being sipped on. 

Oh god, maybe Andy was right. It has been too long since Maya had sex. 

“You look familiar.”

Maya stiffens, inwardly cursing herself. Her previously dreamy gaze flies up to meet captivating brown eyes. “Oh no, I—”

But before Maya can deflect the way she did with her row neighbor on the plane, the narrowed gaze suddenly widens in realization. “Oh my god, yes!” she cries out, making Maya wince at how loud she's being and it dawns on Maya then that her bar neighbor is a little bit on the tipsy side. “You were on my flight this morning.”

“Wh—what?” Maya stutters in surprise. That wasn't what she expected. 

The woman nods in satisfaction, pointing to the top of Maya’s head. “I recognize your cap.” 

“Oh,” she huffs. “Oh yeah,” Maya finally laughs in relief. She feels her body relaxing once again as she self-consciously adjusts her cap. “I know this isn't exactly the place to wear it but—”

“I like it,” the woman interrupts before Maya can finish. “It’s cute.”

She stares at her, wondering what side of drunk this woman is really at. “Thanks.”

Maya assumes that that’s the end of the conversation when the woman proceeds to rest her elbow on the bar top, facing her. “So are you staying at this resort too?”

She grins a little at how casual this insanely gorgeous woman is, despite being in an incredibly fancy dress, like she just doesn't really care about how she looks to anybody else. Maya envies that. But then again, it probably helps to be some kind of intoxicated. “I am, just for a week or so before I go back to work.”

“Oh, that is lucky,” she replies. “My brother and I are only here for a wedding on Sunday and then we'll be flying back the day after.”

“That certainly explains the dress,” Maya nonchalantly comments as she takes the opportunity to look over the woman properly, moving her gaze up from impressively high stilettos that are doing god’s good work for those calves, all the way until their eyes meet once again. Is there any part of this woman that isn't breathtaking? “So, uh, rehearsal dinner?” she guesses, watching as she gets an answering nod before the woman takes a long sip of her drink. Maya recognizes that move well. “Was it that bad?”

The woman sighs wistfully. “The dinner was lovely but the wedding? It's for my ex and her ex-wife.”

Maya winces in sympathy. “Was it a bad break-up?” she asks, having a really difficult time comprehending how anybody could ever let this woman go.

A sardonic grin crosses the woman's face. “Is there such a thing as a good break-up?”

She shrugs, breathing out a quiet chuckle. “I’m kind of often surrounded by dramatic people so I wouldn't really know.” 

“Oh? Are you surrounded by Sicilians too?”

Maya barks out a surprised laugh, shaking her head when she sees the proud smile being thrown her way. Her heart flutters at the sight. “So wait, you and your brother were flying in from Seattle?”

“Why do you sound so surprised?” the woman asks, a teasing smile on her lips. “Do I not sound American to you?”

Resting her own elbow on the bar to mirror the woman's position, Maya leans closer. “If there's a state where there are people who speak and look like you, I'd move there right now,” she murmurs, grinning proudly when that earns her a laugh. 

“You are charming,” the woman quietly observes, biting down on her bottom lip as she meets Maya’s gaze. “But no, I am not American. My brother is but I was born and raised here.” 

Maya nods, her mind buzzing with endless curiosity. “Has it been awhile since you've been back?” 

“Ah, it has been a few years,” she answers, darting her gaze to the bartender before pointing to her empty glass. 

“Do you miss being home?” she asks, frowning when she catches a strange look coloring the woman's face. 

A cautious grin stretches the woman’s lips. “Such heavy questions and we only just met,” she tries to tease, obviously wanting to bring them back to lighter conversation. 

But Maya can already tell from the way that she's avoiding looking back at her that Maya has crossed a line somewhere. “I’m so sorry,” she rushes to apologize, reaching out for the woman’s hand on the wooden surface. “It's really weird but—”

“But what?” the woman asks, her eyes seemingly focused on Maya’s hand sitting on top of hers. 

Maya attempts to withdraw her hand but her heart starts racing when the woman holds onto it, keeping Maya’s hand there. “I just feel like… like I want to get to know you.” 

Her breath catches when the woman’s eyes are suddenly back on hers, staring deeply into her own eyes as if she's trying to figure her out, as if she's trying to decide on what to do. Maya can only stare unflinchingly back. She squeezes Maya’s hand as she leans in so close that she can feel her breath sweeping hot across her skin. “If you would like to get to know me really well, you can always take me back to your room.”

Her mouth drops open in shock. “I—how much have you had to drink?”

The woman leans back, picking up her glass to take a sip from it. “Enough that you shouldn't worry about me regretting it tomorrow if you take advantage of me.” 

Maya frowns, unsure on how to actually respond to that. “What if I’m still worried anyway?”

“You shouldn't be,” she murmurs. Maya watches as a wolfish smirk slowly pulls at her lips. “I plan to take advantage of you right back.”

“Oh,” she breathes, feeling a hot flush spreading across her cheeks. “Okay.”

She watches the woman’s smirk then change into a reassuring smile. “If I am not walking in a straight line when we leave, you can change your mind and bring me right back.”

She lets out a deep breath, feeling herself relax at those words. Even though they've barely talked for more than a few minutes, she feels like she can trust that the woman meant what she said. Maya doesn't know how but she feels it anyway. “Is there anybody you need to call first?” she asks, remembering that there was mention of a brother. 

The woman nods, picking up her phone beside her. “I should call my best friend to let her know to just go back home and that I will see her for lunch tomorrow.”

Hearing that, Maya can't help but arch her eyebrow. “Confident that I’m gonna let you stay the night?”

That wolfish smirk makes its swift return. “Confident that you will want me to.”

Maya sucks in a sharp breath, once again somehow knowing that those words aren't being promised lightly. She feels herself tremble a little. “Call your friend,” she quietly tells her instead. “I’ll take care of our drinks.”

She follows attentively as the woman steadily gets up from the bar stool and walks away—in a straight line, to Maya's relief—to make her call. And as Maya waits for the bartender to bring back her receipt, she observes the woman talking on the phone to her best friend with animated gestures of her hand. This certainly wasn't something Maya expected to happen when she came to the bar tonight and she wonders what the rest of the night will look like, feeling a sense of excited anticipation that she hasn't ever felt before.

She wonders what tomorrow morning will bring them.

Chapter 3: chapter three: enchanted

Notes:

Hi everyone!

This is my last update for a little while. Thank you to everybody sending me lovely messages. I've really appreciated seeing every single one 🥰

And thank you so much to everybody who commented on that previous chapter. It's been so fun to see you guys getting invested in this story. I love getting to write considering how light-hearted it is.

So how do we think Carina is going to react once she realizes who exactly she slept with? Let's find out 😉.

Much love,
Az ❤️❤️❤️

Anna: Men went to bed with the dream, they didn't like it when they'd wake up with the reality. Do you feel that way?

William: You are lovelier this morning than you have ever been.

- Notting Hill

chapter three: enchanted

Carina is surprised to wake up and not have a raging migraine. 

She slowly blinks an eye open, spying an empty glass on the bedside table next to a familiar bottle of painkillers. Oh, thank god. Whoever she slept with is already winning so many points right now. She reaches for her phone, unplugging the charger cable—so very, many points—to check the time, grumbling a little with herself when she sees how early it still is. 

She rolls over to lay on her back, huffing to herself. She should leave, right? Clearly she and whoever this person is had their fun and they can go their separate ways and live their lives. Last night is a bit of a blurry fog at the moment but the way so much of her body feels loose and relaxed the longer that she's becoming more awake and more aware of herself and her surroundings, they obviously had a lot of fun. 

Maybe that's the reason that Carina finds herself hesitating. It has her a little curious about who exactly she spent her night with. It's been much too long since anybody caught her attention enough for her to want to sleep with them and still be curious about them afterwards. 

Finally deciding that maybe she can take a peek on who her bed partner is, Carina turns to lay on her side, coming face to face with—

“Oh my god!” 

Jumping away in shock, Carina somehow finds herself on the floor next to the bed with the duvet all over her. Barely a moment passes before she hears a groan, followed by quiet grumbles and slow rustling of the bedsheets. Her view of the ceiling is now obscured by the sleep-rumpled face of one Maya Bishop. Considering the way that her ass is aching from her fall, Carina now knows for certain that this isn't a dream. 

Oh god, she slept with Maya Bishop.

Maya Bishop. 

Maya Bishop, who was apparently the one who made her body feel a level of satisfaction that she hasn’t felt in a very, very long time. Maya Bishop, who is very, very naked, while Carina herself, is—she lifts the duvet a few inches—also very, very naked. Maya Bishop, who is currently staring down at her with a look of sleepy bafflement.

She pulls the duvet up to her chin. 

“You okay?” Maya asks, with her voice thick and languid from slumber and her blue eyes looking drowsily over her for injuries. Understanding dawns on Maya’s face when Carina takes too long to answer, still dumbly staring up at her. “Ah, you recognize me.”

She nods slowly. “Did we…?”

Maya gives her a bemused look then. “If there was some other beautiful woman that gave me the best orgasms I ever had in my life last night, you should tell her to give me a call,” she jokes while Carina's eyes widen with every single word coming out of her mouth. Her expression transforms into a concerned one. “Seriously though, are you okay? That sounded like a real bad drop.”

Carina shakes her head, forcefully willing herself out of this stupor. “I—my ass hurts,” she quietly admits, feeling her cheeks heat up now that it's fully hitting her that she fell right off the bed after realizing who she slept with. She is never telling anybody about this, not even Gabriella. 

“Do you maybe want to come back up, bring that duvet with you ‘cause I’m feeling a little chilly now—and we can talk?” Maya softly offers, extending her hand out towards Carina. She gives her that charming lopsided smile that has always made Carina swoon a little and she is very ill-prepared for how it leaves her completely undone to have it directed her way. “I’ll even pretend that I haven't seen you naked and that we hadn’t just spent hours with my face between your legs.”

The teasing words inadvertently trigger Carina’s memories to unlock and all at once, she is bombarded by sounds and images from last night. She remembers the moment they first walked into Maya’s hotel room and she was the one who made the first move while Maya made sure that her door was locked. They shared their first kiss right there with her pinning Maya to the door, kissing each other all the way until they finally got to the bed after having left a trail of clothes in their wake. 

Carina feels something tighten in the pit of her belly remembering every sound that Maya made after she kissed her or touched her a certain way. She had been so gorgeously responsive to every single one of Carina’s touches and now Carina can't help but wonder if it was all just intoxication from the drinks they had combined with the darkness of Maya’s bedroom and the fact that they had only just met that made everything feel so heightened. Or if it was actually all them.

And that's not even touching on how Maya had made her feel… 

She’s pulled out of her thoughts when Maya pointedly clears her throat and adds, “I know we haven't known each other long but I’m pretty sure I recognize that look on your face.” 

Carina rubs at her cheeks, groaning internally at how hot they feel against her palms. That’s exactly what she needs, to embarrass herself even further than she already has. She pushes herself to sit up, pushing her hair back from her face. 

“Last night is coming back to me little by little,” she sheepishly admits as she takes Maya’s outstretched hand and gets up to her feet before climbing back on the bed, carrying the duvet with her. “And you don't have to pretend.”

Maya gives her a look of relief as she holds up the duvet for Maya to join her under it. “Oh good, because that would have been really, really hard,” she replies jokingly.

She sighs, laying her head back down on her pillow. Carina still startles a little when Maya scoots closer to her until their faces are inches apart, taken off-guard by how comfortable she seems to be with her. It can just be that it's that they've had sex or that Maya is that sleepy that she doesn't realize her proximity, or maybe this is how Maya is. Either way, Carina is finding it very difficult to regain her footing. 

“Hello,” she shyly whispers. 

“Hi,” Maya quietly murmurs, making Carina's heart flutter when she gives her a warm smile. “I guess we probably should have done the introduction thing before we actually got distracted, huh?” She holds out her hand. “Maya Bishop.”

She softly laughs, melting a little at the way Maya’s nose scrunches as she smiles before taking her hand in hers. “Carina DeLuca.”

She’s surprised when Maya doesn't let go of her hand and instead, lets their hands fall to the mattress still linked together. “So… I don't know about you but I’m still super tired. Do you wanna just sleep in a little more and we can talk after?”

She stares at Maya, taken aback by the unexpected offer. “You don't want me to leave yet?”

A playful grin pulls at Maya’s lips. “What’s the matter? Not so confident anymore?” she teases, sobering slightly when Carina doesn't reply right away. “Hey,” she softly murmurs, leaning in so close that her forehead brushes right against Carina’s, “I’m still the same person before you knew my name. It's not even who I really am most days.” 

“Who are you then?” she asks, her breath shaky from Maya’s proximity. 

Her gaze falls to Maya’s teeth sinking into her bottom lip, finding herself wishing that she could be the one doing just that. “I’d really like to be just Maya to you, and Just Maya really really wants you to stay for breakfast.”

Another soft laugh escapes her. “Does Just Maya always talk like that?” she asks, arching her eyebrow. 

An indescribable look crosses Maya’s face. “Sometimes Just Maya does,” she utters, her face softening before she adds, “especially if it makes you laugh like that.” 

Her breath catches at the whispered sentiment, sensing from the way Maya is looking at her, that she really meant that. Carina sighs, carefully reaching over to cup her palm to Maya's cheek. “You really are very charming,” she thoughtfully murmurs, tenderly brushing her thumb over Maya’s chin.

“But if you do want to leave, you can absolutely do that too,” Maya earnestly tells her. “I can call for a car to take you wherever you want to go.” 

Carina thinks about how she could just leave. She can put her dress back on—or whatever remains of it because she is remembering now how she heard a ripping sound when Maya took her dress off her—say goodbye to Maya and they'd never have to see each other ever again. Maya will then only become a secret and a fond memory—a truly gorgeous secret that she'll keep selfishly to herself for the rest of her life because god, how many chances in the world does anybody get for something like this to ever happen to them? To get the chance to fulfill the many, many fantasies that she has had about this woman? 

Then she looks at Maya’s unsure smile, how lovely and heartachingly gentle it looks on her face, and somehow Carina knows deep within her bones that Maya is more—better, than every fantasy that she has ever had about her, combined. Maya took such good care of her, giving her the water and the painkillers. She even charged her phone for her. Who even does that? 

And instead of making her leave after spending the night together, she's telling Carina that she wants her to stay, to even have breakfast together. Her eyes trace over every feature of Maya’s face, a face that she has looked at so many times over the past few years but Carina never realized before how deeply blue Maya’s eyes truly are. How had she never noticed that one is bluer than the other? 

“I think I’ll stay,” she eventually whispers, pulling her hand back to tuck it under her chin. 

The uncertainty on Maya’s face dissipates, replaced by the flash of a smile that can almost rival the sun. “Yeah?”

She nods. “It is still early—and I did tell my best friend that she won't be seeing me until lunch.” 

At that teasing reminder, Maya’s smile brightens even further that Carina forgets the sun even exists at all. “You did indeed do that.” She leans in and presses her lips to Carina’s cheek, lingering there as she adds, “and maybe next time you wake up, it’ll be a little bit more pleasant.” 

Carina feels something hot tightening in the pit of her belly at the whispered promise, wondering if that means what she thinks it does. But oh, how the hell is she meant to be sleeping at all now that she knows who she's literally sleeping with? Her heart is still beating much too fast to allow her rest any time soon. Her breath catches when a strong arm drapes over her stomach, making her gasp as she's being pulled into Maya. 

“Sleep, Carina,” Maya huskily demands as she lays her head on Carina’s chest. 

Despite the sudden nearness of their bodies together and how soft and warm Maya’s hand feels pressed on her stomach, despite the way hearing Maya saying her name for the first time makes her feel, despite her thoughts to the contrary, Carina actually does find herself calming down enough to the point that she eventually falls asleep. Hours later when Carina wakes up again, she’s already on the brink of an earth-shattering orgasm with Maya Bishop’s face between her quivering thighs. 

By the time Maya’s crawling up her body to share their first kiss since waking up and Carina responds hungrily to the taste of herself on Maya’s tongue, she doesn't have to wonder anymore. 

---

Maya has always had this fascination with listening to heartbeats. 

Her mom had always told her how it was always the only way to ever get her to calm down long enough to sleep when she was a baby, and this somehow was just a thing that never really stopped. Even closest friends are more than used to her crawling over them just to rest her head on their chests and listen to the way their hearts pounded against her ear. 

She likes to think that everybody has a different rhythm, that she knows the ones she has listened to the most, all by heart. When Andy is calm and relaxed, hers is always steady and almost soothing that it tends to lull Maya to sleep the fastest. Maya’s mom likes to hum whenever Maya lays on her; it makes her heartbeat seem like the bass line to a song that only she can sing; a song that she created just for Maya. 

Even though the people in her life are used to this little quirk of hers, she knows it's something they still find incredibly odd. Endearingly so, but odd nonetheless. She sees it every time in the way they smile enduringly at her. So when Maya woke up this morning—a mere couple of hours after the first time—she wasn't surprised to hear the familiar thumps of a heart beating against her ear. She did feel her own heart make a responding thud of its own, something in her thrilled that Carina actually did stay. 

When she lifted her head off Carina’s chest, Maya found her still peacefully sleeping. Her face was slack, mouth slightly open and her hair completely all over the place, and yet… Maya still felt that very same jolt that went right through her last night when she caught her first glimpse of Carina sitting right next to her. That jolt is not something that happens very often. 

It excites Maya to meet somebody new, somebody who makes her feel curious about them. That hasn't happened in a very long time. Even if it is only temporary. Though okay, last night she was much more curious about the kind of things they could possibly do to each other and that in itself had been a revelation. It breaks Maya’s brain a little to think of all the things they did last night. Even inebriated, Carina left Maya breathless and completely ravaged. 

There was also something about the way that Carina looked at her every time that their eyes met, that made Maya feel tethered to something that she really doesn't know how to explain to herself. Maybe it was her own imagination but it seemed like Carina felt it too. 

Hence, her curiosity. 

She’s got her head laying back on Carina’s chest now, feeling a little proud of herself  as she listens to Carina’s heart still pounding away. Maya licks her lips, humming at the musky taste of Carina still on her mouth. Lazily trailing her fingers over Carina’s belly, she peers up to see Carina’s eyes closed. Her breathing has finally slowed, settled. 

“You doing okay over there?” she asks, resting her chin where her cheek had been. 

Brown eyes slowly flutter open to meet hers. “I am still trying to make a decision.”

She frowns at the murmured reply. “About what?”

She watches as a languid smile stretches Carina’s lips and oh, that’s certainly a breathtaking thing for Maya to be seeing up close like this. And a heated thrill goes through Maya, knowing that she’s the reason for that smile. “Whether I drank so much last night that I am having a very elaborate and mind-blowing dream, or that this is really happening.”

Maya breathes out a quiet chuckle. “After all of that, you still have to think about it?”

A faint blush spreads across Carina’s cheeks. Her gaze drops to Maya’s hand tracing circles over her stomach before lifting it back to meet Maya’s patient stare. “I think sometimes, the really, really amazing things don't always feel real until after they’re over.”

She feels a simmering warmth settling in her cheeks as the meaning of Carina’s reply dawns on her. It does cross Maya’s mind to wonder if maybe Carina is referring to the novelty of having slept with a famous actor and not the connection that Maya thinks they have. As much as she’d like to think otherwise, it wouldn’t be the first time that she’s wrong about somebody wanting past a night with Maya Bishop. But this is the first time that she really hopes that she’s wrong. She had meant it when she told Carina that she wanted to know her. 

She playfully narrows her eyes. 

“Is that your way of telling me you want to leave?” she asks, quietly relieved when Carina immediately shakes her head. “I promise I am very real.” 

Carina is chewing on her bottom lip as she nods. She carefully reaches up and brushes Maya’s hair back from her face, making her heart flutter from the tender touch. Her brown eyes are gazing so deeply into her own and Maya stares unflinchingly back, her brain buzzing with so many questions. There is only so much time left before Carina does actually have to leave and they’d never see each other again.

“Can I ask you something?” she asks just as Carina’s palm is gently cupping her face. She waits until Carina nods, her thumb brushing lightly over her cheek before she continues, “how did you figure that…” she trails off, unsure on how to phrase the rest of her question. When Carina tilts her head, she haplessly shrugs. “Because it's not like I’m officially out but I’ve always kept my private life… y'know, intensely private. So women aren't usually the ones who… approach me.”

Understanding passes over Carina's face, a proud, knowing little smile forming on her lips. “It was the way you looked at me when you mentioned my dress,” she points out. “I might have been a little tipsy but I still noticed. And I know what curiosity looks like but your eyes—” her smile widens a little more before she adds, “they were definitely more than just curious.”

Even though that was probably the nicest way to describe her creepy ogling, Maya winces, giving Carina a sheepish look. “Sorry.”

Carina shakes her head, her thumb tapping lightly on Maya’s chin. “Don't be. Being admired by a beautiful woman is always an ego boost.”

“Yeah,” she chuckles in agreement, “but you don't look like the type who needs an ego boost. You seem very confident.” 

“I am, usually,” Carina unabashedly replies. “But I also didn't want to come away from our interaction without—what is it they say? Shooting my shot?” 

She’s smiling proudly when Maya nods, huffing out a quiet laugh. “What if I had said no?”

“Then at least I tried.” Carina’s thumb moves up to sweep across her bottom lip, her brown eyes dropping to Maya’s mouth. “I would rather regret trying than spending however many days wondering.” Her intense gaze comes back to meet Maya’s. “And I would have spent many, many days wondering.” 

“But you didn't even recognize me then,” Maya lightly argues. 

“No, I really didn't,” Carina softly replies, her eyes softening as they continue to stare back at Maya. 

Maya swallows thickly, swallows down the far too excited flutter of hope that's swelling inside her chest. She's not usually the type to be carried away by anything but she’s realizing now what it is about the way that Carina has been looking at her that has her so captivated. Even though Carina has realized who she is now, she’s still looking at her in the same way as she did last night, like Maya’s still just the woman that she met in the bar, like she’s… Just Maya. 

But where can this really go? They get to know each other over breakfast and then what? Carina’s going to leave, then she's going to be flying back in a couple of days and Maya will be here for another week before flying off to film on location in Aberdeen for the next three months. Her schedule beyond that is way too unpredictable to try and plan anything in advance. Who would want to wait for that? It’d be unfair to even ask and start anything. For now, all Maya really has is until breakfast to enjoy Carina's company. 

Why is she even so disappointed about that? They just met. 

Without warning, she leans up and captures Carina’s lips in a slow, searching kiss. A quiet moan escapes her as Carina’s hand moves to bury itself in her hair, returning the kiss in equal intensity. Maya can already feel her previously sated arousal coming back. She jerks away from the kiss.

“I need a shower,” she announces abruptly, clearly taking Carina by surprise, “but breakfast?” Carina stares at her in dazed confusion but she eventually and slowly nods. She grabs the hotel room phone and passes it to Carina. “Here. Get whatever you want. I don't need anything but coffee and maybe a pastry.” 

“Okay,” Carina softly murmurs. 

She feels Carina’s eyes following her as she makes her way to the bathroom. Turning the shower on, Maya takes a cleansing breath while she waits for the water to reach her preferred temperature. 

It's a few minutes later when she finally feels another presence behind her. Maya sighs. “Took you long enough,” she utters teasingly before turning around and pulling Carina under the hot spray of the shower, kissing her. 

The bathroom echoes with the sounds of their pleasure. 

---

Their breakfast is waiting for them, laid out on the terrace when they eventually get out of the shower.

Maya comes out of the bathroom wearing a hotel robe while she’s wearing the other. “Whatever you got smells so good. I’m starving.” 

She watches Maya using the towel to dry her hair. Something happened before their shower earlier. Not that Maya has been acting differently to her but somehow Carina can still tell that something has shifted. If Maya were anybody else, a friend or a colleague, Carina wouldn’t have hesitated to ask what was wrong. 

But for all intents and purposes, Maya is a one-night stand. A truly extraordinary one-night stand. But there shouldn't be more than that between them. There isn’t. And Carina isn't sure if she can honestly say that the desire for more is not because she has fantasised about this woman for the past few years. It's not like either of them can pretend that Maya’s fame doesn't exist or that Carina isn't a big fan of her work. Hell, she spent an entire flight on the way here just watching her films. 

Yet there's something about being with Maya that makes it so easy to forget that fame is even a part of her life at all, something that makes Carina forget even herself.

“You look like you're thinking real hard over there.”

She looks up to see Maya taking the chair next to her. Carina nods, taking a sip of her coffee. “I am just thinking about last night.”

Maya nods in understanding, turning to drape her towel over the back of her chair. “Remember everything now?” she asks, leaning back just after picking up her own cup of coffee. 

She chuckles softly as she shakes her head, setting her cup back on the table. “Mm, I really can't believe I didn't recognize you.”

“Technically, you recognized me from the plane,” Maya teases, giving her a cheeky smile. 

She rolls her eyes though she laughs anyway. It is a little funny that that's what made her remember Maya at all. “You know what I mean.”

“I know,” Maya sighs, giving her a sheepish look. “Can't ask you to ignore that a little longer, huh?” she asks, sighing once again when Carina silently shakes her head. “Okay.” 

A look flashes over Maya’s face so quickly that Carina almost doesn't catch it if she wasn't already paying such close attention to her. But she can't help but think that it looked a little bit like disappointment and before she can even ask, Maya’s plastering on a plastic smile. “So, what do you want?”

Maya's eyes lock with hers and Carina can see something there, something beyond the deceptive brightness, like trepidation, like Maya is bringing her guard up and getting ready for something. It takes Carina a moment to understand why and she feels something inside her ache at the thought that Maya even has such a need to protect herself. She wonders about all the things that has ever been asked of Maya, things that Maya couldn't say ‘no’ to, or wasn’t allowed to say ‘no’ to. Carina imagines the consequences of saying ‘no’ would look much worse for Maya.

She shifts her gaze away to their breakfast, swallowing down the sudden rush of helpless anger on Maya’s behalf. Carina has never felt so quickly protective over somebody before, realizing that she doesn't want to be one of those people that Maya feels she can’t say ‘no’ to out of fear that Carina would retaliate. 

She clears her throat, putting on a gentle, reassuring smile as she picks up a small bowl. “I want you to try this.” 

Maya unsurprisingly looks taken aback. “What?”

Carina uses the provided small spoon to scoop out a decent serving and holds it up towards Maya. “Try this.”

The wary look is still on Maya’s face but Carina patiently keeps her hand steady through her disbelief. Eventually Maya leans forward and carefully takes the small offering into her mouth. She bites down on her bottom lip when Maya’s blue eyes flutter to a close as she lets out a blissful moan. 

“Oh my god,” Maya utters in awe, “that's so good.” She licks her lips. “What is that?”

A smile is on Carina’s face, pleased at the way Maya seems to relax now. That was exactly what she was hoping for. “Apricots that have been dipped in honey,” she answers as she spreads the fruit preserve over a piece of toasted bread before holding it out for Maya to take a bite. 

Her smile widens when Maya doesn't even hesitate to do so. 

---

Maya has always been very good at saying her goodbyes but somehow, she's finding it especially hard to do so right now. 

She’s watching Carina put on the heels there she wore last night, having protested when Maya offered her own extra pair of shoes to go along with the rest of the outfit that she's wearing now. Carina’s dress did not survive their adventures last night which prompted Maya to very guiltily provide her own wardrobe for Carina to choose from, right after promising that she’ll replace Carina’s dress. 

She's not going to lie though. She really, really likes seeing Carina wearing her clothes. Though Carina hadn't known that at first when Maya held out the shirt to her. 

Carina stares skeptically at the crewneck in Maya’s hand. “Did this belong to one of your exes?” she asks, grabbing it before lifting it up between them.

Maya chuckles, shaking her head. “No, this is mine actually.”

A wistful smile pulls at her lips as she looks down at the red crewneck shirt with its sleeves having been torn off years ago. It was the only thing that she could afford to take with her when she left for L.A.. She had been so grateful when Captain Pruitt was willing to keep her turnout jacket, helmet and dress uniform until she was able to pay them off, even if it did take some years before a truly substantial paycheck came through. Her time in Station 19 hadn't been long but Maya was so adamant that she wanted to have something to remember from that time in her life. 

“You were in the fire academy?” Carina asks her, curiosity gleaming bright in her eyes.

She stares blankly as Carina pulls the shirt on, oblivious to Maya’s astonishment. It's not exactly news that Maya had been an active firefighter before she turned to acting—it's one of the things articles seem to love pointing out about her, much more than the fact that she won gold in the Olympics—and yet Carina seems so genuinely surprised as if it's the first time she’s learning about it. Maya can't even remember the last time she actually had to tell this story to somebody new and they hadn't already known this about her. 

But she senses no pretense from Carina's demeanor, only an earnest interest to discover something new about Maya, anything about Maya. She doesn't get much surprised by people anymore but Carina keeps surprising her at every turn. When she half-expected Carina to leave, she stayed. When she thought Carina was going to make a really big deal out of her fame, she made her taste that delicious apricot honey concoction. When she has been waiting for Carina to eventually get that look in her eyes that people get when they’re around her, Carina just… doesn't. 

She reaches over to gently adjust the collar of the shirt, her smile softening as she looks up into Carina's eyes. “It's actually how I met my best friend there.” 

The time while she and Carina got to know each other passed by so quickly. Much too quickly for Maya's taste and she is beset by the desire to want more time. She wants to know so much more about the captivating Dr. Carina DeLuca. Most of Maya’s time is spent surrounded by Hollywood people and so she savors what rare chance she gets to be back home in Seattle to be with her friends and her mom. There were also times over the last three hours when Maya wondered how her path could have easily crossed with Carina's, if they could have even met had Maya stayed working as a firefighter. 

But now their time is up and she’s walking Carina to her door, wearing an apologetic smile on her lips. “I’m sorry I can't walk you out of the hotel myself.” 

“It’s okay,” Carina reassures her, wrapping her hand around Maya's wrist to give it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you for letting me borrow your clothes. I will leave them at the front desk when I come back for the wedding tomorrow.” 

Maya shakes her head. “You can keep them,” she murmurs, her grin turning lopsided. “Looks better on you anyway.” 

Carina frowns slightly. “Maya no, this shirt means so much to you. I’m giving it back.”

She arches her eyebrow, quickly noticing Carina's omission. “But you're keeping the joggers?” she asks, huffing out a laugh when Carina gives her an impish smile.

“Oh yes, they're very comfortable,” Carina replies, releasing her hand around Maya’s wrist to smooth down the gray joggers; Maya’s favorite pair too. She lets out a deep breath, her smile softening. “I really enjoyed having breakfast with you.” 

She nods in agreement. “I also really, really enjoyed the shower together,” she teases, then adds, “both times.” 

Carina chuckles at the reminder of their second shower after Carina 'accidentally’ got some of the honey on her. “Me too.”

She stares at her hotel room door, reluctance keeping her from reaching for the doorknob. She meets Carina's eyes. “So I guess, I’ll see you around then?”

“I'll be here for the wedding tomorrow,” Carina reminds her. 

Maya nervously bites down on her bottom lip. “Well, if you ever get bored or need an escape…” 

“Really?” Carina asks, quickly catching onto the rest of what Maya is trying to say. 

She tries to shrug casually as she nods, tries not to get ahead of herself when Carina hasn't even accepted her invitation. “I can let the front desk know to give you a key so you can just let yourself in,” she quietly offers. “Y'know, if you ever want it. No pressure.”

A perplexed smile crosses Carina's face. “We only just met.”

Maya shrugs. “I just… have a good feeling about you.” At Carina's wary look, she continues, “there's a certain look that somebody gets when they realize who I am—like, they hit the jackpot, y'know? But even after you nearly broke your own ass when you figured it out, you never got that look. And then earlier...” Maya shrugs once again. “I just feel like I can trust you.” 

“Please don't make me look like an ass and prove me wrong,” she tries to joke but from the tender look on Carina's face, it's obvious Carina knows that she meant it. 

She feels Carina's hand around her wrist once again but this time, Maya is being pulled into Carina’s arms. Maya sighs at the warmth around her, exuded from the body that's fast becoming so familiar to her. She shivers at Carina’s breath sweeping soft across her neck. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Carina asks her once she releases them both from the hug. 

“Definitely.” Maya nods, letting out a deep breath as she reaches to open the door when she pauses, closing the door back when an impulsively brilliant idea strikes her in that same moment. “Unless…” she trails off before she shakes her head, waving a hand to dismiss her burgeoning thoughts. “No, never mind. Forget it,” she huffs, opening the door again.

“No, Maya, wait.” Carina stops the door in mid-swing, tilting her head in question. “What is it?”

She licks her lips, wondering if she should share the crazy idea that popped into her head. But one look into Carina’s eyes, just one look into those impossibly big brown eyes and that gorgeous smile of hers, and Maya remembers how just moments ago, there was nothing she wanted more than even more time with Carina. And so she takes a steadying breath. 

“Why don't you just… stay?” When Carina doesn't respond right away, she quickly continues, “you can get your brother or your best friend to bring your dress and whatever you need and tomorrow, you can just get ready for the wedding here. I just thought maybe since you’re just gonna come here again tomorrow, why not stay and we can enjoy each other’s company until you have to leave?”

A slight crease forms between Carina's eyebrows. “But aren't you sick of me already? This is your vacation.”

Maya chuckles lightly, vehemently shaking her head at even the mere suggestion that she could be sick of Carina's company already and having the sneaky suspicion that such a thing doesn't exist. “I didn't exactly make any plans outside of reading over a script and prepping for my next project.”

Their eyes remain locked together as Carina seems to deliberate over her decision. It takes less time than Maya expects before Carina's nodding her answer. “Okay.”

Her heart flutters at the simplicity of Carina's acceptance. “Seriously?” she asks, her smile growing along with Carina's as she nods to reassure her. “Oh, thank god,” she mutters, swiftly backing Carina against the door and hearing it click shut behind her. Maya lets her hands fall to Carina's hips, tugging at the soft cotton of her joggers. “Because I have been wanting to get this off you the second you put this on.”

Carina laughs into her mouth when she leans up to kiss her, breaking off into a moan the second that Maya’s hands slip under the waistband. 

---

She’s hanging up her wedding outfit in Maya’s hotel room closet when she hears her letting out a content sigh from where she's laying on the couch. 

Carina had just come back from meeting Andrea in the lobby and her brother was not pleased that she wouldn't tell him anything about who she's with or let him come with her back to the room. It wasn't at all surprising when he seemed confused by her reticent manner when she usually takes a lot of pleasure in making him listen to her regaling him with her sex adventures. 

But this is one adventure she's not willing to share with her brother, and she knows that a part of his behavior has a lot to do with him being worried about her. Carina had to promise that she will meet both him and Gabriella for breakfast tomorrow just so that he’d finally leave since she left Maya in bed just as she was coming down from her orgasm. But once she came back—and if the satisfied look on Maya’s face is anything to go by—Carina is pretty sure that she has more than made it up to her. 

Carina rifles through her bag and finds her bikini, thankful that she asked Gabriella to pack the bag for her after she and Maya talked earlier about going down to the resort's private beach so that she can have an afternoon swim. 

She glances out the balcony door. “Did you pack sunscreen with you?” she asks, seeing how brightly the sun is shining. She looks over when Mays responds with a snort. “No, Maya, I am very concerned. You need to bathe in sunscreen before we can go outside.”

Maya props herself up on her elbows, shooting her a mild glare for her comment. “I have sunscreen in my bag, thank you very much,” she reassures her before laying back down. “Or, y'know, we can always just stay inside and enjoy the sun from the safety of my balcony.”

She chuckles, though she understands Maya's trepidation about not being seen in public without any protection. But Maya did say that it's a private beach and that it had been fine when she went yesterday so surely it will be again today. She sets her bikini down on the bed, looking over at Maya to see her with her eyes closed. “We can stay on the beach for one hour,” she offers, then quickly rethinks it. “Maybe two.” 

“One and a half,” Maya replies. 

Carina arches an eyebrow. “Two,” she stubbornly replies.

“One and twenty-five,” Maya counters, her eyes still closed though a challenging smirk is now crossing her face. 

Though Maya can't see her, she narrows her eyes. “I don't think that this is how negotiating works.”

“Welcome to negotiating with Maya Bishop,” Maya teases, blinking one eye open. The smirk on her face turns roguish and it's almost ridiculous just how much it's affecting her. “And I always win.”

“Two hours,” she insists once again, taking a deep, measured breath as she watches the way that Maya’s dark gaze turns knowing. 

“One and twenty.”

“Maya!” 

Her indignance earns her a laugh from Maya, all traces of her smirk disappearing. “Fine. One and a half, and that's my final offer.”

Though Maya's smirk has gone, its effects still linger and Carina decides right there and then that maybe she can just beat Maya at her own game. “What if,” she pauses to slowly approach the couch, resting a knee on the cushion before climbing over Maya to straddle her hips. When she feels Maya’s hands going to her waist, Carina grabs one to slip it under her shirt. She holds fast onto Maya's hand, keeping it unmoving and pressed flat to her belly. “You give me two hours and I’ll let you touch my boob.” 

She watches Maya’s teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she sucks in a sharp breath. “Oh, playing hard ball now, huh?” she teases, her voice lowering to a gravelly tone. “One and forty-five, I’ll let you touch both of mine.”

A shaky breath escapes her then as Maya bucks her hips up towards her, starting a constant rhythm in an attempt to distract her. Carina forces herself to think quickly. “Two and a half hours, and we can come right back, you can sit on my face and then we can have sex all night.”

A quiet whimper climbs up the back of her throat when she feels Maya’s hand tightening on her waist, her blue eyes darkening in response to Carina's proposal. “Mm, two hours, and you sit on my face right now,” Maya huskily counteroffers, quickly adding, “and we still have sex all night.” 

“You win,” Carina mutters, releasing Maya’s hand so she can lean down to kiss her.

“Pretty sure we’re both winning,” Maya manages to reply just as Carina's mouth reaches hers.  

--- 

The night air is cool and windy, and Maya tightens her jacket around herself as she and Carina walk down a thankfully not so busy street. 

She has been following Carina’s lead since they left for dinner earlier and it hasn't escaped Maya’s notice that Carina had been making a concentrated effort to make sure that Maya didn’t get approached by anybody on the way to the restaurant, shooting dirty looks at anybody daring to get closer. It's a protective gesture that Maya didn’t expect at all but so greatly appreciated, especially while they walked past massive crowds of people and she caught sight of some curious looks from some of them. 

Maya breathes a sigh of relief once she starts to recognize the street leading up to her hotel, walking a little closer to Carina. “I'm sorry we didn't actually go to the beach today.”

Pushing her hair back from her face as she tries to shield it from the curling wind, Carina shrugs, giving Maya a cheeky smile. “I don't think I can really say that I mind what we did end up doing.”

A warm blush fills Maya’s cheeks, her mind flashing back to their afternoon. They had gotten so distracted with each other that they didn't even notice it when the sun had set. Maya still felt so bad that she suggested going out for dinner at a place of Carina’s choice. 

“But you mentioned that you missed swimming in the water,” she points out. 

“I did, but there's always tomorrow,” Carina reassures her, softening her smile as she leans in to drape her arm over Maya’s shoulders. “Did you enjoy yourself tonight?” she asks, nuzzling her nose to Maya’s temple. 

Her heart flutters at the tender gesture. “I did. The restaurant was really nice; the food was beyond delicious and the company was pretty great too,” she answers, shooting her a teasing smile. “I’m surprised you didn't have much to drink.”

Carina narrows her eyes at her. “Contrary to how we met, I don't actually drink so much.”

“I get it,” she murmurs, grabbing Carina’s hand on her shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze. “Watching your ex get married is a pretty good reason to indulge yourself a little more than usual.” They stop at the bottom of the steps leading up to the hotel entrance. “Did you love her?”

“She didn't exactly leave much of a chance for me to do that before she left,” Carina ruefully chuckles. 

Maya frowns, her heart twisting painfully at how brave Carina is trying to be. It's easy to tell that even though she's over her ex, the hurt still lingers. “I’m sorry.”

“You get used to it,” Carina replies dismissively. 

Her frown deepens in confusion. “Get used to what?”

A heavy, reluctant breath passes between Carina's lips before a pained smile forms on them. “People leaving.” 

Maya swallows thickly, wondering who else could have left Carina. Who else would ever want to? She has only been in Carina’s presence for twenty-four hours now and Maya can't see herself ever wanting to leave. Hell, she knew her for even less time when she asked Carina to stay. 

She grabs Carina's hand and starts leading her away from the hotel entrance. “Come on.” 

A surprised expression appears on Carina's face. “Where are we going?” she asks when Maya picks up the pace and begins to run. “Maya!” 

She can't help but smile when she hears the laughter in Carina’s voice. “We’re almost there,” she tells her, slowing down a little so Carina can easily catch up. 

It doesn't take much longer for them to reach where Maya wanted to take them. With the late hour, the locked gate and the surrounding trees look a little daunting and she catches the trepidation on Carina’s face. “Maya, where are we?”

She points to the sign to the side. “You wanted to go to the beach? Well, here we are.”

She didn't mention it to Carina earlier but just before they left for dinner, Maya decided that she wanted to give Carina that visit to the beach. Even though the trade-off had been all the orgasms they shared, Carina had been so excited about swimming in the sea. So Maya went to the front desk and okay, she might have done a little bit of bribing so they'd give her the keys to the private beach which was possibly reckless of her to do so but she knew Carina was worth it. 

It feels like ever since she met Carina, doing something possibly reckless is something that Maya seems to keep doing. It's not that Maya has never let herself be guided by her impulses but she can't remember a time when even stopping to think about it didn't make her hesitate. Maybe that's why, despite having the key in her pocket, Maya grabs onto the gate and starts climbing it. Her heart thumps excitedly, already dropping gracefully to her feet on the other side by the time Carina realizes what she is doing. Maya laughs, seeing how wide Carina’s eyes have gotten. 

“I can't believe you just did that.”

“Join me.”

An incredulous glare crosses Carina’s face and she splutters as she shakes her head. “No way. I can't just climb up the gate!”

She arches a challenging eyebrow. “Are you worried about getting in trouble?”

Carina scoffs, seemingly offended by the insinuation. “No, I just don't want to get these trousers dirty.”

“But Carina, can’t you hear the roar of the ocean? It's so close. It’ll just be you and me, and the water.” Maya’s breathing has steadied as she comes closer to the gate, putting on a pleading look and what she knows to be her best pout. “Are you really going to leave me all alone here?”

She watches Carina chew on her bottom lip as her brown eyes take in the length of the gate once again. A determined expression crosses her face then. “Same deal as before?”

“Two and a half hours, sit on your face, sex all night,” Maya swiftly lists down. 

Carina gets that determined look on her face again, now trying to figure out how to begin. Maya thinks about offering a suggestion but she has a feeling that doing so will earn her a stubborn glare. So she keeps quiet and waits. 

It's almost comical to watch Carina struggling as she climbs up the gate once she finally makes her move but Maya restrains herself so that she won't break Carina’s concentration. A proud grin pulls at her lips when Carina swings her leg over the top but then it drops when she realizes Carina is putting too much swing into the motion and she can see in Carina’s eyes that she's realizing the same thing. Maya rushes forward just in time to catch Carina before she faceplants right onto the sand.  

Her heart is pounding hard, eternally grateful for her fast reflexes. She can tell from the look on Carina’s face that she is equally thankful too. Maya tightens her arms around Carina as she carefully lowers her down to the ground. “That was close,” she breathlessly remarks once Carina's feet have made contact with the sand. “It's a good thing I caught you.”

“Yeah,” Carina softly murmurs, her arms still circling around Maya's shoulders. “I think it's a really good thing too.”

---

Carina shudders at the cold wind that blows by, pulling the towel tighter around her. 

She really didn’t expect for her night to go this way. Nothing on this trip has been anything like she expected it to be. Ever since she met Maya last night, it has been almost like a whirlwind of surprises and Carina has been in a constant state of disbelief that any of this is happening at all. She certainly didn't expect to find herself naked and lying on a private beach with her arm around Maya, similarly naked and draped over her.  

They're both wrapped in towels that Maya had them grab from the hotel beach staff’s cabin after sheepishly confessing that she actually had been given the keys to the gate and the cabin before they even left for dinner. Learning that she didn't actually have to climb up the gate and risk getting her trousers dirty, earned Maya a hard smack on her shoulder, followed by a brief make-out session in the cabin once it dawned on Carina that Maya had done all this for her. 

The moment that Maya caught her when she nearly fell from the top of the gate and proceeded to carry her down the beach just because Carina told her that she didn't want to get her trousers dirty, she knew that she was in trouble. She was in trouble the moment that Maya shot her that lopsided smile and held out her hand to help her up from the floor.  

Carina knows her heart well, knows that she's already halfway falling for somebody who, on any normal day, would be completely unattainable to her. There's no way that this can end well. As wonderful as Maya has been, and as amazing as it has been to be with her, Carina doesn't see how this could end happily for her. She has to guard her rebellious heart somehow but she fears that she might just be too late in doing so. 

Over the past few hours since Maya convinced her to stay, Carina has gotten to learn so much about Maya and she only finds herself hungrier for more. She can just barely handle how endlessly curious Maya is about her in return, listening so intently while Carina spoke about her life in Seattle. It's been so long since anybody has shown this much genuine interest in her and even longer since Carina has had so much fun on a date. Not that she nor Maya have specifically called this a date but it's still very date-like.

She feels the breath of Maya’s sigh across her chest and she peers down to see a heart-twistingly peaceful look on her face. The chilly air has tinged Maya’s cheeks and the tip of her nose a rosy pink, drying her kiss-swollen lips and yet, with the light of the full moon reflecting across the roaring sea, Carina doesn't think she has ever seen Maya look so beautiful. 

She is so in trouble. 

Lifting her gaze, Carina’s breath catches at the star-speckled sky above them. This is one of the things that she has sorely missed about being in Sicily, to be able to see the stars littered across a dark canvas. Carina sighs at the ache in her chest for the home that this place used to be. “Do you know anything about stars?”

Maya lets out a quiet sigh, humming thoughtful as she blinks her eyes open and squints up at the night sky before coming back down to meet Carina's gaze. Her blue eyes mirror the midnight sky as a lazy smile appears on her lips. “Hollywood? No. Constellations? Also no,” she chuckles. “Do you?”

A disbelieving smile pulls at her lips. “How do you not know anything about your Hollywood colleagues? 

“They're not colleagues,” Maya replies, teasing her with a wry smile. “I’m friendly with a lot of them but actual friends with very few, and we really only know each other in the sense of what we can do for each other,” she quietly explains, her smile turning so sharply wistful at the edges that it pains Carina to see it. “It’s not so easy to find anything real in that town.” Maya sighs, laying her back down on Carina's chest. “Nothing real like this.”

She swallows thickly at the earnestness of Maya’s words. Carina brings her hand up to run her fingers through Maya’s damp hair. “I don't know anything about constellations either, but I like those stars over there.”

Carina points to the area of the sky that has had her transfixed since they laid down earlier, feeling Maya shifting around to follow her direction. There's a brief moment while Maya focuses on the cluster of stars.

“The ones that shape into a penis?” 

She chokes out a surprised laugh at the incredulous tone in Maya’s voice and the equally baffled expression etched on her gorgeous face. “It does not look like a penis,” she tries to argue. 

Maya shrugs, resuming her previous position. “Does to me.” 

She huffs, amused at Maya’s stubborn insistence. “Your hand has been climbing up my thigh for the past few minutes,” she wryly points out, having noticed Maya's warm touch wandering under her towel followed by the tickling of Maya’s fingers mindlessly trailing up and down her inner thigh. “I am pretty sure there is a good reason why you think you are seeing a penis.” 

Breathtakingly dark blue eyes peer up at her, shamelessly unapologetic. “Is it almost time to head back to the hotel yet?”

She bites down on her bottom lip, quickly making a decision that she might soon regret. “Almost,” she murmurs, tugging Maya’s own towel open so that she can trail her own hand down Maya’s stomach. “I just want to do one last thing.” 

A delighted grin stretches across Maya’s face as Carina pulls her on top of her. “Oh, we are so gonna get sand everywhere,” she utters.

Just as Maya’s dipping her head down to kiss her, Carina impulsively whispers, “please don't hurt me.”

Her cheeks burn with an embarrassed heat when Maya stops, their eyes immediately locking. She hadn't meant for her pleading words to come out the way that they did, for her fear to reveal itself but still, Carina doesn't avert her eyes away from Maya’s deeply searching gaze, waiting for her response. 

She watches Maya’s blue eyes soften in their intensity. “I won't,” she promises, coming back down to kiss Carina's cheek, so softly that it makes Carina's heart tremble in her chest. “I won't,” she adds as she kisses the other cheek before lifting her head up to stare into her eyes. 

“I won't hurt you, Carina,” Maya whispers once more before capturing her mouth into a deep kiss.

Chapter 4: chapter four: beautiful soul

Notes:

Hi everyone!

I know I know. I said last time was the last time but my surgery got postponed to next week which gave me this whole week to write away my anxiety over the procedure and well, here we are. So this is real, real last time I'll be posting anything for a little while.

I'm sure you've noticed by now that this fic has a chapter count which I will not budge on (I'm trying to learn restraint with this one 😂). I also have three acts planned for this story and this chapter is the last for this first act. I'm not sure when I'll have something again but I'm sure y'all hear from me. I'm posting mainly on Bluesky now though so if you want to catch updates on how my writing is going, you'll find it there.

Anyway, onto this chapter. I hope you'll enjoy and I will be back with the second act hopefully soon!

Much love,
Az ❤️❤️❤️

Max: Let's face facts, this was always a no-win situation. Anna's a goddess, you know what happens to mortals who get involved with gods.

William: Buggered, is it?

Max: Every time.

- Notting Hill

chapter four: beautiful soul

The second time that Carina wakes up in Maya Bishop’s bed, she manages to not fall off the bed and hurt her ass. 

And instead of finding herself face to face with Maya, she finds her pressing light kisses down her belly. “You are up very early,” she murmurs groggily upon realizing how dark it is still outside.

It’s still so dark that it can’t have been more than a handful of hours since they got back from the beach, walking and giggling through the quiet hotel lobby with their bodies completely littered with sand under their clothes that they had hastily put back on and smelling wonderfully like the ocean. Maya didn't seem to care though and so neither did she. There was only one person working the main desk anyway and they paid no attention to them despite tracking sand across the floor as they went. They had burst right through Maya’s hotel room door and made their way into the shower, kissing and touching each other like they hadn't just spent the hour previously doing the exact same thing.

Maya pays her no attention as she nuzzles her nose around Carina's bellybutton. “I’ve always been an early riser,” she finally whispers, her tongue darting out to lick along her skin. 

“God,” she moans, sounding like a mix between really enjoying what Maya is doing to her and protesting this early morning wake-up, “that's terrible, and you are punishing me with this infliction?”

Her grumbling seems to make Maya chuckle, makes Maya stop what she’s doing to crawl her way back up until she’s hovering over her. Maya brings with her a heady combination of scents that has Carina’s heart pounding a little harder in her chest. One deep breath into her lungs and Carina can smell the shampoo and body wash that Maya used earlier, along with the salt of the Ionian Sea. The wildness of Maya’s long, blonde hair has Carina’s fingers itching to bury themselves in it, to pull and tug in the way that she has learned Maya really, really likes. 

Despite sounding incredibly alert, Maya’s smile is charmingly sleepy and languid and Carina sighs, wondering if it’s at all possible to get used to seeing that heart-stopping smile and knowing that it’s for her. They have been together for more than twenty-four hours now and it still is barely sinking in that this is happening. It’s less so now that it’s about Maya but more now about what being with Maya is making her feel. Carina is trying her best to keep herself grounded, to remind herself that this is going to end the moment she and Maya say goodbye later today. But she has never in her life felt anything like this before and though the newness of it all frightens her, she can’t seem to keep herself from wanting more of it. 

“Does this feel like punishment?” Maya asks her in a whisper, slowly bearing her whole weight down and sinking into her. 

She can feel Maya’s attentive gaze on her as her eyes flutter, her breath catching at the warmth of Maya’s body surrounding her, of Maya’s curves fitting so beautifully against her own. Carina hums out a quiet moan. “Only if you don't finish what you are starting,” she huskily replies once Maya starts rolling her hips, shuddering at the wet heat between Maya’s thighs. Carina finally raises her hands up to weave into Maya’s hair, sighing at how soft it feels between her fingers.  

Soft lips press tenderly on her cheek as Maya’s hands go down to her legs, lifting them up to wrap around Maya’s hips before letting her hands fall back onto Carina’s hips. “I can't tell you how hard it was not to touch you but I’ve never been really good at waiting.” A quiet groan rumbles in Maya’s chest. “God, you feel so good.”

Carina tightens her legs around Maya’s hips, lazily bucking her hips up. She can feel herself already catching up to Maya, a faint throbbing between her legs making its presence known. “I do remember how I woke up the second time yesterday.” 

“And I remembered,” Maya pauses to drop a kiss under her chin, “that you have breakfast plans this morning.” 

Her eyes fall shut at the all-too brief kisses grazing along her jawline. “I do,” she sighs mournfully, feeling a twisting ache at having to leave. Somehow it feels all too soon now, for that time when she and Maya would be saying goodbye. Carina tightens her grip in Maya’s hair, her heart fluttering when Maya makes that pretty little noise she’s really beginning to love so much. 

Maya pushes herself up then so that they’re face to face and she’s wearing a serious look on her face. “The thing is, Carina, my doctor recommended that I always have a very filling breakfast before starting my day,” she murmurs, a much too wretched smirk slowly pulling at her lips, “and I have always been so very good at following directions.”

As Maya starts to move down her body, her eyes remain locked with Carina’s. She swallows thickly, releasing her grasp on Maya’s hair and parts her legs to allow Maya the space to move between them. “As a doctor, I also recommend that you thoroughly follow your doctor’s advice, no matter how long it takes.”

Maya responds with a quirk of her eyebrow but doesn’t breathe a word of argument as she settles between Carina’s thighs. In fact, Maya doesn't utter a word at all, seeming to prefer using her mouth to make Carina’s body feel unspeakably good things. As she loses herself to the throes of ecstasy, Carina can’t help but think that she can really get used to mornings like this. 

She can really get used to waking up to Maya. 

---

Maya walks out of her bathroom and finds herself wondering if there will be a moment when Carina doesn't take her breath away. 

Carina is standing in front of the full-length mirro outside of the bathroom, carefully applying her mascara. Their eyes meet in the mirror and Carina gives her a shy smile before she goes back to finishing the rest of her make-up. Maya tightens the belt around her bathrobe as she leans against the doorway. 

“You look hot,” she comments, a playful tone in her voice even though they both know that she really means it. Her gaze roams over Carina’s outfit, licking her lips as she takes in the silky red blouse and the dark skinny jeans. “Are you really just meeting your brother and your best friend?”

“No,” Carina swiftly answers, “I am also meeting another stunning Hollywood actor who will sweep me off my feet.”

She narrows her eyes into a playful glare. “Who is it? Is it Sasheer? Lily? Roberta?” Maya feigns a panicked gasp. “Please don't tell me it's Roberta. I’d have no chance after that.”

Carina pauses, her lipstick tube just inches away from her mouth. “So dramatic,” she softly laughs. 

Maya shrugs. “I don't know if you know this, but I am an actor. It's kind of our thing.” She gives her a wry smile. “But seriously, you're really just meeting your brother and your best friend looking like you're gonna make the world your own personal runway?” 

When Carina merely gives her a sly wink as she applies her lipstick, Maya shakes her head, chuckling quietly. “No mercy for the general public, huh?” She pushes off the doorway and closes the distance between them, standing right behind Carina though their eyes remain locked in the mirror. Maya breathes in the decadence of Carina’s perfume, luxuriating in the headiness of it. “You are a dangerous woman, Dr. DeLuca.”

“What does that say about you then?” Carina asks, turning around once she's done painting her lips a sinful maroon red. She leans in close, so close that her forehead just barely grazes Maya’s. “Being so close to danger like this?”

She lets out a trembling sigh, thinking that what it says about her is that maybe she is in way over her head here. But Maya doesn’t say it out loud. Both she and Carina know very well where they stand with each other. Whatever comes once Carina goes back to Seattle, will come, and they are just going to have to deal with that. She feels Carina's patient gaze fixated on her and so Maya gives her a smile, clearing her throat as she leans back. 

“So you’re really sure that your best friend isn’t pissed at me because you flaked on her and your brother yesterday?”

Carina stares at her for a brief moment, searching her face for something that Maya isn’t too sure of. Whatever it was, Carina seems to dismiss it with a shake of her head, an understanding smile pulling at her lips. 

“Gabriella doesn't know you,” she wryly points out, “so she can't really hate you.” 

She nods, oddly relieved despite the fact that she probably won't ever get to meet this Gabriella. “You trust her though, right?” she asks, chewing on her bottom lip as Carina turns back around to face the mirror. 

“I have known Gabriella for many years. I trust her with my life,” Carina answers, checking over her own reflection. She pauses suddenly in her perusal and looks up to meet Maya’s gaze with a slight frown. She turns around to face her, reaching over to cup Maya’s elbow. “Maya, I’m not going to tell her about us. I’m not going to violate your privacy like that.”

Maya smiles at the reassurance, even though it wasn't necessary. They’ve gotten to know each other so well over the last twenty-four hours now and she can't help but think back to Carina’s protectiveness over her while they were out last night. That alone is enough for Maya to know that Carina wouldn't go around blabbing about them. 

“No, I know,” she gently reassures Carina in return, taking Carina’s hand off her elbow to intertwine their fingers together, “but I’m saying that… if you trust her, then I can trust her too.”

A look passes over Carina’s face that Maya isn't sure how to describe but before she can really think more about it, Carina's hand is cupping her face. “Thank you,” she softly murmurs, tenderly swiping her thumb over Maya’s cheek, down to her chin. Carina closes in, their noses just barely grazing. “And maybe one day, I will tell her about the beautiful Hollywood actor who I shared a wonderful and breathtaking weekend with, but it doesn't have to be today.”

She swallows thickly, using their tangled hands to pull Carina closer. Her eyes fall shut, wanting to live in the darkness of Carina's gaze. “Where have you been all my life, huh?” 

Carina huffs a quiet, little laugh that sounds so much like the disbelief that Maya feels. “I have been here, Maya,” she sweetly whispers, her breath sweeping hot over Maya’s lips, “probably dreaming about meeting somebody like you.”

Maya breathes out a deep sigh, an inexplicably tight ache forming in her chest. “I really wish you hadn't already put on your lipstick.”

“I don't care,” Carina murmurs in reply as she removes whatever distance remains between them and kisses her.

She moans eagerly, her lips pliant and yielding under Carina’s hot mouth. Maya reluctantly pulls back, trying not to let herself get carried away. “You're going to be late,” she reminds Carina, her voice already coming out husky and breathless. 

“Maya,” Carina rasps out, her voice low and firm as she stares deeply into Maya’s eyes, her hands gently moving along Maya’s jaw to bury themselves into the thick of Maya’s hair, “I really don't care about anything else right now apart from kissing you.” 

Carina leans in once again but then she pauses, as if waiting to see if Maya will protest again but Maya doesn't have it in her to do so anymore. She takes the initiative this time to bridge the space between their mouths, taking Carina’s bottom lip between hers. Maya tastes Carina’s lipstick as she sucks on her bottom lip, tastes the hum of Carina's pleased moan when she gently sinks her teeth in and tugs. 

Her breath catches when Carina abruptly pushes her against the wall beside the door, slamming their hips together as she grabs onto Maya’s leg to hook it around her waist. Though her own arms are draped around Carina’s shoulders, Maya’s robe still falls open and Carina doesn't waste the chance to sneak her hand inside.

She shudders at the skillful fingers trailing lightly down her stomach. 

---

She does end up being very late to meet with her brother and Gabriella, so late that she had no time to fix her hair and make-up.

She can’t find it in herself to feel bad about it though, not when Maya’s scent lingers thick and heavy all around her. All it does is make Carina wish that she were back in that hotel room where she left Maya thoroughly fucked with a blissful smile on her face and countless smudged prints of her lipstick all over Maya’s gorgeous body. Really, Carina doesn’t even know how she found the will to leave the room at all. 

But Gabriella did make her promise that she would actually make it to meet her and Andrea this time, just to reassure them both that Carina is still very much alive. Carina had thought of simply video calling them but she also didn’t want to risk Maya being noticed by her brother or her best friend. 

“Nice of you to finally join us for brunch- not -breakfast,” her brother snarks before she is even fully sat down at all. 

She rolls her eyes at her brother’s comment. “I am sorry for being late,” she utters, nodding towards Gabriella who is being strangely silent as she shoots Carina a knowing smirk. 

Andrea scoffs. “Yeah, that goofy smile on your face when you walked in is really selling that apology,” he mutters.

“I am here now, aren’t I?” she huffs, already annoyed by her brother’s behavior. 

He raises his hands placatingly before he goes back to his food. She turns to her best friend who still hasn’t said a word and Carina arches her eyebrow at this strange behavior. Gabriella acts oblivious to her scrutiny, continuing to eat into her breakfast. Carina shrugs, eagerly accepting the reprieve from being questioned about what she has been up to since they all last saw each other at the rehearsal dinner. She’s glad that she asked Gabriella to order for her since she did work up quite the appetite with Maya earlier and she is assuming that Gabriella is willing to wait until Carina has some food in her belly before interrogating her. 

Carina’s assumption was sort of right as it isn't until after her first cup of coffee and pouring her second that Gabriella finally does say something. “So who was it?”

“Who was what?” she asks, opting to play dumb to buy herself a little time. Carina is realizing now that she spent so much time thinking about how she wasn't going to say anything about Maya, that it completely slipped her mind to think about what to actually say. 

Her best friend rolls her eyes. “Who did you leave me for? Who have you been spending the last day with?” Gabriella demands. She narrows her eyes at Carina, her gaze scrutinizing. “I saw the funny way you were walking in the restaurant so I know it had to have been very good sex, which makes me feel better.”

“I didn't leave you alone,” she argues, laughing at the playfully wounded look on her best friend’s face. “Andrea has been with you.”

“And Andrea is right here,” her brother pipes up, his gaze steadfast on his plate, “hoping and begging that you will not share the details of anything you had with whomever it was.”

Gabriella sighs, pouting in his direction. “Andrea, you are so boring.”

He rolls his eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry that I don’t want to have a conversation about my sister’s sex life,” he retorts, “especially in public.”

Carina looks around them and snorts. The only other patrons of the restaurant are tables away from theirs, which makes listening to whatever conversation they might have practically impossible. So she leans in towards Gabriella. “It wasn’t just very good sex. It was phenomenal sex. Ah mamma mia, Gabrie, my toes are still curling after the way she woke me up this morning.”

Andrea immediately gets up to his feet, his half-eaten plate clattering from his abrupt movement. He grabs his napkin and hastily wipes his mouth. “Okay, I’m done with my breakfast. I’m going very far away from you now,” he announces, pointedly avoiding both hers and Gabriella’s eyes. 

They both quietly watch him leave in a rush before they turn to each other. As soon as their eyes meet, they lose all composure and break into shared laughter. Her brother was just too easy to tease sometimes, even though she did actually mean what she said. Her toes are still a little curly now just thinking about all the things that Maya’s tongue has done to her. 

“He needs to meet somebody,” Gabriella eventually comments before she’s turning her chair to face Carina, propping her chin up on her fist, elbow to the table. “So was it somebody at the hotel?” she asks just as Carina is taking a bite of her cornetto. 

She slows down her chewing, thinking about how to answer that particular question. “Actually, she was on the same flight with us here. That's how I recognized her when I saw her at the bar after I left the rehearsal dinner.”

This might just be the first time that she has omitted so many important details from her best friend. In all the years that they have known each other, Carina has never felt once like she had to keep certain details to herself. She knows that she can trust Gabriella to keep a secret, amongst the many others about Carina that she’s already keeping. But this one isn’t just about Carina but about Maya too, and she is more than willing to protect Maya, even from her own best friend and even if Maya did tell her that she could. Carina still doesn’t want to take a chance and risk Maya like that. 

She can tell from the questioning look on Gabriella’s face that she knows this, that there are things that Carina isn’t saying. As she continues to eat her breakfast, she feels Gabriella’s eyes studying her, as if she’s trying to work out on her own what it is. But Carina ignores it and does her best to act normally. 

“So you had phenomenal sex,” Gabriella casually remarks, much to Carina’s relief. Sex is a much easier and safer topic for her to navigate. “A lot of it since you stayed with her until this morning.”

“Gabrie,” she sighs dreamily, her mind flashing back over the last amazing twenty-four hours with Maya, “it was life-changing. I even almost started praying at one point,” she chuckles, remembering one very specifically stunning moment while Maya was fucking her from behind. “Do you know how long it has been since I had sex that good?”

Her best friend arches an eyebrow at her. “If the answer isn't since me, I am not interested,” she murmurs dryly. “But you also haven't been having any sex at all.” 

Carina shrugs at the reminder. “I was very busy.” 

“Are you going to see her again?” Gabriella asks, leaning back in her chair. 

“My things are still in her hotel room,” she answers, despite knowing better that that was not what Gabriella was asking her. 

Her best friend wants to know if she'll be seeing Maya past this holiday, past tomorrow. But the thing is, Carina doesn't know. Whether by design or they simply have been so wrapped up in each other that they just haven't talked at all about anything beyond Carina leaving. And Carina has always been fine with casual sex. It was always the only thing she ever had time for, especially with her work schedule. She didn't have time to think of the future, not when her day to day is always so packed with patients and research. She can't imagine how equally packed Maya’s own schedule will be like, once she gets back to working. 

But Carina also can't deny it to herself that there have been times when hers and Maya’s eyes are so locked onto each other, that Carina can't help thinking about having a future. 

Carina shakes her head, meeting her best friend's questioning stare. “We've only known each other for over a day. Isn't it a little fast to start thinking about having anything past this weekend?”

Gabriella shrugs. “I don't think it really matters how fast or how slow you go. As long as it’s going somewhere you both want to go together, then everything else can fall into place on their own.”

She gives her best friend an affectionate smile. It tends to surprise people sometimes when they find out just how much of a hopeless romantic Gabriella really is, more so than Carina. Her own fears don’t really allow Carina to be as romantic as her best friend, to be as hopeful. But Carina’s heart has been broken one too many times to let hope make another fool out of her. 

“Maybe I am talking bullshit,” Gabriella adds with another shrug, “but something is different about this one. You are different.” 

“You're not talking bullshit,” she softly replies, letting herself be a little more honest about her feelings because who else can she trust if not her best friend? Carina bites down on her bottom lip as she shakes her head. “But I’m afraid there isn't a future in this, Gabriella.”

Her best friend slowly nods, carefully taking in her words with a thoughtful look on her face. “Then what are you doing here, wasting your time with me when you need to be with her?”

She stares at Gabriella for a long moment. 

Without another word, Carina drops her fork and goes to dig her purse out. She takes out some cash and lays it next to her plate. Just as she goes to stand up, Gabriella is wearing a proud smile on her face. 

“It’s never a waste of time to be with you, my friend,” she softly tells her, “so I will see you at the wedding later.”

She leans in to kiss Gabriella’s forehead before turning around and rushing right out of the restaurant. 

---

This is so pathetic. 

Carina has barely been gone for a few minutes and Maya feels absolutely distraught. She has gotten so used to Carina’s presence so fast that her being gone actually feels like a shock to Maya’s senses. A forward-looking part of Maya thinks about how she could use all of this for a future role but the other part of her is just really fucking miserable. 

It's with that misery shrouding her that Maya greets her agent. 

“There’s my superstar!”

Maya attempts a shadow of a smile but even if she can see on her laptop screen that whatever face she's making is not wearing any kind of smile that she'd want any paparazzi to ever take a picture of. “Hey Jules.”

A perplexed expression crosses her agent's face at her less-than-enthusiastic greeting. “Darling, you might just be the only person I know who looks positively miserable on a vacation in Italy,” Julia playfully comments. Her face sobers when Maya doesn't react. “What’s wrong with you?”

She lets out a frustrated sigh, rubbing her hand over her face. Maya shakes her head. “Nothing. Nothing is wrong with me, and I am actually having a really good time.”

Raising a skeptical eyebrow at her, Julia purses her lips. “Why don't you tell that to your face?” She pauses, understanding dawning on her face. She tilts her head, giving Maya a discerning smile. “Ohh, you’re having one of your dramatic moments, aren’t you?”

She shoots Julia a dirty glare. “Yes,” she mutters, not even bothering to deny it. 

“So how are we feeling about that script?” Julia asks her, bypassing the need to ask Maya why she's having a dramatic moment. 

She knows though that it's not a lack of interest on her agent's part. It's just that after having worked together for so many years, Julia knows that it's not anything that she specifically needs to worry about, unless Maya says otherwise. 

So it goes that trouble follows the fame and the more successful Maya got, well, the more that trouble followed. It meant being more careful about who she trusted; more careful about how she acted in public and with people she interacted with, which all weren't that difficult to do really. Not to mention that she has never been a big partier so it wasn't difficult to stay away from getting lured into that lifestyle. But Maya knew too, that networking was a big part of getting anywhere in Hollywood which those parties were a hotbed for and her ambition (and Julia) didn't allow her to be complacent in achieving her success. 

Mistakes were made in the beginning. A lot of mistakes. Maya’s heart got broken many times; her self-belief and her confidence got tested even more. But Maya didn't let any of it keep her from showing up and ready to work. Though she hates to give him credit for it, her father did help instill that dogged determination to work through anything, regardless of what she was feeling. But mostly she likes to attribute her discipline and work ethic to her fire academy training and even her short time under Captain Pruitt that helped to cement the foundation she needed to build on her solid reputation and eventually, her success. 

For the most part, Maya has been happy with the way her life has gone, with the work she has gotten to do but there’s also been something restless growing in her for a little while now. She just isn't sure what she's looking for just yet. 

Maya sighs, her gaze dropping to the script sitting next to the laptop on the table. “I’m not exactly done reading it yet—”

Julia hums, nodding in understanding. “It’s a beast, I’ll give you that.”

“It’s good so far,” she feels a hasty need to say but then she hesitates before adding, “but I just don’t know, Jules.” 

“What don’t you know?” Julia asks her, distracted now as she reads something on her phone. She briefly peers up to meet Maya’s eyes on the screen then drops her gaze back down to her device. She casually waves her hand. “You could do this kind of role in your sleep.”

“That's the thing,” Maya lightly argues. “I don't want something that's—I don't know, not going to challenge me?” She shrugs. Maya isn't really sure what more there is to say that she hasn't already discussed with Julia over the past year. She might not know what she's looking for but maybe she will when she actually reads it. It just hasn't happened yet and it's getting frustrating. “Isn’t there something different that you can get for me?”

“I’ve got some feelers out,” her agent calmly reassures her, “ but you know very well that these kinds of things take time, Maya.” 

Mildly chastised, Maya lets out a steadying breath, reminding herself how equally hard Julia works to find work for her. “I know,” she quietly murmurs, an apologetic look on her face, “and you know I really appreciate everything you do. Pretty sure with how much I pay you, you already know that though.”

Julia laughs, shooting her a playful look. “It's so sexy when you remind me how much money you give me for my services.”

“Find me something good!” she tells her, laughing as she rolls her eyes. The comment was so typical of Julia and one of the reasons that Maya has always loved working with her most. “I don't care who’s attached. I just want to know what’s out there.”

“There might be something,” Julia replies, a thoughtful look crossing her face as she picks up her phone and quickly types something on it. “Just some rumblings around town but I’ll see what I can do,” she adds, putting her phone back down. She gives Maya an obnoxious grin. “Now, tell me you love me.”

She snorts. “You’re so needy,” she teases, responding with her own haughty smirk as she flips her hair. “Tell me I’m gorgeous.”

“You, my darling, are the most gorgeous,” her agent dutifully gushes, fluttering her eyes with a frantic flair. 

“Love you, Jules,” she laughs. 

“Okay, now that we're done with the business end of this catch-up,” Julia utters, leaning in closer to the screen with a conspiratorial look on her face, “ tell me you're getting laid.”

She huffs, somehow knowing that Andy and Julia must have talked recently. They are way too invested in her sex life, or lack thereof before this weekend. “You keep asking me that like I’m ever going to tell you when I know you're just asking me if I’m being safe,” Maya wryly replies. 

“Are you?”  

It’s her turn to arch an eyebrow at her agent. “I thought you said we were done with the business end.”

Julia raises her hands in surrender. “I actually don't know why I ask. You've always been one of my good ones,” she replies with an affectionate smile. “Alright darling, buy me something ghoulish and I’ll see you in Aberdeen next week.”

“Bye Jules.”

---

It takes a little longer than Carina expected to finally get back to the hotel and so she finds herself rushing towards Maya’s hotel room. 

She’s shaking her head as she does so, thinking of how crazy that she is actually—not exactly running but walking really, really fast just to be with somebody. To be with Maya, who she only just met. It's crazy. It's unreasonable and completely irrational. Yet Carina makes herself walk faster until she's finally standing outside Maya’s hotel room door. The key card is in her hand as she stares at the room number, catching her breath. Carina hasn't even entered the room yet but she feels something inside her suddenly ease at knowing that Maya will be there on the other side, waiting for her. The violent pounding beneath her ribcage slowly calms down. 

Carina unlocks the door and her barely steadying breath hitches in her chest. 

The scene that greets her is one of Maya sitting on her couch, a look of deep concentration on her face as she reads a script in her lap, the one she had shown Carina earlier this morning that she'd be reading. There’s a messy bun on top of her head and what Carina thinks might actually be Maya’s tablet pencil poking through that bun. It’s adorable and it’s cute and Carina pretends that there isn't a fleeting thought going through her mind about a future where she'd come home from work to a sight like this. Exactly like this. 

She’s so caught up in looking at Maya that she doesn't even notice herself approaching her after closing the door behind her, doesn't realize that she’s coming closer until Maya is looking right up at her with a winsome smile on her face. 

“You’re back,” Maya quietly utters, reaching for her hand to tangle their fingers together. 

“I am,” she murmurs, grabbing Maya’s script to place it on the table so that she can climb onto Maya's lap, bracketing Maya’s hips with her knees.

“I figured you'd be out longer,” Maya replies just as she’s pulling Maya's hand to set it on her waist before she drapes her arms over Maya’s shoulders, scooting closer until there's no space left between them. “Comfortable?” Maya asks in a gentle whisper just as she presses their foreheads together. 

“Very,” she answers, bringing her hands to cup Maya’s jaw. 

As she stares into Maya’s eyes, her heart flutters at how impossibly blue they look in the late morning sun. She reaches up to take out that tablet pencil out of Maya's bun, tossing it to the side to let long, blonde hair fall gracefully in waves over Maya’s shoulders. Carina takes a deep breath, letting her fingers bury themselves in Maya’s hair. She watches Maya’s eyes flutter as she drags her fingernails firmly over Maya’s scalp. She eventually drops her gaze to Maya’s mouth and briefly licks her lips before she's capturing Maya’s with them, slowly kissing her. 

She feels the pleased hum of Maya’s moan against her lips, Maya’s hands sliding from her waist to her back to pull her tighter to her and Carina willingly goes along with it. Maya is the one who deepens their kiss, her tongue parting Carina’s mouth open to curl teasingly over her own. Something tightens in her chest at the taste of Maya’s breathless sigh of her name on her lips. 

Eventually Carina pulls away, whimpering at her own action. She takes a second to enjoy the sight of Maya’s now flushed cheeks, her hair even messier than it was before and her lips so full and kiss-swollen. She leans in to nuzzle her nose along Maya’s, savoring the way that Maya seems to breathe her in before her blue eyes are open fully to her. She swallows thickly at how dark they look now and how they remind her of the sea at night. 

A lopsided smile pulls languid on Maya’s lips. “Hi,” she whispers, her voice warm and gravelly. 

A warm blush fills her cheeks at the dazed look in Maya’s eyes. “Hello.” 

She kisses Maya’s nose once, twice, then swiftly moves over to lay her head on Maya's thigh, stretching her body along the couch. She grabs Maya’s script off the table and hands it back to her before she's turning around so she can nuzzle into Maya’s stomach. She breathes out a sigh when she feels Maya’s fingers gently brushing through her hair.

“Did you have a good time with your brother and your best friend?” Maya asks her, using her other hand to flip her script open to the page that she was reading before Carina took it off her. 

“Mm, it was nice to spend time with Gabriella properly and not through a video call,” she murmurs, starting to feel a little drowsy from the soothing touches going through her hair. Carina makes a frustrated noise when she turns her thoughts to Andrea. “My brother was the usual pain in my butt.”

Maya hums thoughtfully. “Brothers can be like that, especially the younger ones.”

Her eyebrows knit together as she looks up at Maya when she feels Maya’s fingers stop their brushing. “You have an annoying little brother too?” she asks, trying to remember now if Maya has ever mentioned having a brother but only recalling her talk more about her mom. 

Seeming to hesitate before she meets Carina’s questioning stare, Maya gives her a trembling smile. “I did. He, um… he passed away a long time ago though.” Carina opens her mouth to apologize but stops when Maya shakes her head, her smile turning reassuring. “It’s okay. We were estranged before he died and I really only knew because my mom told me when I came back to visit.”

She grabs Maya's hand off her head, gently kissing the back of it. “What happened between you?” 

“My dad happened to us.” Maya lets out a deep breath, turning her gaze away to somewhere far off into the distance. “He made his love a prize that we both had to compete with each other to win, and there were no losers allowed in Lane Bishop’s household,” she quietly narrates. “We all eventually managed to escape him and I tried a few times to reach out to Mason but…” Maya pauses to wistfully sigh, “he wasn’t in the space to forgive me just yet. I don’t think he was ready to forgive me even when he died.” She finally brings her gaze to meet Carina's. “I’m still trying to make peace with that.”

Carina tenderly nuzzles her cheek against the back of Maya's hand, gently squeezing it in hers. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”

Maya’s face softens, giving her a small smile. “My mom and I got closer after that. We were already on the way to mending things between us but after Mason died… it felt even more important to fix things between us, y’know?”

She nods in understanding. “Where’s your father now?”

“Who knows,” Maya huffs with a nonchalant shrug. “I pay someone an insane amount of money to keep an eye on him but I don’t ask for details. The less I know about his life, the better.” She frowns slightly. “Am I a bad person for that?”

“No,” she whispers. Carina sits up then, the need to take Maya into her arms stronger than before. She breathes a sigh of relief when Maya doesn't hesitate to return the embrace. “No, Maya, you are not a bad person for trying to heal what your father tried to break.”

Maya drops a light kiss on her neck before pulling back, a grateful smile on her lips. “I hope your brother knows how lucky he is to have you as a sister.”

She shrugs, chuckling quietly. “He has his good little brother moments.” 

“You deserve nothing less than the best,” Maya softly replies, nodding in approval. 

Her cheeks warm over at the even softer look in Maya’s eyes. Clearing her throat, Carina stares pointedly at the script that she had inadvertently pushed to the side. “How much more of that do you have to read?”

“So, so much,” Maya groans in complaint. She starts to move away to give Maya to work when Maya stops her. “You can go back to laying down where you were before though,” she tells her, nodding when Carina gives her a questioning look. “Rest for a little bit and I’ll wake you up when you have to get ready for the wedding.”

She bites down on her bottom lip, moving her gaze between Maya and the bed. “Okay,” she answers, ultimately deciding that she really doesn't want to be far away from her.

She returns to her earlier position and this time, she takes Maya’s hand before it can go back to thread through her hair and slips it under her blouse. She rests Maya’s palm right on top of her chest, right where she knows Maya can feel her heartbeat. She can see from the look of grateful awe on Maya’s face that she did the right thing. Her own heart flutters when Maya quickly brings her hand up to press her thumb to Carina’s lips and then presses that same thumb to her own lips. 

“Get some rest, gorgeous,” Maya whispers, sliding her hand back to its previous place on Carina’s chest. 

But she doesn't close her eyes right away, content to watch Maya as she falls into that deep concentration she had been in when Carina first came into the room. Gabriella had been right. This is exactly where Carina needs to be. 

Carina eventually does fall asleep, her heart beating steadily under the warmth of Maya's palm. 

---

For the second time today, Maya comes out of the bathroom only for Carina to take her breath away. 

“Getting a little déjà vu right now,” she mutters under her breath. She brings her gaze up over Carina's choice of wedding outfit, biting down on her bottom lip as she takes in the entirety of the outfit—the pants, the shirt, the waistcoat—all tailored to fit Carina’s exact measurements to stunning perfection. “I know I’ve said this already but you look really hot.”

Where before Carina had been working on her make-up, she has already done so now and instead she's attempting her bow tie but seems to be dissatisfied with each attempt. She throws Maya a quick thankful smile before turning back to her reflection, an adorable frown of concentration on her face. 

Maya approaches behind her. “Do you need some help with that?” 

Carina huffs in exasperation. “Yes, please,” she answers, pulling the bow tie from under the collar and handing it over to Maya. 

Her eyebrows lift at the silk material, feeling the softness between her fingers. She reaches up to turn up the collar of Carina’s shirt. “Y'know, I thought the point of a wedding is that you don't upstage the brides,” she teases, placing the bow tie around Carina's neck. She looks up to see Carina's eyes focused intently on her, feeling her cheeks beginning to warm under the undivided attention as she begins crossing the long side of the tie over the short side. “Who's gonna want to look at anybody else after they see you?”

“Stop it,” Carina laughingly protests with a roll of her eyes as she places her hands on Maya’s waist. “You are making it very hard for me to go.”

Though she keeps her focus on working with the tie, she lets Carina see her wear a cheeky smile. “And I’m supposed to be mad about that because…”

As she drapes the longer side of the tie over Carina’s shoulder, Carina sighs wistfully. “I wish I could stay. Or maybe that you would come with me.” She pauses to laugh then. “But I think Andrea would faint if he saw you with me. My baby brother has a giant crush on you.”

She snorts, folding the front side over itself. “Pretty sure that crush would be over once he finds out that I’ve been naked with his big sister a lot and that I dream about getting her naked as much as possible,” she claims, opting to not mention that she's currently dreaming about getting Carina naked at this very moment. 

But then she just catches Carina giving her a knowing look, like she knows exactly what Maya is thinking. She probably does. Just as she can recognize the look on Carina's face when she's thinking about them having sex, Carina can most likely do the same with her. Thankfully Carina doesn't comment on it though she gives Maya’s waist a good, firm squeeze. Anything more than that would have been distracting; more distracting than Carina in this suit is already doing to her now. 

“What are you going to do while I'm gone?” Carina quietly asks her as she folds the longer end under and over the bow shape she had already made. 

“Furiously masturbating about you in this outfit,” she swiftly answers, poking her tongue out slightly now that she's at what she deems to be the most crucial part in doing the bow tie. 

She hears Carina laugh though Maya doesn't know why. She will absolutely be doing all of that while thinking about Carina looking so roguishly dapper in her suit and more likely stunning everybody with her presence. There's just no possible way that that wouldn't happen. 

“And then after that?” Carina asks, the amusement still tinged in her voice. 

Maya shrugs, carefully pushing a folded section into the loop and pulling it out on the other end. “'Maybe I’ll go take a few laps in the pool.” 

“You really don't know how to relax, do you?”

She sighs, smoothing out the tie and adjusts the back to uniform to the front bow. “I think the past twenty-four hours should tell you that I am actually very good at relaxing,” she teasingly points out, making Carina laugh once again. 

Maya gently pulls on both ends to secure the knot, lifting her gaze to meet Carina’s as she goes. She stops when Carina gives her a nod, lowering her eyes back down to make sure that the sides are even. She nods in satisfaction when she sees that they are, reaching up now to turn Carina’s collar back down. Once she's done, she finds herself being pulled into Carina and so Maya lays her arms over her shoulders. 

“Thank you,” Carina softly murmurs. 

She cups her hand to the nape of Carina’s neck, her fingers playing with the baby hairs there. “Do you ever think about it? Getting married?”

To her surprise, Carina shakes her head. “Not really. It was actually one of the big reasons that Arizona and I broke up,” she quietly admits. “Do you?”

Self-consciously Maya scrunches her nose. She’s not one to usually talk about the future or even marriage. But she does think about it from time to time and not once has she changed her mind about it, merely adjusted it the more she learned about herself. “Is it weird that I do?” she asks. “It's not a deal breaker to be married but I guess that what I’m looking for is explicit commitment. Do you know what I mean?”

Carina frowns in confusion. “Not really.”

“I have a really good life,” she murmurs thoughtfully, feeling Carina shudder as she trails her fingers lightly over the back of her neck. “Good relationship with my mom, good friends and a career that I really, really love,” she pauses, breathing out a rueful sigh. “But that same career—it doesn't lead to a very peaceful life and on some days, it’s hard to tell which version of me that people actually love. Maya Bishop or—”

“Just Maya,” Carina astutely finishes for her. 

Maya nods. “I don't want somebody who will choose one or the other. I want somebody who will choose both, somebody who will love both. Every day,” she quietly utters. “I don't care about having forever. I already have fans constantly vowing forever to me. I want somebody to promise every day to me.” She swallows thickly, feeling even more bashful than before. Maya chuckles awkwardly. “Does that sound silly?”

Shaking her head, Carina raises a hand to tenderly palm her cheek. “You’re going to meet that somebody someday and whoever they are, they sound like they're going to be something special.”

“Someday,” she echoes, feeling that unexplainable tight ache in her chest once again. Maya shakes her head. “Sorry, that got really heavy there.” 

Carina’s thumb brushes over her cheek. “It's okay,” she reassures her as she drops her hand back down to Maya’s waist. 

She pulls on her hand to slip it under Carina's waistcoat and lays her palm on Carina's chest. Maya sighs at the strong and steady heartbeat she finds there, already feeling so familiar to her now. “So you don't want to get married but… do you think about spending the rest of your days with somebody special?”

“I do,” Carina softly confesses, staring deeply into her eyes. “Someday.” 

Their eyes lock for a long moment and Maya wonders if Carina is thinking about the same someday as she is. She shakes her head, suddenly remembering something she nervously wanted to ask Carina when she got out of the bathroom earlier. “Hey, um, do you think that maybe later when you get back, we can have a talk?”

A concerned frown knits between Carina's eyebrows. “That sounds very serious.”

Maya puts on a soft, reassuring smile. “I’d just like to talk about… what happens after you leave.”

Carina’s frown disappears, replaced by a look of understanding. “Do you need me to sign an NDA?”

Her eyes widen in surprise at the unexpected question. She immediately shakes her head. “No, nothing like that.” Convincing Carina to sign an NDA is the furthest thing from her mind but Maya also can't help but melt a little at Carina’s earnest willingness to protect her once again. “It can wait until later. I don't want to make you late a second time today.” 

“Are you sure?” Carina asks her, gently squeezing her waist. “I think we both know by now that I don't really care if I’m late for anything if you’re the reason for it.”

At the charming grin on Carina’s face, Maya bites down on her bottom lip. “Maybe,” she murmurs, her gaze roaming lasciviously over Carina’s suit once again. Maya shakes her head, ridding herself of her lustful thoughts. She gently shoves Carina away from her with a laugh. “You should go before I change my mind about letting you go to the wedding.” 

“Okay, okay,” Carina laughs too, conceding to Maya’s urging. She goes to grab her jacket and immediately pulls it on, completing the devastatingly handsome look she was clearly going for. A contrastingly soft smile pulls at her lips. “I can't kiss you right now but…”

She doesn't let Carina finish her sentence, leaning up to press her lips to the edge of Carina’s mouth. Maya lingers there, lingers right where she can feel the quirk of Carina’s smile, right where she can breathe in that scintillating perfume again. It helps to ease the nerves that have been sitting in the pit of her belly.

“Have fun at the wedding, gorgeous.”

---

It was a beautiful ceremony. 

Carina has to admit that she did tear up a little bit listening to the vows between Arizona and Callie. To learn of all the things that they had been through and how they worked to heal their relationship together really drove it home to Carina that she and Arizona were never meant to last long together. There's just something about Arizona with Callie that makes so much more sense than Arizona with her ever did. 

Until today, she has never really seen the now-wedded couple together before, and so she gets it now. She gets why people didn’t seem at all surprised when they got back together, like it had been inevitable. Callie and Arizona were inevitable. Not that it lessened Carina's heartache by any means, at the time. She wasn't expecting wedding bells but she did expect more than what she got then. 

That is all past now though and Carina is more than happy to wish them both well. After all, she has other things to occupy her mind now, things like a certain Hollywood actor who she once again left behind in her hotel room and waiting for Carina’s return where they will talk about something that was clearly making Maya very nervous. She wonders what it could be, what could be making Maya seem so skittish. 

It wasn't an NDA which she absolutely would have signed no matter what. 

Oh.

Maya wants to talk about possibly seeing each other again, doesn't she? That's what it is, isn't it? It's not an NDA, which had been the most possible thing. It can't be something bad. She looked nervous but not guilty. That can't be it. So it has to be something possibly good, like Maya wanting to see her again after this weekend. 

Oh, Carina can't stay here any longer now. She has to go back to the hotel room. She has to go talk to Maya. Her life may be about to change and she wants it to change now.

She gets up to her feet, ready to leave when her brother’s voice breaks her out of her focus. “Are you seriously leaving right now? They haven't even served the food yet.”

“Food isn't what I’m hungry for right now,” she wittily replies, quickly buttoning her jacket. 

A disgusted look crosses Andrea’s face. “You're the worst.” His face sobers. “Can I have your plate then?”

She pockets her phone, thinking to herself that she and Maya really should exchange numbers. She could’ve texted her right now to make sure that she is in the room. “I ordered the fish but yes.”

She ruffles Andrea’s hair, cackling a little when he lets out a whining noise. Carina searches the rented ballroom for Gabriella and finds her best friend once again trying to flirt with Meredith. She shakes her head at her best friend's behavior even though she knows that Meredith can very easily handle her. Gabriella eventually notices her trying to catch her attention and Carina points towards to the main doors. Her best friend merely nods in understanding before turning back to Meredith. Carina swiftly turns around on her heeled boot to leave the ballroom, not letting out a breath until the doors are swinging closed behind her. 

But just as she thinks she's free from scrutiny, she comes face to face with Jo, who is wearing a playfully scolding look on her face. “And just where are you off to?” 

Carina shakes her head, too much in a rush now to really get into it with her former mentee. She briefly pats Jo’s arm. “I’m sorry, Jo. I have a date and I have already kept her waiting longer than I should have.”

She doesn't even wait to hear anything Jo has to say in reply. Instead Carina walks away from her and the wedding ballroom and she walks really, really, really fast through the labyrinth of hallways. So fast that she actually has to stop to catch her breath once she finally reaches Maya's door. All the while through her journey getting there, Carina thought only of Maya and about the future they could possibly have together. 

It wouldn't be easy. Maya has mentioned more than once how unpredictable her schedule can be, mentioned even more than that how invasive her fans can get. In fact, Maya mentioned a lot of reasons that should scare off a lot of people from wanting to pursue anything further than sex with her. But Carina isn't just people. She wants more than sex with Maya. She wants more than these last twenty-four magical hours have given her. After getting to know Maya better, Carina has realized just how much she likes her, and just how much she wants to see where this can go between them. 

And as she stares at Maya’s door, still catching her breath, Carina is really hoping that she's not wrong, that this is the conversation that Maya wants to have. But even if it's about something else, Carina still wants to have that talk. She doesn't want to leave this weekend, leave Maya without knowing exactly where she stands with her.

Carina takes a deep breath and unlocks the door.

“Oh thank god, you're finally here. I have been so fucking bo—who are you?”

She stares at the strange woman in shock, suddenly worried about where Maya is and really wishing that she had listened to Andrea when he talked about those self-defense tactics. What if this is one of those stalker fans that Maya talked about? The ones who always seemed to figure out where Maya was, regardless of how careful Maya has been about being noticed. It must have happened when they went out last night even though Carina thought she did a good job of keeping Maya relatively unseen. 

She quickly looks around the room, relieved to find that Maya isn't here at all. She does notice that the woman has already made herself very comfortable in Maya’s room. Carina thinks quickly. “I am a… friend of Maya’s. Who are you?” she asks, hoping that a calming manner will make sure this won't escalate. 

The woman arches a skeptical eyebrow at her. “I’m her girlfriend,” she claims, her answer throwing Carina completely off-guard. She barrels on, not even letting Carina have a second to soak in the words. “Look, I don't know how you got up here but I’m going to give you a chance to leave before I call security.”

Carina shakes her head, widening her stance. “I’m not leaving.”

“Wow, you're brave,” the woman laughs. Her brown eyes scan Carina up and down, an appreciative look in her eyes. “She’d definitely like you, I’ll give you that much, but you still need to leave.”

“Prove it.” 

“What?”

“If you're Maya's girlfriend,” Carina sneers before adding, “then prove it.”

The woman scoffs but when Carina doesn't budge, she rolls her eyes. “Fine,” she mutters, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She quickly unlocks it, taps the screen a few times and shoves the phone in Carina’s face. 

Right there on the screen is a picture of Maya laying on top of this stranger, and not just laying on top of her but sleeping with her head on this woman's chest. Carina immediately recognizes the content look on Maya’s face and it feels like she has been doused in ice. She looks up from the phone to meet the woman’s eyes. 

She had been so ready to throw this person out of the room, so ready to defend and protect Maya from them. But now Carina feels numb. She feels… stupid. Oh god, she is so stupid. How could she have let herself get carried away like this? What was she even thinking?  

“I’m so sorry. I—I’ll go,” she stammers, hurriedly turning and walking right out of the room. 

Carina pays no thought to the fact that there are clothes of hers that are still in the room, nothing about her make-up and toiletries. She just has enough presence of mind to be thankful that Andrea has all their travel documents with him. Everything else she can replace. All that she has with her now is the gnarly painful twisting in her chest and she's just barely able to carry it with her. 

She doesn't know how she managed to get back to the ballroom without stopping somewhere to break down and cry but she briskly finds Gabriella, thankfully no longer flirting with Meredith. 

“Carina,” her best friend teasingly murmurs in greeting and completely oblivious to the dark look on Carina’s face, “I thought you would be with your ‘phenomenal’ lover by now.”

She shakes her head. “Change of plans. Can we leave? I have a really bad headache.”

She ignores Gabriella's questioning stare, staying stubbornly silent until her best friend finally concedes to her desire to leave. “Let’s say goodbye to the brides and then we can go.” Carina nods in agreement and Gabriella places a comforting hand on her back as they walk towards the front of the ballroom. “Talking or no talking tonight?”

A wave of gratitude passes over her and Carina tries her best not to lose whatever fragile hold she has over her control and not cry. “No talking. A lot of alcohol.”

A concerned look passes over Gabriella’s face before she nods. “Okay. Let's go.” 

---

“Hey asshole, thanks for keeping me waiting.”

She gives her best friend a long look, unsure that she's actually really seeing her right now. They were only just on the phone together a couple of days ago. “Andy? What are you doing here?” she asks, tossing the towel she had been using to dry her hair into the corner of her bathroom. 

Andy shoots her a reproachful look. “Really? I fly all the way from Chicago and that's all the warm greeting I get?”

Chastised, Maya hurriedly walks over and pulls Andy into a hug, squeezing her tightly when she remembers how long it has been since they saw each other. Andy had already left for Chicago by the time Maya came back to Seattle. “Sorry, sorry. I'm so happy to see you here. I just wasn't expecting it at all.” 

“Good thing I am here because I totally saved you,” Andy proudly claims, dropping herself back down on the couch. “I swear, I don't know how they do it. I’ve seen nothing about you on social media or the gossip sites but they somehow always seem to find you. At least, this one was crazy hot though.”

Her excitement in seeing her best friend diminishes. A worried feeling begins to creep up her spine. Oh no. “Somebody was here?”

Andy derisively snorts as she nods. “She said she was your friend. Can you believe that?”

She takes her seat next to Andy; something more than worry starts to take over her and her best friend’s vague response is not helping at all. “Andy, please. What did she look like?”

Her best friend shrugs, unaware of the rising panic that Maya currently is experiencing. “I wasn't paying that close attention past that she was hot. I guess she's local? Tall, brown hair, brown eyes…”

“Did she have a mole right here?” she interrupts, pointing to the side of her mouth. Maya prays for the answer to be no. 

But to Maya’s dismay, Andy’s face immediately lights up. “Oh yeah, I think I remember seeing that.” Her grin drops immediately when she finally notices the look on Maya’s face and understanding dawns on her. “Oh,” Andy breathes, her eyes widening. “Oh no, I messed something up, didn't I?” she demands, sitting up properly now as she grabs onto Maya’s wrist. “Maya, I’m—I’m so sorry. I thought she was another one of those fans and—”

Maya shakes herself out of her stupor. “It's okay, Andy. I get it,” she quickly reassures her best friend. 

Andy had only been doing what she had always done: protecting her. She can almost bet with everything she has that Andy probably pretended to be her girlfriend too. She runs her fingers through her damp hair, rushing up towards her closet. There's no time for a meltdown right now. She needs to get changed. 

“How long ago was this?” she asks, pulling out whatever her hand touches first. 

“I don't know, maybe an hour and a half ago?” Andy quickly answers, carefully approaching her as Maya pulls on a pair of joggers. “What are you doing?”

“She was here for a wedding. I have to find her and explain. I can't—I can't let her keep thinking whatever she's probably thinking,” Maya answers, tugging her hoodie down over her bikini. She's still a little wet from her swim but she can deal with a little discomfort until she finds Carina. She pauses just as she starts to make her way to the door, turning to her best friend. “Are you hungry or anything?”

Andy nods, tucking her hands behind her back. Maya doesn't miss the remorseful posture. “I already ordered some room service,” she replies, letting out a heavy sigh. “I’m so sorry, Maya.”

She places her hand on the doorknob. “It’s okay. You were just looking out for me,” she reassures her as she opens the door. “I’ll be right back.”

As soon as Maya closes the door, she runs. 

There can only be so many wedding events going on in the hotel but she checks the signage in the lobby anyway and is able to find out where she needs to go. She runs once more. 

Though everything in her is screaming at her to burst right through the doors when she sees them, Maya slows herself down enough to carefully open them. Unwanted attention when she’s already feeling like she wants to break down is not the best combination of things. She tries to subtly look around the room but she's already sticking out by not being in formal wear as it is. Maya curses herself for forgetting to grab her cap but thankfully there aren't a lot of people left. The reception must be in its final hour now. 

She feels that panic rising again when she doesn't see Carina at all. How hard can it be to find her? Carina literally stands out in a crowd. She should be the easiest person for Maya to find. Unless she isn't here anymore and Maya isn't at all ready to admit defeat just yet. 

Spotting a couple seated at a table near the door, Maya approaches them. “Hey, um, is Carina DeLuca still around?”

The man shakes his head and Maya feels her heart sink right down to her stomach. “I think she left over an hour ago, didn't she?” the man asks the woman sitting next to him. 

A sneaky smile crosses the woman’s face. “Oh yeah, she said that she had a date. She seemed real excited about whoever it was.” 

Maya sucks in a sharp breath, biting back the urge to curse herself out some more. Why did she have to go swimming? Why couldn't she have just stayed in her room and relaxed like Carina teased her earlier? She puts on a fake smile. “Okay, well, thank you anyway.”

She goes to leave when the woman calls out to her. “Hey, aren't you that actor? Maya something?”

“Oh no,” she weakly replies, shaking her head. “I get that a lot though.” She gives them a final wave. “Thanks.”

She drifts her way back to her room, too numb to think and feel anything about the fact that Carina is just gone and she's never going to see her again. This isn't how Maya pictured her day would go. Hell, this isn't how she pictured how it would end . 

Now Carina is never going to know that Maya wanted to talk about the possibility of them seeing each other again when Maya came back to Seattle, of them continuing to get to know each other while Maya is away. Now, Carina isn't just gone. She thinks that Maya is a liar, that everything they shared together has been a lie. 

Maya berates herself for not having exchanged numbers with Carina. One text could fix this mess so easily. But they had been so consumed by each other, so lost in what was happening between them that they just forgot to do the simple things like exchanging contact information. But that was also what the talk was for. 

She doesn't even know when exactly Carina's flight back is or Maya would be seriously entertaining a run through the airport just to search for her.  

She finds Andy waiting for her with food and drinks laid out on the coffee table. Her best friend looks over her shoulder as if to see if Carina is behind her. But when she realizes that Maya came alone, she holds up a bottle of beer in consolation. But Maya doesn't feel like drinking. Not yet. Instead she throws herself onto the couch and tries not to think about the last time that she and Carina had been on this couch, tries not to think about how it had felt like a setting she wanted to share more of with Carina.

She tries to get comfortable, deciding that maybe she can just sleep the rest of this day away. Or maybe she’ll wake up and this will all just be one terrible fucking nightmare. She grunts, feeling something poking her side and ruining whatever comfort she's trying to find. Maya grabs at it and pulls it out to see what it is. 

It’s a tablet pencil, her tablet pencil. The very same one that Carina pulled out of her bun and threw to the side before she kissed Maya breathless.

Maya tightens her grip around it. Had that really been the last time she kissed Carina? The last that she's ever going to? 

Her eyes fall shut when she feels herself being moved around and it’s Andy taking Maya into her arms, bringing Maya’s head to her chest. At the sound of Andy’s familiar heartbeat, Maya takes a deep, trembling breath and tries not to choke on how heavy her own chest feels. As much as she has missed hearing it, this isn't the heartbeat she wants to hear now. This isn't the heartbeat she has gotten to know so well over the last twenty-four hours. This isn't the heartbeat she has fallen so deeply for. 

Will she never get to hear Carina’s heartbeat again?

END OF ACT ONE

Chapter 5: act two: chapter five: it must have been love

Notes:

Hi everyone!

How have you all been doing since the last time I updated? I hope your December has been wonderful. Thank you so much to everyone who has wished me well during my recovery. It has been going well, though slowly. I'm doing my best in being vigilant with my medication. But it has been so amazing to be able to see better, at least in the one eye so far.

Now onto the story.

I feel like I say this often but I really am so blown away by how much love this story has gotten. I know I've diverged so much from the Notting hill plot but I hope it's been enjoyable regardless. As I've told some of you, the angst won't be long-lived. This is after all a romantic comedy and i like to stay within romantic comedy rules...ish. Y'all know me anyway 😂

I hope you'll enjoy this one.

Much love,
Az ❤️❤️❤️

P.S.: See y'all for the next itge update 😉

P.P.S.: This chapter is also dedicated to Danielle Savre because, well, I just want to say that my outline for this chapter came before all her IG updates. She just provided some really great visuals for me 😂

ACT TWO

William: It's as if l've taken love heroin, and now I can't ever have it again.

- Notting Hill

chapter five: it must have been love

ten months later

Carina breathes out a tired sigh. 

Her feet are aching from having spent hours in the OR this morning and her stomach is rumbling angrily from having missed lunch because of an emergency C-section that she went into right after her morning surgery but she can't be bothered to get anything from the cafeteria. All in all, there's nothing irregular about her day and yet, Carina still feels so incredibly exhausted. 

Sleep hasn't been coming easy for her in these last few months and whatever time that she's awake and not in her apartment, she keeps herself busy to the point of exhaustion that she is forced to rest. Carina isn't so unaware though, as to what is causing her troubles; that this all started after she left Sicily. 

So she leaves herself no time to stop and think, no time to let herself feel anything about her time with Maya Bishop and how abruptly it all ended. As far as she is concerned, that time is best left forgotten. 

The knock on her door takes her out of her thoughts. “Come in,” she calls out. 

“Carina, we need to talk.”

“Are you breaking up with me, Chief Bailey?” she chuckles. “But we have been so good togethe—Andrea!”

Seeing her brother standing right behind Miranda once she finally lifts her gaze startles Carina. He’s wearing a serious look on his face that has her frowning, wondering if this is about the patient that they met with this morning. 

“Andrea? Did something happen with Dr. Pierce’s patient?”

He doesn't answer her right away, only briefly meeting Miranda’s eyes as she walks inside before closing the door behind him. Carina's frown deepens at the silent exchange, watching Miranda taking a seat on her couch. Carina belatedly realizes the cautious expression that her boss is wearing on her face. 

Feeling awkward about being all the way at her desk, Carina gets up to join her. “What is this about? Did somebody… is it—” she pauses, her eyes widening in panic as she looks to her brother, “is it papà?”

Her panic dissipates when Andrea quickly shakes his head, his own eyes widening as if he wasn't expecting her assumptions to lead her there. But what else could it be? What other reason is there for her brother to be here with Miranda, if not their father? The assurance that it isn't him does have Carina exhaling in relief just as Miranda places a cool hand over hers. 

“This talk is more about you, Carina,” Miranda carefully reveals, her eyes soft as they gaze directly into Carina’s eyes. 

She rears back in surprise. “Me?” she asks, pointing to herself. Carina worries what she could have done recently that warrants the necessity of discussion, especially from her boss and her brother in tow. 

“Carina,” Miranda starts, her tone cautious and deliberate as she squeezes Carina’s hand, “ever since we all came back from Sicily, you’ve been…” 

Her worry only gets worse seeing Miranda so uncharacteristically at such a loss for words. Her brother, on the other hand, does not seem to be suffering from the same struggle when he blurts out, “an ass.”

His bluntness earns him a warning glare from Miranda as she looks back at him. She turns back to Carina, letting out a sigh. “The thing is, Carina, we have been getting some complaints.”

Her eyebrows lift at hearing this. “Complaints? From who?”

Hesitation makes Miranda slower to answer but she still does so anyway, “Mostly interns… and some residents. And no, I'm not going to tell you which ones,” she adds just as Carina opens her mouth to ask. 

“You’d think with all the ‘phenomenal’ sex you had would’ve loosened you up a little,” Andrea mutters, loud enough for her and Miranda to hear that they both shoot him dirty looks. He pointedly ignores them. 

Her cheeks are warm though, as a result of her brother’s remark and her flustered state unfortunately doesn't go amiss when she sees Miranda arching her eyebrow in question. Something heavy sinks into her stomach. Carina sighs then, running a hand over her face as she anticipates Miranda’s reaction.  

“I’m sorry,” Miranda finally starts to say, her voice scarily steady with a hint of disbelief, “are you telling me that the reason you have been acting like some wife mourning for her husband who was lost at sea, is that you haven't been having sex?” 

“No!” she loudly protests, her cheeks even hotter than they were a minute ago. Carina knows that she hasn't exactly been a ray of sunshine lately but she didn't think that it’s been that bad. “That is not… Miranda, I know that I haven't been in the best mood but—” she stops, her jaw clicking shut when Miranda holds up her hand. 

“Carina, the way you have been acting these past few months…” Miranda trails off as she shakes her head, the scolding tone combined with the disappointed look in her eyes making Carina feel even worse than she already does, “in all the years we’ve worked together, I don't think I’ve ever seen you like that.”

“Try growing up with her and being there while she was on her period,” Andrea not-too quietly interrupts once again. 

An exasperated sigh escapes Miranda as she turns to point at him. “Okay, you—are supposed to be helping but you are not. Go away now or I will take away your surgical privileges.”

“You’re not gonna do that,” her brother chuckles, a self-assured smirk on his face that instantly drops when Miranda stares blankly at him. “Are you?”

“Are you really willing to find out?” Miranda challenges him, pursing her lips as Andrea’s eyes widen in surprise. It takes less than a second for him to rush out of the door in a panic, without even speaking another word and leaving her alone with Miranda. “So you met someone in Sicily? What happened?”

She leans back in her chair, a tired sigh passing her lips. Thoughts run through her mind, trying to quickly figure out how to exactly explain what happened without having to reveal anything about Maya. Carina shrugs haplessly. “They just… turned out to be somebody I thought they weren’t.”

Miranda quietly scoffs. “Nobody is who they say they are on vacation.” 

She doubts that her boss’ intention was to come off as mocking or condescending but still, Carina feels slighted nonetheless. Like she should have known better. Like she shouldn't have let her heart lead her decision-making. The problem is that Miranda is right. Carina should have known better than to get involved with somebody the way that she did. 

“You must have really liked them though,” Miranda comments, the look on her face much more sympathetic now. “ You don't usually get so… twisty on somebody like this, not even after Arizona left for New York.”

“I did like her,” Carina quietly murmurs. She shakes her head. “I really, really liked her. But she lied to me.”

“So?” Miranda shrugs. “You only knew her for what? Two days? Forget about her.”

A hollow laugh escapes her as she snaps her fingers. “Oh yes, forget about her. Why didn't I think of that?”

“I’m going to let that sass slip past me because you’re obviously hurting but if you're actually trying to get over her, working like a dog with a bone since you got back wasn't ever going to help,” Miranda gently reprimands her. “You're just using work as a distraction; to our benefit because our OB stats have been astronomically better than ever but you’re going to burn out, Carina, and we can't have that.”

“I suppose this explains why you so eagerly flew off to L.A. when Dr. Montgomery asked for your help with a patient,” Miranda remarks.

“That was part of the reason,” she softly replies. Those few weeks in Los Angeles were a great distraction from thinking about how much she really just wanted to sit in her shower and cry for hours and hours. Carina sighs, already knowing what it is that Miranda is waiting to hear from her. “I will go home early today and take this weekend off,” she offers, hastily amending when her boss’ face doesn't change, “and also next week.”

Miranda nods in approval. “If I see you anywhere in this building after 5 o’clock, I’m taking away your privileges.”

It's her turn to scoff at that warning. “No, you will not.”

Her retort earns her a narrow-eyed glare but Carina merely stares back. Unlike her brother, Carina knows her capabilities very well and the kind of prestige she brings to the hospital. They need her more than she needs them and Miranda knows it, which is why she eventually raises her hands in surrender. 

Miranda slaps her hands on her knees before getting up to her feet. “You still better be gone, Dr. DeLuca.”

She nods. “I will, Chief,” she promises, watching Miranda walking out of her office before she slumps back in her chair. 

---

The sound of sirens blaring so suddenly outside her window is what wakes Maya up from her deep sleep.

It takes her a second to remember where she is after months and months of rental apartments and hotel rooms. She glances to the side where the frame holding the picture of her and her mom sits on her bedside table. Her clock tells her that she had been asleep for the last sixteen hours after having trudged through her front door yesterday afternoon and so she isn't too surprised to see the light of the morning sun flickering between her curtains. 

The flight back to Seattle from Vancouver wasn't long but god, was it bumpy, and Maya just does not do well with bumpy airplane rides. It always makes her regret not choosing to drive down but she just wanted to get back home as soon as possible. 

A deep and heavy sigh passes between her lips. With nothing pressing that needs her attention or her focus, Maya now has the next couple of months to herself to do whatever she wants, or at least until Julia lets her know about an audition. But Maya is really hoping that that won't happen anytime soon. 

She thinks about closing her eyes and getting some more sleep but it runs the risk of ruining her sleep schedule and as much as Maya wants to be on holiday-mode, sleeping in just isn't much of her thing. But she's still not so ready to get up and face the world just yet so she grabs her phone off the table. 

A tired smile pulls at her lips seeing the messages from Andy and her mom, ignoring the rest. She can get to them later. Turning on the camera app, Maya takes a quick picture of her rumpled bedsheets, of the ray of sunlight beaming across them as it lights up the part of her bedroom that can be seen in the picture. 

Home, she captions it before tapping on the button to post it. 

Once that's done, she switches over to her Phone app. Her mom should already be up by now and most likely in her office, or at the very least, making breakfast. Maya waits as the ringing begins, going on for nearly a minute before her call is finally picked up. “Hey mom, it’s me.”

“I’m sorry, this is a new phone. Who is this?”

She immediately rolls her eyes at the question. Her mom does this every single time she calls her once she gets back to Seattle. “Mom, it’s Maya. Your beloved daughter?”

A sharp gasp comes through the speaker. “Oh, Maya? My beautiful, famous daughter who has forgotten all about her poor, destitute mother?”

She snorts. “Seriously? Destitute?” she repeats, shaking her head. She really doesn't know where her mom gets it but there’s for sure no question where her propensity for drama comes from. Her face softens when she hears her mother giggling over the phone. 

“How long have you been back?” she hears her mom ask, along with the familiar sound of her footsteps across the hardwood floor of her kitchen. Her mom must be making breakfast. 

“I only just got in yesterday,” she answers, groaning quietly as she does a full stretch. Maya sighs at the feeling of her body loosening. “Woke up a few minutes ago so I’ve really only just started sleeping off six months’ worth of jet lag. Don't worry though, mom,” she adds, having anticipated her mom’s next question. “I’m gonna drive up in a couple of weeks.”

Her mother hums in approval. “More than enough time to get your cabin ready then,” she replies. “I’m surprised that you didn’t take a vacation somewhere before coming back, like you usually do.”

A warm blush spreads across Maya’s cheeks. “Yeah, I—I just wanted to be home this time.” 

This time, the hum that her mother lets out is skeptical but much to Maya’s relief, she doesn't press the matter. “Will you be seeing Andy soon?”

A little more ready to move about, Maya pushes herself to sit up on her bed. She brushes her fingers through her sleep-mussed hair, reminding herself that she can finally get a fresh cut soon; it's gotten much too long for her to handle lately. 

“No, but I’m probably gonna go have dinner with her and the crew at the station sometime this week.”

“Remind them about my party. I expect to see all of them there,” her mother tells her. “And please, Maya, be careful.”

“I will, mom,” she quietly promises. “To both things.”

As she gets off her bed, she hears her mom sigh. “I just don't understand why you want to be doing any of that. If it's more work you’re looking for, I’m sure Walter will gladly have some chores for you when you're here.”

Her lips quirk into a smile. “I just like to help, mom.”

“I know you do, sweetheart,” her mom replies, her voice filled with pride despite the tinge of worry still in it. “I just wish you wanted to help in less life-threatening ways, like a soup kitchen or maybe even community theatre.”

“I still do the soup kitchen,” Maya lightly argues. “And why would I do community theatre? I already have to deal with Hollywood actors as it is. Community theatre actors are ruthless.”

“Yes, but at least you won't have to worry about smoke inhalation,” her mom reasons. 

While walking through the doorway of her bedroom, Maya arches an eyebrow.  “Are we forgetting that one time I literally lost half an eyebrow?”

“And that eyebrow grew back,” her mother tries to point out. 

“Yeah, after I got that transplant,” Maya counters. “I’m never doing community theatre again, mom.”

After turning the lights on in her kitchen, Maya self-consciously touches her eyebrow, as if expecting to feel smooth skin but sighs in relief when she comes into contact with a perfectly trimmed eyebrow. As she goes to open her fridge, she inwardly pats herself on the back for asking Spencer to stock up her fridge. 

“Whatever you say, my love,” her mom sighs, knowing fully well that there's no arguing with Maya on this particular subject. “I’ll see you soon though, yes?

Maya grabs the new canister of coffee beans as she nods. “You will. Love you.”

“I love you too.”

Once Maya hangs up, she goes about making her first cup of the morning. She contemplates what to make for breakfast as the peaceful silence is broken by the brewing sound of her coffee machine. Maya sighs dreamily, breathing in the rich scent as the dark liquid begins to pour.

Moments later, with her coffee cup in hand, Maya makes her way to the balcony. A cool but sunshine-filled morning with a freshly brewed cup of coffee sounds like the best way to really start her day and to plan how the rest of it will go. Or it should be the best way, if it isn't for that tight ball of apprehension that's been sitting in the pit of her gut for the last ten months. 

Her mother hadn't been wrong. She does usually take a week-long vacation somewhere to decompress as a way to transition from however many months of non-stop working to however equally many months of waiting for work to come. Even Spencer had been surprised when Maya told her to book a ticket to Seattle instead of somewhere like Langkawi or Monaco. But there's a reason for her coming straight back this time and that very reason works in the OB-GYN department of Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital. 

Not for the first time, Maya feels crazy for considering the idea of trying to contact Carina. She only knew her for two days at most, how is she still so all twisted up inside about her? It’s been so long since they last saw each other—the last she saw of Carina was of her walking out of her hotel room to attend the wedding, and there's nothing of those two days that Maya has forgotten. 

Yet now that she’s back in Seattle, Maya worries that she has left it for too long and it might just be more than too late to fix things between them. She isn't sure if Carina will want to hear from her but she knows that she has to at least try, if only to explain the truth. 

After what happened, she had thought to give Carina a few days to settle back in the city before she tried calling. She had been so frazzled with panic that she didn't think of even asking Carina's colleagues for her number when she crashed the wedding to find her, so trying the hospital was Maya’s next best bet. 

The thing is, Carina hadn't been there. When Maya finally got through to somebody who would actually help her (she made the rookie mistake of giving her real name and proceeded to be hung up on by somebody who thought she was playing a prank), Carina was away in a different city. There was no assurance of when Carina would be back, just that she was helping another doctor with a patient and that could take as little as a week to a month. But Maya didn't have a month. She barely had a few days left before she had to go to Aberdeen. 

All Maya could do then was leave a fake name and her number and hope that Carina would call before she left Sicily. 

But Carina never called. 

---

Carina wakes up with a sleepy grumble to the violent buzzing of her phone on top of her bedside table. 

It's her first official day off and she shouldn't be getting any calls from work. Yet Carina lifts her head off her pillow just in case, and reluctantly so, to take a look at her phone. With one eye open, she squints against the brightness of her phone screen to see a picture of her annoying baby brother’s face grinning cheesily at her. 

She breathes out an exasperated groan, grabbing the phone before angrily tapping to answer the call. But before she can even give her brother a piece of her mind for calling, he cuts her off. 

“Open the door.”

“Che?” she mutters in confusion, annoyed that her brother didn't even let her speak first. The faint thought of smothering his face with a pillow comes to her mind. Maybe today will be that day. “Andrea, are you seriously calling me right now?”

“Yes, I am seriously calling you right now,” he snarks right back in only the way that a younger sibling can. “Open your front door. My hands are full.”

She pulls her phone away from her face, scowling at the device as if he can see or feel her wrath. “You have a key,” she points out after bringing her phone back, unwilling to get out of her cozy bed and even cozier blanket. “Figure it out yourself,” she utters before hanging up on her brother and pulling her blanket over her head, determined to go back to sleep. 

And she almost succeeds until she’s being rudely awakened once again, this time crying out in surprise when something solid jumps on top of her. Her blanket is being pulled off her and when she looks up, it’s to see Andrea’s cheesy grin much more up close and personal than she would like, and he only looks stupidly pleased with himself. 

“Andrea! Che cazzo, you are so annoying! What are you doing here?” she demands, shoving his face away with a groan before pulling her blanket back over herself. 

“I see you're handling your vacation well,” her brother chuckles good-naturedly, taking the empty spot and lays down beside her. “I was on my way home so I figured I'd get you breakfast.”

“Breakfast?” she mumbles, taking in the full sight of her brother. His shift must have ended earlier this morning. 

“Yeah, you know that meal you have after you wake up?” he asks, a cheeky grin forming on his face. 

She shoots him a sleepy glare. “I know what breakfast is,” she mutters petulantly, pointing a scolding finger at him. “When I told you that you owe me food, I did not mean so early in the morning.”

His grin transforms into a bemused one. “It’s like, 10.” He rolls his eyes when she only responds with a blank look. “Anyway, you probably should have made that clearer. But at least now you don't have to cook on your day off?” he points out as he wears a placating smile. “I am really sorry about being a jerk yesterday.” 

Pursing her lips, Carina tries not to melt under her brother’s attempt to charm her out of her grouchy mood. But one look into his eyes, the same ones as their mamma’s, Carina finds herself softening anyway. “It's okay,” she sighs. “I know I haven't been the best company in a very long while.”

Andrea shrugs, wearing a contemplative expression on his face. “You know what’ll cheer you up?”

She gives him a suspicious look. “What?”

“Wanna go see a movie later?” he suggests. “We can get popcorn, all the candy and I’ll even get you one of those disgustingly overpriced hot dogs that you love so much.” 

A small smile pulls at her lips at the grossed-out look on her brother’s face. Carina really isn't sure how to explain it but there's just something about chewing on a movie theatre hot dog that she really loves while watching a movie on the big screen. They're not even that great but they simply add to the experience. 

“That is a very tempting offer,” she replies, thinking about how long it has been since she saw something in the theatre. Possibly even longer too since she went with Andrea and they tend to make quite the day of it. “What’s playing?” 

He takes his phone out of his pocket, holding it up as he taps on the movie theatre app. She quietly watches him as he hums to himself. “They’re doing a Bogart feature this month,” he reads out loud, “and today's movie is Casablanca—”

She touches his shoulder. “Oh, I love that movie,” she remarks, starting to feel a little excited. “What else is there?”

His eyes widen when they land on something on the screen. “Oh! Have you seen the new Maya Bishop one?”

Every ounce of excitement that had been building inside of her, immediately disappears. Thankfully her brother seems too preoccupied with what he's reading that he doesn't see her reaction. “Um, no, I haven't.”

Andrea nods, still staring up at the screen. “It's been out a couple of weeks now so this will probably be the last week we'll be able to see it.” 

She flounders for a reply that won't make her brother too suspicious. She hasn't been rewatching any of Maya’s films since she got back from Sicily and Carina really doesn't think that she's ready to see Maya’s beautiful face on a giant screen. “Oh, well, I—I can wait to see it.”

That's when her brother finally turns to look at her, a bewildered stare of disbelief on his face. “You can wait to see it? You finally have a day off and I’d have expected you to be totally into going to see this as soon as you can, and news flash, big sis, you can,” he not-so-gently reminds her. “Come on, didn't the trailer look so good? And we both know that you love her films.”

She chokes out a weak laugh. “Love is such a strong word.” 

His look turns wary. “You're being weird.”

“I’m not being weird,” she hastily replies.

He continues to stare at her for a long moment before breathing out a deep sigh when she doesn't react. “Whatever. So Casablanca and Maya Bishop’s new movie, yes or no?” A knowing look crosses his face. “Unless you want to see that new horror that Amelia was talking about the other day ‘cause apart from the Disney movie, that's really our only other option.”

Carina entertains the thought of going with the Disney movie but then shudders at the thought of being surrounded by families while she'd be with her brother. Another shudder goes through her when she then recalls the trailer that Amelia had shown her. 

“No, no horror movie,” she sighs, resigning herself to her fate. 

“Awesome,” her brother replies, pocketing his phone, “because I’ve already booked the tickets.” 

Her mouth drops open, ready to be very indignant that he did that before she even gave him an actual answer. But then he arches his eyebrow, giving her a look that just makes her roll her eyes at him, huffing slightly. “Can't wait,” she mutters instead. 

Then Andrea is sitting up on her bed, pushing himself off it. “Okay so, Casablanca starts at 2.45 so I’m gonna go back home and nap,” he tells her. “You should have your breakfast and get some more rest too. Then maybe all this—” he pauses to gesture in her general direction, “will be less cranky.” Before she can utter a word of protest, he’s leaning over and dropping a kiss on her forehead. “Ti voglio bene.”

“I love you too,” she sighs, caving easily to her brother’s affectionate display. She watches him pick up his jacket that he had apparently tossed onto the floor earlier. “Thank you for breakfast.”

He gives her a smile. “See you later.”

---

Maya is currently pacing back and forth across her balcony as she stares down at her phone, summoning up the courage to try calling the hospital again. 

There’s an empty plate on the small dining table where she had eaten her brunch. She spent so long psyching herself up to do this that most of the morning had flown by without her realizing it. Carina has to be back now from wherever she went to, to help that other doctor. Carina has to be back in this city. Now that Maya has no more responsibilities that have need of her, she can focus all her attention on what she needs, and that's to see and talk to Carina again. 

She huffs out a deep breath, letting herself fall back on the chair as she listens to the ringing tone. Anxiety and impatience makes her leg start to shake, so much so that it's making the cutlery rattle noisily on her plate. Maya chews on her bottom lip, waiting and hoping for her call to finally be picked up. 

A gasp escapes her when the ringing finally stops and a voice comes through. “Hello, Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. This is Tina on the phone, how may I help you?”

Maya tries not to yell out of relief, recognizing the name of that helpful nurse from last time. “Tina, hi! This is… Vivian Marlowe again,” she stutters, nearly forgetting the fake name she gave the nurse all those months ago. “I don't know if you remember me but I called a few months ago for Dr. DeLuca?”

“Oh, Miss Marlowe! Of course, I remember you,” Tina replies, her voice warm and welcoming like it was the last time they talked. “But oh, you really have the worst timing because Dr. DeLuca was here yesterday but won't be in today.”

She pulls her phone off her ear and smacks it on her forehead. How is this happening to her again? Maya takes a deep, calming breath before bringing the device back to her ear. She’s not going to let this discourage her. “Oh gosh, what rotten luck,” she attempts to joke. “Um, will she be back tomorrow?”

“Actually, Dr. DeLuca will be off for the next week or so. Let me just check her calendar for you to confirm,” Tina offers, going quiet followed by the rattling sound of keyboard tapping. “Yes, she will be gone for the rest of this week and the whole of next week, but she will be back the week after that. Do you want to schedule an appointment with her then?”

Maya bites down on her bottom lip, restraining herself from reacting too excitedly. “Yes, please. The soonest that she's available will be great,” she replies, deciding that she has already been waiting ten months, she can wait another week and a half. 

“I’ll have the confirmation sent to your phone,” Tina utters. “Is it the same number you gave on record?” 

“Yep, that's correct,” Maya answers, nodding to herself. 

Tina makes a noise of approval. “I’m only asking because Dr. DeLuca mentioned that she tried calling your number a few times after she got back last time.”

Her breath catches. “She did?” 

“Yes,” Tina answers, prattling on as if she hadn't just rocked Maya’s world by telling her this, “but she said that she wasn't able to get through to you and so we were hoping that you'd eventually call back.”

This time Maya doesn't even hesitate to smack her own forehead after realizing exactly what must have gone wrong. 

Maya has a rule that when she's filming, her phone stays off no matter what. It keeps her from being distracted and lets her stay present in the role that she's trying to play. If anybody wanted to contact her for anything, they had to go through Spencer. Everybody from her agent to her mother and even Andy knows this. But when Maya left her number with Tina, she was still in Sicily and so it completely slipped her mind to also give Spencer’s number. 

What a fucking mess. 

She sighs. “Yeah, I had to, um, go away for a little while,” she answers. “I only just got back yesterday.”

“Oh, I see. That explains it then,” Tina quietly replies. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss Marlowe?”

“No, that's it. Thank you, Tina,” she murmurs. “You've been a really big help.”

After another minute of parting pleasantries, they hang up and Maya is left thinking about how she and Carina could have possibly fixed all this so much sooner. If only it hadn't been for her stupid rule. It seemed like such a good and smart rule to have. 

Maya shakes her head. That's all done now. She has an appointment with Carina in a couple of weeks. That is the most important thing to focus on now. 

She and Carina will meet again and hopefully Carina will be willing to listen and then… whatever happens, happens. 

---

Carina will never willingly admit it but Miranda had done the right thing in making her take the time off. 

In the evening that she was with her brother at the movie theatre and during which she was forced to spend two hours looking at Maya’s devastatingly gorgeous face, Carina had somewhat of an epiphany. The ache in her chest was still there, so present in its twisting, but after walking out of the theatre, Carina decided that she didn't want to let what happened at the end of her time together with Maya dictate what she took from the overall experience. 

She and Maya both knew their time was going to end anyway, and maybe Carina foolishly hoped that it'd end better than it did. She can't change any of that now. But she also came to realize that the end doesn't change what they had before that. It doesn't change that for a brief moment in time, they had something beautiful together, and it was so beautiful. So for the first time in ten months, Carina allowed herself to remember Maya, allowed herself to remember all the ways Maya looked every time they touched each other, all the ways that Maya made her feel.

Once Carina made that decision, it felt like a weight had been lifted and she was able to truly enjoy the rest of her vacation. She cleaned her apartment, hosted her brother and her friends over for home-cooked dinners, and she even got a haircut. The next thing she knew, the one week and a half went by faster than she realized. Now, she's back in her office going through charts for all the patients she delegated over to Jo while she was away. 

Though her door is open, she hears a knock and when she looks up, it's to see her favorite nurse standing in her doorway. “Good morning, Dr. DeLuca. Welcome back.”

“Thank you, Tina.”  A warm smile pulls at her lips. “And good morning to you as well.”

“How was your break?” Tina asks her, carrying with her a small handful of post-its and a cup of coffee, both of which she sets down on Carina’s desk. 

She gives the nurse a grateful smile, picking up the coffee cup that has her name scribbled on it. “I didn't think it was going to do much of anything but I think that I am glad Chief Bailey made me take that time off,” she remarks, sighing contentedly after taking a sip of her drink. She holds up a finger, a warning look on her face. “Not that I will be telling her that.” 

“My lips are sealed, Dr. DeLuca,” Tina chuckles. She slides over the neatly stacked post-its. “Here are all your non-urgent messages and—oh! Miss Marlowe finally called back.”

“Ah, the mysterious Miss Vivian Marlowe!” she exclaims, easily recalling the patient that Tina had told her about after she came back from L.A.. 

It wasn’t the first time that a potential patient was adamant about meeting with only her and no other doctor. But Catina figured that since Miss Marlowe didn’t try contacting her again that she might have found another doctor. There was also something about the name that seems familiar too but Carina hasn't been able to figure that out just yet. 

She looks up from reading one of the post-its. “Did she make an appointment this time?”

“She’ll be coming in this Thursday,” the nurse answers. 

Carina nods in acknowledgment as she checks the time on her wristwatch. She puts on a smile as she gets up from her desk. “Time for rounds.”

“I will be right behind you, Dr. DeLuca,” Tina replies, falling a step behind Carina as she walks out of her office. 

---

There's nothing like an early morning workout. 

Maya is running drills at Station 19, currently being observed by Captain Pruitt before he will allow her to volunteer and ride along for today. He does this every time she comes back, wanting to make sure she's still in shape and that her skills have stayed sharp. It's not exactly necessary but Maya herself suggested it. It helps Captain Pruitt, and Maya too, to feel at ease about her joining them on calls for the day or however many days she chooses to volunteer with them. 

She stops at the sound of Captain Pruitt’s whistle, her breathing heavy but thankfully steady. She looks over to find him frowning down at the stopwatch in his hand, waiting for his judgment. 

Finally, to her relief, he nods. “Satisfactory,” his voice booms out. “Go shower.” 

Maya nods dutifully, knowing that’s the best she’ll ever get from him. It's a stark difference from the way that her dad used to train her but she definitely prefers it this way. “Thanks, Cap,” she huffs, jogging over to grab her jacket that’s on the floor beside him. 

He places a hand on her shoulder. “It's good to have you home, Maya,” he tells her in that paternal way he always gets with her and everybody else in the station. 

As she watches him walk towards his office, Maya knows too that he wasn't referring to Seattle as home, but the station itself. 

It’s twenty minutes later when she's coming out of the shower stall that she finds Andy sitting on the bench, leaning back against the locker behind her. “Hey, you’re here.” 

Andy nods, sighing as she gives her a sleepy smile. “Dad put you through the usual?”

“Yep, and he looked pretty happy with how I did,” she remarks, going over to the locker that she has chosen to use. She pauses while opening the locker door. “Well, I don't know. I've known your dad for years and I still can't tell when he's happy or angry. His face is like a statue.”

“Try growing up with him,” her best friend snorts. Her gaze is pensive on Maya’s face. “You sure you wanna be volunteering today? You look like you could still do with another week’s worth of sleep.”

She arches her eyebrow at her. “You telling me I look like shit, Lieutenant Herrera?”

“No,” Andy protests. “I’m telling you, you look like dog shit.”

She rolls her eyes, tossing her towel in Andy’s face. “Whatever. You know I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I’d be fine.”

“I know,” Andy sighs, “but that was before you got your smile insured for a bajillion dollars.”

Maya laughs. That was a new one. “Where did you even hear that? Who am I, Julia Roberts?” She pauses just as she's grabbing her trousers. “That’s not making the list, is it?”

“Are you kidding?” her best friend scoffs, shaking her head. “That's probably the most normal rumor I've read about you compared to what's on that list.”

“What's the top one now?” she asks, pulling her trousers over her legs. 

“Still the same one about you lying that you ate your twin in utero and that you have them hidden in the basement so that you can use their body fat to plump up your ass,” Andy recites easily the piece of rumor that they both had read on TMZ at the same time before sending the article to each other. 

She chuckles, shaking her head. She can't believe that there really is a whiteboard in the station, used to list down the craziest rumors found about Maya. But that body fat one really is quite the winner and she still isn't really sure how that got started or who started it in the first place. 

“I don't think anything is ever going to beat that one even though I work so hard for this butt,” she complains, patting her own ass. “100% Maya Bishop Badonkadonk.”

Her best friend snorts. “That gonna be the name of your workout app?”

“It could be!” she exclaims, pausing to think about it. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. I’ll have to run that by Jules.”

Andy rolls her eyes as Maya grabs her phone from the shelf. “Your life is really strange, you know that, right?”

“You tell me that every time I come back,” she remarks as she types a message to Jules. ‘100% Maya Bishop Badonkadonk’, number one ass workout app. Thoughts?

Jules: cute, but keep trying, superstar 

Maya pouts at the rejection, sighing as she pockets her phone. She buckles her belt before closing the locker door and meets her best friend's gaze. “Breakfast?”

“Sure.” Andy gets up to her feet, smoothing down the wrinkles in her trousers. “I’m on Aid Car today, so you can ride along with me and Vic.”

She nods as they start to make their way to the beanery.

“Speaking of,” Andy segues, bumping their shoulders together, “you nervous about meeting your girl again?”

She rolls her eyes, her cheeks warming at the reference to Carina. “She's not my girl,” Maya protests. “But I am nervous.”

She can't believe that the appointment she made with Tina is almost here and it is one of the main reasons that Maya decided to go into the station today. She knows that every inch of her restless energy can be put to use, rather than just walking around her apartment or doing something that won't distract her from her nervous thoughts. 

The day after tomorrow, she and Carina will be in the same room together again. 

“I told you I could’ve talked to her for you,” Andy tells her, having said this so many times before. “I don't know how I missed her before but I’ve seen her with patients in the ER so much now. I could’ve saved you guys so much time.”

She shakes her head, giving Andy a grateful smile. Her best friend felt so guilty after she chased Carina away and even more so after Maya told her everything about her time with Carina. “I know but I’d rather she hear it all from me, y'know?”

“I get it,” her best friend murmurs. “I hate it when my dad gets into the middle of my relationships too.” 

She snorts. “Yeah, maybe if you stopped dating other firefighters, he wouldn't do that as much.”

Andy lets out an offended noise, shoving a laughing Maya away from her. “I’m sorry, is that judgement I hear from Miss I-Dated-One-of-My-Costars?” 

“Hey, we're talking about your dad interfering with your relationships,” she points out, her laughter still lingering in her voice. “My mom stays out of mine, and thank god for that.”

“Hey, you’re back!” Vic cheers once they enter the beanery, grabbing Maya and pulling her into a tight hug. “You riding along with us today?” she asks, grinning excitedly when Maya nods. “Hell yeah, the band is back together.” 

And right at that moment, the klaxons blare out. 

“Looks like somebody's playing our song.”

---

Carina has been back at work a couple of days now and is now nearly caught up with the work that she missed. 

She has been spending most of her morning now, meeting with pre-op patients. It fills her heart with a little pride that though her patients have been happy with having Jo attending to them, they seem incredibly relieved to have her back. She knows that Jo is equally relieved considering the heavy load of her work as it is. 

“Good morning, Penny. How are you doing today?” she asks, giving the patient a warm smile. 

The patient sighs wistfully, looking up at Carina with pleading eyes. “Dr. DeLuca, do you think if I asked Nurse Tina very, very nicely, she'd bring me a cherry slushy?”

Her lips quirk into a lopsided grin. “I do not know what a slushy is but I am sure if you asked very, very nicely after your surgery,” she pauses to briefly glance over at Tina who proceeds to shoot Penny a conspiratorial wink. “But aside from that, how are you feeling?”

“I’m doing okay,” Penny replies, rubbing her hand over her swollen belly. “Still very nervous about the surgery.” 

She gives her an understanding smile. “Dr. Pierce is an excellent surgeon and my brother will be assisting.”

Penny is biting down on her bottom lip. “Is he also an excellent surgeon?”

“Eh, he's okay,” she dismisses, grinning cheekily when Penny laughs. “He is a brilliant surgeon,” she tells her, letting her pride for her brother's skills as a doctor show. She places a reassuring hand on Penny’s, giving it a slight squeeze. “I will also be there to make sure that this little one will stay where they should.”

“Thank you, Dr. DeLuca,” Penny murmurs, her worries seemingly assuaged for time being. Her face takes on a teasing look then. “So I heard Dr. Bailey made you take a vacation.”

She splutters, glaring mildly at Tina when she hears the nurse chuckling behind her. “She didn't make me take a vacation,” Carina argues. “She… gently persuaded me to take a few days off.”

Her cheeks warm up at the skeptical arch of Penny's eyebrow. She clears her throat, deflecting everybody's attention to Penny’s phone that had been vibrating endlessly for the past few minutes. “Somebody's popular.”

She watches Penny's face immediately light up once her eyes land on her phone screen. “Is it okay if I…?”

Carina waves a hand of permission. “That’s okay. I’ll come back later with Dr. Pierce and if you have any questions for her, you can—” she pauses, rushing over when the heart monitor begins to beep faster, “Penny, what's wrong?” 

Penny gives her a flustered smile, quickly shaking her head in dismissal. “Nothing—nothing's wrong,” she reassures them. “I just got a little excited.” 

She frowns slightly in concern. “Don’t get too excited. That is exactly what we are trying to avoid.” 

“Me not get too excited about Maya Bishop?” Penny scoffs. “That’ll be the freakin' day.”

Carina’s entire body goes stock still, her gaze now zeroed in on Penny’s phone while she scrolls down the screen, completely oblivious to the effect Maya's name is having on Carina. Obviously Carina hasn't forgotten who Maya is but her first thought when it comes to Maya, is always about who Maya is to her. It somehow has never occurred to her to think about who Maya is to the rest of the world. 

Eventually Penny realizes that she hasn't said a word and she looks up from her phone, her eyes narrowing. “Wait, you do know who Maya Bishop is, right?”

She forces herself out of her stupor, huffing out some kind of noise of protest. “Yes, of course I know who she is. I am not that oblivious to pop culture. Who doesn't know Maya Bishop?” she laughs awkwardly. 

“It won't hurt my feelings if you're not a fan, Dr. DeLuca,” Penny gently reassures her. “Though I don't know how you can't be ‘cause like, look at those eyes.” 

In that same second, Maya's face is right in front of her face for the first time in ten months and her breath catches at the brilliance of Maya’s blue eyes. Even though she only just saw Maya's new film the other day, Maya was at least in character and so it was easier to forget that it was Maya at all, to lose herself in the story that the film was weaving. But in this picture, Carina can already tell without even needing to ask for confirmation, that this is Maya all on her own. 

Carina remembers then that she is meant to be reacting out loud. She clears her throat, diverting her gaze away from the screen. “Those eyes are, um, beautiful.”

Penny makes a sound of approval. “Beautiful? They're fucking stunning. Pardon my French,” she chuckles, sighing as she pulls her phone back to look at that same picture again. “I read that they're even bluer in real life.”

She bites down her tongue, thinking about how, yes, they are. They are so much bluer. Especially under the sky, peeking above the midnight ocean and filled with mischief. Bluer even, in the light of the day with the sun shining behind her. Maya’s eyes are bluer up close, one more so than the other. 

She thinks about how crazy it is to know somebody so intimately, to know them so quietly while others get to know them so loudly and so freely. 

“I’m so glad she's gotten so crazy active on her socials lately,” Penny quietly remarks, her thumbs tapping quickly over a keyboard. 

“What do you mean?” she asks, unsure of why she's even asking this. 

“She didn't usually post much before. Just like, used her socials for promoting stuff and the occasional beautiful landscape but since she finished filming, she's been non-stop,” Penny gushes, looking up from her phone. “And there are even work-out videos, Dr. DeLuca. Work-out videos,” she adds with an exhilarated grin. “Have you seen her arms?” 

Carina licks her lips, nodding absently. “They are hard to miss.”

“She can probably lift you, easy,” Penny casually comments. 

She looks away then, her blush spreading hot across her cheeks as she recalls how easily Maya carried her around her hotel bedroom, how Maya's arms never strained no matter how long she held her. Carina can still recall with startling clarity, the feeling of her palms moving over shifting muscles as her hands gripped around them. 

Penny seems to take her silence as encouragement to keep talking about Maya and Carina isn't really sure whether she wants Penny to stop or for her to keep going. “Did you know that she's a Seattle native?” she asks, continuing on as if Carina had given a response, “oh yeah, born and raised. She was actually a firefighter for a little while too but then did a total pivot into acting.” 

She nods, already knowing this story from Maya herself. Carina takes a deep breath now that she feels her blush starting to recede, turning back to Penny. “That sounds like a very interesting—oh,” she pauses when she spies another familiar face on Penny’s screen, “is that… is that her girlfriend?”

“Who? Andy?” Penny snorts. “No way. She's Maya's best friend.”

“Best friend?” she softly repeats. 

Did she really hear that right? Best friend?

Penny nods. “Yep, since the fire academy. They're super close.”

“Or maybe they are together and are just hiding,” she lightly argues. Maya did say that she wasn't officially out so what if she is indeed keeping her relationship with Andy in the closet too?

“Maybe.” Penny shrugs. “But until Maya says so, they're just best friends and now that she's back home, I can continue to have hope that she and I will one day meet and she’ll realize she can't live without me.”

Though she latches onto the revelation that Maya is back in Seattle, she can't help but chuckle. “What about Garrett? Your husband?”

“He understands,” Penny cheekily replies. 

Carina shakes her head. There are so many thoughts coming at her now. She and Maya are in the same city again. “Penny, I'm just going to go… check on something now but I will see you later.” 

“Sure, Dr. DeLuca,” Penny distractedly replies, already typing away on her phone.

---

This may just be the best disguise that Maya has ever put on and she's taking full advantage of it as she goes through Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital. 

Though Maya imagines that everybody working in the hospital is more than used to seeing a firefighter walking around, they're not giving her a second glance at all. It probably helps a little that she looks like a mess, drenched with sweat that her crewneck is sticking to her like a second skin, her face completely speckled by ash and soot. She thinks about cleaning herself, about making herself look relatively presentable so that she doesn't frighten Carina when or if she finds her. 

Despite the fact that she told Andy that she's fine waiting, the very second that she saw that the patient that they'll be bringing in was a pregnant one, Maya knew that she wasn't really that fine waiting anymore. 

She quickly pivots into a washroom, wincing at the reflection that looks back at her. It's so much worse than she thought. Maya goes about washing her face and cleaning her hands before running her fingers through the tangled mess that is her hair. She is happy to have gotten it cut so short yesterday since it makes for such a nice change. Maya wonders what Carina will think of it since she did like to play with her hair a lot. 

Maya takes a deep breath. One step at a time. 

First is finding Carina’s office, which shouldn't be too difficult. She is the head of the department, after all, so finding her office will just be a matter of checking all the name plates outside the offices she passes by. It doesn't take long for Maya to eventually find the name plate with Carina’s name on it.

“Oh, fuck me,” she mutters nervously to herself, suddenly attacked by nerves now that she's standing right outside Carina’s door. 

The next step is apparently staring at the door for a very long moment while she contemplates all her life decisions that have led her to this moment. 

She takes another deep breath and raises her fist to knock on the door. 

Biting down on her bottom lip, Maya waits to hear some sound of acknowledgement but she frowns when she doesn't hear a thing. She can try opening the door but just the thought alone makes Maya feel icky. Maya knocks, firmer this time but still, no answer. 

“Oh,” she breathes, not at all prepared for the event that Carina wouldn't be in her office. “Fuck me.”

Maya turns around, surreptitiously looking around to see if there is someone who’s likely to help her. Her gaze lands on the nurses' station and she anxiously chews on her lip, debating the cost of having somebody possibly recognize her. Maya shakes her head. She has gotten this far now. 

“Hi, um, is Dr. Carina DeLuca around?”she asks once she has approached the station, seeing only one nurse focusing on the tablet in her hand. 

The nurse very slowly glances up at her from the tablet, her dark brown eyes narrowing immediately when they land on Maya’s face. She gives the nurse a weak smile, trying not to react or give away anything. Her heart beats harder and harder with each second that passes by. She breathes a discreet sigh of relief when the nurse eventually goes back to her tablet and taps the screen a few times. 

“She was paged to the trauma center a little while ago and I don't see her name on any incoming surgeries so she should still be down there,” the nurse informs her, looking up to meet her eyes. 

Immediately Maya thinks of the patient that she, Andy and Vic brought in a few minutes ago. That must be who Carina was paged for. Maya tries not to smack herself for walking away when she could be meeting Carina again right this very second. 

She starts to walk away but pauses. “Thank you so much…”

“Tina,” the nurse offers with a warm smile. 

This time Maya’s smile is much more genuine, happy to put a face to the voice that she had been talking to on the phone. “It’s so nice to meet you, Tina,” she utters, reminding herself that Tina doesn't realize that she and Vivian Marlowe are one and the same. “I’ll see you around.”

Just as she's pressing the button to call the elevator, she feels her phone buzzing in her pocket. She frowns when she sees Vic calling. “What's up, Vic?”

“Hey Maya, we’re being called out. You coming down?”

She accidentally bumps her shoulder against the sliding door, stumbling inside at the thought of leaving without seeing Carina. “Yeah, I’m coming down.” Maya pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. “Hey, um, so who was the doctor that came down for the patient?”

“Uhh, it was Dr. Wilson,” Vic tells her. “We’ll be in the truck.”

Maya swallows thickly. “Oh, thanks Vic. I’ll—I’ll be down in a sec,” she replies before quickly hanging up. 

She tips her head back against the back wall of the elevator. “Fuck me,” she sighs. 

---

The moment that Carina sees her, she stops what she's doing. 

In all her time working in Grey-Sloan, Carina has seen many firefighters coming in and out of the ER. They are hard to miss, with the loud sirens announcing their arrival, the way they sometimes bulldoze right into the emergency room. Over the years, she has given one or two a brief glance of interest but nothing further than that. 

But ever since Penny inadvertently let her know a few days ago that Maya is back in Seattle, Carina can't help but pay closer attention to every firefighter that she sees walking around the hospital. Because Carina remembers Maya talking about how she liked to volunteer in the firehouse that she worked briefly at before moving to L.A. whenever she was back in Seattle. 

She can still recall the way that Maya’s face had lit up, how passionate she had been while she talked about firefighting which means that if Maya is indeed back in the city, there's a very likely chance of Carina seeing her again and in this very hospital. And as nervous as the thought makes her, she is also a little excited about it. 

She still isn't sure whether to believe what Penny had said about Andy being Maya’s best friend but it's casting enough of a doubt for Carina to wonder what is the actual truth. The thought that she might have acted too rashly and left too quickly is unbearable. She wouldn't even blame Maya for being upset by that. But the only way for her to find out is to talk to Maya herself, and it seems that fate is showing her favor by letting her see Andy entering the trauma center as she’s wheeling in a patient. 

A heavily pregnant patient. Perfect. 

Or it would be if Carina isn't already currently working with a patient herself.

So Carina works as quickly as she can with her patient, focusing as much of her attention in order to help before discharging her. It’s very likely that since she's busy, they'd be calling Jo downstairs to meet with the patient which is fine. Carina doesn't actually need to meet the patient anyway if all she wants is to just talk to Andy. She can see her and another firefighter with the patient now, talking quietly to a nurse. It's clear from the friendly smiles that it's not Andy's first time being here and that makes Carina wonder how she could have missed her before this. 

She places a gentle hand on her patient’s shoulder. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Lacey?” she asks, a warm smile on her face for her young patient who had come in after having passed out while at work. Carina had been called down after the results from a blood test had come out. Thankfully the positive pregnancy result seemed to be happily received. “Any questions you have for me before I discharge you?”

Lacey shakes her head, a trembling smile on her lips. “No, I think I’m okay for now. I can't wait to tell Jason.”

She gives her an encouraging smile. “It's no problem, Lacey,” she replies. Carina looks over her shoulder to gesture for Tina to come closer before turning back to her patient. “You can set up an appointment with me when Nurse Tina brings in your discharge form, okay?” 

It takes a few more minutes before Carina is finally able to leave her patient and she can finally go and talk to Andy. The problem is that she doesn't see Andy where she had seen her earlier, or that other firefighter for that matter. An antsy feeling starts to itch itself through her at the thought that they've already gone. 

She checks the nurses’ desk, knowing about the amount of paperwork that paramedics usually need to fill out when they drop off a patient. But they're not there either. That antsy feeling gets worse. 

She does see Jo working with the patient that they brought in though. 

Carina rushes over then, being mindful that she's not wanting to incite any kind of panic in Jo’s patient. She breathes out a sigh of relief when she hears that Jo is nearing the end of her consult and so Carina impatiently waits. She chances another glance around the room and though she sees other paramedics walking around, she doesn't see the one she actually wants to see. 

“Hey Carina, you need help with something?” Jo asks, approaching her when she sees Carina standing close by. 

She takes a deep, steadying breath. “Jo, have you seen the firefighter that came in with your patient? I…” she pauses, scrambling for a plausible reason for wanting to talk to Andy, “I wanted to ask her some questions about another patient she brought in.”

Jo wears a look of concentration on her face before it clears. “Oh, Herrera you mean?” she asks and Carina nods, unsure if that is who she means but assuming that it could only be Andy's last name or the other firefighter that was with her. Her colleague gives her a sympathetic look. “Sorry, Carina, but you just missed her.” 

She chews on her bottom lip, wondering if she should maybe wait for the next time she sees Andy in the ER but then shakes her head. There’s an urgency now after seeing Andy and Carina has never been particularly good at waiting. “Is there a way that I can contact her?” 

“She might still be parked outside?” Jo helpfully suggests. “They usually like to fill out all their paperwork in their truck.”

“Thanks, Jo,” she replies, a grateful smile on her face. She stops just as she’s turning to go on in her search for Andy.  “Do you need any help with your patient?”

Her colleague shakes her head, giving her a reassuring smile. “Nope, I’ve got this.”

She nods, relieved that she doesn't have to prolong her wait for much longer. Carina walks briskly towards the exit and through the sliding doors, the beat of her heart thumping harder and harder as she goes. This is it. She’s just so many steps closer to Maya now than she ever was. So many steps closer to finding out the truth. After ten months, Carina can't help but wonder if anything has changed, if Maya has changed. 

She doesn't let herself think further on it as she looks over to where the Aid Trucks usually park, close to the hospital entrance. Her brain is scrambling to remember if she had seen what station Andy works from, or if Maya had mentioned it when she talked about this all those months ago. But Carina is drawing an incredibly frustrating blank. 

She carefully approaches one of the paramedics she sees sitting at the back of a truck, currently filling out some hospital paperwork. Maybe Andy just likes parking a little further away. “Excuse me, um, do you happen to know if… Herrera is still around?”

The paramedic shakes his head, dashing whatever remaining hope that Carina has in talking to Andy soon. “She and Hughes got called out to another scene so they had to leave.”

“Thank you,” she weakly replies, turning around on her heel to aimlessly walk away. 

She doesn't notice anything about where her feet are leading her until she finds herself nearing a bench outside another one of the hospital exits. Carina sighs in frustration, dropping down onto the bench and buries her face in her hands. 

“Merda,” she whispers. 

She isn't giving up on finding Andy but Carina really had worked herself up to the thought that it would be happening at this moment. But now that the likelihood of it happening right now is less than likely, she needs to regroup and figure out what her next moves are going to be. She had been fine waiting for fate or whatever to bring her and Maya back together but after seeing Andy earlier…  

“I know it's a big building but you're a really hard woman to find.” 

She gasps, picking her head up to make sure that she wasn't hearing things. 

She wasn't. 

“Maya.”

Chapter 6: chapter six: she

Notes:

Hi everyone!

I hope your week is off to a good start. Can you believe that January is almost over? I for sure can't, lmao.

For itge readers, don't worry. That update is still coming this week. I still have some sprucing up to do because it is the final chapter and I don't want to post it until I am at least 99% happy with it.

I had a lot of y'all yelling at me about the ending of that last chapter but this one should not be doing that 😂 there'll be more shenanigans in the coming chapters. Something to look forward to in the next couple of chapters? Maya meeting Andrea, and Carina meeting Katherine 👀

I hope you'll enjoy!

Much love,
Az ❤️❤️❤️

Anna: Probably best not to tell anyone about this.

William: Right, right. No one. I mean, I’ll tell myself sometimes, but don't worry, I won't believe it.

- Notting Hill

chapter six: she

“I know it's a big building but you're a really hard woman to find.” 

She gasps, picking her head up to make sure that she wasn't hearing things. 

She wasn't. 

“Maya.”

Maya had cut her hair, is Carina's first thought upon seeing her. 

It's shorter than she has ever seen on Maya but it works so well despite how disheveled it is now and Carina only itches to bury her fingers so deeply into it. She takes in the rest of Maya, admiring the way that the firefighter's uniform looks on her. Carina notices Maya looking over her too, as if to see what changes there might have been since the last time that they saw each other. 

Until it registers to Carina that there is dried blood on Maya’s shirt. 

In a flash, she leaps off the bench and rushes towards her. 

The very fact that for the first time in over ten months, Maya is standing right in front of her, that they’re once again a short distance away from each other—it all comes second to the frantic worry burning in the pit of her stomach. 

“Oh my god, Maya, are you okay?” 

“What?” Maya asks, seemingly distracted by her approach but then comes out of it when Carina barely grazes the bottom of her shirt. She looks down to where Carina’s fingers are hovering over the material. “Oh, oh no, that's not mine,” she finally answers, much to Carina's relief. She looks up to meet Carina's concerned gaze, giving a reassuring smile. “I’m okay, I promise,” she quietly murmurs. Her blue eyes seem to soften then, admiring. “You cut your hair.”

“Yes.” She nods, remembering her own recently shorn hair as she self-consciously reaches up to thread her fingers through it. She points to Maya. “So did you.”

The silence they lapse into after Maya nods, is stilted and awkward and filled with too many words they both obviously want to say to each other but aren't sure where to start. It makes her heart ache a little to be in this kind of moment with Maya. There was such a breathtaking ease between them after they first met, something so effortless and so instinctual. So to be like this, so unsure and clumsy, is almost jarring to her. 

Carina is aware though, that it's all on her part and that Maya is simply following her lead. She can see Maya struggling with herself just as she is too, wanting so badly to say something but too scared to do so. 

“I've missed you.” 

“Who is Andy to you?” 

Her breath catches at the simultaneous timing of them blurting out their words and Carina's heart flutters to hear Maya’s rushed admission. She wants so badly to return the sentiment, to say that she missed Maya too but her stubborn pride keeps her from doing so, wanting to know the answer to her question before she utters another word. Maya gives her a questioning look and she nods, prompting her to speak first. 

“Andy is…” She watches Maya taking a deep breath, tucking her hands into the pockets of her trousers as she takes a heartbreaking step back from Carina. “She’s my best friend, the one I told you that I met at the fire academy.”

“But is she also your girlfriend?” she asks, not even waiting a beat after Maya’s answer. “Because you’ve also told me that you're not actually out and that you keep a very private life,” Carina points out, reminding Maya of what she had said that morning after they first slept together. She crosses her arms to her chest. “How do I know that Andy isn't also your secret girlfriend?”

Maya slowly nods then, conceding to Carina's point. “Well, for one thing, despite my best efforts, Andy is very straight,” she wryly replies, wearing a lopsided smile on her lips. “And also, that woman is way too dramatic for me and that's saying something,” she chuckles. Letting out a deep breath, she meets Carina's gaze while her smile softens. “She is kind of my soulmate in a way, because there are parts of me that nobody else has ever understood and she does because she has those parts too.” 

She starts to emphatically wave her arms as she shakes her head. “But we aren't, have never been and will never, ever, ever be romantically involved.”

She purses her lips, ruminating carefully over everything that Maya had just said to her. The tender way that Maya described Andy stirs an impulsive heat of jealousy that Carina forces herself to swallow down. It’s irrational to be so jealous of somebody who has been in Maya’s life long before she even knew Maya existed but it's there nonetheless. 

Yet it doesn't mean that there isn't space for her in Maya’s life, in Maya’s world. Maya wouldn't have gone trying to find her otherwise. Carina reminds herself of this. 

Maya is here for her. 

It's with that grounding thought that Carina lets herself remember the Maya that she was getting to know. The charming, breathtaking Maya who she was half-in love with and who made her dream of possibilities. The Maya who kept finding ways for them to stay together despite not knowing her for very long. The Maya who gave her the beach and the stars in the dark of night just because she told her that she missed swimming in the sea. 

“So just… to clarify,” Carina utters after taking a deep breath, pointing a finger at Maya as she lets what she hopes comes off as a carefully playful smile that slowly pulls at her lips, “you’re not together?”

A wary expression crosses Maya’s face before it clears, flushing when it seems to dawn on her that Carina is trying to tease her for being so vehement about the status of her relationship with Andy. She bites down on her bottom lip. “I just don't want there to be any misunderstanding,” she explains. “I’m aware of how intimidating my relationship with Andy can look to somebody new. But Carina, that weekend and ever since then… there’s only ever been you.” 

“Really?” she asks, her heart fluttering with hope at the earnest way that Maya is looking at her.

“I tried calling the hospital,” Maya replies instead. 

Her eyebrows raise when hearing this. “You did?”

Maya chews on her bottom lip as she nods. “I didn't find you at the wedding hall so I gave it a day after you flew back because I figured, y’know, flight time, jet lag and whatever. Then I started calling.”

“I wasn't there,” Carina murmurs, thinking now about the near-misses that they had when she left the wedding in a hurry with Gabriella, and then when she left for L.A. so soon after coming back from Sicily. 

“I know,” Maya softly utters. “And urgh, I made such a rookie mistake. I gave my name and whoever was on the line thought I was a prank caller and she hung up on me,” she laughs, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. “I called again and thankfully got Tina and—”

“Wait,” Carina holds up a hand to stop Maya in her tracks, something having just occurred to her now, “are you the Vivian Marlowe that I have an appointment with on Thursday?”

“Yes!” Maya exclaims, excited that the pieces seem to be coming together. She gives Carina a reproachful look then. “I’m surprised you didn't clock that it was a fake name though, since we talked so much about how we loved Humphrey Bogart films.”

She narrows her eyes at Maya in confusion. Carina remembers that conversation, filled with drunk laughter as they talked about and connected over their love for classic Hollywood films. “Oh my god,” she gasps when it dawns on her, facepalming herself for not having seen it sooner. “The Big Sleep?”

Maya nods, a pleased grin on her face. “I figured Ilsa Lund would have been a bigger giveaway and I didn't want to make it that easy for you,” she teases. “Anyway,” Maya sobers slightly, going on to explain, “I have this really strict rule when I'm shooting and anybody trying to contact me has to go through Spencer but I just completely blanked and left only my number with Tina.” Maya rolls her eyes, the sheepish look returning to her face. “Then y'know, there was the press tour and lots of meetings and things just got really, really busy.” 

“My brother and I went to see your new movie last week,” she murmurs in understanding. “It was really good.”

A surprised expression crosses Maya's face. “Oh, thank you. I—” she stutters into a chuckle, a self-conscious smile on her lips, “you’d think I'd be used to that by now.” 

“You should be,” Carina lightly teases.

“Look Carina,” Maya starts, taking a careful step towards her as she studies Carina’s face. “I—I know it’s been months but do you maybe still…”

“I do,” she replies, cutting Maya off before she can finish the rest of her question. “I do very much still.” She tilts her head, frowning slightly when she sees just how relieved Maya is by her answer. “Maya, after what we had, do you really think a few months is enough time to get over it?” 

Something tightens in her chest when Maya gives her an unsure shrug. It hits Carina how vulnerable and open Maya has been with her while she hasn’t said anything about her part of it all. She tentatively reaches for Maya, her heart pounding a little harder when Maya doesn't even hesitate to grab onto her outstretched hand. Carina can't help but sigh at how it feels to get to do this again, to even just simply hold the familiar touch of Maya’s hand around hers. 

“I’m sorry that I left,” she murmurs, her cheeks warming as she recalls that day. “I’m sorry I didn't give you a chance to explain. I thought I knew better.” Carina shakes her head, thinking of how it must have looked to Maya that she left without even a single word of warning. “I thought I was better than that but I guess that I am exactly like everybody else that ever left me.”

“Carina, no.” A frown knits between Maya’s eyebrows as she squeezes her hand. “You got scared that you might have been wrong about me and I get that. We only knew each other for two days.”

“But they were two very magical days that mean a lot to me,” she protests. She stares intently into Maya’s eyes. “You mean a lot to me.” 

An adorably faint blush spreads across Maya’s cheeks as she bashfully ducks her head, breaking their locked eye contact. She peers up at Carina, a shy smile on her lips. “You mean a lot to me too,” she replies, “but you still shouldn't beat yourself up over it.” She uses their linked hands to pull Carina closer until they're toe-to-toe, so close that Maya has to tilt her face up to look at her. “Was I hurt that you left? Yes, but I was never mad at you.”

Carina groans, somehow feeling even much worse now. She lowers her head until her forehead is resting on Maya's. “This is why I should have known better,” she whispers. “You're not even giving me a second to feel bad about it.”

A soft laugh escapes Maya. “That’s because I don't want you to feel bad about it.”

She holds up her thumb and index finger, giving Maya a playful smile. “Can I feel a teeny-tiny bit bad about it?”

Maya puts on a thoughtful look. “Only a teeny-tiny bit,” she eventually relents with a dramatic sigh. She raises a hand to trace the collar of Carina’s lab coat. “I like this look on you, by the way.” 

Despite her heart fluttering at Maya’s delicate touch, Carina wears a puzzled frown, glancing down at what she's wearing. “My scrubs?”

“Mm, all doctor-y,” Maya hums approvingly.

An amused smile crosses her lips. She lightly bumps their foreheads together. “I am a doctor.”

“Hot,” Maya remarks, not even trying to pretend now that she's not blatantly checking her out.  

She rolls her eyes, playfully shoving Maya away from her. “Did you somehow leave all your charm in Sicily?”

Maya presses a hand to her chest though she huffs out a laugh anyway. “Ouch, rude,” she pouts. “Hey, um,” she shyly starts, extending her arms to grab onto Carina’s lab coat to pull them back closer together, “can I maybe take you out?”

She hums thoughtfully, cupping her palms to Maya’s elbows. “Only if you let me take you out first.”

“You wanna take me out?” Maya asks, her grin turning surprised and delighted. 

Ideas start running through her mind about where she can take Maya out for a romantic dinner until she remembers one undeniable fact about who she’s asking for a date. “Is it—will it be okay for you to be seen out?”

A thoughtful frown takes over Maya’s face. “It’s not so bad here because it's home,” she quietly replies, giving her an apologetic look, “but sometimes you never really know.”

She nods, having expected as much. “Can I cook dinner for you instead then?” she asks, thinking that this works better for her anyway. It'll be the first time that she and Maya will be together and Carina isn't at all willing to risk having to share that time with anybody else. She wants to be alone with Maya. “Maybe this Friday?” 

“I can totally do Friday,” Maya replies with a beaming smile. 

She returns the smile with one of her own, her gaze lowering to Maya’s mouth. Carina is suddenly taken aback then, by the torrent of wanting that goes through her now that she's allowing herself to feel it all again. Everything that she felt about Maya. The time apart has somehow made her forget the heady potency of her attraction to Maya, the chemistry between them. 

From the way that Maya’s breath catches, it seems that she knows exactly where Carina’s thoughts have taken her. “What is it?”

She moves her hands up to Maya’s shoulders. “Do I have to wait until Friday to kiss you?”

A shuddering breath escapes Maya. “We haven't even had our date yet,” she murmurs, her voice lowering to that gravelly husk that makes something inside of Carina tremble. “What kind of woman do you take me for?”

She chews lightly on her bottom lip. “The kind that I have already had the pleasure of seeing naked many, many times.”

Maya lets out a heavy breath, her hands now pulling Carina's off her shoulders. She drops two separate kisses on the back of Carina’s hands before slowly releasing them. Her face scrunches into a bashful smile as she starts to back away from her, tucking her hands behind her back. “New city, new rules, gorgeous.” 

“Can I see you sooner?” she immediately asks, grabbing onto the front of Maya’s shirt to keep her from moving too far. 

A hearty laugh falls out of Maya’s lips. “Can't wait until Friday now?”

She shakes her head, shameless in her desire to be with Maya again. “Not now that I have to wait to kiss you,” she softly murmurs, bringing her attention back to Maya’s tempting mouth. Carina nearly loses herself in the memory of how soft and pliant Maya’s lips felt under her own when her phone buzzes in the pocket of her lab coat. She pulls out her phone. “Ah, I am being paged.”

“Here, give me that,” Maya tells her, easily plucking her phone out of her grasp. She watches as Maya quickly taps in a phone number, giving Carina a teasing smile as she calls it before saving the number under ‘Vivian Marlowe’. Maya then proceeds to add another number, saving that under the name ‘Spencer’. She hands the phone back to her. “Call me when you’re free?”

“It might not be until tomorrow morning,” Carina warns her.

“Have you already forgotten that I’m an early riser?” Maya teasingly asks. 

She scrunches her nose in disgust at the reminder. “I see you are still cursed with that infliction.”

Maya chuckles, nodding. “I’m afraid so,” she murmurs, leaning in to gently kiss her cheek before nuzzling her nose into it. “And seriously, this lab coat?” she asks in a whisper against her skin as she firmly tugs on the coat. “So hot, and I’m so going to be thinking about you in it later.”

A heavy breath escapes her before she goes to cup the back of Maya’s neck to keep her close. Carina breathes her in and something inside her eases at the familiar scent filling her lungs. She doesn't even mind the smoky scent either, thinking somehow that it fits Maya so well. “I’ll see you soon?”

“Soon,” Maya promises, making her heart flutter when she graces her cheek with another kiss before she starts to back away, wearing that infuriatingly charming smile on her face now. 

“Have a nice day, Dr. DeLuca.”

---

The heat of Carina's hand on the back of her neck lingers the entire walk back to the station. 

She’s amazed that she makes it back in one piece considering how she spent the whole journey replaying every second of her reunion with Carina. Especially those last few minutes. Even after all these months apart, Carina still has the same effect on her as she did the night they met at that hotel bar. Maybe even more so now. 

It doesn't surprise Maya at all to see that Andy has positioned herself by the front desk, clearly waiting for her. Even less so when she sees the concerned expression on her best friend's face. She did kind of disappear on her and Vic without letting them know where she was going. 

Except Maya doesn't exactly feel an ounce of guilt for having stayed at the hospital instead of having gone with Andy and Vic on the call, waiting in hopes of seeing Carina. Which she did. And they talked, and finally cleared the air between them, and then she asked Carina out on a date. Only for Carina to ask her out on a date. 

So no, Maya can't find it in her to feel bad at all.

“Where the hell have you been?” Andy very lovingly yells as soon as Maya pulls the door open, not even having made a full step inside just yet. 

“I saw Carina,” she dreamily sighs, heading for the stairs so she can get to the locker room and change. 

A hand on her arm stops her on the first step and it’s Andy yanking her back to where she stood at the front desk. There's a shocked but excited look on her best friend’s face once their eyes meet. “Hello? You saw her? What did she say? What did you say?”

“We have a date this Friday,” she answers.

Andy gives her an expectant look, a mild glare replacing it when Maya doesn't say anything more. “Okay, I was expecting a way longer story than that.”

She laughs. “Sorry, I’m still… kind of trying to process that I actually saw her, that everything is good now between us.”

Her best friend's glare fades away. “Maya, that's amazing,” she utters, “and because the whole thing between you guys was my fault, that is the only reason I’m not telling my dad you totally bailed on us.”

Okay, now maybe she feels a little bit guilty for leaving without a word. “Was it a bad scene?”

“Nah.” Andy shakes her head, tucking her hands into her pockets. “Just your standard ‘guy got stuck up in a tree chasing his boyfriend’s cat and was too scared to come down’ kinda scene.”

“Oh man,” Maya snorts, “those are always my favorite kinds.”

“I know, but you had a hot Italian doctor to talk to,” Andy teases. She gestures towards the stairs where they can now hear Travis yelling at Jack about how to slice carrots properly. “You staying for dinner?”

She gives Andy a perplexed smile. “Uh yeah, Travis is cooking. Obviously I’m staying.” She points up to the locker room. “I’ve just gotta shower first.”

When Andy nods, she starts to climb up the stairs. Maya stops when she hears her best friend calling out her name. She turns to see Andy wearing a tender smile on her face. “I’m really happy for you, Maya.” 

She points an accusing finger at Andy. “Don't screw it up for me again,” she teases, grinning playfully as best friend’s laughter follows her all the way to the locker room. 

It's not until after she gets out of her shower when she sees that she has a text waiting on her phone. 

Carina: I can't wait to see you 

A warm blush spreads across her cheeks after reading Carina’s unexpected message. Maya sighs, pressing her phone to her chest. There’s a familiarity to the pounding in her chest, the rhythm of it; something that Maya hasn't felt since the last time she and Carina were in a room together. 

She replies to Carina’s message, telling her that she can't wait either. Maya can't deny that it had been a little strange to be in this setting, to be in Seattle together when all they've ever known of each other was so strictly in Sicily. But Maya also can't say that she isn't excited to learn about this Carina, about her daily life, her work and what she does in her time. 

Vacation Carina had been breathtaking and turned Maya’s world completely on its head but somehow, Maya has a feeling that Every Day Carina is going to change her entire life. 

---

It’s Friday morning and Carina is standing in line at her favorite cafe. 

She’s contemplating her choices between a chocolate croissant and a blueberry muffin to accompany her espresso when she gets a phone call. As she digs through her bag to look for it, she's hoping that it's not the hospital already calling her in to work. Her shift isn't meant to start for another couple of hours and she wanted a little time to have a relaxing breakfast. A relieved chuckle escapes her when she sees the contact name that Maya saved her number under. 

A nervous flutter swoops down to the pit of her belly as she thinks about seeing Maya tonight. Despite her wishes, they hadn’t seen each other at any time in the two days prior. The appointment that Maya made with her; they agreed could be cancelled since it was originally made to facilitate their meeting. But even so, ever since she called Maya the morning after their reunion, talking or texting on the phone has been a constant thing. While she was at work yesterday, she got a running commentary that filled her in on Maya’s day that she spent volunteering at a food kitchen. 

“Buongiorno, Maya,” she sweetly murmurs after picking up the call. 

“Good morning, gorgeous,” Maya replies. “Sounds busy where you are. Are you already at work?”

“No, not yet,” she answers, shooting her favorite barista a smile when she finally gets to the front. “I am just getting breakfast right now. Hold on for a second,” she tells Maya, lowering her phone to her chest. “My usual please, Priya, and a blueberry muffin for today.”

“Sure thing, Carina,” Priya replies, tapping in Carina’s order onto the tablet. “I’ll have everything brought to your table.” 

“Thank you,” she utters as she taps her card to make her payment. Bringing her phone back up to her ear, Carina walks over to the table she had been eyeing since she got in line that had miraculously not been taken yet. “I’m sorry about that. Now, what time should I be expecting you over tonight?” she asks, setting her bag on top of the table. 

“About that,” she hears Maya sighing in a way that makes something unpleasant churn in her stomach. “I have to fly out to L.A. for this luncheon today with some execs and I’m supposed to 'make my presence known’.”

She frowns. “Does this mean we’ll have to cancel dinner?”

“No!” Maya immediately cries out before she's clearing her throat to regain her composure, unaware how reassuring her outburst had been for Carina to hear. “Sorry, I mean, no. I absolutely do not want to cancel tonight,” she insists in a much calmer manner. “I just might be a little late though.”

“Oh Maya, that's okay,” she replies softly. She’s no stranger to being late or canceling dinners when she's being paged to the hospital so she easily sympathizes with Maya over not being able to back out of something work-related. “I can keep dinner warm for you until you can make it over.” 

“You're perfect,” Maya sighs. 

“I’m not,” she softly laughs, looking up when a cup of espresso is placed in front of her followed by a plate with a blueberry muffin. She gives the server a grateful smile. “I am just dying to see you too.”

A scoffing sound comes through the speaker. “Who said anything about me dying to see you? I’m excited for a delicious Italian dinner. I haven't eaten as well as I did since I was in Sicily.” 

She rolls her eyes at the childish snicker that she hears through the speaker, somehow knowing that Maya was in no way referring to food. “You are so lucky that I like you so much.”

Maya chuckles. “I really can't wait to see you,” she quietly murmurs. “Anyway, I have to go get ready and make my way to the airport. You should go enjoy your breakfast, and then… I'll see you tonight?”

“I hope so, but let me know if anything changes,” she replies, reaching over to pick up her fork. “Text me when you land safely?”

“I will.” 

---

Maya had barely set foot onto L.A. soil and she was already ready to turn back for Seattle. 

But of course, she didn't. Maya isn't really one to blow off her networking responsibilities, even if she wouldn't regret having done it. It's not exactly her favorite thing about her job but she knows as well as anybody else working in this town that meeting the right people will help to keep her working.

So she gave herself three hours. 

Three hours to mingle and schmooze with all the faces that she needs to schmooze with and then she can leave. It’ll give her time to fly back so she won't be super late for dinner with Carina. Maybe she can have just about enough time to stop by and grab some flowers because coming for dinner empty-handed? Her mom would smack her up the head for that. 

She just barely managed an hour.

She's outside and waiting for her car with her personal assistant standing next to her. Maya ignores the small crowd of paparazzi across the street, grateful that this wasn't a big event or there would have been a much bigger gathering of cameras being shoved in her face. “Thanks for your help today, Spence,” she sighs, giving Spencer a tired lopsided smile. “What am I going to do without you when you become a hotshot director, huh?”

“Pretty sure we’re still a little far away from that, boss,” Spencer teases her despite her attention remaining on her phone. 

She breathes out a chuckle. “Are you coming back to Seattle with me?” she asks since they both flew in together earlier. 

“Nah, not tonight,” Spencer replies, shaking her head as she pockets her phone. “I have dinner with some of the other P.A.s.”

Maya nods. “Okay well, try not to make them too jealous that you get to work with me,” she teases, making Spencer huff out a laugh at her playful remark. 

“And just where do you think you're going?”

She looks behind her to see Julia wearing a reprimanding look on her face, her hands firmly set on her hips. Maya turns back to meet Spencer’s questioning gaze. “I’ll text you when there's work to do.”

“Sure thing,” Spencer dutifully replies, walking off to join the small group of people that had been waiting for her. 

Bringing her attention to Julia, Maya gives her agent her patented Maya Bishop grin. “I’m going back to Seattle. Everybody who needs to see my face, has seen my face. Now I have to go because there's somebody who I actually want to see my face, to see my face.”

Julia narrows her eyes at Maya's response. “All your socials updated for today?”

She nods. “Personally watched Spence tap on the Post button.” She points a finger at her agent. “It's your turn to go talk me up now.”

“Oh, I love when you tag me in,” Julia replies, a wolfish smirk on her lips.  

She almost starts to feel a little sorry for all the people that Julia will be talking to on her behalf. Almost. “I’ll call you in a few days then, Jules.”

“And I’m looking forward to hearing about whoever this ‘somebody’ is,” Julia casually comments with an arched eyebrow. 

She chuckles as she shakes her head. “Spencer doesn't even know yet, and if she doesn't know, I’m not telling you a thing.”

Her agent purses her lips. “Maya, don’t wait to tell me something before there is something to tell,” she lightly warns. 

She scrunches her face, trying to make sense of what Julia is telling her. Maya nods anyway, giving her agent a placating smile. “I really, really like this one, Jules,” she quietly admits to her agent, wanting her to understand the gravity of her feelings. “And I just want to have a little time with her before this part of my life inevitably becomes a part of hers.” 

“Alright, I can accept that.” Julia nods in approval before putting on a flashy grin. “Tell me you love me.”

Maya lets out a soft laugh. When she sees that her car is now waiting, she holds up a finger to signal that she’s coming. “Love you, Jules. Now,” she hums, leaning in close to kiss her agent's cheek, “tell me I’m gorgeous.”

“The most gorgeous,” Julia obligingly replies, reaching up to brush Maya’s hair back from her face. “Go on home, darling. I’ll talk to you soon.”

---

Carina expected to be nervous the closer it got time for her to leave and get ready for her dinner date with Maya. 

Most of tonight’s meal has already been prepared ahead of time so Carina doesn't exactly need to worry about rushing to make something. Nor is she really worried about Maya not enjoying her food. But it will be the first time in over ten months since they have been in enclosed space together and there are a lot of feelings buzzing around inside her body that's making it very difficult for her to focus or stay still. 

So it's probably not the best idea for her to be grabbing coffee with Amelia and yet here she is, sipping on a large cup of macchiato as they walk back into the hospital. Amelia, on the other hand, got herself a smaller cup of hot chocolate since she is done with her shift for the day. 

“I cannot wait to get home and soak in a tub filled with giant bubbles,” Amelia quietly sighs next to her. “And fall asleep in said tub because I know how to party hard.” 

“Self-care is very important,” she comments, wrapping her hands around her cup to soak in its heat. 

Amelia lets out an inelegant snort. “My self-care unfortunately is not water-proof.”

“Now I know what to get you for your birthday,” Carina playfully teases. 

“Oh come on, that's months from now,” Amelia whines, tossing her empty cup into a nearby trash bin. 

She gives her a noncommittal shrug. “You should have been born sooner then.”

Her friend rolls her eyes at her unapologetic remark. “What exciting plans do you have for your evening?”

“I have a date,” she answers, her heart fluttering at the same time. 

“Shut up, you do not,” Amelia gasps, a concerningly thrilled gleam appearing in her eyes. 

“I think that I am a little offended that you are so surprised by that,” she murmurs, narrowing her eyes at her friend. 

“Babe, are you serious?” A baffled expression crosses Amelia’s face. “You haven't been dating like, at all, nearly this whole year and now you're just gonna throw it out that you have a date all casual like that?” 

She stares at her friend for a long, uncertain moment. “Yes?”

Amelia throws up her hands, exasperated. “Who is it? Where did you meet? Do you like them? Is it serious? Your audience needs details, Dr. DeLuca.”

Understanding dawns on her of what it is that her friend is looking to hear from her. She pats Amelia's shoulder. “How about I tell you all about it next week?” she offers, now reaching over to press the button to call the elevator. “I have a lot of paperwork to get done right now before I’m out for the rest of the weekend and I do not want to be thinking about any of it while I’m on my date. I’m nervous about it as it is.”

She doesn't mention that the other reason is that it’ll give her time to figure out how to talk about her and Maya without revealing anything about Maya at all. She recalls Maya giving her permission to tell Gabriella but Carina isn't too sure if that same permission applies to Amelia. 

Amelia sighs wistfully. “Fine, I’m gonna hold you to that,” she replies as Carina walks into the elevator. 

“See you next week,” she calls out just as the doors close on her, waving at her friend.

She glances down at her wristwatch. Still just under an hour before she can head back to her apartment and get everything ready for Maya’s arrival. She's so deep in thought in her trek back to her office that she doesn't even notice somebody sitting on her couch when she walks inside the room. 

“Hi there.”

Carina immediately startles at the unexpected presence of somebody in her office that she nearly drops her cup onto the floor. She relaxes though when she meets familiar blue eyes and realizes that it's Maya who is wearing a very pleased smirk on her face. Her heart flutters in surprised delight at seeing Maya, noticing as well, the bouquet of daisies sitting on top of her coffee table. 

After closing the door behind her, she goes over to take a seat right next to Maya, not even hesitating to wrap her arms around her. Her eyes fall shut when Maya’s arms go around her waist, feeling her previous restlessness beginning to dissipate. “I thought you said you wouldn't be back until late.”

“I thought so too.” She feels the shrug of Maya’s shoulders. “But then I decided that I’d rather be where I actually want to be,” Maya softly replies before she's tucking her face into Carina’s neck. 

She lets out a sigh, tightening her arms around Maya's shoulders. Pressing her lips to Maya’s cheek, Carina starts to withdraw from the embrace when Maya whispers, “wait, just one more minute.” 

Her breath catches as Maya shifts, lowering just slightly until she's laying her head right on her chest. Carina’s eyes close once again, thinking of all the times when they'd be in bed back on Sicily and Maya would have her ear pressed close to her chest, just like this. She peers down to see that same look of contentment on Maya’s face that she had then and there's no way that Maya misses just how her heart is beating a little harder. So Carina waits patiently until Maya finally lifts her head off her chest, wearing a grateful but flustered smile on her face. 

She places her coffee cup on the table before setting her hand to Maya’s jaw, tapping and thumb lightly to Maya’s chin. “I just have another hour and then we can go,” she informs Maya. She suddenly frowns, remembering now the crowd of nurses outside her office and that the door had actually been locked when she left it. “Wait, how did you manage to get here without being seen?”

A mischievous smirk stretches across Maya’s face. “Oh, I was very sneaky and quite the amateur lock-picker,” she chuckles, looking incredibly pleased with herself. Her smirk softens into a tender smile. “I wanted to surprise you.”

She brings her hand up to cup Maya’s face in her palm, gently brushing her thumb over her cheek. “You have been the best surprise of my life,” she confesses in a whisper, feeling a rush of heat rising the back of her neck. 

“Yeah?” Maya quietly asks, grinning in such a way that a charming dimple forms on her cheek. 

She nods absently, watching as her thumb lightly grazes the edge of Maya's mouth. “You are also making it even harder not to kiss you,” she murmurs, lifting her gaze to meet Maya’s. “Will you let me kiss you?”

She watches Maya taking a deep breath, her darkening blue eyes lowering to her lips. “I’m thinking about it.”

She adds just a little pressure, gently urging Maya’s face closer as she starts to lean in too. Carina is so focused on feeling Maya’s breath sweeping across her skin that she doesn't even hear her office door being opened. 

“Carina, I'm so glad I caught you before—” 

Displaying her quick reflexes, Maya pulls away from her leaving Carina’s hand in mid-air before Carina can even register that her boss had just walked into her office. Her boss who is now staring right at Maya. 

“Miranda,” Carina exclaims, hastily getting onto her feet, “um, this is, um—” she pauses to glance questioningly over at Maya who thankfully nods in permission. She turns back to Miranda, willing for her cheeks to stop feeling so embarrassingly hot as if she and Maya are teenagers who just got caught making out by the principal. “This is Maya,” she quietly utters. “Maya, this is Chief Miranda Bailey. My boss.”

“Chief Bailey,” Maya utters, stepping forward to extend her hand towards Miranda, “it’s so nice to meet you.”

Miranda stares at Maya's hand for a long moment before taking it into her own, giving it a firm shake. “I don't like your movies.”

“Miranda!” she gasps in disbelief, shooting Maya an apologetic look. 

But thankfully Maya merely offers a generous smile, obviously more used to receiving unsolicited opinions about her work. Taking her hand back, she shrugs. “That’s okay. I get that they’re not really for everyone.”

“Definitely not my thing,” Miranda agrees, leveling a thoughtful gaze in Maya’s direction. “But you are talented. Have you thought about maybe going into science fiction?”

Maya's eyes immediately light up. “Oh yeah, you know what? I actually got this really amazing script that's like—” 

She places a hand over Maya's arm to stop her, knowing intimately from the look on her face that Maya was about to go into a very lengthy ramble about whatever script that she was reading. As much as she loves to hear Maya go on about her work, she's also curious about what it is that brought Miranda to her office.  

“Miranda, is there an emergency you needed me for?” she asks, squeezing Maya’s arm when she sees the sheepish look on her face. 

Her boss arches an eyebrow at her inquiry. “No.”

“Then whatever it is, can wait until Monday,” Carina swiftly tells her. “Maya and I are just about to leave.”

“But didn't you say that you have another—” Maya’s jaw clicks shut when Carina widens her eyes in warning. “I’ll stop talking.”

“Oh wait,” Miranda pipes up, realization taking over her face. She points to Maya. “Are you Sicily?”

Maya frowns in confusion, pointing at herself. “I’m… Maya?” 

Carina sighs heavily, knowing there's no point in trying to lie about this. If it isn't going to be today, Miranda would surely have tried to find out the next time they meet. “Yes, she is Sicily.”

“This certainly explains the recent sunnier disposition,” her boss pointedly mumbles.

“Oh!” Maya exclaims, clued in now to what she and Miranda are talking about. “Sicily, as in—where you and me…” she stops once again at Carina’s look before meeting Miranda’s gaze. Maya clears her throat, a bright smile on her face. “Yes, I am Sicily,” she needlessly confirms before turning a pleased grin in Carina’s direction. “You've been talking about me?”

“More like moping about you,” Miranda helpfully answers, transforming Maya’s grin into an absolutely delighted one.

Carina groans internally, now wishing that she hadn't stopped Maya from talking more about that script, if only so she can avoid this happening. 

“Aw babe, you've been moping?” Maya teases, playfully tugging at Carina's hair. 

“Complete holy terror on my interns and residents,” Miranda adds, looking far too smug for her own good, “ and some attendings too.”

She shoots her boss a fiery glare. “Okay now, bye Miranda. I will talk to you on Monday.” She very carefully turns Miranda around and nudges her out of the door, closing it before Miranda can speak another word. 

When she turns back, Maya is still standing with that same smile on her face. She points a finger at her. “Do not say a word.”

“My lips are sealed,” Maya chuckles, miming zipping her lips. “Are we really leaving though?”

“No,” she sighs, “I actually do have work to finish and then we can leave.”

Maya goes to take a seat back on the couch. “Then it's okay if I rest my eyes until you're ready?”

Dropping her shoulders, Carina feels herself relaxing slightly. “Of course,” she softly utters as she goes to take out a throw blanket from one of her cabinets. She gestures to Maya’s outfit. “Are you going to be comfortable in that?”

“I’ve slept in less comfortable things.” Maya shrugs before proceeding to take off her belt. “Good enough.” She stares at the blanket in Carina’s possession, giving her a teasing smile. “You gonna tuck me in?” 

She rolls her eyes. “Lay down,” she tells her, waiting until Maya is comfortable before draping the blanket over her. 

Carina leans down, pressing her lips to Maya’s forehead. “Rest well, Maya.”

---

Maya lets out a content sigh as she pats her satisfied belly. 

“That was a really amazing dinner, Carina. Thank you for making it,” she lazily murmurs, feeling the effects of good food, good wine, and even better company. 

A gratified smile pulls at Carina’s lips. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Enjoyed it?” Maya scoffs. “My mouth had an orgasm every time I took a bite.”

She smiles in delight when her comment makes Carina laugh, a sound that Maya never realized can be so sorely missed and now she just wants to hear it all the time. She wants to be the reason that it's there. 

Getting to see the surprised look on Carina’s face earlier when she realized that she was in her office, gave Maya quite the exquisite high. Not even meeting Carina’s somewhat prickly boss dampened it. It also afforded Maya a small glimpse of Carina in a professional environment and let's just say that Maya is a very big fan of Dr. Carina DeLuca. 

She watches Carina getting up to her feet, gathering their empty plates in her hands. “Do you have space for coffee and dessert?” she asks, seemingly unaware that Maya has gotten up to follow her into the kitchen when her eyes widen at seeing Maya next to her. Carina starts shaking her hand when Maya rolls up her sleeves, understanding immediately what Maya is planning on doing. “Maya, no. You're my guest! You don't have to do anything.”

Maya shakes her head, picking up a plate to start rinsing. “Nope, you made dinner and so I’m gonna do the washing.” Not that it's a hardship anyway since Carina had done most of the washing up of all the pots and pans she used earlier so Maya is really only left with the two plates and pairs of cutlery that they used. “Do you have work in the morning?” she asks, grabbing the other plate to wash and rinse.

Giving up on trying to dissuade her, Carina leans back against the sink. “I’m off for the next two days.”

She glances briefly over at Carina, shooting her an entreating smile. “Does that mean I can see you tomorrow?” she asks, bumping their hips together. 

She hears Carina chuckling beside her, feeling her take a step closer to her. “What makes you think I'm letting you leave my apartment at all after tonight?” she softly asks.

“I think they call that ‘kidnapping’,” she manages to wittily reply despite the way that her heart is pounding from Carina’s current proximity. The simmering heat of Carina’s gaze on the side of her face is testing whatever control Maya has left over herself. She’s shocked that she hasn't dropped the plate yet. “People will come looking for me,” she warns Carina, her voice already breathless by the sounds of it. 

By the time she's done washing up and wiping her hands with a hand towel, Carina is pressing her back against the sink. Maya swallows thickly as she brings her gaze up to meet Carina’s. “Hi.”

She tips her chin up when Carina’s hand firmly sets itself along her jaw, letting out a shuddering breath at the coolness of Carina’s palm against her warm cheek. “Hello,” Carina whispers just as Maya’s stare lowers, watching as Carina’s delectable mouth curves into a discerning smirk. “Are you finally going to let me kiss you?”

“Thinking about it,” she replies, distracted now by Carina’s tongue sweeping slow over her bottom lip. 

“I heard that you are not supposed to make somebody wait too long,” Carina casually utters.

Maya reluctantly raises her gaze up to meet Carina’s eyes, finding them darker now than they have been all night. “I just want to savor the moment that I’m finally here with you,” she shyly admits. “I know it has only been two days since we saw each other but… I really missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Carina whispers, leaning in to nuzzle her nose into Maya’s cheek. “I missed you very much.”

“God,” she gasps, arching herself wantonly into Carina’s body. “I forgot how good you are at that.”

“At what?” Carina hums thoughtfully as she continues to graze her nose down along Maya’s jaw. 

“Taking my goddamn breath away.” 

Carina pulls away then, her smile softening at the edges before her eyes fall to Maya’s mouth. “Come here.”

The moment that Carina’s lips are firmly on hers, for the first time in so many months, Maya just knows that there’s no way she can lose Carina again. She can't. It’s like everything inside her is coming alive again at the mere press of Carina’s body against hers.

“Where's your bedroom?” Maya manages to pant in between their dizzying kisses. “Fuck,” she moans breathlessly at the firm rock of Carina’s hips against her own.

She feels Carina making a disagreeing noise. “Too far. I want you right here,” she husks out as her hands go right down to Maya’s belt, deftly unbuckling it without missing a beat. 

She doesn't even pull Maya’s jeans down, merely slipping her hand under the material of Maya’s soaked underwear. Maya lets out a wretched moan at the exploring touch of Carina’s skillful fingers rediscovering her. She tightens the grasp of her fingers in Carina’s thick hair.

“We will get to the bedroom eventually,” Carina promises before bringing their mouths back together again.

Chapter 7: chapter seven: i got baggage but i’m movin’ in

Notes:

Hello everyone!

I hope you're all having a good week so far! Mine hasn't been too bad. I had my regular follow-up appointment with my doctor about my eye and it looks like I'm gonna be rockin' an eye patch for a little while longer.

Today's chapter, as I've mentioned in my posts, is dialogue-heavy. Some rom-com shenanigans and an important conversation is being had. Let's check it out, yeah?

I hope you'll enjoy!

Much love,
Az ❤️❤️❤️

P.S.: Next thing I'll be posting will be itge's epilogue 🥺

William: You like Chagall?

Anna: I do. It feels like how being in love should be. Floating through a dark blue sky.

William: With a goat playing the violin.

Anna: Yes - happiness isn't happiness without a violin-playing goat.

- Notting Hill

chapter seven: i got baggage but i’m movin’ in

Every weekend, without fail, Carina goes to her favorite farmer's market and buys herself a bouquet of flowers.

The third week after she first arrived in Seattle, Carina went out exploring. She wasn't really sure how long she'd be staying and so she needed to familiarize herself with the city in hopes of finding places that she could eventually call her own; places where she could simply go and wander aimlessly. One thing she has learned after living in so many cities over the years is that each one has a unique blend of scents about them, and Seattle is certainly no different. 

The farmer’s market isn’t anything big or even remotely popular but on that particular day, it was a rich fragrance that drew her to venture further inside it. It took her a little while to eventually track down exactly where the scent was coming from but she didn't need to figure out why she felt compelled to find it. 

Mamma always did smell like lilies.

And just like cities, people have their own unique scents too.

“This is really nice,” she hears Maya sighing, her head lifting slightly with Maya’s chest every time she takes a deep breath.

The early evening had arrived but with how heavily the rain had been pouring all day, neither she nor Maya noticed it much. She had planned on taking Maya to the farmer’s market earlier today but the weather forecast had them agreeing that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to just stay inside. Maya had brought her flowers just the night before anyway so Carina didn't mind the break from her Sunday routine to spend the day with her.

They’ve spent the last couple of hours laying in her bed now, with her body curled into Maya’s and her face tucked securely into the warmth of Maya’s neck where her scent lingers the strongest. She has one hand under a pillow and another laying flat on Maya’s stomach. Carina feels Maya’s hand on the back of her head, strong and solid, as her fingers scratch lightly across the nape of Carina’s neck. It's a ticklish but soothing sensation. 

A contented smile pulls at her lips, taking a deep breath of Maya’s now-familiar scent of eucalyptus and sandalwood. 

“It is,” she agrees in a soft murmur, her palm sweeping lightly over Maya’s belly. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip at the tight clench of Maya’s stomach under her palm. She slips her hand under Maya’s shirt, wanting to feel more of her toned skin. “I really like this a lot.”

It has been four weeks since she and Maya had their date, since Maya first spent the night though this is actually the first time that Maya’s here on a Sunday morning. 

Carina is surprised by how normal it has been to be with Maya—to date her—and she wonders if the Seattle setting has anything to do with that. Sicily was such a two-day whirlwind that it sometimes almost feels like they were two different people then, and she supposes that in a way, they were. 

While Maya was cautious about being seen when they were in Sicily, she is even more so here in Seattle. To most people, Maya will look like she's casually going about her day, living her life as she ignores all the eyes closely following her every move. She’s so good at doing it that anybody can be easily fooled that she doesn't care. 

But Carina isn't most people nor is she simply anybody. 

Even so, though Carina will always treasure those two days with Maya, she has a growing fondness for the way their relationship has been progressing over the last few weeks. The time apart hadn't taken away anything from how they are with each other.

“I really like you a lot,” Maya quietly replies, making Carina’s breath catch when she briefly squeezes the back of her neck. “It's kind of crazy, isn't it?”

“What is?” she asks, reluctantly withdrawing herself from Maya’s neck to meet her gaze. 

Maya shrugs. “Just… us being here.” She licks her lips. “I was hoping that we would be again but—you never really know, y’know?”

She nods, a slow and affectionate smile growing on her face. “I’m really glad that we are here, especially now that I can do this again,” she whispers, leaning up to gently tease her lips over Maya’s before bringing their mouths together in a firmer kiss. 

She intends for it to be a short kiss but then a hand is gently cupping her jaw to keep her in place. Carina breathes out a quiet moan, letting her lips part over Maya’s as she loses herself in their deepening kiss, feeling Maya beginning to shift under her. She moves over to lay herself on top of Maya, keeping their lips attached as they begin to lazily rock their bodies together. 

After their first night together when Maya came back with her, Carina had been very pleased to discover that their physical chemistry is just as potent as it was in Sicily. Maybe even more so after the months spent apart. Being with Maya is still unlike anything she has ever had with anybody else. Carina is still so breathless by the way that Maya responds to her, how she arches and leans into Carina’s hands like she can't bear to lose her touch. 

Maya’s hands are in her hair now, pulling and gripping tight as her teeth graze down the column of Maya’s throat. 

“Did you hear that?”

She darts her tongue to lick across Maya’s skin. “Hear what?” she asks, too distracted to notice the concern in Maya's voice, the loosening of Maya’s fingers or how Maya’s attention is no longer on what they're trying to start.

She lets out a disgruntled sound when Maya pushes lightly at her shoulder but still, Carina refuses to stop as she continues to move downwards to Maya’s collarbones. 

Maya pushes her again, harder this time that they roll over until Maya is on top. “Carina, did you lock the front door?”

She lets out a groan of complaint at being moved. Carina frowns up at Maya, her brain already so fuzzy from what they've been doing that it takes her a moment before she can properly answer. It certainly doesn't help to see the pretty pink flush that has spread across Maya’s cheeks.

Carina rolls her eyes. “Yes, I’m a woman who lives alone. Of course, I locked my front door,” she replies before putting on a flirty smirk in the hopes of pulling Maya back into their heated moment. She parts her legs for Maya to get in between them. “Now, where were we?”

She slips her hands under Maya’s joggers as she latches her mouth back onto Maya’s neck. Carina claims victory when she hears a quiet moan, when Maya’s hips immediately buck so firmly against hers that she whimpers, accidentally sinking her teeth into Maya’s skin. 

But before she can soothe the sting with her tongue, Maya is getting off her and off the bed in a hurry. 

“I heard it again,” Maya hisses, her voice still husky and breathless. Carina sits up in a huff as Maya goes to open the bedroom door only to carefully close it back before turning to face her. “Carina, somebody's here,” she whispers in a sudden panic.

“Maya—” Carina sighs, brushing her hair back from her face.

“Go hide,” Maya tells her before slowly opening the door again. 

She frowns, following Maya’s lead by getting off the bed. Carina quickly adjusts her clothes as she steps in right behind Maya. “This is my apartment. I am not hiding.”

Maya turns to her with a pleading look. “Carina, this isn't the time to be stubborn! Somebody is in your apartment.” She starts to glance around Carina’s bedroom though Carina doubts that the dim lighting can offer much help with whatever she’s looking for. “Quick, where do you keep your baseball bat?”

A frustrated expression crosses her face, her temper rising fast from the incendiary combination of her confusion and the desire that Maya ignited, still coursing hot through her body. “Do I look like somebody who would have a baseball bat in her apartment?”

“Oh god, baby, you're killing me right now.” Maya quietly whines, pressing her hand to her forehead. She takes a deep, calming breath and pulls her hand down as she gives Carina a stern glare. “Okay, one thing at a time, but we are so going to have a talk about home security once we deal with this.” She carefully pulls the door wider, just enough space for the both of them to slip out. “Stay behind me.”

But Carina isn't listening at all anymore to what Maya is saying, her brain now too stuck and too focused now on that one word that Maya just called her. It steals away the heat of her frustration, replacing it with a rapturous flutter in her chest as the word keeps repeating over and over in her head. 

It takes her another moment longer to snap out of it and realize that Maya is already out of her bedroom and slowly approaching whatever it is that she heard earlier. She quickly shakes her head and follows Maya’s lead, rushing quietly behind her as she tiptoes towards the kitchen where Carina now hears the same noises that Maya must have heard. 

Her heart begins to race at the thought of some stranger being in her apartment. She could’ve sworn that she locked the door after she and Maya had their lunch delivered. Dropping her gaze to the thick book in Maya's hands, Carina feels weirdly reassured that Maya grabbed something to use as a weapon against the intruder. Even if it is a book, it is still a very heavy one. 

They peek around the corner to see the intruder going through her fridge and just from the sight of his familiar leather jacket, Carina immediately realizes who it is. 

“Maya, wait—” she starts to say but it's too late. Maya is already charging out from their hiding spot like a ferocious bull, screaming at the top of her lungs.

She covers her face with her hands, unable to stop it as she watches helplessly between her fingers. Her brother jumps, understandably startled by the freakishly inhuman noise Maya is making that he barely misses smacking right onto the fridge by a few inches. Andrea shrieks in surprise at Maya advancing towards him, not even putting up a fight when she pounces right on top of him.

“Oh my god, Maya!” she cries out, rushing towards them and grabs Maya’s shoulder. 

Maya must have dropped the textbook somewhere since she now has Andrea’s arms completely pinned down in her tight grasp, the both of them still screaming incoherently at each other. 

She pulls on Maya’s shoulder once again. “Maya, stop! It’s Andrea!”

It takes her another try before Maya is blinking slowly up at her, coming out of her laser-focused delirium to protect them. 

Maya shakes her head. “Andrea? As in your brother, Andrea?” She yanks her hands off Andrea’s arms. “You’re her brother, Andrea.”

“Yes,” Andrea gasps, panting as he tries to catch his breath. He pulls his arms to his chest. “I’m her brother, Andrea.” He drops his head down onto the floor, staring up at the ceiling with a pained look on his face. “Oh god, is this what a heart attack feels like?”

“Wait, I know you,” Maya utters, her gaze narrowing in concentration. 

Her eyebrows lift in surprise at hearing that. “You do?” she asks, seeing her surprise reflected on her brother's face.

Maya nods, recognition visible on her face. “Yeah, you’re the guy at the airport when we were in Sicily.” She shrugs when Andrea nods, somehow looking even more surprised and dumbfounded that Maya seems to remember their encounter. “I’m really good at remembering faces.” 

Carina frowns, recalling that morning and reframing it to what she's now learning. “Wait, I am remembering that morning at the airport now. Was Maya the pretty girl that you saw?” she asks, shooting her brother an accusing glare. 

A visible blush spreading across Andrea’s face is more than enough of an answer for her. And as they all let the moment finally sink in and settle, Carina moves on when she realizes the positions that they're all still very much in. 

“Maya, you can get off him now,” she wryly tells her, seeing the stupid look on Andrea's face now that he's not screaming for his life. 

She watches Maya’s eyes widening when she makes the same realization and quickly jumps up. “Oh, right.” She looks down at Andrea with a contrite smile. “I’m so sorry. We thought—well, I thought—never mind, it doesn't matter. I’m so sorry.”

“Carina,” he calls out even though his eyes remain stuck on Maya. 

She frowns at the strangled tone she hears in his voice and notices how he hasn't gotten up yet. Carina hurries over to kneel down beside him. “Sì, fratellino?” she softly asks, quickly looking over him in case she can see what might be wrong. “Are you okay? Does anything hurt?”

He leans closer to her, his eyes finally landing on her face. “Am I dreaming or was that just Maya Bishop sitting on top of me?”

She stares blankly at him for a long moment. 

“Gli uomini,” she finally mutters before rolling her eyes. She looks behind her, softening when she meets Maya’s nervous gaze. “He is fine. Just a little shocked about you,” she mutters as she helps her brother to sit up, letting him rest against the closed fridge.

Maya approaches closer to them, dropping down to a squat behind her. “Sorry about stampeding in like that. You just never know with these kinds of situations.”

She huffs out an amused chuckle, glancing back at Maya again. “No, bambina, he’s over that,” she murmurs. “He is reacting to seeing you.”

A confused expression takes over Maya’s face. “Me? Why?”

She arches her eyebrow at Maya, waiting patiently until finally, her blue eyes light up with understanding. 

“Oh, right! Famous actor, me.” Maya gives her a crooked, sheepish grin. “Sorry, my brain is still a little bit on the fritz.”

Her heart clenches tight in her chest at the charming display when she sees that dimple appearing in Maya’s cheek and so Carina leans back close enough to nuzzle her nose against that little indent. She feels Maya sigh, placing her hand warm and solid on Carina’s back. 

“Oh god,” Andrea mutters, pulling hers and Maya's attention back onto him. His face is buried in his hands before he’s groaning, running his fingers through his hair as he wears a distressed expression. “Oh god, Maya Bishop is sleeping with my sister.” He looks up at her wide, frenzied eyes. “How do you even know her?”

She chews on her bottom lip. “Sicily.”

Somehow her brother's eyes go even wider. “Oh my god, is she the one that you were hung up on for months after we left?”

Carina very pointedly ignores the goofy grin that she can just feel is growing on Maya’s face from her brother's question. 

“Sì, è lei,” she mutters, thankful that Maya can't understand a word she's saying. “Andrea, why didn't you tell me you were coming over?” she asks before Andrea can say anything more about her behavior in the months before she and Maya met up again. It was bad enough when Chief Bailey said something that one time. “You know better than to do that.”

He scoffs. “Yeah but you’ve been so painfully single for the longest time and I didn't think that Maya Bishop would be here.”

She rolls her eyes at her brother again. “You can just call her ‘Maya’, you know. It's really weird when you say her full name like that.”

Maya chuckles. “Remember when I told you that people get a certain look when they realize who I am?”

She nods, remembering that conversation very well. She smacks her brother's chest when she sees the way he keeps looking at Maya. “Andrea, get a hold of yourself.”

He pouts, rubbing at his chest. “Sorry, sorry. It's just not everyday you meet Maya Bishop,” he replies, wincing when he realizes his mistake. 

But Maya gives him a warm smile. “I’ll give you that one.” She holds out her hand to him. “I’m just Maya now, please.”

He stares down at her hand then lifts his gaze then to find hers. She gives her brother a reassuring nod before he turns to Maya with a careful smile, taking her offered hand. 

“Andrea DeLuca,” she watches him reply just as Maya effortlessly pulls him up to his feet. “But, uh, please call me Andrew.”

---

Once the excitement of Carina’s brother’s spontaneous appearance had died down and in his apologetic attempt to give them their privacy, Andrew left the apartment. 

They're just finishing up a dinner that Carina made, claiming it to be 'something small’ for the both of them. But four weeks of being in Carina’s company has taught Maya that ‘something small’ is usually more of a full three-course meal. Not that she'd ever complain because god, can Carina cook a hell of a meal. Maya has never been more glad to be in between roles just so that she can keep indulging herself in Carina's cooking without having to worry about messing up a fitting. 

She’s sweeping up the remains of tomato sauce on her plate using the last bit of bread, letting out a happy moan as she savors the final taste of her dinner. Maya glances to her side when she hears Carina’s quiet chuckle, shooting her a crooked grin. 

“My compliments to the chef for another excellent meal,” she praises, reaching for her glass of wine to raise it in Carina’s direction. 

A bashful smile slowly pulls across Carina's face. “I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she replies, grabbing Maya’s plate to place it on top of her empty one. 

She places her hand on Carina’s knee as she leans across the distance between them to gently press her lips to Carina’s cheek, once, twice, before sitting back down in her chair. “Thank you for making it,” she murmurs, lightly squeezing Carina’s knee. 

Before Carina can say a word, Maya grabs their plates and briskly carries them over the sink, beating Carina to do the washing up. She breathes out a laugh when she hears the sound of Carina's resigned sigh, knowing better now than to argue with Maya about this. In four weeks, Carina has won this argument only five times and that was only because Maya was in too much of a food coma to move. 

She hears Carina getting up to join her by the sink, freshly refilled wine glass in hand as she watches Maya finish the washing up. 

“Y'know, you and your brother have the same eyes,” she casually comments, glancing to the side to catch Carina’s eyes before going back to washing the last plate. 

Carina hums quietly as she takes a sip of her drink. “Do you really think so? I always think that he has our mother's eyes.”

She nods, placing the plate carefully on the drying rack. “Not so much the color. Just something about you both are very similar around there,” she remarks, gesturing to Carina’s eyes. “You two seem close.”

Grabbing the small towel to dry off her hands, she turns to face Carina. She plucks the wine glass out of Carina’s hand to take a short sip before returning it. Carina nods, a thoughtful frown on her face now. 

“We have always been very close,” she softly murmurs, “but… more after last year.” Carina lets out a trembling sigh, staring down into her wine glass and Maya waits patiently until she's finally looking back up to meet her gaze. “Did you hear about that human trafficker that was arrested at a train station attempting to escape the police?”

She frowns, getting a flicker of recognition. “I was working but I think I remember Andy telling me about that when I came back,” she replies, starting to wonder why Carina brought that up when she remembers that the doctor who discovered the human trafficker, who had also gotten stabbed when he tracked them to the train station. “Oh god, was Andrew the one that—” she stops when she sees Carina fervently nodding, not wanting to dredge up what is clearly still a painful memory. She grabs onto Carina's arm, giving it a firm squeeze. “I can’t imagine how scary that must have been for you.”

She feels her heart clenching tightly, seeing the way that Carina's lips purse in an effort to keep what look to be overwhelming emotions at bay, even tighter when Carina tears her gaze away from her. For a moment, Maya is at a loss on what to do. Even more so when Carina pulls her arm out of Maya’s grasp, doing it so carefully as if she doesn't want to hurt Maya’s feelings by rejecting her comfort. 

But Maya understands a thing or two about refusing the unbearable tenderness of relief, understands that it's nothing to do with her at all. 

So she decides to let her instinct guide her movements, taking Carina's hand in hers to lead them over to the living room. She takes Carina's wine glass and places it on the coffee table then gently pushes Carina to lay down on the couch. Carina's brown eyes are wide and fearful but so filled with trust as they look up at her and Maya is taken back to that night they were on the beach when Carina asked her not to hurt her. 

Placing her hand on Carina's chest, Maya can feel just how hard and fast her heart is pounding. She holds her breath as she carefully lays herself on top of Carina, trying to recall everything that her trainer taught her about how to make her body feel heavier. Maya thinks to herself, sink, sink, sink. 

She stops when she hears Carina's breath catching, when Carina’s next exhaled breath is one of whimpering relief and Maya lets out one of her own. Her eyes fall shut when she feels Carina's body begin to relax under her, when Carina's arms come around her shoulders to hold on tight, her hand climbing to wrap around the back of her neck. 

Turning her head so she can lay her ear to Carina’s chest, Maya feels her own heart tremble at how much steadier Carina's heart seems to be beating right now than it was moments ago.

Meanwhile, Maya tries to recall everything else that Andy had told her about that particular event. She remembers now, the part where the wounded doctor's sister had also been there, screaming for help as she did her best to help her brother. Her chest tightens painfully at the mental image of Carina pleading for somebody to help and nobody coming to her aid until the paramedics came through. 

She thinks of where she was when it all happened, how she was filming while trying to survive mosquito season in Texas. What different lives they had been leading before they ever met each other, before Maya ever knew about the breathtaking wonder that is Carina DeLuca. 

She shifts to rest her chin on Carina’s chest, watching her stare blankly up at the ceiling, lost in whatever memories that are running around in her head. But much to Maya’s relief, she looks less troubled than she did a few moments ago. 

“Okay?” she whispers, keeping her gaze trained on Carina's face until those brown eyes finally are peering down at her.

Carina nods, a shy, grateful smile appearing on her lips. “Okay,” she replies in a soft murmur, lightly squeezing the back of Maya’s neck. 

“Y’know,” she starts to say, guessing that Carina will appreciate a lighter change in their conversation, “as first meetings go, I guess you can say that that was one very memorable way for me to meet your brother.”

The tightness in her chest eases when Carina huffs out a soft chuckle. “I’m sure he will not forget it anytime soon,” she wryly replies. She raises her hand up to bury her fingers in Maya’s hair, her other hand moving to cup Maya’s jaw.  A put-off pout is now on Carina’s face. “I can't believe that he saw you first.”

She chuckles, feeling a little bit of disbelief herself, at the possibility that she could have seen or even met Carina much sooner. But then again, there’s a part of Maya that thinks that she was always meant to meet Carina in the way that they did. Something had felt so inevitable about it, about their eyes meeting across a bar. 

“And I can't believe that I can actually cross ‘have a pair of brother and sister have the hots for me’ off my bucket list,” she jokes, letting out an inelegant snort at the narrow-eyed glare that Carina shoots at her.  

“I don't think he is going to be having the ‘hots’ for you anymore now that he knows Maya Bishop has been sleeping with his sister,” Carina reminds her, arching an eyebrow at her. 

Maya shrugs. “Still counts.” 

Carina huffs out a soft laugh as she rolls her eyes. “Whatever you say.”

She turns to softly kiss Carina’s palm before pushing herself up, her hands on either side of Carina. “So, you were hung up on me, huh?” she asks, putting on a playful smile.

“Oddio,” Carina mutters, rolling her eyes once again as she raises her hand in an attempt to cover her face.

“Months, your brother said, wasn't it?” Maya teasingly recalls, shifting up to nuzzle her nose into Carina’s warm blushing cheek. “Carina DeLuca, do you have a crush on me or something? That's so embarrassing.”

“You need to shut your mouth.” Carina points a threatening finger at her though the gesture lacks any heat when it’s accompanied by the fierce blush settling across her face. 

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip, a wicked idea forming in her head. “How about… I use my mouth to do things that I know you like instead?” she offers, softly brushing her mouth over the length of Carina’s extended finger. 

She watches from the corner of her eye as Carina sucks in a sharp breath, her darkening gaze following the journey that Maya’s mouth has taken down Carina’s hand. She lingers, darting her tongue out to lick over the now-thundering pulse of Carina’s wrist. 

“What do you think?” she asks, pulling Carina’s hand to rest on her shoulder as she leans down to press her lips to the soft line of Carina’s jaw. 

Maya stays where she is, nibbling on Carina's skin when she feels Carina's hand on her shoulder moving to join the other on the back of her neck. 

“Keep going,” she urges in a whisper. 

---

Strolling through the hallway of the OB floor with a distracted smile on her lips, Carina pays little attention to the people that she passes by.

Ever since she parked her car before walking into the hospital, her mind has been very much stuck on last night. And maybe a little bit on this morning too when Maya woke her up in that all-too pleasant way that she really loves to do. Maybe Carina is starting to be a morning person too. 

She is only just getting to her office when her brother intercepts her as she's reaching to unlock the door. 

“Hey, there's my favorite sister!”

She gives him a wary look, noting the frazzled expression on his face. He doesn't usually greet her when she first gets to work so her guard is already going up. 

“I am your only sister,” she replies, shoving him to the side so she can actually unlock the door and get into her office.

Andrea unexpectedly follows her inside and Carina starts to wonder if perhaps her brother is about to ask her for a favor. She sets her bag on top of her desk before she turns to face him, crossing her arms to her chest. “What do you want?”

He stares dumbly at her for a few seconds before holding out the coffee cup in his hand. “Espresso?”

She notices the familiar logo of her favorite cafe on the cup, looking at her brother with even more suspicion in her eyes. “What did you do?”

He gasps, placing his hand on his chest in a wounded gesture. “Can't a guy just get his favorite sister her favorite hot beverage?”

She arches her eyebrow at the question. “Again, I am your only sister,” she mutters, taking the cup out of his hand as she glances out of her office in case Chief Bailey makes an appearance for another ambush with her brother. But Carina is pretty sure that she has not done anything to warrant that again. She frowns when she notices the number of people standing by the nurses’ station who are clearly pretending to look busy. “Why are there so many people standing around outside my office?” she asks just as she sees a nurse trying to sneak a look into her office before quickly looking away. 

“Because you are just looking so radiant today,” her brother swiftly answers, though not swift enough that she catches the panic in his voice. 

Merda. It must be something really bad then. 

Carina takes a bracing sip of her drink then places it on her desk. “Okay, you are being more weird than usual. What is wrong with you?”

He shakes his head, his eyes widening further. “Nothing! Nothing is wrong with me,” he denies, not even lasting a second before crumbling when she simply gives him an unimpressed glare. “Okay, I might have done something but it's not my fault! I was… a little tipsy and you know how whiskey just goes right to my head.”

She pinches the bridge of her nose, wishing that she were back in bed with Maya right now instead of dealing with whatever this is going to be. Carina breathes out a deep sigh as she leans back against her desk. “Andrea, start from the beginning.”

He opens his mouth but then he clicks his jaw shut. She watches her brother turn around, a worried frown forming on her face when he closes and locks the door. “Okay so, I was still maybe kind of reeling from seeing Maya Bishop—”

“She has told you to call her Maya,” she interjects but her brother doesn't notice as he keeps going.

“—and I just needed a little something to y'know, work it off so I went to Joe’s and I got a little drunk,” he pauses to wince slightly, “and then I might have told some of the other residents about what happened and now the whole hospital knows about you and Maya Bishop.”

Her mouth drops open, horrified by everything she just heard. Carina doesn't even know where to start. “Andrea, call her Maya!” she cries, out of all things, while he tries to catch his breath. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he mumbles over and over, dropping down onto her couch before running his fingers harshly through his hair. He looks up at her. “It's just—you do realize how crazy it is, right? She's seriously famous.” He waves his arm out. “We just watched her movie weeks ago!”

“Do you think I don't know that?” she asks, clearing her throat when she belatedly realizes just how loud that they're being. Probably loud enough that all the people standing outside can easily hear them. “I know exactly who has been sharing my bed for the last four weeks.”

“Four weeks?” he repeats in outraged disbelief. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

Carina rolls her eyes at his wounded question, unsure when her brother made it his business to know anything about her romantic life. He certainly didn't really care to know anything about anybody she was dating before this. “Ideally, it would have been after she and I talked about it and not when you barge into my apartment without warning,” she answers, reminding him exactly of what happened last night. 

She goes to take a seat at her desk, meanwhile panicking inwardly over how she is going to have to tell Maya about this. The hospital is so notorious for how fast gossip runs through it and she can't imagine that news about her and Maya wouldn't have reached everybody by at least lunch time. There's no way that Carina can really stop it at all. 

Though Carina has come to unconsciously replicate her protective demeanor from when they were in Sicily to now when she and Maya are out in public, Maya hadn't been understating it when she said that it isn't too bad for her to be out when she’s here in the city. It is apparently much easier for Maya to go mostly undisturbed, able to go about her day despite knowing how aware everybody else is about her being present. In fact, there have only ever been a handful of times when a fan or even a small group of them would stop Maya, wanting pictures and autographs. 

But how can she even protect Maya from this? How can she protect herself?

She sighs, running her fingers through her hair that’s still damp from her earlier shower. “Andrea, she and I have only just found each other again,” she quietly murmurs, her chest aching at the terrifying thought that this might end what she knows she and Maya are trying to build together. 

There is something long-lasting here between them, she just knows it. 

She sternly holds her brother’s gaze. “If this wrecks whatever little peace she has when she’s here, I will never forgive you.”

She feels guilty when she sees shame coloring her brother's face and his hangover is probably not helping matters. But Carina keeps herself still and unmoved, wanting to drive it home that this isn't some small problem. 

“Carina, I’m so sorry,” he utters regretfully.

“I know you are, fratellino,” she softly murmurs. She breathes out a resigned sigh, knowing that she already has forgiven him. He’s her baby brother and his eyes are too much like their mother’s for Carina to stay mad at him for too long. But she's not going to tell him any of that just yet. “I love you, Andrea, but this is another one of your messes that I have to clean up, so will you please leave my office so I can start doing that?”

Andrea thankfully leaves without another word spoken between them. 

She waits until the door is fully closed before she's pulling her phone out of her bag. Maya had mentioned earlier that she’s going to be working out, though she didn't mention where. Thankfully It doesn't take very long for Maya to answer her call though.

“Hey gorgeous,” Maya cheerfully greets, clearly in the middle of her exercise but not sounding winded at all, “aren't you at work right now?”

Carina hesitates, chewing on her thumb nail. She suddenly thinks about whether she's overreacting to something that might not even be that big of a problem. Surely Maya knows how to deal with something like this, right? It can't be the first time that something comes out about Maya that she wouldn't expect the world to know.  

“Maya—” 

“What is it?” Maya interrupts, no longer sounding distracted by her work-out. Even the previous sound of a running treadmill has died down. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” she quickly reassures Maya, her heart squeezing tight at how worried Maya sounded for her. She barely said a word and Maya already seemed to know that something was wrong and wanted to fix it. “It's just that, um, my brother… he might have told some of our colleagues about us.” 

“Oh fuck.”

She immediately winces at Maya’s cursing. “Maya, I’m so sorry,” she rushes to apologize. “Andrea, he—he didn't mean to do it and he feels so bad about it. But it's more important right now I tell you that gossip in this hospital goes around really, really fast.”

A quiet moment stretches between them while she lets what she said sink in for Maya. 

“Are you going to be okay?” Maya asks, finally breaking the silence.

She frowns in confusion. “Me?”

“Yeah, 'cause you're the one working there,” Maya gently points out. “Have people been bothering you about it?”

She covers her mouth with her hand, masking the trembling whimper that escapes her so that Maya doesn't hear it. It's so unbearably difficult for Carina to handle that Maya seems more concerned about her rather than about herself. Nobody has ever, ever worried about her well-being first and yet Maya does it with such breathtaking ease. 

“No, they've just mostly been staring,” she replies, hoping that Maya doesn't hear that little crack in her voice. Carina sighs, running her fingers through her hair. “Are you okay? I—is it… does this mess things up for you?” she timidly asks. “Or for us?”

“Baby, no,” Maya answers so emphatically that Carina’s heart aches in relief to hear it. “Absolutely nothing about us has been messed up. We’re okay, and I’m going to be okay too,” she tells her. “I am gonna have to hang up with you for a minute so I can talk to Jules about this but I’ll call you right after, okay?”

She swallows thickly. “Okay.”

Maya must hear the heavy reluctance in her tone when she quickly reassures her. “As soon as I’m done, I promise.” 

–--

Unlike the last time that she was here, Maya doesn't go through the side doors nor does she use the stairs. 

She’s spotted before she even walks through the entrance. But Maya was prepared for that and thankfully she already knows the way to Carina's office so she simply keeps walking on through, ignoring all the passing stares. 

There are a lot of stares. 

Maya mentally shakes her head, remembering that she's still on the phone. “Okay, thanks Jules.”

“Whatever you need, Maya,” Julia calmly reassures her. “Holly will continue to monitor things on our end and we'll let you know if anything pops up.”

She nods. “I’ll call you soon then.”

“I look forward to meeting this Carina of yours,” Julia replies. 

“She’s not mine,” she mutters into her phone, making sure to keep her voice down, “but I really think you'll like her though.”

Julia hums in response. “From what you've said about her, I will love her,” she chuckles. “Now, tell me you love me,” she adds just as Maya is drawing near to the bank of elevators where a handful of people are standing around, talking quietly amongst themselves. 

“Love you, Jules,” she chuckles, stopping behind the small group. “Tell me I’m gorgeous.”

“Oh, the most gorgeous in the world.”

She breathes out a quiet laugh and shakes her head as she hangs up, tucking her phone back into her pocket. Maya takes a quick glance around and just as she does so, she spots a pair of doctors crash right into each other in their attempt to hide from her attention. She sighs before turning back around, relieved to find that an elevator has finally reached their floor. 

Having waited for everybody else to step inside first, Maya starts to tense up the exact second she walks into the open elevator. She pretends not to notice though, how everybody in the small space stops talking in the same instant. She graces the person next to her with a warm smile as she presses the button for the OB-GYN floor, the doors closing thankfully right after.

The quiet tension continues to build as they go up. 

She still doesn't relax by the time she steps out of the elevator onto the OB-GYN floor, hearing the excited eruption of voices behind her before the doors are even fully closed. Maya does breathe out a small sigh of relief though, when she notices that there aren't a lot of people milling around the nurses’ station as she approaches it. Even more so when she recognizes the face sitting there.

“Hi there,” she quietly calls out, waiting for the nurse to look up from her tablet. “Tina, right?” she politely asks, shooting her a crooked grin when Tina realizes who she is, nodding dumbly in response. “I’m Maya. Is, um, is Dr. DeLuca in her office?”

Thankfully Tina seems to gather about her wits and shakes her head. “No, but I can page her for you.” 

She nods gratefully at the offer. “That would be really great, thanks.” Maya gestures towards the closed office door. “I’ll, uh, is it okay if I wait inside?”

Tina's gaze goes towards Carina’s office before she's quickly nodding. “Oh yes, sure. The door should be open.”

“Thanks Tina,” she replies before crossing the short distance and opening the door in one swift movement. 

The moment she closes the door and with no eyes on her, Maya finally lets herself relax, leaning back against the door. She breathes out a heavy sigh. It was definitely much easier when she snuck in here last time. But it can never be more clear just how in deep she is with Carina because she would have willingly gone through all of that awkwardness as many times over just so she can be there for her. 

A part of Maya hadn’t really been so surprised when Carina called to tell her what happened. Honestly, she has been waiting for it since she first met Chief Bailey the last time that she was here. Considering the way they met last night, she should have expected it to be Carina’s brother instead. 

She goes over to take a seat on the couch, content to wait as long as it takes until Carina returns to her office. Maya’s at least glad that she decided to take a shower after Carina called instead of coming here right after or she'd be sitting here in sweaty clothes and ruining Carina's office couch. 

Only a few minutes pass when Carina finally enters the room. 

Maya doesn't announce her presence the moment that Carina walks inside though, feeling a tender smile pull at her lips at the sight of her. How is it that they saw each other a few hours ago and yet Maya feels like it's been far too long? Her heart flutters, seeing Carina wearing that damn lab coat again. It really shouldn’t be as sexy as it is and yet, Carina is making it seem otherwise. Maya shakes her head, reminding herself that this isn't the time to indulge in those fantasies again. 

“Hi,” she breathes in the same moment that Carina reaches her desk. 

She watches Carina quickly spin around, shock visible on her face. “Maya,” she quietly gasps, rushing over to sit next to her on the couch. “What are you doing here?” 

Reaching for Carina’s hand, she pulls her in to sit closer. “I know I told you I’d call after I was done talking to Jules but I was already working out in the gym at the station anyway so I figured coming here would be better,” she quietly explains, picking up Carina’s hand to fidget with the ring around her finger. “I’m just sorry it took a little longer than expected to get here.” She chews nervously on her bottom lip, starting to rethink that maybe she jumped the gun by coming here. “Is it okay that I'm here?”

Brown eyes carefully study her face. Though she can tell that Carina is glad to see her here, there's a sense of wariness coming from her too. “That relies on whether you're here for good reasons or bad reasons.”

“Well,” she pauses to lift Carina’s hand up to her lips then shoots her a lopsided smile, “I’m here for you so I’m here for the best reason.”

Carina ducks her head, a flustered blush spreading across her cheeks. She squeezes Maya’s hand in hers. “It really isn't fair to be so charming if you are about to call things off.”

She shakes her head, shifting around to face her. Maya raises her hand to cup her palm to Carina’s face, gently brushing her thumb over her cheek. She feels her heart squeezing painfully at the way that Carina melts so immediately into her touch. “Carina, I know ten months isn't really a long time, but it was long enough to know that I want to be around you for as long as possible. So calling things off is not on the table.” 

A shaky breath of relief passes between Carina’s lips as she wraps her hand around Maya's wrist. “That is really good news because I want to be around you for a very long time too.”

Maya leans in then, closing the distance to press their lips together. She savors the softness of Carina’s lips kissing her back, humming when she feels Carina's hand on the side of her neck. As she pulls away from the kiss, Maya takes a deep breath of Carina’s scent with her. She lightly swipes her thumb over Carina’s bottom lip. “I’m surprised that you weren't already here when I came in,” she murmurs, leaning against the back of the couch. 

Carina lets out a quiet sigh, presumably at the reminder of why Maya is here in the first place. She follows Maya’s example, falling back to rest her head on her shoulder. “I thought about locking myself in my office all day but I have patients and it's not their fault that my baby brother has a big mouth.”

Maya lightly frowns, not missing the fact that despite it being her brother who spilled about them, Carina is blaming herself for it happening. But this was always meant to happen; the longer that they continue to see each other, the likelier it becomes. Maya has never been under any illusion that they could get away with staying as private as they had been the last four weeks, not with her being who she is. 

She peers down as she tips Carina’s chin up with her finger, letting their eyes meet. “It’s also not who you are. You don't hide from anything.” Maya smiles softly at the adorable blush that paints itself across Carina’s cheeks, so adorable that she can't help but plant a kiss on the tip of Carina's nose. Moving her arm now to drape it over Carina’s shoulders, she tenderly nuzzles her nose to her temple. “Do you know what the rest of your day looks like?” she asks, twirling a lock of Carina’s hair around her fingers. 

“Hm, I have surgery this afternoon,” Carina murmurs as she picks Maya’s other hand off her knee and starts to play with her fingers, “and if all goes well, I should be done by the evening.” She lets out a deep breath. “Can you please tell me now what's going to happen? Do you have to make some kind of announcement or something?”

Maya shakes her head. “No, no, nothing like that. Holly, my PR manager—she said that we can maybe wait a day and if we don't hear anything about it online, we can safely assume that it's contained in the hospital. Or—”

“Or what?” Carina asks, pulling back slightly so that her gaze is on Maya's face. 

She shrugs. “It really depends on how much exposure you’re willing to allow for yourself,” she carefully utters, “but if you’re okay with it, maybe I can start posting about you? I mean, I know that I have kind of been posting stuff when we're together but I haven't hinted anything about you. So Holly—and Jules agreed—that if we want to get ahead of it…” she trails off, nodding her head in the hopes that Carina will understand the rest of what she's trying to say. 

A thoughtful expression crosses Carina’s face. “I think I would be okay with that,” she murmurs, though there's still a mark of hesitation in her voice. “You post about Andy on there too, don't you?”

“I do,” she replies softly as she nods. “I don't know if you've seen the stuff that's written about me and her.” 

When Carina shakes her head, Maya pulls out her phone from her pocket. It doesn't take long after typing her name along with Andy’s into the browser to come across the posted articles about their relationship. There's a new one that Andy had mentioned the other day but that always happens every time Maya comes back to Seattle, so much so that Andy already has three scrapbooks of it. She’s even less surprised when she clicks on that article and sees the recent picture that she posted of Andy and herself.

“So it's going to be like this?” Carina quietly asks her, taking over the slow scrolling down her phone. 

Maya can't really tell now what Carina is thinking, silently observing as she taps on one article that shares the breaking news of her and Andy having brunch together, detailing everything that they had to eat. Truly top-notch journalism. It’s the baffling part of her life that she will never truly understand because what is so interesting about her eating eggs benedict? 

“Maybe a little more because of the fact that you're more than my friend.” She notes how Carina pauses on the picture of her and Andy midst conversation. 

The photo is so recent that Maya doesn't even have to try hard to remember what they were talking about. From the smile on Maya’s face, it was when Andy was talking to her about the date that she had had which went really well. Maya takes a deep breath, her heart fluttering when Carina’s serious gaze peers up from her phone. 

“Do you regret choosing this career that makes something like this a regular part of your life?” Carina asks, a thoughtful frown knitting between her eyebrows as she clicks onto an older article. 

“Sometimes,” Maya quietly answers with a half-hearted shrug. She reaches up to gently swipe her thumb down the crease between Carina's eyebrows, a crooked grin on her lips as she watches the little crinkle disappear. “People think that because I chose to do this, it means that I welcome the intense scrutiny that my life comes under,” she murmurs, tenderly brushing her thumb now over Carina's eyebrow before dropping her hand to her lap, “and I’ve come to learn that while it is a part of my life, it's up to me to choose on how big or small a part it is.”

Fame has never been a comfortable thing for Maya to wear. Not in all her years gearing herself up for the Olympics when so many eyes were on her, knowing that she was going to bring back the gold. Maybe she knows how to navigate it better now but the people in her life? They didn't consent to any of this. 

“But you'd still choose to do this, wouldn't you?” Carina softly asks her, a discerning gleam in her eyes. 

Maya nods. “I would,” she replies in a hushed whisper. She lowers her gaze as she moves to take both of Carina’s hands into hers, giving them a firm squeeze before she looks back up to meet Carina’s eyes. “If you’re really sure about this, Carina, you need to go into this knowing that your life, your family’s life, even your friends' life—they’re all going to be examined to a violating degree, and in all honesty, this might just be the last peaceful day that we’ll have together,” she gently warns her, giving her a weak smile. “If I were a better person, I’d tell you that it'd be for your own good that we end things now.”

Carina takes in a deep breath as she slowly nods, swiping her thumbs now over the back of Maya’s hands. “I am not worried.” 

She rears back slightly, taken aback by Carina’s reply. “No?”

“Not very worried,” Carina amends with a shrug before giving Maya a shy, knowing smile. “Because you will protect me.”

For a moment, Maya is brought back to the night before when Carina looked at her in that same brave way that she did, with her big, brown eyes so filled with trust. The gravity of what has been given to her isn't lost on Maya. “I will,” she promises. “I will.” 

“And I will do the same,” Carina assures her with a determined nod. 

Maya swallows thickly, feeling something stir inside her at the thought of having somebody protect her for no other reason than wanting to. Carina is choosing this; choosing her . 

“There are going to be so many broken hearts,” Carina suddenly sighs wistfully as she falls back onto the couch cushions. 

“You don't have to worry about that,” Maya reassures her, closing in to kiss Carina's cheek. “I'm gonna make sure my fans adore the hell out of you.”

“Oh,” Carina replies, a surprised look on her face, “I was talking about my many admirers.” 

She barks out a laugh at the appearance of Carina’s cheeky grin. “Oh really?” she asks, huffing out another laugh when Carina merely nods in response. She leans in close to press their foreheads together. “Then I guess I’m gonna have to be really good to you so you won't ever leave me for any of them, huh?”

“You don't have to worry,” Carina whispers, her grin softening into a tender smile. “I think that you are off to a really good start.”

–--

She walks out of the elevator with a sigh, brushing a tired hand through her hair that she has finally let loose from the braid she had it in for the last couple of hours. 

“Hey, heading out for the day?”

She turns to see Amelia approaching, giving her a weak smile. “Yes, thankfully,” she answers, waiting for her friend to reach her before continuing her trek through the hospital and towards the exit. “What about you?

“I’m just getting in,” Amelia replies, shrugging as she tucks her hands into her lab coat. “My patient’s being prepped so I wanted to grab something to eat before heading back up,” she adds, then pointedly clears her throat. “So…”

She sighs at the expectant look on her friend's face, already knowing exactly what Amelia is trying to hint at. “So?” she asks, playing dumb. 

Amelia rolls her eyes. “Oh come on, don’t play coy with me,” she exclaims before lightly smacking Carina’s shoulder. “I can't believe that date you told me about—that hot, hot date—was with Maya fucking Bishop.”

She arches an eyebrow at her friend, chucking at the mild glare that Amelia is shooting at her. “Does it really make a difference who it was?”

“Uh, yeah,” Amelia replies dryly, a baffled expression on her face, “it's Maya fucking Bishop. Have you seen her? She’s the woman of my many fucking dre—” she stops when she catches Carina's scowl, plastering on a wide, placating grin. “Look, we've been friends for four years now. You can't be surprised or mad that I have had some hot, hot thoughts about your hot, hot girlfriend. Especially after that one movie—y'know the one where she was a pilot?”

Carina blows out a breath, feeling her cheeks warm as she recalls Maya in that movie. “She's not my girlfriend,” she mumbles, unsuccessfully attempting to ward off thoughts of asking Maya if she kept the uniform she wore in that film. “We have only been dating the past few weeks.”

A teasing gleam sparks in Amelia’s eyes. “So, she's technically still single?”

She narrows her eyes into a heated glare, pointing a threatening finger at her friend. “I will cut your eyes out with a rusty scalpel.”

Amelia huffs out a laugh, completely unruffled by Carina's warning. “Maya fucking Bishop,” she laughs once again, shaking her head in disbelief. “Only you would pull Maya fucking Bishop, Carina.”

“Do I need to tell you too that you can just call her ‘Maya’?” she asks, unsure whether she prefers the lascivious smirk that Amelia seems to get every time she mentions Maya’s name or the dazzled, daydreamy face that her brother gets when he says it. 

Maybe she prefers neither. 

“Maya fucking Bishop!” Amelia shouts, uncaring when Carina slaps her shoulder for being so loud even if they are walking down an empty hallway. “Okay, okay, I’m done,” her friend laughs, throwing her hands up in defeat. “Bet the locals have been going crazy on you though, huh?”

She lets out a frustrated sigh at the reminder of how her day had gone, especially after Maya came and left. Her arrival cemented what had previously only been mere speculation. But she doesn't blame Maya for that at all when her only intention had been to be there for her, which Carina appreciated so much. It’s also not really the first time that Carina has had to handle curious stares from the people in the hospital, having been through it more than once. Yet that does not mean she likes it very much or is used to it. 

“If you mean staring at me all day, yes, they have been going crazy on me,” she mutters. Begrudgingly, she gives Amelia a small grateful smile. “You are the first person to actually come and talk to me directly about it.” 

Amelia waves a hand, giving her a sympathetic smile. “Eh, something new will come up and everybody will forget all about it.”

She nods at the reassurance, knowing very well the nature of how the heat of gossip fades fast in the hospital. “That is what I’m hoping for.” 

“So when can I meet her?” Amelia asks her, bumping her hip against Carina's. 

She laughs, adamantly shaking her head. “No.”

An offended look crosses Amelia's face. “Seriously? This isn't how you treat your best friend!”

She lifts her head to look around. “Gabriella is here?”

An outraged gasp escapes Amelia before she straightens her expression. “I just want you to know that that cut me real deep in my sad place.” 

“I’m sorry,” she laughs, “but after Chief Bailey and my brother, I don't feel very confident about Maya meeting anybody else in my world.” She hurries to explain when she sees Amelia’s indignant expression, “it wasn't planned. Maya was already in my office and then the Chief just walked right in.” 

“Was Maya naked?”

She stops walking just as they've approached the exit, already feeling a scowl forming as she turns to face her friend's impish grin. “Why would Maya be naked?”

“I was trying to paint a picture in my head,” Amelia innocently protests. When Carina remains unmoved, her scowl only growing more, Amelia gestures to where they had just come from. “I’m… going away now. Bye.”

Carina watches her friend scurry away, shaking her head at Amelia's ridiculous behavior. As she walks through the doors, Carina starts digging through her bag for her car key, thinking about calling Maya once she gets inside. They didn't make any promises to meet up tonight when Maya left her office earlier but still, seeing her would be a really nice way to end this long day. 

“Hey you,” she hears behind her right when she reaches her car. 

She spins around, a grin already forming on her face. “I was just going to call you in a minute.”

A heart-flutteringly charming grin is on Maya’s face as she comes closer towards her. “I know that we didn't make any plans but I figured after today, that you'd like the surprise.”

She wraps her arm around Maya’s shoulders, tucking her face into her neck. The musk of Maya’s scent is strong as it fills her lungs while she breathes her in, easing something inside of Carina's chest that she hadn't realized had been feeling so tight. “How did you even know that I already left my office?” she asks, pulling away as she cups her hand to the back of Maya’s neck. 

“Oh, I called upstairs and they said you just left so I ran over,” Maya answers with a shrug.

“You ran ?” she asks, belatedly noticing the dewy sheen of sweat that’s coating Maya’s skin. 

“Yeah?” Maya wryly chuckles, giving her a lopsided grin. “You do remember I won a gold medal for running real fast, right?”

Bafflingly enchanted by Maya’s boasting, Carina finds herself leaning in to kiss her. She moans in delight when she feels Maya returning it in equal measure, when Maya’s hands are squeezing her hips as her thumbs swipe over her hip-bones. She drops her bag onto the ground, raising her other hand to grab onto the side of Maya’s neck. The kiss deepens once Maya presses her back against her car, an intense heat growing fast between them. 

Reality hits fast when Carina remembers how fully exposed they must be, making out outside of the hospital where she works. Where everybody she works with now knows who she's dating. “Bambina,” she quietly gasps at the tug of her bottom lip between Maya’s teeth, “bambina, we should stop. People might see us.” 

“Say that again,” Maya breathlessly groans, firmly tightly gripping her hips once again before capturing her lips once again. 

She nearly loses herself once again in this kiss when she hears sirens in the distance, coming closer to the hospital. Carina squeezes the back of Maya’s neck, gradually dialing down the fervor between them despite Maya’s quiet noises of complaint. 

“Bambina,” she whispers, her heart still racing as she watches Maya’s eyes flutter open, her blue eyes darker than the night sky. She quickly glances around, thankful that they are mostly hidden so nobody should really be able to see them. But still, she doesn't want to take that risk, especially so soon. She brings her gaze back to Maya. “We can continue this when we have some more privacy.”

Maya nods, looking less dazed than she did a moment ago. “Yeah, that's probably a good idea,” she replies. “Sorry.”

“Don't be,” she gently reassures her, lightly scratching at the nape of Maya’s neck. She gives her a slight smirk. “You were not the only one enjoying that kiss.” She gives Maya’s forehead a brief peck before bending down to pick up her bag, grabbing her car key off the ground since it must have fallen out when she dropped it. “Can we spend the night at your place tonight?” she asks as she presses the button to unlock the car.

“Yeah, of course,” Maya replies with a smile as she opens the driver's side for Carina. “Though I doubt your brother's gonna accidentally walk into the apartment unannounced ever again.”

She rolls her eyes at the playful look on Maya’s face as she climbs into her car. “I know but I don't have work until late tomorrow anyway,” she pauses to quickly place her bag on the back seat then turns back to Maya, “so maybe we can have brunch at that bistro near your apartment, the one we went to the other day?”

Maya’s smile softens, leaning in as she places her hands on top of Carina's knees. “I like that plan.”

“And if the weather is really nice, maybe we can sunbathe out on your balcony?” she asks, making a mental note to pack her bikini when they stop by at her apartment. 

“I knew you had an ulterior motive for wanting to come over,” Maya playfully accuses, her nose scrunching along with the widening grin on her face. She closes in on her, lightly bumping their noses together. “You just love that balcony.” 

“Can you really blame me?” She shrugs, raising her hands to cup Maya's face as she takes in the very gorgeous sight of her. Her heart flutters at the way Maya looks up at her with her eyes so big and blue. 

“It’s impossible not to fall in love with it,” she whispers. 

Notes:

Fun fact: Yes, the film Amelia referred to was very much a shout-out to Blue Bird 🥰

Chapter 8: chapter eight: we could be in love

Notes:

Hi everyone!

It's been a hot minute since you've seen me posting, huh? Thank you so much for being so patient with me. I know that the waiting is hard but I really genuinely appreciate you all for that.

But anyway, so we are back with this little story and I think you'll be happy to find that all is going very well for our ladies. And if you haven't noticed, I've actually added on four extra chapters because I couldn't help myself, haha.

I hope you'll enjoy the read and I can't wait to hear from you guys.

Much love,
Az ❤️❤️❤️

Anna: "For June, who loved this garden, from Joseph, who always sat beside her." Some people do spend their whole lives together.

- Notting Hill

chapter eight: we could be in love

Upon walking through the Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital entrance, Maya covers her yawn with a fist. 

That's what she gets for flying out of L.A. early this morning. She supposes that she could have also gone back to her place to sleep in and gone to see Carina later in the day instead of coming in straight from the airport. It seems silly now that she thinks about it, but it's become a kind of tradition now, to see Carina as soon as she lands back in Seattle. 

She’s in the final stages of contract negotiations for her next film that's going to start filming in a couple of months, and a part of her is excited for the role; finally something she can really sink her teeth in, but the other part of her dreads the thought of being away from Carina. They haven't really discussed how they're going to handle times like these. Up until now, Maya’s job has only taken her away from Seattle for a day or two at most. This will be the longest that they will be away from each other since they reunited. 

“What are you doing in my hospital?”

Chief Bailey's demanding question has Maya stopping right in her tracks, barely a few steps past the doors. She locates the direction the voice came from, finding that the Chief isn't even looking in her direction; her attention is completely on the tablet in her hand while she stands right by the front desk. As if she had some kind of radar whenever Maya stopped by at the hospital. Still, Maya looks around to make sure that the question was actually for her and not for somebody else behind her. 

“Yeah, I’m talking to you, superstar.”

With a sheepish smile, Maya nudges her shoulder up to show the backpack strapped to her back, filled with takeout from Carina's favorite Vietnamese restaurant. “Dropping off lunch.”

“That better be all that’s being dropped off,” Chief Bailey replies wryly, wearing a pointed look on her face. 

Maya ignores the warm blush creeping across her cheeks and clears her throat. “How are you doing, Chief Bailey?”

“I am the Chief of this hospital. What do you think?” She arches an unimpressed eyebrow at Maya, barreling on before she can even come up with a response, “busy, Maya. I am busy. Do you know what it's like being this busy? Hold this.” 

She just barely catches the medium-sized box that Chief Bailey tosses her way, flailing slightly before finally securing it under her arm. The triumphant grin on her face quickly drops when she realizes that Chief Bailey is already walking ahead of her, still talking as if Maya is right next to her. She quickly rushes to catch up in time to hear the rest of Chief Bailey's rant. 

“—hospital full of interns roaming around like headless chickens with a scalpel. I have attendings masquerading as high school teenagers because if they're not gossiping about you, they're giggling about you.”

She shrinks back at the glare being shot at her. “Uh, I’m… sorry?” 

“Giggling, Maya,” Chief Bailey repeats with a roll of her eyes. “I can't have my best OB-GYN and neurosurgeon constantly giggling over you like they've never seen a white, blonde, blue-eyed woman before. Look at you. Y’all are everywhere!”

“We are everywhere,” she solemnly agrees, knowing better than to contradict the formidable Chief. 

She happens to catch the eyes of one of the nurses, shrugging haplessly when the nurse covers her mouth to hide her laughter at seeing Maya’s predicament. Maya can only imagine how funny it must look to everybody else, to see her practically cowering under Chief Bailey's glare. 

“Are you posing for a glamour shot? Put the box down.” 

Maya hurriedly lays the box down where Chief Bailey is pointing to. She shakes her arms, loosening the tension in her forearms. “Is there… anything else I can do for you, Chief Bailey?”

“No.” Chief Bailey shakes her head as she cuts the box open. Her attention is already pulled in with whatever’s inside it. She waves her hand in Maya’s direction. “You can go.”

Not needing to be dismissed twice, Maya turns and heads straight for the elevators, seeing a small crowd trickling out of one. She adds a little more speed into her pace before smoothly sliding in between the closing doors. Maya lets out a breath, carefully placing her backpack down as she taps on the button for the OB-GYN floor.

Two floors away from her destination, the elevator stops, doors opening to allow a doctor to enter. Her head is bent down, her attention solely on the phone in her hands as she quickly types into it. Maya stands quietly by while the doors close when she realizes that the doctor hasn't indicated which floor she wants to go to. 

“What floor?” she asks, waiting for the doctor to finally look up from her phone before she gestures to the panel of buttons in front of her. 

She watches the doctor’s eyes widen at noticing her, blinking owlishly as if Maya had just asked her to solve some ridiculous math equation. Now that she can see her face, Maya recognizes immediately that it’s Amelia, one of Carina’s friends that she has talked so often about. 

“Are… we heading to the same floor?” she asks, hazarding a guess that Amelia is making one of her many visits to Carina’s office. 

“Huh?” Amelia's stare moves between Maya and the buttons before she’s shaking her head, clarity finally dawning on her. “Oh no,” she awkwardly laughs, “I’m actually going on top of you.” 

A look of panicked horror crosses Amelia's face. “I mean, I’m going to the top. Of you. Your floor. Not on top of you, that's—” she lets out a high-pitched laugh, “y’know, it’s kind of funny because my ex was just telling me the other day that I’m more of a bottom than a top, but then I told them that maybe I wouldn’t mind topping once in awhile if the idea of being a bottom didn't make them weep like my son does when he loses his favorite trai—” 

As she snaps her mouth shut and with their eyes still locked together, Maya robotically presses the button above the OB-GYN floor. 

She averts her gaze, allowing Amelia a few moments to gather herself. Once she can see in the corner of her eye, Amelia's shoulders dropping down, she casually asks, “doing alright there?” 

Amelia sucks in a sharp breath. “Can we… ignore how astronomically embarrassing that was?” 

“Oh, I don't know. It was pretty fun to me,” she chuckles, leaning back against the wall behind her. She fixes Amelia with an amused stare, unsurprised by the fierce blush that has settled in the doctor’s cheeks. “Amelia, right? I recognize you from one of the pictures Carina has in her living room.”

An embarrassed grimace crosses Amelia’s face. “Yep, that's me,” she sighs. “I’m sorry for how weird I'm being but—”

She holds up a hand to stop Amelia from continuing her apology. “Oh no, you’re fine,” she reassures her. “Carina told me all about you.”

“Oh no,” Amelia groans, “am I gonna get served with a restraining order?”

She laughs, shaking her head. Carina hadn't actually told her anything about what Amelia said about her apart from her being a good friend and a brilliant surgeon. But the annoyance that briefly flickered over Carina's face while she talked about her friend who was a big fan, told Maya more than enough about the nature of Amelia’s interest in her. She also had a lot of fun teasing Carina about her jealousy. 

“She told me that you have dreams about me,” she teases, taking a wild stab in the dark about what it was that Carina left unsaid. 

“Oh god,” Amelia whines, pulling the lapels of her lab coat over her head to hide the extreme redness of her face. “Please stop, I am sufficiently mortified for more than a lifetime.”

Taking pity on her, Maya sidles next to her. “You don't have to be. It's honestly perfectly normal for somebody like me and y’know, I've heard way, way worse things than somebody having dreams about me.” 

She sees a blue eye peeking out from under the lab coat and gives Amelia a reassuring smile. “Look, I really, really like Carina, and I want to be in her life for as long as she’ll have me,” she earnestly utters. “So you’re going to have to get used to seeing my face.”

Amelia lets out a sound of disgust, coming out of hiding. “Urgh, you being all charming and sweet is so not helping your case.”

The doors suddenly slowly open and Maya looks out, realizing that they’ve reached the OB-GYN floor. She turns back to Amelia and shrugs. Nothing that she said was untrue. She does want to be in Carina’s life for as long as she'll allow it. 

“Maybe the three of us can have dinner or something,” she offers, picking up her backpack off the ground. Maya gives her a playful salute as she walks out of the elevator. “See you around, Dr. Shepherd.” 

She laughs quietly to herself, looking forward to when she’ll hear all about that whenever Amelia eventually talks to Carina. But Maya just couldn't resist. 

It’s been three weeks since the news about her and Carina had spread throughout the hospital, three weeks since Maya started easing Carina's presence into her public life. 

All of Maya’s most recent Instagram posts have Carina in them, though carefully curated to not show her face as per her request. Anybody following along has by now heard Carina’s voice, has seen the delicious food she has cooked, the graceful silhouette of her dancing shadow. They've seen her hand, her fingers intertwined with Maya’s; the top of her head whenever she rested it on Maya's chest. 

Nothing that Maya has shared doesn't get seen by Carina first for her approval. It certainly helps that Maya isn't currently promoting anything and apart from the contract negotiations, she has filmed a guest spot for a TV show which won't come out for another few months. So there isn't a lot of heated interest in her at the moment. But that will all likely change soon enough once official word gets out about her casting in the new film. 

As to how her fans are reacting to Carina’s presence, Maya doesn't actually know. She has been in this business long enough to know that going through the comments won't do her any real good. So she has left that responsibility to Holly and Spencer, and from what they've told her in their weekly calls is that everybody has begun to take notice of the frequency of Carina’s presence. 

Maya is walking down the now familiar hallway until she gets to Carina’s office, having seen Tina's nod after seeing her that lets her know that Carina is inside. 

She knocks on the door and waits until Carina tells her to come in before she opens it, walking in to find her favorite OB-GYN deep in concentration. 

“Hey gorgeous,” she calls out, grinning widely when Carina jolts up at the sound of her voice. 

“Bambina!” 

With a growing smile on her face, Carina shoots up to her feet and rushes over to take Maya into her arms. Maya’s eyes fall shut, her pounding heart easing at the tight embrace as she breathes in Carina’s familiar scent. This is exactly the reason why she comes straight here after landing at the airport, exactly for this reason. 

When Carina eventually pulls back, she cups her hands to Maya's face and leans down to kiss her. 

---

Her heart flutters at Maya’s quiet hum against her lips, a content kind of sound that she can't help but respond to with one of her own. 

She feels Maya’s hand on her chest, palm to resounding heartbeat. Carina wonders if Maya can feel how much she has missed her even though she was only gone for two days. She buries her fingers in Maya’s hair, tugging gently at the short strands. Despite really, really wanting to let themselves get carried away, Carina breathes out a wistful sigh before she pulls away, firmly squeezing the back of Maya’s neck. 

“Welcome back,” she softly murmurs, a lopsided smile on her lips as she tenderly brushes her thumb over the dimple in Maya’s cheek. She takes in the tired expression on Maya’s face. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming back until tonight.”

“The brunch meeting got postponed,” Maya shrugs, “so I figured I could get back in time to bring you lunch.” 

She casts a brief glance to the backpack that Maya is carrying, her heart bursting at the thoughtful gesture. “Thank you,” she replies, briefly pressing her lips to Maya’s cheek. “Are you just dropping it off or can you stay while I eat? You can tell me all about how your meeting yesterday went.” 

Maya nods, giving Carina a charmingly sleepy grin before she takes her backpack off her shoulders. “I was hoping to get some ‘us’ time before I head back to my place for a nap.”

Taking her hand, Maya leads her towards the couch. Once they’ve dropped down to take a seat next to each other, Maya unzips her backpack and starts pulling out containers of food. Carina watches on with quiet excitement once she realizes that they’re all from one of her favorite restaurants in the city.

“Oh hey, guess who I bumped into on the elevator,” Maya utters while she pulls out some cutlery from the smaller compartment of her backpack and lays it on the coffee table. Her gaze narrows over the laid out containers in front of them until she picks up one, lighting up when she opens it. “This is your main,” she adds, handing it over to Carina along with a fork and an apologetic smile. “Sorry I didn't have time to get the peas out for you this time.”

She gives Maya a tender smile. It never fails to amaze her how attentive Maya is to her, even when it comes to something as inconsequential as her intense dislike for peas. Cupping Maya’s face in her palm, she pulls her in for a brief peck. 

“That's okay, bambina. I can just push them to the side.” She takes the fork and container, feeling her stomach make a quiet, happy rumble once she sees the fried rice. “Um, did you see Chief Bailey?” she asks, remembering Maya’s original question as she picks up a generous forkful of the rice. 

As she happily chews on her food, Maya chuckles. “No, though I did bump into her before that.” She feels the gentle placement of Maya’s hand on the small of her back under her scrub top as she falls back to rest against the cushion. “It was your friend, Amelia.”

She looks over her shoulder to see Maya’s discerning smirk. Carina returns her attention to her food, pushing a couple of peas to the side. “Oh?” she nonchalantly mutters, pretending that her mind isn't racing about what Amelia might have said to Maya. “And did you two… talk?”

She steadfastly ignores Maya resting her chin on her shoulder. “You’re so adorable when you're jealous,” Maya teases playfully.

“I told you, I’m not jealous!” she protests, grumpily stabbing her fork into her fried rice. 

“Whatever you say, baby,” Maya softly laughs, kissing her shoulder blade before leaning back once again. She starts to lightly track her fingers over Carina's back which has the unfortunate canny ability of melting Carina’s grumpiness away. “Tell me about your day,” she murmurs.. “Any new babies today?”

“Just one so far earlier this morning,” she answers after going over what she has done since she got to work this morning. “She arrived much sooner than any of us expected.”

Maya hums thoughtfully, her fingers still trailing over Carina’s skin. “How early?”

“Seven months.”

“Oh wow, she must be tiny then.”

“Very, very tiny.” She nods, scrunching her nose as she thinks about the after-birth. “But also with very, very strong lungs.” 

“Oh yeah?” Maya chuckles. “Your ears still ringing a little bit?”

She looks over her shoulder to meet Maya’s gaze and nods. “Un poco,” she replies with a mirthful smile.

Carina stares down into the container, still half-full with food. She sets the container down on the coffee table and grabs her water bottle, taking a long sip of water before placing it back on the table. Carina leans back, deciding that she can eat the remainder of her food later. She drapes her arm over Maya’s shoulders just as Maya’s hand on her back slides around to her waist, using it to pull her even closer until Maya has her head resting on Carina’s shoulder, her legs draped over Carina's lap.

“So tell me about your meeting,” she murmurs, raising her hand to trail her fingers over Maya’s face.

“It went really good,” Maya replies, her eyes fluttering under Carina's delicate touch. “We were going through the promotional stuff I’m gonna have to do and where I will have to go and—” she pauses, peering up at her, “are you sure you don't want to know anything about this project? Like, anything about my character or the story at all?”

She nods, brushing her thumb over Maya’s chin. “I like hearing about all the work you do behind it but for the movie, I would like to be surprised and find out myself when it comes out. What is it that Andrea says… um, no spoilers?”

Maya snorts. “Funny he’d say that since he keeps texting me about who else is gonna be in the movie,” she replies with a wry smile.

Carina frowns, despite the happy flutter in her chest at the fact that Maya and her brother have been texting. Andrea couldn't believe it either when Maya gave him her number after the three of them had dinner together last week but she could tell that it meant a lot to him to be trusted with something Maya keeps so private.

“Does my annoying little brother know more about your movie than I do?”

“Probably,” Maya laughs, scrunching her nose in response to Carina’s annoyed pout. She playfully waggles her eyebrows. “But if you play your cards right, I can always give you exclusive access to anything you want to know.”

She huffs out a laugh at Maya’s ridiculous display. But Carina won't budge. 

As curious as she is—and she is, so very curious—Maya already has Andrea asking her all about the project and Carina doesn't want her to feel like she has to share it with her too. The rest of the world gets Maya Bishop. They get Maya Bishop doing what she does best on screen. They get Maya Bishop charming them with her quick-witted quips and intelligent banter in interviews. They get Maya Bishop effortlessly seducing them with her stunning good looks. 

But she gets Maya to herself. 

She gets Maya coming straight from the airport just so they'd have a few minutes together. She gets Maya feeling bad for not meticulously plucking out the peas just so she doesn't ever have to worry about accidentally biting down on one. She gets Maya curling up against her like she's her safe place. Like she's home. 

“Are you going to have to fly back again soon?”she asks, resuming the light trek of her fingers over Maya’s face.

Maya gives a slight shake of her head. “Not just yet. I don't start training for it until next month,” she quietly tells her. She pulls back a little, wearing a suddenly nervous expression on her face. “I am actually gonna go see my mom again next weekend though. It's her birthday this week so we always have a small dinner party for her.”

It won't be the first time that Maya goes up to see her mother so Carina is a little confused as to why Maya seems hesitant about telling her now. “That sounds really lovely, Maya,” she replies softly, taking Maya’s hand in subtle encouragement. When that doesn't seem to alleviate whatever Maya is worried about, Carina frowns. “Why do you have that look on your face?”

She watches Maya chewing on the side of her bottom lip, quietly ruminating over something before she finally breathes out a sigh. “Okay, so… I know you have that weekend off so I was wondering if maybe… you'd like to come?”

She feels her eyebrows lifting up in surprise. “You want me to meet your mom?”

“It's totally up to you but, yeah?” Maya gives her an unsure look. “I would really love for you guys to meet. I’m gonna be gone a few days after the weekend so y’know,” she shrugs, her voice dropping down to a shy murmur, “I’m gonna miss you a lot, so seeing you in the middle of all that would be really nice.”

Though her heart flutters excitedly at the thought that they’re potentially taking a new step into their relationship, a pleased smirk stretches across Carina’s face. “You’re going to miss me?”

Despite the flustered blush in her cheeks, Maya rolls her eyes. “Did you catch the ‘a lot’ part?”

“I might have caught that.”

Maya arches her eyebrow at her. “This is the part where you’d tell me you’ll miss me too.”

She shrugs. “Eh, I will be okay.”

“You’re so mean to me,” Maya breaks into a laugh, pulling her hand out of Carina’s grasp to lightly smack her shoulder. 

She grabs onto Maya’s hand just before she takes it back. “Only because you like it so much,” she replies, pressing her lips to the center of Maya’s palm. 

The blush in Maya’s cheeks seem to deepen as she clears her throat. She starts to fiddle with the rings around Carina’s fingers. “Okay well, on that note, what do you think?” 

Carina already knew as soon as Maya asked that she was going to go. Not just because it means something more for their relationship but also that she’ll get to finally meet the woman who raised Maya, the woman who got to love Maya first. She is, however, a little nervous about driving up there herself. 

“What is the drive like getting there?” she asks.

For a long moment Maya stares at her, as if making sure that she's understanding correctly what Carina means by asking about the drive. When Carina gives her a reassuring nod, she lights up immediately. 

“Oh, you're not driving yourself,” Maya proceeds to tell her. “I’m hiring a car to come get you.”

She rears back in surprise. “Bambina, no—”

“Baby, yes,” Maya interrupts, cutting off her protest. 

“Maya…” she hesitates.

The thought of Maya doing this for her when she can more than manage the drive herself makes her stomach churn with discomfort. In all her years of being in and out of relationships, Carina has never allowed a significant other to do anything that she can't figure out on her own. She has always been strong-willed, so jealously protective of her own independence and never one to submit to whomever. 

It was unsurprisingly always a source of contention between her and her previous partners, but it isn't something that Carina is about to change anytime soon. 

“Carina,” Maya sighs before she can say anything more. “I know that you can drive yourself and that you don't even need me to hire you a car,” she murmurs, a gentle, understanding smile on her lips, “but seven hours to get to the farm is a lot, especially when you've told me more than once that you hate long drives and that you also get a little road-ragey.”

“I do,” she begrudgingly mutters.

Maya nods. “See? The drivers of Washington will thank me for protecting them. Maybe even give me some kind of medal for my heroic act.”

She shoots Maya a heated glare. “You’re not funny.”

“I’m a little bit funny,” Maya replies, plastering on her patented charming grin in an effort to melt Carina’s ire. But when that doesn't seem to work, she softens her smile, squeezing Carina’s hand. “I want to do this for you, Carina. Please let me take care of you, okay?”

At Maya’s sweet pleading eyes, Carina breathes out a resigned sigh, feeling her heart soften. 

“Okay.” 

---

At the sound of a crash, she shoots Carina an amused look.

“You'd think they'd be used to seeing us together by now.”

She looks behind them to see what has now become a very common sight: a crowd of interns laid out on the floor after crashing into each other because they were too caught up watching her and Carina walking down a hallway together. Maya would go to help them but the first time she tried that, she only seemed to make it worse and made even more of a mess that Chief Bailey had to intervene. So now she just pretends not to notice them.

“I don't blame them.”

Tearing her gaze away, she brings her attention back to Carina. “No?”

Carina shakes her head. “I see you up close nearly every day and I’m still not used to it.”

Her mouth drops open as a warm blush colors her cheeks. Carina’s smirk is smug, rightfully so. She shakes her head, chuckling ruefully. 

“Smooth, Dr. DeLuca.”

“I know,” Carina replies, bumping their shoulders together. She glances back, shooting a narrow-eyed glare at the small crowd behind them. Turning back to Maya, she gives her a worried frown. “Do you need me to talk to them about it?”

She shakes her head. “Nah, they're harmless,” she reassures her, taking Carina’s hand to give it a firm squeeze. “Do they bother you?”

“Not more than usual,” Carina mutters.

She chuckles, endlessly amused by Carina’s demeanor towards the interns. “Be nice, babe.”

Carina lets out a disgusted noise. “It is the only way they learn! Everybody else coddles them like they are children.”

“Aren't they technically like babies anyway?” she asks, silently nodding over at Tina when the nurse passes them by. 

“And you will not find me coddling a baby either,” Carina replies with a determined nod. 

“You’re gonna be such a strict mom one day,” she teasingly remarks.

“Yes, I am,” Carina doesn't deny, a pleased smile growing on her face as she meets Maya’s stare, her head tilting to the side. “One day.”

The warmth in her cheeks return at the tender way that Carina's eyes look back at her and something hopeful blooms in Maya’s chest. It’s so easy to imagine a distant future where Carina is a mom, strong and beautiful with gaggles of children gathered adoringly around her. It’s even easier for Maya to imagine herself being the one by Carina's side. 

That has to be such a crazy thought, right?

Tearing her gaze away from Carina's, Maya clears her throat. “Hey, um, I'd really like to have a conversation about when I go on location.” 

Confusion understandably fills Carina's face at the abrupt change of topic but she quickly adapts. “Sure, what about?”

“I’ve told you before that I tend to switch off so that I can focus on the work…” she pauses, waiting for Carina to indicate that she remembers Maya saying that. She continues when Carina nods, “but I don't think I can do that this time, so I figured maybe we can come up with some kind of plan?”

Carina bites down on her bottom lip, frowning in concentration. “I’m not sure what time I will be done with work but I can come over later?”

“I have dinner with Andy and her mom tonight,” Maya tells her just as they've walked out the doors, “but come over anyway and use that key I gave you.”

At her pointed but also teasing comment, Carina gives her a sheepish look. “I’ll see you when you get home then.”

“Good,” she replies, leaning up to kiss Carina's cheek. “See you later, gorgeous.”

---

Today Carina has learned that she is actually the kind of person who likes going on long drives. 

It always used to baffle her when Andrea would wax poetic about his long motorcycle rides where he went and simply followed a road to absolutely nowhere. She never understood the desire to do that or even the fondness for it. Andrea tried taking her for a long drive once when they were younger during one of her few visits to see him and mamma, and that did not turn out well for them because of their non-stop bickering.

Or maybe she just likes long drives when she's not the one doing the driving. 

It also helps that her driver, Frank, has been pleasant company and made sure she was able to rest peacefully after he picked her up from the hospital earlier this morning. An emergency delivery called her in which meant changing plans from being picked up at her apartment to the hospital instead. But Frank was so accommodating, even going as far as stopping by her favorite cafe so she could grab coffee and breakfast before leaving the city. 

She knows that they’re getting close to the farm once a certain smell starts to fill the air. Maya had warned her about it and while Carina isn't new to bad smells, this one is quite potent. She and Frank exchange an amused look in the rear view mirror.

“That's a smell you won't ever forget, huh?”

She softly laughs at his joking comment. “Yes, it is.”

Frank shakes his head as he adjusts the air freshener attached to the A/C. “I've made the drive so many times for Miss Bishop but I don't think I'll ever get used to it.”

“You drive a lot for Maya?” she asks, wondering how anybody could get used to the smell at all. 

“Not to her mother’s,” he replies. “She likes driving herself for that but she calls me when she needs me to drive people really important to her.”

At his meaningful look, Carina feels herself begin to blush. “Oh.” 

He gives her a discerning smile. “We’ll be approaching the farm in a couple of minutes,” he tells her next, pointing to the right where she can see a long stretch of road.

She runs her fingers through her hair, an excitement of nerves fluttering now in the pit of her stomach. For the last week or so, Carina has steadfastly been able to avoid thinking about the fact that she’ll be meeting Maya’s mother. But there's no avoiding it now and as much as she looks forward to it, she can't help but feel a little trepidation too. 

The driveway leads to what Carina thinks can be called a modest-sized farmhouse with a wraparound porch, one of the main selling points that apparently convinced Maya’s mom to choose this out of the many other options. The land is sprawling with nothing but green fields. She can't really see where they keep their animals but she’s sure that she’ll get to see everything eventually. 

Once the car comes to a stop, Carina climbs out. She sighs at being able to finally stretch her legs out as she looks up at the house now that she's much more up close. 

“Here you go, Dr. DeLuca.” Frank sets her bag next to her. “Anytime you need a driver, you have my number now.”

She nods. “Thank you, Frank.”

“I’ll be here to pick you up in a couple of days,” he reminds her with a warm smile.

“I’ll see you then,” she murmurs, watching him get back into the car and driving back out the long driveway. 

Turning back to the house, Carina lets out a deep, trembling breath. This is it, and there's no going back now. But still, Carina allows herself a few more minutes before walking up the door. 

In the midst of her musings, her phone goes off, startling Carina. She hurries to answer it, not even paying attention to who it might be. 

“Hello.”

“Hey gorgeous,” a familiar voice rings out through the speaker, causing the tangled bits of nerves inside to untangle ever so slightly. “Not that I don't love looking at you but are you gonna knock on the door anytime soon?”

Her head whips to the side until she finds herself looking right at Maya, standing behind a floor length window as she gives her a shy wave. It's been a few days since they saw each other and so Carina feels her heart flutter at seeing that charming smile again. Her feet are already itching to get her closer to Maya. 

“How long have you been watching me?”she asks, wondering why Maya hadn't come outside to greet her. 

“As soon as I got notified that your car was coming down the road. But I wanted to give you a minute to take it all in,” Maya quietly answers, making Carina realize that the little shed that she saw when she and Frank were coming up the long road must have been a security outpost. “Are you nervous? You shouldn't be. My mom is gonna love the hell out of you.” Her gaze lowers to the pan tucked in Carina's arm. “Especially since you’ve brought some type of dessert with you.”

“It's tiramisu,” she murmurs, thankful that it has managed to stay cold during the journey. “I made it especially for tonight.”

“Probably shouldn't have told me that,” Maya replies cheekily. “Now that I know, that pan is going to be empty by the time you walk through the door.”

She chuckles. “There is already a pan with your name on it back at my apartment.”

Maya hums happily over the phone. “You’re very pretty today, by the way, if I haven't mentioned that yet.” 

She feels her face warm over at Maya’s disarmingly adoring tone. “I am,” she mutters. 

An amused smile pulls at Maya’s lips. “You’re what? Pretty?”

She laughs as she shakes her head. “Nervous,” she quietly admits.

“Can I tell you something?” Maya asks in a hushed voice. “I’m nervous too.”

“Why are you nervous?” she asks, her nerves coming back stronger now.

She sees Maya shrug. “I've never brought anybody home before, and I love them but my family and friends all together can be overwhelming and a little crazy,” she wryly utters. “That’s why I wanted you to come today so that we could spend a little time with my mom before the party tomorrow.”

“You’ve never introduced a girlfriend or boyfriend to your family before?” she asks, wincing at how high her voice had gotten.

Maya looks thrown for a second but then she's quickly gathering herself. “Is that—is that what we are? Girlfriends?” she shakily asks, holding her hand up before Carina can even form a reply. “I’m very pro-us girlfriends, by the way, before you start thinking otherwise. I’m so 100% pro-us being girlfriends, I’m practically an ally.”

“I am very pro-us girlfriends too,” she quietly replies, laughing a little to herself that this is how they're having this particular conversation. She can see from the amused look on Maya’s face that she feels the same too. 

“I’ve never introduced anybody to my mom, let alone a girlfriend,” Maya confesses. “Andy, for sure, because she's my best friend, but… there's never been anybody that I wanted so much for my mom to meet. Not until you.”

Carina feels her heart flutter at the earnestness of Maya’s words and she's struck by the strongest need to close the distance between them. She walks briskly to the door, leaving her bag and the pan of tiramisu behind. 

“I am knocking on the door now.” She swallows thickly at the door in front of her as she raises her fist to knock on it. “It is a very blue door.”

As she's walking away from the window, Maya chuckles. “Yeah, mom saw it in a movie once and she’d been wanting something like it ever since.” The door opens and for the first time in a few days, her eyes land on her favorite pair of blue eyes. It's like she’s seeing Maya again for the first time. “Hi,” Maya breathes, still holding the phone to her ear. She looks as awestruck as Carina feels. “There's, uh, there’s actually a doorbell.”

“Oh,” she replies, even though she keeps her gaze locked with Maya’s. Carina lowers her phone after ending the call, taking another step closer. “Can I kiss you hello?” she asks, already raising her hands to cup Maya’s face.

“Please do,” Maya whispers, readily tipping her chin up so that Carina’s mouth can capture hers. 

Every second, every minute and every hour that they've been without each other is poured into the kiss. It's only now that Carina realizes just how deeply affected she had been by Maya's absence from the previous days. Her hands slide smoothly into Maya’s hair, desperate to feel those blonde strands between her fingers once again as Maya’s hands fall to her waist. 

“God, I’ve missed you this week,” Maya whispers, panting and breathless as she rests their foreheads together, her hands squeezing Carina's waist.

“I missed you,” she murmurs in return, watching Maya’s eyes flutter as she gently scratches her scalp. “I am a little mad though.” 

A worried frown creases Maya’s forehead. “Why? What happened?”

She sighs. “You have made me hate sleeping in my very empty bed.”

“Oh,” Maya breathes, a dust of pink coloring her cheeks. “I don't think I can be very sorry about that,” she replies, offering her a lopsided smile. 

She leans up to press a lingering kiss to Carina’s forehead. “Let's grab your bag and get you settled.”

–--

She watches Carina get under the covers of her bed. 

“Are you comfortable?” she quietly asks as she climbs on the bed to sit next to her. 

While she was showing Carina around, Carina had let out a tired yawn; the early start she had to her day finally catching up to her. So Maya took her to the cabin that she uses whenever she stays with her mom so that Carina can have a short nap. Her mom had been so adamant that Maya had her own cabin even though she didn't come to visit as often as she would like. Two of the other cabins on the property are already taken while the remaining three, her mom keeps free for weekly rentals or impromptu guests. 

Despite her nervousness about introducing Carina to her mom later, Maya also can't help but be excited. She just knows that they'd get along so well, that her mom would fall for Carina so very easily. 

“Mm, very,” Carina sleepily murmurs. “I think this bed is better than the one you have in your apartment.”

“It is,” she agrees, amused as Carina sweeps her arm over the mattress, “and that's why I keep this one here because if I had this in the city, nobody would see me ever again.”

“I’d come over,” Carina lightly argues, scooting closer so she can lay her head on Maya’s knee.

She snorts. “Then nobody would see us and—what is it with you wanting to kidnap me?”

“Technically,” Carina holds up a finger, “I would be kidnapping myself because it is your apartment that I would be in.”

“Good point,” she concedes with a laugh. Her smile turns tender when Carina breathes out another yawn. She leans down to press a kiss on her forehead. “Okay, get some sleep, gorgeous. If you wake up before I get back, just come into the main house. You don't have to lock up or anything.”

“Okay,” Carina mumbles, raising her hand to cup the back of Maya’s neck. “Give me one kiss.”

Her heart flutters at the soft affection in Carina’s eyes, the lazy smile of her lips. “I’ll give you three,” she murmurs before bringing their lips together. 

Carina’s sleepy kisses continue to linger on Maya’s lips by the time she enters the main house, coming through the back of the kitchen. She finds her mom already in the midst of preparing dinner. Maya can tell that her mom’s equally nervous as she and Carina have been, constantly asking Maya what Carina will like or what she won't. She tries her best to reassure her mom but she really won't be able to really relax until she and Carina finally meet. 

“Maya,” her mom calls out to her, though her attention remains on the bread dough that she's kneading, “Ashley arrived a few minutes ago. I put her up in Cabin 5.”

At hearing the name of the chef she always hires for dinner parties at the farm, Maya perks up. “Oh, she’s here? Great! I’ll let her settle in before I harass her about her menu.”

“I’m sure that the menu is fine, Maya,” her mom sighs, a hint of amusement in her voice.

“I know,” she replies, walking over to lean against the kitchen counter after grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl, “but it can also be fine-r.”

Her mom snorts as she takes a large bite of the fruit. “Whatever you say, honey,” she replies, rolling the dough into a ball. Setting it to the side to prove, she turns to Maya. “Carina all settled in?”

She nods, holding out the other side of the apple for her mom to take a bite. “Yep, she's just taking a short nap ‘cause she had to go in for an emergency before Frank picked her up,” she utters with a distracted smile, thinking about how her girlfriend is kind of a superhero. 

Girlfriend. 

Maya can't remember the last time she had a girlfriend, or dated somebody long enough to call them a significant other. It might even have been years, when she dated a co-star and that ended up fizzling out before it could really go anywhere. But she hadn't been too upset by it then. Her career was her topmost priority and as long as it was going well, that was all that mattered. These things are still the same now but Carina and their relationship has become a priority as well. 

She breaks out of her musings when she hears her mom clearing her throat. Maya realizes that she’s still holding up the half-eaten apple and lowers it, shrugging when her mom arches a questioning eyebrow at her. 

“What?” she asks, taking a small bite of the apple.

“You really like this one,” her mom carefully remarks. 

She shrugs again, not even bothering to deny it. Her mom would have seen right through it anyway. “You know I wouldn't bring her here if I didn't.”

“You're going to have the most beautiful babies,” her mom dreamily sighs. 

Maya nearly chokes on the chunk of apple going down her throat. “Babies? Mom, it's barely been over a month. I’m so not ready for you to be a grandmother yet.”

“Yet.” Her mom points a finger at her, a pleased smile on her face. “I heard that.”

She gives her mom a pleading look. “Don’t bring up babies to Carina. You’ll scare her off and I told her that you were cool.”

“I am cool,” her mom protests, picking up a dish towel to wipe the flour off her hands. 

“Sure, mom,” she snarks, breaking out into a laugh when that earns her a smack on the shoulder. 

A curious expression crosses her mom's face as she drapes the towel over her shoulder. “Why do you look so worried though? It can't be about me scaring her off.”

She huffs out a quiet chuckle as she shakes her head. It doesn't surprise her at all that her mom could see right through her. She managed not to think about it since she's been back but now that Carina is here, Maya can't help but think all about it. She doesn't even try to pretend that her mom got it wrong. 

“I've just…” she sighs, briefly biting down on her bottom lip, “I’ve only flown out to L.A. a couple of times for auditions and for that one TV thing and that's been fine because those were so short but… they’re nothing compared to when I’ll be gone for months.”  

Her mom nods, a thoughtful look on her face. “Are you worried that Carina won't be able to handle it?”

Maya shakes her head. “I think she’ll be able to handle it great. We even talked about it last week and I think we've come up with a good system so that it won't be too bad.”

“But you’re still worried that you're wasting her time by making her wait for you, aren't you?”

She narrows her eyes at her mom’s next guess. “Have you been talking to my therapist?”

Her mom chuckles. “No, I’ve been talking to my therapist.” She gives Maya a discerning smile as she takes Maya's hand in hers, giving it a firm squeeze. “You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, Maya, and from what you've told me about Carina, it sounds like she does as well. I’m sure you both will be fine.” 

“I want it to work so bad, mom,” she desperately admits in a hushed whisper. “I think she does too.”

“Then that's more than half the battle already done, my love,” her mom replies with a soft smile, soothing Maya’s worries with her steadfast comfort. “How are your fans with her?”

“Mostly good,” she sighs, trying to think of the last time that Spencer had briefed her on this. Maya tries not to place too much attention to her social media despite Jules telling her how important it is to do so. She still doesn't when it comes to herself but now that Carina is being brought into the goings on of her life, Maya has taken a little more interest in it. “Some, not so good, but that's pretty much what Jules and Holly told me to expect anyway. Not everybody’s gonna be happy that I’m ‘off the market’.”

“They will love her like you do,” her mom reassures her. “Well, almost like you do.”

Maya lets out an awkward laugh, stepping away from her mom. “Uh, we are so not in the ‘love’ part just yet.”

Her mom gives her a sharp look. “You should tell your face that.” 

“We haven't even been dating that long!” she protests shrilly, feeling her face burning at how easily her mom is reading her. 

“Love doesn't recognize time, Maya,” her mom gently tells her. “It exists, that’s all it needs to be.” 

She chews the inside of her cheek. “Do you think she feels the same way?”

“If she doesn't, there is plenty of land where we can hide her body.” 

“Mom!” she gasps, laughing at the proud and sneaky grin on her mom’s face. She points a finger at her. “I’m gonna keep my eye on you,” she warns, shaking her head when her mom only laughs in response. 

“Whatever you say, honey,” her mom casually replies. “Can you go to the barn and check on  the ATVs; make sure they're all running okay? Topher checked them already yesterday but you know I won't feel sure until you do it.”

She nods, starting to make her way out of the kitchen when she halts at the door. “If Carina wakes up before I get back, send her my way?”

Her mom gives her a knowing smirk. “I will.”

---

It seems so cliché to think it but meeting Maya's mother is like meeting the future version of Maya. 

And god, if Carina isn't eager to eventually meet that Maya. 

When Mrs. Bishop isn't asking her questions about her life and about her work, Carina has been quietly observing the easy and comfortable interaction between mother and daughter. The love between them is so palpable, so tangible that Carina can almost grasp it in the palm of her hand. 

Contrary to Maya’s claim that she is her father’s daughter, it's so easy to see the influence that her mother has on her too. She has seen a picture of Maya’s father and while she can agree that Maya has his eyes and even his sharp jawline, Carina will swear up and down that Maya has none of his frigidity. Everything she has ever seen in Maya’s eyes, all the warmth, kindness and compassion, she sees echoed in her mother's pale blue ones.

“So, Mrs. Bishop—” 

“Oh no, honey,” Mrs. Bishop interrupts, giving a wave of her hand as she shakes her head, “‘Mrs. Bishop’ only belongs to Maya’s grandmother now. Please call me Katherine.” 

She feels Maya’s hand gently squeezing her knee. “Katherine, how long have you been living here now?”

After she woke up from her nap, Carina had nearly forgotten where she was until Maya walked right through the door, sweat-soaked after working on something for her mom. Apparently Carina had slept much longer than she meant to but Maya didn't seem to mind since it meant they got to shower together so they could get ready for dinner. Since it's only the three of them, they shared their meal in the cozy kitchen nook instead of the dining room that they’ll be using for tomorrow night. 

Katherine hums thoughtfully. “It's only been… nearly four years now?” she answers, checking with Maya who nods in confirmation. “I’ve always dreamed about owning a farm since I was a little girl.”

“And you bought it for her?” she asks Maya. 

“Oh, I tried,” Maya chuckles. “She turned me down cold.”

“I was financially dependent on my ex-husband for our entire marriage,” Katherine explains, “and I don’t ever want to be in that position of feeling indebted to anybody else. Not even my daughter.” 

Despite her mother’s words, Maya wears a proud look on her face. “I did get her in touch with a financial consultant to help her figure out loan repayments, things like that. Really, the only thing she even allows me to contribute monetarily is the security.”

Katherine huffs out a dry laugh. “Something I regret almost every day since.”

“I am glad that I am not the only one you harass about this,” Carina teases, arching her eyebrow when Maya lets out an offended noise. 

“I can't help that I’m protective!” Maya cries out, folding her arms across her chest now. 

“And that’s one of my favorite things about you, my love,” Katherine reassures Maya with a doting smile. “You’re so protective over me but I’m your mother. I didn't do a good job protecting you before—”

“But you are now,” Maya finishes for her, wearing a calm smile on her lips. 

A wistful smile crosses Katherine's face as if she can't quite believe Maya's words. Carina can tell that this is a long-standing disagreement that they have simply by the words that are going unspoken between them until Katherine finally clears her throat.

“I should go find Walter. He’s my farm manager,” she explains to Carina, “and he was supposed to come in before he left but I just know that he's still talking to the girls.”

At the roll of Katherine's eyes, Maya lets out a laugh. “They're the loves of his life, mom. It's hard for him to say goodbye.” She turns to Carina’s questioning look. “The ‘girls’ are mom’s alpacas.”

“He sees them everyday!” Katherine huffs, her indignance only serving to make Maya laugh harder. She shakes her head before giving them a warm smile as she starts to slide out of the nook. “Anyway girls, you go about your evening and I will see you in the morning. Thank you for the tiramisu, Carina. It was so delicious.”

A pleased warmth goes through her. “I’m very happy you enjoyed it, Katherine. Thank you for dinner,” she quietly replies, following Katherine’s figure until she has walked out of the kitchen in search of Walter.

Soft lips press against her cheek. “I told you she'd love the hell out of you,” Maya tenderly murmurs. 

The previous warmth settles some more in the pit of her belly as she turns to face Maya. “Your mother is really wonderful.”

“Yeah.” Maya’s wearing a lopsided smile that's filled to the brim with contentment. “She looks happy too, doesn't she?”

Her heart flutters at the desperate hope in Maya’s question. “She does,” she reassures her, leaning in to kiss Maya’s cheek. “She looks very fulfilled.”

Maya hums thoughtfully, her contented smile still painted across her face. She looks up into Carina's eyes. “You wanna head back to the cabin?”

Carina nods. “Should we wash these dishes first?”

“Yeah,” Maya answers, already stacking the empty plates on top of each other. “Just a quick wash and we can leave them in the dishwasher.”

It isn't too long after that they're both walking out of the kitchen and Maya locks the door behind her. Carina shivers, surprised by how cold the night is out here. When Maya reaches her, Carina immediately burrows herself into her, much to Maya’s amusement. Thankfully Maya’s cabin isn't too long of a walk. 

“Did you know that you smell different here?” she quietly asks, breaking the silence between them. 

“I do?” Maya chuckles, her arm tightening around Carina’s waist. 

Carina hums, nuzzling her nose into Maya’s neck as she breathes in this added element to Maya's scent. “You smell like the earth,” she sighs dreamily. There's no doubt where it came from, that it can only have been from Maya’s afternoon spent working in the barn earlier. “Can you see yourself ever doing something like this one day? Settling down and living the farm life?”

“With how much work that goes into maintaining this kind of lifestyle? Probably not,” Maya huskily laughs. “Why? Do you?”

She shrugs, a smile on her lips as she looks around them. “It seems kind of nice and peaceful though, doesn't it? Being able to get away from the city just for a little while.”

“That is nice,” Maya hums, shifting slightly to pull out the key to her cabin. She loosens her hold around Carina’s waist and turns to face her, wearing a teasing look. “But you do know, you've gotta wake up at the ass crack of dawn, right?”

She rolls her eyes, huffing out a quiet laugh. “But that's why I have you,” she replies, giving Maya an innocent look that only makes her laugh. Carina shrugs. “And I already know that you will look really, really good at it,” she adds as she playfully tugs down Maya’s beanie over her forehead before curling her fingers around the soft, pliable material of Maya's oversized flannel shirt. 

“Oh?” Maya replies, the smile on her lips softening now. “I’m in this possible future scenario?”

“I really hope so,” she whispers, pulling on Maya’s shirt to bring their mouths together. 

---

She knocks on the side of the doorway, alerting the current occupant of the kitchen of her presence.

Realizing that she’s caught Ashley in the middle of methodically storing away her knives, Maya waits until Ashley’s brown eyes finally lift up to meet hers. “You sure you don't wanna join us inside?” she asks, pointing her thumb in the direction of the living room. 

Dinner has been over for more than an hour now and everybody attending has moved on from the dining room and into the living room, some carrying their drinks with them. Since Carina has already met Andy and some of the others before today, Maya isn't too worried about not being by her side. Carina even shooed her away just so Maya could come to the kitchen and check on Ashley.  

“Nah.” Ashley shakes her head, placing her set into her backpack. She sighs, reaching up to pull off her hair tie and run her fingers through her curly brown hair. “I’m beat so I’m gonna shower and pass the fuck out until tomorrow afternoon.” 

She nods in understanding. Ashley is one of the best hard-working chefs that Maya has ever known, always pulling out all the stops and has been catering her mom’s birthday dinner party for the last three years now. After that first dinner, Maya didn't even have to give it more than a second to decide that she wanted to keep using Ashley’s catering service. 

“Oh, so it's not because a certain personal assistant isn't here?”

Instead of answering her teasing question, Ashley rolls her eyes, hoists her backpack onto her shoulder and walks out the door. 

“That's not a ‘no’!” she yells as she leans out the kitchen doorway in time to see Ashley respond with a rude hand gesture without even giving her a second glance. 

Huffing out a chuckle, Maya closes the door just as her mom walks in the kitchen. “Oh Maya, did Ashley just leave?”

There's a rosiness in her mother's cheeks, suggesting that she has been more than enjoying herself and Maya is glad to see it. Her mom so rarely drinks, not even to unwind and so whenever she does actually imbibe, it means she feels safe enough to do so. With a room full of paramedics and an actual doctor, who wouldn't feel safe? 

“Yeah, she wanted to get some rest,” she replies, watching as her mom takes a seat in the breakfast nook. 

“Good. She deserves it,” her mother remarks as she rests her chin on her fist. “Dinner was amazing, honey. You both picked really well this year.”

A pleased grin crosses her face as she goes to join her mom, sitting across from her. “Thanks, mom. It was all Ashley's cooking though.”

Her mom gives her a discerning smile. “Well, I don't know how you two will do it again next year but I am already looking forward to it.” 

Her heart suddenly flutters at the sound of Carina’s laughter floating into the kitchen and Maya already can't help but smile at how much Carina is enjoying herself with her friends. She wonders who Carina is talking to, what it was that made her laugh so hard. Maya turns her thoughts to the rest of the guests, hoping they're all enjoying themselves. They've been here enough times that if they need anything, they know to just come to the kitchen. 

She chuckles at the dazed expression on her mom’s face. “What is it, mom?”

“I don't… actually remember what I came in here for,” her mom mutters, much to Maya’s amusement. “Oh! I wanted to get some water for myself.”

She nods. Hydrating is probably a good idea for her mom before she inevitably falls asleep. “Sit,” she wraps her hand around her mother’s wrist when she sees her about to stand up, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’ll pour you a glass.” 

She waits for her mother to slump back in the booth before she goes to fill up a glass of water. “Thank you, baby,” her mom sighs, her eyes looking heavier by the second.

As she waits for the glass to fill up, Maya snorts when she notices her mom’s half-hearted attempts at keeping awake. She gives her another fifteen minutes before she has to help her up to her bedroom and get ready for bed. At least she’ll already have some water in her by then. 

“Go be with your girlfriend,” her mom quietly utters once she sets the filled glass down on the table. 

While her mother slowly guzzles down her water, Maya frowns. “What? No, I can wait until you’re ready to go to bed.”

Finished with her water, her mom places her glass back down. She inhales a slow breath and stares up at her as she takes both of Maya’s hands in hers. 

“Go be with her, Maya,” she murmurs, tenderly brushing her thumbs over Maya's knuckles. “Every year you work so hard to make this night special for me. Go spend the rest of what's left of tonight to make it special for you. I promise I’ll be okay going up by myself.”

She fixes a scrutinizing gaze over her mother's face, wanting to make sure that her level of sobriety is where she says it is. Her words aren't slurring as much and though her cheeks are still flushed, her eyes seem far clearer than they were when she first entered the kitchen. Her mom just seems more… melancholy now. 

“But I always walk you up,” she tries to argue. “Just because I have Carina, that shouldn't have to change now.”

A heart-achingly soft smile pulls at her mother’s lips. “I’ve been watching you all night, you know, and last night at dinner too.” She lowers her eyes to their linked hands before bringing them back up to meet Maya’s patient gaze. “I keep trying to remember if I had ever seen you smile the way you smile at her, and I couldn't remember because I don't think you ever did. Because you never had a reason to. Your father and I—we never gave you a reason to.”

“Mom—” 

But her mom doesn't let her interrupt. “And it makes me so happy, Maya,” she breathes shakily, “that we didn't completely ruin you.” 

Stunned, Maya isn't really sure how to respond to her mother's words. Her throat feels choked up and her heart so heavy. She doesn't want to lie and say that there was no ruining, that seeing her parents together and the way her father treated her mother didn't impact her in any way. To tell her mother that there hasn't been a moment when Maya thought love was an unreachable thing; that love was a thing that ruined things like her, can't ever touch, would be a lie too. 

Somehow Maya knows that her mom probably sees herself as a ruined thing too. 

Therapy has helped to undo a lot of the damage that her father left them both and after Mason passed, it only brought them so much closer. Her mom is all she has left in ways of biological family and it's the exact reason that Maya puts so much effort into these yearly dinners. She and her mom deserve a family who loves them as they are, and she knows that the people enjoying themselves in the living room are exactly those people. Ruined and all. 

She leans down and presses her lips to her mother’s forehead. “I love you,” she whispers, her voice coming out wavering and thick. 

She feels her mom’s hand patting her arm followed by a tight squeeze. “I love you too, more than you will ever know,” she murmurs before letting out a heavy sigh. She gives Maya an affectionate smile. “I’m gonna go upstairs so tell everyone I said goodnight, okay?”

“Okay,” Maya replies, backing up when she sees her mom turning to slide out of the booth. 

Maya keeps her attentive gaze on her mother, watching her walk somewhat steadily out of the kitchen towards the stairs that lead to her bedroom. The stairs are old and so she waits, counting each climbed step until she can't hear her mother’s footsteps anymore before she finally rejoins everybody else in the living room. It doesn't take long to find Carina among the small crowd of people and it takes even less time for the heaviness in Maya’s chest to ease when her eyes land on Carina’s smiling face as she talks to Andy. 

She takes a moment to revel in that feeling, soaking in that rush of happiness that comes from just looking at Carina. Maya breathes out a sigh and starts making her way towards her, nodding every so often when somebody acknowledges her. Her heart beats a little harder in her chest when Carina finally looks her way and her smile softens at the edges. 

She smoothly slides her arm around Carina’s waist, feeling the rest of her immediately relax as soon as Carina drapes her arm over her shoulders. They share a quick smile before she looks to face Andy, putting on a cheeky grin. 

“Well, isn't this so nice? Both my girlfriends are talking to each other.”

She laughs when both Carina and Andy let out an exasperated groan, rolling their eyes at her. Carina shoots Andy a look. “When do you think she’ll get tired of making that same joke whenever she finds us talking?” 

Her best friend leans closer to Carina, replying in a stage-whisper, “she doesn't really have much else going on for her so we should just let her have this one.”

She arches her eyebrow when Carina nods in solemn agreement. “I’m surrounded by comedians,” she utters dryly, rolling her eyes when both her girlfriend and best friend begin to laugh at her. Even though it's at her expense, it makes her a little giddy to see how well they’ve gotten along since she introduced them properly some weeks ago. She points to Andy’s empty beer bottle. “You want another?” 

Andy holds up her bottle and shakes her head. “Nah, I should get some water in me if I don't wanna be super hungover tomorrow.”

Maya nods. If it weren't for their shift tomorrow afternoon, Andy and the rest would usually opt to stay the night and make the drive home the next day. For tonight they made the collective choice to go home right away, where they can pass out so they won't be rushing to get to work. At least they won't have to worry about driving since Maya offered to hire a driver for them too. 

“I’ll call you about that dance class next week,” Andy says to Carina with a smile, before turning to make her way to the kitchen.

Carina turns to face her, draping her other arm to rest over her shoulder and in turn, Maya rests her hands low on Carina's waist. She tilts her head in question. 

“Are you okay?” Carina perceptively asks, as if she could tell that something had been weighing on Maya’s mind before she joined her and Andy earlier. 

She nods, closing the distance between them to tuck her face into Carina’s neck. Maya sighs at the way Carina’s arms tighten around her. “Mom and I just… we had a moment. I’ll tell you about it later.” She drops a kiss on the base of Carina's neck before pulling back. “Are you enjoying yourself? What was that about dance class?”

An excited look crosses Carina’s face. “Oh! Andy was telling me earlier about this salsa class that she and her cousin teach, and I’ve always wanted to learn so she offered me a friends and family discount.”

“Oh, uh, that sounds great,” Maya awkwardly replies and tries not to grimace at the mention of her best friend’s cousin. “Michelle's… a really good teacher.” 

Carina's face turns amused. “Don’t worry, bambina. Andy already told me that you two have history.” 

She gives her a sheepish smile, thankful that Andy had let that slip. “Yeah, but it wasn't like, anything like you and I have.”

“No?” Carina asks, her voice falling light and soft. 

She squeezes Carina's waist, tugging her closer until she can feel the rise and fall of Carina’s chest against her own. “Nothing is like anything that we have,” she answers, her heart fluttering at the veracity of her own words. 

A faint blush spreads across Carina's cheeks. “Good answer,” she murmurs, firmly cupping the back of Maya’s neck to bring their lips together. 

Maya eagerly responds, arching herself into Carina as she parts her lips to deepen the kiss. But before they can get even further lost in it, Maya hears a sudden chorus of hoots and hollering from everybody around them, forcing her and Carina to break apart. She looks around them and sees all her friends—her family—smirking at her and Carina. 

Despite the flustered heat in her cheeks, Maya rolls her eyes. “Alright, alright, are you guys 12? Go back to your business.”

They all laugh before complying and returning to their previous conversations. She turns back to Carina and arches her eyebrow. 

“Where were we?”

“You,” Carina points at her with a flirty smile, “were about to dance with me.”  

“Oh, I was, huh?” she asks, playing closer attention now to the song that’s been playing in the background. 

Her heart melts a little, as it always does whenever Carina pulls her into a dance. They’ve seemed to make it a habit now to dance together whenever they're in each other's kitchens, and it hits Maya that they haven't gotten to do it at all this week since she's been away here. And so she doesn't resist when Carina hums quietly as she starts to gently sway them both along to the music, their feet shuffling ever so slightly. Maya sighs, sliding her hands around to rest on the small of Carina’s back as she rests her forehead right on Carina’s. 

Her eyes fall to a shut when she feels the warmth of Carina’s hands cradling her face. 

---

The time for Carina to leave comes all too soon.

She hadn't been sure what to expect when Maya asked her if she would like to come so that she could meet her mother. Maya had told her so many things about how she grew up and how her relationship with her mom only improved as recently as a few years ago. But whatever fractures there had been between them before, Carina saw no evidence of it in the last two days that she has been here. There is only healing in wounds left behind by a man who did not deserve them. 

And it's a little bittersweet for Carina too. She and her own mother had just barely begun to do the same, only for her mamma to succumb to an illness that she had kept secret from both her and Andrea. It is another wound that Carina has yet to heal from. 

So she soaks in the warmth and comfort of Katherine's arms around her shoulders with a hungry childish heart. 

“Thank you so much for having me,” she whispers, squeezing her eyes shut when Katherine only tightens her arms. 

Dawn has barely risen but Carina has been awake for more than an hour. She had been woken up once again by Maya leaving lingering kisses down her body though this time Carina didn't mind it as much. Maya won't be back in Seattle for another few days and then it’ll be a countdown before she leaves for the next several months. 

The days without Maya had been colorless and brought little joy. Carina doesn't really know how she’ll get through the months without her. She can only hope that the plan, the scheduled visits that they've come up with last week, will help lessen the ache. 

Katherine pulls away, sighing as she tenderly cups Carina’s cheeks in her hands. “You should stay longer next time, and you don't have to wait for Maya to be here too.”

She nods eagerly. “I will.” Falling in love with the farm and everything in it was an unexpected happenstance, so it thrills Carina to no end that she has an invitation to return. “Will it be okay if I bring my brother with me? I think he'd really love it so much here.”

“Of course!” A bright smile takes over Katherine’s face. “You have my number now so you can call me anytime about when you want to visit,” she pauses to look around the room before she utters in a conspiratorial whisper, “or if you ever want to just talk about Maya and hear some more of when she was a baby.” 

“I heard that!” Maya cries out as she enters the kitchen, glaring at her mother. “No more baby Maya stories!”

“You don't own me!”

Carina bites back her laughter at the way that Maya’s eyes are shooting daggers at her mother before she turns back around, grumbling quietly to herself as she stalks out of the kitchen. It's only when Katherine turns back to her with a cheeky grin that she relishes in the way that her girlfriend's mother is holding onto her as they quietly giggle together. 

Katherine breathes out a sigh, her shoulders dropping as the smile on her lips soften, turning earnest. “Call me anytime, Carina, okay?” she murmurs, gently brushing the hair back from Carina’s face. It’s such a maternal gesture that makes Carina’s breath catch. Then Katherine shrugs, unsure. “Maybe I’ll come down to the city and I can see where you work, if that's okay.” 

She stares at Katherine, stunned that she would even want to do that. Carina swallows thickly as she gives a quick nod, too touched to even speak. But Katherine smiles anyway, pleased and excited, before she takes Carina back into her arms for another tight hug. 

“Babe, mom, Frank’s here,” she hears Maya calling out from the living room. 

“I’ll leave you two to say your goodbyes,” Katherine tells her, releasing Carina from the hug. She picks up a bag off the container. “Don’t forget the food I made for you, and have a safe journey back, dear.”

“Thank you, Katherine,” she replies, feeling her chest squeeze tight as she realizes that another Bishop woman has made herself a spot in her heart after two days of knowing her. 

Carina breathes out a shaky sigh, carrying the bag Katherine handed to her as she walks out of the kitchen and through the living room. She finds Maya standing outside while Frank is just loading her bag into the trunk of the car. 

She’s climbing down the steps when Maya notices that she’s finally outside, a crooked smile forming on her face. “Hey you,” she greets her, reaching out to wrap her arm around Carina’s waist. 

“Hi,” she softly replies, nuzzling her nose against Maya’s temple as she sneaks in a deep breath of Maya’s scent. 

“Where did mom go?” Maya asks, pressing her lips to Carina's cheek. 

“I think she went into her office,” she answers, catching a glimpse of Frank getting into the car. 

Maya nods thoughtfully. She tugs on the shirt that Carina decided on wearing, the very same oversized green checkered shirt that Maya was wearing when she first arrived two days ago. It still smells like Maya.

“Stealing that, huh?” Maya teases, her blue eyes looking so magnificent under the light of the early morning sun that it takes Carina’s breath away. 

Oh. 

Oh.

Oh god.

She’s in love. 

It’s at this very moment that it hits Carina and it hits her so much harder than she can ever be prepared for. God, what a time for her to realize this, just as she is about to leave and won't be seeing Maya for a number of days. 

She's in love. 

Is it really so shocking though? Is this not the natural progression of where things are meant to go anyway? Carina has always known that she's been half-in love with Maya since they were back in Sicily, so why wouldn't she be fully in love by now? 

“You’re never getting it back,” she vows, pretending like she didn't just have a destabilizing epiphany and feigning a serious frown that makes Maya breathe out a laugh. 

“I’ll see you in a few days?” Maya asks as she fists her hands around the flannel material of the shirt, using it to pull Carina closer to her.  

“I’d better,” she answers, her voice falling into a whisper as she rests their foreheads together. 

With Maya close to her like this, the whirlwind in her head finally comes to a standstill and all Carina hears is the rush of her pounding heartbeat.

Oh, she’s so deep in love. 

END OF ACT TWO