Chapter Text
“Dr. Lewis, I’ve always wanted what was just out of reach; it was made very clear to me from an early age to stop NEEDING, STOP WANTING…STOP ASKING…I wasn’t going to get it so why bother…then HER: she breathed life into the dead coals of my heart, at least for a while.ROBERT SULLIVAN
•••
Even the sight of Kate Powell at the front desk can’t dampen Andy Herrera's hopeful outlook on the day: she successfully hides her distaste when the unranked firefighter chirps, “Hey, Boss.”
“Powell.”
As she moves past reception, ‘Kaos’ calls out, “Almost forgot: your new unis are here.” When Andy reaches for the package, the
sizeable diamond and gold band on her left ring finger flashes brilliantly in the overhead lights. “Whoa! That was a HELLUVA
pivot! Who’s the lucky stud, Herrera: Gibson, or Police Hottie (Tanner)...Captain Ferris? or OOH, OOH! BECKETT?? Maybe some
NEW stud we've never seen?"
Her tone loaded with steel, Andy replies, "That’s HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE, Firefighter aside from being none of your
FUCKING business. I've had about enough of you.”
“Oooh - touchy!” That’s when Victoria Hughes saunters in, oblivious to the tense situation still unfolding. She calls out a
cheerful greeting, and noting the package on the reception desk, exclaims, “Hey - your new unis! GREAT; let’s see ‘em: c’mon,
c’mon!”
Rolling her eyes, Andy carefully peels open the clear packaging and extracts the top uniform tunic…stitched over the
left breast pocket (in gold thread) is ‘Cpt. Herrera-Sullivan’. "Huh...that's...huh. We HAVE to talk about this later.
Especially THAT ." She points to the wedding band/engagement ring combo.
Andy's filling a cardboard box with the items from her locker for transfer to the Captain's workspace when Gibson
approaches. "Hey. Wanna meet at-"
Whatever he's about to say trails off when he catches sight of her left hand. "Why? WHY, Andy?!"
"What are you going on about, and keep your voice down; I owe you no explanation, Jack: NONE."
The handsome Lieutenant replies, "You DO owe me an explanation, and...OH, FUCK NO!" He's talking about her name tag.
"If you mean my name tag, it's obviously FUCK YES , now step back."
Frowning angrily, Gibson seethes, "This ain't over."
"It IS. It most definitely is."
LATER, IN HER OFFICE...
Dressed in her new uniform top, Andy sits at her open laptop, reading through B shift's reports, interrupted from time to
time by ' looky-loos ', curious to verify the veracity of the 'news' spreading throughout the shift is accurate. Exasperated,
she finally snaps a few selfies, 'copying' the entire station in an email blast. During a lull, she runs into Montgomery in the
Beanery. "You actually did it," he marvels. "I analyzed that photo for 'AI' - thinkin' this has gotta be some kinda joke - yet
Here you are, with the uni and the rings and the dopey grin."
"DOPEY GRIN," Andy repeats solemnly, "I think I need to revise the janitorial schedule for next shift: whatta you think, Trav?"
Montgomery quickly answers, "Did I say dopey ? I meant 'dope' - as in magnificent!"
Maya Bishop, reaching for an orange, quips, "Nice save, Probie's King...Hm, so it's true! Love the rock, and THIS [she swipes
a finger across her friend's name tag]...why now?"
Andrea shrugs. "It's long overdue, yeah?"
"How has...my boss' boss responded to these kinda sotra abrupt changes?"
"He hasn't yet - which, if I'm honest, that WORRIES me."
"You haven't seen him, hm? You have to face him sometime, Ands. JUST...go and see him: he's due in two hours. You gotta
face him sooner or later.."
After a deep breath, Andy replies with her OWN question: "How do you think he'll respond to the name tag and the...the
wearing of the ring?"
"I mean...that's what he's always wanted, right?
Another sigh. "That was what he wanted until...well...you know."
Hughes nodded solemnly, agreeing. "One of his concerns was that I resisted changing my ' uni ' name tag, and the rings...
so not to disappoint or piss off Jack, or even warn-off other men. The fucked up part of it all is that he's not completely
wrong. You know, Vic: sometimes I wonder what the FUCK is wrong with me - why I do the things I do." She faces her friend
squarely to add, "I'm a shit person, aren't I?"
"I don't see it that way; you've had so many challenges in your life, and sure you've made mistakes: LOTS OF THEM - but
you're also HUMAN, and you can ask for forgiveness as many times as necessary. That's something you have a hard time
with but to get through to him you have to TRY."
"I love him so much, Vic. I'll do anything for another chance to make things right. HEY - have you heard anything; has the-the
Chief mentioned anything?"
"Well..."
"Go ahead; just say it.
"VIC!"
Finally, Hughes acquiesces. "Once I overheard him talking to Luke, and, um...I didn't get the feeling that he's in a
...forgiving mood."
"OK. Alright...I still have to try," Herrera replies. "Thanks for listening, Sis."
" 'S 'My job."
••••
After the noontime meal, Andy informs the substitute on desk duty that she'll be away from the station for a few hours;
approaching her SUV, she groans and rolls her eyes: GIBSON'S leaning against it, arms crossed. "What's with the 'unis'? And
your left ring finger?!"
"I'm in a hurry, Jack. Do you mind?"
"We agreed that you'd file for divorce and GO THROUGH with it!" he hisses.
"WE agreed? Remind me exactly WHEN we decided that? As I recall that was all you ...now you should just
accept that I'm no longer available as your fuck buddy, or any other intimate activity - such as discussing the private details
of my marriage: that part's on ME; I never should have included you in those discussions and I'll take full responsibility for
THAT...the chasing after 'taken women...that IS on you. Now please move. I'm gonna be late."
Gibson snorts. "You didn't discourage me; you did what you ALWAYS DO - spout a bunch of bullshit about how it's the '
last time ' and we end up fucking yet again...like clockwork."
"Is 'clockwork' the new way of saying months ago ? Please MOVE before I run over your foot!'
~~CONTINUED [NEXT CHAPTER]~~