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Celina was tasked with “Watching Bailey”, but her admiration for both her former TO and his wife are equal in her eyes. She’s not going to babysit this grown woman, but knowing Bailey is the type to get straight back to work she would check in every now and then.
She found herself lost in thought as she heard Tim over the radio call out how both him and Lucy were trapped in a wildfire.
Not good.
And they had been silent for a very… very long time.
Also not good.
So here she was pacing, she had gotten the message that they were on the way to the nearest hospital but still, it was scary. She knows both officers are fully capable of taking care of themselves, but it was still worrying. If she lost someone, especially after Blanca-
“Celina?” Bailey called out as she dragged her saline drip sluggishly,
“Oh! Bailey how- how are you what’s wrong?” Celina snapped herself back into whatever this conversation was, she held her paper cup tightly as she attempted to transition into the present.
“Nothing, I was just worried. I saw you pacing a bit and… leaving a coffee trail down there.”
“What? Oh.” Celina looked down and saw coffee droplets along the tiles, she tossed her cup away and excused herself to go to the restroom and get napkins to clean up.
She methodically cleaned the tiles, was this the best use of her time? Absolutely not, there are literally people who are paid to do this. But, she found the movement soothing as the smell and texture of the coffee brought her back to the present.
She knew Lucy was fine, she was discharged long before James was. Either way, it was still worrying to her. The whole time she was stopping blood from pooling out of this woman she heard the radios overlap with chatter. Lucy could’ve died and… and nothing. She couldn’t have done anything.
She picked up the soggy napkins and tossed those out too, running back into the restroom to rinse the sticky caffeine off her hands.
She cleared her throat and found herself with Bailey again, “Hey can I um ask you something?”
Bailey reclined back and happily obliged, “Yes- of course! What’s wrong, Celina?” She questioned, worried for the younger woman.
She wouldn’t admit it to Celina, but Bailey saw herself as a parental figure to her. Ever since the night she wandered in begging for help to go to sleep. Bailey saw herself in the girl, so of course without hesitation she would help in any way she could.
“Do you think Lucy is okay?” It sounded dumb out loud, but still her stomach turned at mentioning her roommates name. She was overwhelmingly worried.
“Well, I think considering she was discharged with no issues, she should be fine.” Bailey was… confused, yes Celina was an empathetic person, but it was a strange time to be asking if her roommate was fine. Especially since she was clearly on the way to their apartment by now.
Unless, this wasn’t JUST about her roommate? No that’s silly- but the more she thought about it Celina had that look in her eyes. She couldn’t exactly place it, maybe it was just exhaustion, but it was a look of fear. Fear that couldn’t easily be swallowed like she does day-to-day on the job. It was also a yearning for Lucy, she desperately wanted to see her. Now whether that was romantic or not is up for debate.
“Is that all you wanted to get off your chest?” Bailey poked at her, not literally but she wanted to see if Celina was willing to pour more out. She was vibrating anxiety and worry, despite how hard she hid it from everyone else.
“Well-“ Celina started before she heard her former TO walk in, “Hey guys! I’m just here to take my lovely wife home, unless I’m interrupting…” John caught himself as he saw how Celina was clinging to herself, shuffling awkwardly when he walked in.
“I can uh- come back later if you ladies want.” He replied to himself, slowly backing off and heading towards the lobby instead.
“No it’s- fine…” Celina gave up as she saw him actively walking away mid sentence, she felt a hand on her arm and turned towards Bailey again.
“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” Bailey questioned, trying to get Celina back on track.
“Nothing- it’s nothing.” Celina tried to brush it off, resting her hand on Bailey’s before returning it back to her.
“You know, secrets aren’t going to make it feel any better. You miss her don’t you?” Bailey questioned as she tried to get up from the wheelchair, “It’s more than you being worried, isn’t it?”
Celina cleared her throat, taking a deep breath before turning to look at Bailey she tucked a stray hair behind her ear and tried to continue, though she tried not to make everything overt.
“It’s just, she could’ve died. I could’ve lost her, and- and that would’ve been it. I wouldn’t have been able to see her, or say anything to her again…” Celina whispered, fighting back tears as she looked down towards her beaten up sneakers.
“Celina… she’s okay. You know that, and if you really want to see her. Say something to her, you should go now. I think it’ll be liberating for you.” Bailey hinted that she knew something, but she didn’t want to scare the woman off, “And if you aren’t ready to tell her that something, talk to me. I won’t tell John, scout’s honor.” She teased before sitting back down, she flagged a nurse down and asked to be discharged.
Leaving Celina alone.
…
She drove home in silence, mumbling to herself the make-shift speech she’d give to Lucy when she saw her. She walked upstairs and fiddled with the keys before entering.
“I’m home!” Celina always liked saying that, it sounded like a sitcom. Romantically the breadwinner husband comes home and announces how he’s ready for his wife to lunge into his arms.
“Hey, over here!” Lucy exclaimed as she waved her arm on the couch, coughing a bit before grabbing the lung-kit the hospital gave her and Tim.
Celina dropped her bag and walked over to Lucy, patting her back as she coughed out whatever ash was still stuck at the bottom of her lungs and back of her throat.
“Hey, you okay?” Celina whispered as Lucy finished coughing, swallowing harshly as she reached over for the glass of water on the table in front of her.
“Mhm- Mhm I’m- I’m good.” Lucy coughed sparingly before looking over towards Celina. “What about you?” Lucy questioned before setting the water down.
“Better now that you’re okay.” Celina whispered as she went in for a hug, squeezing Lucy tightly.
Lucy tried muffling her coughs, squeezing Celina back. “Hey- not too much now I might cough up ash all over you.” She pulled away staring at Celina.
She looked anxious, she looked at her arms and saw all the dirt and grime from the day. Besides looking anxious, she looked tired. All the stress from younger woman radiated off of her, Lucy raised her hand and cusped Celina’s face. It was gentle, soft, and warm.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Lucy asked, pulled her arm away and making room on the couch for Celina to sit by her, “Come, come.”
Celina maneuvered around the couch and found herself sat next to Lucy. Reclining in her shoulder and letting the rest of her body weight sink into the couch. “Talk to me, Celina.” Lucy whispered, turning down the volume on the true crime documentary she was watching.
Celina hummed before looking up at Lucy, she felt bad letting all the dirt on her rub on the clean woman. But nothing compared to how she felt hearing Tim shouting about how they were trapped.
“I just- I was scared. I heard Tim talking about you guys being trapped then- nothing.” Celina whispered as she went to grab Lucy’s hand. Not necessary holding it, but just analyzing all the cuts on it. Most likely from the dirt and pavement she found herself stumbling on during her shift.
Lucy sighed as she grabbed her hand back from Celina, putting her arm around the smaller woman and pulling her closer.
“We were using this tarp to keep ourselves safe from the fire. We didn’t mean to keep all you guys worried.” Lucy squeezed extra tight at the last word, “I’m good now.”
Lucy kept her arm on Celina, grabbing the controller with her free arm and putting up the volume on the TV.
“Um it’s not just that-“ Celina whispered as she bit her tongue, she doesn’t know how far she should go with this.
“Hmm? What’s the matter then?” Lucy asked again, not wanting to pry this information out of her, but still wanting to help her friend.
“I uh- I really missed you.” She sat up, trying to appear on the same level as Lucy, in turn Lucy also sat up.
She smiled at the comment, “Missed you too,” Lucy replied as she reclined back slightly, “but that’s not it, is it?”
Celina swallowed deeply, cupping Lucy’s face. Stroking it gently, testing whether or not she would let her touch linger.
“I really didn’t want to lose my roommate…” Celina whispered, pulling in Lucy towards her.
“And uh- I don’t know what I would do if I lost you too.” Celina closed the space between them and rested her forehead on Lucy’s.
“I love you.” Celina whispered before getting up, quickly shuffling towards her room.
“Wait!” Lucy yelled, getting up and following the woman. “Wait- Celina.” Her sentence broke as she muffled another cough, she was able to swallow it more this time as Celina’s attention was fully on her.
“Sorry- I know you and Tim have this whole thing going on and-“
Lucy put both arms on Celina’s shoulders. “Stop! Just stop.”
“Okay.” Celina murmured, her heart was racing. It was too quiet, despite the TV on in the background, the silence was consuming.
“Celina, do you have feelings for me?” Lucy fought back the tease in her voice, she smiled as the P2 squirmed under her touch.
Celina took a deep breath, ‘Well shit’ she thought. She wants to lie, but it’s so clear Lucy caught her in her haphazard confession. If she could she would’ve jumped out the window right at this moment. But no, she’s stuck here with smoke and outdoor musk while trying to confess to her friend who is letting her stay for extremely cheap.
“Yes. And- and I’m sorry. I knew you were pretty but until today I thought- well when I thought you were-“
Lucy swept in with a hug, squeezing the woman so tightly she couldn’t breathe.
“Shut up- just shut up, okay” Lucy grunted before releasing Celina, “Let me kiss you please.” Lucy whispered as she still had arms wrapped around the woman, not in a hug but a loose embrace.
“Wha- wait you- you like me?” Celina stammered through her sentence, trying desperately to focus on Lucy’s last sentence.
“Yes.” Lucy giggled through the word, smiling before walking away from Celina.
“Look if you’re not ready then- then never mind I’ll just go to my room and we can pretend this never happened.”
“I want to kiss you.” Celina claimed, she shut her eyes as she said it, trying to console herself. Relieve herself of the little stimulation there was.
Lucy wrapped one arm around Celina and the other on her face. “You sure?” She didn’t want to force this onto her, letting Celina answer before pushing herself onto the woman.
“Yes, please…” Celina pleaded, giving everything to not just close the gap without hesitation. Lucy obliged, kissing Celina in front of her room.
It was passionate, both women desperately longing to be in each other’s presence. This wall they both put up between each other collapsing downwards as they both grabbed each other. Moaning and sloppily leaving saliva on each other’s mouth.
“Celina-“ Lucy gasped in between kisses, stumbling backwards towards the doorframe, with the smaller woman gently pushing her why grabbing the bottom of her shirt.
“Please, let me-“ Celina was cut off by Lucy’s lips meeting hers, pulling away after more desperate kisses. “Let me make you feel- feel good!” Celina exclaimed out of frustration, though she giggled as Lucy apologized with even more kisses.
“Mmm… and how do you plan on doing that…” Lucy mumbled as she was pressed against the door frame, Celina’s knee pressing in her crotch. Rubbing back and forth,
“Does that give you an idea?”
“Mmm… maybe…” Lucy caught herself from yelling, whining at the touch.
Celina pulled Lucy’s shirt up, getting caught on her face. Both women laughed at the predicament, eventually she tossed it off and the side of them. Lucy returned the favor and helped Celina take her top off, revealing a black sports bra under. Lucy fumbled throughout the whole exchange, wincing and whining when Celina deepened the pressure on her crotch. It was nauseating, how hard she tried to focus while Celina worked her with ease.
Both women laughed as they shuffled into the bedroom, with Celina using her leg to kick the door closed.