Playing with fire (Amelia Shepherd) ABANDONED

Four

"Okay, you're gonna pull a muscle," Maya sighed as Mallie punched the punching bag in the gym.

"Yeah, you got here before I did and I got here at six to make sure Jack wasn't screwing shit up," Andy said, sitting on the weight bench.

"And?" Mallie punched the bag again, barely looking at her friends. Maya sighed and grabbed it so it would stop swinging.

"And what's wrong?" Maya asked, wincing as Mallie punched the bag harder than before.

"Who said anything was wrong?" Mallie said.

"Well, you only use the punching bag when you're pissed and Jack said you've been working out since five this morning, and it's eight now. How long have you been using the punching bag?" Andy asked.

"Don't know," Mallie shrugged. She punched the bag again, gasping as she felt a sharp pain in her hand.

She pulled back, shaking her fist out. Maya sighed and let go of the bag, taking her hand.

"Doesn't look broken. Just bruised and you've split your knuckles," Maya said, turning it to show Mallie.

"Let's get you patched up," Andy sighed, leading her to the beanery. Mallie sat at the island, putting her hand flat on the counter so Maya and Andy could clean and patch it up.

Maya wiped it clean and then grabbed an ice pack to help with the swelling and the bruising.

"Now, you gonna tell us why you're so angry?" Andy asked. Their phones buzzed and Mallie pulled Maya's towards her.

"All units needed," Mallie said, grabbing the bandages as she stood up.

"You should stay," Andy said.

"It's a bruised knuckle. We wear gloves," Mallie scoffed.

"Come on," Maya said, sliding down the pole. Mallie slid down with one hand, kicking off her trainers to step into her boots. She got her uniform on and climbed into the engine, holding her hand out to Maya to bandage while Andy and Vic sat in the front.

"So," Maya said, leaning over the island as Mallie made some churros after their call.

"So," Mallie said, stirring the bowl of chocolate she was melting above the pan on the second hob.

"You gonna tell me why you were kicking that punching bag's ass?" Maya said.

"I felt like it," Mallie said.

"You felt like it," Maya said. Mallie nodded.

"Yes," Mallie said.

"And the bags under your eyes, they're because you felt like not sleeping before another forty eight hour shift?" Maya said.

"I wanted to sleep. I tried to sleep. I just couldn't," Mallie said. She sighed and grabbed the bowl of melted chocolate, putting it on the side.

"Use a glove," Maya said.

"It's on low heat," Mallie shook her head, taking the glove anyway so Maya would shut up.

"Mallie, talk to me. We're best friends," Maya said. Mallie sighed, pulling the churros out of the fryer to check on them.

"I stayed at Meredith's last night. I went to visit after shift to see the kids, I ended up staying and making them dinner and I put them to bed. I was on the couch but I couldn't sleep," she said.

"Alright," Maya said. Mallie put the churros on the napkin she'd laid out to dry them out.

"She's married," Mallie said softly, looking across at Maya. Maya nodded. "We almost kissed. I'm not the girl who destroys marriages, even if she says it's over. I am not the girl that destroys marriages, Maya," she said.