As Maya and Travis lowered themselves down into the cave, she could not get her heart to stop racing and her mind to stop spinning.
She heard Ben mention there was potentially violent protests going on because of the abortion clinic, and ever since them she couldn't calm herself down.
Maya felt herself going into a panic attack and tried to use some of Diane's techniques to calm herself down, but nothing.
"Maya, you okay?" Travis asked, picking up on her erratic breathing. Maya shook her head, feeling as if the cave was closing in on her.
"Okay. Andy, pull us up!" Travis shouted. Maya was physically shaking, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to relax.
"Okay, hold on, Maya, we'll get you out!" Andy replied, looking down at them.
However, when they began pulling her up, the rope started swinging around, accentuating her panic.
"Oh my god, oh my god." Maya cried, trying to get her footing on the rocks in front of her. "Maya, it's okay, just breathe." Travis said calmly.
Maya shrieked as the rope snapped, Travis and Maya falling. It wasn't a long fall, probably about 8 feet, but Maya winced as she bumped her head against the wall.
"Holy crap, Maya, Trav, you guys okay?" Andy called.
Maya groaned, bringing a hand up to the back of her head and feeling a warm liquid coming from it. Her panic didn't subside at all; it just increased.
"I need to get out. P-please. I need to get out." Maya gasped, her head throbbing and breaths uneven.
"It's okay, Maya, it's okay. You're safe. Guys, we really need to get her out of here!" Travis yelled, trying to calm Maya down.
"We're working on it! Are you guys physically okay?" Sullivan asked. "Maya's head is bleeding, but I'm fine." Travis replied, rubbing Maya's back, attempting to soothe her.
"Please Travis, I need to get out," Maya whispered. "I need to see Carina and-and make sure she's okay."
Travis' heart broke for his friend. He understood the worry for Carina. "I'm sure she's okay, Maya. Does your head hurt?" Montgomery asked, shining his head lamp onto the back of her head.
Maya inhaled shakily and nodded. "Mhm." She mumbled, her breathing steadying.
Travis just nodded as Robert and Andy lowered down new ropes and connected Maya and himself to them.
"Alright, we're going up, okay? I'm right here." Travis said, grabbing Maya's hand and assuring her.
Once the two firefighters got up, Maya practically ripped off the harnesses and ropes she was attached to and stumbled out of the cave. She was a little dizzy, truth be told, but she needed to get out as fast as she could.
"You're out, Maya, you're okay." Andy said, coming to her side as the blonde hunched over, inhaling the fresh air.
"M-my head hurts." Maya said, her vision going spotty before everything went dark.
•••
The next thing Maya knew was that she was in the back of an aid car, Warren putting bandages on her head.
"Hey." Ben said, noticing her open eyes. "Wha...where are we going?" Maya asked, head still throbbing painfully.
"We are almost at Grey Sloan. You, my friend, need a CT and stitches." Ben explained as they pulled into the trauma bay.
They unloaded Maya, and a stunned Teddy met them outside. "We were lowering her down into a cave and the ropes snapped and her and Travis fell. She must've hit her head on the way down." Ben explained.
"Okay. Let's get you inside, Maya. Do you want me to page Carina?" Teddy asked, not knowing what Maya would want.
Maya nodded and Ben pulled Teddy aside as nurses helped her into a trauma bag. "I don't know if she's going to tell you or not, so I will. She had a really bad panic attack on scene. That's most likely why her oxygen levels are low." Ben said quietly.
Teddy nodded. "Okay. Thanks, Warren. Bailey's fine, by the way. I saw her a few minutes ago." She said, knowing what the firefighter was wondering.
Ben smiled appreciatively before turning off and leaving. Teddy went back up to Maya. "Alright, how are you feeling, Bishop, any shortness of breath or anything? Someone page Shepherd, please."
"I-I had a panic attack, I think? My-my chest is tight and I-I can't calm down." Maya admitted. Teddy was surprised at the firefighter. The Maya she met only a few months ago definitely would not have admitted to feeling panic.
"Okay. Once Amelia clears you, do you want a sedative to help calm you down?" Teddy offered. Maya nodded and her cheeks turned pink.
Just as Teddy said that, Amelia and Carina opened the curtain. "Maya." Carina gasped, eyes widening.
"I'm-I'm-I'm okay." Maya stammered, breathing shakily. "You're shaking." Carina murmured, grabbing one of Maya's hands.
"I-I had a p-panic attack because I-I heard what was going on here and then the rope snapped and then I hit my head on-on the rocks and we fell and-and-" Maya explained, clearly distressed.
"Okay, bambina, it's okay. I'm here and you're safe, okay? Just breathe." Carina said, her heart aching for her wife and she pulled an oxygen mask over Maya's nose and mouth.
Maya's never had a panic attack this bad before. Usually, she can get herself out of it quickly, but this-this was on another level.
While Carina whispered sweet nothings to Maya, Amelia began checking out Maya's pupils and the gash on the back of her head.
"I don't see any sign of a brain bleed or anything, but I still want a CT to be sure. Do you want the sedative now or after?" Amelia asked, snapping off the latex gloves.
Maya cast a glance to Carina before answering. "Now p-please. I-I can't..." Maya trailed off. Carina kissed Maya's forehead gently as Amelia injected the medicine.
"You're safe, bambina, I've got you." Carina whispered as Maya's body relaxed, and her eyes fluttered shut.
