In Flames // 9-1-1 Fox (seasons 1-4)

nineteen

"You smell like a diner," Hen commented as Mariana entered the locker room. She rolled her eyes as she placed her bag on the bench and opened her locker.

"Morning shift at the group home means five million pancakes," she explained as she pulled her shirt over her head. She reached out to grab her shirt when Hen let out a low whistle.

"Is that a tattoo I see?" the older woman called.

Mariana turned, revealing the five butterflies inked into her skin. They seemed to be flying up her shoulder and curled around her bicep. She glanced back at the ink and grinned.

"Got it a few weeks ago. What do you think?"

"It suits you perfectly. Five butterflies...your family?"

"A reminder that they're always with me," Mariana responded almost shyly. She was still pretty new to the whole "being open with her emotions" thing. She hurriedly threw on her LAFD shirt before stripping out of her shorts and sliding on her NOMEX pants. She tucked the shirt into her pants, slid on the belt, and started on her shoes in under a minute. Perks of learning to put uniforms on quickly.

"I'm happy for you, kid," Hen said as she started to leave the locker room. "You should hurry though. Bobby's making omelets this morning."

Mariana let out a soft "ooo" as she finished lacing up her boots. Throwing her bag into her locker, the brunette focused on braiding her thick, dark hair back into a tight french braid in the hopes that it would last all shift. It usually didn't, but a girl could dream.

"Buck! Omelet day," she called as she exited the locker room and saw her friend. He grinned and gestured for her to go up the steps before him. "What a gentleman."

"Only for you, Mari."

She joined Hen and Chimney at the island and grabbed a plate, intending on just diving into the eggy goodness when Chimney stopped her.

"If you weren't a firefighter, what would you be?"

"Uh, other than a nurse? Arrested, probably."

Chimney let out a snort of amusement as Hen choked on her egg. Mariana shrugged innocently. "Seriously, Athena always says she's surprised I didn't end up handcuffed in the back of her car more often. If we're being reasonable, however, then probably a social worker. Help out kids in situations like mine."

"Buck, what about you?"

"Uh, I don't know. I'm not getting fired, am I?" the blond asked, a panicked look on his face. Mari smirked and stole some of the bell peppers Bobby was adding to the pan. He smacked her hand with the spatula and sent her a warning glare that soon lightened into a teasing dad look.

"That's inevitable," Chimney muttered.

"He'd be a golden retriever," Hen declared.

"Or a bartender! Or a bouncer at a bar!"

"Bouncer at a strip club."

They high fived as Buck sat next to Mari at the bar. Bobby deposited the omelet on her plate and she sent him a thumbs up before digging in.

"What's going on with you, kid?" Bobby asked the youngest member of the team due to his unusual presence of not being hyperverbal.

"The traffic sucks in this town unless you're driving ten tons of engine with sirens," Buck complained.

"Or when you're pushing one hundred and ten and breaking numerous traffic laws," Mariana muttered.

"It took me almost two hours to get from Abby's place to the call center downtown and back over here. I should tell Maddie she needs to start ubering."