Victoria "Vic" Hughes was a firefighter at Station 19 of the Seattle Fire Department until she left her position to make Crisis One a national program. She was briefly engaged to Lucas Ripley until his death.
History[]
Early Life[]
Growing up, Victoria mainly lived with her grandmother Marion due to her parents being busy at their restaurant. While her father valued good grades, her grandmother was less strict and valued fun in life over professional success. She shared her love of musicals and singing talent with Vic. Over time, Vic learned to care for her grandmother as she began suffering from dementia. Vic landed the lead role in a performance of Pirates of Penzance and invited her parents to the premiere. They disappointed her by not showing up. Her grandmother, at that point heavily demented, used one of the tickets Vic had saved for her parents to get into the theater and loudly started singing along to "Poor Wandering One," one of the songs she and Vic used to sing together when she was younger. Marion even walked onto stage, further disrupting the performance.[3]
By 2012, her grandmother passed away and her parents returned to work almost immediately, leaving Vic to process her grief alone. At the time, she had landed the lead role in a musical and her emotions got the better of her during rehearsals. The director, Cooper, told her not to apologize for it as her emotional life had been part of the reason why he had chosen her for the role. During rehearsals, Captain Pruitt Herrera and a colleague arrived to make sure everything was up to fire safety regulations. Having passed the process with flying colors multiple times before with other productions, Cooper convinced him to let it slide this once to spare them all the time. Soon after, during a final rehearsal, a fire broke out backstage. The entire production's cast and crew managed to make it to the exit, except for Cooper, who tried to save an expensive piano. Vic, who had stayed in the room to make sure everyone made it out safely, witnessed his pants getting caught on fire. She ran back to the stage as Station 19 arrived. Pruitt pulled her away from the stage and took her outside while Cooper was being burned alive. The whole experience made her decide to get into the Fire Academy and she ended up working with Pruitt at Station 19.[4] By 2016, she joined the station as the new probie. On her first day, she met Travis in the locker room as he was crying over his husband's death. Her humor and cheerful demeanor made him laugh for the first time since Michael's death, marking the start of their close friendship.[5]
Leadership Changes and Fear of Fire[]
Tiffany's house caught on fire when her laptop cord sparked on her bed while she was in the bathroom. Station 19 responded to the fire. Pruitt sent Maya and Andy in to do search and rescue while Dean, Jack, and Travis put out the fire. Maya and Andy quickly found Tiffany and brought her outside, where she said Charlie was still inside. With the fire extinguished, they searched for Charlie and quickly found a puppy. Dean carried Charlie out and handed him over to a grateful Tiffany.[6]
While fighting an apartment fire, Jack and Pruitt got separated when Jack entered a kid's room to look for a child. When he came back out, he couldn't find Pruitt because of the smoke. He had to tell Andy he couldn't find her dad and she and Maya came to help look for him. They found him on the floor, unconscious and pulseless. They tried to take him out, but they noticed the fire was choking, so they couldn't go out of the apartment. Once Andy got a pulse on her father, they strapped him to Jack and the four of them jumped out the window onto landing pads. Pruitt was then taken to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, where he had surgery and then was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He knew he had to step down as Captain immediately. He said Jack could be in charge until they filled the job. When Andy protested that, he promoted her to lieutenant and said they could share the responsibilities until a new captain was officially chosen.[7]
Station 19 got called out to Stratford Middle School, where someone had pulled the fire alarm. Principal Linsley met them and said it was likely a false alarm. They said they'd won as quickly as they could to clear the building and get the kids back inside. They went through the building and found the alarm that had been pulled. They turned off the alarm and went continue their sweep, but Ben found Tuck still inside the building. He followed Tuck and saw that he was the one who had pulled the alarm. He needed to get Ben to the school for his friend Ava, who was pregnant and in labor. He did everything he knew to do, but still needed help. Ben and Vic delivered Ava's baby and after a brief complication when the amniotic sac didn't rupture, Ava and the baby were both healthy and stable.[8]
When a crash caused a tanker to overturn, Station 19 responded. Dean and Travis had to pry Shawn out of his car while Vic and Ben worked on the truck driver, who had gotten out of the cab and fallen. They noticed it was hot around them just as Andy realized it was an ethanol fire. It was surrounding Ben and Vic and they didn't have enough foam to put it out. Vic and Ben couldn't get out without leaving the truck driver there to die. They got him as wet and cool as they could as they treated him and then conserved their air while the rest of the team tried to figure out how to get them out. Andy eventually decided to back the truck over the flames to get them out and drive it back out.[9]
After Ben and Dean discovered that The Langham was on fire, they called the rest of the team in to help and started an evacuation. When the team arrived, they went up to the roof. They located the flame under the roof and created a ventilation hole, despite Jack wanting to make a strip. The hole wasn't sufficient to make the fire die down, so Andy authorized them to cut a strip. The strip worked and the fire started to die down. They got off the roof less than a minute before the roof collapsed.[10]
When Andy was confused about her feelings, she called Maya and Vic to drink and hang out. They talked on the porch and admitted Ryan's looks when he came over to talk to Andy.[11]
Station 19 responded to a medical call. Dallas called the police after her brother and friends wouldn't wake up when she pulled them out of the pool. They'd made ice cream with liquid nitrogen and poured the rest in the pool to make it look cool. They were able to get the kids all breathing again, but then Jack suddenly jumped into the pool. He emerged with another kid that Dallas thought had gone home. They got her breathing as well and Dallas went to give them numbers to contact parents, but she had trouble breathing and vomited. She was dry drowning. She was put in an ambulance and taken to the hospital.[12]
The team responded to a fire at a B&B on Sunken Meadow Road. Ben and Vic laid out the hoses, but before they could take them into the fire, a neighbor drove over one and popped it. They went to get a replacement line, but it turned out to be unnecessary because the fire was small and contained to the stovetop.
Vic tested out the fire simulator while no one else was around. When a fire burst toward her, she flinched and pulled the goggles off her face, making Ben suspect something was wrong.
They later returned to the Inn when the fire reignited and engulfed the building in flames. When a fire reignited in her face, Vic started to have a panic attack and Ben pulled her out while Andy doused the flames. Outside, Vic's ear was treated where it had been burned. Inside, Andy heard popping. She tried to go toward where she heard Deborah, but there were exploding wine bottles between them. They looked for the fuel that was feeding the fire to stop it off while Andy ran past the bottles to get to Deborah. Andy tied off her leg above a wound and then helped her out, using a tray as a shield from the glass. They were able to turn off the gas to the house, to keep it from reigniting. Once they got Deborah out, they realized she'd inhaled some glass. They couldn't intubate, so they did a crike and got her breathing again. Then they took her to the hospital. When Ben later came to Vic and offered to help her, she denied any trouble, saying she was still a rookie and something like that could damage her reputation forever.[13]
The team was called out for a fire, but it turned out to be a small e-cigarette fire and they were back at the station quickly.[14]
They were later called out again for a car accident involving downed electrical wires. They found Marshall trapped in his car with live wires around him. They moved the wires as they waited for the power to be shut off so they could get Marshall out of the car. However, when Vic noticed a fuel leak under his car, they were rushed, knowing that if a power line hit the gas, it would burst into flames and kill Marshall. So they coached him through hopping and landing with both feet simultaneously outside the car. Then he had to hop a few more times to safety. As he went to hop, a line snapped behind him, startling him, so he landed on his face instead of on his feet. The power was shut off soon after, but he was electrocuted severely. They attempted to resuscitate him, but they quickly realized the damage was too severe, so they had him call his wife, who was pregnant with triplets, one last time and tell her he loved her and their babies.[15]
While Jack and Andy were taking The Incinerator test, they left Travis in charge as he had seniority. He took his role very seriously. When they were called out to an intersection, they couldn't find the emergency. Suddenly, Vic noticed Piper calling out to them from here she was stuck in a pothole in the middle of a crosswalk. When a truck didn't notice her and was heading in her direction, Vic put herself between Piper and the truck and covered them. The truck swerved at the last minute and missed both of them. Travis was very cautious about making sure no one else fell in. They quickly discovered that the asphalt was digging into Piper's leg, keeping her trapped. They'd have to dig around her to free her. They dug for a while, but eventually, they had to pull Piper out when her leg started to swell. She was then taken to the hospital.[16]
Ben noticed Vic seemed to have a fear of fire after the tanker fire. He tried to help her, but she denied there was a problem. However, she later confessed to the rest of the team that she was afraid and they offered to help her without telling Jack or Andy, who would be obligated to report it.[17]
To help her, Travis took her to meditation class, where she just fell asleep due to being woken up so early.[18]
A fire started at Flanner's restaurant and quickly spread to the rest of the strip mall. Station 19 was called the respond. Jack rushed in to evacuate people, followed by Ryan, despite Ryan not wearing turnout gear. They evacuated all the survivors they could quickly while Maya, Dean, Vic, and Travis set up the lines to douse the fire. Once the structure became too unstable to continue, they prepared to start the water and ended evacuations. They then noticed a woman on the balcony holding a baby. Jack took the ladder from the engine over to her, but it took time and so Ryan asked the woman to toss down her baby, so she'd be ready to jump to Jack when he got close enough. After some hesitation, she tossed down her baby and he caught it. Then she was able to jump onto the ladder with Jack and was taken safely to the ground. Maya noticed Vic just starting at the flames and stood with her when she said it helped.[19]
While Andy was captain, they were called out to respond to Peter, who accidentally ran into a dumpster. On their way to the hospital, they came across a party bus that had crashed. Andy left Jack to monitor Peter while they helped the party bus victims. While they were waiting, Peter offered up the gurney he was on for them to use, so Jack left briefly to take it to them. While he was gone, Peter ransacked the ambulance looking for morphine. During the ensuing struggle with Jack, Peter put his hand through a pane of glass and degloved his finger. Jack, with Dean's help, was able to restrain him and bandage his hand before they were able to take him to the hospital.[20]
Despite being on an active call, Andy decided to have her team stop to help the victims of a crashed party bus because the responding station was still eight minutes away. They had to free Susan, who was impaled on a piece of the bus, and Carla, who was pinned under the bus, while also treating Mary and the other six victims who were free. They were able to get everyone out and stabilized before station 23 arrived to take over.[21]
Meeting Ripley and Skyscraper Fire[]
Vic was interviewed by Ripley to give input on who she thought should be captain of Station 19. In the interview, she criticized Ripley, saying that one of his departments, Station 23, was so slow that it forced Station 19 to stop and help. She then said he either had to pick Jack or Andy. Vic apologized for that, but Ripley said she could go, that she'd told him everything he needed to know about how Jack and Andy captained her.[22]
The station responded to a fire at the house of Audrey and Oliver. The fire started in a fireplace and was mostly contained to that area of the house. In order to put out the fire, they needed to go through the garage to get to the innermost part of the house. Audrey tried to get them access, but her blistered finger meant the pad couldn't read her print. Dean was sent to put the override code in, but he forgot the code and couldn't radio out because his radio was on the wrong channel, so after two failed attempts, the others were locked in the garage with no way out. Outside the garage, they had trouble getting access to the house as the windows wouldn't shatter. They broke several chain saws trying to get through. With no ability to vent the fire, it continued to spread. Vic called Pruitt, who had experience getting people out of a garage. When he learned Andy was trapped along with others, he came down to the scene. Since the windows of the house wouldn't shatter, they used sledgehammers to break the wall underneath and vent the fire. It still wasn't enough to cool down the garage, so to give the trapped people more time, Travis had all hoses redirected to spray the garage, hoping to cool it down even a small amount. The trapped were freed when they used the water heater to cause an explosion and compromise the door just enough to give them access.
When Jack later asked Dean what happened with the access pad, Vic covered for him and he assured her there wouldn't be a next time.[23]
Station 19 anxiously waited to be called in on the skyscraper fire. While they waited, they checked their supplies. When they were finally called in, they responded to the fire and went to base camp to receive their assignments. Most of the team was sent to relieve station 7 working on the active fire, but Ben and Travis were kept for triage and Maya and Vic were sent above the fire to do crowd control at a law firm where they were keeping civilians held in place. At the law firm, Maya and Vic worked with Molly, the fire coordinator for the floor who took her job very seriously. They had her watch the stairwell while they checked the floor. When the evacuation was started, they had to keep the civilians calm as they waited for their turns. They sent the first group down with Molly, but when the fire jumped floors through the windows, the civilians panicked and started running down the stairs, which led to them trampling Molly. Maya and Vic worked on fighting the fire and Vic found that she wasn't afraid anymore.[24]
Vic and Maya were evacuating the skyscraper together when they met up with Andy. Andy insisted on staying to rescue Jack, so Maya decided to stay with her to help and sent Vic down to find more people to help. On her way down, she found Travis, who had been left by Ben. She started tending to him and then dragging him down when she found that he was still alive. When Dean came back into the skyscraper and found them, he helped her get Travis out and into an ambulance to the hospital. When they arrived at the hospital, she was upset to see Ben because he'd left Travis. They waited for news on Travis and Molly and after learning that Molly had died, Vic asked Ben if he believed that Travis would live. He said that he hoped so. Travis ultimately survived his surgery and spent several weeks recovering afterward.[25]
New Captain at Station 19 and Relationship with Ripley[]
Six weeks after the skyscraper fire, the team gathered at the station to meet their new captain. Ripley introduced them to Robert Sullivan, who immediately established himself as a strict, by the book boss. He said he wanted to improve station 19's efficiency and wanted to start immediately.[26]
Station 19 was called out to help when Max Forrester fell into a storm drain after disappearing from the hospital. Ben, who had been left behind at the station due to a burn on his hand, was aided by Travis and Pruitt as he located plans for the storm drains' paths to see where Max was most likely to have gone. Station 23 had a feed down a drain that showed a handprint, giving them a clue where he'd gone. They quickly moved downstream from that location and Maya prepared to jump in to grab Max. However, her oxygen tank wasn't working, so they went to get a replacement tank. While she was gone, Andy heard Max's voice down below them. Over Maya and Sullivan's objections, Andy jumped down into the drain to try to get to him. However, the flow of water picked up and while she was pulled underwater, Max was swept away. Since they'd lost that chance to get him, they had only one more access point down the line. When they arrived, they learned that the opening was smaller than they expected, too small for an adult to fit down to get him. When they heard Max down below them, they considered using a jackhammer to widen the opening, but Ben found that there was a gas line near them and it's too risky. Since they couldn't get an adult down into the drain, they decided to send down a loop for Max to grab. Max was scared to let go and jump to the loop, even when his father told him to. His father finally told him that his mother was dying and encouraged him as he jumped and grabbed the loop. Max was then lifted to safety. Throughout the ordeal, Vic was annoyed that Andrew DeLuca had been brought along to help, though at the end of the day, he gave her the number of David Mayhorn, another firefighter who had a crush on her.[27]
Station 19 was called to the apartment of Evelyn after her downstairs neighbors were worried about her after her floor started collapsing into their apartment and she didn't answer her phone. When they heard creaking behind her door, they broke the lock, which showed that there were stacks of things filling her apartment, which was compromising the floor. They heard Evelyn calling out for help, but weren't able to get in because forcing the door open more could cause them to fall and cause more damage. Sullivan sent Dean to get support beams and Travis and Vic to evacuate the floor below them just in case. Evelyn said she had fallen and was having a hard time catching her breath. She'd recently had heart surgery. Andy wanted to wait for the structural engineers, but Sullivan said one person needed to go in. He wanted Ben to go in, but asked for Maya's input. Maya suggested sending in Andy instead, because she's lighter and has more experience. When Andy reached Evelyn and gave a report on her status, Ben talked her through doing draining the blood around Evelyn's heart. Andy then put her on the stretcher and got her out. The floor started to crack more as Andy went to leave and Sullivan pulled her to safety as the floor collapsed beneath her. Andy was upset to know that if she'd had her way and they waited for the engineers, Evelyn would have died.[28]
Station 19 was called out to a structure fire. When they arrived, they started a perimeter sweep to see if anyone might be inside and prepared to start fighting the fire. When Maya learned that the hydrant was dry because the building was scheduled for demolition, she suggested that once they cleared the building, they could use the water in the engine to drown the surrounding buildings and let it burn. Jack then saw signs that there were squatters inside. Just then a kid came out of the building with Zoe. He was handed off to be seen and Zoe tried to re-enter the building. Andy stopped her, saying she needed to be treated, too, but Zoe said there were five more kids inside. They found Sean and he was evacuated and treated. Andy then noticed a sprinkler system and said they needed to locate the valve. Zoe thought she knew where it was and showed Andy the way to it. Andy reached the valve just as Travis and Ben noticed that what was coming out of the sprinklers was flammable. She didn't get the warning in time and turned on the sprinklers, which caused fire to engulf the building. Dean and Vic ended up trapped with two kids and Andy ended up trapped with Zoe as well. Vic and Dean shared their oxygen with the kids until an exit was made and they were able to evacuate. Ben, Travis, and Andy remained trapped. Water was then finally available and they doused the building as quickly as they could. Everyone was evacuated and treated for smoke inhalation.[29]
Sullivan had suggested a peer group for firefighters to Travis and Vic to work out their conflict. They weren't going to go, but ultimately chose to. They were surprised to hear Fire Chief Ripley talk about the skyscraper fire and the trauma he still experienced in the aftermath. After the group was over, Vic found him and apologized for yelling at him at the fire. He suggested that at the next group, she should speak about her own experiences.[30]
The firefighters of station 19 held a training session for the police officers, teaching them first aid and CPR. Vic was paired with Andy in a group that contained Ryan. Vic tried to force them to talk by suggesting that Ryan go first.[31]
Upon learning it was Dean's birthday, Jack planned a surprise birthday party with the rest of the team. They ate cake and celebrated. At the party, Vic and Ripley flirted over the cake.[32]
After separating from Miranda, Ben wanted to feel a sense of togetherness, so he planned "Friendsgiving" with Jack at Dean's houseboat and invited the rest of the team. However, while they were still preparing the meal, the team was called away due to accidents from the windstorm.
At the station, they went over storm protocols and gathered extra supplies to be ready. Andy and Sullivan were soon after called out for a car accident, then Greg, Ryan, Pruitt, and Grant surprised the team by bringing Friendsgiving to the station. Meal prep continued, but another call came in and Ben, Dean, Travis, Maya, Vic, and Ripley headed out to cover it, leaving Jack alone at the station. On their way to the call, a tree branch went through the windshield of one of the engines and a fallen tree blocked the road for the other. Ripley and Vic stayed behind to cut up the tree while Maya led the rest of the team to the emergency on foot. After breaking up the whole tree, they finished the drive to the house, where a fire had started during a rescue. The fire was then extinguished. Ripley then announced that Seattle Fire Department wasn't taking calls anymore and everyone should seek shelter immediately, so the team returned to the station and sat down to eat. At the table, Ripley announced that Maya would be a lieutenant soon and he already put her in for a transfer to station 23.[33]
After noticing what was happening with Jack, Pruitt called out the rest of the team for not getting him help, knowing they'd all noticed that something was off about him. Dean used the ruse of cleanup duty to get Jack to go to the kitchen, where they held an intervention. He lashed out at them, but was interrupted by Ripley, coming to tell them they were taking calls again and their first call was search and rescue for Andy and Sullivan as no one had heard anything from them in over an hour. They all suited up. Ripley was called back to headquarters, so Pruitt stepped in as captain. Pruitt then benched Jack, left Travis to keep an eye on him, and called Maya up as lieutenant. They left to start the search. With difficulty, they found them and rescued them, but not before Shannon died.
Four months later, Pruitt presented Andy with a Medal of Valor. They then had a party in her honor. Vic didn't attend this party because she was spending time with Ripley instead.[34]
After learning that Ripley had told his sister about their relationship, Vic decided to tell Travis. He was shocked to learn she'd been hooking up with the Chief.[35]
When Kat came into the station to check it out, she met Andy and Vic. She was looking around at all the stations to see where she might fit in, but she didn't believe she'd be able to get a spot at 19. Andy decided to give her a proper tour. Andy and Vic then talked to Kat about her experience at the Academy and not feeling like she was improving. They suggested rice. They got two bowls of rice and had Kat grip and release it to improve her grip strength. They said Kat needed to find a way to distinguish herself. She revealed that the skyscraper fire had inspired her to apply to the academy, as she'd been working in the building. At the end of the day, Andy introduced Kat to Sullivan.[36]
One day, an RV crashed into the side of station 19. Andy was surprised to see a young girl climb out of the driver's seat. Ellie said her mother was shaking and wouldn't stop, so she tried to hit the brake, but hit the accelerator instead. Maya and Ben found her mother inside still seizing. To prevent further damage to the building, Travis disconnected the fuel in the vehicle. Then they worked to expand the exit to get Ellie's mother out. They freed her, but struggled to get her to stop seizing. After getting hit by the patient's hand, Vic stepped away to help Andy treat the daughter, giving her glucose and orange juice when she passed out from low blood sugar. She then stepped in to help stabilize the building.[37]
Ripley's Death and Funeral[]
Ripley died from the consequences of hydrofluoric acid poisoning with Vic by his side. After his death, she let his sister and Robert handle the funeral arrangements as she had decided she wasn't going. Her crew tried to convince her to go, but she insisted on not attending. In Travis's final attempt, she revealed she didn't want to go because she was no one to Ripley on paper. However, she changed her mind when Levi showed up at the station with a bouquet and told her that Lucas wanted to give her flowers that said that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. She went to the funeral and was invited by Jennifer to sit with her. Afterwards, she went to her and Lucas's diner and told Cameron that they were not married and that he had died.
Dating Jackson[]
Pregnancy and Abortion[]
After going to the hospital with Carina to check on her heart palpitations, Carina told that Vic was pregnant. When Vic expressed disbelief, Carina asked her when her last period was. Vic said she couldn't remember because days bled together since Dean had died. Carina told her palpitations could happen in early pregnancy.[38]
After the 10k in Turnouts run, Vic approached Carina about her abortion and told her that although she had said she wanted a medication abortion, she changed her mind and wanted to do it surgically instead. Carina tells her that she could do that, but she had to wait until she was six weeks pregnant to prevent the risk of incompletion. Vic decided to wait, and Carina said she'd make an appointment for the next week. After talking to Andy about the pregnancy and Andy's own past abortion, Vic decided again to have a medication abortion.[39] Theo supports Vic through this situation.
Taking Over Crisis One and Emotional Burnout[]
Personality[]
Victoria tends to meddle where she doesn't belong while revealing little to nothing about her own personal life. As the youngest member of the team, she is eager to prove herself as a crucial part of the team. She's fun-loving, sarcastic, and loyal.
Relationships[]
Romantic[]
David Mayhorn[]
After rescuing Max Forrester, Andrew DeLuca gave Vic the number of a firefighter from Station 23, David Mayhorn.[40] The two went out and had sex at Vic's apartment. The next morning, they woke up and said that neither of them usually did that, then proceeded to have sex again.[41] Vic referred to him as a very tall man blanket and nicknamed him Man Blanket 23.[42] According to Maya, Vic saw him three times a month before the windstorm, but the two ended things before Vic started seeing Ripley.[43]
Lucas Ripley[]
During the Captain peer reviews, Vic yelled at Chief Ripley for not doing his job and making sure all stations were as good as Station 19, stating that it took Station 23 eight minutes to get to the call which affected the team of 19.[44] After the skyscraper, Vic and Ripley had another confrontation in which she blamed him for evacuating the entire building with her whole team still inside and he told her if she came at him like that again, he'd fire her.[45]
When she saw him at the firefighter peer support group, she was surprised to hear that he struggled with the aftermath of the skyscraper fire. After the meeting, she apologized for any role she might have played in his feelings.[46] They then flirted at the police training session, which came to a head at Dean's birthday party, where they flirted over cake before eventually sleeping together after shift.[47] The next morning, she woke up while he was in the shower and decided to sneak out before he finished. She worried about what that said all day and asked Gibson for advice, but when he called at the end of the day, she answered and they presumably agreed to continue seeing each other.[48] Ripley visited Station 19 during the windstorm as it was central to the storm, but worried that it would seem like he was there to see her, not that he didn't want to see her, but they were at work. Vic said it wouldn't and that they could be professional at work. After working together on a call breaking up a tree, Vic and Ripley agreed that what they'd done was hot and hooked up at the station.[49]
After Ripley promoted Maya to lieutenant at station 23, Maya asked Vic for details (because Vic was seeing Mayhorn from 23) in front of Ripley. Vic quickly shut down the line of questioning. Ripley later tried asked Vic about Mayhorn, but they were interrupted by Pruitt. During Jack's intervention, he almost exposed Vic and Ripley's secret relationship, but was interrupted by Ripley with news about Herrera and Sullivan.
Four months after the windstorm, they were still seeing each other. They went to Astro Corner Coffee Shop so they could eat together in public. They then started to have sex in the parking lot, but the manager caught them and asked them not to.[50]
After learning that Ripley had told his sister about them, Vic started to consider telling someone herself. She decided to tell Travis and told Ripley that she'd told her best friend. Not realizing that meant Travis, Ripley said he knew that she had the sense to tell someone away from the station.[51]
While working together after the RV crashed into the station, Ripley figured out that Travis was the best friend that Vic had told about their relationship. He confronted Vic about it and Vic revealed that Gibson also knew about them. The two argued in Vic's bunk. Vic asked if their conversation should be over, but Lucas decided to walk away before he said something he didn't mean.[52]
After Vic saved a stranded couple and delivered their baby, Lucas was checking up on her in the Aid Car, but Vic told him she didn't need him and that she was awesome to which he responded that he knew. Later, Lucas was taking care of Vic at her apartment and Vic confronted him that they hadn't finished their fight and told him he was wrong because if an argument was all it took to break them up, they shouldn't even be together, so if they couldn't fight and make up, he could take his nice-smelling shirt and go. Lucas responded that he didn't want his shirt back and that no matter what, he didn't want to go, "I don't want to let you go." He then got into bed with Vic despite the fact that she was sick.[53]
Sometime after this, Lucas christened Vic with her nickname, "Eggy" because of the dish she ordered for breakfast at the Astro Corner Coffee Shop. The manager of the diner apologized about scolding them when they were about to have sex in the parking lot and said they were relationship goals. He also assumed that Vic and Lucas were married, calling Lucas Vic's hubby. Lucas then told Vic about his previous wives and that if he would get married a third time, he would take it very seriously and he wouldn't be game unless he knew it was really right.[54] Around this time, Vic met Jennifer, Lucas' sister, and the two hit it off even when Vic told her about how the two of them jumping out of planes during the weekends.[55]
During the blackout, Lucas dropped by the station and, upon seeing Pruitt happy from his vacation, suggested he and Vic also take a vacation, but Vic reminded him of why that wouldn't work and all the other strings involved. When the lights went off at the station, Vic and Lucas made out in the hallway. After the call, Vic came home to Lucas and he told her he had vacation days and didn't want to be the guy who didn't use them. They agreed to go and Vic said it didn't matter where because life is too short before realizing it wouldn't work out because it could ruin their careers. Lucas then suggested that maybe they shouldn't be a secret anymore and they shared a kiss.[56]
The next morning, they were in their diner discussing their options, and when Lucas told Vic about the disciplinary action involved if they went public, Vic was ready to back out. Lucas then suggested marriage as a way to cheat the system since rank didn't affect spouses working in the same department, but both of them decided it was too crazy before agreeing to explore other options. After Lucas went into a coffee processing plant to rescue the captain of station 42, Vic told him that they were reckless and that getting married to cheat the system wasn't them before proposing to him for real. Before he could say anything, she panicked and told him he didn't have to answer right then, so they agreed to meet at their diner in the morning for breakfast. The next morning, Vic went to the diner and waited for Lucas for two hours but he didn't show, so Vic stormed out, thinking he'd stood her up, and went to help with overhaul.[57]
Unbeknownst to her, Lucas was hospitalized due to a pre-existing condition and the effects from inhaling chemicals at the fire. While Lucas tried to reach her
himself, her team found her and told her what was happening while Vic was rescuing a victim. Vic managed to complete the rescue before rushing off to the hospital, regretting the fact that her last words to Lucas were "okie dokie". At the hospital, Vic got into a fight with Jennifer because Jennifer blamed Vic for Lucas' condition. When she found out Vic had proposed, Jennifer allowed Vic to see Lucas and when it was clear Lucas was dying, Jennifer told Vic to go say goodbye to him. The couple reunited, albeit briefly. Vic said they could finally take that vacation and described their dream vacation. Lucas then accepted Vic's proposal and asked if they could get someone in the room to get married, but Vic just wanted to have the moment with him, just them. A crying Vic told him she was really ready to spend the rest of her life with him and Lucas said that at least he got to spend the rest of his with her. They shared a kiss and Vic held his hand until he died. Later, Vic was lying on top of the firetruck crying over her dead fiancé as she remembered when they said "I love you" for the first time while her team surrounded her.[58]
After Lucas died, Vic crashed with Andy and Maya, but left their apartment to go to the diner. When asked where her "hubby" was by the manager, Vic lied and said he was at work. Later, she went to work where she tried to act like nothing had happened despite the fact that it was the day before Lucas' funeral and everyone was concerned. She also announced that she wasn't going to the funeral, much to her team's disappointment. Travis, Sullivan, and Jennifer all tried to convince her to attend the funeral, but Vic refused, saying that she was nothing to Lucas. While arguing with Travis, she referred to Lucas as someone who could have been the love of her life, but wasn't her husband. Later, Levi Schmitt brought Vic a bouquet of flowers that was similar to the one Lucas had bought for her, telling her that Lucas said the bouquet meant he wanted to spend his entire life with her. This finally conviced Vic to attend the funeral and she joined Jennifer who asked her to sit in the area reserved for family members. Vic was devastated and she cried at the funeral before telling Andy and Maya she wanted to be alone afterwards. She took the bouquet of flowers and went to the diner where she told Cam the manager of the diner that Lucas wasn't her husband and she'd lied about him being at work before admitting that Lucas had died.[59]
Jackson Avery[]
Vic met Jackson when she responded to a call and found him holding Jai Prishna, who was dangling from a rope over a cliff. She helped him wench Jai up to safety. Later, when she was at the hospital to drop off another patient, he asked her to go get burgers, but she said maybe another time. Later, they had lunch together in the park and talked about Jai. She told him about Lucas dying and he told her about his recent breakup with Maggie. They both agreed that it wasn't a great time for either of them to start a new relationship. Despite this, they continued to see each other, though it remained mostly platonic.[60]
Theo Ruiz[]
She and Theo flirted over their morning jog.[61] He later asked her out on a date after seeing her outside her parents' restaurant, which he said had the best pierogi in town. She turned him down, saying she wasn't really dating because of the pandemic.[62] However, at a later meeting, Vic said she may have been a little rash turning him down and they made arrangements to go for a date after their next Covid test.[63] The date went well, but while they were together, Theo got a call asking him to sub at station 19 the next day. Vic asked him not to tell anyone they were seeing each other and he agreed to that. When they were at the station, Vic learned that Theo was previously a captain and was the reason Travis's husband, Michael, was dead. Vic told him they couldn't see each other anymore because of that, but later comforted him when he said that day didn't just haunt Travis.[64]
On the day of Maya and Carina's wedding, Anthony Hughes invited Theo to join the celebration. He did and after the wedding, he ended up kissing Vic outside her parents' restaurant.[65] At the firefighter's ball, after learning that Andy was officially the new captain, Theo and Vic got into a heated argument and ended their relationship.[66]
Familial[]
Anthony Hughes and Lenya Hughes[]
Her parents own Kaminski's, a restaurant that serves Polish food. It's not successful enough for them to hire help so they run it themselves and are there all the time. As such, they don't have free time to visit their daughter, which means she has to go to the restaurant if she wants to see them.[67] Their restaurant got destroyed during a protest, which brought Vic and her parents together.[68] It was remodeled in time for Maya and Carina's Wedding.[69]
She never met her mother's side of the family because Lenya was kicked out of her family when she chose to marry a Black man, and her family even refused to meet Vic.[70]
Marion Hughes[]
Vic had a strong relationship with her grandmother. She would watch movies with her and share her grades with her. Her grandmother developed dementia though and would forget things. Vic was often the one taking care of her grandmother and making sure she took her pills. Vic's grandmother's favorite show was "Pirates Of Penzance" [71]
Friendships[]
Travis Montgomery[]
Two weeks after his husband died, Travis was working at Station 19, where he met Vic. They had a rocky start because she disliked him second-guessing her, but Vic helped him through his grief and they bonded as Travis pushed Vic to train harder and do better.[72]
When Vic struggled with her fear of fire, she told her team while Andy and Jack were at the Incinerator and the team promised to help her overcome it while keeping it a secret from the two lieutenants as they were required to report it. Travis took Vic to meditation class where they ran into Grant and later helped Maya run some drills with Vic.[73]
Vic was the one who found Travis in the stairwell at the skyscraper fire and dragged him down the stairs before running into Miller who helped her carry Travis outside. She rode with Travis in the Aid Car and waited for news on his condition with Warren and Grant.[74]
Upon his return to work, Travis noticed some tension between himself and Vic. He asked her about it, but she denied anything was wrong. This later built up to a fight when she revealed that she was upset that he'd quit on life in the skyscraper. Sullivan told them to stop fighting at the station and suggested a peer support group where they could go.[75] After the peer support group, their friendship seemed to be on the mend as they were seen discusing Travis and Grant's relationship and Vic told her friend he needed to spice things up.[76] When Travis was struggling with the fact that Grant didn't want to get married, he asked Vic for her advice and she told him that marriage wasn't everyone's endgame.[77]
After she found out that Ripley told his sister about their relationship, Vic told Travis who was shocked and the two discussed Ripley being Vic's new hobby. Vic also comforted Travis when he revealed he was still hung up on Michael.[78] Travis knowing later led to Vic and Ripley's first fight when he accidentally revealed to the latter that he knew about their secret relationship.[79] When Vic was upset after her and Ripley's fight, Travis comforted her but sent her home when she was sick.[80]
When Ripley ran into the burning coffee plant to rescue another captain, Travis made sure to support Vic and when Vic returned to overhaul, Travis asked her what had happened with Ripley since he knew about the proposal.[81] Travis was worried to tell Vic about Ripley's condition while she was on the tower, but at Herrera's insistence, he radioed Vic and told her what had happened. He later told Vic that if she needed him to hunt down Dr. Pierce for her he would. When Vic had to go and say goodbye to Lucas, Travis held her hand as they walked through the hallway and he also hugged her when the entire team laid down with Vic on the firetruck while she cried over the loss of Ripley.[82]
After Ripley died, Travis was very concerned for Vic and he was surprised when she was back at work. He offered to take Vic to his place or to Andy and Maya's as Vic wasn't back at her apartment, but Vic refused and lashed out. When Vic said she wasn't coming to the funeral, Travis constantly tried to convince her to come which led to a fight between the two in which Vic pointed out the differences between her and Travis' experiences with loss, adding that she wasn't Travis and Lucas wasn't Travis' husband. In the end, though Vic did go to the funeral.[83]
Jack Gibson[]
After Dean's death and Thanksgiving, Vic invited Jack over to Travis's house to keep him company as they were both still healing from their friend's death. Vic asked Jack if he could help her with the bathroom remodel. Vic brought alcohol to drink and they ended up kissing.[84] On Christmas Day, Vic confessed to Theo that she had kissed Jack.[85]
Professional[]
Career[]
Victoria is a firefighter at Station 19 of the Seattle Fire Department. She is the youngest recruit at the station and eager to prove her worth because of it. Her special skill is regulating her O2 intake. When Sullivan assigned specialties, he assigned her crisis management.[86]
Notes and Trivia[]
- She grinds her teeth in her sleep.[87]
- She uses the song "I'm a Little Teapot" to distract her brain.[88]
- She keeps a journal.[89]
- She once housesat for Maya and kept the key.[90]
- She went to college on a singing scholarship.[91]
- She hates running.[92]
- She is bad at keeping secrets.[93]
- When Vic was 14, she snuck out of her bedroom window and went dancing at a rave.[94]
- She brought brownies to her and Theo's first date.[95]
- She was eight credits shy of her bachelor's degree in musical theatre at the time of her director's death.[96]
- She lives with Travis and her bedroom is Theo's former bedroom.[97]
- She was 32 as of the time she was electrocuted.[98]
- Her dad used to play "Reasons" from "That's the Way of The World" by Earth, Wind, & Fire on vinyl for her.[99]
- She forgets to water her plants and when they die, she buys new ones before Travis notices.[100]
Gallery[]
A more complete gallery with pictures of Victoria Hughes can be found here. |
Notable Episodes[]
These episodes are Vic-centric or are otherwise very informative about her life.
- Invisible to Me
- Stronger Together
- When It Rains, It Pours!
- Always Ready
- Poor Wandering One
- Bad Guy
- Say Her Name
- Little Girl Blue
- The Little Things You Do Together
- With So Little to Be Sure Of
Memorable Quotes[]
- Victoria: Lucas Ripley, will you marry me for real?[101]
- Victoria: I was really ready to spend the rest of my life with you, Lucas Ripley.
- Lucas: At least I get to spend the rest of mine with you.[102]
- Victoria: You're triggered? You're triggered!? I am triggered and you haven't noticed, and you ... I don't know. Maybe this is partially my fault, because I don't let on because if I ... if I let these feelings I'm having get past the dam that I've built in my throat, I would drown this whole building. Theo, you could have died today.
- Theo: Yeah, I know.
- Victoria: Yeah, you know, you and Travis, my boyfriend and my best friend. Is any of this ringing any bells for you?
- Theo: Yeah.
- Victoria: This is... If something had happened to you today. If something had happened to Travis. I always feel like I have to be the nurse and that's fine, but what if I have to play that role of being the widow, again? I just don't think ... I can't do it again. How am I having this conversation in a freaking towel? I'm just ... I'm a clown. Sometimes I need a nurse. Sometimes I need a nurse. Sometimes I'm the one who needs ...[103]
Appearances[]
Grey's Anatomy, Season 16 | |||||
#01 | "Nothing Left to Cling To" | #08 | "My Shot" | #15 | "Snowblind" |
#02 | "Back in the Saddle" | #09 | "Let's All Go to the Bar" | #16 | "Leave a Light On" |
#03 | "Reunited" | #10 | "Help Me Through the Night" | #17 | "Life on Mars?" |
#04 | "It's Raining Men" | #11 | "A Hard Pill to Swallow" | #18 | "Give a Little Bit" |
#05 | "Breathe Again" | #12 | "The Last Supper" | #19 | "Love of My Life" |
#06 | "Whistlin' Past the Graveyard" | #13 | "Save the Last Dance for Me" | #20 | "Sing It Again" |
#07 | "Papa Don't Preach" | #14 | "A Diagnosis" | #21 | "Put on a Happy Face" |
Grey's Anatomy, Season 17 | |||||
#01 | "All Tomorrow's Parties" | #07 | "Helplessly Hoping" | #13 | "Good as Hell" |
#02 | "The Center Won't Hold" | #08 | "It's All Too Much" | #14 | "Look Up Child" |
#03 | "My Happy Ending" | #09 | "In My Life" | #15 | "Tradition" |
#04 | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | #10 | "Breathe" | #16 | "I'm Still Standing" |
#05 | "Fight the Power" | #11 | "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" | #17 | "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" |
#06 | "No Time for Despair" | #12 | "Sign O' the Times" |
Grey's Anatomy, Season 18 | |||||
#01 | "Here Comes the Sun" | #08 | "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" | #15 | "Put It to the Test" |
#02 | "Some Kind of Tomorrow" | #09 | "No Time to Die" | #16 | "Should I Stay or Should I Go" |
#03 | "Hotter Than Hell" | #10 | "Living In a House Divided" | #17 | "I'll Cover You" |
#04 | "With a Little Help From My Friends" | #11 | "Legacy" | #18 | "Stronger Than Hate" |
#05 | "Bottle Up and Explode!" | #12 | "The Makings of You" | #19 | "Out for Blood" |
#06 | "Everyday Is a Holiday (With You)" | #13 | "Put the Squeeze On Me" | #20 | "You Are the Blood" |
#07 | "Today Was a Fairytale" | #14 | "Road Trippin'" |
Grey's Anatomy, Season 19 | |||||
#01 | "Everything Has Changed" | #08 | "All Star" | #15 | "Mama Who Bore Me" |
#02 | "Wasn't Expecting That" | #09 | "Love Don't Cost a Thing" | #16 | "Gunpowder and Lead" |
#03 | "Let's Talk About Sex" | #10 | "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" | #17 | "Come Fly With Me" |
#04 | "Haunted" | #11 | "Training Day" | #18 | "Ready to Run" |
#05 | "When I Get to the Border" | #12 | "Pick Yourself Up" | #19 | "Wedding Bell Blues" |
#06 | "Thunderstruck" | #13 | "Cowgirls Don't Cry" | #20 | "Happily Ever After?" |
#07 | "I'll Follow the Sun" | #14 | "Shadow of Your Love" |
Station 19, Season 1 | |||||
#01 | "Stuck" | #05 | "Shock to the System" | #09 | "Hot Box" |
#02 | "Invisible to Me" | #06 | "Stronger Together" | #10 | "Not Your Hero" |
#03 | "Contain the Flame" | #07 | "Let It Burn" | ||
#04 | "Reignited" | #08 | "Every Second Counts" |
Station 19, Season 2 | |||||
#01 | "No Recovery" | #07 | "Weather the Storm" | #13 | "The Dark Night" |
#02 | "Under the Surface" | #08 | "Crash and Burn" | #14 | "Friendly Fire" |
#03 | "Home To Hold Onto" | #09 | "I Fought the Law" | #15 | "Always Ready" |
#04 | "Lost and Found" | #10 | "Crazy Train" | #16 | "For Whom the Bell Tolls" |
#05 | "Do a Little Harm..." | #11 | "Baby Boom" | #17 | "Into the Wildfire" |
#06 | "Last Day on Earth" | #12 | "When It Rains, It Pours!" |
Station 19, Season 3 | |||||
#01 | "I Know This Bar" | #07 | "Satellite of Love" | #13 | "Dream a Little Dream of Me" |
#02 | "Indoor Fireworks" | #08 | "Born to Run" | #14 | "The Ghosts That Haunt Me" |
#03 | "Eulogy" | #09 | "Poor Wandering One" | #15 | "Bad Guy" |
#04 | "House Where Nobody Lives" | #10 | "Something About What Happens When We Talk" | #16 | "Louder Than a Bomb" |
#05 | "Into the Woods" | #11 | "No Days Off" | ||
#06 | "Ice Ice Baby" | #12 | "I'll Be Seeing You" |
Station 19, Season 4 | |||||
#01 | "Nothing Seems the Same" | #07 | "Learning to Fly" | #13 | "I Guess I'm Floating" |
#02 | "Wild World" | #08 | "Make No Mistake, He's Mine" | #14 | "Comfortably Numb" |
#03 | "We Are Family" | #09 | "No One is Alone" | #15 | "Say Her Name" |
#04 | "Don't Look Back in Anger" | #10 | "Save Yourself" | #16 | "Forever and Ever, Amen" |
#05 | "Out of Control" | #11 | "Here It Comes Again" | ||
#06 | "Train in Vain" | #12 | "Get Up, Stand Up" |
Station 19, Season 5 | |||||
#01 | "Phoenix from the Flame" | #07 | "A House Is Not a Home" | #13 | "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire" |
#02 | "Can't Feel My Face" | #08 | "All I Want for Christmas is You" | #14 | "Alone in the Dark" |
#03 | "Too Darn Hot" | #09 | "Started from the Bottom" | #15 | "When the Party's Over" |
#04 | "100% or Nothing" | #10 | "Searching for the Ghost" | #16 | "Death and the Maiden" |
#05 | "Things We Lost in the Fire" | #11 | "The Little Things You Do Together" | #17 | "The Road You Didn't Take" |
#06 | "Little Girl Blue" | #12 | "In My Tree" | #18 | "Crawl Out Through the Fallout" |
Station 19, Season 6 | |||||
#01 | "Twist and Shout" | #07 | "We Build Then We Break" | #13 | "It's All Gonna Break" |
#02 | "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" | #08 | "I Know A Place" | #14 | "Get It All Out" |
#03 | "Dancing With Our Hands Tied" | #09 | "Come As You Are" | #15 | "What Are You Willing to Lose" |
#04 | "Demons" | #10 | "Even Better Than the Real Thing" | #16 | "Dirty Laundry" |
#05 | "Pick Up The Pieces" | #11 | "Could I Leave You?" | #17 | "All These Things That I've Done" |
#06 | "Everybody Says Don't" | #12 | "Never Gonna Give You Up" | #18 | "Glamorous Life" |
Station 19, Season 7 | |||||
#01 | "This Woman's Work" | #05 | "My Way" | #09 | "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" |
#02 | "Good Grief" | #06 | "With So Little to Be Sure Of" | #10 | "One Last Time" |
#03 | "True Colors" | #07 | "Give It All" | ||
#04 | "Trouble Man" | #08 | "Ushers of the New World" |