"I set up a rest area for you on the couch,"; Owen told his son as he helped TK into the house after they came out of the hospital.

It was the day TK was released from the hospital. Owen led his son to the sofa where he took a seat. Surprised, Tyler discovered that his father had placed all the things that he felt were contributing to his well-being on the kitchen table.

His headphones and his X Box, his Ipad and some drinks. TK grinned amused.

"That's not gonna happen for the next few weeks, is it? Dad, you really don't need to mother me?" Owen smiled in amusement.

"I took three days off. I think you're gonna need someone to take care of you. " With these words he grabbed a blanket and put it over TK before he sat down on the free side of the couch. Tyler grinned tiredly. The drive home from the hospital had exhausted him.

Owen looked at him, gently took TKs hand.

"I'm glad you're alive. "

"Me too, Dad. " He tried to sit up, his face was distorted with pain.

"Try to get some sleep. In the meantime, I'll fix us something to eat and then wake you up. "

Owen tried to sit up, but TK. reached for his hand.

"Could you stay here a little while longer?"; Owen understood immediately, made a very telling head movement.

"Come on, move over. " He grabbed a second blanket, took TK. in his arms. Just like old times. There was something comforting about having your son with you.

Smelling TK and knowing that he was doing well was a visible relief. Tyler placed his head on his father's chest. He had been doing that since he was a little boy. Often he had fallen asleep from it. Owen gently stroked the roots of his hair.

"Thank you. "

"For what?"

"For being there. At the hospital. And for anything else."

"That goes without saying. "

"Apparently not to Mom." Owen sighed.

"TK, you know your mother. She wanted to come, but couldn't get a plane."

"She wouldn't have taken it otherwise. "

"Hey"; Owen paused, looking at his son, who tiredly snuggled up to his father.

"She loves you as I do. "

"Oh, yeah? Then where was she when I OD'd? Or back then, in rehab? Who brought my clothes to rehab? Mom? She was away on business in China again."

Owen didn't say anything, again continuously drove his son over his forehead.

"TK, we were both not there for you enough. Maybe Mom's not at the point yet where she realizes how bad you've felt and what mistakes we've made. "

"Well, she can't if she never sees me. " Owen sighed, but now he didn't say anything back.

"She was worried. Just like me. "

"Let's not talk about Mom anymore, okay?"; Owen gave his son a kiss on the forehead. He felt the tears welling up in him. The straddles of the last few days had visibly affected him. Eventually, he began to cry silently, which Tyler had not failed to notice.

"Dad? Are you crying?"; Owen shook his head. Too fast for TKs.

"These are the side effects of the drugs. You know, for the chemotherapy. " TK snuggled up to his father and took his hand. He didn't want to offend Owen in his male pride. At some point he had fallen asleep because of his father's steady heartbeat.

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Owen watched his sleeping son. He didn't dare get up because he didn't want to wake TK.

Thoughtfully he looked at his boy. He had so many similarities with his mother. When Owen was standing in the kitchen an hour later, he was woken by a soft whimper.

"TK"? he whispered worriedly and realized that his boy was rolling restlessly on the couch. Apparently, he seemed to be dreaming.

"TK, hey. " Carefully Owen stepped closer, felt TK's forehead. All of a sudden, he sat up in bed.

"Dad?"

"Hey, it's okay. You were asleep. " TK struggled with tears. Owen realized that his son seemed visibly upset. Gently he stroked his forehead.

"What did you dream?"

"I don't know. Some incoherent stuff. From back in New York. I watched myself dying. " The firefighter smiled at the younger one encouragingly.

"Hey, it's over, okay?"; Tk said nothing, reached out for Owen's hand and crawled into his arms. Owen held his son, pressed a kiss on his dark hair.

"I'm here for you, you know that?" Sniffing, TK. nodded his head.

"Come on, big boy. Let's get something to eat first, and then you'll have a nice day on the couch. " TK smiled at his father through his tears.

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"TK , listen. I want to ask you a favor. "

Tense, Owen put the empty plates into the dishwasher before he sat back down in his old place. Surprised, Tyler looked up, nodding his head.

"Sure, go ahead. " Owen seemed obviously nervous.

"You know I'm still in therapy right now because of the things that happened on 9/11. "

TK nodded understandingly.

"My therapist asked if maybe you'd like to come along to present the situation from your perspective. That might help me."

Surprised, TK looked for words.

"Wow, this is sudden. "

"I know. By the way, you should also attend your own therapy sessions. I'm sure you have some things to discuss with your therapist after the shooting. "

"Dad, don't worry about it. I'm okay. I don't remember anything about the shooting. I'm absolutely cracking up."

"You sure?"

He nodded quickly.

"If you want me to, I'll come to your therapy, of course. No problem."

"Thank you. " Tyler had already risen to the top and was about to run to the couch when Owen interrupted him with a question.

"Tyler?"

"Yeah?"

The fact that Owen didn't call him TK already alarmed him.

"Were you trying to kill yourself?"

"What?"; Irritated, TK turned back.

"Did you want to kill yourself back in New York? You know what I mean,"; he alluded to the overdose of oxycodone. Tk didn't look his father in the eye, just swallowed hard. For a long moment he said nothing. Owen looked at him overwhelmed. There was so much suffering in his eyes.

"I'm not judging, I just want to know. " TK avoided his gaze, then shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. I just didn't know where to go from there. Alex was my foothold then. And I suddenly lost it. " TK made a derogatory hand movement.

"But don't worry, I handled it professionally. " Owen smiled sadly. They looked at each other for a long time before TK. started talking.

"I'm sorry, Dad. You've been through a lot with me. " Owen spread his hands out.

"That's what I'm your father for, huh?"; They held each other in their arms for a long moment. Only the ringing from the direction of the door made them go away from each other.

TK looked at Owen with irritation.

"Is that Zoe? Do you have a date?"

"Not that I know of. " Since TK held his shoulder and still seemed to be visibly weak, Owen decided to open up. Surprised, he stared at Carlos, who looked at him friendly.

"Hey, is TK there? I wanted to drop by for a while so that he could get back on his feet quickly,"; he pointed to a bag of delicacies. Owen smiled kindly at the policeman.

"Well, come on in."