I'm Always On Your Side

by darkgirl3

Tarlos deal with some of the fear that's left over from the fire and what their dads did.

I Own Nothing

AN: Okay I had to add something to episode 12 and I have another idea as well. However, the ending of this I hadn't planned on writing, but I had a thought while watching the episode again. I wanted to know what exactly Carlos was doing when he'd been in that table thing behind him after TK told him to call 911 cause it didn't look like either of their phones were there.

Summary: Tarlos deal with some of the fear that's left over from the fire and what their dads did.

Title: I'm Always On Your Side

TK wasn't sure what woke him up at first. He'd been sleeping with Carlos' arms wrapped around him. His back pressed against Carlos' front when they fell asleep hours ago. They'd been staying with his dad til they got another place. It had only been one day since they'd nearly burned to death in their other place because of an insane arsonist that tried to pin it on his dad. He still hadn't processed it all his self, but he knew that Carlos was struggling just as much. The guy had wanted to kill them both to get back at their dads.

He still could remember the way Carlos looked when they were getting ready to go out the window. The way he'd held onto him so tightly after they were safe outside. He had been in plenty of fires before and he'd never been as scared as he'd been the night before. He had done his best to keep it together not to panic. His mind had been racing and all he'd thought about was keeping Carlos safe. After they'd gotten to his dad's they'd fallen asleep wrapped up in each other's arms clinging to the other just to know they were still alive.

Now though TK heard the noise again which was a whimper followed by no. He turned over finding Carlos rolled on his back now. After a second it was clear that his boyfriend was having a bad dream. Earlier in the day his dad had shaken both of them awake because they'd both been trapped in their own nightmares. This time though he woke up first without the after affects of the feel of being burned alive. He moved so he was closer to Carlos gently shaking his shoulders saying his name trying to get him to wake up. It made him feel horrible when he heard Carlos screaming for him in his sleep.

"Baby, wake up. It's just a nightmare, we're alive. I got you, just open your eyes, babe." TK said.

He saw the confused look when Carlos opened his eyes finally. He hated the fear and down right terror looking back at him. He wanted to take away the pain he knew that Carlos was feeling even if he'd told him multiple times that it was going to be okay. They had survived and once again his dad had saved his life. It had been his dad that pieced it together that they were the next target. He didn't know how long it was going to take until they were both okay again. Their dads were still apologizing for what they'd done too causing not only the fight they'd had, but the fact they'd become targets almost dying.

~TKC CTK~

"TK?" Carlos asked blinking before he looked around seeing that he was in one of the guest rooms in Owen's house with TK beside him.

He still remembered the dream right before he woke up, no it was a nightmare. They'd burned to death in the bedroom not able to get out. It had been like he was seeing it from his ghost's point of view. He'd been over his body which had been burned up. He'd been holding onto TK who'd been just as burned up. He still could remember the heat of the fire. He'd never been in anything like that before. He'd seen his death before they'd been rescued. When TK had told him to go for the window he'd almost panicked, but TK had kept his head. He'd known what to do, but before they could jump Owen, Billy, and Judd had been there to get them out.

The thought of never being able to hold TK again because he was dead, they were dead, hurt more than anything he'd ever thought of. The nightmare he'd had earlier when Owen had woken them both up also came back to him. He'd been alone when the place burned down and he'd never gotten to tell TK how sorry he was even if they'd agreed they wouldn't apologize for what their dads had done. In the nightmare they'd never known the truth though. He'd died not knowing it had been a fake out and he'd seen the after affects. His mind had played them out of how badly it could have affected TK. Right now knowing they could have died if they'd been sleeping apart because of them being in the dark made his heart break.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I ever made you think I wasn't on your side. I never want you to think I don't believe you again. I love you so much and I couldn't deal if you never got to know how much. You're the first person I want to see every morning. When we go to bed at night your eyes are the last things I want to look into." Carlos said before taking a breath. He felt like he was going to fall apart. He'd done cried twice already, but he still felt like he was going to be shoved off a cliff at any moment.

TK moved from where he was so that he was straddling Carlos holding him in his arms. "I love you too. I wish I could take them away and make it better. It's okay to feel scared and terrified. He's dead and we're alive, but I'm still terrified of closing my eyes too. It's going to take time, but we'll finally feel like we can sleep again without fear of dying. Until then I got you, no matter how long it takes." TK said moving his hands over Carlos' back kissing just below his ear.

"I died alone, it's what I was dreaming earlier when you asked. This time we were burned up holding each other beside the bed. No one saved us." Carlos said in a choked sob before he finally let his self break.

It wasn't like the night before at the fire either. It was an out right sob holding onto TK as if he would vanish if he wasn't. His entire body was shaking with the tears falling against TK's skin. He hadn't cried like this in years, not even the night after they'd saved TK from being kidnapped. He'd never been so scared as he'd been the night before not knowing if he'd live or die. He'd given up, that was the thing, if TK hadn't been with him taking action he'd probably just died in the room not knowing how to get out.

TK held onto Carlos letting his own tears fall because it was all too much. He'd needed this too letting it all go. The night he'd helped Mateo put the house back together he'd wanted so many times to be with Carlos holding onto each other. Instead he'd felt so alone, scared, terrified, and on the edge. He'd never wanted a fix so bad in his life, but he hadn't done it. He'd kept holding onto hope that it was a bad dream. He just couldn't pull his self out of it, but this was the real deal. They were both trying to deal with what happened. Not only the fire that destroyed their home, but what happened between them. They kept holding onto each other letting the pain go not once letting go.

~TKC CTK~

The first rays of sun were coming through the blinds when TK woke up again. He was lying with his body on top of Carlos'. His face buried against his neck with their chests against each other. They'd cried their selves out falling into a dreamless sleep at some point. He felt drained and his eyes were beyond dry. It wasn't just from the crying either, they were still irritated from the smoke and fire two nights ago. He went to move, but Carlos' arms were wrapped around him tighter than he thought.

"Don't go anywhere." Carlos mumbled his voice laced with sleep.

"Let me go to the bathroom and I promise I'll be back for more snuggles." TK said kissing Carlos gently.

Carlos returned the kiss before reluctantly letting go. "Don't forget your pants." He said since they'd both gone to bed naked. He didn't think TK wanted to give Mateo or Owen a morning surprise. The bathroom was down the hall after all which meant they had to leave the room. He might have forgotten the morning before.

"I'm not you, babe." TK grinned grabbing a pair of sleep shorts before he took off to the bathroom. They'd gone and gotten a few replacement outfits the day before since all they'd had was what they'd left the house in.

Carlos watched TK as he left the room before he rolled over reaching in the nightstand pulling something out of the drawer. He opened the box up looking at the ring. It was the only thing that was left of their place. He'd gotten it out of the drawer right after TK told him to put a towel out of the window. It was right before the room caught on fire and he'd thought they were going nto die. He'd been trying to say he loved him and wanted to be with him forever. TK had said he loved him too knowing part of what he'd wanted to say.

He had gotten the ring from his dad after the dinner they'd had. He'd gotten it before the whole him arresting Owen and putting a strain on them so much so that TK hadn't come home. That had been a horrible night. He hadn't slept much at all and he'd felt worse than he had when they'd fought over his parents not knowing. He'd planned on giving TK the ring three nights ago before all of this happened and their dads left them in the dark. There was no one else he wanted to be with. He still remembered his parents telling him that they were happy they were together. His dad wouldn't have given him this ring if he hadn't meant it either. It had the one his granddad had worn until he'd died. He'd gotten it engraved after shift, the night TK hadn't come home.

"They're both still asleep apparently." TK said coming back in the room all at once shutting the door. "What you looking... Carlos?" He asked saw the ring before looking up at his boyfriend.

"You asked me why I'd opened the drawer behind me if the phone wasn't there, this is why." Carlos said before he got off the bed going over to TK. "I wanted to give this to you three nights ago. Before we got blind sided and left in the dark. I never meant to hurt you that day. I'd wanted to be there for you and it ended up going so badly." He said before holding the ring box out to TK. "All I could think about that night was if you were okay and how much I wanted to hold you and make it okay. I always want to make it better when things aren't going right. You didn't just save me two nights ago, baby. You've saved me since the night we met and you agreed to dance with me. I love you TK, would you marry me and spend every night with me forever?" Carlos asked.

"Yes." TK said without hesitating for a second because he couldn't think of an answer besides yes. He couldn't think of a place better than being with Carlos. "I wanted you that night too." He added before seeing the engraving on the inside. "What's it say?"

"I'm always on your side." Carlos said before he slipped the ring on TK's finger. "I never want you to think I'm not again. Even on the worst possible day and I'm not right there you'll always know." He said before moving in kissing the man he loved.

~THE END~