"This place is so dark," TK shouted over the sound of the music pounding over the speakers. "And loud." This was a lot more like the clubs that he and Carlos frequented, not really what he expected Judd to choose for his turn to pick where the team went after work. He and the Ryders were the only ones here so far, but everyone else was on their way. Carlos was coming too, because it was a given that he was invited to everything the team did now.
"They got a local band playing in a few that Grace and I always try to catch," Judd explained, frowning at a couple who were gyrating a few feet away from them. "This isn't their usual venue."
"Not quite, but no harm in trying something new every once in a while," Grace pointed out, rubbing her hand up and down Judd's arm. TK loved seeing them together, since it forced Judd to give up a bit of his hard exterior that he always tried to keep up at work. He was a secret softie, no matter what he said.
"I'm gonna go get some drinks. What do you guys want?" TK offered, noticing a bit of a lull at the bar he wanted to take advantage of.
"Nah, I got first round," Judd waved off, pressing a kiss to Grace's temple as he walked off.
"He's just doing that now, before the others get here. Less expensive," TK chuckled, leaning against the table with Grace.
"That's my Judd," Grace agreed, shaking her head fondly at her husband. "How's Carlos?"
"He's good. We finally have a day off together tomorrow, and it's not due to me being injured this time," TK laughed. The only positive that had come from getting shot was the free time he had to spend with Carlos and figure out their thing. By the time he was back to work, they were officially dating.
"Cheers to that!" Judd proclaimed, setting their drinks down in front of them. "It's getting a bit old having you laid up all the time."
"You say that as if it happens a lot," TK scoffed, rolling his eyes. Carlos called him a danger magnet, but he usually got out of things unscathed. He took a sip of his drink, staring at it curiously after. "You had them put lemon and lime in this?"
"Yeah, so? No big deal," Judd grunted, taking a healthy gulp of his beer.
"Such a softie," TK snickered.
"Hey now, I ain't no softie," Judd argued, pointing a threatening finger in his direction. TK wasn't intimidated in the slightest. Ever since their disagreement and resolution early on, he saw Judd as an older brother he'd never had. No matter how much they ruffled each other's feathers, they would always have each other's backs.
"There ain't nothing wrong with being soft. Real men have layers," Grace said, patting Judd's cheek.
"You hear that? I got layers," Judd boasted, puffing out his chest with pride.
"Kinda like a chocolate covered marshmallow. Hard shell, but all mushy inside."
"I'll roast you like a marshmallow."
"What does that even mean?" TK giggled, propping his chin on his fist. He couldn't wait for Carlos to show up. They'd have to sneak out when everyone else was paying attention to the band. Hanging with the team was great and all, but what he really wanted was some alone time with his boyfriend.
"Hey beautiful, you looking to upgrade?" a gruff voice asked, breaking the peace of their little huddle. TK looked up from his glass, finding a big guy standing a few feet away from their table, leering at Grace. He immediately tensed, shifting closer to her so their arms were brushing. Judd was on her other side and TK could see his hackles were already raised.
"Excuse me?" Judd growled, standing up to his full height. TK wasn't short by any means, but he still considered Judd a bit of a giant. This guy though, he had a few inches on Judd and probably 100 pounds on TK. This had the potential of going sideways really quick.
"I believe I was talking to the lady," the man said smugly.
"I believe you're talking to my wife and I'm telling you to back off," Judd warned, stepping forward to make his point clearer. Grace reached over, putting a calming hand on Judd's chest.
"I'm not interested," Grace said firmly, staring up at the man with a scowl. TK had had his fair share of unwanted attention in clubs and bars, but Grace was handling this so much better than he ever did. He would mouth off against the people who got too aggressive, no matter how unwise and reckless that was.
"Your loss. Come find me when you decide you want to try out a real man," the man sneered, making a lewd hand gesture before turning and slithering away. TK's jaw actually dropped at the brazenness of it all. Judd looked like a vein was about to pop out his neck in rage, so TK quickly circled around the table, blocking Judd's path to the man.
"He's not worth it," TK said, holding his hands up in case he needed to use more force to keep Judd back.
"TK," Judd growled, clenching his fists at his sides.
"I know, I know. I want to hit him too. But nobody wins in that scenario," TK said quickly.
"Baby, I'm not looking to post bail tonight, okay?" Grace said calmly, hooking her finger through one of the belt loops of Judd's pants and pulling him closer to her. He snorted out a few angry breaths before relenting, grabbing his drink and downing the rest in one go. "Maybe we should pick a new bar?"
"No, you've been looking forward to seeing the band for weeks and I'm not gonna let some asshole come in and ruin our night," Judd huffed, gripping around the edge of the table. TK wouldn't be surprised if the thing crumbled in his hands.
"How about I get you another drink?" TK suggested. Not really the healthiest idea coming from a recovering addict, but Judd needed something to help calm down and that seemed like the easiest solution.
"Whatever," Judd grumbled, continuously flicking his eyes in the direction the man had gone. It was too crowded and dark to see him anymore, even though he probably stood a head above almost everyone else in the bar.
"Can I get you anything, Grace?"
"I'm good, thank you," Grace replied, focusing her attention on calming her husband. TK left her to it, weaving his way across the room to the bar. He ordered the drinks for himself and Judd, looking back as he waited for the bartender to get a chance to serve him. Grace had gotten at least a small smile out of Judd at this point, so TK let himself relax a little. The rest of their friends would be there soon and everything would be alright.
"Here you go, sweetie," the bartender said as she slid over the drinks.
"Thanks," TK chuckled, shaking his head. He didn't know why everyone called him pet names like that. He was not the delicate angel that people saw when he flashed his easy smiles.
"Judd!" Grace shrieked suddenly, and TK whipped around just in time to see a beer bottle smashed over the top of Judd's head and his friend hit the ground. The man from before was grinning at Grace, grabbing at her arm as she bent down to check on her husband. Before TK could even think, he was pushing his way back over to the altercation, shoving aside people who were standing back and just watching the show.
"What the hell?" TK spat, wrenching the man's hand off of Grace and standing in between them.
"Back off, pretty boy. You don't want no part of this," the man laughed, pushing his shoulder to try to get him out of the way. TK wasn't budging though.
"Get away from my friends!" TK shouted, feeling his adrenaline pumping through his body. He really wanted to check on Judd and make sure he was okay, but he couldn't turn his back on the aggressive asshole.
"Make me," the man challenged, giving TK another sharp shove. This time he didn't hesitate, swinging quickly and punching the man in the face. He was aiming for his nose, but ended up getting his mouth. TK could feel where sharp teeth cut into his knuckles. The man grinned, looking like the hit hadn't affected him at all. "You're gonna regret that."
And TK did a moment later. The fist that crashed down against the side of his head felt like a sledgehammer and TK went down hard. He almost fell right on top of Judd, but pivoted at the last moment and landed on his butt on the floor. TK saw black spots invading his vision and the pull of unconsciousness was so strong, but Grace's shout snapped him out of it. The man still hadn't given up, trying to grab her up from where she was crouched protectively over Judd.
TK leapt to his feet, running straight at the man and driving his shoulder into his stomach. He wasn't able to move him far, since he could only get a few steps of momentum, but it was enough to put space between them and Grace. The man shoved him back again, but TK put his fists up, ready to fight.
"Come on, boy. Show me what you've got," the man taunted, spreading his arms to the side to let TK get a free hit. That completely snapped the last of TK's restraint. He was a firefighter for heaven's sake! Why did everyone think he was some helpless dweeb who needed protecting? He saved people everyday and that took a strength that he could confidently say that most people didn't possess. He wouldn't stand for this disrespect.
TK cocked his left hand back, prepared to go for a haymaker, but changed course at the last moment. Instead he kicked out, catching the man right in the junk. He looked genuinely surprised, which was TK's plan all along. When you're confronted with an opponent who is bigger than you and intent on hurting you, there is no such thing as fighting dirty. You do what you have to do.
The man crouched down a little, hunched over his battered bits. TK jabbed him in the throat, causing him to choke on his breath. He kicked one of his legs, getting the man to one knee. Now was the time for the punch, TK connecting solidly with his cheekbone as he finally fell to the floor. He was panting in exertion now, staying ready in case the guy got up again. TK really hoped he wasn't going to, because if that didn't keep him down for a while, it was probably going to take more than he was capable of.
"TK?"
TK slowly turned toward the direction his name came from, finding his entire team, plus Carlos, staring at him in shock. He panted slightly as he looked between them and the man on the ground.
"Did you see that?" TK chuckled.
"What the hell?" Carlos gasped, rushing forward to get a better look at the situation.
"You need to arrest this guy. He was harassing Grace and then he-" TK's eyes widened in realization before he could continue. "Judd!" He knelt down at Judd's side where Tommy and Nancy had already taken up their usual medic positions. How could he have forgotten? He was so caught up with the fight that he hadn't checked over Judd as soon as he got the chance.
"What happened?" Tommy asked, palpitating the back of Judd's head with careful fingers.
"That bastard hit Judd over the back of the head with a beer bottle," Grace muttered, keeping worried eyes firmly on her husband. "He's moaned a few times, but he hasn't woken up."
"How long ago did this happen?"
"Couldn't have been more than five minutes ago."
"Oh Grace, I'm so sorry. I should've been here to stop him instead of going to get drinks," TK whispered mournfully.
"Hey, you stop that right now," Grace lightly chastised, cupping the side of his face that hadn't gotten slugged. "Who knows what that monster would've tried if you hadn't stepped in to defend us. You are a good man, TK Strand." He felt his cheeks heat up a little in response to the praise. Of course he would do anything to protect his friends.
"Bus should be here any minute," Nancy said, holding Judd's wrist as she listened to his pulse.
"Is he okay?" Grace asked.
"A few tests at the hospital wouldn't hurt, but I'd say we're dealing with a minor concussion and a stitch or two. Other than that, I believe he'll be just fine," Tommy replied.
"Thank the lord," Grace murmured, closing her eyes as she got a bit of good news. The paramedics came in a few moments later, so TK moved back so they would have room to work. A couple police officers came in with them, immediately walking over to where Carlos was standing guard over the bastard.
"TK, are you alright?" his dad asked, helping him back up to his feet. He tipped TK's head to the side so he could get a better look at the damage. Now that the threat was over, he could feel his face throbbing in pain.
"I'm okay," TK confirmed, slumping into his dad's arms for a hug. Needing comfort from his dad didn't make him weak.
"You really took that guy down? Alone?" Mateo wondered in amazement.
"Is that so hard to believe?" TK scoffed.
"Kind of," Paul muttered, watching with wide eyes as the cops lifted the man up and walked him out of the bar in handcuffs. The fact that he was hobbling a little with his legs spread apart gave TK a bit of satisfaction.
"Dude's a giant," Marjan agreed.
"It's like David versus Goliath. Or Jack and the Beanstalk," Mateo said, grinning at his joke.
"TK, are you sure you're alright?" Carlos asked, walking over now that the official work was done. TK shifted out of his father's arms and moved into Carlos'.
"He barely hit me," TK shrugged off.
"The swelling on your face says otherwise," Carlos pointed out. "I think you should go to the hospital to get checked out. TK made a little whining noise in the back of his throat. That was the last thing he wanted to do.
"I agree," Owen said, patting him on the back.
"We're all going anyway, to make sure Judd is okay," Marjan added.
"And the police are gonna want to get a statement from you and Grace about what happened," Carlos said in a low voice. Carlos always got serious and intense at the idea of someone hurting him. It was kind of hot how protective he was.
"Fine," TK relented. It was only because he wanted to check up on Judd and Grace, not because his head was screaming at him. "Can I ride with you?"
"Of course. I'm never letting you out of my sight again," Carlos replied, kissing him on the forehead.
"Aw, come on. I won this fight."
"The fact that you still found your way into a fight is the problem," Carlos sighed, leading him out of the bar with the rest of the team trailing after them.
"It found me, I swear. All I wanted to do tonight was drink my mineral water and spend time with my friends."
"And you'll get that, just in another setting." TK groaned as he was secured into Carlos' front seat like a child. At this rate, he should look into getting some sort of punch card from the hospital.
Judd had had his fair share of wild nights, but he couldn't quite recall a hangover this bad in his entire life. It felt like his head was about to split open in the back and at this point, he wouldn't complain. Maybe if his brains were splattered across the floor, the pressure would ease up.
At least he had the day off, so he'd be able to lounge around until he felt human again. Grace might be a little peeved at him, since she had a couple home improvement projects on the docket for the day, but he'd find a way to make it up to her soon. Just until Mateo's interpretation of firehouse chili stopped trying to make a reappearance.
"Judson Ryder, I know you're awake."
Well, he was busted. So much for getting a bit more sleep before he had to admit defeat. He shifted in the bed, feeling a bit confused when he realized his head was a lot higher than it normally was. He was a simple man, not the type to have a bunch of fluffy pillows shoved under his head at night. One pillow was fine enough for him. Made it easier to sleep anywhere when you weren't picky.
"Gracie, where the hell am I?" Judd grunted, not opening his eyes yet. He knew the second he did, the lights were going to be too bright and that was a moment he was not looking forward to.
"What do you remember?" Grace asked. Not the best question for someone in his situation, but he was never the type to back down from a challenge. And ignoring Grace was a good way to catch hell. Judd thought back to the previous day, from the few calls they'd gotten on their shift, to going on to the team about the band they were going to see that night. How had he gotten so drunk that he didn't even remember the set?
"How was the band?"
"And how do you think I know? We left long before they even showed up."
"I'm sorry baby, I didn't mean to make us miss it," Judd mumbled, reaching up to run a hand over his face. He paused when he felt something pull on the back of it. Now he had to open his eyes, because there were too many questions floating around his head and not enough answers. "What the hell? Why is there an IV stuck in the back of my hand?"
"You really don't remember?" Grace asked, a little worry creeping into her voice. Judd wasn't a fan of upsetting his wife, so he forced his addled brain to work harder. They were at the bar and having fun, so what went wrong? Grace set her hand on his chest and the familiar gesture snapped his memories into place like they'd never left.
"That son of a bitch," Judd growled, shaking with anger. "Did he hurt you?"
"I am perfectly fine," Grace assured him, reaching up to rub his forehead. "You're the one who ended up with a concussion and three stitches on the back of your head."
"How the hell did that happen?"
"Beer bottle." Judd really couldn't remember that part.
"And you promise me that he didn't hurt you after that?" Judd hated that he'd been incapacitated and left his wife to the mercy of some creep. It was hard for him to believe that the guy would just leave after that.
"He tried," Grace admitted, gesturing to the other side of the bed, "but he didn't get the chance." Judd looked to where she was pointing, surprised to see there was another person in the room. In a chair at the end of the bed was someone curled up asleep. They were wearing an oversized sweatshirt with the hood pulled up and sleeve covered hands wrapped around their knees. There was only one person he knew with a fondness for sweatshirts in Austin, no matter the weather.
"TK!"
TK's head snapped up from where it had been resting and he looked over toward the bed, a big smile spreading across his face.
"Hey Judd, how you feeling?" TK asked, scooting his chair closer.
"Been better. Just trying to get the whole story of what I missed," Judd replied, eyeing the side of TK's face that was hidden by the hood. "He get you too?" TK sighed, pulling the hood back to reveal a massive bruise that wrapped around his temple and went all the way down to his jaw.
"It's not as bad as it looks."
"Damn boy, you look like you got hit in the face with a baseball bat," Judd remarked. "I bet the rest of the 126 saw what happened and took care of business."
"Not quite," Grace said, nodding her head in TK's direction.
"Bullshit!" Judd burst out. There was no way that TK had been the one to take that guy down. Even he could admit the man had been a biggun, even though it was weak form to use a beer bottle on someone from behind. TK was tough and a damn fine firefighter, but he didn't seem like much of a fighter.
"It's true," Grace confirmed. "It was mighty impressive actually. TK had him down before anyone else even showed up."
"Is that so hard to believe?" TK scoffed.
"I mean, kinda. You ain't really the fighting type."
"I am when someone is threatening people I care about," TK said simply. Grace reached over and patted the hand that TK had sitting on the edge of the bed. Judd could see the couple of cuts that were on his knuckles.
"Damn boy, I didn't know you had it in you."
"Well, now you do." TK told him about the whole fight and Judd had to admit that he was kind of impressed.
"How'd you know where to hit him?"
"I've done all the field medic training. I know how to hurt, just like I know how to heal," TK bragged, but Judd wasn't buying that as the whole explanation.
"And?" Judd prodded. TK rolled his eyes, but had a bashful smile.
"Carlos might've started showing me some moves, just in case I needed to defend myself," TK admitted with a sigh.
"Ha! I knew it," Judd chuckled. TK stuck his tongue out at him, resting the uninjured side of his face on his knee. Judd got quiet again as he stared at the bruise coloring TK's cheek. That could've been on his wife and there wouldn't have been a thing he could've done about it. He wasn't a guy who was scared of much, but that terrified him.
"Judd, are you okay?" Grace asked, noticing his change in demeanor.
"Do you want me to get a nurse? I should probably go tell everyone you're okay, since they are out in the waiting room," TK offered. Judd did something he didn't normally do, setting his hand down for TK to take. The other man looked at it curiously for a moment before hesitantly placing his own on top, looking up as if to ask if he'd read the situation properly.
"TK, I need to thank you for what you done. You looked after my girl when I wasn't able to and I'll never be able to repay you for that," Judd said solemnly. TK's eyes got a little shiny as they stared at each other, but he quietly cleared his throat and shrugged.
"We're brothers, right? That's just what you do for family."
"You ain't wrong," Judd confirmed, blinking away the moisture in his own eyes. Must've been the painkillers messing with him. "How about you all come over and I'll throw some stuff on the grill?"
"That's gonna be a while down the line, baby. After they let you out of here, you're going straight to bed," Grace said, giving him a pointed look.
"Aw hell, I ain't that bad off," Judd groaned. "TK was running around in solar storms after he got shot."
"And that's my cue to leave," TK chuckled, raising his hands in surrender.
"That boy is a bad influence and you know it," Grace said, laughing at TK's little noise of protest as he walked out of the room. It felt good to joke, when this night could've ended so much worse. Judd would take a million knocks to the head, if that meant Grace would come out unscathed.
"Hey, c'mere," Judd murmured, raising one of his arms. Grace climbed up onto the hospital bed, tucking herself next to him. Judd rested his chin on the top of her head as he heard her quietly saying a prayer. They had a lot to be thankful for.
"Hey man, how you feeling?" Mateo asked, bouncing into the room with everyone else in tow.
"Y'all didn't have to stick around, but I appreciate that you did," Judd said sincerely, soaking in all the love from his chosen family.
"Course we did," Paul chuckled, patting him on the leg. Some of the most important people in his life stood around his bed, all there to support him. TK was standing toward the back a little, leaning into Carlos' embrace.
"Hey Cap, why didn't you tell us that the K in TK stood for knockout?" Judd asked. TK chuckled and hid his face against Carlos' chest as Mateo went into a reenactment of events, based on TK's recounting. Grace interjected here and there, while Judd laid back and watched it all.
He never thought he'd have this again, after he lost his last team. That pain was still sharp and probably always would be, but he wasn't alone anymore. He had his amazing wife and a bunch of brothers and sisters that he could depend on, no matter what. And he wouldn't change that for the world.