TK grinned as he walked into the house after his shift, clutching his surprise to his chest. Carlos wanted flowers, so that's what he was going to get. It had been chance that one of his calls took him down the street from a floral shop, but when he glanced through one of their giant display windows, he knew it was fate. He rushed back there right after his shift, knowing that any old bouquet he could find at the grocery store wouldn't do.

Carlos wasn't really the rainbow type, but TK was feeling a bit cheeky. When he saw the roses that had been dyed all sorts of colors, he couldn't resist. TK chatted a while with the friendly florist, getting a few tips on what kind of flowers grew best in the Texas heat. If Carlos wanted to be surrounded by beauty, he was going to do whatever he could to make it happen.

TK set the bouquet on the kitchen counter, turning it so the best side was facing the front door. Now all he had to do was wait a few more hours for Carlos' shift to end. They'd been lucky enough to see each other twice today, but hadn't been able to talk. Carlos tugged his ear and TK returned the gesture, rolling his eyes. But he really did love it.

TK changed into some comfortable clothes and wandered around the house, trying to find something to help pass the time. It was hard to remember what he used to do back in New York when he'd lived alone. He wanted to spend every spare moment with Carlos, no matter how unrealistic that was. Everything felt better when his boyfriend was around.

He swept the floors and remade the bed, even though it wasn't particularly needed. Carlos was definitely the tidier one in the relationship and somehow kept on top of all the housework, even with his busy schedule. But TK wasn't going to be a slob that Carlos had to pick up after. He loved him too much for that.

"Maybe we need a pet?" TK mumbled to himself, before quickly shaking off that idea. Their schedules were too chaotic for a dog and TK didn't want to have to deal with a litter box. There were things like birds or fish, but those weren't as fun. And TK had to admit that the fire that claimed their last home made the idea even more unsavory. If they'd had a pet then, chances are they would've perished. They didn't need the added stress of another living thing to take care of yet. Maybe once they were a bit more settled. And they could always borrow Buttercup for some practice.

TK sighed as he looked at the clock. It was still early in the morning and a few hours before Carlos would be home. He hated when their shifts were staggered like this, but at least his hours as a paramedic were a bit better than they had been as a firefighter. His internal clock still got a little screwy on occasion though. While other people were just starting their days, he was technically ending his. But he didn't want to sleep either. Not without Carlos.

TK pulled his phone out of his pocket, sending off a quick text. Just a little something about how cute Carlos' butt looked on one of the calls they'd seen each other on. TK imagined Carlos reading the message during a quiet moment and rolling his eyes in embarrassment. He tried convincing Carlos that they should send stuff a little dirtier on occasion, but then Carlos went into a whole rant about cyber security, so TK backed off. He'd get him to come around eventually.

A few minutes later a response came and TK chuckled in amusement as he set his phone on the kitchen counter. It was a simple winky face, but it promised so much more. If Carlos didn't actually show up with the items he requested earlier, TK was going to be a bit disappointed. It wasn't like they wouldn't be able to have fun without it, but the idea of adding a few treats was mouthwatering.

TK could feel that pent up energy bubbling up inside again and he ached to let it out. The jog had helped him before, but his body was a bit tired from his shift, even though his brain wasn't. And he wanted to save up everything he had for Carlos. So while a jog didn't sound like the best time, a walk might be just what he needed.

Before TK could talk himself out of it, he grabbed his keys, slipped on his shoes, and trotted out the door. He didn't think he'd ever get used to how much cleaner the air was down here compared to New York City. The humidity still kicked his ass from time to time, but it was sort of similar to a smoky fire, so he could deal. Although it wouldn't be the worst idea to talk to Carlos about putting a pool in the backyard. His boyfriend in a tiny speedo was very enticing.

TK wasn't paying much attention to the direction he was going in, letting his feet guide him while he daydreamed about his future with Carlos. He realized he'd followed his jogging path without really trying to as he approached the house of the woman from the day before. He was relieved to see she wasn't outside again, not really in the mood for a chat. Carlos would probably tease him for being so skeeved out by a hand graze, especially since he was always willing to accept a hug from people he cared about. But that was obviously different. TK had to touch people who were at their most vulnerable every day at work, so he was very sensitive about consent. He was about to walk past when the woman burst out of her front door in a panic.

"I need help, please!" she shrieked, looking around wildly. All of TK's earlier feelings vanished, his training kicking in immediately. This wasn't a strange woman anymore, this was a person who needed help.

"What happened?" TK asked, darting over to her front yard. She was shaking, pointing toward her house.

"My husband fell and he isn't waking up," she wept, pawing at him as soon as he was close enough. TK tried to hide his cringe as he peeled her hands from where they were grabbing at his face and neck. People acting strangely in times of emergency was expected. He could deal.

"Show me," TK commanded, gesturing for her to lead the way inside her house. She kept a hold on his wrist, pulling him inside. "Did you call 911?"

"I couldn't find my phone," she cried, kicking the door closed behind them. She pulled him through a living room and toward an area just off to the side.

"Where is he?" TK asked, looking around for any signs of an injured person.

"Kitchen," the woman replied, finally letting go of his wrist so she could point to the open doorway they were headed toward. TK took the opportunity to walk faster, so she couldn't grab him again. He stepped into the room, looking around the floor for the victim. But he didn't see anyone.

"Where-"

"Right here," a deep male voice said suddenly. TK turned toward the sound slowly, finding the barrel of a shotgun a few inches away from his face. He raised his hands a bit automatically, showing he wasn't a threat.

"Sir, I'm a paramedic. I was told someone needed help." TK said, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. This couldn't be happening again.

"It's okay, sweetie. It's gonna be okay," the woman said calmly as she approached them. TK flicked his eyes toward her, expecting to see her trying to talk down the gunman, but she was staring at him. This was a trap.

TK's breaths picked up as he tried to figure out a way out of this situation. The woman was blocking the only way out of the room and there was no way a shot from this distance wouldn't hit him. A shotgun was very different from a handgun, so any wound from it would surely incapacitate him, if it didn't outright kill him.

"You don't want to do this," TK said quietly, staring straight ahead to try to keep both of them in his periphery. He couldn't make the mistake of giving one or the other all of his attention. They were both dangerous.

What would Carlos do in this situation? The thought of his boyfriend made TK's heart clench. Once again he was going to be worrying Carlos and he didn't deserve that. He'd had a hard enough time after the fire, even though he tried not to let it show after that first moment of breaking down. Things had been going so well for them and now this.

"There's no need to be scared," the woman cooed, reaching out to stroke his arm. TK couldn't stop himself from wrenching away from her, but that turned out to be the wrong decision. With his attention momentarily shifted, the man chose that instant to make his move. Suddenly there was a blinding pain reverberating through TK's skull and the next second he was falling. He landed harshly on his side on the cool linoleum floor.

TK groaned in agony, trying to force himself to stay awake. If he closed his eyes, there was no guarantee he'd ever open them again. But as the black spots danced across his vision, he knew it was only a matter of time before consciousness left him. He tried to drag himself toward the front door, but only made it a few inches before he was turned onto his back.

The overhead lights were burning his eyes and he squinted in discomfort. The glare was suddenly blocked by the face of the woman hovering over him. TK moaned, rolling his head to the side. The woman grabbed him by the cheeks, forcing his gaze on her as she cradled his face. The last thing he saw before he couldn't fight the darkness anymore was a look of crazed adoration on her face.

"It's okay, Brian. You're gonna be okay. Mommy's here."