"You need another water? Maybe a Gatorade?" Carlos asked, cupping his cheek lightly. TK smiled up at his boyfriend, resisting the urge to roll his eyes fondly.
"I'm fully hydrated, but thank you," TK replied, shaking his almost full glass as proof. Everyone had been checking up on him constantly while they were over, finally having their housewarming party. At least, that's what they were calling it. It was mostly everyone wanting to see how TK was doing and nagging him to death with their concern. It was kind of annoying, but TK could also admit that he loved having them there. They were his family.
It had been a week since his ordeal and his body was finally starting to feel normal again. The headaches were mostly gone and all of his stitched up wounds were healing nicely. The fingers were going to take more time, but at least he still had his dominant hand for things. It was crazy to think that this injury was going to keep him away from the job for longer than his gunshot, but having full use of his hands was vital. Maybe they'd at least let him come in to do some grunt work soon.
"Well, let me know, okay? I will happily fetch you anything you want," Carlos insisted. TK pulled him closer, so he could whisper his next words into Carlos' ear.
"What I really want is what you promised me after everyone goes home," TK purred, letting his breath ghost along Carlos' skin. They hadn't done anything since before TK's abduction and he was aching for a sense of normalcy. Carlos was firm in his stance that they needed to take things slow so TK's body could heal, but that didn't mean they couldn't do anything. The scratches on TK's lips had finally healed and he was planning on putting them to good use.
"Am I about to hear something I shouldn't?" Nancy groaned as she plopped down on the couch next to TK. Now he did roll his eyes.
"Why would you come over here if you were worried about something like that?" TK questioned, leaning away from Carlos to glare at her.
"Because I felt like it," Nancy shrugged, taking a sip of her lemonade innocently. TK snorted, bumping her knee with his. They may have gotten off to a rocky start when he first joined the medical team, but now she was like a sister to him. An annoying, bossy sister, but one he wouldn't change for the world.
"I'm gonna go refill the chip bowls," Carlos said, pressing a kiss to his temple before he walked off to the kitchen. It wasn't like he had to work so hard to host with this crew, but Carlos always wanted to make sure their guests were comfortable. He was good like that.
"Well, isn't he just the sweetest?" Nancy teased, watching as Carlos greeted each person he passed.
"Yes, he is. Jealous?"
"Hell yes," Nancy grunted, scowling into her glass. "You know how hard it is to find a good partner these days? It's like a war zone out there, but the grenades are douchebags and toxic jerks."
"Believe me, I know all about both kinds of grenades," TK smirked, thinking back to the call that inspired his career change. "I just happened to get lucky with Carlos."
"Oh, it wasn't just you who got lucky," Nancy pointed out. "Carlos won just as big of a jackpot." TK felt his face turn red at the compliment. Sometimes he felt like he wasn't good enough for Carlos, with his background and all the drama that seemed to follow him. Hearing someone say that he deserved his happiness was nice, even if it was coming from a friend who was more likely to say kind things.
"TK, are you alright? You look a little flushed," Tommy said, walking over and putting the back of her hand against his forehead.
"I'm fine. Nancy is just harassing me," TK scoffed, letting Tommy finish her check. Stopping her from mothering would be futile and he had to admit that it was nice. His own mom hadn't been able to visit, since she was putting in as many hours as possible at work to get things squared away before she gave birth to his baby brother. He wasn't upset about it, but he did miss her.
"Don't say that! Carlos will kick me out if he thinks I'm doing anything to upset you," Nancy hissed, glancing to see if Carlos noticed what was going on. He was in the middle of listening to Mateo going on about something with exaggerated hand waving.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you from Carlos," TK chuckled.
"I don't think I should risk it," Nancy muttered, standing up and stalking off to join another group.
"She's ridiculous," TK laughed.
"She keeps things fun," Tommy said with a smile, taking Nancy's vacated seat. "How are you doing?"
"I'm okay," TK replied. And that was true, at least most of the time. As long as he was distracted by other things, he was fine. It was when something reminded him of what happened that he struggled. He'd almost had a panic attack the other day while watching TV and a commercial for cold medicine came on. Thank goodness Carlos had been there to pull him back from the brink.
"Ah yes, the tried and true answer. I've used it quite a bit myself recently," Tommy said knowingly.
"I'm sorry," TK mumbled, suddenly embarrassed. Tommy had lost her husband and was still so strong throughout everything. TK felt ridiculous having to have everyone here to take care of him.
"There's nothing to apologize for. I'm just saying I understand what it's like to need help sometimes. You all were there for me when I needed it and we'll be here for you too," Tommy assured him, resting her hand on his arm. The touch was comforting, unlike anything he got from Lorna.
"Thank you. I really appreciate what everyone's done. I just wish everything could go back to normal," TK sighed. He wanted Carlos to be able to relax and not worry that he was going to break at any moment. He wanted his dad to stop sneaking glances at him to make sure he was still there. And he wanted everyone else to stop treating him with kid gloves.
"It will. It just takes time."
"How long did it take for you?" TK asked, watching as Tommy's smile shifted into something a little more sad.
"I'll let you know when it does."
They sat and talked for a few more minutes before Tommy had to move to another room to take a call. Her daughters were at a sleepover, which was why she hadn't brought them. They'd had fun with Carlos during the dust storm, but a classmate's birthday party won out in the end.
"Hey, you hungry?" Marjan asked, slipping into the seat Tommy was just in. They must've had a rotation set up.
"Not really," TK replied, eyeing the plate Marjan was holding. It was just some celery and hummus, but TK wasn't in the mood for it. Carlos' mom's food was great, but Carlos was stuffing him as full of it as he dared. With his lack of physical activity for the time being, he was surely going to gain weight from all of this.
"I don't think Carlos cares," Marjan chuckled, tipping her head toward Carlos, who was pretending to not be glancing over at him every few seconds.
"He can be a little over the top," TK sighed, reluctantly picking up a celery stick and staring at it in distaste. Suddenly Marjan leaned over and bit it in half, before moving back and sitting innocently.
"Pretend you're chewing," Marjan mumbled around her mouthful. TK followed her direction, adding a few brow raises to really sell the act.
"Thanks," TK whispered once he saw Carlos nod and look away again.
"Don't mention it, really. If Carlos asks, I'll deny it forever. I don't need him on my case for aiding and abetting you," Marjan laughed, taking the rest of his celery and popping it into her mouth.
"You're making it sound way more serious than it is. I'm not committing a crime, I'm just not hungry," TK pointed out.
"I'm not trying to get into that argument with Carlos. His protectiveness knows no bounds."
"That's true. You know he put a limit on how often I can go up and down the stairs?"
"You're kidding!" Marjan gasped, covering her mouth to stifle her laughter.
"He didn't explicitly say it, but I started noticing that he would put me off going up or down again right after I just had. Like if I forgot something. So I decided to test it out and he pretty much scooped me up like a baby and deposited me where he wanted me," TK explained, shaking his head at the memory. "After that he changed tactics and tried to anticipate what I might need and always made me so comfortable that I'd be reluctant to move. He's very tricky."
"He's very sweet," Marjan added.
"That he is," TK agreed. "I'll have to do something really nice for him after all this blows over. I've gotta thank him for putting up with me."
"I can just imagine the lecture you'll get from him if you even suggest you owe him anything for this. He does it because he loves you."
"I know, but-"
"And you know that you would do the same for him."
"Of course, but-"
"So do something nice for him, but not because you feel indebted to him. Do it because you love him and that's just what you sappy boys like to do."
"We are not sappy," TK huffed, but he understood what she was saying. Carlos hated any talk of TK being a burden and he wouldn't truly be able to enjoy something that was born from guilt. TK had to make sure anything he did came from the same place Carlos' actions came from. A place of love.
"The sappiest. It's almost like I can feel the stickiness of it rubbing off on me. I better go wash my hands," Marjan joked, standing up.
"So, who's next on the schedule?" TK snorted.
"That would be us," Judd answered, walking over with Grace. "You got a problem with my pregnant wife getting off her feet for a few minutes?"
"Of course not!" TK exclaimed, sliding over to make as much room on the couch as possible.
"Judd, stop teasing. Don't act like I wasn't just sitting down across the room," Grace said, sighing as she lowered herself onto the soft cushions.
"How are you feeling?" TK asked, handing Judd one of the throw pillows so he could adjust it behind his wife's back.
"We're good. Little Miss Ryder is currently kicking up a storm, but that's okay."
"My girl is gonna be an athlete. Gonna show all the other kids who's boss," Judd boasted, rubbing a hand against Grace's stomach.
"I don't doubt it. With parents like you, she'll be a powerhouse," TK chuckled, staring happily at the growing family. They both really deserved this joy, especially after their close call with the car accident.
"She's gonna be just like her mama," Judd grinned.
"We can only hope," TK smirked.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Judd scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm just saying. The world could use a bit more Grace in it."
"Well, you ain't wrong," Judd conceded.
"You and Carlos broach the kids topic yet?" Grace asked.
"Not really. I used to think this would be a good neighborhood to raise a family, but…" TK trailed off. The reason he had doubts now was obvious and it didn't need to be spoken. "It would be years off anyway."
"I know you both would be very good parents. Any children you have will never lack in love," Grace said confidently.
"Thank you. That really means a lot," TK said sincerely. He'd never really been around kids or considered them when he lived in New York, but he was such a different person now. And if his support system was so great during the bad stuff, they would definitely be amazing during the good stuff. "I can't wait to go meet my baby brother."
"And you'll be the best big brother he could ever ask for," Grace said, before blowing out a sharp breath. "This girl has got to be jumping rope in there."
"Do you need me to get you anything?" TK asked, although he had no idea what he could possibly do to help.
"No, but thank you," Grace replied, shifting in her seat a little to get more comfortable. "You want to feel?"
"Really? Are you sure? I mean, yeah," TK stammered, wiping his hand off on his pants as it suddenly got a bit clammy.
"Of course," Grace chuckled, grabbing TK's hand and guiding it onto her belly. He'd done a few exams on pregnant women during calls, but this was different. He didn't feel anything at first, but then there was the slightest push against his palm.
"Wow," TK murmured, staring in amazement.
"Miracle of life," Judd said proudly.
"Well, this little miracle of life is making me have to answer the call of nature, if you wouldn't mind excusing me," Grace huffed, holding up her hands for Judd to help lift her off the couch.
"Again?" Judd questioned, settling Grace back on her feet.
"You're telling me," Grace scoffed, scooting her way toward the bathroom with Judd in tow. TK stayed on the couch, still in a bit of an emotional daze. The feeling of new life under his hands, so soon after he'd almost lost his, was kind of overwhelming. He sniffled before he could suppress it, thumbing at the corner of his eye when he felt a little wetness there.
This was a good day, but of course he was going to ruin it by getting emotional. Thankfully he didn't feel any urge to use, but he felt mentally unsettled like he did whenever he tried to get sober. Like anything could set him off. The idea that only time and emotional work would be able to make him better was frustrating. Why couldn't everything go away alongside the stitches and broken bones? Why did the hardest part stick around the longest? When was he finally going to be able to put everything behind him?
Carlos didn't think they were really ready for all this. It was a lot and it felt like he and TK were barely able to start breathing normally again. And it wasn't as if their guests weren't amazing. They wouldn't have gotten to this point without them. But Carlos wasn't sure if having to be on for everyone was in TK's best interest.
It was hard enough for TK to let his walls down with him in private, but there was no way he was going to do it in front of everyone else. He'd been embarrassed enough when everyone saw him after Carlos found him, even though he assured him there was nothing to be ashamed of. TK liked to be in control of what he let out and how it happened, but he didn't quite have a grasp on his emotions yet. Carlos was worried he was going to exhaust himself trying to hold it together.
But despite his worries, Carlos agreed to the get together. He knew how overbearing he was being recently and if this is what TK wanted, this is what they'd do. And so far, it was going well. Everyone was having a good time and being careful not to overwhelm TK. They might have been kind of obvious about it, but that was okay. As long as TK was fine, he was fine.
"And then the cat went higher up the tree!" Mateo exclaimed, raising his arms to accentuate his point. "I always thought that was a joke people made about firefighters on TV."
"We go where we're needed. No Fluffys or Mittens left behind," Paul said seriously.
"Well, you'd think if it was able to get up there in the first place, it would be able to get back down as well."
"You can bring up your concerns at the next meeting. I'm sure the leader of the local cat alliance will spread the word to keep all four paws on the ground," Paul smirked.
"Funny. Next time you can go up instead. That tree was really tall!"
"I didn't think you could be afraid of heights and be a firefighter," Carlos pointed out.
"I'm not! I just respect what would happen to me if I fell," Mateo said defensively.
"You'd be putting the 'mat' in Mateo," Paul chuckled.
"Dude, that's terrible," Mateo muttered, rolling his eyes. Carlos smiled at their banter, sneaking another glance at TK. He'd pretended not to notice the celery thing, but he was a police officer after all. Paying attention to his surroundings was what he did. Which is why he immediately honed in on the shift in TK's mood.
Grace and Judd had left him on the couch, leaving him alone for the first time since everyone had shown up. It wasn't like they were babysitting him, but they also didn't want him to be lonely. TK didn't look lonely, but he did look a bit downcast.
Carlos excused himself from the conversation as politely as he could, not wanting to call too much attention to the situation. He quickly made his way over to TK, squatting down in front of him.
"You okay?" Carlos asked, setting a hand on TK's knee. TK looked down at him with watery eyes.
"I almost missed all of this," TK whispered, letting out a shuddering breath. Carlos leaned up, pulling TK into a soft hug. TK tucked his face into his neck, taking in all the comfort Carlos was offering.
"But you didn't. And you won't. You're here and that's exactly where you're going to stay," Carlos assured him, rubbing his lower back.
"I know. There are just so many little things that remind me how close I came to losing everything. And it just brings everything up again," TK sighed, pulling back after pressing a light kiss to Carlos' throat. "I'll be okay. It's just going to take some time."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Do you know a way to skip ahead in time? Say, six months?" TK joked.
"Sorry, but no," Carlos murmured, drying TK's face with his sleeve.
"Everything you're doing is amazing. You're the only reason I'm able to get up in the morning."
"No, that's all you. Never discount your strength, TK," Carlos insisted.
"Stop it. You're gonna set me off again," TK choked out, nudging Carlos's shoulder playfully. TK's phone started ringing in his pocket and he pulled it out, looking at the display curiously.
"Who is it?" Carlos asked.
"Not sure. I'm going to go to the bathroom to answer it and splash some water on my face," TK replied, clearing his throat to get his voice back to normal. "I'll be right back." Carlos let him go, even though he wanted to follow and make sure everything was okay. Pretty much everyone who would normally call TK was here at the moment and all of their contacts were saved into his phone. It was probably just spam.
Carlos stood up next to the couch, looking over their group of friends. He'd lived here all his life, but never had a set of friends that felt like family until he got added into this one. It was really special and he cherished it beyond belief. It wasn't always a guarantee that he would be accepted, being who he was, but that was never a problem with them. They were all so different, but that's what made them work.
The bathroom door opened a few minutes later and Carlos turned to ask TK if everything was alright, but the second he saw him, he knew the answer. TK looked worse than he had going in, with all the color gone from his face and his eyes wide and panicked. Carlos rushed over, not thinking about anyone else noticing. He had to make sure TK was alright.
"What happened?" Carlos asked, ducking down to eye level with TK. It took a few seconds for TK's eyes to focus, but then they locked onto his. The sadness was gone, but it had been replaced by dread.
"That was Detective York," TK whispered shakily. "They were working to find other missing person cases that matched up with what happened to me. They- um, they found 12."
"Oh God," Carlos muttered.
"They don't have any evidence yet and they've been questioning Lorna, but she won't say anything. Burt is still in the hospital and full of meds, so nothing he says would be admissible. The police are never going to find those men without one of them telling them where to go," TK stammered, getting more worked up as he went along. "All those poor men out there and their families who haven't gotten any closure. I can't let that happen. I have to do something."
"What are you saying?"
"Detective York said that Lorna wouldn't talk to them, but she did say that she would talk to someone. She said she would talk to me," TK said. Carlos felt his stomach drop at the idea of it and wanted to argue that it was a bad idea, but he could tell by the determined set of TK's jaw that his mind was already made up. All he could do was stick by his side and support him. "I'm gonna do it."