SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Anonymous: Patience, my friend. Patience. Thanks. Glad you think so.

DISCLAIMER

Sons of Thunder belongs to CBS, USA, and Chuck Norris. Carlos' stepfather and past belongs to Jaimi, I'm only borrowing it. Sorry this took so long to get up. I was busy with stuff. The stuff in italics is actually part of a flashback that Carlos is responding to.

Hours later, Carlos was sitting up in his room, arms around his body. He couldn't believe it had happened again. He couldn't believe he had gotten stuck here. Oh, man. What have I done? he wondered. Why had he let Leroy hurt him again? Why hadn't he fought harder? Dang, I just feel so dirty, he thought unhappily. Suddenly, as if the older boy was still alive, he heard his brother's voice.

"It wasn't your fault, Carlos. You didn't do this, 'mano. He did. He's to blame, not you," Hector stated.

"I could've stopped it," Carlos muttered.

"Listen to me, Carlos. What Leroy did to you was not your fault. He's the adult. He's the one who did something wrong," Hector continued. Carlos sniffled. Hector had been right then and was still right. A banging brought the officer out of his reverie.

"What in the world?" he wondered in his native language.

"Freeze! Texas Ranger!" he heard a familiar voice shout. Relieved, Carlos bounded towards the door.

"Walker!" he shouted, pounding on the door. Running footsteps reached his ears. They stopped at his door.

"Carlos, back up, man!" he heard Trent yell. Carlos did as he was told and the door was kicked open.

"Come on. Let's get outta here," Trent invited.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Carlos agreed. He followed his friend out to the main room, where he got the shock of his life. The goon that had helped his stepfather with the kidnapping was actually holding Leroy to the ground, gun trained on him. Gage, Sydney, Trivette, and Walker were in similar position.

"Uh, what's goin' on here?" Carlos wondered.

"He's actually Brookdale PD," Kim responded.

"But he---I heard you screaming," Carlos said.

"All an act," Officer Parker assured.

"And now Leroy is under arrest," Alex stated.

"Has he been Mirandized?" Carlos queried.

"Yes," was the response.

"Get him out of here before I kill him," Carlos said. Parker stood up, yanked Leroy to his feet and walked out, the others at his heels.

"Man, you have no idea how worried I was," Trent stated.

"By the way, Malloy. What took you so long?" Carlos demanded in mock anger. Trent responded by throwing a light punch to Carlos' shoulder.