The phone clattered to the ground only seconds before TK's knees buckled from underneath him.

Carlos reached for him without thinking, catching beneath his elbows as he guided them both to the floor.

"Hey, I've got you." The words barely left his mouth as his own brain sluggishly attempted to catch up with the words that had just left TK's.

She's dead.

Gwyneth Morgan, the woman who had welcomed him into her family with open arms, who had supported their relationship so wholeheartedly was—

TK's mother was—

He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend instantly, noticing how TK pliantly allowed himself to be pulled forward into Carlos' chest, his hands remaining limply on his lap, though whether through lack of energy or awareness, Carlos wasn't sure.

Movement from the kitchen divided his attention and he was suddenly all too aware of the audience that had stopped to witness the sudden turn of events, like cars slowing down at the scene of an accident.

But their gaze wasn't unfeeling, they weren't peering across the gap for something that might feed their curiosity.

No, the concern radiating off them was so palpable he could almost touch it. They were a team— a family, and their bond had stayed true through so much hardship. When one of them was hurting, the rest would always be there to help pick up the pieces.

Nancy's furrowed brow, Mateo's wide eyes, Paul stepping forward slightly, so ready to rush in and help, and Carlos could see how much it pained him to hold himself back. Marjan's mouth opened and closed slightly, a question sitting silently on her painted lips.

What happened?

He couldn't say it out loud. Not with TK next to him.

And he couldn't leave TK.

So he grabbed his phone from his back pocket - instantly regretting the decision as it forced him to remove one comforting hand from TK's back - and opened up his texts.

It didn't feel right, typing out two little words, summing up this sudden pain with one small sentence, but he didn't have long to think about it. TK needed him and he didn't have the time to waste on breaking the news delicately.

| Carlos [20:07]

| Gwyn's dead.

The ping of Marjan's phone was muffled by her pocket but seconds later she was pulling it out and unlocking the screen to see what had been written. Her shock was evident, eyes going wide as she looked back at him, the others following suit as she turned the phone for them all to see.

Carlos watched as they spoke quietly between themselves, clearly coming to a decision as they moved as one to grab their belongings.

The light bounced off Nancy's trophy as she picked it up and it hit Carlos just how quickly the night had turned. It had barely been five minutes since they'd awarded it to her, everyone's faces lighting up with joy as she blushed in surprise.

It was supposed to be such a nice evening.

The grin on TK's face had been blinding when Marjan had arrived, whipping the trophy out of her bag with so much dramatic flair she'd almost knocked out poor Mateo who had been standing behind her. He'd been so excited for Nancy to see it. To do something joyful to replace the bad sporting memories of her youth. And now he was—

Marjan nodded over to the phone still clutched in his hand and he tilted the screen to see her reply.

| Marjan [20:09]

| We're gonna go. Call me if you need anything. Either of you.

Thank you. He mouthed to her, not wanting to break the cocoon of silence surrounding TK, and watched as they filed out the door one by one, each glancing back to gaze sadly at the pair.

TK had a weak grip on the front of his shirt by this point, forehead still pressed against his shoulder and his breaths were coming out in tiny, too-frequent bursts. The material didn't feel wet so he didn't appear to be crying.

Though that was to be expected.

When TK was hurting his natural response was silence, shutting down as he shut out the rest of the world. Gwyn had even said it herself once and she hadn't been wrong.

He'd been quiet after Tim's death too. Subdued and withdrawn all evening but still he had taken a quiet strength from Carlos that time, welcoming his gentle touch as a way of grounding himself and staying out of his own head.

But this was different. Losing a loved one, a parent, was always different. And no matter how close it may have come with Owen in the past, Carlos had never had to watch TK experiencing this particular pain before.

He bent his head, whispering lowly in his ear. "TK, you need to breathe."

"I can't." Came the choked-off reply and Carlos had to squeeze his eyes shut at the pain dripping off those words.

"Yes you can." He soothed and his quiet words of encouragement filled the silence of the loft as he attempted to keep the incoming panic attack at bay — in, out, in, out — the repetitive motion of his palm rubbing up and down TK's back helping one of them at least.

It took a while but soon the desperate gasps slowed to the occasional hitch and the tremors beneath Carlos' hands abated. They had been kneeing in this awkward position for just a bit too long now, their bodies having slotted together clumsily without the usual ease, but he didn't dare let go.

"She—" TK began, his fingers finding the strength to grip just a little tighter and Carlos' heart broke at the way his voice caught in his throat.

"…I know."

And in a way, he did. Because he'd seen it. He'd witnessed their relationship and he knew just how much Gwyn meant to him.

She was one half of the parental unit that he still desperately craved. One part of the family that meant so damn much to him.

She was the voice in his head calling him out when he was being dumb. Calling him home when he was too lost to find his own way.

She had his back so entirely through everything.

And she was gone.

Later, he would coax TK over to their bed, holding his trembling body tight as he cried into Carlos' chest.

Later, in between broken sobs, TK would tell him exactly what Enzo had said when he called.

Later, he would let his own tears fall silently as he spoke to his own mother, talking in hushed tones so as to not awaken a finally sleeping TK.

But for now, they were frozen in place, locked in a moment of pure grief that he was terrified TK would never be able to claw his way out of.