It was quiet when they got to the station. There were still a few people walking around, but the firetruck and ambulance were gone, so TK figured most people were out on a call. He had vague recollections of spending time at the station in New York when he was little, but he couldn't really remember the specifics. The place had just felt like a second home. A place where he could sit in the corner of the office and be a kid.

TK had gone to one of the firehouses in New York a couple years back. Not the one his dad worked at, since that was too risky. He'd sat across the street from it for hours, aching for the sanctuary he imagined was inside. Would this one in Austin give him that same feeling?

"I've got to send some emails and make some calls in my office. Do you want to come with me or would you prefer to explore?" Owen asked, jerking his thumb toward the staircase. Being stuck in the office with nothing to do sounded boring and claustrophobic, even with the giant windows. He doubted there was a box of toys on the shelf to keep him occupied like when he was a kid. Sitting quietly was probably the smarter choice, but TK was feeling a little emboldened after a good night's sleep and a full stomach.

"I'll stay down here," TK replied, regretting his decision almost instantly. But he couldn't change it now and look even more like the nervous wreck he was. That would get annoying very fast for everyone. He could just get the lay of the land while it was mostly empty, then go upstairs where it was probably safe.

"Alright. Well, if you need anything, I'm right up there. Shouldn't take too long though," Owen said, giving him a little nod before trotting up the stairs. TK waited until he was fully in his office before wandering around.

He hadn't paid much attention to anything the day before, since he was in survival mode, but it looked like a nice place. A bit fancier than the cramped, chaotic New York stations. Everything he saw looked new and well cared for. And he knew from his nap in the bunk room that the furniture was comfortable.

Michelle had told him that his dad rebuilt the station. TK hadn't thought much about it at the time, since his overall panic took up most of his focus, but he could see now how the vibe matched his apartment. It was bright and open and everything had its place.

Did it make a difference that it seemed like his dad put effort into things like that? That making TK comfortable at home wasn't just an act he was putting on? That he cared about the people he worked with as well, even though he was the boss and could probably get away with cutting corners? TK was used to the bare minimum in every scenario, and that was if he was lucky. He didn't know how to deal with someone who went above and beyond for non-nefarious reasons.

TK walked over to the kitchen area, which was just as fancy as every other section. There were gleaming appliances and gadgets he couldn't even identify. He was pretty sure one made coffee, but he had no idea how. There was a giant refrigerator, but TK didn't dare open it. He'd already eaten and there was no way he would eat someone else's food without permission.

There were some dirty dishes stacked in the sink and a few random pieces of trash on the counters, as if some people were in the middle of a meal when they had to go out on a call. This was something TK could do. He finally had an opportunity to earn some of the stuff he'd been given so far. It would come nowhere close to what he owed, but it was a start.

He put whatever was obviously garbage in the bin, before straightening everything left on the counter. TK didn't know if everything had an exact spot, and didn't want to rummage through all the cabinets, so he organized the best he could with the information he had. He didn't want to stick something in the wrong spot and have someone get justifiably mad at him for messing with their stuff.

The dishes were an easier task. TK enjoyed chores that were straightforward. You took something dirty, then made it clean again. It sounded ridiculous, but he used to imagine he was one of the dishes he scrubbed. The idea of taking something and being able to wash away all the imperfections and make it new again was soothing. Like one day he'd be able to do the same to himself. That wasn't how the world worked though.

TK was elbow deep in suds when the sound of beeping interrupted his rhythm. He froze as he watched the fire truck roll back into the station. There was no way he'd be able to finish up and escape before he was seen. But he couldn't leave a sink of half washed dishes either.

This had been a terrible idea. He'd gone into this with good intentions, but of course it had to go wrong. TK had the worst luck and apparently a change of scenery wasn't enough to combat it. He should've done the smart thing and sat in Owen's office. Any repercussions he got from this stunt were earned.

TK turned back toward the sink, feeling his hands shake a little under the water. He heard the sounds of talking getting closer and he braced himself, waiting for the casual conversation to turn to anger and annoyance.

"That has to be one of the more ridiculous calls I've been on. A flameless candle call? Really?"

"Those new ones really do look like the legit thing. And there were a lot out there in that field."

"Because it was a proposal. You two wouldn't know romance if it bit you on the behind."

"I date! I just don't tell you all about it, so you won't get jealous. In fact- oh!" TK knew he'd been spotted when everyone suddenly went quiet. He didn't want to turn around, appreciating his last few seconds of ignorance. "Hey Tyler."

"He goes by TK. Hey TK, remember me? I'm Marjan." TK didn't think he'd ever forget a second from the day before. TK turned his head back to acknowledge them. Ignoring people usually made them even more angry.

"Hi," TK replied softly, hating himself for how submissive he sounded. That instinct was so ingrained in him that it would probably never go away. It was a toss-up to see if they would appreciate his deference or see him as easy prey.

"Are you washing dishes? You don't have to wash our dishes," Marjan said with a friendly smile. He still didn't trust it.

"He can definitely wash dishes, so I'm not always the one stuck with them."

"But that's your privilege as the probie, Mateo," Marjan smirked.

"So I cook, Mateo cleans, and you contribute how exactly?"

"I eat, Paul. No pesky leftovers."

"Our hero. Where would we be without you?" Paul laughed, walking over to the lean against the counter. He wasn't too close, but TK still had to suppress a flinch. His still dripping hands made him feel at even more of a disadvantage. "I'm Paul, by the way." TK nodded in acknowledgment, trying to act casual. They were treating him like any other acquaintance. Like he wasn't an unwanted outlier. But when was the other shoe gonna drop?

"I'm Mateo, Cap's favorite. He personally recruited me to this house," Mateo bragged.

"He recruited all of us," Marjan replied, rolling her eyes. "Cap's a good guy." TK tried not to stare at them as he attempted to sniff out if they were genuine. He knew how to lie with the best of them about how he truly felt about someone. If you asked someone at his school, his home life was good. And his relationship with his mom couldn't have been better. Is that what was going on now? Were all these people pretending that Owen was a good guy and they liked him? They didn't seem afraid, but he didn't know them well enough yet to be sure.

Maybe they thought of him as sort of a plant. Someone they had to be nice to because it would keep their boss happy. TK would hate if that were true, but it might also be safer for him in the long run. People pretending to like him was more likely than them actually liking him.

"We just ate an early lunch before our last call, but I could whip you up something if you'd like?" Paul offered, walking over to the fridge and poking around in it.

"You don't have to do that," TK said quickly. It was hard enough to accept things like that from his own father. No way could he let a complete stranger do something like that. "I had a big breakfast."

"Well, if you change your mind, the offer stands," Paul replied, closing the fridge again. "Got any special dietary requirements?"

"No."

"Really?"

"I'll eat anything."

"Finally! Someone who can fully appreciate my cooking. You'll have to keep coming around so I can make stuff for you."

"We're not that bad," Mateo argued.

"Remember the month you decided to try being Keto? I feel like the list of things I can't cook is longer than the list of things I can," Paul laughed.

"When Cap did that cleanse," Marjan added with a shudder. "I couldn't look at the color green without gagging for a while."

"At least Judd will usually eat my food without complaint," Paul grinned, before his face dropped and his eyes darted over to TK's. Everyone was looking at him now and he wanted to run. "Uh-"

"Judd has today off," Marjan interrupted. TK looked down at the floor as he thought of his brother. In the brief time he'd been around Judd, he hadn't been able to get a read on him. His visible emotions had bounced between shocked and nervous. No outright anger, but not really happiness either. What if Judd preferred to be the only son and saw TK as infringing on his territory? Owen made it seem like Judd struggled with him being gone, but it could've been for show. Sadness was expected and people would question him if he went on with life like everything was normal. Avoiding the station and possibly seeing him might've been a way for Judd to practice his good brother act for the others.

"Where is that sister of mine? I've got major news for her," a girl's voice called out suddenly. TK was grateful for the distraction. Maybe he'd finally be able to sneak away.

"She's out on a call, but they should be back soon," Marjan replied. A few seconds later, a girl who looked to be around TK's age breezed into the room. She was obviously too young to work there, but she looked like she was completely at home. TK didn't know her, but he immediately envied her.

"Ugh, you know how much I hate to wait," the girl groaned, poking around in one of the cabinets and pulling out a couple granola bars. That would've earned him a beating from Enzo, but the others in the room didn't bat an eye. "Who are you?" TK startled at being addressed so suddenly, cursing the fact that he hadn't even attempted to escape. One day in a new place and he was already off his game.

"This is Captain Strand's son, TK," Paul answered for him.

"Random," she mumbled, looking over him with a critical eye. TK tried not to squirm.

"Where's your other half?" Marjan asked.

"Ew, don't call him that! Makes us sound like we're a couple," the girl cringed, sticking her finger in her mouth as she gagged exaggeratedly. "He's outside in the parking lot, practicing his driving. He just got his permit."

"Seems like just yesterday you two were riding your bikes all over the place."

"The kids are growing up," Mateo said wistfully.

"As if you aren't still a kid yourself," Paul teased.

"You're too scrawny. Take this," the girl declared suddenly, before chucking one of the bars in TK's direction. He couldn't even react as he watched the thing fly across the room toward his face. TK told his arm to raise up to catch it, but it was like he was frozen in place. He braced himself for the pain and embarrassment, when a hand shot out in front of him at the last second and caught the bar.

"Iris, don't throw things at people," his savior chastised, before holding the snack out to him on the palm of his hand. TK's eyes followed up the arm before landing on what could've been the most gorgeous face he'd ever seen.

"Thanks," TK mumbled, barely recognizing his own voice. The boy beamed at him, loosening a bit more of the vice that lived around TK's chest. For a few seconds, all of TK's worries seemed to fall away. He'd never been hit with a feeling like this in his entire life. Was this love at first sight?

"He could've caught it, Carlos," Iris scoffed, but TK ignored her.

Carlos. Maybe coming down to Texas was a good idea after all.