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The police cruiser pulls up next to the fire truck right when TK is turning around, making his way back to the vehicle, to pick up everything he needs and he doesn’t have with him now that he’s with the medical team. He isn't a firefighter anymore, but he still helps when needed — and a building on fire with several people trapped inside qualifies as the fireteam needing another pair of hands. Out of the corner of his eye, TK can see Carlos stepping out of the cruiser but he cannot focus on anything that isn’t the people trapped inside the burning structure. He grabs everything he needs and steps closer to his father, who’s shooting orders left and right.
“Strand,” Captain Vega calls out. “Be careful in there,” she tells him, eyes soft as she stares at him. “We all want you back in one piece.”
TK huffs. He knows he has a reputation, but after the kidnapping he’s behaved — he hasn’t gotten himself into any minefields and he definitely has stayed away from armed thieves who want to pistol-whip him. And still, everyone keeps making jokes about his ability to find himself in impossible situations that end up with a trip to the hospital.
“I doubt your boy would like it if he had to pick you up from the ER today,” Nancy teases him, head shaking in laughter. TK sticks his tongue out at her before squaring his shoulders and stepping next to his father.
“Where do you need me?” he asks.
“Stay with Judd and follow his orders, okay?” his father tells him. “I don’t want any of your lone-star hero bullshit.”
“Hey!” he protests, but he knows his father is right. He’s always been reckless — he’s always been known for his stunts — but now he has something to come back to. He finally has someone to come back to. He’s not risking it.
Except that, the moment he sets one foot inside the building, there's a loud noise — windows breaking, floors creaking — and the whole structure collapses on itself, trapping everyone inside.
Carlos is outside when the building falls down. He's on crowd control duties, pushing people backwards while Mitchell does the same a few feet from him. He's tampered down the fear that was bubbling up in his gut when he's seen TK teaming up with Fire instead of standing behind with Medical — he’s become used to his boyfriend not rushing into danger anymore, even though sometimes peril actually finds him, that Carlos can't help his anxiety spiking up at the mere thought of TK running into burning buildings. But it's part of his job, and TK loves what he does, so Carlos doesn't question it — he simply remains professional, wishing TK to come back to him unscathed.
Carlos hears the building crumbling before he can turn around and see the debris floating around. He feels it in his bones before he actually witnesses it — TK hasn't exited the building. He doesn’t need Captain Strand or Captain Vega or Mitchell or anyone else still standing outside to confirm it for him.
He knows.
His voice dies in his throat as he turns around, unable to even utter a single word, much less call out for his boyfriend. Mitchell is quick to hold him, for he’s half a step away from running himself inside the ruins, and despite how much he fights her, her grip only tightens, keeping him in place. He looks straight ahead, eyes stubbornly trained to the building that once was, while the remaining of the 126 set into motion and begin to work with what they have to untrap the people they believe are still underneath the shambles. Carlos stares unblinkingly as they extricate, one by one, writhing men and screaming women and crying children, but not a single body wearing an AFD uniform.
“Here they are!” Captain Strand yells, gesturing wildly, as he helps two figures to get out from underneath the rubble. And there he is, snot and blood covering his face but breathing, stumbling, alive.
Carlos manages to free himself from Mitchell and rushes towards his boyfriend, who’s now being lifted on a gurney. When Carlos reaches TK, he can’t help himself — he leans in and drops a fleeting kiss to TK’s forehead. “I’m never letting you out of the doghouse,” he mumbles, hands caressing softly TK’s face.
“I was afraid you’d say something like that,” TK coughs back. He reaches out and grabs Carlos’ uniform, tugging down at him until their lips lock in what starts as a fleeting kiss and quickly escalates to a passionate one, the heat between them building up.
“I’d tell you two to get a room, but I have a feeling this one will get his own room at the hospital,” Captain Vega interrupts them, pointing at TK when Carlos pulls away, flushed and embarrassed.
“I’m so bubble-wrapping you,” he warns TK. “You’re not allowed to scare me like that anymore.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” TK retaliates, coughs raking through his body. But he has enough energy left to grasp Carlos’ hand and intertwine their fingers, squeezing reassuringly. Carlos squeezes back.
They don’t let go until they arrive at the hospital.