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sapphire11 · 2 years ago

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Who He Is

This fic is a gift for @gothruthestars2 through the @tarlos-santa gift exchange. Many apologies for not getting this out on time and needing the extension. I hope that you enjoy!! ❤️💚❤️💚❤️

Summary: TK isn't reckless he just loves deeply and will do anything to help people. It's frustrating when no one understands that. Well no one besides the only one who matters that is.

TK has a bad day. Whump ensues. Carlos understands that TK is who he is and he'd never change it. Judd with his big brother vibes.

Read on AO3 Here or below

TK POV

At the last second TK grabs hold of the edge of the door and slowly brings it closed with a click. It’s not nearly as satisfying as it would have been had he let it slam shut, but he really doesn’t want to get called back into his Captain’s office for insubordination. Besides, it’s not really Captain Vega that he is angry with, it is his dad, thinking that he always knows what’s best for TK. It doesn’t help that things have been tense with all the wedding planning and his dad wanting to ‘help’ with every little detail.

As he makes his way towards the locker room, TK takes a deep breath and reminds himself that he’s to blame for stepping into an active fire rescue without clearance. He can’t regret his actions though, not when he knows he saved the little girl’s life. Not when he knows no one else was close enough to get to her in time. Risk analysis be damned.

Paul shuffles hurriedly past him in the hallway just outside the locker room and it makes TK look up and take note of the unusually empty room save for Judd.

“You good?” Judd asks with a nod of his head at TK as he walks in.

“Peachy” TK grumbles back nearly tripping over a pair of shoes left in front of Paul’s locker next to his. It’s weird Paul’s not usually one for leaving stuff laying around and it just adds to the feeling that this is a planned ambush. He’s really not in the mood for another lecture right now so he attempts to just ignore the situation.

“You know you were a dumbass right?” Judd says instead.

“The Caps have already given me the sixth degree, I really don’t need it from you too.” TK snaps back.

Judd stands up fully finishing buttoning up a new uniform shirt. “Well maybe if you hear it enough, it’ll sink into that thick skull of yours and you’ll start watching your own back.”

TK smirks “Why would I need to do that when I have you around?” he quips back. Getting a full eye roll and a slight smack on the back of his head from his surrogate big brother as Judd walks past him, “I’d rather not have to call that fiance of yours and make him take another trip to the hospital before you get a chance to tie the knot.”

After watching Judd walk out of the locker room TK turns to face his locker letting his head fall forward, forehead falling against it will a bang. The mention of a hospital trip feels like a low blow considering it’s been almost a year now since his last one. TK isn’t trying to be careless, in fact all the wedding planning, and thinking of the future has had him acting more careful than he’s ever been in his entire life. He finally has something bigger to live for, a dream for himself and for his future with Carlos that he doesn’t want to lose.

With a groan he leans back and begins undoing the buttons on his uniform shirt. His fingers are still a bit shaky coming down from the adrenaline high of the rescue and trying to defend his actions to his Captain. He’s gotten his undershirt off when the blare of the alarms sounds through the station. Pausing to listen to the announcement he swears when medical is announced and hastily throws another shirt on running for the bay.

“You good?” Nancy asks from where she’s quickly finishing a restock from the last call. It’s all he can do to stop himself from rolling his eyes at the question when Captain Vega arrives. “I’ll drive. Nancy, finish organizing on the way.”

“Cap, I’m good to drive.” TK starts, snapping his mouth shut at the look of disapproval she shoots his way. Nancy gives him a small apologetic smile as she closes the back door and he quickly jogs around to climb in the passenger side.

Thankfully the ride to the scene is quiet. He was half expecting another lecture on proper safety protocols, but Captain Vega seems to have gotten it all out of her system. He’s thankful for the time to focus, because the scene they arrive at is chaotic. Several cars have collided in the middle of one of the busiest intersections in the city.

Quickly jumping out of the ambulance, he meets Nancy and Captain Vega in the back, gathering supplies.

“Nancy, you take left, triage and tag until another unit arrives. TK you’re with Judd, to do the same.”

He groans, “Cap, I don’t need a babysitter to do my job.”

Captain Vega turns to him and the look on her face is as serious as he’s seen it in a long time, “Strand, I don’t have time for this. Work with Judd.”

With a nod he gathers the last of his supplies, slings his backpack over his shoulders and jogs off to where he can see Judd hovering around a car on the outskirts of the accident scene. He has almost reached him when the screech of tires has him turning towards the sound, seeing a car speeding past stopped traffic, careening right towards where Judd is crouched by the driver’s door.

TK doesn’t think, there isn’t time, he just reacts. Sprinting the last two steps to push Judd past the front of the car. Pain hits quick as lightning and then everything goes quiet.

—---

Carlos POV

Accident scenes are some of his least favorite scenes to work and as he pulls up on this one he knows it’s not going to be easy. Seeing people hurt is never easy, but something about the holiday season makes human vulnerability worse. His eyes sweep over the emergency vehicles assembled and he takes note of the 126 ambulance and fire trucks parked on the opposite corner. He hasn’t heard from TK all shift so he knows the 126 has been busy. He’s distracted from his hope to catch a glimpse of his fiance by the beep of his radio and the dispatcher message coming through.

360-H-22 Reports of a car speeding down main towards 4th. What’s your eta?

Carlos notes that the dispatching is referencing the accident scene and notes that the car would be coming down the street opposite where his cruiser is parked.

360-H-22 two minutes out. Over.

Cursing at the response Carlos decides to try and head off the situation hopefully with help from Captain Strand, but before he can even take two steps in that direction, said speeding car comes flying past stopped traffic and into the intersection. Some miracle allows the car to miss a group of spectators gathered on the sidewalk, but the luck stops there as the car slams into the front of a vehicle on the outskirts of the intersection.

From his vantage point Carlos can’t really see details of where the cars collided, but then he hears Judd’s voice shout and the name called simultaneously freezes the blood in his veins and has him sprinting around crushed cars in a need to see what is happening for himself.

It takes less than a minute to round the front of the accident, feet pounding on pavement, heart pounding in his ears. The sight of TK pinned between two cars clearly unconscious pulls his breath right out of him, but before he can move closer to the scene a large hand catches his shoulder. Eyes still focus on where Paul & Captain Vega are working around TK, Carlos tries to shrug off the hold.

“You gotta let them work.” Judd’s voice, heavy with emotion filters through the static in his head and as Carlos glances up to see the devastation on his face the world seems to reset. The noises of the accident scene filter back in as the scream of sirens pierces through. An additional ambulance as well as police have arrived on scene.

An anguished cry of pain that is an all too familiar sound reaches Carlos’ ears, “let me go,” he growls at Judd when the grip on his elbow only tightens at the sound.

“You’ll just get in the way.” Judd reasons back, way too sensible for the situation.

Carlos leverages a hand on Judd’s chest to shove himself out of the grip, but he only manages two steps before the other man is back in front of him, blocking his view of the scene now. “Judd, move!”

To his irritation Judd just holds up his hands placatingly as a team of paramedics rushes past them. The stand-off lasts forever, and it is no time at all before a gurney carrying a very still TK is being pushed back past them. Carlos runs after them, listening to the semi-familiar chatter of medical terms being thrown around, but as they reach the back of the ambulance a gentle hand presses against his chest before he can follow TK into the back.

“I’m sorry Carlos, we need the room.” The paramedic, Helen, Carlos’ brain supplies from numerous work calls tell him gently before closing the door in his face. A heavy hand falls on his shoulder as he stares after the ambulance, the flash of blue and red lights leaving spots in his vision long after they’re out of sight.

“Come on, let’s get you to the hospital.” Judd’s voice, quieter than before, tells him.

The squawk of Carlos’ radio on his shoulder suddenly reminds him that he’s on duty and still has a job to do. “I have to clear the scene.”

“Mitchell’s got it.” Judd answers as he pulls Carlos gently towards the waiting fire Captain SUV. Captain Strand is waiting for them and Judd pushes Carlos into the passenger seat before exchanging a few words with Captain Strand that he doesn’t hear.

Most of the trip to the hospital passes in tense silence, until the words seem to burst out of Owen like a bullet. “He’s been so reckless lately. I just told him this morning to be more careful.”

The accusation makes Carlos angry, “Are you saying this was his fault? That a car careening into an accident scene was somehow TK being reckless?”

“No of course not,” Owen back pedals with a glance to Carlos, “but he could have shouted at Judd to move instead of putting his own body on the line. He just doesn’t think. You have to agree with me that he needs to think.”

Carlos thanks the universe that they are pulling into the hospital parking lot then, because any response he’d have to that would be rude and he doesn’t have the energy for that fight right now. Instead he just doesn’t respond at all and makes his way inside the ED waiting room to find out about his fiance.

Owen seems to take the hint as they settle next to each other in waiting room chairs without any more conversation passing between them. Time passes in a vacuum as Carlos scrolls absentmindedly through his phone. His mom has sent him another list of wedding related questions that he doesn’t have the energy to answer. The quiet is interrupted by the arrival of the rest of the 126 just as a nurse steps out calling for the family of TK Strand.

“Here.” Carlos answers, stepping towards the nurse while feeling several others step up around him. “How is TK?”

She glances around at the crowd, “We’re all family.” Carlos answers the unasked question.

“Okay, you can follow me back to see the doctor. He’d like to talk with you while we get TK settled in his room and then two visitors at a time will be allowed to see him.”

—-

Carlos tries to pay attention to the doctor’s words he really does, but he trusts that Nancy or Captain Vega will be able to answer questions about things he misses when his brain can’t handle the more gruesome details. He does catch that it’s going to be a painfully long recovery. He also catches the look of guilt that is plastered on Judd’s face from where he stands leaning against the wall in the corner of the room.

Before he realizes what’s happening he finds himself seated at TK’s hospital bedside. A large cast encompasses his entire left leg and bandages cover the majority of his left arm. Thankfully, there was no spinal damage and minimal internal injuries. The concussion is actually the most worrisome with TK’s prior history so they just have to wait and see.

All that waiting gives Carlos plenty of time to worry. It also gives him plenty of time to watch and he watches Judd shuffle into the room to quietly stare at TK from just inside the doorway. When Judd turns to leave without so much as a word Carlos decides to figure out what’s wrong and he follows.

He catches him just outside the door with a hand on Judd’s arm. “Hey, I just wanted to thank you for helping back at the scene.” He says quietly watching as Judd avoids eye contact and shuffles on his feet.

“You shouldn’t be thanking me,” he mumbles.

Tipping his head to the side in thought, “Why? You tried to help keep me calm, so that they could help TK. I appreciate it.”

Judd just shakes his head sharply, “If it weren’t for me TK wouldn’t have been hurt in the first place.”

Carlos shakes his head, wondering what is up with people and their misplaced judgements of fault on anyone except the stupid, speeding driver. However, before he can say anything in reply he follows Judd’s gaze into TK’s room to see his fiance’s eyes blinking open and the furrow of pain across TK’s brow has him hurrying back into the room.

TK POV

Pain is the first thing that he is aware of when he wakes up again. Thankfully it is less consuming than the last time and after a few deliberate deep breaths he is able to open his eyes and take in the scene in front of him. Just outside the open door to his hospital room Judd and Carlos seem to be locked in an intense conversation. TK can’t hear the words from where he is lying, but he watches as Carlos gestures into the room and attempts to pull Judd through the door with a hand on his elbow. The older man doesn’t move from his spot though and when Carlos looks up and sees that TK is awake his grip on Judd is released and TK watches as Judd turns and walks away without a second glance.

“Hey TK.” Carlos' soft voice catches his attention, slowly turning his head as his cheek meets Carlos' palm.

“What -” his voice cracks and he tries to clear his throat which just causes him to cough painfully until Carlos brings a straw up to his lips. After a few careful sips he is able to calm down and tries again. “What is up with Judd?”

Carlos sighs, lips pursing in the way that TK knows indicates he’s thinking over his answer, not sure what to say.

“Just tell me, please.”

And TK knows that’s Carlos’ weakness. He can’t argue with the pleading in TK’s voice. Especially not when he’s lying injured in a hospital bed. “I think Judd thinks this was his fault.”

TK tries to sit up at his words, groaning in pain as Carlos catches his shoulders and eases him back down, but his voice is strong and clear when he exclaims, “that’s bullshit and you know it. Get him in here.”

“Whoa slow down, you just woke up.”

“Carlos.” he tries to give him his best pleading eyes, but stern expression. “Get Judd.”

Thankfully Carlos just nods and makes his way back towards the door. It takes longer than TK expected and he thinks he drifts off again for a bit, but the scrape of a chair across the floor wakes him from his doze. When he opens his eyes to find Judd staring guilty at his casted leg, TK uses all of his energy to smack him upside the head. Well at least he tries, with his reach he only manages to brush his shoulder, but Judd startles all the same, eyes turning quickly in his direction.

“Stop thinking stupid thoughts. This wasn’t your fault.” TK rasps, still trying to clear the cobwebs of his extended sleep and his bruised brain.

“I was standing there. I should have seen the car.” Judd argues softly back.

TK shakes his head, “Your back was turned. You couldn’t have seen it. Plus I don’t regret anything. Your little girl needs her daddy.”

Those words cause the sheen to grow more prominent in Judd’s eyes and he looks away, clearly trying to get his emotions under control. When he looks back his eyes are red and no less wet, but his face is stern. “People need you too, TK.”

He ducks his head, not having the energy to fight the wetness that gathers in his eyes. “Yeah I get that, but Judd. I know what it’s like to lose a parent suddenly, unexpectedly. I wasn’t going to let Charlie know what that’s like too.”

With that all three occupants of the room have to wipe their eyes. Carlos reaches out with gentle, trembling fingers to do it for TK, since his one good hand has been captured in a tight grip by Judd. “Thank you.” Judd manages and TK can only nod back before looking over to Carlos. The understanding in his fiance’s eyes means the world.

Carlos knows that TK will do everything he can to not end up hurt, but he also knows that TK loves hard and will do anything for those that he loves. He’s a protector and he always will be.

#tarlossanta #tarlossanta22 #tarlos gift exchange #tarlos #tk whump #tk strand #carlos reyes #judd ryder

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