#what are your favorite owen and tommy moments?

[lonestar-s5countdown]

Thank you @guardian-angle22 for the character journey gifs

[pedrospatch]

jealous

Jackson! Joel Miller x Female Reader

summary: You aren't together, but Joel doesn't want to see you with anyone else.

warnings/tags: 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI. asshole Joel, jealous Joel, he softens up a bit though. established dynamic, Joel and reader have known each other for a decade.

word count: 2k

a/n: highkey i recycled this idea from myself b/c jealous Joel is like...so hot to me. i love this trope, my favorite variant is when he gets aggressively possessive however i don't think i can top some of the amazing fics out there that have gone that direction so i took a softer, fluffier approach to it. also, happy tlou finale day everyone, we'll get through it all together 💗

Jackson, Wyoming

Winter 2024

“Before you head out for patrol, I just wanted to say that I had a great time with you last night.”

Joel’s blood boiled hot in each and every single vein in his entire body as he watched the scene that was unfolding before him just outside of the horse stables. It was late in the evening, and Tommy’s group was gearing up to head out for tonight’s patrol.

You had just finished saddling up your borrowed horse, Daisy, when Owen had sauntered up to you. Joel didn’t know the man, aside from his name. He had been placed in Owen’s patrol group once or twice in the past several months since returning to Jackson, but for the most part, he’d never spoken more than two words to him, and even when he had, it was only when he really didn’t have a choice. Though he didn’t know Owen, one thing was for damn fucking sure—he didn’t like the way that he was looking at you.

And he definitely didn’t like the way that you were looking at him, either.

In the decade that he’d known you, Joel had never seen you lay your eyes on another man before, not until this very moment.

And it was bothering the fucking shit out of him.

“Yeah, I had a really nice time too,” You replied, flashing him a warm and friendly smile. It was in your nature to be sweet and kind to just about anyone you felt you could trust, that was nothing out of the ordinary, but seeing you interact so effortlessly with him only made Joel’s anger bubble even hotter.

Owen reached out to take your hand in his and Joel angrily clenched his fists the moment he touched you. “We should do it again sometime. Maybe on a night when you’re not stuck with patrol duty?” he suggested.

You nodded, smiling once again. “Sure, I’d really like that.”

Joel couldn’t fucking take it anymore.

He was mere seconds away from losing his goddamn mind. Though he had every desire to go up to Owen, snatched his hand away from yours and give him a piece of his mind, Joel had to remind himself that the last thing he needed to do was cause any kind of trouble in the settlement—Maria wouldn’t have any of that in her community, even if he was her husband’s brother.

After taking a minute to somewhat calm himself enough to a point where he knew he wouldn’t throw a punch, he stiffly walked towards the two of you, calling your name. “Hate to interrupt,” he practically sneered, “But we’re startin’ to lose our time. Tommy’s waitin’ for us at the gate.”

Owen grinned sheepishly, squeezing your hand. “Sorry about that, Miller. I didn’t mean to keep your patrol partner, here.”

Ignoring him, Joel narrowed his dark brown eyes at you. “Get on the horse and let’s fuckin’ go. Now.”

Your smile faded, your mouth falling open slightly in shock at his tone.

Though you knew Joel had always been rough around the edges with other people, he’d never spoken to you like that before. For a brief moment, it almost felt like he’d just slapped you across the face.

Without waiting for your response, he whirled around on the heel of his leather boot in the snow and stalked off towards his waiting stallion, his rifle hanging over his shoulder.

Owen frowned, letting go of your hand. “Jeez. What’s his deal?”

“I don’t know.” Your voice wavered slightly. “But I’m certainly going to find out.”

After bidding a quick goodbye to Owen, you quickly walked over to Joel just before he could climb up into the saddle of his horse.

“Excuse me, but what the fucking hell was that?” You asked fiercely as you approached him. 

With his back still to you, he rigidly replied, “What was what?”

“Get on the horse and let’s fucking go. Now,” You mimicked him, crossing your arms over your chest. “How dare you fucking talk to me like that! What’s your fucking problem?”

He remained silent.

“Joel?” You waited for a moment, but still, he said nothing. “Hello? Joel, I’m talking to you! Answer me!”

Slowly, he turned around to face you. His eyes had gone stone cold.

You’d seen him give those eyes to others before, but he had never given them to you.

“In case you’ve forgotten, we have a lot of work to do around here. Tommy and Maria expect both of us to pull our fuckin’ weight if we want to stay here. You understand that?”

“But Joel—”

“We don’t have time for you to stand around flirtin’ with your little boyfriend over there and wastin’ time.”

Despite being angry, you could have laughed—you almost did.

Not wanting to add fuel to the fire, you managed to hold it back.

“First of all, we’re not fucking teenagers, Joel, so cut that shit out,” You said, letting your arms drop back down to your sides. “I hardly know Owen. We met at the Tipsy Bison last night, we had a few drinks and we were just telling each other that we had a good time, that’s all.”

Joel snorted, rolling his eyes. “Well, ain’t that fuckin’ sweet.”

You raised your eyebrows at him, taken aback by his behavior.

“You know, if I didn’t know any better, Joel Miller, I would say that you were jealous or something,” You accused him. You felt a shiver go up and down the length of your spine. It was hard to tell if it was because of the frigid, negative degree temperatures outside—or was it due to the fact that there was actually a possibility that the man you had been helplessly in love with for almost ten years now was bothered by the idea of you being with someone else?

He scoffed in response. “Don’t fuckin’ flatter yourself, sweetheart. I ain’t jealous.”

“Then why the hell are you so upset?”

“I ain’t upset, either.”

“Okay, then why else would you be acting like such a damn asshole towards me?” You challenged him, causing his jaw to clench tightly. “If you’re not jealous, then why do you look like you’re fucking ready to murder Owen with your bare hands?”

Joel groaned out of frustration. “Jesus, can you just fuckin’ drop it? We have to leave before Tommy—”

You reached out and grabbed his arm. “We’re not going anywhere until we talk this out, Joel. I need to know what’s going on with you. Please. Just fucking talk to me.”

He snatched his arm out of your grasp and took a step back. “What the fuck do you want me to say? That you’re absolutely right? That I’m fuckin’ jealous? That the second I saw that prick take your hand, it took every single ounce of strength I had inside me not to walk over and knock his fuckin’ head off his shoulders?”

You exhaled the shaky breath you hadn’t even realized you’d been holding back. “Joel, you have no fucking right to be jealous. You know how I feel about you, you have always known how I fucking feel about you. But you were the one who told me that we couldn’t be together, that we could never be together.” Your voice began to tremble, and you paused for a brief moment, trying to collect yourself. “You’re the one who said that we’d never be anything more than smuggling partners. Even after everything that’s happened with us, what we’ve been through with Ellie—you still keep me at arm’s length, now more than ever before.”

“So you finally found somebody else,” he stated, bitterly. “That it? You tryin’ to move on from me?”

“Yes. No.” You let out a small groan, knowing that if there was one thing you could not do, it was lie to Joel. “Yes, okay? I’ve been trying to fucking move on from you.”

Joel’s stomach sank at your admission. “And he’s the guy, huh?”

“Owen is a nice guy. And I really liked spending time with him—” You looked up at him, seeing the hurt flash in his eyes. “I’ve been so fucking lonely, alright?” You continued quickly before he could say anything. “You’ve been avoiding me for months now, Joel. Ever since we came back to Jackson, things have changed. Do you think I haven’t noticed that we only ever talk when we’re sent out on patrol together? That we don’t eat our meals together anymore like we used to? That whenever I even try and approach you, you make up some excuse to leave, even when we’re in our own fucking house?” Hot, frustrated tears blurred your vision. Not wanting to cry, you furiously blinked them back. “Ellie asked me the other day if something was wrong with us. Even she notices the way you’ve been treating me these last few months, Joel. How you avoid me like I’m the fucking plague.”

Joel opened his mouth to speak, but then clamped it shut, not knowing what to say.

“You can’t be upset with me for trying to move on, not when you’re the one who’s been pushing me away—and I don’t just mean here in Jackson. For ten fucking years you’ve been pushing me away, Joel.” Your voice cracked, and a tear finally gave way and slipped down the side of your face.

His expression suddenly softened. “I had to push you away, darlin’.”

You subconsciously stepped closer to him. “But why?”

“Because, what I felt—what I’ve been feelin’ for you, it’s somethin’ that I didn’t think I could feel for someone ever again. It’s so strong and runs so fuckin’ deep that it scares the shit out of me,” Joel confessed, a trembling edge to his tone. “Before Wyoming, it was so fuckin’ easy not to think about it. We were too busy fightin’ to survive, to protect Ellie—now that we’re here and every goddamn day isn’t a fight for survival, things changed, alright? What I feel for you runs through my mind all fuckin’ day. There ain’t no avoidin’ it.”

“Joel—”

He cut you off. “I never meant to hurt you. When we got here, I thought it’d be best to put some distance between us. I thought that maybe if I spent less time with you, what I feel would just go away somehow. But I was wrong. Wrong and stupid to think that what I’ve been feelin’ for ten fuckin’ years would just disappear.”

“What do you feel for me, Joel?” You whispered, looking up at him.

Your eyes widened in a slight surprise as Joel reached up and gently cupped your cheek in the palm of his gloved hand. He put his other hand on your hip and pulled you as close as he possibly could to him. He looked deeply into your eyes as your arms wrapped themselves tightly around his neck. Joel leaned down into you, and the both of you stood absolutely still, each waiting for the other to make the final move. 

Finally, it was Joel who closed the remaining distance between you and him.

He softly pressed his lips to yours. Any and all hesitation that he might have had before vanished completely as you parted your lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss. 

“That,” he said breathlessly once he’d pulled away, “Is what I feel for you.”

“Never thought I’d see the fucking day,” You murmured against his lips, a tiny, joking smile tugging at the corners of your mouth.

Joel leaned his forehead against yours and sighed, his warm breath tickling your nose. “Look darlin’, m’real sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. It’s just that seein’ you with that prick, the thought of you with him, or with any other man that ain’t me, I just couldn’t fuckin’ handle it.” He paused briefly, taking a look around. Part of him hoped Owen was still around and watching his every move. “I’m gonna have to find a way to make sure every man in Jackson knows you’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” You assured him, gently. “Believe me. You are the only man that I could ever want. I’m all yours, Joel.”

[tellmegoodbye]

Welcome to week 2 of the Countdown to Season Five Music Mondays! This week's themes are Redemption and Owen & Tommy. If you don't have anything for these themes you can still participate in the tag as normal.

Once again, thank you to @lonestar-s5countdown for setting up this event and these themes.

Today I am sharing a few of my favorite songs from the playlist for my upcoming fic!

For these songs I'm thinking about 4x18 (and s5 👀) Carlos, how he stepped away from his obsession and chose love instead. We know this story isn't over for him, but overall it is a redemption story. It's about him and TK fighting through all of this and coming out of it stronger than ever as husbands.

Overcome - Nothing But Thieves

Bringer of the calm, your arms wrapped around when the fever took Thought I was gone for good, you brought me back

I've been thinkin', babe, maybe you're right When you said the pain weathers in time We're just waitin' for a change to follow We don't always get all that we want Redefine the pain to somethin' more And we shall overcome, as we've done before

Sleep Deprivation - Chance Peña

I've been on a mission I won't stop till I'm done I toss and turn almost every night I pray to God I'm doing right By all my family's wishes Lord knows I miss them Their love outshines the sun

So when I break down I list off the reasons I'm here and I'm still breathing I'm hanging on Try to break ground, make way for tomorrow I'll find a way through the sorrow One day at a time

Promises I Can't Keep - Mike Shinoda

What's the difference between a loss and a forfeit I tried to make it better, but I made it more sick I tried to make it right, now awake at night I know reality was getting in the way

I used to think that I knew who I was Never saw it coming unglued I used to think that I knew who I was Now it's time to see if it's true

I had so much certainty Til that moment I lost control And I've tried but it never was up to me I've got no worse enemy Than the fear of what's still unknown And the time's come to realize there will be Promises I can't keep

I Am Not Who I Was - Chance Peña

You keep me steady on the ground When my head's lost in the clouds That spotlight, though it shines bright Could never drown you out I know it's hard when I'm away I'll just hope you don't lose faith 'Cause I told the truth when I said to you That I'll be back someday

So if I fly too far Will I still have a place inside your heart? And when you've seen what I've become Will you love me for who I am, not who I was?

Back To One - O.A.R

I see you there, but you don't look right You got a ten-mile stare in your eyes tonight Time ain't fair, like it used to be

Don't look back, you'll never find your way There's a million different people Who break the same way When everything has come undone We got to bring it back to one

I know forever always asks so much Don't you let it scare you, don't you lose your touch When your still waters start to run, bring it back to one

Tags!

@strandnreyes @lemonlyman-dotcom @bonheur-cafe @heartstringsduet @herefortarlos

@carlos-in-glasses @carlos-tk @literateowl @paperstorm @guardian-angle22

@whatsintheboxmh @fitzherbertssmolder @mrs-corrections-78 @murdersansy @firstprince-history-huh

@honeybee-taskforce @reyesstrand @butchreyes @freneticfloetry @fangirl-paba

@theghostofashton @alrightbuckaroo @nancys-braids @captain-gillian @tailoredshirt

@ironheartwriter @emsprovisions @sapphic--kiwi @reeeallygood @eclectic-sassycoweyes

@goldenskykaysani @toomanycupsoftea @messymindofmine @fandomswonderland @reasonandfaithinharmony

@goodways @thisbuildinghasfeelings @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @decafdino @lightningboltreader

+ open tag

[lemonlyman-dotcom]

Found Family, you say? I have been summoned!!! 🥂

Thank you to @thisbuildinghasfeelings @tellmegoodbye & @sugdenlovesdingle for the tags & jumping on @literateowl ‘s open tag 🤭 + @lonestar-s5countdown for organizing! 💕

(1) What is your favorite 911 Lone Star Found Family moment?

So, I obviously love every moment of this friendship. Them in the helicopter is so much fun, I know they are the chaotic duo that gets sent on all these extreme rescues together.

I also love Marjan rallying everyone to help Mateo study for his firefighter exam, Road Kill, Owen being Daptain Strand to everyone but especially Mateo. Judd & Grace + Tommy & Charles was fun and I miss Charles!

(2) Which platonic pairing/friendship dynamic are you most looking forward to seeing again in season 5?

Hello???? THEM!!!!

(3) If you could pick one Lone Star character to be friends with, who would you choose?

(4) Which would you rather attend: Catan night at the loft or game night at the Ryder house?

Catan night with my babies, of course!!

(5) A character of your choice ends up in jail. Who would they call to bail them out (assuming their romantic partner, parent, and/or child didn't pick up)?

I already wrote this dynamic in Chain of Fools 😏 but I definitely think if TK & Carlos got in trouble TK’s first call (besides his dad) would be to Marjan and Carlos’s would be Paul.

Marjan would bust in like:

And Paul would be behind her like:

Tagging @chicgeekgirl89 @guardian-angle22 @carlos-in-glasses @whatsintheboxmh @fitzherbertssmolder @messymindofmine @goldenskykaysani @firstprince-history-huh @fifthrideroftheapocalypse @just-inside-her @lightningboltreader @liminalmemories21 @carlos-tk @captain-gillian @herefortarlos @tailoredshirt @reasonandfaithinharmony @eclectic-sassycoweyes @fangirl-paba @lemon-drop151 @nznaturalkiwi @gratefulfornow @tinyluminaryzombie @happilylovingchaos @emsprovisions @sapphic--kiwi @bonheur-cafe @paperstorm @reyesstrand @reeeallygood @ladytessa74 and OPEN TAG 🏷️

[paperstorm]

911 Lone Star countdown game

hey look at me participating in a thing! thank you for the tags @lonestar-s5countdown, @bonheur-cafe, @corsage, @strandnreyes, @reyesstrand, and @butchreyes

(1) Which character death in 911 Lone Star hit you the hardest?

Others have said the same, but Charles because I wasn’t expecting it. We had all kind of worked out that Gabriel was going to die so his death definitely was the saddest for me because it was so dramatic and the sort of ‘doomed by the narrative’ aspect of Carlos finally getting something that he’s needed from his father for almost 30 years only to have him ripped away the next day etc, but I knew it was coming. I had no idea Tommy was going to come home to find Charles dead, and then the following episode that focuses on her forcing her way forward and then finally breaking down with Owen at the end is just so heartbreaking.

(2) What is your favorite grief-related moment in the show?

The opening scene of 4x18. It’s like 90 seconds long but “I’ll rub your back” and “Tyler, I don’t …” and “I’m not going anywhere” “You better not” and the Titties of Sadness and the way Rafa has this incredible ability to make his big body look so small in moments like this and the way his face crumples and he leans into TK and is brave enough to be vulnerable … I will weep just thinking about it.

(3) Do you think there will be a character death in season 5? If so, any guesses about who it might be?

My only guess (and I’m hoping to be wrong) is Enzo. I have a vague foreboding feeling he’s dying and Jonah is going to be given to Tarlos but I’m trying to manifest that not happening 😂

(4) Which living character's death would destroy you the most?

Either of Tarlos. Don’t even think about it Tim I will put so many bees in your house and your car and your vacation home and your office and everywhere else. I will bee your whole life. No where will be safe. Where did she even get so many bees, you will wonder? And just when you think you’ve found a safe place that I couldn’t possibly have gotten to because it’s a condo in Palm Springs that you just purchased, you will open a hall closet and BAM, bees.

(5) Which character's childhood trauma do you think was most significant in shaping them?

This is so hard because comparing traumas isn’t really something you can do objectively. It all depends on circumstances, on the individual person, on the support systems they have. I think if you look at whose traumas have led them to the largest amount of harmful decisions, it would have to be Owen and TK. But Paul, Marjan, Judd, Carlos, and Mateo also all have canon childhood traumas that affect them in the present and lead to them being self-sabotaging sometimes so like who’s to say whether any of theirs are actually much bigger than we’ve seen. Trauma runs deep in this family. Luckily, so does love 💛

[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

911 Lone Star Countdown Tag Game--Found Family Week

(1) What is your favorite 911 Lone Star Found Family moment?

It's incredibly difficult to choose just one...so I'll choose a few!

4x09 has a couple great ones, like the look on Marjan's face when she realizes that her 126 family has come to find her and the moment when the doctor asks who is there for Marjan and everyone in the waiting room raises their hands🥺

I also adore the moment at the end of 1x10 when TK tells the other firefighters about his addiction and the fact that he's realized that this what he wants to do and these are the people he wants to do it with. It's so beautiful the way he's met with nothing but love, support, and a group hug 🥺

Another favorite is in 2x08 with TNT. The way Tommy does everything she can to protect TK and Nancy and the way they work together to keep themselves safe and get out of that hostage situation always makes me emotional. I liked Tommy from her first appearance, but this is what made me really love her.

(2) Which platonic pairing/friendship dynamic are you most looking forward to seeing again in season 5?

So many to choose from again! Probably the one I'm most looking forward to is Owen and Carlos, especially after the events of the end of season 4 and the fact that they're officially family now. I really hope we'll get at least one good father/son-in law moment in the limited screen time of a 12 episode season.

One of my favorite dynamics on the show is TNT, so that's another one I'm really looking forward to. From BTS it looks like we're getting a lot of TNT and I can't wait to see how that plays out! Ronen has said it's the "most iconic TNT season," so I'm very excited to see what the hell that means! There should also be some interesting dynamic shifts as well with Captain Nancy for at least part of the time.

I'm also particularly excited to see Paul and Marjan and how things play out with them as they compete for Judd's position. They're both passionate and competitive but they love each other a lot, so I can't wait to see how the whole thing gets resolved.

(3) If you could pick one Lone Star character to be friends with, who would you choose?

I would have to choose TK. He's so sweet and would clearly be a kind and compassionate friend. He's the sort of person who would just be fun to be around. Also, he has a really hot husband who he would talk about nonstop, which would be adorable.

(4) Which would you rather attend: Catan night at the loft or game night at the Ryder house?

If I'm choosing based on which group I'd rather actively join in with, it would probably be the Ryder house. I think game night at the Ryder house is a little more casual. I've never played Catan in my life and I'm not really a game player to begin with. I think it would be a bit intimidating to try to jump in and play with those competitive Catan devotees. They take it way too seriously for me 😂 However, if I'm choosing which one I'd rather be a silent observer of, it would be Catan night without a doubt! I think that would be far more entertaining to watch.

(5) A character of your choice ends up in jail. Who would they call to bail them out (assuming their romantic partner, parent, and/or child didn't pick up)?

If Carlos got arrested, I think he'd call Paul. Paul is very reliable and can be trusted to be fairly discreet. Also, Carlos hasn't arrested him before, which I think would go into his consideration of who to call 🤭

Open tag and also tagging

@lemonlyman-dotcom @ladytessa74 @she-walked-away @reasonandfaithinharmony @paperstorm

@carlos-in-glasses @strandnreyes @guardian-angle22 @carlos-tk @welcometololaland

@reeeallygood @bubblesandroses8 @tarlosislife @pimento-playing-hopscotch @eclectic-sassycoweyes

@heartstringsduet @toomanycupsoftea @littlemissmarianna @fifthrideroftheapocalypse @tellmegoodbye

[strandnreyes]

Tag Game: Found Family

thanks @lonestar-s5countdown @tellmegoodbye @lightningboltreader @butchreyes @thisbuildinghasfeelings !!

what’s your favorite lone star found family moment?

I love Carlos and TK taking Paul to the club in season 1, especially because the relationships are all so new. It’s such a nice gesture!!

which platonic dynamic are you most looking forward to seeing in season five?

Carlos and Owen!! I feel like they have the potential to have some really good scenes together this season!

if you could pick one lone star character to be friends with, who would you choose?

probably TK! I think he and I could bond over being jocks turned science geeks

which would you rather attend: catan night or game night at the ryder house?

I’d rather be at the loft, but I’d rather play the games at the Ryder game night because I don’t know anything about catan. Maybe I could learn it. for them

a character of your choice ends up in jail. who would they call to bail them out?

If Tommy got arrested, her first call would be to Grace and Grace would show up in her pajamas with her arms crossed and a brow raised like ‘Tommy Vega, what are you doing?’

tagging @reyesstrand @paperstorm @carlos-in-glasses @heartstringsduet @emsprovisions + open tag!

[reyesstrand]

beginnings week

thanks for the tag @lonestar-s5countdown & @herefortarlos :-)

which 911 lone star season premiere is your favorite?

ooh this is tough….i really do think the pilot is such a solid episode and i love all of it, but i think 3x01 might just edge it out? the way we’re dropped into the action with so many fractured relationships and the rising tension of the threat of the ice storm with grace being so pregnant and the knowledge tk would be in peril again was so good.

which character do you think had the best introduction or first scene in the show?

normally my answer would be everyone because they all have such good introductions, especially throughout the pilot, but i think i’d say tommy actually!! watching in real time as gina was announced during the hiatus was so interesting and i loved how they made her a seasoned captain going back to work to support her family while also just making her so so endearing and complex and fun to watch.

what is your favorite moment of 1x01?

i love so much of it…. the montage of everyone being recruited, the quieter character moments like tk and owen’s rooftop conversation and judd and owen’s ptsd talk and grace seeking out owen outside the honky tonk. and the honky tonk!!!! i love that as a moment where everyone starts meshing. (i also will neither confirm nor deny that them ending the episode unironically with old town road made me realize i had already signed over my life to this silly show)

when did you first start watching lone star and how did you find out about it?

i saw gifs from the first three episodes, but specifically the call with the bigoted woman and the 126 dealing with her and the police station scene, and decided to binge those episodes all in like one day. started watching live with episode four, now here we are!

what is one wish you have for the season 5 premiere?

i just hope we get to see some slowness and some light-hearted moments thrown throughout the episode before the high-stakes drama of the train derailment starts! i’m pretty sure we’re going to see a time jump of some sorts so it would be cool to see the immediate aftermath of the end of season four before that jump. i’d love to see a couple just truly happy moments for tarlos before they undoubtedly Go Through It (which i’m here for!! but just let them be all mushy and husband-y at least once ajdnsjd) and i’d love some fun 126 moments :’)

no pressure tagging @strandnreyes @paperstorm @carlos-in-glasses @butchreyes @theghostofashton @carlos-tk @lutavero @captain-gillian @whatsintheboxmh @heartstringsduet @pelorsdyke @nancys-braids @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @alrightbuckaroo @corsage @tellmegoodbye & open tag!!

[sugdenlovesdingle]

Endings week Season 5 countdown tag game

Doing this right away because I'm pretty sure I forgot last week's @lonestar-s5countdown

1) Which 911 Lone Star season finale is your favorite? Gotta be season 4 - the tarlos wedding. Though season 3 with the 3:18 proposal in 3x18 was good too!

(2) What was your favorite moment from the season 4 finale? The tarlos wedding obviously. Tommy singing for them and both of them getting a little teary eyed, TK holding onto his husband's (!!!) arm, Carlos telling his mum it was the best night of his life, their vows (!!!), both of them being romantic idiots, "You are the key that unlocked me" "You are the dream I would not allow myself to have", "You saw me for the man I hadn't yet become" "I vow to take care and nurture your heart as if it was my very own", Paul officiating (!!!), the two of them in their own little bubble dancing in the background, the cake smash scene!!! (I don't care that it was deleted - it counts).

(3) Are there any storylines that you would like to see brought back for a more satisfying conclusion? Not so much a conclusion but I'd like to see Carlos' sisters again - just to see their dynamic with him some more. We barely saw them at the rehearsal dinner and then the next time was Gabriel's funeral. I want to see them tease their little brother, I want TK to join in and just interact with his in laws other than Andrea.

Or if we're going full delusion - Gabriel. He had to fake his death and now Carlos is solving his 'murder' and when the bad guy is locked up, he comes home to be with his family and see his son happily married to the love of his life.

(4) Pick one character and tell us where you hope to see them at the end of season 5. I think most of all I want *everybody* to have a happy ending. though i don't know how likely that's going to be if they really do what I think they'll do with Judd's storyline.

And maybe for Owen to have a FRIEND. No more random girlfriends young enough to be his daughter.

(5) What is one thing you really want to see before the show ends? An announcement abc (or any other network) has picked up the show? Nancy and Marjan kiss and fall in love and live happily ever after? (shush let me live in denial) On a more realistic note... I think I'd like Andrea and Owen to bond over losing their partner/the other parent of their child/children and Judd will probably be joining that club too this season I want tarlos to be a united front with whatever drama comes their way this season. No fighting between them please. I'm curious about Carlos' new work partner (RIP Lexi Mitchell, you'll always be famous) and even though I think it'll be like the Cooper of it all, I really hope it won't be. Carlos would absolutely never cheat, and TK knows it, but I don't particularly want him to be "jealous" of how much time Carlos is spending with New Guy for work. And I want at least one Catan crew hang at the tarloft. I want tarlos to be That Couple that's constantly making heart eyes at each other, telling the other they missed them when they've been apart for more than 5 minutes, just being all loved up and obnoxiously happy. Carlos went to the store to get more snacks, was gone for maybe 20 minutes, slides the door open, and TK all but jumps up from his seat to greet him with a kiss.

"Hi baby, I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Nancy *rolling her eyes* "He was gone for FIFTEEN MINUTES!"

open tag + tags under the cut

@bonheur-cafe @carlos-in-glasses @pimento-playing-hopscotch @lemonlyman-dotcom @theredandwhitequeen

@chicgeekgirl89 @bringingclawstoagunfight @nancys-braids @captain-gillian @literateowl

[shes-an-oddbird]

911 Lone Star Countdown Tag Game: Redemption

I’m seriously struggling with the word "redemption" so these answers probably trail off course a few times but please enjoy anyways.

Thank you for tagging me @lonestar-s5countdown

(1) Which 911 Lone Star character redemption moment is your favorite? (Feel free to interpret “redemption” as loosely as you like. This can include moments of forgiveness, moments characters proved themselves, moments characters learned from their mistakes, etc.)

The one that’s coming to mind is Mateo standing up to Captain Tatum and the 129. I respect that he was willing to do the grunt work without complaint because he’s the new guy or whatever, but they were awful to him and him telling them off needed to happen and in the end they did respect him. It was also just a great episode for proving to everyone what a good firefighter he is.

(2) Is there a character you think deserved more of an on screen redemption moment than we got in the show?

There are maybe a few little things I would have liked to have seen. I think it would have been nice for a scene between Carlos, TK and Iris after everything that happened at the beginning of season 4.

I also would have liked to have known why the woman with the DNR bracelet ultimately dropped the lawsuit. If there really was something Nancy or Tommy did or said that changed her mind.

(3) Is there a recurring (or even one-time guest) “villain” that you would like to see return with a redemption arc? Or if not, is there a “villain” you absolutely would not want to see get a redemption?

Personally, I think characters like Billy Tyson and Sgt. O’Brien are funniest when they are being best frienemies with Owen. Pearce too actually. He got a little redemption since he and Tommy ended up with a common enemy but it’s just so much funnier when they are fighting that I wouldn’t want him to completely redeem himself. Let him continue to be a coward and a sellout and too full of himself.

(4) Are there any unresolved conflicts from the first four seasons that you wish were reconciled on screen?

Quite a few actually! Let’s be honest, Lone Star has a way of not really solving problems, just brushing past them, but the one that bugged me the most was “A House Divided”. I had such high expectations for that episode so it’s probably my fault that more than a year later I’m still disappointed. It’s not that it was a bad episode, it’s just that they didn’t actually resolve the issue between Judd and Tommy. They just injured Wyatt and decided that that was more important, so the fight was over. And yes, Wyatt is more important but actual resolution would have been so much better.

The conflict could have been so interesting if it was more developed, maybe even over a couple of episodes. Watching it seep slowly into the rest of the team instead of having them have a childish argument about it that was so embarrassing I could barely watch. It could have been so good! The teams not working at their best being on different shifts and not on speaking terms? Not knowing what to do with their little group fighting. No Catan?! It could have thrown TK and Carlos’s entire home schedule off and have had them struggling because maybe they barely get to see each other. It should have directly affected Nancy and Mateo who were on opposing sides but god forbid their relationship be allowed to have any development.

I’m ranting now but it just irks me that this could have been such a good conflict/resolution for the whole 126. They could have had Owen come home, realize something was up and play devil’s advocate or give a different perspective to Tommy about why Judd reported her. They could have let Judd make a similar decision as Tommy or at least have him struggle with making that decision when he is put in a similar situation. All while the rest of the team is working together to accomplish something/save someone and admit to each other that it wasn’t their battle to fight. It could have been an episode(s) that had a story that included all of them, a conflict that affected all of them and instead we didn’t even get a resolution to the one conflict they did give us.

(5) Which main character would you like to have a more developed backstory?

Nancy is really the only character left who doesn’t have a backstory and I would give every penny I have to fix that. I think Paul could use a more developed backstory and they could have been more consistent with Mateo’s backstory but poor Nancy, we know almost nothing about her. And we are four seasons in. We know she is close with her sister, but why? We know she has always wanted to help people, but why? Maybe I’m reading her wrong but I’ve always felt Nancy was slow to trust people and maybe is even a little introverted (crazy right?) but every time I think they’re are going to explore that that, they don’t.

[butchreyes]

found family tag game!

@lonestar-s5countdown ‘s game! tagged by @tellmegoodbye <3

what’s your favorite lone star found family moment? – this is so hard, but the first moments that come to mind are owen and carlos in 4x17 and owen and mateo in 4x11

which platonic dynamic are you most looking forward to seeing in season five? – OWEN AND CARLOS… also tk and nancy, paul and marjan, owen and mateo, and judd and tommy. so like all of them.

if you could pick one lone star character to be friends with, who would you choose? – i literally know in my bones that mateo and i would get along so well. and especially if we threw nancy into the mix?? dream blunt rotation.

which would you rather attend: catan night or game night at the ryder house? – i have never played catan in my life and will be making it everyone’s problem.

a character of your choice ends up in jail. who would they call to bail them out? – i feel like there are some obvious answers but i’m actually thinking about tnt getting arrested together.. tk calling carlos like “heyyy 🙈”

tagging @reyesstrand @paperstorm @carlos-tk @carlos-in-glasses @strandnreyes

[happilylovingchaos]

Last @lonestar-s5countdown Beginnings and Endings Week Post

I have a new work schedule now! And Lone Star is ending with season 5 real soon! That’s been fun getting used to… (/s) so I’ll post my fanfic/ music recs as one post tomorrow. Let’s see how much I can post w/o this becoming a complete image-less wall of stream-of-consciousness… but it will still be inevitable to everyone in the LS fandom who follows my handle and welcomed me. And if I haven’t said it yet, or enough, or sincerely in the last almost-year, thank you. Just thank you for your niceness, all your everything you’ve expressed, letting me be part of the fan group! I really really hope the end of the show doesn’t mean the end of this community, but whatever happens, it’s been a hella exhilarating, emotional, and lively experience.

(1) Which 911 Lone Star season premier is your favorite?

It’s a draw between seasons 2 and 4– I like the season premieres of 1 and 3 as much as everyone but holy hell I was not ready for the emotional twists in them to hit me the way they did. I am still in emotional recovery in both the good and bad ways. Both 2 and 4, until their respective cliffhangers, were quite light-hearted and self-contained with hints at the storylines to come, and those were easier for me to enjoy. Plus, Tommy, Gwyn and Iris (re-debut, in Iris’ case) had some colorful debuts! (I will always wish that Owen and Gwyn’s characters had a little more time together outside of the wit/ playfulness/ vitriol, and a couple more scenes with TK without their son always needing to be middle-man. But Rob, Lisa and Ronen played off of each other so well!) Gina’s portrayal of Tommy was just magnetically charismatic even without Michelle there— ‘Nuff said. And while I had issues with Iris’ bluntness (especially since it sorta re-opened some of TK’s emotional wounds), I could relate to being on both sides of a conversation in a similar situation to her— seeming hard to read/ confusing to most everyone around her (sometimes even with trusted family/ friends), and being confused/ offended by the delivery of what we convey.

(2) Which character do you think had the best introduction or first scene in the show?

I’m gonna say… it’s a toss-up between Judd and Grace for their natural first integration into the story and the first successful show>tell moment about them (specially Judd) in the series, Marjan (social media firefighter Muslim badass, in a description), and Mateo (for his own intro as unassuming but more than capable— Julian nails the portrayal of this character archetype in LS and The Long Game). Confusingly honorable mention goes to Michelle in hindsight, though? To me, she’s okay as a character, but I do understand where some fans were put off by her personality/ Liv’s portrayal.

(3) What is your favorite moment of 1x01?

Judd officially starting his end of the friendship with Owen by strong-arming him into accepting a chocolate chip cookie— you try saying no to a big Texan guy played by Jim Parrack and a mom and daughter holding a platter of chocolate chip cookies. Really, it’s tricky and you will probably get on their respective neutral if not shit lists. And Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” was quite a bop to end on! (Though, how did people find that wild? Just a little confused.)

(4) How did you first start watching Lone Star and how did you find out about it?

My aunt showed my mom and me the first parts of season 3– I saw… looking back on it, I’m a bit fuzzy on details but sometime in 2022 (def not consecutive days tho), I think I saw part of 3x04, then 3x07, and all of 3x08. And that last episode made me sob, I’m not ashamed to admit it now or in my grief week post. (My mom, grandma, uncle and aunt were watching it with me at dinner and were very confused about why I was crying.) Then I saw the last 3 eps, and it got me curious/hooked, so I went into season 4 kinda blind. Then I downloaded Hulu to catch up on the series proper, and the rest is rewatch history.

(5) What is one wish you have for the season 5 premiere?

Mostly that the overall narratives don’t feel too rushed or forced should there be a timeskip? I hate that Fox couldn’t get the show renewed… but on a lighter note? I’d like a solid explanation/ in-character reason for Grace’s absence that IS NOT a character death, a breakup, or anything relating to misblaming Wyatt.

Open tag to everyone as well!

[tellmegoodbye]

Tag Game: Grief

Thank you @lonestar-s5countdown for the questions and thank you @bonheur-cafe @strandnreyes @literateowl @reyesstrand and @decafdino for tagging me!

---

(1) Which character death in 911 Lone Star hit you the hardest?

In terms of shock and the events in the aftermath, it had to be Gabriel. Watching Carlos break down the way he did, seeing how differently he dealt with his grief compared to the way TK shut down after Gwyn's death, it had me crying until the very end.

However, I think I cried the most after Charles' death. One Day is one of those episodes I always come back to because it's just guaranteed to make me cry. Seeing Tommy hold it together all episode only to finally break down in the end? Seeing the way Grace and Judd fall apart when they put the pieces together while watching Tommy's kids? I don't think any character death is topping the way this one broke me.

(2) What is your favorite grief-related moment in the show?

There's so many! Tommy's grief group. Owen and Andrea talking about Gwyn and Gabriel before the wedding, even if that was a deleted scene. Everyone dealing with their grief surrounding Tim's death in their own way in 2x02. Tommy finally breaking down in 2x13. Owen's talk with Carlos about obsession.

My favorite probably has to be Owen's dream in 3x18. He's been carrying around so much guilt and trauma up until that point and it's been eating him alive, but he was finally able to see that continuing to hold onto that guilt isn't helping him. It's hurting him. In a way, he was finally able to let go of a lot of things (his brother's death, his family falling apart, 9/11, the mistakes he made with TK, Gwyn's death, etc) which is one of the hardest steps to take in the grief process. It doesn't mean he'll forget, it just means he can move forward and live with a little more peace in his heart.

(3) Do you think there will be a character death in season 5? If so, any guesses about who it might be?

If there is, I don't think it would be any of the main characters. A minor character death can be impactful in many different ways though, and I wouldn't put it past lone star to kill off someone we would least expect, so we'll see!

(4) Which living character's death would destroy you the most?

Probably Owen. I say that because killing off TK or Carlos is just not an option and I think we're all in agreement that they're off limits. Owen's death would make a lot of sense at some point down the line. After he's finally found the peace he's been looking for and gets to see his son thrive in his job and with his soulmate. Once Owen has nothing left to worry about, killing him off would make a lot of sense and still be devastatingly tragic at the same time.

(5) Which character's childhood trauma do you think was most significant in shaping them?

All of these characters have such unique backgrounds that it's kind of hard to try and compare traumas (and that's not something I like to do) so instead I'm going to say in terms of time, it would be Owen. His trauma has been accumulating longer than most of the rest of these characters have been alive, and the longer you live with something without properly dealing with it, the more it will bring you down. You could also say Judd because like Owen, he has a lot of childhood guilt and trauma as well as some recent trauma. It makes sense why these two ended up being such close friends. They understand each other in that sense.

---

Open tag because a lot of people have done this already!

[lemonlyman-dotcom]

Disaster Week! [Previous recs can be found in the #lemon’s monthly fics tag which tumblr is not allowing me to link! 🍋]

Sharing some of my favorite disaster-themed & Nancy & Mateo fics for @lonestar-s5countdown

Bad Call by Dekka - When the 126 is called to a mass casualty event and paramedics are spread thin, Tommy partners TK off with Marjan, Judd, and Carlos to help aid in patient care.

A safe distance by @tailoredshirt - TK is left traumatized after he risks his life to save Carlos during a mass shooting. In the aftermath, he is forced to confront the reality of their breakup and his fears of the future. aka Carlos nearly dies and TK gets by with a little help from his friends (and family)

Green Eyes, Blue Skies by @wandering-night19 - When Carlos is tasked with uncovering the dump site of a serial killer on death row his biggest concern was being apart from TK for three months. But when a prison break goes awry, his biggest concern is TK being caught in the middle.

Giving up Ground by dancer_me - [note: this is a 911 crossover, but you can skip the 911 parts (as I did) and still enjoy!] TK is back in Texas. Carlos wants to live with him, he has a close friend in Buck, and life is good. That is, until some bad weather causes road rage in Austin, and TK finds that objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.

Dost thou eat most well? by @tailoredshirt - Owen stabbed at his salad. "If you get sick later, do not come crying to me." Mateo picked up a different slice of pizza with what looked to be cut-up pieces of hot dogs. "Or maybe I'm the one that's going to be sick."—Owen and Mateo eat at Swords and Slices.

Carry You by @marjansmarwani - One moment you were searching a house with your friend, looking for a missing kid, and then the next everything went wrong. Things could turn from routine to disastrous in an instant and what side of the disaster you were on simply depended on luck and the whim of the universe. Today, it was in Mateo’s favor. The same could not be said for TK.

Leaving Pieces of Me Behind by TearsThisSideofHeaven - “He’s where?” Even over speaker phone, the incredulity in TK’s voice is obvious. - “The South Texas Detention Complex,” Carlos recites as he maneuvers his way through the tail end of rush hour traffic heading south out of Austin. - “What the fuck,” TK says, “Why.”

(Des)esperanza by TearsThisSideofHeaven - Carlos gives it a good hour or so of driving and small talk before broaching the subject of why he and Mateo are really here, taking an eight-hour road trip across west Texas on a Friday morning.

And if you will allow a Nancy fic of my own!! 😊

Call Me If You Get Lost - Canon divergence if TK and Carlos found out about Nancy and Mateo in a different, much more chaotic way!

Tagging some folks in to make some recommendations of their own if they’d like: @thisbuildinghasfeelings @ladytessa74 @carlos-in-glasses @emsprovisions @eclectic-sassycoweyes @alrightbuckaroo @bonheur-cafe @chicgeekgirl89 @decafdino @certifiedflower @guardian-angle22 @goldenskykaysani @herefortarlos @just-inside-her @firstprince-history-huh @kiwichaeng @literateowl @messymindofmine @never-blooms @reeeallygood @she-walked-away @whatsintheboxmh @literateowl @goldenskykaysani

[carlos-in-glasses]

Neither Gwyn or Owen are perfect parents. Perfect parents don't exist because perfect people don't exist. That said, we can see that TK is very close to both of them and he misses Gwyn so much. He asked Tommy to play her favorite song at his wedding. We know that she used to take him to get Dim Sum when he was younger. She flew all the way from NYC to Texas to be with her son after he was shot. And tbh I find the accusation that she was only thinking about herself when she sent TK to rehab very hurtful and problematic. It's impossible to describe what it's like to have a loved one struggle with addiction. Even more so for a parent to have to watch their child go through that. Yet Gwyn and Owen never gave up on their son and supported him through his recovery. And TK clearly has no problem going to his parents for support for anything. Whatever complications TK may have with his parents, we can see that he loves them both and is very close to both of them so clearly, he doesn't see either of them as bad parents

I agree with you on all these points, and I do want to stress in particular that I agree with you about Gwyn taking TK to rehab. That part of the ask I got has been on my mind quite a lot since I answered it. Trying to cope with and essentially project-manage someone with addiction can turn into a living nightmare. Gwyn was giving TK tough love in the 3x08 flashbacks because it was necessary, and it was coming from a place of wanting her son to live and thrive because she loves him so much. Of course she wanted him to live because she didn't want to lose him - and in that sense we are all selfish when it comes to the people we care about, because we want them around - but it's also waaaay beyond that. "The next steps you take are yours." She was saying this might be his last chance and she was possibly already starting to grieve for him, if this didn't work. The state of mind she would have been..... I feel for her so much in that moment. I had a similar ask just before yours, and I'm linking my response so I'm not a total broken record, but yes - Gwyn and Owen are imperfect parents full of love for their son. TK is an imperfect son full of love for his parents.

[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

I will be starting us off on the fic rec game for Week 8! (This week’s episodes: 2x05 Difficult Conversations & 2x06 Everyone and Their Brother)

Here are the prompts for this week’s fic rec game:

Owen and Gwyn

Gwyn's pregnancy

Paul and his family and/or his life in Chicago

TK's decision to become a paramedic

Brothers

TK driving (firetruck or otherwise)

The rules are simple: every week there will be a different prompt, and everyone is encouraged to share a fic (or a few!) recommendation that meets the prompt and tag a few fic-reading friends. The game can be played all week, so no pressure to post right away. I will kick us off with a few recs and then I’ll tag some folks below to get us going! Please feel free to use the banner above, to make your own, or to not use one at all!

Finally, please use the tag ‘Rewatch Read-Along Week 8’ and at the end of the week @911lonestarrewatch will post the link to the tag for the comprehensive list of fic recs!

Thanks to @guardian-angle22 for the banner!

i don't wanna wear this cape by @marchingatmidnight

A really lovely fic that includes Carlos and TK talking through TK's decision to become a paramedic, which is something I desperately wish we had seen on the show! It also includes some discussion of TK going to meetings, another thing that was missing from season 2. This fic also provides an explanation for something I had been thinking about recently...why would it have been so ridiculous for Tommy to go into the minefield with Owen in 2x06? Here it's explained as a bad idea because it would have been both captains going into the same significant danger. I'm not sure if it was thought through to that extent by the show's writers, but you know what? That works for me. I will accept it!

Rest My Head on Your Chest by @bellakitse

Another excellent little fic about TK talking through his decision to become a paramedic with Carlos. This is something that MUST have happened. We didn't get to see it, but thankfully we have fanfiction to help us with that!

Back to the Remedy by @paperstorm

A Missing Moments installment for 2x06, including TK finding out about Gwyn's pregnancy and (what is clearly my favorite topic for fic this week) TK and Carlos talking about TK's decision to become a paramedic. I think what I love so much about this topic is the inevitable loving support from Carlos, which is something this fic has in abundance!

Baby you can drive my car by Uny_Kitty

An adorable fic that features Carlos teaching TK to drive. He even lets him drive the Camaro!

Tagging some fic readers who might have recs of their own: @lemonlyman-dotcom @carlos-in-glasses @bonheur-cafe @reyesstrand @chicgeekgirl89 @redshirt2 @lightningboltreader @herefortarlos @heartstringsduet @im-overstimulated-and-im-sad @sznofthesticks @strandnreyes @alrightbuckaroo @noxsoulmate