Chapter Text
Growing up, TK had always believed that his dad was invincible. All kids do, he supposes, but his dad had been special. His dad was a superhero.
Looking at him now, TK’s hit with just how vulnerable he truly is.
It’s not that he's never realised before; Owen wasn’t as good as he thought at hiding the side effects from the cancer treatment. TK had heard him throwing up into the toilet at all hours, had seen the tired, drawn look on his face when he thought no one else was around. He’d let him keep up the charade at the time, not wanting to cause his dad any more unnecessary stress, but he wonders now if he’d made a mistake.
He has to refrain from checking his watch again, knowing it’ll only have been five minutes or so since the last time. But every minute his dad doesn’t wake up only increases his worry, and he briefly feels guilty for those days Owen must have spent by TK’s bedside when he was shot.
“Come on, Dad,” he mutters, leg bouncing with pent up anxiety. The medics in the tent are giving him the side eye, but none of them have said anything - yet. TK knows he ought to be helping with the clean-up; now that the out-of-state teams have left, it’s all hands on deck for the Texas crews, but the 126 are covering for him and he thinks the chief is cutting him a bit of slack anyway.
Not that TK could focus on work at the moment even if he tried.
TK sighs and scrubs his hands over his face, not caring about the ash and grime he must be smearing everywhere. He’s exhausted. He can probably count on one hand the number of hours he’s slept this past week, and now that the adrenaline is fading from his body, he knows it’s only a matter of time before he crashes.
In truth, the only things keeping him awake right now are the fear of missing his dad waking up and the promise of a bed when he gets back home to Carlos.
His phone pings in his pocket and he pulls it out, smiling when he sees the texts from his boyfriend.
Hope your dad gets better soon. Glad to hear you’re okay.
Do you know when you’ll be coming back?
TK grimaces. He wants nothing more than to be back. He and Carlos have facetimed a couple of times and they’ve kept up a steady text stream, but it’s not the same. He misses him so damn much.
Not sure, he types. Clean up might take a while but we hope they’ll clear us soon. Miss you x
A groan from the bed pulls his attention away from his phone. His dad’s head rolls on the pillow, his eyes slowly blinking open. TK leans forward, gripping his dad’s hand tightly.
“Dad? Dad, you’re okay, it’s okay. I’m here.”
Owen frowns, blinking a few more times before his gaze focuses on TK. “TK -” He coughs harshly, and TK grabs a water bottle, holding it gently to his lips. His dad pouts at the implication that he can’t do it himself, but TK just sends him a warning look. It feels weird, and he doesn’t miss the irony of the situation; normally, he would be the one pouting and protesting.
“What’s happening?” his dad asks once the coughing has abated. “The fire?”
“Everything’s okay,” TK replies. “There was some rain overnight; we were able to get it under control while you were out. The crews from other states are shipping out.”
“The 118, have they gone yet?”
TK frowns. “I-I don’t- I don’t know.”
Owen begins to push himself up. “I’ve got to go find out, I need to talk to Hen.”
TK gently shoves him back down, rising from his seat. “You’re not going anywhere. I’ll go. The others will want to know you’re awake anyway.” He sighs and attempts a smile. “Please, Dad.”
Owen hesitates a second before relenting, lying back down on the bed. “Thank you, son.”
TK nods then leaves the tent, sighing deeply the second he steps outside. There’s a weight off his shoulders now that his dad’s awake and he feels lighter than he has since he first heard the news.
It’s enough to energise him to work, so they can get home.
A day and a half later, they’re on the road back to Austin. Most of the crew - save Judd, who volunteered to drive the three and a half hour journey - are already asleep, but TK has something he needs to do first.
“TK?”
He smiles as he hears Carlos’s voice through his phone, leaning his head against the truck window and closing his eyes. “Hey.”
“What’s up?” Carlos asks. “Everything okay?”
TK nods, futile though the gesture is. “Yeah. We’re, uh, we’re actually leaving San Angelo now. Should be back at the station in a few hours.” He stifles a yawn, shaking his head in an attempt to stay awake.
“I’ll meet you there.”
“You don’t have to -”
“I want to.” Carlos laughs. “And TK?”
“Hmm?”
“Get some rest. You’re falling asleep.”
“How do you know?” TK protests, despite the fact that Carlos is, actually, correct. “You can’t see me.”
“Call it intuition,” Carlos says drily. “I’ll see you soon.”
“See you.” TK smiles and cuts the call, shoving his phone back in his pocket before he can drop it. He shifts in his seat, sighing deeply as he gets comfortable, and finally gives in to the pull of sleep.
He’s snoring in thirty seconds flat.