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"What are your plans for your big 30th tonight?" Nancy questioned TK as they were stocking inventory.
"Carlos is planning on cooking dinner tonight and then we're just gonna cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. At this age, all I want is a nice evening in with my husband," TK said, shrugging, as he stacked a second box of medical gloves.
Opening her mouth to continue the conversation, Nancy was cut off by the shrill alarm sounding through the station.
"Engine 126, Ambulance 126, medical emergency at 2360 E. 6th Street. One person trapped and injured following an elevator failure," the voice over the alarm said.
"TK, isn't that...?
"Yeah, that's the address of where Carlos and I live," TK said, dread forming a pit in his stomach as he headed for the driver's seat.
Jumping in, TK started up the ambulance and flipped the lights and sirens on, following behind the firetruck.
Within five minutes, TK was pulling the ambulance up behind the firetruck in front of a very familiar building to him, and as he hopped out and grabbed a medical bag, he followed his team over to a familiar building maintenance person.
"Hi Owen Strand of the 126. Can you tell me what happened with the elevator, sir?" Owen asked the building maintenance worker."
"Hi, Diego. The elevator snapped from its cables and plummeted down the shaft with a person inside. The only way in and out is through the top hatch of the elevator, which you have to access by going down the elevator shaft. I think the person inside is hurt bad."
Turning to his team, Owen started instructing them, "Okay, here's how we're going to do this. TK, as the only dual firefighter-paramedic, you'll go into the elevator with Marjan. Mateo, Paul grab the stokes basket and have it ready and waiting. Medical on standby until we get the patient out of the elevator. Let's go gear up."
Gearing up in a rescue helmet and harness, TK and Marjan quickly made their way over to the open doors of the elevator shaft, and once securing themselves with rope, began rappelling down the shaft to the elevator.
Touching down on the elevator, TK yelled out, "Austin Fire and Rescue, we're here to help!"
Opening the hatch on top of the elevator, TK's blood ran cold as he saw who was in there. "Oh my god, Carlos??!"
Turning his head at TK's voice, Carlos whimpered in pain.
"Hang on baby, I'm coming to help," TK answered. Grabbing his radio, he radioed to Tommy, "Cap, our patient, it's Carlos. From my angle I can see that he has a broken leg and a head injury. I'm dropping down into the elevator. We'll need splinting supplies and the stokes basket sent down soon."
"Okay TK, keep me updated," came Tommy's reply.
Dropping down into the elevator, TK unclipped himself from the harness and knelt at Carlos' side to check him over.
Carlos was lying along the floor of the elevator, a small pool of blood under his head, and his right leg at an unnatural angle, with the bone sticking out. Grabbing supplies from the medical bag, TK took Carlos' vitals in quick work, and inserted a needle into Carlos' hand to start him on an IV of saline. He wanted to give Carlos some morphine for the pain, but until they knew how bad his head injury was, it was better to stay safe than sorry. Taking his penlight out of his pocket, TK shone it in Carlos' eyes, noting that they didn't react as they should have.
"Incoming!" Marjan shouted, as she dropped down into the elevator with the splinting supplies and the stokes basket.
TK and Marjan made quick work of splinting Carlos' leg and getting a neck brace situated around his neck. Within ten minutes of being in the elevator, they had Carlos, who was starting to shiver from shock or cold, or maybe both, strapped in the stokes basket and ready to be lifted out.
As soon as TK and Marjan got back out of the elevator shaft, Carlos had already been transferred to the stretcher and was covered in blankets, shivering.
As soon as TK was out of his harness and his gear, he made a beeline for the side of the stretcher, grabbing the hand that was not hooked to the IV. "Carlos, baby, I'm here," TK said, as he began stroking Carlos' hair.
"TK, let's move," Tommy said.
Nodding, TK helped Tommy and Nancy wheel the stretcher to the ambulance. As soon as the stretcher was in, TK opted to hop into the back, and as soon as he sat down, he grabbed Carlos' hand again.
When they pulled into the hospital, Carlos was rushed into an examination room, with TK hot on the stretcher's heels.
As they waited in the examination room, tears began streaming down Carlos' face.
Alarmed, TK moved to comfort him. "Carlos, it's okay baby, I'm right here, everything's alright," he said, running his hand through Carlos' curls.
"I...I was so scared, and I ruined today. We were supposed to celebrate your birthday and now I can't make you dinner like I planned," Carlos cried.
"Baby, I don't care about dinner tonight. I'm just glad that you're okay. As soon as we get home we can order dinner in and watch a movie in bed. My birthday celebration doesn't matter as long as you're with me," TK said, planting a kiss to Carlos' forehead.
And that's exactly what they did. Carlos was taken into surgery to put pins in his broken leg, and was diagnosed with a concussion, and as soon as TK and Carlos got home two days later, TK ordered some sushi from a nearby restaurant and then he and Carlos ate the sushi while cuddling in bed and watching Red, White, and Royal Blue on TK's laptop. Carlos was out like a light before the movie even ended, asleep with his head on TK's chest and TK's arms wrapped securely around him.