Chapter Text
Title: Run From The Shadows And Run To The Light
Chapter Summary: Carlos returns to work after his suspension to find a new face in the department.
Words: 3200
Notes: Title from The Gates by Young Empires (There's a cool Lone Star fanvid on it on YouTube)
Hope this isn't too rushed. It's my first Lone Star fic, but the plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone, despite the current Torchwood Fic I'm writing (don't worry not forgotten it) and the gigantic piece of Uni coursework that's sitting there on my desk untouched, so I've tried to write it as fast as possible, while still making it good. It's going to be 4 chapters and I've written about 70% of it, but the rest is in progress.
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter One: Out Of His Control
“Hey Tiger.” TK barely registered Carlos’ words as he stirred awake, still half asleep and buried under the covers. Opening his eyes as little as possible he spotted the other perched on the edge of the bed, hair damp and fully dressed. “I’ve made breakfast.”
“‘Los?” TK rolled over, scrabbling to grab his phone to check the time, hoping he hadn’t slept in. Waking up in Carlos’ bed was becoming more and more familiar each week, but what wasn’t was Carlos being up before him. Despite appearances, his boyfriend was not usually a morning person. The time, however, was early - not too early for him to get up - but enough that the other couldn’t have already showered, dressed and cooked, while still having awoken at a sensible time. Plus, the other side was bed was beginning to feel cold. “How long you been up?”
“Not long.” Carlos shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep.”
It’d been a difficult week since the latter’s suspension, first with him, Tommy and Nancy being kidnapped, then followed very shortly by Judd and Grace’s accident, but today would be their first shifts back since.
The weight of the day suddenly felt heavy on his shoulders as TK remembered what both their days would entails, though he knew Carlos was probably feeling it twice as bad. Yet, while he had known Carlos had been nervous about going back to work after his, albeit rather short suspension, he hadn’t think the other was dreading it this much.
“Hey.” TK sat up, catching Carlos’ arm before he could move away. “You okay? Your Dad did say the last week has just been a formality.”
“He wasn’t saying that at first.” Carlos opposed, avoiding his gaze. “Not just him, but all the people I’ve worked with, for years, thought I’d got played. That I let my emotions impact on doing my job.”
“You made the right call, and they know that now.” TK reassured, leaning forward into brush his lips over his forehead. “It’ll be fine.”
~*~TARLOS~*~
After dropping TK at the firehouse for his shift, Carlos drove to work slowly, hoping to delay the inevitable. Ever since they’d taken away his badge and gun after the call, Carlos had felt slightly vulnerable. It was something he remembered keenly from the last few years of his childhood, but something he hadn’t felt in a long while. It wasn’t much as in not being able to do his job, but rather the feeling of that with the two items, they’d also stripped away all the trust people had come to have of him.
And trust was one of most essential parts of the force. Without that, without teamwork, the job got a lot harder and lot more dangerous. It was the same with how the TK was consistently referring to the firehouse as family. He might not be a closely knitted with his colleagues as TK (and now him) was with the rest of the 126, but he’d always had thought there were mutual feelings of trust between them all, but even just from seeing the look in Mitchell’s eyes when he’d let the man go, he’d begun to question that.
Being suspended and giving up his gun and badge was protocol, he’d understood that, but it was more the fact of how alone he’d felt waiting in that interrogation room for hours with only one miserable cup of coffee as company, rather than feeling the support of all his co-workers behind him.
TK had been right by saying that his father believed Carlos had nothing to worry about, and that all his actions on the call had been cleared, but despite having only been told to report to his sergeant before he began shift, Carlos couldn’t help the sinking feeling in his gut that his colleagues wouldn’t find the situation as easy to forget.
~*~TARLOS~*~
“Glad you could finally join, Officer Reyes.” The Watch Commander stated sarcastically as Carlos made it to morning Roll Call. Looking at his watch, he was only five minutes late since speaking to the Sergeant had taken longer than expected, but he wasn’t going to mention that.
“Yes, Sir. Sorry.” Carlos answered instead, moving to take his usual seat next to Mitchell. Even though no-one else commented as he sat down, he swore he could almost feel the eyes boring into him and trying to be subtle as he looked around the room, his eyes fell on an officer standing stiffly in the corner whom he’d never seen before.
“Senior Officer Kevin Peterson.” Mitchell whispered to him, making him jump. She must have seen him looking. “Latest transfer from Denver. Started a couple days ago.”
He nodded distractedly, tuning back into the Commander as he announced important information carried over from previous shifts. He’d missed a lot of new cases while out, and he reminded himself to ask Mitchell to catch him up.
He sighed. He hadn’t been joking when he’d agreed with TK’s team that night not so long ago. Sometimes he swore life was exactly like high school.
“Ready to get back out there, Reyes.” Mitchell asked as they made their way out the briefing room afterward. Carlos nodded slowly. He knew she had already apologised for not trusting his judgement but at that moment he wasn’t sure what he’d prefer more - his suspension being mentioned again or rather it being ignored completely, which was what it currently looked like was going to happen.
“Can’t wait.”
“Officer Mitchell!” The Watch Commander called out behind them, halting them both in their tracks. “Just got news that Detective Mason has requested your presence before you head out.”
Mitchell looked surprised and looked at Carlos apologetically. “Go.” He assured, not bothered in the slightest. “I’ll sort the cruiser and wait for you in the lot.”
“Actually, Officer Reyes.” The Commander interjected. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take so no need to delay you from the street longer than we need to. I’ve partnered you with Officer Peterson, today.”
Carlos stood confused, as the Commander gestured for Peterson to join them, before walking away. While it was true they weren’t required to have set partners in the force, he wasn’t sure he remembered a time that he’d hadn’t either been partnered with Mitchell or riding solo.
Peterson eyed him silently before turning for the direction of the changing rooms without a word. Carlos followed, uneasily, not sure what to make yet of his new partnered but before he could think any further, his phone dinged twice as he unloaded his gear from his locker. Switching it on, he beamed and some of his tension left him as he found a quick ‘Good luck, babe. Love you.’ from TK followed by a photo attachment. Knowing him, it was probably a picture of Buttercup either doing something cute or funny at the firehouse, but before he could open the message, Peterson slammed his own locker shut behind him, causing him to look up.
“Phone stays here.”
“Sorry?” It was the first thing he’d heard the other man say, and Carlos tried not feel slightly unnerved by the curt tone.
“You don’t know me yet, but I prefer doing things rather old school, meaning no phone.” Peterson explained. “They’re just a distraction, and one that can be the difference between life and death.”
Carlos nodded, deciding not the question it. His phone had never been a distraction before, he knew to ignore it in the middle of a call, but he was also not one to question what made another officer feel comfortable, especially one he didn’t know. He shrugged, sending a quick heart in response to TK, before closing his locker door, leaving his phone inside.
~*~TARLOS~*~
TK was relieved to finally be back on shift after his week of forced medical leave. He’d only been a paramedic for month or so and he’d already had to take time off. Not his fault mind, but not exactly a perfect start to a new job. So far, the shift had mostly been straightforward (yeah, he wasn’t even going to think the ‘Q’ word so not to jinx it), but he just hoped Carlos’ shift was going just as well.
He smiled as he spotted the familiar cruiser parked strategically to block traffic as Tommy pulled the ambulance up at the scene of a crash, recognising Mitchell instantly. He glanced around, expecting Carlos to appear from somewhere and explain like usual what they’d discovered had happened, but his smile slipped into a frown when he didn’t show.
Luckily for both drivers, it was only a minor incident, and as Tommy immediately went to check on the first driver, Nancy moved towards the second, leaving TK alone with Carlos’ partner.
“Where’s Carlos?” By the look on Mitchell’s face, he must have let some of his worry slip into his tone as she smiled reassuringly.
“Relax TK, he’s fine. We’re not partnered today.” She answered. “He was assigned to a different patrol.”
“What! Why?”
“Orders from the Commander.” Mitchell gave him a wary look at his reaction. “He probably-”
“TK!” Tommy yelled from beside the second car, interrupting Mitchell. “I need some extra hands here.”
“On it, Cap!” He gave Mitchell an apologetic nod and ran forward to help, making a mental note to text Carlos as soon as they were finished on this call. First days back where hard enough without being taken away from their familiar routine.
For once, it was TK’s shift that finished first, being only 9 hours rather than Carlos’ 12. It had only happened a few times before, though seeing that medical had different shifts to firefighters, he bet it would happen more frequently now. It was one of the main reasons Carlos had given him a copy of his key, so he could let himself in to wait for the other.
He fired off a message to Carlos to let him know before trying to decide what to eat. He couldn’t cook like Carlos, and the last time he’d tried he’d almost set fire to the kitchen so settled for ordering take-out from Carlos’ favourite place, timing the delivery so it’d arrive just before he was due home. If he’d had as bad as a day as it sounded, the last thing he wanted was to make Carlos feel obligated to cook for the two of them, no matter how many times he said he didn’t mind.
He showered and settled in front of the TV to pass the hours, but his mind wasn’t on whatever show he’d flicked on, but rather on the lack of response from the other. He’d texted earlier with no reply either and he tried to hide his worry by believing the other was just busy on calls. He was so distracted waiting for his phone to ring however, that he almost missed the turn of the key in the lock.
“Hey, you’re home.” TK sat up on the couch to greet him as Carlos entered his house. “I messaged you.”
“Yeah sorry about that.” Carlos replied, dropping beside him and returning the kiss TK pressed to his lips. “Didn’t get a chance to check my phone until I was almost home anyway.”
“Bad shift?” He shifted on the couch to make more room for Carlos to lay down.
“Not too bad.” Carlos relaxed backwards into TK’s hold. “I mean, there were no calls out of ordinary.”
“I ran into Mitchell at a call today.” TK began, slowly. “She said you were partnered with someone else today.”
“Yeah. New transfer from Colorado, Peterson.”
TK sensed something off in Carlos’ tone as he spoke. “You want to talk about it?”
“It’s nothing. I don’t know, I just got the feeling he didn’t like me.” TK smiled at the sudden feeling of déjà vu, causing Carlos to look at him strangely. “What?”
“I just remember saying something similar about Nancy not too long ago. Give it some time.” TK suggested. “Though hopefully you’ll be back with Mitchell soon, anyway.”
“Hopefully.” Carlos shrugged, then shook his head. “Like I said, it’s nothing. I’m probably looking too deeply into it.”
The doorbell rang, disturbing them as TK reluctantly wriggled out of behind Carlos. “That’ll be the takeout. I ordered your favourite.”
“You didn’t have to do that.” Carlos stated sitting up again, suddenly hungry at the mention of food.
“I know. I wanted to.”
~*~TARLOS~*~
The next few weeks were conflicting to say the least.
While on one hand his relationship with TK had never been closer with the latter having finally moved in, he hadn’t been back with Mitchell on his next shift. Or the next. Or even the next. Apparently Peterson had ‘requested’ to be partnered with him and each shift he spent with the senior officer only soured the high spirits he felt while at home with TK.
The only relief had been the one shift where’d he’d been asked to work overtime on his usual day off. He was pretty sure it’d been Mitchell who’d set it up so that they’d been partnered, but there was no way he would complain. It’d been great to be back with working with her, even if it was only for a few hours.
They’d fallen back into their familiar routine effortlessly, and it hadn’t been long before they were called to help save a lonely boy who’d climbed onto the rooftop, bumping into the 126 on shift for the first time in a while. That, combined with the house party for Shaun that Captain Strand had organised the following day (though not part of an actual shift) had helped distract him from some of his qualms. For a short while at least.
Carlos drove around the streets in circles. It was early evening, but every time he checked the time on the dashboard, it seemed as if only a handful of minutes have passed since he’d last checked it, the time ticking by as slowly as he felt was humanly possible. It had been like this for the last few hours. With him driving, Peterson was in charge of the radio, and it was like he picked and chose which calls they attended.
A couple minutes later, the squad rolled past a local bar, and spotting the rowdiness of the crowd forming outside, he slowed their speed so he could take a closer look. At first glance it looked as if it was a typical bar fight that had made its way outside of the doors, but at second look, it didn’t look precisely two-sided. The crowd had scattered at the sight of the cruiser, revealing an older man attacking a smaller teenager on the ground.
“It’s nothing, just leave it.” Peterson spoke up, also looking it their direction.
If he’d had more a taken more of a chance to think, he might have noticed the recognition in his eyes, but instead Carlos took one look at him, before consciously ignoring the order, flicking on the siren to announce their presence. Pulling up beside the curb and jumping out, he figured at this point he didn’t even care if he got another suspension.
Carlos grabbed the older man’s arm, twisting it behind his back before he could swing another punch, the teenager upping and fleeing the moment he got the chance.
“Hey, don’t you touch me you pig.” The man snarled, and Carlos could smell the alcohol on his breath as he wrestled with the man until he had him pushed up against the wall. “I know my rights.”
“Yeah, and do those rights include assaulting teenagers half your size?” Carlos returned, finishing snapping the cuffs closed, before turning the man back around. He took the lack of answer as a response. “No, then good because you’re under arrest. Name?”
The offender spat at the ground by his feet before answering. “Blake Peterson, but then he already knew that.” He nodded behind him, and Carlos flashed a glance over his shoulder at his partner who was only now approaching. “You going to arrest me now, Cuz? For a little scuffle?”
“You’re meant to be in Vegas.” Peterson answered calmly, not at all phased by what he’d just seen.
“Got bored. Heard you came out here and followed you down.” Blake countered. “Not like you to be best buddying with the local spics, eh.”
Carlos wasn’t too familiar with that specific insult, but he’d been on the wrong side of similar ones far too often not to understand what it meant.
“Not now, Cuz.”
“You got anything in your pockets that could harm either me or you?” Carlos asked, ignoring the both of them as he patted Blake down before leading him back towards the car.
“No shit. You think I’d been using my fists and feet if I’d had a weapon?” Blake jeered. “What piss poor academy accepted you into the force?"
Carlos didn’t answer as he shut the back door of the squad on him. The sooner they got him back to the station and in a cell to sober up the better.
“Hey, I’m talking to you, bitch. This isn’t over!” Blake yelled through the barrier between them.
“Reyes, let’s just give him a warning eh?” Peterson said, pulling him aside before he could get back around to the driver’s seat. “Save on paperwork?”
“You might be a senior officer, but I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.” Carlos responded, suddenly feeling more self-confident than expected. “That might be how you see the job, picking and choosing who you arrest, but it’s not how I work, okay. We’re bringing him in.”
~*~TARLOS~*~
It was almost midnight by the time Carlos made it off shift, arriving back to the Condo. Peterson had barely directed another word towards him after arresting his cousin, the tension in the squad car only dragging the shift out longer.
The house was quiet and empty as he switched on the lamp in the corner of room. TK’s shift was slightly longer than his that night, but he hoped it wouldn’t be too long before he was home and pulling his phone out his pocket, he opened his recent chat stream with the former. He’d changed before leaving the station, so he made straight for the kitchen as he typed. Cooking always found a way to calm him.
Carlos: Made it home. Hope your shift is going well.
TK: Same as normal. 💕 Hoping to be home by 1.
Carlos: I’ll start on dinner. Enchiladas?
TK: Sounds great. Shift okay?
Carlos: -
A sudden hammering at the door both surprised and confused him. He wasn’t expecting anyone and from the messages he’d just sent, TK was still on shift. Putting his phone down on the counter, mid reply to TK, he made his way over to door.
He couldn’t see anything but the vague shadow of a figure through the clouded glass, but pulling it open, Carlos straightened in alarm, raising his hands as he came face to face with the all too familiar barrel of a gun.
"What are you doing here!?"
Notes: Ahahaha! Sorry, not sorry for the cliff-hanger! Got to keep everyone on their toes, plus it could have been a lot worse.
Well? Who do you think is at the door?
I'll post the next chapter tomorrow or the day after, depending on interest levels and how much more I've written in the meantime but check out my YouTube channel under the same name.
Please comment and Kudo, they make my day!