The struggles we face

Part 3-Broken Wrist

A/N - Guess what this once again somewhat replicates when I broke my wrist. Enjoy!

-

At the station, TK was helping the firefighters clean the ladder truck. Technically he wasn't meant to be helping but the ambulance had already been restocked,cleaned and had an all around maintenance check, and with Paul out visiting family TK decided to step up.

He climbed up onto the ladder like he had done thousands of times before, both in Austin and New York.
'Hey TK, can I battle you in Pokémon Go?' Mateo asked him while cleaning the side compartments
'I don't play that Mateo' he responded while trying to focus
'You don't?! You seem like you would'
'Not everyone loves Pokemon as much as you babe' Nancy told him from the kitchen

Mateo huffed in annoyance but TK just laughed. TK stood up slowly on the ladder, grabbing the side with his right hand and holding a cloth to clean the ladder in his left. 'Hey Mateo, I think Carlos used to-'

Suddenly, TK's foot slipped. With the way he fell, he went tumbling down the side of the ladder. It happened so fast yet so slow, TK felt his previous accidents flash before his eyes. Getting shot, hypothermia, getting taken hostage it all went through his mind. He landed inbetween his side and front, almost directly on his wrist. He instantly felt an intense pain in his forearm. Everyone heard the thud and run over to him, Owen and Tommy heard the commotion from their offices and came running down the stairs

He felt like crying. Next thing he knew he was crying, the pain was too much for him to handle. 'TK, hey you okay?' Mateo asked, rushing to his side. TK shook his head and groaned in pain, cradling his wrist as he turned onto his back. Judd,Nancy and Marjan all reached him soon after, Owen and Tommy not far behind. 'TK, son are you alright' Owen said, noticing the pain in his sons face. He again shook his head, still trying to hold his wrist. 'Hey TK, let's get you up and into the ambulance so we can check you out.' Tommy said softly to him.
'No, no hospital' TK said in a childlike manner
'I just want to check you out, if it's really necessary we will have to take you to the hospital okay?'
'Can someone call Carlos?'
'Already called him he's on his way' Judd said nodding his head at him. TK was like his little brother, he would've done anything to protect him.

Owen and Judd came to his side to help him up, making sure to support his arm. He grimaced in pain. At that moment, Carlos pulled up in his Camaro. He got out and saw TK being helped over to the ambulance. 'Babe, what the hell happened' he said in a panic. Tommy went over to him and briefed him on the situation, she didn't need Carlos' panic to freak out TK even more than he probably was.

After calming down, Carlos went to the back of the ambulance where he saw TK sitting with Nancy next to him performing an exam to see his pain level. With his good,right hand TK reached out to Carlos, tears in his eyes from the mountain of pain he was in. Carlos sat down on his left and stroked the back of his neck. TK let his head fall into Carlos' shoulder, already getting tired from the exam Nancy was putting him through. 'Cap I don't like this. TK you are in a lot of pain I really think you should go to the hospital.' Nancy said to him. 'No way....I'll be fine just........put an ice pack on it' TK replied sleepily. The crew looked at eachother, knowing the stubbornness of TK but also knowing that he needed an X-Ray. 'Hey babe look at me,' Carlos whispered softly 'I really think you should take a quick trip to hospital and get your wrist checked out. You wouldn't want it affecting your work. Don't worry I'll be with you the whole time.'
'fine,' TK said groggily 'but..but....no pain m-'
'No pain meds yeah, I'll tell the doctors'

-

'So TK, you have broken your wrist as you can probably tell by this x-ray' the doctor told him and Carlos. 'We are gonna get your arm in a cast then you should be good to go home'
TK reached out to Carlos with his not broken, right hand. He didn't need to use words to tell Carlos that he was scared,annoyed,nervous. Despite all of TK's hospital adventures, he hadn't broken a bone so this was a new experience for him, not a fun one though. TK felt himself falling asleep as the doctors wrapped the plaster cast around him, covering the lower half of him arm. Carlos tried his best to keep him awake but he knew he was too tired and the pain was probably overwhelming for him. 'Come on baby, let's go home' Carlos whispered softly in his ear and helped TK stand up.

-

'Jeez TK you really did that' Marjan chuckled.

It was a few days after his fall, TK had returned to the firehouse just to show everyone he was alright as he knew he would be off work for a while. They all tried to fuss over him like he was a baby, especially his dad but secretly, they knew that he was fine. 'Okay okay guys Carlos hasn't left my side these past few days I came here to get some space not to be coddled by you guys too' TK laughed. The crew smiled and looked at him. He had come so far. And they knew he was gonna be okay. TK was always gonna be okay. With Carlos and the 126 by his side, he could come back from anything.