The struggles we face

Part 10-Concussion/Amnesia

A/N - Suggested by DarrianMarks

———

It was a normal call. It seemed normal at least. Woman called in about a noise complaint. Heard some yelling coming from her neighbours house. Routine stuff, really. Carlos saw it on the daily. 

He entered the house. He didn't bother waiting for back up, although it probably would've been a smarter idea, as TK said. He entered the house the find 2 men arguing. They were both older than Carlos but nowhere near as muscular. 

'Excuse me. A noise complaint has been issued against you and I am hear to ask you to keep the noise down' he told them in his 'cop-voice'

'Who complained?' the grey haired one said, in his heavy Texas accent

'One of your neighbours. So again I am asking to please keep the noise down and be respectful of the community'

'Nothing is going on here officer...all friendly' the other one said 

Carlos turned around to leave. Suddenly, he felt a hard impact to the back of his head and next thing he knew he was on the floor. He heard them talking to each other but it was all muffled, like he was wearing noise-cancelling headphones. He felt blood dripping down the side of his face. He felt darkness slowly surrounding him and then...it took him in.

———

'Dispatch said it was an officer down. What if it's him?' TK said, visibly anxious in the passenger seat of the ambulance

'Dude, there are tons of cops in Austin. Could be anyone.' Nancy replied

'That makes me feel so much better' TK said sarcastically 

'Children...can we please stop and focus on getting ready to work?' Tommy lightly scolded.

TK and Nancy replied in unison. He was still nervous. It could be Carlos. It could not be Carlos. The bad thoughts plagued his mind but he managed to get them to quiet down. He knew that Tommy would take him off the scene if his work was being affected and if he looked even the slightest bit anxious when he got out of the rig, he would be benched.

———

They pulled up to the scene to see 2 police cars, 2 men handcuffed in one of the police cars and the officers crowding around the front door of the house. It was unknown of the gender of the down officer, let alone if it was Carlos. Tommy,Nancy and TK approached the house and gave their usual spiel of 'EMS, coming through!' so they could get a good look at the patient. As soon as TK saw the gelled-down, curly black hair he knew who the patient was. The one and only, his fiancé, Carlos Reyes.

———

Carlos could hear the police cars pull up, still muffled. He wasn't really aware of anything by that point. He heard their shouts as they told the men to get down and put their hands up in the air. He heard one of the officers trying to get him more alert. Everything was spinning, like he had been on a carousel at 10 times the speed, 100 times in a row. He groaned in pain and tried to move his hand to the back of his head but he was very uncoordinated. He let darkness surround him once again...

———

'Hey, Carlos. Babe, wake up for me come on' TK said desperately, almost pleading with him

 Tommy crouched down as well, instructing Nancy on what to get from the rig, knowing that TK wasn't going anywhere. TK balled up his fist and used his knuckles to rub TK's sternum which would hopefully rouse him. It did. Carlos was groaning and writhing in pain. 

'Hey Carlos, babe. Do you know where you are?'

Carlos attempted to look around but his vision was blurry. TK's question barely even registered to him and TK's answer was very clear

'Hey Carlos stay with me okay? Do you know who I am?

Carlos studied TK's face. He was familiar. It took him a while but he finally landed on the conclusion that the paramedic crouching before him was in fact his fiancé. TK seemed pleased with his answer but was still worried. He felt Tommy putting something on the back of his head and turned his head like he was trying to look at what she was doing. TK softly held Carlos' head in his hands so he couldn't move. It would've been really romantic, had Carlos not have been bleeding from a baseball bat being swung at the back of his head.

Carlos felt himself being moved. Onto something soft. Like a bed...but not a bed. He was more alert but still not all there.

'TK...' he said weakly

'Yes, my love, your okay alright we're gonna get you to the hospital' TK replied

'Ca' you call my da' and mum' Carlos said, his words slurring together

TK exchanged a look with Tommy before getting the gurney with Carlos on it, safely into the ambulance. Tommy went to the passenger seat while TK climbed in the back. He wasn't sure whether to tell Carlos or to wait until he got his memory back

Carlos didn't remember the worst moment of his life thus far. His dad being murdered. All the grief he went through. The Texas Rangers not knowing who did it.

'I'll call them okay? They'll meet us at the hospital' TK told him, which seemed to satisfy Carlos

———

At the hospital, while Carlos was being assessed, TK called Andrea. His hands were shaking and his breaths were fast but he knew he needed to do this. Carlos wanted to see his mother, TK wasn't going to stop that from happening

'TK, mijo, how are you doing?' Andrea said cheerfully

'Andrea. Hi um...I'm doing alright. I...uhhh'

'Mijo, what's wrong. Are you and Carlitos okay?'

'Uh...not really. Carlos got hurt on a call today...we are at...um he's at the hospital right now getting checked out...I'm in the waiting room'

'I'm on my way'

'Andrea..um there's something you should know before you see Carlos. He...uhhh...he got a concussion and ummm...while we were getting him in the ambulance...he asked me to call you and his dad...' TK trailed off, not knowing what to say next

'He can't remember?'

'Not right now. It should..uh..it should clear up at some point. The-the-there shouldn't be any long term damage.'

'Oh my god. I'll be there soon, mijo. Give Carlitos my love and take care of yourself too'

The call ended and TK dropped into a seat in the dreaded waiting room. He always hated this place. Usually he was the one being waited on, hence why he hated being on the other side of it. Feeling powerless, out of control, not knowing what the doctors are say, not-

'Family of Carlos Reyes?' a doctor coming around the corner said.

TK stood up on shaky legs and asked the question he had been waiting to ask...

'Is he okay?'

A/N - Part 2 will be out maybe tomorrow but most likely some other time this week