Trouble Don't (File Two of The First Responders Files)

Chapter Four

"From TK," Carlos muttered sheepishly. "Must have rubbed off." He frowned at Nancy. "Why do you say that? That he loves me?"

"Because it's true," Buck shrugged like it was a simple thing.

Carlos tilted his head. "You've been by his side all this time. Does he ever . . . talk about me?"

Buck sighed. "Honestly . . . not much."

Carlos huffed. "I didn't think so."

"Mostly because he bites off our heads if we bring up your name," Kelly quipped.

Carlos glared at the captain. "That makes me feel so much better."

Kelly raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you're taking TK's place among the dumbasses."

"Hey!" Sylvie smacked him on the shoulder.

"He isn't wrong," Eddie shrugged. "If he doesn't wanna talk about it, then it's painful to bring up. It was like that in Los Angeles for me because I had it back for Evan, even all that time."

"Same thing with Sylvie," Buck nodded across the hall to the blonde paramedic. "The number of times she lit our asses up because we tried to get her to talk about Casey and Severide . . . "

"See?" Nancy gestured triumphantly. "Dude loves you, Carlos. It's obvious."

Carlos shook his head with a sniff. "If he loves me so much . . . then why did he break my heart?"

Nancy looked to Buck for help, but running footsteps made the man look down the hallway to the ICU doors. Maddie was the first to burst in, and right on her heels – "Matt!" Sylvie lurched from her chair, almost falling flat on her face.

"Oh, thank God," Kelly let out his breath in a rush.

"Hey," Matt crossed the room with quick footsteps, and Sylvie flew into his arms with a whimper. He kissed the top of her head and extended an arm to Kelly, who gratefully joined the hug. "Maddie told me what happened on the drive over. I'm never leaving Austin in a blizzard again."

"Don't ever leave without cell reception again," Sylvie mumbled into his chest.

"That, too," Matt agreed.

"What happened?" Kelly asked, looking Matt up and down in concern and sniffing the air. "Is that gasoline?"

Matt winced. "It's a long story that involves blowing up a corrupt deputy's car way up in hill country."

Kelly stared at him. "What."

Maddie ignored the trio and headed straight for Buck. "Hey," she whispered, bending down and giving him a tight hug that he returned with trembling arms. "I'm glad you're safe, little brother."

"TK isn't," he said into her shoulder.

"I know," Maddie nodded as she rubbed his back. "But he will be. It's TK."

"That's what we keep saying," Nancy nodded.

Maddie kissed Buck's birthmark before joining her girlfriend on the chairs. "What's the latest?" she asked quietly.

"We don't know," Nancy shook her head. "It's been a while since we got updates."

"I drove by Owen's first, to see if he was home," Maddie looked over at Matt, who was stroking Sylvie's hair as he listened to Kelly's hushed explanation. "He wasn't there. I was surprised when I got to theirs and found Matt."

"Captain Vega went to find Captain Strand," Nancy told her. "If Casey's back . . . "

Maddie nodded. "Then so is Owen."