I always find you

Chapter 06

Carlos slept most of the night in one go , but despite that TK didn't want to move from his side for a moment.

"It's not your fault." Gabriel told him. "Those people are criminals and what they did to Carlos is not your fault."

"They were coming for me."

He had said it so many times in the last few days that TK couldn't think of anything else. He almost wanted to turn himself in at the police station as one of the culprits behind the torture his husband had gone through those days.

"They came to hurt you, that's right," the ranger sitting next to TK said. "And for that they have attacked where it hurts you the most — your husband, your family. But don't get the idea that it's your fault. They're the ones who have to pay for what they've done."

"Did you catch them all?"

Gabriel took a sharp breath and rested a hand on his son-in-law's knee. "No, we got four of those bastards, but we think the leader of the crew got away."

"No..."

"We're looking for him, TK. Don't worry about it now. We're going to find him before he tries to do anything else against you." TK nodded and couldn't help but tense up. "The only thing you have to worry about now is your family. These are going to be some hard days for Carlos."

"I know...I know what he's going to go through."

"Who's hungry?" Andrea came into the room, carrying a bag of sandwiches. "I looked at what they make in the cafeteria, but it didn't look very appetizing. I'll cook something tomorrow."

"You really don't need to," TK said gratefully. "Besides, I'm not very hungry, I'm not sure I can eat anything right now."

"Ah, no, mijo. When he feels better, ask Carlos what I tell him when he tries on that thing to me about not being hungry because he's worried about something. You can't go without eating. You'll get some sleep later, too."

"Carlos has told us a few times how little you look after yourself when you're taking care of others."

"It's just a night without dinner or a few hours of sleep, it's okay."

Gabriel got up from the couch to make room for his wife next to TK, and Andrea took his hands.

"You said it, the next few days are going to be hard and Carlos is not going to have an easy time, no one is." She stroked his cheek. "TK, honey. I know you feel guilty and if I'm being honest a part of me wants to blame you, because it's easier." TK felt tears catch in his throat. "But then I look at you, I look at Carlos there, I think of the children, and I just feel a terrible hatred, god forgive me, for the people who really did this to my son."

"You don't hate me?"

Andrea shook her head. "No, honey. You've made mistakes in the past, everyone has. You think I don't feel bad that I wasn't able to love Carlos the way I should have so that he would introduce you to the family when he met you? You made the wrong choices many years ago and these people have taken advantage of that to torture you just like Carlos."

He hadn't cried enough when Carlos had woken up or simply hadn't been able to do it in front of his husband, in his state. Now, with Carlos asleep, all he was able to do was drop into Andrea's arms and sob. She didn't even cry, she just sobbed, shivered and snuggled into his second mother's arms.

"Carlos' life would have been..."

"Don't even think about saying it, TK. Carlos has never been as happy as he has been since you came into his life. He went through some bad times and yes, you know it well, he suffered a lot after your breakup. But I know my son. You make him extremely happy and your children...don't you dare say my grandchildren aren't worth it."