Lone Star Family Values

Chapter 13

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"So Bailey," Sable began. "How have the last few weeks been?"

Bailey sat in the living room across from Sable, her knees tucked under her and her hands wringing her lap. Was she serious? 'How have the last few weeks been?' Well, aside from the moving disaster, being raided and the mental health hell-hole she was in, they've been great.

"They've been good." She said, a soft smile on her face.

Sable nodded, jotting a few things down. Bailey looked over at Carlos nervously. He had stepped away for a moment undoubtedly to call TK.

"And I have a note here saying that you began seeing a therapist recently." Sable said.

Bailey swallowed hard.

"Yeah, I started going about almost two weeks ago now." She said, trying to be specific.

"And how's that been going?" Sable asked.

"It's been good. I've been able to work through a lot of the anxiety from the raid and they're giving me a lot of good coping mechanisms to use when I'm feeling stressed or anxious." Bailey replied.

Sable smiled and nodded, again writing in her notes.

"That's good," She said simply. Bailey bit the inside of her cheek, what was with the two word answers? "And TK and Carlos, they've been helping you through a lot of it as well?"

"Yeah, it was actually TK's idea to start going when I was ready. They said that I didn't have to talk to them if I didn't want to but they wanted me to talk to somebody just to be able to get it out," Bailey said and a genuine smile spread across her face. "They've helped me a lot. Not just with things like the raid or moving but I'm really happy and they make sure that I have everything that I need and if I want to do something then I just have to ask and they do their best to make it happen. TK even helps me get ready for my math class this year, even though I know that he doesn't really know how to do it either but I like it because it's like we're learning it together."

Bailey's smile widened at the memories of doing math with TK and gardening with Carlos and the different events with the 126.

"So you like being here?" Sable asked gently.

"I love living here," Bailey said. "I feel like family here."

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TK tried to slow his heart rate and pace as he got out of his car and walked up the front steps. He didn't know what to expect when he walked through the door. His mind had painted this horrific image of Sable finding something wrong and Bailey being taken away from them. Just thinking about when he'd been dragged away from her during the raid was enough to choke him up, he couldn't bare it if it happened again, for real this time. He took a deep breath, pushing the front door open. It's quiet inside and he looks around until his eyes finally land on Carlos pacing in the kitchen.

"Carlos." TK said quietly, moving to his boyfriend's side.

Carlos immediately envelops TK in a hug and takes a shuddering breath.

"Where's Sable?" TK asked, looking around the empty room. "Where's Bailey?"

Carlos's eyes flicked over to the stairs.

"They went upstairs a few minutes ago, Sable wanted to see Bailey's room." He said.

TK nodded, running his hand through his hair haphazardly.