A Normal
Things are finally getting back to normal for Bailey. Once she began going to see a therapist, she began to come out of her shell once again. TK and Carlos couldn't hide their excitement when their daughter's mood began to improve. She was smiling and laughing again, comfortable with being on her own, and more than content with painting. Of course there were always moments where she needed contact or came to them to talk through her anxious mindset but overall, things were much brighter than they had been. The 126 also noticed the improvement and were glad to have their youngest member back to normal.
"Bailey, you ready to go?" Carlos called.
It was time for the fire house's family barbeque. This time however, they were on shift so things were happening a bit differently.
"Almost, just grabbing a sweatshirt." Bailey called.
Bailey was getting a few things together in her room and Carlos was packing the cooler that they would be taking with the various snacks that they had been tasked with bringing. There was a knock at the front door and Carlos stuttered for a moment, debating between finishing packing the cooler and answering the door. His mind was made up for him when the person knocked again.
"Bailey, five minutes and we're leaving." Carlos said, taking long steps to the door and pulling it open, who he saw made him freeze.
"Officer Reyes, I am so glad I caught you while you were at home," Sable Collins said, hugging a clipboard to her front, a smile spread across her face that Carlos assumed was supposed to be reassuring but actually sent a chill straight through his body. "Is Mr. Strand here? I'm here for a home check."
✵✵✵
TK was helping Judd and Mateo get out some of the grilling supplies when his phone rang. He pulled it out and when he saw that it was Carlos he answered it quickly.
"Hey babe, you headed here?" He asked.
"Uhh, can you come home?" Carlos spoke, his voice a bit hushed.
TK's brow furrowed in concern.
"Why? Is everything okay?" He asked.
"Um, it depends." Carlos replied.
"On?" TK prompted.
"On whether or not you call a surprise home visit from Bailey's social worker, okay." Carlos said.
TK's face paled.
"She's there?" He almost yelled catching the attention of not only Judd and Mateo but almost all of the 126. "When did she get there?"
"About five minutes ago. She's talking to Bailey right now but you need to be here TK, she wasn't exactly happy that she only caught me at home." Carlos said.
TK groaned and looked around.
"I'll be there in ten minutes." He said.
"Okay, drive safe, I love you." Carlos said.
"I will, love you too." TK replied.
As soon as he had hung up TK ran around gathering his things. Tommy and his dad both looked at him with concern.
"Bailey's social worker just showed up at the house. I gotta go." He said, not stopping for a response.
All he could think as he threw his car into drive was god please don't let this day go to hell.
✵✵✵
"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."
✵✵✵
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.
"What does she want?" TK asked.
"I don't know. From what I could hear she was asking Bailey a bunch of questions about the past few weeks. About starting therapy and if she was happy here." Carlos said.
TK blew out a breath.
"I forgot that because she's a ward of the state things like therapy automatically get put in her file," He said. "She's probably trying to see if we're the cause."
"That doesn't make me feel better." Carlos shook his head.
"Yeah, me neither." TK agreed.
TK leaned into Carlos' side as they waited. Minutes passed, which felt like hours, but they finally heard footsteps on the stairs.
"And you call me if you need anything." Sable's voice came first.
TK and Carlos stood straight and when Bailey and Sable turned the corner into the kitchen Bailey broke out into a smile and immediately accepted the embrace that TK offered.
"Hey TK." She mumbled.
"Hey, kiddo." TK smiled, hugging her tight for a moment before she pulled back.
TK looked up at Sable when Bailey took a step back, a weary smile on his face.
"Mrs. Collins, lovely to see you. I'm so sorry I wasn't here when you arrived. I wasn't aware we had a home check today." TK said, trying to swallow his nerves.
Sable smiled.
"Yes well, that is kind of the point of a surprise visit. However," Sable said and TK's breath caught in his throat. He reached for Carlos' hand and their fingers interlocked. "You are here now and after speaking to Bailey and looking around I believe everything is in order. Bailey appears to be very happy here and I am very encouraged by the enthusiasm that you both have in caring for her."
Though the tension left his body, TK still kept hold of Carlos' hand, he also pulled Bailey back against them though, wanting to have her close. Sable smiled.
"I know the anxiety that foster parents have over these visits but you are doing an incredible job. I can tell that you truly care for her." She said.
"Yes ma'am," TK said. "We do."
Sable nodded.
"Well, by the looks of things you are all headed out for a barbeque so I will get out of your hair," She said starting to move to the door. Carlos followed behind her and opened the door. "It was nice seeing you all again."
"You too," Carlos said. "Take care."
As soon as the door shut TK pulled Bailey in for another hug.
"Dear god please never let me get another call like that again." He muttered.
✵✵✵
When TK, Carlos, and Bailey pulled up to the fire house it wasn't surprising to see that though everybody had pulled out the barbeque gear, none were doing very much. They'd pulled out drinks but hadn't opened them, and prepped food but hadn't cooked it. Bailey slid out of the backseat and approached them with a furrow in her brow.
"Now here I was craving a cheeseburger and it's looking like y'all need it more than me. Where's the enthusiasm." She laughed.
Everybody looked to her and immediately smiled. Owen was the first to bring her into a hug.
"When TK ran out we were scared that something bad had happened. I'm so glad you guys are okay." He said, looking to both TK and Carlos as they came up behind them.
"Well, I for one do not want to talk about it. But I am down for a burger." Carlos said.
Judd laughed and looked to the others.
"Well, you heard the man. Let's fire up that grill and eat." He said, pushing himself to his feet and approaching the grill.
Bailey clapped and rubbed her hands together moving to help Grace and Nanci with the sides.
"I am down for some potato salad." She laughed, peeking under some of the foil to find it.
Grace laughed, shooing the teen's hands away.
"If you're gonna help, help. Don't be skimping off the top young lady." She teased.
Bailey smiled sheepishly.
"What can I say, you've got me hooked on this potato salad." She smiled.
"Well, Carlos has got me beat on pretty much everything else under the sun and TK makes a mad dessert so I've gotta win at something." Grace said.
Bailey laughed looking over to where Carlos and TK were goofing off around one of the picnic tables.
"Yeah well, they're pretty good parents too." She said quietly.