T.K. & Carlos Have Difficult Conversation — Are Kids in Their Future? (RECAP)

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 4 Episode 12 “Swipe Left.”]

Before getting married, couples need to have the big, difficult conversations. T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein) and Carlos (Rafael Silva) think they’ve done that on 9-1-1: Lone Star… until a potential celebrant makes them realize they haven’t.

While interviewing potential celebrants — though we have a feeling someone from the 126, say the already ordained Paul (Brian Michael Smith), might end up with the job — T.K. and Carlos discover they disagree about having kids: the paramedic wants them, while the officer does not.

T.K., understandably, can’t just forget about “the gaping chasm that just opened up between [them]” and admits he just assumed his fiancé wanted kids. “You also assumed I didn’t have a wife,” Carlos points out. (Not the time.) He’s also not surprised they haven’t had that discussion just yet, since “we’ve been busy, working, trying to have a little fun when we’re not in comas or being abducted.” But T.K. knows that Carlos loves kids. The officer corrects him: He loves other people‘s kids. He just wants them to have a chance to be them and go on trips and travel. T.K. has a counterpoint to each of his arguments, including, “you know that they allow you to bring children into New York, right?”

But Carlos isn’t sure they’re ready for that level of responsibility, reminding T.K. what happened to the lizard he brought home. “So you think I’m going to make a terrible father?” T.K. asks. Carlos didn’t say that, and he knows he’ll make a fantastic husband.

Kevin Estrada/FOX

It’s on both their minds for the rest of the episode. T.K. talks to Tommy (Gina Torres) about her twins and her journey to motherhood, then goes to see Owen (Rob Lowe) while Carlos talks to his mom (Roxana Brusso). Andrea thinks her son avoided the conversation on purpose because he knew what T.K.’s answer would be, and she scoffs at Carlos’ claim that they’ve been too busy for the talk (as well as his sudden desire to travel). As T.K. worries Carlos thinks he’ll relapse, his fiancé assures his mother that’s not it at all.

So what is this all about? Carlos’ relationship with his dad. Sure, now they’re in a good place, but that wasn’t always the case. He’s worried he won’t measure up. After all, as T.K. explains while blaming Owen, “I have such a great father-son situation here, I want to pay it forward.” The best advice comes from Andrea: Carlos needs to be honest with T.K.

And so that’s what he does, bringing T.K. a bearded dragon. While he knows that T.K. is ready to be a father and will be a great one, Carlos just isn’t there yet — and doesn’t know if he ever will be. This could be the only child they share together, and T.K. is OK with that. There’s just one problem: The lizard gets out of the box, and they have to once again try to find him.

What do you think of how 9-1-1: Lone Star handled the kids talk for T.K. and Carlos?

9-1-1: Lone Star, Tuesdays, 8/7c, Fox