2:00 AM

By Peggy

February 2002

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Originally written for the "The 28 Days of Mini-Es" on Johnny's Green Pen.

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Johnny's exit from the dorm had been almost soundless, but Roy had awakened just in time to see his partner disappear through the doorway. "Not sleeping again," he mused silently.  "Gonna have to do something about that, junior."  

Roy rose from his own bed, slipped into his turnout pants and crept from the room.  He found Johnny in the kitchen, foraging through the refrigerator. "Any of that meatloaf left?" he asked.

"Nope."  Gage didn't seem particularly surprised to see him.  "But there's still some of the chocolate cake Marco's mom sent in. Want a piece?"

"You get the plates; I'll pour the milk."

Fifteen minutes later they were sitting at the table, empty plates and glasses in front of them. Roy studied his partner in the dim glow of the small light over the stove.  "That knee is bothering you again isn't it?"

Johnny shrugged but didn't deny it.

"It's been doing that a lot," Roy observed. "This must be the fourth of fifth night this month you haven't been able to sleep because of the pain. Sooner or later you're gonna have to see a doctor."

"I did," Johnny replied quietly, fishing the last couple of crumbs off his plate and popping them into his mouth. "Yesterday."

"And?"

"Arthritis." Gage raised his eyes from his plate and met his partner's startled gaze.  "I know, I know," he sighed.  "I'm only thirty-two years old. But the doc says that's not unusual given how much wear and tear this leg has seen over the years. And being hit by that car didn't help much either."

"I suppose not," Roy allowed. "So now what?"

"It's in the really, really early stages so it's just a matter of getting the pain under control and then monitoring it from time to time.  He wrote me a prescription for an anti-inflammatory and I have to do some exercises to strengthen the muscles.  He seems to think that'll do the trick. For now anyway."

"Well, that's good."

Johnny shrugged again and flexed the knee in question with a grimace.

"That is good, isn't it, Johnny?"

"I dunno.  I guess."  He fell silent for a long moment, and then, "But what happens in five years? In ten? How am I gonna do my job then?"

"You're planning on still being a paramedic in ten years?"

"Well, yeah!  Aren't you?"

Then it was Roy's turn to examine the crumbs on his plate.

"Roy?"

"I've been studying for the captain's exam."

"Studying for the … since when? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Only for a couple weeks," DeSoto reassured him. "And I was going to tell you.  I just wasn't sure how you'd take it. Thought maybe you'd feel like I was, I don't know, abandoning you or something."

"Now why would you think that?"  Johnny was insulted and it showed on his face.

"Remember how squirrelly you got when I talked about taking the engineer's exam a few years ago?"

"SQUIRRELLY!"

"Quiet!" Roy hissed.

Johnny lowered his voice in deference to the late hour and jabbed a finger in Roy's face.  "I did not get squirrelly."

Roy said nothing, just cocked an eyebrow.

"Okay, okay.  Maybe a little squirrelly," Gage admitted.  "But that was just because I didn't wanna have to go through all the trouble of breaking in a new partner." His expression turned glum. "Guess I'm gonna have to though."

"You could always take the captain's exam with me."

"Me?"  Johnny splayed a hand across his chest as he spoke.  "Nah, I don't think so.  I'd go nuts doing all that paperwork."

"Captains do a lot more than sit behind a desk and you know it," Roy admonished.  

Johnny nodded; he did know it. And it would be the perfect solution to his dilemma.  The work would be challenging and he'd still be right there in the thick of things on a call.  But captains were seldom called upon to climb ladders or rappel down embankments.  It would be a hell of a lot easier on his knees and would probably extend his career as a firefighter by many years.   So why was he hesitating?   

"I don't know if I'm ready," he admitted tentatively.

"I don't know if I am either," Roy replied with an understanding smile.  "But that's why there's a testing process. If I'm not cut out to be a captain, I'll find out soon enough."

"You'll be a great captain," Johnny smiled back.

"I think you would be too."

"So do I. On both counts."  

The paramedics startled at the sound of Hank Stanley's deep voice coming from the doorway behind them.

"Hey, Cap."

"Hey yourself, John."  Hank pushed himself away from the doorway and approached the table. "Anymore of that cake?"

The End

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