Part 2

Gage opened the front door to his apartment and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the wall, holding a hand to his head. A dull throbbing ache had developed on the way home. He attributed it to the tense night and being tired. Massaging his temples, Johnny walked down the short hallway to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. The paramedic popped two Tylenol, then went on in to his bedroom, where he stretched out on the bed. A long nap was all he wanted right now. Putting his left arm across his eyes, Johnny found the relief he was looking for in slumber.

~*~*~

Johnny was the first to arrive at Station 51 the next morning, where he discovered that B shift was still out on a call. After changing into his uniform, he relaxed in the dayroom, reading the morning newspaper. He was happy to see the sunshine streaming through the window, a welcome change after the storm they’d encountered on the last shift. His day off had been spent at home, but he’d never really relaxed. After stopping by to see Dixie, Johnny found that he couldn’t let go of his anger towards Doctor Brackett. Even now, the frustration burned within him.

How could Brackett, responsible doctor that he was, let a woman go out alone in that kind of weather? And a woman he supposedly cared about. The young man found his anger rather disconcerting in a way. After all, Dixie was just a friend, why was he letting this whole situation get to him? Yet, he felt a strong sense of protectiveness towards her, almost as if she were family. Johnny found the comparison somewhat surprising, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he would do anything to keep Dixie safe and protected. If Doctor Brackett felt anything for her, wouldn’t he have the same desire to keep her from harm?

The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and Johnny glanced up to see Chet entering the room.

“Morning, Chet.”

“Gage. What are you doing here so early? I figured you’d be racing in while Cap was starting roll call. Hey, did you get a new alarm clock or something? Or is it a new chick? Somebody you’re trying to impress, so you’re turning over a new leaf?”

Johnny didn’t rise to the bait, turning instead to the newspaper he’d been trying to concentrate on. Minutes later, he sighed in relief at the sound of the engine backing into place. At least the changing of the shift would afford him a few minutes reprieve from Chet’s antagonizing banter. The headache that had bothered Johnny on and off the previous day was starting to return. Listening to Chet’s non-stop chatter didn’t help any.

Still shielded by the morning paper, Johnny couldn’t actually see the other men as they entered the room, but he recognized the voices as members of both shifts exchanged greetings. He wondered about his own partner, but minutes later a hand resting briefly on his shoulder, signaled Roy’s arrival.

“Morning, partner.”

“Hi, Roy.”

Stepping over to the counter, Roy poured himself a cup of coffee and returned to seat himself next to Johnny. Grabbing the sports section, he opened the paper while he questioned his partner.

“How was your day off?”

“Fine,” was Johnny’s clipped reply.

Eyebrows arched, Roy peered over the top of his paper as he studied his friend.

“Fine?” Roy questioned, uncertain as to the reason behind Johnny’s tone. It could be perceived as anything from preoccupied, to angry, to the way someone sounded when he just didn’t feel like talking for whatever reason. “You sure?”

Johnny peered over his own section of the paper. “Yeah. Why?”

“Well, after the last shift, I just thought that . .”

There was no time for further conversation as the klaxons sounded.

”Squad 51. Woman down at 5125 Williams Drive. 5-1-2-5 Williams Drive, cross-street Anders. Time out 08:05.”

“10-4, KMG-365.” Cap’s voice responded on the microphone, as he completed the call slip. Turning to the squad, he handed Roy the address as Johnny climbed in the other side. When Roy handed the slip on to his partner, he noticed the grimace that passed over Johnny’s face as he slammed his door. Moments later, the squad was pulling out of the station.

“Turn right at the next intersection,” Johnny directed, “then straight for about two miles.”

There was silence in the cab as Roy followed the instructions, but after making the turn, he took the opportunity to question his partner.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Is your side bothering you?”

“Nah, just a twinge now and then. Didn’t even notice a bruise until this morning. Okay, turn left here.”

Minutes later, Roy parked the squad in front of a large white house, and was greeted immediately by an excited girl who appeared to be about thirteen years old.

“Hurry, please! It’s my mom!”

“All right, calm down now, we’re coming.” Johnny reassured her. “What happened?”

“I don’t know! We were getting ready for school and she was fixing breakfast. Mom told Christy that she wasn’t feeling well, and then all of a sudden she just fainted right there on the kitchen floor!”

The paramedics gathered their supplies while the young girl filled them in, and within seconds, were ready to follow her inside.

“Show us where your mom is.” Roy directed, as they hurried up the walk.

As the three entered the house, they could hear another young voice talking insistently. Following the girl into the kitchen area, the paramedics immediately saw the problem. A young woman was pulling herself up, while another teenaged girl was struggling to keep her mother on the floor.

“Mom, please lay down. The paramedics are coming.”

“I’m all right, Christy! Where’s Susie? You shouldn’t have called the paramedics. I’m all right, really. It was just a little dizzy spell.”

“It wasn’t just a dizzy spell. You passed out, Mom. Now lay back down until they get here.”

“Your daughter’s right, ma’am,” Roy said as he approached the pair. “Why don’t you lay back while my partner and I take a look at you? My name’s Roy DeSoto, and this is my partner, John Gage.”

“Oh, dear, I wish my girls hadn’t bothered you. I’m fine, now. I’ve just been real busy since my husband left on his business trip. I probably just need to rest, but there’s so much to do, and I have an important meeting today with a new client.”

Roy and Johnny were already at the woman’s side and the girls had stepped back, watching nervously as the paramedics tried to reason with their mother.

“Well, let’s just take a minute to make sure, okay, Mrs...?”

Making a valiant effort to stand, the woman seemed to falter as she answered Roy.

“Mrs...Mrs. Robertson. And really, I’m just . .”

“Johnny!”

Roy reached over to grab the woman as she slipped backwards, but Johnny was in a better position, and leaning down, he caught her in his arms and gently lowered her unconscious form to the floor. Clasping her wrist with his fingers, he immediately took her pulse while Roy pulled out the BP cuff. Turning to the bio-phone, Johnny deftly attached the antenna and instigated the call.

“Rampart, this is Squad 51, how do you read?”

“Go ahead, 51.” Doctor Brackett’s voice rang out over the speaker, causing a dark look to flash across Johnny’s face, but it disappeared as the professional part of him took over.

“Rampart, we have a female victim in her mid 40’s. She’s lost consciousness for the second time. Hold for vitals.”

Roy checked the woman’s blood pressure, noting as he did so, that she was coming around. “BP is165 over 90.” He continued to assess the patient while Johnny relayed the vitals to Rampart.

“Ma’am?” Roy questioned. “Mrs. Robertson, can you hear me?”

“Yes.” Her reply was thin but audible.

“Do you have a history of high blood pressure, or are you taking any medications?”

The oldest girl stepped forward to answer as her mother closed her eyes again.

“She’s been to the doctor a couple times this month, but I don’t think she’s taking any pills or anything.”

“What’s her doctor’s name?” Roy questioned.

“Doctor Morrison. His phone number is on the bulletin board.”

“Johnny?”

“Got it.” After retrieving the information from the small bulletin board hanging next to the telephone and relaying it to Rampart, Johnny listened intently as Brackett gave his instructions.

“51, start an IV with Ringers and transport as soon as possible.”

“10-4, Rampart.” Johnny confirmed.

Roy grabbed the appropriate supplies and started the IV, then turned impatiently when the anticipated bag of Ringers didn’t appear. The two paramedics normally worked efficiently together, and it was unusual to have a lapse in their treatment of a patient. Therefore, it was rather disconcerting to see Johnny staring indecisively at the drug box.

“What’s wrong? Johnny? Where’s the Ringers?”

Dark eyes met Roy’s as the younger paramedic looked up uncertainly.

“Ringers. Yeah, here it is.”

In a rush of movement, Johnny handed the bag of solution to his partner, before jumping up to go meet the ambulance attendants. Roy stared after him before turning back to his work, wondering for the second time this morning if there was something wrong with his friend.

~*~*~

Johnny leaned up against the nurse’s station, absently twirling the HT while he waited for Roy to come out of the treatment room. He looked up as he recognized a familiar figure easing past him to take her place at the desk.

“Hi, Betty.”

“Morning, Johnny.”

“How’s Dixie doing this morning?”

“She’s better, but Doctor Brackett wants her to stay here for at least another 24 hours.” The nurse flipped through several charts while she answered the paramedic.

“Why? Is there a problem?” Johnny wore a look of concern as he waited for her answer.

“No, there’s no problem.” Dropping a chart into its holder, Betty focused her attention on the young man. “She’s going to be fine, but since she’s still experiencing headaches and nausea, and because she lives alone, the doctor thought it would be better to have her stay here.”

“Oh, guess that makes sense. . .”

Johnny went back to twirling the HT, pausing for a moment to rub his own forehead with one hand. He resisted the urge to ask Betty for a couple of aspirin, choosing instead to keep his silence. Roy had already been giving him worried glances; there was no need to bring out the concerned big brother in his partner. After all, it was just a headache. Johnny knew he’d just been letting the whole situation get to him. He’d been worrying about Dixie, and letting his frustration with Brackett dominate his thoughts. No, the headache would go away when he finally let himself relax a bit.

Wondering if they’d have time to visit Dixie, Johnny flashed a smile of relief when he saw Roy walk out of the treatment room minutes later. Unfortunately, Doctor Brackett was only a step behind the senior paramedic, and Johnny knew that he wasn’t up to talking with the man yet.

“I’ll wait for ya’ in the squad.” Johnny mumbled to his partner, before turning on his heel, and hurrying out of the hospital.

Roy stared after Johnny, surprised at his partner’s rudeness, but even more startled at the look of anger he’d seen in Johnny’s eyes. He hoped that Doctor Brackett hadn’t noticed, but that hope was quickly dashed.

“So, Johnny’s still mad at me?” Brackett muttered.

“Hey, Doc, he’ll get over it.” Roy did his best to keep his answer light and upbeat, but when Doctor Brackett simply nodded before walking off, the paramedic knew he hadn’t been successful.

~*~*~

The HT sounded before Roy made it back to the squad, so he didn’t have time to question Johnny on his attitude towards Brackett, or his lapse of concentration on their last call. The next two hours were spent on back-to-back runs with only a brief stay at Station 51, where Johnny had taken some Tylenol for his headache while Roy took a phone call from Joanne.

The klaxons when off in the middle of Roy’s conversation with his wife, meaning the paramedics found themselves at Rampart once again. Roy was still in the treatment room with their latest patient, a young girl who’d been mauled by a large dog. Knowing he’d have at least several minutes to spare, Johnny headed upstairs, anxious to check on Dixie’s progress. Stepping out of the elevator, he stopped at the sight of the dark haired doctor standing at the nurse’s station.

How come I keep running into him this morning?

Knowing it was an easy out; Johnny nonetheless hurried into the men’s room across the hall. He figured it wasn’t such a bad idea to take a few minutes to wash his hands and splash some cool water on his face, since he was there anyway. It had been a busy morning, and the paramedic wasn’t feeling his best. Even now, he felt sort of clammy, and the nagging headache that had started earlier, was getting worse.

This is stupid, hiding from Brackett. What am I afraid of?

But Johnny knew what he was afraid of; he was worried he might say something he’d regret later. Deciding it was better to let a little more time pass before he and Brackett confronted each other, Johnny splashed cold water on his face, stalling a few minutes before slipping back into the hallway. Doctor Brackett was nowhere in sight, and the paramedic breathed a sigh of relief as he headed towards Dixie’s room.

“Johnny?”

A familiar voice called out to him. As he turned, Johnny recognized Nancy Harris, a nurse he’d dated several times.

“Hi, Nancy,”

“Hi, yourself.” The young woman smiled kindly. “Were you planning to visit Miss McCall?”

“Yeah. That’s all right, isn’t it?”

“Sure. I just wanted you to know that she finally went to sleep a few minutes ago, and Doctor Brackett has asked us to let her rest. She’s still having bad headaches and . .”

Rubbing his own head knowingly, Johnny nodded once in agreement.

“Sure, Nancy. I understand. I’ll just come back later. But, will you please tell her that I stopped by to see her?”

“Of course, I will.” The nurse studied the young man for a moment, before questioning him quietly. “Johnny? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I don’t know. Just the way you were holding your head, and you look kind of pale.”

“Nah, I’m fine. Just a little tired. I’d better go find my partner. See ya’ later, Nancy.”

The young nurse looked concerned as she watched Johnny head down the hallway, minus the usual bounce to his step. She would’ve been surprised to know that the paramedic’s reassuring answers had not worked on himself any better than they’d worked on her.

~*~*~

The ride back to Station 51 was quiet, something highly unusual when John Gage was on duty. Roy knew his partner well, and if Johnny wasn’t turning his frustrations into a full-blown rant against Brackett, then he really must be upset. In an effort to get his friend to open up, Roy seized on the only idea he could come up with. He hoped that, if nothing else, it would get Johnny talking.

“How’s the bet going?”

“Bet?”

“Yeah, the one you were talking about last shift. You know, the one about Dixie and Brackett seeing each other?” Roy glanced over at the stiff form of his partner.

“Oh.”

“Well? Have you talked with Dwyer lately? How’s it look?”

“Not good.”

“Not good?”

“Not good for anyone who put his money on Brackett and Dixie dating.”

“Well, Brackett’s sure been spending a lot of time checking in on her . .”

“And he should!” Johnny’s voice was strained as he snapped at his partner. “After what he did, sending her out there . . Brackett should be checking up on Dixie. Come to think of it, he should be thanking God that she’s even here to check on.”

The short-lived rant was over, and the dark haired man was already slumped back in the corner of the seat. From his position, Roy could see a thin sheen of sweat on his partner’s face, and was surprised that such a small burst of energy should leave Johnny perspiring.

Roy didn’t want to reignite Johnny’s ire, so hesitated a moment before asking, “Is there something else going on besides the fact that you’re ticked at Brackett?”

“Something else?”

“Are you okay? You know, feeling okay?”

“I’m okay. Just got a headache I can’t get rid of. A hot lunch will take care of it. Thank God Mike’s cooking and not Chet.”

Before Roy could suggest that he turn the squad around so one of the Rampart doctors could take a quick look at his pale partner, a call came over the radio.

“Squad 51, assist Engine 51 at their location, 10583 Valley View Drive. 1-0-5-8-3 Valley View Drive.”

“10-4, Squad 51.”

Roy flipped on the lights and siren as Johnny replaced the microphone and pulled out his notepad. There was no time to continue the conversation, but Roy knew he was going to have to pursue it sooner or later. It was obvious that his partner was more upset than he was letting on, and he definitely needed to talk about it, whether he wanted to or not.

~*~*~

As the squad pulled in next to the engine, the paramedics could see Chet running from the building, a victim draped across his shoulders. Before he had time to lay the unconscious man on the ground, Roy was pulling the bio-phone from its compartment while Johnny spread out a blanket and flipped open the drug box.

“What’ve ya’ got Chet?” Roy questioned, as he took the victim’s pulse and respirations.

Pulling off his mask, Chet coughed several times before answering.

“This guy was in a back office; never made it out with the others. I found him under his desk. Think the smoke got to him.”

Roy initiated the call to Rampart while Johnny wrapped the BP cuff around the man’s arm.

“Hey, Gage, you guys need any more help?” Chet asked.

There was no answer to his question, and after a moment, Chet started to rise under the assumption he wasn’t needed. Feeling a hand on his arm, the fireman quickly realized that Roy was the one who had grabbed him. The look on Roy’s face was disconcerting, but Chet immediately caught the paramedic’s meaning when he motioned with his free hand. Moving around to the man’s head, Chet promptly set up the oxygen mask and adjusted the flow. Once more, Chet turned to the younger paramedic.

“Is that all right, Johnny?”

Still no answer.

“Johnny?” Roy had laid down the bio-phone’s receiver, and the tone of voice directed at his partner was insistent. Chet found that he was relieved when Gage finally reacted.

“BP is 110 over 75.”

Jotting down the numbers, Roy watched closely as Johnny moved to check the man’s pupils. His partner seemed to be doing everything by the book, yet Roy knew something was wrong, and from the way Chet was acting, he wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. This was something more than just being upset with Brackett. Johnny had never let personal problems get in the way of treating a patient. He was a professional, and he always did his best when on a call. A simple headache wouldn’t cause these kind of lapses. But what else could be wrong? Continuing to watch his partner, Roy relayed the information to Rampart and waited for instructions.

“51, start an IV, D5W-TKO, and transport as soon as possible.”

“10-4 Rampart. IV, D5W-TKO. Ambulance is on site; ETA is 10 minutes.”

“10-4, 51.”

Roy was somewhat relieved when Johnny snagged the IV setup and the D5W, but as he moved closer to assist, he couldn’t deny that the younger man looked pale even in the bright sunlight.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, Dad, I’m fine. Will you quit asking me that? I told you, I just have a headache.”

Within minutes, the IV was started and the victim, who’d finally regained consciousness, was loaded on the gurney.

“You want to ride in with him?” Roy asked.

“No, you take this one. I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

Stepping up into the back of the ambulance, Roy glanced over his shoulder as Johnny closed the door and slapped it twice. As they pulled away, he could just make out the sight of his partner stowing their supplies in the squad.

I don’t care what you say, Junior, somebody’s going to take a look at you when we get to Rampart.

~*~*~

Roy was in Treatment Room One; briefing Doctor Morton on the smoke inhalation victim, as Johnny trudged down the hall. It felt like a two-mile desert trek to the men’s room. The weary paramedic tugged at his shirt. He was hot, but didn’t know why. It wasn’t that warm outside - not over sixty degrees. And since Johnny hadn’t been in the burning building, or wearing his turnout coat while at the scene, there was no explanation for his elevated temperature.

Johnny tugged at the front his uniform shirt again.

Wish I hadn’t worn an undershirt today. Damn, I’m hot. I’ll take it off when we get back to the station.

The paramedic glanced at his watch as he leaned heavily against the men’s room swinging door. He’d taken two Tylenol while Roy was on the phone with Joanne, but had yet to get any relief from his headache. In fact, it was getting worse, and there was more than an hour to go before additional medication could be taken.

I shoulda’ taken another Tylenol when I realized the first dose wasn’t doin’ anything for me.

Johnny knew from past experience that taking another pill wouldn’t help now. He might as well wait until he could safely take another dose, and then take three, rather than two. The paramedic allowed himself a small smile at the thought of what Brackett would say to Johnny’s self-prescribing tactics. But Johnny had safely taken three Tylenol in the past for bad headaches, and he knew if a person didn’t make a habit of it, that dosage for a man of his age and size wouldn’t hurt him.

The paramedic was the only person in the bathroom. He bypassed the urinals and headed for the row of sinks. He set the handie-talkie on top of the metal box that housed brown paper towels, then turned on a cold-water faucet, wanting both a drink and to splash his face at the same time. As Johnny bent over, he swayed to the right. His quick reflexes were the only things that kept the paramedic from toppling to the floor. When his knees buckled, Johnny’s left hand flew out and snared the edge of the sink, more by chance than by design.

When the room stopped spinning and the roaring in his ears had faded, Johnny slowly straightened. He used the sink for support, afraid to let go until he knew he could stand. Johnny was surprised when he looked down and saw his right hand was trembling. He brought it to his side, trying to lightly rub the stitch away that had been plaguing him on and off since his and Roy’s first run that morning.

Johnny didn’t try and bend down again. He attributed his dizzy spell to his headache. Bending only made the headache worse, as he’d just found out. Instead, while standing upright, John cupped his hands and splashed water on his face, then cupped them again so he could take three long drinks. He ended up with water on the upper portion of his shirt, but it felt good against the hot skin of his neck. Besides, water didn’t stain and it would dry quickly.

The paramedic used a paper towel to dry his face and hands. He dabbed at his shirt to soak up some of the moisture, then dropped the towel in the garbage. He grabbed the handie-talkie, pulled the door open, and looked down the hall. There was no sign of Roy yet. As Betty hurried by with a quick, “Hi, Johnny,” the paramedic stopped her.

“Betty, Roy’s with Doctor Morton. When you see him, would you tell him I went to visit Dixie for a few minutes?”

The distracted woman promised, “Sure will,” before heading on to the nurses’ station.

Johnny took the elevator to the fourth floor. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes during the ride up; glad he was the only person in the car. The movement made him nauseous. Despite the overwhelming exhaustion that had come upon him while driving the squad to Rampart, Johnny wished he’d taken the stairs.

Man, if lunch and some Tylenol don’t get rid of this headache, I might have to ask Cap to call in a replacement for me.

Johnny tugged at his uniform shirt again, wishing more than ever that he could remove the white t-shirt he wore beneath it. If he were carrying something to stuff the t-shirt in, like the drug box or trauma box, he’d take it off and do just that.

The paramedic exited onto the fourth floor. He didn’t recognize any of the women working behind the nurses’ station. That normally wouldn’t have prevented him from stopping and turning on the Gage charm for any who were young and single, but right now the last thing he felt like doing was flirting.

Johnny hugged the wall as he slowly made his way to Dixie’s room.

Damn headache’s making me dizzy.

The paramedic paused outside Dixie’s closed door. He could faintly hear the television so assumed the nurse was awake. He rapped three times on the door, and heard a, “Come in!” that sounded strong and alert.

Dixie smiled when she saw who her visitor was. “Johnny,” she said in tone wrought with both appreciation and affection. “Hi.”

For the moment, Johnny forgot about his headache and smiled in return. “Hey, Dix.”

“Hey yourself, hose jockey.”

Dixie had the head of the bed raised to a forty-five degree angle and was seated comfortably against her pillows. Someone most have brought clothes from her apartment, because rather than being dressed in a hospital gown like she’d been the last time Johnny had seen her, she was now wearing a pink satin robe over a pair of pink satin pajamas. The nurse used the remote to click the T.V. off. She laid the remote control on the nightstand; Johnny placed the handie-talkie next to it.

Despite his desire to sit, Johnny didn’t pull the orange vinyl chair over from the corner. That seemed like a lot of effort to expend for the man who was certain he could lie down on the tile floor and immediately fall asleep, despite the discomfort the hard surface would cause. Johnny leaned heavily against the bed railing; thankful Dixie had it raised. He briefly took the hand she held out to him and gave it a gentle squeeze. She no longer had an I.V., and her color was a lot better than it had been when he’d seen her the previous day.

“You look good, Dix.”

“I’m feeling pretty good, other than a headache I can’t quite get rid of.”

Tell me about.

“I keep telling Kel I’m ready to go home, but he won’t release me. Says he wants me to stay at least until tomorrow morning.”

If Johnny’s head hadn’t hurt so much, he might have kept his thoughts to himself.

“There’s a surprise for ya’. Nice to know Brackett’s finally putting your health first.”

Dixie’s brow furrowed. She didn’t understand the meaning behind Johnny’s remarks, nor the sarcasm they were laced with.

“What do you mean by that?”

Johnny rubbed his forehead, his hand shielding his wince from Dixie.

“Nothin’. Forget it.”

“It doesn’t sound like something I should forget. What’s with the sarcasm?”

The young man dropped his hand and looked at the nurse. “It’s just that...never...” Johnny gripped the bed railing as a wave of nausea swept over him. “Nev…never mind.”

Dixie took Johnny’s verbal lapse as a sign he didn’t want to reveal what he was upset over with Brackett, as opposed to illness.

“Johnny?” the nurse pressured, wanting an answer.

Johnny gave an internal groan. Me and my big mouth.

“Johnny? Come on. Tell me what this is about.”

Johnny hesitated a moment longer, but when he could see Dixie wasn’t going to just let him say goodbye and leave the room, he sighed.

“Look, it’s just that Brackett had no business sendin’ you to Bill’s in that storm. He knew what the roads were like. Or at least he shoulda’, based on the number of accident victims we brought in here that afternoon.”

Dixie chuckled. “That’s what you’re mad at Kel about? Because I went to Bill’s?”

“Because he sent you to Bill’s.”

“Kel didn’t send me anywhere, Johnny. I volunteered to go.”

“Well... that might be the…the case, but he should...should have left you...stopped you. Should have...should have told you it could wait...wait until tom… tomorrow…uh…yester…yesterday…until the next day.”

A part of Johnny’s brain realized he was stammering and having trouble verbalizing his thoughts in a clear manner. Yet at the same time, he wasn’t able to focus on the problem and tell Dixie his heart was suddenly racing and a cold sweat had broken out on his back.

“Should have...should have...I told him...I let Brackett know it was his fau…fault you…you were…were hurt. I let him…he knows I’m ticked at…at him for puttin’ you in danger…for puttin’ you at Bill’s…sending you to….where…to…where you went…to Bill’s…the accident…Brackett…he…”

Dixie pushed herself up in the bed, concern etched on her face. “Johnny?”

The paramedic didn’t answer the woman. His mouth gaped open and his breathing grew harsh and labored. As he clutched at his shirt and swayed, Dixie threw back her covers. She couldn’t swing her legs over the side of the bed because the railing was up, and she couldn’t drop it because Johnny had a white-knuckled grip on it.

The nurse’s voice was loud and commanding “Johnny? John, sit down! Johnny, sit on the floor!”

Dixie pressed the call button with one hand, and touched Johnny’s forearm with the other. She felt the heat radiating from his body, and watched as the color drained from his face.

“Johnny, sit down!”

“Dix...” Johnny gasped. “Are you…you…the bet…are you and Brackett…are you dat…dating?”

Dixie had no time to give Johnny’s question serious thought, or wonder why he’d ask her such a thing, or what he meant by “the bet.” As the paramedic’s eyes rolled back in his head and his legs buckled, Dixie flew to her knees and grabbed for him. She snared his left arm, but couldn’t bear his weight considering her awkward position on the bed. She felt a tug on her back muscles as they urged to let go of Johnny. At the same time, she saw the door open. She thought it was nurse answering her summons, until she spotted the blue shirt.

“Roy, help me!”

Roy hesitated a brief second while his brain processed the unexpected sight of his partner in the process of passing out, then dashed forward. He caught Johnny just before the man hit the ground.

Roy eased Johnny to the floor, his right hand going to the pulse point at his partner’s throat. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Dixie dropped the railing and scrambled out of bed. “We were talking, when suddenly he became incoherent and started swaying back and forth. I tried to get him to sit down, but I don’t think he understood me.”

Roy watched the second hand on his watch. “Pulse is 140.”

Dixie’s mouth tightened over the number while placing a hand on Johnny’s forehead. “His temp’s elevated.” Her eyes went to the door as it opened again. Before the young nurse who had answered Dixie’s summons could say a word, Dixie ordered, “Get a gurney in here and have someone notify the E.R. we need a trauma room ready stat!”

The nurse nodded and hurried from the room, while Roy swept the handie-talkie off the nightstand. He called into dispatch, making Squad 51 unavailable at Rampart Hospital until further notice.

When Kelly Brackett stepped out of the elevator, he saw an orderly rushing a gurney to Dixie’s room, and broke into a run. He flew into the room behind the man. The doctor did a momentary double take when he saw who the patient was. He rushed around the gurney and crouched beside Dixie.

“What the hell is going on?”

“I’d say Johnny has a dramatic way of telling me he’s angry with you,” Dixie said as Roy and the orderly lifted Johnny to the gurney, “but I’m afraid there’s more to it than that.”

Brackett watched as the unconscious paramedic struggled to draw in air. His mouth tightened into a grim line.

“I’d say so too, Dix.” The doctor helped push the gurney to the door. “I’d say so too.”

~*~*~

After getting Johnny down to the ER, two orderlies and Roy transferred the unconscious man to the exam table. Gage let out a small groan and moved his head to the side, but didn’t come around.

Doctor Brackett already had his stethoscope on. He listened to the paramedic’s heart and lungs, as Betty put a BP cuff on Johnny’s upper left arm.

“His heart’s racing, breathing is labored. Let’s get some O2 on him.”

“BP’s low,” Betty reported. “80/60.”

Brackett frowned. “He’s got to be losing blood from somewhere. Betty, get an IV of plasma ready, and we’ll try to get him stabilized.” The doctor tore open Johnny’s blue shirt, sending the buttons flying in all directions. Pulling up the paramedic’s sweat soaked white t-shirt, he stared wide-eyed at the abdominal bruising that was now evident.

“I thought Johnny said he didn’t get any bruises from his fall the other night.”

“He didn’t at first,” Roy explained. “But then this morning it started to show up. I think he figured it was because he bruised so deep, it took awhile to surface . . .I kind of figured the same thing,” he added shrugging.

“I can understand that assumption if a person didn’t exhibit any other symptoms,” Brackett said matter-of-factly, palpating the injured man’s abdomen. “But there’s no way Johnny’s going to go from feeling nothing, to passing out from blood loss and not know something was off.”

Roy thought back to the past few hours. Gage had been acting different, and had mentioned having a headache. But why would the younger man try to keep anything hidden? He knew better than that, and it wasn’t like Johnny to lie.

“He’s been acting kind of out of it on and off, and right before our latest call Johnny said he had a headache. I was going to have him get checked out while we were here. I guess whatever is wrong beat us to the punch.”

Johnny groaned and opened his eyes to slits, blinking.

“Johnny,” the doctor summoned, “can you tell me what’s going on?”

“Temperature is 104,” Betty informed, after taking a thermometer out of Gage’s mouth.

Only getting another groan for an answer from the patient, Kel unfastened Johnny’s trousers to see if there was any sign of bruising farther down. There was a faint discoloring, but not as pronounced as higher up.

“He’s bleeding internally. It’s probably a slow bleed, which could explain the discoloration not appearing until now.” The doctor looked up at Roy. “Did he complain about pain in his abdomen or side?”

Roy shook his head. “No. Other than saying he was a little sore after the fall he took that night of Dixie’s accident, he said he was fine.”

Both men eyed each other, recalling that the doctor was initially going to examine Johnny shortly after Dixie had been brought to Rampart. Bruised egos got in the way then. Brackett chastised himself. He should’ve let Gage’s words go through one ear and out the other. If he had, maybe Johnny would have gotten treatment sooner.

Roy stared at his partner in numb silence.

Bleeding internally? How could Johnny not know?

~*~*~

Dixie waited anxiously in her room for word on Johnny. She ignored the aching muscles in her back that resulted from her efforts to keep the paramedic from hitting the floor. Right now, her own well-being was not her concern. When a nurse came in to check on her, Dixie was hoping for answers.

“How are you doing, Miss McCall?”

“I’m fine. But I’ll be better once I get some news on John Gage. Anything yet?”

The younger nurse shook her head. “They took him to the ER, but no one’s reported anything else to us.”

“Will you let me know just as soon as anything is said?”

“Yes, ma’am. And just holler if there's anything you need.”

"Thanks, Barbara." Dixie chewed her lower lip and stared blankly ahead in thought as the nurse left. Some of the things Johnny had been babbling about ran through her mind.

Why did he think Kel made me go anywhere? And what on earth did he mean about a bet? What bet? What’s going on with you, John Gage?

~*~*~

Johnny could hear faint, far away voices, but the paramedic was too out of it to process who was speaking. He caught snippets of conversation. Something about the OR being ready for surgery. He was also vaguely aware of something over his mouth and nose, though he couldn’t identify what. All he knew was that it was still hard to breathe. Almost as a reflex, the dark-haired paramedic reached up to remove the offending piece on his face. A hand stopped him and he heard a man’s voice.

“No, Johnny, you need that to help you breathe.”

His eyes open to slits again he tried to see who was there. Suddenly, he felt movement as he was lifted up and over to a new surface. As he lost consciousness again, he saw the lights above begin to move.

~*~*~

Brackett followed the gurney carrying his patient to the OR. Joe Early caught up when they got to the elevator. He looked down at the pale fireman.

“How’s it look, Kel?”

“Not good. I’d say there’s a chance he’s been bleeding for a few days. Blood loss may have reached a critical level.”

Early nodded. “Let’s get him up there and see what we find.”

Roy looked on as the elevator doors closed. He then glanced at his watch. He had yet to call Captain Stanley. How was he going to explain this one?

~*~*~

Roy sat on the vinyl sofa in the staff lounge and fidgeted with the HT in his hands, grateful for its unusual silence. In fact, the whole room seemed unnaturally quiet to the worried paramedic. He could hear the muted sounds of the nurses on the surgical floor as they went about their routines, but that was a distant noise. It couldn't block out the soft sounds the clock made as the hands moved slowly and inexorably around the face.

He hated not being able to do anything. Sitting and waiting was harder to deal with than the initial fearful rush to get Johnny down to ER. At least then Roy felt like he was helping his partner. Now, he just felt useless. Unable to sit any longer, he got up and walked to the window, staring down at the parking lot. The change of scenery couldn't alter how he was feeling.

Roy had already done everything he could think that needed doing. He'd called Cap and explained as much as he knew. Hank told him to sit tight and wait for his replacement to arrive at Rampart. After that, they could stay available from the hospital. Roy was extremely grateful for an understanding captain, and even more for a sympathetic replacement. Dwyer was Johnny's friend too. He’d voiced no objections to leaving his car in Rampart’s visitors’ lot, rather than having it parked at Station 51. That’s where the man’s vehicle would have been parked had Charlie not been instructed by dispatch to meet Roy at the hospital when he’d gotten summoned at home for overtime. And now that he’d arrived, Charlie was more than willing to hang around the hospital waiting for news from the operating room. Charlie had kept Roy company for a time, then picked up on the fact that he'd rather be alone and had left to go talk to the nurses.


Roy's second call had been to Joanne. His wife would never have forgiven him if he hadn't let her know what was going on with Johnny. She’d wanted to come down, but after a lengthy discussion, Roy finally convinced her it would be better if she stayed at home. Chris and Jennifer weren’t used to being left in the care of a babysitter, so if they came home from school and found someone else in the house other than Joanne, they’d be worried that something bad had happened to either their mother or father. Because of the children, Joanne agreed to stay home, and Roy promised to call as soon as he knew anything more.

And so he was reduced to this silent vigil. Waiting and listening, wanting Brackett to show up at the door and give him news, yet dreading it at the same time. He wanted to be hopeful and optimistic, yet he couldn't rid himself of the fear that his partner and best friend was going to die.

The paramedic gave a weary sigh and moved back to the couch. It would probably be better if they did get a call. Without something else to occupy Roy’s mind, his thoughts kept wandering into that guilt ridden territory of second guessing himself.

Why didn't I notice something sooner? Why didn't I make him get checked out quicker? How could I have not picked up on his symptoms?

Roy knew in his head that he wasn't to blame. Johnny hadn't complained of anything until today, and Brackett himself had cleared the younger paramedic after the accident. If the head of ER hadn't realized how badly hurt Johnny was, who was Roy to think he could have done any better?

Because I know Johnny. I know how much he down plays his injuries. I saw him fall... saw that ravine and knew how lucky he was not to have killed himself. I know how upset he and Brackett both were the night Dixie was hurt. I should have realized neither one of them was thinking as clearly as they should have been.

Roy ran a hand through his hair, then jumped when the HT crackled to life.

“Squad 51, stand by for a response...”

The paramedic blew out a long breath and got up, not sure if he was entirely unhappy to be called away. At least he now had something to do other than worry and watch the clock.

As the dispatcher rattled off their call, Roy pushed through the door of the lounge to retrieve Dwyer.

~*~*~

Kelly Brackett leaned against the door to the O.R. and let go an exhausted, but grateful sigh as John Gage was wheeled toward Recovery. It had been a long ordeal, and Johnny had given him a couple of hairy moments when his blood pressure dipped dangerously low. But between many pints of transfused blood, and that Gage luck, or stubbornness, or whatever you called it, Kel was cautiously optimistic.

He pulled the green cap off his sweaty head and moved to follow the gurney down the hall. He meant to follow his patient and see him settled in Recovery, but the surgeon paused when he reached the nurses’ station and saw the woman in a pink robe sitting there giving him an expectant look.

"Dixie!"

He wanted to be mad at her, but he didn't have the energy. Instead, as she got up and walked around to meet him. He held out his arms and took her into a tight embrace.

"He's gonna be okay, Dix," he murmured, knowing how hard it had been for her to wait out here not knowing what was happening. Kel pulled back and glanced around. "I thought Roy would be here."

"They got a call," Dixie explained, then smiled. "I'm sure he'll be back as soon as he possibly can."

Kel's mouth twisted in a knowing smile. He let his hand slip into the crook of Dixie's arm. "And now that you know Johnny's going to be fine, let me show you back to your room... and your bed." He tried hard to sound stern, but knew he'd failed. Dixie merely smiled and didn't fight him on it.

"Okay, okay." She let him guide her toward the elevator, but when they got inside and he hit the button for her floor, the concern returned to her face. "What happened, Kel?" she asked. "He seemed okay when he visited me yesterday morning."

Kelly's face grew grim. "It was a small tear in the hepatic portal. Very slow bleed. He probably didn't feel ill right away - the symptoms probably built gradually, but he was slowly bleeding to death." He paused and grew introspective. "He certainly fooled me with it."

The elevator dinged and stopped on their floor. As they walked out, Dixie squeezed Kel's arm with just enough pressure to cause him to give her a quizzical look.

"Don't you even start that," she warned. "You just said he probably didn't feel ill right away. There was no way for you to know anything was wrong, and by the time Johnny realized something was wrong I can see where he’d easily confuse his symptoms with those of something a lot less serious, like the flu."

Kel shook his head, not ready to let himself off the hook. As they entered Dixie's room, he continued the conversation. "How do I know that, Dix? I was so worried about you that night, and then Johnny had to shoot his mouth off. But even so, I’d planned to take a look at him since he’d take a fall at the scene, but then Carol came and got me because you were seizing, and I never thought to tell Johnny to stay put until..."

He stopped, but knew he'd said too much by the look on her face.

"Did you and Johnny get into it the night of my accident?" she asked, but it was obvious some things were falling into place for her. She folded her arms and shook her head. "He blamed you for my accident. And now you blame yourself for his injury. Is that how it works?"

"Dix, it's not that simple..." Kel tried to explain, but suddenly felt like an errant school boy having to explain himself to his teacher. "I was mad at him, sure, but mostly because he was right. I shouldn't have let you go to Bill's the night of the storm."

"Let me?" Dixie's eyebrow raised sky high. "So you're my keeper?"

I've done it now, Brackett told himself. "Dix, you know that's not what I meant."

Dixie sat down on the bed and gave him a wry smile. "I know. You were all so busy being angry and macho and now you feel guilty about it." She shrugged her shoulders and relented with a kinder smile. "I guess I should feel flattered that you and Johnny were so worried about me. But Kel, you and I both know you're too good a doctor to let any personal feelings interfere with your work. Even if you were mad enough to bust Johnny in the mouth, you still would have been professional and thorough in your examination. It was just one of those freak things."

Kelly regarded the woman sitting on the bed with a certain amount of wonder. How was it she always knew just what to say?

"Okay, Doctor Brothers. I hear what you're saying. Now you need to lie down and rest. You shouldn't have been out of bed."

Dixie allowed him to help her lie down, and then pull the blanket up around her. As he was leaning over her, she looked up and gave him a wicked smile.

"Tuck me in?" she asked.

Kel couldn't keep the smile from his own face as he reached down and kissed Dixie's forehead tenderly. "Anytime."

~*~*~

Roy hurried towards the elevator, grateful that Charlie Dwyer had offered to ride in with their patient. Now that he had a few minutes free, the worried paramedic had only one focus, to get back upstairs and find out how his best friend was doing

As he waited impatiently for the elevator doors to open, Roy tried to remind himself that Johnny was young and strong. Both of those things counted in his favor towards a full recovery. However, the mental picture that he couldn’t forget was Johnny collapsing at Dixie’s bedside. Walking into that hospital room and finding his best friend sliding towards the floor while an injured Dixie tried to hold him up, had been startling, to say the least. It had been sheer luck that placed Roy there just in time to catch Johnny’s limp body before it struck the floor, and the ensuing drama as they raced the young paramedic to the ER and subsequently to surgery was nothing short of traumatic.

Roy thought he’d be relieved to be kept busy on a call, but he was somewhat surprised when that relief never came. Although he’d been completely professional and in control while working, Roy found that his thoughts were constantly drawn back to the events unfolding in Surgical Unit 3 at Rampart. But he didn’t experience the relief he’d been expecting when he returned to the hospital either, instead his sense of fear and foreboding had grown. What if the news was . . .

Once more, the flustered paramedic punched the elevator button, cursing inwardly at the slow-paced mechanism. So engrossed in his own thoughts, Roy didn’t realize the elevator had arrived, and he almost jumped when the doors suddenly opened before him.

“Roy?” Doctor Brackett’s face was lined with concern, and he reached out an arm to steady the paramedic. “You okay?”

“Yeah . . yeah, I’m fine. Doc? How’s he . . .is he . . is Johnny...”

“He’s doing okay. Here, let’s go into my office.”

Kel guided Roy the short distance to his office door, and soon the two men were seated inside. Perched stiffly on the edge of his chair, Roy watched the doctor carefully as the tired man fiddled with some papers on the top of his desk.

“Doc?” Roy’s voice was filled with questions; questions that Kel knew he couldn’t sidestep any longer. He wished that he could simply say that Johnny was fine and everything would be okay. But he knew better than to try and sugarcoat the news for Roy.

“The surgery went well, Roy. There was a small tear in the hepatic portal, but we were able to repair it. My concern now is the amount of blood he’s lost. Johnny’s BP dropped while on the operating table.” Kel was silent for a moment as he mentally went over his patient’s prognosis.

“Is he doing better now?” Roy’s voice was insistent, and Kel dropped the pen he’d been twisting in his hands.

“A little. But he’s still not out of the woods. He didn’t come out of the anesthesia as well as I’d hoped, so we’ve moved him to ICU. I just came from there.”

Roy’s face mirrored his surprise, yet there was also a feeling of confirmation; it was the uncertainty that he knew he’d been living with for most of the day.

“Can I see him?”

“Sure. I’ll call up and leave word that you have full visiting privileges.”

“Thanks.” Roy stood up to leave, but stopped when he realized the doctor was still sitting quietly at his desk, shoulders slumped and eyes focused on some minute speck that only he could see.

“Doctor Brackett?”

There was no answer, and Roy was suddenly concerned that there was more the doctor hadn’t told him.

“Doc? What is it? Is there something you haven’t told me?”

“No. No, Roy! It’s nothing like that. It’s just that . . well, I just wanted to . . to say that I’m sorry.”

“Sorry.? For what?” Roy waited impatiently, searching his mind for something that Brackett might have done wrong.

“I just . .” Kel shook his head slightly, as he struggled to find the right words. Dixie’s reassurances echoed in his memory, yet he couldn’t rid himself of the feeling that he could’ve done more to check out the young paramedic the night of the accident. After all, that was his responsibility. But his personal feelings for Dixie, along with his resentment of the young man’s attitude, had caused him to overlook the basics.

“I’m sorry for not taking better care of Johnny the other night; for letting my stupid pride get in my way.” Kel dropped his head for a moment before continuing. “This whole thing could’ve been avoided if . .”

“Don’t do this to yourself, Doctor. Brackett. Johnny wouldn’t blame you. Hey, if I know my partner, he’ll probably wake up saying this whole thing is his fault. Don’t waste your time second-guessing yourself. You’re a good doctor, but you’re also human. Don’t expect more of yourself than you can give.”

Kel leaned back in his chair as Roy finished speaking, and slowly a faint grin began to play around the corners of his mouth. He couldn’t help but wonder if Dixie and Roy had been conspiring together. It was clear that he had just heard the same speech from both of them. But the smile faded as quickly as it appeared. Kel knew he wouldn’t truly be off the hook until John Gage was back on his feet. Until then, he’d just deal with his own sense of guilt as best he could.

“Why don’t you go up and see that partner of yours? I’ll be up in a little bit to check on him.”

“You’ll think about what I said, won’t you?” Roy persisted.

“Sure. Thanks, Roy.”

The paramedic pushed himself up from his seat, anxious to see his friend, but as he reached the door, he turned for a moment to study the doctor. Brackett remained sitting quietly at his desk, his fingers fumbling absently with a paperclip. With a shake of his head, Roy let himself out the door and headed upstairs.

~*~*~

Roy nodded at the busy nurse as he walked quickly towards Johnny’s room. He was thankful that the remainder of their shift had been quiet, but even more grateful that Charlie had been willing to sack out in the doctor’s lounge during the night, leaving Roy free to stay with Johnny in ICU. Now that the squad was back at Station 51 and A shift was officially off-duty, he would be able to stay at the hospital as long as needed.

There had been no real change in the Johnny’s condition; he was still unconscious. And at Brackett’s last check, he’d seemed concerned about the young man’s elevated temperature. They were all concerned about the possibility of infection. But as Roy made his way back to his friend’s bedside, he mentally compared the numbers on the machines with those filed away in his memory from a few hours ago, and was relieved to see that they were better. Resettling himself in the familiar chair, Roy leaned back and watched his partner. Johnny’s color had improved some, yet the young man was still pale; the white of his skin a startling contrast to his dark hair.

It was hard to keep his eyes open, the steady beep of the monitors a mesmerizing monotony that was soothing to his tired body. Minutes later, Roy was asleep.

~*~*~

“He’s trying to wake up.”

It took a moment for Roy to make sense of the statement, but when he realized the nurse was speaking to him, her hand grasping his arm firmly, he almost jumped from his seat in his hurry to reach his friend.

“Johnny? Come on, partner, it’s time to wake up.” Roy encouraged softly.

Dark eyes slowly opened, their appearance a tremendous relief to the pair of witnesses.

“Welcome back.” Roy murmured, while the nurse hurried to call Doctor Brackett. There was no reply from the patient, though the eyes remained open. They tracked slowly around the room, returning several times to meet Roy’s, then settling on a small water pitcher next to the bed.

“Are you thirsty?”

“Yeah. .” The thin answer was like music to Roy’s ears, and he reached eagerly for the cup of water. Holding it carefully, he guided the short straw to his friend’s lips and waited patiently while Johnny took several sips. By the time he returned the plastic cup to its place on the table, the dark eyes had drifted shut and not even Doctor Brackett’s arrival awoke the sleeping man. However, the two men standing at the foot of Gage’s hospital bed didn’t seem to mind.

“Everything looks good, Roy. His vital signs are improving and there’s no sign of infection. The antibiotics we added to his IV must be doing the trick.”

Roy didn’t have to wonder at Brackett’s cheerful tone of voice. It was obvious that the man was relieved.

“So you think he’s going to be all right?” Roy pushed.

“Yes, I do. In fact, if I know our young friend here, he’ll be driving the nurses crazy in no time.” Kel Brackett flipped the patient’s chart closed. Yes, there was no doubt that Johnny was on the road to recovery; he just hoped that the young man had retained his forgiving nature because Kel had one more apology to make.

~*~*~

“So, how much longer do you think he’ll keep me in here?”

“I imagine he’ll keep you here until he thinks you’re ready to go home.”

“But, Roy, I feel good. I can manage at home just fine.”

“Uh, huh . . .”

Roy hid a smile, unwilling to further aggravate his partner, but well aware that his friend was being a bit premature. Johnny had made progress, yet it was obvious that he was still very weak. Even his short walk down the hall the previous evening had proved that point. It was all Johnny could do to stay on his feet until he made it back to his bed.

The doctor had warned Johnny that it might take awhile before he felt like he had any energy. After all, he’d lost a lot of blood, not to mention the trauma of the surgery. It would take some time for his body to get back to normal.

Time he’s lucky to have, no thanks to his partner. .

Watching his partner closely, Johnny could almost read the man’s thoughts.

“This isn’t your fault, you know.”

“What?”

“Me being in here. It isn’t your fault, so quit blaming yourself.”

“I’m not. . .” Roy’s voice trailed off; he knew there was no use arguing. His partner knew him too well.

“I should’ve recognized the signs. It was obvious that you weren’t feeling good. But I didn’t put it together.”

“No reason you should have. Heck, Roy, I didn’t even realize it myself. I was too busy being mad at Brackett.”

“Yeah, what about you and Doctor Brackett? I don’t know how much you remember about our last shift, but you were pretty rude to him.”

“Yeah, I remember. And you’re right, I was way out of line.”

Roy was surprised that Johnny agreed so readily, but on the other hand, it was just like his partner. He wasn’t one to stay angry for long, and in this case he had been out of line.

“So, are you going to talk to Brackett about it?”

As if the mere mention of his name had summoned him, Doctor Brackett pushed open the door of Room 302. He nodded at both of the paramedics.

“Hi, Roy. Well, Johnny, how are you feeling today?”

“I’m fine, Doc. Should be able to get out of here any time.”

“Uh, huh.” Brackett muttered skeptically. He took several minutes to study the patient’s chart before commenting further. “I think you’ll be here a little longer, Johnny.” Kel continued to stare at the chart, long after it was necessary, his actions soon causing the two paramedics to exchange a look of confusion.

“Doc? What’s wrong?” Johnny questioned.

As Kel looked up, he realized that the two were waiting for him to speak, but he didn’t have a clue which one of them had spoken, or what they’d said. His mind had been focused on the speech he’d been preparing. After all, he’d had long enough to work on it, with Johnny in the hospital for three days already. But the time was now, and Kel didn’t intend to wait any longer, so without hesitating, he ignored their curious gaze and plunged into his apology.

“Johnny, I wanted to tell you I’m sorry about the other night. I should’ve paid more attention to your symptoms when you came in with Dixie. There’s no excuse for my oversight, or for the way I was treating you after her accident. I know you were just as worried about her as I was, and . .”

“Doc!”

Kel suddenly realized that Johnny must have called him more than once. He ran a hand through his hair before answering, frustrated that his well-rehearsed speech had been interrupted.

“It’s okay, Doc. This wasn’t your fault, same as it wasn’t Roy’s.”

Johnny frowned in the direction of his partner, and Kel wondered what other conversations had been held on this subject already. There was no time to pursue that line of thinking, as Johnny was speaking again.

“Besides, I could’ve told somebody how I felt. Problem was, I didn’t realize how bad it was until it was too late. As for Dixie’s accident, I think it’s me that owes you an apology.”

Kel’s frown grew in proportion as he started to reply, but he didn’t get a chance.

“No, really, Doc. I don’t remember much about my visit with Dixie, but I do remember her saying that you hadn’t sent her to Bill’s - that she’d volunteered to go. And she seemed almost angry with me for worrying about her. I guess neither one of us could make Dixie do something she didn’t want to do. So, if anyone needs to apologize around here, I think it’s me, and I . .”

“All right, Johnny,” Kel interrupted with a smile, “enough. Let’s just say we’re even, okay?”

“Sure, Doc.” Johnny’s relaxed grin spread across his face as Brackett reached out, and the two men shook hands. Standing quietly in the corner, Roy grinned approvingly.

~*~*~

As he stepped out of Johnny’s room, Brackett stopped in surprise at the sight of Dixie moving towards him. The woman was dressed in her hospital uniform, a wide smile upon her face.

“Dixie! What are you doing here? I thought we agreed that you were going to stay home a few more days?”

“Kel Brackett, I didn’t agree to any such thing. In fact, if you recall, I told you that I couldn’t stand one more day inside those four walls. It was driving me crazy.”

Although Dixie’s tone of voice sounded firm, Kel was aware that she was thrilled to be back at Rampart. There was no use arguing with her, either. One way or the other, this woman always managed to get around him.

“All right, but how about just half a shift to start out with?” Kel pressed.

Dixie rolled her eyes upwards at the man’s suggestion, while effectively hiding an amused smile.

“Doctor Brackett, may I suggest that you get back to Emergency?”

This time Kel was the one smiling, but he didn’t bother to answer. Instead, he merely ducked his head and moved quickly towards the elevator.

~*~*~

“Well, Johnny, you sure look better than the last time I saw you!”

Johnny grinned sheepishly as Dixie stepped up to his bed.

“Hi, Dix!”

“Hi, yourself. Hi, Roy.”

“Hey, Dix.” Roy settled into a chair, anxious to see how this was going to turn out.

The nurse swept a critical eye over the patient, grateful when she recognized that he was looking much better. She’d kept up on his progress through Kel and several nurses who called her regularly, but it was good to see for herself that the young man was, indeed, on the mend.

“You know, Johnny, a girl enjoys having a good looking fireman come to visit her, but when he collapses at her bedside, it’s something of a surprise.” Dixie scolded.

“Hey, Dix, I’m sorry about that.” Johnny had the good grace to look contrite, while Roy choked back his laughter.

“All right, I guess I can forgive you, this time.” Dixie smiled. “So, how are you feeling?”

Stretching his long limbs, Johnny sighed in resignation. “I guess I’m okay. But I’d feel a lot better if Doctor Brackett would let me go home.”

“Johnny, that’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. You know that Kel feels very bad about what happened. I think you both need to talk this thing out and . .”

“It’s okay, Dixie. I already talked to Doctor Brackett, and everything’s fine between us.”

“Yeah, Dix, they even shook hands.” Roy added.

“Oh, good, I’m glad.” Dixie smiled in relief. She had been frustrated with both of them and was prepared to launch into a well-deserved reprimand.

“But there’s another issue we need to discuss.”

“What’s that?” Johnny asked hesitantly.

“I think you need to tell me about a certain bet . . .”

Dixie was sure that the look on Johnny’s face resembled that of a small boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar. Actually, the young man looked like he wanted to find the nearest route of escape.

“Listen, Dix, I can explain.” Johnny threw a flustered look towards Roy as he struggled to come up with an explanation that would satisfy the woman. But Roy’s nonchalant shrug gave him scant encouragement.

“Really, it was just a friendly little bet the guys had going.” Johnny stammered. “Uh, there were a few of us who wondered, I mean . . we thought . . .you know, we’ve all been real curious about it anyway. The two of you, talking the way you do. We just wondered about it, then one night a bunch of guys decided to bet on it. Well, I joined in, cause... well, I was pretty sure I was right. But then I didn’t want to bet, cause you’re a friend and all, but Charlie wouldn’t give my money back. So...uh, we just wanted to know.”

Dixie stared at the dark haired paramedic, while Roy tried to keep himself from doubling over in laughter. Johnny had managed to skirt around the whole issue, never once actually answering Dixie’s question.

“Johnny, what was the bet?”

“The bet?”

“Don’t play innocent with me, brown eyes. The bet. What exactly did this bet you’re talking about involve?”

“Oh...the bet. Okay…well, we bet...we bet on whether or not you...you and Doc Brackett are dating.” In rush, Johnny added, “We didn’t mean anything by it. It was just in fun.”

Relieved that he finally gotten it all out, Johnny leaned back against his pillow, waiting to see if Dixie would be angry or flattered. He hoped the latter, because he’d seen Dixie angry a time or two, and didn’t relish being on the receiving end of her temper.

Dixie looked towards Roy, then back to Johnny before breaking into a grin. She heard Johnny’s sigh of relief, but still she remained silent, refusing to give him any encouragement.

"Well, Dix? Are you gonna just leave me hangin', or can I collect from Charlie?"

"What do you think, hose jockey?"

"I dunno. That's why I'm asking you. Are you and Brackett dating or not?"

"Johnny, don't you know a lady never kisses and tells."

“Ahhh, c’mon, Dix . . .”

With a grin, Dixie turned to leave, but as she pulled open the door, the nurse turned back to face the two men.

"Who do you think brought in my pajamas?" With a wink, Dixie walked out of the room, leaving Johnny and Roy gaping in surprise. She could hear Johnny’s whine as the door closed behind her.

“So . . is that a yes? Dixie . . .hey, Dix! Does that mean you and Brackett are dating or not?”

When Dixie was alone in the hall, she laughed and shook her head while murmuring, “I already told you a lady never kisses and tells, Johnny Gage, so you, and Charlie, and the rest of the guys, can just go right on guessing.”

Five minutes later, Dixie was back where she belonged, and where she felt most at home – at the nurses’ station in Kelly Brackett’s emergency room.

Guest Dispatchers