Disclaimer: All characters represented from Station 51 and Rampart Hospital belongs to Universal Television and Mark VII Limited.
Rating: PG-13
Thank you, Donna & Peggy, for the beta; you help me turn potential into something more.
Summary: "It was just a fender-bender, Doc..."
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No Big
Deal
By Susan Proto |
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The rain came down hard making for very difficult driving conditions. The continuous torrents had made the shift seem interminably long, so all Gage wanted was to get home and change into his most worn out, washed out, comfortable pair of jeans. But that wouldn't happen until after he picked his partner up from Rampart.
Thankfully it wasn't a difficult case; the victim was suffering from chest pains, but was stable. Roy rode in with the victim, and after Johnny cleaned up the scene, he got into the squad to drive over to Rampart. The engine was behind him at the moment, though John knew that Stoker would be turning off to head back to the station while he continued on to Rampart.
Though they were only a couple of blocks from the scene, it felt as if Johnny had been driving for hours. It continued to come down hard, barely allowing Gage to see beyond the car's hood. The only good thing about driving around at 7 a.m. was that it was before the normal morning rush hour, making other traffic nonexistent.
Well, almost nonexistent.
= = = = = = = = = =
Karen Richardson was a woman who could do it all. And she proved that every morning as she drove to Rampart Medical Center where she worked as an administrative assistant in the records department. Her Virginia Slim, lit, was in one hand, the mascara wand in the other, and the steering wheel was being controlled quite efficiently with her knees. As she came to the traffic light she placed her cigarette in the ashtray and quickly made the left turn, effectively cutting off the engine and sneaking in between it and the squad.
Karen picked up her cigarette and took a deep drag. She smiled to herself when she thought of the advertisement that had enticed her to try the brand in the first place. "I have come a long way, baby!" she said softly to no one but herself.
She looked ahead and saw the oversized red vehicle in front of her but didn't pay it any mind. There were no sirens going and it seemed to be traveling the speed limit, so Karen figured there was no emergency that needed her attention.
The traffic light just ahead was
turning from yellow to red and Karen pressed down on the accelerator,
determined to make the light. It never
crossed her mind that the big red truck in front of her wouldn't do the same.
Given that she was looking down at the ashtray as she extinguished her cigarette, Karen never noticed the squad come to a complete halt; not until she found herself smashing directly into the rear of Squad 51.
= = = = = = = = = =
"Ma'am, are you all right?" asked a concerned Hank Stanley.
The rain poured all around his helmet, making a little waterfall effect around his neck. To say it was uncomfortable was putting it mildly.
Karen managed to roll down the driver-side window.
"What? I don't know. I think so."
"Okay, just sit tight," he said, "I'm going to check to see if the paramedic is available to look you over," said Hank.
Hank took off toward the squad and found Chet looking in on Johnny through the window. "How is he, Chet?"
"He says he's okay. Just shook up a bit."
"I can speak for myself, Chet," Johnny said heatedly. "I'm okay, Cap. What hit me, a truck?"
"Um, not exactly, Gage," smirked Chet. "It was one of those Gremlins." He paused and then added, "Ugly looking cars, if you ask me."
"Well, nobody asked you, Chet," retorted John. "Damn, I never saw it. Last I checked my rear view mirror, you were behind me."
"Yeah, well, she kind of cut us off unexpectedly," explained Hank with an annoyed tone. "You'd think with this weather people would be that much more careful."
"Yeah." Johnny sighed. "How's the driver of the other car?"
"Well, I think she's okay, but if you're all right to come and give her a quick check -," began Hank.
"- I'm on my way." Hank nodded his approval and headed back to the squad to call it in.
John, meanwhile, opened the door and hopped out of the squad.
"Hey, Gage, now you're sure you're okay?" asked Chet, just to double-check.
"Yeah, Chet, I feel fine."
"Um, you didn't you hit your head or anything, did you?" asked Chet.
"No, Chet, I did not hit my head. I was wearing my seatbelt. I just got jerked around in there a bit, that's all. What is this? Are you training to become a paramedic?"
"Hey, well, maybe I figured you needed some backup!" he sputtered.
"Well, I don’t. At least not in this case," he replied tersely. Gage paused, took a deep breath, and added, "But thanks, Kelly. I appreciate the sentiment."
"Well, if you're sure."
"Yeah, I'm sure," he
said and then as he got his equipment added, "Grab the trauma box for me,
okay?"
Chet did just that and followed his shift-mate to the victim.
"Hi," said John. "How are you doing, Miss?"
"Okay. For some reason I actually used the shoulder belt today. I guess someone up there likes me."
"You might be right about that," replied Gage as he checked her eyes with his penlight.
"Was it you that I hit?"
"Yes, Miss."
"Oh. Sorry, I didn't realize you'd stopped."
"Yes, well, it's important to be aware of what's going on in front of you, okay?"
John got her name and age. He examined her, hooked up with Rampart through dispatch and called in the victim's vitals. When it was determined that the young woman had apparently not suffered any serious trauma, she declined treatment. After her car was taken care of she was going to wind up at Rampart to go to work anyway, so Johnny felt okay about having her sign a medical release and bid her a good day.
John Gage did everything according to procedure. Even though the victim was young, quite pretty, and did not wear a wedding or engagement ring, he followed the book so closely even Craig Brice wouldn't have had a single criticism of the examination.
But throughout the entire exam,
Johnny never turned on the old 'Gage charm', and that little anomaly apparently
had escaped everyone.
At least the rain had finally stopped.
= = = = = = = = = =
The engine continued on to the station house, while John proceeded to Rampart to pick up both supplies and Roy.
As he entered the ER, Roy met him at the door. "Hey, I heard Marco call in some kind of accident. What happened?"
"Someone hit me from behind when I'd stopped for a red light. I guess that old saying, 'Red means stop, green means go, and yellow means gun it for all it's worth' is really true," responded Gage.
"You okay?" asked Roy, the concern obvious.
"Yeah, I mean there wasn't
even a dent in the squad. Her car
didn't look too good, but at least Charlie won't be
able to get on my case for damaging his precious squad," answered Johnny.
"Maybe
you should get checked out?" suggested Roy.
"Nah,
I'm okay. Let's just get the supplies
and get out of here."
Roy
nodded reluctantly, but he realized if the accident were bad enough to warrant
John being examined, his captain would have certainly ordered it. The two men walked over to the nurse's
station to see about getting their supplies restocked.
= = = = = = = = = =
They'd
returned to the station and were finally able to sit down to some
breakfast. Marco had whipped up a
frittata that seemed to have everything but the kitchen sink bubbling hot on
top of it.
"Oh,
man, Marco, this looks excellent!" declared Roy. He, along with the rest of his shift-mates, was starving.
Marco
served up the Mexican omelet. Chet set
the orange juice on the table, while Mike poured the last cup of coffee and put
up a second pot.
Roy
sat with anticipation, while John just sat.
Hank noticed the listlessness first and couldn't help but ask, "Gage, do
you feel okay?"
"Sure,
Cap, why wouldn't I feel okay?"
"Well,
for one, you got rear-ended just a couple of hours ago," replied the
captain with a bit of annoyance.
"Aw,
c'mon, Cap, the squad didn't even get nicked!" cried out Chet, who was
sure there was nothing wrong with the paramedic. He'd checked him out at the scene himself, and Gage had assured
him that he was fine. So Kelly felt no
guilt in razzing the man a little bit about his rear-ender.
"Yeah,
but still, she went into you pretty hard," reminded Hank.
"How
hard?" asked Roy.
"Look,
she bumped me a little bit. I was
fine. I am fine. Just leave me alone, okay?" The small ache that began at the base of his
skull a short time ago had now evolved into a full-fledged, pounding
headache. "I'm sorry, Marco, guess
I'm not very hungry."
Five
pairs of hands all reached out at the same time as Johnny failed miserably at
standing straight up. Though the dizzy
spell hit quickly, it ended equally so.
"Let go! I'm fine," he retorted as he shirked everyone's
offers of assistance. He stood still
for another moment to be sure of his balance and then walked into the dorm.
"Roy?"
"I
know, Cap. I'll go check him out. Chet, do me a favor-."
"-And
get the equipment. Got it."
Roy
nodded his thanks and went to find his partner.
"Hey." Roy entered to find Johnny lying on the bed
in his standard position, with his arm covering his eyes. "Headache, huh?"
"Yeah. But I'm okay. I don't have a concussion or
anything because I never hit my head."
"Johnny,
I believe you, but you were in a car accident today. Cap wants me to check you out."
"I
don't need-"
"-Captain's
orders, John. Neither one of us has a
choice in the matter."
"Somehow
I don't think you fought him all that much on it."
"Somehow
I think you're right." When Chet entered
with the equipment, Roy uttered his thanks.
"You
need some help?" asked Chet.
"No,
I think I've got it from here, but if I need anything I'll give a holler,
okay?"
Chet
nodded, and then looked over at Johnny with a questioning look. Roy smiled, shrugged his shoulders, and then
motioned with his hands for Kelly to clear out.
"Kelly,
in case you haven't figured it out yet, Roy is quietly trying to get you to
leave," said John, his eyes still covered by his arm.
"How
did he do that? How did you do
that?" Chet blustered. "You
drive me crazy, you know that, Gage.
Absolutely crazy!"
Roy
couldn't help but smile a bit and nodded toward the exit. Chet left, but turned around one last time
and said softly, "Yell if you need anything."
"What
does he think you're going to ask for?
Clean towels and boiling water?" muttered Johnny.
Roy
laughed. "Yeah, but at least I can tell him I know something about
birthin' babies."
That
drew a smile even out of Johnny.
"He
really does care, you know," commented Roy.
"I
know." Johnny lowered his arm, so
Roy could take his pressure. "God,
I was fine before. At least I thought
I was fine."
"Pressure's
a little high, nothing outrageous, but still a little high for you,"
observed Roy.
"Man,
my head is pounding."
"What
else?"
"Huh?"
"What
else hurts, Johnny?"
"Oh. Well, my neck aches a bit, and my shoulder
feels a little tender."
"Shoulder? Did you bang it?" asked Roy as he
reached over to examine it.
"No,
I don't remember banging it. I just
remember being jerked around a little, but no, I'm certain that I didn't bang
my head or my shoulder." He winced
as Roy tried manipulating it. "It
hurts like the dickens now, though."
"Johnny,
I'm calling this in."
"Aw,
Roy -"
"-Don't
'aw, Roy' me, John. You're hurting and
I'm calling it in."
Johnny
knew immediately he was fighting a losing battle. Like the proverbial mother who called her child by his first,
last and middle name to show her anger, Roy referred to him as 'John'.
"Yes,
mother."
Roy
stifled a chuckle, "Right," and picked up the biophone.
"Rampart,
this is Squad 51, how do you read?"
A moment passed when Dixie's voice came through loud and clear to
acknowledge the call. "We've got a
silent alarm here at the station, a Code I.
Vitals to follow."
"Standing
by, Squad 51."
"Okay,
partner, here we go." Johnny
nodded his head slightly and
immediately squeezed his eyes shut in obvious discomfort. "Rampart, we have a 27 year old male who
was involved in a minor traffic accident this morning with the squad. He was rear-ended by another car when he was
stopped at a traffic light."
"Roy,
is it Johnny?" asked Dixie.
He
smiled at his partner, covered the phone's speaker, and said, "Dixie wants
to know if you're the Code I. I wonder
how did she ever figure it out?"
"Ha-ha-ha."
Roy
chuckled and said in his most professional tone, "That is affirmative,
Rampart." Roy then read the
numbers off for Johnny's respiration and blood pressure. "His pupils are equal and reactive,
Rampart. Victim is complaining of headache which has become more severe in the
last twenty minutes or so, as well as neck and shoulder tenderness."
"Squad
51, stand by."
Roy
held on to the receiver and retook Johnny's blood pressure. It remained somewhat elevated, but not so
high that Roy would consider it alarming.
"You do realize they're going to want you to come in, don't you?"
"No way."
"Mark my words, Johnny."
"Roy,
you can't be serious! There's no
-."
"-Hold
on, Johnny. I'm sorry, would you repeat that, Rampart?"
"Use
spinal precautions, Squad 51. Is there
an ambulance available yet?
"Negative,
Rampart. I'll call for one now."
"Bring
the patient in as soon as the ambulance arrives, Squad 51."
"That's
affirmative, Rampart. Over."
"You're
kidding," said Johnny incredulously.
"Hate
to say I told you so, but-"
"-Don't
say it. And I'm not going in a damn
ambulance," declared John.
"Um,
sorry, partner, but you're not only going in an ambulance, but I've also been
instructed to take spinal precautions."
"No,"
he practically shouted, "you've got to be kidding!"
"No,
I'm not. C'mon, partner. Let's get you
ready to be checked out." He stood
up and went to the exit.
"Chet?"
He
arrived immediately, as if he might have been waiting nearby and ready to be
called. "Yeah, Roy, what do you
need?"
"I'll
need a C-collar and backboard. Rampart
wants me to take full spinal precautions."
"Spinal
precautions?" Chet looked
shocked. "But, Roy, he was
fine! He was standing and walking
around; hell, he treated the other driver for crying out loud."
"I
know, and it's probably only precautionary, but he's complaining that his head,
neck, and shoulder hurt. Maybe Rampart
doesn't want to take any chances that a minor injury will be aggravated."
"Oh.
Sure, that makes sense." Chet
shook his head as went to go get the equipment, and Roy asked the captain to
call for an ambulance.
Moments
later, Chet appeared with the requested equipment. "Okay, Johnny, let's get this on you." Roy moved as gently as possible to get the
C-Collar around Johnny's neck.
"I
hate these things. I swear they make me
feel claustrophobic."
"Yeah,
well it's for your own good, Gage," said Chet, who remained to assist,
while the others filtered in as well.
"Okay,
let's get you on the board," said Roy.
"Ready? On my count, Chet,
we're going to roll him, keeping his back and neck lined up, okay? I'll slide the board under him and then we'll
roll him back the same way - straight spine and neck."
Chet
nodded and concentrated hard to do just what Roy asked of him. This was, after all, Gage, his favorite
pigeon... and his friend.
"Oh,
God," groaned John. "Shit,
that was a whole lot harder than it should have been."
The
sirens announced the ambulance's arrival.
"Hang
in there, Johnny. Let's go and get you
fixed up, okay?"
= = = = = = = = = =
Dr.
Early, as the neurologist on duty, got first crack at Johnny in the ER. He ordered several tests and while they
waited for the portable x-ray, he tried to pinpoint his patient's problems.
"So
exactly where does it hurt, Johnny? Try
to be as specific as possible," requested Early.
"Well,
I've got a really wicked headache, and my neck hurts."
"Okay,
where exactly?"
"Just all around it, Doc. It's
kind of stiff."
"Does
it hurt when you don't move it?"
"Yeah,
but not as much as when I do," John replied.
"Anything
else?" asked Dr. Early.
"Yeah,
my left shoulder seems kind of tender."
"Okay. Tell me about the accident, Johnny?"
"Well,
that's the crazy thing, doc. It wasn't
much of an accident for me, I mean, Charlie's not gonna find one good reason to
get on my case because he's not gonna find one darn scratch on his precious
squad."
"Charlie?"
"The
department's head mechanic."
"Oh,
I see," Dr. Early said, and smiled.
"Was there any damage to the other car?"
"Yeah,
the front end was pretty much smashed in, but it was one of those Gremlins; you
know, those really ugly little cars? But, Doc, the squad was fine."
"Johnny, you'd be surprised at how much trauma the body can go through from one of these so-called minor accidents. It's a very common misperception that if your vehicle doesn't sustain a lot of damage then you're not supposed to get hurt. The reality, my friend, is that even low impact crashes can yield some pretty traumatic results.
"You said the squad didn't
have a scratch on her right?" probed Early, to which Johnny nodded. "And the other driver's car had some
pretty nasty damage, right?"
"Yeah, doc, that's right," agreed Johnny.
"Well, consider this then. That force with which the little car hit, and produced some serious front-end damage to it, had to go somewhere. The squad didn't absorb it, because you said there was no damage. Guess what absorbed the force of the impact?"
"You're kidding?"
"No, I'm not. You absorbed that force, and if I was a betting man, I'd say you had yourself a pretty good case of whiplash."
"Well, if it's just whiplash, then it's not serious, right?"
"It's treatable, Johnny, and while I would agree it's not a serious condition, it is something you need to take seriously."
"What do you mean?" asked Johnny. All of the talk and explanation were hard enough to follow what with his pounding headache, stiff neck, and tender shoulder. Now that Dr. Early was talking in riddles, Johnny's head was really starting to throb.
Early
quickly observed his patient's tension increasing as Johnny's eyes closed tight
in an attempt to ward off the pain.
"John, why don't we wait until all of the tests come back and we'll
be able to make a final diagnosis, okay?
Take a few minutes and just relax."
"Doc,
I'm really hurting here. Can you give
me anything for the pain?"
"No
morphine yet; I have to be sure that hard head of yours didn't sustain a
concussion. I can get you some
acetaminophen."
"Better
than nothing," muttered Johnny.
Early
smiled, patted the younger man on the shoulder in consolation, and left to
hurry up the results.
= = = = = = = = = =
Roy
stepped into the room as quietly as possible, not wanting to awaken his partner
if he managed to fall asleep. By the
time he'd left him earlier, Johnny was having a great deal of difficulty
managing the pain, so Roy knew that any sleep he could get now was welcomed.
"That
you, Roy?" mumbled John, his eyes still closed.
"I'm
with Chet on this one; how do you do that?" asked Roy with a wry smile.
"I'm
just amazing," John replied in kind.
"How
are you doing? Pain any more
manageable?"
"A
little. They finally got the results
back and saw I was right all along. No
concussion, so they gave me some Tylenol with codeine," he answered. "It's helping."
"Good.
What else did the doc say?" asked Roy.
"I've
got me a good ol' fashioned case of whiplash."
"I
kind of figured," murmured Roy.
"Funny,
it never occurred to me. I just figured
since I was okay earlier, that I was, well, okay. Apparently symptoms don't usually manifest until a couple of
hours after an accident - sometimes even days. Doc Early said I was
lucky."
"Lucky?"
"Yeah,
the fact that I started hurting pretty quickly after the accident meant that I
could get treated that much faster."
"Oh,
sure. Well, I guess you're gonna miss a
shift, huh?"
"Yeah,
at least."
"Really? How long can this go on?"
"Anywhere
from a few days to a few weeks. But
that's not the worst of it, Roy."
"It's
not?"
"Uh-uh. I've got to wear this damn cervical collar
for the next few days. I hate wearing
these things!" he groused.
"So
I've heard."
The
door opened at that point and in walked the rest of Station 51's A-Shift staff.
"Can
you handle a few more visitors?" asked Captain Stanley.
"Sure,
guys, c'mon in," invited Johnny.
"Nice
fashion statement, Gage," razzed Chet.
He
sidestepped the bait and retorted, "I've got one in every color,
Kelly. I can arrange it so you can
share, if you'd like."
"Okay,
okay," interrupted Hank.
"Let's keep the harassment to a minimum, alright, Kelly?"
"Hey,
Gage is the one threatening to put me in one of those contraptions!"
"Somehow
I don't think Johnny is going to be able to follow through on that threat
anytime soon, pal," reminded Hank.
"Yeah,
well, Gage knows I'm just kidding him." Kelly paused for a moment and then
looked at Johnny. "You do know
that, right? I mean you're my favorite
-"
"-Don't
say it, Chet. In fact, go home,
Chet." Johnny said it with half a
smile. If Chet didn't get off one
pigeon reference, Johnny would wonder if the guy stopped caring.
"Listen,
I think we're all going to go home," said Johnny. "Dr. Early said I can go home after a
physical therapist shows me some range of motion exercises to do."
"Can
you drive?" asked Mike. "We drove the Rover over just in case."
"I
guess so."
"Not
today, Johnny," contradicted Dr. Early as he walked in on the tail-end of
the conversation. "Aside from the
fact that you're on pain medication, you're probably a little shakier than you
might realize from being involved in that accident today."
"Aw,
it was just a fender-bender, Doc," countered Chet.
"It
was more than that, Chet, and you know it," reminded Marco. "That little Gremlin had its whole
front end smashed in, and if I recall correctly, you were the first one to run over
to the squad to see if Johnny was all right."
"Hey,
you know I was just checking on my -."
"-Do
not even think of saying it, Chet. Go
home," Johnny interjected vehemently.
"Someone
needs to give this young man a lift home."
"I
can drive you home, Johnny," responded Roy.
"I
guess I'll leave the truck here," said John.
"I'll
follow you two to your place and drive the truck," offered Chet.
"Then Roy can give me a lift back here, if that's okay with you,
Roy?"
"Sure,
Chet." Roy couldn't help but smile
knowingly; for all of Chet's teasing, the man really did look out for his
favorite pigeon.
= = = = = = = = = =
It
took seven shifts before Johnny returned to the station. He walked into the locker room to find Roy
and Chet already there.
"Hey,
Gage, 'bout time you got back to earning a living," teased Chet.
"I'm
glad to see you, too, Chet."
Roy
smiled. He'd missed the good-natured
bantering between his two friends.
"Welcome back, partner. I,
for one, am extremely glad to see you."
"Got
stuck with Brice last shift, didn't you?" Johnny asked with a small smile.
"How'd
you guess?" Roy watched as Johnny
got himself ready for the shift.
Something wasn't right, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "How are you doing?" he finally
asked.
"Okay."
"Just
okay?" Roy probed.
"I'm
fine, Roy."
"You
still look a little, I don't know - stiff?"
"I'm
fine."
Hank
stuck his head in the door and announced, "Roll call in ten minutes
gentlemen. Welcome back, John."
"Thanks,
Cap," acknowledged Johnny.
"Well,
I am ready for a cup of coffee," declared Chet. "If you're nice to me, I may even save you a cup."
"No,
thanks," responded Johnny.
"Huh? John Gage refusing caffeine? You're kidding!" exclaimed Chet.
"Chet,
all I said was I didn't want any coffee," John shot back in
frustration. "Jeeze, it's not a
big deal."
"Okay,
okay; all the more for me," he teased.
Chet
left the locker room before he could hear John mutter, "They suggested I
cut it out, that's all."
The red
flags started flying when Roy heard that.
"Who? Why?"
"Huh?
Why, what?" John didn't realize
he'd spoken aloud; he certainly hadn't meant for Roy to hear him.
"Who
suggested that you cut out caffeine and why?" Roy persisted.
"Roy,
it's not a big deal. Don't turn this
into one."
"C'mon,
partner, what's going on?"
John
sighed. He knew Roy would persist, so
he gave up and said, "Look, the caffeine might aggravate any headaches I
might still get on occasion. It's not a
big deal."
"You're
still having headaches?" Roy asked.
"Roy,
stop it."
"If
you're still having headaches, maybe you should get the doctor to check you
out?" he suggested.
Johnny
blew up. "I've been checked out!
That's why the doctor told me to stop drinking coffee! So would you just drop it?"
He
slammed his locker door and walked out.
Roy stood there, surprised by the sudden display of anger. There was obviously something more going on
with Johnny than just caffeine withdrawal; now if only his partner would 'fess
up.
= = = = = = = = = =
The
day went on without any more outbursts from Johnny, but conversation was kept
to a bare minimum as well. The younger member of the team stayed somewhat
secluded from the rest of the group while they were in the station. John finished his duties of taking care of
their sleeping quarters, and chose to remain in there when he'd completed the
task.
The
others, though a bit confounded, decided to leave him alone. Roy, on the other hand, was more than just confused;
he was concerned. When Marco called everyone together for lunch, Roy went into
the dorm to let Johnny know that food was on.
When Johnny met the news with ambivalence, Roy nodded and went straight
to the captain.
"Close
the door, Roy."
"Something's
wrong, but he won't talk."
"Did
something happen on one of your runs today?"
"No,
Cap, nothing. The two runs we were on were routine. Besides, he was off-kilter before we even went to roll call this
morning."
"Maybe
he needs to be checked out by Rampart?"
"Cap,
I'd suggested that; he nearly bit my head off.
Apparently he's been under a doctor's care."
"So, what do you think? Is he fit
for duty?"
"That's
just it; I don't know. He was perfectly
professional on the runs, but that was it. Nothing beyond what he had to do
medically." Roy paused, giving
consideration as to what he was going to say next.
"I'm
not sure what he would be like in a fire, Cap."
"What
do you mean?"
"He
was very focused on the victim, and he did everything right while we were
administering the necessary medical care, but at the same time - I don't know
how to explain it - it's as if Johnny was going through the motions because his
mind was on something else. I mean,
it's like he knows his job so well, he was on automatic pilot, and neither
victim had any life-threatening conditions.
"I
guess I'm just worried that if something out of the ordinary occurred, I don't
know if he'd be able to handle it," admitted Roy reluctantly.
"What
do you think is the reason for that?" asked Hank with concern.
"The
only thing I can think of is that he's still feeling pain. I'm sure he wouldn't take anything stronger
than aspirin for pain relief while on duty, so I gotta figure he's in a whole
lot of hurt."
"Should
I take him off-duty?"
"Cap,
I don't know. He's here, so he was
cleared for duty. The question for me
is, was he totally honest with the doctor about how he was feeling? If not, then he may be taking a risk with
his own health as well as his ability to perform in a high risk
situation."
"Okay. Do me a favor, Roy, ask John to come
here."
Roy
nodded and left the office. Marco,
Chet, and Mike looked up from the kitchen table, trying hard not to look too
curious, but failing miserably.
Finally, Chet could hold back no longer.
"Is Gage in trouble?"
"Now
why would you say that? I was the one
who went into Cap's office, for crying out loud," responded Roy tersely.
"Yeah,"
Kelly agreed, "but now you're going to go tell Gage that the captain wants
to speak with him, right?"
Roy
looked at him with disbelief. "You
were eavesdropping?"
"No!"
he answered quickly - too quickly.
"Well, maybe just a little, but Roy, it's just because we're
concerned, too."
"Look,
let Cap handle this, okay? Johnny's
having a tough enough time at the moment; he doesn't need all of us crowding
him, okay?"
"Okay,
okay," said Chet.
As Roy
moved to go into the dorm, Chet called out, "He's okay, isn't he,
Roy?"
"I
don't know, Chet. I hope so, but I
honestly don't know yet."
= = = = = = = = = =
Johnny
knew what Roy wanted before he even said anything. He simply stood up and followed Roy silently back to the
kitchen. No eye contact was made
between any of the guys and Johnny.
John was
having a hard enough time keeping it together; he couldn't risk looking at the
sympathetic or worse, judgmental glances his colleagues gave him.
It was
a stupid accident. The damn squad
didn't have a scratch on it. No matter
how many times someone explained to him that occupants inside of vehicles which
sustain little to no damage in a rear-ender can still be injured.
The
problem was, John never thought of whiplash as a legitimate injury; no one he
ever knew did either. It was always a
condition to be questioned; hell, he was among many who actually made fun of
the condition. Johnny had always
figured that people who claimed they had whiplash were just looking for a fast
buck.
Well,
Johnny was soon finding out that it was more than just a scheme to make money
and it sure took a lot more money than he thought he'd ever have to spend out
of pocket.
The
insurance company didn't cover the chiropractor, which was the only treatment
that was giving him any kind of relief lately.
The heating pad was out of pocket; the prescriptions for muscle
relaxants were out of pocket.
But it
still hurt. And it seemed to hurt all
the time. And he was getting damned
sick of it.
The
test results indicated everything looked normal; he'd just have to go about his
business and eventually things would start to feel normal again. Even Dr. Early told him that he should go
back to work; it would take some time to get the kinks worked out, but that his
body should be able to handle it.
So, he
came to work. He was doing his job. So
he wasn't his usual, happy-go-lucky, carefree and forgiving, self. He was here, trying to get through the shift
and not think of the constant discomfort.
The
last thing he needed was for his captain or his shift-mates to get on his case
about it. But here he was, getting
ready for his captain to do just that, with his partner standing in the corner
seemingly chomping at the bit to find out what was going on with him.
"So,
pal? You want to fill me in on what's going on with you?"
"I'm
not sure what you want me to fill you in on, Cap," Gage said
evasively. He avoided looking directly
at Hank and Roy.
"John,
you haven't acted like yourself all shift," explained Hank. "You've been moody, way too quiet, and
look damned unhappy." He paused
for a moment, and said, "John?"
He
repeated the man's name until the paramedic finally made eye contact with his
superior. "John, I just want to
know what I can do to help? What can
any of us do?" he asked with a nod toward Roy.
John stood
quietly, mulling over what he wanted, no, needed to say. He had to get this worked out, and he knew
he needed the support and understanding of his captain and partner. But he also knew that it wasn't going to be
easy for him over the next couple of weeks (he hoped it would only be a couple
of more weeks,) and Johnny needed everyone to give him a little slack.
"Cap,"
and then nodding at Roy and indicating to him that he should move closer and
join them, "Roy, I wish there was something more that you could do, but to
be honest, the best thing is to just give me some space for a little while
longer."
"Johnny,
are you okay to work?" asked Roy, cutting directly to the chase.
"Yeah,
Roy, Dr. Early gave me clearance. The
x-rays are negative; I've just got some residual muscle strain that will have
to work itself out. Believe it or not,
the best way to do that is by keeping active, so I don't stiffen up."
"But
can you lift in a rescue or handle hose at a fire?" asked Hank, ever
pragmatic.
"I've
been cleared for duty, Captain. Yes, I
can."
"So,
why the personality change, pal?" asked Hank gently.
"I'm
still feeling a little uncomfortable, that's all," answered John.
"A
little uncomfortable?" echoed Roy in a tone that quickly let John know he
recognized his partner's words for the understatement that they were.
John
allowed himself a small smile. It never
ceased to amaze him that Roy was able to read him so well. "Well, maybe more than a little."
"Johnny?"
"I'm
hurting all the time, Roy." It was
something he didn't want to admit to out loud, but now that he did, it was
almost a relief.
"Why
didn't you say something?" asked Roy.
"The
doc said I should be back to my old self again in the next couple of weeks. It wasn't
supposed to be a big deal; I mean, who the hell ever really suffered from
whiplash, you know?" He paused to
take a breath before he admitted out loud, "I'd always thought it was a
ruse for people to get insurance money."
"And
you figured we'd think the same of you."
"Yeah,
well, I've been accused of trying to hatch a few schemes in the past,
Roy."
"Yeah,
but they were always honest ventures; they may have been really stupid ones,
but they were always honest," he reminded with a smile.
"Gee,
thanks a lot." Johnny returned the
smile. It felt good to know he'd have
his partner's support and understanding, at least.
It was
the other guys, well, one guy in particular, that he didn't want to have to
deal with.
"To
be honest, this whole thing has knocked the hell out of me, and I don't want to
deal with Chet. I suppose it was easier
for me to shut down then to have to put up with his comments, or worse, the
phantom and his tricks."
"I
can assure you," interjected Cap, "that you will not have to worry
about the phantom making any unannounced visits or Chet making any unnecessary
comments." John nodded in
gratitude for that promise.
"Besides," continued Hank, "I don't think you have to
worry."
Johnny's
expression was one big question mark, so Hank explained. "I think Chet was almost as worried
about you as Roy was."
"Yeah,
right," he huffed.
"No,
partner," Roy quickly said, "Cap's right. Chet didn't stop asking about you for the entire three
weeks."
"Well,
damn," Johnny said, smiling, "that's nice to know."
"Of
course, John," remarked Hank, "you realize that if you asked Kelly
about this, he'd deny it from now to his dying day."
All
three chuckled at that. Roy nodded and
Johnny quickly agreed. "I guess
that's why I'll never mention it to him."
"I
think that's probably for the best," agreed Hank.
"It's
still nice to know, though. It's nice
to know I can count on all of you till this passes."
"And
it will pass, partner. Just remember,
you don't have to go through this on your own."
John's
colleagues proved Roy was a man of his word.
His shift-mates offered him just the right amount of companionship when
he wasn't hurting as much and lifts to the therapist when he was. One day Johnny had mentioned that he wished
he'd remembered to bring the heating pad with him to the station, and by the
end of the shift he had four.
Hank
and Roy had called their wives to pick one up, while Marco asked his mom to
bring an extra one from their house to the station. After the engine crew had finished cleaning up a trash fire, Chet
insisted upon stopping the engine at the nearest Vons supermarket to buy
one. John knew the members of A-shift
were great guys, but it was this experience that taught him how kind and compassionate
they were, too.
Even
Chet.
It
took some time, but one week Johnny awoke and realized he was finally
pain-free. He packed away all of the
heating pads, and took the aspirin bottle off of his nightstand and put it back
in the medicine cabinet.
The
c-collar, which he'd taken to wearing during his off hours for the extra
support, was boxed up and placed in the back of his closet.
Then
there was the day that he found himself upstairs in the records department at Rampart, getting a copy of his medical report for the central
office. It was there that he ran into
Karen Richardson, and it was then that John Gage took the time to look at the
administrative assistant not as a victim, but as a woman - a damn fine looking
woman.
They
made a date for that very weekend.
And
finally, it was time to let his friends know that the real Johnny Gage was
back. He stopped at the local K-Mart,
went into the party section, and picked up a package of the needed supplies.
He
arrived early to the station and quickly went about setting things up. By the time the rest of the crew arrived,
John had accomplished just what he'd wanted to do. He went into the dayroom, sat down with the newspaper, and
waited.
And
what he heard was music to his ears...
"Aw,
damn! I don't have a dry shirt! Damn, who the hell - GAGE!"
Suddenly
Chet Kelly came running out of the locker room, dripping wet. He stood directly in front of Johnny with
his face twisted in what looked like anger.
The others gathered around the periphery, and waited for the explosion
to take place, when suddenly, to everyone's relief, Chet broke into a huge
grin.
"Hey,
my pigeon has come home to roost! 'Bout
damn time, Gage!"
"Thanks,
Chet, it's good to be back."
= = = = = = = = = =