Disclaimer: All characters of Emergency! belong to Mark VII and Universal Studios
This is just a short tale of a few previously unheard of rescues…based VERY loosely on real events.
Gage-isms
The early arrivers of "A" shift heard the screeching of tires and the crunching sound of twisting metal and shattering glass. They knew that a horrible traffic accident had occurred in front of the Station and ran to investigate. Marco was the first one out the door with Roy following closely on his heels. The "C" shift paramedics were just exiting the squad after returning to the station for shift change. They followed Roy out to the street as Hank Stanley called the accident in to dispatch requesting assistance. What they saw made their hearts sink. They'd all responded to numerous accidents in the past but it was the site of a crumpled Land Rover lying on its passenger's side that made them catch their breath. John Gage had obviously been sitting in the lane awaiting a break in traffic to make his usual left turn into the station when he was hit head-on by a utility van. The crew of "A" shift immediately ran to Johnny's vehicle while the remnants of "C" shift tended to the driver of the offending vehicle. In mere seconds they were also at the side of the Rover; their faces saying what their voices didn't need to say. The other driver was dead; but Johnny was very much alive and needed them desperately.
John was unconscious; bleeding from a large cut that began below his left ear near his jaw and extended into his hair line. He was wearing his seatbelt which left his limp form dangling precariously while the blood literally dripped off his nose and onto the passenger's seat. Work began immediately to extricate him and begin assessing for other injuries. In short order, the combined crews of "A" and "C" shifts of Station 51 had broken out his windshield; secured Johnny to a backboard with IV's replenishing his fluid volume; bandaged his laceration; secured his injured arm and were loading him into the waiting ambulance.
"Roy, can you manage riding in with him?" The question came from Captain Stanley but Roy saw that the "C" shift paramedics were standing by more than willing to take his place in the ambulance if he needed them to.
"Cap, I'd like to go in with him, please." Cap nodded his agreement and patted his senior paramedic on the shoulder as he turned to enter the ambulance. The sound of the siren exiting the scene heading to Rampart echoed in the ears of the men. No one spoke; no one had to. One of their own had been injured and they were all affected.
-x-
"Roy, phone call for you." Roy looked up from his coffee cup and into the eyes of Dixie McCall. She was standing in the door of the break room at Rampart with a concerned motherly look on her face.
"Thanks, Dix…any word yet?"
Dixie knew that Roy wanted to know how his partner was doing and she wished she'd had something positive to say. Johnny had been brought in over 4 hours ago after a traffic accident in front of the station. He'd had a severe laceration on the left side of his head but he'd also suffered a compound fracture of his left ulna and was currently in surgery.
"No, not yet but it shouldn't be much longer." She squeezed his shoulders as he stood up and headed toward the nurses station to take the call.
"Fireman DeSoto, here," he spoke into the phone and relief washed over him when he heard the familiar voice on the other end.
"Roy, we're all here at the station and want to know the latest on Johnny." Roy could hear the concern in his Captain's voice and he really appreciated it.
"Nothing, Cap, he's still in surgery for his arm. Dixie said it shouldn't be much longer though." He then realized that he'd never even called back in to let Cap know he needed to be off with his best friend.
Oh, uh, Cap I'm sorry…..I forgot to call you back and …..uh"
"Roy, Roy, settle down. I knew you weren't coming back. Your replacements are here and all is well. Just keep us informed ok?"
Roy released a breath and thanked his Captain for being so understanding. He agreed to call them as soon as he had news before he hung up.
Joanne brought him some lunch and stayed until time to pick the kids up from school. By that time, John had been moved to recovery and a room was being prepared for him. He'd be hospitalized for several days for pain management and for observation related to his concussion. Roy had informed the guys at the station and they all sent their well wishes. They also agreed to visit as soon as "B" shift arrived the next morning.
-x-
Johnny's level of consciousness seemed to ebb and flow like the tide. Some moments he was awake and then within seconds he was completely out again. His rest was fitful as the pain medication wore off and several times during the afternoon and night he'd needed boluses of pain medication to keep him still. Roy had rested some during the night but was really concerned about Johnny. It wasn't like him to require so much pain medication. Although Roy had grown accustomed to sitting with his accident-prone friend during hospital stays, he was not accustomed to him being unconscious most of the time. This seemed different and if frightened Roy more than he cared to think about.
A pretty young nurse had just left the room after providing Johnny with yet another dose of medication which was beginning to slow down his restless legs. Roy knew that was a good sign that the medication was working and at least his partner would have some peace from the pain. Ignorance really is bliss, he thought to himself. Having some medical knowledge meant he knew when to worry and when not to. Unfortunately, he knew it was time to be concerned. Johnny hadn't been awake much in the last 24 hours but when he was awake he didn't seem to fully recognize Roy. He was mentally thumbing through the pages of his paramedic training when a knock at the door brought him back to the present.
"Hey, Roy how is he?" Hank asked as he and the rest of the "A" shift walked quietly into John's room. Each man glancing at the now still form of the sedated paramedic.
"Not much change really, Cap." Roy replied as he stood to stretch his aching back.
"He's been getting kinda restless when the pain kicks in…but even when he's semi awake, he doesn't seem to know me." Roy couldn't hide his concern and that didn't go unnoticed by the other guys.
Surprisingly, it was Mike who broke their silence.
"Fellas, remember when …." and with that, the crew began recounting some of the more memorable moments of Gage's career at Station 51.
