The final weeks of Chet Kelly's vacation were spent protecting Johnny from Frank. Roy, Marco and Mike shadowed Johnny around the station, making sure he was never alone with Frank and that he was only paired with one of them. It frustrated Frank no end that the crew ignored him socially and kept him away from his prey, Johnny. Roy never found out why Frank disliked his partner so much.
It was a great day when Chet arrived back from his vacation. Johnny couldn't believe how happy he was to see Chet instead of Frank standing in the line-up for roll call. Chet couldn't believe the reception he got and the relieved faces that greeted him. He had brought back some pranks to play on the young paramedic but after his great reception he decided to wait a while before the phantom got his pigeon.
It was a mere two weeks later that the mishaps began. Roy came out of his house to drive to the station to start shift only to find he had two flat tyres. A nail in one and the other looked like it had a slow leaking valve. Roy quickly called Johnny to get a lift, but thirty minutes later his partner hadn't arrived. Roy couldn't wait any longer so he got Joanne to drive him to work with both his kids in their PJ's riding in the back.
Johnny still hadn't arrived by roll call. Captain Stanley had asked one of the paramedics from C shift to stay behind to cover for his wayward paramedic. Roy was beginning to worry. He called Joanne; Johnny still hadn't arrived at his house. Captain Stanley's phone rang; it was despatch letting him know Johnny had been involved in a traffic accident on the freeway. He walked out of his office to face three worried faces.
He put up his hands. "All I know is that Johnny was in a traffic accident and Vince is with him. It was Vince who contacted despatch ...who contacted us," he shrugged. "Tim can you stay or do I need to call in for a replacement?"
"Was he hurt?" Roy asked slightly alarmed.
"No, but clearly he won't be here for some time."
"I can stay Cap." Answered Tim; Cap went back into his office.
"Johnny! Are you alright?" Vince looked at his friend who was leaning against his car.
"Yeah, but look at my car." Johnny pointed to his car. The windshield had a small hole, with the spider web effect surrounding it.
"What happened?" Vince inspected Johnny's car.
"I was driving to Roy's...Oh no Roy; he's waiting for me to give him a lift to work. He's got two flat tyres." Johnny was pacing around his car.
"Johnny calm down. I'll call despatch and get them to let Cap Stanley know. He can call Roy." Vince walked over to his car and called it in.
Johnny walked back a little way along the road and picked up a broken brick. He made his way back and handed it to Vince. "This hit my windshield. I'm guessing it was thrown from there." He pointed to an overpass.
Vince looked at Johnny more closely. "Are you ok? Want me to call a squad?"
"Huh, why?" Johnny looked at Vince confused.
Vince pointed to his own face and ran his finger along his left eyebrow. He then lent forward and touched Johnny's face. He held his fingers up to show Johnny the blood. Johnny immediately lifted his own hand to touch his face. He suddenly swayed; Vince reached out to steady him. He made the younger man sit down.
He called for a squad. The call came through to station 51. The squad with Roy and Tim Watson made its way to the MVA.
"No no no." Roy was shaking his head. "It's Johnny." He exclaimed. He jumped out of the squad and ran over to Johnny. He knelt down in front of his partner. "Johnny?"
Johnny lifted his head; his eyes were a little glazed. "Oh hey Roy...I'm sorry I didn't get to your house to pick you up. I had an accident." Johnny's eyes rolled up and he passed out. Roy caught him and gently laid him back.
Vince knelt down next to Roy; he was very concerned for Johnny. "Vince, what happened?"
"A brick was thrown at his windshield from up there." He pointed up to the overpass. "It broke on impact and part of it must have hit Johnny. He was alright at first but as soon as knew he was bleeding he started to lose his balance and went all woozy." Vince looked on shaking his head at the now unconscious man.
"Delayed reaction Vince." Roy took his partner's vitals and Tim contacted Rampart. Roy established an IV and loaded Johnny into an ambulance. Tim followed behind in the squad.
Brackett and Dixie were waiting "Treatment 3, has he regained consciousness?" Asked Brackett as he ran along with the gurney.
"Not fully, he's just moaned a little." Roy looked down at his partner. He was worried.
"What happened?" They transferred Johnny to the bed.
"A brick hit his windshield and part of it broke off and hit him in the head." Brackett examined Johnny's head.
"I want x-ray down here stat Dix, full skull series." He wiped the cut and Johnny's eyes fluttered open. "Johnny can you hear me?" Brackett looked down at Johnny and waited for the young paramedic to respond.
"Doc...What happened?" Johnny turned his head and looked around.
"How about you tell me Johnny." Brackett smiled at his paramedic.
Johnny frowned for a minute. He was trying to get his thoughts together. The pounding headache was making it hard to concentrate. "I had an accident...a brick hit my windshield." Johnny went to raise his hand.
Roy grabbed it before he touched his head. "No you don't, I put a perfect IV in that arm." Johnny smiled up at Roy.
"Beats doing it yourself." Johnny turned his head, the portable x-ray made its way in. Brackett, Dixie and Roy left the room.
"I think it's just a concussion Roy." Brackett put his hand on paramedic's shoulder, Roy half smiled and nodded. He was feeling guilty; Johnny would never have been on that freeway if it wasn't for him needing a lift.
Frank Patterson was rubbing his hands together. Everything went like clockwork. He laid out his tools; he had more installed for Roy and Johnny. Ignore me and throw me aside for that juvenile loser. He looked around at his dreary apartment. He hated his life and he hated his ex-wife and he hated Johnny Gage. In Frank Patterson's deranged mind it was everyone's but his fault, that he was living this way.
He read through the application for the Paramedic program. "Psyche test, physical and Entrance Exam!" He read out loud. He didn't like the idea of sitting for an exam. 'Where could he get some books to study for it?' He asked himself. He couldn't go to Roy, and then it came to him. 'I'll call Johnny Gage, no hard feelings; tell him how sorry he is for being such a jerk, yeah that'll work. Dumb loser wouldn't know any different, besides if they get suspicious, being friends with his prey will keep him out of the equation.' With those thoughts, he put together another plan.
It was established that Johnny had a moderate concussion and was being kept in the hospital for observation. He looked at Roy from his bed "I'm sorry Roy."
Roy was puzzled. "Why are you sorry Johnny?"
"I didn't pick you up and now you'll have to work with a replacement because I had an accident." Johnny sighed wearily, his head throbbed and his eye under the cut was stinging painfully. A bruise was slowly forming around the cut and his eye was bloodshot.
"Johnny this isn't your fault, it was just that, an accident. Why don't you get some rest? I have to go. I'll call in and see you when I'm here during runs, ok?" He waved to his partner and left.
Johnny sighed, who would throw a brick from an overpass he thought. It could have been a lot worse; he could have crashed his car into someone else. He shook his head and stopped abruptly, the movement brought on a bout of throwing up. He barely had time to grab the basin that had been left by the nurse next to his right hand. His head felt like it was about to explode with every heave.
He unexpectedly felt a cool cloth being wiped over his face and a hand rubbing his back. He looked up into the beautiful face of his friend Dixie. She smiled at him and passed him a glass of water. "Rinse your mouth Johnny." She held the basin in front of him so he could spit the water into it.
Johnny lent back, his head had settled down to a constant throb and his eye continued to sting. "Here I have some drops for your eye. They should stop it from stinging." With the action of a seasoned veteran that she was, she quickly applied the drops. Johnny felt instant relief. He opened his eyes and she was standing beside him with her hands held out, cup of water in one and two tablets in another.
Johnny took the pills and settled back in his bed. Dixie adjusted the covers. "Now get some rest Johnny." She turned to leave.
"Dixie!" She turned around and looked at Johnny "Thanks." Johnny closed his eyes, Dixie smiled.
"You're welcome Johnny," she said and left her favourite paramedic to rest.
When Roy got back to the station, he explained to everyone what had happened to Johnny. "Why would someone throw a brick at a moving car?" Cap said shaking his head in disbelief.
Everyone looked at each other with stunned faces. Chet reached out and put his hand on Roy's arm to get his attention. "Johnny's going to be ok isn't he Roy?" He asked, concerned for his pigeon.
Roy smiled at Chet's concern. "Yeah Chet but he'll be off work for a few shifts".
Everyone resumed their duties around the station. Roy thought about the morning events. First his two flat tyres, who would have thought the odds of that happening, and then Johnny being on that particular part of the freeway solely because he was picking up Roy. It all seemed incredible and implausible that all these events could take place in such a manner. The timing was what was worrying Roy, he had an uneasy feeling and didn't know why, but somehow the timing was too coincidental.
Roy picked Johnny up the next morning. He was feeling a lot better; his eye no longer stung and was only slightly bloodshot. His bruise was spectacular and his cut was slightly swollen. He still had a headache but it was manageable. Roy smiled at his partner who was sitting waiting for him on the end of his bed.
"Ready to go?" Roy motioned to the door.
"Yep." Johnny nodded slightly, slowly rose from the bed and started to walk. Roy's smile faulted at the unsteady figure, but he let his partner set his own pace.
"I spoke to Vince this morning, your car has been sent to the departments' body shop to get the windshield replaced. They need the broken windshield for evidence."
"When can I pick it up?" Asked Johnny, his movements were kept deliberately slow to avoid antagonising his headache.
"I'll pick it up for you this afternoon and drop it at your place. No driving for a few days Johnny, remember?" Roy said reminding his partner of Dr Brackett's instructions.
Johnny nodded but abruptly stopped the movement; it brought on dizziness and made the slight throbbing turn to pounding. He stopped walking and squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath.
"You alright?" Roy took Johnny's arm and looked around for a familiar face but there was no-one. He helped Johnny continue to walk.
"I'm ok now Roy. I shouldn't have nodded my head, it makes me dizzy." Johnny pulled his arm free and continued to walk unassisted.
"Thanks for picking me up Roy." Johnny moved to his couch and sat down. "You want a drink or anything before you head off home?" Asked Johnny politely. What he really wanted to do was lie down and sleep. The quiet apartment was too inviting.
"No I'm fine Johnny. I'll see you later this afternoon with your car." Roy could see his partner was very tired and thought the best thing for him was to leave him in peace to sleep. He said goodbye and left closing the front door gently.
Johnny slept the morning away and was awakened by the phone around 1pm. "Hello." He answered groggily, being careful and deliberate as to not move his head too much.
"Ah Hello Johnny...It's Frank Patterson, please don't hang up." Johnny took a few seconds to register who was on the line. His brain felt foggy from his medications and the sleep.
"I firstly want to apologise for the way I acted at the station. I was way out of line. I guess I was jealous...your close friendship with Roy...You see I've found it a little difficult to settle in here in LA and seeing Roy...well I thought we could just take up where we left off...but of course I realise that was stupid, too many years between...anyway I'm sorry for being such a jerk." Frank waited for Johnny to say something. If only Johnny could see the evil insincere smile at the other end of the line. A touch of insanity lined Frank's face in anticipation to Johnny's reply.
"That's ok Frank. I understand. I know how hard it is to move to a big city with no friends...Apology accepted." Johnny wanted to finish the phone call and take some pain meds. His headache was starting to return and he was finding it hard to concentrate on what Frank was saying.
Frank cringed at the niceness of Johnny's reply and thought to himself 'loser'. "That's great, I'm so relieved. To make up for my stupid behaviour how about I take you out for dinner and we can talk and get to know each other."
Johnny thought it was a little odd for Frank to want to get to know him when Roy was his old friend. He thought it should be Roy he was asking out and also apologising to. "I can't for a while Frank, I'm on sick leave." Johnny used as a legitimate excuse.
"Oh I hope it's nothing too serious." He stated with false concern in his voice. He was hoping the opposite, and that it was caused by the brick he threw at Johnny's car.
"No nothing too serious, just a little concussion from an accident in my car." Johnny didn't want to go into detail; he still didn't completely trust this man. "Why don't you ask Roy, let him know you apologised and maybe he'd like to take you up on dinner and talk about old times?" Johnny tried to heal the rift between the old friends and get Frank off the phone at the same time.
"Yeah sure Johnny...hope you feel better and I'll give Roy a call. Oh I also wanted to ask for some help with the Paramedic entrance exam. I'm going to go ahead and apply."
"Frank you'll need to speak to Roy; he has all my books stored at his place. Just tell him I said it was ok to borrow them." Johnny was feeling a little sick and needed to get off the phone. "Frank I need to go, just talk to Roy. Bye." Johnny promptly put the receiver down and took a few deep breaths trying desperately to settle his stomach.
Frank was fuming. "How dare that loser blow me off and then hang up on me." He said through clenched teeth. He didn't want to approach Roy this soon. No matter, I'll get some from the Fire Department's library. He needed to start on his next plan; the books would have to wait.
"Sorry I didn't call, my phone line is dead." Johnny let Roy into his apartment. Roy had just delivered his Rover.
"I just made some coffee, want some?" Johnny headed for the kitchen. He was still a little sluggish with his movement but Roy didn't comment.
"That sounds good Johnny." He sat at the small table and watched his partner pour the coffee. Johnny placed some cookies on a plate and put it in the middle of the table. "How's the head?" Roy didn't like how slow and deliberate his friend's movements were.
"It's better...but...if I move it too much the headache comes back and I start to feel sick to my stomach." Johnny sat down opposite Roy and smiled. "You want to use my phone to call the phone company?"
"Thanks Johnny I'll do that now." Roy got up and made the phone call.
When Roy came back to the table Johnny said "All good?"
"Yeah, they'll be out first thing tomorrow morning. I told them I work for the fire department and needed the phone connected in case I was needed for work." Roy shrugged his shoulders "That seemed to get them moving quicker."
Johnny smiled at his partners' cleverness. "How did the Rover look?" He asked remembering why Roy was here. His mind was still a little sluggish.
"It looked as good as new. I gave them your insurance details. They said there should be no problems since there was a police report filed."
"Good, I can do without that expense. I have some bills to pay this month." Roy looked at his partner, remembering back to when Johnny opened up to him and told him how he had a lot of medical bills for his father's cancer treatment to take care of.
"If you need any help….."
Johnny looked up at his partner and smiled. "No it's all good Roy. I've got it."
"You heard from Vince?" Roy asked.
"No. I don't think anyone saw it happen. It'll probably get filed away and forgotten."
Roy nodded. "Yeah. I still can't believe it happened." Roy said with disbelief.
"I can't believe you got two…." Johnny held up two fingers. "Flat tyres."
"Me neither, but...I guess it was just bad luck. Been having a bit of that lately." Roy frowned, thinking about the phone line.
"Talking of bad luck, I have no hot water for a few hours." Johnny exclaimed.
"Have you checked with the landlord?" Roy asked.
"Yeah, the pilot light went out. Only mine no one else's." Johnny said frowning. Roy also frowned and thought about the run of bad luck between them.
Johnny made his way over to Rampart. He had an appointment with Dr Brackett; he was hoping he would clear him for next shift. As he drove along the freeway he felt a shiver run up his spine each time he drove under an overpass. He arrived at Rampart in a sweat and a little shaken. He figured it would take a couple of days of driving to push the fears away.
Brackett noticed Johnny was a little distracted and was concerned the effects of the concussion were lingering. "Everything ok Johnny...you seem a little preoccupied?"
"Yeah everything's ok...the drive in shook me a bit." He looked up at Brackett and decided to be honest with him. "I have to admit every time I drove under an overpass I felt a bit uneasy."
Brackett's mouth twitched and he grabbed a stool and sat down next to Johnny. "That's to be expected. I'm sure once you get around a lot more the feeling will go. Just give it time. I must admit after your accident I found myself looking up each time I was about to pass under one."
"It was such a dangerous thing for someone to do." Johnny exclaimed.
"Yes, but it happens more often than you think. You're the first friend it's happened to and I hope the last." Brackett smiled and patted Johnny's leg. "Ready to go back to work?"
"You bet." Johnny's face lit up, he felt a lot better having talked to Brackett about his feelings. Since the day he had opened up to his partner, Johnny had followed Roy's advice. He was no longer afraid to speak freely to people and accept their help.
"When's next shift?" asked Brackett.
"Day after tomorrow," stated Johnny.
"Ok you're cleared for then, I'll arrange the paperwork." Brackett got up and held the door open for Johnny to step through.
"Roy come and have a look at this." Johnny motioned Roy to follow him. He had just arrived for shift. Roy followed his partner out to the parking lot and Johnny pointed to his car.
"What happened?" Roy was shocked at what he saw. He mused he'd been saying that a lot lately.
"I found it like this when I came down to leave for work this morning." Johnny was really upset, there was a crack in his new windshield. "You know what else happened. I went to the bank yesterday to make a withdrawal and they told me my bank account had been frozen."
"Why?" asked Roy.
"Because they thought I was dead. Oh yeah you'll probably get a phone call seeing as you're the executor of my estate." Johnny threw his hands up in the air "Can you believe it?"
Roy shook his head, he thought too many things were going wrong lately, he was starting to worry.
"I have no money to get this fixed so I'll have to drive around with a crack in my windshield...and...I had already sent out the cheque to make a payment on my father's medical bill."
"Surely the bank will cover it if they can see the funds are there."
"I hope so Roy, I could get into trouble over it."
"How Johnny, you're dead remember?" Roy put his arm around his partner's shoulder.
"That's not funny Roy. Do you know what it feels like to hear someone say to you...but you're dead...it was downright creepy." Johnny started to get dressed into his uniform.
"When will the bank sort it out?" asked Roy.
"I need to get you and Cap to sign some forms...saying I'm not dead...as if standing in front of them alive wasn't proof enough." Johnny sighed.
"Well, welcome back Junior...it's good to see you alive and well." Roy said with amusement.
"Ha ha very funny...just don't tell Chet."
"Tell Chet what?" Chet walked into the locker room.
"How does he do that?" Johnny said in disbelief.
"You still haven't answered my question," reflected Chet. He might not find out now but by the end of the day he was sure he would have the answer to his question.
Johnny pursed his lips together. "I've got to see Cap," and left the locker area.
Chet shrugged his shoulders as Roy followed Johnny out of the locker room.
Johnny knocked on his Cap's door frame. Captain Stanley looked up and smiled. "John, welcome back pal." He put out his hand. Johnny shook it. Captain Stanley's persona changed to a sombre outlook. "I needed to talk to you before roll call. Sit down John." Cap rubbed his hands together and summoned up the courage to tell his paramedic the news he had just heard from headquarters. "John I don't know how to tell you this so I'll just come out and say it. Somehow news reached headquarters that you were..." he paused before saying "Dead."
Johnny shook his head and bowed it in resignation. "Yesterday I was at the bank...they had been told the same thing." Cap was horrified.
"There's more Johnny, someone had already started the paperwork. Your wages have been stopped, insurance, benefits...I put a stop to it but it will take a couple of days to sort out. What it comes down to pal...you can't start work today...you're not covered."
"What, but Cap I can't afford any more time off." Johnny ran the figures through his head, already foregoing a few items from his list. He stood and ran his hand over his neck. "I don't even have enough cash to buy food let alone pay bills."
"John, that's what friends are for. I'll loan you some cash, so will the rest of the guys, to tie you over until this is all cleared up." He patted John on the back. Johnny was bewildered.
"Cap there's just one thing?"
"Yeah what's that?"
"Who said I was dead in the first place?" Johnny looked at his Cap for the answer.
"I don't know but I intend to find out. Now don't worry. Come on let's get some cash together for you." Cap led Johnny out of his office. Brice was waiting outside; he looked at Johnny with a frown.
"You're supposed to be dead Gage," he stated too casually.
"You wish Brice." John was furious with the way Brice addressed him.
"Ah Brice, go and put your stuff away. Roll call in five minutes." Cap led Johnny away.
"Yes Captain Stanley sir." He walked off as if everything was right in the world.
Cap explained everything at roll call including Johnny's lack of cash funds. Everyone including Brice pulled together and Johnny walked away from his station with $200 in his hand. Brice had an emergency stash in his car and gladly handed it over. Johnny was very grateful and promised to pay everyone back as soon as the whole mess was sorted out.
Dead man walking bounced through his mind as he walked to his car.