A/N: Yeah, I 'borrowed' the title from the M*A*S*H* episode of the same title. This is my first attempt at an 'Emergency' fanfic, so please don't hurt me too much! And as always 'Emergency!" and its subsequent characters do not belong to me.
John Gage couldn't sleep. The firefighter tossed and turned in his bunk, trying desperately to forget the events of the day. They had been through several tough rescues, including one where he could not save a little baby from drowning in the swift waters of a drainage canal during a car accident.
Johnny threw his arm over his eyes and tried to ignore the light beginning to seep through the window as dawn approached. Sighing, he slid his hand through his semi-long hair, threw back the covers and padded into the kitchen. He'd just retrieved the milk and was going to the cabinet for a cup when he heard a cry. Instantly, John's head shot up and he whirled around, his keen ears perked. Hearing the cry again, and this time from the side door off the kitchen, Johnny put down the glass and went to see where it was coming from. When the firefighter swung the door open and turned on the light of the kitchen, he saw a rather large bundle wrapped in crumpled if not new newspaper.
Who on Earth would toss trash onto the doorstep of the station in the middle of the night? He wondered, picking it up. It was only then that John realized how heavy it was. The paramedic glanced at it for a moment and then was shocked by what he observed. It was a child.
Flabbergasted, Johnny stood rooted to the spot, looking at the little one who had begun to cry.
"Hey, hey there little one, I'm not gonna hurt ya," Johnny said softly, peeling away the newspapers with some disgust and cradling the little child. He observed that, other than a dark towel used as a diaper, the baby had no other clothes.
Whoever left the kid here must have been poor and didn't know what to do He observed. The paramedic discovered that the baby was a little girl. He'd brought many babies into the world, so finding out the gender was not something that was uncommon in his line of work. She had a fuzz of raven hair and a dark complexion that told him that she was Hispanic. By the look of her and her size, Johnny could tell that the child was only a few days old.
"Hey Gage," The voice of Chet Kelly broke his concentration, "mind shuttin' off the light? Some of us actually work-" the stocky firefighter stopped when he saw the baby. "Gift from one of your girlfriends, Gage?"
"Shut up, Chet," he shot back irritated, "I found her wrapped in that newspaper on our doorstep."
"Jeez..." muttered the other man.
"Gage, what's going on here?" Captain Hank Stanley entered the kitchen in rather an irate fashion, followed by the rest of the station 51 crew.
"I found a baby on our doorstep, Cap. She's a little dehydrated and malnourished, but I don't think she's in any danger." he replied seriously.
"Mi Dios" muttered Marco Lopez.
"It could have been worse, they could have thrown her away in a dumpster like trash. At least we know the parent or parents are moral enough to bring her here so we they could get her somewhere safe." Mike Stoker pointed out.
Roy Desoto went to his partner's side and instantly went into paramedic mode, checking the baby's complexion and doing a thorough exam for any infections.
"She's a little dehydrated and malnourished there," he informed them. "Johnny? Can you go get our OB equipment and biophone? She needs to be checked out."
Set to their tasks, everyone worked quickly to get the needed items within the span of a few minutes.
When Johnny returned with the supplies which he put on the table, he pulled out the stethoscope.
"Alright sweetie pie, this won't hurt a bit, I promise." he cooed, gently rubbing the metal to warm it and then placing the bell onto her sternum, followed by her back. Johnny also took the child's pulse and blood pressure. "Roy her vitals are 75/50, pulse is 90. Respiration is 35. " The younger paramedic then took out a thermometer which he placed under the baby's arm. After a few minutes, he pulled it out and read it. "Temp is 98.7 axillary. I'll get Rampart on the phone."
Joe Early didn't mind working the morning shift in the wee hours of dawn. Although he was an emergency trauma doctor, there were times when the quiet was relaxing. He had finished his rounds for that hour, and had drifted back to the base station where Dixie was also working.
"Late night, huh Dix?" he asked the head nurse of E.R.
"Yeah. Sometimes I wonder how I get myself a shift in the early hours of the day." she replied, chuckling.
The light above the door for the dispatch room blazed on, alerting them that there was a unit calling in. Odd, they hadn't heard of any accidents so far. Dixie looked at all the board that indicated the status of each paramedic team, all which indicated that they were in quarters.
"Rampart this is Station 51, come in Rampart." The voice of Johnny Gage came over the radio. What on earth could have happened? Was someone sick?
"Rampart, we have a still alarm here at Station 51. We have found a newborn, approximately four to six days of age at our door."
Joe and Dixie looked at each other with disbelief. "Say again, 51?" Joe asked calmly, though he was certain that he had heard correctly.
"Rampart, we have found a girl, approximately four to six days old on our doorstep."
Joe looked astonished, glancing over to Dixie, who's mouth was open slightly.
"Can you give me a set of vitals 51?"
"Rampart, vitals are: B.P. 65/30, pulse is 85. Respiration is 35. Temp is 98.7 by axillary. She also has some indications of slight dehydration and malnutrition," Came the professional reply.
"10-4, 51. Start her on 1 to 2 mg of diluted sterile sugar water and send me a new set of vitals."
He could do nothing more than shake his head in disbelief.
"Of all the strange calls we've gotten..." Dixie McCall began, but had needed to complete. This was one for the books.
Johnny took out a bottle of sterile water before looking and Mike. "Hey Mike, can you get me the canister of sugar in the cabinet?"
"What are you planning to do John?" Cap asked curiously.
"We'll mix the sugar and water then use the bulb to give it to her." Roy answered, still holding the little one in his arms.
A moment our two later, the mixture finished, Johnny squeezed some of it into a clean ear bulb and eased the tip of the instrument into her mouth.
"There we go," Johnny grinned, "tastes pretty good, huh?" All the men of Station 51 gathered around to watch their charge, all of them smiling from ear to ear.
When the baby had finished her 'meal', Roy said, "Here, she needs to be burped." The senior paramedic took her in his arms like a new father. He gently bounced and rocked the baby, who, after what seemed ages, finally relented a small belch, which made several of the men chuckle.
"I think Chet should be the one to do the next task, changin' her diaper. " Johnny teased.
"No way! I don't got any experience with kids," the stocky fireman protested, "I'm single!"
"I'll do it John." Captain Stanley volunteered.
"You know how, Cap? If I remember right, your kid is a teen now." John asked looking somewhat surprised.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I don't remember." The captain responded dryly.
Johnny took the baby's vitals again and relayed them to Rampart. "Rampart, baby's B.P. is 75/50, pulse is 90, and respiration is 35."
"10-4, 51. Bring the baby in as soon as you can."
"And while we have our breakfast, I think she needs to be taken to Rampart for a full check-up." Captain Stanley directed.
TBC...