This is the follow-up to the story 'Another Fishing Trip' where John, Roy and Chet make some new friends in Frank Dillon and Julie Clark. Julie just happens to be the daughter of one of Hank's former Captains and once had a severe crush on him. For the sake of guessing I'll say that this story takes up about three months after the last one lets off and I would recommend very much reading the other first because there are little things here and there that will make more sense if you do.

The Wana'bes

John turned into the drive that led to the back of the station. As he pulled in he noticed an unfamiliar car pull over in front of the station and through his rear view mirror he noticed Chet Kelly climb out of the passenger door. Stopping briefly to turn around and examine the driver of the car John could only tell that it was a woman dressed in a white nurse's uniform and with a smirk and a shake of his head John pulled on into a parking slot then hurried in to greet his coworker.

John was surprised that Chet wasn't standing in front of his locker when he reached the locker room and even more surprised with the slow steps Chet took when he entered.

John had already pulled his shirt off when Chet walked in. "Looks like you got lucky after the bowling match last night." John grinned and turned to his locker.

"What?" John heard Chet question in a voice that sounded disoriented and caused him to turn his complete attention onto his friend and coworker. John's first thoughts were that Chet was hung-over and he couldn't quite believe that Chet would do anything as irresponsible as to show up to work in that condition.

"Wasn't that Julie that just dropped you off?"

"No, no I ah, I don't know who she was. I didn't get her name." Chet turned to face John with a look of confusion and then he sort of stumbled. John grabbed for his friends upper arm to steady him and ease him to a sitting position on the bench.

Once Chet turned to face him, John's eyes opened wide. The confused sounding voice was enough to cause concern but the look on his face confirmed the confusion. Then looking a little lower John noticed that the area of Chet's neck that showed between the top few unbuttoned buttons of his shirt was black and blue, brightly black and blue.

"Are you okay, Chet?" John asked while giving Marco a look that sent him into action to go find the Captain.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, I think, um, anyway I've been cleared for duty," Chet responded. His voice was slower than usual but his words were clear and not slurred, there was no smell of alcohol on his breath but John was sure he was slightly impaired. He worried about getting his friend into trouble with the Captain but there was no way he was safe to be on duty. What did he mean when he said he had been cleared for duty?

By the time John had counted a pulse and respirations, Cap was through the door and he too was quick to see the bruises on his lineman's neck.

"Hey, Chet, what seems to be the problem here?" Hank questioned as he locked eyes with John to see that there was indeed something to be concerned about.

"No, no problem, Cap, Why do you ask?"

Cap picked up on the sound of the man's voice and his first response was to check Chet's breath for the smell of alcohol. He knew the absence of the smell was not proof that he was sober but just like John he had trouble believing his trusted lineman would show up for work while being intoxicated. But still something wasn't right and what was the story behind the bruises?

"That's not a hickey is it?" Hank spoke softly for John's ears only as he gestured toward Chet's neck.

John carefully pulled Chet's shirt collar away from his neck and noticed that the bruising went all the way around the front of his neck, and toward the shoulders there was obvious markings left by fingers. John shook his head negatively to his Captain's question. His friend had been strangled, that much was for sure.

"What do you say we have John and Roy check you out there, pal?" Hank carefully ordered.

"NO," Chet paused and took a breath and blew it out. "There's no reason to do that."

"Are you challenging your Captain?" Hank spoke sternly.

"NO, no, Cap, nothing like that. It's just that I've already been checked out by a doctor." Chet reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "I've been cleared for duty, he even had one of his nurses drive me to work."

Hank took the paper from Chet's hand and unfolded it. "I, um, I just feel a little off this morning, I'm not sure, I'm not sure I should really be here." Chet shared his honest feelings as he slumped on the bench.

Hank shared eye contact with John again before turning his attention to the paper in his hands. Everyone noticed Hank's eyes go wide. "You spent last night in intensive care over at Harbor!"

"Yeah, they said it was for observation and to make sure the swelling in my throat wouldn't cause problems with my breathing."

"I don't know there, Chet. There's quite a list of things to be careful not to do here. What do you say we have John and Roy look you over good and then call our docs to get a second opinion on this release for duty? You look like maybe you should be home in bed not pulling hose."

Chet looked at John and gave a subtle acceptance to his orders.

"Let's move him into the day room where he can sit in a chair with a back on it," John instructed and Cap stepped forward to take one of Chet's arms while Marco ran for the drug box from the squad.

Roy was already dressed and reading a book while enjoying a morning cup of coffee when the men eased through the door. He quickly jumped into the action and with two shifts still in the building Chet soon had four paramedics looking him over while Hank moved to the phone to call Rampart and give them the information on the paper he was holding before handing the phone to one of the paramedics.

"Rampart, this is Captain Stanley of Station 51. We seem to have a man down here at the station; could you please get a doctor ready for my men to inform him of their findings." Hank had just been told that there would be a doctor available in a few minutes when the next line into the station rang.

Hank put the first line on hold and answered the second line prepared to make it a short call. "Los Angeles County Fire Station 51, Captain Stanley speaking,"

"Captain Stanley, this is Chris Kelly, Chet Kelly's sister, I'm trying to find my brother. Is he by any chance at the fire station?"

"Yes he is." Hank was surprised at the call.

"Captain Stanley, he's not well, he was injured last night and left the hospital this morning against his doctors instructions."

"Miss, he's being looked at as we speak but I'm a little confused, he handed me a release from his doctor and claims he had his nurse drive him to work this morning."

Hank could hear talking in the background on the phone then a new voice came to the phone. "Who was the doctor that signed the form you're holding?"

Hank looked at the usual places for official signatures and then twisted the paper to try and decipher the doctor's name. "It's kinda hard to tell, but who ever sighed this is definitely a doctor. I can recognize the MD on the end of it but I'm not sure, ah… I think his name starts with a T, maybe Thomas and then next capital letter looks like a, well I think it's either a G or a C put I'm not sure."

Hank heard a huge sigh on the other end of the phone and then silence followed a moment later by a deep breath. "Henry, get him to Rampart. I'll have Dr. Milner call in a consultation and whatever you do, don't let that piece of paper out of your hands. Have them photo copy it for their files but keep the original, do you understand?"

Hank was surprised by what he was hearing but once he had been addressed by his given name instead of the nickname he preferred he knew who was talking to him and felt as if he could trust her. The hushed, almost whisper, in which she gave her last instructions had him feeling something sinister had happened. He said a quick goodbye then went back to the line where the hospital was on hold. Dr. Brackett was just picking up the phone when he did.

"51, this is Dr. Brackett. What have you got there?"

Just then a man walked up to Hank in uniform announcing he was a replacement for his injured lineman and Hank was sure once again that something was amiss.

"Dr. Brackett, we have a man that reported for duty this morning that seems a little off, when we questioned him he said he was cleared for duty this morning and was even given a ride to work by the doctor's nurse. According to the papers he handed me he spent the night in ICU at Harbor Medical and he is showing some impressive bruising around his throat and one shoulder. I just got a call from his sister looking for him and she states he's listed as checking out against medical advice from said intensive care unit. I've been advised to get him back to you as quickly as possible. I'll give the phone to one of my paramedics to update you on their findings and vitals and such."

Roy took the phone and started calling out vitals which were all stable and in good range before he did his best to describe the extent and location of the bruising. While Roy talked to the doctor, Johnny was looking his friend over good and found the sight of the newly discontinued IV as well as the puncture points on both wrists for blood gasses and another puncture site he guessed was for blood drawn for lab work.

He found Chet cooperative and willingly submitting to the exam but was stunned by his appearance. He had just spent the night before with him and a mutual friend bowling and all had been fine with his fellow firefighter when Chet left to take their friend back to his dorm.

"What happened to you, Chet? Frank didn't do this to you did he?"

"No, not Frank, well he was sort of responsible for the bruise on my chest here," Chet pointed to his chest, "but um, well I guess you could say I was being fought over."

"Just tell me what happened." John could see Chet was having trouble putting it all together.

"When I got Frank back to his training center last night there was a new guy there that I hadn't met before. As soon as we were through the door he and Frank started getting into it over whose friend I was and before I knew it the other guy had his arm around my neck trying to pull me off somewhere. It was kind of hard to breathe and I remember Frank calling for Jake, the guy on duty, and then trying to pull this other guy's arm away from my throat. At one point he put one hand on my chest and was pushing while he pulled at the guy's arm with his other hand. When the staff got involved I remember trying to relax in hopes that I'd be able to breathe a little until they got the other guy off of me and then the next thing I know I'm coming around and I've got an oxygen mask being held tight to my face and Daines out of 49's saying that I was breathing on my own now and was starting to come around." Chet paused in his narrative as the four paramedics looking him over exchanged concerned looks. "While the paramedics out of 49's were working on me I was aware of Frank holding my hand and the other kid off in a corner with police and Jake, and he was just pouting about how Frank wouldn't share."

It was recommended that Chet be placed on oxygen and he was surprisingly calm as they laid him out on the stretcher when the ambulance arrived. Hank requested the outgoing Captain to remain on duty while he went with Chet to the hospital to find out what happened.

True to his instructions, Hank did not let the paper detailing Chet's release from his grip. He even insisted on photo copying it himself. Before a fresh set of x-rays were completed a Doctor Milner and the Administrator from Harbor Medical were in Rampart's Emergency Department talking with Dr. Brackett.

It was the administrator from Harbor who requested the release document from Hank several times but Hank wouldn't give it up. He once again made a copy of it and let the man take that but it had been clear from the first moment that the administrator was most interested in damage control and protecting his hospital. Both men from Harbor left after it was determined that Chet would be admitted into Rampart for the time being. Hank returned to the station with his paramedics and the original copy of Chet's release papers.

A few minutes after everyone had left, Dr. Milner returned to the emergency department and seeing Dr. Brackett standing in the hall looking over a chart he quietly stepped up to him and touched his arm to get his attention. "Is there someplace private we can talk for a moment?"

Kell quickly lead him to his office.

As soon as Dr. Milner sat in the chair that Kell motioned him to, he started to talk. "You're a doctor of high reputation and I'm sure you didn't buy a word of what the administrator was trying to bluff. I'm here to tell you you're right and add one more little piece of information before I ask a huge favor of you. First of all, you have to know that Dr. Thomas Crammer is an exceptional doctor but I'm not defending his actions in this case. He never should have even looked at this man seeing as it was his little brother that attacked him."

"I see," Kell sighed in understanding, "He was trying to lessen the extent of the injuries in an attempt to keep his brother from facing criminal charges."

"More like keep him from being removed from the facility he's currently in." Dr. Milner went farther than he had intended, "His brother is mentally handicapped, it's unlikely he would be deemed competent to face any charges. As far as Dr. Crammer goes, I think we can both be pretty sure the administrator is going to see to it that it's going to be very difficult to prove any wrong doing on his part even with that piece of paper that Mr. Kelly's captain wisely kept a hold of.

"That leads to the big favor I'm about to ask. The nurse that put all the pieces together, or rather the student nurse, well she's almost finished with her clinicals but if she has to work with Crammer during her ER rotation, he'll see to it that she's washed out or at least black listed."