DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Mark VII and NBC Universal. I own Julianna.
Julianna had a smile on her face and was positively giddy with the reaction Johnny had given her with regard to the pregnancy. She honestly felt they would make it this time. No matter what happened, they were going to stick together.
She stopped at the stop light just past the Station. When the light turned green, she headed toward her home. As she entered the intersection, a car came barreling through and hit the car on the right of Julianna, sending it into her car. She found herself pushed into the other lane of traffic where another car slammed into the stack of cars. Julianna's head hit the steering wheel. The last conscious thought she had was of how much she loved Johnny and didn't want to leave him. Then, she slipped into nothingness.
"Station 51, respond to car accident. Intersection of Wilmington and 220th Street. Unknown injuries, unknown number of vehicles. Intersection of Wilmington and 220th Street. Time out, 1334," dispatch said.
"Station 51, KMG-365," Cap said.
The guys of Station 51 hopped into the Engine and Squad and sped to the intersection, just down the street from the Station.
As Roy and Johnny pulled to the scene, they were amazed at the scene.
"Wow, this is something," Johnny said.
Mike stopped the engine just behind the squad and proceeded to help get the lines ready to wash down the gasoline. He went around to his gauges to hook up the hose when he saw something that made him stumble. He dropped the hose connection and walked to the wreckage.
"Stoker! Stoker! Mike, we need that connection," he heard Cap yelling. Mike ignored him. He went straight to the car and confirmed his worst fear. Chet came running back to the Engine and saw Mike wasn't at his post. Something that never happened.
"Mike," Chet called.
Cap came around the back of the engine and found Chet standing at the dials and Mike off at a wrecked car.
Unable to get Mike's attention, he sent Chet to help Marco wash the gasoline while Cap hooked the hoses and set the dials. He charged the line and then went after his engineer. Something must have rattled Mike to get him to leave his post.
Just as Cap was about to approach him, Mike called out. "Johnny! Roy! Get over here, quick!"
Mike leaned into the car and pulled his hand back when he found blood on his hand.
"Mike, what the hell is wrong," Cap asked.
Mike didn't move. Cap looked over his shoulder and he took a step back.
"Johnny, get over here," Cap yelled, trying to keep his voice calm, but convey the urgency.
Johnny jogged over to Cap, not paying attention to the cars in the wreckage.
"What's the prob..." Johnny asked as he caught Mike's face. "Are you OK, Mike," Johnny asked.
"It's...Juli," Mike said, shock in his voice.
"Huh," Johnny said before finally turning his attention to the car.
"Holy sh..." he started to say before he went totally limp.
Cap caught the younger paramedic. "Johnny, you have to assess her," he reminded Johnny.
Johnny shook his head and reached into take Julianna's pulse. He found one, but it was weak and irregular.
"Roy! I need you over here," Johnny called.
Roy left his patient on oxygen with the ambulance attendants that had arrived and rushed to the car Johnny was standing next to.
"What have you got, Johnny," Roy asked as he came near the car.
"It's Juli. She was in the accident," Mike said.
"She's breathing and she has a pulse, but she's unconscious, Roy," Johnny said.
Roy pushed his younger partner aside and reached into check on Julianna.
"We've got to get the dash board off of her. Mike get the Jaws and the chains," Roy said.
Mike stood still for a second, not moving. Roy wasn't sure he even heard Roy's request.
"STOKER," Cap yelled.
"Yeah," Mike replied.
"Jaws, chains. We have to get Juli out and that's going to fall to you," Cap said.
Mike rushed to get the Jaw and chains.
"Chet get the biophone and drug box. Marco get me a backboard and blocks," Roy said.
The men went about their assigned tasks while Mike and Johnny set up the Jaws.
Seeing his love unconscious and trapped in a car made him focus on getting her out of the vehicle and treating her. He helped Mike link the chains and stood back while Mike went to work. Johnny covered Julianna with the blanket to prevent further injury and waited for Mike to finish his task.
As soon as the steering wheel was far enough back for them to safely pull Julianna out, Johnny had her neck collared and Marco and Chet were there with a backboard.
The gently pulled her out of the vehicle and sat her on the ground.
"I'll call Rampart," Johnny said.
Johnny took her blood pressure while Cap counted her respiration and took her pulse.
"Rampart, this is Squad 51," Johnny said.
"This is Rampart, go ahead 51," Dr. Early announced.
"Rampart we have three injured people at the scene of this accident. First victim, male approximately 60, is suffering from an arm laceration from broken windshield glass and several cuts on the face from the windshield. Patient denies any additional injuries or trauma. B/P is 140/100, pulse is 98 and regular with respiration 12. Patient is walking at the scene. Second patient is another male, approximately 32. Patient is suffering from neck and abdominal pain. B/P is 120/97. Pulse is 84 and respiration is 16. Both patients appear stable at this time, Rampart," Johnny said.
"10-4, 51, what about your third patient," Early asked.
"Third patient is a female, 27, suffering from a blow to the head. Her head hit the steering wheel. She's unconscious at the present time. B/P is 60/40, pulse is 140 and respiration is 12. Patient is also about seven weeks pregnant," Johnny said.
"How do you know that, 51," Early asked.
"It's Dr. Stoker," Johnny said, breaking all protocol.
"10-4, start IV Lactated Ringers, oxygen 2 liters by nasal cannula, monitor her vitals and get her in here ASAP," Early said.
"10-4, Rampart," Johnny said.
Roy came over to Johnny and started pulling the supplies. Johnny prepared to start Julianna's IV and Roy didn't argue with him.
Johnny's hands trembled as he got the IV ready for insertion into Julianna's arm. He got the IV established and Roy attached the IV fluids to the cannula. Cap had already put Julianna on Oxygen.
She was then ready to transport. The first two patients were sent with Roy to Rampart while Johnny took the biophone and drug box into the ambulance with Julianna. He did a set of vitals before they left and was alarmed at the slowing pulse rate of Julianna. It reminded him of the trauma he and Roy had in the beginning of their career involving Dixie. He contacted Rampart.
"Rampart, this is Squad 51," he said.
"Go ahead, 51," Early replied.
"Victim three's pulse is dropping. Request permission to administer atropine," he said.
"10-4, 51. Give .2 milligrams of atropine. What's your ETA," Early asked.
"One minute," Johnny said.
Early was waiting when Julianna's ambulance stopped at the entrance.
Johnny hopped out, holding Julianna's IV bag above her head. Dixie took the bag from him and they rushed Julianna's stretcher into the treatment room. Johnny was about to follow, but Roy grabbed his arm.
"I have to be in there," Johnny protested.
"You know you shouldn't go in there right now," Roy said.
"I don't care. I have to be there. I have to know if something happens. That woman is everything to me and she's carrying my child. I have to know what's happening," Johnny said.
Roy knew he was fighting a losing battle and let go. Johnny pushed open the door and he and Roy stood in the corner, waiting to find out the status of Julianna.
"What's the monitor showing," Early asked.
"Sinus bradycardia," Dixie said.
Brackett pushed open the door and said, "What happened?"
"She was in that traffic accident near the station. She'd just left from telling me about the baby," Johnny said, from his place in the corner.
Roy spoke up, "Looks like she was hit twice. She wasn't the cause of the accident. Her car was hit twice and pushed into the path of another one."
"She hit her head on the steering wheel," Johnny said, his voice a monotone. Roy could tell Johnny was trying not to break down. He could also tell he was itching to go to her, but knew he had to stay out of the way.
"Roy, take Johnny to the lounge. I'm going to examine Julianna and it would be a good idea if you weren't around for that. Dixie will get you when I'm finished," Brackett said.
"I'm not leaving," Johnny said, standing his ground.
"Please, Johnny. Juli would ask you if she was awake. This might be hard for you to see," Brackett said.
Roy practically dragged Johnny out of the room and into the lounge.
"Coffee," Roy asked.
Johnny didn't say anything. He just sat on the couch, watching the door for news of Julianna.
Mike entered the lounge. "Any word," he asked, sitting next to Johnny. Johnny shook his head.
"Brackett said he'd get us when he was finished with his exam," Roy said, answering for his friend.
"Cap's going to try to find replacements for Johnny and me," Mike said.
"The rest here," Roy asked and Mike nodded his head.
Roy decided to leave Mike and Johnny alone and check in with Cap.
He got up from the table and walked out the door.
Cap, Chet and Marco sat in the waiting area and stood when Roy came out of the lounge.
"You can wait in here with us. Brackett's examining Juli and will let us know when Johnny and Mike can go in to see her," Roy said.
"How is she," Chet asked.
"She's unconscious. Johnny had to give her atropine in route because her heart rate started to drop. I don't know what is wrong beside the bump on the head," Roy said.
"The two in the car that were DOA were identified by the witnesses as being the cause of the accident. The ran their red light and hit the car next to Julianna's and turned her into the other path of traffic. She was hit there," Cap said.
"This is just too unbelievable," Marco said.
"Do you think anything happened to the baby," Cap asked.
Roy shook his head. He didn't want to think how they would handle it if Julianna had lost the baby. Roy told himself that if she survived, they could always try again to have another child.
Roy ushered his crew mates into the lounge and Mike and Johnny hadn't moved.
They were all seated and sitting in the quiet when Dixie came in ten minutes later to get Johnny and Mike.
Roy stood when Johnny and Mike rushed out of the room. He caught the look on Dixie's face and saw it was one of mixed emotion. He knew that Julianna was alive and would survive, but the baby had not. Despite the early gestation of the child, Roy had hoped it had been spared. He hoped Julianna would not have to face a second miscarriage. He sent a prayer to whomever was listening and asked for his friends to be given strength to survive this trial.
"Roy," Cap asked.
"She's going to make it, but I don't think she'll have the baby," he said, as delicately as possible.
Cap nodded. "Let's go to the cafeteria. Give Johnny and Mike some time alone with Julianna," Cap said.
The four guys walked out of the lounge and headed to the cafeteria.
The HT sounded and asked Cap to call Headquarters.
Cap made the call from the nurses station and was told that Dwyer was coming in to finish Johnny's shift and an engineer from one of the volunteer companies would fill in for the rest of Mike's shift. They would stand the station down until 7 that evening. Cap was grateful and would remember to thank Dwyer for agreeing to work a 36 hour shift, since B-shift was on tomorrow.
