The Nutcracker

The squad finally backed into the bay, they had responded to six calls with out a chance to return to the station but the last one had been particularly rough. A five year old child had climbed up on the top bunk of a new set of bunk beds after his parents had gone to sleep and somehow managed to wiggle in his sleep and slide out between the mattress and the safety rail strangling him.

The parents had checked on him and when they found him hanging by his head they placed pressure on the mattress to minimize the pressure on his airway, also the paramedics had been close when the call came in.

Roy managed to hold the oxygen mask over the boys face and force air in while Johnny quickly removed the screws that held the safety rail in place. Once the boy was on the floor they worked on him till he was breathing again on his own, the x-rays showed some damage to the boy's spinal cord but nothing that wouldn't heal in time. Everything had gone just right except the child had disobeyed his parents and climbed on the top bunk. Knowing they needed some time to unwind before going to bed if they didn't want to be having nightmares about the scene all night, John and Roy had called themselves available then stayed at the hospital for a while drinking a couple of cups of coffee and just talking their feelings out. As the men backed into the bay at eleven o'clock they were well aware of how lucky they and the family had been, they were ready to call it a night and hoped the dispatch tones were too.

The two tired and successfully unwound paramedics rolled out of the squad and headed for the locker room to get their turn outs set up at their bed sides. They both stopped short as they came around the back of the engine when they saw their Captain standing behind the engine breathing hard and watching the medics with his hands on his hips.

"It's about time you two got back," Cap panted, "I sure hope the citizens of the county will let you get at least a couple of hours sleep."

"Me to," Roy responded with a sigh, "You okay Cap?"

"I'm fine," Cap responded getting his breathing under control, "You guys go ahead and turn in I'll be there in a minute."

The two men proceeded to the locker room and when they were sure they were out of ear range John spoke softly to his partner. "Cap was sure breathing heavy, are you sure he's alright?"

"Yeah," Roy responded without concern, "Did you notice what he was wearing?"

"He had on his uniform," John responded not sure what Roy was getting at.

"I meant on his feet," Roy clarified.

John just shook his head.

"He had on his dance slippers," Roy brought the light of understanding into his partners eyes.

"He still does that?" Johnny was genuinely surprised, "I thought his daughter was alright with his job now and he didn't need to do that any more?"

"I guess so," Roy responded, "As much good as it did me I should still be doing it myself."

"Yeah," Johnny sat down on the bench in front of his locker in thought, "I mean that stuff really helps when ever I pull a muscle but, well you know, ballet, well it's just not a manly thing to do."

"I wouldn't let Cap hear you say that." Were Roy's last remarks before leaving the locker room and heading to the dorm. Roy was already under his covers with his eyes closed and his breathing settled when Johnny sat his boot's down. As John pulled his feet into his bunk he heard the shower starting up and knew it was cap.

"I sure hope he's not stressed out about something," John thought to himself as the activities of his day won any battle there was to keep his eyes open.

Cap was one of the first out of the station at shifts end having skipped his morning coffee and paper reading to make sure he got all of his paper work finished before the next Captain came in.

When the crew reported for duty two days later they responded to the call for roll call and watched their captain walking a little strangely. Half way threw reading the memo's from headquarters he was seen leaning against the squad and propping the heal of his right foot on the running board keeping his toes in the air. It was clear that his foot was hurting him and when he was done giving out cleaning assignments Roy gave John a knowing glance and the two paramedics eased in on either side of their captain and somewhat trapped him against the squad while he was studying his clip board.

"Can I help you two," Hank questioned noticing he was slightly closed in.

"That's just what we were about to ask you Cap." Johnny replied with a knowing glare.

"What did you do to your foot?" Roy just got to the point.

Hank gave a superior stare to each of his men and when he realized they weren't going to fall for it he blew out a deep breath and drooped his shoulders in defeat. Looking around the bay to make sure no one else was around Hank took in another breath and blew it out then fessed up. "I've got a whopper of a blister on the ball of my right foot; do you guys have anything in there," he pointed to the compartments on the squad, "That you could use to make it feel better?"

"Let's have a look and see what we're dealing with," Johnny spoke with a grin as he took a hold of the Captain's elbow and guided him to the side just enough that he could open the passenger door to the squad and sit him down on the seat. Once he was seated Roy dropped into a squat and began to carefully remove the Captain's right shoe and sock.

"You weren't kidding when you said it was a whopper," Roy gave his opinion.

"The blister has already been popped and is draining," John added his assessment, "It looks like a friction burn."

"That would be a pretty accurate diagnosis." Cap agreed.

"Dare we ask how you got it?" Roy hesitantly asked.

Once again Hank looked around to see if someone were watching before he took in another breath and let it out. "I spent the two days off helping my daughter practice for tryouts for the dance and music departments' winter production. She's trying out for the lead in the nutcracker. I guess my dance slippers are a little worn out."

The two paramedics looked at each other and then each took another look at their Captain's foot.

"Well if they weren't worn out before I'm sure they are now and so is the bottom of your foot." John Gage was the only one bold enough to make a snide remark while his captain's foot was poised to give him a swift kick in the jaw.

"Pirouettes?" Roy questioned trying to figure out how the injury happened.

"Lift pirouette combinations actually," Hank reveled.

"Impressive," Roy praised.

"What firefighting skill does that move hone?" Johnny

There was a moment of frustrated silence when Roy came up with an answer. "Greater mental acuity because he knows that his daughter is confident in his safety and knows that he loves her."

Hank just smiled in relief that someone understood, "That's about the jest of it all."

"Well Roy," John turned to his partner, "it's really too big for moleskin. As I see it the only thing we have on the squad to treat him with is Vaseline and gauze but I know there are a lot of over the counter creams that would at least ease the pain."

"He's right Cap," Roy added, "this is nothing anywhere near life threatening but I can tell it hurts."

"Yeah and I'm being a big baby about it," Cap sighed.

"Naw, it's more like a paper cut sort of thing Cap," John tried to encourage, "What do ya say I phone Rampart," then seeing the panicked look on his captain's face, "From the phone in your office where no one can hear and see what the doc recommends we do so that you can stay on sift and do your job."

Left alone with his captain while his partner was on the phone Roy attempted small talk. "So is there a lot of competition for the part?"

"According to Krissy, the only other person trying for the part is the head Cheerleader, she's afraid she'll get it on popularity alone because that will sell tickets." Hank relaxed in the cab of the squad with his bare foot resting in his senior paramedic's hand, just having his shoe off felt better. "I had to do some talking and promise to work out with her just to get her to try out. But she's had so much fun in our lessons and this is her last year in Junior high I really wanted her to give it a try, if you know what I mean."

Cap was talking with the only other father on his crew and thought Roy's children were much younger he was sure he'd understand.

"We'll from the looks of this foot you're keeping your part of the bargain," Roy smiled, "Will there be a boy there that will be able to lift her if she gets the part?"

Hank didn't know the answer to that question.

John returned before he could even try to answer and the treatment was the Vaseline and gauze and to stay off his feet as much as possible, then when they were in Rampart next they would pick up some stuff Dr. Brackett would leave for him at the desk that would help even more.