A Window in Time I
by Ariane Rivendell
Fireman Roy DeSoto withdrew from the tendrils of unconsciousness and became slowly, foggily aware of himself.
Someone was caressing his face, his hair.
He was lying prone on…wait. Draped over something…. No. Someone. For one disoriented second, he feared he'd fallen asleep on his wife, Joanne...
But…no, that didn't seem right.
Didn't feel right.
He didn't remember being home. Even the…sounds were different. Not of home. Or even the station…
Couldn't remember…
Scents…smoky, sweaty – masculine, musky. Industrial. Mildewy…
Where am I?
The pain entered in. His head… God! His head…something was squeezing his head into the size of a golf ball and slicing it into pieces.
He wanted to open his eyes…too much effort…
A hand at the back of his neck. A voice whispering. A kiss on the side of his head.
He shifted slightly. Felt something on his back…his oxygen tank. His oxygen tank?
"Roy?"
Johnny. Johnny? Johnny… "Johnny?" his voice came out like a cracking squeak.
"I'm right here, Roy."
Pause. "What d'you kiss me for?"
The caressing hand dropped onto his shoulder. "What?"
"What d'you you kiss me for?"
Pause. "Hank kissed you before?"
Roy's body sagged.
"What did I kiss you for?"
He nodded against his chest. Nausea gripped his stomach.
"Oh. I was just apologizing. To Joanne and the kids."
"For what?"
"For getting you into this mess." The hand lifted off of him. "You weren't offended, were you?"
Frown. "No. Course not. Just curious." Pause. "For a moment, I thought you were my wife. I almost kissed you back."
Roy felt Johnny's chest move as he chuckled. "Well, you'd-a been a little disappointed, there."
"Oh, I don't know. Never a bad thing to see a friendly face…"
A hand settled on Roy's side. "Roy? Roy..? I need you to stay awake, alright? You listenin' to me? Don't you fall asleep on me, again." No answer. Johnny chuckled mirthlessly, "Yeah, well, I guess you don't really have much choice."