John Gage and Roy DeSoto had been partners for six years now. They had saved each other from the unthinkable time and time again. But this time, Roy didn't know if he would ever see his partner again. Could he save him again, or would all of his efforts go to waste?

They had been in the squad, as usual, helping with the brushfire. They had to get out though, the smoke was too thick to drive through. Roy had told him, just to walk to the right until he found the edge of the canyon. Roy would find him there. Of course, Johnny had told him he knew what he was doing, he was part Indian, you know. Roy said he didn't care what he was, just hurry up and find each other.. he was already regretting not telling him to come around the squad. But he was an impulse thinker. It was Jo Anne who actually thought things out. How could he have been so stupid, and not think of the easy...

"HELP!"

Johnny! He had been so absorbed in his thoughts, he had none towards his friend/brother/partner. But where was he?

"Johnny! John! Gage, where are you? Can you hear me?"

Nothing. Tears were in Roy's eyes, he was too worried to absolutely know if they had been there before John's cry. Roy fumbled his way back to the squad. He radioed Capn and told him what happened.

"We'll be up in a minute anyway, the fire's clearing, so the smoke will too. That way we'll be able to see Gage"

That minute was more like an hour. No word from Johnny, not even a moan. Roy was sure he'd be able to hear it. Anytime he was in trouble, his hearing became very acute. Finally, he felt the spray of the hose. Capn and the guys were coming. They stopped the engine just shy of the squad. Chet jumped out first. Johnny had just saved his life, and he was eager to find his lifesaver.

After a few minutes, the smoke did clear. And they found a sight they never saw, even in their nightmares. John Gage, the fearless one, Mr. Indian himself, had fallen off the edge of the cliff. He was lying spread eagle on the edge, with blood seeping out of his throat. His legs were twisted at weird angles, and... and it was just too much for Roy to take at the moment.

"Roy, call it in. We'll... we'll, well, you know."

That was Cap. Obviously he saw the paleness and shock wash over DeSoto's face. He grimly nodded, looked over, and mouthed the words, "Hang in there, bro.", and went to the bi phone.

"Rampart, this is Squad 51. Rampart, do you copy?"

He wasn't getting any answer... usually it just ticked him off a little that no one was there to man the calls. But this wasn't just any patient. It was John. He'd be dammed if anything happened to him because no one saw the red light flashing...

"Unit calling, please repeat."

It was Dix. Thank God. Someone could cool his jets and talk him through this. He was rattled. He couldn't do this alone. His partner's life was in his hands. He couldn't afford to mess up.

"Rampart, this is Squad 51... Dix, it's DeSoto. Gage fell off a cliff here in the mountains. We're trying to get him up and out now. He doesn't look good, from what I saw. He yelled help, and that was the last we heard from him."

Dixie McCall was seriously taken off guard. She didn't want to admit it, but Gage's charm was something she always looked forward to. To think of losing... no. She couldn't think that way. Roy needed her now.

"51, as soon as you have him, relay vitals. Anything obvious at the moment?" Roy tried to envision the horrendous sight of his partner and tried to see if there was anything he could totally make out.

"Rampart, patient's right and left leg seem to be broken, and there is bleeding from the mouth. No way to tell if the bleeding is internal at the moment, Rampart."

"10-4, 51. Splint the legs, and any other breaks, check the bleeding, start an IV D5W, TKO. Also start O2. 51, is ambulance available yet?"

"10-4 Rampart. Ambulance just arrived on scene. Stand by, Rampart, we have patient."

Gage didn't look good, at all. He still hadn't come to. The bleeding seemed to have stopped. God, he hoped it wasn't internal. All that surgery. His legs were almost behind him. He figured Gage tried to land on his feet. He always did that when he fell. He splinted the legs as best he could, and started taking vitals.

"Rampart, BP is 90 over 80, pulse 50 and thready. Reparations 5 and shallow. Pupils are non responsive. Patient has two broken legs, and is bleeding from the mouth. Bleeding is not internal, but from a laceration in the mouth. Patient is non responsive to touch, light, or sound."

"10-4 51, get him as stable as possible, and transport as soon as possible."

Roy closed the bi phone, helped get John onto the gurney and into the ambulance. "Come on Junior," he whispered to John as they started moving in the ambulance, "Jennifer and Chris need their uncle. Joanne needs her brother in law, and I need my brother. Dammit, Johnny, if you die on me now! Stay with me John!" Roy's eyes were full of tears now. John was his brother. He was the best man and he and Joanne's wedding. He was there when the kids were born. He was the one who Roy could count on to be his little brother.

There was a very slight pressure on Roy's hand. He knew it was John, but he thought it was because of a bump. Until he felt the pressure again. John was coming to. He looked over at him. "Junior, its me, Roy. You fell, really hard. We're going to see Dix, Kel and Joe. Can you hear me?"

John, dazed, looked at his partner, and said, "I won't let you down... tell Joanne and the kids I love them." He took a deep breath and fell back. Roy's tears came back, but a little more for joy, not so much frustration. "What, none for me?" John smiled, "You know the answer to that, big brother."

"Take him to 2. Kel and Joe are already in there." Dix had this mixed look of fear, compassion and professionalism. "Well, Dix, looks like I'm here for another sleepover, huh?" Johnny asked her. He had stayed alert for the rest of the ride. Everyone was glad to hear that. Just to show he was doing pretty well, he even let loose one of his Famous Gage crooked smiles.

"Yeah John, but I decide when you get to go home. Now come on." They wheeled him into Room 2, where Kel and Joe were taken aback. How could someone who fell that far still be alive, much less awake? "Hi ya John. I guess its time we see what's up... JOHN!"

Johnny had lost consciousness and was going into V-Fib. After an earlier accident, his heart just wasn't what it used to be. "Dix! Hurry, the defibrillator, and charge to 400 stat!" That haunting squeal of the defib paddles was too much for Roy to handle. John was just talking to him and Dixie. How could he turn so fast? He knew the answers, after all, he was a paramedic. But he couldn't face thinking that.

"Sinus Rhythm." Kelly Brackett had brought John back. Dixie saw the pale, fearful Roy standing in the corner, like he hadn't heard that Kel had brought his friend back. She went over to him, and said, "He'll be alright, he's back. Why don't you call Joanne. Don't call Montana yet. They've been here and back a lot these past years, wait and see if it gets serious." She didn't want to say that, but seeing Annie and Bob Gage, and Kathy and Mike too, after John's last accident, she just couldn't be the one to give them more bad news.

After a couple of hours, they had made sure John was stable, and moved him into his own room. He had went into V-Fib because he had pushed it. He wasn't well enough to speak, much less carry on a conversation. He wouldn't tell Roy this. He would just say he pushed it. DeSoto would punish himself if John's flat lining could have been prevented with less chit chat. John had busted a couple ribs, but they posed no danger to puncturing anything. Both legs were broken, and he had dislocated a kneecap. He had one of the worst concussions Kel had ever seen in his life. He was surprised that Gage wasn't suffering from amnesia, which he then thought maybe could come later on, so he decided to keep a look out for that. Now it was off to tell Gage's "family" how there little brother was doing.

"You mean he's gonna be ok? Man alive! He is tough!", Chet Kelly surprisingly yelled after hearing the news. Roy was tearing up again. Junior was going to be ok. Their little brother was going to come back. The thought of him having amnesia didn't even enter his mind. Even if he did forget who he was, Roy would do anything in his power to bring him back. "When can we see him?", Roy asked, eager to see his friend and put the sad image of this afternoon behind him. "Well, visiting hours are officially over...", Kel began. But right then, Dix had walked in, and finished for him, "but Gage is awake, and is constantly asking for you. And besides, you know how much we love you firemen. Come on, but be quiet until we get to his room. Some people are trying to sleep."

They entered the room, and they still were kinda shocked. No matter how good the diagnosis was, the appearance was still bad. Johnny looked like he was a knob turn away from Death's Door. His face was still badly bruised and cut up, his legs were still very swollen, they could see from his toes. He was so pale, so not the John Gage they knew and loved.

"Hey! Don't just stand there! Come on in!" John was alert, that was known for a fact. "How's the fire? Is it under control, or will I have company?" Cap looked taken aback. "Relax, Gage, its under control. I'm just glad we finally got Roy's call and found you."

Johnny was confused. He had obviously forgotten the whole accident, which for Roy, was something he wished would happen to him. "You fell off the cliff, Junior. I heard you cry for help, but the smoke was so thick I couldn't see you. I called Big Red for help, and when the smoke cleared..." No. He wasn't going to bring that back up.

"I know. Me and Dix talked about it a little earlier. I'm sorry I scared you so much, Roy. I guess my heart isn't as strong after all." It took awhile for Roy to comprehend that Dix had told him about when he flat lined. "It's ok. Honest. I just... just... well, you know. " John cracked his grin again. "Yeah, I do know."

Cap had motioned to the rest of his crew. "Come on guys, we know he's gonna make it, lets go home. Roy, we'll see you next shift." Roy nodded, and John waved as the Engine crew left. Roy looked at John, but before he could say a word, Gage beat him to the punch. "Roy, I heard what you said in the ambulance." Roy had totally forgotten about that heartfelt and panicked lecture he had given his fallen partner. "Yeah, well, I had to say something to keep you alive. I mean..." Roy didn't want to think of this, it was obvious when he started to cry. "I mean, how could I tell everyone, how could I tell my kids their Uncle Johnny wouldn't be coming home?" John sat up in a concerned panic. "Roy! I swear, you wont have to do that. If it does come time for me to go, I swear, I'll tell them myself. Or something like that. But don't think about that. Come on, I'm still here, I made it."
Roy looked up. "Thank God, you don't know how glad I am to hear that.