Katie

Two days earlier…

Twenty-three year old John Gage was standing in line with his new girlfriend waiting patiently to be seated for dinner. He was in no hurry. His 6'1 frame towered over the stunningly beautiful little blonde. John positioned himself behind her and had both arms wrapped affectionately around the girl's shoulders. He leaned down to place a tender kiss on the side of her face. Katie turned her head and smiled up at him, her blue eyes sparkling mischievously, as she proceeded to kiss him longingly on the mouth. She pulled back and gave him a wink before fitting her body snugly against his chest.

The couple had spent the afternoon taking a long leisurely walk along the beach; padding barefoot in the wet sand as the water rushed over their feet. It had been a perfect day. The sky was clear and the ocean wind had carelessly blown Katie's long hair about her tanned face. They had talked and laughed…totally at ease in one another's company. As John stood there holding her, he closed his eyes and could still smell remnants of sun tan lotion and fresh ocean air that lingered about her... and it was absolutely exhilarating. His hands shifted and began to gently caress the girl's bare arms, moving slowly up and down her skin which was silky soft and still warm from the heat of the day's sun. Katie found herself shivering at his touch. John Gage's interest in food was now rapidly diminishing…as another desire made itself known. He did not fight the temptation in the slightest and bent down to kiss her again; continuing what she had started. He unexpectedly felt a swift and painful kick to the back of his right calf.

"Hey!" John barked in annoyance as he was forced to break away from his current activity.

He turned and saw the smirk upon Drew's face. The young officer's attractive red-headed wife stood at his side, their arms wrapped around each other's waist.

He mouthed the words "get a room."

Pam snickered as she read her husband's lips. The couple both knew John…and if they didn't put the brakes on the seemingly increasing display of public affection, they would need a table for two instead of four.

John raised his right eyebrow and gave his friend a deviate grin. He shrugged his shoulders in a "what can I say" gesture and then sighed and turned around. He didn't want to be rude, but Katie was…irresistible. They had been dating for almost five weeks now and he was completely enamored with the twenty-one year old girl.

Recently, Katie had been hinting about coming to the fire house to visit him…but he had some valid reservations on delaying that event for as long as possible.

John really wanted her to meet most of his crew mates. Roy DeSoto, his partner and best friend for the last two years, had already met her. Roy was four years older and was sometimes more like an overprotective big brother…but John didn't mind. He had no siblings of his own and his parents had died when he was young, leaving him pretty much alone in the world except for his Aunt Rosemary.

Roy and his wife Joanne…were like family to him. They had two wonderful kids, Chris age six and Jennifer age two, who both adored their dad's partner and referred to the dark-haired paramedic as "Uncle Johnny".

Their Captain, Hank Stanley, was a first-rate guy and the crew felt very fortunate to have him. Especially knowing what C-Shift went through with their overbearing boss…Captain Hookrader. Stanley was an excellent leader and truly cared about the men under his command; both professionally and personally.

Marco Lopez was one of two linemen at their station. He was a good man, hard worker, and hands down probably the best cook on their shift. Mike Stoker was an incredible engineer, but kind of on the quiet side. He generally sat back and watched the activity around him with mock interest. This left the last lineman, Chet Kelly aka "the phantom". Chet made up for Stoker's quiet demeanor tenfold. The stocky Irishman was full of life, energy, and practical jokes…with John being his favorite "pigeon". The two were friends, but nothing gave the lineman more pleasure than getting under John's skin; and girls that the young paramedic dated were on the top of his hit list to torment him about.

John knew he would have to concede sooner or later…his crewmates had already picked up on his happy mood as of late and probably assumed it had to do with a girl. He felt his relationship with Katie was on pretty solid ground and figured it was time. If the overzealous lineman went too far, the phantom's shenanigans would pale miserably in comparison to what station 51's youngest crew member intended to inflict upon one Chester B. Kelly.

XXXXXX

"How many in your party?" the hostess inquired as they finally made it up to the podium.

John hesitated a moment as thoughts of snatching Katie up in his arms…and making good on Drew's earlier comment barged into his head.

"Four," he replied regretfully.

The hostess checked her seating chart and reached over grabbing the menus.

"Please follow me," she beckoned as they began moving towards a nearby table.

They reached their destination and the two men pulled the chairs out for their respective girls. "Your server Helen will be here momentarily…I hope you enjoy your meal," she said with enthusiasm as she turned and headed back to her station.

The couples reviewed the menu and placed their order when the waitress arrived.

John lifted the water glass to his lips with his left hand as his right arm came up and rested comfortably across Katie's shoulders.

"So tell us...how did you two meet?" Pam began, watching them with interest.

"At the Annual Fire Department picnic last month," Katie answered "we just started talking and hit it off. Johnny asked me out to dinner…and we have been seeing each ever since." She glanced over and gave him an adoring look.

Pam and Drew's eyes darted back and forth between the young girl and their friend, picking up on the intensity the couple already felt for one another. They were thrilled. The Burkes had known John for several years, and he never seemed to be able to keep a relationship going for very long for one reason or another. They hoped things would be different this time...and that maybe Katie was finally the right one.

John smiled back at her before turning to his friends.

"It's been really great, but I almost blew it and had seriously considered not going to the picnic this year. We were on duty the day before and I ate a lot of smoke in a house fire. I was still feeling kinda lousy the next day, but figured there was no point just sitting around my apartment...so I went. Also," the young man added with a knowing grin, "I would never have heard the end of it from Chris and Jennifer DeSoto if I didn't show up...not to mention my partner."

Pam laughed. She knew how much Roy's kids meant to the young man, and that he would rather walk over hot coals than risk disappointing them. She hoped that someday he would have a wife and family of his own...he deserved it.

"It proved to be one of the best decisions I've made in a long time," John continued as Pam pulled her thoughts back to the conversation, "because Katie and I probably wouldn't be together." He contemplated, not for the first time, of the possibility that Brice or Chet Kelly could have met and started dating her instead of him. He really didn't think Katie would dig either one of them...but still. He cringed at the thought and immediately pushed it once again from his mind.

"So...let's hear it," John stated turning the topic to his friends. "How has married life been treating you guys? It's coming up on almost a year already…kind of hard to believe."

"It's been wonderful," Pam replied reaching out to put her hand on Drew's. "I'm still trying to figure out the whole cooking thing, but Drew is very patient with me; I'm getting better at it. The only thing I'm having some difficulty with is adjusting to when he is working the night shift. It gets…a little lonely."

"Yea, but she is only going to be alone at night for about six more months," Drew replied.

"Why?" Johnny asked, "Did you get a permanent shift or something?"

"Not exactly…"

The couple glanced at each other with a secretive grin.

"Pam…is pregnant! We just found out a few weeks ago," Drew announced proudly.

"What? That's great news…Congratulations!" John got up and came around the table to give Pam a hug and then slapped his friend on the back.

"A Dad huh…man, that's incredible! I'm so happy for you guys."

"Congratulations," Katie added sincerely "how are you feeling Pam?"

"I've been kind of tired and a bit nauseas," she admitted, "but luckily I was feeling better tonight. We haven't seen Johnny for a few months and didn't want to cancel. Also, we were anxious to meet you."

Drew looked lovingly at his wife.

"I feel so bad that she has been sick, but Pam has been a real trooper and hasn't complained a bit," he stated giving her a hug.

"Well it's worth it," she replied smiling back at him, "We are both really happy…and so are our families."

The foursome continued to discuss the Burke's new addition and John noted with satisfaction that Katie and Pam got along extremely well. Drew got his friend's attention and nonchalantly jerked his head towards Katie giving him a thumbs-up. John grinned back and nodded his head in agreement.

XXXXXX

"Excuse me…" Helen politely interrupted the group a short time later, "your dinners are here." The bus boy hurried to remove their salad plates and the waitress set down their food in front of them.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No, I think we are good…thanks," John replied.

"Ok…I hope you enjoy your meal," she said cheerfully before turning away.

"So Johnny…how has work been?" Drew asked as he started to cut up the steak on his plate.

"Ah…you know…busy as usual. We had a real bad structure fire last shift…It was all over the news. Roy and I were doing a sweep and a couple of the guys from station 110 fell through when the floor collapsed. We barely got them extricated and out of the building before the explosion wiped the place out…It was a close one. That same shift we had a kid's hand caught in the ball return machine at the bowling alley, a boating accident, an eight car pileup on the freeway with entrapment, a chick freaking out from an overdose who firmly believed she was invincible and could jump off of a third floor balcony. And to round the day out, a man decided to go rappelling with his friend and ended up getting stranded and going into a diabetic coma…halfway down the cliff."

Drew shook his head, "Sounds like some pretty routine calls," he said knowing full well he was baiting his friend.

"Routine? Routine!"

Pam looked at both men and put her right elbow on the table and cupped her chin in her hand.

She let out a knowing sigh.

"Drew…come on!" John groaned as he leaned back in his chair trying to keep a straight face. You guys are like rolling secretaries…Taking reports all day long, writing a few tickets, and directing traffic on our runs and at accident scenes while the firemen do all the work. The true danger for you guys is the risk of getting a paper cut…or a cramp in your fingers from all the writing," John replied joining in the all too familiar by-play.

"Katie," Pam interjected "are you sure you know what you are getting into dating this guy?" she asked teasingly, hooking her thumb in John's direction. "I swear they both should come with a warning label. Every time these two get together, the conversation eventually turns to shop-talk about the police and fire Departments."

Katie looked at John with a gleam in her eye and laughed.

"Oh, I think I can handle it," she said with a grin.

John pulled her close before turning to his friends.

"Katie's dad is a police officer. Actually, he is in charge of Investigations for the Los Angeles Police Department…Homicide Division," John stated.

Drew looked at her in surprise, "Your dad is Captain Larson?"

Katie nodded her head, "Do you know him?"

"I know him by reputation. One of my previous Field Training Officers just got a promotion about six months ago and works in the unit…the guys really respect him. That's pretty cool," Drew stated.

"And my older brother is a fireman with LA County…like Johnny. So yea, this is nothing. You should hear my dad and brother when they get going!"

"I can only imagine," Pam stated with a sympathetic look, "your poor mother."

The couples continued their conversation laughing and enjoying their evening out. As they finished their meal, Helen returned to clear away their plates.

"Would you care for coffee or possibly some desert?" She inquired politely.

Drew looked around the table. "I'm pretty full…but I could go for a cup. Anyone else?"

The two girls nodded their heads.

"Johnny?"

He could tell that his friend's attention was on something else… And this time it wasn't the little blonde sitting at his side. A look of unease was clearly visible upon his face.

"John?" he said again as he started to turn his head to see what his friend was staring at.

The young paramedic took the napkin from his lap and threw it on the table before quickly pushing back his chair and standing up.

"What is it?" Katie asked sensing something was wrong.

John Gage looked at the waitress and pointed his index finger at her, "I need you to go and call the Fire Department…right now. Give them this address and advise them there is a man having a possible heart attack. Do you understand?" He said in an authoritative voice.

Helen nodded her head vigorously up and down and hurried away.

"Drew…I need your help," John stated as he turned and moved at a rapid pace from their table.

XXXXXX

"Frank…Frank...what's wrong?" the gray-haired woman asked looking worriedly at the man by her side.

"My…chest," he gasped with a labored breath. His hands flew up clutching at the fabric of his shirt in agony. "It…it feels like s-someone is sitting…on..on my chest…c-can't breathe!"

The man started to collapse just as John reached out with both hands to grab him…carefully guiding him to the ground.

"Frank!" the woman shouted in dismay.

"Sir…sir? Can you hear me? My name is John Gage…I'm a paramedic with the LA County Fire Department. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"Crushing…pain…pressure…in-in my chest…h-help me…" he stuttered in fear before suddenly lapsing into unconsciousness.

John's fingers reached for the man's neck...he palpated two faint beats of a carotid pulse before it was gone.

The young paramedic's hands promptly went to the older man's shirt and ripped it open…sending the buttons scattering across the tiled floor. His trained eyes moved to his victim's stomach and he noted there was no movement.

"He's in full cardiac arrest," John stated to no one in particular as he raised his right arm making a fist with his fingers, and brought it down hard on the man's chest. He then placed his left hand on top of the right, intertwining his fingers, as he began giving compressions.

"Frank!" the woman screamed again hysterically as the watching crowd started pressing in.

"Drew!" the dark-haired paramedic shouted out before he moved; grabbing his victim's head with both hands and tilting it back to give rescue breathes.

The young officer quickly went into action. "OK…everybody step back please. Give him room to work…come on now…that's it."

Once he had the gawking onlookers under control, Drew moved in to console the victim. "Is this man your husband?"

"Y-yes," she choked out as her tear-filled eyes gazed upon the activity occurring before her.

"Ma'am…it's ok. I'm a police officer and the person helping your husband is a friend of mine. He's also a paramedic and does this kind of stuff all the time."

"Please…can you tell me what's happening?" she asked in a voice just above a whisper.

"I'm not exactly sure...but you need to trust me when I tell you he is in very capable hands. What's your name?" he asked gently.

"Martha"

"Ok Martha, the fire department is going to be here any minute and they are going to find out what is going on with your husband. We just need to stay calm."

John continued providing CPR and was relieved to hear the sound of the rescue squad pulling up to the front of the building. The medic's from station 10 came through the door laden with their equipment. Two additional firemen were following close behind. Senior paramedic Tony Freeman spied one of their own working feverishly over the fallen man.

"Johnny…what have we got?" he asked dropping the equipment to the ground.

"Witnessed cardiac arrest…he's been down about three and a half minutes."

"Hey Greg," he nodded to one of the firemen, "grab an ambu bag and keep him ventilated. Tony, can you or Steve take over compressions for me?"

"I got it," Tony's partner called out as he moved in to take John's place.

Tony grabbed the biophone while the dark-haired paramedic opened the case containing the defibrillator.

"Rampart…this is squad 10…how do you read me?"

John turned the unit on and reached in grabbing the paddles and placed them on the man's chest.

"Go ahead Squad 10…we read you," Dixie McCall replied.

"Rampart, we have a male….approximately sixty years old…"

"He's in V-fib," John called out as his eyes stared intently on the monitor.

"Stand by Rampart…victim is in V-fib," Tony repeated before throwing the handset down and grabbing the gel. He squeezed the substance onto the paddles the dark-haired paramedic had shoved in front of him, and then hit the charger as John quickly rubbed them together before placing them back on the victim's chest.

"One…two…three…four hundred!" Tony advised.

"Clear!"

John squeezed the triggers and the man's body jerked as the shock traveled through him.

Two sets of eyes went to the scope.

John shook his head, "No conversion... charge it again."

Tony punched the button again and the unit sound continued to crescendo until Tony yelled…

"Four hundred…hit him!"

The man's body convulsed one again as his wife let out a terrified scream.

"Oh my God…w-what is that thing? Please...what are you d-doing to him?"

Drew put his arm around the woman's shoulders and tried to reassure her.

John held the paddles in place as he glanced again at the scope. "He's back…looks like a rate of about…forty. I will patch him in and get started on his vitals," he advised.

Tony grabbed the handset and updated Rampart on the status of their victim.

Dr. Kelly Brackett's voice came booming over the radio. "10-4 Squad 10…start an IV with D5W to keep open. We'll get some meds on board after I get the vitals and you can send me a strip. Is your patient breathing on his own yet?"

"That's a negative Rampart," Tony responded as he glanced over and saw Greg shake his head back and forth.

"10-4…also insert an esophageal airway."

Steve nodded, indicating he heard and would take care of it. John snapped open the drug box and tossed an IV bag and administration kit towards Tony. His victim was diaphoretic and the glistening sweat covered his body. John seized the man's shirt and quickly used it to wipe away the moisture before grabbing the EKG leads and applying them to his chest. He then checked the monitor to make sure the victim's heart was still thumpin at an acceptable rate before moving on to the next task.

"Tony, he's patched in." John advised, "You can send Rampart a strip…and I will have the vitals here in a minute."

The three men worked quickly and efficiently over the victim until the ambulance appeared and he was ready to be transported. John Gage slid his arms underneath the man's armpits and then reached forward securely grasping both wrists in his hands. When he was set he nodded to the other men.

"Let's lift on three...and watch the IV. Malcolm, can you guys slide the gurney over here just to our right? Good...ok, nice and easy now."

"One...two...three..."

They picked the unconscious man up in one fluid movement and carefully lowered him into place. The attendants swiftly covered him with a blanket, and strapped him in place before loading him into the back of the ambulance. Tony Freeman grabbed the biophone and drug box and slid onto the seat across from his patient.

"Hey Johnny," Tony called over his shoulder, ""Thanks for the help Pal."

"Anytime," he replied with a grin, and then turned and walked over to Drew who was still standing with the distraught woman.

"Johnny," Drew stated as his friend came to his side, "this is Martha…the victim's wife."

"Hi Martha," John greeted her.

"What…what happened to my husband?" she asked in a quivering voice.

"He went into cardiac arrest," the young man answered her in a soothing voice "which means his heart stopped and he wasn't breathing. We don't know what caused it…but he is stable now. Can you tell me if anything like this has happened before?"

"Nnoo," she stammered. "He did mention he was having some trouble catching his breath the last few days…and he had some indigestion."

"Ok Martha, it's gonna be alright. The paramedics are going to take him into Rampart Hospital and they will find out what's wrong. The medical team in the Emergency Room there are excellent. Try not to worry…ok?"

"Thank you…so much," she cried.

He smiled at her.

"You're welcome. Do you want to ride in with him?" John asked.

She nodded and he escorted her to the side of the ambulance, opened the passenger's side door, and assisted her in. He gave her another reassuring look before heading to the rear of the vehicle and pulled open the back door, poking his head inside.

"Hey Tony, just some history for ya…the wife claims her husband has been having some difficulty breathing for the last few days…and also complaints of indigestion. No previous cardiac episodes. She is going in with you guys...her name is Martha. I'm sure the Doc is gonna want to talk with her."

"Cool…thanks Johnny, we will pass that on to Brackett."

John withdrew his head and shut the doors, pulling on the handles to make sure they were secure. He met back up with Drew and the two men walked back to their table and the women who were waiting for them.

Katie reached out and put her arms around John's waist giving him a big hug.

"That was amazing," she said quietly to him. "I'm so proud of you."

John Gage blushed slightly at Katie's remark as he gazed into her face with an affectionate smile.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. "Now…how about you and I get out of here?"

Her eyes sparkled as she nodded her head in agreement.

Drew found their waitress and they paid their bill, despite the owners persistent attempts to give them their food for free in light of the incident that had just occurred.

The two couples stepped out onto the sidewalk and were saying their good-byes.

"Hey Johnny," Drew stated, "I was thinking…how about you come and do a ride-along with me this Friday?" he asked. "I'd have to run it past my supervisor for approval first, but I'm pretty sure he would ok it. You would just have to sign off on the waiver agreement. What do you say?"

"Far out," John answered "I get off duty at 8:00am Friday morning. What shift you workin?"

"I'm on afternoons…3p-11p. Let me talk to my sergeant tomorrow and I will see if I can get it set up."

Katie and Pam looked at each other and shook their heads.

"MEN!" they said in unison.