On the way to the hospital, Roy got to get a better look at the small child. He appeared malnourished and dehydrated. His tan face was framed by long black hair. He looked of Indian decent. "Do you have a name?" Roy asked him. The only way that Roy knew that the child heard him was the look he gave him. A scared kind of look, like if he told his name that he would be beaten.
The mother stirred. "His name is John." Roy turned his attention over to the mother. She had the same black hair and skin as the boy. Well what you could see of her skin. The burns covered most of her body. And as much as Roy wanted to save her for this child, he knew he couldn't. She was too badly burned. Roy could see the pain etched into her face. "Please take care of my boy," with that said the mother slipped back into unconsciousness, of which she would never wake.
"Rampart, this is squad 51. Update on victims. Victim 1 has become unconscious again. Victim 2 appears to be malnourished and dehydrated."
"10/4 squad 51. What is your ETA?"
"Rampart, our ETA is about 1 minute."
Roy followed the gurneys the contained John and his mother. Dr. Early was waiting in treatment room 1 for John, with Dr. Brackett in room 2 for the mother. "Do you have a name?" the kind elderly doctor asked John. Roy jumped in, "His name is John Gage."
"John are you hungry? I can have Dixie here get you some soda and food after I examine you," Dr. Early tried to soothe the frightened John. But John only looked at the doctor with fear. Before anything else could happen Roy jumped in, "Do you want me to come with John?" Roy could feel some sort of connection with this child. "I am going to have to make some phone calls, so while I am gone why don't you let these two people examine you. They are my friends, and I promise that they are not going to hurt you," Roy was rewarded with a slight nod of the head. He then left the treatment room leaving Dixie and Joe speechless.
First, he had to call Cap. He needed to get a replacement because it was obvious that the boy wasn't going to trust anyone but him. After that he would need to call his wife, Joanne.
"Station 51, this is Captain Stanley."
"Hey Cap, you know that boy we rescued from that house? He won't trust anyone but me so could a replacement be called in for me so I can stay with him?"
"Sure thing Roy. See you next shift," the captain hung up the phone, with Roy following suit.
Next was Joanne. Roy was pretty sure that she was going to agree to take in the boy. The phone rang twice before Joanne picked it up.
"Hey Joanne. It's Roy."
"Roy! Is there something wrong? Did one of the guys get hurt?" fear was evident in Joanne's voice. Normally the only time Roy called in the middle of a shift was a rescue had gone bad, usually with a child or when one of the guys had gotten injured.
"No Joanne everyone is fine. Listen, can we take in a guest for a while?" Roy then told Joanne about the fire and John.
"Of course honey. Chris has been looking for a kid his age to play with. And Jennifer will welcome another big brother with open arms. And we have been looking into doing foster care."
"Thanks honey. I am sure that Dr. Early will release him today, especially if I am going to be with him. I am going to get John something to eat and fill out any paperwork, then we should be home," Roy then hung up the phone with a smile. As short of a time he had known John, he sure had captured his heart.