Here' s the rest of the story. I hope you like it. Sorry I didn't split it up into chapters, I'm still learning the ins and outs of the site. Thank you for reading.

XXXXX

When he had Roy settled in the passenger seat of his Jeep and had taken the wheel chair back, Johnny climbed in behind the steering wheel and started the motor. "Is it okay if we stop by the Station? 'A' shift will be in and they'll want to see you. They were all pretty worried about you, Roy."

"Sure." All he really wanted to do was go home and sleep. "How long has it been since the rescue?"

"Nearly a week."

"What!" The world seemed to spin a little as he tried to assimilate that information.

XXXXX

The rest of the trip to Station 51 was made in silence; each man preoccupied with his own thoughts. Pulling up in the employee parking lot, Johnny parked in his usual spot and killed the engine. Beside him, Roy was dozing. Rather than wake him, he got out of the SUV and headed inside.

They'd timed it perfectly. The Station was just sitting down to lunch. "Hey guys," Johnny called upon entering the common room. "Roy's outside if you'd like to see him."

Almost as one, all 6 men stood up from their meals and trooped outside. "How is he?" Captain Stanley asked.

"Tired and weak," Johnny replied as they paced through the garage. "But he's awake."

"Has the hospital released him?"

"Yeah, we just left there." The men gathered around the passenger side of the Jeep.

"Hey, Roy." Johnny gently shook his shoulder to wake him up, unconsciously holding his breath.

Almost instantly Roy's eyes flew open. Blinking to get the sleep out of his blue eyes, Roy looked around at the smiling faces. "Hi, guys," he said, feeling a little awkward.

"Hi, Roy," Captain Stanley said. The other firemen and two paramedics echoed his sentiments. "How're you doing?"

"Fine, Cap."

"Glad to hear it. You're both on the schedule in three days. Do you think you'll be up to it?" If the senior paramedic wasn't he'd have to pull one from the other stations. His were all ready wearing pretty thin.

"I should be, Cap. Just need a good night sleep and a good meal and I'll be fine." He wasn't really sure of that but he couldn't afford to take another week off work.

"Great! Well, Johnny had better get you home. We'll see you Saturday." Captain Stanley wasn't really convinced either, but even at half strength Roy was better than most of the other paramedics. He'd take his help any way he could get it.

"Okay. Thanks, Cap." Johnny bound into his seat while Roy nodded at Mike Stoker, Marco Sanchez, Chet Kelly and the two paramedics from "C" shift. The men filed back into the Station to finish their lunch. Johnny pulled out onto the street and took a left at the next corner.

XXXXX

"Do you need help?" Johnny had pulled up in front of Roy's house.

"Nah. Thanks for the ride." Roy pulled his keys out of his jacket pocket, opened the vehicle's door and climbed out.

"I'll come by and check on you tomorrow." Johnny peered through the passenger window at his partner.

"Sure. See you then." With a wave of his hand, Roy headed up his sidewalk.

It took him a few tries to get the key in the lock and open the front door. The entire time he could feel Johnny's eyes boring into his back as he waited for him to go inside. Finally, he pushed the door open and stepped into his living room. Roy shut the door behind him and locked it. Shuffling into the kitchen he raided anything he could find in the fridge and wolfed it down.

While he chewed the final bite, he placed the dishes he'd made in the sink and headed for the bedroom. Weary beyond words, he had enough time to kick his shoes off, shrug out of his jacket and undo the buttons on his shirt then he collapsed on top of the covers and was instantly asleep.

XXXXX

Bam! Bam!

Several seconds passed before Roy realized the sound had been someone pounding on his front door. Feeling rumpled and dirty, he struggled to his feet and headed in the direction of the incessant pounding. By the time he reached the door, his head was pounding along with Johnny's fist.

"Yeah, yeah." Roy grumbled. He could plainly see his partner's concerned face through the glass plates on his front door. From the degree of concern, he'd probably been out there a while. Unlocking the deadbolt, Roy stepped back, blinking in the bright sunlight that followed Johnny inside. Damn, but it hurt his head.

"Are you okay?" Johnny asked as he turned to face the elder paramedic once he was inside his house. He'd been outside for nearly ten minutes knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell to get his attention. Now that he was looking Roy in the eye he knew something was up. The pain was clouding his blue eyes and he looked like he'd been sleeping despite it being four o'clock in the afternoon.

"Sure." Roy replied, trying to avoid looking directly at his friend. Truth be told he felt like crap. The pain rolling through his head was reminiscent of the headache he'd had before all of this started. The thought did nothing to appease the growing sense of fear he felt burning in his belly.

"Well you look awful."

"Gee, thanks. I feel so much better." To forestall further conversation, Roy headed into the kitchen. He was suddenly famished. On his way by, he glanced at the clock above the TV set and had to stop from reacting physically to the time. How could that be? It has been just around one when he'd lain down and Johnny said he'd be by to check on him the next day. His head and world reeling, he puttered around, trying to figure out what to cook.

"Did you just wake up?" Johnny asked. In the four years he'd known Roy, he'd never known him to sleep more than seven – eight hours at a time. This was not a good sign. In his jeans pocket he absently played with the piece of paper with Dean's phone number on it.

"Yeah, I guess so. I must have been more tired than I'd realized." So far he'd managed to put a pot on the stove but he stood staring at it, unsure of what to put inside it. The pounding in his head was making the light reflecting off the pot's bottom pulse. Watching it was making him feel a little queasy. With a shaking hand, he wiped at his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Sometimes that helped.

"Sit down." Johnny steered Roy to the nearest chair and forced him to sit in it. If he didn't know any better he'd think that his friend was drunk or on drugs, he was so disconnected from reality. In a cupboard he found a tin of tomato soup. Opening it, he whisked in a tin of milk and set it to heat. "What's going on? Do you need to go back to the hospital?"

"No." The response was automatic. He hated hospitals when it came to staying in them. Roy wasn't sure what was going on but he didn't want to be poked and prodded. "I just have a headache."

Johnny rummaged around in the cupboard above the stove until he came up with a bottle of Advil. Shaking two of them into his hand, he replaced the bottle and got out a glass. "Here, take these," he instructed upon filling the glass with water.

Rather than argue, Roy took the offered pills, popped them into his mouth and swallowed the contents of the glass. Part of him hoped it would help with the pain, the other part knew it wouldn't.

"How long have you had the headache?" Johnny was more concerned than he wanted to let on. Roy's face was pale and dark circles hung under his eyes. He looked a lot like he had before they met Dean.

"Don't know. Since I woke up." Roy really wasn't much in the mood to talk. The smell of the cooking soup had reawakened his hunger but mostly he just wanted to go back to bed.

"Here." Johnny had refilled the glass and put it in Roy's listless hand. "Why don't you go take a shower while the soup's cooking? Maybe you'll feel better."

Despite that being the last thing on his list of priorities right now, Roy agreed and shuffled off toward the bathroom. Maybe a shower would help. Anything was worth a try at this point.

Johnny waited until he heard the fan start and the water running before pulling out his cell phone. Quickly he dialed Rampart and impatiently waited for someone to pick up.

"Rampart Emergency, Nurse McCall speaking." The relief that flowed through his system was nearly enough to bring Johnny to his knees.

"Hi, Dixie. It's Johnny," he said into the receiver. While he talked he moved toward the bathroom door, just to make sure Roy wasn't going to catch him. He would not been too happy if he did.

"Hi, Johnny. What's up?"

"I'm worried about Roy." Silence on the other end of the line met that statement. Johnny could almost hear the head nurse's brain running through the possibilities from here.

"Why. What's wrong with him?" She asked finally.

"He has a headache and when I got here five minutes ago I woke him up." As much to relieve the tension building up between his shoulder blades as anything else, Johnny walked over to the stove and began stirring the soup.

"He's been through a lot Johnny. Maybe he needed the sleep." Down the hallway, Dixie saw Joe Early, MD walking toward her. She caught his eye and nodded. He came up to the desk to listen in on her side of the conversation.

"No. I don't think that's it. Something's not right. He's muddled. He couldn't remember how to cook."

"Roy never was very good at it. What are his vital signs?"

"I haven't had a chance to check them. He doesn't want to come to the hospital. I sent him to go take a shower while the soup cooked." Johnny realized suddenly how silly this conversation must sound.

"If he doesn't want to come in there isn't much we can do for him. Keep an eye on him. If anything seems to change, let me know immediately." Dixie looked into the older doctor's face and found her own concern reflected there. Dr. Early pulled a note pad out of his pocket and wrote a few words. Finished, he showed it to Dixie.

"Johnny, Dr. Early's here and says he's off in two hours. He'll stop by and check on Roy if you'd like."

"Just don't tell him I called. He'll be furious." His partner was nothing if not independent. He would hate that Johnny had done this behind his back.

"Sure thing. Bye for now." An emergency was being pushed through the receiving doors and she had to get back to work. Not waiting for a response, she hung up the phone.

"Thanks, Dixie," Johnny said. The water stopped running in the shower. Guiltily, Johnny slid his cell phone back into its case on his belt and turned his full attention to the merrily bubbling soup.

It seemed to take a long time for Roy to come back into the kitchen. He was wearing a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt and his hair was still wet. While he seemed a little more aware, he still didn't have much color to his complexion. Choosing to ignore that, Johnny placed a steaming bowl in front of him and placed a spoon and crackers down beside it.

"Feeling better?" he asked as he sat down across from the older man.

"Yeah. A bit." Roy tried to flash his partner a smile but it looked a little strained. Hungrily, he broke some crackers in the soup and dug in. One benefit to eating, he wasn't expected to talk.

"What do you want to do tonight?" Johnny asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"Sleep?" Roy suggested around a mouthful of crackers.

"Have you seen the latest movie out on video? It's been a while since we had a movie night." Johnny knew it was a lame suggestion but it was the best he could come up with. "Or we could invite some of the guys over and play poker."

"Movies sound good." Roy wasn't feeling up to having a bunch of company, much less trying to keep the cards straight in his head. The Advil had helped marginally but the lights still strobed in time to the pounding of his head.

"Great. While you finish the soup I'll head out and rent a couple. How do you feel about Italian? I haven't had supper yet."

"Sounds good to me." Right now Roy would eat just about anything. He couldn't remember ever being this hungry or food ever tasting this good before. The first bowl gone, he filled it up again.

"Back in a flash."

XXXXX

The first thing Johnny noticed upon pulling up in front of Roy's house was that it was dark. The sun had set about twenty minutes ago, long enough that the older paramedic should have turned on something. The bags clutched in his left arm, he headed up the sidewalk and knocked on the front door. No response. Terror creeping into his mind and body he tried the door handle. It was unlocked. Cautiously he stepped inside and set the bags on top of the table beside the TV. "Hey Roy?" he called out.

The room was dark. Feeling with his right hand Johnny found the light switch by the door and flicked it on. The living room was just as it had been before. He had the presence of mind to shut the door behind him before making his way to the kitchen.

The stove was off and the dishes in the sink but no sign of Roy. The bathroom was similarly empty. The hallway was dark and kind of eerie given recent circumstances. Johnny had to search to find the light switch. Blinking in the sudden light he paced down the hallway to Roy's room. The hall light outlined a rectangle of the hardwood floors but the rest of the room was in darkness. Standing still, he could just make out breathing beyond the light. "Roy?" he called again. No response.

Searching the wall just inside the doorway, he turned on the overhead light. Sprawled over the covers was Roy. He appeared to be sleeping soundly. Kneeling down beside his friend's head, Johnny gently took his pulse. It was strong but fast.

Ding-dong. Johnny nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the doorbell. Moving away from the bed, he stood up and went to see who was there.

"How's Roy?" Dr. Early asked from the doorstep.

"Not good," was all Johnny would say. Silently he led the older man to the bedroom.

"Help me roll him over." Dr. Early said. From a bag he'd brought in with him, he pulled out a stethoscope and B.P. cuff. Within minutes he had the elder paramedic's life signs.

"Well, apart from the fact he didn't wake up when we moved him he appears to be in perfect health," he stated as he put his gear back in the bag.

"That's what they said last time." Johnny knew that the doctor was doing his best but he had the funny feeling that it wasn't going to be enough.

"Hey, Dr. Early. What are you doing here?" Roy asked. Looking between the doctor and his partner, he had the feeling he'd missed something important. It was hard to concentrate because of the lethargy that had taken over but he tried.

"Checking on you, Roy. Johnny here was worried." Dr. Early was watching the elder paramedic very closely to see if there were any signs of distress or sickness. Apart from slightly blurry vision from waking up, he didn't see anything that alarmed him.

"Sorry, Doc. I know he means well but you didn't need to travel all the way out here for this."

"It was my pleasure, Roy. You get some more sleep and I'll stop by on my way to work in the morning." His kit packed up, he nodded at the two men and took his leave.

"Why did you have to drag him into this?" Roy asked as he pushed himself out of bed. He felt like he could use another shower but that would just make Johnny even more worried so he didn't mention it.

"I was worried. I just didn't want to take the chance that you were relapsing," Johnny replied. Turning, he left the bedroom and grabbed the bags. "How's microwaved Italian sound to you?"

XXXXX

Saturday morning came all too soon. Johnny was the first one in and was changed before most of 'A' shift even showed up. The last one to come through the doors was Roy. He seemed like his old self again. The exhaustion was gone from his face and he had more colour than Johnny had seen in him since before the rescue. Thursday night they'd eaten the food he'd brought and watched the movies just like old times. Friday Johnny had been busy doing his laundry and getting ready for his shift the next day. He'd talked to Roy on the phone but did not actually see him.

The other members of 'A' shift welcomed the senior paramedic with open arms. Captain Stanley didn't even make him cook for the day even though it was his turn. Whether that was a kindness to Roy or the other firemen, Johnny wasn't sure. Roy was good at many things. Cooking was not one of them. Fifteen minutes into their shift the bells went off.

"Station 51, Engine 81, Engine 32 and Ladder 55. Structure fire. 15234 Merrill St. 15234 Merrill St. Cross street Main. Time out 8:15." Blared over the intercom.

Station 51 headed for the vehicles. Captain Stanley stopped by the base station to acknowledge the call and write down the address for the Squad. Handing it to Roy, he sprinted for the Engine and took his seat in the front beside Mike Stoker.

"Sounds like a big one," Johnny commented as he took the piece of paper from Roy.

"Sure does," Roy agreed. Eagerly, he put the Squad in gear and headed out of the garage, sirens and lights going. The Engine fell in behind and picked up speed.

XXXXX

Four blocks away they could see the smoke billowing from the fire. By the time they came up on the building the heat was palatable. Parking the Squad across the street, Roy leapt out. On the other side of the vehicle, Johnny donned his turnout jacket and helmet. Coming around he headed over to the Engine to find out what Captain Stanley wanted them to do.

"John, you and Roy grab a 2 and a half inch hose. There's no indication so far that there's anyone inside. Until there is, I'm not sending either of you in there," he instructed. He turned to Mike Stoker and began to give orders to the other three firemen.

"Come on, Roy," Johnny said over his shoulder as he headed toward the back of the engine to get the hose. Reaching it, he turned expecting his partner to be beside him. He wasn't. "Roy?"

In the confusion of the other equipment arriving, it took a moment for Johnny to spot the older paramedic. Still standing beside the Squad, Roy had yet to put his turnout or helmet on. He stood transfixed, watching the flames billowing out of the broken windows. His face held a look of awe, wonder and ecstasy that set Johnny's nerves on edge.

"Hey, Roy?" Engineer Mike Stoker had also noticed the motionless paramedic. Concerned, he went up to Roy and put a hand on his shoulder. It felt like he'd put his hand in a freezer. Surprised, he pulled his hand back as if he'd been burned. Not sure what else to do, he looked around for help. Seeing Johnny heading toward them, he took a step back. Something was definitely not quite right here.

"Roy?" Johnny said as he came within distance to be heard. He glanced at Stoker before getting too close. There was no response. Moving into Roy's direct line of sight, he tried again. "Roy. We need to get going."

"Huh?" It was all he could do to pull his eyes away from the flames. He'd never noticed before the intensity of their colour, the beauty of their dance as they moved through the building. Nothing else in the world seemed quite as important.

"Roy!" Johnny caught hold of his left shoulder and shook it. Hard. The chill emanating from him was all too familiar.

"What!" Roy turned his full attention to his partner. For a split second Johnny saw the fire reflected in his blue eyes. His stomach dropped three feet. It was back.

"Ah, we need to start working a hose. Captain's orders," he replied. Out of the corner of his eye, Johnny could see the troubled expression on Mike Stoker's face. He felt it too.

"Sure." Roy started toward the engine. Johnny caught hold of him and stopped him.

"You might want to put on your jacket and helmet first," he suggested. What was he going to do? There was no way he could perform the ritual to exorcise the demon again. He wasn't even sure that it would work; apparently it hadn't the first time. Shouldn't killing the main demon have been enough? None of this was making any sense. Or at least less sense than usual lately.

"Good idea," Roy stated. As if in a daze, the senior paramedic moved slowly to pull his helmet out of the squad and don his turnout coat. Fully clothed, he turned toward his partner who had remained close by. "Lead the way."

Terrified but trying desperately not to show it, Johnny headed toward where Captain Stanley had wanted them. He took the front end of the hose and waited for Roy to take the back end. The two and a half inch hoses had a lot of power and were too strong for just one person to control. There was a strange glint in Roy's eye as he accepted the hose. Turning his attention to the job at hand, Johnny opened the hose and began to spray down the area of the structure directly in front of him.

XXXXX

Time seemed to slow down. He managed to get the fire in front of them under control and was moving onto the next section. There was something mesmerizing about the flames as they danced and flared. A distant part of Johnny's mind thought that the heart of the flames must be what hell was like.

"Gage, DeSoto!" Captain Stanley called. The captain was standing several feet away talking with a pair of security guards.

Johnny turned the hose off and sprinted to see what he had to say. "Yeah, Cap?"

"Security is telling me that there are two people still inside. As near as they can tell they're on the second floor. The best access is from the back. Take your radio in case you need help."

XXXXX

Two more engines were at the back of the structure soaking down the walls with streams of water. There was also a ladder truck that was working at keeping the roof from being consumed. It was a four-story building. At one time it had been a warehouse but it had since gone through many manifestations and was now an upscale housing project. People paid big bucks for the industrial lofts that were now going up in flames. The first and second floors were not yet involved. So far they'd managed to keep it to the third floor and part of the fourth.

Air masks and oxygen tanks all ready in place, Johnny led the way into the back door. Hoses were stretched across the threshold and were laid up through to the third floor. Behind him, Johnny could hear Roy following him as he made his way down the hallway, busting in doors to make sure no one was trapped inside. The first floor clear, he headed up to the next level.

The second floor was obscured in smoke making the search harder. Johnny knew that the firemen from the other stations had probably all ready checked to make sure no one was here but he didn't want to take a chance he was wrong. As he trudged down the hallway, his breath echoing in his ears behind the facemask, he felt the first door and then checked the doorknob. It was unlocked.

A quick check over his shoulder to make sure Roy was still behind him; he pushed the door open and stepped inside. The smoke seemed thicker in this room. Johnny nearly had to get down onto his hands and knees to do the search. Even then the smoke was still billowing around him. The good thing about the loft floor plan was that there weren't many rooms to search. The bathroom and closets clear, he began to make his way toward the door.

Just as he was within three feet of the threshold a loud crack sounded directly above him. Johnny had enough time to note that Roy had not entered the room at all before the roof came crashing down on top of him. Flames were burning all around his prone body as a massive weight pressed down on him. Unable to take complete breaths despite the mask and tank, Johnny was quickly losing the fight to stay conscious. "Roy!" he called as darkness descended.

XXXXX

Not sure what he'd seen, Engineer Mike Stoker was worried when he hadn't heard anything from the two paramedics within the twenty minutes they'd been gone. The gauges on the engine were remaining steady as it pumped water from the nearest fire hydrant to the various hoses the firemen were using to combat the fire. Captain Stanley was busy orchestrating the whole show so he hadn't really noticed the lack of communication. Fire codes required that the engine be monitored the entire time it was working but Mike just couldn't get the look on Roy's face out of his head. Then Engine 81 reported that the third floor had caved. Swearing under his breath, Mike pulled off his helmet and headed for the squad. Luckily there were always extra masks and oxygen bottles on board.

"Have you seen the two paramedics?" Mike asked. He'd gone around to the back of the building and was talking to the firemen nearest the door.

"Not since they went inside," the fireman at the back end of the hose replied. The fire had been particularly stubborn. They were having a hard time getting it completely under control. Just when they thought they had it it would flare somewhere else. He really hadn't thought about their continued absence until now.

"I'm going in." It had been a while since Mike had been inside a fire. Being an engineer precluded his working the fire hoses most of the time. Still, he didn't hesitate to pull the mask over his face and duck inside.

XXXXX

As Mike reached the second floor, he came upon Roy standing just outside the first room. He was watching something inside with an intensity that unnerved the engineer. Slipping past him, it took a moment for the scene to fully register. Part of the third floor had come crashing down onto the second floor. Burning timbers, sections of drywall and other building materials were ablaze. Through the billowing smoke, the young engineer could just make out a pair of boots. "Johnny?"

Glancing at Roy to make sure he knew where he was, Mike caught hold of the radio clipped to his turnout coat and activated it. "Captain Stanley, this is Mike Stoker. Johnny's trapped on the second floor under some burning material. I'm going to need help getting him out."

"Where are you?" Captain Stanley demanded. He looked over at the side of the engine to confirm that his engineer was not there.

"Second floor, rear of the building." The radio crackled as Captain Stanley began issuing orders. In moments the hallway was crammed with firemen using hoses to put the fire out and pry bars to get the floor joists off the unconscious paramedic. Through it all Roy stood back and watched. Every time Mike glanced at him a chill ran up his spine. Something was very wrong here.

Eventually they were able to get enough of the floor off of Johnny to extract him and put him in a Stokes stretcher. Four firemen carried him down the stairs and around to the front of the building. Mike made sure Roy stayed in front of him as he followed the procession. An ambulance was all ready waiting near the squad as they came around.

"Why didn't you call for help?" Captain Stanley asked Roy. The two paramedics were good friends, virtually inseparable. It made no sense that he would have allowed the younger man to be injured, much less stand by and watch as he slowly burned to death. Because of the size of the fire and its residential nature, two squads had been dispatched. The second set of paramedics were working on Johnny, checking his life signs and the extent of his injuries before contacting Rampart. The senior paramedic was standing nearby, his attention riveted to the fire that continued to rage. The captain waited for a moment or two for him to respond to his question. None was forthcoming.

"DeSoto!" Captain Stanley spun the younger man around so that he was facing him. Maybe Roy was still suffering some ill effects from his earlier experiences. Whatever was going on it had to stop.

"Yes?" Roy answered. He gazed at his captain's face with a mild curiosity.

"You're relieved of duty. I want you back at Rampart. There's something seriously wrong with you." Beyond Roy's left shoulder the paramedics of Squad 110 had begun an IV and were pumping other drugs into the younger paramedic yet Roy didn't seem to care.

"I don't need to go to Rampart," Roy stated.

"I don't care what you think, DeSoto. I want a full check up, then maybe I'll consider letting you back on the roster. Until then, go check on your partner. He's not looking too good."

Expecting his orders to be carried out, Captain Stanley turned away from Roy and paused by the paramedics. "How's he doing?" he asked.

"Better than we expected," the paramedic responded. "He has burns around the face mask, two injured ribs and a possible broken arm. Rampart will have to take x-rays to determine the full extent of his injuries but he should be fine."

"Make sure you take DeSoto with you in the ambulance. I want a complete check up, something is wrong with him."

"Where's Roy?" the paramedic asked as he looked around the organized mayhem.

"What do you mean,' where's Roy'?" Captain Stanley demanded, quickly he looked behind him to where Roy should be only to find that he was gone.

XXXXX

Upon waking in the emergency department of Rampart General Hospital, the first thought that came to Johnny's mind was the whereabouts of his partner. At first the staff was less than helpful; they didn't want to upset the young paramedic any more than necessary. But, Johnny wouldn't sit still until Dixie finally broke down.

"He's missing," she stated. From his place on the exam table, Johnny began to get up, ignoring his pain.

"When was the last time anyone saw him?" he asked. He had to find his friend. Desperately, he pulled away from Dixie's restraining hands and reached into his pants pocket. Some degree of calm settled over him as he found Dean's card.

"You need to lay down, Johnny," Dr. Brackett ordered. Gently but forcefully he made the wiry man resume his horizontal position. "Once we take x-rays we'll know how bad those ribs and that wrist are. After than we'll see about letting you out to help search."

"Who's searching?" Johnny wanted to leave. Who knew what kind of trouble the demon was getting up to in Roy's body? The pain in his side and arm were inconsequential in comparison.

"LAPD and CHP, not to mention any firemen not on calls. They'll find him," Dr. Brackett tried to reassure him.

"How long until I can get out of here?"

XXXXX

The first thing Johnny did after being released against medical advice was phone Dean. The phone rang three times before it was answered. "Dean, this is Johnny. We have a problem with Roy," he said before the other man had a chance to say anything.

Outside the hospital, he caught up to the paramedics of Squad 110. "Could you give me a ride to Station 51?" he asked, his hand over the mouthpiece of his cell phone.

"Shouldn't you be staying in the hospital?" the elder of the two men asked, looking at Johnny skeptically.

"Can you give me a ride or not? I'll take a taxi if I have to." Looking a little stunned, the man nodded his head yes.

"What kind of problem?" Dean asked finally. He'd been considering whether he really wanted to talk to the firefighter. They'd managed to get away after finishing the job and he wasn't sure if they could do it again. Sam had regained a fair amount of strength the last couple of days but he still wasn't up to one hundred percent.

"Roy's possessed again and now he's missing," Johnny said as he climbed into the cab of Squad 110, ignoring the looks the paramedics were giving him.

"How is that possible? We killed the leader; all of the spawn should have gone with it," Dean wanted to know.

"I have no idea. He went home three days ago. He was his usual self then today he wasn't himself and his eyes glowed red. He left me buried under debris at a fire. If that doesn't indicate he's not normal, I don't know what will."

"We're sixteen hours away. Try to find him. If he really is possessed Roy's not in charge of what he does. The demon may leave the area or go to familiar haunts, it's hard to know which. I'd start at his house and work from there."

"Thanks Dean. I'll let you know if I find him," Johnny said.

"If you do find him, make sure you secure him with ropes or chains, anything you can. He won't be too happy about it," Dean continued. He' all ready turned the Impala around and was heading back down the highway. Beside him Sam was sleeping fitfully, his long legs pulled up onto the seat as if he was trying to make himself as small as possible. Angrily, Dean ground his teeth. Los Angeles was the last place he wanted to go. There were too many people, too many demons and not enough fresh air.

Johnny ended the call. His eyes scanning the road and sidewalks, he didn't notice the look that passed between the two paramedics. If he had he wouldn't have cared. This was beyond their experience. Hell, this was beyond anything he could have imagined. When did the world get turned upside down, he wondered. Sighing, Johnny willed the squad to go faster through the late day traffic.

XXXXX

"John. What are you doing here!" Hank Stanley demanded upon seeing the young firefighter enter the garage. He'd all ready pulled in two replacement paramedics to cover for Gage and DeSoto. The day was getting stranger and stranger as time passed and he wasn't sure he liked it.

"I'm just here to pick up my Jeep, Cap," Johnny replied. He'd hoped that maybe engine would be out on a run so he wouldn't have to deal with the questions. Johnny was sure that some of them thought all of this was probably somehow his fault. If he knew whose fault it was, he'd find that person and cause them serious bodily harm.

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" Captain Stanley had received a report on Gage's injuries and knew that he should have spent at least one night under observation. But then, with Roy missing and clearly not thinking properly, he couldn't have expected any less from him.

"Yeah, that's what everyone keeps asking me. No, I don't want to stay in the hospital. I'm not helping anyone there," Johnny stated. As casually as he could he made his way to the locker room to change into his street clothes. His instinct was to dash into the room and change as fast as possible but he squashed the urge.

"You know everyone's looking for Roy. We were ordered to stay here in case he shows up. Do you know what's going on with him?" Captain Stanley was deeply worried about his eldest paramedic. Roy DeSoto was a rock. Nothing ever seemed to bother him; he was reliable as Old Faithful. His behavior at the fire set his nerves on end. Hank hated it when he was nervous. It meant he didn't have everything under control, like he should.

"Yeah, I think so, Cap. I'd tell you but you probably wouldn't believe me and have me shipped back to Rampart by force. Please believe me. I may not know how to fix Roy but I know someone who does. If you hear anything, could you give me a call on my cell?" Roy would be in even more danger if the authorities got hold of him. How would they react if he started spinning his heads in circles?

"I take it you don't want to go through official channels?" Given Johnny's earlier behavior, kidnapping Roy from the hospital, etc. he doubted official channels would help but he had to ask.

"You're right. Other than locking Roy away for the rest of his life they can't help."

"Okay, John. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything." In the common room, Hank could have heard a pin drop. He knew that the other five men on duty were listening in on the conversation. He couldn't blame them. Roy was a member of their crew and their family. Of course they were worried about him.

"Thanks, Cap." Without waiting for any further questions, Johnny left the garage and headed into the locker room. He quickly changed out of his dirty uniform and donned his jeans, shirt, sweater and jacket. Usually after a fire and rescue he would have taken a shower but didn't want to waste the time. Who cared that he smelled of ash and blood.

XXXXX

Roy's house was dark when Johnny pulled up out front of it in his Jeep. Steeling himself, he turned the vehicle off, pocketed the keys and climbed out. The night was cool, sending a shiver up his spine. Or was that fear? Hard to tell. His heart in his throat, he climbed the front stairs and tried the door knob. It was unlocked.

Damn, he thought as he turned the knob and pushed the door open. Half expecting something to attack him, Johnny ran his hand along the wall and turned the light switch on. After the darkness outside the light was almost blinding but he didn't take the time to let his eyes adjust as he scanned the living room.

Nothing seemed to be out of place. Quickly he made his way through the rest of the house and found it in similar shape. Somehow that wasn't very comforting. Johnny moved over to Roy's closet in his bedroom to see if any of his clothes were missing. Opening the door, he realized he wouldn't make much of a detective. He had no idea what Roy's wardrobe should look like except for the few items he'd seen him wear. Sighing, he closed the door and exited the house.

On the front step, Johnny paused. The neighborhood was relatively quiet. Off in the distance he could hear the freeway. Closer to him a few cars were cruising the streets but otherwise there really wasn't much going on. No wonder Roy liked it here. Where the hell was he? Johnny wracked his brain trying to come up with ideas but none were forthcoming. The obvious places, like the zoo or the park that Roy used to take his kids before Joanne moved them to Colorado, were closed. That probably wouldn't stop a demon, he thought. Sighing again, he headed back to the Jeep.

XXXXX

A day searching and the authorities of Los Angeles were no closer to finding Fireman Roy DeSoto. Johnny was beside himself. He hadn't managed to sleep since his last day off. Not knowing where else to go, he found his Jeep pulling into the parking lot behind Station 51. C shift was on. Pulling into his spot, Johnny put the vehicle in park, pulled the keys out of ignition, climbed out, and shuffled toward the brick building.

Thoughts and ideas churned through Johnny's head as he slowly covered the distance to the side door. His hand reached for the door knob, intent on opening it when he paused. Glancing over his right shoulder, the young paramedic looked at the vehicles lined up along the fence. There was something not quite right but in his muddled state he couldn't quite figure out what it was. In the afternoon sun, the seven vehicles sat silently, waiting for their owners to finish work.

I'm really beginning to lose it, Johnny Gage thought. Shaking his head, he reached again for the door knob. Again his hand stopped short of grasping it. Frustrated, the paramedic turned fully to stare at the cars. Then it dawned on him.

XXXXX

"Cap!" Johnny called, rushing into the garage. Desperately he searched through the locker room and was headed for the common area when Captain Johnson, the man in charge of C shift, appeared from his office door.

"Gage? What are you doing here?" he asked, confused. Clearly the paramedic was excited about something. Maybe there was information about his missing partner; Johnson just wasn't sure what it had to do with him.

"Did anyone have Roy's car towed away?" Roy's car was in the parking lot when Johnny had left yesterday. Now it was gone.

"No. I thought it was still there," Johnson replied. In long strides he moved over to the window to peer at the cars. "It was in the lot when I came in this morning."

"Did the police move it?"

"Not that I've been made aware of. What are you getting at?"

The other members of C shift had begun to drift into the garage. Some of them recognized Johnny's voice from working with him, others were responding to the raised voice.

"If no one took it, maybe Roy did. We could put a BOLO out on his car!"

"Good idea. I'll get on the horn with Battalion. Why don't you go home, you look like you could use some sleep," Captain Johnson stated. He hadn't worked with Johnny often but he could see the dark circles under his eyes and the drawn look of his mouth.

"Why call Battalion? Shouldn't we be letting the LAPD and CHP know?"

"We have to follow procedure, Gage. I'll let you know if anything comes of this."

"Thanks, Cap." Rather than fight with the man, Johnny acknowledge the other firefighters with a nod and headed back toward the Jeep.

XXXXX

"Jon, John Gage, I need some help." Johnny hadn't even made it out of the parking lot before he dialed Jon Baker's cell phone number. Absently, he climbed into the front seat and waited for Jon's response.

"I heard about Roy. I thought all of this was over," Jon replied. The disappearance of DeSoto had sent a shock through the older CHP officer. He'd seen what had happened; he'd seen the presence forced out of the man's body. Surely that was enough.

"So did I. Can you put a BOLO out on Roy's car?"

"Shouldn't that have been done all ready?" Jon was more than willing to help; he just figured that under normal circumstances that would have been one of the first things the police would have thought of.

"His car was still at the station this morning, now it's gone. I don't think anyone considered that he might take it. I sure didn't. What does a demon need with a car?" Johnny turned the vehicle over and began to pull out of the parking lot.

"Okay, I'll put it out on the CHP system. Do you know the tag number?"

Quickly, Johnny rattled off the number.

"Where is Dean? Does he know that Roy's in trouble again?"

"He knows but he was out of town when I called him. I expect him to get back to me anytime now."

"I'll put this out over the phone. Where do you want me to meet you?"

XXXXX

The only place John could think to meet was Roy's house. On his way there his cell phone rang. Flipping it open, Johnny put it to his ear. "Hello?" He hadn't taken the time to glance at the call display, not while driving, and so had no idea who was calling.

"Any sign of him?" Dean asked.

"No. I'm headed to Roy's house to meet Jon Baker." Relief spread through Johnny's body. Maybe there was still hope of saving his friend.

"Give me the address."

XXXXX

When Johnny pulled up in front of Roy's house, he found Jon Baker sitting on the front step. He tall blond CHP officer stood upon seeing Johnny climb out of his vehicle and waited. He'd put the BOLO out as soon as he'd hung up, he'd even convinced LAPD to do the same. Dimly, he wondered if this wasn't all a bad dream.

"Any news?" Johnny asked as he came up the sidewalk.

"Nothing so far. It's just going to take time."

"I just hope we have time to waste. Dean should be here shortly. Did you check the front door?"

"No. I thought I'd wait for you before I go breaking and entering," Jon responded, a crooked grin creeping across his face despite his best efforts.

Not bothering to reply, Johnny tried the door knob. He couldn't remember if he'd locked it the last time he was here. Apparently he had because the knob wouldn't turn. "Roy keeps a spare key around back. Give me a minute."

The young firefighter quickly made his way to the back of his friend's house. It felt kind of strange to be here without Roy but he squashed the feeling and searched around the propane barbeque. Nothing. Thinking he might have made a mistake, Johnny searched again. This time he came up with the metal case the key had been in but it was empty. Cursing under his breath, he headed back to Baker.

"It's not there," he stated as he approached the taller man. A familiar black Impala pulled up behind Johnny's Jeep. Casually, Dean climbed out from behind the steering wheel. He paused long enough to glance up and down the street to see if their arrival had produced any reaction. Everything was quiet as Sam slowly got out of the passenger side.

Quietly, the two men waited for the brothers to join them. It was good to see Sam vertical for the first time since they'd met him but he still appeared pale and a little weak. Evidently he was still suffering ill effects from his possession.

"Could you be any more obvious?" Dean growled when he was in range for them to hear him. Nothing got the neighbors talking like strange men hanging out in front of a house that did not belong to them. Civilians.

"The door's locked and the key is missing," Johnny tried to defend their actions.

"Of course it is," Dean muttered under his breath. Casting a dubious look at the police officer, the eldest Winchester pulled a small leather case out of his jacket pocket. The CHP officer wasn't his idea, he hated dealing directly with any authority figure, especially the ones that could throw him in jail for what he was about to do. Expertly, Dean picked the lock using the tools in the leather case. Standing up, he pushed the door open.

Out of the corner of Dean's eye he saw movement down the hallway. "Whoa," he breathed as he glanced at his companions before entering the house.

"What's wrong?" Johnny asked. He'd been standing back on the step and didn't have direct line of sight through the door.

"I think someone's here," Dean replied. Ignoring the CHP, he slipped his right hand under his coat to grip the gun in the back of his pants. Just in case.

"Is it Roy?" Johnny tried to force his way inside but was brought up short by Jon and Sam. The last thing they needed was for the paramedic to get in the way.

"Not unless he has long blonde hair," Dean quipped. He made his way into the hallway. A quick check of the living revealed that it was empty. The kitchen was likewise vacant. Soundlessly, Jon checked the bathroom. The two men met at the closed door leading to Roy's bedroom. Clearly the Winchester brothers had some military training, Jon decided as he nodded to Dean to open the door.

"Get out of here!" a female voice shrieked as the two men burst into the room. On the other side of the bed cowered a young woman, her long blonde hair obscuring her face. Jon had his weapon trained on her. She may be young but that didn't mean that she could be trusted not to try to hurt them. Cautiously, he watched her as he took four steps into the room so he could make sure she was alone. She was.

"What are you doing here?" the CHP demanded. He still had his gun in his hand but it was no longer pointed directly at her.

"I was waiting for Roy. He should be off today but he's not here. Who are you?" the girl exclaimed, her voice in the higher octaves.

"Roy's never mentioned you to me," Johnny said. He'd entered the bedroom and was shocked to see the young woman. "What are you doing here?"

"Roy's my boyfriend," the woman stated, the conviction in her voice was almost scary. A satisfied expression settled on her face, making her look almost beautiful. "He saved me from a burning car four weeks ago. We've been going slow but that'll change soon."

"What are you talking about?" Johnny asked. The woman was vaguely familiar but he wasn't sure. He certainly did know that Roy didn't know she was his girlfriend. The divorce had been very painful for the older paramedic. Joanne was his soul mate but she couldn't stand being married to a fireman. Roy couldn't imagine doing anything else. He'd been willing to look for alternative employment but Joanne hadn't given him the chance before she'd loaded the kids up in the car and left with them. Johnny knew there was no way his friend would be involved with anyone, much less a woman of her young age.

Sam had come down the hallway and stood silently with his brother and the CHP officer. The scene unfolding before them was bizarre. In part of his mind, though, things were beginning to click. "What do you mean 'that'll change soon'?" he asked, imposing himself between the irate fireman and the woman who'd finally gained her feet.

Slyly, she looked up into the younger Winchester's face. He was extremely handsome, his dark grey eyes filled with compassion. "I put a spell on him," she admitted, a smile beginning. Giggling, she dropped her eyes and then glanced back up at him.

"What!" Johnny and Jon erupted, nearly in unison. Neither of them could believe what the silly woman had just said.

"What kind of spell?" Sam asked, carefully keeping the edge out of his voice. Clearly the woman was suffering from some form of mental illness. He just hoped that she hadn't gotten too deep into supernatural waters for Roy's sake.

"A friend told me how to do it. Would you like to see?" The woman was now flirting with the younger Winchester, all of her attention on the man. The other three may not have even existed in her mind.

"Yes, please," Sam responded. A smile lighted up her features. The woman caught hold of Sam's hand and led him to the side of the bed. She let go long enough to kneel down beside the bed then she pulled the area rug up to reveal markings drawn on the hardwood floor beneath.

"See," she said, pleased with herself. "My friend Isabella gave me a picture of what to draw and the words to say. She said it was a sure way to make the man of your dreams fall in love with you."

Sam ignored her prattling as he gazed at the runes the woman had created. Whoever Isabella was, she was deeply mistaken about what the pentagram really meant. Or maybe she wasn't. That was a consideration for a later time, he decided. Across the bed from him Dean had also pulled the rug up and was examining the runes. His face was darkening in anger so Sam knew he realized what they were dealing with as well.

"What do you mean the man of your dreams!" Johnny demanded. It was all he could do to keep from pounding this stupid creature into the dirt. Clearly she had no real concept of what she'd done; otherwise he would have caused her severe bodily harm.

"Roy saved me. He is my soul mate." The woman didn't even turn to look at Johnny as she answered him; her eyes were firmly set on Sam. Evidently she may have found a new person to obsess about.

"Roy doesn't even know who you are," Johnny retorted. He could see the concern on the Winchester brothers' faces and knew they were in trouble. Or, more likely, Roy was in trouble. "What's going on?" he asked them.

"We have to see the whole thing," Sam hedged. Dean grasped his side of the bed, Sam did the same and they picked it up and set it against the far wall, its sheets and pillows falling to the floor in a lump. Likewise, they caught hold of the rug and lifted it straight up, being careful to not smudge any of the pentagram or its drawings. Stepping back, they again examined the runes.

"Well?" Johnny questioned. He hated not knowing what was going on. Jon caught hold of the woman's nearest arm and waited for the verdict as well.

"What do you think, Sammy?" Dean asked. He was pretty sure he knew what it meant but he wanted a second opinion from his brother, he was better at reading this carp than he was.

"Definitely not a love spell." Sam was pacing around the pentagram. He didn't like what he was finding. "It looks more like a summoning spell for a specific demon. I'm going to have to do some research to determine which one. I'd guess it wasn't a friendly one, though."

"A summoning spell?" Johnny repeated. "You mean a demon's taken over Roy's body again?"

"That's what it looks like. Give us some time to figure out who she called and we'll be able to find a way to exorcise the bastard," Dean said, hoping desperately he was telling them the truth.

"What about her?" Jon asked. The woman was still staring at Sam, her eyes almost feral in their intensity. Looking at her was giving him the creeps.

"She needs to go to a rubber room somewhere," Dean stated under his breath.

"Is Bruce working today?" Johnny asked. If he was on duty he would take her into Rampart himself for observation on the psychiatric ward but he wasn't and neither was Jon.

"Yeah," Jon responded. He pulled his cell phone off his belt and hit speed dial. After the rescue he and Bruce had both decided to go against regulations and carry their phones on duty. The blond CHP officer had a suspicion of what Johnny wanted to do and he agreed with it. The woman needed help before she hurt anyone else, like Sam.

The cell rang four times before it was picked up. "Bruce Nelson," his partner's voice said. Behind him, Baker could hear the sounds of the freeway.

"Bruce, it's Jon. I've got a favor to ask."

"What kind of favor?" Bruce asked. Before meeting Dean and Sam he wouldn't have hesitated to offer his partner his help. Now he wanted to know what he was getting into before he made a judgment.

"We're at Roy's house. There's a girl here that needs to be admitted to a hospital for psychiatric observation. She's created some sort of spell to make Roy fall in love with her but instead she's summoned a demon. Could you come and do that? Johnny and I are both off duty."

"Is something wrong with Roy?" Bruce asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"I just saw him drive by in his car," was the response.

"What! Can you stop him?" Jon asked. He glanced at Johnny, hope beginning to burn in his heart.

"I'm in a cruiser for the day so I could if I wanted to, yes. Why would I want to?" Bruce had unconsciously sped up to keep the blond paramedic in sight. Traffic was light but it was approaching evening rush hour. That wouldn't last long.

"He's possessed. We've had the CHP, LAPD, and fire department out searching for him for the last day or so."

"Possessed? Didn't we all ready deal with that?" Bruce could feel himself being pulled back into the Twilight Zone. He didn't like it.

"Yes, we did. But, thanks to this girl we have to do it again. Do you have back up? He's not the Roy you know, he could be dangerous."

"Great. Hold onto the girl. I'll get back to you as soon as I've got him in custody. Do you want me to take him to a hospital?" Bruce figured he knew the answer but he had to ask.

"No. Bring him here." Jon rattled off Roy's address.

"Okay. I'll be back in touch as soon as I can." The cell went dead. Jon turned to look at four pairs of expectant eyes.

"Bruce just saw Roy. He's going to try to pull him over and bring him here," he explained. The woman began to try to get out of his grasp. She loved Roy but wasn't ready to face him. Isabelle said the spell would take three weeks to work. It hadn't been long enough yet. "Stop fighting!"

Tired of dealing with the unstable woman, Jon pulled out his handcuffs and expertly slipped them on her. "Stop it!" he ordered. "Or I'll let Johnny deal with you."

One look at the angry fireman and she quieted down. If she looked too closely she could see her death in his brown eyes. For his part, Johnny stood by the doorway. The news of Roy being found had sent a spike of relief through his system but he was still concerned for his friend. They still didn't have Roy. He could be injured in the capture or in the exorcism the Winchesters were going to have to perform. Nothing was certain.

XXXXX

Traffic was getting heavier. Fear began to gnaw at Bruce's stomach as he pulled up within two car lengths of Roy DeSoto's car. The man was driving carefully, not calling any undue attention to himself. Bruce knew he only had ten minutes before the freeway was going to be too crowded for him to safely take the fireman in. Gritting his teeth, he pushed harder on the accelerator and closed the distance between them.

Bruce saw Roy glance at him in his rear view mirror. A look of complete hatred spread across the blond mans face. The expression was so out of place on Roys usually happy countenance that the young CHP officer knew that Jon had been telling the truth. The freeway was momentarily clear around them. Without pausing to think, Bruce rammed Roys Chevrolet in the rear quarter panel, the p.i.t. manoeuvre or precision immobilization technique. The sudden movement caused the Chevrolet to spin out, striking the right guard rail and skidding for several feet before it came to rest.

Pulling up beside the disabled vehicle, Bruce vaulted out of the squad car and raced to the driver side, his weapon drawn. Inside he found Roy slumped over the steering wheel, a large gash leaking blood into his left eye. Cautiously, Bruce reached for the door handle and opened the door, his gun still aimed at the firefighter, just in case. Are you okay?" he asked out of habit. There was no response.

"Probably just as well," Bruce muttered to himself. Rather than take a chance, he slipped handcuffs over the firefighter's wrists. Satisfied that he wasn't going to go anywhere, he pulled Roy out of the vehicle as carefully as he could by himself and hauled him over to the cruiser. Opening the back door, he placed the unconscious firefighter into the back seat where he could be restrained in case he woke up.

On his way down the freeway, he called in the damaged car to make sure it would be cleaned up to prevent any further accidents. Then he settled in for the drive to Roy's house. Sergeant Getrare was not happy when he'd taken himself off duty. He was supposed to be on his way back to headquarters, not the other end of Los Angeles.

XXXXX

"Have you found out everything you needed to?" Johnny asked anxiously. The Winchester brothers had spent the last hour doing research on the internet and books that they had with them. While he'd tried to follow what they were discussing he had to admit he got a little lost.

"Not everything," Sam stated. He was still pouring over a journal, his forehead creased in concentration.

"Can you do this?" Johnny persisted. It was his best friend they were going to be experimenting on. He wanted to make sure they were as prepared as possible. Roy not surviving the procedure was not a possibility.

"Sure," Dean quipped. He was staring at the computer screen. Research was not his favourite part of the job but when necessary he would do it. Sam was the one who had the talent and patience for this and he was happy to leave it to him.

"Maybe," Sam hedged. He wasn't looking forward to the exorcism. The demon involved was particularly nasty. Scenes from The Exorcist kept coming unbidden to his mind.

"Bruce's here," Jon announced from the doorway. He'd been standing watch for when his young partner arrived.

Johnny covered the distance quickly. His heart was in his throat until he saw Roy lying in the backseat. Despite everything he knew, it still looked like the Roy DeSoto he knew and loved. Fear spiked again because of what his friend was going to have to endure. Wasn't once enough?

"Help me get him inside," Bruce said. He had to get back to headquarters. Getrare had all ready called him twice on the radio. He wasn't going to be very popular when he did get back.

The two men picked Roy up and carried him into the living room. The brothers were still preparing the bedroom for the rite. They needed to use the original pentagram so Johnny and Bruce placed him on the couch. Jon and Bruce had a brief discussion by the door, their voices low, while Johnny examined his friend. Then Bruce left, forcing the woman to walk in front of him. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain this to Getrare.

Roy was a little leaner looking about the face and had dark circles under his eyes. His heart rate was fast. Johnny imagined his blood pressure was too. When he pulled open Roy's eyes to check his reflexes, Johnny found the familiar red flash. Damn it, he thought.

Sam and Dean were hauling the dresser out of the bedroom. They deposited it in the living room before returning to the bedroom to also remove the small TV stand. As Johnny watched, the bed was similarly removed but left propped up against the hallway wall. "Are you ready?" the young paramedic asked.

"Give us another minute or two. Is he still secure?" Sam asked. Perspiration was building up on his forehead. The room was actually a little chilly so it couldn't have been from that. Distantly Johnny wondered how well the younger Winchester really was.

"Yes. But I don't want to drag this on any longer than necessary," Johnny replied. He was momentarily distracted by Bruce leaving.

"We're as ready as we're going to get," Dean informed them as he entered the living room.

XXXXX

The scene was all too familiar. Johnny and Jon stood at the bedroom door way. Roy was sitting slumped on the floor in the middle of the pentagram. He was still showing no signs of coming around. Dean was to the right, Sam to the left. The incense was burning and the candles had been lit. Johnny said a silent prayer and watched as the brothers began the ritual.

At first there was no real response from Roy. His chin continued to rest on his chest, his breathing remained fairly even and his blue eyes were closed. Johnny was beginning to wonder if the whole process was useless when Roy's head slowly lifted up.

Red eyes flashed. Johnny felt his body pressed against the wall behind him, his lungs refusing to expand. Fear spiked through his system. His lungs were already burning from lack of oxygen. He barely had enough strength to look to the right. Jon was in the same situation. Red dots were dancing through his eyes. Part of his conscious mind thought he'd better get Sam or Dean's attention, the other part didn't care.

Before either man had a chance to react the pressure stopped. Roy's head leaned back and a primal scream was ripped from his throat. The sound made the hair stand up on the back of Johnny's neck. He was slumped on the ground, taking deep breaths, trying to get the red spots out of his eyes. Beyond the rushing in his ears, he made out more terrible screams from Roy. Desperately Johnny wished the demon didn't sound so much like his friend. It broke his heart to hear such anguish, anger and pain in the older paramedic's voice. There were several loud bangs. Johnny thought they were from the shotgun but he still couldn't see well enough to be sure.

Just as his eyes finally cleared, all sound stopped in the room. Blinking, Johnny looked at Roy, slumped in the middle of the pentagram. The two brothers, looking a little pale, were standing on either side of the pentagram watching the slumped figure intently. Roy was breathing hard, what Johnny could see of his face was slick with perspiration. His eyes were closed, his chin resting on his chest much as it had at the beginning of the ritual.

"Well," Johnny asked. "Is he okay?" The suspense was killing him. Beside him, he could hear Jon stirring from his position propped up against the wall. Evidently he'd finally got enough oxygen in his system to come around too.

"Give us a minute," Dean snapped. He was waiting for a sign from the paramedic. He'd shot the apparition with rock salt as it whirled around the confines of the pentagram. It should be dead. Or sent back to hell but Roy's lack of response wasn't particularly reassuring.

"What does that mean?" Johnny was beside himself with worry. Standing up, he went as close to the edge of the pentagram as he dared. "Roy?"

Ragged breathing was the only response. Then slowly, Roy slid to the floor, curled on his right side. A small groan escaped his lips followed by another.

"Roy?" Johnny called again. Sam took a cautious step forward and gently shook Roy's left shoulder. Across the pentagram Dean waited with the shotgun ready.

The spell broken, Johnny rushed in after Sam and knelt down beside his partner, expertly taking his vital signs.

"Is that a good idea?" Jon asked. He'd gained his feet moments ago. He was new to this exorcism thing but all ready breaking the circle made him very nervous.

"Too late to worry about that now," Dean growled. Trust Sam to think with his heart and not his head. While he was pretty sure the demon was gone, pretty sure wasn't good enough.

"Roy," Johnny said as he brushed some of his blond hair out of his face. Roy was showing signs of coming around.

XXXXX

The first thing Roy was aware of was that his head didn't hurt as badly. There was still some pain there and his skull felt kind of hollow but it wasn't nearly as bad as he remembered. Man that had been unbelievable.

The second thing he became aware of was that Roy had no idea where he was. The last think he remembered was crouching on the side of the cliff, waiting for Johnny and Jon to come back with the patient. Even with his eyes closed he could tell that he was no longer outside. The wood floor under his hands and the ache in his back from laying on something hard and straight told him that he was in a house or other structure. Around him he could just make out four people breathing. Then he heard a familiar voice. "Roy?" Johnny said again. There was real fear in his partner's voice, enough to make him force his eyes open.

Pain laced through his skull when the lights struck his eyes but Roy kept them open until he could make out Johnny's concerned face. There was fear and exhaustion evident on his friend's dark features. Roy could swear he saw tears glistening in his eyes. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice coming out in a croak. He was quickly becoming aware of how hungry and thirsty he was. When was the last time he ate? He wasn't sure.

"Roy, is that you?" Johnny asked.

"Who else were you expecting? Of course it's me," Roy responded. He glanced around himself and located the other three people in the room. He only knew two of them. What the hell were they doing in his bedroom and where was his bed?

This was starting to feel a little like de ja vu for Johnny. He was almost light headed with relief. Maybe this was actually over. Paramedic training took over and Johnny handed his friend a bottle of water, only pausing long enough to open it for him.

"What's going on?" Roy asked again. He tried to sit up so that he wouldn't choke on the water but found he was as weak as a newborn kitten. Giving up, he gulped down the water anyway from his position on his side. None of this was making any sense. How did he get there?

"It's kind of a long story, Roy. You won't believe me when I tell you." Johnny took the empty bottle from his friend and then stood up. With practiced ease, he pulled Roy up to his feet and slung him over his shoulder in the fireman carry. Carefully he headed into the living room. They were going to have to put Roy's bedroom back in order before he could lay him down there.

"Try me," Roy stated. It killed him to let the younger man carry him but he all ready knew that he couldn't have covered the distance himself. Self consciously, he glanced over Johnny's shoulder as he deposited him on the couch to look at the three other men. The patient and the man he didn't recognize both looked as wiped out as Johnny. They looked as wiped out as he felt. "Tell me what's going on."

XXXXX

Roy's head reeled. He looked from one man to the next, trying to find some sign that they were pulling his leg. No such luck. Sighing, he ran a hand over his face and glanced back at Johnny who was sitting on the coffee table beside the couch. Roy was propped up with pillows in the corner of the couch, a second bottle of water clutched in his hand. The hollow feeling persisted in his skull but with the intake of water his headache had vanished.

"You're serious?" he asked, staring hard at his friend. Darkness had descended hours ago. The lamps burning in the living room illuminated well enough that Roy could see the truth reflected in Johnny's brown eyes. There was a haunted look about those brown depths that hadn't been there the last time he'd seen the man. Something had definitely gone on.

"Yes, I'm serious. If you don't believe me, Jon or Dean or Sam will back me up." Johnny couldn't help himself, he kept a close eye on Roy's blue eyes just in case they flashed red again. He wasn't taking anything for granted this time. He couldn't blame the older man for not believing him. If he hadn't lived through it, he wouldn't have believed it either.

"It all seems a little farfetched, Johnny." Roy relented quickly when he saw the hurt expression on his friend's face. Johnny might over exaggerate but he didn't lie.

"Do you think you need to go to the hospital?" Johnny asked in an effort to change the subject. Jon and Dean were sitting quietly in the living room chairs watching the exchange with interest. Sam had dragged a chair in from the kitchen and was currently sound asleep leaning against the entertainment center. He still wasn't a hundred percent from his own adventure. The exorcism had taken even more out of him than he'd thought.

Roy thought for a second, taking stock of his body. Everything seemed to be in working order. Other than being weak and starving, he couldn't find any reason to bother Drs. Brackett or Early. "No," he responded finally. "But I could really use some food. Is there anything in the fridge?"

"I think there are some leftovers from the other night but how about I order something in. It'll be fresh and you can have all you want." Johnny took Roy's hunger as a good sign. He went to where Roy kept the take out menus in the cupboard in the kitchen, pulled them out and brought them back. "What do you feel like? My treat."

Now Roy knew how concerned his friend really was. Johnny rarely bought supper. Usually it fell to Roy to pay for one reason or another. "I don't care. So long as it's fast."

"Fast it is."

XXXXX

The food vanished shortly after arriving. Then Jon left. He had the early shift in the morning and needed to get some sleep. Riding a motorcycle through the streets and freeways of Los Angeles County with only a little sleep was a good way to get into an accident. Dean and Sam followed shortly after. Johnny walked the brothers to the door searching for the right words. None came.

"We'll stay for a few days. Sam needs the rest and I want to make sure nothing else goes on with Roy. I can't afford the gas or time of making any more trips," Dean stated. Sam was all ready half way to the car, yawning loudly. "You know my number."

"Thanks. If there's ever anything I can do. Just let me know." The offer seemed inadequate given what the men had done for him but it was all he had.

"I might take you up on that. Keep an eye on him." With that the elder Winchester sprinted down the stairs and joined his brother in the car. As they drove away in the black Impala, Johnny felt a spike of fear. What if he needed them again?

Heaving a huge sigh, Johnny closed the door and turned back to his partner. Roy was sound asleep on the couch. His face appeared so peaceful and innocent. Any doubts of his friend being any more than who he was vanished. Humming quietly, Johnny cleaned up the mess from supper and then settled into the chair beside the couch. Better safe than sorry, he thought as he prepared for a long night. Luckily one of his favourite movies was playing on the satellite station. One final glance at his friend and Johnny sank further into the chair and put his feet up on the coffee table. He was asleep before the introduction was through.