DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to Mark VII and NBC Universal. I own Julianna.

Johnny entered his empty house. He tossed his keys on the counter and headed upstairs to the bathroom. He tossed his clothes on the floor and stepped into the hot shower. He must have gotten lost in thought because his next memory was the water turning ice cold on his back.

He got out of the shower and dried himself off, running on autopilot.

He changed his clothes and stared at his bed. He was tired and needed to sleep, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to sleep in the bed alone. He'd done it when Julianna had been working, but there was something different about doing it when she wasn't coming home. He exited the room and headed to the guest room across the hall. He crawled under the sheet and feel into an exhausted and dreamless sleep.

Julianna awoke the next morning, feeling horrible. She figured it was part being pregnant, part not sleeping and part of just being upset about the whole situation.

She pulled her robe out off the dresser and went into the kitchen of Bob and Beth's apartment.

She found Beth coming out of her bedroom.

"I hope I haven't caused a problem," Julianna said.
Beth gave her friend a soft smile. "I understand. Bob didn't tell me everything, but you're his friend and mine. Now, how about some tea and you tell me what is going on so we can figure this out. Why don't you change and I'll meet you in the kitchen," Beth said.
Julianna hugged her friend and went to change. She put on a pair of jeans and a t shirt. When she looked in the mirror, she realized it was one of Johnny's. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and she wiped them away. She went back into the kitchen and found Beth placing a cup of tea in front of her.

Beth sat down.
"OK. Now, tell me what's wrong. Bob just said you needed to do some thinking. I know you're not thinking you made a mistake by marrying Johnny. I know how much you love him and he loves you," Beth said.

Julianna took a deep breath. "I'm not thinking I made a mistake marrying him. I love him with all my heart. I found out yesterday that I'm pregnant," she said.
"Johnny didn't take it well," she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"I didn't tell him," Julianna answered.
Beth's face registered shock. "You didn't tell him? Then why are you here," she asked.

"I'm pregnant! I can't tell Johnny because something might happen and then he'd be devastated. I know he'd leave me. I can't tell him until I know everything will be OK. I can't go through that again," Julianna said.
Beth considered her words carefully. "You don't have to stay pregnant," Beth said.
Julianna shook her head. "Even if I miscarry, I can't willingly kill my child. I just can't do it. Besides, I was supposed to be taking the pill, but I guess I slipped up somewhere," Julianna said.

"You should at least speak with your brother. You are both very close and I know he's worried sick about you. Especially if Johnny got that note and has already spoken with him," Beth said.
Julianna nodded. "I know. I'm going to go call Mike. This isn't going to be an easy conversation to have with my brother," Julianna said, picking up the phone.

Mike arrived home and went to the kitchen. He pulled out Barb's address book. He was about to dial the number when the phone rang.
"Hello," Mike said.
"Mikey," Julianna's quiet voice said over the phone.
"Juju! What the hell is going on? Why am I getting called by your husband at 2 in the morning because you're gone," Mike asked.
"I'm fine, Mike. Something happened and I need some time to think, OK," Julianna said.
"Not enough, sis. I'll get in my car and drive to Bob's apartment and drag it out of you. Please, tell me what happened," Mike said.
He heard his sister take a deep breath and sniffle. Mike knew what she was about to tell him was very difficult for her.

"I'm pregnant, Mike," she said.
She was met with silence. "You have to tell him. He thinks you don't love him anymore. That it's all his fault that you left," Mike said.
"I know, but I'm not ready to tell him. I'm scared I'll tell him, something will happen and he'll never forgive me," Julianna said.
"Juju, that's crazy. Johnny loves you. If, God forbid, something happens to this baby, Johnny's not going to blame you. He's not going to leave you. He loves you. You love him and finding out about the baby is going to make it multiply even more. Tell him, Juli," Mike begged his sister.

"I'll think about it. Don't tell anyone you know where I am, please," Julianna asked.
"Sure. When are you coming back to LA," he asked.

"I don't know," she said.

They talked a few more minutes before Mike hung up the phone. He was relieved that Julianna was OK, but he wished she was coming home to be with her family and husband.

He hung up the phone and turned to his wife who had walked into the kitchen.

"Did you find out anything," Barb asked, kissing her husband.
He thought about the conversation and wondered if he should tell his wife.

"Yeah. But you can't let anyone know what you know," Mike said.
Barb knew her husband was serious and sat down on the bed. "OK. What's going on," she asked.
"Juli showed up in San Francisco this morning. She went to Bob's apartment and is crashing in his guest room, but I can't tell Johnny what I know and you can't either," Mike said.
Barb's eyes were as big as saucers. "She left Johnny and ran off to San Francisco," Barb asked.
"No, she panicked. She found out yesterday that she was pregnant," Mike said.
The realization hit Barb and she shook her head. "Poor Juli. Well, it makes sense," Barb said.
"What does? Julianna left her husband. The man she's loved for years. He's devastated. I don't get why she did it," Mike said.
"She's afraid of putting Johnny through what they went through the last time she was pregnant. I can understand how she might feel. I don't know if I'd have the courage to get pregnant again if those miscarriages happened to me," Barb said.
"That's pretty much what she told me. Juli doesn't want anyone to know where she is, especially Johnny. I just don't think that's fair to him," Mike said.
"Juli's your sister and you'll support her decision. But, maybe you can talk to her and convince her to come back and deal with this together," Barb said.
Mike kissed his wife, "You know you're pretty smart."

"Glad you realized it," she said.

Barb went into the kitchen to clean up the dishes from their rushed breakfast. She hoped Julianna talked to Mike soon because she knew how much Mike loved his sister and Barb hoped that she wouldn't turn her back on her brother, despite how she might feel about her husband.

The days rolled into weeks and the weeks into months. Six months after Julianna Gage left her husband without an explanation but for the note she left on the fridge,

Johnny rolled through the motions. He worked as much as the County would allow him. He did as much work around his ranch as he could without killing himself. Course, there were times when the pain was so unbearable that he wished he had. He had barely seen much of Roy in the last six months. Seeing his best friend and wife so happy together, made him miss his wife that much more.

He found himself sitting at his desk, trying to make sense of the assignments that were in front of him. He was just about to give up when the tones sounded.

"Station 31, Station 99, Station 110. Structure fire. 23513 Hamilton Way. 2-3-5-1-3 Hamilton. Cross street Barrier. Report to Battalion 3. Time out 1123."

"Station 31, KSB-452," Johnny said.

He knew Roy would be on this scene too and wondered what they would find.

Johnny reported to Battalion Chief Stanley, who directed Johnny's crew to help with the north wall.
Hank got on the HT and contacted headquarters.

"LA this Battalion 3. We need another alarm at this location and another squad," Stanley said.

"10-4, Battalion 3."

Johnny didn't hear the rest of the transmission because he was strapping on his gear. Stanley rushed to him.

"I just got a report there are two men trapped on the third floor. I've got the Squads tied up. They've got two critical and several burns, including a code I. Think you and Roy can go in a check things out," Stanley asked.
"No problem," Johnny said.

He rushed to his former partner and without much explanation, headed into the burning building.

They made their way to the third floor and looked over every inch of it, but were unable to locate any men.
"Captain Gage to Battalion 3. We're unable to locate anyone at this location. Can you verify," Johnny said.
"10-4. Get out of their guys. Everyone accounted for and this building is starting to go. Get out," Stanley called.

Johnny and Roy rushed back the way they came and found the way barred by a beam from the upper floor. They headed back, but were again trapped by smoldering debris. They backed themselves into the center of the building.

"Battalion 3, we can't get out. Searching for a window or other means of exit," Johnny said into the HT.

Before they could hear the reply from Stanley, Johnny tripped over a discarded chair, sending the HT flying across the floor.

"Are you OK," Roy asked his friend.

"Yeah, but we've got to get out of here. I don't think Hank heard me call our location," Johnny said.

Johnny and Roy quickly assessed their options.

They figured their only means of escape would be the window that was just out of the reach of Johnny, the taller of the two.

"I'm going to boost you up. Maybe you can get out," Johnny said.

"How are you going to get out," Roy asked.
"I'll get out. If something happens to you, Joanne will never forgive me," Johnny said.
Roy wanted to argue with his friend, but Johnny said, "Enough! Just climb on my shoulders."
Roy knew Johnny would throw him out the window if he could, so Roy climbed up and Johnny hoisted him to the window.

Roy knocked out the glass that wasn't already out of the window, sending shards down on the ground. Chet, who was doing some overtime with 51, saw what happened.

"Roy! Hold on! I'll get the ladder crew here," Chet said, racing to the ladder crew of Roy's station.

"Guys, Captains DeSoto and Gage are trapped. DeSoto's hanging out of the window over here," Chet said.

Roy was leaning out the window, when he felt the support on the lower part of his body leave him.

"JOHNNY," he yelled, but didn't get a response.

Roy saw the ladder making its way to the window and he wanted it to hurry up.

Chet helped Roy out of the window. "Johnny's collapsed. I don't know what happened," Roy said.
Chet leaned into the window and saw his friend on the floor. The smoke was thick and Chet knew he had to get Johnny out quickly.

Chet leaned out the window. "I'll lift him up, can you pull him," Chet asked.
The other fireman, Thomas Page, took Johnny from Chet as he passed him through the window. Johnny was carried down the ladder on Page's shoulder.

When Johnny arrived at the bottom of the ladder, Page placed him on the ground and the paramedics immediately began assessing him.
Roy stood off to the side, holding the oxygen mask over his face. He was going crazy not being able to participate in the care of his friend.

Jack Harold, a paramedic Roy had at his station during his training, was assessing Johnny.

Jack did his assessment and turned to Roy. "It looks like he has a bit of smoke inhalation. But it also looks like he has a fracture of his leg. Davis will splint him up and we'll take you both to the hospital," Jack said.
"I don't need to..." Roy started to say before Chet interrupted.

"You are going. Joanne will kill Johnny and anyone else she can get her hands on, if you don't," Chet said.

Roy slumped his shoulders, knowing he'd never win. He held onto the oxygen mask and sat in the back of the ambulance and watched as they loaded Johnny into the back.

As the ambulance made its journey to the hospital, Johnny awoke and tugged at his Oxygen mask.
"Leave that there, Johnny," Jack said.

"I'm fine, Pally. We're taking you to Rampart," Roy said.

Johnny settled back down and closed his eyes again, unable to believe that he'd be injured again.