Title: Rememories – Pt. 2

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Emergency! is owned by Universal and Mark VII Productions. I make no profit from my imagination—only a personal joy and peace.

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Roy worked well with just about everyone. He remembered that he had his share of temporary partners when Johnny was ill or injured, and he found a way to make the best of every situation. Since the tragedy ten days ago that claimed the lives of two Firemen and hospitalized another Fireman/Paramedic AND, incapacitated their Captain, many LA County Firefighters were pulling extra shifts at Station 99. It was not often that one Station had such a high number of casualties, but sometimes it happened that way. Roy had two subs at his Station this shift and one was Gil Robinson. Gil trained with Roy and Johnny when he took Paramedic Training and he had excellent skills in the field. Since he had known Johnny in high school, he was worried about him.

"Hey, Cap, how's Gage doin'?" He asked, with a slight emphasis on "Cap" since it was the first time he served under Roy since his promotion. Roy sighed deeply. He felt like he should just wear a sign that said "Please don't ask me how Johnny is…'cuz I don't really know, myself." But, Roy immediately felt guilty for his irritation and countered.

"He's as good as can be expected, I guess, Gil. He's not eating or sleeping well, but after what he went through…most of us would be the same." Roy offered, giving a shrug to his shoulders. He couldn't imagine being in Johnny's shoes and wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy…or, even Craig Brice, for that matter.

"He didn't look very good at the funerals. He looked pale and thin…man, Gage can't stand to lose much more weight. He's gonna waste away to nothin'." Gil observed. Roy nodded his agreement.

"He was pretty insistent on attending both services…being their Captain 'n all. I thought he should stay home and rest. But, Brackett told 'im he could go if he felt up to it, so he did. I'm not sure it got the results Johnny or Brackett wanted, though." Roy sighed again, showing his exasperation at Johnny's slow recovery.

"Well, Roy…'m sure he will be okay given time. Has he seen anyone…like a counselor or a shrink?" Gil queried, immediately realizing the question would likely go unanswered due to the nature of his subordination to the two, now-Captains.

Roy shook his head. "It's always a fight getting Johnny to do what's best for himself…but, then it will be a fight getting Johnny to see anyone…you know how he hates shrinks." Roy chuckled despite the grim topic and realized he was on the edge of sharing too much.

Gil laughed a bit as well. "Yeah, it's like pullin' teeth to get him to ask for help. But, if counseling is the best thing…" Roy nodded as Gil's thought trailed, and began to say something when the tones sounded calling the Squad into action.

As Roy acknowledged the call and sent the Squad on its way, he watched the lights fade into the distance, he silently hoped that Brackett would require Johnny to see someone. "Since he's not talkin' to me, he needs to talk to someone." Roy rationalized as he allowed the Bay doors to finally close. "He needs to talk to someone."

E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!

Johnny could feel the heat rising and his air tank alarm was sounding. He would be out of air in just a few minutes. He looked around and saw three other Firemen who had been knocked down by the explosion as well. Those were HIS men. He jumped to his feet and began to search for a safe place for retreat. He felt the door close to him and it was cool to the touch. He used his right leg to force the door open and, only then, realized that his leg was bleeding. "To hell with me." He thought. So, he disregarded his own injuries and searched the room for windows. There was only one window and it was very high, but the fire had yet to spread to that room. It would be safe, for now.

Johnny began the grueling duty of collecting the bodies of his fallen men, two linemen and a Paramedic. All three were from Station 99. His Station. Captain Gage had entered the building with one of his Paramedics, Greg Daniels, to check for more victims and to let the hose crews know that they were to evacuate very soon. He could tell that the building was a ticking time bomb and would soon become a deathtrap. Since Greg's partner had left in the ambulance with another victim, Johnny put on his gear and didn't think twice. He had kept up his Paramedic Certification and, down deep, he would always be a Rescue Man. So, when Greg needed a partner…there was no one else to send as far as he was concerned.

When he got Greg's body moved, he quickly returned for the other two. The men were "dead weight", and Johnny hoped that it was because of their breathing apparatus and not that they were already…gone. As he got all three of his men through the door, he slammed it shut, hard, and reached for his HT. He wanted to be sure there was help on the way. As he brought the radio to his face, he heard the alarm go off on his SCBA again. That meant he was out of air and he could feel that was the case. He pulled off his mask to call for help.

"HT-99 to Engine 99, do you read?" He hoped that he could be heard above all the noise of the fire and his own breathing. When the reply was delayed, he tried again. "HT-99 to Engine 99, DO YOU READ?" He yelled. He took a deep breath as he regarded the bodies of three fallen Firemen in front of him. "C'mon…C'mon…" He muttered impatiently.

"Engine 99, we read you HT-99. Where are you, Cap?" Came the voice his Engineer, Doug March.

"Doug," damn protocol. "we are trapped on the third floor. I have three Code I's…we need help fast. My air tank is out and theirs are low, too. You gotta get us outta here, FAST." He called to his crewman. Doug gulped as he looked at the building that threatened now to collapse completely. He prayed for the greater part of Station 99—four men in all—who were now trapped inside.

"10-4, HT-99, we are on our way!" Doug replied as he listened to his Captain describe where they were trapped. Then Doug realized he couldn't make that decision, so he ran to Chief Stanley. He tried to maintain composure the best he could. "Uh, Chief, Sir…uh," He was failing miserably.

"Spit it out, Son. What is it?" Chief Stanley demanded.

"Yes, Sir, Chief. Captain Gage and three of our men from 99's are stuck on the third floor in an anterior room, Sir. I just got off the horn with Captain Gage and he said that his air tank is out and the other men are all Code I's and low on air, too." Doug let out a long breath when he finished his report.

"I got this, Pal." Chief Stanley reassured the Engineer who was beginning to look a little green. "Station 51 and Station 14," He barked into the radio, "we have four firemen trapped on the 3rd floor. Let's get two crews in there as soon as we have the all-clear from Battalion." Radio traffic increased and Johnny could hear that help was on the way.

Johnny put the HT down and pulled off his gloves. He returned to Paramedic mode and began the check of his men for signs of life. He found a pulse on all three men and began his assessment of their injuries. He ran his hands expertly over Greg's neck, shoulders, arms, torso, pelvis and legs. When he got to the man's right tibia and fibula, the man gasped. Thinking he had caused his man pain, Johnny yelled above the noise of the fire, "'M sorry, Greg…can you hear me?"

"Cap…'sthat you?" Greg mumbled into his mask. Johnny nodded his head and put himself into the man's line of sight. Greg tried to reach up to pull his mask away, and panicked when he couldn't move his arms. "Cap, I can't move my arms…or my legs…what the hell is going on?" Johnny's suspicion of a broken neck had been confirmed.

"Greg…just calm down. It's gonna be okay. I will get you outta here as soon as possible and the Docs at Rampart will fix you up!" Johnny tried to reassure his man.

Greg allowed the words to sink in, but asked, "How bad is it, Cap?" Johnny took a quick glance toward the others who looked like broken toys lying on the floor. He looked into the Paramedic's eyes and told the truth.

"Greg, you may have a neck fracture, you've got some broken ribs, and a compound tib/fib fracture..maybe some internal injuries. Just stay still while I check the others. Help is on the way, man." He hoped his last words would bring comfort to his Patient, yes that was what he was. But, he was also Johnny's crewmember. He couldn't let these men die…not on his watch! Johnny also knew it would bring him little comfort if he was told the same thing he'd just told Greg. But, he knew he could not lie to his man.

Johnny jumped over Greg and checked the other Firefighters. Johnny had come to know both men well over the months they had served together and he regarded them fondly. They were both characters and jokesters…much like Chet Kelly had been during his days at 51's. Jameson and Baker were their names and others at 99's often referred to them as "Frick and Frack." He leaned over them now, talking to them and reassuring them that help was on the way.

His hands moved over the men's extremities as he checked for wounds and broken bones. He made mental notes of their injuries as he heard their tank alarms go off a second time. He slowly pulled Jameson's mask away and noticed he had stopped breathing. Johnny quickly checked for a pulse and found none. He pulled the man's turnout coat open and ripped his shirt as he performed a "cardiac thump" to see if the man would revive. When he didn't, Johnny began CPR. After what seemed an eternity, he checked for a pulse again and found none. He continued CPR until he felt Greg behind him, attempting to move his head. He turned sharply and yelled, "Daniels, I told you to stay still man! You're gonna make things a whole lot worse!" Daniels acquiesced and remained still, though he was worried about his Captain and crewmates.

Johnny sighed loudly and moved to the other man, Baker. He found no pulse on him either. After 10 minutes of CPR, Johnny was completely spent and had no more energy to continue. He coughed and hacked as the thick smoke threatened to take what breath he had left. He looked down at the two men he'd lost, shook his head back and forth as he sunk back on his heels and stared at Greg. "I won't let you die, man." He promised. And, they waited for help to arrive.

Johnny woke in a cold sweat. He rubbed his eyes to try to erase the vision of the dead Firemen from his mind. But, it was a losing battle. "'M sorry, guys…'m sorry." He cried softly as he sunk back onto the pillow and sobbed.

TBC