This chapter is a bit shorter, but you've waited long enough for an update. I plan on having more for you real soon! Hope you like this. Thank you to all of you who are following this story.

ROCK ME GENTLY

By: Lady Gage

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Three

Hank could see the shocked look on Mike's face. He smiled knowingly and decided to rescue his friend. "Thank you Dixie for letting us know. We'll head on back upstairs in a few minutes."

Dixie turned to Hank, "Okay. I'll check on all of you in a little while. I'm sure Roy is worrying himself sick as well."

"Joanne is with him now. She'll take good care of him."

"I saw her before she went up. She stopped by the desk looking for him." She smiled and patted Hank's arm. "Well I guess I had better get back to work."

Hank returned to his spot leaning against the truck beside Mike. "So you were about to tell me about that kiss."

Mike thought about the moment Johnny's lips met his. Before he knew what was happening, Johnny had silently closed the gap between them. His hands moved up and gently held his face. Johnny looked deeply into his eyes blinking slowly. What he saw in the coffee brown eyes was desire, hopelessly desperate desire. His heart raced with his own need and in the next instant Johnny was kissing him, hard and full on the lips.

When the kiss ended and Johnny stepped back, Mike raised his eyes to meet Johnny's and an intense heat raced through him that seemed to pulse through his veins right into his soul. He was lost in those eyes, lost in a sea of passion and want that called to him. The heat reached his lips still tingling from the sensation of Johnny's kiss.

"It was just a kiss." Mike said absently.

Hank had been watching the expressions moving across Mike's face. "Oh come on Mike, I can see it written all over your face. That was not just a kiss."

A soft laugh escaped and a smile spread across Mike's face. "No…it wasn't. I tell ya Hank. That had to be the most passionate kiss I've ever had. He said more with that one kiss than he could have ever put into words. Any doubts I had about how he felt melted away as soon as he pressed his lips against mine." Suddenly Mike realized that Hank might not be very comfortable listening to him talking this way about Johnny. "Are you sure you're okay hearing all this?"

"Yes, Mike. I know how important this is, to you and to Johnny. He's shared some things with me in the past. I can't talk about them, because that's his story to tell, but I can tell you that I'm not all that surprised that things went so well for you last night."

"Well like I said we decided to go to dinner. We didn't even finish watching the ball game." He shrugged and smiled shyly.

Hank smiled back at him and nodded. He had thought once the two friends had a chance to get together without the distraction of the Phantom they would have more in common than they thought.

After a couple of minutes, Mike continued the story. "Johnny wanted to go to this little steak place over on the Redondo Beach boardwalk. I'm tellin' ya Hank that was the best steak I've had in a long time. Just looking at the outside of the place you would think it was just some dive bar, but Johnny really knows where to get a good steak." Mike grew quiet again.

"So what did you guys talk about?"

"He's really a very deep person. Did you know that? Who would have ever guessed it? I mean he's always bouncing around everywhere carrying on about one thing or another at work. I never really stopped to think he actually paid attention to the news at all. Well except when he's going camping and wants to check the weather. He amazed me with the things he talked about. I mean like the global economy, the novels that he's read on the best seller list. Hell, I didn't even realize he read books. I guess I never really thought about it. Oh and then there's his knowledge of wines. Did you know he goes to wine tastings? Our Johnny Gage is a bit of a socialite. The chef even came out and spoke to him. They knew each other well." Mike's eyes were wide with appreciation.

Hank chuckled at Mike. For a second he thought he was talking to Johnny the way Mike rattled on.

"What?"

Hank shrugged, "You just sounded so much like Johnny."

"Oh, um…sorry."

"Don't be sorry Mike. I knew you two had a lot in common." Hank patted him on the back. "So what happened after dinner?"

"That's when we went for a walk on the beach." Mike's eyes seemed to take on a dreamy look as he remembered. "We walked from the restaurant down to the end of the boardwalk and right out onto the beach. I think he planned it that way. He didn't say much as we walked. He really took it all in, watching the waves roll in. He pointed out the constellations and explained what they signified in his culture. It was a very special time. We didn't get home until well after midnight." Mike paused and looked at Hank. "I invited him to stay."

Hank knew Mike had more to his story, but he wasn't sure he wanted to hear that part. At least not right now. What he did know is that he had helped Mike calm down enough for the two of them to head back inside to see if anyone had any news on Johnny's surgery. "I'm sure Johnny would agree with you that you guys had a good time together."

Mike smiled at his friend. "Yeah, guess you don't want to hear about the details."

"I think we need to head back upstairs and see how things are going." Hank pushed off the truck and started walking toward the Emergency room entrance. Mike followed him.

Once inside they stopped by Dixie's desk. "Any news Miss…um…Dixie?"

Dixie smiled at Hank's use of her given name. "No Hank…nothing new. Are you two heading back upstairs?"

"Yes ma'am." Hank noticed that Mike had once again developed a red blush. He was still embarrassed that Dixie knew about he and Johnny.

"Well," Dixie came around the desk and linked her arm in the crook of Mike's arm. "I think I'll ride up the elevator with you, and we can all find out together. Besides, I know this one wants to see him as soon as possible."

Mike's already blushing face turned beet red.

Hank laughed at Mike's discomfort. "I think you're right Dixie. I think you're right." He slapped Mike on the back. "Let's go."

"He looked so bad. They needed my permission." Roy spoke softly. Joanne could hear the strain in his voice. She could see the way his eyebrows raised in the middle and he bit the inside of his lip. Roy was stressed. Johnny must have looked really bad.

"Because you're listed as next of kin?" Joanne continued the circular motion she rubbed on Roy's back. "You know you really had no choice to make. He had to have the surgery…to save his life. He will get through this. We have to think positive."

Roy sat up a little straighter. "Yeah…yes…yes he will. He'll get through this and we'll help him like we always do."

"We sure will." Joanne stopped the rubbing and brought her hand around and placed it on Roy's hands cupping his in hers. He looked into her eyes, and she smiled. "We will take him home with us if that's what he needs us to do. We will support him any way we can. You know that sweet heart. We always will. He's going to be just fine." She could tell she was getting through to Roy he smiled a little and pulled her closely and kissed her gently on the lips.

Marco and Chet entered the chapel, walked to the front, knelt, crossed themselves and slipped into a pew.

"Do you think Johnny will be all right this time?" Chet asked his best friend.

"I'm praying that he will." Marco slid down to rest his knees on the kneeling bench at the base of the pew in front of him and began quietly praying in Spanish. Chet kneeled next to him, folded his hands and rested his forehead on them while he listened to the soft sounds Marco made in prayer. They stayed that way for a long time before sliding back onto the seat behind them.

"He has to be all right Marco. We need him at the station."

"I know Chet. I know he's your friend…behind all the fun and pretending he isn't, you care about him. We all know." Marco patted Chet on his shoulder.

Chet worked very hard to make everyone think that Johnny was just his pigeon and aggravated him to no end. He was uncomfortable with the idea that they really knew different. He slumped back in the pew. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I…I mean yes you are right, but don't tell anyone okay? It would ruin my image."

"Okay Pal, I won't tell anyone." Marco stood. "Let's get back upstairs."