Chapter 4

"I'm sorry, Mr. DeSoto. Just one more angle and I should be done."

Roy tried desperately to be stoic as George repositioned him for another x-ray shot. But the pain was starting to take hold. Previously, his chest had felt tight with a few threads of pain responding to the shifting. The skull series hadn't been too uncomfortable but now the moving and adjusting for the chest series was taking its toll.

"That bruise sure has a funny shape to it. You sure the car wasn't sitting on you, Mr. DeSoto?" George asked the question, not really expecting an answer. He had heard from two of the nurses about the horrible scene and was just grateful he had a patient to x-ray.

Roy tried looking down at his ribcage to see what George was referring to but just couldn't get the right angle from his flat position. Honestly, he wasn't really that interested. He had nothing against George and his machine but really just wanted him to go away. He closed his eyes. But as quickly as they closed, they reopened. The image of a car coming towards him was all Roy could see as his brain replayed those horrific moments.

"Easy, now," Roy heard George say. "I'm all finished. I'll send Ms. Dixie back in."

Roy fought to calm himself as he listened to the sounds of the door opening and the squeak of the wheels of the machine and its technician leaving the room. The door closed quietly and he was left with his thoughts. He tried not to think about what had happened, but the pain in his chest and the sting of the cuts on his face continued to remind him of how close a call he had had. Giving into it, he tried to remember what he had done to escape being killed. Roy vaguely remembered pushing Dr. Brackett out of the way. It had been a fireman's instinct more than rational thinking. There had been no time to think. He remembered placing his helmet in front of him like some useless shield and then consciously sliding to the floor. He must have hit his head because he didn't remember anything after that until he woke up, looking at Dr. Brackett's bandaged face above him.

Now that he thought about it, what made him put the helmet in front of him instead of on his head? A little flimsy metal hat taking on a two ton car. In those few precious seconds, had he really thought he could protect himself with it? Just thinking about it, made him struggle to breath and he found it difficult to swallow.

The sound of the door opening and the soft shoe fall told him Dixie McCall was back. She immediately set to taking a new set of vitals. "You don't look like you took too well to George's picture-taking, Roy. Tell me what's going on."

Roy tried to find his voice but no words would come. Dixie's face was a little fuzzy and the pain in his chest was climbing to new heights. Dixie reached for the oxygen mask, and raised up the head of the bed. "Take some slow shallow breaths, Roy. I'll see if we can get you something for that pain." She watched for a few seconds while the color started to come back to Roy's cheeks and his breathing evened out. "Better?"

Roy managed a nod and watched as she slipped out the door again. The door didn't completely shut as Captain Stanley poked his head in. Seeing that Roy was awake, Hank came in and made his way to the bedside.

"Hey, Roy. Just thought I'd see for myself that you are doing okay. Considering."

Roy managed a weak smile and a thumbs up. He wasn't sure about "doing okay" but realized that he and his captain knew it was better than the alternative. It was then he thought what it must have been like for his station crew to be on the rescue end of things. He knew what it felt like the number of times he had been in their place, rescuing or giving medical attention to one of them. Tension for any victim was a given but anxiety for a co-worker and friend was always more intense. They knew each other as friends and crew mates. They knew the families waiting at home.

"Well, gotta get back to the station for B shift to relieve us. We'll be checking on you later."

Roy reached up and removed the oxygen mask. "Hey, Cap? Have you seen Johnny?"

Stanley hesitated slightly before answering. "Uh, yeah, he had to take a little break and then I think he was going to make sure someone had called your wife. He'll be in before he heads back to the station." With that, the captain waved at Roy and headed out the door. After a few moments, Dixie was back with Dr. Early in tow. "Oh good," Roy thought. "Some pain meds, finally."

He glanced over towards Dr. Early who was looking at the x-rays he had just put up on display. After a few moments, he turned back to Roy with one of his signature smiles.

"Well, Roy, I don't know how you did it. You came out of this with nothing too major. You have 3 broken ribs on your right side and two fractured on the left. You have a slight concussion from where you cracked your head on the floor. None of the cuts and scrapes on your face need stitches. The worst injury is this hematoma on your chest."

Roy took in a sharp breath as the doctor pressed gently on the circular bruise. "Sorry," Joe whispered. He stepped back and gave Dixie instructions on the dosage and timing of pain medication. "Let's get those cuts cleaned up and then settle him into a room." He turned back to Roy. "I think we'll keep you at least a couple of nights just to make sure there are no complications. Because of the concussion and your respiratory difficulties today, I'm going to be cautious on the pain mediation so you may have an uncomfortable night. But that is better than risking any complications."

Roy wasn't really paying attention to what the doctor was saying. As soon as he heard that his injuries were relatively minor, he began to let himself relax. Sore ribs and a headache he could deal with. Six weeks off for broken ribs was sure better than any alternative. He let his eyes close momentarily. But the images of a speeding car and the squeal of brakes rushed back the minute his eyes closed. He felt his body jerk, his eyes flew open and he gasped in pain.

"Roy? What's wrong?"

"I can't…I'm sorry, Dr. Early." Roy's respirations were ragged from the fear and the pain. "This is crazy! Every time I shut my eyes, I see that car coming at me again, and I see myself pushing Dr. Brackett…" Roy couldn't understand why he couldn't get the images out of his head. He felt Dixie's hand rubbing his arm gently and heard Dr. Early's hushed tones, giving her more instructions. Dixie replaced the oxygen mask with a cannula and placed it under Roy's nose. "Let's keep the oxygen on him, at least through the night." As Dixie filled out Roy's chart, Dr. Early turned his attention back to his patient.

"Roy, it's not surprising for you to be having these flashbacks. You've just been through a very frightening and life-threatening experience. I've going to give you something that may help quiet that anxiety. Just a very mild sedative. Hopefully that will help you relax and you'll be able to get some rest."

Roy tried to breathe through the pain and thought that Dr. Early was being rather optimistic. The images were so real; it was like it was happening all over again. Only it seemed his senses somehow were heightening the intensity of the scene. The car was bigger, faster. The screech of the tires and squeal of the brakes were louder. The feel of the helmet pressing against his chest was unbearable and it began to crush against him, stealing his breath away.

"Roy."

He jumped again, as Dixie pressed a cup of water in his right hand and a pill in his left. She nodded at his questioning look and watched as he swallowed the pill. "Drink all of that water," she said. He complied and handed her the empty cup.

"I'm sorr…"

"Nuh, uh, uh, mister," Dixie interrupted. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

Roy anxiously waited to feel the effects of the sedative. He didn't hold out much hope, knowing the dosage would be very low due to the concussion and bruising on his chest. With the little bit of aspirin he was given, he prayed that he would indeed be able to rest without reliving the accident yet again. The flashbacks made him unsettled to say the least. They made him feel like a coward at best. He was alive, why should he still be feeling scared? He was essentially in one piece although his body would bear the marks for a few weeks. He survived. Then a new thought occurred.

"Who was in the car? Is the driver okay?"

Roy watched as a smirk passed between Joe and Dixie. Dixie's look was more like a slow steam with an eye roll that spoke volumes.

"Yes, Roy. The two people in the car are just fine," Dr. Early said. "It seems a little alcohol and marijuana led them to believe the woman was in labor. She's not due for another three months and was not anywhere close to being in labor. She was having a bad case of indigestion."

Dixie couldn't hold back what she really thought. "It will be a miracle if that baby is healthy when it finally does enter this world. And there is no way those two should be allowed to parent any child."

Roy didn't hear Dixie's last comment. Knowing there were no other victims, combined with the sedative and aspirin, he was finally able to close his eyes. No speeding car came at him and no screech of tires. He would finally get a little rest. For now.