Dr. Brackett kept vigil over the line, waiting for an update from Roy. Dixie had taken the liberty of setting up Exam Room 1 and informing Dr. Joe Early about the situation. The seasoned doctor walked out of the room and over the enclosed area to speak with Dr. Brackett.

"Kel? Any word on Johnny?" He asked with a calm demeanor as he stood next to his colleague by the emergency lines.

"Not yet. I'm waiting for Roy."

"What happened? Dixie said Johnny was in a car that fell from a bridge?" His tone carried his confusion as he double checked the story with Kel.

"I don't know all the details myself, what I do know is that Johnny could be in deep trouble."

'Rampart, this is 51. How do you read?'

"Rampart here, we read you just fine 51."

While Dr. Brackett answered the call Dr. Early looked over the vitals that had been relayed to the hospital.

'Rampart,' Roy continued, his voice a little garbled by the loud whirring of the spinning helicopter blades. 'victim's status has remained unchanged. He is still unconscious but is not suffering any breathing difficulty. E.T.A.: two minutes.'

"10-4 51, continue to administer oxygen. We'll be waiting for you."

'10-4.'

"Kel," Dr. Early placed the notepad with the vitals back on the counter. "this doesn't look good. I think it's safe to assume that Johnny is in coma."

Dr. Brackett sighed wearily. "I think you're right. But we won't know for sure until we see him."

Roy kneeled over his unconscious partner as the helicopter hovered over the landing pad. "Hang in there, we're at Rampart." Roy continued to talk to Johnny as if Johnny were conscious and aware of everything. It was widely believed that when a person is unconscious or comatose that the person was still able to hear people speaking.

Despite Johnny playing the role of the patient on numerous occasions, it was always difficult for Roy to see his partner hurt. Roy had seen Johnny knocked down, knocked out, and even on the brink of death. But Johnny somehow always managed to beat the odds, get back up and keep moving without breaking stride.

This time something felt different. Something felt like it was somehow missing.

"Johnny? You still there?" Roy asked as he put his hand on Johnny's chest. "Stay with me, alright?"

The helicopter gently landed on the pad and signaled through his window for the two waiting orderlies to approach.

The side door of the helicopter opened and the orderlies carefully lowered Johnny down from the helicopter onto the gurney. Roy walked next to the gurney, holding the I.V. bad in his hand.

"Don't worry!" One of the orderlies yelled over the slowing but still loud helicopter. "Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early are waiting for him! Last year my kid brother was in a car accident and they patched him up, good as new!"

Roy smirked a little. This orderly was surely new to the hospital, it wasn't a secret to either Johnny or Roy that Rampart had two of the best doctor's in the state working in the emergency department.

Dixie exited Exam Room 1 and approached the two patiently waiting doctors standing by the emergency bay. "Kel, Joe, I was just called. The helicopter has landed."

As if on cue the gurney with Johnny was wheeled into the hospital. Roy, still covered in mud and a little blood, managed to hide his mounting concern as he stood next to the gurney.

Dr. Brackett approached the unconscious man and began checking Johnny's pupils with the small penlight from his pocket. "Pupillary response unchanged." He then motioned for the orderlies to continue wheeling the gurney.

Dixie lead the way. "Exam Room 1." She held the door open for the orderlies and Dr. Early.

Just as Roy was about to take a step Dr. Brackett stopped him. "Roy, how long was it before you got him out of the car?"

"Um..." Roy struggled to pull the detail from his racing mind. "About six minutes. Yeah, we went after him pretty quickly. Why?"

"When you found him, was his head or neck bent an odd angle?"

"No..." Roy was alarmed by the question. "Doc, what's going on?"

Dr. Brackett took a moment to mentally steady himself before answering. "I'm worried that if his airway was obstructed he may have been without oxygen for a significant amount of time."

Roy felt the color drain from his face. "Doc, are you telling me Johnny may have suffered brain damage?"

"I'm not sure. It's difficult to diagnose the severity of any possible existing brain damage without an x-ray. I just want to know as many details as possible."

"Yeah... right..." Roy felt very little comfort in Dr. Brackett's logic.

Dr. Brackett could see how worried Roy was for the health of his partner. He put his hand on Roy's shoulder. "C'mon, let's go check on your partner."

Dr. Early and Dixie were with Johnny in the exam room.

Johnny still had the neck brace in place and was still on oxygen. Dixie was checking his blood pressure while Dr. Early carefully examined the large cut on Johnny's forehead. "Dix, get x-ray down here."

"Right, Joe. B.P. is 110/80." She mentioned as she walked to the phone on the nearby wall.

Dr. Brackett and Roy walked into the room. Roy stood out of the way, leaning on the far wall with his eyes glue on his partner.

Dr. Brackett stood next to Dr. Early picked up Johnny's wrist to check for a pulse. "What've you got Joe?"

"Definite concussion, possible skull fracture. Dixie is calling for x-ray now."

Roy flinched at the prognosis.

"Damn." Dr. Brackett checked Johnny's eyes again. "No change."

The world around Roy seemed to slow. He watched in a trance as the doctors continued to exam and check Johnny's condition with expert knowledge and training. As the x-ray was wheeled into the room, Roy felt Dixie gently pulling on his arm.

"C'mon Roy. Let's wait outside with the others."

Roy allowed Dixie to pull him from the wall and take his arm under her own. Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early were standing outside the exam room with grim facades.

"Roy?" Dixie saw the vacant look in Roy's eyes. "Come with me. Let's talk."

...to be continued...