JoAnne was startled, to say the least. She put a hand on Roy's arm. "What's wrong? Where do you want to go, sweetheart?"

He did not answer as he leapt out of bed and reached for the telephone. He dialed the familiar number, and prayed Johnny would answer. He would even have been relieved to hear Melinda's voice first. He let the phone ring ten times, but there was no answer. He cursed under his breath as he hung up.

He turned to JoAnne, who was still sitting up in bed, staring at him.

"Jo, there is something wrong with Johnny. I can feel it. He needs help."

She frowned a bit, trying to put the pieces together. "I thought you said he was living with a girl. She can help him if he's in trouble, can't she?"

"Please, Jo. Trust me. We have to go. I will tell you all about it in the car. Just…" His blue eyes were pleading with her to understand.

She nodded and kissed him quickly. She did trust him. If he said John needed him, she believed him. She stood and dressed quickly, as Roy got their few things together and packed the duffle. He was headed to the door when she stopped him, amusement in her voice.

"How will you explain the fact you have no clothes on to your partner?"

Roy stopped dead, and looked down. He grinned sheepishly. "Oops."

He pulled out the clothes he had hurriedly packed, and got dressed. He quickly zipped the bag. He helped Jo with her coat, then put on his own jacket and grabbed his keys, after leaving a tip for the maid.

Jo did a quick tour of the room to make sure nothing had been forgotten. As he watched her, Roy was stabbed with a pang of guilt. He hated ruining their trip, but he knew there was no choice. He also knew Jo had already forgiven him. He pushed the thoughts aside as they headed to the Porsche.

Once they were on the freeway, Roy began to tell her the story…about how he did not trust her.

"What hit me tonight is the thing about the camping story. Jo, that woman hates the outdoors! It's one of the things that just doesn't make sense about their relationship."

Jo was quiet for a few minutes, thinking. And Roy was quiet, as he knew she needed to process what he had said.

Finally, Jo spoke. "She's abusing him," she stated flatly. Her eyes were burning with rage at the realization. "That's what woke you up tonight." It was not a question.

Roy's heart dropped as Jo stated what he knew to be true. "Yeah."

The rest of the drive was made in near silence, as Roy concentrated on getting home as quickly as possible. They shared no more of their thoughts, but each was hurting inside. Jo knew that if Roy was anywhere near as angry as she was, Melinda had no chance at all.

As they neared Los Angeles, Roy asked, "Do you want me to drop you off at home?"

Jo had been thinking about it, and knew her answer even before Roy asked.

"No. I want to go with you. My little brother might need me." Roy nodded and said no more. He had expected exactly that answer. Even though he and Johnny had not spent much time together since he had been with Melinda, Johnny was still very much a part of their family. He had no one else besides his station-mates, and though he spent most of his time on his own, he knew he always had a place with the DeSotos.

With that decision made, he headed for the road that would take them out to Johnny's ranch. It had been his dream to own it, and through an inheritance, he was finally able to afford it. The place was his pride and joy, and Roy and his family had always loved visiting him there…at least, they had before Melinda. He shuddered, afraid of what they might find when they got there. Because the closer they got, the deeper the feeling of dread became.

~E!~

Johnny lay on the mattress, completely delirious. He weakly batted at the apparitions that kept haunting him. It was if his nightmares had come to life, and he was powerless to stop them. He had never realized that Fear and Pain were not just something you felt. He could see them now, as spirits, though they appeared as real as he was. They taunted him for his stupidity. They struck at him, and he felt every blow. Finally, he could take no more, and he cried out. "Stop, please, stop!"

He came awake, and lay panting slightly. The paramedic in him took over He was coherent enough to realize that he could be dying. He groaned and turned painfully onto his side. He tried to think. He knew it had been at least three days since he had been locked in the shed, but he had lost track of time. If this was really it, he decided, it was a completely stupid way to die. Random thoughts fluttered through his brain, none really landing long enough for him to catch. His vision began to blur, and his world, such as it was, faded out completely.

~E!~

Roy and Jo pulled into the driveway of the ranch. Johnny's Rover was there, which meant the story about camping had been false. He ran to the door, and knocked. There was no answer, and he and Jo quickly circled the house, trying to see in. Nothing. He ran to the barn, and was shocked when he saw the stalls completely empty. He began to holler for Johnny, half-hoping he would find him, and half-afraid of what he would find when he did.

He spotted the shed, and the lock on the door. He didn't think anything about it at first, since John normally locked all his outbuildings…but this one looked different, and he suddenly realized why. The windows were boarded over. Why would John do that to what looked to be a brand-new structure? The feeling of dread he had been feeling now became a full-blown panic. He rushed to the Porsche and got his tire iron from the trunk.

JoAnne, her face full of fear, joined him. He broke the lock, and pulled open the door. A rush of hot, fetid air greeted him, and he stepped inside. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight of his partner, naked and unconscious, laying on the mattress.

There was no time for words as he gave Jo the key to John's house and asked her to phone for help. He felt nauseated and furious, but knew now was not the time. He mentally stepped back, and let the paramedic side of him take over. This was not his partner…this was just another patient in trouble. As he began his assessment, he desperately wished his heart would listen to his head.

Jo was suddenly beside him, as he was checking John's vitals. "Help is on the way. ETA is about twenty minutes."

"Okay. Get me a bottle of water and some blankets. We must warm him up, and hydrate him, if we can. I'm gonna try to wake him up in the meantime. I don't know exactly what all is wrong."

Jo nodded and left again, as quickly as she had appeared.

Roy crouched down next to his partner. "Come on, Junior, don't die on me now."

~TBC~