Disclaimer: I don't own Emergency!

Warning: contains child abuse

Chapter ten

Johnny gave his daughter a big hug. Never in a million years would he want to leave her to go to some stupid seminar but he knew that somehow Savannah had to be okay; he would get a chance to see her when he got back. Smiling, he knew that the first thing he was going to do was pick her up and give her one humongous hug and a big kiss on her cheek. Now seeing her, he decided that if she didn't want him to go, he wouldn't and that all she had to do was say so.

"Sweetie, I'll stay if you want me to. Just say the word," he told her.

"Me be okay," Savannah told him.

He hugged her again but this time for several minutes. Letting her down he went to her eye level and looked into her eyes.

"If something happens I'll come home in the blink of an eye okay. I love you Savannah and I'll be here if you need me. Just remember okay," Johnny promised.

Savannah smiled.

"It okay, I be okay," Savannah reassured him.

Johnny continued.

"When I get back we can have a party. Gosh this is going to be the two year anniversary of when I first found out about you. You were one in a half and now you will be three in a half and still you're daddy's baby girl," he tweeked her nose and Savannah laughed but Johnny got serious again.

"Be okay, if you aren't call uncle's Marco, Mike, or Hank. Heck you could call any of your uncles or aunts at the hospital just don't let yourself be hurt sweetheart," Johnny told her.

Savannah nodded.

For a moment she considered telling her daddy to stay with her and to take her away from the mean man that hurt her but decided against it. She loved daddy but the way she heard uncle Kel explaining it, it was going to be good for her daddy and she didn't was to selfishly keep him here when it was very important.

"I love you baby girl and I'll be back and we can go hiking," Johnny promised.

Dean came to say his good bye to Johnny and Savannah slipped into the livingroom. As she began to watch her t.v program, she was now determined to keep her promises to her father. She'd be okay and when he got back she'd tell him everything.

Johnny couldn't believe he was heading to Denver with Roy but knowing that Savannah was going to be okay, he was now excited. Roy couldn't barely contain it himself. they hardly ever went out of the state before and this one was being paid for which made it even better.

When it landed, they were met by a Dr. William Winston. He was in his late thirties and was neat but professional and had a good sense of humor. Johnny was comforted at the fact that they weren't going to be with someone like Brice for the duration of the two months they were there.

"Maybe, if you are as good as I hear, you could be back in one month," Dr. Winston informed them.

He knew that the seminar was two months no matter what, but he knew that from the call with Dr. Brackett that the one paramedic was worrying about his daughter and having one himself, Dr. Winston understood.

"Really," Johnny asked disbelievably.

He nodded.

"Wow, this is better than I thought," Johnny said.

He just hoped that everything would be just as fine over there.

Savannah was playing with her toys when she was smacked in the back of her head. Lurching forward, she hit it on the bookshelf and let out a big, "Ow!" Trying to keep daddy Jones from seeing the tears that had started to form, she went back to doing the puzzle she had been working on completing. She was saved when her mom entered the room and saw the big bruise forming on her forehead.

"How did that get there sweetie," Claire asked her.

"I bumped it," Savannah lied eyeing daddy Jones. He seemed genuilly proud that she was able to come up with something suitable and was smiling.

"Here, some people from the firestation are going to watch you at the station for the day, you think you're up to it," Claire asked.

"Yeah," Savannah said having trouble containing her excitement.

She knew it was the wrong thing to do when her daddy Jones frowned. She refused to look into his eyes and instead let her mom dress her and carry her all the way to the car knowing she was going to get it later.

Johnny sighed as he tapped his fingers. The seminar was boring and pointless as he now wished that he was at Los Angeles with his daughter rather than here. It had been a month and they were annoyed that the plane had been delayed for several hours do to unexpected snow and in December! They didn't get this in California at this time year so they were not used to it. It looked like they were going to have another month of the seminar after all and although the good Dr. Winston was a very good guy, he missed his daughter in every way. From the way her eyes lit up after she saw him to the way she would smile lopsidely like Johnny himself when she was happy and her eyes would twinkle.

"Roy how could you go through this with your kids at home," Johnny asked him irritably.

Roy shrugged.

"I guess that I know that Jo would keep our kids safe and sound until I get back and I don't have to worry about the kids being hurt for when I get back," Roy explained.

Johnny nodded knowing how true it was. He just wished that he could talk to her and have her tell them that she was okay. He really wanted to see her on christmas day and spend that day with her like last year but knew that it wasn't going to happen. Sighing, Johnny continued to drum his fingers against the counter and wait on either the plane or the news that they were staying longer. Either way it was going to be a long wait.

Chet gave her another push on the swing watching the fact that Savannah just didn't seem into it. She had been a little happy getting a call from her father telling her how much he loved her and missed her but now she didn't seem to be happy about anything. He was surprised that she had another bruise on her forehead and her one eye looked a little wierd. He couldn't explain it as he continued to push the swing he knew that when the squad got back, he was going to have Brice and Dwyer check her out.

Marco announced lunch and Chet picked her up noticing how she didn't offer any resistance at all. Resigned that he'd have to wait until the squad showed up and hoping they weren't at Rampart wasting their time, he seated Savannah and shared a look with Mike.

"Why don't you eat this, It's your second favorite food," Marco told her.

Although she seemed to love enchiladas the best, she also loved tortillas. Marco was always explaining to her that in the two ll's were pronounced like a y but she kept on saying it with the two ll sounds instead of the y. It didn't bother him one bit and now seeing as she just stared at her plate, they all noticed how sad she was.

Hank put down his coffee and went across from her. Smiling he picked up her spoon and put a little portion in it before trying the airplane maneouver. It worked because she ate a bite at a time every time he did that but otherwise didn't touch it at all.

The squad returned and Chet jumped at the chance to get them to look her over. Dwyer shook his head while examining her noticing the bruises on her elbow, forehead, receding hairline, and on her upper lip. The thing that really scared them was the retinal hemmorrhage.

She seemed alright other than that yet they called it in and decided to give her a rided to Rampart hoping they could explain the obvious diminish in her appetite.

Dr. Early got the optemologist who was able to tell them the hemmorhage was not the cause of the appetite loss and with the procedure he did, all she needed was a little tlc. Dr. Early shook his head knowing that the court wouldn't do anything at all saying that the bruises were accidental and place her with her mother yet again.

"She seems depressed to me," Brice said bluntly on the way back to the station.

Dwyer nodded seeing how she not only greeted her favorite uncle Kel but she was not talking at all. It was like she was withdrawing inside herself and there was nothing that anyone could do to draw her out. She was so sad and her call from her father didn't even keep her happy long.

"What depresses me is knowing that she's going back to that house in two days," Dwyer commented.

Brice nodded.

He missed Christmas with his daughter and now he was going to miss new year's but Brice wasn't worried about that because Johnny was getting in the second of January and would make it up. He didn't want to admit it but he was concerned with the little girl. He always went by the book and knowing that the social workers couldn't obviously see this, he went truly bonkers over it.

"Maybe Johnny will be here then. It'll be five days early but then she won't go back to that house," Brice told him.

They pondered this and realized they were only hoping.

Claire spent the first day back with her daughter taking her shopping with Dean. While in the mall, Claire tried to get Savannah to give up the old white teddy bear but Savannah refused. It was a gift from her daddy and she was content to keep it as well as the itty bitty pink blanket he also got her that was still able to cover her at night.

Sighing but deciding not to pick a fight with her, Claire left it at that. Chase giggled contently from the stroller and pulled a handful of Savannah's hair. Not ever finding Savannah violent in anyway, she was surprised and shocked when the girl bonked the little one year old in the head. Dean instantly picked her up and started yelling in her face before Claire could do anything about it. The rest of the time kept Claire busy holding the sobbing girl as she futily tried to get her to stop crying but gabe up and finally took them home.

The next day Claire smiled as she took the children to the backyard and played with them but mostly paid her attention to Savannah. The girl was degrading mentally and not only was having behavioral problems but settled for yelling, kicking, biting, and crying which was unusual for her. She had always been a sweet girl in the past and now she stopped talking and resorted to these type of things and it scared Claire.

She pushed Savannah back and forth on the swing hoping to get her to open up but there was no way. Sighing she was glad that her father was going to be here in two more days because he could always get her to open up to him. Savannah was still lolling back and forth like she was in her own world and was muttering words that Claire couldn't even understand.

Finally she took the kids inside and decided to put them in bed. If only she knew what was happening to Savannah at the moment she wouldn't be so calm.

Savannah had done it again but this time she threw a shoe that bonked off her little half brothers head and Claire busily tried to sooth the infant. She didn't look sorry that she did it and Dean reassured her that he was going to take care of it. Finally after loud screaming and things she could only imagine were Savannah's tandrums, Dean emerged closing the door behind him.

"She's going to take a nap and think about what she's done. Then when Daddie gets here later today, she'll explain to him," Dean said with a relieved look.

Claire was relieved too because Johnny had called saying he was now coming home early because he didn't want to miss New Year's with Savannah. She was glad that even though Johnny was mad at her, he's been a really good father going above and behind any other's expectations. Her mother even thought that she should have never let him go. She smiled and nodded to Dean that she had understood everything he said.

Dean picked up Chase and gave Claire a sweet and tender kiss.

"Maybe she'll shape up when she finds that she is going to have another sibling," he told her.

"Another blonde haired sibling," Claire said with a sigh as she stroke Chase's hair.

Dean smiled.

"That what makes them cute. I'm not saying the little girl is but she sure has always been trouble," Dean joked.

Claire smiled but frowned as she begin to think of the past. The incident that had happened when Savannah was only nine months and she had entirely forgot about.

"Did you do anything to her," Claire asked seriously.

"No Claire, god when the girl was nine months, I was just angry. She was sick with the flu and screaming and crying for you. I didn't mean to beat her then but I haven't touched her since and I swear," Dean said.

She didn't know what to believe anymore but decided to catch a few snoozes so she left Chase with Dean and went off to her bedroom.

Later when she woke up she was startled to see Savannah at the foot of the bed at first but surprise was replaced by shock when she saw how white she looked and how much she was shaking.

"Baby what's wrong," she asked.

"Mo'y I 'on 'el goyd," she stammered and slurred making it obvious that she was a lot sicker than she could comprehend.

Claire quickly picked up her daughter and rushed her to the couch and then yelled at a shocked Dean to call 9-1-1. When the call was made quickly, Claire knew that Savannah was bad. She started to seize and scream for daddy. All she could do was make sure that she didn't hurt her head as she struggled to contain the tears that threatened to fall.

Dean brought the two paramedics into the living room. Brice and Dwyer were shocked at the state that Savannah was in and gave the vitals and condition to Rampart over the biophone. They were glad that at least the seizures seized but when the ambulance arrived, they were advised to watch her condition and as they started the I.V they knew it was serious.

Dwyer went into the ambulance with her and continued to relay vitals every two minutes. She seemed really out of it and her glazed eyes stared in wonder as she seemed to be searching him.

"Daddy?" she asked.

Dwyer shook his head.

"Sweetie, daddy's coming soon so just hold on okay," Dwyer told her.

Dr. Brackett seemed to worry each second knowing her condition was deterationg quickly. The only thing he could do was wish that she was still alive when she arrived. Still not knowing who the victim was other than the fact that the victim was almost four years old, he hated to think what the child must have suffered. He kept thinking back to Savannah Gage and wondered if that little girl was okay not knowing that it was Savannah that was the victim.

Back in the ambulance Savannah's head lolled from side to side.

"D'dy J'ns ht my," she tried to tell but the increasing respiratory problem kept her from continuing.

Swearing loudly, Dwyer got on to Rampart and told of the respiratory failure and then with the permission from Dr. Brackett, he inserted an airway. Next and to his horror, her heart stopped and no amount of shocking brought her back to sinus rythm. He tried the lidocaine and atrophene but it diddn't work and now instead of the hope that she'd survive, she was going to the hospital as a DOA. He knew that Johnny was due back in an hour and when he found out that instead of the trip with her he had planned, he was going to have to bury his little girl. He held back a sob and put a sheet over her head.

At Rampart, Dr. Brackett never lost control when he lost a victim although he was always angered he couldn't help them, but when he saw who the victim had been, he angirly pounded his fist on the nurse's station table and tried to get control of his emotions. He was extremly angry and he knew that Johnny would feel a hellava lot angrier and depressed.

"Dwyer how is-" Brice stopped already knowing the outcome.

Never before had Brice thought of something in the system that was so corrupted but now seeing the little girl back there, he knew just how corrupted that system was. It allowed a little girl to return to the house repeatedly where she was being beat and now as a result she lost her life.

"We should tell the guys back at the station," Dwyer said sadly.

Brice just nodded.

He didn't even complain when they arrived and the squad was left unlocked. How could he when the little girl had the law against her instead of for her and was murdered.

"We have something to tell ya," Dwyer started.

He stopped losing his voice when he saw Roy and Johnny arrive back from the airport where they had gone to Denver. He knew that they had only taken one car and that Johnny was going to pick up his at the station and then see Savannah. He quickly went over to them shocking the other crew mates that didn't know the news.

"Hey Dwyer," Johnny greeted.

Dwyer quickly grabbed his hand and led him into the station and into a seat while Roy, confused followed behind.

"What's all this. I have to go see Savannah and let her know that I'm taken her to stay at my house for a long time. I've already decided that and I'm going to make sure nothing happens to her-"

He stopped arubtly when Dwyer let out a sob and Brice continued to stare at the ground.

"What do we don't know that you do," Hank demanded.

"Well see Johnny you're little girl-is," Dwyer couldn't contain himself any longer and told everyone how Savannah, the little girl that touched all their hearts when she was brought into their lives was now dead. Murdered, by whom he did not know. But Johnny sat there stunned for a few seconds before getting up and running out of the station to Rampart to go see for himself. He wouldn't believe his little girl was dead until he saw it for himself.

It was apparent that she was, however, and he couldn't stand it. She was alive and well when he left for the flight but dead when he came back. His body shook as he sobbed holding his daughter's now cold hand as Dr. Brackett anguishly told him of finding out the cause of death by the means of an autopsy and since Claire had refused while crying, Johnny could consent.

Johnny just nodded noticing bruises all over her face and tiny hemorrhages along side her mouth, her eyes, and her nose. He tried to tell himself it wasn't real but seeing her like this was too much for it WAS real and he was never going to see her alive again.

Roy tried to comfort his partner but he himself was falling apart. There was no longer going to be a smiling mischevious girl around the station playing with Henry although the dog was annoyed, or annoying them with her talks about the ultimate peace. He decided to wait in the waiting room with Jo and the kids to give Johnny time with her.

Jenny seemed to be loosing her battle with keeping quiet like she was advised and asked, "Is Savannah hurt? I shouldn't have kept that secret she told me but she told me I promised."

Roy looked at her startled.

"What did she day sweetheart," he asked.

"I can't tell you. I'm going to keep a secret to save my life," she told him.

"But it'll help. Sweetheart, honey," he paused. "Savannah's dead. She didn't make it."

He knew it was mean to come out and tell her but he needed to know what it was. Jenny cried and Chris's face paled knowing that the little girl was annoying but she shouldn't have died.

"She said daddy Jones hits her," Jenny let out another cry after she said that and Roy went to tell Dr. Brackett right away. It may be too late to save this little girl but he wasn't going to let that bastard run free.