Part X

As Johnny suspected would be the case, Chet was sound asleep shortly after his medication was administered and he ate his sandwich then. The sandwich wasn't bad, but he was already looking forward to getting out. There was something about the air inside of a hospital that seemed to add something unpleasant to the taste of food.

Even as he looked forward to the fact that his stay was going to be short, part of him was feeling guilty because Chet would still be stuck until they made sure they had any infections under control. He knew from his own past experiences how disheartening it was when everyone else had been released, but he still remained. No wonder Roy always looked torn when he was getting discharged.

He found himself watching Chet sleep and as time passed, his thoughts wandered and Johnny started frowning. How did Chet end up hurt, anyway? Chet had pulled him out of harm's way, so Chet had to have been out of harm's way himself. So what had happened? Chet must have gone back to the tent for some reason. Why?

Johnny was still brooding over that question when Dixie came back in to check on them. She went over to Chet first, looking over his leg and checking his pulse. Satisfied that Chet seemed to be sleeping as comfortably as could reasonably be expected, she made her way over to Johnny, smiling fading just a touch at his expression as she automatically did a rough check for fever.

"What's wrong, John? Food disagree with you?"

"No. I just can't figure it, Dix. Chet was away from the tent and the hillside. Why did he go back? What could possibly have been so darn important that he had to go back?"

Moving closer over to Johnny's side, Dixie reached up and smoothed his bangs off of his forehead.

"You were that important, John. Chet knew you were hurt and he also knew that you always bring a first aid kit with you. He went back after your pack to get it. And don't even think of starting to feel guilty over that. Chet told me all about it. The ground wasn't shaking when he went looking. It was just bad luck that another tremor hit before he was able to get back to you with the pack."

She watched as he opened his mouth then closed it again, before he spoke in a hoarse whisper.

"That's how I spotted him. I saw my pack on the ground and then I saw his hand sticking out of the dirt not far from it."

Dixie settled herself on his bed, taking Johnny's hand again as she filled him in on what Chet had remembered of what had happened in those early morning hours.

"The things that caused you guys to get injured were out of your control. You were asleep when that rock hit you and everything was calm when Chet moved to go find your pack. The things that you could and did control? Chet did what he was able to do to tend to you when you were down - you did the same for Chet when he was trapped. Because of that, both of you will walk out of here. Not on the same day, but you will leave here and return to your jobs."

Giving his hand a light squeeze, Dixie sighed.

"Besides, I'm already having to talk your occasionally thick headed partner out of his guilt trip. Honestly, the pair of you should get discount rates as many of those trips as you take."

Johnny's forehead wrinkled in thought as he tried to work that one out.

"Roy? Why would Roy feel - wait. You mean that big dope is feeling responsible because he suggested Chet and I might enjoy fishing together?"

"Right on the first guess. Congratulations."

"How could he - I mean, there's just - why does he - man, I've got to - geeze, Dix."

An amused voice came from the doorway.

"I almost followed that. I've known you too long, John."

Dr. Brackett came over to examine Johnny's stitches.

"How's the pain level? Need anything?"

"I'd prefer to stick with just Tylenol if I can. The other stuff always tears my stomach up."

"Alright, we'll go with that, but if I find you aren't resting later, we'll go with something stronger."

Walking over to the other bed, Dr. Brackett slowly looked over Chet's left leg before nodding to himself.

"He's been sleeping every since his last medication, doc. Is that normal?"

"Well, we have him on some pretty strong pain medication today, so yes. We want him to mostly rest right now. Give his body a chance to catch its breath after all the trauma it went through. We'll start slowly cutting back the strength before long."

Johnny just nodded, as much to himself as to Brackett. He needed to have a talk with Chet the next time he woke up so that he wouldn't be taken off-guard when Dr. Riker came to see him.