Seeking Solace

Chapter Ten

By GCS

DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.

Hank returned in a few minutes with his coffee and settled in to wait for Johnny to get his nap in. Johnny seemed to be sleeping a lot but usually in short spurts like cat naps. Thirty minutes after he drifted off he was awake again. Blinking his eyes to clear the sleep away he looked over at his Captain. "Um Cap?"

"You awake again? Can I get you something John?"

"Kinda thirsty."

"Here's some juice." Captain Stanley bent the straw and slipped it into Johnny's open mouth. Johnny sucked almost all of the offered juice down before pushing the straw from between his lips. "Good John. You almost finished it this time. Now we need to try this gadget again." He raised the head of the bed slightly and helped Johnny with the spirometer. After the third attempt to blow into the device Johnny was overcome with a bout of coughing. The coughing caused pain from the exertion in his abdomen around his surgery site. The pain was so severe it brought tears to Johnny's eyes. Slightly alarmed Captain Stanley pressed the nurse's call button. Since they were still in the SICU the nurse came immediately. "He was using this thing and it caused him to cough. He's really hurting." Hank held his hand on Johnny's shoulder to calm him. Johnny's breathing was short and rapid and he moaned from the pain in his belly.

"Mr. Gage you need to slow your breathing. Take deeper breaths or you'll hyperventilate. I'm going to page Dr. Brackett. I'll be right back."

"Okay son you heard the lady." Hank bent down beside Johnny so he could look him in the eye. "Slow it down now. Take a few deeper breaths." Johnny's eyes met Hank's and together they slowed his breathing. Johnny matching Cap's breath for breath. "Good. Now I know you're hurting. Dr. Brackett will be here in a minute."

About that time Dr. Brackett came striding into the room. "Hank, what's wrong?"

"He was using the breathing thing and started coughing. He couldn't stop. It was really hurting him where you did the surgery. He was hyperventilating, but we slowed his breathing."

"Johnny, can you tell me what happened?" Dr. Brackett leaned close to Johnny so he could hear what he said.

"I don't know. I couldn't get my breath. It hurts…m…my st...stitches pulled inside."

"Okay Johnny that's understandable. Let me check you out to be sure you didn't rip anything apart. Actually the coughing is good for breaking up the congestion that is probably building up in your lungs. Not so much that it strangles you like this time, but some coughing is good." Dr. Brackett pulled the covers down past Johnny's waist so he could look at the surgery site. He pulled the bandages back and probed around the stitches. Satisfied that he didn't find any evidence of bleeding or pulled stitches he asked the nurse to redress the injury. "Everything looks good here Johnny. Are you still in any pain right now?"

"No more than before."

"You've been having pain before? You didn't say anything." Johnny didn't answer but shifted his eyes away from Dr. Brackett. "John if you don't tell me what is happening I can't treat you appropriately. If you are in pain I need to know okay? Now I don't want to give you anything too strong for pain, because you are already sleeping more than I like. I'm going to get you some Tylenol. We'll see if that helps enough." Dr. Brackett made some notes on the chart hanging on the end of the bed and instructed the nurse to get the requested meds. "Hank I still want him to use the spirometer. I know it may make him cough some, but he needs it. Has he been eating?"

"He had a full cup of broth about an hour ago and a little jello. He drank almost that entire cup of juice when he woke up."

"Good. I think he can try a little more of that broth and juice tonight. I'll be back up in about an hour."

"Thank you Dr. Brackett," Hank patted Johnny on the shoulder and sat back down in the chair. The nurse brought the meds and Johnny took them. He was exhausted from the episode. "John I'm going to read you a little of this novel. You just relax and listen. Hank picked up the book and started reading to his friend like a father reads to his children. Johnny settled deeper into his pillow and watched Hank read to him. Hank was only able to get through a few pages of the first chapter before he looked over and saw Johnny's brown eyes closing. Johnny was once again asleep.

Johnny's nap lasted a little longer this time. Hank suspected that the Tylenol had helped him relax. 'Why wouldn't you tell us you were hurting some? I just don't understand that John. Are you afraid we'll think you're weak or something? Were you taught to conceal your pain for some reason? For a guy that can complain about the least little paper cut or scratch you sure do keep quiet when it really matters. I'm going to have to keep a closer watch on you my friend. Obviously you are hiding some pretty serious pain. I think you've done this before.' Hank was watching Johnny sleep deep in thought about Johnny's behavior when he looked up to see Dixie standing in the doorway with two steaming mugs of coffee. "He's sleeping again."

"He'll be okay Hank."

"I hope so. He had a bad coughing spell earlier. I was worried he was going to tear out his stitches."

"I know I spoke with Kel. He needs to cough some. It's normal. Here have some coffee. You look like you could use it. If you need to head home I promise he'll be in good hands." Dixie smiled as she handed Hank his coffee.

"No I'll stay. I really think John will heal better if he knows we're here for him. He hasn't had that in a while."

Dixie could see that an argument with the determined Captain would be a waste of her time. "He's a very lucky man to have such good friends. I'm sure it will help with his recuperation."

"He'd better get used to having us around. I plan to help him through this until he's back on his feet. The rest of the guys feel the same way. We thought we had lost him this time. There was so much blood." Hank shook his head as he remembered. "I know it will take a few weeks for him to get his energy back. We plan to stay with him until he can at least feed himself. Right now he is as weak as a new born kitten. He needs us."

"I think you all need him as much as he needs you."

"Yeah. Thanks for the coffee Dixie." He drank his coffee as Dixie checked Johnny's IV. She brushed the hair from his face and pulled the blankets more securely around her patient.

"Well I'm about to head out for the night. Do you need anything else Hank? Did you eat?"

"Um no I…well actually I hadn't thought about it. I was so worried about…um is the cafeteria still open?" Hank nervously answered her.

"I'll have a tray sent up if you like. I think the cafeteria has already closed. I'll have some juice and broth added to your tray for Johnny. Maybe some milk this time. How does a sandwich and iced tea sound?"

"That would be great."

"Take care of yourself too Hank. You won't be any good to Johnny if you make yourself sick trying to take care of him." Dixie left after giving her last bit of advice.

A short while later the tray arrived. Johnny was once again awake and drank most of his broth and all of the milk. "Okay John how about we read a little more?" Johnny nodded his head in agreement. He was enjoying the novel. "Pitt had requested the purchase of the craft after he had transferred from the Air Force to the National Underwater Marine Agency at the request of the Agency Director, Admiral James Sandecker. Pitt still retained his rank of Major and, according to the paperwork, was assigned to an indefinite tour of duty with NUMA. His title was that of Surface Security Officer, which was nothing to him but a fancy term for trouble shooter." Hank read from Clive Cussler's novel. "This Pitt guy sounds like some kind of expert." Hank looked over to see Johnny's reaction.

Johnny smiled, "Yeah this is a good book."

"Okay then let's read on." Hank shifted in his seat and continued to read. "Whenever a project ran into unknown difficulties or unscientific problems, it was Pitt's job to unravel the difficulty and get the operation back on the track. That was the purpose behind his request for the PBY Catalina flying boat. Slow as it was, it could comfortably carry passengers and cargo, and what was most important, land and take off in water; a prime factor since nearly ninety percent of NUMA's operations were miles at sea." That plane sounds like some of the sea planes the coast guard uses. I know you and Roy have been on several of the choppers, have you ever been on a sea plane?"

"No never a plane. Lot's of rescues by chopper."

"John can I ask you a question?"

"Sure Cap."

"I went by your apartment today to get you some things. I took your stuff home from your locker. I noticed that you don't have a lot. I mean I'm not judging you okay, but your place is kind of bare. I know it's none of my business, but I was just wondering if you are in some financial difficulty."

Johnny hadn't expected his boss to ask him that kind of personal question. He didn't talk about his personal life with anyone. He had never thought anyone would care. "I'm fine Cap. I don't need much." He averted his eyes from Cap's.

"Well John I know firemen are not paid that well, but I you should be able to provide more for yourself than you seem to have."

"It costs a lot to pay for a nursing home. My aunt took care of me when no one else wanted me. I wanted her to be in a nice place. She couldn't afford it, so I pay for it. I'm also trying to save for a ranch someday. I really want to raise horses. My Rover isn't paid for yet. It's no big deal Cap. I'm fine." That was the most he had said in days and it left him breathless.

Captain Stanley was once again impressed with his youngest crewman. "I didn't mean to upset you John. I'm just concerned about you."

"I know." Johnny softly answered.

"You don't have much food in that place of yours either."

"I was waiting until payday to go to the grocery. I haven't been in a couple of weeks. I eat Cap. Don't worry about it." Johnny was clearly uncomfortable discussing himself.

"Okay John. We won't talk about it any more for now. I just want to help. I do care about you son. Not just as one of my crew. You're a good man. I want you to know that you can come to me for help if you need it. Understood?"

Johnny found it hard to answer his Captain. He had a lump in his throat that threatened to come out if he tried to speak. It had been a long time since anyone had taken such an interest in his well being. Sure he had Roy and his family. His landlady was nice to him too, but this was different. This made him feel like he did when his parents were alive. "O..okay."

"Good. Now I think it's time we tried this breathing contraption again."