Chris and Josh stopped running and turned around. They stood frozen looking at Phillip. He was smiling as he inspected the gun more closely. Felix walked up to Phillip and snatched the gun from his hands. "This is great…it's loaded."
"Hey! I found it." Felix pushed Phillip away as he tried to grab the gun back.
"It's my birthday." Chris watched the two boys fight over the gun. His curiosity got the better of him. He joined Phillip and Felix.
"Can I see it?" He reached out for the gun. Felix pulled the gun in close to his chest, turning his body from the grabbing hands. He looked at Chris and frowned.
"Your dad would get real mad at you." He smirked as he said it. He knew how much Chris wanted to go hunting with them. He made sure he had a little dig about it whenever Chris was with him.
"I don't care. Let me see." He lunged for the gun. The three boys ended up wrestling on the ground. Josh watched, as different hands tried to grasp the gun, but it was firmly being held in Felix's hand. There was another shot.
Johnny finally met the hospital administrator. Dr Brackett wanted them to meet yesterday but the busy man had been tied up in meetings. The announcements of the changes to the hospital and new appointments were made soon after the meeting.
"So it's all official now?" Craig slapped Johnny on the back.
"Yes…the beginning of a new chapter." Johnny took a deep breath and smiled. Wayna's meal arrived. "I'll get us something from the cafeteria." Johnny offered Craig.
"You stay, I'll get it. Chocolate shakes times three." Johnny and Wayna nodded together. When Craig left the room Wayna observed his older cousin. He seemed to him to be happier than he had been the previous day.
"Are you sad about leaving the fire department?" Wayna asked his cousin. Johnny was inspecting the meal. He lifted the dome covering the main meal and sniffed.
"A little. I always wanted to be a fireman but when the Paramedic Program came along, I was hooked. More people survive and make it to the hospital to get the treatment they need because of the paramedics. This is the next step for the program and I want to be a part of it. Eat up before it gets cold."
The three fathers were still talking when sirens rushed past the house. Roy immediately looked out the window and saw a squad and engine moving down the street. When the sirens stopped a short time later he decided to investigate. Both Felix and Phillips' dads joined him. They walked down the street towards the flashing lights.
"They've stopped near the park." Felix's father stated as he quickened his pace. All three fathers had a bad feeling in the pit of their stomachs as they ran to the park.
"What have we got Sam?" Vince asked the Captain. Sam had an arm on the shoulders of two boys. Another boy was being worked on frantically by the paramedics. They were defibrillating as he spoke.
"The guns over there Vince. It looks old. Kids must have found it." The Captain's face said it all. The young boy had no pulse and had stopped breathing before they arrived. The situation was dire.
The ambulance arrived as the three fathers ran up to the gathered firemen and paramedics. "Oh God no." Phillip's father rushed over to the small prone body of his son that was being worked on by the paramedics and firemen.
"CLEAR!" Kurt tried again.
"No conversion." His partner called. Dr Brackett called out orders over the biophone. A fireman continued CPR.
Roy grabbed hold of Chris. "What happened?" Chris was crying.
"The gun went off. We were wrestling and it went off. It was an accident."
"Wrestling? What do you mean wrestling? Don't tell me you were fighting over a gun?" Roy yelled at his son. Chris nodded. Roy pursed his lips together. "After everything we talked about. Well take a look Chris…this is what I warned you about." Roy was pointing to the gurney that was being wheeled to the waiting ambulance with a paramedic doing CPR while a fireman was pushing oxygen into Phillip's lungs.
Felix's father looked on in shock. "Where did you get the gun?"
"Phillip found it. We didn't know it was loaded. I tried to stop Chris from grabbing the gun but he wouldn't stop." Chris shook his head denying what Felix was saying.
"That's not true." Roy grabbed his son and was about to question him more.
"Ok boys, that's enough." Vince looked at the fathers. "We all need to calm down." Roy nodded but was fuming inside. He was angry with whoever left the gun in the park and he was mad at his son for ignoring his warnings. "Let's follow the ambulance to the hospital. I'll take the statements there."
"We'll go in the squad Vince and meet you there." Roy wanted the boys separated for the ride in. Vince took Felix, his father and Josh in the squad car, while Roy, with Chris, drove the squad in for the paramedics.
As all the vehicles arrived one after the other, there was a flurry of activity. The gurney carrying Phillip was wheeled into the treatment room with Kurt riding it, administering CPR. Everyone gathered outside the door and waited. Fifteen minutes later Dr Brackett opened the door. Roy knew that look. The boy had not survived. Chris looked up at his father and saw him shake his head.
Kurt despondently walked out with his partner. Dr Brackett addressed the group. "There was too much damage. We couldn't get him back. I'm sorry." Phillip's father stood frozen in shock and disbelief.
Roy put his hand on his shoulder. "Come sit down." He guided him to a small waiting room. Chris, Felix and his father followed." Vince asked Dr Brackett a few questions and then joined the group.
"I need to find out what happened. The truth boys. We know it was an accident but we need to know the truth." Vince waited for the three boys to collect themselves. "You first Chris."
He told Vince how Phillip found the gun and that it went off while they were playing. He then told Vince how he joined Felix and Phillip wrestling for the gun and how it went off while they were on the ground.
When Josh's father arrived Vince got the boy's statement. His story collaborated Chris's statement. Felix told the same story except for one thing. He told Vince he was trying to get the gun from Phillip because it was loaded and dangerous, that he was going to give it to his father. Josh and Chris shook their heads denying Felix's account.
Phillip's father listened to the stories and shook his head. Deep down he knew that his son had acted foolish. Both Phillip and Felix knew that they had to be careful with any gun. He would never find out why his son had acted so recklessly.
"Thanks. That's all I need for now." Vince told the group.
"What happens now Vince?" Roy asked his friend.
"There will be an inquest. The boys, if found responsible for the shooting may have to spend some time in Juvenile detention." Roy nodded accepting Vince's statement. The dejected policeman put his hand on Phillip's father's shoulder. He couldn't imagine how this man felt. "I'll take you home."
"I taught him how to be safe around guns and look what happened. He ignored everything I taught him."
"Unfortunately kids don't think the same way as us. I see it all the time. They forget everything and just live for that moment and that's when things go wrong."
Roy called Joanne to come and pick them up.
Kurt went upstairs and found Johnny in Wayna's room. He asked him to follow him out. Once they were outside the room, he told Johnny the tragic story. Johnny bowed his head.
"Kids. They don't listen." Johnny stated sadly.
"Two of the boys knew better, yet they played with a loaded gun."
"Now one of them is dead. How are Roy and Chris?" Johnny knew his partner well enough to know that he would be angry and disappointed with his son.
"They're not good Johnny. Roy sees this kind of thing in his work, last thing he needs is for it to happen in his personal life. He's pretty angry with Chris." Johnny shook his head.
"Where is he now?"
"Joanne is picking them up and taking them home. They're probably gone already. He'll be alright; it will just take some time for him to come to terms with how close he came to losing his son today." Johnny nodded knowingly. Kurt placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "I've got to go. Matt is waiting for me."
"Sure. Thanks for telling me Kurt." He watched his friend leave, took a deep breath. 'What a mess.' He plastered a smile on his face before he entered the room. He watched Craig explain to his cousin where his appendix once was, pointing to a picture in the book he had given him. He was so grateful to have friends like Craig and Kurt. Roy would have to rely on his army friends and their families during this tragic time. His partner had made it very clear that he no longer had a place in his life so he would let his partner come to him if he needed him.
Johnny spent his last shift with a sub. Both Kurt and Craig had tossed for it, not wanting their friend to spend his last shift with a stranger. Craig won.
Roy had requested time off to deal with the accident. They were taking Chris to a counsellor. He had expected his son to have nightmares but he had slept without any problems. In fact he was very quiet, which worried them. Vince had recommended the counsellor to Roy; getting the boy to open up was a step in the right direction.
At 8am the end of Johnny's last shift, the end of an age came to pass. Johnny said his goodbyes to his once close friends. Cap shook his hand and told him not to be a stranger. Mike wished him all the best with his new career path. Marco told him he'd see him soon. Chet looked at the man he once referred to as his pigeon. "I'm glad I knew you Johnny. We had some good times. See you around."
Johnny cleaned out his locker, rolled up his Smokey the Bear poster and left station 51 for the last time. Craig walked with him out to his truck, giving him silent support. "Onward and upward?"
Craig nodded and smiled. "Let's go out for breakfast…I'm buying."
"That would be good Craig." The two paramedics drove to a diner that was frequently used by the fire and police departments. The parking lot was unusually full but there was no line-up at the door. When Johnny walked in he was cheered by the occupants. He bowed and shook his head. He pointed at Craig. "You…you…" Craig just smiled smugly back.
The first person to walk up and shake his hand was Roy. The surprised look on Johnny's face was priceless. "Kurt told me what they had in mind. Couldn't not come. Hope you don't mind?" Roy said subduedly.
"Of course not Roy…It's because of you that I'm starting this new chapter in my life. If you hadn't of convinced me to train to be a paramedic, this opportunity would never have happened. Thanks." Before Roy could respond, Johnny was grabbed and lifted by some of his friends and carried to a table that had been set up for the celebration. Sitting at the table was Dixie and Wayna. Roy slipped away through the front door, closing the chapter of, Roy DeSoto and Johnny Gage, in his life.
His cousin was in a wheel chair and was smiling broadly. To be a part of Johnny's celebration was a big thrill for the boy. Breakfast was served and soon everyone was sitting down to a selection of breakfast treats. "How does it feel to be sitting and eating a big breakfast with all of these firemen?"
"This is great. I'm so happy Miss McCall said she would bring me."
"She's one special lady. We'll have to invite her over one night for some of our Gage stew."
"We'll be able to make that whenever we like from now on."
"That's right. No more 24hr shifts." The two cousins smiled at each other.
"What are you two cooking up?"
"Oh nothing." The two cousins said together, looking as innocent as they could before bursting out laughing. Dixie shook her head.
Dixie took Wayna back to the hospital, giving Johnny a chance to thank each of his friends. It wasn't a final goodbye, because he would be still working with the paramedics and he would make sure he kept in close touch with the others.
Johnny took Wayna home the next day from the hospital and after two weeks of recuperation he was back at school. His friend's Danny and Steve had spent a couple of afternoons with him giving him work from school that the teacher had sent home. He was able to catch up with no difficulty.
Johnny moved into the job of Paramedic Co-Ordinator without any trouble. He loved his job and he loved being home every day. If he was caught up in meetings, one of his friends would gladly pick Wayna up from school and spend the afternoon with him. His young cousin even spent one Saturday morning with Dr Early when Johnny was delayed getting back from a conference. He never stopped talking about wanting to be a doctor.
Six months later Johnny was working with Dr Brackett in the emergency department. They were trying out a new procedure. "Marco!"
"Hello Johnny." Marco was getting some supplies from one of the nurses.
"How's it all going at station 45?"
"It's going great. I'm glad I made the move to become a paramedic. Did you know Roy's the engineer there? He's helped me a lot." Marco knew that the two friends rarely spoke to each other.
"Yes I did know. Hank told me….said he came in number one on the list." Johnny smiled; Roy had done what he had predicted.
Marco's partner walked out of the treatment room. He slapped Johnny on the back. "You all set for the weekend?"
"Me….It's Wayna you have to worry about. He's been packed for a week and keeps asking me what time are we leaving. He then works out to the minute how much time is left before we leave….and lists….I thought I was bad." Ted chuckled; he knew Johnny loved having his cousin on these trips. He was able to teach him what his grandfather had taught him.
"He might not want to come with us again when we take him up Apparition Rock." Both men had a chuckle.
"I'll have breakfast waiting. See you bright and early Saturday morning." Ted and Marco left the hospital. Dixie walked up behind Johnny.
"Marco's turned into a good paramedic."
Johnny turned around. "I'm glad he went through with it."
"You all set for the weekend. Wayna told me you were all going rock climbing in Joshua Tree National Park." Johnny shook his head.
"Who hasn't he told…He's so excited….and yes I'm ready." Johnny rubbed the back of his neck. "I better get back to work."
He left the emergency area and headed back to the Paramedic Training Centre. He too was looking forward to the weekend. He missed the rescue work, but he didn't miss the shifts. Getting away with his friends kept the urges at bay. He loved his job too much and would never go back.
