Name That Tune
These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.
"Families are like fudge; mostly sweet with a few nuts." Author unknown.
Endless Thank You's! for all the support and review's.
Chapter 14
Mike had about fallen asleep when Marco nudged him. He looked up to see Hank coming through the ICU doors.
Hank gave them a big smile and Mike felt instant relief.
"He's doing good guys. Doc said everything went smoothly. It was just a little clot that they were able to get." Hank knew that Mike was trying to read him like a book. But then that was nothing new for his engineer. This time Hank wasn't worried. Johnny was doing great and Hank felt good about it all. They had done the right thing. He was sure of it now.
They were all now able to go get some well deserved sleep before another day at the station.
Roy woke up from a crazy dream. His room was quiet as he looked around it, seeing no one with him. He dreamt something about Marco but as soon as he opened his eye's the dream started to fade.
"Good morning sleepy head."
He looked up to see Dixie coming into the room.
"Hey Dix. Is it morning?"
"Sure is. You've been out of it for about two days now."
Memories came flooding back on him, "Johnny?" He pushed himself up in the bed some.
"Johnny's fine, he's next door sleeping too. They took him off the ventilator this morning. His lungs are still congested but he's doing much better." She didn't know how to approach the subject of his surgery. Better just wait, she thought, until he sees him.
Roy relaxed.
"More good news for ya."
"Yea?"
"You're being moved to a regular room today." She saw the fleeting flash of disappointment in his eyes. "Don't worry. Johnny will be right behind you. They will probably move him to your room tonight or in the morning."
"Dix, are you sure he's alright? I think I had a bad dream about him last night."
"Oh yea?" She asked innocently but his Johnny ESP never ceased to amaze her.
"Yea, I dreamt that he wasn't in his bed anymore and no one would tell me where he was."
"Well, he's right next door and doing great. Thanks to you," she reached over rubbed his shoulder.
"Nah, not me. He just needed to know he didn't screw up," he winked at her.
"Well, we know Johnny, he will drive us nuts if he thinks he's done something wrong," she chuckled.
Roy gave her a big smile, his blue eyes twinkling.
"Really glad to see you looking better pally," Hank told Johnny.
"Yea, getting there Cap," Johnny said, trying to clear this throat for the 100th time.
"Don't push it. You've been through a lot and you need to let your body heal."
Johnny pointed out the door, "How's Roy doing? I haven't really gotten to see him yet."
"Well, he's slept for about two days now but doing good. They are moving him to a regular room today."
He saw the young man's face fall.
"Don't worry, he's going into a semi-private room. I think they are moving you there by morning."
Johnny's face lit up like a child at Christmas morning.
Hank just chuckled, "Get some rest and I'll check on you tomorrow after shift."
"Sure thing Cap, thanks." Johnny was worn out and settled into his pillow, threw his arm over his eyes and went to sleep. A quiet, peaceful sleep.
Hank didn't ask about the music. Johnny didn't seem to remember it and hopefully it would stay that way.
Dixie and Roy looked up to see Hank come in. Roy noted he was in uniform, so it must be an on shift day for the crew. That would explain why no one was here with him.
"Hey Cap."
"You're looking much better today Roy, glad to see it." Hank was truly happy that Roy was getting better.
"What you doing here?" Roy asked although very glad to see someone from the station while he was alert enough to enjoy the company.
"Well, Chet managed to get a cut on his leg so we came by to pick him up." He saw Roy looking worried, "Oh, he's fine. Next time though bet he won't volunteer to stand on the stack of wooden boxes to put out a trash fire."
They both laughed.
"I wanted to check on you and give you a little update on Johnny."
Dixie looked up, glad that she wasn't the one that had to tell him.
"Dix said he was doing well." Roy sat up some now a little concerned.
"He is, doing great from what the doc is telling me. But yesterday they decided, after looking at his last CT scan, that there was a little spot that concerned them."
Roy sat up more, wincing at his side. "His CT scan?"
"They think it was from the hit by the basketball. Anyway, since he was stable they decided to take care of it while he was still intubated for the surgery. Roy, he did great with it. He's already woken up and Dr. Early say's his neuro exam is looking good."
"Was that what caused his odd behavior? The music?"
Music? Dixie thought.
"Yep. And I've talked to him myself. He sounds good Roy."
"Can I see him?" He looked to Dixie.
"He's asleep right now but as soon as he wakes up I will take you over there," she reassured him, tucking him in some.
That seemed to comfort Roy. The explanation made sense. Johnny had definitely not been right since that ballgame. That had to be the reason. He looked at Hank and thought he could read the relief in him also.
"Thanks Cap," he said as he closed his eyes. Finally he could rest for a while without worrying about his friend.
Hank left the room with a massive weight lifted off his shoulders. It had all gone well. Johnny no longer heard the shift's background music and Roy believed the explanation. Someday Johnny would have to be told what happened, when he needed to get the gift back. Hank smiled to himself. After all these years he had just taken the tunes for granted, suppressing them. The dayroom 'antic' song, the 'going to a rescue' racing music and the ever comforting 'back home' lullaby that soothed him. And many more that told him how to help his men try and survive every day. Lord, I sound like a commercial, he laughed at himself. Every shift's commander had their own music and the A-shift track was part of him now. Just like the men that he worked with. Someday Johnny would ask the how and why questions but for now Hank had his crew healing, both mentally and physically. The answers would come in time, for those who were privileged to know the answers. He smiled and walked with a bounce in his step knowing that soon they would be all back at the station together again. A family.
EPILOGUE:
Johnny walked in from the back lot, ringing wet with sweat and grabbed a towel from the kitchen cabinet.
"What are you guys doing out there?" Hank asked.
"Trying to beat Mike at a game of Chicken but I swear he must be cheating."
"Why's that?" Chet asked.
"Well, cause he keeps winning. No one can win that many games in a row. It's statistically impossible." Johnny just shook his wet head at them.
"You're just a sore loser is all Johnny boy," Chet chided him.
"I am not," he barked back then reached up and rubbed his scar, now buried in his thick hair.
"You ok?" Roy asked from his comfortable spot on the couch with Henry.
"Need some aspirin," Johnny said, mostly to himself.
"Got a headache?" Hank was paranoid about Johnny's head now, for some odd reason.
"If Marco would…." And he looked towards the door, raising his voice. " ..turn down that music I could get that blasted song out of my head!"
Hank and Roy looked at each other. Hank sat on the edge of his chair, "You hearing things Johnny?"
Johnny looked at his Captain like he had lost his mind. Why was he thinking he was hearing things? I mean, where did that come from? Looking over he realized that Roy had a bit of panic in his eyes too. "What do you two think I am? Nuts?" He shook his head again.
Before Chet could chime in with a smart comment on that, in walked an out of breath Mike, followed by Marco with a radio on his shoulders, blaring……
Whether you're a brother, or whether you're a mother
You're stayin alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breaking, and everybody shaking, and we're
Stayin alive, stayin alive
Ah, ha ,ha, ha, stayin alive, stayin alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin alive, stayin alive.
Johnny stomped out of the dayroom muttering, "I'll never get that song out of my head!"
THE END! Maybe ; )