Chapter 21

Seeing the wreckage as they pulled up, both paramedics prepared for the worst as they exited the squad. Johnny was met by a California Highway Patrol officer. "What does it look like?"

The officer advised, "Looks like they were all lucky. I think everyone is out of the vehicles."

Engine 8 pulled in from the other direction. Roy advised the Captain of the situation, who told the paramedics to take care of the patients and they would check the vehicles for any other victims and hazards.

As the ambulances arrived Johnny and Roy began letting them transport the several patients who were stable. Roy would ride in with the worst two while Johnny finished some basic first aid on the remainder of the victims and advised them to go to get checked at the hospital or by their own doctor when they left the scene. He packed up and followed several minutes behind Roy.

At Rampart, Roy helped get the worst two patients in rooms. One had a possible hip fracture while the other had hit the steering wheel pretty hard. He could have some broken ribs and, or some internal injuries. Roy filled a coffee cup with a sigh at the base station.

"Bad one?" Dix asked.

"No not really. They were all pretty lucky after seeing the wreckage. It's just been a busier than usual shift." Roy explained.

Dixie nodded, "So I've noticed. I haven't gotten to say two words to you all the entire shift."

Taking a drink of coffee, Roy replied, "Yeah, it's been about the same for Johnny and me when we aren't on a call."

That was part of the information Dixie was fishing for but it didn't give her any answers. She asked, "So what is with him today anyway? He seems to be dodging me."

Roy wasn't about to tell Dee Dee's aunt Dixie what Johnny had told him. Not for anything in this world or the next, especially since he hadn't gotten the entire story himself. "Now Dix, I don't think I'd say he is trying to dodge you., exactly."

Dixie raised her eyebrows hoping that the Senior paramedic and long time friend would tell her exactly what Johnny was doing if not trying to dodge her.

Roy began, "He has been getting questions since he got to the station about where he was all weekend. First from Chet of all people, ..."

"Then from me?" Dixie added.

"Now, Dix, that's not what I meant." Roy said.

Dixie smiled, "No but it's the truth."

Roy shrugged, "Well, I had been looking for him myself as you know, then Chet hit him first thing, ..."

Dixie added, "And I got him as soon as he walked in here this morning?"

"Pretty much." Roy said.

Dixie nodded and waited.

Roy shrugged, "Dix I still haven't gotten the answers you want. Have you talked to Dee Dee?"

"I've been busy here as you know and really haven't gotten a chance and " she looked at her watch before continuing, "She should be at work now."

Automatically, Roy answered, "She is."

Dixie looked at him strangely.

"Johnny talked to her and she dispatched our last call." Roy added.

Dixie shook her head with a bit of a frown. She knew that it would be tomorrow before she got a chance to talk to her niece without calling her at work or staying up until after one in the morning. If Johnny wasn't talking then she just may have to wait to tomorrow to get her answers, a fact the head emergency room nurse did not like in the least. When she wanted to know something she wanted to know it yesterday, NOT tomorrow, and she was more than used to getting those answers. Just at that moment, Dixie saw Johnny coming up the hall.

Johnny winced. He knew that look. He had information, Dixie wanted it.

Smiling sweetly, or so anyone who didn't know her would think, Dixie addressed Johnny as she reached for his handie talkie, "Now, John Gage, I know my niece is at work. What I don't know is where she was ALL weekend. I think you know that. Give."

Johnny poured himself a cup of coffee, took a deep breath and began, "Dixie, I talked to Dee Dee before this call. She is wanting to get with you and talk. She said she wanted it out of 'here' until she talked to you and since we are 'here', I can't talk about it."

Dixie looked at him like he had two heads. She had known Johnny for a long time and knew that what he said likely made sense to him, but it really confused her. She looked at Roy.

Roy interpreted, "Which means, ... he's not telling you now."

Dixie started to say something as the hospital page went off, "Code BLUE, Code BLUE, Examine 5, Examine 5." Dixie looked from one paramedic to the other before she pushed the handie talkie to Roy, grabbed a crash cart and headed down the hall.

Roy looked after Dixie, "You are either the luckiest person I know or there is a full moon that we don't know about."

Johnny didn't care which was accurate. All he was concerned with at the moment was being able to hold Dixie off until Dee Dee had the chance to talk to her. He had enough problems with Chet and Roy.

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True to par, the busy shift held out for Dixie, Dee Dee and Johnny. By ten that night A-shift was already heading to bed even when lights out wasn't until 11. Johnny paused long enough at the phone to call LA Dispatch.

"LA Dispatch, this is Dee Dee." Dee Dee answered.

Johnny smiled a lopsided smile, "Hey."

"Hey, yourself." Dee Dee said.

Johnny said, "You know you have ran us ragged all shift. The shift before you did too. Just called to say good night. We're all heading to bed."

Dee Dee looked at the clock. "No news or late night horror movie?"

"Not tonight. Besides, both movies are re-runs." Johnny replied.

Dee Dee smiled, "Well, I'll try to not call you all, but after midnight, I'm not responsible."

Johnny nodded as if she could see him, "We know. Just tell the next shift that we've had a day from he-."

"Oh, so you want a night like that too?" Dee Dee said with a smile.

Johnny replied, "No."

"Then it may be best to just hold your 'rabbit's foot' real close and think good thoughts and me not tell the next shift and jinx you." Dee Dee said.

Tiredly, Johnny replied, "What ever works for you and US, I'm good with. Night."

Dee Dee could hear the fatigue in Johnny's voice. She wasn't sure of his current schedule, "Night Honey. You get off, when?"

"8 am day after tomorrow. It's a 48." Johnny replied.

Dee Dee usually worked 8's and some 12's. She was more that ready to leave after an 8 like 51 had been put through and she was only telling them where to go. She couldn't imagine a 48 or longer shift where they actually had to respond to the calls she sent them on. "Call me if you can and I'll do my best to have the next shift be good to ya'll."

The comforting tone of Dee Dee's voice relaxed Johnny and he only hoped for a better night than they had been through today. He was grateful that he had avoided Roy's, Chet's and Dixie's direct questions about his and Dee Dee's weekend. "Thanks. And, by the way, talk to Dix tomorrow."

Dee Dee smiled as she felt her face warm with the blush, "I'll call her early tomorrow and set up lunch."

"Thanks. Good night." Johnny said werily.

"Night." Dee Dee replied. She only hoped that his night would be far less eventful than his day.

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The morning tones woke a still wery Station 51. The night had been uneventful, with the engine going on a dumpster fire about 3 am. Everyone grabbed their turnouts and headed for the kitchen for coffee. After coffee they changed into their day uniforms for inspection and daily assignments.

Captain Stanley had one announcement. "I do have an announcement from headquarters. There will be an Emergency Medical Technician 120 hour class beginning Thursday night 6 pm in the conference room at Rampart. All firemen are encouraged to attend. Anyone interested let me know before Wednesday so I can let them know if we have anyone." Captain Stanley looked up from the memo he had just read and saw Roy and Johnny look at each other. In fact he could have sworn he seen them both grimace just a bit. "Is there a problem?"

Johnny and Roy seen they were the ones being addressed and replied, "No."

Captain Stanley finished up with the morning business by giving out the daily chore assignments. "Marco you're cooking, Johnny dorms, Roy the bay, Mike the hoses, and Chet latrines. Dismissed. John, Roy can I see you in my office?"

As the two paramedics followed their Captain to the office Johnny nudged Roy and mumbled, "Man, I knew it."

Roy merely glared at Johnny.

In the office Captain Stanley took his seat and offered the other two chairs to his crew members. "Close the door Johnny."

Johnny was closest to the door and he shut it as requested. He kind of felt like a turkey being put in to a cage a couple months before Thanksgiving. Something was coming and he didn't think he'd like it.

Captain Stanley picked up an envelope, took out a paper and began, "This came with the memo about the Emergency Medical Technician class I was telling you all about. It seems that Dr. Brackett and the Department have an offer for you two that I don't think you can refuse." He paused.

Johnny hadn't heard the yet, but offers he couldn't pass up at times were offers that he would have like to have.

Even Roy was beginning to get a bit concerned if both Dr. Brackett and the Department were working together on something.

"With you two being two of the first paramedics in the County, the fact that you work mainly the same shifts, and it seems because you two just happen to be good at your work, Dr. Brackett has requested the department work with him so that you two can help with this class of Emergency Medical Technicians. The class will be taught two nights per week. When you are on shift you will mark up with LA that you are available from Rampart. The draw back is this will effect some of your off days through out the next several months." Captain Stanly let that thought sink in.

There it was. Johnny knew something like this was coming, but he wasn't sure as to what the big deal was they had helped trained paramedics and EMT's basically since they were certified and it always effected at least some of their off time.

Roy knew that Joann never gave him grief about his schedule, no matter how crazy it could be, but she didn't like him being gone more than necessary either.

Stanley smiled, "Now here's the part you haven't heard before. Since you are both well experienced in your jobs as well as having previously helped train several classes, if you help with this class, Dr. Brackett will certify you as Emergency Medical Technician instructors. Once you attain that certification you will be given a raise and from that point either or both of you could teach these classes without a doctor there until the testing."

The room was silent.

Captain Stanley added, "If you have any questions you can talk to Dr. Brackett. Think about this and let me know by Wednesday."

Both muttered a, "Thanks Cap." as they exited the office to beging their morning equipment checks.

At the far side of the squad Johnny finally voiced his feelings, "I knew it. I did. Really. I hate those 'too good to be' offers."

Roy shrugged, "Really it's not that bad of a deal."

"Yeah, well, maybe for you but, ..." Johnny began.

"You know that if Dr. Brackett is having a class we'd be there most of the time anyway." Roy stated.

Johnny huffed, "Yeah, most of the time is alright. Like when we're on shift, but this is we'll be there when we're not on shift too."

Now Roy saw Johnny's hold up on this. Dee Dee. "Johnny look I know that you and Dee Dee..."

"SHHHHhhhhhH! Gesh!" Johnny had his hand over Roy's mouth before he knew what happened then once he'd 'shushed' Roy he moved quickly around the squad then the engine. He made sure they were alone in the bay. "ROY, the walls have ears!"

He looked at his partner of, it now seemed far too long, and said much quieter, "I was only going to say that I know that you and Dee Dee..."

"SHHHHhhhhhH!" Again, Johnny glared at Roy and looked for any body that may be attacked to said ears as he put his hand over Roy's mouth.

Though Johnny's actions surprised Roy at first he now stood in the bay with Johnny's hand over his mouth waiting not patiently for it to be removed. Once Johnny removed his hand, Roy said, "I'll pick up where I left off then, ... are dating, but in a couple months, IF you two are still together, won't it be better to have a little more on the pay check? I know Joann won't like me being away more either, but the more the kids grow the more they cost. Take my word for that."

Johnny shrugged, "Yeah, I see your point." It was going to be a long few months.

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Dee Dee had gotten home too late to call the station the night before. She hope things had calmed down for Johnny on the midnight shift. It had been a busy shift for her. Busier than usual or at least busier than she was used to. The other dispatchers and herself had joked that it must be a full moon outside. Though there was some truth to a full moon making it busier at times there were also times when there was no full moon that things just seemed to 'spin out of control' for no reason. Dee Dee had come in, changed into her night shirt and jogging pants, got something to drink. She took one look at the couch and TV, then headed to bed. Dee Dee usually wasn't one to come in and go straight to bed, but tonight was a night that she felt like she could. She found her covers the way she had left them. Once in bed it only took a second or two to straighten them out a bit.

Dee Dee had woken up earlier and turned back over for a bit more sleep. Waking up again she checked the clock it was just before 10 am. She relaxed a few minutes before making herself get out of the bed, shower, dress and head to Rampart to talk to Dixie. She knew that if Johnny told Roy about them going out of town last weekend, then it would only be a matter of time before Chet knew, then every fire department in the County, LA Dispatch, and not to mention Rampart would hear. The latter was what concerned Dee Dee. She was Dixie's favorite niece. She knew that, had been since she had been in the world. The trouble she seen was that she just knew that her aunt, like most of her family, seen her a five not the adult that she was.

She took a deep breath as she entered the emergency entrance of Rampart hospital. Finding Dixie's desk empty, Dee Dee found a bit of relief but it was short lived.

Carol came up the hall and seen her. "Dee Dee?"

"Yes, Carol isn't it?" She asked.

Carol nodded 'yes', "Yes, it is. Sorry that we haven't seen you since Dixie's party."

"That's alright. I've been a bit busy myself." Dee Dee replied. "I was hoping to catch Dixie before she went to lunch."

Carol replied, "Well as crazy as this place has been today, I'm sure you did. While you are waiting I've got to ask. Rumor is that you and a certain paramedic hit it off pretty well at the party."

Dee Dee felt a blush rising as she replied, "As a matter of fact we did. Thanks for introducing us. I can see why he is one of Dixie's favor paramedics."

Seeing Dixie coming up the hall, Carol said, "It wasn't a problem, but I will tell you have a few of the nurses green with envy." She turned to Dixie, "Here is the labs you needed. I'll be in Two."

"Thanks Carol." Dixie said, then turned to her niece. "Dee Dee what brings you here?"

"Well, I hadn't been by in a few days and I heard you were looking for me last weekend." Dee Dee said.

"Well, I was trying to catch up to you but it wasn't anything important. Really." Dixie said.

Dee Dee suggested, "Any chance you can slip off for a bite to eat?"

"Give me about five minutes and I'll meet you in the cafeteria." Dixie said.

Knowing that Dixie meant something like ten or twenty minutes, Dee Dee replied, "Ok, sure. What do you want?"

Dixie thought a minute and replied, "A salad and Thousand 1000 dressing."

Dee Dee replied as she turned to leave, "Got it a salad, Thousand 1000 dressing, and a tuna sandwich."

Dixie shook her head and smiled. She had taught her niece a thing or two in her life.

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Dee Dee managed to beat the lunch crowd to cafeteria, got her and Dixie's lunch and a table. She put their lunch on the table and returned the tray. Dixie still hadn't managed to get there, so Dee Dee glanced at the bulletin board near her table. Nothing much caught her eye until she saw the notice about the Emergency Medical Technician class. She had been an EMT before coming to California and though she knew her stuff and could help a paramedic or EMT here, she wasn't certified in by California standards. It had been mentioned to her when she was hired that if she got her California EMT certification that she would get a raise plus she knew it would benefit her volunteer fire department. Dee Dee saw the class dates and times. Twice a week for basically the next three months. She knew that work would juggle her schedule for the class, but what would that do to the time she had to spend with Johnny? She reasoned that she normally worked during the times of the classes so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Dee Dee took the number down to call about the class later. She looked up to see Dixie enter the now filling dining room and motioned her over.

"Sorry. I know that five minutes turned into about twenty." Dixie said taking her chair.

Dee Dee shrugged and smiled, "Like I knew it would. You're fine. I do the same thing."

"I guess that is another thing you picked up from me." Dixie took a drink of the cold Pepsi that Dee Dee had gotten her, "That is good. I haven't gotten much of a break to get anything cold today."

Dee Dee took a drink of her Diet Pepsi then replied, "We were busier than normal last night too. I was hoping things would calm down before I got there today."

"Don't hold your breath on that one. We've been packed since I came on at 7am, but strangely I haven't seen much of the squads today." Dixie said. Usually when they were really busy it was the paramedics that kept the emergency room supplied. "Speaking of squads, ... how are things with Johnny?"

Here it came, but Dixie wasn't using her normal direct approach. Dee Dee replied vaguely, "Good, in fact he is the one who told me that you had been looking for me this weekend."

"I figured he was since I had ran into Roy at a little market near your place. It seemed he hadn't been able to contact Johnny either." Dixie said. "Did you two have plans?"

"Not really, well not on my part anyway, it was more spur of the moment." Dee Dee said.

Dixie wasn't sure doing anything with John Gage on the spur of the moment was such a good idea for her niece but she held her tongue.

Dee Dee continued. "For a change I had the weekend off and so did Johnny. He gave me a call Saturday morning and after we talked he told me to grab a bathing suit and a change of clothes and he'd be by..."

Dixie wasn't liking this any better.

"We had a late breakfast as we drove up to a place called Big Bear Lake. We swam for awhile and by that time we were both starving. It turns out Johnny had done some research about this place and knew of a couple good places to eat. We were both dressed pretty causally, not to mention just getting out of the lake and since neither of us had to work the next day we decided to stay the night." Dee Dee paused. She had picked up that Dixie wasn't really happy until now but had been content to hear her out, but she expected a reaction now.

Dixie had heard of Big Bear Lake. Being a resort area rooms weren't likely to be cheap and though Johnny and Dee Dee both worked good jobs the pay wasn't much to brag about. She also knew that Dee Dee was still getting established from her move to California. "Isn't it pretty expensive up there?"

"I really don't know. To me things are more expensive out here anyway." Dee Dee replied.

"Well, for two rooms and all. I mean you did pay for your own room, right? Johnny does alright, but firemen don't make a lot of money out here." Dixie said.

"Firemen don't make a lot of money anywhere, but no I didn't pay for my own room." Dee Dee replied.

Dixie frowned, "Sweetheart, like I said, Johnny doesn't make a lot and he is a great person, but you shouldn't have let him pay for both rooms..."

Taking a deep breath, Dee Dee cut into Dixie's sentence. "He didn't pay for two rooms."

Dixie had taken a drink of her Pepsi about the time it clicked in her mind what Dee Dee was telling her. Hearing this information from her 'baby' niece was enough for the normally composed nurse to nearly choke. She nearly spit her Pepsi across the table. It took Dixie a couple full minutes to regain herself before she said, "You shared a room with John Gage? Well, at least tell me that you didn't share his bed."

Dee Dee looked Dixie in the eye and replied with a slightly wicked grin, "I'll tell you that we shared a room."

Now things were perfectly clear to Dixie, or as clear as she let her mind take this. That had to be why Johnny had been acting so strangely around her since he'd been back to work. "So that is why he's been avoiding me!"

Dee Dee found that a bit funny, "He's been avoiding you?"

"Yes, he has." Dixie said. "Look Dee Dee, I love you and I really don't want to see you hurt. I guess I should have had this talk with you sooner. But, Johnny, ..."

Dee Dee quoted Dixie's earlier comment about Johnny, "Is a great person. I believe you said that already."

"Yes, well yes I did." Dixie tried reword her thoughts, "And he is a great person, but as far as being a great person to date, ... or, ... Surely you have heard about him and don't need me to tell you about, ..."

"Him chasing every nurse that has worked here since he's been a fireman." Dee Dee grinned. "No, you don't and yes, I've heard those stories from everyone Chet Kelly to dispatchers. Look I know I've only known Johnny and been here a short while, but I think I'm a pretty good judge of character. He is also one of your favorite people so my judgement can't be too far off and if I get hurt you can tell me you tried to warn me. Fair enough?"

Dixie sighed, "I don't like it but you are determined to be your own person and make your own decisions."

"Like a certain aunt of mine." Dee Dee said.

Dixie shrugged. "Like I've said before, sometimes you are more like me than I like to think. I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I've made."

Timing in Rampart was like everywhere else, bad. The intercom came to life, "Code Blue, Code Blue, ER 4, ER 4."

Dixie was out of her chair and moving.

Dee Dee said to her back. "I'll take you lunch to your desk." After eating her sandwich, Dee Dee wrapped Dixie's nearly untouched lunch, got her another Pepsi then headed back to the emergency department. "Carol, Dixie didn't get to finish her lunch. Can you put it away for her for later and could I use the phone?"

Carol replied, "Sure, just dial 9 for an outside line."

Dee Dee did and was surprised to when it rang back into Rampart. "Yes, I was calling about the EMT class. What do I need to do to get into it?"

The voice on the other end said, "Let me get you name and number, then you need to just show up Thursday."

"Thanks." Dee Dee said, then gave her the information. "Thanks for the use of the phone Carol. Tell Dixie we'll talk later."

Carol replied, "No problem."

One of the Candy Stripers came up to Carol as Dee Dee was heading down the hall, "Who was that?"

"Ms. McCall's neice. Why?" Carol asked.

"She just looked familiar from school." The Sandy said.

Carol replied, "I doubt you know her, she just moved to LA awhile back."

"Oh, alright then thanks." She headed back down the hallway ad found her friend, Erin, "Come here." At the snack machine Sandy said, "You'll never guess what I heard at lunch."

Erin asked, "What?"

"You know that really cute paramedic with the dark hair?" Sandy replied.

"Gage? Isn't it." Erin said, uncertain of herself since they had only been working at Rampart a short time.

"Yeah, that's him. Well, I was setting near Ms. McCall when she was having lunch with a girl that turns out to be her niece. They were talking really low but I heard enough to make out that it seems that her niece shared a room somewhere and Ms. McCall didn't seem to like it one bit." Sandy said proudly that she had found out something this juicy.

Erin cautioned, "Do you think it is wise to be telling such things about your supervisor's family that you don't even know?"

Sandy seen that she really didn't get the reaction she wanted from Erin, so she said, "Maybe you are right."

Erin watched as Sandy went off to spread the tale. She knew this was like dropping a match in a field of dry grass. It was a wild fire that couldn't likely be stopped.

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***** Note: I tired to find 1970's EMT requirements and could not so I'll go with the current standard, 120 hours of training. I don't see Dr. Brackett doing any less than that even though the EMT's couldn't do as much as we are trained to do today. I know we're doing more now than when I was an EMT ten years ago.

I hope it was worth the wait.