Roy walked into the dayroom for lunch still in shock over Johnny's declaration. However, he had no intention of honoring it. He had made some horrible errors in judgment regarding his former and now current partner.
"So Roy how was your first run of the day?" Hank asked noting Gage's silent entrance.
"Interesting. But I'll get used to it again. Once on the horse, you know," DeSoto said and heard Gage snort.
During lunch Chet, Marco, Mike and Cap made conversation while Gage ate quietly.
"Wow we actually got to each lunch," Chet smiled. "Haven't been able to do it in weeks. Figured Johnny here clued you in."
"No, Johnny…we haven't had time to talk about with the call and all," Roy smiled wondering if the whole damn shift didn't know what was going on. The sandy haired paramedic watched as Gage silently cleaned up and did dishes while the men sat around the table talking
"Yeah Roy you should have been here last week. We had this big refinery fire, Johnny almost got himself burned to a crisp rescuing some guy," Chet looked for Gage. "Hey where'd he go?"
John made his way back to his locker, he took out his shine box and started shining his shoes, he looked at the new medical books he had purchased but he wanted something mindless to do.
"Oh well his loss," Kelly smiled. "Man is Gage one daredevil."
Roy sat there silently watching as they looked him over with anticipation. Somehow he thought they were waiting for some big blowup. But Gage had made it perfectly clear he had his emotions and life under control.
Before long another klaxon had gone off and the squad went back to work. The whole shift went that way. The rest of men regaling DeSoto of previous runs and Johnny silent as a door mouse and making Roy anxious. He had been so used to the bubbly, always talking Gage, sometimes annoying, most always entertaining, unnerving.
Once the day was done, Johnny pointed out his old bunk was now his. Roy didn't have a problem until they turned in. DeSoto turned to talk to John to find Gage facing towards the wall. He was feeling more and more cut off.
By the time the shift was over, DeSoto was glad of it. He could feel how tense his muscles were and looked forward to a nice long soak at home.
"See you next shift?" Roy waved as Gage disappeared into the parking lot. He had changed and left Roy alone in the locker room. Stanley had changed and motioned him into the office.
Roy sat in the chair while Hank leaned against the desk.
"So how was your first shift back?" Hank had crossed his arms and looked seriously at the paramedic.
Roy smiled, trying in his mind how to reply to the question. "Interesting, I guess."
"I know it may take awhile to get used to Johnny," Stanley stated the obvious, "Believe me it took us a while too."
"You're telling me. Well I got to go Cap, wife's waiting," DeSoto stood up. "See ya next shift."
Driving home Hank's words sunk in. It took time for them to get used to the new Gage and the Phantom had disappeared and the shift had turned into a morgue. Because of him, oh, there was no denying it. The things he had said to Johnny in anger, hit their mark only too well.
***
Johnny needed to get away, far away as possible, away from the city and Roy DeSoto. His skin had crawled the whole time he had been on shift with him. Roy DeSoto his once friend and partner. He had been such a fool. He had very few friends. Maybe he had trust issues from the reservation. Thankful his family had moved far away when they had a chance.
Pulling into his driveway, he opened up his garage and took out his dusty camping gear. Since his last hiking accident he had put his gear away for good he thought. DeSoto showing up wasn't something he expected. But the whole thing had been his fault anyway, since it seemed he could never leave anything alone. Always with a remark, he had shot himself in the foot, no he had blown up his leg, one of the few good things he had going and he had messed up it real good.
Waving to his neighbor, Gage would buy groceries on the way up, being sure to store a small ice chest. Bills could wait but his sanity didn't.
Driving out of the city, Johnny felt the tension ease from his shoulders. He would be free for a few days at least. Maybe some overtime would do the trick, he had been neglecting his house and anything to not think about Roy DeSoto would fit the bill.
****
Pulling up in his driveway, he knew Joanne would want a blow by blow of how his first shift went. However, he wasn't exactly in the talking mood and he had never told Joanne about the breakup of his and John's friendship. Funny he thought he'd never see Gage again. Their last shift was so intense and heated the thought of going back into the field never crossed his mind. At least he had a long honey do list where he could get his mind off of work and John Gage.