Chapter 24 part two The Best Captain

The call came as she had settled back by the phone after her shower. She had wrapped up in one of John's t-shirts and pulled on her jeans. Joanne was making a fresh pot of coffee. The phone ringing made JJ jump and she grabbed for the phone. "Hello? Roy?" she blurted. "Where is he?"

"JJ, they found them. Both are alive. They used the shelters. Eric is conscious, but Johnny is not. He is suffering from heat stroke," Roy said quickly in a torrent of words. She could hear his relief.

"You're sure?" JJ's voice trembled with emotion. They'd found Johnny alive, alive! Heat stroke was bad, but she refused to dwell on it.

"He's alive, JJ. They are air lifting them both to Rampart. Have Joanne drive you there. You should get there just after they do. I will meet you both there." Roy sounded better, more in control.

"Thanks Roy, we are on our way," she replied and hung up.

JJ jumped up and yelled, "Joanne, we gotta go. They found them both. We need to get to Rampart now." She ran to find shoes and slip on a bra and smaller shirt. I'm Johnny's representative now to his men she reasoned. She needed to show strength. Grabbing her make-up bag and purse, she and Joanne hastily left.

By the time they had driven to the hospital, JJ had rallied. While giving thanks mentally they were okay, she applied a small amount of make-up to help disguise she had been crying. She figured God would understand her multitasking. She was elated they had found the men alive, which she had feared would not happen. Now was about Johnny, not her. He needed her and as his wife she needed to show strength for him and for his crew. Joanne watched her. She had been worried seeing JJ like she had been, but JJ set aside everything to be the composed, unruffled woman Joanne knew. JJ smiled slightly. "I am sorry. I really lost it. Thanks for being there Joanne."

Joanne told her, "Nowhere else I would have been. You didn't lose it JJ. What you felt is just human. I've been there too. Now, let's go find Johnny."

Roy met them at the doors of the emergency room and gave a short update. Johnny had awoken on the way over, but had been incoherent. Dr. Brackett told Roy he had heat stroke and they were working to cool him as quickly as they could. Eric was being treated for heat exhaustion. Apparently, Johnny had given Eric the patch of dirt that was in a depression, which didn't surprise JJ. His shelter had been on a slight hill. It did anger her that he had risked himself, and then she remembered as the captain he was responsible for his men. And she reminded herself, that part of Johnny that thought of others is why she loved him so much. The whole paradox made her mad and the incident had terrified her, but she could be mad later. JJ walked quickly as Roy talked. Joanne and Roy put arms around each other and walked together. Ahead, JJ saw Johnny's crew clustered together worry on their faces. They hugged her in turn. Only Eric and Johnny were absent. "We thought he and Eric were behind us JJ," Ted began in apology. Her red eyes weren't lost on the crew.

She looked at the men, sooty and bedraggled. "You all need to stop blaming yourselves. I know you wouldn't have just left them. They were right behind you and then the burn over cut them off. They were found alive. John would be happy his crew is safe," her voice broke, "And I am glad you are all safe." She smiled faintly. Richard hugged her to his side with his arm around her waist. "Have any of you seen Eric?"

"Not yet," Al replied, "He is awake and his father and brother are here. They went in to see him first."

Eddie brought JJ a cup of coffee she didn't want, but she accepted it and sipped anyway. She appreciated his thoughtfulness. Roy and Joanne took the clipboard and began filling out what they could on the admittance forms in case Johnny needed hospitalization. As they worked, Joanne sat closely to her husband touching him when she could, glad he was okay.

Dixie came over and told JJ she could see John soon. "So, what was his temperature, Dix?" JJ asked wanting a better idea of his condition.

"106 degrees in the field, and 104 when he arrived here," Dixie replied professionally, but with compassion. Her expressive eyes watching JJ carefully. "They started the cooling as soon as he was found. He doesn't seem to have any severe burns and he is breathing fine. His heart was showing some arrhythmia when he was found, but that has resolved as he cooled. We are still monitoring it as a precaution. He is confused at times, but that will get better as he cools off. Dr. Brackett is flushing his system with as much fluid as he can pump into him. So far there is no sign of renal failure. We are monitoring the proteins in his blood. Kel said he'd come let me know when you could go in." Dixie touched JJ on the upper back and with a quick circular rub she smiled and went back to the treatment room.

Eric's family came out of an exam room and walked to the group of firemen. After introductions, Mr. Miller, Eric's dad addressed JJ. "Hello, I am Edward Miller, Eric's father and this is his brother Steve. Your husband was with my son, Mrs. Gage. How is he?"

She shook both of the men's hands. " I am sorry we are meeting under this circumstances. They are cooling him and so far he is doing okay. How is Eric?" JJ responded.

"He is doing quite well. Eric wants to see you Mrs. Gage. We need to bring our car around to take Eric home." Mr. Miller answered.

She nodded and bid them both good-bye. JJ handed her coffee cup to Eddie and walked to the exam room. As she walked into the room, Eric looked over at her, his face full of worry. He was smudged with soot and dirt. He smelled strongly of smoke. His arms had huge, ugly bruises on the biceps and much of his skin looked like he had sunburn. He was on oxygen using a cannula.

"Hey Eric, how are you feeling? You look pretty good." JJ smiled. He did look good. He was alive and that was good.

"Yeah, I look like crap; feels great to be cooler, Jay," he answered coughing. "Damn smoke." Eric shrugged. "You see Johnny yet?" He had taken to calling her Jay and she'd let him. Eric was 5 years younger than she and 7 years younger than Johnny. Even so, he was not the youngest on the crew. That was Eddie.

JJ shook her head. "Not yet, but he is responding well they say." She stepped closer to the gurney and placed a hand on Eric's arm. "I am so glad you are okay, Eric." She kissed his forehead ruffled his hair. Eric was a frequent guest at their home and except for Roy, he was her favorite. "No guilt Eric, I mean it. You get better. We have a cold one waiting for you at our house." He nodded silently too emotional to answer. JJ leaned over and gave him a hug and left the room.

Upon stepping out of the room, Kel spotted her. "JJ? You can come in to see Johnny. He is still being cooled and is still out of it at times." JJ nodded and followed him. Her heart raced and her legs felt wobbly. Seeing someone you loved hurt was never easy.

Johnny was lying still on the exam table covered in a thin layer of sheets and being misted with water by a nurse. His hands were red from the heat and his IV was being switched out. JJ heard Dixie report Johnny's temperature was 103 degrees. His eyes were open, but he was saying things that didn't make sense. "Dixie, you gotta get outta here. The fire…," he said.

"Johnny, you're at Rampart," she soothed, "No fire Tiger, you're fine." She looked up and smiled at JJ. "He gets confused at bit." JJ nodded absently.

She was assaulted with the smell of smoke and burned things and JJ's eyes quickly evaluated that John only had extensive first degree burns, like a killer sunburn and could see some blistering in spots. She moved forward and stroked his hair melted in places from the heat where it stuck out of his helmet. "John, love, you're at Rampart. I'm here." She placed a kiss on his sooty forehead and transferred some of his soot to her face.

"Janes?" his eyes focused on her and he smiled. "Hey Angel." He reached up and touched her face. He looked suddenly confused as he noted the soot on her face. "How did you get on scene? It's not safe Janey. You gotta get out of here…" He began to get agitated and tried to get up off the gurney. Dixie moved to hold him down trying to calm him. He fought her.

JJ saw her presence wasn't helping and as much as she wanted to stay she needed to step away. "It's okay Johnny, they are here to get me out. I'll see you soon love," she lied tried to quiet him down. Her words seemed to settle him. JJ caressed his face, kissed his forehead, and then left her eyes brimming with tears from a mixture of relief and worry. Reluctantly, JJ turned and left the room, tears falling down her face.