Thirty minutes after Joanne and Roy had finished up the required paperwork to have temporary guardianship over Johnny, they sat quietly making lists of items that would need to be taken care of, as well as what they were worried about.

"I know Jenny doesn't fully understand what's going on yet and when it hits her, it'll hit her hard," Joanne explained as she wrote down that concern. "I really don't know what we can do beforehand though. Dr. Druthers has said we just need to take things one day at a time."

"I know," Roy sighed. "Chris seems to understand a bit better after a visit to the New Horizon institute. I don't know how well he has been sleeping since then, but he doesn't really want to talk about it with me."

"Nor with me," Joanne admitted. "But then again, he is his father's son."

Smiling grimly, Roy knew she had a point, "Hopefully in the next couple days they will be able to visit again."

"How are you holding up?" Joanne looked at her husband.

With all the craziness surrounding the accident, the end of the school year activities and making sure everything was lined up for the summer, not to mention all the paperwork and hoops the family had to deal with in hopes of bring Johnny home eventually, she and Roy often didn't have much time to talk lately. Usually, they would spend time before falling asleep catching up, but both of them were so tired that even with the best of intentions, they just fell asleep before they could catch up.

Shrugging, Roy looked away before answering, "I'm not really sure. It doesn't seem too real yet. I hate not knowing what'll happen for sure. All this waiting around for answers is hard. I wonder I guess if asking you to take on the responsibility of caring for Johnny is too much or unfair to you and the kids."

"Honey," she reminded him gently. "You didn't ask, I offered. And so did the kids. He's been part of our family for so long, we'd be missing a piece if he wasn't around. Yes, I know it's going to be hard, but I know Jenny said that if she didn't at least try, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. I mean, think about it. There has never been a point in her life where Johnny hasn't been around. Chris probably doesn't remember a time either.

"As for me, yes, it's scary, the idea of not knowing what he might be facing or the issues we as a family might be facing taking on such a huge responsibility. But, I think we just got to keep talking to each other and keep speaking to someone like Doctor Druthers. Having an outside source seems to be helping. Plus, there are so many people willing to help out from your crew, not to mention their spouses and families."

"She's right, you know Roy," Karl Druthers spoke up from where he had been listening in from the doorway. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but well, I really don't have a good excuse other than I wanted to see how you two were doing and would work this out. I can see you're feeling guilty, but you shouldn't. From what I've gathered from everyone, and not just in your family, but also Station 51's family, people are willing to try. That says a lot about who Johnny is as a person and who you're family is. It tells me that people honestly believe your family may be the best place for Johnny if he is able to be in a home environment."

Seeing their hopeful looks, he smiled, "Yes, I am beginning to believe your family is the best place, but as you two said, there are still things we need to work on. Plus, I need to talk with Johnny, as well as his doctors and medical team. I want you two to start working on dealing with the possibility that even if things go as you hope, if Johnny doesn't do well being home with you, that you don't let guilt or any other negative thoughts eat you up. For now, I'll let you just think on those things and let you focus on John for right now since he appears to be waking up."

With a smile and a nod, Karl left the couple to reassure Johnny as he began trying to move and started groaning in pain again.

"Johnny, shhh, it's okay," Joanne soothed, looking worried when Johnny failed to respond. "Do you want me to call a nurse in?"

"Not yet, he just had his meds recently, so he's probably just trying to wake-up," Roy decided after a moment. "Keep the call button in hand though."

Focusing on Johnny, Roy called to him softly, "Johnny, time to wake. Come on, everything's okay. Just open your eyes."

Slowly, over the course of a few minutes, Johnny's eyes began trying to open.

"That's it. Thatta boy," Roy encouraged. "Keep trying."

Owww, too loud, John thought. Where here? Who's that? Owww…let me sleep. Hurts. Stuck in mud.

Despite his desire to just close out the world, Roy kept on and after about five minutes, Johnny finally opened his eyes completely.

"There you go," Roy smiled at him. "How are you feeling?"

Processing what was said, it took a minute or so before Johnny answered in a small, crackly voice, "Hurts."

"I'm sure it does," Joanne said sympathetically.

"Are you able to stay awake a bit?" Roy asked.

Trying to sort out the two sentences left him confused and seeing the confusion, Roy asked again more slowly, "Do you think you can stay awake?"

Nodding, Johnny felt tears come to his eyes at the severe pain that stab at him.

"Try not to move, you got banged up pretty good," suggested Roy.

Eyes widening, Johnny began looking around and noticed for the first time that he was in a white room filled with a lot of things he didn't recognize.

What's going on? Strings everywhere, so many noises. What happened? he thought as he began to panic.

"Press the button," Roy whispered as he settled his hand on Johnny's arm. "It's okay. I know it's scary, but you are okay."

Trying to comfort him like he would a child, Roy let Joanne explain to the nurse what was taking place.

"You just hit your head and a few other places, that's why you are in pain," Roy said slowly, trying to gauge if Johnny understood him or not.

Coming back in the cubicle, Jo took his hand and said, "I know it's scary, but all the things here are to help the doctors and nurses know how you are doing. Okay?"

"'K," Johnny replied, grasping onto Joanne's hand as tight as he could.

"Just breathe slowly," Joanne coached. "In…out. In…out. In…out. In…out. There, is that better?"

"Yes," John said, still overwhelmed and scared.

"The doctor will be here soon and help tell you what is going on," Roy said.

"I wanna go home," Johnny voice began breaking again as he fought the urge to cry.

"Honey, you can't right now," Joanne apologized softly, her heart breaking. "You are too sick right now."

Looking up, both Roy and Jo were relieved to see Doctor Early enter.

"This is Doctor Early," Roy introduced Johnny to him. "He helped to take care of you when you first got sick. Do you remember?"

"No," John said with his voice quivering.

"That's okay," Dr. Early assured him as he sat on the opposite side of the bed. "If it's okay, I'd like to ask you some questions."

"Why?"

"It will help me know how you are doing. You can ask me anything you would like after I'm done," he offered.

Thinking about it, John nodded carefully.

"Thank you," Joe said smiling. "Can you tell me your full name?"

"John Roderick Gage."

"Do you know you're date of birth?"

"Yes," John said, looking confused.

Smiling, Early asked, "Can you tell me what it is?"

"August 28, 194," he paused, squinting his eyes as he thought hard. "1949?"

"That's right, good job," Dr. Early praised. "Now, can you tell me how old you are?"

"Seven," Johnny tried to hold up seven fingers, but found himself tangled in various wires. "Let me go!"

"Shhh, it's okay," Joanne soothed, trying to calm him down before he became too scared. "Remember, all these wires are to help the doctors to know how you are doing."

It took a couple more minutes, but between Roy holding onto Johnny's hand and Jo stroking his forehead, John soon calmed down. Watching them, Dr. Early just sat back and observed what was taking place before adding some notes to his notebook.

"You okay now?" he kindly asked after Johnny settled down.

"Yes, sir," John stuttered as he blushed.

"It's okay, this can be a very scary place," Joe assured him. "I think you are doing very well."

Seeing Johnny yawn, he questioned, "Can you answer a few more things for me?"

Shrugging his shoulders a bit, Johnny said, "I don't know."

"Alright, how about I just ask and we'll see if you can, okay?" Dr. Early smiled. "Can you tell me what this is?"

Looking at the pen in front of him, Johnny frowned. It looked kind of like a pencil, but not quite.

"A pencil?" he guessed, his voice giving away that he knew that it wasn't right.

"Close, it's a pen," Dr. Early said.

Pausing, Joe had a though and asked, "Have you ever seen a pen?"

"Dad told me 'bout them," Johnny said. "I miss ma and dad."

"Do you know where they are?" Roy asked him when he saw Dr. Early look towards him.

"In the sky with Dawn," Johnny sadly told him.

"Who's Dawn?" Joanne gently questioned.

"Small girl…" tears ran down his face as he told them this.

"Was she your sister?" Joanne wondered.

"She came from mom," John looked confused and offered that information.

Leave me 'lone. Tired, hurt. Missing ma and dad. Hate questions…John was thinking so hard that he missed part of the next question Dr. Early had for him.

"…dog, house."

"Huh?" John looked confused.

"Can you remember these words-tree, dog, house?" Dr. Early said patiently, knowing how tired Johnny was getting.

I wish I could just let him rest, but I need to do this evaluation now. If I don't, I won't have a guide as to how he is improving or have a clue as to what services he will need to help him, Joe reminded himself as he fought feelings of guilt and sadness at what he was putting his young friend through. At least the hardest part is almost over for right now.

After a couple minutes, Doctor Early asked John to repeat back the words he asked him to remember. Slowly, Johnny tried repeating them, but he could only remember the word house and instead of saying dog, said cat instead.

Showing no signs that anything was amiss, Joe told him, "That was great. I just have a couple more questions, okay?"

Sighing heavily, Johnny acknowledged it.

No choice. Never any choice, he thought sadly. Wanna go home. But where is home? Not here…place here weird, too sunny, odd look.

Refocusing, Johnny tried concentrating on Doctor Early, but was finding it more and more difficult considering how exhausted he felt. Trying his best however, he attempted to touch his right finger to his nose, then his left finger to his nose. After that, Joe had him follow his finger as he held his head still. At the request of the doctor, he lifted first his left hand, than his right, followed by his right leg. Thinking the next step would be lifting his left leg, Johnny tried moving it and found he could.

Frightening, he began hyperventilating, fearing the worst.

"John, what's wrong," Roy quickly asked as he was the first to notice the change in breathing pattern.

Unable to understand what was being said, Johnny just looked towards him, eyes wide.

"Slow your breathing down," Roy said much more slowly. "Just breathe in slowly and hold it, now let it out slowly. Now, breath in slowly, hold it. Now, slowly let it out. There you go, that's good."

Finally able to start to be able to breathe better, Johnny gasped out, "Leg?"

"Leg?" Jo asked, puzzled. "Both your legs are fine sweetie. There is nothing to worry about."

More insistent this time, John again gasped out, "Leg!"

Catching onto what Johnny may be thinking, Roy assured him, "Your one leg is in a cast. That is why you cannot move it."

"Huh," Johnny was even more confused and tired after spending all the extra energy catching his breath.

"You broke your ankle when you got hurt," Doctor Early informed him. "We put what is called a cast on your foot up to your knee so that you can't move your ankle. By doing this, it gives your ankle a chance to heal the right way."

Nodding, Johnny collapsed further on the bed, looked relieved.

"You also have some stitches across your back," Joe went on. "They closed up a big cut you had there. Also, your back may hurt because you have some burns."

Trying to figure everything out, Johnny didn't know what to say other than, "Why?"

"You got hurt in an accident. Something exploded and you were in the way and got hurt," Roy simply explained.

Sighing, John's eyes began to close without permission.

Patting him on the shoulder, Dr. Early told him, "Go ahead and sleep, I just need to test your reflexes right now. It shouldn't hurt and wouldn't take very long. I also need to check out some other things, but I am going to give you a medication to help you rest so I don't think you will know about any of this. When you wake up again, we can finish up, okay?"

"'K," Johnny breathed out, just glad he could sleep.

Nodding to the nurse standing in the doorway, Joe waited until the medication she injected into the IV port was working to continue his exam.

"Why don't you two go on downstairs and grab a bite to eat while you can?" he suggested. "Johnny should sleep for at least an hour and someone will page you if needed."

Looking towards Joanne, Roy nodded as he ran his hands through his hair, "Alright doc, thanks."

"No problem, now get," he said affectionately as he smiled.

Leaving the room, Roy and Jo headed towards the elevator and once inside, leaned on one of the walls.

"Man, I can't believe I never knew he had a younger sister," Roy said.

"It might have been too painful," Jo pointed out as they got off the elevator and headed towards the cafeteria. "Besides, you said yourself, Johnny doesn't like talking about his past too much and honestly, from what little we know, I can't blame him."

Taking a tray, Roy nodded, "I know."

"Why don't we just eat and relax though right now," Jo wisely pointed out. "We won't have many breaks, so we might as well take them as we get them."

Nodding, the two of the started heading towards a table when they heard over the loud speaker: ICU CODE BLUE ICU 5, CODE BLUE ICU 5

Freezing, Joanne looked towards Roy, pleading desperately, "Tell me that isn't Johnny's room."

Swallowing heavily, Roy was unable to meet her gaze and failed to speak.

"Roy!" Jo spoke sharply. "Just tell me!"

Still unable to speak past the lump in his throat, Roy just nodded while hastily setting down their tray on the nearest table. Grabbing her hand, he began pulling her towards the elevator, terrified that by the time the two of them got there, it would be too late.

Too late for what though? Roy wondered. What on earth could have happened in the last twenty minutes to change things so much?

Trying to keep up with the brisk pace Roy set, Joanne was relieved when she spotted the elevators.

Thank God, she thought in relief. Please, please, let everything be okay. I don't know how much any of us can take.

Stepping into the crowded elevator, the two of them held onto one another even tighter, unable to find the words to comfort one another or a way to calm the impatience each felt. All they wanted was to know what had happened, but the fates seemed to conspire against them as people got on and off each floor, making the short trip to the ICU floor seem longer than it had ever seemed before.