The Boot

Chapter Thirty Seven

By GCS

DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.

The trip to Rampart was short and uneventful…at least for Kirk.

Johnny on the other hand could have driven on for a very long time. He loved the feel of the rescue truck. His inner kid delighted at the way the other vehicles parted and moved to the roadside for the emergency vehicles to pass, but more than that he felt the energy within the truck, the life saving equipment, the extra bottles of oxygen lined along the bed between the storage compartments and the K-12 waiting to be hoisted up and out of its case as well as the jaws of life and many other forcible entry tools housed in her many storage compartments. Johnny Gage was at the helm of a veritable miracle machine.

The squad followed the ambulance into the entrance at Rampart and beneath the pass through to the Emergency parking area. Johnny tapped the steering wheel with his index finger as he watched nurses, doctors and pedestrians pause only long enough for the ambulance to pull forward and reverse as if it were a normal occurrence before continuing on their trek to or from the automatic doors that led inside. He waited until the ambulance cleared his path, and then he duplicated their actions backing into the space beside the ambulance like Tony and Joe always did. He carefully put the vehicle in park…checking it twice to be sure and pushed the emergency brake into place.

He breathed in deeply, closed his eyes and relished in the moment. Then he checked the brake one last time. Once absolutely sure the squad was parked securely, he turned to Kirk who had fallen asleep. "Hey, we're here." He gently nudged the other lineman. Kirk opened one eye and looked at Johnny then closed it again. "Okay…uh…I'll just come around and help you out." Johnny reached over with his uninjured arm and opened the door, slid out and rounded the back of the truck. He couldn't help running his finger along the side of the compartments as he made his way around. The smooth metal felt cool beneath his touch. When he reached the other side he leaned toward the window to check on his passenger, carefully opened the passenger side door and pulled Kirk's arm over his shoulder.

"Can't a guy get a decent nap? I've been fighting fires all day long. I'm tired." Kirk grumbled, but he slid out and allowed Johnny to assist him to the automatic doors.

Dixie McCall had just sent Tim into an exam room with his patient and Charlie to another room when she looked up and saw Johnny and Kirk stumbling into the hall. Kirk looked like he was about to collapse even with Johnny supporting him. Johnny on the other hand looked like the cat that killed the canary. She wondered how a man could look so happy covered in soot with sweat soaked bangs clinging to his forehead and a co-worker's arm slung over his shoulders.

"Hey Dixie!" If it was possible Johnny's boyish grin grew wider and more crooked. "My partner here got a little banged up."

"I can see that." She said in her most seriously concerned professional voice. "Why don't we take him here to treatment room two, and then we can see about you." She didn't yet know how serious they were, but with her trained eye she thought she saw him limping and one of his wrists was definitely swollen.

Johnny's smile faded. "Me?" He stumbled a bit as he helped Kirk through the treatment room door. Dixie supported his back and together they moved into the asylum of the treatment room. "I…I'm not…I'm okay."

Dixie helped Kirk slip from his turnout coat and shirt as Johnny began back peddling to the door.

"I'll…uh…" He turned and reached for the door with his injured arm pulling back just after the twinge of pain assaulted his wrist when he tried to open it. He flashed a look over to Dixie to see if she had seen him flinch. Thinking he was safe he quickly changed hands and tried again. His brief hesitation gave Dixie enough time to aim and shoot both barrels at the young man.

"John Gage, I hope you never get the idea that you can pull one over on me. I've been in this business long enough to see the signs of injury, and you, young man will sit down on that stool until I can get the truth out of you and have you seen by a doctor. Do I make myself clear?"

Johnny turned around wide eyed and red faced. "Y…yes…uh…yes ma'am." He dropped his chin to his chest and slumped down onto the stool to wait. Dixie continued with her assessment of Kirk's injuries taking his pulse, blood pressure and respirations to prepare for the doctor to arrive.

The door opened and Dr. Kelly Brackett came into the room. He glanced over at Johnny and pressed his lips together in a hard line before speaking. "Dixie, what have we got?"

"There was a roof collapse at a toy factory warehouse. These gentlemen and two others as well as the man they were bringing out were caught in it." She proceeded to present Kirk's vitals to the doctor. "If you can handle this I'd like to get Johnny to another room."

"What's his story?" Brackett said under his breath to the nurse hoping to get some idea of what had happened to the hose jockey, this time.

Dixie spoke softly back to him. "He says he's fine, but I suspect an injury to his wrist, and he was limping."

Kirk whispered to the two medical professionals. "He lost his helmet too and looked kind of dazed after the collapse. He carried out the other fireman, Charlie; then he passed out. Said he took a nap." Kirk chuckled softly.

"Possible concussion." Brackett said. "Thanks for the information." He looked to Dixie. "I've got this. See if Joe is available. He seems to have a soft spot for our young hose jockey."

Dixie smiled and winked, "He's not the only one." She moved over beside Johnny, "Come on sweetheart. There's a room waiting for you across the hall."

Johnny got up slowly. Sitting on the stool had left him stiff and had allowed the tiredness to seep back in. He shuffled across the hall, slipped from his coat and shirt of his own accord and slid onto the exam table.

"So…do you want to tell me what happened?" Dixie began wiping the soot from his face with the damp cloth she had prepared as he undressed.

Johnny looked up into her kind blue eyes and inhaled her sweet perfume which brought his smile back. "I got to drive the squad."

Dixie smiled brightly, "You did? How was it?"

Johnny closed his eyes and thought for a moment before speaking his feelings. He was not one to share, but Dixie seemed to bring it out of him. "It was amazing." He sat up and started rattling off his feelings to his friend. "I mean really, really great. I…Dixie, I think…I mean, I know." He jumped off the table and started limping around the room before Dixie could stop him. "Driving the squad made me realize it. You know what I mean." She thought she did, but she wasn't completely sure and didn't want to interrupt his thoughts. Johnny stopped and turned to her. "I'm gonna do it! Dixie, I'm gonna do it!" He walked up to the nurse and almost hugged her before he realized he was filthy.

Dixie laughed at him and pulled him into a hug. "I'm glad. You'll do great."

Johnny backed up and almost stumbled. "You really think I'll be okay. I mean I've helped a little and done some rappelling and crawling into tight spaces and all, but do you think I can do it?"

Dixie hesitated before answering. She wanted to be sure she said the right thing. The momentary hesitation gave room for Johnny's insecurities to kick in and he sat back down on the table like a lost little boy. "I…it was just an idea."

"Johnny," Dixie moved back to his side. "I think you will be perfect for it."

Johnny looked up at her and spoke softly, "I knew as soon as I cranked up the squad that I wanted it. I'm gonna talk to Scotty and see what he thinks, but I think I might go down to headquarters when I get off shift and sign up for the next class. I mean…if you and Scotty think I can do it. I really think I could be good at it."

"We are talking about Rescue right?" Dixie finally asked smiling at Johnny as she brushed the bangs from his forehead. "Merry Christmas Johnny, that's one of the best gifts I've gotten this year. I think you will be an excellent Rescue Man; one of the best. But right now I think you need to tell me what hurts."

Johnny's grin spread across his face again. "Merry Christmas."

Before Johnny had a chance to tell Dixie what ailed him Joe Early came into the room with a smile for his friend. "Well if it isn't Johnny Gage. Merry Christmas Johnny."

"Merry Christmas Doctor Early."

"Johnny was just about to tell me what brings him back to us." Dixie lifted the uninjured wrist to get a pulse. "And he has some news."

While Joe examined Johnny he shared his idea of going out for Rescue. It was determined after careful examination and x-rays that he did in fact have a sprained wrist as well as a twisted ankle neither of which were terribly bad, but he also had a mild concussion. "Well Johnny, I think you'll make a fine addition to our Rescue teams. If there is anything I can help you with in your training feel free to ask." Joe patted him on his knee. He pointed to the ace bandage on Johnny's wrist and then his ankle as he spoke. "You need to ice these and keep them elevated as much as possible. I would like to keep you overnight."

Johnny started to protest.

Joe held up his hands in defense. "But since it's Christmas, I'll let you go home if you promise to have someone check on you from time to time tonight."

Johnny turned his face away.

Joe understood the movement and continued. "Or you could bunk down at the station until your crew gets off shift."

Johnny turned back and a small crooked grin spread. "I could do that."

Joe patted his knee again. "Well you get dressed while I check on your friends. I'm pretty sure Kirk and Charlie are going to be our guests, but Tim has been drinking coffee in the lounge waiting to hear about you. "Dixie can you get him some crutches. I don't want any weight on that ankle for at least two days."

"Aw man." Johnny groused.

"Or you can room upstairs with one of your crew mates." Joe teased.

Johnny sat up quickly which caused his head to swim a bit, but he smiled anyway. "No…that's okay. Crutches for at least two days. Thanks Doctor Early."

Joe smiled and waved as he disappeared through the door.

"You just stay right there. I'll be right back." Dixie followed Joe leaving Johnny in the room alone. He reclined back on the exam table and closed his eyes. The more time since the collapse the more tired and achy he seemed to get. He was dozing lightly when Dixie returned. "Okay, here you go." She smiled when she realized he had drifted to sleep. She lightly shook his shoulder. "Johnny?"

One eye cracked open and closed again. A soft groan escaped and a very tired fireman sat up. "I fell asleep."

"I noticed." She reached out and brushed the bangs from his face. "Are you ready to get out of here?"

Johnny perked up a bit. "Yes ma'am." Dixie helped him up and steadied him on his crutches before grabbing his boot. Johnny realized that crutches for a sore ankle were difficult with a sore wrist, but he managed to hobble from the room into the hall where he met Tim. Dixie passed off the extra boot and watched the two firemen as they left her ER.

The squad backed into the station and Tim turned off the engine and looked over at his passenger. Johnny blinked blearily and sat forward. "We're back?"

"Do you need any help with your crutches?" Tim asked.

"No I think I can manage." Johnny yawned and reached for the door. He slowly climbed from the squad and made an awkward attempt at walking with the crutches. His wrist throbbed with every step. Tim followed him into the day room where several men were chatting around the table.

"Hey Boot, what did you do to yourself now?" Scotty stood and looked over his friend.

"Scotty! What are you doing here?"

"A little Dixie bird called and said you might need a ride home." And a friend, Scotty remembered how Dixie had said Johnny had wanted to talk to him about something. That he needed some advice.

Johnny's gaze fell to the floor. "Doc said I can't go home by myself." He said softly.

"Who said you were going to your apartment?" Scotty smiled. "You're coming home with me."

Johnny's head shot up. "Huh? I can't do that."

"Why not? I've already been to my Mom's for Christmas dinner. I've got nothing to do but watch
TV and eat leftovers. You might as well come over and taste my Mom's dressing."

"Really?"

"Come on kid, let's get out of here." Scotty took the spare boot from Tim.

"I need to get my gear."

"Well…move your skinny butt."