The day to day life in Los Angeles was as hectic and exciting as ever as the summer day bathed the city under intensely warm sunlight. The fourth rescue call of the afternoon for Squad 51 came to a rather joyous end after Roy aided a young mother in labor and helped her to deliver her first child in the back of the ambulance already en route to Rampart. Johnny had been following after the ambulance in the squad, and heard the good news over the radio when Roy made an update to Rampart over the bio-phone confirming a successful delivery with no complications, and confirmed that the young mother now had a beautiful daughter to add to her growing family.

Shortly after arriving at Rampart to drop off the young mother and her newborn daughter Roy accompanied the young woman into exam room one while Johnny met with Dixie at her usual post handling the incoming calls from other squads in the field. The dark haired paramedic patiently waited for her to finish with her current call before asking for a supply replenishment. The normally unflappable and strong willed nurse was showing a rare moment of fatigue and overall frustration as she finished the call and then exited the small bay area to sit behind the desk to finish her momentarily interrupted report.

"Hey, Dix." Johnny greeted in his usual warm way that always accompanied his crooked smile. Leaning against the surface of the desk atop his forearms Johnny saw the exhaustion being reflected in Dixie's deep blue eyes and felt compelled to try to cheer up his friend. "Tough day, huh?"

"You could say that." Letting out a breathy sigh Dixie sat back a little and straightened her shoulders as she locked eyes with the kind paramedic. "Have you ever had one of those days where it seems like nothing is going to go right?"

"I've had those days too many times to count. Want to talk about it?"

"Do you have the time to spare to hear about my interesting and aggravating day?"

"Absolutely I do." Noting that Roy was still with their patient in the exam room Johnny knew he had a few minutes to spare before they'd have to restock and return to the station. "What's been going on?"

"Well..." Neatly putting away her report in its corresponding folder Dixie filed it away and then neatly folded her hands atop to lean against the desk as she told Johnny about her very unusual day. "This morning my alarm clock didn't go off, and not because of a power surge turning it off or from it getting unplugged, my neighbor's pet rat escaped and chewed through the wire."

"You're kidding." That particular comment was so bizarre that Johnny needed to make sure he heard Dixie correctly. "A neighbor's pet rat got into your apartment and chose your alarm clock to sabotage?"

"Yup. And after I began scrambling about my apartment to get dressed and make it to work before I was late I discovered my car's battery was dead, and it took me almost ten minutes to get my car started. During my usual drive I encountered two different traffic jams, my car stalled three times during those jams and when I finally managed to get here to begin the sole on my left shoe came unglued."

"Wow. Sounds like your morning was almost as exciting as me and Roy handling the head-on collision between two delivery trucks. Never seen so much spilled food in one space."

"And that all happened to me before before any patients came my way." Dixie continued with an insincere smile on her face "That's when things got really interesting."

Flashing the nurse an incredulous stare Johnny dare asked for elaboration. "There's more?"

"I asked if you had the time to spare before I started talking. You're not chickening out on me, are you?"

"You weren't kidding if you have even more to tell me." Giving Dixie an almost impressed smirk Johnny acknowledged Roy stepping out of exam room one with a single nod of his head. "So what else happened?"

"My first patient had a nasty bout of food poisoning and managed to empty their stomach all over my top instead of the basin in his hands. Then my second patient was a stubborn eight year old boy who refused to keep his cast out of the pool until their broken arms heals. As for my third patient..." Pausing for a moment Dixie picked up her black pen with her right hand and began to nervously fidget with it before finishing her bizarre tale. "I've seen him for the fifth time this week for the same reason, and I've had to send him away for the same reason all five times. He didn't approve of it and let me know how he felt."

Sensing something big Johnny's shoulders tensed and his grin faded. "Did he threaten you?"

The question made Roy pause for a moment as he walked around the other side of the desk to begin packing up fresh supplies to be taken out to the squad. "Who threatened who, Dix?"

"Ah, Roy." Flashing the red headed paramedic a coy and slightly amused smirk Dixie regaled him in her story as well. "You're just in time to hear about the highlight of my day. So far, that is."

"I'm all ears." Placing two I.V. bags of saline solution in a small white box Roy turned to look at Dixie over his right shoulder. "Dr. Brackett said you were having an eventful morning, but he didn't give me any details."

"I was just telling Johnny about my morning and afternoon. As I was saying, my third patient is a frequent flyer and tends to be a little aggressive when he doesn't get his way."

The corner of Johnny's mouth ticked a little as he impatiently waited for Dixie to finish her story. "Does he expect the V.I.P. treatment or something?"

"No, he's a former soldier who was wounded in combat and got hooked on morphine during his recovery period. After he was honorably discharged because of his injuries he came back to L.A. and has been trying to keep up his habit despite being essentially blacklisted by most doctors in the city. He started coming here about a month ago and came for help without much of an issue during the first few visits, but when the doctors refused to feed his habit any longer he started to became annoyed and at times aggressive."

"Aggressive how?"

"Mostly shouting and insults, but today he decided to escalate things by throwing two of the chairs from the waiting room down the hallway after yelling in my face, calling me a rather nasty name, and swearing that I'd personally pay for his inconvenience."

"Sounds like a threat to me."

Roy finished picking up their supplies and agreed with his partner. "It sounds like that to me, too."

"Where'd he go after he was turned away?"

Putting her pen aside Dixie motioned toward the main front entrance to the hospital as she replied with an almost casual lilt to her words. "He stormed out of here and disappeared before security could escort him off the premises."

"And you're sure he's gone?"

"Haven't heard a peep from him since his little tantrum about two hours ago. At least not that I've been aware."

"Did you call the police?"

"Security followed protocol and made sure this particular gentleman's reputation follows him wherever he may go." Glancing down at her watch on her left wrist Dixie noted the time and her blue eyes lit up a little. "Speaking of 'go', it's time for me to head out and hopefully bring this nightmare shift to an end."

"Want us to escort you to your car?" Volunteering to play bodyguard to the fiery nurse Johnny knew Roy would immediately back him up. "It's not like it's any trouble for us and you already said you had car troubles this morning."

"Thanks, but I'll be fine. Besides," rising from the small stool behind the desk Dixie checked the sole of her left shoe to see how well the damaged shoe was still holding up, and flashed Johnny a confident grin. "I'd hate for my bad luck to rub off on my two favorite paramedics. Heaven knows the last thing you two need is a rough shift of your own."

Roy chuckled a little as he double checked the supplies to ensure everything was accounted for. "Don't jinx it, Dix. The day isn't over just yet."

"And don't remind me of that." Reaching under the desk Dixie pulled out her small white purse and fished through the bag in search of her car keys. Pulling the keys out of the purse Dixie clutched then in her right hand and gave Johnny and Roy a hopeful look. "I'll see you during my next shift. Let's hope it's better than today."

"See ya', Dix." Johnny gave her a little wave as he moved around the desk as she passed him by and proceeded to help Roy with their new supplies. "Find everything we need?"

"Yeah, that's everything." With all of the supplies accounted for Roy gave his younger partner a knowing glance. "Good thing Dixie stays on top of the supply registry. I don't think this place could run without her."

"Tell me about. We should..." Trailing off as he looked back over the desk Johnny's eyes fell on something very important that had been left behind. "Whoops!"

"What's 'whoops'?"

"This." Picking up Dixie's forgotten purse Johnny grinned with an almost childish amusement. "Dixie took her keys and forgot her purse."

"She is having a bad day. Think she'll be back for it?"

"Not after everything she talked about. She'll be speeding home as fast as she can."

"Well, what should we do?"

"You take the supplies out to the squad and I'll see if I can catch up to Dixie in the parking lot. If I can't then we'll drop this off at her apartment before we return to the station."

"All right," carrying the box of supplies in his arms Roy headed toward the entrance as Johnny jogged through the doors ahead of him to find their friend before she left the parking lot. "go for it."

Rushing out into the parking lot Johnny looked for Dixie's car in her usual spot and hoped he'd catch her before it was too late. Nearing the parking spaces reserved for medical personnel Johnny call out for Dixie as he looked for her car and carried her purse in his hands.

"Hey, Dix? You forgot something!"

From beside Dixie's car parked a dozen or so spaces away from where Johnny was currently jogging the keen eyed paramedic saw a flurry of movement near the driver's side door of the vehicle, and a splash of red over the white tinted chassis near the hood. Noticing that the driver's side door was wide open but Dixie was nowhere in sight Johnny felt the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stand on end.

"Dixie?"

Approaching the car Johnny stopped near the front end and stared at the red smeared over the hood and along the driver's side of the large vehicle. It didn't take long for the skilled medic to recognize the red substance and immediately begin checking the area for any sign of Dixie.

The alarming amount of blood staining her car was fresh and potentially lethal.

"D-Dixie?!"

Peering at the ground behind the opened car door Johnny saw a pale hand extended outward and instinctively walked around the opened door as he knelt down beside the hand to check for a pulse in the wrist.

"Oh, man..."

As his chocolate brown eyes widened with shock Johnny dropped the purse and recognized Dixie's pale face. He felt her thready pulse beating under his fingertips as he confirmed that miraculously she was still alive. The nurse's throat had been slit and she had already lost a dangerous amount of blood from the severe wound stretching from one side of her throat to the other. The blade used was incredibly sharp and had managed to easily slice through Dixie's skin and cut into the jugular and carotid arteries beneath.

Before he could find his voice to call out and shout for help Johnny felt a strong hand wrap around his mouth as someone snuck up on him from behind. Grabbing onto the calloused hand with own hands to try to pull the palm away from his mouth Johnny gasped as he felt a sharp, burning pain in his lower back. Warm, sticky blood poured from the wound in his back before the sharp knife stabbed him a second and third time. The attacker released their hold on Johnny and backed away from the two bleeding medics in the parking lot without uttering a single world.

Collapsing to his knees Johnny fell forward and laid on his chest beside Dixie as she laid on her back beside her car. Dixie was already unconscious and still bleeding heavily as Johnny too began to quickly bleed from the three stabs wounds in his back.

The burning pain in his back made it difficult for Johnny to breathe and to think. Responding solely on instinct and adrenaline Johnny reached out his right hand out toward Dixie's throat to apply as much pressure to her bleeding neck as possible, then used his left hand to reach into the opened door of Dixie's car and slam his palm over the center of the steering wheel. The loud sound of the car's horn honking relentlessly caught a lot of ears and drew many curious eyes toward the parking lot.

From the squad parked at the front of the hospital Roy had heard the honking horn just as he finished locking up the supplies in the vehicle. His own curiosity about the intrusive sound drew him away from the squad and toward the source of the commotion just around the side of the hospital.

"What's going on over there?"

Easily trailing the sound of the horn to the correct car Roy stopped suddenly as he saw the blood on Dixie's car then sprinted toward the car as fast as he could. Peering into the car's opened door Roy saw his own partner blaring the horn while also attempting to hold the pressure over Dixie's bleeding throat.

"Johnny?! Dix?!"

Grabbing onto his partner's shoulders Roy held the wounded paramedic steady then focused on Dixie lying nearly motionless under Johnny's right hand. Choosing to tend to Dixie's wounds over Johnny for the time being Roy pushed Johnny's hand aside and applied as much pressure to Dixie's wound with his own hands to try to save the nurse's life.

"HEY! WE NEED SOME HELP OUT HERE, NOW!"

Shouting as loud as he could as Johnny's hand limply fell from the steering wheel and he too lost consciousness, Roy could only hope that more people would come out to investigate the honking car horn and his pleas for help. Snatching the radio from his belt Roy sent a call in to dispatch to report the two assaults in the hospital parking lot and request police to the scene of the crime.

"How did this even happen?"

Feeling Dixie's thready pulse beating rapidly and very faintly under his hands Roy's own heart began to race with worry for the fate of his two friends as they continued to bleed out around him.

Everything had happened so fast, had happened in broad daylight and seemingly was entirely unprovoked.

"Roy?" Dr. Kelly 'Kel' Brackett's deep voice called out as he made his way over to the car with two orderlies and two gurneys rolling behind him. "What's going-" Seeing Johnny passed out in the opened door of the car and Dixie laying in a pool of her own blood silenced the doctor for just a fleeting second before he rushed to Dixie's side. "Dix?!"

"I have no idea what happened." Roy admitted as he let Dr. Brackett focus on Dixie while he resumed tending to Johnny. "I found them like this when I heard the car's horn honking."

"We need to get them inside, fast!" Scooping Dixie up from the ground and into his arms Dr. Brackett carefully stepped around Roy to lay Dixie down on the first gurney for transport. Standing on the side of the gurney Kel slipped off his white lab coat and used the fabric to act as a makeshift bandage to apply pressure to Dixie's bleeding throat and to stabilize her neck. "Go!"

The two orderlies quickly rolled the gurney toward the emergency entrance with Dixie and Dr. Brackett in tow. Time for Dixie had begun running out the moment her throat was cut, but the extreme blood loss and time it took for help to find her made every passing second a precious loss against her.

"Johnny?" Roy addressed his partner as he checked Johnny's pulse with his left fingertips pressing against the left side of Johnny's throat. "Can you hear me?"

Applying pressure with his right hand against Johnny's back Roy internally swore at the lack of reaction from his partner, and began to wonder if his bare hand pressing against Dixie's blood throat and then against Johnny's bleeding back was about to do more harm than good. He didn't have any of the supplies he had just gathered from the hospital at his immediate disposal and he didn't dare to leave Johnny's side for a single moment.

"Hold on, partner. More help's coming."

Right on cue Dr. Mike Morton dropped to his knees beside Johnny opposite of Roy. Having seen the blood cover Dixie and Dr. Brackett as the gurney was wheeled inside the hospital had prompted the doctor to grab pressure bandages as he rushed outside to assist in the incident in the parking lot.

"Hold his neck steady and we'll lift him up on three." Dr. Morton instructed with a disciplined mind as he lifted up Johnny's blood soaked uniform shirt and white t-shirt beneath. Pressing the bandages to the three deep stab wounds the still learning, but incredibly talented, doctor held his left palm firmly over the bandages to ensure they stayed in place. "We'll take him into exam room four."

"What about his spine?"

"I can't say for certain but it looks like the weapon missed his spine and spinal chord." Working with Roy to lift Johnny away from the car and toward the second gurney Dr. Morton kept his cool and focused primarily on keeping Johnny alive before worrying about any other potential complication. "We need to get the bleeding under control."

Without a word Roy grabbed Johnny around his chest and let Johnny rest his head against his right shoulder. Dr. Morton grabbed onto Johnny's legs with his left arm supporting him beneath his knees, then used his right arm to support Johnny's back and to use his own arm to continue to apply pressure to the still bleeding wounds.

Carefully the duo managed to lay Johnny down on the second gurney just as a police car arrived at the parking lot to assess the scene. Vince Howard stepped out of his car and took in the horrific sight of Johnny's bloody body being placed on the gurney while Roy and Mike tended to his injuries.

"What happened here?" Vince asked as he approached the gurney to look down at Johnny's face. "Did either of you see anything?"

"No." Roy replied as he and Dr. Morton began wheeling Johnny into the hospital to have his wounds treated. Shouting back to Vince as he and Dr. Morton rolled the gurney toward the entrance Roy answered the police officer honestly while trying to keep tabs on Johnny's vitals. "We didn't see anything out here!"

Using his own radio Vince confirmed he was at the scene and requested back-up to the parking lot. The sight of the blood, two large puddles to be exact, the opened car door, the dropped purse and lack of a struggle was as confusing as it was macabre.

"Man, what a mess..."

Word of the assault prompted security to put the hospital on emergency lockdown while the police combed the area in search of the now missing assailant. Other squads had to be temporarily redirected to other hospitals until lockdown lifted and all available medical personnel were requested to assist in the treatment of the downed nurse and paramedic.

Within the sterilized walls of exam room two Dr. Brackett and Dr. Joe Early hovered over Dixie as they worked together to keep their beloved nurse and good friend from succumbing to her wounds. Dr. Brackett applied pressure and surgical clamps over the damaged arteries gushing blood with every feeble beat of Dixie's heart and Dr. Early noted her weakened vital signs on the cardiac monitor recording her heart rate.

The strong willed nurse was very pale, unresponsive and unnervingly still. Covered in her own blood and suffering from low blood pressure, low oxygenation and a rapid heartbeat Dixie was truly at the mercy of her friends and colleagues fighting to keep her alive.

"Looks like a two centimeter laceration over the right jugular and three centimeter laceration over the right carotid." Dr. Early observed as he checked the clamps keeping Dixie from bleeding to death. Forcing himself to see his friend as another patient and not someone he's known and cared about for years was proving to be an invaluable skill at the moment. "There's damage to her trachea, potentially a fracture to the hyoid bone and nearly identical lacerations to the left carotid and jugular."

"How's her respiration?" Dr. Brackett asked as he noticed that Dr. Bryan Stonewell, one of the most skilled vascular surgeons in the entire county, had made his way into the exam room to aid in Dixie's treatment as well. The slender, brunette doctor had been recently transferred to Rampart and had already earned the respect from his peers. "I don't want to perform a trache' unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Respiration is weak and shallow. We'll need to intubate before she becomes hypoxic."

"All right. We'll secure her airway and get her up in the O.R. as soon as it's ready." Taking the necessary supplies from nurse Sharon Walters Dr. Brackett gave her a new set of directions. "Sharon, bring in two pints of 'O neg' and prepare a blood draw to cross and type match."

Th young nurse was pale but responded quickly as she knew Dixie's life was on the line. "Right away, Dr. Brackett."

Dr. Early proceeded to assist Dr. Stonewell to stabilize Dixie and prepare her for the life saving operation just minutes away. "When this is over I'm going to personally lay into the security team who didn't bother to patrol the parking lot."

Across the hallway in the occupied exam room Johnny was being treated for his own wounds by Dr. Morton with Roy assisting until another doctor was available. The dark haired paramedic had lost a lot of blood and was in dire need of a transfusion. Johnny's vital signs were lower than average but stable in spite of the severe muscle and blood vessel damage to his lower back. By all account the dangerously sharp blade of the knife had missed Johnny's spinal column and subsequently the spinal chord, but that didn't mean the knife didn't cause irreparable damage to Johnny's back or internal organs in another unseen way.

Johnny was also pale and suffering numerous ill effects from drastic blood loss. The knife hadn't caused nearly as much damage to large blood vessels or arteries as it had done to Dixie, but the paramedic wasn't fairing much better than his friend fighting for her life just a few doors away.

Dr. Morton was examining Johnny's back and then his abdomen to determine how much fluid had collected in the paramedic's torso while Roy proceeded to take his partner's vital signs. It was difficult to assess internal damage with his eyes alone, however, Dr. Morton had enough experience and skill to have an idea of what to expect once Johnny was taken into the O.R. to have his wounds properly treated and surgically repaired.

"There's blood in the belly." Dr. Morton confirmed as his gloved hands felt how rigid Johnny's bare abdomen had become. "I imagine the blade nicked the iliac artery and a portion of the small intestine."

"Pulse is thready at one hundred and twenty." Roy noted as he studied the cardiac monitor recording his partner's heart rate. Checking the blood pressure cuff wrapped around Johnny's left bicep Roy winced at the low number. "Blood pressure is one-ten over seventy."

"We'll give him blood and fluids before he goes up. He'll need some antibiotics to stave off infection as well."

Nodding a little Roy lifted up Johnny's eyelids to shine his penlight into the glassy irises to check for potential head trauma. "Both pupils are-" Pulling his hands back quickly as Johnny suddenly regained consciousness and turned his head away from the bright light Roy called his friend's name. "Johnny, hey, don't move. Hold still, okay?"

Glancing about the exam room curiously Johnny gained his bearings and became aware of the incredible searing pain in his back. "Wh-What... Roy?" Feeling every second of the horrible pain made Johnny pale even further as hypovolemic shock threatened to overwhelm his mind. "My back! D-Did I get b-burned? A-Are you hurt?!"

"No, Johnny. We weren't at a fire today and I'm fine." Keeping Johnny's full attention on himself Roy knew Dr. Morton was using the moment to insert an I.V. into Johnny's arm to bring his fluids back up to keep him stable. "You were attacked in the parking lot."

"I w-was attacked?" The fog cleared from his memories and soon Johnny recalled finding Dixie in the parking lot just prior to someone attacking him from behind. "D-Dixie!" In a feeble attempt to sit upright Johnny wanted to go to his friend's aid but was quickly held back down by Roy's strong hands pressing on his shoulders. "Where's-"

"Do NOT move. You need to take it easy." Using a stern voice Roy made it clear that Johnny had to stay still. "Dixie is being taken care of Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early. She'll be fine."

"Wh-Who did this?" Taking in a pained breath Johnny closed his pained eyes and tried to resist when an oxygen mask was placed over his nose and mouth courtesy of Dr. Morton. The layer of strong plastic muffled Johnny's words but his voice was still perfectly audible. "Why did they attack Dixie?"

"We don't know." The disappointment in Roy's tone was almost palpable. "The cops are trying to figure that out right now."

Dr. Morton finished the primary examination of Johnny's condition and knew the paramedic couldn't wait much longer for treatment. "Johnny, look at me." Once he locked eyes with Johnny, the chocolate brown irises were dull from pain and still glassy, Dr. Morton told him everything that was happening. "The knife caused three distinct wounds to your lower back around the thoracolumbar fascia. I suspect the blade damaged your iliac artery and a portion of your intestines as well. We're going to get you upstairs and get the bleeding under control, do you understand?"

"Y-Yeah." Taking in a deep breath Johnny did his best to not move even as the burning ache in his back begged him to shift his weight off the wounds. "I get it."

"Do you have any questions or want us to call anyone?"

"No." The only family Johnny had nearby was Roy and the rest of the station. "I just don't want to be alone right now."

Roy grabbed on to Johnny's right hand and held tight. "You're not. Your friends are all here and we're going to see you through this."

Doing his best to squeeze Roy's hand in return Johnny nodded weakly. "Thanks, Roy."

The door to the exam room opened up as Sharon appeared in a flash of motion. "Dr. Morton? The O.R. is ready for Johnny."

"All right." Getting everything ready to be taken up to the O.R. Dr. Morton remained optimistic and never let Johnny see the worry in his own eyes. "It'll be over soon. When you wake up we'll have everything figured out."

With nothing left to say Johnny closed his eyes and tried to not think about what he was feeling and of what was happening to him and Dixie in that very uncertain moment.

"Hang in there." Roy stated in as optimistic as a tone as possible as Johnny was being prepared to be moved. "You and Dixie are going to be just fine."

The exterior of Rampart was a swarm of police cars and news reporters as the double assault made the news. The parking lot was being sectioned off by the police as they examined Dixie's car and began asking for witnesses to come forward. It seemed as if no one had seen or heard the two assaults and only took notice when Johnny managed to reach the car's horn to make a loud commotion. Until the police had an idea of what had happened Rampart was going to remain on lockdown and the parking lot was going to remain off limits to anyone who wasn't a first responder.

While the outside of the hospital was hectic the interior was unusually quiet and still. Roy had taken it upon himself to call the station and let Captain Stanley know of the assault and that he was going to stay in the hospital until Johnny was out of surgery. Afterward he called JoAnne to let her know that he was okay, that he loved her and their kids, and that the moment Johnny was awake he'd call her again.

Pacing about the doctor's lounge on shaking legs Roy couldn't stop thinking about what he had seen and how it could've easily been himself who had been stabbed in the back if Johnny had been the one to take the supplies to the squad instead. The truly disturbing and upsetting thought was of how Dixie could've been left to die in the parking lot if Johnny hadn't spotted her purse and gone in search of her. Unable to stop thinking or pacing Roy didn't notice that Vince had entered the lounge in search of him.

Standing in the doorway Vince announced his presence in a low voice as to not startle Roy by accident. "Roy? Can I ask you a few questions?"

Stopping quickly and whipping his head around Roy stared at Vince for a few seconds before the simple request registered in his frazzled mind. "Uh... Yeah. I didn't see anything but I can answer some questions."

"Thanks." Motioning to the small table in the middle of the lounge Vince invited Roy to sit down as he did the same. Pulling a small notepad and blue pen from his left shirt pocket Vince prepared to take down some notes. "You didn't see what happened, I understand, but something made you go over there where the assault had taken place. Am I right?"

"Yes. I heard a car horn honking." Sitting down slowly Roy ran his right hand through his fiery red locks and realized his hands were shaking from adrenaline. "It wasn't the usual quick sound from traffic, it was being held down like something was holding it down or like the car had been damaged."

"What made the horn honk?"

"Johnny." Shrugging his shoulders as he spoke Roy watched Vince diligently taking down notes as he spoke. "He must've found Dixie but was attacked, too. So he used the car's horn to call for help because he couldn't move or leave Dixie alone."

"From what I've been told about Dixie's injuries it appears as if the person who attacked her was interrupted mid assault. The blade didn't cut nearly as deep as one would expect from the otherwise expert precision in the location of the wounds on her throat."

"Are... you saying that Johnny had been attacked because he got too close to Dixie too soon?"

"That's the theory. Based on the type of knife used and, again, the precision of the wounds, we're suspecting that the person who attacked Dixie was trained in combat and attacked her from behind. The knife didn't cut as deep as it should've because something made the assailant back off before they could apply the necessary pressure to make the wounds..." Trailing off for a moment Vince gave Roy a sympathetic glance before finishing. "Fatal."

"Oh, man." Letting out a deep sigh Roy pressed his face into his palms as he leaned his elbows atop the table. "Johnny kept Dixie from being killed, and in turn he was almost killed by the same deranged attacker."

"Do you know if anyone has been stalking the hospital or making threats?"

Lifting his head a little Roy's blue eyes focused on Vincent with an obvious confusion in his gaze. "Huh?"

"The way this happened, the way Dixie was attacked right beside her own car and in broad daylight, tells me that someone had specifically targeted her. She wasn't chosen at random."

Remembering what he had been told earlier Roy's shoulders tensed and his look of confusion changed into disbelief. "...Dixie mentioned a man insulting and threatening her this very morning. He wanted pain meds' and she turned him away. She also said he was a solider."

"That is the best lead I've been given all day. I presume security was involved."

"Y-Yeah, Dix said something about security getting notified. She also said that the man took off before security could make him leave."

"According to Dixie she was threatened by a male former solider seeking pain medication." Vince wrote down the details in neat handwriting. "Anything else?"

"She said he had been stopping by the hospital a few times before being turned away. He might have a file on record."

"I'll ask the other nurses if they can give us a name for this mysterious soldier. Thanks, Roy."

"Yeah... Sure."

"Johnny AND Dixie are both going to be okay. I've seen Johnny get knocked down more times than I can count and bounce right back. Knowing that Dixie is one of the most resilient and resourceful women in the entire city tells me that she'll be just fine, too."

"Even the most stubborn of people can't avoid something like death forever."

"Hey, don't talk or think like that." Vince didn't want to see anyone doubting that Dixie and Johnny would recover. "The last thing either of them will need is you losing hope."

Nodding a little Roy realized Vince was right and decided to change his thinking. "Okay. I'll stay strong for them until they're able to take care of themselves again."

"That's more like it." Standing up from the table Vince kept his notepad in his hand and made his way toward the doorway to leave the lounge. "I'll be in touch if you think of anything else."

Alone again in the lounge Roy stared at the phone on the wall beside the door and pined to hear JoAnne's voice again. Needing to hear a loving voice full of warmth and comfort was the only thing Roy could even begin to believe would give him the strength he needed to stay strong for his friends. Rising from the table Roy grabbed onto the phone and began dialing his home number and leaned heavily against the wall as the full weight of what had happened finally settled on his shoulders, in his mind and even in his heart.

Hours ticked by slowly as the two operating rooms worked feverishly to save Dixie and Johnny from their wounds. The prompt response from Roy, Dr. Brackett and Dr. Morton out in the parking lot undoubtedly gave the two their best shot at a full recovery, but the severity of the injuries were going to be a true test against the skills of the responding doctors and surgeons handling their treatment. The entire hospital was tense as those who had the misfortune of being caught in the lockdown learned of the assaults, and that tense atmosphere could be felt even in the operating rooms far away from the parking lot and police officers outside.

When the fourth consecutive hour of surgery finally passed by Roy was met in the doctor's lounge by Dr. Early and Dr. Stonewell. The two men were wearing dark teal scrubs and had sweat stains under their arms and across the paper bandanas over their foreheads in response to their prolonged and diligent work in during the emergency procedures.

As Dr. Early dropped into the chair opposite of Roy at the small table Roy dared to look up ask about his friends. "...Doc?"

"They're both going to be okay." An exhausted but proud grin appeared on Dr. Early's somewhat aged face as he spoke. "It was close but they both pulled through."

Slumping down in his chair Roy let the good news sink in and didn't pay any mind to Dr. Stonewell pouring himself a cup of coffee and pouring a second one to give to Dr. Early. "Four hours was a long time to hold my breath."

"Tell me about it." Accepting the coffee from his colleague Dr. Early introduced the newest surgeon to the team to Roy. "This is Dr. Bryan Stonewell. He took the lead on Dixie's treatment and helped to guide Mike through Johnny's treatment."

"Thanks for everything." Shaking the new doctor's hand Roy gracious thanked him for everything he did. "I'm Roy DeSoto and my partner is John Gage. We're paramedics with station 51."

"Nice to meet you." Reciprocating the handshake Dr. Stonewell politely greeted Roy. "I've heard only good things about you two from Dixie."

"That's a relief."

"I want you to know that part of the reason the surgery on John took so long was because of the delicate nature of the damaged iliac artery. The blade didn't fully sever it, but it did cause enough damage to warrant everyone's full attention."

"How's his spine?"

"Untouched." Sipping at his coffee Dr. Stonewell became slightly more alert. "He'll be experiencing a sense of numbness in his legs from the blood loss and from his repaired muscles along his back swelling slightly from the trauma. That'll fade as he heals. He also had a mild perforation of his small intestine but we were able to stop the bleeding and clean up his entire abdomen to prevent infection from setting in."

"Sounds like he's going to be here for a long stay."

"One week minimum. If he refuses to cooperate then we'll extend it to a full month."

"That won't be fun for anyone." The good news about Johnny was enough to lift the crushing weight from Roy's shoulders but not his mind or heart. "And what about Dixie?"

Dr. Early answered in Dr. Stonewell's stead. "She's going to remain on a ventilator for the next seventy-two hours to ensure her airway remains clear and doesn't become obstructed from swelling during the recovery. She'll be sedated for quite a while to keep her neck stabilized as she heals."

"Can I see them?"

"Right now Kel is with Dixie and Mike is watching Johnny. Give them an hour or so and then we'll let you see them both for a few minutes."

"What about the guy who did this?" The idea of a deranged man running around the city with a knife was far from comforting. "Any luck in finding him?"

"Vince was able to get a name and address from one of the nurses about a former patient who matches the description of the man who threatened Dixie this morning. He's on his way the man's house right now to ask him a few questions."

"Let's just hope he's the right man and Vince asks the right questions." Needing a momentary distraction Roy let his tense shoulders slouch for a moment as his blue eyes fell on the phone beside the door again. "I'm going to call the station and let the guys know that Johnny and Dixie are going to be okay. I'm sure they're tried of holding their breaths, too."

"After you do that I want you to find a quiet space and decompress for a while." Dr. Early gave the paramedic a knowing look as he quickly spotted the exhaustion in Roy's eyes and the overall tense demeanor in the younger man's shoulders and back. "Being stressed out won't do anyone any good."

Knowing better than to try to argue with a doctor Roy accepted the unofficial orders and made his way to the phone on the wall. "Okay, doc. But if you guys need any help because of the sudden shortage of available doctors let me know."

"Sure thing. As of the moment I think we have everything under control, so just focus on yourself."

Listening to the steady rhythm of Dixie's heartbeat on the cardiac monitor Dr. Brackett stood beside the small bed within post op and watched as Dixie remained pale and unresponsive while the ventilator breathed for her. The damage to her throat had been surgically repaired with minimal complication and there was a strong chance she'd make a full recovery in time. Until Dixie had more time to physically heal and be extubated no one could say for certain if the damage to her throat also damaged her voice. Even though the vocal chords had been missed by the blade the damage to the hyoid bone could've potentially caused irreparable damage to Dixie's larynx and overall ability to speak.

Watching over his friend as she continued to rest and wait for the anesthesia to begin wearing off Dr. Bracket discreetly slipped his hand around Dixie's hand and held tight. The idea of never hearing Dixie sing or speak was enough to make the normally fearless doctor internally wince.

"I'm not sure if you can hear me just yet, Dix." Whispering to his friend to avoid the ear of potentially eavesdropping nurses Dr. Brackett spoke to Dixie as her friend and not her doctor at the moment. "But you're going to be okay. I'm so sorry that you were attacked in our own parking lot. This never should've happened to you or Johnny, or anyone else for that matter."

The very idea of anyone being attacked in cold blood on hospital grounds seemed like a cruel joke. The hospital was a place for healing, not pain.

"The cops are going to find the man who did this to you. We won't let you or Johnny down, and we'll make sure something like this never happens again to anyone else in the city."

Staring down at Dixie's pale and expressionless face filled the kind doctor with an unspeakable dread. Even though he knew Dixie and Johnny had both survived their surgeries and were showing no sign of infection the experienced doctor knew better than to let his guard down just yet.

"When you wake up I'll be right here beside you. You just rest and let us worry about everything else, okay?"

While Dixie was still sedated and being monitored for any possible post operative complication Johnny had been taken into a private recovery room and was already waking up from the anesthesia. Lethargic, confused and a little raspy Johnny was able to answer all of Dr. Early and Dr. Morton's questions as they checked his cognitive awareness. The surgically repaired muscles in Johnny's lower and middle back were aching even with pain medication running through his veins, and the internal damage he had suffered would take extended time to heal leaving him effectively immobilized for the next week until his body healed properly.

Feeling his right ankle flex as Dr. Morton tested his reflexes confirmed that Johnny's paralysis was only temporary courtesy of blood loss and muscle weakness, not from nerve damage. Forcing his ankle to flex again Johnny let out a small gasp of pain as even the simple motion was enough to cause his back to flare with a searing pain as if he had been stabbed all over again.

"All right, take it easy." Replacing the blanket over Johnny's legs Dr. Morton tried to get Johnny to hold still. "Don't push yourself too hard too fast."

Leaning back against the bed as he rested in an inclined position Johnny took in deep, slow breaths to ease his pain as much as he could. "S-Still hurts."

"We know." Checking the drip on the I.V. Dr. Morton tried to give Johnny as much relief as possible without giving him a too potent dose. "We're doing what we can to ease your pain without repressing your respiration rate."

"Yeah..." The hoarseness of his voice made it sound as if he were getting over a nasty throat infection. Even with a nasal canula feeding him clean oxygen Johnny sounded rough and exhausted. "I know."

Dr. Early pulled the stethoscope from the pocket of his white lab coat, he had changed out of his sweaty scrubs and into his usual blue dress shirt and slacks, and pressed the cold metal bell to Johnny's chest over the white hospital gown covering Johnny's body. "Take in another deep breath."

Doing as instructed Johnny took in a deep breath as much as his body would and let it out slowly. "Hard to breathe too deeply."

"Back injuries are the worst when it comes to trying to do breathing exercises." Dr. Early admitted as he listened to Johnny's chest intently. "No sign of congestion or crackling. All good signs."

Clearing his throat a little Johnny did his best to speak more clearly. "So I can skip the pneumonia this time?"

"Sounds like it. Just rest and don't do anything that'll aggravate your back or abdomen."

Resting his palm over his stomach Johnny decided he'd have no problem in laying still and getting some sleep. "You have my word, doc."

There were two soft knocks on the closed door as Roy poked his head inside the room to check on his partner. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"Not at all." Pocketing his stethoscope Dr. Early turned to face Roy in the doorway and smiled. "Come on in. I have rounds right now and I know Johnny could use some friendly company."

Dr. Morton let out a playful scoff at the remark as he finished checking on the I.V. in the back of Johnny's right hand. "What about me?"

"Have you been working on your bedside manner?"

"It's hard not to when Dixie watches me like a hawk."

Smirking at the comment Dr. Early motioned to the door for Dr. Morton to accompany him elsewhere. "Then let's see that in action with the patients who really need it."

Waiting for the two doctors to leave the room Roy walked over to the right side of Johnny's bed and clapped his hand down on partner's shoulder. "You look a lot better already."

"Too bad I don't feel better."

"You will." Keeping his hand in place Roy did his best to sound optimistic despite his nerves still being raw with fear and adrenaline. "Before I came up here I ran into Vince downstairs. They got the guy who did this."

Pausing for a moment Johnny had to practically dare himself to ask the important question. "Who did it?"

"Remember Dixie's story about the angry guy who threatened her?"

Leaning back against his pillow Johnny closed his eyes and shook his head with heavy disappointment. "Should've known."

"How? It's not like you were in charge of security or monitoring the parking lot."

"No, but we both knew she had been threatened and-"

"Johnny, don't do that to yourself. The truth is, by you running after Dixie to give her the purse she forgot, you saved her life."

"What?" Opening his eyes again Johnny gave his friend a truly perplexed stare. "How did I do that?"

"Vince said that the wounds on Dixie's neck weren't as deep as they should've been, and that you scared the guy off before he could do any more harm to Dixie. That's... also why he attacked you." Clearing his throat a little Roy told Johnny about the arrest. "Vince found the guy in his house with blood on his clothing and the knife stashed away in the garage. The man admitted he did the attack because Dixie wouldn't give him any pain meds' and admitted that he attacked you because you interrupted his attack on Dixie."

Dragging his right hand over his face, the I.V. inserted in the back of his hand tugging a little during the movement, Johnny withheld his frightened reaction as much as possible. "Talk about being in the wrong place at the right time."

"You do have pretty incredible timing." Trying to joke to lighten the mood Roy quickly changed the subject at hand. "I called the station and let everyone know that you're going to be okay. Once the lockdown is over they'll stop by to visit you."

"That'll be nice." Dropping his hand Johnny let out a small pained sigh and wrapped both arms around his chest to try to keep the pain in his back to a minimum as he struggled to breathe. "...How's Dixie?"

"I haven't seen her yet but she's recovering just fine." The heaviness in Roy's blue eyes made it clear that he was still worried about her even after being told she was going to recover. "She made it."

Blinking a few times as relieved tears filled his dark eyes Johnny did his best to not actually cry as he knew the pain he'd experience from letting his emotions out would be nearly unbearable.

"I know." Hanging on to Johnny's shoulder Roy gave his best friend a reassuring voice to listen to. "I was terrified, too. It's over now and you're both going to be just fine in a few days."

"Could you do me a favor?"

"Name it."

"Don't go anywhere for a while. I still don't want to be alone."

"You got it." Letting go of Johnny's shoulder for just a moment Roy pulled a chair away from the corner and put it down beside the bed. Returning his hand to his best friend's shoulder to stay beside him Roy promised to stay close for as long as he could. "I won't go anywhere until they physically remove me from the building."

Relieved to have a good friend beside him Johnny discreetly used his thumb to wipe away his rogue tears before they had the chance to fall. "Thanks, Roy."

A few doors away from Johnny's room Dixie had been placed in her own private room and had every available doctor hovering over her. Dr. Brackett had taken it upon himself to see Dixie through her recovery, and refused to let her alone even after being taken to the private recovery room. Checking over the wounded nurse's vital signs, the ventilator running down her throat and bandages protecting her throat in general, Dr. Brackett had to keep his mind busy in order to keep himself from thinking about the worst case scenario. The worst part about being a doctor is knowing everything that could go wrong at any moment for a number of reasons.

Hearing Dr. Early, Dr. Morton and Dr. Stonewell discussing Dixie's case around him had become white noise. Dr. Brackett didn't need to hear about the details he already knew and he didn't want to be reminded of what his dearest friend had just survived.

"We'll ween her off the anesthetic and sedatives throughout the evening." Dr. Stonewell suggested as he made notes in Dixie's chart. "When the first seventy-two hours are over we'll attempt extubation and keep her on oxygen."

Dr. Brackett didn't have an opinion on the matter and just stared at Dixie's face as he resisted the urge to run his hand over her platinum hair.

"Kel?" Dr. Early had noticed that the dark haired doctor was unusually quiet about everything happening. Very aware of how Dr. Brackett and Dixie had once been a couple and let their romance peter out for the sake of maintaining a strong professionalism and friendship, Dr. Early sensed that Dr. Brackett's concern was more from the heart than the mind. "Why don't you call it a day so you can stay with Dixie? Mike, Bryan and I can handle everything for a while."

Trying to refuse the offer Dr. Brackett did his best to keep his emotions from clouding his judgment. "I can't neglect other people in need just because our friends have been hurt."

"You're not neglecting other people. " Dr. Early reminded him in a kind tone. "You're prioritizing two critical patients over our non-critical patients. It'll be fine."

"Thanks, Joe." Looking to his colleagues Dr. Brackett gave them all three gracious nods of respect. "You too, Mike, Bryan. I appreciate it."

Lockdown had ended after the first day and on the third consecutive day of Dixie and Johnny recovering in their own rooms everything reached an absolute pinnacle of worrying stress as Dixie was scheduled to be extubated at last. The recovering nurse had shown little sign of awareness as the heavy sedatives were reduced slowly over time to keep her from waking up too quickly or experiencing a form of withdrawal or shock. In the three days since the brutal attack Dr. Brackett would only leave her bedside when it was necessary, or when Dr. Early would encourage him to walk around to stretch his legs and get something to eat.

When it was finally time to disconnect the ventilator Dr. Brackett insisted on being there and assisting with the procedure. Trusting Dr. Stonewell to aid Dixie and see her through the rest of her treatment Dr. Brackett patiently stepped aside to let the newest doctor to the team to take the lead.

"All right..." Speaking as he worked Dr. Stonewell managed to remove the tube and slipped an oxygen mask over Dixie's nose and mouth. Using his stethoscope Dr. Stonewell pressed the bell to Dixie's chest and waited for a moment. "Let me hear you breathe, Ms. McCall."

The next five seconds felt painfully long. Just as Dr. Brackett was about to suggest intubating Dixie again she took in a slow, deep breath and settled into a steady breathing pattern under her own power.

"That's it. Excellent." Draping his stethoscope around his neck Dr. Stonewell gently checked on Dixie's neck under the bandages and was satisfied that the sutures were healing well with no sign of infection or residual bleeding. "We'll secure a soft collar brace around her neck to ensure she doesn't accidentally tug on her sutures as she regains consciousness."

"Sounds good to me." Agreeing with Dr. Stonewell's suggestion Dr. Brackett managed a relieved smirk for a only a few seconds until reality set back in. Dixie was still unconscious and still needed time to heal properly. "I'm glad that you were transferred out to Rampart when you were, Bryan."

"So am I." Securing the soft collar around Dixie's neck Dr. Stonewell made sure Dixie was resting as comfortably as possible. "I just didn't think I'd have to handle something like this in less than a month of being here. Still, I'm glad I could do my part and help out like I did."

"I'll stay here with Dixie for a while longer." Giving the younger doctor a reassuring nod Dr. Brackett insisted that he go about his rounds. "I'll page you if anything happens."

"Sure. I'll check on Johnny before I begin my rounds. I hear he's regained full feeling in his legs and is eager to start walking around."

"Not at all surprised. John Gage is one of the most resilient and stubborn people that's ever been my pleasure to work with."

A familiar voice from the doorway sounded off as Johnny himself arrived in a wheelchair being pushed by Roy. "I hope that's a compliment."

"Only when you're saving lives and not being a patient on my rotation."

"Gee, thanks." Holding his hands against his abdomen Johnny did his best to keep his back from aching as he sat upright in the wheelchair. Looking at Dixie with an oxygen mask over her face Johnny seemed slightly relieved at the improvement. "How's she doing?"

"Better." Dr. Brackett confirmed as Dr. Stonewell took the opportunity to check on Johnny now that he was right in front of him. "How about you?"

"Better." Parroting the response in favor of anything Johnny let Dr. Stonewell check his reflexes to the best of his ability while he was seated in the wheelchair. "When she wakes up will you tell us?"

"Of course I will." Giving both Johnny and Roy a confident promise Dr. Brackett promised to tell them as soon as Dixie opened her eyes. "Just go back to your room so you don't strain your back. Am I right, Dr. Stonewell?"

"Absolutely. Roy?" Addressing the second paramedic pushing his partner about in the wheelchair Dr. Stonewell politely requested his assistance. "Do you mind seeing Johnny back to his room with me?"

"No problem. Today's my day off and I have no problem keeping Johnny in line." Turning the chair around Roy managed to push Johnny back through the door and into the corridor as Dr. Stonwell let out a small chuckle. "I told you that you wouldn't get away with more than five minutes."

"Yeah, yeah." Johnny admitted sheepishly. "But it was worth it!"

Dr. Stonewell just shook his head a little as he followed the two paramedics outside the room and left Dr. Brackett alone with Dixie.

"If only we all had the strong will of such a dedicated paramedics, huh, Dix?"

The room was silent save for a single whispered and inaudible word escaping Dixie's lips.

"...Dix?" Leaning over the bed Dr. Brackett looked down at Dixie's face and stared with his blue eyes wide and hopeful as he held on to her hand again. "Come on, I know I heard you try to speak. Your throat is still healing so I need you to squeeze my hand instead. Save your voice."

Very slowly but surely Dixie's long fingers curled around Dr. Brackett's hand and held as tightly as she could.

"That's it." A truly sincere smile finally graced Dr. Brackett's lips as held on to Dixie's hand. "I knew you'd be back."

Weakly Dixie's heavy eyelids managed to flutter open. The glassiness over her dark blue irises began to clear as he vision came into focus. Recognizing Dr. Brackett's face hovering over her Dixie's brow furrowed with confusion for a moment as she gained her bearings and suddenly remembered what had happened in the parking lot.

"It's okay, YOU'RE okay." Tightening his grip as much as he dared around Dixie's hand Dr. Brackett kept her calm to ensure she didn't accidentally stunt her own recovery. "It's over. The man who attacked you is sitting in a jail cell and he'll be imprisoned for decades."

With tears running down her cheeks Dixie used her other hand to investigate her neck and felt the collar protecting her bandaged throat.

"You're going to be fine. The knife didn't go in too deep and you tolerated the surgery without any issues. You've been sedated for the past three days and were recently extubated." Telling Dixie the truth out of pure respect for his dear friend Dr. Brackett helped her fill in the blanks in her memory. "The knife fractured your hyoid bone so it'd be best if you didn't try to speak for a little while longer."

Giving Dr. Brackett an uncharacteristically scared glance Dixie clutched at his hand as if afraid she would slip away if she let go.

"I want you to know something else, something very important." Bracing her for the rest of the details Dr. Brackett never lost his smile. "Johnny managed to find you and scare off the attacker. He was injured, too, but he's going to be just fine He was here to visit you just barely a minute before you woke up. Everyone's going to be okay."

Closing her eyes Dixie managed a weak nod and never let Dr. Brackett's hand go.

"Hey, it's okay now. That horrible day is long over." Lowering his voice Dr. Brackett just gave Dixie pure reassurance to listen to as she rested. "You're safe and I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay with you until you're back on your feet. Want me to tell the others you're awake? They're all worried about you."

Managing to open her eyes again Dixie gave Dr. Brackett a weak smile as she nodded. She then motioned with her free hand for Dr. Brackett to come closer.

Leaning closer to his friend Dr. Brackett gave her a searching glance. "What is it, Dix?"

Despite the damage to her throat and overall weakness Dixie managed to find the strength to express her love and gratitude to her friends. "...Thank you."

Hearing her voice was all it took to make Dr. Brackett shed his own tears after three painfully long days of holding them back. "You're welcome. Always."

-End of Story-

Author's Note: This is the first "Emergency!" fan-fic I've written in a very long time. I'm admittedly very rusty but I had this idea pop into my head and it wouldn't leave me alone until I finally wrote it all out. I apologize if this story isn't up to my usual standard of fics, I've been having difficulty with writing at my full potential as of late and I hope this small change of fandom will help me get out of my persistent funk.