Surprise! I'm alive! I'm really sorry it's taken over two months to update, but my muse went on strike and I've been basking in the last few days of summer before the real world comes calling again. Thank you all so much for all waiting so patiently and reviewing such kind and considerate words! I can't do this without all of you.
This chapter is a little shorter than I like, but like I said my muse went on strike. Anyway, enjoy!
When Johnny first came into awareness the first thing he noticed was he was hot. No, hot didn't even explain it. It wasn't the kind of hot that went away once you had a minute to stay still and cool down. This was a scorching, desperate for water, thick tongue, desert worthy kind of heat. Beads of sweat rolled down his face and neck like a straggler caught in a thunderstorm. Bead by bead, drop by drop, sweat rolled down his face.
"Johnny? Doctor, I think he's coming around." The feminine voice was followed by a shuffling of fabric as the Doctor moved closer.
"Johnny? Johnny can you hear me?"
His entire body felt numb and listless. Surely he was going to float right up off the bed and out the door if he didn't find a way to hold himself down.
"Doc?" His words were badly muffled and he even had a hard time knowing what he'd said.
Johnny waited for a response, when none he came he assumed no one had heard him. Weariness tugged on his awareness and he sighed. His body needed rest, what harm would it do to sleep just a little longer?
Roy pulled the Squad into the garage and turned off the engine. At long last, this horrendous day was finally over. He refrained from resting his forehead on the steering wheel and instead fumbled with the seat belt latch. Craig Brice shot him a look somewhere between concern and pity before the man controlled his expression. The passenger door opening was the signal Roy needed to move his numb body.
"You ok Roy?" Cap asked as he climbed down the single step of the Engine and come forward to study Roy closely.
Roy nodded his head. He knew from experience by Cap's expression if he didn't pull it together soon, Cap'd buy him a one way ticket to the county shrink before the day was over. Personally, he didn't have anything against Psychiatrists so long as he was able to keep a wide berth between them and himself.
"Ya, Cap. It's been quite the day hasn't it?"
Cap relaxed at his nonchalant tone. "Sure has. If I didn't know better I'd think the County was giving us double runs on purpose."
Roy chuckled. "Hasn't been the first time and won't be the last."
Hank nodded his agreement before making a beeline for the kitchen. Ten consecutive runs had left them all hungry. Luckily, it was Mike's turn to cook guaranteeing something edible for dinner, unlike some people's cooking. Once the Captain was out of sight Roy slumped down onto the Squads running boards. He needed to minute to himself before he joined the rest of the crew.
Johnny kept coming to his mind throughout the entire day. Joann! In the wake of all the runs, he hadn't been in the frame of mind to know if Joann knew what happened to Johnny. His wife would be livid if she'd been kept out of the loop, but Roy didn't want to be one responsible for telling her. Tears clouded his eyes. What was he going to do?
In mere moments through the day he'd gone from being worried about Johnny condition, to angry, to a sobbing mess. What was wrong with him? He was a paramedic and many would dare to argue he was one of the best paramedics in all of LA. In five years, he'd seen and treated it all. He'd arrived on the scene only to find countless victims already dead. It had hurt but he'd survived. He'd kept critically injured patients alive when medically it should have been impossible. And he'd done it without breaking a sweat.
What was so different now?
It couldn't be because he'd been faced with the imminent death of a co-worker. Been there, done that. The time when Johnny had been hit by the car had scared several days off his life, but he'd pulled it together and never had this much trouble.
What was wrong with him? Was he getting too old and tired for this line of work?
That thought made Roy pause. Was he getting too old? No! He was as agile and capable as ever. He could run into a burning house, treat and find a patient without being able to see more than a foot in front of his face, if that.
Delicious smells wafted through the air reaching him. Roy's stomach rumbled in response. Forcing himself to his feet he took his first steps to the kitchen. His crew had pulled him through thick and thin for the last five years, and they would do it again.
A/N: P.S. For anyone who's really confused at the moment, I did change my username from Band-007 to WyomingRockieSunset a couple weeks ago. I hope that clears things up.