Characters – Johnny, Bruce, Dana, Sarah, Walt, Little Johnny.

Spoilers – First Season up to Destiny.

Timeline – After Dinner with Dana, Before Destiny.

Disclaimer – The Dead Zone belongs to USA Network and Lions Gate Television and is based on the characters and novel by Stephen King.

Content – Drama/Angst/Mystery

Rating – PG13

Johnny heard a sharp intake of breath from Sarah.

The officer in charge came over. "We don't have much light left and the weather is making it impossible to get a chopper out. We're going to have to call the search off for tonight."

Walt cleared his throat. "Sheriff Maxwell. This is Johnny Smith. He's helped us out up at Penobscot several times."

The sheriff shook his head. "Sorry Walt."

"He's psychic. He knows where JJ is."

A stream of rain trickled off Maxwell's hat as he pushed it back. "Bannerman. We don't use psychics in New Hamps-"

"Sir. The boy is still alive but if we wait any longer he's going to loose his strength and his grip from the outcrop in the river under the dome. He's going to be swept further down the river and over the waterfall. Your people will find him in the morning floating beside the stone bridge." Johnny pointed his finger at the sheriff to emphasise his point.

The sheriff fixed his eyes on the man. If the situation hadn't been so serious he would have laughed at him.

"He's never wrong Sheriff!" Sarah said in a soft voice.

He nodded slowly and then called over two of his men. As soon as the directions were given, the search and rescue set off. Johnny and Walt asked to go as well and after some argument the sheriff relented and let them go as well as Bruce. He did, however, nix the idea of the women coming along. Sarah, rather reluctantly, sat in the car alongside Dana. She chewed on a hangnail as she stared out the rain-streaked window.

******

Johnny found it hard on his leg as the rescue team made their way through the forest. It was difficult going for even the most hardened of rescuers as the rain had made the ground slippery. Sometimes they had to go another direction as the passage was blocked. He used his cane to get a grip on the ground. He was so wet at this stage that he didn't notice how uncomfortable it was after a while. Walt followed behind the blond hair man. He hadn't spoken a word since they had left the campsite. Johnny looked back at Walt and saw a look of sadness in Walt's face. He caught Walt's eye who gave him a grim smile and nodded his head slowly.

The Search and Rescue leader, Barrens, stopped and turned to look at the rest of the team. He looked at his watch. The rest of the group stood in a semi circle around him. "The light's fading. We have a choice of continuing or head back to camp."

"So what happens if we head back to camp?" Walt asked wearily. He already knew what the answer was going to be.

"Start searching again in the morning?" replied the man.

"Yes. But with one difference."

Johnny looked from Walt to Bruce and back to the man in charge. "I'm guessing that difference will be that it's recovery, not rescue."

The other man nodded. Walt let out a shout which sounded like a wild animal to Johnny's ears and lunged himself at the search and rescue leader. Bruce held him back. "Take it easy, man. We'll find him."

Barrens sighed as he recognised the grief in the father of the boy. He had seen it all too often. "It might be too late already," he said quietly.

Johnny turned his attention back from Walt to Barrens. "Are we far from the domed rock?"

Barrens shook his head.

Johnny reached into his jacket and pulled out the pocket computer.

H saw the little boy still struggling against the current and flow on the river.

All eyes were on Johnny as he came out of the vision. He looked at the other men and swallowed. "He's still alive but there's not a lot of time." He turned around and headed off in the direction of the rock. Walt and Bruce glanced at each other and headed off after him. The rest of the members of the team looked at each other and shrugged. They followed the others.

The sound of the river thundered past them as they made their way through the thick undergrowth. The ground was sodden and slippery. Walt had to grab Bruce at one stage as the ground went from under him. After several more minutes Johnny came to a halt which caused Walt to nearly knock him down

Walt noticed that Johnny was staring at something. "What is it?"

As Johnny pointed out the rock shaped like the dome they heard a faint voice.

"Help"

Walt clapped Johnny on the shoulder and scrambled over to the river's edge. He looked wildly around for something to grab onto as the embankment was quite high. He grabbed a tree branch and leaned over the edge. His ears were filled with the roaring sound of the river but he spotted a red sleeve holding onto an outcrop. Walt brushed his wet hair out of his eyes and focussed again. He saw a little boy bobbing up and down as he held onto the outcrop for dear life. Sometimes the little boy was forced under the water by the rushing river but several seconds later he would appear again.

"JOHNNY!" yelled Walt as Johnny, Bruce and the rest of the rescue team rushed over. Barrens took over immediately and started issuing instructions to the rest of the team. Johnny watched as the team worked together to get a rope with a team member lowered down to reach Little Johnny. The team member tied it around the tired and frozen little boy and the rest of the men pulled the two up. A blanket and silver foil was immediately wrapped around the boy and Walt hugged him and berated him for wandering off.

********

Sarah wrapped her arms around her body as she stared through the window of the emergency room. She shivered involuntarily as she realised how close she was to loosing her precious son. She repressed a yawn as she turned to face the men in her life. They were both wrapped in blankets sipping hot drinks. She locked eyes with Johnny and gave him a grateful smile. Walt watched as Johnny returned the smile to his wife and realised, not for the first time, the extent of their feelings for each other. He felt an ache in his heart when he concluded that Sarah would probably never really love him. Sarah shifted her eyes to her husband and a pink flush coloured her cheeks. She brought her lips together and gave a small tight strained smile.

The sound of the door opening broke the silence in the waiting room. They all turned to see a white coated woman with a clipboard come through the doorway. Her name tap read Dr. Avery.

"Mr and Mrs Bannerman?" she queried.

Walt nodded as he took Sarah's elbow and moved them both over to the doctor. Johnny stayed seated but observed the two.

"How is he? Is he alright? Will he recover?" Sarah's questions came thick and fast as the doctor smiled gently.

"He'll be fine. He was suffering from exposure which we are treating him for. Bruises and scrapes…."

Sarah's hands flew up to her mouth. "Exposure!"

"From being submerged in the river from such a long time. It brought his body temperature down. He's quite a plucky boy. A lot more people would have given up sooner."

Sarah let out a sigh. "Can we see him?"

The doctor nodded. "In a while. We've to do other tests."

"Other tests?" asked Walt.

"In cases like this we do a number of tests to determine the quality of the river water inhaled or swallowed -"

"Oh!" exclaimed Sarah.

The doctor gave the woman a kindly smile. "It's not as bad as it sounds. We're going to treat him with antibiotics as his immune system has been compromised."

Walt placed an arm around his wife's shoulder as they listened to the doctor explain the treatment to them. Then the sound of the doctor's beeper sounded. She glanced down at it and frowned before excusing herself and hurrying back through the door she came. Sarah and Walt walked back over to the chairs in the waiting room and sat down.

It seemed like several hours before Dr Avery returned to them but in reality it was only about thirty minutes. The three stood up as she re entered the room.

"I'm sorry I had to rush off. I'm afraid it was to do with Little Johnny."

A gasp of air came from Sarah as she sat back down on the seat. "He's gone."

Walt looked sharply at his wife and then back at the doctor. She shook her head and smiled. "No. His body temperature went down again and he had a problem regulating it but we have it under control now."

"Oh thank god," Sarah said under her breath as Walt pulled her up and hugged her.

"You can see him now."

Sarah and Walt followed the doctor to the door. Just as they went through Walt stopped to look at Johnny. "Are you coming?"

Johnny stood up but shook his head. "Maybe later."

He saw Sarah's face cloud with disappointment but knew that this was not his place.

"He'd be happy to see you," Sarah said ignoring the quizzical look her husband gave her.

Johnny swallowed and smiled. "Tell him I'll see him later."

Walt nodded and took Sarah's arm and guided her through the door.

Johnny stood watching them for a few minutes, wishing it were him going to see his son. He lowered his head and limped out the door. He slowly walked down the steps as his mind filled with thoughts. He decided to ask Sarah and Walt to see more of Little Johnny. He felt sure that he didn't want them to tell the little boy that he was his father yet. Just spending more time with him would be enough for now.

Someone calling his name interrupted his reverie. He turned to see Dana approaching him. He smiled when he saw her.

"Ms Bright. What can I do for you?"

The red haired woman smiled coyly. "Well we were interrupted the other night…."

He raised his eyebrows. "Were we?"

Dana glanced to the ground and then into Johnny's eyes. "I've booked into a motel."

Johnny nodded. "Did you?"

"Or we could drive back to Cleaves Mills."

"Do you want to know how JJ is going to be?"

Dana smiled. "I already know. I called the hospital."

"They told you?"

"They did."

Johnny grinned as he appraised the woman standing in front of him.

"So?"

He pretended to look puzzled. "What?"

"Are we driving back to Cleaves Mills tonight?"

"I was hoping Bruce would give me a ride."

"Bruce went home already. Said he would talk to you tomorrow."

"Oh. In that case-"

"What?"

"Motel would be fine."

"Good," replied Dana.

"I just need to have a hot shower and a good sleep," said Johnny stretching his muscles.

"Would you like a back massage?" asked Dana noticing his discomfort.

"Oh that's ok. Bruce will do it when I get home."

"I give a good back massage."

"Do you?

"Yes. I'll look after you."

Johnny turned to Dana as they were getting into the car and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Sarah watched her son sleeping in the hospital ward. Every day he was getting more and more like Johnny. Walt sat on the other side of the bed holding the little boy's hand. Sarah saw so much love in Walt's face for Little Johnny that it made her sad. Walt glanced up at his wife and wondered what was going through her mind. Sarah felt him looking at her and looked at Walt. She gave him a half smile and stroked JJ's face. Sarah then got up and stared out the window. She felt a stab of jealousy as she saw Dana and Johnny in the parking lot. She knew they were on intimate terms and realised that although Johnny was moving on maybe she wasn't ready. She needed to speak to him and resolved to do it soon.

The End