Chapter 29B

"I'll have to admit, she's light on her feet," Roy admitted, lips brushing JoAnne's ear so that she could hear him above the pleasant but exceedingly loud jazz music.

"Not as good as you of course!" He added hastily when she turned her head and frowned at him. She snickered and they both looked back out onto the small dance floor, watching in silence as JoAnne's mother was dipped and swirled by the equally graceful Marco. Roy would have felt a bit guilty about his coworker being shanghaied into dancing except for the fact that Marco appeared to be enjoying both his partner and her flowing moves.

He leaned back into the softness of the curved booth, one of many that fronted the dance area in a horseshoe shape but more importantly, faced the raised, gleaming wood platform that served as a stage. Dixie would be up there in a few minutes and he had to admit, he really wanted to hear her. From what Johnny had said, she was good, real good. He threw an arm out behind his wife and pulled her close, content in just sitting here snuggled up to her and nursing a chilled beer.

"Where's everybody at?" His spouse murmured, sounding as calm as Roy felt. He was pretty sure most of that contentment was from the effort their guests had put in before leaving their house; despite Anne's feeble protests everybody had pitched in and had quickly and efficiently cleaned up the yard and kitchen. Chet had even cheerfully scrubbed the grill and returned it to the neighbor, while Stoker and Marco had taken back the borrowed tables.

So there was absolutely nothing left to do when they returned to their humble abode, except to snack on the few leftovers all stowed away in the refrigerator or on the counter. The children had been sound asleep when they had left for the club, watched over by the teenage babysitter they always used; so barring nightmares or any other unseen event, they would hopefully remain asleep until morning.

"Mike and Connie are checking out the bar area and Johnny is over there in the corner," Roy answered, waving vaguely towards the quietest area of the club, near the front door. Gage, arm braced against the wall, was leaning close to Jackie, listening intently. From what Roy could tell, judging by her hands, the captain's daughter appeared to be doing most of the talking.

"What about Chet and his sister, and the Hammers? Do you think they'll make it?"

DeSoto shrugged. "I thought Chet was going to be here, but maybe he changed his mind or is running late. Captain Hammer's not going to make it."

Glancing around, he lifted his hand in greeting to Dr. Brackett, who was lounging in the next booth. Dr. Early, who was seated next to him, lifted his drink in acknowledgement while Brackett simply nodded his head. Roy hadn't had a chance to go over and talk to them yet since the two doctors had just arrived minutes before, but he figured the night was young and he could make the rounds when Dixie finished.

The song faded out and Ruth sailed back to the table, her floor length violet gown swirling around her in a silky cloud. Marco, trailing behind, caught up to her and assisted her up the one step into the booth. He bowed gallantly and Ruth let out a happy, girlish titter that had Jo burying her face in Roy's shoulder to stifle her groan.

"Thank you ever so much, young man, for the dance."

"My pleasure, Madam," he replied, grinning, and rejoined Teena at the next booth. Mike and Connie had returned carrying two drinks apiece and settled in beside the lineman and his date. Over the top of JoAnne's head, now nestled comfortably on his chest, Roy could see a tuxedo clad man, the manager probably, appear on stage and confer with the pianist. It looked like Dixie was about to go on; he glanced around to see if anyone else had arrived.

Chet magically appeared through the swirls of cigarette smoke with a young woman at his side; he quickly introduced her as his date Tara to both tables of firemen before sliding in next to Roy.

"Nice place," he commented, swiveling his curly head to check out the club as he encircled his date's waist and pulled her closer. Tara nodded in agreement and pushed away from him a bit to lean out of the booth. She wiggled waggled her fingers at an approaching cocktail waitress and settled back into his arm, her long blond tresses cascading over Chet's shoulder like a waterfall.

JoAnne extracted herself from Roy's body and sat up straight, self-consciously running a hand through her own shoulder grazing hair, light brown now that she had let it go back to its natural color. Roy smiled inwardly at her gesture, recognizing the brief moment of insecurity. She had very few moments of that, and it usually always involved her hair. He wasn't sure why and was pretty certain she didn't either; what he did know was that she liked to change both her hair color and style at frequent intervals. He supposed that was how she compensated.

He reluctantly pulled his attention away from his wife. Johnny materialized from the side of the stage and joined the crew at the next booth, throwing Roy a cheeky grin when he noted his attention. DeSoto smiled in return, watched Jackie approach from the other direction, and slide in next to Connie. He wondered briefly why she wasn't sitting next to Gage, and then was distracted again by the lights dimming and the quiet tinkle of piano keys.

Dixie glided onto the stage, resplendent in a gold gown that shimmered in the flattering low lights trained on her. Her hair floated across bare shoulders, a single gold clasp holding runaway tendrils away from her cheek on one side. She leaned a hip against the baby grand, flashing an expanse of shapely leg through the slit in her dress that ran from mid-thigh to high heeled foot.

An expectant hush fell over the audience as she adjusted the microphone on its stand while sweeping the audience with a searching gaze. She gracefully inclined her head as she caught sight of the three tables of firefighters and doctors, closed her eyes, and launched into a throaty, soul stirring rendition of a popular fifties' song.

"Oh my," Jo whispered, her glass halted halfway to her lips. Roy could only nod in agreement as the ER nurse's seductive voice washed over them. Curiosity overrode his own inclination to close his eyes and pull his spouse close; he looked around him to observe the reactions of his co-workers and their dates. He couldn't see Jackie and Connie, only the backs of their heads, but judging by the slow sway of their bodies they were clearly enjoying the second song that Dixie had started. It was obvious that everyone else at the table felt the same judging by body language; and the spellbound silence that continued to hover throughout the large room made it pretty clear that it was the prevailing opinion.

A quiet laugh escaped Roy as he turned his head to the right and caught sight of Dr. Early. The gray haired physician was busy moving his head to the music and tapping the fingers of both hands on the table. DeSoto remembered the piano playing doctor at Dixie's party a mere month ago and grinned at the memory. That would be something to enjoy, Dixie and Joe singing together. He wondered if they ever had….

Clearly enjoying himself Dr. Early was oblivious to the posture of the man at his side. Brackett was hunched tensely over the table with his chin resting on his propped up hand and his face scrunched up in a fierce scowl. Puzzled by the younger doctor's behavior and amused at the older doctor's antics, Roy shrugged it all off for a later time, shifted back in the well-padded seat, sighed happily, and let the music wash over him.

~eeeEEEeee~

"Getting a bit antsy about Bill and the arrival of our new grandchild?" Dick Hammer asked, studying his wife over the top of his reading glasses. He hadn't heard her turn a page in the book she was reading for at least five minutes and wondered how many times she had read the same words. When she didn't reply, he rattled the newspaper to get her attention.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, laughing a little as she jumped. "Yes, I guess I am a bit, but there's still a month to go and first babies are known for being notoriously overdue."

She set the book down and sat up from her reclined position on the flowered sofa, frowning in thought. "Actually though, I was thinking more about Jackie and what she told us earlier."

"Ah yes, about the young man in my crew…"he trailed off, still not quite sure what to make of his daughter's revelation. He had been surprised and, to be honest, a bit angry that Jackie and John Gage had apparently met years before. After mulling the whole situation over, however, he had decided that there was no point in getting upset over something that had happened in the past even though it had involved his only daughter. They had both been teenagers after all, and the fact that Gage was actually younger than his headstrong middle child had Hammer shaking his head in disbelief. Jackie had freely admitted that she had initiated the first encounter with his paramedic on the rodeo grounds; she had also been very vague as to whether or not there might be a future relationship between them. Now THAT might be a problem, one of his crew dating his daughter.

He rattled the paper again, folded it at the creases, and then rolled it up into a tight tube. He tapped it on the palm of his hand before pointing it towards his wife and making circles with it. "Do you think those two are going to hook up again?"

"Would it be a bad thing? From what you've told me and now that I have met him, he appears to be a nice, intelligent young man. Plus the fact that he used to rodeo, and is a fireman, that gives them two things in common, don't you think?" She paused, tapping her fingers on the cover of her book as she mulled something over. "You know, honey, I was thinking about that year, the year they met, when she started back to school. I remember her being moody and irritable, not like her normal self at all. When I asked her about it, she shrugged it off and mumbled something about "all good things have to end". Do you think it's possible that her casual summer romance turned into something more meaningful for her?"

Dick snorted and threw his paper onto the couch by her feet. "With Jackie, I think anything is possible. Even now it seems she falls in and out of love on a regular basis. All I know is that we'll need to keep an eye on that pair to see if anything further develops."

He stood up, yawning. "I'm going to grab one of those leftover chocolate peanut butter bars. You want anything from the kitchen?'

Linda shook her head. "No, no more food, I'm still full from the picnic. I will take a cup of tea if you want to make it."

"Be glad to, herbal or black?"

"Surprise me," she replied, smiling up at him as he walked by and tousled her hair. She watched him leave the room, her eyes tracking but not really seeing him. The casual way Jackie had told the story to them earlier in the evening bothered her. The young lady was never that blasé in her attitude, especially when it involved her relationships; there was absolutely more to that tale then her daughter was telling. Linda had a strong feeling that John Gage had just brought to life dormant emotions purposely buried deep within Jackie.

~eeeEEEeee~

Johnny leaned against the brick façade of the nightclub, savoring a deep inhale of his cigarette. Exhaling slowly, he watched the barely discernible taillights of Jackie's car receding down the almost empty two lane street and pondered her behavior. She had started off the evening warm and friendly while they caught up on all the happenings in their lives for the last, what, eight years? But right before the manager had appeared on stage, she had suddenly withdrawn from the conversation as though her mind had jumped somewhere else. In fact, she had politely excused herself and headed back to the table as though the hounds of hell were on her heels. Then she had sat next to Connie, deliberately ignoring the seats on the other side of the booth they had occupied earlier. Confused and a bit embarrassed, Johnny had simply sat next to Marco and smoked and drank his way through Dixie's outstanding performance.

Now he stood here in the darkness, once again confused about a woman. That seemed to be happening a lot lately, and he didn't like it one bit. He had walked his old flame to her car, his attempts at conversation rejected by her terse, one syllable answers. Standing at the door, though, she had kissed him on the cheek and whispered "it was lovely catching up with you, Johnny" in a throaty voice that had him even more bewildered. A second later she had vanished within the interior of the car, the door slamming shut with a sense of finality behind her.

Low but recognizable voices disturbed his contemplation and he turned, wincing as his bare forearm scraped against the rough surface of the old bricks. Looking left he realized the shoulder high, prickly shrubs that formed a decorative but effective L shaped fence at the front of the building left him nowhere to go except to the right, past the two arguing medical professionals. Since he had no desire to eavesdrop on their heated conversation, he cleared his throat loudly and drifted towards the pool of light encircling the front entrance.

He relaxed somewhat as he realized Dixie and Brackett weren't arguing at all. In fact, it sounded like the Korean War veteran was scolding her boss.

"Really Kel, I thought we already had this conversation. I am not quitting my job at the hospital to pursue a new career. Oh hi Johnny, where'd you come from?" She laid a hand on his arm, stopping him from skirting around them. "What did you think?"

"That you were incredible of course, was there ever any doubt?" He answered truthfully. "Right, Doc?"

"Sure she is, that's what I'm worried about," he groused, settling a black and gold patterned wrap over the nurse's bare shoulders. He ran his fingers affectionately over the silky material but John noticed that he still had a disgruntled expression twisting his face. He had noticed it earlier while Dixie sang; obviously he hadn't been the only one. It was pretty clear that that Brackett wasn't completely buying what Dixie was selling. Feeling a wave of protectiveness wash over him, the paramedic narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists.

"Oh come on silly, take me home and I'll prove to you I'm not kidding," Dixie chided. "I'm dead on my feet and need to get out of these heels. Good night John, and thanks for being my sounding board."

She patted the young man affectionately before tugging on Kelly's suit jacket. The doctor mumbled something under his breath but then slyly winked at Gage and followed along, a jaunty spring to his step, as they headed to the parking lot located at the side of the building.

Relaxing, Johnny laughed and called out a good night after them. He tossed what was left of his cigarette to the sidewalk and ground it out carefully with a boot heel before picking it up and tossing it in the ash can by the door. Rolling down his shirt sleeves, he pulled his sports coat back on and checked his watch. A yawn escaped him and he spun around, ready to call it a night.

The front door opened behind him, spilling out a crowd of club goers. John stepped aside to let the noisy mob surge past him and caught Marco's eye. The nattily dressed lineman broke free from the exodus and joined his coworker on the gravel that took the place of water hungry grass.

"I appreciate you rescuing me from Ruth," Gage said, gently elbowing his coworker in the arm. "Dancing is definitely not one of my strong points, and she was bound and determined to keep me out there making a fool out of myself."

Marco shrugged. "It was nothing. I could tell you were uncomfortable about three steps into the first song plus I really do enjoy any kind of dancing. But I am curious why you just didn't tell her "no more" after the first dance?"

"Ah well," he began, shifting uncomfortably. "I kinda have a hard time saying no to women, and since she's my new partner's mother-in-law…."

"Say no more, I understand!" Lopez chortled, flashing white teeth and nodding his dark head.

"Where's Teena?" Johnny asked, scanning the dispersing group of strangers. "Did she leave already?"

"Nah, she went to the ladies' with Chet's girl and Connie. No wonder the line is always so long; isn't it weird that they always travel in packs to the bathroom?"

"Don't ask me any questions about ladies, Marco. Every time I turn around they do or say something that completely baffles me." Johnny shook his head in bewilderment but cracked a smile when Marco nudged him in manly commiseration.

"You don't have to tell me that, Johnny, with all the sisters that I have!"

"Tell him what Marco?" Chet asked curiously, sidling up to them and glancing about as if expecting to see Marco's female family members materialize out of the bushes.

Lopez snickered and clapped his friend on the back. "It's the ladies, Chet, that are giving us trouble. The same dilemma we've had since the beginning of time…poor Adam never had a chance, did he?"

"Oh please….." Kelly scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I have no problems whatsoever, you just have to know what they like and how to treat them. Look at me and Mrs. Frederic – we got along just fine AND she liked my dance moves."

"And how exactly do you do that?" Johnny asked with raised eyebrows, pondering the lineman's words.

"No way, Johnny baby, I'll never give up my secrets! You might have that Gage charm, but in the end I have all the right moves! I'm Chet Kelly, firefighter extraordinaire, and they all know that." He executed an awkward pirouette and bowed to his audience. "And tonight I was Fred Astaire Junior."

"Of course all the ladies know that," Marco parroted, exchanging an amused glance with the paramedic at their colleague's not so subtle bragging.

"And I thought you were my friend," Chet retorted, adopting a hurt tone and crossing his arms. "With friends like you, who needs enemies?"

"Ah now, you know I'm just pulling your leg amigo," Lopez soothed. "Here come our ladies now, so put that smile back on your face and show us how well you understand women."

Chet snorted but visibly relaxed and stretched his face in an approximation of a grin. Tara and Teena exited the club side by side, giggling as they ducked under the long arm of Mike Stoker, who was holding the door open. Their high heels tapping rhythmically on the concrete, the women walked over to their dates.

"Thanks for inviting us all Johnny," Tara gushed, stretching out her red tipped fingers and snagging Chet by the arm. She pulled him to her side, her reluctance to plant her narrow heels in the gravel evident. She leaned against him and Chet wiggled his eyebrows in triumph and directed a genuine grin at the two watching men. "Dixie was positively wonderful!"

Teena nodded her head in agreement and Johnny realized he hadn't heard her speak yet, not even at the picnic. Marco apparently had a very shy girlfriend, the total opposite of Tara, who was still extolling Dixie's talent. As everyone joined in the enthusiastic praise of the Emergency Room's singing nurse, Mike and Connie merged in with the now large group lingering in front of the nightclub.

Mike sidled up to Gage who had stepped back several more feet. "Not a bad place, especially if they book talent like Miss McCall. Has she done this before?"

"I think she paid for her schooling by singing," he replied. Mike nodded in understanding and said no more, content to stand by his cohort's side.

After a few minutes of good natured banter and a discussion about whether to continue on to a twenty four hour eatery, the pairs began drifting to their cars in the parking lot. Johnny bid the engineer and his wife goodbye and started towards his VW wagon, suddenly anxious to escape to the solitude of his apartment. He had only made it to the front sidewalk, however, when he was hailed from the club entrance. He turned around and ambled back.

"Oh hey, Roy, I thought I had missed you."

"No…..Jo's mother wanted to make a circuit around the room and chat with everybody." He made a circle with his index finger to emphasize his words but at his partner's questioning look he continued. "You know, the bartender, the manager, the coat check girl, she wanted to talk to them all."

"She must not get out much," Gage decided. He grimaced as he realized what he had said but Roy seemed unperturbed by his words. "And so where is she now?"

"Bathroom I guess, JoAnne shooed me towards the exit when I started to lose my patience." Loosening the collar of his shirt with a tug of his index finger, he slid the already unknotted tie from his neck and stuffed it into the pocket of his tan sports coat with an exaggerated sigh of relief. "That's so much better; um, did you happen to notice Kelly Brackett glaring at Dixie while she was singing?"

Sporting his own smile of satisfaction that the subject had been changed from Ruth, John nodded. "Yeah I noticed that. Turns out he was afraid Dixie was going to leave the hospital and pursue a new career. She set him straight though, and I think they're heading home to kiss and make up." He didn't mention that Brackett was still stringing the nurse along but he was 100% sure that Miss Dixie McCall was already on to the sly doctor, or would soon be.

"Oh, well that explains it then. I guess if she did, that would throw their personal lives into turmoil as well."

"Yup, which was probably what was really bugging him…" Johnny trailed off, lost in further thoughts about Brackett and the various sides the dark haired doctor kept revealing. He was a mystery all right, but one that would be worth cracking. He had to work with the man after all, and plus there was the little but very important fact that he was his boss.

"Huh," he said out loud, earning a puzzled look from DeSoto. "Nothing, nothing, I'm just letting my mind ramble a little bit."

"Okay then, so what happened between you and Jackie?" Roy asked.

Johnny looked down at his feet and mindlessly kicked at one of the green, lacy looking ferns that were planted at two foot intervals throughout the rocks. "I honestly don't know, Roy. She kinda, I don't know, got all chilly towards me before Dixie got on stage. She really didn't say much after that."

"Maybe she got a headache or something."

"Yeah or something," he muttered.

Clearly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was headed in and almost wishing he hadn't asked the question, Roy shifted uneasily and jammed his hands into his pockets. He rocked back on his heels and shot Johnny a considering look. "You know exactly what I mean. She's got something bothering her, and she'll talk to you when she's good and ready."

"I know that," Gage retorted, annoyance growing as he dissected every action he had taken and every word he had spoken this evening with Jackie and came up with absolutely nothing. Staring out towards the street, he wondered if she had gone straight home. Should he call her tomorrow, or just let things alone like Roy was suggesting? He ran a hand through his short hair, huffed out a gust of air, and decided to do nothing at all. He wasn't going to worry about any of it, especially if it concerned Jackie, Trish, and even Dixie. And as far as the supposedly Gage charm went….. "It doesn't mean I have to like it though!"

"No, no, it doesn't," he agreed. He rolled his shoulders, removed his hands from his pockets, and switched his gaze to the front doors. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in astonishment. "Well, if that just doesn't beat all."

"I'll say!"

Both men stared as Dr. Early walked towards them with Ruth hanging on to his arm. He flashed them a benign grin. "Good night gentlemen, it was an enjoyable evening. Roy, if you'll let me have your keys, I'm escorting Mrs. Frederic to your car."

"Er, of course, Doc, here they are." Roy snapped his mouth closed and fumbled the keys out of his pocket. He handed them over and they watched in astonished silence as the pair strolled regally away.

"She's going to get a big surprise when we get home," JoAnne said as she came up behind the paramedics, startling them.

Clearing his throat, DeSoto blinked rapidly and turned his full attention on his wife. "What's that honey?"

"I just called the babysitter to check on the kids; daddy showed up at the house about an hour ago and was waiting for mom out front. Gina wouldn't let him in the house, rightly so as she doesn't know him. I talked to him for a few minutes and now he's pacing the living room waiting for us to get home."

"Oh, well, that's good then?" He posed it as a question, even though it didn't exactly sound like a good thing to him, at least right now. Visions of him and Jo sleeping on Chris's bedroom floor while his in-laws commandeered their bed danced through his mind.

"Absolutely a good thing as daddy is sweeping her off to a hotel room tonight; and he's not taking no for an answer!" Jo giggled and preceded them to the parking lot.

The well-lit, paved lot showed exactly how far the Station 51 crew had traveled. The men and their dates were gathered near Mike's truck, chatting and laughing. After checking to see that Ruth was safely ensconced in the front seat of the station wagon, Roy halted Johnny with a hand on his arm and gestured towards their co-workers.

"I think we made some good choices, don't you Junior?"

Johnny snorted at the use of the nickname Roy had bestowed upon him but nodded in agreement and smiled. "Yeah, I think we really did, Pally."

~FINI~

A/N: I can hardly believe that it's been over seven years since I started this story! Many, many, thanks to all of the encouragement I received through the many reviews and faves, and kudos to the patience of the followers! I would also like to thank the three new E! Friends I made while writing this who encouraged me along the way – Donna from New Zealand, Karen from Australia, and Barbara from Germany!