Chapter 21

"Captain Stanley speaking," Hank answered the phone somewhat annoyed that the call had interrupted a meaningful conversation with his engineer.

"Miss Elmer!" He responded in surprise as everyone in the station gathered around him even Mike came on the run from the bay. "Okay Laura, how are you feeling?" "There's no reason to feel embarrassed and yes we were there." "No, no one got hurt, we're all fine." "We all understood that it was the drugs they'd given you, there's nothing to be ashamed of." "Just forget about it." "You don't remember anything? How did you know we were there?" While Captain Stanley was quiet for a while listening the door bell rang and Chet offered to answer it returning moments later with Dr. Bracket in tow.

"Yes it was a good ceremony, Chief Jenner did it up right this time," "He apologized for that too and told me how to make sure it never happens again." "I'll tell 'em, you just take care of yourself." "I'll tell him and don't worry about it; We'll all stop in to visit when we're off shift. . . Okay, okay, yeah I'll tell them, you just take care. Worry about yourself for a change. Bye now."

Hank slowly hung up the phone and turned to his men and guest. "That was Laura Elmer; she's awake now and trying to piece together just what happened. She said to tell you all thank you for saving her this morning and," he turned to Mike, "Thanks for the Teddy Bear."

"She says that she can't remember anything but has a vague recollection of dreaming about being chased by an evil scientist with a needle and being rescued by firemen in a flying fire engine." Everyone in the room snickered at the description.

"We all know who she thought the mad scientist was," Johnny gave Dr. Brackett a playful slap on the shoulder but regretted doing so when he saw the good doctor wince and cover his ribs.

"What do we owe this visit to Doc," Hank greeted his guest.

"Well I've been told that you could teach me a thing or two so I've come here to learn," Bracket addressed Captain Stanley and confused everyone in the room.

"Laura Elmer has been talking about something to do with teddy bears and their negative effects." Dr. Bracket began to explain, "Johnny loaned me his copy of one of her books when he was at the hospital earlier, but I can't find anything in it about teddy bears and according to the gift shop at the hospital her new book is not available for at least another week."

"I know the book you're talking about; just a minute and I'll get it." Hank left the room and Roy offered Dr. Bracket a seat and a cup of coffee.

Hank returned with the hard bound copy of 'Never Too Strong to Crumble' and placed it on the table next to Dr. Bracket. "Chapter 41 is the one about the positive and negative effects of Teddy Bears, It's quite informative but then everything I've read of hers is informative. I think the first four of five chapters will give you a better insight to her current mental state too. She describes the kind of work she does quite graphically; just reading it gave me nightmares I can't imagine what it must have been like to actually be there under those conditions, doing all those things."

"Thanks I'll see that you get this back." Dr. Bracket opened the front cover and glanced at the personalized autograph.

"No hurry doc, she gave me two copies." Hank informed, "One to mark up and make notes in and one that she autographed."

"I'll tell you what Doc, she really knows what she's talking about," Roy added from his seat across the table. "There were times I thought I was reading my own diary when I read her other book."

"She sure knew how to pull me together," Mike added, "I just wish I knew how to help her the same way."

"You sure knew just what to say to her on that ledge this morning." Bracket tried to comfort the group. "None of us were able to get close to her and you just walked right up and took a hold of her hand." Mike blushed unable to find any words to explain what had happened or the why's of it.

"Doc, I don't know if this might be important but there's one thing that has bothered me since the first day we meet her." Johnny commanded some attention as he placed one foot on the chair in front of him and leaned forward resting on his raised knee.

"What's that Johnny," Bracket inquired, he had come to learn and he felt like his trip was worth it.

"Cap was telling us the story of how she had to perform surgery on the only Doctor in her aid station, while he was a wake and talking her through it, and then had to perform surgery on several others." Johnny started to explain, "Then I said all the wrong things and asked her if they actually made it. I wished I could have taken it back as soon as I said it but---. Well the part that sticks with me is that she didn't know. She said that they made it until they were flown out to a hospital but then she never heard after that. I know Roy and I are always asking about the patients we work on. I can't even imagine not knowing if what we did made a difference, And every time something goes bad Dix is always there reminding us of one that we pulled through against the odds."

"He's right," Roy added, "You know I don't think I could keep doing this job if I didn't know I was making a difference."

"I see what you mean," Bracket rubbed his chin in thought.

"After what happened with my Dad I can see her questioning everything she's done right now." Mike added his insight.

"Fill me in about what happened to your Dad." Dr. Bracket inquired.

"My Dad, Laura and another fireman were helping at a collapsed apartment building when the three of them went through a floor and several walls collapsed on top of them. It took the rest of the crew around eight hours to dig them out and she took care of my Dad until he was freed," Mike began to explain, "When my Dad was taken out of the hole he looked really good, I've seen news footage of them loading him in a medical transport bus. She had no reason to think anything would go wrong but his heart stopped on the way to the hospital and they couldn't get it started again. She said that she didn't know until just a few weeks ago that he didn't make it."

"She told me," Hank added, "That from the description the other fireman gave she thought he'd had a blood clot go to his heart."

"Oh, that's a tough one." Dr. Bracket let out a deep and painful breath, "even if they'd have known there was a clot it would have been too risky to treat with anti coagulants until they knew exactly what they had, he could have bleed to death if they had."

"And from the sounds of things she didn't have anything like that available to her any way," Johnny added in Laura's defense.

"Didn't she say something about it taking them another forty-five minutes to get her out after the others were extricated?" Chet added.

"Yeah, she said that there was a concrete slab separating her from the other two and that the only part of the patient she was able to examine was his legs from the beam across his thighs down." Roy added.

"Add to that, we've found out that she was checked out of the hospital, so she could catch a plane before her x-rays came back. She had a skull fracture at the time." Bracket added his own information. "And if she just found out a few weeks ago that must have been close to the time her brother died."

"And all this because her publicist wanted to create some publicity," Captain Stanley shook his head in disbelief.

"Yeah, but let's not forget she saved the lives of those girls," Chet changed the tone, "Maybe we could find them and ask them to write her a thank you note. Thank you notes always make me feel better."

"What about all those kids on the bus," Mike added remembering the thank you notes he had received earlier that day. "They sent the letters to me through the fire department headquarters; I bet they don't have a clue where to send anything to Laura."

"I can check with headquarters and see if by any chance they got letters for Laura too." Hank offered.

"I think you might be on to something. I'll get Dix working on it. She knows one of the people in that organization that Laura works for." Bracket looked around at the gathered firemen. "She was right; I can learn a thing or two from you guys."

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It had been a quiet night at the station with only one small fire, curtains in a home set off by a scented candle that had been forgotten, and that had been around a quarter to midnight.

When the wake up tones sounded Mike tried to move but found his left arm weighed down by an over weight basset hound. Mike just raised his head and looked at his captain who was acknowledging the wake up tones.

"Would this be considered a positive teddy bear?" he asked gesturing toward the dog that was now nuzzling his ear.

"It worked before," Hank offered sheepishly, "I thought it was worth another try."

Mike just grinned and shook his head before pulling his arm out from under Henry and sitting up in bed. "Thanks Cap," he realized he felt rested and was still improving emotionally. It felt good to know he had friends who were concerned about him.

As Mike pulled his turn out pants on he watched as Henry made himself right at home in his bed and then picked the dog up and set him on the floor. "Oh no you don't pal, it's time to wake up and get going. There's work to be done."

"Hey Cap," Chet called after helping to herd Henry out into the bay and looking to make sure no one could hear him. "Are you going to put Henry in bed with Johnny next time he has a nightmare?"

"I'm not above trying it once, and if it works---," Hank responded with a smile, "But it doesn't have to be me who puts him there. Just make sure it doesn't become a game because it could loose its effectiveness if it does."

"Understood Cap," Chet responded with a smile.

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Doctor Brackett was awaken when the sun light shown in his eyes. He had been unable to get comfortable in his bed so he propped himself up on his sofa with pillows and read until he fell asleep with the book in his lap. He did have to admit what he had read of the book 'Never Too Strong to Crumble' was informative; it was true that you can't judge a book by its cover but in this case it took a book to explain the cover. Just how long had his patient been holding on to her mental health by mere fingernails and just what was she clinging to.

The chapter on Teddy bears was a mystery to him however. Just how did it apply to his patient? Even thought he better understood how the teddy bear had calmed her down and could see other applications for such an item in the emergency room, it was the negative effect of Teddy bears that he was sure he was missing something about at least as it applied to Miss Laura Elmer.

Due to his bruised ribs Kell had been relieved of ER duty today but he still needed to go in and do his rounds so he carefully pealed his body out of his pillows and moved slowly to the shower.

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At the hospital Laura had had another rough night but the enlightened nurses managed to keep her from sleepwalking into other patient's rooms and were working with maintenance to somehow block the overhead paging from her room. The decision had been made that a hospital setting was not the best for her emotional recovery and she was to be released the following afternoon as soon as she finished her antibiotic therapy. Still there were many friends that were worried about Laura's emotional health and well being.

Mike and Captain Stanley walked from the elevator together Hank carrying a large envelope of letters that had been sent to the department headquarters for someone named Laura who had worked on those injured in a bus wreck. They weren't as numerous as the stack that had been handed to Mike but any letter was better than no letter at all. Upon learning that Laura was to be released the next day Captain Stanley offered his home and family for a few days of rest and relaxation. Laura was surprised by the offer and asked for time to think about it.

In the emergency department Dixie had been following Dr. Brackett's replacement all morning helping him to find the items he needed to treat the patients but he was now in surgery so she was taking the time to work on the nurses schedule when—

"Well I'll declare doesn't the head nurse have to work around here, I should have that job I can sit around with the best of them."

"Maggie! You old war horse it's been ages." Dixie sang out as she raced around the counter at the nurse's station with out stretched arms.

Maggie threw the hook prosthesis that replaced her right hand around Dixie's shoulders for an embrace while she held on to her bag with her left hand that was missing two fingers.

"You did get my message."

"I got here as soon as I could Dix, and I brought the information you asked for. How's our girl?" Maggie's face showed all the concern Dixie had been feeling for several days.

"What do ya say I introduce you to her doctor and we'll figure that out together?" Dixie draped her arm around Maggie's shoulders and started moving toward Kell Bracket's office.

Once Dixie had returned to work Maggie set up on Dr. Brackett's phone while he looked through a photo album she had brought that showed some of the work she and Laura had done and the conditions under which they had worked.

"These pictures should be added to her latest book," Dr. Brackett commented since they brought the pages he had read last night more alive and helped him better understand not only his patient but why she hadn't gotten her shoulder taken care of at the time.

"Miss Swartz I know it's none of my business but may I ask what happened to your hands?" Kell Brackett couldn't deny his curiosity any longer.

"It's just Maggie Doc I'm too old to be a Miss anything. It was during the Korean War Doc," she began to explain. "I was assigned to help out at an aid station on the front lines for a few days and one of the boys they brought in had been booby trapped. I didn't catch it in time."

"I have to tell you that I think its amazing that you've learned how to do as much as you have with your prosthetics." Kell gestured with the photo album as he complimented, "I'm sure it wasn't easy.

"Laura get's most of the credit Doc. She wouldn't put up with me feeling sorry for my self and knew the exact place to apply a swift kick. She then helped me find a place that would allow me to work as a nurse, where I could be useful again. There's still some things I can't do but there is plenty I can. It sure feels good to do what I can."

The next morning all kinds of people started arriving in the emergency department asking for Dixie McCall. By the time Laura was dressed and ready to leave the west wing of the cafeteria was full.

Once Laura was dressed and her medications delivered Dixie was waiting in the hall with a wheelchair as she tried to sneak out of the room, with six off duty firemen in street clothes at her side to make sure Laura got in it.

"Are you guys here to make sure I get to the ground level and stay there?" Laura asked as the group walked as a whole to the elevator.

"Something like that," Mike answered with a smile.

"Am I being kidnapped?" Laura questioned again being very aware that something was up and was starting to form an escape plan.

"Probably," Captain Stanley answered with a much better poker face.

When they reached the ground floor and the group made a turn toward the cafeteria Laura questioned. "But I've all ready had my lunch."

"Yeah, but you didn't eat your desert." Johnny responded with a smile but he made sure he stayed behind her so it didn't show too obviously.

As two firemen pulled open a set of double doors four children under the age of five each with a different ethnic heritage came running with their arms held wide.

"Mara, Mara," they each screamed as they climbed on Laura's wheelchair fighting to be the first one to throw their arms around her neck.

"That's a contraction for My Laura," Maggie explained bringing her presents to Laura's attention. "Now you children be careful of Laura's owwie's."

"Maggie! What brings you here?"

"You do," Maggie answered with a hug and then straitened up. "There's a whole lot of people who have wanted to tell you a thing or two and Dix and Dr. Brackett here have finally been able to tie you down long enough for them all to find you."

"What?" Laura was confused. "Who?"

Dixie responded to her cue and pushed the wheelchair through the doors and Laura scanned the room in confusion as everyone there made a path way. Captain Stanley moved next to his wife and place his arm around her as Roy found his wife and gave her a quick kiss. Mike was soon flanked by his Mother and youngest sister while Johnny, Marco, and Chet looked for pretty girls to stand next to in hopes of a chance to introduce themselves.

Two sets of parents retrieved their children from Laura's wheelchair as she was moved into the room.

"I don't know if you remember me but I was one of the girls you helped to rescue from that apartment explosion about six months ago." The first girl in line explained as she shook Laura's good hand. "My room mates weren't able to be here today but they sent letters." She handed over four envelopes.

"Do you remember having to do surgery on me to reinflate my lungs after I was crushed in an after shock in Indonesia?" another person said in broken English. "I wouldn't be alive now if it wasn't for you."

"I bring a letter of thank you for all that you did in my village," said another.

As Laura was pushed around the room her lap was piled high with letters and cards and certificates and her eyes grew moist. Many in the room didn't say anything just quietly slipped a letter into her lap that included the six firefighters from station 51 along with a couple of doctors and several nurses from Rampart. In the back ground cheerleaders from the wrecked school bus were chanting of Laura's greatness as she was moved along.

When it looked like Laura had reached the end of the line the group parted to reveal a man of oriental decent who walked forward and showed off his leg.

"Dr. Chung! You kept the leg." Laura exclaimed as she rose from her wheel chair dropping all that was in her lap on the floor as she walked toward the doctor in wonder while everyone in the room joined in a round of 'for she's a jolly good fellow'.