The Boot

Chapter Twenty

By GCS

DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.

Cody watched Johnny for a few minutes. 'I guess everyone is right about you saving my life. I just didn't want to admit it. Just one more thing that makes you look good…makes you the best.' He turned over on his side facing away from Johnny. 'I don't know why it bothers me so much that you're so good. I guess it's because I wanted to be the best fireman there ever was to make my dad proud.' He pulled the blanket up close to his chin. 'I know he would be proud of me anyway.' He sighed. 'Maybe not with the way I've treated you.'

Johnny felt hot and smothered with the oxygen mask over his face. He tugged at it, pulling it off and over his head, and then laid it on the bed with his hand resting on it. He didn't plan on leaving it off but for a minute. The small movement seemed to exhaust him. His eyes closed and he soon fell asleep.

Cody tossed and turned in his bed, but couldn't find a comfortable spot. He reached for the TV controller and flipped it on. He glanced over at Johnny who still had his back to him. He noticed the slow rise and fall of his shoulder and thought he must be sleeping. Since Johnny appeared to be asleep, Cody decided to keep the volume down. He flipped channels looking for something to watch.

At McGill's the rest of the crew watched as Jim left in a huff. Captain Jones turned back to Scotty. "You want to tell me what that was all about."

Scotty had the good sense not to deny that there was something going on, but he didn't want to go into the details about the suspicions involving Cody and the nail in Johnny's tire. At least not yet. "Just a difference of opinion, Cap. Nothing to worry about."

"Difference of opinion?" Cap raised his eyebrow and looked at Scotty who knew he would have to give a little more information.

"Well, we didn't see eye to eye on how he babies his little brother…that's all." Scotty shrugged and turned back to the table hoping to change the subject. "What do ya say guys…anybody need another beer?" He grabbed his beer and finished it off.

Captain Jones grabbed Scotty's arm. "Hey, I'm a friend here."

"I know that, it's just that things are kind of complicated. Until I have more time to talk to Jim, I'd rather not go into it." Scotty looked across the table at the others telling them with his look that they needed to keep quiet as well. They all started to settle back into their chairs.

Looking at his men Captain Jones knew he wouldn't get any more information from the group right now. "Fair enough, but remember I am not the enemy." He dropped his hand to his side. "Let me know if I can help. I'm a good listener too." He trusted Scotty's ability to handle the men. He knew he would have to be patient and let them work it out. He also knew if things didn't get better quickly or if they started to hinder their performance on the job, he could pull rank on them and make them talk.

"I know…thanks." Scotty stepped toward the bar. "How 'bout a beer, Cap?"

"No thanks. I need to get home. I have to fill the Chief in about our two boots. I don't think we have to worry about replacements since they're still in training. We have enough men on our shift to get the job done until they return, but there's still paperwork to fill out."

Scotty chuckled, "A Captain's work is never done."

"You've got that right." Captain Jones smiled. "See you guys later." He waved as he turned to leave, but stopped and turned back to Scotty. "Oh yeah, here's your keys."

Scotty reached out and took the keys. "How are you getting home?"

"My wife is picking me up. She's probably waiting out there now. Thanks for letting me use your truck." He waved and headed toward the exit.

Scotty slipped his keys into his pocket and dropped into his chair. "Man that almost got completely out of hand." He ran his hand through his hair.

Cody didn't know when he fell asleep or for how long. He still had the TV controller in his hand. The volume was still turned down low. He vaguely remembered a noise waking him up. Then he heard it again. Johnny was coughing harshly. It sounded like he might be gasping for air. Cody sat up in his bed looking over at Johnny who still had his back to him. He swung his legs over the side and grabbed the IV pole. Moving quickly he crossed the room.

Johnny couldn't get his breath. The coughing hurt his chest and the lack of air was making him dizzy.

Cody reached across and picked up the oxygen mask. "Hey…calm down." Johnny looked over at Cody with red watery eyes. A new round of hacking coughs gripped him as he turned. Cody helped him onto his back. "I think you need this back on." He pulled the rubber band over Johnny's head and slipped the oxygen mask back in place. "It'll help you breathe." Johnny's eyes closed. He tried to calm down and breathe normally.

Jim rushed into the emergency room corridor and turned left and right trying to figure out where to go to find his brother.

"Can I help you?"

"My brother…I need to find my brother." He said breathlessly.

"Okay, but first you need to calm down. My name is Dixie." She patted his arm. "I'll help you find him. What's his name?"

"Cody..." He looked into Dixie's beautiful blue eyes. She smiled at him and somehow that helped him relax a little. She seemed so calm. "Cody Graves."

"Okay, let's just go over here to admitting and find out where he is." Dixie hooked her hand in his arm and ushered him over to the desk. "Can you please tell us where we can find Cody Graves?" She asked the admissions clerk.

Once they knew what room and knowing that it was the same room she had taken Johnny to, Dixie decided to accompany the man up to check on his brother. "I know the other man in that room. If you don't mind I'll ride up with you. I'd like to check on him."

Jim smiled at her and offered his arm again.

"I don't believe I got your name." Dixie smiled and took his arm.

"Jim…Jim Graves."

"I've seen you around here before haven't I."

"I've been here before. I'm a fireman with LA County. I've had some crewmates here." He explained.

"Oh…I see. The man in your brother's room is a fireman too. Maybe you know him."

"Yeah? What's his name?" Jim asked as they stopped in front of the elevator, and he pressed the up button.

"John Gage." She innocently responded. "I think he's new to the department."

Jim dropped her arm and stepped back with his eyes wide and his mouth open. "Did you say John Gage?"

Dixie didn't understand the sudden upset. "Yes, John Gage. Is there something wrong?"

Jim couldn't help the worry he now felt. He began punching the up button. "Come on…come on."

"Mr. Graves?" Dixie took his hand off the button. "Calm down…why does John Gage being in your brother's room bother you?"

"They…well…they aren't the best of friends." Jim turned his head from side to side. "As a matter of fact I don't think they like each other at all."

Dixie couldn't understand anyone not liking the nice young man she had met. Johnny was polite, considerate and handsome. "Why wouldn't they like each other?" She wanted to understand what was going on between the two men. If it was serious one of them might need to be moved to another room.

"I guess my brother is jealous of Gage. The guy seems to be good at everything. You see Cody is a boot too. I mean he's a new member of our crew. Cody's been playing practical jokes on Gage and making fun of his being an Indian." He explained the situation to Dixie as they rode up the elevator.

They stopped at the nurse's desk on the way down the hall. Dixie introduced Jim to Darcy.

The she ushered him to Cody's room.

When Jim pushed open the door to his brother's room he saw Cody hovering over Johnny with his handon Johnny's chest.

"Cody, what the hell are you doing?" He rushed over and grabbed for Cody's arm.

Cody turned around with alarm mixed with anger on his face. "Jim?" He jerked his arm away from hisbrother. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm trying to get him to calm down. He took his oxygen mask offand fell asleep without it. He woke up coughing his head off. I thought it would help if he put it back on."

He suddenly realized that Jim had thought he was doing something wrong. "What the hell did you think Iwas doing?"

Jim didn't know what he was thinking. All of the accusations from his friends about Cody and that nailhad clouded his mind about his brother. He looked at Johnny lying in the hospital bed still having a little trouble getting his breath. Then he looked at his brother who had obviously been trying to help. He rubbed his hand over his face and backed up a few steps. "I don't know, man. I don't know what I was thinking. I just."

Cody just glared at him. "You what? You thought I would hurt him didn't you Jim." He turned and stalked back to his bed. "I don't believe this." He plopped down on the side of the bed and hung his head. "I would never intentionally cause bodily harm to anyone. You should know that."

Jim walked over to his brother and sat down beside him. "I do know that."

"Then why would you come in here like that?" Cody looked at his brother searching for some explanation.

"I don't know. I guess with all the stuff that's been going on. I just thought…"

"You thought I would hurt him." Cody said quietly.

"No…not really. I guess I panicked. I don't know what to think anymore. I'm sorry little bro." He wrapped his arm around Cody's shoulder and pulled him close. "I know better."

Dixie watched the drama unfold in the room in a matter of minutes. She could see that Johnny had calmed down and the oxygen seemed to be helping him breathe better, but she was still unsure of whether leaving the two men in the same room was a good idea or not. She moved over beside Johnny and reached for his wrist and calmly spoke to him. "Hey there handsome. You look like you're having a little trouble there."

Johnny looked into her eyes and nodded. "I just took it off for a minute. It was making me hot." He wheezed as he tried to talk. "Fell asleep."

Dixie smiled down at him. "That wasn't a good idea you know." She patted his hand after she finished checking his pulse. "You need it."

The corner of Johnny's mouth turned up in a slight grin.

"I'm going to have to let Darcy know about this. Dr. Early will probably be up to check on you." She brushed the hair from his forehead.

He closed his eyes. He was too tired to care who came to check on him or if they came. He was breathing better now thanks to Cody.

Dixie looked over at the two men sitting on the bed across the room. "I don't know what that was all about, but this is not the place for confrontations. You young man need to get back in that bed and stay there if you hope to get better and get out of here." She walked over and pulled the covers back so Cody could get under them. "I think you know how sick Johnny is. I don't think you want to get that sick yourself now do you?"

"No ma'am." Cody said quietly.

Jim had backed against the wall out of the way. He was still having trouble believing that he had thought his brother would do something to hurt Johnny. He wondered how things had gotten so out of control.