An Act of Friendship

Chapter 13

When they entered the waiting room, they found Mike to be the only one from 51s there. At Cap's questioning look, he responded, "Chet went with Marco to the Chapel. They should be back shortly."

Hank nodded his approval. Many times he wished he had Marco's strong conviction in his faith. It wasn't that he wasn't religious. Sure, he believed in God and went to church with his family. He just didn't have the same kind of certitude as Marco. He saw how much it soothed and comforted the younger man, and at times like these, he yearned for that kind of steadfast assurance.

Rubbing his hands together, he said, "I think I'm going to head down to the cafeteria for some coffee. Do you fellas want any?" Cap acknowledged Roy's nod before turning to Mike.

Mike stood up. "Actually, if you guys don't mind I'm going to head on home for a while and get some sleep. I already talked to Marco and Chet and, if it's okay with you guys, I'll be back this evening to sit with Johnny." At Cap's acknowledgement, he said, "Call me if you need me."

"I'll be back shortly, Roy," Hank said then followed Mike out.

Roy sat for a brief while before Brackett came and got him. As Roy followed him into Johnny's room, the smell of alcohol permeated the air. "How is he, Doc?" Roy questioned.

Kel shook his head as he looked at the ground. "His temperature is still rising," he said. Looking up he saw worried blue eyes. "Give it time, Roy," he said offering what hope he could.

"Doc, did Brice ever make it up?" he questioned.

"Yeah, he came in after a run at about 3 o'clock in the morning. He looked bushed, but I think the visit helped. He seemed more relaxed when he left," Kel confirmed.

"That's good."

"Well, I'd better get back downstairs. You know where to find me if you need me." Kel clapped Roy on the shoulder before leaving.

Roy pulled the hard plastic chair closer to Johnny's bed before sitting down. "I told you I'd be back, Junior," he said as he clasped Johnny's hand. Looking over his friend, he noted his cheeks were redder than before. His eyes wandered around the room. He was pleased to see that the blood products had been discontinued. His gaze then roamed up and down his friend as the machines created a strange cacophony that was almost soothing in its timbre.

"Joanne said to say 'Hey'. She wanted to come see you, but right now she's running a slight fever and Brackett won't allow it. She doesn't even know yet and I'm sure she's not going to be happy about it." He chuckled as he thought of the battle he was going to have with his strong willed wife. "We had a meeting with Chief McConnikee this morning. He said the accident will fall under your original workers' comp. claim, so you don't have to worry about not having a paycheck. I know when you're cooped up in here you always worry about your ranch, but everything is taken care of. I'll go over to your place in a day or so and see if any bills need paid. Tom told Stoker to let you know that the horses are fine and he hopes you're feeling better soon. I understand you had a visit from Brice last night, I bet you were thrilled with that. But seriously, he's not as bad as I once thought. There may be hope for him yet." Roy lapsed into silence when a nurse came in and did a vitals check. "How high is it?" he questioned as she read the thermometer.

"It's 102.7," she replied kindly before tucking in Johnny's covers and walking out.

Roy spoke softly to his friend, encouraging him to get well. He spoke about the kids, the next project for the house, the last runs he had been on; he spoke about anything and everything he could think of. When his voice finally gave way, he sat quietly holding his friends hand. Letting him know he was not alone. Eventually, Marco and Chet came in. They all talked quietly for a while before Roy decided to go check on Joanne. Before he left, he leaned down close to Johnny's ear and whispered, "You behave, Junior. I don't want to hear that you gave Chet or Marco a hard time. I'll be back later on."

XXXXXXX

Emily Stanley quietly opened the door and peered in. Joanne lay on the bed, sound asleep. Emily tiptoed quietly to the chair and sat down to wait for her friend to wake. She gazed intently. Joanne had a large bandage over her left temple. Around the edges of the bandage was a dark purple bruise, it reminded Emily of a starburst. Her coloring looked good, if a tad on the pale side with two half-dollar sized round, pink spots in the middle of each cheek. Emily was just about to put her hand on Joanne's forehead when her head turned to the side and a soft moan escaped.

…It was a beautiful, warm sunny day. Evergreen, Oak and Pine trees stood sentinel, silent guardians of the beauty and serenity of this place. A gentle breeze played throughout the trees and lightly ruffled her hair. The gentle drone of insects and birds filled the air, creating a soft melody that blended with the wind, a veritable symphony of life. Wafting through the air was the sweet fragrance of the many beautiful wildflowers that spread beneath her feet. A rainbow of reds, oranges, yellows, and purples interspersed with the lush, verdant grass. She was enjoying the beautiful day; her bare toes digging into the soft, spongy surface. In front of her, tall mountains majestically rose, their stiff peaks touching the bright blue sky. At the foot of the mountains was a large, pristine lake. She stood on a gentle rise overlooking the water, which was a vibrant shade of blue. The reflection of white, wispy clouds lightly dotted the surface. On the one side, a wooden pier jutted out partway into the lake. Someone in a wheelchair sat at the end of the pier. She looked closer and realized it was Johnny sitting in the chair. His arm and leg encased in their bright, white casts. She called out to him, but he must not have heard her. He sat peering into the water. She called out again, "Johnny…hey, Johnny…" His head rose and he gave a half-grin. He lifted his left arm and sketched a quick wave. She smiled as she returned the gesture and started meandering down the hill. She heard a loud groan then a sharp crack. The section of the pier that was closest to the grass slowly lifted up, tilting the whole pier toward the water. Her eyes widened in horror as the wheelchair with Johnny in it rolled slowly into the water. He never tried to move or call for help. She screamed out as his head disappeared beneath the surface. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her down the slope. When she reached the edge, she dove headlong into the water. She was shocked to find it was icy cold and almost stole her breath away. She kicked as hard and as fast as she could, her arms slicing through the surface. When she got to where she'd last seen him, she took a deep breath and plunged down into the icy depths. For as clear and beautiful as the surface looked, the depths were murky and dark. She thought she saw a glimpse of white up ahead. Her lungs started burning as she kicked harder, plunging deeper into the inky darkness. The darkness coalesced into the form of her friend. His back was to her and his dark hair wove and swayed as if with a life of its own. She turned him in her arms. His eyes were open. The rich, espresso color now appeared muddy and dirty as they peered lifelessly straight ahead. His usual bronzed, sun kissed skin was white and chalky. The normally expressive face was slack and inanimate, a grotesque parody. The mouth which was usually formed into that famous Gage half-grin was open and lax. As she watched in dread, a long, slithery snakelike eel swam out of his mouth. She opened her mouth and screamed…

"NOOOOO…" Joanne screamed as she bolted upright in her bed. Her heart was pounding hard and fast as she gulped great mouthfuls of air, trying to fill her lungs. She swayed as the room spun dizzily before her and her head began to pound. Her body trembled as her stomach churned and bile rose in her throat. She opened her eyes and looked into the worried blue eyes of Emily Stanley.

When Joanne screamed, Emily stood and leaned over her. Deeply concerned she asked, "Dear, are you okay?" She reached out a hand and placed it on Joanne's cheek. She could feel her quivering like a leaf in a windstorm. Sitting on the bed next to Joanne, she folded her into her arms.

Joanne tried to nod that she was okay, but she was frozen, her body unwilling to comply. Tears formed in her eyes and spilled over as she felt Emily's arms wrap around her. Sobs tore out of her in gut wrenching agony as images from her nightmare floated through her mind. "Oh…oh…G-God….h-h-he was…d-dead…oh…ohh…I-I couldn't g-get to h-him in time…" spewed out of her as her soul cringed in torment.

"Who couldn't you get to?" Emily questioned softly as she started rocking Joanne. She stroked her hair hoping to soothe her.

"J-J-Johnny."

"Shhh, it's okay, Jo. John's not dead. It's not real, it was just a dream," she soothed repeatedly as she rocked Joanne back and forth. She rested her chin on Joanne's forehead and felt the heat emanating from her.

When Joanne finally calmed down, Emily pulled back slightly and asked, "Are you okay now?" Troubled green eyes looked at her.

Joanne hesitantly nodded and said, "Oh Em, it was so real. Johnny drowned in this lake. I tried to get to him, but he was already gone and this eel swam out of his mouth." A shiver ran down her spine at the memory.

"Joanne. I promise you, Johnny is alive. This was just a bad dream," Emily assured her.

Joanne scrubbed the tears off her face. Embarrassment and humiliation warred within her as she realized she was sobbing like a little girl into her husband's boss's wife's arms.

Emily noticed the sudden flush that reddened Joanne's cheeks. "Now this was nothing to be embarrassed about," she stated firmly. As Joanne lowered her eyes, Emily put a hand on her chin and raised her face. She looked her straight in the eye. "Do you honestly think that I became a Captain's wife without some night terrors of my own?" she asked candidly.

"Really?"

"Honest to Pete. I could probably tell you some tales that would curl your toes. And of course I've had nightmares about each of Hank's boys; especially Johnny. That boy knows how to get in trouble like no other," she said as she shook her head.

Joanne sighed. "Don't I know it. But I…"

"No buts. Cut yourself some slack, Jo," she said kindly. "You've just been through an incredibly horrific and traumatic event. On top of that you're ill." She stood up and moved back to the chair. "Quite honestly, I think I'd be more concerned if you didn't have some nightmares," she joked lightly. A brief smile crossed Joanne's face. "Now that that is settled, how are you feeling?" Emily saw Roy slip into the room and stand next to the door.

Joanne shrugged lightly, "I'm okay," she stated. Truth be told, her head was pounding to beat the band and she thought it was extremely warm in her room.

Emily gave her a pointed stare. "Truth please," she requested.

Joanne sighed heavily. "Alright. My head is pounding and feels like it's going to split in two and I'm hot. But please, don't tell Roy," she begged.

"Why ever not?" Emily asked puzzled.

"I'd like to hear the answer to that myself," said Roy as he neared the bed.

Joanne jumped at the sound of her husband's voice. She gave a sheepish grin. "I wanted to go see Johnny," she replied honestly.

Roy sighed. "I already spoke to Brackett about that. You both have a fever and Doc doesn't want to chance it," he explained.

Joanne's eyes widened as she and Emily said simultaneously, "How bad?"

"Almost 103," Roy replied.

"Oh dear," Emily said then looked at Roy. "Is Hank still up there?" At Roy's nod, she stood up. "If you're okay Joanne, I'm going to go upstairs."

Joanne nodded. "Of course. Give Johnny a kiss for me?" She asked disappointed that she couldn't go herself. She understood Dr. Brackett's reasoning, but she longed to see her 'little brother'.

Emily gave a quick nod before she left the room.