Goodbye and Hello

These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.

"Fear makes us feel our humanity." Benjamin Disraeli.

Chapter 6

Johnny gave several breaths then reached to Roy's neck to count his pulse. He repositioned his fingers.

"Please Roy, don't do this to me!" He begged. Johnny stood and taking his shoulders pulled him down to the ground, guarding his head from hitting the floor. Taking a deep breath to steady his pounding heart Johnny clasped his hands together and began compressing his friend's chest.

Breath…breath…compressions…

"Come on Roy, don't give up on me."

Johnny started coughing. The smoke was much less in the apartment, especially with the window ventilating now but still enough to make him cough.

Breath…breath…compressions…

"How am I going to explain this to Joanne? Huh?"

"I know you're as stubborn as a mule when you want to be damn it. Fight!"

Breath…breath…compressions…

"Please…" He could now hear the flurry of activity below.

Mike grabbed his gloves, goggles, and saw then jogged over to the ladder truck. Mike waited with baited breath as he looked to the open window. They hadn't seen any more activity since it was broken out. They assumed the men were staying low to the ground to avoid as much smoke as possible.

Breath…breath…compressions…

"You have to plan that vacation with the kids."

"I think you should let Joanne win the choice this time."

Breath…breath…compressions…

"Come on guys, we need you."

Mike climbed into the basket and held on as it slowly lifted towards the window. He held his goggles so tight he almost broke them so he forced himself to take a good deep breath. They were almost to the medics and it was going to be okay now.

The basket came up from underneath the window. As more of the room came into his view the other fireman with him, from 86, shined a light into the little apartment. Mike froze with horror as he realized that Johnny was kneeling on the floor, doing CPR on Roy.

Breath…breath…compressions…

Johnny saw the light and looked up. It took him a moment to adjust to the light then he saw Mike.

"Roy, they're here. The guys found us."

Hank, Marco and Chet stood below beside the engine while they waited on Mike. Hank had seen movement in the room so he kept telling himself that they were okay but something felt wrong now.

They watched as Mike approached the window but they were disturbed by the look on Mikes face when they saw him look inside. Mike looked down at them with a look of alarm that shook them to the core.

"What was that about Cap?" Marco asked anxiously.

"I don't know," Hank's internal unease was growing rapidly at this point as he watched Mike begin to cut the bars.

Breath…breath…compressions…

Cough…cough…cough…

"Come on Mike, I don't know how much longer I can do this." Johnny was becoming quickly exhausted but he wasn't giving up yet.

From below they watched the bars fall pretty quickly, one at a time, bouncing wildly on the ground as they hit. Mike turned the saw off and lowered his goggles. They watched him lean into the window while waiting with baited breath to see their two friends jump out of the window.

"Johnny!"

Breath…breath…compressions…

Cough…cough…cough…

"JOHNNY!" Mike yelled.

Johnny looked up and realized the bars were gone and Mike was waiting on him. Mike felt so much empathy for the young man knowing how devastating it was to him. He climbed in the window and took Roy up over his shoulder then reached down to help Johnny to his feet. Johnny's exhaustion was now becoming apparent as he struggled to get his leg over the window frame. Baker reached into the window to help the fellow fireman out.

They wondered why Mike climbed into the window but they knew it meant they were unable to get out on their own accord. Hank knew the long lanky legs that climbed out first belonged to Johnny. His face was drawn and pale, they could see him coughing but at least he was okay.

But what transpired next knocked the breath out of their lungs as they watched Mike climb out with Roy's unconscious body over his shoulder. And if that wasn't enough their hearts sank when they watched Mike lay him down in the basket and Johnny begin compressions on him.

"God no, not Roy," Chet whispered.

Hank felt frozen in place. "Boxes," was all he could get out.

Chet and Marco headed for the Squad in a dead run.

By the time the basket inched its way down to the ground Marco and Chet had returned with all the paramedic supplies. When it was close enough they rushed to it and worked on getting Roy down to the ground.

Hank took Johnny's arm to steady him as he climbed out, he could see the tears in his eyes. Johnny methodically moved down to resume the compressions but felt Mike gently move him over so he could take over the grueling task, knowing how exhausted he was. Marco took over the ventilations as he placed the mask on Roy's face.

Chet opened up Roy's shirt and began placing leads on his chest while Johnny opened up the drug box.

Hank opened up the biophone, "Squad 51 to Rampart, do you read?"

"Go ahead 51," it was Dr. Brackett's voice.

"Rampart, we have a injuried fireman with severe smoke inhalation," Hank began while watching Johnny get IV supplies ready. He was intent on his task but his gaze was vacant.

Hank continued, "He is 30 years old. Rampart he is full arrest, we are doing CPR at this time."

Chet hooked up the monitor and they all felt the impact of the flatline on the screen. Next Chet helped Johnny get the fluids ready to go.

"We are sending you a strip on Lead 2."

"Affirmative 51." Brackett could feel the stress on the other end of the radio. They were running a code on one of their own men which was never easy. His unspoken concern was that it wasn't Johnny or Roy on the radio but Captain Stanley.

"51, Give epinephrine now followed by 2 amps of Sodium Bicarb. Place an esophageal airway and continue ventilations."

"10-4 Epinephrine and 2 amps sodium bicarb with esophageal airway."

Johnny got the IV on the first attempt then administered the medications. There was no change in the asystole.

"51, repeat epi as IC."

Johnny opened up the new syringe and after confirming his landmark he inserted the needle into his heart, giving the medication."

Now the monitor showed V-fib, Johnny moved faster now. Roy's heart was now reacting to something. Charging the paddles he heard the order to shock him.

"Clear," he yelled as he sent the voltage into his heart trying to shock it back to a normal rhythm.

"Come on Roy," Johnny said to himself.

"Again 51," Brackett's voice demanded.

"Clear."

They all watched the monitor, almost afraid to breath. Then his rhythm returned, slow at first but it quickly gained strength.

"51, begin a Lidocaine drip. Run your fluids at D5LR, KVO and transport as soon as possible."

What the team didn't realize, until they heard a collective breath of relief, was that many of the firemen at the scene were standing around them, silently and collectively willing Roy to live. Even the Chief nodded his head with unspoken support. He then reached down and lightly patted Johnny on the back, "Good job Gage." Johnny tried to smile but he focused his energy on keeping Roy alive. He was back, his heart was beating again but there were many more unanswered questions now about his survival. He finished his assessment quickly on Roy finding the earlier injury from the explosion. Telling Hank they passed the rib injuries along with other scattered bumps and bruises.

With all his lines in place and his airway secured Hank helped to load Roy into the back of the ambulance. He turned to Johnny before he climbed in, "How long?" They were simple words but the inference could be life altering for Roy. Johnny's eyes told Hank of the deep heart wrenching truth.

"Too long," he whispered.

AN: CPR cycles have changed several times over the last few decades and despite research I couldn't find the exact compressions to breaths ratio for the mid 70s. So I chose to be a little more vague. Of course fewer compressions to breaths means more cycles in a minute. Consider that when you think about how long Roy was down. Thanks.