DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Mark VII and NBC Universal. I own Julianna.

Julianna, who was fast asleep, had neglected to turn off the ringer on the telephone extension in her bedroom. She was startled when she heard the phone ring. She looked at the alarm clock and all she could think of was Johnny.

Her hand reached for the receiver and she greeted the caller.

"Hello," she said, her voice bordering on happiness because she assumed it was her husband.
"Juli, it's Roy," he said.
Julianna's heart hit the floor. For Roy to call her at this time of night meant something had happened.

"Johnny," she asked, trying to stay calm and holding her breath.
"He was hit by a car. He's being looked at by Early right now," Roy said.
"I'm on my way. Tell him I'm coming, that I love him," Julianna said, hanging up without saying anything else. She pulled a pair of jeans out of the drawer and grabbed a t-shirt. She put on her flip flops and headed downstairs. She picked up her purse and keys where she'd sat them when she'd come home that night and ran out to her car.

Sticking the key in the ignition, she said a silent prayer for her husband. 'Let me get there to see him. I love you, Johnny.'

She ran through a thousand scenarios in her head, hating the knowledge she had locked in there. She wished she could put Dr, Julianna Gage in the background and just be Julianna Gage, wife of firefighter/paramedic John Gage. She focused all her attention on driving and drove as safely and quickly as she could toward Rampart.

Roy went back into the room and saw Joe looking over Johnny.

"How is he, doc," Roy asked.

"He looks good, Roy," Early replied.

The two looked at Johnny.

"Did you get Julianna," Joe asked.
Roy nodded. "She's on her way" Roy went over to his best friend. "I called Juli. She's on her way. She wanted me to tell you she loves you," Roy said, hoping he wouldn't break down. He sent up a prayer asking for Johnny to be OK.

Fifteen minutes later, Julianna ran into the ER lobby. She saw her brother sitting in the lobby with the rest of the shift. "Where," she asked.
Mike got up and directed her to the room. Without saying another word, Julianna pushed open the door and nearly gasped at the sight of her husband on a stretcher. He was in a cervical collar and had an IV in his arm. She glanced over at Roy before she went to stand over Johnny.
"Hey tiger," she said, taking his hand.
"Jules," he said.
She looked at Joe. "How is he," she asked.

"I'm going to check the x-rays," Joe said. Joe looked at the films and came over to Johnny.
"Looks like you broke your fibula," he said.
Julianna nodded. She looked back at her husband. She noticed he was sweating.
"Honey, are you OK," she asked, concern in her voice.
Joe noticed Julianna's change in tone.
"Doc, my belly's really starting to hurt. It's really starting to kill me," Johnny said.
"Spleen or liver," she asked Joe.
Morton took a blood pressure and looked at Joe. "He's going to go out on us," Mike said.
Julianna's face paled. She thought she was going to pass out herself. She knew Johnny was bleeding internally and she also knew time was of the essence.

"Get him in a g-suit and we'll arrange for an OR," Joe said.
Julianna stood at her husband's bedside, trying to separate herself from the doctor she was and the wife she needed to be. She didn't need Johnny to know everything that could go wrong at that moment. All she wanted to do was concentrate on how much they loved each other and all the plans they had.

"We need to get him up to the OR," Early said.

"I love you, Johnny," Julianna said, kissing his forehead.
"I love you," he said.
Roy leaned over. "Hang in there."
"Oh, yeah. Both hands," Johnny said.
Early and Mike pushed the stretcher out the door toward the OR, leaving Roy and Julianna standing in the hallway.

Sally handed Julianna Johnny's possessions that he'd had on him when he came in and went back toward the OR.

Roy wrapped Julianna in his arms and guided her to the lounge. Mike followed to the lounge and sat down with his sister on the couch.

The trio sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Mike held his sister and stroked her hair.

She pulled back and held out her hand, which she'd been clutching. She opened it and they saw she was holding Johnny's wedding ring in her hand.

She stared at the ring in her hand. She had yet to make any kind of sound or allow more than a few wayward tears to slip through her lids.

Roy and Mike were getting worried. Julianna stared at the ring in the palm of her hand.

"Juli, are you OK," Mike asked.
She didn't say anything.

Roy thought he'd try to get her to respond. "Juli! Juli," Roy said.

She closed her fist around the ring again and sat in the chair. She stared at the wall, her face unreadable by anyone and Roy was scared she slip into shock.

He got up and got her a cup of coffee. He slid the cup in front of her, but she didn't seem to notice it.

Roy looked at Mike, alarm on his face.

Just as Mike was about to say something, Julianna spoke, "Why?"

The quiet tone in which she said it caused Roy to think he was hearing things.

Julianna slid Johnny's wedding ring off and on her thumb.

"Why what, Juli," Mike asked, having heard her.

"Why? Why, Johnny? Why now," she said.
Roy understood what Julianna was saying and he felt for her. He started to say something, but Julianna got up from the chair quickly and went to the window, looking out at the dark sky.

Julianna thought of Johnny and everything they had been through.

Their wedding had been beautiful, the culmination of everything they had started in high school.

She had never thought it possible to fall in love with Johnny again, but, she supposed, she'd never fallen out of love with him. They had gotten married among their friends, those they considered family. She couldn't imagine her life without him and, despite all the heartbreak they had been through with the miscarriages, she knew he loved her and wanted to be with her.

She knew there was a chance Johnny, or even her brother, would be hurt while on the job. She had always thought, if either would get hurt, it would be in a fire. Not getting hit by a car at the end of a call. And as much as she hated getting that phone call from Roy saying Johnny was injured, she knew she couldn't tell him to give up what he loved doing. Johnny was born to be a paramedic and a fireman, it was in his blood. When Johnny came out of surgery, she knew she'd tell Johnny how scared she was over his accident, but she would never ask him to give up his career. She knew he'd ask if she wanted him to give it up, but she wouldn't. She'd support him and her brother and the rest of the Station, but she'd worry like hell with the rest of the woman involved with Station 51.

Mike watched his sister and wondered what she was thinking. He was worried about his brother-in-law and hoped he would recover. Mike wanted nothing more than to comfort his sister and take away the pain she was feeling, but he knew he couldn't. He'd always thought he could protect Julianna and he'd tried to do just that. Now he felt horrible because he hadn't been able to do it.

Roy stared into his coffee. He knew what Julianna was feeling or at least he thought he did. He knew she was scared and probably doubting if Johnny should stay in his job. He wished he knew what to say to Julianna to allay her fears, but right now, with Johnny in surgery because of his job, nothing he could say right now would mean anything to her.

Julianna turned back around and faced her brother and friend. She couldn't control it any longer. She broke down. Mike wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered her to the couch. She dissolved into sobs.

Mike, hating seeing his sister crying, did the only thing he knew how to do, he held her to his chest and rubbed her back. Roy's heart broke. He closed his eyes and sent up a prayer.

Julianna pulled herself away from her brother and watched the sky begin to brighten. As the sun brightened the sky, Joe Early came into the lounge.
Julianna held her breath, not wanting to hear the news, but knowing she had to know what happened.
"How is he," Roy asked.
"He's fine. We removed his spleen. Ortho is setting the fractured leg," Joe said.

Julianna let out the breath she'd been holding. "When can I see him," she asked.
"You can probably go to recovery now. He should be getting there shortly," Joe said.
Julianna hugged her brother, Roy and Joe before rushing to recovery to see her husband.

Roy gave Joe a cup of coffee and they sat down. "How's long he's going to be off his feet," Roy asked.

"The surgery recovery is short, but that leg's going to keep him off his feet for a while," Joe said.
"Wow! That's going to be tough on him," Roy said.
"We already know what kind of a paramedic Johnny is, now let's see what kind of a patient he can be," Joe said.

Mike, who'd been sitting quietly in the corner, got up and shook Joe's hand. "Thanks, doc," Mike said, before heading out of the lounge.

Roy followed behind him and went to call the guys from the Station.

Julianna went into the recovery room. Johnny was on a stretcher, still and pale. It was almost too much for Julianna to take. She walked to his bed and grabbed his hand. She sat down in the chair and silently cried.

"I love you, Johnny," she whispered. She kissed the top of his hand and placed her cheek on his hand. She closed her eyes and soon, exhaustion over took her.