The ride in the ambulance was horrific. Despite the small dose of MS John felt every bump. Pain radiated from his hip down to his ankle. He squeezed his eyes shut, pain lines etched in his face.

"That bad, huh?" Roy asked as he took a new set of vitals.

"Yeah, and more," replied John.

"We're pulling into Rampart now." Roy patted his partner's shoulder trying his best to reassure him.

When the ambulance stopped and turned to back up the jolting caused John to faint. He face was very pale and sheen of sweat covered his body. He was quickly taken from the ambulance to a treatment room. Dixie was off duty but a call had been made to her when it was established that the code I was John Gage.

"Johnny, can you hear me?" asked Dr Early. "Johnny."

John began to groan, his eyes fluttered and then opened. The bright overhead lights made him blink heavily. Dr Early lifted the gauze covering the wound on his hip. It was very nasty looking but had stopped bleeding. There was some bruising but nothing that would be considered caused by internal bleeding, more from the impact of the beam.

Malcolm entered the room with the portable x-ray machine. Roy and Dr Early left the room. "What do you think Doc?" Roy asked the experienced doctor with concern.

"It doesn't look too serious to me on first glance Roy. The hip bone may be chipped, that's my main concern."

"And if it is?" Roy looked worried.

"We may have to operate to remove it but let's just wait and see." Dr Early patted Roy's shoulder.

It turned out there was a chip, which is why the hip was so painful. Dr Early was able to remove it in the ER using a local and giving John a mild sedative. His leg was bruised, not broken so ice was applied to reduce some of the swelling. He was kept in hospital for another two hours for observation and Dixie drove him home from the hospital. He stayed the night in her spare room.

Dixie rang the station and let them know he was fine and sleeping peacefully. She asked Roy if he could pick his partner up in the morning, and take him to his apartment. She had an early start and wanted him to sleep as long as he could. Roy agreed to pick him up after shift, take him home to his place for breakfast and would then take him to his apartment later in the afternoon.

Apart from waking from a couple of nightmares John slept reasonably peacefully. Dixie gave him his meds before leaving and told him Roy would be picking him up and taking him home. He sleepily nodded, said goodbye and thanked Dixie for looking after him, especially on her day off, and promptly fell back to sleep. What seemed like only five minutes, he awoke to a thumping on the front door. He gingerly got up and shuffled across the sitting room and opened the door.

Roy quickly entered the apartment and closed the door. "Johnny? You ok? Have you been asleep all this time?...because I'm late...we had a late run."

Johnny ran his hand over his face and through his hair. "Aahh...yeah...what time is it? Man those meds Dixie gave me before she left really knocked me out...What time is it?" He moved to the couch.

"It's 10 o'clock...How about you get dressed and we'll go to my place and have some breakfast. Joanne's making pancakes."

Johnny smiled at his partner "Pancakes eh?"

"Yep!" Roy placed his hands behind his back and rocked up and down on the heels of his feet. He had a big smile plastered on his face. He knew how much Johnny loved his wife's pancakes.

"Sounds good." John slowly rose. His hip had stiffened and hurt when he moved.

"I brought your clothes from your locker. How's the hip?" Roy asked as he watched his partner's slow movements.

"It's sore but not overly...if you know what I mean...legs sore too and a bit stiff." He looked down; the leg was spectacularly bruised. He then moved to look at his hip.

A hand immediately stopped him from lifting the gauze. "Leave it. You don't want it getting infected." Roy held onto John's hand preventing him from lifting the gauze.

John nodded and took his duffle bag from his partner and walked down to the spare bedroom to change. He made the bed as best he could since bending was a bit painful, locked the front door and left with his partner.

After greeting Joanne and the kids John asked if he could make a phone call. Two hours later a small floral arrangement in a distinctly Native American basket arrived at Rampart for Dixie McCall. She smiled knowing straight away who it was from. The note simply read, 'To a special lady, thank you!' She smiled to herself and thought Johnny always had a way of making her smile. She placed the arrangement where she could see and smell the beautiful flowers.

"Aahh...Johnny?" Brackett looked at Dixie with a smile, she simply nodded. "I read the report. How was he this morning?"

"Apart from being tired...good. Roy rang a half hour ago and said John was gingerly walking around but wasn't too bad considering."

"That's good," Brackett replied approvingly. "I hope he appreciates his friends and accepts their help."

"He does." Dixie pointed her pen to the floral arrangement.

"I guess he does at that," smiled Brackett.

"I just hope he's fit by the powwow. Those kids love watching his trick riding."

"Mmmmm...Two weeks...he should be ok….knowing Johnny." He said smiling. The conversation was interrupted by a squad calling in.

Ten days after the ceiling collapse John Gage entered the locker room of station 51. It was good to be back he thought. He went to open his locker but stepped to the side first. Water was catapulted across the floor.

"You're learning Junior." Roy smiled and slapped his hand on his partners back, Johnny slightly flinched.

"That I am Pally...It's good to be back." He continued to get dressed. "Having that week off did help me get quite a bit organised for the powwow."

Roy shook his head. "I don't know where you find the time to be so involved in the some of the things you do."

"No kids Pally...You're just as busy." He shrugged "Just with different things, just as important, but different."

"I guess you're right there. Come to think of it...I don't know how Joanne does it." Roy thought absentmindedly.

"You ever thought of sending her some flowers?" Again John shrugged his shoulders. "Just to show her how much you love and appreciate her. I have a friend who makes these unique baskets and puts wild flowers in them. Free delivery if you mention my name." John wiggled his eyebrows.

Roy thought about it. "That's not a bad idea. I know Jo has some busy days coming up with the kid's activities...yeah...I might just take you up on that Junior."

"What's Gage got you doing now. Volunteering you to drive some old biddy to the market?"

"Chet...Mind you own business...and no I haven't asked him to give up any of his time." John sighed knowing he had allowed the lineman to get under his skin.

"Come on Junior," Roy led John from the locker room. "Let's make that call," he smiled.

John was pleased his partner liked his idea. He had wanted to send Joanne flowers but didn't think it was right, so instead, he would shout his partner and wife to a meal at his friend's restaurant. That reminded him; he owed his partner a meal for looking out for him after the fire.

The klaxons sounded; squad 51, unknown type rescue, 324 Barham Blvd cross St Carson. "Squad 51 KMG365," acknowledged Stanley. He smiled and nodded acknowledging his youngest crew member when he handed the slip to Roy. The squad took off on its first run for the day.