Johnny made his way into the kitchen and went to the stove to get himself some coffee. The pot was empty so Johnny washed it out and started a fresh brew. He watched Wheeler from the kitchen counter. He was very friendly but somehow it was more like a false friendliness he observed. Johnny had never known someone like this before.
Johnny missed Roy and his calming influence. He turned around to pour some coffee.
"Thanks Gage. I've been waiting for someone to make the coffee" said Wheeler as he took the cup from Johnny's hand.
"You know you could've made it Tom and it's Johnny" said Johnny as politely as he could muster. This guy was really starting to annoy him.
"Oh, I didn't want to upset you guys by not making it the way you like it" he explained. Johnny turned around to pour another cup shaking his head. He really did wonder how someone as nice as Kirk put up with Wheeler as a partner.
"Here you go Cap I was just about to bring it into you. Freshly made too" Wheeler proclaimed as he handed Cap the cup of coffee he had taken from Johnny. He didn't say he made the coffee but he didn't acknowledge Johnny for making it.
"Thanks Gage" said Wheeler as he took the second cup of coffee he had just poured, from Johnny hand.
"It's Johnny...and you know you can pour yourself a cup of coffee Tom" said Johnny through gritted teeth.
"John, be nice" asserted Cap. Johnny turned around and sighed and poured a third cup of coffee.
"I just got off the phone to the chief John; he's recommending you for a commendation.
Johnny looked at his Cap with bewilderment "Why?"
Cap sighed, sometimes Johnny was so naive, but that was Johnny. His actions this morning, to him, were just part of his job.
"Geeze Gage if it wasn't for your quick reflexes this morning, Roy would be dead" Chet said exasperated with Johnny's lack of awareness.
"Chet! That's enough" said Cap very annoyed with his lineman. "Johnny what you did this morning deserves recognition and I'm sure Roy would agree with me." Both Marco and Mike nodded in agreement with their Cap.
Johnny walked over to the table with his coffee. As he pulled out the chair the newspaper fell to the floor. Johnny tried to catch it before it hit the floor but with his coffee in one hand and pulling out the chair with the other he was unable to stop it from sprawling over the floor.
"You're slipping Gage...reflexes" chided Chet with a smirk on his face. He just loved stirring his pigeon.
Johnny sighed, not only did he have to put up with the annoying Wheeler but Chet as well. He was missing his partner more and more as the day progressed.
The klaxons sounded for an MVA. The station was called out. Johnny frowned; he still hadn't had as much as a sip of coffee yet. They headed out, Johnny let Wheeler drive while he directed; it was easier that way.
They arrived to a scene of frantic civilians pointing to an embankment. A woman was crying out "Over here...they're down here". Cap took hold of her elbow and walked her away from the edge of the road. Johnny and Wheeler looked down the embankment and were confronted with a car that had rolled at least once.
"This lady says there are two occupants in the car" called out Cap.
"Ok Cap" acknowledged Johnny.
"Anybody else hurt?" asked Wheeler as he looked around at the other three cars involved. The woman shook her head.
"They're all ok" yelled Marco as he herded the drivers away from their cars.
Johnny ran to the squad and started getting their climbing gear out. "Well come on Tom" he yelled frustrated with his lack of reaction.
Wheeler ran up beside Johnny "What do you have in mind Gage?" asked Wheeler.
Johnny looked up from doing up his belt "We climb down and get them out and bring them up in the stokes" said Johnny as if quoting from a manual. "It's standard procedure Tom".
"You're the rescue man" quoted Wheeler.
"And you're not?" asked Johnny.
"Not really, only did the course; went straight into training to be a paramedic. Kirk does most of the climbing."
"It's safer if you both do it, besides, there are two victims" Johnny claimed realising Wheeler was more into the treating than the rescuing.
The crew tied off the ropes as Johnny and Wheeler made their way to the edge of the road. Chet had put on a lifeline as well, to take a hose down just in case of leaking gasoline.
The slope wasn't too steep, but enough to require the lifelines. Johnny and Wheeler quickly assessed the victims.
"We need backboards and cervical collars" yelled Johnny to Cap. Mike and Marco placed the items into the stokes and slid them down to the paramedics. They quickly placed the victims into the stokes. As the last victim was secured into place, Wheeler straightened up and took a deep breath, the door of the vehicle swung closed. Wheeler had his hand resting on the frame; Johnny saw the door start to close and went to grab it calling out "Look out".
Wheeler pulled his hand away, Johnny missed catching the door, and the door brushed past Wheelers retreating hand, cutting is on some exposed metal. It all happened so fast. Wheeler grabbed the back of his hand and said a few explicit under his breath.
"We need to get these people up. Chet can you help Wheeler?" asked Johnny. Chet and Johnny steadied the stokes as they made their way up the slope. Wheeler followed behind holding his hand. Johnny thought the cut must be deep for him to be applying so much pressure.
When they got to the top, Mike and Marco helped carry the stokes and Cap walked Wheeler over to the squad. Johnny quickly undid his belt and started checking the victims. "Marco can you get onto Rampart. Mike can you check his pulse and respiration. "Johnny took their BPs. "How's his hand Cap?" asked Johnny.
"It's stopped bleeding John. Better get it checked out at Rampart" ordered the Cap.
Johnny nodded and continued to care for the patients. Swirling around in his head was Chet's words 'You're slipping Gage...reflexes'. He was annoyed with himself for not stopping the door before it got close to Wheeler. Johnny administered the doctor's instructions and went to take a quick look at Wheeler's hand but he pulled it away.
"I'll let the doctor check it Gage when we get to the hospital" he said and rose to walk over to the ambulance. Johnny nodded, feeling extremely guilty for not looking after his temporary partner. He wondered if Kirk would be mad at him. He thought about the commendation, "Guess there won't be one now" he whispered forlornly.
While Wheeler was being treated Johnny talked to Dixie about what happened. "Johnny I saw the cut, it's not that bad, superficial" she assured him.
"I should have stopped the door. It's my responsibility to look after my partner."
"Hang on, he has a responsibility too. He should have known better than to put his hand on a door frame of a car. Look, why don't you go up and talk to Roy while he's getting looked at. I think Mike will give him a tetanus shot as well".
"Ok Dix" Johnny sauntered off to Roy's room thinking he'd probably be annoyed with him for not looking after Wheeler. He hated the days where rescues seemed to be marred with mishaps.
Johnny found Roy sitting up in bed frowning. His eye was extremely painful, an infection had developed which meant not only a course of antibiotics, which made him sick to his stomach, but an extra day in hospital.
Johnny bit his bottom lip as Roy admonished him for worrying over a simple cut. "It happens to all of us, besides where were his gloves?" asked Roy.
"I guess he took them off while we were checking the victims" explained Johnny. He could see Roy was not feeling well and was kicking himself for bothering Roy with his problems.
"He should have put them back on. Seems to me Tom's a bit careless. Don't worry about it" Roy just wanted to lie back down and sleep.
"I'll let you get some sleep. Do you want me to call Joanne?" he asked trying to be helpful.
"I've already called her. You better get back John. See you later" Roy slid down further into his bed and closed his eyes.
Johnny looked at his partner and scowled. He bowed his head and left the room wishing he hadn't bothered his partner. 'I need to start taking care of things myself' he told himself, but Johnny hadn't had much experience with managing other people. Growing up very alone meant handling fellow workers was all new to him. Roy and Cap had tried to guide Johnny in this area but he still had a long way to go, since they were starting from scratch. With their jobs being so demanding and no time to think, responses that came naturally to most people was still being learned by Johnny.
Johnny made his way down to ER obsessing over Chet's comment about his reflexes, Roy's annoyance and guilt over his partner being hurt. He drove Wheeler back to the station and apologised for not catching the door. Wheeler accepted the apology and milked his injury for all its worth, letting Johnny do all his chores. Cap didn't like what he was seeing but let Johnny take charge as he thought it was his way of being the responsible senior partner.
No one saw the self confidence of their young paramedic being ever so slowly eaten away with guilt. Wheeler for his part was just being lazy, not meaning to make Johnny feel guilty. Chet didn't realise his barbs were being taken seriously by Johnny and undermining his self- reliance.