Roy wondered where Johnny was and thought that maybe he got called out on another run before he could visit him. He sighed, reading gave him a headache and there was wasn't much on TV. He watched the mid morning news out of boredom. A traffic accident came up on the screen, so Roy turned up the volume wondering if it was the accident Johnny and Wheeler responded to. Good chance he thought with Wheeler riding along with his partner. He looked closely and realised that one of the vehicles involved was Fire Department red. He watched the victim being extricated; he was wearing the blue shirt from their uniform. Roy also noticed the familiar black hair and saw the paramedic patch flash past the camera. Roy pushed the nurse's button.
Johnny held onto the rope and swayed in the air feeling at peace. He no longer felt afraid and knew he could hold on for as long as he wanted. He liked it here; no pain and no fear, just total peace. I might stay here forever he thought. He felt a tug at the rope; someone was trying to pull him up. Leave me be he thought, I like it here.
"Finally" said Stoney as a small moan escaped Johnny's lips when he rubbed Johnny's sternum vigorously.
"He's BP is a little better" exclaimed Billy "So is he's colour" he added.
"The IVs working" stated Stoney feeling a little better about Johnny's condition.
The ambulance backed into the hospital bay. The doors swung open and the gurney was quickly lowered from the back of the ambulance. Dixie got her first look at Johnny; too pale she thought.
He was quickly lifted onto the bed and Dr Brackett immediately checked Johnny's pupils. Carol was taking his blood pressure while Dixie took bloods. Brackett in his usual brash manner barked out orders of what tests he wanted. The mobile x-ray machine was wheeled in and everyone stepped out while Malcolm went to work.
"What do you think Kel?" asked Dixie.
"Not sure, I'll know more after x-rays. I don't like his lack of response and I don't like his pupil responses" said Brackett, his mouth twitched and a look of concern masked his face.
"Miss McCall a Roy De Soto is threatening to get out of bed and come down here if someone doesn't tell him what's going on" said a nurse from Roy's floor. "He's under the impression that his partner was in a car accident."
"How did he find out?" asked Dixie who intended to tell Roy once she knew how Johnny was.
"Apparently the accident was on the mid morning news and he saw his partner being carried from the accident" she informed them. Dr Brackett sighed shaking his head while Dixie scowled
"Of all the nerve" she said scowling. "They don't even know if his next of kin was informed. As it is Roy should never have seen that on TV before being told" she claimed. "I'll go see him and I'll be right back" she told Brackett as she walked quickly with the other nurse towards the elevator.
Captain Stanley received a message to contact headquarters as soon as he got back to the station. He hoped his counterpart had not called in sick and that they wanted him to work overtime. As they backed the engine into the station's bay area, he was surprised to not see the squad already parked there.
"Isn't that the squad's equipment?" asked Chet. He pointed to the drug box and biophone leaning up against the wall.
A grim looking Captain Hookrader came out of the office. Cap had a sinking feeling in his stomach; he knew something was very wrong. Both paramedics from the next shift also looked grim as they walked into the bay area from the kitchen.
"You need to call headquarters Hank...you boys wait here, it concerns you too" said Hookrader. The crew looked at each other wondering what was going on. They were all running over in their minds the last call trying to think if they had done something wrong.
A few minutes later Cap emerged from his office looking as grim as those from the next shift. He cleared his throat "The squad was in an accident whilst following the ambulance into Rampart."
"Johnny" Chet blurted out, showing his true feelings for the young paramedic.
"He's alive but unconscious; he's on his way to Rampart. I suggest we get cleaned up and join Wheeler at Rampart" said Cap.
"Wheeler's not at Rampart, he's gone home. He arrived by taxi and told us he had some interview to get to and quickly told us that the squad was in an accident but didn't have any details" said one of the paramedics in disgust. He had given us the impression that it was minor, then we heard engine 110 call it in and request an ambulance.
Cap sighed finding Wheelers actions thoughtless. "Let's go and get changed and head over to Rampart" he said pushing his men towards the locker area.
Dixie entered Roy's room and immediately held up her hands. "If I knew it was going to be on the news I would have been here earlier. I wanted to find out Johnny's condition before I spoke to you" she tried to explain to the frowning paramedic.
"Well? How is he?" he asked exasperated with the whole affair of being stuck in a bed and not knowing how his partner was.
"He's still undergoing tests. He's unconscious Roy and his left side is in pretty bad shape. From what Stoney told me, he was hit on the driver's side, by a truck that apparently tried to run through the intersection after the ambulance sped by."
"Stoney? I thought Johnny was working with Wheeler."
"He was but he was in the ambulance. I was actually surprised Johnny wasn't also in the ambulance but apparently he was following the ambulance in the squad." Dixie told him.
"Why didn't he come up and tell me?" asked Roy.
"He said he needed to go, it was the end of shift. For the life of me I don't know what his hurry was" Dixie shrugged looking perturbed. Roy ran his hand through his hair scowling and glaring at the foot of the bed. He felt at a loss for words. Johnny had been worrying himself sick over Wheeler cutting his hand and here was Wheeler not giving Johnny a second thought.
"Is it just me or is Wheeler a selfish moron?" asked Roy. Dixie shrugged her shoulders.
"I need to get back, as soon as I know anything I'll let you know" Dixie told Roy as she left.
Johnny was becoming aware of his rope being constantly tugged. He was no longer swinging freely through the air. He looked up and found the light that was intruding in his quiet, peaceful place blinding and radiating warmth. His whole body was becoming warm. His nice safe and peaceful place was being left behind as he found himself being pulled upwards. He blinked as the light intruded his senses and the darkness that had been surrounding him melted away.
"Hi there handsome" came Dixie's voice.
It took Johnny a few seconds to realise she was standing beside him brushing his hair off his forehead. He turned his head into her hand. This was better than the end of the rope. He slowly opened his eyes and as he did the pain assaulted him. He tried to breathe calmly but he found himself gasping. Maybe the end of the rope was better after all he thought.
"Ah ah ah Johnny stay with us" came Dr Brackett's deep voice. "Can you tell me what happened?" asked Dr Brackett.
"I was falling but someone pulled me up" said Johnny feeling confused about suddenly being in Rampart. Dr Brackett didn't like his answer. "Doc how did I get here? I was talking to..." then he remembered the truck and his left side was really starting to come to life."His head was pounding and his leg and arm were really hurting. "I was in an accident wasn't I?"
"Yes Johnny, you have a fractured arm and leg, your hip and shoulder is badly bruised. You have a severe concussion, I'll give you something for the pain and then orthopaedics will set your leg and arm. Then we'll let you get some rest." Dr Brackett injected some pain relief.
Dixie accompanied him to orthopaedics and then made her way to Roy's room to let him know about Johnny. Dixie ran through Johnny's injuries and told Roy that Johnny will be under observation for the next twelve hours and would be moved to the orthopaedics ward after that.
Cap, Mike, Marco and Chet arrived at ER. Dr Brackett saw them and filled them in on Johnny's condition. They were pleased to hear that he had regained consciousness. Since they wouldn't be able to see him till tomorrow they made their way up to Roy's room to catch up with him and all that had happened.
Johnny drifted off to sleep and was suddenly jerked awake as he fell. He was in another room, a nurse lent over him and asked him his name and if he knew where he was. After answering, the nurse checked his BP and temperature. She also checked his pupils. His temperature was elevated and his blood pressure was on the low side. She noted these on his chart but since she had no trouble awakening Johnny and his speech was clear she didn't let the doctor know of the slight changes in Johnny's temperature or blood pressure. If they worsened on the next check she'd let the doctor know.
Johnny drifted off to sleep quickly. The weight of his casts seemed to push him into a deep sleep where he found himself once again falling. He looked around for the rope but it was nowhere to be found. He kept falling till he found himself lying on the edge of a tunnel. Again he felt safe and at peace here. He relaxed; in the distance he could hear humming. It was soothing and the pain from his body became a distant memory. 'I think I'll stay here a while' he thought.
Dixie looked in on Johnny; he looked very peaceful she thought. She picked up his chart and read the latest entries. She didn't like the elevated temperature and the slight change in his blood pressure. Using the phone on the wall she had Dr Brackett paged and since the neuro check was due soon she proceeded to wake Johnny. She tried several times but Johnny didn't awake. Dr Brackett entered the room and saw the apprehensive look on Dixies face.
She simply said "He won't wake up Kel".