The nurse stood motionless, the consequences of her failing to report the minor changes in this man had been the result of him falling into a coma. Never before had she failed a patient and never again would she not report the slightest change in a patient's vitals in the future; she had learnt her lesson. Dr Brackett's dressing down was being replayed over and over in her mind. It was obvious that this man was more than just a patient to the doctor; she had watched him carefully test every reflex and talk quietly to him whilst testing.
She watched for the slightest movement or sound, his blood pressure was monitored continuously and his temperature taken every fifteen minutes. For the first time she actually looked at the patient and saw the bruising and small cuts that covered the left side of his prone body. She realised she had become one 'of those' nurses who treated all patients as lifeless objects. Her caring and compassionate ways came to life and she vowed to herself that she would never allow herself to fall into that class again, nursing meant too much to her; it was her life not just a career.
She started to take Johnny's blood pressure, the cuff was pumped and she was leaning over reading the sphygmomanometer when she thought she saw a flinch in his arm. She straightened up and let the air of the cuff release. She studied his face and heard a soft moan. She watched more intensely, her heart rate increased as she anticipated something, anything just a sign that he was coming out of the coma. She rubbed his sternum and received a grimace for her effort. She smiled and immediately called for Dr Brackett.
Tom Wheeler approached the ER doors. He looked around for any sign of a news team and finally saw a van with the local news branding. He had worn his paramedic uniform so that he would stand out and hopefully be asked questions about the accident. As he moved toward the entrance of ER he scanned the parking lot for the news team. He was so busy searching for them that he didn't notice the 'WET SURFACE' sign. He stepped into the entrance still craning his neck towards the parking lot when his feet slid on the floor and before he could react his legs went from under him and he found himself falling.
Wheeler landed hard on his rear end and had the wind knocked out of his lungs. He looked up and saw the news team was filming his fall. Dr Morton approached him.
"You alright? Didn't you read the sign?" asked an exasperated Dr Morton. He was known for his brash bedside manner and when it came to the paramedics he seemed even more so.
Wheeler looked up and saw the news team was still filming. He cleared his throat, "No I didn't, I was concentrating on something and didn't notice Doc" he replied sheepishly.
Dr Morton helped him up and Wheeler gave a half smile. His face was slowly turning red and he decided to cut his losses by retreating out the ER doors and back to his car. Roy and the interview with a news team forgotten.
Johnny was slowly becoming aware of his body being moved. He just wanted to sleep but the constant poking and moving was bringing him to awareness of his hurts. He tried to raise his right arm but only managed a twitch. He groaned but was only able to express a soft grunt. He couldn't muster any energy to announce his annoyance with the interruption to his sleep.
The constant rubbing of his chest made him flinch and give out a louder grunt. From a distance he could hear a voice calling him to wake up, but his eyes were too heavy and he couldn't raise the lead weight eyelids. I'm tired he said in his mind and fell into a deep sleep.
Dr Brackett's mouth twitched as he tried to awaken his friend. He could see Johnny's face grimace with annoyance but he didn't open his eyes. Johnny's face relaxed and Brackett realised he had lost the small connection with his friend. Dr Brackett half smiled and had Dr Early paged, he wanted to rerun the tests, hoping that they would show an improvement.
Marco, Chet and Mike had gone home. Cap remained with Roy and had been promised by Dixie that he would be allowed to see Johnny after his tests. He was slumbering in the uncomfortable plastic chair when the footsteps of someone entering the room woke him. Both Roy and Cap, who was rubbing his eyes, looked up at the approaching figure.
"Kirk, what are you doing here?" asked Roy a little surprised to see the paramedic.
"I spoke to Tom earlier and I came to pick up the pieces" he said with his southern drawl.
"What do you mean?" asked Cap who was frowning with confusion. His brain hadn't quite woken up from his slumber.
"Tom hasn't been here" Kirk said with annoyance.
"No" said Roy understanding why Kirk was here. Roy shook his head and sighed loudly. "I don't know how you put up with him Kirk" said Roy.
"I sometimes wonder myself Roy...but...he's a good paramedic...just maybe not such a good person" he said showing his disappointment with his partner.
Roy glanced at the TV which was on with the sound turned down. He did a double take and grabbed the control yelling look at the TV. He turned up the sound and watched with delight as they replayed Tom Wheeler slipping over in the entrance of the ER and landing hard on his behind.
"I wonder what Morton said to him?" said Roy with an amused smile on his face. Kirk was shaking his head and couldn't hide his amusement.
"Well my question is answered, he's probably gone home to lick his wounds after a fall like that on national television" said Kirk sighing. He turned to Roy "He truly was sorry he hadn't come up to see you after Johnny's accident. He forgot you were here but...this is Tom we're talking about and you know how he is?" he shrugged "He just doesn't think sometimes" he said in Wheeler's defence.
"Yeah I know Kirk but I really don't care too much about your partner, it's Johnny I'm worried about. Wheeler just doesn't equate in my thoughts at the moment" said Roy resolutely.
"How is Johnny?" asked Kirk sincerely.
"He's in a coma" stated Cap. "We're waiting to hear how some tests went" said Cap with sadness.
"I'm sorry, I spoke to Billy, and he said Johnny was pretty bad. I'm sorry Roy. Johnny's a good man, he helped me pass my paramedics exam by helping me study. Please let me know if there's any change and if you guys need anything just call me. Anything Roy" said an adamant Kirk.
"I will and thanks from me and Johnny" said Roy. Kirk left feeling sadness for his friend and a little anger at his current partner. He then chuckled to himself at the sight of his partner falling on his behind and couldn't help think that his partner got his comeuppance.
A little later Dixie entered the room and told both Cap and Roy that Johnny had showed a few signs of coming out of the coma. She told them that Joe was optimistic and that he honestly thought that Johnny was in a healing sleep and would wake up when he was ready to face the world again.
Roy couldn't help but agree, knowing his partner all too well. "Sleep is probably the best thing for him, but couldn't he slip away from us whilst sleeping?" he asked apprehensively.
"Joe doesn't seem to think so. The nurse is keeping watch and is testing him for pain stimuli every fifteen minutes. So far so good" she smiled at Roy and Cap. They noted the change in her manner from when she first gave them the news of Johnny being in a coma.
Cap and Dixie entered Johnny's cubicle. Johnny's nurse smiled and said he was still responding and even seemed a little annoyed that she was disturbing him. Cap and Dixie smiled and moved closer to Johnny to get a better look at their friend.
Johnny felt a presence and had an overwhelming feeling that he needed to open his eyes. He willed his heavy eyelids to open. His eyes slowly opened and stared up into the faces of Dixie and Cap. It was taking all his strength to hold them open, leaving none for speaking. He stared blankly at their faces and then lost his hold on keeping his eyes open. They slowly closed as he drifted back to sleep.
"You rest John and concentrate on getting better. " Cap patted Johnny's shoulder, his need to feel Johnny's warm skin was satisfied. Johnny was alive and was fighting to stay in their world. "Take your time, we'll all be here waiting for you" he said with a kindness that made the nurse and Dixie's eyes well up with tears.