Cap sat Johnny down on his bed, he was still grinning. His youngest crew member looked exhausted but it was a satisfying exhaustion.
"I walked" he exclaimed jubilantly. "I'm going to make it...I'm going to get my life back" Johnny told his Cap.
Cap was smiling as brightly as John; the young man's exuberance was infectious. "You've worked hard and you've been rewarded for that hard work John. You still have a long way to go but now you can see that light at the end of the tunnel."
Cap's words reminded Johnny of when he was in a coma. "You know Cap when I was comatose, I remember things about it. Just little things and you just reminded me of one of those things." Johnny sat back and got comfortable. "I remember sitting on the edge of a dark tunnel. I wanted to stay there cause it was peaceful and calm and I didn't feel any pain. There was also a humming coming from within the tunnel. I was tempted to go inside the tunnel, but..." Johnny looked at Cap in the eye "Chief called me back. He told me I was being tempted by an evil spirit and that I didn't belong there. He told me to trust you and that you will help me. He said Roy would too" said Johnny sadly. "I miss chief Cap, sometimes when you're talking I have to remind myself that it's you, not chief."
"Maybe he's guiding me to say the right things to you. Who knows John" said Cap shrugging his shoulders. "The important thing is that you came back to us".
"You know what else Cap...I miss Roy. I cried like a blubbering idiot last time I spoke to him on the phone. I've lost two close friends and it hurts" Johnny confessed to Cap. Cap nodded in agreement not knowing how to help John get over such a close friendship, one he himself thought would last forever.
Cap could feel the complete trust from Johnny and it made him feel proud. Their shaky start was a distant memory. "I don't know if Roy is prepared to put in the hard yards to repair your friendship but just know that there are a lot of people out there who regard you as a good friend...and...They've proven it by helping you through this recovery" explained Cap. He held up his hand "Which reminds me, your monthly checks." Cap pulled out three checks that had yet to be deposited in his account.
Johnny paled when he saw three months of pay checks in Caps hands.
"What's wrong" asked Cap?
"My rent, I'm overdue two months' rent. Roy usually looks after that for me when I'm sick. He gets me to sign a check and pays my rent for me."
"I'll go over there now and sought it out and explain to your landlord what happened" Cap told Johnny. "Don't worry John, I'll sought it out" Cap said as he was leaving.
"I don't know where my keys are but Roy has a spare" Johnny told him. Johnny knew what his landlord was like. He had visions of his few possessions lying in the parking lot. His apartment already rented out to a new tenant. He felt sick to his stomach. He admonished himself for becoming so reliant on Roy; a little bit more of their friendship eroded away.
Cap called into Roy's on his way to Johnny's apartment. He could hear laughing coming from the backyard. Cap made his way round the back via the side gate. He cleared his throat to make his presence known.
"Oh hey Cap" Called out Roy looking puzzled. He wondered why Cap had come over since they were no longer socially friendly. Adam turned around and smiled thinking Roy had invited their captain over for lunch.
"Cap come and meet the family" said Adam waving him over, oblivious to the tension that had built up between Roy and Cap.
Cap raised his hands "I'm not here for a social call. I just came by to get Johnny's key from Roy" Cap said directly to Roy ignoring the change in the atmosphere of the get together.
It took Roy a couple of seconds to register what Cap had asked for but then cleared his throat and tried to act casual about handing over Johnny's key. He ran inside and grabbed his keys, locating the last link he had to his partner. He pulled the key off the key ring and felt a pang in his heart. All his responsibilities that he had taken on to help his partner were being handed over to Cap. Roy's heart felt empty and for the first time he realised he had lost something that he would never have again.
He put Johnny's key in Cap's outstretched hand "John's worried about his apartment. He's starting to think about the day to day things, and rent is one of them" he said accusingly to Roy.
Roy shuffled his feet "Ahh I kind of forgot about that, I usually take care of his rent and bills when he's laid up."
"Seems to me you've moved on Roy...so don't give it a second thought, not that you've given John that anyway...but there are plenty of people who are willing to take care of the things that John can't at the moment." Cap looked up and realised the conversation had an audience "On that note I bid you goodbye and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. See you tomorrow on shift" Cap said as he turned and left Roy's backyard not waiting for their goodbyes. Cap thought how Johnny would have enjoyed having a barbeque with Roy and his family but instead was sitting alone back at the hospital wondering if he still had an apartment to return to. He justified his shortness with Roy and started to devise a plan in his mind to celebrate Johnny's achievement this morning.
There was an eviction notice on Johnny's door. Cap went to the landlord and paid the back rent and six months forward rent. He checked Johnny's apartment, emptied his fridge and cleaned it. It had been without power for some time. He aired the apartment and packed some clothes for Johnny. He also grabbed his bank book and insurance papers. He took them home knowing Johnny would be spending some time at his place till he was able to look after himself. He stopped by the bank on the way home and deposited Johnny's checks into his account.
Johnny was sitting reading by the glass sliding doors. Cap had already let him know that his apartment had been taken care of and that he had picked up some clothes for Johnny. Dixie had been taking home his washing and bringing back clean pyjamas for him daily. He thought it would be good to wear street clothes since he no longer slept during the day. He was waiting for his lunch to arrive feeling better about everything.
There was a knock on Johnny's door and he called out "Come on in" thinking it was lunch. Cap, his son, Dixie and Dr Brackett came in. Johnny's heart skipped a beat till he saw their smiling faces.
"How would you like to get away from the hospital for the afternoon" Dr Brackett asked Johnny with a touch of mischief in his tone of voice.
"You mean not just to the cafeteria" Johnny verified. He was hoping they meant away from the hospital altogether.
"That's right...but...on one condition" Dr Brackett raised his finger and took on a serious gaze "You must stay in that chair and under no circumstances try to walk".
"You got it Doc...I'm too tired anyway" said Johnny honestly.
"Here are some clothes Johnny" Dixie had gone through the suitcase Cap brought from Johnny's apartment and handed him some jeans and a shirt.
"Thanks Dix" Johnny smiled at her in a way that always made her heart skip a beat. She knew how much Johnny appreciated her and her nurturing instincts always came to the surface when she was around him.
Johnny changed and sat back in his wheelchair anticipating his little excursion. Cap and his son pushed Johnny out to Cap's car and lifted him into the passenger seat. Johnny was tempted to ask where he was going but decided to not ask and just enjoy the ride.
It felt good to be away from the hospital. The air felt different and the scenery seemed more vibrant. The clean white walls of his room had stolen nature's colours from his mind. He felt like parts of his brain were suddenly waking up from a long sleep and it gave his spirit a lift.
They pulled up at Cap's home and Johnny immediately smelt the aromas of a barbeque. He smiled and forgetting himself almost jumped out of the car. Fortunately his legs didn't move and he remembered that he couldn't walk without help yet. Soon I will, he thought to himself, feeling a sense of revitalization.