The barbeque was a huge success. Johnny was in high spirits as he enjoyed being outdoors. The warmth from the sun energised him and almost put him to sleep after the filling lunch. Cap noticed Johnny's eyelids drooping and sat in silence letting Johnny peacefully doze in the warm sun.
Less than an hour later the ever so boisterous Chet made his presence known. He and Marco had just picked Mike up from the airport. Chet and Marco had filled Mike in on what they knew about Johnny but Mike wanted to see for himself. They had called into Rampart only to be told by Dixie that Cap had taken Johnny home for the afternoon.
Johnny jumped and it took him a few seconds to get his bearings. He yawned and looked towards the noise. Mike was shaking Cap's hand but was looking towards Johnny trying to get a hint of how far he had recovered.
Johnny smiled broadly. He had forgotten about Mike's departmental convention in New York. Mike walked over to Johnny and knelt down to be eye level with him.
"How are you Johnny? Cap told me the good news...you walked this morning" he said encouragingly.
"Yeah Mike I did. I'm getting there, slowly but surely. How was the convention?" he asked feeling a little guilty for not wishing him well before he left six weeks ago.
"It was good; I learnt a lot of new things. I think the county will be interested in a few of the new tools out there." Cap sat down on Johnny's lounge next to his legs and listened to Mike's statement.
"What sort of tools Mike?" asked Johnny.
"There are a lot of new hydraulic tools out there, one called the Jaws of Life. It's like our K-12 but more compact. Does more too" said Mike. "Now I have to write up a report for headquarters" said Mike with dismay. He hated the paperwork that always followed any testing of equipment.
"I'll help you Mike. Just bring along all your notes and together we can get the report done" offered Johnny.
Mike was pleased to accept Johnny's offer knowing that being a paramedic meant he was used to writing reports.
"I'll call by tomorrow and I'll bring lunch" said Mike.
Cap stood and rubbed his hands together and offered Mike some leftover lunch which he accepted. Chet and Marco helped Johnny in his chair and pushed him towards the back stairs and lifted him up onto the decking. Mrs Stanley gave Johnny his meds with an ice tea.
The five of them talked the afternoon away. Cap every so often noticed Johnny stare off into the distance. He knew who Johnny was thinking about and it panged him to see his young paramedic suffer. He hoped that time would heal.
Mike had noticed that Roy was absent and wondered. He had also noticed the sadness that would consume Johnny's face every so often and could only speculate why Roy was missing. He would ask Cap later hoping it wasn't what he had thought was happening before he left for the convention.
"So when are you getting out of rehab?" asked Chet, making it sound like Johnny was a recovering addict. Cap, Marco and Mike looked at him in disgust, while Johnny looked down thinking is that what people thought when they found out where he was?
Cap could see Johnny's discomfort and answered for him "Soon Chet. He just has to be able to walk without support and he'll be allowed to change over to an outpatient."
"How long will that be?" Chet asked not noticing the annoyed glares from his three shift mates.
Johnny answered this time having recovered from the tone of his first question "As long as it takes Chester" Johnny replied using his full Christian name to annoy him. Everyone snickered when Chet grimaced at Johnny's answer.
Cap decided Johnny didn't need Chet's taunting so he rose and declared that it was time for Johnny to head back to Rampart. Mike asked to come along.
With Cap driving, Mike and Johnny sat in the back seat chatting. Mike asked Johnny where he was at with his physio therapy and soon realised that Roy's name was never mentioned as a helper.
After dropping Johnny off and leaving him in Dixie's capable hands Cap drove Mike home.
"So what's the story with Roy?" Mike asked getting right to point.
"You picked up on that Mike...I guess he was a glaring omission from the barbeque" Cap surmised.
"And the fact that Johnny seemed to sadden at different times when Marco or Chet mentioned Roy or Adam" observantly said Mike.
"Well it seems that Adam fits more into Roy's circle of friends being a family man" stated Cap frowning.
"Either that or his got his house exactly the way he wants it so Johnny's not needed anymore" Mike told Cap with disgust in his voice.
"Huh, what do you mean by that?" Cap looked over at Mike momentarily before putting his eyes back on the road.
"Come on Cap. Roy had Johnny sanding, painting, repairing and even renovating that house of his...and all Johnny got out of it was a few free meals. I remember it was about a month before Johnny's accident, he asked Roy if he could help him move a friend of his...said something about the family not having much money, so Johnny offered to help by hiring a truck and driving it for them. Roy came up with some lame excuse but then had the nerve to ask him how long it would take because he needed Johnny to help him finish tiling the bathroom. Surely you saw it?...It was always one sided. I helped him that day...the family was so grateful and I know Johnny paid for the truck and bought them dinner" Mike informed Cap.
"You're very observant Mike and yes I had noticed but I thought Roy treated Johnny like family and that's what families do...they help each other...Right?" Cap gave Mike a quick glance.
"Yep but as I said it was pretty much one sided and now look. When Johnny needs him the most he's not there for him" stated Mike. "And neither was I and what does Johnny do he offers to help me".
"Yes well I think Johnny might have offered more for your company if anything. He gets pretty lonely in that room and craves for conversation that doesn't include his recovery" Cap informed Mike.
Mike nodded in understanding and made a mental note to bring along some of the books he purchased in New York to pass some of the time. He valued Johnny's friendship and intended to help his young friend in ways other than the physio so that Johnny wouldn't feel any pressure whilst with Mike.
"What was that with Hank, about giving Johnny help? Doesn't he realise how much you've helped Johnny since he's been your partner" Joanne stated more than asked Roy.
Roy stopped wiping the dishes and thought about his wife's comment. "Tell me Jo just what have I helped Johnny with exactly?" asked Roy.
Jo stopped washing "Well you've helped pickup things from the hardware store and" Roy was shaking his head.
"We were picking up my stuff, that Johnny had ordered in for me" he informed his wife.
"Ok, may be that was a bad example. What about the times you've banked his check and paid his bills for him when he's been in hospital and" she pointed to Roy "That time you lent him our TV so he could watch some game on a bigger screen" she said triumphantly.
"Not much to show for nearly two years of friendship is it?" he said morosely.
"Aaaahhh, come on Roy you've been a great friend and just because you can't spend every minute of your spare time with John Gage your Cap turns on you. Come on!" she said incredulously.
"Jo think about it, everything Johnny's done for us, especially around this house."
"He didn't help out with the tiling" she quickly pointed out.
"I told you he was helping move a friend and had actually asked me to help" he said in Johnny's defence.
"Yes well that's always the standard excuse for someone not to help" she said not believing Johnny's excuse.
"It wasn't an excuse Jo cause Mike actually helped Johnny. So answer my question, look at all that Johnny's done for us and what we've done in return?" he said as they continued to do the dishes.
"Look I'll admit he's helped out a lot but Hank still has no right to be mad at you because you can't help out this time. You have a family you know" she stated refusing to see any fault on their side.
"Cap has a family too and he finds time" Roy said in Cap's defence. Deep down he knew Cap had every right to be disappointed in him.
"That's just because he treats Johnny like a son. I don't know how his real son puts up with playing seconds to Johnny". Roy looked at his wife and frowned. He hadn't seen this side of her before and was a little taken back by her animosity towards Johnny. Jo gave Roy a sideways glance "I'm just stating the obvious even Chet made some comment about Hank having three kids" she said defensively.
"If there's one thing I've learned that is to never listen to Chet. He's jealous of Johnny. If he was half as sincere as Johnny more people would like him."
There was silence between Roy and his wife as they finished the dishes. When it was all done and everything was put away in their rightful places Roy faced Joanne and said "I'm going to visit Johnny tomorrow" and before Joanne could protest "Whether you like it or not I owe him big time so I'm going".