Chapter 17

"Thing are Not as They Seem"

Johnny made a concentrated effort to not interact with Elizabeth and when he did see her he never used the nick name he had given to her. He was never rude or harsh with her, he only made up excuses not to stick around and talk for very long.

Four months had passed and Johnny had had another one of his little accidents. He was working on a motor vehicle accident. Johnny was the last one out of an unstable car that was shifting over a deep drop. In his rush to get out of the vehicle a sharp edge of metal was drag over the arm he was using for stability inside the car and it cut through his coat and the back of his left forearm. He was lucky it wasn't too serious, but it was a long and somewhat deep cut that took two layers of stitches and Dr. Early felt that if Johnny should return back to work he had a strong possibility of pulling some of the stitches out so a replacement was called in and he was sent home to relax and take some pain medication for his discomfort.

Later that evening someone knocked on Johnny's door. Knowing the possibility of it being Elizabeth, she always had a knack for knowing when he got hurt. Then it clicked in his mind, she probably found out thru Dixie. "Who is it?" Johnny asked

"It's Elizabeth."

Johnny hung his head; he was tired and hurt and really didn't want to come up with some reason not to talk to her. "It's not a good time right now." He called thru the door.

"That's okay, I just made some cookies and I brought you some."

Well thanks but I'm not really interested in cookies today." With that said he turned away from the door. He heard her say something else but continued to walk away with out a response.

The next morning when he was on his way out he saw that Elizabeth had left the plate of cookies at his door. He left them where they sat and headed out to run some errands.

When he came home later that day he found the cookies had been removed. He knew he had probably hurt his neighbors feeling but he did felt it had been necessary for both of them.

Later that night, while Johnny was watching a T.V. show, there was another knock at his door. Johnny slowly pulled himself up from the couch and turned off the T.V. and walked over to the door, "Who is it?" he called out.

"Dixie."

Johnny opened his door, "Hi Dix, what brings you to my door?" surprised to see her at his door, "What bring you by my humble abode?"

"We need to talk," she told him as she pushed past him and into his apartment. The tone of her voice made the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

"Okay, I'm listening." Johnny said as he turned to see her sit down on the couch. She then turned and looked right at him and patted the cushion next to her. Slowly he stepped over and sat down and looked her in the eye. "What's up Dix?"

"What happened between you and Elisabeth?" Dixie demanded.

"Nothing Dix, she was just getting the wrong idea is all."

"What idea?"

"She was looking for a more personal relationship and I wasn't interested in her like that."

"Did she tell you this?"

"No not in words, I could just tell was all."

"Did you tell her you were not interested in her in that manor?" Dixie grilled.

"No."

With that Dixie stood and headed for the door. Johnny stood to follow but Dixie pointed to him and said, "Sit down, I'll be right back."

It being his home he chose to remain standing as he watched Dixie step out the door leaving it open then a few moments later she came back in with her arm wrapped around Elizabeth. Johnny could see that she had been crying and he really didn't want to talk to either one of them. "What's going on here?" he asked.

Dixie guided Elizabeth over to the couch and turned her to face Johnny and said, "It's high time you two talked to each other and work things out between you." She paused to see what would happen. Instead of talking the two looked away from each other and neither one said a word. "Are you two going to talk or am I going to have to do the talking for you?" Dixie asked.

For a few more moments neither one said a word and Dixie took a step closer when Elizabeth spoke up and asked, "Johnny, did I do something to hurt your feelings?"

Johnny just stood there with his arms folded; he had been trying to avoid this conversation. Elizabeth dropped her eyes and turned to leave when Dixie reached out and stopped her while glaring at Johnny at the same time. When Johnny didn't say anything Dixie did.

"Elisabeth, Johnny here thinks you are developing a romantic relationship with him."

A smile started to turn up the corners of Elizabeth's mouth and she let out a stuttering sob, then she reached up and brushed away at the tears on her face and she turned back to Dixie and gave her a hug, "Thanks Dix, I think we can handle it from here."

Dixie gave Johnny a glare for a moment and then said goodbye and let herself out.

After the door closed Elizabeth turned back to look at Johnny, again she brushed at new tears that were running down her face and she tried to say something a couple of times but stopped before she uttered a word. Finely on her third attempt she succeeded to say. "Johnny you are a friend and that is all I ever want from you."

"But . . . I thought . . ."

Elizabeth raised her hand and stopped him. "To be honest with you, there was a time when I had hoped we could develop a closer relationship, but the more I got to know you the more I realized . . . well I realized you're not my type."

Johnny was stunned he had been sure she was pushing for the next level in their relationship. "But all the food you bought when you were helping me and all the attention you were giving me."

Elizabeth sat down on the couch and motioned to the recliner across from her indicating she wanted Johnny to sit down. Johnny slowly moved over and sat in the chair with out breaking eye contact with her. "Johnny I want you to think about the night we met, what you did for me that night . . . ." A shudder ran down her body and she couldn't bring herself to say what might have happened that night. "Then you saved me again just a few days later." She brushed at more tears that run down her face. You did so much for me and you didn't stop there you have been a dear sweet friend to me for years and I had always felt like I needed to return the favor but all I could do didn't seem to me to be enough. Then when Dixie called me and said you needed help . . . ." She took another stuttering sob, I was ecstatic; here was a way I could truly pay you back for all your kindness."

"I didn't need you to pay me back I was happy to be of help."

"Elizabeth smiled; I knew you would feel that way but still . . . . ."

The both of them were silent for awhile and it was Johnny who broke the silence. "I'm sorry Zib, I probably should have talked to you about my assumptions."

"It's okay Johnny I forgive you." Then she reached out her hand to him, "Friends?"

Johnny took her hand and gave her a smile, "Friends." Then he pulled her in for a hug.

Elizabeth hugged him back and new tears began running freely down her face as she said, "I'm glad I have your friendship back," she sobbed, "You and Dixie have done more for me then all the Doctors and Counselors put together." Then she pulled away from Johnny and whipped at her tears as a teasing half smile rose on her face. "There is a way you can make up for your mistake thou."

"Make up for my mistake. I though you forgave me." Johnny said a smile turned up the corners of his lips.

"I do, but knowing you, I'm sure you will want to fix the mistake."

Johnny cocked his head and said, "Okay out with your request."

"Would you be willing to double date with me? That way I will have my friend and protector to keep me safe from the unknown."

"I can do that for you." And he hugged her again.

Between Johnny and Dixie, Elizabeth had at least one date a week for the next six months. All first dates were scheduled on Johnny's days off and Dixie kept finding young men for her to date all of which had to pass a strict list of guideline set by Dixie herself and she was quick to change these guidelines when ever some thing went wrong on a date.

Then Dixie found Dean Jacobson, much in the same way she met Elizabeth. He had come to the rescue of an older woman when two teen boys attacked her for her purse. Dean had jumped in and punched out one of the teenagers and ran after the other one to retrieve the stolen purse. In the process of tackling him he broke his right arm. The young man got away but Dean gained possession of the purse. When he returned the purse to the older woman, Squad 51 had been summoned for the older woman who had fallen and broke her hip. Dean's arm was splinted and he too was loaded on to the ambulance and taken to Rampart. While Dixie was helping Doctor Brackett put a cast on Dean's arm Dixie found out that he was single and had just moved to California to be a new teacher for one of the middle schools in the area.

Dixie used her gift of persuasion and set him up for a date with Elizabeth and Johnny and everyone hit it off great, the evening was a success. The two continued to date off and on for the next year. Dean was always the gentleman and there were many times that they spent their time together just walking on the beach or in a park talking and they became good friends. One of the things that helped the relationship bond was that Dean never kissed her or even took her hand with out making sure it was okay with Elizabeth first. This personal respect went along way in her ability to trust him and to accept him to be a part of her life.

After they had known each other for over a year, Dean proposed to Elizabeth but she told him she needed a couple of days to think about it. She new she needed to tell him about her past and she was sure that would be the end of the relationship. With lots of support from both Dixie and Johnny she made arrangements for Dean to have a home cooked dinner at her place. After they had eaten the two sat on the couch and Elizabeth explained about her past and how it had affected her when she was done she had tears rolling down her face and dread for what she thought was to come but Dean washed all that away when he wrapped his arms around her and told her that her past didn't make any difference in how he felt about her, and that he still wanted to marry her.

Four months later:

The chapel was full of family and friends on the groom's side. On the brides side there was a precious few but they had all gathered to see the happy couple tie the knot. The music started and everyone turned to see a small girl walking down the isle dropping flower peddles as she went. Behind her came Dixie the Maid of Honor and behind her came Elizabeth with Johnny at her side. They slowly made their way to the front of the chapel where Johnny lifted her veil and kissed her on the cheek. Then he placed her hand into Dean's, who had been watching their approach with a huge smile on his face. Johnny then moved over and sat down and watched as his good friend started a new life with someone who loved her, fully knowing of her past.