Begin 5
Captain Stanley closed the door to his office and Elise quickly lowered into the chair Hank had directed her to.
"Thank you for your time," Elise got right down to business. "I need to know if you have a personal file on John or if it's kept at headquarters."
"There is a file for John in both places they have pretty much the same information but there are some differences. I can't let you look at John's file that is confidential information."
"No, NO, I don't need to see it, I only need to know that there is one," Elise clarified quickly, "I need to give you some documents to keep in there. Notarized copies of everything we took care of yesterday. I have a brother-in-law that makes a practice of making declarations after closing time on Fridays so that no one can prove otherwise until opening time on Monday, He managed to get me locked away and sedated that way, once before. By keeping a notarized copy of these documents where John can get at it at any time of day or any day of the week John will be protected from anything he might try."
Hank accepted the thickly stuffed envelope from Elise and sighed. "Is your brother-in-law the one who gave John that wonderful shiner he's sporting?"
Elise instantly looked ashamed and turned her gaze to the floor around her feet. "No, I did that. I had a seizure during the night and I guess I clobbered him good with my elbow."
Hank understood this girl's shame and anguish, He had to admit to wondering what her feelings were for John but he was pretty sure that John would do anything for her. "It was beyond your control," Hank tried to console his guest, "I can tell you that John has survived his fare share of black eyes, some a whole lot worse than the one he has now."
Elise chewed on her lips for a moment then raised her head one again to look Hank in the eyes. "There's more, I want to add this letter also, it's from me. I care for him more than I ever admitted and if anything happens to me in the next few months I want him to have something to let him know how much I appreciate everything he's ever done for me."
Hank reluctantly took the sealed envelope from Elise's out stretched hand. "Let's hope he doesn't need to see this for a long, long time."
"Me too, I want to write something better than what's in here but this is the best I've been able to do so far." Elise responded. "If something happens, to, me, I mean if things go south during the surgeries, I, I know that John really cares and that it will be hard for him. You'll be there won't you? And his friends, to help him get through things?"
As Hank's eyes moistened he coughed to gain control of his voice, "Elise, I don't know what your team back in Montana was like but here we're like a tight knit family. Each one of the Men that work under me, are like brothers and our families come together as one big family. Through thick and thin we'll be there for John and for you, to help you recover from all that lay ahead. You can count on us."
Then Hank added an afterthought, "Of course I'm not sure what kind of a reception you're going to get when the guys first find out. I suspect their going to think this is some kind of a joke, at least for the first few minutes."
"You mean John hasn't told anybody yet?"
"Trust me," Hank held up his hands, "He never had the chance before he got called out."
"John did explain why we did this on such short notice didn't he?" Elise questioned.
"Yes he did, but I still think his crewmates and many of his other friends are going to take a while to get used to the idea."
Elise shared a smile with Hank but her eyes were still full and moist. "There's one more thing, this envelope is for me. It's a letter to myself. There's no guarantee what I'm going to be like when the doctors get through cleaning out all the spare parts in this noggin of mine. I could wake up and be just like I am now, or I could have a major change of personality, or loose of memory, be a glorified house plant or any number of other combinations. This letter is to remind me that if I make him unhappy I promised to set him free. He deserves that and so much more. Will you please hang on to this and if I don't come out of surgery as the person he married or you can ever tell I'm making him unhappy please make sure I read this."
Hank wasn't sure he wanted to accept this envelope and hesitated to take it as Elise held it toward him. What she was asking of him was a heavy responsibility one he needed a moment to think through before his accepted. "May I have the right to speak with your doctors first to better understand your condition and chances of recovery?"
"That's fair," Elise agreed and borrowed a pen from the captain's desk to write permission on the outside of the envelope and sign it. She then offered it back to him.
Reluctantly Hank took the corner of the envelope and tapped it on the desk before taking in and blowing out a deep breath. "I'll hold this and do as you ask as long as I am John's captain. But if he gets promoted or either of us gets transferred you will need to find someone else to be in charge of it. Understood?"
"Understood," Elise responded. She was sure Hank had no idea how much it meant to her that he would be willing to do this for her and John.
00000
Roy sent John in with the patients in the ambulance and followed along behind, when the patients were unloaded John was able to give Dr. Morton and Dr. Abrams a report on the patients and was not required to go into either of the treatment rooms. By the time the doors were closed to the rooms Roy was at his partner's side and when Dr. Early was seen at the nursing station adding a few notes to a chart Roy approached him.
"Hey Doc, do you by any chance got a minute, Johnny here seems to have gotten some kind of an injury to his eye."
"Roy, it's already been looked at, by a doctor, it's just a black eye now leave it alone." Johnny put his foot down.
"I heard about that, have you kept ice on it?" Dr. Early tried to placate both medics.
"Ever since it happened Doc, I just threw the bag of cool water in the garbage behind the station when I got to work.
"Well it sure is a looker, imagine what it would look like if you hadn't have ice packed it." Dr Early leaned on his elbow against the counter and gave Johnny a look that contained both a smile and a frown. "If it's hurting you, you can take some aspirin."
"It's not hurting me nearly as much as it's hurting my partner," Johnny jabbed, "And by the way thanks a lot for what you and Dr. Brackett did last night, we really appreciated it."
"You're welcome Johnny, it was our pleasure," Joe responded before responding to a call for help in one of the treatment rooms.
"Can we go back to the station now or do you need to get a second opinion?" Johnny jabbed at his partner. He had something to tell him and he wanted to do it before they got back to the station, but he needed to get the black eye out of the conversation because he didn't want to give him all of the news in one sitting. He wanted to feed it to his partner a little bit at a time and give him a chance to chew on each bite.
"Are you going to tell me how you got your black eye?" Roy challenged.
"It's not like I've had a chance," Johnny responded in exasperation, "Look Roy it's nothing sinister I was just with someone who had a seizure and I caught an elbow in the face that's all. Now will you drop it?" John turned and headed for the squad while Roy placed his hands on his hips and watched for a while before trying to catch up to him.
When Roy exited the emergency room entrance he found Johnny leaning on the back of the squad and let him have it with both barrels.
"Now wait a minute here partner I want some answers, who were you with and why did they have a seizure? What were you thanking Dr. Early for, just what did him and Dr. Brackett do last night? And what did you do over the break that made it necessary to sign legal documents? And while we're at it why was your Rover at the station a full hour before you were?"
"Any more questions?" Johnny asked while shaking his head and smirking.
"Not at the moment but I'm sure I'll think of a few as the day rolls on. Just what kind of trouble have you gotten into that you needed legal help?"
Johnny held his arm across the back of the squad and hung his head for a moment then turned his head sideways to look at Roy. "Who says I'm in trouble?"
"Are you denying it?"
Johnny thought for a moment with his head looking down then turned back to Roy, "Yeah, I think I will."
"John n ny,"
"Look Roy in order to answer your questions you have to understand some things. If you'll let me drive I'll tell you about it on the way back to the station."
"That's a new approach to get me to let you drive?" Roy was stunned. He stood and looked at Johnny for a minute then threw his hands against the air at his side. "Nothing doing, you probably have a concussion with that black eye and besides you'll tell me anyway." Roy then climbed behind the steering wheel and Johnny took his usual place in the passenger seat and got comfortable. Roy started the engine and drove out of the parking lot.
"GO on Johnny you know you want to tell me." Roy pestered as he drove.
"Yeah, I do, but Cap will have my hide if I tell you while you're driving." Johnny answered as he started chewing on his fingernails.
"Cap Knows?" Roy turned a shocked glance at his partner before turning back to the road. "This is serious isn't it?"
"Yes, Cap knows and you could certainly say so on the serious thing."
Once they were through the light Roy pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the engine. "What is going on here?"
"You ready to let me drive?" Johnny turned a serious look at his partner.
Roy opened his door and got out and walked around the hood of the squad as Johnny slid over behind the steering wheel and started adjusting the mirrors for his height. As soon as Roy was in the passenger seat Johnny started up the engine and drove off.
"Johnny tell me, does this have anything to do with the person you were going to meet at the airport when you left last shift?"
"Yes,"
"Is that person a girl?"
"Yes,"
"Is she pregnant?"
"NO"
Roy looked out his window to think of the next question. "Oh no, was she pregnant, was that what Dr. Early and Dr. Brackett helped you with? Did your friend have an abortion?"
"No, No and no."
"Are you leaving 51?"
"That's not in my plans at the moment, no."
They were coming near to the station now and Roy was really confused. "Look John you said you'd tell me if I let you drive now spill it."
"I'm going to tell you, it was your idea to play twenty questions." Johnny gave his friend a smile then quickly turned back to the road.
"Okay tell me already."
"Yesterday I made the biggest move in my whole life, Roy, I, I got married yesterday."
"You what?"
Johnny let the silence linger as Roy sat in the passenger seat staring at him. They reached the station and Johnny pressed the button to open the bay door before turning and backing the squad into the bay. Then he turned the engine off and turned to face Roy. "I got married yesterday."
"Johnny this is some kind of a joke?"
At that moment Johnny caught some movement out of his peripheral vision and turned to see Elise stepping out of the captain's office.
John flew out of the squad and didn't even shut the door as he hurried up to Elise's side and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, for me," Elise answered, "I'm just crossing all our I's and dotting all our t's to make sure that cute butt of yours is covered."
John pulled his wife into a hug and sighed in relief. "You worry too much."
"Na, I don't think so." Elise responded then pushed away, "Dix and I stopped by the jewelers on our way here." Elise said as she reached into her pants pocket, pulled out a jeweler's box and opened it up.
Roy got out of the squad and walked like a zombie over near his partner and the girl he was currently exchanging rings with as Captain Stanley looked on.
Hank noticed the color leaving Roy's face and stepped around the couple to take a hold of his arm, "John I cannot stress enough the need to make sure people are sitting down before you tell them your news."
"He was sitting down when I told him," Johnny defended himself, "He just didn't believe me then." As Roy started to get some color back in his face John stepped to the side of Elise and placed his arm around her waist. "Roy this is my Wife, Elise Gage, Elise this is my Partner Roy DeSoto."
"It's true, you really did—" Roy's mouth was open and his eyes as round as, well something big.
"I don't think I got around to telling you two congratulations yesterday John and Elise," Hank tried to fill an awkward moment with a quick hand shake. "I know the rest of the guys are going to be just as excited for you two as Roy is here so what do ya, say we go introduce Elise to everyone before we get another run."
With that Hank kept his hold on Roy's arm and led him into the kitchen and to the nearest chair, closing the squad door as he went, while Johnny gave Elise a quick kiss and made sure she was ready before he followed along still holding Elise tight to his side as he walked.
Every person in the room turned to look at Johnny when he came in with his arm around Elise. The girl Dixie had informed them was not available. Cap and Dixie seemed to be enjoying themselves, while Johnny and Elise looked nervous, the rest of the group was just plain stunned and confused.
"A Guys," Cap started things off, "John here has something to tell us."
John looked at Elise with a warm and tender sigh, "Well guy's I'd like you to meet my wife as of yesterday, Elise Holbrook Gage." Everyone in the room jumped as the coffee mug that was in Mike's hand hit the floor and shattered but no one took their eyes off John and Elise.
"Come on there Johnny boy, you don't expect us to believe that line," Chet taunted as he got up from his chair at the table and carried his coffee cup around the corner when John held up his left hand and wiggled his fingers to show off his wedding ring. Chet's coffee cup also shattered when it hit the floor. Cap hurried over and placed his hand on Marco's shoulder before he got up and did the same. They really didn't have enough coffee mugs to begin with.
The room was silent since no one knew just what to say. Elise had an idea to break the tension, she turned and placed both of her hands on the sides of John's face and lifted up on her toes to give John a passionate kiss on the lips.
Chet fell into a nearby chair and Mike kept his hand on the refrigerator as he walked to the closest chair for him.
Dixie was watching Elise closely and noticed when she leaned into Johnny with the look of someone who was about to faint. "Uh hum," Dixie cleared her throat as John took a tighter hold on Elise's shoulders to hold her up. "I can tell you fellows have a lot of talking to do but Elise and I have a schedule to keep." Dixie followed through by getting to her feet and picking up her purse.
"I'll walk you two out," Johnny volunteered and Hank was quick to notice him holding up his wife. As Johnny and the two women slipped out the side door Hank waited for the rest of his crew to breathe again.
"Okay guys, I think we best work together to get this mess cleaned up." Hank clapped his hands and rubbed them together.
"Cap," Mike began to share an observation, "You're the only one who wasn't totally surprised by Johnny's news."
"Um, yeah, that, well it just so happens that when John couldn't get Roy at home yesterday he asked my wife and I to serve as his witnesses."
"It was sure nice of him to invite the rest of us," Marco showed his resentment.
"Yeah, why did he have to get married so quick, he could have waited for me and my wife to get back," Roy joined in on the resentment wagon. "JoAnne and the kids would have loved to see Johnny get married."
"Alright guys don't go there," Cap tried to order his men as he held his hands out to his side as if he was a baseball umpire calling the runner safe. "It's kinda complicated but there were some very good reasons why John did things the way he did. It's probably going to take the rest of the shift to tell you all the details let's not go and get angry with him before you find out all the facts."
00000
John helped Elise into the passenger seat of Dixie's car and the two of them came together both checking her pulse, after a couple of minutes Elise let out a sigh and looked around growing concerned.
"Did I have a seizure?"
"No, nothing that serious," Johnny responded as he stroked the hair on the side of Elise's face.
"Your heart was skipping again," Dixie spoke the truth, "You kinda phased out on us." Dixie doubled checked Elise's pulse before suggesting. "I think we better get you over to the hospital and get that checked out. They may want to admit you to the hospital tonight to keep you stable before your procedure tomorrow."
"John won't have to leave work to sign the admitting papers will he? Can't he just sign them when he's at the hospital after a run?"
John gave Dixie a concerned look this was why Elise needed someone to hold her medical Power of Attorney because the last person she would worry about when her heart rhythm was off was herself.
"Sure, I'm sure we can work it out that way," Dixie gave John a wink. "She's in sinus rhythm now so I think she'll be okay until we get to the hospital."
John shut the door and stepped back to watch as Dixie drove away. He had no reason to believe anything would go differently than Dixie had said but it was actually relieved to think that Elise would be admitted and therefore completely monitored before the pacemaker implant tomorrow morning.
John walked back into the station and helped to hold the dust pan so Chet could sweep the broken coffee mugs into it. "So tell me Gage is she pregnant. Is that why you had to marry her so fast?"
Johnny kept his silence as he walked his dust pan over to the garbage and dumped the broken mugs in. "Thank you Chet for waiting till Elise left before making that humiliating accusation, and no she's not pregnant."
There was more heavy silence as everyone was waiting for someone else to break the silence. In the end it wasn't a person but the tones calling them into action that rang through the station.
Station 51 respond to a traffic accident with injuries, the address was given and six firemen looked at each other. "That's only two blocks from here." Hank spoke the words. "Alright men let's get going."
It took them just under a minute to reach the accident scene and Hank was quick to see the gas leaks and the sparks coming from under one of the hoods. Of the four cars that had come together in an intersection. One car was driven by a teenage driver who had been arguing with her mother as she came up to a red light. She failed to stop before hitting the next car in line and pushing it into the delivery van ahead of them. The van was pushed into the intersection and hit by an oncoming car that was caught off guard.
"I need two, two inch and a halves hosing down these gas leaks, John, Roy you're on your own for a while.
Roy and John split up and started doing triage and John was quick to notice that the middle car of the rear end trio was Dixie's car and she and Elise were still inside.
While Roy worked on the delivery van and the car that crashed into it Johnny grabbed a pry bar and fought to get the door of Dixie's car open where his wife lay limply in the passenger seat.