Chapter 22

The next morning started early with calls for the Squad but all of the runs had been easily stabilized with meds and then hauled into the hospital. It was only another hour before the end of shift and John wanted to run up and check on his wife but Roy convinced him to head back to the station to make sure they had everything in order to get off shift on time.

When the squad was backed into the bay Mike hurried up to John's open window. "I don't know what's going on for sure but the phone has been ringing off the wall for Cap this morning and all the calls have something to do with you."

"Gage!" was heard from the captain's office and with a worried look on his face John quickly climbed out of the squad and headed for the office.

"Yes Sir?"

"I think we blew it with the announcement," Captain Stanley sat at his desk shaking his head. "That was the sixth call inquiring about you transferring to Montana."

"Me, Transferring?, first of all I had no idea the announcement was going out so fast. But even then it doesn't say anything about me transferring."

"I know," Captain Stanley responded with a smile on his face and a hint of a giggle in his voice. "Some people think they can read between the lines but don't quite get it right." "Anyway, Dr. Early would like to talk with you, He said he just missed you when you last left but to tell you it's nothing serious he just needs to talk to you for a moment about Elise."

John's face shown a slight panic as Captain Stanley got up from his desk motioning to the phone. "Go ahead and give him a call, I need a cup of coffee." Hank stopped as he reached the door to his office. "You sure know how to get people's attention Gage. I know I heard at least one more coffee mug bite the dust over the phone this morning. But do take it all as a compliment, most of the callers think Montana is stealing you away because you're about the best we've got."

Joining his parting Captain in a faint giggle John was quick to dial the number for Rampart and ask for Dr. Early.

Captain Stanley was leaning against the wall next to the phone with a disposable coffee cup in his hand answering yet another inquiry about the announcement that was getting around, he honestly never realized just how dense some of his associates could be.

As he was saying his good- byes to the Captain on the phone and ear splitting "Yeah Hoooow!" echoed through the station as the dark haired paramedic skidded into the day room grabbing at the door frame to direct his sliding shoes on slick floors. "I get to take her home today!"

John was out the door as soon as his replacement stepped in, he didn't even take time to change out of his uniform he just left.

Roy and Cap shared a questioning look as they watched his Rover drive past the station, "It's not going to be much of a honeymoon with her sister and two kids in the apartment with them." Roy gave voice to their feelings.

It took most of the morning for the doctors to educate John and Elise how to deal with the seizures and to make sure John was comfortable with his end of the situations. There were also brief instructions given on birth control. Basically no pregnancy allowed in any way shape or form until after Elise had recovered from the brain surgery that was yet to come. Since the two of them had already planned that way the doctor's instructions only served as a reinforcement of their decisions.

When they returned to Elise's room to get her ready to go home they were met by Rachel and two FBI agents, Rachel with a change of clothes and the FBI agents with news.

"We're just here to inform you the Tom Sulston is on his way back to Montana and there is a contingency waiting for him to get off the plane in Helena. We've also wired your message for him to the agents on the other end."

"What message was that?" John turned to his wife.

Elise just looked at the FBI Agent and sighed and he took over, "She asked us to tell him once he was arrested that there was no way he was going to get the nature reserve and that his only way out was to work with us to bring the guys who are pressuring him down."

"Tom's in real deep with some loan sharks," Elise tried to explain, "They've sold out to some group of men who want the Wild horse sanctuary to put up some sort of resort to include gambling, and all other types of unsavory activities." Pausing to look at Rachel who was standing with an armload of Elise's clothes and her head hung low. "We believe the only reason he's still alive is because they believe he can get that property for them."

"If that is the case Mrs. Sulston," the FBI Agent turned to Rachel. "I can understand why you left him but is there a reason you haven't filed for divorce?"

Rachel set the clothes on the bed and then lowered herself into a chair. After a few deep breaths she began to speak. "I didn't think there was a need to file for divorce, I'm quite honestly surprised that he is still alive. He does have a rather large life insurance policy on him that I'm paying the premiums for."

"Does he know about this life insurance policy?" the FBI agent questioned his interest perked.

"Yes," Rachel spoke quickly, "It was his way of making amends after he gambled away my inheritance without my permission. I'm not certain that he knows I've kept the policy going but he was the one who set it up."

"So I see," the agent nod his head and rubbed his chin.

"I've also been afraid to do anything that would let him know where I was," Rachel added, "If he had any idea that I have money in savings he'd track me down to try and get at it."

As Rachel and the Agents left the room Mr. Brackett walked in. "I've checked into those things you asked me about yesterday and Everything is as you suspected, Here's a list of phone numbers for you to contact and other numbers you've requested. I'm made sure that you have a couple of months to perform the required zone modifications because of your health."

"Thank you Sir." Elise took the papers from him and placed them on top of the papers in the file storage box still on her night stand from the meeting she, Rachel, the Arson team and Mr. Brackett had the day before concerning her real estate holdings in the area. "I'll get on it as soon as I can. Probably the first day John goes back to work."

Even though John wasn't sure all that was being discussed he was excited to take his wife home, Home to their apartment. There was a sense of completeness to being married in that statement, they were going home.

While Elise changed into the clothes Rachel had brought John made short work of loading everything else in his car and was ready, willing and able to operate the wheelchair to get her out of that hospital.

Once the two love birds were parked in John's parking stall John reached over and happily took Elise in his arms and they locked lips in a passionate embrace, John only briefly letting go with one hand to check a pulse, strong and steady, just how he liked it. After a pause to catch their breath and caress each other's face John gave her another peck on the lips and got out of the car running around to open the door for Elise.

After helping her to her feet John swept her off of her feet and carried her up the stairs to his apartment, setting her down for a moment to unlock his door and then swept her up again and entered where he held her in his arms and slowly turned around stunned, watching JoAnne Desoto, Emily Stanley and Rachel, along with children and husbands working together to tidy up the apartment and make sure there were clean sheets and Elise's treasured blanket on the bed.

Elise buried her head in to John's neck and held on tight, "You've got to stop spinning John," Elise whispered as she fought to keep her stomach from turning inside out.

"Sorry," John responded quickly, then moved to set her down on the sofa and make her comfortable as he sat at her side and brushed the hair from the side of her face and held her hand until she got her color back. "Better?"

"Yeah," Elise responded but not as convincingly as John wanted her to. He found another blanket and pillow to make her comfortable then encouraged her sister to sit with her while he brought up the last of Elise's things from the Car. Cap and Roy were quick to help with that process and after John set up all the medical equipment to monitor Elise's pacemaker and treat any seizures she might have Emily and JoAnne gave him a tour of the kitchen showing him all the food that just needed to be warmed up, much more than enough to last them the next two days before John had to report back to work.

Rachel and her children were invited to stay at the DeSoto's for the night but Rachel informed them that she had been cleared to drive while she was at the hospital that morning and she and her children would be heading for home, work and school.

After good-byes and a round of hugs all the way around, everyone unceremoniously left, Captain Stanley being the last one out the door and pulling something out of his jacket pocket, he showed the newlyweds a 'Do not disturb' sign which he placed on the outside door knob as he locked it and pulled the door closed behind him.

After the door was closed the newlyweds stood across the room from each other listening to the silence and turning their head looking for some nurse coming through to check vitals.

Finally Elise moved behind the sofa and John met her half way. "Allow me to introduce myself," Elise spoke first as she reached out and touched fingers with John, "I'm Mrs. Elise Gage," she added a timidly tender smile.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Gage, I'm Mr. Gage." John responded taking both of her hands in his and holding them down as they took the last step together.

"Is this really the first time we've really been alone together?" John questioned his memory.

"It is since we've been married."

The two touched lips and toyed with fingers.

"Are you hungry Mrs. Gage?" John asked between kisses.

"Not for food," Elise answered as she started unbuttoning John's shirt.

An hour later two naked bodies melted together beneath the sheets. Elise's hand on John's chest as he held her body tight to his and drew gentle circles on her shoulder.

"I should have never left," Elise whispered before her hands began to tremble and her eyes rolled back in her head.

Now better trained how to handle Elise's seizures John held her arms to her side and talked softly to her. "Just relax and ride it through Eess, its John, I'm right here."

As he continued to hold her, John positioned his watch so that he could see it and timed the length of the seizure, 38 seconds no need to inject diazepam this time. As the tremors stopped John positioned Elise to maintain her airway and snuggled into her side. He knew that the seizures wouldn't get any better before they removed the piece of helmet and the blood clot from her brain but he could handle all this; it was a small price to pay to have her at his side.

John stepped out of his kitchen after warming up something for their dinner; he was surprised to see Elise sitting on the couch looking over a piece of paper with a puzzled look on her face.

"I thought you were still asleep," John commented as he bent over the back of the sofa and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. "What's on that paper that has you uptight?"

Elise looked up at him and motioned for him to sit beside her, when he did so she showed him the paper and began to explain. "This is a time line that Rachel and the lawyer but together for me." Elise started pointing to different parts of the paper, "These are the dates I closed residential purchases in the area and this is when the accident was." Elise continued to be confused but so was John, Elise's accident was a good three weeks after he thought it was but a week before some of the contracts were closed.

"I can understand these contracts, it is a good financial move and I know exactly what to do with them. But I don't remember them," Elise continued to talk as she pointed to the paper, "these things were finalized after the accident, so I'm sure Tom was responsible, that's how he managed to get his friend to rent them out and deal drugs out. Probably in place of a loan payment he was behind on."

"And then there's this land transaction," Elise pointed to a point near the top of the paper. "I can't really remember anything but I know it's special. It's not like these others." Elise looked at John with pleading eyes, "I know there is something important that I've forgotten and I need to figure out what it is."

"Hey," John took Elise in his arms. "You remember more than I have after much simpler head injuries, Don't worry about it, I'll help you figure things out.

"I need to go there," Elise kept pointing to the special purchase listed on the paper. "I need to see this place and see if it will jog my memory."

"Okay," John nod his head as he looked over the address and tried to place it in his mind. "That's not too far from here, I'll take you there in the morning, providing you have a good night." John kissed her on her forehead. "I think we should eat something, you need your nourishment and it tastes much better while it's warm."

The paper was set aside and Elise was guided to the table set with the best dishes, flowers and a candle. It was hard to say if either of them really tasted dinner they were so into each other and the feelings of the night. When dinner was finished and the dishes washed and put away. John led Elise back to the couch. Wrapping his arm around her John reached over her to pick up the paper that had been discarded earlier. Looking over the dates he had a question he wanted to ask but wasn't sure if he should or if Elise would have the answer for him.

"What is it John?" Elise asked in response to the look on his face. "I don't want you holding back on me."

After a moment of silence John got up and went to the bedroom returning with a stack of letters held together with a rubber band. Thumbing through them John pulled a smaller card out and sat next to Elise waving it in his hand. "You're time line is different than I thought it would be. You sent me this letter about six months ago and I've been thinking it was written after the Accident, but it was almost a month before and about the same time you made that real estate transaction you pointed out earlier. I'm only showing it to you in hope that it will help some, but if it doesn't I want you to know that it doesn't matter to me. I love you no matter what."

John held the envelope and card out and Elise hesitantly took it from his hand and pulled the card out of the already opened envelope "How do you know when you're done?" Elise read a loud and looked to John for an answer only to realize he didn't have one.

"I tried to get a hold of you for several weeks after I got this. You were never home even when I called in the middle of the night," John explained. "When I called your hospital they told me you didn't work there anymore. When you came back to me I thought it must have been written after the accident but it was written almost a month before; I'm just a little bit at a loss is all."

Elise looked at a total loss herself and read and reread the card several more times but without a clue as to what both of them wanted to know. After a moment of silence the two of them added the date of the card to the time line that had been established by Rachel. Elise had sent the card after she had purchased the special property but nearly a month before the accident. Elise was still clueless and started to get agitated.

Not wanting to bring on another seizure John set about trying to get Elise to relax and began with a full body massage that led to other things.

John woke up in the middle of the night and after making sure Elise was alright and sleeping well he got up to the bathroom and to get a glass of water before returning to bed. As he lifted the covers and began to slide into bed carefully trying not to wake his wife, Elise jumped with a start and fell out of her side of the bed in a panic.

"It's okay Elise," John spoke calmly as he moved toward her to make sure she was alright.

Elise's eyes were wide with fear as she held her hands out and looked to be ready to run. "Greg," she called out and began to rub her upper arm.

"No it's John," John continued to calm, "It's me John, I won't let Greg hurt you again. You're safe here, Greg's back in Montana in a jail cell." John managed to move next to Elise and put his arms around her as she placed her trembling hands on his chest and allowed him to pull her back into bed and under the covers. John was trying to get her comfortable so that she could get back to sleep when she sat up straight and looked at John with the same frightened wide open eyes.

"The card, it was Greg." Elise spoke confusing John even more. "He wasn't happy with all the time Pat was spending with the children; he claimed she didn't fulfill his needs any more. He said that daddy had been right all along and we were supposed to be together. He wouldn't take no for an answer and I knew I needed to get away from there. I started training a replacement for myself. There wasn't another nurse that was willing to do field work but I trained four IV certified EMT II's. then I bought that land here and as soon as I was sure they'd be alright I was going to come and see if there was still anything between, , if you would still have me." More frightened still Elise took hold of John's hand and held on as if for dear life. "One night I was asleep but I was woken up by someone trying to climb in bed with me, It was Greg and when I got out of bed to get away from him he injected me in the shoulder with a needle, I still got away from him before he was able to inject all the medications into me but I still got enough to be kinda loopy. I ran for the street and Sherriff Mac was driving by on rounds and helped me into his truck before he went into my house to see who was there. Greg was gone and Pat gave him an alibi but I knew it was him and what he was trying to do. Mac took me to his mother's house and I didn't spend another night in my house after that. I bounced around to different places working and training, I knew I had to stay away from him or he'd try it again. I had to get away before I destroyed my sister's marriage."

Johnny had known about Greg's advances long before the accident from the letters he and Elise had exchanged, he knew she was trying to distance herself from the situation and had offered his advice a couple of times when she asked.

Elise calmed and looked at John placing a tender hand at the side of his face. "I was doing what I should have done years ago; I was coming back, back to you."

With gentle snuggling Elise finally got back to sleep and John lay awake next to her finally allowing his tears to fall. He wasn't second place, something she only accepted once she no longer could do the work she loved, she was in the process of giving it up for him. He meant more to her than the rescue program in Montana.

When John woke up the next morning he took a moment to enjoy the morning rays filling in around the curtains of his room. When he rolled over to check on Elise he was panicked to find the other half of the bed empty. His first instinct was to check the floor on the other side of the bed and only sighed when it too was empty.

Following the sweet smell of something baking in the kitchen John found Elise filling plates with a wonder smelling breakfast. When she turned around and saw him leaning against the wall with a smile on his face she looked disappointed, "I wanted to bring you breakfast in bed."

"Okay I can handle that," John smiled, "I'm going back there right now."

After breakfast and taking a shower together John loaded Elise and a file folder into his car and took her to the address she needed to see.

"According to the file I have here this area was planned as a new housing development when a slight earth quake opened up a sink hole, the whole area was deemed unsuitable to a housing development. I had another piece of property that I had brought and managed to sell it to them for the housing development and this property was including in the selling price. After I bought the place they discovered it was a natural spring that caused the sink hole instead of a broken pipeline like they had thought." Elise explained paraphrasing what she was reading in the file as they drove.

"Okay why would you want land you can't build on?" John questioned.

"There is part of it that can be built on but the rest of it I thought would make a nice horse ranch," Elise answered with a smile a mile wide.

"A horse ranch?" Johnny gave her a surprised look.

Elise just bit her lower lip and looked up at her husband nodding her head hoping he approved. Together they walked around the twenty-six acres of land and together they agreed that the barn that was standing needed to be leveled. "I'll get on that tomorrow." Elise spoke her enthusiasm not wavering in the least.

"Do you have plans as to where we're going to live?" John asked and fell in love all over again as Elise smiled even brighter and started to giggle at the same time.

Elise guided John to a building on the corner of the property just off a main road and John's eye's grew wider and wider the closer he got. When he confirmed the address and helped his wife out of the Rover she led him to the front door and handed him the keys that had been clipped to the folder.

Opening the door John stepped inside and turned to take it all in.

"Would you accept this package deal as a wedding gift from me?" Elise asked slightly nervous but mostly giddy. "We can remodel it into what we want together."

John couldn't hold it in any more. "I know you're from Montana, but do you realize this is a decommissioned fire station?"

Elise just continued to bite her lower lip and nod her head with the biggest smile on her face and in her eyes.

John let out a full bellied, side splitting laugh, "I love it. Just one question, where are we supposed to sleep?"

"Anywhere you want," Elise joined him in laughter, "As long as I can sleep there too."