CS10
At 10 p.m Roy and Joanne had just gotten their excited children to bed. Sitting on the couch they looked at the twinkling lights of their tree, sipping beers and listening to Christmas music. Roy had his arm wrapped around his wife's shoulders and was just about to give her a kiss when the phone rang.
Shrugging Roy leaned over and picked up the phone sitting on the table next to the couch.
"DeSoto residence," DeSoto said cheerfully.
"Hey Roy," Stanley's worried voice came through.
The paramedic moved closer to the phone. "Everything okay Cap?"
He was met with silence.
"Cap? Is it Johnny?" Roy had a bad feeling when he had said good bye to his partner last shift.
"Um, well…the thing of it is he got sent home from a shift and…"
"Shift? Johnny's off we don't go back to work until after Christmas," Roy stated.
"John was working in La Mirada. There was an incident and well, he got sick and was sent home," Hank sighed.
"IF he was sick, he shouldn't have been driving," Roy could feel his blood pressure rise. "What the hell was he doing in La Mirada?"
"Roy they said he was okay enough to drive home. Just relax. I want you to check on him in the morning. The thing of is John was going to be working until after the 1st and…"
"Cap if you knew this why didn't you stop him? You had the power to. God I tried talking to him until I was blue in the face and…" Roy wiped his hand over his face, Joanne coming closer and wrapping her arm around his waist.
"Roy, there are no regs at the moment, but I think they are about to change. The thing is John's not working until next year, until he's better and…" Stanley's voice broke. "You have to tell Johnny he isn't in trouble. He'll still have a job, maybe a bit more supervised for awhile until we can get to the bottom of all this damned overtime."
"Great, lay that one on Johnny," DeSoto sighed. "No I'm fine Cap. I'll check on Johnny in the morning and maybe he'll finally tell me what's bugging him. Sorry if I got upset, Cap." DeSoto said contritely.
"I wouldn't expect less of you Roy; I mean you are his friend and partner. I'll see ya Christmas and keep me posted. Good night," Hank hung up, hoping he had done the right thing.
"Night Cap," Roy put the phone down, still thinking of his partner.
"Roy is Johnny sick?" Joanne looked into her husband's tired eyes.
"Yeah, I'm going to check on him in the morning. You know honey I'm beat," he kissed her passionately and they headed to bed.
DeSoto had a hard time sleeping, part of him wanted to check on his partner now but another part knew Johnny might take the hovering as a bit much so he finally went to sleep.
Johnny slept like the dead, his long month working finally catching up to him along with his grief he had been denying. Arm over his eyes, he didn't even hear his loud neighbors next door, pulling up the blanket around his chest as he feet fell to the floor.
*****
Roy drove as quickly as he could to Johnny's apartment. Now hearing his partner had been working most of the month explained a lot of things, but not why he had worked them. Relieved to see John's Rover in the parking lot and not in some hospital set his mind at ease however climbing up the stairs, he practically ran to the door.
"Johnny!" Roy knocked on the door gently. Wary of Gage's neighbors and the early morning hour he knocked gently on the door the first time. Getting no answer, he knocked a little harder and felt the extra key in his jean pocket.
Waiting what seemed an eternity, Roy knocked harder this time and hoped he didn't wake the neighbors. "Johnny are you in there?" He knocked harder this time.
The pounding in John's head was met by an incessant pounding that wouldn't go away. The dark haired paramedic tried to block it out, but it kept getting louder and louder. Unable to get the pounding out of his head, he barely opened his eyes to realize someone was knocking on the door.
"Give me a minute, sheesh," John rubbed at his tired eyes. Throwing the blanket on the floor, he almost fell tangling up in the blanket Opening the door a crack, the bright sunlight hurting his eyes he squinted and found himself staring at a very worried Roy.
"Hey Johnny," Roy waved, smiled and got no response and pushed his foot in the door, seeing an unemotional face on his partner.
The dark haired paramedic only opened the door a crack not in the mood for any visitors, besides he had to report for shift in a couple of hours and the bright sunlight hurt his eyes.
"Gonna let me in?" DeSoto asked carefully not knowing what his overworked partner may do.
"No, Roy. I'm not," Johnny started to shut the door, but not before Roy stuck is foot in it.
"I'll break it," Gage said coolly.
"Oh no you won't pally," the sandy haired man pushed his way in, knocking Gage to the floor of his apartment. "You help people, you don't hurt them," he said with pride.
John fell on the floor, breaking his fall with his hands and landing on his backside, he refused to move.
"What do you want Roy?" Johnny rubbed at his tired eyes with his fists.
"You're coming home with me is what?" Roy stood there hands on his hips, "That's what." He looked around and was met with a musty smell along with a pile of mail stacked on the kitchen counter; he also noted a nice coat of dust on the counter. He also noted a garbage bag filled with clothes.
"The hell I am. I don't recall inviting you in," pointing a finger to the door, "get out."
"No Johnny I won't," Roy was adamant. He looked as his partner had brought his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around them and placed his head, sideways. Kneeling down he found Johnny fast asleep. "Oh man, Johnny you really are exhausted. You're coming home with me."
Standing up, Roy stumbled on his partner duffle on the floor, taking it he went to Gage's bedroom to find two more garbage bags filled with dirty clothes and drawers opened everywhere. Opening up John's duffle he found brand new packaged underwear and his toiletries.
Shaking his head, he found a few more pair of pants, pajamas and shirts, he would come back later of the rest of his partner's clothes. Walking out of the room, he spied children's toys behind the couch, walking towards Johnny something caught his eye and he went to investigate.
"An urn?" Roy looked at his partner. "Johnny? Johnny?" He could see his friend was totally wiped out.
Then Roy recalled the strange call he had gotten from his partner around Thanksgiving.
"DeSoto residence," Roy answered anxious for Gage to appear.
"Uh, hi Roy," Johnny stammered his voice sounding distant and scared.
"Where are you Johnny?" Roy's tone worried. "You should have been here an hour ago."
"I know Roy…um…something's come up Roy. I'm really sorry but I just can't make it and…"
"Wait a minute Johnny," DeSoto's voice rose. "We've been planning this for weeks. Joanne and the kids, everyone is waiting for you and…"
"I'm….really…sorry…Roy. I've got to go I'll see you at work, k?" John hung up the phone.
"Johnny! Johnny!" Roy spoke to dial tones.
Then when John returned to work, he always gave a non answer why he didn't show up for Thanksgiving.
"Oh Johnny," kneeling down, he checked to make sure his partner was still alive. "Well you never do things easy do you partner. Throwing him over his shoulder in a fireman carry, Roy picked up the duffle, locked the door and before closing the door, took the nearest bag of dirty clothes. "You're going to be just fine partner. We'll take real good care of you." Closing the door, DeSoto walked carefully down the stairs and noticed he had a few people watching him. Oh well Johnny I'm sorry but that what happens when people care about you.