All medical errors are my own, I don't any medical jargon then dealing with my own medical therefore all errors are mine and mine alone.
The DeSoto children were up bright and early for Santa had come. Joanne and Roy wearily got up while Joanne made coffee, he checked on his house guest. The paramedic found Johnny just where he found him, completely out. As a fire fighter you learned to be all there the minute the tones wake you up from a sound sleep, but Roy was getting worried. His children as squealed as loud as the tones and Gage hadn't moved. He was relieved Brackett was making a house call. Checking his partner's head he found no fever and was able to have Gage drink a few glasses of water before sleeping again. Scratching his head, the sandy haired man had a feeling his partner wouldn't be going back to work until later in the New Year.
Before long the children were playing with their toys and then breakfast was served, as guests would be arriving after lunch. The children reluctantly put away their toys and cleaned up. Joanne and Roy put the house in a somewhat good order and placed out food for their guests. Roy knew the before long his shift mates and respective spouses would show up and the nagging questions regarding his partner would emerge. So far, there hadn't been a peep out of his dark haired wonder. John would drink water, mumble and otherwise be dead to the world. For once in his life, Roy was impatient to talk to his friend about his aunt's death.
The Stanley's were the first to show and Hank made a quick look at his injured paramedic.
"John?" Hank sat on the bed looking at the sleeping man. Even in the subdued light, Stanley could see the exhaustion etched on the young man's face, who hadn't moved since he sat on the bed.
"Johnny," Stanley carefully shook the man's arm.
"Huh what?" John's eyes barely opened. "Sure Cap take a 2 and ½ to the west side of the building." Then he closed his eyes again.
At the doorway, Hank looked at his other paramedic. "He been this way long?" Stanley stood up as Gage went back to sleep.
"Yeah," Roy crossed his arms, "it's like he's still working. But don't worry; Dr. Brackett is going to make a house call. I don't think Johnny's gonna work for awhile. I mean I'll I can get down him is water and he…he just lies there."
"Well I think we should join the rest of the party," Hank led Roy back to the living room and the arriving guests. Marco, Chet and Mike had shown up and saw the serious look on their superiors face.
"Okay what's the big secret?" Chet was quick to catch on. "Has anyone seen Johnny?"
Roy and Hank exchanged looks and Marco's mouth dropped open.
"He's not dead is he?" Marco looked at them.
"NO, no he's here in the guest room, sleeping," Roy tried to allay their fears.
"What he isn't even going to say hello?" Mike headed towards the guest room. Roy quickly stopped him. "Mike he wouldn't even know you were here. Hell, I don't think he even knows where he's at. Doc Brackett is going to check him out."
"So when do you think the pigeon will be coming back to work?" Chet played with his moustache and looked at the frowning faces of his host. "Johnny's that bad? Man I knew he was working a lot of OT but why man?"
"I wish I could tell you Chet," Roy glanced towards the bedroom, "but that's Johnny's bag if and when he wants too."
A knock on the DeSoto's door ended their conversation as Roy welcomed Doc Brackett and Dixie McCall into his house. True to his word, Brackett had his black bag and a drug box.
"Merry Christmas," Kell said hello to the shift of 51.
"Hey Doc," Roy pointed out the food, "Dixie."
"Well let's check on Johnny first then we eat. Shall we?" Kell followed Roy to the guest room as the rest of the shift waited.
Roy watched as the doctor went to work with Dixie assisting.
"Johnny can you hear me?" Brackett used his pen light.
"10-4 Rampart, saline solution TKO," John mumbled then went back to sleep.
Taking his BP, pulse and respiration, Kel pulled an IV out of his drug box hooked it up and then walked towards Roy. The paramedic knew it was saline solution since his partner wasn't eating or drinking much.
"There are exactly five bags of saline solution so he won't get dehydrated. In my opinion Johnny should be in a hospital, but considering what he's been through I'll let him slide since he has a qualified medical personnel looking after him. I want reports on him Roy and if he gets bad he's goes to the hospital pronto. Do I have your word?" Brackett crossed his arms. "I also want you to pick some more from the hospital because there's no telling on how fast John will go through them."
Roy looked at his sick partner and the doctor knowing he was right, but right now Johnny couldn't be in a hospital dealing with his grief would only make it worse, frowning he looked at Kell, "You got my word Doc. I promise I'll give you his vitals every day, k. So how about some eggnog?"
The party continued until 8 p.m. and Roy replaced Gage's solution. Shaking him a little Johnny opened his eyes a little bit more.
"Johnny?" Roy sat next to his partner. He felt helpless wishing he forced Gage to tell him what was bothering him before he exhausted himself.
"Roy," Johnny's eyes were half masted. "You take the patient I'll follow in with the squad."
"Oh Johnny," Roy squeezed his friends arm and then headed to bed.