Cs12
For the next week, his partner was motionless, the IVs working as he became more aware of his surroundings. Johnny acknowledged Roy but still seemed out of it. Brackett was still insisting Gage be in the hospital but DeSoto had a feeling it would compound his friends mood.
"Hey Johnny," Roy came into the room after a long 24 hour shift, not liking his temporary partner at all.
"Hey Roy. Guess what?" Gage gave a slight smile.
"What?" Roy smiled thankful for any small changes Johnny made.
"I went to the head by myself; Brackett came by and put me on a brat diet too. Doesn't think I can handle real food. Me," Gage pointed to himself. "Just because I got a little sick, you know." He downplayed his illness.
Roy sat on the edge of his partner's bed. "Johnny you just weren't a little sick. You're exhausted. You slept for a damned week and you're as weak as a newborn kitten." He countered as he watched Johnny dismiss his illness.
"I'm fine Roy. Just fine, in a week I'll be good as new and you don't have anything to worry about," John smiled hoping he could be left alone. "You'll have me back as your partner."
"Don't tell me you're fine Johnny. Remember I'm the one who found you. For a minute when I was driving you here I thought you were dead. So I want some answers, junior," Roy crossed his arms, hoping a sterner approach would get some much needed answers.
"There's nothing to tell Roy. Besides you wouldn't understand, not with your perfect little life," John's jaws were clenched and turned away from Roy.
Grabbing John's arm, Roy turned Gage towards him. "You don't get away with that partner. You scare me half to death and then you turn me off. I want some answers about the urn I found in your apartment." Roy's eyes softened a bit but Gage refused to talk.
"Johnny please I thought we were friends, you can tell me anything and it will stay just between you and me. Promise, no one but you and me!" Roy touched John's forearm. "Because if you don't tell me I'm going think the worst of everything. I admit I have no idea what your life was growing up, but I'll admit after Chet dug up those books I got curious."
Johnny turned and glared at him. "Like you could understand what it was like on the reservation with your perfect life. Growing up in Norwalk, knowing exactly what you wanted to be when you grew up and not…" the dark haired paramedic turned back again, putting his hand to his mouth.
"Please Johnny don't shut me out," Roy walked around to the other side of the bed and sat down next to his partner.
"Just take me home Roy. I just want to go home," John wrapped his arms around him.
"No I can't you can't take care of yourself, remember I've got to watch your back. So tell me about your aunt's urn." Roy's eyes glared at Gage.
Johnny looked up. "How'd you know it was my aunt?" His brown eyes flared.
"Who else would it be? I remember she stopped calling a few months back. Didn't she always call at least twice a month?" Roy could see Johnny softening.
"Yup, she always checked on me and…she had a stroke a few months back. Cause she worked too damn hard taking care of me. She worked two jobs; you know so I could have what all the other kids had. Guess she felt guilty. I kept telling her I had plenty, but she wanted me to have spending money and stuff." John smiled.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Roy was hurt.
Johnny shrugged, "didn't seem important. It was when your whole family had the flu, you know and you were complaining about taking care of everyone and then you got sick. I guess I'm not used to sharing."
"Oh Johnny you should have said something," Roy frowned and could see Johnny was close to losing it.
"No, you had enough problems I could see. So I took care of those three days we had off. Man it was hard getting her into that nursing home, but she had it all together, insurance and everything, wouldn't let me pay for one thing. Said I deserved it, you know for all my hard work. She couldn't make it to my paramedic graduation cause she had to take a trip for work. My Aunt had it all together, unlike me," John sniffed.
"It happened at Thanksgiving didn't it?" Roy asked to confirm his suspicions.
John quietly nodded and then looked at his hands. "Like I said she had it all together. By the time I got there all I had left of her was the urn with her remains, a little money and one request." Gage sniffed more. "All my families gone now."
"You're my family Johnny," Roy put a hand on Gage's shoulder only to be pushed away.
Johnny looked up surprised. "I never asked for that Roy. Never," the dark haired man continued to sniff and wipe tears away.
"Too bad you all ready are. You became family the minute you became my partner and the rest of the guys on the shift," Roy again put his hand on John's shoulder and this time it stayed.
"It's all right to cry Johnny. Shows you're human, you know. She must have been one special lady," Roy could see his friend still fighting back the tears.
"She believed in me Roy, when no one else would," Johnny's famous smile finally made a long lost appearance.
"I had to get away from the reservation, you know, before it killed me," Johnny continued to cry. "I found my way to the fire service when my Aunt's house almost burned down. Funny didn't even consider it." Tears now flowed freely.
"I'll leave you alone now Johnny, check on your dinner," Roy left as he heard his partner finally grieve for his missing aunt. He would check back later and give his partner some space and then he would finally get the whole story and why he couldn't stand to look at his aunt's urn and the one request that seemed to be eating up his friend.