Physically, Johnny felt much better by the next shift. The bruises were faded to mere ghosts of their former glory and his lip was healing nicely. His ribs pained him considerably less and moving around became easier. However, his personality had blossomed even pricklier than before, and he managed to alienate everyone shortly after arriving at the station in the morning. The rest of the crew gave Johnny a wide berth, and shot pitying glances at Roy.

Roy did his best not to exacerbate the situation with the already aggravated man he called his best friend and partner. In the field, they conducted themselves as all business, very professionally, if not a bit impersonally. And, when they rode alone in the squad, they stayed silent, Johnny preferring to keep an angry and sullen distance as he stared out the window. While it was not particularly pleasant, driving around with a human equivalent of TNT, Roy knew the wiser course of action lay in keeping his own counsel rather than having to deal with the fallout from arguing or having heated confrontations. Roy knew Johnny was upset about the mugging, but past experience had taught him not to try and push when his friend acted like this. He hoped Johnny would either get over it soon on his own, or decide to talk with him about it. For the time being, he willingly gave the other paramedic all the space he needed.

Cap removed the last pork chop from the frying pan and then spooned the sautéed onions over them. He brought the steaming platter over to the table and announced, "Chow's on." Four hungry firefighters responded to the call, helping bring the bowls containing the rest of the food to the table. "Where's Gage?"

"Last I saw him, he was out back," said Marco.

"Well, you want to go get him?"

"Not really."

Cap looked askance at the others as they nodded their agreement with Marco's response. "I'll get him."

"Why spoil a good meal?" grumbled Chet.

Cap let the comment go as he left the kitchen in search of his unpopular paramedic. He found Johnny leaning against the wall just outside the back engine bay doors, seemingly staring at nothing.

"Johnny?"

The other man startled, and a look of panic flew across his face before being carefully concealed. Johnny looked up. "Yes, Cap?"

"Chow's on. You want to come in?"

Johnny shook his head. He neither wanted to eat nor sit at the table with the others.

"You want to talk?"

An almost imperceptible expression of alarm flitted across his face, then was quickly replaced with the expressionless visage he had been wearing all day. He pushed himself off the wall. "No. But, thanks, Cap. Let's go in. Your food's getting cold."

He paused at the door to the kitchen as the scent of the dinner assailed him. He swallowed hard, forcing down the rising nausea.

"Nice of you to join us, Gage," Chet said sarcastically.

Johnny made no reply, since trying to look normal occupied his entire attention. After he sat down, the conversation at the table resumed. He didn't participate in the discussion. Not that the others were ignoring him, but they weren't going out of their way to include him, either. That was okay with him, however, as he found himself using all his concentration to avoid puking at the table. Johnny put some food on his plate and even managed to chew and swallow a few bites. He toyed with the rest of it, waiting for the others to finish eating. When they started to push their plates back, he got up and scraped most of his food into the rubbish, then began to wash his dishes.

"You doing dishes tonight? Thanks, Gage." Chet put his dishes in the sink.

A look of annoyance crossed Johnny's face, but he started washing Chet's dishes without comment. Taking a cue from Chet, the others added their dishes to the stack.

Wordlessly, Roy picked up a dishtowel and started drying the dishes.

Johnny glanced at his partner before returning his attention to the dishes. "I can do it…"

"It's okay."

At the end of the shift, Johnny had offered a quick apology to his mates in the locker room before seeming to once again flee the station. Chet and Marco remained behind talking for a few minutes.

"One 'sorry' and he thinks we're going to forget what it's been like to live with him the past two shifts?" grumbled Chet.

"Yeah. He's really been over the top. I'd give him another black eye, except the ones he has are just starting to look better," commented Marco.

"He's really freaked over getting beat up."

"Yeah. Someone punched his lights out good."

"Well, that's probably why he's such a grouch. But, geeze. Why take it out on us? I think the Phantom will have to get him next shift."

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Chet. He doesn't seem to have any sense of humor right now."

"I know. That's why the Phantom needs to strike. Get things back to normal."

Chet and Marco hung back, prolonging getting dressed.

As Johnny opened his locker, a rubber snake leaped out at him. He jumped back and yelled, a number of emotions passing over his features in rapid succession, until rage settled in. "Chet!" he bellowed, lunging across the bench with a wild expression in the depths of his eyes. His foot caught on the bench and slowed him before he got his hands on Chet, who was rapidly backing away with a look of alarm on his face.

Mike and Roy stepped in between the two men. Mike grabbed Johnny by the shoulders as he tried to lunge for Chet again. "Not funny, Chet! You sonofobitch!" he yelled. Then focusing on Mike he snarled, "Get your hands off me!" Mike let go and stepped back, still keeping between Johnny and Chet.

Marco was pulling Chet out the door when Cap appeared. "What the hell is going on in here?" The loud query stopped the action in the locker room. When no one immediately answered, he put his hand on his hips, demanding, "Well?"

"Chet rigged a rubber snake in Johnny's locker," Roy supplied with irritation.

"Oh, of all the… This is like running a preschool! Gage! Kelly! In my office!"

The two men glared at each other and then followed Cap across the engine bay. Once inside the office, Cap faced them with arms folded across his chest, his expression unamused. "What happened?" he asked flatly.

"It was a joke, Cap," Chet answered his captain. Then, turning to Johnny, "Can't you take a joke?"

Johnny rounded on Chet. "It was a snake! You know…" Johnny turned back to face Cap. "He knows I hate snakes!"

"It was just a joke, Gage!"

"Well, it wasn't funny!"

"Working with you lately hasn't been funny, either! You've been a big pain in the ass!"

Johnny took a step closer to Chet. "Well, who wouldn't be, having to work with you?"

"Enough!" Cap's voice cut through the rapidly escalating argument. He glared at Johnny. "You, back off." Next he glared at Chet. "And you, lay off!" Then, glaring at both of them, he warned, "Both of you settle down. I don't want to hear anything more about this today. I expect you both to work together with civility. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," both men responded.

Cap looked back and forth between the two men. Johnny still appeared angry, while Chet appeared merely annoyed. "Dismissed, Kelly." After Chet had left, Cap spoke. "You have a pretty short fuse lately. You got something you need to get off your chest?"

Johnny looked past Cap. "No, sir."

Cap's expression softened. "I'm a good listener, John."

Johnny closed his eyes and then reopened them to meet Cap's look. "No, thank you, sir."

Cap considered the stubborn man standing stiffly before him. "I expect you to keep a lid on it."

"Yes, sir."

"Go finish changing. Roll call in two minutes. Dismissed." Cap tapped his mouth with his finger thoughtfully. This continual, hair-trigger alert type of anger just wasn't like John Gage. Maybe he needed to go see Dr. Wilson again.