The door to the treatment room opened slowly and two figures advanced toward the bed. Johnny moved his head slightly, aware on some level that he was no longer alone but still too out of it to be considered fully alert.

Dixie pushed on forward and inspected the bag hanging above the paramedic. She nodded to herself to see it was nearly empty. She next laid a hand on Johnny's shoulder and gently shook him while softly calling his name.

More head movements then slowly his eyelids cracked open, revealing dull brown orbs. "Dix?" he questioned faintly.

Dixie smiled, "Hiya, handsome. You're nearly done here."

He looked up at the IV bag over his head then back at her, "Go home?" His voice remained thin and weak and Dixie felt her stomach tighten at the childlike pleading in it. She squeezed his shoulder. "Not really. Johnny . . ."

His eyes opened wider and he pulled away from her slightly as he shook his head. "Not stayin'" he muttered. "Won't stay."

"Calm down, Johnny. Kel isn't going to make you stay." She soothed.

Jo stepped forward with a smile on her face for her friend. "Johnny, Dr. Brackett agreed to let you stay at my house. Don't worry, between Jenny and myself we'll take real good care of you."

Johnny blinked at her, and Jo noticed his eyes still seemed glassy and fever-bright. She glanced at Dixie and moved closer. "Johnny? Do you understand what I said?"

He nodded. Again the two women exchanged looks. But as Jo opened her mouth to speak again, Johnny's face fell into a look of uncertainty. "Your house?"

She nodded and smiled, "That's right, Johnny."

The puzzled look only deepened, "But . . . but Roy won't . . . He doesn't . .." He was shaking his head again, then winced in pain. Jo reached forward and laid a hand against his fever reddened cheek and stroked it gently.

It felt good; soft and cool against his fevered skin. His head hurt, his eyes hurt, his hands throbbed and what little strength he had had seeped away. He knew he should protest more but he just didn't care enough to make the effort. His ringing ears barely registered her sharp words. "You let me worry about that husband of mine, Johnny. The only thing we want from you is for you to get better."

Johnny's eyes fell to half-mast as his head sagged against her hand. Then slowly they closed and he was still. Jo kept her hand on his cheek, stroking it and his temple gently as she would one of her children and felt his respirations deepen again with sleep. As she watched him, a myriad of thoughts ran through her head. 'Oh, Johnny, what does Roy think he's doing? Can't he see how he's hurt you?'

She watched as Dixie injected something into the IV port, flushed it through, then stood back and looked at her charge. She suddenly seemed to remember the other woman and looked up at her with a smile. "Kel ordered something for pain relief." she told Jo. "Ear infections can be quite painful and I'm sure with all his other injures he's doubtless feeling pretty rotten." She patted Johnny's arm, then ushered her friend out the door. "He'll probably sleep for a few more hours now. If you want to head home, I can call you when he's ready to be released."

"No, I'll just stay here." Jo grinned at the nurse's look and pulled the paperback from her purse. "I've nowhere to go, nothing to do and a book I've been waiting to read. I think I'll just head off to the cafeteria to find a quiet corner and glass of iced tea."

Dixie chuckled and glanced at her watch. "Well, we've been so busy I never got any breaks and admin has been on my case about overtime hours so I'm off shift at 2. I'll get you then and help you get our boy resettled at your house."

Jo shook her head at her, "You don't need to do that, Dixie."

Dixie took the other woman's elbow as she lead her away from the closed treatment room door. "It's not a problem. Besides, I think you'll probably need a hand getting him into the house. We can have an orderly help get him into the car but I think he'll be too much for you to handle later. In his condition, he won't be able to help you much himself."

Jo nodded with a sigh as she acknowledge the truth behind the nurse's words. She also remembered how much of an effort it had been to get Johnny into the hospital. "Thanks Dix." She raised her book and smiled, "Well, the brave detective of Saltwater Creek is calling." With a last laugh she headed off.

Dixie watched her go with a smile on her face, then bent back over her desk, applying herself once more to the stack of charts there.

It seemed to the busy nurse that she'd just looked back down at her charts when a voice called her name as a hand touched her elbow. Gloria Winters, another older RN smiled at her. "Hey Dix. Gee, those charts must be some fascinating reading. You didn't hear me at all, did you."

Dixie smiled at the other nurse. "Well, I don't know about being fascinating or not. After all, they are charts." She laughed. Then she proceeded to give her replacement the shift change briefing. She ended with, "Johnny Gage is in Treatment 4." At the raised eyebrows, she nodded and sighed. "Yes, I know but he checked himself out Wednesday AMA then called this morning to let us know he'd started a fever."

"Well at least he had the good sense to come back, even if he left too soon to begin with." Gloria muttered. Dix couldn't help but agree. "Dr. Brackett has him on a drip, he was a little dehydrated, and he put him on different antibiotics for an infection in his ear. He was finished with that when I last checked and was just sleeping off the pain meds." She shuffled through the charts, pulled one out and after flipping it open began marking in it.

She finished marking the chart, flipped it shut and handed it to Gloria with a smiled, "It's all yours! Johnny will be leaving as soon as he's awake enough to get into a wheelchair." She chuckled at the frown Gloria gave and patted her shoulder, "I know and I agree. But at least he'll be going to the DeSoto's; not home."

Gloria brightened at that bit of news. "That's good. That partner of his will make sure he gets better in no time."

Dix couldn't help another quick prayer at that comment, glad that Gloria had bent her head back to the stack of charts and didn't see the frown. 'God, I hope so. I hope Roy's changed his attitude more even from the last time I saw him.'

She checked on Johnny again, found him still deeply asleep and took his temp from under his arm. She frowned as she shook the thermometer back down and placed it into the alcohol. 'Still up there, Phoenix. When I get you awake we'll have to give you something more for that.' Her belly grumbled and she looked at her watch. The ER was quiet, Johnny was out and she was off duty. She shrugged, 'Might as well get something to eat when I get JoAnne in the cafeteria.' With one last look at her friend, she left the room. She made a quick stop at the pharmacy to pick up the meds Brackett had ordered for Johnny then headed toward the cafeteria. She made her way quickly through the line, choosing the noodle casserole, a small salad and a bowl of fresh fruit for desert. She completed the meal with a tall glass of tea. Once she'd paid for her purchases, she headed for the secluded table where she'd earlier spotted Jo.

"Looks like you've found a good spot," She greeted JoAnne as she sat down. JoAnne looked up with a smile and closed her book. "How's Johnny now?" She asked and Dixie smiled, pleased to hear that be her first question.

"Still sleeping when I last checked him. However, his fever is still up there too," Dixie answered as she applied herself to her dinner. JoAnne noticed the paper bag with the pharmacy label on it that Dixie had laid on the table along with her purse. "These Johnny's meds?"

Dixie nodded, then began giving directions for their dispensing. "That one, there, yes, that's the antibiotic. He'll get that twice a day, try and make sure he has something in his stomach when he takes it if you can. Just a couple of crackers or a glass of milk will work. That smaller bottle, that's the pain meds. He can have that every 4 hours as needed. Try not to let too long go between doses. Pain will wear his body down and he doesn't need any more help in that department. You can give him Tylenol for the fever as needed." Jo nodded as she repeated each order back. "OK, I think I've got it."

Dixie smiled again, "well, I'm finished here. Shall we go see if we can rouse Sleeping Beauty?"

Jo giggled as she put her book into her purse then grabbed up the meds. "Sleeping Beauty huh. So who gets to awake Beauty with a kiss? You or me?"

Dixie laughed, "I think if either one of us kisses him awake, he'd probably then die from shock and embarrassment." Jo snickered as she nodded in agreement.

As they approached the treatment room where Johnny was, Dixie held up her hand in a 'wait' motion then quickly stepped over to a supply closet. She returned with some folded articles and answered Jo's unspoken question. "Scrubs will be a lot easier to get him into and more comfortable for him at your house than the jeans and shirt he wore in."

Jo giggled then clapped her hands and playfully whispered, "Oh Goody! We get to play dress up with Sleeping Beauty as well!"

Dix eyed her warily, "JoAnne DeSoto, you are a wicked woman." She grinned broader, "I admire that in a friend!"

Jo shrugged, "Well I try. You know my husband doesn't let me out much to play with others so I have to get my fun when I can." The two were still chuckling as they pushed the door open. Both immediately sobered as they looked on their sleeping friend.

Jo sighed heavily and Dixie laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. Jo turned and smiled wanly at her friend. "Don't worry," Dixie assured her, "we'll have him back on his feet soon."

Jo clasped Dixie's hand where it lay on her shoulder. "You bet we will." She agreed. Dixie moved forward, laying the scrubs on the edge of the table while she moved to Johnny's head. She gently shook his shoulder as she called, "Johnny? Johnny open your eyes for me."

Johnny moved his head and took a deeper breath. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked several times until his vision cleared. "Dix?" He questioned then looked beyond her at the other smiling face gazing down at him. "Jo? What's going on?" He looked around, confused. "Rampart . . . I was hurt? Roy. Is Roy ok?" His eyes were wide and he tried to sit up quickly but stopped groaning when the action pulled his various stitches and made the pounding in his head strengthen.

Dix placed a gentling hand on his chest. "Relax Johnny. You're fine and Roy's fine. He's on duty right now. You came in this morning with a fever, remember?"

Johnny closed his eyes with another groan as his left hand came up. He tried to rub his aching head but the roughness of the plaster touching his still burn-sensitive skin made him drop it with a hiss. "I remember. Can I go home now?"

Dix nodded, "That's what we're here for. Hold on while I remove this IV." She quickly pulled the needle and placed a piece of gauze over the site. She looked at Johnny's cast hands then turned with a smile to her friend. "Jo, can you hold pressure on this for a moment? Thanks."

Jo moved forward, smiling widely at Johnny. "Of course." She placed her left hand firmly over the site after Dixie taped it down and her right fingers closed around the fingers extending from Johnny's cast.

"Now handsome, let's get these wounds dressed again and then we're outta here!" The nurse teased him.

Jo tried not to look horrified as Dixie pulled back the sheet and then Johnny's gown, exposing the uncovered wounds on his arms and torso. Dark bruises marked his body around and between the myriad of lacerations and stitched wounds. To the untrained woman it seemed there wasn't an area on his front not injured somehow. With effort, she focused back on Dixie as the nurse showed her how to bandage each stitched wound.

Once the stitched areas were redressed, Dixie gently touched his neck and looked over his arms. Johnny sucked in a breath as she did and couldn't help flinching. "Burns still a little sore?"

He shrugged, "A little." He admitted. Dixie removed a blue container from the glass cabinet and opened the top. She poured some of the viscous liquid onto the tray then used a piece of gauze to smear the silvery stuff over the burns. Johnny couldn't contain the sigh that escaped him when the medicine touched his burning skin and instantly cooled the fire there. Dixie smiled at him, "That silvidine feels great doesn't it?'

Johnny gave her a lop-sided grin in answer. "Now, your legs." Dixie smoothed the sheet back over his chest and hips before she exposed his thighs. She quickly covered the stitched areas there as well. Once she was done, she grabbed the scrub pants and shook them out. Johnny saw what she intended and blushed deeply.

"Dix, I can do that." he protested. Dixie tilted her head in disbelief. "And not end up flat on your face?"

He blushed deeper but grabbed them away from her and glared at the two women watching him. When they didn't move, he raised one brow and asked, "Do you mind?"

They exchanged giggles and looks as they made a show of turning around. Grunts and the sound of movement with cloth came from behind them then Johnny's voice announced, "Ok."

When they turned back, Johnny was sitting up on the edge of the table and had just finished tying the drawstring around his slim waist. Dixie shook out the shirt and helped him guide it over his head and down his injured arms. She smiled and patted his knee. "Wait right here."

She left and Jo faced Johnny again. "Johnny, you do remember our deal, right?"

Johnny dropped his gaze to his bare feet and sighed, "Yeah."

Jo's face took on a pained look over the defeat she heard in his voice in just that word. "Oh Johnny. I wish it didn't have to be this way. I really wish you could go home to your ranch but . . ."

Johnny held up a hand to stop her, "I know. I heard. And I know there's no way Brackett would let me." He gave a short chuckle, "To be honest, I was kinda surprised to wake up and not find myself sedated, restrained and admitted." He looked up at her and she couldn't help but notice there was no life in his dark eyes. "Roy . . ."

Jo frowned, "I told you before and I'll say it again, Johnny Gage. You leave my husband to me."

Johnny sighed, his shoulders slumped. To tell the truth, he barely had the energy left to remain sitting upright. He had no fight left in him, and no desire to fight as well. He remained that way, head down, eyes closed even as Dixie re-entered the room with a wheelchair and an orderly. Jo had noticed his bare feet and had once again put his tennis shoes on him. Now with Dixie on one side and the orderly on the other, they carefully helped Johnny step off the table and swivel into the chair. Jo noticed that his legs trembled as he did and his face looked pale under the fever-reddened cheeks.

Dixie handed Jo the bag containing Johnny's clothes and together they followed the wheelchair out of the room.

They were headed down the hall when Johnny held up his hand, "Uhh, wait. Troy can we take a side trip? Ummm, IV fluid uhh. . .."

Troy grinned as he realized what the paramedic meant, "Gotcha Gage, Excuse us for a moment ladies. We'll be right back." At Dixie's understanding nod, Troy wheeled Johnny into the restroom. Before long they were back and the little group was headed out the door. Troy and Dixie again helped Johnny stand then get into the passenger seat while Jo put his clothes and meds in the back seat then went around back to lift the hatch. After Johnny was settled and while Dixie was helping make sure he was buckled in, Troy collapsed the wheelchair and placed it in the wagon's back. He shut the hatch firmly then went back around and slapped Gage's arm through the window. "Luck Gage. Hope to see you back in your blues soon." Johnny gave him a weak grin in return.

Dixie looked at Jo and said, "I'll go get my car and meet you back at your house in a bit." Once they were both gone, Jo turned over the engine then smiled again at Johnny. But the dark haired man had placed his head back in the headrest and had closed his eyes. Jo settled for placing a hand on his exposed fingers. She squeezed them gently then concentrated on leaving the parking lot.

As she drove, she thought about what she needed to do when she got home. It was only going to be her and Johnny for supper since Jenny would be spending the night and Chris was off with the Boy Scouts. She realized the left over pot roast from the night before would make great sandwiches and she remembered a bag of unopened chips still above the fridge. She glanced at Johnny who for all intensive purposes looked asleep again. She knew he'd soon be due for his meds and remembered what Dixie had said. On impulse she swung into a fast food drive thru.

As she paid for the purchases and turned to place the bag beside her, dark eyes caught her attention. She smiled and handed him a large sweating cup. "Here, this will make you feel better, Johnny"

He took it and brought the straw to his dry lips. He sucked and cool sweet thick liquid filled his mouth. He swallowed several times, pulling the satisfying fluid into his mouth and down his hot throat. When he finally stopped for air, he looked up and saw Jo grinning happily at him. "Good." he told her. "Thanks"

She sipped her own drink then placed it in the holder by her side. "I remembered how much you like malts and since it's too hot for coffee I remembered this place has great Jamocha shakes."

Johnny nodded as he sipped again at the cooling fluid. It certainly did feel good both on his empty stomach and his overheated body. He continued to enjoy the drink as they headed homeward.

Dixie's car was parked on the street so that Jo could easily get into the garage when they entered the cul-de-sac of the DeSoto house. Jo hit the button for the garage door as she swung the car into the drive. Dix walked up as the car stopped. She flipped up the hatch and pulled out the chair as Jo first unlocked the door to the house then walked around to the passenger side where Johnny had unbelted himself and opened the door. Part of him wanted to argue with the two women that he could do this but then he felt the tremors in his arms and legs.

As if reading his mind, Dix glared at him and said, "It'll be easier to assist us in doing this than it will be if we have to try to pick you up off the floor after you fall."

With a resigned sigh, Johnny put out his arms and felt Dixie grasp him firmly under the arm and around his back. She pulled him upward and he assisted her as much as his shaking legs let him. He was pale and sweating when he finally collapsed a few moments later into the wheelchair. Dixie wheeled him around the car and into the house while Jo ran on ahead. By the time Dixie had wheeled him down the hallway, Jo had stripped the cover off the daybed in her sewing/sunroom and had placed several large fluffy pillows on one end of it, making sure Johnny's right side was against the back leaving his better ear outward. Together the two women got him into the bed and Johnny laid back in exhaustion.

"Wait Johnny, don't go to sleep yet." He heard Dixie tell him and with great effort he pried his eyes back open. Dixie started to stick a thermometer into his mouth, but he turned his head. Dixie glared at him, "John Gage, I . . ."

"Won't be right; Jo just treated me to a shake in the car."

Jo, who had been removing his shoes, looked sternly at him as well when he interrupted Dixie's scold but turned it to an apologetic smile at his quiet explanation.

Dixie backed off. "I'm sorry, Johnny. You're right, of course, it wouldn't do any good to check it orally right now. We'll just have to settle for an axillary one." She tucked the thermometer into the crease of his armpit then set about taking his pulse. Johnny blinked lazily at her, more out of it than aware. She took the thermometer out and frowned at the reading. "101.4. Johnny, I'm going to give you more Tylenol and your pain medicine." Johnny only nodded. He hadn't realized his eyes had again slid shut until he felt her shake his shoulder. He took the tablets she handed him and threw them into his mouth. Dixie helped him sit up more as Jo then offered him a glass of cold milk and he eagerly drained it. He settled back with a sigh, his eyes again closed.

"There now, you get some sleep." Jo told him as she draped a light sheet over his legs to prevent a chill. "We'll have dinner in a few hours."

Johnny didn't answer and both women suspected he was again asleep. They left the room, pulling the door partly closed behind them. Jo had pulled the heavy drapes, making the room comfortably dimmed and turned on the ceiling fan to give the air some movement.

Jo turned to Dixie as they left the sunroom and headed back down the hall. "Do you have time for a cup of coffee?"

Dixie looked at her watch then shook her head, "I really don't; can I have a rain check on that Jo? I desperately need to get home and do some laundry before I have to show up next shift naked."

Jo laughed, "That'll definitely get some attention. Alright and yes, you can have a rain check. Good anytime!"

Dixie smiled. "I'll be by some time tomorrow, just to check on our patient again."

Jo followed her to the door. "Thanks again Dix."

Dixie laid a hand on her elbow, "No. Thank YOU for being a good friend to Johnny."

Jo looked down the hallway and sighed, "I love him like a little brother." She murmured. When she faced the nurse again, her eyes flashed with anger. "I don't know what's gotten into that husband of mine but you better believe I'm gonna find out and put a stop to this! This has gone far enough."

Dixie smiled and patted her arm. "I'm only a phone call away." She too looked down the hall and hesitated, "If his fever gets worse or he starts throwing up or shows any other signs of problems . . ."

Now Jo smiled as she nodded, "You'll be the first one I call." Then she paused, "Or maybe the second, right after I call for a squad."

Dixie laughed as she exited. "Good girl."

Jo watched her drive away then turned back into the living room. She walked down the hall and stood where she could watch Johnny sleep. As she gazed at him, he shifted his weight; his face twisting into a grimace that she somehow knew he'd never allow if he were awake. The springs on the daybed squeaked softly in protest and she smiled in memory. "I'll know when you're better, Johnny. You'll start complaining about that squeak, just like you have before." She'd never tell him that she refused to let Roy WD40 them because it let her know when whomever she was nursing was waking and might need her. Over various bouts of flu, chicken pox, and viruses along with a diverse mixture of strains, sprains and broken limbs, she'd become tuned to those springs. She watched him re-settle, his eyes never opening or even fluttering.

She moved forward and laid the back of her hand on his forehead. It was still very warm, not as hot as it had been when she'd taken him in that morning, but still enough she could see the beads of perspiration there. She left, gathered what she needed and returned. She took the soft washcloth, wet it well, wrung it mostly out, folded it into thirds then wiped his face with it. Once that was done, she repeated the process only this time she left it on his forehead. She stood, then left the room, again closing the door just enough so she could still see him from the hall.

She entered the kitchen and glanced up at the clock. 'Only 4:30? Still too early for dinner but I'm alittle hungry.' She opened the fridge and quickly decided on a cup of yogurt with fruit on the bottom and a couple of cinnamon graham crackers. She stirred the fruit up into the yogurt as she sat at the table, staring out into her backyard as she ate her snack. A soft furry touch on her elbow pulled her thoughts back and she smiled down into huge pleading blue eyes. "Alright, Mousie. I know. I'll let you lick the container when I'm done." The Siamese meowed her thanks and began her pre-snack bath. Jo did as she promised and laughed as the cat scooted the container over until it was trapped by the table before she reached a paw into it and began licking off the treat.

"Let me know when you're finished so I can rinse it out and throw it away." She told the purring cat. She looked out the sliding glass doors while sipping her coffee as she planned out the meals over the next few days. She continued sharing her ideas with the cat. "Johnny's face and jaw must be hurting from the infection and all those cuts. I know that when the kids have an ear infection, they don't want to chew a lot because of that. I guess I'll need to fix soft things he can eat easily. With only three fingers to use and those on his left hand as well that eliminates stuff like hamburgers and sloppy joes. Too hard to handle and too messy for his casts." She sighed, "He's so thin, much too thin. We've got to get some meat back onto his poor bones." She shook her head sadly at what she'd seen of his body back at the hospital. The sight of his many cuts and wounds was frightening enough but the way his joints and ribs jutted upward barely under his skin had worried her more.

A sudden inspiration hit her and she jumped up, racing over to her pantry. She counted the boxes there with growing excitement. "Great! I have four left and most are his favorite flavors." She smiled down at the cat who now snooped into the area she was rarely allowed into. "Every mother knows when a kid has a fever, you give them jello water! It helps hydrate them and gives them something to run off of."

She snickered, "You know, Roy rolls his eyes when I do this with the kids, but then he agreed that it was probably better than kool-aid and it did get them to drink. What was it he called it?" She scrunched up her nose as she tried to remember then nodded, "oh yes, he called it oral D5W with flavoring!"

Before long, she had the mixture stirred up well and in a small picture in the fridge. Next she searched the cabinets for the proper cup. Finally she found it pushed back behind her other Tupperware. It had a lid on it that had its own cap. One could sip out of the small opening or place a long segmented straw into it. She only used it when Roy, herself or one of the kids were sick. She stood a moment looking at it. "I remember using this for Johnny once before. You remember, Mousie, back when he came here for awhile after he had that terrible virus?" She shook her head as the sad memories of those tense fear-filled days flooded her mind. "Roy was so worried and so was I. We . . we almost lost him then."

She looked down as the cat rubbed her ankle then reached up and gently tapped her leg. "Oh, that's right. You weren't even born then. Well, take it from me, that was terrible. It took Johnny quite a while to really get back to full strength." She took a sip from her coffee cup then made another quick decision.

She took the cup, carefully rinsed it out, then filled it with some of the jello water. She carried it down the hall and placed it on the bedside table. Mousie accompanied her and jumped daintily up on the bed. She sniffed Johnny carefully, holding her mouth open as she registered the odd smells. Then she walked up the bed the length of his body, stopping every so often for more sniffs. Jo watched her and cautioned, "Now Mousie, he's hurt. Don't you climb on him."

The cat looked up at her, one ear laid back as if to say 'I can see that and I had no such thought' Then she nuzzled Johnny's neck and carefully curled up on the pillow by his head, purring loudly as she stared at him. Jo smiled at the site of her new nursing assistant.

Johnny hadn't moved since the last time she'd checked on him. His breathing was still deep and regular. She rewet the cloth and replaced it. She was still standing there, lost in thought as she watched him sleep when a loud knock on her door brought her thoughts home. Again she left the room, leaving the door just open and the cat on guard.

The knocking persisted and now a voice was added, "Jo? JoAnne! Are you home? I saw the car in the garage; are you alright?"

Jo sighed. She knew that voice; it was Tammy Kent. While the woman was 'ok' there was a lot about her that reminded Jo of the cactus her sister had given her. While Jo loved her sister and loved plants and the cactus was nice, she'd learned after awhile to hate it. This cactus had very fine, almost hair like needles and every time she got near the thing, one of those needles somehow got under her skin. Once there, she could feel it in but couldn't see it or get a good hold on it to get it back out until it irritated the surrounding flesh so much it infected. Then once the infection was lanced, the needle would reappear. Roy finally made her give the plant away after the tenth time of providing the needed treatment.

'Well, nothing to do but grin and bear it' she thought then couldn't help but chuckle, 'At least Roy doesn't have to cut her out of me after each time we get together'. With that on her mind bringing a real smile to her face, she opened the door.

"Tammy! How nice to see you!" She said and as she expected, before she could say anything else, Tammy pushed her way past her and into the room.

"Oh, Jo. I'm so glad you're home! I really have missed my shopping buddy. There have been some really wonderful sales I didn't get to because of you." She poised on the edge of a chair. "But that's over now." She motioned Jo toward the bedrooms. "Well? Don't just stand there. Go get ready! Change, grab your purse and let's go! There's a fantastic sale on tonight over at Mitsy's Closet then I thought we'd catch that movie over at the a new cinema. You know which one, the one all the critics are just raving over? And then we'll have a late dinner at Rickies." She babbled excitedly. She paused as she noticed Jo hadn't moved. "Jo, why aren't you going? Come on already! All the good stuff will be gone if we don't get there soon. The sale is only for tonight!"

JoAnne glanced back down the hall as she leaned against the wall. "It sounds like fun, Tammy, it really does, but I just can't today. I already have plans for this evening."

Tammy frowned, "Plans? But when I talked to you the other night you said you were looking forward to doing nothing today." She held up one hand and ticked off the fingers on it with the other hand. "Chris is at scout camp already, Roy is on duty and Jenny is spending today and tomorrow with your sister." She raised her hands. "So, what plans?"

Jo shrugged slightly, "That was the plan before I got a call this morning that changed everything. A friend is sick and I promised to help out." She smiled fondly as she thought about Johnny. 'It's good to be helping him for a change after everything he's done for us.'

Tammy's frown deepened, "A 'sick friend'?" She put a strange accent on the wording but Jo ignored it. Just then the springs to the daybed squeaked as Johnny shifted, trying to ease the discomforts in his body. A faint moan echoed from the room. 'He must have moved wrong.' Jo thought as her head automatically turned in his direction. "Excuse me a moment." She told Tammy even as she turned down the hall.

Johnny had his eyes partly opened when she entered and smiled at him. She laid a hand on his forehead, feeling the sweat and the heat there. "Hey. Try to lie still, Johnny, I know you still hurt. It's not quite time yet for more pain meds. Can you wait?"

He nodded and tried to speak but only gave out a slight croaking noise from his dry throat. Instantly, Jo had the straw to the cup she left by his bedside on his lips. "Drink slowly, Johnny. It's jello water." She smiled tenderly at him, "Black Cherry, your favorite." He drank from the cup but his eyes had settled on something behind her.

When she replaced the drink on the table, she took the now heated cloth from his forehead, rinsed it, wrung it out slightly then placed it back on his forehead. She kept her hand there for several moments, gently stroking his temple. As she did, she was faintly aware that Mousie had lifted her head up as well and low growls now vibrated from her throat.

"Mousie stop or I'll make you leave." She scolded the cat then turned her attention back to her patient. "Relax Johnny, just relax" She soothed. But he remained slightly tense, his gaze fixed over her shoulder. She wondered why Johnny still didn't look at her but just as she was getting ready to ask him, he sighed deeply and his eyes slid shut.

Jo stood up, her gaze still on him, her thoughts warm and private. Then an hand firmly grasped her elbow and she was pulled from the room quickly; the door firmly shut once they were in the hall. She turned to protest this behavior and to find out who had her. As she registered the face and the disdain she saw there, her own eyes lit with a fire in response. "Just what do you think you are doing?" She growled in much the same manner as the cat had earlier as she wrenched her arm out of the tight grasp and crossed her arms over her chest. "And you better come up with one hellofa good reason as well!"