Roy and his family walked slowly towards his partner. They could see that he had a female sitting with him but could only see her back. Roy looked at his wife smiling and shook his head. Johnny caught sight of them and waved. Roy saw his partner then place his hand on the other person's face as if reassuring her.

"Hi guys...glad you made it!" Johnny greeted them. He stood up and Ellen then stood but kept her back to them. "Roy...Joanne...kids...I'd like you to meet the love of my life Ellen!" Ellen turned around and smiled. She was used to startled faces but Roy and Joanne didn't even react. They took her hand and Joanne even gave her a hug and whispered in her ear.

"Welcome to the family!" Johnny smiled at his friends feeling like he was floating on air. Ellen smiled and knelt down to say hello to Roy's children. His daughter touched Ellen's birthmark and was satisfied that it wasn't face paint.

"It doesn't wash off?" Roy's daughter asked.

"No I was born with it." Ellen told her.

"Cool!" the kids said in unison.

Roy smiled at his kids and then looked at his partner. He could see the love in his eyes for Ellen and knew that his partner had finally found someone to love. He slapped his partner on the back approvingly. Johnny smiled shyly at his partner. "She's lovely Junior!" Johnny's heart soared and all his worries and doubts disappeared.

The picnic was enjoyed by all. Roy watched his partner and Ellen; they acted like a couple who had been together for some time. Roy suddenly realised that Ellen was the reason that Johnny didn't come to the barbeque. He also understood why he didn't bring Ellen. A thought occurred to him, "Johnny?"

"Yeah Roy!"

"Has Mike met Ellen?" Roy asked remembering Mike's comment at the barbeque.

"Yeah he has Roy. Barb is a good friend of Ellen's. It's a small world, huh? We were talking one night and Ellen mentioned that her friend's husband was a fireman. I nearly fell over when she said her friend's last name was Stoker." Johnny told his partner.

"So...It's just Cap, Marco and Chet who are left to meet Ellen." Roy surmised.

"I'm sorry about the barbeque...the timing just wasn't right. Ellen is very self conscious Roy and Chet with everything about his girlfriend...she wouldn't have coped." He told his partner sadly.

"I can see that Johnny and let's face it Ellen comes first now!" Roy told his partner. Johnny nodded appreciating his partner's understanding. "Don't worry...there'll be other barbeques just like the Cap said." He put his arm around his partner's shoulders giving him the support his partner deserved. He was even more determined to talk to Marco and clear up the mess that was brewing at the station. There was no way he wanted anything to destroy his partner's happiness.

Next shift Roy and Johnny arrived within seconds of each other. "Hey Roy!"

"Early again partner! I think someone's a good influence on you." Roy said teasingly. Johnny snorted at Roy's comment. "I guess I better get used to it."

"Sure thing Pally!" The paramedics chuckled as they entered the locker room. Johnny froze when he saw his locker. Roy almost ran into him.

"Johnny?" Roy followed his partner's gaze. Hanging from his locker was a bra. Roy frowned at the item and stepped past his partner and pulled it off his locker. He shook his head at the immaturity of Chet.

"That's about as close as you'll get to a bra John!" Chet exclaimed. Marco was laughing next to him. Chet saw Roy glaring at him. "Don't blame me Roy! I didn't put it there. C Shift left it!" Chet and Marco left the locker room laughing. Johnny was still staring at his locker.

"Don't take any notice Johnny." Roy watched his partner open his locker to put his uniforms away. Johnny quietly got dressed and closed his locker. He picked up the bra and walked through the lockers till he found Terry White's locker. He placed the bra on it and attached a note reading 'I believe this belongs to you!'

After listening to Chet's description of his day of sailing with his girlfriend in her bikini, the shift was fairly quiet with only a few runs. Johnny was quiet during the shift and ignored Chet's taunts. Roy caught Marco alone during the second twenty four hours of their shift.

"Why did you tell Terry White of all people about Chet's accusations from the barbeque? You know how much of a big mouth he has." Roy asked Marco.

"I didn't say anything Roy. Terry told me about it...I don't think he knew I was there!" Marco told Roy.

"Then who told him, if it wasn't you?" Roy asked Marco.

"I don't know Roy...Mike?"

Roy shook his head. "Definitely not! Mike's on Johnny's side!" Roy was at a loss. "I'll have to call Terry and ask him?"

Roy didn't waste any time; he went and made the call. Terry answered his phone 'Hello'

"Terry it's Roy. I'll get straight to the point. Who told you about the barbeque and the misunderstanding between Chet and Johnny?" Roy waited for an answer.

'Why do you want to know? Can't that partner of yours take a bit of teasing?' Terry said snidely. It was at that moment Roy heard a very familiar female voice in the background, but he couldn't put a name to it. There was suddenly silence on the other end of the phone. At first Roy thought Terry had hung up but his voice came back on the other end, 'I have to go Roy. Bye!' Terry hung up without answering Roy's question. Roy frowned at the phone as if it was the phones fault. Something was very wrong Roy thought, but he couldn't work out what it was. He and Johnny didn't have much time to talk. They had back to back runs through to the early hours of the morning. Both were exhausted when they finally made it to their bunks.

The next morning Roy and Johnny left as soon as B Shift paramedics arrived and like a lot of forty eight hour shifts they spent the day sleeping. Ellen arrived that evening at Johnny's apartment and made him dinner. They enjoyed each other's company but made it an early night seeing both had work the next day.

The next shift Roy and Johnny were getting dressed when Chet arrived. He had a huge smile on his face. "Alana is bringing lunch today...you guys are in for a treat!" He told the paramedics.

"Looking forward to it!" Johnny told Chet not really listening to Chet as he went on to explain what she was bringing. Johnny was thinking about the meal Ellen had cooked for him last night and how they had talked about their dreams and life in general. He felt deeply satisfied sharing his intimate thoughts and feelings with her. He loved her laugh and wit, something that had only surfaced recently as she became more comfortable with him. It dawned on him what he was feeling and he looked at his partner with an excited expression on his face. He couldn't wait to get his partner alone to tell him what he just realised and was going to do about it. Johnny hadn't realised that Chet had been still talking and had asked him a question. Chet was looking at him expectantly "What?"

"I just asked you if you liked Greek food." Chet asked.

"Never had it...Wouldn't know...Roy can I talk to you?" Roy looked at Johnny and followed him into the bay area. Chet shook his head; Johnny hadn't taken any notice of him.

'What could be more important than Alana's cooking?' he thought.

"Roy, I was thinking about last night...Ellen came over and cooked dinner..." Chet caught 'and cooked dinner' and held back to listen in on Johnny and Roys' conversation, "I just realised that I want that for the rest of my life...Not her just cooking dinner but you know...being with me...sharing everything...I'm going to ask her to marry me!"

Chet frowned at what Johnny had just said. "Surely he wouldn't ask some chick he's just met to marry him?" he thought.

Roy shook Johnny's hand and Mike who had been polishing the engine smiled at Johnny and shook his hand also. Chet looked on and wondered why Mike would be so happy. He watched Johnny enter Cap's office and close the door. He knew Johnny was serious and frowned at the closed door. Johnny hadn't told him he had a girlfriend yet both Roy and Mike knew. He felt left out but then he thought about all the taunting that had taken place the last few shifts and the accusations at the barbeque. He had been bragging about a girlfriend and Johnny already had one.

Chet decided he would ask Johnny on a double date and see what he had to say for himself. The klaxons sounded and the station was called out to a structure fire.

A Shift returned to their station five hours later, tired and hungry. The men were covered in soot and stank of smoke and sweat. Alana was standing in the doorway of the day room waiting for them.

"Geeze babe...I'm sorry...We just need to grab showers and we'll be with you." Chet went to grab her but she backed away.

"Chet...You really need to shower!" Alana told him putting her hands up, signalling him to keep away.

Alana looked over Chet's shoulder and caught sight of Johnny. She liked what she saw and licked her lips. 'He looks even sexier dirty!' she thought. "Hi guys! Lunch will be waiting for you when you're ready!" She called out. Chet stood next to her beaming. Everyone yelled out thanks and waved to her except Johnny. He ignored her and just followed everyone to the locker room. Her smile faded, she didn't like being ignored. Chet tried to sneak a look at lunch but she shooed him away.

Johnny was the last to have a shower. The station had been stood down for one hour so the showers were quick. He was dressing when he heard footsteps heading towards the locker room.

Return to Top