"Hey Johnny! Alana and I wanted to ask you and your girlfriend on a double date." Chet asked from the locker room doorway.

"Why would you want that and how do you know I have a girlfriend Chet? You've been eavesdropping again?" Johnny asked Chet, he had no intentions of subjecting Ellen to Alana.

Chet cleared his throat, "I did overhear you talking to Roy and Mike...but how about it? We cou..."

"No Chet!" Johnny got up from the bench in front of his locker, shut his locker door and walked past Chet and headed for the kitchen. Chet followed him with an incredulous look on his face.

"But why John? We can go somewhere cheap if you want!" Chet tried to reason with Johnny but couldn't help but get in a jab at the paramedic.

"N...O...No Chet!" Johnny said with a taint of disgust. He didn't like the way Chet was hounding him over this and knew it could turn into another batch of taunting. He entered the kitchen and took in the aromas of the food. 'Not bad!' He thought. He sat down between Roy and Mike and started spooning food onto his plate. He didn't recognise any of the dishes but he didn't care; he was hungry and right now anything looked good.

Chet entered the room; he was annoyed with Johnny for turning him down. "So John how long have you been going out with this chick?"

Johnny cringed at the way Chet referred to Ellen as a chick, somehow it sounded insulting. Roy placed his hand on his partner's arm knowing Johnny could easily lose it with Chet. The gesture calmed Johnny and he took a calming breath, "None of your business Chet so drop it. I'm not discussing it with you. What are these?" Johnny held up with his fork small rolls covered in what looked like leaves to Johnny.

"Dolmadakia" answered the female voice of Alana. She was annoyed to hear that the good looking paramedic had a girlfriend. "Chet, I have to go. Bye fellas!"

Cap stood and thanked her on behalf of the shift and Chet walked her out to her car. He came back into the kitchen. "You've got some hide Johnny...eating this food...and then acting like we're not good enough to double date with!" Chet told the paramedic with a wounded voice. In all honesty he really didn't care, having noticed the way Alana looked at Johnny.

"You don't need to double date with me Chet...Aren't you going on a double date with Terry White from C Shift?" Johnny asked, hoping Chet got the message to drop it about a double date with him.

"Nah! He already had something on." Chet told Johnny and with that piece of information Johnny's suspicions were confirmed. He felt for his friend being used like he was but Chet would have to find out for himself and as Roy had said, they would have to be there for their friend when his relationship with Alana fell apart. Johnny glanced at Roy, then Mike, and knew that they too had the same suspicions confirmed. They all ate the food in silence. Johnny suspected that everyone but Chet was thinking the same thing about Alana. He was glad that he had avoided contact with her.

Chet looked around at his friends and wondered why everyone was silent. It was as if they were all in on something and he hated being left out. Their hour was up, the station back in commission and back to the daily chores of the fire house. Everyone thanked Chet and went about their chores. The shift ended with only a few runs, nothing too serious. Johnny couldn't wait to see Ellen and pop the question.

Johnny approached his apartment and found a note attached to his door. Meet me at Seymor Park. XX Johnny assumed it was Ellen but found it odd that she would leave a note. She was supposed to meet him at his apartment. Johnny sighed and went inside to quickly have a shower and get changed. He left his apartment a bit dressed up for a park but he wanted to look his best when he popped the question. He parked his car and looked around. Ellen's car was nowhere to be seen and he frowned. He heard footsteps behind him and quickly spun around.

"Your name John Gage?" A tall light haired man in his early twenties asked. Johnny was feeling very crowded as another man who looked very similar to the one that spoke, only younger, stepped around behind him.

"Yes." Johnny answered tentatively, growing concerned with the way the men stepped into his personal space.

"We've got a message from a friend of ours!" The first man said with a sneer.

"Yeah! A message!" The second younger man said as he pounded his fist into his hand.

Johnny felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck. "I don't know you and I have plans." He tried to step past the two men but suddenly felt searing pain on the left side of his head. His knees buckled as a stabbing pain radiated from the back of his thigh. As he fell, his forehead hit the side vision mirror of his car. He heard shouting but it sounded a long way away, as if down a long tunnel.

Roy was sitting out on his deck relaxing with his wife. He had just finished cutting the grass of his backyard. The phone rang and he groaned at the interruption.

"Hello."

'Roy, its Dixie. You need to come down to Rampart. They just brought Johnny in.' Dixie sounded extremely agitated over the phone.

"What...How...What do you mean they brought Johnny in? He's not working...Dixie...What's going on?" Roy was confused. Johnny had gone home and as far as he knew was going to meet Ellen and ask her to marry him.

'He was found in a parking lot unconscious next to his car Roy. He's been assaulted and...It's bad Roy...He has a fractured skull."

"I'll be right there." Roy hung up the phone and ran out to the deck. "It's Johnny! He's at Rampart and he's hurt bad."

Joanne looked at her husband and saw the fear in his eyes. "Go! Call me when you know more and if...I need to come and see him." She looked at her husband and he knew what she meant. 'In case I need to say goodbye.' Roy pushed it to the back of his mind but knew that it could happen. He nodded and gathered up his wallet and keys and drove to the hospital. His mind was spinning, how could this happen now when Johnny was so happy with his life and was about to embark on a life with Ellen.

He parked his car and ran through the emergency entrance. Dixie caught sight of him and waved him towards treatment room 4. "Dr Brackett is with him..." She put her hand on his arm. "It's not good Roy." Roy nodded and felt his heart beat increase. He knew Dixie was trying to prepare him but he kept thinking this can't be happening, not now.

Dr Brackett was studying X-Rays with two other doctors. One was Dr Early but the other one he had never seen before. Dr Brackett turned around when he heard the door open. "Roy! I'm glad you're here." He looked very concerned and the twitch in his mouth alerted Roy to the seriousness of the situation.

Roy looked at his partner who was lying very still on the bed. The left side of his head was swollen and his left eye was swollen shut. His right hand was in a splint and his left thigh was wrapped in bandages. Johnny's right eye was half open. Roy bent over the bed and looked into his eye and whispered "Johnny can you hear me?"

Johnny's eye fluttered and the smallest of whimpers came from his lips. Roy couldn't tell if Johnny knew he was there or not. He groaned when Dr Early lifted his splinted hand. "We need to take him up to OR Roy. We need to relieve the pressure on his brain. They'll set his hand while he's up there." Dr Early's calm voice told Roy that he needed to say goodbye to his partner.

Roy looked down at his best friend and felt his eyes burning with unshed tears. "I'll be waiting for you Junior. You hold on...think about Ellen and the wonderful life you two are going to spend together." Roy could see Johnny's eye look at him but only small whimpers escaped his lips. He wasn't sure if Johnny understood him but hoped that he could see that he was there for him and that he wasn't alone. Johnny's bed was wheeled out and he felt tears escape his eyes. Dixie grabbed his arm and led him to the doctor's lounge. She gave him a cup of coffee and sat with him; her silence confirming the severity of Johnny's condition. Roy's heart was pounding and his eyes were blurred as the tears pooled in them. He looked at Dixie and saw tracks of tears running down her face.

The door opened and Lt Crockett walked in. "Roy...Ms McCall..." He had his notepad in his hand. "I believe Johnny was brought here."

"He's in surgery." Roy's voice cracked as he spoke. Lt Crockett hung his head, Roy's statement telling him that Johnny was critical.

He sat down next to Roy. "I know this isn't a good time but Roy, does Johnny know an Ellen Forest?" He read the name from his notebook.

"Yes he does, why? Is she alright? She wasn't hurt also was she?" Roy looked at Dixie for confirmation.

"No Roy. I only found out about Johnny through my enquiries. She's been reported missing Roy. Her car was found abandoned near a park." Roy put his head in his hands.

"This can't be happening...oh Johnny!" Roy stood and swayed. Lt Crockett grabbed his arm and steadied him. Roy turned his head and looked sadly at Lt Crockett. "Johnny was going to propose to Ellen today."

Lt Crockett closed his eyes, Roy's words and the way he said them would be etched in his mind for many years. "I'm sorry Roy. I didn't know. Please sit down before you fall down."

Roy sat down mechanically. Nothing seemed to be real to him. Lt Crockett left quietly knowing that Roy was beyond talking to. He needed to piece together the events of the morning which included Johnny's movements. Somehow the assault on Johnny and Ellen's disappearance were connected. He left the hospital with a sense of conviction. The two paramedics were his friends and he was determined to find out what happened and why.

Roy and Dixie sat in silence both sending silent prayers to the OR for their friend. Roy sent a prayer for Ellen. He knew that something was very wrong, with Johnny being hurt and Ellen disappearing. His heart ached for his friend because deep down he had a terrible feeling that something bad had happened to Ellen. He prayed that he was wrong.