Chapter 3
The words were barely out of Johnny's mouth before the three medical professionals went to work. Johnny quickly moved above Roy's head to begin rescue breathing and to leave room for the doctor and nurse to work. Stanley watched as Dixie pulled Roy's turnout open, and Joe's hands checked for chest injuries.
"Dixie, what's happening?"
Hank had felt the brush of someone passing him but did not expect to see Dr. Brackett kneeling beside the nurse. A fresh bandage covered the larger portion of the left side of his forehead. An orderly and another nurse pushing a gurney came up behind him.
Early pressed his stethoscope on Roy's chest. "He's got some broken ribs on the right side, Kel. But I don't know what's causing his respiratory arrest. There's no sign of…." Joe paused. "Hold it, Johnny. He's breathing on his own again."
Johnny sat back not taking his eyes off his partner's face. Then Hank noticed John had picked up something and was gripping it so that the knuckles on his hand were white. Taking a closer look at Johnny, Hank realized the paramedic was not doing well. Time to get him out of there.
"Come on, John. Let's let these guys take over." Johnny accepted Cap's proffered hand to stand up. Hank felt the wetness before he saw the blood on the hand. He turned the hand over, winning over Gage's weak attempt at resistance. "That need stitches?"
Johnny didn't answer as he watched his partner being lifted onto the gurney. The medical team moved quickly towards an exam room, and Johnny had every intention on following but Hank held him back. The slight pressure on his chest from his Captain's hand, held him in check. Finally realizing he had been asked a question, he looked down at his hand. It was just a scratch. A scratch he got when he removed Roy's helmet from his partner's chest, just as the car was being pulled away.
Hank finally got a good look at what Johnny was holding. The helmet was all but flattened, with the plate bearing the number 51 still in its place.
"Whoa! Is that Roy's helmet?" Chet let out a low whistle from just behind Stanley. Marco and Mike were there too, looking at the flattened object in Johnny's hand. A hand that was beginning to tremor. Before he could stop him, Johnny pushed the Captain's hand away and took off for exam room 4 where he had just seen his partner disappear.
Marco was the first to ask. "How's Roy, Cap? Is he going to be okay?"
Deciding that Gage was probably in the best place he could possibly be for the moment, Cap sighed and then turned to his crew. "I don't know Marco." Stanley noticed two police officers surveying the scene of the nightmare. "Let's see if we can get this mess cleaned up. Maybe we'll hear about Roy by the time we're done." The crew went to work while Stanley tried to answer the questions from one of the officers. The officer's partner went in search for information on the driver of the car. Slowly, activity in that part of the hospital was beginning to resume its normal pace of twenty minutes before. Someone had placed a yellow tape up at the opening and a temporary sign was posted, redirecting foot traffic to another entrance to the Emergency area. The captain realized a lot had happened around him as he and his team had focused on rescuing Roy.
Twenty minutes. Just twenty-five minutes ago, his station had been released from a fire and Gage had been on his way to pick up his partner from Rampart. The only thought he had had at the time was a nice long shower and going home to a comfortable, warm bed. Now, because of a careless, stoned, out of his mind idiot, Roy DeSoto was not going home to a shower and a warm bed. Stanley glanced once more at Exam Room 4's door and then slowly turned to the work at hand, pushing the what ifs to the back of his mind, hoping by the time those thoughts resurfaced, the what ifs would be answered. Answers he could live with.
No one seemed to notice John Gage entering the exam room as their focus was on the patient. He took a position as close to the gurney as he could and still be out of the way. Roy's turnout and uniform shirt were off, an oxygen mask covered his face, and Dixie was starting an IV drip. Johnny watched as Drs. Brackett and Early examined his partner for injuries. In gathering materials to begin cleaning Roy's face, Dixie glanced at Johnny. Returning to the bedside, the nurse gently began clearing away the blood, and softly spoke to Joe Early. He nodded, took off his stethoscope and walked over to Johnny. Without a word, Joe took a wrist, looking at Johnny's hand while counting heartbeats. Johnny didn't seem to notice. His eyes were focused on his partner.
"How's Dr. Brackett? I thought he might have a concussion," Johnny said.
"Oh, he's fine. His dizziness was just brought on by the excitement. Didn't even need stitches. But you know how head wounds can bleed." Joe looked once again at the cut on Johnny's hand and decided it would have to be cleaned before he could tell if it required stitches.
"Joe. I think Roy's coming around." Brackett spoke as he once again examined Roy's pupils. Both the doctor and Johnny moved towards the bed and watched as Roy's eyes opened.
"Hey, there Roy." Brackett's low bass took on a gentle tone. "Do you know where you are?"
Roy didn't respond as his eyes tried to focus on Brackett's face. He tried to raise up from the bed and grimaced in pain as Brackett gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't need to be going anywhere, just yet. You've been injured and unconscious for some time. Can you tell me what you remember?"
Johnny quickly moved to the other side of the bed and stood by Roy's head. Roy followed the movement as Johnny said, "Hey, partner. Heck of a way to end a shift."
That seemed to make things click. Roy looked back at the doctor and tried to take a deep breath, but the pain in his chest cut him off short. "Car came through the door," he whispered. He paused then said, "Sorry I pushed you too hard, Doc."
All three of the Rampart personnel breathed a sigh of relief. Kel rubbed his hand on his bandage and chuckled. "I guess your memory is okay. And thank you for the shove. I don't think I would be standing here if you hadn't pushed me out of the way." With a final pat to Roy's shoulder, he turned to the head nurse. "Dix, let's get x-ray in here. I want a full chest and skull series. I don't think we'll find any other damage to the lower body or the arms. But still, as you get him into a gown, let me know if you see anything that might be cause for concern."
As the doctor and nurse moved towards the exit, Joe Early's eyes settled on the upright paramedic. Johnny was staring down at his partner and still gripping the smashed helmet in his right hand. He was growing pale and the doctor could see the helmet shaking.
"Kel!"
Early reached Johnny just as the young man's legs began to buckle. As Kel helped Joe to bear Johnny's weight, Dixie grabbed a wheelchair from the corner of the room. Johnny hadn't completely passed out so the doctors settled him into the chair. Dixie went to grab a bp cuff.
"Good catch, Joe." Brackett was kicking himself for not noticing Gage was in trouble. The bump on his head and the headache that was starting to take hold was no excuse for not being observant. At least that's what he was telling himself.
"Is he in shock?" asked Dixie as she wrapped the cuff around Johnny's arm.
Joe shook his head. "Just a little delayed reaction, I think."
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