Shortly after breakfast the next day, both Dave and Scarlett came in with a modified wheelchair. Unlike standard ones, this one had a higher back and the footrest went straight across. Neither of them knew how well Johnny would be able to balance on his own quiet yet and felt it would be better to be safe than sorry.

"Alright, Johnny," Dave explained as he moved the wheelchair around. "I'm going to put the wheelchair a few steps away and once we have the footrest here moved, we'll have you sitting here. Doctor Early still wants to keep you leaning back a bit, so as soon as we have you seated, I am going to adjust the back to where it should go. Sounds good?"

"Think so," Johnny slowly said, trying to remember how to move again.

Mind feels like I walking in fog, he sighed.

"What's wrong?" Roy asked, picking up that something wasn't exactly right.

"Feel…odd," John told him.

"How so?" Scarlett asked, concern in her voice.

"It be like when you walk in fog and mud," he stated with a grimaced.

"Is that how it feels to think?" queried Jo, feeling she had an idea of what was taking place.

"Yeah!" Johnny smiled at her, grateful someone got it.

Sitting beside him, Jo told him, "Remember Doctor D gave you some pills yesterday? And you have been taking them since then?"

Nodding, he wondered what that had to do with anything.

"Well, sometimes, what happens with the medication you were given, is that your body has to get used to it first. So, your mind feeling like it has slowed down is because you are taking the pills," Jo spelled out. "Once you have been on them for a while, your body should stop feeling like that. We do want to know once it stops or if anything else feels odd."

"So, soon will stop?"

"Yes," she assured him. "If not, we can always see if some other medication might help."

"Why on it?"

"It will help you not feel like your mood is in control so much," Roy took over.

"Glad, hate that."

"I'm sure you do," Roy smiled. "Should we try out the chair?"

"I get to go out of room?" hope shone in Johnny's eyes as he asked that.

"Yep. In fact, Aunt Jo and I have a small surprise for you once you can manage getting in and out," Roy promised.

"Okay, we can start now, right?" Johnny eagerly asked.

As the adults chuckled, Dave and Scarlett went over the wheelchair one last time, making sure the brakes were set.

"Okay, just like before, only this time, instead of Dave helping, Roy and Jo will be helping you out," Scarlett coached. "Alright, sit up as much as you can, than slowly turn. Good, good. Nice and slow. Now, put your feet over the bed, grab onto the walker. That's it, good job! Next lean forward just a bit Johnny. Roy and Jo, just guide him as he gets to his feet."

Slowly, but surely with the help of his "aunt" and "uncle", Johnny finally locked his knees in place and grasped the bars of the walker tightly before standing up as straight as possible. Letting him catch his breath, Scarlett waited a minute before continuing on.

"Okay, now Johnny, just like before, take a few steps forward. Nice and slow. That's it," she praised as he carefully walked the four steps to where the wheelchair was. "Okay, now this will be a lot harder, but your Aunt Jo and Uncle Roy will be right there if you need them. Turn the walker sideways. That's it. Now, carefully turn yourself sideways. Great job! Now, keep one hand on the walker and with the other, reach behind you to find the chair."

As Johnny took a shaky hand and blindly sought out the arm, his breathing increased.

"It's okay, Junior, we got you," Roy assured him. "You almost have it. Just a bit more…There! Feel that?"

Nodding, Johnny let out a deep breathe.

"Okay, now, I want you to hang on to that arm," Scarlett directed. "As you move back into the chair, use that arm to help you hold on. Slowly move your other hand onto the other arm and sit down as slow as possible."

As the four of them watched, they saw fear, determination, confusion, and a sense of accomplishment race across John's face as he slowly, but surely did as instructed. Although his moves were anything but graceful and he would have ended up more or less falling if it wasn't for Roy and Jo's assistance, both Scarlett and Dave knew that for a first attempt, it was beyond what they could hope for.

"Wow! You did great!" Dave said, clearly impressed. "Must want to get out of here and home, huh."

A flash of fear crossed Johnny's face.

Kneeling down, Roy softly asked, "What's wrong? Don't you want to go home with Aunt Jo and I?"

Mumbling something, Roy lifted up his face gently, "I promise not to laugh or take anything the wrong way. I just want to know what you are thinking."

Johnny looked up with tear-filled eyes, "Too much cost. Mom, dad had hard time. You two nice, don't want you to hate me."

"Hey, now," Jo said, also kneeling down as Scarlett and Dave moved out of the way. "We could never hate you. Just like your parents could never hate you. We are family, even if you can't remember right now. I know your parents sent you to us. You want to know why we are so sure of that?"

Shaking his head no, Johnny couldn't bear to look at her.

"You make it feel like our family is now complete. Before, well, we did think our family was full, but when you came in our lives, we realized we were missing something. Someone. And that someone was you. You bring something we can't explain to our family. We are closer, have more fun, and that is because of you," Joanne told him fiercely.

"And don't you worry about the cost of money. I know it had to be rough where you lived, but you live in California now, in a bigger city. People don't care so much about where you come from so it is easier to get a well-paying job," Roy fibbed a bit. "It isn't fair, it isn't right, but that is how it is. Also, because of how you were hurt, there is a fund that helps people who got hurt like you did. It also helps that since I am a firefighter, hospital stuff doesn't cost much for me or my family. That includes you.

"So, you see, all you need to worry about is working on getting better. If you don't get something, are worried about something, or just need to talk, our whole family promises to be here for you. We can handle it, okay? Can you promise to try and work on that for us?" he asked.

Nodding, Johnny leaned forward and gave him a hug. Startled by his grown partner doing so, Roy looked over at Jo to see her smiling.

"Hug him," she mouthed.

Doing so, while trying not to blush, Roy realized in that moment, he wasn't hugging his 30 year old paramedic partner. He was actually hugging a scared little boy who had just lost his parents and was tossed into a world full of hurt and confusion where nothing made sense anymore. He no longer had any connection to what life had been like before and to suddenly be tossed from a warm, loving home to a cruel orphanage to an unknown situation in what his brain assumed took place within a very short time period, well, who could blame him for seeking comfort? Roy certainly couldn't and even thinking of what if it had been his own child had him holding onto Johnny just a bit tighter and a bit longer as he choked back his tears.

As soon as John was ready to sit back, Roy questioned "Are you ready for a special treat?"

"Sure!" John enthusiastically said, curious as to what would happen.

"Alright than," Joanne said, covertly wiping her eyes as she stood up after unlocking the brakes. "Led the way, Uncle Roy!"

With that, Dave came over and made sure everything was set properly on the chair before allowing Roy to push the chair and Jo to follow besides them. He and Scarlett tagged along behind them once they had let the nurse know about the field trip. Both Roy and Jo tried engaging John in conversation, but try as they might, he was too excited about getting out his room for the first time.

"Good thing the next stop is our stop," Jo giggled. "Otherwise, Joe might have had to go in and tighten some screws."

"Jo!" Roy hissed, failing not to laugh.

"What, you have to admit, he has not lost his curiosity," she remarked.

Shaking his head, Roy smiled.

No, he hasn't. Every new person or place we have come across, he scans it like he is trying to memorize it. Thank goodness we are at the cafeteria! Roy thought.

"Aunt Jo is going to get you some hot chocolate and some cookies. We thought it might be a nice treat since you've been doing so well," Roy said when Johnny looked around to see where she went.

"Never had hot chocolate…" he whispered.

"I think you'll like it. It's like drinking melted chocolate, although Aunt Jo makes it better than they do here."

Nodding, Johnny continued looking around at the outside space. Although small, to him, it was worlds better than being cooped up in his room. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and just breathed in the scents around him.

"Missed this," he confessed.

"Being outside?" Roy wondered.

"Yeah."

"We'll try to get you out more," Roy promised.

"Anytime Roy is home," Jo agreed as she came barring a cup of hot coco and a small stack of chocolate chip cookies. "I'm afraid you'll have to share the cookies with Uncle Roy. He can be cranky if he doesn't get cookies."

"Hey!" Roy protested with a small.

"You do," Jo shrugged.

Giggling, Johnny made as if to pull the cookies over to him and away from Roy.

"Hey! Share!" Roy said, trying to look ferocious, but instead ended up laughing when Johnny shook his head and laughed. "Do I have to growl?"

"Maybe," Johnny grinned. "I give you one."

"One!"

"I shared," he laughed at the outrageous face.

Sighing, Roy shook his head.

"Look over there," he pointed.

"Where?" Johnny asked, turning as much as possible.

Grabbing the cookies back, Roy began munching on one.

"Hey!"

"Are you two fighting fair?" Jo had seen what was happening, but waited a bit before coming back with the two cups of coffee.

"He took cookies," Johnny looked at her pitifully.

"He took them first," Roy defended himself.

Rolling her eyes, Joanne grabbed the cookies, ignoring the "hey's!" and split them up evenly.

"Why'd I get one less?" Roy pouted.

"Cause I know you ate one already," she glared at him teasingly. "So, how do you like the coco, Johnny?"

"Coco is yummy!"

"Good," she smiled. "I talked to your therapists, they said as soon as we are done here, Nurse Dixie is going to come up. She'll help you with making sure you can clean up from the chair. If all goes well, we can take you home tomorrow."

"Really!"

"Only if things go well," Roy cautioned.

"What we wait for," John asked, eager to see how well he could do.

"Don't you want to finish your hot coco and cookies?" Joanne asked, amused.

"Oh, yeah," Johnny looked down and scrunched his nose.

I want to eat, but want to know…

Deciding, he began eating as fast as he could. Smiling, Joanne just brushed off the layers of crumbs that were accumulating and made sure when he drank that he had a firm grip on the glass since he still had issues with that. Soon enough, although not soon enough for John, it was time for what he felt was the final test to see if he could go home.