CHAPTER TWO

Disclaimer: I do not own EMERGENCY!, the characters, Mark VII Productions, Inc. or Universal Studios.

I only own this fictional story.

Johnny arrived early at Rampart General Hospital. He didn't want to risk being the last one there. Something about being the last one bothered him.

In the room, he recognized three men, other firefighters, but he didn't know them, Dr. Brackett, nurse Dixie McCall, and Roy DeSoto. There were other doctors and nurses he didn't recognize. Why was Roy here?

When Dr. Brackett noticed him, Johnny could've sworn the doctor's frown deepened. "Man, what is his problem?" Johnny didn't know what or why the doctor had issues with him, but that just strengthened Johnny's determination to succeed.

However, when Dixie McCall noticed him, Johnny got a completely different reaction. Her bright smile told him she was glad to see him. He glanced at his watch. There was still time before things started. He went over to the nurse.

"Hi, Johnny."

"Good morning, Dixie." He fiddled with his tie. It wasn't that he wasn't used to wearing one; on different occasions, he needed to do that. Only, it wasn't often for work. Right now, he just needed to do something.

"Nervous?"

Embarrassed, Johnny dropped his hands to his side. How did she see, know everything? "You could say that. Uh, so, how do you think things will go?"

"I think we have a group of bright young men here. There's a lot to learn in this crash course of medicine, but I'm sure you guys can handle it. By the way, I'm glad you signed up."

"You say that as though you were expecting me here. DeSoto acted the same way when I signed up for this. Why is that?"

Dixie just shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "Maybe I just liked the idea of seeing your handsome face around the hospital more. I can't answer for Roy."

The blonde nurse's comment made Johnny blush. Although he always had an eye for the nurses, it was different with Dixie. She was a mentor to him; more like a sister to the young firefighter.

Johnny pushed aside his embarrassment. Now wasn't the time. He nodded his head towards Roy. "Why is he here?"

"The top two guys from the first training class are helping with this one. There's a man over at Harbor General and Roy's here. You two know each other, right?"

"I just met him when I signed up. I don't know anything about him, except he seems passionate about this."

"That's for sure," she said. "Like I said, he was one of the top students in his class." She paused and looked around the room. "Will you excuse me?" she asked. "I need to make sure we have everything in order."

Johnny nodded. He couldn't help wondering what made DeSoto so passionate about this program. Had something happened in his life? Something like what he'd …

"Gentlemen, could you please come over here."

Johnny took a deep breath. There's no time to think about other things. The training has begun.

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Looking down at the stack of books in the passenger seat next to him, Johnny sighed. He had twelve weeks to learn all of this. Twelve weeks. Ninety days. Three months. No matter how it was said, it didn't feel like enough time to learn all the terminology and techniques for so many traumas and diseases. Not to mention learning about delivering babies. He was going to have to deliver a baby someday. What had he gotten himself into?

Maybe Dr. Brackett was right. Maybe this "crash course" for medicine was a bad idea. Didn't it take years for a doctor to become a doctor?

Johnny absentmindedly stared through the windshield at Rampart Hospital. It had taken him a few months to become a firefighter. It was hard, but Johnny wasn't afraid of hard work. He had been successful. He would also be successful with this.

Besides, he wasn't becoming a doctor and didn't want to become one. He would be in constant contact with them. They would make the decisions. His role was to be the eyes and ears for them.

Johnny jumped when someone knocked on the window. It was Williams from the paramedics training class. Johnny rolled down his window.

"Hey, Gage, you look about as shell-shocked as we feel. We're gonna go get a beer. Wanna come?"

"Sure. I think I need a cold one right about now."

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Johnny glanced over at the nurses' station. A slow, crooked grin spread across his face.

Roy noticed that grin. He could practically hear the wheels turning in the young man's head. "You're here to learn, remember?"

"I know, I know," Johnny shook his head, "You don't have to worry about me."

The next morning, before training started, Roy found Johnny leaning against the nurses' desk.

Roy shook his head as he watched the young man flirt with both of the young nurses. He must be getting old, he thought. Or maybe he'd been married too long. Roy couldn't remember ever being as brash as Johnny.

Johnny walked over to Roy; his excitement was palpable.

"What's with the added glint in your eyes?" teased Roy.

"Well, I now have plans for the weekend."

"Which one?"

"Both."

"Both?"

"Yeah, one I'm dating one Saturday and the other one I'm dating on Sunday."

"You flirted with both of them? At the same time? And you got a date with both of them?"

Johnny splayed his hand on his chest. "What can I say, I'm good."

Roy sighed and muttered under his breath, "I'm too old for this."

Johnny patted Roy on the shoulder and chuckled. "If you weren't married, I'd help you."

Roy felt like an old mother hen when he reminded Johnny to study.

"I can't study all day, every day. I need some downtime and dating happens to be one of my past times.

"Besides, aren't we supposed to be learning about the human anatomy? So, maybe I'll get some specialized studying in this weekend?"

Johnny laughed as Roy rolled his eyes.

"Junior, I think it's a good thing we're not partners. We're too different."

"Well, you know, sometimes different works."

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For reasons Johnny couldn't explain, he tended to gravitate towards Roy. While he was friendly with the other trainees, Johnny spent most of his breaks talking with Roy. Dixie must have noticed this because she teased them about being partners already.

Johnny just wanted to pick his brain about things. He learned that Dixie had been in Korea for a while, and Dr. Brackett was actually a know-it-all doctor. Roy never said it that way, but with graduating from John Hopkins and interning at the Mayo Clinic; Johnny saw him that way.

Johnny nodded towards the nurse and doctor. "Those two are so different," he said. "Makes you wonder how they work together."

"The word is they're seeing each other," said Roy.

Johnny raised an eyebrow. "Really? Those two? Never would've guessed it. Guess that explains why he's here. She's forcing him."

"I'm not so sure about that," said Roy after he took a sip of his coffee. "He might be against the program, but he wants you guys to be trained by the best."

"So, is he doctor doom-and-gloom with everyone, or is it just me?"

"What do you mean?" asked Roy.

Johnny shrugged half-heartedly. "Nothing really. He just always seems short with me. I don't know, it's like, he took an instant dislike to me when a few years ago I was brought in as a patient because of someone else's mistake. Somehow, my being young and a damn, eh, darn good firefighter, insulted him."

"Try not to take it too personally. He's like that with most people." Roy noticed that Dixie was right about how cocky Johnny could be. Would that cockiness get in the way of him becoming a paramedic?

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Johnny looked around the room and wondered if anyone else was as nervous as he was about starting an IV. A few guys looked a little uncomfortable.

In his head, he knew he'd have to start an IV. How else would he be able to administer lifesaving drugs? However, in his heart and in his stomach, he didn't know how he'd do it. He, himself, was squeamish about needles. Why hadn't he thought of this before?

The others had successfully started IVs. It was now Johnny's turn. Why did he have to go last? Now, everyone would be watching and critiquing him.

Johnny took a deep breath before he started. He needed to calm his nerves. He would not fail at this, not in front of Dr. Brackett. Johnny sometimes wondered if Dr. Brackett was born with his knowledge as well as his sour disposition towards him.

As he took another deep breath, Johnny reviewed the steps in his mind. He needed to do this; he could do this; he would do this.

When he felt the needle enter the vein, Johnny lit up. He did it. And it was cool. He could do this. For the moment, all of his doubts disappeared. Johnny knew he was doing what he was meant to do.

When Johnny looked up, he noticed even Dr. Brackett seemed pleased. Would wonders never cease? The doctor's normal frown returned as Johnny grinned. What was the great doctor's problem?

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Johnny looked down at his name badge:

"J. GAGE PARAMEDIC

MOBILE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT"

He smiled. He was as proud of this badge and the pin above it as he was about his fireman's badge.

He'd done it. He was a paramedic. Now, they just needed to pass the law so he could do his job as he needed to.

At the graduation ceremony, Johnny learned that Roy was going to be stationed at a new station. Johnny still didn't know where he'd be stationed. He knew it wouldn't be at tens like before. Tens wasn't getting paramedics yet.

The newly trained paramedics wouldn't learn their stations until Monday. That would make for an extra long weekend.