It had been a long journey but, somehow, he finally reached all his goals, sitting on his sunbathed deck he watched his children play while his wife just bustled about setting up the table for dinner. The grill would need to be started up soon, but for the moment he could just relax and enjoy the California sun, after all those were the perks of being a Captain, right?

Captain Desoto...

A title to his name he never thought possible and while he enjoyed it, he also resented it a bit.

No longer Paramedic Desoto. He frowned a bit when a shadow interrupted his soaking up of UV, but it quickly turned to a smile when he realized it was his wife and she was swooping in for a kiss. He quickly returned it and started to deepen it a bit before she playfully slapped his arm and pulled away.

"Later, Captain." Promises of fun times behind those beautiful eyes of hers, he just grinned widely. He then glanced at his watch and stood knowing if he didn't start cooking the burgers now his kids would begin to whine they were hungry.

I wonder how Johnny is celebrating? Some of the men were having parties and going out with their wives but he opted for a quieter celebration just him, his family, a grill and good food, but he never thought about how his, now former partner, was celebrating tonight. He frowned again as Johnny's passing words stuck in his head, almost pleading that they would still stay friends now that they no longer were partners.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He looked up and saw the concern behind JoAnne's eyes, he shook his head a bit but then aborted the brush off.

"I just wonder how Johnny is marking the night? Seems stupid I know but he look a little lost Jo, like he just lost his best..."

"Friend?" she finished the thought for him and smiled sadly, "He did in a way, you know? You're no longer partners and will be getting your station and shift assignments soon. You guys may go weeks or longer before you cross paths while working." She sat down and wringed her hands a bit while Roy listened and started up the grill, grateful for his own hands to be doing something while her words washed over him. "You guys worked with each other for six years, 24 hours at a time. You survived so much together; fires, explosions, car accidents, a plane landing on top of your heads." His head snapped up as she choked a bit on tears, he moved to go to her side but she waved him off. She sighed, "You became friends through situation but now you will have to remain friends on purpose."

"On purpose?" His confusion in both his words and expression.

"Yeah, on purpose. You see for the past six years you were forced to interact through work and the paramedic program." He scowled a bit at the word forced, "I didn't mean it like that! What I mean is that you and Johnny were paired up and worked together so it was easier to be friends because you had the same experiences and, honestly, if you didn't have some sort of friendly relationship with your partner that would not be beneficial to anyone." He nodded. "But now you have to purposely make those plans to interact with him, work isn't going to do it for you anymore, save for the rare occasion your stations are called out together or the Captain's convention. So the question is this, is he a work friend or a purposeful friend?"

JoAnne stood on her parting words and went into the kitchen to get out the sides and toppings for the burgers. Roy sighed heavily and looked at the grill determining it was hot enough for the patties he also went into the kitchen and open the fridge, pulling out the platter of hamburgers he stopped and smiled a bit. "Hey Jo..."

"I already called him, he's bringing the beer and chips, and there is already enough hamburgers for him." She smiled knowingly as she wiped her hands on a towel and turned toward him. Roy did a double take and sure enough there were enough burgers for everyone to have two so, knowing Johnny, he'll have three. He laughed.

"Love you, Jo."

"Love you too, honey."

Roy felt lighter as he walked out onto the deck and started cooking, he squinted up at the hot afternoon sun and smiled again as he heard the telltale engine of Johnny's Rover and his kids squeals of excitement at his arrival.

Definitely a purposeful friend.