New
PATHS
by GCS
Chapter Four
It seemed to the rescuers that they had been working for hours to free the victims of the plane crash. Those that had not died on impact had been in the tail section that was still somewhat in tact. Victim after victim was handed out on backboards and in stokes. Many were seriously injured, but miraculously some had only minor injuries and bruising. The A-shift of Station 51 was a part of the rescue operation, but these men had more of a stake in the outcome. They were hoping to find their new friend Camille Lawson among the survivors. John Gage, one of their paramedics had taken a very strong liking to the stewardess who was also a licensed RN. He was not a part of this operation and neither was his partner Roy Desoto. They were both on the injured list, and Johnny was still hospitalized.
"Cap!" Marco yelled to his superior. "They found her."
"Is she?" Captain Stanley could not voice the question.
"She appears to be unconscious. She had apparently been trying to help several of the victims when she collapsed. They are bringing her out now."
"Okay let's get her over to triage as soon as possible, and then we will get word to Johnny and Roy on her condition." Captain Stanley directed his men.
"Mike can you grab that end of the stokes while I climb out of here?" Chet asked his crewmate.
"Marco let me have your end," Captain Stanley reached for the stokes as Marco tried to climb out of the wreckage. As he looked down at Cammie he saw her expressive blue eyes looking back at him. "Hello little lady. You're going to be just fine. I know one paramedic that will be glad to know we found you."
Cammie smiled weakly at her friends, "Tell him I think I have developed motion sickness on airplanes."
The new friends laughed as they all moved as a group towards the needed medical treatment for their friend. The men had such a sense of relief that they would not have to face Johnny with bad news. True they didn't know the extent of Cammie's injuries, but she was alert and talking to them.
Captain Stanley went to the bio-phone and began to speak to the hospital "Rampart this is Squad 51 how do you read?"
"Read you loud and clear 51." Dr. Brackett's voice could be heard from the radio.
"Rampart please be advised we have a female patient, victim of a plane crash. Rampart patient is Camille Lawson. She is conscious and coherent, condition and vitals to follow. Please stand by." Captain Stanley handed the phone to his temporary paramedic and leaned in to speak directly to Cammie. "Dr. Brackett will let Johnny and Roy know we have found you. Chet, Marco, Mike and I will be up here for a while longer helping with the cleanup. We will check on you at Rampart as soon as we can."
"Thank you Hank," Camille whispered to her friend. "I hope to see you soon."
"You can count on that Camille." He smiled at her as he stood.
"Cammie you take it easy," Chet patted her on the shoulder.
"I thank God you survived," Marco smiled at her.
Mike bent down beside Cammie and put his hand on her shoulder. "I don't know what Johnny would have done if you had not survived. He is very attracted to you Ms. Lawson. We are all very pleased to know you are safe." Then Mike bent down and kissed Cammie on the cheek. "Welcome back to our little family."
The four men went back to their duties knowing that Cammie was in good hands.
Dr. Brackett gave instructions to the paramedics for treatment and based on the fact that he feared internal injuries he requested she be transported along with two of the other more severely injured by helicopter. He wanted her safe at Rampart as soon as possible. He intended to offer her a job the minute she was strong enough to accept it. "Dixie, they are bringing Camille in. She is conscious, but I suspect some internal injuries. She will be arriving in about 15 minutes on copter 10. We need to have portable x-ray standing by. We may also need to get her up to surgery."
"Okay Kel I'll get everything ready while you go tell Johnny and Roy." She smiled at the doctor knowing that he intended to do just that before the victims arrived.
"Be right back." Dr. Kelly Brackett disappeared into the elevator and headed straight for Johnny's room. He wanted to let them know she was on her way and be back in the ER when she arrived. He made his way down the hall to Johnny's room at a very quick pace, almost running. Pushing the door open without even knocking Brackett noticed that Johnny was turned toward the window with his back to the room. Looking over to Roy with questioning eyes he asked, "Is he asleep?"
"No Doc, but he's not talking either." Roy was clearly concerned about his best friend.
"Johnny?" Dr. Brackett put his hand on Johnny's shoulder. He waited for Johnny to acknowledge him before continuing. Johnny slowly turned his head towards the doctor. Brackett could see the red eyes and pale complexion of his friend. "Johnny she's alive. She's on her way here right now on Chopper 10. I'll take care of her myself and let you know as soon as I can how she is. She's conscious and alert. She'll be here any minute. Now you just stay here and relax. She will be in good hands."
Johnny blinked several times at Dr. Brackett trying to be sure he was not imagining what he had just heard. Then his face brightened with the biggest crooked Gage grin imaginable. "Really? She's alive? Roy did you hear? Cammie's alive!"
"I heard Junior. Thank God!"
"Okay Johnny, Roy I have to get back down there. I'll either come up or send word up as soon as I can." With that Dr. Brackett turned on his heal still smiling and rushed from the room.
Back in the ER the ambulances that had met the copter were backing into the bay just as Dr. Brackett came off the elevator. "Joe you can take this patient into treatment 2, Mike take this one to treatment 5; I'll take Camille into treatment 4. Dixie you're with me. Let's move." The gurneys were moved into the respective treatment rooms. Dr. Brackett and Dixie followed Cammie's into the treatment room. Dr. Brackett looked down at his patient. "Hello Camille."
She gave him a weak smile in return.
"Can you give me some idea of where you are hurting?" Dr. Brackett already knew what the paramedics at the scene had told him, but he wanted to be sure they did not miss anything.
"My right arm and shoulder, my right hip and my abdomen."
"Okay did you hit your head? I was told you were unconscious."
"Um I must have. I don't remember."
"Dixie we will need a full skull series, the right side including the arm, shoulder and hip. Let's get the chest and abdomen as well to be sure there are no ribs involved. We will need blood gases, type and cross." Dr. Brackett continued to check Camille over as he spoke, gently probing her abdomen to try to find the exact location of her discomfort. The portable x-ray technician rolled the equipment into the room. "Camille we will be right back."
"Okay," she knew they had to leave the room during the x-rays, but before they could get away she had to know if Johnny had been told she was alive. "Dr. Brackett have you talked to Johnny?"
"Yes Camille, and he is waiting for a report from me on how you are doing. I will let him know as soon as we know for sure about all of your injuries, okay?" Dr. Brackett patted her on the knee and left the room.
It had just been a little while since Brackett had told Johnny that Cammie was alive and here at Rampart, but to Johnny it seemed like a lifetime. Roy knew the waiting was driving Johnny crazy. "I'll be right back." Roy slipped from the room with the intention to find out what was happening in the ER. He noticed a wheel chair in the hall apparently not being used at the moment. He knew that he and Johnny would be in big trouble for this, but right now he didn't care. If it were Joanne in the ER he would do whatever it took to be by her side. If Johnny felt for Camille Lawson what Roy thought he felt then he would be wanting the same thing. So without too much hesitation the normally level headed part of the Desoto/Gage team did something not so level headed. He took the wheel chair into Johnny's room, grabbed a robe and helped his friend into the waiting wheelchair.
"Roy?"
"Be quiet Johnny, we'll face the consequences later. Right now we need to get passed the nurses' station, so just act natural."
Johnny could not help but laugh. His partner the ever sensible Roy Desoto was sneaking him down to see the woman he knew now that he was in love with. What would the guys think about this? "Roy I can't believe…"
"Shush." Roy peeked out the door into the hall. Seeing that the nurses were not at the desk he pushed open the door and backed the wheelchair into the hall while looking in both directions. He thought that it would be safer to catch the elevators on the next hallway away from the nurses that were responsible for Johnny's care, so he rushed Johnny around the corner. Johnny was having the time of his life. Sure he still felt bad and was still weak, but Roy was pulling a stunt that most people would only expect to come from him. This was great. Johnny turned his head to look up at Roy and saw his friend with a big grin on his face. "This is kind of fun." Roy looked like a kid in a candy store. "I don't know why I haven't tried this before."
"Whoa Pally, don't forget you're the one who always keeps me in check. What will happen if you start acting like me?"
"Never happen Junior, these are extenuating circumstances." Roy smiled down at his friend. The elevator finally arrived. Roy pushed Johnny in and pressed the button for the ER. When the doors slid open he was hiding behind the panel with the buttons leaving Johnny in the field of vision.
"Chicken." Johnny grinned up at his friend.
Roy peered around the open doorway and when he didn't see Dixie or Dr. Brackett he pushed Johnny towards the treatment rooms. "How do we know which one?" Just as he asked the question the door to treatment room 4 opened and a portable x-ray unit was being pushed out. "Hey George, do you know which room Ms. Camille Lawson is in?"
"Sure Roy I just took her pictures. She's right here in 4." George held the door open so Roy could wheel Johnny into the room.
Johnny tried to get up from the chair and Roy pushed him back down. "Not so fast Junior. I got you here, but you have to stay in that chair." Knowing that Dr. Brackett would be back any minute and that they would be busted he immediately pushed Johnny over to the treatment table.
Cammie turned her head towards all the commotion in her treatment room and blue eyes met brown. "Johnny!"
"Cammie, Jesus, I thought."
"No Johnny. I'm not ready to leave you just yet. I'm glad you're here."
"You're glad I'm here? God Cammie I've never been more glad to see anyone in my entire life."
"Seriously Cammie we are really glad to see you," Roy smiled at his new friend.
"Thanks Roy I'm glad to see you too."
"Oh Johnny I was so afraid." Cammie had been able to keep control of her emotions until she saw Johnny. She let go of the tears she had been holding. Johnny took hold of her hand and held it while he reached up and stroked her hair. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and told her it would be okay.
"Cammie you are going to be okay. I'm right here. I will take care of you." Johnny wanted to take her into his arms and take away all of her pain, but he knew that she was injured. His medical training kept him from doing that.
"John Gage I told you to wait in your room," Dr. Brackett barked at Johnny as he entered the room.
"Busted," Roy said as he grinned at Johnny. "Guess the game is over."
"Cammie I guess I have to let Roy take me back now. You are in good hands here with Dr. Brackett and Dixie. I will see you again as soon as I can." He bent down and kissed her hand. "I uh…" He looked around the room. Dixie and Dr. Brackett pretended to be deep in a discussion over Cammie's chart. Roy pretended to be interested in something on the other side of the room. Johnny knew they were doing their best to give him some semblance of privacy. "I love you Camille Lawson," he whispered to her. "I really love you."
"Oh Johnny, I love you too," she smiled at him. He could have sworn that he saw a twinkle in her beautiful blue eyes.
Johnny's face broke with the biggest Gage grin ever. "Wow. Really? You really do?"
"Yes I do."
"Well now that we have that out of the way. Gage back to your room. Desoto I don't want to see either one of you in this ER again until you are back on duty. I can't believe you let him talk you into helping him get down here." At the last statement Johnny and Roy busted out laughing. "What?"
"Well Doc I can't let Johnny take the blame. This time it was totally my idea. I just thought that if Joanne were here I would have to be by her side and….well here we are."
"I don't believe it. Roy you have been hanging around with Johnny for way too long," Dixie smiled at the two. "Now get out of here so we can take care of Cammie."
Roy rolled Johnny into the hall. "She loves me Roy. She really loves me."
"Yeah I heard," Roy said chuckling.
"Man I'm the luckiest man around." Johnny sat taller in his wheelchair. He felt better than he had in days.
"Cap!" Marco yelled to his superior. "They found her."
"Is she?" Captain Stanley could not voice the question.
"She appears to be unconscious. She had apparently been trying to help several of the victims when she collapsed. They are bringing her out now."
"Okay let's get her over to triage as soon as possible, and then we will get word to Johnny and Roy on her condition." Captain Stanley directed his men.
"Mike can you grab that end of the stokes while I climb out of here?" Chet asked his crewmate.
"Marco let me have your end," Captain Stanley reached for the stokes as Marco tried to climb out of the wreckage. As he looked down at Cammie he saw her expressive blue eyes looking back at him. "Hello little lady. You're going to be just fine. I know one paramedic that will be glad to know we found you."
Cammie smiled weakly at her friends, "Tell him I think I have developed motion sickness on airplanes."
The new friends laughed as they all moved as a group towards the needed medical treatment for their friend. The men had such a sense of relief that they would not have to face Johnny with bad news. True they didn't know the extent of Cammie's injuries, but she was alert and talking to them.
Captain Stanley went to the bio-phone and began to speak to the hospital "Rampart this is Squad 51 how do you read?"
"Read you loud and clear 51." Dr. Brackett's voice could be heard from the radio.
"Rampart please be advised we have a female patient, victim of a plane crash. Rampart patient is Camille Lawson. She is conscious and coherent, condition and vitals to follow. Please stand by." Captain Stanley handed the phone to his temporary paramedic and leaned in to speak directly to Cammie. "Dr. Brackett will let Johnny and Roy know we have found you. Chet, Marco, Mike and I will be up here for a while longer helping with the cleanup. We will check on you at Rampart as soon as we can."
"Thank you Hank," Camille whispered to her friend. "I hope to see you soon."
"You can count on that Camille." He smiled at her as he stood.
"Cammie you take it easy," Chet patted her on the shoulder.
"I thank God you survived," Marco smiled at her.
Mike bent down beside Cammie and put his hand on her shoulder. "I don't know what Johnny would have done if you had not survived. He is very attracted to you Ms. Lawson. We are all very pleased to know you are safe." Then Mike bent down and kissed Cammie on the cheek. "Welcome back to our little family."
The four men went back to their duties knowing that Cammie was in good hands.
Dr. Brackett gave instructions to the paramedics for treatment and based on the fact that he feared internal injuries he requested she be transported along with two of the other more severely injured by helicopter. He wanted her safe at Rampart as soon as possible. He intended to offer her a job the minute she was strong enough to accept it. "Dixie, they are bringing Camille in. She is conscious, but I suspect some internal injuries. She will be arriving in about 15 minutes on copter 10. We need to have portable x-ray standing by. We may also need to get her up to surgery."
"Okay Kel I'll get everything ready while you go tell Johnny and Roy." She smiled at the doctor knowing that he intended to do just that before the victims arrived.
"Be right back." Dr. Kelly Brackett disappeared into the elevator and headed straight for Johnny's room. He wanted to let them know she was on her way and be back in the ER when she arrived. He made his way down the hall to Johnny's room at a very quick pace, almost running. Pushing the door open without even knocking Brackett noticed that Johnny was turned toward the window with his back to the room. Looking over to Roy with questioning eyes he asked, "Is he asleep?"
"No Doc, but he's not talking either." Roy was clearly concerned about his best friend.
"Johnny?" Dr. Brackett put his hand on Johnny's shoulder. He waited for Johnny to acknowledge him before continuing. Johnny slowly turned his head towards the doctor. Brackett could see the red eyes and pale complexion of his friend. "Johnny she's alive. She's on her way here right now on Chopper 10. I'll take care of her myself and let you know as soon as I can how she is. She's conscious and alert. She'll be here any minute. Now you just stay here and relax. She will be in good hands."
Johnny blinked several times at Dr. Brackett trying to be sure he was not imagining what he had just heard. Then his face brightened with the biggest crooked Gage grin imaginable. "Really? She's alive? Roy did you hear? Cammie's alive!"
"I heard Junior. Thank God!"
"Okay Johnny, Roy I have to get back down there. I'll either come up or send word up as soon as I can." With that Dr. Brackett turned on his heal still smiling and rushed from the room.
Back in the ER the ambulances that had met the copter were backing into the bay just as Dr. Brackett came off the elevator. "Joe you can take this patient into treatment 2, Mike take this one to treatment 5; I'll take Camille into treatment 4. Dixie you're with me. Let's move." The gurneys were moved into the respective treatment rooms. Dr. Brackett and Dixie followed Cammie's into the treatment room. Dr. Brackett looked down at his patient. "Hello Camille."
She gave him a weak smile in return.
"Can you give me some idea of where you are hurting?" Dr. Brackett already knew what the paramedics at the scene had told him, but he wanted to be sure they did not miss anything.
"My right arm and shoulder, my right hip and my abdomen."
"Okay did you hit your head? I was told you were unconscious."
"Um I must have. I don't remember."
"Dixie we will need a full skull series, the right side including the arm, shoulder and hip. Let's get the chest and abdomen as well to be sure there are no ribs involved. We will need blood gases, type and cross." Dr. Brackett continued to check Camille over as he spoke, gently probing her abdomen to try to find the exact location of her discomfort. The portable x-ray technician rolled the equipment into the room. "Camille we will be right back."
"Okay," she knew they had to leave the room during the x-rays, but before they could get away she had to know if Johnny had been told she was alive. "Dr. Brackett have you talked to Johnny?"
"Yes Camille, and he is waiting for a report from me on how you are doing. I will let him know as soon as we know for sure about all of your injuries, okay?" Dr. Brackett patted her on the knee and left the room.
It had just been a little while since Brackett had told Johnny that Cammie was alive and here at Rampart, but to Johnny it seemed like a lifetime. Roy knew the waiting was driving Johnny crazy. "I'll be right back." Roy slipped from the room with the intention to find out what was happening in the ER. He noticed a wheel chair in the hall apparently not being used at the moment. He knew that he and Johnny would be in big trouble for this, but right now he didn't care. If it were Joanne in the ER he would do whatever it took to be by her side. If Johnny felt for Camille Lawson what Roy thought he felt then he would be wanting the same thing. So without too much hesitation the normally level headed part of the Desoto/Gage team did something not so level headed. He took the wheel chair into Johnny's room, grabbed a robe and helped his friend into the waiting wheelchair.
"Roy?"
"Be quiet Johnny, we'll face the consequences later. Right now we need to get passed the nurses' station, so just act natural."
Johnny could not help but laugh. His partner the ever sensible Roy Desoto was sneaking him down to see the woman he knew now that he was in love with. What would the guys think about this? "Roy I can't believe…"
"Shush." Roy peeked out the door into the hall. Seeing that the nurses were not at the desk he pushed open the door and backed the wheelchair into the hall while looking in both directions. He thought that it would be safer to catch the elevators on the next hallway away from the nurses that were responsible for Johnny's care, so he rushed Johnny around the corner. Johnny was having the time of his life. Sure he still felt bad and was still weak, but Roy was pulling a stunt that most people would only expect to come from him. This was great. Johnny turned his head to look up at Roy and saw his friend with a big grin on his face. "This is kind of fun." Roy looked like a kid in a candy store. "I don't know why I haven't tried this before."
"Whoa Pally, don't forget you're the one who always keeps me in check. What will happen if you start acting like me?"
"Never happen Junior, these are extenuating circumstances." Roy smiled down at his friend. The elevator finally arrived. Roy pushed Johnny in and pressed the button for the ER. When the doors slid open he was hiding behind the panel with the buttons leaving Johnny in the field of vision.
"Chicken." Johnny grinned up at his friend.
Roy peered around the open doorway and when he didn't see Dixie or Dr. Brackett he pushed Johnny towards the treatment rooms. "How do we know which one?" Just as he asked the question the door to treatment room 4 opened and a portable x-ray unit was being pushed out. "Hey George, do you know which room Ms. Camille Lawson is in?"
"Sure Roy I just took her pictures. She's right here in 4." George held the door open so Roy could wheel Johnny into the room.
Johnny tried to get up from the chair and Roy pushed him back down. "Not so fast Junior. I got you here, but you have to stay in that chair." Knowing that Dr. Brackett would be back any minute and that they would be busted he immediately pushed Johnny over to the treatment table.
Cammie turned her head towards all the commotion in her treatment room and blue eyes met brown. "Johnny!"
"Cammie, Jesus, I thought."
"No Johnny. I'm not ready to leave you just yet. I'm glad you're here."
"You're glad I'm here? God Cammie I've never been more glad to see anyone in my entire life."
"Seriously Cammie we are really glad to see you," Roy smiled at his new friend.
"Thanks Roy I'm glad to see you too."
"Oh Johnny I was so afraid." Cammie had been able to keep control of her emotions until she saw Johnny. She let go of the tears she had been holding. Johnny took hold of her hand and held it while he reached up and stroked her hair. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and told her it would be okay.
"Cammie you are going to be okay. I'm right here. I will take care of you." Johnny wanted to take her into his arms and take away all of her pain, but he knew that she was injured. His medical training kept him from doing that.
"John Gage I told you to wait in your room," Dr. Brackett barked at Johnny as he entered the room.
"Busted," Roy said as he grinned at Johnny. "Guess the game is over."
"Cammie I guess I have to let Roy take me back now. You are in good hands here with Dr. Brackett and Dixie. I will see you again as soon as I can." He bent down and kissed her hand. "I uh…" He looked around the room. Dixie and Dr. Brackett pretended to be deep in a discussion over Cammie's chart. Roy pretended to be interested in something on the other side of the room. Johnny knew they were doing their best to give him some semblance of privacy. "I love you Camille Lawson," he whispered to her. "I really love you."
"Oh Johnny, I love you too," she smiled at him. He could have sworn that he saw a twinkle in her beautiful blue eyes.
Johnny's face broke with the biggest Gage grin ever. "Wow. Really? You really do?"
"Yes I do."
"Well now that we have that out of the way. Gage back to your room. Desoto I don't want to see either one of you in this ER again until you are back on duty. I can't believe you let him talk you into helping him get down here." At the last statement Johnny and Roy busted out laughing. "What?"
"Well Doc I can't let Johnny take the blame. This time it was totally my idea. I just thought that if Joanne were here I would have to be by her side and….well here we are."
"I don't believe it. Roy you have been hanging around with Johnny for way too long," Dixie smiled at the two. "Now get out of here so we can take care of Cammie."
Roy rolled Johnny into the hall. "She loves me Roy. She really loves me."
"Yeah I heard," Roy said chuckling.
"Man I'm the luckiest man around." Johnny sat taller in his wheelchair. He felt better than he had in days.
