The Right Choices
by GCS
Chapter Ten
"Johnny, can you count backwards from one hundred by threes?" Dr. Brackett wanted to try to measure Johnny's rate of confusion and level of cognizance.
"Count by three? Can I count by five? I can count by five." Johnny looked at Dr. Brackett through watery eyes with his forehead wrinkled.
"Threes John."
Johnny looked like he was really concentrating. "Um one hundred…ninety seven…um ninety f…four? Yeah…ninety two? Eighty nine…"
"Okay Johnny that's good." Dr. Brackett's mouth twitched in the corner. "Now can you tell me who the president is?"
Johnny stared at Dr. Brackett. He opened his mouth…then closed it. His head tilted. He closed his eyes. "Um I…" he yawned deeply and nodded, "where's Roy?"
"He'll be here in a little bit. Just relax." Kel reached for Johnny's wrist to check his pulse.
"Doc, I'm really thirsty. Tell Roy for me? He'll ge'me something to drink. I wanna go home now." He tried to get up.
"Whoa Johnny, lay back down for me. Dixie will be here in a minute with your ride." He pushed him down gently.
"M…ride? I can go home?" He looked at Dr. Brackett with wide glassy eyes. "You're lettin' me go home?" he blinked and yawned again.
"We'll see about that. Now just relax."
"Okay Doc, 'm tired. Wake me when Roy's ready to go." Johnny curled up on the pallet and pulled his blanket back up to his neck. "Hey Doc?"
"Yes Johnny?"
"Ask Dixie if I can have 'nother blanket. 'm cold."
Dr. Brackett got up from his kneeling position and reached over to the shelf pulling off another blanket. He spread the blanket over Johnny and went to the door to see if Dixie had made it back with that gurney he needed. When he stepped into the hall, he was pleased to not only see Dixie with a gurney, but two orderlies, an IV of D5W, a blood pressure cuff, and Dr. Early in tow.
A loud banging door slammed behind him and a breathless Roy Desoto stepped from the stairwell. "Where is he?" He asked as he walked quickly over. Dr. Brackett stepped aside and let Roy into the closet. Roy immediately knelt next to Johnny. "Junior?"
Johnny stirred but didn't respond.
"Johnny, it's time to wake up now. Come on talk to me." Roy smoothed the dark bangs from Johnny's face and he turned and slowly opened his eyes. "Hey sleepy head, what are you doing hiding in the closet?"
"Roy?"
"Come on let's get you up." He put his arm beneath Johnny's and helped him to his feet. Johnny swayed, his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell against Roy's chest. Roy scooped him up and carried him into the hall and with Dr. Brackett's help lowered him onto the waiting gurney.
"Dix, let's get that IV going." Dr. Early suggested as he wrapped the BP cuff around Johnny's arm.
Within minutes, the ER team had Johnny's vitals taken; the IV started and was on the move down the hall toward the elevator. "I'll need blood work as soon as we get downstairs. Roy when was the last time he ate?" Dr. Brackett asked.
"Uh…you know Doc I think it was a late lunch yesterday. I got him some orange juice last night when we got here. That must have been around ten or eleven." Roy closed his eyes and lowered his head to his chest. "I should have made sure he was all right. I thought he went home with Mike. I should have called to be sure."
The elevator doors opened, and they were on the move again.
"I left you." Johnny whispered hoarsely. His eyes barely open.
"It's okay Junior. We found you now." Roy patted Johnny's shoulder. "We'll get you all fixed up."
The treatment room door opened and the group moved inside.
"Roy?"
"What Johnny?"
"I'm thirsty. Can I have some more juice?" Johnny's eye rolled back, and he passed out again.
"Dixie, let's start a second IV in the other arm. He's really dehydrated. We need to get more fluids into his system." Dr. Brackett began taking a blood sample while Dixie readied the second bag of D5W. Dr. Early checked Johnny's pupil response.
"Kel, I can't get a vein." Dixie held Johnny's arm up.
"Piggyback it on the other IV." Dr. Brackett held up the blood sample. "Then we need to get this to the lab. I want it back STAT. let me know when you get the results. Roy, can you sit with him for a while? Keep an eye on him; make sure he doesn't sneak out of here?"
"Sure Doc. I won't let him go anywhere." Roy pulled the stool over next to the gurney, sat down and put his hand on Johnny's head. 'What am I gonna do with you Junior?'
After watching Johnny sleep through the IV's, Roy needed to stretch his legs. He decided to get some coffee. "Hey Dix, got any coffee?"
"Is he still sleeping?" Dixie pointed to the treatment room.
"Yeah, he's almost done with the IV's. I just need to walk around a bit." Roy stretched his neck and shook out his arms. "He should be okay for a few minutes."
"Well in that case. How about buying your favorite nurse a cup of coffee and maybe a piece of pie?" Dixie smiled and patted Roy on the arm. The two friends headed toward the hospital cafeteria.
Back in the treatment room Johnny woke up feeling much better than he had earlier. He noticed the IV bags were empty. He removed them from his arm and put a band aide over the needle site. Then he slipped from the room, down the hall and into the elevator.
Once he reached the floor he walked slowly down the hall to his Captain's room. "Well you're looking much better," the pretty nurse said from the desk.
"Thanks, I feel better too. Um, how is Hank Stanley doing?" He asked nervously.
"He's stable. He still hasn't woken up yet, but he's doing well otherwise. His wife just went down to the cafeteria for coffee."
"Thanks." Johnny turned and walked over to the door to Hank's room. He looked through the window.
"You can go in if you like."
Johnny glanced back at Kathy and nodded. He pushed open the door and moved just inside. The door slowly closed, and he leaned against the wall.
Hank looked much smaller lying in the hospital bed.
The dimly lit room made it easy for Johnny to see the monitors from his vantage point. The numbers looked good.
He pushed off the wall and walked over to the chair Emily had been sitting vigil in and sat down. He laid his hand on the side of the bed and sighed. "Come on Cap. You need to wake up now."
"Count by three? Can I count by five? I can count by five." Johnny looked at Dr. Brackett through watery eyes with his forehead wrinkled.
"Threes John."
Johnny looked like he was really concentrating. "Um one hundred…ninety seven…um ninety f…four? Yeah…ninety two? Eighty nine…"
"Okay Johnny that's good." Dr. Brackett's mouth twitched in the corner. "Now can you tell me who the president is?"
Johnny stared at Dr. Brackett. He opened his mouth…then closed it. His head tilted. He closed his eyes. "Um I…" he yawned deeply and nodded, "where's Roy?"
"He'll be here in a little bit. Just relax." Kel reached for Johnny's wrist to check his pulse.
"Doc, I'm really thirsty. Tell Roy for me? He'll ge'me something to drink. I wanna go home now." He tried to get up.
"Whoa Johnny, lay back down for me. Dixie will be here in a minute with your ride." He pushed him down gently.
"M…ride? I can go home?" He looked at Dr. Brackett with wide glassy eyes. "You're lettin' me go home?" he blinked and yawned again.
"We'll see about that. Now just relax."
"Okay Doc, 'm tired. Wake me when Roy's ready to go." Johnny curled up on the pallet and pulled his blanket back up to his neck. "Hey Doc?"
"Yes Johnny?"
"Ask Dixie if I can have 'nother blanket. 'm cold."
Dr. Brackett got up from his kneeling position and reached over to the shelf pulling off another blanket. He spread the blanket over Johnny and went to the door to see if Dixie had made it back with that gurney he needed. When he stepped into the hall, he was pleased to not only see Dixie with a gurney, but two orderlies, an IV of D5W, a blood pressure cuff, and Dr. Early in tow.
A loud banging door slammed behind him and a breathless Roy Desoto stepped from the stairwell. "Where is he?" He asked as he walked quickly over. Dr. Brackett stepped aside and let Roy into the closet. Roy immediately knelt next to Johnny. "Junior?"
Johnny stirred but didn't respond.
"Johnny, it's time to wake up now. Come on talk to me." Roy smoothed the dark bangs from Johnny's face and he turned and slowly opened his eyes. "Hey sleepy head, what are you doing hiding in the closet?"
"Roy?"
"Come on let's get you up." He put his arm beneath Johnny's and helped him to his feet. Johnny swayed, his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell against Roy's chest. Roy scooped him up and carried him into the hall and with Dr. Brackett's help lowered him onto the waiting gurney.
"Dix, let's get that IV going." Dr. Early suggested as he wrapped the BP cuff around Johnny's arm.
Within minutes, the ER team had Johnny's vitals taken; the IV started and was on the move down the hall toward the elevator. "I'll need blood work as soon as we get downstairs. Roy when was the last time he ate?" Dr. Brackett asked.
"Uh…you know Doc I think it was a late lunch yesterday. I got him some orange juice last night when we got here. That must have been around ten or eleven." Roy closed his eyes and lowered his head to his chest. "I should have made sure he was all right. I thought he went home with Mike. I should have called to be sure."
The elevator doors opened, and they were on the move again.
"I left you." Johnny whispered hoarsely. His eyes barely open.
"It's okay Junior. We found you now." Roy patted Johnny's shoulder. "We'll get you all fixed up."
The treatment room door opened and the group moved inside.
"Roy?"
"What Johnny?"
"I'm thirsty. Can I have some more juice?" Johnny's eye rolled back, and he passed out again.
"Dixie, let's start a second IV in the other arm. He's really dehydrated. We need to get more fluids into his system." Dr. Brackett began taking a blood sample while Dixie readied the second bag of D5W. Dr. Early checked Johnny's pupil response.
"Kel, I can't get a vein." Dixie held Johnny's arm up.
"Piggyback it on the other IV." Dr. Brackett held up the blood sample. "Then we need to get this to the lab. I want it back STAT. let me know when you get the results. Roy, can you sit with him for a while? Keep an eye on him; make sure he doesn't sneak out of here?"
"Sure Doc. I won't let him go anywhere." Roy pulled the stool over next to the gurney, sat down and put his hand on Johnny's head. 'What am I gonna do with you Junior?'
After watching Johnny sleep through the IV's, Roy needed to stretch his legs. He decided to get some coffee. "Hey Dix, got any coffee?"
"Is he still sleeping?" Dixie pointed to the treatment room.
"Yeah, he's almost done with the IV's. I just need to walk around a bit." Roy stretched his neck and shook out his arms. "He should be okay for a few minutes."
"Well in that case. How about buying your favorite nurse a cup of coffee and maybe a piece of pie?" Dixie smiled and patted Roy on the arm. The two friends headed toward the hospital cafeteria.
Back in the treatment room Johnny woke up feeling much better than he had earlier. He noticed the IV bags were empty. He removed them from his arm and put a band aide over the needle site. Then he slipped from the room, down the hall and into the elevator.
Once he reached the floor he walked slowly down the hall to his Captain's room. "Well you're looking much better," the pretty nurse said from the desk.
"Thanks, I feel better too. Um, how is Hank Stanley doing?" He asked nervously.
"He's stable. He still hasn't woken up yet, but he's doing well otherwise. His wife just went down to the cafeteria for coffee."
"Thanks." Johnny turned and walked over to the door to Hank's room. He looked through the window.
"You can go in if you like."
Johnny glanced back at Kathy and nodded. He pushed open the door and moved just inside. The door slowly closed, and he leaned against the wall.
Hank looked much smaller lying in the hospital bed.
The dimly lit room made it easy for Johnny to see the monitors from his vantage point. The numbers looked good.
He pushed off the wall and walked over to the chair Emily had been sitting vigil in and sat down. He laid his hand on the side of the bed and sighed. "Come on Cap. You need to wake up now."
Chapter Eleven
Roy and Dixie found a table in a secluded corner of the cafeteria. "Roy I want to apologize for earlier. I shouldn't have said those things. I know you look out for Johnny."
"It's okay Dixie. I mean yes I keep my eyes on him, probably a little too much. I mean he is a grown man."
"I know but he is so impulsive and somehow trouble always seems to find him." She smiled affectionately. "Maybe we need him more than we think he needs us."
"Well he does keep us on our toes." Roy let out a soft chuckle.
Dixie shrugged. "He was just so disoriented. It took me off guard I guess."
"Johnny does that." He sipped his coffee. "It's funny how much we all look to Cap for direction, especially Johnny. I mean he doesn't have anyone but us, but then he is so independent at times. I knew he was exhausted. Hell, we all were." He looked at Dixie. "Sorry." He usually didn't swear in front of a lady. Then he continued. "We didn't know if Cap had survived or…" The sentence hung in the air. Dixie knew what he would have said.
"He'll be okay Roy. His vitals are stable." Dixie put a reassuring hand on his arm.
"I couldn't help remembering the other times…" He paused and rubbed his face. "The other times he was injured like the electrocution when I had to treat him. Then there was the time that valve blew and he hurt his knee. It was bad, but this. We didn't know. He was buried in rubble." Roy turned his coffee cup on the table. "It's hard enough when it's one of the guys, but Cap always leads us through that. He seems to always know exactly what to do or say to keep us directed. When he's down it's…it's hard."
Dixie patted his arm again.
"Johnny…he wouldn't give up on any of us. He pushes himself beyond expectation for us and for the victims, sometimes beyond reason."
"And then he goes down."
"Yeah." Roy rubbed his face again. "But, Dixie, he's been on his own for so long. I think sometimes we smother him. Last night when everyone left, I just figured he caught a ride back to his Rover. I should have known he would never leave without knowing about Cap."
"Roy, John Gage has disappeared countless times in this hospital."
Roy smiled, "It is like his second home."
"No Roy, it's like his third home. Your house is his second home. You are very special to him."
"Do you know why he disappears? Why he slips away?"
"No, but I bet you're going to tell me." Dixie smiled and took her hand from his arm. She sat back waiting for Roy to continue.
"He told me once that his grandfather had taught him things about his people, their beliefs and customs. One of the things he taught Johnny involved meditation, bonding with nature and letting the spirits guide him. He goes to a quiet place. Here it's the roof, the courtyard when it's quiet, the stairwell and that linen closet. At the station, it's the hood of his Rover. When he's not injured, sick or working it's the mountains. That must be what he needed last night. He needed to be alone. We all left while he was in there. He didn't know we were leaving. I didn't know I was leaving him.".
"Of course you didn't." Dixie waited until she thought Roy was really listening. "He was already disoriented Roy. Dehydration does that. You know the symptoms. He probably couldn't think clearly. You were all shocked about the collapse and Hank getting hurt. Don't beat yourself up. They'll both be all right." Dixie did her best to reassure him. "Like you said Johnny's a big boy."
Looking up from his coffee Roy saw Emily Stanley making her way over to their table. He stood and pulled out a chair for her. He and Dixie stayed to keep her company while she ate.
Up in Hank's room Johnny stretched and looked at his mentor. Johnny thought he looked kind of small in the hospital bed. Not at all like the strong leader he always seemed to be. "Come on Cap. Me and the guys need you. Your family needs you." He leaned back in the chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "I screwed up again. I guess I didn't realize how off I was. It's a good thing Dixie found me. I couldn't think. I mean all I could think about was you not waking up. Grandfather always said to meditate when I couldn't get things straight. I never meant to pass out like that." Johnny sat quietly for a long time. He got up and walked over to the window.
The sun shinned brightly, and the skies were clear, another beautiful California day. 'A good day for hiking,' Johnny thought.
He turned back to look at Hank. Rubbing his face with his hands, he looked back at his reflection in the glass. "I don't...you…aw hell Cap you know you're important to me…at least I hope you do. You gotta wake up." He moved away from the window and back to the chair.
He was tired.
Sliding down into the chair, he leaned forward and rested his arms on the side of the bed. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but you're like…like my dad. My father died so long ago. I never want to go through that again. I don't want anyone to go through that again. I guess that's why I do what I do." He sighed deeply.
Johnny laid his head down on his hands. "I guess that's why I know…" He spoke into his hands. "I know I made the right choice becoming a fireman, then a rescue man, and finally a paramedic. I can help people, the victims and their families. I can help keep them together. They don't have to go through what I went through. I know I made the right choice becoming Roy's partner and coming to 51's. That's when I became part of a family again. That's when you came." Johnny grew very quiet and after a few minutes his breathing evened out and his head lulled to the side.
He never knew Hank had woken up and watched him, listening, from the time he had started talking. Hank knew how hard it could be for Johnny to open up, and he usually only did that with Roy. If he had known he was awake Johnny would never have said those things.
Dr. Brackett peeked into the treatment room expecting to see Roy watching over Johnny. The room was empty. The drained IV bag hung from the pole with the tubing snaking across the empty treatment bed. "I'll kill him." He shook his head and turned from the room.
Stalking to the nurse's desk, he asked Carol where he could find Dixie. After hearing that she and Roy had gone to the cafeteria for a break, he briskly made his way in that direction. "Where is he?" He barked out as he approached the table.
"What?" Roy and Dixie asked at the same time.
"Johnny's gone." Kel exclaimed.
"I think I know where he might be," Emily said as she rose from her seat.
The four moved quickly from the table and set out to find their missing friend.
The door opened and Emily, Roy, Dixie and Dr. Brackett crowded into the room. Emily met her husband's eyes and smiled excitedly, "You're awake!"
Johnny had his head on his folded arms facing the door sound asleep.
Hank had his hand on Johnny's head in a simple act of fatherly love. He lifted his other hand to his mouth and placed a finger over his lips in a shushing move to keep them from waking his sleeping paramedic.
They all smiled in understanding knowing everything was going to be all right now.
The End.
01/02/10
"It's okay Dixie. I mean yes I keep my eyes on him, probably a little too much. I mean he is a grown man."
"I know but he is so impulsive and somehow trouble always seems to find him." She smiled affectionately. "Maybe we need him more than we think he needs us."
"Well he does keep us on our toes." Roy let out a soft chuckle.
Dixie shrugged. "He was just so disoriented. It took me off guard I guess."
"Johnny does that." He sipped his coffee. "It's funny how much we all look to Cap for direction, especially Johnny. I mean he doesn't have anyone but us, but then he is so independent at times. I knew he was exhausted. Hell, we all were." He looked at Dixie. "Sorry." He usually didn't swear in front of a lady. Then he continued. "We didn't know if Cap had survived or…" The sentence hung in the air. Dixie knew what he would have said.
"He'll be okay Roy. His vitals are stable." Dixie put a reassuring hand on his arm.
"I couldn't help remembering the other times…" He paused and rubbed his face. "The other times he was injured like the electrocution when I had to treat him. Then there was the time that valve blew and he hurt his knee. It was bad, but this. We didn't know. He was buried in rubble." Roy turned his coffee cup on the table. "It's hard enough when it's one of the guys, but Cap always leads us through that. He seems to always know exactly what to do or say to keep us directed. When he's down it's…it's hard."
Dixie patted his arm again.
"Johnny…he wouldn't give up on any of us. He pushes himself beyond expectation for us and for the victims, sometimes beyond reason."
"And then he goes down."
"Yeah." Roy rubbed his face again. "But, Dixie, he's been on his own for so long. I think sometimes we smother him. Last night when everyone left, I just figured he caught a ride back to his Rover. I should have known he would never leave without knowing about Cap."
"Roy, John Gage has disappeared countless times in this hospital."
Roy smiled, "It is like his second home."
"No Roy, it's like his third home. Your house is his second home. You are very special to him."
"Do you know why he disappears? Why he slips away?"
"No, but I bet you're going to tell me." Dixie smiled and took her hand from his arm. She sat back waiting for Roy to continue.
"He told me once that his grandfather had taught him things about his people, their beliefs and customs. One of the things he taught Johnny involved meditation, bonding with nature and letting the spirits guide him. He goes to a quiet place. Here it's the roof, the courtyard when it's quiet, the stairwell and that linen closet. At the station, it's the hood of his Rover. When he's not injured, sick or working it's the mountains. That must be what he needed last night. He needed to be alone. We all left while he was in there. He didn't know we were leaving. I didn't know I was leaving him.".
"Of course you didn't." Dixie waited until she thought Roy was really listening. "He was already disoriented Roy. Dehydration does that. You know the symptoms. He probably couldn't think clearly. You were all shocked about the collapse and Hank getting hurt. Don't beat yourself up. They'll both be all right." Dixie did her best to reassure him. "Like you said Johnny's a big boy."
Looking up from his coffee Roy saw Emily Stanley making her way over to their table. He stood and pulled out a chair for her. He and Dixie stayed to keep her company while she ate.
Up in Hank's room Johnny stretched and looked at his mentor. Johnny thought he looked kind of small in the hospital bed. Not at all like the strong leader he always seemed to be. "Come on Cap. Me and the guys need you. Your family needs you." He leaned back in the chair and ran his fingers through his hair. "I screwed up again. I guess I didn't realize how off I was. It's a good thing Dixie found me. I couldn't think. I mean all I could think about was you not waking up. Grandfather always said to meditate when I couldn't get things straight. I never meant to pass out like that." Johnny sat quietly for a long time. He got up and walked over to the window.
The sun shinned brightly, and the skies were clear, another beautiful California day. 'A good day for hiking,' Johnny thought.
He turned back to look at Hank. Rubbing his face with his hands, he looked back at his reflection in the glass. "I don't...you…aw hell Cap you know you're important to me…at least I hope you do. You gotta wake up." He moved away from the window and back to the chair.
He was tired.
Sliding down into the chair, he leaned forward and rested his arms on the side of the bed. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but you're like…like my dad. My father died so long ago. I never want to go through that again. I don't want anyone to go through that again. I guess that's why I do what I do." He sighed deeply.
Johnny laid his head down on his hands. "I guess that's why I know…" He spoke into his hands. "I know I made the right choice becoming a fireman, then a rescue man, and finally a paramedic. I can help people, the victims and their families. I can help keep them together. They don't have to go through what I went through. I know I made the right choice becoming Roy's partner and coming to 51's. That's when I became part of a family again. That's when you came." Johnny grew very quiet and after a few minutes his breathing evened out and his head lulled to the side.
He never knew Hank had woken up and watched him, listening, from the time he had started talking. Hank knew how hard it could be for Johnny to open up, and he usually only did that with Roy. If he had known he was awake Johnny would never have said those things.
Dr. Brackett peeked into the treatment room expecting to see Roy watching over Johnny. The room was empty. The drained IV bag hung from the pole with the tubing snaking across the empty treatment bed. "I'll kill him." He shook his head and turned from the room.
Stalking to the nurse's desk, he asked Carol where he could find Dixie. After hearing that she and Roy had gone to the cafeteria for a break, he briskly made his way in that direction. "Where is he?" He barked out as he approached the table.
"What?" Roy and Dixie asked at the same time.
"Johnny's gone." Kel exclaimed.
"I think I know where he might be," Emily said as she rose from her seat.
The four moved quickly from the table and set out to find their missing friend.
The door opened and Emily, Roy, Dixie and Dr. Brackett crowded into the room. Emily met her husband's eyes and smiled excitedly, "You're awake!"
Johnny had his head on his folded arms facing the door sound asleep.
Hank had his hand on Johnny's head in a simple act of fatherly love. He lifted his other hand to his mouth and placed a finger over his lips in a shushing move to keep them from waking his sleeping paramedic.
They all smiled in understanding knowing everything was going to be all right now.
The End.
01/02/10