The Separation
By
Author's notes: This is the third story in an ongoing series. The others are Thanks to the Monkey and Unexpected Connections.
I highly recommend that you read both of these stories first.
Thank you to Ocean. You are a wonderful Beta! :-)
General Beauregard sat on the picnic table watching his owner, purring in contentment. The Norwegian Forest cat Johnny had nicknamed ‘Bo’ was his constant companion whenever he was home, always ready for attention. Somehow he had become very adept at picking up on Johnny's blue moods, and watched with slitted eyes as Johnny sat with the end of his pen in his mouth, contemplating what to write.
Johnny thought about Jackie, a smile forming on his handsome face. ‘It’s been six months now since she left. I can’t believe how much I miss her. I know this extra training program was too good to pass up. It’s going to make her an even better doctor than she already is. If only it could have been in L.A....’
Taking the open invitation Johnny stroked Bo. Looking at the cat he said, "She’s already a pretty terrific doctor, Bo." ‘Oh man, I don’t want her to be gone another two and a half years.’
Johnny sat back and continued to absently pet Bo, remembering back to the last time he saw Jackie. Not even realizing he was speaking aloud, he murmured, "She looked so beautiful, even dressed to travel in that business suit." Johnny picked up the last letter he’d received from Jackie, full of interesting news about her work and courses, as well as more tidbits about Washington, D.C. He smiled forlornly as he reread that she missed him, too, then put his pen to the paper.
Dear Jackie,
How are you? Can you believe it has been six months already since you went to Washington?
Things are going really well here. They miss you at the clinic. I’m still getting over there to volunteer, usually once a week. As you know, sometimes with my changing schedule it’s hard to be there on clinic days, although occasionally I go other days too.
There’s nothing new at the station lately. The phantom got me with a water bomb again yesterday, but I got him back with our CPR dummy. You should have heard Chet scream! I think I told you about the time I put it in Chet’s car and he thought it was a dead body. We all thought we were going to have to do CPR on him! This was just as funny, you’d think he would have learned!
The vet was here last week. Poka is doing really well with her pregnancy. She is due in 4 ½ months.
Well, I need to go work with the horses, so I’d better go. I miss you, Jackie; I’m anxious to hear from you again. It’s amazing how long a month can be, isn’t it?
Yours,
Johnny
Johnny put the letter in the envelope, sealed it and put a stamp on it, then went into the barn, with Bo following. As he walked, he wished he could justify calling Jackie more often. Once a month seemed like so far and few between. Unfortunately, long distance was expensive and with all the expenses of his ranch he just couldn’t spend more.
**Oh well, it’s something to look forward to, just like going to get the mail is. Ironic, I’ve never liked the mail before. It always seems like I only get bills and junk mail.**
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Two weeks later at the station, after morning chores were completed, Johnny sat thinking about Jackie again. His reverie was interrupted, however, when Chet started in on him.
"Hey, Johnny, I haven't heard you talk about any new chicks for a while. Did all the nurses at Rampart spread the word about you?"
Irritated, Johnny responded, "Oh Chet, go bug off."
"Really, guys, haven’t you noticed Gage has lost his touch….I bet he hasn’t been on a date in over three months, maybe more!"
Marco Lopez jumped in, defending Johnny, saying, "Oh come off it Chet…maybe he’s just gotten smart and doesn’t tell you who he goes out with anymore. I know I wouldn’t."
"No way Marco! The Pigeon can’t keep secrets from the Phantom. He has ways of finding out these things. Don’t think the Phantom doesn’t know about your female involvements too."
"Sure, Chet, sure." This time the party heard from was Mike Stoker, the station’s Engineer, who was a quiet man of few words.
"Oh come on, guys. You know I’m right!" Chet exclaimed seriously.
Seeing the irritated look on Johnny’s face, his partner, Roy DeSoto, decided he’d better jump in and stop things before they escalated into a full-scale war. "Johnny, I think we’d better make a supply run before things get busy."
Johnny silently got up, giving Chet a glare as he walked out of the room and headed to the squad.
Stopping at the Captain’s office, Roy informed Captain Stanley that they were making a supply run and would be back in time for lunch.
Once in the squad’s driver’s seat, Roy noticed the suddenly somber expression on Johnny's face and said, "You’re letting him get to you again."
"I know, I know. Sometimes it’s just hard, ya know?" Johnny let out a heavy sigh.
"Yeah, I know…you’ve been…I don’t know…kind of off lately…is something bothering you?"
Johnny fiddled with his green pen, debating about what to say to Roy. He’d felt uncomfortable sharing very much about his current relationship. He was, by nature, a very private man and really never told great details about his romantic involvements. Sure, he’d sometimes brag about going out with a ‘babe’ or a ‘looker’ but none of those had been serious. Most of them, in fact, had been one date only, usually with Johnny being ‘dumped’ before a second date could be arranged. ‘How could I possibly explain this? She isn’t even technically my girlfriend; none of the guys even know about her.’ Thinking about it, he realized that Dixie was the only one that even knew about Jackie. Despite his close friendships with both Roy, and in the last year, Dr. Brackett, he hadn’t told either of them about her. He’d told them, as he had Dixie, that he’d been working with a doctor at the tribal clinic but they had no idea that doctor was a woman.
Coming to a decision, he decided he really didn’t feel like delving into the situation at the moment. "I’m fine, Roy. It's just that I have my hands full with things at the ranch - I’m so busy I can barely keep up. I haven’t had time to get all my chores done - let alone go on a date." Deciding to change the subject, he said, "Speaking of the ranch, Poka is due in four months now. I’m getting excited! It’s seemed like so long; I bred her seven months ago but the gestation of a horse is eleven months."
"That is a while to wait."
"Yep, it is…but well worth it!" Johnny sighed inwardly - any more, it seemed like his life was in limbo; all he was doing was waiting for good things to happen.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Back in Washington, D.C., Jackie was having many of the same thoughts Johnny was. She had gotten his last letter the day before and was thinking about it as she headed in to the University for her work shift.
‘I sure miss him. I’ve never met anyone so enthusiastic about life before. Passionate about his job, the clinic, his horses.’ She blushed as her thoughts added, ‘and maybe passionate about me.’
Committed to her goals in life, Jackie had never dated seriously. Sure, she had been out on her fair share of dates, but none had gotten very serious. She’d never met anyone she wanted to know intimately, let alone to spend her life with. Thinking about Johnny she wondered if now maybe she had. She flushed, remembering the kiss she and Johnny had shared after their dinner date; she longed to experience that again, and more. Sighing, she pushed the thoughts from her mind and mentally prepared herself for the long day ahead.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hurrying home after a long shift, the first thing Johnny did was stop at the mailbox, hoping for a letter from Jackie. Opening the box, he saw the familiar stationery sitting on the top of the pile of mail in the box. A wide grin was plastered on his face as he drove as fast as safely possible up his long driveway. He didn’t bother to get out of the Rover, instead anxiously opened the envelope as soon as he was parked by the house.
Dear Johnny,
It’s a quiet day here. Very muggy and hot…I hope a breeze will pick up this afternoon. We’ve had many cases of heat exhaustion the past few days, as well as many babies being brought in with bad heat rash.
Classes are going well. I am learning so much that will help me down the road at the clinic and at any future clinic I may work for, perhaps I’ll even be part of creating one.
I hope the Phantom is giving you a break. I’m glad you were able to get him back with the CPR dummy. I would like to have seen his face. Perhaps someday I’ll get to meet him. I’ll certainly let him know what I think of his picking on you, and what I think of his ‘pigeon.’
You sure sound excited about Poka. I wish I could be there for the birth, too. I loved it when we had foals, years ago, growing up.
Well, it is time for me to go work at the clinic so I’d better close.
Love,
Jackie
Johnny sighed as he finished reading Jackie’s letter. He suddenly did a double-take and, clutching at the letter, scanned down to the bottom of it. His heart began to pound as he read that one little word. ‘Love.’ ‘Love, Jackie’ it had said. That was the first time she had ever signed her letter like that and his head began to spin. He was exultant and terrified at the same moment. ‘She loves me,’ he thought, and a silly smile spread across his face as he stared back down at it. Boy, he was glad she was able to get the extra training she wanted but it seemed like the days were dragging.
‘I’m glad it’s almost time to call her.’ Johnny thought.
Shaking himself out of his momentary reverie, Johnny hurried inside the house to change clothes then went out to the barn. He had a huge list of chores to complete, including a trip to the feed store.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Four months later….
As the vet examined Poka, Johnny looked on anxiously, hoping no unexpected problems would be found.
"Things look really good, Johnny. I think Poka should have the foal within two weeks," the vet predicted as he loaded up his kit into his truck. "It looks like you planned your vacation perfectly."
"Thanks, Doc. I appreciate you coming out today."
"Anytime, Johnny. I’ll see you later."
Johnny watched the vet drive away, and then returned to the barn to finish up the chores for the night. He was glad to hear the report on Poka. He knew horses could easily go several weeks beyond the expected gestation so he hoped the vet’s prediction would be accurate. After completing his chores, Johnny stopped at Poka’s stall, stroking the nose that was thrust into his hand. "You’ve just got to wait while I’m on shift one more time sweetheart," he told his mare.
At work the next day, once he was sure Chet was occupied elsewhere, Johnny sequestered himself in his locker. He wanted to write to Jackie but he didn’t really want to be observed doing so, especially by the phantom.
Dear Jackie,
How are you? Everything is fine here. Things at the station, Rampart and the clinic are going well, except Dixie McCall broke her ankle and is at Rampart as a patient right now. We’re all kind of bummed because we’re planning a surprise birthday party for her and we were going to have dancing. I’m still picking out tapes, though. Maybe we still will have some dancing, or at least music. I never asked you, do you like to dance?
The vet was here yesterday. He said it looks like Poka should have the foal in the next two weeks, which coincides perfectly with my vacation. I’m getting very excited; it’s been years since I was around a newborn foal.
I wish you could....
Hi again! It turns out this is three days later. The tones went off when I was mid-sentence the other day. Wow, where do I begin? Last shift was not one of my better days. We were called out to a pretty bad fire. I was leaving a building and it exploded, throwing me down a stairway. For a little while I wasn’t sure they were going to get to me before the fire did, I lay there unable to move. I just knew my leg was broken. The guys once again proved what a great crew they were; they pulled me out in what seemed just in the nick of time. I’m okay, except for the broken leg. It really isn’t too bad, although it does hurt a bit, and the cast is making my leg itch like crazy. I know it will be better soon. I have to admit the pain meds they gave me are good, although I hate taking them; they make me sleepy. All in all, it could have been worse. I was bummed though, because unfortunately, it happened the day of Dixie’s party. All that planning I did and then I ended up missing it. Fortunately Dixie had a good time. Afterwards, she came and saw me in my hospital room, bringing me a piece of her birthday cake.
Once I’m out of traction I get to experience the joys of crutches, not to mention some physical therapy. After that happens, within a few days I guess, I’ll be released.
I’ll be out of work for about six weeks . Fortunately my neighbor is helping me out with all the ranch chores. I hope I don’t have any problems with Poka; even if I’m out of the hospital I certainly won’t be up to any required delivery assistance.
My day nurse promised to get this in the mail, so I’d best get it to her. Hope to hear from you again soon. I really miss you, Jackie.
Johnny paused, taking a moment to look over his letter, chewing on the pen nervously, thinking, ‘Should I sign it ‘love’? She signed hers ‘love’. I don’t want her to think I don’t care…hmm…do I love her?’
Coming to a decision, he ended with a flourish:
Love,
Johnny
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Johnny had just finished addressing the envelope when Dr. Brackett walked in the room. Quickly, Johnny stashed the letter under his pillow.
"Is there anything I can help you with, Johnny? The nurse said you seemed a bit agitated the last few hours."
Johnny sighed as he contemplated what exactly to say. After a moment, he answered, "Hmm…well I’m not sure. Poka is due almost immediately. The day before this happened the vet was out and said he expected she’d have the foal within a couple of weeks. Roy got in touch with my neighbor and he’s taking care of the horses. I really want to be there, but now I’m not sure I’ll be able to help her if she needs it. I guess I’ll just have to call the vet if there is a problem."
Dr. Brackett’s brow furrowed and his mouth twitched slightly as he listened to Johnny’s explanation. "I can see that would be frustrating. You definitely won’t be up to anything strenuous when you leave." He folded his arms across himself as he thought of what else he could say, speaking after a long moment, "I don’t know how much help I could be…but…once you’re home, you could call me and I’d come over and help if I’m not tied up here. You could tell me what to do, and I’d do whatever I could."
Johnny studied his friend. He knew that this could be a huge imposition. ‘I really don’t have any better options though, do I’ "That would be great, Kel." ‘I’d better make sure he knows what he’s getting into.’ "Uh, you do know that a horse tends to have her foal very early in the morning or very late at night, don’t you? Are you sure you wouldn’t mind coming over in the wee hours?"
Kel considered this a moment, then responded, "Do you really think that is any different than when I’m on call at Rampart?" he countered with a wry grin.
Johnny ran his hand through his slightly unruly hair, relieved at a possible solution. "Wow, Doc, I can’t begin to thank you enough."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As Jackie read the most recent letter from Johnny, she felt her heart in her throat as she read his description of the accident. ‘Traction!! Oh my Goodness! He must have had an open fracture! I wish I were there to make sure he's all right. Poor Johnny. He must be miserable, but I can see he’s trying to be strong. Granted, by now it probably doesn’t hurt nearly so much.’ She began to get out her stationery to write back, and then hesitated. Alone in her apartment, she none-the-less spoke out loud. "Why not? I’m going to call him instead." Picking up the phone, she dialed his number, figuring he was probably home by now, her anxiety growing as the phone began to ring. ‘What if he didn’t tell me everything? Maybe he’s hurt worse than he said.’ She was relieved to hear the phone stop ringing as it was answered.
Johnny was sitting on the couch, his leg propped up on the coffee table, attempting to read his latest ‘Wheels & Gears’ magazine when the phone rang. In reality, he was already incredibly bored and feeling slightly stir crazy. Answering he said,
"Hello?"
"Hi Johnny."
"Jackie!" Hearing her voice, Johnny jolted upright, jerking his leg a little and then wincing in pain. "Wow, I didn’t expect you to call! How are you?"
"I just got your last letter I really didn’t want to wait for a response to a letter; I decided I’d rather call." She paused a moment, then went on, "Are you really alright?"
Jackie heard the sigh that he gave before answering in a slightly strained voice, "I’m managing. It’s frustrating, though; six weeks off work."
"I’m glad you weren’t hurt worse…I’m sorry about your leg."
Johnny twisted the phone cord as he listened, appreciating the sympathy. "Yeah, you’re right. It definitely could have been much worse. I felt bad to miss Dixie’s party."
"I’m sorry you missed it, Johnny. That must be really frustrating after all the plans you made for it."
‘Wow, she really is interested in how I feel.’ Johnny thought. He grinned slightly, happy she cared enough to call him. "At least they brought me some cake though." He paused a moment, then not wanting the conversation to end, he asked, "So how are things going for you?"
"They’re going well. You’d like one of the professor’s. He must be nearly 70 years old but he is as bright and spry as if he were in his twenties. He is half Cree and half Italian and specializes in psychology; he deals primarily in the area of abuse. The cases he tells us about are so sad, but it’s amazing the things he has been able to do to help them. I’m looking forward to being able to make a difference, too. I think the classes in the area of psychology will be very beneficial in spite of the fact that it’s not my specialty."
His voice low and meaningful, Johnny affirmed, "You already make a huge difference, Jackie."
Jackie blushed at the praise. "Thanks, Johnny. So do you."
Johnny flashed his trademark grin, happy at her praise. He enthusiastically responded, "The classes sound great, though. It sounds like that professor is teaching you a lot!"
They talked a few more minutes before saying good-bye.
Unknown to the other, they both hung up with a sigh and a wistful smile, wishing there weren’t so many miles between them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A week later, dependent on his crutches, Johnny hobbled out to the barn before bed to check on Poka. Seeing the early signs of labor, he went to the phone extension in the barn and called Dr. Brackett, then pulled up a folding chair nearby Poka’s stall. Propping his broken leg up on a hay bale he began his vigil. He knew he really didn’t need to be in here yet but he was very excited about the impending arrival.
Fifteen minutes later, Kel pulled up, parking his car near the barn.
"I’m in the barn, Doc!" Johnny called out.
Momentarily, Kel approached. "Hey, Johnny…how’s she doing?"
"No changes yet. It could be a long night. I sure appreciate your coming, but I really didn’t expect you yet! I told you it would be several hours before anything...."
A slightly sheepish grin came onto Kel’s face and he interrupted Johnny, explaining, "I know, Johnny. To be honest with you, I’m a little excited and I didn’t want to miss anything. Maybe it seems silly…I couldn’t even tell you how many babies I’ve delivered, but seeing a foal born will really be interesting."
"I’ve always found it to be exciting, too," Johnny agreed. He stood up, feeling the need to move around for a bit. He felt stiff and uncomfortable but refused to even think about giving up the vigil. After hobbling around for a minute, he said, "I think I’m going to go in the house and make some coffee. I’ve got a thermos it can go in. I think I can also scrounge up something for us to eat. If you want to come with me, Poka will be fine. She isn’t showing signs that she is delivering immediately."
Kel followed Johnny into the house and helped him get their food together. After they returned to the barn and settled down with their snacks, Johnny told Kel, "I'm not expecting any complications, so unless a problem comes up all we'll have to do is watch."
It was shortly after midnight; Johnny had finally crashed on some hay bales with his leg propped up, and Kel was sitting in the chair. Kel noticed that Poka was now lying down, flat out and straining to push.
Dr. Brackett looked over at Johnny lying with his eyes closed and decided to wake him. "Does she need help?" Kel asked Johnny, unsure of what to make of it.
Johnny startled awake, taking note of Poka’s position. He sat up straighter, and leaned forward to examine the horse. Glad the doctor had awoken him, he answered, "No, not yet…it looks normal so far. Hopefully the foal will be born in the next few minutes."
A few minutes later, the two men were leaning against the stall, grinning as they watched first two front hooves come out, then shortly the head and the rest of the foal. Poka immediately was licking and nuzzling her newborn. It wasn’t very long before the foal was attempting to get up, ready to stand beside its mama. It stood on unsteady legs and was nuzzled by Poka. It went down for a moment and Kel jumped forward, intending to help the foal stand. Johnny held him back, quickly explaining that they needed to just watch for now, that the foal didn’t need help yet.
Kel looked on, slightly worried, but soon saw the foal was back up and happily partaking of its first meal.
"It’s a filly," Johnny told Kel as he caught the first telltale glimpse of the foal.
Although it was difficult on crutches, after the foal was done eating, Johnny entered the stall, talking softly to Poka. He gave her the treat she obviously expected, stroking and praising her, but making sure to stay well away from the new foal. As much as Poka trusted him he knew she wasn’t ready for him to touch her baby.
After a few minutes, Johnny carefully maneuvered himself out of the stall. He ached all over and could tell he wasn’t fooling his friend at all with his nonchalant air of vivacity.
Kel, equally tired, couldn’t stop himself any longer from giving a little medical advice to his friend, after seeing how uncomfortable Gage was obviously feeling. He'd thought about saying something earlier, but knew Johnny wouldn't have considered leaving, not that he could blame him, especially after witnessing the foal's birth. "Get to bed! If your doctor finds out about this I’m going to be the one that takes the heat for it," he said with a laugh. "I’ll see you soon."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Almost 16 months later....
Johnny whistled cheerfully as he began his chores in the barn. He’d already worked with the horses that day, including Poka’s filly. ‘Wow, I can’t believe she’s already a yearling! Actually beyond that, she’s almost 16 months.’ Glancing over at the corner of the barn, noticing the crutches he had parked there, Johnny mused, "I really should give them to the hospital. I certainly don’t need them anymore." He smiled as his thoughts turned to his vacation. After saving for over a year, he finally had enough money to go visit Jackie in Washington, D.C. He could hardly wait to see her. He loved the letters and phone calls they were exchanging but he longed to see her. He smiled about his plans as he completed his chores and headed inside for a quick dinner. Since he had to work the next day, he’d planned a quiet evening before going to bed, allowing him time to write to Jackie again.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Anxious to get back to the station and get back to bed, Johnny closed the drug box and walked out of the bar with Roy. This call had interrupted a pleasant dream he had been having about Jackie, and he was anxious to try to get back to it.
"Well, what was it?" asked Mike Stoker as Johnny and Roy walked out of the bar.
Johnny answered, disgust evident in his voice, "Ah, just some spaced out dame."
As they walked along side the squad, Roy asked, "Have you got the MICU form?"
"No, I haven’t got it," Johnny replied as he walked around the squad to put the drug box away and get into the passenger side.
An engine revved and suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a car raced the wrong way down the road. Totally caught off guard, Johnny stared in horror as it plowed into him before he had a chance to move out of the way. It caught Johnny on his left side, throwing him into the windshield and then up and over, dropping him hard onto the ground, landing on his right side. The drug box had flown out of Johnny’s hand, and the drugs were now scattered, useless, all over the road.
Johnny lay shocked, trying to absorb what had just happened to him. For a brief moment he felt nothing, then the pain hit like a freight train. He tried to understand what happened, the voices around him sounded like the rush of wind. ‘He hit me…I can’t believe he hit me. Hurts.’ Distracted from his thoughts, he heard Roy’s anxious voice asking where he hurt, telling him to keep his head back. He felt Roy’s hand on his chest, stopping him from attempting to sit up. He licked his lips, and then croaked out, "My hip…my back…my leg." His head fell back on its own accord, and slowly, everything faded.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Waking up, alone in the hospital room, Johnny gritted at the pain from his leg. ‘I can’t believe how much worse this is than when I was thrown down the stairwell last year. Man I’m so tired of these things happening to me.’ His mind shut off the thoughts as the pain became overwhelming. Reaching for the call button, he pressed it to call the nurse in the hopes of getting something for the pain. After she took his vitals she injected the prescribed pain reliever. Shortly he began to feel the relief. His thoughts continued, turning back to the early morning event.
He remembered his crew working together to help him; Cap’s reassurance, Roy’s care. He remembered Chet talking to him, trying to distract him from the situation. He smiled when he thought about how Chet showed his concern. ‘He must really have been worried to have expressed so much concern. Then again, he probably was worried that if I kicked the bucket, he wouldn’t have anyone to play jokes on.’
As the drugs took effect, Johnny became groggy, his thoughts swirling back to less than twenty-four hours ago, when he was lying on the pavement.
Sharp pain in his abdomen forced him awake, and he tried to roll again. "Easy, Johnny…lie still. I’m going to check you out," Roy compassionately said.
After a quick exam, Johnny felt his turnouts being cut off and knew he was being log-rolled onto a backboard. He suddenly felt cold. ‘Cold…pain.’ Out loud, he moaned, "Hurts, Roy."
"I know, Johnny. The ambulance is almost here. We’ll be on our way to Rampart in a couple minutes. Dr. Early and Dr. Morton are waiting for you," Roy said softly.
Chet looked anxiously down at Johnny. "Hang in there, Johnny. You’re in good hands with Roy. All the guys are here, we’ve got you."
Johnny looked up at his friend. He started to tell him thanks, but his voice was drowned out by the ambulance siren.
Momentarily, Johnny was lifted onto the gurney. As they began to load him in the ambulance, Roy asked, "How you feeling?"
Johnny, his voice slightly strained, responded, "Um…trying to think of something funny…but I hurt too much."
Roy answered back, "All right. Well, take it easy. Hang in there."
The next thing Johnny knew, he was at Rampart, in a treatment room and Dr. Early was leaning over him. He heard the doctor say, "Johnny, it’s Dr. Early. Can you hear me?"
A noise in the hallway startled Johnny from his thoughts. Blinking slowly, he realized he was in still in his hospital bed. As the hallway became quiet again, his thoughts drifted back to the ER the night before.
He remembered hearing Dr. Morton too, and wondering where they thought he was going to go. Chagrined now, realizing that Dr. Morton had said, "He’s going to go out on us," meaning that he was losing consciousness, not that he was going to leave. ‘Funny how distorted things seem when you’re the patient.’ His thoughts turned in a different direction, fearing he might not see Jackie soon, as planned. ‘Now what’s going to happen to my trip? I leave in three weeks. I wonder if Dr. Early will allow me to go?’
Unable to stay awake any longer, Johnny gave in, letting the pain medicine ease him back to sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Johnny slept most of that day, lost between a sea of pain and the relief of painkillers. The next morning he woke, feeling much better. Roy stopped by to see him that day, and was glad to see that Johnny seemed to be feeling much better. Marco had mentioned to him that Johnny had been in a lot of pain when the guys went to see him on Saturday. Now it was Monday, and Johnny was pleasantly surprised to see Dixie McCall walk through his door, and even better, a pretty girl had followed her in.
He almost couldn’t help himself when he started flirting with the petite physical therapist, even though his intentions were innocent. It wasn’t his nature to just ignore a pretty face. Unfortunately, apparently Mary Lynne got the impression that Johnny was just another wolf, and quickly put him in his place. After her abrupt rejection of his supposed advances, he began pining for Jackie once again; it seemed like forever since she’d been gone, and it was frustrating, to say the least. Somberly, he wondered whether anything real was going to come of their relationship. He’d been waiting so long. He’d barely had any time to contemplate that unattractive thought when the floor nurse came in, chasing them out. She plopped his lunch tray down, informed him he had just 15 minutes to eat before she would be back - to give him his bath.
Johnny looked at the still closing door with terror stricken eyes as he absorbed the nurses statement. ‘A bath? No way! I don’t want her to give me a bath.’
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A short time later, as the nurse gathered up the dirty water basin, Johnny once again heard a tap on his door. He looked up to see Dr. Brackett standing there, waiting for Johnny to invite him in.
"Hey, Doc, come in," Johnny said as nonchalantly as he could, in spite of the embarrassed blush that spread across his face as the nurse breezed past the waiting doctor. Despite his embarrassment, he read the worried look in Kel’s eyes. Dr. Bracket stood with the chart in his hand, appraising Johnny. Just a few years ago, Dr. Brackett would have been standing there scrutinizing him with a much more clinical look. Now it amazed Johnny how much their friendship had changed things, including letting him see a much more human side of Kelly Brackett.
Kel had already been fully briefed by Dr. Early about Johnny’s condition and had read the details surrounding this latest incident. In spite of the older doctor assurances, he none-the-less had felt the need to see his friend.
"Johnny, Johnny, Johnny. What are we going to do with you?" Kel had purposely tried to keep his voice light and humorous but he couldn’t prevent the tone of concern that tagged along.
"Ah, Doc…it’s not like I want to be here." ‘Especially if I have to put up with the likes of nurse ‘Kratchet’ much longer,’ he thought.
"All teasing aside...how are you feeling Johnny?"
"Well, Doc, in all honesty yesterday was not a day I’d care to relive, although the morphine helped. Today I’m pretty sore, but I’m managing better I guess. I have to admit though...I feel pretty stupid. Guess maybe next time I’ll look before I step out into the street."
As if confirming the paramedic’s earlier thought, Kel answered, "It wasn’t your fault, Johnny. That guy was going the wrong way; even if you’d looked you would have looked in the wrong direction."
"Yeah, I suppose," Johnny agreed. Looking at his friend, he decided to broach his concern. "This sure brings up a problem. I’m supposed to go on vacation in three weeks… well, actually just under that now. I’m a little concerned Dr. Early won’t want me to go. I’ve already paid for a plane ticket and a hotel. I’m out the money if I can’t go."
"Hm; now I remember. You mentioned you had plans for a vacation but you were called out the other day before you could tell me about it."
"I’m going to Washington, D.C., to visit the doctor I worked with at the tribal clinic. They have quite a training program there, training doctors to work in and even start new clinics. I’ve always wanted to visit D.C. and this was a good excuse."
"That sounds like a great program, Johnny. I’m not sure what Joe will think about your traveling that far so soon. I think maybe we’ll have to wait and see how well you’re doing. You do usually heal up pretty quickly, so I’d say it *might* still be possible. No promises though."
"Yeah, I understand, Kel. I appreciate your input. It’s nice to know there might be a chance. Guess I’ll really have to dig in and work hard at the physical therapy."
"That sounds like a plan, Johnny," Kel said with a smile. Looking at his watch, he realized his break was over. "I’m on duty. Guess I’d better get back to the ER before Dixie sends a posse after me."
"See you later, Doc! Thanks!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A week later, Johnny was waiting, ready to finally leave Rampart. Dr. Early had been by and had given him his release papers and Dixie had brought a wheelchair up. Now that Roy was also a guest at the Rampart hotel, having suffered a bump on the head after being trapped at a fire, Dr. Brackett had offered to take Johnny home. Stepping in the room, he said, "Ready to go Johnny?"
"You bet, Doc. Are you sure this isn’t an imposition? I can call a ca…." he began.
‘Are you kidding? And deprive me of a chance to finally get a break? Do you have any idea what the ER’s been like this morning? Johnny, right now what I need is a good excuse to get away from here for a little while, and you’re it. Now, c’mon and get your stuff and let’s get outta here before Dixie decides she needs me."
A sheepish grin on his face, Johnny responded, "Okay, when you put it that way!"
"Now that we’ve got that settled, let’s go!" Kel said, a twinkle in his eye, expressing that he understood how the paramedic felt. He pushed Johnny out to his car and momentarily they were in his car heading toward Johnny’s ranch.
Opening up a new line of conversation, Kel asked, "Did you talk to Joe about the trip you’re planning yet?"
Johnny grimaced. "No, not yet…I hadn’t really wanted to bring it up until I had to. It’s still another week and a half until I’m supposed to leave."
"I guess I can understand that. The more physical therapy you’ve had, the better idea Joe will have if the trip is feasible or not."
"Yeah, kind of what I was thinking, too. What would you think if you were the one in charge of my case?"
Kel looked at Johnny, his lip twitched as he considered how to answer. "Honestly, Johnny, I couldn’t tell you yet. My first instinct when you mentioned it was to tell you ‘no way’. It’s a very long plane ride and it’s hard to say if you would be able to stretch your leg out. I think you’ll likely find it very uncomfortable. However, if the airline is willing to give you the assistance you need; a seat where you can stretch your leg out and perhaps a wheelchair in both airports, I could see it might be doable. You’re doing very well so far with physical therapy and there is certainly no question about the shape you’re in. I’m not your doctor, however, and Joe might think completely differently than I do. I hope that you will give serious consideration to whether you think you are up to it, no matter what Joe says."
"I understand. I will."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ten days later, Dr. Early had reluctantly cleared Johnny for travel and he was about to arrive in Washington, D.C. His leg, as Kel had predicted, was very unhappy about the trip, causing him to feel pretty uncomfortable for most of the journey. As he neared his destination, the uncomfortable feeling took a back seat to his excitement. To his chagrin, he deplaned in a wheelchair. ‘Oh well, I guess this promise is worth it. I know I’d never have gotten approval to travel if I hadn’t agreed. Even Jackie sided with Dr. Early.’ After Johnny crutched down the airplane stairway, the airline hostess wheeled Johnny into the gate area and soon he saw Jackie’s smiling face. Johnny stood up and engulfed her in a hug, then gave her a quick kiss. "I’ve really missed you, Jackie."
"I’m so glad you’re here, Johnny. I’ve missed you, too. Now, if you’re ready to go sit back down, we’ll get out of here."
"Yes, Ma’am," Johnny responded with a cheeky smile.
Shortly they had collected Johnny’s luggage and were waiting for a taxi.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It wasn’t long until Johnny and Jackie arrived at the hotel where he would be staying. After he checked in and left his luggage in his room, they decided to go to the hotel restaurant for dinner. After they were seated, they picked up their conversation, talking about anything and everything. Johnny was fascinated by all of the stories Jackie had to tell about the classes and work; she was equally enthralled by his many tales of rescues.
After they finished dinner Jackie decided they’d best call it a day. She could see the pain written on Johnny’s face, pain that he was trying to hide from her. She spoke up, saying, "I think it’s time to get you back to your room, Johnny," she paused as he began to protest that he was fine. Placing a finger on his lips she added with a grin, "We’ll have plenty of time tomorrow. I’ve taken the day off."
Johnny looked at her as she made her last statement, a smile slowly formed on his face. He knew she was right, he was hurting; the trip had been much harder than he’d anticipated. He replied, "Okay, let’s go."
Momentarily they were back at Johnny’s room. Exerting her doctor façade, Jackie questioned, "When did you last take your pain meds?"
"This morning, before I left for the airport…they make me sleepy so I really didn’t want to take them during the day."
"You need to take them now, Johnny. I know you don’t like the feeling from them but I can see how much pain you’re in. You’re doing a good job of hiding it but we doctors pick up on those things once in awhile."
Hiding a grin, Johnny dug in this luggage, pulling out the offending medicine, opened it and took the required dosage. He truly was enjoying the TLC that Jackie was giving him.
"Happy, now?" he asked with a silly grin.
"No, not yet…I think you should get in bed for the night, too. Your leg really needs the rest." She stopped, looking at his dismayed reaction. Not wanting the night to end anymore than he did, she slyly added, "I can say goodnight now or I could stay and tuck you in…your choice."
Surprised, Johnny stared at Jackie. After a long moment, he licked his dry lips and croaked, his voice half an octave higher than normal, "Tuck me in?" All pain was suddenly gone as his mind conjured up exactly what she might have meant by that. "Mm, I like that idea." He stood up, leaning heavily on his crutches, reached his hand out, and caressed her cheek. Then he leaned over and kissed her for a long moment before reluctantly pulling away and saying, "I’ll be back in a minute." Grabbing some shorts and a t-shirt, he went into the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind him.
‘Oh wow. She is something. Man, I don’t want her to leave. Maybe I can stay awake.’ Not wanting to miss a minute with her, he hurried and got ready for bed.
When he came back out of the bathroom, he found Jackie had pulled the covers down, ready to tuck him in. He got in the bed, carefully propping himself up on some pillows. Jackie helped him get his leg under a pillow, then covered him and sat down beside him. She took his hand, squeezing it then leaned over and kissed him.
Johnny reached up, wrapping his arms around Jackie and deepened the kiss. After a long few moments, they both pulled back, breathless. At that moment, Johnny wanted nothing more than to pull this beautiful woman into bed with him. Looking deeply in her eyes, Johnny decided that he couldn’t do that. Aside from the objections he knew she would voice about his medical condition, he knew she had never had a relationship like this before and he wanted to be sure that the first time they were together was perfect. Part of him also knew that the timing was wrong. Once they were both back in L.A., then perhaps they could progress their relationship further. ‘Jackie’s too special to me to take any chances.’
When he could finally speak, Johnny seductively said, "I’ve never been tucked in like that before. I think I’d like to be tucked in more often."
Jackie grinned and then moved away, switching all but one dim light off. She went to the other side of the bed and crawled on it, placing her head on Johnny’s shoulder.
Johnny wrapped his arm around her, glad to just hold her.
The pair remained silent, each enjoying the comfort of the other. Gradually the medication took over, lulling Johnny to sleep.
After he’d been asleep for a few minutes, Jackie sat up, careful not to disturb Johnny. Leaning over, she affectionately pushed a lock of hair off his face before kissing him on the forehead. She spoke, her voice barely a whisper, "I love you John Gage." Jackie silently left the room, wishing once again that the next six months would pass quickly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next morning Jackie was back at Johnny’s hotel. Following a quick breakfast they got on a tour bus to show Johnny around Washington, D.C. After spending a couple of hours sightseeing, they took a city bus to the hospital where Jackie worked. Following a quick tour of the facilities, they went to Jackie’s nearby apartment where she immediately turned on her doctor persona, at least for a moment. "Sit down, Johnny," she ordered.
Johnny sat down on the couch where he indicated, a slight smile on his face as he saw Jackie morph into her doctor personality. He watched Jackie grab a pillow and help him prop his leg up on the coffee table, and then obediently took the pain medication she gave him.
"I’ll just make us a quick lunch."
"Okay, Jackie. That sounds good."
She moved into the nearby kitchen and fixed them some sandwiches, then brought them over, handed Johnny a plate and sat next to him. Once again, their conversation covered subjects on many topics, varying from her experiences in D.C. to happenings back in L.A - the clinic, the station and hospital, his ranch. After they had finished eating, Johnny pulled Jackie into his arms as their conversation turned serious.
His voice low and serious, Johnny said, "I've never felt like this about anyone before, Jackie. Have I told you how special you are to me?"
Looking into his eyes, Jackie's pulse quickened, hoping she was seeing what she thought she saw in them. She whispered, "You're very important to me, too, Johnny."
Keeping his leg propped on the coffee table, Johnny twisted, pulling Jackie snugly against him, then kissed her passionately. After several long moments, he pulled away, leaving them both breathless. "This last six months is going to be an eternity," Johnny moaned. "I'm going to be very glad when you come back to L.A."
Sitting up, attempting to get her emotions back in check, Jackie breathed, "Me too, Johnny. Me too."
Johnny, also attempting to reign in his emotions, was silent, simply holding Jackie in his arms. ‘I think I've gone and done it. All these years of waiting, wondering if the right girl would ever come along.’ He studied Jackie, taking in her features, determined to burn them into his mind to help him get through the remaining six months of her time in D.C. ‘Yep, I've found the girl all right. I've found her.’
Jackie felt his eyes boring into hers and the look of love on his face filled her with a joy she had never experienced before. ‘How did I get so lucky to find a man like this?’ she pondered. Her heart skipped a beat as she heard his next words,
"I love you, Jackie."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Johnny’s time in D.C. seemed to be gone before it had hardly gotten started. They stood at the gate, waiting until the final boarding call. "We’ve got to stop doing this, Jackie," Johnny moaned, thinking of the good-bye they had shared in L.A.
"I know Johnny. I don’t want our time to end, either. I’ve got less than a year left here, though, and then I think we’ll have a much happier time at the airport."
"You can count on it, Jackie."
As the final boarding call was made, Johnny sighed heavily and pulled Jackie into a final embrace, kissed her, then proceeded carefully on his crutches, handing the gate agent his ticket and hobbled out the gate toward the plane.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Three months later, Johnny was working around his ranch, catching up on chores that had fallen behind after his accident. He had returned to work six weeks ago and things on the job were going well. He sighed, thinking of Jackie. He had still been writing to her every week but her letters had first slacked off, then finally seemed to have stopped and he was worried. The last time he’d called her, she was rushed, able to talk for only a few minutes. Although she had been apologetic, Johnny couldn’t help but worry. ‘Did something I wrote or said upset her? Could she have found someone else?’ He sighed as he worked, feeling the fear of rejection growing. ‘I told her I loved her but she didn’t reply. I knew she’d never had a serious relationship before but I had to go and jump the gun before she was ready. Man I guess I really blew it this time.’
Memories of his past relationships began to come to his mind. So many times he thought things were going well only to find himself dumped on the next date. Chet Kelly’s voice rang in Johnny’s mind, telling him what a sucker he was to fall for a girl out of his league. **Of course Chet thinks all girls are out of my league.**
His self-recriminations continued as he worked, causing his mood to stay very blue. Finally, he threw down his pitchfork in disgust and said to himself, "Gage, get hold of yourself. You have no reason to think she has found someone else." He picked up the pitchfork and put it away, then shut the barn and walked the short distance to his house. **I’ve got to stay positive. I’m probably making more out of this than I should.**
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next day Johnny decided to take his stallion, Star Bright, out for a ride. As he packed his lunch he remembered the time he had taken Jackie riding. **I hope we will be able to go riding together again.** he thought. Giving his head a brief shake in attempt to clear the melancholy thoughts, Johnny grabbed the lunch pack and headed out to the barn. After giving attention to his other three horses, Johnny quickly saddled
Star Bright and moved out, taking the eager stallion to a trot and then an easy lope. After spending a couple hours riding Johnny stopped the horse beside a small stream and dismounted. He quietly ate his lunch, feeding Star Bright pieces of apple. Once he was done, he leaned against a tree and let his eyes drift shut for a few minutes as the horse grazed. After dozing off for a while, Johnny got up and mounted up to head home. As he rode, he once again wondered if something had gone wrong in his relationship with Jackie. As they were approaching the ranch, a gray squirrel darted across the path, causing Star Bright to rear. Johnny, still lost in thought, was not prepared for the surprise move and went flying, narrowly missing a pile of scrap metal, ceramic tile and other miscellaneous building supplies left from Johnny’s many projects.
Johnny lay dazed, shocked to find himself on the ground, Star Bright’s nose in his face. The paramedic slowly picked himself off the ground, evaluating his body for any injuries. Looking down at his right arm he saw a long gouge from a piece of tile that fallen out of the pile. The gash extended about four inches on his forearm and was bleeding profusely. "Oh great. Just what I needed," he moaned. "I don’t want to go to Rampart today. "
Having been raised with horses all of his life, Johnny’s instinctive response was to immediately get back on the horse. After wrapping his t-shirt around his wound, he re-mounted and rode the short distance back to the barn, attempting to keep pressure on his arm at the same time.
After putting a pressure bandage over the first, Johnny used his good arm to un-tack Star Bright and turned him into his stall, then quickly fed the horse. Seeing the bandage was now saturated, he knew he couldn’t put off getting it taken care of any longer.
Going into the house, he grabbed another bandage and put it over the top of the others and picked up his phone.
"Hello?"
"Doc, it’s Johnny. Um... I’m sorry to bother you...."
Picking up on the distress the paramedic was attempting to hide, Dr. Brackett quickly assured the paramedic his call wasn’t a problem, then asked, "What’s wrong, Johnny?"
"I was out riding today and I had a little accident...I ended up on the ground. I’ve got a four inch laceration on my forearm that is bleeding heavily; I’ve applied sterile dressing times three, but I think this needs some stitches. I thought about driving in to Rampart but I’m starting to feel a little light headed..." Johnny trailed off as the doctor interrupted him.
"Hang tight. I’ll be there in 15 minutes, Johnny."
Johnny’s voice sounded increasingly weak. "Thanks, Kel. The door is open." After hanging up the phone, Johnny held pressure on his arm as he moved to the sofa. Kicking his boots off, he covered himself up with the throw from the back of the coach and propped his feet up on the arm. ‘I feel so stupid,’ he thought as he lay waiting for Dr. Brackett to come. ‘That wouldn’t have happened if I had stayed focused on what I was doing. I knew I should have taken that pile to the dump last week.’
Shortly, Johnny heard a knock on his door, followed by the sound of it opening. "In here Doc," he called out.
"What have you gotten yourself into now Johnny Gage?" Johnny’s head jerked up, surprised at the unexpected voice.
"Dix?" he sputtered out in shock.
"I guess I forgot to mention I had company when you called, Johnny," Kel jumped in to explain as he reached for Johnny’s arm. "Dix, would you get his vitals for me please?"
"Sure, Kel."
"Oh, man, I’m sorry to interrupt your afternoon. I didn’t know you had company," Johnny lamented.
Dixie smiled briefly at the paramedic’s obvious embarrassment, then quickly reassured, "Kel was glad to get away. I bet him that he couldn’t successfully cook me a full gourmet meal. I’ll bet he thinks he was saved by the bell." She wrapped the BP cuff around Johnny’s arm before adding, "Now hush so I can listen to your BP."
After examining Johnny’s arm and hearing Dixie’s report on his friend’s vital’s, Kel spoke, "Alright, Johnny. This really isn’t too bad. It definitely does need stitches as you predicted. I don’t see any reason why I can’t do them here. I’d like to move you to the kitchen table though if you think you could sit at it while I do it."
"Yeah, Doc, I think I can do that. Hopefully this won’t take long so you can get back to your cooking."
Dixie responded, "Just so the good doctor doesn’t quit his day job," causing the paramedic to snicker in response.
Although unable to keep the twinkle from his eyes, Kel did his best to ignore the snickering duo as Johnny was helped into the kitchen.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A month had passed since Johnny had his riding accident. He had dispiritedly been trying to keep writing to Jackie but was dismally failing. Bo jumped up on the desk and rubbed on his master, picking up on his blue mood, purring and doing his best to help. "I just don’t know Bo," Johnny sadly stated. "Maybe I should have left her a message when I called the other day. Oh well...at least I know nothing has happened to her. She was supposed to be back in a few months. I had such high hopes. I really thought she was the one but now I just don’t know." Picking up the pen he sadly wrote her one last letter, asking her to tell him if he had misinterpreted their relationship.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Back in Washington, D.C., Jackie was returning from one more busy night. The clinic had been short staffed and all the remaining doctors were working double shifts. On top of that, they had come up with one more ‘must take’ class that she’d had to cram into her already busy schedule. As she approached her apartment, she thought of Johnny. ‘I can’t believe things have been so crazy the last few months. I haven’t had time to write and every time I’ve had a chance to call Johnny was either on shift or it was the middle of the night.’ Jackie picked up her mail, and as she noticed another letter from Johnny her face broke out in a grin. She unlocked her apartment door and hurriedly sat down to read his letter. As she read, tears came into her eyes. "He sounds so sad," she whispered to the empty room. "I don’t care if it’s only 3 a.m. there right now. I’m going to call him anyway. I’ve got to set this straight right now."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The ringing phone startled Johnny out of a restless sleep. Groaning, he reached over and picked it up. Although used to getting occasional calls to come in early, Johnny none-the-less didn’t like them.
"Hello?"
"Hi Johnny. I’m sorry, I know it’s only 3 a.m. but I had to call you now."
His heart raced, the feelings of joy and fear both attempting to overwhelm the other. Concern filled him and he asked, "Are you okay Jackie? Is something wrong?"
"Yes, there is, Johnny. I’ve been so busy with work and classes that I’ve let the man I love think I’m not as interested in him as I am. I’m so sorry Johnny."
His heart soared and he sat up, a big grin filling his face. "I’d like to hear that one part again. The part that started, ‘the man.’"
"The man I love.... I love you so much, Johnny."
His shoulders sagged in relief and he spoke tenderly, "I love you too Jackie. I’ve been going crazy the past few weeks."
"I’m sorry, Johnny. I should have written you even if it was short. I’ve been working double shifts - we’re short a doctor. Plus they added a class we’ve had to cram in. I’ve been getting home at 6:00 a.m. and sleeping until noon before I have to go to class, then working again from 4:00 p.m to 6:00 a.m."
"I’m sorry I worried, Jackie." Suddenly realizing the hour in D.C., Johnny quickly added, "You must be exhausted. I’ll write you a letter and tell you everything that’s been happening. You need to go to bed and get your rest now."
"I know, Johnny. I will now, but I couldn’t have slept a wink before I talked to you. I love you. Stay safe at work today."
"I will. I love you too Jackie."
Slowly hanging up the phone, Johnny sank back into bed, a happy smile on his face. It wasn’t long before he was fast asleep again, dreaming of his beautiful Jackie.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
36 months (30 mo)
A little over five months later found Johnny bounding into the airport, a bouquet of red roses in his hand and a huge grin on his face. Quickly checking the monitor for the gate number, he hurried toward it, impatiently looking out the windows for the plane. It was only a few minutes until the flight was due, but to the impatient paramedic it seemed like another eternity before he saw the aircraft pulling in Johnny joined the other travelers’ waiting relatives and friends as they greeted the deplaning passengers. Johnny’s breath caught as he saw Jackie - he’d forgotten how beautiful she looked in person. As she approached him, he held out the flowers then enveloped her in his arms, hugging her to him. After a few moments, Johnny stepped back, gazed lovingly into her eyes and said, "Jackie, welcome home."
Smiling, Jackie nodded and took his hand as they walked towards baggage claim, collected her luggage and then headed out to Johnny’s Rover.
Once in the Rover, Johnny leaned over and kissed Jackie deeply before driving out of the parking lot. As they drove he regaled her with many stories and listened to many of hers. After he pulled up behind the clinic where Jackie’s apartment was, he hurried around to open her door and helped her out.
Stepping out of the Rover, Jackie wrapped her arms around Johnny’s neck, pulled him into a hug then looked him in the eyes and said, her voice full of emotion, "Johnny Gage I love you."
Johnny’s eyes lit up as he replied, "I love you too, Jackie. I love you so very much."
Johnny scooped Jackie into his arms, kissed her one more time before reluctantly releasing her, getting her luggage out of the Rover and escorting her to her apartment. As they approaced her door, Johnny thought, ‘I think the future looks incredible. Simply incredible.’
FIN
To be continued in "The Violation"
All EMERGENCY! Characters belong to MARK VII LIMITED, but any and all OC's (Original Characters) belong to me and can not be used without my permission.