Someone To Watch Over Me

by Karen Hobbs

This is the prequel to ‘Welcome Back'

Squad 51 pulled up outside the fully involved paint factory that they and several other stations, including Station 10, had been called to. John jumped out and started to pull on his turnout coat when he felt someone clap him on the back.

"Hey, Gage, how goes it?" a voice said.

John turned round. "Michael, good to see ya, how ya doing?"

Captain Michael Stimson had known Johnny since they first worked together as fire-fighters at Station 10. Michael was a well built, 2nd generation fireman, with short cropped fair hair and a cherubic face that disguised a wicked sense of humour.

"I see you finally made Captain, congratulations" John commented noticing Michael's helmet.

"Yeah, a couple of months ago - don't see why you don't go in for it, Gage?"

"No way man, those exams sound like too much hard work to me," John replied, pulling on his gloves.

"No more difficult than your paramedic re-certification," Michael said.

"My point exactly," John laughed.

A huge explosion rent the air causing the two fire-fighters to focus their attention on the scene before them. "Looks like we'd better start getting this baby under control," Michael commented.

"Yeah," John agreed, " Just shout if you need me."

###

Two hours later, Michael and John met up again at the rest point. Both companies had been working flat out in the searing heat of the fire. Michael downed his cup of water and reached for another, wiping his smoke streaked face with his free hand. "Man, I wish that was a beer!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, an ice cold Bud would go down well," John agreed. "Say how ‘bout we go for a beer sometime?"

"Good idea, Johnny, we haven't done that in a long time."

"Not since you started going out with that blonde," John reminded him.

"Which blonde?" Michael asked confused, "Jane's a brunette."

"Jane? I'm talking about Mandy, you know, the one with the fantastic legs," John leered.

"Oh her," Michael sighed, "I ditched her."

"You did what?!" John exclaimed "Why didn't you let me know? Man I would've jumped at the chance to go out with her."

"You win some, you lose some, Gage," Michael said grinning, he gulped down his second cup of water. "Oh well, once more into the fray. Give me a call we'll do that beer, okay? Jane has a sister."

"All right!" John replied grinning from ear to ear, perhaps this call out wasn't so bad after all.

###

"Kelly, Gage, get a 2 1/2 inch and cover the west side of the building!" Captain Stanley ordered.

Johnny and Chet ran to comply. John's partner, Roy DeSoto had left a few minutes previously with a victim of the fire en route to Rampart Hospital, leaving John available to be utilised as a fire-fighter as opposed to a triage paramedic.

Chet advanced into the building, John followed close behind pulling the hose making sure that it ran free, allowing his colleague to advance steadily on the flames. Inside the building, the heat was tremendous. John kept an eye on the fire, directing Chet with a touch of the hand to areas where their hose could make some kind of impact, but both knew that they were fighting a losing battle, the plant was too well involved and all they could do was hope to contain the blaze and stop it spreading to the surrounding buildings.

High above them on a steel gantry that ran across the building, Captain Michael Stimson and 3 of the firecrew from Station 10 were advancing on the flames, two 2 1/2 inch hoses strung out behind them.

"Don't even think about it, Gage!" Chet yelled, he had no wish to go up there it looked far too dangerous.

John glanced up, Chet was right he wasn't going to suggest they go up there.

The fire raged around them, flames playing over the various containers stacked in the vast building. Occasionally a canister would explode when it's contents became overheated. One such canister hit one of the gantry supports as it launched itself skywards.

The gantry lurched sideways. Michael Stimson and his three companions, hung on grimly to the gantry railings with their free hands. Tortured metal screamed in protest, as their weight caused the gantry to twist and then fall to the ground, taking the four men with it.

"Chet, stay here and cover me!" John commanded as he rushed forwards to where the four fire-fighters were lying covered in the twisted remains of the gantry.

John opened the buckles of Michael's turnout coat and then wished he hadn't. Two of the metal gantry supports had gone right through him, blood and guts were everywhere. John turned away, bile in his throat, trying hard not to be sick. He felt Michael grab his arm and turned back to look at his friend.

"Not ..good..huh?" Michael gasped

"We'll get you patched up in no time," John replied, false bravado in his voice.

"The..others" Michael gasped, "Get them.. out first"

"No way, pal, you're top priority!" John replied, Michael's grip tightened on his arm

"Leave me ... I know I'm ..dying ..get them... out...they have... families"

John gave his friend a desperate look, "No," he said flatly.

"That's..an...order, John," Michael persisted.

John sighed, he wished Michael hadn't played the rank card on him. "Okay, Captain, hang on in there, pal, I'll be back for you." Captain Stimson smiled and released his hold on John's arm.

John quickly assessed the other downed fire-fighters, they were all unconscious and had minor, non-life threatening injuries. Taking one last look at Michael, John hoisted the first of them onto his shoulders and headed for the door.

He dropped his patient off at the triage point. "I have another three casualties inside," he reported. "One in massive trauma, send someone in after me." John dove back into the building, he passed Chet on the way.

"Need any help?" Chet asked

"Just keep those flames at bay ‘til I can get them out," John replied.

"I'll try," Chet replied.

John's second victim was regaining consciousness. "Steady, pal," John urged as he helped the man to his feet. "Let's get you out of here."

"The Captain?" the young probationer asked.

"Is being taken care of," John assured him as he swung the man's arm across his shoulder and helped him outside.

"Where is my backup?" John demanded as he dropped off his second patient.

"We have no one spare," a paramedic snapped at him waving a hand at all the victims gathered in the area.

"I have a man dying in there!" John exclaimed.

"And I have one dying here," the paramedic replied as he turned back to pumping an ambu bag on the firefighter in front of him, whilst his partner charged up the defibrillator.

John sighed and went back inside for the third man "Come on, buddy, let's get you outta here," he said as he bent to put him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"You nearly done, Johnny?" Chet asked, he was glancing worriedly at the flames which were advancing despite his best efforts. "I don't think I can hold it much longer."

"Just a little while, Chet, please, "John replied. "I have to get back for the Captain."

"Okay, Gage, you call the shots," Chet said as he grimly directed the hose at the flames.

Gage dropped his patient off and went in search of Captain Stanley. "Cap, I have a badly injured man inside, he's impaled on a gantry, I need help," he said.

"I'll see what I can do," Captain Stanley said, patting John on the shoulder. John ran to the Squad and picked up the trauma box. He knew it was probably hopeless, but he had to try. He returned to Captain Stimson's side. "Hey, Michael, how you doing?" he asked. He was surprised, but very relieved to find that his friend was still in the land of the living.

"Have..felt...better," Michael gasped. "You get...them..out?"

John nodded "Yeah, they're gonna be just fine. Now let's get you outta here."

"No.." Michael gasped, "Leave..me." His eyes flicked up to where the flames were shooting across the ceiling. "Whole lot..will come...down....Get out...Gage."

"Not without you," John said determinedly, he started to assess Michael's wound, applying gauze pads to try and staunch the flow of blood "Where are the others?" he though desperately.

Chet, meanwhile, was trying to advance his hoseline, but had come to the end of its operational length. He played the water over the main hot spots, but it was like using a garden hose on the Fires of Hades.

Up above the remains of the gantry began to creak ominously. John looked up in alarm and then back down at his friend. "Go!" Michael urged.

"No, I go, we go" John replied, he reached down to lift Michael up.

"It's too..late,...Johnny," Michael gasped.

"No, Michael, no don't do this to me!" John cried, grabbing his friend's hand "Stay with me, d'you hear?!"

From out of the corner of his eye, John could see two shapes wearing breathing apparatus moving towards them through the smoke and flames. He looked down at his friend.

"We're gonna get you out" he said, but saw that Michael Stimson was no longer able to hear. John bowed his head, tears welling up in his eyes. He replaced breathing mask on his face, preparing to exit the burning building.

There was an ear piercing sound of tearing metal from above them. John looked up, he heard Chet scream, "Johnny!!!" and then blackness, the last thing he remembered was the alarm on his breathing apparatus going off.

"No!!!!!" Chet screamed as burning debris fell on his crew mate, he tried to rush forward but was beaten back by the flames. He reached back for his hose and aimed at where John had last been seen. Suddenly from overhead water started falling. He looked up to see the aerial ladder silhouetted in the hole in the roof, aiming its powerful water cannon down on the inferno below it.

###

The three fire-fighters, Kelly and two men from Station 127, manhandled the debris off of their two fallen comrades. "Paramedics over here!" Chet called, as Squad 48 picked their way through the debris covered floor of the paint factory.

"Code F here," Steve Riker from Station 127 said, as he bent down to check Captain Stimson

"Gage is still alive!" Chet exclaimed, relief evident in his voice as he felt for a pulse.

The two paramedics from Squad 48 came up, "What do we have?" Jim Foley asked.

"I'm afraid Stimson didn't make it, Gage is still alive, just."

Steve McDaniel knelt down and began to assess Johnny's condition. "Okay, he needs the hospital and fast," he said "Kelly, you cut his air tank off, we'll need to log roll him onto a backboard"

###

Chet forlornly followed the stretcher carrying Johnny outside into the cold night air. In his hands he carried John's fire helmet, badly dented and scratched, tears were streaming down his face.

"Chet, you okay?" Marco asked.

Chet shook his head "It's Johnny," he said. Marco looked at the helmet in Chet's hands and feared the worst.

"He's not?" he asked, his eyes wide with fright.

"No, but he's hurt bad, real bad Marco," Chet said. Marco put his arm around Chet's shoulder, led him to the Engine and sat him down on the running board.

"What's wrong with Kelly?" Mike Stoker asked, as usual he was manning the various gauges at the back of the pumper, ensuring that the fire-fighters at the business end of the connecting hoses had enough water at the correct pressure.

"It's Johnny, he's been injured," Marco said.

"Oh no," Mike groaned.

Chet started shaking, "It's all my fault!" he exclaimed.

Captain Stanley hurried over, he had just heard the news that one of his crew was injured. He saw Chet huddled on the running board of the Engine, Marco had his arm around Chet's shoulders. As he got closer Captain Stanley could see that Chet was holding a fire helmet that was not his own, it's ‘51' clearly visible. Everyone was helmeted, that could only mean one thing.

"Johnny!" he exclaimed as he neared the pumper. Beyond the Engine he could see a lot of activity centred around a fire casualty, he ran to where Squad 48 were readying John for transportation to Rampart.

"BP's dropping!!" he heard. "Get those IV's started" Jim Foley's voice could be heard.

"Hey, Riker, keep those bandages wet there," Steve McDaniel snapped.

Doctor Early's voice could be heard over the bio-phone, "Loosely bandage the eye, do not irrigate, repeat do not irrigate. Immobilise all broken limbs and transport immediately. "

"He's going into respiratory arrest!!"

"Oesophageal airway and quick!"

"Airway in, bag him!"

"You got that heart monitor set up yet?"

"We're losing him! He's going into shock, BP dropping!"

"Please God, No!" Captain Stanley prayed, he didn't want to make that phone call to Montana.

"V-fib!"

A pause, the whine of the defibrillator clearly audible as it charged up.

"Clear!"

"Okay, okay, we have him, let's transport!"

Captain Stanley watched as John was lifted into the ambulance, the two paramedics from Squad 48 jumped in after him with their equipment and the ambulance screamed off into the night. He sighed, at least Johnny was in the capable hands of Foley and McDaniel, men who he trusted nearly as much as Roy DeSoto and John Gage.

"Hank, that one of yours?" Battalion Chief McConakee asked. Captain Stanley nodded unable to speak.

" A brave man, got three of 10s out of there. I only wish we could have got the 4th out as well, Captain Stimson was a fine young officer, he'll be missed."

"Poor Johnny," Capt. Stanley whispered, he knew that John and Michael Stimson had been friends.

"I'm standing you down, Hank, we're about finished here, collect your gear and head on down to the hospital." The Chief placed a hand on Captain Stanley's shoulder, "Keep me posted."

###

Roy was waiting in the Emergency Department of Rampart Hospital for a lift back to the Station.

"Roy, can I have a word?" Dixie McCall asked.

"Sure, Dix" Roy said affably.

Dixie took him by the arm and led him to the Doctor's lounge. She closed the door behind them.

"Dix, what's wrong?" Roy asked

"We've just had a call, that paint factory fire you were at. The roof fell in, one fire-fighter killed, another critically injured." despite herself, Dixie was clearly upset. Although never admitting that she had favourites amongst the paramedics, Johnny with his easy going manner and quick smile, coupled with his professional caring attitude held a special place in her affections.

"Johnny.." Roy paled "Is he?" Roy was frightened to say the word.

Dixie shook her head "No, no, he's the one injured. A gantry fell on him, Squad 48 are bringing him in now."

"What's their ETA?" Roy asked, anxious to be there when Johnny arrived.

"About 5 minutes," Dixie said "Roy, it's not good though, first indications are that he has multiple fractures on the right side of his body, facial lacerations and burns."

"I should've been there," Roy said, pacing the room in frustration.

"I'm sure Jim and Steve are taking good care of him," Dixie assured him. "After you and Johnny they're the best in the program"

###

The Battalion Chief arrived at Rampart hospital. Even he was taken aback to see so many fire personnel lining the corridors of the Emergency Department, it looked more like a fire-fighters convention than the Emergency Department of a busy hospital. A special room had been set up, but this was woefully inadequate for the numbers of fire-fighters that had descended on the hospital once the news had spread.

"I'd like to speak to the physician in charge," Chief McConakee said to Dixie McCall.

"Certainly," Dixie replied and paged Doctor Brackett.

"Well, well, Chief McConakee, long time no see, what can I do for you?" Kel Brackett extended a hand to the Fire Chief who shook it warmly.

"Doctor Brackett. It's more what can I do for you," the Chief said, waving a hand at the Emergency Department. "It seems we've taken over the joint."

"It is making things a little difficult," Doctor Brackett said.

"What would your ideal limit be?" the Chief asked.

"Immediate shift members only," Dr Brackett replied.

The Chief nodded, "I'll see that it is done right away," he said. "And thank you for all the work you're doing for our guys."

"They're not out of the woods yet," Doctor Brackett said.

The Chief nodded and turned to start persuading those fire-fighters that were not immediate crew members to leave.

###

The atmosphere in the doctor's lounge was tense, it had been two hours since any news on the fire-fighters condition had been known and that was when the guys from Station 10 had been given the all clear and their waiting colleagues had been persuaded to leave. The crew of Station 51 was in a state of shock, each trying to deal with the situation in their own way. Marco was sitting quietly in the corner praying in Spanish. Mike Stoker was trying to read a magazine, but had remained on the same page for an hour. Roy kept shaking his head as if he couldn't believe that this was really happening.

Chet Kelly was pacing the room, which he had been doing on and off since he had arrived. "For Chrissakes sit down, Chet!" Mike Stoker snapped.

"I shouldn't have let him go in there," Chet muttered. "It's my fault...my fault."

Mike raised his eyes heavenwards, they had all tried to reason with Chet, but he was adamant that John's injuries were all his fault. "Cap, will you tell him?" Mike beseeched his superior.

"Kelly, a word please" Captain Stanley said, taking Chet by the arm and leading him out of the room.

###

Captain Stanley steered Chet out of the Emergency Department, across the car park and into the hospital gardens. The night air was cold and refreshing after the warm claustrophobic conditions inside the ED.

"Chet, this has got to stop, pal," Captain Stanley started.

"It was my fault" Chet whispered, wringing his hands.

Captain Stanley put both his hands on Chet's shoulders and turned the fire-fighter to face him.

"Listen, Kelly, cause I'm gonna say this only once. You are not to blame for Johnny's injuries, no one is. It was an accident. These things happen. You've been in the Fire Department long enough to know that."

"But, Cap...." Chet started to protest.

"No buts. John saved three other guys in there tonight, it was unfortunate that he couldn't get Captain Stimson out. You played your part, without your support all of them could have died in there, you kept the flames back enough for John to get them out."

"But I didn't do enough!"

"You did all you could, that structure was unsafe, it could have gone at any time, it was just fate that put John underneath it when it went."

"I should've been there with him!" Chet sideswiped a bush in frustration.

"If you had been, then two more fire-fighters would have died in that blaze tonight and I would have lost two of my best men," Captain Stanley said.

Chet sighed, "How long till we know?" he asked.

Captain Stanley looked at his watch, they had been at Rampart for over five hours now. "It shouldn't be long," he said. "Why don't we go back?"

Chet nodded, "Okay, Cap."

"Oh and Kelly..."

"Yes, Cap?"

"Stop pacing the lounge, you're wearing the carpet out."

###

The door to the lounge opened, five faces looked up expectantly. Doctor Brackett stood there, still dressed in his theatre greens. "Captain Stanley, can I have a word?" he asked.

Captain Stanley got to his feet and followed the senior surgeon out of the room and down the hall to Doctor Brackett's office. Four remaining sets of eyes followed him out.

"Please sit down," Doctor Brackett, motioned to a chair. Captain Stanley did as he was bid.

"Johnny, he's not?" he asked, trepidation in his voice, he was worried that something had gone disastrously wrong.

"Relax, Hank, he's come through surgery just fine," Doctor Brackett assured him. Captain Stanley let out the breath he had been holding.

"Thank God," he said.

Kel Brackett sighed, "But I'll be frank - it doesn't look good. His whole right side is a mess from where the rest of that gantry fell on him. He has a broken collarbone, several broken ribs, a collapsed lung, other internal injuries, a broken pelvis and his leg is badly broken too. His heart stopped on the way in here and he's been in respiratory arrest."

The Captain gave a low whistle, it was an impressive list of injuries. Doctor Brackett wasn't finished though. "He also has severe concussion, multiple lacerations to the face, some damage to his right cornea from glass fragments, smoke inhalation damage and 1st and 2nd degree burns to his hands and neck area, currently he is in a coma."

"Will he live?" Hank Stanley asked, dreading the answer but needing to know.

"It's too early to tell," Doctor Brackett said. "The next 48 hours are the most crucial. If he can get through that far, there is a good chance. It all depends on how deep the coma is."

"Is there any way of snapping him out of it?"

Doctor Brackett shook his head. "I wish it were that easy," he said. "The human brain is a complex animal. At the moment it may be that it's actually doing John more good to be in this state. With the machines doing all the breathing his body can concentrate on the healing processes."

Captain Stanley nodded, he was making mental notes of the important parts of Doctor Brackett's assessment so that he could pass it along to the rest of 51s crew. Arrangements had been made within the Fire Department that regular bulletins would be relayed to stations informing them of all the fire-fighter’s progress.

###

Chet Kelly entered John's room in the ICU at Rampart Hospital. John was hooked up to an immense number of tubes and machines which blinked and squirmed monotonously. Chet knew that his rudimentary medical skills ere not up to interpreting the meaning of the numbers displayed.

Captain Stanley looked up from his chair at the bedside. "Chet? I thought Mike was next," he said a look of confusion on his face.

"Family crisis" Chet lied.

Each of the shift members had formed a rota to keep vigil at Johnny's bedside with representatives from the Stations B and C shifts covering when duty called. Chet, however, contrived to do more shifts than the others. No matter what anyone else said, he still felt deeply that he was responsible for John's current condition.

"Any change?" Chet asked.

The Captain shook his head "No," he sighed.

"You'd better head off home, Cap, you look beat," Chet observed.

Captain Stanley gave Chet a wry smile. "Yeah, you're right. If only this boy knew how much grief he was giving us."

"Oh, don't worry, Cap, I'll make sure he finds out," Chet said mischievously.

"I've no doubt that you will, Chet," the Captain made his way to the door.

"See you tomorrow, Cap," Chet said as he settled into the vacated chair.

Chet sat listening to the rhythmic pumping of the ventilator that his friend was hooked up to. He took the newspaper out of his bag and opened up the sports pages. "Okay, Gage, as Stoker promised here are the latest game reports," he said and proceeded to read out all the baseball reports to the silent figure on the bed next to him.

That job done, he closed the paper in disgust. "This just isn't going to work, Gage," he sighed, "I feel such a twit doing this, it's not as if you can hear me can you?" he looked up at the ceiling, tears were starting to prick his eyes.

"Oh come on, Johnny, please come back we need you. I need you Goddammit! I mean who else is going to be my stooge? You're irreplaceable, I couldn't train anyone to be as dumbarsed as you in a million years."

Chet's voice took on a serious tone, he took one of John's heavily bandaged hands in his own. "Buddy, I'm so worried about you, please don't give up on me. I know we don't get along like regular buddies do, but you know I care for you don't you? I wish it were me lying there instead of you, in fact it should be, I shouldn't have let you go back in there alone I should've insisted that you wait for full cover. I failed you, John, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault."

Tears began to fall openly from his eyes. "God, I promise that I'll never tease you again, anything to have you back," Chet whispered through his tears.

Chet started as he felt a slight pressure on his hand, he looked up to see John looking at him through a half open left eye. 'How long had he been awake? How much had he heard?' he wondered.

"Hey, pal, you're awake," he commented. "Well it's about time too," he said briskly, wiping a hand hastily across his eyes. "I don't know what they put in the air conditioning here, but it sure brings on my hayfever"

A slight smile played around John's lips. The vent alarm sounded as he tried to speak.

"Whoa, buddy, now what have you gone and done?!" Chet exclaimed, starting at the noise.

The door opened and an ICU nurse flew in.

"I didn't touch anything!" Chet assured her. "He just woke up and then all hell broke loose."

The nurse smiled at him as she reached over and turned the alarm off. "Yeah, Johnny usually manages to cause mayhem even when he's asleep," she laughed. She then got serious. "We need to run a few tests, it would be better if you waited outside."

"Ah, yeah, sure," Chet stammered.

"Anyway, you have a few phone calls to make," she added.

"I do?" Chet asked

"To let everyone know he's awake," the nurse prompted.

"Yeah, I do, you're right I do!" Chet exclaimed, grabbing his bag and exiting the room.

"Are they all as mad as him?" she asked Johnny as she started to check him over.

###

A few days later Chet once again came to visit Johnny. Although Johnny was out of the coma, he was still in pretty bad shape and visiting had been rationed to ensure he got enough rest.

John's voice was hoarse where the breathing tube had been inserted. "Chet do you really promise?" he enquired.

"About what Johnny?" Chet asked, not understanding.

"You said.." John swallowed, his throat seemed so sore, "You said you wouldn't tease me anymore."

"Oh that!" Chet exclaimed "Nah, I was only joking - thought it would snap you out of it."

John gave a wry smile and closed his eyes.

"Sleep well, my friend," Chet said as he left the room. He raised his eyes heavenwards, "Thanks, I owe you one," he whispered.

Author's note: Thanks to Michael Stimson - for allowing me to kill him off and to Chris Umscheid (the Johnny Gage of Iowa) for his help with the technical ‘bits'.

"Someone To Watch Over Me" ©1999 Karen Hobbs. "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.