WHAT'S OUT THERE
by ardavenport
)()()()(- - PART 9 - -)()()()(
Johnny and Roy saw Dixie McCall at the Emergency Department base station when they got to Rampart after their shift. She smiled up from the form on the desk, her shoulder length graying blond hair unadorned by the nurse's cap she had worn for years.
Rampart was experimenting with their dress code, the first big change since they'd allowed all nurses to wear pants. Now, senior nurses were no longer required to wear caps. If that proved popular, the rest of the nursing staff would be allowed to discard them as well. Rumor had it that Dixie McCall had burned hers. But when anyone asked her, she would just smile, her eyes twinkling, when she refused to confirm or deny it.
"Hey, Dix, looks a little slow this morning." Johnny looked up and down the hall. It wasn't too crowded. Only a couple people in the chairs in the waiting area.
"Oh, give them time; this place will fill up soon enough. You come to see Brice and Bob?"
"Yep." Roy slapped his hand down on the counter. "I hope they haven't killed each other yet."
Johnny grinned. "Or Brice hasn't driven the staff crazy. Bet he knows all the hospital regulations by heart."
Dixie just smiled. "Oh, they're getting along fine."
"Really?" That surprised Roy. "I mean I know Bob gets along with him for his partner, but sharing a squad isn't the same thing as sharing a room." His eyes flicked toward his own partner, a reminder of the disastrous night he'd spent at Johnny's apartment while his house was being fumigated. "It's tough to imagine anyone being able to stand being cooped up with Brice as a roommate. Even Bob isn't that easy-going."
Dixie's smiled just seemed to turn mysterious. "Oh, they're more compatible than you think. And that broken arm and all those stitches has slowed Brice down a little bit, too." She pointed toward the elevator. "Room Three-Nineteen."
"Thanks." "Thanks, Dix."
They waved to her as they left. They only had to wait a minute for the elevator with a couple other people. Hospital elevators were fast. On the third floor, the nurses were busy collecting the breakfast trays. They found Three-Nineteen on their own.
"Hi guys!" Bob cheerfully greeted them, standing next to Brice's bed, a half slice of toast in his hand.
"Uh, hi Bob. Brice." Johnny immediately averted his eyes. So did Roy.
Bob Bellingham, reputed to be the biggest slob in the fire department, was also apparently not shy. He wore nothing but a white hospital gown, the back flap open. Craig Brice sat stone-faced in bed, no glasses, his right arm immobilized up to the shoulder in plaster.
"Bob, cover up."
"Oh." One hand fumbled in back. "Hey, you want this other piece?"
"Help yourself, Bob."
After collecting his second piece of toast, Bob shuffled back to his bed. He put the toast on the night stand, heaved himself up into bed. He retrieved the toast and took a big bite, a generous scatter of dry crumbs dropping on the front of his gown and in the bed. The two newcomers warily came into the room. Johnny smirked. Of course Bellingham would treat a hospital like a locker room.
"Just thought we'd see how you're doing." Roy nodded to them both.
"Yeah, how're you doing Brice? The arm going to be okay?"
Brice's expression mellowed a little. "It will need some physical therapy after I get the cast off, but it should be a hundred percent in a minimum of seventy-eight days."
"Well, I sure know what that's like. So, just ask if you need any pointers."
Brice, straightened imperiously, his hospital gown spotlessly smooth on him. Then his eyes shifted over to Bob and he exhaled. His expression softened.
"Thank-you, Gage."
Surprised, Johnny replied with a cheerful shrug. "Don't mention it."
Bob took another bite of toast, dribbling more crumbs.
"So, do you need anything?" Roy looked from one bed to the other.
"Thank-you, no. If they release Bob today, he's promised to get some things from my place." Brice nodded with satisfaction.
"Yeah, if they let me out of here. But I'm beginning to wonder if Brice here appreciates all the nice things I'm doing for him."
"Oh really." Johnny put a hand on his hip. "Well y'know, yesterday out there in the field, Brice was pretty worried about you."
Roy joined in on the fun. "Didn't you say you guys practically had to hold him down when he thought Bob was dead?"
Johnny pursed his lips speculatively. "Yeah, just about."
"Yeah?" Bellingham looked impressed and Brice's cheek's flushed.
"It was the shock." Brice pulled the covers up with his free hand and smoothed them.
Roy and Johnny exchanged mutual smirks over Brice's embarrassment.
Bob accepted it with good humor. "Well, at least now I know I'm being appreciated for the things I do for this guy. But, hey! If they let me outta here, I've still gotta get someone to get my car."
"I've got it."
They all turned as Captain Arnold came through the door. Dressed in civies, black pants, jacket, plaid shirt. He carried a brown grocery bag. "Freeman and Smitty are carpooling. They brought that wreck of yours over here. The keys are in here; I got your stuff from your locker, since you weren't going to get upset about anything being wrinkled." The gray-haired old man glanced toward Brice as he put the paper bag on the hospital bed stand next to Bob's empty food tray.
"Hey, thanks, Cap!" The balding younger man held up the remains of his toast in an improvised salute. "Oh, but where'd they park it? It's a big lot out there."
Arnold shrugged. "I don't know. Freeman and Smitty said they'd be right back. Said that they were going to bring flowers." He sneered. "I gotta tell you, back in the day, fireman got hurt, he just toughed it out. I got the scars to prove it."
Johnny caught Brice and Bellingham exchanging looks; they'd heard this speech before.
"Didn't have his buddies bringing him flowers. Whole world's gone crazy. Not like it was in the old days. Men didn't talk about their feelings. Women didn't wear pants. Next thing you know, they'll have women firefighters, too." He stopped. And eyed them all as if he just noticed they were there. "Hrrrrpphhh. Anyway, you two are good firefighters. I expect to see you back at the Station as soon as you're off the sick list."
"Right, Cap." Bellingham and Brice spoke in unison.
Arnold nodded to Roy and Johnny on his way out with a gruff and stoic, "Thanks for your help," and left.
"Well, We've gotta get going, too." Roy started edging toward the door and Johnny hopped to follow.
"Uh, yeah. Glad to see you guys are okay. Say hi to Smitty and Freeman for us."
"Hey, thanks for stopping by. And take care of your partner, Roy." Bellingham looked toward Brice who cleared his throat.
"Gage." Brice sat at attention in his bed, as rigid as the cast on his arm. "You acted very professionally out there. Thank-you."
"Uh, thanks Brice. That . . uuuuh, means a lot to me." Johnny supposed that this was a compliment from Brice. But it still sounded like a performance review.
Bellingham gave them a thumbs up as they left. "See you guys out there."
)()()()(- - END - -)()()()(
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mark VII Productions, Inc., Universal Studios and whoever else owns the 1970's TV show Emergency!; I am just playing in their sandbox.