CHAPTER 1

Thoughts

Captain Hank Stanley sat in his office working quietly over the stack of papers and log book spread out across the desk. He gave a soft sigh, and putting his pen down, ran his hands through his hair. The room was dark except for the small desk lamp which illuminated the reminders of the day's events. He had just completed entering all the runs in the book, and was now turning his attention to the correspondence from Headquarters about some upcoming drills.

The Captain's drooping eyes gravitated slowly towards the clock on the wall, and then quickly retreated before reaching their destination. He knew it was late, he just wasn't sure he wanted to know HOW late. He was tired and wanted nothing more than to crawl into his bunk and get some much needed sleep. The rest of his crew had sacked out hours ago.

Some of the paperwork he reasoned could have waited until he was back on duty. But it would have bothered the man on his days off…knowing that it was sitting here. If their next shift was anything like this, he knew the pile before him would only get a lot bigger. No he decided…it was better to be done with it.

Inside the Fire house it was quiet and peaceful. He paused for a moment closing his eyes, allowing his taxed mind to relax and his thoughts to settle down.

It was a nice break from the constant bantering of two of his charges, John Gage and Chet Kelly. He shook his head and a low chuckle escaped his lips as he thought about his junior paramedic and feisty lineman.

The only sound disrupting the silence was coming from outside.

The rain and wind pounded on Southern California that day, and had a lot to do with the increase in calls they had experienced. Thankfully, the worst of it was over. Now only a gentle wind blew and a few scattered raindrops could be heard plinking on the roof.

This did not disturb the Captain in the slightest. Actually, he found it comforting.

Hank opened his eyes and leaned back in his chair. He stretched his long legs which had become cramped under the desk from being in the same position for the last few hours. Not wanting to neglect the upper part of his anatomy, Hank reached both arms up over his head stretching his tall 6'4 frame.

His back cracked loudly in response.

The wooden chairs in the Captain's office were God awful. Maybe it was time to put in a request for a nice soft comfortable chair like the ones they had at Headquarters. He knew the Supervisors of the other shifts would appreciate it as well.

He laughed lightly…his backside would definitely be grateful! It was the only part of him at this point that WAS getting some sleep.

His stretch complete, Hank resumed his former position as the dark brown eyes traveled once again to the wall. The face of Chief Houts, which was affixed to the clock, stared back at him.

DAMN IT, he knew he shouldn't have looked. It was 1:09 am. Definitely time to knock off.

He wondered if his head would even make contact with the pillow before the tones went off. He quickly gathered the paperwork and neatly stowed it, along with the log book, in the desk drawer. He switched off the light and walked out of his office. He took a detour from his intended destination only to dump off his coffee cup in the kitchen sink, and then hit the latrine for a much needed pit stop.

Hank entered the dorm and was warmly greeted by the sounds of his men quieting snoring. He hoped to be in the same comatose state himself within the next few minutes.

And then, another sound and smell reached Hank that was not at all welcoming. His face contorted in disgust as he thought…CHET!

Good God! Lopez's chili was delicious but for some reason it affected the stocky Irishman in a way that the rest of them paid for…dearly. Hank almost did an about-face and thought about crashing on the couch in the day room.

Henry, the Department hound, wouldn't like it…but tough shit. His name sake could sleep with his buddy Chet.

As he pondered his options, the odor dissipated somewhat and Hank moved further into the room. He would probably miss answering the morning tones in a timely manner if he slept in the day room, so he pushed that thought from his mind.

Hopefully, Hank prayed, Chet had spent the last several hours getting THAT out of his system.

He glanced over at the bunk containing the odiferous lineman and gave him a scowl. Chet was grinning in his sleep. Hank figured he was either plotting another deviate phantom attack or replaying the one he had pulled on Gage earlier that day.

His eyes traveled over to where his Senior Paramedic, Roy Desoto, laid. The man was completely hidden beneath his blankets. The only indication to his presence was a big lump in the middle of the bed. Hank wondered if it was DeSoto's only line of defense against the stench… given his close proximity to Kelly.

Gage, as usual, was on his back with his right arm slung over his face.

Wait a minute...

Hank did a double take. Gage always slept with is left arm thrown haplessly over his face. Then he noted the bandage and remembered the burn the young paramedic had received that day to his left forearm. It wasn't serious, but probably still hurt. As soon as the thought formed in his head, Gage's arm slid down to his side, and the left arm came up and found its rightful place.

John grunted painfully in his sleep, but the arm remained stationary in its current position. Clearly the limb was just as stubborn as the man it was attached to.

He gave a fond glance at his last two crew members, his engineer Mike Stoker and second lineman Marco Lopez, before turning to his own bunk. He envied the sleeping crew and wondered miraculously how the odor didn't cause the men to wake up faster than the Klaxon alarm.

It was every bit as obnoxious.

Hank finally tumbled into bed after ensuring, like the rest of his men, his turnout gear was in place. He pulled the blanket up to his chest and closed his eyes waiting for sleep to claim him. Despite the long hours and high demands of his position, Hank Stanley loved his job. Being Captain of 51's A-crew was, in his opinion, a privilege.

His men were good. No…they were the best.

Hank knew he had the envy of many Captains within the Department. Even HQ recognized the skill and natural cohesiveness these firefighters possessed. His thoughts briefly went back to Gage and Kelly. Even taking into consideration the aggravation those two "twits" could sometimes cause, he honestly wouldn't change a thing.

As he fell asleep Captain Hank Stanley had no idea that "things" were about to do just that. Change…and soon.

Duty Calls

Just after 5:00 am, the Klaxon tones sounded, permeating throughout the previously tranquil building. "Station 51, Station 45, Engine 110. Structure Fire 1245 Alameda Blvd. 1-2-4-5 Alameda Blvd Cross street Vine time out 0514." The bright lights lit up the dorm momentarily blinding the men as eyelids snapped open. The groggy crew jolted upright in bed trying to acclimate themselves to the rude awakening.

No matter, within seconds feet were automatically sliding into boots, hands were tugging suspenders into place, and bodies were quickly running towards the apparatus bay. Stoker and Lopez were first and second out of the dorm. John made it through next, skidding recklessly as he attempted to make a hard turn. His arms flailed wildly in the air as he tried to regain his balance.

Chet was right on John's heels, however the lineman's attention, and eyes, were diverted to his shoulder as he struggled to fix a twisted suspender. The stocky Irishman never slowed down and slammed hard into his crewmate, propelling the young man forward into the Engine. John's hands instinctively reached out in front of him and a resounding "SMACK" was heard.

John Gage did not need to have eyes in the back of his head to know who the offender was.

"KELLY! GAGE!" both men shouted simultaneously.

"WOULD YA WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING YOU IDIOT," growled the seriously annoyed paramedic. Chet had his own comeback on the tip of his tongue when the Captain barked, "CAN IT…BOTH OF YOU!" For the moment, Kelly had to content himself with giving John a murderous stare. The Phantom was watching…and there would be retribution. That was for sure.

"THE TWITS! Man…those two are worse than my kids," the Captain muttered under his breath as he maneuvered around his tangled crewmembers towards the podium. He hastily wrote down the address and then roughly yanked the mic off its mount and responded "Station 51 10-4 KMG365." Roy, who had been hurrying past the Captain, heard the mutterings and wisely said nothing, but grabbed the sheet of paper from his boss's hand. He did however risk shaking his head in amusement.

John reached the side of the squad without further incident and pulled his turnout coat out of the compartment. He didn't bother checking the wall map but jumped directly into the passenger's seat, plunking his helmet on top of his somewhat unruly dark hair. He slid the strap into place where it balanced precariously on the edge of his chin.

He knew exactly where they were going and the fastest way to get there. Stoker watched his youngest crew member and John caught his eye. He gave Mike a knowing wink letting him know the visit to the map was unnecessary. Trusting Johnny's directional instincts, Mike climbed behind the wheel of the big rig giving him a quick nod and grin.

Roy had taken his place in the driver's seat of the squad and passed the address on to Johnny. He took care not to look at his partner. He turned the key and the engine roared to life. With helmets securely in place and intent eyes looking ahead, the squad and engine began inching forward in anticipation as the garage door began its ascent. Once clear of the bay, the vehicles picked up speed and the sirens blared loudly, breaking the early morning silence.

Roy instinctively knew a Gage rant was about to spew forth from his young friend highlighting the mishap that had just occurred with the lineman. Roy decided to head it off, and with eyes focused on the road ahead, said "Forget it Junior." He didn't need to be looking at his partner to know his mouth was already poised…ready to let loose. Johnny hesitated only a moment and then;

"BUT ROY…did ya see that? DID YA? I mean COME ON!" And thus an epic Gage rant began.

"He nearly FACE PLANTED me right into the Engine…did ya SEE that? AND HE WONDERS WHY I'M THE ONE ALWAYS GETTING HURT! ...Turn right at the next light…SERIOUSLY HE IS SUCH A PAIN IN THE A…"

Roy sighed.

Thanks to the young paramedic, Station 51 was the first company to roll up on the scene. This brought a temporary reprieve of John's verbal assault to Roy's ears.

"Oh Man…its cookin' pretty good," Johnny commented, his full attention now completely on the scene before them. The structure was a five story office building. It was old and in a somewhat dilapidated state but still home to a handful of businesses.

One look at the already involved structure had Captain Stanley radioing dispatch for a second alarm. This was bad and they were going to need more help. At least he thought, with some relief, we can concentrate on the fire and not have to worry about sweeping the building for victims. They would however need to evacuate the four flat residences on either side. The Battalion Chief, McConnikee, wouldn't be sleeping in this morning either Hank thought somberly.

As they rolled to a stop they could see men, women, and children, clad in pajamas and robes were already beginning to spill forth from the dwellings. Most hurried across the street putting a safe distance between them and the blaze. A few young men stood fixed on the sidewalk in front of the fiery building watching with fascination. Hank shook his head and got on the PA instructing the civilians to move back to a safe location. The men briefly looked for the source of the voice, and then shuffled backwards a few steps continuing to gaze in awe.

Hank fumed. "You just can't fix stupid" he said out loud. Stoker glanced surprisingly at his Captain. "Well…you can't" he emphasized as he once again grabbed the mic advising dispatch they were going to need police assistance for crowd control.

The men of 51's made quick exits out of their vehicles and fast hands opened compartment doors pulling out air tanks and masks. Cap yelled "Lopez...Kelly, pull two inch and half's and cover the Southwest exposure." The linemen, anticipating their Captains instructions, were already in motion. Their booted feet landed hard on the platform of the rig while reaching forward into the bed of the truck. Their arms hooked around the coils of hose yanking their burden to the ground as they ran toward the blaze.

Stoker positioned himself alongside the rig readying the engine to go to work. From the corner of his eye he watched his fellow crew mates with trepidation. He, like his Captain and the rest of his crew, correctly assessed the seriousness of this fire, and had a healthy respect for its capabilities. Mike knew his job was important and never regretted becoming an engineer.

Still, he had been on the front lines before and experienced all the feelings and adrenaline rush these situations brought on. To watch from a distance was hard. He said a quick prayer for everyone's safety and with his hands on the instruments; he waited for the signal from his Captain to charge the lines.

The wailing of sirens was getting louder and Stanley turned his head to see the flashing lights of the other Fire Company's cresting the hill. He confidently directed the responding crews into position, and seeing his linemen in place, gave Stoker the signal. The water rushed through the hoses on the ground making them twist and turn finally bursting forth from the nozzles in the men's hands.

As he un-keyed the Handy Talkie, Stanley saw both his paramedics running towards him as they finished fastening up their gear.

Gage pointed in the direction of the building as he yelled..."Cap, we may have someone trapped on the fourth floor." Hank blinked once and then turned briefly to look in the direction John had indicated before resting his eyes back at his approaching paramedics.

He had been previously grateful that due to the early hour, the office building would be empty. He cursed inwardly.

Roy, sensing his captains next question, quickly replied "Cap, one of the business owners just pulled up. He was supposed to meet his partner here at 5:00am but he was running late. The man's car is parked in the street and he is nowhere to be found."

The Captain's eyes veered past his paramedics to look at the man who had run up behind them. A look of devastation and panic was clearly visible on his face. "PLEASE! I am begging you….PLEASE!" he screamed. "You have to save my partner!"

Captain Stanley faced the building for a second time and quickly re-assessed the situation. It was risky. Hank was a compassionate person and understood the anguish the man was going through. But that could not be a factor in his decision. Ensuring the safety of his men was a responsibility he did not take lightly. The Battalion Chief had yet to arrive and he was still in command of the incident.

Johnny locked eyes with his boss "Cap…Can we go in?" he asked. The fire had yet to engulf the area the victim was suppose to be in, but that was going to change. There wasn't much time.

He made his decision and gave a quick nod while bringing the HT to his mouth. "Engine 45...we have a man possibly trapped on the fourth floor. My paramedics are going in through the East Entrance. Have your men provide interior support, Engine 110...I need a line on that exit."

He faced his younger crew members and said "Make it fast boys...MAKE IT FAST."

Roy and Johnny acknowledged their superior and promptly ran to meet their support crew at the entrance. Seconds later, they disappeared inside. Stanley hoped the additional units responding could contain the blaze giving his crew enough time to search the building, and come out unscathed with the victim. He concentrated his efforts on achieving that goal as he continued to move men and equipment around trying to anticipate his worthy opponents next move.

Hank noted the Battalion Chief's car pull up and jogged over to update him on the latest turn of events.

XXXXX

The firemen were immediately assaulted by the intense heat and smoke as soon as they entered the building. Roy and Johnny looked at each other...no words were needed. They DIDN'T have much time.

Their support crew from 45 was Anderson, a solid lineman who knew his job and performed it well. He took the lead spot on the hose. His back up, positioned directly behind him, was Caldwell. Ryan Caldwell was a firefighter with three years experience under his belt. He had gone through the paramedic program and received his certification almost a year ago.

The four men took in their surroundings and located the stairwell despite the thick smoke. They moved quickly but cautiously. The building was unstable and threats of the floor giving way, ceiling collapsing, or a flashover, were all distinct possibilities.

As they reached the fourth floor, Johnny promptly made a left turn heading in the direction of the office. Roy was close on his heels.

Anderson and Caldwell posted on the landing. The men on the line were sweating profusely as the heat continued to increase. Anderson knew the reputation of 51's paramedics. They were awesome at what they did, and fearless in their mission; especially Gage. He was definitely the risk taker and at times, Roy DeSoto had his hands full keeping his younger partner reined in. He hoped like hell the victim was in the office. If not, they would have to soon abandon their position. At this thought, all of Anderson's senses went on high alert as he watched and waited.

Johnny finally made it to the office door which was closed. He stripped off his glove and ran his hand swiftly over the surface. It was warm...but not hot. He put his glove back on and tried to turn the door knob but it refused to budge.

"Damn it," he swore out loud.

He backed up several steps preparing to kick in the door and bumped into Roy. He mumbled and apology, but was glad for the contact. He could hardly see a thing and at least he knew his partner was close.

He raised his right foot and kicked hard.

Nothing.

He repeated the action and as the door gave way, so did a portion of the ceiling that was directly above him. Roy glanced up in time and forcefully shoved Johnny through the opening as he landed hard on top of him. Both men frantically got up and did a quick self assessment.

Roy yelled, "Johnny, you ok?" John nodded in the affirmative.

They spread out and began searching the office. It was not a large space… And it was empty.

Roy grabbed the HT out of his pocket to give his Captain an update, just as Hank was about to key up ordering his men out. At that moment, John noticed the faint outline of another door. He moved forward and pushed it open revealing a small bathroom.

On the floor lay their missing victim who appeared to be unconscious…or dead. Johnny hoped fervently it was the former. He advanced on the man who suddenly let out a deep cough. Having that question answered, Johnny lunged for the man grabbing his body and quickly slinging him over his shoulders.

He turned and bolted out of the room yelling to Roy "I GOT HIM…MAN; WE GOTTA TO GET OUT OF HERE…NOW!"

The two men rapidly made their way to the hallway, carefully stepping over the smoldering ceiling debris. As they reached the stairwell, a look of relief appeared on Anderson's face. Roy was signaling them to move. The paramedics sensed the impending danger and willed their feet to pick up speed. The linemen allowed the paramedics to pass with their victim and started bringing up the rear. As they made their descent to the second floor an explosion erupted in another area of the building. The blast knocked them all to the ground.

John was dazed but forced himself to get up despite the pain now making itself known on his right side. He repositioned the victim back onto his shoulders as he saw his partner stagger to his feet. Roy gave him the OK sign and waved him on. John knew a secondary explosion was coming. He felt it. He hated leaving Roy and the other firemen, but he had to get the victim out.

A moment later he burst out of the exit and into a heavy stream of water. He deposited his victim in the capable hands of medic Charlie Dwyer who was working overtime at one of the other stations. Captain Stanley pounded the pavement making his way towards his junior paramedic. The Battalion Chief was not far behind. It did not go unobserved by either man that the other three firemen had not emerged.

Before Hank could reach him, John turned abruptly around and ran back towards the building. The Captain yelled "Gaaaaage...Nnnn…!"

Stanley wasn't sure if his youngest crew member heard him over the noise, but even if he did, he knew the Paramedic would have gone in anyways. John would not leave a victim, especially his partner, to perish. Regardless if the effort cost him his life.

Stanley gritted his teeth in frustration and squeezed the HT so hard he thought it would snap in two.

As John re-entered the building he located the three firemen at the base of the stairs on the first floor. The HT was lying on the ground several feet from the men and Roy was struggling to hoist an unconscious Anderson onto his back. Caldwell was slumped against the railing and looked up with confusion in his eyes.

The explosion was coming...any second.

Without breaking stride, John scooped up the HT and keyed it up. He hit the mic hard three times as he continued moving forward; confident his Captain and crew members would understand its meaning. He knew any verbal transmission with his face mask in place would be muffled at best, and he didn't have time to removed it. He slid the HT into his pocket before quickly maneuvering Anderson the rest of the way onto his partner's shoulders. He tapped Roy on the back signaling for him to go.

He did a fast pivot and snatched Caldwell by the front of his turnout coat, forcefully yanking him forward. The man had no choice but to move his feet or be dragged along behind a sprinting John Gage. He caught up to Roy and they were shoulder to shoulder, each with their respective burdens, as they cleared the building.

The second explosion, as John predicated, occurred within seconds and demolished what remained of the structure. The force propelled the four men into the air and they landed with a resounding thud on the wet pavement.

Stanley had heard the three taps coming from the radio, and with a knowing nod immediately shouted into the HT for all the men to retreat and take cover.

The previous year Johnny had been doing a sweep in a structure fire at a Chemical plant. He had gotten separated from Roy, and to make matters worse, his regulator broke rendering his voice useless. John's instincts told him a flashover was starting to build, and he was scrambling to get out. He worried that his crewmates and other firefighters might not have picked up yet on the subtle indicators, and would be caught in the blast. John had keyed up and hit the mic three times. Roy, who had already exited the building with his victim, was standing next to his Captain when he heard the sounds. "Cap" he said anxiously, that's John's version of a Code 3 or "GET THE HELL BACK". It was a warning that had served them well that day and Hank would never forget it.

Stanley and McConnikee watched as the men on the perimeter beat a hasty retreat. They heeded the warning as well, but kept their eyes glued to the entrance not even daring to blink. Their efforts were rewarded as they saw a blur of bodies dressed in gray turnout gear charging out of the building and then a moment later, flying through the air.

XXXXX

Several Firemen moved rapidly toward the downed men. Anderson was quickly picked up and moved over to a yellow blanket on the ground near the waiting ambulance. The paramedic crew from 10 had already begun working on the man gathering his vitals. Other hands assisted Caldwell to his feet and moved him away as well.

Only DeSoto and Gage remained on the ground side by side. They were breathing heavy and trying to process all that had occurred in the last few minutes. John gingerly moved his body. He could feel something warm and wet running down his face, and noted the pain was still there on his right side.

Okay, well actually he hurt pretty much everywhere. Johnny turned his head to stare at Roy. His face indicated that he too was feeling the effects of being unceremoniously catapulted out of the building.

Roy finally found his voice and said "that was a CLOSE ONE Junior."

John gave him the famous crooked grin before turning his head back and planting both palms firmly on the ground. He looked down at the pavement as he prepared to exert what little resources he had left to push himself up. Two rather large boots suddenly appeared under his nose. A feeling of dread washed over him. He knew who those belonged to. With a heavy sigh, he slowly moved his head to stare up into his captain's stern looking face.

"AWWW MAN", thought John. "The big guy is NOT happy." He tried the Gage grin on his Superior; however it did not produce the desired results.

"Gage," Stanley began, "Did you or did you NOT hear me calling you before you went back into that building?"

John looked directly at his Captain and said "Well, uh, yea cap…I uh, heard ya."

Stanley's eyes bore down on the young man "well since we have established your ears work, would you care to explain WHY you didn't stop when I told you NO."

Gage had his answer ready. "Well, Cap ya see, I heard ya call my name…I did, and well the only other thing ya said was Nnnnn. I just, you know, thought that you were going to say um… Nnnnnow don't take too long," he replied finishing the unspoken sentence.

Since the Gage grin hadn't worked, he switched tactics and tried for the innocent look and finally settled on remorseful. He added in the one arched eyebrow for good measure.

That did the trick.

Stanley's eyes narrowed into slits at first and then softened. How could he stay mad at a guy who just saved four people's lives? He sighed and motioned for them to go get checked while he turned his attention back to the still out of control fire.

Roy and Johnny were a little banged up and suffered some heat exhaustion, but in light of the harrowing escape they just had, neither man was about to complain. The paramedics slowly rose from the pavement and went to check on their victim and fellow firefighters. To their great relief everyone was going to be fine.

Chet came up and thrust canteens of water into their hands. "You guys scared the living crap out of us," he admonished before heading back to work on the blazing inferno. Knowing his friend was now out of harm's way, Chet glanced over his shoulder as he ran and said in a promising voice, "Uh Gage….you better be watching your BACK…Pal."

They saw him make his way over to Marco who was manning a line by himself. Chet fell into place behind him and put his right hand firmly on the other lineman's shoulder. His left hand picked up the trailing hose and he hugged it into his body. He gave Marco two quick pats letting him know he was set. Stoker, seeing the hose was now double teamed, increased the water pressure as the two men leaned in tackling the flames in front of them with determination.

John and Roy unscrewed the caps off the canteens and downed the water, desperately trying to replace the fluids they had lost. When he was finished Roy instinctively moved in to check on his young friend's injuries. Gage waved him off. Roy would not be dismissed that easily. "Sit down and let me look at your head JOHN…unless you want to tangle with Cap again," Desoto replied firmly.

Johnny took another gulp of water and plunked himself down on the back of the squad in defeat. As the older paramedic tended to the wound, Johnny notice their victim's partner slowly walking towards them.

"Roy..." Johnny started as he began to pull away from his partner's grasp.

"I MEAN IT JUNIOR...knock it off or I swear..."

"No...Roy, wait...look" he said in a low voice as he jerked his head in the direction of the approaching man.

"Excuse me…Gentleman? I'm...uh ss sorry for interrupting you. My name is Paul…I…I just wanted to say thank you for what you did." The man paused, tears filling his eyes and spilling down his face in a steady flow.

The paramedics watched him intently but did not respond sensing he had more he wanted to say.

After several deep breaths he continued on, struggling with each word. "The last couple of years have been…ummm a very difficult time in my life. My ffather passed away eighteen months ago from complications to his diabetes. My beloved wife, who had been bravely battling cancer, succumbed to the disease a few months later."

The man's voice cracked and the tears flowed harder.

"I was devastated by the loss of these two people who meant so much to me. After they were gone, it was just me and my son Danny. Then… s-six months ago" he whispered in a pain filled voice, my son's life was taken by a drunk driver. The intoxicated man was out…celebrating…a promotion he received at work. I'm sorry for troubling you with my burdens…but I wanted…No, I needed you to know that…my partner, his name is Jim, well… he uh… he is more than a partner to me. That man is my only family now… he is like… like a brother. I… I don't know what I would have done if I lost him too."

Paul turned and saw his partner being loaded into the ambulance. He started to walk away to join him and abruptly stopped.

He glanced back and, looking directly into the paramedics eyes replied, "This may not make much sense to you guys… but when you saved HIS life… you saved MINE as well. I will never forget the sacrifice you were willing to make for… my brother. Thank you so very very much." He gave them a small smile and hurried off before the paramedics could offer up a response.

Roy and John watched the man as he made his way to the ambulance and climbed into the passenger's seat. The lights and siren came on as the vehicle pulled away from the curb making its way to Rampart. They continued to stare until the ambulance disappeared - Paul's words still resounding in their ears.

Roy was the first to reply, "I think we understand where he is coming from, don't we Junior." John gave his best friend…his "brother" a knowing look and stated "we sure do Pally, we sure do."

McConnikee's attention was briefly diverted as he watched the interaction between the two paramedics of station 51 with interest. He wasn't, however, close enough to hear the words exchanged. He knew Gage and DeSoto were a phenomenal team and their skills as rescue men and paramedics had served the Department very well indeed. He felt that all their paramedics were capable, or they wouldn't be out in the field. But Desoto and Gage were unique. They seem to work effortlessly as one. He wished he had the answer to make the other paramedic teams come together as unified as those two.

It was then an idea started to take shape. Could it work?

It was definitely something to give further consideration. McConnikee gave a thoughtful nod.

The HT in his hand crackled to life with a status report from Captain Stanley indicating the fire was 75% contained. He listened intently to the voice on the other end and then gave his acknowledgement. McConnikee wondered what Hank would think of the idea. He found himself laughing out loud. He already knew the answer to that.

The Past

Captain Stanley had ordered his paramedics to swing by Rampart Hospital and have the Doctors check them both out. The remaining members of the crew were going to be out for the next couple of hours at least on overhaul and clean up.

It was close to 10:30am when Johnny and Roy finally arrived back at the station. They had been cleared, but told by Dr. Kelly Bracket to take it easy on their days off.

Bracket, knowing Johnny's propensity to hide injuries, went over the paramedic with a fine tooth comb. He had to concede that this time Gage walked away with only some heat exhaustion, a bruise to his ribs, and a small bump and cut to his forehead…no concussion.

Now that was a first.

The young paramedic was well known for his numerous concussions. It was also common knowledge that John Gage and head injuries didn't bode well for anyone in a several foot radius of his mouth when the nausea hit him.

Dixie McCall, the head ER nurse, and a fond admirer of both paramedics, teased Johnny that one more concussion would earn him a framed certificate along with a gold plated emesis basin autographed by all the people he had ever puked on. Some names would be on there more than once.

"Ha Ha…very funny Dix," the young man replied.

The doctor chuckled as he pulled open the exam room door and left the young man in Dixie's capable hands.

Johnny truly loved Dix, in a close friend/big sister kind of way, and he took her ribbing in stride. He flashed the older pretty nurse a winning smile while pulling his blue jacket on to cover his bare chest. He was overjoyed that he wouldn't be spending his days off at Hotel Rampart.

Johnny eased himself off the exam table and exited the treatment room holding the door for Dixie. Roy, who had already been cleared by Brackett, was waiting at the base station talking with Dr. Joe Early. Seeing his partner he inquired "You getting sprung Junior?" Johnny grinned back "Yup, I told ya it was nothing to worry about…DAD."

Dr. Early couldn't suppress a grin listening to the two men. They were complete opposites, but for some reason, they complimented each other perfectly. And they were the best damn paramedic team out there.

As the small group sipped coffee and chatted casually the red light above the base station room suddenly lit up catching Dr. Early's attention. "Duty calls," he said with a smile. As he opened the door the group heard… "Rampart, this is Squad 36…how do you read me?" Dr. Early hurried over and depressed the button responding "This is Rampart, we read you loud and clear 36…go ahead." The door closed quietly with a click.

Johnny and Roy advised Dixie they needed some supplies and went about opening cabinets and drawers grabbing the various items. The task completed, they said goodbye and downed the remaining drops of coffee from their cups. They were anxious to return to the station…and then home.

Both men were tired and reeked of smoke. Johnny went into the station locker room to take a quick shower and changed while Roy called home. Joanne, his lovely wife, answered the phone on the second ring. She had planned on her husband and Johnny arriving after their shift to sit down and eat a big breakfast she had prepared.

News of the early morning fire reached her ears from the TV she had flipped on for the kids, Chris age seven and Jennifer age four. She plopped down on the couch watching the film that was being replayed from the earlier broadcast. She scanned the multitude of red emergency vehicles filling the street. Her trained eyes finally found what she was hoping not to; the red rescue squad from Station 51. She fought back the nervousness she felt rising in her chest. Joanne was at least comforted to know that Roy and John were together. She knew Johnny would do whatever it took to bring Roy home safely to them at the end of every shift. He had given her his solemn promise.

And he had kept that promise.

Jo remembered back almost five years ago now how upset she was when Roy first announced he had asked to have Johnny as his permanent partner. Roy had gone through the very first paramedic class through Harbor General. At the conclusion, he was tasked with trying to recruit other rescue men to join the program. Johnny signed up and went through the second class which was held at Rampart Hospital. Roy was allowed to participate in the training again.

During the classes he and Johnny, despite their contrasting lifestyles and personalities, had become close friends. In his heart Roy DeSoto knew asking John Gage to be his partner was the right decision, for both of them.

When Jo first met the man she couldn't believe how incredibly young he was. Only twenty-one years old! Her first impressions of John did not exactly win her over. He was quiet, a loner, withdrawn, and extremely sensitive. She couldn't fathom why her husband chose him.

To be honest, it had scared the hell out of her.

Joanne never had the opportunity to see the other side of the young man. At work, he was recognized as an outstanding paramedic. His intelligence and ability to navigate his way through fires was uncanny. And in rescues he was fearless…which aged his crewmembers prematurely. Roy, who was four years his senior, felt drawn to the young man. He saw signs of pain and mistrust in the gentle brown eyes that Johnny so desperately fought to keep hidden.

Roy couldn't help himself from wondering what had occurred in Johnny's life to cause such…sorrow. Roy couldn't push it from his mind.

The older paramedic was bound and determined to understand what made John Gage tick; regardless of the barriers his young friend had created. Roy was a patient man and knew his efforts would yield the desired results.

In time Roy did gain the young man's trust and learned some heartbreaking things about his past. John had lost both his parents at a young age, and his extended family made it clear to the impressionable young boy that he was neither wanted nor loved. Furthermore, John was half White and half Native American. Instead of people seeing the whole person that made up John Gage…He was looked upon and treated as a "half-breed" through the eyes of narrow minded people. John knew no other life until he went to live with his Aunt Rosemary. She accepted him into her home and heart, but by then the lessons were engrained in the young boy's head. He accepted ill treatment as "normal" and kept everyone at arm's length. The collective results of his past left him feeling unwanted and unable to love or be loved. John excelled and thrived in his professional work, but his personal life was in shambles.

That all changed when Roy DeSoto and his family entered his life.

The Desoto's had been through some difficult times helping John reclaim his identity and getting him to understand what a true family was really about. The trials and tribulations endured were a growing and learning experience for all of them. John Gage brought something very special to the Desoto family. He was a fiercely loyal partner, friend, and brother to Roy, a loving uncle to their kids, and both a friend and brother to Joanne. His energy level at times was off the charts and he left them sometimes feeling absolutely dazed and exhausted.

But that was John.

His gift to them was insight and understanding into the struggles of life so many people silently endure. Joanne and Roy had never truly appreciated this before they met John. His determination and will to survive along with his heart for forgiveness made him truly unique and special in their eyes.

Their family, with Johnny as an integral member, had settled into a comfortable routine.

XXXXX

Jo was standing at the kitchen sink finishing up washing dishes from the kids breakfast. Her thoughts kept going back to the fire and the safety of Roy and Johnny. Around 10:35am the phone, which was mounted on the wall across the room, shrilled loudly. She jumped at the sound almost dropping the glass she was holding.

With wet hands Joanne covered the ground between her, and the object of her attention, with lightning speed. She had the receiver off the hook by the second ring and drew it quickly to her ear. The familiar voice on the other end said "Hi babe…sorry, we had to hang over on a call. We just got back to the station. Johnny and I are famished. Is it…ah… too late for some breakfast?"

Joanne breathed a sigh of relief hearing her husband's voice, as she wiped her hands on the edge of the apron wrapped around her waist. She looked around the kitchen, sparkling clean from her morning efforts and thought to herself, "It's never too late to make my boys breakfast". Joanne had picked up on the exhausted sound as her husband spoke and knew they must have had a rough night.

"Honey, it's no trouble at all," she assured him. They chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up and Joanne promptly walked over and started a fresh pot of coffee brewing. She knew her men, and that would be the first order of business when they walked through the door. That done, she quickly started opening drawers and cabinets pulling out the items she would need; all the while humming happily to herself.

The senior paramedic had replaced the receiver in the cradle and smiled. He was a lucky man and he knew it. He pushed open the locker room door just as his partner was finishing getting dressed. John looked up with hopeful eyes. Roy gave him a thumbs up and John gleefully responded "YES!"

Jo was an incredible cook and he was ravenous. His mouth started watering at the very thought. "What's she makin," John asked with anticipation.

Roy chuckled "Don't know Junior…does it matter?"

"Nope…so let's get movin," he stated just as his stomach gave an enormous growl.

Roy grabbed his stuff out of the locker and slammed the door shut. He briefly thought about sneaking a quick shower himself, but changed his mind. The urge to get home was stronger than the smell currently emanating from his body.

John wrinkled his nose as Roy passed him on their way out the door. He was glad that he would be driving in his own car. His partner was RIPE.

Roy guided the Porsche into his driveway as Johnny parked his Rover on the street in front of the Desoto house. They climbed, somewhat stiffly, out of their respective vehicles and lumbered towards the front door.

Roy was reaching for the knob when the door flew open. Chris and Jennifer had been watching from the window and saw the men approaching. They raced to greet their father and uncle. As the kids were about to launch themselves into Roy's arms, they skidded to a halt. "Daddyyyy! Youuu stinkyyy," Jennifer squealed. Chris was in complete agreement with his younger sibling's assessment. They turned to their Uncle instead and John was on the receiving end of the warm hugs and kisses.

Roy frowned and said "Hey!" His wide open arms hanging suspended in mid air…empty.

Johnny, grinning from ear to ear, caught the children in a tight embrace. "Hi there little Pally," he said to Chris, rubbing the top of the blond haired boy's head with his hand. He then picked Jennifer up and planted several kisses on the little girl's porcelain face. She giggled in delight. "And how is my beautiful girl this mornin?" he asked as he set the child back down on her bare feet.

In hindsight, Roy thought he probably SHOULD have taken that quick shower at the station. His momentary twinge of jealously vanished as he watched the affectionate exchange between his kids and partner. Joanne, peering from around the kitchen doorway, caught the scene as well and despite herself, couldn't suppress the smirk that crept to her lips.

Jo moved over to her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist pulling him into a loving embrace. "Well handsome," she said as she planted a kiss on his lips "You're not to STINKYYYYY for me!" Roy laughed and returned the hug and smooch.

"You're a sight for sore eyes," Roy exclaimed as he kissed his wife again before extricating himself to go and take that much needed shower. The smells wafting from the kitchen…coffee, bacon, eggs, homemade bread…almost halted that progress. But he had learned his lesson.

Shower first!

Johnny, hearing Roy's remark, grumbled, "Yea…sore eyes," he agreed. "AND back, arms, head, legs, hair, toenails…" He was continuing with his list when Roy shot him a backward glance and a look of warning. Roy knew as the wife of a fireman, Joanne had two constant companions that were faithfully present whenever he was on duty.

Their names were Worry and Fear.

Roy did his best to protect his family from knowing too much about his job; especially the close calls like this morning. But somehow, Jo always seemed to know, or at least sensed it. Then there was the media. They aided and abetted by providing visual images to accompany the already frightening thoughts that played in her mind.

John looked sheepish, knowing instinctively what Roy was saying with the stare. He attempted to divert the conversation by exclaiming "Hey Jo…the food smells fantastic, I am STARVING." And, as if on cue, his stomach gave another incredibly loud rumble. John inwardly thanked his body for doing its part to help him out of the scrape he landed himself in.

Jo shook her head. "Honey, don't blame Johnny, I already saw the news broadcast this morning covering the office building fire."

"Damn reporters" Roy fumed.

"OFF…THE…HOOK!" was John's first thought. The second was "Hey Jo, is the coffee ready?"

Joanne laughed, she KNEW her guys! She leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek and replied "Yes, sweetheart, it's all ready. Come in the kitchen and we will have a cup while Roy takes his shower."

Roy smiled. He turned and headed up the stairs to do just that while Johnny followed Jo into the kitchen.

It was a great start to their days off.