Sound. Overwhelming, annoying buzzing, aggravating, sound. Like a million crickets buzzing in his head.* He was lost in the damned sound. He couldn't stop it. Perhaps most frightening, he could hear absolutely nothing else.

With a jerk, his eyes came wide open, and all the monitors attached to the various portions of his anatomy began screaming for attention. A night nurse he didn't know flew into the room and began fussing with the monitors and making appropriate comforting motions at him to try to calm him. She also spoke to him, but he didn't hear a thing she said. He couldn't. And that's when Roy DeSoto panicked. The nurse, her eyes wide, fled from the room.

Roy fervently someone would come to wake him from this nightmare. He instinctively looked to the visitor's chair next to his bed, where normally he would find the lanky form of his partner sacked out; or his wife JoAnne. The chair was empty.

Next, his eyes sought out the other bed in the room. It was mostly dark in the room, but as it was never completely dark in any hospital, he could make out enough details to realize it was his partner in the other bed. He was apparently not asleep. He was sitting up in the bed. And dear God, what had happened? For Johnny's eyes were heavily bandaged. He was also monitored to the hilt. Parts of his head were covered with ominous looking bandages. And Roy could not ask him any questions, because he couldn't hear the answers!

Overwhelmed, frightened moans escaped from the older paramedic, and both Dr. Early, who had just answered the summons to the room, and Johnny reacted. Johnny, despite his blindness, reached his partner first. Several monitors were pushed out of the way, and his IV was willingly compromised as he yanked it out. Within moments, he had found his friend on the floor of the room, shaking uncontrollably. Roy wasn't talking, and Johnny couldn't see what was wrong; but it didn't matter. The moans subsided as Johnny rocked the older man in his arms, simply comforting him as he always had.

Johnny had had plenty of time to begin to adjust to his situation. He knew the blindness was most likely temporary. If not, he would deal with it, but he wasn't going to think about it till he had to. There was still nothing, no light or shadows when they changed the bandages. He had remembered the call that had put him and Roy here. The arson fire. The desperate run for safety. The explosion. Then...nothing. Waking up nearly two weeks later…blind.

And being told Roy might not wake up at all. Talking them into moving Roy in with him. Listening for any change in Roy's vitals. Practically forcing JoAnne to go home. Waiting…just…waiting. His world had centered around waiting for his life to return to him…his partner, and the light. He had secretly developed the theory that they were somehow one and the same thing.

Johnny gently helped Dr. Early get the distraught Roy back up into his bed. The doctor ordered Roy something to ease his anxiety and help him to sleep. After assuring the dark-haired young man that his partner was truly out of his long coma, Dr. Early shooed Johnny back into bed and had the nurse re-establish his IV and monitors.

The doctor examined Roy more thoroughly now that he was awake. It didn't take him long to discover what the problem was, and the new was not good. He had Dixie call JoAnne back to the hospital, and he called in orders for more x-rays. If what he suspected was true, then Roy would need surgery. He refrained from saying anything to anyone until he was sure; but after seeing the x-rays, he knew. Roy was suffering from an injury not to his brain, but his to his auditory system—his hearing itself. There was a possibility of repair, but the auditory system was very tricky, and was not his specialty.

From what he could tell, there was a lot of swelling, which would have to heal, before the surgery could take place. The other issue was that there were only two or three surgeons in the world capable of handling the very delicate and—very expensive—surgery. None of them were based in California. And likely, Roy would have to travel to them to have the surgery, when he was ready. And his ears would not be ready anywhere near as fast as Roy was going to want.

Joe Early was not by nature a fatalistic or a bitter man, but for a moment, he wallowed in the sensation. In one fell swoop, the actions of one selfish criminal had taken out, possibly permanently, the best paramedic team the state, maybe the country, had ever seen. And Joe was angry. As angry as he had ever been.

51

One Month Later

Once it had been established that John's blindness was healing and was, simply a matter of an unknown period of time, and that Roy's hearing was repairable, once the swelling went down; but that it would take at least 6-8 months or more for that to happen. After a few weeks in the step-ward, and in Rehab, the men were nearly set to be released. They were put on temporary medical leaves. Their jobs would be waiting when they returned, although they would have to re-qualify as paramedics. Because they were injured on the job, they continued to receive their full paychecks and medical benefits—a particular relief for both men.

The method in which they communicated with each other amazed others who did not know them well. In short order, both men and Roy's family had picked up American Sign Language, which had learned through the hospital, as well as using pad and pen for those who didn't sign. For John, signing with Roy was a necessity, since writing notes was out. His vision was healing, but he wasn't much beyond the light and shadows stage yet.

Roy would sign into Johnny's open palm when he couldn't quite make him understand what it was he was trying to say. Vocal speech was hard for Roy, because although his vocal chords weren't damaged, he couldn't hear his own voice, and he found the experience disorienting. Sensing this, it was Johnny who encouraged Roy to sign exclusively, if that was what made him comfortable. Of course, it was Johnny's twisted sense of humor that created a few brand new signs that no one but he and Roy got, and never failed to make the blond bust up laughing…and blush, as well!

51

Two Weeks Later

A huge decision was faced by the doctors and by the DeSotos. Both Roy and Johnny were ready to come home. But was home ready for them? This time, with JoAnne facing caring for Roy on such a completely different scale than ever before, and facing the possibility of having to travel out of state—or even out of the country for his eventual surgery; Joanne was torn. She loved Johnny like her own brother. She just wasn't sure she was capable of taking care of him the way he needed. And that's when an angel stepped up to the plate; in the form of Mike Stoker. He called JoAnne a couple of nights before the proposed release date, and his words were like a balm to her troubled heart:

"Beth and I talked about it. The boys are old enough now. They're in school. We can help out with Johnny, bring him home with us. I already know sign language. I have a deaf cousin, and we grew up together. It's no big deal. Johnny's spent time at our place before. Jo, you guys are not the only ones who love him. Let us help."

"Oh, Mike," JoAnne was nearly in tears. "I'll talk to the guys, but yes, I think that would be perfect! As long as you promise to bring Johnny over to visit. Otherwise, I'll have to put up with a major grouch for a husband!"

Mike laughed. "As long as you promise to throw in a lasagna dinner, you've got a deal!"

E!

TBC

A/N * This story is being prompted by a severe attack of tinnitus. At the moment, it is not quite as bad as it was yesterday. I have it to some to degree all the time, as I have a 60% hearing loss in each ear. I am waiting on hearing aids that are supposed to help with both hearing and tinnitus. But it could be a while. Anyway, when my "mad mosquitoes" as I call them really go crazy, I can barely function. That was yesterday. But today, my muse took a side trip to shed some light on a situation I know many others out there suffer from as well. There will be a couple more chapters to this one…updates as I can…Hugs.