Seasons Greetings! Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This little story insisted on being written and was fairly quickly but I promised myself I wouldn't put it up until I had another chapter of Aftermath up as well. This comes from the constant listening of Christmas music while writing! Enjoy.

As before, the characters from the TV Show Emergency are not mine, (in any way shape or form…errr, except in my head.) The original characters are mine as well as the general story plot.

You Saw Who Kissing?

Jennifer DeSoto lay in her bed, with her eyes closed, trying very, very hard to get to sleep. But it was December 11th, two long weeks before Christmas and although she knew she should already be sound asleep in order to be a good girl, the little girl was just too excited. The night was still and a little warm for December in California so the window was slightly cracked.

Jenny sighed and shifted again in her bed. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, still trying to calm down her excitement when a flashing of headlights through her window caught her attention. Whatever it was that had pulled up in front of her house was bigger than a car and she could hear the chugga-chugga-chugga of a heavy duty engine. She frowned as she sat up, "That sounds like..." She jumped out of bed and raced to the window. Sure enough, in front of the house idled a LA County Fire Department Rescue Squad. "Daddy! Uncle Johnny!" The child squealed, knowing her father and his young partner-her second favorite male in the whole world-were on duty tonight so in all probability it was them. From the window she could clearly see in the lighted cab that John Gage was behind the wheel. For a moment she frowned, "Daddy let Uncle Johnny drive?" Then she smiled happily, "He's smiling; maybe that's his Christmas present from Daddy!"

Although she knew she shouldn't leave her room, the chance to see her dad and Uncle Johnny was too strong a pull and she sneaked cautiously out of her room and down the hall. Once there she carefully took one step down then another and another until she could lean over and peek into the living room. At the sight before her, she sat down, blinking in surprise.

She had expected to see her father but instead her mother stood in the foyer, wrapped up in the red furcoat-clad arms of . . . Santa Claus?

She put her hand over her mouth as wide eyed she watched the passionate kissing, then red flashing lights circled the room as John Gage flipped on the reds and shouted out, "Come on Santa, we gotta get going!"

"He's awlfully impatient." Her mother giggled.

Santa nodded, "More like he's jealous."

Her mother laughed as she snuggled closer, "Then maybe Santa should bring him his own girl for Christmas."

Santa laughed and kissed her mother on the cheek, "Santa will take that into consideration Mrs. DeSoto."

A gentle tap of the sirens broke them apart and she heard her mother sigh. "I'd better be going," Santa said with one last kiss then smacked her mother on the rear end. Her mother gave a yelp then patted Santa's rosy cheek and grinned, "I'll be waiting for your next visit, Santa." He grinned back, blue eyes twinkling then hurried off. Jenny watched in shock through the open door as her mother waved, "Bye Santa; bye Johnny. Be careful." After the squad pulled away, Jenny slowly crept back up to her room. She didn't understand all of what she had just seen but what she did disturbed her. She laid back down in her bed as she thought hard on it.

She knew mommies and daddies had a special way of kissing. She'd seen her parents doing it often and had even once caught Captain Stanley and his wife Maggie kissing like that when she'd sneaked down to watch the adults last year at the New Year's party her parents had hosted. She also knew that mommies and daddies didn't kiss other people like they kissed each other. Her mother always kissed Uncle Johnny or Uncle Dennis on the cheek. She paused, well she'd seen her mother kiss Uncle Johnny on the forehead as well but never like she kissed daddy. She thought about the long kiss she'd just seen. She frowned. She didn't like it. Santa shouldn't be kissing anyone like that except Mrs. Claus. And her mother . . ..

As she thought about it, she remembered last month when she'd had a cold and had stayed home from school. Her mother had let her sleep on the couch while she cleaned house and ironed. She liked it when her mother ironed because she would set the ironing board up in the living room and watch TV. It was a special show that usually Jenny wasn't allowed to watch because her mother said, "It's for grown-ups." But Jenny liked all the pretty clothes the ladies wore.

This time two of the young men were arguing. "That's ridiculous Troy," The dark haired man told his close friend. "Your own jealousy has you seeing things that don't exist."

JoAnne humped, "He's lying to you, Troy. He's the instigator."

"What's an insag . . .instag . . .?" Jenny asked.

"Instigator. Someone who causes things to happen to other people." Jo muttered, her eyes focused on the screen. "And that Jonathon has been behind all the troubles Troy has been having."

The scene had changed and Jenny lost interest as she sipped her ginger ale. When she looked up, she saw one of the pretty ladies on screen. "oooo, there's Jane. She's a tramp." Her mother growled.

A figure came up behind the woman and touched her. She gasped and whirled around to face the grinning Jonathon. He grabbed her and pulled her close. They kissed passionately while JoAnne muttered, "Home wrecker. And Troy is your best friend. He pulled you out of that slum, got you a good job and you repay him by cheating with his wife."

Jenny's eyes were as glued to the screen as her mother's now. The couple broke apart and the woman slid her hands up and down the man's chest as she gasped, "Johnny, we shouldn't. Troy could walk in at any time."

"He won't" Jonathon told her as he kissed her neck, "I sent him on a wild goose chase across town."

"I thought there was something wrong." Came another voice and Jonathon whirled around as Jane gasped out, "Troy! Darling!"

"Save it, dearest." He sneered as he advanced on the dark haired man. "Just making things up, huh Johnny old buddy? Like that nonexistent lead over in Franklin? You thought you had it all figured out, didn't you. You had everything tied up."

Jonathon was slowly backing away from his angry friend, "Now Troy. I can explain."

"No!" Troy exploded as he angrily knocked over a lamp.

Jane screamed.

"Stop talking! I'm through listening to your talking!" Troy shouted as he charged the other man. The screen went to a still picture as the announcer said, "We will return to Da . . ." Jo clicked off the TV then turned to her daughter. "Well young lady, I think it's time for some lunch then a nap."

Jenny blinked and rolled over as she recalled what she'd seen. The man on the TV had been kissing another man's wife. "Momma said he was an instantgator." She frowned deeper as she remembered the man's name. "And his name was Johnny, just like Uncle Johnny." She thought more. Her Mommy had been kissing Santa but everyone knew Santa only came down from the North Pole at Christmas time. Uncle Johnny was around every day. He was at her house several times a month. Besides, Uncle Johnny was the one who brought Santa to the house and had sat there watching. He hadn't done anything to stop it. "He's suppose to be Daddy's best friend. He's not. He's an instantgator. He makes bad things happen." She recalled now how she'd often heard her father complaining about his partner's continuous talking and how trouble seemed to follow him. As she drifted into a troubled sleep she murmured, "Uncle Johnny is a instantgator."

John Gage whistled happily as he opened his locker door. "Hey Johnny. How did the party over at Rampart go?" Marco asked. He'd missed the last shift due to a slight case of heat exhaustion.

Johnny grinned broadly at his shiftmate. "It went great. Roy made an incredible Santa Claus." He laid his hand on his chest, "I almost believed he was the real thing."

"Glad to hear that." Marco smiled at his friend's enthusiasm.

"Yeah, after those two goldbrickers skipped off to the party, Johnny boy here took the squad on a joy ride around town." Chet teased.

Johnny frowned, "I did not. " He turned back to Marco as he explained. "The run we had right before the party was kinda messy so when we got back here Roy just showered and changed right into his Santa suit. After the party we swung by his house so he could get his spare shoes. That's all."

Marco's smile got larger, "Roy let you drive? Wow! Christmas came early for you!"

Johnny grinned as he slid on his uniform shirt. "Yeah. He tried but with all that padding he couldn't fit behind the wheel." Marco laughed.

Roy DeSoto walked into the locker room, greeting his shiftmates as he stopped next to his locker. Johnny paused in his dressing, his smile fading as he tilted his head and looked closely at his partner. "Roy? What's wrong?"

Roy looked at his half dressed best friend, saw the concern in those brown eyes that were watching him so closely. He sighed. He knew better that to try to hide anything from Johnny. They'd worked together long enough now that without words, they could read each other.

Johnny moved closer as his slightly narrowed gaze slid over his friend. Roy gave him a faint grin. "I'm ok, Johnny."

Johnny snorted, "Sure you are." He could see there was something wrong, something was off in the way Roy was standing, as if a great weight rested on him. "You sick?" He questioned.

Roy unbuttoned his shirt, stalling and hoping Johnny's sometimes short attention span would take over. "No. I feel fine. Better finish dressing."

Johnny didn't move, his eyes stayed locked on Roy even as his slender hands came up to rest on his trim hips. "Jo. Is JoAnne ok?"

Roy sighed. He knew now he'd have to tell. While his boyish partner might appear somewhat scatterbrained, Roy'd discovered he was actually very intelligent and when something concerned him, Johnny was a regular bull terrier, worrying at the problem until it was righted. Roy paused as he realized that. Johnny cared deeply about him and his family and had a unique relationship with each of them. Maybe he could help. His long pause had caused his young partner's over imagination to go into overload.

"The kids. It's something with the kids. Are they hurt? Are they sick? How bad?" The questions poured from Johnny as his brow creased in worry. The sight eased Roy somehow and he shook his head even as he smiled reassuringly. "Nobody's sick. Nobody's hurt. Calm down."

Johnny's frown only deepened. "Something's wrong. You came in here dragging about as low as a nightcrawler's belly face down in a new grave."

Roy pulled back, befuddlement showing on his face then he shook his head. "I don't even want to know where you came up with that one." He pulled off his shirt and hung it up. Behind him he could see Johnny shifting anxiously. "Relax Junior and I'll tell you."

At that Johnny promptly plopped his bottom down on the bench but his anxiety showed in the way one knee kept jumping. He waited for several heartbeats then demanded, "Well?"

His actions caused Roy to chuckle and he pulled on his uniform shirt as he said, "We're all healthy as far as I know."

Johnny picked up on that immediately and one feathered brow arched, "As far as you know." He repeated. Roy nodded then shrugged. "Yeah, no fever, no coughing or sniffles or anything like that. It's just . . ." He stopped again as he pulled up his uniform pants and began tucking his shirt into them.

"Go on . . ." Johnny encouraged, his hands making a rolling motion.

Roy shrugged again. "Jenny is acting a little . . . strange."

Johnny sat up straighter. Something was wrong with his little princess? "Strange how?"

"Well, this close to Christmas the kids are usually trying their darnedest to be on their best behavior." Johnny nodded his understanding and Roy continued, "It's not that she's being bad, it's just like she doesn't care about Christmas."

Johnny dropped his hands into his lap as his mouth fell open. "Doesn't care about Christmas?" He repeated.

"Yeah. Yesterday we took the kids to see Santa like we have every year and Jenny refused to go on up to him. She said she didn't want to see him, that she had nothing to ask him, and she didn't think it was a good idea for Santa to come to our house. And then she asked me if I could stop him by plugging up the chimney."

"What?"

Roy nodded, his confusion over his daughter's actions showing on his face. "I know. And she got into a big fight with Chris when he tried to write a letter to Santa. She grabbed the paper and ripped it up. Then she sassed her mother." Roy sighed again, "I don't know what's gotten into her. A few days ago she wouldn't stop talking about the things she was hoping Santa would bring and now, she's hidden all the ornaments with Santa on them, she's thrown away the picture she drew of him that was on the fridge and she put Jo's figurines back in their box and stuffed them in the closet." He ticked the items off on his fingers.

"Huh." Johnny slouched, his brows knitted downward in thought. "Could someone have told her something about . . .you know?"

Roy shook his head, "No. I wondered that too. When I hinted at it, she acted like she really still believed but told me that I should be careful who I let in our house and said she didn't think Santa should come here this year." He shrugged again, stood and put his badge on. "Jo and I both talked to her. To Jo she just glared. She would only talk to me." He looked at his young friend where he sat on the bench, his uniform pants still undone, his uniform shirt unbuttoned as he sat with his elbow on the bench in front of him and his chin resting in his hand. It amused Roy sometimes on how close his work partner was to his family, how much a part of the family he'd become . . .how . . . Hey!

"Johnny," he started, trying to keep his excitement down. "Jenny likes you, I mean really really likes you."

"Yeah? So?" Johnny replied distractedly.

"So, maybe you could come over, say for dinner tomorrow night and . .."

Johnny perked up, his eyes shining, "Yeah! I could talk to her, you know, and bring up Santa and see if maybe she'll tell me!"

"Exactly!" Roy grinned at his friend, suddenly feeling much better. "After roll call I'll talk to Jo." He looked down at his partially undressed friend and smiled, "You'd uh, better finish dressing, junior, or you'll be late."

Johnny looked down at himself and jumped to his feet, buttoning his shirt and tucking it in with one hand while the other hand pulled his badge and pins out of the dish he kept them in. Soon he was dressed and followed his partner out into the bay.

After roll call, Johnny started in on checking the equipment while Roy made his phone call. Johnny looked up as he slid the bio-phone back into its slot as Roy came around the side of the squad. "Well?"

Roy grinned, "Jo thinks it's a great idea. I guess she and Jenny got into it again after I left and she's confines her to her room for the morning. She told me to tell you she's even gonna bake you a apple pie for dinner."

Johnny grinned broadly. He loved pie, especially Jo's apple pies with the cinnamon candies in it. "you know Roy. I've been thinking. I bet it's something simple like she noticed too many Santas or somethin'"

Roy shook his head, "Nope. We went through that last year. We'd just seen the Santa at the new mall, then there was a Santa on the street corner ringing a bell and just down the block another waving in front of the tree lot."

Johnny winced at the scenario. He looked up from counting the drug box, "So what did you do?"

Roy grinned, "I told her that making sure everyone had a good Christmas plus keeping track of all the children and the elves and overseeing all the toys being made was such a big job that sometimes Santa would ask special people to be his assistants. Kinda like a deputy Santa." He looked over into his partner's wide brown eyes to see amazement there. "Ohhh. That's pretty good." Johnny murmured and Roy chuckled to himself at the sometimes childlikeness of friend.

Johnny shook himself as he replaced the last of the syringes. "Ok. That's not it. Well whatever it is, I'll find out. Can't have Christmas be ruined for my girl." He shut the box and stood up, "I've got the list of things we need Roy. We'd better go now while we can."

The shift passed fairly quickly with the squad having more runs than the engine, as usual. By the time the next morning came and the crew was off shift, every man was eager to get to their respective homes for a little rest. Roy looked up after changing his clothes to see his partner sitting, half dressed and almost asleep, in his locker. He nudged him, "Hey Johnny."

Tired brown eyes blinked sleepily up at him, "Hmmmm?"

Roy smiled and shook his head, "You gonna sit there all day?"

Johnny sat up straighter and looked around, "Oh. Um. Yeah."

Roy's smile broadened, "You ARE going to sit in your locker all day?" He teased.

Johnny blinked at him in confusion, then frowned. "No. Of course not."

"Uh huh." Roy nodded, "Of course not."

Johnny frowned at him, and Roy motioned down his friend's slumped body. Johnny's frown changed to a chagrined look as he stood slowly up and began undressing. Roy watched him carefully. He knew the younger man was tired, hell, he was tired, but he'd learned over the years that while Johnny had seemingly boundless energy while on a rescue, it wasn't endless and when the adrenaline worn off, the slender man could crash and crash hard. "Johnny? You gonna be ok getting home?"

Johnny turned around to face the concerned look in his partner's blue eyes and his heart warmed at the caring he saw and felt. He smiled reassuringly, "Yeah. I'm fine. You go on ahead. I'll see you around four ok?"

"Ok," Roy reluctantly agreed. He, too, was tired and now that the shift was over, he was concerned about the problem going on with his family. Johnny shut his locker door and read his partner correctly as he laid an arm over his shoulders. "Don't worry, Roy, Uncle Johnny will be there soon to get my little princess's problem all fixed up."

Roy grinned at the younger man and the two separated to their own cars, both hoping that by the evening's end, all would once more be on track to having a merry Christmas.

Roy had come home to find that things were about the same as when he'd left. Once more Jenny and her mother had had a quarrel and in exasperation Jo had confined the child to her room until dinner, hoping against hope that the visit with Johnny would finally straighten this out. After a filling breakfast where he'd calmed down his understandably upset wife, Roy had fallen into bed. Although he'd feared his churning mind would keep him awake, his firefighter trained body instantly pulled him into the rest he needed. He'd awaken around two, and headed downstairs for a snack and some coffee with his wife while Chris watched cartoons.

"I just don't know what's going on, Roy." Jo was nearly in tears as she nervously shifted the cup in her hands. "Jenny has never been like this! It's like over night she changed from my sweet little girl into some surly glaring fiend." She sniffled and wiped her nose with the hanky from her pocket. "I've tried everything I can think of and she just . . .she just . . ."

Roy laid his hand on his wife's arm and she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "I know. We'll get to the bottom of this." He looked up at the clock, "Johnny will be here soon. What if I went up to try and talk to her again."

"Sure, why not, go ahead," Jo waved her arms over her head, "You she'll talk to. Me she just glares at or gives short sarcastic one word answers."

Roy sighed as he stood and wrapped his arms around his wife's shoulders, pulling her back into his chest. Jo sighed and forced her body to relax as she closed her eyes and leaned against her husband. He patted her hands where they crossed over his. Jo looked over at the stove. "If Johnny will be here soon, I'd better finish the mashed potatoes. I couldn't put them into the oven until the pie was done."

Roy nodded to her as she stood and went about finishing dinner. Squaring his shoulders, he headed off to his daughter's room. Once there he looked in the door to see her writing something on a pad of paper. He smiled, "Making out your Christmas list?"

She turned toward him with a smile, "'lo Daddy." Then she frowned, "No. Why would I do that?"

Roy came on into the room, "Well, I know you haven't written your letter to Santa yet and wondered if that was what you were doing."

Jenny made a face as she put down her pencil and shoved the pad away, "There is no way I will write to that man. I don't want him to come here."

Roy sighed at the same thing she'd been reiterating for the last three days. "Why, Jenny? Why don't you want Santa to come here?"

"I don't think we should trust Santa, Daddy." Jenny stuck her lip out, "What do you really know about him?"

Roy blinked in surprise, "I know he's a good man who loves all the little children of the world."

"Hmmphh," She wasn't impressed. "Maybe that's what he wants you to think. I just don't think we should let strangers in the house, especially when you're gone."

Roy frowned, wondering now if the stranger talk was responsible for this. "Jenny, the real Santa, he's more of a spirit. A good spirit. He's not a man like me. And when he comes into the house, he's only there to leave presents, not to do anything else." He pulled her into a hug. "There's no reason to be frightened of him."

She heartily returned the hug, "I'm not the one who should be worried about him." She whispered in his ear. He pulled back, more puzzled but then heard the knock on the door. He smiled as he stood. "Well dinner is nearly done so go wash up. And we're having a guest for dinner tonight."

She looked up at him with her big blue eyes, "Who, Daddy? Who's coming to dinner?" Just then Chris shouted out, "Uncle Johnny! Mom! Dad! Uncle Johnny's here!"

Jenny's eyes narrowed in anger as she heard the deep laugh of her father's partner. "You'd better go, Daddy, and keep an eye on him." She told her father, then headed to the bathroom to wash up like she was told. Roy blinked at her curious comment, then shrugged. Well, Johnny was here now and he was confident that all their questions would soon be answered.

Roy came down the stairs and paused, grinning at the sight that greeted him. His dark haired partner stood in the entryway smiling at Jo while Chris's wildly waving legs could be seen over Johnny's left shoulder. Johnny's left arm held the boy's waist while the other hand rested casually on his right hip. He looked up as Roy came on down the steps. "Hi Roy. I'm a little early. I was just telling Jo here that I hoped that wasn't a problem."

"That's not a problem, junior. You, uhh, gonna put that down or carry it around all evening?" He motioned to the wiggling legs. Johnny's brows raised and his right hand gestured to the giggling boy, "This? Well, it attacked my shins when I came in the door so I decided the best way to prevent that from happening again was to get a hand on the situation, if you know what I mean." He shifted his left hand slightly and bounced his shoulder causing squeals of laughter.

Chris's giggling broke up his speech as he gasped, "Put . . .me down, unc . ..le Johnny! Put . . me . .. down!"

Roy walked causally around his partner to see his upside-down son beating his hands on Johnny's back. He grinned, knowing Johnny's hose-hauling hardened muscles would hardly feel the small boy's light blows. He winked at his son then moved back around to face his partner. "uh, Johnny? It's looking a little red. You might wanna let him breathe a little in an upright position. You know, for the sake of proper blood flow and all."

Johnny frowned as he appeared to take that under consideration, stroking his chin with his right hand. "I guess you're right. I do remember something in class about 'head up' for blood flow." He moved his head so he could address the panting boy, "You ready to sit back up?"

"Yes! Yes! Uncle! Uncle, Uncle Johnny! Uncle!"

Johnny nodded and promptly flipped the child end over end and stood him on his feet. He kept his hands on the staggering, still giggling boy until he looked a little steadier then grinned lop-sidedly at Jo. "There he is. Right end up, no worse for wear."

Jo put her hand over her mouth to cover her amusement at her husband and his partner's banter. "Why thank you Johnny."

Johnny winked at her then turned back to Roy, his face now serious. "Where's Jenny?" He had expected her to run to meet him like her brother had. He noticed Jo's face immediately clouded over and Roy sighed as his shoulders slumped. "Uh oh. Still the same huh?" He asked.

Jo sighed as she nodded. "I finally grounded her to her room. I just couldn't take her attitude anymore."

"I wish she'd stay in her room until school started again." Chris grumbled. "She's sure putting a bad vibe on Christmas. She's a real scrooge."

"Christopher!" Jo looked wide-eyed at her son while Roy frowned. "That's enough Chris. Why don't you go watch some TV before dinner?"

The boy instantly brightened. TV was a privilege, one he eagerly took whenever it was offered. With a whoop he ran off to his father's admonishment of, "Walk in the house young man!" The boy instantly settled into a hurried walk. After all, Christmas was only a little over a week away and even if his sister didn't want a visit from Santa, he sure did.

Johnny grinned as he watched the boy then turned back to Chris's parents and wordlessly motioned to up the stairs. They nodded and he put his foot on the first step. He paused when Jo laid a hand on his arm. Green eyes looked into brown ones, stating and pleading, he smiled softly and patted her hand before he walked on up the stairs.

He looked into the pink lacy palace that was Jenny's room but the little girl wasn't there. He heard a faucet running and turned toward the bathroom at the end of the hall. He smiled as he watched the petite blond headed blue eyed child carefully foam up her hands then rinse them off. "Hello Jen-Jen! How's my girl?" Johnny grinned at the child who had stolen his heart years before. To his surprise, Jenny greeted him without her usual enthusiasm. In fact she was rather cold to him.

"Hello." She answered as she dried her hands.

"Jenny honey. Is something wrong?" He came into the room. She looked up at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you want, Mr. Gage?"

He smiled, "Mr. Gage? That's a little formal isn't it? What happened to Uncle Johnny?"

She crossed her arms and did her best to glare menacingly at him. "You are not my uncle. You aren't my daddy's brother or my mommy's brother or married to my aunt."

Johnny's smile faltered as he gave a slow nod. This was definitely not starting out as he had thought it would. Jenny hadn't thrown herself into his arms for a hug and kiss as she always had before. And this bit about not being her uncle . . . Where had that come from?

After several long moments, Johnny cleared his suddenly constricted throat, "That's true. I'm not. But you were the one who started to call me that. I never asked for it."

Jenny hmphed, "I know. But I was a baby then. I know better now." She settled her arms firmer, "You shouldn't be here; you're an instantgator." She told him. Johnny looked at her clearly puzzled, "I'm a what?"

"An instantgator. You make things happen." She repeated.

He blinked at her then chuckled, "Oh! You mean instigator. So why do you think that?" He expected to hear some story about something she had obviously mis-overheard from her parents.

"Bad things happen around you." She informed him.

He blinked in surprise, that hit a little bit too close to home and it hurt. He tried another smile but it wasn't as wide or open as his last. "Umm, yeah. Sometimes. But I . . ."

She raised a hand like she'd seen Troy do to his so called 'friend' Jonathon, "I don't want to hear any of your excuses. All you do is talk but nothing good comes out of your mouth. This family doesn't need you. You're poison to this family. You aren't welcome here anymore."

Johnny pulled back, shocked and hurt by her words. His mind raced frantically trying to understand where this attack was coming from. Where had his loving little sweetheart heard such things? Was . . was it something she'd heard her parents say? Or someone else? Did she really believe this of him? She seemed angry enough . . . and serious . . . He gulped with a suddenly dry mouth, his mind racing to find some logical justification to what was happening. But each rationalization was worse than the last.

Jenny continued like she had seen Troy do on TV. "You claim to be daddy's best friend but you're not. You do bad things behind his back. I don't think you should be my daddy's partner anymore. I don't think he's safe with you. I don't think he should trust you. You bring nothing but trouble."

She didn't see the wince he gave as each of her words lanced straight into his heart. She continued, "You're a home wrecker. We don't want any home wreckers around us. You can't be trusted. You're a liar and a cheat and a no good scoundrel and you're not welcome here anymore."

He reeled briefly, catching himself on the doorway. "Jenny, I . .. "

She turned her back on him, "There's nothing you can say. I know what I know. You're better leave now before I'm forced to do something drastic. Good-bye Mr. Gage." She dramatically concluded. Johnny blinked at her, his eyes stinging with forming tears as his breath quickened. His heart thudded harshly in his chest as he gave a slow nod and backed out of the room. He sagged against the wall in the hallway, his eyes closed as he tried to regain his equilibrium. He took one shaky step away from the wall's support, then another and somehow he was blindly moving down the hallway.

Roy had come up the stairs soon after Johnny to listen in on how the talk was going. He was always impressed with the special rapport between his young partner and his daughter. But the words he overheard were nothing like he expected. He stopped dead in his tracks, shocked at the words his daughter spewed out. He saw Johnny lurch from the room, then sag against the wall. The dark haired medic's face was pale and tears glistened in his dark eyes. Then Johnny pushed himself away and headed toward him, gaining speed as he went. "Johnny?" He called but Johnny was oblivious, "Johnny!" He reached out and grabbed the younger man as he barreled past him. Johnny whirled around and faced his partner.

Roy cringed at the look of mental anguish showing in those dark eyes. "I . . .I gotta go, Roy." He stammered, pulling his arm from Roy's grasp. "no, Johnny." Roy murmured even as he tightened his grip. Johnny set his face into his professional mask and pulled his arm harder, freeing himself. "I gotta go. Tell Jo I'm sorry. I'll see you at work." He rushed out as he flew down the stairs.

"Johnny? Wait! Johnny!" Roy called after him even as he debated on which way to go; after his fleeing friend or on up to confront his child.

Jo appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "Roy? What's going on? Johnny just about knocked me over!"

"Jo I'll explain later where is he?" Roy rushed out.

She turned, looking away from him, "I think he's in the bathroom. What …?"

Roy raced to the bottom of the steps, yanked open the closet and quickly pulled Johnny's keys from his jacket pocket. He tossed them to his startled wife as he headed back to the stairs. "Jenny. . . Jenny did something awful to him. Jo, don't let him leave. "

"What?" She looked bewildered as she held out her arms, "Don't let him leave! How?"

"I don't care!" he cried in exasperation, "Offer him coffee, lock the door, knock him out and sit on him if you have to. Just, just DON'T let him leave this house before we get this worked out."

Then he rushed back upstairs and straight into his daughter's room. She looked up at him as he burst in the doorway, a stubborn look on her face. "Young lady. I heard what you said to Johnny. How could you say those things to him?"

She gave a slow nod. "I meant it, Daddy. I don't trust him and I don't think you should either."

Roy took a slow deep breath, knowing he had to find out where all this was coming from and he wouldn't if he lost it now. "Well, maybe you should explain it to me."

Jenny thought it over then nodded. It made sense. After all, it was she that had seen the kiss not her daddy—unlike Troy who had caught his best friend in the act. "John Gage is an instantgator."

Roy'd heard her say that before. "You mean an instigator. So why do you think that? Do you know what an instigator is?"

Jenny chose to answer the last question first, "It's someone who makes bad things happen."

Roy nodded, "Ok. So what bad things did Johnny make happen?"

Jenny began to pace, explaining this was so hard. It was much easier when she could rely on the TV program but her Daddy wasn't following what they had said when she'd watched Troy and Jonathon. "He . . .he just is. It was all his fault. He's a home wrecker."

"So you told him. But you still haven't told me what he did."

Jenny bit her lip. Her breath coming quicker as she tried to explain, "You shouldn't trust him! He's bad for this family! You should send him away and . . . and never let him come back!"

Roy could clearly tell his child was very upset but she'd still not given any reasons. And until she did, he couldn't figure out how to fix it. "You still have to tell me why? Johnny has been by my side for several years. He's fought fires with me, treated injured people along with me, he's been here in this house with us for holidays as well as parties. I've saved his life and he's saved mine. I trust him, I care for him, so why should I send him away?" He kept his voice calm.

Tears began to roll down Jenny's face as she became more and more confused. She loved her Uncle Johnny, but he was a liar. No. Wait. That was Jonathon. She remembered all the fun times she had had with her uncle. And then she remembered the night she thought it all had changed. "Because while you were at work Uncle Johnny came over here with the squad and he brought sssssomebody and I saw him and Mommy kissing like like like Mommy's only 'posed ta kiss you and it was wrong and he knew and didn't stop him instead he was laughing." She finally burst out.

Roy blinked as he rocked back on his heels. He reached out and pulled his crying child close as he sorted out what she had said. Suddenly it all made sense. "Jenny." He pushed her slightly away from him and tilted her chin upward so she could look him in the eyes. "Jenny, a few nights ago, did you see Mommy kissing Santa Claus?"

Through hiccups and tears she nodded. He pulled her close again as he gave a deep sigh. Then he told her, "Wait right here a moment. I have something to show you." He dashed away quickly into his closet and returned with something behind his back. "Let's sit on the bed." Jenny nodded and climbed up on the bed cross-legged as Roy sat down next to her.

"Jenny honey, do you remember what I told you last year when you asked how there could be a Santa Claus in different places at the same time?"

She paused for a moment, then answered, "You said sometimes Santa asks special people to be his deputies."

Roy nodded, "That's right. Now see, several nights ago there was a party for the sick children at the hospital. Now, I told you Santa loves little children and he especially loves little children who are sick and have to be in the hospital during Christmas. So he came and asked me if I would go to this party as Santa to cheer up those children." He watched her eyes widen as he pulled out the red hat and beard and slipped them on. "Jenny, that was me that night you saw kissing Mommy."

"But, but, I heard Uncle Johnny call him 'Santa'." She stammered, not sure now of what she'd seen.

Roy nodded, "You did. That's because whenever someone is one of Santa's special deputies they are called 'Santa' to help keep the secret. Do you believe me?"

She looked carefully at her father, at his blue eyes so serious above the fluffy white beard and nodded. She hugged him tightly, relieved that all the confusion, anger and hurt she'd been feeling over the last three days was finally gone. Then another horrible thought came to her and the tears started once more.

Roy felt his shoulder grow damp and pulled back from his little girl. "Jenny, what's wrong now?"

Genuine distress darkened her blue eyes as she sobbed, "oh, oh, Daddy. I said nasty bad things to Uncle Johnny. I made him very sad!"

Roy sighed, knowing that was true. "Yes, you did."

Jenny sniffled loudly as she recalled the look her beloved Uncle had given her right before she turned her back on him. "He'll hate me. I was mean to him."

Roy nodded, "Yes, you were. But I think if you and I explain what happened, Uncle Johnny will forgive you."

Blue eyes looked hopefully up at him, "You . . .you think so?" She asked timidly.

Roy smiled softly at her, "I do. So why don't we go find him and see?"

Jo looked at the set of keys in her hand, bewildered over what was happening to her family. Jenny hadn't been acting like Jenny the last few days and now Johnny . . . She recalled the stricken look on his pale face as he had pushed past her. And now her husband's nearly frantic demand. What was going on!

Movement down the hall drew her attention and she looked up as Johnny exited the bathroom, his face expressionless. He glanced once at her, but his eyes shied away from contact with hers. "Jo, I'm sorry. I can't stay. I'm sorry for all the trouble you went through for dinner." His voice was steadier than he felt as he walked past her and opened the closet door. He removed his jacket from the hanger and slipped it on.

"Johnny wait. You . . . you didn't eat anything. Let me fix you a plate to take with you." Jo tried to think quickly.

Johnny shook his head as his hand reached into his pocket. "No thank you. Don't bother . . ."

"It's no bother!" She interrupted smiling brightly, "Come on into the kitchen. It will only take a minute."

"No JoAnne. I've got to leave." He told her, then frowned muttering, "Where's my keys?"

"But, but Johnny," Jo's mind raced, trying to think of something, anything that would keep the younger man there until Roy came down. Roy! That was it! "You haven't said goodbye to Roy. You can't leave without saying goodbye."

Johnny's hand went into his other pocket, "I'll see him tomorrow at work." He replied absently. "Where are they? I know I had them . . ." He began patting down his jean's pockets.

"Now that's silly Johnny. Come into the kitchen and have a cup of coffee. I'm sure he'll be down in just a moment." She reached out to grab his arm and the keys jangled. Johnny's brown eyes went to the keys, then to her guilty green eyes. He silently put out his hand.

Jo gave him a shaky smile, "Johnny you can't leave yet. Please, come have a coffee with me."

"Give me my keys JoAnne." Johnny's voice was firm.

Jo shook her head at him as she tugged on his arm. He reached for the keys and as his hand begin to close over them, she realized what he was doing and yanked her hand—and the keys she held—away from him. The keys swung up toward Johnny's face and instinct took over as he saw something heading toward his eyes. He jerked his head away even as he took a step back. Unfortunately he was standing right next to the doorframe of the closet. His temple and his upper cheek impacted the doorframe with a solid 'thwack'. Stunned by the blow, his vision tunneled and his knees went weak. Johnny felt himself heading toward the floor and was unable to prevent it.

Suddenly strong arms caught him, preventing his collapse and pulled him back, bracing him against a solid body. A very familiar voice chided, "Jo! When I said knock him out and sit on him if you had to I didn't mean literally knock him out!" Soft hands cradled his face, stroking his bruised cheek as Jo crooned, "Oh Johnny! I'm so sorry! Roy? Is he gonna be alright?"

Roy held his partner's sagging form firmly, "I think so. I think he's just stunned. He's not unconscious." Johnny shifted his head and looked into his partner's face. Roy grinned at him seeing his eyes were still slightly unfocused. "Johnny? You with me?"

Johnny swallowed thickly, "Yeah. Yeah. Just . . . stunned. Like you said."

Roy nodded, "Here, come over to the couch so I can take a look." Johnny let Roy help him over to the indicated piece of furniture and gratefully sank down onto it. His legs still felt shaky and his head was beginning to hurt. A flash of light in his eyes made him blink and pull back as he batted his friend's hand away. "Quit it, Roy. I'm fine."

"Uh huh. I saw that blow." Roy told him. An ice pack appeared in his sight and with a glance up at Jo, Johnny carefully placed it to his head. "Any dizziness? Blurred vision?"

"No." Johnny answered. "And I'm not nauseous. I just knocked myself a little kookoo, that's all."

Roy gave him a sideways glance, "I could comment on that, but seeing how you're probably getting a headache, I won't." He put the equipment Johnny just now noticed back into his bag. "Well your vitals are all normal for you, your pupils are PERRL and you don't seem to be light sensitive so I don't think you have a concussion."

Johnny gave a slight nod of agreement then winced at the pain that motion caused.

"But I don't think it's a good idea for you to drive right now so you're staying here tonight." Roy finished then held his breath, waiting for the explosion he knew was coming. As he thought, Johnny's head jerked up and he dropped the ice pack. "No! I'm leaving!" He stood up quickly and his face blanched white.

'Uh oh, bad move.' He thought even as he felt Roy's hands grab his arms and push his swaying body back down onto the couch. He sighed and shut his eyes, trying to settle the dizziness.

"You're staying. Chris? Go make sure the spare bunk bed has clean sheets." Roy ordered. With a whoop of excitement, Chris headed off to do as bid. "Yippee! Uncle Johnny's having a sleep over with me! Way to go Mom!"

In response Johnny groaned and sagged deeper into the couch. A gentle hand replaced the ice bag as his partner's voice softly said, "Besides, Junior, we have some unfinished business to settle here."

Johnny groaned again and both DeSoto adults saw the miserable look that covered his face. Jo frowned, worried that Johnny was getting sick but Roy, who had seen his partner in various stages of health, correctly surmised the problem. "Johnny. It was all a misunderstanding. Jenny explained it to me."

Brown eyes opened to stare at him and Jo caught her breath at the heartrending pain she saw there. Roy's face took on a sorrowful expression as well as he laid a hand on his friend's arm. "I heard what she said to you." He began.

"That I was a home wrecker? A liar? That I wasn't to be trusted?" The words felt as harsh on his tongue as they had to his ears.

Roy nodded, "You're not. She didn't mean them."

Johnny snorted at that, "She could have fooled me. She sounded pretty serious."

Roy sighed, he knew his friend was hurt and he couldn't blame him. "Johnny, do you remember the party at Rampart? And how you drove me back here to get my shoes?"

Johnny frowned, wondering at the seemingly change of direction. "My memory is intact." At his partner's stubborn look, he sighed, "Yes I remember. I sat in the squad while you ran in here."

Roy nodded, "Well, Jenny saw us. Saw you. And she came down to greet you."

Jo gasped as she, too, began putting it together, "She saw me, us, kissing!"

Roy nodded. "And she thought Johnny had set it up,"

Jo was shaking her head, "That's why she was so mad at Santa— and me."

Johnny thought about that, it made sense. The little girl would have rightly been upset to see her mommy kissing another man like she did her daddy. But it didn't explain where all the accusations to him came from. He looked at his partner. "Ok." He conceded. "I get that. But I don't get what she told me." Silently he thought, 'It had to have come from somewhere.' And it hurt his heart to think these people who he'd counted on had been the source.

Roy frowned as he realized the truth in Johnny's words. Roy turned around and for the first time Johnny saw the hesitant figure with the pale tear-stained face behind the senior paramedic. "Jenny? Where do you hear those things you called Johnny?"

Jenny looked down at her feet as she confessed, "It was what Troy told Jonathon when he saw him kissing Jane."

Roy frowned, "Troy? Who's Troy? Or Jane? When did you see this?"

Before she could answer, Jo gasped, "Oh Johnny! I'm so sorry! I guess this is all my fault after all!" She went on to explain about her soap opera and how Jenny had been home a few days while she was watching. "See, Troy and Jonathon are characters on my soap, Days of the World. They're best friends. Troy met Jonathon after he'd been beat up by the gang leader when he'd tried to help a friend of his leave the gang. Troy found him bleeding in his parking spot in the garage and took him home and nursed him back to health. Then he got him a entry level job at the company where Troy was a division head and Jonathon was so good they soon promoted him up to Troy's assistant. Then things started happening in the company, bad things, and Troy was trying to find out where they were coming from and it looked like Jonathon was responsible. It also appeared that Jonathon was having an affair with Troy's tramp of a wife, Jane. Troy walked in on them kissing and without listening to Jonathon's explanation, beat him up so bad he had to be hospitalized. Then Caroline who is Troy's secretary and also Troy's sister-in-law told him that Jonathon had suspected that Jane was really behind all the trouble because he'd found out her brother was William, the head of a rival company that wanted all Troy's company's contracts. Caroline and Jonathon are secretly engaged but didn't want to tell anyone until this was cleared up first so she'd been helping Jonathon collect evidence. When Troy heard all this, he rushed over to the hospital to talk to Jonathon only to find out they'd taken him to surgery for internal bleeding but he got to talk to him in recovery and Jonathon told him where he'd kept all the evidence and Troy turned it over to the company's security and they had Jane arrested for corporate espionage. So Troy found out Jonathon was really true to him all the time and it was his wife, Jane, who was the instigator."

Jo paused for breath and noticed wide brown eyes blinking in shock under one raised brow, then turned to her husband to find an almost identical look on his face. In that instant, Jo caught the unusual correlations between her onscreen soap stars and her husband and his partner. Both men exchanged a glance with each other that had visions of padded cells in her future. She shrugged and tried to explain, "It really is very good and I got caught up in it and didn't realize Jenny was paying more attention to the TV than I thought." She nodded toward Johnny, "Whenever they were alone together, Jane called Jonathon Johnny."

Johnny had sat up more as the explanation finally began making sense. The feelings of pain lessened with each word. "So telling me I was poison to the family and no longer welcome here? That all I do is talk but only in lies was all from some soap opera?"

Jo and Roy both winced at those words. Jo turned to her daughter in shock, "Jenny! You told Johnny those things!"

Jenny's tears flowed down her cheeks as she nodded, "But I don't really think that!" She protested. She looked to where her beloved Uncle sat on the couch, his brown eyes sad, his cheek darkening into a bruise and sobbed harder, "I'm sorry! Uncle Johnny, I'm sorry! You are my Uncle even if you're not married to my aunts and I do love you. I'm sorry I said those mean things to you and hurt you. You probably hate me now." She hiccupped as she wiped her eyes, "I've been very very bad. I don't deserve any Christmas now." She turned to her father, "Daddy, you said Santa asked you to be the Santa for him at the hospital."

Roy nodded.

"So you can talk to him. Tell Santa not to bring me anything. I've been a bad girl and I hurt my Uncle Johnny. Tell him to give my presents to some other little girl." She cried.

Johnny's heart melted at this teary and honest confession. He opened his arms, "Jenny, honey. It's ok. I understand why you thought what you did. And I don't hate you. C'mere."

At that the child flew into his arms, wrapping her tiny arms firmly around his neck and sobbed mightily into his shoulder. "I love you Uncle Johnny, I really really do. I don't think you are those mean things. I just didn't want my Mommy and Daddy to not be married anymore like my friend Tina's mommy and daddy. She has to chose who she wants to be with for Christmas and it makes her and me very sad."

Johnny held her close, now understanding that the hurtful words had come out if fear of her family breaking up. His gentle heart warmed at the little girl's confessed pain and he forgave her everything.

"Gesh, what a sobfest in here!" Chris's voice broke in. "I'm starving, mom. When are we going to eat?"

Roy turned with a frown to his son but Johnny's soft voice stopped him. "I could eat too, Roy."

Roy turned to his partner and had to give an indulgent smile at the dark haired medic's hopeful look. Just then Johnny's stomach rumbled loudly and he frowned even as everyone else laughed.

"Wow Uncle Johnny! You sound starved!" Chris exclaimed.

Jenny looked properly awed as she added, "I even felt that! It felt weird!"

"Well then I suggest we all head to the table and get some food. Chris, get the glasses out. Jenny set the table." Jo headed into the kitchen with one last apologetic look at her husband's partner and her friend.

Roy watched closely as Johnny stood up, ready to catch him if he showed any sign of weakness but to his relief there appeared to be none. However Johnny's eyes were squinted and he pinched the bridge of his nose, a sign Roy well knew meant his partner had a headache. Before Roy could say anything Johnny sighed, "I'm fine Roy, no dizziness, no nausea, my vision is fine. I'm just hungry."

"You've got a headache too." Roy stated, "but whether that's from low blood sugar or that blow . . ." He shrugged.

Johnny nodded in agreement, "So Dr. DeSoto? What do you suggest?" He teased.

Roy smiled at him, relieved it appeared Johnny was bouncing back. "I prescribe a good meal with my family with a piece of apple pie and coffee and two aspirins for a chaser."

Johnny grinned lop-sidedly at him. "Sounds like a prescription I can live with." With that he reached an arm around his friend's shoulders and patted him on the back as the two headed into the kitchen. Before they walked in, they paused at the door. Chris was filling the glasses with milk while Jenny placed silverware at each place, jabbering happily to her smiling mother who stirred several pots on the stove. The pleasant scene calmed the last bits of anxiety from each man and they each felt the other's body relax.

"Well," Johnny said softly, "I got her to tell what was wrong."

Roy looked in his friend's face, his eyes darkening as he remembered the hateful words. "Johnny, you don't really think . . ."

"I did for a moment. I couldn't figure out how she could say those things if she hadn't have heard them somewhere."

Roy felt his stomach clutch at that; he started shaking his head but Johnny stopped him. "I know Roy. I believe her and Jo. It makes sense and for a frightened little girl to mix me up with some character she saw on TV makes sense too."

Roy raised an eyebrow at his friend, "You think we're like some TV show?"

Johnny snorted, "Are you kidding, Roy? Do you really think our lives would be any good for TV? Like people are gonna watch some show about two paramedics running around fighting fires, pulling people out of wrecks and buildings and hanging around drinking coffee at a hospital or worse—a firehouse! No. Not when they can watch exciting glamorous stuff like The Magician or The Six Million Dollar Man!"

Jo looked up to see the two men laughing in the entrance to the kitchen and called, "C'mon and get seated! I want to eat while it's still warm."

"You heard the lady junior," Roy grinned.

Johnny nodded, "Yes I did and I leap to obey!"

Roy shook his head as Johnny did just that, "You'll do about anything for food." He commented. Johnny looked up from where he was already filling his plate, "For Jo's cooking? Hel . ..I mean, heck yeah!"

Jo blushed as she filled the children's plates. Then they all took hands and Roy said grace. The food was hot and good and Johnny had already cleared most of his plate when Jo noticed he'd stopped and was just watching the rest of the family eat their dinner. She frowned, "Johnny? Are you alright?" She was worried about his earlier injury.

He smiled to reassure her, "I'm fine. Just thinking about how lucky I am to be sharing this evening with you guys."

Jenny looked up and smiled a toothy grin at her adopted uncle. "Merry Christmas, Uncle Johnny!"

"Yeah, Merry Christmas, can I have more potatoes mom?" Chris added. Johnny laughed as he spooned more onto the boy's plate. He looked up to see Roy watching him, a smile on his face. He sent his partner a wink. "Merry Christmas, Pally."

Roy's smile broadened and his blue eyes twinkled, "Merry Christmas Junior; now eat your dinner or no pie for you!"