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Date Posted: 16:09:30 09/14/99 Tue
Author: Sally
Subject: Dr. Kelly Brackett unlocked the door to his car...
In reply to: Brenda 's message, ""Hey Roy?" Mike called as he pushed through into his room," on 08:51:24 09/14/99 Tue

...and slipped behind the wheel. Just as he inserted the keys into the car’s ignition, he heard a rapping on the passenger window. Looking over, he saw Dixie looking in -- motioning for him to unlock that door as well.

He heeded her bidding, then watched as she slid into the car.

“Can I offer you a ride some place?” Brackett asked, not quite managing to keep his grin totally masked.

“Your destination is my destination.” Dixie answered smartly.

“Oh? And your that sure you know where I’m headed?” Brackett toyed.

Looking at the ER physician and a long time friend, she threatened, “Look, are you going to get this jalopy going...or do I have to hot-wire the engine and drive myself over to UCLA!?”

“Jalopy! I’ll have you know this is a state-of-the-art machine!” Brackett growled, with mock indigence.

“It’s a gas-guzzling tug-boat!” Dixie countered, adding: “Now, drive!”

Turning the key, Brackett gave the Head Nurse a side-long glance. “And just where did you learn how to hot-wire a car?”

Without looking his way, Dixie responded brusquely: “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Doctor.”

Putting the car into gear, Kel Brackett muttered, “I’m sure there is!”
*********

“What the hell do ya mean-- we can’t see Johnny!?” Chet shouted at the Nurse blocking the entrance to the ICU.

“I’m sorry, but without special authorization...I have to enforce the policy.” The Nurse, who stood a head taller than Chet, responded. “It’s really for the patients’ welfare.”

“Look, Lady...we don’t give a damn about your stupid policies! All we want is to see Johnny!” Chet raged.

“Come on, Chet...calm down...” Stoker said, stepping forward to pull his firefighter pal away from the nurse.

Chet yanked his arm free of Stoker’s hold. “I’m gonna tell ya something...I did not spend forty-five minutes on the freeway and then drive around twenty-seven side streets to get passed accidents and...and...road construction...just to get here...and get sent away without seeing John!”

“Uhmmm...Nurse....this special permission...who do we get if from?” Marco questioned, keeping his own voice level -- although he too felt Chet’s frustration.

“You’d need to speak with Mr. Gage’s personal physician...” the Nurse began...

“Then get him up here...right now!” Chet demanded.

“He may not be available....I believe he’s in a meeting with the Hospital Administrator....” The nurse explained.

Her response ignited Chet’s temper even more. “Look, lady....we don’t care if he’s in a meeting with GOD...just get him up here!”

“Kelly...shut the hell up!” Stoker ordered. “You have no right to treat her that way! She’s just doing her job...”

Chet turned on him. “Maybe YOU don’t care about Johnny...but I do!”

Without any change in his expression, Stoker’s arm shot out. Grabbing a fistful of Chet’s shirt, he shoved the man down into one of the waiting room chairs. When he next he spoke, each word was filled with an cold fury. “I care about Johnny just as much as you do!”

It took a few seconds for Marco to react, so stunned was he by Stoker's uncharacteristic reaction. He had always wondered what it would one day take to get his otherwise stoic, always-in-control friend riled up.

Stepping forward, he placed a hand on the arm that was still keeping a very surprised and now cowed Chet pinned to the chair. “Mike...come on, man...”

At first Marco thought he might have to physically pry Stoker’s hand free of Chet’s shirt, but after the passing of a few more seconds in which the Engineer continued to peer down at the object of his anger...

Stoker drew in a tight breath, then released his hold.

For a moment, he stared down at the hand he had just used against a friend, as if it were some sort of foreign object...then turning away, he said softly. “I...I’m sorry...”

Climbing back to his feet, Chet straightened his shirt, then reached out and gripped Mike’s shoulder. “No, man...I’M SORRY.”

Clearing her throat, the Nurse said softly, “Let me see what I can do about finding Dr. Colson.
********

“Yes....yes I understand....” JoAnne said, holding Roy’s hand as she completed the telephone call he insisted she make. “Thank-you, anyway.”

Looking down at her husband as she returned the receiver to its cradle, she prepared for his disappointment.

“Honey...they said there isn’t a phone in Johnny’s room...and he really isn’t strong enough yet to get out of bed...”

Throwing back the covers, Roy spouted, “Maybe he isn’t....but I am.”

JoAnne reached down a restraining hand. "Roy DeSoto...what in the world do you think you’re doing!? ”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Roy snapped, pushing against the his wife’s hold...both, amazed and annoyed, that he was still too weak to fend it off.

“You’re not going anywhere!” JoAnne countered firmly.

“But, Johnny...” Roy started to protest.

“Is being cared for...” JoAnne sat down on the bed, keeping both her hands planted firmly on her determined husband’s chest. “Roy...you will listen to reason! Now I know you worried about Johnny and I know how much you want to be with him...but right now...it’s just not possible. Johnny would not want you to put your own health in jeopardy....any more than you’d want him to, if the situation were reversed.”

With a weary sigh, Roy gave up the struggle...his head spinning, his eyes throbbing with pain.

“All right....but then you go over there...you go see him.”

“I'll check on Johnny tomorrow...” JoAnne said.

“No! Now! Go over there NOW!” Roy demanded.

Jo drew in a calming breath. “Honey, Hank’s over there...and so are Chet, Mike and Marco...”

“It’s not the same, JoAnne!” Roy hissed. “You know it’s not! Johnny needs....he needs US! We’re his FAMILY!”

There was a part of Roy that felt bad about giving his beloved wife such a hard time -- he knew she was probably exhausted, having been through hell herself in the last two days....but he just had to convince her to go over to UCLA and at least spend a few minutes with Johnny.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the Cap or the other fellas to look after his partner... or to accurately report back what was going on...

It went deeper than that.

Roy knew the strength he, himself, drew from his wife’s presence...from her voice...her touch...her love. He knew that while it was a different kind of connection, JoAnne felt a very deep love for Johnny, as well....

And that she could offer him a type of comfort nobody else could.

“Ann....please?” he begged.

Leaning forward, JoAnne hugged Roy. “All right, Honey...all right.”

She felt him relax beneath her touch, saw a little smile appear.

“Thanks.” he said softly, adding, “I love you.”

Reaching for the phone, she began to dial.

“Who are you calling?” Roy questioned.

“Deke.” JoAnne responded. “I want to see if he can come stay with you while I’m gone...”

“But it’ll take him at least...at least an hour to drive over here!” Roy protested. “I don’t need anybody here to...to baby-sit me!”

Using her no-nonsense “MOM” tone, JoAnne informed her willful husband: “We are going to do this MY WAY! Got it, buster?”

“Got it...” came the meek reply from the bed.
*****

"I expect the leg burns to heal nicely -- although there are some patches that may require grafts," Dr. Colson continued his medical report.

Hank Stanely nodded slowly...still shocked to learn the details of just how close they had come to really losing Johnny.

"...we're watching his kidney function..." Colson continued. "And of course...the fact that he arrested multiple times...well lets just say it's going to be a day by day situation for a while, I'm afraid."

"I understand." Hank said, then reached out to shake Colson's hand. "Believe me...everybody who cares about John is very, very grateful for what you've done."

The physician offered a smile, returning the handshake. "Well, I'm just glad I have a real fighter on my hands...otherwise we'd be having a different kind of conversation.

The buzzing of the Hospital Administrator's desk phone cut into the men's conversation.

Brown snapped up the receiver, "I instructed not to be disturbed...!" he listened a moment, then said; "I see...very well, tell the Nurse we'll be right down."

Hanging up from the call, he looked to Stanley.

"It seems some of your men are in the ICU asking to visit Mr.Gage."

Hank leaped to his feet, heading for the door. "Then lets get them in there..."

"I'm not certain the patient is up to multiple visitors just yet." Colson called out.

The Cap stopped short, turning a hard look at the physician.

"You WILL let my men in there to visit Johnny!"

Colson considered the Captian for several long moments...then gave a sharp nod.

"Very well..but only for a few minutes."

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