Roy DeSoto backed the rescue squad into the station after he, his partner, Johnny Gage, and Dr. Kelly Brackett returned from their 5th call of the day.
"You know, after watching the two of you this morning, I can honestly say how impressed I am with the paramedic program. It's done much better than I ever thought it would," Kelly Brackett said as Johnny and Roy both smiled slightly as they headed into the kitchen..
"Well, we're glad to hear that. I have to admit, it's come a long way since the early days," Roy said pouring himself some coffee as Johnny warmed up leftover lunch.
"The variety of calls you go out on - I never imagined the various types of rescues you might get involved in," Brackett said wincing as he saw the bowl of chilli Johnny sat in front of him.
"People can find the strangest ways of getting themselves in trouble," Johnny said pouring glasses of milk for the group.
"That fire today was something. I should probably do more ride alongs. Gives me an education," Brackett said tentatively putting a spoonful of chilli in his mouth. "This isn't bad," he surprisingly said. "I always thought Texas chilli was the best but this really isn't bad."
"Marco makes the best chilli around," Johnny said shoving a spoonful of the thick chilli in his mouth.
"Watching you guys today made me think. With everything you do, is there anything that scares you?" Brackett asked.
"Us? Scared?" Johnny asked as Roy glanced at him.
"Seems to me, there's been a time or two. We just try not to think about it. Just concentrate on the rescue and get out of the situation," Roy said.
"I tell you what, that fire today scared me. I don't know how you can walk into a burning building like you do," Brackett said.
"You have to remember we've been trained to fight fires. I have to admit though, sometimes the heights can get to me. When you're up in the air, and there's a big gust of wind, it can be a little frightening," Roy said.
"Heights don't usually bother me. I hate those rescues where the water is rushing at you and you feel like it's going to pull you down and drown you," Johnny added.
As Dr. Brackett began to speak, the alarm went off.
"Squad 51, unknown rescue. 511 Lamar. Cross street, Canal. Time out, 1120."
"Man, it's those girls," Johnny said as they headed for the squad.
"Those girls?" Brackett asked as he climbed in the squad and moved to the middle so Johnny could get in as Roy climbed in the driver's side and smiled.
"Another of Johnny's fears - his fan club," he said starting the truck as they headed for the familiar address.
"They're not my fan club," Johnny said.
"Three 13 year old girls. Johnny helped one of them when she had climbed up into a tree to get her cat. The cat came down, the girl was stuck," Roy explained.
"They purposely find things to do to call us now," Johnny said. "Last time, Melissa had her friends Tracy and Cindy start a campfire. She called us saying they burnt their arms and the fire was out of control.We got there and there they were, roasting marshmallows for us."
"Melissa has a crush on him, she was wearing her mom's best perfume, " Roy said with a smile. "She told him he was cute."
"Cut it out, Roy," Johnny said as Brackett smiled.
"Believe it or not, I had the same thing happen to me when I was an intern. A teenage girl came in with a broken arm. I treated her. She came in once a week at least, for a year after that," Brackett said.
"A year? I can't do this for a year," Johnny said as they pulled in the drive and climbed out.
"It's awful quiet. Usually they're screaming his name by now," Roy said getting their equipment as Johnny shot him a nasty look.
"Melissa?" Johnny called as he knocked on the door.
"Maybe they're around back," Roy said as the headed around the back of the house.
"Melissa, you around here?" Johnny asked leading the way coming to an abrupt stop when he finally spotted the girls.
Melissa and her friend, Tracy, were laying on the ground in pools of blood. Johnny saw their friend, Cindy, standing shakily beside them with a handgun in her hand. She turned, tears streaming down her face.
"I, the gun. I didn't mean it," she said holding the gun up, pointing it at Johnny. Her hand trembled as she clutched the gun tightly, her finger still on the trigger as Johnny held his hand out to her.
"Sweetheart, give me the gun," he said as she sobbed and said, "I didn't know it was really loaded." As Johnny reached for it, her hand jerked and the gun fired. Johnny tried to knock the gun to the ground, but he fell to the grass as he was deeply grazed across the thigh. Roy grabbed for him as he fell as Brackett grabbed the girl's wrist, managing to pry the weapon out of her hand.
Cindy screamed as she realized what had happened. "Johnny? Melissa, she and Tracy wanted you to come. We didn't mean for this to happen,"she cried as Johnny blinked back tears and pulled her to him as she sank to her knees on the ground. Roy studied Johnny's bleeding leg as Dr. Brackett hurried to check on the two fallen girls.
"I'm all right," Johnny said with a wince as Roy nodded and hurried to the girls. He knelt by Melissa checking for a pulse and fought back the sickness he suddenly felt. Johnny closed his eyes as he watched, knowing Melissa was gone.
Roy glanced at Brackett after checking on Melissa. He shakily got to his feet to see if he could help the doctor with Tracy.
"She's alive," Brackett said putting pressure on the bullet wound in the girl's abdomen and instructing Roy on how to help him.
"I feel sick," Cindy said suddenly struggling to get away from Johnny.
"I know," Johnny quietly said holding on to her.
"It was an accident. It really was. I didn't mean to hurt them or you. It was an accident," she said as Roy ran back to the squad to call for police and an ambulance and hurried back to Tracy and Melissa, bringing blankets with him to cover both girls.
"Ambulance is on the way," he quietly said trying not to shake as he covered Melissa's now lifeless body and covered Tracy.
"I've got her, Roy. See if Johnny needs you," Brackett said as Roy nodded and grabbed a pressure bandage.
"Roy, this is my fault," Johnny said as Roy knelt next to him.
"No, Johnny. It's not," Roy said cutting the material away from the wound on John's thigh.
"This can't be happening," Johnny added as the ambulance and police were arriving one of the officers going into the house to see if parents were around.
"We need to get hold of Tracy's family. Cindy, do you know where her parent's are?" Roy asked as he treated Johnny's leg wound. Cindy didn't answer. She only looked at her friends and trembled.
"She's going into shock," Johnny said.
"I don't blame her," Roy replied as he over heard the police office call for the medical examiner to come to the scene.
"Her vitals are holding steady. We need to get hold of her parents and get consent for surgery," Dr. Brackett said as the police officer nodded.
"There's an emergency number in the house for the parents. I'll get hold of them and see if they know how to reach Tracy's family," he said heading in the house.
"Loaded guns and kids," Johnny murmured as Roy helped him to his feet and they watched as Tracy was lifted into the ambulance.
"You can't drive the squad. Ride in the ambulance with Brackett. Think you'll be able to help him if he needs it?" Roy asked.
"I'll be fine. Cindy?" Johnny asked watching the still traumatized girl.
"She should get into Rampart, too," Roy said scooping the girl up and carrying her to the ambulance as Johnny limped behind him glancing back once more at the blanket covering Melissa.
"It's not your fault," Roy softly said after settling Cindy in the ambulance with Brackett and seeing where Johnny was looking.
Johnny sighed sadly and allowed Roy to help him into the ambulance.
"I'll meet you there," Roy said closing the ambulance doors and spotting Melissa's cat in the window.
"Damn it," he quietly said rubbing his eyes and heading for the squad as more sirens approached.
Roy called JoAnne from the pay phone at the hospital to tell her what had happened on the call as he waited for Johnny to be treated. He wished he were home with his family. There were no guns in his house for his children to get hold of, but he had no idea what they might do if they were playing at someone else's home and they found a gun. He trembled as he thought about what had happened. After calling JoAnne, he called the station to let Captain Stanley know what had happened. He sighed and headed back to nurse's station and saw the police leading Tracy's parents into the area. Tracy's mother was crying as she was led to the desk to find out how her daughter was doing. Her father was trying his best to stay strong but was on the verge of tears himself. They were led to Brackett's office to wait in a quieter area.
"Roy," Dixie said walking out from the treatment room Johnny was in.
"He okay?" Roy asked in a voice shakier than he meant it to be.
"Physically, he should be fine. Mike's finishing up with him now. He's really devastated by this," Dixie said as Roy nodded.
"I teased him about the girls having a crush on him. He wouldn't admit it, but he was really flattered. He liked the girls, too," Roy said.
"I checked on both Tracy and Cindy. Tracy's still in surgery. She's holding her own. They've admitted Cindy for psychological trauma," Dixie said.
"I've rarely touched a gun in my whole life. When I was a kid, they scared me. I wish those girls would have been scared," Roy said as Morton led Johnny out of the treatment room.
"Roy, take him home. Make him rest. John, if you need any pain medication, let me know," Morton said.
"I'm all right. Thanks, Doc," Johnny said glancing at Dixie. "Did you find out how they are?"
"Hanging in there. You go home. I'll call you if there's any change," Dixie said patting his hand.
"Come on, Johnny. I'll take you home," Roy said.
"I'd rather go back to work. I'm fine," Johnny said.
"Forget it, Gage. Home," Morton said as Johnny sighed.
"Thanks guys," Roy said to Morton and Dixie as he guided Johnny to the door, opening it for him as he limped out to the squad. They rode in a sad silence to Johnny's apartment.
"Think you can handle the steps?" Roy asked.
Johnny rubbed his eyes, winced and climbed out of the squad. "I'll be fine. If Dixie calls you, you let me know," he said.
Roy nodded. "I will," he quietly said as Johnny nodded and took the steps one at a time to his apartment as Roy watched him. After Johnny closed his apartment door, he headed back to the station.
"Kel?" Dixie called knocking on Brackett's apartment door.
"Maybe he's not home," Joe Early said standing slightly in back of her.
Dixie knocked harder and again called Brackett's name. "Kel, open up"
"His car's down there. Maybe he went jogging," Early said.
"He's in there. Kelly, I'm not going away. Let us in," Dixie called knocking again. She glanced at Early as they heard footsteps then heard the door unlock. She turned the handle, opened the door and walked in followed by Joe. She saw Brackett sitting back down on the couch and pick up the glass of scotch on the table.
"You're sitting in the dark and drinking scotch?" she asked turning on the light.
"Dix, don't lecture me right now," he said.
"You had a bad, tough day. I know. This won't help," she said.
"Three young girls. One's dead. One may not make it. One may never get over the shock of what happened. This won't change anything, but it might ease the pain a little," Brackett said taking another drink.
"Kel, I know how bad these things are. I know from experience how bad it hurts, especially when a child is involved. What you need right now is to be with friends," Joe said taking the glass form Brackett and carrying it to the kitchen to dump it out.
"Joe-" Brackett started.
"We can start with a good meal. If you don't have anything, I'll call out," Dixie said opening the refrigerator.
"Guys, I appreciate what you're doing. I'd really rather just be alone," Brackett said.
"We'll leave soon. Right now, you're stuck with us," Dixie said as Joe walked over to the stereo and said, "We need a little music. Maybe some jazz."
Kelly Brackett smiled slightly and shook his head.
"Thanks," he said as Dixie returned to smile and hummed along with the music as she started making a salad.
"You all right?" JoAnne asked taking Roy's hand after he read to Chris and Jennifer before bed then tucked them in and kissed them good-night.
"I don't know," he honestly said. "I'm sad for the girls, I'm angry a loaded gun was anywhere they could get it and I'm scared to death his could happen to our kids."
"We'll have a good, long talk with them. They've never been around guns. I don't know how they feel. Maybe they are curious about them. We'll talk with them. Make sure they know never to play with them," JoAnne said.
"What if Chris wants to shoot a gun?" Roy asked.
"We'll deal with that if it happens. Right now, we need to teach them to be safe around weapons," JoAnne said.
"You're right," he said kissing her forehead.
"Come on. You're tired and need to rest," she said taking his hand.
"I should call Johnny. Make sure he's all right," Roy said.
"I called Mrs. Meyers while you read to the kids and filled her in. She'll take care of Johnny. We'll go by in the morning. Okay?" JoAnne asked.
Roy hugged her tightly to him. "You think of everything," he finally said as they headed for the bedroom.
Mrs. Meyers finally convinced herself Johnny was sleeping on the couch. She covered him up with a blanket and quietly left the apartment.
Minutes later, Johnny sat up, rubbed at his eyes and got to his feet. He limped to the window looking out at the stars.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice cracking as he thought of the three girls.
"I never got to take you all out for that ice cream I promised. And Archie, Melissa, Archie's going to miss you," he said remembering Melissa's cat.
"That damned gun," he said grabbing the glass of water on the coffee table next to him and throwing it at the wall, the glass shattering, as he sank back down on the couch leaning his face in his hands.
Three days later, Roy and Johnny attended the funeral for Melissa. They waited as the mourners left the cemetery and walked slowly to the new grave.
"I brought something for you, Melissa. You won't be alone on your journey," Johnny said laying a kachina doll on the flowers covering the grave.
"That's a pretty doll," Roy quietly said.
"My grandmother made it a long time ago. She'll take care of Melissa now," Johnny said.
"I think Melissa's parents would like that," he said. "Feel up to checking on Tracy and Cindy?"
"Let's go," Johnny said taking one last look at the flowers and doll and heading for the car with Roy to go to the hospital.