| Part Eight: Previously: A young girl dies at Richards rehab, Johnny blows up at his Capt and Chet. Authors Notes: The next day Content Warning: Strong Language, Gang violence towards Johnny oooooooo Planning to spend the day with her Johnny walked into Nicci's room with a gift. He stopped short seeing she was curled in a ball sleeping. As he watched her sleep, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was." Half Pint, wake up I have something for you." Johnny whispered cautiously After stirring around Nicci finally began to wake, As she opened her sleep filled eyes she saw Johnny standing there." Hi Johnny." She greeted with a yawn then sitting up " Hey Nicci, I have a surprise for you but first close your eyes and hold out your hands." Johnny said " You brought me something, well what is it?" Nicci asked " If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now would it." Johnny said cutting her his famous grin " Johnny?" She questioned " Just close your eyes and hold out your hands and you'll find out." Johnny said playfully Nicci closed her eyes and held out her hands." Johnny what is it?" Nicci asked feeling the box that Johnny put in her hands " Open your eyes and see." Johnny smiled Nicci opened her eyes and saw a box of Hershey bars." Johnny you remembered." Nicci said looking up at him " I sure did Half Pint." Johnny said dropping down on the bed ............ Johnny and Nicci spent the hole day reminising about the days they were together back in Montana. And before they knew it all time had slipped away from them." Excuse me Mr. Gage, visiting hours are over." The nurse said sitting the dinner tray down on the table." Let me guess she's not very hungry is she?" The nurse added with a smile seeing the empty box of candy in the trash Johnny looked at the nurse and then at Nicci then with a grin he said " Probably not." ............ As Johnny drove home he allowed his mind to wounder. Thinking about Nicci and how good she looked. Even though he knew she had a long way to go, at least he now had hope where before he had no hope at all. Johnny was so deep in thought that he was unaware of the danger lurking all around him. Pulling into his drive way he brought his Land Rover to a stop. Without warning his door flew open. Two arms then reached inside and grabbed him, throwing him to the ground. Then picking him up the two arms slammed him with force against his Land Rover." So Pretty Boy are you ready to give back what is mine?" Knuckles asked glaring at Johnny with fire in his eyes " No I'll never give her back. As long as I live you'll never get your hands on her." Johnny said standing his ground. " Lood here Pretty Boy, I'm tired of playing these fucking games with you. I told you I want that whore back you understand." Knuckles said slapping Johnny in the face Looking Knuckles in the eye Johnny declared." And I told you, you ain't never getting her." " Oh that's real smart, Just remember I know where you live. I know where you work. Hell I even know where your partner lives." Knuckles said with a evil grin " Now wait this is between you and me, you leave Roy out of this, he's got a family." Johnny protested " I don't give a fuck what he gots. All I know is you better give me back what is mine. You're running out of time. You give her back or else, You got two days." Knuckles warned " You might as well just kill me cause I'm not telling you shit." Johnny spit Knuckles grin faded as he let Johnny go. He then walked back to his motorcycle. " Okay you heard him." Knuckles said sitting down on his bike. Johnny stood there taking every blow that Knuckles' goons had to offer, hearing Knuckles in the back ground laugh as his gang beat Johnny to the pavement. After a few minutes, Knuckles walked over to Johnny with a metal pipe in his hand. As his laughter faded he grabbed Johnny by his bloody shirt." Lights out Pretty Boy." Knuckles said hitting Johnny with full force in the head with the pipe knocking him unconious. ..... Holding his head Johnny groaned as he got to his feet and staggered to his Land Rover. Feeling something wet and sticky in his hair, he put his hand on his head. Looking down at his hand he saw that his palm was covered with blood." Oh man," Johnny moaned in pain. then using the Land Rover as a crutch he managed to climb inside. Feeling the warm blood trickle down the side of his face, he realized that he had to go to Rampart, He didn't know what he would tell them but he knew he had to think of something. ***** The next Morning****** " Good morning Station 51, Captain Stanley speaking." Stanley answered the phone " Hi Capt, it's me Johnny, I don't think I'll make it in today. Do you think you can get someone to fill in for me?" Johnny said from the other end of the line. " Well Brice is always looking to pick up extra hours. I'll give him a call." Stanley said " Okay thanks Cap." Johnny said in a broken voice " Gage, you mind telling me what's wrong?" Captain asked worriedly hearing the pain in Johnny's voice " I just have a touch of stomach flu." Johnny lied " Okay then I'll see you later." Captain said After pushing the reciever button down he gave Braci a call." Okay thanks Brice I'll see you in a few." Captain said hanging up the phone. Captain then walked out to the day room to join his men. ............ After delivering a victim at Rampart, Craig and Roy walked up to the base station to get supplies." Hey guys." Dixie greeted walking up to the counter " Hi Dix." Roy greeted as Brice started gathering the needed supplies " So tell me how's Johnny doing?" Dixie asked dropping down on the stool " He's okay, I guess he just has the stomach flu." Roy assured " Stomach flu, huh well that's funny." Dixie said with the look of confussion " What's so funny about the stomach flu?" Roy asked " The charge nurse on duty last night told me that he was here, She said he got several stitches in his head." Dixie explained " Are you sure, Did she say how he got injured?" Roy asked " No not really, I don't think he told her much just that he fell." His face plastered with worry, Roy sat his cup down on the counter." You ready to go?" Roy asked looking at Brice .............. Roy made his way into the day room at the station." Cap, you got a minute?" Roy asked " Sure." Stanley said while following Roy into the office After Roy exspained what he had learned about Johnny at Rampart Captain Stanley asked " You mean he lied to me?" " Kind of sounds that way." Roy said looking into his Captains eyes seeing the hurt Johnny's lie caused. Just then the Klaxons sounded ******The next morning******* Johnny felt all eyes on him as soon as he walked into the day room. Without a sound he took a seat at the table. Roy became increasingly concerned as his eyes followed Johnny in the room. Seeing his partners face heavily bruised. And from where Roy stood at the counter, he could see the stitched up wound on his partners head " Gage I want you in my office on the double." Captain Stanley ordered peeking his head into the day room then retreating back to the office " Yeah Cap, you want to see me." Johnny nervously said standing before his Captain with his hands folded behind him. Captain Stanley sat on the corner of the desk studying the man in front of him. Then choosing his words carefully he spoke. "Look I like to think that we are family here at the station. hell I spend more time here then I do at home. Now I dont' want to come off sounding corny but as the Captain I feel that I'm kind of like a father to my men. As the father I feel that it's my responsibility to look out for my crew and keep my guys safe. Do you understand?" " Yes, yes Sir..... I understand Sir." Johnny stuttered barely loud enough to be heard " Good now that that's out of the way, I need to know why you couldn't be honest with me and tell me the truth about going to Rampart to get stitches." Without an explaination, Johnny hung his head in silence. He knew he couldn't tell him the truth about Nicci and Knuckles. Stanley watched Johnny for a moment." Are you in some kind of trouble Pal?" Captain Stanley asked his face etched with worry " No Cap, I'm not in any trouble. Why?" " Well you've been coming into work with black eyes. Fat lips and now stitches, Oh and you weren't doing a very good job hiding your fractured ribs either. I was wondering if you wanted to tell me the reason." " Oh there's no reason, I've just been clumsy and it's nothing to worry about." Johnny lied making no eye contact at all Stanley not believing a word Johnny said he added." Okay, just remember the open door policy. If you have a problem I want you to feel that you can come to me, My door is always open." I'll remember that Cap. Will that be all?" Johnny asked " Yes that's all." Captain Stanley said watching Johnny leave the room TBC |