A Brighter Tomorrow (Emergency Fanfiction)

Emergency! belongs to Mark VII and Universal.

"The darkest night is often the bridge to the brightest tomorrow." ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie

"Rampart this is Squad 51...how do you read?"

"Read you loud and clear 51."

"Stand by for calibration."

"Standing by...received your transmission 51...looks good."

"10-4...51 out."

Dixie looked at the button for a second before switching off the radio. 'Wonder what's up with him today? He sounds tired...irritable.' Some loud voices near the ER entrance took her attention away from the bay station, and she hurried down the hallway to see if she could assist with whatever the ruckus might be about.

Captain Stanley walked into the bay in route to the kitchen for a refill of his coffee when he heard his paramedics in a heated conversation. He stopped to listen for a moment to make sure things worked themselves out. The two men were so involved they hadn't even noticed him standing there.

"I'm tellin' ya Johnny, it's not that easy!" Roy glared at Johnny.

"Of course it's not easy, Roy! Life isn't easy, but sometimes you just have to suck it up and get on with it!" Johnny slammed the squad compartment. "Sometimes you just have to face your mistakes. You can't change the past."

"You're wrong Johnny! Dammit you're wrong!" Roy turned abruptly and stalked out the back bay door. He slammed his fist on the trunk of his Porsche and planted his palms on either side. Johnny was visibly shaken at Roy's words. Roy rarely swore and he'd sworn at him.

"Everything all right John?" Captain Stanley walked up next to his junior paramedic. He noticed the shocked expression on his face and the tense way he stood there as though he'd been slapped.

"Yes, No...I don't know." Johnny ran his hand through his hair.

"What's going on?" Cap asked softly.

"It's Roy. He and I aren't agreeing." He paused looking out at his partner. "He'll be okay. He just needs some space." Johnny nervously met his superior's gaze.

"Let me know if things don't get better. I can't have my paramedic team at each other's throats." Cap patted Johnny's shoulder. The thing he wanted most to do right now is to go out there and ask Roy what had him so upset, but he could tell by the look in Johnny's eyes that he wanted to take care of it himself. He went on to find that refill for his coffee mug.

Johnny leaned against the squad and watched as a myriad of emotions could be seen coursing through his friend. After watching for a few minutes without any idea of how to make Roy understand, Johnny gave up and went to sit in his locker.

Roy battled with the anger that had raced through him at Johnny. They had been best friends for years without very many disagreements, but Johnny didn't understand this time. He just couldn't. He didn't have a wife and kids. He didn't have as much to lose. He paced the back lot running the events of the last few days through his mind. 'How could things have gotten so out of hand?' He asked himself.

Roy stopped pacing and looked up in time to see Johnny walking toward the locker room. He knew he was being unfair to his friend. The troubles he was having with Joanne weren't Johnny's fault. They weren't his either, really. His job kept him away several nights a week...nights that things happened. Kids got sick. Plumbing got stopped up. Cars broke down and had flats. Holidays and birthdays came and went. He provided for his family the best he could, but he couldn't be there all the time. His job prevented that. He'd chosen to become a fireman and then joined the ranks of rescue, finally to become one of the first paramedics in the county. It was a job he loved, but it might also be the undoing of his happy home. None of which was Johnny's fault. He could see how troubled Johnny was by the way his head hung and how his normally strong posture looked hunched. Johnny had become an integral part of Roy's family years ago, and when things at the Desoto home weren't right, he was affected too. "Damn." Roy spoke to the empty lot; then turned to the station and followed slowly behind Johnny into the locker room to hopefully salvage the rest of their shift together.