Work Text:
Johnny was just getting home from his date when the phone rang
"Hello?"
"Johnny, It's Dixie sorry to be calling you so late but can you come down to Rampart?"
"Dixie what's wrong?" Johnny asked, then the only reason for her to call him came to mind "Is it Roy?"
"No Johnny, it's not Roy but maybe you should call him
to come too." Taking a deep breath she delivered the bad new to her friend "Mike Stoker and Hank Stanley are here."
Johnny knew from the tone of Dixie's voice that it was bad.
"Damn, OK Dix I'll call Roy and be right there"
~E~E~E~
Johnny hurried to into the emergency room of Rampart and going straight to the Nurses station.
"Carol, Dix called and asked me to come down, she said Hank and Mike are here."
"Yes, they are Johnny. Why don't you go into the lounge, I will let DR Brackett know you are here. Are any of the other guys coming down?"
"Roy is and he was calling Chet and Marco"
"OK I will send them in when I see them and I will let the desk know to do the same."
"Thanks Carol" Johnny says as he turn toward the lounge.
Not being able to sit he paces over to the window and stares at the almost moonless night. He is so lost in thought that he doesn't hear the door opening and jumps when Roy walks up behind him.
"Johnny have you heard anything?" Roy asks looking as worried as Johnny
"No" shaking his head "Carol sent me in here to wait for Brackett. Were you able to get a hold of Chet and Marco?"
"Yeah they were both at Chet's place. They're coming over."
Needing to pass the time the men sit at the table and make small talk. Looking at the door more that looking at each other. Not being able to stand the suspense any longer Johnny moves to get up.
"Roy I can't take this I am going to go see if I can find Dix, why don't you wait here for Chet and Marco"
Just then the door opens and Dr.'s Brackett and Early walk in with Dixie leading the way. Seeing the looks on their faces Johnny and Roy know the news is bad.
"Johnny, please sit down. Are the others coming?" Kel asks looking around the room. Just then door opens and the rest of a-shift walks in.
"We're here Doc what's going on?" Marco says, having heard the doc's question
"Take a seat boys" Dixie says walking over to get some coffee for herself and the Doctors.
"As Dix told Johnny when she called him Mike and Hank have been brought in. They were in a car accident. From what 110's Paramedics said it looked like they swerved to miss a car stalled in the road, lost control and hit a telephone poll. Hank has cuts on his face and arms and some bad bruising from the seat belt across his waist. He also has a broken ankle on his left side. He is being admitted now and you can see him after he is settled."
Kel stops talking and takes a drink of his coffee. As the news about Hank sinks in, Roy asks about Mike.
"What about Mike Doc? How badly was he hurt?"
In the silence that follows Johnny quietly mutters "Damn"
"What?" Chet asks. "What about Mikey?"
"Guys we tried everything we knew, but he was gone before they could get him here"
Dr. Brackett hated giving this kind of news to anyone but to friends it was even worse.
"We know you did Doc. Will you let us know when we can see cap?"
"Of course Dixie will let you know what room as soon as possible"
With that they leave to let the remaining men of 51's A shift to grieve.
~E~E~E~
Dixie led the solemn group to the 4th floor where their Captain was.
"Dix does cap know about Mike?" Johnny asked as they neared the room
"Yes Johnny. He was holding Mike when Dwyer and Bellingham arrived on scene."
"Thanks for everything Dix" Johnny says patting her shoulder as he enters the room.
Hearing the door open Hanklooks up and starts to cry.
"I killed him. I didn't mean to, but I killed him"
"Hank no! It was an accident." Roy tells the distraught man "Vince was here and he told us that from what the tire tracks showed you swerved to miss hitting a stalled car. The witnesses said that the engine had died on the other car and if you hadn't had such quick reflexes it would have been worse."
"Yeah Hank" Johnny takes up the story "and they also found the reason you couldn't stop is because there was oil on the road from someone changing their oil and not disposing of it properly they just let it pour onto the side of the road. You never had a chance."
"All I wanted to do was take Mike on a real date." Hank says, "I was even
driving my dads old car to make it seem more romantic. I had only just picked him up did you know that? We weren't even 2 miles from his house. I came around that bend and the car was just there. I knew I couldn't stop there was no time so I swerved right. I had room on the shoulder.
I will never forget the sound of the tires...they actually sounded like they were crying. Then the breaking glass and then the worst sound of all, the one that will stay with me forever...Mikes pain filled scream."
Wanting to spare Hank and maybe even himself from the horrific tale, Chet tries to stop him from continuing
"Cap you don't have to talk about this now."
"Yes I do I need to say it out loud so I know it is real."
"That's ok Hank keep going" Roy encourages
"Well I must have passed out because I remember waking up. It was raining and the water was pouring in through the broken windshield. There were people all around and someone said that fire Dept. was on its way. I knew I was bleeding but I had to find Mike. I got the seatbelt off and turned to him, he was all crumpled over and I lifted him up straight...I knew I shouldn't but I couldn't
leave him like that. He opened his eyes and looked at me. I was so surprised I could see his lips moving but could barley hear him. I leaned in and he said Hold me. Just for a little while please hold me. I told him I would hold him forever and I kissed him. I was our last Kiss"
At this Hank just breaks down and can't speak any longer. Roy leaves the room to get a nurse, as Johnny goes to Hank and holds him close, whispering that his friends are there and he will always have their support and love. The nurse comes in and gives Hank a shot to make him sleep and she tells the guys they need to go for now. Just as Hank is drifting off they hear him say.
"Lord you took him away from me. I will be good so I can see him in heaven when I leave this world."
The Men of 51 know that there will be hard times ahead for their Captain, Their friend, but they also know that he has a special angel watching over him and he will be all right eventually.
The End
EPILOG:
This story is based on the song
Last Kiss
written by Wayne Cochran
Oh where, oh where can my baby be,
The Lord took her away from me.
She's gone to heaven so I've got to be good,
So I can see my baby when I leave this world.
We were out on a date, in my daddy's car,
We hadn't driven very far,
There in the road, straight up ahead,
A car was stalled, the engine was dead.
I couldn't stop, so I swerved to the right,
I'll never forget the sound that night.
The screamin' tires, the bustin' glass,
The painful scream that I heard last...
Chorus
When I woke up, the rain was pouring down,
There were people standin' all around.
Something warm going through my eyes,
But somehow I found my baby that night.
I lifted her head, she looked at me and said
"Hold me darlin' just a little while."
I held her close, I kissed her our last kiss,
I found the love that I knew I had missed.
Well now she's gone, even though I hold her tight,
I lost my love, my life that night.
Chorus
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh...