Work Text:
The Dance
By GCS
DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it.
The story, itself, is the property of the author.
The crew from Station 51 was forced to attend the Rampart fund raising gala. Well forced might be too strong of a word, but Dixie McCall had insisted in her not take no for an answer kind of way. The six men all bought two tickets. The married men, Captain Stanley, Mike Stoker and Roy Desoto of course planned to take their wives. Chet Kelly and Marco Lopez were taking some twins they had been dating. Johnny had not been able to secure a date, so he was going solo. He would never let Dixie down. Dressed in their finest evening attire the group of crew mates and friends decided to meet at the Desoto's before going over to the event. Johnny was the first to arrive. Roy answered the door to find his best friend leaning against the door frame looking a bit like a lost puppy. "Come on in Junior. It won't be that bad. Joanne will dance with you."
Johnny chuckled and came in. "Okay Roy. I'm going anyway for Dixie. I can't believe my date called and canceled on me at the last minute. I couldn't find anyone else that was available that didn't already have a date."
"I'll go with you Uncle Johnny," eight year old Jennifer Desoto told him.
"I wish you could Jenny." He reached down and picked up the beautiful blonde haired blue eyed girl and gave her a hug.
"My my John Gage you certainly do look dapper," Joanne said as she descended the stairs in a slinky curve hugging evening dress.
"Wow Joanne! Roy will have to keep his eye on you tonight." Johnny slapped his friend on the shoulder as he moved past him to give Joanne a kiss on the cheek.
"Watch it Junior. She's mine." Roy said playfully. Joanne blushed at the attention.
Chet and Marco arrived with the twins followed shortly by Mike and his wife Beth. Everyone was chatting in the Desoto living room when Captain Stanley and his wife Emily arrived. "Well looks like the gang's all here," Captain Stanley said as they entered the room.
"Miss Emily you look gorgeous," Johnny told her as he kissed her cheek. "Cap," he shook Hank's hand in greeting.
"Evening John," Emily smiled up at the younger man. She looked him over from head to toe. He was wearing a very form fitting black tuxedo with a bow tie and decorative vest. It had kind of a Spanish flair and it fit him like a glove. "You look nice."
Marco and Chet were wearing the standard black tux and Captain Stanley wore one too except he had on a blue cummerbund and tie. They all looked very nice, but nothing compared to Johnny. Roy wore a dark navy tux to match Joanne's navy dress. They made a very handsome couple. The twins wore matching green dresses with their hair piled on top of their heads. They both had curls that cascaded down around their faces. Emily wore a blue dress that had a sequined design on the bodice that was the same color as Hank's cummerbund. Mike and Beth were dressed in all black right down to Mike's shirt and tie. They loved the dramatic style and it showed.
"Well let's get this caravan on the road," Captain Stanley directed in his oh so captain style.
"Johnny why don't you ride over with Joanne and I. After all your car will be here anyway." Roy suggested.
"That's okay Roy I think I'll drive over. I might not want to stay that long."
"Okay we'll meet you there then." Roy took Joanne's arm. They told her sister that they would be back later, and to put the kids to bed around 9:30. The rest of the group had already left for their cars. Johnny kissed Jenny on the top of her head and ruffled Chris's hair before departing.
At the ballroom Dixie and Dr. Kelly Brackett were already getting a head start on the dance floor. They were dancing to the Tennessee Waltz when the group from Station 51 arrived. The couple looked like they knew what they were doing on the dance floor. Dr. Early was playing the piano with the orchestra. He loved to play and they were glad to let him. After all he was helping to pay their bill. Dr. Morton and his wife were sitting at a table looking like they wished there was some other music playing. The ballroom was packed.
"Hello Dr. Morton," Johnny walked over to say hello.
"Hello Gage," Dr. Morton got up and shook Johnny's hand. "This is my wife Elizabeth. Lizzy this is John Gage one of our paramedics from Station 51."
"Oh hello you must be one of the team that Mike is always bragging about." She shook Johnny's hand as he smiled over at Mike Morton.
"He is? Oh that's nice," Johnny's grin got even bigger if that's possible. Roy and the other's joined them in saying hello.
"Your table is over there Roy, number 18. They will be serving dinner in about thirty minutes." Mike informed them. "The bar is open and the dancing, well the orchestra has started playing."
"Thanks, Dr. Morton."
The group made their way over to table 18 and took their seats. No sooner than they had sat down than the orchestra started playing a Cha Cha. All of the occupants from the table except Johnny got up to dance. Feeling a bit out of place he got up and went over to the bar to get a beer. On the way over he saw a beautiful red head sitting alone at one of Rampart's tables. "Hello," he said as he stopped by the table. "I was just going to get a drink can I get you something?"
"Well I'm here with my sister. She's a nurse at Rampart. She and her husband are dancing. Maybe I should wait on them." She smiled up at Johnny. She liked what she saw. He was gorgeous in the tight fitting tux. His sultry brown eyes and that sweet crooked smile were to die for. "But then they may be out there a while if they keep playing songs like this. Why don't I come with you?" She stood up and was almost as tall as Johnny in her four inch heels.
"Wow you look beautiful," he smiled at her thinking she was the most beautiful woman in the room. She had flowing red hair that hit the middle of her back with long curls. She had a pale green form fitting dress on that clung to her curves in all the right places. There was a band of beading around the tight waist and a slit that ran from floor almost all the way up. Together they looked like something out of a fashion magazine. He took her arm and together they went over to the bar. "What would you like..um?" He waited for her to introduce herself.
"Cassandra, but my friends call me Cassie. I'd like a glass of Chardonnay please."
"One Chardonnay and one draft." The couple took their drinks and walked over into a corner to chat. A little later the band leader announced that dinner would be served. Johnny and Cassie went to the designated tables for dinner. After dinner the orchestra started playing again. Johnny decided to ask Cassie to dance. He walked over shyly and bent down next to her and whispered in her ear. "I would love to dance with you if you would like to."
She turned to her sister and smiled, "Excuse me please. I'm going to dance."
Cassie's sister knew Johnny from Rampart, and she knew of his reputation as a lady's man. She didn't want her sister to get hurt so she whispered in Cassie's ear to watch out for John Gage. He could be trouble. Cassie had already spent time with Johnny and didn't think he was all that bad. She decided to take her chances. "We'll be back in a little while."
First the couple danced to some slow music. They gently swayed together chatting as they danced. Joanne and Roy watched them, "Looks like Johnny found a dancing partner. Maybe he'll have a good time after all," Roy commented.
"She's pretty Roy. They look good together. Why don't we join them?" Joanne winked at the love of her life. Without responding Roy bent over and kissed his wife taking her by the hand and leading her to the dance floor.
Dixie and Kel Brackett had not missed a single dance. Even Mike Morton and Lizzy had joined the dancing crowd. All of the other couples from 51's were dancing as well. Then a song with a different kind of beat came on. Marco looked happy to hear it as did Johnny. "Can you Bachata?" He asked Cassie.
"Well I have before if that's what you're asking, but you might have to help me remember how."
Johnny turned her around where her back was to him, and he took her body very close to his. Together they started slowly moving their hips to the Latino beat. Every few beats and hip movements they put their left foot out a little and moved to the rhythm twisting slightly as one. Then Johnny took her hand and spun her around on the dance floor. By now most of the crowd had taken their seats and were watching as a few couples danced. Johnny and Cassie as well as Marco and his date were among those still on the dance floor.
After he twirled Cassie he took her back close to him again and they started moving their hips from side to side as they had before. Johnny whispered in her ear to help her remember what to do next. Cassie was enjoying this dance very much. She liked the rhythm of the music, but she especially liked being so close to such a handsome man. And he could move. Boy could he move.
Joanne, Beth and Emily were huddled together discussing how handsome Johnny looked and how well he moved too.
The next move Johnny made was to twirl Cassie around facing him and then he walked, no he sauntered her backwards across the floor growing closer to her as they went. He dropped her hand and slid his other arm behind her back pulling her even closer than before and he slowly dipped her body away from his in a curving motion where she came back up inches from his face. She could feel his breath on her cheek and it sent chills down her back. Then Johnny took her hand again and they did a little two step with a lot of smooth hip action and he spun her again. Then she spun him.
Most of the other dancers had taken their seats. Marco and his date still danced on the other side of the dance floor. Marco was quite skilled at this dance as well, but the crowd was watching Johnny and Cassie.
When she spun Johnny the crowd went wild with applause. The couple then faced the same direction and side by side they danced forward and then backward kicking their right heel back behind their left as they went forward. Then they did a little kick with their other foot as they went back. Johnny twirled Cassie again and took both of her hands. Together they did a spin where they both turned around and their hands went over their heads and crisscrossed. They came back together facing each other. They twirled in the same way until they had made a complete circle of movement around the floor. Then Johnny pulled her close once again. Cassie could barely contain her excitement about the way he held her and danced. Their feet moved in sync with each other. They were in constant motion.
Facing each other in a very tight hug they twirled and swiveled around the floor so closely they appeared as one. She lifted her leg up to his thigh and they swiveled their hips then he moved her around and together they went lower as their hips swayed to the beat. He placed his hand on the back of her head pulling her even closer if that was possible. Her hips moved back and forth making her dress flow from side to side and the long slit revealed her long leg. Johnny's hips smoothly followed hers.
"I've never seen him dance like that before," Joanne said breathlessly to her girlfriends.
"Me either," agreed Beth Stoker.
Roy and Mike looked at each other over the tops of their wives heads. They both knew they would be taking Bachata lessons from Johnny in the near future. This dance was more than just a dance. It could be very sensual and the women obviously liked what they saw.
Johnny dipped Cassie again a little faster this time as the rhythm had sped up a little. Once again he pulled her close and then dipped her again in the opposite direction. Then he turned her and she lifted her left leg as he swayed her back. They both raised their left arm and dipped at the waist while still swaying their hips. Then he took her by the hand again and started spinning her around as he followed her step for step.
Dixie and the doctors from Rampart sat in stunned silence at the skill that Johnny showed on the dance floor. They all knew he could move well at rescues and had seen him in action around the patients, but this side of Johnny they had never seen. He was an amazing dancer. He could move in places some men only dreamed of. "Kel I think we need to take lessons on this style. I would love to see you move like that."
"Is that a challenge Miss McCall?"
"Well yes I think it is." She smiled at Kelly Brackett. He knew he was in trouble. He would have to find out where he could learn that dance.
Cassie and Johnny did some fancy footwork while moving across the dance floor. Johnny smiled at Cassie, "You do know this dance."
"Yes Mr. Gage I do seem to remember it well. You aren't bad yourself." She smiled back at him. She took his hand and pulled it around and over her head and placed it on her neck, lowered her body next to his and together they dipped lower again and continued to sway back and forth. Then she backed him up across the floor and hooked her left leg around his for a brief second as she moved her hips.
He smiled even bigger. "Yep I think you remember it well." He took both of her arms and raised them over her head and held them there as they swiveled their hips some more both in rhythm to the music and in rhythm to each other. Then he spun her around again where she had her back to him again. And she lowered herself close to the floor in front of him stretching one leg backwards beneath him. She slowly rose up from the floor and twirled to face him. The crowd applauded and cat calls could be heard from some of the men in the room.
"Wow look at Gage go," Chet laughed out loud. "How come we've never seen him dance like this before?"
"Well Chet we don't usually go out on dates with Johnny. You've doubled with him before. How come you've never seen him dance?" Mike asked.
"Gage is too cheap to take a girl dancing. He always wants to go bowling or to a movie when we double date."
"Maybe he just doesn't want to go dancing with you Chet." Mike smiled as he knew he would get a rise out of Chet.
"Well Stoker he doesn't even go out with you and Beth. At least he double dates with me and Marco."
A round of "Shut up Chet" went around the table from everyone including Captain Stanley.
Cassie turned her back to Johnny and Johnny turned his to her. They held hands in the air and swiveled their hips back to back. Then they turned to face each other and continued to move their hips in sync. Facing each other they moved forward and backward again and then danced in a circle together. Cassie turned Johnny away from her and moved up behind him as he had her earlier. Together they moved their hips from side to side. Johnny's head turned slightly to look over his shoulder into her eyes. She smoothly lifted her leg and rubbed it on his thigh as she rocked her hips from side to side. This brought out one of Johnny's huge crooked grins. He was clearly enjoying himself. Then he turned and slid his leg between hers slightly. She returned the gesture and placed hers between his and they danced even more closely. They stayed very close and moved around the dance floor again with a lot of foot action, side stepping and twisting of their feet to the music. Then they did a kind of two step dance as they twirled around the room. Johnny stopped in the middle of the dance floor and she dance d a circle around him never taking her eyes from his except for the brief second she was right behind him and he had to turn his head to reconnect. They then took hands and moved from side to side with a little kick each way when they moved to go back the other way.
The audience was spellbound by the show they were getting. Marco and his date had joined the others from Station 51. "Johnny can really Bachata," Marco commented.
"He sure can," the women all agreed together.
Roy didn't know if it was the wine or the way Johnny was dancing but it was very apparent that Joanne was enjoying the show. He felt a twinge of jealousy about Johnny getting so much attention from his wife. "Joanne, why don't we learn to do that soon?"
"Oh Roy would you? I'd love to do that…(she paused to look back toward the dancing couple) with you." She leaned into a kiss with her husband.
"Okay," was all Roy could say. He hoped Joanne might want to try some dancing like that when they got home. It might be fun. Mike was thinking the same thing about him and Beth.
"Hank honey I think I might like to learn that dance too. Would you?" Emily winked at Hank.
"Um sure honey anything you want," Hank having been married the longest knew to agree no matter what. Truthfully it did look like fun, but he was not as young as Johnny or as limber. He didn't know if he could move like that even if he did take lessons.
The couple on the floor continued to sway and move together as if there were no one else in the room. They swayed, twirled and dipped many more times as everyone watched. Cassie's sister and her husband had no idea that she could dance like that. In a final move Johnny dipped Cassie very low and held her there as the music ended. Then he slowly brought her back up and pulled her close one last time as the final stands of music slowly faded away. They stood there held closely for a few seconds after the music stopped, and then they realized that they were getting a standing ovation. They had gotten so involved in the dance that they had forgotten that they were in a ballroom full of people. They blushed at the attention.
Johnny walked Cassie back to the table and thanked her for the dance. He stopped by Dixie's table to chat with her and the doctors for a minute. They were all very complimentary over Johnny's dancing abilities. "Didn't know you could dance Gage," Morton said smiling.
"Yes Johnny that was really something," Dixie placed her hand on Johnny's arm. "Maybe you could teach Kel and I how to do that someday."
"Ah sure, sure Dixie. I uh I guess I could do that." Johnny stumbled over his words. He was a little embarrassed by the attention he was getting.
"Johnny you really do move well on the dance floor," Dr. Early tried to rescue Johnny from his embarrassment. Johnny moved to rejoin his crew mates and friends at their table.
"Wow Johnny I didn't know you could move like that," Roy smiled and patted Johnny on the back.
"Aw Roy it's just a dance Marco and his sister taught me."
"You never taught me that dance," Chet said.
"Well Chet you can't move like that." Marco was not going to let Chet get upset over his teaching Johnny to dance. "Besides it was mostly my sister. I just gave Johnny some pointers on the man's role in the dance."
"Marco, could you teach the rest of us to do that dance? It is very um very sensual." Joanne asked for the group.
"Sure I guess I could. When do you want to learn?"
"Well how about we have a gathering on the next weekend your all off shift. I can move some furniture around in our den. I think there would be room to learn some of the moves there. Johnny since you already know the dance you could help. Maybe you could invite your dancing partner." Joanne was already planning the party.
"That would be in two weeks," Hank spoke up.
"Okay two weeks it is then," Emily agreed with Joanne. She wanted to learn that dance.
Johnny excused himself to get another beer. He was thirsty after his spin on the dance floor. He stopped by Cassie's table to ask her about joining the crew from his station and helping with dancing lessons. She readily accepted and gave Johnny her number. He might not wait that long before calling her he thought to himself. He had really enjoyed the dance.
The gala soon broke up and the crew from Station 51 along with their wives and dates said their goodnights promising to get together again for their dancing lesson.