Continued from Part 1



Randy sat picking at a sandwich and watching General Hospital. He turned to Pooh. "You know, that hospital looks so familiar!"

Pooh shrugged. "How could it? You've only worked at Rampart."

Randy frowned. "Oh, yeah. I guess it's just one of those things. Still…"

Pooh shrugged again. "Well, time to turn this off. You have more writing to do."

Randy nodded eagerly. He watched Pooh leave as he grabbed a clean sheet of paper. Is Rampart the only hospital I worked at? No, that's not right. John Gage...No, I'm not John Gage. My name is Randy. I'm an actor. Aren't I? I'm an LA County paramedic…or I was a detective…a doctor…AAAAGGGHH!

The injured man shook his head to clear it, then reached over to the nightstand table and eagerly grabbed two more little pills. He swallowed them with water, then turned to the typewriter. Soon, he was engrossed in his writing. He paused as he filled his second page, rereading over what he had written. He grinned. This is my best work yet! He forgot all about USAR-1 as he wrote about Emergency! I have to admit, this is the best damn writing I've ever done. And possibly the best Emergency episode ever. I really have something here! Roy will be so proud of me…I mean…Kevin.


* * * * * * **


Pooh and JM stared at the TV as Hard Copy reported on the strange disappearance of actor Randy Mantooth.

Trish leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, shaking her head disagreeably. "I knew it! I just knew this was going to happen!"

"Oh hush, Trish!" Pooh admonished. "Just because they know he's missin' doesn't mean they'll be able to find him!"

"She's right, Trish," JM agreed. "You're being paranoid! They'll never, ever find him here!"

"And…if they do?" Trish wondered aloud.

Pooh and JM glanced at each other, before turning to the third woman. With determination written in their features, both replied in unison. "Well…they'll never take us alive!"

"Oh man!" Trish exclaimed, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Don't you say that, Trish!" Pooh warned, waving an index finger at the nurse.

"She's right, Trish…that is a sacred 'Johnny quote'. We will not tolerate its indiscriminate use any longer!"

Trish stared at them, jaw agape in disbelief. "I don't believe it! You guys have totally flipped out!" She pushed herself away from the counter and headed for the bedroom. "I'm going to check on my patient."

Pooh and JM watched as the nurse walked into the adjoining room, giving them a backwards glance of disapproval before closing the door behind her.

As soon as the door was shut, they turned to each other.

"Can you believe the nerve of that woman?"

"I can't…I-I'm just shocked! HER patient? HER'S? Who does she think she is?"

"I think it's about time we show Miss Uppity exactly who Johnny really belongs to!"

JM nodded. "I'm afraid you're right."

********


"Hi there, Mr. Gage," Trish smiled cheerfully and began fluffing the pillows behind him. "How are we feeling?"

"We are feeling incredible, just incredible!" Randy answered with a huge grin. "I'm tellin' ya, Trish, this is the best stuff I've ever written!"

"Really?" she asked, trying to peek at his manuscript.

He quickly pulled the paper from the old typewriter and put it to his chest, frowning at her. "Hey! No peeking!"

Trish's features transformed into a pout, her bottom lip protruding for full effect. "Can't I just take a teeny little peek?" she asked looking up through her lashes.

He hated to turn down a chick, but this was too important! "Sorry, no can do."

"Okay," she shrugged. "Guess you won't be needing these anymore." She grabbed the medication she had brought with her. "After everything I've done for you." She shook her head in reproach.

"WAIT….Oh all right!" he consented and handed her the manuscript. "But don't tell anyone! I mean ANYONE! And leave the pills."

"You can count on me, Mr. Gage," she agreed with a wink.

"Just call me Johnny," he said, with his best disarming grin. "I mean…Randy….no..Johnny!"

Her eyes shot up from her reading, wide with amazement. "Really?"



"Okay, so we hit her over the head with the lamp, throw her in the Rover and then you drive her out in to the country and drop her off, right?" Pooh whispered.

"Uh-uh, Missy…if you think I'm leaving you here alone…with the DHW, you are out of your mind!"

"B-but… you know your way around these parts better than I do!"

"Okay, listen…we'll both go," JM compromised. "I mean it's not like Johnny can actually go anywhere."

"Agreed," Pooh said, holding out her right hand to seal the pact. "Who's going to do the whackin'?"


"This is brilliant, Johnny," Trish commented, looking up momentarily from the papers. "Right here though…you have a mistake. The patient would be given Ringers lactate, not D5W and they would need to take full spinal precautions." She frowned at the man on the bed. "I would think you'd know that."

"Oh, okay. Thanks." He gave her another charming, lop-sided grin, then suddenly looked thoughtful. "Ya know…I was thinkin'…maybe you could help me out with this when I run in to trouble? Be my medical consultant?"

"Really?" Trish sat up straight, looking expectantly at the actor. "You mean it?"

"Sure, I mean it!" He winked, smiling again.

"Wow, it's a deal! This is…like a dream come true!" she gushed. "You wouldn't change your mind would ya? I mean…don't let those other two talk you out of it!" She gestured toward the door.

"Nah! Ran… John Gage never goes back on his word!"

Trish sighed happily and stood up. "Well, I better let you get back to your writing."

"Okay and thankya, darlin,'" he grinned, inserting another sheet of paper into the typewriter.

The last thing that Trish remembered was backing out of the bedroom door, then everything went black.

******


"Ugh! For such a little woman, she sure is heavy," Pooh panted as she carried Trish's legs. "Must be all that medical knowledge."

JM grunted. "Just a few more...feet…" She held the unconscious woman by the armpits, and Trish's loose arms flailed around. The two women reached their rented Rover and tossed the deathly still body of their one time friend into the back.

A few hours later, Pooh and JM returned home. Each flopped into a chair. "I hope I never have to do that again," JM whined.

Pooh nodded. "It isn't as easy to roll someone down a slope as it looks on TV."

JM sat up. "Speaking of TV, turn it on. It's time for the news."

Pooh nodded as she reached for the remote. When she had turned on the television, she looked at JM. "I'm gonna check on Johnny."

Pooh walked into the room where Randy lay. The actor had fallen asleep, still clutching a page or two of his script. She was about to go over and kiss him when JM called out.

"Pooh! Come quick."

Pooh sighed, throwing one more longing look at the sleeping man before she rejoined her friend. "What?"

JM gestured to the program. Chet was being interviewed on TV.

"We're all very worried about the disappearance of our friend. Randy was supposed to join us in Chicago for Project 51. It's been weeks now since he's been seen or heard. A few of us have gathered here, where we believe he was last spotted, buying gas."

The camera pulled back and revealed two more men.

"It's Marco!" cried Pooh. "And isn't that Dr. Morton?"

"Yeah." JM leaned closer to the TV. "Funny that he's there. And where the hell is Roy?"

Pooh shrugged. "Vacation, I guess?"

JM shook her head. "Hmm….and hearing that Johnny disappeared doesn't bring him running? Come on, that's not like Roy."

"…Tim Donnelly." The reporter looked into the camera. "So there you have it. To recap, in a bizarre twist on the old question 'Where are They Now?', actor Randolph Mantooth has mysteriously vanished, leaving everyone asking 'Just what did happen to Randy?' Back to you, Tom."

The local anchor looked grimly at his co-chair. "Our prayers go out for the safe return of Mr. Mantooth. And now, for a late breaking story. An injured woman was only minutes ago rescued by a passing truck driver. The woman was wandering the side of the road and has no memory of who she is or where she came from. We're going to show you a picture of Jane Doe. Anyone with any information, please call us at 555-jane."

A picture of Trish flashed onto the screen.

" Oh my!" Pooh cried. "Now what will we do?"

"Don't...don't panic!" JM stammered. "They said she doesn't remember anything. She can't hurt us."

Pooh frowned. "But in all the stories, when Johnny can't remember, something happens and he always gets his memory back. What if Trish remembers?" She stood up and paced. "I don't want to lose Johnny!" she wailed.

"We won't!" JM shook her head. "We'll have to see that she doesn't remember."

A groan from the next room drew the women's attention. "Sounds like Johnny's awake." Pooh hopped up.

JM nodded. "Go give him those pills. And Pooh, DO NOT mention Trish to Johnny. And don't tell him that Chet and Dr. Morton are in town."

Pooh nodded, then hurried in to check on Randy.

******


Randy ran a hand through his hair in frustration, before realizing he wasn't alone. "Hi there," he greeted the silent figure watching him from the slightly opened doorway. "Hey…uh…um..Pooh? Could I get you to do me a huge favor?" He grinned charmingly and tilted his head.

The door opened a little further and Pooh took a step inside the room, looking stunned. "Me? You want little ol' me to do a favor for you?"

"Well, yeah if you could, sweetheart."

Pooh batted her eyelashes, gazed into the dark brown depths of her beloved's eyes. "Why…I'd go to the ends of the earth for you Johnny! I'd eat worms. I'd go swimmin' in shark infested waters. I'd-I'd wrassle Goldburg! I'd-I'd give you my kidney…"

"Could you just get Trish?"

"T-Tr…" Pooh began to choke, unable to catch her breath.

"Pooh! Are you okay?" JM shrieked, rushing in to the room and giving her friend a hard thump on the back. Pooh continued coughing, waving JM away.

Randy watched in horror as the coughing fit suddenly ceased and the woman's eyes grew large, she was still unable to breathe.

"Well don't just sit there!" JM wailed to the man in the bed. "You're a paramedic! Do something!"

"B-but…" Randy stuttered.

"Why'd we have to get rid of Trish?" she accidentally cried out, immediately covering her mouth.

At the same moment Pooh gasped and inhaled sharply. "JM!"

Staring at the two women, an expression of accusation washed over the actor's features. "Wait a minute…what do you mean you got rid of Trish?"

JM shrugged, looking mystified. "Did I say that?" She giggled nervously and cast a pleading glance at her friend, who was rapidly advancing toward her.

"Yes! You did!" Pooh shouted angrily. "Ya tell me not to tell him and then you just go and blurt it out!"

"Pooh! Shhh…" JM put a finger to her mouth, attempting to silence her cohort.

"And then…would you like to explain WHY you hit me in the back?"

"Pooh, you were choking…I was just trying to help."

"Help? Help what? Help put me in a ditch with Trish? So you can have Johnny here all to yourself?"

Both women were silenced by a low groan from the man in the bed. "Oh man!"

They both turned their attention on him, rushing to either side.

"Johnny, are you okay?" JM asked worriedly.

"Oh my poor, poor DHW!" Pooh brushed an errant lock of his pepper colored hair from his forehead.

They both spotted the neatly stacked pile of paper on his lap and glanced at each other hopefully.

"I-is that the story you were working on?" JM asked hesitantly.

He looked at her with disbelief. "Yes, but without Trish how am I ever supposed to finish it?"

They ignored his question. "Could we see it?" Pooh asked with a faint smile.

Randy grabbed the stack and held it possessively to his chest. "Not yet! I'm not finished!"

"We could help you," offered JM, nodding. "I'm pretty good at writing stories."

"That may be true, but I need someone with medical expertise!" He pouted and glared out the window.

"I have a laptop, I could look it up!" she placated.

"Well…"

"Aww come on Johnny," Pooh pleaded. "JM knows a lot about Emergency! We both do!"

"Well, okay." He slowly handed the stack to JM. "Hurry and read it though. I'm on a roll and I don't want to lose my train of thought!"

"Believe me Johnny, I know how that goes!" JM quickly snatched the papers from his hands and giggling, both women ran out of the room.

Randy yawned. How am I ever going to get back to the station? The guys are never going to believe this!
Man, if Chet finds out I'll never hear the end of it! Smiling to himself, he began to doze off when suddenly an image popped into his mind. Trish? Oh man! I hope she's all right! They wouldn't have hurt her, would they? She was really nice, not to mention my only hope of getting out of here! How will I ever finish my story without her? He yawned and began to doze off, as his mind worked on formulating a plan to save the cute nurse.

******


"I knew it! I knew Roy's daughter's name was Jennifer! It says so right here!" Pooh pointed to the sentence that mentioned Jennifer DeSoto. "Did you know she was older than Chris?"

"Older? You're kidding?" replied the other woman without looking up from her page.

"Nope, it says Jennifer handed the phone to her younger brother Chris."

"Well, he hasn't got to the part where Chet lives. He must be saving that for the end?" JM informed, turning to the next page.

"Heeeey…what is this? Johnny never had a girlfriend named Barbie!"

"Barbie?" JM glanced at Pooh. "Right here it says his girlfriend is Heather." They both rolled their eyes.

"This really is great stuff though, isn't it? I can't wait to see it finished!"

"There is one problem," Pooh asserted. "There simply isn't enough Johnny owies. He has himself as the hero and he saves Roy at least 4 times."

"I noticed that too. I guess it's time for us to spice things up a little." JM wasted no time and began typing. "We can make up some owie scenes and add them after he's finished. We wouldn't want to discourage him."

"Good idea! Make sure we break him, make him puke and bleed...for old time's sake." Pooh giggled madly, rubbing her hands together.

"That was a great contest!" JM smiled fondly, looking up from her laptop. "Then we'll have him be trapped, bitten and what was the other one?"

******


Randy was sleeping lightly when he felt the bed he was lying on dip. He slowly opened his eyes and yawned.

"Here ya go, Johnny!" Pooh handed the papers over to him. "We absolutely love your story! You've answered almost every question we've ever wondered about!"

"Thanks," he grinned. "Well…I've figured out the ending. Did you get the medical information I needed?"

"Of course!" JM assured. "I stuck post it notes at the appropriate places throughout the story."

"Okay then. I'll need a bottle of champagne and a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Man I am dying for a cig!

"B-but Johnny, you don't smoke," Pooh said timidly.

Randy chuckled, thinking fast. "Oh…um…don't worry, I won't inhale!" He flashed a brilliant smile, melting the women and halting their protests.

******


Trish sat up in her hospital bed. "Am I at Rampart?" she asked the nurse.

The nurse shook her head. "No, honey. You're in Northwestern Medical center. Do you know who you are?"

"I'm…a nurse.." Trish frowned trying hard to remember anything. "McCall…my name is Trixie McCall..no..that's not it."

The nurse patted her arm. "It'll come to you."

"Dixie!" Trish yelled excitedly. "I'm Dixie McCall. I work at Rampart General Hospital in LA."

The nurse smiled. "You're a long way from home, sweetie."

Trish frowned. "My head hurts."

The nurse nodded. "You have a concussion. Why don't you get some rest, Miss McCall."

"Johnny…" Trish frowned.

The nurse stopped, waiting.

"Please, I think my friend is in trouble. John Gage."

The nurse sighed. "I'll get the doctor."

Trish leaned back in her bed and watched the nurse exit. She wished Kel or Joe was here. They'd know what to do.

******


Nurse Stevens approached the young doctor who was busy talking to her EMT brother. "Well, I got the name of that Jane Doe."

The doctor and EMT looked at the nurse. "And?" Dr. Jan Elliot prompted.

"Her name is Dixie McCall. She works at Rampart General Hospital, and she's worried about her friend, John Gage." The nurse looked up in surprise as Dr. Elliot and her brother burst into gales of laughter. "What?"

"Becky, you're making me feel my age!" Jan Elliot wiped her eyes.

"WHY?" The young nurse was very confused.

"That's a character from a 1970's TV show; it was called Emergency," Bob Elliot explained. "Hell, that show's the reason I joined the EMT program in the first place."

"Rampart is a fictional hospital, I think so anyway" Jan Elliot added. "God, I loved Johnny Gage. Hung his pictures all over my bedroom wall."

The young nurse grinned as she reddened. "I did the same thing with my New Kids on the Block posters. And, sorry, if the show was before Family Ties and Cheers, I don't remember it!"

"Thanks a lot, little girl!" Bob Elliot joked.

"Boy, now I feel old," Jan added. "Well, looks like our gal is still a Jane Doe."

Trish sighed. That young doctor had just treated her like a fool! "Trying to tell me I'm not Dixie McCall. She's probably an ex-girlfriend of Johnny's, jealous of my long-standing friendship with him!" She turned on the TV, just in time to see a picture of Johnny flash on the screen. Her mouth dropped as a reporter interviewing Chet appeared on screen. She watched the interview. Tears welled in her eyes as the report finished. "It was a television show!" She blinked as she watched Chet…Tim Donnelly… head into the Plaza Hotel.

"I don't care what they say! Johnny…Randy is in trouble. I have to get them to help him." She removed the IV from her arm. Finding her clothes in the closet, she quietly dressed and left the hospital, headed for the Plaza Hotel.

******


Marco Lopez argued with Tim Donnelly as they crossed the lobby of the Plaza. "We haven't found Randy yet! How can you think of leaving?"

Tim sighed. "Marco, my agent called. It's a movie of the week. I'd have a featured role. Look, I'm as sad about Randy as the next guy, but…it's a part."

Marco shook his head.

Tim snorted. "Besides, you don't see Kevin giving up his pilot in London to rush home for this, do ya? And he was closer to Randy than any of us? He issued 'a statement'. Big deal."

Marco frowned. "Well, that doesn't make what you're doing right either."

Just then a woman rushed up to the two men. "Marco, Chet!"

Tim sighed. "Look, honey, we'd love to give you an autograph, but…"

The woman shook her head. "I'm not here for that. It's Johnny. He's in trouble. You have to come with me and help save him."

Tim and Marco exchanged a glance. Another crackpot! "Look, honey…." Tim started.

Trish shook her head. "Please. I know where he is…Johnny…Randy. You have to help him. They've tortured him. Head injuries, broken bones, lacerations. You don't know what they are capable of."

"If this is a scam…" Tim said.

"It's not." The woman looked wildly from Marco to Tim. "I just want to save Jo..Randy!"

She turned, heading for the lobby door. The two men hesitated; then they turned and followed her.

******


Randy smiled triumphantly at the two girls. "Did you bring the metal trash can I asked for?"

"Yeah." Pooh wrinkled her nose. "Tell me again why you needed it?"

Randy smiled. "It's a Hollywood tradition. You have to take the ream of paper you didn't write on and burn it. For luck."

JM and Pooh exchanged a glance. Pooh shrugged. Those Hollywood types.

"Ok." JM reached eagerly for the script that Randy held. "Come on, Johnny. Let's see."

Randy handed them the script, then waved a sheet of paper at them. "I keep the ending…it's part of your surprise."

Pooh and JM huddled together reading. Randy watched their faces. "I hope Roy likes it. Hey, how come I haven't heard from him?" Randy asked.

"He's working a fireman's convention in Seattle." JM answered absently as she flipped a page.

"Shh," Pooh admonished. "Uh, Johnny's in trouble." She grinned at the man on the bed. "Ah just love when you're vulnerable. You are as cute as a bug's ear."

Randy wrinkled his nose. "Thanks…I think."

The women continued to read, enthralled by the script before them.

"Oh my gosh!" Pooh purred. "This is SOOO good. I can't believe that Chet had moved to Bora Bora to work selflessly setting up fire departments for the underprivileged. But he came back when he heard about the Marco needing a kidney!"

"He saved Marco's life!" JM sighed. "I always knew that deep down, the Phantom had a heart of gold."

"Then Mike Stoker making that speech at Cap's retirement party! My gosh, that was more lines than he had the whole run of the show!"

"Hank must have been so touched." JM glanced at Randy. "Johnny, this is wonderful."

Randy nodded. "It's the best thing I ever wrote. Wait, have I written before?" He shook his head confused. "Anyway, I'm very proud of it. And I wouldn't have done it without you two."

JM and Pooh smiled. "It was our pleasure," Pooh gushed.

"Hey," JM said. "I have to have those last few pages. Johnny's life is dangling in the balance and Roy is about to try to rescue him." She reached out her hand, but Randy shook his head.

"Not yet. First, our bonfire…and some champagne."

Pooh hurried to pop the champagne as JM lit a small fire in the metal trash receptacle. Pooh poured three glasses, handing one to each of the others.

Randy held up his glass. "Ladies, you inspired me to write my best work ever. Cheers." The three clinked their glasses and sipped the bubbly. Randy continued. " And as you're reward…."

The girls grinned anticipating their reward. Randy held out the pages, snatching them back when Pooh went to grab them. "Wait, give me the other script pages first…for safe-keeping."

JM handed Randy back the script. Randy took it and added the last few pages to it. He held it out enticingly and both girls eagerly reached for it. Before they could grab it, he spilled his champagne on it and tossed it into the burning trash can. The flames flared.

"AGGGHHH!" Pooh screamed. She and JM both reached for the script, pulling their hands back at the last second as the heat drove them back. "AAAAAAAGH!"

"Johnny!" JM yelled. "How could you?"

"You both kidnapped me! You've drugged me and kept me from my friends! How can you ask why?"

"I'm gonna kill you!" Pooh yelled. She lunged for Randy, but he rolled off the bed. He dragged his lame leg behind him, heading for the door, knocking down anything he could in an attempt to place obstacles between him and the insanely angry women. A moment later, from under the bed Randy heard the sirens wailing. If he could just hang on a little longer…that was his last hope before everything faded to black.

******


Darn it! This won't do! He yanked the paper out of the typewriter, crumpled it and tossed it toward the waste basket.

Roy laughed. "Good shot Randy, missed again!"

Had he just called him...Randy?

"Okay, Randy. Now we're going to cut to the scene where Henry is lying on your pillow," a disembodied voice informed.

"That was great buddy," Roy clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm so excited about this, Randy. You're doing a great job with the script! My first writing, boy…this is just so exciting!"

Randy's eyes flew open and he sat up in bed. "Woah, take it easy there, partner." A gentle voice cautioned him from beside the hospital bed.

"R-Roy?" he asked, obviously confused. He glanced around the hospital room. "A-am I at Rampart?"

"Roy?" The man in the chair chuckled softly. "That's a good one, Randy. You always know how to make me laugh. How about we use Kevin. You know I hate that Roy stereo type." He winked.

Randy grinned, half-heartedly, still looking confused. "Ohhh…yeah, Kevin."

"Well, buddy, sorry, but I have to get back to filming," the silver haired man said. He stood up and patted Randy on the shoulder, looking him squarely in the eyes. "I'm glad you're okay. I flew in last night. I was really worried about you. My flight leaves in two hours."

"Uh…th-thanks for coming to see me."

"You take care and I'll call you as soon as I get a chance, okay?" Kevin smiled warmly and headed for the door, giving one last concerned glance and a wave before leaving.

Johnny let out a sigh and relaxed in the bed. Okay…I'm really Randy, not Johnny, right? That was Kevin, not Roy? I'm not a paramedic…am I?

Suddenly the door burst open and another familiar face was at his side, looking down at him.

"Oh, Johnny, you are all right!" Trish exclaimed, touching his cheek gently. "I was so worried!"

"N-no…I'm not Johnny. I'm Randy…I think?"

She looked at him for a long moment and then looked around the room suspiciously, before turning back to him. "Is that what they told you?" she whispered, running her fingers through his hair.

"Well, yeah. Roy…I mean Kev said that. D-do you think I'm Johnny?"

"They tried to tell me that I'm not Dix," she whispered with a laugh. "Like I don't know who I am!"

"Dix!" he said in sudden realization. "I knew you looked familiar. I'm just a little confused."

"That's okay, Johnny. It isn't surprising with the injuries you've sustained."

"Injuries?"

"You wrecked your Land Rover, remember?" she prompted.

He thought for a moment. "No…no, not really. Everything is sorta fuzzy. Sorry."

"That's okay, Johnny. Don't worry. I'll take good care of you. You just close your eyes and rest for now. Everything's going to be just fine."

He grinned at her, finally feeling comfortable and whispered, "Thanks Dix."

Authors Note: This story was… uh …inspired (well, of course, by Stephen King!)..but the E! connection grew out of ..uh…envy…oh okay, jealousy...let’s just admit it….we were jealous of Tig’s many trips to Project 51 events! LOL…anyway, MJ and Tig…this one was for you…We hope you enjoy it as much as we did… Also, to Pat E. for putting up with all our MEDICAL inquiries story after story…we included you too! LOL

Note from Tigger: Okay...I admit to being somewhat, um, obsessed...but I really don't talk like that! LOL! And I just went to two events. Hehehe (VBG) Thanks, Alice & Sheryl for allowing me to sit on Randy, get a piece of his hair, and take a bite, LOL!