Copyright: February 2000 By Robin R

Copyright: February 2000 By Robin R. Neher

THIS STORY IS WRITTEN FOR PLEASURE AND IS NOT INTENDED TO INFRINGE ON ANY
PREEXISTING COPYRIGHTS THAT MAY BE VIOLATED. FEEL FREE TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS, BUT NOT FOR PROFIT.

THIS STORY IS FICTIONAL, A WORK OF THE WRITER'S IMAGINATION. THE CHARACTERS
AND INCIDENTS USED IN THIS STORY ARE PURELY FICTIONAL AND ARE NOT BASED ON
ANY PERSON AND/OR PERSON'S ACTUAL EXPERIENCES.

Title: Deflated Ego

Author: Robin R. Neher

E-mail: NRobin1027@aol.com

Rating: PG

Pairing: N/A

Archive: Yes

Summary: Picking up where "Loss of Control" left off, Roy must now face being put in his place by Johnny.

Content Warning: Harsh Language.

Deflated Ego

by Robin R Neher

Roy glared as Johnny backed squad fifty-one into the apparatus bay. Turning of the motor, Johnny opened his door to get out.

"You will pay, you little shit!" Roy hissed. "Just wait til I tell Cap what you did!"

"Go right ahead!" Johnny challenged as he got out of the squad, keys in hand. "Roy, why don't you come off your high horse for once and see the real world?! The only world you see is one
where Roy is the sun, the moon and the stars! Everything has to be Roy's way or no way! Well, Roy boy, now you have a Johnny Gage rebellion on your hands!"

With that, Johnny took the keys and made his way to the kitchen while Cap approached the squad where Roy was still sitting in the passenger seat.

"Well, looks like you got demoted, Roy." Cap smirked. "Johnny finally got the guts to stand up to you and I'm glad!"

"Cap!" Roy protested.

"Roy, I've sat here for five years and watched as you pushed Gage around! Well, it ends now!" Hank told the red head. "What the hell makes you think you're God?! What the hell makes you think that you have exclusive rights to drive the squad?! Last but not least, what the hell makes you think you're a better Paramedic then Johnny?! Roy, Johnny has the exact same training and experience that you do! Frankly, I think Johnny's a better Paramedic then you! I'd trust him over you if my life were in danger!"

Roy looked like he'd been slapped as Hank's words hit their mark. Hank watched as hurt filled Roy's blue eyes.

"Oh, Roy, I'm sorry." Hank stammered, realizing what he'd done.

"Would you rather John be senior medic?!" Roy sobbed.

"Roy, I didn't mean." Cap stammered as Roy took his badge off his uniform and placed it in Hank's hand.

"It's okay, Captain Stanley, I know what you meant." Roy quietly sobbed. "John is the better Paramedic, John is the better fireman, John is the better man. I get the massage loud and
clear. Johnny's the hero, so be it. I quit."

"Roy," Cap pleaded.

"No, Cap. I thought I was trying to make station fifty-one a better and safer place. I was wrong. Good-bye Captain." Roy sobbed.

All the crew watched as Roy cleaned out his locker and left the station. Johnny ran up to him as he was going to his pickup truck.

"Roy, wait!" Johnny cried as Roy started to drive away. "Roy, don't go!"

"Johnny, you're senior medic now. I hope you'll make a better one then I did." Roy said, then drove away.

_______________

The next morning, after getting off duty, Johnny decided to stop by Roy's house. Arriving there, Johnny went up and knocked on the front door. Getting no answer and finding the door unlocked, Johnny opened it and entered the small cottage.

"Roy?" Johnny called. "Roy, are ya home?"

Johnny heard a soft grunt coming from one of the back bedrooms. Following the sound, Johnny found Roy, laying on his bed with beer bottles strewn about. Roy was obviously intoxicated.

"What do ya want?" Roy slurred.

"To talk to you." John replied, flatly. "Roy, why'd you leave? Why'd you quit the department?"

"Johnny, do you know what it feel like to be out of control?" Roy drunkenly asked. "Cause that's what I've felt ever since Joanne left last year! Johnny, If I can't be tops at whatever I do,
then what's the use?"

"Roy, is that your problem?" Johnny prompted.

"John, I became a fireman to help people! What's the use in doing that if I can't have seniority and respect?" Roy slurred. "Johnny, I completed the Paramedic training first, so, I should be senior medic!"

"Roy, when are you gonna realize that you can't go around with your nose to the sky, thinking you're better then everyone else?" John asked. "Roy, there were five other men that graduated
with you in the first class. What about them? Where do they fit in?"

"They're second to me." Roy slurred.

"Roy, they are equals as am I." Johnny said softly. "There is no seniority in the Paramedics. We all started working at around the same time. We all have the same amount of training and
experience. Roy, I deserve to be respected too."

"How do you mean?" Roy asked.

"Roy, don't treat me as if I know nothing! Let me drive the squad and lead rescues more." Johnny suggested. "Get rid of the my way or the highway attitude! Roy, you don't have all the answers! Quit acting like you do! Roy, treat me as an equal partner, not as a junior or silent one."

"Johnny, I don't let you drive the squad cause-" Roy stopped short.

"Cause why, Roy?" Johnny prompted. "Roy?"

Johnny turned around to find Roy snoring, having passed out. Johnny rolled Roy on his side to prevent choking, then placed a quilt over the sleeping man.

When you wake up, you and I are gonna have a nice long talk, pal of mine. Johnny decided as he sat down in a chair beside Roy's bed to keep vigil over the drunken man.

__________________________

Roy awakened some twelve hours later to Johnny's disapproving glare.

"Johnny?" Roy asked. "I got drunk didn't I?"

"You sure did!" Johnny sneered. "Real mature, Roy!"

"Johnny, I have a headache! My stomach feels like it's in knots!" Roy complained. "Yeah, I know, exactly what I asked for."

Roy swung his legs over the side of the bed and shakily stood. Johnny just watched as Roy then stumbled into his bathroom and shut the door. Seconds later, the doorbell was heard from
downstairs. Johnny quickly went to answer it and saw it was Dixie and the others from fifty-one,

"Johnny, how's Roy?" Hank Stanley asked as Johnny stepped outside and shut the door.

"Hung over." Johnny reported. "Guys, I'd prefer no visitors for Roy right now. You see, I don't want anyone feeling sorry for him."

"John, I wanna get him to come back." Cap stated, holding Roy's badge in hand.

"Cap, if Roy wants, back in, he'll have to earn it." Johnny replied. "You can take that badge and give it to someone else. If Roy wants in, he'll have to go to the academy and pass the tests all over again. I want Roy to be knocked down a peg."

"What do you mean?" Chet asked.

"Chet, Roy has a high opinion of himself, an overinflated ego as it were." Johnny explained. "He thinks that because he completed Paramedic training first, that gives him the right to seniority. He has to learn that isn't the case."

"You think him going back will do that?" Cap asked.

"Yeah, I think Roy has forgotten what it's like to be a common fireman, just fighting fires." Johnny answered. "I think that being on a squad can soften some of us and I think that is what's
happened to DeSoto."

"But you guys respond to fires." Dix reminded Johnny.

"In a rescue capacity. We go in, get the victim out, transport, done." Johnny told her. "We rarely handle a hose of help in firefighting efforts."

"John, what if Roy were assigned to engine crew for awhile instead of going back to the academy?" Cap suggested. "I think that would teach Roy a better lesson."

END PART 3: Deflated Ego