Copyright: July 2003 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: The meeting

Author: Robin R. Neher

Status: complete

Rating: R

Pairing: N/A

Archive: Yes

Fandom: Emergency!

Summary: What happens when a new husband requests a meeting with an ex-husband?

Content Warning: Harsh Language.

The meeting
By Robin R. Neher

PROLOGUE.....................................

The year is 1977. Roy and Joanne DeSoto have been divorced for one year. Joanne is now married to her second husband, Dr. Norman Brandt, a research scientist. As our story begins, it finds Roy, a Firefighter/Paramedic with the LA County Fire department dreading a meeting with Dr. Brandt. A meeting which is being held at Brandt's request in Rampart Hospital's cafeteria. Now, our story.

*****

Roy DeSoto was nervous as he carried his loaded tray in Rampart's crowded cafeteria.

"Mr. DeSoto? Over here, please." A man with an English accent called from a table near the serving area.

Roy made his way toward the well dressed man. The man was striking in his late thirties with brown hair and blue eyes.

"I'm Norman Brandt." The man introduced himself. "Please, sit down."

"Mr. Brandt, I hold no ill will toward you or my Ex-wife." Roy told him.

"I know that, Roy. Can I call you Roy?" Norman asked.

Roy nodded.

"Roy, I'm not here to criticize or to hurt you in any way. I just wanted us to meet." The Doctor explained, softly.

"Why?" Roy asked.

"Curiosity." Norman shrugged. "I wanted to know of the man that your kids speak so highly of, Jo too."

"Come on!" The Paramedic scoffed.

"It's true, Old Chap." Norman told him. "You still have a place in her heart, you know."

"Then why did she leave me?" Roy wondered.

"Because, she loved you." Norman answered.

"What?" Roy laughed.

"Roy, she loved you, but she could no longer be your wife." Norman said. "With love comes reality. She realized that you loved your job to the point of putting all else on the back burner. She also had to wake up to the fact that she would always struggle financially if she stayed with you."

Roy nodded.

"The Fire service ain't exactly a good paying job." He admitted. "Joanne also has the right not to be a widow at thirty too."

"Exactly." Norm nodded. "I'm not saying that being a Fireman is bad, yours in an honorable profession. I wanted to be one myself as a lad. The profession you chose is also a risky one, is it not?"

"It is." Roy admitted. "I'll also admit that I love being on the squad. I just can't see myself as an Engineer or above."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Roy." Norm soothed. "I too love my job."

"Norman, I did my best for her and those kids." Roy stated.

"I know that too." Norman replied. "Jo does too."

"But, I still can't give them a future. You can." Roy shook his head.

"Roy, I will never take those angels away from you." Norman assured the other man. "They will know you and you them. You will always be their father."

"Thank you." Roy suddenly smiled. "Thank you for not trying to replace me."

"Roy, as far as Chris and Debbie are concerned, you're their Dad." Norman again assured him. "I'm just Norman to them."

Just then, Johnny Gage, Roy's partner on squad 51 joined them.

"We have a run." Johnny said.

"Let's go, Junior." Roy sighed. "It was nice meeting you, Norman."

"Same here, Roy." Norman smiled as the Firemen left.

Once they were gone, Joanne DeSoto Brandt joined her husband at the table.

"Nice man, Roy." Norman remarked.

"He is." Jo nodded. "I don't hate him."

"But, you can't love him either." Norman understood.

"Not the way I love you now." Dark haired Jo assured him. "When I was younger, I thought Roy could do no wrong. I guess I was just in love enough to think that hose jockey was the one for me. My mom and Dad tried to steer me away from him-"

"Joanne, Roy wasn't a fireman then either." Her now spouse reminded her. "He was just a kid as were you. There was no future to think of then, no kids to feed and clothe."

"No insecure wife to rag on him either." Joanne replied. "I should've known that Roy would be nowhere then. I mean, there was no education. There were no goals. All he cared about was firefighting. That's all he ever wanted to be."

"And you thought he could do better." Norman understood.

"He had such potential. Roy was a smart man, he just never could see beyond what he loved." Joanne said, sadly.

"Jo, loving a job isn't a bad thing. Being a fireman isn't either. Maybe Roy just didn't have the opportunities that you did growing up. Maybe college just wasn't in his plans, I don't know. The one thing I do know is that for the sake of those two gifts that God gave you, you need to have an amicable relationship with their father. You need to stop calling him a loser in front of them." Her husband told her.

"You're right, Darling." Jo agreed. "Roy is happy at his job at that's what matters."

"Are you ready to head home, Love?" Norman asked.

"Let's go." Joanne smiled, linking her arm with his.

THE END