You've Got to be Kidding by Icecat62 & Kajakat "Gage, you are so predictable." Chet said as he sat down at the table in Station 51's kitchen. Roy put his paper down and stared at his partner, wondering what kind of trouble he was about to step into. Johnny put his cup of coffee down. "Chet, what are you talking about?" "I can practically set my watch from your actions. As soon as you come back from a run, you go get a cuppa' coffee. When you change into your uniform, you always tap Smokey before you close your locker. You always write with your green pen. You always get your gas from that discount station on Sepulveda. Should I go on?" Chet snickered. The rest of the crew gathered round to here the outcome of the conversation. "So I got a couple habits, it doesn't mean I'm predictable." Johnny said with some sense of self-satisfaction. "Ya' know, you're right, Gage. Besides all your predictable habits, you're boring. I couldn't leave that out." Chet had a difficult time keeping his giggles in check. "I'm not boring. Do you think I'm boring?" Johnny looked pointedly at Roy. "Leave me out of this one, partner." Roy got up, took his coffee cup and headed toward the couch to sit next to Henry. "Chet, I don't know where you get these ideas, but I am not predictable." "I knew you were gonna say that." "Har har har. If you're so smart, what am I gonna' say next?" Chet made a face pretending to think, but he already had his pigeon set up. "You were gonna' say, that you'd be willing to make a bet…to prove you're not predictable and boring." Johnny ran a hand through his hair. Chet was right and he was thinking about that, among other things. "Well, er…." Gage fumbled over his words. "Gotcha, didn't I?" Chet laughed. "So how much do you wanna' bet?" "Hey, wait a minute, we haven't even made a bet!" Johnny stated, his voice rising. "Okay, let's make a bet then. I bet that you have to do something within the next five days that is not predictable or boring. And when you do it, everyone in this room has to be there to witness it." Chet was setting his pigeon up to fall from the sky in a blaze of defeat. "I'm all into wagers Chet, but I don't want anything to happen on the job." Captain Stanley warned. "Okay, Gage…you have to do something spontaneous, but not during a call. And we all have to agree that it's something beyond your normal routine. And to make it interesting, because I know you're cheap, let's make the bet one hundred dollars." "A hundred dollars?" Gage squeaked out. Before Johnny could think about it, Chet was at his side. "So, is it a deal?" Chet stuck his hand out to confirm the bet. The impulsive Gage shook Chet's hand before realizing what he just agreed to do. Captain Stanley ducked his head down to hide his smirk. All too often he was entertained by the Kelly & Gage show, but he knew this one was going to be a doozy. Marco looked at Mike and the two men smiled and shook their heads. They knew which way this bet would end up and Johnny would be a hundred dollars poorer for it. Johnny was a smart fireman and paramedic whose natural instincts made him exceptional on the job, but when it came to dealing with Chet, he would never learn. Roy was leaning on the kitchen counter when the bet was agreed upon. Shaking his head he knew the next five days were going to be difficult for Johnny, which meant they would be difficult for him as well. He hoped the wager would be over before the barbeque he and JoAnne had planned for the weekend. The last thing he wanted was to have it ruined by one of Chet's stupid pranks. *** Returning from a call, Johnny and Roy drove slowly back to the station. It was such a nice day out and the two took this time to enjoy the sunshine landing on their faces. "So Roy, do you think I'm in a rut?" Johnny looked across the cab of the squad at Roy. His brown eyes indicated his question was an earnest one. Roy kept his eyes on the road, which helped him from laughing at Johnny's question. Sometimes his partner was so gullible. If they worked in New York, Roy swore Chet would be able to sell Johnny the Brooklyn Bridge. "Johnny, it doesn't matter what I think, it's whether you believe Chet's right." Roy paused, "do you?" That question made Johnny think. He stared out the window while Roy continued the trip back to the station. "Nah, I'm not that predictable, but what can I do to win this bet? Roy, you gotta' help me!" Roy brought his right hand to his chest. "Me? Oh no, I'm not gonna' help you. You don't know how to say no to Chet. Leave me outta' it." They returned to the station and as Roy backed the squad into the open bay, Gage shot him a dirty look. "Some friend you turn out to be." Roy put the squad in park, but didn't get out of the vehicle. He had to settle this with Johnny. "Now I resent that. I'm your friend, but I won't help you settle this stupid bet with Chet. I just don't understand how he ropes you into these things. After all these years, I thought you woulda' figured it out by now." Roy got out of the squad, leaving the brooding Gage behind. *** "So where's Johnny?" Chet asked as Roy walked into the kitchen. "He should be here to get his cup of coffee." "You know Chet, I too come in here for coffee when I return from a run." "I know that Roy, but Johnny's more fun to…talk to." Roy poured himself a cup of coffee and thought about pouring another cup for his partner, but Johnny hadn't entered the common room yet. Perhaps he was trying to be spontaneous and unpredictable, but, knowing his partner and his need for caffeine, Roy figured Johnny would be in the kitchen within the next five minutes. Roy sat down at the table and took a section of the paper away from Chet. "Hey, I wasn't finished with it." Chet made a grab for the paper as Johnny walked into the kitchen and made a beeline toward the dish drainer to get a clean cup. The entire crew, sans Roy, watched Johnny's actions. Sure enough, he poured himself a cup of coffee and then walked directly to the table. "What?" Johnny asked no one in particular. "I knew you were going to do that," Chet said with a smug smile on his face. "So I got a cup of coffee, big deal." Hoping to quell a full-blown Gage and Kelly episode, Captain Stanley spoke up. "John, it's your turn to cook lunch." "Oh." Johnny's eyes squinted as he tried to think of something to make. He forgot all about it being his turn to prepare lunch. Chet took the newspaper, folded it in half, placed it against his forehead and closed his eyes. "I foresee Johnny making hotdogs." Chet opened his eyes and smiled at Johnny. The rest of the crew snickered. "Well…I wasn't really thinkin' about makin' hotdogs, but if you insist Chet, I'll make 'em." With that said, Johnny stalked over to the refrigerator to inventory the lunch supplies. Mike stood over Chet; his voice was dry as he spoke. "Gee thanks Chet, it's just what I wanted…hotdogs." *** The rest of the week continued the way it started. Johnny hadn't come up with anything the crew deemed out of the ordinary for him. It looked like the bet was going to be over during Roy's barbecue and Johnny knew he'd have to ante up the hundred dollars if he couldn't up with something quick. Roy on the other hand was sweating bullets. Knowing that when Gage set his mind on doing something, he wouldn't be stopped, even if that meant he'd be doing it at the picnic. He hoped that what ever it was, JoAnne wouldn't end up being too upset over it. *** It was a picture perfect California afternoon. Temperatures were in the mid seventies, which made for great barbeque weather. The crew sauntered in at different times, bringing prepared dishes or six packs of beer. Johnny was the last man to appear, which if he would have thought about it, would have won him the bet right then and there. He was always the first one at any of Roy's picnics. Chet on the other hand noticed it, but played it off, hoping that no one would point out this fact. To his relief, no one did. "I guess you had to go to the bank to get my money, huh Johnny?" Chet said as he rubbed his hands together in gleeful greedy motion. Johnny looked at his watch. The bet wasn't going to be over for another hour. He tapped the watch face and smiled thinly at Chet. "I still got a bit of time left." "Why don't you give up, Gage. We all know you won't be doing anything unexpected. Why don't you just fork over the money now?" Johnny ignored Chet and began walking over to Roy. Chet snickered. "See, what did I tell ya'." He smirked at the guys. "I bet ya' he gets two hamburgers." They all chuckled, knowing that's exactly what Gage would get. *** As the crew gathered around Chet and Johnny, not wanting to miss their interaction, Roy stood by the barbecue listening to what was going on. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Johnny walking toward him. Looking down at the grill he smiled and mumbled under his breath. "Two hamburgers coming up" *** As Johnny made his way over to Roy, he ruffled Chris on the head as he walked by him. "Hey sport." Seeing Jenny, he smiled broadly and picked her up and kissed her. Giving her a quick twirl, he set the giggling girl down. He gave Joanne a small wave as he spied her coming out of the house. When he got to Roy, Johnny spoke in a dejected voice. "I guess I'm gonna lose this one, huh partner?" "I guess so." Roy put his cooking utensils down and reached for a paper plate. Johnny frowned and looked across the lawn to where Jennifer stood. Then it hit him. With a big grin on his face he turned back to Roy. "Not if I can help it." In one swift move, he reached for Roy and kissed him on the lips and held himself there for a few seconds. The reactions from the barbecue attendees were as follows: Marco whispered, "ah mi dios." Mike spit out the beer he was drinking. Stanley started to say something but couldn't form the words. Jennifer giggled as she watched her Uncle Johnny kiss her dad. Chris DeSoto yelled the following, "oh gross!!!" JoAnne's eyes widened watching the exchange between her husband and his partner. Chet dropped the bottle of beer he was holding and it spilled all over himself. Roy's blue eyes widened, the paper plate dropped from his hand and his face turned beet red after Johnny finished kissing him. In retrospect, Roy would have pushed Johnny away, but he was so stunned, he froze. Releasing Roy, Johnny walked over to the cooler and calmly took a beer out. The rest of the gang was still shocked by what he had done. He on the other hand was elated. With a swagger in his step, he walked over to Chet and smiled down at him. His voice was both smug and triumphant. "I guess I'm not that predictable, am I, Chet?" Joanne walked over to Roy and crossed her arms as she arched an eyebrow at him. "Is there something you need to tell me, Roy?" Some of the hamburgers were starting to burn. Roy tried to get to them, but he was so shaken that he dropped the utensils. By the time he was able to get to them, they were ruined. JoAnne stood by the grill, patiently waiting for an explanation. All Roy could do was stare back at her with his mouth opening and closing. Johnny sauntered over to survey the damage on the grill. He patted Roy on the back, snickering as his friend flinch away from his touch "I wouldn't worry about the burgers Roy. I think ol' Chester B. will spring for pizzas, wontcha' Chet?" Johnny smiled over at Chet and that's when the light bulb went on over Roy's head. Closing his eyes, he sighed in relief. Gage had managed to win the bet after all. Chet was ashen. Not only did Johnny get one over on him, he did a masterful job in doing it. Clearing his throat, Chet spoke up, "ah…I guess so." Johnny walked over to a chair and sat down. Taking a swing of beer, he had the biggest self-satisfying grin on his face, knowing he beat the phantom at his own game. |