Questions By Northlander "Johnny, are you awake?" Roy reached over to the next bunk and lightly shook his partner's shoulder. "I am now. It's the middle of the night," Gage answered, glaring at his partner. In the darkness, DeSoto couldn't see the annoyance on his friend's face. Johnny relaxed his tone. "What's wrong, Roy?" "That rescue today. That family. I can't get their faces out of my head. It could have been my wife and kids." "It wasn't Roy." Raising a hand to his face, Johnny rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "C'mon lets go into the kitchen." Swinging his legs off the bed, Johnny reached down and pulled up his turnout pants. "I'll make some coffee," he offered. Johnny glanced over and noticed that Roy hadn't moved. He took a step towards his partner. "Roy, it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. Nobody did." "I don't know." Relieved that the engine crew had been called on a run, Johnny sat down on his bunk. " Roy, do you trust me, do you trust my judgment?" "Yes, sure, but..." "Roy, I'm serious." "You know I do." "Then trust me on this." "Thanks, John. That means a lot." "Well, that's what friends are for." ______________________ |