Warning: Child abuse is mentioned in this story. This chapter is intentionally "choppy." More details will come over time. In this universe, it is not cannon, though Lucy is still dead.


The entire hospital was quiet when Gordon picked up the phone. He couldn't quite get up the courage, so he put down the phone and paced around the room before he picked up the phone again. He sat down his phone, trying to think of the last time he'd talked to his father. It had to have been about... When he was about...awhile ago. He was seventeen; that meant his father had given him up for adoption... When he was nine. Alan had been... four? He hadn't understood why he'd been given up for adoption and Alan had. But that wasn't the point here. Yeah, he'd been given up eight years ago.

The point was that his foster family was dead, and he needed his father's help... if his father was alive and willing to give it. It wasn't for him; it was for Alan - surely that meant SOMETHING. His heart was racing, he'd thought about calling his father many times but he never knew what to say, and it wasn't like he'd had that many options for phones.

Perhaps his father hadn't disconnected the line, even though Gordon had never called him on it. His father did have money, and his father had always told him to call if anything happened to Alan. Even though 11 years had gone by, there was still a small chance his father kept this line active. If not, they'd just have to wait until CPS showed up. Gordon swallowed; trying to weigh the pros and cons in his mind as he looked at Alan, who laid sleeping in the hospital bed.

Gordon sighed; that made up his mind. Being only 17 Gordon couldn't sign the pre-authorization forms for Alan and their foster parents had died in the same automobile accident that threatened to take Alan's legs. Somehow Gordon had escaped with only a sprained ankle, even though he'd done his best to shield the blow from Alan. There were CPS workers "on the way", but even Gordon knew that would take hours. He hated to admit it, but he needed Jeff's help, even if Jeff hated him.

He picked up the phone, almost yanking it out of the holster as he dialed the number.

His heart gave a leap when it actually rang and didn't disconnect. Could it be possible? Could their birth father still care? Even if he only cares about Alan, that's still better, he told himself firmly. Alan needs these papers signed and I know CPS won't get here for hours. Come on Gordon, stop being a pussy. Jeff probably still has the ability to sign for Alan even though he put us both in foster care.


Jeff was pacing the beach and talking to Scott when his cell phone rang. His heart nearly stopped, nobody ever called that number. He only kept it activated in case - he immediately stopped that thought. Jeff picked up the phone immediately, fearing for the worst.

"Jeff Tracy."

"Dad?"

Oh God. His heart stopped. He sank into the sand and Scott sat next to him, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Gordon?"

Scott looked over at his father, probably unsure if Jeff was hallucinating. Jeff certainly hoped he wasn't hallucinating.

"I know you gave me up for adoption... And gave Alan up for adoption..."

Jeff nearly swore - his theory had been right. He knew he would have to correct Gordon later, he hadn't given his sons up for adoption. He and Scott had lept up once he'd said Gordon and they were already tracing the call. Once they got the location, Scott raced to fire up Tracy One.

"Gordon, I've always loved you and Alan, and I'll talk to you about that later - where are you?" he asked.

"I'm... I'm in a hospital in New York City. My foster parents were driving me and Alan to some event with a social worker and t-they c-crashed the car. They're... they're dead." Jeff's breath caught in his throat, "I need you to come sign some papers, Dad... Jeff.. Sir." The last line nearly broke Jeff's heart and he wanted to strangle the people who had taken his children all over again. Oh, Gordon, I'm so sorry.

He didn't know what to say - had they been good? Bad? Should he offer condolences? Were they the ones who'd kidnapped his babies? He felt sick to his stomach. "How can I help?"

"They need you to come sign some release forms for Alan's treatment. I'm only seventeen so I can't." He had to get there. Quickly. He needed to figure out what happened and he needed to protect his children, after all he'd failed to do so eleven years earlier. His throat was stuck.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes. Can you give Scott information?"

They quickly got into the helicopter and flew to the hospital.

Jeff Tracy was able to bypass the security system of the hospital fairly easily. He had no doubt that was probably due to money. He stopped at the door his son was at, his breath catching as he saw his baby boy, now seventeen. He had to stop himself from throwing himself into Gordon's arms.

"Gordon?" he asked.

Gordon's eyes teared up, "He's hurt..."

Jeff offered him a hug, and Gordon took it, falling into his father's arms. "Sir... I - will you stay at least while it gets treated?"

"Of course," Jeff said as he signed some paperwork. "Gordon, I didn't give you up for adoption-"

Gordon sighed, looking away.

"I'm sorry. Continue on; you were speaking."

"Thank you," Gordon said, looking at the floor, "I'm sorry I hurt your favorite child."

Jeff sighed and pulled his child into his arms for a hug, praying Lucy would send him strength and patience.