"It has been announced this morning that Millionaire, Ex Astronaut, Jeff Tracy was killed in an avalanche-"

Lucy reached up to turn off the TV in the small hospital room, she didn't need to hear the news, she had been there to see it first hand. Trapped in the chalet with her two oldest and youngest sons, while her husband had ran out to save their middle child.

And he had, but at a cost to the whole family.

The new widow reached out to her middle son, stroking her thumb over the back of his hand, willing the eight year old to wake up from his coma. She wasn't sure what she would do if her son didn't make it after what had already happened, she wasn't even sure what she would do now that Jeff was gone.

"How are you Lucy?" Thea asked softly as she stepped into the room, an old friend of Lucy's and Godmother to the five Tracy sons. She had always been there for Lucy, like a sister to the other that they had never had.

"Tired," Was the only word Lucy could muster, "Thank you of taking care of things."

She smiled as Thea rested a light hand on her shoulder, "You're family Luce, I'm not going to abandon you now."

Lucy sighed and stroked her sons hand, "I just want him to wake up, to tell me that it's all going to be okay,"

She leant into her friends hug, grateful that she had so much support around her for the hardest weeks of her life. Her other sons were staying in a hotel across the road with their Grandma. Lucy wasn't sure how Ruth did it, she had just lost her son and had still offered to care for the boys while she kept vigil at Virgil's bedside.

She knew what Thea would reply with, the same answer that everyone had, "It will be fine Lucy, he just needs time."

The two women looked up as the door was nudged open cautiously. A timid head peeking through the gap. Lucy couldn't help but smile at her oldest son, "Come in Scott, it's okay,"

The dark haired boy bit his lip as he stepped into the room. Everyone at the hotel had been up late and was still asleep, so he had left them a note and snuck over to the hospital. With a glance at the blonde lady stood next to his mother he hesitated, "Good morning, Thea" He greeted the woman that he had met outside the hospital the day before, earning a smile in response, "Good morning Scott, how did you sleep?"

The young boy climbed into his mothers lap and hugged her tightly, before replying, "I slept okay, Alan and Gordon woke me up a few times," He looked to his mother, arms looped around her neck as he explained, "They were all still asleep just now when I left,"

He relaxed a little as his mother smiled a little, "And you came in the way I told you last night?"

Scott nodded quickly, remembering the crowd of reporters that had been stood out the front of the hospital. He leant against his mother's shoulder, reaching out to cover his brothers hand with his own, "When is Virgy going to wake up Mom?"

He missed his middle brothers company, Virgil wasn't quiet and reserved like John, and was older than Alan and Gordon who were too immature to be good company for the oldest boy. Virgil was essentially Scott's best friend, and Scott was worried sick about him. He needed his best friend, he'd lost his role model, who else could he talk to?

"I'll go and get you both some breakfast," Thea offered after sharing a glance with Lucy. They smiled to each other before Thea left the widow with her two sons.

Lucy stroked Scott's hair back off of his forehead, "What is it Scott?"

He leant into his mother, clutching her shirt tightly, knowing that he had to tell her because she'd find out sooner or later, "I'm scared Mommy," He admitted, peaking out to his brother, pale and still on the lumpy hospital bed, "What if Virgil doesn't wake up?"

He sniffed and wiped away the tears from his eyes before they could fall. To lose his father and his brother to the same disaster would be too much for him, but he knew he had to stay strong for the rest of his family.

Lucy sighed and held her oldest tighter, repeating the sentence that she had heard too many times in the last week, "He will be fine, Scott, he just needs some time to recover," She forced a smile to him, "You know how much he loves his sleep!"

Scott smiled a little, "Yeah, he's always last up for school,"

Lucy nodded, "Exactly, he'll wake up when he's ready," She rubbed Scott's back for both their comforts. Her arms tightened around her son as his eyes slipped closed and his breathing leveled, mothers instinct told her he was exhausted. He had probably been looking after his brothers as much as their Grandmother was. So brave for such a young boy, Just like Jeff, Lucy thought to herself fighting back the tears that threatened her eyes. He was gone. Her Jeff was gone, he would never hug her again, never brush his lips over her sensitive skin. She would never have a daughter.

Lucy's mind drifted back to the night before the avalanche, the couple had been in bed together…

"I've changed my mind," Lucy announced as she pulled the duvet back on the bed. A smile graced her lips as she crawled up to her husband. He was probably already anticipating what would happen next, she had said the same with their four youngest, "I want to try once more for a girl."

Jeff laughed and took his wife in his arms, "Why am I not surprised?" He joked, his lips brushing her cheek making her smile and laugh. Lucy took a moment to sit back and smile, he would go to the ends of the world for her and she would for him. He smiled and took her hands in his, "I love you, and if you want a baby girl, I will try my very best to give you one."

… Lucy sniffed and wiped her eyes, "Oh Jeff, what am I going to do?"

She cradled her eldest to her chest, wishing her other sons could be here too, they needed to be together right now. Her boys needed her, and she needed her boys.

There was a groan from the bed, making Lucy look up and lean forward, "Virgil?"

The boy on the bed took a breath, "Mom?"

She sighed in relief and gently shifted Scott to take her younger son's hand, "Hey, Virg, it's okay, I'm here," She didn't know whether to smile or cry, "You're in hospital son,"

The young boy offered her a small smile as he whispered, "It's 'kay Mom, I remember,"

Lucy sobbed and stood up, setting Scott down on the armchair she went to sit on the bed, hugging her middle son tightly, relieved that he hugged her back. She kissed his dark hair as he sniffled into her shoulder, "It's my fault Daddy's gone," He mumbled sadly, making his mother gasp and pull away, "No, Virgil, never ever say that!" She insisted, refusing to let him blame himself. The boys father had gone out there of his own accord, it wasn't her son's fault that he had tripped in the rush. The day after the accident she had sworn to herself that it had been just that, an accident, nobody was to blame.

"Your Dad saved you because he loves you, Virgil," She told her son, hugging him tightly again, "He wanted you to live a full and happy life, okay?"

The young boy sniffed and nodded, "Okay, I love you Mom, and so does Dad,"

Her heart shattered into a million pieces and her mind raced. Had her husband and son been awake under the snow while she had been trapped with her other sons? Had Virgil witnessed his father's death?

The young boy yawned and rubbed his eyes, frowning at the tube feeding into the back of his hand. He didn't understand why he felt so sleepy, he had just woken up. For once, he didn't protest as his mother lay him back on the bed and pulled the covers over him, "Get some more rest, Son," She murmured.

He yawned again and nodded, his eyes already slipping closed. Suddenly, he remembered the message, his father's dying words, "He said he loves you, and he's always here,"

He had expected his mother to sob at the words, he himself wanted to cry, but he knew he had to stay strong for her. Instead, he felt the light brush of his Mother's lips on his head as she began to hum softly, one of his favourite songs from the piano.

So the boy drifted back to sleep with memories of his Father, and the soft melody from his mother floating through his head. For now, the drugs would keep the nightmares at bay but he wouldn't be on them forever. Lucy knew that, she knew that she couldn't afford to abandon her boys. Even if she wanted to retreat into the work her husband had left at Tracy Enterprises, she knew that she mustn't. Because, although she would never have a daughter, she still had her five sons and they were just as important.