An accident...
He was always told he drove too fast. His Grandma, his father, his brothers, his friends...but when you push a car to its limits, floor the accelerator, watch the speedometer creeping up and up, it's hard to drive any other way.
This was Alan Tracy's last conscious thought, painfully clear over the crunch of metal slamming against metal, the scream of tyres against the tarmac, the sickening spinning until his car finally came to rest, battered and broken, much like it's driver.
Gordon shifted in his chair, trying to release the knot of pressure at the base of his spine without disturbing his father who stared almost hypnotically at the monitors showing the peaks of his youngest son's heart beat. He couldn't help the small gasp of pain as he felt his back click uncomfortably. Jeff turned at the sound, placing a strong hand on his shoulder and offering his free hand to help his son to his feet.
"I'm okay Dad," Gordon assured him as he straightened up, smiling at the pain disappeared. "Do you want a coffee or something? I need to stretch my legs." Jeff's gaze remained on his son for a moment longer before he nodded. Gordon looked over his shoulder as the left the ward, watching his father regain his composure, keeping vigil at Alan's bedside, just as he had when he had his accident some years previously.
Alan's accident has been the result of a head on collision, not on the race track, thank God. Still, a drunk driver had lost control, taking Alan and his car off the road as he'd swerved suddenly.
His father had his 'I'm calm' face at the ready when he received the phone call, but Gordon had watched his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles ghostly pale as he'd driven to the hospital. It was the only sign of his moment of weakness. His father was not one to show emotion in front of his sons having stayed solid to comfort five young boys as they grieved for their mother. Jeff kept every sigh, every tear inside.
Gordon wished at this moment, that any of his brothers would arrive. His father was too quiet, trying not to let any sign of the panic Gordon knew he felt show. But Gordon had resigned himself to being on his own with this one. Scott was on a tour of duty in North Korea, a peacekeeping assignment. John was currently Mars bound, in a deep sleep as his NASA team carried out the first manned mission to the red planet.
That left Virgil, who'd been MIA for a few weeks as he'd buried himself preparing to make a pitch to an influential engineering firm. It was a chance to turn his ideas and designs for state of the art rescue equipment into a reality and he didn't want to fluff his lines.
So, it was just him and his Dad. The girl behind the counter at the hospital cafe smiled brightly at him, despite the late hour as he ordered the two coffees in a dull tone.
"Hey, would you make that three?"
The warm, rich tones of Virgil's voice reached Gordon's ears and he couldn't help but smile, looking over his shoulder. Virgil was dressed in tatty jeans and a paint stained shirt under a worn leather jacket and Gordon could smell the lingering scent of cigarette smoke as Virgil pulled him into a rough hug.
"Hey Virg," Gordon said as he pulled back, paying for the coffee's.
"Hey Gordo," he returned. Gordon took the two coffees with a small smile at the waitress as Virgil leaned in to take his.
"Thanks," he smiled as he took his own coffee, giving the girl a wink that made her cheeks colour furiously.
The brothers turned and began walking back towards the ward.
"So, how is Alan?" Virgil asked. Gordon sighed and half-shrugged.
"The doctors say he should wake up soon. They were worried about swelling in the brain following the head injury, but the scan said everything was okay."
"He's lucky," Virgil murmured. Gordon handed his father the coffee before Virgil followed in behind him. Jeff greeted Virgil with a hug, patting him manly on the back.
"How's business son?" he asked him.
"Same old...we got a commission on the new Denver fire service rescue equipment."
"Good work, your pitch?" Virgil nodded almost shyly as his father punched his shoulder lightly.
"That's my boy..."
"What about the other pitch Virg?" Gordon asked him. "Isn't it this week?"
"What other pitch?" Jeff asked, raising his eyebrows as Virgil shot Gordon a look which told him that particular information he'd shared wasn't for public knowledge just yet. Gordon smiled apologetically, knowing that the only reason Virgil had told him was that he was unable to contact Scott at that moment. Gordon was a poor substitute for his best friend.
"It's nothing Dad, I'll let you know about it when it's done..." Virgil shrugged, taking a seat on the other side of Alan's bed. Jeff took his place beside Alan, placing a worn hand on the smooth skin of Alan's.
"You looked exhausted Dad," Virgil commented after a moment. "Alan's okay and Gordon and I can keep an eye on him if you want to catch up with some sleep..."
"I'm fine Virgil..." Jeff sighed, although the stifled yawn disagreed. Gordon watched Virgil carefully as he nodded and drained the remainder of his coffee cup.
"Okay Dad, but I asked the ward sister if she had a spare bed for you, should it be needed. She says there is a room next door so you will be right beside Alan should anything happen." Virgil looked back at Alan, but Gordon knew he was keeping an eye on his father's reaction. For a few minutes, the only sound was the soft 'beep' of the machines monitoring Alan's vitals and the hushed whispers of the nurses working the night shift.
"You know, a nap does sound good right about now," Jeff said suddenly, breaking the silence. Gordon watched Virgil try to control the smile on his face.
"Sure Dad. We'll be right through when Alan wakes up," Virgil assured him. Gordon watched his father make his way to the ward next door and looked back at Virgil in awe.
"He needs some time away from this," Gordon said. "He was doing the gripping the steering wheel really tightly thing on the way here. I think Dad still thinks we need to be protected from all of this still and that he has to be the 'rock' in all of this. He forgets that we are all adults now sometimes." Virgil glanced over at the red head and laughed.
"With you and Al, I'm not surprised," he commented dryly. Gordon cracked a small sarcastic smile in his older brother's direction.
"He never shows us his moments of weakness," Virgil said after a while. "When we were younger, he used to go into his study after we were all asleep...that's when he would do his grieving. Away from us...he didn't want to upset us."
"How do you know?" Gordon asked in a hushed voice.
"Scott."
"Oh." Gordon looked back at Alan as he saw the blonde's eyelids twitch for a moment.
"Looks like he's waking up," Virgil said, pressing the button above the bed to alert the nurses and doctors on duty.
"Should we get Dad?" Gordon asked, getting to his feet.
"Nah. Give him some time out just now. He needs it."