Hold Onto Me
Disclaimer - Nope. Not mine. I looked all over e-bay and Amazon for them and couldn't find a thing. So the Thunderbirds are not mine. And the book Scott will be reading Alan is called "Chicka-chicka Boom-boom and I read that so many times to my daughter I can still do it bu heart (and she starts high school in two weeks.) Any OC's are mine and I BETTER NOT FIND ANYONE BORROWING THEM AGAIN , WITHOUT MY OK - GOT IT?! And apparently, I shouldn't have to say this, but I will THIS INCLUDES ON ADULT FAN FICTION OR ANY SIMILAR SITES.
OK, so this is Sammygirl1963's birthday present, started early, and it's a three -part story. Thanks for all the reviews, here is part two just as I promised, and I will finish on Jean's actual birthday on next Saturday. She loves Scott and Wee Tracys...
During
Lucy smiled at Sarah Jane and Virgil, sitting side by side, watching the tropical fish in the thirty gallon tank on the other side of the room. The two children had ignored the toys or books that the other Tracys would have focused on, content to sit quietly side by side. In the relative quiet of the room – there was only a man with a bloody cloth wrapped loosely around his hand, talking to the receptionist. The urgent care clinic was relatively new and most people were still only using it when their own doctors were unavailable. But Lucy knew that the fact that the county had insisted that all medical clinics be linked electronically before the urgent care clinic opened would allow her to bring Sarah Jane here and have her records be available to the doctor.
And soon, the records would be available to Lucy as well.
Thinking of Sarah Jane's current injury – as well as a few others over the past year – made Lucy frown. Before her marriage, Lucy had been a school teacher down in Florida and had been required to take courses in how to spot child abuse. To her, the little red-haired girl had all the signs, but she knew she needed proof. Especially if Lucy was correct in her presumption that it was Sarah Jane's older sister that was physically hurting her.
Now thoughts of Holly Woodbury ran through the young mother's mind. The first time Lucy had really noticed the girl had been right after Sarah Jane had saved Alan from choking on the marble. Lucy and Jeff had both hugged the little girl, kissing her on the cheek and praising the then six-year-old for her quick thinking. John and Annette Woodbury had both looked surprised but pleased as well and the older Tracy boys had been quick to thank Sarah Jane as well. (Not so much Virgil and Gordon, as they had been the ones to allow Alan to get a hold of the marble, but they had quickly warmed up to the girl when she began to hang around.)
Holly had been noticeable for her silence and Lucy had glanced over at the blonde, only to freeze in dismay. There was hate, pure fiery hate, in the older sister's eyes at that moment. After that, Lucy had been careful to note Holly's interactions with Sarah Jane. Any time the attention was focused on the younger sister, Holly's expression came back – and if the phrase "if looks could kill" was literal, Sarah Jane would be dead by now.
Thinking of several bad falls the little girl had gone through, a nasty cut on her hand and now what looked like a spiral fracture of her arm…Lucy didn't want to break up a family. She would if she had to – after making sure Sarah Jane was safely with them – but she preferred to be able to confront the enemy with all intelligence possible to see if a cease fire was possible. Lucy knew that proof that someone was aware of just how Sarah Jane was getting hurt should be enough to protect the girl.
All that would remain is which blonde should Lucy confront – the mother who was emotionally neglectful or the sociopathic sister? In the end, Lucy decided to confront Holly. That girl would be more interested in protecting herself as long as Lucy was around to stop her. Annette would probably decide that Lucy was being "fanciful" and refuse to allow Sarah Jane to come over, denying the child a refuge from the storms of life.
"Sarah Jane Woodbury?" a smiling nurse called out from the doorway.
Lucy stood, clutching the clipboard full of forms, her copy of the POA and the blank memory stick that she could get Sarah Jane's records downloaded to. Smiling at Virgil and Sarah Jane, she made sure the two children entered the exam room ahead of her. The door closed and the sun seemed to disappear from the waiting area for a moment before coming back in a weaker light. Clouds had begun to gather in the once clear blue sky.
Scott was sitting on the porch swing, rocking Alan slowly when Grandpa came out and sat down beside his oldest and youngest grandsons. Rubbing the back of Alan's head, Grant chuckled when the toddler opened a drowsy eye and glared weakly before both eyes were once more closed.
"I think someone is ready for his nap," Grant murmured, surprising Scott when he realized how much his grandfather sounded like his father.
Scott smiled as he brushed his cheek over Alan's hair and nodded. Alan wasn't arguing at that, so it must be true. Standing, he nodded again at his grandfather and headed towards the door. Grandma and Gordon were in the kitchen finishing up the dishes and Gordy opened the door for Scott when the older boy softly called his name.
"Thanks, Gordy," Scott whispered as he headed back to the smaller bedroom in the rear of the house. It had always been designated as the quiet room and was the perfect one to place a crib in. Lying Alan down, Scott smiled at his baby brother.
"You are growing so fast, Allie," Scott murmured. "Just a little thing that keeps growing, but I guess that is why Jeannie calls you the Sprout. She swears you'll be taller than me some day. Well, that day is way off and for now, you're still our baby." Spreading a light blanket over the sleeping toddler, Scott pulled the shade down before closing the door almost shut. It would be open just enough to hear Alan when the two-year-old woke up.
By the time Scott had settled Alan in for his nap, Gordon and Ruth had finished the dishes and wiped down the counter before joining Grant on the porch. The older couple now rocked companionably side by side while Gordon sat on a small stool, playing with Alan's small teddy bear – named Boo by the toddler – before setting the stuffed animal on a low table.
"Alan asleep?" Ruth asked, smiling when Scott nodded. "You are going to make a good daddy one day, Scotty."
Scott blushed slightly while Gordon giggled. "Don'tcha mean he'll make a good mommy, Grandma?"
Gordon took off in a flash, Scott right at his heels. Ruth was about to call out to them when the phone rang. Casting a glare at her husband – really, that laughter wasn't helping anything – Ruth rushed back into the house, anxious to silence the phone before it woke her youngest grandson.
A few minutes later, Ruth was back out on the porch. By that time, Scott had cornered his younger brother and wrestled him back onto the porch, forcing the redhead back on the stool with a glare that threatened certain death if the ginger even THOUGHT of moving – or speaking – again.
Scott turned to his grandmother but the words on his tongue drifted away when he saw the anxious look in her eyes.
"Grant - that was the doctor's office. They want you in for some more tests."
Grant simply shrugged. "I have the appointment on Tuesday. Do they want them done at the same time? We'd have to go in sooner."
Ruth worried her lower lip before speaking. "The doctor wants the tests today. As soon as we can get there, as a matter of fact."
A look of worry flashed across Grant's face before his visage gained the same steely look the boys had often seen on their father's face. Gordon and Scott exchanged worried looks before Grant spoke again.
"Well, I suppose we should go."
Ruth looked back in the house. "I really don't want to wake Alan when we just got him to sleep."
"I can watch him, Grandma," Scott said firmly. "As long as you take the tiny terrorist with you, I can handle Allie until Mom or Dad can get here." Scott would have no problem heading back to his house – several miles away – by himself, but he wouldn't think of doing it with Alan and he knew the specialist Grandpa had seen was in Kansas City – the opposite direction from Bailey.
Ruth looked at Grant who gave a small nod and smile. "Alright, Gordon – go wash your face, you'll be coming with your Grandpa and me. I'll call Lucy on her cell and let her know what is going on."
Scott and Gordon looked at each other before Gordon silently nodded. Family took care of family and if Grandma's look was anything to go by, their grandparents were going to need their family by their sides.
Auyna Sylvan sighed as she watched Jeff Tracy enter the meeting room, his faithful dog – um, PA, Ann-Marie Thompson dutifully following him. She'd had had a crush on the man since his days with the space program and couldn't believe it when she was given this chance through a temp agency. The secretary for the Tracy Industries head of legal, John Woodbury, was out on maternity leave but before she had left, Lizzie had said that she herself had started out as a temp and when she proved herself, was given a job with the company.
"Excuse me?"
Auyna looked up in surprise. Ms. Thompson was standing in front of her desk. The woman smiled and handed her some files.
"Auyna, right?" When Auyna nodded, Ann-Marie smiled. "Mr. Woodbury assures me you aren't busy. Lydia didn't get a chance to file these reports in Jeff's office before she left. She'll be out the rest of the day – her daughter became sick at daycare. So if you wouldn't mind?"
Not seeing that she had a choice, Auyna took the files with a tight smile. "You'd trust me in Mr. Tracy's office?" she said in what she hoped was a joking voice.
Ann-Marie shrugged. "Anything of importance is locked up. Just file these in the over-flow cabinet – that's the one located next to Jeff's bathroom. It will also be the only unlocked one."
Watching the other woman walk away, her attention already back to her notes for the meeting, Auyna stood up with a genuine smile. She would get to see Jeff Tracy's office! Ann-Marie Thompson was known for fiercely guarding her boss' privacy, so this was a rare opportunity for her.
Entering the room at the end of the hallway, Auyna moved silently into the room and closed the door behind her with a grin of pure satisfaction. Setting the files down on the cabinet she had been directed to, Auyna was about to start filing when she took a moment to draw a deep breath. The room even smelled like Jeff Tracy.
Stepping away from the filing cabinet, Auyna decided to look around the room while she had the chance. She ran her hand lightly over the desk and chair, thinking that the dark wood and strong leather suited the man to a T. Looking out the window, she admired the view, noticing that the executive parking area was visible and she could see the elegant sedan that Jeff Tracy drove. Auyna was surprised he didn't drive something more sporty, but she thought she could recall something about him having children at some point.
Heading over to the bathroom, Auyna inhaled the scents of the products Jeff Tracy kept in the mirrored cabinet, noting there was even a small shower and a closet with a change of clothes. She ran her hands over the clothing and towels, wishing she could…ummm…bad thoughts.
Auyna moved back into the main office, knowing she had to quickly get the filing done before anyone noticed how long she had been in there. As she entered further into the room, Auyna spotted a cluster of photographs in frames on the wall. Some were related to the business, or at least Jeff Tracy's professional career. There were a few from the space program, one of him cutting the ribbon on his first factory in Bailey, and another of the first day this office building was open. She recognized a few people but didn't know the beautiful blonde who appeared in several pictures. Moving back towards the desk, Aunya realized who she was.
The wife. Auyna knew Jeff Tracy had probably been married at one point, but wasn't sure if he still was. After all, he did have a kid or two or…what the hell? Among the pictures of his wife, there were ones of several boys of varying ages. One picture, obviously a favorite from its position of honor, showed the pretty blonde holding an infant and surrounded by four other boys. Two looked just like the boss, while two resembled the wife…and where the heck had the ginger come from?
"God," Auyna muttered as she began filing. "Five brats? Well, that is one way to stay married. It would be too expensive to divorce." But as she continued to file, Auyna smiled. Marriage wouldn't be needed. Plenty of rich guys took mistresses, didn't they?
Let the happy-homemaker take care of the little darlings.
She'd be happy to take care of the boss.
Scott had finished sweeping his grandparents' porch, and came back into the kitchen. Pouring himself a fresh glass of lemonade, the oldest Tracy grandson began to look through the books in the large case near the entrance to the family room when he heard a sound from the back of the house.
Setting down his glass, Scott moved to the room where he had settled Alan and entered quietly in case the toddler was still asleep.
But large blue eyes, dancing with happiness at the sight of his big brother, made it clear the little boy had decided he had slept enough.
"Scotty!" Alan cried out happily, reaching his arms out for his older brother.
Scott quickly took Alan in his arms, and cuddled the little boy close. "You all done with your nap, Allie?" The blonde nodded before he began to wiggle in Scott's arms. "Oh, potty time, huh?"
Alan grinned up at Scott who carried his little brother to the bathroom. Quickly pulling out the tiny potty from under the counter, Scott helped Alan adjust his clothes before doing his business. Once done, the toddler allowed the teenager to help him get dressed again, glad that the days of diapers were gone.
"You did good, Allie, yes you did," Scott crooned. "We are so proud of our big boy."
Alan beamed at the praise. The toddler had surprised his family by being potty trained before he turned two, but their mother had simply shrugged and blamed it on the little one wanting to be just like his big brothers. It definitely did make it easier.
After the pair washed up, Scott carried Alan into the family room, pulling out one of Alan's favorite books and sitting on the couch. The summer air was becoming muggy and the ceiling fan in this room made it a bit more comfortable. As Alan cuddled close to Scott's side, he began to read.
"A told B and B told C, I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree. Wee said D to E,F,G – I'll beat you to the top of the coconut tree…"
Scott's voice trailed off for a moment as the room darkened briefly when clouds passed over the sun. When the room lightened once more – maybe not as bright as before but still – Scott continued the story.
"Chicka-chicka boom-boom, will there be enough room?"*
Lucy watched as the doctor issued an order for an x-ray. She stilled, however, when he cast a suspicious look at her before speaking to Sarah Jane.
"Well, Sarah Jane, I'll need an x-ray to confirm it but it looks like your arm is broken. Can you tell me how you did it?"
"I bet it was Holly," Virgil grumbled.
"Holly?" Dr. Doyle asked.
"My sister," Sarah Jane said quietly. "She didn't want me to come shopping with her and our mother. I don't think she meant to break it, she twisted it real hard though."
Dr. Doyle took a second look at the bruising and realized that the handprint that was fairly visible was too small to belong to the "neighbor". He smiled kindly at the two children as his nurse, Lisa, took the pair to the x-ray room set up down the hall. Once the pair was in the room, he turned to Lucy.
"Is this why you filled out the request for records for the girl? She's being abused by an older sibling?" When Lucy looked in surprise, the doctor sighed.
"Mrs. Tracy, I may be new to the area, but I came from Boston Children's Hospital. Trust me, I have seen plenty of abuse. Too much."
Lucy's sigh and nod allowed the doctor to continue.
"How much older is the sister? Should we be talking to Child Protective Services?"
Lucy was silent for a second before holding out the memory stick. "Get me the records and I can stop the sister myself. Getting CPS involved will only make a bad situation worse. No," she argued when Dr. Doyle began to speak. "I know that an accusation of abuse could make it worse. It will. I was a school teacher before my sons were born, I know the rules. Just list it as the older sister – her nine, almost ten year old, sister – did it when the girls were fighting. I can make sure that little sociopath of a sister doesn't lay another finger on Sarah Jane."
"This will only get the records from today. We'll have to go through medical records to get the older records. You do suspect the other injuries, don't you?" Dr. Doyle asked as he plugged the memory stick into a computer terminal.
"For the last year Sarah Jane has had some injuries that I am questioning," Lucy admitted. "They always happen when Sarah Jane is with Holly."
"What about the ones before that?" Dr. Doyle asked.
"Before?" Lucy asked in surprise.
"The first suspicious injury I noted is when she was three and a half," Dr. Doyle said, his lips tight in anger. "Not many, and most of the injuries are from the last year, but if asked to testify, I would say this little girl has been being hurt for more than four years."
Lucy looked like she was going to be sick before steeling herself. "I think with the evidence, I can make sure Holly stops this. But if asked, you will testify?"
Dr. Doyle nodded grimly. "Of course, Mrs. Tracy." He was about to say something else when Lisa gestured to him just as Lucy's cell phone rang. Smiling, he nodded at Lucy. "You take your call, I'll take mine."
Looking at the phone, Lucy was surprised to see it was Ruth calling. Oh, dear – what had happened now?
Alan smiled up at his oldest brother, cuddling in closer. Scott leaned over and gave his baby brother a kiss on the top of his golden hair.
"How would you like to go on a swing, Allie?" Scott asked as he stood up, pulling Alan with him. The toddler looked confused until Scott explained. Their grandparents didn't have a swing set in their backyard the way his parents did – or did they?
"I think a big boy like you can use the tire swing down by the river," Scott confided. Alan's eyes went wide. The tire swing? But he wasn't even allowed to go down that way.
"Now," Scott said firmly. "You have to promise me that you will never, ever go down there by yourself. Promise, Alan?"
Alan's hair bounced as he nodded his head up and down, making Scott smile. Standing, he held his hand out to his little brother. Scott was so focused on Alan's happy chatter as they left the house he barely noticed that there were now clouds in the previously clear sky. The teenager absently reminded himself to keep an eye on the weather. Alan had the sniffles at the beginning of the month – it wouldn't do for Allie to get sick.
Lucy took notice of Virgil being fitted with a protective vest since her middle child didn't want to be far from Sarah Jane.
"Dr. Doyle?" Lucy said quietly, gesturing to her phone when the man turned towards her. "I need to call my husband. Is it alright?"
"It's ok, Mom," Virgil called over before the doctor could answer. "I'll help take care of Sarah Jane."
Lucy and the nurse – Lisa – exchanged amused looks but Dr. Doyle only looked thoughtful. In the exam room, Virgil had asked some very insightful questions about his friend's injury, ones that made Dr. Doyle wonder if he was talking to a future colleague.
Heading out of the exam rooms hallway, Lucy quickly dialed her husband's cell phone only to sigh when it went to voice mail. He had probably left it in his desk when he went to a meeting, which was the only time he didn't answer calls from her. Hanging up without leaving a message, Lucy dialed Ann-Marie's desk instead.
"Jeff Tracy's office," a strange voice answered.
"Who is this?" Lucy asked.
"I think that should be my question," the voice quipped, to Lucy's annoyance.
Lucy sighed. Great, as if Gordon wasn't enough of a smartass for her to deal with. "This is Mrs. Tracy – as in the boss's wife. Now, I repeat – who are you and why are you answering Ann-Marie's phone?"
Auyna looked around. As it was a Friday afternoon, several of the other girls had been given an ok to use some earned time and enjoy the nice day – especially as the new outlet mall had opened across town. Auyna had been left to man the phones, since being a temp meant she had no earned time – and she needed her paycheck, if she wanted to spice up her wardrobe.
"Ms. Thompson is in a meeting with Mr. Tracy and some department heads. I was told that they were not to be disturbed for anything." Well, that wasn't exactly what she had been told but it was close enough.
Lucy sighed again. "Could you let Jeff know I am calling?"
"I'm sorry, miss," Auyna cooed. "But my instructions were clear – no interruptions." She doubted Jeff Tracy wanted to be interrupted by a whining wife.
Forcing down her anger, Lucy counted to ten before doing it again. By the second time she reached nine, Lucy could speak without cussing.
"Fine," Lucy allowed. "Just tell Jeff to call me as soon as he can. I'll have my cell phone on – tell him it is very, very urgent. And if you see either him or Ann-Marie come out before the meeting ends, give them the message. Got it?"
"Of course, Ma'am," Auyna simpered. "I'll be happy to do so." She had written down the message but once the wife had hung up, Auyna pulled the message note off of the pad and crumpled it up, tossing it towards the trash can. As she returned to her own desk, she didn't even notice she had missed. Sitting down, she began to look at clothes available on-line, wondering if she shouldn't risk using her credit cards to get something a bit more daring for Monday…
Scott frowned as he looked up, realizing the clouds had thickened more. "OK, Allie, let's head back to the house."
Alan looked around and frowned. "No house. Ganma's!"
Chuckling, Scott gently pulled the little boy from the swing. "OK, let's go back to Grandma's house, ok?" When Alan looked like he would argue, Scott whispered, "I know where Grandma keeps her cookies."
"Et's go, Scotty," Alan said gleefully, bouncing in his brother's arms.
Scott simply held Alan close to him as he climbed back up the hill, away from the river. He had never thought the distance between there and the farmhouse, with the barn in between, was all that far. But as the wind whipped up around them, it suddenly seemed like forever.
Lucy sat down in the small coffee shop on the first level of the Urgent Care Center, smiling at Virgil when he cut Sarah Jane's sandwich to make it easier for the girl to eat. When the room darkened, Lucy looked over at the wide expanse of windows.
"Wow," the young waitress said as she refilled Lucy's glass of ice tea. "I guess the weather man was wrong. Looks like we might get some rain after all today."
"I guess," Lucy said absently as she looked at the weather in concern. Pushing down her worry since she couldn't leave until they had copied Sarah Jane's records – the medical records clerk was at lunch herself – Lucy tried to focus on her meal and the two children with her but she still found herself doing a roll-call. John was at school, with watchful teachers - check. Gordon was with watchful grandparents – check. Virgil and Sarah Jane were with her here – double check. Jeannie would be with her mother – Millie check.
That left her oldest and her youngest. But even if Jeff couldn't leave to get the boys, surely he would have sent Ann-Marie for them. Looking down at her cell phone in disgust, Lucy sighed. The low battery warning had dinged on just after she had hung up with Jeff's office. Well – she would check her messages once she had plugged it in when they were in the car.
Auyna sat at her desk, quickly changing the page when she heard someone coming back in.
Ann-Marie smiled at the younger woman. "It's ok. You can do some cyber surfing. Just make sure you answer the phone if any calls come in. Any important messages before I head back into the meeting?" she asked as she pulled a file from her desk drawer. Ann-Marie felt sorry for the girl. She had to be bored, but as a temp, Auyna wouldn't get paid if she wasn't there.
"No," Auyna said. "Nothing important."
Ann-Marie nodded, hoping she agreed when she looked over the messages later. Clutching the folder, she headed back into the meeting. She couldn't believe Jeff had forgotten the figures for the proposal at home.
She didn't even notice how much darker the sky was becoming.
"Jeannie," Millie said firmly. "That's it for the deliveries for the moment."
"OK, Mama," Jean said softly as she headed to the door.
"But that doesn't mean you can run around out there, missy," Millie said. At Jean's rebellious look, she sighed.
"Baby, there looks to be a storm brewing. I don't want you getting caught in it. Now – why don't you head up to your room? Your laundry is on your bed. Put it away – and that doesn't mean tossing it all on your closet floor."
Jean sighed before heading upstairs, her soft, "Yes, Mama," barely audible.
Entering her bedroom, Jeannie eyed the ham radio in the corner. But no, Scotty was only on it when he was at his grandparents and Jeannie had left her best friend at his own home. Sighing again, she began to neatly put her clothes away.
Half way up the hill, rain had been added to Scott's worries as he tried to get his little brother back to their grandparents' house. They had just reached the barn when a new worry was added – hail.
Curling Alan into his own body, Scott knew he couldn't reach the house that quickly. And the hail was coming down fast and hard. The best thing was to get to shelter and Scott managed to get the side door of the barn open so they could slip inside.
"You ok, Allie?" Scott asked as he set his baby brother down on a bale of hay. Picking up an old blanket, Scott shook it out before wrapping it around the toddler.
Alan smiled from his grassy perch, pulling the blanket around him as the wind rattled the old barn. The hail, which usually passed quickly, continued to pound on the structure. Suddenly, a flash of lightening was followed by a rumbling of thunder.
"What next?" Scott muttered as he used a separate blanket to try and dry off his hair before wrapping it around his shoulders. Looking around, he tried to think of something to distract Alan. His eyes landed on his late great-uncle's ham radio, right where Grandpa and Dad had set it up for him.
"Hey, Allie," Scott said cheerfully. "Let's see if we can raise someone. Who should we start with? Speed Racer or Captain Kirk?"
Alan giggled, his fear of the loud noises outside fading. "Jeannie!" he crowed.
"OK, kiddo – it's a long shot, but let's try it." Scott adjusted the setting and sat down…
Jeff jumped at the rumble of thunder, coming just as the meeting was drawing to a close. The drapes, closed against the bright sunlight of earlier, were opened by Ann-Marie, showing the dark clouds and racing winds.
Thinking of his wife and children at home, Jeff excused himself to call home quickly. Calls to both the home phone and Lucy's cell only got him as far as leaving a message. Knowing that Lucy wouldn't touch a phone if it was storming, Jeff presumed that they were all inside. Lucy was paranoid about bad weather and would keep all of the kids inside and away from windows.
"No answer?" Ann-Marie asked from the door as Jeff pulled out his cell and turned it back on.
Not looking at the phone, Jeff slipped it back into his pocket as he shrugged. "Lucy will have everything under control. It's just – Alan hates thunderstorms."
As the thunder rolled once more, Ann-Marie jumped slightly. "Who likes them?"
Jeff chuckled. "Well, I am sure Lucy found something for all five boys to do inside. But I better head home – she may be going stir crazy by now, if this has been going on for a while."
"Four," Ann-Marie absently corrected as she put back a file in a locked cabinet, securing it once more before turning back to Jeff. At his puzzled expression, she grinned. "John is at that thing at school, remember? You did remember to tell Lucy about it, right? All the details? Even that it was today?" At Jeff's guilty look, his PA sighed. "Jeff Tracy – you are lucky it is Johnny. If it was a certain someone else, Lucy would give you heck at causing her extra work for checking on it."
"Gordon's not that bad," Jeff defended his fourth son. He knew his mother had an extra soft spot in her heart for their little water baby, especially since the boy looked so much like her late brother. "And I did mention the school thing to Lucy...well, some of it. I may have forgotten some details. Like the date," Jeff muttered.
Jeff had just picked up his briefcase when the sirens began to sound. John Woodbury ran into the office and looked at the pair. "The TV was giving tornado warnings. I think we need to get to somewhere a bit more secure."
Soon, the executives of Tracy Industries were side by side with the rank and file in the company's wellness center, which doubled as a storm shelter. There was nothing to do but wait.
Lucy looked up in alarm when a siren began to sound. The waitress of the coffee shop quickly turned off several machines and pulled shutters from the inside across the wide windows. Nodding to several clinic employees, she took a deep breath and headed over to the Tracys – the only non-employees present. Kneeling down in front of Virgil and Sarah Jane, she smiled kindly.
"Hey, kids – you know what that is, right?" When both children nodded – after all, they had been raised in tornado alley – the woman smiled again. "What smart guys you are. Well, you and your mom are coming with us. We have a real safe place to wait. And it's probably nothing but -"
"Better safe than sorry," the two echoed, making Lucy smile as she stood up, not bothering to correct the woman's assumption that Sarah Jane was her daughter.
"One of my mother-in-laws favorite sayings."
"Smart lady," the waitress grinned as she buried her worries by helping Sarah Jane stand up. The little girl had been given a shot for the pain and was slightly woozy. Soon they were all in a room in the basement, the children being settled on a bench with Lucy settled between them. She cuddled them close as the lights flickered.
She hated tornadoes. Seriously, Lucy had grown up in Florida with hurricanes. But at least you usually had a couple of days warning with those. Lucy really couldn't think of any natural disaster that could be worse than tornadoes.
Jeannie was just putting the last of her clothes away when the radio in the corner crackled. Mama hadn't been crazy about Mr. Tracy giving it to her, but he was able to talk Mama into it. And when Scott was out at his grandparents, with the younger boys driving him nuts, he could sneak into the barn and they would talk until he could handle the scream team again.
"Jeannie? You there?"
"I'm here, Scooter," Jean squealed, excited. "I am sooooo bored! Please say I can come out there."
"I wouldn't recommend it, Jeannie-beanie," Scott said. "We were down by the river when it got real stormy. By the time we were behind the barn, it started to hail and now it is thundering as well."
Jean looked out the window with a small sigh. "Yeah, we got it here too. No hail, but got the thunder-bumpers."
"Well, Allie and I are gonna wait it out here in the barn until the weather calms."
"Wait," Jean said. "Where are your grandparents? And your other brothers?"
"Johnny's at school, remember? Virgil went with Mom to take Sarah Jane to the doctor. That witch of a sister may have broken the kid's arm."
"Maybe I outta break her nose with my bat," Jeannie grumbled.
"Nah," Scott laughed. "Sheriff Amos will confiscate your bat again."
Ignoring that, Jean asked, "So where are the piranha and your grandparents then?"
"Ganpa, Gamma and Gordy went bye," Alan softly said, Scott having put the toddler on his lap.
"Grandpa had to the city," Scott said. "I'll explain more later."
Jean took that to mean that whatever it was could be bad and he didn't want Alan to hear. She worried her lower lip for a moment but before she could say anything, the tornado sirens went off.
"Scotty, the tornado sirens are going off. Maybe you should get to the house. The barn wouldn't be that safe."
It was silent for a moment before Scott answered again. "We'll try, Jeannie – oh, crap! Jeannie, one of the windows…Jean!"
"Scotty!" Jean called. "Scotty, answer me!"
In the barn, one of the windows had cracked just as Scott lost Jean's signal. Scott picked up Alan in his arms and started towards the main doors. The door almost ripped out of his hand, and as he pressed Alan's face against his shoulder Scott looked off in the distance, and his heart almost stopped in his chest.
A funnel cloud had formed, and now a twister was heading straight towards the farm. Scott tried taking a few steps towards the house but bits of debris, driven on the fierce wind, was driving him back. The screen door on the porch rattled, making Scott realize he hadn't latched it. When he looked up again, Scott realized he Alan's Boo Bear was on the porch. The wind was entering the porch and the stuffed animal began to roll back and forth, tossed by the fury of the storm.
"Scotty," Alan cried out. "I's scared!"
"It'll be ok, Allie," Scott called. "C'mon, let's get back in the barn."
If he had been by himself, Scott may have taken a chance and run the thirty or so feet to the house. But he had his two year old brother and Scott would do whatever he could to protect the toddler.
Getting back in the barn, Scott settled Alan back onto a bale of hay and secured the door as best as he could. But doors in out buildings like this were meant to be secured on the outside more than from within, so the doors rattled ominously. Picking up Alan again, Scott moved into the heart of the barn and settled Alan into a small nook that had once been part of a horse's stall. Grabbing a couple of blankets, Scott covered Alan as best as he could before pulling the last blanket over his head. Curling up with Alan against the inner wall, he traced the cut on his arm where he still had a scar – a scar Scott had received six months earlier saving his little brother from kidnappers. Pressing a kiss against Alan's head, Scott curled his body tighter around Alan, determined to be the final line of defense for his baby.
"Never forget how much I love you, Allie," Scott murmured through his tears. "Never forget that I love you more than anything."
The words had barely left his mouth when the world seemed to shatter around Scott – and he knew no more.
A/N - More trauma and drama.
* direct from the book "Chicka-Chicka Boom-Boom".