Disclaimer: Need I even say it again? I don't own any of them except Samantha.
A/N: Parts of this chapter will be set in the 1st person to better clarify the character's thoughts.
Like Father, Like Son
"NNOOOO!" The rough sob erupted from the very depths of his heartbreak. Startled, everyone in the make-shift hospital looked around in confusion. Alan and Gordon both looked at their father and began to cry as the tendrils of understanding took a firmer grip on their young minds. Scott shifted Alan to Virgil and grabbed Gordon from their father just before he dropped to his knees. Covering his face with his hands, Jeff continued to cry out his loss. The doctor looked uncomfortable and tired. He had hated telling someone that a loved one had died or had a terminal illness.
Jeff's POV:
When I saw Lucy lying on that stretcher in the make-shift morgue, it was like someone had punched me in the stomach. I couldn't contain my emotions any longer and suddenly dropped to my knees, crying. Overwhelmed with the enormity of what the death of my wife meant caused me to briefly wish for God to take me as well. How was I supposed to manage raising our six children by myself when Lucy and I had been a team? They needed their mother as much as I needed my wife. My thoughts strayed to John and Samantha and I realized not only was I now a hundred percent responsible for raising six children alone, two of them were severely injured and currently on their way to the nearest hospital for treatment.
"Jefferson, you were raised as a farmer and you have endured difficulties in your life. This is another of life's unexpected curves even though it is your biggest fear come true. You have to finish raising my grandchildren just as your mother and I raised you. I'll look after Lucy and both of us will be looking after all of you."
A strange sense of calm settled over me and squaring my shoulders, I stood up and looked over at my sons. Wiping away the last of my tears, I leaned over and gently kissed Lucy's cold lips.
"I love you, Lucy, and I'll do my best to raise our children. I'm sure that I heard Dad talking to me and I'm positive that if it was him then you will be well taken care of. Oh God, Baby, why did you have to leave me? Us? I don't know if I can do this on my own," I told her silently. Sighing, I carefully brushed her hair back and even though it seemed as if my heart was being ripped from my chest, I smiled down at her one last time as my tears blurred my vision. Stepping back, my sons looked up at me with sadness etched on their young faces.
"Let's go, boys. John and Samantha will need us when they come around," I managed to say as I took Alan from Virgil. "Doctor, I'll make the necessary arrangements." Lost in my own pain, I didn't understand how bad it would get for another. I'd forgotten that my oldest son was like me in more ways than one. He tended to keep any emotional pain buried and only Lucy and Samantha would be able to get him to open up. I knew that he was especially close to Virgil but Scott felt that he had to appear strong all the time and never let his pain show. With Lucy gone and Samantha injured, Scott wouldn't have anyone he felt 'safe' talking about his pain or our loss. Broken by our loss, the five of us made our way back to the SUV. After making sure that everyone had fastened their seatbelt, I drove to the hospital as yet another realization made itself known- neither John nor Samantha knew that Lucy was gone. At least that was my assumption since both had been unconscious when they were carried into the make-shift hospital. I would find out later that John had been the first to be found and had been awake and aware when Lucy and Samantha had been found.
Scott's POV
Glancing over at my dad, I couldn't help but notice the whiteness of his knuckles as he gripped the steering wheel. Sighing, I turned to look my window as the scenery passed by in a constant blur and that was when I became aware of the wetness on my face. Casually, I reached up and wiped the unbidden tears from my face. I had never cried in front of my brothers or dad. Only Mom and Samantha had ever seen me cry and that was only because I knew that they truly understood me and with them I could let down that macho exterior that the Tracy men had always prided themselves on. The Tracys had always been farmers until my dad bucked tradition and followed his dreams to be a pilot and that took him to be an astronaut. Now he was a business man as well as an American hero. To me he was my role-model and until today I had never seen him break down and cry. I guess I never thought about how close Mom and Dad were or how much he loved her. Sure, he smiled more when he was around her and her eyes always sparkled when she looked at him.
"This family is going to have a hard time recovering from Mom's death. She always made the time for each of us and still managed to be a great partner to Dad. Both of them have been such positive role-models. Mom, how are we going to manage without you? Just because the twins wanted one more run down the slopes, I won't have special time with you anymore."
A small whimper from the backseat caught my attention. Turning slightly in my seat, I noticed Virgil biting his lip and Gordon staring, morosely, out of the window. Alan stared at a small car that I recognized as something Mom had given him to play with on the flight to Colorado. Tears pooled in his blue eyes making them appear bluer but it was evident that he was trying to hold back his emotions.
"Alan?" Glancing up, my baby brother continued to struggle with his tears. All at once, he could no longer hold back his sobs and his tears streamed down his face. Virgil and Gordon flinched and then turned to stare at our baby brother. Deftly, I unfastened my seatbelt and clambered over my seat and back to where he was sitting. I vaguely heard Dad demanding that I get back into my seat.
"Why, Scotty? Why did Mommy have to die?" Alan sobbed. "Who's going to fix my lunch and take care of my owies when I get hurt?"
"I don't know why Mom had to die, Ally," I answered softly. "We still have Dad and he can, believe it or not, take care of owies almost as well as Mom did." I heard a small choked laugh from the front seat and knew that Dad had heard me. Gordon and Virgil had remained quiet while I held Alan and tried to calm him down. Samantha had always made this look so easy but for me it was a bit uncomfortable. Not that I don't love my family but this was not my area of expertise. Mom and Samantha had been the nurturing ones in the family and more comfortable with tears and emotions.
"Come on, boys. John and Samantha are going to need us when they wake up," Dad said. Looking up, I was surprised to find that we were already at the hospital. We sat in the waiting room, well, Virgil, Gordon, Alan, and myself sat. Dad paced back and forth while we waited to hear how John and Sam were. He had just started another circuit around the room when a doctor came in and introduced himself. I tried to listen to him but my thoughts kept drifting back to Mom would still be alive if she hadn't taken the twins skiing again. I felt guilty for thinking such thoughts when my brother and sister were hurt and not even aware that our mother hadn't survived.
"Scott? Johnny's asking for us," Virgil told me. I felt him tug on my hand and followed the rest of them to John's room. My feelings of guilt were compounded when I saw him lying on the hospital bed. He looked so small and pale. Thinking that he was asleep, we were as quiet as five males could be and were all surprised to see him look over at us.
"Sam?" Was all he managed to say before he stopped fighting the pain medicines and succumbed to the sleep he needed.
