"Shh!" Scott hissed at his younger two brothers as they started arguing about how butter should be spread on toast, "You'll wake Mom up!"

Alan paused and looked to his oldest brother, not entirely sure why they were making breakfast for a change. Normally, Alan wasn't allowed anywhere near the kitchen at breakfast time when Grandma was making scrambled eggs and bacon for them all. Today though, Scott had dragged Gordon away from the morning cartoons, insisting that they made their mother breakfast in bed. Naturally, wherever Gordon went, little Alan would follow.

Letting Gordon take the butter, Alan turned to where his older brother was pouring a glass of orange, "Why are we making Mommy breakfast?"

Scott put the juice away, tiptoeing to reach the shelf in the fridge that it lived on, "Because she was upset last night,"

"Why was she upset?" Alan frowned, Gordon had rather proudly already shown the younger boy his swimming medal, so she couldn't be sad because he hadn't won.

"I don't know Alan," Scott sighed, "But she always liked having breakfast in bed, so I thought it would cheer her up."

The oldest boy had heard his mother sobbing from his bedroom late in the night, but had been beaten to her by Grandma. He felt that it was his duty to look after his mother, he was the man of the house now, he had to look after everyone. It didn't matter to him if he had to get up earlier to make his mother toast and juice, if it made her happy, he would do it for every day for the rest of her life.

"Right," Scott took the glass and looked to Gordon, "Are you ready?"

Gordon climbed down from the chair he had been stood on and reached up to take the plate, "Yeah,"

Scott gave the pair a warning look, "Quietly, okay?"

They both nodded and wordlessly followed him out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Lucy had heard the banging in the kitchen, but she hadn't gone down to see. She knew that it was Scott down there, she'd heard him talking to his youngest two brothers. They were probably making themselves some drinks or something, they could manage. As the mother turned over to go back to sleep, the floorboard outside of her room creaked, "Alan, please will you open the door?"

Frowning, Lucy turned over and sat up in bed as the door was pushed open, brushing quietly against the deep carpet. She reached out and flicked on the bedside lamp, "Boys?"

"Mommy!" Alan exclaimed and jumped onto the bed, "We made you breakfast in bed!"

He crawled into her lap and rested his head on his mother's shoulder as his older two brothers came in.

"We made you breakfast," Gordon corrected, as he set a glass of bright yellow juice on the bedside cabinet, "Allie just watched."

Lucy smiled as Scott came in with a tray, toast and mini pots of jam scattered about on it, "What have I done for this?"

Scott set the tray down on the bed next to his mother and looked up to her, "I thought it might cheer you up."

She shared a look with her oldest son and held an arm out for him to climb up on the bed, "Oh, you boys," She sighed as she hugged the three of them, "What would I do without you?"

Alan grinned up to her, "Are we the bestest Mommy?"

Lucy laughed and looked to the door, "I love all five of you to the stars and further, so does your Daddy." She sighed and smiled to Alan and Gordon, "Why don't you go and wake Virgil and John up? I've got something I want to tell you all."

The youngest two jumped up and ran to their brother's room. Scot hugged his mother tighter and looked up to her, "Are you okay Mom? really?"

He sighed as his mother hugged him back, "Did I wake you last night?"

Scott shook his head, "I was awake, I heard John and Virgil were up talking, I'm not sure what about."

He looked up to her as she spoke, "I saw that John was in your brother's room, how is Virgil?"

Scott shook his head, and rested his head on his mother's shoulder. He really was worried about his younger brother, he was so much quieter now, "He's always in his room now Mom. I can't even remember when the last time he played."

He smiled a little as Lucy stroked his hair back, "With any luck, my news will cheer him up."

Virgil sleepily climbed onto his mother's bed, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, "Mom, Alan and Gordon woke us up."

He moved to hug her once she had moved the tray of food onto the bedside table and closed his eyes to go back to sleep. Lucy hugged her son with a smile, "Yes, I asked them to sweetie."

"But we were asleep." Virgil grumbled looking up to her, "Why'd you make them wake us up?"

He looked up as John came in, also still rubbing his eyes. He frowned at his older brother, "Where'd they go?"

John looked over his shoulder as the noise of the TV filled the house, "Cartoons."

Lucy shook her head with a smile, "They're probably a little young to understand anyway," She looked to her middle son and brushed his hair out of his eyes, it was getting longer now, almost shaggy. He'd have to have it cut soon, unless he wanted to grow it long.

"What is it Mom?" Virgil asked, pulling away to rub his eyes again as his older brothers crawled up the bed to join them.

The mother smiled and kissed each of their heads before sighing, "How would you guys feel about having another brother, or sister?"

She smiled as Scott frowned at her, "But-"

"How mom?" John asked, sitting up, "Dad…" He trailed off and glanced to Virgil.

Lucy hugged her middle son tightly, "I think it was his last gift to us," She looked down to Virgil and squeezed his shoulder, "All of us."

Virgil realised what his mother was saying to him and looked up to her, "I guess it would be nice,"

Scott nodded in agreement, "Yeah, 'specially if we finally get a little sister!"

John smiled and looked to Virgil, "Yeah, another little brother would be a pain!"

Virgil smiled, it was suddenly seemed clear why his father had saved him. If this was his father's last gift, Virgil knew exactly why he was still here.

He smiled to his mother and nodded, "I'd like it."

Lucy smiled in relief and hugged her three eldest sons tightly, "I'm glad," She shifted and pushed the covers back, "Now, how about a day out to the zoo to celebrate?"

The three sons grinned and cheered, all jumping off of the bed to go and get ready. Lucy laughed and got up herself, glad some of the once common excitement had returned to the house. She looked to her mother-in-law whom had appeared in the doorway, her eyebrows raised, "I presume you told them?"

Lucy nodded and leant against the door frame, "They took it well."

"Of course they did," Ruth laughed, "To them it's just another playmate."