Chapter Ten,

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On with the story

Chapter Ten

The next morning the Tracy clan awoke to good news. Jeff had left a message at the hotel reception to notify the rest of the family that Scott was awake, and fairly lucid. He himself had stayed by Scott's bedside throughout the night along with Virgil. Scott began to stir once more at about half past six that morning, this sleep although helped along by the pain medication had been restless, and Jeff had been concerned of his son injuring himself further with his tossing and turning.

"Hi son, how are you feeling?" Jeff asked as Scott's eyes opened. Virgil sat on the edge of his seat, dying to hear his brother's voice. Scott blinked in confusion for a few moments before realisation dawned on him.

"Dad?" he rasped. "I feel like I got run over by a train" he whispered in response. His head was throbbing mercilessly, and the rest of body ached worse than he had ever known. Jeff chuckled gently at his son's response, glad that at least he was speaking and seemed to understand, plus whilst not quite his usual humour, he had tried and that was what counted.

"It's no surprise Scott, considering the catalogue of injuries you have sustained" a new voice continued. Scott turned his head slowly at the sound, and was met with his closest brother's concerned gaze. The hazel eyes had always been so expressive, at least to Scott, and right now he didn't like what he saw in them. He saw compassion, and concern, but what worried him was the fear present in their depths.

"Virgil? Are you okay?" the worried older brother asked, and his question brought a strained smile to Virgil's face.

"Scott I am just fine, now you have decided to grace us with your presence, but if you ever scare me like that again I swear I will kill you myself" Virgil replied, and Scott knew that he meant every word. Yet he wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to have done, he supposed he had missed a few things. Scott just tiredly muttered an apology. "Oh you silly thing, you have nothing to apologise for I am just glad that you are awake and with us" Virgil continued "Now why don't you get some more sleep, the whole clan will be here soon, and you know you won't get a moment's peace once the kids arrive" the younger man told his brother. Scott nodded slightly, and then winced at the movement.

"Okay son, I'll fetch the doctor and see if he can give you some pain medication, I'm sure that will help" Jeff told his son, at the look of agony that crossed his drawn features. A moment later the doctor was back in the room and drugging him to oblivion.

Flashback

The entire area was so dark, and dusty, and every time he moved his body a new agony flared through him. The young girl lay in his arms, so still that if it hadn't been for her laboured breathing he would have thought she was dead. He tried once more to engage her in conversation.

"So Shannon, what's gonna be the first thing you do when you get out of here?" he had asked her, and even he could hear the fear clearly radiating from his voice.

"Sir, I don't think I am going to get out of here, it hurts. I just want my Mommy" she sobbed against him, and as the tears welled in his own eyes, he found that he had no voice to reply with.

End of Flashback

Back in the present Scott Tracy shot bolt upright in bed startling his younger brother at the speed of the movement. The horrible memory had woken him from his healing slumber. He screamed out in pain, as his sharp movement pulled on his already fragile ribs. Virgil grabbed him by the shoulders and gently, but firmly pushed him back down onto the bed. He held him against his chest as his older brother sobbed about the loss of a young girl he had barely known. Virgil didn't know who or what Scott was crying for, but he knew that he needed the release. It was the only help that Virgil had to offer at that time, and he sure as hell was going to give it. Softly he whispered to, and shushed, his brother, just making calming noises as you would to a newborn child. It seems to work as his brother quietened down and slowly drifted back into a more restful sleep cradled lovingly in his brother's arms.

And that was how Tin-Tin found the two brothers three hours later. Both of them sound asleep in the hospital bed. It puzzled her how Virgil had ended up in Scott's bed, but as she moved closer she saw the dried tearstains down the older man's face, and drawing her own conclusions silently left the room. She made her way back to the relative's room, to explain to the others why it wasn't a good time to visit.

"Sorry guys, but Scott is sleeping at the moment, so we can't really visit him" she explained hoping that they wouldn't ask too many questions.

"Ah Tin-Tin can't we just wake him up?" Alan the youngest and least mature of the brothers asked. Exasperated Tin-Tin tutted before replying.

"No Alan, we cannot just wake him up, your brother has been through an awful ordeal, and sleep is his body's chance to heal. Now I know that you want to see him, but you'll get plenty of opportunity, just let him sleep for a little while longer then we can all go and see him. Why don't you take this chance to contact John and let him know what's happening, then you can arrange for him to be there when you visit Scott later" she told him, meaning that he could keep John on the radio link so that he could exchange a few words with his brother, and see him for himself . Usually she may have given in, but she wasn't sure if Scott, the field leader, older brother and general tough guy, would have wanted for all of his family to see him in such a vulnerable position. Alan sighed deeply, he knew that what Tin-Tin was saying was true, but he had really wanted to see his brother just to put his mind at ease and know for himself, by seeing with his own two eyes, that his brother was going to be okay. Much to everyone's surprise Alan simply nodded.

"You are right Tin-Tin we must do what is best for Scott. I am going to go and give John a call" Alan told them all before leaving the room. The rest of the family exchanged a glance, was the baby of the family finally growing up?

Meanwhile, Alan was walking swiftly down the corridor to his brother's room. He wasn't intending on waking him up, he just had to see him for himself. He quietly pushed the door ajar, and tiptoed in through the gap. What he saw nearly broke his heart. His two older brothers were dead to the World on the hospital bed, Virgil cradling Scott as if he was the most precious package in the World, which in Virgil's mind he probably was. Alan grinned slightly that was exactly how Scott used to hold him when he had had a nightmare and couldn't go to sleep. At that thought his grin faded completely, so that was what had happened. Scott had had a bad dream, and Virgil had been comforting him, just had Scott had done for all four of his brothers so long ago. Tin-Tin must have known and that was why she was trying to stop us from going to see him, Alan thought to himself she was right, Scott would hate the idea of anyone seeing him so in need of help. Alan knew it was nothing to be ashamed of, but Scott was so independent and proud, that he never liked to show weakness. Just as quietly as Alan had gone into the room, he left it, silently pulling the door shut behind him. Tin-Tin had been right, they should be left to rest, he thought to himself as he made his way outside to call his third older brother.

End Chapter Ten

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