I don't know how long we sat there. Me and dad next to Abby, Virgil and Gordon next to John. Alan was asleep on a chair in the corner of the room. I couldn't tear myself away from Abby's face. None of us spoke. The only sound was the machinery clustered around my sister. The sound was annoying yet soothing at the same time. On one hand, she was still alive but on the other hand, these machines were the reason she was alive. Suddenly, I heard a low moan coming from the other bed. My head snapped up to see John coming round. Dad looked over at me, torn between seeing his son and staying with his daughter.

"Go on Dad," I encourage. "John needs you. I'll stay with Abby." He nods and hurries over to John's bedside. I listen to their conversation as he slowly comes round. I wish I could be there too but I can't leave Abby.

"Dad?" John moans.

"Hey Johnny. How're you feeling?" Dad asks.

"Ugh, delicate." I watch Gordon laugh at this and smile slightly. It doesn't take much to make Gordon frown and, when he was upset, it didn't take long for him to bounce back. At least one of us is acting normally. I think to myself.

"Hey it's not funny," John grumbles half-heartedly. "Hang on, where's Scott and Ab…oh my God Abby! Where is she? Is she ok? What ha…"

"Whoa easy John. Scott and Abby are right over there. Your sister was badly hurt but Dan reckons she'll be ok." That seems to calm him down.

"Well, well, well – sleeping beauty has decided to grace us with his presence." Dan drawls from the doorway. I don't know what John did but it set Gordon off again.
"There's no need for that John." Dan says pretending to tell him off. He checks John over before saying,

"Well blondie looks like you're gonna be ok. I'll keep you in tonight – see how you go but you should be released tomorrow."

"Thanks Dan." Dad says, relief in his voice.

"No problem. I'm just gonna be over here checking on trouble." Dad chuckles before turning his attention back to John.

"Did you hear that Abs? Dan's making fun of you. Do you want me to tell him off for you?" I ask, hoping to get a response from my sister but there was no response.

"What you gonna do Scooter?" Dan asks, checking the readout from one of the machines.

"Oh I'm sure I'll think of something." I reply. Before Dan can answer, we hear John arguing with Dad.

"Uh oh, someone else is causing trouble now Abby." Dan mutters, running his hand through her hair before turning round to face the rest of my family.

"Now ladies, what seems to be the problem?" The looks he received made me snort with laughter. That was a low blow.

"I want to see my sister." John says determinedly.

"Ah – I'm not sure John." Dan says.

"Please Dan. I have to see her." I watch Dan look at Dad who sighs in defeat and nods.

"Ok then, Gordon, come and help him up. Virgil, pull that chair over to Abby's bed." Dad says, wrapping an arm round one side of John, Gordon on the other. 5 minutes later, John was sat opposite me, staring at our sister.

"Jeff, boys. Maybe you can come and help me get some drinks?" Dan asks and I smile. Trust Dan to know that John wants some time with me and Abby. As they leave the room, I decide to start the conversation.

"You ok Johnny?" I ask quietly, rubbing my thumb on Abby's hand.

"Yeah. Better than Abby anyway." I sigh.

"John…"

"No, Scott. It's true. I'm a lot better than Abby is right now. Look at her Scott. How did we let this happen to her? Why didn't she tell us she was in pain?" The look of despair on my brother's face was heart breaking.

"I think she knew we couldn't do anymore to help her. Virge had already given her as much morphine as he could without making her sleepy."

"But when we were on 3. She could have had more then, couldn't she?"

"Yeah, but I think she saw the pain you were in and decided that you needed the medication more than she did."

"But that's crazy! Why would she…"

"Because she's your sister. And as much as we don't want her to, she looks after us just like we try and look after her."

"She was looking after me? Ok, when she wakes up we are having a serious chat. It should be us looking after her not the other way around."

I chuckle. "I know John. I know"

"Oh Abby. Why do you have to be like us? Too stubborn for your own good." He says, dropping his head in his hands.

"Because she wouldn't be a Tracy if she wasn't stubborn." I say smiling.

"There is that." John agrees, looking up at me and smiling. At that moment, Dad, Virgil and Gordon come back in, carrying cups of coffee.

"Say goodnight to your sister John." Dad says smiling at the confused look on John's face. "You need to rest son. Abby will still be here later." One look at Dad told John what he needed to know. He wasn't winning this one. He sighed and kissed Abby's hand before whispering

"Sleep tight little sister." Dad and Virgil help him back to bed and settle him down. For the first time I notice the time. It's almost 11pm. I look over at Gordon, trying to coax Alan awake. I'd forgotten Alan was here. I shake my head slightly. How could I forget him again? My reverie is broken by Dad.

"Right boys. I've booked you into the hotel across the road. I want you all to head over there now and get some rest. It's been a long day. Alan, who's now leaning sleepily against Gordon nods, too tired to argue. Gordon nods as well, obviously thinking about Alan. Virgil looks beat too and I bet I look the same. But I shake my head.

"Scott." Dad groans.

"I'm staying here Dad. I have to."

"Scott. I know why you want to stay. But you can't sleep here. Making yourself sick won't help John and Abby. Go and get some sleep and come back over in the morning. I promise, if anything happens I'll call you." I know I'm not going to win this one and I nod in defeat.

"Good boy." Dad says, ruffling my hair. We all say goodnight to Dad, John and Abby and head out of the hospital. Leaving a hospital has never felt so wrong.

When we get to our room, I send Gordon and Virgil into one room and steer Alan into the other. I throw him some pyjamas and let him get dressed while I see to the others and get changed myself. I say goodnight to Virgil and Gordon and head back to Alan, who's sat on the edge of the bed trying to fight off sleep.

"Hey sprout." I say softly. "You wanna share with me tonight?" The look of joy that crossed his face was unbelievable. It was so simple but something I hadn't offered in years. When he was little he would always come to me first when he had nightmares. It made me realise just how big the gap between me and Alan had become.
"Come on then." I say, helping him into bed and settling him in. I turn out the light and settle in myself. I look over at my brother. He'd been so quiet today. The events were obviously starting to catch up on him. My heart twists when I realise he's crying.

"Hey, hey hey. What's wrong Al?" I ask, thinking the worst. That Alan was hurt too and he hadn't told us either.

"I'm scared Scotty." He sobs. Without thinking I reach over and pull him into a hug.

"Scared of what Allie?" I ask gently.

"Of him. What if he's not really gone Scott? What if he comes back? What if…"

"Hey, hey, hey." I soothe. "He's not getting out Sprout. He's gone and he's never coming back. I promise. You're safe now Al." I continue in this way until his sobs start to stop. Eventually, I feel him relax against me and I smile softly, brushing a stray strand of hair out of the way.

"Sleep tight Alan." I whisper, closing my eyes. I fall asleep with my brother still wrapped in my arms.

I wake early the next morning and slowly detangle myself from Alan who was gripping tightly onto my shirt. I stand up and pause for a moment, making sure Alan was still asleep. I go and check on Virgil and Gordon and I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from laughing. Gordon has managed to take up most of the double bed so Virgil has been pushed to the edge of the bed. Half of his body is hanging off the bed, his mouth slightly open and gentle snores fill the room. The duvet has been kicked off the bed and is sat in a pile on the floor. I back slowly out of the room so I don't wake them. I sit down on one of the armchairs and turn the TV on. I'd only been there for about 20 minutes when the phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and my heart stopped.

"Dad? What's wrong? What's happened?"

"Calm down Scott. Everything's ok now." I pounce on the word that shouldn't be included in the sentence.

"Now? Dad – what's happened?" I hear him sigh.

"Abby started seizing." I stopped breathing. "She had a bad reaction to some new antibiotics that the doctors put her on. She's fine now but I promised I'd tell you if anything happened."

"We're on our way over." I say, standing up.

"No Scott. Wait a while. I don't want to see any of you for at least another hour and I expect you all to have had breakfast during that time do you understand?"

"But Dad!"

"No Scott. I don't need any more of you getting sick." I sigh in defeat.

"Ok Dad. Just, keep me informed. Please?"

"I will Scooter. See you soon."

"Bye dad." I put the phone down and put my head in my hands.

"Oh Abby. What am I going to do with you?" I mutter.