Chapter 2

A/N: Hello, it's been a while. We've moved from one country to another, I've gone to a new school, and we still don't have internet at home. (This is from school, I don't even know whether it's going to work, but I'll find out soon enough. If you're reading this, it worked. ;) ) OK, but anyway. Thanks for the reviews. Hope you enjoy this chapter. More to come... Please read and review!!

During dinner John seemed to be totally off the world. If you asked him to pass something he would find it and give it almost automatically without a word being said.

After dinner, when John had left the room once again, the others all turned to Gordon with similar expressions on their faces.

"I don't know what's wrong yet. But he did say that he would tell me as soon as he had figured something out for himself." Gordon said and added almost defensively, "It's better than nothing, isn't it."

Scott sighed. "Yes Gordon, it is. But it doesn't keep me from worrying."

"Well, it seems that John knows what he's doing." Jeff said, and with that the conversation about John was over for now.

Around 9 o'clock pm there was a knock on Gordon's door. He was lying on his bed, reading a magazine about exotic fish.

"Virgil, I didn't take the piece of paper on which you were composing! I already told you!" He shouted to the door, without turning to see who it was.

"Well, even though we're brothers, I think the resemblance between my artistic brother and me is not that big that we are mistaken for the other."

Gordon turned around and studied his older brother.

"Now that you mention it, I think there is indeed something that sets you two apart. Just let me think what it is. It might be the hair colour. Yes, I think that's possible... or is it the eye colour? No wait, I know what it is! Yeah! Last time I saw Virgil he had this furious expression in his eyes because he couldn't find his music. In your eyes I see the twinkling, though still dimmed, that has been missing for the last three days."

John smiled. "Ready to hear the reason, or should I go and show Virgil where his music is?"

"You took his music?" Gordon asks incredulously.

John had a teasing smile on his face, but then said: "No, but if he had only looked on the magazine pile he would have remembered that he dropped the papers there when he went to get supper."

Gordon shook his head. "John, will you ever cease to amaze me? You seemed like you were totally lost in thought, and you still managed to notice those things?"

John shrugged. "Want to hear it or not?"

"Yes."

The blonde man walked over to the bed, after having closed the door behind him, and sat down.

"You remember that colleague from NASA? Nicole Evers?"

Gordon nodded.

"Remember I sometimes went to her house when no-one would be here during my time off?"

Again Gordon nodded.

"Well, about two weeks ago Nicole's mother died. The burial was three days later."

"And you were mad because you couldn't be there?" Gordon asked carefully.

"Well, yes. Because I didn't even know at that time." Both were silent for a while. "She was a great mother you know."

Suddenly Gordon understood the whole problem.

"You saw her as a sort of second mum, didn't you?" Gordon asked quietly. John nodded.

"Yes. Almost from the moment we met she's been like a mother to me. Whenever I needed motherly advice, I went to her."

Gordon now understood what kind of emotions John had been carrying, and still carried around the last couple of days. He had already lost his own mother at a young age, and now his 'second mother' who he could not even say goodbye to by going to the funeral.

"Oh, John." Was all he managed to say. He hugged his older brother tightly for a long time. Then John loosened himself from Gordon's hug, and gave him a weak smile.

"Thanks Gordo."

"For you, anytime... Now, how about you and me go and tease Virgil about his so called amnesia-attack." Gordon said with a big smile.

John laughed but shook his head.

"You go and do that. I'm going to Father and see whether I can get a few days off."

Immediately Gordon turned serious again. "You're going to family Evers?"

John nodded. "It's the least I can do... and I need it."

Gordon nodded his approval, gave his brother a quick hug, and then turned to go and look for Virgil.

John went to the living room, often also called Jeff's study because that's where Jeff Tracy had his desk.

After having told his father the shortened version of what he told Gordon, John was allowed a week off, but he did have to go by Tracy Industries to take care of some business.

Saying goodnight and goodbye to his brothers, including Alan, John went to bed early, so he could take off early the next morning.