Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou to all of your lovely reviews! It pains me to inform you that this is one of the last chapters of Abduction. I decided to write the "healing phase" of this story as a separate document, which will be out shortly after this one ends.

love always, Boann xxx

"It's alright, Shhhh."

Jeff hated to hear his son cry. He hated hearing him in agony. Yet the fact that Alan was responding to his voice made him happier than he'd been in weeks. Alan was shaking and sobbing, and every now and then, Jeff could hear whimper of pain. But that didn't matter. The hand curled around the back of his neck and the other clinging to the front of his shirt. Both were wonderful signs..

Jeff had been so afraid that Alan would reject him for leaving him alone. Yet here the two of them sat in each other's arms. Scott, John, Virgil and Gordon put comforting hands on their shoulders and arms, but, respectfully, did not invade Jeff and Alan's embrace, for which Jeff was truly grateful.

"It's alright, I'm here," he soothed, hearing his own voice break as hot tears fell down his own face.

"Dad, I'm sorry…I'm so…sorry!" Alan cried out between sobs, huddling further into his hold.

"You don't have to be sorry, Alan. Everything is going to be alright, I promise," said Jeff.

"I…thought…I thought I'd never…."

"Shhhh," Jeff gently silenced his son. "It's over," he murmured, resting his head against Alan's shoulder and rocking him gently.

How he hated lying to his son…

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

For hours, Jeff sat with Alan in his arms, soothing him until his sobs deceased. Finally it seemed that sickness and exhaustion won and Alan fell into slumber. Jeff gently lowered his son back into bed, pulling up the covers. He sat on the bed next to him, holding his hand and stroking his face.

Dr Fletcher, whom everybody had forgotten, returned to place an oxygen tube under Alan's nose and run an examination, through which Alan thankfully remained asleep.

"His chest and shoulder will be especially sore, but I'm certain he'll regain his strength within the next few days," Dr Fletcher told them.

After a few more hours of sitting at Alan's bedside, Jeff instructed the rest of his family to return to the hotel room for some sleep, as they were all clearly exhausted, emotionally and physically. However, this time he was met with strong resistance.

"We're staying," said Scott, huskily.

"Dad, we're not leaving," said Virgil, rubbing his red eyes and settling himself more comfortably against Alan's bed.

"Alan is going to need all of us, Dad. You can't do this on your own," said John, quietly.

Jeff sighed his relent, knowing that his boys were right.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Alan didn't wake until early the next morning. None of them had been expecting him to lurch bolt upright in bed, gasping.

"Hey, Alan, calm down, it's ok," soothed John, who was first to recover from being pulled from sleep. He gripped his brother's hand and stroked the back of his neck.

Alan didn't say anything for a moment. His eyes swept the scene before him.

"Alan?" called Jeff, quietly, resting a hand on Alan's arm.

Alan finally turned to him, "Dad?" he said, gripping Jeff's hand.

"I'm here, son. It's alright," he soothed.

"What's happening, where…" Alan's eyes filled with fear.

"Just relax, you're in hospital," comforted Jeff, laying Alan back down.

John sensed his brother's uneasiness. "Hey, sprout. It's ok, we're all here," he said, gently.

"Do you remember waking up earlier?" questioned Jeff, gently.

Alan's eyes suddenly grew wide and he gasped, "Oh, God!"

"Alan, what is it?" asked Jeff.

Alan's eyes filled with tears and he shook his head, silently.

"Alan, please, talk to us. It's ok," comforted Scott.

Alan seemed to shrink back into his pillows. He turned his head towards Jeff. "Where is he?"

Nobody needed an explanation as to whom Alan was referring to, yet that fact did not mean they weren't startled by the abruptness of the question.

Jeff was the first to recover. "He's gone," he answered, a little more strongly.

Alan clenched his lips together and nodded once. John used the back of his fingers to gently wipe away the tear that fell down his brother's cheek. "It's ok, Alan," he said, softly.

Alan took in a shuddery breath and spoke, his voice raspy. "I…I may not have been…totally…with it earlier…but I just want you all to know that I'm sorry."

"Alan, no…" whispered Jeff.

"Please, just…" Alan's tears now streamed down his face, "It was my fault…I didn't know…I-"

"Alan, listen to me. Whatever happened, I'm as much to blame," said Jeff, firmly. "I'm sorry, son."

"We all are," Scott spoke up.

Another silence ensued. It was finally pierced with Alan's soft moan.

"It hurts," he whimpered.

Jeff put his hand on Alan's forehead, "I know. I know it does. Don't worry. We'll be going home soon. I promise."

From where he sat on Alan's bed, Gordon gently rubbed Alan's leg. "Just get some sleep, sprout. We're not going anywhere," he told his brother.

Alan cringed, shutting his eyes only for a moment before opening them again.

Virgil realised what was wrong. "Just relax, Alan. Then it won't hurt to breathe. Just breathe normally. Just relax your muscles," he instructed, tenderly.

Alan was clearly trying, but struggling. So Virgil came up to the top of his bed, next to John, and gently ran the back of his hand down Alan's face. "Just relax," he whispered, before running his fingers over Alan's eyes, softly forcing them closed. When he removed his hand, Alan's eyes did not open again.