He can hear someone calling his name. A female voice he thinks he recognises, but it is so warm and comfortable here he doesn't want to wake up ever again.
Only the voice doesn't stop, and it is such a friendly, loving voice that maybe he should find out what it is they want.
Waking up Gordon can't feel any pain. The room he wakes in is has been painted with plain white walls, and apart from his bed there is no other furniture. The bed is soft and he can feel his body sinking into the cloud like mattress.
Throwing the blanket off, Gordon climbs of the bed and onto his feet. "Where am I?" he says aloud to the seemingly empty room. Where is that voice coming from?
"Gordon?" the voice tries again, spinning round to confront the person who has disturbed his slumber Gordons heart soars at the sight.
"Mom?" he asks. Something deep inside breaks, and he throws himself into her loving arms and starts to cry. "I never sold the jewellery I took when I ran away" he confesses.
Lucille holds her precious fourth child. The one who has been through so much pain in his short life. Drinking in the scent of him as they stand entwined for several long minutes, until Gordon feels able to pull away. "You know I never cared about any of that, I just wanted to keep you safe. Losing you broke my heart Gordon, and you have no idea how happy I was when you boys reunited. I have been watching you for a long time sweetheart."
"Am I dead?" he asks her, his voice only just audible in the plain and silent room.
His mom doesn't answer him, the selfish side of her wants to take him with her, and never give him back. She wants this moment to last forever.
"Mom?" he queries again.
"No. You aren't dead" she confirms. Cupping his face in the left hand her eyes don't drop from his.
"But…?" Gordon starts allowing his voice to trail off.
"You don't have to go back. You can come with me" Lucile confirms, and together they walk from the room.
*TB*
Lucile guides him to the hospital where he Is being treated for his injuries. Holding him when he lets out a gasp of shock at the sight of his mangled body lying on the bed. Atlanta is still sitting next to her husband, having refused to leave his side since he got out of surgery. Her eyes are red, a stark contrast against her dead white skin and there are bags under both of her eyes, and she clearly hasn't slept for days.
Scott is in the other chair, but the room is silent apart from the steady beating of the monitor above Gordons head. Scott has his head in his hands, and Gordon can't tell if he is asleep or not.
The deathly silence doesn't last long, as Virgil pushes open the door holding three Styrofoam cups filled with steaming coffee.
"Scott?" Virgil asks, his voice calm and gentle. His eldest brother looks up, and the look of exhaustion on Atlantas face is mirrored on the eldest brothers face. Accepting the coffee from Virgil, Scott just holds the cup for several long and silent minutes staring into the black depths of the drink thinking.
"Where is Alan?" Scott finally speaks.
"I sent him back to the hotel for a shower. Which is where you are going as soon he is back" Virgil replies sipping the still too hot drink. "Ugh, that is disgusting!" is his verdict on the drink.
"Burned the beans again?" Scott asks, equally disgusted by his own drink.
"Yep, and don't ignore me, you need a shower" Virgil says, his face set and stern.
"I am not leaving until I know he is going to be okay." Scott snaps back, before pouring what is left of the coffee into the nearest plant pot with a grimace.
"Yes you are, you stink!" Virgil informs him. "Gordon is supposed to be resting, but if you don't shower soon Scott your smell will bring him round!"
"Okay, fine I will go and take a shower if it makes you happy!" Scott tells him, not wanting an argument.
"Thank you" Virgil replies smiling. "And stop pouring the coffee on the plant!"
*TB*
Alan has taken his shower in the hotel across the street from the hospital and is now sitting in silence on one of the two beds in the main room. A towel strung across his hips. He really wants to go back to the hospital, but he can't just sit there like Scott can. He can't stand seeing his brother in this condition. He knows from listening to the conversations between Scott and Gordons doctors that he is going to be in the hospital for months. If he can pull through. The fears of not being there if the worst should happen aren't as scary for him as going back in the room. Just like Scott, Alan would do anything to change places with him.
*TB*
The boys aren't aware, but their father has landed back on American soil, and is finding his way to the hospital. Jeff has not slept during the flight. Details of his sons' condition have been hard to uncover, as W.A.S.P have taken every step possible to keep the details out of the public eye apart from their initial statement. But there is only one military hospital in Hawaii, so finding out his sons' location was not difficult.
Thanks you Kyranos arrangements, he has a hire car waiting for him, and directions programmed into the on-board computer. Pulling up to the security gate, he can feel the dryness in his mouth from nerves, he has no idea how the boys are going to react to his sudden reappearance in their lives.
"I am here to see Gordon Tracy" Jeff announces.
The guard eyes him up from the other side of the bullet proof glass window separating the two. "And you are?" he asks. He has had to chase away numerous tabloid journalists from trying to get into the building.
"His father, Jeff Tracy" Jeff replies, handing over his passport for inspection.
Scott never thought to mention that his father may show up, as he genuinely believed that he would not, which has meant that he has not been blacklisted from entering the facility.
"Go on through Mr Tracy" the security guard says to him, pressing the button to raise the barrier and Jeff drives forward. Parking up in an empty space, Jeff gets out of the car. There is a beep as he presses the button on the remote to lock the doors, before he walks slowly and deliberately into the reception area.
He didn't bank on Alan being there, and he is unsure that a confrontation at this moment would be a good idea. Hiding behind a large Ficus to avoid being spotted, Jeff watches Alan apprehensively as he walks across the lobby towards the elevator.
Jeff doesn't even realise that he is holding in a deep breath, as he slowly exhales in relief, running his hands through his rapidly greying hair.
There is a- young officer, he doesn't recognise, but why should he recognise anyone? He thinks bitterly, he has missed out on so much. Approaching the desk, Jeff is not kept waiting long, as the officer has been trained in efficiency from the minute she signed up.
"Can I help you sir?" she asks, concerned at his appearance, as the hospital has been put on a maximum-security alert to protect Gordons privacy.
"I am looking for Gordon Tracy" Jeff confirms, not bothering with small talk.
"And May I take a note of your name sir?" she asks, suspicious. There is something about this man she does not trust.
"Jefferson Tracy, I am Gordons father" Jeff confirms. Once again holding out his passport to prove his identity.
The girl manages to hide her shock, as she believed, as does the rest of the world that the Great Jeff Tracy died in a plane crash months ago.
"Have a seat I will ask someone to come down" She tells him, keeping her cool and pointing to a seat in the waiting area.
Jeff turns back to the waiting room, but does not sit down, preferring instead to stand with his arms folded in front of him and gaze out of the window. Lost in his own thoughts, which are full of a deep despair he has never felt before.
*TB*
It is Virgil who has the misfortune to answer the call. Alan has relieved Scott's vigil, in order for his eldest brother to take the shower Virgil demanded.
Virgil's eyebrows disappear into his hair in shock and he feels the blood drain from his face. "M-my fa-fa-father he stutters in disbelief.
Scott turns on his heel and grabs the phone from his brother's hands, all thoughts of that shower gone. "Excuse me?" he asks, like Virgil he can't believe that his father is downstairs.
"Your father Mr Jefferson Tracy is in the waiting room. He wants to visit with Gordon." The receptionist repeats for him.
"Absolutely not. Tell Jefferson Tracy he is not My father, he has never earned that right and he is not showing up here now pretending to care. Also ask him if he bought a belt. Maybe he wants to give me a whipping for putting my brother's life in mortal peril." Scott's voice is low and menacing. His breathing on the line is deep and full of an anger he hasn't felt in several years. "And if he won't leave, call security and have him removed"
Scott throws that headset back down onto the receiver before turning to his brothers. "I am going for a shower" he announces, before storming from the room.
"Virgil?" Alan asks in shock. "He's dead. You said he was dead, you said I was safe"
"You are safe, he can't get you to anymore. I am not afraid of him, and I will not let him hurt you again" Virgil reassures the frightened teenager in front of him. Realising that Alan is still only nineteen years old, still a child. Virgil wraps his arms around the trembling boy, who starts to cry on his shoulder.
*TB*
Jeff has scarpered by the time Scott reaches the bottom floor, back to the car and barely stopping for the exit barrier to lift before making his way back to the airport. His heart is racing and there is sweat pouring into his eyes, causing tears to form. Tears he can't fight back, resting his head against the steering wheel.
*TB*
"Mom?" Gordon asks, having witnessed the conversation between Virgil and Alan. "I have to go back don't I?"
Lucille places a hand on his shoulder but doesn't speak.
"That hand? That was one of the ones which helped get me out of the sea isn't it?" realisation that the soft, cold fingers got him to safety. "What if I can't do this?"
"The choice is all yours, but they need you Gordon" Lucille tells him. Her eyes have not left his once.
"It is really going to hurt isn't it?" He phrases it as a question but they both know it is a fact, a statement of truth.
"Yes sweetheart" Lucille confirms. "But remember, I am always going to look over you and your brothers and your family."
*TB*
Scott is pacing the floor of the hotel room, after chasing his fathers hired car out of the parking lot and down the street until he could run no further. Nursing a stitch in his side, he limped back to the hotel and obeyed Virgil's order to take a shower.
The steaming hot water beats down on his skin, almost scalding him raw but he doesn't stop standing there. Like his youngest brother and Father Scott can't stop his tears from falling, until he stand physically bear the heat any longer. Switching the water off, Scott paces. And paces. And paces.
His heart is crying out in pain, and not for the first time in his life, Scott Tracy wishes that he had never been born. If he never existed then he would never know what this pain feels like. But he was born, and his four baby brothers need him to be strong, now more than ever.
Burying his hatred for his father, Scott pulls on a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and his just running a comb through his hair when his phone rings.
Intuition is telling him it can only one of his brothers and it can only be bad news, Scott slides his finger across the screen.
"Speak to me Virgil" Scott says into the phone.
"Scott, where are you?" Virgil asks concerned.
"At the hotel taking that shower you so politely told me I needed!" Scott replies, fighting the urge to roll his eyes.
"You need to get back here now" Virgil insists.
"Why Virg?" Scott asks, all thoughts of making a joke of his disappearance gone. "What's gone wrong?"
"Gordons waking up"