Jeff sighed in the dark room, he'd asked Dr. Andreesen if he could stay the night in the room with Alan and Fermat after Alan had fallen asleep against him. His chest had become a pillow for his youngest son and he didn't have the heart to remove the boy, not when he was sleeping so peacefully. He certainly wasn't blind, he could see that despite now having Gemma to keep him company, Alan still wasn't getting the sleep he needed and that bothered Jeff. He'd hoped that having Gemma to keep him company would allow Alan to get the sleep he required to heal. It didn't escape Jeff's notice that Alan wasn't fond of hospitals. He'd never liked hospitals, ever since he'd woken up in one after the avalanche killed his mother.
He wondered what Alan and Fermat's decisions would be following the news that Jeff had bestowed. Brains when Jeff had a private moment to talk with him had found his friend equal parts worried and relieved.
Brains was hesitant to show such emotion and vulnerability to even Jeff. They'd considered each other best friends much like Alan and Fermat had and so could almost always talk about anything. The exclusion being their wives and the mothers to their boys. Lucy was a taboo subject to anyone to speak of unless they wanted Jeff to become nostalgic. Same as Audrey was for Hiram. The scientist's late wife and mother of Fermat.
Jeff had never met Audrey in person but he felt like he had after listening to Hiram talk about her when they stayed up, sharing stories of their early lives before the untimely demise of their beloveds. He'd seen pictures of Audrey, heard Hiram talk about when she'd been pregnant with Fermat. Theirs was a whirlwind romance. They'd met at a conference, found they had a lot in common and began to date. After a month, together they eloped and barely five months passed before Audrey discovered she was pregnant with Fermat. The newlyweds were ecstatic and quickly began planning for the birth of their son. She'd delivered a healthy baby boy and everything had been perfect until she'd suffered an ectopic pregnancy that they'd discovered too late resulting in the widow status of Hiram and the partial orphan status of Fermat. Fermat was two when his mom died.
Jeff had met Hiram not long after that and they'd bonded over the fact that they each had a young son to look after as well as their widow status.
Upon sharing the news with Hiram, his boys and mother that the doctor was considering moving the boys to a facility that specialized in rehab of burn patients; Hiram didn't disguise his anxiety. He hadn't liked hearing Jeff speak of how close they'd come to losing their boys, reminding him of when his beloved Audrey had passed away in his arms after the ectopic pregnancy caused a tubal rupture resulting in her hemorrhaging into her abdominal cavity. She'd died in hospital and that was a hit too close to home for Hiram.
Jeff found himself talking with his close friend and confidant in everything fatherhood threw at them, trying to curtail his concerns. Fermat was doing a lot better considering the extent of his injuries. He could walk as showcased this evening when Fermat's therapist walked in, pushing Fermat's IV pole along while Fermat who was sweating buckets had wobbled in behind his walker. The youngster had been silent after the therapist had left with promises to see Fermat again the following day. Jeff watched as the boy, in a rare display of irritation had pulled the curtain and turned out the light above his bed before laying in darkness to whimper to himself.
Alan had been saddened by the fact that Fermat hadn't wanted to stay up and talk with him, but he could understand the pain Fermat was in. He asked his dad if there was anything he could do for Fermat and being the surrogate uncle he was to the younger boy had gone over to check on him. Alan had called for a nurse, asking if he could get his bath a day earlier than was planned and was granted that much which allowed Jeff to talk to the boy left in his care.
'Jeff had cradled Gemma, having been asked to hold onto her for Alan while he went to have his bath. Jeff had ignored Fermat disgruntled refusal for company and had slipped in to see the boy had buried his face in the pillows to muffle his tears. Gently setting Gemma on the bed beside Fermat, Jeff gripped Alan's shoulder with care.
"Fermat, what's wrong?" Jeff asked as he pulled up a seat beside Fermat's bed and leveled his most concerned gaze at the boy.
"I j-just want to b-be left alone!" Fermat had groaned from within his pillow.
"Fermat, you're scaring Alan with your withdrawal. He's worried about you and to be honest, so am I." Jeff said as he watched Gemma hop up to the boy genius and proceed to nibble of some of his hair. Fermat lifted his head up and looked at Jeff with a look that said he was tired of it all.
"I j-just want to g-go home." Fermat said before resting his head in the pillow and laying on his side so he could talk to Jeff. "I-Is that too much t-to ask?"
"No, it's not and I know your dad wants the same." Jeff said before he smiled when Fermat cuddled Gemma close. He knew Alan had left Gemma with him for a reason other than safekeeping. "Which is why I wanted to talk to you about something I brought up to Alan earlier."
"W-What?" Fermat asked, his interest piquing.
"Dr. Andreesen contacted me earlier today and asked me to discuss with everyone, you boys included about potentially moving to a rehab facility to help you rehabilitate from your injuries." Jeff said, watching the boy genius's eyes grow to the size of dinner plates.
"R-Really?" Fermat inquired.
"Yes, and your dad didn't want to take your decision away from you so he asked me to mention it to you. He wants you and Alan to discuss it among yourselves and decide if that is something you'd be interested in."
Jeff went on to discussing with Fermat the rehab facility that Dr. Andreesen had suggested the boys be moved to and that it wasn't to get rid of the boys, but just to give them a shot at actual rehabilitation so that they might be able to go home in a few more months. Fermat's mood had picked up and the boy genius, who much like his dad had been nervous about not only leaving the hospital but potentially staying in the hospital.
Logically, everyone knew it wasn't unreasonable for the boys to stay in the hospital but it also wasn't reasonable for so many reasons. The boys couldn't get appointments with their physical therapists while in the hospital, usually dealing directly with an aid or someone that wasn't the actual therapist. If they moved they'd be assigned a physical therapist that would work closely with the boys and group activities.
"S-So if we move…what a-about the o-others?" Fermat asked, confusing Jeff.
"Who do you mean? The boys and your dad?" Jeff asked to which Fermat shook his head.
"No, B-Brook, Danny, C-Chad and Skye…when w-will we be a-able to s-see them again?" Fermat asked, knowing something that nobody else did about Alan.
"They'll have to stay here until they are able to be moved. I can't do anything for them unfortunately." Jeff said when it occurred to him that his son's friend was concerned about some other patients they'd met during their stay in the facility.
It wasn't long after that that Jeff had told Fermat to go to sleep, he could tell the boy was tired and sore from his therapy but it was with a smile that he saw Fermat cuddle Gemma in close before he went to sleep. A little while later, Alan returned freshly bathed and hair slicked back like he always hated. Jeff ruffled Alan's hair and watched the smile blossom on Alan's face. The patriarch knew his son hated having his hair combed back, preferring to let it hang in his face and Jeff after enough times watching Alan shake his head much like a dog knew to fix his youngest son's hair whenever it was combed back.
"Did you get to talk to Fermat?" Alan asked in a whisper when he noticed the curtain had been pulled back ever so slightly so Alan could see his friend was soundly asleep.
"I did and I told him about the possibility of moving." Jeff said as he settled on the bed by Alan and let his youngest snuggle against his side. He knew his son didn't like to openly display affection apart from hugs with his dad and brothers, but he'd let his son indulge to his heart's content.
Jeff settled his arms around Alan, taking comfort in his son's grip around his own midsection.
"Fermat mentioned your little friends." Jeff said, watching his youngest son's facial reactions. Alan leaned his head against his dad's chest and offered a silent shrug. "Are you thinking about not going because you don't want to leave them?"
"No, I ran into Brook while I was out…she thinks I should go." Alan said softly. "I mean I want to get out of here, but…"
Jeff watched Alan bite his lip, which he'd grown to associate with Alan's thinking face. He could see the indecision in Alan's eyes, and understanding dawned on Jeff.
"You've got a crush on Brook." Jeff said, watching his son's face darken with embarrassment. "Oh, come on son. I was once a boy your age, I know from experience with your brothers when you've developed a strong liking for someone."
"Maybe I do…but…" Alan looked pointedly away.
"Alan, you know you can keep in touch with her. My headstrong boy, you'll find a way to keep in touch with her." Jeff said, watching his son shift in the bed. The look on Alan's face told him his son was thinking again.
"You know, I could probably do as Brook said…you know. Go to the rehab facility. She said she was going to talk to her doctor, find out how long she had to stay in here." Alan started. "I could go, start rehab so that maybe I can walk again someday."
Jeff smiled at his boy, listening to his son openly discuss his future. It made him proud to know that his son was okay with potentially moving.
"Time for you to go to sleep kiddo." Jeff said as he glanced at his watch. It was getting late. Alan sucked in a breath and he heaved a sigh before moving around to get comfortable. Once the boy had found where he was comfortable he settled against his dad's chest. He listened to his dad's heartbeat, felt his eyes getting heavy and before he knew it he was asleep.
Jeff stayed still for a bit, allowing for time so that Alan could settle deeper into sleep. When Alan had settled into a deeper sleep, Jeff allowed himself to lose himself in thought. His son was willfully contemplating the move.
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It wasn't until the following morning that Jeff had talked to Alan and Fermat and they both looked at each other from across the room to see that they were both same in mindset. It was time for them to move, time to take the plunge and try to gain back what they'd previously lost. It was not going to be easy, nor was it going to be fun…but it was what they had to do. They weren't going to let Robert win.
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"We won't need the other boy's testimony. The Tracy brothers, that Hackenbacker boy and Mueller boy. Their testimonies are enough and they provide some damning evidence that this other boy is a menace to society. He needs to be locked away before he kills some innocent people." Reggie stated emphatically as they reviewed the evidence once more. The further they got in the evidence, the more it became an open and shut case. It was clear that Robert set the fire, not for any reason beside a mass murder suicide. True, Robert needed mental help, but what he really needed was to locked up where he couldn't hurt anyone else.
"Well, I think it's fair to say that the blame is solely on that boy. The older two weren't aware of his intentions to burn the school, he hadn't made it known to anyone but himself that that was what he intended." Piper said as she yawned. They'd been at it for almost eight hours and they were still at a gridlock. Gerald and two of the other jurors were still undecided while everyone else had reached their decision.
"I think we need more evidence." Gerald said, looking at the rest of the jurors and Reggie rolled her eyes that he still needed convincing. It was obvious that the door and it's frame after a sample was sent in that Alan and Fermat's dorm door had been doused with accelerant as well as the carpet outside their door. The only sad thing was and Reggie knew it was probably going to be added to the lawsuit against the school if it hadn't already been made aware that the security cameras in the school which were supposed to record the dorm and regular halls were fake and were simply there for show. Much like the rest of the school which was purported to be a fine and majestic school was really a fancy school that was masquerading around as something that it wasn't.
Reggie and Tonya both shared a look before dropping their heads on the table when Donald asked to review the evidence a ninth time in just that day alone.
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Jeff entered his and Hiram's hotel room at a quarter past nine in the morning and knew his friend must not have slept much the night before. Hiram was sat up at the table, zoned out, hair askew and glasses lain on the table. The scientist was fiddling with a penny, alternatively tapping it and laying it flat before picking it up and repeating the process over again. And as evidence to his belief, Brains was still wearing yesterday's outfit.
"Hiram…Hiram?" Jeff asked from the door. When the scientist didn't respond, Jeff stepped closer and watched Brains jump out of his musings when Jeff placed a hand on his shoulder while he spoke to him. "Hiram?"
"W-What?" Brains asked as he sat up, scrabbling to put on his glasses and straighten his messy hair.
"Did you sleep at all last night?" Jeff asked as he treated his friend much like one of his sons and crouched down to his level. "You look terrible."
"I c-c-c-didn't sleep m-m- at all last n-night." Brains said, his stutter more pronounced today than normal.
Jeff's looked at his friend, his knowing blue eyes leveling a stern gaze at him. "Why don't you go take a shower and try to lay down for a bit before you go visit Fermat? He'll worry about you if you go in to see him like this."
Brains opened his mouth to argue with Jeff but Jeff could play at his game too.
"Don't say you're fine because you are honestly anything but that." Jeff said before he planted a hand on his hip. "You're my friend and more importantly, you're family. And I take care of my family, go take a shower, eat and go to sleep."
Brains couldn't argue further with that, not even trying to at that point and he conceded with Jeff. The Tracy patriarch called down to the kitchen, ordering some breakfast for both him and Hiram while his friend took a much-needed shower. Jeff sat in Brains vacated seat and pondered over everything these last few weeks had thrown at his family.
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"What more evidence do you want? We have it on that guy's word that he'd been instructed by 'that Flynn kid in juvie' to construct the pipe bomb and try to blow up that part of the hospital that Alan and Fermat were in. It's obvious the kid has a couple of screws loose and he needs to be locked up! Why are you defending him?" Reggie asked as she stood up, slamming her hands on the table top, leveling a toxic glare at the two jurors that were still undecided in their vote. She wanted to go home, cuddle up in her boyfriend's arms and have a nice glass of cabernet to wash this whole situation away, not stay in this room deliberating until the chickens came home.
"I'm not defending him, I just think there's more to this story than Robert wanting to kill a couple students before killing himself." Gerald commented.
The other jurors groaned at the two jurors that hadn't decided yet. Reggie was practically shaking with anger and vehemence at these two stubborn bulls. She didn't know how much longer she could tolerate being in the room with them before she threw the book at them.
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Jeff quietly closed the door to his and Hiram's room. He'd convinced his friend to lay down and if nothing else, take a nap to recharge his batteries. He'd drawn the shades in the room, to darken the room so Brains could sleep comfortably.
They'd talked over breakfast and Brains confided his concerns of parenting to a child that was no longer wholesome physically as Fermat had been before the fire. She Fermat same as Alan had their fair share of scrapes, bruises and broken bones…but it wasn't something that was really life changing. Not like this. Jeff had told Brains of Fermat walking into the room, using his walker to get around and it bothered the scientist that Fermat's muscle in his leg had shortened since the accident, making Fermat have a noticeable limp.
"I j-just don't k-know how to f-fix this…if I c-can fix t-this." Brains said, knowing that science could only do so much for his son, sadly this wasn't something he could fix.
"It's just going to take some more therapy for him to adjust to the gait change. He'll be fine Hiram." Jeff said as he tried to ease his friend's concerns.
"That's w-what Audrey's doctor s-said before she p-passed away. I d-don't want h-him to be h-hurt by this c-change." Brains said as he crossed one leg over the other.
"Brains, it's going to be fine. I know you want him to come home, I want Alan to as well, but they need this. They'll get through this and it'll only serve to make them stronger." Jeff said evenly. "Fermat and Alan both discussed it with me this morning and they're ready. They want to go, get settled at Blythedale and try to move on."
"I just…" Brains said before running his hand over his mouth, losing himself in thought once again.
"Brains, it's normal as a parent to feel this way. I know you've been around the block a time or two since Audrey passed away, but you're doing a spectacular job." Jeff said trying to reassure his friend that because his son was injured in a school that Jeff had enrolled Fermat in with Brains blessing, it wasn't his fault or a result of bad parenting. Fermat wasn't mad at his dad nor was Alan mad at him either for enrolling them in the same school.
"I just w-want him to g-get better." Brains said softly, showing a side to Jeff that he rarely saw.
"And he will. This move to Blythedale isn't going to be the end of the world. So, we'll have to travel a few more miles to visit them, it's not a big deal nor is it a big change. The only difference we'll see is that they'll begin to gain their independence back." Jeff said, trying to ease Brains nerves.
"Yeah." Brains said before doing as Jeff said to do earlier and crawling into bed. He took off his glasses and set them on the nightstand before getting comfortable and falling asleep from the moment his head touched the pillow. Jeff sat by quietly for a few minutes before he closed the shades. He grabbed a change of clothes and stepped into the bathroom to shower before he left to go meet up with his sons and mother. They were going to go check out a few museums after Virgil had begged them to do something together because he was bored.
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Reggie focused on the coffee that she'd ordered, inhaling the calming caramel scent before she took a sip. They'd called for a break when tempers started to raise at the single juror that was undecided with their vote. To prevent bloodshed, the leader of the jury called for an hour break to allow everyone to clear their heads and think about something else.
Reggie went to go to the location she could make a phone call to her boyfriend. The judge had decreed that they'd be allowed to have contact with their families, but they'd have to be in the presence of a deputy to make sure they didn't reveal sensitive information. She sat in the room with the deputy, having her boyfriend on speaker though she'd prefer her conversation be private.
When her boyfriend answered the call, the sound of his voice instantly soothed Reggie's frayed nerves.
"So, I was thinking that since we had to get a rain check on our trip to Florida for our anniversary, maybe when you're done there we could try again." Anthony, Reggie's boyfriend said. Reggie who'd been upset at the thought that they couldn't celebrate their anniversary on the beach perked up at that.
"What do you mean?" Reggie asked. Her boyfriend was a pilot for an airline company and he'd been offered the rare chance to sit out of piloting to take advantage of a vacation with his girlfriend.
"Well, since you've been away; I took up a heavier schedule to keep me busy and I earned a trip to a place much better than Florida." Anthony said with the hint of a smile.
"Are you going to tell me?" Reggie saw the stone-faced deputy smile at the excitement in her voice. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
"How does a trip to the Bahamas sound?" Anthony asked to which Reggie squealed happily.
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Virgil and John both crowded around the exhibit talking between themselves. They'd never been to this museum before. They talked about it when they were younger, but decided not to at the last minute, partly because they found themselves stuck with babysitting Alan and Gordon and partly because it was one of the rare times that they could both appreciate the similar taste in old artifacts.
Jeff and his mom lingered behind the boys, Gordon and Scott having separated to look at a separate exhibit across the room from John and Virgil.
"Are you nervous?" Ruth asked softly to Jeff as they walked over to a bench and sat down to talk between themselves.
"About what?" Jeff asked, surprised that his mom could read him like an open book.
"Baby, Alan is about to have his moment of truth delivered right before his very eyes. Aren't you nervous?" Ruth asked though the unspoken question of 'Are you nervous if Alan discovers he can feel but can no longer walk?'
"Of course, I'm nervous mom, but there isn't much I can do. All I can do is be there and make sure he understands that whether he gets the good or bad news, I'll…we'll still be there." Jeff said before he looked off at his sons. John and Virgil were both heavily into a discussion all their own and Scott and Gordon looked like they were caught in their own discussion.
Jeff opened his mouth to say something when his cell phone rang. The boys were all too far away to hear Jeff's cell phone ring, but they seemed to notice a change in the air. The moment Jeff stood up, turning his back on his family, they hushed and watched him carefully.
Jeff stayed on the phone for several long moments before they saw his head nod slowly at whatever news he was hearing. From the moment that he answered the call until he closed the phone, ending his call – his sons and mom seemed to freeze like a still frame photograph. When Jeff turned back around, he was met with equal gazes of inquiry. Jeff was hard pressed not to tell them the news but with a deep breath his sons had practically pounced around him to hear the news.
"The jury is out of deliberations. That was Barrett calling to let me know that we need to be at the courthouse in one hour." Jeff said, watching his boys and mom's faces change rapidly through several different emotions before they all settled on the family poker face. They'd all mastered a look that didn't give an indication to their underlying emotions and Jeff didn't know how they'd done that but it was just something they all did.
"One hour." Scott said under his breath, which was echoed by Virgil, then John and Gordon. The boys were ready, but Jeff hoped it wouldn't be something that would break their hearts in the end. True Alan and Fermat weren't killed in the fire, but they came close and that was something Jeff never wanted to have happen again.
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Fermat begged off his meeting with his physical therapist, still feeling sore from the day before and he took advantage of his time. The nurses had moved Alan and Fermat to the sun room with the other kids and they all settled around the TV watching a movie. Alan and Brook sat together, Brook shared a spot with Alan on his wheelchair which was big enough to hold two people. Fermat sat on the couch with Ben and Danny while Chad and Skye sat together in the opposite love seat. They'd just announced their decision to move to Blythedale and promised to keep in touch with the other kids.
"I'm holding you to your promise." Danny said as he ruffled Fermat's hair.
Brook and Alan cuddled close, smiling at the kid friendly movie which was more than age appropriate for the other kids in the room.
"I really liked the play you asked me to watch the other day." Alan whispered softly to her. "You make a good Esmeralda."
Brook blushed at the compliment before she kissed Alan's cheek. Alan smiled before he rested his head on top of Brooke's shoulder so they could keep watching TV.
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Jeff entered the courtroom followed by his mom and sons and he'd woken Brains and convinced him to join them. They were all dressed in their best outfits. Jeff and his sons wore business suits, though for Gordon it was the worst thing he'd ever worn. He hated wearing suits, finding them stifling. His grandmother was dressed in a nice dress and looked like she was wearing her Sunday best.
They went and sat in the front row behind Barrett's table. Jeff looked around and spotted Robert and his lawyer. Robert was dressed in a suit and tie, looking for all the world like he hadn't slept in years.
'Good' Jeff thought to himself as the bailiff called everyone to rise. Once the judge came in and did a brief run through on information, she looked to the lead juror.
"How do you find the defendant?" The judge asked as the lead juror stood up.
"We the members of the jury find the defendant Robert Flynn, in the attempted murder in the first degree of Alan Tracy and Fermat Hackenbacker guilty."
Jeff felt his shoulders drop and he leaned his head back to look to the heavens, while Scott who sat beside his grandmother hugged his grandmother when she burst into tears at the findings. The judge hammered her gavel when whispers in the court room became too loud to hear properly.
"Order in the court!" Judge Somers called. "Your other findings in the case of Tracy-Hackenbacker-VS-Flynn?"
"Guilty on all counts." The lead juror stated as they looked over the paper in their hand.
John, Virgil and Gordon all hugged at the news, if they cried they all agreed not to say anything about it. John sat between Virgil and Gordon and he hugged them both tightly as they rested their heads on his shoulders to hear the rest of the preceding.
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Alan and Fermat by this time had returned to their room and were talking over dinner as they watched TV in their room.
"You hear from your dad yet" Alan asked as he gripped the larger fork than he was used to using. He needed a weighted utensil, due to his hand injuries leaving him with a slight tremor due to the damage to his nerves.
"N-No." Fermat said as he speared a stroganoff noodle.
"I'm sure he's just late." Alan said. He and Fermat had gotten used to having a member of their family show up to feed them their meals and were surprised when none of their family showed up at the time they always did.
Fermat didn't say anything to that, chewing his meal in silence. Alan watched his friend silently before taking a bite of his own difference.
"You know I'll be glad when we can go home…I mean I'm getting used to hospital food but I miss Onaha's cooking." Alan said as he spoke around his mouthful of stroganoff noodles.
Fermat muttered something in agreement before there was a knock on the door. Both boys stopped and looked towards the door before Alan called permission to enter.
They were surprised to see their dads on the other side of the door.
"Dad!" Alan called.
"Dad!" Fermat echoed.
Both Jeff and Brains went to their boys, hugging them both with smiles evident behind their face masks.
"What's going on?" Alan asked.
Jeff found himself unable to speak for a moment. He was relieved at the news he was about to reveal to his son. He and Brains shared a look from across the room, telling the boys that something big had happened.
"Dad?" Alan asked, taking the reins of the situation.
"It's done." Jeff began. The wide eyed looks they'd given their dads spurned Jeff on.
"What?" Alan asked, his food getting caught in his throat for a moment before he washed it down with water.
"Robert was found guilty on all counts." Jeff began. "It's done. He will be sentenced in two weeks, Barrett's gunning for life in prison without possibility of parole."
A/N: So we finally have the deliberations back from the jury! I know from what I kept insinuating and what was probably pretty obvious - Robert burned his bridges and has finally reached the point of no return - a guilty verdict. I thought about the jury remaining in a deadlock but I'm sore enough right now and didn't feel like locating a rock big enough and heavy enough to hide under. Hope you enjoyed and keep eyes peeled for future updates. No promises, but I'll try not to update two or three months from now, hopefully it'll be much sooner though I'm not making promises. I'm starting an anatomy and physiology class next week and depending on how rigorous it is will determine when my next update will occur.
As always, please review and thanks for keeping me going with my writing.
Sad-Blue-Eyed-Angel 2010