DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN THEM - REALLY WISH I DID.

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NOTE:

I just want to say thank you so much for all the reviews, likes and follows I have had for this story. It is really helping me to stay motivated and keep this story going.

As always reviews are most welcome.

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Chapter 9: Morning Coffee.

Alan lay in his bed looking up at the ceiling, observing the different patterns that he could make out. Insomnia was new to him, he had never had a problem sleeping before. In fact, unless the alarm sounded to signal an emergency he would usually sleep through anything. Alan let out a deep sigh and glanced over at his clock. 6am, and altogether he had probably managed around 3 hours of broken sleep. 'Maybe I should just give up and get up?' He thought to himself. Agreeing with his decision, Alan pulled himself out of bed and made his way to his bathroom. After showering and dressing, he once again looked at the clock to see that only half an hour had passed, suppressing a yawn Alan made his way out of his room and headed towards the kitchen. "Grandma," Alan exclaimed with surprise as he opened the door to the kitchen. "You're awake early, are you feeling okay?

"Oh, morning sweetie," Ruth replied, lifting her head from her hands. "I'm okay, I couldn't sleep so I thought I would make an early start."

Alan looked at her sitting in her usual chair and noticed how tired and frail she had suddenly become over the past few days. Making his way to the teakettle, Alan glanced over at his grandma again. "Grandma, would you like me to make you a cup of tea?"

"Yes please," she answered looking up at her youngest grandson.

Just then the kitchen door swung open and Gordon entered.

"Morning Gordon, do you want a coffee?" Alan offered.

"Not if you're making it bro!"

Alan playfully smacked Gordon on the arm and finished making his grandma her tea. He then took his own coffee and sat down while Gordon finished making his own drink.

Gordon sat down next to Alan and observed his grandma. "Grandma, are you feeling okay?"

"I'll be okay, just a little tired," She said with a forced smile.

Alan nudged Gordon and signalled his intentions to him. "Hey grandma, me and Gordon are never too old for a hug!"

Ruth lifted her head up from her hands once more and looked at them both with a genuine smile. "Oh, that would be wonderful!"

Alan and Gordon moved their chairs next to their grandma and wrapped her into a warm embrace.

A few moments later Jeff Tracy walked into the kitchen, stopped and smiled at the sight of his two youngest sons holding his mother, making his way towards the kettle, he ruffled Alan and Gordon's hair and planted a kiss on his mother's head.

Ruth Tracy looked up at her son with concern, and squeezed his arm reassuringly. "How are you feeling this morning Jeff? You don't look like you've slept much."

Jeff began to make himself a coffee. "I managed a few hours. I'll be okay mom, I promise!" Glancing at the kitchen door as it swung open, Jeff watched John enter with concern. Noting that he still looked like he was half-asleep, as he slumped into a chair and dropped his head onto the table. "Here you go John, take this one." Jeff passed John the coffee he had just made. "You look like you need this more than I do."

"Thanks dad," John yawned, holding the coffee cup tightly in his hands.

Jeff finished making another drink for himself and sat in the chair next to John, while Alan and Gordon pulled themselves out of their grandma's arms and sat back up, observing their brothers dishevelled form with concern.

"Hey John." Gordon said tenderly. "How are you today?"

John offered a half smile towards Gordon. "I'll be okay bro."

"Morning," Scott said to them all as he also made his way into the kitchen.

"Did you finally manage to get anymore sleep son?" Jeff enquired observing Scott.

"A little," Scott responded, making himself a drink. Noticing John, Scott ruffled his hair and sat down in an empty chair. "How are you?" Scott mouthed towards him.

"Mm… I'll be fine." John answered without glancing up from the coffee he was now cradling in his hands.

"Where's everyone else?" Scott asked.

"I gave Kyrano the morning off, I believe he's gone with Tin-Tin, Penelope and Parker for an early morning walk. Brains kindly offered to finish up some Tracy Industries work for me, so I could spend some time with all of you boys."

"We're not all here though are we!" John snapped, without looking at any of them. "There's an obvious empty chair in this room, which should be filled but it isn't!"

"Right, who's having breakfast." Ruth asked, breaking the silence. "How about pancakes for everyone?"

"I'm not hungry grandma." John stated, standing up to make himself another coffee.

"Anyone else?"

"No thank you grandma." The rest of the boys replied.

"How about you Jeff… Any breakfast?"

"No thanks mom. I'll have something later."

John stood gripping his coffee tightly and stared at the only empty chair in the room. He sipped his drink and grimaced. "Sugar?"

Ruth smiled at him. "Second shelf, just behind you sweetheart."

John turned and reached up to get the sugar but managed to knock it off the shelf. "Oh God!" Grabbing a cloth, John went to wipe it up without watching what he was doing and sent the remaining coffee cup that was next to the kettle flying onto the floor, smashing it to pieces. "Oh, no, no, no, no!"

Ruth looked at him with concern. "Sweetheart, It's just a mug!"

John fell onto the floor picking the broken pieces of the green mug up in his hands. "But it isn't just a mug grandma. It was Virgil's and now its broken and it can't be fixed… And… And…" John broke down into tears.

Jeff bent down and pulled John up into his arms and held him tightly while Scott, with obvious tears in his eyes, cleaned up the broken pieces and dropped them into the bin.

"Come on boys, why don't we all head to the lounge and spend some time together. Maybe a film day, like we used to have when you were kids?" Jeff suggested as he still held John tightly in his arms.

The boys all agreed and headed towards the lounge with their father while their grandma headed back to her room for a lie down.

"Ah, Jeff. I was just about to call you." Brains stuttered as Jeff and his boys entered the room. "We've had a call from the fire marshal… Apparently, they have received an anonymous video link, which was locked, they can only seem to open the first image which showed a message."

"What does the message say?" Jeff inquired.

Brains continued. "It says: For International Rescue!"