Yes, you're right CC, I really do need to update! Sorry for the wait guys and I'm not gonna bother with excuses, I was simply too lazy! This chapter doesn't have a lot going on, but next chapter hopefully will.

Thanks again for CC's beta-ing! And thanks for those who did review, I appreciate it greatly!

Anyways, on with the chapter!

-:O:-

Blinking his eyes furiously, Alan pulled himself from a deep dreamless sleep. As he took a good look at his surroundings, he mentally sighed, registering that he was in hospital. He knew that meant his family had found out about his injuries. Staring at the ceiling, Alan let out a slight noise of frustration at the tubing still in lodged up his nose, trying his hardest not to scream at the itching it was causing him. Pausing, Alan took a deep breath through the plastic tube and the fresh air filling his lungs was enough to make his eyes close with satisfaction at the comforting feeling the oxygen gave him.

Focused on breathing properly - and not inhaling the tube in his quest to get air to his lungs - Alan was oblivious to the door had swinging open and revealing two of his brothers; one blushing deeply as he looked in irritation at his younger brother, while the was laughing uproariously, his arm swung over the his brother's shoulders to pull him closer.

Gordon's eyes lit up when he saw how much better his only little brother was getting on. Watching as Alan close his eyes in apparent to be contentment, he grinned and raced forward, arm dropping from John's neck, leaving his other blonde brother in the dust.

Reaching out to grip the metal bar around Alan's bed, he steadied himself as he lost his balance slightly in his haste. Turning a deep shade of red at tripping over his own feet in his desire to reach Alan, Gordon made a blatant point at ignoring the snort that came loudly from behind him. Not wanting to see the smirk that he was sure would be plastered on John's face, he merely coughed and put his hand on Alan's arm.

"Hey Al, you fancy opening those peepers of yours again? I'm going stir crazy with John here. You know he is the boring Tracy!" Smile set firmly back in place, he watched Alan's eyes opened slowly and swivel to look at him. "That a boy!" he said, sweeping the bangs from Alan's face.

Croaking, unable to make any real conversation, Alan pointed to the oxygen codule with a pleading look in his eyes once more, knowing that Gordon couldn't resist when he pulled out the puppy-eye look that he had perfected so well over the years. Alan knew had been successful when Gordon reached over to the call button next to his bed. Satisfied the situation would soon be resolved he relaxed as Gordon started speaking to him.

"Guess what?" Gordon sniggered, as Alan look on curiously as John glared furiously. "Johnny boy over there has a crush on your doctor! Ha-ha, want to make a bet that she'll ask him out first? I mean, he is a wuss when it comes to anything female." Glancing smugly at John, Gordon watched Alan's reaction and grinned again when his eyes flickered in disbelief to John, whose had suddenly found the floor absolutely fascinating. Hearing a distant mumble that sounded something like "drop dead", Gordon laughed heartily and turned back to Alan, his eyes twinkling.

Smiling, Alan watched in amusement as his elder, hard to embarrass, always in control brother begin to look like he had a bad case of sunburn from the bright red blush creeping up his face. Alan startled as the door opened once more. An attractive woman walked in, her hair pinned up casually in a loose bun. She looked close to John's age but walked with a bounce in her step that he hadn't seen in his serious brother in years.

"Alan! Nice to finally see you awake. Well, awake again, I-" The woman suddenly halted in the middle of her sentence, as she caught John's eye. John in turn had immediately blushed once more, embarrassed when he realized he had been staring at her since she came in. Alan grinned to himself, quickly realizing this must be the doctor who John fancied. "-I'm glad to meet you in person. Let me get that thing out and I'll be out of your way again." Gesturing to the tube coming out of his nose, Sarah walked past John and hastened to the bed.

Moving out of the way, Gordon barely hid his laughter as John seemed to find the back of Sarah's head fascinating.

"Okay, I need you to breath out sharply when I say, alright Alan?" Nodding his head, Alan waited for his cue, and then let out a snort of breath. Feeling slightly giddy as the two thin tubes slid out of his nose, he sighed when they were completely removed. Enjoying the freedom he was given, Alan looked up gratefully at Dr. Daniels and murmured his thanks, painfully realizing that his throat was once again dry and sore.

Recognizing what the teen's problem was, Dr Daniels reached over and poured a glass of water. Smiling gently, she watched as Alan gulped a few times.

"Alright, now that you can breathe again, I'll let you be." Turning, she made to walk out of the room but was brought up short when she came face-to-face with John. Glancing up at him, she momentarily lost herself in his deep blue eyes. Shaking herself, she scurried out of the door, not wanting to be caught staring into his eyes dreamily.

Sarah, get a grip. That's Jeff Tracy's son! A noted astronomer and author in his own right. There is no way would he ever go for you!

-:O:-

"Scott! Get in here, grandpa!"

Looking up at his name being called, Scott scowled at Gordon at the use of the term 'grandpa' and stood up, glaring daggers at his little brother. Upon his squeak of terror and his flitting back into the room, Scott grinned at his wordless win over Gordon.

Scott 1 – Gordon 0!

Chuckling to himself, he wandered into Alan's room, smiling brightly at his baby brother, who was now sitting up in bed. Pushing his way past his two of younger brothers; Scott made it over to Alan, leaving both men in his wake, indignation written clearly on their faces.

"Hey Sprout, how are you feeling?"

Sighing, Alan replied, "I'm alright, and it's not Sprout!"

Laughing, Scott placed his hand on top of Alan's hair and let it rest there for a minute. Sobering, he knew he had to get this out of the way.

"Alan, why didn't you tell us you were hurt? You know better than that. Do you know what was going through my mind when I saw you lying there like that?" Taking a deep breath, Scott steadied himself as the images flickered into his mind once more. "You…You really scared me. You scared all of us."

Alan hung his head, shoulders drooping heavily. He knew this was coming. In a lame attempt to cover up his real reason, he said the first thing that came to mind.

"I… I don't know, Scotty." Wincing at his own words, knowing he was not the only one doing so, his heart sped up as Scott lifted his head with a finger under his chin.

Looking into his baby brother's eyes, scrutinizing, Scott attempted to understand.

"I know that you do know, Allie. You don't have to tell me now, but we're gonna talk about this again, alright?" Satisfied with the weak nod he received Scott smiled and patted Alan on the shoulder softly. "Okay! Now, Johnny, looks like you've got yourself a crush there!" Scott joked as he turned to his other blonde brother, his brown eyes bright with humour. As the usually level headed John glared at Scott before muttering something about going to the toilet. John slipped out of the room – totally ignoring the attached bathroom in his haste to escape the howls of laughter coming from his gathered family members.

Bumping into his middle brother on the way John muttered the same thing he had to Scott, Gordon and Alan to a bemused Virgil. Watching John's retreating form head towards the bathrooms he had just left, Virgil shook his head and walked in to Alan's room. Growing more confused when he saw his brothers rolling around, tears in their eyes, he shook his head once again and decided not to ask. Just the sound of his baby brother's laughter was enough to satisfy Virgil and he stepped closer, beginning to finally relax.

-:O:-

"What do you mean; you don't know who called them? You must have some clue!" Jeff swore angrily in his head, glaring at a receptionist who looked quite terrified. He had spent the last half an hour trying to work out who had called CPS on Alan. So far, he had come away with nothing. Sighing heavily, the Tracy patriarch looked around, running his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Isn't there anyone here that can tell me something about this?" Raising his voice, Jeff was shooting daggers at anyone who dared to be passing him.

"I'm sorry sir, but there honestly isn't any record of someone calling Child Protection Services and if I know everyone around here as well as I do, then I know that they wouldn't anyway! It is hospital protocol – a CPS call both comes from the treating physician or at their request and must be logged. " Trembling slightly at the towering form of Jeff Tracy, the receptionist tried weakly to defend herself and her team, but deflated when his piercing gaze turned back on her.

"Mr. Tracy, I think I may have an idea what happened."

Turning sharply, Jeff was met with the bold eyes of Sarah Daniels, Alan's doctor. Nodding his head, he motioned for her to go on.

"Well first, I might point out that you are Jeff Tracy, former astronaut and owner of Tracy Enterprise. It was almost too obvious that this would leak out somehow and reporters love to chew anything they can find. They're like animals and I'm guessing one thought it would make a good story if Jeff Tracy was abusing his sons. And second, I give you full confidence that it was not one of my staff. I know them. They would never go behind my back."

A few moments of silence settled over the two and suddenly Sarah became nervous. She had just delivered a full-blown speech to Jeff Tracy and he stood there, looking at her in an odd way.

Nodding, Jeff let the information sink in. Looking back up at Alan's doctor, he smiled.

I can see why John likes her.

"Thank you doctor," he said finally, extending out a hand. Upon seeing the look on the young woman's face, he smiled. Jeff was aware that he could be a little intimidating, a fact that he sometimes used to his advantage – and forgot about at other times.

Shaking herself for the umpteenth time that day, Sarah reached out her arm and shook Jeff's hand firmly.

"No problem Mr. Tracy. Anyway," she said, attempting to brush the handshake off as what she did every day, "I'm just glad to see Alan awake and feeling better."

Excusing herself, she walked off, her head held high, feeling on top of the world, a pair of bright blue eyes and a soft smile filling her mind and bringing a song to her heart.

John Tracy…

She smiled, thinking that, after all, a girl can dream, can't she?

TBC