Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Glad to see I've created a dislikeable OC. Aaron is quite a charming fellow, isn't he…..

Thanks so much for your support and reviews. I will try to answer those of you I haven't yet, but either way, I do appreciate them so much! I figured, which would you want more? The chapter or the review response? I think I made the right choice.

Breaking Point

The sight of the youngest Tracy seemed to bring life back into Gordon. Finding a spot near his baby brother, Gordon clung onto Alan's hand like a lifeline. Ignoring the curious and worried glances he was receiving from his family members, Gordon felt content holding onto Alan. For the redhead, it was a reassurance that his brother was still with them.

His older brothers' words still echoed inside his head as he remembered what Scott and Virgil had told John earlier that day. The haunting words were spoken like a scene out of a movie. The only exception - this wasn't a movie. This was the real world, and their baby brother was fighting for his life with every breath he took, each breath aided by a machine. At the thought, the second youngest Tracy glared at the ventilator machine. A dull throb radiated from the swimmer's head, taking his attention away from the breathing device. Pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand, Gordon tried to ease the pain. The headache was no doubt the result of lack of sleep and the stress of the last day.

Any healing sleep the redhead had hoped the painkillers he had taken for his back would have given him quickly waned after he had heard his older brothers. Only nightmares filled Gordon's sleep as his mind wandered to what the dormitory must have been like for Alan and his classmates. The thought made Gordon furious.

"You okay, Gordon?" John asked, placing a gentle hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

"I'm fine, Johnny," Gordon said, staring at Alan.

Taking a seat on the bed beside Alan's still leg, John looked at Gordon and then gazed at Alan. "He looks so peaceful, doesn't he?"

"Too peaceful," Gordon groaned.

John frowned, looking at the redhead with concern. "He'll make it through this, Gordy. Allie's tough."

Gordon only allowed a small smile to turn the corners of his mouth. Softly caressing Alan's right hand, he looked up at his older brother. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," John replied, looking over at his brother curiously.

"Do you think Dr. Emerson meant what she said? If Alan has survived everything that's been thrown at him so far, he has a good chance?"

John took in a slow breath as he realized what his brother was asking him. Thinking back to the conversation the petite doctor had had with the family once Alan had returned from surgery - John knew where Gordon's question stemmed from.

~0~

Dr. Amanda Emerson began to debrief the family, as the youngest family member had returned from surgery.

The operation had been a success to stop the internal bleeding in his midsection; however, there was still one piece of news they desperately wanted to improve.

"Has there been any change in the swelling in his brain?" Virgil asked as the family gathered around Alan's bed.

Dr. Emerson frowned. "I'm afraid not much. The swelling in his brain has decreased marginally, but not as fast as I had hoped. Please do not let that discourage you. Alan is a fighter. Not many of my patients take what this young man has had thrown at him and continue to fight. He's strong, and we just have to be patient and give him time to heal."

"Will there be a chance of lasting damage if Alan continues to stay in the coma?" Jeff asked fearfully.

Amanda looked at the father. "I don't hide things from my patients or their families. I will always be candid with you," the brunette doctor began. Sitting the chart in her hands down, she looked at each of Alan's family members. "Right now, Alan's brain is healing from the trauma. He took a hefty and serious knock to the head. I'm not happy, but I'm also not overly worried that he hasn't woken up for us yet. The human body does things that even us doctors still don't fully understand, and I firmly believe that when your son is ready, he will grace us again with his presence."

For Jeff and his sons, they just prayed that it was very soon.

"The good news is that there isn't any sign of bleeding or any bone fragments that would cause for further worry. Alan's head injury is serious, but it will not require surgery. The biggest thing we have to remember is the trauma this young man's body has gone through. Things look gloomy right now, but the entire staff on his case have complete faith that he will keep fighting."

~0~

So many factors were still stacking up against their youngest brother. Alan's life was indeed in his young hands. Gently, the astronaut laid his hand tenderly upon his baby brother's still leg. John wished nothing more than for his little brother to wake up and surprise them all.

Looking back at Gordon, John knew that if they couldn't help Alan, then there was only one thing they could do. Keep each other strong until their baby brother returned to them. No matter how many times Gordon told them he was fine, his older brothers knew differently. John could see the dark circles under Gordon's eyes, indicating that he had hardly had any sleep. The small winces and calculated movements were all signs that the second-youngest Tracy was still in pain.

Yet, John knew his younger brother's pain wasn't just physical but emotional as well. From the moment they took Alan out of the destroyed dormitory at Wharton Academy, Gordon's spirit had seemingly disappeared. The essence of his former self only reappearing as a false façade, and even that only lasted for a few moments.

Taking in a deep breath, John carefully decided how he could answer his brother's question. "Gordy, she wouldn't have told us those things if she didn't mean it. Dr. Emerson has taken excellent care of Allie. He'll pull through, you just wait and see."

"How can you be so sure?" the ginger replied, his voice so unlike himself, it almost scared John.

The emotion in Gordon's voice tore at John's heart. Looking back at the rest of his family, the painful looks upon their faces told John that it tore at them as well. The hissing of the ventilator, the multitude of bandages that covered Alan's skin, and the beeping of the heart monitor were almost enough to steal whatever confidence the second eldest had in himself to comfort his little brother.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, John placed a hand on Gordon's shoulder. "Gordon, look at me."

"Just answer the question, John." Gordon didn't take his eyes off of Alan, even though his throbbing headache was making it hard for him to concentrate. A considerable knot began to settle upon his chest as he tried to contain his emotions. The twenty-one-year-old was trying his hardest to keep it together, but the weight on his chest wanted to explode - in fact, a volcano would adequately explain the battle within himself.

"I know because I have faith in Allie. He's strong, and he's a fighter. When has our baby brother ever given you a reason to doubt him?"

Gordon didn't answer his brother, content to stare at Alan's still form. The redhead knew he couldn't meet John's unwavering gaze. He just couldn't.

John moved closer to Gordon, gently placing his hand on top of Gordon's hand - the hand that desperately grasped Alan's limp one so tenderly. "Gordy, look at me, please. Talk to me."

Taking a shaky breath, Gordon slowly looked up at his older brother. He gazed into the gentle azure eyes - those that matched Alan's so much. A tear suddenly threatened to escape his amber eyes, causing the second youngest to turn away quickly.

"Gordon," John said gently, his heart nearly breaking at the sight of his brother.

"I heard you guys talking earlier," were the quiet words that escaped Gordon's quivering lips.

"What?" John asked, completely confused.

"Earlier at the hotel. I heard everything."

"Gordon," Scott started as he walked forward, hoping to intervene. He could no longer sit back as John tried to console their little brother.

"You know, I remember not long ago a nearly seventeen-year-old lay right where Allie is now," Virgil's soft voice suddenly spoke. "Alan was so sure his closest older brother was going to leave him forever."

The memories of that time quickly flooded back to each of them in the room. Gordon's hydrofoil accident had nearly rocked the very foundation of their family. An unspeakable outcome had almost changed the course of the would-be saviors of the world.

Gordon closed his eyes as he remembered the accident clearly, his back throbbing as if mocking the entire situation.

Coming to stand beside Scott, Virgil slowly continued his story…..

~0~

Virgil guided his kid brother into the hospital room that held the fourth born Tracy. So many wires and machines surrounded the vulnerable figure that was his little brother. It wasn't the first time he had been in the room that day, but for his baby brother, it was.

Looking down, the chestnut-haired Tracy watched as Alan tried to comprehend why his older brother was lying so still upon the bed in front of him. Years of watching his baby brother, Virgil knew Alan was struggling.

"It's okay, Sprout," he coaxed.

Alan looked up at the figure that lay upon the sterile white bed. He knew that person was his fun older brother Gordon, but everything was so wrong. Gordon remained so still. The older brother he loved so much never stood still for even a second. A smile or cheeky grin was absent from his older brother's face, instead replaced with a ghostly still frown. For only twelve, Alan knew that even in unconsciousness, his brother could feel the pain.

Looking up at Virgil, Alan paused, trying to gather his thoughts.

Virgil frowned. "What's wrong, Allie?"

Looking down, Alan could only stare at the limp hand of his redheaded brother. Slowly, he began to put his hand on the still limb, but quickly pulled away as he realized he was afraid to touch his brother.

"It's okay, Alan. You won't hurt him," Virgil reassured. "Talk to Gordy, he can hear you."

Afraid to move, Alan looked up at his older brother. "Is he gonna be okay, Virg? Are we gonna lose him?" The last part of his words wavered as his voice betrayed him.

Virgil looked down at the twelve-year-old's frightened baby blue eyes. So many emotions displayed upon Alan's young face. Feelings that shouldn't be there. The kid had nearly had a panic attack when he had learned his brother was in the hospital - his condition completely unknown. The headmaster of Alan's school telling the frightened youngster the news. Virgil grimaced at that fact. They had undoubtedly had a lapse in communications, and his baby brother had paid the price for that one.

Taking the growing youngster in his arms, Virgil hugged his baby brother. As he held him, Virgil realized Alan was shaking. "He's going to be fine, kiddo. I promise."

"How can you be so sure? The news said there were no survivors. He looks dead," Alan's broken voice answered, tears streaming down his face.

Virgil closed his eyes, his heart breaking at his baby brother's words. Running a soothing hand through Alan's blonde head of hair, the middle Tracy tilted his brother's head up toward him. "Look at me, Alan. Gordon's going to be okay. I know things look bad right now, but Gordy just needs time to heal. He's been through a lot, okay? Before you know it, he will be awake and joking. I bet he's planning his next prank against Scott and John in his sleep."

The artist smiled as he heard a small chuckle escape his little brother.

~0~

"A combination of fear and lack of proper information had led Allie to think he was walking in to find his brother on death's door," Virgil said. Looking at Scott, he and his older brother shared a knowing look. Scott had been the only one the middle Tracy had told about Alan's reaction that day.

Taking a seat on the bed beside his baby brother, Scott looked across at Gordon. His second youngest brother refused to meet any of his brother's gazes. He was content to stare at the floor, a few small drops escaping his eyes as they fell into his lap. "Gordy, you don't think we're that close to losing Allie, do you?"

All Gordon managed was a shrug but quickly regretted it as a wince appeared across his face. A reaction that only increased the concern of his family.

"What's really bothering you, son?" Jeff's voice suddenly interjected. The father of five carefully watched his second youngest, his heart tearing at the eternal funk that had seemed to claim Gordon. His usually boisterous son had seemed to lose all purpose of life. It was like his fourth born was just going through the motions, a fact that gravely concerned the father.

So many emotions raged inside Gordon as his family concentrated on him. Inside he was furious, but he was also increasingly hopeless. Any reassurance he craved that Alan would wake up and tell him he was okay, was stolen from him. No report had been released yet of what caused the fire that had taken many innocent lives at his brother's school, but Gordon knew that only one thing could've happened. It was simple - someone had gotten careless. That carelessness had cost numerous lives and nearly claimed the life of his brother.

The thought that someone could be so careless made Gordon sick. After being forced to remain behind, the swimmer found plenty of time to contemplate the scenarios that caused the scene to unfold that night. Nothing had felt worse than knowing your kid brother had helped save hundreds of lives - not even blinking at the risk of his own - and then suddenly like the change of the wind, Alan's life was hanging by a thread. Gordon had gone too long not knowing his baby brother's fate.

"You don't know what it was like being left there," Gordon's quiet voice finally answered.

Like a light bulb, the family finally understood what was troubling the ginger. It wasn't that he doubted his brother - no, it went much deeper than that.

"Gordy," John started, squeezing his brother's shoulder.

"No," Gordon said, now suddenly sounding irritated. He shrugged off John's hand. "You don't know what it was like, not knowing if your brother was alive or dead for nearly forty-five minutes — all the while stuck at the very scene of the crime. A thousand thoughts are entering your mind as you stare at the charred remains of what used to be the place Alan called his "home away from home". Forget the nightmare of trying to contemplate the simple fact that you might lose your brother, no, you think of so many other things. You can't help but imagine what it was like inside that burning inferno that someone had clearly started and then," Gordon paused, standing up slowly due to his aching back as his voice broke slightly. "…and then you learn what it was like inside that building. Every worst-case scenario you've ever thought had come true. Like a horrible nightmare, you realize what horrors your brother went through."

Turning to his family for only a brief moment, he looked at his brothers. "I heard every word you said. All the damage and all the blood, I heard it all. Realizing that we actually lost Alan for several minutes." Unable to finish his thought, Gordon turned back toward the window he found himself at. "Forty-five minutes," he picked up again. "Forty-five long horrifying minutes," the redhead solemnly repeated.

Uncontrollable tears streamed down the broken twenty-one-year old's face. Gordon was too tired to stop them. He couldn't hold the agony in anymore. Placing a hand on his sore back, the redhead tried to lessen the pain as it increased due to his movements. The painkiller and muscle relaxant he had taken back at the hotel had now worn off. He didn't care. He didn't care about anything except one thing - being there for his little brother. Gordon knew he wouldn't be okay until his baby brother opened up his eyes and smiled at him - reassuringly telling him he was going to be okay.

For several minutes the room remained eerily silent, the only noise that filled it were the machines - a reminder of why they were stuck on this rollercoaster ride that wouldn't end.

Looking at each of his sons, Jeff moved to advance toward his distraught son, but Scott immediately halted the advance.

Walking past his father, Scott gently approached his little brother. An increasingly deep frown appeared upon his brow as he watched Gordon battle the physical and emotional pain that was noticeably affecting him. Gently, he rubbed his brother's back. "Gordy, why didn't you say anything?"

Gordon only rolled his eyes. "Which are you referring to, Scott?"

Scott gave Gordon a knowing look. "I don't think I even need to answer that question, Gords. You know."

"What was I supposed to say? Hey guys, I'm so mixed up inside that I don't know which way is up or down. Yeah, that's exactly what each of you needed to hear," Gordon scoffed, his voice quickly taking on a sarcastic tone.

"Gordon, you know that we're always there for one another. Dad, me, Johnny, Virg. No matter what, we must keep each other strong. Alan needs our strength."

Gordon had no words to counter his older brother. He had nothing left inside him.

Not needing an answer, Scott wrapped an arm around his brother - hoping the gesture helped lessen the weight on Gordon's aching back. "Kiddo, what are we going to do with you?" he said with a slight smirk. The elder hoped for a smart-alec response to escape his usual gusto brother but was quickly disappointed as Gordon only shrugged.

Noticing that Gordon seemed ready to fall on his feet, Scott looked over at Virgil and Jeff with concern. "Gordo, how bad is your back hurting you right now?"

Gordon closed his eyes as he leaned against his brother, tired and in a great deal of pain. A pulsating throb traveled the length of his back, making him realize how stupid it had been to ignore his escalating discomfort. "You don't want to know," was the quiet yet straightforward answer he gave.

Jeff looked at his son with great concern. His second youngest looked ready to collapse. "Son, are you alright?"

Gordon didn't answer. He was too focused on the pain.

"How much sleep has he gotten?" Jeff asked his other three sons.

John sighed. "It's hard to say, Dad. Considering he heard our conversation earlier when he was supposed to be sleeping, I'm guessing maybe three to four hours at best."

Jeff didn't like that answer one bit. "Gordon, you're going to make yourself sick." Shaking his head, he looked to Scott and Virgil, who each stood on either side of their younger brother. "Help your brother over to the couch. What he needs is rest before he collapses on us."

"I can hear, you know. My ears aren't broken," Gordon muttered.

Jeff smirked. Now there was the son he knew so well. "No, but it seems your common sense is."

"Eh, minor details, Dad," Gordon said as he tried to stand a little straighter, but realized his back wasn't going to have any of it. He suddenly gasped at the effort. The redhead quickly closed his eyes tight as excruciating pain radiated up his entire spine.

"Gordy?" Virgil asked swiftly. "What's wrong?"

"Dad?" John spoke slowly, looking over at their father. Something was very wrong. He hadn't seen his brother in so much pain in years.

"Gordon?" Jeff quickly addressed his son as Scott and Virgil tried to prevent their brother from crumbling to the floor.

Gordon shook his head. "I-I'll be fine. Just let it pass," he grimaced. Jeff, however, knew better.

"Mr. Tracy?" a voice suddenly spoke into the room.

Jeff turned around to see a genuinely concerned Brains and an equally unsure Fermat.

Stepping farther into the room, Brains walked up to his best friend and boss. "What h-happened?"

Jeff sighed. "It's a long story. Right now, we need to get him some help."

"No, Dad," Gordon argued. "I–," his face contorted as he tried to breathe through the pain. "I'll be okay. Just need to lie down."

Virgil stopped their father before he could argue further. Looking at his little brother's tight face, he tried to gain his attention. "Gordon, do you think you can walk to the couch?"

Taking in a shuddering breath, Gordon contemplated that simple thought. "No," he said, shaking his head. "Not at this very moment. It hurts too much." That simple confession was enough to make Jeff sick.

Not needing any further contemplation, Scott looked to Virgil. Neither one needed to speak. Taking hold of Gordon's arms, Virgil lifted his brother's torso as Scott lifted Gordon's legs. Gently but swiftly, they laid their brother upon the couch that resided in the room.

Deep breaths could be heard from the second youngest as he tried to breathe through the pain that continued to radiate from his back.

Jeff knelt beside his son, laying a hand upon Gordon's tight forehead. "Gordon, I want a-"

"-Dad, I'll be okay," Gordon said as he laid a hand upon his father's arm. "Just," he paused as an intense spasm flared through his back. "Just give me a bit, okay? If it doesn't lessen in about ten minutes, then I'll let a doctor look at me. Deal?"

Jeff frowned. "Alright, but if it gets worse, then we're not waiting."

"Deal," Gordon said as he closed his eyes.

Fermat slowly approached the bed that held his unconscious best friend. Taking in a shaky breath, he looked at all the machines and wires that hooked up to Alan.

"It's gonna be okay, kiddo," John reassured as he watched the fifteen-year-old.

Fermat only managed to shake his head. Swallowing, he looked up at John. "You all s-shou-uld know t-that he didn't even blink about s-s-helping everyone," his stutter taking hold as he thought about his best friend. "Alan immediately t-took charge of the situation."

"That doesn't surprise me," John said as he looked from the teen to his family. Each allowed pride to fill them once more.

Another quick intake of breath escaped Gordon, quickly taking his and the rest of the room's attention to the figure upon the couch.

No one noticed a small twitch that escaped the hand of the youngest Tracy as he fought toward consciousness.

TBC…

There you have it. A long one and things are going to pick up now. More of evil Aaron and angst to come next chapter!

Before the angst, I please ask that you review. They really do make my day!

Later!