Disclaimer: We didn't own them a few days ago and we can definitely say that we still don't.

A/N: Just a bit of a warning, there is some cussing in this update. Oh, and a fluff/tissue warning should be issued.

Chapter 23

John's patience snapped as soon as Virgil fell unconscious. "VIRGIL!" He was up before anyone realized that he had gotten up from his bed. Unsteadily, he pushed against Brains in his rush to get to his brother's side. He missed the look that Brains directed at Jeff and Scott. He may have missed the look but he felt the end result when he was grabbed from behind.

"You're getting in Brains' way, Johnny." Scott held tight to his struggling brother.

Even in his weakened state, he was fighting for all he was worth to get free. "Let me…go. Damn it… Scott, let…me go." Gasping for breath, his head fell back against Scott's shoulder. His anger mounted as his body betrayed him and he slumped in his brother's arms. "Gotta help Virg, Scotty. Kerrie said we had to help each other."

"The best way you can help Virg is to keep back and out of Brains' way. Let him have a chance to get our brother stabilized." Backing up, he half dragged and half carried his next youngest brother to his bed. "We need you to get better, Johnny, and you're not going to do it if you're pushing yourself." Lowering his mouth closer to John's ear, he whispered. "I need you to get better so that I have some help looking after Virg and Gordon."

Exhausted, John could only allow himself to be put to bed like a toddler. "Yeah, I got to get better." He shifted his gaze from Scott's face to the bed Virgil was lying on. As he watched, Brains placed a nasal canula and started an IV. His sole focus was on what was happening to his younger brother. He didn't notice the blanket that was pulled over his shaking form. Even when Scott checked to make sure he hadn't injured his hand any more, he only spared a precursory glance at his big brother.

Brains ran a bio scan of Virgil. "The b-bl-bleeding was b-br-brought on by the c-con-concussion and t-turbulence. As was the s-se-seizure."

"So, now what happens, Brains?" Scott asked before Jeff could.

"We l-let him r-r-rest but do n-neuro c-ch-checks." Pushing his glasses further up on his nose, he noted Virgil's chart. He was still writing when the infirmary doors slid open. With a sigh, he set the data chart down and pointed to a smaller exam table. "W-what did you d-do?

Gordon's trademark grin was more of a grimace. "Um, would you believe that I met a woman and we were having—"

"Gordon." The warning in his father's voice was easily heard.

Leaning more on Alan, he shuffled towards the exam table. "I think it was from the rescue, sitting too long on the flight to Canada, and the flight home with the added turbulence."

"He's been taking his pain meds every four hours since this morning. His last dose was about an hour ago." Alan helped his brother up on the exam table.

Gordon immediately laid back on the table and bent his legs at the knees. "Ahh, that feels much better." As he relaxed, he found it harder to keep his eyes open and was soon softly snoring.

"That didn't take long." Alan covered his next closest brother and best friend with a light blanket.

"It never does when he can finally relax." Jeff stared around the room, sighing. "Why is it that when one of you gets hurt or sick another feels the need to follow?" He focused his attention on John when he heard Scott's quiet orders for him to lie still.

"Remember what I said, Johnny, you have to get better. And the only way to do that is to lie down and let your body rid itself of the infection and fever." Scott's words seemed to go in one ear and out the other.

"I want to sit next to Virgil. Gotta look after my brother, Scott." Kicking the blanket aside, he tried to sit up only to find that Scott was holding him down.

Jeff suddenly appeared in his line of vision. "Son, what you need to do is rest. Brains will take care of Virgil. And Gordon and you." He settled down in the chair between John and Virgil's beds and silently willed his sons a speedy recovery. One son sick or injured was bad. Two was worse but three was seriously adding gray hairs at an alarming rate. He should have realized that John wasn't just going to lie still because he was told he needed rest.

He had just shifted his gaze towards Virgil when Scott snapped. "Damn it, John, what the hell was that for?" Rubbing his jaw, he glared at his younger brother.

Alan had been leaning against Gordon's bed but was instantly moving towards his two eldest brothers. He noticed the agitated gleam in the blond man's eyes and knew that all hell was about to break loose.

"I said that I want to sit next to Virgil. Not lie down like some damn dog." He took advantage Scott's supposed lack of focus to sit up again.

It took a moment to register that he was suddenly staring up at the ceiling. And that he was gasping for the breath that his brother had knocked out of him when he forcefully shoved him down again. "That was a stupid move, little brother."

"Scott, stand down." Jeff was on his feet and glaring down at his eldest blond son. "Obviously, you are unwilling to rest for your own well-being voluntarily. I will give you one more chance to just relax and let your body rest and recuperate."

"And I will tell you just once more that I want to sit next to my brother." He made to sit up again.

Alan shook his head. "When are you going to learn, Johnny, that when Dad uses that tone, you'd best listen?"

"John, if you get up from that bed, I will have Brains administer a mild sedative so that you rest." Jeff's quiet tone left no doubt that he'd do just that.

He didn't believe that his father would really have him sedated for getting up to sit next to his brother. "You aren't going to do that, Dad. I have the right to sit next to my brother if I want."

"And I have the right and obligation - no matter how old you are – to protect and keep you healthy. I'm not only your father but last I checked, I'm also your employer. I'm the employer and father who pays all of your medical costs."

Indignant, John sputtered. "You have no right to threaten me like that."

"I will not stand by and allow you to suffer a relapse because you're being stubborn." Crossing his arms, he watched and waited for John's reaction. "Please, Son, just lie down. Don't force my hand over something so trivial."

He glared at his dad and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "You can't keep me from getting up, Dad. I'm feeling better and I'm tired of being in bed all day."

Brains, Scott, and Alan had been watching the two Tracys in relative silence but each knew how this would turn out. Brains sighed, and then went to the stockroom to get a syringe and a mild sedative. "S-st-stubborn…no s-sense…pain."

Alan had followed the genius to the stockroom and heard his muttered words. "Which one of them are you talking about, Brains?"

Throwing a frustrated glance at the youngest Tracy, he gathered what he needed. "All of y-y-you. Each a-and e-ev-every one of y-y-you."

Shrugging his shoulders, Alan couldn't help the cheeky grin that spread across his face. "Well, I can't argue with that. But at least, we keep everyone from getting bored."

"T-true but do y-you think t-th-that it's too m-much to ask f-for only o-one of you in h-h-here at a t-time?"

"Probably but look at it this way, Brains, Gordon and Virgil are sleeping. It's only John that you have to deal with. As much as I hate to see him sedated, he'll calm down and sleep once you do." Rubbing the back of his neck, he turned and started for the infirmary.

Patting his friend's shoulder, Brains managed a small smile of his own. "Th-they're all g-g-going to be o-ok-okay, Alan."

"I hope so. I hope so." He walked to where Gordon lay and sat down in the plastic chair that was next to the exam table. Focusing on his sleeping brother, he tried not to listen to what was going on over by John.

Brains waited for Jeff's signal to sedate John. "John, I've tried to reason with you but you've chosen to be obstinate and show total disregard for your own health." With a slight nod at Scott and Brains, he frowned and wondered if he was doing the right thing.

John tensed when he saw Scott step towards him. "Scotty, please, don't do this. I only want to be near Virgil. I promise I'll just sit there and not try to go anywhere else." With his attention focused on Scott, he didn't notice Brains sneak up behind him. He might not have noticed Brains' approach but he felt his presence as the needle of the syringe was jabbed into his arm. Jerking his arm away, he winced. "No…no…no…I don't want to sleep." Unfortunately, he was too late. Brains had already injected him with the sedative.

Scott stayed close to his brother but didn't crowd him. He chose to let the sedative take effect. "Damn it, Johnny, why couldn't you just relax?"

Several minutes later, the sedative took effect and John slumped in the chair next to Virgil. The same chair he'd been trying to get to since Virgil slipped into an unconscious state. With his speech slurred, he blinked up at his dad and Scott. "I just…wanted to…sit here." Tears of frustration pooled in his eyes. "I…I needed to…be near him. He's…my brother…and I was…such a bastard…to him." It was getting harder and harder for him to keep his eyes open but he had to make them understand. "I hurt…him, Dad. I yelled at…you for…hurting him. I…I'm such a horrible…big…" His eyes closed and his head fell forward, resting on his chest.

Jeff and Scott got him back to his bed but it was Jeff who gently covered his second born with a blanket. "You're not a horrible person, Johnny. You're human and we all make mistakes. What you choose to do with those mistakes is what makes you a better or worse person. If you try to rectify those mistakes, you're a better person. Choose to leave them to fester, then they'll come back to bite you eventually. Trust me, Son, I know and I hope that I can make things somewhat right between me and my boys. You each mean so much to me."

Alan and Scott heard their father's words and surrounded him in a small group hug. "Dad, I don't know what all has been going on but you've been a great dad to us." Alan hugged his dad tighter.

Pensive and thoughtful, Scott measured his words. "If what John and you are referring to, then yeah, you weren't the best parent after Mom died." Shrugging his shoulders, he struggled with what he wanted to say. "But once you got your head out of your ass - no offense, Dad - then you were a really great dad to have."

"Geez, Scott, don't hold back or anything," Alan deadpanned.

Jeff chuckled. "Scott's right, Alan. I wasn't the best parent after your Mom died but John helped me see the errors of my ways. Many times."

Alan stared at his father, confused. "How did he do that, Dad?"

"I wasn't positive until yesterday when he admitted it. Your brother was worse than Gordon when he was younger. My SUV was in the garage at least once a week so that the tire stems could be replaced. And I lost count of how many toothbrushes I had to replace because he dipped them in vinegar or hand soap."

"But why did he do those things?" He had walked back over to Gordon and sat down in the chair.

Scott settled down on a chair next to John's bedside. He picked up his brother's hand and held it within his. "Johnny's temper wasn't as controlled as it is now. And once someone dared to hurt or slight one of us, his ingenuity had no limits." A sad smile tugged at his mouth. "But he didn't think what he felt or thought was important."

"How could he think that, Scott?" Alan bit his lip, worry for his brother clear in his eyes.

However, it was Jeff who answered. "I think he felt like the odd man out even before your Mom died. Virgil and Scott were always together. And then you and Gordon were extremely close. John didn't have anyone to buddy up with. He was always pretty quiet so that made it easier for him to withdraw more into himself. And spend a lot of time in his own company."

"But I thought he and Virgil were together a lot after Mom died. I don't remember too much but I seem to recall them together after…" Swallowing nervously, he realized just when he saw them together. "They were always holed up in Virgil's room after you didn't show for a concert or recital that Virgil was in."

Instead of denying what Alan said, Jeff owned up to his past mistakes. "I'm not proud of what I did to Virgil. Nor will I make any more excuses for my past behavior. All I can do is hope that you and your brothers will forgive me. I have a lot to make up for and a lot of wrongs to try and set right."

Unsure of what to say, Scott and Alan remained quiet. They along with Jeff were soon lost in their own thoughts and one by one, they fell asleep where they sat. Alan fell asleep with his head resting next to Gordon's. Scott fell asleep holding John's hand. Jeff finally fell asleep with his hand resting on Virgil's chest. Brains checked in on the injured Tracys and dimmed the lights for the family. "S-sl-sleep well."