Continuing on from last chapter
John was the one to make the call to the hotel penthouse suite where their family was staying. Conrad didn't trust himself, and besides that, Scott had made it as empathically clear as he could that he wanted Conrad with him. It had been the only thing that had cause his pain-killer hazed eyes to briefly return to their normal laser like focus when one of the doctors had suggest Conrad leave. John was surprised the woman didn't have third degree burns from that glare.
Scott wanted Conrad there, no discussion required, or allowed. It would have taken an act of god to pry Conrad away anyway, once Scott made his wishes clear.
"Scott's awake," John started without preamble, aware his entire family were collectively holding its breath, "and fairly lucid, better than hoped for, and there's a eighty-five percent chance he'll keep his leg."
He waited until the explosions of relieved sobs and frightened laughter died down before continuing.
"Scott can have a single visitor for ten minutes, with a half hour between visitors, butVirgilisn'tallowed," John's stomach dropped as he rushed through that last part, glad he had chosen to call rather than deliver that news in person.
To his relief it was Gordon who got the question in the first:
"What? Why?"
"Because Scott indicated he didn't want to see him yet," John explained, "he's..."
"Scott? Or Conrad?" Virgil interrupted with a snarl.
"Scott, Virgil," John used his 'you will listen to me, and like with it' voice that he used with people who interfered with rescues or dithered about unimportant things like property values instead of people's lives, "Conrad hasn't said much of anything since Scott regained consciousness."
Nothing much beyond 'I love you' and 'Don't leave me' on repeat.
Virgil deflated, big brown eyes confused. (Alan's glare unwittingly mimicking their injured oldest brother when he had made that decision.)
"Why?" echoing Gordon in a much more heartbroken tone.
"Virgil," John answered as kindly as he could, now wishing he was there to wrap an arm around Virgil's shoulders, "you know why."