Painful pasts and terrible truths

Flashback #1

*Jeff's POV*

Lucy was keeping an eye on Gordon, Alan and Virgil, she had Alan on the step next to her and she watched as Gordon and Virgil were chasing each other in the backyard, John and Scott were helping me set up a few tables and chairs as we were going to have a party for Independence Day.

"Alan are you getting hungry sweetheart" Lucy asked Alan who looked really unhappy, Alan nodded.

"Aw honey come on let's go and make you something to eat, Virgil, Gordon make sure you don't hurt each other ok" Lucy pouted and she picked Alan up she looked over at the two in the backyard and she smiled, I fell in love with that smile and I don't regret it at all, Alan's still at the size where he's able to be picked up, she took him inside to get him a snack.

"John go and watch your brothers so they don't break each other's bones" I commanded and John nodded and he kept an eye on Gordon and Virgil who were just having a competition over who could do the biggest cartwheel, I laughed when Gordon tried to copy what Virgil had done but he fell down as he couldn't do it, I walked over to see if he was ok, he got straight back up again and he tried to do a cartwheel over and over again, that boy has a lot of energy for a 6 year old, I picked Virgil up and I gave him a piggy back ride across the yard, he stuck his arms out pretending to be a plane.

"Dad, if I ever had a plane it would be a big green one, and it would be painted green for camouflage, it would be so cool" Virgil grinned, it was a grin that missed a lot of teeth, he had collided with a lot of doors and his teeth had fallen out.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do for you, you little rascal" I laughed and I put him down on the grass and I ruffled his hair, he ran inside to go and bug Scott, Gordon was clinging on to my leg.

"Roar Gordon the shark has gotten your leg" Gordon giggled and he pretended to bite my leg.

"Oh no help Gordon the shark has gotten me" I fell to the ground and Gordon pounced on me, he made a roaring sound in my ear "Gordon please not in daddy's ear"

"You seem to have yourself a handful" Lucy laughed to herself Alan followed her and he was finishing off a cookie, he had crumbs around his mouth, I was panting, I'm getting too old for this, my knees have almost given up on me.

Gordon walked over to Alan and he playfully shoved him a little, and guess which one ended up on the floor, Alan started crying.

"Gordon that wasn't very nice, apologise to your brother" I raised my eyebrow at Gordon.

"Sowry Alan" Gordon apologised in a babyish voice.

"Virgil stop it, I'm trying to finish my homework" I heard Scott laugh, Virgil had covered both of Scott's eyes so he couldn't see "I'm gonna get you, you little monster."

Virgil ran outside and Scott chased him, gently tackling him to the ground and tickling him to which Virgil giggled and squealed a lot in response, John chuckled at the site of his older brother overpowering the younger.

"It sure is a handful having five sons" Lucy sighed contently and she picked Alan up again, she threw him into the air and caught him, Alan was giggling "there we go, there's nothing that a good woosh in a rocket ship can't fix."

At the party Scott and John kept their eyes on Gordon, Virgil and Alan, Alan was on a harness due to there being fireworks.

*Lucy's POV*

I had my sketchbook out, I had a playlist full of my favourite composers, it helped me to draw, Virgil sat down next to me and he handed me pencils when I needed them.

"Aren't you going to sit with your brothers" I asked him.

"No, I wanted to sit with you and watch the fireworks" Virgil smiled and he rested himself against me, put my sketchbook down and I ran my hand through his jet black hair, I never knew it was possible to be born with completely black hair, maybe there was a gene that mutated and made his hair develop a black pigment, a few moments after the fireworks ended he fell asleep with his head in my lap, Jeff wandered over to us, he knelt down to inspect Virgil.