Robin walked into the waiting room where the Quartermaines were assembled. Everyone looked up, fear on their faces as she stood at the door. "I just wanted to let you know that I have contacted Dr Hayward. He has agreed to come up here to help with the surgery. Adam Chandler's plane will be lifting off shortly and Skye has been notified. She will be arriving with Dr Hayward." Robin paused. "I am so sorry that this is happening. I admire Alan so. Please let me know if I can do anything."

Ned spoke up, "Robin, can you do me a favor? Can you call Brenda and have her come here with James?" Robin nodded and left the room to make the phone call.

"Now why are you calling Brenda here?" Tracy demanded. "This is for family only and quite frankly I am in no mood for her little brat to be here. We already have AJ coming soon, thank God he was able to charter a plane. I can only take so many brats in one place."

"Can it Tracy." Jason spoke quietly, the first time he had spoken since he had gotten there.

Tracy whipped around, "What did you say to me?"

"You heard me. I think it might be a good distraction. Plus Brenda will be able to help us out if need be." Jason stated, eyes forward. "Monica will be coming out soon and please, no fighting. She doesn't need World War Three going on in here."

"Jason's right, Mother." Dillion said. "Just let it go. Brenda can at least contact people if need be."

"Edward, what do you think?" Tracy asked her father.

Edward was sitting in a corner. He waved his hand and said quietly, "I don't care about anything right now except that my son survives. The PCU marching band could be in here if it will guarentee my son's survival."

Monica opened the door, tears coming down her face. "Oh my God No!" Tracy screeched.

Monica looked like she had aged twenty years in the last few hours. "No, he's ok for now. Alan is stabilized and he will have the surgery today. Robin told me that AJ and Skye are on their way home, right?" Ned told her yes, "Alan wants to see you all before the surgery. Only a couple minutes though. I don't want to tire him out so do you mind going in together? Ned and Dillion, will you go first?"

Dillion and Ned followed Monica to where Alan lay hooked up to many machines and IV's. They tried not to show their shock at how pale he was. One of the machines showed the aneuryism, which looked like the size of a tennis ball. "Alan?" Ned whispered. "Are you awake?"

Alan reached out his hand and grasped Ned's. "Ned, if I don't make it through this, please watch out for my father. He is going to need a strong person behind him. I would ask you to watch out for Monica, but I don't want you near her. That will be Dillion's job, ok? That and watching out for Tracy. I love you both very much, even if I don't show it very often."

Dillion choked back tears, "Of course Alan."

"You will make it through this Alan, you have the best team behind you." Ned said in a calm, strong voice. "Dillion will you give me a minute with Alan?"

"Sure. Be strong Alan." Dillion backed out of the room and Ned looked into Alan's eyes. "I want to tell you something but I want you to keep it a secret. I know you will come out of this but I want to give you something more to live for. AJ is on his way back in case you didn't know. Hopefully you will see him before surgery. What I am about to tell you, my mother doesn't even know and I don't want her to know. James, Brenda's son is also mine."

Alan smiled weakly. "Ned, thank you for trusting me enough to tell me that. I can see why you wouldn't want everyone to know. I won't tell anyone, even Monica. Can you please send Emily and Jason in here?"

Ned walked out and moitioned for Jason and Emily to go see Alan. When they reached his room, Emily burst into tears. Alan held out his hand and Emily leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you Dad for welcoming me into your family and loving me so much. I learned so much from you and love you very much." She backed away and let Jason sit down.

"Jason, there is so much you don't remember. I was a bad father to you at times but I love you very much." Alan said in a strained voice, "I have so many regrets with you and I wish I could fix so much. Whatever you have become, I am proud that you are my son and I vow to always stand behind you."

Jason squeezed Alan's hand, "I know you do Alan. What's past is past. We can only move forward."

"Thank you so much for being here. Your mother will appreciate your strength as will Emily. They will need you Jason."

Emily and Jason exited the room. "Jason I can't go back in there quite yet. I will be back in a minute." Emily walked towards to ladies room where she ran into Elizabeth and Brenda.

"Emily, I am so sorry for Alan. How is he doing?" Elizabeth asked, concerned.

Emily wiped her eyes, "He's ok. Brenda, you can go through those doors. Ned is waiting for you." She paused as Brenda made her way into the waiting room. "It is very serious Elizabeth."

"I know. I called Nikolas as soon as I heard and he will be here soon. I thought you might want him here." Elizabeth said.

"Well, you thought wrong." Emily stated. "Stop butting into my life and don't let him into the room, got it? Or I will have you fired from this hospital."

Elizabeth was taken aback. "Ok Emily, I am sorry. I was just trying to help."

"You are not helping in the least. Just stay away from and my family and that includes my fiance." Emily turned on her heels and walked away. She left a stunned Elizabeth and Nikolas, who had just walked up.

"Well Alan, are you trying to take all the attention from me again?" Tracy smiled through her tears as she sat down across from Alan. "Alan, this isn't suppossed to happen to you."

"Thank God there are no pills around." Alan tried to joke.

Tracy grimaced, "Low blow Alan."

"I had to get one in before I go." Alan said.

Tracy grabbed his hand and said in a determined voice, "Listen here Alan, you will not be "going" anywhere. You will have this surgery and you will be fine. Then you and I will be back to normal and insulting each other as usual, with your wife threatening to throw me out of the house. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal. Tracy I am getting really tired. Can you send Father in here?" Alan said quietly. "And Tracy, you know that even though you and I fight a lot, I do love you a lot. You certainly make life interesting."

Tracy leaned over and kissed him. "He will be right in." Tracy walked out and into the waiting room. She walked up to her father and threw her arms around him, crying. Ned extricated her so that Edward could go see Alan.

"Oh Father, you probably look worse than me." Alan said when Edward walked into the room.

Edward settled himself in the chair next to Alan's bed. "Oh Son. This shouldn't be happening. It should be me here, not you. The parent is supposed to go before the child. This can't be happening Alan, it can't be." Edward's eyes began to tear up.

Alan reached over and brushed his father's hair back. "Father, I am a stubborn old mule, just like you. I will make it through this and then I will start the treatments to get better. Everything will work out Father."

"Alan, I feel like I have screwed up your life so many times. I screwed up all the grandkids. Look at Jason's. God forbid AJ. I am sorry you won't be able to see Michael." Edward said ashe grasped Alan's hand.

"I wouldn't want Michael to see me like this. I am not going to be my suave, debonair self when I come out of this. Oh Father, please know that whatever has happened, I love you very much."

Edward choked back his tears, "I love you too son. Look, I will let you rest. If AJ or Skye get here soon, we will send them in to see you. Remember, we all love you."

Edward walked out and leaned against the wall. It was then that he gave into his tears and cried.

Skye rushed into the waiting room and ran to Ned. "Is he ok? Can I see him?"

Ned sat Skye down next to him and Brenda, "Monica is in with him right now. Now that Dr Hayward is here, he will go under anesthesia very shortly. Dr Hayward has to meet with Dr Drake and they will go over everything and brief Monica, who will tell us everything. But the surgery will start shortly I assume. He looked very weak when I saw him."

"David told me all about these aneuryisms. He has treated them many times before and has been successful with them. I don't care for David on a personal level, but he is a good doctor." Skye told everyone after she said hello to everyone. "Brenda, is that your child?"

"Yes. His name is James Edward. I hear you have a child as well. Where is she?" Brenda responded.

"I left him with Leticia, I hope you don't mind. I didn't think this was the place for a child." Skye said.

Tracy interjected, "At least someone, even if it is Skye has some common sense."

"Mother." Ned warned.

There was a commotion at the door and it flung open. "Where is my father?" AJ demanded, Sarah Webber at his side.