Disclaimer: Don�t own them!
Summary: The guys are all brothers and alone. Chris is 18, JC is 9, Joey is 8, Lance is 6 and Justin is 4.
~*~
Chris was sleeping peacefully when he heard soft crying. He opened his eyes and sat up. He looked at the clock. 3:45. He sighed and the crying got louder. He got out of bed and went to the room down the hall. He opened the door.
�Justin?� He turned on the light and saw his little brother sitting up in bed, tears streaming down his face.
�Mommy.�
�Justin, mommy�s not here.� Chris sat on the bed and put Justin into his lap. He wiped away the child�s tears and rocked him back and forth.
�I want mommy.�
�I know. I want her too.� After an unsuccessful time of trying to get Justin to sleep, he finally carried him into his room, where Justin fell peacefully asleep in his arms.
The next morning, Chris woke up early and carried Justin downstairs. He set him on the couch and put a blanket over him. He went into the kitchen and began making breakfast. Half an hour later, Joey and JC came downstairs arguing about who would buy lunch for the other that day.
�Sh, Justin�s still asleep.� Chris warned them.
�Sorry. I heard him crying last night, is he okay?�
�He�s fine, JC, just had a nightmare.�
�About�mom?�
Chris looked at JC. �Eat your breakfast.�
JC gulped and went to eat his eggs, bacon and toast. Joey looked up at his brother. Chris would never talk to them about their mom-
�Chris!�
�I�m down here, Lance!� Chris called.
Lance ran downstairs and up to Chris. �I can�t find my tooth brush.�
�Did you put it in the top drawer like you always do?�
�Yes, but it isn�t there anymore.�
�Hmm. Detective Joe.�
�Yes, Sergeant?� Joey went into military stance.
�It seems as if we have a missing blue toothbrush.�
�Really? Lance, tell Detective Joe what this brush looks like.�
Lance giggled. �It�s small, blue on the side and yellow. It has Big Bird on it!�
�We must find this toothbrush before you go to school. When do you leave?�
Lance smiled. �15 minutes!�
�How did you know? All right, I will go look for the toothbrush, you stay here with the sergeant.�
Lance smiled proudly as Joey headed upstairs.
After Joey found Lance�s toothbrush, right where Lance had left it, they all ate breakfast and Joey, JC and Lance began the walk to school while Chris stayed home with Justin. While Justin played with his GI Joe men, Chris sat on the couch, pondering everything that had happened
Two months earlier
�Hello?�
A sniffle. �C�Chris?�
�Joey? Buddy, what�s wrong?�
�Mama�she succumbed to the cancer, Chris. She died. I woke up and�found her. We thought she was better.�
�Joey, calm down, buddy, where are your brothers?�
�They�re next door. I�I�m standing here in front of her��
�Joey, calm down. As soon as you hang up, you are going to dial 9-1-1, ok?�
�Okay. I�m scared.�
�I�m on my way Joey. Did Justin see her?�
�N�no, only I did.�
Chris sighed. �I�ll be right there. Now call 911.� Chris hung up and rushed home.
Two hours later�Chris got out of his car and was met with a teary eyed nine year old. Chris hugged his brother and went to the others. He hugged JC, kissed Lance and picked Justin up and held him tightly.
�Mommy?� Justin asked, confused.
�Mommy went to a better place, buddy. Where she won�t be in anymore pain.�
�Mommy, I want mommy! Chris, I want mommy!�
�I know, buddy, I know.� Chris rocked his little brother.
�Mommy?� Lance asked and JC just hugged him.
~*~
�You�re willing to give up school to care for your brothers?�
�Yes. As soon as Justin is a teenager and take care of himself, I�ll come back. I�ll keep living with him and Lance until they both turn 18.�
�Taking care of 4 children is a big responsibility.� The social worker said.
�I know and I can handle it. I have a good job. I�ll be able to cook for them and I can provide for them.�
�Okay. We�ll give you one week. If we find any problems, we will have to take the boys from your care.�
�Yes, ma�am.�
~*~
After one week, Chris was signed legal guardian until each child turned of legal age.
~*~
�Chris?�
Chris shook his head and looked at Justin. �Yeah, little guy?�
�You have to be the paramedic.�
�Really? Who�s wounded, Doctor Justin?�
Justin giggled. �I�m the General!�
�Oh, forgive me, General Justin. Who�s wounded?�
�Jane and Mikey are.�
�Oh boy, we better get them to the hospital.�
A few hours later, Justin was down for his nap and Chris was making a sandwich. The phone rang and Chris quickly answered it.
�Hello?�
�Hey JC, is everything okay?�
�Lance was eating lunch and he got sick.�
�Oh no, is he okay?�
�He�s crying, he thinks he did something wrong and he wants to go home.�
�Okay. Where are you guys? Is Joey there?�
�I�m in the Health office with him. Joey is getting Lance�s things.�
�Okay, I�ll be right there.� Chris hung up and went upstairs. He put a blanket around Justin and carried him downstairs. He got his sandwich and drove to the school. Justin was awake by then and was a bit cranky, not letting Chris go. Chris carried him inside and saw JC sitting in a chair.
�Hey, where�s your brother?�
�He�s in there.�
Chris went into the room Lance was in and saw the 6 year old in tears, holding his stomach.
�Hey buddy.� Chris sat down beside him and put an arm around him. �You feeling okay?�
�I don�t know. I threw up over my shirt. Are you mad at me?�
�Never. How about we go home and I make you some soup, does that sound good?�
Lance nodded. �Joey said he threw up once and you made him soup and crackers and he was better after he took a nap!�
�That�s because I�m Chris and anything I make can make even the tiniest tummy feel better.�
�I need to pee.� Justin said tiredly.
�Okay. Go tell JC, he�ll take you.� Chris put him down and Justin ran out to see his brother.
�Will you make me soup and crackers and tell me a story?�
�Of course. Come on, let�s get you home.�
Chris waited until Lance was signed out and Justin was done with the bathroom. He said good-bye to JC and drove the two youngest ones home. He put Justin in the playroom so the child was occupied while he took care of Lance.
Pretty soon, JC and Joey ran in the door and went to the kitchen to do their homework. Justin was on the kitchen counter, eating some crackers. Lance was upstairs, taking a nap.
�How was school, you guys?�
�It was good! I got Lance�s homework.�
�Good, thank you, JC.�
�Chris, um�on Friday, they are having parent�s day where the parent comes to school and tells about their job.�
Chris looked at Joey. �Yeah?�
�Why did daddy leave?�
Chris sighed. �I don�t�I�ll talk to you about it later.�
Joey nodded and did his English.
Later on, Chris drove up to the huge house and got out of the car. He took Justin out and had Joey hold his hand. He picked up a sleeping Lance and carried him up to the steps with his brothers following. Chris opened the screen door and knocked. A young woman answered and stopped seeing Chris.
�Is my father home?�
�Yes, hold on.�
Chris licked his lips and patted Lance�s back when Lance whimpered. A man came to the door and froze seeing Chris.
�He�s sick, I need money for more medicine. I don�t get paid till Friday.�
He looked at Lance. Lance looked up at the man he didn�t know that well with pitiful green eyes.
�I�ll get my wallet.�
�Why did you leave?� JC asked quietly.
The man stared at JC but didn�t answer as he went to get his money. He came back and gave Chris 200 dollars.
�Thank you. Come on, you guys.� He turned and didn�t look back as he took them back to the car. He put Justin and Lance back in and drove the 3-hour drive back home.
TBC�