Summary: The boys reflect on the day that changed everyone's lives. But one has to come with terms that he lost something more.
Categories: Fanfiction > Backstreet Boys Characters: Group
Genres: Angst, Drama
Warnings: Violence, Sexual Content
Challenges:
Series: None
Chapters: 4 Completed: No
Word count: 3742 Read: 4581
Published: 09/11/04 Updated: 09/23/04
1. ch 1 by AJsSweety
2. ch 2 by AJsSweety
3. ch 3 by AJsSweety
4. ch 4 by AJsSweety
This story is dedicated to those that were lost in the 9/11 attacks and those that were left behind. I have been working on this story for a while after my father had completed a puzzle titled The Day the Angels Cried. Where two small angels comfort a NY firemen after the attacks. This is my take on that Puzzle and it's meaning. And what the boys may have been feeling during and after the attacks.
A/N sorry for the delay I would have had this up sooner but a headache kept me away from the computer most of yesterday and all of today.
The Day the Angels Cried.
By Vicki © 2004
It was nearing the anniversary of the worst day in
American history. The day that no one would ever
forget. But for five men they had seen it change
their lives in ways they never knew possible.
He couldn’t live life without her and had never
expected to go on. The words still echoed in his
dreams at night, and the words of a small child
haunted his life. He tried to bury his sorrows in his
work, and had even tried to move on, but
something told him that even moving on was
hard. He had seen how happy his friends were,
how they did the tributes to the fallen following
the tragedy but it was still her voice that called
him from the dark. He often wondered why he
allowed her to work in that job, why did she have
to go that day. He had talked her into going on
the road with him and at the last minuet she had
backed out, had turned and smiled saying she’d
meet him in Canada later in the week. He had
agreed kissing her lightly before boarding the bus
headed to Canada. But it was later that morning,
that dreadful morning that had changed
everything for him.
*** Flashback three years before. ****
“ Hey Alex you up?”
“ Yeah what’s going on?” Alex McLean asked
rubbing his tired eyes.
“ Something bad has happened.” Nick said turning
on the TV. Alex’s mom Denise was with them this
trip and was sitting on the couch of the bus.
“ What’s happened?” Alex asked looking at the
screen, before him was the horror he thought
could never happen. The twin towers where
burning.
“ Ally.” He said slowly.
“ She can’t be there man. We left her in Boston.”
“ She was headed back to New York, back to work.”
Alex said sitting down.
“ Honey, maybe her company wasn’t called.”
“ Ma, with this everyone was called.” Alex said
looking at the horror as it unfolded on live TV. He
listened to the news casters tell them that already
several hundred where dead and thousands more
where trapped inside the burning towers. But to his
horror he heard one say that the north tower was
coming down. He watched as the hundred-story
tower collapsed into itself and crashed to the
ground.
“ Oh my god. Where are the others?” Alex asked
looking up at a teary eyed Nick.
“ I’ll go check.” Nick said rushing off the bus. Alex
sat down next to his mother as he could hear the
faint sounds of fire trucks. He was only hoping that
his Allison wasn’t with one of the trucks.
“ I bet she’s fine.” Denise said to her son.
“ I hope so, I don’t want to tell Dawn that her mom
is gone.” Alex said looking down the hall.
“ You wont have to.” Denise said hugging him.
She knew that Alex and Allison had only been
married a few years and with the addition of
Allison’s daughter Dawn from a previous
relationship, they had become a full family. Alex
loved Dawn as if she was his own and had been
helping Allison raise her child since she was a
baby.
“ I know ma, but I am scared. With something like
that happening, I know Ally is in the middle of it.”
Alex said looking into his mother’s concerned
eyes. He looked up to see his four brothers
entering the bus.
“ We saw, we have another missing. Leighanne
hasn’t arrived at her destination yet and we can’t
find Daniel.”
“ Wasn’t Daniel going back to be with his wife?”
Brian asked.
“ Yes.” Kevin said running his hands threw his
unruly hair.
They all watched as the second tower fell leaving
everyone speechless and wondering how anyone
could attack a city as large as New York, or even
why. Kevin had been pacing for several hours
wondering if they’d hear from their loved ones.
Kevin’s wife Kristin called panicked and wondering
if they where all safe. After calming his hysterical
wife Kevin again waited for another call. The
second call came in and it wasn’t something they
had wanted to hear. Daniel Lee had been killed
on the flight from Boston, the first plane that hit
the towers. Now having to tell his wife, was
management and the police.
“ Have you heard from Ally yet?” Kevin asked sitting down next to Alex.
“ Not yet, her mom called about an hour ago to let
us know that they where safe, and that wanted to
be sure so where we.” Alex said looking at his friend.
“ At least you know her family is safe.”
“ Her father worked in the north tower, but he
wasn’t feeling well today and had stayed home.
Lucky huh?”
“ Yeah very lucky.” Kevin said placing his hand on
Alex’s shoulder.
“ Alex, phone.” Randy said holding out the cell
phone. Alex looked at Kevin and then at his
mother before taking the phone from Randy. They
watched his facial expressions change and then
he dropped the phone.
“ Alex?” Denise said coming to her son’s side.
“ She’s gone.” Was all he said, as tears streamed
down his cheeks? How was he going to tell their
daughter, how was he going to tell her family?
The officer on the other end was still waiting for
Alex to come back on the line. Denise picked up
the phone and held it to her ear.
“ Yes, I understand, we will get there as quickly as
we can. Thank you.” Denise said hanging up the
phone.
“ She’s gone.” Alex said again.
“ Alex, why don’t you rest, I’ll call her family and
then I’ll come check on you.”
“ She’s gone. He said again as he walked down
the hall towards Dawn’s room.
“ What happened?”
“ Allison was hurt badly when the towers collapsed
and was rushed to the hospital in critical
condition.”
“And? She died there?”
“ No, but she may as well had. They said that she’s
got some major brain damage and is in a coma. If
she wakes she’ll never talk, move or be able to do
anything for herself.”
“ Oh my god. Are they sure?”
“ Her brain is swollen very badly and they are
certain that it’s irreversible.”
“ Oh god.” Nick said looking down the hall.
“ I’ll go talk to him.” Howie said heading down the
hall where his friend had gone. Howie and Alex
had been threw a lot and had been best friends
long before the group ever started and he knew
that his friend needed him more now than ever.
*** End Flashback ****
The awful day seemed to replay in everyone’s
mind. Alex barely had time to take in everything
that had happened that day. His plans being
placed on hold as he attempted to make his way
back to his wife. With the borders being closed and
all fights stopped getting back to New York was
near to impossible, but everyone was determined
to get him back to his wife. Upon arrival Alex was
told of his wife’s condition and was informed that it
was irreversible and that she’d remain in a coma
for a very long time. But when she woke several
months later, Alex had thought it was a sign that
she was getting better. Instead it was the vision of
a life without his wife. He had arrived at the clinic
where she was being kept and found out the
horrible news.
** Flashback **
“ I am here to see Allison McLean.” Alex said
looking at the nurse.
“ Mr. McLean I am glad you made it.” The petite
nurse said. Alex looked at her and smiled a little,
this was a great day for him, his wife had finally
woke up.
“ Can I see Allison?”
“ Yes you can, she’s in room 214 on the second
floor. The doctor will be waiting there for you.”
The nurse said. Alex nodded and headed for the
elevator. Once he had arrived on Allison’s floor he
quickly found her room. The doctor and several
other people stood around Allison’s bed when he
entered.
“ Dr. Connors?” Alex said as he entered the room.
“ Mr. McLean I am glad you made it.” The doctor
said turning and facing him. Alex could see his
wife clearly the minuet the doctor moved her eyes
where open but something didn’t feel right.
“ I was told she was awake.” Alex said moving
towards the bed.
“ She is, but it seems that the damage to her brain
was worse than I had first anticipated.”
“ How bad?” Alex said taking his wife’s hand in his
own. He looked into her eyes and for once couldn’t
see the light that used to shine deep within them,
it was as if she wasn’t even there.
“ As you can see she’s opened her eyes. But as
near as we can tell that will be all that she’ll be
able to do. Her body is able to take care of itself as
in breathing and her sleeping, but she will always
need constant care.”
“ Are you saying that my wife is awake but is still in
a coma?”
“ In some ways yes. In her catatonic state she will
never get any better. And we are unsure that it will
ever change.”
“ Then run tests. I want the finest brain doctors on
this. I want my wife back.” Alex said looking at the
doctor.
“ I will run the tests. We have a brain surgeon
coming into town and he’s going to look at your
wife. But I don’t want to make any promises Mr.
McLean.”
“ I don’t expect you to. I’ve waited nearly a year for
her to open her eyes again. Her daughter misses
her terribly and I wish I could tell her that
everything will be all right.” Alex said running his
fingers over his wife’s hand.
“ It’s always hard to tell a child that a parent is
gone.” The doctor said putting his hand on Alex’s
shoulder.
“ Ally and I have only been married just over two
years. Next week would be our anniversary.”
“ Just think that she’s with you.”
“ I want to be able to bring her home.” Alex said
looking up at the doctor.
“ Give me time to run the tests and the surgeon to
look at her and then I’ll see what I can do to have
her moved to a facility closer to your home.”
“ I don’t want her in a facility I want her home.”
Alex said.
“ I can see if we can have that arranged.” The
doctor said.
“ Thank you.” Alex said kissing Allison’s cheek. The
doctor nodded and turned and left Alex alone.
It took several days and several arguments to
finally get the doctor to release Allison to him, but
it was done. At the end of the week Allison would
be moved back into the house. Alex had already
called and made arrangements to have a special
bed sent to the house and set up in one of the
guest rooms, a home health nurse was called and
was to be on call once he had gotten home. A
physical therapist was also on call to come twice a
week for Allison’s therapy sessions. Alex had
promised that what was being done for Allison in
the hospital would be done in his home. But what
pained him most was the doctor had informed him
that it may only be a matter of time before
Allison’s body started shutting down completely
and she’d die. He had nearly lost her over a year
before he wasn’t sure if he could handle losing her
again. But that didn’t matter, what mattered to
him was his wife was going to be home.
** End flashback **
Alex walked down the hall and stopped at the
guest room door, he could hear talking from
inside, slowly opening the door he saw Dawn
sitting on the edge of her mother’s bed and could
hear her talking to her. A smile spread across his
face seeing Dawn reading a book to her mother.
“ See mom, everything is getting better. Today
daddy found out that he’d be going back on tour
again. He’s finally gotten back with his friends and
they are finally finishing that album they had
promised to finish. I am not sure when daddy is
leaving but he promised he wouldn’t leave until
he told you. He’s so excited about getting back to
work.” Dawn said touching her mom’s cheek. Dawn
turned to see Alex standing in the doorway.
“ Hi Daddy.”
“ Hey munchkin, I see you told your mom about
the new album. We are leaving in a few weeks.
But I want you to know that grandma Denise is
going to come stay with you during the time I am
gone.” Alex said looking at them both.
“ That’s cool I like Grandma Denise. Grandma
Shannon called this morning.”
“ Really? What did she want?”
“ Just doing her normal check on mom. Said she’d
be over later in the week to visit.”
“ That’s good. Your uncles are going to be over
later today for a barbque.”
“ Oh cool, are we going to be moving mom
outside again?”
“ I was thinking about it. Do you think she’d like
that?” Alex said sitting down on the other side of
the bed.
“ Yeah I think she would. She seems happier
lately.” Dawn said moving some of her mother’s
strawberry blonde hair from her face.
“ That’s good. Did you finish your homework?” Alex
asked looking at Dawn.
“ I’m going to do that right now. I just wanted to
check on mom. Molly will be by later to check on
her and give mom her meds and then Sandy will
be by to start with the therapy again.” Dawn said
heading towards the door.
“ You know you’re a smart eleven year old.”
“ I know but look who my parents are.” Dawn said
running over and kissing his cheek. “ I love you
dad.”
“ I love you too kiddo.” Alex said kissing her cheek.
He watched Dawn hurry from the room and then
looked back at his wife.
“ She misses your company.” Alex said looking into
his wife’s empty eyes. “ I miss your company. I wish
they could find a way to bring you back to me.” He
just looked at her, in some ways he knew that she
understood what he was saying but something in
his heart yearned to hear her voice again. He
missed being able to tell her how his days where
going, how the tour had started. Always loved how
she laughed at his jokes and laughed at some
things his friends did. But now she was silent just
sitting there watching his movements. The nurse
had told him that over a few days that her eyes
had moved, he had hopped that maybe that was a
sign to say that she was coming back to him. He
had seen her eyes move, watching him walk from
one end of the room to the other, watching their
daughter talk about school and boys.
“ I’ll be back in a while.” Alex said kissing her
cheek. Alex stood and headed for the door, he
turned and looked at Allison one last time before
leaving the room. He hadn’t noticed the single
tear that had rolled down her cheek.
Dawn sat in the dining room going over the books her teacher had left her.
“ Where is Mr. Rhodes?”
“ Already headed out dad. You know he’s only here an hour.”
“ That’s right, how much homework do you have?”
“ About three hours worth. I might work on it in the room with mom. Uncle Kevin moved a desk in there for me so I can work on my homework and still be with mom.”
“ That was nice of him, but why didn’t you just ask me?”
“ You where gone and he was here. By the way they are waiting out back for you.”
“ Thanks kid.” Alex said kissing her cheek. Dawn watched her father leave the house and then looked at the load of books she needed to move up into the room.
“ Hey kiddo.” Nick said coming into the room.
“ Hi Uncle Nick.”
“ How are you today?”
“ Doing OK, I was about to go do my homework up in moms room.”
“ How is your mom doing today?”
“ Same as always. I guess all the prayers really aren’t helping.”
“ Maybe they are, how about you go outside and visit with the others while I go upstairs and get your mom. Have your dad bring your moms chair so I can put her down.” Nick said looking at her.
“ Sure thing Uncle Nick.” Dawn said heading out of the house. Nick looked up at the short staircase and then headed towards the room where Allison was.
Nick quietly walked down the long hallway, he could hear soft talking and wondered if Dawn had left the TV on in Allison’s room. Slowly opening the door he saw the nurse standing next to Allison’s bed.
“ I’m sorry I didn’t know that you were here.” Nick said looking at the pretty blonde.
“ I came a day early. Mr. McLean said that his wife needed some meds.”
“ Could be possible, is she getting any better?” Nick asked moving to the side of the bed and taking Allison’s hand in his own.
“ Hard to tell, I have noticed that her eyes are moving more, she’s been watching my movements and now seems to be watching you.” The nurse told him. Nick looked down at smiled at Allison.
“ It would be great if she got better, Alex misses her so much.” Nick said moving a piece of stray hair out of Allison’s eyes.
“ Even if she gets better, it will be a long time before she can do anything for herself.”
“ I know.”
“ Well I am done here, I will see you tomorrow Ally.” The nurse said before heading for the door.
“ I’ll be right back for you.” Nick said walking the nurse down the hall. Allison watched them leave and then let some more tears roll down her cheeks. Nick walked back into the room and noticed the tears.
“ Hey beautiful no tears, things are getting better.” Nick said wiping the tears away. “ Come on lets go outside and watch the party shall we.” He said lifting her into his arms.
Alex looked up as Nick came from the house with Allison.
“ Hey babe.” Alex said taking Allison from Nick. He kissed her cheek and then set her down in the chair they had waiting for her. He hated that all she did was sit and stare out into space.
“ HI mom.” Dawn said kissing her mother’s cheek. She held her mother’s hand and sat down in the chair next to hers. Dawn gasped and stood up startled.
“ What’s wrong?” Alex asked looking at her.
“ She squeezed my hand.” Dawn said getting down in front of her mother.
“ What?” Kevin said moving closer.
“ She squeezed my hand. Momma if you can hear me do it again.” Dawn said holding her mother’s hand again. Dawn looked down at her hand and felt her mother squeeze her hand again. Dawn smiled brightly.
“ That’s right mom, it’s time to come back to us.” Dawn said tears rolling down her cheeks.
“ I saw Ally crying earlier.” Nick pointed out.
“ What? She hasn’t made a movement in nearly three years, are you telling me now she’s starting to move?” Alex said tears of his own threatening to fall.
“ Yeah that’s exactly what we are saying. Dawn go call that nurse back.” Nick said. Dawn stood there for a moment and then headed back inside to use the phone.
The nurse arrived about ten minuets later and looked at the shocked group.
“ It looks like Mrs. McLean is starting to come back.” The nurse said touching Allison’s shoulder.
“ And that means what?” Howie asked.
“ It means that some of her motor functions are starting to return, she’s started moving her hands and her eyes. I will come tomorrow and take her to have an MRI and several other tests to see what’s going on.”
“ Have you called her doctor?”
“ Doctor Martin was informed of your wife’s condition change and will be at the hospital when we arrive.”
“ Thank you.” Alex said looking at Allison, he was so happy to be thinking that Allison could be coming back to them, but he had a fear that it was going to be a long lonely road for her.
Alex looked at the bed and smiled. He wanted to spend the night with his wife tonight, even if she wasn’t back yet he wanted to feel her next to him. Sliding into the bed he lay her head on his chest and held her close.
“ I’ve missed you so much, just the thought of you coming back makes my heart skip a beat. To finally have you back to be able to hold you, for you to respond to my words.” Alex said moving his fingers threw her hair. He could feel the wet tears that his wife shed as she lay with her head on his chest.
“ I know baby.” Alex said before sleep finally called him.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.