And so begins the final part of this series! If you haven't read Enemy Mine part 1 and 2, Missed Opportunities, Father's day, and Life's a Game… you might want to since some of the info in then goes with what's in this story!

Thanks so much to my writing buddy, madamewinter for helping me with this!

Hope y'all enjoy this!

OooooOOOOooooO

Breathe…

Jeff struggled against the gel that cushioned his body, desperately clawing at the mask that was depriving him of oxygen. His own heartbeat thrummed in his chest, screaming in his ears as everything began to shut down.

Shutting down… The biotank. It had lost power and he was dying. The ever present glow that illuminated his hell was gone, the artificial warmth being replaced by a dark chill. Part of him wanted to accept the end and finally be free from the years of torment at the Hood's hands… to see Lucy again. Another voice told him his sons were still out there, fighting the madman at every turn.

The images flashed across his clouded vision. So many memories… His boys… So excited to fulfil his dream. That same dream that had lead to this very moment. He would die, never to see them again.

Except… The gel surrounding him began to slough off, spilling across the cement floor and Jeff with it as the hatch opened. Strong arms caught him before he could crash to the solid surface, enveloping him in a warmth he hadn't experienced in so long. For a moment, he couldn't place it, but the memories of many a night plagued by monsters in the closet and bad dreams flooded back. Feeble arms returned the embrace, lungs expanding as the mask was removed.

"Dad -" Scott's voice, so full of fear and concern. That boy could never relax. "It's - Oh, Dad… It'll be okay. We're getting you out of here."

Out? We? The words were so difficult to process in his oxygen deprived mind, and ever so slowly the realization began to grow. He was being saved… by his sons! How? His mind was screaming even as he let out a small grunt as the brunette lifted his thin form into trembling arms. Scott's face was a mask of anger and determination. Jeff found himself sinking into the role of rescuee, wanting to give his eldest all the help needed to get them out of the Hood's facility.

A jolt of panic ran through him at the thought of his captor. Where was he during all this? Certainly, he wasn't just letting his sons take him back without resistance? Where were the others? Scott couldn't have come on his own to such a dangerous situation?

So many questions buzzed through his mind as they made it down another corridor and through a pair of double doors. A cry of pain echoed to his right and he saw a young woman, dressed in a teal suit, taking down one of the guards. As Jeff watched her spin into the next, a name finally filter past the muddled questions.

"T'nu-...sha?" His voice was a harsh whisper. Her eyes met his as another goon fell. The shock and pain were evident.

Then they were running, through another door and into… a hangar. And at the end, a gaping, smoldering hole. Jeff could already hear the whine of the VTOL as Kayo worked at the controls over her wrist.

A ship. Not a Thunderbird, like he was expecting. The sleek, black craft descended slowly, coming to rest just in front of them.

Kayo was bounding up to the wing, reaching down to help lift Jeff from Scott's grasp. She gently laid him on the metal surface, her touch light on his shoulder as she smiled, eyes shimmering in the soft moonlight.

His eldest was up a second later, pulling Jeff into his arms once more before setting him inside the open cabin of the jet. His eyes fell on the instruments before him, awed by the advanced technology. His head fell back on the headrest, too heavy to keep an eye on the hangar floor. Instead, he happily resigned himself to staring up into the wide blue eyes hidden behind the glass of the helmet. Jeff sent him a weary smile as the plane began to lift, trying to ease the young man of his burden, but tears quickly accompanied it, falling down his sunken, pale cheeks. The relief was overpowering his senses, sending harsh sobs through his thin frame.

A gloved hand took hold of the one shakily trying to wipe the moisture from his face. Jeff felt so lost in this moment, unable to speak, too weak to hold the son who obviously needed his father to be alright. Deep down, Jeff knew it would be a long time before he would be strong enough to support his boys.

He must have passed out, suddenly waking to the inside of a much more familiar craft. He was strapped securely to a gurney, vital signs flashing on the screen above his head. He was acutely aware of the dulled emotions, his mind seeming to float with the turbulence of Thunderbird 1. He was safe and his mind was finally letting him relax.

A soft voice drifted from the pilot's chair, the words indicating a hospital and an ETA he barely registered. It didn't matter. He would have his family back and everything would be alright. This was his mantra as he let his mind drift back to a peaceful sleep.

When he awoke again, the room was dark, illuminated by a single bar light over his hospital bed. The gentle beeps of a monitor sounded not too far away, along with the light breathing of the figure beside him. Her grey hair lay nestled in the crook of her arm, her hand clutching his. Jeff watched his mother for a long time, refusing to blink in fear she might vanish. His fingers twitched, desperate to see her face.

Movement on the other side of the bed made him stop, turning to see the raven-haired man stand and quickly move to catch his father's free hand.

"Hey, Dad…" Tears were in Virgil's eyes as he moved the chair to sit closer. "How are you feeling?"

Jeff opened his mouth to speak, feeling the rawness in his throat. Taking the hint, Virgil grabbed a cup of water, aiming the straw towards his mouth. He felt pathetic as he tried to pull the beverage through the small tube, realizing how long it had been since he'd consumed anything by mouth.

"Thanks." The little water he could get helped slightly. He gave the strong hand a squeeze, reveling in the sensation.

"Anything else I can get you?" The medic asked, his voice soothing the pangs of ache in his heart. He missed his family more than he could ever express.

"No- just… stay with me." Jeff felt the tears again, the lump in his throat threatening to strangle him.

"I'm not going anywhere." Brown eyes met blue, strong and determined to keep his father safe.

"Where are your brothers?" His brow furrowed, realizing there was no one else in the dimly lit hospital room.

Virgil frowned. "Alan and Gordon are on a call to Mars. They'll be back as soon as they drop off the equipment. Scott's dealing with the GDF and what's left of the Hood's base. He'll be back soon. And John's down getting some coffee." The smile returned. "You just rest, Dad. You've been through so much."

Jeff felt his eyelids begin to droop, the warmth from his son's steady grip traveling up to his chest. A gentle hand found his hair, running light circles to help relax him into the pillows of his bed.

As the days went by, the boys filtered in and out, taking the place of his mother when she needed to rest herself. They'd talked about all that had happened since his disappearance, the rescues and friends they had made. When Jeff finally had the strength to ask, they had talked about how they had found him. Lady Penelope had picked up some intel regarding a base funded by some of the Hood's former businesses. It seemed the villain still had a few hands out there. Further investigation had lead to the discovery of a high profile prisoner. International Rescue responded immediately.

A week into his recovery, he learned his two youngest had been detained on their space voyage to help with repairs to the Mars station, a regretful, but necessary dilemma. The thought of Gordon surprised him, though. As much as he wanted to hold his boys and let them know he was alright, a sudden anxiety seemed to blossom in his chest at the thought of seeing his ocean loving son. He pondered on it for a while, trying to picture his smiling face and blonde waves until he understood what was affecting him.

That game.

He nearly burst into tears as he realized the Hood had changed something at his core. Jeff couldn't think about Gordon without an aching nausea stealing his strength. This couldn't be happening… Jeff wanted his sons back. All of them, but that wouldn't be possible if he couldn't even stand to see one of them.

When Alan finally called, Jeff had initially been terrified. He didn't want to face what he'd done. He couldn't stand to see his boys in pain again. Mercifully, it had only been Alan, the aquanaut busy installing the colony's new equipment, claiming the faster they finished, the sooner they'd be home.

After some much needed reassurance that everyone was fine, the two had become blubbering messes, unable to speak through the tears.

"You two stay safe." The father wiped at the tear trails with the crumpled tissue.

"We will, Dad." And with a sad smile and a reluctant goodbye, Alan cut the link.

The rest of his stay was a blur as Jeff found himself pulled to different areas of the hospital. He'd been placed on TPN feedings to mimic what had been done by the Hood's machine. The only thing allowed in his digestive system were ice chips and water. Gradually, he'd been upgraded to puddings to help promote some gut motility. Jeff found himself more than happy with the little desserts. It was the most he'd had in years and reminded him of his childhood snacks. Physical therapy was daily to help return some strength back to his limbs. This part seemed to be his least favorite, not because of the strenuous effort needed, but how it kept him from his family for hours at a time. John had tried to assure him that the more he did, the sooner he'd be home. Leave it to his sensible son to justify leaving his family in order to be back with them sooner.

A month later, he was doing just that.

OoOoOoO

Tracy Island was a sight, glimmering in the mid-afternoon sun. Jeff leaned against the glass of the pod as it flew over, preparing to land. So many times he'd dreamt of his home and the family within, wishing beyond hope he'd be able to see it again.

And here he was.

As they landed, Scott jumped out of the pod, handing his father the ornate wooden cane. Jeff had felt mildly perturbed by the necessity, but he understood how much worse his condition could have been. He was still surprised how well his body had bounced back with the proper nutrition and physical activity. It had been a quick month, but the doctors had released him with optimistic excitement.

"Welcome home, Dad." The smile on Scott's face widened as Jeff gave him a strong hug, keeping one arm over his shoulder as they walked to the elevator. He stopped just at the door, turning to gaze up at the glory of International Rescue. Each ship gleamed in the artificial lighting.

His eyes fell on Thunderbird 3's launch compartment, still void of the bright red rocket. A brief sadness pressed against his chest as he recalled the last message from Alan. They'd been forced to give some of their fuel to the Mars colonists in order to power their new manual generators. Which meant the trip home would be a lot longer than expected. Three months, to be exact. Still a fraction of the year long trip it used to be, but a lifetime for a family that had been separated so long.

Jeff had caught a glimpse of his second youngest from a distance, loading tools and supplies back into Thunderbird 3. The anxiety flared enough for Alan to ask if he was alright. After a quick wave of dismissal, he gave his youngest a sad smile.

"Miss you, sprout." He'd wiped at a tear as it escaped. "Give Gordon a hug for me, okay?"

Alan had only frowned, nodding reluctantly. "See you soon, Dad."

Pulling himself away from the memory, Jeff turned back to his son, joining him on the elevator. The ride was shorter than he remembered, but the anxious feeling in his gut grew with every inch they got closer to the home he had missed. As the elevator doors opened, he found he couldn't move. Physically, he knew he could, but the overwhelming sense of home bombarded him, pulling the tears back to the surface.

An arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him forward and down the hallway. Jeff could tell Scott was doing his best not to rush him, but he needed to see, needed to truly understand that he was home.

Jeff's breath caught as they stepped into the lounge. Late afternoon sunlight bounced off the still pool water, reflecting off the ceiling and creating a beautiful, glowing haze around the room. Standing just at the top of the stairs that lead to the sitting area was his family, each with a wide smile on their face. Brains was barely containing the emotions pent up from being away from his colleague for so many years, the ache only made worse by his inability to visit the hospital. Alan and Gordon had been his focus for the entire month.

As Jeff took in the group, his heart released the floodgates, allowing the tears to spill down his cheeks. His arms spread wide, beckoning the group forward into a hug so warm he thought he could melt right into it.

Eventually, they separated, allowing Jeff to take in the space. The click of the cane tapping on the wood floor echoed around the room as he slowly made his way to the empty desk. Trembling fingers grazed the mahogany, catching his muted reflection in its gloss coating.

He was home. Life could start again and this time he would make sure the Hood couldn't lay a hand in his family ever again.