DISCLAIMER: Thunderbirds is property of Gerry Anderson and co. No money is being made from this story.

A BIG THANKS to Cicilianna for translating my story! THANKS! hug

The Promise

Grey clouds hung over the sky over Tracy Island. Rain was pattering at the property of the Tracys and the drops left, for a fraction of a second, craters in the surface of the pool, then they joined the deep blue water. The strong wind whipped the water and shook the palm trees- those present shivered. Inside the Villa, all was still and quiet. Only the whistle of the wind and the drumming of the rain could be heard.

In the weak light of the dusk, a young man stood by the window and stared into the distance. His blonde hair was just as ruffled as it was in the morning, when he first got up. He hadn't said anything to anyone. He stood just there, the deep blue eyes fixed on the wide ocean.

No-one had come by him and asked him to leave or to move from his place by the window. Neither his brothers, nor his good friend Tin-Tin, not even his father. He just stood there and stared into the sea. Silent. Waiting.

Jeff Tracy, father of five sons and head of International Rescue, entered the room. Sorrowfully, he looked on his youngest. Whatever had happened to him? A few days ago everything had been in order. He had laughed and joked with his brothers. Now Jeff did not recognize his son. Slowly he moved up to him. "Alan..."

"I do not want to hear it." The voice of the young man sounded crazed; however, it had a steady undertone. Something that Jeff Tracy didn't recognize in his youngest.

"What... What do you not want to hear?" Jeff was near the boy. For a moment silence ruled. A silence that seemed to crush everything.

However, as Alan spoke, his voice was calm. "I do not want to hear...'he is dead'..."

"Alan..."

"HE IS NOT DEAD!" The 20 year-old had turned round to his father and looked him directly in the eyes. He had shouted the words; however, Jeff could read his eyes. His mind had screamed the words.

"Alan..." Jeff Tracy listened to the boy inside of him. It had cried like Alan, and was able to sense the trembling sorrow of the past few days.

Jeff eyed his son through the blond hair, then he spotted his eldest two sons in the doorway.

Scott and Virgil, the eldest Tracy sons, remained standing for a moment in the doorway. Then, as their father nodded to them, they entered it the room. But Alan did not look at them. He started pressed into the void, turning away from his father.

"He's not dead," he said, with that same, calm voice, he warned his father and gazed out on to the sea again. "He will return. He has promise to me..."

Night fell over Tracy Island as the storm wore itself out and the sky was clear of stars. The full moon reflected on the sea and shined silver on the waves. And again Alan stood at the window. He wasn't able to find sleep, like all the nights before. The previous events meant he found sleeping hard. The disaster that had happened five days ago. And the promise of his brother...

It had been a rescue operation, like all the others. Again human lives in were in danger and once again the crew of International Rescue was the last hope for these people. A small cruise ship had run into a storm and capsized. Passengers would have not surivived in these lakes, the winter climate making the water icy.

Scott had landed with Thunderbird 1 on a reef over the site of the accident and coordinated the rescue from there. Virgil, Gordon and Alan were with Thunderbird 2, and were trying to rescue the people by means of a rope wound out of the craft onto the ship before it sank into in the murky depths of the water.

The small fleet of Search and Rescue boats watched from the side- they were not able to come much closer because of the waves; they would have run into danger. Virgil had brought Thunderbird 2 over the shipwreck and tried to hold it steady whilst Gordon got ready to be lowered down.

Alan stood as the rope wound down and observed his brother.

"OK, Virgil. I'm going down now!"

"F.A.B, Gordon. Be careful!"

"I always am, Virg!"

Alan activated the winch and Gordon glided slowly into the depth. The wind blew violently and although Thunderbird was 2 high above the water, Alan felt some spray in his face when he leaned over to see how far Gordon had traveled down.
"Virgil, two degrees to the right!" Scott was observing the events via monitor on board Thunderbird 1 and navigated his brother. "Stop the machine quickly, Alan!"

"Yes, I'm trying! But the wind is coming overheard strongly." Alan called via his Headset.

Gordon was only a few meters above the ship. "Alan, slow down. I am nearly there," Gordon called. "Just three meters...just two...one...stop the winch!"

"Winch stopped!" Alan turned off the winch and looked down below again. On the front of the ship, three people were standing. Alan could see a man, a woman and a little girl.

"OK. I'll pull the girl up first," Gordon said.

"Gordon, hurry up. The storm is getting more violent."

"Don't panic, Alan. This isn't the first storm I've experienced!"

Alan was worried, but had to grin at his brother. Gordon really was afraid of nothing; not meter high waves, not storms or anything!

"OK, Alan, I'm there. Hold the ropes steady!" Gordon called.

"FAB!" Alan replied, stopping the winch and holding the rope. "Virgil, hold the plane steady," he called to his older brother over the headset.

"I'll do what I can." Slowly and carefully, the girl was lifted closer to the giant airplane. Then Alan was able to pull her aboard. Her entire body was racked with sobs. "Are you OK, little one?" Alan asked. The girl could only nod and look at Alan anxiously. "Don't be afraid. We'll get your parents, now, OK?"

The girl nodded again, and Alan sent down the rescue lift. "OK, Gordon, the girl is fine. I'll send the rope down again."

"You're all clear. Send it down!" Gordon replied. "The rope's coming." Next the woman was pulled on board. She immediately embraced her daughter. Alan smiled. They rescued others- it was their job- but the reward came only in moments like this- to see others hold close the one they loved, and to see the joy on their faces.

The rope was lowered for a third time, and the man was brought up. Now only Gordon was left.

Virgil had held Thunderbird 2 steady, but suddenly the great craft shifted slightly- wavering in the howling winds. Alan grabbed hold of the safety rope. He heard Scott's voice on the radio.

"Virgil! What's happening?" he cried.

"The storm's getting stronger!" Virgil said. "I can hardly hold the her still!"

"Hold on, Virgil! We're getting there! Alan! Slide the rope down, quickly. We must hurry. There's not much time!" cried Scott.

"FAB!" three voices called in return. Virgil tried with all his might to hold Thunderbird 2 in its position. Alan wound the rope down as quickly as he could. It was nearly halfway down, when a loud crashing was to be heard.

Alan looked down, frightened. "Gordon!" he called.

"GORDON!" yelled Scott. "What's happening?"

The ship was thrown upwards by the force of a particularly big wave. It came down again with an almighty crash, and the bow of the ship splintered, and the big vessel was about to sink. Gordon was scared that the rope, approaching slowly, would not reach them in time. Already the sea water was coming up over his shoes, and the crashing of the wood on the rock did not sound good. "Hurry up Alan! I'm getting wet feet," he called to his brother.

"Gordon!"

"Don't panic, Alan! The rope's nearly here and I'll take off soon!" Gordon grabbed the rope as a huge wave knocked the ship under for a last time, and took the ship with it. He held on with all his might, but the storm had become even more violent, and the platform swayed violently in the wind. It took all his efforts not to fall off.

"Hold on Gordon! I'll accelerate," cried Alan.

"Be careful, Gordon," said Scott and Virgil.

"Don't panic people, I won't let go. Do you really believe I want to miss Alan's birthday party?" that was typical Gordon. No matter how dangerous a situation was, he still cracked jokes. Alan laughed.

"I'll hold you to that- seeing how you weren't here last time!" said Alan, trying to make jokes like his brother despite the situation.

"Don't worry, Alan," sad Gordon, laughing. "This time I won't miss your birthday. Promise." The word echoed around in Alan's head. It was the last he heard from his brother.

Thunderbird 2 was grasped by a sudden huge gust of wind and hurled towards the reef, on the tip of which Thunderbird 1 stood. Alan was hurled into the belly of the ship and saw, terrified, the rescue platform being torn from the rope as it fell into the depth of the water below.

"Gordon!" his voice burst out of him, appalled, as he scrambled towards the hatch, but the ship kept swaying so that again and again he was pulled out of reach of the hatch. Alan looked out onto the swelling sea, far below. Everywhere, parts of the ship were being driven onto the rocks by the waves. Yet there was no sign of Gordon. "Gordon!" he called in vain again.

"Alan! What's happened? What's going on out there?" Virgil's voice, riddled with anxiousness came over the radio.

"The winds tore the platform off the ropes and...Gordon's...gone..."

Silence.

Alan hoped that one of his brothers would say something- anything- to make it not true, to tell him not to be silly. But the radio remained quiet. Alan became more and more panicky. What should he do? He positioned himself over the top of the hatch again, and although the cold wind blue sharply into his face, he screamed the name of his brother into the storm, again and again.

"Gordon!" Alan listened, but the only reply was static from his radio. The storms power raged about him. "Gordon!" he screamed the name again, but there came no answer.

It seemed like an eternity until he heard Scott's voice over the radio. "Alan. We've got to get these people back to the mainland." Alan did not seem to be able to comprehend the words.

"Scott," he replied. "Gordon is down there! We must find him and-"

"I said action! We must not jeopardize the people. And...we've hardly got a chance of finding Gordon..." he trailed off.

"Scott!" began Virgil, shocked that his brother was being so defeatist.

"Virgil, go. We'll meet on the mainland," Scott cut in angrily.

"Yes, Sir," muttered Virgil. Alan heard the begrudging sound in Virgil's voice, but he did not care. They were both as bad as each other- they had both abandoned Gordon. And for that, Alan hated them. He hated Virgil's passiveness, and he hated Scott's orders. How could they do it? Alan looked down again and saw where the waves were thrown up against the sharp rocks. No one would have been able to survive such a fall.

He looked below again. Wind whipped up the water into his face so much it was almost impossible to see. "Gordon!" again and again he screamed the name into the storm, but the screams remained without answers.

Finally, the reef disappeared into darkness, as Thunderbird 2 pulled away. He was left staring into nothing. "Think of your promise, Gordon..."

It was five days since then. Five days in which everything that could be done to find Gordon had been done. The Search and Rescue ships had gone in once the storm had calmed down, helicopters had whirred around above, looking for something- anything- and finally Virgil had searched with Thunderbird 4, International Rescues' submarine, between the rocks...for Gordon's corpse.

At this time, no one believed that anyone could have survived this long in the cold water. Even Jeff Tracy had abandoned hope. At first he had fought, had tried not the think that the worst could have happened. Yet as the remnants of the rope wind and a piece of Gordon's uniform, covered in blood were found, Jeff also gave up.

Everyone had abandoned Gordon. Everyone except Alan. He was the youngest of the Tracy brothers, and as much of a prankster as his brother. Together, they had always played jokes on the others, ever since they were young. Gordon and Alan were real friends- inseparable at that. Gordon was the elder and was always there to come to Alan's aid, if needed. And he never broke a promise.

Alan did not go on any of the other rescues with his brothers. He remained on Tracy Island. "One of us must be here, incase Gordon returns." The others let him- they thought he would deal with it better on his own.

So he waits. In two days it will be his birthday. And Gordon will come. He had promised it. And Gordon never broke a promise. Never.

Quietly the sea lay there, and the gentle wind seemed to stroke the water. Wooden ruins floated past occasionally, parts of a boat that was smashed up further south a few days ago. Gulls used the boards like a landing strip.

A young man, with dark blonde hair floated there in the middle of the ruins and, with the last bit of power in his body grabbed at a piece of wood firmly. The water around it was deeply red, and the salt water burned in the deep wound in his side. Yet Gordon hardly noticed.

He would not say for how many days he had been there, without water or nourishment, just as he could not say how he had survived the last few days generally. He was weakened through the high blood loss, and the coldness of the water did little to make his situation any more comfortable.

But no matter how bad things were, he only thought of one thing: he must get home. He had given his little brother a promise, and he would keep it.

The sun projected down on Gordon, but it gave him no warmth. He squinted into the light, which seemed to become more and more weak. "Gordon, don't fall asleep. You must stay awake..." He grabbed onto the wooden plank. He tried to stay awake, but he had no more power. The light glittered for a moment on the water's surface, before everything around him became black. His last thought was that of his younger brother. "Forgive me Alan. I did not keep my promise..."

The bell rang for lunchtime, and all over the school children poured out of the classrooms and into the corridors and school yard. "Gordon!" A little blonde boy of 6 burst into the school yard, a bag on his back that seemed to be nearly as big as him. "Gordon!" An older boy with red hair turned around as he heard his name being called. Then he laughed. "Hi, Alan! Did it go well?"

The little boy nodded as he ran towards his brother. "The teacher said that mine was the best show and tell yet!" He pulled the item he had taken in to 'show and tell' out of his bag- a small silver car. Unfortunately, he was over-vigorous in this action and the car flew out of his hand, over the school yard gate, and out onto the road.

"Oh no!" Before Gordon was able to react, Alan raced off to get it. Gordon ran as fast as he could after his little brother, to stop him running out onto the street.

The toy car flew over the gate, directly under the wheels of a huge truck, coming up the road. "My car..." Alan began to cry, but Gordon grabbed him before he could run out into the street. They both stood and stared at the wreckage of the toy car.

Scott, John and Virgil were coming out of school with one of Virgil's friends, who had seen everything. He told them what had happened and the three of them ran up to Gordon and Alan.

Scott shook his head and glared at Alan. "Alan, don't ever do that again! You mustn't just run off into the street. If Gordon hadn't been there, you might have been killed!" But when he looked into the eyes of his little brother, his annoyance vanished. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Please, Alan. Don't do it again," he finished.

Alan nodded. The three older boys turned to leave, and after a moment, Gordon took Alan's hand and led him back into school. Alan began to cry when they got there. "Little brother, don't cry. I have my pocket money- we'll go to the toy store and buy you a new car after school, OK?"

Alan looked up at his brother, his eyes huge. "Really?" he asked.

"I promise," said Gordon.

After school, both brothers going to the toy store. Gordon kept his promise, like always. Alan smiled at the thought of this old story. Gordon had always been there for him. Even though he was only older by one year, Alan always felt protected when he was near him. Certainly, his other brothers looked out for him, but it was not the same. Gordon was simply always there. Not only as a brother, but also as a friend.

Alan sighed. Today was his birthday. He looked out again onto the sea, where the rising sun coloured the sea orange. It was a beautiful day for a birthday. But it was also a beautiful day for a reunion.

To be continued...

And again: A BIG THANKS to Cicilianna for translating my story! THANKS! hug