Storms, hugs and late night conversations

by Cip

It's nearly two in the morning and somehow Scott has to get three of his younger brothers back to sleep AND drag little Alan out from under the bed. It's a hard life when you're thirteen. Ickle Tracy's :D

I was randomly sketching a few nights ago, and I ended up drawing a scene with the five brothers as little kids. This was followed by a second picture of them all a little more awake, and from the two I decided to write this quickie. And here's links to the two piccys :D

.com/art/Late-night-conversations-119799530

.com/art/Hugs-and-giggles-120133341

This fic's for Squid, since she's just aced her food tec coursework, but can't celebrate because she still has too much business to do *huggggggggg*

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Thunderstorms are amazing phenomena. This is something that Scott had decided early on in his childhood, and at the age of thirteen had still not grown sick of them. He was currently pressed up against the window, his nose squashed against the glass, watching the broiling storm clouds. The fact that the storm had woken him at nearly one in the morning didn't really bother him, despite being long past his bedtime.

Another flash lit up the night sky and he giggled as the view from his window was illuminated. The palm trees were whipping back and forth in the ferocious winds and rain was driving down the boy's window and he eagerly awaited the next flash. When it appeared he began counting under his breath, misting the window infront of himself. He jumped when the growl of thunder rumbled over the island a lot sooner than he'd anticipated.

"Cool!" He pressed his nose back up against the glass. "It's gotta be right over us!"

A second crash made the teenager giggle again. This was amazing! He briefly wondered if he should film it to show his brothers, but then again it would probably have woken them anyway...

Crap!

Scott jumped up from his bed in horror. His brothers could well be terrified of the terrific noise out there and here he was just sitting there enjoying the storm. Not bothering with putting his dressing gown on, he hurried out of his bedroom.

The hallway was gloomy as he padded past the living room and kitchen. Thirteen year olds do not like to admit a fear of the dark, but Scott still wasn't entirely sure of the lay-out of their island home and proceeded cautiously. He negotiated his way around the dark hulking shape of a large pot plant, shivering as the leaves brushed across his arms.

"Sheesh! We gotta prune this thing." He muttered.

"Who's that?!" A panicked voice came out of the darkness, causing Scott to jump violently.

"Who's that?" He demanded, hating how squeaky his voice came out as. A flash of lightening lit the immediate area and he jumped back with a yell as a figure was illuminated only a few meters away. The person mirrored his action with a similar cry, similar and familiar. Scott peered through the returning gloom.

"John?"

"Scott?"

A mop of blond hair appeared out of the darkness as Scott walked towards his younger brother.

"What are you doing out of bed? It's half one in the morning!"

The eleven year old pouted. "Well you're out of bed and you're only two years older than me." He grumbled. "If you must know, the storm woke me and I was going to check on the others."

Scott grinned, although it was invisible in the gloom. "Heh, great minds think alike." He had to admit to feeling rather proud of the boy; John was always thinking of others first. "Tell you what, you go and check on Gordy, I'll make sure the others are okay."

The blonde nodded, turning and heading off to Gordon's room. Scott caught his arm.

"If he's awake bring him into Alan's room, that way we can keep an eye on both of them."

"Sure thing." John left the hallway and Scott made his way to his other brother's bedrooms.

The first door he reached had a name plate with a treble clef inscribed neatly on it. The name itself was written in the style of swooping musical notes and Scott traced the letters with a fond smile – he remembered his Mother commissioning it for his brother's sixth birthday. Knocking softly, he then slide the door open. Peering into the room he could just make out a pair of curious umber eyes staring at him from the bed, very much awake.

"Hey Virge, are you okay?" He whispered. The mop of brown hair nodded. There was another loud rumble of thunder and Virgil's eyes darted to the ceiling. "Are you sure?" Scott asked gently – rather certain that his little brother was just trying to be brave.

"I'm fine." The nine year old pulled his duvet down from his face just enough to smile. "It's only electric charges built up in the clouds." He sat up, hugging his pillow. "Why are you here? Are you scared?"

"No!" Scott laughed. "I was making sure you weren't. But seeing as you're fine I'm going to go check on Alan."

The child nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, he's probably scared by the noise. I'll come with you."

"Virge, it's nearly two AM, you should be asleep."

There was another flash and a loud overhead rumble. "I can't sleep through this." The nine year old said primly. "Therefore I'm coming with you." He climbed out of bed, still maintaining his hold on his pillow.

Scott sighed but nodded and stepped back out into the hallway, letting his brother follow him. He wondered where the kid had picked up a word like 'therefore'; it wasn't something in most nine year olds vocabularies, or at least they were unable to use it in proper context. It was probably the influence of all those books he'd been reading – Scott had been disconcerted to find his brother happily ploughing through Pride and Prejudice; it was not exactly the reading material a boy normally read at that age...The effect of young genius was somewhat spoiled as Virgil stuck his thumb in his mouth.

Scott didn't bother with knocking on Alan's door, and instead slide it quietly open. The room was gently lit by a little space-shuttle nightlight, and the eldest Tracy could easily see that his brother's bed was empty.

"Alan?!" He ran into the room and stopped dead. Where was the kid? Blind panic washed through him as he stared around the room; where was his brother???

There was a little 'pop' as Virgil withdrew his thumb from his mouth for a moment.

"He's under the bed." At Scott's look he shrugged. "It's where I'd be."

The oldest brother didn't question the logic and was already down on his knees to peer under the bed. "Alan?"

A pair of huge blue eyes, awash with tears, stared back at Scott from the depths of the darkness housed under the piece of furniture. The frightened five year old was curled right up against the wall, a tatty old teddy bear that had once been John's cuddled tight to his chest.

"Alan?" Scott whispered. He lay down on his stomach so that he could extend an arm out to the child. "Hey Allie, it's okay, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Alan whimpered and curled up tighter as there was another loud rumble of thunder. Sobs were shaking his little body as the noise echoed around the room and he covered his ears. The storm was plainly terrifying him.

Scott glanced up at Virgil, who shrugged helplessly, and then looked back to his baby brother. Another growl of thunder filled the room and the child shrank back with a wail.

"Hey, listen to that Allie!"

Scott turned his head in surprise to see that Virgil was now down on the floor next to him, thumb out of his mouth again.

"Listen, it's a rocket ship!" The brunette continued. The thunder took its cue and rumbled again. "Wow, it's taking off to fly to Mars!"

Alan uncurled slightly and stared at his brother suspiciously, still clinging to his teddy.

"I wonder what type of retro's they're using, and what fuel." Virgil said thoughtfully.

" 'S thunderstorm." Alan mumbled, sniffling and huddling back into the wall again.

The middle Tracy brother tipped his head to one side in thought, listening to the boom the roared overhead. "Nope, definitely sounds like a rocket to me. What do you think Scott?"

Scott went with the flow and nodded sagely. "I think I'd agree with you Virge, it sounds like one of NASA's finest." He smiled as Alan sniffed and wiped his eyes. "It's going to Mars to meet the aliens there."

"...aliens...?" The youngest Tracy uncurled and actually tilted his head to listen as the next rumble sounded. He shuddered but didn't hide behind his toy again. "It's a loud rocket." He complained. "I don't like it!"

"Of course it's loud." Virgil's imagination was going into overdrive. "It's taking off from a secret bunker under the island. Dad's going on another mission into space."

"Is...Is that why he's away again?" Alan asked tremulously.

"Yeah, he's going to meet some aliens." The middle Tracy didn't let Scott over-rule him and tell the kid the truth just yet; Alan didn't need to know that Jeff was really on a business trip. "That's why Grandma's looking after us."

The storm was moving away from the island now, and the next rumble of thunder was slightly quieter than the previous growls. Alan hesitantly reached out towards Scott's hand, clutching his bear like a lifeline. "Is it a red rocket?" He asked quietly.

Scott nodded. "Of course it is. Listen," There was another fainter growl. "I think it's leaving the atmosphere." He entwined his fingers around his baby brother's. "Do you want to come out of there now?"

The child nodded very slowly, causing a smile to blossom on his brother's face.

"Come on then littlun." Scott carefully helped the boy out from under the bed, and Alan latched onto his eldest brother, clinging like a limpet. "There there Allie, it's okay, I've got you." The teenager cuddled his little brother close as the boy snuffled out the rest of his tears. A tissue appeared at his shoulder and he nodded his thanks to Virgil. "Okay kiddo, blow your nose." He said gently, passing Alan the tissue. His little brother did as told, and using a clean tissue Scott wiped the tears off the child's cheeks. "Atta boy Alan!"

There was a noise by the doorway and the three of them looked up to see John walk into the room, carrying two sleeping bags and a couple of pillows. Gordon trailed him in, one hand clinging to his older brother's night-shirt, and his other thumb stuck firmly in his mouth. There was a large plush stingray clamped under his arm.

John cheerfully dumped the soft bundle he was carrying and grinned at the three of his brothers sat on Alan's floor.

"Hey guys," He disentangled Gordon from the hem of his night-shirt and sat down on Alan's bed. "So, are we having a midnight feast or something?"

Virgil's eyes lit up and he turned to his eldest brother. "Ooh, can we Scott?"

Scott glared at the trouble-making blonde on the bed. "No. Sorry Virge," He added, as the boy's face fell. "It's about two in the morning, we all need to go back to sleep." He jumped when Alan let out a little wail.

"No! Don't leave me alone!" The boy clung to his brother like the drowning to a life-line. Scott inwardly groaned, but hugged him.

"None of us are going anywhere Al." He said gently. There was a noise next to him and he glanced down to see his second youngest brother inching closer. Big green eyes glittered at him innocently before the child snuggled up close, slipping under his arm to be included in the hug.

"Cute, you make quite the nursery maid Scotty." John teased. Virgil made a muffled noise of agreement around his thumb, which caused Scott to glare at him.

"Virge, stop sucking your thumb, it'll make your teeth funny." He ordered sternly.

In the true spirit of a nine-year-old, Virgil shook his head adamantly. "No it won't!" He muttered, although since he was still doing exactly what he'd just been told not to do, it sounded more like; 'oh ig ount.'

Alan giggled a little, and wiped his eyes on Scott's night-shirt. There was a faint rumble of thunder far away in the distance and he snuggled back down in his brother's arms. Gordon had tensed a little when he heard the sound, but seeing Alan's distress distracted him.

"Don't be scared Allie, it's going away now." He said earnestly. "And Johnny said it's only water making the noise anyway, and water can't be scary!"

The youngest Tracy glared at him suspiciously whilst Scott looked from the red-head to John in surprise. "Water can't do that." The five year old muttered mutinously.

Gordon sat up, pulling away from Scott, now eager to impart the secret. "Yeah it can!" He stated imperiously. "Johnny said it's bits of water in the clouds that are all rubbing against each other and that makes them get all hot and sparky. Then they make a biiiiiig-" He stretched his little arms out to show just show big he meant. "-bit of lightening!"

"Bolt." John corrected, although there was a proud smile on his face at just how much Gordon had remembered. "It's called a bolt of lightening."

"Yeah, that." The red-head brought his hand down on the carpet with a soft thud. "And that hits the ground, and it makes the noise when it does."

Alan's cobalt eyes were huge as he stared at the water-loving Tracy. "Really?" He asked in a hushed voice.

"Really really. Johnny said so." Gordon's faith in his brother was quite endearing, and Scott smiled as the little boy continued. "And Johnny knows everything 'cause he's gonna grow up to be a nastronaut!"

"Astronaut." John and Scott chorused, along with an unintelligible mumble from Virgil.

Gordon waved his hand dismissively. "That's what I said!"

Scott smiled at his four younger brothers as they began debating the accuracy of the child's statement. Sometimes – when the kids weren't driving him ballistic – he considered himself the luckiest teen on the planet to have such amazing siblings. It was also testimony to just how.....unique the family was that Gordon had been at least somewhat cured of his thunderstorm phobia by the scientific explanation of what was happening, rather than a time honoured analogy usually reserved for children of his age. Then again – and Scott winced at the memory – they'd given up on the whole 'it's only the clouds throwing a piano down the stairs' story when Virgil – only four at the time – had screamed the place down thinking that Jeff had meant their piano. No, it was not a good idea to use a destructive analogy on a Tracy without thinking it through first. At least this rocket story had worked though...

"Scotty?" A little hand tugged at his shirt and he looked down to see Alan's now-tear-free eyes staring up at him hopefully. "Can you read me a story please?"

"Woo, story time!"

The eldest Tracy glared at the source of the noise. "John! Settle down," He reprimanded. "I know you're a night owl, but these three need sleep!"

"Nog sleeby." Virgil protested.

"Virgil! Thumb out of mouth!"

"Make me."

John's eyes glittered wickedly and before Scott could repeat the instruction he leapt at the younger brunette, pinning him down on the floor. "Field marshal Scott gave you an order!" He stated with authority. "And as second in command it is my solemn duty to see that order obeyed."

Virgil let out a shriek of laughter as his brother began tickling him mercilessly. He wriggled around and kicked up at the much taller blonde, desperately trying to find a way to escape. John grinned, knowing the boy was completely helpless – Virgil had yet to have a growth spurt and was still tiny for his age whereas John was already as tall as Scott.

"No! No! I give in!" The brunette gasped, pulling his hand away from his mouth. He broke into a fresh peal of giggles. "I'll stop, I p-p-promise!" He tried to kick up again when his brother didn't relent, but he'd reached the stage where he was laughing too much to have any control over his motor-control and a kitten could have kicked harder than him at this point. "Let me – hic – go!"

At the sound of the hiccup, Scott reached over and pulled John off of the smaller Tracy. "Okay blondie, you made your point." He said with a grin. The grin became a chuckle when said blonde moved out of the way and he caught sight of Virgil. The kid was in a right state; hair everywhere, face red and tears of laughter still running down his cheeks. He tried to pull himself up to a sitting position, then flopped back onto the carpet with a groan.

"Johnny, you made me laugh – hic – too much!" He complained. "My – hic – tummy hurts!"

John smiled apologetically and hauled his little brother upright. "Sorry kiddo."

Virgil stuck his tongue out at the blonde which earned him a pillow in the face. Adding insult to injury, it was his own pillow. He hugged it to himself, hiccupping mulishly.

"Boo!"

Virgil let out a squawk of surprise, nearly jumping out of his skin. Gordon's head appeared over his shoulder, grinning at having successfully poked his older brother rather painfully in the pressure points in the brunettes sides.

"Gordy, that hurt!"

"Yeah, but your hiccups are gone." The red-head replied cheerfully. He ducked Virgil batted him with the pillow.

Scott groaned inwardly, things were getting somewhat boisterous now. "Boys, stop it. It's late."

Alan snorted. "You sound like Dad."

"Ha ha." The eldest said sarcastically. "But I mean it. We all need to get to bed."

"Story!" Alan re-demanded, tugging on Scott's shirt again.

"Yeah, you said you would read us a story!" Gordon whined.

Scott couldn't remember actually saying that he would, but if it shut everybody up then he was happy to oblige. He reached back under the bed and pulled out the dog-eared but much loved book that was secreted there.

"Okay, everyone into bed or respective sleeping bag." He sighed. "And I refuse to read that one about the Martian and his moon rock!"

"You're no fun!" John said airily, slipping into his orange sleeping bag and grinning up at his eldest brother.

Scott ignored the comment as he lifted Alan up onto the bed. "Come on kiddo." He pulled the duvet up over the boy as Alan snuggled down against the pillow.

"Hug!"

"You're so demanding! You know that right?" The eldest said fondly.

His brother grinned. "Yes, Hug!"

Scott sighed and sat down on the bed so that he was sandwiched between Alan and the wall. The little blonde snuggled up next to him and pointed to the book with a 'well? Get on with it' expression that morphed into a cheeky grin at Scott's exasperated sigh.

The long-suffering Tracy glanced around at his other brothers, and smiled to see that both John and Gordon had made themselves comfortable in their sleeping bags. Virgil – who didn't have one – was perched on the end of the bed hugging his pillow again.

"Okay then." Scott let the book fall open at random and cleared his throat. "Once upon a time there were three aliens living on Neptune..."

Alan let out a little snuffle of agreement with the story choice, and there was a rapt silence from the two sleeping bags, so Scott continued.

It was a simple tale that they'd all heard many times before, but the teen resisted the temptation to add in silly comments or random sound effects and stuck faithfully to the original. He was keeping his voice low in the hope that the soporific effect would send the four younger Tracy's off to sleep and was becoming drowsy himself in the process. Well, it was very early in the morning for them to be awake.

The first sign he had that it was working was when there was a soft snore from the floor, and he looked up. Alan, resting against his arm, was fast asleep, and when Scott glanced over the top of him he could see that John and Gordon were also dead to the world.

"Aren't you going to finish the story?"

Scott grinned at the only other open pair of eyes in the room. "You know this story by heart Virgil." He said quietly. The nine year old shrugged, thumb back in his mouth. "You should be asleep." The older Tracy added. Again all he got was a shrug.

Virgil was definitely looking sleepy, but considering he was sitting up he probably wouldn't drop off very quickly.

"Do you want a hug?" Scott resorted to ancient tactics which caused the child to nod emphatically. "Okay, come up here, and don't disturb Alan."

The child grinned and crawled across the duvet to snuggle up against his big brother. Scott eased his arm around the kid's shoulders and hugged him tightly. Virgil yawned widely, burrowed under the duvet and abandoned his pillow to cling to Scott's arm instead.

"Night Scotty." He mumbled, taking his thumb out of his mouth just long enough to say it.

Scott smiled down at him. "Night Virge, sweet dreams."

The words fell on deaf ears and the eldest Tracy brother chuckled quietly – the kid had obviously been absolutely knackered. He then yawned and made himself as comfortable as it was possible with one arm around his youngest brother and the other arm being used as a pillow by the middle Tracy. It was the curse of being the eldest sibling, but he really couldn't bring himself to mind...even if Alan was drooling.

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Grandma was at a loss. It was seven o-clock in the morning and after the non-appearance of a single one of her Grandson's she'd gone looking for them.

Scott's room was empty. Then John's, Gordon's and Virgil's also proved to be childless, but that didn't worry her; she was well aware of the thought processes of a Tracy.

Very quietly she pushed open Alan's door and peered around it into the dark room. A gentle smile lit her wrinkled face as she looked around and took in the scene.

Gordon had kicked his sleeping bag off at some point in the night, and was cuddled up to John, lying on top of his plush stingray. John had flopped an arm over the kid in an unconscious response to the plea for a hug. On the bed, Scott appeared to have been buried by his two younger brothers, and at some point the teddy had changed hands so now Virgil was hugging it to death.

It was too sweet to resist. Grandma slipped the new mobile phone that Jeff had bought her out of her apron, and flicked through the menus to find the camera option. Once there she quickly took a photo of the adorable scene. Still not used to the new model, she'd left the flash on, and John stirred grumpily, opening his eyes.

"Huh? Grandma?" He rubbed his eyes and looked around, trying to work out where he was. His voice roused the others and there was a general muttering of drowsy confusion. John had regained enough awareness to see the object in his Grandmother's hand and he sat up in horror. "She took a photo of us!"

There was the moment's pause of sleepy young males trying to catch up with events, then all five of them were falling over each other to get to the door.

"Grandma! Delete it!"

Grandma had a surprising turn of speed for such an old lady, and utilised it well in the situation. Nearly barrelling into Kyrano, she dodged at the last moment, and the Malaysian man stepped back sharply to avoid being trampled by the stampede of Tracy's.

Laughter rang through the house and far away it also rang through a small stuffy hotel room where Jeff had just received the photo in a text from his mother.

Now there was a picture to be framed and hung on the wall!