Welcome to the tenth and final chapter. Hope you've all enjoyed it thus far. Thanks as always must go to my lovely, oh so lovely readers and even more lovely reviewers. Big love to you all! I'd also like to extend an extra thanks to Ms Hobgoblin for reviewing practically every chapter since I resumed posting them! Love you! But hey, quick comments then on with the final instalment.

mshobgoblin: Yes, Alan did get shot. 'Fraid so. But you'll see what's gonna happen to him in this chapter. Not telling you! Hehe. And to answer to your second review, once again you'll have to wait and see. Hehe. Enjoy the final chapter.

Revenge is Sweet

By Phoenix Sparrow

Chapter Ten – Hospital and Home

Virgil had radioed Scott and followed his course to take Tin-Tin and the others to hospital.

Tin-Tin stood outside the room Alan was in, her arm in a sling. He was lying in a bed with wires and tubes attached to him and a heart monitor bleeping away beside him.

A doctor came out and took her hand. "He's gonna be fine, but he'll be out cold for a while. You can go and see him if you want."

She nodded and walked in. Taking a seat beside his bed, she took hold of his hand with the hand that wasn't strapped up. "You saved their lives you know," she said softly. "Helen, Chris and Nadine are all fine, if a bit shaken up."

She didn't get an answer. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she rested her head gently on his shoulder. "Hey, don't do that," someone said very faintly. She raised her head and saw Alan slowly opening his eyes. "Alan!" she said, barely above a whisper herself, fresh tears came to her eyes, but these were tears of joy.

"Don't lean on me like that; it hurts!" he whispered.

Scott and Virgil were outside sleeping in the chairs. They'd changed back into their civilian clothes and driven into the hospital grounds. "I'll be right back, I promise." She got up and walked out the door to wake Virgil and Scott. "He's awake," she said softly. The two boys opened their eyes and sat up, looking at her with puzzled expressions.

"He's awake already? But the doctor said he'd be out cold for a while," Virgil said.

"Well, like you said, he's a fighter."

A week later, they were all back on Tracy Island. John wasn't worried about Alan repaying him his lost off-duty time under the circumstances, and Scott volunteered to take over from John if need be. John, being his normal self, refused to hear Scott say that. "Besides," he'd said. "I don't know how to pilot that Thunderbird!"

Tin-Tin's arm healed a lot quicker than Alan did. He stayed in bed for a couple of weeks, and quite often they had to put him back to bed whenever they got an emergency call. Typical Alan, Tin-Tin thought. Has to try to get involved in all the rescues!

About four weeks after the incident, Alan was nearly fully recovered, though he was still having some trouble walking. Although the bullet hadn't hit his heart, it had still pierced through his chest. He found it hard going due to the stiffness he still felt throughout his back.

He wandered into the kitchen on his crutches, with a piece of paper tucked under his arm.

"What you got there?" Tin-Tin asked, curiosity taking charge.

"Oh, it's just a letter."

"Who from?"

"Oh, uh, no one."

Tin-Tin stopped dead in her tracks. "Alan, let me see the letter."

"Why?"

"Because we were having the exact same argument when you received the invitation to that darned reunion."

Alan's mouth dropped open as he recalled their playful arguing over a simple piece of paper. "If you must know, it's from Helen. She's sent me a get well soon card, as did Chris and Nadine and they all send their love."

She took the letter from him. "And their thanks." Alan blushed.

"Yeah, well, uhm…"

"You saved their lives, if it hadn't been for you, we would've all died."

"If you hadn't jumped out that tree when you did, I'd have died."

"I know," she said, closing her eyes and looking down. She opened them again, and tried a smile. "Anyway, you write back to them and make sure you keep in touch."

"OK, Tin-Tin. Will do."

She laughed and picked up a cushion from one of the other kitchen chairs. Casually walking round him, she suddenly hit Alan round the head with it, and walked off.

He rubbed his head. "What d'you do that for?"

"For going to that stupid reunion in the first place!"

A/N: Thanks be to everyone who read and reviewed this story and I hope you all enjoyed it!