"Like what?" Alan murmured from Gordon's shoulder.
"Remember when Scott and I got into that argument over my joining W.A.S.P?" Gordon pulled out of the hug and easing Alan to lie back down. At Alan's wince from moving his arm, Gordon gently lifted it to replace it on the pillow it had previously been laying on. "I told him I'd hated him for trying to stop me, and I apologized to him just before I was sent off to boot camp. Remember how hurt Scott was? He was mad that I'd skipped my graduation to join and I was mad because I thought he didn't understand my reason for joining."
"Yeah." How could Alan forget that argument? Scott and Gordon were not known for their arguments…Alan and Gordon sometimes or Alan and Scott occasionally or Alan and their dad definitely quite often…but never Gordon and Scott.
"Or remember when you almost drowned at eleven years old? What did I say to you?" Gordon looked over top of his mask to gaze at Alan, his auburn eyes boring deep into Alan's eyes. Alan shrugged in response. "I called you a worthless child, and you avoided me and all our brothers like the plague for six days."
Alan nodded silently at what Gordon said. He had a vague recollection of the incident, but the memory of nearly drowning was fuzzy. He remembered Gordon pushing him away, him losing his balance from the force of the push and falling to the ground. He remembered Scott helping him up, before dusting off his shorts and he remembered pushing away from Scott and running in the opposite direction of Gordon. That was one of the first times he'd hid his tears, by running away and hiding.
"Remember how bad I felt and how much I apologized after rescuing you and Tin-Tin from the ocean? You started sleeping in Scott's bed to keep away from me, because of how much I apologized. I am still quite sorry I said that to you by the way. You're not worthless, and you are my favorite little brother." Gordon sat against the head of the bed so Alan was resting his head on Gordon's stomach.
"Dummy, I'm your only little brother." Alan grinned slightly, before it fell back to a frown. Gordon didn't seem to miss a beat.
"That's exactly why you're my favorite. So, you gonna tell me what was making you cry or am I gonna have to put electric pink hair dye in your bottle of shampoo when we get home?" Gordon chuckled when Alan hit him lightly with his bandaged left hand, before the blonde hissed.
"Virgil must hate me." Alan was down in the dumps, and he couldn't explain what caused his mood swing. "I yelled at him, and ordered him to leave me alone."
"He doesn't hate you. He could never hate you." Gordon directed his gaze down at his little brother.
"If you'd seen the look on his face, I think you'd think otherwise. He looked hurt. I'm a horrible person for causing him pain." Alan refused to meet his brother's gaze, choosing to stare at his left hand and the pristine white bandages.
"Hey now. Knock that crap off. You are not a horrible person. You are a young boy recovering in the hospital who is in a lot of pain." Gordon reached over and placed his finger beneath Alan's chin, redirecting his gaze up to meet his own. "Remember what I said a couple days ago? It is perfectly okay for you to lose you're cool when you're with one of us. It's better that way, because we know how to handle it. Drs. Andreessen, McNulty and Fermat don't deserve your irritation."
"You couldn't possibly know how I'm feeling right now." Alan yanked his head away from Gordon's hand.
"Wrong again kid. Are you forgetting that I spent several months facing being confined to a wheelchair?" Gordon reached back over and gripped Alan's chin a little more firmly. Returning his little brother's blue eyed gaze at him, he noticed the tears returning to Alan's eyes. "I know exactly what you're up against Allie. It wasn't that long ago that I too was stuck lying in a hospital bed…the only difference is my injuries affected my back. I was told by many doctors that I would never walk again, do you remember how pissed off and pitiful I was? Doped up on all sorts of pain medications, anti-psychotics because of my depression over the prospect of losing the use of my legs?"
"You will overcome this Alan. This is just a little hiccup in your recovery." Gordon brushed away a fallen tear from Alan's eye with his thumb. This was not just his little brother that he knew and loved, this was one of his best friends. "I believe you can do it."
"How can you be so sure though? I won't even receive my skin grafts for a few more weeks. I may never walk again if the grafts don't restore the feeling in my feet." Alan sniffled as a few more tears fell.
"So who give a damn? Even if you never walk again, it's not like it's going to stop us from loving you." Leaning forward Gordon whispered in Alan's ear. "Even if you never walk again, you will still become a Thunderbird; you'll just have a really neat mode of transportation. But I think you will walk again."
"I will help you recover your ability to walk. Even if the grafts don't help you regain feeling, I will help you. We can start off by helping you to swim, and gradually build up to walking on your own. It may feel a little weird at first having partially numb feet, but you'd get used to it." Gordon watched Alan fight his tears, and he grabbed Alan's head and brought it to his chest. "Go ahead and cry if it'll make you feel better. I can remember blubbering in Scott's arms when I was in the hospital. I won't judge you if you need to cry."
Alan blinked as he attempted to fight the tears rapidly creeping to the corners of his eyes. Before he knew it, he felt the familiar feeling of tears rolling down his cheeks. Gordon cradled Alan's head to his chest, whispering words of comfort to the blonde. This was all too familiar for Gordon. Needing the comfort of an older brother, being given permission to cry and without meaning to…heeding that gentle order to turn on the waterworks.
Gordon began to gently rock Alan as he cried. Alan's shoulders shook as his quiet weeping transformed to sobs. Turning slightly where he sat, Gordon fully wrapped his arms around Alan's smaller frame. Alan tightly gripped Gordon around his waist with his left arm, not wishing to be separated from the comforting embrace. Gordon remained silent as he listened to Alan's sobs, wishing he could take the pain from his brother.
"I…f…fell…t-terrible. I need t-to say s-sorry to Virgie." Alan mumbled into Gordon's scrub top. He sniffled miserably.
"Great thanks kid…now you've got me crying." Another sniffle above Alan made him lift his red tinged blue eyes to look up at Gordon. The redhead was in fact crying too.
"W-Why?" Alan hiccupped when he tried to speak. Gordon grabbed the water bottle sitting on Alan's bedside table, before opening it and removing Alan's oxygen mask to let him have a drink.
"Because I wish I could take your pain. You shouldn't be facing this, pain, surgery, an uncertain future; recovering in the hospital…you're only fourteen years old. I was at least eighteen when I got hurt. I was considered an adult, but you…you're still just a boy, my little brother." Gordon gently hugged Alan close before chuckling. "Look at us, man if Scott or the guys ever caught us like this we'd never live it down."
Alan laughed slightly at Gordon's statement. Gordon gripped Alan's head and brought it back towards his chest, before hugging and rocking Alan again.
"Promise you won't say anything about my being a wimp." Gordon snickered slightly. "I have an image to maintain."
"Last I checked it was socially acceptable for grown men to cry." Alan blinked, a wayward tear making its way down his cheek. "Besides, who are you trying to impress? Certainly not Tin-Tin."
"Oh no, I'm pretty sure she's got her sights set elsewhere. Her sights being set on a certain blonde haired, blue eyed boy with a wicked sense of humor and charming smile." Gordon tapped Alan on the head gently as he spoke with the boy everyone on the island thought had the hots for Tin-Tin as well.
"We're just friends." Alan fought the blush creeping up to his cheeks.
"Yeah, sure…friends. Or do you mean…friends?" Gordon emphasized the word friends and watched with a grin of satisfaction as he watched the blush rise to Alan's face.
"Gordon…shut up." Alan ground out as he avoided Gordon's gaze for what felt like the millionth time in just those first twenty minutes of Gordon being in the room.
TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB
When the throttles engaged John turned to Brains, giving the resident genius a thumbs up. John waved from the pilot's cabin of Tracy One to his big brother on the tarmac, waving goodbye to Scott who stood near the vehicle. Scott raised his hand and waved back, before he turned to get back in the car. Brains and John taxied down the runway, before they started pickup speed.
"Systems are green. We are ready for take-off." John replied to Brains. Pulling up on the yoke, John and Brains both took to the skies in transit for Tracy Island. Scott waved from where he stood when his cell phone rang. Lowering his hand, he dug into his pocket and retrieved the ringing device.
"Hello?" Scott didn't recognize the number, but he thought it looked familiar.
"Scott? It's Virge." Scott nodded his head, before he spoke…realizing that Virgil couldn't see his acknowledgement.
"What's up bro?" Scott though Virgil sounded down.
"Are you at a point where you can come pick me up from the hospital?" Virgil spoke quietly.
"I am currently coming back from the hangar, but I can swing by in about twenty to thirty minutes to come get you." Scott looked skyward and in the distance he could make out the silhouette of Tracy One.
"Sure, that'll work." Scott raised an eyebrow at the tone of Virgil's voice, before climbing in behind the steering wheel.
"Is everything alright Virge? You sound upset." Scott inquired softly, using his big brother voice as opposed to his field commander voice.
"I'm okay…listen Scott. I got to go. Talk to you later." Virgil hung up before Scott could reply and that bothered the eldest Tracy son.
TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB
Harold and Elijah walked side by side as they walked after Lulu Bell. The golden retriever went into what remained of the once majestic Wharton's School for Boys, the frame stood, but looked as though a gentle gust of wind would knock it over. Harold and Elijah both looked around, sympathetic looks on their faces. The devastation that occurred was phenomenal. A bark broke the two men from their thoughts and Elijah lifted his gaze to see Lulu Bell sitting. Her pink tongue hung out of the side of her mouth, and Elijah reached into his pocket, retrieving a treat for the arson dog.
"Good girl Lulu Bell." Elijah grabbed a number card out of his jacket pocket before placing it in the spot where Lulu Bell alerted on. "Lulu Bell, seek!"
"She already alerted on this location though, why are you sending her out to seek again?" Harold was not familiar with working with arson dogs. Normally the neighboring fire station handled all arsons, but because they couldn't spare the workers…this arson case now belonged to him.
"There can always be more than one location where accelerant is used chief. The perp may have slipped up and left his or her calling card somewhere here at the scene." Rising up from his knees, Elijah looked around. He sniffed the air lightly and choked on the smell of ash. Lulu Bell was strong to be able to decipher the scent of accelerant from the smoke, ash and charred wood.
"What are you looking for in particular Officer Pellegrini?" Harold inquired.
"Any type of accelerant used. Gas, butane, kerosene, naphtha. I am looking for the minute traces of flammable materials that no longer can be detected with our weak noses. That's where Lulu Bell comes in." Elijah perked up when he noticed Lulu Bell lingering around a location near the dumpster on the far side of campus. It was nowhere near the fire, yet Lulu Bell kept sniffing the dumpster, wagging her tail every couple seconds. "Look over there Chief; it looks like we've got something."
Harold and Elijah both began walking towards the dumpster when Lulu Bell began to raise up on her hind legs. Placing her front paws on the dumpster, she took several long sniffs, before barking a high pitched bark. She glanced over her shoulder before whimpering to Elijah. Upon seeing how Lulu Bell was acting, Elijah spurned Harold on to walk faster. Both men, moved at a slow jog.
"What is it girl?" Elijah came to a stop in front of the dumpster, before placing his suitcase on the lid of the dumpster and opening it. Harold watched as Elijah retrieved rubber gloves. "So, you up for some dumpster diving?"
"What?" Harold looked at Elijah like he was crazy.
"Dumpster diving. The way Lulu Bell is acting tells me she may have found the container used in the ignition of Wharton's. If you don't want to join me in the dumpster, you can go check the perimeter for any signs or evidence. Take a pair of gloves with you though, this is no longer the scene of an accidental fire…it's a crime scene." Elijah tossed Lulu Bell another treat before placing the gloves on his hands and climbing into the dumpster.
"Do you need any evidence bags?" Harold inquired, as he watched Elijah immerse himself in the dumpster's contents.
"Won't know quite yet, it depends on if I find the actual container used and if I do…how big or small it is." Elijah ripped open a bag and began sifting through the contents, it was nothing but shredded papers and soda cans.
"Officer Pellegrini, Lulu Bell is doing something weird." Harold watched as Lulu Bell laid on the ground before sticking her head under the dumpster.
"Huh?" Elijah resurfaced before peeking over the edge. "Can you check under there for whatever it is she's looking for? Don't forget to where gloves."
"Sure." Harold put on some gloves before he dropped to his knees and gently pushed Lulu Bell's head away so he could gaze under the dumpster. Not seeing anything for how dark it was, Harold retrieved his pen light that he carried for checking victims after a fire. Shining the light under the dumpster, a glimmer caught his eye. "I think I've got something!"
"What is it?" Elijah's voice sounded muffled as he'd resumed his dumpster diving.
"I-don't…know! I-t-think it's…" Harold strained to reach it. It was very small, and it appeared metallic judging on the glimmer. "Gotcha!"
Crawling out from under the dumpster, Harold sat up on his knees. Lulu Bell walked up and began smelling it, before chuffing at the object and returning to stand in front of the dumpster. Elijah could be heard grumbling more to himself than to Harold about how these kids drank way to much soda and should switch to water. Harold gazed at the object in his hand, turning it over and inspecting it for damage.
"It's a memory card, like something out of a camera." Harold spoke up, and stood to peer over the edge of the dumpster .
"Perhaps it goes to this?" Elijah surfaced from beneath a pile of junk and lifted a camera from the depths of the trash. "Looks like its seen better days though."
The camera was black and appeared to be medium size…or it was. The lens was smashed in and there were several components on the camera that had been broken. The emblem on the front said Canon. It didn't look like a run of the mill camera; it was something that looked like it cost a pretty penny.
"What does that say on the side? EOS 60D?" Harold looked at the camera trying to make heads or tails of the code.
"That's part of the camera's name. We'll need to do some research, but if my memory serves me right…it is got to be a Canon EOS 60D something something." Elijah and Harold shared a look before nodding at each other. Locating a memory card commonly found in cameras and a destroyed camera seemed odd. Motioning at Harold with his head towards his suitcase, Elijah stood against the inside of the dumpster. "Please get two separate evidence bags."
Harold put the memory card in a small bag, before placing the bag into a pocket of the suitcase. He'd immediately done the same with the camera. Elijah grunted at Harold before he went back down to sift through some more trash. Harold crossed his arms across his chest and leaned stood idly by. A triumphant cry of 'a-ha' was heard from within the dumpster before Elijah leaned over the edge holding a white bottle. The sticker on the front said lighter fluid.
"Is that it?" Harold's eye brows disappeared beneath his hat's bill. He was surprised.
"Let's see. Lulu Bell seek." Elijah held the container outside of the dumpster and both men watched Lulu Bell take a long methodical sniff of said container before sitting down. She looked up at Harold and Elijah before she barked. They'd found the source of the accelerant. "Okay, now we need to find out where in this town this could be purchased."
"Well, let's go back to your station and we can call around to find out. We have to be getting close." Harold replied as he accepted the container from Elijah. He put it in an evidence bag and placed it in with the other possible evidence. "Here, let me give you a hand."
"Thanks. Now all that's left is to take a sample from the location where the accelerant was found and we can go back with our findings." Elijah closed his suitcase after crawling out of the dumpster. "Ugh, I am going to smell like Gatorade and bologna sandwiches for the rest of the day." Elijah looked down at his gloved hand when Lulu Bell began to smell him appreciatively.
"Well, Lulu Bell will enjoy the ride back to the station." Harold looked away to hide his smile at the dog's antics.
"Yeah, I'll bet." Elijah groaned when Lulu Bell sniffed his pant legs, before wagging her tail. "Joy." Harold chuckled at Elijah's sardonic reply.
TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB
Scott pulled up to the entrance of the hospital and was greeted with the dejected form of Virgil. The medic stood under the overhanging roof with his hands in his pockets and head hanging down. Scott sighed as he unlocked the doors. This would be a fun conversation. Virgil climbed in the passenger seat, and fastened his seatbelt. Closing the door, Scott began to pull away. He'd cast a concerned look at his middle brother.
"Please don't ask what is wrong. I don't want to talk about it." Virgil kept his gaze directed out the windshield. He was in a sour mood from Alan casting him out of his room.
"Okay." Scott replied gently. He wouldn't force Virgil to talk, not unless he felt up to explaining.
"Did Alan get mad at you when you visited?" Virgil broke almost immediately after Scott's simple reply.
"Well, he cried and said he was angry…but no he didn't get mad at me. Why is that what happened with you?" Scott inquired softly. Virgil nodding was his reply, before the medic spoke softly.
"Yeah, he ordered me to leave." Virgil thought back to when Alan had all out screamed at him. 'Get out!' More tears fell from Alan's eyes as he ground out the command to his older brother. He felt his temper rising and without meaning too he snapped. 'I SAID GET OUT! WHAT PART OF GET OUT DON"T YOU UNDERSTAND?' Alan screaming at Virgil echoed around in his thoughts. Never had Virgil received that kind of anger from his baby brother. It was usually only minor irritation and a slightly raised voice, but this had matched the voice used in Alan and their dad's screaming matches.
"Don't let whatever it was that Alan said get to you. He's hurt and not himself right now." Scott picked up on Virgil's hurt feelings almost from the moment he saw his younger brother.
"I know, but it still hurts…you know?" Virgil looked around as he and his brother came to a red light.
"Yeah, imagine how many times dad and I have had to play mediator for all of you guys. I think if there is any one person in our family that shows the strongest Tracy temper trait aside from looks would be Allie. He definitely received one-hundred percent of the Tracy temper…he and dad both." Scott drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he worked on raising Virgil's spirits. "Give him time, I'm sure he'll apologize once he cools down. Do you by any chance know what it was that made him mad?"
"He asked the doctor when he should expect his first surgery on his feet, the grafts? He didn't get the answer he was hoping for and he snapped at me when I tried to comfort him after the doctor left." Virgil slumped his shoulders in defeat. He was expecting Alan to be upset over the news, but not going so far as to order Virgil to leave. The tears in Alan's eyes alone were un-nerving.
"Can you blame him?" Scott scratched his head as he asked Virgil an honest question.
"What do you mean by 'can I blame him'? Blame him for what?" Virgil looked
bewildered at Scott, not understanding the question.
"I mean, can you see where he's coming from? He asked a question that he'd hoped would come with some good news and got the answer he was afraid of hearing instead." Scott pressed on the accelerator as the car traveled. "You can't really tell me you wouldn't have acted the same way if you were in his shoes. Now I don't know what was said between you two, but you have to remember he is a scared little boy in a lot of pain. He can't be expected to not fly off the handle from time to time."
"I know that, but like I said…it still hurt being shouted at for trying to comfort him. He didn't want to be touched, and any time I managed to put my hand on him he'd pulled away or shrugged my hand off." Virgil murmured softly, the hurt definitely in his voice.
"Do you remember Gordon's first reaction after he'd been told he'd never walk again? What did he do?" Scott used Gordon's incident as a for instance.
"He started cussing worse than a sailor and practically chased the doctor and nurse from his room by throwing a water glass at them after they ran out. John didn't want Alan to learn those words so he covered Alan's ears and took him down to get a sandwich from the cafeteria." Virgil replied back, realization dawning on his features.
"Why did he do that? He was fine and cutting up with Alan before the doctor came in to break the bad news." Scott turned on his signal, as he pulled into the hotel parking lot.
"He was upset." Virgil looked at Scott, a serious look in his eyes.
"And what did he do after that? He requested we all leave him be, and when dad and you stepped out to go join Alan and John in the cafeteria…I remained. I didn't want to leave him alone to deal with it. He was outraged that I'd stayed and started beating on my chest when I tried to give him a hug. Then he lay in my arms crying for several hours after." Scott put the car in park, and shut off the ignition. "Now why did Alan cast you from his room after receiving the news he'd hoped not to hear?"
"Well, he was upset, but Scott how…?" Virgil tried to ask, but was interrupted by the eldest son.
"Exactly…he was upset." Scott placed his hand on Virgil's shoulder before giving a reassuring squeeze. "The external and emotional wounds are still new and Alan is just having a hard time coping. Just give him time; he just needs to come to terms with everything." Scott removed the key before opening the door and climbing from the vehicle. Virgil sat there silently for a moment before he too followed Scott from the vehicle.
TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB
"Tracy One coming in to land." John stated into his headset. He grinned when he heard Kyrano's reply.
"Permission granted Mr. John. See you shortly." John and Brains nodded at each other as they brought the jet in to land.
John and Brains watched as Tin-Tin, Onaha and Kyrano gathered on the cat walk to welcome them home. John could tell even from a distance that Tin-Tin was apprehensive while Kyrano and Onaha both stood stock still…composed as could be. Tin-Tin stood in front of her parents and they both had a hand placed gently on her shoulder. After the aircraft came to a stop, John began the post-flight checks to ensure that it could return to Massachusetts in about two hours. John and Brains did not intend on staying for long. It was nearing midnight on the island., while back at the hospital it was a little after nine in the morning.
"Good Morning Mr. John, Brains. How was the flight?" Kyrano inquired while maintaining a comforting grip on Tin-Tin's shoulder.
"It went well, thank you Kyrano." John who'd just completed the post flight checks departed from the jet to greet part of his island family. "How has all been here on the island?"
"It has been good. Quiet, but good." Onaha replied calmly. Speaking with her eyes, she drew John's attention to look at Tin-Tin's strained features. The teenage Malayan girl looked worried as if she knew that something was up, but couldn't tell for sure. "Come, you must be famished after flying in at such an early hour. I will make you a late meal."
"Oh, yeah…thank you very much Onaha. I hope it's not too much to ask." John blushed slightly upon realizing that Kyrano and both Onaha and Tin-Tin was in their sleepwear. When John had called just after flying out from the hangar near the hospital, Kyrano answered and said that he would greet them at the runway. It was to his surprise to see Onaha and Tin-Tin there too.
"It is no trouble John; I have missed cooking for you and the family. Come; is there anything in particular you wish me to make?" John picked up his overnight duffel from the floor of the hangar. Brains and Kyrano had already unloaded the cargo hold and were both conversing lightly. John approached Tin-Tin and Onaha and could practically feel the tension emanating from Tin-Tin.
"Come here." Once John was within range, he was pulled into a strong sure hug from Onaha. The motherly housekeeper hugged him tight, and he couldn't help but to return the embrace. Onaha was the closest person he had to a mother aside from Lady Penelope and his grandma Ruth. "How is everyone John?"
"They're okay Onaha." John murmured while Onaha continued to hug him. She rubbed his back, and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, exactly like a mother would when being reunited with their child after not seeing them for an extended period of time.
"What's going on?" Onaha and John broke apart from their hug when Tin-Tin reminded them of her presence. Casting an uneasy look at the teen, John sighed before turning to Tin-Tin.
"There is something I must tell you, but first…let's go up to the house. It's much more comfortable up there then it is down here in the hangar." John extended a free hand to Tin-Tin, bidding her to follow him and her mother.
"Yes sweetheart. I will make you one of your favorite teas while I make John and Brains a late meal. Which reminds me, what would you like John?" Onaha replied as she shuffled along behind John and Tin-Tin.
"Could you possibly make me one of your Mandarin Chicken pasta salads?" John had a look, like a child asking his mother if he could spend the night with a friend during a week day.
"Certainly, come." Onaha ushered John and Tin-Tin along.
John walked beside Tin-Tin with his arm draped over her shoulder, holding her close. He could still feel the worry emanating from Tin-Tin as she walked in step beside him. He kept noticing the teen look up at him with a worried albeit puzzled gaze. He purposefully didn't make eye contact with the girl, she had a way of delving deep into your soul and figuring out the problem by reading between the lines.
As the group made their way up into the kitchen, Onaha ushered John to sit down, while she bustled about the kitchen. Tin-Tin sat in front of John and gazed unblinkingly into his blue eyes, eyes that were so similar to Alan's. John cast his gaze down at his feet when he heard Brains clear his throat and dismiss himself from the kitchen…saying something about going to pick up a change of clothes for the following days to come. Finally it was only Kyrano, Onaha and Tin-Tin in the kitchen with John.
"John, what are you doing down here? You're not supposed to come back from 5 for another week." Tin-Tin's gentle brown eyes filled with tears as she sensed the approaching bad news. This was the type of reaction John had expected from Tin-Tin.
"Tin-Tin, there is something you must know. Care to walk with me?" John stood from the table. Brains had agreed to brief Kyrano and Onaha if John would handle talking to Tin-Tin. The genius said he wouldn't have been able to handle the girls tears, and John felt obligated to inform Tin-Tin…after all she was his little brother's other best friend.
Tin-Tin stood up and walked ahead of John, going outside to the patio, before the two of them fell into step beside one another. John recognized the pathway that Tin-Tin was walking; the moon's ethereal glow illuminated the path that took the two companions towards a very familiar stretch of beach. John inhaled the salt air slowly, seeking comfort in the familiar scent of his island home. Before long John recognized that they had arrived into Alan's cove.
Tin-Tin stopped briefly to remove her slippers and as she picked them up, John caught the glimmer of tears shining in Tin-Tin's eyes. He knew that she knew something was up. Why else would he be earth side and his entire family gone from the island? John remained quiet, before talking Tin-Tin's hand in his and leading her to a small rock cove where Alan usually sat to gaze at the ocean. John had come out here many a time after moving to the island to find Alan sitting up and gazing at the horizon in his pajamas during the early morning hours.
"What do you wish to tell me John?" Tin-Tin clambered up onto the main rock, while John sat on a lower rock. "Is Alan okay?"
John couldn't look at Tin-Tin. He didn't want to have to tell her that earlier that week they though Alan wouldn't make it. The smoke inhalation and burns had been so bad that the doctor refused to show him and the family Alan. Alan had been intubated shortly after arriving at the hospital to assist him with breathing. Closing his eyes, John prepared to tell Tin-Tin the news that would likely break the girl.
"He will be Tin-Tin…eventually. He and Fermat both." John gazed out towards the ocean and admired the glimmering water. Virgil would have given his eyeteeth for such a view for one of his paintings. The thought made John smile slightly, before he took a breath and faced Tin-Tin. "Both of them are in the hospital right now, recovering from severe burns."
"What happened?" Tin-Tin's eyes shone with the light of the moon. It was unnerving to John who gazed up into her eyes to see them looking almost silver.
"We don't know how it started, but a fire broke out at Wharton's and Alan and Fermat were trapped in the blaze. IR received a call that there were students trapped in the burning building and the local fire department felt it was unsafe to enter, so the headmaster called." John's voice was quiet. He carefully gauged Tin-Tin's reaction to the news before continuing on.
"When the guys finally did arrive, the fire had made the building unstable…the fire chief in the area refused to allow Scott, Virgil and Gordon enter. Gordon was talking to the headmaster, and Scott and Virgil forced their way through. From what they said, they came about five to ten feet from the fire and were prepared to run inside when two boys came running out."
"Alan a-and Fermat?" Tin-Tin's voice was all choked up. Her poor friends!
"Yeah, of course they weren't aware of it at the time…their clothes were on fire a-and Scott and Virgil had to smother the flames." Taking a deep breath, John paused as a mental image formed of both his immediate big and little brothers having to put out the flames on their baby brother and his best friend. John's voice shook as he recounted what Scott, Virgil and Gordon had told them after the rescue.
Tin-Tin reached across from the rock she sat on to place a comforting hand on John's shoulder when he seemed to be having a hard time telling her how Alan and Fermat received the injuries. The older blonde struggled to hold back his tears…just thinking of the fire and his little brother's injuries were almost too much for him to handle. Exhaling the breath he'd been holding, he noticed the quiver in his breathing before continuing.
"Scott and Virgil carried Alan and Fermat away from the danger zone…in just the nick of time too because the building collapsed. Shortly thereafter, the guys transported Alan and Fermat to the hospital. We weren't permitted to see them for three days Tin-Tin. They were in such bad shape, that the doctors didn't want…" John cut himself off. He couldn't take it, the thought of what might have happened during those long three days.
"Will they b-be okay? John? Please tell me they'll be okay!" Tin-Tin slid down from her perch to sit beside John. When she was in range, John embraced the teen. Both needed comfort.
"Eventually Tin. Alan needs to wait a while longer before he can have surgery to repair some of the more serious burns and Fermat will need surgery on his leg. The doctor hasn't given us a specified time of when Al and Fermat will be permitted to come home, it's still too soon." John hugged Tin-Tin tightly, having gotten his tears under control. Tin-Tin however allowed the tears to fall freely. Alan and Fermat, she'd known them for quite some time now and they had become two of her best friends.
"I wish they were better now. Alan and I had planned…" Tin-Tin stopped herself before she revealed the plans she and Alan had planned for the family.
"You and Alan planned what?" John caught her slip of the tongue and allowed a small smile to form on his face. Alan and Tin-Tin thought they were being sneaky in hiding their growing affection for each other, but fate had something planned for them regardless of how much they argued over petty things.
"Nothing…we should probably be getting back. Mother won't appreciate it if you allow the pasta salad to get cold." Tin-Tin pushed away from the embrace that she and John had been in before leaping from the rock the two had sat on. Retrieving her slippers, Tin-Tin waited impatiently for John to follow her back up to the house. That was too close.