With thanks to Gumnut and TsarinaTorment for the read-through and Nutty for the help with the title.

Scott was in a pretty good mood. The rescue had gone well. Two weeks since Five had been attacked and that they had all nearly been killed. Two weeks since Alan had returned home and literally saved their lives.

He had been shocked at the moodiness the teen had shown on his first day back, then the incident with the Hood had forced him to talk to Alan in a way he hadn't done in years. He didn't realise how much he had missed his youngest brother, and the two had spent a lot of time together just bonding. The toddler he had practically raised for almost three years was almost a stranger to him, he was ashamed to admit.

The last week they had been inseparable. Scott so thoroughly enjoyed helping Alan learn One officially. His baby brother proved he could ace the sims, and Scott had spent hours going over scenarios to give Alan a better idea of what he could get One to do above what simulations could teach him.

When he got home Scott had decided that he would ask their father if he could take Alan out. He may only be fourteen, but he had already proved that he was a Thunderbird at heart and even their father had admitted that. Scott had prepared a training program that would allow Alan to continue his lessons while using their 'birds as part of the learning he needed to complete. Everything from Math to Physics Scott and his brothers could teach Alan via training.

Scott knew in his heart that this life was what Alan not only wanted, it was what the boy needed. He needed his family around him, not at arms' length, waiting in a room of strangers to see if his brothers had survived another rescue. And since Jeff hadn't said anything to them about Alan returning to school, Scott was confident he could offer a good argument for him staying home.

As One lowered into her silo Scott ran through his planned discussion in his head. He'd rushed ahead, leaving the others in Two to arrive hopefully as he and his father finished. But he was surprised to find the command centre empty of both Alan and his father, Brains manning the station. Although he knew Brains was there, he'd given him clearance to land after all, he was surprised that he was alone.

Brains was uncomfortable. No one could have failed to hear Jeff and Alan shouting, and Brains knew that it was going to fall to him to talk to Scott. The eldest of the boys had just as much of a fierce anger as his youngest brother. So he pre-empted the man by saying, 'Your F-F-F-Dad is in his study, Scott.' The man threw him a smile and a lazy wave and disappeared, and Brains sighed.

Jeff was standing with his back to the door, staring out over the island. Alan had gone without word or a glance at him. Penny had smiled weakly at him, making Jeff wonder if he had really done the right thing. He knew that Scott had landed, and he was waiting for the next argument. Sure enough, there was a knock at the door.

'Come in, Scott.' He waited for his eldest to shut the door before he turned around. Jeff resisted the urge to stand behind his chair and deliberately sat at the desk, gesturing Scott to sit in the chair.

Scott didn't take the hint of sitting. He could feel that something was not right. His 'scooter-sense' had been shouting since he had seen Brains alone. Not one to beat around the bush he got straight to the point.

'What's going on? Where's Alan?'

Jeff sighed. Scott hadn't even been back home for 10 minutes before homing in on the issue at hand. He put down the pen he hadn't even realised he had picked up and sat back, folding his arms across his chest.

'Alan has gone back to school.'

'WHAT! YOU SENT HIM AWAY AGAIN?'

Jeff pinched his nose, trying hard to keep his temper. He had much more experience keeping a lid on his emotions than either his eldest and youngest boys, but he was tired and a little unsure of himself, and Scott's shouting was giving him a headache. He breathed deeply before speaking, gathering his wits about him as if he was going to war in the boardroom.

'Of course he's gone back to school. He's fourteen, Scott, he has learning to complete.'

'But I thought, since you'd agreed to make him a Thunderbird, he could complete his learning here.'

'Alan still has to learn. Remember what I taught you all – no shortcuts. That still applies to Alan.'

'That's bull and you know it. He could easily complete his schooling here while learning the 'birds and everything else.'

'Language, Scott. And who's going to teach him? You? Your brothers? And what happens when you're all out on a call and Alan should be in class learning? Do you really expect him to stay in lesson instead of rushing to Command and Control and being invested in what you are all getting up to?'

'Oh, right. So instead of Alan being home and watching the rescue, being here and seeing us straight afterwards and being reassured, you'd prefer he has to see us in a room full of strangers who do not understand why he's so invested in the rescue, waiting until the end of the school day to find out if we are all aright? To sit through lessons trying to pay attention while wondering if we are even alive?'

'Scott, this isn't your decision. It's mine, and I've made it. There is no discussion here.'

Jeff picked up the pen, opened the folder in front of him and hoped his son would get the point. The words 'I'm the father, not you,' were not said, but both heard them.

'You didn't even let us say goodbye. What kind of a father does that?'

Scott had said it in a tone of voice so low, so similar, to the tone Alan had used in his last words. It caused his heart to contract again.

By the time Jeff looked up Scott had gone.

And it came as no surprise to find out that Scott had taken his jet and left.