Everyone was asleep all apart from one member who wasn't tucked under the sheets, and that was Scott. He had rescued the man they used to call their uncle, the man who knew their dad like a brother and who had got his father and mother together. Scott sighed and got out of bed shivering slightly as the night air swirled around his room, he left his bedroom quietly consciously aware of his sleeping brothers and headed down to the lounge, his bare feet padded across the hardwood floor past the piano when he spotted someone lit in the light of the moon and a flicker of orange.
"Captain?"
"Scott? I wasn't expecting anyone else to be up."
"I couldn't sleep, I tend to get insomnia more frequently these days."
"This sometimes helps," Taylor offered him the cigarette.
"No thanks, I gave that up after college."
Taylor smirked, "you can't smoke in space, this is my first in months. What's troubling you son?"
Scott's heart fluttered being called son again, "I guess dad's disappearance is beginning to take an effect on me."
"How long has he been gone now?"
"Four years, I don't suppose you heard anything on Alfie?"
Lee shook his head before stubbing out the cigarette under his foot, "I'm afraid not, space is a big place Scott, you don't know what's out there."
"I can't do this, uncle Lee, I can't replace my dad."
"Your brothers trust you don't they?"
"Well yeah."
"There you go then, you're doing fine."
Scott chuckled as he gazed up at the moon, "I should apologise for what happened to Shadow Alpha."
"Scott, a home is a home, but I've never settled anywhere unlike your dad, I'll be on the move again in no time."
"No hard feelings?"
"None but," Lee smirked, "I'm only messing with ya," he laughed gruffly, "don't stay up too late listening to my rambles."
"It's better than listening to my own thoughts," Scott sighed, "do you even suppose he's anywhere out there?"
"Space or Earth?"
"Either, I don't know," Scott shrugged, "I don't know where to start."
"Sonny, your old man always loved exploring, if he was on a ship the day he went missing he is more likely to be in space, it's easy to search Earth with the right contacts and people, but space is a whole new area. It could take years but I think is the best place to start combing."
Scott nodded, "I suppose so. Do you think he's alive?"
"Absolutely, and don't start believing otherwise Scott, this is Jeff Tracy we're talking about."
"Thanks, Captain."
"It's me who should be thanking you, I loved that base but had I stayed up there I wouldn't be alive right now. Jeff always said my stubbornness would be my downfall and I guess in a way he was right."
Scott chuckled, "we don't keep tabs on the moon, but John does, he's the one who saw trouble. We were just watching the meteor shower."
"Sorry for stealing the show."
"I prefer a rescue over standing around doing nothing," Scott smiled then yawned which made Lee laugh.
"Go to bed Scott, I can stay up all night but you can't."
"You sound like our dad," Scott smirked, "alright. See you in the morning, umm thanks for reassuring me about dad."
"Don't let your thoughts control you Scott, or you'll never get out of the past," Lee rubbed his shoulder.
Scott nodded then walked back to his room passing the rooms belonging to his family, he closed the door quietly and tucked himself under the sheets letting his eyes close finally, he trusted Taylor, his dad was alive still now they just had to find him.