Alan pov.
"Allie, sweetheart, wake up" a sweet voice cut through his sleep, waking him up. He was sitting in someone's lap, a hand stroking his hair.
He didn't know what to make of it, he wasn't use to being comforted or given affection.
Plus what was this soft thing wrapped around him? He hasn't felt something so soft in so long.
"Sweetie, come on, wakey, wakey" the voice whispered again.
He looked up, blinking his eyes open, seeing Scott smiling down at him.
"Hey sweetheart" Scott Said, stroking his cheek.
He still couldn't believe he was free, let alone in his big brother's arms. He didn't understand why Scott was here, he was a monster, dangerous… sure Scott Said he wasn't, but Scott hasn't seen him when he loses control, he was sure he'll change his mind once he did.
"You had a good nap, Allie?" Scott asked.
He shrugged, he didn't really know if he did or not. He wasn't sure what a good nap was like….he hasn't slept properly in years.
He looked at the….the blanket? That was wrapped around him, it was really soft.
"Soft" he muttered, touching the blanket.
Scott smiled," yeah, it is soft, kiddo" Scott kissed his temple. "You're warm enough, you're not cold, right?"
He shrugged, snuggling into Scott's chest.
He felt Scott sigh, arms hugging him. "I love you, sweetheart."
It felt weird to be told that, it made his chest feel…. warm? Fluttery? He didn't understand why Scott would love a monster like him, but he didn't want Scott to stop, even if he didn't deserve Scott's love, he needed it so bad.
"We're going home soon, okay?" Scott Said Softly.
"Home?" He asked, confused, looking up at Scott. He hasn't heard that word in so long or at least not in the way that Scott was saying it.
"Yeah, home sweetheart" Scott Said, kissing his forehead. "We're going home, the others can't wait to see you."
Tears gather in his eyes as he thinks about his other brothers, he missed them so much!
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Scott asked, taking hold of his face.
"I…i miss….miss them" he mumbled, sniffling, trying not to cry.
Scott sighed, "I know, they missed you too" Scott pulled him close. "Speaking of missing…. I need to tell you something, sweetie."
He glanced up at Scott, he looked so serious and sad.
"A lot of things happened while you were…gone, one of the things being that….Grandma and Dad, they…" Scott paused, thinking over his words carefully.
His eyes widen as he realised what Scott was trying to tell him.
"I know," he said, nuzzling his head into Scott's chest, a couple of tears spilling down his cheeks.
"You do?" Scott asked, surprised. "Sweetheart, you're sure we talking about the same thing?"
He nodded, "they….they t-told me….to-to hurt me…i…i" he sobbed, his body shaking slightly as sobs erupted from him.
"Oh Allie, shhhh," Scott said, hugging him tightly, rocking him back and forth. "Shhh, I never wanted you finding out that way, I'm so sorry, sweetheart."
He looked up at Scott, tears running down his cheeks. Scott frowned, wiping away some of his tears, kissing his forehead in the process.
"No one ever going to hurt you ever again, sweetheart," Scott said, eyes serious "I won't let them, I promise."
He leaned his head on Scott's chest, just sitting in Scott's arms as Scott whispered soft words of comfort to him.
Scott pov.
He looked down at the small child in his arms, Alan wasn't crying anymore, which was good, he hates seeing alan so upset, but he has a feeling that's going to be their normal for a while…
He looked at the clock, 3:30pm….wow he been here a whole two hours. They really should start heading home, he wanted to a least get back to the island before nightfall.
"Sweetheart, we going to head home now, okay?" he said gently.
Alan looked up at him, "O-Okay.."
"Come on, let's get your shoes on," he said, standing up with Alan in his arms, turning around and sitting alan in the chair he was just sitting on.
"S-Scotty!" Alan said, reaching for him as he put him down.
"Shhh, I'm just getting your shoes," he said, brushing Alan's hair back, before bending down to grab them from where they were sitting at the base of the chair.
"You want me to put them on or do you want to do that?" He asked Alan.
He asked that because Alan had struggled with getting on the clothes the GDF had given then, in the end, he had to help Alan get them on.
It didn't help that the clothes don't fit right, he had to roll up the pants to alan's knees, and even then they were still way too big. Plus the shirt was slipping off Alan's shoulder.
But they were so much better then the rags Alan was wearing before.
"I don't….know" Alan shrugged, looking at his lap.
He sighed, he'll take that as a yes.
He bent down, slipping both shoes on to Alan's feet and tieing them up, making sure there weren't any loose shoelaces that Alan could trip on.
"Okay, all done," he said, smiling at his baby brother. "Ready to go home, sweetheart?" he said, holding out his hand.
Alan nodded meekly, taking his hand.
Alan was clinging to his hand, staying very close to his side as they walked through the building.
"We'll almost there, sweetheart," he said, looking down at alan.
Alan didn't really like how there were so many people in the hallways, he could tell by how Alan was almost hugging his leg.
He was so relieved that Virgil was picking up alan's clothes/other stuff instead of him because it was so obvious to him now more than ever that Alan would not have handled that well at all.
He had turned on one's heater remote control, so when they get there, it will be nice and warm for alan.
He smiled, as they stepped outside, spotting thunderbird one shining in the afternoon sun, looking all majestic.
He felt a tug on his hand as Alan stopped moving.
He looked down at Alan concerned, only to find that Alan wasn't looking at him but at thunderbird one.
He was suddenly reminded that international rescue wasn't up and running when Alan went missing, thunderbird one wasn't even half built at that point in time.
"She pretty cool, isn't she?" He Said, smiling, crouching down next to Alan.
He loved seeing kids reactions to seeing his bird for the first time, but seeing his baby brother's reaction? Even better.
Alan nodded, looking at him now.
"You remember how there were ships being built in the hanger?" He asked, smiling softly.
Alan nodded.
"Well, this is one of them, thunderbird bird one, my bird," He couldn't help the grin that was on his face, he loved talking about his bird.
"Thunderbird?" Alan asked, "inter…interna- the rescue thing?"
He was once again reminded that Alan was eight and for eight years old there was still some words that were hard to pronounce.
"Yeah inter-nat-ion-al rescue kiddo," he said, sounding out the word for Alan.
"Inter-nat-ion-al?" Alan Said, copying him.
"Yep, that's it's Kiddo," he said, ruffling Alan's hair smiling. "We launched International Rescue about two or three years ago, it's not easy, we get really busy, but it's worth it with how many people we save."
The wind picked up a bit.
"Okay," Alan said soft, inching closer to him.
"That's also why I'm in this uniform if you were wondering kiddo," he said, gesturing to his uniform "I'm the first responder, that's means I'm the first on the scene."
Alan's little hand touched his sash, little fingers running along the IR on it. He felt his heart swell, oh Allie, you are too cute and adorable, he thought with a loving smile.
"And that means I need to figure out what going on, so the others know what they are flying into" he explained, "though, John helps a lot in that regard too, being our eyes in the sky."
"O-Okay" Alan Said, shaking a bit.
He frowned seeing Alan shake, shit! Is he cold? Shit! He shouldn't have alan out here for this long! It was way too windy, why didn't he realise!
"You're cold, sweetheart?" He asked, wrapping an arm around Alan, pulling him close, trying to give Alan some of his warmth.
Alan nodded, still shaking. His frown deepened, he needs to get Alan to thunderbird one now!
"Okay, come on, let get you somewhere warm," he said standing up, picking Alan up at the same time, because he was about to walk across an airstrip/GDF car park, it was safer if he held Alan.
plus he could get Alan to one faster this way, and the quicker he got Alan to one, the faster he could warm him up.
Plus the kid wasn't big, heck if you didn't know what Alan looked like when he was eight, you would think he was six.
He hurried over to one, lowing his chair and sitting down in it, sitting Alan on his lap. He held Alan tight so he wouldn't fall as his chair moved back into Thunderbird one. It was nice and toasty warm inside.
"Now that's better, isn't it kiddo?" he asked, giving Alan a cuddle. "You're feeling warmer?"
"A-a bit," Alan said, snuggling into his chest.
He pulled his glove off and felt Alan's temperature, making sure for himself.
He sighed a sigh of relief, Alan's skin was a bit cold, but he could feel it warming up. He can't believe he didn't realise how windy (and cold) it was out there, he need to do better, he has to do better.
He sighed, hugging alan tightly, savouring the moment.
He pulled away after a moment, he needs to get them home and to do that, he needs to move Alan to his own seat.
This not going to go well…
"Now, sweetie, I can't have you sitting in my lap while I'm flying okay?" he said gently, rubbing alan's back. He felt Alan tense up, "I need you to sit in your own chair."
Alan shook his head, clinging to him.
He sighed, he knew this was going to be hard.
"Sweetheart…" he said softly, "I know you don't want to but this is just how it has to be," he said, standing up, Alan in his arms.
He walked over the chair that was just behind, slightly to the left of his chair. He lowered Alan into it, but he couldn't move because Alan was clinging to his neck.
"Allie…." he sighed. "Please, let go, sweetheart."
Alan whimpered but let go as asked. Alan was sniffling on the verge of tears.
Oh, sweetheart, please don't cry, he thought.
"Sweetie, if I could fly safely with you in my lap, I would," he said, adjusting the seat harness to Alan's hight and size, making sure Alan was securely strapped in. "but I can't, okay?" he said, kneeling down in front of his baby brother.
"I want you to be safe and here is the safest place you can be, okay?" he said, cupping Alan's cheek.
A tear rolled down Alan's cheek.
"Oh sweetheart," he said, wiping that tear way. "We'll be home before you know it and then I'll give you a big cuddle, okay?"
Alan sniffed, nodding half-heartedly. Oh Allie, please don't make me feel like the bad guy.
He sighed standing up, "okay, you tell me if you need anything, okay?" he said, kissing Alan's forehead.
"O-okay" Alan mumbled softly.
He sighed again before walking over to his chair and starting his pre-flight checks.