Chapter 9.

Scott often wondered what it would be like to have a sister.

Granted, some of his brothers were more effeminate than others, but it still would have been nice to have a dash of pink amongst all the blue.

Scott's own private theory was that his parents had also wanted a girl, but had been slapped across the face with four extra boys instead. While Virgil had been celebrated and John tolerated, Gordon probably would have wound up donated and Alan castrated had their father not found Kayo to take under his wing.

Speaking of castration, Alan seemed to be going through a process strangely similar to that of a pre-teen girl.

Put simply, he was an emotional wreck.

"Oh man!" Alan whined into his pillow as he lay face down on his bed, "Scott, what am I going to do? I only have seven hours left and I have no ideas and nothing to wear!"

Scott placed a reassuring hand on his youngest brother's back, "Alan, relax. I said I was going to help you and I will. But you need to pull yourself together first. Nothing good will come if you continue to freak out."

"I can't help it!" Alan squawked, flapping his arms like a seal, "I already know Kayo only thinks of me as cute, which means I've got to try extra hard tonight to prove her wrong. I'm confident that there's a macho gene lying dormant in me somewhere, but I've absolutely no clue how to activate it."

Scott sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, "Look Alan, Kayo might not be the girl for you. It's great that you like her, but you have to allow for the fact that she might not feel the same about you as you do about her. I know it's tough to hear, but unfortunately that's life. Just remember that you've always got us."

Alan yanked his head out from under his pillow and glared, "No offense, Scott, but I don't find myself attracted to you, or Gordon, or Virgil in the slightest. Maybe John when he wears black, but that's beside the point. It goes beyond whether she likes me or not. This is a big event for my little ego, and you and John have already set the bar way out of my reach. I very much doubt she'll be leaning in to smooch me tonight."

Scott smiled, "If it's some lip action you're after, I'm certain Gordon can help. He's been practising his kissing technique on MAX all day, and according to Brains, that little robot is now completely lovesick."

Alan's face barely twitched, "Yeah, well, at least Gordon has the confidence to be himself. I don't know if I should follow your example, or John's, or pick Virgil's brain about what he's planning. I don't even know where to begin."

"Clothes are always a good place to start," Scott advised as he stood up and began sorting through Alan's wardrobe, "Geez, when was the last time you had a clear out? Half of this stuff doesn't even fit you anymore."

"Exactly why I wanted to go shopping," Alan countered, gazing at Scott with a look of suffocating disappointment, "The only outfit I own that's smart is my iR uniform, and that's hardly suitable for…whatever it is that we'll be doing that I have yet to decide."

"You must have some ideas," Scott encouraged, tossing shirts and pants over his shoulder like a personal shopper, "You're a smart kid. Play it safe, but let your imagination off the leash for a bit. What springs to mind?"

Blue eyes that were identical to Scott's own gazed up from beneath blond lashes. With the aura of a kid who'd just been kicked, Alan began fiddling with his duvet and mumbled something under his breath. Picking up on the obvious sympathy cry, Scott aborted his one-man assault on his youngest brother's closet and came to sit on the bed next to him.

"Again?" Scott asked, ducking his head so that he was level with Alan.

The youngest sighed through his nose, "I was thinking of taking her to an outdoor cinema event. I know that she loves horses and I found a lovely location where we could set down and watch that old film about the famous black one."

Scott frowned, "Black Beauty?"

Alan perked up, "Yeah, that one! I know it's ancient, but Virgil says it was one of mom's favourites."

Scott raised his head so that Alan couldn't see the uncertainty in his expression, "Uh, Alan, it's quite a sad film. I'm not saying it isn't an excellent choice, but it gets pretty gritty in places. Why don't you try something a bit lighter? Or something more romantic, if that's the angle you're aiming for?"

Blond hair whipped back and forth as Alan shook his head defiantly, "I saw how excited she got when you two went riding. It has to feature horses. I've not seen any films that star horses as the main characters, but the online reviews place Black Beauty at the top. Look on the bright side; if it's sad, she might cry on my shoulder."

A sigh was swallowed as Scott returned to his task of sorting through his brother's closet, "Okay, if you're sure that's the one you want. I'll be dropping you both off and picking you up, though. I know it's not the cool thing to do, but Thunderbird Three isn't designed for atmospheric flight and I don't want you piloting anything else on your own."

Alan's expression shifted to one of outright horror, "I won't be alone. I'll have Kayo. Couldn't we take Thunderbird Shadow instead?"

"It only has one seat, Alan," Scott reminded, briefly inspecting a blue top before tossing it onto the growing pile of clothes by the door.

"How about one of the pods?" Alan tried, clearly desperate, "I'll take a pod and she can take Shadow. Problem solved!"

Scott sighed and fought the urge to headbutt the wall. Alan's stubbornness could sometimes rival that of a menopausal mule.

"I've piloted Thunderbird Two on my own before!" the youngest added, his argument gathering momentum, "If Virgil gives me permission to fly her, you can't override that."

"I can override anything," Scott countered sternly, "I was born first."

Alan snorted, "Don't you mean hatched?"

Scott didn't allow the young blonde's feeble attempt at humour to rile him. He'd heard that particular joke one too many times. While he knew (and had known for the past twenty years) that it was impossible on a biological level, part of him liked to think that his obsession with flying had something to do with him being part-bird.

Opting to cease the current discussion before it could turn into an argument, Scott grabbed a plain shirt and a clean pair of jeans out of the closet. He threw them onto Alan's bed and promptly resumed his rummaging, "Wear those. They're neutral and neat, but not too showy. You're basically going to the movies, so dressing up isn't required. Just be sure to wear a sweater in case it gets cold after dark."

Alan pouted as a dark green jumper was also tossed onto the bed, his embarrassment at being smothered clearly evident.

Still, at least he finally had an outfit and an idea.

-x-

"Of course you can take Thunderbird Two," Virgil smiled at Alan's eager expression as he expertly diced some tomatoes and tossed them onto the barbeque, "Just don't scratch her or eat takeaway in the cockpit. It took me forever to air her out after Gordon used her for his last Chinese takeaway run."

Alan's eyes gleamed as he surged forward to give Virgil a quick hug, "Thanks, bro! You're my favourite!"

John glanced up in mild irritation as the youngest tore off like a firework, "I thought I was his favourite?"

Virgil shrugged and helped himself to a discarded glass of water on the kitchen island, "It changes according to time, windspeed, and the price of cabbages in Guyana. Don't take it personally. He'll probably hate me this time tomorrow."

The redhead sniffed and returned to his book, still a little displeased. He'd never subscribed to the whole 'don't take it personally' philosophy that Scott, Gordon, and Virgil lived by. No, he preferred to attach significance to his words.

Clearly, Alan wasn't taking after him.

The sound of whistling filtered around the patio as Gordon swaggered downstairs, completely oblivious to John's inner turmoil, "Hey guys! Where's our lil' noodle? I thought he'd be down here waiting at least an hour early."

Virgil shrugged, "Don't know. He was here a minute ago, but then bolted. I've said he can take Thunderbird Two, so he won't have to rely on Scott for a lift at least."

John allowed a rare smile to grace his features, "Will we be spying on him?"

A gasp of mock outrage leapt out of Gordon's throat, "Duh! Of course we will! I've got high hopes for our little nugget. So high in fact, that I've failed to put even a single prank in place for him. I figure he'll do a fine job of digging his own grave without me interfering."

Black brows went skyward as Virgil rolled his eyes, "Any idea what he's planning? It wouldn't surprise me if he dropped down on one knee and proposed after ten minutes."

John winced as Gordon's cackling echoed around the house, "I think he's organised some kind of outdoor film night. No idea what film he's chosen, but knowing Alan, it'll probably feature aliens or zombies."

Gordon's cackling ceased, "Ah, that's why we're suddenly out of popcorn. He must have nabbed it all for his little film night."

Before either Virgil or John could confirm or deny Gordon's accusation, the subject of their discussion skidded back into the house, a magnificent bunch of wild hibiscus flowers clasped in his hands. He was wearing the outfit Scott had picked out for him (unbeknownst to the other three) and looked surprisingly different from his usual slightly scruffy self.

Virgil let loose a supportive wolf whistle, causing Alan to flush crimson. Even John couldn't resist standing up and walking around his youngest brother appreciatively.

"You clean up good," the redhead commented, motioning to the flowers, "Where did you find those?"

"Just down past the pool," Alan replied, inhaling deeply and pouting when he wasn't rewarded with a scent, "There weren't many and I know Grandma likes them, but I figured this is an emergency."

John cocked an eyebrow, "Well, you're highly trained for such a situation."

-x-

Kayo made her grand entrance at five to six once again, opting this time for a comfortable looking hoodie, a pair of jeggings, and her regular boots.

Alan's confidence died before it was even born.

She clearly hadn't thought he was worth getting dressed up for.

Kayo smiled reassuringly upon noticing the disappointed expression on the youngest's face, "Scott told me that we're going to be outside for most of the evening. I thought being warm and comfy would be best for that."

Alan's confidence zombified and staggered back to life. As Shadow's pilot trotted down the stairs, Scott materialised on the landing behind her, throwing his youngest brother a wink and a thumbs up.

The youngest swallowed and managed a small smile of gratitude in return.

What would he do without Scott?

Eager to shift the focus away from his rapidly reddening face, Alan abruptly stuck out the hand that was holding the hibiscus.

"For me?" Kayo's eyes gleamed as she drank in the vibrant red flowers, "Oh Alan, they're beautiful! I can't remember the last time I was given flowers."

Over on the sofa, Virgil and Gordon cursed quietly.

Buoyed by the kind of delight only flowers could bring, Kayo turned towards John and gently held the bouquet out towards him, "Put these in some water and take them up to my room, would you? The bedside table will be fine."

John complied and carefully took the flowers, nodding in approval at his baby brother while Kayo was preoccupied with straightening the zipper on one of her boots.

Alan scratched the back of his neck nervously, sweating under the three sets of eyes that were gazing at him expectantly, "Uh, so…Virgil says we can take Thunderbird Two. I promise you'll have a nicer return flight with me than you did with John."

The redhead's nod of approval turned into a scowl of betrayal.

"Sounds good!" Kayo chirped, linking her arm through Alan's and leading him in the direction of the hangers, "I can't wait to see what other surprises you have in store for me."

Gordon opened his mouth, no doubt to yell something inappropriate, but was stopped by Virgil's palm fusing itself to the lower half of his face.

"Have fun!" Scott called, waving as both Alan and Kayo disappeared from sight.

A low whistle of approval was offered by Virgil once the hanger door had slammed shut, "That kid cleans up good. Nice wardrobe sense, Scott. It was just a pity you didn't give yourself the same treatment yesterday."

Scott shrugged and switched on the mini cam, "It doesn't matter. It wouldn't have been fair for me to get full marks anyway. Got to give you losers a bit of hope."

Blue met caramel as Gordon spat out one of his trademark laughs, "We'll see about that. Seriously though, I've no idea where you get your dress sense from. The rest of us are total messes. What makes you so good at pairing things?"

Scott didn't look up from his task of engaging the audio feed, "I sometimes flick through old photos of dad if I'm lacking inspiration. His style might be a bit dated now, but I know mom always said he had good eye for what he wore. It was one of the first things she noticed about him."

John gave his eldest brother a deadpan look, "Scott, dad was already on the verge of becoming a millionaire when they met. He could have walked up to mom wearing a chicken suit and still bagged her."

Virgil gave a grunt of agreement as Thunderbird Two blasted away from Tracy Island.

"Think he'll hold up okay?" Scott asked, gazing at Alan's face on the holofeed. Despite the blue hue covering his brother's face, the eldest could see that he was pale, "Maybe one of us should follow, just to keep an eye on him?"

Gordon stretched his legs out on the sofa and folded his hands behind his head, "Seriously, Scott? You worry too much. He'll be fine. I've already said that I won't prank him, and he's softened Kayo up with those silly flowers. He's got nothing to worry about."

"I'll believe that when he's back home in one piece," Scott drily replied, "Both mentally and physically."

"Look at it this way," Gordon countered, "If things go well, he won't get mauled. If things go badly, he won't get old. It's a win-win situation!"