After The Hood had almost killed the Tracy Family by trapping most of them on Thunderbird Five when they responded to a Mayday from the station, before invading their home and attempting to then use the Thunderbirds to rob the richest banks in the world, Alan Tracy's whole demeanor had changed. In fact, the dynamics of the entire Tracy Family had changed, and for the better. Alan had realized his dad and his four older brothers did love him. That his dad hadn't sent him away because he didn't want him there, more so he could get the education he would need to do whatever he decided to do in the future. So he could experience a life outside the Island. He'd also got his wish to be a Thunderbird. Most importantly though, Alan had got what he had wanted for a long time; acceptance from his family. Whilst things weren't perfect, they had definitely improved.
Alan and his Dad had also come to an agreement. He would return to Whartons and graduate high school whilst going on rescues when he was home for the holidays. If he chose to go to college, they would continue as they had been. If he wanted to do college though distance learning whilst taking a more active role in International Rescue, then he could do that.
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Back at school, his teachers had also noticed the change in his attitude. Alan would actually complete his assignments, and had even handed in the ten-thousand word essay set as a punishment by his algebra teacher Miss Garret before he went on Spring Break at the start of his first class back with her, and his grades were improving significantly. His teachers were thrilled by this change in him. His dad no longer dreaded getting calls or e-mails from the school. Alan also started to make other friends at school, and began hanging out with them outside of class.
No-one knew it had taken almost losing his entire family for him to change.