Alan found Scott at the desk, looking through TI paperwork as usual, and he smiled fondly. Even on a break his eldest brother kept on working. There had been times in the past when this had caused much concern, and indeed now it did too albeit for different reasons.
His dad had asked him to get Scott and he'd been happy enough to do so, but as Alan came up from the infirmary that undercurrent of unease he'd had since returning had increased. Alan didn't have time to process that thought any further as Scott looked up from his work and smiled broadly at him, putting Alan's fears aside.
'You ok, Al?'
'Yeah, Scott. I'm good.'
Alan leaned on his brother and Scott shifted to make it more comfortable for both of them. Scott's eyes narrowed and Alan's rolled. He knew what was coming, and sure enough…
'What's up, Sprout?'
'Nothing Scott. Um, I've been with Dad.'
'That's good.'
His voice was neutral, but Scott hadn't been quite quick enough to stifle the slight stiffening of his body. Afraid that he was going to upset his brother but unable to not do what his dad asked of him, Alan also straightened up and unhappily gave Scott the message.
'Dad wants to see you.'
Scott sighed and looked away. It wasn't an unexpected request, but he wasn't sure he was ready for this. Who was he kidding – he'd never be ready. He felt Alan tense up even further and forced himself to relax and look back at his brother with a smile once more on his face.
'Ok, Al. Thanks for letting me know. Do me a favour and go find John would you? He'll be up in the Round House.'
'Will do Scott.'
He made for the stairs and paused at the base, turning and watching his brother sigh, run his hands through his hair and straighten up once more before setting off in the opposite direction.
Alan had a feeling that this meeting was going to change something, he just didn't know what.
As Scott had said, John was in the Round House, talking quietly with Penny and Parker. Alan paused at the doorway for a moment, but Penny spied him and waved him in, saying goodbye to John.
John turned to Alan with a smile but, seeing his baby brother's face, the smile became a frown. He walked over to Alan and put both hands on his shoulders.
'Alan? What's wrong?'
'Scott told me to find you.'
'He did? Why?'
'Dad asked to see him.'
'Oh, crap.'
Alan watched as John turned from John his brother to John The Controller.
'Virgil?'
'John? What's up?'
'How far from home are you?'
'We're just finishing up the shopping.'
'Finish it up now, please. We need you and Grandma home ASAP.'
'What's going on, John?'
'Dad's speaking to Scott.'
'Crap. We're on our way.'
'We're in the Round House.'
'FAB.'
Alan listened to the conversation with increasing alarm. John finished talking to Virgil and immediately moved over to the console and immediately began tapping away. Soon there was a projection of their Father's room, just the desk and the two people in the room.
'John?'
'Yes, Alan'
'Why is Dad wanting to talk to Scott such an issue?'
John sighed.
'You probably don't remember any of this, but all Scott's ever wanted was Dad's approval.'
'Well, yeah, that much is obvious.'
'I think you should just listen and watch, and Virgil gets back both of us and Grandma will talk to you and Gordon, I doubt he remembers much.'
'Well, ok.'
John came around and stood behind Alan, pulling him back against himself and wrapping his arms around him and resting his chin on Alan's head.
Alan was getting more and more freaked out by the minute.
'I'm not comfortable spying on Dad.'
'I get it, I do, Al, but this is more about Scott.'
'I don't understand. Scott needs protecting from Dad?'
'No….yes…it's more complicated than that. You'll see.'
'I don't understand…but I trust you.'
John held him tighter as they watched.
Scott rubbed his hands on his trousers and knocked on the door. Damn the man. How his father could still make him feel like he was five even after all this time Scott didn't know, but here he was.
There was no answer, not that he was really expecting one, and he opened the door. It was the first time Scott had been in his father's room and he looked around as he took up position in front of the desk.
They all had desks in their rooms, they needed them for when the work needed quiet time. Scott's desk, and indeed all his brothers, faced the windows overlooking the island. Jeff's desk, however, faced inwards, placing the view at his back.
He stood to attention and waited patiently while his father finished whatever he was doing. Scott knew exactly what Jeff was doing. It was a business tactic he'd seen him use many times – keep the person waiting long enough and they would get nervous and start the meeting on the wrong foot. It was a custom Scott hated and never did.
He was used to his father doing it to him, and he waited patiently. It seemed like he waited forever, but time spent like this was relative.
Eventually Jeff put his pen down and looked up. His nose twitched as he took in the sight of his eldest standing to attention. Almost 10 years out of the military and Scott still knew how to stand to attention and Jeff privately approved.
'At ease, son.'
If anything, Scott became more rigid and Jeff sighed. This meeting wasn't getting off to a good start. He sat forward, resting his elbows on the desk and steepling his fingers. It was the first time he'd managed to get a good look at the boy, and he frowned at his thinness, taking in the angular lines and grey hairs. Well, after reading the reports Jeff couldn't say he was surprised.
'Thank you for keeping International Rescue going and rescuing me.'
'Sir?'
Jeff sighed again. This wasn't going to be easy.
'I spent eight years on that god-forsaken rock. Sometimes I wondered if I'd done the right thing, sending that distress call out. But ultimately I am thankful you all came. However, I was very surprised that you would bring all your brothers on such a dangerous mission, risking all of your lives instead of just your own.'
Scott stood stock still. How like his father! They had traversed the galaxy to find the man and still there was that hint of a rebuke somewhere. He watched as Jeff sat back and folded his arms. The two stared at each other.
Jeff regarded Scott. The boy's jaw was clenched tight, the only outward display of tension he could see.
'You were almost five when John was born and what did I teach you?'
'That I was to look after my brother. To keep him safe.'
'That's right. And with each following brother did I not repeat this?'
'Yes, sir, you did.'
'Do you think that you've done a good job keeping them safe while I was gone?'
Scott paused. It was the question he asked himself every night. Had he kept them safe? Could he have done more? Should he have abandoned his father's dream when it became clear that the Hood was back and out to get them? He knew that his brothers wouldn't have had it any other way, hadn't wanted to quit iR at all at any point regardless of everything.
He stayed quiet. There wouldn't be any right answer to this.
'Well? Do you?'
'As best I could, sir.'
Jeff slammed his hands down on the desk and stood up. Scott didn't flinch.
'Your brothers have all nearly died in the time I was gone! I don't call that keeping them safe, Scott!'
'With all due respect, sir, we agreed that keeping International Rescue going despite those events was the right thing to do.'
'You have one job, Scott. One job! One job and you can't even get that right.'
He gestured to the pad on the table.
'You approved the space elevator even though I expressly forbade it. You let your 14-year-old brother fly Three! You nearly lost Gordon, John and Virgil TWICE! I don't call that keeping your brothers safe! You had one job, Scott! ONE JOB. And you couldn't even do that right.'
Jeff sat back down heavily. He hadn't intended to get into all that just yet, but he supposed it was for the best. He wiped his hand down his face.
'Do you know how I survived being marooned Scott?'
'No sir.'
'I relied heavily on my military training. It kept me sane as time passed.'
Pausing, Jeff considered his next words carefully.
'I run a tight ship. I always have.'
'Yes sir.'
'International Rescue was my dream. And I thank you for keeping it going while I was gone. However, it seems to me that you have allowed sentiment to cloud your judgement, something that my field commander cannot be allowed to do.'
'Sir?'
'As of now International Rescue is permanently stood down while I assess and reorganise it. Consider yourself on suspension.'
'Suspension?'
'If we were both still in the Air Force I would be court-martialing you. Am I clear?'
'Perfectly, Sir.'
'Now, I know that you've done some good work and I'm not ungrateful. I am willing to give you a VP role at TI in the interim.'
'A VP role. At Tracy Industries. You're joking, right?'
'Do I look like I'm joking? Take it or leave it, Scott. I really don't care which.'
'Then, with your permission, sir, I will leave it.'
'Scott, be damn careful what you say next.'
Scott didn't say anything. He just smartly turned around and marched out of his father's room.
Up in the Round House John's hold on Alan tightened as they watched their brother leave and their father sigh.
Alan wiggled out of John's hug and turned to him, eyes blazing and one hand pointing to the screen.
'What the hell was that and when was someone going to explain to me that our father hates our eldest brother?'
