Runaway Train
By Arashi no Baka
Part Two: Home
Disclaimer: I do not own. Never will.
Notes: Thanks for the wonderful reviews everyone. I'm glad you liked it, and here's your second part.
Alan stared at his house in silence.
Virgil hadn't spoken to him since their departure from the station and Alan wondered if his brother was secretly mad at him. After all, he had ruined his birthday. But he hadn't complained when Alan didn't let go of his hand. Even now, Alans small fingers gripped his brothers palm with a startling amount of strength.
Through the large windows Alan could see the silhouettes of his worried family in the dim lights of the living room. He sighed slowly and tugged on Virgil's hands, letting him know he was ready. Silently, Virgil took the house key out of his pocket and opened the door.
Alan paused in the hallway, staring down the hall that seemed longer now than ever before. He heard Scott call through the open living room door and Alan felt a tug at his heart. Scott sounded so…There wasn't an appropriate word in Alan's childish vocabulary to describe it, but he recognised it as the me tone his father had used when he'd fallen out of the tree-house last summer.
"Virg? Did you find him?"
Virgil looked down at Alan who started down the hallway, his elder brother laying a reassuring hand on his shoulder. As the smaller boy opened the door to the living room, all activity ceased. John was sitting on the sofa, a sleeping Gordon curled up on his lap.
The little eight-year old had walked the entirety of the neighbourhood looking for his little brother, and John had found him, asleep in the tree-house he shared with Alan, curled up with one of Alan's jumpers.
Scott and his father were standing by the window, Jeff with a hand across his eyes, worried or angry Alan couldn't tell. Scott looked like he had been crying, and the little blonde could see the dark rigs round his brother's eyes.
This was all his fault.
He blinked back the tears furiously as his father turned to talk to Virgil, and then froze. Alan took a deep breath, and then he was running across the living room floor, crying.
Jeff bent down, and caught his son as the little two-head flung himself at his fathers open arms. Straightening up, Jeff swept Alan into a hug, his arms tight around his son's small body. Alan buried his face into his father's neck, his tears unashamedly running down his face.
"Allie…"
Jeff breathed the word, hardly daring to believe that his son was in his arms. The fear he had felt at losing his youngest son still wasn't appeased and probably never would be. There is no greater fear for a parent than that of losing a child. Alan gripped Jeff's jacket in his fingers, muttering into his father's shirt.
"I'm sorry daddy….I didn't mean to make you angry at me…"
Jeff let out an incredulous snort, and then realised his son wouldn't know what that meant. He softly stroked Alan's blonde hair and whispered into his ear.
"I'm not angry Alan…I'm just glad you're home."
Alan cried harder and Jeff held him closer smiling slightly at his middle son. Virgil had remained in the centre of the room, observing the small moment between father and son. He nodded slowly and then looked at Scott, who raised an eyebrow. Virgil mouthed the words 'train station' at his elder brother and Scott's eyes flickered with something and then he looked back at Alan.
Virgil, ever adept at reading his brother, knew that Scott would be keeping a closer eye on Alan from now on. He felt it as a sort of failing on his part for not realising what Alan was going through.
As Alans cries penetrated his sleeping form, Gordon started to stir in John's arms. The elder blonde was glad his brother was safe and sound and was watching Alan with open love and devotion on his face. Gordon let out a happy squeal, startling everyone in the room.
"Allie!"
The little blonde looked back from Jeff's shoulder, his eyes landing on his red-headed brother. The two didn't say anything to each other, but everyone in the room knew that words were being exchanged anyway. In just a few looks both brothers, even now at this young age, could determine what the other was feeling and thinking.
Gordon, still sleepy, rested his head back on John's shoulder.
"That's the only place I didn't look…"
Jeff exchanged a bemused glance with his eldest son, before Gordon drifted off into sleep again, content in the knowledge that his brother was home. Alan looked at the floor, and then up at Virgil.
"I'm sorry I ruined your birthday."
"You didn't Al. Having you home safe and sound is the best present I could ever have,"
Virgil stared his little brother straight in the eye and tears fell from Alan's eyes again. He smiled through them and lent against his father once more, closing his eyes.
"I'm sorry I ran away daddy…"
"Stop saying sorry Alan…its okay…"
Alan snuggled up into his fathers neck, his breath evening out as the events of the night finally caught up with him.
"Ill never do it again"
Jeff hugged Alan briefly closer and then kissed his forehead.
"I know son…"
Alan opened his eyes briefly and looked at each of his brothers. His gaze hovered a little longer on Virgil. "I have the best family in the world…"
Scott reached over to ruffle his brother's hair briefly but John was frowning thoughtfully. "Why'd you do it Al?!"
Virgil glared at his elder brother, not wanting to upset Alan again. Their little brother looked at the floor, never loosening his grip on Jeff's shirt.
"I didn't think you wanted me here…"
"AL!"
The shouts came from Scott John and Jeff at the same time. Gordon jerked and snorted in his sleep, but didn't wake up. Jeff made his son look at him.
"Don't think that Alan! Of course we want you! We love you!"
There were similar sentiments from Scott and John, and Virgil nodded reassuringly at his brother. Alan hugged his father's neck and closed his eyes again.
"I love you too daddy…all of you…"
As Alan drifted off into sleep, he spoke three last words.
"Thank you Virgil."
Jeff looked at his middle son who smiled vaguely. Scott had joined John and Gordon on the sofa and they both looked up at their brother. Virgil ran a hand through his hair and smiled softly at his father.
He ran a hand through Alan's blonde locks.
"Anytime Al.."
Good enough ending? I hope so. No more fics for a while. I'm on holiday for tow weeks : P
