Title: Return To Innocence
Author: Halo Son
Fandom: Thunderbirds
Rating: G
Genre: Comfort/Fluff
Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Thunderbirds, it belongs to the great Gerry Anderson. Am not making any money from this story, etc. The song lyrics are from the song 'Return To Innocence' by Enigma.
Summary: There's always some part of you that never changes. There's always innocence.
A/N: Just a short ficlet I wrote for the people mentioned in the dedication. Alot of stuff has happened to them recently so I did this to try and make them smile again.
Dedication: To three of the very special people I am proud to call friends, whom I love dearly, Arashi no Baka, Willow8 and naurarwen-fangorn.
Love-Devotion
Feeling-Emotion
Don't be afraid to be weak
Don't be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence.
If you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself, don't hide
Just believe in destiny.
Don't care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don't give up and use the chance
To return to innocence
That's not the beginning of the end
That's the return to yourself
The return to innocence
As a child he was terrified of storms.
The flashes of brilliant light and the booming thunder sending his heart racing and fear surging through his small body and though he would try so hard to quell the feeling it always won out.
It would send him down the dark hallway with his bare feet padding softly against the carpet that was always follow by the scrapping sound of his favourite teddy being dragged behind him, one furry arm being held tightly by the trembling fingers of the child.
Always it was one room he sought out, one person he searched for, his mind imprinted on the comfort and feeling of safety he got whenever he was near this person. His young mind learnt quickly.
Upon coming to the door of the intended room he pushed his small hands against it, the creaking sound bearly heard over the deep rumble of thunder overhead.
Scared blue eyes shinning over with unshed tears peered into the dark room, briefly lighting up as more lightning streaked across the sky and showing the outline of the one he wanted to be near too. His eyes were closed in sleep, completely oblivious to the raging storm outside that drove the wind fierce and the rain battering down from the heavens.
A particularly loud clash of thunder sent the child rushing inside the room and cowering on the floor beside the bed. The teddy was dropped to the floor next to him and both his hands flew up to cover his ears, his chest heaving for breath as he sobbed frightened whimpers and the tears began running down his face.
Instincts were trained to register the distress of another, especially when it was from one so close to their hearts. The veil of sleep grew thin and the consciousness of the outside world came flooding back to previously slumbering senses. Chocolate brown eyes slid open and for the first time since the child entered the room he realized there was another presence with him, one he knew very well.
"Alan?"
His ears heard the child's soft crying above the noise outside and he turned his body over on to it's side so he could look down the side and see the curled up shape of his shaking baby brother.
"Alan?"
He repeated the child's name, reaching a hand down to gently stroke his hair reassuringly. His little brother, though his hands covered his ears, heard his protector speak and turned his head upwards, wet trails snaked down his face.
"I'm scared Gordon."
He knew better to ask what of, it was rather obvious from the continuous lightning flickering and the thunder booming. Instead he drew back the duvet and moved so he was sitting on the edge of his bed. Leaning down he scooped his little brother up into his safe arms, holding him protectively while rubbing his back and stroking his hair.
"It's alright Alan. The storm can't hurt you. It's outside and you're safe inside."
The little boy pressed his face against his brother's chest as though trying to bury himself within him in a place where he knew he would be safe from any kind of harm.
"Can I stay with you tonight Gordon?" A quiet, muffled voice came from the boy.
A warm smiled spread across the older brother's lips and he let his chin rest against the boy's head.
"Sure you can Alan."
He turned his body so he could put Alan gently down on one side of his bed, picking up the teddy from the floor once he had and gave it to his brother. Once he was laying back down on the other side of his bed beside his brother, the young child snuggled up against his chest, his ear resting over his big brother's heartbeat and it soothed him.
"Love you Gordon."
"Love you too squirt."
The duvet draw back over them both, the pair of brothers fell back into the restfulness of sleep and dreams.
It was like a ritual that played out over and over again when the time came and it was something that, unlike most things, never died out.
Even 14 years later when gone was the small child of 4, replaced with a brash adult of 18, when the storms rolled in across the sky the sound of bare feet padding on the floor was heard everytime, always followed by the sound of a door creaking and someone sitting beside a certain bed.
Years of learning and training the mind had taught the elder to recognise the sounds even in sleep. Brown eyes would open, sleep was turned aside for a moment and blue eyes always met his.
"Trouble sleeping?"
"You could say that."
A silence would draw out.
"Not that I'm afraid of anything."
"Never said you were Al."
"Good, because I'm not."
Another silence. Though the words had changed over the years, their meaning was exactly the same.
Covers were draw back, a silent gesture that was well rooted that it needed not explaining.
"Want to stay here tonight?"
No answer would come, but the gratitude would shine in those blue eyes and knowing smiles would be shared.
"Love you Gordo."
"Love you too Al."
Curled up in the warm bed with the comforting presence that was his closest older brother and the arms wrapped around him to let him know he was safe and protected, Alan Tracy was no longer afraid.
FIN