Disclaimer: Same as usual, I own none of the characters, they belong to Gerry Anderson and Carlton Television.

AN: Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers, you are all great people!

FrankieC – greetings from a fellow Watforder!

Sorry about the delay in updates, seemed my muse went on holiday! I hope that you enjoy the chapter…

Chapter 9

Time seemed to stop as the words "Cancer" and "Brain Tumour" were uttered. As the news sunk in, the members of the Tracy family reacted in different ways. Alan gasped, and turned to clutch a weeping Tin-Tin to him. Grandma looked as if she'd aged ten years as she stood there trying to control the tears dripping down her face.

Gordon gave a choked cry and jerked as if someone had physically hit him in the stomach. The colour drained out of him and his eyes rolled back into his head. Scott, who was still looking out for his brothers even after receiving such news, noticed and immediately moved to catch him. He lowered the dead weight gently to the floor and quickly checked Gordon's vital signs before turning to his father.

Jeff was just standing there, motionless and with no expression on his face at all. Only his eyes betrayed his emotions.

"Dad?" said Scott timidly, worried by the look in Jeff's eyes.

Jeff whipped his head round to look at Scott, before turning back to look at John. He uttered a choked cry and dashed out of the room.

Scott ran after him, after pausing to hastily tell Alan to look after Gordon. He found his father sitting in a chair, head in hands, body shaking with sobs. Scott approached his father slowly, and put a hand on his shoulders. Jeff started slightly, then relaxed when he saw that it was Scott.

Jeff put his hand over Scott's, before pulling him down and holding him tightly. It was unusual for the Tracy men to be showing so much emotion, but the news about John had hit them all hard.

Scott held his father tightly, trying to keep his own emotions in check.

"Dad," he said "We should go back and talk to the doctors, check our options. We don't know for sure how bad it is and if its cur…" his voice cracked here and he quickly cleared his throat before completing the sentence. "Curable or not."

Jeff nodded and took a deep breath. He straightened up, back in control. The only things showing how upset he was were his eyes and the tightness of his face.

"Thank you, Scott." He said quietly and walked back down the corridor.

Scott followed at a distance, something nagging at the back of his mind, something he should do. As he came up to the door leading to John's room, it clicked.

Virgil! He didn't know anything that had happened in the last hour or so, Scott had left him when the machines were beeping because John was fitting.

"Oh God…" he groaned. He knew that telling Virgil would be unpleasant and resolved to get it over with as soon as possible.

Walking into the room, he found his family clustered round the bed. Grandma and a pale, shaky looking Gordon were sitting on the chairs closest to the bed, while everyone else was standing.

Scott walked quickly over to stand behind Gordon, and rested his hand on Gordon's shoulder. Gordon looked up at him and gave a weak smile before fixing his gaze back on John's inert body.

Jeff cleared his throat and turned to the two doctors, who had been standing talking quietly, away from the family.

Dr Willows and Dr Stokes, getting the hint, walked quickly over to the bed.

"I would like to know the full extent of the illness, and if there is anything we can do about it" requested Jeff, his voice steady and betraying no emotion.

The doctors exchanged glances, before Dr Willows asked "Are you sure you want me to talk about this in front everyone, Sir?"

Jeff looked round at his family, who all nodded before turning back to the doctors and answering in the affirmative.

"Well, the type of tumour that John has is called an 'Astrocytoma'" Explained Dr Willows, "Astrocytomas are tumours that come from the support cells of the brain and these tumours can either be superficial or deep. John's tumour is deep and quite advanced. We think that it is malignant, which is not a good prognosis. To be blunt, an operation is John's only chance of survival. Without it he has no chance, but the operation is risky in itself as the tumour is deep…We would recommend surgery followed by radiation treatment, but it is your choice."

There was a moment's silence as the assembled family absorbed what the doctor had said.

"So, what you're basically telling me is this: either we do nothing and he dies, or he has the operation where he could still die anyway?" Jeff said woodenly.

Scott, Gordon and Alan winced to hear it put so bluntly, but kept quiet, wanting to hear the doctor's answer.

"Pretty much, yes." Said Dr Willows hesitantly. "If you do feel that the operation is the best course of action for your operative, then you need to get next of kin permission for it. I'm sorry, that's the rules."

Scott and his father exchanged worried glances at her words. International Rescues secrecy was the most important thing, after saving lives, and to have to reveal their identities could be fatal for the future of the organisation. But, if they didn't, then it could be fatal for John.

Indecision was plain to see on Jeff' face, and Dr Stokes, noticing this said quietly

"We'll give you some time to think about it sir, its never an easy decision to make. Also, we will take John off the sedatives that he is on, so that you can talk to him about it, although he may be confused and in no fit state to make an informed decision."

Jeff nodded his thanks as the doctors disconnected one of John's IV's and walked out the room.

Jeff sighed deeply as he sank to the floor and put his head in his hands. No parent should have to decide the fate of their child. Did he sentence John to certain death? Or did he decide on the operation, where he could lose him anyway, and without a chance to say goodbye?

Thoughts were pounding round his head as he tried to make a decision. He wondered what John himself would want.

As if reading his thoughts, Scott said hesitantly "I think he would want the operation, dad, just because there is a chance of him making it. Our Johnny's a fighter."

The rest of the family nodded in agreement. Gordon spoke up then,

"It's not his time, he should have the operation" he said softly.

Finding his family all agreeing on this, Jeff slowly nodded. He did agree with Scott and Gordon.

"Ok," he said distractedly, planning out the course of action that they would take. "Alan, Tin-Tin, you go back to Thunderbird 3 and go get Virgil down from Thunderbird 5, I want us all together. Scott, you call Virgil and tell him…tell him what is going on. Gordon, if you could call Penny, tell her what's going on, and ask her to put out a broadcast saying that International Rescue are not operating at the moment, due to a member being grievously ill."

As he assigned each person a job, they nodded and prepared to leave do what they had been asked.

"Before you go though," Jeff said quickly, "I am going to tell Dr Stokes that I am Johns father, so that he can have permission to operate. I will obviously ask him to keep this secret…I just don't see any other option…"

Scott didn't like the thought of his Father revealing who he was, and his face showed his displeasure. Suddenly it cleared, as an idea struck him.

"Father!" he exclaimed, "Why don't we make Dr Stokes an International Rescue agent? That way we are guaranteed his loyalty and his discretion."

The rest of the faces in the room cleared as Scott came up with this viable solution.

"Good idea, son" said Jeff with a small smile. "Does everyone understand what they're doing?" everyone nodded. "Good. I'll see you all later then"

And with that, he strode purposefully out of the room. The rest of the family began to disperse. Alan and Tin-Tin walked out the room, prepared to go and get Virgil from Thunderbird 5. Scott and Gordon ducked into the bathroom to contact Virgil and Lady Penelope respectively.

This left Grandma alone with John. She sighed as she brushed a strand of hair that was peeping out of the bandage, away from his forehead.

"My poor sweetheart" she muttered softly, "As if your daddy hadn't had enough stress and worry in his life…you need to fight for him Johnny, his sons are the most important thing in his life, both he and your brothers would be broken if they lost you. The world would be a poorer place without you, sweetheart."

She picked up his hand, and stroked it gently. She quickly wiped her eyes and resolved to stay strong from now on.

There was a 'bang' as the door to the bathroom closed as Scott and Gordon walked out. Scott looked tired and upset, from which Grandma deduced that the call to Virgil had not been easy.

She was correct. Virgil was one of the most sensitive Tracy's, and he had not taken the news well. Scott had trouble getting a word in edgeways as he was met with an irate Virgil, insane with worry after Scott had abruptly cut him off earlier and annoyed that it had taken so long for them to call back, it had after all, been hours.

Once Scott had explained the diagnosis and that he was coming home, Virgil had abruptly cut the connection. Scott suspected that his brother was deeply upset and did not want anyone to see him vent his emotion.

He sighed as he turned his attention back to the current situation, and asked Gordon what Penelope had said. He nodded as Gordon told them that Penelope sent her love, and would take care of what they had asked her too.

The room fell silent then, apart from the steady beep of the heart monitor. Gordon slumped back into his chair and picked up Johns other hand. Scott took up his place behind Gordon, and they all sat there, lost in their thoughts, waiting for Jeff to return.

And return he did. He walked in about five minutes later, looking tired, but in control. As the gathered family looked enquiringly at him he nodded before elaborating on what had happened.

"Well Dr Stokes is thrilled to be asked to be an International Rescue agent, and has promised to keep our identity secret. He's gonna talk to Dr Willows and tell her that he's got permission from the next of kin. I think that he is genuinely sorry about John, he's a good man I feel."

Jeff was about to say more, when a small moan came from the bed.

They immediately fixed their attention on the figure lying in the bed, praying for him to wake up.

John groaned again and opened his eyes. He immediately closed them again as the bright hospital lights assaulted his eyes. Squinting, he looked round him and jerked in surprise to see his father, Scott, Gordon and Grandma sitting next to him.

"W-Where am I?" he asked groggily.

"You're in hospital, son. Do you remember passing out on Thunderbird 5?" questioned Jeff.

There was a pause as John thought about this before replying "No. What's wrong with me? Did I hurt my eye by any chance?"

The others in the room exchanged questioning glances before Jeff hesitantly asked, "No, why do you think that?"

There was a moments silence, before John answered quietly "I assumed there was a bandage over it, I can't see out of it"