Queen of the Elven City - Yeah John is pretty cool huh. I wish my older brother was just like him! Thanks for this suggestion. I'm loving writing this story!

ladc - glad you approved.

IloveSam - so glad you enjoyed it. And no, the chemistry teacher isn't based on either of mine. My two chemistry teachers rocked! Especially the one in highschool. However, I didn't want this great teacher for this story as I wanted to make it believable that the accident wasn't all Alan's fault. The poor kid needed some kind of a break. Thanks for reviewing!

May Portland - I was hoping people wouldn't thing I wrote John out of character in this chapter. I really do think that defending his brothers is the one thing that would get John riled up. Glad you seem to agree with me. Hope you keep enjoying the story.

thunderbirgirl - the lecture is coming up. You'll see how hard Jeff is on Alan in the chapter after this one. Glad you're enjoying it!

star-shimmered-dragon - I'm trying to keep the story interesting. I'm having a lot of fun writing this.

Marblez - I'm trying to make Jeff seem like a decent father. Raising five sons can't be easy (especially when one of them is Alan). Keep reviewing please! It makes writing this even more fun!

Alan's POV:

"I guess I really messed up this time," I said to Fermat who was sitting in the chair of the waiting room beside me. The doctors at the hospital had already checked over and released the both of us. The minor chemical burns we had suffered would heal shortly. The doctor had recommended that Fermat not attend classes the next day and get some extra rest.

"It was an ac-ac-ac mistake. It could have happened to anyone," Fermat said reassuringly.

"Yeah right," I told him. I looked up to see my father, John, and Parker walk into the hospital. Brains got up from his chair and met them at the entrance to the waiting room. I watched them as they talked trying to figure out what they were talking about. My father did not look at all happy. "I am so dead," I said to no one in particular.

Dad had been angry with me before this had happened. Upset with my less than stellar grades. All the trouble I had been getting into for not paying attention in classes. Not to mention the fact that it seemed like every semester he was trying to find another school for me to attend.

I just didn't see the point in school. Who cared about what happened in 1876? That was the past. Math didn't make any sense to me. The numbers seemed to all mix together. I won't even go anywhere near what I thought about chemistry class. English was enjoyable but it didn't seem all that important. Gym was okay but playing games was a waste of time. I wanted to be out there with my brothers. Making a difference. Not wasting my time learning things I might never use again.

For some reason though, school was important to Dad. He was insistent that I graduate high school. I also had a feeling that just graduating wasn't going to be enough for him. I always got the feeling that he expected something more from me. Expected me to be like my older brothers.

Gordon was Mr. Jock. He had played varsity soccer all four years of soccer, being MVP his last two years and held a bunch of records for different track events. He wasn't your stereotypical jock though. His grades had always been solid. If he had ever gotten a C on a test I think Gordon probably would have started flipping out.

Then there was Virgil, Mr. Valedictorian. Straight A student. Something not even John had done because of public speaking. Everything had always seemed to come easily to Virgil especially his classes.

John probably would have been valedictorian if he had stayed at the school for his senior year. John had spent his senior year of highschool doing classes by correspondence and stayed at home. At times I wished I could do that. Not being away from home so much would make even schoolwork tolerable but I doubted my Dad would go for it. I definitely knew that right now was not the time to suggest it.

Being ten years older than me I don't remember much about Scott being in school. I knew he had been another jock. You name it and he probably played it. That at least told me he had to have been at least a solid C student or he wouldn't have been allowed to play. Still if my other brothers were any example, Scott had probably been a good student to.

Which meant that I was the black sheep of the family. The one kid that didn't fit it. The one kid that no one, not even my father, seemed to understand. It seemed like the only time that anyone paid any attention to me was when I did something wrong. When I had made yet another mistake.

I wished mother was still here. Somehow, I had a feeling that she would understand. That even with my less than stellar grades and tendency to get into trouble, that she wouldn't be disappointed in me. That she would still love me.

"A-A-Alan," Fermat said beside me.

I looked over at him.

"Everything is going to work out," he told me. He definitely had more faith in that then I did. Sometimes it felt like Fermat was the only one who believed in me despite the trouble I seemed to get him into. I knew I couldn't ask for a better friend.

"Thanks Fermat," I replied forcing a smile. I looked back to the group that had been standing at the doorway to see Dad walking in our directions.

I could see the controlled anger in his expression and the disappointment in his eyes. I knew another lecture was coming but hopefully it would wait until we got back to the island. I didn't want Fermat to be an audience to the lecture nor the others.

"John's going to go back to the dorms with the two of you so you can grab your school books and anything else you want for the weekend. Your both coming home for a few days. Someone will bring you back Monday evening for finals," my dad told us.

We both nodded. Even though he hadn't said it, I knew I had been suspended once again. Fermat and I stood up and followed Dad back where the other three waited for us. As a group we headed toward the exit. As happy as I was to get out of the hospital I also didn't want to get back to the island and the lecture that would be waiting for us.

John, Fermat and I followed Parker out to where he had parked FAB 1, while Dad and Brains waited for the taxi that would take them back to the headmasters office. Evidently they were going to meet with him again before coming home themselves.

John had gotten the lucky task of escorting Fermat and I home. After we got our stuff from the dorm, Parker was going to take us out to where they had landed Thunderbird 1 and then go back for Dad and Brains and bring them to the island himself.

As we walked toward the car, I felt John put his arm around my shoulders. Involuntarily I felt myself tense up. I wasn't sure what to make of John at times. Unlike the other members of my family he was easy to talk to. Always willing to listen. Yet, he would join in with Virgil, Gordon, and Scott with the teasing in a heartbeat.

Not to mention I wasn't use to having him around. He was usually up on the station when I was home. I talked to him, but it was usually over the radio. Somehow dealing with him over the radio waves was completely different than dealing with him in person. I felt like I could tell him anything over the radio but now that he was actually here I didn't know what to say to him. I didn't know what to do. What was he thinking? Was he silently laughing at me?

I wasn't sure and I wasn't sure I wanted to find out.

I felt John move his arm. Part of me was relieved and part of me had wished he hadn't. Truth be told, as miserable as I felt the comfort would have been nice.

Fermat and I got in the back of Lady Penelope's pink car, as Parker and John got in the front seat. The ride back to the school was quiet. None of us really knowing what to say.

"We'll be right back," I said to John as Parker pulled the car up to the curb in front of the dorm building. I opened the back door and got out, followed by Fermat. I kept waiting for John to tell us he was coming with us. After all, he wouldn't want Alan disappearing now would he?

All John did though was nod. He wasn't going to follow me. Keep tabs on me. Scott would have in a heartbeat. Come to think of it, Dad probably would have to.

Fermat and I headed for our dorm room. I opened the door and let the two of us in. Our backpacks were sitting on the floor just inside the door, having evidently been put there by some of the school staff. They were a little soot covered but other than that they seemed to have gotten through the fire okay.

I just hoped all my classmates were okay. I couldn't help but feel responsible even though I hadn't intended on setting the chem lab on fire. If anyone had been seriously hurt I knew I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.

Here I was, longing to be a part of International Rescue and instead of helping people I was putting people in danger. No wonder Dad didn't want me to be a part of IR.

I quickly grabbed a couple other books off my desk and put them in my backpack. I wasn't going to bother taking anything else with me. What was the point? Dad had said I was coming back for finals.

"Alan?" I heard Fermat say as he got some things together.

"Yeah?" I asked as I leaned up against the wall, backpack slung over one shoulder.

"What do you think is going on?" Fermat asked. He sounded a bit worried.

"Well, for starters I'm probably suspended," I told him trying to act like I didn't care. Truth was though I did. I felt my like I had let my father down and although I tried to pretend I didn't care about that I did. I wanted my Dad's approval. I wanted him to be proud of me. That didn't seem like it was ever going to happen though. "As for you, you're Dad probably just decided to follow the doctor's instructions and keep you out of classes. Its not like missing the last couple of days is going to hurt your grades any," I told him trying to ease his mind.

"What a-a-about next semester?"

"I don't know Fermat. I really don't know."

The thought had crossed my mind but I was trying not to think about it. Dad had spent all summer trying to find a school to send me to. He had finally gotten me into this school a week before classes started. My grades didn't exactly make schools jump at the chance of me attending and neither did my record.

"You ready?" I asked as Fermat zipped up his backpack.

"Yeah," he said his voice shaky.

"Don't worry about it Fermat. I'm the one in trouble not you. Everything is going to work out." I told him trying to ease his mind. Truth was though I wasn't sure how things were going to work out.

John's POV:

Alan had been uncharacteristically quiet ever since we had picked him up from the hospital. I had tried to comfort him by putting my arm around his shoulders as we had left the hospital but he had immediately tensed up. I had removed my arm, feeling that it was an unwanted gesture.

When Alan had wanted to go into the dorm by himself I let him. Somehow, I didn't think Alan was going to run off and the only thing protesting it would have done is to tell Alan that I didn't trust him at all. That was the last thing my little brother needed right now.

I took my eyes off the instruments in front of me, and glanced over at Alan in the co-pilot's seat of Thunderbird 1. Once I had gotten the rocket ship in the air I had turned the controls over to him. I knew Alan had already ran the simulations on Thunderbird 1. Knew he knew what most of the controls did.

Dad had started teaching Scott to fly a plane when Scott was fourteen. Alan was that age now and Dad had given him a couple lessons over the summer. He was taking his time with it though, not wanting Alan to get too involved with flying that he completely abandoned his school work. I knew my Dad wouldn't mind me letting Alan "fly" Thunderbird 1 for a little while on our trip back.

There was a smile on Alan's face. Something I hadn't seen since we had showed up at the school. I was happy to see it. Alan needed something to get his mind off what had happened even if it was just for a little while.

I heard the beep of an incoming call and reached out to open communications. The screen in between the two front seats came alive and Dad's face appeared on the screen.

"What's up Dad?" I asked him.

"Just wanted to let you know that we just left New York," Dad said. "Where are you?"

"Where almost back at the island. We should be landing in about ten minutes," I told him.

"Okay," Dad said. "When you get back I want you to check in with Scott. Make sure there is nothing going on that might require our attention."

"F.A.B. Dad," I told him.

"Keep and eye on things till I get back John."

"Don't worry," I told him. "Thunderbird 1 out," I said before Dad could start giving me more unnecessary instructions. As the screen went blank I looked over at Alan. "Okay, I'm going to take over now," I told him. He had yet to try landing and I wasn't about to start that process on this trip.

Alan nodded and hit the buttons that returned main control back over to the pilot's station. As I looked out the cockpit, I could see the tiny spec of the island down below.

Fifteen minutes later, the three of us were leaving the Thunderbird 1 Silo. Virgil and Gordon were waiting just outside the door of the silo for us.

"Hey here's the little fire bug now," Gordon said as the door closed behind Alan, Fermat and me.

"Maybe we should go hide the candles," Virgil said nudging Gordon in the ribs with his elbow.

Alan didn't say anything as he slung his backpack over one shoulder and headed toward the main house. Fermat followed close behind him.

"Oh, come on. We're just joking," Virgil called after him.

"Yeah, its not like we think you did it on purpose or anything, Squirt," Gordon said. "Although as much as you hate school I wouldn't put it past you blowing up the school."

Alan just kept walking.

"Give the kid a break," I told both Virgil and Gordon. I walked past them and headed in the same direction Alan was taking, on my way to Dad's office.

I thought about going after Alan but I didn't know what to say to him. I figured giving him some time and space was the best thing for now. In his mood, Alan would probably just take anything I said to him as a lecture. He was in for one of those for sure when Dad got back.

I had a feeling it was going to be a long weekend.