May Portland - yeah Alan is feeling a little down but then I think anyone in his situation would. And you're right -Jeff's lecture is in this chapter.

thunderbirdgirl -I'm trying to be nice to Alan - really I am! I'm glad I'm making the characters seem believable to you.

ladc - I'm not sure exactly how far this thing is going to go but right now it seems like its going to go through the weekend. Everytime I think I get to a good ending point I reread it and it just doesn't seem complete. Who knew one little line could grow like this.

Queen of the Elven City - thanks! but do you see what you've created. I thought this was going to be a short story, lol!

moonlightbear - thanks for the review and here is your update.

IloveSam - I hope Jeff's lecture comes off stirct enough for you! Glad you're enjoying the story.

sarah - thanks!

star-shimmered-dragon -okay, give Gordon and Virgil a break - they're just doing what siblings do which is tease one another. Go ahead and hug Alan though, the poor kid needs a hug, lol!

andrewjameswilliams - I'm not sure any chemistry teacher would ever be that foolish as the one I wrote but it works for the story and come to think of it I've seen some pretty dense teachers out there.

Inyisa - thanks for taking the time to review.

Marblez- one of the mean tracy boys will redeem himself soon but I'm not saying which one. Meanwhile I hope you enjoy this story.

Alan's POV:

Fire bug.

Those two words kept echoing in my mind. They made it seemed like my brother's thought I was an arsonist or something. That I had started the fire on purpose.

I'd never do something like that. It went against everything IR stood for. How could they even think I would purposely start a fire. Purposely put people's lives in danger. Purposely put a friend in danger.

I had been relieved when I learned that Fermat had passing out had nothing to do with smoke inhalation. The doctor figured that Fermat had panicked and had fainted because of that. That on top of asthma and the smoke had been too much.

But Fermat was going to be okay. I'd be okay and John had reassured me that all of my classmates were going to be fine. Minor chemical burns like the ones I had were the worse of the injuries.

The chem lab on the other hand was another story. The inside of it was a wreck. There had been smoke and water damage, not to mention the broken beakers and other equipment that had been ruined. All the chemistry books, lab books, and notes that had been out on the desk were ruined.Even some of my classmates bags and other school books would have to be replaced as they had gotten too wet or had caught on fire. Fermat and I had been lucky on that account, although I'm not sure how as our bags had been closest to the start of the fire.

"I'll help you study for your f-f-finals if you w-w-want," Fermat said as we headed up the steps to our rooms.

"Thanks," I said "but I'm not going to worry about any school work tonight," I told him as we reached the top of the steps. "I figure I'll have plenty of time this weekend as I'll probably be grounded for the whole time I'm here."

"You're Dad is reasonable A-A-Alan. I'm sure he knows that you didn't do anything on purpose."

"I don't think that will matter Fermat. I wouldn't be surprised if a military school isn't next on the list for me."

"I'm sure you worrying too much."

"We'll see," I said coming to a stop outside of my bedroom. "I'll see you at dinner," I told Fermat wanting to be alone and knowing Fermat would pick up on that without me coming right out and saying that.

"Okay, Alan," Fermat told me and then continued walking down the hallway to his own room.

I went into my own room and tossed my still soot covered backpack down on the clean carpet. I usually tossed it on my bed but I'd rather have a dirty floor than a dirty bed. I walked across the room toward one of the windows in my bedroom. I looked out the window at the island outside. My room had a view of the jungle. Part of me wanted to disappear into the jungle even though I knew I wasn't suppose to go into the jungle without Dad or one of my brother's with me. I saw the satellite that relayed information to Thunderbird 5 at the top of satellite hill. At this point I'd even rather be stuck alone aboard the station than down here on earth. Even alone up on the station, my brother Scott was more apart of what was going on in this family than I was.

I wasn't sure how long I stood there, staring out the window, but eventually I turned away. As I did my eyes fell on a picture of Gordon and me, that had been taking on a camping trip. Virgil, Gordon and I had gone for a hike to see some of the waterfalls in Shanendoah park while the others had hung around the campsite that afternoon. Virgil had taken the picture.

I looked at the smiling faces in the picture. That had been this summer but it seemed like a lifetime ago. I couldn't remember being that happy for a long time.

I hated being the only one away at school. Away from everyone else. Left behind at some stupid school in the New York mountains.

Fire Bug.

I heard Gordon's words in my head again. How could he say something like that? I wasn't a fire bug. I hadn't set the fire on purpose.

I grabbed the picture off the wall and turned around and flung it across the room. As chance would have it, I had thrown it in the direction of the door. To make matters worse the door opened as the picture flew in that direction. The picture flew past my father's head and impacted the far wall of the hallway.

"Sorry," I muttered looking down at the floor. I just couldn't catch a break today. I glanced up just enough to see my father turn around and pick the picture up off the floor.

Picture in hand my father turned and came back into the room. This couldn't be good.

"Alan, have a seat," he told me as he placed the picture on my desk and pulled out the desk chair.

I quickly sat down on the bed, as my dad pulled the desk chair over and sat down in it facing me.

"Alan, I'm disappointed in you. You really let me down."

"Dad, I'm sorry about today. I didn't mean for this to happen," I protested.

"I never said I thought you did it on purpose Alan but that doesn't matter. It still happened. You need to learn to take responsibilities for your actions. Whether they have the intended affect or not, either way your responsible. You got lucky today Alan. People could have seriously been hurt by what happened."

"I know that."

"Do you?" Dad asked me sharply.

I looked up from the floor to find him looking right at me. I could see the disappointment in his eyes. I quickly looked back down at floor.

"Alan, why do you think that fire happened today"

"Because I mixed the wrong chemicals," I said softly, stating the obvious. Something inside me told me that wasn't the answer he had been looking for. At the same time though I had no clue where he was going with this.

"No, it happened because you weren't paying attention," he said sternly. "That's the bottom line Alan. You need to pay attention. You need to learn to take things seriously."

"But school's boring," I protested.

"It's necessary," he countered. "Life isn't always about doing what you want to do. There are going to be times when you have to do something you don't like or don't want to do. Just because you don't want to do it doesn't mean you just try to sail through it or don't give it your best effort. For some kids, school is one of those things. I understand that but that doesn't mean I don't want you to give it your best try."

"Maybe I am," I said defiantly. "Maybe I'm just stupid."

"Stop hiding behind excuses Alan. You're not stupid."

"It seems like everyone thinks that. Everyone expects me to mess things up."

"Then prove them wrong Alan. It shouldn't matter to you what they think anyways. You've got to learn to take responsibility for yourself. You were careless this afternoon, its that simple. You're not a little kid anymore Alan. Your actions have consequences. You need to think about those consequences before you act. That's the bottom line Alan."

I didn't say anything. How could I. I knew he was right although I would never admit that to him in a million years.

"I've got the material that will be covered in the last few days of your classes. I want you to actually study Alan. You and Fermat can work together and if you need help with anything I'll be around, as will Brains, or even John. And you're not to leave this house this weekend as you're grounded," he said standing up and putting the chair back by my desk.

I knew that had been coming.

"What about next semester?" I asked wanting to know if I had been kicked out of another private school or not.

"I'm not sure yet Alan," was all he said as he headed for my door.

That was all the answer I needed though. Those simple words told me one thing - I would not be returning to Churchill School for Boys after this semester. What would my Dad do if another private school wouldn't take me? Would he really send me to military school? I wasn't sure of those answers nor was I certain that I wanted to find out.

"Dad," I called out. Dad turned and looked back at me. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are, but sometimes sorry isn't enough," he said and then left the room closing the door behind him.

As I sat staring at the door, I felt the tears start to fall down my cheeks. I had really messed up this time and despite the lack of yelling, I knew my father was disappointed in me. That I had let him down once again.

Jeff's POV:

"I know you are, but sometimes sorry isn't enough," I told Alan as I left his room closing the door behind him.

I had told myself not to yell at him. That only ever led into a argument with my youngest son, just like it had years ago with my eldest son. Alan was just like Scott had been at that age. Reckless and stubborn. I lost count of the times I had caught Scott sneaking out of the house or sneaking back in. Meg and I had been at the school at least three times a month when Scott was in eighth grade. If it hadn't been for sports, I don't think I ever would have gotten Scott to get the grades he had which were usually barely C's.

Losing his mother had been what had finally gotten through to Scott. It was after her death that he stopped getting into so much trouble. Had started to mature. To take responsibility for himself. Had started putting his full effort into his schoolwork even thought that had only meant bringing home mostly B's with a C here and there.

However, I didn't want it to take losing someone else to get through to Alan. If today was any indication though, it may just come to that.

I walked into my office and sat down at my desk. My eyes fell on the ski picture that sat their. Not for the first time did I find myself wishing that Meg was still here. That I hadn't been left to raise our five sons by myself. The kids would have benefitted from having her here. There had been so many times when I had felt inadequate to teaching them what they needed to learn. Hadn't been sure about what to do during the hard times.

Like right now. I was at my wits end with Alan. It had been hard enough getting him into Churchill School for Boys. Most of the private schools were getting to the point where they didn't want to deal with Alan and his grades didn't help him any.

As much as I didn't want to, military school might just be the only option I had left with him. Still, that was only going to be a last resort. Alan didn't have the temperament for military school. There was no way he would be able to keep his mouth shut. I knew he would be miserable there. More miserable than he already seem to be.

"Dad," I heard John's soft voice say behind me.

I turned in my chair to find him standing just inside the doorway. I had been so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn't heard the door open.

"Dinner's ready," he told me.

"Okay," I said. I wasn't really in the mood for dinner but meal times were a good chance for us to all get together. A chance for me to stay involved in my son's lives while I could. "I'll be right there," I told him.

John nodded and left the room. I glanced back at the picture one more time and saw Meg's smiling face staring back at me. What would she do in this situation?

I left the office with that question still left unanswered.