A huge thankyou to all of those who replied to my little note! And an extra big thankyou to Tikatu for that info! Its great to hear my story is being enjoyed! Keep reading and reviewing! Luv Buann
Alan awoke in a place very different to that of the hotel room. He opened his eye, though they felt glued together. He was in a cold, damp, one room house. Through the small window across from him he could see a thick growth of trees, so he guessed he wasn't in the city anymore. He was lying on one side of what looked like a sofa bed covered with a thin mattress and a mess of blankets. Across from him was a small table and two wooden chairs. In the far corner was a fridge, sink and cupboard and on the opposite side of that was a fireplace covered in soot and filled with the blackened remains of shredded newspaper. The place had a desolate feeling that sent a shiver up Alan's spine.
Alan jumped when a cool, damp cloth was placed on his forehead. He looked to see Corper standing over him.
"Stay still Alan. You've got a bit of a temperature" soothed Corper
"Where are we now?" asked Alan faintly, trying to recover his voice
Corper paused and glanced up, "Somewhere new" he simply said
Alan sat up, "Is that it?" he gasped, "Is that all you're going to tell me?"
"It is all you need to know," said Corper, calmly, "Now lie back down and rest"
"Rest? Are you serious?" Alan didn't obey, "After what you're doing, all I get told is to rest and these stupid riddles that never answer my questions? Why can't you give me a straight answer? I don't understand you!"
Corper gave a soft smile, "Not many people do Alan, but don't worry, with time, that will change"
Alan didn't move, "With time?" his voice shook, "What are you saying?"
Corper just sighed and held the cloth up to Alan's forehead again, but Alan roughly pushed him away, "What are you saying?" he repeated
"Alan" Corper began, "It's very hard for me to tell you what I feel, because nobody has ever wanted to listen to me before. Except you. You are the first person who has ever trusted me, ever shown me compassion. You are truly special"
Alan didn't move or speak. He was dumbfounded.
"The trust you showed me by talking to me about your deepest problems-something you wouldn't even confide in your friends about-astounded me. I felt for the first time in my life that I was being appreciated. Alan," Corper put a hand on Alan's, "I want to be there for you all of the time. I feel that we could both benefit it. We are not so different, you and I, alone in this world. Both betrayed and taken for granted. We could stay together. Then we would never be alone. We could be each other's family"
Alan found his voice, though it was shaking, "So you're saying you're not going to let me go?"
Corper shook his head happily, "No Alan, you and I are taking the money and leaving for good. We can build a great life together Alan"
Alan gaped at him, "You're insane! Who the hell are you? You're nothing like the man I knew at school and you get weirder every day!"
"Alan, I'm the same man you turned to," said Corper gently, running his hand up Alan's arm
Alan shook it off and moved away from him, "You're a psycho! How dare you try and be my Dad!"
"Alan, you are becoming more of a riddle than you are claiming me to be," sighed Corper, "A short while ago, you claimed to be the one your father put down, the one he excluded. You claimed to be the black sheep of your family and that the only thing that your father cared about was you becoming mirror image of your brothers. Why are you pushing me away? Why are you crying for your family?"
"Because I belong with them!" cried Alan, "I didn't ask for this! You have no right to use me and you have no right to interfere with my life!"
Corper's face hardened suddenly, "I'm starting to lose my patience Alan. I don't want our relationship to be ruined by your teenage temper and ungratefulness"
"Screw you!" yelled Alan, "You're not my Dad! You're not even half the man he is!"
Without warning, Corper backhanded Alan with such force it sent him rolling off the other side of the sofa bed.
Alan landed on the cold wooden floor, still tangled in his blankets, his cheek smarting. He didn't move, he was too scared to.
Within seconds, he heard Corper whispering, "Oh Alan I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry"
Alan still didn't move or look up when Corper came to his side. He was shaking when Corper helped back into bed.
Corper pulled the blankets up and tucked him in, speaking softly like he would to a little boy, "I'm sorry Alan. You must behave. Go to sleep"
Alan had never felt this frightened in his life. He watched Corper warily as the man walked around the room for a minute before picking up a jacket and going outside. Alan readied himself, but his hopes were dashed when he heard the lock click shut on the door. His eyes darted around the room for another means of escape. But there was only one door and the three windows were locked as well. Alan stared up at the ceiling, cobwebs elegantly draped between the rafters.
What had he done? How could he have not seen through Corper?
Alan realised with dread that he had been too absorbed in his own problems at the time to even suspect. He almost laughed at himself now for thinking he had had problems back then.
Had it all been him being selfish? All he had wanted was to feel accepted once and for all by his family.
His time as a Thunderbird had been everything he'd dreamt it would be. At first he had been scared; for his life and the life of his brothers. But Scott was a fearless leader. Virgil had always been there for comfort. John, even from his position on Thunderbird 5, had always been there for a talk if something was bothering him. Gordon had always made him laugh and Fermat and Tintin had been learning with him.
Those weeks of missions had been the happiest in his life. For the first time he felt like one of the family. For the first time, he'd been able to join in with the jokes at the dinner table. For the first time he felt his father look at him with pride instead of disappointment.
He had even been told that soon, he'd be sent up to Thunderbird 5 with John to learn the ropes. Although the isolation didn't appeal to him, he'd been ecstatic.
But in one day, all of this had been taken away. When Jeff called him into his office to tell him he'd be returning to Wharton Academy to finish school, his world had been shattered. He'd stormed out to his room. International Rescue received another call, but he hadn't come out. He had felt betrayed. Tintin got to stay on the island and be home schooled. His brothers would continue on, as always, without him.
But what had completely crushed him was something he'd overheard one evening. He had been walking to dinner when he'd passed Fermat's room where Brains and Fermat were talking.
Flashback"…school. I'm very proud of you Fermat and I th…th…believe your involvement in missions has boosted your self-confidence. I'd be h…h…perfectly happy to allow you to stay and be home sch…sch…educated here" smiled Brains
"Really?" Fermat's eyes lit up
"Yep. I've spoken to Mr Tracy and he thinks it's a g…g…fantastic idea" said Brains
End Flashback.
That had been the hardest blow. His father had approved Fermat staying home. Yet he had been firm in his decision to send Alan away from under his feet it seemed. Alan had spent that night lying awake, thoughts churning painfully in his head.
Did his father think he wasn't up to being a Thunderbird? Would he be happier sending him away out of his hair? What was it that Fermat had that he didn't? Did he value Fermat more as a part of the team?
Alan remembered to when he was first given his badge. "No shortcuts Alan. You earned it" Jeff had said. So why had he been dismissed?
Something else made his heart burn. The conversation had continued.
FlashbackFermat paused and bit his lip, "Gee Dad, that's really nice of you, but I think I'll g…g…return to Wharton"
Brains looked puzzled, "Why?"
"I couldn't leave Alan. He w…w…he'd never forgive me if I stayed and I don't think I could forgive me either"
End Flashback
Alan had never told Fermat he'd heard the conversation, but he'd been so grateful to his friend. Fermat had been offered the opportunity Alan would have died for. Yet he had chosen to stay with Alan.
Alan asked himself why he hadn't treated Fermat better when suffering his angst. Instead he had snapped at him and left him in the dark. Did he deserve a friend like Fermat? Alan wondered what he would have done if he'd been in Fermat's position. Would he have gone with his friend too?
Alan swallowed the lump in his throat.
He also hadn't spoken to his father and had snapped at his brothers if they tried to talk to him. He'd blocked his father's attempts to talk when he'd been dropped at school, blown up in John's face when his brother had tried to make peace and worst of all; he had returned his badge.
Alan's eyes spilt tears when he realised that his betrayal had been greater than his father's had ever been.
Alan rolled over, burying his face in the pillow to muffle his sobs.
He hated himself.
He wanted nothing more than to feel the protective embrace of his family. Feel his dad's and Scott's arm around him, Virgil's and John's cheeks up against his as the two whispered soft words of comfort, Gordon ruffling his hair gently.
Now he wasn't certain he'd ever see them again.
He was at the mercy of a man he feared, a man he couldn't predict, a man who was unstable.
And Alan knew that unstable men were dangerous men.