Chapter 11 – About My Past

Things started to go back to normal after the hard trying rescue they had with the bushfire. Alan was slowly getting back to normal but still having flashbacks about that young girl and his brothers were worried about him, but Alan kept himself closed off to everyone. Everyone picked up that Alan was still not right but wanted to give him space to process everything that has happened. Alan was in his room completing all the work that he had missed due to emergencies at school. There was a knock at his door "come in".

"Alan, how are you doing?"

"Oh, hello Scott I just trying to get my head around this school work that I have missed."

"I can see that, Alan. I am talking about the nightmares that you still have and about how you keep asking yourself 'what if'. Don't do it Alan, it makes it worse and especially if it is eating you up inside. We all get those people, casualties, family members that we want to know what happens to them, unfortunately that is the part of the job which is the hardest. Handing them off for someone else to look after and moving one to the next one."

With what Scott had just said to Alan, Alan was starting to tear up and with that Scott realised he had achieved what he wanted allowing Alan emotional barrier to crack. "Every time I close my eyes, I see her little body lying there is a pool of blood I see the blood on my hands no matter how many times I clean them. I wish I had taken Gordon up to help me finish the search. I wish I didn't freeze when I walked into that cabin." As Alan was finishing talking the water works had started and with that Scott held his little brother close.

"It is alright Alan, just let your emotions out, it is alright nobody here is going to judge you for it." The two brothers stayed in their embrace until Scott felt Alan's body go limped carried him to his bed. Scott looked at Alan's school work 'Write an essay on a famous person in your life' Scott sat down at Alan's desk and started to read Alan's essay.

'As you know my name is Alan Tracy, although I am famous because of my last name and I know famous people. But someone famous in my life is my oldest brother, Scott Tracy. After my mum was killed by an avalanche. He looked after me and helped to raise me' Scottcould tell that Alan had really thought about this and Scott had a tear in his eye. Scott checked on Alan before leaving the room and headed to the office to go and speak to Jeff.

**KNOCK**

"Come in"

"Dad that last job we had is still affecting him, I caught him catching up on schoolwork but he had tears in his eyes and as soon as I checked him, he turned his back and then I realised he was hiding his tears. We hugged and he broke down crying I had a read of the essay it is about me Dad. ME! I am worried about him."

"We all worried about Alan. But Scott if he trusts you then we will take one step at a time."

Abby and Tin-Tin were getting to know each other better but Tin-Tin could still tell there was something bothering Abby but she didn't want to push. Tin-Tin and Abby were walking down to one of the many beaches and coves that could be found on Tracy Island "Tin-Tin"

"Yes Abby"

"I have something that I need to tell you about my past that I haven't told anyone."

"Go ahead Abby, I am not going to judge you and you can tell me" Tin-Tin tried to get the answer out of Abby.

"Well, when I was 5 years old me and my family went on holiday, we had only gone to Los Angeles and decided to explore a new place somewhere new and somewhere different. It was one evening and we were sat on one of the piers where we saw that the bay water had disappeared next thing, we discovered the tsunami alarm was going off so we ran and ran but we couldn't out run the wave. My family was separated and we had no idea where we were. I was lucky I was found lying in the street by International Rescue and taken to one of the medical centres. It turned out I was really ill with a punctured lung, a broken leg including foot as well as concussion. I was all alone at this point; my family was nowhere to be found and my little brother was missing as well. International Rescue told me to stay strong and that I would be reunited with my family soon, but it was a lie I found out that both of my parents were killed by the first wave. My dad unfortunately drowned and my mum I don't know actually know what happened to her."

Tin-Tin sat on the beach in shock knowing how this one job was a challenge for everyone involved and it was a one that would stay with them but wouldn't get talked about. But knowing Abby wasn't finished talking about what happened. "Abby if you don't want to tell me anything else then you don't have to, but just know that I am here for you if you want to tell me the rest of your story. Mrs Tracy and well as the rest of the Tracy's if they find out your story, they will help you and support you through everything."

"Thank you, Tin-Tin. Please understand I am still not ready to tell you everything but please understand that telling you what I have told you it has released some of that pressure on my shoulders. My past is something that I don't like talking about it is a real challenge."

"It is fine Abby but when you are ready, I am here for you."

"Thank you, Tin-Tin. Do you think we should head back to the house?"

"I think we should as it is getting dark and it will be dinner soon. You can trust us"

I know it has been a long time since I last posted a chapter and it was because I had lost love for it and things have been going on. So, I have decided to start up again, but I am not going to rush it so I don't know when I will post a new chapter. I hope people enjoy this again!