Part 2

How could they not have realized something was wrong? That was the thought running through Scott's head as he and Alan headed for space. After John had hung up on them something had happened onboard Thunderbird Five, but they had been none the wiser. The brothers had all decided to give John some time to blow off some steam before they called him up to talk. However when they did he did not pick up. They had tried a couple of more times but had figured he was still angry and hurt and wanted to "lick his wounds" in private. The brothers respected that and had let him. However when they had gotten back to the lounge it was to find Jeff watching a news report. The reporter had informed the viewers of a dire rescue situation in the UK. Calls had gone out to IR but there had been no reply. Jeff had tried calling John up but had not gotten a reply. He had sent all of them out to the rescue because they needed all hands on deck… that's when they really understood that something was wrong. Because as the Thunderbirds left the Island… they could not contact each other or Tracy Island. Scott had been tempted to turn back but then he had thought of all the trapped people and had continued. The rescue had been difficult without their usual communications but they had managed.

When they had returned home Jeff had told Scott and Alan to go up to the station. It appeared the fault was not on the island this time so the problem had to be in space. The signals from the station was not reaching them for some reason. It was as if TB5 had been shut off…. Or didn't even exist. So now here Scott and Alan were, heading into space. Brains had managed to rig up one of John's old radio transmitters so they could at least talk to the island.

"Base to Thunderbird 3", Jeff's voice rang out around them.

"Thunderbird 3 to base", Scott replied. "We are approaching Five's location now father."

"Good. We need to know why John is out of contact. What is your ETA?"

"Two minutes father", Alan said. "It's strange… we should be able to spot the station from here. But nothing is turning up on our scanners."

"Hm… Brains what do you think about that?"

"I am not s-sure Mr. T-Tracy", Brains replied. "It could be a-anything. M-malfunctioning systems m-making the cloaking tech go h-haywire. A f-fault in Three's s-scanners or-"

"NO!" Alan suddenly screamed and the inhabitants of Tracy Island jumped.

"Alan", Jeff called. "Scott! Boys! Come in boys, what's happening? Boys!?" But Jeff got no reply because Scott and Alan could not reply. They were staring at was in front of them. In the spot where Thunderbird Five used to be there were just small pieces of debris floating about. Scott felt close to throwing up because the debris floating around was so small… the biggest piece they could see appeared to be about the size of a basketball. Alan pulled up the scanners and started scanning the area around them. He was checking for any signs of life or an escape pod. There was nothing…

"No", Alan whispered and clutched onto the controls so tightly his knuckles turned white. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. "No… Johnny… no…" Scott wanted to comfort his baby brother but he found he could not move. He was frozen to his seat. John was… gone? This could not be! No! Johnny had to be around there somewhere! How could Thunderbird 5 have been destroyed without them even getting a warning or a notice? This was impossible! They should have been told!

"Scott! Alan!" he heard his father shout over the radio. "What's happening?"

"B-base from Thunderbird Three", Scott stuttered, trying to keep his tears back. He gripped Alan's shoulder tightly when the younger man sniffed. "Dad…"

"What?" Jeff asked worriedly. "Scott's what happening!?"

"It's gone dad", Scott whispered.

"What? What's gone? Boys!"

"Th-Thunderbird 5", Scott replied.

"Gone? What do you mean? Answer me Scott! This is no time for games and riddles!"

"Thunderbird Five has exploded!" Scott yelled and flew to his feet. What met him was silence so he kept going. "How could this happen!? Why were we not notified!? There is nothing left of the station except a few small pieces here and there! Brains! What could have caused this?!"

"I-I-I-I" Brains stuttered. "I d-don't know… I-I-I have no i-idea. N-nothing onboard the station c-could cause d-damage like th-that."

"Well something has!" Scott yelled. "And whatever it was blew up the station and ki…" He trailed off and felt the anger turn into fear. He spun around and stared at the scene in front of him. John had been in there. Had he gotten any warning? Had he felt it? Had he been in pain? Had he suffered? Had he called for help but no one heard it?

"Oh my God John", Scott whispered and collapsed into his seat again. Tears started slowly leaking down his cheeks.

"W-what about John?" Jeff's voice asked, thick with emotions. "Boys have you found him?!"

"N-no", Alan sobbed. "There… there's no trace of him! There's no sign of him! We can't track the escape pod because its signal bounces off of TB5 and TB5 is gone! Even if John was in one the explosion would have wiped it out! There was no chance for him dad! He's dead dad! Johnny is gone!"

Scott had no memory of them turning around or of the trip back home. All he had been able to think about was his younger brother… his now dead younger brother. It was not right. He'd just talked to them a couple of hours earlier. It had not been the best talk, that much was true but still. So how could he be gone? It was not possible. He looked at his trembling hands and his eyes locked onto his watch. The watch John and Brains had developed… which John had given Scott as a gift. Maybe this was all just a bad dream and if he pressed that button… John would pick up and Scott would realize it truly was just a bad dream. Scott swallowed and pressed the button. Nothing happened. He balled his hands into tight fists and squeezed his eyes shut. This had to be a bad dream, it just had to be! John just couldn't be dead! This all had to be some sick joke! Scott could not have lost one of his brothers! His brothers meant the world to him!

Scott could remember the day John was born. He and Virgil had been brought to the hospital to visit their new baby brother. Scott had been eager to see him. Being a big brother had always been the best thing in the world in his eyes. It had always made him feel big, strong and important! Virgil was just a year younger than him and had always been there. Scott had always looked after Virgil and now he had gotten someone else to look after. John had been so tiny and so fragile. Scott and Virgil had been allowed to hold him while sitting on their father's lap. To Scott it had been the most amazing feeling in the world. He and Virgil had stayed close to John wherever he went… well got carried. They helped with everything. John had been their little treasure to protect from everything bad. When Gordon got born and later Alan that focus had shifted because John had not needed them as much as the youngest two… never really had actually.

When Scott had become a teenager he had hit a spot where he thought his little brothers, with the exception of Virgil and John, were just a pain in the butt. Scott had been a moody teenager and very rebellious. Whenever he had one of his moods the only person that wouldn't bother him was John. At the time the three oldest brothers had been sharing a room. Scott had been 15 at the time, Virgil had been 14, John had been 10, Gordon had been 6 and Alan had been 5. Gordon and Alan had been a pain in the butt and Virgil had been as moody as Scott and kept annoying him with his piano playing. John had been the only one that never bothered him. He just did his homework or read or played video games on his computer while Scott raved and grumbled around their room. At this point, a day where Scott had been really moody, he had watched his little brother type away at the computer while playing a game Scott had never seen before. Scott being the teenager that he was had stalked over and plopped down next to John to watch and come with helpful advice. Instead of getting angry or just ignoring him John just listened to his advice and if it was bad advice he explained carefully why it was.

"I can't do that Scott", he had said at one point.

"Why not? Isn't your character a mage?" Scott had asked.

"Yeah but in this game mages can't cast spells they haven't learned yet."

"What so they need to study?"

"Well… yeah."

"That sucks!"

"Tell me about it. I am still trying to get o level 60 so that I can learn fireball! Aw man!" He had died again. Scott had snorted and ruffled his hair.

"Hang in there Johnny you'll get there someday", he had said.

"I could get there faster… with some help."

"What sort of help?" Scott had asked. John had given him a mischievous grin and had clicked a button so a message window opened and started typing. All of a sudden his character leveled up 100 levels. Scott gaped and John easily wiped the floor with the monsters.

"Johnny you cheated!" Scott had exclaimed.

"Yes I did", John had replied happily. Scott had stared at him and then chuckled and ruffled the blonde locks.

"There is more to you than meets the eye, isn't there Johnny?" he asked. John just sniggered. Then he looked at his big brother with those blue eyes. Scott smiled and pulled his brother into a hug and John happily snuggled closer to him, not caring that he was ten and Scott fifteen. And for the first time in a very long time Scott had ignored that fact as well.

When was the last time he and John had shared a hug like that? Scott could not remember. Which meant it was too long ago and now it was never possible again. John was gone, ripped from their lives by an explosion they knew nothing about. Scott wiped his tears and looked over at Alan's seat. His brother was not in it. Scott got up slowly and started the long track back to the lounge. He did not feel like taking the couch… it would be too quick. He changed out of uniform first though and then headed for the long way round. As he walked he let memories of him and John play out in his mind. He had lots memories of all his brothers and each was precious to him. He found his feet leading him down to the shoreline. He looked at the setting sun across the waves. How could it shine so prettily and cause such a beautiful scene when Scott felt as if someone had torn out his heart and stomped on it? He felt the tears well up again. Now that he was alone he dared let them go. He dropped onto his knees, hid his face in his hands and wept.

"Oh Johnny", he sobbed. "Oh Johnny forgive me! I should have gotten you off that station days ago! I should have… I should have realized something was wrong! I should have been a better brother. I should have kept an eye on you like you always do for us…" he sobbed harder. "Did… did for us. This has to be a nightmare Johnny… it just has to." He looked up at the sky, it was still blue but no longer the same blue hue as John's eyes. "Johnny I'm so sorry. I should… I should have told you how much I love you… I should… I should have protected you. I should have looked out for you."

"I don't need you to look out for me Scott!"

"You said that once… I remember. We were on a rescue and I pushed you out of the way of a flying chain. You got mad because I had ruined one of your plans you said. When the chain came back… fuck I thought my heart stopped beating because you gripped it and swung with it onto that collapsing building and secured the victim to Two's rescue elevator. I think the guys nearly died of freight as well… but… but you proved something we all did. We took you for granted and we underestimated you all the time. We did and I'm not ashamed to admit it Johnny. You could do more than I think either of us knew, but we never gave you the chance to do it. We just kept you doing what we knew and thought you could do." He sniffled. "I'll never forget when you flung first Virgil and then me into the pool. I know I did not expect it at all… I thought for sure that I was stronger than you… that I was more powerful. You proved me wrong that day… and so many times before. Out of all of us Johnny I think you truly are the strongest… were the strongest." He wiped at his eyes again and looked up at the darkening sky. "Johnny…" he whispered brokenly. "I love you so much… come back… come back… how can I protect you when you are gone?"

"I'll be with you Scott, even if you can't see me", John said and smiled at his oldest brother.

"What do you mean 'if you can't see me'? I can always see you Johnny", Scott replied.

"Not this time." John said and looked up at the starry sky. "Just know that I am always with you guys, keeping an eye on you and listening in. I'm with you… even if you can't see or hear me."

"Johnny you are scaring me."

"Don't worry about it, just know it okay?"

"Okay."

"Yeah", Scott sniffled. "Yeah okay Johnny I get it. I… I just…" He got up and wiped at his tears again. "I guess I better find the others. We… I… Don't want to be alone right now." He looked at the darkening sky. "Johnny…" He got nothing more out. Instead he turned his back to the ocean and ran towards the house. He didn't want to be alone…

Wow! Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are the best :3

TBC