Virgil checked the professor was being seen to then went looking for Alan who had stepped out to see his father's footprint preserved in glass. The blonde sniffed and wished he could remove his helmet to wipe away the tears trickling down his cheeks, Virgil placed a hand on his shoulder without a word and looked down at the print.

"So, that's dad's?"

Alan nodded. "Yeah."

Virgil squeezed his brother's shoulder supportively, "come on, let's go home. It's a long way back."

"Yeah, I'll fly."

Virgil smiled, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Captain Taylor met them by Thunderbird 3 to say goodbye, "thank you again, boys, your father would've been proud of your performance today, especially to sacrifice yourself like that, Virgil."

Virgil grinned, "got there in the end."

"Ha! I always knew your name, don't you worry. Have a safe flight, boys."

"Thanks, Taylor," Alan smiled and climbed up the ladder to the cockpit.

"Thanks, Captain," Virgil shook his hand then leapt up the ladder to follow Alan. "Let's go Alan."

"FAB."

Thunderbird 3 left Mars and Virgil stretched out, out of the corner of his eye he saw Alan rub his eyes but decided not to ask, he knew exactly what was bothering the youngest and that was down to the chat they had on the outward journey. Virgil looked back out at the darkness and let silence fill the cockpit.

"Virg?"

"Yeah?"

"What was mum like, was she like dad?"

Virgil paused before answering, caught off guard by the question, "well, in the sense that she was an engineer yeah, they had a lot in common with each other."

"No, I mean her personality?"

"Oh! Well, she was musical like me, she taught me how to play the piano, and she taught Scott the guitar. Dad adored her, they spent every minute of the day with each other, but I won't go into the romance. Alan, you spent a lot of time with both of them it's just you were very young when mum left us."

"Yeah, and it's not fair."

"Death isn't fair, but that's the way it is."

"At least you have memories of dad, I don't have any."

"That's just not true, I told you some memories earlier."

"Got any more?"

"Loads. I just don't understand how you can't remember any. He spent lots of time with you; camping in the garden, video game competitions."

"What age was I?"

"Nine or so, not that long ago. Do you remember any of his traditions?"

Alan shook his head, "not really. Prepare for landing by the way."

"Ready when you are."

"FAB. Entering Earth's atmosphere, now. We'll discuss it more when we're back in the lounge, I need a shower."

Virgil raised an eyebrow, "as you wish."

Thunderbird 3 landed and the boys went to get changed, Virgil was ready first and went down to the kitchen where Scott was making coffee.

"Thanks, I'll take one," Virgil sat down at the table.

"Virg! What have I told you about sneaking up on people?" Scott smirked at him before grabbing another mug. "How's Taylor?"

"The usual, forgetting names and making light of a bad situation."

"Yep, sounds like the usual. Are you okay?"

"I've been better. I almost died today, that was fun."

Scott half choked on his coffee, "excuse me. What do you mean you almost died?"

"The cavern ran out of breathable air, but Alan saved us."

"Right, okay. I hate it when you say stuff like that, you know what it does to me."

Virgil gasped and reached out to feel his brother's forehead, "ouch yeah, you're not wrong."

"Oh get off," Scott laughed.

Virgil suddenly closed his eyes tightly, "damn, still not over it."

"Over it?" Scott frowned. "Virgil, what's wrong?"

"Lack of oxygen, it's still affecting me."

"Come up to the lounge, you need to rest."

Virgil picked up his mug and leaned against Scott for support as they walked upstairs, "I'm fine, I just feel weak."

Scott nodded, "aww. Poor earthbound mortal, you're not used to space."

"You try sacrificing your air next time," Virgil jabbed his elbow into Scott's ribs.

"Ow! I was only teasing," Scott laughed then his voice cut off as his eyes rested on Alan sitting alone at the piano, his fingers not moving but his head bowed. "Al?" Alan turned his head away and Scott tilted his head at his next brother. "Virgil, what's going on?"

Virgil let go of his eldest brother and walked over to the piano, "Alan?" The barrier broke and Alan burst into tears, he buried his head into his arms at the piano and Scott ran over. Virgil squeezed onto the stool with his little brother and wrapped his arms around him. "It's okay, let it out."

"Virgil, would you please tell me what happened up there?"

"Not right now, could you get a glass of water for him, please?"

Scott nodded, "sure."

Virgil held his shaking brother tightly and rocked him in his arms, "Al, I'm sorry for what I said up there."

Alan shook his head, "it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Alan sighed as he rubbed his eyes before looking tearfully up at the pianist, "I shouldn't be forgetting dad, I'm an awful son to do that."

Scott walked up to the piano with the water hearing Alan's words, "you're forgetting dad?"

"Gradually. Little by little my memories of him fade," Alan took the cup graciously.

"That's nonsense Alan, you've got loads of memories."

Alan scowled, "you say it as if I'm making it up. At least Virgil understands."

Virgil shared a look with Scott and the eldest sat down at the desk, "don't you remember what he's used to do on birthdays, and at Christmas?"

"Faintly."

"On each birthday he would gather us all into their room, and we'd all run in shouting at them to wake up. It drove John mad because he loved his peace and quiet even as a kid. On Christmas morning, dad would make a huge fry up whilst mum would welcome us into the lounge with carols at the piano, then we'd all open presents together."

Scott smiled, "those fry-ups were amazing."

"Then Grandma took over," Alan sniffed as he smiled.

Virgil chuckled, "yeah, food was different then, dad was definitely the cook in the house."

"He would always take us to anything we wanted; a film on the mainland, concerts, sports events," Scott smiled as he leaned back against the chair moving it side to side with his feet.

"Music?"

Virgil nodded, "of course. Are you forgetting who the nerdy musician was, or is?" He looked down at the keys. "Do you remember the duets at all Alan?"

"Probably not," Alan put the cup upon the piano lid.

"Dad used to play the guitar with mum, they'd perform to us on special occasions or when we were upset," Virgil pressed down lightly on the keys. "He was a great guitarist until we began the organisation, then he put it aside."

Alan listened to his brother play, "I do recall this piece."

Scott smiled, "it was one of mum's favourites. It was one of yours too, she recorded it so you could sleep to it."

"Really?"

"You were very young and had insomnia as a child, the music helped you to get to sleep. It's probably why you prefer to sleep on the floor rather than a bed," Virgil grinned as Alan pouted slightly. "You'd drop off anywhere to this piece."

"Is that what you're trying to do now?"

"No, I just want to jolt your memory. It's the little details which are most important."

"I get scared. That's why I asked you earlier if you did."

Scott frowned, "scared?"

"Dad's ship blew up, do you ever worry about that happening to you?" Alan asked, his eyes not moving from his gaze towards his and Virgil's feet.

"Of course we do."

Virgil shook his head as he crossed his left hand over to the top of the piano's range, "not we. I'm more worried when I'm at home and waiting for you guys to return from a mission. When I'm up in the sky, I just trust in Thunderbird 2."

"Alan, what's brought this up? And why have you never come to me with problems like this before?" Scott asked sadly.

Alan sighed, "because you look for deeper meaning, whereas Virgil just listens to me and understands. You treat me like a kid and tell me everything is alright when it isn't."

Scott's jaw dropped in shock, "I'm just trying to be a good brother."

"Yes, but you can be too much sometimes. Virgil doesn't smother me. That's why I told him. Now could I have some time with him?"

Scott stood up, "I see. I'll be with Kayo."

Virgil looked at Alan beside him, "Al, that was a little cruel."

"I wanted to discuss the mission, and he's not helping. Did I leave you down there too long? I didn't mean to snap at you to get a grip."

"No, I'm glad you did or I would've let myself go."

Alan smiled, "good thing you didn't. Are you okay?"

Virgil nodded, "tired more than anything else. Go and apologise to Scott, Alan. He was only trying to help."

Alan sighed, "I don't know what's wrong with me Virgil. You lot all knew dad longer than I did and I really miss him, I've wasted all the time I could've had with him by sleeping and now he's gone. That's the real reason for why I never did those 5 am drills, I was stubborn and wanted sleep, he gave up on me."

"That's not true, he would come into the lounge where the rest of us would be half asleep and say he was letting you get your beauty sleep. He never said he had given up on getting you up, he said you were so quick at learning you wouldn't need the drills and here you are now piloting Thunderbird 3 by yourself."

"You helped me today."

"Well, you couldn't exactly reach across for the engines on my side. You'd have to have extractable arms or something."

Alan smiled, "did dad really say all that?"

"He sure did. I wouldn't lie to you. If anyone was the laziest, it was Gordon, he didn't want to do space drills," Virgil brought the piece to an end on a delicate arpeggio.

"Thanks, Virgil."

"For what?"

Alan indicated his head to the keys, "for that."

"Anytime."

Alan hopped off the stool, "I'll find Scott."

"Before you go, Alan, take this," Virgil stood up and walked over to the bookshelf, he took out a large book and gave it to Alan. "You'll see what I mean."

Alan looked down at it reading the title, "my family. Is this a photo album?"

Virgil nodded, "yep. Before we had fancy holograms for photos we were still using solid copies. Dad made sure we had printed memories."

"Thanks," Alan tucked it under his arm and clambered up to the veranda in the lounge to flick through the photos as Virgil went back to the piano, he watched his brother for a moment then opened the book. The first photo was of the whole family on a vacation, he looked down at a young version of himself sitting on his father's shoulders and a caption stuck under the photo reading 'Hawaii 2052, family vacation', Alan smiled and stroked his fingers over the photo. "I love you, dad."