And we're back! I won't keep you waiting for poor Alan's fate any longer. I felt terrible for leaving him in such a perilous position but it really wouldn't be a Thunderbirds story if I didn't leave things on a terrible cliff hanger.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Watery Eyes

By Rosa241

Scott POV:

Oh god no!

Racing forward to the water I waste no time in jumping straight in. Thankfully the pond water only comes up to my chest so I can safely stand up. Alan however…

Grabbing the tiny blond whose bobbing below the surface, struggling to break free of the tight hold the water had on him. Pulling him up into my shaking arms he coughs loudly into my chest.

"Alan!" Dad's voice is full of desperation and panic as he hovers at the edge of the pond. Wrapping my arms a little tighter around the shaking, coughing five year old I slowly make my way over to him all the while wary of the water around me. He isn't crying yet although that's probably more to do with the way that right now hacking, painful coughs are forcing their way out of his tiny lungs.

He's pulled out of my arms and into my dads before I can blink. As Dad lifts him up into his arms I watch his tiny body shake with coughs. There are tears dripping down his cheeks now as Grandpa shrugs off his jacket and wraps it around Alan. A hand enters my vision and I'm forced to tear my eyes away from my little brother.

"Come on." John's voice is shaking and as I climb out of the cold water I realise that I am too. "He's fine."

He doesn't believe that.

I can tell.

Wordlessly we make our way back to the house as a black cloud hovers over us. It's only as we head back that I realise just how cold I am as the water settles into my skin.

If I'm cold then Alan must be freezing…

Guilt pours through me as I realise that this was entirely my fault. I was meant to be watching him. I'm supposed to be his big brothers, I'm supposed to protect him and what happened? He almost drowned because of me.

I'm sorry Alan…

We're almost back to the house, Alan's coughing and crying following us the whole way, when I feel the first spots of rain on my skin. The heavens open just as we make it through the front door only to be met with Grandma's stunned face.

"What in the world happened?"

Jeff POV:

Alan is still shaking as I wrap him up warm in the blanket my mother provided. Part of me wants to believe that it's because he's cold but I know differently. He's not shaking because of the cold, the warm shower and dry clothes helped to combat that, no he's shaking for another reason.

Fear.

Almost drowning will put the fear of god into just about anyone let alone a five year old whose too small and young to fully understand things. He'd almost pitched a fit when we stepped into the bathroom and I knew then a bath was out of order. As much as I wanted to warm him up there was no way he was going willingly into a bath tub full of water. Getting him into a shower was hard enough and only my going in with him was able to calm him down enough.

Thankfully now he was warm and safe.

I keep telling myself that as the memory of Scott's scream echoes through my mind.

"ALAN!?"

Shaking it off I lift my baby into my arms which thankfully stops his trembling somewhat. Knowing that he won't sleep yet, and not wanting to leave him alone, I bypass the bedroom and head downstairs. Unsurprisingly I find six faces waiting for me the moment I step into the room. My mother rushes over with tears in her eyes and tries desperately to ensure that Alan is still safe and sound. I'm fairly certain the only reason Gordon doesn't race over is because he's sat in between John and Grandpa, the latter of which has a pretty good grip on his arm. Virgil wastes no time in stepping over. His keen eyes take in all of the details of his baby brother before he sighs in what I assume to be relief before his body relaxes somewhat.

"I'll go get dinner started." My mother finally removes herself from Alan and leaves to the kitchen. My dad follows her and I know that she'll need a few minutes to calm herself down before she can come back out. Dinner is just an excuse so the kids don't need to see her upset. As soon as dad leaves the room Gordon forgoes any thought of staying seated and races over to my side.

"Is he okay?" His voice is small and it doesn't match my little trouble maker in any way shape or form.

"He's going to be fine. Just a little shaken up." As I speak Alan snuggles into my chest slightly before releasing a little sigh. Movement catches my eye and, to my surprise, my oldest stalks out of the room without so much as looking at Alan.

What on earth…

John POV:

Watching Scott leave the room earlier set something aside in me. I can tell by the look on his face that he feels guilty. Not that he should since he saved Alan and all. None of us noticed that he was gone, we were all to busy with something else to notice.

Then again he was the one watching him…

Scott was the one who was meant to be keeping his eyes on Alan after all. Not that it makes it his fault or anything. He can't be expected to watch over him 24 hours a day. We all should have been keeping an eye on him. We know how easily Alan can get distracted, it's hardly news he has a habit of getting hurt whenever he's left alone.

I'd tried to talk to him but he brushed me off. He does this when he gets angry or upset. Pushes everyone away and tries to deal with everything by himself. I hate that-

A sudden scream cuts off my thoughts instantly Scott and I are both out of bed. We're barely out of the room before the sound of hysterical sobbing reaches my ears.

Alan.

As we step into the other room Virgil has already got Alan wrapped in his arms while a tearful Gordon stands off to the side, not sure of what to do. Scott goes to our baby brother whilst I head straight for the other. As much as I want to comfort the tiny blond Gordon needs someone as well. Seconds after I've pulled the red head into my chest the door opens again as Dad steps through.

And there we go.

Okay I officially do not like this chapter but every time I change it I keep making it worse. I've delayed posting it long enough and I seriously don't think I'm going to like it if I keep staring at it. It's not that I think it's bad I just don't like reading it. It doesn't flow properly to me, honestly it reads as if I've forced it out which I really don't like.

Hopefully I'll like the next chapter better.