Alan woke up with a start. He reached above his head and turned on his lamp above his bed. Rubbing at his eyes, Alan panted. It was that dream again. The same one in which his mom was a corpse, talking to him and laying a kiss upon his brow despite her flesh rotting off her body. The only difference was, his mom died when he was a child…in his dream she lived until he was fourteen or fifteen and died with Alan in her arms like what really happened when he was but a little boy.

Looking at his laptop, Alan pulled it to him. He went to YouTube and pulled up a song that his best friend's mom – the best friend he had before he really knew Fermat, sang for him when he'd had a bad dream while spending the night at his house and woke her up crying out for his mom or dad. She had a beautiful voice, slightly different voice, but similar range to that of his mother. She'd pulled Alan onto her lap as she rocked in the rocking chair that sat in the living room. He nestled against her bosom, comfortable in her embrace. She was his best friend's mother and she'd become like a mother for him. She'd offered him guidance when he didn't know the answers to his questions, same went to his best friend's dad. He took Alan under his wing and helped his grandma raise him while his dad focused on Tracy Enterprises and the creation of the Thunderbirds.

"I'll See You Again" played softly over Alan's laptop speakers and he hummed along with Westlife. He admired his voice, but really when he thought of his mother and his best friend's mother – they both had a way of singing it and making it a phenomenal rendition. None of his brothers recalled their mother singing "I'll See You Again" to Alan, or if they did they never said anything.

He wondered briefly how his childhood best friend was doing, he wondered if he was still striving to make the perfect home run in baseball, still drooling over Phoebe Matterson from home room and her freckles. He looked him up on the chat room he used with his other friends and was surprised to find a picture of him right away.

Ashton looked like he was doing well, he was posing with his baseball bat like Alan figured he would and Alan sent him a friend request, which to his surprise was answered pretty quickly. Ashton sent him a private message and the two began a really long chat. All sorts of messages were passed along, including Ashton asking how he was doing…which needless to say surprised Alan. Alan hadn't figured word of the fire had spread as far as it had.

Ashton told Alan that he'd found out simply through the grapevine. Their Kansas town was small and when Alan's grandma asked her neighbor to housesit for her because her youngest grandson was in an accident, hushed words were said. Slowly the secret was out in the open and what surprised Alan even more – the people in his old hometown had been holding fundraisers to help defray Alan's medical costs and the hotel stays for his family. Alan told Ashton the school's insurance was covering it all – but that didn't stop Ashton. He told Alan that the thousands or so dollars could go to a college fund for Alan, which brought up Ashton's question. Would Alan consider going to Colorado State University with Ashton when they graduated from high school. The Kansas native had always wondered what happened to his best friend and wondered how to get back in contact with him, but didn't do it because he feared Alan had forgotten about him.

To be honest, Alan had been thinking of colleges he'd like to attend, primarily because John was pushing him to go to a college of his choosing, not one that his brothers was accepted to unless he wanted to. Colorado had been one of his colleges of choice, because they had the program of engineering he'd like to study someday.

Alan typed slowly as he thought of an appropriate response. He didn't want to get Ashton's hopes up, but he'd personally like to keep the dream alive of reuniting with his childhood friend. Especially since he knew Fermat was already thinking of his dream college at CalSci that college wasn't for Alan…so Alan knew that when they graduated high school he and Fermat would be separated for a few years. It'd be nice to know a familiar face from his youth, just so he wasn't alone. He hated being alone.

"I'm keeping my options open in the way of colleges, but knowing you're planning on going to Colorado State University helps narrow my decisions down." Alan spoke aloud as he typed his response to Ashton. It was awesome having gotten back in touch with the guy. He really missed him. They were practically the yin to the others yang when they lived in Kansas. Apart from Page and Fermat, Ashton was his other best friend. Writing back to Ashton, Alan asked if Ashton knew Page, surprised to find out that Ashton and Page were actually dating currently.

Ashton told Alan how Page and he met, both having known Alan previously had bonded over their mutual love for the farm the Tracy's owned. Even after Alan had left, they both stopped by the Tracy farm as they grew up. Alan's two best friends from childhood had begun dating and Ashton was already thinking of college. Alan felt like his mind was racing. He and Ashton talked for a little bit longer, until Ashton admitted he was meeting Page at the movies and would catch him later.

As Alan disconnected the chat with Ashton, he couldn't help but feel a bit more relaxed than he had previously. He'd been able to tell Ashton things that he couldn't tell his family or other friends. Fermat already knew most of what Alan told Ashton, but it helped replace the burden on Alan's shoulders with a feeling of ease. The blond stretched out in his bed, enjoying everything so far in his life thus far. Sure he could live without the multiple surgeries, court cases, bullies and hospital stays but he'd manage for the time being. It's all he could do for right now.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

The following morning, Alan received a visitor in the form of Dr. Andreessen. He'd come in to see Alan and also to show him a picture of his daughter. Alan smiled at the image of Dr. Andreessen holding both his wife and daughter in the picture. The two adults were beaming in the picture while their daughter looked uninterested in the camera. She was looking at something off in the distance, making Alan think back on one of his first pictures with his mom and dad and brothers.

The photographer according to their dad had a field day with trying to make the four older boys sit still long enough to have their pictures taken for a family portrait. And it wasn't Scott and John that were the trouble makers, they were the ones trying to get Virgil and Gordon (the troublemakers) to sit still thus making all four of them squirm around like they had ants in their pants.

Alan recalled a picture that he had in a frame back in his room at home of him, his mom and dad in a picture of their own. His mom was holding him and her smile lit up brighter than the sun in Alan's opinion. Alan was sitting back against his mom's chest, held in her arms while Jeff held his mom, arms looped around her waist as they tilted their heads together. Alan could recall seeing the same picture in black and white – he knew his dad kept those locked away somewhere in his office for safekeeping. He'd occasionally let Alan look through them, but he never could look at pictures of his late wife without getting misty eyed and sentimental.

"So it looks like your surgeries are coming along nicely." Dr. Andreessen said. "It'll be nice having you back in the burn ward to keep Fermat company. Poor kid just reads all day because he has nobody to talk to."

"Trust me, I've had just about enough of the isolation ward thank you very much. I'd love to be back with my best friend and not kept hear slowly going insane." Alan replied as he shifted on his bed. His feet were beginning to tingle more and more as time went on and Alan was beginning to wonder if this is all the feeling he'd ever regain in his feet.

"You have, what two more surgeries?" Dr. Andreessen asked.

"Technically only one, but it's being broken up into two days." Alan said as he arched his back slightly. "I have a burn across my lower back that's not healing right and the doc thinks it might have looked superficial at first but was more serious deep down."

"What do you know about the surgery?" Dr. Andreessen asked.

"I know that the doctor was planning on taking from two donors – so I know it'll be both Scott and Gordon that come in to have donations taken from them and then one day will be the doctor excising the burned skin and surrounding tissue, then the following day they'll put the donations on and let me rest. I'm going to be in for a few rough weeks after that. I do not look forward to the recovery process of that surgery at all."

"Really? That seems like a doozy of all surgeries." Dr. Andreessen stated, making Alan want to reply with a "thank you captain obvious'. The youngster however held his tongue and nodded in agreement of what his doctor said.

"It is, but I want to be done. I want out of the hospital and I want to be able to walk again." Alan stated softly.

"How're your feet doing anyway Alan?" Dr. Andreessen vaguely gestured at the foot of Alan's bed until Alan nodded his consent – permitting Dr. Andreessen to take a seat.

"They hurt, but I'd be worried if they didn't hurt from time to time." Alan said as he peeled back his blankets, showing where the nurses had uncovered his feet from the bandages to look at the healing scars. The off-colored skin shone with a lightness that was previously unseen on Alan's feet. The skin was shiny and Dr. Andreessen could smell the antibiotic ointments that had been applied to Alan's feet.

The doctor stood up and grabbed a pair of gloves to don over his other pair before reclaiming his seat by Alan. After making Alan close his eyes, Dr. Andreessen began prodding Alan's feet. The teenager flinched and squirmed as certain spots were touched on his feet, making Alan chuckle slightly. He stopped with a gasp when he realized that he could in fact feel more sensations than he could previous. He felt elated.

"Do whatever you did again, please!" Alan softly commanded before he groaned again. Biting his lip, Alan tried not to laugh out loud at the gentle tickles on the bottoms of his feet. "Oh my god! I never thought I'd feel tickling again."

Dr. Andreessen was awe struck. Alan was actually feeling more sensations than the notes said and it surprised the doctor. He smiled with a nod. He felt glad for his visit, because he not only got to show Alan a picture of his little girl – he also got to see Alan feeling more than just pain along the soles of his feet. He made a mental note to contact Alan's family once everything settled down again to let them know of Alan's improvement.

"So Alan, the other reason I came in today was because Dr. Warner is out for the day and I know he was going to take you to the sun room. Did you want to head down there today or did you want to stay here and rest?" Dr. Andreessen said.

"I'd like to go back to the sun lounge please. I want to see everyone again. I told them I'd let them know how everything went at the courthouse." Alan said before he shifted in his bed. "Would it be possible for me to go in a wheelchair though? I thought the one I had yesterday was pretty comfortable and I'd really rather not lie in bed all day if I can help it."

"Not a problem Alan. I actually think Dr. Warner had that chair set aside for you since there was a chance you'd have to go back to the courthouse should they need you anymore." Dr. Andreessen said as he leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees.

"God I hope not. I really don't want to go back to that courthouse if I can help it. That was awful." Alan sighed.

"Well, let me go get that chair for you. The sun lounge awaits."

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Alan sighed as he settled back in his wheelchair surrounded by his friends. Brook had curled up in an armchair, Alan's chair was situated right beside Brook's seat while everyone else was spread out around them in a semi-circle. Skye and Chad were snuggled together in a loveseat while Danny and Ben were sitting together, backs facing the television set which was playing an episode of Blue's Clues for the younger patients in the ward. Ben was the one who the younger kids got to turn on the television for them when they couldn't find the remote.

"It was awful you guys. Be glad none of you have to go through a court case." Alan said. Brook gently put a hand on Alan's knee, mindful of his bandages. Alan was grateful for the comfort from his latest crush. Sure he still liked Tin-Tin, but feared ruining their friendship. He'd like to focus on Brook if he could, at least for now. He didn't think Tin-Tin would be interested in damaged goods anyway and he was damaged. Brook on the other hand knew what he was going through and could sympathize with him and his injuries since she suffered from injuries of her own.

"What happened? The jackass lawyer just tear you a new one or something?" Chad asked as he held Skye close.

"Well, yeah…but that kid…the one I told you about was there and he tried to start a commotion in the courtroom." Alan replied as he tentatively laced his fingers with Brook's fingers. The two star-struck teens smiled at the other, before Chad catcalled them obnoxiously. Alan flipped Chad the bird the best way he could before turning back to Brook when she snickered. Alan smiled at her and she smiled at him, before Danny got their attention and focused back on topic. Being refocused on topic, Alan sighed. "He started yelling in the courtroom, making a scene."

Brook looked at him and gently squeezed Alan's hand. When Alan's eyes met hers she asked. "What did he say Alan?"

Alan sighed forlornly. He didn't wish to go over what happened again…but he wasn't willing to keep his friends in the dark.

"He said I was lying, called me a prick, began openly mocking me about my mother's death when I was a baby and started to threaten me." Alan responded. He certainly didn't feel comfortable talking about his mother, but he'd bring her up since she was part of the conversation partially. "He said that she killed herself, that she didn't save me. I know that what he said isn't true, but it still hurts to hear his words."

"If anyone is the prick, it's him. You never insult somebody else's mother nor do you threaten them when you're on trial for something you're accused of. The idiot." Chad said as he drew Skye closer. "If I'd been there I'd have, you can bet that I'd have punched his lights out."

"Thanks Chad." Alan replied. He wished not for the thousandth time that Robert would've leave him be, rather than create such an uproar and add injury to insult.

"Do you know exactly what you did to piss him off? I mean from what you've told us, he shouldn't carry this sort of vendetta against you. I can't imagine having spilt your dinner on him would sign a death wish. I should know, I've had people spill their food on me and I just took it in stride. Sure I was mad when it happened but it usually was an accident." Skye said as she tried to comprehend what Alan might have done other than spill his dinner on Robert.

"I don't have a clue…I was going to contact one of my friends that was at the school before I transferred in to try to figure out if they might have known Robert and been friends with him before I came in the picture. My brother suggested that Robert might have been slighted by one of them and so acknowledged me as an enemy because of my friendship with the guys."

"Well, why don't we do it now? That way you'll have us to back you up if there are any problems and then you won't need to tell us. I'm sure it can get tiring having to repeat everything to everybody all the time." Danny suggested.

"As much as I appreciate the offer, I don't want to make them feel like I'm accusing them of anything. I think if I've got a posse with me they'll get mad…and I don't want to lose any friends because I don't know how to fight my own battles." Alan said, not wanting to make his new friends feel betrayed by his refusal. "Thank you, but no…if I need your help I'll let you know."

Danny nodded understandingly before Alan signaled one of the nurses that he was ready to go back to his room. The smiling nurse came over, unlocking the brakes on Alan's wheelchair.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow?" Alan asked in a question, hoping he hadn't just burned a bridge with his new friends.

"Yeah dude, you'll let us know what they had to say right?" Danny asked with an expectant smile.

"Yeah, you'll know first thing." Alan said, hoping his friends would tell him what he hoped to hear, nothing like the fact that Robert hated their guts so that's why Robert targeted Alan as well.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Alan sighed once more – he was really getting tired of sighing come to think of it as he waited on his request for a joint chat with Josh, Eddy, Todd, Jamie and Fermat to connect. When it finally did so, his friends greeted him joyously. They were happy to know that Alan survived the day in court…though none of them was happy when Alan told them what happened while in the courtroom.

"That dick, did he think he wouldn't get in trouble for trying to hurt you in front of a bunch of witnesses?" Eddy asked incredulously.

"I don't know what he was thinking and to be honest I don't want to know…but I know that my brothers were ready to put out all stops to make sure his body would never be found." Alan teased, knowing his brothers would gladly order a hit on Robert if they wouldn't get caught doing so. Alan thought even his dad hell – his grandma might gladly do it too. That and the fact that Parker had told Alan once when they got to talk prior to Alan being put in hospital that he'd gladly call up a few of his contacts that knew how to break an arm or leg to come over to Wharton before the fire even happened and take care of Robert.

Todd snorted. "Yeah, I'd gladly like a front row seat with some popcorn to see your brother set Robert straight."

"That brings me to my question…before Fermat and I came to the school – was Robert one of your friends or was he just some kid?" Alan asked.

Eddy, Todd, and Josh looked uncomfortable at best before Eddy spoke up.

"Al, sometimes there are good guys and bad guys. I'll admit, I knew Robert but he was a bad egg from the start."

Alan quirked an eyebrow in question, prompting Eddy to continue.

"We weren't friends, not be any means…but I did know him and I don't know what happened. He used to be just a quiet kid that changed. One day he was quiet, used to be picked on by upperclassmen, then the next day he changed – he got colder it seemed."

"One of those days, it seemed like he actually grew a pair. An upperclassman was picking on him, teasing him about the fact that his dad had walked out on him, his sister got pregnant and their mother worked several jobs – that Robert got into Wharton free because he was a charity case. Robert broke that guy's nose, sent him to the infirmary and never got more than a slap on the wrist. After that everybody steered clear of him. The classroom camaraderie didn't exist when he was in the same class with anyone – until you and Fermat showed up anyway." Josh chimed in. "None of us was friends with Robert, when we tried to befriend him he told us to take a hike and so we stayed away."

Alan wrinkled his forehead in thought. He couldn't be sure, but he thought Robert would have wanted to be friends – had everything not happened the way it had.

"He did try to be my friend for a while, but then I found out he was spreading lies about me to other guys and I told him where he could stick his so called friendship…that was several years ago though. I can't imagine he'd hold a grudge from then." Todd said.

"What was he saying about you?" Alan asked, curious about Todd's past with Robert.

"He told a bunch of guys that I was coming on to him…that I was making him uncomfortable. They defended Robert and told me in so many words that I was sick and depraved…but I never did anything of the sort. I didn't even like Robert that much, I was only friends with him so he'd leave me alone." Todd said. "I don't even like boys…for god's sake I like girls and always have…I mean I didn't even know that people developed crushes – I was twelve! I didn't even know what puberty was. How could I have been coming on to him when I wasn't even interested in anyone?"

"That's interesting…remember the lies he spread about me and Fermat?" Alan asked.

"Yeah, that you two were hitting the sheets when alone in your dorm…what are you getting at?" Eddy said, curious at Alan's train of thought.

"It's just like the boy who cried wolf. He could just be wanting attention, so he's doing things no matter if good or bad to get attention." Jamie said as he caught onto Alan's train of thought.

"Right, bad attention is at least attention and he could be trying to get someone's attention." Alan said wisely.

"It could be a way to get his parents to look at him. He could be jealous that one or both parents aren't paying attention to him so this is his way of getting their attention." Josh said. "I was there, it was about the same time I befriended Todd, there were rumors going around about him hitting on Robert – but he didn't even know what flirting was."

"Thanks Josh, you make me sound clueless when it comes to expressing my attraction to the opposite sex." Todd grumbled.

"That's just it – you were clueless. I'd already had a few girlfriends and already had the talk from my mom and dad about sex and what it was. You didn't even know that girl at the library in town was flirting with you and if you'll remember when I told you so you became really flustered. I had to make you go talk to her and even then you stumbled over your own tongue like an imbecile."

"Oh thanks…" Todd grumbled again.

"You're welcome, if it wasn't for me you'd have never gotten her number or gone on that date." Josh said while pretending to dust off his shoulder.

"We're getting off topic." Jamie redirected.

"Sorry." Todd and Josh mumbled.

"So how do we get Robert to admit that what he was doing was all for attention?" Alan asked, wanting and hoping he'd never have to see or talk to or around Robert again.

"I could talk to my dad to see if he'd let me go talk to him, see if my dad can talk to police and find out if my talking to him would get any more evidence out of him." Josh said, volunteering his time and sanity to talk to Robert.

"I'd rather you not deal with him honestly. You're my friend and I don't want him to get his hooks into you too." Alan said, really not wanting any of his friends of family to be anywhere in the vicinity of Robert Flynn, not even Jamie and Jamie was Robert's brother.

"Nobody's going to get their hooks into me Al…but if you don't want me to talk to him then I won't…but maybe we should talk to your lawyer and police, tell them our suspicions as to why Robert is doing this." Josh suggested, frowning when Alan shook his head.

"It won't work like that…Robert's lawyer is vicious. She could spot something a mile away and could claim that people are harassing Robert." Alan said with a stern shake of his head.

"C-Can't there be a w-way to get t-through to Robert and g-get him to talk?" Fermat asked, angry that this guy, kid was messing with not only his friends but his family. Nobody messed with Alan and his family – Fermat may not be strong physically, but he would do everything in his power to protect his brother and he'd find a way to get Robert to talk. If it was the last thing he ever did, he'd get Robert to talk.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Dr. Warner picked up his phone before he straightened his desk up of the papers. Placing his phone against his ear. He listened as the phone rang through, before he heard a click.

"Hello?"

Dr. Warner prepared himself before he spoke. "Hello, may I speak with Scott Tracy?"

"This is he." The voice replied. "Is this Dr. Warner?"

"It is…Scott, if I could have you and your brother Gordon come speak with me I'd greatly appreciate it." Dr. Warner said as he looked through Alan's file.

"Sure thing, my brother is down in the pool right now but I can get him and we can swing by. What time works for you?" Scott said as he sat up from where he was lying on the bed, flipping through a magazine.

"Anytime works. I just came on shift and I'm pulling a graveyard shift. You and your brother can stop in whenever convenient." Dr. Warner looked through his day planner to make sure he didn't have any late appointments scheduled. He was working a double shift, as it was three in the afternoon and he'd have to work actually until noon the following day.

"Okay, I'll go get Gordon then we can stop by maybe within the next hour." Scott said before he stood to go get his brother from the pool downstairs.

"Okay, see you then." Dr. Warner said before he and Scott hung up.

Scott sighed as he pocketed his phone before he grabbed his room key and wallet. Going downstairs Scott sighed as he entered the spa. He could make out Gordon beneath the water despite there being little to no movement from the water. Scott stood there for a moment watching Gordon, he wasn't swimming to expend energy – he looked like he was thinking. Scott and each of his brothers knew there were a few thought process for Gordon. There was his 'I-Need-To-Think' swimming, where he swam primarily beneath the surface and it was slow lazy movements, then there was his 'Got to Swim" swimming in which he practiced his movement should he ever decide to join a competition just the hell of it and then there was his 'I Hate The World' swimming where his movements were furious, and lacked any control – there was lots of splashing and usually Gordon would be exhausted after that kind of swimming. But this was his thinking swim. Gordon obviously had a lot on his mind and was trying to sort it out, it was primarily how he gained the nickname of fish. It wasn't just because he was always in the water, but because when Gordon got to thinking while swimming his movements were lazy and relaxed enough to remind anybody watching him of a fish.

Scott knelt and slapped the water, gaining Gordon's attention at the disruption in the water. Gordon's hearing under water was amazing and even when someone spoke while he was under water he could typically hear them – it was just muted.

"Hey fish, we need to go meet with Al's doctor." Scott said when Gordon surfaced, wiping the chlorinated water from his eyes.

"Yeah, what about?" Gordon asked, slightly breathless from holding his breath for so long. Scott wondered how long Gordon had been beneath the water, Alan once timed Gordon's ability to hold his breath and recorded an outstanding 18 minutes. Scott hadn't believed it until he saw Alan begin timing Gordon and Gordon bested his own record by a minute and a half longer than he had previous. The redhead when he was thinking tended to forget that he needed to breathe at some point and would stay underwater until he began to get lightheaded.

"Don't know, the doc never said. I'm assuming it's about Alan's next and hopefully last skin donor surgeries." Scott said before he gave Gordon a hand with getting out of the pool. The redhead accepted a towel that Scott threw his way and dried off.

'When are we going?" Gordon asked as he tied the towel around his waist.

"As soon as you go get a shower and changed. Dress warm too, dad, Virge and John have the car so we'll be walking to the hospital."