So I am back to torturing Alan. Boy, I am turning into Megz here (just kidding, kiddo! - but hey, at least I have never stabbed him. yet. I have other stories outlined and Alan is so much fun to play with.). Hey, let's face it - torture Alan you get all of them, right? So let's get it on... the story, that is.

Chapter 17 – Trials and Trauma

Alan was reasonably sure he hadn't done anything that deserved being brought into his Dad's study. With Gordon as depressed as he had been and Fermat up on Thunderbird Five with Brains, there really wasn't anyone to get into trouble with. Much as he loved Tin-Tin she was still the good girl, following the rules. Only child syndrome, he would tease his girlfriend.

So, why was he here? And why were Scott, Kate and Dad looking so solemn? Alan almost made a crack about who died, but wisely decided that joke would be out of place. "OK," Alan finally broke the silence, "what have I done that the Tribunal is here?"

Kate was the only one who smiled. Scott and Dad still looked so….scared? Could that be the right word? The last time he had seen his family looking this upset was when he had been kidnapped. Alan had never let on, but he had known that his father and oldest brother had been checking on him constantly, reluctant to let him out of their sight. But Kate was looking straight at him, worrying her lower lip, a "tell" that Alan had learned meant she really didn't want to talk about something….

"Alan…" Jeff paused, unsure how to bring the subject up. Directness? Well, it was worth a try. "Alan, I'm not sure if you were aware, but Jackson Mitchell has chosen to go to trial. Scott, Kate and I have known we will have to testify for a while now." Watching his youngest son pale at the mere mention of the man, Jeff was sick at the thought of what was to come. Looking over at his first born, the helpless father begged for assistance.

"Sprout…" Scott knew it was a bad sign when Alan didn't object to the nickname. "Allie, we tried to get a judge to agree that there was no need for you to testify. Most of what happened was witnessed by one of us or Ann Marie. They also had your statement of what happened. But the district attorney is afraid that without your testimony, Mitchell will claim that he wasn't allowed to face his accuser. If he skates on the kidnapping charge, the case could fall apart. The DA has linked the rest of the case too closely to that." Scott had to pause at the scared look on his little brother's face.

Kate knelt down in front of Alan, taking his hands in her own. "Alan? Kiddo, I promise you, you will not face him alone. The DA has agreed that your testimony will be on the same day as ours and that you will testify last. So when you actually go in the courtroom to face Mitchell, all three of us will be there. The DA says he can't promise Ann Marie will testify the same day, but he will put her on after you so that someone can be with you the whole time. Once we testify, we will be allowed to remain in the court, but we can't speak with anyone who is waiting to testify. That's why Ann Marie will go last, so she can be with you. Now," Kate smiled at Alan, "I know you think we are babying you, and you'd be right – at least your father and brother are." Kate ignored the dirty looks that were directed her way by two Tracys and focused on the smile sent by the youngest Tracy. "I know how scary it can be testifying for the first time in a courtroom, so I will talk you through anything you need to. I have also set up video conferences with someone from the prosecutors' office to prep your testimony."

Alan protested, "I don't need to prep my testimony! I know what that bastard did! I know that he hit me and threatened me! Why do I have to be prepared when all I have to do is tell the truth?"

Jeff looked angry at the thought, but Kate held up her hand. "Alan, it is the job of the defense attorney to put his client in the best possible light. This means they will put us in the worst possible light. For instance, he may ask your father why he let you "wander off", or why he showed a picture with you to a man he didn't know well. He won't add that you were with a long term, trusted employee or that his client was in your father's office, so of course there would be pictures of all you boys. He may ask why Scott – a civilian – had a gun. Ignoring the fact that your brother knew he was coming to try and rescue you from an armed kidnapper. And he may ask anything about me, from why I was the only agent there to why I left the FBI to marry your brother within months of your abduction. Nothing will be sacred. It is the job of the prosecutor to make sure you are ready for any possible questions that will directed at you. And if we tell the story clearly and with conviction, no judge or jury would resist being able to nail Mitchell to the wall."

Scott put his hand on his wife's shoulder. Alan was biting his lower lip and his eyes were watering. The kid wanted desperately to break down but would never do so in front of anyone but their father. Kate stood up and smiling at her youngest brother-in-law said, "We'll go tell the other boys what is going on. Think you two can handle some time alone?" Kate and Scott were halfway across the room when Kate suddenly turned around and ran back to Alan. Dropping a kiss on the top of his head, she tried to say something and then ran out of the room. Scott hurried after his wife, refusing to look back, too angry to speak. How could this creep still be hurting his little brother more than six months later?

Jeff sat down next to his youngest and wrapped an arm around Alan. Suddenly, the boy leaned into his father and began to cry. He had tried to forget, he had thought he had. But everything that happened that night was coming back… Raising his head to look at his father, Alan was surprised to see that Jeff was fighting tears of his own. Wrapping his arms around his father, Alan tried to give as much comfort as he was receiving. He remembered what Kate had said to him once or twice. With family beside you, a person can get through anything. And he had family; they would get through this – together.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Kate and Scott still had to talk to the others. Jeff had Alan in hand. Now to talk with the other brothers.

The three middle Tracy brothers looked up as their oldest brother and his wife approached the patio. "Guys," Kate called. "Would you all come here for a minute?"

John smiled at his sister-in-law. "Kate, are you now calling family meetings?" John's smile disappeared when Kate didn't respond. Motioning to his brothers, the oldest blond Tracy sat at the table, Gordon and Virgil following suit.

Scott held out a chair for Kate but she shook her head, leaning into her husband instead. Sucking in his breath, he looked at his brothers and began to explain what was happening in regards to Jackson Mitchell and how it was affecting their family once more. Alan would need their support again, both before and after his testimony. Oddly enough, the thought that Alan would need him seemed to lighten Gordon's own emotional burden. The other Tracys present were relieved. Once more a Tracy had proved their own adage – family comes first.

a/n - here we go again. bringing back the bad guy. you know, some day I will have to bring in the Hood. But for now the sociopathic Jackson Mitchell will do. Review me baby! Oh, and the next chapter has been Beta'd, and is my longest ever. So read this and get ready for the next part.