Disclaimer - for the 20th time, I do not own the Thunderbirds.

I have been assured I am evil. I prefer simply vile - an evil person who not update frequently.

Chapter 20 – Love and Life

Kate Tracy sat in a treatment room at the same hospital she had been brought to last December. But instead of a bullet wound to the right leg, her left shoulder had been injured when she had been tackled by a New York City Police Officer. Kate had insisted it wasn't broken, and that she didn't need x-rays. The doctor treating her was the same one as last time, and Kate almost laughed as he kept looking around for her husband. Scott has certainly made an impression on him the last time they were here.

But Scott was with Jeff awaiting news on Alan. How could this be happening? The poor police officer whose shot had been sent wild by jostling members of the media was devastated. Kate made a mental note to keep an eye on him. It was in no way his fault and it would be wrong if his career was destroyed by an accident like this. Just then, Dr. Weatherall came back into the treatment room.

"Doctor, can I go now? I really don't need an x-ray."

"Hmmm? Oh, sorry Mrs. Tracy, I was just confirming your blood work. We wouldn't have been sending you for x-rays, not with the pregnancy."

Kate found herself dropping back into her seat. "P-p-pregnancy? I'm not, I mean… am I?"

The doctor looked up from his notes. "You mean you didn't know? Mrs. Tracy, you are four weeks pregnant."

Disappointment ran through Kate. "Someone must have made a mistake. I had a comprehensive physical four weeks ago and I was definitely not pregnant."

"Did you have well, relations with your husband within forty-eight hours of that physical?"

Thinking of the first night up on Thunderbird Five, when laughing and talking in the still of the space station had led to… well, something Kate was sure had never occurred on the station before, Kate smiled. She wanted to laugh out loud. The first baby born into the family of International Rescue was conceived on a Thunderbird. John would never let them live it down.

Dr. Weatherall helped Kate put her left arm in a sling, admonished her to rest it for several days and to make an appointment with an OBGYN closer to home as soon as possible. As Kate began to leave to join her family, Carol Chang, a former co-worker of Kate's from the Manhattan FBI office came into the room.

"Hey Eppes."

Kate smiled. "Actually, it would be hey, Tracy, now."

"Nah, too many of those around. Listen, I just wanted you to know, the Bureau is running this with the locals. It was a clear case of self-defense, totally justified. Media will actually do you some good. We confiscated all the images from the courtroom and they all show you had no choice. So you won't face any charges in Mitchell's death."

Kate turned and faced the agent. "Death? He died? Last I heard, he was heading for the table."

"Died in surgery," Chang responded. "But the shooting will be ruled justifiable, so don't let it bother you."

"Chang, the only thing that bothers me is I didn't do it six months ago."

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Kate ran up to the wing where Alan was being treated. As she approached the room where her youngest brother-in-law lay, Kate saw Jeff talking to a doctor she had never seen before. The father was clearly distraught at whatever the doctor – a Michael Grasso, Neurologist – was saying. "Dad, how is Alan?"

Jeff put his arms around Kate. "They need to do more tests. They are concerned because he hasn't woken up yet." Jeff swallowed hard, continuing, "Dr. Grasso says the longer Alan remains unconscious, the greater the possibility of brain damage."

"Not on my watch," Kate muttered, heading into the hospital room.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Scott Tracy sat by his baby brother's bedside, brushing his blond hair away from his face. How many times in Alan's life had he sat like this, watching Alan sleep? But this time, there was a chance Alan might not wake back up. Scott raised his face as the door opened. He expected it to be his father or another doctor. Instead his wife practically ran into the room. Scott let go of one fear he had been having. If Kate was here, even with her arm in a sling, she was basically alright.

Kate briefly acknowledged her husband sitting by his brother's bed. But quickly, all of her focus was on Alan.

"OK, kiddo, here is the deal. You've got everyone real worried here. But you need to wake up and you need to wake up now. Enough is enough. I just found out, you are going to be an uncle." Kate didn't even notice Scott jumping to his feet at that. "That's right, a new baby, and the next generation of Thunderbirds. You have a lot to teach this kid. You have a duty to this baby. So wake up now, kiddo."

Scott had come around to the other side of the bed. Taking his wife into his arms, he whispered, "Are you sure?"

Kate was glowing. "Oh, yeah – you get to really be a daddy, not just play momma to your brothers." With a smile, she began to kiss her delighted spouse.

"Hey, isn't that how you got into trouble in the first place?"

Kate and Scott's "ALAN!" was loud enough to bring Jeff, Dr. Grasso and five other medical personnel running into the room. The couple signaled to the teen to not say what Kate had said to wake him up, but no one noticed that. The doctors were too happy to have been proven wrong and Jeff was simply too relieved. Hugging each other, Kate and Scott Tracy rejoiced in the two miracles that had been given to them that day.

a/n - there, he lives. remember, I told you, I could never kill mt favorite Tracy. But I have had him kidnapped, caught in a fire, suffering PTSD, taken hostage and now shot. I have an epilogue almost ready, and I have a songfic/ one shot that should be up by weeks end - Gordon fan's will like it. Then comes a new set of stories, will include a longish onehsot, I think, as I feel it's outline fits better. Then another multi-chapter story will be coming.