And last, but by no means least, here's Alan's thoughts on his biggest big brother.

Thanks again for joining me in this story, and special thanks to Sailor, for inspiring me to write it. I hope I've done it justice for you.

Enjoy, and hope to see you all soon.

He Ain't Heavy - He's My Brother

Chapter Four - Alan

I guess it's a kid brother thing, to look up to your elders, but... hey, in my case, it's really up. I mean, up and up. Because Scott isn't just my big brother, he's my BIG big brother.

Seriously, he's huge. I know everyone keeps saying when my height gene finally kicks in, I'll be as tall as him, maybe even taller. But much as I like the thought of sending him to his room, instead of him sending me to mine, I kinda hope that doesn't happen. In my eyes, he'll always be at a height I can never reach.

Hey, does it sound like I've put him on the biggest pedestal here? Like he's some kind of superhero? Well, yeah, I have. And yeah, he is. I mean, how many big brothers can say they've pretty much raised four younger brothers, and made Captain in the Air Force, and taken over the best, most respected rescue team in the world? Yeah, you've got it. Just one.

Just one big brother. My big brother.

And yeah, I know I drive him crazy sometimes, with all my ideas for helping out with rescues, and wanting to tag along with him, or Virgil, or Gordon, or... well, just any of them. I know he wants me to concentrate more on my lessons, make sure I get as good an education as John did, because... well, I guess in a way, that's something he regrets missing out on himself.

Hey, don't get me wrong, Scott's smart, he's real smart. He has to be, to make all those decisions he needs to when he goes out on a call. But sometimes I think he kinda wishes he'd had the chance to go to college, like Virgil did, or NASA, like John, and find a way to show just how smart he is. I guess when you're the eldest, and you have so many duties to live up to, something like that has... well, just gotta give way.

He'll never say it, of course, but I think I see it sometimes. When John's explaining something to him, and he glances across at me - yeah, I'm sure that smile is his way of telling me to take my studies more seriously. To follow John's example, and get to be as smart as he is. I guess you never know when something you learn in science class, or math class, or history class, might just help you save the world.

Because that's what we do now. We're International Rescue, we take on the impossible every day, and... well, from what I've heard through the family grapevine, I make it all look so easy.

Yeah, I know. I can't believe it either.

But whether I believe it or not, I can't do it alone. I can only do it with my brothers around to help me. And while John's the family brainiac, it's Scott who's teaching me so much more. What it takes to grow from an over eager kid who thinks he knows it all to an adult who has the sense to realize he never will. That however smart you are, or think you are, you'll never stop learning.

And Scott? Well, he's still learning too. Learning to be something he'd never expected to be. Or maybe even wanted to.

I don't know that last bit for sure, because... well, he doesn't really talk about it too much. Dad's disappearance has really shaken all of us, but Scott... well, as the eldest, he's gotta feel it the most. I know he doesn't want any of us to see it, but I know, we all know, how much it hurts him. I know more than anything else in the world, he hopes the next call John gets on Thunderbird Five will be our own father, trying to tell us where he is, so we can find him, and bring him home.

But until that call comes in, he just has to keep doing what he does best. Saving the world, and taking care of us - one day at a time.

And me? Well, I'll just keep growing, and watching, and learning. Find my own place in a world that's just so much safer for having my big brother there to protect it. But, yeah, there's times I just wish I could do more. That I was bigger, and older, and stronger than I am now, so I could just help make it that little bit easier for him.

That's him coming home again now, from where he's been sealing an oil fire in Dubai. He's tired, dirty, and looks about ready to drop. But then he sees me, and he seems to come alive again. All that tiredness seems to disappear as he holds out his arms, and swallows me into a massive hug.

"Hey, you little rug rat... so, how's your day been?"

In Scott-speak - have you finished your lessons? And just to give him one less thing to worry about, I grin back and tell him everything I've learned about Newton's laws of motion as he sits down on the couch, and snuggles me against him.

Safe and protected, I look up at him and smile back at everything I'll ever hope I'll become. My teacher. My protector. My hero.

My brother. My friend.