Disclaimer: What do you think? Do I look rich? Look at Chapter 1.

*peeks out* Is it safe yet? I can come back and update later…

So a reviewer pointed out to me that between me, Criminally Charmed, and Sam1 Alan's lucky he's alive. I must say I agree. The poor kid has to have a complex. Should I remove the target off his back…..NAH!

OKKAYY….. Here ya go. I hope you like.

Don't Lose Hope

There were times when space was a welcoming refuge for the second oldest Tracy son. At other times it was a cage that created an unbelievable distance between him and his family. Right now, John felt cut off from what was happening to his family. Sitting and waiting was a job he had come become accustomed aboard Thunderbird 5; however, the uncertainty was something he would never master.

Staring at the monitor before him that tracked the signals from each of their watch communicators, John prayed for Alan's to burst to life again. Maybe it was a glitch like Gordon suggested.

Part of John wanted to believe this was nothing but a sick joke. They handled dangerous situations daily as International Rescue. This time it was different. It was personal because this was their baby brother.

John listened to the radio as his family prepared to save their brother and Wharton students. He could only hold onto hope and pray that Alan was okay. After all, Alan was a Thunderbird, and their motto was simple: Don't give up at any cost.

A tear threatened to run down his face as he willed Alan to hear his thoughts - Hang on, little brother. Don't give up.

-TB-

Virgil shivered as the cold air seeped through the hatch of the cargo bay. Looking at Scott, he couldn't help but let a small smile peek out. Scott was keeping himself busy talking to John, Brains, and their father. That was his oldest brother - Scott was a man of action, with precise and quick thinking that made him an asset as their field commander. Of course, it was also what made him an amazing big brother.

Virgil knew there wasn't anything Scott wouldn't do for him or his other siblings. That was what made this situation both comforting and scary. Scott would stop at nothing to save Alan. The uncertainty of Alan's condition weighed on all of them, but Virgil knew it was affecting Scott differently. The youngest and oldest Tracy siblings had a relationship more of a parent and child than fraternal. Their nine-year age gap playing a factor.

Scott had always been there when their father couldn't, and sadly that had been quite often after their mother died. Since Alan was only three when she had been killed, it had been the case for most of Alan's childhood. Years passed, and unfortunately, the older Alan got their relationship changed, especially during his teenage years.

During Spring Break a few years ago, all their lives had been forced into perspective. Virgil had nearly lost his own life along with his father and three of his brothers aboard Thunderbird 5. A mad man had found their home and nearly destroyed everything just for revenge and greed.

Who would have thought that Virgil would be thankful for the attack by the Hood? In hindsight, the Hood had saved the Tracys by stopping his family from traveling down the destructive road they were on. The attack they had faced that Spring Break brought their family closer, and for Virgil, it certainly opened his eyes. They were all throwing themselves into their lives and the organization. All too busy to see what was going on around them, especially with their youngest family member. Alan was pulling himself away. The kid hero-worshiped his older brothers only to have them cut him out of their lives.

It had been over two years since then. Alan was now seventeen and about to finish high school, something that seemed near impossible. Alan had grown up while they weren't looking. A shiver of a different kind ran through Virgil's body at that thought. Each day Alan reminded them of their mother they lost long ago, and he knew that was why they were so protective of their baby. It bugged Alan to death, but to them, it was their way of coping and surviving the loss. They couldn't lose another family member, but especially not Alan. Alan was their heart, and they would do anything to protect and keep him safe.

Whether he liked it or not.

Looking back at Scott, he noticed the older brunette was looking at him. "You okay, Virg?"

Virgil smiled. "Yeah - I was just thinking. We all set?"

"Yep. Ready?" Scott asked as he eyed his brother for a second, reading him.

Virgil waved off his oldest brother's concern as he shifted some of their medical gear with a hand. "I just want to get to Alan."

"You and me both, bro," Scott said with a sigh.

"Okay, boys. Here we go," Jeff said as he opened the hatch. "Brace yourselves. John says the Nor'easter is getting stronger. We don't have much time here. Get in and get out."

"Understood. Here we go….." Virgil said. A swift and brittle breeze swept around him, and Scott as the platform lowered toward a window.

"Okay, lock it up," Scott said as Virgil grabbed some of the supplies. He looked into the building, and what he could see, he didn't like. Scott looked back at Virgil before climbing inside. Once in, Scott now knew why they didn't have much time. The scene before him was indeed like that of a war zone.

"Hello! We're from International Rescue," Scott called. Visibility from the smoke was almost nonexistent. "If you can hear me, please respond!"

Handing the last of the supplies to Scott, Virgil climbed through the window. He secured the platform to the side of the building carefully so that the wind couldn't move it too far. The pilot of Thunderbird Two made sure it was secure enough to get the injured on board but with a safety to break away if the building began to collapse. Virgil frowned as he completely took in their surroundings. Sharing a look with Scott, he got worried when they didn't receive an immediate response. Moving forward, the brothers moved down the hallway, walking toward the east hall. Scott called out yet again.

After a few seconds, they were relieved to hear a tired and frightened voice respond. "We're over here!" Sadly, it wasn't the voice they were hoping to hear.

"Keep talking!" Virgil answered back. He and Scott quickly but carefully made their way toward the voice, which was now joined by another.

Virgil knelt next to three students - one was unconscious, one appeared to have a head injury and broken leg, but the other looked to be fine besides a few scratches and cuts. Virgil now understood why Alan had requested them to bring the medical equipment. Smart boy, Virgil thought. Looking around, he searched for his brother.

"We're so happy to be found, man. I'm Alex, this is Tony, and the sleepy one is Jared," Alex informed Scott and Virgil.

"Alan said you'd find us," Tony smiled weakly.

Scott looked at the two kids with a frown. "Alan?" he played ignorantly. "Is there an Alan here too?"

Alex suddenly realized they hadn't heard their fearless senior say anything recently. Twisting his head toward the blonde senior's trapped position, Alex got up and ran to him. "Alan?" he called.

Virgil and Scott immediately shared worried glances. They couldn't see each other's eyes as their helmets covered their identities, but they knew fear resonated from both sets of eyes.

Scott followed the younger student as the kid knelt next to the figure under several pieces of debris. His heart nearly stopped as he took in the sight of Alan. His little brother had blood covering his face from a cut marring his too-pale skin near his left temple. A multitude of wounds and burns were visible as Scott visually scanned the seventeen-year-old. But what scared him the most was the kid's lack of response from his schoolmate.

"Alan? Can you hear me?" Alex said, his voice shaking.

Scott's heart quickened as Alex received no response. Putting his fingers to the teen's neck, he was relieved to find a heartbeat, but what scared him was how shallow his brother's breaths were. "We need oxygen now!" he called to Virgil.

Virgil quickly shot his head up at his brother's worried call. Making sure Tony and Jared's oxygen masks were secure, Virgil hurried over to where Alex and Scott knelt beside Alan. Pulling out an oxygen mask, he and Scott quickly placed it on Alan's still face. "Alex, will you please go and keep an eye on Tony? He needs to stay awake."

"Sure. Is Alan okay?" the freshman asked, taking an oxygen kit for himself.

"He will be," Virgil reassured the kid. Looking back at Scott, the field medic examined his baby brother's battered body, waiting for Alex to step away before he asked. "Any response?"

"None," Scott said, worry evident in his voice. "Alan? Wake up, buddy, we're here now," he said, gently rubbing the boy's left shoulder, trying not to jar Alan too much as they were unsure of the extent of his injuries. Scott stopped as he received a moan from his baby brother. "Alan?"

"..mm..d-don't h-hurts," Alan mumbled as consciousness slowly returned to him.

"Hey, kiddo. That's it, open those baby blues for us," Virgil coaxed quietly, so that the other students wouldn't hear but loud enough so his sibling would answer.

"Virgil?" Alan whispered, slowly opening his eyes.

Virgil smiled behind his helmet. "In the flesh, Sprout."

Alan looked to see both of his brothers above him. "W-where are the other students?" he asked weakly, coughing.

Scott frowned. "They're right over there. You did a good job of keeping them safe. Too bad you couldn't have done the same for yourself. What's the big idea about not answering your watch?"

Alan smiled slightly, but it turned into a wince as pain erupted throughout his body.

"Where are you hurt, Al?" he heard Virgil ask him.

Alan shook his head but immediately regretted it. "D-don't wor-ry about me. T-take care of them f-f-first."

Both Scott and Virgil frowned at Alan's lethargy. Virgil looked at his older brother. "Go take care of them, and I'll take care of him."

"No, I'm staying with him," Scott said.

"M..f-fine," Alan's weak voice replied to Scott's answer. "They need to get out of here."

Virgil smirked at his little brother. "Fine my ass, kiddo. The kid's right, Scott. I'm the medic here, and Alan needs the most attention out of the kids. Get them settled, and then you can help me if I need it." He caught the glare Scott was giving him. "Please, Scott. You and I both know we don't have much time."

Scott sighed and understood his middle brother's reasoning. It didn't mean he had to like it. "Hurry in getting him free, but be careful," he said, looking at Virgil briefly. Looking back down at Alan, Scott squeezed the teen's hand. "Stay with us, okay? Don't fall asleep, and listen to Virgil," he ordered and then quickly got up to begin getting Tony and Jared situated for transport.

Virgil let out a long breath. "Okay, Allie. Let's see what mess you've gotten yourself into this time. What's hurt?"

Alan coughed, wincing at the pain. "Everything. I-I think my left s-shoulder is dislocated," he said, closing his eyes as his head throbbed. He felt someone slapping his face gently to try and keep his attention.

"You need to stay with me, Alan," Virgil said sternly. He smiled as Alan's blue orbs looked back at him in annoyance. The chestnut-haired Tracy looked toward his brother's debris-covered lower torso and asked the question he had been dreading. "Can you feel your legs?"

Alan's head was killing him by now. He knew his brothers were here, and that meant that they were safe. His family would take care of everything like always. All the teen wanted to do was sleep. His chest hurt, and so did the rest of his body. The pressure below his waist was now reaching unbearable levels of pain.

"Alan!" Virgil called sternly, clasping the teen's face in his hands.

"Mmm..?" Alan asked.

"Come on, Sprout. Stay with me. Open those eyes," Virgil coaxed. Alan slowly responded after a few painstaking seconds. "Good," the medic smiled. "I'm going to see how you're fairing below the waist. Can you feel your legs?" he asked again.

Alan looked at Virgil for a moment, not completely understanding his brother. Virgil understood the look. "Your legs, Al. Can you feel them?"

"I-I think so. It just hurts."

Virgil frowned with sympathy. "I know, we'll have you out of here in a jiffy, and then you'll be in a cozy bed." He began to move the pieces of debris that covered Alan's legs.

"How are we doing over here?" Scott asked as he knelt next to his baby brother. His heart clenched as he saw the pain that reflected in Alan's azure eyes.

"We're getting there," Virgil grunted as he tried to move more of the debris that held his brother captive.

"I've got the two kids on the backboards. I'm going to need your help getting them to the platform," Scott told Virgil. He gently cupped Alan's face, wiping several strands of bloody hair from the teen's face.

The gentle movement relaxed Alan, and he wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and fall asleep to his oldest brother's familiar and safe touch.

"How are we doing, Scott?" Jeff's anxious voice rang through their earpieces.

"Good. We've found Alan and three other kids. No sign of any other students," Scott frowned. If Alan and the three freshmen were the only survivors, then this meant that this was indeed a tragedy that they were facing.

Jeff got the meaning in his eldest son's voice. There were still at least 15 students missing. Jeff shuddered at the thought, grateful that he would not be one of the fifteen parents who would get that awful call. "How is he?"

Scott and Virgil both looked at Alan, knowing Alan was the he that Jeff was inquiring. "I'll let you speak to him yourself. He's pretty roughed up. We're working on getting him free. His lower torso is caught beneath several layers of debris. He is semi-conscious."

Scott looked down at Alan. "Hey buddy, someone wants to talk to you. Virgil and I are going to get the other kids out of here. We'll be right back. Make sure you stay awake, okay?" The field commander didn't want to leave his brother alone, but he knew that they didn't have many options as time was against them.

Alan nodded his head, understanding. Letting Scott place the communication device in his ear, he smiled as he heard his father's soothing voice.

"Alan? How are you, son?" Jeff asked, worried.

"I'm-m okay," Alan answered.

Jeff instantly recognized the lie. He could hear the pain in his youngest son's voice, as well as how tired and weak he was. "From what I hear, that's far from the truth."

Alan coughed, taking in a few puffs of oxygen as he did so. He was waiting for the scolding he expected for the stunt he had pulled but was shocked at his father's next words.

"I'm proud of you, Alan. What you did tonight was very brave. I hear you're quite the hero," Jeff told his son.

Alan coughed again. "I-I only did what I thought was n-ne-eded. We both know how b-big this place is." Alan tried to reposition his body as an immense pressure settled on his back, but as he moved, he cried out in pain.

"Alan?! Are you alright?" Jeff called quickly.

"I'm o-okay. W-where's Gordon?" Alan asked as he tried to mask the amount of pain he was feeling. A sudden sticky feeling crept down his legs as he rested.

"Keeping your hind from getting char-grilled," Gordon's voice rang.

Alan smiled at the sound of his closest older brother. "H-how fun i-is that?"

"A pain, if you must know. You couldn't choose to get trapped in an easy fire, could you? Nope. You have to pick one that happens to be in the middle of a raging Nor'easter," Alan heard his copper-haired brother huff.

"I l-like to keep you o-on y-your t-toes," Alan smirked. He took in a shaky breath and regretted it. He was starting to find it hard to breathe.

"Alan?" Jeff asked, worried when he heard the change in his son's breathing.

"Alan, answer us," Virgil's voice demanded this time. He and Scott now had Alex, Jared, and Tony situated in the infirmary of Thunderbird 2. They returned to the rescue platform, ready to go back down for Alan.

"Alan!" Gordon called sternly.

The words that came next would haunt them for years.

"I-I….I-I c-can't breathe."

TBC…

Hmm? Not sure the WPP is safe enough for this one…

Well it seems I've left you with another cliffy *smirks* My job is done here….

Leave me a review and I may spare Alan.