Heya! I think this took less than a month…but me and counting never really got on so I'm not sure

But enjoy! And as always I don't own anything *sigh wistfully* but I can dream…

All Expenses Paid

Chapter 12

The island had been silent since Jeff had returned with both Virgil and John. The moment they had arrived John had been moved straight to the Med-Bay, whilst Virgil had followed silently behind his brother. Jeff had gone straight to his private study and hadn't been seen since.

Scott had watched them arrive. He had stood in the hanger as he saw John be pulled along on the med-cart with Jeff and Virgil hot on his tail. He had performed all the post-flight checks on Thunderbird 1 whilst they were busy in the house. He had stayed in the hanger for as long as he had a legitimate excuse to be there.

The sun had already set and the majority of the house was in darkness when he finally re-entered. He crept silently through the house conscious of his convalescing family hidden behind some of the doors. He could hear voices from the kitchen and cautiously looked around the corner before joining Alan and Gordon at the counter.

Stealing the milk from Gordon he took a seat opposite them. "Still not use to earth time aye?" he said, pouring the remainder of the milk in his glass.

Alan gave a small chuckle, nodding before taking the biscuit tin. "Yeah" Gordon began "It's nice to be back though, solid ground and all." Smiling, he stole the biscuit tin before Alan could get one. Placing his biscuit next to his milk before putting the tin back in the cupboard under the counter, smirking as he saw Alan glaring at him across the counter "How's John doing?" he asked, turning back to Scott.

The eldest of the three froze at the question, but he could feel the inquisitive stares of his brothers as he wrapped his hands around his milk. "I uh, I haven't actually seen him since they arrived," he forced his eyes down, not wanting to see his brothers' eyes "Figured he'd be resting and stuff you know?"

Tapping his biscuit on the counter Gordon threw a quick glance at Alan who looked as thoroughly confused as he felt "Yeah, but I'm sure he wouldn't have minded you checking in. I mean jeeze, you're his big brother."

Rubbing his hands together and taking a deep breath Scott finally looked up and sighed "I know I just…didn't," he finished with a whisper.

"Wait so where were you all afternoon?" Alan piped up turning bodily toward Scott who was once again staring intently at his milk, "I thought you were in with John."

Just as Scott was going to answer his brother a set of footsteps entered the kitchen, all three Tracys' turned to see Brains shuffling in. Quickly jumping up, he offered Brains his seat and bade them all 'good night' before making a swift exit, completely unaware of the worried glances following him.

He had been watching his brother for almost two hours. Virgil rubbed his eyes and yawned widely still watching John sleep. He knew he should be resting too but he couldn't shake the feeling that if he did look away he may lose him again; and that had hurt too much the first time. His ribs were still hurting and his head had been pounding since they left the hospital and he knew that bed rest was probably the wisest choice but he wouldn't leave him. Not this time.

It was the ringing of a phone which woke Jeff Tracy later that evening. He had various paperwork stuck to his face, a few lines of which had been smeared under a trail of drool. He blinked his eyes open and saw the full scotch bottle at the other end of the desk. Groaning he pulled himself up so that he was sitting straight in his chair.

Running a tired hand through his mussed up hair he began tidying the desk up and threw away the ruined papers. As he did though he found an over turned picture frame. Carefully he removed it from the pile of paper and a soft smile graced his haggard face as he remembered when it was taken.

International Rescue had been operational for almost six months without incident. They had set up their place in the emergency services and were making the difference they had hoped to, even if it led to Alan sulking about 'being left out'.

It was one of the few times all the Tracys' were planet side as Brains had taken his first rotation on Thunderbird 5. They had been called to the site of an earthquake in Indonesia and were aiding the authorities with the search and rescue of the aftermath.

Jeff was orchestrating the rescue from the cockpit of Thunderbird 2, whilst Scott, John, Virgil and Scott were helping the ground crews. Virgil and Scott had been searching through the rubble of what had once been a school when the first after shock hit.

The world shook around them and what remained of the building fell before their eyes. Scott grabbed Virgil and pulled him to the ground throwing himself on top of his brothers' form. It had ended as quickly as it started. But when the world finally stopped trembling neither brother got to their feet.

Gordon and John had been the other side of the city when the aftershock began and were outside when the buildings around them began to crumble. John had held Gordon as they both knelt on the ground, knuckles white with fear.

When the world was still once more both got to their feet clapped each other on the back with nervous laughter before answering the insistent beep of their communicators. Upon hearing their brother's lack of response they had immediately made their way across the city only to the find the school as nothing more than a pile of bricks.

Ignoring the percentages and probabilities running through his head John had run straight to the centre of the damage and began calling for his sibling, with Gordon quickly following suit. They searched through the rubble for almost an hour and both were growing more and more anxious to find their brothers'.

It was Gordon who found them underneath a plywood panel and a lot of shattered concrete and debris. It had taken John, Gordon and almost fifteen other aid workers to get them out. When they did they were rushed straight to the closest hospital.

It took eighteen hours of surgery, twenty hours of waiting, a week of doctors and check-ups, and more than a few consoling calls to Alan before both were awake and ready to return to the island. They had been back only a couple of hours when the photo was taken.

Scott and Virgil had both been confined to their beds since they had awoken in the hospital and both were antsy to escape the confines of their mattress and duvets. Upon being asked later that day they had both insisted it was the others' idea. Jeff still had his money on Scott.

Either way the next morning Jeff had come into the kitchen to find them both out cold on the kitchen counter. Virgils' head laying on Scotts shoulder and Scotts arm slung around his younger brother, holding him upright. Virgil was snuffling in his sleep and there were remnants of their midnight snack covering their faces.

Gordon, Alan and John were all standing opposite smirking and chuckling at their brothers' expense. Jeff had quickly taken out his phone and snapped the image. The picture had taken pride of place on his desk ever since. Immortalizing Scott and Virgils' slumped forms both covered in various junk foods using each other as pillows. Whilst John was laughing quietly his own arm around Alans' shoulders his hand creeping over his head fingers ruffling the hair as Alan grumbled trying to escape his brothers' grasp. Gordon could be seen skipping across the kitchen with a bag of flour which would act as an alarm call for the slumbering Tracys' about twenty seconds after the picture had been taken.

Jeff sighed. It was a nice picture, and it was a lot simpler than what they were faced with now. They could deal with natural disasters, irritating siblings and most things Mother Nature decided to throw at them. But this? A threat they couldn't see or feel coming.

It shook them. It turned the world upside down and rattled them around until they didn't know up from down. The first time they had almost lost Alan. The second had put himself John and Scott in mortal jeopardy. And this time it seemed only Gordon and Alan had escaped completely physically unscathed. But Jeff couldn't help but wonder about the next time, would any of them walk away unwounded?

He turned the picture back over, grabbed the scotch and turned off his phone. He needed to think.

Scott stood in the doorway to the Med-Bay. He could see Virgil fast asleep curled up in an armchair next to the bed. Scott smiled as he heard the soft wheeze of Virgils snores. "Hey." A raspy voice caught Scott's attention.

John was lying flat in the bed, his blue eyes squinting at Scott from the awkward angle "Little help?" his voice croaked as Scott slowly approached the bed. As gently as he could, Scott began re-arranging the pillows behind John and helped pull him into a sitting position.

"How you feeling?" Scott asked, unable to take his eyes off the multitude of bandages around Johns' chest.

Wincing John moved slightly before allowing himself to relax into the mountain of pillows surrounding him. "Not as bad as some of the electrical appliances that have been subjected to Alan," he quipped, his voice still quiet and hoarse.

Trying to hide the shake in his hands Scott quickly poured a glass of water and helped John take a few small sips. "Like a smoking scrap heap then?" he joked softly pulling the glass away.

John laughed but it quickly turned into a small coughing fit. He waved off Scott who immediately offered him the remainder of the water. Taking a few deep breaths John looked up at his brother "I think I can cough without assistance thanks." His tone was irritated and Scott couldn't help but recoil slightly as his brother relaxed once more.

"Sorry, I uh, I just thought that…" Scott sighed, looking at Johns' tired face "Sorry."

John wanted to apologize, he knew his family wanted help but he had never been one for being looked after. So he laid there in silence, allowing sleep to take him as he heard Scott shuffle out of the room.

Jeff hadn't touched the scotch. He had wanted to; he had even opened the bottle. But he couldn't drink it. He was on the terrace he had been on two days earlier, same seat, same view but he felt different. He still wanted to stop the Hood, he was still worried about his sons but there was something niggling in the back of his mind.

"Mr Tracy," Brains took the seat beside Jeff "Everything okay?"

"Why do we do it Brains?" Jeff asked turning to his old friend looking as weary as he felt.

Taken aback by the question Brains stared at Jeff, his brow creased "S-S-Sorry Sir?"

At this Jeff grabbed the bottle beside him and poured two glasses, passing one to Brains. Taking a swig of his Jeff clenched his teeth and hissed in a breath as it burnt his throat. "Why do we help people who will sell us out for nothing?"

"I don't think I understand?" Brains said, sipping at his drink, cringing at the taste.

"That girl at the office, Sarah or whatever her name was. She sold out my sons for a few drinks and a compliment. How is it that my sons had to pay for her stupid selfish mistake?" Jeff growled, downing the rest of his drink. Not giving Brains a chance to comment he continued "She's not the first though and she's not going to be the last. Brains we help people every day and not only as International Rescue. Tracy Industries supports so many things and we get nothing. No thank you, no help, just another kick in the teeth." Shaking he poured himself another glass.

"We help them because they n-need us," Brains said, looking away from Jeff "No one else can do what we do."

"Yeah well they're gonna have to learn to. I quit Brains," Jeff said, raising from his seat finishing his drink "As of tomorrow, there is no International Rescue."

End of Chapter 12

That's actually the happier of the two endings I was considering for this chapter…also the flashback is important for various to be confirmed reasons...

RussianKat