It should had been the happiest time of his life – their lives. And it was.

It was.

So why was there an undercurrent in the house?

Alan didn't know. He didn't know and he hated it. Hated when one of his brothers was on edge, but for it to be all the three eldest…Alan felt his world was off-kilter somehow. And the only change had been the rescue and return of his father. He just didn't know why.

When they found his father all his brothers, and indeed he himself, were delighted. The hug they all shared aboard Thunderbird 2 was one of the best feelings of his life. The subsequent journey home (minus the incident with the Hood and nearly being left behind, of course,) was wonderful, as was the greetings from Grandma, Lady Penelope, Parker, Kayo and Colonel Casey. Grandma and Virgil took Dad off to the medical room.

The first day back was quiet. International Rescue was on down time for the week and the GDF were picking up the slack. Dad was subjected to medical tests all day. He was weaker than Alan could imagine anyone could be. Virgil reassured everyone that Dad was fine except for malnutrition, dehydration and a couple of minor injuries. Hooking Dad up to a drip for a couple of days, the only issue that would take time would be reorienting to earth's gravity.

To keep Dad occupied for the next few days while he was being cared for, he had been given access to their mission logs so that he could catch up with how IR had done. Grandma and Virgil fussed around him, and Alan kept popping in and out, as did all his brothers much to the medics' annoyance. The only one who was conspicuous by only showing his face once was Scott. Alan was a little puzzled by this, but he put it down to not wanting to crowd their dad. If he thought about it, he had noticed Scott holding back from the hug on TB2, only moving in when their dad and John had held their arms open.

Today was the first time since the rescue any of them had left the island. Grandma had decided that supplies were needed and Virgil had taken her, Gordon and Kayo to the mainland. Gordon had tried to persuade him to tag along, but Alan wanted to spend some time with his dad and this was ideal. Brains was doing whatever he usually did, John seemed to be itching to get back to Five and EOS, not that Alan could blame him, and Scott…he had no idea where his eldest brother was.

His Dad welcomed Alan with open arms and a large smile. Fully dressed but reclining on the bed in his room, Jeff looked almost exactly as Alan remembered – just older, greyer and thinner. He could see why people compared him and Scott so much, his brother really was the image of their father.

Alan may be 18, but this was his Dad, and he practically leapt onto the bed and into his Dad's arms, snuggling down. Jeff held him with one arm while continuing to read the mission log. Alan didn't know which one, just content to be held.

Eventually his dad put the pad down and gave Alan a squeeze.

'You ok there, Alan?'

'Yeah, Dad. I'm good.'

'You've been awfully quiet. Something on your mind?'

Alan had been worrying at his bottom lip, a sure sign to his brothers that he had something on his mind, and his Dad seemed to know that too. He just wasn't sure how to ask, or even if he should ask at all.

What the heck, his Dad would answer him or not.

'Dad, how did you survive for almost eight years alone?'

Jeff sighed and put the tablet aside. He'd been expecting one of his boys to ask the question at some point, indeed he'd been surprised that they hadn't asked before.

'Do you remember or did your brothers explain to you that before I was an astronaut I was USAF?'

'Like Scott?'

'Sure, like Scott.'

'I kinda remember something about that.'

'Being military meant learning how to be organised, highly organised. It's really a way of life, that routine, and I often fell back into it. I know you're too young to remember when your Mother died, but I relied on that routine to get me through the day.'

'Like a schedule?'

'Yes, a schedule that counted every hour. It helped keep me going when I needed it on Earth and I used it when I found myself stranded. It kept me sane until you boys could rescue me.'

'Huh.'

The answer was enough for Alan. He'd often seen both Scott and Gordon stuck in what Virgil called their 'Military Mindset' when rescues or events had gone wrong, and it made sense that his dad would have the same mechanisms.

'Can I ask you a question, Alan?'

He swivelled his head so he could look at his dad.

'Of course, Dad. What do you want to know?'

'Did – do you want to be Thunderbird Three?'

Alan's mouth opened. Of all the questions he thought his Dad could ask this was not one he'd ever expected.

'Did I?! Do I?! Of course! I didn't stop pestering Scott to let me fly Three once he'd restarted iR. Took me a long time to persuade him. I don't regret it for a second! Being Thunderbird Three is AWESOME!'

Jeff looked at how animated his youngest was. He couldn't deny Alan had a natural talent, and his brothers had sung his praises nonstop.

All his brothers except Scott.

Jeff hadn't spoken to his eldest alone at all and he supposed that he really should. There were things they needed to talk about, especially now while iR was officially offline. Decisions needed to be made as to how the organisation would operate now he was back.

The mission logs had told Jeff a lot. Scott had put International Rescue on hiatus for the first two years of his disappearance while he, John and Virgil finished Gordon's training. He'd read about the Hood reappearing and his threats against iR. The emergence of the Mechanic. The Chaos Crew

John, nearly being killed by an errant program. Falling with the hotel.

Virgil crashing Two – twice.

Gordon's accident – his first accident. Gordon's second accident.

Alan, his baby, being chased by a mine, having Three stolen and being left in space.

Alan almost being buried in an avalanche.

Bile and anger competed with each other and he squeezed Alan tightly. The thought of losing his youngest in an avalanche again…Jeff shuddered. A tap on his arm brought him back to the present.

Alan was looking at him expectantly, and Jeff realised Alan had still been talking while he was thinking. He kissed the top of his son's head and looked into blue eyes and a smiling face.

'Alan, can you do me a favour?'

'Sure thing, Dad!'

'Can you tell Scott that I'd like to see him?'

'Ok, Dad.'

He watched Alan scoot down the bed and jump off, as if he was only five and not 18, and once more he cursed the Hood for robbing him of Alan's childhood.

Jeff couldn't make that up to Alan now, but he could implement changes that would safeguard his boys in the future.

But first he needed to discuss things with Scott.

He needed to know exactly what the hell his eldest had been thinking about.