"We'll be landing in five," Virgil called from the front.
"Took you long enough," Gordon returned wryly.
"Don't make me turn around and dump you stateside," John retorted.
"Boys," Jeff shook his head, "Is this what you are all going to be like while all of you are home?"
"You seriously have to ask?" Alan looked at his father.
"I guess I don't," Jeff rubbed his eyes, "Can I at least ask that the peace be kept reasonably intact?"
"Sure you can ask," Gordon replied, "Don't know if it will actually happen."
"Then I'll make it an order," Scott set a hard look on Gordon.
"Why does everyone assume I will cause trouble?" Gordon threw his hands up.
"Because you are the one that gets caught," Alan smiled. Jeff and Scott quickly set a questioning and suspicious look on the youngest Tracy; making his smile bigger.
"You see?" Gordon pointed at Alan, "I am not the only one you have to worry about."
As the Jet came to a stop in the hanger, Scott opened the hatch. The Tracy's disembarked to be surrounded by Brains, Fermat, Tin-tin, and Kyrano.
Fermat and Tin-tin quickly enveloped Alan in a group hug, only to be broken by Brains and Kyrano want to give Alan a warm welcome of their own.
"Why don't we move this to the house," Jeff suggested.
"Onaha has a dinner ready for all of you," Kyrano informed with a smile.
"What are we waiting for?" Alan replied, rubbing his belly in anticipation.
"Infirmary first," Virgil said, taking Alan by the shoulders and guiding him.
"But," Alan tried to protest.
"Uh-huh," Virgil shook his head, "I said I'd wait until we got home. We're home, now Sprout."
"Y-yes a-and I w-w-would l-like to h-h-have a l-l-l-see f-for m-myself," Brains added, coming up behind them as they entered the sickbay.
"Take a seat," Virgil instructed and pointed to one of the beds.
"This couldn't wait until after Onaha's amazing smelling dinner?" Alan grumbled laying back on one of the beds.
"N-no," Brains replied, walking towards Alan with a blood drawing kit, "I n-need y-y-you w-with an e-e-empty s-stomach."
"Better blood tests that way," Virgil continued, walking over with fresh gauze and bandaging, "And your hand hasn't had a fresh bandage for over a day now.
Alan just pouted as Brains drew blood from his left arm and Virgil began undoing his right hand's wrapping. "What about Scott? His hand still needs X-rays."
Virgil smiled crookedly, "Thank you for the reminder," Virgil pushed the intercom near the bed, "Scott, could you come down here?"
"Why?" Was the simple response.
"I don't want to be alone with Virgil and Brains," Alan lied, knowing that Scott wouldn't come down if he knew the real reason.
"Why did you ask for Scott? The rest of us are a little hurt," John's voice came.
"I don't want Scott to eat all the food before I get there," Alan responded.
"You are getting too good at lying," Virgil whispered, "Would you just send Scott?" He spoke to the intercom.
"He's already on his way," John replied.
"He's already here," Scott said form the doorway.
"Hey," Alan smiled, "I just need a friendly face…these two are being vampires."
Scott smiled and sat on the bed to Alan's left; closest to Brains. "W-w-what's w-wrong w-w-with y-your h-h-hand, Scott?" Brains asked, playing dumb.
Scott looked at his hand and shrugged, "Nothing Brains, just sore."
"Bull," Virgil said not looking up from examining Alan's hand, "He needs an X-ray Brains; most likely broke his first three metacarpals or phalangies punching a wall."
Brain 'tsked' as he finished drawing blood. Putting the vials on the counter, Brians got a new pair of gloves and a portable X-ray. "K-keep y-y-your h-h-hand st-st-still," he ordered Scott.
Scott did as he was told, and soon Brians was looking at the pictures on a laptop. "Virgil w-was r-r-r-correct, Scott, y-y-you br-broke y-y-your h-hand."
"How bad?" Virgil asked having scanned Alan's hand and determining there was no more glass.
"T-t-two p-places," Brians said turning the screen.
Virgil scrutinized the images, and then nodded, "Sure did. I think a cast for six weeks should do it. What do you think?"
"F-four w-weeks a-and w-w-we re-re-re-look a-again," Brains concurred.
"Four weeks!" Scott exclaimed, "What am I supposed to do for four weeks!"
"Possibly six," Alan pointed out.
"Not helping," Scott growled.
"Hey, I'm in the same boat," Alan said pointing to his right hand.
"Actually, your stiches should be out in a couple weeks," Virgil smiled, "But you will need to do exercises to get full strength back. Both of you are light duty 'til told otherwise."
"I was light duty anyways," Alan grumbled, "Not like I'm a Thunderbird."
"You're sitting me behind Command and Control for four to six weeks?" Scott muttered angrily.
"Actually," Jeff said walking in, "You still have your rotation on Five. So I guess part of it will be there.
"That's going to leave us short-handed on rescues," Virgil pointed out.
Jeff shook his head, "We have three extra sets of hands that need training and Brains."
"Really?" Alan asked hopeful.
"When you're better, yes," Jeff smiled at his youngest's enthusiasm, "But school comes first," he added.
Alan nodded his head energetically. "Scott, n-n-needs t-to st-stay h-here f-f-for a w-w-week or s-s-so," Brains spoke up.
"Gordon still has some time on Five," Jeff thought, "He can finish his rotation then Scott can go up, like we had planned."
"Or Scott could stay down here and recuperate," Scott suggested.
"Not a chance," Jeff said patting his oldest on the shoulder, "Now are you all done here? Dinner is really start torture all of us waiting."
"I just need to rewrap Alan's hand," Virgil informed.
"A-and I n-need t-to c-c-cast Scott's h-h-h-bones," Brains added.
"Then we'll be up," Virgil finished, "Ten or fifteen minutes."
Jeff nodded and left the infirmary.
A/N: trying to wrap up this story...shouldn't be too much longer. My problem right now is keeping it from just sputtering out to a horrible ending...crossing my fingers to not let that happen. Thanks for reading!