I've been gone little under a year, the full reasoning is on my profile page but the short version is that last summer was horrible. I'm back now thanks to insistent messages and reviews asking for this to be completed, the power of the people!
If you haven't read since last year then I'd recommend you re-read the whole thing, that way we will hopefully all be on the same page and it gives you ample opportunity to leave more reviews… hem. I had to go through a couple of times as I had no idea, you probably wouldn't believe me if I said this fic was originally meant to be around three chapters long.
Here's a recap of what's happened so far:
Taio Zucco targeted the youngest Tracy son after Jeff refused to deal with his company, after a failed kidnapped attempt Alan was left injured and returned to the mainland for a hospital visit. Alan couldn't remember the kidnap and as his family wouldn't enlighten him he snuck off to meet Tess, Taio's daughter who Alan remembered seeing at the party where the incident occurred. Luckily Tess did not get along with her father and got Alan safely back to his family, offering to help track her father down and supply all the information she could. As Alan had messed up his last hospital visit they planned to return to get him checked over, only for him to be kidnapped in the underground car park of Tracy Enterprises, running Tess over as she pushed Virgil from path of the speeding vehicle. Tess was left in a critical state whilst Alan was taken to Taio. Taio beat Alan ten shades of black and blue, leaving him for dead in a burning building. In fly the Thunderbirds saving the day, pulling Alan out in the nick of time and leaving him with him family to get to hospital. The Thunderbirds continue to tackle the blazing building whilst Scott, Jeff and Virgil rush to the hospital to be by Alan's side. Taio thinks his daughter is dead and is still at large.
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It had taken time yet Justice Collins had received the news he'd been waiting for, the gas was being shut off imminently. Of course imminently wasn't the same as immediately, although there was that small triumph there was also the over hanging concern of how long it would be and if the gas would be shut off before the heat of the fire caused a build up, or if the remaining gas canisters in the parking lot in the basement of the building exploded.
He'd returned to the recently set up command center he'd been trying to keep track of, the radio in his helmet ran a constant feed yet keeping up the concentration to pick out multiple voices all trying to be heard over one another whilst organizing men and equipment was definitely not the easiest task. He took his helmet off for a moment, letting the sweat that had been collecting on his brow run down his face as he wiped a hand through his now sweat matted hair, it wasn't just the heat causing the perspiration, stress had a lot to do with it.
Replacing the helmet which was now slightly marred by smoke and debris which floated from the sky - mostly office papers, anything the wind and force of the fire had caught in its updrafts, Justice took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Listening in as his team strategized as to the movement of the flames and heat and how best to tackle it and predict it's next move, he felt pride yet worry as though they were all his own kids. Trained under him and brought up in the ranks to someday take his place, he could relate to Jeff Tracy in the worry he held each and every time one of his own was out of eyeshot.
He'd glanced over from the blaze as the kid had been taken from the building and gently lifted on a stretcher down to the ground, the two International Rescue operatives fast paced but incredibly precise and careful which each move they made. The rescue had been quick and flawless, one of their men - a man with a stutter and some choice language when it came to questioning the cause of the blaze - had kept the fire command centre in the loop and had shared information on the movement of the fire. Between them they'd made progress and were now in a position to work together without walking over one another.
The cops weren't as helpful, they stood behind the line and kept the public back as they should yet like dazed tourists many of them just stood gawking and there was the constant barrage of questions. To be fair there were some decent guys out there doing one hell of a job but between them the idiots let their side down, making the call out seem like a work picnic where the donuts would soon be brought out and they'd get together for photos and gossip exchanges. No. He'd never been a fan of the down town police department.
The International Rescue operatives were beyond question amazing, he admired them with a fierce passion that he couldn't explain. Sure he'd seen some horrible scenes in his lifetime, some images he would never be able to shake, but he put fires out and went home to his regular life with his regular family. No one knew who the International Rescue operatives were, and they didn't just turn up at fires, they turned up wherever they were needed. That wasn't just the city, that was the entire world!
And after all of that they couldn't even go home to their families and talk over their day because the secret of their identities was paramount - nothing about that was regular.
The proud feeling that thudded with each resounding beat of his heart rang true of the one thing he knew for certain - those boys were American and if being American had taught him one thing in his life, it was how to be damn proud of your nation and honored to be apart of it.
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It was a problem but it was one he'd enjoy working around, in his line of work problems were an every day occurrence that proved mere stepping stones to the overall goal. Today's problem seemed slightly more proportionate than most; getting past the security in a hospital that had been warned of your possible presence - not easy. Time was ticking away which Taio knew would mean the arrival of more cops and security to guard the prodigal son and his family, if he was going to make a move then he had to think and act fast.
His mind was still whirling through a jumble of plans as he strode across the car park, stamping out his last cigarette and heading across towards one of the smaller and older hospital buildings which was connected to the main structure by a later extension.
The hospital itself was a mismatch of history brought forward in time by large black chimneys and whirling electrical outlets and heaters, bold and bright signs seemed to overwhelm the walls with directions and names of wards and specialists every which way. Even though Taio was outside he had a sense of the smell that seemed constantly associated with such medical buildings, disinfectant and the potent stench of canteen food gave off a stomach twisting stench.
As he drew further away from the largest part of the hospital which enclosed the emergency entrance it was clear that the security from the area, if any, had been moved. No one stopped him or questioned his direction as he strolled into the grey bricked staff entrance, past the desk where a plump middle aged woman sat hunched over a trashy magazine, and easily through into a large locker room.
It was almost too easy.
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"We've got security posted on all the main entrances and exits, Mr. Tracy. Anyone entering or leaving will be checked and no unknown personnel will be allowed within a hundred feet of you or your family."
Troy Chanel wouldn't admit it to the imposing figure of a billionaire before him but he was enjoying his job as head of security. Since leaving his security job at a mall in LA he'd questioned his actions, at the time it had seemed a step up in the ladder of employment and admittedly he'd watch way too many episodes of ER, but since arriving at the hospital the most excitement he'd had was removing drunks and drug addicts to free up beds. It wasn't the kind of excitement he'd imagined and most of his days had been spent monitoring colorless security footage whilst eating fast food and gaining a few pounds.
At nearly seven foot tall and weighing more than the doctors told him was healthy, Troy was an imposing figure. He'd emigrated from Nigeria as a child and although he'd never fulfilled his mother's wish of becoming a medical professional himself, he'd taken pride in the fact that she was happy with where he'd ended up. It was a disjointed route into the medical world but he was there.
His attention was currently on the man before him who was flanked by two of his sons, standing more than a foot shorter but looking every bit as imposing as he'd imagined and heard, Jeff Tracy was creating more than a little bit of excitement in the ER, a face that didn't go by unnoticed.
"If you'd follow me to one of the family rooms you've been assigned I'm sure we can talk further as to your requirements, but I'd suggest that this is not the best place to do so right now."
Troy smiled and beckoned for Jeff and his sons to follow, the rest of the room had gone eerily silent since the Tracy's arrival, they sat in wide eyed awe as the famed billionaire ran a hand through his thinning hair. A couple of people had strategically placed camera phones and seemed to be drawing more attention to themselves by trying to look inconspicuous, especially a man with gaze wrapped heavily round an obviously broken arm - trying to look blasé whilst his white knuckles gripped the phone shakily and his teeth shone white as he clenched them in obvious pain.
Jeff sighed loudly and gave a week smile, following Troy and giving a nod to the people he passed as they left the waiting room and headed down a long white corridor.
"Will I be able to speak with someone regarding my son's condition?" He questioned, wiping a hand down his face as though rubbing away the effects of lost sleep. It didn't have the desired effect.
"Yes Mr Tracy, I'll find Alan's doctor as soon as we get you situated in the family room. I can't answer specific questions but if you need anything please let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate you. I am unaware of the situation that landed your son here, but I do know that hospitals are not welcome places for most who pass through the doors."
Troy tried to smile sympathetically, leading the small group through white corridors and up a floor to the room the Tracy's had been assigned. There'd apparently been celebrities at the hospital before but they were minor in comparison and Troy had yet to run into any, he was unsure whether he was supposed to be extra polite or to just treat the billionaire as he would anybody else.
"It's just through here Sir, if you leave the room and turn left there's vending machines at the end of the corridor through the double doors, there's also a canteen upstairs, just follow the signs if you need it. Toilets are back out by the elevators".
Jeff looked around the fluorescently lit room, taking in the small couches and small coffee machine which stood on a table along the opposite wall. One window looked out into the dawn sky, but curtains with bright patterns had been pulled obscuring the view.
Scott stood in the doorway but Virgil seemed to stagger in, collapsing on a couch and letting his head loll back whilst his eyes shut against the brightness.
"Thanks." Jeff muttered, squinting at the man's name badge. "Thanks Troy, if you could get someone to tell us what's happening with Alan I'm sure we'd be much relieved. Do you know if he's in surgery?"
"I'm sorry Mr Tracy, I don't know. Give me a few minutes to track down the doctor, try and make yourself as comfortable as you can until then."
Jeff nodding and the man left, letting the door shut gently as Scott finally came in from the doorway, unhappy at not having a clear view of anyone coming or going.
They didn't have to wait long though, soon there was a gentle knock on the door and a grey haired man came through. He smiled warmly and held out a hand to each Tracy in turn.
"Doctor Mark Goodman, but please call me Mark. I have been treating Alan for the injuries he was brought in with. Would you like to sit so we can discuss Alan's health?"
He was a tall man, possibly in his mid to late sixties though his eyes seemed much older. He sat on the couch opposite the three men, fingers arched.
"Is he in surgery?" Scott asked his father's previous questioned to Troy, chewing his lower lip worriedly. "He's ok, isn't he?"
"Scott, isn't it? Alan is out of surgery and in recovery at the moment, hopefully we can transfer him to a private room within the next hour so you can visit him. He's suffered a number of injuries so will be on quite a lot of pain relief, he may appear a bit out of character and he will be very lethargic."
"What were his injuries?" Virgil asked quietly, he was still looking white faced and tired, his usual medical interest had stepped back and he was riding the flow with his family. Before what had happened he would have been firing twenty questions a minute with a keen interest, now he was interested but only in the health of his brother.
Taking a pen from the pocket of the white coat he had on Mark tapped it against his fingers. "I'm aware that you're a doctor, Virgil, isn't it? Yes. How are you are Scott with medical knowledge?" He directed the question at Jeff but looked between the two.
"We have basic first aid knowledge but nothing too specific, we leave that to Virgil, he's always been a whiz when it comes to anything medical." Jeff smiled proudly. "He seems to soak it in, he was a doctor at the age of nineteen."
"I'm well aware, I've been following your work for some time." He smiled at Virgil, he seemed aware that the young doctor wasn't quite with it and went back to the matter at hand. "Alan had broken ribs from a previous injury which hadn't quite healed, they've taken another battering which has undone the healing process and which also caused a couple of ribs to penetrate his chest. During surgery we've fixed the damage and also repaired a punctured lung which was caused by one of the ribs, we're running some strong antibiotics through him to reduce the risk of infection but as with any open wound, there is a chance. We'll have to watch him carefully over the next forty eight hours."
"Punctured lung?" Scott breathed out, face screwing up with the idea of how it could have happened, not really wanting to know. "What does that mean for him?"
"One of the broken ribs left jagged fragments which penetrated his left lung, Alan would have been short of breath and his breathing painful but we've repaired the damage caused. Because of his age I wouldn't expect there to be lasting damage, but as with the ribs there's a risk of infection."
"What about his ankle? I came with him in the ambulance and it was definitely broken, I don't think I'll ever get the image from my mind." Working for International Rescue Jeff had seen worse, but never such an injury on one of his own sons, that would haunt him forever.
"Yes, the ankle, as you know, had been broken before the incident, but there is a new break which is quite substantial. It was decided that our best course of action would be to pin the break." Mark held the pen between his fingers, demonstrating what it meant. "There were quite a lot of bone fragments which made the surgery especially difficult, but I've managed to pin the break back in place with four small pins connected through to an outer structure. They run through his fibula which is a bone just above the ankle where the new break is situated. They're secured with pins and wire, there's an external structure which holds the whole thing in place, it does look quite scary but I've worked with them in the past and can be fantastic.
The bone is held in place preventing movement through the ankle, the bones can refuse and the rest of Alan's ankle will have time to properly heal."
The room was quiet for a moment as they took it in, Virgil had leant forward slightly and nodded with what Mark was saying. It seemed to calm Scott somewhat as every time the man spoke he checked to see what Virgil was doing, whether he was happy with the treatment and verdict.
Jeff didn't think what had happened had quite hit him yet, everything that had happened to Alan seemed so unreal and yet still the threat loomed over them.
"On the same leg there was a dislocated kneecap, it's gone straight back in but they can have a habit of re-dislocating down the line so Alan will need some exercises to build up muscle and cartilage. There was quite a bit of swelling which we feared to be a break but he was lucky, it's heavily bruised but after a week or so it should look fairly normal. Alan's also received a fairly large bump to his head which needed stitches, we've shaved a small section of hair which I'm sure given his age he won't be too please with, but it's so we can keep an eye on the stitches and again check for infection and remove them at a later date."
Mark sighed, rubbing his eyes with a hand before continuing. "He's taken quite a battering, I don't like to be so forward with my assessment of patients but Alan needs to be in the right frame of mind to tackle his multitude of injuries, he's going to be feeling pretty low for quite a while which could effect his healing.
It's going to be hard for you to see him right now but you have to stay positive, it'll help him emotionally which in turn helps the physical effects." He looked to Jeff, holding the man's gaze. "I understand that one of your sons was in a hydrofoil accident a couple of years ago?"
"Gordon, yes, he's made a full recovery," Jeff smiled faintly, not wanting to relive those weeks sat by his second youngest son's bedside as he refused to waken.
"That's good to hear, I bring this up as unlike many patients here, as a family you've dealt with such difficult recovery periods in the past. Obviously it would be preferably if you weren't here at all and such things had not happened, but being able to draw strength from them… I feel it could help."
"We'll be here for Alan no matter what." Scott muttered, eyes narrowing at the doctor. "Gordon's accident was horrible for all of us but we all stand by one another, he'll have the full support of his family no matter how long the healing process takes."
"Scott." Jeff absconded his son softly. "We're being asked to draw strengths, Mark isn't suggesting that we wouldn't stick by Alan, only that we've overcome obstacles before and we know full well we can do it again. This cannot be a set back for us, we have to be strong for Alan."
Mark nodded, a smile tracing his lips.
"Will Alan have any lasting damage?" Once again Virgil leant forward, eyes on the pen in Mark's hand. "If the bones in his ankle splintered then surely there's damage to the cartilage? Is he going to be facing issues with arthritis and mobility later on?"
"Can that happen?" Jeff added, frown lines creased his brow.
"Yes, it can happen but it will take some time to be certain of how much the cartilage has been damaged. Once Alan has started on his long road to recovery I'd like to have him in for some scans, that way we'll be able to see the full extent of any remaining damage. We may need to operate again down the line, there are options open if it comes to that but we'll discuss them if and when. For now Alan is out of surgery, fighting his way through all which has been thrown at him and no doubt hoping to see his family when he wakes up."
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Alan could not describe what he felt, possibly because he wasn't sure whether he was actually feeling much of anything anymore other than the need for rest and how heavy his fluttering eyelids were. He knew he'd been drifting in and out of consciousness for some time and that his family were around him, not all of them but enough to know that they were worried.
The drugs were good, each time a nurse came and injected into his IV line he felt a soothing cool feeling which calmed muscles which had begun to quiver and quelled the hum of questions building in his mind. He was fine with that, right now Alan wasn't sure he cared for what had happened or why he was there, he felt content to lye with the steady beep of his heart monitor and the occasional face looking down upon him.
It couldn't last. He slowly became more aware of the frequency of his sleeping patterns shortening and time spent awake lengthened. His awareness of what was around him grew and the blurred vision became clearer, maybe it was weeks passing or months, but it felt like years. The thought started to cause worry and doubt of how much time actually passed, his eyes flicked between faces yet they remained constant.
The tube in his throat was shortly removed, that was when the pain well and truly surfaced and the young blonde remembered exactly why he was laying on a hospital bed. He drank cool water from a cup with a straw, held out to him by the welcomed sight of Scott who lay a sweaty palm across his brow and gave half a smile.
It was hard to swallow, whatever drugs he was on seemed to numb his entire chest.
"What's the damage?" He croaked after the water was taken away.
They were in a private room, the blinds semi open to the corridor outside so the nurses and passing doctors could keep an eye on things. The room itself was a pale blue, a small armchair sat at the wall opposite the bed which Virgil was perched on, a plastic chair sat to the right of the bed and a small table to the left. Machines perched behind them and gave soft beeps.
Bright light swam in through the window warming the air and casting shadows through Jeff's worried face.
"You're going to be here another week and then we'll be transferring you to a private hospital to recover."
"Virgil?" Alan eyed his older brother at the end of the bed, ignoring his fathers reply with a lazy eye roll. He didn't really care where he was right now, just that he was safe. What he really wanted to know was why his body felt so unresponsive and sluggish. "Damage report."
Virgil drew himself upright and came round to the side of the bed, he wasn't himself but he smiled softly with the familiar warmth his family was used to. Somewhat relieved that Alan was awake and asking questions. Snagging the chart from the end of the bed he read through the notes he'd already read a dozen times, happy with the progress but still worried with the risk of infection and possible problems down the line.
"One of your lungs collapsed which was caused by broken ribs, further to the previous injury that is… And you've re-broken your ankle pretty badly Sprout, so I doubt you'll be running track this year."
Alan took it in slowly but with a slow nod of his head, eyes drifting downwards to the cage surrounding his lower leg which effectively held the bones in place giving them time to heal.
"You're also sporting a rather fine looking haircut thanks to a bump to the back of your head." Scott smirked, he'd usually ruffle the kid's hair so it explained why he hadn't. "Bald patches are very much in this year so I wouldn't worry, unless of course you've inherited Dad's hair loss gene and by removing the hair we've inadvertently started the hair loss early…" He looked suddenly very worried but couldn't hold the look, winking down at Alan who glared back.
"Ha. I was pretty sure the hair loss gene carried through the darker haired members of the family, I'm pretty safe but… you do seem to have some hair thinning." His voice wasn't its full gusto but he got his point across loud and clear.
Jeff laughed only to be treated to one of Scott's death glares. "Sorry son but it's true, if anyone's going to worry then it should really be you. It's too late for me."
"Don't worry Scott, Dad pulls it off well." Virgil clapped a hand on his eldest brothers back, looking down his nose at him in his well known 'Doctor Virgil' look which he'd gotten down to a T. "I'd give you another year, two if you're lucky. Use them wisely."
Scott signed and took Alan's hand in his own, squeezing reassuringly. It was pretty crowded around the bed, though two family members were missing.
"Gordy and John are just finishing some work and they'll be right here kiddo, you'll be putting up with fish face's bad jokes so soon you'll wish he'd taken longer to arrive."
Alan seemed reassured by the reasoning for his two extra brother's absence, he didn't press the matter as he was familiar with what his family regarded as business. Instead he sank back onto the pillows supporting him, physically and emotionally drained. He had been keeping an eye on Virgil and his downcast mood hadn't gone by unnoticed, a mood which didn't appear to have lightened too much from his youngest brother's awakening.
"Virgil?" He caught the young doctor's eye, holding his gaze for a moment until Virgil looked away. "Tess got hit by that car, I remember it clearer than anything yet no one will tell me what happened. I don't know whether to doctors and nurses here don't know or whether they won't tell me because it's too late. Taio thinks she's dead…" He wipe a hand across his face in an agitated manner, swatting away his fathers reassuring hand. "She saved your life, tell me she's still alive… you saved her, right?" He glanced between his family, the only image in his head that of a body arching through the air, rolling off a windscreen and hitting the floor with a soft thud. "Right?"
The three older Tracys shared a look between them, but it was Virgil who addressed the question, color flushing his face.
"She's alive Allie, her body sustained a lot of damage though so it's been touch and go."
"You've seen her?" Alan leant forward slightly but hissed as his ribs protested.
"Relax Alan, lay back" Jeff pushed Alan gently back into the pillows. "We came to make sure she was ok, we all owe her for what she did."
"Though it pains me to admit it." Grumbled Scott half heartedly.
It was Alan's turn to squeeze Virgil's hand, radiating warmth through it from the gladness he felt. "Will she be ok?"
"No idea, she was in a queue awaiting surgery when we left her. If she got into surgery then there's a chance… I still can't believe she did that."
"I'm glad she did, and I don't care how cruel it sounds but if she hadn't we might have lost you."
They went quiet for a minute in contemplation, a heavy air hanging over of what could be to come. It was a world away from the years spent on their island soaking in the sun and worrying about how long to wait after meals before taking a dip in the pool.
Alan sighed loudly, breaking their reverie and drawing Virgil's attention back.
"Is she here? In this hospital I mean?"
"Yeah, she's upstairs… well she was last time we were here."
"Do me a favor?"
"Hmm?" Virgil frowned.
"Go and give her my thanks? I know you're worried and for some stupid reason you're feeling guilty, you need to go see she's ok."
Virgil ducked his head down, staring blankly at the plain bedding. "What if she's not ok?"
"She's too stubborn to die." Scott chipped in, shrugging when his father raised an eyebrow. "No way is she going to die whilst I still have her car keys."
"Fair point." Jeff chuckled.
"Fine, I'll go and see. But if the doctor stops by I want a full replay upon my return, ok?"
Alan smirked. "Facial expressions and all, don't you worry."
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Taio had struck lucky and hit upon a visiting doctors scrubs in the locker room, he'd had to break into a few lockers but eventually he had the full getup. Coat, stethoscope, scrubs, and mostly importantly an identification card naming him 'Visiting Doctor - William Loch."
Getting hospital access had literally been a walk through, straight past the heightened security and into the main building. At the main desk he'd played lost and pointed to the ID card explaining that he was visiting for a few days and was useless with directions, hospitals being the worst place for someone who was easily lost in a paper bag.
Very soon he found himself strolling down the corridor on the way to a young Alan Tracy's room, nodding and smiling as he passed staff, patients and visitors in his wake. It was a piece of luck that the kid had ended up there, no doubt he'd be transferred to a private clinic soon but for now he was in a hospital which main cliental were drunks, drug addicts and gun shot victims.
He was almost a hundred yards away when suddenly he ducked around down a corridor, eyes downcast as a tall figure strode along, stopping to ask a young nurse something before heading to the elevators.
Virgil Tracy, the middle Tracy son.
Change of plan.