Disclaimer: I do not own Thunderbirds or its characters!

Chapter 9

It was around midnight when Alan woke up to his phone going off. Carter had texted him that her dad was in recovery. She was going home with her grandmother for the day.

"Hey sprout, sit down I made dinner." Scott ordered.

Alan sat down next to his brother. "Carter's dad is in recovery. We should know more when the tests are finished." Alan finished.

"Alan." Scott tensed. "Stop talking and stuff your face already."

Alan shut up and ate his dinner.

"Are you going to see Carter after dinner?" Scott inquired.

Alan shook his head. "I think she needs some space. She's at her grandmother's house." Alan reasoned.

"Are you okay? I swear you used to talk more." Scott commented.

Alan shrugged, "You told me to shut up."

"Since when do you listen to me?" Scott criticized.

"Would yelling at you make you happy?" Alan sighed. "Because you're really starting to piss me off."

"Can't I be worried about you without you picking a fight?" Scott argued.

"You haven't spoken to me in three months. How worried could you be?" Alan stressed.

Scott shot his brother a hurt glance. "I didn't think you wanted to talk to me. After your fight with Dad I thought you'd come to me when you were ready." Scott explained. "You made it pretty clear that you wanted to be left alone this summer."

"At first I did. I didn't even plan on coming home at the end of the summer." Alan confessed.

"What were you planning on doing?" Scott frowned.

"It's a nice night. Tomorrow we should go to the beach. Carter will probably be at the hospital all day." Alan said ignoring his brother's question.

"Answer my question Alan." Scott commanded. "What were you going to do at the end of the summer?"

"Does it matter? Forget I said anything." Alan breezed.

"Alan you weren't going to commit suicide were you?" Scott's concern grew.

Alan said nothing and continued to move food around on his plate. "No! Can you drop it?" Alan barked.

"You never said anything. You were just going to cut us all off and never come home." Alan could see Scott's frustration.

"What do you want me to say Scott? I'm sorry I didn't tell you I would rather runaway than come home." Alan muttered sarcastically.

"You should have talked to someone Alan. We could have helped you." Scott offered.

Alan rolled his eyes. "I did talk to someone. I talk to Carter. I don't know what I'd do without her." Alan admitted.

"You're one complicated cookie." Scott joked.

"Virgil told me love is always complicated." Alan laughed.

"I wasn't talking about your relationship. Despite all the drama you both have going on Carter and you seem rather uncomplicated. Even though John thinks you're going to end up getting your heart broken." Scott added.

"John is just mad, because Carter told him off." Alan informed.

"But you're okay, right? We don't need to have a family intervention?" Scott interrogated.

Alan shook his head. "I think Carter has you covered."

Alan and Scott both went back to sleep after dinner. It was eight in the morning when Scott woke Alan. Carter was waiting for him in the living room.

"Hey is there what's wrong?" Alan asked.

Carter pulled him into a tight embrace. "I just want it to be over." She cried.

Alan held her closer and let her tears soak his shirt. "Did the doctors say anything?" Alan whispered.

"They said it will probably be soon. They aren't releasing him. He's decided to go into hospice care." Carter explained.

"We knew this was coming." Alan comforted. "At least he won't be in pain much longer."

"I know. It's hard seeing him like this. He doesn't even look like himself." Carter struggled. "He's been asking for you. I thought he was losing it at first, but he is insisting on seeing you."

"I'll go see him okay." Alan agreed. "You should stay and get some sleep."

Alan went to the hospital with Scott. Alan preferred going alone, but Scott insisted.

"Want me to come in with you?" Scott offered.

Alan shook his head. "He doesn't know you. I should go alone."

"Alan?" Mr. Murphy coughed sitting up.

"It's me, Mr. Murphy, I'm here." Alan comforted grabbing his hand.

Alan noticed how much pain he was in. "I need you to do something for me." Carter's dad mumbled.

"I'll take care of Carter." Alan promised.

"I left you something in my desk drawer at home. You'll know it when you see it." Mr. Murphy announced. "Use it when you see fit."

"I will." Alan finished noticing that Dave was already asleep.

Alan stayed with him until Carter got to the hospital. "He's been sleeping most of the time." He told her.

She kissed him before he left to find his brother.

"Are you okay?" Scott wondered looking at his brother's tense shoulders.

"Yeah, I need make a stop by Carter's on the way home." Alan informed him.

Once they got to Carter's house Alan rushed to the desk. "Alan, what's going on?" Scott demanded following his brother through the house.

Alan didn't responded, but continued to sort through the drawers. Finally, he came across an envelope with his name on it. Inside was a piece of stationary with two short sentences.

This was my mother's. Use it well.

That's when it hit him. Alan held the small engagement ring in his palm.

"Is that what I think it is?" Scott said interrupting his thoughts.

Alan handed his brother the note. "So what this guy expects you to marry his daughter. You've only been dating for a few months." Scott hollered.

"That's why he told me to use it when I'm ready." Alan explained.

"Alan, I really hate to rain on your parade..." Scott started.

Alan cut him off. "Then don't! Scott just because I have an engagement ring and I love Carter doesn't mean I'm going do it today! Why can't you all trust me?"

Scott sighed, "I'm scared for you Alan."

"What? Why?" Alan muttered.

"You're my little brother. It's my job to protect you. But I can't save you from life. No matter how hard I try." Scott apologized. "I want you to be happy."

"That's what you don't get." Alan laughed. "Carter makes me happy."

"You're my kid brother Alan. How am I supposed to accept that you're going to get married before me?" Scott teased.

Alan shrugged, "I guess you'll have to work fast then."

"How was Carter's dad?" Scott asked when they got home.

"He's in a lot of pain." Alan admitted.

"You should call Dad. He called while you were in with Carter's dad. I think he's worried." Scott advised.

Alan lay down on his bed and dialed his dad's number.

"Dad? Can you come down here? I need you." Alan blurted before his dad could say hello.