Well, folks, it's the end of another story. Again, my thanks to Sailor Centauri for inspiring me to write it, and for everyone who so kindly reviewed it.

Enjoy!

Growing Pains

Chapter Three - Lessons Learned

The only time Scott Tracy slept in was when he was sick. Or when he'd pushed himself so hard that his body finally said 'Enough!' and kept him snoring soundly through his alarm. So now, as he finally surfaced from under a pile of bedclothes, and stared blearily at his bedside clock - well, he naturally convinced himself that it was broken. Rolled over and snuggled back down, muzzily telling himself that he'd fix it later, when... what the hell?!

His eyes flying back open, Scott stared at it again in utter disbelief. 09.56?! Aww, you had to be kidding!

That was nearly four hours later than his usual time! He could have run right around the island by now, let alone his usual five miles, and... well, yes. If just this once, it was kinda nice to think that he hadn't.

'Yeah, genius... I've been telling you that for years.'

Ignoring his ever helpful inner voice, Scott threw a now calmer glance towards the monitor beside him - and his eyes narrowed. Closer inspection now revealed the true cause for this rather nice change in routine. Hmm, it seemed Kayo had some competition in the covert ops department.

Yeah, kinda hard to get up and at 'em when some sneaky so-and-so had snuck in and disabled your alarm.

Rolling his eyes, Scott quickly re-set it. Yes, those extra hours shut-eye had been nice for this morning, but he didn't want it to become a habit. A note tucked under his old mission flask made him smile even more. Laugh out loud as he read it.

'You needed the sleep, you big idiot. Now stop panicking, and drink your coffee. V.'

Telling himself that, no, he had not panicked, he'd just been a bit surprised, Scott poured himself a generous mugful, then relaxed back against his pillows - reflecting on the more serious reasons why he'd gotten to bed so late. And why, with some brotherly help, he'd succumbed to its inevitable consequence.

Yes, it had been an... interesting night. After they'd left Alan's room, he and Virgil had gone down to the kitchen. Talked well into the small hours, on just one subject. The meltdown that had shocked one brother - and, just maybe, not come as quite such a surprise to the other. Gently explained, and sadly accepted, some painful home truths.

'He's growing up, Scott. As hard as it is, we need to start letting him go.'

'I know, Virg. I know.'

'Like I said before, he's smart too... he just expresses it differently to how we do... but however crazy it sounds, we need to start listening to what he has to say.'

'Yeah, Virg... I know that too.'

'And if he is having trouble with his studies again, then... well shouldn't we be the first ones to help him? Not some holographic tutor?'

Then they'd looked at each other. Smiled at the thought that went spontaneously 'ping!' through both their minds. A quick call up to John, and the plan was all set. Barring any callouts, tomorrow would be a day of learning. Not just for Alan, but his two eldest brothers too.

For Scott, of course, that day had got off to an unexpectedly late start, but... yeah, as he rolled out of bed and tottered into his bathroom, he had to admit he'd rather enjoyed it. Tomorrow, though, it'd be back to normal. Well, as normal as life on Tracy Island could ever get.

As he passed Alan's room, the sound of quiet snoring inside it made him instinctively pop his head around the door. Grin at the surprise that lay in wait beside its source. Yes, he wasn't the only one who was going to get one hell of a wake up call. If he stood here for long enough, he'd get to enjoy the show for himself, and... aha. His fiendishly sneaky partner in planning had clearly had the same idea.

"Hey, look who's up!"

'Yeah, just you wait 'til tomorrow, when you find out what I'm gonna do to your shower.'

Blissfully unaware of this silent subterfuge, Virgil then nodded towards the gap in Alan's door.

"Still asleep?"

"Yup, like the world's cutest baby."

A pause then, before the inevitable retort.

"Why? Did you nobble his alarm too?"

Oh, the innocence of the face in front of him! All wide eyed surprise, and 'who, me?' denial. If not for the smirk on his face, Virgil might - might - have gotten away with it. Before he had to defend himself against any more brotherly wit, though, the sleepy voice of another kindly saved him the trouble.

"Mnnnnnffff... whassa time? Aww, can't a world saving hero just lie in for a change, and... John?! Hey, JOHHHHHNN!"

"Now there's an alarm not even you can turn off," Scott grinned, neatly dodging the hand that swung towards him as he stepped through the door to enjoy this priceless moment.

No holographic brother to wake him this time around. Instead, the real thing sat on the edge of his bed - laughing too as a tornado of pure joy swept into his arms. Yep, no doubt about it, a physically huggable alarm clock was just so much better than one made by tricks of light. So were the brothers who'd clearly made this wonderful surprise possible.

Of course, breakfast in bed would have made it just about perfect, but... well, he didn't want to sound churlish. Instead, snuggled in a huddle of brothers, Alan sought a more serious answer as to why one of them was there.

"But everything's okay, right? I mean, you haven't come down here 'cos anything's wrong, or-"

Halfway through that second part, Alan realized he didn't need to finish asking it. But while he threw a half hearted glare towards Virgil, it was John who intervened on his brother's behalf.

"No, Alan, nothing's wrong, but... well, Virgil has told us about that call you had last night. How rough it was on you, and a lot of other things too. And please don't be upset with him, Alan, because he was absolutely right to do so. We do need to talk about some pretty serious stuff. And what I need to say to you is best said in person... not through a hologram."

If he had been annoyed, then Alan couldn't bring himself to show it. Instead, he glanced back at Virgil, just in time to see his brother grin and wink back at him. And any resentment he may have felt at having his confidence broken instantly vanished. If Virgil had just acted with his best interests at heart, then - well, he couldn't complain. Maybe this was the wake up call that two well meaning but often over protective brothers had needed.

It had given him some unexpected bargaining power too, but... well, that could wait. Right now, he had to listen to whatever his brothers were going to say. And with so many reasons for doing so, it was John who quietly started them off.

"I know it must be hard on you, Alan, to be the youngest. I'm sure every kid brother on the planet must feel the same way you do, but... well, in your case, you're also part of International Rescue. You're called on to put your life on the line for people you don't even know. People who... well, might not always appreciate the courage and ingenuity it's taken from you to try and help them."

"That's why we're all so protective towards you... it's a dangerous world out there, Alan, where physically or otherwise, you're going to get hurt," Scott agreed, smiling at the support he could see on the other faces beside him as he sighed, and nodded to what one of them had silently told him.

"And yeah, at times, we overdo it. We're too quick to think you're the youngest, and just a bit too slow to recognize how fast you're growing up."

"But it should never be your own family who hurts you, Alan, because we would never intentionally do that," John continued, taking his turn now to take a deep breath, and face his own faults and failings.

"I know that I nag you into finishing your lessons. And I've brushed you off sometimes, thinking you're trying to avoid them, when... well, when in fact you're just being you... checking in on me so I don't feel lonely."

Smiling now, John drew his youngest brother into a grateful hug that, he knew, would sum up everything else he was trying to say.

"From now on, kiddo, I'll try to be less your high school principal, and more the big brother who really appreciates your company. Who needs to realize that I can learn as much from you as you can from me."

"Yeah, that goes for me too," Scott grinned, throwing a proud wink towards the family genius who'd made him stop, think - and recognize that fact for himself.

Glancing back at Alan, who now looked as if all his birthdays and Christmases had come at once, he then ruffled his brother's hair - giving him just enough of a raised eyebrow to tell him not to let all this go to his head.

"But that's not to say you don't still have to study, because... well, you never know when all that boring stuff about physics and gravity might come in useful. Okay?"

Ah, the art of concession and compromise - met from all three sides with nods of agreement, and smiles of appreciation. And under the proudest, most relieved grin of all, Scott drew this little heart-to-heart to an equally mutual close.

"You are smart, Alan. Even if we don't always give you the credit for it, you're every bit as able to get yourself out of trouble or danger as the rest of us. But yes, I know there's been times when we haven't taken your ideas or suggestions as seriously as we should have done. We've all done it, Alan... and I'm sorry if it's hurt you. But for everything you've shown on these latest missions, we'll know better from now on. We'll all have to accept that you're growing up, that you're not our baby any more. And if we forget that sometimes, if we say things that upset you, Alan, you've got to tell us, because... well, we're old, see? And old people don't always get what you hip young kids are about... okay?"

Ye-ah, that would do it. And as Alan stared up at him, more happily than a mere grin could convey, Scott couldn't resist throwing a teasing wink towards Virgil.

'Yeah, ya see? I can make some pretty damn good speeches too.'

Of course, such smugness had its downsides - such as a little brother who'd seen a perfect chance to use that bit of bargaining power, and now took it with two very grateful hands.

"Yeah, sounds good to me, Scott, but... well, can I ask you something too?"

"Aww, sure, kiddo. You know you can ask me anything."

Oooops. In terms of 'wrong thing to say', that ranked right up there with discussing Grandma's cooking over an open comm line.

"Since you're down here, John, you're still gonna join us for breakfast, right? Not just bagels, either, but with Scott's ultra cool pancakes?"

Three pairs of blue, brown, and aqua green eyes traded a singular glance of 'oh-we-walked-right-into-that-one' amusement. Damn, this kid was good! And, as one of them had already pointed out, a lot smarter than two others had thought.

"Yes, you little hustler, I guess that'd be pretty nice," Scott grinned, ruffling Alan's hair before nudging him towards his bathroom. "Now, go get washed up, and I'll get started on those ultra cool pancakes, okay?"

Answered with another hug that he'd never tire of receiving, Scott watched him bounce happily away from them, then threw the same fond grin towards Virgil and John as they all rose to their feet.

"Yeah, never underestimate the hustling power of a little brother, and... right, I guess I'd better start on those pancakes."

Following on behind him, two more hungry and sneaky little brothers tried so hard to resist its temptation - but miserably failed.

"Actually, I'd prefer oatmeal."

"Naaah, waffles for me."

"Or we could just have fruit."

"Aww, c'mon, Johnny, let's get some meat on those lanky bones with some good old fashioned bacon and eggs!"

"Thank you, Mr Cholesterol, but there's nothing wrong with my bones, and... ugh, all that grease? No, I'm going stick with cereal."

Rolling his eyes, Scott turned and favoured them both with as lethal a glare as his traitorous dimples allowed.

"You want it, you make it."

Ye-ah, like that had been the best thing to say. By the time Alan came down to the kitchen, those ultra cool pancakes were just part of a banquet sized feast. Even Gordon was staring at the pile of food in front of him, not knowing whether to eat it or try to climb it. But then, against five ravenous appetites, every one of those loaded plates soon disappeared. As Scott pointed out while they finished clearing up, they wouldn't need to bother with lunch. Or dinner.

Instead, in a line of arms around shoulders and waists, they headed back upstairs to the den, for the more serious work of the day. And for Alan, it meant the studies that he'd been told to catch up on.

It wasn't that he didn't want to learn, either, it was just... well, these holo-lessons were just so boring. So impersonal. He much preferred a more hands-approach. And thanks to a little brotherly intervention, that's exactly what he was about to get.

Learning about military campaigns was so much more interesting when you had a big brother who'd served his own time of active service. When you were surrounded by his old history books. Real books to look at, with pages you could touch, and turn. Photos that held real stories behind them. Stories of what it took to be a real hero.

Snuggled against Scott's side, in awe of what he was reading and seeing, Alan felt a whole new respect for him, and the countless other pilots who'd risked, and given, their lives for the sake of their homelands.

Next up - physics. A subject he'd always struggled with, but today? A snap when you had the family's own Einstein to make its complexities so much easier to understand. Game theory, too, was an absolute breeze. And, just this once, it really didn't matter that lesson time gradually morphed into a three sided game of Battleship.

Well, two sides of battleships for them and, of course, a submarine for Gordon.

Watching all this unfold from the seat of his piano, Virgil allowed himself a satisfied smile. He'd been trying for days already, to think up a suitable title for his latest sonata. Now, surrounded by peace, and quiet, and four happily united brothers, he'd found it.

Leaning forward, he wrote it on the sheet of music in front of him - proudly thinking how lovely, how perfect, it was.

'Love In Five Movements.'

Then he sat back and began to play - returning four startled but delighted grins around him with one of the same, proud contentment.

Five amazing brothers, as one even more amazing family. And as he met Alan's eyes again, both of them smiled - both knowing that, after today, the bonds of love, and trust, and respect between them would only be stronger.