Hello again!

Thought it was about time I got back in the game. I started this story a couple of years ago now and thought it would be interesting to finish it and see where it went. As always, reviews are treasured. I'd love to know what you think!

Boann

A peaceful day on Tracy Island. White fluffy clouds floated in a picturesque blue sky. The aqua water lapped almost playfully against the sands of the beach. Birds were chirping happily from within the jungle.

It was a quiet, lazy, peaceful summer Sunday afternoon in the Tracy house.

However, that peace wasn't destined to last…

"GORDON!"

From their comfortable seats on the patio, basking in front of the pool, Jeff, Scott and Virgil looked towards the house.

"I told you it wouldn't be quiet for long" said Virgil almost sadly, returning his attention to the book he had been reading

A moment later, Alan came storming out of the house, holding what looked like one of his school notebooks.

"Whoa, now I know something is wrong," smiled Scott. "Alan within ten yards of school work during summer?"

"Put a sock in it, Scott," Alan fiercely snapped.

"Something we can do for you, Alan?" asked Jeff in his "let's all calm down" voice.

"Yeah," said Alan. "You can go and get Thunderbird 4 ready so when I find Gordon we can throw a line out the back and let him drag along the bottom of it all the way around the island!"

Virgil, after having read the same line in his book about fifteen times due to the disturbance Alan was causing, put his book down. "Sorry sprout, we're on neutral territory here."

"So you haven't seen him?" asked Alan dismally.

Scot frowned suspiciously. "What exactly did he do?" he asked slowly.

Alan's cheeks turned red. "Nothing," he mumbled. "You know what?" he called, his voice rising so that even Onaha, who was in the kitchen, looked up. "I bet he's hiding 'cos he knows if he runs, I'd catch him in no time! You know what they say about fish out of water!"

"Nope, enlighten me."

Alan spun around to see Gordon strolling out of the opposite end of the house, a grin on his face. "You!" he cried, dropping the notebook and charging at Gordon, who, just before contact, spun around and pushed his him forward towards the pool. Alan tried to stop, but was going too fast and fell headfirst into the water with a loud splash.

Scott, Virgil and Gordon erupted with laughter at seeing their little brother resurface with an angry look on his face. Even Jeff tried to hide his smile behind his magazine.

"Dunked by a fish out of water," laughed Gordon. "The lowest of the low!"

"Screw you!" choked Alan, trying to stay above water.

"Oh! What's this Alan?" squealed Gordon, mockingly, picking up the dropped notebook. "Certainly interesting!"

Scott and Virgil were almost on the floor when Gordon showed them the notebook. It was covered in magazine clippings from one of Tintin's old magazines. Kisses, pictures of lipstick and even a photo of the Backstreet Boys now decorated the notebook's cover.

"Give that here!" yelled Alan, who was now swimming to the pool edge.

"I think some of your teachers and friends would be very interested to see this," chuckled Gordon.

"Gordon, I swear to God I'll kill you!" yelled Alan, trying to jump out of the water to grab the book.

Gordon held it above his head. "Come on Alan! Jump!" he laughed.

After a few tries, Alan bowed his head down, making Gordon laugh even more. Then he saw Alan's shoulders start to shake. "Alan?" Alan didn't look up. "Oh, come on! It was just a joke," he said, offering his brother a hand.

Alan sprang into action, taking advantage of Gordon lowering his defences and tugged his arm hard. Gordon gave a yelp as he too was flung into the water. No sooner had he surfaced than Alan dunked him.

Scott and Virgil continued to laugh.

"Ten bucks on Gordon," said Virgil.

Scott shook his head. "I don't know Virg, Alan's got a lot of rage."

Gordon had managed to get on top of Alan, holding him under the water while Alan thrashed underneath him.

"Come on boys, that's enough." said Jeff sternly. "Joke's over. Gordon, leave your brother alone."

"C'mon Dad, its just a bit of fun," grinned Gordon, bringing Alan up for a few seconds before shoving him under again.

Jeff frowned warningly. "I don't think that's how Alan would describe it."

Alan was starting struggle under his brother's hold. His thrashing and fighting was exhausting him and he needed air, but although he tried to tell Gordon this by grabbing his brother's arms and shaking them, it seemed Gordon was too preoccupied with his victory. Thankfully Gordon brought him up again and immediately Alan lashed out with a rough push.

"Whoa, take it easy!" said Gordon, as Alan struggled to the pool's edge angrily.

"Don't you tell me to take it easy!" snarled Alan, angry at his brother's lack of consideration. "Some of us can't stay under for as long as you! But I guess you didn't notice me trying to tell you that because you were too preoccupied with lapping up the attention!"

"Alan, what's up your arse?" asked Gordon defensively, hopping out of the pool. "You started it!"

"Oh yeah! I started it!" exclaimed Alan, his voice ringing with sarcasm. "I was the one who invaded my brother's room and defaced his property!"

"Stop being so immature!" said Gordon, he and Alan's faces now inches apart.

Alan scoffed. "Oh, I'm immature?"

"Stop it!" Jeff halted the argument. "Both of you get cleaned up and head down to Thunderbird 2 silo for your clean-up chores. Then I want you down here by lunch to greet Lady Penelope when she comes."

"Yeah, and while I'm there I'll see if I can clean up the baby's attitude," mumbled Gordon.

Alan glared at him. "Don't call me a baby!" he cried, charging up the stairs still dripping wet. "Just because I'm always the one who gets dumped on, you-argh!"

Jeff sprang to his feet as Alan slipped and fell, tumbling down and landing at the foot of the steps.

Scott and Virgil also ran over.

"Alan, are you okay?" asked Jeff, going to help his son.

Alan got to his feet, pulling away. "I'm fine," he mumbled, though he was holding his head.

Jeff turned him around and looked him up and down. "Are you sure? That was a nasty fall."

Alan's scalp was bleeding near the top of his forehead, but he looked all right. Jeff looked at his eyes and couldn't find anything wrong.

"I'm fine," he said again, pulling away and heading a little more slowly up the stairs.

Jeff turned to see Gordon walking nervously towards them. He exchanged a glance with his son, before Gordon followed Alan into the house.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Gordon slowly walked to Alan's room, where he had no doubt his little brother had retreated to. He tapped on the door. "Alan, can I come in?"

Impatient at Alan's ignorance, he let himself in. After a quick scan of the room, he found Alan sitting in a chair on the balcony, his arms folded.

He cautiously approached him. "Alan…"

Alan told him to do something he wouldn't have dared utter in front of his father.

"Listen, I'm sorry okay?" said Gordon dramatically.

"Don't give me that! You always do this to me!" exclaimed Alan, standing up to face his brother.

Gordon's eyes were immediately drawn to the wound on Alan's head, which his brother had clearly given no attention to. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You always pick on me, all of you! Just because I'm the youngest, doesn't mean you have to give me so much crap!" Alan's voice was growing louder.

"We don't always give you crap! It was just a joke!" shot back Gordon.

"Oh, well I'm glad you thought it was funny!" cried Alan. "It just gave me a headache!"

Jumping at the chance, Gordon indicated to the wound on Alan's scalp. "You should get that checked out."

Alan snorted in defiance and turned his back on Gordon, leaning on the balcony railing.

Sighing, Gordon retreated to Alan's bathroom, grabbing a flannel and wetting it. He walked back out onto the balcony and put a gentle hand on Alan's shoulder to turn him around. "C'mon, let me see."

Alan shook him off. "Gordon, leave it."

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just trying to help." Gordon tried to calm the situation with soothing words.

It appeared Alan would have none of that. "I think you've done enough today, Gordon. The last thing I want is you fussing over me like I'm a five year old."

Gordon's temper took over. "Well, you're certainly acting like a five year old! Why don't you just get over it and let me help?"

"Get over it?" exclaimed Alan, backing away. "Maybe it's too late for me to get over it Gordon! I'm sick of being picked on! I'm sick of no one taking my side!"

Gordon saw Alan's pupil's dilate dangerously and was immediately stern. "Alan, sit down."

"Don't you tell me what to do!" yelled Alan, blinking and looking unsure of himself, "You're not my Da…"

Gordon saw what was about to happen just before it did and managed to catch Alan around the chest before he could hit the floor. He helped him inside and onto his bed. "Alan, just relax, its ok," he said softly, as Alan struggled in his hold.

"Gordon, just leave me alone, I'm fine," he stammered, sounding breathless.

"No, you're not," Gordon said firmly, lying him down and holding the damp flannel he was still carrying over Alan's forehead.

Alan still tried to struggle, but looked too weak to keep fighting. "It was nothing, I just…had a dizzy spell," he mumbled.

"And I wonder why," commented Gordon dryly, as he removed the flannel to examine the wound. It didn't seem to be too deep and had stopped bleeding, but Alan's eyes were a little too unfocused for his liking. He brought his watch to his face. "Dad, come in, can you hear me?"

The response was instantaneous. "Yes Gordon, what's the matter?"

"I think you'd better come up to Alan's room. He's had a bad dizzy spell and I think it's got to do with the fall he took earlier."

Jeff nodded. "I'll be right there."

"Why did you do that?" moaned Alan, trying to sit up.

Gordon held him down. "Because Dad deserves to know what just happened and with any luck he'll make you see sense about how you are really feeling."

Alan scoffed again. "Yeah, that's right! You can't boss me around so why don't you bring Dad in?"

Gordon ignored him.

Jeff jogged into the room and bent down over Alan. "What happened?"

Gordon sighed and explained as Jeff examined Alan. Alan was quiet, but didn't stop fidgeting.

When Gordon had finished, Jeff nodded. "Alan, I think you've got a mild concussion. I'm going to take you up to the infirmary."

"But Dad!" moaned Alan.

"No buts, Alan," interrupted Jeff in a stern tone.

Alan couldn't resist being walked to the infirmary and laid on a bed to be examined.

Jeff took Gordon to one side. "You were fighting?"

Gordon was surprised, having not told his father about his heated conversation with Alan. "Yeah," he replied, sheepishly.

Jeff nodded. "I could tell."

"Is he going to be ok?" asked Gordon with a glance at his brother.

"He'll be ok with rest," replied Jeff. "Why don't we go downstairs? Penny's due to arrive soon."