Buried Emotions

DISCLAIMER - For the last time (in this story), I do not own the Thunderbirds, Numb3rs, Daria, bits of Johnny Lee's song "Together"...heck, I am only three payments in on my car. Did I tell you I got a new car? First completely new car in my LIFE! But I digress.

Epilogue

Six weeks later.

Alan Tracy stood on the small balcony of what had always been his room – well, at least ever since the family had moved to Tracy Island. But if he had looked over his shoulder, his room no longer resembled what he had left behind.

A smaller window had been expanded and made into a large picture window and it was there that a king size bed now rested. Closer to the balcony was a small sitting area. On the other side past the slightly expanded bathroom, was a pair of desks and bookcases, in what was once John's bedroom. Scott's old room, across the hall, was earmarked as a "nursery" much to Alan and Tin-Tin's embarrassment.

"They could wait until we are married to be planning our children," Alan muttered.

"Talking to yourself can be considered a sign of madness," Gordon cheerfully said as he came in the room.

"Or desperation for someone to hear you," Alan shrugged.

"Did you talk to yourself a lot when they, um," Gordon stuttered, looking appalled that he had brought it up.

Alan only laughed. "Gordo – I will not fall apart if you bring up the kidnapping, OK?" he assured his brother as he patted the redhead on the shoulder. "Yes, I've spent more time than I would like in vid phone appointments with my shrink, but it helped."

"Well, that's um, good," Gordon managed to say.

Alan titled his head, the late afternoon sun catching the highlights and making it shimmer and glow. "But to answer your question, it may have been the hypoxia but I think I spent some of my time talking to Tomo. How much time have you spent doing the same?" At Gordon's startled look, Alan chuckled.

"I heard you talking to Kyle. But I know Tommy loved me the same way you do. And just like you, he was there when I needed him most. I can't tell you how many times in the last few years I felt – well, I needed him and somehow I thought he was there."

"Too bad someone can't exorcise his ass," Gordon muttered.

Looking thoughtful, Alan pulled out the pendant he always wore. "You remember this charm Tomo gave me for my eighteenth birthday?" When Gordon nodded, Alan explained. "Haha – Ambassador Wattamee – mentioned Tomo made it himself, even nicked himself in the final working. Sarah Jane has studied some stuff about the supernatural. Now, the rituals we followed when Tomo died meant he should have moved on. But it seems like he didn't. It could be a small part of his DNA is trapped in the charm. I asked Haha if I should have this destroyed. She said just to make sure it doesn't outlive me."

Alan looked very solemn. "Promise me Gordo – promise me. If I die, I want to be cremated. Make sure this is burned at the same time. Tomo is willing to stay to watch over me. I don't want him trapped here without me."

"Alan," Gordon protested. "You aren't going to die. Don't talk like that."

Alan smiled sadly. "I hope I don't. I hope I don't for a long time. I want to dance at my grandchildren's weddings. I want to grow old and gray and remember the "good old days". But how many times have I nearly died in my lifetime?"

Moving back into his – soon to be his and Tin-Tin's – room, Alan picked up a picture from his bedside stand. Before he tucked it back into the book he had been reading, Gordon caught a glimpse of Alan and Tomo at the younger boy's high school graduation.

"I wish he were here for you too," Gordon said softly as he put a hand on his younger – but still taller – brother's shoulder.

Alan just nodded.

"You sure you want to be cremated?" Gordon finally broke the silence with.

Alan gave a dark chuckle. "As many times as I've been buried alive? Hell, yeah."

The pair stood there silently for a moment before Alan turned around and smiled. "Just give me a minute and I'll join you on the lanai. We'll head down to the beach together."

Gordon gave his brother a light punch, worrying a half a second later that Alan's shoulder was still sensitive six weeks after the incident in Bailey.

"Get out of here," Alan muttered, sighing with relief when Gordon left. His next oldest brother really could be intense at time.

Picking up his tie, Alan realized his hands were shaking as he tried to tie it.

"Let me," Jeff Tracy said as he entered the room. He quickly knotted the tie, smiling as he looked into Alan's blue eyes.

"I can't believe my baby is getting married."

"Believe it, Dad," Alan grinned before becoming solemn.

"Hey Dad," Alan asked. "What do you think of Gordon flying Tin and I to Italy?"

"That it seems like a lot to ask of your brother just so you and your new wife can hopefully only make-out – because the rest of us use the jets too – on your way to Europe."

Alan chuckled. "I just thought, you know, he could drop us off, spend a few days in France, watch the Olympics, catch up with some old friends, and then pick us back up."

"This wouldn't be because Julie couldn't make it here since the opening ceremony was last night and her events start tomorrow?" Jeff smirked.

Smoothing down his tie and reaching for his light coat, Alan shrugged it on. "He deserves to be happy too, Dad. But Gordon can be a bit of a stubborn -"

"Alan," Jeff warned making his youngest chuckle.

"A stubborn donkey," Alan laughed. "Well? Kate said she'd stay on the Island this week, Emily is back to work, John isn't heading back up to Five until the end of the month…"

"OK," Jeff laughed. "You are so Lucy's son – she always had everything planned before she'd spring it on me, leaving me no room to argue."

Smelling the lilac swell around them, Jeff noticed Alan relax as he followed his youngest from his room. He smiled as he passed a framed picture of Lucy with the boys on the last trip…and could swear he heard "my son? Oh, he is so yours as well, Rocket-Man."

Julie picked up her phone, smiling at the brief text.

Go for the Gold! Wish you were here, will send pix! ~A

Alan was such a nice guy, the sort of guy she had always wished she could have for a brother.

With a grimace, Julie put her phone away, recalling the ugly scene with her step-father that had some of her teammates calling security. To her step-father's fury, he had been banned from the Olympic Village. As a sports promoter, he considered that bad for business.

Her mother had sent Julie an equally ugly e-mail, declaring that Julie was "an embarrassment and if I could have, I would have never kept the proof of my biggest screw-up around".

Julie had simply deleted the e-mail and put her mother on the blocked senders list. It wasn't a shock to realize that they had only seen her as a future business asset…

But it still hurt.

"Yo – Maxwell!"

Julie turned to see a teammate enter the locker room.

"Coach wants us running drills. You coming?"

Julie nodded and headed out of the locker room. She would think of other things later. Now it was time to focus on something she had worked on since she was seven. It was time to become an Olympian.

Bill Koulson looked at the prisoner, sitting in a chair in the non-descript facility outside of Chicago.

"So you're saying he has had a complete mental break from reality, right doc?"

Skylar Ward nodded. "I'm afraid so. It could change tomorrow or he could be like this for the rest of his life. But at this time, Jackson Mitchell cannot be brought up on charges. I doubt he could function to get out of a rainstorm at the moment, forget in being able to assist in his own defense."

Dr. Ward adjusted a blanket over Mitchell's legs and smiled gently at the man who only stared blankly at apparently nothing before escorting the FBI Agent out of the room. Agent Koulson gave one last look at Mitchell, muttering, "What are you thinking of right now?"

In Mitchell's mind he was sitting and talking, Kyle by his side, doing normal things, brotherly things. All around him, other "residents" of the Criminal Ward of the Illinois State Mental Hospital ignored the silent man, their words and occasional shouts failing to affect him at all.

But a television news story hit a chord that six weeks of therapy failed to do.

"And in a brief press release issued today by Tracy Enterprises, Alan Tracy, the youngest son of billionaire Jeff Tracy, will be marrying his long-time girlfriend. The couple's marriage was supposed to take place in June in the Tracys' hometown of Bailey, Kansas, but the abduction and near death of Alan at the hands of two escaped criminals forced a change in plans. The wedding will instead take place on beach at sunset on Tracy Island, with only family and a few close friends invited. We wish this young couple the best in their happy future. For Wolf News Network, this is Rebecca Blake."

If anyone had looked, they would have seen intelligence briefly return to Jackson Mitchell's eyes as he quickly glanced at the television. Hatred shone from those orbs as the file photo of Alan was flashed across the screen before heading to commercial. Before a creepy looking teddy bear began promoting a fabric softener, Mitchell's eyes once more glazed over as he escaped back into his fantasy world.

God help Alan Tracy if Mitchell ever came back to reality because he would never come back to sanity.

Sarah Jane turned and grinned at Jean Landman. No, this wasn't the wedding everyone thought Alan and Tin-Tin should have.

But it was the one the young couple wanted.

Alan breathed in and out repeatedly, Gordon whispering not so helpful advice to his brother until Alan finally hissed "drop it or John becomes my best man".

Gordon fell silent instantly.

Scott stood to the side, doing his best with John and Kate to keep track of the kids, aided by Billy Landman and Kate's parents. Daria's husband Tony wasn't much help, seeing as Kate had his son – Daria's morning sickness was worse this time and the paramedic was busy fussing over his exhausted wife (who didn't care how sick she felt – she had earned the right to see a happy ending, something she didn't get enough in her work).

Millie and Parker spoke softly, amusing Jeff and Lady P to realize the pair was swapping cleaning tips and recipes.

"Convenient that the good sheriff is also a justice of the peace," Lady Penelope said in a soft voice.

"Helps," Jeff shrugged. It did. Now they were only hiding the secret from Robin Eppes, Tony Delgado and Billy Landman – all of whom were easy to distract, especially with the children.

"How did the boys get that piano down to the beach?" Lady Penelope questioned Jeff, even as Virgil played soft music and Sarah stood next to him, ready to sing at Alan's request.

"I have found over the years, it is sometimes best if I don't ask these things," Jeff shrugged again.

"In other words," Millie butted in. "He's got no idea."

Parker bit back a laugh as Lady P gave a small smile. "We'll talk later," the aristocrat whispered to Millie.

Jeff groaned. This wouldn't be good.

Before another word could be said, Sarah nodded and Virgil began to play as she sang.

On this day, we stand together

Pledge our love, to one and other

For my darling, I will love you

From this moment, there will be no other

Tin-Tin walked down the beach, guided by her proud parents. She looked at Alan – her best friend, her true love, her soul mate…He looked like a prince from a fairy tale. And he loved her…

On this road that lies before us

Lives the love, the joy, the sorrow

But we will always try to remember

The pain today is the joy tomorrow

Alan's eyes went wide at the sight of Tin-Tin. God, she was so beautiful. He had thought that for years but now…she was his angel, his love, his promise of forever. And she loved him…

And now together, together

Love will be much better

Together, together

Our love will share

Forever, forever

Love will keep us together

Together, together

Our lives will change

"Oh, Luce," Jeff said, not realizing he was speaking aloud as Tin-Tin's parents handed her to Alan. "You should have been here."

The three people near him looked at him with sadness, knowing that the man still mourned the wife he had lost all those years ago, and there was nothing they could do to make that up to him.

Jean smiled at the boy she had held as a baby and swallowed back her own tears as she began the age old words…

"Dearly beloved…"

Together, together…

Our lives will change

A/n - Yes, it is over and Alan is married. Yes, I left some things hanging. And they will stay that way until the end of the summer, maybe not until after Labor Day. I need some down time. Well, there will be a one-shot (maybe two?) for Sammygirl1963's birthday - she wants a Little Jean and Little Scott story. So have a good summer, thanks for the love and support. And Alan? Get some rest.

You will need it. - CC