Written for a christmas prompt thing going on on Tumblr, but I feel like sharing it with you on FF too. Enjoy =)

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French was an insufferable language to learn. Not only was it hard as hell, but it also seemed to make time go slower. Alan was sure it has been at least three hours since the class started, even if the clock on the wall insisted it as only be forty five minutes. The teenager couldn't stand it. He was only fifteen minutes away from holidays! Which mean four hours from seeing the family he hasn't seen for three months, since his father's disappearance. Couldn't the teacher have mercy on him?

He wasn't far from dying when the bell eventually rang. The teenager almost teleported himself out of the classroom. He ran to his dormitory to grab his suitcase and ran down the stairs. He needed to get out of this school. He needed to go back home, to see his family. He needed to hug his brothers so much it almost hurt. He missed home so much his throat was sore. Ever since their father had gone missing, Alan had become dependent on his brothers and grand-mother. It was driving him crazy to be here while his family was risking their lives on a daily basis. He didn't want to be here learning French. He wanted to be piloting Thunderbird Three to help saving lives, and be able to help at home.

It was both stupid and sad how Alan's brothers were doing all they could to hide how badly they were doing just for his sake. Who did they think they were fooling? Scott could be all leader-like, it was no mystery he didn't want the responsibility. He wanted their father to be the leader of the team, but their father wasn't around anymore. John hasn't changed so much, but Alan knew his space brother too well to miss the shadow of loneliness in his eyes. Virgil was even more serious than before, which was no fun, and Gordon had lost some of his enthusiasm. And sure, Alan missed his father just as much as his brothers did, but it was sickening to see them all act like they had to be strong for him when what he really wanted was for them to understand that it was a shared pain. They had yet to learn that.

On the parking lot, Alan was ready to meet Lady Penelope and jump in her car, as she was always the one to pick him up, and that's why he just stopped in the middle of the driveway when he saw Gordon instead of the pink Lady. His immediate older brother was leaning against the family truck, oblivious of Alan's presence.

"Gords!" The teenager yelled, suddenly ten thousand times more excited than just two seconds ago.

Gordon had just the time to stand up before he received an armful of little brother against him. He didn't miss a heartbeat before he hugged back.

"Hey buddy." He welcomed him, voice warm, and happy, and known by heart. "I missed you. How are you?"

"What are you doing here?" Alan asked, his face muffled against his brother's shoulder even if it has been two years already since he became taller than him. "I thought you were home! I didn't think I would see you for at least four more hours!"

"Am I being scolded because I wanted to see you?" Gordon mocked, still strangling his sibling. "If I had known..."

"No! Damn no, I'm so, so happy you're here! I missed you so much, you have no idea! I just... You just surprised me."

"Well, that was more or less the main goal, wasn't it? There, there. Now, save some of these little brother's tears for the others. They missed you as well."

"I'm not crying!"

"Says the hungry baby."

"You're a jerk."

"I love you too."

While an hour of French had felt like three, four hours of travel with Grodon only felt like thirty minutes. They spent the whole time catching up on the last three months, and when their home came to view, Alan knew everything he had to know about everyone on Tracy Island.

Gordon landed the vehicle behind the house and the teenager jumped out.

"Come on, come on, come on!" He wailed while his brother struggled with his gigantic suitcase. "Hurry up!"

"Shut up, Al! I would go faster if you hadn't taken Thunderbird Two in your luggage! Just go ahead, I'll catch up."

"Okay."

Alan didn't lose any time listening to his brother's complaints and ran from the hangar to the house. He knew John was still up in his bird, which meant he would have to go there to see him and that wasn't a problem at all, because he had missed space just as much as he had missed the island. And Scott was on a mission, so he wouldn't be home until later tonight. Otherwise, everybody should be home.

Alan was in the living room when he heard laughter coming from the terrace. A quick pick and a devil grin flourished on his lips. They were all near the pool. Virgil and Kayo were swimming while Grand-Ma and Brains were lying on the floor. Obviously, those three last months were enough for them to forget it was never a good idea to be near the pool when Alan was around. It would be a pleasure to remind them.

Nobody got the chance to understand what was happening when the teenager jumped all dress into the pool with a powerful battle cry. When the presence of his youngest brother kicked in, Virgil tried to drown him before he hugged him.

"You! Look at what you've done!" Grand-Ma protested while Kayo joined her adoptive brothers in their mutual attempt of murder. "I'm all wet now!"

"Sorry!" Squealed Alan who was half drowning, half laughing, half being strangled by his siblings.

"Don't "sorry" me! You'd better come here and hug me young man."

"Yes m'mam! As soon as Virgil is done killing me..."

"Welcome home, Alan." Said Brains with a bright smile. "I think Virgil missed his baby brother."

"Damn, what gave me away?" Virgil joked.

He and Kayo eventually let the teenager go. Alan swam toward his grand-mother and hugged her as soon as he got out of the water. She giggled.

"Go dry yourself, you silly." She ordered. "You're gonna get sick."

When Alan came back, Gordon had joined the party. Two hours passed. He would have gone to see John with pleasure, but he couldn't fly Thunderbird Three without Scott approval, and Scott wasn't home yet, so he had to wait.

It was seven at night when the oldest Tracy eventually arrived. The family had gathered around a meal cooked by Grand-Ma, which both delighted and horrified Alan. He hadn't missed his grand-mother cooking. Not at all. Bur he had missed times like this when he would be with his family, when they were all talking and joking together. Had his father been here, it would have been perfect.

Alan's mood went a little down with that thought. His father's disappearance hasd left a big hole in the family, and everyone was trying to walk around it without falling in. The pain was suffocating.

"Were is my lil' bro'!"

Scott's voice made Alan jumped on his chair and turn around. It has been three months since the teenager had last seen his oldest brother, and Alan knew he should have smiled, joked, and made a nasty comment, but he couldn't. Because these three months of missing their father, of leading their brothers, and worrying so much about saving people, doing the right thing, taking care of the family, had taken their tool on Scott, who looked ten years older than he was, and Alan felt like he might throw up. He couldn't take it. He couldn't spend so much time away from home and just watch the changes on his brothers' faces. He needed to be here. He needed to support his family and help them to get better. He needed to do that in order to get better himself.

"Are you ok, Allie?"

Scott had let the show down and was worried again, as he always was nowadays. Alan let a sob escaped his lips. In a second, Scott's arms were around his shoulders and if Virgil, Gordon and Kayo were not holding him as well it was only because they were too far away.

"What is it, Alan?" Scott asked while his little brother was sobbing and hugging him like he was afraid to let him go.

"I don't want to go back to school ever again." Alan answered between two hiccups. "I want to stay home, with you guys. I miss you too much when I'm away... I don't want to come back home and realize how much you changed because it means I can't do anything about it and... And it is not fair. Please, Scott... Let me stay here. Don't send me back..."

No one talked for two solid minutes after that. Scott's arms were still around Alan who had buried his face in his shoulder, but the teenager just knew his family were all looking at each other while he cried. When Scott talked again, it was quiet and sweet and loving, and his embrace hardened.

"We precisely wanted to talk to you about that." He said. "You don't have to go back to school if you don't want to. Since dad... Well, we would really need a new Thunderbird's pilot. You could be home schooled and... And it would just be easier for all of us if you were home."

It took some time for Alan to understand what his brother was telling him. When he eventually got it, he felt himself relax. He was home, and he was here to stay. Tomorrow, he would go and see John, in some time he would start training to be a Thunderbird, and never again would he have to spent so much time away from his family. Never again.

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As you may have noticed, English is not my first language, so if there is any mistakes, feedback would be highly appreciated. Thank you so much for reading !

Love on all of ya' !