Heartache to Heartache
By Arashi no Baka
Part One: Through the Rain
Notes: The last Death fic for while. I promise. This was written for Claudette and Hoo-ah. You know why : P The Brat is my favourite character which was why he hasn't died yet. But here you go…just for you guys
Disclaimer: not mine.
Notes: Okay. This is a two-parter, just because I can't fit it all into one.
Scott Tracy's hands wouldn't stop shaking.
He pushed the car to its limits as he sped up the highway, intent on getting to his brothers in record time. The accident had been on the news. Broadcast all over the world, the pile up on the California State highway was one of the worst the country had seen in a long while. Normally, Scott wouldn't have been so worried.
If members of his family hadn't been on the highway at the time.
The call to Tracy Island had come almost at the same time as Scott had received the call on his mobile phone. Whilst his father took the news from the authorities, Scott was listening to his younger brother, panicking, about the accident.
"Hello"
"Scott? Is that you?"
Scott sat up straighter, and was half-aware of the satellite link going of in his fathers office. But his attention was drawn to the panicked tone of his brother's voice.
"Virgil? What's wrong?"
"There's so much blood Scott…. It's all wrong…. We were…and they…there was a crash…too many cars…he's still in there Scott…. He's still in there!"
Virgil's voice had risen with each word and Scott had felt the breath catch in his throat. From Virgil's broken speech he had managed to piece it together. There had been a crash on the highway. His brothers had been involved.
And Alan was still inside the car. Scott instantly snapped into IR mode and hastened to reassure his brother, as he made his way into his fathers office.
"Virgil listen to me. You have to calm down. I'm coming, okay? I'm coming."
"I have to get to him Scott…I have to…we argued…"
The broken tones of his brother made Scott's heart ache. But he also knew that Virgil would be in shock and needed reassurance.
"Listen to me Virgie…"
He used his brother's nickname and he almost heard the harsh breaths of his brother calming down a little.
"Stay where you are. I'm coming. I promise. Have the authorities arrived yet?"
"Yeah…some…there's an ambulance but there are so many cars Scott…"
Virgil's voice broke and Scott could hear the barely contained tears through his brothers tone.
"Okay. Ill be there. Okay?"
"Promise?
"Promise. Stay put."
Scott hung up in his brother and looked up to meet his father's eyes. Scott felt the breath catch yet again. His father's eyes were haunted and the look on his face made Scott freeze. He knew
Scott growled as he pushed the accelerator down. The car was straining against the speed, but right now he didn't care. It had taken almost all of the occupants of Tracy island to clam Jeff down. The thought of losing two of his boys had almost killed the Tracy Patriarch and he had lost it. Scott didn't think he'd ever recover from watching the collapse of his hero. To him, Jeff had always been strong.
But Scott had taken charge. He had had to inform John and Gordon of the impending danger towards their brothers and it was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. All of the brothers were close to Alan, save perhaps Virgil. Their relationship was sketchy at best, having nothing to compare to each other, except their relationship as brothers. Or so Scott believed.
When he had told Gordon and john, their reactions were practically the same. Both had demanded to come with him. They needed to be on this too, and the fact that Scott couldn't give them a good enough explanation as to how Alan was, made them angry. John in particular was feeling the pain, as he had no way of getting own from Thunderbird 5 with nobody able to come and get him.
Scott's heart ached for him most of all.
And the dangerous way Gordon had looked when he had informed him, made Scott think twice about taking him. He had settled for leaving him behind to look after Jeff, who was in no position to go with Scott. He had demanded to come but Scott had once again refused, this time backed up by Tin-Tin and Fermat who were also adamant that he would be no help there.
Gordon had resented their remarks and the cold way he had looked at Scott before he left told the elder Tracy all he need to know about how Gordon felt. Leaving Brains and Kyrano in charge of the Island, and his family, he had promised them he would keep in contact at all times, letting them know what was going on.
International rescue had no place in this.
The Tracy family did.
Scott once again cursed the rain as it lashed down on his windscreen, the wipers not able to keep up with the harsh attack of the water. He was thankful when he saw the flashing lights of the rescue vehicles, indicating he was nearing the rescue site.
He skidded the car to a halt, not caring where he stopped it and practically leapt from the car, racing over to the edge of the site.
He was not prepared for what he saw. There were so many cars it was almost impossible to see where the crash had begun. He felt as though somebody had punched him. He couldn't even see his brothers car and it frightened him. Who knew where his little brother was?
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Scott pushed through the crowd and wondered vaguely why nobody was bothering to get them out of the way. He reached the front and was almost immediately stopped from going any further.
"I'm sorry sir…this is a rescue zone. We need you to clear out."
Scott's tone was snapped and harsh but he didn't care. His family was in there.
"Look, I have to get in there!"
The man paused, as though trying to be sure whether this was a genuine relative.
"I'm sorry…but until we've…"
Scott cut the man off, ducking under the tape anyway and surging forward the man ran after him, yelling for him to stop. Scott, sighed, exasperated and turned on the man.
"I'm a member of International Rescue! I can help these people! Now who's in charge?"
He was angry.
He hated being left out of this. They were his brothers too, and he was stuck here on the Island. Sighing slowly, Gordon shot to his feet, pacing the poolside deliberately. He knew why he had been left behind. It wasn't just about Jeff at all. Scott had seen him as a liability, and, when he was being honest with himself, he knew he would have been.
He was closest to Alan of all the brothers. And not knowing what was happening to him was like a knife in his stomach, twisting with every moment Scott didn't contact them.
He ran a hand through shi hair, more than aware of the fear in his gut. In all the rescues he'd been on, Gordon had never felt true fear. Not since the Hydrofoil accident and now those feelings were resurfacing yet again. And this time they were threatening to claim one of his brothers.
There was also a fear for the safety of his elder brother, Virgil. Although Scott had told them the phone call had come from his brunette brother, there was no way to be sure of the condition he was in.
"GORDON!"
He shot up the steps to the villa at Tin-Tin's shout and was inside the control room within minutes. He frowned at tin-Tin for minute.
"What? Is something the matter with dad?"
Tin-Tin had been looking after Jeff whilst he had taken five minutes to himself. Jeff hadn't come out of his room for the last two hours and Gordon was secretly frightened. Their father had always been so stable their hold on everything right in the world. And now that every hold was collapsing.
"No. Mothers in with him. But Brains had a call from Scott."
Gordon raced over to the central computer system to where Brains and Fermat where at the controls.
"Scott? What's going on? How are Virg and Alan"
His brother looked worn out and Gordon wanted more than anything to be there.
"It's a mess here. There's so much…Virgil was right. So many dead already."
The pain in his voice instantly put Gordon on his guard. Surely not Alan and Vigil?
"The people here were all really co-operative. Once I told them I was a member of International rescue!"
"You could have compromised…"
Scott cut across his brother impatiently.
"Frankly, I couldn't care less. Fathers in no positing to tell me otherwise and the life of my brothers are more important than the secrecy of our organisation! Besides I've not told anybody that my brothers are in there!"
"You think they won't recognise your face?"
Gordon was surprised by this lack of complete complacency from Scott. He was the brother who stuck by the rules no matter what. And yet…
"You haven't seen this place Gordy…If you had, you wouldn't be so eager to stick to the rules either. And our little brother is in there somewhere…"
Gordon nodded slowly, swallowing the rising lump in his throat.
"What about Virgil?"
"I'm about to go find him. I just wanted to let you know how it's going. Let John know for me, okay?"
Scott signed off without another word and Gordon stared at the blank screen silently for a minute.
"Brains? Contact Lady P for me. I want her on the island as soon as possible. I'm going to see my father."
Gordon left the room without another word and headed for his father's room. This was something he had to do. He couldn't sit by and watch this anymore. He had to help.
"Johnny! Watch me Johnny!"
John glanced up at his seven-year-old brother in amusement. Alan was jumping up and down on the diving board and waving his arms.
"Watch me jump Johnny!"
Before he could do so, the blonde boy slipped up on the board and fell on his face. John was on his feet in an instant, climbing up the ladder as fast as his fifteen-year-old legs would carry him.
"Alan? You alright?"
He cleared the board to find his brother, sitting up and crying. He held his hand over his mouth and John could see the blood.
"Let me see Allie…"
Alan removed his hand and John refrained from wincing, not wanting to startle his brother. He lifted Alan to his feet, and let him recover his mouth.
"Come on. Lets go get you cleaned up."
After John had washed out his mouth and made sure nothing was broken, but his split lip, Alan shifted a little in his seat.
"I'm sorry for being a nuisance Johnny…"
John shook his head in disbelief.
"You're not a nuisance Allie…"
"Really?"
The small voice Alan used made John hug his brother unexpectedly.
"Of course you're not. Ill always be there for you Al…I promise…"
The smile on hi brothers face made John smile in return.
That was a lie….I lied to my brother…
John Tracy had set up every station on Thunderbird 5 to broadcast news on the accident. He knew his father would disapprove. But what rescues could they perform with half of their number down? Tin-Tin and Fermat were in no position to fly craft alone. If John knew Gordon, he'd be on his way to help Scott despite his brothers warning to the contrary. And his father…
To be honest, John had assumed his father would rush to the aid of Virgil and Alan almost immediately. This collapse of Jeff was a reaction none of them, expected. And to be true, it was a reaction they should have known would happen. Jeff had survived the loss of his wife. But to survive the loss of a son…
He couldn't handle that.
And nor could his sons.
John cursed once more his inability to help and tried desperately to find something to occupy his time.
And to try and take his mind of the fact that he had lied…
He was trying to fin Virgil
He had wanted to try and find Alan as well. But the paramedic's and police hadn't let him. In the end he'd lost his temper. Growling to himself, he had turned to them
"We need to clear these cars out if we're going to save the people within, or under them. There's no way that Thunderbird 2 can make it just now. Don't ask me why. Just listen. If there is anyone out there on the road, with a lorry, or pick up truck, or whatever. We need them. Use these people. They obviously want to help. Others can help search for survivors. We can't do this alone guys."
Scott had headed for those already in the ambulances at the side of the grass. In the time it had taken to find them, he had witnessed many of the by-standers surging forward to help. He called to one of the paramedics attending a middle-ages woman with a broken arm.
"Have you been getting the names of these people?"
The paramedic nodded.
"Of course. Is there anyone you wanted in particular?"
"Have you got a Virgil?
The paramedic paused for a second.
"I think so. But he wouldn't give us a surname. Said it wasn't important."
The paramedic indicated the way anyway and then turned back to the woman, without asking questions. Scott silently thanked him and headed for the ambulance at the end of the line. He heard his brother before he saw him.
"You don't understand…my brothers still in there…. you have to help him…"
"We're doing our best kid…calm down…"
Scott rounded the corner and froze. Virgil was pulling against a paramedic, trying to escape his hold. The blood on his top made Scott's heart pause for minute. There was blood on Virgil's chin and his cheek was bruised. When he looked up and saw his brother he let out a little cry.
"Scott!"
The paramedic let him go, sensing this was family, and Virgil flung himself at Scott. The tears came as Scott hugged Virgil too him, too glad to see him alive to ask any questions just yet. He felt tears tug at his eyes too and glanced at the paramedic to try and ignore them. The man was smiling and nodding.
Scott smiled at him, in silent thanks for looking after Virgil and then turned his full attention back to his brother.
"Virgil? What happened."
The tears subsided but Virgil didn't let go of Scott. And Scott didn't let go of him.
"We were driving back from the hotel. We had such a great holiday. And then…It started raining, and it put Alan in a bad mood. He hates driving in the rain…it all just spiralled from there…."
"I said I'm fine! Quit harping on! You sound like dad…"
Virgil snorted and turned away from his younger brother. Alan muttered something under his breath and Virgil raised an eyebrow.
"What was that?"
"None of your fucking business.."
Before Virgil could reply his eyes widened, as he looked at the sight infront of them.
"Allie! Look out!"
Alan swerved to miss the oncoming car, driving on the wrong side of the road. He slammed on the breaks so hard, Virgil's head cracked forward, pain racing down his back. Crying out in pain, he wrestled himself out of his seat belt.
"We have to get out...Al…"
Alan complied, reaching down to unstrap himself when the car impacted them. Virgil felt nothing but the silence as he was flung through the window of his brother's car and slammed onto the grass beside the wreckage. He knew no more…"
"When I came too…there was no sign of Alan or our car. Just a huge pile up…god it was awful…and I argued with him...he cant be dead Scott...he can't…"
Scott had no reply for his brother. He stared back at the wreckage of the cars, his heart lightened by the amount of people now helping. The bystanders were all digging in to help. Despite the danger to themselves, these people were willing to help look for people.
Maybe there was hope for the human race yet.
In the moments he had been talking to Virgil, some of the police and by-standers had rigged up one of the pick up truck, and used rope to tie it to one of the cars on the pie. Making sure there was no people under or in the car, they started to pull it away.
As it fell, Scott got a strange sense of foreboding. Looking down at Virgil he spoke distractedly.
"Virgil, I need you to let this paramedic check you over, okay? Ill find Alan…I promise…"
Virgil nodded absently and approached the paramedic, who was waiting, and Scott headed back to the wreckage as the car was pulled away. When it was clear, there was a creaking sound. Scott rushed forward.
"LOOK OUT!"
The people helping with the rescues all flooded back as the cars still in the pile began to topple over. One crashed to the ground right by a pair of helpers and they screamed, backing up, one of them receiving a glancing blow from the wing mirror. She screamed and clutched her arm.
Paramedics rushed forward, seeing to the injured as another car knocked one of the men on the opposite side to the ground. Scott watched, as soon as all the cars had fallen, people rushed forward once more.
But he couldn't move.
He'd spotted something. Amongst the cars now visible, he had seen a familiar red sports car. Two people were already climbing over to it.
"There's someone in here!"
Scott hardly dared to hope, or breath, as he surged forward.
Be Alan…Be Alan…Be…
He saw the mop of blonde hair. And then saw the blood.
Part Two Soon.
Hmm…Okay. That could have been better…
R & R?