The reason I rated this M, is because of the Suicide mentioned in the chapters. If this is an offensive subject (and you still read through the other chapters) just press on the little red button that makes this story close.

Still don't own the Thunderbirds, *snik*

Virgil

Twenty-four year old Virgil loved his bed. Nobody dared to wake him up except for when it was important so when John shook him awake because his help was needed in the infirmary. His day was already ruined.

"What happened?" Virgil asked running alongside from John.

"Scott and Alan were sparring when Alan lashed out and Scott tried to block it. We think it's only sprained but Alan got a real mean left hook."

"Left? I thought Alan was right." Commented Virgil.

"Alan is both." Said Jeff, he had waited at the door and opened it for the two. Alan was seated next to Scott, holding an icepack against Scott's left arm.

"What the hell have you done to him?" Virgil took in Scott's face and arm. "What's wrong with you, he's your brother!"

"VIRGIL!" three voices yelled at the same time.

"No, you two acted strange yesterday and now you, Scott, stands up for him after he beat you up! What is going on?"

"I was the one who hit Scott in the face." John said standing before Alan with Scott following his example.

"Bullshit!" Virgil yelled.

"John was the one who hit me in the face," Scott said. "Alan did nothing wrong, we were playing in the gym, I underestimated him and made the wrong move. Accidents surrounding sparring happen. You and I both know that."

"What is going on?" demanded Virgil to know.

"They feel guilty." whispered Alan from behind the two brothers. "I graduated, and they forgot. A lot has happened and they feel guilty because they didn't know."

"Really?" Virgil questioned but he knew it was true by the looks on the other faces. "What happened?" Alan remained silent and the others only tensed. "Fine don't tell me. Keep your secrets, Scott sit down I need to take an x-ray so I can go back to bed."

When Scott sat down, Jeff guided Alan to sit on the other bed. The father carefully unwrapped Alan's hand and softly examined it. "John, can you get some ice?"

"it's fine dad, it doesn't hurt." Protested Alan.

Father ignored Alan and looked up to the other blond. "John, ice please." He requested as he turned back to both hands. "Right is only slightly bruised. But I think you may have sprained the left one. Shall I wrap it in an ace bandage for you?"

"I will take a look at that hand after I'm finished with Scooter." Virgil said placing the machine above Scott's right arm. "Everyone behind the screen."

Scott's hand was only sprained and soon placed in brace.

Virgil turned to Alan, "Your turn, you know the drill." Placing Alan's hand on the board, everyone walked behind the screen for the picture. But something made it blurry. Telling the others to wait, Virgil went back to Alan. "I can't take the picture, give me your hand." Pulling the sleeves down, Virgil noticed the scaring. "What is this!" he said angry pulling the arm in the light causing Alan to gasp in pain and shock. "WHAT IS THIS!"

"Let him go Virgil!" John pulled Virgil away while Jeff took Alan away.

When the father had taken the shocked teen out of the room an angry Virgil turned to his brothers. "That's what you were hiding. That Alan fucking tried to kill himself and you hide it from me? Why?"

"We too just found out, but it happened over two years ago." Scott explained.

"Hood?" asked Virgil.

"No, we pushed him Virg." John softly said. "He tried to slit his wrist the night he arrived back at school while during vacation. He overheard us speaking bad about him and something snapped. We've told him again and again how useless he is, he believes it himself. There are so many things we don't know about him, and Alan is scared. That he'll be cast aside, be hurt again."

"We did this?" Virgil sat down.

Scott nodded. "That is why we're so careful with him. Alan is fragile and the slightest push may be pushing him away from us."

Looking up, Virgil asked. "What do you mean?"

"We forgot his graduation this year." started Scott. "He enrolled himself in MIT, got an apartment and full scholarship without us knowing."

"What if he decides that he doesn't want to be insulted every time he comes home?" continued John. "What if Alan decides that he has enough? He's getting help, someone saved his life and put him on his own feet. And it wasn't us. I'm scared that Alan tries it again, true but then I see how old the scars are and how his eyes lit up when he speaks of his future and fill with regret about the past. He wouldn't do it again. So I'm more afraid that Alan decides he's better off without us and just leaves."

"Alan wouldn't just leave us." Said the musician unbelieving.

"I would." Admitted Scott. When he received two questioning looks he clarified. "After John knocked some sense into me, I thought back to what we did. At was always at least three against Alan. While we never asked him about school we assumed since he didn't talk about it, he was barely passing. We kept our mouths shut when we got a bad grade an told everyone when we received an A. we never went to visit, never asked him about hobbies or friends. I wouldn't stay here if I was him. I would have stopped coming home a long time ago."

Jeff carefully wrapped a bandage around Alan's thin wrist. "Don't worry about Virgil."

"I'm not worried about that." Alan's voice was soft. "Are you only nice to me because I tried to kill myself?"

"No off course not." Jeff said shocked pulling the distraught boy in a hug. "What we did was wrong Alan, we saw our mistake and changed our ways. You should feel save and loved at home. And it's our fault you aren't. We should have noticed what our words did to you. We should have seen the way you ran away during dinner. There shouldn't be a reason why I'm nice to you. I'm nice to you because you're my son and I love you. I'm sorry I didn't show it before. It was wrong and I'm sorry."

Unknown to father and son watched Gordon from a distance, vowing that he would change his ways.

By the time Alan left for school, the atmosphere on Tracy island had changed. While the teasing still continued it was more lightly and not everyone against one.

Alan still called his sponsor every day but bad days were rare these days so they were talking about changing it to two or three times a week.

Jeff had flown out to meet with James, as both man requested. The father came home that same night with a matching bruise as Scott. Neither men spoke about it and Alan didn't dare to ask.

In the fall, Jeff took his youngest to Prague, the rest of the break Alan continued his Thunderbird training that he started to love like he did when he was younger.

When Alan had a bad day around November. He called home and because Jeff was up in five, John flew out to the apartment where Alan was staying. John ended up staying for a week before duty called and he had to return.

Every game, if there wasn't a mission shortly before, was attended by at least one family member. Thunderbirds couldn't miss anymore active operatives but for Alan, one was enough.

And when Alan returned home for Christmas, he arrived with a smile, that reached his deep blue eyes.

So this is officially the end of Hear me, there won't be anymore after this. Hope you liked reading it and don't forget to review on you way out.

Xxx Flora