Synopsis: While on their way to Asia for a vacation, Scott and Alan crash into Mount Everest and are both seriously injured. Stranded in the freezing cold, and unable to contact base, can the Tracy brothers get out alive.

Stranded

Chapter 1

Alan Tracy walked out onto the pool area carrying a large strawberry sundae. His Grandmother had discovered the recipe while cleaning out the kitchen. Alan had helped to make it, and as a treat he was allowed the first one. Unfortunately after three spoonfuls he was beginning to feel a little sick.

"I need a little help here" Alan thought. He scanned the pool area and spotted just the person he was looking for.

Smiling to himself, Alan approached the dark haired figure lying on the sunbed.

"Scott?"

"Mmm?" Scott didn't open his eyes.

"Can you do me a favour?"

"No I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because what?"

"Just because."

"Well you're a great big brother Scott. Very well, I guess I'll have to find someone else to help me eat this."

At the word 'eat' Scott's eyes snapped open. If there was one thing Scott loved almost as much as flying, it was food. Of all the Tracy family Scott had the biggest appetite.

Looking up Scott spied the strawberry sundae clasped firmly in his youngest brothers hands. His mouth began to water, he could already taste the ice cream and he licked his lips.

Alan noticed his brothers reaction and chuckled to himself. His brother could be real greedy sometimes! There was no need for a trash can when he was in the vicinity.

Alan pretended to look around. "I wonder where Gordon is? I expect he'll help me eat this. I can grab some extra strawberries in the kitchen while I'm looking for him! And some marshmallows too! I like marshmallows, they just melt in your mouth." With that Alan began to walk back towards Tracy villa.

Strawberries! Marshmallows! This was too much for Scott. He leapt off the sun bed and sprinted after his brother, shouting as he went. "Alan! Alan wait! I've changed my mind, I'll help you!"

Alan stopped and turned around to face his oncoming brother. "Oh I see. When it's something to do with food, you're just dying to help. But anything else you don't want to know."

"Ok, ok I'm sorry." Scott never took his eyes of the sundae. "But please I'm begging you, let me have some."

"Go on then. Beg."

"What?"

"Get down on your knees and beg." Alan grinned wickedly. Now was the testing time. Did Scott cherish his stomach more than his pride? Alan was about to find out.

"No Way, I'm not doing that!"

"Very well." His blonde-haired sibling took a deep breath. "GOR-"

"Alright! Alright! Jeez!" Scott glanced round to make sure no one was watching, then he slowly got down on one knee. "How's this?"

"Scott you're begging, not proposing. Put a bit of effort into it."

Scott scowled and gave his brother a look that said 'you're going to pay for this,' then slowly went on two knees. "Pleeease" Scott clasped his hands together as if praying, while at the same time thinking that this was probably one of the most embarrassing situations he had ever found himself in. "Please let me have some."

Alan tried to keep a straight face, but to no avail. First the corners of his mouth twitched violently, then he burst into full blown hysterics. "Get up you ass! You can help me, but you'll have to get another spoon from the kitchen."

Scott sprinted towards the kitchen like lightning.

Alan laughed. "I bet even Thunderbird one can't go that fast!" He thought.

Five minutes later, the eldest and youngest Tracy brothers were side by side in adjacent sunbeds, the sundae was positioned on a table between them. It was already half empty.

Alan popped another spoonful of ice-cream into his mouth. "So where are you going for your vacation?"

Their father had given Scott two weeks leave from international rescue, for a well earned break.

Scott chewed a strawberry thoughtfully. "I don't really know yet kiddo. I haven't thought about it."

"Well may I suggest a lovely sunny vacation on a tropical Hawaiian island. Sun, sea, sand and best of all-he winked at Scott-hula girls!"

Scott laughed. "Have you ever considered becoming a travel agent? I think you'd be good at it."

"Are you kidding me, sitting behind a desk all the time, tapping away on computers all day everyday? No thanks. Give me Thunderbird three any day."

"Yeah I suppose your right." Scott ate another spoonful of ice-cream, and closed his eyes trying to get rid of the brain freeze that was creeping up on him unseen, like a sniper.

Alan gave his eldest brother a comical scowl. "That's what you get for eating it so fast." He thought for a minute then smiled slyly. "You know what?"

"What?"

"Brains told me the reason why it's called 'brain freeze' is because your brain literally freezes, as if its been put in a freezer for hours on end. Also your brain cells freeze too. It can take years for them to thaw out again, and you can lose a lot of intelligence as well."

"Don't be stupid, that's not true…..is it?"

Alan shrugged. "Don't know. I'm just warning you, maybe you should ask Brains yourself. I'm sure he'll explain it to you."

Scott studied his brother carefully, trying to decide if he was telling the truth or not. Then it came to him and he grinned. "Nice try little brother, but no amount of trickery is going to get me away from this," he indicted the sundae dish which was now almost empty.

"Damn" Alan muttered under his breath, but then he looked up and smiled sweetly at Scott, an action that earned him a perplexed look from his older brother. "Don't worry Scott. You don't need ice-cream for your brain cells to freeze. Old age does that to you anyway, and lets face it you've just about reached the mark I'd say."

"Hey!" Scott prodded his dessert spoon at Alan's chest. "watch it you, or I might seriously reconsider taking you on vacation with me."

"Huh?" This was news to Alan. If Scott took one of his brothers on vacation with him, it was usually Virgil, since they were the closest. "You were gonna let me go on vacation with you?"

"Well….yeah. I spoke to Dad about it last night, and he agrees with me. You deserve a break as much as I do, what with your three month stint in Thunderbird five after Johns accident."

Just over twelve weeks ago, international rescue had been called to help a group of cavers who had become trapped, after a rockslide had struck. Virgil had used the Mole to drill an entrance, and then he and John had started getting the victims out. Unfortunately during their rescue mission there was a cave-in, and a large slab of rock had crashed down on John, causing him to fracture his right leg. Luckily Virgil had managed to drag his younger brother out, just before the cave collapsed completely. John had been taken to hospital where his leg had been put in a cast. He was told that he would need to rest his leg for at least three months. Scott and Virgil both reassured the doctor that they, and their family would see to that.

And they had. Poor John was succumbed to his bed for most of his recovery period, and he was constantly being chastised by his father, brothers and worst of all, his Grandmother, if he so much as tried to move his leg more than an inch.

His recovery had been tough on everyone, especially Alan who had to serve an extra months term on Thunderbird five. Luckily John was now fully recovered and able to go back on duty again.

"Though I don't think I should take you," Scott continued. "After the grief you gave me over the sundae."

Alan laughed. "That was hilarious! You should have seen your face when you spotted the sundae. And how desperate you sounded when you asked, sorry begged for some of it."

"Do you want to come on this vacation or not?"

"Sure I do! Err, you're not going to make me beg are you?"

"Am I really that mean?"

"Am I that meant to answer that?"

"Watch it! I'm still gonna get you back for that."

"Oh yeah? So what's your big plan of revenge then, take me on vacation with you, then leave me stranded?"

"That idea did cross my mind, but then I began to wonder what Dad would say."

"Yeah, I can hear him now." Alan impersonated his Father. "SCOTT TRACY, YOU DID WHAT! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE YOUR POOR DEFENCELESS BROTHER! YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE! I'M CONFISCATING THUNDERBIRD 1 FROM YOU YOUNG MAN! YOU WILL SPEND THE NEXT THREE, NO, SIX MONTHS DOING DUTY IN THUNDERBIRD 5 INSTEAD!"

Scott Tracy burst out laughing, and put on a mocked frightened tone: "No! Please no! Don't take Thunderbird one away from me, I couldn't take it! And for the love of God please don't send me up to Thunderbird five! There might be aliens!"

Alan, who was chewing a strawberry immediately began to choke, as he swallowed it the wrong way. His brother slapped him on the back a few times. "Jesus Al what are you trying to do, prove that people can actually die laughing?"

"Ho Ho very funny! You should be a comedian."

"Nah, not if this is the effect is has on people!"

Alan laughed and smiled at his brother. "Thanks Scott."

"What for?"

"Letting me come on vacation with you."

Scott put an arm around Alan's shoulder. "Hey no problem kiddo. Just don't annoy me too much, ok?"

"ok……..so where are we going?"

NOTE: Well that was my first chap. Don't worry the rest of your favourite Tracy bros. will come into it soon, I promise.

This is my first fan fiction, so I apologise for any mistakes I've made.