Leaving

Leaving the ones you love behind is like wrenching your heart out of your chest. It leaves you confused and broken hearted

Well, I'm back with TAS Part 6: Leaving Trilogy Part 3: Leaving

CPS: Child Protection Service

I do not own Thunderbirds or Dance with My Father Again [I changed a couple of the lyrics! Just thought I should let you know that] or Never Be Forgotten

WARNING: THE "F-WORD" IS USED IN THIS CHAPTER. IF THIS BOTHER'S YOU…Um… ignore it…

Another thing, if you see that I am writing a flashback and then you see .~*~. Then that just means that someone has begun telling another memory. If that last sentence made no sense whatsoever, you have my sympathy.

In this chapter, there are MAJOR mentions of Child Abuse. Prepare the tissues people!

Beta- Shadowfox8

Now, in this chapter, we meet someone who may hold the secret of Alex's past and the fate of Alan Tracy.

Any other kinds of mistakes are mine and mine alone!

Enjoy

Alex sighed. He hated wearing casts with a passion. At first, he had decided that as soon as he was able, he was going to chuck the damn thing off a cliff. But then he changed his mind. Virgil had painted the Thunderbirds on it, all five of them. But he had made them in the shape of actual birds, only in different colors and had a thunderstorm in the background. Alex had thought that it was rather clever. So when he would finally be able to remove the cast, he vowed that he was going to keep both halves and put them on display.

But for now…he was going to attempt to relieve the itch that spread across underneath the cast.

"Alex," Virgil warned as he walked past the lounge chair where Alex was currently sitting.

"What?" the fourteen-year-old asked innocently, removing his right arm from his cast. "I ain't doin' nuttin."

Virgil sighed, knowing that Alex tended to shift back to the way he used to speak before he stowed away on TB2, which Virgil was still a little mad about. But before he had a chance to comment, Scott walked up.

Alex eyed the eldest Tracy brother warily. He still wasn't sure what to expect from him. After they had rescued him from the river two weeks ago, Scott had started acting nicer. But that was the whole problem. Alex wasn't sure if Scott was just acting or if he really meant it. "Scotty?" the wary teen asked.

Scott smiled and sat down next to him. Virgil immediately sat on Alex's other side. "Virge, I'm not going to hurt him. I just want to talk," Scott said, glaring at his younger brother.

Virgil looked at Alex, who nodded, and then got up and walked up to the outdoor kitchen, keeping an eye on the two.

Alex looked back at Scott then out at the sunset. It was a long while until Scott spoke. "Alex, I just…I just want to apologize for the way I've been acting."

Both Alex and Virgil's eyes opened wide. They had not expected this.

Scott continued. "When you stowed away on Thunderbird 2 and Dad, Virgil, and Gordon found you and brought you to the infirmary… When you first woke up and said my name, you reminded me so much of Alan…" Scott continued telling Alex about what had happened seven years ago and the event that took place after. He included his thoughts and feelings.

Alex stayed silent through it all, closing his eyes. His head was beginning to hurt, but he didn't stop Scott.

"Well, what I want to ask is…is if we could…start over?"

Alex stayed silent for a few minutes before turning to Scott. He held out his right hand and said, "Hi, I'm Alex. What's your name?"

Scott laughed and took Alex's hand. "Greetings, Alex. My name is Scott Tracy."

Back in the outdoor kitchen, Virgil breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe, just maybe, things were beginning to look up.

Jeff took that moment to walk out onto the patio with Gordon behind him. John had been taken back up to Thunderbird 5 a week before, leaving Alex rather sad. Jeff took one look at the scene in front of him before leaning over and whispering into Virgil's ear. "Uh, what just happened?"

Virgil looked up at his father and smiled. "They made up. They're starting over."

"You're serious?" Gordon asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yup."

"'Bout time!"

Alex and Scott turned and looked at the trio. Both sported happy smiles, though Alex's was still just a little wary. "What are you guys doing out here, Dad?" Scott asked.

"I need to talk to my boys." Alex looked away at that. Jeff noticed and continued. "That includes you, Alex. I see you as one of my boys as well." Hearing this, Alex beamed ear to ear. Jeff quietly added in his mind, 'Besides, you're the main topic of tonight's discussion. And you're going to hate me for it.'

Scott and Alex got up and joined the group at the table. All fell silent as Alex looked from one "brother" to another. "What's going on?" he asked, not liking the tense mood one bit.

"Alex, you falling off that cliff proved to me just how dangerous this island is to a teenager. We've been here a lot longer, and we still haven't seen all there is to see. The jungle is just too danger-"

"You're sending me away," Alex said, head leaning forward and his bangs creating a dark shadow over his eyes.

"Alex-" Gordon began. Alex looked up at him, his eyes devoid of any emotion. They were the kind of eyes that sent shivers down each Tracy's back. "I agree with Dad. This island isn't safe for you."

"I understand. I'll go pack." Alex quickly got up and walked toward his bedroom, leaving the Tracys in shock.

"That went well," Gordon whispered, getting up and going the opposite direction.

Scott got up and followed Alex. When he got to Alex's room, he stopped outside the door, which was opened a crack. He was about to knock when he heard Alex…singing? He peered through the crack in the door to find Alex hugging his knees in a corner and singing quietly to himself, tears glistening on his face.

Back when I was a child

Before life removed all the innocence

My father would lift me high

And dance with my mother and me and then

Spin me around until I fell asleep

Then up the stairs he would carry me

And I knew for sure that I was loved…

If I could get

Another chance

Another walk

Another dance with him

I'd play a song that would never ever end

How I'd love, love, love to dance with my father again…

If I could steal

One final glance

One final step

One final dance with him

I'd play a song that would never ever end

Cause I'd love, love, love to dance with my father again

I know I'm praying for too much

I know you don't do it usually

But dear Lord my soul's dying to dance with my father again…

Every night I'd fall asleep

This is all I ever dream…

Scott felt tears streak his face as he listened. He knocked on the door. There was some shuffling before he got a reply.

"Come in," came the sad reply.

Scott walked in just as Alex wiped the tears from his eyes and sat on the bed. He motioned for Scott to join him. They sat in silence.

"Alex, why were you singing that song?" Scott asked, not able to take the silence any longer.

Alex sighed. "All I can remember of my real father is that he used to dance with me and my mother… I was very young… Dad was so happy… Then, something happened. I don't know what, but Dad started working later and later… Then, one day… I don't know… All I remember is the screeching of breaks and someone telling me that I was an orphan… the next thing I knew is that I find myself in Adam and Judy Frost's home…

"I became their slave… I wasn't allowed to live inside. My "room" was in a tree house. It barely had any roof, and I lived out there during spring, summer, fall, winter…snow, rain, sleet, hail… I wasn't allowed to stay inside at night…"

Flashback

"What the f*ck do you think you're doing in here?!" Adam Frost screamed at the seven-year-old, who had a couple thin blankets wrapped around his shivering thin form.

"I-it's c-c-cold o-outs-s-side!" the little boy cried.

Adam swung his arm drunkenly, his fist slamming against Alex's cheek. "Do I give a damn?! Well? Do I!?" the drunken man bellowed.

Alex felt blood trickling down his chin from the corner of his mouth. He had bitten the inside of his cheek when Adam had struck him and did it hurt.

"Get out! Get you damn effing ass back outside!" Adam screamed, slamming his empty beer bottle against the side of the child's head.

Alex's vision swam for only a moment before everything went black.

End Flashback

Scott's eyes widened in shock and anger.

"I remember when I first arrived there…"

Flashback

"Wake up, you damn brat! Quit sleepin! You haven't earned your rest!" Adam boomed loudly as a very young Alex struggled to escape the dark pit he found himself trapped in.

"Daddy?" he asked, immediately regretting it as Adam's fist connected with his jaw.

"Don't you ever call me that, you effing bastard! You are not worthy of talking to me!"

Alex began to cry as more blows followed his father's drunken tirade.

.~*~.

"Boy! Cook our dinner!" Judy Frost screeched from the couch.

A seven-year-old –almost eight- Alex Frost cried. "But Daddy says I'm not supposed to go near the stove! I could gets burned!" he sobbed.

Adam got up from the ragged recliner, beer bottle in hand. He walked toward the boy menacingly, pulling a lighter out of his back pocket. "You want to know what it's like to get burned?" Reaching out, he grabbed Alex's arm before the child had a chance to run, and flicked open the lighter cap.

Alex's eyes were wide with fear as Adam brought the cigarette lighter closer and closer to his bruised arm…

.~*~.

A scrawny-looking nine-year-old watched as children played in their backyards. Adam and Judy had told him time and time again that he was not to play with them, but Alex was a child. Since when do children listen to their parents? Besides, it looked like they had a fun game going on.

The kids were playing soccer in the field behind his/her backyards. Alex watched them painfully. He wanted to play! Alex looked around 'his' yard and, not seeing Adam or Judy, made his way down the tree. Not through the trapdoor, no, no, but over the railing and down some branches.

As his feet touched the ground, Alex felt triumphant. He sprinted towards the group, stumbling several times before he reached the group.

"Can I play?" the abused boy asked.

The boys and girls in the group -varying between - took one look at Alex, their disgust shining in their eyes. That is, until one older blond girl, Lucy, walked over to him and took his hand. "Play," she said simply as she dragged him over to the others. She then quickly instructed him on how to play and placed him on her team. She took the soccer ball from one of the older boys and told everyone to get ready to play again.

Alex smiled his first true smile in a long time as he ran around with the kids. 'I like Lucy. She's nice,' he thought to himself as the soccer ball came towards him. He kicked it to Lucy, who was on his team, and she kicked it into the goal -a log on the other side of the field. Lucy smiled at him.

Darkness began to fall as one-by-one, the children left, leaving just Lucy and Alex kicking the ball back and forth.

Flashback interrupted

"That doesn't seem too bad," Scott interrupted.

Alex just looked at him, his eyes brimming with tears. "Oh, yeah. It was a fun few days. I managed to sneak out a couple times during the day when I had been sent to my "room." Until the bastards found out."

Flashback resumed

Alex was running around the field again with Lucy, Billy, Jeffry, Fiona, Tess, and Lee, playing soccer. Alex had just scored a goal when he heard Adam screaming his name. Alex turned just in time for Adam's fist to connect with his face. Alex fell to the ground with a startled cry.

Lucy ran toward her friend. "Leave him alone!" the twelve-year-old screamed at the much older man as she kicked him in the shin. Several of the other kids just stood by and watched. One even ran home.

Adam roared and slapped Lucy across the face, causing her to fall next to Alex, who could only watch in horror. Alex didn't know what brought on his sudden rage as he stood up and attacked Adam. "Get the hell away from her you bastard!" he shouted, using some of the names Adam and Judy referred to him as.

Adam's eyes were filled with anger as he threw Alex against the log-goal. "You no-good-rotten-son-of-a-bitch-bastard!" he screamed, stepping towards him.

That's when the police arrived. Two of them grabbed Adam while the other two helped Alex and Lucy.

"What seems to be the problem here?" one of the officers helping Alex and Lucy asked.

Lucy spoke. "He attacked us for no reason. I could smell heavy alcohol on his breath. He probably lost his job, got drunk, and took his anger out on Alex. Though, I don't know why he went after him."

Alex just stayed silent through all of this.

The two police officers had pinned Adam on the ground, handcuffing his hands behind his back. "Well, Mister, we're going to take you downtown and let you sleep it off. You'll be lucky if those two don't press charges for assault."

Adam just looked at Alex, malice and the longing to maul shining darkly in his eyes. Alex just gulped.

End Flashbacks

"I don't even want to remember what happened next," Alex cried. "In fact, I can't. All I remember is that a few days later we packed up and moved to Manchester, New Hampshire. I…I never saw Lucy again…"

By this time, the tears were falling down the teen's face in torrents. Scott didn't know what to say. He couldn't believe what he was being told as Alex continued telling him his past. Each horror was worse than the previous. Scott wanted to barf at most of them, but he didn't, for Alex's sake.

It was well over an hour before Alex completely broke down, unable to continue. Neither occupant of the room was aware that they had been overheard.

"I don't wanna go back!" Alex cried, wrapping his arms around Scott's midriff.

Scott wrapped his arms around the teen's small frame, resting his head on the crying teen's blond mop of blond hair.

~Thunderbirdsarego~

John Tracy couldn't believe what he had just heard. Scott had apparently been unaware that he had accidentally called John via watch. "Dear God," he found himself whispering, feeling physically sick to his stomach. He was glad there was a trash can nearby as he reached for it and got it to his mouth just as he threw up the fifteen chocolate bars he had just eaten with the gravity off.

Wiping the vomit from around his mouth, he made his way to the bathroom, where he proceeded to wash his mouth out in the sink. When he finished that, he cupped his hands, put them under the running cool water, made a little "pool", and threw the "pool" at his face.

He stood there for who knows how long, starring at the mirror in horror. He could still hear Alex's words echoing in his mind.

Finally, John stopped starring at the mirror and walked back towards the control room. Immediately, he contacted the other family member's watches.

"John? What is it?" Jeff asked.

"Yeah, what cha want?" Gordon asked, slightly annoyed.

"I was trying to resort my medicine cabinet in the infirmary!"

"Well, I just called to inform you that when Alex's "parents" are apprehended, I'm going to personally come back to Earth and kick their effing asses."

"Language!" Jeff scolded.

"Johnny, I didn't know you swore! I'm so proud!"

"Gordon, shut up!" Virgil was heard shouting.

"What brought this up, John?" Jeff asked.

"Just listen to what I just recorded from Scott's watch. Scott went to go and talk to Alex…hold it… What happened between those two?"

"They made up," all three answered at the same time.

"Oh. Anyway, Scott apparently went to talk to Alex, and the following conversation took place. Trust me, by the time you finish listening to this, you'll be prepared to kill those bastards as well." He then replayed the recording he had made of Alex's confession, ignoring Jeff's cry of "Language!"

He watched as each of their expressions changed from confused to angry, to furious, to absolutely pissed, and that still didn't cover it. Inwardly, John was doing the exact same thing. If looks could kill, the Frosts would be dead right about now.

"Dear God Almighty. I'm going to join you in your quest, Johnny!" Gordon practically said through gritted teeth.

"I second that notion," Virgil agreed.

"Dad?" John asked when Jeff didn't answer.

There was no answer.

"Dad?" Virgil asked. "Where on earth did he go?"

~Thunderbirdsarego~

Jeff Tracy practically ran from his office to Alex's room. He knocked on the door, waited a few seconds, and then opened the door. "Alex? Scott?"

"Shhh…" came Scott's hushed voice. Jeff looked at his son, surprise evident in his eyes. Alex was sleeping in Scott's arms, reminding Jeff of when Alan used to do the exact same thing. In fact, if Jeff didn't know any better, he would've said that is was Alan.

"How's he doing?" Jeff asked as he sat down next to Scott and gently caressed Alex's blond mop.

"How-?"

"You left your watch on. We heard everything."

"Well what do ya know? These annoying things actual came in handy."

The room fell silent, save for Alex's quiet snoring.

"Dad?" Scott quietly asked, not looking up from where he stared at the scar Alex had gotten across his forehead from his fall. "Who… Who would do that to a child? What monster could do this to an innocent?"

Jeff didn't speak for a long time. His face took on a thoughtful look. "Well, the only ones who can answer that question…are the ones who committed the crime." Jeff's expression turned from thoughtful to a look of pure determination. "When they are found, I swear on my honor as a Thunderbird that they will pay for what they've done."

~Thunderbirdsarego~

"We're going to miss you, Sprout!" Virgil called as Alex boarded Tracy One.

"Don't give your new family any trouble!" Scott called, waving at the teen.

Alex wanted to wave back, but something stopped him from doing so. He stayed silent, not wanting to show the confusion that he hid behind the "mask" he wore. He couldn't understand the feelings he felt. The only thing he knew for certain was that they made him want to cry.

.~*~.

Gordon looked at the boy he considered a little brother sadly. He didn't want to send him away, but they had no choice. The CPS had found Alex a home in Iowa with the Forresters on their farm.

He had seen Alex's reaction when they had told him he was leaving. He had seen Alex take on a look in his eyes that was devoid of any emotion. That look scared Gordon more than he would ever admit. It reminded him of when Alex had first opened his eyes in the infirmary three months ago.

Gordon sighed as he sat on the opposite side of the aisle as Alex. He watched as the teen barely registered that he was there; instead, he just stared out the plane window as the jet took off.

'Alex,' Gordon whispered in his mind, 'I'm sorry…'

.~*~.

Jeff felt as if he was letting Alex down. Hell, he didn't want to leave Alex with strangers when those…monsters were still on the loose. He couldn't help but feel guilty that he was leaving Alex to fend for himself.

'Stop this, Jeff. You said you would keep Alex on the island until the CPS found a home for him. They've done that.

'You've gotten attached, Jeff. You told yourself you weren't going to do that. Alex is not Alan. You know that. Alan was killed seven years ago. There is no way he could still be alive,' he scolded himself as he flew the plane.

He thought back to two years after Alan's kidnapping.

Flashback

"Have you found anything?" Jeff Tracy asked Jethro Floyd of the FBI, the man in charge of the Tracy Kidnapping Case.

Jethro looked at the man who seemed to have aged twenty years over the past year from behind his desk. He felt sorry for the man whose child had been kidnapped. "I'm sorry, Mr. Tracy. There's been nothing. No ransom note, no pictures, nothing. After a year…it's highly unlikely that your son is still alive. Hell, it'd be a miracle if the child were still alive. Kidnappers rarely let them live after a week.

"I'm sorry, but the trail has gone cold. We've had to place your case in the Cold Case Files. There's nothing more we can do until we get a lead."

That was when Jeff Tracy slid off his chair to his knees and wept.

End Flashback

'I'm sorry, Alan… I'm so, so sorry… I wasn't given a chance to rescue you, but now… I've been given a chance to rescue another boy. This time, I'll make sure he goes to a decent family who will love him,' the Tracy father thought.

~Thunderbirdsarego~

"Scott, when is Brains going to be back with John?" Virgil asked, referring to the fact that due to Jeff and Gordon going to take Alex to the States, Scott and Virgil were the only ones left on the island that were capable of flying the Thunderbirds.

"Well, he left a couple hours before Dad, Gordo, and Alex left, so soon. Probably within the next thirty minutes," Scott said shortly from the lounge chair.

"I just hope that no one needs rescuing in that amount of time. We'd be screwed."

Scott nodded. "Man, it's gonna get real quiet around here without Alex here to "help" Gordon with his pranks. I swear, it's the Terrible Two all over again."

"You know? Alex is a lot more like Alan than we know. I swear, it's like getting a part of Alan back." Virgil suddenly realized what he had just said. He looked over at his brother. "Scott, I didn't mean-"

Scott had gotten up when Virgil had said that it was like getting a part of Alan back. He began to walk towards the jungle. "No one, not even Alex, can ever hope to replace Alan. Don't you forget that." With that said, he walked into the trees and past Tin-Tin and Fermat, not even saying hello.

Tin-Tin looked surprised as she and Fermat walked over to Virgil. "What did you say?" she asked.

"Something rather stupid." With that, Virgil walked toward the house.

Fermat looked up at the Malaysian girl. "I h-hate it w-when w-we're left o-out of everyt-t-thing."

Tin-Tin just nodded.

~Thunderbirdsarego~

"Alex?"

Alex turned at Gordon's voice. "Huh?" he asked, trying to act cheerful.

Gordon saw right through his act. "Alex, I know you don't want to go, but…it's for the best. I…I don't want to see you get hurt in that jungle again. You have no idea how scared I was of losing you."

Alex looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry."

"Alex, look at me," Gordon must've said that a bit harsher than he had meant too, for Alex visibly flinched away. Gordon took a deep breath and spoke again. "Alex, it wasn't your fault. None of us knew that cliff was there. If it were anyone's fault, it would be Scott's and mine. We started the fight that made you run off and for that, I apologize."

Alex still didn't look up.

Gordon sighed. Then, he had a bright idea. Knowing that Brains was going to kill him later, he took off his watch and handed it to Alex. "Alex, if you ever need to talk to any of us, or if you are in any danger, just call us on this watch."

This time, Alex looked up in shock. "But, Gordon-"

"No 'buts'. I want you to have it. 'Sides, I have about two more of these back home." Gordon smiled warmly as Alex's frown turned into a smile. Taking Alex's right arm, Gordon put the watch on the teen's wrist.

"Gordon? Thanks."

Gordon just beamed. "Now, you can contact any of us. There's also a panic button and a tracker embedded within that thing, but the panic button is only to be used in emergencies, got it?"

Alex nodded and looked at his gift with astonishment. Less than two seconds later, he launched himself at Gordon, enveloping him in a hug. "!!!!"

Gordon just laughed as he attempted to get out of the teen's grasp, but to no avail. Alex's grip was tight.

~Thunderbirdsarego~

John Tracy sat on top of the circular library, which covered TB3's silo, staring at the stars. He remembered seven years ago, when he had been sitting on the Tracy's tree-house roof [it was a large tree-house], staring at the stars. He could remember a neighbor's radio playing loudly, a certain song standing out to him.

Flashback

John lay under the uppermost branches of the trees in their backyard. He was lying on top of the tree-house roof, staring up at the blanket of stars in the night sky. His thoughts raced from angry to frantic to fear to sorrow.

The neighbor's radio was blaring loudly. John was about to begin yelling in annoyance when he heard a song.

I'll always see your face
The corner of your smile
And all the little things that no one will ever know
Like it was yesterday, won't ever fade away
Goodbye is just a word that I will never say

You will never be forgotten
A million days could pass us by
But what is time but just a dream
Oh I still feel you here with me
You're more than a memory
Oh you will never be forgotten

I can't hold your hand
Or look into your eyes
And when I talk to you
It just echoes in my mind
But if hearts are made of dust
And if we fell from the stars
I look up tonight and know just where you are

You will never be forgotten
A million days could pass us by
But what is time but just a dream
Oh I still feel you here with me
You're more than a memory
Oh you will never be forgotten

And the world just keeps on going
It has no way of knowing
That you're gone

You will never be forgotten
A million days could pass us by
But what is time but just a dream
Oh I still feel you here with me
You're more than a memory
Oh you will never be forgotten

Tears streaked the blond Tracy's face as that song continued to echo in his mind. 'That song is true. No matter how many years pass, Alan will never be forgotten. No matter the distance between us, whether it be inches, feet, miles, light-years, Alan will always remain in our hearts. Scott may have given up on you being found alive, but I will never ever give up on my baby brother.'

End Flashback

'That's still true. In my mind, I can still see his smile…' John thought back for a minute, remembering Alan's cheerful smile. The image was suddenly replaced by Alex's cheerful smile -a complete replica to Alan's.

"Oh, my God!" Without further thought, John jumped up and raced towards the trapdoor in the library roof. "Why the hell didn't I see it?! He looks exactly like him, talks and acts like he used too… Why the hell didn't I see it?!" he screamed at the heavens.

He had to get to Brains' lab. He had to get there. NOW!

~Thunderbirdsarego~

Jeff sighed as he sat back in the pilot's seat after turning off the jet engines. After several hours, they had finally arrived in Iowa.

This was Alex's final stop. This is where Alex would hopefully live for many, many, years. Here in Iowa…he would be safe.

Jeff unbuckled, got up, and made his way to the passenger's area of the jet. What he saw made him smile. Gordon was sitting next to Alex, his head leaning back against the chair and his arm wrapped around Alex's shoulders, while Alex rested his head on Gordon's shoulder. Both were in a deep sleep and Jeff hated to wake them.

But, before he did anything, Jeff opened a special compartment in the wall and pulled out his digital camera. He then quietly took a picture of the two. He smirked as he hid the camera again.

He then proceeded to put on his sunglasses on and went to go and wake the two sleeping teens. Well, Gordon was an adult, but he still acted like a teenager. Sometimes Jeff really wondered about the family prankster.

"Gordy," he said quietly as he gently shook Gordon's shoulder –the one Alex wasn't resting his head on. Gordon shifted slightly, not wanting to wake up. "Gordon," Jeff repeated sternly, using his 'Military Voice'. Gordon's eyes shot open as he used his right hand to salute.

"Yes, sir!"

Jeff wanted to laugh at his son's expression. It was a rather stern expression, one usually supplied by Military folks. "Gordon, don't act so informal. It's not natural."

Gordon looked up at his father in astonishment. 'Dad's…joking around?'

This time, Jeff couldn't hold back the laughter as Gordon's facial expression turned from stern to dumbfound to thunderstruck. "We're here," he said after he caught his breath.

Gordon's expression changed to sadness. "Dad, why don't we just- No. The island is too dangerous for him. I don't want to see him get hurt." Gordon sighed, hating himself as he attempted to wake Alex up. The boy wouldn't stir. Gordon saw immediately that he was in a deep, deep sleep. Gordon looked helplessly at his father.

Jeff sighed as he bent down and carefully placed his arms under Alex's knee's and armpits. He then carefully stood up, wincing slightly at how much the teenager weighed as he made his way to the door.

Gordon followed his father, grabbing Alex's backpack as he went. He then hurried on ahead and opened the door, and released the stairs, all the while pulling on his bright yellow shades.

Jeff stepped out into the darkness that covered Spencer, Iowa. Night had fallen and he was wearing shades. Well, in order to protect his identity from reporters, he kinda had too. But if Tracy One wasn't already a big giveaway…

Jeff walked down the pullout stairs slowly, making sure that Alex's head didn't snap back from where it was lying on Jeff's chest. It honestly felt as if Jeff was carrying his baby boy again. Alan had been known to fall in such a deep sleep when he was younger that no amount of prodding would wake him. Well, a bucket of ice cold water would work, but Jeff didn't want to resort to that.

Three men and one woman waited on the runway, standing in front of a dark Chevy with the headlights turned down low. They looked slightly shocked that Jeff was carrying the boy as the woman rushed up to him.

She was wearing a simple blue dress with her brown hair tied up in a ponytail. She was quite young, maybe mid-twenties. She looked as if she worked hard day and night; her lovely tanned skin could account for that. Her blue eyes shined magnificently in the moonlight. "Is he alright?" she asked.

Jeff nodded. "He's asleep."

Gordon stood next to his father, frowning. The woman noticed this and asked, "What's wrong, honey?"

Gordon was shocked that the woman would refer to him as 'honey' that it took him a minute to respond. "I just quite an attachment to the kid. I'm sorry to see him go," he said quietly.

The woman held out her hand. "My name is Allison. Allison Forrester."

Gordon took her hand and shook it. "Gordon."

Allison leaned forward. "We've already been informed about who you really are. Don't worry, we won't tell, Mr. Tracy."

"Woah, woah. Mr. Tracy is my father. I'm just Gordon. Wait…who told you?"

Allison smirked. "Well, what would International Rescue be doing flying Tracy One?"

Gordon decided immediately that he liked this woman.

One of the men came forward and placed his hand on Allison's shoulder. He held out his other hand to Gordon, seeing as how Jeff had his hands full. "I'm Nick Forrester. And I would like to thank you again."

This time, both Jeff and Gordon looked confused. "Huh?" Gordon wisely asked.

"Don't you remember? It's because of you, Mr. Tracy, that we have a daughter. Her name is Ember. She once was an abused kid that you rescued, Mr. Tracy, from the very same family that you rescued Alex from," Allison said. "Though, I do wonder where she got a brother. She didn't have a brother when she came to live with us… and I doubt that the CPS would let them ever adopt another child."

Jeff was about to ask what she was talking about when the CPS man took Alex from his arms and carried him to the car while the other CPS man took his backpack from Gordon. "We'll take it from here. You'd better get out of here before the press arrives. They saw your jet come in. I daresay that they will be here within ten minutes."

Jeff nodded, gave Alex one last look, then went back up the pullout stairs. Gordon quickly, but sadly, followed. Within ten minutes, the jet was up in the air, leaving the Forresters, the CPS men, and Alex Frost behind.

~Thunderbirdsarego~

2 weeks later…

Alex Fro- No, Alex Forrester sighed as he looked out the window. Nick and Allison Forrester had instantly adopted him when they saw him. Alex liked them okay, but a part of his heart was empty. The same emptiness that had filled his heart for seven years, but had been temporarily filled four months ago. The emptiness had returned two weeks ago, when Alex had woken up in a stranger's home.

He had panicked, asking a girl with black and blue hair where the hell he was. She had simply told him that he was in his new home. He didn't understand. Where were Gordon and Mr. Tracy? When he asked this, she said she didn't know. Then two more strangers had entered the room. They told him that the Tracys had dropped him off. They had wanted to say goodbye but he had been in a deep sleep and they couldn't wake him up.

'Yeah,' Alex now thought as he watched his new sister, Ember, sitting in the shade reading a book, 'They must've really wanted to say goodbye. They could've tried harder to wake me up. I wonder if they would even cared if I died…'

He watched Ember glance at him before she closed her book, got up, and walked towards the house. He heard the front door open, but no longer cared.

"Alex."

He gave no answer.

"Alex!"

Finally, Alex turned to look at his older sister. "What?" he asked irately.

"Don't even think what I know you're thinking," the pale girl said, glaring at him.

He crossed his arms. "And what might that be?"

Ember sighed. "Alex, when I first came here, I was just like you. The Tracy's, too, had rescued me from my abusive parents. My parents were once employees of Tracy Industries. I don't know what caused them to be fired, but the CPS took me away from them and left to live with Mr. Tracy until they could find a more permanent home for me.

"I remember playing with the Tracy sons, who showed me what it was to be free. I remember little Alan Tracy… He used to follow me around."

"Two weeks later, I was taken in by the Forresters. After a rocky year, they adopted me. It was during that time that I learned that Alan Tracy had been kidnapped. I knew who had taken him. I had seen my parents drive by the Tracy house several times during my stay there. Somehow they had found out that that was where I was currently residing. I saw them eyeing Alan several times, but when they saw me looking at them, they drove away as fast as possible."

"I'm just sorry I never told anyone until now. It might've saved the Tracy's so much pain."

Alex looked at her, confused. "What does this have to do with me?"

Ember looked him in the eye. "A lot. My real name is Katie. Katie Frost. We changed my name to Ember Forrester in order to protect me. Adam and Judy Frost were my real parents. There is no way they can be your real parents, considering that you are now fifteen, and I'm sixteen. I know that the CPS would prevent Adam and Judy from adopting another child to terrorize. So the only logical thing is that you were kidnapped.

"I know who you really are. I'm just surprised the Tracy's don't."

"Mail's here!" Allison called from the kitchen. Alex used the excuse to get away from his insane 'sister.' He ran out of the room and into the kitchen.

"Hey…Mom…" he said. Allison beamed at what he called her. She didn't say anything, just handed him a letter. Alex took the letter and ran outside. He needed to think.

Alex climbed a tree with low-hanging branches and sat in the crook of the tree. He leaned his head back against the large branch. 'What was Ember talking about? She's totally lost it! There is no way that I am Alan Tracy. If I was, then why wasn't I rescued years ago?' he mentally shouted as he opened his letter.

Less than a minute later, the letter fell from his hands to his lap in shock. "Oh, shit. This has got to some kind of sick joke."

The letter read the following:

We know where you are, Alex.

We're coming to get you.

This time, you will not escape.

Leave the Forresters.

Ignore us, and your "parents" pay the price.

A&J Frost

Well, that certainly was long. The longest part I've ever written… I'm just cruel. I love to torture y'all! Major cliffy!

So tell me, who do you like the best? Ember? Nick? Allison?

Leave your VOTE in your REVIEWS

Anyway, has Ember completely lost it? Or does she really know the secret about Alex's past? Is Alex really Alan Tracy? If so, then how the hell did the Tracy's not figure it out?

I may have gone a little off from the original plot I had written for this part…but the next one shall be the plot I wrote for part 7! I swear it!

Hm... Maybe "swear" is too strong a word... But I'll try!!!!!!

Until next time!

Uzumaki Fenix