disqlaimer: Don´t own the thunderbirds :snik:

"Alan." Eighteen-year-old Scott walked toward the bed of his youngest brother. "Dad left for the mainland this morning and won't come back until tomorrow afternoon. That means that today we 'r gonna have lots of fun. "But there was no movement to be seen. "Come on little bit. It's time to get up. "

With a sigh, he pulled the covers off the bed. "Come on Al ..." To Scott's surprise was the three year old not his bed. He also wasn't in the bathroom, under the bed or in the closet. No Alan was not in his room .

Lost in thought walked the oldest downstairs, into the kitchen. "John, have you seen Alan?"

The sixteen-year-old looked up from the fridge. "No, not this morning, isn't he still in his bed?"

"No. I was just in his room and there was no one." Scott said. "I'll go looking for him. Call me when you see him, okay? "

"I'll search with you. 'John closed the fridge and walked to his older brother. "I 'll go look outside and you inside the house?" He suggested.

"Alan knows that he shouldn't go on his own outside." Said Scott.

"Alan also knows that he should eat pudding instead of wearing it and yet, every night, we have him in the bath because he is wearing the pudding. I look outside at the beach, see if he wanders around."

After an hour, Scott began to panic. Where was Alan?

Virgil and Gordon had decided to join the search aswell.

At twelve o'clock in the afternoon they met in the kitchen.

"And?" Scott asked.

"Nothing." it was sighed.

"You think he's the jungle ..." Began the thirteen year old Virgil.

"Don´t sayt that. I'll go call Dad." Scott did not want to think about the possibility that the little runaway had gone into the jungle but they lived on an island. Where can he hide?

Outside it started to storm. Thick heavy rain drops fell on the roof.

"Jeff Tracy." Was answered

"Dad? We have a problem ... "

John and Virgil drew their raincoats on. "Gordon, stay here and tell Scott that we're making another round outside okay?"

"But I want to help too." Whined the ten year old. "I want to help Alan."

"You want to help Alan?" John asked. Gordon nodded. "Then make something to eat and make sure that it is warm. If Alan is outside he must be freezing and in the event that he's inside, he must be really hungry. You must make sure that everything is ready when we find him."

Gordon saluted and ran into the kitchen.

"Come Virg." Muttered John and together they disappeared outside.

By four o'clock it stopped raining. The sky cleared up and behind the clouds began a little sun to shine. But it was still freezing outside.

A soaked John and Virgil came back. Gordon had a pile of towels and blankets on the bank. Which they thankfully accepted.

"And?"

The two boys shook their heads. "Nothing." Whispered John. "We walked around in the jungle but he's just nowhere to be seen."

"Dad's on his way home but he thinks he won´t be here until tomorrow morning." Scott sat on the couch with his face burried in his hands.

"Scott, Alan didn´t eat or drink all day and he´s outside in the cold, he may not have until tomorrow." Said John angry.

"You think I do not know." Scott snaped back as he jumped up. The two youngest looked startled. "I'm sorry." Scott fell back on the couch. "I'm just ..."

"Worried." Made John off. "I understand."

"Gordon and I go out again. You two get some dry clothes, eat something and look inside." Scott stood up and walked out. Gordon hurried after him.

John and Virgil hadn´t more than two bites of macaroni inside before they got up again and went searching further. The whole house was name "ALAN!" heard.

The sun had gone down and Alan was still nowhere to be found. It was already past bedtime for Gordon but he was too afraid to actually rest. Virgil was still running through the house, followed closely by Gordon.

"I'll call dad again." Scott muttered and walked into the office.

John looked through the window. The first stars began already in the sky ... wait STARS!

John grabbed a blanket from the couch and sprint two steps at the time. Through Alan's bedroom window, he climbed the fire stairs. Downstairs the door was firmly locked but no one had thought that Alan could climb trough his window.

"ALAN!" cried John relieved. A small Humpty looked up when his name was called but put his head down when he saw who it was. Alan looked terrible, eyes red from crying, lips blue from the cold and from head to toe drenched by the rain.

John gently pulled the blanket around the shivering child and tried to lift him up. His skin felt ice cold on John´s. Alan immediately began to struggle. "No Johnny, put me down." Alan said teeth chattering.

John crawled together, hearing how weak the voice sounded but decided not to take Alan down the stairs. If he was struggling on the stairs, he could fall.

Instead, John sat down with Alan on his lap and his arms tightly around him in an attempt to give him some warmth.

"Why are you here Alan?" John asked softly.

"I'm waiting for Mommy." Sounded barely audible. The words felt like a punch in John's face.

"Alan." Sighed John. "Mom is ..."

"I know where mommy is. Dad said at the cry meeting that mommy couldn´t be here because she is playing with the stars." Said the three-year-old with his eyes fixed on the polar star. "But I miss to play games with mommy so I wait until she comes and gets me. Then we play together. I have to stay here until mommy comes. "

"Oh Ally." Tears could not be stopped and flowed freely down his cheeks. 'Mommy can not come down. Only people up. Not down. And you're too young to go to the stars. "

Alan looked at the stars and back to John silent tears began to flow down his cheeks. "I want to go." he cried.

"Ally we can´t miss you."

"Then why aren´t you going with me?" He asked with the innocence that only children had.

"But then we miss grandma and Lady P and Parker. We can´t all go to the stars. Then it becomes too busy up there."

"I miss Mommy." Alan sobbed and buried himself in John's shirt.

"I do too sprout, me too." A few minutes continued as John was sitting with Alan in his armes. Alan's cries died down into hiccups. "Sprout, we should go inside. You must be cold and hungry." Sleepy the baby of the family nodded.

"Don´t go to Mommy without me." He murmured.

John changed his grip Alan. "Of course not."

Little hands grabbed his shirt firmly. "Promise. Big brother promise. "

Although John knew this was a promise he could not keep he grabbed the finger of Alan and made a cross on his heart. "Big brother promise."

Alan's eyes were almost closed when John heard people calling his name. "SCOTT! I'M HERE! I'VE GOT HIM! "

"WHERE?" Was called back.

"THE ROOF! LOOK OUT THE WINDOW OF ALAN 'S ROOM!" Within a few seconds, Scott's head appeard out of the window frame.

"Is he okay?" He asked tense.

Alan turned in his sleep. "He's asleep." Reported John. "Can you catch him?"

Scott nodded and John took a few steps on the stairs before he gave Alan over. "He's freezing." Scott said shocked. Scott held the baby close to him, relieved. A small hand played with Scott´s hairs, with his other hand was Alan sucking on his thumb.

"Virgil, make some hot milk and dinner. Nobody has eaten a lot today. Gordon. I want you to call Dad that Alan is found and the situation is under control. " Scott Commanded. The two run out of the room. Carefully Scott put Alan on the carpet. The baby kept his thumb in his mouth and started playing with his own hair. Still deep a sleep.

With difficulty Scott stripped him from the wet clothes , John gave him the warmest pajamas and Scott wrapped him in a dry blanket.

John wanted to pick him up but Scott had him. "I got him." the oldest assured him. Lovingly he stroked his finger over the baby's cheeks. "I got you." He repeated softly.

They walked downstairs. Scott went lying on the couch tired with the sleeping toddler on his chest. John put quietly the television on.

Virgil and Gordon came in with both a tray in their hands.

"Hey Ally. Come wake up. "Scott whispered. Watery eyes looked at him. John gave Scott a cup of warm milk and Scott helped Alan to drink some sips. The cup was half full when Alan fell asleep again.

"He's exhausted." Virgil muttered.

"Understandable." Scott rubbed Alan's back. "Why was he on the roof?" He asked to no-one special.

John's voice was barely audible. "He wanted Mom." Everyone looked at him shocked. "He wanted his mommy to come for him. 'John told what had happened on the roof. Afterwards there was silence, each absorbed in his own thoughts, the food was cold again and forgotten.

"Boys?" The sun was coming up again when Jeff came into the room. Nobody had gone to his own room, they felt the need to stay together. They had woken Alan up twice to eat something but he fell asleep almost immediately. He had a slight fever on the development but that was expected.

Half asleep, they shot up.

Jeff took his youngest over from Scott. "How long is he asleep?" He asked as he looked Alan over for signs of injury.

"He's okay Dad. He's just cold and got a light fever. "Insured Scott.

"What happend? The whole story, please. "

John told, again, what had happened on the roof. "Do you think if he remembered the funeral he also remembered the accident?" John asked with a small voice.

Jeff looked down at the innocent face of his youngest who still slept in his arms. Lucy had been on a forest walk with Alan when the avalanche buried them both. They found Alan half alive but were too late to save Lucy. Her head was hit by rocks while trying to protect the baby. Half of the blood on Alan was not his. "It might. But I hope not. "Jeff sighed. "Boys go eat something and try to get some sleep. We'll talk this afternoon. "

The three youngest nodded and walked to the kitchen. Scott stayed where he stood.

"You too son."

"It's all my fault. I should have locked the window or ... " Scott starred at the ground. "I'm sorry that I disappointed you."

"Scott if its some-ones fault, it´s mine. I said the words, I've never asked Alan what he knows, I'm never home. I'm proud of you because you took over my duties and I didn´t even have to ask. It's not your fault, believe me. Go eat and get some sleep. I watch Alan and if there is anything I get you right away. "

"Thanks." Scott kissed Alan's forehead and left the room after his brothers.

Jeff went with Alan in his arms to the infirmary and examined him thorough. He did have a fever, but otherwise everything seemed to be oke with him.

Alan was awake when they were in the living room. "Daddy." Said the sleepy toddler. "I've missed you."

"Did you?" Jeff asked with a smile. "I missed you too. Very much. "

"I thought you and mommy were going to play. By the older people." Toddler stuck his thumb back in his mouth and looked at his father expectantly.

"No. I can´t miss you yet. Look." Jeff held a cup of warm milk. "I bet you're hungry." The little one nodded and grabbed the sippycup over from his daddy. "Alan, I know you miss your mom, we all miss her but you´ve your brothers really scared yesterday. You should always tell where you are going. "

Alan's eyes looked at him quizzically. "We go together to mommy?"

"That's not happening, little bit. You must have a lot to grow up to do but one day you can go to mommy. "

"If I'm as big as Scott?" Asked the youngest innocently.

"Maybe. We´ll see okay? "Jeff felt the pain at the thought to lose Alan at that age but by that time Alan will be old enough to understand that his mother was´t playing.

Virgil came walking into the room. "Father, may I go and play with Alan?" He asked cautiously.

What hesitantly he set the toddler on the floor. Actually he wasn´t ready to let him go.

Alan ran straight to Virgil, and took his hand. He waved to his father and left the room.

By evening were all his sons lying on the pillows in the living room. Tired after a day of playing. Gordon was with Virgil on the couch. Alan was between a sleeping John and Scott, thumb in his mouth hands playing with his hair.

Everything was fine now.

21 years later

Alan walked through a hallway. It was dark but at the end, he saw a bright light.

A beautiful woman stood there waiting for him. Somehow Alan recognized her. "Mom?" He whispered as he hesitated walked towards her.

"Hello Alan." Her hand touched his cheek and shook her head sadly. "It's not your time."

The twenty-four-year-old was replaced by a three year old. "But I miss you mommy." He sobbed. Lucy lifted him up.

"And I miss you but your brothers need you more. You're too young to go playing with the star. You must wait until it is your turn. Your brothers need you now."

"They have each other." He muttered against her shoulder.

"But you're their sprout." She palmed his cheek and put the toddler on his feet. "Now go quickly to your daddy."

"I love you mommy. So much." He opened his arms to show how much

"And I love you. But you´ve to run before it is too late. "

The toddler ran away from the light back into the darkness.

Voices sounded around him. But they were choppy. Difficult to understand.

"... don´t ... sprou… don´t give... U ... please ... breath ... 3,2,1 ... clear ... nothing ... again ... 3,2,1 ..."

CLEAR!

...

Alan opened his eyes. Everything about his body was sore.

The last thing he remembered was the rescue, and then nothing. There must be gone something wrong.

The room was filled with his brothers, his father next to his bed. It reminded him of something from years ago. When he was young, and they all spent the night in the living room.

"Dad." His voice cracked.

Jeff sat up. "Alan." His hand rubbed the boy´s hair with disbelief as he looked at his son. "You're awake, I thought I'd lost you."

"It wasn´t my time to go and play with the stars. I can´t miss you yet. "Alan whispered with a small smile and closed his eyes again. "I love you."

"And we love you, Sprout." Sounded in the distance.

Nobody had noticed that another woman was in the room. She watched over father and son, like she did for years, and that will she continue to do.

Until they´re ready to come and play with the stars.

just wanted to do a one-shot. please report mistake´s so I can fix them.

Good night, sleep tight, dream of bedbugs tonight...