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Fate was something that the Tracy family actively tried to disprove. Some say it was fate for Scott to leave the Airforce and join his father in the start-up of International Rescue. Some say it was fate for Jeff Tracy to disappear so that International Rescue became what it is today. Some say it was fate for Scott to become the natural-born leader. Statements like these were said by so many people around the brothers. Scott actively told his younger brothers to ignore them. ‘There is no such thing as fate,’ Scott would say to his brothers. ‘You make your own future, no one else, no higher power, just you. You find your path and fly true.’
Scott would eventually say this less as his brothers got older. He said it most to Alan. Even though he was the youngest, Scott was worried that these talks of ‘fate’ would make Alan stray off the path that Alan’s heart wanted to take. The eldest Tracy wanted to make sure that whatever future Alan took, it was his own, not someone else’s. As such, Scott was always there to support Alan. Whether it concerned schoolwork, International Rescue or any other issue that Alan thought was small and insignificant, Scott would make sure Alan made the decisions from his heart because that’s what their father would have done. He would have encouraged his son to be his best in whatever he wanted to be.
Because of this, Scott saw Alan grow. Saw him fly higher than most people ever could. Travelled the world and beyond for that matter. He felt a huge sense of pride for his youngest and would always remind Alan that his father would be so proud of him. Then one day, he didn’t have to keep saying that. Because dad came home. They found him, turned their back against the fate of his death and saved their father, together, as a family.
“Dad?”
Scott looked over to Alan instinctively, it had been a while since Alan had called him Dad. All his younger brothers at some point had called Scott dad which didn’t hurt Scott that much, he just smiled softly and brushed it off. He could roughly remember how many times Virgil, John and Gordon called his dad. Virgil had called him Dad twice. Once not long after the Zero X incident and another time when the second eldest was suffering from a fever. John had called him Dad six times. Each time was as unique as the last, each one taking him off guard but responding with kind words of forgiveness and love. Gordon was thirty-four times. But for Alan, Scott had lost count how many times he had giving Scott the title of Dad. Scott had almost convinced himself Alan called him Dad on purpose, but he knew he never earned or deserved that title. Scott went to reply before he heard his father.
“What is it, son?” Jeff said calmly.
Scott noticed the glance his father gave from next to him, they were both at the desk looking over paperwork at the time. Scott also saw Alan glance between them both and it made him swallow nervously. He was so excited to finally let his father see what kind of man Alan had grown into and yet here he was, overstepping that fragile boundary.
“Brains just wanted to let you know that he had some ideas he wanted to discuss with you. He said it wasn’t too urgent hence why he didn’t comm you but asked me to let you know,” he said, Scott noticed the youngest still looking between himself and their father.
“Thank you, son, I’ll get down to the hangar at some point,” Jeff said, and Alan nodded before walking over to where Gordon sat, playing a game and joined in.
Scott saw his father’s head turning to look at him. He lowered his head, pretending to look like he was focusing on the papers on the desk, flicking through a few random pages to make it look like he was in deep thought, which he was. Right now, Scott was trying to find a way to explain why he reacted the way he did. He also needed to show he was sorry for overstepping that fragile boundary.
“So I think this the best-“
“How many times has Alan called you that?” Jeff asked.
Scott swallowed again nervously, he didn’t want to raise his head to face his father, to look him in the eye. To see the look of sheer disappointment and anger coming from his father facial features. But he couldn’t lie to his father. He couldn’t run either, there was nowhere to escape to.
“A few times…” Scott mumbled. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to react to Alan asking for you.”
“I’m not angry, son,” Jeff said softly, and Scott felt a hand on his shoulder.
Scott finally looked up to see his father smiling at him. He didn’t look angry or upset. He looked happy, proud even, which didn’t make sense in Scott’s eyes. He just assumed the role of father figure, next to his own father. A role he promised himself he never wanted to take away. He always wanted to remind his younger brothers of how amazing their father was, yet in some cases, they still called him dad.
“You’re not?” Scott asked quietly and Jeff shook his head.
“Why would I be angry at my son who took on the enormous task of looking after four younger brothers by himself? Why would I be angry at you for making sure that they had the best chance at life because you supported them through everything? I’m not angry Scott. I couldn’t be prouder,”
The statement took Scott by surprise, he was not expecting his father to react like that at all. He didn’t know what it was like to be a father. He had a rough idea though, from seeing how his dad acted and spoke about his younger brothers. Scott always wondered if Jeff ever said the same about him when he wasn’t around.
“I thought it would stop when you came home, that I wouldn’t even react like that.”
“It’s been second nature for you for a while,”
“You knew?”
“I had my suspicions. For starters, I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. You were always so protective of your younger brothers. You’d do anything for them.” Jeff moved to face his son properly, closing the paperwork. “When I came back, I had to do a few legal changes. During those changes, I was made aware of a few things. One of which was after Alan graduated. I had to pull a few strings to get his graduation papers because I wasn’t classed as his father on the school’s systems,”
Scott looked shaken and then looked guilty. He remembered what he had done all those years ago. The thought of changing those few important details were lost to time, overruled by so many other things that were deemed more important at the time.
“I…dad I’m sorry I just…. Alan’s school had arranged a trip to NASA and he was desperate to go. Grandma hadn’t turned up yet and even though it was only a few days after the accident I wanted him to go. He had been so excited, but it required a parent or guardian’s consent. Since Grandma wasn’t there and neither were you I… I changed the name on the system. God, I knew I should have changed it back afterwards, but I just forgot. I was so focused on my brothers I didn’t even think. So many things piled up at that time. By the time things started to calm down I…it wasn’t even on my mind,”
Scott wasn’t one to let fear and worry show itself, but the eldest found he couldn’t stop his hands from shaking. Jeff must have noticed because Scott felt his fathers hand squeeze his shoulder.
“Son. I could never be angry at you for trying to do your best and help your brothers. Those times were uncertain and in truth, that was something you never should have had to do, because you shouldn’t have been in that situation. You were a grieving son, the eldest of five brothers, you became not only head of the house but the head of the company and International Rescue. I never wanted to dump that on you. I wanted you to choose your own path, but that was taken away from you the day I got sent into space. You made it your personal mission to make sure your brother had something to look forward to in what was a devastating time. You gave him a day away, to NASA. What’s to say that that was the day he wanted to be an astronaut? What if that trip allowed him to make his mind up and want to join International Rescue? What you did, Scott, helped shaped your brother’s life. Allowed him to choose his own path and become the man he is today. Because that’s what a father does. They help their child grow and support them until the very end.”
Scott sat there shocked, mouth open slightly, unable to say anything. His father was right. He did want the best for Alan, he would do anything to make sure any of his younger brothers had what they needed in order to chase their future.
“I just did what you would have done,” Scott said, finally finding his voice.
“No son. You did so much better.”