Authors Notes: The prequel to this story wasn't well reviewed so I thought I'd just move on. There are more stories in my head than I'll ever be able to put in written form and to make things worse I keep coming up with more. But my daughter likes this story and knew that I started a sequel before I found this fan fiction sight, I've run out of excuses for not finishing it and she is trying to make it worth my while to do so. It will be slow going because I am going to keep up with my other writing some of which I actually hope to get paid for. But I promise to finish this story eventually.

Also as a point of interest this story starts where the last one left off so if you haven't read 'Unapproved Emotions' this story might make more sense if you do.

Double Trouble

Chapter 1

Scott emerged from the mine one last time. He and his fellow rescuers, who were also his brothers, were so covered with mine residue that they were black and totally unrecognizable. Exhausted Scott still felt a high he had grown accustomed to. The high of knowing he and his teammates and made a difference in the lives of 43 miners. Both men and women who had been trapped when an earth tremor collapsed the opening of the mine sealing them in to what was certain to become their grave.

"Thunderbird one calling base, This is Thunderbird one calling base." Scott called into his radio as he his brother began backing the 'Mole', a specialized piece of rescue equipment, into the cargo bay of Thunderbird two. This was the team's second rescue at the same mine in two weeks. His brother Virgil was still limping from the crushed foot he received the last time. It was necessary to keep him in the mole this time

"This is base, go ahead Thunderbird one. What is your status?"

"All 43 miners are accounted for and above ground." Scott reported as he glanced toward Allen who was aiding the last of the miners onto the bus that would take them to the hospital to receive treatment. "I'm afraid that we'll be back again though there are people here already setting up a plan to get the mine open again."

"Message received," came the weary response over the radio. "I'll inform Penny and see if she can have an influence otherwise."

"FAB Dad, be informed that we should be in rout to base in five minutes."

"Radio in with an ETA as soon as you're in the air," Scott was instructed. "Oh, and your wife called to say she would be late tonight. She said she'd call back to let you know when to come get her."

At first Scott tried to understand the coded message he was sure was being sent then he remembered. Seventy-five hours ago he had married the woman of his dreams in a rushed wedding so that his brother John could attend before he was to return to the space station for an extended tour of duty.

"FAB Dad we'll hurry home," Scott sighed. It wasn't all a dream, still it was. Scott took one more good look at the equipment being loaded and the dirt covering it. There was a lot of work to do to get it all cleaned up and ready for the next mission and with both Brains and Gordon helping John install a new generator in the space station they were already short handed. Dad still needed to take it easy while he finished recovering from a tricky Gall bladder surgery so Scott would have no choice but to pitch in. His honeymoon would just have to wait a little bit longer.

Scott fiddled with his wedding ring under his glove. Everything still felt so unreal, so totally unbelievable.

It all started on a rescue not so different than the one he had just finished. The biggest difference was that he had gone one step further into the danger zone than usual by getting out of the equipment to help lift victims from a basement they had been trapped in. When another collapse closed the opening that had been created and dropped a huge chunk of debris on top of him. He should have been a goner that day and he would have been if it weren't for a feisty medical worker who just wouldn't give up, and wouldn't leave any one behind. Some how she managed to get Scott and seven children through a maze of ancient underground catacombs until the Thunderbirds could find and rescue them. Not all was perfect though, Scott's injuries were severe enough that he couldn't fly or help out on missions for several months. During which time he was convinced to spend some time at a remote medical camp where he could learn how to use some amazing miniature medical treatment devises. It wasn't a total coincidence that the very same medical worker who had pulled him through the tunnels was his teacher at the camp. After spending nearly three months at the side of the rather famous Laura Linstone, Scott returned to full duty with the Thunderbirds but he found that Laura was never far from his mind. After months filled with regret that he had let her disappear and every attempt to find her reaching a dead end Scott nearly gave up. But his father and brothers had noticed something was different about him and during a late night father son talk his father joined in on the search.

When John summoned him to the space station to administer medical treatment Scott learned that he had had Laura's phone number in his medical bag all along. Scott was surprised to learn that his father just happened to be with Laura Linstone when he called for help. However he wasn't surprised that Laura was willing to make a house call to outer space to remove shrapnel from John and treat a problem that had been ignored for far too long.

Dad had received a wake up call of sorts and asked Laura to give the rest of the team physicals to see if there were any other problems that should be treated before a crisis arose. She was honored to be asked and examined them all from head to toe, literally. But not before she helped to rescue Lady Penelope from some kidnappers and Scott and his brothers learned that she had a secret life. Laura had a second identity, one of a spoiled rotten little rich girl who was often front-page news for every tabloid and gossip magazine through out the world. Editors everywhere often increased their circulation with stories of the trouble she had gotten herself in and the reported temper tantrums that proceeded her disappearing for months at a time. The columns told how she would resurface again when she needed her very rich Grandfather to bail her out of whatever trouble she was in.

With this discovery Scott's feelings for Laura were shaken but he soon learned that you can't believe everything you read in the tabloids. The Laura he had gotten to know was the identity created so that she could live the life she loved and be able to make a real difference in the world.

Before Laura was half way through treating the long overdue medical needs of his team Scott knew he couldn't let her just walk out of his life again. He was ready and willing to leave the Thunderbirds and join her in her work so they could be together.

But Laura wouldn't allow it. She knew all too well what Scott meant to the Thunderbirds and what the Thunderbirds meant to the world. Most of all Laura was all to good and denying her own feelings and trying to live her life more by thinking what was best rather than listening to her own heart.

Scott had no idea what brought about her change but when he went after her when she slipped off the island he found his chance to once again work at her side. Working together to treat the victims of a buss accident that left several victims in critical condition it was during a break once all of the patients were stabilized that an exhausted Laura offered a possible solution to their dilemma.

Laura had worked nearly forty-eight hours strait before she returned to Tracy Island with Scott where they made the announcement that Laura had agreed to marry him. Laura planned to commute from Tracy Island to work as a Doctor at a hospital she was going to set up that would serve a group of islands where she hoped to meet the area's needs for a general surgeon. After an all night blitz to pull the wedding off before John had to leave both Scott and Laura were extra exhausted. After they watched Thunderbird 3 lift off they went to Scott's room shut the door and fell sound asleep for the next eight hours. Laura had been awakened by a call from the Island where a patient needed her surgical skills. Before she was dressed and ready to go the Thunderbirds were called into action. Kyrano, Dad's manservant, volunteered to fly Laura to her patient and Scott, Virgil and Allen took on the rescue short staffed.

The next time they set eyes on each other would be only the second time they'd seen each other since they were married.

Scott knew their marriage arrangement wasn't going to be smooth sailing but neither one of them wanted to get in the way of the other's work. Still Scott hadn't been prepared for their work to pull them so far apart, so quickly.

Jeff entered the launch bay for thunderbird one as soon as it was safe to do so. Scott emerged from the jet looking tired and dirty.

"Laura called," Jeff spoke as he watched his son's reaction carefully. "She should be ready to come home by the time you get cleaned up and go get her."

Scott acknowledged his father's statements with a nod of his head as he moved toward the doorway.

"Are you alright to fly?" Jeff asked, "You look pretty beat."

"I'm fine," Scott replied. "It's hard to know how much time Laura and I will have before the next crisis hits. We need to make the most of every minute we can get."