Title: Space Pinball

Author: Skyler McAndrews

Rating: PG

Pairing: John/ OC

Warnings: Fluff, I guess… And the bold writing is for the "computer conversation".

Movie/TV Verse: The Hood attacked like in the movie, but Alan, Tin-Tin, and Fermat are all older. (Also Brains and Fermat are father and son like in the movie.)

What exactly was John doing when the Hood launched a missile at Thunderbird 5? My ideas of what John might do to amuse himself in between International Rescue's missions. Random fluff, one-shot for now…

Somewhere in Space:

John stared at the screen in dismay; he'd lost… again. He groaned as he waited for his opponent to gloat. It didn't take long for the writing to appear on his screen:

KC22: You lost… again flyboy.

John rolled his eyes, thinking that the term "flyboy" better described his brother Scott.

JTB5: Give me a break. I was warming up

John waited for the reply, grinning as he imagined the response.

KC22: LOL

KC22: I might believe you if this weren't our 6th round tonight.

He laughed at how close he was to guessing the response. He absently glanced toward the clock set to Boston time and then looked again,

JTB5: Aren't you tired, Kate?

He asked surprised that the clock read 1:30 am. John checked the International Rescue monitors and glanced at the "Tracy Time" clock making sure that he needn't be worrying about a call from his father. John was relatively certain that his father wouldn't mind that he spoke online with someone, but with his father you never could tell.

KC22: Why do you ask?

JTB5: Isn't it late there?

KC22: J Or early, it depends…

KC22: But how do you know?

JTB5: I am just that brilliant.

KC22: Oh please! You up for a rematch?

John groaned. He glanced at the monitors again and decided that he had time to play another round, hopefully winning this time. Approximately 22 minutes later he was greatly disappointed

KC22: Do you have a thing for pain, John?

John rolled his eyes,

JTB5: Not really.

KC22: And yet you keep playing me.

JTB5: I am learning your weaknesses.

KC22: Right…

KC22: For 11 months?

JTB5: What can I say? You have so many.

KC22: Watch it, flyboy. I can blow you out of the sky.

John winced remembering the events of the last month, knowing that she really had no way of knowing how close to home her comment struck.

KC22: Figuratively speaking of course

JTB5: Of course

KC22: Did you see the meteor shower last night?

John grinned as he read the question. He looked out the window at the stars and thought about his response,

JTB5: Yeah, it was beautiful. Did you see it, Kate?

KC22: Nope, it was cloudy last night.

JTB5: I took some pictures; I can e-mail them to you, if you want.

KC22: Sure, that would be great.

KC22: You're computer all fixed now, No more problems with it?

John frowned before remembering his excuse for his abrupt departure when the Hood had attacked Thunderbird 5. He had told her that his computer had crashed from a virus his younger brother had accidentally downloaded from some site online.

JTB5: It is working fine now, as good as new.

KC22: That's good; I was worried for a while, John.

KC22: You don't ever just disappear like that.

John smiled, warmed that she had been worried about him, even though they had actually never met. They had met online in a gaming room when she had challenged him to match of Space Pinball. After she had thoroughly kicked his butt, despite the fact that he was darn good, they spent the next several hours discussing the game, family, astronomy, and life in general. Kate helped to relieve the boredom that sometimes crept in during his long stays on Thunderbird 5.

JTB5: Sorry, Kate. I never meant to worry you.

KC22: Oh, I know that I was just saying.

KC22: Anyway, I should probably get some sleep

KC22: I do have to work tomorrow.

JTB5: All right, it was good talking with you.

KC22: Yeah… I missed you.

JTB5: Ditto for me, Kate.

JTB5: Take care.

KC22: Come on John, nothing happens in Boston.

JTB5: One can only hope.

JTB5: I'll talk to you later.

KC22: You take care too, John.

JTB5: Have a good day tomorrow, or today J

KC22: lol

KC22: You too

KC22: G'night, John.

JTB5: Goodnight, Kate.

John closed the screen, and glanced toward the satellite image of Boston barely visible through the cloud cover still covering the city. He leaned back in his chair and smiled sadly to himself,

"Good night, Kate."

He flipped off the screen and headed toward his quarters to catch a few hours of sleep.