Alright, in this fic I guess Kayo is asexual. Possibly aromantic- but my little shipper heart protests that. (In Ring of Fire 1 and 2 I shipped Kayo/Alan, partly because of hangover from 2004 movie, as of Fireflash I'm thinking 'Scotty's got a crush'). I needed something for Asexy April, but I've seen a lot of posts about people wanting fics with asexuality not being the plot, just a detail. I couldn't find a good place to drop it in the fic itself, but this Kayo is definitely asexual. Also- John and Gordon's hair colours are irritating me. Like, seriously, what was the point? John- pale blonde in space. Gordon- Ginger in water/on earth. I keep having to double check whether it's Alan/Gordon in rescue scenes. Finally- this was like eking blood from a stone.

XXX

"I can't believe you told us to wait." Virgil teased. "And that you actually expected us to listen."

Scott rolled his eyes. "I can't believe we're still having this conversation."

Alan snickered as Gordon sat up. "It was a pretty dumb move bro." The aquanaut pointed out, smirking at the eldest. "On both counts."

The eldest Tracy sighed as John's hologram flickered on. "Gordo's got a point Scotty." John grinned. "Just checking in. Everyone okay?"

"Five by five over here." Kayo smiled at the hologram. "Never flying commercial again- the passenger next to me was so irritating I'm almost glad we got hijacked."

John huffed out a laugh- obviously remembering their conversation earlier, with said annoying passenger in the background. "Glad to hear it Kayo."

"We're cool too!" Alan piped up.

Gordon shot John a thumbs up. "Yeah, no crushed Tracy on this end!"

John had just opened his mouth to reply when Grandma Tracy stepped into the room.

"Ah good, whole family here." She greeted. "Let the Welcome Home party begin!" And with that, she stepped into the room- Brains following with the cake.

Even John, all the way up on Thunderbird 5, blanched instinctively.

"Aw Grandma, you shouldn't have." Scott laughed falsely.

"You really shouldn't have." Alan repeated, quietly and despairing.

"Nonsense!" Grandma stated, turning to where Brains had put the cake. "Kayo deserves a good welcome home- especially after today."

"And on that note- I'll talk to you guys later. Night Grandma!" John called.

"Night John!" She turned around to see the hologram blink out and glared, freezing her fleeing grandsons in their tracks. "Scott, help me dish this out."

With a grimace, he did.

Virgil flopped down next to Kayo. "Well, we tried. Sorry."

"For what?" Kayo replied, keeping her voice low in response to his whisper. "Not even the Thunderbirds can get us out of this one."

"Yeah, Grandma's caught on to that trick." Virgil sighed.

They stared in silence as Scott tried to cut the cake- it was proving difficult, apparently.

"You know, I didn't start life with five siblings either." He said, apropos of nothing.

"What?" Kayo laughed.

"Yeah, I just had Scott. The rest of them kind of came along after." Virgil grinned, brown eyes glinting.

"Really. I would never have guessed." Kayo said, deadpan. And then her breath caught. "Five?"

Virgil nodded sagely. "Four brothers and a sister. I think you might have been a bigger surprise than Alan was."

Kayo swallowed. "Oh. Thanks."

"Probably a better one too, with the terrible two's behind you." He smirked.

Kayo couldn't have held back the laugh if she tried. "Good to know."

"Speaking of good things to know…" Virgil began leaning over to her, as if sharing a secret.

"Oh?" Kayo smirked, leaning in to hear.

"A certain brother of mine might be a bit disappointed you think of him in a sisterly way." He whispered, eyes flicking to the side.

Kayo followed his gaze. "Oh."

This time, Virgil was the one to laugh.