Season of Miracles
By Criminally Charmed
Disclaimer – Do not own Thunderbirds. And this story has a germ of origin in Inisya's story "A Breath of Air". BTW – It's an awesome story, using both Thunderbirds – movie and TV verse.
And the Hugo award, for best in Sci-Fi, is presented in August. But that didn't fit for my story. So now it is in December. Oh, and Hanukah started on December 11th this year, but was later in this story. The nice thing about not committing to what year the Thunderbirds are set in.
And this is a Christmas Gift for Little Miss Bump. She can tell you why if she wants to. But I did promise her some of the Bumpers from my story "Calling in a Marker" would show up again.
I just didn't say which ones.
Jeff Tracy entered the lobby of the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan, nodding politely at a few staff members who smiled in recognition. Close to the Tracy Towers, the headquarters for his multi-billion dollar corporation, Jeff would occasionally entertain business associates in one of the exclusive dining facilities at the five-star hotel. He didn't stay in the hotel, as he did have a luxury apartment on the top floor of Tracy Towers which allowed Jeff and some of his family a base when doing business in New York. In fact, not only was Jeff residing there at the moment, but so was his youngest son, Alan, and that son's wife, Tin-Tin.
However, it was not designed to hold all five of his sons, their wives and their children. This was why the other four sons, with their families – although Gordon's wife, Julie, was actually not due to give birth until January – were currently residing in several suites of the luxury hotel. The hotel, used to housing the wealthy and influential on their visits to the city, would allow Jeff and his family the privacy that they usually only got on their island home.
The guests of the St. Regis glanced towards the legendary figure, most recognizing the billionaire on sight. Some looked as if they wanted to approach him but the sheer level of power and energy radiating from him acted almost as a shield to prevent outsiders from approaching.
But the two blurs currently running towards Jeff were not outsiders.
"Grandpa! Grandpa!"
As the two children, a boy with dark brown hair and light brown eyes and a girl with golden blonde hair and bright blue eyes ran towards Jeff Tracy, the changes in his demeanor startled those who were observing the reclusive man. Jeff quickly had kneeled down, holding his arms wide open for the children to run into. Standing up, the ex-astronaut easily rose, still clutching the kids in his arms.
While the children began to rapidly chatter in a pattern that seemed discernable only to themselves and the man who held them, a woman pushed her way through the throngs of people in the lobby. Her black hair was gathered in a clasp at the nape of her neck as her dark brown eyes surveyed the sight in front of her with obvious relief. The tense look on her face faded into a wry smirk.
"I should have known," Kate Tracy groaned. "Dad, you are the only person on the planet who can make these two act younger than any of the others. Including," she glared at her firstborn son, "Tommy."
"Moooommmm," Jason Tracy whined, sounding much younger than his six years. "Tommy is only two weeks old. I'm almost seven."
"Not until April," Elizabeth Tracy nudged her only older cousin from the safety of her grandfather's right arm. "And I'll be six next month. So for three months, I'll be the same age as you."
Jason glared at his only female cousin, knowing full well when Elizabeth pulled her "I'm such a cute little girl, with big, blue eyes and blonde curls, you must adore me" act, the six-year-old knew that the entire male population of Tracy Island would instantly fall under her spell. Sighing, he looked over at his mother with a sense of longing. Jason had often heard his father say that when his mother got an idea in her head, heaven help anyone who got in her way. Surely she could save him.
Seeing the pleading look from her son, Kate instantly melted. Jason was a miniature version of his father and the usually strict and tough business woman was a softy where her sons were concerned. Smiling, she held out her arms to help her oldest to stand next to her. "Well, since it was your grandfather, you can relax. No punishment." The children both began to grin but froze at her next words.
"But you get to tell your father, Jason, why you ran off against clear instructions to stay with an adult at all times. And Elizabeth? No way are you telling your father. He would let you get away with anything. You are telling your mother."
Elizabeth buried her head in her grandfather's shoulder even while Jason rolled his eyes. "Lizzie, we are so busted," he groaned.
Jeff and Kate were hard pressed not to laugh when Elizabeth raised her head and gave her cousin a glare that promised retribution for the forbidden nickname when no adults were around. Leading the children towards the elevator, they silently vowed to make sure the two oldest Tracy grandchildren were not left alone while in Manhattan.
Alan Tracy climbed out of the taxi, holding out a hand to help his wife out of the back seat. Smiling, he thanked the cab driver as the man pulled away from the curb. Pulling Tin-Tin close to him, as if to protect her from the cold wind coming down on the "Montreal Express", as many in the Northeast referred to the air coming down from Canada. But the voice that he heard next caused fury to burn, dispelling the coldness.
"Alan, dear…any chance I can have a word?" Reporter Ana Nevada, who had interfered in Alan's life since he was in high school, dashed towards him on the sidewalk.
Turning slightly, the youngest Tracy son glared at the Queen of the Paparazzi. "I'll give you two words, Ms. Nevada," he growled in a tone that matched the air in coldness. "RESTRAINING ORDER."
"Come now, Alan," Ana purred with nauseating faux sweetness. "Surely the Tracys don't mean to stand by that silly court order."
"I can assure you," a new voice broke in, "the Tracys were quite sure about that and unless you would like to miss the next three months of news, I would back away. The restraining order said one hundred feet from ANY Tracy family member." At Ana's glare, the man smiled and continued on in a clipped British tone. "As an attorney for Tracy Enterprises, I am aware that the order was effective immediately and good for at least one year. So back off unless you want to be spending the next three months in prison. That was what the judge said your recommended sentence would be if you ignored the court order, wasn't it?"
The woman scurried off, reminding those she left behind of the insect Kate Tracy often referred her to.
"She really shouldn't have ticked off Kate," Alan murmured, bringing a smile to the other man's lips.
"That is sound advice to most people," the newcomer laughed. Looking at Tin-Tin, he smiled once more. "I don't believe we have met, m'dear. John Bumper and this is my daughter, Emily," John said, gesturing to the pretty young woman standing next to him.
"John is Lady P's brother and works for Tracy Enterprises in Europe," Alan explained to his wife. "He also handles some of the, um, family business."
Her eyes widening slightly, Tin-Tin correctly took it to mean that the attorney was an operative for International Rescue as well as a Tracy Enterprises employee.
Alan continued to talk to the lawyer. "I thought you would be at the airport, John. Didn't you and Emily have a flight out this evening?"
Emily sighed dramatically, causing her father to smile indulgently. "We were supposed to. But there is a storm over the Atlantic and all flights are cancelled until late tonight. Those flights are all booked solid, no more stand-bys being accepted. Our best hope is to catch a flight in the morning. So with the travel time and the time difference, we'll miss Johnny's first Christmas!"
Seeing Tin-Tin's confused look, the attorney explained. "My first grandchild – and namesake – was born this past summer. Emily has been more anxious for this than I think anyone else, including his mum!" Giving his youngest child a quick hug, he smiled at her. "Come on, Titch. We'll have to make sure they really do still have our suite reserved for us. Since most of the Tracys are staying here, there may be no room at the inn."
Alan and Tin-Tin laughed as they followed the older man and the teen into the hotel. They felt sorry for the pair, separated from their family for the holiday. But they were both anxious to spend time with their own family. After all – it was Christmas Eve.
Jeff sat on the sofa in the Presidential Suite of the St. Regis, surrounded by his grandchildren, even holding his newest grandson, Thomas Dean Tracy – better known simply as "Tommy" – in the crook of his left arm. Elizabeth cuddled on his right side, her one-year-old brother, Keith, settled between her legs. DJ, Jason's younger brother, was snuggled up on the other side, much more fascinated by his newest cousin than even the baby's older brother tended to be.
Watching from the doorway, Scott and Virgil smiled, as amused by their father's doting on his grandchildren as they were of the way their oldest sons, Jason and his cousin Michael sat on a stool close to the sofa. Both of the boys were trying to act so mature…
"Man, do they remind me of two boys I used to know," John Tracy grinned as he came up behind his brothers. Changing the subject he asked, "Hey, I thought the St. Regis said the access doors between the suites weren't supposed to be used, except for maintenance. How did we get three suites, one of them the Presidential, and with all the access doors opened?"
"I let Kate make the reservations," Scott said wryly.
"Ahhhh," John and Virgil breathed out simultaneously.
"Why do you think I let her loose so often in the boardroom?" Jeff asked wryly from the sofa, even as he accepted a story book from Elizabeth.
"And here I thought it was for my grace, beauty and charm?" Kate snarked as she entered from the small office the suite offered. A smile lit her face at the sight of her oh-so-tough father-in-law surrounded by his grandchildren (and loving every moment of it). Jeff was as loving a grandfather as her own father. Kate and the boys had only recently rejoined the Tracys, after having spent several days in Los Angeles with her family celebrating Hanukkah. The Eppes also celebrated Christmas, but it was more of a secular celebration. Looking around at the Tracys currently gathered, she decided to bring them up to date on their plans.
"OK, I just spoke with the concierge. Dinner will be served here at one on Christmas Day. And we have reservations for supper tonight. With the exception of the luncheon on the 26th, I figured there are enough adults here to make sure everyone has all the other meals covered."
Jeff nodded in approval, even as John chuckled. "Ah, Kate. I think we can manage without you holding our hands." Becoming serious, he looked at his father. "Sure you and Alan shouldn't be here?"
Smiling, Jeff shook his head. "I think it will be safe enough for the three of us to come back and forth. Tracy Towers in less than a block from the St. Regis. Besides, Alan is still pretty much a newlywed. At least he knows I will give him and Tin space."
"Gordon is still technically a newlywed…" Kate began before a raised voice of the forth Tracy son broke in.
"I just think Julie needs more rest-" Gordon started before he was interrupted.
Emily Tracy was leading Julie out of the suite to the right, glaring at her brother-in-law over her shoulder. "Gee, Gordon. I guess two pregnancies of my own, high risk at that, as well as delivering all the other babies on the island, being a licensed physician since before I was of age, well – that means nothing, does it? Julie is fine. I have been telling you that all along. Do you think I would have let her come if there was a problem? If there was the slightest risk, she would be in a hospital hooked up to every monitor I could get a hold of."
Sarah Tracy's slightly cranky voice came out of a doorway from the suite on the left. "Virg, you are so lucky you weren't that bad when I was expecting Michael, or we would have never had Tommy."
Virgil's eyes filled with concern as he went over to his wife. "Honey, Emily said the only way she would OK this trip was if you rested."
"And I did," Sarah grumbled. "I slept all the way here. I lied down as soon as we checked in. It's bad enough we arrived too late for Alan's award ceremony. I'm not going to miss another moment of the holiday."
Jeff chuckled as DJ scooted over to let his aunt sit down next to him. "Alan was fine with you missing the Hugo Awards. There were only two reserved guest seats. No one realized how many guests each nominee had. He knew that rescue you performed before securing the vehicles at the airfield outside New York was important. And what if Alan hadn't won?"
"Dad," John said quietly, "Alan was nominated for his first novel. That in itself was amazing. That he won is…well, it goes beyond words."
"Always said the kid had it in him," Scott said proudly.
"So the fact that I was the one that read to him, John was the one to get him into space which led to writing sci-fi or that Kate was the one who talked him into sending his first short story in while he was in high school meant nothing to the fact that you changed his diapers?" Sarah grumpily muttered.
"Hormones," Gordon mouthed to his brothers, only to find a well-placed elbow in his stomach as his wife stormed away from him.
Well, maybe a rapid waddle was more appropriate.
Kate looked over her protégée/ sister-in-law carefully when the two women sat on the love seat next to the sofa. Concerned, she turned to Emily. "Em, are you sure she is due in late January? Julie looks bigger than I did with either of the boys and I was bigger than either you or Sarah. Nothing personal, hun," Kate said rapidly. "I'm just worried."
Emily raised an eyebrow as she looked pointedly at Julie and Gordon. The red-haired Tracy son had walked behind his wife, placing his hands on her shoulders before kissing the top of her head. "Should we tell them?" he asked.
"Not until Alan and Tin-Tin get here." Julie whispered, shrugging with a typical Gallic gesture.
"Wo-kay," Virgil drawled. "You now officially have our interest."
Julie pursed her lips, and glared at Gordon, making it clear there was no way he would slip and say anything before she was ready. A knock on the door broke the silence as Emily sighed with relief.
"Thank goodness. That should be Alan now," she grumbled as she moved to the door of the main suite. Even as Emily went to the door, Virgil and Scott slipped onto the arms of the furniture that their wives were sitting on, with John drifting to an oversized recliner.
"Alan!" Emily beamed at her youngest brother-in-law, pulling him into a quick hug before following that with a hug for Tin-Tin. "What took you so long? Dad has been here for close to an hour."
Tin-Tin took Alan's hand as they shared a secret smile before she spoke. "We had an errand to run, and then Alan introduced me to John and Emily."
The Tracys looked at the couple as if they had lost their minds before Jeff chuckled. "Oh, wait – John and Emily Bumper, right?" He looked confused and then sighed. "Their flight back to London got cancelled, didn't it? And they were so excited for the baby's first Christmas."
Kate looked upset. "I feel awful. The Bumpers probably would have left yesterday if I hadn't asked him to handle that software licensing issue."
Jeff shook his head. "John is a professional, Kate. He understands. And his youngest wanted to come with him before she heads off to the university next year. She figures she will be too busy with her pre-med classes after this semester."
"Another Doctor Emily, huh?" John snickered. At his usually gentle wife's glare, he beamed at her before putting an arm around her. "And she will be just as brilliant as my lovely bride."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her parents who were now kissing. Catching Jason's gaze, they shared their youthful disdain for public displays of affection.
Smiling at his family, Alan looked over his clan. "You know, this is one of the few times we have ever been able to gather like this off the island."
"Well," Kate mused, "Dad is getting quite the honor."
"Man of the Year," John said quietly. "Humanitarian efforts, business success to include turning around those companies we bought – saving over twenty thousand jobs, and assisting the President when those trade talks broke down – you had a good year, Dad."
"If people knew about IR," Alan joked while he sat on a large chair, pulling Tin-Tin onto his lap with a huge grin, "he would have won it years ago."
Jeff looked around the room with a smile. "And with the work all of you have done with Tracy Industries, Tracy Family Charitable Trust and taking over much of International Rescue is the reason why I think it should be for Family of the Year. It's why I wanted you all here. And the fact that the awards will be the day after Christmas, gave me the idea to bring us all to the city for the holiday."
Gordon looked around his family and squeezed his wife's hand. At her small nod, he grinned. "Well, as proud as we are of Alan – and we were saying that before you got here, Sprout – and as much as we are celebrating Dad finally getting the recognition our fearless leader has long deserved," Gordon paused at the chuckles that followed that statement. "Julie and I have something to say."
"I knew it!" Virgil crowed. "You do know what the baby is. OK, with the exception of Alan, most of us," he glared at his wife and Emily who both smiled angelically, "put in a guess - boy or girl. Now, which of us goes on to the next round for the arrival date?"
Puzzled, Julie looked at Alan. "You did not enter this rather annoying pool, Alan?"
Alan smiled, partially at the way Julie's accent gave his name the Parisian twist of Alaine but mostly for what he added next. "No, I put in for twins."
Gordon laughed before nudging Kate's arm. "OK, you can turn the funds over to Al now."
Jaws dropped at that, as the statement sunk in to the gathered family. Finally, Kate squealed in delight, hugging Julie tightly while the rest of the Tracys drew close, each trying to hug one or both of the soon-to-be parents. So it was only Jeff who saw Jason pull a quarter from his pocket with a sigh and hand it over to a smug Elizabeth who was mouthing, "Told ya!"
Kate Tracy waited for the second elevator to arrive, carrying the balance of her family. Three of her brothers-in-law stood talking to Scott, while Gordon fussed over Julie on a bench as Emily rolled her eyes. The physician stood up and walked over to where Kate was standing.
"I swear," Emily grumbled, "that Gordon is worse than all the other brothers combined."
The oldest Tracy wife just grinned. "You didn't see them when I was carrying Jason. The way the Tracy men acted, you would think no woman had ever had a baby before."
Scott had come up behind his wife and put his arms around her before kissing her cheek. "Katie, no woman had had a baby on the island before. It was something new and different for us."
A man in a suit and tie, with a small, discrete name tag for the St. Regis reading "Phineas Fletcher" approached her at that moment. Clearing his throat lightly, he waited until he was sure he had Kate's attention.
"Mrs. Tracy," Phineas practically simpered. "I know that you and Mr. Tracy have both enjoyed dining with clients in the Adour. Wouldn't you rather we move your party to there? The Astor Court is lovely, but for people of your stature-"
Kate interrupted the man. "Mr. Fletcher, you have always done an outstanding duty as concierge when Tracy Enterprises has used your facilities or hosted our guests. But the Adour may be a bit much for certain members of out party."
Phineas looked confused until the elevator doors opened and Jeff Tracy led the remaining members of their party out. As he counted six children – with the eldest no more than six or seven – Phineas sighed. No, he could just hear what the General Manager of the St. Regis would say to him if he placed a large party that included so many children in the smaller French restaurant. Nodding his understanding to Kate Tracy, the man left to go speak with the manager of the Astor Court.
He could only hope that the Tracys assumed that their tables were being moved slightly away from the rest of the dining room for their privacy.
Jeff and Kate led the way, Scott holding Jason by one hand and carrying DJ. He attempted several times to join the conversation his wife and father were having but interruptions by his sons kept him distracted.
Seeing Scott's dilemma, Kate was hard pressed not to laugh. Jeff Tracy wasn't the only man who could spoil his grandchildren. Every time Kate had turned her back – and a few times she hadn't – her father had been slipping chocolate coins to her sons. She would wager the boys wouldn't come down from their sugar high until the New Year.
Arriving at the entrance to the Astor Court, Jeff approached the hostess. Looking up to see a handsome, obviously well-to-do man in front of her, the woman became slightly flirtatious.
"Yes, sir, how many in your party?"
Alan snickered to Gordon from where they were bringing up the rear with their wives. "We're not a party," he whispered loudly. "We're a convention."
Jeff would have let that slip except for the chuckles that the rest of the family started. At his "patent-pending death glare" (as Alan had named it years earlier), his youngest son just grinned back. Jeff sighed – Alan had gotten harder to intimidate over the years.
Lucy, he thought, he really is your son.
A scent of lilacs startled, and then comforted, the widower. Feeling as if his late wife was standing beside him, Jeff smiled slightly. Glad you could join us, sweetheart.
Jeff could swear he heard a reply.
I'm always with you, Rocket Man.
The manager of the restaurant approached the group at that time. "Ah, Mr. Tracy. Phineas told me to expect you. We have set up your tables over this way. We moved some of the decorations to give you privacy."
"Yeah, right," Gordon muttered, which caused Julie, Alan and Tin-Tin to giggle. All four smiled angelically when Kate tried her "watch it" glare. Sighing, she rolled her eyes at her husband, taking DJ and Jason from Scott.
"I'll get these two kids settled. Would you and your father get those four children settled?" she said, tilting her head at the two youngest Tracy sons and their wives.
As the Tracys began to find their seats, a cheerful voice greeted them.
"Jeff! Kate! My, your set is more intimidating than mine is!" John Bumper called out as he approached their table.
Standing, Jeff greeted the man. "Well, John, only your oldest is married. All of mine are, so only one grandchild is more than enough for you."
"For now," the young woman next to Mr. Bumper quietly said.
Kate smiled at the teen. "Hello, Emily. It's lovely to see you again. Have you met the rest of our family?" When the girl shook her head, Kate quickly introduced the rest of the Tracys.
"Would you like to join us?" Scott asked.
"No, no," the Bumper father demurred. "I can see this is a family moment. And I think it would get a tad too confusing with Emilys and Johns."
The Tracys chuckled as the pair moved away. Virgil watched them thoughtfully before saying something to his father.
"Dad, I've never met them before, have I? They seem really familiar."
"Well," Jeff mused. "John Bumper is Lady Penelope's half brother. Oh, and remember the incident in Kansas over the summer?" Several members of the family looked puzzled until Alan clicked his fingers, speaking in lowered tones from where he sat on one side of his father and across from his oldest brother.
"The cave-in? The hikers were named Bumper, weren't they?"
Kate nodded, smiling at Jeff. "Yes, I was surprised you hadn't put it together sooner when you met them this week."
Alan shrugged. "I was a bit distracted."
The family just smiled, knowing how nervous Alan had been about the awards ceremony. As a busboy finished filling their water goblets, Jeff raised his glass in toast.
"Well, Merry Christmas everyone. Last year, the holiday was tainted by some near misses, but the year has certainly gone on better than the last one ended. We have three-" he gestured with his goblet to Keith, Julie and Tommy – "new members, Tin-Tin has officially become part of a family that has always considered her such and I for one, couldn't ask for a better gift."
Looking at Tin-Tin, Alan smiled at her small nod. "Well, Dad, I think we can give you one. I know Christmas morning is traditional for gifts, but we have one we want to give you now."
Tin-Tin gave Jeff a small brass cylinder. "My father helped with the artwork before they left on their cruise." The Kyranos were currently on a two week cruise for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, a combination anniversary/ Christmas present from their daughter and son-in-law.
"We added something today, its part of what took us so long to join you earlier," Alan explained as his father pulled out a parchment.
Jeff looked at the document and smiled. It was a Tracy Family tree, going back to when the first Tracys came to Kansas more than a hundred and fifty years earlier. "The Tracys in America. I love it, Alan…" Jeff's voice faded away as an entry near the bottom caught his eye. Looking up at his youngest with a startled gaze, Alan's answering smile and Tin-Tin's slight blush assured him that he had guessed correctly.
Pulling Alan from his seat, Jeff swept his youngest into a fierce hug. Without letting go of Alan, the Tracy patriarch grasped Tin-Tin's hand and smiled at her.
Confused as to what was going on, Scott picked up the tree to look it over. But it was Kate, reading it over his shoulder that pointed out what had delighted Jeff.
Where Alan's name was, there was a line connecting him to Tin-Tin, with their wedding date beneath the line to indicate their marriage. And from that line, a separate indicator, with a blank space, accompanied by a small "b" and the upcoming year. Scott smiled as he looked at the rest of the family and explained.
"Our baby is having a baby of his own."
The meal was delicious and clearly worthy of it's location in a five star hotel. As one course after another was served, the family took turns telling stories of holidays past.
Jeff laughed when Kate finished telling a story from a Hanukah when she was not much older than DJ. "Your brother did that in Temple? Well, Kate, I think our Gordon could top that."
Everyone turned to Gordon in confusion before looking back at Jeff. The head of the family chuckled again before speaking. "It was the Christmas after Alan was born. Now, I don't know if you boys remember, but when Alan was born, there were complications. It's actually pretty normal for a baby to inhale some amniotic fluid as they are born but it's important to get it expelled."
Emily nodded. "Yes, that is why babies may be spanked at birth. The birthing cries expel the fluid."
Jeff smiled at his daughter-in-law. "Well, Alan's birth took a bit longer, with him inhaling some of the fluid and it caused a problem with his lungs. He spent over a week in an incubator. So at six months old, he seemed to catch every sniffle possible. Your mother didn't want to take him out to Christmas services, so your grandparents rounded the four older boys up and I stayed home with Alan and Lucy."
There was a far away look in Jeff's eyes, as if he were seeing the scene before him again. "Alan had finally gone to sleep as we took turns rocking him when the six of you came in. Dad was laughing and Mom kept saying something about "Don't encourage him!" which just made Dad laugh even harder. Virgil is giggling, Johnny looked embarrassed and Scott looked like he wanted to strangle someone. Then along comes Gordon, who just looks confused. Your grandmother sighed and sent Dad to take the boys to change out of their church clothes."
Frowning slightly, Jeff continued. "Mom turned the look on me – the one I hadn't seen since I was a teenager and Millie ratted out on me about-" He froze, realizing he had almost let too much spill.
"Um, well, never mind that. So your grandmother steps in front of Lucy and I, hands on her hips and the wrath of God in her eyes. I looked over at Lucy and saw that she was trying not to laugh." Jeff chuckled as he shook his head. "No matter what problems we had, your grandma always decided it was my fault and not Lucy's. Your mom loved that. So Mom looks at me and says, "Do you know what your boy did in church?"
"Lucy sighed and said, "What did Gordon do?"
Gordon broke in. "Hey, how did she know it was me? You have five sons!"
Alan laughed. "Gordo, I was home with them, Virgil would never disrupt services, John was always too well mannered and Scott…well, Scott is Scott. It had to be you."
Gordon and Scott both shot their youngest brother dirty looks while John and Virgil nodded. Jeff took that as a sign to continue.
"At the Christmas services, they had each group of the Sunday school classes do something for the services. Gordon's class of first graders took turns throughout the services saying their prayers out loud. They had gone alphabetical by last name, so Gordon was last. It was almost the end of services when Gordon gets up in front of the congregation and says his prayer."
"This should be good," Sarah murmured to Julie on her left. Julie nodded, knowing her spouse's tendency for saying exactly what he was thinking.
"So here is Gordon's prayer. God, I want to thank you for my baby brudder. He is real cute and little and everyone likes to be around him. I was the babiest brudder forever before Allie came to us. Allie was real sick when you first let him come but he is getting better. I likes him lots. Scotty likes to play with him, Johnny likes to show him the stars, Virg likes to play him music, Mommy sings to him and Daddy will stop and just hold him or brush a hand over his hair. His hair is yellow like Mommy's and Johnny's. Mommy said he looks like an angel but sometimes he sure don't smell like an angel."
The family burst out laughing, causing some in the restaurant to turn and look at the group. The Tracys ignored it as Jeff continued once the laughter had died down. "Oh, Gordon wasn't finished. He went on – And God, Mommy says I need to be a good boy and not just for Santa. I need to be a good boy for you and 'cause it's your son's birthday. So maybe for Christmas, you could make me a good boy."
"That is so sweet, mon cher," Julie whispered to her blushing husband.
"And then," Jeff went on, "Gordon – being Gordon – had to continue. But God, if you can't make me a good boy, that's OK. I'm having fun just as I am."
This time the entire restaurant turned to look when the Tracys began to laugh. They were still laughing when the manager approached them. Flynn looked at Jeff with concern. "Mr. Tracy, I made sure the dishes that your family approved were served."
Jeff looked up at the man, nodding briefly. "Yes, it was just as ordered and everything was wonderful. Our compliments to the chef."
"I will tell him that, sir, but I regret to say the red velvet cake that was to be reserved for your table was used earlier in error. Might I suggest the carrot cake, it is truly…"
Kate cut the man off. "No! I mean, no, I made it clear, nothing with nuts, especially walnuts. Alan is allergic to walnuts."
The man looked close to tears when Alan took pity on him. "Mr. Flynn, you could serve the carrot cake to everyone else. Maybe there is some other desert you could bring me?" He smiled at his oldest sister-in-law. "Kate, I know you don't like me to feel left out, but it's alright. The rest of the family likes carrot cake but Onaha hasn't made it since I was diagnosed with the walnut allergy."
Kate nodded. "Alright, that should be fine." The man scurried off and the Tracys watched him until Jason spoke up.
"That guy needs to take a chill pill, huh, Dad."
Scott tried not to laugh but Kate had no such compunctions, laughing aloud and kissing her oldest son's head.
Soon the cake was brought out and the Tracys knew that if it tasted half as good as it looked, they were in for a treat. Just as the server finished with the last plate, a waiter arrived with a separate dish for Alan.
"Mr. Flynn sent this out. It is a devil's food cake with butter cream frosting and a special glaze on the cake. It is a new dish by our pastry chef and its recipe is a secret, sir."
John looked at the chocolate cake with a touch of envy before Emily nudged him. "Don't worry. Santa will make sure you have some chocolate in your stocking, my choco-fiend."
Everyone chuckled, knowing John's love of chocolate. They began to each taste the dessert, smiling in satisfaction.
Alan smiled at his family. They really were so protective of him, even as an adult, married with a baby on the way. He swallowed the first bite of the cake, thinking it really was delicious. He should see if Kate could get them to serve it with the Christmas dinner…
His thought's trailed off as Alan felt an odd tingling around his lips. Looking down at his hands, Alan was alarmed to see bright red, spotchy red rashes spreading over his hands. From the sensations he had, Alan was sure that a similar reaction was occurring on his thighs and chest. With an underlying sense of panic, Alan could feel his breathing become more difficult. Stretching out a hand, Alan instinctively reached out for Jeff.
Jeff turned to see what Alan could want and became alarmed at the sight of his youngest son. "Alan!" he cried out as his son began to have trouble breathing, with some swelling appearing around his face.
Just then, Mr. Flynn came running from the kitchen. "Mr. Tracy…oh, no. The chef just told me the secret glaze that he puts on the cake is maple walnut."
Kate glared at the unfortunate man as Jeff pulled Alan from his chair, making his youngest comfortable on the floor, resting his son's head on his chest. "Just breathe, Sprout. Don't panic. Just breathe, please."
Emily kneeled by Alan and Jeff, loosening Alan's collar in an effort to help with his breathing. She was alarmed to see the hives swelling on his chest and throat. "Alan, where is your epi-pen? Sweetie, where is it?"
Alan's eyes flickered towards his wife. Tin-Tin, visibly shaking in Scott's comforting embrace, nodded. "It's in my purse. Alan had me put it in my purse before the award ceremony." Pulling open her bag, she dumped the contents unceremoniously onto the table, only to panic when the required medication did not reveal itself.
Tin-Tin began to cry. "Oh, God, I changed purses before we came here. I forgot to grab the pen. I forgot!"
John, who was on his phone to a 911 operator, relayed the information that they did not have the needed medication. "Em, she is alerting the paramedics being dispatched. They are three minutes out. Mr. Flynn, could you meet them at the main entrance and get them here as quickly as possible?"
The manager nodded, anxious to help. As he ran off, Emily looked at her spouse, her fears hidden by a mask of professionalism. Without the epinephrine, Alan's condition could rapidly deteriorate. Throwing herself into her work, the family doctor took note of Alan's vitals and had John relay them to the dispatcher. The fact that they had gotten worse in less than a minute was grimly noted by everyone.
Alan could feel his family gathered around him but was having difficulty focusing on anything but his body's betrayal of him. Oh, please, God. I can't be dying. Not like this. I was so happy a minute ago. My family is all here, safe and sound. I succeeded in something special, something different from the rest of my family. Tin and I are married and we are going to have a baby of our own. I'm scared, God, please, help me. I'm not selfish, I hope I'm not. It's just my family needs me and I need them. Please, don't ruin Christmas for my family.
Try as he might, Alan could feel the world slipping away from himself. His eyes began to close as darkness pushed in on him.
John and Emily Bumper were just leaving the Astor Court when they heard a commotion coming from the area where the Tracys had been. Alarmed, the pair pushed their way through the people gathered around the Tracys' table.
Watching as Dr. Tracy raised her head and repeated the vitals once more to her husband, Emily Bumper rushed over when the young doctor said, "Damn, if we had his epi-pen-"
"I have one," Emily Bumper said, reaching into her purse. "I needed an extra one, so this one even came from a pharmacy just down the road. Will it do?"
Emily Tracy looked at the offered pen and smiled. "Yes, yes it will. It's perfect." Picking a knife from the table, she cut the leg of Alan's pants, injecting the medication straight into her youngest brother-in-law's thigh.
The reaction to the medication was gradual but obvious. Alan began to shake in reaction to the medication but it was clearly helping as his breathing relaxed. Jeff looked up at the Bumpers, a smile showing but the tears in his eyes equally visible. "Thank you," he mouthed as he held his son close to his chest.
Just then, Mr. Flynn rushed back into the restaurant, two New York City paramedics following him closely. The medics quickly had Alan on a gurney, an oxygen mask on his face and an IV hooked up to his arm. The Tracys quickly divided up, Emily to go with Alan, while Jeff, Tin-Tin, Scott and Kate made to follow the ambulance in a car arranged for by the hotel.
As the remaining Tracys gathered up the children to bring them up to the hotel suites – the only reason the rest of the family didn't follow Alan to New York Presbyterian Medical Center was Jeff's command to get the children to bed – Virgil and John each hugged Emily Bumper and shook her father's hand.
"I can't tell you how grateful we are," Sarah said tearfully, juggling her fussy baby while calming her distraught son, Michael.
"Sorry," Gordon explained, even as he picked up a crying DJ. "Alan hasn't had a bad reaction in years. Well, not in front of the kids. He had one once while at college, but the kids weren't there."
Julie hugged the Bumpers as best as she could with her added girth. "Merci. Because of your acts, Alan will be with us for Christmas. It was surely God's will that you were here tonight."
Emily Bumper just smiled broadly at her father, giving him a quick hug. "Well, Daddy, I got my Christmas wish."
The lawyer looked confused. "But, Em – we are going to miss the baby's first Christmas."
"No, Daddy," the young English woman explained. "I regret that we are missing Johnny's first Christmas but that isn't what I wanted most for this year. I have been praying since the Thunderbirds rescued my siblings this summer. I know I would never meet them to thank them – well, if I am lucky, I won't," she said ironically, knowing that if she were to meet International Rescue, it would only be in case of emergency. "But I figured if I could help save someone, it would be like I was thanking them. I have to admit, it is one of the reasons I finally decided to become a doctor."
John Bumper hugged his daughter, knowing what she didn't – She had just rescued a rescuer, and she didn't have a clue.
Sarah Tracy sat in an oversized rocking recliner in the "living room" area of the main suite. It had taken the adults over an hour to get the children calmed down enough to go to sleep.
It had taken her even longer than that to convince the Tracy brothers to go to sleep as well. Gordon had finally been persuaded with the idea that Julie would sleep better with him next to her. John was swayed by the knowledge that Emily would get little sleep with caring for Alan at the hospital, so he needed to be at his best to handle the children in the morning.
Virgil she simply ordered to bed. It was a tactic she rarely used, so when Sarah did employ it, she found it highly effective. Before he had gone to their bed, Virgil had brought the portable crib from their suite so that Tommy was with her. So it was that when Tommy began to fuss a little after eleven that night, Sarah was able to simply pick him up for a feeding. A quick diaper change later, the newborn rested again Sarah's chest, still fussing, the tension she was feeling undoubtedly causing the baby distress.
Smiling at her youngest, Sarah began to sing Christmas carols to him in place of lullabies. Halfway through "Silent Night", she noticed it was. Tommy had fallen asleep at last. So it was startling to hear sounds behind her.
As Sarah placed Tommy back into the crib, she looked over at the sofa to see Michael, Jason, DJ and Elizabeth all curled up together. "And just what," she softly asked, "are the four of you doing out of bed?"
Jason looked at Elizabeth first before speaking for the group. "Well – we really couldn't sleep Aunty Sarah. Then we heard you singing to Tommy and we wanted to hear, too."
"You're not trying to sit up and wait for Santa, are you?" Sarah teased as she pulled a blanket from a small closet, tucking it over the children.
"Nah," Elizabeth said, "we know he'll find us." The little girl's blonde curls bounced as she whispered in a conspiratorial tone, "You know he gets his directions from Thunderbird Five. That's how he'll find us away from the island."
Trying not to laugh, Sarah nodded. "And I suppose your Daddy told you that, hmmm?"
The curls bounced once more as Elizabeth confirmed the answer. "Oh, yes. In fact, he designed the tracking software that Santa uses. And Santa's Naughty or Nice list is updated by a program set up by Tracy Enterprises."
"Well, I am glad we get some of the credit," Kate joked softly from the shadows.
Sarah looked up in relief at the sight of her oldest sister-in-law. "Kate," she breathed out; sure that Kate would only return if Alan was going to be alright. Then she saw Tin-Tin behind Kate, shrugging off her coat. Sarah shook her head and let out a small chuckle.
"Sarah?" Tin-Tin asked wearily. "Is there something funny, because I could use a laugh right now."
Smiling, Sarah shrugged. "I gotta ask – where did you get your coats from? We didn't have them in the restaurant."
Kate removed her own coat and took Tin-Tin's before guiding the younger woman to a chair. "Phineas. He ran up here to get the coats as soon as Flynn told him what was going on. Somehow he even knew exactly whose coats to grab."
Grinning once more, Sarah shook her head. "No wonder he's considered so valuable here."
Kate returned the smile, weary but finding some relief in Sarah's humor. Then she looked over at her sons. "And what are you two-" pausing, Kate also eyed her niece and nephew, "-make that you four – doing up?"
"Aunty Sarah was singing," Elizabeth explained, in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Of course," Kate said, her voice filled with irony. Eyeing the foursome, she sighed. Soon, Keith, then Tommy, then Gordon's twins, then Alan's baby…She was doomed.
But the thought of Alan's baby reminded Kate of the unborn child Tin-Tin was carrying and the reason why Jeff had insisted they return to the hotel.
"Come on, Tin-Tin. Luckily, you and Sarah are about the same size. Sar? Can you loan Tin-Tin some clothes for the morning?" When Sarah nodded, Kate smiled and pulled Tin-Tin to her feet. "C'mon. You can use one of Scott's shirts as a night shirt. And yes, you will be sleeping in my room. Your pregnant, and you should be in a bed. Scott and Dad are staying at the hospital with Alan and I'll sleep on the couch."
Kate glared at the Tracy grandchildren. "Which means you need to move. As in back to your beds, got it?"
Sarah smiled at the children. "Tell you guys what – How about one Christmas carol and then off to bed with you. Santa only comes when you're asleep. And you don't want to throw Santa off his schedule, do you?"
Tin-Tin and Kate tried not to smile as they moved back towards the closest bedroom. From the living room, they could hear Sarah's clear voice in the stillness of the night.
Said the night wind to the little lamb,
'Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky, little lamb,
Do you see what I see?
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite,
With a tail as big as a kite.'
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
'Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song high above the trees
With a voice as big as the the sea,
With a voice as big as the the sea.'
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
'Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king,
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold,
Let us bring him silver and gold.'
Said the king to the people everywhere,
"Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people, everywhere,
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light,
He will bring us goodness and light.
By the end of the song, Tin had already slipped off her dress and pulled on one of Scott's shirts. Kate tucked the younger woman into the king sized bed as if she were one of her children. Seeing exhaustion quickly claim Tin-Tin, Kate turned back to the living room to see the younger two heading back to bed. Raising an eyebrow at the oldest two, she waited for a response to her unspoken question.
"We just wanted to ask about Uncle Alan," Jason said quietly.
Kate's heart melted. She knew how much her son – heck, all of the Tracy grandchildren – adored their uncle. Bending down, she kneeled in front of her son and pulled him and Elizabeth into her arms.
"Uncle Alan is going to be OK. The doctors – including your mom, Elizabeth – had him in the ICU for a bit, just to make sure he was ok. Now, he will stay overnight but he'll be here before we eat dinner tomorrow, got it?"
Both children bobbed their heads in agreement before heading back to their rooms. DJ and Jason had been curled up with Michael since Kate and Scott were both out, but Elizabeth had a small bed in a room with Keith, who was still in a crib at a year old. Once the kids were both gone, Kate dropped wearily onto the sofa, curling in on herself. Sarah sat next to Kate, putting an arm around the older woman's shoulders. It took a minute, but Sarah was shocked to realize that Kate was silently sobbing.
"G-God, Sarah," Kate cried. "It was so damn scary. I couldn't do a thing! I felt so damned helpless. The doctors said if Alan hadn't been given the epinephrine when he was, things could have gone south real fast. We could have lost him."
Sarah pulled Kate into her arms, letting the woman sob out her fears. "But we didn't, Kate. You know, I firmly believe Emily was right when she said Alan has his own team of angels watching over him."
"But I felt so damn helpless!" Kate muttered before she breathed in deeply. "And there wasn't even anyone I could shoot this time!"
The two Tracy wives looked at each other before bursting out in laughter. Quickly silencing themselves, they went to get the "Santa" gifts from the closet. After all, they had to make sure the Big Guy stuck to his schedule, didn't they?
John Tracy rolled over slightly, reaching out for his wife. When his hand met nothing but comforter, the astronaut cracked his eyes open only to force them shut once more. As he woke, the memory of the night before still made John feel sick to his stomach.
Such a simple thing, such a small amount of something that could have easily killed his baby brother – John still had trouble dealing with it. He had not been there the first time Alan had an episode. Alan had discovered the allergy while attending Wharton Academy and on a visit home, he had accidently eaten some pasta salad that had contained walnuts. Jeff had not been properly informed (he really gave Wharton's hell for that one) and Alan had seen it as a kind of weakness – which, of course, meant he wouldn't say anything to his brothers.
John could still recall when his father had called him later that night. "John, I was holding onto Alan and begging him to keep breathing. I haven't been that scared in ages. I felt so helpless. Fermat told us that the nurse had warned Alan to keep an epi-pen on him at all times. I made Fermat promise to keep one and your brothers and I have decided we'll keep one as well."
For years, the Tracys had all kept spare epi-pens, but once Alan went off to college without another attack, they had stopped. There had been one more bad attack, but Tin-Tin had known where Alan kept the pen in his backpack, so the kid was OK.
John sighed as he buried his face in his pillow. Thank goodness the Bumpers had been there. John hadn't seen his wife so terrified in years and that was when he had really begun to panic, even if he had managed to keep it masked.
Rolling over slightly, John frowned as he heard soft giggles from the side of his bed. Forcing his eyes open, John blinked once and then again to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was.
Four – no, five, faces – peered up at him. Well, two full faces. The other three were little more than eyes. Smiling at his daughter who was helping her one-year-old brother stand at the edge of his bed and then at three of his four nephews, John joked, "What, no Tommy?"
"Daddy," Elizabeth sighed in frustration. "Tommy is too little."
"Yeah," Michael agreed. "Besides, Mommy wouldn't let us take him."
John chuckled as he sat up. "I can see that. So, what are you doing in here?"
"Well," Jason explained, "Mom said we should get you up first. That it was easier to wake you and Daddy than it was the others. And since Daddy isn't here, we woke you. Now you can wake Uncle Virgil and Uncle Gordon."
Stretching, John nodded. "Sounds good. So – who else is up besides your Mom, Jason?"
"Aunty Sarah is up," Jason said as Michael nodded. "And Aunty Julie said the babies were kicking her vessie – whatever that is – so she is awake. And Aunty Tin-Tin was sick to her tummy so Aunty Sarah made her some tea and toast."
John smiled, even as he recognized the French word Julie had used for the babies kicking her bladder. He wasn't too worried about Tin-Tin as he knew that stress was probably more responsible for her unsettled stomach than the baby. John began to get out of bed when DJ asked him a question.
"Unky John?" the three-year-old raised his large, dark brown eyes to his uncle. "Is Daddy and Uncle Allie and Gran'pa gonna be here soon? 'Cause I don't think Mommy is gonna stop her p'cing until they come back."
"DJ," Jason sighed. "I told you. Mom said the hospital is just making sure Uncle Alan is OK before sending him back. Remember when Mom made you stay in bed when you caught that cold even when you thought you were ok just to be safe?" Michael nodded furiously so his brother continued.
"Well, the hospital is just making sure Uncle Alan is safe."
"Is it 'cause he don't have a Mommy?" DJ asked.
John reached down and picked up his son before leading his merry travelers from the bedroom. "No, Uncle Alan doesn't have a Mommy. But he has your Daddy, DJ. And no one ever out mother-henned my big brother."
Kate had made sure everyone was gathered at the dining room table, now filled with breakfast dishes the hotel had sent up. As John set up a plate for Elizabeth, then accepted some toddler food from Sarah for Keith, he looked over at Kate.
"Hey, Kate, I thought you had only ordered a light continental breakfast? This is a bit more than pastries, fruit, juice and coffee."
Shrugging, Kate looked up from the plate she had fixed for DJ. "What can I say? I think they are afraid we are going to sue for last night. I told Phineas that I understood it was a mistake and that no one was at fault, but I don't think he believed me. He said the hotel would also call around six tonight to make sure we don't need a light supper as well."
"Will Uncle Alan and Grandpa and you still not be here, Aunty Tin-Tin?" Elizabeth asked before delicately nibbling at her bacon strip.
Tin-Tin was about to answer when Kate interrupted. "No. Uncle Alan will be rather tired for the next couple of days, so I called Anne Marie last night," she explained, referring to her father-in-law's long time PA. "Anne Marie packed up the belongings at the apartment and delivered them to the hotel this morning. Phineas had the bags brought up and placed in the suite across from yours, John and the maids even unpacked them."
John frowned. "Wait – wasn't that the suite the Bumpers were in?"
Kate nodded. "Yes, but they don't need it. And since I insisted on paying for their extra stay, since they were delayed here for Tracy Enterprises business, I figured we may as well use it."
Virgil nodded and asked, "So they were able to get a late flight out?"
"Kinda," Kate muttered as she added cream and sugar to her coffee. Looking up, she saw all eyes – she would swear even Tommy was staring at her – upon her. Sighing, Kate knew she would have to explain.
"There were no seats on any commercial flights available until tomorrow. So, well - Julie, Gordon, you remember Colin Colby?"
Gordon nodded, remembering the polite young Englishman who had transferred from the London office last month. The man would be handling many of Julie's projects until she returned from maternity leave.
"Well, he is also a licensed pilot. So, I made him a deal. Tracy Enterprises is effectively shut down until the 27th, anyhow. So, if he would fly the Bumpers to London in Tracy One, Colin just has to be back to work on the 27th and we are all set. He jumped at the chance to spend Christmas with his family back in London." Seeing everyone staring at her in varying degrees of astonishment, Kate shrugged.
"Emily Bumper, for all intents, saved Alan's life. Giving them a lift home so they could spend Christmas with their family seemed a small reward."
Gordon smiled at Kate. "Aw, Katie – anyone ever tell you that you are just an old softy?"
Sipping her coffee, Kate glared at her brother-in-law. "No one living, Fish-face. No one still among the living."
Gulping, Gordon looked around the table and found no support, not even from his wife. Sighing, he busied himself with his French toast. He really should have learned by now not to piss off Kate.
The family was just finishing up breakfast, when they heard the tell-tale click of the electronic lock for the main entrance. Scott held open the door as Jeff gently guided his youngest son into the suite.
"Dad, I'm fine, really," Alan was protesting weakly. It was clear Alan was still exhausted from the episode the night before.
"Alan," Emily grumbled as she followed in behind the men, "you were released with the condition that you would rest."
"And," Kate said cheerfully as she stepped towards the group, "the couch is made up for you."
"You slept there last night, didn't you?" Scott grinned.
"Well, honey, after all the times you've slept on the couch, I guess I wanted to see the attraction." Kate smiled back at her husband, whose smile had turned into a frown at his brothers' chuckles.
Tin-Tin had gone to her husband, gently kissing him before helping Jeff get Alan settled on the sofa. As she tucked the comforter over his legs, Tin-Tin explained what Kate had told them about the suite and their belongings. While Alan gave a small protest, the family knew it was for show only as it was obvious the youngest Tracy son was still exhausted and appreciated the idea of not having to go further than across the hallway.
Soon, the children – and the grandchildren – were tearing into Christmas presents. Jeff sat in a recliner near where Alan was resting and smiled as he looked at his gathered family.
Oh, Lucy, he thought, you would have loved this. Our boys are all here, married to five women you would have been proud to call our daughters. And the babies, Luc, the babies. Such wonderful grandsons and our bright, pretty little granddaughter. And there will be three more grandbabies next year. I am so blessed. When I first lost you, I thought I had been cursed. But I know now that I wasn't - that you live in our sons and grandchildren.
You always called this the season of miracles. Alan could have died last night. Instead, we are here, we are together and we are so blessed with the abundance of love and family. Thank you, my darling. I know you are our angel.
Jeff watched his family, his heart overflowing with joy as a bell ornament tinkled on the tree when Scott bumped it slightly when he pulled another present out from the tree.
"Every time a bell rings," Alan said softly, "an angel gets his wings."
"I think our angel already has hers," Jeff whispered.
As the bell tinkled once more, Jeff was sure he heard in the echoes of the bell his beloved wife's voice…
You better believe it, Rocket Man.
A/N - Thanks to Inisya for loaning me Alan's allergy and Sammygirl1963 for betaing. The quote from Alan was from what classic Christmas flick? It is an all-time fave in my family. Except my brother-in-law. Dude loves "A Christmas Story".
Happy Christmas to Little Miss Bump. I hope you enjoyed your present. I promised you I would bring some of the Bumpers back ,didn't I? Cheers, m'dear - CC