Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They all belong to Carlton.

Thanks to Tikatu for beta reading this! I couldn't have done it without you! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TWO MONTHS AGO...

Parker balanced precariously on the roof of the runaway ski lift, trying to concentrate on the hook that swung tauntingly in front of him. A rope attached to it was tethered to the belly of Thunderbird Two. He forcefully shoved the myriad of distractions--the long drop to the snow-laden mountains below, the jagged peaks looming menacingly in front, and the passengers in the lift, *especially* the passengers in the lift--to the back of his mind. Yet one thought kept insisting on taking the center stage of the cockney butler's thoughts:

[If this doesn't work, everyone in the ski lift will die. Including m'lady. Including *me*!]

Although he was worried about everyone in the lift, Lady Penelope was, as always, first and foremost in Parker's concerns. But this was not the time to think about how people's lives were endangered, Penelope's or anyone else's. Praying that his vertigo would hold off until a more convenient time, Parker slowly reached forward to grab the hook.

The lifeline danced maddeningly out of reach of Parker's outstretched hand. Cursing, the ex-convict-turned-butler took a tentative step out towards the far end of the wayward lift, closer to the line. This was a mistake; the car lurched briefly to one side, throwing the lifeline farther out of reach, and nearly wrenching the metal lattice of the ski lift's support out of his grip. Parker scooted back in a hurry, towards relative safety...and even farther away from the lifeline. His temper started to stir.

" 'ey now, Tracy!" he shouted up at the massive green Thunderbird vehicle. "Hefn' yer such a great pilot, let's see some o' that talent, eh?" This was a bit unfair, he realized, as Virgil Tracy was no doubt doing his best, but apparently that wasn't going to be good enough.

Once more the lifeline was edging into Parker's reach. Once more the cockney ex-convict started to reach for it. It was closer this time, and his fingers actually brushed against the metal....

All of a sudden, the world tipped and swirled around the hapless butler's eyes in a white maelstrom of snow and sky. His stomach lurched, his legs went weak, and he sank to his knees, staring down at the tram's roof to try and regain his steadiness. When that didn't work, Parker closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

[Blasted vertigo!] he thought angrily. [Of all the confounded...eh?] Lady Penelope's voice had cut through the roaring between Parker's ears. He very carefully looked around to see what the trouble was.

"Parker!" Penelope was shouting, "Use this!" An umbrella waved anxiously along the side of the ski lift's roof, swung by Parker's posh employer.

Mentally uttering his gratitude and making a point to say it aloud at a more convenient time, Parker grasped the offered umbrella, stood back up, and tried again.

Again and again, Parker swung the hook of the umbrella's handle against the hook of Thunderbird Two's lifeline. It missed each time, but was much closer than he could ever hope to get with his outstretched hand. The pressure of time running out had started to close in, the snowy mountain peaks looming closer than ever.

[I'm not giving up!] Parker resolved. [I'm not letting anything happen to m'lady or anyone else!] And even though his hands had long gone numb in the bitter cold, even though his arm ached from the strain of hanging onto the lift's support column, he swung the umbrella at the lifeline. It missed! He swung again! And missed again! Swung! Missed! Swung...and caught it!

Parker let loose a cackle of triumph as he pulled the lifeline home with his remaining strength and secured it. The metal rope held tight, and the car began to slow down. Only then did the cockney butler allow himself to rest, flopping down rather unceremoniously onto the metal roof of the lift while still holding onto the metal lattice.

Unfortunately, Parker underestimated the force with which the tram would actually stop. No sooner had it jarred to a halt when the cockney butler felt himself shooting forward off the lift and into thin air. The ground seemed to rush towards him at unnatural speed, and he panicked, squeezing the umbrella's handle in his terror...

There was a loud FWOOMP! and Parker's fall was slowed significantly by the umbrella's outstretched canvas. He was safe, and, more importantly, so were Lady Penelope and the other passengers on board the runaway ski lift.

"Now if only me ticker h'would slow down to hey bit more normal," Parker muttered. "I just might be halright meself!" He slowly drifted down to terra firma, where Penelope was waiting.