Happy Halloween! No tricks, just a treat. This is the one-shot I promised. Set twenty-five years after the end of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, you can meet most of the Tracy Grandchildren and hear what they have all done with their lives. As it has been that long a time, some characters that have appeared are no longer with us. Only one person's passing made Sam1 threaten to hurt me. But no one is ever really gone in fandom, are they?

And for the last time (at this moment) I do not now, nor have I ever, owned the Thunderbirds. But they have been fun to borrow.

Family Honor

by Criminally Charmed

Jason Tracy smiled as he stepped out of the plane into the bright, sunny spring day. He could swear he was able to smell the cherry blossom along the Potomac. As he crossed the tarmac, a smiling airport employee led the oldest Tracy grandchild into a back entrance of the terminal building. Jason's crewmates from the Mars Mission were due in on a later flight, but Major Tracy had gotten word to his parents that he was arriving two hours early in an attempt to avoid the media. As he entered the terminal, Jason rolled his eyes as a group of media – smaller than if he had arrived when expected, but still an annoyance – confronted the astronaut who simply stated, "No comment" again and again as he monitored the crowd for his parents.

Then he caught sight of his mother's black hair, now lightly peppered with white. Jason nearly laughing at the view of his mother – usually so controlled, whether with International Rescue or as an executive of Tracy Enterprises – as the one-time FBI agent was now bouncing on a chair, while her anxious husband held the furniture, hoping his wife would not fall.

"Jas!" Katherine Eppes Tracy jumped off of the chair, ignoring her husband's outstretched arms. With the enthusiasm of a woman younger than the child she was greeting, Kate flung her arms around her firstborn son. "Oh, my baby! You're back, you are really back!"

Laughing, Jason whirled his mother in his arms. Looking down at her refined features and sparkling brown eyes, he was struck by the realization that she was still the most beautiful woman he knew. Fiercely protective of her family, there was nothing Kate would not do for her loved ones. But luckily, she hadn't had to shoot anyone in twenty-five years.

"Let him breathe, Katie, will ya?" Scott Tracy laughed as his wife shook her head against her eldest son's chest. Giving his son a one-armed hug, he tried and failed to pull his wife away. Scott's laughter only grew when Jason mouthed "Help me!" over his mother's head.

"Do I get a hug from the rocket jockey?"

Kate, Scott, and Jason all turned at the new, if familiar, voice. For Scott, it was almost a flashback. The features – hair, eyes, face, and smile – were the perfect reflection of his late mother Lucy Keith Tracy. But the cheeky attitude was definitely inherited from the father who had bestowed the mother's features on his own first born. Dressed in an Air Force uniform similar to the one Jason currently wore, her blonde hair in a tight bun at the back of her head, Samantha Tracy's blue eyes were smiling with delight at the sight of her oldest and perhaps favorite cousin.

Grinning, Jason pulled away from his parents to hug his younger cousin. Tapping her gold captain bars on the younger woman's shoulders, he acknowledged "Those are different. Last time I saw you it was Lt. Tracy, now you're Captain Tracy."

Returning the grin, Samantha "Sammie" Tracy pointed to the major clusters on Jason's uniform. "I could say likewise. You blast off for Mars, second-in-command on the Mission, Captain Jason Tracy, and come back, nearly two years later, as the man in charge, Major Tracy and – if what your folks told us is true, about to be decorated for being the hero of the mission."

Jason shrugged. Lt. Col. Coughlin would have done fine. But he was killed in an accident during the approach of Mars, and Jason was told to assume command. He was able to repair the equipment and salvage the mission. Being bumped up to Major had not been a surprise. But being informed upon his return that he was being given the Medal of Valor, had surprised him. During the Terrorist Wars, it had been decided that while some military members did not qualify for the Medal of Honor, some were so close that they deserved special recognition. Thus, the Medal of Valor was created.

A reporter tried to edge in closer, with Kate insulating her son and niece from any intrusion. Glaring at the reporter, Kate snarked, "Hey, Nevada, this is the daughter of the Tracy wife who broke your nose. Any bets?"

Ana Nevada, still looking like she was in her thirties – thanks to a lot of plastic surgery – looked at Sammie cautiously before asking Jason, "Major Tracy, with your magnificent accomplishments, aren't you annoyed that your younger cousin has managed to steal your thunder?"

Samantha Tracy glared at the woman, taking a limping step forward. It was then that Jason was shocked to notice the cane his younger cousin was leaning on. "Listening, lady – and I use that term loosely – my mother broke your nose and she is a pacifist. I'm not. Now back off!"

Police forced the reporters back behind lines as Jason looked at his cousin. "Sammie, what happened to you? And what is she talking about?"

Kate and Scott looked at Sammie, who nodded at them before turning to her oldest cousin. "Jas, something happened while you were gone. The government chose not to tell the Mars Mission about it because most of you were military and they thought you would feel guilty for being too far away to help." Samantha lowered her head for a moment, drawing in a deep breath before continuing. "Jason, there was a radical group of terrorists from South East Asia who tried to start a Second Terrorist War. They did a coordinated series of attacks. Almost a million people died in Asia and Europe. Then they tried to hit here."

Pale, Jason gripped his cousin's shoulders. "Sammie, were you at a base that got hit?"

Smiling with quiet pride, Scott placed a hand on his niece's arm. "Son, they never hit America. It was almost six weeks ago. Your cousin out-flew the terrorists; her squadron was the interceptor unit. The other pilots in her unit had to back off, but Sammie managed to nail them before any civilians were injured. She's considered a national hero."

Sammie looked grim. "Yeah, and two of my unit were killed. Major Thompson is still in the rehab hospital. But the bad guys are dead so we must be heroes."

Kate brushed back a loose strand of blond hair. "Samantha, no civilian lives were lost here and your unit's actions were such that you bought time for the other terrorists to be stopped before any further attacks could be initiated. And your uncle and I have watched the footage. We have read the reports. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save innocent lives. And as proud of you as we are, if you ever pull anything like that again, we will seriously kick your butt."

Jason ignored his father's chuckle as he looked over his cousin again. "How long have you been out of the hospital?" When Sam looked at her watch, Jason blew up. "You have to look at your watch to answer me?"

Chuckling, Kate shook her head. "God, Scottie, he is so your son."

Turning, Sammie balanced herself on her cousin's arm. "Come on, I had to get out tonight for the award ceremony. I mean, it is the Medal of Honor."

Jason smiled. "Aw, Sammie, that's sweet. But I am getting the Medal of Valor; I am not getting the Medal of Honor."

"No, but I am." Jason froze in his tracks. Looking to his father for confirmation, the oldest Tracy grandchild rolled his eyes when Scott nodded. Shaking his head, Jason muttered, "Good thing I am resigning my commission. Otherwise, I would have to salute her."

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Jason and Samantha Tracy had been back on Tracy Island for almost three weeks, having both resigned their commissions to accept roles in "the family business". Most people thought it meant Tracy Enterprises. A select few knew that they were being groomed to head the next generation of International Rescue – The Thunderbirds.

Scott and Alan Tracy sat back, laughing as their own firstborn children came back from a rescue, joking and teasing. Not all of the Tracy Grandchildren wanted to become Thunderbirds. But Jason had always wanted to be a Thunderbird and, like Sammie, had actually gone on rescues since he was a teenager.

Elizabeth Tracy-Kerney, the oldest Tracy Granddaughter, had arrived an hour earlier. While Elizabeth had gone through Thunderbird training, she had – with her family's understanding – chosen to dedicate herself to Tracy Enterprises. And after her grandfather, Jeff Tracy, had suffered a heart attack earlier that year, no one had been surprised that the energetic young woman had been named President of Tracy Enterprises.

Jeff and Elizabeth walked out to the patio, with Jason and Sammie approaching from the opposite direction. Elizabeth was caught up in telling Jeff about the latest happenings at the Manhattan office – unlike Jeff, she chose to live and work in New York full-time. So the two Tracy sons laughed at her annoyed expression when Jason called out, "Hey, Lizzie… What's up?"

Elizabeth sat next to her uncles as Jeff sat across from her, muttering to her only older cousin, "I hate it when you call me that."

Sammie pulled up a chair as Jason perched on a lounger, both Thunderbirds laughing. "Elizabeth, why do you think he calls you that? He just likes to jerk your chain."

"Yeah," Jason joked. "But at least I don't call you Lizard Breath any more."

Jeff placed a soothing hand on his oldest granddaughter's arm. Turning a pleading look at her grandfather, Elizabeth whispered, "Next month, can I just use the vid-phone?"

Placing a kiss on her cheek, Jeff smiled at Elizabeth. "Now, honey, I look forward to your coming out here. Your aunts work at the headquarters but they fly in and out. But you and your cousins are living and working off-island. And since some doctor says I need to live a quiet life, I enjoy it when you come back here."

The grandchildren and sons all smiled at that. Dr. Emily Tracy had ordered Jeff to turn over Tracy Enterprises and International Rescue to his children and grandchildren. "Simply put Dad, you have a choice. Keep running everything, I give you six months. Slow down, let the family take over, and live another twenty or thirty years. It's up to you." Jeff had chosen to retire from both empires he had built. Not that he didn't keep busy – now Jeff could often be found working with Brains and Tin-Tin in the lab, reviewing engineering work as well as expanding the work of the Tracy Charities. But he most enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.

"Jefferson Tracy, get back here!" Alan and Jeff both started as Tin-Tin's voice called out from the main villa. Scott began to laugh as a two-year-old who looked more like his uncles than his father dashed out, sans clothes. Grabbing a towel from the back of his lounger, Jason plucked up his newest cousin, Jefferson "Jeffy" Tracy II. Joining his father in his merriment, the oldest Tracy grandchild held the youngest. Shoulders shaking with laughter, he handed the giggling toddler back to his frustrated mother. At the sight of the others at the table chuckling as well, Tin-Tin threw up her hands after she handed the toddler to his father. "So it's funny that your son has decided he doesn't need to wear any clothing. It was bad enough that the modifications to the Mole were delayed when Jeffy decided he wanted to wear the cake batter my mother was working on, now I have to chase him all over the place. Our girls were so much easier than this little hellion."

"All four of us, Mom?" Sammie grinned. "I know I was an angel, but Jo, Val and Ginny could be as much of a hellion as Jeffy. And have I ever thanked you for giving me a little brother when I was twenty-three?" Jeffy grinned at his oldest sister as if he knew how much that had embarrassed her. Sammie smiled back. She was never really upset about Jeffy – they shared a mutual adoration society, "Sam" having even been the boy's first word.

Scott leaned over to his father and whispered, "Yeah, I thought I was embarrassed when you gave me a little brother when I was eleven. Good call, Dad."

As Tin-Tin stormed back into the house, anxious to get back to her work, Sammie stood up and scooped Jeffy from their father's arms. "Don't you have to get your outline together for your editor, Dad? Mark is supposed to be calling this afternoon."

Bending over his oldest and youngest, Alan placed a kiss on each of their cheeks before giving his daughter a one-armed hug. "It's great to have you back, kiddo. I've missed you." He started to walk away before turning back and giving Sammie a bigger hug. "Don't ever scare us like that again. It was just too close."

Smiling, Sammie kissed her father's cheek before saying, "I know, Dad, I know." Gently brushing a hand along his hair, she tapped his forehead before shooing him into the house. Bouncing the toddler on her lap, she kissed his brown hair, and then his nose. "Really, Jeffy, Dad should know that was only the second time I was in the hospital, third if you count my tonsils – and since that was less than twenty-four hours, I don't think that should count. You should hear some stories about Daddy when he was a teenager. He spent more time in life and death situations than the rest of the family combined. I mean, I have my tonsils out, my appendix out and…"

"End up in a medically induced coma for ten days, the ICU for four days and stay in the hospital for another month." Sarah Tracy cheerfully entered the conversation, her husband and younger son Thomas following behind them, still in their Thunderbird uniforms.

"So, Tom, how was your first solo tour on Thunderbird Five?" Jason patted the spot next to him on the lounger as the younger man stretched widely.

"Glad I waited to make sure this is what I wanted to do, that's all I can say." Tom gratefully accepted the fresh lemonade his grandfather poured him from the pitcher in front of him. "Now, it is only two weeks, and even you old folks are gonna do this on occasion, right?"

Scott laughed. "Any active Thunderbird has to do at least one two week tour a year. And don't even think of it, Dad. Emily didn't just say no, she said hell no. No more rockets, no more space stations for you, got it?"

"Well, I'm glad to see someone listens to me." Emily Tracy walked into the area, smiling at her family, holding her husband's hand. Looking over at Tom, she asked, "So, Keith all settled in? He loves being up there among the stars." Kissing her husband's cheek, she smiled at the man whom she still looked at like he hung the stars for her alone. "Just like his father."

"Yeah, the Tracy Family Curse – we are adrenaline junkies all around." Gordon Tracy walked in with his arm around his wife, his Thunderbird uniform still on. Their twin sons - Parker in his Thunderbird uniform as well while Terry had loosened his tie and was carrying his suit coat – followed closely behind their parents.

"Speak for yourself, Dad." Terry spoke up to his father while his twin gave the mischievous grin he had inherited from his father, along with the green eyes and red hair they shared.

"Oh, so you haven't mentioned to anyone that you closed that big deal while you were –what was that – copter skiing?"

"Thanks, Parker." Glaring at his twin, Terrence pulled up two chairs, seating his mother before taking a seat for himself. Looking over at his older cousin – and boss – he smiled at Elizabeth, explaining, "Its called heliskiing. Basically, you jump out of a copter, with your skis strapped on and ready to go. It was the only way I could track down Mika Tyson to talk about designing the new video game."

Not looking up from her work, Elizabeth nodded. "I know. I read your expense report. However, your mother didn't know and neither did Aunt Kate. But from the glares they are giving you, you might have to explain to them."

Julie merely patted both of her sons and whispered, "Terrence, I prefer you not have me worrying about both sons. Parker, I dislike tattletales. Besides, he is now dating Mika so I am willing to forgive just about anything."

"Whoa." Parker looked over at his twin with raised eyebrows. "The daredevil software designer is a babe?"

Before any of the other Tracy women could object to the term, Kate, who had walked in behind the group, snickered. "She is a majorly hot babe. I wanted to introduce her to one of my very eligible sons before I found her and Terrence having a very private lunch."

At his cousins' hoots, Terry blushed. "Emotionally intimate, that's it. But it may be developing nicely."

"And," Jason interrupted, "your sons can find their own girlfriends, Mom. Well, now that I know I am back on Earth for good, I might be looking a bit more. DJ, now he is another story altogether."

"So what would that story be?" FBI Agent DJ Tracy grinned as he came up the path, his hand on the arm of his now elderly maternal grandfather, Don Eppes. Kate's father had come to visit ten years ago after the death of his wife. Except for trips to see his sons and three other grandchildren, Don had never left, moving in with Brains after the scientist's only son had moved to Los Angeles permanently. Don had often joked in the last decade that he sometimes felt like he was living with his kid brother again. Charlie Eppes had been a gifted mathematician, a genius who had inspired Fermat Hackenbacker to become an educator. The passing of his little brother only two months before his wife had devastated Jason and DJ's grandfather. Yet living on Tracy Island, with not only the two grandsons of his blood but his eleven honorary grandchildren in the Tracy Family, seemed to have revitalized the ex-FBI director.

As Jason hemmed and hawed, trying to back himself out of the corner he had painted himself in with his kid brother, Don walked around to give Sammie a quick peck on the cheek. Having been visiting his sons in L.A., he hadn't seen the young woman since the Rose Garden Ceremony that had honored both her unit and the Mars Mission (President Christina Schwarzenegger had joked that the Tracy family was so big they could only coordinate one ceremony) and was happy to see Sammie doing so much better. "Your looking great, Sammie; has my grandson forgiven you for getting Thunderbird One?"

Elizabeth perked up at this. "Wait, Sammie got One? I thought Sammie was getting Three and Jason would get One."

Scott shook his head. "Nope. Whether my son likes it or not, Thunderbird One goes to the better pilot, not the oldest."

"Dad," Jason grumbled. "I'm fine with Sammie flying One. I'll fly Three – but I do get to be One's back-up pilot."

Sammie laughed. "Yeah, and Jason is still going to be Primary Field Commander. Let's face it; the rescues can't begin until Two gets there. I will fly One in and set things up but Jason and the guys will come in."

"OK, so the team will be?" DJ asked.

Scott nodded, "Sammie is primary for One, Tom will be primary for Two, Jason primary for Three, Parker is primary on Four and Keith is primary for Five. It is coincidence that three out of five of the primaries are the sons of the original pilots. Keith loves the stars and actually wants extra duty on Five – at least for now. Parker is too much his father's – sorry, parents' son and loves the water. The fact that he won three Olympic swimming medals while his parents each won two should be proof of that. So he was a great fit for Four. And Tom? Well, we could have put Tom anywhere and he would have done fine. Sammie is the sharpest pilot, maybe even better than I ever was." Sammie looked over at Jason because she knew if she looked at his father they would both start laughing. "And Jason is the astronaut who belongs in Three."

Sammie laughed. "I think Dad just got Three because it let him go real fast and got him off the Island for four hours guaranteed every other week. It was a win-win."

Julie rolled her eyes. "Can we discuss something besides the Thunderbirds?" After a quick glance at Elizabeth, she rapidly added, "And I do not need to hear anything about Tracy Enterprises. There are Tracy grandchildren who are still missing; I would love to hear what is going on with them."

Jeff smiled – his favorite subject was his grandchildren. "Well, Michael is still on tour in Europe. And according to his mother, he is becoming rather close with Lady Pamela Creighton-Ward." Michael was as gifted a pianist – perhaps more so, than his father, with his mother's clear voice. While he had chosen a life outside of both "family businesses", he did occasionally send back intelligence for IR. Pamela had picked up where her late Aunt Penelope had left off and while playing the role of a "companion and close friend" to musician Michael Tracy could explain some of her intelligence work, Michael had confided to his mother that it was becoming the real thing.

Sammie took over at this point. "Joanna is still racing Grand Prix – she has crossed paths with Michael repeatedly while in Europe. Valerie was accepted into the Trauma Medicine program that Mass General runs with Harvard. So when she graduates from Harvard Medical, Val will slide into an advance training program. And Ginny has been pre-accepted for both MIT and Harvard. It comes down to whether she wants to run track at Harvard or focus on her studies."

John shook his head. "Sammie, she can do both. Your father ran track for Harvard and graduated with dual degrees in English and Engineering. And published his first book before he graduated."

"And got your mom pregnant before they graduated." Gordon snarked.

Julie, looking at a report Elizabeth had been showing Jeff, kept her eyes on the paper as she quietly reminded her husband. "And they had been married for over three years when Tin-Tin got pregnant. However, you and I…"

"Never mind that." Julie looked up, blinking as her husband and sons all said that at the same time.

Several members of the family chuckled at that. Then John began to really laugh. When his family turned to him, puzzled, he explained the source of his amusement. "I was just thinking – Jason and Samantha both went to the Air Force Academy, both studied engineering, both are decorated Air Force Officers… and both were conceived on Thunderbird Five."

"Which is why Dad stopped letting married couples go up on Five at the same time," Emily joked.

Elizabeth smiled at her mother. "At least you don't have to worry about that with Ian and me. Neither of us are Thunderbirds and I wish my cousins and uncles would stop trying to recruit him. Ian is retiring from Arson Investigation Unit of the NY Fire Department to develop his safety equipment with some help from Fermat and Nick Eppes. I will be happy when he can start working some regular hours."

"Yeah, like a corporate president works normal hours." Kate sighed. "You know, honey, we had our doubts when you and Ian first got together. I mean, he is fourteen years your senior. And I know some people questioned it, well, because…"

"Because they thought Ian saw a chance to get his hands on some of the Tracy money? I know no one in the family thought that. We've known Ian since his sister started dating Fermat." Elizabeth shook her head. "The fact that Ian wanted to go outside the family to get financing to start his company should have shown that he wanted me, not any Tracy money. How did you ever get him to agree, Grandpa?"

"Simple," Jeff nodded smugly. "I told him that any profits from the investment would go into a trust for any great-grandchildren from the two of you."

Looking back down at the report her aunt had handed back to her, Elizabeth mused, "So, he needs to start showing profits how soon? Because I will be showing in a few months."

John's eyes went wide as his gaze was torn between his daughter and his wife. Emily stood up to hug her daughter, while the rest of the family began to react with excitement. As John accepted congratulations, and Elizabeth was hugged by everyone, Sammie pulled over Jason and muttered, "Oh, great, now our parents are gonna start in on us. Know anyone we can start dating fast?"

"I got a better idea," Jason sighed, placing arm around his cousin's shoulders. "Let's do rock/paper/scissors to see who gets to replace Keith."

Lucy smiled in contentment. Her babies were all grown, and, with the exception of Ginny and Jeffy, their babies were grown up as well.

Alan Eppes smiled as he watched his son, granddaughter and great-grandsons, as well as the family he had adopted so many years before. "They look good Lucy. You have guided them well."

Tears in her eyes, she patted his hand. "Thank you for all you've done over the years. You have been such a help."

Shrugging, Grandpa Eppes just smiled. "Well, as busy as I have been trying to watch over Don's boys and DJ, I am glad you have help now to watch over the Island Residents."

Arms went around both of their shoulders as Charlie Eppes leaned his face between Lucy and Alan's. "Dad, Donnie always watched out for me. Guess I just figure it was time to repay the favor. And you have to admit, getting Kate to bully Don into visiting and then inspiring Brains to get him to move here just showed that even dead I am a genius."

Torn between a laugh and a groan, they gave in and joined Charlie in his laughter.

Don Eppes raised his head suddenly. He could never explain it, but ever since he had moved to Tracy Island, he had felt as if his father and brother were once more with him. He missed them so much, but here on the island, he could feel their presence so strongly. Don never tried to understand it. Charlie had only been here twice and his father had never been here at all. Looking over at Jeff Tracy, standing back from his children and grandchildren, watching them with a bittersweet look upon his face, Don knew the moment the billionaire felt his late wife's presence. He knew that he had just worn a similar look on his own face. That between the precious links their children were making to the future, the links to the past were still strong and binding, what each man had built was incredible. They had changed the world for the better with their life-long passions, but while what they had done on earth had been important, it would be the families they had created that had assured that they would never be forgotten. Their legacies were secure within their children's hands.

And the Thunderbirds are go.

a/n - Yes, Charlie died. Don would have never left his little brother. And now, his little brother will not leave Don. As for Jason's remark, of having to salute Sammie, he would have had to. A Medal of Honor winner, even if they are a Private/ Seaman/ Airman Basic, etc. is the one who is saluted by everyone including a Five Star General or even the President. There is a reason most Medal of Honors are give posthumously. I liked the idea of it being a Tracy granddaughter who would get it. The Medal of Valor does not exist in the U.S. Military - it is the highest in other militaries and for Law Enforcement but at this time, it is not one a member of America's military could win.

OK, so the family is: Jeff and Lucy Tracy had Scott, John, Virgil, Gordon, and Alan. Scott married Kate Eppes, who had Jason and DJ (Donald Jefferson); John married Emily Haas, had Elizabeth (who married Ian Kerney, Fermat's brother-in-law) and Keith; Virgil married Sarah Woodbury, who had Michael and Thomas; Gordon married Julie Maxwell, nee Juliet Parker, who had Parker and Terrence; Alan married Tin-Tin Kyrano, who had Samantha, Joanna, Valerie and Ginny (first initial for each brother and their middle names are the sister-in-laws' names) and finally Jefferson "Jeffy" Tracy II. The new Thunderbirds are Jason, Keith, Thomas, Parker and Sammie.

OK, I have wrapped up my stories. I am taking a couple of weeks off, then I am going to get started on my next story. It will be a cross-over with seaQuest (first season) and Thunderbirds (movie verse). Alan Tracy and Lucas Wolenczak will be drawn together and put in danger. Yeah, Alan at risk again. Back to my old tricks! Since this will be starting in seaQuest's world, I will post under seaQuest not in Thunderbirds. If you do not have me as an author alert, e-mail me and I will let you know when I have started the story. But if you don't want to, remember - I am not going to be posting until the end of November/ beginning of December. Yes, I just babbled on. Huge praise for Sam1 - I would have stalled or stopped so many times without her help. And thanks for joining me on the journey and I hope to see you again. - CC