THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!
MAKE IT CLEAR
WRITTEN BY ZARIUS
(Contains spoilers for 2x08 "Lost Kingdom")
Brains may have his fill of water for the day, but the Tracy clan were going to literally soak up every bit of it as they gathered by the pool.
Alan tossed off his shirt and headed over to one of the deck chairs, keen to let the sun's rays surge through him, but he was quickly set upon by Grandma, carrying with her a small bottle of sun lotion that she dabbed all over the hapless young Tracy's skin. Everyone laughed at the awkward and bemusing struggle.
"C'mon Grandma, I don't need you to keep me coated in this stuff"
"We are not having a repeat of that summer you came in looking like a roasted hog" said Grandma. Alan squirmed as realised to his horror that she had not forgotten how pudgy he was all those years ago.
"Oh you are not going there" Alan protested.
"Tell us all about the little piggy at the market Grandma" Kayo replied as she kicked her shoes off and slipped out of her dusty blue jeans before disposing of her shirt, leaving her in a modest blue bra and black thermal underwear. She undid her ribbon and let her hair come down.
"Oh he was a pretty sight" Grandma continued, "He'd always find something to eat down there, that's why he got so big. Well, after he found himself a tad overdone by staying out in the sun too long, we swore him off food at his favourite marketplace for the whole month. Boy did he complain, he howled, he kicked, he'd cause a scene whenever we were there, but the upswing from it was he got to kick his overindulgent habits and he trimmed down as a result"
"Sounds like Grandma's techniques saved your bacon...she made you an extra thin slice" Kayo teased as she walked over to Alan and held him tightly by the arms, allowing Grandma to steadily apply the lotion to Alan's exposed skin.
"There, don't you feel better?" said Grandma.
"I can see myself cooling down quite a bit, but only once I test a certain someone's ability in the field of combat" Alan replied, a strong sense of snark in his voice.
"Oh I know what he means" said Kayo, refusing to let go of her grip.
Alan steadily began pushing himself backwards, edging the two closer and closer to the pool.
"You want to maybe try those techniques you used on Gordon and Max on little old' me?" said Alan, the pair of them now delicately losing their balance over the edge of the pool.
"You reckon you're a good enough match?" said Kayo.
"When I have the power of the elements on my side, anything's possible" Alan remarked, and threw himself backwards into the pool, taking Kayo with him.
Scott took a small drink from the fridge and came back outside to find Gordon bringing out the beach balls, tossing it into the water and diving in after it.
As he playfully tossed it around, he tried to avoid Scott trying to read his expressions, knowing he desired a conversation. All Gordon wanted to do was have fun.
Eventually, too many times Gordon's curiosity over Scott's intentions got too much for him and he gradually swam over to the shallow corner and leaned over the edge, sulking.
"You feeling alight Gordon?" asked Scott.
"I don't know...just...felt good to be bailed out by Penny you know? I haven't seen her in a good while, felt like we were back to how things were a year ago when we were connecting"
"You miss her don't you?" said Scott.
"Ah I reckon she's a little too high maintenance these days, between her acting as go-between for the GDF, trying to get under the skin of The Hood, she's way too much into the business and stakes of International Rescue than the down time" Gordon lamented.
"Hey, if you're so adamant about getting her to enjoy the perks of our little operation, you should try to make it clear to her. I think you'll find she can hang"
Gordon smiled, "Maybe, I mean, it was like ballet out there Scott, Thunderbird 4 and FAB 1, both of us twirling in and out of that Atlantean stargazing contraption, exiting the dome before it collapsed...a simple mission for simpler times. I miss those days...maybe you're right, I should make it clear, those are the times we all need reminding of, times we need to relive, before we get swamped under by the common muck everyone , even those of us ever on the edge, can get overtaken by"
Scott smiled, "I'll drink to that" he said, guzzling down his soda.
As he walked back over to the deck chair, taking Grandma's lotion and slapping some on his neck and arms, he watched Kayo make it clear to a squirming, struggling Alan just how competitive and domineering she could be even as she went against the currents.
"Ok, ok, I concede" Alan said as Kayo gripped his chin while keeping one of his arms hostage with her other free hand.
"I'll gladly forsake all bragging rights little piggy, but only if you go wee wee wee all the way home" she said. Alan, sighing in dismay, made the appropriate barnyard noises as he swam back to the edge of the pool and clambered out.
Once again, everyone took the time to laugh, even Gordon.
This was an afternoon to savour. Full of mirth and reassurance, and they would remember it.
That they would make perfectly clear.