Title: Daddy's Island
Summary: When Daddy said 'Island' none of them expected him to actually buy one! But as Jeff takes his troop to Tracy Island and lets them explore the villa – including the twins shared room – they find that maybe it's not so bad after all. 3/24
Disclaimer: I do not own Thunderbirds in any way or capacity, anything recognizable belongs to the rightful owners.
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted.
AGES: Scott – 13; John – 11; Virgil and Ava – 9; Gordon – 6; Alan – 4
4-year-old Alan sat on the floor of his bedroom. Four boxes sat in front of him, his grandmother's handwriting standing out to him.
Alan's clothes
Alan's Toys
Alan's books
Other (Alan)
Scott stood at the doorway, he looked down at his baby brother for a while before stepping into the room and crouching down in front of his brother.
"It's going to be fun Al! An Island! We'll have our own beach, Dad says it has two pools! Two! And it's a huge house! With enough room for Grandma to stay when she comes to visit!" He said. He tried to sound as excited as Alan should be but it didn't have the desired effect.
"I don't wanna go." The four-year-old grumbled, crossing his arm adorably over his chest.
"I know. But it's a chance to start over. Start again. Like…waking up to the start a new day." Scott said. Alan looked at his brother and his little forehead had creases in it. Ava and Virgil appeared in the doorway.
"Hey, look, Ava and Virgil are all packed! Maybe they can help you out!" Scott said, giving his 9-year-old siblings a look that said his attempts were failing. Ava grinned and stepped over to the four-year-old.
"Alan, do you wanna pack up your stuff? Come on, we'll help you." Ava said kneeling down in front of her brother, who immediately crawled to her and wrapped his arms around her neck.
"Don't wanna go." He said, now it seemed tears were making their way to his eyes.
"I don't want to go either Al. But it's a chance to try something new. Come on. Packing is fun! Let's have a go, yeah?" Virgil asked. The 4-year-old nodded at his brother, Ava and Virgil pulled him to his feet and starting to pull things out of Alan's closet. Carefully and under the now watchful eye of their grandmother, Ava and Virgil starting folding Alan's clothes and started packing them in the box. Then Ava pulled the box for Alan's toys over to his toy box – their grandfather had made it for Scott and since then had been used by all the children.
Ava opened it and Alan, sitting on her knee, began to put his toys in the box, Ava helped him pack them so they all went in neatly and so the box would close (it wouldn't the first time he tried). Soon enough all the boxes were full and Alan's room looked very bare. The only thing left was Alan's bed. Virgil said that it would be moved to the Island before they got there. But that was a lie. They'd all get new beds. New rooms. New furnishings. Everything would be new. And they couldn't wait. The only thing that Ava demanded of her father that be brought with them was that toy box.
The Island was like nothing they'd ever seen. It was beautiful. Virgil's mind whirled with all the ideas of paintings he could do. Sunsets, sunrises, landscapes. It was perfect. Ava was thinking of all the exploring her and Alan could do. Scott was eyeing off that beach. The perfect spot for some fishing or surfing. John could see that the island had many spots perfect for star gazing. And Gordon liked the look of the pools so he had plenty of space to swim. Jeff could see all his kids looking at the island in awe, except Alan, whom was fast asleep on Ava's lap.
"Dad?" He glanced at Scott, who sat beside him in the co-pilot's seat, "this is amazing."
"Well, buckle in Scott." Jeff pressed a button on the panel in front of him, "this is your captain speaking," he heard laughter from the back of the plane, "we are in our final approach, so please fasten your seat belts and prepare to disembark." Ava sat Alan back beside her and fastened his seatbelt for him then her own. As they descended, Alan woke. He blinked to clear his vision then looked up at Ava.
"Are we there?" He asked.
"Yeah, Al. We're there." She said, "We get to have a look and unpack all our stuff in our rooms." Ava gave him a smile.
"Has my bed got here?" He hadn't forgotten what Virgil had told him.
"Yeah, it sure has. It's already in your room." She said, she knew he'd see a new bed but hopefully when he saw it he'd forget all about his old one.
It was a long trek up to the villa and Ava ended up giving Alan a piggy-back ride. Scott gave Gordon one and John and Virgil were left to carry Scott and Ava's 'carry-on' bags. When they got to the villa Alan wriggled off Ava's back and raced upstairs to see his room. Ava followed him and stood at his door and watched the 4-year-old stare in awe at his new bed. It was shaped like a race car. He was ecstatic.
"This is so cool!" He squealed running to his bed and jumping on it.
"You like it? I picked it out." He turned and ran to the door but he didn't hug Ava, he wrapped his arms around Virgil's neck. As his brother had picked it out for him. Ava smiled and gave her brother a pat on the back before moving off to find her room. Jeff had gone through the villa the day before and as each room was done he placed a 'nametag' at each door so they could find the room he had gifted them with.
Ava's room was shared with Virgil. Gordon's was across the hall, the same side as John's. Ava pushed open her door and started to take in her room.
It was twice the size of Alan's, because the twins needed the space. Their balcony opened to a brilliant view of the ocean, in fact they were gifted a double balcony – twin room, twin balcony. Two brand new king size beds sat side by side in the room, one with a dark blue comforter and one with a deep green comforter. Two desks with brand new computers on them. Bookcases sat next to them, both filled with the school books they'd need for the New Year. And bigger bookcases for their own books. Each had their own ensuite – Ava pushed open the door to the bathroom on her side of the room and she nearly fainted. A full size ensuite. A shower, toilet, basin and bath. It was well spaced out nothing was cramped. Ava decided that once she was done unpacking, she was going to have a soak in that bath. She couldn't wait.
On Virgil's side she noticed a few things that she knew would be in the room. There was an upright piano against one wall and next to it resting against the wall was an easel. On a small table next to it sat a collection of brand new paints. Along with a selection of brand new brushes from large to tiny. Ava shook her head, her father would have had help from their grandmother for that.
Ava also noted that both of them had full size walk-in closets! Ava was shocked, all the children had walk-in closets and ensuite bathrooms but to give the twins in their twin room one each? It was insane and expensive. But for once Ava found she didn't care, her father had the money to buy the Island so why not gift his children with the best of the best?
"Can you believe this?" Virgil exclaimed as he joined her later as she unpacked her bags. She gifted her twin with a smile but didn't say anything. Virgil paused and walked over to her.
"You ok Ava?" he asked slinging an arm around her shoulders, she stiffened.
"Fine." She replied, shrugging off his arm. Virgil took a moment to look hurt.
"Hey, now. What's up?" He asked turning her to face him. He made her look at him and brushed a few stray tears away with his thumbs. She closed her eyes against the affectionate way he spoke to her. Virgil and Ava were twins but their actions to each other were more like lovers than brother and sister.
"It's nothing. Just being silly." She said shaking her head.
"You're not being silly. Talk to me." Virgil said.
"It's just…this Island – Tracy Island. Is it all really worth it? Why did he buy the Island? What honestly does he need it for and why couldn't he just buy a house in Kansas to be near Grandma?" Avalon said. Virgil felt for her, they'd been ripped away from their friends – though neither had many, and they had no idea if they would be home-schooled or sent to the mainland to attend. Although having their own twins room with everything they could possible want or need was awesome, it was still a little over whelming for them. If not for the others in their family.
Alan had new bed. He was ecstatic over it so far.
Gordon had full use of the twin pools. He had already changed and was swimming width laps.
Scott had hundreds of metres of beach to run along. He'd gone to check it out already.
John had plenty of vantage points for start gazing. He was standing on his balcony seeing if he could see a fair bit from his room.
Their father had plenty of privacy to have his conference calls and to discuss things with anyone who happened upon Jeff Tracy's phone number.
The twin has endless ways to spend their days but they would more than likely spend most of them looking after their wayward brothers. Knowing Gordon and Alan.
Virgil looked up from the grand piano that sat in the lounge of the island Villa as shouting broke out above him, after three weeks. It didn't take them long.
"You're being selfish!" A boy's voice snapped.
"Selfish? Says the boy who spends all his time secluded from his brothers!" She was accusatory and defiant.
"You don't get to talk to me that way!" He snarled.
"Oh, why not?" She shot back, clearly not fazed by the authority he had over them all.
"I'm the oldest, you have to show me respect!" He snapped.
"Do you expect me to just hand you my respect, respect is earnt Scott! It is not given!" She told him sharply.
"Alan gives it freely!" Scott replied.
"Oh please, everyone knows that Alan worships you! He doesn't know any different!" She may have only been nine and Scott 13 but both knew how to hold an argument of epic proportions. This argument went on about Ava not giving Scott the respect the 13-year-old thought he clearly deserved and her telling him that respect was earnt and obviously Scott had not earnt the respect that Ava was required to give him. Virgil simply rolled his eyes and sighed. He didn't understand why they fought so much.
Trying to ignore them Virgil stretched out his legs trying to reach the pedals, he needed to grow a bit. But he was about to hit his growth spurt. But as he ran his fingers over the keys he was finally able to concentrate on something other than his siblings fighting.
Ava sat on the deck watching the birds flutter from tree to tree. They were birds she didn't yet recognise. One of them perched on the sun longue just 7 feet from where she sat. She watched it as it hopped for a bit then settled.
"It's a Resplendent Quetzal." She turned from the bird to see John settling down beside her.
"Oh, it's pretty." She said.
"Yeah it sure is. There are a lot of beautiful bids out here. I've had a god time looking them up. I've matched several tropical birds from here to ones on the internet. I've even seen some that had quiet the flight they are usually found in Australian Rainforests." John said. Ava just nodded and let John wrap and arm around her and pull her against him. She obviously connected with Virgil best but John came close. Scott and she had their problems but they connected well. And for now because Daddy had bought this Island they were going to have to deal with being in close quarters for quite a while. They didn't have the option of going to a friend's house to get away from each other. They'd have to find their own 'space'. And with an Island…there had to be plenty.