Disclaimer: I own nothing related to world of Thunderbirds and International Rescue.
Family Reunion
"Grand-dad?" The youthful voice queried, "Grand-dad?" She repeated, a little louder, as she came closer to where John was sat, feeling his old bones settle into the chair for a moments peace away from the natural hub-bub that came from having five generations of one family under one roof.
John opened his still-bright blue eyes and let them rest on Amy's lithe frame, with her long fair hair down around her slim shoulders. She's a female you; Virgil's words always came back to him, every time he saw the thirty two year old.
"I may be eighty seven, but I'm not deaf, young lady," John told her, although the look in his eye told her simply that he was only joking with her.
"I know, Grand-dad," the woman agreed gently, with an affectionate kiss to his forehead, "but all the champagne's been poured and they're about to do a toast," she explained, moving fluidly to the man's side to help him carefully to his feet.
'I remember floating weightless in in space', he thought as Amy placed a hand under his arm, with the help of her and a cane, he eased himself slowly onto his feet. 'Still, it comes to us all' he reflected peacefully, and made his sedate way through the old farm-house, currently filled with the children, grand-children, great grand children and now, today, the first great great grand child descended from the five sons of Jeff and Lucille Tracy. The busy clamour was pleasant, but just watching the excited rushing of small children was exhausting. He had already spotted Scott, of all people, already napping in the arm chair in the corner as Alan had entertained a large audience of wide-eyed children with stories of rescues from their International Rescue days, Tin-Tin looking as beautiful as ever as she sat beside Alan, confirming for the audience some of the details of the stories when they seemed too good, too fantastical, to be believed, with Gordon adding in their own details when Alan's narrative needed it. Virgil had been occupied with the latest addition to the family, tiny little Alexis Tracy as she gurgled and cooed in the loving arms of her great, great Grandfather. Virgil, in turn, was smitten with her and her long fingers. "She'll be an artist, you watch," He promised, as he examined the long fingers curled securely around his index finger.
"I hope not," Gordon replied, "I wouldn't like anyone to have to put up with someone as insufferable as you," he explained, to the amusement of everyone else filling the homely living room.
"How do you think I felt?" Virgil asked, with an affectionate smile for his once copper haired brother, "I had to put up with you,"
"What about me?" Scott asked from his comfortable position in his chosen arm chair. "I had both of you to deal with, and John and Alan besides," he pointed out.
John smiled from the doorway. Still bickering.
Scott extended his arms to the two crying children who leapt to their feet and rushed to their nearest safe haven as a flash of lightning lit the room and a heavy rumble of thunder, the fourth in an hour, broke over the house.
"That's alright, sweethearts," Scott soothed, "storms are just sound and light, nothing else. Stay inside, and you'll be perfectly safe," he assured them all confidently, not just the two children wrapped up in his arms. "When we were little," Gordon began to explain, "we used to stand and watch them from John and Virgil's room, which was that one." He pointed to the ceiling, in the direction of the bedroom once shared by John and Virgil, so many, many years ago.
"Then we'd all curl up into one bed, and go to sleep," John joined in, smiling fondly at the memory of those long ago days when a frightened Gordon and Alan would only be soothed enough to sleep when surrounded by the reassuring bulks of their three older brothers. It had become an unspoken tradition, after that, for them to climb into one bed whenever there was a storm, and sleep in a heap, and a photo of them doing just that had become one of their mutual favourites "It was the only way to stop these two," Scott informed their audience, with a gesture to Gordon and Alan, "from keeping us up all night, frightened by the noise and flashes of lightning." He accepted a flute of champagne as several of their grand-children moved around the room, handing champagne to those old enough to have some and juice to those who were too young.
Once everyone was suitably furnished with a drink, and as many people as possible were clustered into the living room, Scott raised his glass. "Here is to the latest addition to the Tracy line. May she be the first of many, many more." He stated.
"And may she live a long and contented life, surrounded by those who love her and who she loves in return," John added, with a lift of his own glass and a smile down at his beloved Jane in the chair in front of him. She smiled back, and gave a squeeze to the hand rested on the back of her seat.
"And doing whatever it is that makes her smile," Gordon joined in.
"Even if it is painting," Alan contributed. Virgil smiled, despite the light dig, and raised his own glass.
"To Alexis," he finished, the words chorused by all those assembled; "To Alexis".
Thunder rolled again over the house.
Scott moved his eyes to the ceiling. "How about we go and watch the lightning?" He suggested, and began to ease his stiff frame from his seat. Virgil gently handed Alexis back to her mother and stood up, "sounds like an idea," he agreed. John moved away from where he had been stood as Gordon, his stiff back made worse by the advancing years, was helped to his feet, and the five made their steady way from the room and up the stairs. "Race you, ole timers," Alan joked, as he brought up the rear behind his brothers until they were all in the room that had once been John's and Virgil's. John smiled in the darkness, at the outlines of his brothers in the dark. "Like old times," he remarked.
"Like old times," Scott echoed, as a flash of lightning lit the room, taking away with it all the years that had passed until they were boys again, staring out at the storm.
"How about one more tradition?" Gordon suggested, as he lowered himself onto the broad double bed taking up most of the space in the room, and steadily reclined himself into a comfortable position. "Still can't do without your beauty sleep, huh?" Alan asked, as Scott lowered himself one side of Gordon and put his arm around his shoulders, then around Alan's when he tucked himself under Scott's other arm. Virgil slowly laid himself down next to Gordon and John put himself at the end, his arm draped over Virgil in front of him.
"Just like old times," Gordon murmured, as fatigue stole over him and one by one, the bright, clear eyes of the Tracy brothers flickered closed.
Tin-Tin tapped gently on the door to the room. "Boys?" She called, and smiled at the word; after all these years, all these descendents, they were still 'the boys'. She pushed the door open, a smile appearing on her face as she took in the sight of the brothers on the bed, with the gentle morning light straying across the floor and across Scott, John, Virgil, Gordon and Alan, laid peacefully in each other's arms. "Boys... breakfast is ready," She said softly as she looked down at them, then, after a moment, rearranged the blanket draped over them.
"You always did do everything together," she whispered into the silence, the utter stillness of the room.
She moved around the bed and kissed Alan lovingly on his temple. "Say hello to everyone for me, and I'll see you all again someday," she murmured into his ear, then Tin-Tin, whose own heart was to fail her eight months later, stepped silently from the room.