Disclaimer: I don't own Thunderbirds, or, any other Gerry Anderson Supermarionation (long word) creation for that matter, I wasn't even born when it was made, so there goes that accusation right outta the window, huh!
Author's note: Hello! This is my third Thunderbirds fic, however the only one that can actually be viewed as the others were written about two or three years ago and have been lost since. So, yeas, here we go. I'm probably one of the youngest Thunderbirds fans on I turn eighteen in August, and, as you may have guessed, I was brought up on Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Stingray by my Dad who'd grown up with them too! When I was little, I always wanted to be part of International Rescue (didn't we all . . .) and I guess that a chibi (little/baby) me inspired this story.
Extended summary: This is an AU fic. It's so far off the original show; it's just not even funny. Jeff Tracy has five sons, but what if he had five sons and a daughter? What if she was five years younger than the baby of the family, Alan, giving her a totally different attitude to any of the other Tracy children. This is my random, AU madness, which I've done before, but lost, so here's the re-write, I prefer this version though. Oh, and this has NOTHING to do with the movie, which I think looks truly awful!
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: I'm so used to writing Yaoi. I don't think that there's anything that you should be warned of . . . what did it say in The day after tomorrow commercials? Oh yah . . . extended scenes of peril, or something . . .
Somewhere In Between
By Bubblegum Thai
Chapter One: Blame it on the weather man.
The sky was thick with dark clouds and rain thundered down upon the small island of the Tracy family, the violent wind whipping palm trees about as if they were made of nothing but paper.
Sitting in her room, gazing out of the window sat the youngest, and only female of the family, Suzan Tracy. She sighed heavily, watching her breath form mist before her blue eyes before lifting a finger and lazily drawing shapes in the haze.
She had not been back at this home for long, three weeks she'd been there and already she was feeling rejected by her family. It had not been their fault that she'd been sent away, but it hadn't been hers either. Their Father, Jeff, had founded International Rescue, the life-saving organisation manned by her five older brothers, he had the funds and the contacts, it would be perfect, unfortunately, having a fourteen-year-old daughter was inconvenient, but there really was no better time, he couldn't afford to wait another four years for her to be old enough to finish her education.
Suzan wasn't bitter that her father had sent her away to England, where he knew that she would be safe and watched over by Lady Penelope, in fact, she actually quite enjoyed her time at the English boarding school, joining in on English traditions and celebrations such as St. George's day, The Euro cup in football and the Kings Jubilee.
Two years passed and she finished her final two years of compulsory education. Her qualifications were confusing; she'd received most of her education in America, her native country but had completed her G.C.S.E.'s in England. Jeff had decided that it would be easier for her to work on her A-levels than trying to re-join the American school system, which was put to shame by that of the British.
So there she was, independently studying until she turned eighteen, helping out at the International Rescue base, where she'd been for the past three weeks. Already she'd found it quite tiresome and lonely, not being aloud out on missions with her brothers. She hated to sit still, much like her brother, Virgil, and longed to at least leave the house, which, was out of the question at present because of the savage weather that was currently passing through.
In the reflection of the window, she saw her bedroom door open and her older brother enter the room,
"What're you doing, kiddo?" Virgil asked as he leant against the door frame, a cigarette between his fingers,
"Virg' . . . please don't smoke in my room. It's a nasty habit." She said, looking at his reflection. He rolled his eyes, looking around for somewhere to put it out. In the end, he held up a finger and disappeared. He reappeared a few seconds later sans his cigarette,
"Happy now?" He huffed,
"Extremely." She replied before turning on the window seat, letting her feet fall to the carpeted floor. She looked at him, her head tilted to one side,
"So, what're you doing in here all by yourself?"
"I haven't seen rain in a long time." She mumbled, "Not since I left New York." She said honestly, "I just wanted to watch it."
Virgil frowned somewhat, but shrugged it off regardless,
"Well, I came to tell you that Lunch is almost ready, in fact, they're probably serving it up right now. Are you going to grace us with your presence this time?" He teased, flashing his sister a cheeky grin.
She smiled, nodding slightly as she stood to her full height, which still made her the shortest person in the entire house, following the twenty-five-year-old off down the hall, stretching slightly as he lit another cigarette to replace the one which his sister had made him extinguish only moments before. Rolling his eyes as he flicked the lighter on, he could feel the glare which she was sending him,
"Stop looking at me like that, kid." He muttered, "You're freaking me out."
"Sorry . . ." She mumbled, ducking her head, feeling guilty for upsetting her brother.
The pair entered the living room where the rest of the family, minus Grandma and Tin-tin sat engaged in various activities. Scott and Jeff were reading a paper each, Brains was fiddling about with something mechanical and a screwdriver, Kyrano was meditating, taking a break from helping in the meal preparations whilst Gordon and Alan sat beside the glass doors which opened out onto the balcony playing a game of draughts,
"Well, well, well," Scott drawled, lowering his newspaper just enough to peer over the top, "The hopeless recluse leaves her den in search for food . . . make no sudden movements, you may frighten her away."
Everyone in the room laughed except for Kyrano. Jeff wiped a small tear from his eye, grinning like a Cheshire cat as he closed his paper before folding it and placing it on the coffee table beside him,
"Suzan," He began lightly, "Where've you been all day, honey?"
"I was studying for a little while, then I read a book . . ."
"And stared at the rain," Virgil reminded,
"Oooh, you party animal, you!" Alan laughed.
Suzan frowned,
"Coming from the guy playing chess . . ." She muttered,
"It's Checkers, Suz'." Gordon corrected,
"In England, we call that Draughts."
"You're not in England anymore." Scott said from behind his paper,
"Yeah . . . don't remind me . . ." She muttered, taking a seat on he couch beside Scott whilst Virgil wandered towards the piano, settling down there and tapping randomly at the keys,
"Uhh, Suzan?" Brains began, suddenly seeming to notice her presence there,
"Yeah?"
"Yes, Suzan."
"Sorry, Dad. Yes, Brains?"
"After Lunch, I'm going to need some help. You see, I'm cur-currently working on a new prototype for the c-care of major wounds, and I was wondering, seeing as you're interested in medicine, if you'd like t-to help."
Suzan grinned,
"Sure!"
"That'll hopefully keep you busy." Scott snorted, "Which'll mean that you're quiet."
Suzan glowered at Scott whilst Jeff frowned. This was very unlike his daughter and oldest son; they'd never been much of a pair to fight before. It was usually Gordon and Alan who provoked an argument from their younger sister and certainly it was never John or Virgil, and up until a few weeks ago, Scott had rarely had run-ins with the baby of the family, but Suzan had changed. Jeff realised that she'd been away from the family for a long time, but, now he was beginning to think that he didn't know much of his daughter at all. He didn't know anything about her tastes in music and style anymore, but judging on the way that she connected with Virgil and John, he figured that it was probably similar to them. He sighed with relief as he realised his teenager wasn't going to pursue an argument with her twenty six year old brother.
At that point, his mother entered the room,
"Lunch is ready!" She announced, grinning madly, "Oh! Suzan dear! There you are! I sent Virgil to get you; I'm so glad that you're appetite is back!"
"Personally, I think it's a good thing that she doesn't eat like Alan here does." Gordon laughed,
"Oh yeah? What's THAT supposed to mean!"
"Nothing, nothing . . . just that you could do with laying off of the pies, y'know?"
"I think he's saying that you're fat, Alan." Scott laughed as he stood, heading for the table,
"Oh, nice! Thanks Gord'!"
"Ugh! You know I hate being called that! Don't do it!"
"Now, boys . . . settle down . . ."
"You're so immature . . ." Suzan remarked, grinning impishly,
"You boys should be ashamed of yourselves! You're supposed to be setting an example for your little sister! She's better behaved than you are!" Grandma Tracy continued on. Gordon and Alan rolled their eyes before sending their sister chilling looks. She gave them an innocent face before taking her seat, which her Grandmother insisted was beside herself, "Now Suzan . . ." She began, "In all the time that you've been back here you haven't once told me what your favourite desert is, hmmm, now, how can you expect me to treat you if I don't know what you like?"
Suzan smiled sheepishly,
"I've only been back here three weeks, Grandma."
"Yeah, none of us know much about the squirt . . . she doesn't talk much, do you?" Scott asked, quirking an eyebrow,
"Well . . . y'know . . . it feels weird."
"Well, honey? What is your favourite and I'll make it for dinner?"
Suzan looked a little guilty, she didn't really feel all that comfortable telling her Grandmother her favourite desert purely because she didn't want her to go out of the way just for her,
"Grandma, I don't want you to have to put in all that extra effort for me!"
"Oh honey, don't say that! I don't mind! I just want to see you smile . . . you have such a pretty smile and we hardly see it these days, why, I remember when you were a baby and you used to be always smiling and giggling . . . now you're all grown up and you frown so much these days!" Said the elderly woman, who was clearly growing upset by her only granddaughters attitude towards her surroundings these days,
"I'm sorry . . ." She mumbled, "But, if it really makes you happy, my favourite is Chocolate fudge cake." She said with a grin,
"Right, well, good, then I'll make that for desert tonight! Any objections?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at everyone else at the table,
"No way! I love cake!" Alan exclaimed, "Especially chocolate!"
"Yeah, you would." Gordon teased, poking his brother's stomach,
"Stop calling me fat!" Alan whined.
- - -
It was later that afternoon, after the rain had stopped, that Suzan found herself swinging back and forth over the railings on the living room balcony. She supported her weight using her arms on the top railing with her legs dangling over the side beneath it and she teetered forwards and backwards as she stared out to see,
"You're going to fall to your death doing that." Scott warned as he slouched down beside her,
"Hmmm . . ." Suzan mused as she leaned further over, looking down at the patio below. Scott grabbed her, pulling her back off of the railings and a safe distance away from the edge,
"I said, you're going to fall, Suzan." He huffed, "Just stop it."
Suzan frowned, now adopting a similar position as her brother, standing beside him,
"Thanks." She mumbled quietly,
"Not a problem, kiddo, just don't wanna see you hurt."
She nodded dully, still staring at the sea. Scott sighed, turning his face to study his sister's eyes. After a short while, he opened his mouth, still staring at her and began to speak,
"Suzan," He began, "Uhm," He tried to say something, but just couldn't seem to get his words out. This was his baby sister, after all, and Scott had never been a shy man,
"Huh?" She asked, now turning to face him, "Did you say something?"
"Listen, kid . . . is something bothering you?" He asked, now leaning all of his weight more heavily on the railings, "It's like you've been really distant since you came home."
Suzan looked away from him and sighed,
"Scott . . . I . . ." She began, "Look, it's all great and wonderful that the five of you have been aloud to have perfectly normal lives! To be allowed to have friends, girlfriends, pets, go to school and come home in the evening and accomplish something before you came here . . . but when Dad bought this place what happened to me?" She muttered, "I got sent to England." She huffed,
"I thought you liked it there."
"I did. But I wanted to be part of the family . . ." She sighed, "I . . . didn't like being away from home, but I understand why I had to. I know Dad was in two minds about bringing me back here but . . . things have just changed between all of us. I'm not your baby sister anymore, I'm not one of the guys like I used to be and you guys are not my dorky big brothers anymore. I don't follow you around like I used to, I thought that you'd be happy."
Scott tilted his head to one side,
"Why'd you figure that?"
"Because when we were little you always told me to go away and that you were busy. You didn't have time for little girls."
"Haha! We were kids!"
"I still am a kid in your eyes. Don't you remember what you said to me the other day? 'You're too little to be part of the team, Suzan! Go play with your dolls or something!' I'm a little old to be playing with dolls, don't you think? Scott, I bet that you don't even know how old I am."
"Sixteen." He replied quickly, "Look, I'm sorry I said that to you. Is that why you haven't been talking to me?"
"No."
"Then why not? You don't talk to anyone but Virgil."
Suzan shrugged,
"Because he talks to me."
"Do you know why he always makes such a huge effort to talk to you? More than anyone else, including Dad?"
"No."
"Because Mom told him to."
"Mum?" Suzan frowned,
"Yeah, Mom. Mom always said to him, everyday; 'You look after your little sister, Virgil. You and her are going to be close. I can sense it.' Everyday she said that, and look! She was right! Everyone knows that Virg' is your favourite."
"I don't have a favourite."
"Pfft! He lets you do anything; he's a walk over when it comes to you. A real softy." Scott snorted, "But, Suz', if you don't tell me what's wrong I'm going to ask Virg' because I bet that you told him."
"I told you! I'm fed up of being treated like a baby! I don't understand how you all can act like I've always been here with you! It might be hard for you to forget that I was never around, I'm just art of the furniture anyway! But I can still remember being at boarding school and I still remember that Summer where I was left all alone and had to go to Lady Penelope's house for the entire Summer Holiday!" She snapped at her brother, "Why're you even pretending to care!" She growled,
"Because I do."
"No, you don't!" She snapped,
"Man, I hate boring days like these . . ." Alan huffed as he and Gordon stepped out onto the balcony,
"Hey, at least no one needs our help. That's a good thing!"
"Yeah, I guess."
"What's up Suz'? You look mad."
Suzan sighed heavily, shaking her head,
"Nothing, Gordon." She replied icily,
"We were just talking about Suzan becoming part of International Rescue." Scott said, rubbing his chin as he slyly smirked,
"Aren't you a little young?" Gordon snorted.
Suzan narrowed her eyes at the red-headed man,
"I hate you, Gordon." She muttered.
Gordon laughed it off along with Alan and Scott, but the teenager simply turned and marched back into the living room grumpily.
- - - To be continued . . .
Well, that's chapter one, I hope that you're finding the OC ok, I don't like her all that much, she's quite whiney, however, so far I have written out 20 pages of this story and this chapter is only the first eight, so I hope that you'll bare with me!
Please leave a review, I'll know how to improve you guys help out and lemme know what you wanna see! Death, adventure, angst!
Thanks!
Thai
