Ch. 1

This is my first Thunder Birds story. Please let me know what you think.

I'm pretty sure you already know this but the main characters are not mine.

I'm probably ruining by saying this but none of the main characters die.

I apologize to all Alan lovers (I love the kid myself) but with the ages I'm trying to keep the boys I just couldn't work him in. Never fear I'm working on another story and he will be in that one I promise.

Lucy Tracy was running around picking up toys that had been scattered around no doubt by her rambunctious red head two year old son. The kid had a real talent for pulling toys out as fast as she could pick them up. She was throwing a baby shower for her good friend Megan Carpenter who was expecting her second child. Megan's husband Mike was in the same fighter squadron as Jeff.

"No Gordy! Get down from there," six year old John's voice sounded from the kitchen.

Lucy ran into the kitchen to find John trying to pull his little brother off the kitchen counter. The little red head was holding onto the counter like his little fingers were super glued on.

"Gordon you little monkey get down." Releasing his grip on the counter John stood Gordon on the floor.

"Come here," Lucy said, motioning with her finger.

Running over to his mom Gordon smiled up at his mom with a chocolate covered mouth.

"Woves you," Gordon said, as his mom scooped him up.

"I love you too Gordon. But what did I say about all the food and deserts I made."

"I not know."

"Mom said that all that food and deserts were for Mrs. Megan's party and we're not suppose to eat them until she says it's ok," John informed his little brother.

"I sowery mommy."

"It doesn't look like you did too much damage," Lucy said, as she surveyed the damage to the brownie platter.

"Johnny, where's Virgil?" Normally the four year old followed his brother around trying to keep the younger child out of trouble.

"He's in the playroom playing that music game on the computer."

Lucy smiled affectionately Virgil was her little Mozart. Lucy had been teaching him the piano for the last two years. He was amazingly talented. All of her boys were in one way or the other. For eight year old Scotty it was anything with wings. Scott soaked up knowledge on aircrafts like a sponge. Six year old Johnny wanted to everything there was to know about everything. Four year old Virgil showed great talent in music and was beginning to show a talent for drawing as well. As Jeff was fond of saying two year old Gordon was a completely different animal than their other sons. Sure they could all be rascally at times but Gordon seemed to actually go looking for mischief. The little boy also seemed to have a fascination with the water. Fearing that her little daredevil might decide to take a head first plunge into a lake or swimming pool she enrolled him in swimming lessons. Gordon had taken to it like a fish talking about it all the time. His favorite phrase was ' I go undey the wadey' earning him the nickname fish boy.

"Johnny please help the brownie burglar get cleaned up and then I want the two of you to go up stairs so I can finish cleaning up down here."

"Come on fish boy," Johnny said, grabbing his brother by his sticky little hand and leading him from the room.

Before the first guest arrived the four Tracy boys had stationed themselves at the door.

Scott, John, and Virgil were going to take turns opening the door taking coats and escorting the women into the living room. Gordon was in charge of carrying all non-breakable presents.

Virgil opened the door with a big smile on his face like his brothers had told him to but his smile faltered when he saw the two uniformed men standing on the porch. The four year old recognized one of the men as Commander Chasenberg his daddy boss.

Lt. Commander Mark Chasenberg hated this part of the job. The Commander tried to look less intense as he smiled at the young boy.

"Hello Virgil, how are you?"

"Fine sir, how are you?"

Mark smiled again this one a little less force. Jeff and Lucy and done a great job of teaching their children manners. Before he had a chance to say anything else the other three boys appeared in the hallway.

"Commander Chasenberg is there something I can do for you sir?" Scott asked.

"I need to speak with your mother."

"She's in the living room with the other ladies," John answered.

Sensing that something was wrong John had his arms wrapped around Gordon and was hugging him close. Scott had moved up behind Virgil and had his hands resting on his thin shoulders.

"Is Megan Carpenter here too?"

"Yes sir, mom threw her a baby shower."

"Good very good. May we come in?"

"Yes sir" Virgil moved aside to let the men into the house.

The three boys followed the two men down the hallway.

"Commander," Lucy said, paling as the men entered the room.

"Good evening Lucy, ladies. Lucy if you don't mind I think I think it might be best if the boys go upstairs. And maybe they should take little Maddy too."

Maddy was Megan's sixteen month old who was sitting on her mom's lap playing with tissue paper from the gifts.

"Scott do as the Commander says take your brothers and Maddy upstairs."

"Mom what's wrong?" Scott asked.

The eight year didn't know exactly what was happening but he knew the atmosphere in the room had become very tense and his mom looked like she was going to be sick.

"Boys now!" Lucy snapped.

Scott picked Maddy up off her mother's lap as John grabbed a hold of his little brothers hands.

Even at sixteen months Maddy could sense the tension in the room and had grown still and quite.

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Scott wasn't usually one to disobey. But right now he was trying to decide if his brothers and Maddy were distracted enough for him sneak down stairs and find out what was going on. He had just stepped across the threshold into the hallway when a voice stopped him.

"Scotty, where are you going?" John asked.

"Bathroom" Scott hated lying to his brother but there was no way he going to tell him he was planning on sneaking down stairs.

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It had been forty-five minutes since they had been sent up stairs and Scott couldn't stand it anymore. He had a knot growing in his stomach threatening to make him sick.

"Scotty?" The voice of his younger brother pulled him from his thoughts.

"Yeah Johnny."

"Is something wrong with daddy?"

"I don't know."

"I think there is. The Commander looked so serious and mom looked like she was going to be sick when she saw him."

"I want to know what's going on I'm going down stairs."

"But mom and the commander told us to come up here."

"Yeah but they didn't say we had to stay. You stay here I'm going down stairs."

"Nu uh I'm coming to I want to know what's going on too," John protested.

"Me come, me come," Gordon demanded, jumping up and down.

Scott sighed he knew there was no getting around taking his brothers.

"Alright, Johnny, you carry Maddy, Virgil, you hold onto Gordy."

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As the children approached the living room they could hear the sounds of crying. They stepped tentatively into the room. The women were huddled in groups crying.

"Mom?" Scotty asked, uncertainly.

Scott was scared he had never seen his mom look so upset.

"Boys come here." Lucy held out her arms to her boys.

"Maddy come here to mommy. I need my baby." Megan held out her arms to John who handed her over.

Gordon ran into his mother's arms as the older boys squished in behind him.

"Mom, I'm scared please tell me what's wrong," Scott begged, pulling away.

"Oh baby" Lucy said, running a hand down her sons face.

The sound of someone clearing their throat had everyone looking at Commander Chasenberg.

"I can tell them if you'd like, Lucy."

"No, their my boys and I need to do this." Lucy took a deep breath and wiped at her face.

"Boys, your dad has been in an accident."

For some reason I feel like I need to explain my motivation for writing this. Four days ago a pilot from the local Air Force Base was killed in a midair collision during a night flying training exercise. His plane crashed into the ocean and has not been recovered. He leaves behind a sixteen month old daughter, and a wife of ten years who is seven months pregnant with their son.

Obviously the names have been changed.

I don't know why this upset me so bad. The only thing I can figure is I know several women whose husbands are fighter pilots and I don't think I breathed until I knew who the pilots were. Not that the pilot who was lost life was worth any less than the one's I know.

By the grace of God the other pilot whose plane was badly damaged in the collision managed to land safely at a local Air Force Base.

Ok let me know what you think because if I don't get any reviews I'll just scrap it.