Title: This Is Me and You

Summary: TRACY SISTER! A terrified scream woke them to the worst day of their lives. Jeff, Scott, John, Virgil and Gordon lost their baby brother and their sister. After 6 years will they see them again?

Disclaimer: I do not own Thunderbirds. All things recognisable belongs to Gerry Anderson.

A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted.

2nd A/N: This is based on an idea that I got from reading 'Never Look Back' by Sad-Blue-Eyed-Angel 2010 and I loved it so much it gave me an idea. I have contact Sad-Blue-Eyed-Angel and I have her blessing to use the idea. This story is not the same. It is different. The base is the same but different.

AGES: Scott –19; John – 17; Virgil and Ava – 15; Gordon – 11; Alan – 8

Chapter One – Moving House

8-year-old Alan Tracy yawned and stretched as he woke. As he became more aware he could hear screaming. Ava was at it again.

"He's a little kid! He doesn't understand what you're doing is wrong!" She screamed.

"Who's Mom and Dad gonna believe Hmm? You, the charity case, or me, their own flesh and blood." The deep rumble of their Foster brother's voice came.

"I'll show you flesh and blood, smart-ass." Ava would never have said that had she known Alan was awake. She would never swear in front of him. Ava was forever fighting with Michael. He had never liked them anyway but since Alan was so small and so trusting it let Michael do things that Ava had caught them on more than one occasion doing. Their foster parents didn't believe her. And after several pointless calls to their social worker, Ava had requested a different worker. Which gave them the lady who now knocked on the front door.

Lindsay Anderson was a kind looking lady and Alan had liked her straight away. Ava had been much happier when Lindsay had said that she'd look into another family for them and she had phoned a few days ago and said she'd found one. A nice old couple who had just let their last child move out. So they were ready for more. And that was where Ava and Alan were going today. Michael and Ava broke off at the knock; Ava turned and went to answer the door.

"Hello Avalon. Is Alan ready? I'll take you there now and you can join Joan and William for breakfast if you like?" Lindsay said with a kind, warm smile.

"I'll go and get him dressed. We're all packed." Ava said going upstairs, she and Alan came back downstairs as their 'parents' came out of the kitchen, they'd ignored the yelling match between Ava and Michael, as they always did.

"You found them some new suckers did you?" Their 'father' asked. Lindsay frowned.

"I'm sorry if they were any trouble to you Mr Andrews, but yes. I have found Avalon and Alan some new parents. Good day to you." Lindsay ushered the children out of the house and into her car.

"Michael didn't hurt you this time did he Allie?" The child shook his head. He hadn't really liked the Andrews family. He hoped this one would be better. Ava knew.

"Lindsay? What are Joan and William like?" Ava asked.

"Joan and William Cartwright are an older couple. In their 60s. They love children, their last foster child moved out just two weeks ago. So they are ready for more. When I told them it was a brother and sister they were delighted. They haven't fostered many girls. As most girls in the foster system are very troubled. But I told them you two were just lovely. I said that Alan was almost 9 and you were about to turn 16, Avalon, is that right?" Lindsay asked.

"Yes, that's right. They sound great don't they Alan?" The child nodded. He was really hungry and didn't quite understand why they had to leave before breakfast. But he trusted Ava and if she said it was time to go, he wasn't going to argue.

It turned out they'd be living a bigger house and it appeared to Ava that Joan and William must have had, or did have quite a bit of money.

"Joan and William were both born into money. So that is why they have such a large house. Their pension and William Superannuation is keeping it up to scratch." Lindsay explained as she helped them get their bags up to the house.

"Isn't it HUGE Allie? Look at it." Avalon had hoisted Alan onto her shoulders. Alan didn't reply he was busy looking at the house. Shiloh, Virginia, it was a classy neighbourhood. The house was huge, with a wrought-iron gate to the porch and all. It probably had an old-time basement too! Ava couldn't believe it. She had always loved the idea of living in a big old house and having adventures with her brothers.

Ava remembered a time before foster care. She had been 9 when she and Alan were abducted from their family. She remembered four brothers and a loving father. She remembered losing her mother to an avalanche when she was little, not long after Alan had been born. She remembered living with Grandma before her father moved them to the Island.
But most of all Ava remembered her twin brother. Virgil. He was the half that made her whole, the other side to her coin, the only person in the world who knew her thoughts without her even speaking them. Well used to be. She wasn't even sure she knew him anymore. She wouldn't know him if she walked past him in the street. Nor any of her other brothers. But now she was with Alan and they were going to a loving family and they just knew their lives were looking up.

"Ava? Can we play outside every day?" Alan asked from his perch.

"Sure thing, Bean. We'll do whatever you want. But remember I'll have homework to do so we'll have to limit our playtime ok? I'll always have time for you Al, but school work comes first." Alan nodded, he knew. Ava's work were important she wanted to get a good steady job to support him when she was old enough. She didn't want him in the Foster system his whole life, so when Ava was 18 she was going to get her own place and have Alan live with her. That was the plan anyway.

Ava liked Joan and William. They were nice, funny and loving. They didn't own much technology (a TV, radio, DVR and cordless phone were about it) but gladly bought Ava and Alan anything they wanted. Ava needed a laptop or computer to do her homework on, so Joan took her out one day to a computer shop and they bought one. Alan wanted sketchbooks so they bought him some and bought pencils for him as well. Alan enjoyed drawing even if he wasn't really good at it just yet, but he was better than most 8-year-olds. Ava was willing to bet creative Virgil couldn't even draw that well at 8!

It seemed this move had a positive effect on both children. Alan was doing better at school and Ava's grades lifted. They were doing so much better, Alan even began putting on some weight. He didn't get chubby but he wasn't as skinny as he had been. Ava too, got a bit more meat on her bones.

Ava and Alan were asked to refer to Joan and William as Nan and Pop because they were much older than past 'parents'. And in all honesty it helped the relationship because to Ava they were more like loaded grandparents than a mom and dad anyway. Ava had learned to hide certain things from her foster parents but with Joan and William it was very different. They know that kids have secrets but they encouraged Ava and Alan to share their secrets. Ava told Alan the only secret they could never share was their real last name and that they had been kidnapped. So they became for a while Avalon Lucille and Alan Jefferson Shepard.

Avalon had chosen they would use Alan's second name as their surname. It worked better and it wasn't hard to think up a name then. They had been the Shepard kids for the last 6 years. And for now they would stay that way. Ava knew it was bad to keep lying to them but as it was no one knew any different except the kids themselves. Ava enjoyed her time with Joan and William, not knowing that it would soon come to an end.