Twenty years later
Scott 45 John 42 Alan 36 Sapphire 23 Xander 21
Virgil 43. Kayo 42. Penelope 42 Raven 22 Stefan 22
Elle 42. Gordon 40 Frankie 22
Scott sat at his father's desk in the lounge operating a rescue over the holo-image emitting from a young girl's portrait hanging on the wall, she had his blue eyes and chestnut hair which was tied back in a long pigtail down her back, Kayo walked into the room and rested her hand on her husband's shoulder lovingly.
"The situation is under control dad, there's nothing to worry about."
"FAB Sapphire, wrap up what you can there then come on home."
"Will do. Over and out."
Scott sighed, "I'm glad that one is over."
"Scott, she's twenty-two, you don't need to worry about her," Kayo laughed as she leant back against the desk.
"I know. I can't believe I've gone from the worried brother to an overprotective father, how could you let that happen Kayo?"
"Me? No no, you've done this yourself, my love."
"I've been thinking, do you think it's weird everyone living on the island still?"
"How do you mean? If we weren't all living here then the business wouldn't have continued."
"Sapphire should be in control, not me," Scott sighed, "dad was only in charge because he had five sons to manage, we're scattered."
"We're not scattered, it was a great idea of Brain's to build houses on the island. Virgil is down by Thunderbird 2's runway, Gordon lives in Australia with Penny, Alan is in Auckland, and John is up in Thunderbird 5 with Xander."
"Yeah, but it feels like the kids haven't had a chance, well, to be kids properly."
Kayo stroked Scott's cheek, "they've all been to school and have accomplished a lot. We began the organisation young, they're all capable. Come and help me with food, they'll be back soon."
Scott stood up, "thanks Kayo, you've always stood by my judgement."
"That's because I've always trusted your judgement," she held his hand tightly and they walked down to the kitchen.
Around the corner from Thunderbird 2's runway, Elle opened the door of her house and looked up at the sky waiting anxiously for Thunderbird 2 to return, a hand slipped around her waist and she looked back at her husband she had been with since she was twenty-one.
"They'll be fine Elle."
"They're just like you and Gordon, I hate the arguing."
"You're blaming me for this?"
"Not blaming, no, but you're a bad influence."
Virgil laughed, "that's nonsense. I've made coffee, don't worry about our two."
Elle closed the door as she followed him inside their once called love nest, Virgil had gone into the kitchen which looked out on a large forest letting the sun shine all the way through the open plan room, "how did we get twins?"
"You're asking me how it all works? Come on Elle, you know how it goes."
"You're such a tease!" Elle grinned as she took a mug from him, "I was being rhetorical."
"They're twins, but Raven will always have Stefan to look after her," Virgil sat down on the sofa beside her, "we've raised them like that."
Elle smiled, "I guess I worry too much."
"How have you managed to inherit Scott's trait?"
"I've hung around you lot too long haven't I?" Elle put her mug down next to Virgil's and wrapped her arms around him as they looked out at the ocean.
John had stayed up in Thunderbird 5 with his teenaged son Xander for protection, his mother, Ridley O'Bannon had been tragically killed only three years into his life by a meteor striking her ship, and from that moment John had felt the sudden pressure of raising a child. The family had stepped in as many ways as they could, but with the majority of them also having children around the same time as each other, it had been a hard task. EOS still lingered in Thunderbird 5, but John had reprogrammed her to sound older and become almost a mother image to Xander's eyes, and the relationship on board the satellite was comfortable again.
"Dad, was the mission successful?"
John smiled, "you know how to use the globe Xander, see for yourself."
Xander grinned and contacted Thunderbird 1, Sapphire's image glowed and he blushed slightly, "how was the mission?"
"Successful Xander, I'm nearly home. Hi uncle John."
"Hey Saph, has your father been giving you trouble?"
"Of course, but I can handle anything."
Xander groaned silently then smiled again as he blocked John's view, "how about the twins?"
"Bickering, what else? Hey, I'll call you back, I need to land."
"FAB."
Sapphire flashed a grin, "see ya!"
John laughed, "you remind me of me flirting."
"Dad!?"
"If you like her son, then ask."
Xander sighed, "I can't, she's your brother's daughter."
"Yes, and my adopted sister eventually married my brother, or your uncle anyway."
Xander laughed, "Dad I'm old enough to be up here by myself, EOS likes me too."
"Thunderbird 5 has always been home to me son, this is wrong of me to say, but I can't leave her, not now."
"It's because of mum isn't it?"
John sighed as he placed his hand on Xander's shoulder, "yes, I told her I would always keep you safe."
"I would be fine, but I do find your rescue knowledge useful."
"I will leave you in charge of Thunderbird 5 Xander, but not right at this moment, you're still too young."
"Ha! I'm twenty-one in August."
"I know. Come on, we need to get some rest, well, you do anyway."
Thunderbirds 1 and 2 landed back on the island and the young pilots walked into the lounge, Sapphire stretched as she sat down on the sofa and looked over at Raven who had sat down before the piano, Kayo returned from the kitchen and smiled at her daughter.
"How was the mission?"
"Fine mum, it was a fairly easy rescue."
Stefan nodded, "easy as pie."
Scott ran up the steps, "Saffy!"
"Ugh dad, stop calling me that."
Raven laughed from the piano, "I think it suits you."
Virgil entered the lounge at that point and placed a kiss on the top of her head, "welcome home."
"I scratched Thunderbird 1 dad, I had to fly through a narrow passageway to avoid some debris falling," Sapphire shrugged as she curled up on the sofa.
Scott's eyes glinted slightly, "how badly?"
"Scott, she's no longer your ship."
"Exactly uncle, don't glare at me Dad," Sapphire smiled at Virgil before looking back at the ex-Thunderbird 1 pilot.
"I was only asking," Scott retaliated.
"Just the nose cone, easy repair. I just thought I'd let you know."
"At least you have complete control of your own ship," Stefan muttered from behind his magazine.
Raven narrowed her eyes and hit the piano, "oh shut up Stefan!"
Virgil held her down, "Raven, stop it."
"Dad he started it. You gave me Thunderbird 2 and he can't stand it. What's wrong with Thunderbird 4?"
"Nothing," Stefan shrugged.
"You'd insult your uncle Gordon if he heard you," Virgil smiled at Scott with a wink.
"Can't I fly Thunderbird 2 sometime? Please, dad!?"
"Stefan, I gave Raven Thunderbird 2 for a reason. You're a better swimmer than her so Thunderbird 4 suits you."
Stefan sighed in defeat, "FAB."
Scott stood up, "Virg, could we have a word with you downstairs?"
"Yeah, sure."
The three adults left the room and Elle joined them from where she had been in the kitchen making tea, they sat around the table and Scott got straight to the point.
"I think the kids need some time away from us."
"Leave the base?" Kayo asked.
"Yes."
"Us or them?" Elle clasped Virgil's hand, "I'm not sure we can trust Raven and Stefan not to kill each other."
"They're just like Gordon and myself when we were younger. They'll be fine."
Scott smiled, "I think we need to leave the base, give Sapphire some control."
"Is this just to benefit your daughter Scott?" Virgil smirked.
"No. Virgil, our kids are in their twenties and we're still here running the base. We should give them a month at least on their own."
Kayo nodded, "I do like that idea. I hate holding Sapphire back. Gordon and Penelope let their daughter out wherever she wants."
"Well, she does work for the GDF," Elle shrugged, "she has a separate boss. In retrospect, we should've just left once the kids got to eighteen. It will come as a shock if we tell them we're leaving."
Virgil sighed, "Stefan needs his independence from us, Elle."
"I know he does, we had our own ships without anyone watching us constantly. My parents were in England at the time too," Elle stroked Virgil's hand as she looked at their rings.
Scott nodded, "so, we leave them here?"
"Yes, they'll be fine. The eldest will look after the youngest. What bugs me is that none of them are related apart from your two," Kayo noted to her siblings across.
"Well, you weren't related to us Kayo, but we still treated you like family," Virgil smirked at her across the table, "they'll pull together too. I'll phone Gordon and ask him to come over with Penny and Frankie, the same with John and Alan. This is a family discussion."
"Mum!?"
Elle winced, "urgh those two. Get on the phones guys, I need to pull my adults apart."
Virgil laughed and held his phone to his ear waiting for Gordon to pick up, "Gordo, it's me."
"Hey old man."
"Wow, not even ten seconds into this phone call and you're already insulting me," Virgil grinned at Scott then stood up, "are you and Penny free tonight?"
"Double date huh bro?"
"No, it's a little more serious."
"Oh. I'll ask Penny, what are you up to?"
"Scott's phoning Alan right now," he beckoned to Scott to get to it, "could you come over to the island tonight with Frankie?"
"Virgil, what's going on?"
"Nothing bad, geez have some confidence in me. We need to discuss the future of International Rescue."
"Alright. We might be a little late, I'm not sure if Frankie is working tonight."
"FAB. It would be great if you could come. Text me if you can."
"Will do."
"See ya, little brother," Virgil smiled then hung up hearing the repeat on the phone, "Gordon says it depends if Frankie is working, but they should be here."
Scott hung up from talking to Alan, "Alan is flying over later. He's still annoyed that he hasn't found love with anyone."
Kayo sighed, "he's not looking hard enough."
Virgil nodded, "and he's annoyed that John let his son take Thunderbird 3 from him."
"That's not John's fault," Scott wrapped his arm around Kayo's shoulders, "we had a discussion about it when the kids were young."
"Yeah, and that's when Alan stopped talking to us really."
Kayo rubbed his hand on her shoulder, "we'll sort it out later."
Virgil smiled at them, "let's get dinner started then, this is going to be a big meeting."
AU: Scott and Kayo had their girl when he was 27 and she was 26, Virgil and Elle when they were 27 and 26, John when he and Ridley were 25, Gordon and Penny went quite young deciding for 24
