Disclaimer - For the last darn time (sigh) I don't own them. Well, I guess I own the ones I came up with, but I don't own cannon characters.

Updating early just because I can...

Chapter Nine – Hell Night

It had been nearly two months since the Tracys had crashed back into her life, eight weeks since the threatening letter, seven weeks since Virgil had become "more than a friend"- and someone had tried to run her over. It was five weeks since someone had shot at her and three weeks since she had cheered with Jeff, Alan and Tin-Tin as the Red Sox beat the Yankees in the 11th inning of game 7 to go to the World Series. And it was one week since she had last seen Virgil. He had come to Massachusetts for another of Alan's track meets and had gone to see her, only to end up accompanying her to Sully's house to watch Game 5 – when the Red Sox won the World Series. Sully's grandfather, a retired cop, had told them stories about the night the Red Sox won back in 2004, so most of them waited for a while afterwards before venturing out, but it was still insane. Virgil had said he needed to talk about something with her, but the shift had been called back on duty along with many of the other emergency personnel in the city. Whatever it was, it would have to wait.

And now, it was Halloween, or, as it was called in many a large urban area – Hell Night. Criminal acts, vandalism and arson always seemed to be on the rise on that night. Any emergency responders not on duty were on call. C Shift of Station 18 was simply on duty. Within an hour, the paramedic squad was returning from one call and was notified to meet engine 18 at a three alarm fire near the docks. Great, Sarah thought, another fire near the water. Sarah hated going near the water – she was a lousy swimmer. And with the way the wind was whipping tonight… She had a bad feeling about this one.

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The Thunderbirds were wrapping up a rescue in Nova Scotia – a Sunset Cruise that had crashed into a research vessel. As they finished what was – for International Rescue – an easy mission, Scott, currently on Five, called in to his father in Thunderbird One. "Dad, the Boston Fire Department has asked for possible assistance in the warehouse district near Boston Harbor. The fire has jumped from a three alarm to a five alarm in less than an hour."

"Why the sudden jump?" Kate asked from her co-pilot position on Two. Virgil had let Kate pilot while he, Gordon and John had gotten the victims out of harms way. Now that the rescue was done, Virgil had taken back over command of his 'Bird. But Kate could see how much her middle brother-in-law had tensed up at the mention of the Boston Fire Department. It reminded her of how her mother had acted anytime there had been a mention of a wounded or dead law enforcement officer. Until you knew it wasn't the person you loved, you were afraid…

"Well," Scott mused to his wife, "If I am not mistaken, it was probably when the fire jumped from some three story warehouse to a forty story business complex being built next to them. There was little risk of loss of life, and not much of a threat to property as most of the warehouses were abandoned and due to be torn down as part of the same development project. There had been some teenagers who thought it would be fun to get up into the business complex, which is still not totally built. Boston police and fire personnel are trying to get them down now. You may not even be needed. But I can check with dispatch to see if you are needed when you get close."

As Jeff confirmed information with his oldest son, John placed a comforting hand on his younger brother's arm. "Virgil, what are the odds Sarah is anywhere near there, forget being at risk? She's fine."

Exchanging a look with all three of her brother-in-laws, Kate was forced to turn away. She didn't want to watch the expression on their faces- John's helplessness; Gordon's remembered pain or Virgil's raw fear. It had to be alright.

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Sarah made sure the safety harness was secure as she made her way onto what would have been an observation deck, but with the fire damage, the partially constructed building would have to be knocked down and put back up again. They had one last teenager to get to safety. Winds were gusting at up to 50 m.p.h, and there was no way to get a chopper in safely. Someone from dispatch said a call had been placed to International Rescue, but the firefighters had been afraid that it couldn't wait. The platform was about to collapse and there had been five teenagers who would have died… "Woody?" She heard Captain Goya call out her name. "You almost there?" Without looking back over her shoulder, Sarah managed a "thumbs up" to her crew and kept edging over to the terrified teen. Just as she reached the girl, the young woman began to slip. Acting quickly, Sarah grabbed her and attached a separate safety harness on her. The girl began to edge back in and Sarah made to follow.

The rescued girl had just reached the safe zone and Woody's partner when a piece of debris fell, cutting off Sarah's path and causing the young firefighter to lose her balance and begin to fall. Grasping at the portion of the structure she could feel the heat searing her hands through the gloves. Looking up at her harness, Sarah could see its integrity was being compromised. The structure was unstable and none of her fellow firefighters could reach her. OK, so basically she was screwed. A miracle, she thought, would come in handy about now.

Sarah was never sure what had drawn her attention. But at the moment she looked up to see Thunderbird Two hovering above her, she sighed with relief. These guys were better than the cavalry.

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Kate was once more at the controls of Two, while Gordon watched as Virgil and John went down on the rescue platform. They could not see from their vantage who was dangling forty feet above the ground. But in his heart, Virgil knew. He knew it was Sarah who was at risk there. And of he had any doubts before, the middle Tracy son knew that he loved Sarah Jane Woodbury, that to lose her would be to lose his heart. They had to save her.

John watched his younger brother grip the side of the rescue platform. The second Tracy son was at the controls, trying desperately to get to the trapped firefighter in time. Like Virgil, John was sure that it was Sarah Jane who was dangling forty stories above the streets of Boston. John wasn't in on a rescue that often, but he knew they had to make this one work. Virgil's future happiness depended on it.

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The rescue platform was nearly to Sarah when she felt a shift in her balance. Looking at the safety harness, she realized the fire had damaged the equipment and Sarah could feel that she was starting to fall. Her hands and arms were sore from trying to maintain her grip. In one devastating moment, the firefighter knew she was about to fall… In the next moment, Sarah began to fall!

Sarah could here her shift screaming out "Woody!" as she became airborne for half a heartbeat. As her helmet came loose, falling forty stories below, Sarah felt strong arms wrap themselves around her. Looking up, she saw the helmeted face of a Thunderbird. Sarah heard the Thunderbird say "I've got you Sarah Jane."

She should have been relieved, even thrilled. She had been snatched from death's grip at the last moment as the member of International Rescue pulled both of them into the rescue platform that he had jumped from using a safety harness of his own. But Sarah knew that voice, knew that touch. Even as he set her on her feet on the platform she stared up at him, eyes wide, voice shaking…

"Virgil?"

a/n - yes, I am into self-inflicted pain, aka a Red Sox Fan... Not a rabid one, but... So, Sarah has found out the truth. But how will she handle it??? Next chapter, I should think...