Author's Note: Lunchtime and beyond. Alan and Tin-Tin make a discovery, and Virgil's being an idiot child again. This is a case where a couple of the characters surprised me. Thanks to Hobbeth for betareading.

Now for those who reviewed the current chapters of Overtures:

Eternal Density: I'm glad you're enjoying the series. I'm having fun with Rachel and her research on the mysterious Gordon Cooper Tracy. The Hood has a lot in mind for International Rescue, but he has other designs as well. Thanks for your compliments on his portrayal.

Math Girl: No, Lou's not making friends, especially with Grandma. Alan in his stock car? You mean, taking FAB-1 for a ride? I guess we'll just have to see, won't we? Gomez Adams? What a hoot! Someone may end up in trouble over Franks; just who isn't yet apparent. Kyrano is the mainstay of the household, in my estimation. He sees a lot more than he says.

Disclaimer: I don't own the canon characters, I'm just writing about them. Please do not copy or hyperlink this fiction without my express written or verbal consent. This includes adding this fiction to C2 communities. I may be reached at my email of record. Any and all original characters, including Cindy Lou/Lucinda and her cats (especially the cats) are mine and may not be used without my express written consent.

Enjoy.

Tikatu

Lunch was a relatively normal affair, with both Eleanor and Lou trying to remain polite and civil despite their earlier words. Jeff was distracted by the report he had gotten on Reynaldo Macias.

"Brains," he said as he lowered his datapad. "You'd better carve some travel time out of your schedule. Everything looks good for Dr. Macias to come on board with us."

"Is Brains going to tell this Dr. Macias who she'd really be working for?" Scott asked, frowning.

"Yes, he is," Jeff replied with a nod. "Both Brains and Lou have told me that she would discuss it with her husband anyway before making a decision. They might as well both know the truth up front. Hopefully, that knowledge will help steer her our way."

"I just hope she can keep the secret, that's all," Scott explained before forking up some more potato salad.

"Will you be sending Lou along, Jeff?" Eleanor asked. "She might be able to persuade this friend of hers."

"No, Mother. It's still too dangerous for Lou to return to the States," Jeff replied, unequivocally.

Lou sipped her tea, glancing at him briefly. She put down her glass, then turned to the rest of the diners and smiled softly. "Mrs. Tracy, I doubt I'll be needed when it comes to persuasion. And there shouldn't be any trouble with Dee and Reynaldo keeping the secret, Scott," she said. "Brains probably knows this, too, but Reynaldo owes his life to International Rescue."

"What?" "Really?" "What's this?" The sudden, keen interest of the family took Lou aback a bit. She looked quickly from one member to another as they responded, startled at the loud reaction and their immediate attention to her and what she had to say.

"Did we rescue him at some point?" Virgil asked eagerly. "We don't often hear the stories of the people we help."

"Well, yes," Lou replied, conscious that everyone around the table was listening intently. "He was on the maiden flight of the Fireflash..."

"Th-That's right! I'd nearly, uh, forgotten!" Brains exclaimed, nodding.

"Oh!" Tin-Tin cried excitedly. "So was I! It's such a great plane, even with its early difficulties."

"So, he was aboard Fireflash when we made our debut, huh?" Gordon commented. He took another bite of cucumber, and chewed it before saying, "It's a good thing he wasn't on that flight that went down in the Atlantic." He shook his head sadly. "I wish Air Terranian had called us in on that crash when it happened. We might have saved a few lives there."

The table quieted as they remembered the flight that had gone down with over 600 people aboard, victim of a saboteur.

Then Virgil spoke up again. "You were saying, Aunt Lou? He was on the maiden flight?"

"Yes, Virgil. He was. And you rescued him, along with all the others. As a result, they've always been grateful to IR. To have a chance to give back would make them very happy."

Jeff frowned at this and shook his head. "I don't want them to do this out of gratitude, or feeling that they owe us something. I want them to come aboard because... well, let's just say that I want them to make an informed decision and not feel guilty if they think it's better for them not to be part of our team." He turned to Brain. "You make sure you emphasize that now, Brains. We need Dr. Macias, yes, but not if it's going to put their family on the line."

"I w-will, Mr. Tracy," Brains said, nodding. "I'll, uh, check my schedule after l-lunch and make the arrangements."

"Good," Jeff said, nodding. "Get back to me later this afternoon."

The table talk stalled for a few moments, then Kyrano came in with a fresh pitcher of iced tea. He poured some into Jeff's glass, prompting Jeff to ask, "Kyrano? Tin-Tin? I know you're planning on a trip to Wellington in the morning. Could you extend it and fly from Wellington to Bongo-Bongo to bring Penelope and Parker back here? Penelope has made her decision about IR, and would like to tell me face-to-face."

Father and daughter exchanged glances, then Kyrano said, "I see no difficulty, Mr. Tracy. I have already emailed ahead so that our purchases will be ready when we arrive or soon thereafter." He moved to refill Lou's glass. "However, I will not be available to make lunch or dinner."

"Don't worry about that, Kyrano," Eleanor said, waving a hand. "I can handle it."

There was a moment of silence, and Eleanor looked at the Malaysian, a scowl beginning to appear on her face. Finally, Kyrano said with a smile. "I have no doubt you can, Mrs. Tracy."

Jeff glanced at his retainer, then his mother, suddenly realizing that there was something going on beneath the surface that he perhaps wasn't fully aware of. Before he could say anything, however, Virgil put up a finger.

"Uh, Kyrano? If you like, I can fly Tin-Tin to Wellington and then pick up Pen..."

"No!" Jeff shouted, interrupting his son. Looking at the stunned expressions on the faces around the table, he moderated his tone. "No, Virgil. Kyrano should go. I'm sure there will be other things he will want to pick up, and he's the one who knows just what we need. Besides, Penelope was pleased when I mentioned Tin-Tin." He turned to Eleanor. "Why don't you just handle lunch, Mother? The boys and I will deal with dinner."

"Yeah!" Gordon said gleefully. "Time to fire up the old hibachi and let the grill-meister work his magic, huh, Dad?"

Jeff's eyebrows went up momentarily in surprise, then his face settled into a pleased look. "That's not a bad idea, Gordon. We can marinate some steak and chicken, put together some kabobs, maybe even grill some fish. Bake up some potatoes, grill some veggies, make a salad... I think that would work. Yes, let's plan on that."

Eleanor glowered at him, but he went on, unheeding. "So it's settled. Mother can put lunch together tomorrow and we'll have a barbecue for dinner. Now, is there anything else?" He looked at his watch. "I have a vidconference with the Tokyo people in a few minutes."

Lou put a hand on his arm. "Jeff, is there some place on the island where I can get in some shooting practice? It doesn't have to be fancy or anything."

"Yes, there is." He turned to Gordon. "Son, please show Lou where the shooting range is."

"Sure, Dad."

"Jeff, I'd like a word with you this afternoon," Eleanor said, still a bit miffed.

"That's fine, Mother. I'll let you know when the vidconference is over." Jeff looked at his watch again and rose from the table. "I'd better hurry upstairs." He kissed his mother on the cheek as he passed, then left the room.

"Mrs. Tracy?" Lou said politely. "If you need help in the kitchen tomorrow, I'm willing and available."

"I'll let you know, Lucinda," Eleanor answered. She rose carefully from the table and began to help Kyrano gather the dishes.

The other diners began to rise, too, except for Gordon, who shoveled a few more bites of potato salad into his mouth. Lou touched him on the shoulder as she prepared to head out.

"I'm going to get my gun and be back in a few minutes."

Gordon nodded at her, and she snorted a chuckle at his cheeks, filled, chipmunk-like, with the chunks of potato.

Virgil walked out with Scott. "Well, I put my foot in my mouth, didn't I?" he complained. "I should have realized that Penelope wouldn't want to see me again."

Scott shook his head. "You don't know that, Virge. If she really didn't want to see you, she would have given Dad her answer over the phone. I mean, it's not like she's going to be able to avoid you entirely while she's here."

"Are you so sure?" Virgil asked ruefully, slipping his hands into his pockets, as they began to ascend the stairs. "She could shut herself up in the guest room again."

"She could, but I doubt she will."

"Yeah, well." The Thunderbird Two pilot made a sour face. "It's obvious that I've blown my chance."

His older brother rolled his eyes. "Obvious? To who? The only thing that's obvious is that Tin-Tin's a better choice to fly over and get her, that's all." He put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't borrow trouble. You've got enough of it already."

Virgil gave Scott a puzzled frown as the words sank in, then he snorted. "Can't a guy have a pity party around here without some clown crashing it?"'

"Nope," Scott said, smirking at his brother. "Listen, I've got to leave the party now and conduct some business before I go down to give Alan a hand with Three. I found out this morning that I'm executor of Peter's will."

Virgil stopped in his tracks, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "Executor? How the hell did that happen?"

He started walking again, and Scott, walking at his side, blew out a short, sharp breath. "He asked me at the stag party. I didn't think he was serious... but it seems he was."

By now they had reached the head of the stairs and turned toward their private quarters. "What's your plan for the afternoon?" Scott asked.

"Well, I can't practice in the lounge while Dad's in conference. Maybe I'll see if Kenny needs a hand since Alan is doing his post-flights."

"Sounds like a plan."

They stopped at the door to Virgil's room. "I'll talk to you later, Scott."

"Later, Virge."

Virgil disappeared into his suite, and Scott turned toward his own. As Scott entered and approached his desk, he noticed the light on his satellite phone was blinking quickly. He flipped it open and began to read through the names and numbers of those who had called him.

Groaning, he shook his head. Pete and Mel's fathers have already called, as well as what looks to me like another law firm. And Mel herself has called twice. Sighing, he keyed in his password, thinking, This is only the beginning, as he began to listen to the messages.

xxxx

The sofa and its piece of flooring disappeared from Thunderbird Three's lowest level, and reappeared a few moments later with a passenger: Tin-Tin. She had a plastic tote marked with a red cross parked next to her, and a covered tray in her lap. She had already delivered a lunch tray to Kenny. He and Alan had been in the middle of setting a piece of clear, molded, bullet-proof polyhexane into one of FAB-1's doors when the signal went off for lunch, and as a result, they didn't make it to the table. Now Kenny was replacing the rubberized seals around the door while Alan went back to his post-rescue checks of Thunderbird Three.

She had taken the monorail from the lab and steered it around the silo to the maintenance bay on the opposite side from the monorail entrance. It was good that the little red car didn't need much of a hand at the wheel, for Tin-Tin's thoughts were elsewhere. They were on her relationship with Alan, or rather, the lack of the same.

Ever since their adventure in Skyship One, when Alan had flatly stated that his life was too dangerous to share with anyone, he had been running hot and cold. Sometimes he was flirty and fun, and they spent long hours together. Other times, especially after a tough rescue, he would push her away, and not always gently either. She had learned after the first two or three of those episodes not to get overly emotional about it, but still, it hurt. And whenever the pendulum swung the other way, her hopes would rise and she would dare to think that, perhaps this time he would tell her how he really felt about her.

She had taken the lift from the maintenance bay to the floor of Thunderbird Three's silo, and had carried the tote and the tray over to the open railway car, where she had sent the hydraulic lift up into the bowels of the red space ship to retrieve the couch. Normally, viewing the sheer size of Three would send a tingle down her spine, but not this time. Boarding the couch with her burdens, she had ridden it up into the Thunderbird, seeing nothing of the walls of the entry tunnel, still lost in her thoughts of Alan.

I love him, she had admitted to herself. And I am certain he loves me, and more than just a sister. I see it in his eyes sometimes, in his protectiveness, even in his possessiveness. But he refuses to make the first move. I wish he could get past his fear.

She had shaken her head slightly, a motion which loosened the long strand of hair she had tucked behind one ear. Perhaps it is time for me to take things into my own hands.

Her musings ended as the couch clicked into place, and she put the tray aside. She picked up the tote, placing the box of medical supplies in the lift, and then returning for the tray. In the tiny elevator, she punched the button that would take her up two levels. When she reached her destination - the storage compartment where the first aid supplies were kept - she stuck her head out and called, "Alan?"

"Here!" came the muffled response.

Tin-Tin pushed the box out with a foot, then stepped out herself. She walked around the circular central column with its many storage lockers, and found Alan on the far side, his arms to beyond the elbows in one of the open units, a small pile of folded, vacuum-packed blankets at his feet. One of the blankets had escaped its packaging and now cascaded out of the locker, draping over the edge, one edge touching the tops of Alan's work boots.

He turned and flashed a smile at her, a smile that sent a tingle up her spine. "A corner of the blanket's caught by a rough edge back here. I can't seem to get my fingers in there to loosen it. Would you try?"

"Okay," she said. "Better take the tray."

"Thanks!" he replied, accepting her burden and stepping out of the way.

Tin-Tin glanced in first, then slipped both slim arms inside, feeling around the blanket's edge. She found where the cloth was caught, a small ragged protrusion between the wall of the central column and the join where the side of the locker fastened to the wall. With a few deft motions, she teased the blanket loose and pulled the misshapen edge from the storage cabinet.

Turning to Alan, she found him sitting on the floor, eating a sandwich. He looked up at her and smiled, closed mouthed, his cheeks bulging with food. She laughed and began to fold up the blanket.

"How did that loose bit get past Brains?" she asked, tossing her head toward the cabinet. "You know how much of a stickler he was when we were building Three."

Alan put up a finger, indicating that she wait while he chewed and chewed, then swallowed. He took a swig of the iced tea she had brought, then said, "I have no idea. I don't know how long it's been like that either. I was pulling out the blankets to count them and found that one had snagged. It could have been that way for some time and we never noticed because we never got to the bottom of the blanket pile." He shrugged and took another bite of sandwich.

"I suppose one of us should get in there and fasten that down properly," Tin-Tin said with a sigh. "I'll get a laser welder and see what I can do after I help you with the medical supplies."

Alan swallowed again, took another drink and asked, "You brought everything I asked for?"

"Yes," she replied, nodding toward the door. "The box is over by the lift." Looking down at the blanket in her hands, she added, "I'll make sure this gets cleaned and repackaged, too."

His mouth once again full, Alan beckoned for her to come near, then patted the floor beside him, indicating that she should sit down. She smiled, and joined him.

He took another mouthful of tea, then smacked his lips. "This is sure hitting the spot. Several spots, in fact." He frowned a touch and asked, "Did Kenny get lunch? I didn't mean to abandon him..."

"I took him a tray, too," Tin-Tin explained. "He was too absorbed in what he was doing to do more than mumble 'thanks'." She shifted her hips so that she was inclined more toward him. "He gets pretty involved in his work, doesn't he?"

"Yeah. That's what makes him such a great mechanic." Alan snagged a bite of potato salad, masticated it, and said, "He told me last night that he's quitting IR."

"No! Really?" Tin-Tin cried, sitting up straighter. "Why?"

"He's worried about his family, especially after Peter's death," Alan replied, his voice sad. "I can see his point, really I can. It's the reason why..." Alan looked down at his tray. "Well, you know..."

There was a small, awkward silence. She looked at him searchingly, ignoring the bruises he'd garnered from the fight in the space station, trying to gauge what his feelings toward her really were at that moment in time. I guess this is as good a time as any to tell him, she thought as she considered his words before taking a deep breath and speaking.

"Yes, I know, Alan, but that doesn't mean I understand," she said, countering his unspoken argument. "It's not like I'm not part of the team, you know. I could be killed just as easily as you could, especially since I've been going out on more and more rescues." Reaching out, she put a hand on his arm. "There are people all over the world who have jobs like ours, sometimes even more dangerous ones, and they have spouses and children. Their families live every day with the thought that their loved one might not come back to them in one piece or at all."

He turned his face away, and she caught his chin with her free hand, gently pulling him around to face her again. His eyes were looking down, and she dipped her head to gain contact with them. As she did, he slowly raised his head and gazed at her, his expression one of longing mixed with fear.

She slowly shook her head. "Don't tell me that you don't love me, Alan, because it's not true. I know it, here." She put a hand to her chest. "And I love you, Alan. I have for a long time now. It's right for us to be together." She squeezed his arm gently. "I'm willing to take the chance, Alan. I'd much rather have you and love you for a short time than for none at all."

Alan took a deep breath and let it out slowly, blinking against the sudden moisture in his eyes. Oh, God. Not this. Why here? Why now? What do I say? She's right... but I'm afraid. Dare I tell her that? Will she think less of me if I do? Do I really have any other choice?

He swallowed, took a deep breath, and said, his voice rough, "I'm scared, Tin-Tin. I watched what my father went through when he lost Mom and... I'm afraid. Afraid of going through that. Afraid of putting someone else through it. Of putting you through that." He put a hand over the one she had on his arm, and shook his head. "This... job I have, there's so much that can go wrong... the chance of not coming home is too great..."

"Alan," Tin-Tin interrupted gently, "you're not your father. And I have this job, too. The chances of you, of me, of us coming home intact are just as great, if not greater than, the chance of dying on the job. Your brothers, your skills see to that. We can't see tomorrow, Alan. We can only see today. Let us seize it, with both hands." She pulled her hands away and clenched them, palms up, as if holding something tightly.

He blinked again, and moistened his lips. "I... I do love you, Tin-Tin. I just don't want to lose you."

"Then stop pushing me away," she replied softly. She reached out to stroke his face. "Alan, I love you. I have always loved you and I always will. Marry me, Alan. Please marry me. Be mine forever."

Alan's eyes widened with surprise. Oh, God! I never expected...! He huffed out a light chuckle, and said, "I always thought it was the guy who was supposed to propose."

One of Tin-Tin's eyebrows went up and she sighed, pursing her lips. "Oh, Alan!" She shook her head quickly. "Sometimes you're so old-fashioned. This is the twenty-first century, you know."

"Yeah," he murmured. "I know." He leaned in to kiss her. She responded, softly at first, then she took his face in her hands and kissed him again, more forcefully, more passionately. Surprised, he fell over sideways, one shoulder meeting the floor, then the other as he twisted onto his back, his hips nearly perpendicular to his torso. His knee shoved the tray as she fell across him, still reaching for his face even though his hip was shoved into her abdomen. Iced tea spilled onto the rubberized floor.

Taking her wrists, he pulled her hips over his, startling her. Then he settled his spine and buttocks flat on the floor while she lay on him, chest to chest. She smiled, and brought her knees up on either side of him, kneeling, then tried to put her hands down to take her weight off of him. He obliged by letting go of her wrists, and she leaned over him, the dark curtain of her hair shoved to one side, its ends tickling the side of his face.

"Now I have you right where I want you," she said, teasing.

She leaned in to kiss him again, but he smiled and said, "No, I've got you!" With that, he reached up with his fingertips and lightly tickled her sides.

"Alan! No!" she shrieked, sitting bolt upright and drawing her arms tightly to her sides. Alan laughed and reached out to find the ticklish spots that she couldn't cover. She wriggled and shrieked some more, laughing too, making Alan feel a warm and welcome sensation as her thrashing rubbed her buttocks over his most sensitive parts.

He stopped his tickling, and propped himself up on his elbows, smiling at her, his blue eyes half-lidded and lazy looking. Tin-Tin gazed back at him, feeling a delicious shiver as she realized what was happening between them. She leaned over again and kissed him, her almond eyes half closing, one hand on the floor to steady her. He reached up push back her hair by sliding the fingers of one hand into it and cupping the side of her head. One kiss became two, then three, then another, then more, each coming on the heels of the one before, each lasting longer.

Then suddenly, there was the sound of the lift door opening, and a voice called out, "Alan?"

Tin-Tin sat up straight again, looking toward the lift with a wide-eyed, doe-caught-in-headlights look. Alan put down the elbow of the hand he'd been cupping her head with, and turned his face as far as it would go over his shoulder.

"Over here, Scott," he called.

Scott appeared and stopped short, taking in the sight of his brother lying on the floor, with Tin-Tin atop him, her knees straddling his hips and a deep blush spreading over her stricken face.

His mouth opened and closed several times before he could sputter, "Uh, am I, uh, interrupting something?"

Alan considered the question for a moment, then shook his head. "No, not really." And before Tin-Tin could react, he added, "We're just getting engaged over here."

"Oh, Alan!" Tin-Tin screamed and, oblivious to Scott standing there gaping, she grabbed Alan's head and planted a long, steamy kiss on his lips, then added little smooches all over his face for good measure.

"En... engaged?" Scott stammered, his eyes wide.

"Yes, Scott. Engaged," Alan said with a smug tone. "As in Tin-Tin has asked me to marry her and I'm saying 'yes'." He motioned for Tin-Tin to get up, and as soon as she had, he followed, groaning a bit. "Man, that floor is hard!"

He took Tin-Tin's hand and the two of them stood before his elder brother, who was scratching his head and wordlessly pointing from one to the other.

"Uh... I... um," Scott muttered. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, "I always thought it was the guy's job to propose."

Alan shook his head and tsked. "Scotty, old man, you're behind the times. This is the twenty-first century, y'know. Hey, ow!" He rubbed his upper arm where Tin-Tin had smacked him.

"Uh, yeah, but... uh... aw, hell!" Scott grinned and held out his hand. "Congratulations and it's about time!"

"Thank you, Scott, and I agree!" Tin-Tin said with a smile as she let go of Alan's hand to take his and pull him in for a sisterly hug.

"Hey, don't I get any love around here?" Alan asked facetiously.

"From the looks of it, you were almost about to--ahem--get just that," Scott quipped as he hugged his brother, causing Tin-Tin's face to flame scarlet again.

"Yeah. We'll have to do something about that, won't we, Tin-Tin?" Alan replied, reaching around her to tickle her side.

She giggled and squirmed a little, then slapped his hand soundly. "You behave yourself, Alan Shepherd Tracy, or I'll report you to your grandmother!"

"Oooh! The ultimate threat!" Alan responded, shaking his stinging hand. "I'll behave myself."

Their laughter died down and Tin-Tin took Alan's hand again. There was a slightly uncomfortable moment of quiet, then Scott asked, "What else needs to be done around here? I'll be glad to lend a hand; you two should probably head upstairs to spread the happy news."

"Uh, well, we've got to clean up this mess I've made of my lunch," Alan said ruefully, looking down at the tray of ruined food and the sticky spot of iced tea. "There are the medical supplies over by the lift that need to be put away, and a rough spot in that storage bin to be welded."He pointed over to the offending space."I also need to run diagnostics on the gravity generators and refuel the retros."

"Tell you what," Scott offered. "You two work down here with the clean up and restocking. I'll see to whatever's wrong in that storage bin, run the diagnostics, and refuel the retros. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great, Scott, thanks!" Alan said gratefully. "I appreciate it."

"We both do," Tin-Tin said firmly.

"Okay then," Scott said, cracking his knuckles by interlocking his fingers and stretching his hands out before him. "Let's get cracking."

Tin-Tin and Alan glanced at each other and groaned in unison.