A/N :claps happily: That's right, I FINALLY got my new Laptop today:does a little dance: Currently, I'm experimenting with the DVD player, and iTunes, but Now, I shall be a good girl, and write you all a chapter! I'm sorry It's taken SO long... I blame Latin - That's right, Joelle - This ALL falls on you :humph: Oh. And the Public speaking thing for English. That one's screwed too - I have to do mine again for round two... :Whines:
Chapter 14 - Birthdays, Christmas and Unwanted Surprises
"I think something's wrong with Ra-ra..." Scott muttered softly to Virgil, as they pulled over Tracy Island.
"Like?" Virgil dropped into a steep descent, firing retrodes as the 'bird dropped lower.
"She's gotten quiet..."
"Maybe she's grown up..."
Scott gave his brother a look.
"I'm serious Virgil... I think there's something wrong..." The middle Tracy heaved a sigh.
"We'll find out..."
.1.1.1.1.
Tara's expression remained unchanged as she made her way through the lounge room at Tracy Island.
Lady Penelope looked up, and smiled, rising to kiss her daughter on both cheeks.
"Tara dear!" Tara forced herself to smile back, her stomach giving a loud lurch.
"Tara... are you alright?" She nodded again, heading towards the staircase.
"Just tired..." she trudged up the staircase slowly, whilst Scott and Virgil exchanged glances.
Tara definitely wasn't herself; that much they were sure of.
.1.1.1.1.
"Oi Scott..." Alan checked over his shoulder, heading over to the eldest Tracy boy.
"Mmm...?" Scott didn't look up from his breakfast.
"You know how it's Tara's birthday in 2 days..."
"Mmm..."
"Are we going to do anything?" Scott looked up, lowering his spoon with a sigh.
"I haven't planned anything... but you can if you want to... except just remember... every time we make plans for something... We get a rescue call..."
"Then how about something small... for now?'
"Yeah... I mean; she's only turning 17..."
.1.1.1.1.
Tara opened her eyes sleepily, two days later when she awoke with a moan.
Her stomach grumbled, and she ignored it, swinging her legs over the side of her bed, and shakily standing.
Pulling her dressing gown around her frail form, the girl trudged downstairs slowly, immediately being greeted by an uproar.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TARA!" She rubbed her eyes, examining the room.
She spied her mother, Jeff, Six Tracy boys, Parker, Kyra--
Hold it.
Six Tracy boys!
Tara rubbed her eyes again, the picture sliding back into focus.
Sorry, Five Tracy boys, and Brains – who'd taken his glasses off for a moment to clean them.
'That was a cruel trick to play on a tired girl,' Tara thought huffily, her eyes dancing over the 5 grinning faces of the Tracy boys, 'Especially this early in the morning...'
"Happy 17th Ra-ra!" Tara blinked vacantly, feeling a hand on her arm, pulling her through to the dining room.
She took a seat, the rest of the family joining her, and chatting animatedly.
Tara just wanted to crawl in a hole and die -
The way she was feeling of late.
.1.1.1.1.
"Kyrano made you a special Birthday Breakfast!" Tara looked down at her plate, the French toast looking so good...
She forced one bite, smiling as the butter melted in her mouth.
"It's..." She swallowed hard, "... Great..." Taking that as a sign of consent, the rest started into their food, Tara taking one more bite, before sneaking it into a napkin, to throw away.
She just wasn't in the mood for food.
"I'll just go upstairs and get dressed..." Tara slid off, throwing the wrapped up toast out as she crept off.
When she got up to her room, Tara yawned widely, her stomach lurching loudly.
She ignored it, and headed to her wardrobe, pulling on a pair of jeans, and a white button up blouse.
When she emerged downstairs again, the family had gathered around in the dining room, a small pile of gifts arranged on the coffee table.
Tara took a deep breath, and held herself back, taking slow steps towards the lounge, and sliding into a seat near her mother.
With her quiet entry, only Alan seemed to notice her return.
"Hey Birthday girl!" She gave him a forced smile, and leaned back in her seat.
"Tara dear! It's time to do what you loved when you were little!" Tara sat up a little, willing herself to at least feel something.
"Really? W…What would that be?" Gordon laughed warmly.
"Really now, Ra-ra... you of all people should remember present time!" Tara felt a pink tint grow in her cheeks as she recalled the last birthday she'd spent with the boys on the island.
. . : Memory : . .
A 5 year old Tara fidgeted awkwardly with the hem of her skirt, gazing longingly over at the pile of gifts on the coffee table.
She glanced up at the clock.
'Only 5 more minutes until Mama said I can open my presents...' She stared at the clock, willing time to speed up.
Instead, she could have almost sworn the clock ticked backwards.
"Mama?" Penelope looked over, stopping her conversation with Jeff to attend to her daughter.
"Can I please open my presents now?"
"Tara... you need to be patient... 5 more minutes... Scott and John have to finish their homework, and they just need 5 more minutes... then I promise you can open your birthday presents..."
"But Mama..."
"No buts, Tara... patience is a virtue you need to learn to be a gracious lady when you get older..."
"But I want my presents!"
"Tara!"
"Mama! It's my birthday! I'm 5 years old!" She held up five fingers to add to her case.
"Tara..." Penelope heaved a sigh, looking down on her blonde haired daughter. Tara stuck out her bottom lip in a huff.
"It's my birthday..."
"I know, darling... just wait for Scott and John..."
"But..."
"Go play with Alan and Gordon, Tara... it'll take your mind off things..."
Tara sniffed, and got off the lounge, trudging to the door outside, where she spied Gordon and Alan leaning against the outside wall, talking.
From the sounds of things, they'd overheard Tara's little sniff and tantrum.
"Everything alright, Ra-ra?" Tara stomped her foot angrily.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
. . : End Memory : . .
"Here..." Alan smiled warmly, handing Tara her first gift. Her hand shaking whilst she carefully unwrapped the pink paper, Tara let out a gasp when she saw what lay inside.
Hanging delicately off a silver chain, was a diamond and pink cubic zirconia studded pendant - forming the most important letter of the alphabet - as Tara had told the boys several times when she was 6.
T.
The girl quickly grasped it, and unhooked the clasp, fastening it back together, and letting the chain fall on her upper chest, the silver glinting in the sunlight.
"Thankyou Alan..." She whispered softly, her stormy grey/blue eyes welling with tears.
Immediately, she sprung up, racing to her bedroom.
'Something like this... that's what a boyfriend's SUPPOSED to do... god... why then hell did I pick someone like Josh? Why? Why me?'
.1.1.1.1.
Downstairs, the Tracy boys, Penelope and Parker sat in silent confusion.
"Well..." Gordon finally broke the silence, "That was unexpected..."
.1.1.1.1.
For the next few days, and weeks, Tara remained relatively silent, helping the boys decorate the house for the holidays when required, and hiding in her bedroom - away from the prying eyes at other times.
"Hey Ra-ra! Pass the tinsel!" Tara snapped out of her distracted state, and glowered at Scott, handing him the golden decoration.
He gave her a sly wink, and took it graciously, climbing back up the step-ladder to pin it up over the doorframe.
Inside the lounge room, Tara heard a squeal.
"Tara! Darling! Come in here!" She, although puzzled, obeyed her mother's request, and immediately grimaced.
Penelope was brandishing an angel for atop the Christmas tree - all decked out in little pink Christmas dress, and all. From over in the corner, Jeff laughed, taking his own personal favourite festive toy from it's year-long prison.
He plugged it in, and pressed the play button - the jolly fat man making no attempt to move.
With a groan, Jeff pressed the button again - with the same outcome.
"BRAINS!" The scientist strolled through the lounge, chuckling as he spied the decoration.
"S-s-s-Santa p-p-playing up a-again, e-eh J-J-Jeff?" Jeff rubbed his temples, sinking into a chair.
"Can you fix it Brains? It just wouldn't be Christmas without him..." Brains chuckled, and tucked the electronic device under his arm.
"E-e-every year I m-m-m-manage..." Jeff grinned - his lightened expression reminding Tara a great deal of a 10 year old who'd found his parent's stash of Christmas gifts.
"Thanks Brains..."
"N-n-no problem, M-M-Mr. T-Tracy..."
.1.1.1.1.
2 painstaking hours later, Tara looked up from her book in the lounge, hearing the Texan rendition of Jingle bell rock.
She stood up, walking through to find Jeff clapping Brains on the back, watching his favourite decoration dance for the first time of that Christmas season.
Behind her, the girl heard a chorus enigmatic groans.
"He got the Texan Santa working..." The voice - obviously belonging to Virgil - moaned.
"I thought you told me you took care of it!" John hissed.
"I thought I did! I soaked it in a bucket of water for over an hour!" Virgil hoarsely replied.
"If he plays that thing one more time, I swear I'll smash it with a sledgehammer," Scott's voice waved as he tried to keep his cool.
"Ooh! Mr. Scott Nothing-can-stop-my-cool Tracy making angry threats?"
"Oi, Gordon, I've had to put up with it Four more bloody years than you... Alright?"
"And...?"
"Jingle bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle bell--"
"SHUT UP ALAN!" Tara chuckled as the four elder boys rounded on their youngest sibling.
In the doorway, Jeff skidded to a halt.
"Brains got the Santa working boys! Christmas is saved!" Virgil faked a smile, and the others forced a laugh.
"That's great, father!"
"Brilliant!"
"Fantastic!" Jeff walked off, - Tara could have sworn - almost skipping.
"Bloody hell... I'm not going to make it through this Christmas..."
"Mmm... It's either that, or us..."
"Think he'd find it on Thunderbird 5?" John snorted.
"Put it up there, and I might be tempted to jettison it into space..." He was replied with nothing but blank faces.
"You say that like it's a bad thing..."
.1.1.1.1.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADY P!" Penelope chuckled walking downstairs, immaculately dressed in her light pink sundress.
"Why thankyou boys!" She looked around at all the smiling faces, spying her daughter in the corner - looking rather withdrawn and anti-social.
She too was smiling - though hers didn't look as genuine as the boys'.
Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Penelope set out, receiving her birthday hugs and kisses...
And punches.
Gordon really wasn't tactful when it came to ladies.
Really wasn't.
.1.1.1.1.
The first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, sending a beam of white light streaming through Alan Tracy's window. He opened his eyes, groaning, until realisation dawned over him.
"IT'S CHRISTMAS!" Yes. Even though Alan was now 21 years of age - he still acted like a 6 year old on that one festive holiday of the year.
The youngest Tracy son raced downstairs, soon being joined by the pattering of his brother's feet on the staircase.
The five boys took seats around the Christmas tree, Alan and Virgil distributing the gifts steadily.
As each pile grew, cheerful chatter filled the air from each person in the household.
Finally, with all presents handed out, Alan and Virgil turned to face the family, grinning incessantly.
"Everyone h--" Beep-Beep-Beep
Of course. Being International rescue meant their Christmas morning was short lived.
In the background, a beeping could be heard, and the boys groaned.
Jeff appeared in the doorway, and he gave them all a weak smile.
"Sorry Boys... It's a rescue..." The five stood, grumbling, and trudged into Jeff's office to be briefed.
.1.1.1.1.
About an hour later, the boys returned from their rescue - It was just a simple search and rescue mission - to the deathly silent house of the Tracy family.
Tara, it seemed, still hadn't risen for the morning.
"That'd be about right..." Gordon moaned, rubbing his sore elbow, "We go out to save people, and she stays in bed!"
Alan looked at him distainfully.
"I'll go and get Tara up..." He bolted up the stairs - still dressed in his International Rescue uniform - and rapped softly on her door.
"Tari? You up yet?"
A dead silence greeted him.
"Tari?"
Nothing
"Tara?"
This was starting to worry him
Alan pushed the door open, concern washing over his features as he caught sight of what lay on the bed.
Tara was lying perfectly still, her eyes closed, and her hair framing her face perfectly. It made no sense, but it did.
Her loose white nightgown clung to her form in just the right places, bringing the girl an appearance of a Sleeping Beauty.
Alan spun around, as a hand landed on his shoulder.
Virgil gave his brother an amused look.
"Why so jumpy?" Alan shook his head, turning back to the girl.
"She looks so peaceful..." Virgil breathed a sigh.
Alan nodded in agreement.
"Something isn't right here..." The youngest Tracy moved from his place in the doorway, and knelt beside the unmoving girl.
Immediately, his eyes filled with worry.
"Virgil... I can't find her pulse..." Virgil furrowed his brow, kneeling beside his brother, and taking Tara's wrist in his hands. From under the bedsheet, a pill container rolled out, clattering on the floor as it fell.
"Shit…" The two exchanged glances, racing downstairs.
"Father! Lady Penelope!" Jeff and Penelope looked up, Jeff's stomach sinking at the sight of the two disturbed boys.
"What is it Virgil... Alan?"
"It's Tara... We can't find a pulse..." A clattering sound was heard as Lady Penelope dropped her teacup on the floor - the pieces shattering as they made impact on the ground. Liquid beads of tea scattered over the floor with the porcelain, and Penelope stood, her blue eyes examining that of the boys for any deception.
She found none.
.1.1.1.1.
The next few hours seemed to pass in slow motion for both the Tracy and Creighton-Ward families.
Lady Penelope sank into a hard plastic chair in the waiting room, Scott and Jeff attempting to give her as much comfort as they could offer.
Her face was blotchy, and her eyes bloodshot from all the tears she'd spilt - just hearing the words bounce around in her ears... in her mind...
Penelope, Jeff, Parker and the boys raced through the hospital emergency room, Alan clutching the limp form of the young Creighton-Ward to his chest.
A few attendants saw to the girl, loading Tara onto a gurney, and taking her off into the hospital.
Alan stayed with her for as long as he could - the nurses eventually telling him to wait outside.
When the families were allowed to see the girl again, the doctor who'd been given responsibility over Tara had come out to see Penelope.
"I'm terribly sorry, Lady Penelope... but we've done all we can... Your daughter, it seems, took a vast amount of sleeping pills... We've pumped her stomach... she didn't appear to have taken that many... but it also seems that she was suffering from malnutrition... We've put her on a drip, and with any luck she will recover..."
A tear slid from Penelope's eye, Parker attempting to offer some comfort to his mistress.
"I'll take 'erladyship for some tea..." He mouthed to Jeff, and Jeff nodded in ascent.
After she'd left, the boys all stood in silence. A few moments past, until Jeff finally spoke.
"Come on boys... We should leave Tara to awake in peace..."
"No..." Alan's voice was barely more than a whisper.
"If you don't mind... I want to stay..." Jeff sighed, and nodded slowly.
To him, it was understandable that Alan wanted to stay. He and Tara had been the best of friends since she was born... It was right he'd be worried for her and want to stay...
He looked back over at his youngest son, Alan pulling a chair closer to her bedside, and taking a seat, settling in, and watching Tara over his fingers.
"Come on boys..." The other four Tracy sons nodded, and followed their father out to the waiting room.
"She will wake up, Lady P..." Scott clasped the Lady's hand, "She's a Creighton-Ward... She'll be strong..."
.1.1.1.1.
Alan watched Tara, her chest rising and falling as she took a breath.
He closed his eyes tightly, willing her to wake up.
Partly for her mother
Partly for her friends
Partly for his brothers, and the organisation
But Mostly for him
Tara was like his best friend - There was no way he was going to loose her that easily.
A/N Again - Sorry this has taken so long! I've had exams at School - Assignments to complete... AND MY BIRTHDAY! Twas my birthday on Tuesday - I'm now a year older:Does a little Dance:
Anyway - I'm on holidays now, so I can update more... with any luck...
And I hope you all had a brilliant Easter!
Chocolate eggs for all!
Money makes me smile: Whoa! Congrats on such a Fab result! We got our maths (equations) tests back last week... :drum-roll: 96 percent. I am sooooo stoked!
Isis3110: He-he. Thankyou! Well - perhaps... Quiet - no way. Gar. Guys are soooo hard to deal with... I'm blonde! so sue me if I didn't realise him asking me to the movies constituted as a date:sniffs: Sorry about that...
Olympics 2012 London: He-he... Latin's so... odd... My teacher's okay at it - but he went to school with my brother - not helpful... not at all... So yeah... I can't whinge about my brother in class, cuz I never quite know what Joel's going to tell him... :shifty eyes: Anyway - Thanks for the review, and the e-mail!
Peace Pixie: ROFLOL! My friend thinks air makes her hyper... It's a tad disturbing when she gets on a rant about that... he-he. Our school uniform looks like a tent. I'm dead serious. A navy blue tent over a white blouse. But - The senior uniform is sooo much better... :sigh: Next year... Anyway - As for Tara... I hope this chapter cleared a few things up... if not... She'll have a tell all confession in Chapter 15 :P
So Anyway - Thanks all for the reviews :mwa:mwa:
Kiss kiss, Darlings!
The Faerie
1 - Yes. I am high.
2 - Silence is Golden... Shouting's just more fun!