Well, here it is. Chapter 26. The last one. And what a journey! It feels so strange to end the story that's been such a part of my life for so many weeks, but it seemed like the right time to do it. I hope that everyone's enjoyed reading, and I have certainly enjoyed reading your marvellous and entertaining reviews with all the discussions about Scott's aftershave, John's nail polish and Virgil's sarong (which indeed makes an appearance in this chapter).
Thank you all for sharing this with me. I have truly enjoyed the experience and I hope you have too.
Disclaimers: Shore Leave is based on TV-Verse. Rated M for adult themes. All Thunderbirds characters belong to someone else. Karen belongs to me...and now to John.
# # # #
"Okay," said Scott. "Close your eyes."
"What?" Karen was puzzled and immediately suspicious. She was standing in the lounge with John and his brothers. Lady Penelope and Tin-Tin were off to one side, smiling at her, nodding their assent.
"Don't argue with him, darling, or you'll be here all day," said Lady Penelope.
"Go on, close 'em," said Scott again, "or it'll have to be the blindfold." He had a strip of fabric in his hand that he held up and waved in front of Karen.
Karen looked at John, who just shrugged. "He'll do it, believe me."
"Okay, I'll close my eyes," she muttered, and closed them. "But I don't like this one little bit."
She felt John's hand clasp hers. He led her across the room with Scott accompanying them- she knew he was there because she could smell his aftershave. She doubted he'd ever be able to sneak up on anybody smelling as attractive as that.
"Okay," said Scott. "You two want to go through first?"
John pulled Karen close, made sure her eyes were still shut. She kept protesting, but he put his fingers on her lips. "It's okay, baby," he said, but she knew he was laughing inwardly.
"Yeah, we're not trying to bump you off or anything," said Scott, who was immediately rebuked by both Lady Penelope and Tin-Tin.
Karen didn't know what was going on, except that John had a firm hold of her and she had to keep her eyes closed. The next thing she knew, she was moving. Not just her, but John and even the floor were moving- swivelling around in a circle. She staggered against John and he pulled her close.
"Eyes still shut?" he asked.
"Damnit, John, what's going on?"
"All will be revealed," he said as they stopped moving. His voice now sounded like they were in an echo chamber. A cool breeze wafted across her face and the pungent scent of oil and fuel assailed her nostrils. She immediately thought of aircraft hangars. It felt like they were somewhere big.
A moment later she heard a noise behind them and Scott and his aftershave appeared at their side. "Hope you haven't been peeking."
Karen was led over to some railings which she clamped her hands around for dear life, guessing that there might be a steep drop on the other side.
"Okay. Ready?" said John. "Now you can open your eyes."
Karen opened her eyes slowly, with no idea of what to expect. It took a moment for her brain to compute the vast space of her immediate surroundings, but when the sight in front of her registered at last she nearly collapsed with the shock. There it was, Thunderbird 1 standing proudly before them in all its blue and silver glory. The same rocket plane Karen had crept so close to outside the museum, the same rocket plane that hovered majestically in the flame filled sky like some exotic bird of prey, its silver body buzzing with reflected lights and colours. The same roaring machine now standing silently, perched upright on its tailfins, subdued in slumber but ready to spring into action the moment International Rescue received an emergency call.
"Well?" said Scott expectantly. "What do you think?"
"Be kind," John whispered with a grin. "Scott's a little insecure about its size."
Karen was awestruck. "It's incredible," she breathed. "And it's much bigger close up."
"No jokes please," said Scott. "But you're right, she is a pretty impressive machine. Top speed of fifteen thousand miles per hour. And I don't even have to gun her."
Karen's gaze swept all the way down the gleaming hull of the 'bird. "Fantastic. It's like something right out of the future," she breathed. "No wonder people think you guys don't really exist."
"We like to keep it that way," Scott replied. "Unfortunately, we don't always succeed."
"Thanks for reminding me," Karen muttered, although Scott's playful nudge reassured her that he was joking. "So...where do you launch from? I mean, we're pretty close to the house and I don't see an opening up there." she swept her gaze up and up, past Thunderbird 1's gleaming nose cone to the roof of the hangar.
"All in due course," said Scott mysteriously.
"I hate all this secrecy," Karen sighed.
"Come on," said John, ushering her away from the railings. "I know Virgil will be dying to show you his equipment, if only to prove that it's bigger than Scott's."
# # # #
At the railings in Thunderbird 2's hangar, now accompanied by John and Virgil, Karen was again instructed to open her eyes. This time she was greeted by the sight of the enormous green utility vehicle that had brought her all the way out here to Tracy Island. She gasped in amazement.
"It's magnificent!" she exclaimed. "But...it looks different."
Virgil smiled. "She's podless at the moment. See the pods, lined up below her?"
"They carry all the rescue equipment," John explained. "Without Thunderbird 2, we'd be up the proverbial creek without a paddle. Plus she has an on-board laboratory, engineering facilities and a sick-bay. Which I believe you are pretty well acquainted with."
"Yes," Karen said, unable to take her eyes off the big green 'bird. "That was quite a ride."
"Sorry about the bumps," Virgil apologised. "We don't notice them ourselves. With her pod in place she's built kind of chunky but she's as aerodynamic as she can be. She may rock a little but she holds steady when she needs to."
Karen could hear the pride in Virgil's voice. Scott's pride in Thunderbird 1 had been about its speed, efficiency and versatility, but Virgil spoke of Thunderbird 2 almost as if it were alive. "She's beautiful, Virgil," she told him, knowing it was what he wanted to hear.
# # # #
The next trip involved a monorail.
"I can't believe all this stuff is underneath your house!" Karen exclaimed as John helped her into the car.
"It's the whole surrounding area, really," John said, getting in and sliding the door shut. "The cliffs, the extinct volcano- it took some setting up, mind you. But it was worth it for the end results."
He set the monorail car in motion and off they went.
"It's like a ride at Disney," Karen murmured, gazing out of the window as the car hummed into a tunnel.
"It's way better than Disney," John grinned. "This is real."
"Where are we going?" She asked, turning her widened grey eyes onto him, noticing his slightly teasing expression.
"You'll see," he smiled. "Think Virgil's is big? Wait until you see mine."
Karen smiled back, put her arms around his waist. "I've already seen yours," she purred. "And I must say, I'm impressed."
"Wait until you see this one," he replied, kissing the tip of her nose.
The monorail exited the tunnel and Karen nearly reeled over in shock. She had to cling tightly to John or she would have literally staggered sideways. They were in the most cavernous aircraft hangar she'd ever witnessed. She couldn't even see the far wall. It was bigger than Thunderbird 1 and 2's hangars put together, and right in the middle stood the most enormous rocket she had ever seen. And it was bright red.
John reduced the monorail's speed so that they could do a slow circuit of the monstrous hangar.
"Oh my God!" she whispered. "What the hell is that thing?"
"That, my sweet, is Thunderbird 3. That's what gets me to work in the mornings."
"Surely you jest?" Karen said. "You don't go to work every day- wherever work is- in that thing?"
"Not every day. It takes me up to the satellite every four weeks then brings me back when it's Alan's turn. Alan will tell you that this is his baby, but I claim equal ownership seeing as I trained well before him and I use it just as much."
"You said 'the satellite'?" Karen asked, wide-eyed.
"Sure. Thunderbird 5, to give it its proper name. That's where we take all our calls and monitor weather systems and danger zones all over the planet. That's where I've been these last couple of weeks. That's why there was no way I could have absconded and run away with you. I hold too much responsibility here."
"Gosh," was all Karen could manage. "So as soon as someone needs International Rescue's help, they contact you."
"They do. I'm Space Monitor. I'm the one who doesn't mind being up in space for weeks at a time. At least, I didn't- until I fell in love."
Karen blushed. She was getting good at blushing, it seemed. "All those times we...you know...you were up in space?"
"Yep. I should have told you to look up," John grinned.
She whacked him playfully. "You were doing it right above my head the whole time," she grinned back.
"Well, depending on our corresponding orbits," John replied, straight-faced.
They stood with their arms around each other as the monorail circled the great beast that was Thunderbird 3. "That is awesome," Karen murmured. "I've never seen anything like it. And it's absolutely safe?"
"Absolutely. It literally just goes straight up. We don't get too many space rescues either. Once in a blue moon...bada bing."
Karen laughed, pulled him closer. "Sounds like you've got the best gig to me," she chuckled.
"I think I do," John agreed. "The best gig, the best 'bird, and the best girl. I must be doing something right."
"Oh, you are, John Tracy," Karen said, turning to kiss him on the lips. "You most definitely are."
# # # #
"Mine's the smallest one," said Gordon as he walked with John and Karen to what he called the service elevator. "But I don't mind saying so. Because it may be small, but it's better when wet."
Karen choked back a laugh as he helped her into the elevator car. They travelled all the way down to the bottom of Thunderbird 2's hangar and then he led her across to a huge green pod with the number 4 painted on it.
"No need to close your eyes," Gordon said. "Just get a load of the size of this baby." He banged the side of the pod three times with his fist, grinning as the noise reverberated around the hangar and Karen put her hands over her ears. "With me, you get the full experience."
He took her to the pod entrance and led her up the ramp. Inside the pod sat a small, rather jaunty looking little yellow craft.
"What's that?" Karen asked, turning to find that John had now joined them too, eager to see her reactions to all the Thunderbird machines.
"That's Thunderbird 4, my good lady," Gordon told her. "My little yellow submarine."
"Submarine? Oh wow. For underwater rescues?"
"She's catching on," said John.
"One day I may take you out in it. When we run tests. You'll see a whole new world down there, believe me."
Karen went up to the little sub and touched its hull. "It's beautiful," she said. "I love it!"
Gordon turned to John with a smug grin. "See? Size isn't everything."
# # # #
Karen was still digesting everything she'd seen that morning when Grandma Tracy announced that lunch was ready. Everyone piled into the dining room and scraped chairs loudly across the floor as they sat down, immediately reaching for plates of food and jugs of water, talking over each other, laughing and jostling.
"It's quite a household, isn't it?" smiled Lady Penelope, taking a seat to Karen's left with John sitting on her right.
"It certainly is," Karen agreed. "And they're quite a family."
"Yes," Lady Penelope agreed. "They're almost the family I never had myself. Although I could never be quite so brash as they. I'm afraid I had table manners drummed into me from an early age."
Karen nodded, watching Gordon knock his water glass over with his flailing elbow and the ensuing commotion of having to mop it up before it dripped off the table onto Virgil's lap.
"Now, Karen," said Jefferson Tracy from his position at the head of the table. "I must ask you what you thought of your grand tour earlier."
The noise and commotion stopped abruptly. All eyes immediately turned to Karen, who had just that moment taken a mouthful of chicken salad. She looked around, chewing hurriedly, gesturing towards her mouth. Gordon laughed. Lady Penelope put her hand on Karen's arm.
"Take your time," she said gently.
Karen blinked, chewed and swallowed. "It was very impressive," she said, taking a huge gulp of water. "Your machines are out of this world."
"We have Brains to thank for their design," Jeff Tracy said, bringing rather unwanted attention to the bespectacled young scientist who blushed furiously at the mention of his name.
"No-one would believe me even if I did tell," Karen went on, then hastily corrected herself at the sight of Jeff's drawn eyebrows. "Um..not that I ever would, of course."
"Glad to hear it," said Jeff, gruffly but good-naturedly, raising his water glass in her direction.
The noise levels soon rose again. Gordon was adamant that Thunderbird 4 had been Karen's favourite, and she was only being polite by saying she liked all of them equally. Virgil declared that anyone who was so excited about a ride in Thunderbird 2 that they threw up scored bonus points in his book. This led Scott to observe drily that Karen hadn't experienced his 'bird yet, but that once she had, she'd never look back. This was met with raucous laughter and hoots of derision from his younger brothers. As Karen looked around the table at all the laughing faces, Lady Penelope leaned in to her and whispered, "it's a good thing there's only one Scott Tracy, or no woman would be safe."
Karen smiled at her newest female friend. She was glad of the company provided by Penny and Tin-Tin. It made her feel less conspicuous. As she ate and drank and attempted occasionally to join in the banter, she hooked her foot around John's under the table and smiled when he put his hand on her thigh and gave it a loving squeeze. This family was unlike any other family she'd ever met. They were bonded together by much more than genes and blood. Their bond was their love for humanity and their constant striving to make things better. Perhaps the loss of their mother had strengthened their desire to stay close together. Perhaps Jeff's business aspirations had necessitated the aid of his elder sons especially- she could tell Scott was as much a part of Tracy Industries as his father with all the business reports he kept reading and reviewing and the way he walked around looking stressed with his tie undone after the video conferences she'd seen them both attending.
Yes, this was the sort of family anyone would give their eye-teeth to be a part of. Such diversity among them. Jeff, the charismatic leader, Scott the charming, roguish heir to his father's fortune, Virgil the sensitive artist, John the reluctant dreamer, Gordon the affable jester and Alan, the headstrong opportunist. So different, and yet all part of the same unbreakable team.
She put her hand over John's and gripped his lilac-tipped fingers. How could she ever return to her old life after she'd had a taster of this one?
# # # #
Later on, Karen walked with John along the shoreline. She was quiet, reflecting on the events of the last few days. She had spoken to Cathy, and to her mother, and come clean about her new relationship, stopping short of mentioning International Rescue and saying instead that she was just away for a few days with her new lover but would soon be returning home. Cathy had gone crazy, calling her a 'dark horse' and trying to get all the gossip. Karen had laughed and reassured her that no, she hadn't been whisked away by some con-man. She was in love with the most honest and compassionate human being she had ever met. When will I meet him? Cathy had asked. All in due course, Karen had replied, as enigmatically as any established member of International Rescue.
"Thinking about what happens next?" asked John, his arm around her waist.
"What are you, psychic?" she laughed in response. "Yes, I suppose I am. Now that your father knows I can be trusted, there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to return home."
"Back to the grindstone, hmm."
"Yeah. Back to the library. I must admit, I want to see how everyone's coping after the fire. Cathy said we've taken on some of the museum staff, but that others are jobless now."
"Still, they all survived," John reminded her.
"Except that poor boy," Karen sighed. "They were awful little hooligans, but I never wanted anything that bad to happen to them."
John looked down at his bare feet kicking up clouds of sand. "You wouldn't believe some of the things we see," he admitted. "People can be their own worst enemies sometimes."
"And then you come home to a place like this," she mused, looking at the hazy, cloud smeared sky and the shimmering, pearly ocean, the frigates whirling overhead and the nodding palm trees swaying in the breeze. "It's like a different world altogether."
"The contrast doesn't escape me," John said simply.
They walked on, letting small waves rush forward and grab cheekily at their toes before receding back to the safety of the sea.
"So, when are you thinking of going home?" John asked. "Has dad said anything?"
"No, but I was thinking by the weekend. What's it today, Wednesday? Maybe Saturday, if that's okay for anyone who's going to be flying me. I need to get back to work and my normal routine. I have rent and bills to pay and..."
"Shh, enough of rent and bills." John pulled her into his arms, resting his cheek on the top of her head.
"That's reality, John," she whispered back, wrapping her arms tightly around him, stroking up and down his spine. "That's my life."
John kissed her head, pulled her closer, his hands slipping down to caress her buttocks through the thin skirt of Tin-Tin's she was wearing. "Let's make love," he murmured.
"Not here, surely?"
"No- not exactly here. Come on, let's take a walk."
# # # #
Making love outdoors in what felt like a tropical rainforest (but was slightly drier) was all that Karen had hoped it would be. The tickle of grass on her naked skin, the caress of the breeze, the scent of flowers and even the hummingbird that carried on drinking nectar above them, oblivious to their antics. John seemed extra attentive and loving, not to mention extraordinarily aroused, even for him. He began by kissing her all over, burying his face in her neck and biting her earlobes, licking and sucking her nipples, nibbling his way down her ribcage and abdomen, swirling his tongue into her belly button and then delving hungrily between her legs, making her whimper and bite down hard on her own knuckles as he edged her closer and closer to orgasm with expert ministrations of his lips and tongue.
When the climax came it was explosive, radiating outwards in all directions, causing her back to arch right up off the grass as she moaned her pleasure into her hand, biting down hard on the fleshy pad of her thumb.
As she calmed down from the intense feelings, John pulled himself up over her on both hands and thrust himself deep inside her, pistoning into her, hard and fast, until he too came in an intense rush of ecstasy, pouring himself into her, not just physically but it seemed mentally as well, joining with her in a climactic celebration of all that they shared.
When the wave had receded he collapsed in her arms and they lay there, both breathing hard, their skin shining with perspiration, muscles trembling and twitching in the aftermath.
"I love you," John whispered. "I don't want to say goodbye to you again."
Karen held him close, stroked her foot down the back of his calf. "Goodbye's not forever," she said softly.
"It's near enough," he responded.
"We'll see each other again."
"I know, but..." John raised himself on one elbow, gazed down into her eyes. He appeared to be about to say something but then he stopped. Instead he pressed his lips to hers, nuzzled their noses together. "I guess we'll find a way to make it work."
# # # #
Later, they spent a happy afternoon by the pool. There was hysterical laughter when Virgil appeared on the balcony in a vest and sarong and sashayed down the flight of steps as though he were a catwalk diva. Gordon wolf-whistled heartily, Scott tipped his sunglasses down his nose for a better look, and John, in the water with Karen, shook his head and muttered, "what a show-off."
"So, what do you think, people?" Virgil asked, putting one hand on his hip and the other behind his head, twirling around for their appraisal. "The colours are very in this season."
"Piss yellow and bile green? Since when?" muttered Scott, actually walking around his brother for a close-up inspection.
"Heathen," said Virgil. "This is the Autumn Palette."
"It's the middle of summer."
"I'm ahead of my time," Virgil pouted. "As usual."
Scott lunged forward suddenly and made a grab for the sarong.
"I fuckin' knew you would do that!" Virgil yelled, dodging away from his older brother's outstretched hand.
"C'mon, Virgil, be a man," laughed Scott. "Show us what you got."
"Are you gay?" shouted Virgil, ducking another lunge. "I mean, as if you don't get enough women!"
Scott laughed loudly and chased his brother across the pool deck, catching up with him when Virgil realised it was impossible to run in a sarong, not at speed anyway. Scott barrelled into him and they began tussling, and soon they were both in the pool, landing with a thunderous splash that engulfed John and Karen in a huge wave.
Scott broke through the surface first, his sunglasses missing, shaking water from his hair like a big wet dog. He held the sarong triumphantly over his head. "Got it!"
"And what was the purpose of that macho display?" asked John, shaking water from his own hair while Karen spluttered the water from her nose.
"Oh, sorry, folks," Scott grinned. "Guess I saw the skirt and just got carried away."
"Sarong, you big ape," said Virgil appearing beside him, his chestnut hair slicked back like a seal's. "Jesus, you're so ignorant sometimes."
Scott shrugged. "I got the skirt. I don't care. I win."
"Bitch," muttered Virgil, then dove underwater and swam away.
"Now, girls," said John with a smirk.
Tin-Tin and Jeff appeared carrying trays of drinks and other refreshments. As everyone piled into the jugs of lemonade and cranberry juice and ice cold beers, Karen couldn't help thinking she could quite become used to this way of life.
"This is what Virgil calls 'lollygagging'," said John, twisting the cap off his beer bottle. "Just hanging out by the pool doing sweet Fanny Adams."
Virgil appeared beside John. He had retrieved Scott's sunglasses from the bottom of the pool and was now wearing them himself. Luckily he had thought to put on swimming shorts under his sarong. He dripped all over the table as he selected a cold beer and a ham sandwich. "This is the life," he agreed.
"Well, I actually thought the sarong suited you, in a way," said Karen. "I'd quite like to see you all take a turn at it."
Lady Penelope, who was sitting nearby in the shade, chuckled with mirth. "How long have I been pestering you boys for a fashion show?"
"Too long," said Virgil with a wink. "But like we told you, we're not pieces of meat."
"Well, I think it's payback for all the times you've stared at Tin-Tin and myself in our bikinis," Lady Penelope smiled back.
"Hey, I appreciate a well-cut garment, that's all," Virgil protested. "Geez, it's so hard to be a man of taste around here."
As they all ate and drank around the pool deck, Karen noticed that someone was missing. "Hey, John," she said, looking round, "where did Gordon go?"
A moment later there was a loud war cry from the top of the steps and Gordon appeared wearing nothing but a pair of tight red Speedoes and something shiny on a ribbon around his neck.
"The gold medal!" Karen gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as Gordon bounded down the steps three at a time, landing on both bare feet with a thump at the bottom.
"Ta daah!" he cried, throwing his arms wide.
Karen didn't know where to look- at the Olympic Gold Medal or the tight red Speedoes, that were indeed very tight. "Oh, my! Gordon!" was all she could manage to say as he came towards them, flexing his pecs and rippling his abs.
"Go on, have a feel," he invited.
John frowned, shot his brother a warning look.
"Of the medal, Johnny. The medal."
Karen reached out and took the gold disc gently between her fingers, trying hard not to touch Gordon's muscular chest as she did so. The medal suspended on a blue silk ribbon was heavier than she thought it would be. She weighed it in her hand, studying its features, the embossed five circles insignia and the year of the Olympic Games that he was in.
"A real Olympic Gold Medal," she said softly.
"Worn by a real Olympic Gold Athlete," Gordon grinned, breathing hard, either from the exertion of bounding down the steps or having his chest almost fondled by Karen, he wasn't sure.
"The Speedoes are impressive too," Karen managed to say before John gently disengaged the medal from her fingers and told her to put his brother down.
"Yep, they still fit," Gordon beamed. "Well...just about."
"Gordon, go get a cold shower," said John. "You're steaming up the air."
Gordon laughed, unhooked the medal from around his neck, gave it to Karen, and ran across to the pool, executing a perfect, almost splashless dive into the water.
"They're pulling out all the stops today," John smiled, shaking his head.
"I love it," Karen laughed. "Your brothers are quite crazy. I'll miss them."
John pulled her close. "Don't keep reminding me that you're going," he said, burying his lips in the hair at the nape of her neck.
"I have to," she said, pulling his arms around her in front. "This is your life, not mine."
"And don't keep saying that, either."
Karen was about to say something reassuring when there was the sudden jarring sound of an alarm going off. It made her jump out of her skin with fear, certain that she already knew what it meant.
"Shit!" John cried. At the same time, every one of his brothers stopped what they were doing and scrambled towards the house.
"Oh dear," said Lady Penelope as Tracy brother after Tracy brother ran past in a blur. "I had rather hoped this wouldn't happen today."
# # # #
Jefferson Tracy fixed them all with a keen eye as they stood before him in varying degrees of undress, Gordon still dripping in his red Speedoes. "A train has derailed from a bridge in Ireland. Two carriages ended up down a ravine and the emergency services can't get at them. Scott, get underway, Alan will give you the location co-ordinates. Virgil, Gordon, John, you'll probably need the winch cables more than anything, but take the Mole just in case, although I doubt you'll need it."
Karen stood with Tin-Tin and Lady Penelope as each brother raced to his position. She saw now how Scott swivelled a secret wall panel and Virgil disappeared backwards down a concealed chute. This house was full of constant surprises, and she wasn't even sure if she liked them all as they swallowed up each brother in turn and sent him on his way to his machine.
Seeing Karen's look of worry, Tin-Tin patted her back to comfort her. "Well, at least you'll get to see a launch now," she smiled. "Come on- over to the window."
Within moments the house began trembling and the muffled rumbling began.
"Scott?" Karen asked.
Tin-Tin nodded. "Watch the pool," she smiled.
"The pool? The pool we were just swimming in?"
"The very same," said Lady Penelope, standing on the other side of her.
"He's under the house, isn't he? I knew he was under the house!" Despite her concern, Karen also felt herself getting excited. She had no idea what she was about to see, and her adrenaline was flowing, making her tense and hyper.
After a few moments of religiously watching the pool, she could swear that it started moving. She blinked, looked away, looked back. It was definitely moving. The water sloshed and rippled as the entire pool began to slide back under the patio. Soon a huge cavern was revealed beneath. How many huge caverns were there underneath this innocuous looking little island?
A tremendous roar started up and the cavern began to glow fiery orange. Smoke trailed out of the gaping hole and within moments something appeared. Before Karen could even register that it was Thunderbird 1, the silver rocket had cleared the gap and was hurtling skywards, trailing orange flames and thick plumes of fuel exhaust.
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, craning her neck up and up and up. "That was unbelievable!"
"That's Scott, all right," smiled Lady Penelope. "He's very showy."
It wasn't long before Thunderbird 1 was just a tiny speck in the distance, and Karen had to look away from the blinding brightness of the sun.
"What about the others?" she asked curiously.
"They launch from the end of the cliff house runway," Tin-Tin said, "but Scott's was the one we really wanted you to see. We knew you wouldn't believe it!"
# # # #
After the excitement of watching Thunderbird 1 launch and then watching Thunderbird 2 as she rounded the island and headed off in the same direction as her sister ship, Karen found herself back to feeling nervous and agitated, pacing around the kitchen out of Jeff Tracy's way.
"Oh dear," said Lady Penelope. "It really does no good to worry, you know. This is a fairly routine assignment for the boys. We've had reports that there are no fatalities and that Thunderbird 2 may not even need to make a landing. The boys can use the winch cables from the air."
"I can't help it," Karen sighed. "This is all so new to me. I've never had a boyfriend whose job put him in mortal danger before."
"John's not in mortal danger, darling," Lady Penelope said gently. "Jeff's spoken to all of them. They're perfectly safe. Here. What can we do to relax you." The charming blonde began opening cupboards, just as Grandma Tracy appeared.
"The young lady likes my Chocolate Gateau," Mrs. Tracy said decisively. "The only trouble is, that greedy Scott ate the last slice this morning. It'll have to be blueberry flapjacks."
Karen smiled as a plate of blueberry flapjacks and a tall glass of milk were placed in front of her. She felt like she was eleven years old again. "Thank you, Mrs. Tracy," she said appreciatively. "These look delicious."
"I always have something hidden from those boys," Mrs. Tracy said with a wink, "for moments just like this."
# # # #
Hours later the boys returned home, tired, dishevelled and covered in bloody scratches.
"Gordon and I had to winch down through this dense undergrowth," John said as he and Gordon sat at the kitchen counter in their uniforms while Karen swabbed John's cuts and grazes with antiseptic. "That was some ravine. I didn't even know they had landscape like that in Ireland."
Gordon was on the next stool being tended to by Tin-Tin. "We got the passengers out through the windows," he said, wincing as the young girl wiped a large scratch across his forehead. "It was like some kind of jungle down there. I kept expecting lions and gorillas to leap out."
"And someone asked me why I was wearing mauve nail polish," John said. "I told them I wasn't wearing mauve nail polish- I was wearing lilac nail polish. Geez, get it right."
Scott, who was largely unblemished, leaned against the doorframe, and Virgil, who was completely unmarked seeing as he hadn't left the cockpit of Thunderbird 2 the whole time, nonchalantly poured himself a glass of lemonade. The two older Tracys watched as their younger brothers received all the loving care and attention of the two women.
"We're definitely doing something wrong," said Scott.
"Well, if you didn't keep trying to grab my ass, people wouldn't keep thinking you were gay," retorted Virgil, flicking his brother's earlobe as he passed by on his way to the lounge.
Soon after, they heard the sounds of Virgil at the piano, playing some kind of Gaelic lament.
"Here we go," said Scott, heading out of the kitchen. "If he keeps that up all night, his piano will be firewood by the morning."
John looked into Karen's eyes as she dabbed away crusted blood from his neck. "They're just superficial scratches," he told her. "They're nothing compared to what the rail passengers went through." He took one of her hands in his and stroked his thumb across her knuckles. "You do know that, don't you?"
She nodded, pouring more antiseptic onto a fresh tissue. "I know, John. It's okay."
"Scott doesn't send us into any situation he doesn't feel is safe," John went on. "And I know you know that."
"I'm fine, honestly," Karen told him. "I was much better this time than the other day. And before I knew you were International Rescue, I wasn't even worried at all, right? And you were still fine. So my worrying doesn't make a difference to anyone or anything but me."
"That's not entirely true," John said, squeezing her hand again. "It makes a difference to me. If you worry, I worry. I worry about you thinking the worst."
"I won't," Karen said, tilting his head over to get at a cut further down near his collar bone. "I'm getting used to it. Before long, I'll be sending you off with a cheery wave and a packed lunch."
"Before long, I'll be back in the satellite, and I'll be safer than all of you down here on Earth put together," he smiled back, a little sadly.
# # # #
That evening, after dinner, John took Karen to the observatory at the top of the extinct volcano. She pulled Tin-Tin's cardigan around her as a cool night breeze sprang up, shivering slightly as she waited for John to unlock the big metal door and let them in.
Once inside, he flicked a bank of light switches and Karen gasped as the interior of the cylindrical building lit up to reveal all kinds of computer monitors and tracking equipment humming away endlessly, hour after hour, day after day.
"I do much of my research here," John explained, indicating walls covered with sheets of data, star maps, photos and faxes and handwritten calculations. There were also detailed models of every planet in the solar system, plus their orbiting satellites.
"It's fantastic," she gasped.
"But the best part is upstairs. Come on." He led her back outside and up the spiralling staircase to the top of the dome.
Once inside, he opened up the roof and set to work setting up and calibrating the telescope to find her something to look at. "I'll see if I can find a planet for you," he said, settling onto the attached seat and peering into the eyepiece.
Karen watched him at work in his element and wondered if it were possible to love him any more than she already did. He was completely engrossed, peering into the eyepiece, focusing the lens, peering again. She wondered if he'd even notice if she was gone. As a test, she took a few steps towards the open hatchway.
"Where are you going?" John asked without even looking up.
She laughed. "I was just testing you," she said.
He grimaced in the darkness. "Get over here," he said reaching his arm out for her as she came skipping over. "And don't test me, or there'll be trouble."
"Ooh," Karen said, shivering. "Yes, sir."
John pulled her onto his lap, wrapping one arm around her. He held some sort of remote device in the other hand, and with it he made the telescope rotate until it was pointing at a different section of the night sky. "I think there may be something for you here," he said, leaning past her to look through the eyepiece again. "Ah, yes, here it is. Someone you might recognise."
Karen leaned forward and looked through the eyepiece. "It's Saturn!" she cried, delighted. "Aw, poor old Saturn, all alone up there with no friends."
John sighed. "Poor Saturn, my ass. That planet has over 33 moons. It's a wild party up there every single night."
"Oh, good," Karen said, marvelling at the rings around the distant planet. "That does make me feel better."
"Here's another amazing factoid," John went on, nuzzling the hair at the back of her neck. "Saturn is the only planet in our Solar System that is less dense than water. It would float if there were a body of water large enough."
"You're kidding."
"No, I'm not. It's a gas giant- mostly hydrogen and helium."
"Imagine that. We'd all be talking like Mickey Mouse up there."
"Are you interested in learning anything at all?" John asked, sternly, biting her gently on the side of her neck.
"Mmm. Okay, the rings. What are they made of?"
"Mostly ice, dust and some rock. There are 35 trillion-trillion tons of it up there. Possibly the debris from an asteroid or comet collision but no-one knows for sure, not even after all these years."
"They're beautiful, anyway," Karen said, transfixed by the awesome sight of the distant planet. "However they got there. So symmetrical, so perfect."
John held her close in his lap, breathing in the scent of her hair, the warmth of her skin. "Karen," he said after a short while. "I need to...um, I mean, that is...I want to ask you something."
"Oh?" Karen lifted her head from the eyepiece to look round at him.
"Okay," he went on, after taking a deep breath. "I hope this is a good time." He cleared his throat again. "Look at Saturn again. See those rings?"
Karen peered at the planet once more. "Yes, John. I see the rings."
"Well," John went on, "imagine that I could reach out there and take one of those rings and slip it onto your finger."
Karen blinked, unsure of what it was she just heard. "I beg your pardon?" she uttered.
"Imagine if I could reach out there and take one of Saturn's rings and slip it onto your finger," John repeated. "Um, because I don't actually have a ring on me right now, but I wanted to ask you before you go home. Karen..." he swallowed hard, closed his eyes. "Will you marry me?"
Why had Saturn suddenly gone misty?
Karen pushed herself away from the telescope and flung her arms around John's neck. "Oh, John, yes, yes, of course I'll marry you! Of course I will!" The tears coursed down her cheeks as she hugged him hard, her heart bursting with joy.
John held her tightly and released his breath in a rush of relief. "Oh, God- thank you. I was so scared you'd say no."
"Why the heck would I say no? I love you!" Karen lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him. Her eyes were wet and shining, her lip quivering, her smile as wide as the crescent moon. "I love you John Tracy, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life."
"I love you too, Karen Meadows. Well, soon to be Karen Tracy, I guess."
"Oh my God, how cool does that sound," she giggled. "Karen Tracy. Karen Tracy! Oh, Saturn, do you hear that? I'm going to be Karen Tracy!"
"I guess it's only polite to tell him seeing as we borrowed one of his rings," John grinned, "although I promise I'll have a real one for you before you know it."
"Oh, John. I'm so proud to be the only girl on Earth wearing one of Saturn's rings."
"See?" John murmured, holding her close, rocking her gently in his lap. "He's not the lonely old planet that you thought he was. Not any more."
"No-one's going to be lonely any more," Karen said, burying her face in her future husband's neck.
# # # #
When John announced that Karen had agreed to marry him, the entire Tracy household erupted. John was swept up in a series of backslapping bear hugs by his delighted brothers, all of whom wanted to get to him at once. Karen was embraced tightly by Lady Penelope, who murmured congratulations into her ear, and then by Tin-Tin who was already in floods and floods of tears. Grandma Tracy stood by with her hands clasped in front of her mouth, hardly believing the news that one of her grandsons was finally tying the knot, with the prospect of great-grandchildren to follow. Jeff looked proud as Punch, and fished out a box of cigars from a secret desk drawer.
"Dad, you know I quit smoking," John said, waving away the offer of a giant cheroot.
"Well, I'm going to make an exception," Jeff announced, lighting it and putting it in his mouth. "It's not every day one of my kids gets married."
Gordon went over to Karen and twirled her around and around. "I guess that puts me firmly out of the running, but if you ever change your mind...?" he said hopefully, planting a smacker on her cheek.
"Hey, watch yourself," warned John.
"You know I'll always have a soft spot for you, Gordon," Karen smiled, hugging him back. "Even if you did make me think you were going to shoot me just five minutes after we met."
"Yeah...not good for a first date, huh," the auburn haired Tracy said sadly. "I don't normally start shooting people until I've known them for at least a week."
Virgil came over and prised his tousle-headed brother away so that he too could give Karen a hug. "Someone's actually making an honest man out of Johnny," he said, folding Karen into his arms. "Who would ever have believed it."
"It's not every girl that gets proposed to with one of Saturn's rings," Karen grinned, hugging Virgil tightly.
"Trust Johnny to be so spectacularly different," Virgil laughed.
Scott appeared then, loudly clearing his throat. "Do I get a turn?" he asked bluntly.
Virgil gave Karen one final quick squeeze. "It's okay, he's gay," he murmured into her ear before letting Scott have his turn.
Scott was a whole head taller than Karen. Being hugged by him was like being engulfed. She felt his cheek on the top of her head and found her face buried in his warm neck with that infernal aftershave that made her head spin, and that voice that made even the word 'congratulations' sound sexy. She was so glad she was marrying John and not this devil, but she relished the chance to hug him nonetheless.
After all the hugging was finally over- even Jeff had given her shoulders a fatherly squeeze, although Brains had made do with a nervous handshake- the drinks trolley came out and they all raised their glasses in a toast to the happy couple-to-be.
"I'll have to tell my mother," Karen grinned, knocking back a full measure of brandy. "She'll die!"
"We'll have the best reception," Gordon cried loudly. "We'll hire a Mariachi band and everything."
"We will not hire a Mariachi band," Jeff said sternly.
"Professor Lollygag here can supply the music," Scott said, clapping Virgil on the shoulder. "Some uptempo jazz fusion, what do you say, bro?"
"Philistine," muttered Virgil.
"Oh, we must have a big reception," Tin-Tin said, clapping her hands with glee.
"Whoa!" said John, "aren't we getting ahead of ourselves here?"
"I don't care what we have," Karen laughed, wrapping her arms tightly around John. "As long as I start out as Miss Karen Meadows and end the day as Mrs. Karen Tracy."
"Well, Mrs. Karen Tracy," said Jeff, smiling and holding up his brandy glass, "here's to you and John and to many, many years of happiness to come."
"I second that," said John, clinking his own glass against his father's.
"John, my son," said Jeff, through a cloud of cigar smoke. "I'm so very, very proud of you."
John smiled back, felt the warmth of a blush suffuse his cheeks. He found he couldn't quite look directly at his father. Then as he felt Karen beside him, the strength of her embrace, the way she nestled perfectly into his side as though they were purposely made to fit, he felt himself grow taller and he raised his head and met his father's eyes.
"Thank you, dad," he said.
# # # #
That night, John and Karen lay together bathed in the afterglow of their shared love, limbs entwined, breathing softly, fingers wound in each other's hair.
"I guess this means I'll be living here," Karen said, gazing at the constellation map on the ceiling above her.
"Is that okay?" John asked, his face covered with her tangled curls.
"I suppose so- I mean, it's not ideal. There's no Wine World or 24 hour pizza delivery, or street traffic or neighbours thumping around over your head day and night. Or dogs barking incessantly or drunks coming home at three in the morning and singing outside your house."
"No. Sorry about that. I know how you like your wine and your instant pizza."
"I guess I could get used to the quiet, eventually. And the constant sunshine, and the sparkling blue ocean, and the constant lollygagging by the pool."
"You'll have a friend for life in Virgil," John smiled.
"Maybe your father could find me a job to do. Filing or something. Or valeting Thunderbird 2."
"Again, friend for life in Virgil."
"I couldn't come up to the satellite, could I?"
"We can work on that," John said.
Karen sighed, swept her gaze across the constellations. "Crux," she said idly.
"Excuse me?"
"Crux, up there. On your map. The Southern Cross."
"Oh. I thought you were cursing."
"Silly," she laughed.
"The Magellanic Clouds are up there too, if you look."
"Scorpius."
"Mmm. I love it when you talk dirty."
"I can see I'm going to have to learn some astronomy if I'm to keep you happy," she grinned.
"You already make me happy, Mrs. Karen Tracy," he murmured.
"Mrs. Karen Tracy," she pondered. "It sounds so me. Hey, maybe we could call our first child Saturn. Saturn Tracy."
"Boy or girl?"
"Either. Like Morgan. Or Paris."
"No child of mine will ever be called Paris," John muttered.
Karen hugged him gently, stroked his hair, wrapped her legs around his. "I love you, John Tracy," she whispered. "Forever and always."
"I love you too, Mrs. Karen Tracy. Forever and always and always. Now go to sleep."
"Yes, sir," she laughed quietly, and rolled over to nestle against him under the covers.
THE END