"It's about time you let loose."

"Oh Lady Penelope, you know how much I hate shopping?"

"Just Penelope when we're not working, Kayo, and you won't hate it after I take you." Virgil smiled only hearing Kayo's side of the phone call and he looked back at her through the mirror laughing softly when she stuck her tongue out, "Kayo?" Penelope called through the phone.

"Sorry, Virgil was distracting me. Fine I'll come with you, shall I fly over or other way round?"

"Fly over."
"FAB," Kayo acknowledged Lady Penelope's goodbye and hung up, "shut up Virg."

"I didn't say anything."

"Your actions say more than words. Hmm, I better pack I suppose."

"Why do you hate shopping?" Virgil asked as he joined her on the chaise.

"Well, it's not so much I hate it, I just don't have much experience going. I never really had girlfriends to go and spree with as I've always lived here, plus shopping in person is a thing of the past, nearly everyone shops online today."

"There's more to this isn't there?"

Kayo sighed, "I used to go shopping with my mum, but after she died, I kinda went off it."

"Penelope won't put pressure on you if you explain that to her," Virgil wrapped his arm around her, "but I think you should go."

Kayo stood up and grabbed a small luggage bag, "tell Scott I'm taking Shadow, I think Penelope wants us to go as soon as possible."

"FAB. I'll come and see you off, I have another lady to check on."

Kayo smirked, "her needs are greater than mine."

"But you're more important to me," Virgil kissed her forehead then smiled as Kayo pulled him into a kiss by his collar, she let him go with a grin, "whoa."

"I'm going to miss you," Kayo sighed as she stroked his chin with her fingertips.

"Ditto. See you in the hangar."

Kayo began packing for an overnight stay and decided to get changed for the flight to England, it would take her three hours at top speed and that made her feel even more reluctant to go, she was a girl of action not sauntering down aisles, if they were shopping for weapons she might feel more inclined to be excited but this was clothes and shoes, she tied up a pair of combat boots and slung a jacket around her shoulders before checking her hair in the mirror and picked up her bag.

"Hey Kayo, I heard you're going shopping?" Scott smiled as Kayo walked into the corridor with her luggage bag.

"Yeah, but I really don't want to go."

"It's just shopping, even I don't mind doing it."

"Go in my place then," Kayo smirked, "I better go, it's three hours to London."

"Fly safe," Scott smiled and she hugged him, he pressed a kiss into her hair the way he always did to show affection then watched her walk down to the direct lift to the hangars, Virgil jumped down to the ground as he saw the lift coming down and he met Kayo by the doors.

"I could always drop you off?" He stepped into her stride.

"You should ask Gordon to come then so he can see Penny."

"He phones her almost everyday, I'm not telling him anything. It'll only take two hours in Thunderbird 2."

Kayo chuckled, "oh fine, but gear up, I want to get there today."

"I'll fly in casuals, it's just a drop-off."

"You know Penelope doesn't like you landing on her lawn?"

"Tough. Let's go," Virgil pressed a button on the wall for the hangar to be cleared and the fuel lines retracted from Thunderbird 2 as the couple made their way up to the cockpit, lights flashed and Kayo sat in the co-pilot's chair as Virgil ran pre-flight checks, "Ok, she's good to go."

"Take her out," Kayo smiled as the engines purred and hangar surroundings became foliage, the sun shone down onto the runway and out of the corner of her eye she saw Virgil smile, he always preferred taking off in sunshine rather than rain. Thunderbird 2 reached the end of the strip and he smiled at her when she nodded, "ready Virg?"

"Always," Virgil fired the rear thrusters and they took off, it wasn't long until they reached 99,000 feet and levelled out.

"You never take her to her maximum height."

"Saves energy, 100 is pushing it. Hold on, engaging boosters."

Kayo held onto her chair as the ship lurched to top speed, "thank you for dropping me off Virgil, it's always nicer to fly with someone."

"My pleasure," Virgil lowered his shoulders as he settled back into his chair, "I didn't want you going alone, a three hour flight is long in Shadow."

"I would've been ok."

"I know you would, but that's just what I'm like."

"I'm going to take a nap, I need to get used to the time difference."

Virgil pressed play on his phone and smiled as piano music drifted around the cockpit, "I'll wake you up when we get to Penny's."

The final hour passed, during which Virgil had also had slept in, Kayo had awoken to find his arms around her and she smiled before drifting back to sleep for the remainder of the hour.

"Kayo, wake up sweet pea, we've arrived."

"Ummm. Ok, take her down."

Virgil fired the VTOL engines and lowered Thunderbird 2 down onto Lady Penelope's front lawn, "she's going to kill me, maybe I should take off immediately."

"You know she's going to invite you in for tea first, you may as well come in with me."

"I have to get back to the island," Virgil stood up and readjusted his shirt, "I wish I had dressed up smarter."

"You look fine," Kayo smiled at his black jeans over a pair of boots, "very handsome in my opinion."

Lady Penelope stood outside her front door and smiled as Virgil and Kayo approached the house, "I hope you didn't squash the crocuses."

"If I did, sorry in advance," Virgil grinned looking fondly back at Thunderbird 2 which was parked snug between the bushes, her nose shadowing over the driveway, "I thought Kayo would like to be dropped off."

"I thought you didn't like using your ship as a taxi?"

"I make exceptions," Virgil wrapped his arm around Kayo's shoulders and smiled at her, "let me know when you want to be picked up."

Kayo nodded, "don't go too far then."

Lady Penelope gasped, "how rude, anyone would think I'm torturing you Kayo, it's only a shopping trip."

Virgil laughed, "I'll come over tomorrow unless you change your mind."

"Fly safe," Kayo pressed her hands to his chest as she looked up at him, "and let me know if there's a mission."

"FAB," he kissed her then stepped back turning away from the house.

"Come on in Kayo, Parker has made tea for us," Lady Penelope smiled fondly at the embrace.

Kayo watched Virgil ascend into Thunderbird 2 then followed Lady Penelope into the house, Sherbert barked and she bent down to pick him up, "hey Bertie."

"If you're worried about the shopping Kayo, don't be, I'm not taking us to the normal shops. It's spy work and coffee."

"Spy work?" Kayo asked as she sat down on one of the white sofas and Penelope sat down opposite to pour out two cups, "for a mission?"

"Not a mission, I want to get some equipment and well we both do the same jobs one way or another, that's why I invited you."

Kayo smiled as Penelope handed her a cup, "I must admit, that does relieve me. I thought you were going to suggest dress shopping or something."

"To a degree yes, but mostly undercover."

"Where are you going to find that stuff then?"

"I know a little place on Oxford Street, you need a code to get inside and we have one. You may find stuff in there to benefit the rescue organisation too, or at least your side of it."

"Like security?"

Penelope helped herself to a piece of shortbread, "possibly."

"Did Jeff know about this place?"

"Oh absolutely, he accompanied myself and my father there when I was younger to The Vault, oh that's its name, and I believe he took stuff back to the island, defence systems."

"WASP?"

"No, that's within my house."

Kayo hummed thoughtfully, "ok, you've sparked my interest."

"And mine regarding you and Virgil, how are you two doing?"

Kayo blushed as she smiled, "I feel the same way as you do with Gordon when I'm with him."

"That fun?"

"Well I don't really want to know what Gordon is like as a lover since I know what he's like as a brother, but Virgil is so different from how he is on missions. Strictly professional but so romantic then we kickback. He'll show me affection in the danger zone but never puts our relationship into the public eye."

Penelope raised an eyebrow, "doesn't that worry you?"

"Worry?"

"That he would be unfaithful to you?"

"Never, he would never put us in that situation."

"I see the way he's always holding onto you, whether it's a hand on your back or just his shoulder against yours on missions," she smiled, "he won't leave you for anyone."

"Was that a test?"

"My own personal one, yes. Now, let's get ready to leave," she walked over to a button on the wall and it wasn't long before Parker opened the lounge doors.

"You rang M'Lady?"

"Bring the car around Parker, we're off to London."

"Very good M'Lady, is his lordship joining us?" Parker looked down at the dog chewing his laces.

"No, he will be staying here, the shop doesn't like dogs inside."

"Yes M'Lady, come on you," Parker nudged Sherbet out of the door with the tip of his shoe and Penelope smiled at Kayo.

"Let's go, the sooner we get there, the less we'll be seen by others, it'll start to get busy after eleven."

Kayo got into the back of the car with Penelope and pulled her seatbelt on, "are we driving or flying there?"

Penelope watched the door fold down and lock, "a bit of both, take her up Parker."

"Right away M'Lady, hold on tight Miss Kyrano."

Kayo grinned as the car lifted off the ground, "this still gives me flutters, it's so different from being in one of the Thunderbirds."

FAB1 approached the city and touched down on a quiet street just off Drury Lane, Parker smiled and programmed in a shortcut as Lady Penelope looked out of the window, Kayo sighed and thought back to her days as a child.

"I was raised here."

"In London? Yes, we know."

"I wish I had never lived with my uncle, there was something sinister about him, even then."

"Sinister?"

Kayo nodded, "he just had plans to make money, it looked innocent, but it wasn't."

"Coming h'up on our destination, M'Lady."

"Good, I'll prepare the code," she opened her compact and called John, "it's time."

"John, you're in on this?" Kayo frowned and the middle child looked across to her.

"Only the code," John frowned back, "I didn't know about the shopping trip."

"FAB. Did Virgil get home ok?"

"He's on the island, so yes. I'm fine too."

Lady Penelope rolled her eyes, "code please?"

John nodded, "of course, sending it to your compact now."

"Thank you, have a good day."

John simply smiled, "FAB," he gave a final glance at Kayo then hung up.

"Well, what was that about?" Penelope asked as the car stopped.

"I think John resents the fact that I chose his brother over him," she sighed, "now what?"

Lady Penelope grinned at Parker, "here Parker, do your thing."

"Yes M'Lady," Parker took the compact from her and held it up to a lamppost outside of the car, there was a rumble and the road beneath the tyres split into a platform which lowered them down below the surface.

"Isn't life fun sometimes Parker?"

Kayo laughed, "this is amazing, there can't be a shop down here surely?"

Parker opened the door for Lady Penelope and Kayo, "welcome to The Vault, Miss Kyrano."

Kayo's eyes widened to saucers as she looked at the walls which were covered in weapons and jackets, "wow!"

A man approached them and smiled, "well well, why do we keep running into each other, Kyrano?"

Kayo looked around at the voice, "Rigby?"

"Welcome to The Vault."

"Since when were you head of weapons, and a shop?"

"Security and bodyguard, I always have to be prepared. What are you looking for? Not trouble I hope."

Penelope shook her head, "Kayo, in trouble? I don't think so."

"Let me show you around."

Kayo smiled as she walked down the corridor into the main room, "look at the harnesses, I know what I'm getting."

Lady Penelope studied the cameras, "oh this one is perfect, it's tiny. Captain, where can this be used?"

"Used on any clothes, on the body or attached to jewellery. International Rescue shouldn't be involved with crime, what's happened?"

"We're just taking precautions," Kayo smiled, "everything is fine."

"Glad to hear it. Did you want to try that harness on?"

Lady Penelope smirked and decided to let him down gently, "I bet Virgil would love that."

"Virgil Tracy?" Rigby frowned at the name.

Kayo nodded, "I'm sure he will love it, as much as he loves me."

"Loves you? I thought you guys were family."

"It's complicated Rigby, but yes Virgil and I are a couple," she sighed, "I'll try the blue one on please, I think that would look great on my uniform."

They finished their weapons trip and the trio got back into the car to return to the surface, Penelope looked across at Kayo who was quiet and she smiled.

"Don't worry about Rigby, he had to find out at some point."

"I know, but I could've done it at another time, I've never seen him so sad."

"I have."

"I'm glad he knows though, the flirting needed to stop. Where are we off now then?"

Penelope smirked, "I would like to go shoe shopping. Can I drag you along?"

"I suppose so," Kayo shrugged, "I could get a new pair of boots."

"Good. Stilletos, Parker."

"Yes M'Lady, I'll drop you off and meet you later."

"Thank you, Parker," Penelope smiled as the car stopped and the doors opened, "follow me, Kayo."

"Won't we be recognised?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll send you a message when we need a pickup, Parker."

"Yes, M'Lady."

Kayo walked into the shop and her eyes widened at the range of shoes, "I'm in hell."

Penelope looped her arm around hers, "let's go."

It was late when they got back to the house and Kayo went up to the guest room which had been prepared for her. Lady Penelope had gone to bed and so she called Virgil on his personal room holo protector, he answered and smiled warmly.

"Hey Kayo."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm great, but I miss you of course."

"Tomorrow."

"What have you been up to?" Virgil asked stretching out on his bed.

"I can show you."

"Strip show or something else?"

"If I could slap a hologram I would," Kayo laughed, "no, I got, this," she held up the harness and smiled, "what do you think?"

"That's rather striking."

"Isn't it just? I can't wait to put it onto my uniform," she got off the bed, "and I've bought some shoes."

Virgil chuckled, "Kayo Kyrano bought shoes."

"Yes I did, what do you think of these?" She stood back and Virgil grinned, "they're amazing right?"

Virgil eyed up the black stiletto ankle boots she was wearing, "those are gorgeous."

"Thank you. I'll wear them for the journey home."

"I look forward to that. Honey, you should get some sleep, it's late there."

"I wanted to see you first. Get here for ten, I want a lie-in."

"FAB, you're lucky I adore you."

"Mutual. Goodnight sweetheart."

Virgil smiled, "sleep well, honey. Has your opinion of shopping changed?"

"A little, maybe we could go one day?"

"I'm sure that could be arranged," Virgil thought about his dreams of meeting the woman he would one day want to marry, and that was now possibly Kayo, "it could be fun."