Gordon smirked as he brought a box over to the dining room table and Kayo raised an eyebrow, "nope before you say it, it's not that."

"Good, because the last time we played monopoly, Scott threw the hat piece into the pool."

Scott frowned, "Gordon was cheating and I had enough of being put in jail."

Virgil smiled, "what game of torture is this then?"

"Good old fashioned scrabble."

"I thought you were about to say snakes and ladders," Alan looked round at him from gazing out at the torrential rain, it didn't rain much on the island but when it did you got soaked after five seconds of being in it.

"We'll have to pair up," Gordon took out the four-word arrangers.

"Someone will have to be on their own Gordon, do the maths and take out three," Scott smirked, "I'll go solo."

Virgil looked at Kayo, "us against the terrible two?"

"FAB."

Alan grinned, "our words are going to be awesome!"

Scott picked out eight random letters, "no rude words, Gordon."

Gordon gasped, "never! We have a lady present."

Kayo kicked him hard under the table and smirked when he winced, "it's only what you deserve."

"Who wants to go first?" Virgil asked as he looked down at his letters quizzically.

"I'll put one down and then make us some drinks," Scott smiled putting down the word SOLO, "4 points."

"Not a great choice of letters there Scott?" Kayo asked as he stood up.

"They could've been better. Coffee anyone?"

Alan shook his head, "chocolate for me please."

"Mango smoothie please, it's in the fridge," Gordon replied pointing out a word to Alan.

Kayo smiled at Scott, "we'll have a coffee."

Scott nodded, "FAB. Don't look at my letters whilst I'm occupied."

Alan grinned, "put it down, Gordon."

"Will do," Gordon put down the word TONGUE, "13 points."

"Ohh nice," Virgil smirked, "that's put some pressure on us. Kayo, anything?"

"I'll think."

Scott returned with the drinks for his younger siblings, "just resting the coffee. Tongue. Really, guys?"

"Yeah, we're not cheating, honest."

"Okay, how about..." Kayo placed the letters down, "JEWEL. 19, Ha!"

"That's high scoring, nice one sweetheart," Virgil grinned at her.

Kayo high fived him, "always make sure to use the J," she looked out at the flooded patio, "I hate this rain."

Scott went back to finish the coffees, "I know, it should be going over soon, John is keeping an eye on it," he brought the three hot drinks over and sat back up on the stool swaying his feet to and fro as he pondered his next word, "that J is in the way. Uh, ok," he put down the word WOOL, "that counts right?"

Gordon shrugged, "as far as I know, that's a word. Oh, that makes it 21 adding to the jewel."

"My turn to put down a word," Alan grinned, "JOKE."

Gordon cheered as he did the maths, "yes! This puts us ahead with a triple! 55!"

Virgil grimaced, "I'm going to check your letters in a minute," he watched Gordon pick up four new letters.

"We're not cheating Virgil, man, what do you take us for?"

"Cheaters usually," Scott chuckled as he raised his coffee to his lips watching Virgil and Kayo brainstorm on a word choice.

"CIRCLE. That gives us 39 with double letter score and triple word," Virgil grinned, "Scott?"

Scott grimaced, "dammit. These are awful letters."

Virgil hopped off the stool and plugged his phone into their sound system, "to drown out the rain."

"Okay, I think I have a word," Scott placed the letters down doing the maths in his head, "LATEX, as in the material. 26 points."

"Good use of X," Kayo smiled, "Virg, which playlist is this?"

"My birthday one."

Suddenly lightning lit up the kitchen and Alan buried his head in his arms shaking with fear, Scott moved around the table and wrapped his arms around him as thunder rumbled through the room.

"It's alright," Scott hugged him tightly and Gordon smiled sympathetically, Alan's fear of storms originated from childhood after his mother died.

"Thanks, Scott," Alan whimpered and pressed his cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt.

"John, how is it looking?" Virgil activated the holo-image projector on the table.

"It doesn't look good you guys, but it's passing over quickly, are you okay?" John's gaze settled on Alan wrapped in Scott's arms.

"We'll be fine John, everything is shut upstairs and down here," Scott smiled then hushed Alan as another rumble of thunder shook the room.

"The Den?" Virgil suggested and Scott nodded, "come on guys, we'll finish the game after the storm passes."

John hung up and turned back to the globe, "that's some storm. No callouts, please," he said to himself.

The Den in actuality was just a study with no windows and full of cushions, it went by many names but all of them had settled on 'den' rather than the snug, Alan snuggled up in the corner and Scott sat down beside him, Gordon lounged lazily against a long cushion wrapped around his shoulders and Virgil got cosy between the throws holding his guitar, Kayo leaned against him looking across to Alan who was still trembling.

"It'll be over soon Alan," Scott soothed, "it's just a storm."

Virgil smiled as he played, "storms can't hurt you."

"They hurt mum," Alan whispered painfully and Scott pulled him close.

"Yes I know, but it won't happen to you, I won't let it."

Kayo rested her head against Virgil's, she hadn't been living with the Tracys when their mum died but she knew of the story and following heartbreak they went through every day ever since, "storms don't linger."

Alan looked up and nodded, "thanks, Kayo."

Scott gestured to Virgil for the guitar, "remember that song about raindrops?"

"From the 70s? That was such a long time ago, ancient," Virgil smirked, "of course you'd remember it, Scott."

Gordon buckled over laughing at Scott's frown, "he's got you there!"

Alan smirked, "good one."

"Ha-ha," Scott rolled his eyes, "but yes that one, it might cheer us up," he sat up and rested the guitar against his raised knee, "Raindrops keep falling on my head, and that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red, cos crying's not for me," he nudged Alan gently, "and I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining, 'cause I'm free, there's no worrying me."

Virgil crossed his arms, "you skipped to the last verse."

"It's the only verse which mentions rain," Scott shrugged continuing to play the outro, "okay fine, a fun one."

Kayo sent a message to John as Scott began to play 'American Pie', 'is it still raining outside, we're in the den?'

John's reply was instant, 'afraid so, and the thunder is worse. Is Alan okay?'

'Scott is distracting him with songs.'

'Good. Will message again when it's calmed down outside.'

'FAB.' Kayo turned to Virgil with a smile and he kissed her forehead before stretching his legs out in front of himself watching Scott strumming the soundhole fast and rhythmically.

By the time the song was reaching the end, Kayo had received a message from John saying the lightning had passed over but she didn't want to interrupt the final verses, they were having too much fun singing and Alan had cheered up immensely as he rocked side to side beside Scott laughing, the final chords were stroked down the strings and she cleared her throat.

"Hey guys, John says the storm has passed."

Scott put the guitar down and got to his feet, "I'll check," he walked up the steps from the den leading up to the first floor, the sky was still grey but it was quiet, "he's right."

Alan ran up the steps, "let's carry on with scrabble, I only hope Max hasn't messed with the board."

Virgil laughed as he left the den with Kayo, "Max wouldn't do that."

"He painted me with a moustache, Virgil, that robot is as bad as Gordon."

Gordon gasped, "how very dare you, comparing me to a robot, I have feelings."

Scott shrugged as he led the way back to the kitchen, "so does Max."

The scrabble board was undisturbed and Kayo did the maths as Virgil went to make a bowl of popcorn for them all.

"Believe it or not, Scott has managed to get himself into the lead with 56, Virgil and I are in third place with 39 and Gordon, you and Alan are second with 55. The first one to 65?"

"Scott is halfway there," Alan complained.

"Hey, it could all go wrong for me here," Scott shrugged as he picked up some letters.

"First to 65 sounds good, we've got some storm clearing up to do," Virgil looked out to the patio where chairs had blown over.

"FAB, 65, whose turn is it?" Scott asked.

"It's ours," Alan grinned, "okay, let's do this word," he put down the letters, "MORE. Damn that's only 6, but it puts us ahead of you two."

Kayo smiled, "hit them where it hurts Virgil."

"With pleasure," Virgil put the bowl down and spelt out the word gleefully, "EGRETS, plus triple letter score, that gives us 72!"

Scott smiled with a face full of popcorn, "leads me into, this: ZAPS. 34 points and I win overall with 90!"

Gordon threw his pen down, "can't beat that. Z is a ten, and on double letter."

Kayo shook her head, "good game though, you're so competitive, Scott."

Scott smirked, "I usually lose actually."

"Storm clear up then," Alan sulked, "shotgun, not pool cleaning!"

"Shotgun!" Gordon yelped.

"Ditto!" Kayo grinned.

"Shot-" Virgil started.

"Gun-" Scott finished, "crud."

"You do use it the most, launching," Gordon got up from the table as Virgil tidied the scrabble game away.

Scott followed him outside, "true. Be careful out here guys, it's slippery," he watched as Gordon lost his footing and grabbed onto the table, "told you."