Unforgotten

AN - Hello all! Thank you again for your positive feedback, a few of these chapters I've been a bit nervous about so I'm pleased you've enjoyed it.

Disclaimer - I do not own Thunderbirds

Chapter Twenty Eight – Hidden Talents

Scott fiddled with an adjustable wrench that was left on one of the lab benches, trying to work out how to start this conversation. His thinking was interrupted by the arrival of John, who appeared in the doorway holding steaming cups.

"Coffee," the newcomer explained, passing one out to each brother. "This looked like a serious conversation and I thought a little more sustenance might be in order."

Virgil looked torn between pleased at being brought the drink and annoyed that John interrupted. Scott swung himself up onto one of the lab benches, legs dangling and coffee cup held in hand.

"Angel remembers who she is." He stated in a matter of fact manner. Virgil, who had just taken a small sip, coughed as the hot beverage shot up his nose, he hadn't been expecting Scott to just blurt it out, particularly in front of John. John just looked shrewdly at his older brother.

"I thought it might be something like that."

"Wait, you knew?" Virgil asked accusingly, gaze flickering between Scott and John.

"Not everything," John admitted. "In fact, not really a lot, but possibly a little more than you. I saw it in her expression earlier – very reserved. But she knew me, there was recognition there."

"But of course she'd know you," Virgil said, confused.

John shook his head. "I've never met Annie, remember?" Virgil still looked confused so John elaborated. "I've never met Annie, but I have met Angel. Briefly." The blond leaned sideways against another bench, propping one of his elbows on to it. "Possibly twice, though I'm not sure whether that was just a dream or not."

"Twice," Scott confirmed. "The first time she left pretty soon afterwards though. I didn't realise you were even awake until Alan told me about those sketches you'd been making up on Thunderbird 5."

Virgil was looking from one brother to another. "Is someone going to tell me what's going on?"

"When I met Angel, she was busy saving us." John informed his younger brother. "And it cost her a lot."

"It nearly cost her life," Scott added. "It did cost her two years of it."

Virgil was still trying to puzzle it together. "So… wait, you saw Annie's…Angel, sorry, her accident?"

Scott snorted slightly. "It wasn't really an accident. She got knocked out of an open window into the Pacific Ocean whilst simultaneously saving my life."

Scott went quiet, reliving that horrendous day in his mind. The fact that Angel was safe and in the building only dulled the pain, it didn't remove it entirely.

"When…when was this?" Virgil asked, beginning to understand and yet hoping that he had it wrong.

"When Ethan Grey kidnapped us in California." John replied, seeing that Scott was locked into his memories.

Virgil looked at them, one brother hunched over staring at the ground beneath his swinging feet and the other watching on with a concerned expression. "When Scott was tortured?"

John looked hesitantly at Scott, who eventually answered the question. "She didn't torture me, Virgil."

Virgil was alarmed to see a tear run down Scott's face. Scott never cried, at least never in front of anyone else. Not when their mum had died, not when Gordon had his hydrofoil accident. Never. But now, now a tear tracked down his face and ran to the end of his nose, where it was brushed off abruptly.

John put his mug down as he watched his older brother. "I'll be right back," he murmured, disappearing out of the lab. Virgil thought about what had been said.

"Is that…why you went as you did?" He asked, not wanting to cause his brother any more pain but needing the truth. A nod was all he got in reply.

"Why did you never tell us?"

"I couldn't bear to talk about it." From the sound of Scott's voice, he still couldn't bear to talk about it. Any further musing was cut short by John returning, but this time he wasn't alone.

A gentle hand brushed the side of Scott's face, in a move so tender that Virgil had to look away, feeling uncomfortable as though he was interrupting something private. When he looked back Scott had grabbed Angel and pulled her in close, burying his head in her shoulder while he sobbed. She stood between his legs, holding him against her and letting him cry.

"I…we should go," Virgil started awkwardly.

"No." A single word from Scott stopped him. "I don't…I need to just tell you."

Angel brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes tenderly. "Do you want me to go?"

"No," Scott shook his head at her. "Please."

She nodded and hopped up onto the bench next to him, so close that their knees were touching. Watching them, Virgil could suddenly see what he'd been blind to before, the fact that they complemented each other perfectly. He abstractly thought of what he could paint with them posing as his muses, before dismissing the thought as one to consider at a later date.

"I'm sorry," Scott started. "But I've never spoken about that day before. Though to understand...you should hear it. Angel was there, undercover, working as one of the hired thugs for Ethan." Angel gripped his hand hard, encouraging him to continue.

Slowly, with lots of pauses, Scott managed to tell Virgil and John the story of what had happened that night in California. John had seen some of it, but there were still many things he didn't know. Angel said nothing, she just let Scott unburden himself to his two closest brothers.

When Scott finally finished, ending with the moment he realised Angel had fallen, even Virgil couldn't quite stop the dampness in his own eyes. Something about hearing their brother speak with so much emotion, it really brought home how much he had suffered in the last two years. Angel squeezed his hand with both of hers. She knew in many ways she had had the easier time of it – yes, she had effectively lost two years of her life but she hadn't spent that time aware of what she had lost.

"I...think I understand now." Virgil said slowly, looking between them. "Why you want it kept secret, I mean. If you used to work undercover...that was pretty risky. But how did you get away without Grey recognising you in Calgary?"

"I always used to hide my identity," Angel explained. "And never gave out my real name. He never knew what I actually looked like."

"Is Angel your real name?" Virgil asked sceptically. Annie looked at him with an amused expression on her face.

"Technically no, my name is Angelique. But Angel is a bit easier to say."

"Thank you," Virgil said sincerely, looking at them both. "I know this was hard but Scott, I'm glad you could finally tell us. You should have told us before – we could have helped."

Scott shook his head. "I couldn't, Virgil. But now...things are different." He glanced at the woman still sitting next to him. The expression on his face was one Virgil had never seen before, more than anything else this brought home to him quite how much his brother loved her.

"So, what now?" John asked. He had been quiet for most of the exchange, like Virgil happy to let Scott take his time.

"Now, I go and see if Tintin wants to learn any self-defence." Angel stated, jumping off the lab bench.

Virgil looked at her shrewdly. "I remember you saying. I imagine you're actually quite good at it?"

Scott snorted. "You could say that."

Angel glared at him. "I'm out of practice and shape. I need a sparring partner to help me to get match fit again – so don't look so cocky."

John sniggered. "Now that, I have to see."

"Hey!" Scott pouted. "I've been learning a bit of martial arts over the last couple of years. I wouldn't write me off just yet."

"Yes, from videos you've found online. You are going to get your arse handed to you," John informed him solemnly.

"I'll bring the popcorn," Virgil added, receiving a high five from John for his suggestion.

Scott stalked out muttering about traitorous brothers. Angel chuckled as she followed him, waving to the others.

Angel found Tintin talking with Lady Penelope by the pool, Gordon and Alan splashing around in the water. As soon as Angel offered to teach Tintin some basic self-defence, Penelope asked if she could come too. Naturally, nothing then would keep Gordon and Alan away and it was quite an entourage making their way to the beach.

John, returning to the lounge, saw them leaving from the windows. A quick shout found out what they were doing, so he decided to round up Virgil and Scott too. At that point Jeff declared they may as well have a picnic lunch on the beach for everyone.

Angel looked around, realising with some shock that all the inhabitants of the Island had turned up to witness her impromptu lesson. John and Grandma were languishing on sun loungers that they must have brought with them, Gordon and Alan simply lay on the sand. Scott, who had a very amused expression on his face, was leaning up against a tree that Virgil was sitting under. Jeff also had a chair, but he was helping Kyrano unpack a hamper. How they had found time to pack a hamper in the few moments it had taken her to set up a small arena, she didn't know. Parker was bringing more refreshments from the villa, she could see him in the distance. Penelope was elegantly sitting on a large blanket that Angel thought Parker must have provided, Brains next to her watching Tintin closely.

She bit back the nerves of being in front of such a large audience and focused on the matter at hand. She started by running through some simple stretches with Tintin, before moving onto some simple blocks.

Angel didn't have much experience as a teacher and she was beginning to get frustrated at her lack of ability to explain what she meant to Tintin. Tintin was trying to follow, but it was difficult for her to grasp the intention behind the moves.

After a few minutes of trying, Angel decided she needed a different tactic. "I need a couple of volunteers!" She called out to the watching audience.

Alan and Gordon sprang up immediately, running full pelt over to them. "We can help!" Alan called enthusiastically. "What do you need?"

"You need to grab me," Angel instructed him. "Just come up to me and try to grab me, that's all."

Alan looked dubiously at her. "That seems too easy. What's the catch?"

Gordon rolled his eyes. "I'll do it."

With a swagger, the redhead walked up and lunged at Angel. With an expert twist, she neatly flipped him over her shoulder and twisted his arm up behind his back.

"See, Tintin?" Angel asked. "You have to use their momentum against them, but as soon as you find a pressure point, in this case his arm," as if to prove her point, Gordon squeaked in pain, "then it doesn't matter how much stronger than you they are, you can still be in control."

She let go of Gordon who rolled in the sand, cradling his arm and trying not to listen to the laughter from the onlookers.

"Right Alan, your turn to grab Tintin."

Alan warily looked at the brunette. "Do I have to? That looked painful."

"Oh, that barely hurt him at all," Angel replied airily, ignoring the squeak of protest by her feet. "You'll be fine. Remember what I told you Tintin, use his own momentum against him and twist."

With a very apprehensive expression on his face Alan approached Tintin. Frowning in concentration, the brunette grabbed his arms as he got close and dropped him over just as Angel had. It wasn't quite as successful but still ended up with Alan eating sand. Tintin adapted and instead of twisting his arm up behind him she simply sat on Alan, forcing him further into the ground.

"Your main problem there is that he was being a bit tentative," Angel frowned down at the blond. "If he had been coming towards you with intent then he would have flipped right over. Good improvisation at the end though."

"Yes, well I learnt from what happened to Gordon," Alan spluttered, trying not to inhale too much sand from where he still couldn't lift his head thanks to Tintin's weight.

Angel pulled Tintin off him, who in turn helped Alan up. "Sorry about that," she smiled at him.

"That was great Tintin," Alan told her. "I'm not sure you need me anymore so I'm just going to...go over here."

Alan hobbled off, happy to return to a safe distance. Gordon, however, hadn't learnt and was instead looking grumpy at being thrown into the sand so easily. "I want another go," he insisted, ignoring John face palming over on the sun lounger.

Angel looked at him critically. "Are you sure?" Gordon just nodded resolutely so she sighed. "OK, well this time try to grab me from the back. Watch Tintin, the same-"

Gordon, trying to get the upper hand, had moved before she even finished her sentence. With reflexes like a cat Angel again twisted, this time swiping his legs out from under him with a well-placed kick and simultaneously using her torso to force his upper body to the sand. That done she applied pressure to the back of his neck using her knee, pinning the arm that wasn't trapped underneath him with her own.

Gordon gasped for breath, completely winded. Tintin just watched, stunned. A slow clap echoed over the beach, started by Jeff but taken up by the rest of the audience. Virgil leaned over to Scott and whispered "You'd better stock up on Brains' bruise gel, if you fight her you're going to get creamed." Scott simply nodded in reply, rendered slightly speechless from how easily she had dispatched his brother. Gordon wasn't a push over either, Scott knew first hand that his shorter, compact frame was built for winning wrestling matches that they had when they were younger.

Angel pulled Gordon up. "Don't do that again." She warned him. Gordon shook his head mutely, eyes filled with a mixture of shock and awe. Angel shook her head and was about to return with Tintin to the others when a new voice, one she wasn't expecting, interrupted.

"You look like you could use more of a challenge."

Tintin stopped in her tracks, gaping at her father who stood demurely at the edge of the zone Angel had marked out for the defence training. He had shrugged off his usual kimono, showing a loose fitting outfit underneath. Angel scrutinised it closely, it looked very similar to the outfits that the monks who trained her would wear. She realised immediately that this quiet, gentle man was not an opponent to be underestimated.

"Father, what are you doing?" Tintin asked him, shock in her voice. "You might get hurt!"

"I don't think so," Kyrano replied quietly. "I have been watching Miss Annie closely, at some point in her past she has been trained in certain arts that have otherwise been forgotten. I believe she will know how not to hurt me. She has been toying with you so far."

Gordon harrumphed in the background but was ignored. Angel frowned at him. "Are you sure? I don't really remember where I learnt this skill, I might not know my limits."

Kyrano looked at her, something in his eye telling her that he knew she was bluffing. "I believe I will take my chances. Miss Annie, if you please?"

Angel nodded firmly then, moving into the centre of the circle. Kyrano stepped gracefully into the makeshift arena, moving until he was facing Angel with about a metre between them. Then, they both bowed to each other, moving almost as one.

Scott stood up straight, moving closer to the edge of the arena. Virgil went with him. "What is he thinking?" Virgil hissed, but Scott could only shake his head. The two figures were now circling each other as though assessing. The focus in Angel's eyes was something to behold, the tension could be cut with a knife. Out of the corner of his eye Scott could see his father moving closer, concern in his gaze as well.

Then, the combatants began to move.

Immediately the truth in Kyrano's words was clear. Angel had been showing Tintin incredibly basic moves before but now she was flowing like liquid, Kyrano matching her movements. Both of them darting in and out, dancing more than fighting, sizing each other up without yet touching each other.

That soon changed, kicks and blows beginning to rain down between them. Leaping in, spinning out, dancing around, Scott began to lose track of where Angel stopped and Kyrano began.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over. Kyrano was on his back on the dirt, Angel in a similar position opposite him. Both breathing heavily, otherwise unmoving.

The beach fell silent.

Scott was just starting to move, worry pooling in his gut, when Angel started to laugh. Proper belly laugh, not the tentative chuckle she usually came out with. To his astonishment, Kyrano joined in, both laughing so hard they were wheezing for breath. Even as Scott rushed to Angel's side, noting that his father and Tintin went to Kyrano's, they were both still laughing.

Angel waved Scott away, slowly bringing her breathing back under control. She managed to stand and walked over to where Kyrano was still lying. She extended a hand that he gratefully received, pulling him up.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "That was incredible."

"You are quite the opponent, Miss Annie," Kyrano replied with a wide smile. "I do not recall the last time I was defeated."

"Not a defeat," she insisted, shaking her head. "A draw, at worst."

"Well now," Grandma interrupted, peering over at them short-sightedly from behind her glasses. "That was all very exciting, but how about we eat before all this food gets spoiled, hm?"

In an instant, the tension dissipated. Angel, now slightly sore following her bout with Kyrano, allowed Scott to assist her to the picnic blanket where she sat next to Penelope, Scott sprawling out the other side of her. The rest joined them, all talking loudly and excitedly. John insisted on giving Kyrano the lounger he had brought down, while he took to the sand like the rest of his brothers.

Listening to the laughter ringing around the beach, Jeff smiled to himself. He wasn't a particularly needy man, but right now having his whole family around him was exactly what he wanted, new additions and all.