Out of Place

AN – Sorry for the delay in this chapter, this story is taking me a bit longer to write than Unforgotten did. I hope you are still enjoying it! We're back with Tintin et al for this one.

Disclaimer – I don't own Thunderbirds

Chapter Eight – Settling In

Tintin yawned and stretched, forgetting for a moment that she wasn't in her own large bed as she knocked a lamp to the floor. A metal hand reached out to grab it, setting it straight again with a whir.

"Thank you, Max," she murmured as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. The robot was hovering, watching her closely as he had the whole of the preceding day. It might have seemed a bit creepy to anyone else, but Tintin was convinced he was just trying to be helpful. Quite why the robot had taken such a shine to her she didn't know, but she suspected it was something to do with their bonding over missing Brains.

Thinking of Brains, she smothered the little sigh the she let out as she felt the pang in her chest at the thought of the distance between them. She believed she would see him again – she had to, otherwise she might actually dwell on the concern she felt. But she still missed him.

A look at the drooping visage of the robot in front of her told her that Max felt the same. She reached forward and rested her hand on his head.

"Don't worry, we'll get them back."

The only sign that Max had heard her was him leaning into her caress, before he spun away and picked up a top that was folded neatly on a chair. He waved it at her as Tintin giggled.

"Is this your way of telling me that we have got a lot to do today? I suppose you're right, best get going. Do you know if anyone here can make a nice cup of tea?"

The robot paused for a moment, before turning and whizzing away. Tintin shook her head fondly at his antics and quickly got dressed in the clothes that she'd borrowed off Kayo the night before.

Yesterday had passed in a blur after Eos's announcement about the decimation of Parkmoor Scrubs. Someone called Colonel Casey (very different to the Colonel Casey that Tintin had taken searching for the Black mamba) had called to tell them all that several of her operatives and prison guards were dead and that the Black Phantom had disappeared along with some people called Fuse and Havoc. That had sent Scott, the Scott from here, into the stratosphere as he barked out orders for Eos and the others.

It was very odd seeing a version of Scott, even if not the one she was so familiar with, taking control like that. Mr Tracy just sat and watched, only interrupting occasionally to suggest slight changes. Not that it did any good, Eos hadn't been able to find anything about either the mysterious Black Phantom or the pair that called themselves Fuse and Havoc. Which were pretty silly names, but then so was Black Phantom. Or Hood.

Tintin didn't doubt that the Black Phantom was dangerous. Anyone that made Angel that wary was someone to be feared, even if she was the only one who seemed to realise it. Well, and her Scott but he had kept very quiet as he just watched everything happening around them. But the others seemed more concerned about Fuse and Havoc, and the missing Hood. He was one person that Tintin wasn't worried about – he was in a different dimension now after all. And a dimension that contained Angel.

Tintin was pulled from her thoughts by Max whirling back into the room, holding a mug aloft proudly. Taking it form him, Tintin realised it was a cup of tea made just how she liked. "Thank you," she told him gratefully, wondering how he knew how to make it just so. The answer to her unspoken question materialised in the doorway.

"Good morning," Kayo greeted her, leaning against the frame. "I have to head out on my daily sweeps and then go over to the mainland for a bit, but I thought I'd check on whether you needed anything before I go?"

"Oh, no thank you," Tintin smiled. "I'm going to head to the lab with Max and see if we can boost the power so we can talk for a bit longer to our families later."

"Sounds good," Kayo pulled a face. "Well, not for me but…"

"I wouldn't be able to do a sweep either." Tintin put the mug down and stood slightly awkwardly. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but your father – is he ok?"

Kayo straightened in the doorway, flicking a piece of invisible lint from her arm. "He is alive, if that's what you're asking. He lives in a care home in the UK, he's not been very well for a long time now. When Jeff disappeared it broke him in many ways."

Tintin nodded. "Thank you for telling me. Father…my father, still lives with us and helps to keep the house. In return he gets to experiment with his plants in the tropical climate." Tintin grinned at Kayo as she followed her out of the room. "He's quite happy with the arrangement."

Kayo snorted. "Getting to play with his plants all day? Yes, I can see that." They stopped outside a door that Tintin recognised as one that would lead to the hanger. "Are you ok from here? I'll head off."

"Oh yes!" Tintin reassured her. "I'm just going to get some food before going to the lab anyway. Max will help me if I get lost."

Kayo turned to the robot, who had followed them out of Brains's room. Seeing her gaze, he chirped happily. "Well ok then, have a good day."

Tintin waved goodbye as she left through the doors, before making her way to the kitchen. Once there she found it empty except for Scott, her Scott, who looked like he'd been trying to work the coffee machine.

"Good morning Tintin," he greeted her with a smile as she sat down. "How are you?"

Tintin shrugged. "About as well as can be expected. You?"

"Other than disappointed this hasn't turned out to be a dream and I'm actually at home in my wife's arms? I'm ok, I guess."

Tintin reached forward across the table and covered his hand with her own, squeezing it gently in sympathy as she accepted another cup of tea from Max, who seemed to have taken it upon himself to be their unofficial waiter.

"Why did you tell them Angel was your girlfriend and not your wife? Surely it doesn't matter if they know the truth?"

Scott sighed, rolling his shoulders slightly to relieve tension. "No I guess it doesn't, but Alan was there too. Plus, it would be a simple thing for them to slip up and let dad know during one of the discussions with home. I don't think either him or I are ready for him to know that."

Tintin frowned at him. "You know he's going to have to know eventually. It's not something you'll be able to hide."

"I'm not planning to just wake up one day and say 'Hey dad, because you didn't approve of Angel we went and eloped with only Tintin and Brains as our witnesses, sorry about that'."

"Well how are you going to tell him?"

Another deep sigh. "I don't know, maybe announce that we're engaged and then plan another wedding? I always wanted a proper one with everyone there so we can celebrate properly. But at the same time, we didn't want to wait until dad finally acknowledges that what is between Angel and I isn't a passing fancy that his disapproval will cure us of."

Tintin looked down at her cup of tea and wrapped her hands around it as if to draw strength from its warmth. "I'm not even sure how much is actually about Angel – I mean, I know that he is wary of her but I think it's more about you."

Scott looked up at her, a frown creasing his forehead. "I'm not sure I follow, Tintin."

"Well, if you think about it Angel has taken you away from home. You spend as many nights there with her now as you do on the island with us. I think your father fears you all going off and leaving him, you've just been the first to do it. That's all tied into Angel and the fact that it's because of her that you're leaving at all. It makes him defensive."

"But he shouldn't be! I'm nearly thirty, I can't be expected to stay at home forever."

"I didn't say it was logical, Scott," Tintin smiled ruefully. "I think he's always been just a little disappointed that I didn't end up with Alan for that very reason – it would keep Alan at home."

"He doesn't give Virgil any grief about Penelope."

"No, but she's practically family anyway."

Scott nodded before draining the rest of his coffee. "Are you hitting the lab again today Tintin? Want company?"

"That would be nice," she smiled as she also stood, collecting the cups to put in the sink. She led the way to the lab, Max and Scott both following her. She laughed at the slightly bemused glances Scott kept sending Max's way, not accustomed to seeing a robot acting like a cross between a butler and a puppy.

When the trio reached the lab they saw that it wasn't empty, Virgil sat turning a piece of metal over in his hands. He greeted them politely as they came in.

"I hope you don't mind if I join you, I wanted to have a look at this. It's the thing that detonated when Brains, John and Alan were helping out the transporter the their day, I thought it might help us find out what's happened to them."

"Of course," Tintin reassured him as she pulled up a stool next to the communicator she was using to talk to her dimension. "It seems quiet today, the others around?"

"I think dad's looking at some paperwork," Virgil replied. "Scott, our Scott obviously, and Gordon have gone out on rescues."

"Gordon gone by himself?" Scott asked, looking around the lab at all the equipment. "Our Gordon almost always goes with Virgil and Thunderbird 2."

"In this case it's a stranded yacht pretty close to here, I wasn't needed for any heavy lifting this time." Virgil smiled ruefully and waved the metal. "Not that I'm doing much, looking at this piece of metal instead."

"Hm," Tintin walked over to look at it. "What strange designs, I haven't seen anything like it. I'll make sure I get some scans that I can send to Brains and Brains when we call later."

Scott moved forward too, looking over Tintin's shoulder. "We didn't get close enough on that mission last week to see if there was anything like this there too, did your Brains get a chance to look at it before he left?"

"I'm not sure," Virgil turned it over in his hands again. "He was looking at it, but I don't think he got a chance to properly. I seem to remember Alan said they picked up the rest of the unit too, but I don't know where it is. I think Brains said something about it not detonating but actually operating correctly at dinner." The tall man looked around the lab, scanning to see if he could see the rest of the unit.

"Max, do you know where Brains put the rest of the strange device they picked off the transporter?" Tintin asked the robot, which proceeded to think for a few minutes before whistling and whirring again.

"Apparently it's in the smaller lab near the base of Thunderbird 3," Tintin explained. Virgil looked at her, mouth agape.

"How on Earth did you understand that? No one but Brains understands Max properly."

"I just…" Tintin frowned in confusion. "Well, I don't know. Wasn't it obvious?"

"Brains is rubbing off on you," Scott smiled at her. "As well he should."

"I can't imagine Brains with a girlfriend, let alone a fiancée," Virgil muttered. "Kayo told me," he explained when Tintin and Scott looked at him. "It's so interesting that you're both in relationships. None of us really are, unless you could the thing that Gordon has going on as one."

"Gordon?" Scott huffed out a laugh. "He's the last of us that I can imagine having a relationship, he's very good at saying he's a one night stand guy. John spends all his time with his head in the stars and Alan is…well, Alan. To be honest, with siblings like them it's amazing that any of us have found partners."

"What about my counterpart?" Virgil asked curiously. Scott hesitated.

"I'm not sure I should tell you that, really."

Virgil laughed and shook his head. "That's ok, I don't need to know. Like I said, none of us are really unless you count Gordon and his 'will they won't they' drama with Penelope."

This time Scott did seem to choke. "Gordon…and Lady Penelope?"

"Yeah I know, took us all by surprise to be honest. I mean, he's idolised her for years of course, we've all known that, but it was a surprise that she actually seems to return his feelings in some way. I'm guessing that isn't the case in your world."

"I…no." Scott said firmly. "But I'm not going to get into details, I think it's enough to say that is one thing that is definitely different." Scott caught Tintin's eye as he said this, she could see the worry in his gaze. No point in telling Virgil that his counterpart was the one in a relationship with Penelope in their dimension.

"It's not long now until we call Brains again," Tintin stated, changing the topic smoothly. Scott shot her a relieved look as she started to pick up her equipment. "It's probably worth calling John first, as if he's still in England it will probably be the middle of the night there."

"Sure," Virgil picked up the piece of metal. "I'll just get this scanned. We need to ask Brains what he did with the rest of it."

Max led the way back into the lounge, where Jeff, Sally and Alan were waiting for them.

"Hey guys, where have you been?" Alan asked, standing up as soon as he saw Tintin. Tintin thought he looked a little uncomfortable and wondered what they had been talking about.

"We've been in the lab," Scott told him, following after Tintin. He looked around the fairly empty room. "Where is everyone else?"

"Scott is at a factory fire in Albania while Gordon is busy towing a yacht into Sydney," Jeff replied smoothly. "I believe Kayo is somewhere on the mainland but she said to go on without her."

Tintin nodded as she set everything up. Max bustled about, passing her items that she was smoothly connecting to the communication device. "I'm ready," she said softly. "John first?"

No one objected as she hit the button that would somehow reach across the dimensions to call John. It took a moment for him to answer, when he finally appeared in the hologram he looked tired.

"Hi," he stated, rubbing his face.

"Hey John, how are you?" Virgil asked softly, taking in his brother's exhausted face. It was strange to see John in the hologram but not in his spacesuit, instead in a rumpled shirt.

"I'm, ah, ok," was the reply, interrupted by a huge yawn. "Sorry," John muttered sheepishly. "I've stayed up waiting for your call and this chair isn't that comfortable." His eyes suddenly squinted and he held his hand up as though to shield against a bright light.

A second figure perched on the arm of the chair. Virgil recognised it as the same woman they'd seen with John before, although this time her hair was rumpled. "He decided to try to sleep in that torture device instead of taking the other side of the bed," she informed them curtly, rolling her eyes as she did so. Virgil raised his eyebrows at the thought of John in bed with Scott's girlfriend. A muffled snort from behind him suggested Scott saw the funny side of it.

"There's only one bed," John added hastily, a note of panic in his voice. "It's not what it looks like!"

"Have you found out anything yet?" Scott asked, moving down into the sunken area to sit next to Virgil on the sofa. The way he moved reminded Virgil so much of his Scott it was uncanny, but there was less rigidity there.

"Not yet," the woman, Angel if Virgil remembered correctly, was saying. "I don't know how much we're going to find out online, I think we may need to try something else. He's covering his tracks well, which makes sense if he's used to more advanced technology."

Jeff leaned forwards from where he was sat at the desk. "Please be careful, both of you. We know the Hood is clever and dangerous. You don't need to do this, Brains will work out a way to get everyone back to where they should be."

Angel leaned forwards from her perch on the arm of John's chair. "I appreciate your concern, but what if Brains can't find a solution? We need to explore every avenue. Besides, this is personal now." The glint in her eye told Virgil she wouldn't be backing down, obviously Jeff sensed it too as he nodded and sat up straight again.

John looked up at the woman sat next to him before adding hesitantly. "I think she's right, even if I'm not sure why we're doing half of what we're doing it's obvious Angel has a plan. We'll be ok."

"Well in that case, we'll leave you to it. We need to talk to Brains and find out how he and Alan are getting on," Jeff stated. "Unless you want more time to talk?" He asked Scott directly.

"No, I think we're good. Stay safe," Scott spoke directly to the woman, who rewarded him with a taut smile.

"We will, same to you."

At Scott's nod Tintin cut the power, leaving John and Angel flickering out of sight. Scott sighed and rolled his shoulders. "Guess we call dad now."

Tintin nodded at him. "I'm ready when you all are," she replied, quickly changing some settings on the communicator.

Jeff steepled his fingers together on his desk. "Well then, I guess it's time to see what Brains has been up to."