"Daaaaaaaaaaad! Tell him to stoopppppp!" Alan whines.
"Gordon stop whatever you are doing to your brother, or you're getting sent to bed" Jeff calls across the yard without looking up from his book.
"Hey!" Gordon calls back indignantly, from the sun lounger next to his father. "I didn't do anything"
"Sorry Gords, force of habit!" Jeff replies with a grin. "Virgil don't throw soil at Alan!"
"He started it dad!" Virgil replies laughing.
"I don't care who started it, I am finishing it!" Jeff tells them.
It is another one of those perfect lazy afternoons in a tropical paradise. Jeff, Virgil, Scott, Kayo. Alan and Gordon are out in the yard, away from the house. Scott is on a supply run with Grandma, and John is up on thunderbird five, having spent the last few weeks on earth reconnecting with his father, the itchy feet he has always suffered from when staying on earth too long got the better of him, and he just had to go back to his office.
This was part of the original structure, and they closed it up after Jeff disappeared, finding it too hard to visit the garden Jeff had spent years happily cultivating.
This was one of the first things he asked about once the novelty of being home had worn off, and he wanted to get back to work. He knows why it has been abandoned, but it doesn't hurt less. This was his refuge from a difficult rescue. The boys would be in bed, cosy and warm and safe, the sky outside was a blanket of stars. and he would lie on the grass carpet stiff and dry from the months of intense summer heat, on his back gazing up at the world around him feeling like the luckiest man alive.
Virgil and Alan have volunteered to help him restore his garden back to its former glory. With the others chipping in whenever they find the time. They have spent weeks pulling weeds, cutting back hanging overgrown branches, repairing the broken fences and planting flowers.
Gordon's been entrusted with the pond, it too has become overgrown with algae, which has slowly poisoned the water, and to Gordons dismay killed the fish it was once home too. The desolation of his father's disappearance left him unable to come back here, and he had no idea that so many precious little lives had been lost in his absence.
Jeff, still not being used to being back in the sunshine is revelling in simplicity of lying here in the comfort of his family.
Gordon has taken a break to relax next to him, wearing swimming shorts and topping up his tan. The scars from his brush with the Chaos Crew are fading with age, and after the initial shock of seeing the marks lining his sons skin, Jeff would be lying if he said he was okay with what happened, but with his sons help he has come to terms with everything he has missed out on.
"VIRGIL DAD SAID STOP IT!" Alan cries loudly.
"VIRGIL" Jeff calls.
"What, I don't do it on purpose, it is not my fault he keeps getting in the way of the mud I am slinging!" Virgil insists.
"If you don't stop it, we will all go back to the house and watch you clean the pool filter with your toothbrush!" Gordon threatens.
"Yeah, then make you use it to brush your teeth!" Alan adds.
"They are both still gross dad!" Virgil tells him.
Jeff does not need to be told this, this has been obvious from the moment he had his welcome home meal and Alan let out a large belch at the table after downing a glass of coke.
They work in peace for a while, until Gordon's snores start to fill the air. The atmosphere is relaxed and happy, until Virgil's comm goes off.
"Virg, wake the fish. We have a situation" John announces.
"What's happened John?" Virgil asks, all business even though he is covered from head to toe in mud.
"There is a fishing trawler taking on water near Japan, crew of fifty need to be evacuated. Grab Gordon and go" John orders with the kind of authority which makes even Jeff gape at him in awe, but his brothers take it in their stride, Alan pulling Gordon to his feet and the three of them race back to the house. Virgil insisting that Alan is not needed and should remain behind just in case he is needed.
Leaving Jeff on his own.
*TB*
The heat in Japan makes the Island feel like the artic circle. Even the water brings no relief, as Gordon rescues the crew from a watery grave.
The boat has fully sunken when they arrive, leaving the crew stranded in the sea. Those who are lucky enough are in the one lifeboat that did not go down with the ship.
It is a long and gruelling job, and Gordon is exhausted from trying to tread water, one of the crew members is not a good swimmer, leaving Gordon with his hands full as he tries to keep his head above water. His arms are aching from the effort, and he can barely feel his feet. The sun broiling the hair on his head. Feeling his skin burning, but he knows he needs to keep going. Lives are depending on him.
Gordon can't keep this going, he is exhausted, just trying to keep his nose above water so he can force his rescuees to keep fighting right alongside him, as one by one as Gordon gets the people into the rescue module aboard Thunderbird Two. It is cramped, with bodies jammed into the cockpit alongside Virgil. Most are grateful that they are safe, but one or two are grumbling about the conditions.
Virgil can tell from the telemetry from Gordon's suit that his heartbeat is growing weaker. It is over, Virgil can't save the three remaining victims in time and Gordon.
It is over, international rescue have failed. Desperately wishing he had bought Alan along to help, Virgil starts to beg any higher power who may be listening to send help.
Because he can't lose Gordon.
Exhausted, Gordon can do nothing but climb up onto the stray piece of driftwood, which will hopefully stop him from drowning, and allow his brother to save them. if he is safe from immediate drowning, then Virgil will give him up until the last minute.
His suit has been torn from the various splinters of wood that have attacked him, his skin is boiling his blood under the heat from the sun. maybe he has died and gone to hell, wracking his brain for any misdeeds that might have landed him in hell, Gordons life flashes before his eyes.
Two years old, and running around the lawn of their Kansas farm house being chased by an irate John because he used his homework for colouring paper.
Four years old, and sulking because his dad said he wasn't allowed to feed baby Alan his broccoli before asking for a puppy instead.
Six years old and at his moms funeral being held by his grandma as he cries.
Ten years old and waking up in hospital after breaking his arm after he jumped out of his bedroom window in an attempt to break a world record for the "high jump"
Seventeen years old and standing on top of the podium about to receive an Olympic gold medal.
No Gordon thinks, he doesn't deserve to go to hell.
He has given up all hope, when there is a roar of another ship, the sound of an engine that sounds beautifully familiar. It is thunderbird one. He is saved, he thinks. Before finally losing consciousness.
*TB*
Jeff Tracy has not flown a plane in anger in years, but when that call came In from Virgil, he didn't hesitate. With Alan alongside him they join Virgil at the danger scene. It is Jeff who goes down to rescue the final three victims and Gordon.
His heart sinks once he has his fourth son aboard thunderbird one. Every piece of his exposed skin is burning under his fingers. "Alan get us home" Jeff says to his youngest son.
Alan makes a world record attempt at dropping his rescuees at the local hospital before a second attempt from Japan back to the Island.
Back in the infirmary, Jeff has to use Grandmas sewing scissors to physically cut the suit from his body.
Gordon has not regained consciousness, while Jeff tries to bring down his core temperature, with Brains' patented cooling gel being rubbed into his skin.
This is all his fault; Jeff Tracy started this organisation. If he had never have done this, his boys would have college degrees, Gordon would be taking part in his second Olympic games, Alan would have had a normal childhood. He would never have spent eight years in deep space. Gordon would never have been crushed and left for dead at the bottom of the ocean.
"And the Hood would have stolen the Zero X. Hundreds of people would have died maybe thousands." Gordon tells him.
"Gordon, welcome back" Jeff tells him. "Was I thinking out loud?"
"Yeah. Thank you for saving my life" Gordon tells him. "You were the one who came for me"
"How do you know?" Jeff asks.
"I watched you" Gordon tells him. "with mom"
*TB*
Heat exhaustion and sunburn are the worst of Gordon's injuries, which when expertly treated by Jeff clear up quickly leaving him free to escape the infirmary the following afternoon. With strict instructions to remain indoors and out of the sun.
"He was dead mom" Jeff tells her once they are alone. Walking along the beach together.
"Lucy sent him back"