Scott and Chloe went off to Tracy1 together, forgoing the chance to watch the take off of Three, so that they could have a little bit of uncle and niece time in the cockpit before Scott was ordered back to the passenger cabin.

Chloe enjoyed pretending to be the pilot and Scott knew that it was his only chance to get anywhere near a cockpit until he was cleared for duty, and he was determined to make the most of it.

They were both enjoying themselves, Scott explaining the controls to Chloe whilst she was sitting on his knee, both totally unaware of the fact that Becky was silently recording the impromptu lesson.

Becky turned as Virgil and Madeline boarded the aircraft, beckoning them over whilst indicating that they needed to be quiet. The three of them just stood watching the scene for a few moments, torn between needing to leave for the mainland or letting the lesson continue.

After five minutes Virgil decided, reluctantly, that he had to interrupt the lesson

"Have you two completed the pre-fight checks yet, or have you just been 'playing'?"

He managed not to laugh at the reactions of both Scott and Chloe, although Madeline and Rebecca didn't bother with any such restraint and were both laughing.

"Unc-cot tich me bout plane Daddy" Chloe said as she looked up sheepishly. "wat wong?"

"Only the fact that Uncle Scott is not actually allowed in the cockpit at the moment" Virgil replied as he picked up Chloe "and he knows that" he continued with a mock glare at his older brother, who at least managed to look contrite.

"We hadn't got round to any of the pre-flight checks" Scott admitted ruefully, he had been enjoying himself with his niece after all and the checks had been the furthest thing from his mind.

"I'll get her strapped in ready for take-off" said Becky as she held her arms out for Chloe .

"Thanks" said Virgil as he handed Chloe to Becky whilst Madeline made her way to the co-pilot's seat to begin her checks, suppressing her laughter with some difficulty.

As Chloe and Becky left the cockpit Virgil turned his attention to Scott with a pointed look that Scott was trying his best not to notice.

"You're in my seat"

"You could let me stay here you know" Scott's reply was almost reminiscent of Chloe when she really wanted to do something that wasn't allowed, especially with the pleading expression that usually worked for Chloe but was definitely not going to work for Scott.

"Not this time, Maddie's the co-pilot today"

Scott was deciding whether to argue his case, to at least remain in the cockpit, but Virgil continued to speak

"Besides, we need someone to look after Chloe for the duration of the flight and as much as she loves her Aunt Bec she adores Uncle Scott"

Scott knew that his brother had conveniently managed to avoid the issue of actually having to throw him out of the cockpit, ok using Chloe was a bit underhanded of him but he'd let it pass - this time.

"Enjoy it while you can 'little brother' I'm flying us home" Scott tried to sound harsh but he couldn't hide the humour in his eye.

"Remember, no teaching my daughter any of your smother-sibling telepathy" Virgil's retort was almost lost in the sound of Maddie's stifled laughter.

"Dream on - little brother"

Scott's final comment as he left the cockpit ended all of Maddie's attempts not to laugh out loud.

Despite himself Scott was chuckling as he made his way into the cabin.

As Becky was fastening Chloe into her seat she noticed that Chloe seemed a little confused and distracted.

"What are you thinking about honey?"

"Aunt Bec?"

"Yes honey"

"Why did daddy say unc-cot not lowed, unc-cot piwot"

Becky couldn't help herself, she just had to laugh at what Chloe had said.

"not fun" Chloe admonished her, as only a child could.

"Sorry about laughing but what you said was funny."

"wat meen?"

"First things first, Uncle Scott is a pilot not a pirate"

"wat said. Unc-cot piwot, he fwy plane" Chloe insisted.

Becky just shook her head, thankful for the fact that Gordon could not hear this discussion, or Scott would be the target of 'pirate' pranks for months.

"Chloe, Uncle Scott is a pilot and he would normally fly the plane but he's not allowed to be the pilot at the moment" Chloe thought about what Becky said, at Chloe's look of confusion Becky continued "Uncle Scott can't fly the plane until the doctor says that he's all better"

"unc-cot hurt when bird broke?" Chloe asked remembering the crash of One.

"Yes, Uncle Scott was hurt when his 'bird crashed"

"bird all fixed now" Chloe thought a bit "how fix unc-cot?"

"Uncle Scott is all better now but he needs to see the doctor before he can be pilot again" Becky answered Chloe with a slight smile at Scott who had just returned to the cabin.

"Why? unc-cot better" Chloe was still confused as to why her uncle wasn't allowed to be the pilot when he was now better.

Scott decided to help Becky by answering Chloe's question himself.

"Remember when you were sick and couldn't go into the pool?" he asked as he sat next to Chloe.

"Yes" Chloe nodded as she answered, with a scowl, "mummy not let me wim"

"You couldn't go swimming until your daddy and Brains both said that you were better even though you felt better"

Chloe frowned at that

"why not?"

"If you went swimming before you were properly better you could have become very sick"

"but why you not lowed piwot?"

"If it was just me then no-one would stop me but there's you." Scott's response left Chloe still confused so she responded with the standard child's response

"Why"

"It could be dangerous for me to be the pilot before the doctor says that it's ok and I'd never risk my princess"

"Me daddy pwincess, not yours" Chloe stated, causing Becky to laugh out loud whilst wondering how Scott was going to resolve this.

"Can't I call you my princess?" he was almost pleading with his niece, which Becky found hilarious.

Chloe just sat there shaking her head

"Daddy pwincess only" she insisted.

"Will you be my Angel then"

Chloe thought for a moment before nodding, she liked the idea of being unc-cot's Angel.

"I have to protect my Angel don't I"

"Unc-cot 'tect me?" Chloe asked

"Always"

"If me 'angel' wat Aunt Bec?"

Scott didn't even have to think about his answer to that.

"Aunt Bec is always my queen"

Chloe thought about that and nodded.

"me sweepy" she suddenly said an she started to rub her eyes.

"Let's get you settled for a little nap then" Becky adjusted Chloe's seat into the small bed that would allow Chloe to sleep for most of the flight.

"What are we going to do for the rest of the flight?" Scott asked Becky with a cheeky look in his eye.

"You can get the bed ready so that we can watch a film in comfort whilst I check if Virg and Maddie need anything.

--

"You can stop laughing now" Virgil said to Maddie after Scott left the cockpit "how long do you think it'll be before he's back?"

"A lot longer than you think"

Maddie's reply surprised Virgil but they received the clearance for take-off before he could question her any further.

It wasn't until they'd set the autopilot that Virgil was able to turn his gaze back to his wife, the question clear on his eyes.

"You forget who's back there with him"

"What do you mean?"

Maddie just shook her head, her husband could be so obtuse at times but she loved him anyway.

"Chloe's going to demand to know why her uncle is not allowed in the cockpit despite being one of the best pilots in the family."

"Scott knows why"

"But Chloe doesn't, Scott and Becky are going to have to explain it to her so that she understands" she suppressed her grin "remember that she's always pleading with her unc-cot to take her flying"

Virgil grinned at the thought of his older brother having to explain to his three year old niece why he wasn't allowed to actually fly the plane at the moment.

"How long before she comes out with her default question 'why' "

"Knowing Chloe, probably about 5 minutes before she decides that she's tired" Maddie's conclusion held the wisdom of long experience with her, very, precocious daughter.

Virgil just had to laugh at that as he kept a watchful eye on the controls, he was too much of a Tracy to blindly trust the autopilot and leave the cockpit unattended.

"When Chloe's settled Becky will be up to see if we need anything before she sees to Scott"

Almost as if Maddie had a gift for premonition it was only a minute or two before, after a perfunctory knock on the door, Becky came into the cockpit.

"Do you need anything before I get settled with Scott?" she asked with a suggestive grin.

"Becky.." Virgil's spluttered response was cut short by Maddie's quick retort

"Get your brain out of the gutter or I'll drink your coffee" she threatened.

Becky decided to take pity on Virgil before Maddie permanently confiscated his coffee supply, no amount of teasing was ever worth taking that risk.

"Relax Virg' I just want to watch a film while relaxing in Scott's arms, unless you can think of a better way for me to keep him out of the cockpit whilst Chloe's asleep" she couldn't resist the little wink.

Maddie was struggling not to laugh, you think that her husband would have learned by now not to react to Becky's innuendo.

Virgil, for his part, decided that discretion was the best option and chose not to make any suggestions.

"Coffee for me please, any food that you can rustle up would be great, same for Maddie" Virgil asked, knowing that Maddie's chance of getting coffee with Becky around was almost non-existent but he had to try.

"You can have the coffee, you both can have the food but Maddie gets Kyrano's special tea" Becky just smiled at Maddie's glare and went to assemble the required items.

Once she was satisfied that Virgil and Maddie had everything they needed, she still wasn't going to give Maddie any coffee, she made her way back to Scott carrying enough refreshments for both them and Chloe.

When Maddie went back to tell them that they'd be landing soon she just had to take a photo, the image of Becky and Chloe both sleeping in Scott's arms was too perfect to miss, although it was a shame she had to wake them up so that they could be ready for landing.

She carefully woke Becky and showed her the image, Becky chuckled as she sent the photo to everyone in the family.

"He'll kill you when he sees that" Maddie scolded Becky even though she knew that it would be a losing battle.

"No, he has his own way to obtain retribution"

Maddie just shook her head at Becky's response

"I did not need that mental image Bec" Maddie scolded her friend "Keep your antics to yourself, at least until you two get to the hotel"

Becky just waved her off with a jaunty salute as she started to wake Chloe and Scott.

Once all the necessary post flight details had been dealt with Virgil and Maddie both left the plane to join Becky and Scott, who was holding a still drowsy Chloe, beside the vehicle that had been arranged for them.

"I've let dad know that we've arrived safely and that, because it's late, we'll call with a full update tomorrow after the appointments" Virgil said as he reached out for Chloe.

Scott handed Chloe over to her father before turning his attention to Becky.

"Why?"

She just shrugged her shoulders and grinned

"I just thought that everyone should see how your 'angel' and 'queen' managed to keep you away from the cockpit" Becky couldn't have looked cheekier if she tried

With Virgil and Maddie both chuckling at Scott's righteous indignation the family made their way to the hotel that was to be their home for the next three days.