AU: Part 2. Thank you for the continuing support, enjoy.

"Virgil?"

"Hey sweetheart," he clutched her hair between his fingers gently caressing her head. "What were you doing?"

"I said I would help you," she opened her eyes groggily. "And that's what I came to do."

"No, I said it before and it's not happening. Now let's get you to safety."

"No, Virgil."

"I wasn't asking for permission," he smirked and helped her to her feet.

"But I want to help."

"You can, but not literally in the line of fire. Follow me."

"Virgil, wait?"

"Not here, you've inhaled a lot of smoke."

Natasha sighed, pulled him back to her by the arm, and then wrapped her arms around him, "thanks for saving me."

Virgil smiled rubbing her back, "it's alright. I know a way you can help me, we're taking the top off this building."

"What?" She stood back and looked up at him.

"It's the only way, but there won't be anyone in the restaurant to keep everyone calm. You're here with two other GDF officers, can you keep these people down?"

"Down?"

"We'll need to use laser cutters to separate the building from the restaurant, the supports will be gone."

"And that's the only option?"

"Yes. Come on." Virgil took her hand and ran up the rest of the stairs to the restaurant, he let go as he entered and went over to Frederick. "Keep these people in here and in the centre of the room, how did my operative get in?"

Frederick pointed to the restrooms, "there."

"Classy as always," he remarked then smiled at Frederick. "Thanks." He turned back to Natasha who was talking with Candice and Blake. "Nat?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know what you have to do?"

Natasha nodded, "we know. Go and be a hero."

"I love you," he whispered and Candice smiled overhearing him. He walked away and Natasha watched him enter the restroom, "Okay Scott, where do you need me?"

"Fire a line out here and help me place the cutters at the marks I've sent to your helmet."

Virgil spotted him fly past, "I'm coming." He lost the jaws of life and fired a grapple to the ledge above before jumping out and onto the building. "How far have the flames spread?"

"A little too high up for my liking, there's nothing left of the kitchen now."

Thunderbird 2 hovered behind them and Gordon looked out at them, "as soon as you've placed the last cutter, tell me and I'll pick you up."

"I trust you to fly her efficiently," Virgil smirked lowering himself down to the next beam. "You can do it."

"FAB but you better get clear."

Scott laughed, "focus guys."

Virgil nodded and moved onto the next cutter, "nearly done."

Natasha sat with the others on the floor hugging her knees to her chest, "as long as no one panics, we'll be okay."

"What's he doing? We've got everyone into the centre, now what?" Candice asked.

"We're about to fly, and then that's the end of this restaurant."

Blake felt the room shudder and there were some cries of alarm, he stood up and moved over to the people crying, "it's okay, it's okay, we'll be safe soon."

Natasha looked over at him, "he's a great guy Candice."

"Yeah, I love him."

"Have you ever told him that, or do you two really just spend all your time flirting with each other?"

Candice chuckled, "after this, I'll tell him over and over. Aren't you worried about Virgil out there?"

"Beyond worried, but he can do this. I'm worried every time he goes out on a mission, but I knew what to expect when we became a couple."

A beep came from Natasha's pendant and Virgil's hologram appeared, "Natasha?"

"Yes?"

"We're ready, you guys better hold onto something. Well, if you can."

"FAB. Do it."

Virgil nodded and disappeared from the hologram, "okay Gordon, the lasers are in place."

"Lowering the platform, get on."

Virgil looked around at Thunderbird 2 and fired a new grapple line to the top of the platform then abseiled across as Scott watched, "I'm on board, bring me up. We have to do this delicately."

"Ohh, then by all means, take the helm."

Scott sighed, "I'll be in Thunderbird 1, let's get this done."

Virgil got changed quickly into his blue suit and joined Gordon in the cockpit, he sat down and smiled pulling the wheel down, "I hope you weren't given too much grief?"

"Nope," he shrugged then spotted Virgil pat the console. "Oh, you were talking to Thunderbird 2."

"Activate the lasers, Scott, the grapple lines are in place," Virgil fired them quickly onto the strongest corners of the building. "Nice and easy."

Gordon nodded, "fire away."

The restaurant shuddered and the roof slowly came away from the rest of the building, glasses smashed on the floor as they fell off tables and the staff winced. Natasha gripped Candice's hand as she looked out of the window seeing the building below them as they flew underneath Thunderbird 1 and 2, she snuck a glimpse out of the window and down at the building which was still on fire, flames swept up through the open gap and she gasped in shock just realising how lucky they had been. The restaurant was taken away to an open space and as soon as it touched down Scott turned back with Thunderbird 1.

"Brains, this better work."

"It should, I've uh tested it on fires here."

"Okay, here we go," he typed in the activation code and fired a missile from Thunderbird 1 which exploded on impact with the fire. "Bullseye! The fire is out. Finally."

Jeff's voice cut in, "well done, come on home."

"Not yet, dad. There's something about all of this which doesn't add up. Can you call Casey and get her to join us here please?"

"Yes, but why son?"

"The fire was out of control dad, we've been able to handle bigger ones but this was different." He turned around and spotted Natasha and Virgil hugging outside Thunderbird 2's module, "but we'll be home soon."

"Okay son, be safe."

"Oh, and could you send Kayo out here too? I think this will be right up her street."

Jeff smiled at Kayo who looked up, "wish granted son."

"I'm on it," Kayo smirked and winked at Scott's hologram. "See you in Paris."

Scott smirked and walked over to Thunderbird 2, "let's check out that fire."

"I've got my own one here," Virgil replied kissing Natasha's neck.

"Later love birds, there's something not right about this whole thing."

Natasha chuckled pushing Virgil back, "he's right."

Virgil whistled at the now barren restaurant, "wow, there's nothing left, you couldn't even tell there was once a kitchen here."

"Minus a couple of spoons," Natasha knelt and touched one then winced clutching her hand.

"Did you burn yourself?"

"It's only small," she held her fingers tightly. "What the hell happened here?"

"Could it be someone covering up their tracks?" Virgil asked rubbing Natasha's fingers softly. "Be careful, sweetheart."

A GDF flier landed and Blake frowned as Colonel Casey walked down the ramp and towards him.

"Commander Petrova, what happened here?"

"Out of control fire ma'am, no casualties. Medical Officer Donovan and I were customers, we didn't see anyone."

"Understood Commander, dismissed. I want you back at base, with Donovan."

"What about Howard?"

"Officer Howard can stay," Casey nodded. "I'll see you at the base. Well done today."

Blake lowered his head, "yes ma'am. We'll be aboard the flier."

"International Rescue, what have we got?" Casey asked joining Scott.

Scott smiled, "Casey. This is beyond anything we've seen before, this isn't a normal fire. Someone caused it to cover up their tracks."

"The Hood?" Natasha asked.

"He's still in prison."

"My cousins wouldn't change would they?" Natasha asked.

Virgil shook his head, "no, the mind device works very well. The Mechanic, or Cedric, was fine."

The sky roared and Thunderbird Shadow curved through the sky and landed on the ground gently, Kayo leapt out and frowned at the blackened shell of the building.

"Oh dear."

Scott wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek, "thanks for coming. Think you can find out what's going on here?"

"This smells like sabotage, alongside smoke."

Natasha grinned, "so this is now a crime scene?"

"That's exactly what it is," Kayo replied thoughtfully stepping forward through the front door, her boots crunched across the debris and she frowned. "We need to look for where the fire started from, watch where you step."

Virgil nodded, "that goes for you Gordon."

"Oh come on Virg, I'll be careful."

"Good. Time to spread out."

Scott nodded, "look for anything which is out of place."

The team split up and Natasha looked up through the stairwell, "I can't believe how far that fire went. I've never seen anything like this and I've been to a lot of sites."

"Anything touched just turns to ash," Virgil said, demonstrating by touching the bottom of the handrail. "It's like dust."

Gordon grinned and activated his comms channel, "hey everyone, I think I've found something."

"We're on our way," Kayo glanced at Scott worriedly.

Gordon stood up as his siblings and Casey ran into the once storeroom, "I think Kayo was right, the Hood is doing something inside of prison. It's not the Mechanic and it's not the Chaos Crew." He held up a mirror, "it's someone else."

Kayo narrowed her eyes at the mirror then turned around to look out at the other buildings, she scanned the surroundings and noticed something shiny across from them, "there."

"What is that?" Scott frowned.

"Follow me," Kayo tapped his arm.

Colonel Casey watched them go, "I'll call in the cleanup crew. Could I keep that mirror for evidence Gordon?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Am I required back at base ma'am?" Natasha asked shivering slightly as the adrenaline wore off.

"Not yet. I want you to help International Rescue with this."

Virgil smiled, "really Colonel?"

"Yes. I need to go back to base, leave the cleanup crew here and leave yourself. Better to be safe than sorry."

Virgil nodded, "thank you, Colonel Casey."

Kayo smiled looking down at the other mirror, "someone left this here to reflect on the one Gordon found. Casey?!"

Colonel Casey looked up at the roof, "Kayo?"

"We've found the solution, but not the person. We're coming down."

Virgil held his hand out to Natasha who was still shivering, "I think it's time to go home."

"I couldn't agree more," she smiled and pressed herself against him.