Thunderbird 2 followed her sister to the scout base to drop the two children off and they landed outside the sheds sending dust everywhere, Scott lowered the ladder down and someone ran over to the ships.

"Henry, Beatrice, thank heavens you're alright. You shouldn't have wandered off from the village."

"We're sorry, we just got distracted looking for leaves. International Rescue saved us," Beatrice smiled at Scott who shrugged.

"Our pleasure," Scott grinned at Virgil who wrapped his arms around Alan and Gordon encouragingly.

"Scott was a scout like us, Mark," Henry grinned as they walked over to the campfire, "and he taught me how to tie a rope. That saved us too, there was a fire and we were in a Crablogger, it was so cool!"

Beatrice parked her hover chair into a space beside one of the logs, "what else did you do as a scout Scott?"

Scott walked over with his brothers, "the usual; learned about guiding, orienteering, camp songs."

"Camp songs!" Henry's face brightened immediately, "can we sing one, Stacey?" he turned to another leader who smiled.

The scout guides laughed at the two siblings and then at the other scouts sitting around the fire block, "are you two ok first? That was some fire."

"We're fine now," Beatrice smiled, "Scott, can you sing?"

Virgil grinned at Gordon, "he sure can. Do you guys have a guitar?"

Scott shot them a glare, "what?"

Mark picked up a guitar, "Mr Tracy?"

Scott paled but took the instrument off him and sat down on the log, Henry moved up beside him eagerly as the International Rescue leader began to play, "join in everyone, this isn't a solo," he grinned and Henry gazed up at him in awe, "she'll be coming round the mountain when she comes..."

Alan smiled lovingly at Scott singing with the guitar, "this reminds me of our bbq nights."

Gordon nodded, "if only dad could see this, he would be so proud."

"We'll tell him about it," Virgil smirked at them, "we should join in."

"I think Scott has it covered," Alan looked back at Scott singing the final verse of "she'll be coming round the mountain."

Clapping and tapping stopped and Scott put the guitar down, "we need to go scouts, keep flying the way you are and you'll all be Falcons soon."

Virgil nodded, "just like our brother here."

Everyone's spirits were up that evening on the island, the Zero-XL was go for launch and The Mechanic had told them all the Thunderbirds were ready for alternations, none of them were damaged but one Tracy's body was.

"Hey Virgil," Gordon smiled as he leaned against the piano, "are you OK?"

Virgil winced as he played, "I'll be fine."

"I had no choice but to shoot you, it wasn't an easy option."

"If you hadn't, I wouldn't actually be here, so thank you."

Gordon smiled, "how big is the bruise?"

"I haven't checked yet."

Scott's ears pricked, "bruise?"

"Dammit Gordon," Virgil reluctantly stopped playing.

Scott leapt up from the sofa, "are you injured Virgil, what happened?"

"I'm not injured, just sore. Gordon knocked me out of the path of a falling tree, not with his hands, but with the pod's grapple."

"Shit, are you ok?"

"I'm fine Scott, it's just a bruise, the grapple hit the jaws not my body."

Scott smiled, "as long as you're fit to get dad, I wouldn't want to tell him that you were injured."

"Nothing will stop me from going to get him, not even a cold."

Scott nodded, "I can't believe we're going to get him."

Gordon smiled, "awh, someone is looking tearful."

"And I'm not ashamed to be, eight years later we're finally bringing him home," Scott leant against the piano and Virgil watched a tear roll down his brother's face, "I couldn't be happier."

Kayo walked into the lounge and over to the piano, "hey guys. Scott, are you alright?"

Scott ran a hand across his eyes, "yeah, yes I'm ok Kayo."

Kayo wrapped her arm around his waist comfortingly, "I hear the mission went well, but you all smell of smoke."

"That's impossible, we've all had showers," Gordon sniffed his shirt.

"It's not unpleasant, it's like wood smoke," she smiled as Virgil resumed playing, "I've just seen the blueprints of the Zero-XL I can't wait."

"I wish you could come with us," Scott turned to face her.

"I know but I need to be here for security and so the base is manned, he's your father not mine."

Scott kissed her with a smile, "good to know that we can't let anything happen to the birds between now and when we go. Gordon, look after Thunderbird 4."

"Oh come on! All the times I've lost her have been because I've been attacked, it's not like I want to destroy her."

Virgil laughed, "both of our ships were in trouble today, I'm surprised Brains was smiling at both of us."

"You almost crushed him too," Scott pulled Kayo close against him and she giggled.

"My hugs do not crush people."

"They do, they really do," Gordon smirked, "you're never on the receiving end."

Virgil yawned, "I've never heard you guys complain," he stood up, "I'm going to make a hot chocolate, see ya."

Scott took Virgil's place at the piano and smiled, "those scouts reminded me of when we were little."

"I wouldn't know, I was in the girl guides. Then I volunteered as a paramedic before taking courses in security," Kayo grinned resting her elbows on the piano lid.

Gordon nodded, "I didn't like scouts, you and Virgil were much better at it all. John hated it."

Scott laughed as he played, "he was just shy and always thought dad had forced him into it when actually he had just followed us."

"It sounds like all you ever wanted to do was to help others," Kayo smiled at the two brothers.

"It's certainly better than a desk job," Gordon grinned, "but I would fall back onto a swimming career if we stopped being a rescue team."

Virgil breathed deeply as he made his hot chocolate and kept one hand on his ribs, they weren't cracked but he knew there was bruising, he stirred the froth round then returned to the lounge where Scott was performing at the piano, much to his impression his brother was playing Liszt, "I'm heading to bed, good work today you guys."

Gordon smiled, "again, I'm really sorry for shooting you, but I didn't know what else to do."

"Gordo, it's fine ok? I'm alright," he walked past the piano, "you're sounding really good Scott."

"Thanks, Virgil," he frowned slightly at Virgil's wince, "sleep well."

Virgil closed his bedroom door blocking out the sounds in the lounge and got changed, dark bruises painted his arm and a couple of ribs on his right side, he swore quietly to himself and walked over to his bed, "that's a downer."

It was gone midnight, and Virgil still couldn't sleep, he was partly in pain but the other part was excited, he heard a knock at the door and decided to let the person in without saying anything, Scott walked in and closed the door behind him.

"Virgil, where does it hurt?" He turned the bedside light on as he sat down beside his brother's bed.

"You're going to want to see anyway," he sat up and lifted his arm.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Scott ran his fingers down the bruise, "you're lucky this is just bruised and nothing more."

"I'm going with you to find dad."

"I wouldn't stop you, but don't push yourself too hard, promise me."

"I promise. Scott, are you sure you're ok? I mean when Brains said we were ready I thought you were about to change your mind."

Scott shook his head, "I can't believe we know what happened to him, I just wish this had all happened five or more years ago as opposed to eight. We're all so much older, Alan is in his teens."

"And you're head of International Rescue."

"Yeah. That was never an agreement, dad promised I would never have to be in charge, and eight years later I've put you in danger everyday."

"That's not true, Scott, we look to you for guidance, we always have."

Scott sniffed and took a deep breath as he sat down on the bed, "will he be proud of me when we find him?"

Virgil hastily wrapped an arm around him, "of course he'll be proud of you, we're all still alive eight years later, we just want him home and that's what's going to happen."

Scott touched his forehead to Virgil's with a trembling smile, "I just want everything to go back to normal. Dad giving us assignments and no-one getting in our way."

"I'm sure it will," Virgil sighed as he sat up, "don't worry about me Scott, our family has faced much worse than a bruise."

"FAB. Sleep well brother."

Virgil smiled and hugged him tightly, "thanks."

"Virg, as much as I love you, I can't breathe," Scott squeaked and Virgil let go of him, "grizzly."

"Pencil," Virgil winked, "sleep well."

Scott got up from the bed and paused by the door, "if anything goes wrong on this mission, it's us two who will save it right?"

"Always," Virgil pulled the bed sheets up over his legs as he lay down.

Scott nodded, "always," he went back to his bed and crawled under the sheets beside Kayo smiling when she muttered in her sleep, only a day to go and they could go and get his dad back, they would be a family again, he turned on his side to face Kayo and stroked her cheek before closing his eyes her head pressed against his chest then they fell into a deep sleep.