The Doctor arrived an hour later and Brains led him into the med bay where the five sons were standing around their father, Alan's cheeks were streaked with tears and Gordon's arms were around him tightly.

"When did you get this injury Mr Tracy?" The doctor asked as he pressed the skin gently around the purple cut.

"I've been away for a while, I'd say I got it about three months ago."

"Boys, your father is going to be okay, but I'm going to have to put him on pretty powerful antibiotics."

Scott nodded, "but he'll make a full recovery?"

"Yes, he's just lucky that these signs were spotted now rather than later."

Alan smiled, "oh dad, you're okay!"

Grandma pushed her grandsons gently, "now give your father some space. Come on," she led them out of the room.

Jeff nodded graciously, "give it to me straight Doctor Fenza, how close was I to it being serious?"

"It's pretty serious already Jeff. Take three of these pills everyday and this liquid before bed, the symptoms should clear up in a week or so, then the cut will start to heal itself. Here's the first dose and I'll clean up the wound."

"I knew something was wrong on the Zero-XL, but he didn't tell me!" Virgil shouted as he punched his fist into the sofa, "now he's on medication."

Scott rubbed his arm, "hey it's okay Virgil, he'll pull through."

"That's not the point. Grandma, will he be okay?"

Grandma sighed, "the best thing to do is not to worry, don't show him that you're worried."

"That cut is so deep Grandma," Gordon paled as he stared at his hands.

"I know, but Doctor Fenza will fix it up."

Virgil began to cry and Scott wrapped his arms around him, "I feel like we're going to lose him again."

Scott helped Virgil to his feet and smiled at the others, "come on."

Kayo watched them leave, "I'm sorry guys, this must be awful for you."

John's hologram floated over to the sofa his eldest brothers had been sharing, "I wish he had told us he was hurt."

Scott stroked Virgil's hair with one hand from where they were sitting together in the garden, "he's going to recover Virgil, we didn't bring him back home to lose him again."

Virgil sighed as he knotted strands of grass in his hands, "I knew something was wrong, all of those bandages, I just didn't know which one was hiding the mark."

"I need you to be strong, Virgil, for them. If you break, I break."

Virgil nodded, "I couldn't hold it in."

"Me neither, that's why I had to get out of there," he curled up into a cross legged position but didn't let go of Virgil, "Grandma needs us to be strong too, she's more worried than we are, we know what it's like to lose a parent, I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child."

Gordon ran into the garden, "guys, the doc says dad will be fine, he's coming up to the lounge."

Scott grasped Virgil's wrist encouragingly, "thanks Gordon, we'll be right there."

Virgil smiled tearfully, "the best news we could get today."

Jeff sat down on the sofa and found himself being hugged by his youngest sons, "hey I'm alright boys, where is Scott and Virgil?"

"Dad!" Scott ran across the room and wrapped his arms around his youngest brothers pushing them into Jeff and Virgil followed suit.

"Thank you boys, I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he wiped a tear off Virgil's cheek, "I just didn't want you to be focused on my condition when we have a business to run."

"Right now dad, your health is more important than the business," Scott frowned as he straightened up.

"Virgil, would you mind doing that errand for me we mentioned this morning? Dr Fenza says I need to take it easy and not use my arm for the rest of the day."

Virgil nodded, "on my way. Gordon, want to come?"

"Sure, why not."

Dr Fenza walked into the lounge, "well I'm off, Jeff, do not forget to take your pills and try to avoid any heavy lifting for the next two weeks, the cut will heal without any issues now."

"Thank you for coming out."

"My pleasure. Am I clear for takeoff?"

Jeff nodded, "of course."

"Your secret is safe with me," he smirked then walked downstairs out to the main runway.

Virgil lowered Thunderbird 2 onto her module then heard his father's voice cut into his launch, "dad?"

"Just a moment Virgil, the doc hasn't left yet."

"But he knows us."

"I don't want you crashing into his jet."

"Crash? It's not Gordon piloting you know."

"Hey, I'm a good pilot, I'm your co-pilot for crying out loud!"

"Gordon, has your language always been this bad or is it only since I've been gone?"

"Sorry dad!"

Virgil smirked, "just let me know when it's clear, dad."

"FAB."

"It feels so good to hear you say that," Gordon grinned.

"Alright, you're clear. See you later."

"Thunderbird 2 is go," Virgil smiled and they took off.

"So what is this errand?" Gordon asked as they levelled out.

"Dad was going to visit the mainland and pick up a bottle of scotch for Scott, a birthday present, so I'm getting it for him. You're with me because I know damn well you haven't got him a present, so that's your job when we land."

"What have you got him?"

"I've got him a custom made guitar pick, it has Thunderbird 1 on one side and her colours on the other."

"That's kinda cheap."

"And a card, Kayo has gone all out for him, well I think she has."

Gordon sulked, "am I the only one?"

"Yep, Alan has already got him something too, he chipped in with John."

"Damn, alright, I'll find him something."

"Good."

Kayo sat in the middle of hers and Scott's bed wrapping his gift, she had pushed a chair up against the door so he couldn't get in and smiled, the photo of her and Scott smiled back in the crystal desk photo ball and she tucked a pendant into the box which would match one she was wearing under her top, she wrapped it all up in blue wrapping paper then slid the box under the bed hearing a knock at the door.

"Kayo, why is the door bolted shut?" More knocks, "sweetheart are you okay?"

Kayo chuckled to herself, he could break down the door if he was desperate, "I'm coming," she hopped off the bed and removed the chair, "Scotty."

Scott wrapped his arms around her, "want to hear the end of that piece?"

"By the pool? It's a lovely afternoon."

"That's up to you," he stroked her hair back over her ear before kissing her and she smiled.

"Mm okay, after you," she looked back into the room making sure the present was hidden then took his hand lacing her fingers through his.

"Do you think Scott suspects why Virgil has gone?" Grandma asked as she followed Jeff's gaze down to Scott playing the guitar for Kayo on the white sunbed.

"If he does, he won't say anything, he's always been too modest. What have birthdays been like without me?"

Grandma smiled hearing Kayo burst out laughing, "different but still lovely, your sons tricked Virgil into thinking they had forgotten his twenty second, but his mission ended up keeping him out all day anyway. Last year everyone had great days, yes we were dealing with the Chaos Crew and what have you, but an effort went in to be happy on the days."

Jeff nodded, "home parties or did you go out?"

"Scott went out on his twenty forth with Virgil, John, Kayo and Gordon to the mainland but made sure to have a party at home too so Alan could join in. They got very drunk."

Jeff chuckled, "how did they get home?"

"Alan flew over with Thunderbird 2 and picked them up, then made them all clean up the next day, Virgil wasn't happy," Grandma laughed at the memory, "are you really going to send Alan to college, son?"

Jeff looked down at Alan playing chess with John who had just come down from Thunderbird 5, "I think he would benefit going, meet some kids his own age going through their final teenage years."

"Well I disagree, he won't want to go son, he'll feel like he's missing out on missions."

"They've all gone mother."

"Not Gordon."

"He went to the academy, the others all went."

"Yes, but that was before they were in the organisation, if you send him away from his brothers he will never forgive you. That's just my insight on this."

"Hmm," Jeff crossed his arms, "I'll think about it, it's only April, college applications open in June, I'll keep an eye on his missions and go from there."

Kayo looked up at Scott resting her head across his knees, "do you want to go out tomorrow evening?"

"For my birthday?"

"Uh huh," she reached out running a hand across the white silk drapes.

"I don't know, I'd kinda like to spend it with my dad," Scott plucked the guitar strings thoughtfully.

"I meant all of us, we all go out."

Scott smirked, "no you didn't."

"Alright you got me," she laughed, "but we could pitch the idea."

"Turning twenty seven isn't a big occasion," he sighed resting his hands on the strings, "but I guess it is this year now that we're a reunited family."

Kayo nodded then closed her eyes, the chain around her neck slid up and she grabbed it, "yeah."

"Cute necklace, what's the charm?" Scott resumed playing.

"Um, nothing, just a gem, not really important," she stuffed it further down under her top then wriggled up against the back of the lounger resting her legs over Scott's, he looked at her quizzically, "don't worry about it."

"That isn't at all suspicious," he raised an eyebrow and grinned slyly at her.

"I'll show you, tomorrow."

"You intrigue me Miss Kyrano."

"And you're getting too smooth, Tracy."

Scott reached for her and cupped his hand under her chin pushing his lips to hers, she rested her hands on his legs to balance herself and snogged him back breathing through her nose, Alan supported his weight in his hands on the edge of the pool then launched himself backwards kicking hard, he grinned when he heard Scott yell.

"When I want to play twister I'll get it from the cupboard, your tongue twisters are gross to watch."

"If I didn't love this guitar, I would hit you over the head with it," Scott growled, "why do you do this to us, you don't do it to Gordon?"

"He doesn't kiss Penny in the display of others, it makes it much more pleasant."

Kayo crossed her arms, "you're such a jerk sometimes." Alan swam away unhappily and got out at the other end of the pool, "what?"

"The j word is a little strong."

"But Scott, this always happens when we kiss, someone ruins it."

"There's no-one about now," he pulled her close again and the breeze picked up above then, "urgh, now what?"

"Virgil is home," Kayo looked up as Thunderbird 2 soared overhead then turned to face her runway far below them, "kiss me until they come up here Scott."

Scott smiled and obliged pulling her into his arms happily, he traced kisses along her jawline smiling when she held the chain beneath her T-Shirt, "I won't look if you don't want me to look," he mumbled under her lips and she nodded.

"It's a surprise."

"Well that's gross," Gordon muttered as he looked down on them from the veranda.

"Gordon Cooper, leave them alone, I saw you and Lady Penelope the other day," Jeff scolded from his desk, "Virgil, did you get it?"

"I got him this, it is a nice one?"

Jeff took the bottle from him, "that'll do nicely, thank you. I'll stick a label on it."

Virgil sighed, "good. Well I think we're all ready for tomorrow, do you think Scott will want to go out?"

"We should go out anyway, steak night?"

Gordon grinned, "yes! We haven't had a good steak in ages."

Grandma pierced him with her eyes, "what was that?"

"Oh, I mean we've had great steaks so those won't be anything like as good."

Virgil chuckled as he rested his hand on Jeff's shoulder, "we'll pitch the idea to him later."

"I hate couples," Alan stormed in.

"Alan, what did you do to them?" Virgil asked with a frown.

"I didn't do anything, Kayo called me a jerk."

"Because?"

"They were kissing."

"And?" Jeff smiled at Virgil's tactical approach to getting an answer.

"I kicked water at them."

Virgil sighed, "leave them alone, that's what they wanted anyway, to be alone."

"But she's our sister and it's too weird."

Jeff chuckled, "she's not related to you son, I never officially adopted her, she just came to live with us when she was a child."

"I think it's perfectly reasonable for them to be together, she likes him and he likes her. Do you think Gordon's relationship is wrong?" Virgil asked.

Grandma shook her head, "okay that's enough of this, it's turning into the birds and the bees."

Virgil laughed, "you know best."

Jeff smiled, "that she does. Hmm, it's getting late."

"Dinner time then."

Scott and Kayo walked into the kitchen arm in arm, "is everyone upstairs?"

"Looks like it, oh wait, there's Grandma."

"Hey you two, what do you feel like eating? I've got my groove back."

Scott grinned, "well if you really have, would you like me to help you make a lasagna?"

"I would love the help, Kayo?"

"Yeah I'll stick around, anything to be with Scott."

Virgil jogged down the stairs and went into the snug area curling up into one of the curved white chairs, "what are you guys making?"

"Lasagna," Scott smiled, lining a tin with sheets of pasta.

"Great! I get the first slice," Virgil grinned back then opened his manuscript book.

"Don't you usually compose at the piano?" Kayo asked chopping up vegetables.

"Yeah but dad is talking to Alan and Gordon, I didn't want to disturb them."

"Hey Virgil," John tucked a book under his arm as he walked into the kitchen.

"Have you been out there all afternoon?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Check your face."

John's hands flew to his face as he suddenly felt hot, "oh crap," he whined earning a glare from Grandma, "how bad is it?"

"You're pretty pink."

"Noo," John moaned and ran upstairs.

"Gingers and sun," Kayo shook her head, "if he uses after sun cream now, he should be okay."

Virgil wrapped an arm around his rig cage then continued to write, "I can see your glare from here, Scott, I'm fine."

"Sure you are."

"That rescue was weeks ago, I'm still healing."

"Hmm, okay, let us know if it gets worse."

"That's a terrible idea," Virgil smirked at them, "it's smelling good."

Grandma put a couple of loaves of garlic bread into the oven, "all of this will be ready in twenty minutes, let's set the table."

Gordon ran down the stairs and Scott caught him, "arg let go!"

"Slow down, Grandma is carrying cutlery."

Grandma smiled, "thank you, Scott."

The kitchen buzzed with conversation over dinner, Jeff took one of his antibiotics and Scott smiled.

"Will they help, dad?"

"Apparently. It's better than staying in intensive care anyway. Scott, do you want to go out for your birthday tomorrow or do you have plans with Kayo?"

Gordon laughed mid drinking, almost sending fizz everywhere, "haha!"

Kayo kicked him hard, "shut up."

Scott smiled, "we don't have plans, that sounds great, where did you have in mind?"

"Steak Out in Auckland."

"Yep, I'm up for that."

Kayo nodded, "I'll make a booking later."

Alan smiled, "this is so good, Grandma."

"My food has always been good," she shrugged with a wink at Jeff.

"I almost broke a tooth on your cookies," Gordon tilted his head to the side objectively.

"Boys, don't be rude."

Virgil took another slice of bread, "what were you living on up there dad?"

"Rations and vacuum packed meals, and small portions at that. When I became stranded, I realised that I had to make the food last even longer, eight years passed for you but I lost track of time up there, it could have only been months or several years I had no inclination," he sighed, "had you not come when you did, I don't think I would've survived another day."

Gordon nodded, the imprint of seeing his father's body shape when he went for a swim the other day, so thin and empty, "it was all Braman, if we hadn't received that distress call, we wouldn't have begun the search."

"Imagine if the Chaos Crew had got him?" John said rhetorically, "had they found your call, the Hood would have covered the whole thing up."

Brains sighed, "and the M-Mechanic would still be in his power."

Jeff smiled, "but you found me instead, smashing that man's head against the door was the greatest thing I had ever done."

"I hate him but he's still my uncle," Kayo said quietly.

"Honey, you've punched him."

"Yeah but it's different when someone else does it."

"Sorry Tanusha," Jeff apologised, "I promise I won't leave this house again, but mother, I want you to take a vacation."

"What, why?"

"You've been looking after my boys and Kayo for eight years, you deserve some time to yourself."

"Jefferson, are you asking me to leave my boys behind?"

"It would do you some good."

Grandma shook her head, "they need someone here who tells them what you won't, I'm not going anywhere."

"Sorry dad, but we like her here," Scott smirked.

"And I need another woman's presence on this island to keep me sane," Kayo added with a chuckle at seeing the boys' expressions.

"Alright alright, I'm only looking out for your grandmother's health," Jeff chuckled.

The dinner plates and table was cleared and the family moved up to the sunken lounge minus Gordon who excused himself to make a call to Lady Penelope in his room, soft piano music drifted around the room as Scott played and Jeff was competing against Virgil and Alan in a game of dominoes, Kayo sat behind the piano stool in one of the loungers resting her feet up on the pouffe in front of her as she sketched absentmindedly attempting to do a Sudoku puzzle, Scott turned his head to look at her and smiled at the way she bit her lip thoughtfully, his chest tightened slightly and he suppressed a giggle trying to escape through his lips, he loved her so much, and even if his brothers didn't understand the degree of love for her, his father did, after all, he and his mother had adored each other before and after marriage, even more having five sons, the day she died Scott had seen his father's heart physically rip apart, he had been ill for a week with grief and depression. Scott closed his eyes, this is how he would feel if anything were to happen to Kayo now, he didn't know how he would cope, his eyes lingered on her and she looked up from the puzzle book, in a moment her eyes pierced into his soul and he saw everything; all the times he had rescued her, all the tears they had shared over failed missions and heartbreaks, their kisses. There was a clash as his hands hit the wrong notes on the keys and Virgil winced, his eyes darting to the piano where Scott calmly ran a hand through his hair and continued to play after clearing his throat, Kayo chuckled quietly and turned back to the puzzles, there was no denying that she had seen the same vision, but neither said a word until they were in bed together.

"I know what you saw Scott," Kayo smiled as she stared up at the man leaning over her, "I saw it too."

"That's impossible, we don't have superpowers," he muttered almost incoherently as he pressed kisses down her neck to her breasts.

"You lost yourself and you saw me, I don't know what I would do without you," she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You make me feel so alive Kayo, how do you do it? I feel like you're in my head sometimes."

Kayo shrugged as he ran his hands through her hair pulling her to his chest, "my uncle has powers, maybe I have something too. Not like a cybernetic thing, but a natural power inside," without realising it or sensing anything her eyes momentarily changed colour to match Scott's, she blinked but by the time he was looking at her face again they were normal, "how are you feeling about tomorrow?" She pinned him down on the pillow smirking as he placed his hands on her hips.

"Age is just a number."

"Hmm, there's more to this," she kissed his lips gently with a soft popping sound and he smiled.

"I guess it's more exciting now that I have my dad back," he looked over her shoulder for the alarm clock but it wasn't there, "what time is it?"

Kayo sat up, "hmm you knocked the clock over during our make out," she reached down and picked it off the floor with a laugh as he stroked her spine, "stop it," she smirked and placed it on the bedside table, "gone midnight. Oh, happy birthday my love."

Scott smiled, "you haven't called me that for a long time."

"My love," she whispered into his ear then gasped as he snatched her breath away with a kiss, she laughed joyfully then sniggered as he placed his hand over her mouth.

"Ssh the others will hear us."

"I don't care," she laughed as they rolled across the bed in each other's arms.

Scott held her hands, "Kayo."

"Umm?"

Scott sighed, "that vision, did you see us together in the future?"

"I'm not a fortune teller, Scott, but I hope we are," she laced her fingers through his as they lay facing each other in the tangled bed sheets.

"I hope so too, I want a life with you outside of the organisation," he touched his forehead to hers with a sigh, "please?"

"Are you proposing?" Kayo sat up escaping his arms and pulled her long t-shirt on.

Scott propped himself up onto an elbow, "no, I'm just thinking about the future."

Kayo smiled, "I would marry you in a heartbeat, but for now let's wait until we leave the rescue organisation, not to mention getting your birthday out of the way, which is today," she pecked him on the lips, "goodnight my chestnut."

Scott lay back down and stared up at the dark ceiling, he reached an arm out and pulled Kayo close to his bare chest, he wanted to marry her so badly but she was right, now wasn't the time in their organisation, he had just got his father back after all, with a smile he looked at the sleeping woman beside him and kissed her nose before closing his eyes.