Disclaimer: I don't own the Thunderbirds, the most excellent Gerry Anderson does. Please enjoy, the only character I own is the one of Melissa Tracy. Mouse, October 2002.

The Importance of Family

By Mouse.

Then…

"Come on John, its just a little bit further." He looked up from monitoring the distance left to go. "Scott say's it's about another half a metre."

"Ok Virgil. I'm almost through." The noise from the laser rock cutters was almost deafening but they continued on, pushing themselves and their machines harder and harder to try and get to the trapped family.

A few hours before hand Alan had called down from the station saying the emergency beacon had been activated on a remote underground mining station in outback Australia. It had taken local rescue people over an hour to reach the site only to find it had all caved in and they didn't have the equipment needed to rescue the trapped geologists. So they had called International Rescue, as their hopes for the safety of the three people trapped started to fade. Scott, Virgil and John had left immediately, taking the drilling equipment including The Mole. But when Scott arrived he found the ground too unstable and too risky to use the Mole. So they had to cut their way in using laser cutters. It had taken them a grueling three hours; Scott keeping them updated on their progress from the monitors on the surface.

Just then they broke through and turned the cutters off. The quietness was broken by the cries a child. John looked at Virgil in shock, they weren't told a child was down here, and then he was through the hole first. One glance around was all he needed to find her. She looked no more than four years old, dark curly hair and had bad cut on her arm. Virgil went over to the parents and sighed. He looked up at his older brother and shook his head slowly. It looked like the girders had crushed the father immediately and injured the mother severely. She was draped over the emergency panel. She must have just had enough strength left to activate the emergency beacon before she died. John wrapped a bandage around the little girl's arm and she looked up at him. He wiped away her tears and picked her up easily. She was trembling and clung to him, sobbing.

"What's your name little one?"

"Melissa. Mummy and Daddy?" The question was asked in a way that John felt she already knew the answer, but just needed it confirmed by someone else. It broke his heart to have to say what he had to next. His voice was soft, full of sorrow.

"I'm sorry little one. They've gone to sleep for a long time. They've gone to live with all the Angels in heaven." The girl started crying again and buried herself in his arms. Virgil looked at his brother, sorrow on his face as he recognized the words his brother spoke. They were the very same ones John had used to explain to the two youngest Tracey brothers – Gordon and Allan – that there mother was dead. It wasn't an easy task then and it wasn't easy now.

"You get her out of here. I'll radio Scott to help with the rest."

"Okay." Slowly, as not to disturb her too much, John left the disaster site, all the while the girl clung to him, crying softly. He came out of the tunnel they had dug about ten minutes later to find Scott waiting for him, his expression as sad as Virgil's.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He nodded at the little girl in his arms. "I'm going to have her looked at by the paramedics. Will you be right with Virgil finishing up?"

"Yeah. The one time International Rescue has failed." Scott's voice was despondent and John reached out and clasped his brother's arm. He knew that tone, and knew he had to head that line of thought off before it took hold.

"We didn't fail Scott. They were already gone as soon as it happened. As near as I can figure, her mother lasted just long enough to activate the beacon. We couldn't have done anything even if we'd been standing right here on site. The only thing we could do was rescuing this poor little thing. Are you sure you'll be okay."

"Sure, go on. Get her looked at."

He nodded and walked over to the waiting police and paramedics. The little girl clung to him like she didn't ever want to let go.

"It's okay Melissa, there just going to have a look at your arm and make the pain go away okay?" She whimpered but let him put her on the trolley. The paramedics started to have a look at her, being very gentle with her. The policeman pulled John slightly away, but still in sight of Melissa. He lowered his voice, sadness in his tone. He had been the first on the scene and the one to call them in.

"Her parents?" John sighed and looked at him, sorrow in his blue eyes.

"There was no hope for them. They were killed almost instantly. As far as we can tell, her mother lived just long enough to activate the beacon. You did the right thing calling us in." The policeman sighed and looked down at his notes, dreading his duty that day.

"Hmm. That poor little girl." John looked at him, curious.

"What's going to happen to her now?" The policeman shrugged.

"She'll go into the system I suppose. I checked the family history, no living relatives so once she's better she'll be taken to an orphanage." Just then the paramedic came over, his face sad as well. By now, what had happened had gone through the rescue area and an aura of sadness prevailed.

"I thought you'd like to know. She's got a deep laceration on her arm; it's going to require stitches. We're taking her to the nearest hospital as she's also in shock. Other than that, she's fine." John looked over at the little girl and made a quick decision. One that could cause problems downs the track but he didn't care. He just couldn't let the poor thing go into a heartless system to be shoved from pillar to post. Normally the most quiet and thoughtful of all the brothers, he wasn't one to make snap decisions, but something inside him insisted he do what he decided to do. He looked at the paramedic, his voice firm and resolved.

"I'm coming with you. Give me a moment to get out of uniform." He whirled and took off at a jog to Thunderbird two. The policeman looked at the paramedic and then realized what the man planned to do. His heart lifted, relieved that the girl wasn't just going to be another nameless, faceless orphan in a system that was over worked and under funded. He also knew what he had to do to protect them and her privacy.

"When you get to the hospital, make sure no one knows who he is okay? These people requested privacy and we're going to give it to them." The paramedic nodded, but his expression was slightly confused.

"Why are you asking me to do that? I'll have to tell them who he is."

"I've seen that look in men's faces before. That child is going to be very lucky and end up with a loving family if I'm no mistake." The paramedic suddenly smiled in understanding.

"The doctors are still going to want to know." The policeman frowned and then grinned.

"Doctors are bound by confidentiality, so tell the one looking after her but no-one else. I have the feeling that little girl is going to be with that family for a long time."

"Okay, I can live with that." And he was glad, as he was like the policeman; he didn't want to see her placed in the system either.

John quickly finished pulling on his civilian clothes, a pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt. He had only stopped long enough to make sure he had his watch and wallet with money and ID in it. He was running down the ramp of Thunderbird two when his two brothers confronted him. They didn't look happy but he didn't care, this was something that he just had to do, he'd have to make them understand that. The policeman had filled them in with John's plans when they had brought the bodies out.

"John, just what do you think your doing?" Scott asked. He was seeing a side of his eldest brother that he'd never seen before. A determined look came across John's face and Virgil sighed, he'd seen that look before and new what was coming.

"Scott, I'm going to the hospital with that little girl. She's got no one and will end up an orphan if we don't do something about it." Scott glanced at Virgil, the same thought on both their minds. Virgil bit the bullet and stated the obvious, reluctantly.

"John. We rescue people from dangerous situations. We don't do this. We can't risk blowing our secret." John stared at his brother, his blue eyes flashing.

"That's where you're wrong Virgil! This little girl is going to end up in some god awful institution and I'm not going to let that happen!" Before the two brothers could stop him, he stalked away from his brothers and went over to the ambulance. Nodding to the police officer he climbed in the back of it and smiled at Melissa. His last sight of Scott and Virgil were them raising their hands to wave goodbye, giving their approval, finally. He just hoped he was doing the right thing. He looked over and saw the little girl looking at him. He smiled at her, taking her hand gently in his.

"It's okay Melissa. I'm not going to leave you."

Now…

"Hand me that socket wrench will you please Uncle Gordon?" A grimy hand stuck itself out, waiting for the aforementioned tool. It was soon put in and the hand disappeared.

"Sure Melissa. I really appreciate you giving me a hand with this." Gordon smiled across the hood at the young woman.

"No worries. This car is a classic and the opportunity to work on it is too good to pass up. Besides, I've got do something to keep busy." He laughed and looked at the young woman working with him.

They were working on Alan's old racing car, trying to restore it back to it's classic state so that Alan could enter it in a vintage car rally in the States in a few weeks time. They were doing it to surprise the youngest of the Tracey brothers, as he had stated the other day he would most likely have to pull out, as he didn't think he'd have time to restore it once he returned from his tour on Thunderbird 5. Out of the corner of his eye he studied the young woman helping him and he remembered how she had come to join the family. Fifteen years ago his older brother John had defied the whole family to adopt Melissa. He recalled with a wry smile the huge argument his father and John had when John had returned to Tracey Island with her for the first time. They had settled her down in John's room and she had soon fallen asleep under Tin-tin's watchful gaze. John had then faced his father and the rest of his family. The normally quiet and reserved Tracey had stood up to the entire family – even threatening to leave International Rescue so that she could stay with him, before his father had finally relented. Gordon recalled with a smile that it was the most intense and interesting argument he had ever heard, made all the more weird by the fact they were speaking softly, so as not to wake Melissa. Once he had his father's approval, John had then raised her as his own daughter. He took her to the station when he was working there, and soon she came to love the emptiness and beauty of space like her father and he delighted in teaching her about astronomy and slowly but surely she won her way into the hearts of the entire Tracey family.

The day of her official adoption by John when she was five and a half, the whole family, including Jeff Tracey, had gone to the Australian Family Court to witness it. So for a few hours on one day International Rescue had taken some time off for itself for a change. Luckily nothing had happened and the day had passed quietly in the world. The only person unable to attend was Alan, but the youngest of the Tracey's didn't mind, he was genuinely pleased for his oldest brother.

As Melissa got older, she had professed an interest in geology as well as astronomy. So when the time came for her to leave for school she had decided to major in geology at a university in Australia, but still keep up her astronomical studies and now was a published author along side her father in his latest book. They had worked for about a year on it and she was so pleased when he insisted her name join his on the cover. She had quickly crammed eight years of intense study for her two majors into three, with Brains as your personal tutor you were bound to learn stuff quickly and she had graduated a year ago with a double doctorate as a Geological Engineer and Medical Doctor. She was now working part time on a degree of Astronomy, like her father already had. She had then spent eighteen months at the tender age of eighteen working in the harsh copper mines of Western Australia, and the desert Tin Mines of the Northern Territory of Australia, refining her skills as a geologist and helping out the local doctors when she could. And now, at the age of twenty, she was home to stay. Wanting to join the family business as she jokingly called it.

Melissa looked up to find Gordon watching her and she grinned at him. She was now tall and lithe like her father. Her hair was still an unruly mop of naturally curly black hair and her bright green eyes sparkled with suppressed mirth. The years spent in Australia studying and working had left her with an even tan and an Australian accent, which she had carried over from her early childhood in Australia. She nudged Gordon with her elbow.

"Hello! Uncle Gordon! Wakey, wakey sunshine!" Gordon stirred and then gave her a sheepish grin.

"Sorry about that Melissa, I was just doing some thinking." This caused her to grin even wider.

"Thought I could smell something burning." She joked and he responded by sticking his tongue out at her. Besides giving her an accent, her time in Australia had also given her the Australian sense of humor, and the Tracey family often found themselves being the butt of some joke or remark or other from her. It certainly made living around here interesting.

"You'll keep."

"You've been saying that ever since I joined this family Uncle Gordon. I've yet to see you pull that one out of your hat." They both laughed at the shared joke and looked up as the sound of Thunderbird Three coming in for a landing interrupted them. Melissa's face lit up and she sprang to her feet. She carefully wiped her hands and straightened herself up. She glanced anxiously at Gordon.

"Do I look okay?" Gordon grinned at how suddenly self-conscious she was feeling. She hadn't seen John for almost a year, so it was natural she was anxious he supposed.

"Your fine Melissa. He's your father, he wouldn't care if you were covered in mud and dancing the tango." She laughed and took off towards the hanger.

"Thanks Uncle Gordon! I'll see you later!" He returned her wave and with a soft chuckle turned back to his work.

Thunderbird Three docked with John's usual care and precision. It was his turn to get some time on the ground, Alan having taking his place on the station for the next month. Sighing at how tired he was feeling due to having staying up all night fixing the malfunctioning gravity unit with Alan's help; he had decided to return to Earth now, instead of later, wanting to make the most of what felt like to him, shorter and shorter stints on the ground. He grabbed his bag of clothes and headed to the airlock. He opened it and walked out, glancing around automatically to make sure all the auto-systems were working. Refueling hoses reached out, battery recharges slid into their sockets and all was well. He reached the walkway and headed for the lift but stopped short when the doors opened and out flew Melissa.

"Dad!" She ran along the walkway and flew into his arms, hugging him hard. She buried her head into his shoulder as she had done ever since that day she had came into his life.

"Hello little one. How are you?" John hugged her back hard, so glad she was here in person. The most he had been expecting was another phone call from some remote outpost in Australia. Melissa looked at him and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm good Dad but you look terrible. What happened?" She took his bag from his hands and slinging her arm around his waist, led him towards the lift.

"Gravity was playing up. Alan and I were up all night fixing it. But I'm home now. Hang on, I thought you were still at the Tin mine?" She shrugged as the doors closed on them.

"My contract was up and I decided to come home to stay. I missed everyone too much, since I've barely been home the last five years with work and study. So, I came home and decided I want to join the family business. I want to be out there, with you all, helping you all out." John frowned, a father's worry coming to the fore immediately.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea Melissa. It's not the safest thing in the world we do you know."

"I know Dad. I know."

Silence descended in the lift and John mentally cursed himself for bringing up bad memories. Luckily, Melissa didn't remember much about the accident. She only remembered an explosion, darkness and then they had come. And her life had gotten better after that.

"I'm sorry Melissa, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." She squeezed him gently and he got a shock at how strong her arms felt. His little girl was defiantly growing up.

"It's okay Dad. I know you didn't." The doors opened and they walked out into the house. John headed to his room to put away his gear and change into some fresh clothes. Melissa leaned against the doorframe and watched him, smiling gently. She knew her father would be a tough sell on her idea, but once he was won over to her side, he would help her persuade grandfather.

"You know father, I think I'd be a good asset to International Rescue. I'm a fully qualified medical doctor, I have practiced and everything so I do know what I'm doing. I could make the difference on some of our rescue's between life and death – getting medical attention immediately instead of later." John sighed and came out of his bathroom, pulling a clean T-shirt over his head. He looked at his daughter and smiled gently at her. She had a point; there had been times over the years that he had wished that he knew more about medicine than he did. Smiling slightly he knew a lost cause when he heard it.

"Alright, you've convinced me. Now you just have to convince Father."

"Oh Dad! Thank you!" She ran across the room and hugged him hard. He returned the hug and smiled at her, kissing her head. How he loved this young woman in his arms as if she was his own flesh and blood.

"Do you know how proud I am of you? And how much I love you?" Melissa blushed and looked at him.

"I know Dad. And I love you to." He hugged her again, hard. After a few moments, he let her go.

"Come on, let's go see Father. I'm sure he's just going to love to hear your suggestion."

Tbc.