Of course this isn't the end, guys! Trust me, I'll let you know when the
end is near. I still have quite a few little tricks up my sleeve. *wink*
And thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews. You guys rock!
Angelina
++++++++++
Whoever designed the cupboards in Thunderbird Five was obviously much taller than me. I presently stand on the very tips of my toes, trying to find a box of cereal that hasn't been left open and gone stale. The radio is blaring my favourite song in the background and I hum along as I leaf through the contents of the various shelves in the kitchen.
The Tracy brothers love teasing me about jumping from song to song so fast, particularly when Dangerous Game was popular and they joked about my supposed crush on Cass Carnaby. Little did they know, I was too keen on their youngest sibling to even think of another man. Of course, once that came to light, we were both the victims of their relentless wits.
Over the drone of the song, I do not hear Alan enter the kitchen. It is only when he pulls me away from the cupboards, his hands sliding around my waist, that I know he's in the room. Before I can even breathe or try to get out of his hold, I'm up against the counter and his lips are on mine.
And I explode.
"Alan!" I cry, pushing him roughly away. "What are you doing?" I cross my arms over my chest and looked at him with wide eyes.
Of all the things I didn't expect to see on his face, the confusion he displays is at the top of the list. My expression softens as I realize we hadn't reached as much of an understanding as I'd thought. He tilts his head to the side, trying to puzzle everything out. "I was kissing you. Like I always do before breakfast in the morning."
"Oh, Alan," I murmur quietly, "I thought we talked about this."
"We did, Tin-Tin." He looks at me closely, his eyes seeming to drain of emotion even more as the seconds pass. "Are you telling me we're over?"
"Did you not understand that before?" I snap, immediately diminishing the angry tone before I continue. "You told Virgil you were single again, and in your room. . .I thought we were on the same page."
"You didn't squirm when I hugged you. You fell asleep. People only sleep when they feel comfortable and safe. I took that as a sign that you still loved me." Alan glances at me, his look slightly smug. "I bet you wouldn't do the same with Virgil."
"I have!" I blurt out before I can stop myself. I feel my ears burn as his face hardens beneath the shadows of exhaustion.
"I can't believe you, Tin-Tin. How could you do such a thing to me?"
"What about your comment to your brother?" I brush off his previous statement, though his words cut me like a knife. How could I do such a thing to the man I loved? I couldn't even answer the question myself.
"I told Virgil I was single again so you could let him down easy, face to face, when you went back to the island," Alan tells me, his expression losing all traces of spirit.
I swallow hard. Can't he see how hard he's making this for me? "I'm with Virgil now." I pause for a moment, willing myself not to break down into tears again. The pain etched on his features is almost too great to bear. "I'm sorry."
His eyes come to life, gleaming like coals under a dying fire. "I thought I meant more to you than that. I thought history was important to you. Think of everything we've been through. Are you telling me Virgil means so much to you that you can drop me as if I don't matter?"
"You do matter, Alan!" I exclaim. "But Virgil does too."
"And you're willing to sacrifice everything we've shared for him?"
I try to keep my trembling lips steady as I lower my gaze to the floor and nod.
"Get out," he growls.
My head snaps up and I look at him. I've never heard him speak like this before, and his snarl is terrifying. His eyes glint dangerously as he watches me, standing as if ready for a fight. I push myself against the counter, holding the ledge so firmly my knuckles go white.
"What are you still doing here? I said, get out!" Alan barks. For a split second, it's as if he's been possessed by something wicked, something that has taken over his body and turned his voice into the bloodcurdling rumble of a wolf.
"I can't, Alan."
"Call John and tell him I want you gone by lunchtime." He turns on his heel and leaves the kitchen.
+++
I fold up the cot and carry it to the closet, stumbling under its weight and nearly slamming myself repeatedly into the walls of the slender hallway. Alan is in his room and I know he can hear me struggling, but makes no move to help. Maybe it's for the best - I am holding a huge cot with metal legs, after all, and I wouldn't want to be blamed if one of those legs happened to thump him in the stomach.
I finish stuffing the thing in the closet and return to the main room. I take up Alan's position in the chair facing the control panel and look intently out the window at the stars beyond. Every hour is night in the space station, and even when you roll out of bed, there are stars surrounding you. I stare at them longingly, wishing my problems were as simple as whether I should shine bright or dull in the dark blanket covering the universe.
The faint sounds of the clamps connecting Thunderbird Three to the space station echo through the satellite and I shiver in relief. Though my problem is not solved, I am able to return to Earth and leave Alan and his anger behind. I don't want to be on the receiving end of acts caused by that fuming side of him any longer.
I glance up as John enters the space station and smile jadedly. His crisp uniform glows under the intense lights as the airlock shuts behind him and he steps forward.
"Where's Alan?" He asks.
"In his room," I reply, standing up and hooking my tiny bag over my shoulder. "Are you ready to go?"
He looks at me sympathetically. "I know you're in a hurry, Tin-Tin. I'll meet you in the ship."
I nod and leave him alone in the focal room of Thunderbird Five, retreating out into the garnet craft locked securely in place on the other side of the airlock. I don't even peek over my shoulder as I close the door and settle back in the passenger seat, my suitcase held tightly on my lap.
"Hi, Tin-Tin."
The voice startles me and I look around until my eyes fall on Scott, huddled over the control panel. I'm not quite sure what he's doing, but it looks as though he has his hand on the lever to direct the clamps.
To be honest, I'm surprised he's even talking to me. "Hello, Scott."
The conversation that never began ends there and I let out a deep sigh. The door of the cockpit opens, interrupting my rapidly drifting thoughts. I blink in disbelief, seeing two blond figures fighting against each other for who is going through the door.
Alan wrestles against John as his older brother forces him into the ship and the door is instantly closed, thanks to Scott at the control panel. Alan turns and looks at him, shocked and filled with rage all at the same time. Before he can speak, the screen in front of me clicks on and I find myself looking at John.
"You have two choices, Alan," He says in a no-nonsense manner. "You either return to base without protest or let Scott take the controls. The doors are locked, and the clamps are loosening as we speak. You cannot get out, so sit down and shut up."
I almost applaud John's sudden change of attitude. He has taken control and he doesn't plan on giving it up any time soon. Alan has no other option but to listen to him. He sits down, lips pursed in irritation, and glares at his brother.
"You are going to sort this entire thing out with Virgil, and with Tin-Tin, and I am going to take your place two weeks early." It is not a declaration to be argued with and I watch in awe as John continues. "Any questions?"
Alan shakes his head and John nods to Scott. "Clamps retracted, airlock closed. You are clear for departure." He says routinely, checking the panel beneath the screen.
Scott's fingers fly over the controls and Thunderbird Three begins to shudder its way out of the docking bay.
Angelina
++++++++++
Whoever designed the cupboards in Thunderbird Five was obviously much taller than me. I presently stand on the very tips of my toes, trying to find a box of cereal that hasn't been left open and gone stale. The radio is blaring my favourite song in the background and I hum along as I leaf through the contents of the various shelves in the kitchen.
The Tracy brothers love teasing me about jumping from song to song so fast, particularly when Dangerous Game was popular and they joked about my supposed crush on Cass Carnaby. Little did they know, I was too keen on their youngest sibling to even think of another man. Of course, once that came to light, we were both the victims of their relentless wits.
Over the drone of the song, I do not hear Alan enter the kitchen. It is only when he pulls me away from the cupboards, his hands sliding around my waist, that I know he's in the room. Before I can even breathe or try to get out of his hold, I'm up against the counter and his lips are on mine.
And I explode.
"Alan!" I cry, pushing him roughly away. "What are you doing?" I cross my arms over my chest and looked at him with wide eyes.
Of all the things I didn't expect to see on his face, the confusion he displays is at the top of the list. My expression softens as I realize we hadn't reached as much of an understanding as I'd thought. He tilts his head to the side, trying to puzzle everything out. "I was kissing you. Like I always do before breakfast in the morning."
"Oh, Alan," I murmur quietly, "I thought we talked about this."
"We did, Tin-Tin." He looks at me closely, his eyes seeming to drain of emotion even more as the seconds pass. "Are you telling me we're over?"
"Did you not understand that before?" I snap, immediately diminishing the angry tone before I continue. "You told Virgil you were single again, and in your room. . .I thought we were on the same page."
"You didn't squirm when I hugged you. You fell asleep. People only sleep when they feel comfortable and safe. I took that as a sign that you still loved me." Alan glances at me, his look slightly smug. "I bet you wouldn't do the same with Virgil."
"I have!" I blurt out before I can stop myself. I feel my ears burn as his face hardens beneath the shadows of exhaustion.
"I can't believe you, Tin-Tin. How could you do such a thing to me?"
"What about your comment to your brother?" I brush off his previous statement, though his words cut me like a knife. How could I do such a thing to the man I loved? I couldn't even answer the question myself.
"I told Virgil I was single again so you could let him down easy, face to face, when you went back to the island," Alan tells me, his expression losing all traces of spirit.
I swallow hard. Can't he see how hard he's making this for me? "I'm with Virgil now." I pause for a moment, willing myself not to break down into tears again. The pain etched on his features is almost too great to bear. "I'm sorry."
His eyes come to life, gleaming like coals under a dying fire. "I thought I meant more to you than that. I thought history was important to you. Think of everything we've been through. Are you telling me Virgil means so much to you that you can drop me as if I don't matter?"
"You do matter, Alan!" I exclaim. "But Virgil does too."
"And you're willing to sacrifice everything we've shared for him?"
I try to keep my trembling lips steady as I lower my gaze to the floor and nod.
"Get out," he growls.
My head snaps up and I look at him. I've never heard him speak like this before, and his snarl is terrifying. His eyes glint dangerously as he watches me, standing as if ready for a fight. I push myself against the counter, holding the ledge so firmly my knuckles go white.
"What are you still doing here? I said, get out!" Alan barks. For a split second, it's as if he's been possessed by something wicked, something that has taken over his body and turned his voice into the bloodcurdling rumble of a wolf.
"I can't, Alan."
"Call John and tell him I want you gone by lunchtime." He turns on his heel and leaves the kitchen.
+++
I fold up the cot and carry it to the closet, stumbling under its weight and nearly slamming myself repeatedly into the walls of the slender hallway. Alan is in his room and I know he can hear me struggling, but makes no move to help. Maybe it's for the best - I am holding a huge cot with metal legs, after all, and I wouldn't want to be blamed if one of those legs happened to thump him in the stomach.
I finish stuffing the thing in the closet and return to the main room. I take up Alan's position in the chair facing the control panel and look intently out the window at the stars beyond. Every hour is night in the space station, and even when you roll out of bed, there are stars surrounding you. I stare at them longingly, wishing my problems were as simple as whether I should shine bright or dull in the dark blanket covering the universe.
The faint sounds of the clamps connecting Thunderbird Three to the space station echo through the satellite and I shiver in relief. Though my problem is not solved, I am able to return to Earth and leave Alan and his anger behind. I don't want to be on the receiving end of acts caused by that fuming side of him any longer.
I glance up as John enters the space station and smile jadedly. His crisp uniform glows under the intense lights as the airlock shuts behind him and he steps forward.
"Where's Alan?" He asks.
"In his room," I reply, standing up and hooking my tiny bag over my shoulder. "Are you ready to go?"
He looks at me sympathetically. "I know you're in a hurry, Tin-Tin. I'll meet you in the ship."
I nod and leave him alone in the focal room of Thunderbird Five, retreating out into the garnet craft locked securely in place on the other side of the airlock. I don't even peek over my shoulder as I close the door and settle back in the passenger seat, my suitcase held tightly on my lap.
"Hi, Tin-Tin."
The voice startles me and I look around until my eyes fall on Scott, huddled over the control panel. I'm not quite sure what he's doing, but it looks as though he has his hand on the lever to direct the clamps.
To be honest, I'm surprised he's even talking to me. "Hello, Scott."
The conversation that never began ends there and I let out a deep sigh. The door of the cockpit opens, interrupting my rapidly drifting thoughts. I blink in disbelief, seeing two blond figures fighting against each other for who is going through the door.
Alan wrestles against John as his older brother forces him into the ship and the door is instantly closed, thanks to Scott at the control panel. Alan turns and looks at him, shocked and filled with rage all at the same time. Before he can speak, the screen in front of me clicks on and I find myself looking at John.
"You have two choices, Alan," He says in a no-nonsense manner. "You either return to base without protest or let Scott take the controls. The doors are locked, and the clamps are loosening as we speak. You cannot get out, so sit down and shut up."
I almost applaud John's sudden change of attitude. He has taken control and he doesn't plan on giving it up any time soon. Alan has no other option but to listen to him. He sits down, lips pursed in irritation, and glares at his brother.
"You are going to sort this entire thing out with Virgil, and with Tin-Tin, and I am going to take your place two weeks early." It is not a declaration to be argued with and I watch in awe as John continues. "Any questions?"
Alan shakes his head and John nods to Scott. "Clamps retracted, airlock closed. You are clear for departure." He says routinely, checking the panel beneath the screen.
Scott's fingers fly over the controls and Thunderbird Three begins to shudder its way out of the docking bay.