Oh yeah, and Kim, I agree, John is also the most overlooked, but at least he gets into almost every episode! But John and Gordon are my fav characters anyhow. ^_^ Then Virgil second. Anyhoo! Next chappy here now!
CHAPTER ONE: A Little Gordon Angst And A Holiday Is Decided.
"ALAN!!! ALAAAAAN!!! I need to-"
Gordon Tracy gulped and blushed furiously, his eyes widening. Alan and Tin Tin stared back, equally embarrassed. Tin Tin squeaked something, then Alan roared and threw a shoe at him. Gordon hurriedly ducked out, shutting the door to Alan's room behind him. In a kind of daze, he walked up the hall into the main room. Scott looked up as he entered. He instantly knew what had happened and shook his head, brown eyes twinkling with repressed mirth.
"Gordon, don't you know by now to always knock first?" he said with a laugh and a wiggle of his finger. Virgil, sitting at the piano, quickly took in the sight of Gordon's red face.
"You should know that by now, silly," he said, playing a sing-song tune. Gordon blushed redder, if possible. It only needed his father's baritone chuckle to make the situation completely unbearable- and there it goes. Gordon shook his head and, mustering up the shreds of his dignity, he stalked out of the house and out onto the beach, followed by the laughter of his brothers. He sighed and looked out across he sea. Aaaah, the sea. You can always rely on the sea. It's always there, ever drifting. The tides always go in and out.
Gripped with a sudden urge to run and run and run, Gordon took off across the beach and out along the jetty. He jumped into the speed boat and cast off, quickly opening the throttle and splashing out across the ocean. He threw forward the accelerator, pushing the boat faster and faster. The wind whipped through his hair, pushing it back and around his head. He loved the feeling of going fast like that. Sometimes he felt like he was going so fast he could take off and soar upwards, riding the ocean thermals. Maybe he'd crash and die. Then his brothers would be sorry.
'But then,' he thought wryly, 'I'm only Gordon. The fall boy. The joker in the pack. The family oddball. That's me.'
He glanced back in time to see the island drop over the horizon. It was only then that he let the accelerator go and turned the boat, sending a crystal arch of water glistening in his wake. Finally it stopped. Gordon dropped the anchor and pulled off his shirt and shoes, leaving on the boardshorts he'd already been wearing. Taking a deep breath he dived into the water, propelling himself down and down, so deep, until his lungs felt like they'd burst. Then he let himself shoot up like a cork from a bottle.
"Silly Gordon. Childish Gordon. Why is the child me?" Gordon shouted at a passing gull, who ignored him. "Even Alan gets treated more adult than me! If Virgil needs a second man, who goes? Alan! Why not me? I'm supposed to! I can do everything he does! Instead I'm left behind to comfort Grandma. Phsh. But for our age, we could be the other way around!" Gordon vented his anger by punching holes in the water, then diving again.
'What it would be like, to stay down here. Being without a care. At least I'd be surrounded by the things I love. Most of them anyway.' He turned on his back and surveyed the surface of the water. The sunlight dappled above him, casting beautiful and intricate shadows on him. He felt like he was suspended in time. 'Maybe this is what death is like.' He lazily floated up to the surface, in no hurry this time. He swam and dived until he grew tired, then climbed aboard the boat.
"What's for eats?" he wondered aloud. He went into the cabin and opened a cupboard, and happily found it to contain edible food.
"Good ol' Tin Tin!" Gordon sighed and sat on the bow of the boat, eating tinned pears and watching the sun go down. Then he went for a last swim and started the boat up again. All the strength seemed to drain from his limbs and he let the boat go slowly this time, watching the island rise up with the sun behind it. Carefully he manouvered the craft into the dock and jumped off the edge into the water, carrying his clothes with him. He trudged up the beach and up the steps to the sliding doors, just as the sun dipped into the ocean. He was met by Grandma Tracy, her brow creased with worry.
"Where have you been, Gordon, you're soaked!"
"I'm okay Grandma."
"You're getting the carpet wet!"
"It'll dry Grandma."
"Gordon-"
SLAM. Gordon disappeared into his room, missing the bewildered look his older relative shot at Tin Tin, who sat near Jeff's desk, typing. Tin Tin stood.
"Alright, Mrs Tracy, I'll find out what's wrong with him." She stood and went and politely knocked on his door.
"Come in." His voice was soft. She entered quietly and was greeted with the sight of him standing by his window, looking out to sea as the stars winked into the night sky, one by one. He hadn't made any effort to dress or dry, just dumping his clothes on the floor. His room wasn't exactly clean, but it was his, and that's the way he liked it.
"Gordon, what's the matter?If it's about this morning-" Gordon cut her off with a shake of his head that sent droplets flying onto the glass from his hair.
"Yes and no Tin Tin, but it's not just that," he sighed. A rivulet of water ran down his clean-shaven chest- shaving being a habit he'd got into as a swimmer and never really got out of.
"Then what is it Gordon?" Tin Tin asked, all concern and care.
"Can I ask you a personal question?" Gordon replied after a pause.
"Of course, go ahead!"
"What is it you see in Alan?" Tin Tin was a little surprised by that question, but endeavoured to answer it.
"Well, he's sweet, and funny, and handsome, and- oh I don't know! He's just Alan, and I like him! He's a little kid sometimes, so I can take care of him, and sometimes he's the adult and it's the other way around," she replied with a slight blush.
"Where as I'm the child all the time," murmured Gordon, resting his head against the window. Then, seemingly coming to a conclusion, he turned abruptly and pulled a towel out of his drawer, and began to dry himself off. Tin Tin backed out quietly, a puzzled frown on her face. Whatever did he mean by that?
"Tin Tin," called a voice softly. She turned and saw Alan watching and waiting, a seductive look on his face. But she shook her head.
"Not now, Alan. I need to think." She headed out into the living room, leaving Alan speechless. Virgil looked up from his book as she came in.
"Did my ears decieve me, or did you just turn Alan down?" he asked, slightly surprised. Tin Tin shrugged.
"So? I can if I want." She was about to pass through to her room, when she paused and turned back. "Virgil."
"Mmm?"
"You and Gordon are pretty close, aren't you? Closer than Scott and Gordon, or Alan and Gordon, right?"
"I don't know if I'd agree, but go on."
"If Gordon said to you something along the lines of him being a child all the time, how would you..." she paused for the right word, "...interpret that?" Virgil frowned.
"I don't know. Is that what he said?"
"Yes. I don't know what he meant."
"Huh. Don't worry, I'll see what I can do, okay?"
"Thanks." Virgil rose and walked to Gordon's door and knocked. Gordon himself opened it, bundled up in his duvet and pyjamas, looking pretty tired. Virgil could guess by the look on his face that he'd been swimming all day and had exhausted himself.
"So, Gordon, how's it going?" he asked, all friendly.
"Fine," Gordon mumbled back. "What can I help you with and don't beat about the bush."
If Virgil was surprised by Gordon's abrupt manner, he successfully concealed it.
"Tin Tin said something about you saying something about being childish. I was just wondering what that was about."
"Oh." Gordon looked slightly thoughtful. "I meant what I said."
"Why?"
"Why yourself! Why is the water wet? Why are the leaves green? They just are! That's the way it is. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm tired." And with that he shut the door and headed into bed. Virgil's eyes widened.
"Gordon? That's not a sufficient explanation. But I'll leave you for now." He shook his head and went out back to the lounge. "Father?" Jeff Tracy looked up from his desk, eyebrows raised slightly in query.
"Yes, Virgil?"
"Dad, I was thinking, maybe Gordon needs a holiday out of here. He's always cooped up and having to endure us, maybe he needs some air? He seems a little stuck." Virgil shrugged. Jeff looked thoughtful.
"Really? Alright then. A holiday it is. He hasn't had one in a while, it's about time he did." And with a nod, Jeff settled the matter. "We'll tell him in the morning."