Santa asks request: Decorating and old decorations. I hope you enjoy it! Second chapter to the Fluffember 2021. This is wrapped and loaded.

Virgil walked into the lounge holding a large box and put it down gently onto the centre of the table. "There are four more boxes if anyone would like to help? Hint, hint."

Gordon yawned stretching out across one of the sofas. "You're the heavy lifter, Virgil, you can manage."

Scott rolled his eyes as he got to his feet, and as he walked past, he yanked Gordon's feet off the cushion pulling him off the sofa. "Come on lazy bones, that's one box each."

"Thanks," Virgil grinned. "Besides, they're Christmas decorations, you love those."

Gordon rubbed his behind after falling onto it. "I like putting them up, not getting them down."

Kayo opened the box Virgil had brought down and smiled at a shoebox inside labelled; aged baubles. These were the baubles that usually lined the lower branches of the tree instead of taking centre stage at the top. There were ones from primary school as well as re-painted ones, courtesy of Virgil who had once decided the old colour was boring, and others decorated with fish and stars.

Virgil grabbed the base of the tree and the first attachment. "Scott, could you manage the next two sections?"

"Sure, Virgil. Gordon, is that box okay?"

"Yep, I've got it. How has Alan managed to miss this?"

"He's on a mission with John."

"Come on then. We should have the tree up by the time they get back," Virgil pushed the door open with his back then held it open for his siblings to pass through.

"How come we couldn't get a real tree this year?" Gordon asked, leading the way back to the lounge.

"We ran out of time, I don't think we've ever had such a busy December before," Scott said sadly. "But it's okay, this one looks real enough."

Virgil nodded. "Not to mention we don't have to worry about sweeping away pine needles this year."

Scott laughed. "Oh yeah! Those drove Grandma mad last year."

Kayo smiled as the brothers returned. "I found the old baubles. They're going onto the tree right?"

"Of course, I never get tired of seeing Alan's star one," Virgil smirked. "Where do we want the tree to go, here?"

"That's in the way of your chute," Scott frowned. "I think it should go behind the piano, in the gap."

"FAB."

Kayo smiled. "We'll leave you to it, Virgil," she got out a bundle of lights. "Can someone help me untangle these please?"

Brains entered the lounge with Max. "That time of year again?"

Gordon nodded opening the box he had brought in. "Yep. Oh, can I borrow Max to help hang this tinsel on the balcony?"

Max beeped and Brains frowned. "You will do it, Max, it's not that hard."

Gordon laughed. "I know how he feels."

Kayo smiled. "Do you remember when Alan wanted to be a Christmas tree?"

Scott chuckled as he undid a knot in the lights. "He managed it pretty well until he got stuck in the lights."

"Yeah, Grandma was worried he would get electrocuted."

Virgil glanced at the piano stool and then at Scott. "Scott, I need your height."

"Coming," he put down the lights and jogged up the steps. "Short-stack."

Virgil scowled. "That's uncalled for."

Scott smiled. "I'm only messing with you," he slotted the top of the tree into the middle section. "All yours. Let us know when you need the first set of lights."

"Now would be good," he walked down into the sunken ring and took out another shoebox with a chuckle. "Awh, we've had these since we were kids." He took out a string of lanterns.

Jeff entered the lounge and spotted Virgil holding the lights. "Those were your mother's favourites."

Virgil smiled. "Do you want to put them on, Dad?"

"Thank you, son," he smiled back and walked up to the tree. "What baubles have you decided on?"

Kayo held up the box. "The classics."

"And the newer ones," Scott plugged in a set of lights and began to trail them under the portraits ready to hang up above. "Does this look okay, guys?"

Gordon nodded looking down at him. "Yeah, that looks great, Scott!"

Virgil hunted through the boxes and brought out a small reindeer made of sticks. "I made this with mum."

Kayo smiled, taking out the angel that they put on the top of the tree. "That's so cute, Virgil."

"She taught me how to bind the twigs together," he took it over to the piano and placed it onto the lid. "Do you think it should be on top or underneath?"

Jeff hummed thoughtfully looking over. "It looks fine on top."

Gordon shook his head. "No, I think it should be next to the stool."

"Like this?" Virgil asked, putting it down. "Or here?"

"Hmm, there. Yeah, that's better."

"Thanks, Gordo."

"No problem, Virgie."

Jeff chuckled at his sons' banter. "Kayo, could you bring up that gold tinsel, please? We can put it on the tree."

"Coming right up."

Gordon reached into the box and brought out a framed photo with a gasp. "Wow, this was so long ago."

Jeff walked down into the ring and smiled tenderly at the photo. "Alan's first Christmas," he remarked fondly wrapping an arm around Gordon's shoulders.

Virgil smiled. "Nice hat, Scott."

"That was my favourite Santa hat, it only fits Alan now."

Kayo looked over Virgil's arm down at the photo. "Your mother looks so pretty, Scott."

Jeff chuckled. "She always loved getting dressed up at Christmas."

"Do you want this on your desk, Dad?" Gordon asked.

"Yes please, son."

"If you look closely, Kayo, you can also see the same baubles we're currently hanging on the tree. They're over twenty years old."

"Well, mine is," Scott smiled. "I'm the oldest out of you lot."

Thunderbird 3 returned to Earth in the evening, and both Alan and John were exhausted. They got changed in their rooms and then made their way sleepily to the lounge in conversation about the mission. Alan pushed the door open still talking, then gasped as he took in the sight ahead.

"They decorated!" John grinned. "It looks amazing."

Jeff stepped into the lounge. "But we left the last bits for you."

Alan smiled. "Thanks, Dad." He took the star that had been left out off the table as John hung up the last bauble. "Where is everyone?"

Jeff shrugged. "Once they were done, they all left the lounge."

Alan nodded, disappointed. "Oh. Well, let's get this up there."

As Alan's back was turned, the others snuck into the lounge from where they had been hiding on the stairs down to the kitchen and John smirked at them after Scott pressed his finger to his lips.

"There," Alan nodded at the star and climbed back down off the stepladder. He turned and his family cried out.

"Merry Christmas!"

Alan laughed. "Hey!"

Scott grinned at the star. "Nice job, Alan. It looks great."

"How long have we had this?"

Jeff smiled. "It was a present I gave to your mother before you were even born, Scott. I think it was a first-anniversary present. It's the oldest thing in this room, well Christmas themed anyway."

"The oldest title goes to Scott," Gordon winked making the others laugh, but Scott scowled.

"Very funny, boys," Jeff shook his head. "But now it is time to go to bed, we'll continue with the Christmas celebrations tomorrow. When Grandma returns from the mainland in the morning, this will be a lovely surprise for her."