A/NYes, It's been nearly forever since Thunderbolt got updated - selfish old me neglecting poor little Ashley for Gorgeous, Foul tempered, troubled Tara... :slaps hand: Bad Flame Faerie! You should be ashamed of yourself:ahem: Anyway, I just want to say a big thankyou to Lessa, Blank Ned, Miz Tait (or NottinghamWALES), The Peace Pixie, VickyandIsis3110, You wonderful reviewers rock my socks! (Just like Christian Grüber... except in a more... un-cartoonish sense!)
Chapter 3 – Birthday Boy
Scott paced in front of Virgil and Alan.
"Alright... Gordon's gone for a swim... we should be alright to talk..." Alan's eyebrow crept higher on his forehead.
"As you two know... It's his birthday in a few days..."
"No shit," Virgil sniggered at Alan's remark. Scott just continued on.
"and we should think about what to get him..."
"Broke..." Alan got up and left.
"Alan!" Scott reprimanded his youngest brother, who promptly replied by giving Scott the finger over his shoulder.
"ALAN!"
"Blow it out your"
"ALAN SHEPHERD TRACY!"
"What the hell's going on!" Gordon walked in, a towel wrapped around his waist, and dripping all over the tiled floor.
"Piss off Gordo, we're talking about you..." Gordon blinked, as Alan picked up a magazine and sprinted up to his room.
"What's his problem?"
Scott shrugged, shooting a glare at a laughing Virgil.
"Guess he mustn't be getting any from Tin-tin," Virgil, who was regaining his composure, lost it again. Scott glared at Gordon, and stalked off.
At the Castra household, things weren't much better.
"YOU DID WHAT!" Ashley flinched, hearing her mother hit the roof in the next room, but if she'd learnt anything in her 22 years in the household, you just let your mother run out of steam, so Ashley flicked the page over in her magazine, finding a perfume ad.
To entangle his senses – Mystery
Ashley rolled her eyes at yet again another picture of her winking sister.
In the other room, tears streamed down Becky's face.
"I posed for Playboy! They asked me, and you told me I could do one more shoot before I retired!"
"I DID NOT MEAN FOR YOU TO GO AND DO... THAT!" Amelia bellowed, glowering at her youngest daughter.
"I'm sorry mother! I was asked to do it... they wanted ME to model for them!"
"I am very disappointed in you, Rebekah Cordelia Castra... now go..." Amelia pointed a finger at the door, and her daughter rushed out, collapsing on the couch in tears. Ashley looked up from her magazine.
Feeling a rush of guilt, Ashley scooted closer to her sister, and put an arm around her shoulders.
"Ssh... Becks... It's OK... Mother'll get over it... Remember the time she found the video of (s)AINT in Aurora's room?" A smile crept through Becky's tears.
"We thought she was gonna kick her out..."
"But she didn't... she acted just the way she did now... but she and Rory patched things up..." Becky sniffed, and Ashley handed her a hankie.
"It'll be OK, Becks... don't worry..." Ashley smiled weakly at her sister, and Becky nodded.
"I hope so..."
Virgil sat next to the phone in his room, staring at the slip of paper in his hand.
Should he call?
'No...' A nagging voice said in his ear, 'She probably has forgotten all about you...'
'I doubt it... She seemed nice... and to genuinely like him...'
'She was faking it... you know she was!'
'Says you''Of course 'Says me' I just said it! You're always nice to people you've just met!'
'But she stayed with him all night, and they talked! You don't do that to someone you're pretending to like!'
'She mighta had other reasons!'
'Such as?'
'Well...'
"Shut up!" Virgil fell backwards on his bed, and slammed a pillow over his face.
"What the...?" Gordon peered into his brother's room, "I didn't say a thing!"
He kept walking to his room, and closed the door.
"My God... my brother's are acting like... weirdos..."
Virgil pulled the pillow off him, and stared at the ceiling, taking a deep breath.
Against his better judgement, he dialled the number, and placed the call.
Katrina looked up, racing over the phone, the shrill ringing echoing throughout the house.
"Hello?" she pressed the receive button.
"Umm... Hi..." Virgil took another deep breath, "Does Ashley Castra live there?"
A sly smile crept across Katrina's face.
"I'll go get her for you..." Katrina placed the call on hold, and bolted upstairs, opening the door to her sister's room.
"Ash..." she looked up from her book.
"Yeah Kat?"
"There's a guy on the phone for you... Kinda cute too... Kinda... REALLY cute..." Ashley blinked, raising an eyebrow.
"Umm... OK..." Ashley spun her light pink armchair around, and curled her legs up, brushing a few loose strands of hair from infront of her eyes, and checking the clip in her hair – that it was still holding it all up.
Katrina rolled her eyes, and turned.
"He's on Line 1..."
"Thanks Kat... Oh..." Katrina turned around, "Don't tell Aurora..." Katrina mimed zipping her lips closed, and Ashley gave her a grateful smile.
Katrina closed the door on her way out, and slipped away to her own room, turning on her TV.
"Hello?" Ashley, after deciding she was satisfied with her appearance, received the call.
"Hi... Ashley? Umm... you might not remember me... But we..."
"Hi Virgil..." she grinned.
'Ha! Told you!'
"Hey... Umm... I was just wondering if... well... you'd still like to get together for coffee sometime?"
"Sure! I'd love that! When?"
'She has the most beautiful grey eyes... they sparkDamn it Virgil! Focus!'
"Uhh... Whenever suits you..."
"How about tomorrow?"
"Sure... Tomorrow... Café De la?"
"Cool! I can't wait..."
"Cool... I'll see you tomorrow then... Umm..."
"2ish?"
"Yeah... I'd better get going..." Ashley nodded.
"I'll see you then!"
"See you..." Virgil ended the call, and took a deep breath.
"Coffee... 2ish... Tomorrow..."
He fell backwards onto his bed, and stared at the ceiling.
Ashley stared at the blank screen on the phone.
"I have a coffee date... tomorrow... at 2... even though dates are forbidden by Aurora... I'm totally dead..."
'But it's worth it... He IS kinda hot...' Ashley blushed at her own thoughts, an image of the flustered Virgil on the phone formed in her mind. His copper brown hair... Deep hazel eyes...
There was a rapping at the door, and Ashley woke from her day dream.
"Come in!" Her voice seemed higher than normal...
Katrina bounded into the room, closing the door behind her.
"Well done!" she hugged the stunned Ashley, and grinned.
"Deliberately breaking one of Aurora's rules! I'm SO proud of you!"
"I'm so dead..." Katrina shot a look at her sister, and fell onto Ashley's baby pink bedspread, smiling widely.
"Come ON Ashley! I'm proud of you! And besides! It means I'm not the ONLY one dating behind her back!"
"B...But..." Ashley stuttered, Katrina not hearing her sister's mutter.
"I'll help you get ready for your date tomorrow..."
Ashley swallowed deeply.
"It's not really a date..." Katrina looked sceptical.
"Is too... Coffee and Café De La... My first date with Eddie was at De La..."
"That doesn't mean I'm dating him..." Ashley stated plainly, despite her sister rolling her eyes.
"Mmm hmm... Right... Whatever Ashley... What-EVER,"
"Scott..." Virgil knocked lightly on his brother's door, and was ushered in.
"What's up Virgil?"
"I need advice..." he sat down on the edge of Scott's bed, and the eldest Tracy turned around his desk chair, facing his brother.
"Alright... About anything in particular?"
Virgil took a deep breath.
"Women," Scott pursed his lips, and nodded.
"I need to know... if you're going to meet a girl for coffee..." Scott snorted, "Do you need to bring something for her? If it's coffee... JUST coffee..."
Scott sighed.
"Just coffee? Then... cash... you're buying..."
Virgil nodded.
"Thanks Scott..."
"No problemo Virg... but... if I may ask... WHO exactly are you taking out for Coffee?"
"A girl I met..."
"No duh," Virgil glared at him.
The next morning, Ashley awoke to Katrina rummaging through her wardrobe, throwing a few items on a chair.
"What the hell are you doing?" Ashley sleepily rubbed her eyes, and waited for them to come into focus.
"I'm helping you out!" Katrina grinned, and continued her mission.
"What the...?"
Katrina sighed, and turned around.
"I'm finding you an outfit for today!" Ashley sat up.
"Why are you making such a big deal over coffee?"
"Cuz... It's the oldest excuse in the book – Coffee Date..."
Ashley rolled her eyes.
"You're reading wa-ay too much into this Kat..."
When 1:15 rolled around, Ashley peered around the corner of her door, announcing to herself the coast was clear from Aurora.
'I am So dead if she catches me...'
Katrina ushered her down the stairs, and Ashley sprinted down, glancing sideways at Becky, who was keeping Aurora occupied. Amelia was asleep in her room, thanks to the few vallium Katrina had slipped into her lunch.
Smiling gratefully and Becky, Ashley slipped into her car, and stepped on the accelerator, switching to sea mode, and crossing back to the coast.
Ashley let out a sigh, only hoping Becky and Katrina could cover for her long enough.
Virgil had been waiting 10 minutes when Ashley finally showed up.
"Hey... Sorry I'm a bit late..." She blushed, and took the seat opposite from Virgil, "But it was pretty hard to get out of my house..."
"It's alright..." Virgil smiled, and the two fell into an awkward silence.
"Are 'oo ready 'o order?" Virgil jumped at the waitress' voice.
"Uhh... I'll just get a cup of coffee... Irish..."
"And 'or te lady?"
"A vanilla Latte thanks..." Ashley flashed a smile and the waitress, who promptly left.
"It was nice seeing you again..." Ashley smiled, and Virgil finished off the last of his coffee.
"It was..."
"Do you want to get together again sometime? Like... maybe for dinner?" Ashley felt a red creep into her cheeks as Virgil looked up, surprised.
"You mean... like a date?"
"Well..." Ashley tried to hide her embarrassment, "It doesn't have to be... I understand if..."
"I don't mind..." He grinned, and Ashley let out a sigh of relief.
"Good... So... uhh... I'll call you?"
'Damn Ashley... you sound like a schoolgirl...'
"OK..." Virgil stood, Ashley quickly following suit.
"I'd better get going..." Virgil ran his fingers through his hair, "It's my brother's birthday in a few days... I've gotta get him something..."
Ashley nodded knowingly.
"Yeah... I know what that's like..." Virgil smiled.
"I'll talk to you soon..." Ashley grinned back, waving, and walking off in the other direction.
Virgil stood and watched her leave.
The morning of Gordon's birthday finally arrived, and Alan was given the job of waking his brother.
"Hey Gordon! Get out of bed you fat slob!" Scott groaned from downstairs.
"Not exactly the nicest way to be woken up on your birthday..."
"Piss off!" came the gruff reply.
"But you"
"A-hem-hem-hem," Alan rolled his eyes and walked downstairs.
A few hours later when Gordon did decided to get up, he trudged down to his brothers, making no reply to any comment they made.
He made a bee-line straight for the kitchen, and swung the pantry door open, withdrawing a bag of Doritos.
"Gordon!" Virgil chided, gulping down the last of his water, "Doritos... for BREAKFAST!"
Gordon took a seat at the table.
"Blow it out your ass, Virgil..."
"Gordon! Why I outta..."
"A-hem-hem-hem!" Virgil fell quiet.
"I'm sorry... I forgot..."
Later that evening, all 4 Tracy sons, and Jeff took a seat in the lounge room, switching on the Television.
Scott flicked through the guide and smiled.
"Oh! What about Bob! That's my favourite film! Let's all watch that!" There was a murmur of agreement between the brothers... everyone except Gordon.
"Hmm... I don't think so... Let's watch Shaft!" Scott scoffed.
"No way! You're out numbered!" there was a chorus of "Yeahs" and Gordon smirked.
"Birthday Boy..." The room fell silent.
Alan bit his lip.
"Did he just say..."
"You heard me... Birthday Boy..." Alan huffed.
"Damn! He's got us over a barrel!"
"But you don't even LIKE Shaft!" Virgil groaned.
"True..."
"You don't even want to watch it, do you?"
"Not particularly..."
Scott sighed.
"But you are..."
"The Birthday boy..." Jeff groaned in defeat.
"Hand him the remote..."
"And the chair, bro! Chop, Chop!"
"Oy! Why don't you..." Scott objected, but Gordon just held up his hand.
"Mmm... Birthday Boy..." he chuckled a little as his brothers murmured in anger.
"That is called abusing his Birthday right..." Alan pouted, crossing his arms.
After the video incident, The boys all sat down to a family meal, Gordon seeming to loose his cocky big-headed behaviour.
"Happy Birthday Gordo..." Virgil scuffed his hair, placing the present down infront of the red-head.
Gordon looked up, and grinned widely.
"Thanks Virg... and Alan... and Scottie..." Scott glared, getting up and moving towards Gordon, his hands oustretched as if to strangle him.
Gordon just held his chin up, and proudly declared:
"Mmm... Birthday Boy!"
A/N The Whole Birthday Boy sketch was from a Martin/Malloy skit... Sorry if you didn't like my Tracy take on it, but the real one is really funny, and I could totally see Gordon doing it!
Anyway, Again - thanks to my reviewers, and You all know what to do:winks:
The Faerie