Chapter 18: Confession

"Come on Christine just one more set" encouraged Tin-Tin.

It's been two weeks since Christine woke up and she has been going through rigorous exercises to get her muscles strengthened again, so Tin-Tin has been helping Christine with her exercises and the two were currently in the Tracy weight room.

With the Tracys having to be physically fit for their careers they had to have their own weight room with every piece of equipment available to stay in shape due to the nearest one being several hundred miles away.

"I can't do it Tin-Tin" gasped Christine working on the leg press.

"Of course you can. It's just five more reps, now come on!" she ordered.

Christine grunted as she finished the set. While setting the safety bars back in place she said "God you're grueling"

"I know, I guess that's what I get for growing up with five 'brothers'" she smiled.

"I know what you mean" said Christine grabbing for her crutches. The rest of Christine's body was back to peak performance it was just her injured leg that was taking its time to heal.

"Now it's time to cool down, let's go to the pool" said Tin-Tin.

Christine rolled her eyes and smiled at Tin-Tin's relentlessness. She went to her room and changed into her black bikini. She also slipped into a pair of black and gray feminine knee length swim trunks overtop of the swimsuit, very self-conscious of the scar running along the side of her left leg from her mid thigh to knee. When she came out, Tin-Tin was already in the pool floating on an air mattress waving to her that the coast was clear of any Tracy brothers.

When the brothers were in the pool while Christine was trying to do some exercises it always ended with rough-housing resulting in Christine's knee being a little bit sorer the next day. Today the girls were safe with the boys working on their Thunderbirds or some Tracy Industries paperwork, thanks to Jeff.

Christine slowly slipped into the shallow end of the pool and started immediately on her exercises. After ten minutes of silence, Tin-Tin finally decided to speak.

"Are you okay Christine? You seem to be kind of distracted lately" She thought about how much Christine's been drawing away from the Tracys and isolating herself since waking up.

"Yeah, I'm okay…I just have a lot of stuff on my mind" she answered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Tin-Tin, glancing over top of her sunglasses.

"No, it's nothing important. I just can't wait to get better and get back to rescues" said Christine rather quickly.

"Okay but if you want to talk I'm here for you" said Tin-Tin letting Christine's lie slip under her radar this time.

"Thanks Tin-Tin" she smiled back.

Twenty minutes later Gordon, Alan, Virgil, and Scott jumped in the pool flipping Tin-Tin off her mattress. Not to Christine's surprise Tin-Tin enacted her revenge quickly and the rough-housing began, this being Christine's cue to get out and work on her tan for awhile.

She started climbing up the stairs in the shallow end and slipped. She hit the stairs with her full weight on her bad leg and screamed in pain clutching it. She started to struggle to get up when a strong grip formed around her arm helping her up. She turned to see it was Scott and company in the shallow end.

"Are you okay?" he asked worried reflecting in his eyes.

"I'm fine" she said a little too curtly grabbing the handrail to get up.

Scott looked at the others and nodded for them to return to playing around. He turned his attention back to Christine "Here, let me help you"

"I said I'm fine Scott! I don't need to be treated like a baby" she said annoyed.

"Look, I'll I'm trying to do is help you out, but if you don't need anyone then that's fine" he replied just as curtly and turned around to join everyone else leaving Christine behind.

Christine managed to get out of the pool on her own and left, leaving the very confused younger Tracys behind.

"What was that about?" asked Alan before getting dunked by Tin-Tin.

"She said that she has a lot of stuff on her mind. My guess is that she's getting frustrated with not helping out with the rescues" replied Tin-Tin when Alan came back to the surface and they continued with the dunking until dinner.

When they were at the table, Christine was nowhere to be found. Jeff sat down and looked where Christine should be and looked at everyone puzzled.

"Where's Christine?" he asked.

"I thought I saw her walking towards the beach a little while ago" answered Gordon before digging into his mashed potatoes.

Jeff called Christine's com-link with his, but there was no answer. "She must have turned it off, I'll go get her"

Scott bolted to his feet before his father "You sit down and eat dad, I'll go get her" and he left the table to search for Christine.

Scott went to the beach and followed her tracks all the way down to where they ended at some large boulders that overlooked the ocean and the setting sun. He saw Christine sitting on the rocks clad in jeans and a sweatshirt. She was hugging their good knee and had her injured one dangling over the side. He began climbing towards her taking a glance at her crutches that were resting in the sand at the foot of the boulders and wondered how she was able to climb with her bad leg. As he approached her she spoke.

"Whoever it is go away" she said sadly.

He stood up behind her and said "Well that's not going to happen" He sat down beside her and was surprised by how depressed she looked. He saw that her eyes were red from crying and noticed that she had dark circles under them from lack of sleep.

"I just want to be left alone" she said resting her forehead on her knee wishing that he would go away.

"I bet you do, but I'm here because you need to talk to someone" he said "So…you going to tell me what's going on with you?"

"There's nothing going on Scott I'm fine"

Scott sighed, now understanding how his brothers feel when they try to get him to talk "Christine you're not fine. You look like you've been crying for God knows how long and you've been becoming distant with the family especially me and I don't know about you but it's getting old and boring"

Christine looked at Scott, her vibrant green eyes burning with anger, sadness, and guilt. Tears were starting to well up in her eyes "Well I'm sorry you feel that way" she said hurt and turned away to look at the ocean.

Scott sighed again in frustration and decided for another approach "Christine I know that you haven't been sleeping" he said quietly "Don't forget our rooms are right beside each other and I can hear you just as much as you can hear me"

Christine looked at Scott, her eyes softening for a second then consumed by the hard gaze once more "I have know idea what you're talking about"

"I understand what you're going through Christine, but…"

Her eyes blazed with more fury than he has ever seen before "No, you don't know Scott!" she yelled. "You weren't helpless when the Hood tried to make you kill your closest thing to a family! You weren't helpless when the Hood broke open your deepest darkest fear that you were to blame for killing the person that you love's mother! And you weren't the one who lost his entire family and couldn't do a damn thing to stop it! So no Scott you have no idea what I'm going through!" she started to sob in her hands letting all of her pent up emotions finally show.

Scott sat there in utter shock looking at a mere shadow of the woman he loves. "Christine look at me" he said calmly tilting her chin up so she would be looking right in his eyes. His heart broke seeing her eyes darkened with so much grief "I knew that you blamed yourself for my mother's death since you woke up from your coma, but you have to believe me that my father and brothers have never blamed you for her death and I would rather shoot myself in the foot than ever, ever, blame you. It was an accident and you should never feel like it was your fault"

Christine looked into his eyes, while tears constantly streamed down her face, and saw that there was nothing but truth about what he said. "I'm so sorry for being selfish" she sobbed.

"Christine you're not being selfish, you just went through a traumatizing experience and you're not going to be fine right after" he said and pulled her into a tight embrace not wanting to let go.

After several minutes Christine's sobs died down and Scott looked down to see that she had fallen asleep. He was taken aback by how fragile and vulnerable she looked in his arms rather than the headstrong and independent woman she always appears to be in front of everyone. He gathered her up in his arms and started for the house remembering to grab her crutches on the way.

When he made it to the house the stars were beginning to come out in the night sky. He walked into the living room and was greeted by the worried gazes of Alan, Tin-Tin, Virgil, and Gordon. He nodded at them, silently telling them that everything was all right, and left to take Christine to her room. After tucking her into her bed he left to retire for the evening in his room.

Later on that night Scott was startled from his sleep by a scream. He knew that scream and burst into Christine's room. He saw Christine sitting up in her bed covered in a sheen of sweat and shaking. He rushed over to her and sat beside her seeing that she appeared to be staring off into space.

"Christine?" he said placing his hand on her shoulder.

She snapped back into reality and looked into his eyes with her fearful ones "S…Scott?"

He nodded and she pulled him into a tight hug and started to cry.

"What happened?" he asked wrapping his arms around her.

"I just had a bad dream" she replied shakily "I'm okay now"

"Are you sure?" he asked pulling away so he could see right into their eyes.

"Yeah…" she said quietly "But can you stay until I fall back to sleep? I just don't want to be alone"

"Sure" he answered seeing that she was still shaking.

She pulled back her covers and he crawled in her bed covering them both back up. Christine cuddled up to Scott as he slipped his arms around her. Soon they were both asleep not noticing the watchful eyes of Alan, Gordon and Virgil.

"Finally" whispered Alan.

"I know" said Gordon and Virgil.

Someone cleared their throat rather loudly making the three young men jump. They turned around to a sleepy Jeff Tracy with his arms crossed his chest. The brothers pointed at one another not wanting to get the blame.

"You three are worse than a bunch of girls" chuckled Jeff "Now off to bed"

"Yes dad" they quietly said slowly walking back to their rooms.

Jeff just smiled and shook his head at his retreating sons. He turned to go back to bed, but his curiosity got the best of him and he looked inside at the two sleeping figures. His smile broadened and he returned to his room for the remainder of the night.

Christine woke up very early in the morning to hear rain hitting the windows and thunder booming outside. She went to move when she realized that there was a pair of muscular arms wrapped around her. She slowly rolled over and saw Scott quietly snoring and smiled at how young and innocent he looked when asleep.

Christine carefully slid out of bed trying not to disturb Scott and limped to the washroom to shower and change for the day. When she finished she saw that Scott was still sleeping, so she gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek and grabbed something out of her closet that she hasn't touched since she returned home. She slung the object over her shoulder, grabbed her crutches and went downstairs to not disturb the rest of the sleeping household.

Scott woke up to flash of lightning and a crash of thunder. He looked outside to see a tropical storm raining down on the island. "Oh great" he mumbled quietly looking out the window seeing that the storm went as far as the horizon. Falling back into the pillows he sighed always hating the miserable weather. He wanted to go back to sleep, but something was nagging for him to stay awake. Then the memories of last night flooded back and he sat up noticing that Christine wasn't with him.

Scott jumped out of bed and went to check around the house searching for Christine. He started to panic playing the worst case scenarios through his mind remembering how upset she was the night before. While running down the hallway he slowly became aware of music coming from the living room.

There's something about the way you look tonight
There's something about the way that
I can't take my eyes off you
There's something about the way your lips invite
Maybe it's the way that
I get nervous when you're around
And I want you to be mine
If you need a reason why

It's in the way that you move me
And the way that you tease me
The way that I want you tonight

It's in the way that you hold me
And the way that you know me
When I can't find the right words to say
You feel it in the way

Scott stopped in his tracks listening to the words softly floating through the house. He walked into the living room seeing Christine sitting against the wall staring out the window at the storm quietly strumming an acoustic guitar and softly singing.

There's something about how you stay on my mind
There's something about the way that
I whisper your name when I'm asleep
Maybe it's the look you get in your eyes
Ohhh baby it's the way that
It makes me feel to see you smile
And the reasons they may change
But what I'm feeling stays the same


It's in the way that you move me
And the way that you tease me
The way that I want you tonight
It's in the way that you hold me
And the way that you know me
When I can't find the right words to say
You feel it in the way

Christine poured all of her emotions into the song wanting to tell Scott how much she loved him, but too scared. She was afraid that he would not feel the same way and even reject her entirely.

I can't put my fingers on
Just what it is that makes me love you
So don't ask me to decided
I get all choked up inside
Just thinkin' about the way


It's in the way that you move me
And the way that you tease me
The way that I want you tonight
It's in the way that you hold me
And the way that you know me
When I can't find the right words to say
You feel it in the way

Scott slowly started walking towards her being drawn to the music and forgetting about everything around him and the reason he came rushing into the living room.

There's something about the way
You look tonight
There's nothing more to say than
I feel it in the way

Christine placed her guitar on the floor and limped towards the window watching the rain fall on the ground. She leaned up against the wall sighing heavily and pinched the brow of her nose staring at the ground, looking like the entire world was on her shoulders.

"I should tell him today" she said quietly to herself. She turned around to leave and jumped seeing that Scott was standing behind her clad in his blue plaid pajama pants and his hair sticking up everywhere. If she wasn't so worried she might have laughed at his appearance. "Scott! I…umm…sorry I woke you…I…uhhh"

"Who do you have to talk to?" blurted Scott not fully awake.

"Well I…I have to talk to you actually" she stammered thinking that it's too early in the morning to be having a serious conversation.

"Is something wrong?"

"No!... No, nothing's wrong. I just want to apologize to you…you know…for the way I have been behaving the past couple of weeks…and I want to thank you"

"Thank me for what?"

"When the Hood was controlling me…I was trying to fight him with all my strength, but he was too powerful. Then I heard your voice and it gave me more strength than I could ever have to break his will…and I'm grateful"

"Christine there's no need to thank me, you're family and I would do anything for you…even more" he said mumbling the latter under his breath.

Christine nodded holding back her tears and went for her crutches to leave, but Scott stopped her by placing his hand on her arm. "Christine…I…" he started, wondering why he was having a hard time telling her about how he felt now. It seemed so easy when she was in a coma and even controlled by the Hood, but now that she was here right in front of him he couldn't muster the courage.

"It's okay Scott. It's a little too early in the morning, we can talk about this later" she said starting for the weight room.

"That's it" Scott mumbled to himself and grabbed Christine's arm spinning her around and stared right into her eyes. "I love you Christine" he said and their lips met.

When they broke away, Scott was expecting to get a slap in the face. Instead Christine looked at him surprised for a moment trying to comprehend what just happened and then she wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, but more passionately. He wrapped his arms around her waist wishing that the moment could go on forever.

When they slowly broke apart, Scott saw that Christine's eyes appeared to have their sparkle that had been missing for far too long. He lifted her off her feet and carried her back up to her room their lips never parting.

When Christine woke up for the second time that day, she saw that the storm was pouring down even harder than before. She looked over at her clock seeing that it was nine in the morning. Groaning she rolled back over and gently kissed Scott "Time to get up lazy bones" she said quietly.

"Just five more minutes" he mumbled snuggling into her shoulder.

She giggled "No, we both have to get up or everyone will start getting worried"

Sighing he sat up rubbing his eyes and running his hands through his hair "Okay" he whined making Christine laugh.

She threw his boxer shorts to him as she wrapped her housecoat around herself limping towards the shower once again. Before stepping into the washroom, Scott tiptoed up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist kissing the back of her neck, sending tingles through her body.

"I'll see you at breakfast" he whispered into her ear and left for the door.

"Scott Tracy you are such a tease" she laughed and he poked his head back in her room and smiled leaving her shaking her head and laughing.

When she finished her shower and changed she noticed that her crutches weren't in her room. Then she remembered that they were downstairs in the living room "Crap, well I guess I need to walk on my own sometime" and slowly walked out of her room.

Christine walked halfway down the hallway and stopped to rest for a second catching her breath. She couldn't believe how long and how hard it was taking her to walk to the living room, but she was impressed that she got as far as she did. When she was about to start again she was swept off her feet…literally.

"Need a ride?" winked Scott.

Christine laughed "You have to stop doing that; my heart can't handle you constantly sweeping me off my feet"

Scott and Christine entered the living room laughing to see everyone sitting down for breakfast. Alan and Gordon stopped in mid bite looking at them quizzically. Christine and Scott looked at each other and laughed again at how ridiculous they must look.

"I forgot my crutches downstairs" she said smiling as Scott placed her down to stand so she could get into one of the empty chairs.

"I talked to John this morning and he said this storm is going to go on for two days" said Jeff trying to distracted the others from asking Scott and Christine anymore questions.

"Oh man, I just finished fixing my dirt bike" said Alan "I was hoping to take it out today"

"Oh well, sprout" said Gordon taking a glance outside at the raging storm. "Hey we could bring out the Xbox and have a game tournament"

Scott groaned "Gordon aren't you a little old to be playing video games?"

"Hey, I recall someone…who was it again?" asked Virgil looking at Alan.

"Scott" coughed Alan.

"Oh yeah, Scott played Halo for an entire weekend when it rained last time" smiled Virgil making everyone laugh as Scott blushed.

"Christine, have you ever played Halo?" asked Alan.

"Oh no, I haven't had a lot of time to play video games lately" she answered.

"Well you can join us and we'll go easy on you" smiled Gordon.

"Sure" said Christine.

After breakfast finished up, Gordon pulled out two Xbox systems and hooked them up to two separate televisions as Scott, Christine, Virgil, Alan, Tin-Tin, and Fermat settled down on the couch and chairs. Gordon then tossed seven controllers out to the group.

Alan was explaining what buttons controlled what on the controller and then explained what game they were going to be playing. Christine listened to him intently and when Alan wasn't looking she winked at Tin-Tin and Fermat, telling them she had something up her sleeve.

Tin-Tin stifled a laugh while Fermat just grinned, both not being able to wait to see how the day was going to progress.

When the game began, they had to decide on teams. After a little while of discussing, it was decided that the teams were Alan and Gordon; Scott and Virgil; and Fermat, Tin-Tin and Christine. They also decided the game was going to be the first team to reach 20 kills was the winner.

After a half an hour of game play the score was, Alan and Gordon with 10 kills; Scott and Virgil with 10 kills; and Fermat, Tin-Tin and Christine with 5. The main competitors in the game were of course Alan, Gordon, Virgil, and Scott while Tin-Tin, Fermat and Christine just ran around the game board completely lost.

Alan and Gordon were beginning to get cocky farther into the game and it was slowly getting on everyone's nerves. Christine saw this and then looked at Tin-Tin and Fermat smiling evilly. They smiled back and that's when Christine started to really play.

An hour later, the game was finally over. Tin-Tin, Fermat, and Christine were doing a victory dance in front of the others and laughing giving each other high fives. The Tracy brothers were just sitting there in shock that they were beaten in their favourite game.

"But, I thought you said that you haven't played Halo before" said Alan looked at Christine.

"I didn't say that" said Christine "You asked me if I played the game before and I said that I haven't played it lately"

Alan sat there playing through his mind the conversation at breakfast earlier and then smack his forehead with the palm of his hand in realization.

"How did you get so good?" asked Gordon.

"In the officers' mess at the base I stayed at there was an Xbox system hooked up to a little television. We couldn't get any reception on the television, so all we did was play Halo because that was the only game we had. We even had a tournament and I was given the honourable title of 'Halo Champion'" she said standing up straight with her hands on her hips in pride.

Everyone laughed and they got up to stretch their legs and grab something to eat. As they were walking away Scott jokingly said "Would you like to join us for a snack or are you to good to hang around with us average gamers" and took a deep bow.

"Aren't you cute" she said and jabbed him in the ribs making him laugh. "Oh is someone ticklish?" she asked poking him in the ribs repeatedly making him laugh harder. He then turned around and poked her in the ribs making her laugh just as hard.

"I see someone's ticklish in the same spot"

"No please don't" she said and he started poking her on both sides. "What…do I have to…do to…make you…stop?" she pleaded in between bursts of laughter.

"Kiss me" he said.

"You never have to ask me for that" she smiled and kissed him wrapping her arms around his waist.

Unbeknownst to them, Jeff Tracy stood at the top of the stairs watching. He smiled now knowing that everything was going to be alright. He then saw Christine tickle Scott in the ribs and hurried off as fast as she could laughing with him running right after her smiling.

THE END

Author Notes: Thank you so much for all of the reviews. I'm going to have their engagement in another story, sorry wuhahahah (evil laugh).
I do not own Microsoft or any of its affiliates. The song is "The Way" by Clay Aiken, now I'm not really a Clay Aiken fan, but I thought this song suited them so well. Thanx again!