AN – I don't own anything. Thoughts are in italic.
Chapter two - Behind blue eyes

It always seemed odd for John when he walked in his space uniform to his bedroom, it just didn't feel right. The polished floorboards here and there creaked under his weight, a fair difference from an underweight ten year old that used to run and slide over them as Scott would be running after him to kick his ass.

A small grin escaped his lips from the memory.

John opened the door to his bedroom, dropping his bags outside. Pulling up his right leg he quickly discarded his boot and sock, changing to hop onto the bare foot to remove his other boot and sock.

The feeling of carpet under his skin felt like heaven and he closed his eyes. The fibre soothed his feet as no soft sock or cool floor could. This was luxury, no metal and no cold flooring. John reached over to retrieve his bag and closed the door with a soft click. He turned fully and looked around the room. Things had changed. For a moment he thought he was imaging it but on closer examination it seemed true.

John walked over to one of the light wooden bedside tables by the double bed. Why was there a picture of Tin Tin in his room? John frowned. He turned his head and looked at the same furniture that had always been in his room but now had the mark of someone else all over it. John walked to a chair that sat by a light pine wooden desk. The chair was strewn with grubby and creased clothes. To start the pile; a type of skate boarding shirt with dark flames and a pair of dirty underpants with the phrase 'sex god' written on. John cringed and looked to the desk where his little trinkets had been removed. A CD collection was scattered out ranging from a Limp Bizket album to Christina Aguilera to some band John didn't have a clue about. His beloved computer that had seen him through editions of Encarta now had its screen filled with posits.

Alan. Not only does the little shit skive from his duties on Thunderbird five, the little bastard has nicked my room!

John could feel his blood starting to boil and instinctively he clenched his jaw, eyeing all of Alan's positions that were suffocating his clean, if a little boring, room.

Leaving his bags, John walked bare foot to find someone to give him some answers. The floor winced as he strode with a purpose, his brow frowned and his eyes intense.

The calming walls now were useless to project peace within John as he made his way to his father's office.

John walked in to find it vacant. After waiting a second to see if he may hear his fathers bold voice, he marched to the control panel and made a call.
Alan winced as he saw the light flash and the call coming through. The television screen blinked to life with the face of his brother John who didn't look too pleased.

The first thing that Alan could think to be a plan was to dive to the floor, out of sight.

"I know you're there Alan you idiot I just saw you Christ sake!" The tone of his brother didn't sound too happy in Alan's opinion.

Maybe I can wait this one out or maybe there can be an emergency so I can send him away! A cheeky grin appeared on his tanned features, his eyes darting around in anticipation through a mop of messy blonde hair.

After thirty seconds on the floor, Rambo style, Alan crept up on his knees to the monitor screen, emitting a tiny scream when he saw his brother still there, arms folded.

"Alan you've got three seconds before-" John was cut off as Alan sat in his chair and faced his brother.

"Or what? You gonna kick my ass? Because I'm a long way away you know!" Alan sniggered after his words, half because of what he said and half to see the look John had on his face, one of pure fury. "Anyway gotta take a slash and I don't want to talk to you if I'm honest John but I do hope you'll enjoy your new room, courtesy of yours truly. Oh, have a nice day now!" Alan had to laugh as John narrowed his eyes and spoke the first letter of a very bad word. Alan quickly cut the link to the video call and took a deep breath. Suddenly Thunderbird five seemed like a nice place to maybe spend the rest of his life, that was of course only if Tin Tin could join him. A dreamy smile of pride sprang onto his features at the very thought of her before he lost the smile, thinking how far he was from her. I hate thunderbird five!
John stroked a hand across the top of his head and down to his neck before grabbing the white waves at the nape of his neck. That little brother of his infuriated the hell out of him and at this moment of time, he couldn't do anything about it. If he told his father, he would just tell him to grow up. John wasn't much of a stand down as people thought he was or at least what he thought he was which was very different. His father never believed John could take anything. Sure there had been times when he was younger that he had been bullied, made fun of because he was all brain and not brawn at the time. John had since learnt that being clever wasn't enough to keep you safe. He recounted the times when people would be cruel to him because of how neatly he'd like to dress or the way they expected money from him because his father had heaps to burn. If his father had known about it he would have called him a pussy and John didn't need his father to call him on top of what he already did. He would have rather come home with bruises to prove to his father he wasn't like a whimpish girl, to prove he could rough and tumble, even though he'd get told off for having them. It was a price to pay to be labelled a 'trouble maker' at school, to lose the faith of some teachers who thought him to be a timid angel. They never knew it was because of his father that he took less of an interest in studies just to try and fit it, to try and be cool. None of his other brothers had problems in school, they were jocks, they were popular and were admired for one reason or another. The decision in lacking studies had back fired though and Jeff Tracy was un-amused with his son's grades causing spring break to be grounded to his bedroom. That one spring break never left his mind and so he went back to studying in his room, back to John Tracy - the swot. A small sigh escaped his lips and he removed the hand that held his hair in a comforting grip to run it over his mouth and jaw, deciding he should get round to having a shave soon.

Leaving the office, John walked back to his now confirmed old room and picked up his things and walked to Alan's smaller room where he presumed he'd be sleeping.

The room smelt of a typical boys room even though Alan probably hadn't slept in the room for over maybe four months. John now decided that maybe Tin Tin had something to do with the changing of rooms. It really wasn't a place to bring a girl back to a single bed covered with a race car duvet.

John dumped his stuff and opened the small ugly wardrobe that was covered in old stickers from bubble gum, Christmas crackers and merchandise labels.

There wasn't much in it, but a small amount of his clothes were hanging.

Someone must have felt guilty.

John took one of his bags and lifted it to the bed unzipping it. He lifted out a bag that had some of his toiletries in. An aftershave, tooth brush, tooth paste, a facial wash, body wash, moisturiser. Why on earth he took an aftershave up to space was beyond him, who was he trying to impress? A couple more things were emptied out onto the bed, brush, floss, condoms. John mentally slapped himself. If only. The thought of the things lead John to think about his own private belongings hidden in his domain, including the adjoining bathroom he once had. He rolled his eyes as all hope of finding stuff was probably now up in Thunderbird five.

John let a frustrated moan out his throat before taking an inspection of the room to hopefully find some clean underwear. He grabbed his things and made his way to one of the family's bathrooms.

Twenty two minutes later a fresher John Tracy emerged with damp hair wearing a fitted washed green colour T-shirt and blue Levis, nothing special, just comfortable clothes. His sock less feet were enclosed in his favourite deck shoes; a dark tan colour which always caused a look from his brothers that had said 'sad' or 'your dressing too old'. It was true when your father had a dozen expensive pairs to his name.

The atmosphere of the tropical outdoor surroundings made John smile. The sun was not blazing but bright as it was coming to its end of the day. The sky a beautiful shade of blue, orange and pink.

Only Gordon and Virgil were in the pool, seeing who could drown each other and Tin Tin, if you counted her legs hanging over into the warm water. Her face looked grim as if Alan was never coming home. John caught her gaze and she quickly took to looking intently at the sapphire water of the pool, a nervous rash creeping up her chest. He knew she blamed him for Alan's parting, which in a way, was true.

"There he is." The proud voice of Josephine Tracy rang with satisfaction as she locked her gaze with her most mysterious grandson.

Everyone turned to see him and John actually felt a little fazed by the attention after having only one person at a time see him by the video links.

Josephine's bones creaked and her muscles refused to cooperate as she slowly walked to John. To help, he moved quickly over to greet her, embracing her in a friendly hug. She kissed him on the cheek as he bent down for her.

"I think you've grown." She muttered with pride for a Tracy boy.

"No I don't think so Grandma." John replied unsure why he felt slightly embarrassed by the comment.

"Yo, bro!" Gordon yelled before Virgil used his weight to push Gordon under the water with a cheesy smile in John's direction.

"So that's why you wanted to get home so quick. You wanted to kill Gordon."

A few small laughs and smiles emitted from the family and friends who were watching and listening.

John smiled at the pair and felt a reason to be glad to be back home.

"Son." Jeff Tracy called, a light smile on his old but handsome features.

"Dad." John replied with a quick smile.

Putting down a pair of tongs, Jeff embraced his son lightly, patting him on the back with force.

John grinned sheepishly through it.

"Master Tracy." Parker nodded and saluted with his whisky in melted ice. His grey trade mark suit replaced by a Hawaiian shirt that could have been in competition with his father's shirt.

"Parker." John smiled, nodding back.

In turn, John greeted everyone with a hand shake or a smile.

Tin Tin was contented with giving an extremely brief smile to him and John made himself politely smile back.

"John c'mon man, you're gonna miss the fun!" Virgil yelled as Gordon got the upper hand on drowning his brother.

Scott then walked onto the scene with Penelope, wearing an open shirt and long shorts. John noticed he'd obviously been working out a lot over the past couple of months because his physique looked even stronger than it had already been. A case of cold beer was in his hand and Penelope was holding a tray with some nibbles on. John watched as Scott cracked a beer open while Penelope shared a small word with Jeff. Scott handed the beer to his father before opening one for himself and clinked the bottle with Jeff's. The smile that passed between them was something John had never seen pass to him. His father's smile oozed with pride and love for his eldest. The most handsome, the tallest, the strongest, the most dashing, charming, the list was long. John didn't realise his tongue had clicked loud enough for the nearest person to hear. Parker took a sip of his whiskey and took up conversation with Fermat.

Scott took another sip of the cold beer and noticed John in his jeans and T- shirt.

"Hey bro-" Scott started to say before he noticed John's shoes. "Awh man didn't someone throw those things out while you away?" It was a joke and John knew this but his temper was raised slightly.

"How you been anyway?" Scott asked politely before asking another question not letting his younger brother answer. "You wanna beer?"

"Erm, Yeah sure, why not."

"You should've seen Alan before he had to change with you. Man that boy can have a tantrum..."

John listened to Scott and was bemused. He now spoke completely like their father. Everything was spoken in fact and bluntly, but very flowing.

"He'll be back soon somehow though."

John blinked from his thought. "What?"

"Well you know Dad said before he went that he'd think about bringing him back sooner, felt sorry for the little squirt. Said it was too much for him at such a young age." Scott took another sip of beer as if he'd been making the decisions, not his father.

John felt the tension in his jaw, unable to say anything.

"But we all know you like it up there so no problems right?" Scott added with a pat on his smaller brothers back. "Oh do you want that beer?"

"No. I'll get my own drink thanks." John replied with a fake smile.

Scott walked off and joined his father who had a welcoming smile for him.

Tin Tin was now dragged into the pool in her T-shirt and shorts to a cheer from Virgil and Gordon who had decided they needed new pray.

"Now boys." Jeff called with amusement.

John walked up some steps to the open sliding door that led into the lounge. A large mahogany drinks cabinet was one of the centre pieces of the chic room. John opened the cabinet remembering the time his father caught him indulging in a secret drink; the cap open and his lips soaked in vodka at the age of sixteen. His father had come into the room while John was moving an extremely treasured whiskey, which later he found out his own mother had bought for his dad. The shock of seeing his dad made John knock over the treasured liquor causing it to smash and soak the expensive cream carpet. John closed his eyes in reminisce from the force of the blow that had been given to him by his father. He never knew which reason upset his dad more. Smashing the whiskey or being caught drinking, he had a clue it may have been the first.

John reached in staying clear of the whiskey, instead opting for a fine cognac, making it a little larger than intended.

"Hey."

John jumped and a few droplets of brandy splashed onto the cabinet's surface. As if about to be told off he quickly mopped it up.

"Oh." John moaned taking the end of his t shirt, exposing his stomach. Before quickly dropping it as he recognised the voice. "Penelope." He spoke it recognition making sure every last drop was wiped up.

"Care to get a lady a drink?"

John looked over to her as she sipped the last of her cocktail passed her lips. He gazed as she stretched her neck delicately and took the remains of the drink in on fine gulp. Her throat moved elegantly as the muscles swallowed. John watched, his lips parted. A flash of a heated moment came to mind.

She knew he was watching. That was the idea. Penelope turned and smiled at him, her lips together as she then parted her pink mouth and rolled her small tongue over her top lip then the bottom.

John couldn't fathom how she could make anything so erotic like that.

"Well?" She mused holding her glass up in one hand, the other on her hip.

"What do you want?" John asked in one tone.

"You make it sound like a chore." Penelope replied walking over to him and placing the glass on the open cabinet.

They stood close looking at each other for a couple of seconds before Parker coughed in his throat.

"M-lady, Mr Tracy says the burgers are ready as well as a choice of kebabs, steaks and fish."