AN- I own nothing.
Huge thank you to MJC who kindly helped me out with this chapter. If anyone knows their stuff, it's that lady! Cheers!
Just reminding that it's movie-verse.
Chapter three – The spark that light's the flame.
Penelope let a light sigh escape her lips. She blinked slowly mustering a smile as she turned her cheek over her shoulder.
"Thank you Parker."
"You're welcome m'lady." Parker replied and walked away.
"Hungry?" John asked lightly, trying to make idle conversation.
"No."
"Sounds familiar." John replied eyeing his brandy in the bowl glass, swirling it in a hypnotising motion.
"John?" Penelope asked.
Before she could say another word, Scott poked his head round the corner of the sliding doors, walking into the chic room, eyeing the couple.
"Guys." He called striding to them.
Penelope swallowed, eyeing John's blue gaze before looking down quickly, a sort of, compose, in herself.
John left Penelope's gaze and took his drink to his lips downing it in one go.
Scott came up behind Penelope, towering over her with his handsome grin.
"Thought you'd run away."
John watched as Scott wrapped his strong arms around the slim waist of Penelope. He placed a small kiss of her rosy pink cheek, oblivious to John's stare.
Penelope smiled awkwardly, a little annoyed, a little embarrassed.
"Let's get some food then." Scott smiled at both of them, unaware to the uncomfortable body language in the room.
"Why not." Penelope spoke, her cheery cover coming into play.
Scott smiled proudly.
"Joining us bro? Grandma's made some hell of a feast." Scott asked slipping his hand into Penelope's.
Penelope looked down to their clamped hands and swallowed again, catching Scott giving her a brief smile. She smiled in return.
"Well I guess I'll have to come unless I want my ass kicked by her." John replied on one level but Scott laughed as if it was the funniest thing he'd heard all day.
"Glad you're back bro." Scott added grasping John's shoulder in affection.
Penelope and Scott made their way out into the evening sun.
John watched them go filled with different emotions and feelings.
He knew they were an item, he'd know for a while, in fact he had to admit it, on the outside they were a good couple.
A few months together and still at an early stage of a relationship, but not to the eyes of Jeff Tracy. It was he who had initiated the whole thing. Penelope and Scott after all were good friends and Jeff trusted Penelope. He knew she wasn't a gold digger by the fact she had her own extremely large savings and the fact she worked for international rescue. All the brothers were good friends with Penelope, she was kind, friendly, very sexy, why wouldn't you want to like her?
But with Scott being the eldest, Jeff had played matchmaker to his best. With the help of Josephine, the pair were soon swooning over a candle lit dinner in the heart of Rome on a not so blind date, money was no question and it had carried on like that with dates in the most exotic and luxurious location, curtsey of Jeff Tracy.
Parker wasn't amused at the whole charade but smiled in the light of what he thought would be some happiness, grinning and bearing it. It had almost made him cry when Penny let her pompous cover down for a minute to smile like a thirteen year old girl in the arms of Scott. It had then made him resent working for her.
John presumed his father had wanted Scott and Penelope to become a permanent couple and knew that wedding bells were going to be in the air if his father had anything to do with it.
Scott wasn't that old as if time was running out for him, but family played a big role in the Tracy family, yet fate, no Jeff, forced them be lonely; no outside contacts, no close friends except each other and no girlfriends. The secrecy of the Thunderbirds depended on it. Thus Penelope was chosen to be with Scott if she desired and the whole of Tracy Island and its organisation.
Jeff had beamed brightly the day Scott officially said they were a couple and had beamed just as strong when he realised his youngest held deep feelings for Tin Tin.
What Scott failed to realise was that happiness counted within someone and although it had been a very deep happiness between them, Penelope, now completely bound to the Tracy family, was growing tired of the closeness. The choice that she thought was right had only recently started to be thought of as wrong. Her English title held nothing for her now as the parties and invitations were long gone.
John walked out onto the stone steps that led to the mini party.
The sun looked spectacular as it hit the sea and sent a cloudy warm pink and orange around it a big difference to black and stars.
Virgil had a towel wrapped around his waist; his firm stomach exposed and was currently running a smaller one over his highlighted locks.
John watched as Virgil's hand was attempting to style the locks as Gordon's lips uttered a few words as he sniggered. Jeff gave his second youngest a look and turned back to the barbeque. Virgil was the one now who had a smirk on his handsome face.
"Ah son, want something?" Jeff called noticing John.
"Erm?"
Josephine looked at John and gave him a forcing glance.
"Yeah, please." John said quickly looking away from his Grandma's harsh stare.
John sat at the large wooden table on the patio, taking a seat beside Fermat and Gordon.
"So how are things up in Thunderbird five John?" Scott asked sipping his beer, his arm draped over Penelope's shoulder.
"Oh you know, the usual, but everything's good. Everything is working accordingly..."
Brains smiled at John.
"...and if I'm honest there's less work now with fewer calls coming through."
The table didn't know if John was happy or sad with the comment.
Penelope who sat opposite John, watched him in a distant stare.
"Oh please let's not talk about International rescue; I'm, trying to just relax." Virgil preached in a mock annoyance.
"You know son, your right, let's just enjoy our time while we can, everyone."
John knew if he'd spoken those words, his father probably would have told him off and only for the fact they probably would have sounded foreign from his own tongue to talk ill his work, their life.
The afternoon had quickly turned into the night and after an array of drinks, some fine wine and more beers, the party had all sat into the navy sky, hanging around with stories and jokes until the sky had the stars twinkling as brightly as they could.
Just as Josephine had announced her departure into the lounge for a night cap, Jeff had decided they all retire to the chic lounge area.
"I'll help you get those." Penelope called to Kryano who declined immediately.
She watched as Tin Tin helped her father and the other's made their way inside.
"Coming?" Scott asked as he held behind, noticing her on the spot.
"Oh, err, no not yet, I'm just going to have a smoke, I'll be in, in a moment." She smiled lightly.
"Wish you wouldn't smoke Pen." Scott replied.
Penelope placed a delicate hand on his smooth cheek and smiled slightly, loving the feeling of his high cheek bone. "I'll be in, in a moment." She smiled frankly.
Scott smiled in an understanding and placed a light kiss on her cheek. He turned and walked inside.
Penelope walked to a sun lounger near the pool. The garden had now been lit and gave the outside area a warmer glow, even though the garden was still warm.
She took a cigarette out of her bag and the holder. After a moment's ponder, she rolled her eyes and pushed the holder back into her bag opting for a quicker smoke. She lit the cigarette and took a long drag, exhaling the smoke into the air and holding the cigarette away from herself, sighing as she looked around the tropical outdoor area.
"Mind if I join you?"
Penelope turned her head quickly, her pony tail swinging side to side.
John didn't wait for an answer and sat on the nearest sun lounger, facing her. He placed his glass of wine down and looked up to the stars.
"Should you be out here?" Penelope asked, taking a drag after her sentence.
"It's not against the law is it?" John replied
Penelope watched his gaze and looked up to the sky. "Please don't tell me you miss it." She said exasperatingly.
"No."
They sat for a couple of seconds in silence. There was a mumble of laughter from inside the lounge and a few night time insects were singing their music.
John took a sip of his wine and sighed heavily.
"They kicked me out of my bedroom." John said making conversation again.
"Yes I heard about that." Came Penelope's short reply.
John sighed. "Pen, please don't blank me..."
"What do you expect John. You come home, I try to make conversation and you blank me! Expect to get the same as you give."
"I was confused."
"Confused!? You've been on thunderbird five for how long now? And you didn't have time to think? Well I'm sorry John Tracy, here let me give you more time to think on things!" Penelope rose from her chair dropping her cigarette and stumping it out harshly.
"What!?" John accused.
"If there's anyone confused it's me!" Penelope replied pointing a finger at her chest firmly.
John frowned not understanding what she meant.
"What you think this is easy for me? Oh no, no, no. Coming home and there you are with Scott all over you!!" John asked severely.
"Oh John you knew what was going on. What happened between us happened before Scott, long before."
"Not so long before." John replied annoyed.
"Yeah? Well long enough."
"Just stop flaunting what you've now got, in my face."
"Well stop accusing me of going behind your back!"
"I just think it's odd, okay?"
"John!" Penelope spoke before bursting into tears.
"Penelope, shhh." John called, noticing how loud her sobs were getting.
Penelope stormed off.
"Wait." John called.
"Not for you."
John quickly caught her and took her arm. Penelope looked down and shrugged his hand away.
"We're both part of this so don't be putting the blame on me. Things now need to be cleared. I'm back, we can talk now." John said softly.
Penelope looked into his sincere blue eyes and sniffed feeling her eyes burn at their shouting session. Her tense frame collapsed into more tears. John quickly ushered her from the patio and moved off in another direction.
"Penelope?"
Both John and Penelope quickly looked up the open glass door of the lounge like a deer in headlights to Scott.
Scott frowned noticing John's arm around Penelope's back.
"John?" Scott added as he was joined in the door way by his dad and the eager faces of his brothers who had obviously heard raised voices.
John looked at the faces of his brothers before he noticed they all turned around to a voice inside the lounge. Virgil and Gordon huffed inside and Jeff took a quick glance to his blonde son, a frown plastered on his forehead.
Scott had now made his way to them. The knight in shinning armour.
"Pen?" Scott asked with concern before eyeing his smaller brother.
"It's alright honestly." Penelope replied sniffing her tears way, wiping her cheeks.
"Are you sure?" Scott asked looking at her tearful form and then to John who looked straight back at him.
"I'm okay. Let me freshen up." Penelope spoke. "Walk with me Scott." Penelope added as she noticed the glare between the brothers.
John watched them walk off. His blood was boiling and a vein was pulsing right on his temple. He pursed his lips tight before kicking a defenceless plant into the garden, its terracotta pot smashing into flowers and bushes. John ran a hand over his face and through his hair before making his way up to the patio steps.
"John?" Josephine asked in the doorway.
"Not now Grandma." John replied walking past her.
"You'll speak when you're spoken to John." Came Jeff Tracy's stern voice.
"I said not now!" John replied walking to the door to try and escape.
Everyone in the room watched the dramatics. Both Gordon and Virgil watched in amazement at John's attitude. Tin Tin had started to grin.
"Boy, you walk out that door...." Jeff added his jaw tense.
"Jeff." Josephine said quietly.
"Or what? You're gonna spank me? Ground me? Get real dad, I'm not a boy anymore."
Everyone in the room watched in surprise and dread.
"Well you sure are acting like one." Jeff replied his lips barely moving as he spat out his words coolly as to not shout.
"Ooh, tough words from a tough man."
"Dad... John's...we're all a little dru..."
"Virgil am I talking to you?" Jeff spoke but was still staring at John.
"No sir." Virgil replied, casting his gaze down.
"I think we need to have a chat. My office, now." Jeff spoke to John.
Everyone watched as Jeff walked out the room, a walk that told you he wasn't to be messed with.
"I think we all should retire." Josephine spoke with purpose, feeling a sadness that the night had ended with arguing. By God she was pleased Alan wasn't around.
Brains smiled uncomfortably guiding his son away as did Kyrano with Tin Tin.
"Boys?" Josephine called to her grandsons.
"Err, yeah." Gordon spoke not taking his eyes off the hot head form of his older brother.
"What the hell was that about John?" Scott asked angrily barging into the room.
"Oh here we go, it's always John's fault. Come on then, have a go, I've only been back a couple of hours."
"Don't take the piss John!"
"Scott!" Josephine called at the swear word.
"Sorry, dad." John replied.
Both Gordon and Virgil looked at one another trying not to let their excitement be seen by the on coming argument.
Scott glared in a severe way.
"Now, now, Boys. John, I think your father wants you, be on your way."
John looked at Josephine and noticed she didn't look amused. He sighed to himself. His grandma look upset and he hated it, especially if it was his fault. John shook his head before leaving the door, resisting the urge to slam it.
"Boy, you better have a pretty damn good explanation for your behaviour out there tonight." Jeff Tracy who had been sitting in his office chair looked at his son in a scrutinising way.
John didn't say anything, just folded his arms. He was actually starting to feel nervous now that he was in his father's office. He looked around and saw the large portraits of himself and his brothers, all looking as if they were mocking him.
"Well?"
John was starting to feel afraid. Here he was, a grown man, capable of growing a beard, starting a family and buying alcohol, standing before his father as if he was a child again.
"I..." John replied quietly.
"It's not good enough John!" Jeff cut in with a shout. "Now I want to know why Penelope was crying. What did you say to her?"
"I said nothing." John replied harshly not realising how defensive he'd got.
Jeff eyed his son over. In Jeff's opinion he looked paler. His bags under his eyes seemed darker and his usual personality of the kind, sweet natured, polite boy was nowhere to be seen. Jeff frowned. He'd been like this the last few time he'd been home and his suspicions were now becoming real possibilities. Before he knew it, his concerns left his lips.
"Are you on drugs?"
"What!? No!" John replied defensively.
"Son are you sure, because if you're lying to me..."
John took a deep breath through his already flared nostrils. An anger riveted through his blood like no other. It was typical for Jeff Tracy to say something like that to the son he thought was lesser than all the others.
"Dad for fuck's sake, stop it! Stop treating me like a fucking child. I'm not on drugs!"
Jeff looked on at his son, his eyes suddenly turned dark and John could have sworn that a glint of red had suddenly surfaced.
"Don't you ever curse at me again, you hear?" Jeff shouted in a military tone. After a moment Jeff frowned at the sound of his son's sniggering.
"I thought you were concerned about Penny. And then you go off on to drugs? I think your loosing your marbles old man."
Jeff's eyes flared and he grabbed his son by his T- shirt, hauling him into his desk so his back collided with the edge.
"What's the matter with you?" Jeff snarled.
"What's the matter with me? I'll tell you. I'm sick of being made to be a nobody! You always forget about me, all of you! You stick me in thunderbird five without giving me a chance to even protest..."
"You like Thunderbird five..."
"I did, but then I was put up there at what could be a couple of months at a time! Do you even know what it feels like to be isolated like that Dad? To know your family are enjoying each others company, laughing and joking, being the first to know everything and you not even in on the picture! You let Alan off with everything, his duties for example and then you put then on my shoulders! I'm sick of it! You even gave him my God Damn room without consulting me!"
Jeff had cooled his tone slightly. "There were circumstances." Jeff replied letting go off his son's T-shirt.
"What circumstances?" John asked exasperated. "Please father, enlighten me why the kid is so special? Huh?"
"You watch your mouth John Tracy. I won't have you being sarcastic to me." Jeff threatened. "It's hard for your brother. He's the youngest and he's been through so much. I completely condole Tin Tin and your brother and now we just have to give them time and space. I think It's a bonus that we have Tin Tin, a girl, on the Island, don't you? It doesn't cause International Rescue worry about security and secrecy and such. Your brothers grown up now, we can't expect him to be in his box room anymore." There was a light hearted tone at the end of the sentence in Jeff's voice.
"You know what? Stuff my room and the kid and while your there, let's just ignore me, yeah? Forget about me even because from what I see, my family doesn't give a shit about me!"
John walked away from the desk and passed his father before turning his face around to speak.
"I suppose Scott will be moving into your room next or forgive me...has he already done that?"
"Jeff put a hand to his temple making his way to the drinks cabinet and pouring himself a large scotch while he was speaking. "I've had enough of this boy, just get out! Stop wasting my time! If you were half the man your brother was..." Jeff stated before he trailed off, taking a sip of his drink and obviously finishing his sentence in his head.
John watched, his fathers back was turned to him still. That's right, it was all about perfect Scott again, the golden boy, the boy who could do no wrong. The boy who would most likely be getting the world if his father had anything to do with it.
John averted his eyes to the mocking portrait of himself, smiling falsely. It was like the portrait as reflecting how he felt. Yes there was a smile on his features when there needed to be, but a steady sadness was built in to those blue eyes, something that his father had never bothered to see.
John sighed. His father had just knocked him down, again.
There was a silence in the room but John still wanted answers.
"So, Alan's coming back real soon. That means I'm going back sooner doesn't it?" John's voice was calmer, something that made his father engage in conversation once more, due to a more 'reasonable', more 'adult' form of talking.
By now Jeff had turned to his son and was listening to his words, avoiding eye contact.
He stayed quiet.
"Doesn't it?" John spoke with more force demanding an answer.
"Yes it would mean that!" Jeff replied with just as much drive.
A noise in the corner of the room signalled that John and Jeff weren't the only ones in the office.
Scott was near the door and behind him the heads of Virgil and Gordon, who looked like they were using Scott as a shield.
By the looks on their faces, they'd been there a while.
"I..." Jeff started to try and say something but sighed.
"Maybe we should sleep on this." Came Scott's voice, a little timid than usual as he walked into the room.
"Yeah, good idea son."
"How's that a good idea?" John asked in exasperation, using his hands for emphasis.
Virgil winced as he'd hoped Scott's sentence would have settled the matter, not provoke it.
"John calm down." Gordon spoke.
John heard the pleading in his voice.
Seeing his brother's anxious look, John forced himself to take a deep breath before walking past his brothers and out the door.
