Disclaimer – I don't own anything.

Chapter Five – The First step

London was cold, very cold. It had been an extremely long night and an even longer morning. The new day had dawned many hours ago and John was only collapsing on the king sized bed in his suite. The soft gold and cream duvet and goose feather pillows, a welcoming retreat.

The first place John had thought to go to was New York, home of his father's main office. Now that John thought about it, it would have probably been a stupid place to 'hide' as this would be the first place his family would try to find him, if they wanted to find him that was. London was next on the agenda, a less familiar place but a welcoming one.

It had taken a while to be granted landing space with one of the smaller Jets his father owned, until the airport had grown tired of believing it to be a hoax due to the very unfamiliar voice of the least known Tracy son. Once the staff actually caught a glimpse of the white blond man and related the unfamiliar voice with his unique look, they swallowed cautiously, wondering if they were to receive a call from the main Tracy man himself. Suddenly airs and graces were flown in John's direction and a bed at one of the finest hotels in the centre of London was awaiting the middle son within ten minutes. All new to John, he didn't even realise that small air crafts had tried pulling this type of stunt and apparently everywhere, claiming that they were part of Tracy enterprises, an important business, very friendly with some very important people in not only New York but the world. This was only one good thing John could think about, carrying the surname that he possessed. It allowed him first class service, where ever, when ever. Suddenly John was carted off in a black cab, a very small smile on the corners of his lips.

Jeff Tracy awoke to a noise of whispering. He fluttered his eyes open, taking the liberty to stretch a little, running a hand over the stubble on his chin. When he opened his eyes fully the whispering had vanished and a slight movement had occurred by his open bedroom door.

In a second Jeff heard his mother's voice ushering maybe two of his sons away.

A knock came from the door and Josie didn't wait to be greeted with an answer.

"Mother? What's this?" Jeff asked jokingly, snuggling back into the warm bed and closing his eyes after his blissful night sleep. "Have you brought me breakfast in bed?" He smirked.

When Josie didn't answer but went to close the door and walk back, Jeff opened his eyes in question, to look at his mother.

When Josie's face didn't burst into a grin or a mocking look, Jeff looked at her, worried. "What?" He asked simply.

"He asked me not to wake you, let me get that straight first." She pointed.

Jeff looked on at his old mother. Something was wrong. Her face wasn't cheery and she breathed deeper, a sign that what she was about to say was something that he didn't want to hear.

"Is it Alan? Is he alright? Are the boys seeing to him?" Jeff asked with a hint of panic coming over him. That boy asks for trouble sometimes…

Josie sighed. "No. It's not him. It's John."

Jeff frowned and lifted an eyebrow, his face some what relaxing a little from thinking that it wasn't the son who permanently tried to give him heart failure.

"He's gone." Josie said sadly.

"What?" Jeff frowned again, running a hand over his eyebrows.

"He's taken off Jeff and I don't think he's returning."

Jeff laughed and Josie's face went stern. "What the hell are you laughing for!?" She boomed.

Jeff froze but then a smirk appeared on his mature handsome features. "This is a set up right? He put you up to this to get at me…right?"

"Do I look like this is funny? Does it look like a joke to you!?" They were the words, spoken by the mother the boys had never really had. The type of words Lucy had never had the chance to speak with, with the subjects of her sons.

Josie was getting angrier each minute and Jeff watched his mother fume, something that told him she wasn't to be messed with.

"He's gone?" Jeff asked ridiculed.

"Grandma?" A steady voice came from Virgil as he stood in the door way of his father's bedroom, not wanting to really enter the domain of his father.

Both Josie and Jeff looked to him.

"There's no sign of him on the island." He stated matter of factly.

Josie put a fragile hand to her temple. She'd known he wouldn't be on the island hiding away like a sulking child. Secretly she wanted John to be hiding and to be bluffing everyone, but it looked slim. Sending Virgil out was a last option, just in case, just in hope.

Virgil backed out the door way and lent against the corridor wall, a small smile of relief and pride to the brother who was only seen cowardly. He hoped John was okay and knew that if anyone wanted to know where he was, the tracker on the jet would be a first clue. For now, he knew the whole family had to deal with his father, something he was not so sure about. Virgil opened his eyes to the stomping sound of his eldest brother coming up the corridor and bursting into the room.

"A knock would be polite." Josie spoke loudly to her eldest grandson, but her presence was ignored straight away.

"Father, have you heard that he's gone!?" Scott found himself not looking at any one in particular as he paced the large floor area of his father's bedroom, hands on hips. "It's a joke, honestly! That brother of mine is not a man he's a boy and he's almost as bloody childish as Alan for Christ Sake! What the hell is he trying to prove!?"

Before Josie opened her mouth in fury to the young man's language, Jeff held up a hand to silence Scott.

A telephone call woke John up gradually. Moaning as he heaved himself off his front to reach the marbled telephone, he yawned before talking into the receiver.

"Yeah?" He asked sleepily too tired for polite greetings. His curtains left open as pitch black streamed in.

"Sorry to disturb you Mr Tracy, we have an extension call waiting for you. It's important."

John sat up properly wiping his eyes and briefly looking at his crumpled shirt he had slept in.

"Can I ask who it is?"

"Err, it's a private number sir."

"Oh." John mumbled knowing who the telephone call was probably going to be. "Fine put me through." He yawned.

Two seconds was all it took to gain a bead of sweat to sit on his hairline, a wave of nerves settling in his middle. John swallowed nervously.

"John-"

It was all that John heard before placing the receiver down instantly and steadying himself on the bed, a palm on either side of him gripping the edge of the bed.

Shit

John ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath. So his father knew where he was, well, it wasn't exactly hard to track him down. Find the jet, know the city and a list of selected hotels, hotels that welcomed the Tracy family and their money with open arms.

John doubted his ability to stay away from his father, knowing that the longer he stayed away, the dire the consequences would be. Now Thunderbird five had no real pilot, now Alan and his dad would have to share duties, now things would be disrupted.

John now fully awake stood up and wiped his forehead.

Stop being a pussy

John sighed and let a strangled moan from his throat.

What have I done?

Looking back at the telephone, John sat back down on the edge of the bed and switched on the bed side lamp, its gold marble dancing as the light caught it.

John picked up the phone and dialled reception.

"Good Evening Mr Tracy, how can I be of service?" A polite voice asked.

"Erm err, could I get a drink sent up to my room? Err scotch or something?"

"Of course, it'll be there in a moment. Thank you."

"Thanks." John mumbled smiling briefly for no one to see.

Why are you smiling you idiot, it's not friggin Penny down there. Just some English woman, with an English accent…that sounds like……not her…

John went to stand at one of the windows, looking into the quiet street, the lamps beaming brightly as the odd car drove past.

What next? What are you going to do you fool?

"Nothing." John spoke aloud, a mixture of frustration and sadness.

A small tap came from the door. John headed over and opened the pale door.

"Hello. Your scotch sir."

John smiled at the pretty young girl, moving to let her in. Her short black bob moved as she did. He watched her move to a table in his suite, laying down the silver tray, with no noise and setting the crystal glass carefully, the ice cubes hitting off one another, producing a melodic sound.

Not that she was really bent over and not that she was wearing a short skirt, John let his eyes wander over the brief leg that was showing, from the slim ankles to the knee. It was a sight he'd been deprived off and thus the form of a woman's body was one John didn't take for granted if he could see it. His eyes wandered over her rounded backside and he blinked slowly, the smallest feeling of heat flooding his stomach and a slight blush creep into his cheeks.

The girl smiled to him as she stood up and turned to him. "Will that be all sir?" Her voice was crisp but not a sharp as Penelope's.

"Please, it's John."

"Will that be all…John?"

It wasn't the way she said it, or maybe it was? A hundred things flooded John's mind and his mouth had a line of things he wanted to say.

Yeah, how about you stay tonight? Do you fancy a drink? Let's play a little game of you being my maid.

No, that would be what one of his brothers would have said, Virgil or Gordon perhaps, possibly Scott after a drinkJohn frowned as his favourite brother's face came into his mind saying the words he'd just thought of. And yes it would have to spoken by the smooth talker of the family, Alan.

John cursed in his head, yet found a small smile creep onto his lips at the thought of his brother having to be in space and to do the long and lonely duty of Thunderbird five. That's when John wiped the smile from his face and was overcome with the start of some kind of guilt. He quickly shook his thoughts away.

"Err no. that's all right." He replied, walking to his drink and taking a sip, feeling the smooth liquid coat his dry throat.

"Good night, John." She smiled.

He didn't know why he did it? Why he said it? But he did.

"Do you want to stay?"

The girl raised her fine eyebrow at him.

"I mean for a drink, a drink! Do you want to stay for a drink?" John asked quickly seemingly embarrassing himself.

John felt flustered and the biggest idiot on the planet and the only cause he could put it down to was lack of sleep. Before he could let her answer, he felt he had to justify himself.

"Listen I, er, I want some company, err not like that you understand-"

The girl had given him a strange smile and raised her fine dark eyebrow again.

"- It's just, I don't know anyone here, I want to talk with someone. If I don't then I think I'm going to go crazy, I mean not that I am you see, ha, but I'll have my subconscious talking to me telling me how stupid I've been tonight." John spoke rubbing the back of his neck and giving her a helpless smile.

The girl smirked at the lack of breath John had taken.

"As much as I'd like to and don't worry there are crazier people in this hotel than you, I have a job to do on reception." She smiled sweetly at him.

"If you need someone to talk to, I suggest that there is a porter about, but he really isn't interesting. Security is about, but they don't like to be bothered unless it's something important. Other than that, there is an all night café a few streets behind this hotel; they have good coffee and tea, whatever your preference is. The scotch is okay there too and between the two of us, it's probably better than paying triple of what we serve even though this is good shit." She finished indicating to the glass in his hand.

John was mesmerised by her speech and took another sip of his drink.

"Erm, thanks for the information."

"I hope I have been of service tonight. If you need anything else we can try and help. Just call. Goodnight John."

John nodded curtly in his trance still before blinking and rushing to the door, hand in pocket, reaching for a tip for the lady.

"Wait!" He said a little loudly but remembered that half the floor belonged to his suite.

The girl turned around. "Yes?" she asked a small smile on her lips at the actions of this crazy man before her.

"What's your name?"

"Call me Penny."

"Penny!? Penny?"

Penny laughed. "Yes, Penny."

"As in Penelope?" John asked, different emotions stirring at the sound of 'that' name.

"No, as in Penny, P-E-N-N-Y, just Penny."

John smiled sheepishly and repeated her name softly.

"Don't wear it out." Penny spoke softly as she turned and walked to the elevator and was out of sight.

John sighed. He pulled out his hand that gripped some money but shoved his hand into his pocket releasing the money from his finger tips.

Josie sat in the kitchen. Even though the sun had risen around Tracy Island, the kitchen held a coolness that didn't elevate any happiness to the house hold situation. The cup of tea she'd been holding in her old hands had since cooled. Blinking in a trance like state, she lifted the liquid and china to her thin lips and pulled back her face in disgust at the temperature of the tea. In machine-like fashion, she stood up and flicked the kettle switch on. Taking a brief glance through the long windows lining the kitchen wall, she sighed looking out to the ocean before turning to stare at the steam from the kettle.

"Grandma?" A soft but melodic voice called from the doorway.

Josie looked around at her artistic grandson and smiled lightly, her lips hard as they fought a tremble.

Virgil walked softly into the tiled kitchen and took Josie's soft, fragile hand from the counter. He then enveloped her into his arms, this time knowing that he stood before her, not a child anymore but a man, a tower of strength for her if she desired, a rock if she needed it. He owed her, they all did.

Josie sighed and tears slipped from her almond eyes into the chest of the young man before her.

Virgil sighed as her sobs cracked from her throat and she let herself go in a respectable manner, the odd choke merging with a few cries and sniffs.

What Virgil didn't know was the fact the tears she cried were for two reasons. The first and most important was the fact that one of her precious grandsons had gone. The second was the fact it was Virgil holding her and comforting her, not her own immediate flesh and blood, Jeff.

A small knock came from a second doorway on the other side of the kitchen.

Both Josie and Virgil looked up and saw the petite figure of Penelope. Vigil looked over her once and decided there and then he'd never seen Penelope look so rough.

"Err, you okay Penelope?" He asked, releasing his grandma after she patted him on the upper arm, proceeding to make a new cup of tea.

"Yeah." She replied timidly before taking a deep breath and putting on a smile and a front. "Virgil, erm, I'd like to go home for a bit, I was wondering whether I could get you to take me over by boat? I'll have Parker pick me up after that. He left last night you see." There was an awkward smile as she finished and her eyes darted back and forth into his.

"Err, sure, but? Erm I mean Scott, does he not…?"

Penelope snorted her breath through her nose and placed a lock of hair behind a ear.

"I don't want to bother him at the moment, he's with your father, and they're talking to Alan. I feel my place isn't on the island at the moment; I don't want to be in the way. I don't want to be a nuisance to your brother and father. I think it would be easier to leave…for a bit."

Virgil shared a quick look with his grandma, who proceeded to look into her tea as she stirred it when Penelope turned to glance at her.

"Do you want to go now?" Virgil asked adjusting his t-shirt and cords that drooped from his waist.

"If it's not a problem, then yes. I have my stuff outside your brother's room." Penelope replied wringing her hands together.

"I'll go and get it." Virgil piped in when he noticed his grandma look toward Penelope carefully.

"A brief notice of leave my dear…" Josie spoke, looking at her tea as she pulled out a chair to sit on by the table. She mentioned with a hand gesture for Penelope to sit down as well.

"…And Scott knows you're off so suddenly?"

Penelope swallowed nervously at the old woman. If there was one person who intimidated her, it was Josie. It wasn't Jeff, angry at her with the odd fault to her mission and her time keeping skills and it wasn't Scott having a go at her for the silliest reasons. No, it was Josie, the real head of the Tracy family. The woman with the hawk eyes.

"Err, yes."

Josie sipped her hot drink and slowly looked up to the young woman who had looked her worst for a long time.

"Listen Penelope…" Josie's voice was calm and soothing. "I want to say a lot of things to you, but now is not the place. I've watched you around here and? Well, I want you to confide in me, that's all, you don't have to go through anything alone, you hear me. I know you like to think you can over come anything on your own two feet…"

Penelope was about to protest to Josie's words but closed her lips in submission as the words Josie spoke were worth listening to and were truthful.

"But sometimes you can't, none of us can in times. That's when we need love around us, you understand what I'm saying?"

Penelope sniffed and looked down to the kitchen table.

Josie's face softened as the start of tears were on the way. She put her hand out on top of hers and Penelope looked up and briefly smiled.

"Oh Josie…." Penelope spoke her tears choking her voice.

"There, there, it's okay." Josie paused and leant in closer to her. "I don't know if you know, but he's in London, Jeff found out just before."

Penelope looked up with a mixture of emotion, which took Josie back. First there was the surprise in her eyes which was followed by happiness, which quickly took the form of shook when she realised what the old lady was stating.

Josie knew, she'd always known and right now she was reading her mind.

Penelope's face then took on the form of sadness, which mingled into fear.

Josie watched carefully unable to put her finger of the fear that lay in Penelope's eyes.

Why should she fear anything to do with the whole situation? Josie blinked and knew before she thought it. Jeff.

The fact that this pretty, crumpled thing in front of her eyes was not frightened at what her 'lover' was to say about leaving, it was the father of her lover. It all seemed very sad.

"Jeff?" Josie asked.

Penelope nodded, but started crying again.

Josie stood up and walked around to beautiful blond woman, a treasure to all the Tracy men.

Josie frowned when Penelope looked up to her still with a fear and sadness in her blue eyes.

"What's wrong? If it's Jeff, or Scott sweetie, don't worry, they're only men after all." Josie finished with a slight chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

Penny sniffed and looked at Josie with wide deer like eyes. "I'm pregnant…"