The plane came to a stop. So did her rushed breathing now a new feeling came over her. One that she new all to well. It had happened before. She had lost a life during the rescue and the feeling of failure made it's way into her life. The rest of the girls had said it was fine and that nothing could have been done. Oh but the what ifs came from her mouth and rested on silent ears.
Nothing had been going right. Her one true love had run off and now her she sat in self pity wondering how her uncles would have handle this. She was after all Samantha Catherine Tracy daughter of Scott and Jean. Samantha was a smart girl and loved to fly like her father. Both her parents and family were very happy for her. Though when she told them that she would be quitting the air force to work for the Thunderbirds. Both Scott and Jean had had their doubts.
Samantha was never the one to handle pain really well. She was in an awful accident and never quite got over it. The scars still sat on her skin. And she was left to deal with it herself.
"Samantha?" The soft knock and then the gentle voice spoke.
"Yes Jenny." Samantha called getting up from her desk in the office.
"Grandpa is on the phone and says he needs to talk to you." Jenny said. She was John's second eldest. With the light blonde hair she was easily picked out from the rest of the kids.
"I'll take it in here. Thank you Jenny." Samantha then turned back to the phone on her desk.
Jeff was now looking older and feeling it too. His hair turning gray with each passing day but his gentle smile would never change for Samantha.
"Hello Samantha here." Samantha tried to hide her disappointment for the last mission.
"Samantha nice to hear your voice again." Jeff said and looked over his grand daughters features trying to pick out the uneasiness.
"What can I do for you?" Sam said quickly trying to stop his wondering eyes.
"Well I was talking to your father last night and we all agree that, we haven't seen you lately." Jeff paused.
"I'm sorry but I have been really busy with files and other paper work." Sam said shuffling some papers.
"I want to come out to the island for a couple of days." Jeff spoke. Sam's eyes grew as she heard the sentence.
A knock came at the door.
"Come in!" Sam called and saw Jenny's head poke around the door again.
"What is it Jenny?" Sam asked.
"It's your father, and Aunt Crystal." Jenny said through gritted teeth.
"Oh no." Sam moaned. She knew that Crystal and her father never called together unless something bad happened.
"I got to go." Samantha told her grandfather.
"Ok call me back after you think it over." Jeff said and ended his conversation.
"Dad, Aunt Crystal nice to hear from you." Sam put on a brave face.
"We heard what happened today Sam." Her father spoke.
" kind of hard not to." Crystal hissed.
"Crystal don't." Scott growled back.
"Well with destroying half a town and losing life's I don't know what's worse." Crystal started off.
Samantha knew she should be used to it but she wasn't and her fingers balled into fists.
"Yes I know it wasn't what we expected either. We did however get quite a few people out." Samantha was interrupted.
"What are you talking about a family of five that could have got out died because of you." Crystal snapped.
The tears formed in Samantha eyes and she sat rigid. Scott saw this and in a calm voice said, "Crystal that is enough."
"No it isn't Scott! Your daughter is not ready for this!" Crystal screamed back.
"Aunt Crystal your right." Samantha said in a quiet voice.
"I know I am. What I am?" Crystal said in a questioning voice.
"Sam what are you saying." Scott now growing very worried.
Sam hadn't told anyone but Dave a man that she had been dating for awhile had asked her to move in with him. She had told him to give her time to think it over. Now with all the stress in her life she needed to be around him.
"Sam?" Scott said shaking her out of her thoughts.
"I'm moving away." Sam spoke and listened to the in takes of air.
"What do you mean your moving away." Scott said now angry. Not with Sam but with Crystal.
"I have to finish up with some paper work I'll talk to everyone tonight." Sam said and closed both connections. She then pushed a button on the desk which brought Jenny around again.
"Jenny if anyone calls for me tell them I am out right now and not to be bothered." Sam then put a smile on her face and said, "Thank you so much for doing this Jenny. I love you very much." She then walked out of the room.
That night Sam sat in her office taking deep breaths as to calm herself what she was about to do. She then stood and walked to the door and called all the cousins in.
"Thank you for all coming." Sam said then went back to her desk and called the aunts uncles and grandfather.
Once everyone was quiet she began.
"First of all I have to say what I'm doing is very hard but needs to be done. I want everyone to promise that they will respect what I do." Sam paused and waited for everyone to promise.
"As of tomorrow morning I will no longer be a Thunderbird." At this there was a big commotion.
"What do you mean you won't be a Thunderbird?" Jean asked. She watched as her daughter stood firm and never back down.
"You heard right mother I will not be a thunderbird. Right now I need to get away from all of this. I'm moving in with Dave." Samantha broke the rest of the news.
"No daughter of mine is moving in with any boy!" Scott shouted.
At this an alarm sounded and all of the cousins and Sam ran off. The parents sat breathless as everything went quiet.