Chapter 12: Kyrano's POV

A/N: Ah! I'm impossible. :) Sorry, I wanted to update sooner, but it didn't really work. (Reasons are listed in the A/N of Blowing Up, chapter 10). Anyway, may I present to you: Kyrano's point of view.

Thanks to white rose01 for beta-reading!

White rose01 – Thanks for the review! I totally agree with you about Grandma. :p Lol. Anyway, I'll try and get the next chapter of this to you A.S.A.P. but seeing as we're both busy (with exams and other things), it might not be very soon. :s sniff Right, hope you enjoy(ed) this chapter too!

Math Girl – Keep hoping, so do I. ;) Thanks for the compliment and review! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter too!

Fried Eeyore/Kitkat Tictac/Olympics 2012 London - my, what a names you have! ;) I like kitkat tictac as a name, but then, it's your name, so… Anyway, I hope you're hanging in there with your family situation. Good luck! Thanks for the review!

Gismo – Well done on the guessing! ;) However, I am continuing with Kyrano's and Tin Tin's point of views as you might see, 'cause I'm wondering the same thing: what would their reactions be. Actually, I thought Kyrano's POV would be the most difficult one, but as I'm going through Tin Tin's, it turns out it's her POV I have the most problems with. Oh well. You'll find out how it went once I post it. ;) Thanks for the review!

Darkhelmetj – Of course, grandmas are the best! ;) (can't say I have a lot of experiences with grandpas, 'cause both my grandpas died a year before I was born, so it's not that difficult/objective for me to come to that conclusion :p) LOL, apparently we both should have our thesaurus close by, just in case we come across a new chapter… As for the 'question'… wait and see… /evil grin/

IloveSam – Sorry, this wasn't very soon… but not too long either I hope. Seems you're not the only one who hopes Nicole's pregnant… Well, we'll see, won't we/evil grin/. (I'm not mean... really/tries to look convincing/) Enjoy this chapter!

On to the story!

Josie somehow managed to muster enough will to cook a meal. She knew no one would be very hungry, but they had to eat, whether they wanted to or not. It just wouldn't do to all starve to death because no one felt like eating.

Kyrano walked in. If you just glanced at him, you wouldn't notice anything had happened. However, if you looked a little more closely, you could see that he hadn't remained unaffected either.

"Kyrano? Could you help me set the table please?" Josie asked as if nothing had happened. The Malaysian nodded and began to put down the plates. It was actually quite strange, Kyrano thought. Usually when someone of a family has… passed away you have to set a plate less. And here he was, putting down an extra plate, because Nicole was at home. The whole family was there, with the obvious exception, but if you hadn't known what had happened that day, you might have just thought it was John's shift in Thunderbird 5.

"Kyrano?" He looked up as Josie waved her wrinkled hand in front of his face, and looked at him worriedly. "Are you ok?"

Kyrano inclined his head. "Yes, I am all right. Though if I am not needed any further, I would like to retreat to my quarters."

Josie looked around. "I have everything under control. You can go. I will send one of the boys over to warn you when dinner is ready."

Kyrano bowed again, and then disappeared to his room, while Josie continued her work in the kitchen.

The Malaysian walked through the hallways, barely audible, and stopped for a second in front of his daughter's room, before entering the room next-door. There he sat on the floor, in front of the window, with his back towards the door.

He closed his eyes and after several moments his breathing evened out as if he was asleep, and his troubled mind seemed to calm.

Flashback:

Kyrano was cutting out dead branches and leafs from the plants that decorated the garden; the garden being only a small part of the entire island. A soft humming caught his attention and he looked around. A blond 18 year old man rounded a corner and found himself facing the Malaysian.

The gardener inclined his head in greeting. "Good morning Young Mr. Tracy. Are you enjoying the weather before you leave for NASA tomorrow?"

"Good morning to you too Kyrano. As the matter of fact I am."

"Are you nervous at all?"

John nodded. "Yeah, though not as much as I expect I'll be tomorrow. And really, there's not much to worry about. Application went fine, they want me to work there, I want to work there. So, piece of cake."

Kyrano just inclined his head, both men knowing it wouldn't be a 'piece of cake'.

"Everyone will miss you dearly, especially your father." Kyrano said.

"I'll miss everyone too."

Suddenly they were interrupted by Alan who was chased by Tin Tin.

"Give back my sunglasses!" the Malaysian girl cried out angrily. While she continued to run after the blonde boy, she searched for help from her father. "Daddy! Alan stole my sunglasses!" And then she disappeared again, into the bushes, after the 'thief'.

Kyrano turned back towards John. "We will also miss the peace and quiet your presence brings."

John laughed. "Why? I'm still here, and these things still happen all the time."

"Why yes, that is certainly true… however you haven't been here when you weren't here." John raised his left eyebrow and gave the older man a lopsided grin.

"I'd be quite worried if I would be here while I wasn't here."

The gardener looked at him, confused for a second, then realised what he had said and laughed. "You know what I mean, Young Mr. Tracy."

"I do. Sorry for interrupting. Please continue."

"It is not merely in these cases either. I have noticed all people in this family come to you for all kinds of problems. Whether it is in search of a Band-Aid, or in search of a listening ear, they usually end up at your door. Am I incorrect, Mr. Tracy?"

John remained silent for a moment, contemplating Kyrano's words. Then he nodded slowly. "No, you are not completely incorrect, Kyrano… I suppose they will just have to find a Band-Aid somewhere else now." He added. Kyrano smiled inwardly. 'So young, yet bearing so much responsibility already.'

Just then Alan appeared again and was about to rush out of sight just as soon, as John called him. "Alan! Give those sunglasses back to Tin Tin."

Alan stopped. "But… I'm bored! Scott's working on something he calls important with Father; Virgil has locked his door and says he's composing, and Gordon is doing boring laps in the pool."

"That's no reason to go and bother Tin Tin, especially not steal her things."

For a moment Alan looked like he was not going to comply, but then he turned around. As Tin Tin stumbled out of the bushes, she almost crashed into the one she was chasing, as he held out the subject for which she was chasing him.

Kyrano gave John a pointed look, to which John just shrugged.

"Here you go. Sorry I bothered you and took your sunglasses." Alan said.

The angry look on Tin Tin's face was replaced by a look of utter surprise, her jaw hanging open. Kyrano chuckled, which in turn surprised Alan. It wasn't often that Kyrano showed any more evidence of amusement than a small smile.

Tin Tin quickly took the sunglasses. "Thank you." She was about to walk away, when she thought of something, her angry mood totally vanished. "Say, Alan, do you want to go and play Rummikub®?"

Alan's face lit up. "Yeah! John, do you want to come and play too?"

"Sure. Last time I'll be able to win from you." John smiled. "Kyrano, do you want to join as well?"

Now it was Kyrano's turn to be pleasantly surprised. "Why, yes. I will continue with the garden after lunch."

It wasn't often that someone invited him for a drink or a talk. Sometimes he wondered whether the rest of the family saw him as more than just a servant. They greeted him when they met him; they sometimes asked for the location of something or someone; not much else. And now John had surprised him by inviting him for a game. It wiped away the doubts…for the moment.

Kyrano realised he had been standing in the same position for over a minute. Tin Tin and Alan had already run off to set up the game. John squeezed his shoulder softly. "Are you OK? I didn't mean to surprise you beyond response." Kyrano smiled as he heard both the concern and the amusement in the young man's voice. Kyrano was once again reminded of the perceptiveness of the blond man.

"I am not unable to answer, young Mr. Tracy. I was merely thinking." Kyrano smiled, aware of the fact that John had a pretty good idea of the Malaysian's insecurities. He silently thanked the boy for his thoughtfulness. "Now, I believe we have a game to play?"

John nodded. "Let's win some games." He looked at Kyrano with a warning expression. "And don't even think about letting Tin Tin win."

Kyrano smiled one of his rare full smiles. "I wouldn't dare. And you should not let any of us win!"

John grinned playfully. "As if I could."

End of Flashback

If he remembered correctly, Tin Tin had won, John and Alan had tied, and Kyrano had lost. Not that he minded, on the contrary, he had intensely enjoyed the game, but up till this day, he wasn't sure whether John had held back or not. And he would not find out either.

They had said goodbye back then. But it had been a different goodbye compared to how it was now.

At age 18, John was only supposed to be gone for three months before coming for a visit. Everyone had known he was going to leave; everyone had said their 'goodbyes' and 'see-you-laters'.

This time no-one had known John was going to 'leave'. Not even John himself. Well, all right. John had known at some point. So had Scott, minutes later.

Scott had been the only one able to say goodbye. But had it been in time? Had John heard it? They would not know.

Kyrano sighed. He had lost a good friend. He had lost one of the people who had treated him like an intelligent human being right from the start. Well, everyone had been a bit wary of him when he first came to the island, John included. Jeff had been welcoming of course, as he had been the one to actually offer Kyrano the place to stay. But the rest of the family had been cautious.

However, after a while John had accepted him, and treated him as he treated everyone on the island. Scott and Virgil had taken some more time but then had accepted him in the same way as John had. Gordon had been 9 at that time, and Alan had only been 8. Those two had been just children. They had however welcomed Tin Tin better than he had expected. He had expected the boys to react in disgust at the thought of a girl in their company, as many boys start to do at that age. And they did. But it only lasted for two minutes. Then they found out that Tin Tin liked to play with toy cars as much as they did.

Kyrano grinned slightly as he remembered the three kids, playing in the sand with their cars. Only worried about whether their 'Big Brothers' wouldn't come and annoy them.

Now their worries had become more serious. Kyrano felt sad, not only for himself, but also for the 'children'. They had lost their innocence all too soon. They had hardly had the time to be naïve, as most children their age had been. But they had overcome the big losses of their childhood successfully. And now they were confronted with yet another loss. Would his 'family' be able to pull themselves through this tragedy as well? He hoped so. He prayed that it would be so. He himself would get through this too.

Together, as a family, they would get through this as well. But would it ever be the same as before?

A great loss. A loss of the scarce remaining innocence. A loss of a friend, grand child, son, brother, and husband.

A/N: well… I don't have much to add… actually, don't have anything to add. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned! - zeilfanaat