Virgil meets…

By zeilfanaat

Category: General/Romance

Ratings: G or K

Warning: none

Disclaimer: Thunderbirds is not mine. They belong to Gerry Anderson and co. Any characters that are not from the series, are mine. (I highly doubt you'll see any movie-verse characters in here, since I've never seen the movie). Please ask if you want to borrow them.

Summary: Virgil goes to a concert and meets… a sarcastic teenager?

A/N: Well, I was actually working on another story like this but with another person… however, this story demanded my attention. So, here it is: "Virgil meets…"

Special thanks go to white rose01 who has beta'd this story!

An excited crowd left the concert hall. It was the interval, so immediately there were queues forming at both the coffee stalls and the toilets. Virgil Tracy made his way through the crowd and sighed when he noticed the queues for coffee seemed to be just as long at all the stalls he had passed so far. He decided this line was as good as any, so he joined the waiting people. Having done this, he checked his watch and sighed. 'Still fifteen minutes.' He didn't want to miss a second of this concert. The young woman in front of him turned around.

"You sound just as impatient as my sister." Virgil looked up. A girl of about eighteen or nineteen looked at him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"Oh, and why is that?" Virgil asked, more amused than curious.

"Because, she's been looking towards the concert hall longingly ever since we left it, and she's been sighing every time she looks at her watch. Which seems to be the same thing you're doing."

She clearly wanted to add more, but it was her turn to get coffee. She tried to balance three filled coffee cups, but upon seeing the second cup almost tip over, Virgil, ever the gentleman, took the third.

"Here, let me help you."

"Thanks." The girl sent him a grateful look. Virgil grabbed a coffee of his own before following the girl towards one of the corners of the room. The girl walked directly towards two women, both somewhere in their twenties it seemed.

"Hi. Before you ask, this man here was nice enough to help me, 'cause I didn't feel like getting coffee all over me."

The two other women looked at Virgil and nodded and smiled. The girl handed one of the coffee cups over to the oldest of the two, so Virgil handed one of his to the other woman. "Thank you."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Virgil."

The oldest woman smiled. "Nice to meet you. My name is Ingrid. Next to me is Elise, and the one you helped is Ellen. We're all sisters."

"Pleased to meet you." Virgil shook hands with each of them. Unconsciously he looked at his watch again, almost at the same time as the woman who was called Elise. Ingrid raised her eyebrow, and Ellen shrugged and grinned. Then she nudged Virgil in the ribs.

"Told you so."

"Huh, what? I'm sorry, did I miss something."

"Ehm, yes. You and Elise looked at your watch simultaneously. I told you, you two are just as impatient."

Elise and Virgil looked at each other, slightly embarrassed.

"You too like the concert?" Elise asked softly. Virgil nodded.

"Yes, I love it. I don't want to miss a minute of it."

"So, where are you from?" Ingrid asked.

"I grew up in Kansas, at my grandparents' farm. And you?"

"Oh, our grandparents are from Russia, but our parents moved to the US before we were born. We grew up here, though Elise has just returned from living a year with our grandparents."

"I still can't believe you survived that!" Ellen said. "I mean, they don't understand a word of English, they only speak Russian, and well… they are Russian."

Elise shrugged. "It's not that difficult. Even you can speak Russian."

"Can not!" Ellen exclaimed, while Ingrid explained to Virgil.

"Our parents thought it a good idea to let us grow up speaking both languages. But Ellen just refuses to speak Russian. Oh, she can speak it. She just doesn't want the rest of us to know."

"Ingrid! I don't speak Russian!"

"Come on Ellen. We all know it! I still don't get why you refuse to speak Russian to us, 'cause we've all heard you, one time or the other."

Ellen sputtered. "Have not."

"Oh, but we did. Remember Alex from 9th grade? The Russian guy you had a crush on? My, you know some pretty nice chat up lines in Russian. Who was your teacher?"

Ellen turned red. Virgil grinned and took pity on her. He knew how it felt to be at the butt end of a joke. With four brothers there was no escaping it. Especially not when the youngest two were real pranksters.

"So, do you have more sisters or brothers?"

"Nope, we're with the three of us. How about you?" Elise asked.

"I have four brothers, no sisters. I'm the middle kid."

"Really? Can't imagine how that would be. Wow, living with four brothers." Ellen exclaimed, glad the attention was drawn away from her language acquisition methods.

"I imagine it would be about the same as living with a couple of sisters." Virgil smirked, and he checked his watch again. "Well, it was nice meeting you, but I think I'll head back to my seat."

Elise also checked the time, and agreed. "Yes, we don't want to miss the beginning again." At this she looked straight at Ingrid, who had the decency to look slightly ashamed.

"I'm sorry. I really hadn't counted on the fact we still had to go through the traffic jam. I just usually don't go somewhere during the rush hours."

"Yes, yes, alright, but now I missed the beginning. I heard it was a really good one, but all the CDs are already sold. Virgil, were you on time?"

"Yes, I walked here. Didn't feel like trying to get through the traffic at that hour. The beginning was indeed very good."

At seeing Elise's disappointed look, an idea started to form.

"Well, I can't exactly let you hear the whole beginning with violins and the rest, but I think I can manage to play it on the piano." The idea started to take on a more detailed form. "I know a club where I can probably manage to convince the owner to let me use his piano for a moment. What do you say?"

"After the concert? Tonight?" Elise asked, slightly taken aback.

"Yes, sure. That is, if you don't have anything else planned?"

"No, actually, I'd love to. Ingrid? Ellen?"

"Of course, that would be great!" Ellen immediately said. Ingrid nodded after a moment. They agreed where to meet after the concert, then left for their respective seats.

After the concert, Virgil stood waiting near the doors, looking out for the three sisters. Suddenly Elise appeared next to him. "Hi."

"Hi. Where are your sisters?"

"Ellen suddenly remembered she still had to go and buy a Christmas present for mother, and Ingrid decided to join her. Though I don't believe that for one minute. They just don't like music the way I do." Elise explained with a grin. "So, where's this club you were talking about?"

"This way. I hope you don't mind taking the metro. It's the fastest way."

"That's fine. It's much better than getting stuck in traffic."

They arrived at the club within ten minutes. Virgil went to an older man behind the bar. "Hey Ed. How are you?" Virgil greeted the man.

"Well, well, if it isn't our own little Virge. How am I doin'? Ah, ya can see that for yourselves. Though we do miss ya aroun' here. The pianist is ok, but he just don'' sound the same. So, what's ya doin' back? Ya lookin' fer a job again? 'Cause ya know ya're always welcome back, don't ya?"

"No, Ed, I'm not looking for a job. But I was wondering whether I could just use your piano for a few minutes…?"

"Yeah, sure, go ahead. Ya can kick ol' Stewart off. Just tell 'im it's boss' orders. Ya know the drill."

"Thanks Ed. I'll do just that."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm way too soft these days." The old man grumbled as Virgil led Elise towards the other side of the room where another man was sitting behind the piano. They waited till the man, presumably Stewart finished the song. Then Virgil stepped up to him, and within moments Virgil took place behind the instrument. He gestured for Elise to sit, and she pulled a chair closer. Virgil concentrated for a moment, recalling what the beginning of the concert sounded like. Over the years he had become capable of listening to a piece of music, remember exactly how it sounded, then playing it himself from memory.

Then he began playing. He completely forgot his surroundings, only listening as the music coming from his fingers became one with the music in his mind. Elise sat back, her eyes at first resting on the man she had only just met, but soon she became too caught up in the music. She closed her eyes and started to sway softly at the tune.

Everyone in the club became quiet as he or she listened to the music brought forth by the piano and its player. Ed leant against his bar with a satisfied grin around his mouth. The music came to an end. Everything remained quiet. Suddenly Ed broke the silence. "Ya see, Stewart, that's how ya get a crowd silent. I told ya 't was possible."

People started laughing and soon everyone was clapping. As the applause died away, and everyone turned back to his or her business, Elise approached Virgil.

"Wow. I didn't know you could play so well. I… I really got lost in the beauty of it."

Virgil, still not quite used to praise, shrugged. "Well, it wasn't me who wrote the music. That's how they played it in the concert. It really is a shame you weren't there in time. It was magnificent, together with the other instruments."

"Do you write music yourself?" Elise suddenly asked.

"Ehm, yes, but it's really nowhere as impressive as this."

"Please play something of your own."

Suddenly Ed was behind Virgil. "Yes, play somethin'. Didn't ya learn that ya'd better do as the lady says. I thought I'd taught you better than that."

"OK, OK, I know when I'm outvoted." Virgil held up his hands in surrender, and returned to the piano. There he thought for a moment before deciding on what to play. As he played, some couples started to dance. After the song had ended, Virgil played two more, before deciding that was enough for tonight. He had company after all, and he wasn't on the payroll here anymore. He indicated to Stewart that he was done playing and went over to Elise.

"Virgil, that was amazing. Have you ever thought about writing for dancers?"

Now Virgil was really taken aback. "Ehm, no, can't say I have. I mainly compose for myself or my family."

"Pity. Some of your music would be perfect."

"How do you know?" Virgil asked, suddenly very curious. Elise turned slightly red when she admitted. "Well, I'm an ice skater myself. As in, dancing on ice."

"Wow, that's pretty hard work, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Point is, I was looking for another song which to use. And I think I just found one. Do you… would you allow me to use that last song you played?"

For a moment, Virgil was dumbfounded. "Are you serious?"

Elise nodded shyly.

"Well, then I guess… yes, of course. How would you want it? I mean, on CD or as a computer file or something else?"

"Ehm, CD if it's all the same for you. But if a computer file is easier, that's-"

"CD it is then." Virgil said. "If you just give me your address, I'll send it to you."

They exchanged addresses, or in Virgil's case, mailbox and e-mail. Then they ordered something to drink, which Ed wouldn't let them pay for. His logic: Virgil had just earned it by playing piano; and no matter how much Virgil tried to dissuade him, Ed wouldn't hear of it. So Virgil just accepted the free drinks. The two had a nice evening, talking mainly about music, and they were disappointed when the evening ended. Virgil took Elise home, or at least, to the house of her parents where she had temporarily stayed. They promised to keep in touch. When Virgil walked back to the metro station which would bring him back to his hotel, he had a bounce to his step, that hadn't been there before.

'Now that was a nice evening. A magnificent concert and then meeting this extraordinary person who likes music as much as I do. I feel like I've met someone special. Who could have guessed that sighing and looking at your watch would result in this? Not me, that's for sure. And I wouldn't change it for the world.'

With that Virgil concluded his evening, and with that also his time off. Tomorrow morning he would fly back to the island, where he would be ready to face the action of rescuing people's lives. But for now, Virgil could relax and enjoy the memories of a great night with a certain woman.

The End