Hey everyone! (Dodging hard objects being thrown) I apologise! My beta reader and I had no idea it would take us this long to get one chapter ready. Alright, the truth. My beta reader has been experiencing a...rather rough semester...as have I. This chapter has, I'm afraid, not been read through by my irreplaceable Katya. I can not leave this story hanging another minute. I want it out so it can breath and the readers...if there are any left (sweat drop) to find out what the heck is going to happen next. I apologise once again. This chapter will be re-posted once she has the time to do anything other then school work. The next chapter, also not beta read yet, will probably go up before I leave for Christmas...I hope! P.S. large italized portion is a flashback.

Please enjoy!

Miss Elizabeth Blakeney

Chapter 21: Lona's Family

Over the next several days, Lona drifted in and out of consciousness. While Jeff wanted to spend all day with her, he was unable to do so. International Rescue had been out of action for far too long, and they could no longer afford to take personal time off from their mission. Gordon and Virgil had flown John back up to Thunderbird 5, so he could finish up his term up there. Scott had been released from the medical suite, and was now healing on his own. He refused to talk about his time in the Hood's custody, because he wanted to have Lona at the debriefing. Meanwhile, he was sleeping, eating, lying out in the sun, and straining his weakened muscles in the gym. Brains scolding him, saying he was doing too much, too soon; but Scott would not listen.

The boys had been on a couple easy rescues with Virgil acting as field commander and Gordon flying THUNDERBIRD 1. Scott had spent those times with Lona, who had not acknowledged a presence since Jeff. His father knew that Scott's inactivity was extremely infuriating for him, but until his body healed, he could not fly his beloved ship. The first day Scott had left his bed, he had gone straight to THUNDERBIRD 1's hanger. No one knew what he had done there, but he had stayed there for several hours.

One night after another easy rescue, the entire Tracy family met in the lounge. Even though Lona had still not gained total consciousness, Jeff felt that there were details that needed to be discussed before she and Scott debriefed them on their kidnappings. As soon as everyone had gathered, Jeff rose from his seat behind the desk.

"I know Scott wants us to wait until Lona can be present, and I agree. This meeting has nothing to do with Lona and Scott's kidnappings. All of us Tracys know Lona's history, but Kyrano, Tin-tin, Brains, and Fermot do not. I think I and the rest of us have a little explaining to do." Kyrano and Brains nodded, they had been wondering.

"I think I had better start," Jeff stated, "and tell her story from the beginning. James Danvers was one of my greatest friends. We grew up together, I the son of a wonderful farmer, he the only orphan in the entire school. No one wanted to be his friend because he was an orphan, you know how mean kids can be. However, I didn't care whether the King of England was his father or if his father was a drug addict. That truly didn't matter. He was my best friend, and we did everything together. Grandma could tell you, we were inseparable.

"When we grew up, I, of course, went into the Air Force NASA division; while James worked his way through college and got a degree in Technology. He started his own company, as you well know, the Flying Danvers Company. He had always loved flying, but his eyesight wasn't good enough for him to be accepted into the Air Force. They made airplanes for the Air Force, some rockets too. Lucille and Annalise became pregnant within months of each other. Both of us fathers were dreaming of having sons; we even had named picked out-Scott and Landon. Scott was born, and then, a couple months later, their child was born. I sat with James when he got the news, a healthy, beautiful baby girl. He was so disappointed, particularly after Annalise was told she could never have children again.

"Lona was a huge disappoint to both of them, but they never gave her a chance. Annalise had gone into seclusion; she always did care too much about her appearance. So, since no one really knew they were expecting, they just ignored Lona. They didn't even hire a nursemaid, because then people would have found out that they had a child." Jeff Tracy stopped talking for a moment, as he tried to contain his disgust. Brains and Kyrano were both shocked to hear of this. Neither of the fathers could understand how James Danvers could have been so cruel to his child. Scott looked at his father; he wanted to tell this part of the story.

"Since they didn't want a 'destructive child' around, the Danvers would drop her off at our house. You know the life they lived. Sometimes she spent up to three months with us at a time. Lona and I …were the greatest friends. We did everything together. We were in all the same classes, we played together, took karate and martial arts training together, we even beat up bullies together." Scott had to smile at that particular memory. "And we planned to go into the Air Force together. We threw ourselves into our studies, wanting to have the best grades so we would be sure to get in the Force. Dad encouraged us and did everything he could to help. Mr. Danvers…he didn't care one way or the other." Scott's strong jaw tightened, anger had smoldered for years because of the father's treatment of his best friend.

Jeff continued, "After I decided to quit the space program, because of Lucille's death and my wish to take care of the boys, James helped me set up my own business-Tracy Enterprises. Then, we began to have a bit of a falling out. My stock and company were growing exponentially, while his company was at a bit of a standstill. Plus, I think he had finally seen how much influence I had over his daughter, that I was more her father then he was. James began to keep her home more and more. Lona would never tell me why or what they did, but the rest of the boys and I knew she was unhappy about the situation.

"Then, a miracle occurred. Annalise became pregnant; and a boy was born. Michael was the apple of his father and mother's eyes. Lona, who one would expect to be jealous of him, loved him so much." Here Jeff paused. He was remembering the looks of joy he had seen as Lona held her little brother. He was remembering the young, sweet boy, whose life had been tragically cut so short.

Virgil had to cut in; he knew Jeff carried so much self-reproach over the whole Danvers situation. "Of course she loved him; she had seen a loving family when she spent so much time with you and Mom. Because of your love for her, you helped her become a person who could lead a normal life…" Jeff angrily cut in.

"No Virgil, she never led a normal life. The girl never had a chance at a normal life, never." He turned to Kyrano and Brains. "Now comes the part of the story we don't know much about. Roughly a month before Scott and Lona's graduation, James calls me and says he has something important to discuss with me, and that it had to be private. Therefore, we met in my office at the headquarters of Tracy Enterprises. And there…there he told me…that Lona never wanted to see us again."

Jeff sits down behind his desk after getting his good friend a refreshing brandy. He cannot help but notice that his old friend is uncomfortable and nervous about something.

"James, what is this all about? There is something obviously troubling you. Is it Lona?" The other dark haired man nodded sadly, after wincing imperceptibly.

"Jeff, I know you would do anything for Lona. And I know I haven't been a good father to her. Hell Jeff, you were her only father figure for years. But I've tried hard lately to make it up her. And now I come to you as one of Lona's fathers to another." Jeff did not know what to think.

"Is there anything I can do? I'll do anything, you know that, James." The man nodded sadly.

"I do know that Jeff. I also know that this is the hardest thing I have ever asked you to do. I have to ask you to never see Lona again." Jeff stared at his friend, shock indelibly written on his face.

"James, have I done something to offend you? If I have…"

"No! Jeff, it's not like that. I would never ask you to do this if I was jealous of you. I know what Lona means to you. I don't understand why, but she told me she did not want to see any of the Tracys ever again. She gave me no reason when I pressed her, even when I told her that you all deserved an explanation." Jeff was devastated. What had they done to Lona that would cause her to act this way? Why was she doing this? Why, why, why?

"And that's how it happened. I told the boys and we respected Lona's wishes. Until she said otherwise, we would abide by her request. The only time I broke our promise was when she was decorated for her actions in the Air Force." Scott's head shot up.

"You mean she did go into the Air Force, like she wanted? I know her dad didn't want her to. I guess she went against his wishes when she was old enough. Why didn't you tell me!" Jeff smiled sadly.

"Because…I don't know. I thought I was protecting you, I know how much Lona's actions hurt you particularly. And the only reason I went was because you were being decorated the next day." Scott nodded; saddened at how much of his friend's life he had missed because of her sudden hatred of the Tracys.

Kyrano and Brains watched as each of the Tracys' thoughts turned to their friend's apparent betrayal. However, Brains had one final unanswered question.

" M-mr. Tracy? I'm a-afraid I have on-ne more question. I-I thought the Dan-anvers all died i-in a car-r crash?" Jeff nodded.

"About four years ago. Lona had been on leave from the Air Force and the whole family apparently was out for a drive. The authorities found the wreak because of the huge cloud of black smoke pouring from it. There…there wasn't enough left of the bodies to…to identify them. Or for…for caskets." Everyone in the room was a pale shade of green.

"But Mister Tracy, I remember there being some question about the whole thing."

"That's right Kyrano. The whole family had disappeared about two weeks before that and there had been no trace of them. However, for the Danvers, that was not unheard of. They often would disappear for weeks at a time, family vacations and such. The secrecy helped them escape the media. The theory, since it could never be proven, was that they were heading home and James was driving too fast for the small back road."

A long silence descended on the lounge. Finally, Virgil broke the silence.

"What are we going to do about Lona's wish to never see us again?" Scott was the one who answered.

"I think we should pretend it never happened until she brings it up herself. I've been wondering why she never told me exactly who she was, I mean, it's obvious she knew who I was. Now I think I understand, she wasn't sure how we would receive her. I think we should act like we did when she was practically family. After all," he said as he rose from the sofa, "we are all the family she has left." With that, he walked resolutely out of the room, to sit by the bedside of his friend.