Disclaimer: I don't own the Thunderbirds or the Tracy family with the exception of Sam.

A/N: I would like to thank those who have reviewed each chapter and let me know what they think of the story. A special thanks to two friends that have helped me keep my story going in the right direction. My Irish friend, thanks for pointing out some things that don't quite work and for giving me advice and background info on things that I overlook.

Chapter 18

"You get John and I'll get Sam." The words were just loud enough to penetrate John's sleepy brain. Not wanting to wake up yet, he rolled over and pulled his blankets up over his head.

"GORDON COOPER TRACY!"

John sat up and looked over at his sister as she struggled with their brother. He had a water bottle and was pouring it over her head. She jumped out of bed and quickly threw Gordon onto John's bed as he made a run for it. John rolled out of the way just before she pinned Gordon to the bed. She glared down at him in anger.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" she demanded. Water was running down her face and dripping onto Gordon. He grinned up at her just as Alan finished up the attack and poured yet another bottle of water on her. Letting go of Gordon, she jumped up and went after Alan. She tackled him just as he made it to his bed.

"Ouch," he cried as her weight knocked him down on his bed. "We were just trying to wake you up." He looked at her innocently with his big blue eyes that were just a shade lighter than her and John's eye color.

"Did you think that maybe shaking us on the shoulder would work better? Or how about calling my name?" She gave him a wedgie and went back to her room. Alan yelled a warning to Gordon but he had already fled down the hall to Scott and Virgil's room.

"Scott, can I come in and visit you guys for a little bit?" he asked with an innocent expression on his face that didn't quite mask the impish light in his eyes. Scott let him in and closed the door allowing him to walk into the room and to where Virgil was looking out the window. A sudden banging on the door caused him to jump and try to hide behind Virgil. Scott opened the door to find Sam standing there with water still dripping down her face.

"Where is the little monster?" she asked through clenched teeth. She saw a bit of movement behind Virgil. "Gordon, get your butt over here right now!" Gordon swallowed and walked over to Sam.

"Yes, Sam." He looked up at her with his eyes opened wide as if he were shocked that she was upset with him. She spun him around to face Virgil and whispered in his ear as she gave him a wedgie.

"You should know better, Squirt," she said softly. Scott and Virgil busted out laughing at Gordon as he tried to pull the wedgie but Sam kept pulling up so that he couldn't get it out. Finally, he apologized and Sam let go. She walked into the bathroom and grabbed a towel to dry her face off.

"See you guys in a little bit," she said to Scott and Virgil.

"What did you and Alan do this time?" Virgil asked after Sam left the room. Gordon grinned at him and told him. Virgil shook his head in disbelief.

"Do you have a death wish? Not only did you make Sam mad but do you realize that John will get revenge on you for messing with her?" he asked. "Not to mention the fact that you woke both of them up." Gordon paled when he realized that John would get him next. He went back to his room to shower and change for breakfast. Their dad planned on leaving for their school in about two hours.

Two hours later, they were on their way back to school. Jeff was giving them each some last minute expectations. Looking at Sam and Scott, he told them all that there had better be no physical altercations during this school year. He gave Scott, Sam, and John signed consents that they could leave the campus on the weekends to go into town. Virgil, Gordon, and Alan began to argue about how unfair that it was that they could go to the movies and out to eat while they were stuck on campus. The oldest three wisely kept quiet and looked over their schedules for the semester. John and Sam were once again placed in most of the same classes.

Soon the limo turned down the long drive that led to the school. Once the limo had stopped, they all climbed out and stretched. Sam pulled their identification cards that doubled as their keycards for their rooms out of her purse. She handed them to the correct brother and then picked up her luggage. She followed the boys up to their floor and to her room. She unlocked her door and went in. Looking around she felt like she was home. She walked over to her windows and opened them to let the fresh air in and pulled back the curtains. She ran back downstairs to get the rest of her stuff that had been purchased in NYC.

"SCOTT!"

Looking around for the person yelling for Scott, she suddenly saw Kelli running up to the limo. Sam quickly grabbed her stuff and began to walk to the dorm. Scott grabbed her arm to stop her. She looked at him, confused.

"Hi, Kelli, what can I do for you?" He asked politely. He was aware that Jeff was watching the interaction. Kelli stood next to him and glowered at Sam. Sam stood her ground next to Scott and just looked at her.

"Can we go somewhere and talk, Scott?" she asked coyly. "You didn't call me this summer."

"Kelli, I told you it was over," he said. "I am not interested in being your boyfriend because you don't respect my family. They were tolerant of your barging in and monopolizing all of my free time but I'm not letting it continue." He turned away from her and wrapped his arm around Sam's shoulder.

"Come on Sis," he said as he guided her back to the dorm. They didn't see the ugly look on Kelli's face as she stared at Sam with obvious hatred. Turning on her heel, she walked back to the girls' dorm.

"That little bitch ruined my chance with Scott," she muttered as a plan began to form in her mind.

Sam and Scott had just taken their stuff into their rooms when Jeff came up to tell them all goodbye.

"Behave yourselves and if you need anything call me," he said as he opened a bag that he had in his hand. He handed each of his children a small box. He nodded at them to open it and see what it was. Inside each box was a cell phone and accessories. He had already programmed each of their numbers into the other's phone as well as his cell and office numbers.

"Thanks, Dad," said all six of them at the same time.

"I have also set up an allowance that will be deposited into an account each month for each of you," he continued as he handed them each a small envelope that had a bank card and pin to access their allowance. The six of them looked at their dad with their jaws dropped.

"Catching flies?" he teased. They all shut their mouths and reached out to hug their dad as he finally told them goodbye. "I'll see you all in October. We'll go out and celebrate John and Sam's birthday." He walked to the elevator and waved bye to his children. They all looked at each other in amazement and then went into their rooms to unpack.

Sam made her bed and then put her books on the bookshelf. She set up her laptop and set the charger for her new cell phone on the desk and plugged it in and set her phone on it so that it could charge. She unpacked her clothes and quickly put garments that needed to be hung in her wardrobe. Her extra shoes were left in the boxes and stacked on the lower part of her wardrobe. One drawer of her dresser was for her running clothes. She made sure that everything was put away and then went to her bathroom and put away her toiletries. She unpacked the towels that she had brought with her. She didn't like the ones the school issued them. She opened a storage cabinet under her bathroom sink and placed the laundry soap that she used to do her and her brothers' laundry. Normally, she and one other brother would do all of their laundry on Saturday. Her brothers rotated the chore but Sam was a constant with that chore. The only thing that she refused to do was sort their socks and put their clothes away.

She walked back out to her room and realized she was missing something. Her painting that Virgil had done for her wasn't with her stuff. She was sure that she had brought it with her. She went to John's room to see if he had it by chance.

"John did the painting Virgil did for me end up with your stuff?" she asked as she walked into his room. John looked up at her from his desk and shook his head no. She went to Gordon's room next. She knocked on his door and waited for him to answer.

"Come in," he called. Sam opened the door and gasped at the mess he'd made in his room.

"Gordy, what are you doing in here?" she asked. "Do you need some help organizing this mess?" He looked at her sheepishly and nodded. She made his bed for him and then put away his clothes. It was at that time that John came over to check on him. He looked at Sam as she continued to clean up Gordon's room. Without saying a word he put away the books and set up his laptop and cell phone charger. They soon had his room organized and cleaned up.

"Gordon you don't by chance have the painting that Virg gave me, do you?" Sam asked. He shook his head no. She went to Alan's room knowing that he was going to need help getting organized for the school year. She knocked on his door and waited to be invited in. He opened the door and let her into his room. She was surprised to find that he had already made his bed and unpacked his clothes and hung up his uniforms.

"Do you need any help?" she asked as she looked around his room.

"I just need to put my books on the shelves and hook up my laptop and cell phone charger," he said. He had such a look of pride on his face that she couldn't help but give him a hug.

"I'm so proud that you are doing things for yourself. You're growing up Alan," she said proudly. "Just don't grow up to fast. I'm kinda used to helping you out. I don't know what I'll do when you don't need me to tuck you in at night anymore."

"Sis, it's gonna be awhile before I let you out of that routine," he said softly. He gave her a quick hug.

"Oh, have you seen that painting Virg gave me? I can't find it but I'm sure I brought it with me," she said. Alan shook his head no. Sam smiled at him and went back to her room to look through her stuff one more time.

"I know I packed that painting," she said to herself as she opened her wardrobe and looked on all of the shelves.

"What are you hunting for, Sam?" asked a voice from her door. She looked over and saw her brothers standing there with matching smirks on their handsome faces.

"The painting that Virgil did for me," she answered distractedly. She continued to look on her bookshelves and had even pulled out her luggage was opening them to make sure she hadn't left it in one of them. She slowly became aware that her brothers were laughing at her. She turned around and looked at them quizzically.

"What's so funny?" she asked. She was getting frustrated and it was beginning to show. Her brothers walked into the and continued to smile at her. Virgil walked up to her and handed her a canvas. She turned it around and gasped at the amazing painting that he'd done for her. This one was more recent and showed how much they had changed in the last couple of years. Scott handed her the original painting. He had taken it to his room when Sam wasn't looking.

"Virgil, this is beautiful," she said as she stared at the painting. Virgil began to blush a little at the compliment. Sam gave him a big hug and whispered thank you in his ear.

"Where do you want them?" asked John.

"On the wall next to my bed," she said. "That way I can see them every night before I fall asleep." Scott and John hung the paintings up for her. They all stood back and looked at them. Sam placed a few more framed pictures of her family around the room and a copy of her favorite picture was placed on her nightstand just like the original at home on the island. She sat a framed picture of her and Catie on her desk. She had a memory board hanging on the wall above her desk that was covered in pictures of her and her brothers doing various activities at school. Some had Catie and their other friends with the siblings. Most of the pictures that had been taken were taken by Sam. She had developed a knack for photography and was enjoying it as a hobby.

"It's time for lunch," said Scott as he looked at his watch. They all walked out of Sam's room. She closed the door behind her and made sure that it was locked. Her brothers quickly checked to make sure that their rooms were locked. Together they went to the cafeteria. Catie joined them as they crossed the common area between the dorms and the cafeteria.

"Sam, wait up," she called as she jogged up to the group. They all stopped and waited for her to catch up.

"Hi Catie," said all of Sam's brothers. Catie grinned at them and returned the greeting.

"How was you summer in London?" asked Sam. Catie had emailed her to let her know that she would be spending the summer in Europe.

"It was great," she replied. "I went to the theater and dined at some amazing restaurants. Oh, and the sights were amazing especially the men." She and Sam began to giggle at the last remark. Sam's brothers rolled their eyes and began to talk to each other and let the girls catch up on their gossip. After they had gotten their food and had sat down at their table, Sam became uncomfortable. She noticed some of the students staring at her and whispering to their friends. Kelli could be seen at a far table glaring at her.

Sam looked at Catie and her brothers to see if they had noticed anything. They were laughing and joking with each other. Sam joined in with the conversation and tried to ignore the stares that she continued to get. When they were done eating, they all carried their trays to the window to pass them through to the kitchen staff. Sam had just walked outside when another student walked by her.

"You should have left Kelli alone," he said as he walked by. Sam looked at him, clearly confused. None of her brothers had heard his remark so she didn't say anything. She and Catie went to the small park behind Sam's dorm. They were sitting on the swings and talking when something hit Sam in her back.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed in shock. Looking down on the ground she saw a small rock that had been thrown at her. She didn't understand what was going on. They hadn't even been back at school for eight hours and she was already wanting to go home. She looked at Catie.

"Do you know what's going on?" she asked Catie.

"Kelli was upset when she came into the dorm today. She was muttering something about getting even with some bitch," she admitted. It suddenly dawned on her that Sam was the target.

"Great, if I get into a fight with her Dad will send me to another school," she muttered. She began to swing again in an effort to figure out what she could do and how far Kelli was going to take this plan of revenge. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see the group of students walk into the park.

"Sam, I think we have company," Catie hissed as she saw that the teens were heading in their direction. Sam looked at her and then at the park's entrance. Sam continued to swing as if nothing was wrong.

One of the teens reached out and grabbed her leg in an attempt to pull her off the swing. She held tight on the chains and stopped swinging. She stood up and looked at the girl that had grabbed her. With no warning the girl punched Sam in her stomach. Sam doubled over but refused to fight back. Another of the group came up and pulled her back into an upright position. The first girl punched her in the face. Still Sam refused to fight.

"What are you hitting her for?" Catie screamed at the group of girls. Two of them had grabbed Catie and dragged her away. Her screams had reached Scott's open bedroom window. He looked down at the park and saw the group of girls and could see that one was being held up by another while being punched in the face and stomach. He quickly found the dorm monitor to alert them of the fight and went outside with her to see who was involved in the fight. He had recognized Catie's voice and was afraid that Sam was involved in the fight despite what their dad had said. The girls quickly scattered before the monitor could see who was in the group. The girl holding Sam let go of her and ran off with the girl that had been doing the hitting. Scott had ran up just as the girl was dropped to the ground. The monitor and Catie had already reached girl on the ground at the same time. Catie looked up as Scott came running into the park. She quickly went to him.

"Scott, it's Sam," she said. "Some girls came in and grabbed her and started punching her but she refused to fight back. She just let them hit her." Scott paled and stepped around Catie and ran to his sister's side. The monitor had rolled her over and was talking to her.

"Sammie," Scott called as he reached out to pick his sister up. Sam opened her eyes and looked at him.

"I didn't…fight…them, Scotty," she said softly. It was important for him to know that she had lived up to her promise to their dad. Scott gently stood up with her in his arms. He started walking towards the dorm.

"I know, Sammie, Catie already told me what happened," he told her. He held her closer as he took her up to her room. Catie unlocked the door and held it open for him. Scott waited until Catie pulled down Sam's bedclothes and then he gently laid her down on the bed. Sam continued to stare up at him. She was worried that her dad would enroll her in another school away from her brothers but she refused to give into the tears that were burning behind her eyelids. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the pain from where she had been hit repeatedly. A cool cloth wiped off the blood that was on her face. Another cool cloth was placed on her forehead. She had just begun to doze off when she heard someone knocking on her door. She heard someone call out to come in but she didn't want to open her eyes. She was still confused as to why she had been beat up.

"Scott, what happened to Sam?" said a voice that she recognized as Virgil's. "Kevin said that she was beaten up."

"She was. I don't know how bad she is though," Scott said quietly. "The only thing that she has said is that she didn't fight back. She's scared Dad will send her to another school." The school nurse entered the room and quickly checked Sam over.

"She should be alright," she said. "She looks worse than she really is." Scott and Virgil sighed in relief.

"I guess one of us should call Dad and let him know," said Scott. He went to let go of Sam's hand only to have her squeeze it tightly in her's.

"Don't tell Dad. He'll send me away, Scotty," she began to cry even though she was trying hard not to. Scott wiped away her tears and tried to calm her down. He nodded at Virgil. Virgil went to his room and called their dad.

"Dad, Sam's been hurt," he began. "Some girls apparently targeted her for some reason and fought with her in the park. The nurse says she looks worse than she really is."

"Damnit, I told her that if she got into anymore fights with anyone I was enrolling her in another school," he snapped.

"Dad, she didn't fight. She stood there and took it. Actually, another girl held her up while another repeatedly hit her," Virgil said in defense of Sam.

"She stood there and refused to fight back and defend herself?" Jeff asked incredulously.

"Dad, she was afraid that if she defended herself that you'd think that she'd been fighting. She's afraid of being sent away to another school," Virgil shot back.

"Virgil, I'm going to let you go and call the school. I want some answers and I think I know who the culprit is behind the attack on Sam," he said. "I'm coming back to the school. I'll be there tomorrow afternoon." He hung up and Virgil went back to Sam's room. Scott was sitting on the floor. Sam had sat down on the floor next to him. She had a slight headache and her jaw hurt from where she'd been hit but other than the marks on her face she felt okay. She was leaning against him and quietly talking. They both looked up at Virgil when he came in. Virgil whistled at the bruising on Sam's face.

"How do you feel?" he asked. "It looks like it hurts bad."

"Not as bad as you'd think," she said. Her words slurred a little because she had a busted lip. "Slight headache and my jaw hurts a little." She didn't feel like talking too much because it hurt her jaw. He sat down next to her.

"Do you want anything for the headache? You don't think it will be one of the bad ones, do you?" Scott asked. She had mentioned that her head had hurt a couple of times and he was worried about it. She shook her head and leaned her head on his shoulder. Virgil looked over her head at Scott. He mouthed the word Dad and school tomorrow. Sam's bedroom door opened and John, Gordon, and Alan came in. They had been at the basketball courts goofing off. After checking Scott and Virgil's rooms they heard voices in Sam's room and had come in. They stopped when they saw Sam leaning against Scott.

"Sammie, are you okay?" John said as he ran to his sister. He knelt in front of her as she opened her eyes and looked at him. She nudged Scott. He understood that she wanted him to tell them what happened.

"She's fine, John. She looks worse than it really is. The only thing that she has complained of is a slight headache and her jaw hurts."

"What happened to her?" asked Alan as he came up to where they were sitting.

"Some girls started fighting her in the park. She refused to fight back therefore they had free reign on what they did." Scott was amazed that Sam kept her temper despite the pain she surely had to feel.

"Move John," Sam said. "I need to stand up and you're in my way." John scooted back to give her room to stand. She got to her feet and went to her dresser and got out her pajamas.

"I'm going to go take a shower. You guys go to dinner without me. I'm not hungry but would one of you bring me back a Sprite?" she asked as she went to her bathroom. "Oh shut the door behind you and make sure that it's locked." She closed the bathroom door and locked it. Minutes later her brothers could hear the shower running. Looking at each other they got up and left her room. John made sure the door was locked. They went to the cafeteria and picked out their dinners and sat down at their table.

"How's Samantha?" asked a voice next to Scott. Scott looked up into his ex-girlfriend's face. She had a nasty smirk on her face. "The little bitch shouldn't have interfered in our relationship." She stood up and started to walk away when Scott suddenly stood up and grabbed her arm.

"You had my sister beaten up because I dumped you?" he yelled at her. "I dumped you cus you're a nasty little brat." It was at that moment the headmaster came in with none other than Jeff Tracy. They both heard what Scott had yelled at Kelli. Virgil had grabbed John as he jumped up to go after Kelli. Gordon and Alan stood between Kelli and John to ensure that he didn't get to her.

"Scott, let her go," said his dad as he approached their table. "Where is Sam?"

"She's in her room. She said she wasn't hungry," said Virgil as he continued to hold John.

"Kelli, you are to go to my office right now and wait for me," instructed the headmaster. She shot a dirty look at the Tracy family and stormed off. The boys picked up their trays and took them to the window ledge for the dishwashers to take.

Jeff led them back to their dorm. He knocked on Sam's door and waited for her to open the door. He heard her stumble to the door and fumble with the locks. She opened the door and gasped when she saw that her dad was there.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" she asked. "You're not making me go to another school are you?" Her eyes began to tear up at the thought of leaving her brothers. She walked back to her bed and sat down. She picked up the picture she'd been looking at when he'd knocked on the door. It was the picture of her and her brothers and Tin-Tin in her room on the first Christmas on Tracy Island.

Her dad sat down on the bed next to her and hugged her to him. She leaned against him even though she was waiting for him to tell her that she had to leave her brothers.

"No, Honey, I am not sending you to another school. Kelli admitted to being the one that had you targeted. She blamed you for Scott breaking up with her. I saw the look she gave you this morning when I dropped you off and I should have known that she was up to no good. Why didn't you defend yourself?"

"I didn't want to break my promise to you, Daddy. I was afraid you'd be disappointed in me and I didn't want to feel like I did after Scott's birthday," she whispered through her busted lip. Jeff turned to look at her and sighed when he saw the bruises on her face. He was so proud of her yet his heart was breaking that someone had willingly hurt his daughter for no reason other than revenge. He hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. He looked at the rest of his children.

"I am willing to find another school for you to attend if you want to transfer," he said. Sam spoke up first.

"No, Dad, we can't leave now. Scott only has this year and next before he graduates. We've made friends and we're involved with sports and music programs here," she said. "I'm not running cus somebody doesn't like me."

Her brothers quickly agreed with her. They were angry that Sam had been in a one-sided fight but they felt that if they left now it would appear that they were running away in fear.

"If that's what you want then I'll leave things alone," he said. He wasn't surprised that they chose to stay. They weren't the type to back down from a challenge.

"I've got to go speak with the headmaster and then I'm heading back to NYC," he told them. "I'll be flying back to Tracy Island tomorrow." He hugged his children and walked out of Sam's room. She had laid down and brought her blankets up to her chin and began to fall asleep. John brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her on the cheek. She gave him a small smile without opening her eyes. She sat up suddenly and scared her brothers.

"Sam, what's wrong?" Scott asked.

"I forgot that I need to tuck Gordon and Alan in," she said. Her brothers laughed at her.

"I think that one night won't hurt them," he said. She looked at him and shook her head.

"I have to Scotty," she said softly. "Go take your shower and I'll come in and tuck you in Gordy and Ally." They left the room as John gently pushed Sam back down on her bed and straightened her blankets. By the time Gordon and Alan were done with their showers, Sam was fighting herself to stay awake. When they knocked on her door, she got up and went first to Alan's room and tucked him in. She handed him his favorite blanket and gave him a hug and kiss goodnight.

"Love you, Ally," she said.

"Love you too, Sammie," he said. She walked out of his room and softly closed the door. She knocked on Gordon's door and waited for the all clear.

She tucked him into bed and straightened his blankets and then gave him a hug and kiss.

"Love you, Gordy," she said.

"Love you too, Sammie," he said. She left his room and closed the door behind her. John was waiting on her when she came out. He walked her back to her room and helped her into bed. He tucked her in and kissed her on the cheek.

"Goodnight, Sammie. I love you."

"G'night, Johnny, I love you too." She gave him a small smile and fell asleep. He left her room and went to his own.

The next morning Sam felt better and went to breakfast before class. She had a great first day of school. She liked all of her classes and knew that she would do well in all of them. She didn't have anymore problems from Kelli. Once Jeff had spoken to the headmaster and Kelli, she begged her parents to send her to a school in Europe.

After Kelli left, Sam had no more problems. She never bothered to find out the names of the girls that had beaten her up. She was too busy enjoying her friendship with Catie and their first year of high school. Catie joined the Tracy family when they went out for dinner to celebrate Sam and John's 15th birthday. The rest of the semester went by fast and soon it was time to go back to Tracy Island for the holidays.