Thunderbird Two made a slow, gentle approach to the landing strip and carefully lowered her suspended cargo onto the waiting wagon. The cables slackened and the wreck that was once the proud flagship of the organisation lolled to one side and came to a rest on the long metal gurney.

The cables dropped and Two edged back along the runway to set down beside the wagon, allowing clear access for One to be towed inside for repairs. Jeff was certain that Brains had already begun mentally planning where to start and the supplies he needed to gather. He smiled warmly at his friend as Brains hurried aft and headed down the ramp towards the wagon carrying One.

"Home." Virgil mumbled softly, shutting down Two's systems and climbing from his seat.

"Thank God." Alan agreed.

Gordon yawned and stretched his arms above his head. "Man, my bed is going to feel so good right now."

"Not the pool?" Alan queried.

"Well … perhaps." Gordon shrugged and followed his brothers off of the flight deck.

Jeff sat for a moment in the quietness and closed his eyes. Home, maybe. Safe was something yet to be worked on.

"You alright?"

Jeff turned and saw Penny stepping onto the flight deck. He smiled and swivelled in his chair to face her. Holding out his arms, he sighed in relief as she hurried forward and climbed onto his lap. Neither of them spoke for a long while. They made the most of the awkward balancing position and held each other tightly.

Penny was loath to break the moment but necessity won over her needs and she sat back to look down at Jeff's tired face.

Jeff saw it in her eyes immediately and frowned up at her. "What …?"

"John." Penny began.

Scott leaned on the high back of the office chair and took his weight off of his injured leg. Onaha had repaired the damage but doing so had caused the wound to sting and it seemed nothing could soothe it. But then it was a welcome distraction right at that moment.

Jeff stood from the chair and crossed to the window. He reached out and traced his forefinger round the edge of the small hole in the glass. Funny that they had never thought of using bulletproof glass, he mused . But then they had never deemed it necessary; the shielding closed to protect the office from launch exhaust and that was all that had ever been needed.

"Is he ever coming back?"

Jeff stepped back and could make out the reflection of his gathered family in the office behind him. He turned and offered a shrug in reply to Alan's quiet question. He then let his eyes wander among the faces that watched him in confusion and sadness.

"I should have been here!" Scott shouted suddenly slamming his fist into the back of the chair. "I could have stopped him!"

"I know how you feel." Jeff offered carefully, "But it doesn't change what has happened."

"I just can't believe it." Gordon muttered.

"I can." Came Virgil's angry retort.

"You shut up!" Alan spat in fury.

"Hey. Hey." Jeff hurried over to them and smiled thinly. "Getting at each other won't help." He stepped closer to them and nodded slowly. "We'll sort this. Somehow."

The three of them regarded him in doubt but then relented and were seemingly so tired that any hope was welcome right then.

"Go and get changed and have some food. We'll talk again later."

They were about to protest but today was not the day to be difficult. With a nod they followed each other from the office.

"He's right."

Jeff turned back to see Scott's sombre face.

"The warning signs were there." Scott continued. "We should have seen this coming."

And Jeff laughed, "What? That your trusted friend who helped rescue you from that God-awful place was not CIA? Or that she was a psycho-freak no better than Trangh himself? Or that your brother is capable of murder?"

Scott flinched at that last word.

"Well?" Jeff demanded, "Which part should we have seen?"

"Dad …" Scott sighed, "I'm sorry …"

Jeff groaned and hung his head. "Oh, listen to me … and I've just warned your brothers not to get at each other. " He looked up and shook his head. "I didn't mean it, Scott."

Scott nodded.

"I just …" He had run out of words and made his way back round the desk to fall into his chair.

Scott reached over and placed his hand on his father's shoulder, tears gathering as he felt the tight squeeze of his fingers in return.

And Penny entered the office. She closed her phone and shook her head. "They found the jet at Dulles but no sign of either of them." She continued forward to stand opposite the desk and sighed heavily. "And my laptop is nowhere to be found."

"God …" Jeff groaned and closed his eyes.

"Dulles …?" Scott mulled the name over for a moment and then gasped. "He's gone after him! Hasn't he. He's actually gone after him!"

Penny nodded slowly. "I really didn't know what to think but … I just found this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper.

Scott limped his way round to her and took the paper from her warily. He opened the once folded note and saw the handwriting, a groan of dismay escaping.

Jeff looked up and frowned at Penny. "Do I want to know …?"

Scott read the first line and closed his eyes. "God, John, you fool! You damned stupid fool!" He waved the letter at Jeff and his face reddened with anger. "Why? Why is he doing this to us? We could help him, for fuck's sake! Why can't he see that?"

Penny reached out and placed her hand on Scott's arm. He leaned into her touch and fell against her as the first sob broke through his defences.

Jeff stood slowly and walked towards them. He placed his arm around Scott and met Penny's gaze, his view misted by tears. With a trembling hand he pulled the letter from Scott's grasp and looked down at the neat script.

Dad,

I know you must have many questions. I'm sorry that I can't begin to give you any answers. But I have found a way to look for some.

Our family will never be safe until those who would do us harm are no longer a threat. I hope one day you will understand.

John

Penny watched the sorrow fill Jeff's face and held Scott as he wept quietly into her shoulder. It seemed a long while before anything more was said. Not that perhaps there was anything to say.

"It wasn't John."

Scott leaned back from Penny and Jeff watched her in concern.

"The person I saw … the man that did this …" She gestured around them and they knew what she meant. "It wasn't him."

"You mean," Scott sniffed and frowned down at her. "What do you mean?"

"I think he needs to be left alone." Penny continued, "I think we need to let him do this."

Jeff nodded slowly.

"Not that we really have much choice," Penny added, "With his knowledge of IR …" She sighed, "Well, let's say I have no doubt of just how well he can disappear …"

Jeff considered this for a moment. "But … 'disappearing' …" He held up the note, "That doesn't seem to be his plan."

"Plan?" Scott scoffed, "He's in no state to be planning anything!"

"He's got Alex with him." Penny offered.

Scott gave her a pointed look.

Jeff saw the brief understanding that passed between them. "What …?"

Penny turned to Jeff and managed a small smile. "Nothing."

Jeff looked to Scott and raised his eyebrows.

"She was … well … she kept stuff from us." Scott answered carefully.

"Stuff?" Jeff urged.

Penny sighed and shook her head, "Look, it's perfectly understandable. She saw the way things were and how unstable our little world here was becoming. She did not want to chance making things worse."

Jeff laughed briefly, "Worse! How could they possibly be worse?"

"No," Penny groaned, "I mean before … when …" She looked into Jeff's tired eyes and shrugged slightly, "Alex has contacts at MI5. Close contacts."

Jeff absorbed this and looked down at the letter in his tight grasp. "How long have you known this?"

Penny could almost read his thoughts and stepped closer, closing her slender fingers around his fist. "Not long." She shook her head slowly. "Not long enough for it to have made any difference until now."

Jeff lifted his head and searched her face, his frown deepening.

"If I know anything, it's how the espionage world works Jeff. She couldn't have made contact before and she had no reason to." She saw Jeff about to protest and shook her head, "She could not risk blowing the cover of a family member"

Scott and Jeff both gasped together.

"I know." Penny nodded slowly, "It was a surprise."

"When did she tell you?" Jeff frowned.

"She didn't tell me … " Penny pointed to one of the cameras nestled high in the corner of the ceiling, "And John could easily have disabled the cameras or destroyed the recording." She nodded towards Jeff's desk and the computer terminal there on. "I think he wanted me to see. He knew I would understand."

"Glad someone does." Scott grated.

Penny closed her eyes and shook her head. "He wanted me to know so I could tell you." She pointed to the letter in Jeff's hand. "He put this where I would find it. He took my laptop knowing I would not be angry."

Jeff shook his head in confusion.

"I was here, Jeff. I saw how much pain he is in." Penny looked up at them both and smiled thinly, "And as much as I hate to admit it, he has me pretty much figured out. He knew that – no matter what – I would protect him, defend him."

"But - " Jeff stepped back from her a little. "He's gone …"

Penny's smile faded a little, "And no one understands the meaning of that quite like I do … except Alex. "

"That's all well and good," Scott husked, "But it doesn't change the fact that he's out there."

"Not alone though." Penny countered.

"Oh, Alex is hardly - "

"Not Alex. Me. Us. IR." Penny crossed to the desk and looked down at the idling screen. "We can help him. "

"You can trace him?" Scott urged eagerly.

"Maybe." She frowned in thought. "But I won't." She looked back at the weary confusion on their faces. "He's trusting me not to. But I will leave all the channels open and keep the links in place … not to actively seek him but to help him." She smiled, "Besides, he's too smart to leave a trail."

Jeff nodded slowly, "I agree."

"What? No!" Scott stared at them both in horror. "You can't be serious! He's gonna get himself killed!"

Penny shook her head slowly and then shuddered, suddenly wondering if John's newfound talent was a good thing or a bad thing.

"We have to trust him." Jeff agreed quietly.

"Yeah!" Scott scoffed, "Cos his decision making has been bang on so far!"

"Scott …" Jeff placed a hand on Scott's arm and smiled thinly.

Scott shook his head in disbelief. "No …"

"It's his choice." Jeff soothed. He turned to Penny and saw the painful memories she was yet to expand on move across her face.

And he wondered if he really wanted to know exactly what had happened.

Ever.

"We have to let him do this."

Penny nodded slowly, tears gathering, "Or we will never get him back."

FIN