It was a good thing that the corporate-style jet practically flew herself because Scott was not concentrating at all. It might have been a problem somewhere else but out in the midst of an otherwise barren Pacific, there at least was no danger of swinging too close to another plane.

Scott rubbed at his tired eyes and yawned heavily. He then peered out at the low clouds before him and frowned in thought. It was so odd to have left Houston in the early hours of morning and to now be approaching the island at sunset. It was a wonder that they did not suffer with almost perpetual jet lags, the amount of time travel they seemed to do. But rescues were normally only a half-day job – if that – and it never even sank in sometimes that they had gone from day to night and back again.

But the jet was nowhere near as powerful or fast as Thunderbird One. And crossing the time zones in more traditional methods seemed obvious and tiring. Or his weariness could simply be thanks to all that he had been through that day.

With that thought in mind, he groaned and let out a long sigh. He was uncertain which was worse; having gone through all that he had or having to explain it to his father.

Scott was pulled from his musing as a call came in and he flicked the comm. open.

"Good evening, Scott, darling."

"Pen?"

"I must say, you are flying a little haphazard tonight."

"Hey?" Scott quickly glanced out of the windows. "Where are you?"

"Behind you."

Scott looked down at the radar screen and saw the familiar pink icon slowly sliding into view. He smiled in delight, "How'd you know it was me?"

"Your father told me." Penny replied and then seemed to pause in thought. "Is there anything wrong?"

"No," Scott replied, "Not with the plane, at least."

"Oh dear."

"It's a long story." Scott sighed.

"Maybe over a beer or two beside the pool."

Scott laughed suddenly, "You don't drink beer!"

"I might have a try," Penny defended, her voice smiling, "If you pour it into a champagne flute."

Scott laughed at the idea and shook his head, sure that she was, in fact, serious.

"See you in a jiffy then."

"Yeah." Scott enthused.

"Oh, and Parker has offered you the chance to race him but fears that you may simply embarrass yourself."

"Big time!" Scott agreed with a chuckle, "Maybe I'll take that bet once One is back on her feet."

Penny laughed and relayed the challenge. "Um … I believe that was a no." She told Scott, "But he suggested that he might be able to show you how to fly her properly."

"Oh yeah?" Scott gasped, "Tell him I hope his uniform doesn't shrink! He is so getting dunked!" He smiled happily and heard Penny laughing as they turned into their final approach trajectory.

XXXXX

Glad for the excuse to delay entering the house, Scott taxied the jet into its parking spot and hurried outside. He jogged down the runway towards the powering down FAB 1 and smiled in greeting.

Parker saluted merrily and then helped Penny step down from the car. He then also attended to their passenger and TinTin thanked him before turning to meet Scott.

"Hey there." Scott greeted her warmly, holding out his arms and smiling as she quickly stepped into his embrace. He had the privilege of being the only of the brothers that she was so openly affectionate with and he hugged her tightly.

"TinTin was feeling a little under the weather," Penny explained as she neared them, "All that Parisian rain."

Scott stepped back from TinTin and frowned in concern.

"I'm fine." TinTin shrugged.

Scott smiled a reply but saw the weariness in her eyes and the slight pallor of her latte-coloured skin.

"Nothing a few days in the sunshine won't fix." TinTin urged and released her hold on him to turn towards the house.

Scott turned to Penny and saw her shake her head in reassurance. He shrugged and fell into step with them all along the runway.

XXXXX

It was Alan's turn to do the night shift in the office. He was well supplied with snacks and distractions and settled back into the chair, smiling in mischievous delight as he swung his feet up onto the desk. TinTin's entrance into the office then startled him and he pulled his feet down clumsily, nearly tipping the chair over.

TinTin chuckled in amusement and shook her head in dismay. "You know, every time I go away I sort of hope that you'll change."

Alan grinned back at her, "Nope. Never."

TinTin sighed and neared the desk, shivering suddenly as she approached him. "Man, it's cold in here." She offered, wrapping her arms around her chest.

Alan felt suddenly sick. His smile faltered for a second and he shrugged a reply. "Is it?"

"Oh, it's probably just me." TinTin continued, "Mom says she thinks I'm coming down with a cold."

"Oh."

TinTin continued round the desk and glanced at the monitors. "Anything?"

"Not a thing."

"John?"

Alan shook his head.

"It's so sad." TinTin observed, "Mom said he just needs some time alone."

Alan nodded, uncertain what to say and unsure just how much TinTin had been told. He had not said anything to her, at least – using the times they did chat to talk of anything but the chaos of the past few weeks. And strangely jealous that she had been away at school and not caught up in any of it. Which just wasn't right.

"How do you do that, anyhow?" Alan asked suddenly.

TinTin waited patiently for him to continue, knowing well that his train of thought could lead them anywhere.

"How do you 'come down' with a cold?"

TinTin groaned and thumped his shoulder playfully.

XXXXX

Too restless to sleep and filled with an uncertainty that had no obvious cause, TinTin stepped out of her room and headed into the main house.

Jeff and Penny were out by the pool, apparently deep in conversation. Even with the doors open, their low voices did not carry through to the house and TinTin moved on, aware that eavesdropping was not the best of manners.

Knowing that there was one person who would more than likely be just as wide awake, she headed down into the lower levels. Brains was indeed up and hard at work in his lab. TinTin stepped from the lift and saw him glance up and offer a brief smile of greeting. A 'nice to see you but I'm very busy right now' smile. TinTin bit back a groan of disappointment.

And then she saw Scott. He was leaning into the open hood of his father's old car and she changed course to head across to him.

Scott was humming to himself and intently scrutinising the intricate mechanisms inside the engine. He was then aware of someone approaching and spun to greet her.

TinTin nodded.

"Thought I'd give her a tune up." Scott explained with a shrug.

"At 2 am?"

Scott grinned sheepishly, wiping his hands on a greasy rag but only making his fingers oilier.

"Hmm …" TinTin sighed, "I couldn't sleep either." She moved closer and peered into the engine in intrigue. "Why does he keep this car, anyhow? It's not like he uses it."

"But it's a piece of him." Scott offered, glancing back at the shiny, restored engine. "He's had this car for nearly 40 years."

"Wow." TinTin offered, regarding the old vehicle in a new light. She then looked back at Scott and frowned slightly, "What is it that you're all not telling me?"

Scott faltered for a moment, surprised by her abruptness and quickly using the need to tidy up his tools as an avoidance strategy.

"Scott …?"

Scott sighed and released the bar that was holding up the hood, letting it slam shut gently. "Look, your dad said - "

"My dad's protecting me from something. I know. But I want to know what." She sighed and folded her arms. "I need to know."

"Why?"

TinTin laughed suddenly, "Because I'm part of this family!" She answered aghast, her face then becoming serious, "And I keep having dreams about … well … something …"

Scott turned to face her. "Dreams?"

TinTin sighed, "Yeah … look, I know you all worry that I'm some freaky chip off the Hood's block but I'm not." She was suddenly fighting back tears, "I'm nothing like him!"

"Oh, hey!" Scott gasped and stepped closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Is that what you've been thinking?"

TinTin shrugged.

"Oh, honey, no!" Scott pulled her into a tight embrace, closing his eyes as he leaned his head down against hers (which was no easy feat, considering their height difference). "It's just that you're overseas and we can't talk in person … and some things you can't say over the comm."

"That's what Alan keeps telling me." TinTin agreed but then pushed back from him. "I'm here now."

Scott nodded slowly. He took a deep breath and led her round to sit in the old car. "It's difficult …" He began, sliding into the driver's seat, "I mean I don't know - "

"Just tell me!"

Scott took a moment to try and figure how to begin and then launched into all that had happened. It spilled out so fast that an observer might have assumed that he needed to tell someone just as much as she needed to be told.

Some of it she knew. Some of it she had pieced together from reading between her parents' words. But the juicier parts of John's breakdown had been carefully omitted.

TinTin took it all in with growing dismay, her eyes brimming with tears and her hand going to her mouth as he revealed the true horror of it all.

Scott placed his hand on her arm and shook his head slowly, trying to apologise for being the one to upset her with the news.

"Where is he now?" TinTin asked after a moment.

Scott smiled thinly, "Pass." He looked down at his hands. "President Mitchell had photographs from Prague but they were a week old."

TinTin watched the emotion build in his face and placed her hand over his.

"It's okay …" Scott assured, as much for himself as her, "The IR guys have been following him … Pen says she knows where he is and he's safe."

"She's lying."

Tbc …