A/N: OK, next chapters up... this one a bit longer then the last. We hope you enjoy this chapter to...

Alan and The Angel – Strangers in Helmets.

'Sweet.'

That was a sound Angel knew all to well.

She searched around with her mind. After a while she realized a few things; she was in a bed, soft but not as wide as her own and a TV was close by. The person operating it was flicking furiously through the channels.

She really didn't want to bother opening her eyes. What was the point? Her head was reeling. Jo, the girl who sat next to her in maths and was a Thunderbirds fan, no, worshiper, was watching TV. Why would she be in her room? Well it wasn't her room, she could tell that from the bed.

If it wasn't her bed why was she here? Where was here? She searched her mind for some scraps of memory that might lead to where she was now.

This morning had been normal. She usually trusted the sun to wake her up but today Penny had come in to say goodbye because she was going to breakfast with someone from something-something, Angel never paid any attention to that sort of thing, and then she'd be spending the day with an old friend. Then the usual; breakfast, get dressed, catch the bus. Now she defiantly remembered that bit. Most of the time she did her best to avoid Jo and her 30 minute lectures on Thunderbird One so she usually ended up sitting next to a girl, Siobhan, that enjoyed being mean to people, especially boys and Jo. Today Jo had looked a little ill and Angel had been concerned (Even if most of the time you didn't understand what the hell she was gabbling about, she was OK really). Angel had voiced this thought to Siobhan who hated Jo and therefore had taken it as a sign of resentment (she thinks she owns everything and everybody) and started having a go at Angel and everything she did. Knowing that she would soon be on the 'hate list' because of it, Angel had switched seats after a few stops.

After that was school. First lesson was… what day was it?… Wednesday. It felt like a Wednesday or a Monday. First lesson on Wednesday was Science. No, she defiantly hadn't had Science, so it was probably Monday. First lesson on Monday's was English. Now she could remember. They had done adverbs, boring, and Siobhan had talked to Mia, her partner in crime, the whole way through and done no work whatsoever.

Next would be Maths. That was when it happened… What was it? Jo wasn't feeling good. She had gone to the toilet. Siobhan had made a comment that made Angel want to hit her. Before she could say anything… the fire alarm went off! Yes. That was what had happened. So what next? During drill they would gather in the playground and register would be taken. She didn't remember that bit. They had lined up in the classroom. Miss Blake had been all panicky so Siobhan had offered to count everyone. She had never been good with numbers and unintentionally (highly unlikely) missed out Jo. Over the deafening ringing of the alarm and the panicked chattering of the girl in front of her, Angel had failed to hear Siobhan make this comment, however, when they walked quickly past the second floor loos. It kicked in.

That's when it started to hurt to remember. She hadn't thought to alert the teacher. They wouldn't believe her anyway; to them Siobhan was an angel (no pun intended). She had somehow managed to slip into the toilets, which was where she found Jo. The fire must have been close because she couldn't see Jo at first. She couldn't get Jo to move because she was hysterical, so instead she first set about trying to calm her down.

After that things got blurry. She remembered an explosion and then they must have blacked out. The next thing she remembered was tall people in helmets leaning over her and asking her questions. She could picture them clearly; there were three, she couldn't quite focus on the writing on their suit though.

It was at that moment that Jo decided to turn MTV up full volume. It was no use pretending to be asleep now. Angel sat up so abruptly it made her head swim.

'It lives!' Jo shouted over the racket of MTV, and then decided to turn it down. 'Oh, by the way my mum says I should say thank-you.'

Angel managed a smile, although she didn't know what she was being thanked for, but Jo ignored her silence and jabbered on.

'…you're the only person who's ever shown me some sort of kindness. Even Mum says I'm emotionally retarded and Dad said that isn't a very nice thing to say but Mum says not to listen to him because he made the divorce harder by being a complete dick and wanting to keep me even though-'

'Jo shut up. How are you Angel?'

A women Angel vaguely remembered from swim meets walked in carrying a hamburger in one hand and dragging along a small boy with the other.

'Mum is that for me?'

The women, obviously Jo's mother, gave her daughter a disapproving look. 'Always thinking about your stomach. No regard for anything else.' She handed the hamburger to the small child and the boy gave Jo a smug grin that almost had Jo climb out of bed to throttle him.

'Jo what have I told you a million-'

At that moment the door opened an Angel was relived to see her Aunt Penny walk through the door.

'Milady,' Jo's mum's tone changed completely. 'May I have your address; I'd like to add you to our Christmas card list.'

Penny opened her mouth to reply but Jo's mum ploughed on.

'Now tell me, does you title have to be on the envelope?'

'No.'

'Can I put it on anyway?'

'Yes. Well, how are you girls?'

Angel finally managed to get a word in edgeways. 'When can I go home?'

'Well…' Penny glanced at Jo's mum, 'soon… I hope.'

At that moment a nurse came in and started bustling about, checking Angel's pulse and chatting happily.

'… you know you were out for quite a while. Mind you I don't blame you, you looked exhausted when you came in. you know you were on the news. Yeah, apparently the Thunderbird's took quite a shine to you.'

'Excuse me,' said Penny holding out her hand, 'Lady Penelope Crighton-Ward. When will Angel, Lucy, be able to return home?'

The nurse gingerly took Lady P's hand and, looking timid, 'I'll see if I can make an- I mean talk to the doctor about the girls.'

'Oh no. My daughter can stay for as long as needed. Don't want little Louis to catch anything,' said Jo's mum, patting the kid with the hamburger on the head.

The nurse smiled up at her and for the first time Angel realised how short she was. After she had left the room Penny sat down on the edge of Angel's bed and crossed her legs daintily.

'So… I hope your both feeling better?'

'Yes ma'am,' Jo replied enthusiastically, 'there wasn't anything wrong with me in the first base, they just…'

'Jo, that's enough,' Jo's mum seemed eager to impress Penny.

'And you Angel?'

'I'm fine. Just tired and… confused.'

'Don't worry, I'll explain everything when we get home.'

The nurse came back in and said that Jo and Angel were free to go. Jo's mum, Tracy, and Penny helped the girls change into clothes brought from home with Jo chatting continently in the background mostly about the Thunderbirds and how honoured she'd was to have met them.

The girls were dis-charged at reception and the group made their way towards the car park. Parker pulled up in the bright pink Ford and Angel winced. She always wondered how she'd grown up with Penny as a guardian and still didn't like pink.

Penny smiled, 'Yes Angel, it's still pink and it will be for a long time yet.'

'Cool car. Horrible colour. See you at school Angel!' Jo was dragged away by her mother. Angel grinned and waved. You couldn't help but like Jo.

A/N: There you have it... all reveiws are welcome. Critisism, ideas, anything... (hint, hint...) I'd like at least 5 reveiws before I update again!