So here it is, the final conclusion to John's Christmas crisis. Thank you for reading and I hope you have enjoyed this little story! I hope to be back in the spring with a couple of new stories.

Epilogue

Thunderbird Three banked round in preparation to dock. Leaving Scott and Tin-tin with the controls he peered closer at his monitor. "Wow wee just look at her! You guys did a swell job with the restoration." John tapped on the controls to zoom in so he could see the repaired sections more clearly. "Why, she's like new!"

The vibrations under his feet and fingers were the only indicator that they were preparing to dock. "You like what we did we the place then?" Scott grinned; John's obvious joy was infectious.

"I sure do." John smiled in return.

"Wanna do the honours?" Scott spread his hand outwards in an open gesture towards the comms.

"Sure." John flicked on the comms. "This is Thunderbird Three to Thunderbird Five." John gave Scott a playful side eye.

"Thunderbird Five receiving you."

"Good; I want my Thunderbird back; in return I'll allow you to collect yours and return to Earth."

Alan laughed; it was unlike John to be playful on duty. He really must be chuffed to be home. He entered the code that would allow them to dock. "Welcome home. I think she's missed you too."

John grabbed his bag, jamming his hat on as he did so. His blue boots squeaked across the vinyl floor. In truth he was a little wary but he guessed most people would be after nearly being incinerated, cast out into space and then nearly suffocating. Despite this the anticipation had been building in him all afternoon, he was also incredibly excited to be here again. The mixed feelings left him feeling adrift at times. Three and a half weeks had passed since that eventful day and John had fully recovered, physically at least. Mentally it may take some time but he was confident he was fit for duty or he would have never left home. He was also of the mentality that it was very much like riding a horse, you get knocked off? Well, you just have to get on and try again before you lost your bottle.

Thankfully when he crossed the threshold, he knew he'd made the right decision. Scott and Tin-tin were too busy chatting to each other behind to notice his little hesitation before he started to drink in the familiar sights of all his home comforts. He was pleased to see everything was as it should be and that the anti-grav ring was back in action. He left the others to find Alan as he headed down to his bedroom. Tucking his bag neatly underneath the cabin bed to unpack later, he took a minute to check everything was where it should be. Thankfully he was in the habit of locking everything away so when the gravity field was off not too much mess had been created.

He started off down the corridor sifting through his mental to do list. "Right first thing would be to run diagnostics, then I'm going to play around with adjusting the early warning systems…hmmm probably should take a look at coding something more intuitive…" He tailed off realising three people were staring at him in interest.

"Ahh, I'm doing it again aren't I?"

"You most certainly are." Scott stifled a laugh with his arms crossed.

"I will never get used to that." Alan shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder about your sanity being up here alone for so long."

John rubbed the back of his head sheepish.

"Oh John. Ignore them, personally I think it's a great habit to have."

"Why?"

"Well, you know exactly what's going on in that head of yours which I think makes you a more trustworthy person."

John laughed. "Oh really? Most women seem to think it makes me pig ignorant."

Alan sniggered, whilst Scott rocked back with laughter. Tin-tin shook her head. "Then you haven't met a woman worthy of you. In fact, Thelma's being dying to meet you for ages but I'm constantly having to make excuses as to why you're not home."

The other two looked gobsmacked the mirth wiped off their faces.

"Wait, your supermodel friend? The one that looks like she just walked off a set in Hollywood?" Thelma was nothing short of stunning, six foot two with a tiny waist and long golden hair with her signature rouge lipstick.

"I didn't know you were such a fan Scott." Tin-tin teased.

"Wha? – no, no just she doesn't strike me as a woman who digs brains over brawn." He was happily taken thank you he thought.

"The way she talks about John makes me blush. I believe she's more than willing to learn more about…"

John held up his hands trying not to blush. "Alright! Tin-tin I'll take you at your word, I'm very flattered that she holds me in such high esteem but she's really not my type." He adjusted his collar which suddenly seemed rather tight. Behind Tin-tin two shocked faces stared at him like they'd just discovered a new alien species. He stifled a laughed before announcing "Well I guess I better get back to work, old dad will be wondering where you've got to."

"I guess." Alan consulted his watch. "Ooooh if we leave now, I can make it home for the F1." Scott out an audible groan. "Come on!" He clapped John on the shoulder. "See you in a month."

Tin-tin gave him a big hug and an affectionate peck on the cheek. "You look after yourself."

"I will."

Scott leaned in for a one-armed hug. "See you soon, do as the good lady says... I don't expect to be rescuing you again anytime soon."

"I think you'll find you've had more scrapes than me."

"Yeah well, first on the scene, comes with the territory."

"Hmm."

"Bye!" The other two called back. John waved as Scott finally went to join them. He waited at the monitors watching them safely off. Once they had un-docked and were on their way he collapsed into his red chair. It was suddenly very empty. It was always harder coming back after Christmas. Everything felt…. Lack lustre. He missed his brothers' antics, his decent shower and his library not to mention good food and being able to snack when he wanted and not worry about rationing. He stood, walking over to the new window. He ran his fingers around the seal "To look at you, you'd never know you'd even been hit." John marvelled at the new glass; it could be his imagination but he could swear the visibility was better. He continued to gaze for sometime until he became aware of his own reflection imprinted in the darkness. Catching sight of his own gaze made him uneasy. He withdrew to the safe confines of his control room.

He decided to grab himself a coffee before cracking on with his to do list. As he passed the lounge on the way he was surprised to see a gift on the couch. He paused in surprise before heading over for a closer inspection. It was rectangular in shape and about his arm span in length, it was stood so it rested against the back of the chair. He picked it up, and spun round so he was sat with it on his lap. The paper was a lovely deep metallic navy with silver stars and a large sliver ribbon that intersected in the middle under an extravagant foil bow. He flipped over the tag; his curiosity piped but it simply said John in a handwriting he couldn't decipher. Excitement fluttered in his stomach at the mystery gift, his earlier melancholy feelings lifted somewhat.

"Who are you from I wonder?" He mused as he began to slip off the ribbon. Setting it aside neatly next to him he started to thumb the corner of the folded paper undoing the tape at the seams. He tried to pull it out but it was well wedged with bubble wrap. He placed it next to him before going to get scissors from the kitchen. He sat down again before studiously cutting open one side of the wrapping. He gently teased it off wriggling at the corners "I have a fair idea who you are from now."

Finally, it was free, John gasped in astonishment. In his hands he held the world or at least he felt like it. If it wasn't for the textures of flecks of paint on the midnight background, he would have said it was a photo. The view was the exact one he woke up to nearly every morning. The oceans were a whorl or colour interspersed with green and white continents, like an opal on a dark velvet cushion. "Wow Virgil, you've outdone yourself. this is a masterpiece."

It was safe to say John had no artistic talent whatsoever and he rarely appreciated it but his brother had literally given him the world and he would cherish it. Even now his eye was still picking out tiny details, deeper colours, flecks of stars that he realised also subtly mirrored constellations such as Ursa Major and Lyra. He felt something on the frame behind which compelled him to turn the canvas round.

It was an envelope. John carefully unstuck it now recognising Virgil's handwriting which always looked like something straight out of a calligraphy class compared to John's industrial academic scrawl. The envelope rustled as he placed the picture next to him and extracted the slip of paper.

John,

Something a little extra from me this year. I figured after what you've been through you might need something to restore your faith in the cosmos. May this serve as a little reminder of the wonder and joy being on Five brings you every day.

With love

Virgil

John swallowed against the lump in his throat, trust Virgil to be so intuitive. He picked up the painting again, picturing the first time he saw that view. He was in the shuttle being propelled towards the moon surrounded by eager but terrified students like himself for their first stint at moon base. His stomach had been in his mouth the entire way but as soon as he saw the world below him in her bio-luminescent sphere he was enthralled. His anxieties giving away to wonder as he traced the familiar outlines of continents and oceans. He just couldn't believe this was it. How could live not exist elsewhere? There was no way this was an accident. There had to be other solar systems life times away that were inhabited. He refused to believe they were the only ones, or the last. From that point on he new he wanted to dedicate himself to finding the answer to life and if the 'big bang.' He also knew he wanted to see that view every morning for as long as he could.

John returned to the present. As he got older his priorities career wise changed somewhat but the question of life in outer space never left him. With a rejuvenated feeling of sense of purpose, he stood up. "Right better see to things around here like those diagnostic's but first things first let's get you settled in your new home."

Later that evening as John passed by with his bottle of water as he retired for the night, he paused as he passed the lounge. He assessed his handiwork with a critical eye before declaring "Perfect." Directly above the couch the canvas now hung so that every morning and evening he would be reminded of why he had one of the best jobs in the world and he wouldn't change it for anything.