This chapter takes place over a period of several days. If you want a look at the wedding dress at the end of the chapter, it's the Lucia Maternity Wedding Gown from the Tiffany Rose website. The sash I mention is not seen in the model photos, but it's the Faux Silk Sash Long listed under the Complete the Look section on the side.

I can also confirm I have started writing the missing sexy scenes that'll go in a separate story, but it won't be up until after the New Year because I want to hook up with a beta reader for that story. If only because I don't have a lot of practice writing smut. Besides, I need help with that 'playing doctor' scene anyway because I've never written anything like that.

As usual, I own nothing aside from original characters and plot points.

ENJOY!


Sometimes, Scott hated these functions.

He was now attending the fundraiser gala his father had asked him to attend on his behalf while he was on his leave. He had a good time in Kansas catching up with some old school friends and revisiting some old memories. This included his grandfather's grave. His grandfather had died not long after his mother. The loss of two beloved family members in the space of less than a year almost destroyed the whole family. But they somehow persevered.

Now, here he was, schmoozing with people he didn't go out of his way to spend a lot of time with in his everyday life, but were essential to the family's philanthropy work. The only thing that would make it better for him was if he was able to have Indiana by his side. Wearing a beautiful dress. Smiling and charming the donors with him. Twirling around the dance floor. Allowing him to sneak a kiss despite all the reporters and cameras in the room.

Alas, life sometimes sucks. Indiana had some virtual seminars scheduled that overlapped with his scheduled leave. She couldn't reschedule them. Especially since she was a keynote speaker for a few of them.

He was so proud of her.

"Mr. Tracy," a man in his early sixties greeted him.

"Albie," Scott greeted the man with a fond smile, "Scott. Please. I hear Mr. Tracy; I look for my father."

"Force of habit," Albie chuckled, "I'm sad to hear that your father couldn't be here tonight. He would've been proud at how much we've raised so far."

"Yeah. He's sorry he couldn't be here, but he had pressing matters of business," Scott answered cryptically, "You know he'd be here if he could."

"Yeah, I know. This charity is his baby," Albie remarked, "Well, one of his babies."

Scott laughed at the hidden meaning of the old family friend's remarks.

"Say, I heard you were seeing someone," Albie began, "Shame she's not here tonight. I would've loved to meet her."

"Scheduling conflicts," Scott clarified in an apologetic tone.

Albie hummed in understanding. He had heard that the oldest son of his long-time friend was seeing a trauma surgeon. Having been born the son of a paediatric cardiologist, he understood better than anyone the unusual hours doctors kept. Especially with doctors in certain specialties.

"Well, hopefully, the next time you have to attend one of these, she can come along. I look forward to meeting her," Albie declared.

Scott smiled before walking away to talk to some more donors. He hoped she could come with him next time.

He also couldn't help but hope that, instead of being introduced as his girlfriend, Dr. Indiana Evans, she would be introduced as his wife, Dr. Indiana Tracy. But he'll also happily take fiancée.


Indiana moaned as she began awakening in her bed. In her hand was a letter. 'Open When You Miss Me.' Since he first gave her the letters as a Christmas present, she had been reading at least one letter a week. She opened the 'Open When You Miss Me Letter' the night he left and read it every night in bed ever since.

"Mi vida, I think it goes without saying that I miss you. I know there comes a time when we have to spend a few days apart, but I can only hope this letter will make the time apart easier to bare. I can only hope our time apart isn't too long and we'll be together again soon. We can go hiking on that trail you fell in love with when you first moved to the island. We can watch the sunset from our bluff. We can sneak into Thunderbird 1 for some time alone without Gordon or Alan interrupting us. Again.

I imagine right now, you're thinking of everything you're missing about me. So, here's everything I'm missing about you. I miss your smile. I miss waking up next to you every morning. I miss the way your face scrunches up when I kiss your nose. I miss the way you hold me. I miss everything about you.

I look forward to every email you send during our time apart. I love you."

Sure enough, the first thing Indiana did before leaving her room to face the day was check her emails. Scott's latest email was one of the first emails that showed up in her inbox, next to emails from her siblings.

"You would've loved this gala. So many people who are doctors themselves or related to doctors. All in varying fields. I was able to navigate a lot of the conversation, but I do wish you were with me. It would've made it a lot easier. Hopefully, next time I have to attend one of these things, I get to have you by my side. I love you, Ana."

Indiana typed her reply, "I'm just sorry I couldn't go. Would've been a lot more fun than some of these virtual seminars I've had to attend. Keynote speaking is fun, but the company would've been better. Or, at the very least, I wouldn't have had to put up with Whitlock. You should've heard how many comments he made to the female doctors about us being glorified nurses and we should just be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. (Actually, no. I don't think your dad would be happy bailing you out of jail.) Seriously. I can't believe people like him still exist. I keep reading your letter every night. I'm looking forward to those hikes and waking up next to you. I love you, Scooter."

Smiling as she sent off her response, Indiana opened the emails she received from her siblings. Linda was talking about her latest designs with Francois and her life in Paris. She could've sworn she saw something in the email intimating that Linda had someone new in her life. She kept talking about this woman she was spending a lot of time with. Knowing how she did this before formally announcing any romantic relationship she was in (not that she had many), Indiana knew that it wouldn't be long before Linda was sending her emails with photos of her significant other and asking to meet up so they could be formally introduced.

Matthew's emails were limited. He talked about receiving a new assignment, but he didn't want to go into detail about them. Or, at the very least, he didn't want to go into detail over email. Indiana understood, given the classified nature of her own work. He mentioned going on a holiday before going on his new assignment. He wanted to go back to North Carolina. Now that Indiana's memories were back, he was open about how that summer at Outer Banks was one of the best times in his life. He wanted to go back and reclaim them.

Indiana let out a little laugh. She knew Scott was going to spend some time in North Carolina before coming back to the island to meet up with his old Air Force squadron. But North Carolina was a big place. Scott could be going to Charlotte or Greensboro or Fayetteville. He never actually specified where in North Carolina he was going.

Sending off her emails to her siblings, Indiana moved to go about her day. She had a feeling the next few days until Scott returned from his leave were going to be interesting.


Scott laughed as he and his squadron recalled their time in the Air Force. Their time in the Academy. Their first assignment. Funny incidents. Pranks they pulled on each other.

But they also paid tribute to those who were no longer with them. To those who were killed in action, like Foster, Royce and Wilson. To those who died following their discharge like Carter and Nesbitt. They also paid tribute to Thornton. He was still alive, but his ongoing battle with testicular cancer meant that he couldn't travel to North Carolina from his native state of Hawaii. His chances were great, but the doctors felt that, at this stage in his treatment, he was particularly vulnerable and didn't feel comfortable giving him the clearance to travel.

"Hey, Tracy," Featheringham, often referred to as 'Feather', cut in, "What have you been up to? Working for your old man?"

"Yeah," Scott nodded, "Doing a lot in the business. Philanthropy work. Been working a lot of veterans as well."

"And spending time with that doctor girlfriend of yours?" Feather smirked, "The one who came to Carter's funeral with you?"

"Yeah," Scott admitted with a wide smile.

"So, you guys getting serious?" Stolly asked.

"Yeah, I'd say so," Scott answered cryptically, "We've had some talks."

"Well, if you believe Billy Billoxi, her time at Parola Sands with Alan marked the debut of a future Dr. Tracy!" Stolly proclaimed, waggling his eyebrows.

"Yeah, I gave him shit over that one," Scott laughed, "But, if I'm being honest, you're not that far off the mark."

"How did you guys meet anyway?" Feather asked.

"We actually met in Outer Banks one summer," Scott revealed, "I did a 'sand stand'. I pretended to be surveying the horizon and the water when I was actually scoping out the girls at the beach. I saw her and ended up using a nearby shell as an excuse to talk to her. She saw right through it, but still talked to me."

"Wait," Stolly cut in, "You said you were single when you first joined up."

"Yeah. Well, circumstances saw to it that we lost touch after that summer. I met up with her again when my dad hired her for that charity to improve trauma care in rural areas," Scott clarified, "He didn't know about our past, though. I didn't tell anyone about what I got up to that summer. Except Grandma."

"Smooth moves," Feather chuckled.

"Yeah. I guess it explains how you managed to score someone like that," Stolly smirked.

Slayton whacked Stolly up the head, "Don't talk like that, you dolt."

"Thanks, Slayton," Scott drawled as he took a swig of his beer.

"Don't mention it," Slayton responded cheerfully.


Indiana was right to think that the next few days were going to be interesting. Lady Penelope had radioed in to state that she had a late-night rendezvous in Paris with Sir Jeremy Hodge. Sir Jeremy was a scientist who had helped Brains when he was building the Thunderbirds by arranging for key components of the machines to be manufactured secretly in Europe. Afterwards, he continued offering his services to the organisation as a field agent.

Sir Jeremy had called Lady Penelope to Paris because he needed her help with a serious matter. They originally met at a café in Paris, where Sir Jeremy began explaining why he needed International Rescue's assistance. Before he could go into too much detail, Parker had to intervene when he saw someone slip something into Lady Penelope's drink. So, Sir Jeremy had to explain everything in FAB 1.

Sir Jeremy had worked with his colleague, Professor Borrender, on experiments involving seawater and had perfected a method to convert seawater into fuel, which was used to fuel the Sun Probe rocket several months ago, as an example. They had recently talked about the conversion at an international conference in Paris. Following the conference, Sir Jeremy personally saw Professor Borrender off on the night train to Anderbad.

However, by the time the train reached its destination, the professor was not on it. Sir Jeremy made enquiries and talked to the attendant on the train, but he was adamant that Professor Borrender was never on the train and Sir Jeremy was mistaken.

Given how valuable the conversion formula is, and the fact that the professor disappeared so soon after talking about the formula at the conference in Paris, there were grave fears for his safety. Not to mention the ramifications that could come with the wrong person possessing the conversion formula. According to Sir Jeremy, the slightest mistake could pollute the waters of the sea, and it can only be done with specialised equipment at the International Research Laboratories in Paris.

Not to mention the other ramifications that could come with people who want the formula for more… nefarious purposes.

Needless to say, Lady Penelope was swift to offer her assistance, and Jeff was onboard once he was told what had happened. International Rescue owed Sir Jeremy for his help in starting their organisation. They were more than happy to return the favour.

"I shall require information about Professor Borender and the recent conference at Paris. Sir Jeremy and I are taking the night train to Anderbad tomorrow."

"Think you'll need any help?" Jeff asked urgently.

"Not until we get to Anderbad. We just want to make a few investigations on the train. We'll be playing it pretty cool."

"I bet you will," Alan smirked.

Indiana shot Alan a look before shaking her head with a slight laugh.

"Okay, Penny. I'll send Virgil with Thunderbird 2 and the equipment I think you might need. He'll meet you in Anderbad," Jeff promised.

"Very well then, Jeff. Over and out."

"Okay," Jeff began as he turned to the others, "Virgil, you head down to Thunderbird 2. Gordon and Alan will be joining you."

"Yes, father," Virgil nodded.

"Indiana, I'd tell you to go with them, but I don't feel comfortable sending you out when I can't say for certain if your services would be needed," Jeff stated apologetically, "I'd rather keep you on the sidelines for something that we know will require your expertise."

"I understand," Indiana reassured him with a smile, "If worse comes to worse, I can do an examination over video link. I also know some doctors in Paris that can be trusted if need be."

Jeff nodded. Indiana's work had allowed her to set up a network of contacts, consisting of doctors of various fields in various locales. She said it was a benefit of attending various conferences with international attendance. Plus, there's also the work she's doing with Jeff outside International Rescue and the fact that quite a few people she went to school with ended up practicing overseas for various reasons.

"Well, ladies, another rescue operation is underway," Jeff declared as Virgil disappeared down the slide into Thunderbird 2's entrance.

Tin-Tin chuckled, "I'm sure the boys are sorry they're not joining Penelope in Paris, and I can't blame them."

"Oh, there'll be time enough for sightseeing later," Jeff told her firmly, "Right now, they're needed at Anderbad to make investigations at that end."

"I'm surprised you wouldn't like to go to Paris, Dr. Evans," Tin-Tin stated, "I thought you'd like to go see your sister. Isn't she currently in Paris?"

"Not for much longer," Indiana shook her head, "She's actually heading to Milan for a few weeks. Working holiday."


Scott arrived at Food Dudes Kitchen, located in Kill Devil Hills, part of the barrier islands known as Outer Banks in North Carolina. Since he was going to be in the state, he decided to swing by Outer Banks before he went back to Tracy Island.

Besides, he did have an ulterior motive.

"Hey, Scott," Matthew greeted him outside, "Thanks for meeting up with me."

"Your email said it was pretty important," Scott pointed out before asking worriedly, "There's nothing wrong, is there?"

"No," Matthew shook his head as they took their seats, "I just wanted to talk about something and not freak my sister out."

"Welcome to Food Dudes Kitchen," the waiter greeted them as he handed the two men their menus, "Would you like some drinks to start?"

"I'll have a root beer please," Scott requested kindly.

"Make that two," Matthew piped in.

The waiter nodded and went to retrieve their drinks to give them time to look at their menu.

"So, why would your sister freak out?" Scott demanded, "You're not going to make me lie to her, are you?"

"No. I wouldn't ask you to," Matthew promised, "It's… it's about dad."

Scott immediately understood why Matthew requested a quiet meeting, "He's contacted you."

"Yeah," Matthew nodded, "Nothing pretty. He's becoming pretty unhinged, Scott. I don't want to worry Indy, but at the same time, if I tell her what's going on, she'll fly back home."

"And you don't want her to do that," Scott surmised.

"I want her and Linda to stay where they are doing what they do," Matthew told him firmly, "But… Well, dad's been sending me letters. Threatening letters. I don't know if he's sent any to Indy or Liddy yet."

"Ana hasn't mentioned anything," Scott said, "Also, Kyrano sorts through the mail when it arrives so everyone gets what they need. He'd say something to father if David tried to write to Ana."

"He hasn't sent her emails?" Matthew pressed.

"Not that she's told me," Scott sighed, "She only talks about emails she gets from you, Linda and some friends."

"Linda said the same," Matthew sighed in turn.

They stopped talking as the waiter came back with their root beers. When the waiter asked if they were ready to order, they both decided to get the bacon cheeseburger. When the waiter walked away after taking their orders, Matthew continued.

"The things dad's sent to me…," Matthew trailed off nervously before sighing and reaching into his bag, "Here. You can read them yourself."

Scott felt his blood boil as he read through the letters Matthew had given him. In a way, he was glad to see that Matthew had taken the advice Jeff had given the three Evans siblings when they spent Christmas on the island. If David tried to contact them, keep records of everything in case they needed to take further action. The things David had written in his letters were things Scott wouldn't even dream of saying to his worst enemy.

But what made Scott nervous was when he mentioned their mother, Sarah Evans.

"At least we now know how dad always knew where she was," Matthew quipped, "He's been feeding her information about us."

"I can't believe this," Scott growled, "All of this because you guys wanted to lead your own lives?"

"Oh, we can lead our own lives," Matthew corrected him sarcastically, "As long as we're leading the lives he dictated for us. Things started going downhill when Indy left for Rochester, but we didn't tell her because we knew she'd come home and give up REMS. Liddy and I didn't want her to give up more of her life for us than she already had."

"I think she had her suspicions," Scott stated, "Since the blow-up at Christmas, she told me about a couple of incidents that seemed innocuous at first, but now make a lot more sense."

"Liddy and I have been the same," Matthew shrugged, "But he's becoming really unhinged now, Scott. I've talked to my command and have it arranged so Indy's now my next-of-kin and primary contact if anything happened to me. She's already signed off on it. But he's scaring me, Scott."

"I know," Scott reassured him, "I'll talk to dad and see if he knows some lawyers who can help you. Have you taken steps to tell him to stop? A lot of the time, the courts won't step in unless you've taken steps to stop the harassment on your own."

"I have," Matthew nodded, "I don't have it on me, but I've sent stuff saying I want him to stop."

"Good," Scott praised him, "Contact the Postal Inspection Service as well. What he's doing is a federal offence."

"Sure," Matthew nodded.

"Here are your burgers, boys," the waiter cut in as he placed their plates in front of them, "Enjoy."

The two men thanked their waiter before taking a moment to dig into their burgers. After swallowing their first bite and washing it down with some of their root beer, Matthew continued, "I just wanted to talk to someone who could just tell me what I need without… you know…"

"I know," Scott drawled, "Someone who will just listen and not immediately be reactive. I have to tell you, though, Matt, that wasn't easy."

"I could tell," Matthew laughed, "I think I also just wanted to give you a heads up in case he tries to go after Indy."

"You should talk to Linda as well," Scott advised, "Don't worry. Ana will be safe."

Matthew nodded before smirking, "Well, I suppose you'll have to ask me now." When Scott looked at him in confusion, Matthew elaborated, "You do want to marry my sister, right?"

Scott almost choked on his root beer. Not at the question itself, but rather the direct way it was asked.

Yeah. There was no doubt. Matthew and Indiana were related.

After clearing his throat, Scott answered, "Of course I do. But it's too soon to ask. We almost destroyed things going too fast before. I do want to marry her, but I don't want to rush things. Maybe in a few months."

"Good plan," Matthew praised, "You don't need to worry about it, by the way. You have my blessing. I have no doubt that Linda's already making plans for Indy's wedding dress. She just needs the date."

Scott laughed. He figured his future brother-in-law was right.


Indiana walked in as she heard Jeff give Virgil additional instructions as he approached Anderbad.

"And when you get to Anderbad, make a landing on hill GF/0. From there, you ought to get a good view of Penelope's train as it emerges from the Anderbad Tunnel," Jeff stated before remarking as he looked at the tunnel on the map, "Say, that's some length of tunnel."

"26 miles," Indiana offered almost cheerfully, "Linda took the train from Paris to Anderbad last year. She kept telling me that she hoped the train didn't break down inside the tunnel."

"I can understand that. Must be lonely inside that mountain."

"Anymore news from Penelope?" Jeff asked.

"No. I expect she's just sitting back enjoying the trip."

Jeff turned to Indiana after terminating the frequency, "Have you heard from Scott?"

"He's due back soon," Indiana nodded, "He would've emailed you that, right?"

"Yeah," Jeff responded, "but I figured he'd email you more."

Indiana laughed, deciding Jeff was better off not knowing everything his oldest son emailed her. Not because they were scandalous or anything like that, but it was something that just belonged to them.

Like the Open When letters.

Politely excusing herself after handing Jeff the paperwork and inventory for the infirmary, Indiana retreated into her bedroom, going for the box of letters. During his latest email, Scott left a specific instruction about the letter he wanted her to open. Something that would help set the scene for his homecoming.

Indiana opened the letter and… yeah. She could definitely manage that.


"Coming in to make vertical landing, father."

"Welcome home, son," Jeff responded, "Sorry not to have a big reception party to meet you after your leave. We've got a major rescue operation in hand."

"Okay, father. I understand. I hope I'll be able to help, too."

Jeff watched from the balcony along with Tin-Tin as his oldest son expertly landed Thunderbird 1 in its launch bay below the pool. He knew that it wouldn't be long before Scott would join them in the lounge; especially when you take into account the fact that he didn't have to change out of his International Rescue uniform. It's not as though he was coming back from a rescue mission. He was coming back from a well-deserved vacation.

"Say, where's Indiana?" Jeff suddenly asked Tin-Tin, figuring his son's girlfriend would be eager to welcome him home.

"Brains wanted to talk to her about something," Tin-Tin answered, "He wanted to go over potential improvements to the onboard infirmary in Thunderbird 2."

Jeff nodded in approval. Brains was always working on ways to improve the Thunderbird craft; especially now that International Rescue has been in operation for several months and they have a better idea of what they can expect to face in the field. Indiana's opinion would be invaluable to him in these circumstances.

"Hi-ya, folks!" Scott greeted as he entered the lounge from Thunderbird 1's silo.

"Welcome home, Mr. Scott," Kyrano greeted him as he emerged from the wings, "I'll take your bag to your room, son."

"Thanks, Kyrano," Scott responded with a smile, "You can just leave it on the bed. I'll unpack it myself later."

Kyrano nodded, knowing that Scott wanted to take a moment to catch up with his family and be read into the current rescue operation. Grabbing his bag, he set off for Scott's bedroom.

"Welcome home, son," Jeff greeted his oldest with a handshake and a hug.

"Thanks, dad," Scott smiled before turning to his childhood friend, "How have you been, Tin-Tin?"

"I've been well, Scott," Tin-Tin laughed as she accepted the hug from the older man, "Dr. Evans is in the lab with Brains to discuss improvements to Thunderbird 2's onboard infirmary. Would you like me to tell her you're home?"

"No, it's okay," Scott shook his head, "Besides, just having her come up and see me is a lot more fun."

Jeff chuckled. He pulled the same trick a couple of times with Lucy when he returned from deployments and training missions and, after leaving the military, business trips to build his company. In fact, one of those times resulted in Virgil's birth. But they didn't need to know that.

Jeff busied himself with telling Scott about the ongoing operation, "Lady Penelope was contacted by Sir Jeremy Hodge. He was working with a Professor Borrender on a formula to convert seawater into fuel. The professor had been working on it for ten years without success before Sir Jeremy came aboard and helped him perfect it."

"Say, isn't that the fuel that was used to power the Sun Probe rocket?" Scott cut in. In his head, Scott recalled the news reports about the Sun Probe launch stating that the rocket was being powered by a revolutionary new fuel, but everything about the fuel – including the manufacturing process – was top secret.

"Yes, son. So, you can understand the stakes associated with this conversion formula. Following the international conference in Paris, Sir Jeremy saw Professor Borrender off on the night train to Anderbad. However, when the train arrived at the station, Professor Borrender was not on it and everyone Sir Jeremy talked to stated that he was mistaken and Professor Borrender was never on the passenger list," Jeff continued.

"So, there's the concern that someone might have taken the Professor hostage during the journey to get their hands on the formula," Scott surmised.

"Exactly," Jeff nodded before gesturing to the nearby map, "So, you see, Scott, the forces of International Rescue are converging on the city of Anderbad from three directions. Virgil is gonna land on this elevation here and will rendezvous with Parker, who's coming down highway Q44 from this direction. Then, Penelope's train will come into Anderbad Junction through the Anderbad Tunnel here."

"When does Virgil reckon he'll get there?" Scott inquired.

Jeff looked at his watch and answered, "Well, I'm expecting him to radio in at any moment to tell me just that."

"It all looks pretty well organised to me," Scott remarked before saying apologetically, "But I'm sure sorry this had to happen while I was away on vacation."

"Don't worry, son," Jeff reassured him, "Gordon needed a change from underwater rescues, anyway. Or so I've been told."

Scott let out a laugh, immediately understanding the hidden meaning behind his father's remarks. Indiana has clearly been flexing her powers as Chief Medical Officer in his absence. Something that she was given when she joined was the authority to override anyone's orders – even Jeff's – if she felt it would be in the best interests of everyone's health and safety. Scott could only recall one instance where Indiana used it, and it was when Alan tried to do something reckless on a rescue mission and wouldn't listen to everyone else telling him not to do it.

Whatever remarks Scott was about to make were lost when Virgil's portrait started beeping. Having been forewarned that the call was coming in, Scott moved to the side while Jeff answered, "Go ahead, Virgil. How's it going?"

"All according to plan, father. We should be arriving at Anderbad one hour after dawn, taking up position on hill GF0. Parker tells me Penelope has settled down for the night and he's now proceeding to Anderbad ahead of the train. He expects to arrive soon after we do and will later pick up Penelope at the station."

"Good," Jeff nodded before remarking, "Well, I don't think much else can happen before that train gets into Anderbad. Why don't you go get us some coffee, Tin-Tin?"

"Yes, Mr. Tracy," Tin-Tin nodded.

"You can tell me about what you got up to on your leave," Jeff told his oldest before turning serious for a moment, "I got your email. Looks like this situation with Indiana's father is escalating."

"Yeah. Matthew showed me the letters," Scott replied, "The things that were written… I don't feel comfortable repeating."

"Say no more," Jeff cut in, "I'll give you some names of some lawyers that can help Matthew. The Air Force will also help him with estate planning and power of attorney and all that jazz."

"Yeah, he's taken care of all that. Ana's signed the forms. She's officially his next-of-kin until he gets married or if something happens to her; then, it goes to Linda," Scott reassured him.

"Good. I was hoping that, with time, the situation would resolve itself, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The good news is, he hasn't gone after Indiana yet, but that doesn't mean he won't. I'll talk to her and Linda and offer them the same," Jeff promised before stating firmly, "You two may want to talk about your own situation. Since you and Indiana are not married or even engaged, you'll need ironclad paperwork for you and Indiana to be each other's next-of-kin and holder of power of attorney. Unfortunately, if something happens to Indiana, David can swoop in as her father and closest relative."

"We sort of started talking about it, but we haven't done any paperwork yet," Scott revealed.

"I can get that taken care of for you; and include provisions where that power goes to Matthew or Linda if anything happens to Indiana and you're unavailable. I won't be offended if you decide to give Indiana that power," Jeff reassured his son before remarking, "The two of you do seem to be getting pretty serious."

"Yeah," Scott nodded with a smile and a slight blush, "Yeah, we are. We both still want to take some time, though. We moved too fast before and look what happened."

"I can relate. I bought your mother's engagement ring after our first date," Jeff recalled with a smile, "Sometimes, you just know. I still have it. Your mother left it to you."

Scott looked at Jeff in surprise. He knew that his mother left him and his younger brothers items in her will, but they didn't know what. All they knew was that Jeff would hang onto them until he felt the time was right.

"Mum left me her engagement ring?" Scott repeated in surprise.

"She told me to give it to you when you found the one. I don't need you to tell me you have. I see the way you look at Indiana, son. I looked at your mother the same way. I'll hold onto it until you're ready," Jeff promised, "When you're ready to propose, just tell me."

"Thanks, dad," Scott beamed before changing the subject, "Albie sends his regards, by the way. He was sad to not see you at the fundraiser."

"Thank you for filling in for me. How did the auction go?" Jeff asked.

"It was a huge success. Raised a ton of money for the charity," Scott boasted, "The money will help so many healthcare workers."

"Well, healthcare workers are often on the frontline and deserve all the support they can get," Jeff declared, "Especially after what we saw when Gordon had his accident and some of the stories Indiana's told us from her time at Kessler."

Scott heartily nodded in agreement. Some of the stories they had heard from her chilled him to the core.

Tin-Tin arrived with coffee just as Indiana finally re-entered the lounge. The look on her face when she saw Scott casually sitting by his father's desk made him wish he had a camera on him.

"I was wondering when you noticed I was back," Scott teased her as he stood up.

Indiana affectionately rolled her eyes at him, "Well, working in a soundproof lab..."

Scott laughed as he pulled Indiana into a tight embrace, pressing a kiss into her hair before moving down to give her a quick peck on the lips. Scott and Indiana had planned on giving each other a more enthusiastic greeting when he returned from his leave, but they decided to wait until they had more privacy and there wasn't a rescue operation ongoing.

In fair defence, Indiana was right. Brains' lab was soundproofed to outside noises so the comings and goings of the island – particularly the launch of the Thunderbirds – didn't disrupt his work. The only outside noise that comes into his lab is through his intercom.

Virgil's portrait began beeping again, causing Jeff's brows to furrow in confusion. Lady Penelope's train wasn't due yet, so he certainly wasn't radioing in to say Lady Penelope had arrived with Sir Jeremy and the results of their investigation.

"Go ahead, Virgil," Jeff opened the transmission.

"Father, Lady Penelope's train has had a breakdown in the middle of the Anderbad Tunnel."

"I don't like the sound of that," Indiana remarked, unknowingly having the same reaction Gordon did when Parker first radioed them.

"Right, Virgil. Better standby with the Monobrake," Jeff ordered.

"Yes, father."

"But surely, Penelope would have radioed in if there had been any trouble?" Tin-Tin voiced her concerns.

Scott shook his head, "Tin-Tin, that Anderbad Tunnel goes straight under the Alpine Belt. No radio waves can penetrate that far."

Indiana felt the familiar dread stirring in her gut. She had heard the reports that the train Professor Borrender was supposed to be on experienced a similar situation. There was a breakdown in the Anderbad Tunnel; and then, when the train finally arrived at Anderbad Station, he wasn't on it. She couldn't help but fear the same thing would happen to Lady Penelope and Sir Jeremy. She couldn't help but fear that Parker would radio Virgil in Thunderbird 2 to report that Lady Penelope and Sir Jeremy weren't on the train.

Sure enough, Virgil radioed in to confirm those fears.

"Father, the train has now come into Anderbad, and Parker has confirmed that Lady Penelope and Sir Jeremy are not on it!"

"Not on it?!" Tin-Tin repeated in disbelief.

"Did he find out where the breakdown took place?" Jeff demanded.

"Yes. Seventeen miles from Anderbad."

"Right. You'd better go find them!" Jeff barked.

"Hey. Wasn't there another breakdown in the Anderbad Tunnel before Professor Borrender disappeared?" Indiana suddenly asked.

"Yes," Tin-Tin nodded before asking, "Are you saying the breakdowns were caused on purpose?"

"It's the only scenario that makes sense," Indiana shrugged.

"She's right," Scott piped in, looking at some plans, "There's a control room in the tunnel right around where the breakdown took place. Anyone hiding in there would be able to turn off all power in the tunnel and stop the train, giving them time to take anyone off the train and then play dumb when certain passengers don't make it to the station."

"How long until the next train arrives at Anderbad?" Tin-Tin asked.

"Not long," Jeff shook his head.

They later heard that Virgil and Gordon would venture into the Anderbad Tunnel on the Monobrake to look for Lady Penelope and Sir Jeremy while Alan remained behind with Parker near Thunderbird 2 and FAB 1, acting as a backup in case Virgil and Gordon needed extra assistance.

"Hello, father? Still no sign of Virgil or Gordon. Or anyone."

"Alright, Alan. Be patient," Jeff chided his youngest.

"Tell you what, father. I'll just get onto my hoverbike and mosey up that tunnel!"

"Oh no you don't!" Indiana immediately snapped, "Not with that express coming!"

"Indiana's right," Jeff nodded firmly, "You're needed where you are! We can't risk anymore lives!"

"Father, just let Ana and I fly out there in Thunderbird 1," Scott pleaded, "We could be up there in a couple of hours."

"Yeah, Scott, but the express will be there in a couple of minutes," Jeff grumbled.

Indiana grabbed Scott's hand in a comforting gesture. She knew this would be hard for him. He's not used to sitting on the sidelines. He's used to being in the thick of things. He's used to being part of the action. Making the calls. But he can't do anything this time. He just had to sit by helplessly and hope for a good outcome.

He couldn't help but wonder if this was how his father felt anytime he sent his sons on a mission. Feeling helpless as he waited for updates, not knowing if his sons were okay. If he were to ask Jeff, the Tracy patriarch would respond that this was exactly how he felt.

Time seemed to drag out as everyone waited impatiently for the next update. Eventually, Alan radioed through that the express had emerged from the Anderbad Tunnel, but there was no news on Virgil and Gordon. He didn't know if they were successful in rescuing Lady Penelope and Sir Jeremy. There was radio silence on their end and there was no sign of the Monobrake emerging from the tunnel.

"Still nothing, father. Nothing has come out of that tunnel since the express twenty minutes ago. Looks like something went wrong."

"What can have gone wrong?" Tin-Tin asked urgently.

"Give them five more minutes, Alan," Jeff began ordering, "Then, you'd better."

"Hold it!"

Everyone's heart froze when they heard Alan say those words. What was he going to say next?

Then, they heard his joyous laugh, "Guess I spoke too soon, father! They're all okay! Looks like another rescue operation is successfully completed!"

Everyone felt they could breathe again. Alan had sighted the group coming out of the Anderbad Tunnel. Now, all they had to do was wait to hear what had happened.

The explanation came several minutes later. The train was in the Anderbad Tunnel when it suddenly grinded to a halt. As Lady Penelope speculated about a power failure being the cause, a man named Dr. Godber approached her and Sir Jeremy and ordered them to follow him off the train. They were taken into the control room of the tunnel, where it was revealed that Dr. Godber was holding Professor Borrender hostage.

At this point, Professor Borrender had refused to divulge anything about his seawater fuel conversion formula. Knowing that Sir Jeremy and Lady Penelope would be investigating the professor's disappearance, Dr. Godber decided to use it to his advantage by capturing the duo, hoping he could induce them to talk. Tying Professor Borrender and Sir Jeremy to chairs in the control room, Dr. Godber then strapped Lady Penelope to a ladder and lowered her into the tunnel, placing her directly in the path of the oncoming train.

That was how Gordon and Virgil had found them. Sir Jeremy and Professor Borrender were pleading with Dr. Godber to spare Lady Penelope. To cut her down from the ladder or to stop the train. However, Dr. Godber refused, continuously saying that he would free Lady Penelope when Sir Jeremy and Professor Borrender gave him the formula. Eventually, he declared it was too late. His plan had failed and he had no choice but to leave Lady Penelope to her fate – in the path of the oncoming express.

That was when Gordon and Virgil intervened. Gordon got into a firefight with Dr. Godber. In the middle of all of this, Sir Jeremy tried to implore Roache, Dr. Godber's henchman, to defy his employer and stop the train. Roache, unnerved by Dr. Godber's concern about what would happen if the formula was used incorrectly, moved to do so; however, he was killed by Dr. Godber, who then shot the control module. This meant they were unable to stop the train and Virgil had to shoot out the rope holding Lady Penelope up. He managed to do so at the last second as Gordon disarmed Dr. Godber. Virgil and Lady Penelope hugged the ground until the train had passed. Once the train was out of the tunnel, they were able to contact the local authorities about what had happened and Dr. Godber was arrested.

Now, all that was left to do was for the boys to enjoy a night in Paris. Indiana had managed to persuade Jeff that, after the successful mission, everyone deserved one night in Paris to enjoy themselves. Naturally, Gordon and Virgil immediately declared their intention to spend their evening at the Folies. Unfortunately, Alan wasn't allowed to accompany them because he was too young, much to his dismay.

Instead, he was going to be escorted by Lady Penelope and Sir Jeremy. But what he didn't know was that they had arranged for Tin-Tin to fly out to Paris to surprise him, since it was pointed out that Tin-Tin hadn't had a true vacation since International Rescue started operations. It didn't take Jeff a lot of convincing to allow Tin-Tin to fly out to Paris to spend time with Alan.

Everybody couldn't help but wonder if this would mark the start of a romance between the young couple. Everybody knew there was something special between them.


Scott and Indiana laughed as they laid in bed, that Open When Letter Indiana had opened earlier laying a fair distance away, having been put to good use. Scott was regaling her some of his adventures from his vacation that he couldn't necessarily put into an email. Especially stories about his reunion with his Air Force buddies.

"They did not!" Indiana laughed.

"I promise you they did!" Scott vowed through breathless laughter, "We're lucky we haven't been banned!"

Indiana shook her head as the laughter ceased. It was strange. She had a hard time believing it would be something Scott would do, but at the same time, she could see it. An interesting contradiction.

"How were your school friends?" Indiana asked, changing the topic.

"They were good," Scott answered, pressing a kiss to her temple, "A lot of them have settled down. A few of them are married with kids, while the others are engaged or living with a long-term partner. Everyone's working except one. Lou decided he wanted to be a stay-at-home dad when his eldest was born."

"That's nice," Indiana hummed, "I know a nurse at Kessler who wanted to give up work when she had her baby, but she and her husband weren't in the financial position to do that. But then again, there's a big difference in cost of living when you compare Kansas to New York."

"I'll give you that," Scott conceded, "Would you have wanted to give up work? If you had a baby?"

"I'd probably make some changes to my hours, but I don't see myself giving up work entirely," Indiana admitted, "I know there would be hardships being a working doctor and a parent, but I think kids would be worth it."

"Kids?" Scott repeated with a laugh, "How many do you want?"

"I think three's a good number," Indiana mused, "To be honest, I never really thought about it that much. Until now, I've never been in a relationship where I really thought about a future like that. You know, marriage, kids. I always wanted that, but I never saw that future with my past boyfriends."

"Me too," Scott admitted, "I always knew I'd settle down someday, but I always wanted it to be with the right person."

"Am I?" Indiana couldn't help but ask nervously, "Am I the right person?"

"Yeah," Scott nodded without hesitation, "You're that person, Ana. Am I that person for you?"

"What do you think, Scooter?" was Indiana's response.

Rolling onto his side, Scott pulled Indiana close, giving her sweet, gentle kisses. When he pulled away, he nuzzled their noses together, causing her to smile as he tucked that strand of hair behind her ear.

"You know, dad told me about mum's engagement ring today," Scott admitted, "He said when the time's right, it's mine. I can have it and ask you to marry me."

"We might have to wait a bit longer," Indiana warned her.

"Don't worry. For one thing, I'd come up with a proposal that's a bit more romantic," Scott quipped, "Also, I know what you would say if I did try to ask you now."

"Not yet," Indiana confirmed his suspicions, "I do want to marry you. Just… not yet."

Nodding, Scott rolled back onto his back as Indiana nuzzled into his side, her fingers absentmindedly drawing shapes on his bare chest.

"I saw your brother while I was in North Carolina," Scott confessed.

"Let me guess," Indiana sighed heavily, "Dad's been in contact with him."

"He's been sending him threatening letters," Scott revealed, hastening when he felt Indiana tense up next to him, "Relax, sweetheart. I've given Matt some advice and names of people who can help him. Dad wants to talk to you and Linda about offering the same thing. He hasn't been sending you anything, has he?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Indiana responded after a brief moment of pondering, "All his emails go to my spam folder now. I haven't checked it since before Christmas. You've seen me go into my emails. I rarely check my spam folder."

"We can check it in the morning," Scott decided, "I won't let him hurt you again, mi vida. None of us will."

"I know," Indiana smiled, "But this might be something I have to sort out on my own with Matty and Linda. You know I don't like having other people fight your battles for me."

"I wouldn't say I'm fighting this battle for you. I'm just making it clear you have someone in your corner," Scott smirked, "Someone who can help you fight. Not fight for you. Fight with you."

"I like the sound of that," Indiana decided.

Scott hummed in agreement as he pressed a kiss into her hairline as she nuzzled up against him even more, closing her eyes as she relaxed into a peaceful sleep after murmuring a final goodnight to him. He watched her sleep for several moments before settling himself into a peaceful sleep as well.

That night, he dreamed of a venue in Outer Banks. Filled with family and friends. The officiate standing at the altar with him and his brothers standing next to him. His father sitting in the front row giving him a proud smile (and wiping a tear or two) with Parker, Brains, Kyrano and Grandma Tracy ready to give a reading. Then, the bridesmaids would walk in carrying bouquets of flowers, each bridesmaid wearing either a blue or a silver dress, perfectly complementing their assigned groomsman.

Then, Indiana stood in the doorway, wearing a beautiful dress, Matthew and Linda flanked on either side of her to walk her down the aisle. The dress was a beautiful ivory with a delicate sheen, sheer soft scoop neckline and capped sleeves, gentle gather under the bust and a full-length skirt. The bodice was encrusted in ivory and gold and there was a vintage sash tied to her frame under the bust, accentuating her beautiful baby bump that housed their child.

Then, they were sharing their first kiss as husband and wife, and introduced as Mr. and Dr. Tracy.

He couldn't wait for the future to unfold.


God, I'm a sap.

If I don't get another chapter up before the 25th, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and warm wishes for a joyful Kwanzaa to all my readers! I look forward to see you again after the holidays.