Author's note: Thanks for the review!

/

There is no party prepared for Kayo's return. No banners or confetti are readied. There won't be any cake or a massive celebration.

Instead, what awaits her is her family. They're all there. John has come down from Thunderbird 5. They wait patiently. There's food in the fridge. Her bed is all ready in case she's tired. They've all gathered together in the main room and now wait. They know what to expect in part. Still, it's hard not to imagine their old friend, the feisty head of security strolling in with a cocky smile and a "did you miss me?" attitude. They all know that it's not going to happen but somehow inside of even the oldest and most jaded there's a certain amount of hopefulness which refuses to listen to logic or reason.

A few minutes ago, Thunderbird 2 touched down.

They wait anxiously fixing the point where they knew that the party would appear. The group hold their breaths. It's a nervous glance that Alan gives his grandmother. He's already looked to Scott. His eldest brother seems oddly solemn, grave, almost as if he's expecting the worst. By contrast, the old woman wears a gentle smile. It's the sort that provides anyone on the receiving end with a kind warmth which was enough to melt away even the worst of fears and comfort even the most troubled of souls.

"Just remember, she's been through a lot." Grandma's cautionary comment is directed mostly towards Alan. "She might not be herself which is why we need to be here for her."

They can hear footsteps now but no words.

Then, slowly, stepping into the sunlight comes first Jeff. Behind him is Virgil and a little more tentatively, leading up the rear is the person that they've all been waiting for accompanied by her father. Tanusha is taking baby steps. Somehow she seems tiny, almost childlike as she steps into view. There isn't any of the famous Kayo Kyrano spark there. Instead, the young woman comes to a stop before them. She's frozen, almost rooted to the spot.

Her look is one of astonishment. The way that she fixes them, it's as if she's never seen them before in her life and is rediscovering her surroundings for the first time. In an odd way, she almost looks frightened. Standing there, a gust of wind might just be able to knock her over. Her face changed. She went from looking like she was attempting a smile, to opening her mouth. There were a thousand and one words on the tip of the young woman's tongue, some of them teasing, others loving, some soppy and a few trying to play it cool. None of them come.

She turns pale suddenly. The color, what little of it she'd been able to regain since being discovered a few days ago, drained from her face in the space of a few seconds. It's Grandma who spots what's going to happen before it does:

"Jeff-" She begins to warn just as Kayo stumbles backwards, her legs buckling beneath her.

"Whoa. Whoa… Easy there!" Virgil reaches forwards to grab her least she hit the deck.

Kayo can barely stand. She's only just about able to fumble along, guided on either side by a mixture of Virgil and her father, there to ensure that she doesn't fall. They manage to guide her over to the couch.

By the time that she gets there her breaths are staggered. She raises her right hand automatically, despite the cast on it in an effort to shield her face. Despite her best efforts, her family as they draw nearer are able to see a few tears make their way down her cheeks. Pride causes her to do what she can to try to hide, to brush everything off as if it were nothing. In fact, the brothers at least can't quite recall when they last saw their friend shed a tear. If she ever did, it was something that she engaged in in private, away from anyone who might see. Right now though, there's no hiding the tears that come.

The young woman makes a few hiccuping sounds, coupled with gasps before finally managing to articulate:

"I'm sorry… This is all so..." She stops for a moment, catching her breath. "I-I just can't believe this is happening."

Grandma steps forwards, joining Kyrano in his efforts to try and soothe his daughter's nerves. She rubs the girl's back in small circles. They give her some time. Try to reassure her. Let her come back to terms with what's happening and what has happened to her.

The brothers and Jeff hold back. Their gazes are as sympathetic as they are pained. There was something about seeing Kayo, usually so strong and stoic in such a state: shaken and scared. It takes her a little while to calm down. The young woman makes quick work of trying to banish what remains of the tears, rubbing her left eye with some vigor in an attempt to be rid of them. She's still not quite breathing right after a couple of minutes but she is well enough to speak, doing what little she can to explain herself:

"It all feels like another of the Hood's mind tricks."

"This is real Tanu-" Kyrano begins.

"Don't call me that!" Kayo snaps suddenly, her eyes wide. Then, suddenly they along with her voice soften. "Please… It's what he always called me."

Kyrano's face darkens. It's just a flicker, a second's worth of loathing for his brother and the man who has done this to her. It only lasts a brief instant but the disgust is shared very much by all those in the room. Today, nobody challenges her. She'll have to get back to using her name in time. Until then, it will be "Kayo", it's not as if she's ever objected to it in the past. Whilst the majority of the family sit by their friend in silence, waiting until she's regained some of her strength and confidence once more, Alan takes a few discreet steps over to Scott who continues to hang back.

"She's going to be okay… Right?"

He doesn't get a response. All Scott can do is stare, his mind a thousand miles and six months away.

Kayo isn't human. That's the only way that Scott could logically comprehend just how it was that his friend could sense some of the things that she does.

The young woman went from being frozen in place to flying through the air in the time it would take most people to blink. She tackled him, pushing him back before he had time to funny understand what was going on. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. He saw a vague shape. He'd call it a shimmer, something in the air. He felt it pass by near to him, missing him by only a few centimeters. It felt massive. Whatever it was collided instead Kayo, causing her to let out a grunt as she was torn away from him.

He landed hard against the floor, the wind knocked out from him. He lay there somewhat dazed for a few seconds, struggling to comprehend what had just happened. From not all that far away, there was a struggle. Kayo shouted. It was all that it took to bring the eldest of the brothers back into reality. He looked up and in the space of a few seconds, everything became a clear.

Fuse, now visible grappled with Kayo. The young woman bounced around, doing everything that she could to try to outmaneuver the brute. He would back her in the fight. No doubt some assistance would have been appreciated. Wincing, he made it back to his feet. Ready to rush forwards and throw himself into his friend's attacker if that was what it took.

The audible hiss of hydraulics caused him to hesitate just a second. Then, without warning the door slammed shut in his face. Havoc… It was a guess more than anything else but it was hard to envision her being far away from her brother. He was disturbed from his thoughts by a second cry, this time less angered and more pained from Kayo. Frantically, Scott searched, desperate to find a console, a handle, anything which would allow him to pass on through. He needed John or Brains, someone to help him hack through the system. It took him a few seconds to think to use the small porthole in the door.

He saw his friend on the ground, struggling with all her might against the hold of Fuse as he drove his boot into her spine. She was pinned in place as Havoc struggled with some handcuffs. His stomach turned. Suddenly, a terrible sinking sensation took hold. He slammed his hands into fists, pounding against the steel.

They must have been able to hear him as all looked round. Kayo gave him a pained, pleading look, struggling as much as she could. She lunged, cursed and spat at her attackers. It was Havoc who gave him a taunting look, an arrogant smirk.

"Don't mind if we borrow her for a bit, do you?"