Title: Cat Tracy
Author: Gumnut
21 - 22 Aug 2020
Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS
Rating: Teen
Summary: Scott had a cat.
Word count: 4853
Spoilers & warnings: Needles
Timeline: Standalone
Author's note: Nutty's Fandomversary 2020 Fic Four. For scribbles97 who asked for several things, but ended up with Scott and Cat. This one just happened in chat.
Many thanks to scribbles97 who kinda had to work for this one ::hugs you lots:: I hope you enjoy it anyway :D
Disclaimer: Mine? You've got to be kidding. Money? Don't have any, don't bother.
-o-o-o-
Scott had a cat.
He had no idea how he had a cat. It just appeared one day under his pilot's chair in One.
He had been returning from Egypt where he had had to locate and yank yet another lost tourist out of the Sahara. After dropping the dehydrated man off at the local hospital, he had quite gratefully plotted a flight plan for Tracy Island.
Halfway home he nearly fell out of his chair when something started chewing on his left boot.
The innocence in the green eyes looking up at him came across as anything but.
He would have returned it to Egypt, but Virgil found out about the spotted monstrosity before he could and would have killed him if he left it in the desert.
So, he had a cat.
And cats needed veterinary care.
So, this was how he found himself standing at the reception desk of a vet surgery in England. It was highly recommended by Penelope, apparently Sherbet approved.
Virgil had hounded him into it, of course. The big softy had been completely enamoured by the feral ball of fluff from the moment he laid eyes on her. Scott would have let him have the little varmit, but the cat - who was still simply called 'The Cat' despite his brother's protests - had decided to sleep on his face every night, no matter how many locked doors lay between him and the feline.
Apparently, she was His Cat.
Gordon, of course, tried to lure her away with nibbles and treats...until she discovered his fish tanks and several of his prize pets went missing.
There was yelling after that.
Scott was forced to keep The Cat away from Gordon. There was mention of a cat skin hat and Scott was only half sure the aquanaut was kidding.
Virgil played with her and The Cat appeared to tolerate the engineer.
She hated Alan.
No-one knew why The Cat had such a dislike for the youngest Tracy. The moment she set eyes on him, it was all spiky fur fluffed out to make her appear twice her size, claws deployed, and hissing and snarling enough to melt the paintwork off the walls.
Suffice it to say that Alan was rarely in her presence.
But regardless of who liked The Cat, apparently, she was Scott's and according to Virgil, that meant he had to look after her.
As he approached the reception desk, The Cat eyed him through the cat box Virgil had jimmied together. Green eyes challenged him.
But he had been challenged by green eyes before so he was used to it. His own eyes must have communicated something back, because she meowed at him.
Somewhat pitifully.
"Can I help you, sir?"
He glanced up, embarrassed to have been caught communing with the devil. The young nurse behind the counter smiled up at him. Her badge had the name Mia written on it. "Uh, hi. I have an appointment under the name 'Tracy'."
The nurse smiled at him again before turning to the computer and pulling up a file. "Yes, Mr Tracy. The vet will be ready for you shortly. Please take a seat." She gestured to the waiting room.
Unfortunately, the room was half full...of both people and animals.
He nodded in her direction. "Thank you, ma'am." And turned to face his fellow pet owners.
As with all waiting rooms several people looked up as he entered, cat cage in hand. He could see their assessments in their eyes. The woman on the right with a lap dog wrapped in a pink cardigan eyed The Cat with distaste. Probably because The Cat could inhale her dog by accident.
The older man two seats over smiled a toothless smile at Scott and patted the ferret sitting on his shoulder.
A little girl with her mother was holding a wire cage with a green budgerigar inside. The bird appeared to be having a nervous breakdown. Most likely caused by the St Bernard sitting next to it, eyeing it with a great deal of interest.
Scott found a spot between two empty chairs and folded himself into it. It wasn't that he wasn't a people person. Far from it, he enjoyed conversation and gatherings. It wasn't that he wasn't an animal person. He grew up on a farm, for crying out loud.
It was just…
Well…he hadn't had any say in this and The Cat was bossing him around.
There. He admitted it.
He could hear Virgil laughing from here.
"That's a pretty cat you've got yourself there."
"Huh?" Oh, just classy, Mr Commander President Sir. "Oh, uh, yes, thank you."
The woman smiled a set of glossy red lips at him, dipping her eyelashes just a little.
Scott blinked and a little heat headed both north and south as he realised that she was wearing little more than a jacket over a leopard print bikini.
And the view was…extensive.
"Have you had him long?"
"Her. No. This is our first visit." As if to punctuate that statement The Cat hissed at the woman.
Surprisingly, she didn't flinch or edge away. "Oh, you just have some spark, little one, don't you." And to Scott's surprise, she dared to wave a finger within reach of The Cat.
"I wouldn't do that."
But long, pink nails slipped through the wire mesh and tickled The Cat under the chin.
The Cat, the little shit, started purring.
Until a reptilian head slid out from underneath the woman's jacket and flicked its tongue at her.
The Cat let out a very undignified squawk and flung itself to the far side of its box and nearly tipped it off Scott's lap. It was a fortunate accident that hid Scott's reaction to the large snake now uncurling and extending its snout curiously in his direction.
"You have a snake." Scott had a sudden and profound empathy for Gordon's uncomfortable relationship with reptiles.
"Oh, that's Jerry." She patted the snake. "He's feeling a bit off today. Aren't you, sweetie? That's why we're here." A wet, red kiss was dealt to the scales on the back of the snake's head.
"He's...uh...respectable."
"Yes, he's a big boy. Aren't you, Jez. Such a big boy." The woman was nuzzling the snake with her nose.
The snake did not appear impressed.
Scott did his best not to edge away from her. Fortunately, she was called in by the nurse a moment later.
Scott did not miss the amused smirk on the young nurse's face.
Hmm, so snake lady was a regular who provided entertainment. Scott straightened in his seat.
The Cat chirped at him.
"You shut up."
The Cat snickered. It could only be called that. He glared down at the box and the spotted menace gazed innocently back up at him before meowing.
This was all Virgil's fault. "Should have dumped you in the desert."
"Sir, how could you possibly consider that?! He's adorable." And again, Scott found his cat box the subject of attention via fingers, these ones with pink fingernails considerably shorter than the last set.
He looked up to find a middle-aged woman gazing adorably at The Cat. The difference this time was as she sat down, a cat box appeared on her lap too.
The Cat immediately became more interested and the eye lasers between the two boxes was almost physical.
"Uh, she's a she."
"And a beautiful girl, too. Just look at those spots. Did you go to Egypt for the breed? I hear they are very rare."
Scott blinked. "Excuse me?" How did she know the cat was from Egypt? Lady Penelope had had to pull quite a few strings to get The Cat into England. Scott's usual haunts of Australia and New Zealand took one look and gave him a firm 'no'. One of the downsides of his sudden pet parenthood was the lack of a vet on their island. Crossing borders with an animal was a little bit different from crossing borders with a Thunderbird. Fortunately, Penelope had her ways and here he was.
But how was it obvious The Cat had come from Egypt?
"Oh, but she's an Egyptian Mau, isn't she? Those spots are absolutely gorgeous."
Scott peered at The Cat. The smugness on the denizen of evil had to be a coincidence. But yes, she was a spotty cat. "Honestly, I'm not sure."
"Really? My Dora is only a Russian Blue, but I adore her anyway. You should find out. You might have an expensive cat." She frowned. "You didn't get her from one of those black market types, did you?"
A blink. "Uh, no."
"I should hope not. There are some people on this planet who do not deserve the honour of life."
Scott didn't comment on that.
"Mr Tracy?" Mia the nurse was smiling at him from across the room. "The Vet will see you now."
Oh, thank god.
He stood up a little faster than necessary and the nurse raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay, sir?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine."
The Cat snorted.
How the hell did a cat snort? He restrained himself from a retort and followed the young woman from the room.
A corridor and a couple of doors later, she ushered him into an examination room. She pointed to a chair. Please take a seat. The vet will be in shortly."
He did as he was told, sitting on one of two seats in the corner. At the centre sat a metal table obviously for examination.
The nurse set herself up at a computer station on the far side of the small room. He did not fail to notice that she kept eyeing him from time to time.
He was about to say something when a ball of bustling energy burst into the room. Short, compact with a craze of dark curls, the white coated woman hurried up to him. "Mr Tracy, oh my god, it is such a privilege to meet you!" She grabbed his hand before he was even halfway out of his seat. Oh god, a fan.
"Nice to meet you, Doctor…?"
"Oh, I'm Dr Sal Virgilio." She gazed up at him in only what could be called adoration before apparently snapping herself out of it and diverting to the cat box. "And who do we have today?"
Scott blinked at her name. "Uh, my cat needs a check-up." He held the box so the small woman could see inside.
The hiss that erupted from its depths wasn't encouraging.
"Well, you are a spritely one. Let's get you out on the examination table." She looked up at him. "What's the name?"
"Scott."
She grinned. "The cat's name, Mr Tracy."
"Oh, um, Cat?"
The woman had brown eyes very similar to Virgil's and they seemed to sprout a similar exasperation to his brother's. To the nurse across the room. "Mia, open a file for Cat Tracy."
Scott lifted the cat box onto the examination table as directed and cautiously opened the door.
The Cat peered out at him for a moment before stalking out slowly and regally, green eyes taking in the entire room before latching onto the vet.
Laser eyes zapped the poor woman dead where she stood.
But apparently, the vet was used to that kind of weapon because she ignored it. "Okay, little one, let's check you out."
The meow The Cat let out could only be described as a threat.
"Really?"
Scott found himself with a gentle hand on The Cat's back, her fur soft under his fingers as her body twitched. "Uh, she can be touchy." He hoped he didn't have to save the vet from his own cat.
"That's okay, we just need to get to know each other a little better."
She took a step back and held out a hand, murmuring soft words. The Cat continued to eye her as a threat, but her twitching stilled somewhat.
The vet waited for The Cat to respond.
She waited a while.
A long while.
But eventually, The Cat leant over to sniff her fingers. The vet smiled. "That's right, honey."
The Cat opened her mouth and bit the closest finger.
Dr Virgilio jumped back with a squawk. The Cat growled and every hair on her body stuck out at right angles.
"Oi! Stop that!" It was Scott's turn to growl.
She turned her head and glared up at him. Her entire body dared him to follow through and try to stop her.
His hand was still on her back, so he began stroking hair down. "The doctor is just here to help you."
Said doctor was rifling through medical supplies looking for a plaster.
"It's okay, Mr Tracy. Some pets can be difficult during examination." She swabbed her finger with alcohol and wrapped it up. "She just needs time to acclimate."
"Can I try?" The nurse on the other side of the room actually had her hand up.
"Sure, Mia. Have at it."
Mia smiled at Scott again. That smile bugged Scott. It was like she knew something he didn't.
And apparently she did, because one minute later, she had The Cat purring under her touch. "You are a beautiful girl, aren't you." Fingers rubbed The Cat under her chin and she closed her eyes in pleasure.
Scott just stared. Virgil was the only other person to have managed that. She was Scott's cat, but she was very clear with her boundaries as to what he was allowed to do with her.
Dr Virgilio frowned. "Well, Mia, I think this one is yours. She appears to accept you."
The Cat hissed at the vet.
"Hey, lovely, that's just Sal. She's a teddy bear, don't you worry."
The Cat glared up Mia in challenge before snarling at Sal again.
The vet just shrugged. "She knows who she likes. Mia, start a general exam while I fire up the scanner."
"Yes, Dr Virgilio."
It was weird hearing that name used on someone else. 'Virgil' wasn't that common. It rarely happened that they came across someone with the same name, and this was only a surname.
Still weird.
The Cat eyed Mia as she began methodically checking her over starting from her nose and working over her body in the direction of her tail. The nurse continued to mutter nonsense comfort words, interspersed with medical reportage to the doctor fiddling with settings on a scanner built into the table top.
Scott recognised the equipment, having used similar in their infirmary, but this one was likely the reverse of why Virgil claimed he couldn't play vet with their equipment. Sure, his brother had checked The Cat over, even read up on medical procedure for cats, but he had made it very clear he was not a vet.
"She looks healthy, Mr Tracy. Good coat, good muscle tone. Ooh, we have one chipped claw." The nurse peeled back the fur between The Cat's left front foot. The tip of one claw could be clearly seen to be missing.
Scott frowned. "How could that have happened?"
Dr Virgilio leaned over to look and The Cat snarled, backing away into Scott.
"Hold still, lovely." Mia held onto her paw. "Looks to be an old injury." The nurse looked up at Scott. "You don't remember this happening?"
"I've only had her a short time." Though it felt much longer.
"Well, it appears to have healed well. Just keep an eye on it." Dr Virgilio was keeping her distance and attempting to eye the issue at hand.
The Issue at Hand glared at her and snarled.
"Stop that!"
To Scott's surprise, The Cat actually jumped before turning to look up at him, her eyes narrow.
"Come now, lovely, let's finish this exam. Then you can snuggle up in your Dad's lap."
It was Scott's turn to be startled. It wasn't the first time he had been referred to as a parent. Hell, he'd given up correcting Alan's friends when they were younger. But it had been a while and 'dad' would always be a trigger word.
The Cat looked at him again, but this time there was no challenge, just puzzlement.
What was The Cat thinking? She was harder to understand than Alan on a sugar high. Harder than Virgil lost in engineerese or Gordon babbling about fish.
Even harder than John coming home from school and refusing to talk.
The closest comparison was Kayo glaring at him in anger, black eye and all, that time she had gotten into a fight at school defending Alan. It had taken Scott a long time to realise that Kayo used anger as a defence when in truth she was terrified, be it for herself or another.
They both had green eyes.
Great, his sister was a cat.
Nurse Mia finished up the exam while he sat pondering the concepts of pet parenthood versus caring for his family.
The Cat continued to glance up at him and poke at his soul.
She only swiped at the vet one more time and Scott caught her paw. "No, Cat."
She glared at him, but the paw in his hand relaxed and he let it go.
"She definitely has a connection with you, Mr Tracy. How long have you had her?" The vet frowned up at him.
"Er, a couple of weeks."
"How are you managing to care for her around your occupation?"
He straightened. "My occupation?"
"You are Scott Tracy, Commander of International Rescue, President of Tracy Industries, are you not? I'm thinking your time is at a premium."
"We operate as a family, Dr Virgilio. There is always someone available to care for all family members." Okay, so he had just declared the spawn of evil a family member, but then Alan and Gordon were part of the same family so it was nothing new.
And besides, The Cat tolerated Grandma almost as much as she did Virgil. It was a wise move. Grandma couldn't burn cat food, after all, and she was often the only one available to feed her.
The vet switched on the scanner and The Cat jumped again as a hologram appeared above her head. The hologram immediately became the enemy and The Cat attacked. Fortunately or unfortunately, the hologram moved as she did, so each time she reached up, so did the hologram.
Mia the nurse was glared at as she tried to hold her still. "C'mon, lovely, you are doing so well."
The Cat merrowed in protest.
"Yes, well, it has to be done to make sure you are well."
Dr Virgilio was eyeing the read outs. "She looks well. Body systems appear healthy. She is an entire female, so you will have to consider sterilisation." She ran her fingers over the controls and the hologram changed, shifting scan. She noted a few things.
Scott, more used to the human form, frowned at the display. It looked like he should be able to understand it, but couldn't. Nothing was quite in the right place.
"She's not microchipped. Are you aware of any vaccination history?"
Scott's shoulders dropped just a little, shaking his head. "I have no knowledge of her medical history."
"Then we will prep the full spectrum. Mia, could you prepare?"
"Yes, Sal."
And Scott suddenly found his arms full of pissed off feline as Mia gently let her go. She climbed up his shirt and stabbed him with her claws through the thin material. Her face was suddenly in his and those green eyes pleading.
Time froze for a moment, his memory taking him back to a young Kayo so angry, so scared, clinging to her father's pants as his Dad introduced her to him and his brothers.
The Cat had that same expression and his heart lurched. He found his arms around her. "It's okay." He drew her close.
"Mr Tracy, I have to warn you that she is unlikely to react well to the procedure."
"Needles?" He sighed when she nodded. "I have four younger brothers, doctor. It won't be the first time."
Alan had been the hardest. He was responsible for his youngest brother at the age of eleven. There had been enough inoculations and blood tests to tackle that he had become experienced. Didn't make it any easier to see his littlest brother hurting.
Gordon was a whole different kettle of fish. Gordon had already been to hell and back several times so needles were disregarded as nothing. At least that was what he wanted everyone else to believe. Scott knew better. Every medical procedure risked triggering unpleasant memories so all needles were treated warily.
John hid, but once persuaded, took it all stoically and logically and why would I neglect such an important medical procedure, Scott?
Ironically, it was Virgil who was the worst. For a man who literally practised medicine, the most pedantic in chasing up everyone else, the bear was a wuss when it came to needles.
Scott was the one who had to hunt him down and it often took Gordon's muscles as well as his own to wrestle the man into a tetanus shot. Grandma frowned every time and shook her head. It was like the medic had two brains, one logical and the other manic.
Kayo, on the other hand, would walk up, roll up her sleeve and take the shot without a problem, and then spend the rest of the day in a foul mood. There had been both furniture and Tracy casualties in the past.
The Cat snuggled against his chest, the odd pitiful sound emitting against the cotton of his shirt.
As for himself, he had never been a fan of needles, but he was the eldest. He looked after himself.
The Virgil at the back of his head scoffed at that statement.
Shut up, you can't talk.
So, yeah, needles, not a Tracy favourite. Cat Tracy would likely be no different. Gotta keep the family tradition.
Nurse Mia brought a tray over to the table. An array of hypodermics were laid out ready for use. Scott's eyes widened at the size of one of them. He felt like asking why they were going to stick his cat with the prong of a pitchfork, but he was the Commander of International Rescue, he could do this.
Sorry, Cat.
It was like saying sorry to Virgil as he held him down and Grandma stabbed him in the arm.
Necessary evil.
There were a lot of those in his life.
"Did you want to hold her?" Dr Virgilio's expression was understanding. When he nodded, she directed him to a chair. "It is likely she won't react well. Try to keep her calm. I will try to be as gentle as possible."
Scott found himself stroking The Cat and murmuring the same litany he might try for an injured child in the field.
She looked up at him, those green eyes again catching him in their depths.
He had no idea why she had attached to him. Other than the country involved, he had no idea how she had found him, how she had managed to get aboard his 'bird – Brains was still trying to work it out; the best guess being that she had jumped onto the back of his chair as he retracted it back into One, but why was definitely still a mystery.
Mia reached in and snagged The Cat's rear left leg. The vet swooped in before she could react and The Cat cried out. She struggled, claws digging again into his chest enough to cause him to grit his teeth. But again, the pair dove in, grabbed another leg and his heart hurt as she cried again.
He stroked her, muttering quietly.
The nurse held this leg a moment longer and the vet reached in with an empty hypodermic.
Scott clutched Cat to him as the Vet drew blood.
Cat was shaking.
"It's okay, it's okay." He wasn't sure who he was trying to reassure, Cat or himself.
Fingers reached in and caught her scruff. A spray of something that smelt chemical and she flinched away, meowing.
He saw the needle coming and held her tight. It was huge! He fought the urge to back away himself.
"Nearly done, Mr Tracy."
A hand touched his shoulder and his peripheral senses registered the nurse holding him still.
Cat cried out and drew blood through his shirt. This one took longer and Scott cringed.
Then it was over.
Cat continued to shake in his arms and, as the vet turned away and the nurse gathered the remains on the tray, Scott found himself clinging to The Cat as much as she was to him. His hand stroked her head gently, he was quietly muttering down to her.
His heart was beating a mile a minute.
The Commander of International Rescue he was not.
Stupid Cat.
He only held her tighter.
"Mr Tracy? Are you okay?"
He looked up at the nurse and realised he was rocking on the spot. "I'm fine."
"She really trusts you."
A blink. "Huh?"
"Cats usually try to escape. She is clinging to you." She frowned at his shirt. "You should swab them with alcohol. Cat scratches can get nasty if not attended to."
He looked down. There were specks of blood soaking through his shirt. "I'll take care of it."
"Okay, Mr Tracy. Her microchip is responding. I will email you a copy of what we have done today and send you her blood results when they come through. I'll include her microchip details and who you need to contact should you change address. Keep an eye on the injection sites. Watch for any persistent swelling. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions."
He was still sitting with His Cat cradled in his arms.
He needed to move.
He rose to his feet and Cat responded by pulling out one set of claws and jabbing him in a new spot.
He didn't care.
"Did you want to return her to her carrier?" The nurse was frowning up at him.
"No, no, she's good where she is." He didn't want to let go.
"Are you sure? The waiting room contains dogs."
Cat was curled up under his chin. "We'll be fine."
Nurse Mia stared at him a moment. "You will want to hold on to her tightly. We can't be held responsible if she gets loose."
Commander voice. "We'll be fine."
She held his gaze a moment longer. He had to give her credit for that. Most would have fled by now. She picked up the cat carrier and held open the door.
"Mr Tracy?"
He turned to find the tiny vet staring up at him. "You did good. I can see why you are so good at what you do."
He blinked and cleared his throat. "Thank you."
She smiled just a little. "Stay safe, Mr Tracy, and let us know if you need any help with Cat."
Cat hissed in her direction.
"FAB."
Her eyes widened and her smile spread.
Definitely a fan.
Despite everything, he found himself smiling in return.
Nurse Mia led him back to reception. He found a familiar figure leaning against the desk. Dressed in his usual casual red flannel, Virgil appeared to be having an energetic discussion with another nurse. The moment he caught sight of Scott, however, he straightened and narrowed in on his brother.
"Hey, you look beat." His eyes tracked over bloodstains and Cat who was still curled up in his arms. "Aww, rough time."
"Immunization."
Virgil winced.
"Blood test."
Virgil grimaced.
"Microchip."
"Oh god, honey." His hand hovered over Cat but didn't quite touch her. "Well, I guess some treats are due tonight and a little pampering."
"Could you grab my credit card."
Virgil arched an eyebrow and reaching around,pulled Scott's wallet out of his back pocket. "We talking the black one?"
"Yeah. Whatever it costs." Nurse Mia's eyes were bouncing between the two of them.
Scott stroked Cat's head.
Virgil finished up the bill and grabbed the cat box. Scott wasn't paying much attention. He found himself out the front of the vet surgery, Virgil loading the box into a Tracy fleet car.
"I have Two at the airfield." He eyed Cat. "Want me to drive?"
Distracted, staring down at Cat who had finally stopped shaking and was now hesitantly peering out at the world around her. "Sure."
There was an eyebrow raised at that. So, he was usually a control freak, big deal.
He climbed carefully into the passenger side of the car while Virgil hopped behind the steering wheel.
"So, I guess I have a new sister."
"What?" Scott looked up as Virgil pulled the car away from the curb.
"You have that same expression when any of us are hurt. I've seen you hold Allie like that."
Scott glared. "She's a cat."
Virgil shrugged. "Sure. But she's also family." It was said daring him to deny it.
His shoulders dropped and he looked down at the spotted furball in his arms.
Green, mischievous eyes peered back up at him.
Quietly. "Yeah, she is."
-o-o-o-
FIN.