Penelope sulked as Parker left the room and Scott walked round to sit beside her on the sofa, "I just want a night in."

"Want us to kidnap you?"

Penelope laughed, "no, that's not a good idea."

"Just tell Parker you don't want to go out."

"I want to, but he will be disappointed, he loves that gum."

"Just tell him then Pen," Virgil leant forward on his elbows.

"Fine, when he comes back," she smiled. "Thank you for rescuing us today. You were so brave Scott, I honestly didn't think you were going to make it."

Virgil snorted, "you and me both. You left it late to jump."

"I didn't have much choice, the magnets failed and I was upside down. I would've been fine."

"Sure, because an explosion doesn't hurt these days so I'm told."

"Okay okay, don't start," Penelope chuckled. "I'm just glad you two are alright. I do wish Casey had just let us know what was going on sooner, she keeps everything so hushed up."

"I don't know why she didn't just call us to begin with?" Scott bit his lip. "Someone was trapped, that's a rescue."

"Yes, but she knew Parker had experience with vaults."

"Not that sort."

Parker walked back in, "M'Lady, I thought we were going to that charity gala?"

"Not tonight Parker, after that rescue I'm a little overwhelmed. I'd rather just have the night in, but if you really want that gum? You may go yourself, I'm in good company."

"Yes M'Lady," Parker smiled, he didn't mind it at all when the older Tracy's looked after his boss, but when it was Gordon...He wasn't so keen.

"Thank you, Parker."

"Goodnight M'Lady."

Penelope followed Virgil's gaze over towards her white grand piano sitting in the corner on a fluffy rug, "be my guest Virgil."

"Huh?"

"I can see you're wanting to play it."

"I was only admiring it."

"Go ahead bro, I'm in no rush to get home," Scott smiled as he helped himself to another cake.

Virgil stood up and walked over to the piano, upon closer inspection he noticed the elements of crystal in the lid down to the glass pedals, "holy...This is incredible," he ran his hand over the encrusted jewels.

"Only one of its kind. My father really wanted me to play the piano and he holds an investment in Steinway."

Scott raised an eyebrow, he and his own family were wealthy but not to that extent, "how many companies does he invest in?"

"The ones which are the most useful, things that benefit the world primarily. He avoids anything that pollutes."

"So I'm guessing he doesn't exactly approve of our company?" Virgil asked as he sat down on the stool adjusting it slightly to his height but almost hesitantly.

"Of course he does," Penelope poured herself a cup of tea. "He and Jeff were always close, otherwise I wouldn't be your London agent, would I? On that subject, how many agents do we have?"

"Too many to remember by name," Scott chuckled. "Technically Captain Taylor is supposed to be an agent, but he wanted to further his adventures, we're not very close with our other agents mainly because they focus on other aspects of the company rather than the rescue side."

Virgil began to play and the hairs on his arms hidden by his uniform rose in goosebumps at the timbre, "wow." He took off his fingerless gloves and tucked them into his tool holder.

Penelope smiled at him, "I'm glad you like it."

Scott looked back over his shoulder at his brother playing, "I won't be able to get him home now. Can he stay the night?" He joked but Penelope smiled at him.

"If you don't want to fly back tonight I'm sure I can put you two up. It's getting late as it is."

"Deal."

"Excellent, I'll have Parker make up the guest rooms immediately. Please excuse me," she stood up and Bertie scampered out of the room beside her.

Scott walked over to his brother, "hey, we're staying the night."

"How did you manage to ask that?"

"I didn't. I joked that I wouldn't be able to get you away from this piano and she practically invited us to stay."

Virgil laughed, "well I'm terrified to play any harder on this, it's like I'm playing glass."

"Virg, you're not going to break it, for crying out loud. It's just a piano," Scott smirked but noticed his brother was in truth hardly touching the keys.

"Staying the night huh?" Virgil changed the subject. "Gordon is going to be so jealous."

Scott nodded, "I know. Thanks for catching me today, that was some skill."

"She and I are one. I want her to do something and she does it, that's why Gordon finds it so hard to fly her, and you for that matter."

"I just find your ship too slow to react, there's a second delay and every second counts."

Virgil stopped playing and looked up at him, "I don't always find it easy, and keeping that vault balanced in the air wasn't easy."

Penelope walked back in as she heard the boys talking and smiled warmly, "Virgil, you did fine."

Virgil jumped, "geez Pen."

Penelope laughed as she sat down on the chaise near the piano, "I was confident that you were going to catch all of us, and you did. By the way, it's not going to break if you play it. Trust me, I've held many gatherings with concert pianists entertaining and it's held."

Virgil sighed, "good, I've been holding off."

"The rooms are being made, I just caught Parker before he left to get the gum. I honestly didn't know it meant that much to him."

Scott went back to the sofa and made himself and Virgil a decaf, "I'm guessing you don't allow coffee mugs on the piano lid?"

Penelope laughed, "I'm afraid not."

"Virgil, coffee?"

"I'll drink mine in a bit," he continued to play and Penelope watched him almost hypnotically, still amazed this was the same man who sacrificed himself every day and wouldn't hesitate to jump through a fire to save someone, a person who looked like he couldn't do anything gently and yet here he was playing the piano as if it was made out of feathers.

"Penny?" Scott tapped her arm snapping her out of her daydream.

"Sorry?"

"You've got a call coming in."

"Oh, so I have," she walked across the room to a desk where a statue was flashing and she pressed a button. "It's only Gordon."

Virgil stopped playing and turned around on the stool, "goodie."

"You know, I can hear all of you. I thought you guys were coming home?"

Penelope smirked at him, "it's almost midnight here Gordon, so I've invited your brothers to stay the night."

Gordon's face was a picture but he tried to hide his jealousy, "I see. So what time will you two be back?"

Scott shrugged, "whatever time we take off tomorrow. Have a good night Gordon."

"But?

Scott leaned over Penelope and clicked the button cutting him off, "he's so fun to tease."

"You're cruel," Penelope laughed as the two eldest grinned at her.

"If we're staying Virgil, we should probably get changed. We'll be right back Penny."

Penelope watched them go then called the island again, "Gordon?"

"Lady Penelope?"

"I wanted to apologise for the abrupt conversation, they're only staying until the morning. I'd prefer you to be here too."

Gordon blushed pink, "really? I'd like to be there too. I mean, I've never been inside a stately home and you're there, by that I mean...Well, you know."

Penelope smiled at him, "yes I know what you mean. Scott was only teasing you, don't worry."

"Thanks, Penny. I hope my brothers won't annoy you too much."

"I can handle myself around them. Goodnight Gordon."

"Night Penny."

Penelope sighed as the eldest walked back in now wearing casual clothing and each holding a small bag, "going somewhere?"

"Bed soon, unless you want to hear embarrassing stories about Gordon?" Virgil smirked.

Penelope shook her head, "no, but I do have some questions about the mission today."

"Yes?"

"Was moving the vault really the only option?"

Virgil put his stuff down and sat down on the sofa picking up the mug of coffee, "pretty much, yeah."

"But you could've died?"

"You lot were more important," Scott shrugged. "That's why I pushed you out first."

"And what if Alice hadn't been there? I do hope you wouldn't have done the same thing?"

Virgil looked across at Scott as he sipped his coffee, "well.."

"You're one of our closest friends Penny, we would've put you first," Virgil nodded.

"Damn you!" Penelope scolded making them jump. "I don't want you to get hurt. I've known you since we were teenagers."

Scott moved to sit beside her, "we're sorry if we worried you today, but we're always looking out for each other. Dad always told us to do what we could at a site, but if it was looking like the rescue could kill one of us he would pull us back, and we stick to that."

"Not always," Virgil scratched Bertie's ears.

"Yes I do, I would never leave one of you in danger," Scott narrowed his eyes. "How many times have I saved you, Virgil?"

"That's enough, don't start," Penelope sighed. "I wish I hadn't brought it up now," she checked her phone and stood up. "I might get some sleep, see you in the morning. Come on Bertie."

Virgil frowned at his brother as their host left the room, "sometimes it's good to lie."

"What do you mean?"

"You've kinda upset her."

Scott nodded, "I know. I'll apologise in the morning when we've had some sleep. Are you going or sleeping on the piano?"

Virgil gazed at it lovingly, "I might stay a little longer."

Scott stood up and went to close the main doors to the lounge, "same."

"To hear me play or because you don't ever sleep?"

Scott shrugged, "a bit of both." He walked over to the alcove in the window and looked out at the black sky, the only shadows outside cast by their ships on the lawn under the moonlight.

Virgil began to play again, softly this time but so softly Scott was unsure his brother was even touching the keys. The sweet yet complicated melody flowed around the room and the eldest could only guess that this was a composition rather than an existing work, and he turned to watch his brother instead of the empty view outside.

"Did you write this?

Virgil nodded as he arched his left hand over the other, "I came up with it on the mission."

"How on earth did you do that?"

"The colours of the explosion gave me an idea, and your escape."

Scott frowned, "watching me hurtling through the air inspired you?"

"You could say that," Virgil smirked before looking towards his feet to hold the neutral pedal down under his foot.

"Great, I'm glad I helped," Scott sighed.

"Something on your mind?"

"Why did the GDF have to stick their noses in?"

"Because they were dealing with a reactor?"

"We could've handled it without them. In the end, we didn't need them there at all. Casey is great and all, but I wish dad hadn't let her choose anyone to join the GDF, they had a good idea of who they wanted and now it's a mess. They think too much about their tech and not enough about their job."

Virgil nodded as he continued to play, "what are we to do about it? They do their thing, and we do ours. We can't change that."

"I just wish we could somehow."

"Get Kayo to do it. She's always clashing over rules and everything."

Scott nodded, "no, I'm tired of her doing what she wants, it's going to get her in trouble one of these days."

Virgil smiled as he swayed with the music, "yeah, she'll listen to you."

"Is that sarcasm?"

"Work it out for yourself," Virgil tickled a scale down with both hands harmoniously and Scott watched his fingers in awe.

"How?"

"How what?"

"How do you go from almost bruising all your fingers fixing Thunderbird 2, to playing like that?"

Virgil smirked, "practice and pursuing my hobby. You need something to do."

"I can play, I'm just not as good as you. But not right now, I'm exhausted."

Virgil pushed the stool out gently and stood up, "as much as I want to, we can't stay up all night."

"Good job today Virgil."

"Thanks, Scott, and you."

"You got rid of the reactor, that wasn't easy."

They lowered their voices to almost a whisper as they walked up the stairs to the rooms they were staying in.

"Okay, it's on my list of hard rescues," Virgil chuckled. "Night brother."