Gordon laughed for most of the journey home as he looked across at his still recovering star-struck brother. Virgil tried to ignore it, but the white of his knuckles said differently.

"Oh shut up, Gordon."

"You were so funny…I mean" he paused to laugh again. "I've never seen you stutter so badly before!"

"You freaked out when you met Buddy and Ellie."

"They're not my idols, they're my favourite TV hosts. There's a difference."

"He inspired me to study engineering at college Gordon, he's not just some old dude in a hat."

"You were just really funny, it was cute," Gordon cooed making the second eldest grimace again.

"You're trying my patience, Gordon."

"Nah, I'm just savouring this moment."

"Well he's coming to dinner so get your laughing done now, or I swear to god I will kill you."

Gordon smirked, "mister sensitive. It's not even you who we have to look out for, it's Grandma."

"Oh don't remind me, if I thought you were bad she will embarrass me more," Virgil banked down towards where they would be picking Kip Harris up from. Thunderbird 2 touched down gently and Kip came aboard for the third time. Virgil relaxed into his seat despite Gordon's efforts to distract him.

"You have no idea how much this means to my brother, Mr Harris."

Virgil growled, "Gordon..."

Kip chuckled, "I have a younger brother too, he used to tease me to high heaven, but you get used to their taunting. How many are your family then?"

"Five of us, you've probably heard their names," Virgil smiled as he pushed Thunderbird 2 to her maximum speed. "Scott, myself, John, Gordon here and Alan."

"The famous Tracy boys, yes I've heard of all of you. It's wonderful to meet Jeff Tracy's sons in person."

Virgil smiled, "did you know our father?"

"I knew him for a short while, our paths crossed. He told me about his sons, couldn't keep him quiet about you."

Virgil blushed as he turned his attention back to flying Thunderbird 2, "our dad sure made a lot of contacts over the years."

"I'm sorry for your loss, he was a great friend."

Gordon sighed, "we have to move on from these things somehow."

"Approaching Tracy Island," Virgil looked down at their base. "Prepare for landing."

Kip smiled as the green beast touched down gently onto the gravel and the hangar doors closed behind them, "that was quite a landing Virgil, barely felt it."

Virgil smirked to himself, "thank you."

The trio made their way up to the lounge where Grandma was waiting excitedly, Virgil led Kip in leaving Gordon to smirk by the lounge entrance and Grandma stood up from the sofa.

"Mr Harris, welcome to Tracy Island."

"Pleasure to be here...Uh?"

"Sally Tracy," Grandma shook his hand with a wink causing Virgil to facepalm.

"Thank you, Sally. This lounge is certainly impressive," his eyes strayed over to the piano. "Who is the musician?"

Virgil scuffed the floor bashfully with the tip of his boot, "that would be me. I mean we can all play, but I play it the most."

Kip smiled, "you hide that talent well, sonny."

Grandma patted his shoulder, "you could play us something later Virgil."

"Uh, if I must?"

Grandma smiled, "how about we get some dinner everyone?"

Kip followed Grandma downstairs and Gordon waited for Virgil to walk past him, he nudged him with a laugh and the older man frowned.

"Oh shut up."

"So a concert later? I might film it."

"If you do that, you can say goodbye to your lie-ins," Virgil scowled as he walked down the stairs with his younger brother.

"I'll take that threat, you love me too much to do that to me."

"We'll see," Virgil sat down at the table next to Scott opposite Kip. "What has she made?"

Scott smirked, "well thankfully Max helped so it's edible, otherwise I would be ordering pizza."

Kayo kicked Scott under the table. "Don't be rude," she hissed.

Kip sat down, "thank you. Now Virgil, I believe you had some more questions for me?"

"I have tons, but I'll only bore the others asking."

Alan smiled sweetly, "not at all Virgil, ask away."

Virgil frowned, "Alan."

Kip laughed, "he's right son, just ask. I'm more than happy to discuss my job. I'm interested in understanding what made you choose engineering as a career in this organisation?"

"Thunderbird 2 isn't an easy machine to pilot, there's a lot to her and I've always had an interest in engineering. Dad thought I would be the best choice for her."

Scott smirked, "and you suit her."

Grandma smiled at Virgil sympathetically, "boys, stop teasing your brother."

"Do you have any dynamite on you, Kip?" Alan asked.

"Your brother told me to leave it behind, but I couldn't help myself."

Alan grinned, "awesome! Can I see it?"

Kip winked at Virgil who was frowning, "I'm joking kid. I have some in my truck. It's down in the hangar." He dug into the 'meatloaf surprise' and smiled, "this is delicious Sally."

"Thank you, it's not often I get praised for my cooking."

Kayo looked at the boys with a smirk, "nonsense Grandma Tracy, we love your cooking."

"Thank you, dear."

"That was a tough mission today, but I've been on worse when dealing with gas wells."

Virgil's eyes lit up, "really? What happened?"

"Well they haven't been as intense as the ones you've rescued people from, these have been isolated ones which were no threat to humans, but they could've been threats to natural life. Again, I just used the dynamite like the way I performed with today and the situation resolves itself."

"You've known the business of dynamite for years then? I've read all of your reports and studies on wells," Virgil grinned as the others ate their dinner all hiding smirks behind forks, he ignored them. "I didn't mean to accuse you of being too old earlier."

Gordon snorted and Alan hit him in the back, "ahem sorry, I'm good."

"No worries Virgil, but had you gone in there you wouldn't have come out looking as good as you do at the moment."

Kayo smirked, "someone has an admirer."

"I bet women are all over you Virgil. I used to have a lady, lost her at a young age," Kip smiled sadly.

Scott glanced at Grandma who was blushing, "I'm sorry to hear that. He's right though isn't he, Virgil?" He looked at his brother who had gone pink. "Well, Virgil has had a few admirers swoon over him at rescues, but he usually gets that moment ruined by the youngsters here."

Alan pouted, "when have we done that?"

"Oh I don't know, how about McCready in London?" Virgil grimaced.

Alan laughed, "oh yeah. I didn't know she was flirting."

Grandma cleared her throat, "so Kip, where do you live?"

"I would've thought the accent gave it away? Texas for most of my life, but I moved recently. Gotta stay where the oil is for business."

"We all used to live in Kansas before we moved here for the boys' mother to work. We owned a very cute farmhouse."

Scott cringed, "Grandma, please don't talk about childhood."

"These lot used to work on the farm helping feed the animals and various chores. Virgil got his first piano there too."

Kip smiled, "Kansas huh? My brother lives there at the moment."

Virgil sank into himself slightly, "Grandma, please?"

"Jeff was always busy, so this lot entertained themselves. They even set up a band," Grandma smiled, and every pair of eyes widened in horror making Kayo laugh.

"Quite a talented bunch then?"

"Oh yes, and a range of instruments. You've heard they all play the piano, but we have guitarists too, and a cellist. My daughter in law was delighted when John picked up the bow."

Scott shook his head, "good thing John isn't down here to hear this."

"My husband was rather musical himself. I'm very proud of how multi-talented my boys are," Grandma smiled.

Kip smiled, "it's certainly good to know that these boys don't just spend their time saving the world."

Kayo looked around at them, "it's a pleasure being their sister too, and the girlfriend to one of them." She added as she rested her hand on Scott's leg.

"Well Mrs Tracy, that was delicious. Thank you so much."

"My pleasure Mr Harris. I'll bring up coffee to the lounge if you'd like?"

"That would be mighty fine."

Grandma nodded, "great. Virgil sweetheart, how about you treat us to some music?"

Virgil blushed the colour of Thunderbird 3. It was one thing to perform a rescue in front of his hero, but to now unleash his musical talent too, that was another. "FAB. I'll go and choose something," he hopped off the kitchen stool and ran up the steps to the lounge as the others cleared up. Kayo walked upstairs and made her way over to the piano where Virgil was flicking through books.

"Just play one of your compositions, Virgil. Grandma is just proud."

Virgil sighed, "I want to play something that's a showstopper."

Kayo laughed as she rubbed his shoulders as he sat before the piano, "whatever, and however you play, is always a showstopper."

Virgil looked back at her over his shoulder, "thanks, Kayo. Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do, just relax and play. It's what you do best," she squeezed his shoulders again then walked down into the ring as the family wandered into the lounge.

Scott sat down next to Kayo and looked over at his brother, he smiled supportively and stretched out crossing his feet over Kayo's, Kip sat next to Grandma who was still talking about her life and grandsons, and Virgil began to play deciding it would be easier to start without an introduction to what he was performing. Kip smiled at him genuinely impressed at the pilot's talent and Gordon grinned. Virgil had decided to go with a piece he had composed after their first rescue; it was joyful and fast, intertwining chords with playful scales up and down the keys and as he played. Virgil lost his shyness beginning to enjoy himself at his favourite pastime, his siblings could sense it too as they nodded their heads in time to the rhythm and smiled at each other. Minutes later, Virgil eased his foot off the pedal and sat back on the stool as his small audience clapped.

"Oh no guys, don't clap."

Kip smiled, "well, I would've never guessed you were a pianist, but I'm really happy you showed that to me. You have a great talent sonny, don't give up on it."

"We can't keep him away from this piano," Scott grinned. "I'm sure one of his first words as a baby was piano."

Grandma laughed, "no it wasn't, but he did try to say music."

Kayo sniggered, "how cute."

Kip smiled, "I should be on my way soon everyone, as much as I hate to leave your hospitality."

Grandma smiled, "that's such a shame, can't you stay for coffee?"

"I guess I could do that."

Gordon leaned on the piano, "you were wrong about it not going well, Virgil."

"No, I think I was right actually," Virgil looked up at him. "Pay up."

Max trundled into the lounge carrying a tray of mugs in his arms, Brains followed him with a smile, "don't drop any uh Max."

"I must say, Brains, this companion is an absolute treasure," Kip smiled warmly as the robot put the tray down onto the table and turned to him to shake his hand. "Ha! Great communication."

Brains smiled back, "thank you. I'm always rebuilding him and adding features, uh nothing is ever truly finished."

"The same goes for our crafts," Gordon smirked. "I don't know how many times you've rebuilt Thunderbird 1."

Scott laughed, "I make it over a hundred."

Brains scratched the back of his head, "I just like improvements."

Kayo smiled at him, "they're always good, Brains."

"Thank you."

Kip finished off his coffee amongst the chatter around him and he smiled across at Virgil who was still looking shy between his eldest brother and Gordon, he put his cup down, "that was lovely Sally, but I must be on my way now. The oil doesn't pump itself. Perhaps you could give me a lift back to my headquarters Virgil?"

Virgil squeaked slightly, "uh sure. That wouldn't be a problem."

Kip slid his hat on, "excellent."

"I'll go and prepare Thunderbird 2," Virgil stood up shakily and Kayo kicked the back of his foot to nudge him forwards.

Grandma waited behind her grandsons to say goodbye to Kip and he took her hand to kiss it. "Oh my."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs Tracy, I hope we meet again."

"The feeling is more than mutual Mr Harris," Scott and Gordon both hid their faces in their hands. "Let's hope the circumstances aren't a rescue next time."

"Good plan. Goodbye everybody, thanks for the help today Gordon. What was going on down there anyway?"

Gordon laughed, "a splinter, there's no need to discuss that. The Chaos Crew, they're always on our backs."

"Ah, bandits. Well, at least you got it sorted."

Scott laid his hand on Gordon's shoulder supportively, "yep, it was sorted. Good to meet you, Mr Harris."

"You too sonny, so long," he tipped his hat in goodbye and Kayo showed him the way down to Thunderbird 2, she shook his hand and smirked as he ascended the lift into the cockpit. "Well then Virgil, are we ready to go?"

"Yes sir, strap in."

"As you boys say, FAB, is that right?"

Virgil smiled. "FAB."

Thunderbird 2 took off from the island and Virgil levelled out as he stretched his legs in front of him, he looked across at his idol who was admiring the ship's interior.

"Sorry about my family."

"They're brilliant sonny, and your siblings are just typical siblings. They find something to tease you about and go with it. Now, what did you want to ask me?"

Virgil smiled, "well, how can I do what you did in that fire? I have Thunderbird 2, but you saw what happened."

"You just go in there with full bravery and find where the main flame is coming from, you place the dynamite at the source and run for your life."

"But you did it so calmly, I was figuring out how I was going to get in there to save you."

Kip laughed, "there was no need, you have a full five seconds between putting the dynamite down and getting out, plenty of time."

"What's the ratio between luck and skill then?"

"Not 50/50 if that's what you're thinking. It's actually more than that, I'd say 60/40."

"Which way?" Virgil's puppy dog eyes returned.

"Don't worry about it kid, you're unlikely to need these skills, as you say, you've got this beast."

"I did have to tackle a fire the other month, a tower block. I just ran straight in without anything."

"And did you get it out?"

"I used a suppression system from Thunderbird 2, but the fire wasn't as bad as that oil well."

"Fire suppression huh? How does that work?"

Virgil smiled, "I'm not just a pianist, I'm pretty good at technology too. I composed a heavy bass track and then blasted it through a speaker system from Thunderbird 2. You'll never see it on the markets, Brains made it especially for my 'Bird."

"And the sound waves penetrated the flames?"

Virgil nodded as he titled the ship down, "yes, but it wasn't easy. We're approaching your headquarters, Mr Harris."

"Thank you, son."

"I also have these additions called the Jaws of Life, you saw me use them earlier. They're powerful enough to get through fire too, thank Brains for that again."

Kip smiled, "he is one fine engineer, he thinks of everything."

"Our father was more than happy to hire him."

Kip wrote out something on a piece of paper then passed it to Virgil, "here, in case you have any other questions for me and need to get in contact."

Virgil took it with a smile, "thanks a lot, I'll try not to hassle you though."

Kip laughed as the ship landed, "I don't mind Virgil, ask whatever you like. Oh, and thanks for the drop-off," he held out his hand and Virgil shook it gleefully. "Also, tell your granny I might be in contact with her," he added with a wink before leaving the ship.

Virgil facepalmed as he fired up Thunderbird 2 again, "oh god." He laughed to himself then plotted a course for home leaving Kip waving from below.