It was a cute finale, but I felt something was lacking. We didn't need a mission, we needed a welcome back.
Goodbye TAG, and thank you so much for your reviews, follows and favourites. It's a pleasure being a member of the ThunderFandom.
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Jeff sat at his desk running his fingers across the red and brown mahogany, and he looked over at the portraits wondering how his sons had done it all without him. The lounge didn't look much different to how it looked the day he left. Items remained how they had been on his desk eight years ago, the sofas were the same and no one had touched or rearranged the shelves which held various assets from holidays or missions. The silence was broken by the sound of footsteps and he looked up to see his eldest son walking into the lounge, he pushed his desk chair out and stood up. Scott, now alone, ran round the ring of the sofas and Jeff found himself breathless as his son knocked the air out of him in a tight hug.
"It's alright son, I'm not leaving this house ever again," he cupped his hand around the back of Scott's head stroking his chestnut locks up and down gently.
Scott clung on tighter, his fingers pressing into the cotton shirt his father was wearing, his nostrils smelling the cologne he had never forgotten, "please don't."
Jeff pushed him back and sighed seeing the tears rolling down Scott's cheeks, "you've grown about a foot taller." He chuckled brushing the tears away. "I'm so proud of you, son. You took on leadership and the business is strong, you were eighteen when I left."
"And now I'm 26," Scott choked through tears and a smile. "We didn't know you were alive up until last year when we received those messages from Braman." He sighed unhappily, "Dad, I've failed you in your absence in ways you can't imagine."
Jeff frowned as more tears trickled down his eldest's cheeks, "Scotty, no. You haven't."
Scott looked up at his nickname fondly, "there's so much I have to tell you, but it can wait until after your party."
"Party?"
Scott nodded drying his eyes on his sleeve. "Grandma's idea."
"Of course it was. I just hope she hasn't been the one cooking," Jeff wrapped his arms around Scott again and stroked his hair. "Whatever you've done Scott, I'm proud of you. You've kept them all alive and safe, that's the best thing I can come home to."
Scott looked to the portraits over his father's shoulder thinking back to Gordon's brush with death, and Virgil's recent injury in the Anasta Forest. "FAB."
"Oh good, you're in here. Jefferson, come down from that desk, you can cut the first slice," Grandma put down a large cake as the rest of the family walked into the lounge along with Colonel Casey and Lee Taylor.
"Lee!"
"In the flesh, old man!" Captain Taylor grinned broadly. "I always said that I'd keep these boys safe and retain hope."
Grandma smiled tearfully as they hugged, "now that's a reunion."
Lady Penelope squeezed Gordon's arm with a chuckle and Virgil walked up to the piano carrying his easel, he put it down gently beside the instrument and then sat down on the piano stool watching his father hug Colonel Casey tightly.
"Tessa, it's so good to see you."
"Our mission is complete Jeff. We saved the Zero X, you did."
Jeff laughed. "I turned it into a giant tent. My boys are the heroes, I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for them." At this, Virgil began to play and he looked around at him, "he still plays."
Scott nodded. "He's never stopped since you've been gone." He wrapped his arms around Virgil lovingly, and his brother chuckled.
"And there's something else too. Scott, if you would?" Virgil smiled as his eldest brother let go of him.
"FAB," he walked over to the covered easel and drew back the cloth revealing the portrait of Jeff that Virgil had been working on up until the launch of the Zero XL. Virgil began to play a tune that everyone looked around at. "We wrote this for you, it's called The Thunderbirds March."
Jeff's eyes widened, "oh Virgil, it's wonderful. We?"
Scott nodded, "Virg isn't the only one who can play the piano, remember?"
Alan gazed at the painting of his father then at the real man, "I was beginning to forget you, Dad."
Jeff pulled his youngest son into a hug, "you were only 9 when I left, and I'm sorry I did."
Alan sniffed, "don't leave again."
John popped open a bottle of champagne as Parker copied him, "welcome back, Dad."
"Thanks, John. I couldn't be happier to be back. Congratulations on getting to the Oort Cloud, and it looks like you've finally got the Hood locked away."
Kayo wrapped an arm around Scott's waist, "if we ever see him again, I'll make sure the place we trap him has a supply closet."
Jeff spotted the two of them kiss, "and I'm assuming I no longer have an adopted daughter?"
Scott grinned as he tightened his hold on Kayo, "that's a long story."
Gordon piped up, "and they're not the only ones. Lady Penelope and I are officially a couple."
Lady Penelope chuckled as Gordon kissed her cheek, "that's an even longer story I'm not sure we should go into just yet."
"Remind me to give you a raise Brains, none of this would've happened without you," Jeff smiled.
"Or the Mechanic," Brains grinned.
Scott looked around suddenly noticing his absence, "where did he go, Brains?"
"With Wayne Rigby, he wants to help with the Chaos Crew's rehabilitation, but he's always just a, uh, call away," Brains hopped up the steps and gave a card to Scott. "Cedric Achala."
Scott smiled, "I'm no longer in charge, Brains, that should be given to my dad."
Jeff took the card from the engineer, "so, who is this Mechanic anyway? I think I owe him thanks."
John smirked, "we've certainly had our share of fun with him."
"Hmm, I think you all better start at the beginning, and I have my own blanks to fill in," Jeff smiled as Alan cuddled up beside him on one of the sofas, Virgil turned around on the piano stool as the others sat down in the ring either coupled up or snuggled between cushions and Max whizzed around handing out coffees and glasses of champagne. "Thank you, everyone. I can't thank you enough for coming to get me and working so hard to find me. I didn't think I would ever come back," he ruffled Alan's hair. "I'm serious about college Alan, all of your brothers have been."
"But Dad, I have to be here for Thunderbird 3, she needs me!"
Jeff chuckled, "we'll see son. Let's start at the beginning, shall we?"
Scott nodded. "The Hood was quiet for years when one day, he suddenly appeared again causing earthquakes all along the Pacific Rim…"
Into Ring of Fire we go
End of Series 3 and Thunderbirds are Go.