Standard Disclaimer, don't own the thunderbirds.

Thanks for the great review. I gotta keep this quick, My Computer has died so I'm doing this a work. Last 2 chapters are going up. Hope you enjoy. There will be an epilogue, too. but may take a couple of week, as I need to have my PC rebuilt. DAMN.

Thanks again for the reviews.

TBZ.

Double Trouble

Chapter 6 Rescue and Promises

The warble of a meadow lark woke the three Tracy boys camping in the tree house, the gentle rustling of the morning breeze whispering through the Cottonwoods coaxed eye's open, bodies stretching and yawning widely. Gordon sits up feeling more refreshed than he has in the past weeks of hot nights and humid mornings. He smiles across at John above Alan's drowsy blond head, for once content just to sit and enjoy his surroundings with his brothers' quiet company. Leaning back against the tree he watches the birds fluttering across the sunflower fields.

John looks down at the drowsing Alan, lifts his right hand to inspect the wrist, 'the swelling seems to have reduced over night', he thinks. "How we gonna get him down?" Gordon raises the question, "He still won't be able to climb down." John thinks for a while, "I think if we make a sling with the rope I should be able to lower him, you can catch him at the bottom." Gordon thinks over the suggestion, "OK. If we sling the rope around a branch twice, it should act as a break." John nods in agreement.

Shaking Alan's shoulder gently they awaken the boy and explain what they have planned. Excited by the proposed ride, Alan helps gather their sleeping paraphernalia and drops it out the hole to the ground below. Gordon looking down nods, it will create a soft landing if needs be. John ties the rope into a sling around Alan's chest under his arms, and then throws the other end of the rope around the large branch above them, he tosses it around a second time pulling on it to make sure it's secure, then instructs Gordon to go down to the bottom of the tree. Gordon descends until he reaches the place where the slats of wood are missing his is still two meters from the bottom of the tree, taking a breath Gordon pushes away for the tree and tumbles to the ground, the bedding breaking his fall. Astonished John growls, "GORDON COOPER TRACY, why'd you do a damn fool thing like that, you could've hurt yourself, then what would I do?" Gordon grins up nonchalantly, "You worry too much Johnny boy!" He piles the bedding into a firmer base then calls up, "OK Com'on Allie."

Alan sits on the edge of the tree house floor looking down at Gordon far below him. He sidles back nervously, "Don't wanna…" John crouches beside him an arm around the small boy in comfort, "it's the only way Allie, you can't stay up here." Big tear filled eye's look up at John, a lip begins to wobble, "I want Scotty."

Sighing John smiles encouragingly, "I know Spout, so do I, but Scotty's not here, and Gordon and I won't let you get hurt, I promise."

Alan looks back down at Gordon who waves encouragement, the small boy hangs his legs back over the edge, "OK Allie, when you're ready push away from the tree house and I'll lower you to Gordon. OK?" Alan nods. Taking a big breath and a final look at his big brother, Alan pushes and drops down through the opening in the floor. John grapples with the rope, putting all his weight into holding his brother steady, as slowly as he can he feeds the rope out, relying on Gordon's constant commentary to indicate where Alan is. In what feels like hours later, John feels the rope go slack and Gordon shouts up that Alan is down. John collapses in relief and exhaustion, he didn't realise how much his little brother weighed. After a few moments of rest John gathers the rest of the equipment they brought up with them and drops it down to his brothers, unties the rope and climbs down the tree himself.

The boys collect they bedding and other things and trudge into the house, "Gordon put that stuff away and I'll get breakfast." John instructs. "Alan get bowls and spoons out please."

The boys hurry about their tasks in the early morning light.

Gordon returns to the kitchen to find Alan and John siting at the table, "You know it's only 5.40 am?" he asks. John looks at his watch, "I guess if you sleep in a tree you have to get up early." he jokes.

The boys finish their breakfasts and clear the dishes away.

"What you gonna do today?" asks Gordon of John, expecting his brother will be returning to his project. John screws up his nose. "I was kind of thinking last night that the tree house could be fixed up." He looks at the younger boys, "What ya think?"

Alan and Gordon look at each over with identical grins. "Yeah!"

"Could we have a real ladder?" asks Alan.

John nods, "Yeah, I'm sure we can work something out. Go put some clean clothes on and meet me outside, OK."

The two boys nod and run upstairs to change.

Shortly the three Tracy's are outside looking around the shed for tools and supplies to repair the tree house. John lays out a piece of paper he has sketched ideas on, "I wish Virgil was here, he's better at this stuff than me." Alan and Gordon look over the plans and have to agree. "Well we can make a start, he's back later, so he can help then." Alan gathers the tools from the shed and carts them to the base of the big tree, followed by John with lengths of timber. Gordon comes running up the yard from the barn carrying a bundle of rope and wood, "Look what I found", he howls "a rope ladder." Crowing in delight Alan jumps up and down.

Before long the back yard is alive with the sound of hammering, sawing and boys laughter.

--

Scott's awakening is not so pleasant. The sun's re-entrance to his world is not welcome, he rolls away from the light, trying to bury his head further in the pillow, and only then realising it's not his pillow or bed. He rolls back onto his back and opens gritty eyes looking around the unfamiliar room. He's lying on a mat on the floor, a blanket covering him, he become conscious that he doesn't have any clothes on either, his last memories of the previous night return and worriedly he sits up looking around, his head swims and he drops back onto the mat, 'Where am I?' he hears soft snoring from the bed across the room, clutching the blanket around his hips, stands unsteadily and creeps across the floor to see who is sleeping in the bed.

In relief he sees its Phil, collapsing back on the mat Scott drops back to sleep.

Knocking and a door creaking open wake him sometime later, "Phil? Phillip are you awake." A rough female voice echo's across Scott's sore brain.

"Yeah Mom." Phil sits up looking towards the woman in the doorway, who has stopped to look at Scott on the floor, "Oh… Hello Scott, I didn't know you were here."

"Hi Mrs Winton." Scott mumbles wrapping the bedding tighter around his naked body.

Mrs Winton looks questioningly at her son. "He needed somewhere to crash last night, we got in real late." Phil explained.

"Ok, your Grandma knows you're here right Scott." Mrs Winton asks.

"Yeah, yeah I called last night." Remembering his phone is turned off, Scott looks around for it. "I should call now though."

"Ok. Phil, I'm leaving for work, you boys behave yourselves." Mrs Winton admonishes. She closes the door behind her, leaving Scott and Phil alone, "Where's my phone," asks Scott, "and my clothes." He adds. Grinning Phil points to his desk, "Your phone is up there. Your clothes are in the wash, you chucked up all over them." Scott looked at his friend in disbelief, "What happened? I can't remember much after that girl pouring the drink in my mouth." Phil smirks and much to Scott's embarrassment fills him in on the details of the evening before. "But I only had that one drink, how'd I get drunk on that?" Shaking his head at his friends naivety Phil replies, "Scott, the punch was spiked, didn't you think it tasted strange?" Surprise showing on Scott's face, "Spiked, I was really drunk then?"

"Oh buddy, you were blind." Phil laughs.

Groaning Scott slumped back onto the mat, he looks up at Phil, "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For bringing me home, I don't know what that girl wanted." Phil looks at Scott in disbelief, "OK! I do! But I'm glad it didn't happen, not with her. Thanks for getting me out of there."

"No worries buddy." Phil tosses the mobile phone to Scott, "Call home and I'll get you some clothes."

Naked Phil crosses the room to his closet to find clothes for them both.

Turning on his phone and waiting for it to boot up, Scott takes the offered clothes and dresses. As they wander into the kitchen Scott checks his phone to see that there are several missed calls and messages. Curiously he checks the missed calls number, 'All from home, Gran probably trying to get me. She is going to be sooo mad.' he worries, he pushes the button to retrieve the messages, he listens as the automated message tells him the caller left the first message yesterday at 3.30 pm then a beep and John's anxious voice "Scott, its John, you gotta come home, Dad and Gran aren't here and they're not coming home tonight. Scott you gotta come home, please…."

Shocked Scott freezes 'John, Gordon and Alan at home by themselves all night, No!'. Three more messages follow the first, "Scott where are you damn it we need you here. Phone me NOW!", "Scott if you don't phone I'm gonna call Dad, I swear, you are so going to be in for it.", "Scott com'on I need you. The brats are driving me nuts here, someone is gonna get killed. Please Scott come home, Please I won't tell anyone, just come home now. Please." John's voice gets more and more desperate with each call. Phil turns to look at his friend seeing Scott's pale face he grabs his friend, "Scott what's wrong?"

Fuzzily Scott stares at his friend, "I gotta get home NOW." Scott heads for the front door hurriedly, "Dad and Grams aren't home, John's on his own with the kids." Realising the urgency Phil grabs his keys and the two bolt for the door.

--

The car races up the Tracy's driveway, kicking up dust and gravel as it screeches to a stop, Scott clutching his phone, still trying to call the house and not getting any answer. The two boys jump out of the car and race up the front steps of the house, Scott fumbling with the lock, swings the door open and calls to his brothers, without getting an answer he races upstairs checking the bedrooms. Not finding anyone he stumbled back down the stairs his heart racing, "They're not here." He shouts panicked.

"Let's check outside, OK." Phil tries to be the voice of reason, Scott obviously beyond rational thought. Nodding Scott runs for the back door, in the back yard he looks around frantically not knowing which way to look, 'I should never have left them.' he remonstrates himself.

Around from behind the shed Gordon wanders whistling a tune and looking over the lengths of timber he has collected, happy that they will do the job John has assigned him. He is jolted from his reverie by Scott grabbing him and clutching him in a tight embraces. "Gordon, your ok, where are the other?" Scott demands, astonished, Gordon looks at his brother. "Scott!" he grins, and then remembers he's not happy with his biggest brother, "Where have you been?" he demands angrily.

"I… Um… I…" Scott stutters. John and Alan hearing the noise appear from behind the large Cottonwood tree.

"Scotty!" Alan runs up and hugs Scott around the waist. Hugging his youngest brother, Scott faces the reproach in the eyes of his other brothers'.

Seeing that the Tracy boys are whole and that Scott is about to be roasted, Phil decides it's time to leave, "I'll see you later Scott." He waves and makes a quick exit.

Hand on hips John faces his only older brother, "And where were you?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have stayed out. OK. If in counts for anything I didn't have a great time." he mutters. Gordon his anger quickly cooling grins and hugs Scott, "Good."

Alan looks up at Scott eyes wide, "We slept in the tree house." Scott's eye flashed to John who had become red faced. "You slept in the tree house?" Recovering his poise Scott slips back into big brother mode, his big brother radar picking up on trouble.

"Yeah and now we're fixing it…" answers Gordon, dragging Scott towards the tree.

Scott follows the two younger boys, while John drags behind.

Gordon and Alan show Scott all they are doing, the new rope ladder and plans for re-enforcing the walls. Scott looks over the work, nodding his approval. "Great guys, why don't you go and get a drink, while I talk to John. OK?" Scott smiles at the boys, figure out that John and Scott have issues, Gordon drags an excited Alan up to the house.

"You slept in the tree house?" Scott snaps.

"Yeah, we had to, Alan got up there and we didn't find him til after dark, then we couldn't get him down. Not by ourselves anyway." John emphasises the last, "You weren't here. What else was I supposed to do" John adds defensively. "I phoned six times Scott, why was your phone off? Man we needed you."

Feeling guilty Scott looks up at the tree house, "Sorry, I know I should have come home, and I shouldn't have turned my phone off." He shakes his head remorsefully, "It won't happen again…" Scott looks at John sincere regret in his eye, "I'm sorry John I won't leave you like that again…. EVER." John nods and reaches out to pat his big brother on the shoulder; before he knows it Scott has him in a tight hug. "I thought I'd lost you guys. I couldn't find you when we got in the house, and you didn't answer the phone, I've been calling for the last 30 minutes." tears gathering in his eyes Scott leans his forehead against John's.

"Sorry, I left the phone inside."John grimaces.Giving each other a brief hug they part and trudge up to the house, "So what happened last night, where did you go?" John looks at Scott more closely, he looks a wreck, pale puff skin with blood shot eyes, and he stinks to high heaven. "You need a shower." Scott looks down at himself, "Yeah I do. Can I tell you later after the brats are in bed?" He asks, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Curious John nods. "OK Later!"

--

Several hours later the four Tracy brothers are hard at work rebuilding the tree house, "No Gordon that won't work, we need to re-enforce the wall first." Scott instructs. "But roof is about to fall down." Gordon argues back, "and anyway since when are you an engineer."

Huffing in frustration Scott looks back up at the tree house, they seem to be causing more damage than repair at the moment. "I wish Virgil were here." he complains

As if on queue a car pulls up at the side of the house and out tumbles Virgil Tracy followed by Mrs Cameron the school music teacher, who has taken Virgil to camp. "Hello boys." She calls. Virgil drags his bags out of the back of the car and dumps them on the back steps.

Scott approaching his brother and Mrs Cameron calls "Hi Mrs Cameron, How'd it go Virge?"

"Great!" the younger boy grins.

"Scott, is you Grandma in?" Mrs Cameron asks.

"Ah…" Scott hesitates, "No she's not here at the moment, should be back later." 'I'm not lying' he thinks.

"Oh Ok, well tell her Virgil behaved himself wonderfully, and I'll see you all when school starts."

"OK Mrs Cameron, bye"

Mrs Cameron gets back in the car and drives off down the driveway.

Virgil having deduced that his brother is covering up something follows Scott back towards the trees, "What's up?" Virgil asks his big brother.

"Ah…Dad had to go to Houston yesterday; he didn't come home last night." Virgil shrugs not surprised by his fathers work schedule, "Yeah so?"

Scott looks at the younger boy self-consciously, "Well Grams' bus broke down, she should be home this afternoon."

Taken aback Virgil stops walking, "So you and the guys were stuck here all night on your own?"

"Sort of." Scott mumbles, continuing to walk.

"What do you mean SORT OF?" Virgil demands, Gordon spying his next older brother yells out, saving Scott from answering the difficult question. "Virge" Gordon slides down the rope that is hanging from the tree house and runs to grab Virgil in a hug, he is joined by Alan. John appears from behind the tree hammer in hand. "Finally, someone who knows what to do." He sighs, walking up to hug Virgil.

Scott huffs, "Hey, I know what I'm doing!"

"Yeah? Then why did that wall just fall down again?" John asks.

Scott shrugs and laughs, "Not enough nails?"

Seeing what his brothers are trying to do Virgil inspects the work, finding many and varied problems, he quickly sets his brothers' to work, repairing the damage, shoring up the walls and roof. As John, Gordon and Alan march off to complete the tasks they have been assigned, Virgil grabs Scott's arms, "You didn't answer the question. SORT OF?"

"I'll tell you later OK? It's all fine now." Scott persuades.

"Later?" Virgil enquires.

"Later!" Scott emphasises.

The two join their brothers' in making repairs, this time with more success.

TBC…

Well what do you think?

The boys are back together, although Scott could still be in for a hard time from Virgil and John – LOL…

Last chapter up soon.

TBZ