Standard Disclaimer, don't own the thunderbirds.

Double Trouble

Chapter 7 Secret Deals and Monsters Revealed

The boys are enjoying a late lunch, sitting around the table discussing the days work and what still needs to be done when Grandma Tracy walks in the back door carrying a heavy suitcase, Scott jumps up quickly taking the case and putting it by the hallway door. She is quickly engulfed in a mass hug by her grandsons, the younger boys babble to her about the happenings of the previous night, Scott and John use their seniority to harass the boys into being quiet. Smiling at the antics of the boys, Grandma excuses herself to go and unpack.

"Right you two, listen up, No talking about what happened last night, got it?" Scott growls at his youngest two brothers, "If Dad or Gran find out about any of it you will not live to regret it."

John stands by his older brother glaring at the two grinning boys, "We mean it Alan, Gordon say anything and you WILL regret it."

"But Scott just said we wouldn't live to regret it," Gordon smirked, "Which is it, you gonna kill us or not."

Scott moved closer to the two giggling boys, "I will personally beat you to a pulp and then kill you."

"Ooooh, I think Scotty's mad Allie," Gordon grins, Alan giggles hysterically.

Throwing his hands up in despair Scott looks at John.

Virgil is surprised that his older brothers' are covering up for each other so dramatically. 'I really need to find out what happened,' he thinks. He turns to Alan and Gordon, "Guys I think you really need to listen this time. If Dad finds out it won't just be Scott and John that get grounded."

Seeing the truth in Virgil's words, Gordon and Alan sober and agree that the night's events are now covered by the 'Tracy Brothers' Secrets Act', not to be disclosed under pain of retaliation by said brothers.

The boys finish lunch quickly, then Scott drags the younger boys outside to complete work on the tree house, while John and Virgil clear the kitchen.

"So what happened?" Virgil asks his blond older brother.

John shrugs, looks out the kitchen door towards Grandma's rooms and pushes the door to, "You can't tell anyone. Promise!"

Virgil looks surprised, John is really acting out of character this must be good. "OoooKay." Virgil agrees.

John briefly describes the events of the previous day starting with Dad leaving for work early, Scott going to practice, having to search for Alan and Gordon at lunch time and finishing with the sleep over in the tree house, and Scott's appearance that morning."

"So where was Scott while all this was happening?" Virgil queries, "It's not like him to turn off his phone."

"I know, he hasn't said, but when I asked earlier he turned bright red and said he'd tell me once the kids were in bed tonight." John explains.

Virgil nods firmly, "Right, we tackle him later then?" Blue eyes meet Brown determination reflecting in them both to deal with their eldest brother together.

Grandma enters the kitchen wrapping an apron around her waist to find John and Virgil with their heads close together whispering, they brake apart quickly as they realise they are no longer alone. 'Hm… something's up.' She surmises. "Have you finished cleaning up?"

"Ah yes Gran," Virgil replies putting the last of the plates in the cupboard, "So what are you boys doing this afternoon?"

"We're fixing the tree house," John answers, thinking quickly he adds, "Alan dreamt he slept in it last night, so we thought we could fixed it up so he could play up there safely."

"That's good of you…" says Grandma following the boys out into the yard to see the results of their hard work. Seeing the nearly complete tree house she smiles, "Oh it does look good, just like when your Daddy built it for Scott and John."

She puts an arm around each of the boys, giving them a kiss each she sends John and Virgil back to helping their brothers'. "I'd best be seeing what needs doing inside and sorting out dinner, I imagine you boys are going to be hungry tonight," She smiles. All five boys shout their agreement.

--

As the sun sinks towards the horizon in a blazing display of colour Alan and Gordon sit in the tree house watching their brothers busily pack up the tools and put away unused timber. They watch as the fireflies begin to emerge fluttering around the shadowed branches.

As the shadows lengthen Scott slams the door shut on the shed pushing it in hard so that Virgil can push the bolt home. Suddenly both boys jump back from the shed, hurriedly retreating. John who has joined Gordon and Alan looks down on his brothers laughing, "What's up guys?"

Virgil retreats further and starts climbing the rope ladder, Scott being a little braver, steps towards the shed, only to hear the same deep growl that made him first recoil. Deciding that discretion is the better part of valour after all, Scott follows Virgil up the ladder to join his brothers' looking down on the shadowed grass surrounding the shed.

"What was that?" Virgil asks.

"Its the monster!" Alan squeals, tears beginning to pool in his eyes, "I told you there was a monster! I told you!" He looks at John and Gordon, "I didn't 'magine it."

John and Gordon nod in agreement as they hear the deep growl again. Out of the shadows beneath the shed a solid hairy form creeps, snuffling across the grass, it looks around growling and snuffling the air searching for the unknown scents. It shuffles around the base of the tree and the boys above follow its movement with terrified eyes. "You don't think it can climb do you." Virgil worries.

"Nah." Gordon says hope evident in his voice.

As the creature returns to the front of the tree directly below the boys hiding spot it raises its head and gives an extra loud and menacing growl.

"It's seen us" Alan squeals again backing into the corner of the tree house.

The four older boys back away from the edge of the tree house as Grandma pushes her way past the bushes surrounding the shed and enters the clearing below the tree, the monster seeing the invader stiffens and collapses to the ground emitting an overpowering stench. "Oh dear, where did that come from," Grandma looks at the creature, then up at the boys, "Com'on boys, dinners nearly ready."

The boys clamber down the ladder avoiding the 'monster' at Grandma's feet and dash up to the house.

Looking at the unfortunate creature Grandma sighs and follows the boys, "Wash up, dinner will be on the table in a moment." She instructs, while putting the finishing touches to the meal.

The boys gather at the table, hands in their laps waiting for Grandma to sit. Putting the last dishes on the table Grandma looks around at her quiet grandsons smiling, she bows her head and recites Grace, then starts loading plates with meat, potatoes and vegetables for the younger boys, while Scott, John and Virgil help themselves.

The meal is eaten in relative silence only the sound of cutlery on china and an occasional request for a dish to be passed. Once the initial hunger pains have been dealt with Gordon gathers the courage to ask the question all the boys are thinking. "Grams, how'd you kill the monster?"

Grandma looks at Gordon in confusion "Monster, what monster?"

"The one at the tree…" Alan pipes up, "…the one that chased me up the tree."

Comprehending what her grandsons' are talking about the old lady laughs. "Oh boys! It's not a monster, and I didn't kill it, it was just pretending to be dead, it's probably run off by now." She looks around the table at the disbelief on their faces, "Haven't you seen an Opossum before?" Scott, John and Virgil look at each other in discomfit, "Oh sure Grandma." Scott replies, with a strained chuckle.

Gordon and Alan shake their heads no. "Well never mind, it can't do any harm, more scared of you than you are of it I'd imaging." She states as she clears the dishes.

"Not likely." Virgil mutters under his breath, the other boys nod their heads in vigorous agreement.

--

Scott wearily climbs the stairs, a sleeping Alan in his arms and a grumbling Gordon following, "Don't wanna go to bed yet it's only 8 o'clock."

"I don't care Gordon, you didn't get mush sleep last night and neither did the rest of us. So you're going to bed now. No arguments or I'll ground you for the rest of the holidays." Scott drops the sleeping Alan on his bed and tucks the covers around him, "I should be grounding you anyway for that trip to the creek."

Gordon pouts, "Yeah, what about you? At least I didn't stay out after curfew."

"Yeah well let's forget about it, OK. I won't ground you, and you won't say anything about me not being here. We agreed Right?"

Gordon nods sullenly. "Right!"

"Good, now into bed." Scott tucks the blanket around Gordon then sits on the bed, "I'm really sorry Gordon, it won't happen again, I promise. I'll never leave you or the others on your own again." He pulls the red head into a hug. Gordon looks at his biggest brother, "Promise, I didn't like being here on our own, John's OK, but he's not like you."

"I promise Gordon, never again." Scott kisses his brother's forehead and tucks him under the covers. "Good night fishy."

As he is pulling the door close Scott looks back at his brother, "How about we go cat fishing tomorrow?" Gordon grins tiredly, "Yeah. But not Alan, he can't sit still."

"Ok fishy. G'night."

Scott joins his other two brothers down stairs in the lounge in front of the TV. Grandma is dosing in her chair.

"They OK?" John asks.

"Yeah, Alan's already asleep, and Gordon won't be long." Scott replies.

John nods, "We didn't get much sleep last night, so they should be exhausted."

"Yeah me too, I think I'm gonna hit the hay now as well," Scott responses. He stands "G'night Grandma." He gives the old lady a kiss on the cheek, "Good night Scott, sleep tight." She looks at John and Virgil "You two should be thinking about sleep as well."

Yawning John and Virgil follow Scott's example saying good night to Grandma and following him up the stairs. At the top of the stairs Scott waves good night to his brothers and enters his room. Exchanging looks John and Virgil follow Scott into his room. Scott turns to look at them, "What?"

"It's LATER!" Virgil replies.

Scowling Scott glares at his brothers, "I'm not gonna get out of this am I?" he asks.

"Nope. Com'on fess up." John grins.

Slouching on his bed Scott continues to scowl, "You can not tell the terrible two…. EVER!"

John and Virgil grin at each other, 'Oh this is going to be good.'

As briefly as possible Scott explains about Phil, Lex and Dominic taking him to the party, the punch that turned out to be spiked and how he got sick and had to be taken back to Phil's house. He deliberately leaves out any reference to Carol or her friends. He then expresses his fears when he realised that John and the kids where on their own and how he had rushed home as fast as he could. He finishes by promising that he will never leave them in a situation like that again.

Virgil shakes his head, "I can't believe you got drunk."

"Yeah well it's not going to happen again?" Scott stated firmly, "I still feel awful."

"You better not." Virgil insists, yawning he stands and heads for the door, "I'm going to get some sleep, we didn't get any on camp." He yawns again, "Don't wake me in the morning OK." Yawning again the boy stumbles out of the room.

John and Scott watch him leave, "He's gonna be such a grouch tomorrow." John mutters Scott chuckles in agreement.

Turning back to his big brother John gives Scott a hard look, "OK now tell me the rest."

"Rest? What rest?" Scott protests.

"Com'on, something else happened; I know that looks Scott Carpenter Tracy. Now spill it."

Shoulder slumping Scott looks at John, "Don't tell anyone OK? I mean ANYONE, EVER! Not even Virgil."

John nods in agreement. "Well…" begins Scott, "there was this girl, she kept going on about Dad, asking question you know. She's a college freshman this Fall and anyway one of her friends had a bottle of Vodka and they passed it around."

"You didn't drink it?" John asks in disbelief at his big brothers stupidity.

"I only had one drink, and it was horrible." Scott defended. "Then she started, you know, sorta kissing me and stuff, and then we were in this is room. I can't even remember how we got there and she kept kissing me, and her hands were…. you know" Scott watches Johns face to see what he is thinking. "I don't remember much after that, I woke at Phil's place, and he said I chucked up all over her."

John's eye's opened wide. "You threw up on her! She was making out with you and you threw up on her. Oh man, that's bad, that's real bad." Shaking his head forlornly John smirks, "Well I guess you won't be seeing her again?"

Scott grimaces, "No I guess not." 'Not a big loss there.' he thinks.

Standing John ruffles Scott's hair, "Well Scotty, maybe stick with high school juniors for now huh?" Scott looks as his younger brother, "As if you'd know anything!"

John smiles a knowing smile. "Ohhh! You'd be surprised what I know! G'night Scotty." He says with a smirk, walking out of the room and leaving a confused, worried Scott.

'He's joking.' Scott thinks as he climbs into bed, rolling over and drifts to sleep. 'He's definitely joking.'

--

The house is dark when Jeff Tracy finally arrives home, he quietly drops his brief case and keys on his office desk, then trudges up the stairs to his room, looking in at his youngest sons' room to check that all is well. He pulls up a blanket over Alan and straightens Gordon, tucking the toy dolphin in beside him. Then pulls the door closed on his way out, the next room is Virgil and John's, he remembers that Virgil will have come home from camp today. Glancing into the room he sees that both Virgil and John are fast asleep. Quietly he cross the hall to Scott's room, Scott is sprawled across the bed tossing and turning a dream obviously causing him some distress, Jeff crouches beside his eldest son, stroking his hair, hushing him back to sleep, slowly Scott settles. Rising to leave the room Jeff turns to he finds his mother in the door way, she points towards his own room.

"A word son." She whispers.

Closing Scott's door Jeff follows his mother into his bedroom, "What can I help you with mother, it's late and I'm extremely tired." Jeff states defensively.

Mrs Tracy huffs, "Yes I suppose you are, gallivanting across the country, when you are supposed to be here with your sons."

"Mother, I have a business to run, it doesn't runs it's self you know." Jeff snaps, "…and you were here."

"No I wasn't Jeff, my bus broke down, Scott and the boys were here by themselves last night. I don't know what happened, but something did, they are all closed mouth about it now, but Alan was obviously upset, and I don't think Scott is too happy either."

Jeff looked in surprise at his mother.

"I'll leave you to think about that…" Mrs Tracy carefully closed the door on her son.

Sitting on the bed Jeff picks up the photo of his late wife, 'Lucy what am I doing? How could I leave the boys on their own like that? Maybe it's time things changed around here, maybe we... No, I, need to move on. Make a few changes, leave this all behind… I don't know?'

Sighing Jeff Tracy readies himself for bed. Tomorrow is a new day, a new beginning… maybe…

The End.

Well what did you think? I hope you enjoyed it. Please review.

Thanks for reading.

Fiona12690 - thanks for the Challenge, I don't know that this is what you had in mind, but I didn't want to inflict major injuries or put them in hospital, and the other option involved a tornado and being carried off to a magical land with little green people, and I'm pretty certain that, that one's been done before. "Gordon to Alan...'We ain't in Kansas anymore Allie.' " Can you imagine Scott as the tinman, Virgil the Lion and John the Scarecrow. ...I know I'm certifiably crazy.

So there it is.

Thanks again. TBZ