I DISAVOW, DENY, AND REFUSE... in other words, disclaim, people, still disclaiming.

OK, had some cotton candy fluff? Slightly nauseated? Well, forget that because I am about to get people mad at me. Or make you cry... Or both.

Chapter 15 – Loss of life, loss of love

Six days in a tin can. Kate was beginning to see why the Tracys got frustrated up on Thunderbird Five. She had studied the equipment and, while not on a skill level of John, she would be able to hold her own. But she had not put it into practical use.

Scott was as relieved as his wife was frustrated. While he knew she wanted to make sure she knew what she was doing when it came to operating Five, Scott hated not being there to personally oversee his brothers work. John had often said that it was the one bad thing about being the space station operator – to have to watch helplessly while the Thunderbirds were at risk, trying to save lives. Scott had often told his oldest blond brother that the information he would feed them made if safer and easier to do the work, but he had to agree with John. Being up in the stars stunk when your family was in danger.

Just then, a call came in. Kate responded immediately, Scott observing her every move…

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

"Thunderbird Five to International Rescue…"

Jeff reached over and turned on the communicator to Thunderbird Five. His daughter-in-laws face filled the screen. "Go ahead Thunderbird Five."

"Dad, the FAA just called. A plane went down in the Rockies. There are high winds preventing them from getting to the crash site. They are sending out ground rescue but the winds have knocked trees and most of the routes have to be cleared."

Jeff tripped the alarm, bringing his four younger sons running in. "OK boys, plane down in the Rockies. Kate and Scott will send you the information enroute. Alan – you're in Thunderbird One." Scott looked over at the screen, the temptation to argue at the tip of his tongue. A look from Kate – and his father – stilled his arguments. He had to trust all of his teammates to do their jobs. Both Kate and Jeff had stressed that to Scott enough. And the look on Alan's face…

The Tracys raced to their portraits, ready for the rescue.

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Alan Tracy looked down at the accident scene. Finding a place to set down One was tricky enough. Finally, he spotted a good landing site. Thunderbird Two might have to knock down a few trees to land – but it wouldn't be the first time. Chuckling slightly, he recalled that both he and Kate had knocked down trees when trying to land Two. Alan had knocked down a fake palm and Kate a real tree near the hanger on Tracy Island. While Dad had chalked it up to experience, Brains had been annoyed at replacing Alan's collateral damage. But he had it easier than Kate; she had caught hell from Kyrano!

Climbing out of Thunderbird One, Alan surveyed the wreckage. If anything it looked worse on the ground. "Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Five, come in."

Scott answered his baby brother, "Thunderbird Five here, are you on the ground yet Sprout?"

"Affirmative, setting up Field Command now. Need ETA for Two and don't call me Sprout."

Everything in Alan screamed to rush in and check for survivors, if there even were any. There had been one hundred and eighty five passengers, as well as eight crew members. The way the pieces of wreckage had been spread out in the valley of the mountain range, it was hard to believe anyone had survived. Luckily it was summer; if it had been winter in the Rockies the bitter cold would have killed any survivors before even the Thunderbirds could get there.

"Thunderbird Two to Field Command, approaching your location now. How is the situation from the ground?" Virgil sounded out Alan, worried that the kid would have impulsively raced out to save someone without proper planning.

"Field Command to Two, I am set up here and just need some hands. But I tell you now if there are any survivors it will be close to a miracle."

TBTBTBTBTBTBTBTBTB

Three people so far. That was all they had found alive. Gordon and John were making one last walk through. Civilian rescue teams were finally arriving, have taken over four hours to get into the valley where the plane had crashed. John was using a hand held sensor, making one last sweep, trying to find someone, anyone else who had survived.

"Gordo, got a reading in the trees over here. I think we have one more." Gordon grinned at his brother and followed him into the woods.

Hidden behind rocks and plants, the two Tracys found two more bodies and one living person. But instead of his brother's usual professional behavior, John was shocked when Gordon dropped on his knees and removed his helmet. John's "Gordy, what are you doing?" was drowned out by Gordon's keening, "Oh, God no. Lisa."

John was horrified by the awareness that overcame him. He knew from his family that Gordon had been dating a young woman he had met at Scott and Kate's wedding – and her name was Lisa. Gordon gently brushed blond hair away from her face, along with blood trickling from a head wound. Blue eyes opened and a smile came to her pain filled face. "Hey, Gordon. I was just thinking, what I would give to see Gordon Tracy one last time."

"Don't talk like that Lisa. We're here now, we're gonna save you."

John knelt down on the other side of the fallen woman. As he examined her injuries, he tried to catch Gordon's attention. John knew it was clear. Even if they got her to Virgil's triage area immediately, the injuries were too severe. How she had held on this long was a miracle in itself. But looking at the way Lisa's eyes caressed his brother's face; John knew how she had held on. She had wanted to say goodbye.

"I want you to know, I have never been happier since I met you," Lisa whispered. "I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I was afraid to say the words, I have been afraid to love anyone since my Mom walked out on Daddy and I. I suppose I thought if my mother didn't love me enough to stay, who could."

Gordon picked up her hand, ignoring the blood and dirt, kissing it gently. "Well, I could love you Lisa. And I do, so hold on."

Lisa looked over at John. "You're his brother, John – right?" John was startled until she shakily chuckled – "Name tag." Lisa smiled at Gordon again. "Always knew there was something special about you Tracys. Besides just being real cute." Lisa's eyes filled with tears. "Tell my family I loved them. I don't know how you can manage that, but please do that." She looked back at John. "And don't let him grieve too much. I fell in love with his sense of humor; don't let him bury that with me."

John found his own eyes filling with tears as the young woman who had caught Gordon's eye – and maybe his prankster brother's heart – passed from this world. Hearing a rescue team approach John whispered to his brother, "Gordy, get your helmet on." Gordon didn't seem to hear him, so John replaced the helmet himself, securing it just as the first civilian rescuers came into the break in the trees. As they confirmed the dead and began to remove the bodies, John looked at one person and assured them they had Lisa's body. "She died just after we got to her. My teammate and I will bring her back to the site. We'd feel better if you let us do it."

No one questioned their reasoning. Too many had done rescues before where someone they were trying to save died in their presence. It created a bond most could never understand. But no one else knew, the bond had existed before hand. And a young woman had died after being able to say good bye to the person who had encouraged her to take the biggest risk in life – being willing to trust another with your heart.

a/n OK, I did it. I gave someone a name and then I killed her. If it helps, I cried writing this chapter. I have broken Gordon's heart. I feel bad. But you were warned.