Silent Tears

By Puzzler

Disclaimer – Thunderbirds is owned by Gerry Anderson and Working Title Films. I'm only borrowing them for fun.

Summary – After the death of their mother, the lives of the Tracy brothers change dramatically. How did they get through this traumatic time, and become the family of heroes we now know? Slightly AU.

A/N – Sorry for yet another huge gap between chapters, I really do need to get into the habit of sitting down with my laptop and forcing myself to write more. Now that exams are all over, I should have more time to write.

Right, on with the story. I realise that not a massive amount has happened so far, but that hopefully is going to change. I have a long list of ideas to try to include in this story, and I have only covered one of them at the moment. Still, let me know if you have any too.

Also, some of the earlier chapters have now been updated slightly since I re-read the whole thing and thought of some extra things I could add in, including chapter titles. I don't think anything big has changed, but feel free to read those chapters again.

Here you go…the next instalment.

Silent Tears

Chapter 7 – Fall

"Come on Virgil, are you ready yet?" Scott called from the doorway to Virgil's room. The Creighton-Wards and Tracys had been planning to leave the mansion almost 10 minutes before. Gordon had gone downstairs ahead of his brothers, while Scott tried to hurry Virgil up.

"I'm sorry Scott, I can't find my other shoe. I know I put them in the bottom of the wardrobe yesterday." There was a short pause. "Hang on…found it!"

"Good. I'll be with the others downstairs." Between Scott waking up late and missing breakfast again and Virgil losing things, they were definitely late.

FABFAB

Jeff sat down and turned on his computer, not really looking what he was doing. Very soon, a 'you have e-mail' message appeared.

To Dad

I know it's only been a few days since you left, but I thought I'd write and make sure you weren't too worried about us (which I know you will be anyway). I was going to send this as a letter, and Lady Amelia said I could use letter paper with their family crest on as well, but I know e-mail will be quicker.

Anyway, what's been going on around here? Well, Sir Hugh and Lady Amelia have been really nice to us, as you said they would be. The Creighton-Ward Mansion is incredible, and I'm sure it will take me a good few more days to finish exploring all of it. I haven't seen much of Scott while we've been here, which is a bit of a surprise when you think about it. When I have seen him, he tends to be around Penelope, and he seemed very happy that he was sitting next to her at dinner (something to do with 'order of precedence' around the table – I didn't entirely understand it). Secretly, I think he has a bit of a crush on her. Mealtimes are still rather quiet, as no one seems to be able to think of anything to say. I'm sure it will get better.

We've been on a couple of outings, which are a bit of a performance as there are 9 of us, including their butler Jonson, who drives the second car. Yesterday we went to visit this beautiful cathedral. I think the others were a bit bored, but there was an incredible view from the top and I got some good photos. I'll show them to you when I next see you. Afterwards, we went to a huge swimming pool with lots of water slides, which seemed to cheer Gordon and Alan up. Penelope challenged us all to a race, but I'm sure everyone knew Gordon would win, as he won by miles. I'm glad he had fun, as he seems to be a bit scared of Sir Hugh, and always sticks near Scott or me when he's around.

As for Virgil, I'm sure he'll find something to do here, other than drawing in his sketchbook all the time. He's been admiring some of the paintings on the walls, and when we were playing hide-and-seek a couple of days ago he hid under the grand piano…we didn't think to look there, so he won. He's probably going to ask me to ask Sir Hugh if he can have a go playing on it soon. I know he wants to. Alan has been with Lady Amelia for most of the time, and it looks like Penelope is enjoying having a younger child to fuss over. I'm not sure how much Alan likes it though.

Lastly, I've been spending most of the time with Jonson, the butler. He knows loads about the history of the house and family and everything. I found a strange door when I was looking around my room earlier, so after I finish exploring the house I think I will ask him about it.

Don't work yourself too hard, Dad, even though I know you will. Mum wouldn't have wanted you to do that.

Love John.

P.S – Can I come with you to the office some time? I really want to visit and get a look around.

Jeff smiled, thinking about his sons. He hoped that their time with the Creighton-Wards would help them work out what they were thinking and feeling. I just wish I could sort out my feelings as well, Jeff thought silently.

Jeff reached into the top drawer in his desk and pulled out a plastic folder. Inside was a stack of photographs…print outs from the digital camera that Jeff had taken to Switzerland with him. They were the last things he had of Lucille now. You really were the heart of this family. I hope I can bring the boys up as you would have wanted…

FABFAB

John closed the door to his room as quietly as possible and walked silently along the hallway. His brothers were all downstairs somewhere as they had time before dinner, but John felt he needed to be alone with his thoughts for a while.

And he had just the place to go.

Creeping up another, smaller set of stairs and around a corner, John came to very sturdy-looking wooden door. He had found this door while exploring around the house, and he had a good idea as to where it led. He pulled the handle slowly, trying to hide the squeak, and was met by a narrow wooden staircase. At the top was a very heavy door. He pulled the door closed behind him so it was only open very slightly and climbed the stairs.

John took in a deep breath and looked behind him. He had a feeling that Sir Hugh wouldn't be too happy with him if he came up here without telling anyone. They will understand…I hope. John thought to himself, and pulled open the door that led onto the roof of the mansion.

It was slightly cold, and the stars were just beginning to come out above him, but John didn't mind. He closed the outer door and found somewhere to sit to look at the stars.

A few minutes later, John unlocked the red leather book he was carrying with the key he now had on a chain round his neck and started writing.

This is so hard. How can I keep reassuring my brothers everything will be all right when I don't know myself? I wish mum were here. She always knew exactly what to say to help us when it was hard to go on.

I came up here to see the stars. I always seem to feel better when I can see them. Maybe…when I look at them, mum is looking back down at me too.

FABFAB

Penelope was walking along one of the corridors from her room when she noticed something that caught her attention. Strange, I thought we always kept that door shut, she thought as she went to close the door. Unless… Changing her mind, Penelope quietly pushed open the wooden door and climbed up.

When she got up onto the roof, it seemed clear that she was intruding in something private. John was half-leaning, half-lying against the raised edge behind him, gazing up at the stars and tightly holding a leather book against his chest. Doing her best not to disturb the person in front of her, she turned back to the door leading to the main house.

"You don't have to go." John said quietly, still looking up at the sky.

"I didn't mean to intrude…"

"You're not." John sat up properly and gestured for her to sit down next to him. "I only came up here to see the stars. Did you come looking for me?" John asked, wondering why she had come up to the roof.

"The door was ajar, and we usually keep it shut to stop draughts." Penelope 'explained' as she sat down.

After a few minutes of stargazing, Penelope broke the silence again. "What do you see when you look up there?"

John looked thoughtful "I see the past…and the future. A never-ending cycle. What do you see?"

"I see us being a part of something much bigger, and that it doesn't matter if we are afraid. There will always be something there to help us through it, and we need to believe in ourselves." Penelope smiled up at the stars before carrying on. "When I was much younger, my grandfather used to tell me little sayings – 'whether you believe you can do something, or whether you believe you can't, you're always right'."

John looked at Penelope directly for the first time. She could see the faint trace of tears on his face, and that he looked very sad and lost.

"I think Mum would have said something like that too." John said, gazing absently at the diary in his hands. "I feel so empty without her."

"I'm sure that, somewhere, she is watching you and your brothers, helping you through everything. When she sees you crying, she knows you are thinking about her too."

John smiled, and turned back to the stars, hoping that Lucille really could see him. He thought about everything that had happened to his family recently, and how it seemed the Creighton-Wards were becoming like family too. As he stood up, he turned to Penelope.

"Thank you."

Penelope just nodded as she stood too, knowing that John had a lot to think about and she was trying to help. "You're welcome John."

FABFAB

"Virgil. Can you wait a moment?" Lady Amelia called just as Virgil was about to disappear up the stairs. The brothers had been playing around outside when Gordon had tied Scott's shoelaces to one of the low metal railings in the garden without him noticing and tripped him up. It had been very funny watching Scott trying to untie the knots so he could chase after his little brother. Virgil had thought it would make a good cartoon picture, as long as Scott didn't see it.

"OK." Virgil stopped in the hallway

"There is a fair in one of the local towns tomorrow and I was wondering if you would like to go."

"Yes please! Do the others know?"

"Not yet. You can ask them."

"They'll want to go. Scott loves fair rides."

FABFAB

"Come on Gordon, lets see if we can find somewhere to get a drink." Scott said as they walked around the crowded fairground. The group had arrived about mid-morning and were going to meet up again at 1 o'clock for lunch. Luckily, they had managed to avoid the rain that had been quite heavy earlier on in the day.

"OK Scott, but then can we go over to the park before we head back? We've already been on most of the rides." Gordon asked yet again. Although he had been following his older brother around all morning, he didn't really enjoy the rides as much as Scott did.

Eventually, the pair did find a refreshments stand, and bought their drinks before heading away to the park on the other side of the empty tennis courts. The fair had been set up in the grounds of a sports centre.

"Look Gordon, we've got it all to ourselves. Race you to the top of the climbing frame!" Scott said, before running off towards the mass of brightly coloured metal bars on the other side of the park.

"Hey, not fair! Scott, wait for me." Gordon quickly followed him. By the time he reached the bottom of the climbing frame, Scott was already nearly at the top.

Scott could hear his brother starting to climb up. Even though the climbing equipment was only a few metres off the ground at the top, Scott knew Gordon would never catch up with him. He turned around to tell his brother that when his foot slipped on the slightly damp bar and he lost his balance. He tried desperately to keep hold of the bars, but the next bar was too far up for him to reach from his precarious, off-balance position and, as he fell with a surprised cry, he hit his right arm on another of the bars. He landed on the wood-chipping ground with a thud.

"SCOTT!"

TBC…