The Tracy Boys and Thunderbirds belong to Sylvia and Gerry Anderson

Claudette: Thanks for compliment. Answer to your question is in 5th and 6th paragraphs from bottom of Chapter 12. As for what he thinks of Jenna, you'll just have to wait!

Chapter 13

"Jeff, I've got someone here who would very much like to see you," Jenna called over the comlink above Scott's bed. She could tell he was smiling broadly.

"We'll be right down," Jeff said with eager anticipation as he immediately left his desk and headed for the hallway that would take him down to the infirmary. He had wondered when his son would finally decide to wake up; not that Scott didn't deserve to sleep as long as he felt he needed. No one knew more than Jeff just how heavy a responsibility Scott bore and he wasn't just referring to his duties for International Rescue. Jeff knew very well the sacrifices his eldest son had made in taking on the care of his brothers when he was still little more than a child himself and that that had carried on into his adult life. Mike, who had been sitting reading the paper, content in the knowledge that Jenna would let them know when his patient was awake, rose and followed him.

It had seemed almost as soon as Jenna had closed the comlink that Jeff and Mike were striding into the infirmary. Jenna crossed to meet them and gave them a brief report of how she had found Scott on waking. Turning to Jeff she said in a lowered voice. "He doesn't seem to have any memory of the climbing accident, so, please, don't press him on it. He's distressed enough about that already." Then in a softer tone and smiling, she continued, "It'll come back to him in time."

Jeff felt troubled and guilty but nodded his understanding. He was going to have to find the right time to let his son know there was nothing to be troubled about. It bothered him greatly that the need for secrecy had caused his son to become distressed.

As Jeff and Mike crossed to Scott's bedside his brothers took this as their cue to leave. "Yeah, bye Scott." "See you later Scott." "You're looking a lot better bro," they all called to him as they left. "Yeah, just lie back and enjoy, big brother!" Gordon added with a cheeky grin, which earned him a disapproving look from John. Scott pulled his face into a questioning frown, wondering what he could possibly mean by that. Did his younger brother think that this was something to enjoy, he thought to himself. He certainly wasn't enjoying this feeling of pain and discomfort; everything seemed to be happening around him in slow motion or maybe he was the one in slow motion, he didn't know.

Mike beamed down at him. "Glad to see you're finally awake, son. Now, how are you feeling?" he asked.

Jenna, standing on the other side of the bed, rolled her eyes and sighed. "Mike, you ought to know better than that," she gently scolded. "Trying to make my patient talk, indeed," she added, smiling and shaking her head. "You know he's far too sore for that. We're on eye signals; remember?" "Isn't that right Scott?" Jenna said, beaming a smile at him as though they shared some secret code that only they knew. Scott turned his attention to her, a weak smile creasing his lips, and blinked his eyes slowly once.

Mike laughed, knowing he had been suitably admonished; sometimes he just got carried away, forgetting that his patients needed simple questions to which they could answer yes or no. He then rephrased his questions and assured Scott that he would feel better in time, telling him that he was getting the best care and attention he could possibly have. Mike bent lower and winking said, "Though, I would do as I were told if I were you."

"Mike! Don't be telling him that," Jenna responded in mock alarm. "You'll have Scott thinking I'm some sort of 'old dragon'," she continued, half laughing as she looked down on him. Before returning to her desk to write up notes, though, she reminded Jeff, saying, "Don't try making him talk."

Scott turned his attention to his father who had now seated himself by his bed; trying to mouth words to him that wouldn't come. "Sorry son, you mustn't try to talk. I have my orders," his father said, smiling apologetically, then looking over to where the source of those orders came from as if he expected a scolding for encouraging his son. He had given Jenna full remit over his son's care and even he dare not disobey her instructions.

If Scott could've laughed, he would. His father, Jefferson Tracy, never took orders from anyone; he was more used to giving orders than taking them. The last time his father had taken orders was in the early days of his USAF career so what sort of young woman could make his father obey her without question? He became increasingly more intrigued by her.

He had fought hard to keep his eyes open but this first venture into the waking world was taking its toll. Jeff, on seeing how tired his son was, decided to take his leave. Jenna was surprised at long Scott had managed to stay awake; she guessed it was something to do with that old 'duty and responsibility' thing. Now she came to his bedside, checking his monitors and filling in his chart. Sitting on his bed as she always did Jenna lifted his right wrist, pressing her fingers to his pulse point; for some reason it was stronger than the left. "I'm impressed," she said softly to him. "Usually my patients don't last that long, first time."

His eyelids increasingly felt heavy but he refused to give in to sleep, afraid, almost, that should he close his eyes she might not be here when he woke up. As if she could tell what he was thinking Jenna answered his unspoken question. "It's OK, Scott. Just let go. I'll still be here when you wake up, I promise," she added, gently stroking his face. He finally gave in, slipping back into that place of warmth and comfort.

Tin-Tin came down with a late evening meal for her. That was one of the benefits of this private duty; it was relaxed and flexible not restricted to the rigid regime of hospital life, though Jenna did strive to maintain a certain routine and of course, Grandma and Kyrano's cooking she couldn't complain about. Tin-Tin stayed and chatted for a while, filling her in on what everyone was up to during the day, well, as much as she was able to, for now was the ideal time to get caught up on a lot of maintenance and upgrades. Since Jenna rarely left the infirmary she was never aware that the villa might have seemed strangely empty although she may have thought that everyone was just out and about on the island.

During the evening Jenna relaxed by reading to him, letting him hear her voice to assure him he was not alone as well though as wanting to know what happened next in this guy's life for she was finding the book both interesting and inspirational.

She gratefully lay down on her bed, watching him sleep, and reliving again the affect he had had on her with just those intoxicating blue eyes and a few ice chips. If this was the affect he could have now while incapacitated she dare not think what he would be like if fully fit, though she couldn't help but smile to herself and wonder as she drifted off to sleep to dream beautiful dreams.

(Author's Note: No, I am not going to tell you what she dreamt or Scott either. Their dreams are their own private business.)

In the early hours Jenna was awakened by the sounds of his agitation. Tossing slightly and with a fine sheen of perspiration trickling down his face Scott was in the throws of another nightmare. With his heart rate elevated he was mumbling something she couldn't make out at first, then a few words became clearer as he called out in a rasping whisper. "Been …hit. Can't … keep …. Going …down …" She had thought of trying to wake him but instead cooled him down and soothed him until he appeared to fall back into a peaceful sleep. Moments later she found herself looking into bright and alert eyes.

"Can't sleep huh," Jenna smiled.

Scott blinked his eyes slowly twice.

"You should try. It's only 2am, everyone else is still asleep," she urged him. There was something about this time of the night, though, it was like there was no one else in the whole world but them and quite frankly, Scott Tracy wouldn't have minded one bit.

He pulled his face into a slight frown, gave her an emphatic two blinks of his eyes and a deep sigh, telling her he had had enough sleep for now. She grinned. He was like a little boy told to go to bed when he didn't want to.

"OK, what do you want to do, Mr Tracy," she asked, giving him a wry smile. "Wanna go for a pizza or the movies or what about a ball game?" she quickly retorted.

A smile creased his lips as he fixed his intense gaze on her, his eyes dancing with mischief at her dry wit. He blinked twice.

She knew what he wanted. He wanted to talk. "So, you want to talk?" Jenna said smiling.

Now she was getting the message. His eyes blinked once.

"Don't you think a one-sided conversation is, perhaps, a little unfair?" she asked, trying to keep the amusement from her voice.

His smile broadened as he blinked his eyes twice.

She bit her lip, trying to stifle a laugh. He was tenacious, she would have to give him that.

"She shouldn't do that," he thought to himself, "bite her lip like that. That has ways of starting a fire in a guy that he can't put out."

"OK, what shall we talk about?" Jenna continued, knowing very well what he wanted to talk about. He wanted to talk about her. "What about….your brothers?" she said, trying to keep a poker face. "There're all very talented, aren't they? Quite handsome too," she mused teasingly, "especially Gordon, he's cute and funny."

A deep frown creased his brow causing him to wince from the healing gash in his forehead. He had thought about shaking his head for no but he remembered only too well the last time he did that. He blinked twice for a definite NO.

"Is that a No, they're not talented, or No they're not handsome?" she continued with a wry smile.

He gave a deep sigh of exasperation. "Boy, was she making this hard work," he thought but he couldn't help but be excited by her.

"All right," she said, still smiling. She felt she had teased him long enough. "So what do you want to know, Mr Tracy?" she added.

His eyes lit up, telling her he wanted to know everything.

As Jenna told him about her mom passing away when she was 12 and how she had brought up her younger brother he felt a familiar ache in his heart. He found himself being drawn to her like an invisible thread pulling them together. She went on to tell him of the antics of her brother and how, more often than not, she was always pulling him out of scrapes, especially when he started going out with girls. "They would flock round him like bees round a honey-pot," she laughed. She lost count of the number of times she had to console his discarded girlfriends. "Should have made him do his own dirty work," Jenna grinned.

His smile broadened. "Tell me about it," he thought to himself. "It must be a younger brother syndrome." His gaze remained intense, she had definitely peaked his interest. He felt like another invisible thread had drawn then together.

She watched his reaction as she told him how her brother had gone on to join the USAF. His eyes lit up like beacons, questioning where he was stationed.

"Where was he? At your old air base, in Arizona," she replied, answering his unspoken question. "He used to tell me that 'Scott Tracy is required reading among all the young pilots," she went on to say, grinning broadly and finishing with, "Do you know you're a living legend, Mr Tracy?"

He winced and reddened with embarrassment, blinking his eyes twice.

"There's something so incredibly endearing about such a handsome guy being so modest," she thought.

(Author's Note: Incredibly endearing! Oh come on. I would have said downright sexy myself)

Her eyes lit up as she talked about her brother's love of flying; what it was like up there, like being in a different world and so on. She had most definitely peaked his interest now. He could see how animated she was when she talked, her eyes dancing and he became even more fascinated by her. He knew she would understand his world. Another invisible thread had bound them together and like a powerful magnet he found himself being drawn to her.

A cloud darkened her face for the first time as she told him how her brother had been killed. He was only 22. She went on to tell him about how they had moved to New Zealand and finally about her father. His face saddened and he closed his eyes momentarily, feeling her pain. Scott looked down to where her hand rested on the bed near to his and painfully moved his hand until his fingers closed over hers, giving them a comforting squeeze. She gave him a weak smile, then his eyes locked with hers as he started to play with her fingers.