A big thank you to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson for giving us those fabulous Tracy guys and the Thunderbirds
Chapter 34
Scott's initial reaction was to laugh outright at the sight before him, which Jenna was glad to see but could only put that down to the fun they had just had. For what Alan had brought in was a wheelchair, but not just any old wheelchair. This one was decorated in the colours of Thunderbird One, silver grey with touches of red. The word THUNDERBIRD 7 was stencilled in black on the sides. Jenna had asked for a chair to be brought from the mainland for just this purpose, to be able to get Scott out to the pool and to the gym long before he was able to walk there himself and it was only ever to be a temporary measure.
"Virgil's had it down in 2's workshop giving it a spray paint job," Alan explained, hoping Scott would take it in the spirit in which it was intended.
"Yeah guys, it's great, very funny!" Scott remarked, genuinely touched, but other sadder thoughts were now creeping into his mind, which didn't go unnoticed by Jenna.
When his brothers had helped Scott into the chair Jenna came to face him and hunkering down to his eye level she took his hand in hers. "Now just you get those thoughts outta your mind right now, do you hear me?" she said forcefully, making sure he was understanding her. "I know what you're thinking and it's not going to be that way, understood?" Jenna added, knowing he was thinking that this might be the only Thunderbird he was ever likely to fly again. Scott nodded but she wasn't sure he was really listening. "Scott, this is only temporary, it's only to be able to get you out to the pool," she assured him. "It's either this or wait until you're able to walk yourself. I just thought it would be a treat for you to get out to the pool earlier. So, what's it to be, Mister?" Jenna asked, with a direct and forthright attitude. "Come out to the pool with us now or sit here in the room and stew all night." she continued, giving him a gentle ultimatum.
Scott could see the logic of what she was saying and gradually his face lost that sadness, realising he was looking forward to getting into the pool. He had to laugh at her determination not to let him get down and for always making him see the positive; she always had his best interests at heart. "Yeah, I guess you're right, and it is only temporary," he repeated as if wanting to convince himself it was true.
"Good," she encouraged him, giving him a warm smile and squeezing his hand. "Now, what say we get out to this pool? I've been looking forward to this myself," Jenna enthused, since she hadn't taken much time for personal relaxation.
The boys were impressed with how quickly Jenna seemed to be able to lift their down-at-heart brother out of his mood and were fast coming to the conclusion that she was good for him, hoping that she would stay long after her duties were completed for they had become very fond of her.
Scott now relaxed into a happier mood. "Care to climb aboard and let me fly you there," he offered, holding out his hand to her and inviting her to sit on his lap.
"Why, Mr Tracy, I'd be delighted," Jenna replied smiling, as she took hold of his hand and sat on his lap, happy to join his little game of imagination as he had been with hers. Scott Tracy's lap was a very comfortable place to be she thought as she wound her arms around his neck, he with his arm around her waist.
"So, who's at the controls then?" Scott asked, keeping up the pretence.
"That'll be me," Alan offered, with a mischievous grin. " But with all this extra weight I'm gonna need some help," he added cheekily, at which comment Jenna laughingly made a playful swipe at him.
Gordon quickly volunteered his services, grabbing one of the handles. "Say, how fast do you's wanna go?" he asked with a wicked gleam in his eye. "Mach One, Two?" he added, looking to his partner-in-crime who thought it a great idea being the speed freak that he was.
"Just get us there in one piece, understood?" Scott said in an authoritative tone. "Or you two will be pulling the worst duty I can think up," he added with a note of relish and a certain degree of threat.
Gordon and Alan looked at each other in a less than worried state and gave their brother a smart salute, clicking their heels together. "Yes sir, Captn'," they grinned, like two mischievous schoolboys intent on doing their own thing.
Now that they were all ready to go John opened the infirmary door as Gordon and Alan jerked the chair backwards on the two back wheels before pushing off, causing Jenna to hold on to Scott that little bit tighter, not that he was going to complain about that. Once out in the hallway, they taxied to the corner that led down another hallway to the accompaniment of aircraft engine noises, which Jenna found so funny she couldn't help but laugh. Virgil and John could only roll their eyes at the juvenile antics of their younger brothers. They were now lined up with a door at the far end of the hallway, the door that led out onto the pool terrace.
"You guys prepared for take-off?" Alan asked mischievously with Gordon reminding them to fasten their seat belts before both boys began the revving noises of an airplane getting ready to gather speed going down the runway.
"A…l…a….n! G…o…r….d….o….n!" Scott called out, his voice becoming almost lost as they gathered speed down the hall, while Jenna closed her eyes tightly , hoping they knew how to stop this crazy ride before crashing through the door. Virgil and John took one look at each other and hastily bolted after them. That door was getting ever closer and with no obvious reduction in speed Scott and Jenna braced themselves for the inevitable collision, having no option but to hold on tightly to one another. Miraculously, though, they opened their eyes to find they had come to a halt, albeit a skidding halt as both boys frantically grappled for traction on the smooth floor. From the look on Gordon and Alan's faces as Virgil and John finally caught up they would have said their two wayward siblings were far more relieved than Scott and Jenna.
Gordon pinched his nose and spoke in a voice imitating the Captain coming over the intercom, "We would like to thank you for flying Tracy Airways. We hope you had a pleasant flight," which brought a twitching from Scott's cheek muscles, "and hope to see you again for the return journey."
"Not a chance in he…..," Scott almost got said when Jenna clamped her hand over his mouth as she tried hard not to laugh at the schoolboy antics of the two jokers.
"I think, maybe, we should let Virgil handle the return journey, guys," Jenna said diplomatically. "But thanks anyway, that was……quite…an experience," she added, not knowing exactly how to describe it.
After taking a few moments to calm down Jenna asked Scott if he was OK about going outside before taking his aviator shades out of his pocket and putting them on him. She nodded appreciatively, there was something about a guy wearing aviator shades she thought and more so when that guy was Scott Tracy.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Scott replied casually, then realising he was doing what he always did, pretending to be fine, to be strong, not admitting his true feelings when actually he was feeling apprehensive. He hadn't been outside since the day he came home with that excruciating headache that started this whole business that now found him being wheeled out like a helpless invalid with a useless arm to the swimming pool. How he ever managed to fly TB1 back home was anybody's guess as by the time he was landing he was having difficulty concentrating and once on the launch pad everything just went black. The only good thing to have come out of this was that he had lost his heart well and truly, he knew, as he looked at Jenna and he knew he was going to have to share his true feelings and be honest with himself and everyone else if he wanted her to stay with him.
"Actually guys, I'm feeling kinda nervous," Scott admitted, much to the surprise of his brothers who had expected him to say he was fine. In that moment they were never so proud of their eldest brother for being able to admit to something they knew was hard for him. They wondered if perhaps, it might be the calming influence of Jenna being in his life that was bringing about this subtle change.
Virgil put his hand on Scott's shoulder, giving it a firm grip, telling him it was only understandable given what he had been through and that they were all there to support him. One by one his brothers touched him on the shoulder in a reassuring gesture, followed by Jenna lifting his hand and affectionately kissing his fingers.
The evening sun was still warm as Scott took his first breath of fresh air, heavy with the scent of the tropical flowers Kyrano grew in the garden as well as the smell of the ocean. He hadn't realised the wonderful fresh smell there was from the ocean before or the tropical air, his sense of smell having become keener with having been denied them for so long. He would be certain never to take them for granted again and would make sure he took time to appreciate the sights and smells of his island home, since he thought he had very nearly lost that pleasure forever.
Having now got up from his lap Jenna watched him with a warm smile as Scott closed his eyes in a brief moment of appreciation before being wheeled to the sun bed nearest the pool. Now he faced another daunting prospect as he looked into the clear blue water of the pool. It was a place he loved to be, diving and messing around with his brothers especially after the stresses of a rescue, now he wondered if he was even going to be able to keep himself afloat having one useless arm. He knew, at some point, this evening his brothers would descend into messing around and he wouldn't be able to join in; right there and then he wanted to go back indoors. Jenna could see the apprehension and a slight frustration creep into his face and assured him once he was in he would probably enjoy it and the water would support his weight.
"Guys, just remember, this is Scott's time in the pool," Jenna reminded them, wanting to make sure they did the exercises with him they agreed on. "And then you can go horsing around," she added, to which she received a salute and a 'Yes ma'am', making her shake her head with an exasperated sigh.
It was agreed that Virgil and John would help Scott into the pool by giving him a chair lift between them so now they all eagerly stripped off, ready for the pool. Jenna couldn't help but notice that all the Tracy boys seemed to keep themselves in fairly good shape. Gordon had the definite body shape of a swimmer, with well-developed upper arm muscles as well as legs and a trim, narrow waist, his chosen swimwear being Speedos. Virgil, too, had upper body strength with broad shoulders, though his waist was more proportionate to the rest of him, both he and John opting for fitted shorts as their swimwear. John was leaner than his brothers but it was still obvious he worked out and Alan was getting there; she could see what Tin-Tin saw in him. He preferred the young and trendy baggy shorts and Scott? She already knew every rippling muscle of his well-proportioned body and for her, he was just perfection. Jenna helped him off with his robe to find him wearing well fitting shorts in a midnight blue, accentuating his strong and muscular thighs. She had to allow herself a smile, as it was a change to actually see him wearing anything.
Jenna slipped off her robe too much wolf whistling and appreciative looks, making her feel somewhat self-conscious but never more so when she caught Scott's reaction to what she was wearing; a not too skimpy bikini she thought in deep blue and silver grey.
Virgil and John made the chair lift by holding each other's wrists and after Scott put his right arm around Virgil's shoulder, Jenna putting his left arm around John, he manoeuvred himself onto their arms, enabling them to carry him into the water. Gordon and Alan did a running jump into the deep end, doing a cannonball, which sent up a spray of water over the poolside, while Scott had to be content with being carried down the steps of the shallow end. Virgil and John all the while assured him it was just until he had strength back in his legs and he would be bombing in there in no time. As Jenna followed him down the steps Tin-Tin joined them, to another round of wolf whistles of which she took no notice, being used to these boys flirtatious ways. She also couldn't fail to notice again the scars across his back and remembered with a mixture of feelings how he came by them, feelings of anger at the incompetence that led to his being trapped but also feelings of deep love for his self-sacrificing spirit.
Another figure was watching the proceedings from up on the balcony as the happy sounds of his sons in the pool floated in the evening air. Jeff had come out onto the balcony, knowing that this was his eldest sons first trip outside since his accident and a mixture of feelings coursed through his mind as he watched Scott having to be carried into the pool like a helpless child. He felt happy that his son had progressed this far, bearing in mind the various setbacks he had suffered from the surgery but he also couldn't help feeling sorrow, knowing how Scott must be feeling at having to be carried; his eldest son being a strong-minded, independent and physically strong young man. He watched for a while, hoping his son would enjoy his first evening out in the fresh air and Jenna's constant attention to him did not go unnoticed either.
Once out in the middle of the pool Virgil and John lowered Scott into the water as Gordon and Alan came to join the party. It did feel strange at first, Scott thought as he tentatively started to tread water, John stayed by his left side and Virgil moved away, allowing the use of his right hand to scull the water in back and forward movements to keep himself afloat. It did feel good now, though, to be in the water and know he was safe enough as he had enough brothers around him who wouldn't let him drown. They may normally horse around in the water but they knew that this first time was important for Scott to gain some confidence and to start building strength in his leg muscles so he could walk again.
Jenna swam around in front of him, encouraging him as Gordon started on the routine they had agreed on, with Virgil and Alan relieving John on his left side every so often. Jenna then left them to it, taking time out to enjoy floating and relaxing in the warm water on this beautiful evening in this tropical island paradise. She had to smile to herself, wondering what her friends at the hospital would say if they could see her now. They'd probably want to stick daggers in her back so envious would they be. Not only was she on this beautiful island hideaway and swimming lazily in the warm water of an outdoor pool, but she also had a patient like Scott Tracy who could set a forest alight with his smouldering looks and burning kisses. She also knew, though, he wouldn't be a patient forever and she had already made a very painful decision.
