The Tracy Boys and Thunderbirds are the creation of Sylvia and Gerry Anderson

Simanis: Time wise this is only Scott's 2nd day out of bed after having major brain surgery on a closed head injury and being bedridden for 3 weeks, so his leg muscles are still going to be weak and not strong enough yet to support him, even though Jenna has been doing exercises while he's been in bed, that's just to keep his circulation going and his muscles from stiffening. Bear in mind too, that he's not long over a fever, which would have left him feeling weak and tired, hence the need to use Thunderbird 7 (the wheelchair) until he gets strength back in his legs and then he needs to get used to the action of walking again. Realistically you don't just get out of bed and all of a sudden you can walk and I think he's doing pretty well, considering.

Of course, that's not stopping him foolin around with Jenna, he's quite happy to have her sitting on his knee and you wouldn't deny him a little happiness, would you?

She told Mike in Chapter 38 there was no change in his arm yet so I didn't see the need to keep mentioning it, although I do refer to his using his right arm or hand so you could take it from that that he still hasn't the use of his left. You can take it as read too, that Jenna still does exercises on his left.

Author's Note: To the best of my knowledge, the scientific information given is both true and accurate, except where Jenna states otherwise, and was provided through a programme on serious scientific research. My thanks to FellowRiverrat for passing on that information.

Chapter 43

Scott stared hard at the unfamiliar face that stared back at him from the mirror. He hadn't given his appearance much thought, his thoughts having always been elsewhere, his mind having been diverted by the loving attention of a certain young nurse. No one had made mention of how he looked, not even his brothers had poked fun and they rarely passed up an opportunity, which spoke to him of how much they cared about his feelings and not wanting him to get down and depressed. On looking now, he could see why and he reckoned he had looked a whole lot worse.

"Is that me!" he pondered, wincing slightly as he peered into the mirror, turning his face a little this way and then the other to see if the reflection would follow suit, proving to himself it was, indeed, his reflection. He frowned as he put his fingers tentatively to his cheekbone, and tracing them down into the hollow of his cheek, observed that he had lost weight, the face always being the first place it showed. It was hardly surprising, he thought, given that he had been fed only by a NG feed tube for almost 3 weeks and had only just starting eating again properly, though even yet his appetite was not as it was.

It couldn't escape his notice either, that he still had blackened bruising around his eyes, making him think of a Giant Panda and he knew it must've been worse earlier on. His fingers now moved upwards and over the stubble that was now growing over the healed up wound on his right side, where his head had been shaved of his thick, dark hair and he thought of how lopsided it looked, the rest of his hair still growing normally. Taking a deep breath, Scott choked back the emotion of how gaunt and ill he really looked, though he had to admit he didn't feel ill, smiling weakly to his reflection that it was because Jenna had made him feel good about himself.

Jenna! Is this how she saw him? How could she want him, how could she desire him looking like this, he thought. And yet, she had kissed him with a want, kissed him with a desire and an intense passion to match his own for her. He could tell she had. As he continued to stare at the face he now knew to be his, he thought of what she had told him, about how she saw him, when he had been a bit down just before getting the catheter removed. She had told him of the person she saw inside, the caring and selfless man that he was, the sensitive, considerate and extremely passionate lover she knew he would be. He swallowed hard against the emotion he felt rising in him that the remembrance of her words brought.

How must he have looked too, all those times when their eyes met and they had come so close only to be interrupted and when they shared that first sweet, tender kiss that soon had them engulfed in a raging fire of passion and want for each other. Had he known how he looked would he still have tried, risking her rejection by having her laugh or worse, to look on him with disgust? He knew he couldn't turn his feelings off like a tap; he had tried earlier when his 'voice' told him not to be stupid, how could she possibly want him with a useless arm, and yet, she had looked on him with tenderness, desire and what he hoped was love, obviously looking past the physical and into his very soul.

Another reflection now joined his. Smiling warmly at him from the mirror and interrupting his thoughts, Jenna rested her hands on his shoulders, causing him to smile weakly. "They're fading well…..your bruises," she assured him. "They'll be gone in no time…and with Grandma feeding you up you'll soon put back the weight," Jenna said softly, understanding what he was feeling and smiling lovingly at him. With a wry grin she added, "I've put on a few pounds myself since I've been here, thanks to Grandma."

Scott broadened his smile a little at her desire to make him feel good about himself and also at the fact he wouldn't complain at all about her figure. "Guess I'm lookin' a bit lopsided," he mused, trying to be light hearted, though frowning as he turned his head sideways for a better look in the mirror.

Jenna ran her fingers through the rest of his hair, talking to his reflection. "That's not a problem, we'll get it cut for you…..take it down and then keep trimming it until the rest of it catches up," she said gently and confidently, knowing that his self-esteem was in need of a boost right at that moment.

"It'll be short," he said, almost as if it were a warning to prepare her for how he would look. "But it's gotta look better than being lopsided," he conjectured, trying to force a laugh. "Used to have it short in the Air Force anyway," Scott reminisced with a far away look in his eyes and consigned to the fact there was no other way.

"I know….I've seen your picture in your Dad's office," Jenna smiled warmly and affectionately. "And very handsome you looked too. Anyway…I'd love you even with no hair," she added without thinking, the words coming out quite naturally as she bent and kissed the top of his head.

He winced as he swallowed hard against the emotion that was threatening to overwhelm him, not that her words pained him but because he desperately wanted to believe she meant them like he hoped she did. Had she really meant to use the word 'love'? Perhaps it was just an expression, a way of encouraging him without any real meaning. He was getting to the stage where he had to know just what she felt for him, how deep her feelings went. He also wanted to let her know how he felt, how deep his feelings were, even if it meant she didn't feel as deeply, right now.

He knew she felt something. She couldn't kiss him the way she had and not feel anything. He knew from the talks they had had, during his physio sessions, when they were getting to know each other better, that there were some things she found hard to deal with, painful things in relation to her brother Johnny, that she had not talked about fully. He also knew that, like himself, she had experienced a bad relationship. If that were the case and she felt this was all too much, too soon but she had feelings for him, he would be prepared to wait. He knew it hadn't been long, quite a short space of time, in fact, but he was absolutely certain of his feelings for her.

In any case, though, this was not the time or the place to have such a deep and intimate conversation, not in a steamy guys locker room and certainly not with all his brothers in attendance. On top of that he was rapidly beginning to tire, the exertion of his exercising starting to take its toll, not to mention the hot and passionate kiss they had shared. He would save it for later when he was rested, when he could think of what he wanted to say.

"Scott?" Jenna called softly to his reflection that seemed to be miles away, causing him to blink and jerk slightly at the mention of his name, bringing him back into focus. She smiled warmly back from the mirror at him to which he responded with a smile of his own, Jenna imagining that he must have been thinking on his appearance. "We'll get it cut down for you after lunch. Gordon will do it for you….won't you Gordon?" she asked, turning to Gordon with a smile.

"What's that, Jen?" Gordon inquired, not having properly listened.

"Scott wants his hair cut…something short and military. I said you'd do it for him this afternoon, after lunch," Jenna explained and hoping Gordon wouldn't chose now to make some wise crack. "You'd know how he'd like it," she added, giving him a knowing look. But she needn't have worried. Gordon could be quite serious when he wanted to be and he was sensitive enough to his eldest brother's feelings to know this was not the time to poke fun.

"Sure Scott….not a problem," Gordon said encouragingly, knowing his brother's self-esteem was about to take another battering. They had all noticed his contemplation of himself in the mirror and knew he was really seeing himself for the first time, though they had all been used to the way he had looked and never took it under their notice. They had never once thought to make fun of him either, know when not to kid around and knowing that their eldest brother's confidence needed building up and not knocked down.

Jenna gave Gordon a smile of thanks and turning back to Scott she remarked with a grin, "It'll look great, you'll see. In fact….I think it'll be quite sexy." Scott blushed as his smile broadened; she always knew the right thing to say, the remark not going unheard by his brothers either.

They prepared to head out of the locker room, now that they were all dressed and ready. Jenna turned to Virgil and once again, with a light laugh, apologised for the Marylyn Munroe comparison. "Actually, Virgil….you should be quite proud of yourself really," Jenna started seriously, keeping a straight face. "I saw this programme once. It was a proper scientific study on the firmness of a man's butt," she added, continuing to be perfectly serious, though as she had done previously she left the subject there, wondering how long it would take for their curiosity to get the better of them. Gordon, Alan and John's ears pricked up at the sound of the words, 'firmness of butt' and 'scientific', though Virgil was slightly unsure, thinking this to be another Jenna wind-up. Scott, too, remained slightly sceptical, knowing her expertise in winding his brothers up, though she did seem serious enough.

As usual she didn't have to wait long. "And what scientific conclusions did they come to?" Gordon grinned, priding himself on having a particularly firm butt being a swimmer.

"Well…..interesting you should ask that," she began enthusiastically, as though she had just received permission to talk about the subject. "It's all to do with your Gluteus Maximus and Gluteus Minora," she continued but she had to smile at the boys, who were now screwing their faces up and mouthing the words to each other, not understanding what on earth she was talking about. "Your Gluteus Maximus and Gluteus Minora are the two major muscle groups in your butt," Jenna explained quite calmly.

A seeming grin of recognition came over Gordon. "Oh…that's all right then," he grinned broadly, about to burst into laughter. "For one minute there, I thought old Gluteus Maximus was a character in that film…what's it called….Gladiators," he said, exploding into the laughter he was no longer able to contain. Turning to Virgil, who had his back to him, Gordon stretched out his hand in a Roman salute and managed to say, in between bouts of laughter, "Hail, Gluteus Maximus!" to Virgil's behind. Such was the contagious nature of his laugh that his brothers joined in, even Scott and Virgil, who had initially rolled their eyes and shook their heads exasperatedly. They had to admit, though, that Gordon did come out with some spontaneously funny things at times. Jenna, too, couldn't help but laugh at his quick retort and agree that the name did, indeed, sound like a Roman Gladiator.

Trying now to regain her composure she continued, "Like I said, they're the two muscle groups and determine the firmness and compactness of your butt." She had to grin and try to stifle a laugh, as out of the corner of her eye she could see Alan frowning, feeling his butt to see if he could figure out which was which. "And…according to scientific research…and this is a well known fact," she went on, as if trying to prove she was genuine. "It's the firmness and compactness of your butt and not….shall we say….eh…other assets….that determines your skill as a lover," Jenna finished, quite casually.

"Your kiddin," Virgil said warily, still suspicious and unsure, not wishing to fall for any more of her wind-ups.

Jenna held her hands up in mock defence. "I promise you, I kid you not. That's what it was about," she replied assuredly. Virgil reddened slightly, now that he remembered her words of 'You should be quite proud of yourself really', knowing that she had witnessed the incident of Gordon letting loose on him with the 'Blaster'.

"Really!" Gordon grinned, like the cat that got the cream, as he twisted to examine his backside, Alan and John following suit.

As Jenna had already apparently given Virgil a seal of approval, she turned to Scott. Catching his attention, their gaze momentarily locked, and she gave him a nod, along with a very warm smile, signifying she was telling the truth. Her eyes also shone with admiration for she knew Scott Tracy's butt very well from caring for him every day so he definitely got her seal of approval, in fact, if she were a teacher he would get an A+ and a gold star but then, she was biased.

"I'm telling ya, that's firmer than yours," Gordon stated proudly, as he patted his butt, much to the frowning of Alan and John.

"I wouldn't say that," John argued, feeling that his regular workouts had made him toned in all the right places.

"Well, I would…..look…you could bounce a nickel of that," Gordon insisted adamantly, as he once again patted his butt, causing Jenna to laugh, knowing very well that had Gordon got a nickel he would have proved it. Scott rolled his eyes heavenwards and shook his head at the ensuing argument, remembering when his brothers were younger and arguing about the comparisons little boys made. "Anyway, it's got nothing to do with exercise," Gordon grinned, "has it, Jen?"

"Fraid he's right, John….though, exercise does stop you getting flabby," Jenna agreed, not wanting to hurt either his or Alan's feelings but fact is fact.

Jenna couldn't help throwing in a little bit of extra information that had nothing whatsoever to do with scientific fact, now that she had them hooked. "Of course, along with the firmness, the circumference measurement too is important," she said, trying now to keep her face absolutely serious. "Would you like a measurement done, Virgil?" she asked quite casually, causing him to momentarily cough and splutter, much to the amusement and urging on of his brothers to accept, all except Scott, that is, who glared at him menacingly as if to say, 'Don't even think about it or I'll kill you with my own bare hands'.

Virgil politely declined the offer, though he couldn't help thinking that this was a Jenna wind-up, though she managed to keep a rather good poker face of which he was very admiring. He imagined she would make very a good poker player and he smiled to himself as he wondered, that since Scott was an excellent poker player himself, if these two went head to head, who would win. Another thought struck him, that if they were a team they would be formidable and, most likely, unbeatable.

Jenna looked at her watch. "Oh, is that the time," she exclaimed, as though surprised. "We'd better go and get lunch," she added, hoping now to make a quick exit as she imagined Gordon would not be past asking to have his butt measured.

Virgil manoeuvred Scott, on board the now dried Thunderbird 7, out of the locker room, into the gym and towards the door to go back to the infirmary. Following on, Jenna could hear agreed whispers coming from behind her.

"I'll pinch one of Grandma's tape measures," Gordon said determinedly. "I'll do a measurement and then pass the tape measure onto you guys. You do your own measurements, we'll write them down and I'll pass it on to Jen…..we'll see what she says," he continued, as though he were formulating a rescue plan. "Only don't tell Scott," he added hastily, unsure what his brother's reaction would be, and even though it was only in fun, it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Yeah….good idea Gordy," Alan agreed before adding quite seriously, "just make sure you don't cheat."

Jenna had to put her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing outright, wondering just what it was she had started and how she was going to dig herself out of this one, knowing full well that Gordon probably would hand her a piece of paper.

"Who…me!" Gordon exclaimed in surprise. "Hey bro…I don't need to cheat," he grinned confidently, twisting again to check. "Anyway, how do I know you guys won't cheat?" he asked frowning, not putting it past his brothers one little bit.

"Because Gordon….I'm interested in proper scientific research," John replied seriously, "and it all sounds very interesting." Alan agreed wholeheartedly, bringing amused smiles from John and Gordon.

Once outside in the hallway, they parted company; the boys heading back upstairs to the kitchen while Jenna took Scott back to the infirmary. She couldn't help smiling and shaking her head as she watched them make their way to the elevator, it still being obvious they were discussing the subject, as every so often one of them would look down at the other's behind, screw their nose up and shake their head, disagreeing with whatever was being said.

It hadn't escaped Scott's notice either. "So, Nurse Rollins….just how much of all that was true?" he inquired with a wry grin, turning to look up at her.

"Oh…it was true, based on scientific fact," Jenna assured him. "Except…for that last bit….about circumference measurement," she confessed, meeting his gaze with a wry smile. Bending down, she whispered in his ear, something about not needing to be worried and gold stars!

After lunch Gordon appeared, as promised, brandishing a pair of hair clippers.