Thunderbirds and The Tracy Family were created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson

Author's Note: While I know Scott Tracy is an excellent poker player the idea that he had 'good teachers' who taught him the 'family secrets', that is, the finer points of the game, belongs to my friend FellowRiverrat.

A reference is made to the old western High Noon, which was directed by Fred Zinnemann.

Chapter 50

Virgil was practically becoming frantic at the thought Scott should think that he would try to hit on a girl he knew his brother to be in love with. "Hey..wait a minute Scott….you know I'd never do anything like that to you….you know that..don't you?" Virgil stated assuredly.

"Do I, Virg? All I know is…I've seen how you look at Jen, " Scott continued in that same eerie, cold calm, his eyes narrowing a little.

"Well…you've gotta admit…she is attractive. I mean….what guy in his right mind wouldn't look," Virgil admitted absentmindedly with a smile on his face.

"Yeah…she is…isn't she?" Scott agreed, lulling his brother into a false sense of security. "So…you admit it then," he added, his eyes glinting in manic mischief. Scott made as if to attempt to get out of bed in an effort to 'get at' his brother, making Virgil automatically back away a few steps.

"Yeah….NO!…I mean no, Scott…of course not. I mean…yeah, she's attractive…but you know I wouldn't," Virgil said, feeling he was getting himself tied up in knots. "It..it was only ever a bit of fun….I was just tryin to find out how you felt…that's all. I..I've known for a long time how Jen felt about you….I would never seriously….," Virgil continued to babble out an explanation, desperate that his closest brother should believe him.

Now it was Jenna's turn to feel like the bone between two dogs. Folding her arms and shaking her head in exasperation at the pair of them she coughed, "I guess I should be flattered…but whenever you two can stop chewing over me like some bone….!"

"Huh! Oh yeah….sorry Jen," Virgil apologised. "Well…you tell him Jen….there's never been anything….we're just friends," he pleaded, looking to her for back-up so she could convince Scott of his innocence.

"Oh Virgil…relax….he's just windin you up," Jenna smiled sympathetically. "AREN'T YOU, MR TRACY?" she said pointedly, looking past Virgil to give Scott a wide-eyed grin.

With that a pillow hit Virgil squarely on the back. "Yeah Virg….lighten up, will ya," Scott laughed heartily, causing Virgil, first to stiffen, then to round, narrow-eyed, on his brother.

"Why….I oughtta….," Virgil ground out in mocking crossness, as he closed in on his still laughing brother and trying his hardest not to laugh too.

"Hey Virg, you wouldn't hit a poor defenceless, helpless guy….would ya?" Scott grinned, holding up his hand in mock surrender.

"Scott Tracy," Virgil began, shaking his head while a grin spread across his face. "You may be many things….but defenceless….and helpless! Never. Why….I don't believe you were even born helpless," he grinned, continuing the good-natured banter, causing both brothers now to laugh together.

"Virg…I swear…you're turning more and more into Grandma," Scott laughed, as he caught the idiosyncrasy again in his brother's speech.

"No, I am not," Virgil retorted quickly, pulling his face into a heavy frown. "Heck…I am…aren't I?" he grinned, good-naturedly laying the blame at his brother's feet for the 'stress' he had been put under in keeping her from her task.

Jenna smiled to herself as both brothers embraced in a sign that all was well between them; a little stab of sadness piercing her heart at the close relationship these two brothers shared. She coughed again to make her presence felt. "Look…I hate to break this up between you guys….but I think we'd better have this supper before it's lost, especially as Grandma's gone to all this trouble," she suggested.

"Yeah..you're right Jen. I'll leave you guys to it," Virgil offered, taking that as his cue to leave.

"Hey Virg…stay and have some with us," Scott asked. "It's the least we can do and anyway…there's far too much here. Isn't that right, Jen?" he added, looking to her expectantly and hoping she would agree.

"Look..that's very good of you guys but Grandma made this for you," Virgil protested, "and I've already eaten but thanks."

"It's the least WE can do!" Jenna repeated, giving Scott a wry smile. "It wasn't my idea to torment your brother…but yes, of course, you must stay Virgil. You can at least have some of this apple pie and a coffee," she insisted, linking her arm through his and steering him in the direction of the coffee maker. "Let ME make up for what that brother of yours put you through," she grinned as she looked towards Scott.

Scott, now totally confident and trusting of their mutual love for one another, took time to quietly reflect as he observed his brother. His knew his brother to be a completely honourable man and having once known that he was in love with her would never have attempted to steal her away, knowing a lesser man would have taken advantage of his helpless situation. It was something all his brothers had promised never to do to each other. He put his former jealousy down to the fact that Virgil couldn't have known about his feelings towards Jenna, not having voiced them to anyone, though not realising he had been so transparent.

He smiled to himself as he thought of Jen's description of Virgil, being sweet, sensitive and perceptive. He didn't know about the 'sweet' part but Virgil had proved himself to be perceptive and sensitive to his feelings and not for the first time. Time and time again, Virgil had been his rock to lean on, a steadying and stable force in his turmoil of emotions; a man he could trust implicitly to tell him the truth even if it was something he didn't want to hear. Virgil, while being sensitive and seemingly laid back, was totally fearless in that regard, often having come to blows over issues and proving to have as stubborn and a strong-willed nature as his own.

He was totally fearless too, in his position as Thunderbird 2's pilot, often putting himself in danger to save the lives of people he didn't know and those of his brothers. There was barely a rescue that Virgil wasn't involved in; even when it involved Thunderbird 4, it was Virgil who had the potentially hazardous job of retrieving the Pod from a sometimes-stormy sea. In his estimation there wasn't a better pilot anywhere or a more important craft to the International Rescue fleet than TB2, even more so than TB1, for while TB1 may seem the more glamorous craft, sleek and fast, she was nothing if they did not have the means to get their equipment to a rescue to save lives. Virgil was a man he would trust implicitly with his own life and, indeed, had done so on many occasions.

Scott also knew that because of his laid back and calm approach to life it gave him the appearance that nothing bothered him or that he was untouched by a difficult rescue but Scott knew that was far from the truth; it was just that Virgil had found a creative outlet to deal with his emotions that he sometimes envied. His ability to express his emotions through his art and music was a gift, which was actually quite soothing and healing for the whole family. Because, too, of his creative ability, Virgil was a natural romantic and found the whole subject of love and it's many intricacies much easier to deal with. He smiled to himself at the thought of the many late night discussions they had had over a cold drink, out by the pool, and he bowing to his brother's instinctive knowledge of what would make a woman ultimately happy and then laughing and wondering why they could never find that someone special to prove his theory.

As he watched them both approach now, Virgil with coffee in hand, laughing and relaxed, he realised just how blessed he was; to not only have a brother he could totally trust but to have found his someone special, them having talked earlier that the one thing they wanted most from a relationship was affection.

Virgil perched himself on the end of the bed as Jenna brought the table over and watched as she automatically arranged everything to make things easier for his brother before starting her own meal, catching the loving look that passed between them.

"Now I know why I hate playin poker with you," Virgil grinned as he addressed his brother. "It's about the only time I can't read you like a book," he added in a good-natured grumble.

"That's the idea, old buddy," Scott grinned back, raising his eyebrows. "It's just practice….oh…and of course….I had good teachers!" he laughed.

"I'll say," Virgil groaned, causing Jenna to look puzzlingly from one to the other. Virgil explained that Scott had the 'honour' of being taught the 'family secrets', the finer points of the game, by seasoned experts, going on then to reveal the identity of the said experts.

"You're kiddin," Jenna laughed, wide-eyed in amazement, to which both boys shook their heads innocently.

"Nope….straight up," Scott replied to her disbelieving look. "Maybe some day I'll teach you," he smiled seductively, gazing into her eyes. "But only on the condition you always play with me and not against me," he added, that coded look passing between them, as if no one else in the world existed but them.

"Why, Mr Tracy….I wouldn't have it any other way," she responded teasingly.

"Gee Scott…you really are in love, aren't you!" Virgil quipped laughingly. He then turned to Jenna. "Jen, you're half way there already anyway…you've got 'the look'. You sure have had me fooled at times," he added, to which they all burst into laughter. "And you know, with what he's been taught, he has more secrets up there than all of International Rescue's secrets put together," Virgil grinned, as he tapped his brother's head, making Scott swipe playfully at him.

"You know….you owe me….big time….big brother" Virgil continued in between mouthfuls of apple pie, then going on to regale them with the account of how he prevented Grandma from bringing the tray herself, and of how their father had almost caved in to the temptation only to be stopped in his tracks by Grandma giving him the 'evil eye', causing them to collapse into more fits of laughter. "…..and then….well….that's when she called across the lounge," Virgil cringed, continuing in his tale, rather reluctantly at this point.

"Aw..you don't mean…..you didn't get the full title, did ya?" Scott winced sympathetically.

"Yep…fraid so," Virgil replied, cringing again as he 'heard' Grandma's voice ringing in his ears.

"Ouch," Scott grimaced in sympathy with his brother, causing Jenna to look totally bewildered from one to the other as this verbal ping-pong continued. Scott grinned as he offered the explanation. "Well, you know how Dad named us after famous astronauts?"

"I had heard something like that….but I can't say that I'm as up on my astronauts as I am on my pilots!" Jenna confessed sheepishly, giving Scott a wry smile at her last remark, which did not go unnoticed by him as he gave her a wry grin of his own. It hadn't gone unnoticed by Virgil either and not for the first time had he felt he was intruding on a private and intimately cosy conversation.

"Dad named us after five of the seven Mercury Missions astronauts of the early 1960's," Scott explained, continuing to name them. "John is named after John Glenn, then Gordon Cooper, Alan Sheppard and I have the distinction of being Scott Carpenter Tracy," he finished with a weak smile.

"That has a nice ring to it….very impressive," Jenna nodded, giving him a warm smile. "And Virgil?" she asked hesitantly, looking from him to Scott and getting the distinct impression he didn't like his at all.

Virgil reddened as his brother spoke up. "Let me introduce you to Virgil 'Gus' Grissom Tracy," he said, trying not to grin and understanding perfectly well why Virgil cringed when he heard it.

Jenna put her hand to her mouth in an effort to disguise a huge smile and took a few moments to compose herself before commenting. "Well…..that's certainly distinctive…and….VERY impressive," she acknowledged, trying not to embarrass him any more than he already was.

Scott went on to explain that Grandma had a habit of calling them by their full titles whenever she wanted to show her displeasure.

"Poor Virgil….but we really did appreciate all your effort, didn't we, Scott?" Jenna said gratefully, to which he agreed.

"Yeah…well….like I said…you owe me big time, buddy." Virgil said, his face returning to a grin, as he had every intention of calling this debt in.

After finishing their meal Virgil prepared to leave. "Looks like Dad's in luck," Virgil commented on seeing that there was still some apple pie left over. "That's if he's not gone to bed already," he said without thinking and suddenly reminding himself not to say it was because he was looking tired, not wanting Scott to become worried. "Well…I'd better get goin. Grandma'll be wantin to know how you enjoyed supper," he hastily added, in an effort to cover his tracks, but without success.

"He's worried about me….isn't he?" Scott remarked, having already picked up on what Virgil had said, his face clouding, masking the happiness he had previously felt. "Dad's tired because he's worried about me, isn't he?" he repeated as he looked to his brother.

Virgil looked to the floor before glancing briefly at Jenna and then to Scott, mentally kicking himself for having mentioned it. "You know Dad, Scott….he's always worried…about all of us," he answered lightly, although it was the truth.

"Yeah…I know….but he's worried about International Rescue being off-line for so long, isn't he? I know I would be," Scott continued with a note of dejection now clear in his voice.

Virgil shot Jenna a now worried look. "Scott…that's not your problem and it's not your fault," Jenna told him gently. "And I don't want you dwelling on it. The only thing I want you to concentrate on is yourself…to getting well. Is that understood?" she added with continued gentleness but with a definite firmness.

"Jen's right," Virgil agreed. "It's time you thought of yourself for a change…and anyway Scott, International Rescue's been off-line before…you know that," he continued, trying to reassure his brother.

"Exactly Virg….which is why we can't afford to be off-line again for any length of time. Innocent lives are at stake," Scott replied now suddenly feeling the weight of duty and guilt pressing down on him.

Annoyed with himself for bringing that haunted look back into his brother's face after seeing him so happy for once, Virgil flared. "Yeah…well your innocent life was at stake…and not for the first time," he said, letting go pent up emotions, especially as he thought of the incompetence of that near fatal mine disaster.

He, too, had had his own nightmares about that one, waking in the night and tearing at imaginary rubble in an effort to get to his trapped brother. He remembered the numbness he felt when the roof collapsed initially, thinking his brother must be dead under all that rock, then the temporary relief at realising he was still alive and the constant frustration of not being able to get to him as each new rock fall seemed to push them further back. When the rescue had gotten into the second day he feared how he would find him, all communications having ceased after that first day. He remembered the mixture of joy, horror and guilt he felt when they had finally broken through; the joy of realising his brother was still alive, the horror of seeing the state he was in, trapped, bleeding and delirious and the overwhelming sense of guilt he felt at not being able to get to him sooner. He remembered well, too, the anger he felt when told it need never have happened, their rescue efforts having been futile, his brother's life having been put at risk to save someone who had already been helped to safety, all through sheer incompetence.

"…and your innocent life is just as important as anybody else's…your innocent life is what's important to us and that goes for Dad too. You've put your life on the line time and time again….we all have. You've always put everybody else first…well…now it's time for you Scott…we just want you to think of yourself for a change and get well…and it won't do the rest of us any harm either…we could all do with some time out before we burn out. So what if we're off-line for a while. We've made a difference…..we've nothing to feel guilty about. We're only one family and we've done the best that we can over the years but we just can't save the whole world, Scott," Virgil stated in a passionate outburst of emotion.

For the first time Scott was seeing how his injury had affected his family, realising the depth of worry they must have went through. "I'm sorry Virg, I guess I didn't realise how all this must have affected you guys," Scott apologised and taken aback at the depth of his brother's passion.

"Now there you go again, Scott…thinking of everybody else when you should be concentrating on yourself. It's not your fault, so please don't apologise," Virgil reassured him, drawing from him a reluctant nod of acceptance. "We…we thought we'd lost you Scott," Virgil admitted quietly. "And over something so dang simple….I guess it just made me realise how vulnerable we really are. So don't you go worrying over how long we're off-line….it'll be just as long as it takes to get you back on your feet again and well….however long that takes…and Dad feels the same way too," Virgil finished, giving his brother a firm and reassuring grasp of his hand.

"Virgil's right, Scott," she smiled appreciatively at Virgil. "I don't think the world does appreciate what you guys do, the danger you put yourselves in time and time again. Well, sometimes you have to put yourself first if you're to go on helping other people….and for you Scott, this is one of those times," she said, giving him a warm and loving smile. "I don't want you to worry about anything else, or you're going to give yourself more headaches. Just concentrate on yourself for a while……and that's an order, Mr Tracy," Jenna added with an encouragingly warm smile.

"Yes ma'am," Scott responded, a weak smile crossing his face and feeling a surge of emotion as he looked from one to the other, a surge of emotion that came from being both loved and cared about. Lying back on the pillows he closed his eyes and reflected on what they had both said.

Taking his leave Jenna walked Virgil to the door. "I'm sorry Jen. I wished I hadn't opened my big mouth…he was so happy earlier," he apologised. "Is he going to be all right?" he asked, looking worriedly back towards his apparently sleeping brother.

"You did the right thing, Virgil, don't worry," Jenna assured him as she followed his gaze and smiled. "He needed to hear that. It would have been on his mind at one point or other….you know that. And thank you….for everything," she smiled warmly, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"No…thank you, hunny…for bringing him through all of this. And I'm glad you two have talked," Virgil replied sincerely. "….means I don't have to go head-to-head with him now….and…thanks to you…maybe he'll be a bit easier to live with," he quipped with a grin, making her laugh. Giving her a light kiss on the cheek he left.

Scott opened his eyes to the affectionate stroking of her fingers on his face. "Have I told you recently how much I love you, Mr Tracy," she smiled a warm and loving smile.

"Let me think," he pretended to ponder. "Not for over an hour, at least," he responded with a tired smile, "…though I think we were getting around to showing each other." Jenna flushed slightly, feeling her heart race and her body react at the memory of his sensual touch. "And have I told you lately how much I love you, Nurse Rollins," Scott returned the sentiment, a light shining from his rapidly tiring eyes.

"Oh..let me think," she pretended to ponder. "Not for over an hour, at least," she responded, the warmth from her smile warming his heart. "….and we were definitely getting around to showing each other," she added wryly. His heartbeat rose a little at the memory of her reaction to him.

"I do Jen…more than you'll ever know," Scott told her with such sincerity it touched her deeply. He pulled her to him for an affectionate kiss but their lips had barely met when she felt him wince.

"Scott! What is it?" Jenna asked, concerned at the pained expression on his face.

"Aww Jen…..I…I don't think I'm gonna make it," he grimaced. "I…I…," he tried to say.

"Scott!….," she asked again before her face relaxed into a sympathetic smile. "You need a bottle?" she offered gently, guessing from his discomfort, to which he nodded embarrassingly. "Oh Scott, there's no need to be embarrassed. I'll be right back," she said, immediately getting him what he needed. "Do you need any help?" she offered and with his saying he didn't she left him in private for a while.

On returning to discard the covered item Jenna found him silent. "Everything all right!" she asked gently but realised it wasn't when he couldn't bring himself to look at her, reminding her of the early stages of his recovery after his 'embarrassment'. "Scott, what is it….what's wrong?" she asked gently, aware that he was still struggling with this aspect of his recovery.

"I….I've…," Scott started to say, wincing embarrassingly as he struggled to explain his predicament.

"Scott!" Jenna said urging him gently, though by now she had guessed his problem.

"I….I've…Aghh..damn it, Jen….I've had an accident," he eventually managed to get out, clearly annoyed with himself and feeling humiliated.

"Scott, that's not a problem," she gently said, reassuring him. "We talked about this before. It's only temporary….it's not going to last forever, I promise," she added sympathetically. "I'll get you some fresh sheets," and with that she went to the linen cupboard.

"Do you need me to get out of bed?" Scott offered, annoyed, too, that he was putting her to all this extra work and making to be helped out.

"No…we'll do it like we've done before….not a problem," Jenna replied lightly.

Scott shuffled himself onto his side to one side of the bed, Jenna rolling up the used sheet and tucking it in behind him. She next spread the fresh sheet halfway across the bed, with half of it rolled lengthwise, and Scott rolled over and shuffled himself onto the newly laid one. Discarding the used one she then unrolled the fresh sheet and tucked it in.

"There…how to change a sheet with somebody still in the bed…easy when you know how," she said lightly, hoping to make him smile and making it sound almost like a magic trick but all she got was a rather weak attempt at a smile. "I brought you you're sleep things as well. You might as well change now, seeing as it's late," Jenna suggested calmly and without fuss, setting his nightwear, comprising of shorts and top, on the newly made bed.

"Jen….how can you….," he started to say, setting his face in a questioning frown.

"How can I what, Scott?" she asked, giving him a gentle smile.

"How can you love a guy who…who….," he continued but found it hard to complete the sentence.

"Who!" Jenna replied as she looked at him in all wide-eyed innocence.

"Who….who….," he tried to say, unwilling to put it into words and knowing that she knew what he was wanting to say but was going to make him say it anyway.

"Who…is honourable and loving, witty and funny. Who…lights up my life. Who…sets me on fire with his kisses," she responded innocently with a twinkling mischief in her eyes.

He almost smiled….she could see he wanted to but instead he narrowed his eyes, meeting hers, staring each other down in what became, for a moment, a stand-off, akin to an old western show-down. She wondered, amusedly, if she had just become 'the bad guy' in this little 'High Noon' drama.

"No…you know what I mean," he retorted frustratingly, to which he only received a continued wide-eyed look of 'I don't know what you mean'. "Who…who…damn it, Jen…who wets himself. All right? There….I've said it," he eventually answered, the annoyance that he felt evidently clear.

Jenna bit her bottom lip in an attempt to hide the affectionate smile she felt breaking across her face at his endearing 'little boy' frown. She breathed an exaggerated sigh. "Is that all? For a minute there I thought you were going to say…who is a mass murderer," she replied, her eyes continuing to twinkle with mischief as she now helped him struggle out of his clothes and into his sleep shorts, having declined the wearing of a top. For the briefest of moments they stared each other out before the ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Unable to keep from seeing the funny side of it any longer they collapsed in a heap of laughter, Scott automatically putting his arm around her.

"I guess it did sound a bit ridiculous, didn't it?" he acknowledged, to which she nodded in agreement. "I do love you, Jen," he reiterated seriously.

"Now…where were we, Mr Tracy?" she said seductively, gazing into his, once more, happy but tired face.

"I think…right about here," he responded throatily as he pulled her to him for that affectionate kiss. "Lay with me a while, Jen," he asked, wanting to feel her close to him.

"I'll go and change first," she smiled lovingly. Jenna changed into her comfortable sleep-set of soft cotton top and shorts and on coming back, cuddled into his back as Scott had turned on his left side. He felt warm and firm as she moulded herself to his shape. Having wrapped her arm around him he slid his right hand along her arm, holding her to him in the loving embrace of a contented lover. Tenderly she kissed his back and whispered, "Goodnight Scott," but she could tell from his steady and rhythmic breathing that he was already asleep.