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

Author's Note: Brief mention of a sexual nature made at the beginning. Naughty Virgil!

Chapter 108

"It's…it's just something personal I've been working on," Scott replied, continuing to remain non-committal, as he honed and refined his design some more.

"First nothing…now personal, huh!" Thunderbird Two's pilot mused curiously. "Hey…it's not one of those…kinky things…you know…for…eh…down there…is it!" he then added, with wry amusing, after having given it a few moments thought and nodding down to the place of a man's 'pride and joy', the source, of which, often became the subject of some controversial debate among women, on whether 'size matters'!

"No! It sure as hell isn't!" his eldest brother exclaimed in a heavy frown, extremely indignant.

Virgil immediately held his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, lighten up, buddy….I'm just kidding." But he could see right away that whatever it was, it was something Scott was taking extremely seriously and not finding the least bit humorous. It must be, for him to be so antsy. "Must be something pretty important, huh…that has you hiding away down here for days," he then conjectured.

"I am not hiding," Scott shot back rather defensively, causing the amiable engineer's brow to rise, at the quick retort.

"Say…this really is important to you, buddy…isn't it?" Virgil asked, in sincere concern.

Realising he probably had been a bit testy with his replies, Scott sighed heavily. "Sorry, Virg. Yeah…it is important. I…I just want it to be right…that's all."

It was then Virgil started putting things together. His brother suddenly starting to work feverishly for days, hiding away in his office…and from Jenna, the woman he could hardly bare to be parted from, since they met. He was working in TB1's office, yet it was nothing to do with the sleek silver-grey rocket or indeed, it seemed, anything to do with International Rescue at all nor, for that matter, Tracy Industries. It was personal, highly personal and so important that his brother would not even countenance jokes made of the matter! Something Scott needed and wanted to get absolutely right. Something Scott wanted to be perfect. And something his brother didn't want anyone else to know about, until the time was right.

Virgil scrutinised the sketch a lot more closely and this time his artist's eye picked up something that the engineer in him had missed. This was not a precision machine part, mechanical, electrical or anything else; this was, indeed, something more inherently beautiful, something so exquisite, he wondered why he hadn't seen it before.

"Are these what I think they are!" Virgil asked, somewhat cautiously but with growing excitement, pointing to what looked like two small, yet distinctive objects imbedded in the design. He looked from his eldest brother, to the design and back again.

Scott merely gave a quiet smile.

"Then this is……!" Virgil surmised, growing more excited by the minute, while feeling he had the confirmation he needed, that is, if his eldest brother's reaction was anything to go by.

"Could be," the most introspective of all the Tracy brothers returned with another quiet smile, clearly toying with his brother.

Thunderbird Two's genial though sometimes-serious pilot gave a low whistle. "Gee! You really know how to throw a curve ball, buddy. Things must be pretty serious, huh!"

Serious indeed, if his eldest brother felt he was ready to take this relationship to that level.

Again, the former air force pilot just gave a quiet smile. "Do you think she'll like it, Virg?" Scott asked, seeking now his brother's valued artistic opinion.

The question, in Virgil's mind, was quite unnecessary but, since his brother seemed to need a reassurance!

"What's not to like, buddy! This is amazing," he returned, rather impressed by his brother's artistic endeavours, as he continued to study it more closely.

Scott had obviously worked hard and gone to a lot of trouble to perfect this intricately detailed design but then, this was something worth taking a lot of trouble over and Scott Tracy never did anything by halves.

"Sure, she'll love it. What girl wouldn't!" Virgil added, with confident reassurance.

Then, from somewhere completely out of left-field, a sudden wave of doubt hit the normally-so-sure-of-himself young man; hitting him so suddenly that not even Scott could explain where it came from.

"Gawd, Virg! What…what if she thinks this is all too much, too soon!" the dark-haired pilot exclaimed, his eyes wide in obvious panic, as he turned on his drawing board stool to face his brother. "I mean…what if she'd rather things just carried on the way they are! I mean…I…I suppose we haven't known each other all that long. Maybe she'll think I'm movin too fast! Gawd, Virg…what if I go and stuff it all up! What if I go and spoil it between us!" he continued on in a panicked ramble, while raking his fingers over his short-cropped hair.

Virgil looked on in amusement at the sight of his normally so confident and in-control brother having been reduced to this state of panicked self-doubt. Was this really the man that, not but a few days ago, was in charge of Base Command and conducted his debriefing with cool calm nerves of steel, the man who made their father, Commander-In-Chief of International Rescue, feel he was nothing more than a junior sub-ordinate! And was this really the man that, not that long ago, fought so hard against his feelings, fought against allowing himself to fall in love and deny himself the chance of happiness in the first place!

"Hey, buddy…calm down," Virgil returned, placing an encouraging grip on his brother's shoulder. "This is Jen we're talking about…remember! She loves you. And I've never seen a couple who belong together more, than the pair of you two."

The reassuring words seemed to have the calming effect intended. Scott sighed and nodded. "Yeah…thanks Virg."

His engineer brother studied him thoughtfully. "So…just what brought all this on, anyway? Guess you've been thinking about this for a while!" Virgil mused, knowing his methodical brother rarely did anything on the spur of the moment and without meticulous planning.

"Just a bit," the dark-haired pilot replied, in quiet reflective thought.

He had been toying with the idea, on and off, for the past couple of weeks. Perhaps it was the plans they had made over Jen's house on the mainland and their playful talk of a 'normal' life of 'Mr and Mrs-Normal-Couple-Next-Door' but he knew exactly the moment that had spurred him on to all this fevered activity now and begin to make actual concrete plans.

His thoughts drifted back to just a few days ago.

Scott Tracy was not one given to listening in at keyholes or at open doors to other people's conversations but somehow this conversation he thought may prove to be particularly advantageous, given the topic that reached his ears.

He had been walking down the hallway, in the living quarters, when the sound of two female voices drifted through an open bedroom door. He recognised them instantly, of course. Well, there weren't that many females on Tracy Island! One belonged to the raven-haired young woman he regarded as a sister, Tin-Tin, the daughter of their loyal manservant and the other! The other was a voice he knew well, a voice that stirred his deepest senses and soothed him in his deepest distress. It was Jenna.

As Scott approached the open door, his curiosity became well and truly piqued when….!

"Oh Jenna, please tell me. You know, with Scott, money is no object," Tin-Tin pleaded.

He knew he really shouldn't have stayed to listen but he couldn't help wanting to know just what it was they were talking about.

"Tin-Tin!" the young nurse exclaimed with a laugh of mock incredulity. "You know Scott's wealth doesn't interest me in the slightest….and besides, I can't assume he even has that in mind."

The silent figure lingering in the hallway smiled in quiet approval; his curiosity, though, even more piqued than before. But then, that's what happens when you arrive half way through a conversation!

"I know. But just suppose you could have anything you wanted….what would you want Scott to give you?" the young Malaysian girl continued to probe excitedly before breaking into a knowing smile. "You know Scott would want to give you the best!"

Now, this really was getting interesting. Scott's face became a picture of puzzled bemusement.

"You don't give up, do you!" the nurse laughed, to which the raven-haired young woman merely smiled. And somehow Jenna just knew that her friend would not be satisfied until she had an answer. The young nurse smiled in quiet, reflective thought. "Truthfully! Tin-Tin, I wouldn't care if Scott gave me a brass ring…as long as he gave it with all his love."

So that was it! That's what they were discussing. And out in the hallway, a young man smiled, a warm contented glow filling his heart.

He knew already, of course, she was not interested in the trappings of wealth but it pleased him immensely to hear her freely say such a thing, especially when she didn't know he was there. But, he had no intention of ever giving her a brass ring and so, the seed had been sown. Now all he needed was a little direction, some idea of her taste and what would really please her.

The eldest Tracy son did have good taste when it came to all things fine and exquisite, from excellent wines to elegant jewellery but this kind of jewellery was something else entirely for, since never having taken a relationship this far before, it was something he'd never had to contemplate picking out. And this was the kind of jewellery that needed to be got just right! Scott found himself now hoping desperately his lover would be a little more willing to share her likes and dislikes, making his job a whole lot easier.

This time it was Tin-Tin's turn to laugh. "Jenna…..you know Scott would never even think of giving you a…brass ring! Oh please tell me…what would you choose? I promise…it will be just between us girls," the young Malay girl continued to plead.

If only she knew!

"Would you like something big…something dazzling and with lots of sparkle! One big stone or a cluster, perhaps!" Tin-Tin went on excitedly.

And Tin-Tin wasn't the only one waiting for an answer. Eager ears strained to listen.

"Good heavens, no!" Jenna exclaimed in good-natured bemusement, finding the whole idea totally horrendous. A few moments of contemplative thought and a quiet, serene smile graced her face. "No. All I would want, Tin-Tin, is…something simple…yes, simple…yet…elegant…nothing flashy at all. And, if possible, something unique…something that would be kind of…'special'…between Scott and I….something that would have meaning for the both of us," the young nurse added, while looking down at her finger as if she were imagining it already there.

"You mean, like a special message…like a code!" Tin-Tin asked, her deep brown eyes alight with girlish intrigue, to which Jenna returned her a quiet little smile.

Out in the hallway, a young man mused thoughtfully, very much intrigued by the idea himself. Food for thought indeed!

"Oh, how wonderful, Jenna…and how terribly romantic," the younger woman continued to gush. "And Scott would just love that idea. Deep down, he's such a romantic at heart…not that he would want to admit that to any of us, of course…and then again, he hasn't had much cause to be these last few years," Tin-Tin added, her voice then becoming tinged with a little sadness for the man she thought of and loved as an older brother before being filled once again with joy and taking her friend by the hand. "Oh but, Jenna…you have been so good for him. I have never seen him so happy. Oh, this is all so very exciting. I'm sure Scott will be able to come up with something absolutely perfect."

Back out in the hallway, it had become obvious, from what the dark-haired pilot could ascertain, that his lover had become somewhat concerned over the younger woman's bubbling enthusiasm, prompting the following cautionary warning to be heard. "Tin-Tin! You can't tell Scott any of this…what we've been talking about. I mean…we haven't made any plans like that! We want to be together, of course…but….! Well… this has just been girl's talk…remember! And you mustn't tell anyone else either…not even Alan ….especially not Alan! Please, Tin-Tin…promise me!"

Tracy Island's now resident nurse sighed in huge relief, thankful for the young Malaysian girl's reassurances that there was no danger of any confidences being broken.

Unfortunately, time flies, as they say, when you're enjoying yourself and never more so when one is happily engaged in conversation with a friend, so it wasn't at all surprising that so much time had slipped by unnoticed between the two girls.

"Good heavens…is that the time! I'm really sorry, Tin-Tin but I've got to go. I wanted to finish that drug inventory in the Infirmary before dinner," Jenna exclaimed in mild shock after glancing at her watch and immediately rising to head out the door.

Time somebody wasn't here!

As the young nurse headed back to the Infirmary, along the empty hallway, though, she had the strangest feeling. She could have sworn she caught the faint deep musky tones of very familiar Cologne!

"Scott!"

The voice broke into his far-away thoughts. "Huh!"

Thunderbird Two's pilot smiled in quizzical bemusement. "I said…I guess you've been thinking about this! You must feel ready, buddy?"

"Ready…for marriage!" Scott repeated, quietly musing over the mind-blowing implications, before blowing out a long low breath. "Virg…if you'd asked me that question even three or four months ago, I'd probably have said… hell no," the dark-haired pilot half laughed with a shake of his head but then a soft smile tugged at his mouth, as he thought of how his life had changed so drastically in such a short time.

"But now!" Virgil probed, feeling just a little that his eldest brother, somehow, no longer held those same opinions.

Pulling himself up straight on the stool and swinging round to look his brother full in the face, the confident young Field Commander smiled. "Now, Virg! Now I've never felt more ready or sure of anything in my life."

"She's the real deal then…huh, buddy!" his younger brother returned, with a happy, knowing smile.

"The real deal! Virg…she…she's like the very breath I need to live. She's like a part of me…the part of me that, I guess, has been missing…the part I can't live without. Gawd…I know that sounds so corny," the eldest Tracy heir half-laughed with a shake of his dark head, realising he probably sounded like some over-the-top cheap romance novel.

But Virgil only smiled. "No…not at all, buddy."

"She makes my life complete, Virg….and I want to show her I'm committed!" Scott then went on, quietly amazed at just how easy it had been to put his feelings into such words, given that he was not one for expressing his feelings so openly . To his well-ordered mind, it was all so beautifully simple now and the decision, having been made, brought such a peace to his heart and soul. All he needed now, of course, was for her to say…yes!

"Gee! That sure sounds like the real deal alright," the Tracy artist responded with a wry grin, knowing his eldest brother had just made one helluva life-changing decision. "I'm real happy for you, Scott," Virgil then added with genuine sincerity and squeezing a hand on the dark-haired pilot's shoulder in a show of brotherly support. "I just hope I get to be as lucky."

"Thanks, Virg," Scott acknowledged, accepting of his brother's congratulations.

But Virgil Tracy couldn't leave it there; feeling now was just the right time to add a little spice to the mix and have a little fun!

"Yeah…that Jenna sure is one terrific girl!" Thunderbird Two's pilot remarked, with a wry smile, half-turning away from his brother.

Was he missing something here! "Y.e.a.h….she is," Scott returned, rather warily, the deep cobalt blue eyes glinting suspiciously in his brother's direction.

The artist/musician then sighed heavily, for added effect, as though lost in some beautiful distant memory. Or perhaps, that should be more like 'lost in the realms of fantasy'! "Yeah…Jen is a really terrific girl."

"So you've said," came the rather cool retort, to which Virgil could barely keep the amusement from his face.

"You know…it's funny….," Virgil laughed, pausing just briefly to effect the right response. He was more than rewarded by the continued icy glare he could feel boring into him. "I mean…this could so nearly have been us…Jen and I," he went on in jovial mood and gesturing to the design Scott had been working on.

He knew he had his brother's full and undivided attention when, on glancing out of the corner of his eye, the mischievous engineer observed the dangerous flashing of those steely blue eyes. The deliberate and very purposeful crossing of arms across the chest, also indicated that a pretty damn good explanation was being called for. It was the same darkly intense look Virgil had seen before when he felt Scott wanted to rip his head off, when that jealous protectiveness had first been stirred in his brother's heart. In fact, he could practically feel the jealous intensity radiate off the prospective groom in waves.

Where Jenna was concerned, it was obviously proving so easy to bait the normally calm and unflappable Field Commander but it could also be quite a dangerous thing to do. Those who dared to try needed to take very great care indeed!

"Yeah, sure is funny the way things work out….I mean…when you consider I met her first! I was the one down on the runway when she first arrived…brought her up to the villa…made that vital first impression. Well, I mean, Scott…you were out of it at that stage…if you remember! You weren't even conscious half the time," Virgil continued on with a laugh and a casual shrug of his broad shoulders, some might even say, with foolish regard for his own safety!

But, on seeing the dark look grow even darker, the amiable artist relented, feeling he had toyed with his brother long enough.

"As soon as she got her first look at you though, buddy…that was it…game over! No one else ever stood a chance in hell," Virgil sighed heavily again for effect, as though bemoaning lost opportunities, before breaking into a beaming grin.

In that one instance, Scott's whole body language visibly relaxed, shaking his head with the smile of a man who realised he'd been taken in, hook, line and sinker.

Virgil put his hand on and squeezed his brother's shoulder. It was time now to get serious. "Like I said, Scott …Jen is a terrific girl, sure but she's just as lucky to have a great guy like you. You two were made for each other…that much was obvious right from the start. And I couldn't be happier for the both of you, buddy."

Scott felt an instant well of emotion at the sincerity of his brother's words. "Thanks, Virg…that sure means a lot to me.

They say, timing is everything and this proved to be the worst possible for, so taken up were the brothers, with congratulations and thanks that they failed to hear the approaching footsteps until it was too late.

"Scott….are you in there!" a familiar female voice called out.

Under normal circumstances, this was a voice the dark-haired Commander gladly welcomed at any time and in any part of his space but just not right at this precise minute. In fact, it was all but sending him into blind panic!

Scott felt sure he had never moved so fast in all his life, as he made for the door to his office. But half way across the floor, the Field Commander, who normally planned against anything going wrong on a mission, suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. He, first, shot a panicked look to the door then helplessly to the drawing board, as cold realisation dawned.

His design! It was there, in full view for everyone to see. Right at that second, he was, in effect, if he were to use a naval term in describing his predicament, caught 'dead in the water'.

Jenna Rollins seemed to have an almost uncanny knack for catching the Tracy men with their 'pants down', so to speak, the incident of catching Jeff gazing at the portrait of his eldest son in IR uniform when she had stormed into the lounge, being a prime case in point. Come to think of it, though, she had also seen a few of them that way, quite literally!

The door began to open.

"Hell, Virg! Do something!" Scott hissed, gesturing frantically with his eyes to the design.

"Scott….are you here!" Jenna called out again, as she entered the hangar office.

"Hey…babe," the intrepid designer greeted, instantly wrapping his arms around her and smothering her in a deep kiss, while using his body as a shield to block her view.

Grandma's delicious homemade cookies almost slid off the plate.

"What have you got there? Hmm, those for me?" Scott oozed in boyish excitement at spying the tempting treats and hoping his enthusiasm would prove a helpful distraction.

Once she got her breath back, well, he always had that effect on her, Jenna beamed him a warm smile.

"Yes, they are. Grandma had just made them, so I thought I'd bring some down and insist you take a break, Mr Tracy," she replied. Unfortunately for Scott though, she was not to be distracted quite enough. "What are you working on anyway?" the inquisitive nurse then asked at wondering what was keeping her man so preoccupied these days and stepping around her lover's tall muscular frame. "Oh hi, Virgil….I didn't know you where here," Jenna smiled in warm affection at seeing him seated at the drawing board.

"Yeah…hi, Jen. I just popped in to see Scott…and he…eh…asked me to stay and help him out!" he explained, automatically feeling he needed to offer a plausible, yet very non-specific, reason for his presence.

"So, what are you guys doing?" Jenna asked out of curiosity, making straight for the drawing board, which was obviously the source of all this important activity.

Scott was beside himself, frantically making signals behind her back in trying to draw his brother's attention, to find out just what stage of 'Operation Cover-up' they were at. Virgil's sudden quizzical frown of bemusement, to somewhere behind her, didn't escape the eagle-eyed young nurse's notice and she spun round, only to find her lover giving her a sweetly innocent smile.

Jenna looked from one to the other in wary suspicion. "Are you guys…alright! What's going on?"

"Nothing, babe," the Field Commander reassured, sporting his best poker face. "We're just…you know …working on some layouts for Thunderbird One…real technical stuff…redesigning one of the…em…nuclon fission processor boards. It's all a bit…you know…complicated. Isn't that right, Virg!" Scott explained and looking pointedly at his engineer brother for backup and hoping it would prove too boring for her to even want to look.

Virgil winced her a sickly grin before shooting his brother a meaningful glance that tried to indicate for him to just…shut the hell up.

But it was too late and no such luck. Jenna was interested in every thing her lover did and was a part of and by now had made her way across the office and was looking over Virgil's shoulder.

Looking up at her lover, a wry smile of loving affection slowly crossed her face. "So, this is what you've been so busy working on, huh!" On looking back to the board, the young nurse then made a pretence of thoughtful musing. "Yes…I can see how this is all quite…technical!"

Thinking that now everything had been disclosed and his intentions laid bare, Scott felt his heart sink.

"Sorry, babe. I didn't want you to find out like this," the dark-haired lover sighed, giving her a weak smile.

The young nurse looked up, her face clearly a picture of puzzled bemusement at his odd turn of phrase, for he sounded so sincerely apologetic. But as always, help was at hand when most needed, in the form of a brother who was a steadying rock in any crisis.

"Eh…what my big brother means, Jen is….he…eh…didn't want you to find out how lousy he was at 'noughts and crosses'!" the amiable Tracy quickly stepped in, while making meaningful glances to his now totally bewildered brother. Virgil carried on regardless, all the time trying to indicate with his eyes towards the drawing board but unable to help the small smile of amusement. "Yeah…always has been. Hell…he's been trying to beat me for years and he hasn't cracked it yet. I guess he's been just too embarrassed to admit that that's what we've been doing down here. He's been trying to improve his record…when you all think he's working on Thunderbird One. Silly, I know…but there you go!"

And how could she not think it all so perfectly sweet and amusing. Thinking indeed, her lover too embarrassed to admit to such frivolities, Jenna cupped his face lovingly in her hand. "Oh, Scott…I don't mind that you're lousy at 'noughts and crosses'," she laughed before whispering seductively at his ear. "You more than make up for that by being so good at 'other' things!"

Wincing her a smile of embarrassment, though still confused, Scott moved round to confront what was on his drawing board, to see just what it was Virgil was trying to tell him and what it was his lover could see. The Field Commander then sighed heavily in relief. For sure enough, his design had miraculously disappeared only for his board to be now covered in the familiar criss-cross patterns of, what many would deem to be, the highly mentally challenging game that is 'noughts and crosses'. As the young Commander held his would-be fiancé in his arms, from over her shoulder, he gave his quick-thinking brother a smiling nod of grateful appreciation.

Once the lovers had parted from their embrace, Scott offered her a sickly grin and an apologetic shrug of his shoulders. "Sorry, baby…guess it was kind of embarrassing to admit we weren't doing any serious work."

"Oh, that's alright," she reassured him softly. "I'm just glad you're taking things easy. I was concerned that maybe you were working too hard, too soon…but now that I see I've nothing to worry about…well, I guess I'll leave you guys to it!" Jenna added with a smile of amusement.

Satisfied indeed that her patient was not overly taxing himself and that he seemed to be enjoying some down time with his brother, Jenna declined their offer of staying for coffee and cookies.

"What…and interrupt two geniuses at work!" the young nurse teased, when asked. "No…I think I'd better leave you two to your 'serious' and 'very technical' work!" she added with a happy laugh of wry sarcasm.

"Alright. I'll see you at dinner shortly then," Scott promised, giving her a peck on the cheek and watching her leave his office. "Oh…and thank Grandma for the cookies," he called out after her, with Virgil offering similar gratitudes.

Once the door closed and making sure to wait an extra few seconds, the rarely phased pilot let out a long breath, while running a hand over his short dark hair. "Geez…that was close." He then turned his attention back to the computerised board. "Okay, Virg…so what did you do with my design?"

A sudden panic gripped him. Virgil wouldn't have had enough time to move his design into the specially coded file he had assigned it; besides, his brother wouldn't have known what that was and Virgil wouldn't have had time to create a file to save it into either. So, just where on earth was it now!

"Hell, Virg….please tell me you didn't just delete my design," Scott groaned, hoping against hope it wasn't lost in the ether somewhere. After all, he had begged his brother to 'do something'!

The Tracy engineer broke into an amused grin. "Relax will you, buddy. It's perfectly safe. There wasn't time to save it anywhere so….I just created a 'new page' over it to 'hide' it. Look…here it is…safe and sound," Virgil explained with all the ease of knowing exactly what he was doing and after a few adjustments, the page containing the 'very technical' work magically melted away, leaving the original piece where it had always been. "Here…have one of these," he added in laughter, handing his much-relieved brother a cookie.

The young Commander munched gratefully on the baked goodie.

"So…have you decided where you'll take Jen….you know….to ask her?" Virgil inquired out of interest, as he handed his brother a coffee from the coffeemaker kept in the office.

The eldest Tracy brother smiled quietly to himself, after taking a sip from his cup.

"Yeah, Virg…I've been thinking about that…and I know exactly where I'm going to take her," he replied in reflective far away thought but was no more forthcoming with his information than that, although he did offer a clue as to when. "And I've been checking with Rafael's of New York. They tell me I can have my design made up in a week…which works out pretty good. With Dad going over to Head Office for a few days next week on business, I'm going to ask him if he'll bring it back for me."

Rafael's of New York was the most exclusive of jewellers, boasting a list of very elite and wealthy clientele. The House of Rafael itself was an old and very distinguished establishment, having begun in the chic European city of Madrid, a city full of vibrant color and life, the very heart of the fiery passion and romance that is Spain but now with Houses established worldwide. And, with a pedigree like that, where else would such a man as Scott Tracy go to acquire that most important item of jewellery for his special lady!

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out, buddy. Well…if there's anything I can do to help, you know you've only gotta ask," Virgil offered, giving his eldest brother an encouraging slap on the back.

"Thanks Virg…I'll keep that in mind," Scott returned gratefully before deciding it was time to remind his 'helpful' brother of one crucial point. "But…just one thing…brother!"

"Yeah…what's that, buddy?" Thunderbird Two's pilot replied with a wry smile, feeling a good-natured reprimand coming on.

"I have not now…or ever have been…lousy at 'noughts and crosses'!" the Field Commander stated quite emphatically, the deep blue eyes flashing a demon glint of amusing. "And as for…'hell, he's been trying to beat me for years and hasn't cracked it yet'! In your dreams…buddy…in your dreams."

"Guess there's only one way to settle this then!" the Tracy engineer replied good-humouredly, seeing this as a direct challenge and never one to back down. "What d'ya say we get down to business!"

"Anytime, brother…anytime," the dark-haired pilot returned, fired and ready to go.

And so, once the precious design was safely stored in its coded file, the rest of the afternoon was spent in the very serious work of mastering the complexities of that most highly addictive of games…'noughts and crosses'.

Next morning, shortly after breakfast, Scott sought out his father in the privacy of his office. "Dad…I'd like to ask a favor….."

The Tracy patriarch couldn't have felt more honoured, on hearing of the most important mission he'd been asked to undertake. "Son…I'd be more than proud to do such a thing for you. And I promise, I'll guard it with my life," he assured, grasping the shoulder of his eldest son and heir in fatherly affection.

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that!" his son laughed before offering sincere gratitude. "Thanks, Dad…I really appreciate it. I feel happier knowing it will be in safe hands."

Jefferson Tracy nodded in acknowledgement. "And…you're absolutely sure about this…that things are this serious! This is a big decision for any man to make, Son." It wasn't that he doubted his son knowing his own mind; just more a case of feeling it was one of those fatherly questions that should be asked.

"Yes, Sir…absolutely sure," his eldest son replied with quiet confidence.

"Well, Son…I think you know how we all feel about Jenna. She's already a big part of this family…and I know your mother would be very happy for you both," the elder man returned with reassurance. Jefferson Tracy had indeed grown very fond of the strong-spirited young woman that had come to nurse his eldest son and had long felt she would be a good match for his equally strong spirit.

"Thanks, Dad…that means a lot," Scott acknowledged. "But…she hasn't actually said 'yes'…yet," the dark-haired pilot then added a little cautiously at wondering if his father were thinking already it was foregone conclusion.

The Tracy patriarch couldn't help the smile of long ago memories, as he studied his eldest, pretty sure he knew what the young man before him would be feeling. For all his son's usual outward self-confident demeanour, he would almost certainly guarantee, that inside, Scott was a bundle of nervous energy.

"Ages you some….doesn't it!" came the insightful comment, born of experience, causing the young man to frown a little at what his father meant. "The waiting…and wondering. From the moment I'd decided to ask your mother until she gave me her answer…I was as nervous as a kitten," the elder man answered in reply to his son's bewilderment and smiling quietly at the memory as though it were only yesterday.

Scott relaxed into a smile and, not for the first time lately, felt more of an empathy with his father than ever before. "Yes, Sir…I guess it does," the young Commander laughed, appreciating the fact his father knew exactly how he was feeling.

And then, almost as in an act of solidarity from one man to another, the Tracy patriarch clapped the younger man on the back. "Well, Son…I wish I could tell you it will get easier but….I'm afraid women will always have that power over us!"

"Yes, Sir," the Field Commander laughed again, knowing that his father was probably right.

The days following past quickly and, in no time at all, the head of Tracy Enterprises was back from his business trip to New York. And, with all the secrecy of a highly covert operation, the precious 'package' was duly handed over. Scott could barely wait to see how well his design had translated into reality and, on opening the small box, his breath was blown away by the simply stunning and exquisite creation nestled within.

Jeff had declined the offer of viewing the piece when he had gone to collect it, feeling it only right that his son should be the first to see the fruit of all the long hours that had gone into his labor of love. His eldest son and heir, though, couldn't have been happier to share the moment with his father and Jeff could only agree and marvel at the elegant beauty of the symbol that promised the joining of souls.

Closing the box, Scott slipped it into his pocket and left his father's private office, to begin making preparations.

The following day and all was ready, well, as ready as Scott felt it was going to be. He was a man well used to making plans and preparations, of course; it came as second nature to him in his role as Field Commander for International Rescue but this was different and his father was right; he was as nervous as a highly strung kitten.

He had enlisted Virgil's help, primarily to carry out one vital function and then to ensure that the lovers would not be disturbed in their secret tryst. That morning, shortly before lunch, the conspiratorial pair met in the artist's suite and Virgil assured his eldest brother that no one knew of his intentions that afternoon.

"Now, you know what to do, Virg?" the young Commander asked of his brother for the umpteenth time.

Virgil sighed but couldn't keep the smile of amusement from his face. "Yeah, Scott…I know what to do. I mean…it's not like you haven't been reminding me all morning! Now get outta here, will ya," the younger man laughed, playfully pushing his brother towards the door. "Hey, and Scott! Good luck," he called out, as the dark-haired pilot left his suite.

A short while later, after the agreed interval and it was Virgil's turn to set the ball rolling. He just hoped he could play his part well, as he set out in search of the object and reason for all this conspiracy. After all, how hard could it be!

Jenna had decided to see what Brains was up to that morning, down in his lab and, with Tin-Tin engaged in routine maintenance work on Thunderbird Three with John, the young nurse quickly found herself in the role of temporary assistant. And that's where Virgil found her, studiously watching something or other come to the boil and change color.

"Ah, Jen…there you are. I think Scott's looking for you," the brown haired artist informed her quite casually, trying to keep it low key and like it was no big deal.

"Oh alright, Virgil…thanks. I'll see him at lunch," she replied, without looking up from her task. "I think this is nearly ready, Brains."

Hmm, seemed like he'd been just a bit too casual and why did women always have to be so damned awkward anyway!

"Actually, Jen…I think he's expecting you right away…up in your suite," Virgil tried again, this time attaching just a little bit more importance to the request.

That got her attention. Suddenly fearing the worst, the young nurse was prepared to leave all. However, it hadn't been Virgil's intention to worry her unduly and he was quick to reassure her that his brother was completely well and had merely asked him to pass on the message that his brother wanted to see her.

And so, full of curiosity about the intriguingly vague request, Jenna offered her apologies to the bespectacled scientist and left. Needless to say, Brains was none too happy about having his newest assistant poached so soon, throwing Thunderbird Two's pilot a disapproving scowl and mumbling under his breath. All things considered, though, Virgil would rather endure the mumblings of the disapproving scientist than face the dark wrath of his eldest brother for failing to carry out his 'mission'!

Back up in the living quarters, Jenna entered their suite, only to find it eerily quiet. "Scott….are you here!" she called, going from room to room and searching even the walk-in closet.

Nothing. It was completely empty. Curious, she thought to herself; she was sure Virgil had said Scott was waiting to see her in their suite. She was just about to leave again, when a warm smile broke all over her face. For there, lying on her pillow, was the most perfect red velvet rose and underneath the long thorn less stem, a note, which when read, simply stated:

'Down by the pool…and follow me'!