Thunderbirds and the Tracy Family are the creation of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson
Chapter 110
The young nurse wiped the water from her eyes and blinked, on realising they were no longer under the cascade and when she did so, her breath was quite simply blown away. They had emerged into a beautiful grotto, lit by the strangest ethereal light. The rock floor they stood on, still ankle deep in water, gave way to a deeper crystal clear pool, which seemed to be almost lit from below. That and the natural sunlight streaming in through the waterfall, caused patterns to shimmer and dance on the walls and the very walls themselves seemed to be alive, sparkling as though embedded with thousands of tiny jewels. It was altogether a truly magical place and she knew now why Scott had saved this till last.
Still in complete awe, Jenna was barely aware that Scott had stepped down into the pool and that she had automatically put her hands on his shoulders while he lifted her down beside him, so that they were now almost but not quite waist deep in the water.
"Scott…this place…it's so amazing!" the young woman gasped in wonder. "Why do the walls sparkle like that! I've never seen anything like it."
Her lover couldn't help but smile, completely enraptured by her reaction, his eyes never leaving her face.
"Yeah, it is pretty amazing…isn't it! And what makes the walls sparkle! Well, I'm no geologist…and Brains could probably give you a more detailed scientific explanation…….," Scott started to explain and making them both smile at the thought of the bespectacled scientist giving a boringly lengthy lecture on the subject, before going on to finish. "…..but from what I understand, it's mineral ore in the rock that makes it sparkle like that. Come over here and have a look."
They waded through the water, as Scott led his still mesmerised lover over to a certain part of the grotto wall and a very particular part of the wall at that!
Jenna ran her fingers slowly over the sparkling rock; studying its formation and lost in wonder at the surprising complexities nature could produce. Scott, on the other hand, already familiar with this amazing place, was busy studying quite a different formation, lost in his own wonder at the beautiful complexities nature could produce, by way of the female form!
That nervous anticipation that had been plaguing him all week, however, now returned in force, mingled with adrenalin-pumping excitement, as he watched her continue to finger down the rock. Watched and waited.
And then, she saw it! Something was nestled in a small opening in the rock.
With bemused curiosity, Jenna reached in and picked up the small object. Her eyes went huge, unbelieving at what she'd just found.
"Scott! It's a ring!" the young woman gasped in amazement.
Indeed it was and a truly exquisite one at that. So beautifully breathtaking it, well, it quite simply took her breath away, yet again!
It was a band of the purest platinum, still the most valuable and highly prized of all the precious metals and around the center ran a raised rope twist of highest grade silver, into which was set, side by side, two of the most dazzling diamonds she had ever seen. Not that she was an expert or had had much experience with diamonds but it was plainly obvious that these were no cheap rocks!
"How do you think it got here!" the young nurse queried, still utterly lost in amazement but she didn't even give her dark-haired lover time to answer, as her excited thoughts gave way to wildly romantic imaginings. "Do you think its been here a long time! Maybe it got left behind…..!"
"As part of some long lost pirate treasure, you mean!" Scott quietly replied, unable to hide his smile.
Realising he'd been reading her mind, Jenna couldn't help a coy smile of her own. "It would be fun to think so. And you never know…I mean…did you guys even know this was here!"
"Sorry baby. Romantic and all as that may sound….we've never found any buried pirate treasure…at least, not in here!" her lover replied, in amused apology, ending with a mischievous smile. "But…I have a feeling it may not be 'that' old!" he then added rather intriguingly, to which Jenna returned a look of curious bemusement. "Maybe there's an inscription inside….," Scott quietly suggested, his face softened by a look of absolute love as he watched her intently.
Jenna felt her heart begin to beat faster, feeling that pronounced thumping in her chest that comes from the sudden dawning of realisation and when the truth of it is finally revealed. In almost slow-motion time, she raised the ring up to the light, to see if there was anything written inside the band. There was indeed and as she read, the young nurse let out a gasp before her soft dove grey/blue eyes pooled up.
And what had caused such an emotional reaction! Well, it could be the fact the inscription inside the platinum band read: invisible threads…..bound together, with the initials S and J intertwined, between the two groups of words.
So overcome was she, all she could manage was his name, in between her laughter and tears. And then suddenly, everything fell into place; the special picnic, the laying of the rose trail, bringing her here to this very special place, the sensual swim and this magical grotto. All had been designed with one very specific purpose in mind. And that inner glow her lover exuded, with the feeling that something was brewing inside of him! Now it all made perfect sense. Her head was reeling with the enormity of what this was all meaning, of what was about to happen, so much so, that she actually felt giddy.
But hers wasn't the only heart that was thumping wildly. As Scott closed his hands over hers, preparing to lay all on the line and pop the proverbial question, his own heart was pounding like a jackhammer. Then, taking a deep breath and holding her in a seriously intense gaze, while playing a little with her fingers, the dark-haired lover made his simple declaration of love.
"Jen…you already know how much I love you…but I'll tell you again. Baby, I love you so much it hurts and I can't bear to think of life without you. I want you here with me, always…not just as my partner…but as my wife," Scott stated quietly but with heartfelt emotion. Taking the ring from her, he laid it in his open palm. "Jen, will you marry me!"
The question hung in the air and, for Scott Tracy now, the wait was agonising.
It was one thing to feel that this is what it was all leading up to but to hear the proposal, to hear the words come from his mouth! It was still all totally overwhelming but, at last, she did manage to find her voice.
"Oh Scott, this is just so beautiful. And it's so unusual. I've never seen anything like it. Where…! When…!" the fair-haired nurse exclaimed, wanting to know so many things all at once.
"I…em…I designed it myself," her lover replied modestly. "And then had it made up. Dad brought it back when he was in New York."
And light began to dawn again for the second time. The hours spent locked away in his office, his pre-occupation at times and the eagerness with which he greeted his father after his trip. And, of course! How could she forget Scott and Virgil's shifty shenanigans when she had brought down grandma's cookies!
"That's what you were up to that day in your office…with Virgil…wasn't it!" Jenna asked, her face creasing into a smile. "Noughts and crosses, huh!"
The Field Commander winced a grin. "Alright…you got me, babe. Now will you please put me outta my misery…I'm dyin here, Jen," he went on to plead forlornly at realising she still hadn't given him an answer.
She could never resist him like that. With her emotions still on an incredible high, the young nurse all but launched herself at him, wrapping her arms round her lover's neck.
"Oh Scott, I love you so much…more than my life's worth," she laughed with happiness.
Opps! Such was the suddenness of her throwing her arms around his neck that the precious ring slipped out of his palm and plopped into the water. Jenna almost died.
"Scott…I'm so sorry," she apologised profusely, knowing she would never forgive herself if anything were to happen to it.
But she needn't have worried, for her hero was quickly to the rescue, down in the water and retrieving it from the smooth floor of the crystal clear pool, where it was easily seen.
"Hey, it's alright, babe…I've got it," he readily assured. Scott looked up into her paled anxious face and took her hand in his. "And…now that I'm down on one knee…in the water, I might add…will you damn well marry me, woman!" her lover demanded to know, feigning serious frustration at still not having a proper answer to his question. Gawd, life with this woman was never going to be boring, that was for sure.
Jenna put a hand to her mouth but couldn't hide the smile that creased her face.
"You know I can't resist you when you go all caveman and masterful like that," his wet and naked lover teased in coy seduction, making them both burst into laughter. The next moment, though, the emotion of it all, once more, washed over the young woman, causing her laughing eyes to pool up, as she gazed down at his loving, waiting face. "Yes, yes…yes, I'll marry you, Scott. It would give me the greatest pleasure to be your wife."
Finally. The sheer relief of all that waiting, from he had purposed to ask her until he had heard her answer from her own lips, was clearly evident. And, as he at last slipped the band of betrothal onto her finger, his own deep cobalt blue eyes welled up in emotion.
Rising to his feet, Scott pulled his new fiancé into his arms and took her in a deep, loving kiss. Afterwards, but with their foreheads still touching, he lifted her hand to play with her fingers, admiring with pleasure, the new adornment he had just put there.
"It looks perfect on you," he whispered softly. "You know that it all has a special meaning!" Scott continued, as he fingered over her ring.
"Tell me," she returned in an equally soft whisper, nuzzling and playfully kissing his nose.
Scott smiled in quiet reflection. "Well…these two diamonds are us, side by side for life…..and these particular diamonds are flawless and pure…just like our love. They're also set into a rope twist…which is like the invisible threads that bind us together. So you see, baby…this ring is the story of us! No one else will ever have one like it."
By the time he had finished talking, silent tears of absolute happiness were flowing down her cheeks, which her lover tenderly brushed away. That he could have designed such a ring, with so much depth of meaning; it was almost as if he knew!
"Scott!" Jenna whispered softly.
"Hmmm," her now deliriously happy and contented lover moaned, while kissing around the side of her face and down into her neck.
"It doesn't matter," she sighed, just relishing his loving touch and smiling quietly to herself at remembering the faint smell of familiar cologne lingering in a hallway. Sometimes, things are just meant to be.
He wanted her so badly now; having waited so long and being so sensual all afternoon, only heightening the intensity. That and the fact he would now 'take' her as his fiancé, the woman promised to him in marriage. It was turning him on, no end. The more he thought about that, though, the more a deeper, rather erotic idea took hold in his mind. So beautifully simple, yet it would be so deeply profound, for both of them!
"Marry me, Jen…now," he whispered, in a strangely excitable tone.
Jenna looked at him with something of quizzical bemusement. "You know I'll marry you, Scott. Are you alright, babe!"
"No…I mean, marry me…right now…here," the dark-haired pilot reiterated, adding more clarity to his request.
The young nurse couldn't help but smile warmly at the sudden spontaneity of his idea, though she did feel there may be just a few problems arising in carrying out such a plan that even the indomitable Scott Tracy, with all his forward thinking and methodical planning, couldn't achieve in such a short space of time. Well, in the blink of an eye really, if Scott was talking about right this very minute!
"I think you may have overlooked just one or two things, Mr Tracy," Jenna smiled in amusement, as she touched his face. "For a start, I haven't exactly got anything to wear!" she added, looking down at her complete state of total nakedness. "And neither, for that matter, have you!"
The slight raise of a brow and the tug of a grin at his mouth, told her he found that idea rather amusing.
"And then…there's the small matter of a preacher! We haven't exactly got one standing by! And even if we did…would he be naked in here too, with us!" the bride-to-be further added, with a raised brow of queried amusing.
The huge cheeky and boyish grin told her he definitely found that idea funny. But then he quickly became deadly serious, as he wrapped an arm around her waist and started softly stroking her face with his other fingers.
"We don't need a preacher, Jen, to make our vows. We'll marry ourselves and God alone will be our witness. And we don't need clothes either. We'll stand before God…and each other…as naked as the day we were born…nothing to hide from each other," Scott stated, as earnestly as he knew how. "And what could be more perfect than right here! Didn't we say this place was amazing! Nothing could be more sacred than somewhere God, in His nature, has provided."
For just a moment, she was speechless, lost in the glow that now lit his handsome face, lost in the deep passion of his beautifully simplistic spiritual insight.
"You're deadly serious…aren't you?" Jenna asked, with a questioning smile, while studying his face.
"Yeah, I am," was the simple reply. "Aw Jen, I…I want you to be my wife today. Why wait, when we know we love each other! Let's do it…just for us!" he added in quiet pleading, while nuzzling around her ear, before giving her a definite reassurance. "But I promise, babe…we will get round to doing it properly."
And suddenly, the whole idea didn't seem quite that far-fetched. Her warming smile and instant consent made his heart sing with happiness, though she wasn't quite prepared to forgo every bridal tradition.
"Well…I know I don't have a dress…but doesn't the 'bride' even get a bouquet!" Jenna teased lightly and trying to stifle a smile as she watched her 'groom' suddenly become flustered, looking around in the vain hope that he was actually going to find something suitable in this rocky grotto.
But this is Scott Tracy we're talking about and, as ever, the man was at his resourceful best.
"Eh…don't go away, baby. I'll be right back," he promised, his face alight with the sudden inspiration of how to solve his lady's dilemma.
Taking hold of her face, Scott gave his 'bride' a hasty kiss and was gone, leaving her first, a little stunned and then putting her hand to her mouth in laughter.
The brief interlude gave the young woman time to reflect on the momentous happenings of the afternoon, which in truth still had her completely stunned and feeling pretty emotional. This morning she had left the villa as Scott Tracy's, albeit, committed long-term lover, to just enjoy what she thought to be another of his very romantic gestures, now to return to the rest of the family as his intended wife; not to mention the fact that Scott wanted them to have their own private little marriage ceremony, right here and now. It was an extremely tantalizing thought though, that once having been carried out, they would, at least in their own minds, be able to think of themselves as actual man and wife. It was all indeed so totally overwhelming and an afternoon she was never, ever likely to forget.
Smiling contentedly to herself, Jenna again fingered her precious ring, lost in wonder at, not only the simple elegance of it but at the depth of love that brought about its creation. And, of course, how could she not smile at the ingenuity with which it had been presented to her and at her hopeful romantic notions that it may have been part of some long lost pirate treasure. As she reached out and traced her fingers over the small crevice where she'd found her 'treasure', Jenna also realised something else. Her lover hadn't just been merely swimming to cool down before she'd gotten here, as he'd so cunningly led her to believe, he had been out here to put her ring where she could find it. What woman wouldn't give anything to have such a thoughtful and romantic lover! And he was all hers, every gloriously naked part of him!
The sudden splash into the water near the entrance signalled the return of her 'knight in shining armour'. Scott was breathless, his eyes bright and shining and his face aglow from the exertions of his swim and, clutched in his hand, a hastily put together bouquet of exotic blooms, heavy with water from having to come back through the waterfall.
"Sorry, babe…guess they are a bit…soggy!" the prospective groom apologised, with a wince. Though he had tried his best to protect the blooms by swimming backstroke with them resting on his chest and keeping to the edge of the cascade, where the water was less forceful.
"I don't think any bride as ever had as beautiful a bouquet," Jenna assured him, with a warm smile, taking the flowers and lovingly admiring the bouquet she now cradled in her arm. Indeed, the water droplets beaded on the blooms only seemed to enhance their vibrant color, making them as lush and fresh as they would be after any tropical downpour.
Scott took one of the hibiscus blooms, broke off the long stem and, with tender loving, placed it in her smooth-backed hair, just behind her ear.
"There….and no bride has ever looked more beautiful," he returned, gazing at his lover with such serious intensity, which had the effect of causing her to flush slightly.
It was almost as if then, a reverent hush had fallen on this now sacred place in recognition of this solemn and beautiful moment. Facing his 'bride', Scott took her free hand in his, and lifted it to his mouth to softly kiss the backs of her fingers then took a deep breath. And suddenly, both felt that shy nervousness, as they became aware of the enormity of the vows they were about to commit to, even though they were being made in private. Feeling that shy nervousness, as surely as any bride and groom on their wedding day and as though this were, every bit, a real and legitimate ceremony. It was that same shyness felt when Scott had first asked her to 'dance' with him, when he had been so frustrated and she had encouraged him to eat, in the early stages of his recovery and that first anticipatory kiss had, at long last, happened. But now, as then, there were no regrets in decisions made, neither in that first kiss nor the solemn vows they would now make to each other.
"Jen…I…I have never found it easy to share my feelings…or open up my heart fully to anyone…but you…you have made that easy…easier than I ever thought possible…and it becomes easier every day I'm with you. You were so patient…never asking any questions…only willing to wait…until I cracked!" the new groom haltingly began his declaration, making them both smile a little in recognition of his last statement. "You made me love you…you know that, don't you…made me fall completely under your spell!" Scott further added, this time with more self-assurance, while giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
"From that first moment I opened my eyes, I was captivated. I tried to fight it…gawd, how I tried to fight it…but you waited so patiently…just loving me as I was…and in the end you wore me down…just like in my Vision. And I've never been happier, Jen…you taught me how to let go…showed me deep and unconditional love…and there's so much I love about you, babe. I love your caring and compassion, your strong, fiery spirit, your sense of humor…and just the beautiful person you are…and of course, your sexiness!" her dark-haired lover continued, giving her a provocative smile and making her flush in embarrassment. "Jen…I never thought I could be this happy…but having you in my life has changed all that. I've never been happier, babe….you have made my life so complete. I love you." Finishing, Scott again lifted her hand and, with tender loving, kissed her fingers.
Then it was her turn.
"Scott…a little like you, I kept my heart guarded…and thought, if I buried myself in my work, kept myself busy, it would be enough. I never imagined that when I first came here, I might never leave again. I came to do a job, never thinking I would find love…I came only to give you my nursing care but ended up giving you my heart. Oh, I knew you were going to be trouble, Mr Tracy…from the first moment I saw you!" Jenna began then giving her groom a soft smile. "From that first moment I saw you in so much pain on the examination table…when I looked into those beautiful, intense blue eyes…you made me feel things I knew would be dangerous…but I couldn't go back…I couldn't leave you."
In giving up my nursing career on the mainland, I have lost nothing…absolutely nothing…but I have gained everything in having your deep and unconditional love. Before you even said a word, I knew I was falling for you…and the more I got to know you, the deeper I fell," the new bride went on to tell her 'almost husband' and giving his hand a lovingly reassuring squeeze. "But Scott, you made it easy for me to love you…because of your warmth, your courage, your self-sacrificing spirit, your honesty and integrity. There's so much I love about you too, babe…I love your strength and your calm reassuring…the way you make me laugh…and I love you for the beautiful person you are…and of course, for your incredible sexiness and sensuality!" Jenna finished, giving him a warm seductive smile, which drew a self-conscience little smile of embarrassment in return.
Now that they had stated their love for each other, it was time for the next part of their simple and intimate ceremony.
He took a deep breath and smiled. "So…do you, Jenna Elaine Rollins, take this man, Scott Carpenter Tracy, to be your lawful wedded husband?" he asked, in quiet sincerity, though it did feel a bit weird to refer to himself in such a way.
They both knew, of course, that they were role-playing right now, acting out a beautiful fantasy, since this 'ceremony' would never be legally binding but still, to hear those words said, to be asked that all-important question, without doubt, made her heart sing with happiness, as though it were for real.
With surety and confidence but with the appropriate amount of shy coyness, his bride gave him her answer. "I do."
A huge beaming smile lit his handsome face and then it was Jenna's turn to ask the question. "And do you, Scott Carpenter Tracy, take this woman, Jenna Elaine Rollins, to be your lawful wedded wife?"
He answered with an unequivocal and resounding, "I do", at which his bride returned her own beaming smile.
After laying her bouquet aside, Scott then grasped both her hands tightly for this next part of the intimate little ceremony and, gazing deeply into eyes, which were beginning to pool with emotion, made his simple and heartfelt vows.
"With all my heart, I take you to be my wife, Jen. I will love you through the good times and the bad, through joy, sorrow and sickness. We will laugh together in happiness and cry together in sadness. I will try to be understanding of your needs and to trust in you completely. My heart, like my body, is laid bare to you, Jen. I conceal nothing from you, I hide nothing from you…you know all the deepest, darkness of my heart and I will always endeavour to be honest with you. Everything I have is yours, Jen…and I will cherish you…I will love you with my body and for me there will be no one else. I will make you a part of me and in turn, become a part of you…and we will face all of life's experiences together…and share one another's dreams and goals, equal partners in an open and honest relationship, as long as we live. That…I swear, with all my heart."
A single tear rolled down the bride's cheek and her groom, being lovingly attentive, gently brushed it aside. Jenna then cupped Scott's face in her hand, as she had done countless times before, gazing into those striking blue eyes.
"With all my heart, Scott, I take you to be my husband. I will love you through the good times and the bad, through times of joy and times of sorrow. I will laugh with you when you are happy…I will cry with you when you are sad…and I will comfort you when you're hurting and in pain. I will try to be understanding of your needs and to trust in you completely. My heart too, like my body, is laid bare to you, Scott. I conceal nothing from you, I hide nothing from you…from you I have no secrets and I will always endeavour to be honest with you. Everything I have is yours…and I will cherish you, my Scott …I will love you with my body and for me there will be on one else. I will……." And so her vow continued, matching her lover's word for word until the end.
Both now felt that happy, joyous excitement, as truly as any real bride and groom, at knowing all nerves have been dealt with and the ceremony is almost over, when they will be, at last, declared a married couple. Scott lifted her left hand and fingered the ring he had placed there.
"I guess this is the part where I say…With this ring, I pledge my love and commitment to you for all time," he stated softly.
And for the first time in this whole beautiful day, Jenna suddenly felt a little upset.
"Oh, Scott…I don't have a ring to give you," the bride bewailed at the realisation.
Scott Tracy was surely not going to be able to fix this one. For all his resourcefulness, even he could not produce a ring out of thin air and, being completely naked as he was, it wasn't as if he had anything on him that could even substitute for a ring. But he was not about to let his new bride become upset over something she had not known was going to happen; after all, the proposal had been his surprise for her and their 'marriage ceremony' had been so totally spontaneous.
"Hey, babe…that doesn't matter right now," he readily assured her, with a quiet smile and pulled her closer, to clasp her hands against his chest. "What matters is that we've committed to each other and that this time will always be very special to us…yeah!"
And that's why she loved him so much, his calm reassuring and his totally romantic soul.
"But I will get you a ring, Scott…and soon…because now I want to give you a symbol of my love," Jenna promised assuredly. "Besides, I can't have my new 'husband' going without something that says, he is very definitely…off limits…that he's all mine!" she added, with a wry smile.
That he found amusing, though deeply pleasing because underneath the wry teasing, he could see her jealous protectiveness to be as fierce as his own over her.
"And I'll wear it gladly, babe," the new husband stated happily, only too willing to announce to the whole world that he was very definitely off limits, now and for the rest of their lifetime together. "Now, we get to the best part!" Scott added, with that devastatingly mischievous grin of his. "You may now…kiss the bride!"
The eager groom was just about to launch himself into a full-on assault, when he found a very firm hand on his chest, halting his progress.
"Eh…not quite so fast, Mr Tracy," came the cooling restraint on his ardour. "Isn't there something you've forgotten to say…first!" his bride teased wryly, in reminder.
A slow, languid smile played across those devilishly handsome features. "Oh yeah…how can we forget that…the most important announcement of all! I now…pronounce us…very definitely…husband…and wife!"
Such a simple pronouncement, such easy words to say, husband and wife, yet so deeply meaningful and so profoundly beautiful, the power of those few words being so intrinsically binding.
"Now…do I get to kiss my bride!" Scott asked, his face alight with eager wanting.
Such a deep warm glow of total happiness as filled her senses that Jenna couldn't even begin to describe it. The pure joy of those intimately binding words radiated from her face, as it did from his too.
"Now, you may kiss the bride," she announced, with a teasing smile.
He was like a happy little boy, about to be let loose in his favorite toy store, only this 'boy' had a very different kind of playtime in mind!
Scott lost no time in taking his new 'wife' in the most sensual of kisses, descending hungrily on her inviting mouth, as he pressed their naked bodies hard together. The intense stimulation was, indeed, overwhelmingly arousing, raising the temperature in the cool grotto by several degrees! And the way things were going, it looked set to rise by several more!
"Hmmm…what this 'union' needs now is…most definitely…consummating!" the aroused dark-haired lover groaned breathlessly at her ear, making it clear he had no intentions of waiting until the 'wedding night'.
He always did know how to do it for her. "Hmmm…you mean…right here…now…in this 'sacred' place, where we just got 'married'!" she murmured softly in teasing.
That thought was so very highly erotic and appealing to him, it was downright naughty! "I can't think of a better place to make love…to make our beautiful union complete," Scott softly whispered back in response.
Without another word and deep blue eyes ablaze with sexual need, the Field Commander hefted his lady unto his hips and wading through the crystal clear pool, took them to the far side of the grotto. Stepping up onto a submerged platform of rock, leaving him now only ankle deep in water, Scott laid down his bride on the 'altar' to their ultimate pleasure, a smooth, slightly angled table-like rock, wet from the trickles of water that ran down the walls.
From the outset their lovemaking was steamy hot and torrid, yet it took on something almost bordering on the spiritual in quality, as they became increasingly more lost on that higher plane. Following erotically arousing foreplay, Scott penetrated deep and hard and, as they gave themselves over completely to wild abandon, their ecstatic cries of intense lovemaking reverberated around the grotto, becoming totally lost to the outside world in the roar of the endlessly cascading waterfall.
Breathless and spent from the joyous, not to mention rather energetic, union, Scott sank into her loving embrace; there to enjoy the deep warmth of their bodies locked together as one, while the last trembling sensations of post-orgasmic bliss still rippled through them.
A short time later found the newly 'married' young commander helping his 'bride' back down into the water. An involuntary shiver suddenly ran down Jenna's body at the coolness, now, of the grotto and Scott realised they'd been in there long enough. Automatically attentive, he pulled her close and giving her a warming rub, made a welcome suggestion.
"Yeah, you're right, babe…it is getting cool in here. We need to get back out into the sun and then….! Well, we've got that nice big blanket just waiting for us to play on!" he grinned mischievously, bringing from her a knowing smile.
But, just as they were about to make their move…!
"Scott! Did you feel that!" Jenna asked, with something of puzzled bemusement.
"Yeah, babe…I felt it." And instinctively, he pulled his new 'wife' tighter to him.
Jenna could see now the concern etched in his face, as well as hearing it in his voice. She watched him look around down into the water and knew instantly something was troubling him, for Scott Tracy was not one given to unnecessary worry.
"What is it, Scott….what's happening?" the young nurse probed, following his intent gaze on the water.
"I'm…not sure," came the rather hesitant reply. He was getting a real bad feeling, though he hoped to God he was wrong.
And then he saw it.
The water began to quiver, sending ripples across the surface, as though someone had just thrown in a stone. At the same time, faint vibrations were again felt beneath their feet but within seconds, the vibrations grew, causing the ripples to become so close together they were no longer able to see the bottom of the crystal clear pool.
"I think we need to get out of here, Jen….now," the Field Commander announced with urgent authority, while trying to remain calm.
"This isn't Thunderbird Three taking off…is it?" she attempted in humor, with the vain hope, of course, that it just might be, though judging by the concern on her lover's face, she guessed this wasn't a regular occurrence nor was it normal.
"No, babe…I don't think it is. Come on…let's go," Scott urged, without trying to cause too much alarm.
But before they had even begun to move towards the entrance, the vibrations suddenly became more pronounced and the first stones began to fall from the ceiling. Within seconds, rocks and stones were raining down, splashing into the water all around them, with the intensity now of the tremors almost knocking them off their feet.
"Scccooott! What's happening!" Jenna cried out in alarm, clinging desperately to him and automatically burying her head in his chest.
"Hell…it's a damn quake!" he swore, instinctively pulling her in even tighter and doing his best to shield and protect her with his body. "Just hold on to me, Jen."
And she didn't need telling twice!
The violent shaking now brought down the heaviest rock fall over the entrance and Scott could see it was futile to even try to attempt escape now. Their only hope was to ride it out, hope that it wouldn't last long and that the entrance wouldn't become completely blocked. As more and more rock continued to rain down, the helpless young lovers were driven back into the shallows, to where a narrow strip of sand ran along the back of the grotto.
And the grotto wasn't the only place where the tremors were felt!
Down in the villa, it had been a day just like any other, with no inkling of what was to come. Jeff Tracy had returned to his desk in the lounge, after lunch, to resume the rather tedious business of reading and signing off on some papers. Virgil and Gordon, who were also in the lounge, had finished the last of their routine maintenance and were now studiously engaged in a game of chess, while Alan and Tin-Tin were running diagnostics checks in Three. Elsewhere in the Tracy household, Brains was at work, as usual, in his lab, while Grandma and Kyrano were busy in the kitchen preparing some afternoon tea.
The first of the vibrations was barely noticeable but within moments, the violent shuddering had Jefferson Tracy suddenly grab hold of his desk, as the methodically arranged paperwork went sliding off, to litter the floor in a chaotic mess. The chess pieces of the carefully constructed game suddenly began to dance all over the board before falling over, with Gordon and Virgil automatically grasping hold of their seats and looking on in alarm. And the effects were felt all over the Tracy household.
Back up in the grotto, all was now eerily quiet, save for a few loose stones still falling and splashing into the water. As quickly as it had begun, the tremors had subsided. And, in the dusty gloom of the now darkened cave, two figures, one protective of the other, lay still and unmoving.
