Disclaimer: see chapter one

AN: I know, I know, I should've updated Shaking Foundations, but this chapter just came out as I was typing. Next chapter I type should be for the other story.

Again, there is a time jump in this, so just be warned.

Chapter Five- Cold Conversations and Fits of Rage

Scott chucked his bag down on the ground and kicked it under a table when he finally got home after detention.

"Scott Malcolm Carpenter Tracy!" Josie screeched, wearing a flowery apron and a scowl. "You will place your bag properly upstairs and then you will come downstairs."

Scott grumbled indecipherably, as he climbed the stairs.

"Don't give me that attitude, young man! I've had two unpleasant phone calls about your behaviour!" She waited by the foot of the stairs, and when Scott came down, she pulled him by the scruff of his shirt into the kitchen, and closed the door behind them. "Sit."

Scott sat obediently, and eyed the phone lying innocently on the table. With a sigh, he picked up the phone, and dialled his dad.

Jeff was in Gene's office.

"Gene, please, test Ben's blood again. Ben says he doesn't have the chicken pox, and I'm willing to take his word over some lab tests."

Gene continued to stare out the window, towards the launch-pad. "He could get sick while he's in space."

"I'm ready to take that risk."

"I'm not. The decision stands. Ben is off, and Nick is on." Gene observed Jeff's facial expression. "Something you wanted to say about that?"

"Actually, yes." Jeff paused, anticipating his reaction. "It's not working. Every single simulator we've tried, we've failed. Dammit Gene, Stokes is a rookie. He's not ready for this!" Jeff slammed his fist on the table in anger.

"Every rookie has to start somewhere. Even you did, Jeff." Gene reminded him coldly. "Nick's a damn good pilot. Give him a chance. You've two weeks to perfect the simulators. I suggest you work on them instead of arguing with me."

"Yes, I think we should." Jeff replied, just as cold, as his phone rang. "Excuse me."

Virgil, Gordon and Alan all sat outside the kitchen, with their ear pressed against the door.

"Can you hear anything, Gordy?"

"No. Not with you constantly asking me every five seconds. Now shut up!"

"Gordy," Alan piped up. "What's happening? Why can't we go into the kitchen? I'm hungry."

"I don't know what's happening, Allie." Gordon replied, while ruffling his blond locks. "Here, have something to eat." Gordon handed Alan a king sized chocolate bar.

Unknown to them, John Tracy was standing behind them. "What are you guys doing?"

Virgil and Gordon turned round to John. "Sssh!"

John frowned. "What?"

"SSSH!!"

"Yeah Johnny, ssh!" Alan grinned toothily, chocolate caked over his lips, fingers, hair and hands. The only place chocolate couldn't be seen was inside his mouth.

John sighed while looking at Alan. Cleaning Alan up would take a lot of effort and patience on his part. Still, curiosity got the better of him, and John found himself lying on the floor, trying to eavesdrop through the crack between the door and the floor.

"Scott, what were you thinking? I thought you knew better than that! You'd better have a damn good explanation for your behaviour!" Jeff thundered, anger racing through his veins.

"I do." Scott replied tersely.

"Well, shoot. I'm listening." Jeff raised an eyebrow, even though he knew Scott couldn't see it.

"There's no point in talking if you won't hear. You're listening, but you've heard what you want to hear."

"What do you mean by that, boy? Are you implying that I wouldn't understand? Or at least try to?"

"Yeah, I think that's exactly what I'm saying!" Scott found all his suppressed rage and anger flow from his mouth like lava would flow from a volcano. "How could you understand?! The famous Jeff Tracy! The perfect astronaut, the role model for little kids, the idol everyone looks up to. Someone who's obviously never lost control in the heat of the moment. How would you be able to understand?"

Jeff forced himself to breathe in through his nose, and out through his mouth, in an attempt to calm himself down. He couldn't afford to stress out and get booted off the mission.

There was a long silence; the eye of the storm.

"Scott, talk to me. Tell me what happened. In your own words. I think you owe me that much."

Scott began to explain, with Jeff adding 'mmn-hmm'ing away at the right spots.

"Well, I don't approve of the way you handled the situation," Jeff admonished, after Scott had finished. "But it took a great deal of courage to stand up to him. Honestly, Scott; did you really have to pin him against the wall and then choke him? There are other ways to manage certain situations without resorting to violence."

Scott rolled his eyes. 'Here we go again. Count to ten. Don't to anything stupid blah, blah, blah…'

"And for Gods sake, use your judgement next time." Jeff ended his lecture.

"If you're looking for an apology, or even a hint of remorse, you're barking up the wrong tree." Scott sighed. His father didn't understand. "Are we done? Can I go now? I have a lot of work to do."

"I guess." Jeff paused, clearly uncomfortable at what he would say next. "Son, I know I don't say this often enough, but despite all your stupid, reckless, and occasionally dangerous ideas and stunts, I love you and am exceedingly proud of you."

The corners of Scott's mouth quirked up. "Ditto."

Scott sat outside the barn, near the fence, sucking on a piece of hay, his teeth chattering slightly, staring at the clear, albeit cold blue night sky.

"Makes you wonder what's out there, doesn't it?"

Startled, Scott looked towards the voice. "What are you doing out here so late?"

"I have to take Poochy out. His barking's driving the household nuts."

"Um, Tash, not wanting to be insensitive or anything, but are you insane? Tom told me Poochy died a while back."

"This is Poochy the third."

"OK," Scott stretched out the two syllable word, and took a long drag on his hay stalk. "I'll just pretend I understood that."

"Heard about your Physics lesson."

"Only now? Wow, news does travel slowly. That happened just less than two weeks ago."

"For what it's worth, I don't think you should have been punished for that."

"Well, I was." Scott brushed off the subject. "No point in stoning the crows when the crows are already dead."

"Still, I would've done exactly the same thing."

"No Tash, you wouldn't." Scott corrected with a lopsided grin. "You would have sent him to hospital in your fit of rage."

Tash's jaw dropped. "You know about that?"

Scott laughed. "Everyone knows about how you sent Jaime Andrews to hospital by socking him and breaking his nose."

"The stupid bozo deserved it." Tash spat out with disdain. "Shouldn't spread nasty rumours about people if he couldn't handle the reactions."

"Yeah. Shame others don't understand that."

"So, are you going to the launch?" She asked, changing the subject. "Getting a couple of days off school? It's in two days, not counting today."

"Maybe. I don't know." Scott leaned heavily on the fence, and ran a hand through his hair, glancing back at the sky.

"He'll be alright, you know." She touched his arm comfortingly.

He looked up, and their eyes met, neither one able to look away from the other. A distraction came in the form of Poochy, who was barking loudly.

Tash looked down at the dog. "I have to go. Put him in his kennel. Before he drives everyone crazy."

"Yeah. I have to check the barn's locked up." Scott held up some keys and a spare padlock. "See you tomorrow."

"See you."

Jeff rolled his eyes, as his control panel told him the capsule had crashed.

"Useless piece of-"Nick muttered under his breath, pounding a fist on the metal bar in front of him. He yawned with his teeth clenched, hoping no-one in the simulator would notice. "One more time."

"Nick, are you sure?" Jeff asked, noticing Nick was rubbing sleepy-dust out of his eyes. "You're tired. We all are. We're more prone to making mistakes. I think we should call it a night, and come back to this in the morning."

"No! With all due respect for your opinions, I'd rather sort out the problem now." Nick argued. "I am the one that's going to bring us back to Earth. I am the one that's responsible for that leg of the trip. I'm not going to fail in that. Once more. That's all I'm asking for."

Jeff sighed. Although he didn't want to admit it, it was Nick's call. "Mission Control, we're going to run the simulator one more time."

"Roger that. Starting simulator."

Jeff looked at Nick. "Last time tonight, OK?"

Nick nodded determinedly, his hand dancing over his control panel.

"She's all yours."

Jeff trained his eyes onto the warning alarms, praying none of them would go off. He tuned out, watching…waiting…

"It's done!" Jack cried out, breaking into Jeff's thoughts.

"Good work, Nick." Jeff congratulated, while climbing out of the simulator capsule. "You've cracked it. We should have no problems from now on."

AN: ooh, coming up to the exciting part now. Please review.