Buried Emotions
Disclaimer - see chapter six
Chapter Nine
Jeff Tracy watched proudly as Alan crossed the stage.
"It never stops being a thrill, does it?" Scott grinned.
"No," Jeff softly agreed. "You boys are the best thing I ever did. When I think how close I came to losing Allie, I could kick myself. He has so much potential, he could be doing anything."
Kate smiled and nudged her husband. "It's a good thing the awards are handed out separately," she snickered. "Or Alan would be up and down constantly."
Tin-Tin turned around from her seat in front of the Tracys, her parents by her side. "He was yesterday," Tin-Tin laughed.
"Most of the awards were academic," Kyrano said. "But he still gets mentioned for other things, such as Most Likely to Succeed and Best Athlete. I did not think they did that at college."
"They have a lot more social pressure and athletic events at Harvard than MIT, Dad," Tin wryly said.
"How do you keep them down on the farm…" Kate jokingly sang.
"We are in Boston, not Paris, Katherine," Lady P chided the other woman from Jeff's other side. "And the Tracys – well, at least not Alan's generation – have never lived on a farm."
"Speaking of where Alan will live," Scott said, nudging Tin-Tin. "The suite is all ready. You two will love it. You can make any changes you like while you are home, Tin-Tin."
"Alan and I drew up the plans," Tin reminded him, even as she balanced Elizabeth between her and father. "I'm sure it's fine. Besides, we are leaving for our honeymoon without him heading for the Island, remember. Lady P, are you sure you are fine with us borrowing the villa in Tuscany?"
"Of course, dearest," Lady P assured her. "I personally find the weather much too unpleasant in the heat of summer. But with you two having grown up on a tropical isle, you should find it lovely. It's a lovely beachfront property – that section is restricted, which will help with the paparazzi – west of Florence."
"I still can't believe our little tykes are all grown-up," Parker sniffled from his place in front of Lady Penelope, next to Onaha. "I'm right feeling my age, I am."
"Oh, Dad," Kate whispered. "Gordon is going to be staying in New York next weekend."
"Julie's graduation?" Scott asked.
Kate nodded proudly. "She's a real firecracker." Looking over at Lady P and Parker, she smiled. "Wait until you meet Julie. She's amazing."
"Julie?" Parker asked softly. "That would be Mr. Gordon's young lady, yes? It's – it's a lovely name."
Lady P softly touched her long-time employee's shoulder. "Yes, Parker. Juliet is a lovely name."
"No, it's Julie," Kate corrected. "In fact, her mother was there once – and man, I thought Em had mother-issues – and some form accidentally listed Julie as Juliet. I thought her mother was going to stroke out! The woman went ballistic, saying her daughter's name was Julie. If she actually was – well, I'm not going there."
"But we are going," Scott said as he picked up his oldest son from the chair the boy was standing on, trying to wave to his Uncle Alan. "The recessional is beginning."
From their prime seats, the Tracy et al waved proudly at a beaming Alan, catching the blonde's eye. He smiled up at them, waving his diploma (or at least the holder where the diploma would be) and grinning in the mixture of pride and relief that only a college graduate would understand.
"Come on, gang," Jeff grinned. "Let's get the man of the hour and head out to celebrate. Kate, did you make the reservations?"
"Really, Dad?" Kate drawled at any implication she did not have everything planned out. "A private area of Grill 23 on the Back Bay with an amazing view of the harbor – and yes, Scott, they have excellent dry-rub New York Strip Steaks."
"Grrr," Scott jokingly growled as he tickled Jason's stomach. "We men, we want meat."
"Yeah, Mommy!" Jason howled. "We want meat!"
Kate sighed as she adjusted a sleeping DJ on her shoulder. "Oh, yeah – he is so your son."
Lady P smiled at Jeff as they headed to the entrance. "Indeed – I would say that about all of your boys, Jeff."
Jeff smiled in return, his thoughts heading not towards the blonde at his side but the one he had lost so many years before. "Not just mine," he said, not aware that he had spoken aloud.
The elegant woman froze for half a heart beat before carrying on as always. She loved Jeff Tracy but seeing once more the wedding ring he still wore nearly two decades after burying his wife, Penny was reminded why she headed off any discussion of marriage. While Penny was willing to take what she could get in being with Jeff, she knew far too much of his heart still belonged to Lucy.
And Penny had never been willing to take second place.
"I hope this facility has at least a four star rating," the Brit teased lightly.
"Five stars actually," Tin-Tin said from behind. Seeing Jeff turn to her with a smile, she blushed. "Alan and I went there with John a few months ago. The Tuna is amazing."
"Meat, meat, meat," Jason chanted from in front, becoming louder when Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
"And that is why you will never find a male Tracy as a vegetarian," Jeff grinned, pulling his oldest grandson into his arms and tossing him in the air.
"Men…" Onaha sighed with an eye roll.
The group laughed as a whole, hurrying outside to wait for Alan – and the start of the rest of the Tracy-baby's life.
Alan held Tin-Tin close with his right arm even as he balanced Jason on his left hip.
"That's a good look for you, Alan," Kate teased.
"Whoa!" Scott protested. "They're not even married yet. Alan and Tin-Tin have plenty of time to have children."
The couple laughed at the oldest Tracy brother's panicked look from the mere thought of Alan becoming a father. They were saved from any response by Onaha gently chiding, "When Alan and Tin-Tin choose to become parents is their choice and fate's, Scott."
Jeff smiled sadly. Lucy would have loved this moment. "You've missed so many moments, sweetheart."
The smell of lilacs made him relax. Well, maybe she hadn't missed that many.
Penelope saw the sad smile on the face of the man she loved and smiled as well. She had barely known Lucy Tracy, but what Penny had learned about the other woman made her realize that she would have liked her and she once more made a silent pledge of a prayer that she would protect Lucy's family as her own.
"Well this looks like quite the party," a voice trilled out, making the Tracys freeze.
Ana Nevada coolly approached the group, her camera man trailing dutifully behind her.
"So, Alan," Ana smiled. "I hear congratulations' are in order. Multiple ones in fact. And is this lovely young thing your fiancée? And these must be her parents. I understand you are both employed by Jeff Tracy as domestics – how liberal of him that your daughter is marrying his son."
"The Kyranos are far more than employees," Alan coldly said. "They are family to us. And this is a private party. Contrary to what you seem to think, my family is made up of private citizens with no legal or moral obligation to have our lives put on display for your titillation. Now if you will excuse us…"
Ana ignored him, focusing in on Jason. "And what's your name, sweetie?"
Kate had handed DJ to Onaha, pushing forward to take on the woman now touching her son when the five year old frowned and glared at the woman.
"You're mean! Leave Unca Allie alone!" Jason snapped as he grabbed the microphone out of Ana's hand and bopped her head with it.
Kate snickered as she kissed her son's head. "Atta boy, Jason." That said she led the family into the restaurant.
Penelope nodded at Jeff as Parker blocked the journalist from following the Tracys into the restaurant. "Considering his closest playmate is the little girl who kicked you a few years ago, I would have thought that you had learned your lesson by now. Obviously not."
"I'll press charges!" Ana snarled.
"I would love to see that," Penny smiled coolly. "You press charges for a kindergartner attacking you. By the by, his mother still carries a weapon and you physically touched her child. You don't want to know what a mother is capable of when it comes to protecting her young. Keep pressing your luck and you shall find out, of that I am certain."
That said, Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward coolly turned on her heels and headed into the restaurant, a smirking Parker following dutifully behind her.
Ana brushed an errant strand of hair back from where Jason's strike had knocked it free. Looking over her shoulder, she glared at the camera man.
"And what are you laughing at?"
"Nevada," he cracked, "You got beaten by a five year old. Damn, that is funny."
"You're fired," she screamed.
"You're hired," a new voice said. Rebecca Blake walked up, smiling all the way. Handing a business card to the man, the journalist nodded. "My regular camera man's wife is due any day now. Go talk to Bill Wesley at Wolf News – I think we can persuade him to give you a trial run in Kansas."
Turning to Ana, Rebecca smirked and strolled past her only to have the other woman grabbed her arm. Ana Snarled, "Do you think you'll be welcome, even with that fluff piece you did on Alan Tracy?"
Rebecca's smirk remained in place. "Welcome? Of course I will be. They invited me, didn't they?"
Ana stood alone on the sidewalk, her dark thoughts filled with what else could happen.
A sudden roll of thunder from the darkening skies answered her thoughts. And since the newly fired camera man had left with the news van – it was signed out in his name, after all – Ana's only hope to avoid getting soak was to make it to a nearby T Station to catch the train back to her local affiliate.
It was a futile effort. And the wet look was not good on the woman. Sadly, no additional reporters were around at that time. It would have made good copy, in the Tracys' opinion.
Daria put her phone away, smiling a bit sadly. Her little boy was getting so big, wanting to know when "mommy" was coming home. She mainly rode a desk these days, but the director wanted someone who the Tracys would feel comfortable with. And since no Eppes currently wore an FBI shield, it seemed that the powers-that-be had determined she was the next closest thing.
Then again, Daria had a soft spot for Alan Tracy. The kid had been through enough in three lifetimes that he deserved a happy ending and not some freaking lunatics after him. But since that was not the case, Alan at least deserved to have a few people looking out for him.
Looking across the sheriff's department, from the small office that had been allotted to her for her stay in Bailey, Daria raised an eyebrow at the obnoxious deputy leaning across Sheriff Landman's desk, trying – and failing – to look intimidating.
"Damn it, Jean! This is my chance! Why won't you let me be involved in anything? Think I'm not good enough to be working with the FBI?" Dutton snarled.
"First off, Keifer," Jean sighed, "this takes working with the Tracys. And they don't like you, with good reason I may mention. Secondly, you haven't shown me that you are exactly a team player. I only need so many people on this detail Considering I found out this morning that you didn't even actively work on distributing those BOLOs on the escaped convicts, how can I count on you for anything critical? Answer – I can't. So you will remain on your shift, allegedly doing your work. Now, get out of my office and stop getting me mad."
"Jean, if I can just –"
"Dammit Dutton!" Jean snarled. "Stop peeing on my leg and telling me its rain! I'm not buying your bull hockey, so don't even try it! Some folks around here have real work that needs done."
Dutton turned around only to almost run into Daria. "Come on, Agent. Tell the sheriff you need every man."
Daria shrugged. "Considering you weren't all that interested until you found out Former FBI Director Don Eppes was coming, I don't know why I should."
"But…"
"And you do know Kate Tracy's maiden name, right?" Daria said with an evil grin. Seeing Dutton's blank face – and Jean's amused one – Daria snickered. "Kate and I were roommates at the Academy. She called me Dorf, since my maiden name was Morgandorfer and I called her Eppsie…seeing as her's was Eppes. As in Don Eppes. As in the Director's daughter. His ONLY daughter and his baby at that. Dude, after what you pulled at Sheriff Landman's wedding, you were lucky the Director of the FBI didn't come gunning for you himself. Count yourself fortunate that someone else pissed him off more than you had by the time he heard about it."
"What could piss him off more than someone trying to grope his daughter and basically implying she was a prostitute?" Jean asked, trying not to laugh. "What, did someone shoot her?"
Daria nodded. "Yeah. And since the guy in question is one of the two escaped convicts, I suggest we don't let him near Mr. Eppes. He already made the man defecate himself."
Jean raised an eyebrow. "He – no way! Damn, they say women marry someone like their daddy. Guess they got that one right." She eyed her cousin by marriage and sighed.
"Listen, we have enough people, if you want to save face and take a few days off, I'll be good with it."
"No thank you, Sheriff," Dutton snapped. "I will do my duty. But if you screw this up – and I'm sure you will – I'll make sure everyone knows who is responsible."
While Dutton stomped from the sheriff's office, Daria sighed as well. "I'll close my eyes if you want to shoot him," she offered.
"Nah," Jean grumbled. "For some reason, his daddy loves him. And Billy and I love his uncle, so – I guess I'm stuck with him. Like Mama says, you can pick your friends but family is from heaven." At Daria's raised eyebrow, Jean chuckled. "We'll, the Lord sends blessings and curses – so you know what end of the spectrum Keifer Dutton falls on for me."
Daria shook her head, glad once more she hadn't married the first two guys she ever fell for. While Trent's sister was Jane, still one of her best friends, his other siblings were the stuff that made therapists loaded. And Tom? A great guy but his sister was a stuck up rich bitch in the classic sense of the word.
"Huh," Daria muttered.
"Huh what?"
"I just realized," Daria sighed. "I must be attracted to the letter T. The three guys I ever fell for were Trent, Tom and Tony – and I married the last one."
"Same letter as trouble, huh?" Jean smirked.
"Oh shut up," Daria grumbled. "No wonder you and Eppsie get along so great."
The two women began to laugh, not noticing Keifer Dutton was still around the corner.
They were laughing at him, he just knew it. Damn it, those broads were all going down. This time he would be the hero and soon that would be his office. Or better yet, Keifer knew how much Middle America loved its heroes. Why be a sheriff when he could be headed to Washington? Soon the world would be his – he only had to wait for his moment to shine.
Alan kissed Tin-Tin one more time before he sighed.
"Yeah, Scott," he called to his brother who behind Alan's back had leaned out of Tracy One. "Tin's coming."
Tin-Tin waved at her fiancé as he ran towards Tracy Two, hollering at Kate that he "was flying, darn it." She chuckled as she climbed the steps into the plane but paused as she turned and stared at the slightly smaller jet which was even now closing its door and beginning departure.
"You'll see him soon," Jeff comforted his soon to be daughter in law. John had called while they were at dinner to tell them that the doctors had transferred Emily to the mainland. Jeff wanted to be there for his second son, knowing how worried John was as Emily "hit the home stretch" of her difficult pregnancy. And with John – and presumably Jeff – otherwise occupied, Scott had decided to head back in case he was needed. Kate still had the three children but countered that between her, Alan and the fact that her parents were joining them in Kansas, it should be fine.
"My head is saying that, Mr. Tracy," Tin-Tin. "But my heart doesn't want to let him out of my sight."
"He's headed for Bailey, Kansas," Scott called out from the pilot's seat, even as Jeff secured the door and took the co-pilot's spot. "What can happen to him in Bailey?"
"I don't know," Tin-Tin softly said from her seat, barely noticing as her mother helped her secure her safety belt. "What has happened there in the past?"
Past incidents with Alan flashed through the Tracys' minds, making them look at each other and flinch.
"Yeah," Jeff mumbled while Scott called in their status and received the ok to depart. "It will be fine. He'll just be in Bailey and he'll be fine."
Usually when Jeff became distressed, the gentle scent of lilacs comforted him, reminding him that the love of his life was always close by. But today there was nothing making his concern kick up a notch. Because if Lucy wasn't with him, where was she?
And which of their blonde sons needed her more?
A/N - OK, I think I got all of the reviews. At least, I hope I did. Taking a while to get to the action, but I wanted to create the back story. Hope you are enjoying. Sorry everything has been so sporadic, but between job 1, job 2, daughter, husband and mother...trying to breathe isn't always possible. Mom is doing as well as can be expected. They are hoping the chemo shrinks the worst of her tumors enough for surgery. We'll see. I personally am feeling a bit more optimistic. I know her cancer is still terminal but I am more hopeful it is not imminent. She and I have set a goal, for her to attend my daughter's high school graduation, which is June 2016. Here's a wish and a prayer...
Until next time. - CC