The family sat around the large dining table and helped set out plates and various utensils onto the wood, Kayo sat down beside Anneka and next to Scott who kissed her cheek before kicking Gordon under the table as his brother made a face, Grandma sat down at the head of the table.

"How do you like the Island?" Grandma smiled at Anneka down the table.

"It's amazing, the Birds are gorgeous."

"Excuse me?"

Brains looked up in surprise, "The Birds?"

Scott cleared his throat, "I told Kayo she could show Anneka the crafts, she's going to be staying with us for a while, and she won't tell anyone."

"What did you think of Thunderbird 4?" Gordon grinned.

"Gordon," Virgil groaned, "Is that really the only thing you care about?"

"No, but I'm curious."

Anneka smiled, "Was she the submarine?"

"Yeah, the yellow duck," Alan smirked.

"Yeah whatever Alan. And yes she's the submarine, you probably saw her in the tank."

Anneka nodded, "I did. So, you guys must be pretty busy most of the time?"
"You've got that right, nearly every day we're out. You've caught us on a day off."

"That or John's forgotten to set EOS up properly up there," Alan looked across at John who glared at him.

"I'll have you know she's got it sorted. We haven't had any calls."

"What's your profession Anneka?" Virgil asked as he helped himself to another chicken wing.

"I'm a photographer. My parents and I own a studio."

Scott looked at Kayo with a smile, "Really? What kind of photography?"

"I do lots of different kinds; wedding photos, couples, animals. Why?"

Kayo laughed, "We'll talk later."

Anneka smiled, "I find what you guys do is incredible, I've heard about some of your rescues and things."

Scott smiled, "We do our best, it's not easy though."

"I bet. But you guys really are awesome, the distance you go to rescuing someone is incredible, are you ever worried that something might go wrong?"

Virgil nodded, "All the time, but if you do that too much, then the job goes wrong. We haven't messed up yet."

"Well you've set that in motion now Virgil," Gordon smirked.

"Don't joke like that bro," Kayo looked sharply across at him and Scott wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Gordon simply shrugged and continued to eat, "I'm just saying."

Later in the evening the family chilled out in the lounge and Anneka watched them, Kayo walked over to the pool table and set up a game, she called Anneka over.

"Want a game?"

"Is this what you guys do?" Anneka smiled as Kayo handed her a cue.

"Well when we're not on a mission yeah, there's not much else to do."

Alan joined them, "Want to play doubles?"

Kayo smiled, "You're on."
"Kayo go with Alan, I'll take you on with Anneka." Virgil walked around the desk and grabbed a cue from the wall stand.

"You're going down bro." Alan stood next to Kayo narrowing his eyes competitively.

Scott sat down at the grand piano and smiled at John who was leaning on the lid watching the others around the pool table, as the music began Kayo looked over and smirked as Scott winked at her.

"Want to break Anneka?" Virgil asked.

"Sure, I'm not great I'll warn you now," Anneka bit her lip as she lined up her shot at the white ball, the cue struck the ball and the colours split around the green padding, "Told you."

Kayo laughed, "What a lie."

John looked back at Scott, "Who's your money on?"

Scott chuckled, "Who do you think?"
"Come on bro, not supporting our guest?"

"I think Kayo can get back from that."

"Try modulating into Eye of the Tiger or something then, build up some tension."

Scott laughed, "It's nowhere near a battle yet, I'll change gradually."

There was a loud clap of a high five and one of Alan's famous strange phrases he came out with to try and impress people, which was followed by a groan.

"Alan's that's your first pocket of the game, Anneka and I have already got five in the bag."

Alan pouted, "You can't let me have one celebration?"
Kayo ruffled his hair, "You've pushed our score forward bro, that's all that matters."

"Thanks Kayo," Alan smiled slightly.

John went over to help Grandma who was carrying a tray of drinks into the lounge and she smiled as he took two off her, "Here Grandma, I'll take these."

"Thank you honey, I'll leave the rest on the table."

"What do you think of Anneka?"

Grandma smirked as she sat down on the sofa, "I think I should ask you that son."

John blushed slightly, "She's a lot like Kayo, a little shyer though."

"Oh John you've always struggled haven't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do, I saw you earlier and the way you watched her leave the room."

John sighed, "She's very pretty, but I can't Grandma. I've only just met her, it's not fair on her to just talk to her like we know each other."

Grandma stroked John's cheek, "You'll find a way."

John smiled back, "Thanks," He stood up and took a drink over to Scott, "Here."

"Thanks John, on the piano please."

"Do you think Virgil will mind?" John watched Virgil as he lined up to take a shot.

"I guess we'll find out." Scott said lazily as he gazed at Kayo who was standing by the table, her hair catching the sunlight.

Virgil smiled at Anneka then noticed the glass on the piano, "Scott you have five seconds to move that glass or I'll move you."

John laughed, "There's your answer."

Scott rolled his eyes and placed the glass down on the floor next to the stool, "Happy?"

"I am now." Virgil smiled and turned back to the game as Anneka cheered as she shot a ball down one of the pockets, John leant against the piano and watched Anneka shyly.

The game ended with Virgil and Anneka being the champions and money bets were paid up, Kayo laughed as she found out Scott had bet on her winning and she wrapped her arms around his neck gently in a hug, Alan went to sit on the sofa with Gordon who shook his head with a tut.

"What squid?"
"Losing to a girl, not like you."

"I let them win, she's a guest."

Gordon coughed with a laugh, "Yeah, sure you did. They beat you fair and square."

Anneka hugged Kayo and they joined the others in the ring, "You were fine Alan."

John smirked and caught Anneka's eye who smiled slightly, "Plus some of us have got some money, so I'd say that was a pretty good game."

"Don't rub it in John." Kayo stretched out slightly against Scott's shoulder.

"Can I just ask something?" Anneka looked round at the boys then to the piano.

"Shoot." Gordon rested his head against his hands behind his head.

"Do you all play?"

"Piano? Not all of us," Virgil smiled, "I do and Scott does, Gordon barely plays do you brother?"

Gordon shook his head, "Never had the patience."

"I prefer the guitar to the piano," Alan smiled and indicated his head to the picture of the silver guitar on his shirt.

Anneka nodded, "John?"

"I'm not very good, I spend a lot of my time in space so I'm rarely down here with the piano," His heart fluttered again as her hazel eyes gazed at him.

Anneka smiled, "I just wondered. You sounded great Scott."

Scott smirked, "Thank you, I thought the game needed some movement."

Kayo kissed his cheek, "It was perfect."

Anneka went to sit next to John, and Grandma watched them with a smile, "So, what's space like?"

John was taken by surprise for a second and he tripped over his words slightly, "Umm, yeah. Space. It's kinda my sanctity in a way, I'm the space monitor for our organisation so I have to be constantly alert on keeping an eye out on the Earth." The others began chatting again and John's confidence grew, "I probably have to return there in the morning, it's not all lazing around here."

Anneka chuckled, "I'd love to see space one day."

John looked around at his family who were oblivious to their conversation, "Well I know this is a bold question, but if you'd like I could take you up to Thunderbird 5 tomorrow morning?"

"Really? You'd allow me to do that?" She gasped in slight excitement.

John nodded and whilst Anneka wasn't looking at him he smiled at Grandma who gave him a thumbs up, "It's no problem. I'll ask Kayo if she has a spare suit you can wear."

"Thank you so much."

"I'll come and get you in the morning, which room are you staying in?"
"Kayo's."

"Great. I'll keep you safe up there."

"Thanks."

Inside his head John cursed himself, you'll keep her safe? Real smooth John, god, as bad as Gordon, "In Thunderbird 5 I mean, nothing can go wrong up there."

Gordon interrupted the conversations in the room, "So, have you checked in with EOS John?"

Anneka looked into her lap and John sighed at Gordon, "EOS gets in touch with me, she's my friend, but she can look after herself."

"Who's EOS?" Anneka looked up.

"Computer friend up in Thunderbird 5, a little electronic companion."

"That's cute," Anneka smiled and her heart squeezed as John smiled at her.

Kayo leant closer to Scott and asked quietly, "Do you think those two are, you know?"

"What?"

"Look at them, it's kinda obvious that John has a crush on Anneka, look at him, he's smitten."

Scott looked over to his brother, "Are you sure that's a smitten look? He looks a little pissed off if you ask me."

"Probably because Gordon has just broken their moment, but when he looks at her."

Scott smiled as he saw a flicker of a smile cross John's lips as Anneka tucked her hair behind her ear, "I think you're right love."

"Gordon why are you even asking?" Virgil crossed his arms.

"There's no harm in asking, is there?" Gordon replied with a slight laugh in his voice.

Virgil sighed and tipped back his drink as Gordon sat back a little confused, and cast his eyes over to John and Anneka chatting quietly together.

At around one, Grandma suggested that her boys went to bed and Kayo took Anneka to her room to make sure she would be comfy.

"Are you sure it's alright that I don't stay with you tonight?"

Anneka nodded as she unfolded her pyjamas onto the bed, "Kayo I'll be fine, you go to Scott tonight ok?"

Kayo smiled, "Thank you."

"Sleep well and thank you so much for inviting me here, I'm having a wonderful time."

"I needed to see you, it's no problem. See you in the morning." Kayo closed the bedroom door and made her way to Scott's room passing John as she went round the corner, "John? Are you ok?"

"Fine, I was just heading to bed."

"Your bedroom is this way though."

"I'm going to take the long way round."

Kayo raised an eyebrow, there was no long way round really, "Alright then…Well goodnight John."

John smiled, 'Sleep well," He watched her go into Scott's room and close the door before he went round to Kayo's room, he knocked on the door and heard a polite answer.

"Hello? Come in."

John opened the door, "Hey, just making sure you know what we're doing tomorrow."

"How could I forget? I've already found a spare outfit in here. It's a little snug but it'll do."

"Great, we'll aim for nine in the morning to get to the elevator."

"Elevator? We're not going in a rocket?"

John smirked, "You'll see. Sleep well," And before he realised he had done it, he had planted a kiss on her cheek, "I'm sorry, I should've asked."

Anneka smiled back, "It's ok. See you tomorrow."

"Sure thing, till tomorrow then," He turned from her and left the room closing the door gently before almost dancing back to his room.

Kayo climbed into bed still looking confused, "That was weird."

"What's wrong?"

"John wasn't heading to his room, he lied in front of me."

"Maybe he was making his way to the kitchen?"

Kayo pressed her finger to Scott's lips as she heard a door close, "Now he's in his room, he didn't take a long walk back."

"Can I have my lips back?"

"Sorry yeah. I guess I'll ask him tomorrow," Kayo lay down on the pillow facing Scott and held his hands, "So, what do you think of Anneka?"

Scott smiled and kissed her nose, "She's very sweet, I thought she was quite shy when she first arrived, but she relaxed a little when you were playing pool. I was watching her from the piano."

"You were watching me most of the time."

"How could I not? You're captivating in the sunlight."

Kayo giggled, "Scott stop it."

"It's true though."

"Hopeless romantic. What about her and John though? Could there be something there?"

"Only time will tell."

Kayo nodded, "I guess so. I'm glad we told her about International Rescue, it helped her to open up a little."

"I gotta admit, I wasn't completely comfortable about her knowing, but she seems trustworthy."

"Oh she definitely is."

"Why do you want her for photos?"

Kayo laughed, "Ah, you got that huh? That photo of us on your desk isn't great, I thought she could take a photo of us, a professional one."

"I see, like a couple photo?"

"Yeah. I don't think she'll have a problem doing it," Kayo ran her fingers through Scott's hair and he smiled.

"Come on, let's get some sleep." Scott leant over and turned the light off before cuddling up to Kayo who rested her forehead against his.

Anneka lay in Kayo's bed staring out of the window at the stars and her eyes locked onto a bright star shining down from onto the island, it was larger than a planet but dimmer than a star, she blinked sleepily and fell back against her pillow to sleep.