The meeting had been arranged to be on neutral ground to make it easier for all of them.

Jeff had suggested some places that Van Arkel refused and in turn Peiter had suggested some that he had refused. In the end Lester Breitenbach suggested calling in a neutral third party that both men knew but would stay out of it.

Lord Hugh Creighton-Ward had offered his London town house as a meeting place for them. He offered to be absent, but both parties had said he didn't need to be. Lester had been given the contract and a room that led to a large conservatory overlooking a nicely manicured gardens the day before the meet.

Now that conservatory was full of people.

Jeff was here with Scott and John. Pieter was here with Marion and one of her friends she'd introduced as Hanneli. Hugh had made himself scarce and had taken his daughter with him once she'd greeted all parties.

The conservatory was warm – certainly warmer than the atmosphere between the four young people. Apart from shaking hands the two parties had studiously ignored each other, but they were listening intently as Lester read out the contract and ticked off paragraphs as the two men agreed.

John stewed, getting angrier and angrier as Scott stayed silent as his future was sealed by two pairs of initials. He was beginning to regret expressing such a longing for Thunderbird Five and the ability to spend so much time in space.

'Clause 17. Offspring.'

'No. You can strike this from the contract. This is one clause that I will not allow my son to agree to.'

'No, no, no. I want to make sure the family's name is carried on!'

Marion flushed. She'd known about the clause but hadn't said anything against it. One simply didn't speak out against one's father – and especially hers. Her blush didn't go unnoticed. Scott stood.

'No. I will marry your daughter. I will live for six months in South Africa with Marion. I will attend the once-a-year ball you throw and my father's ball as a couple. But I will, under no circumstances, agree to forcing myself onto your daughter just so that you can have a grandchild. This is non-negotiable. Either remove the clause or I walk.'

Scott sat back down and John gave his shoulder a squeeze. He didn't look across at Marion but returned to stare at his feet, so Scott missed the astonished stare both she and her friend gave him.

'Mr Van Arkel, whether you would like grandchildren or not, this clause is not legally binding, not in any state or in any country. There are multiple reasons why this is the case, but with Scott refusing anyway it is a moot point. I shall strike the clause from the contract. Now shall we move on to clause 18?'

Van Arkel muttered darkly but didn't stop Breitenbach as he began reading the next clause, but Scott had had enough. Abruptly he stood, causing Lester to stop and all eyes turned to him.

'I need some air. By all means don't stop on my account.'

The bitterness was palpable, and John scrabbled up to follow him outside without a backward glance. They walked to the far end of the garden, ignoring how the grass trimmed as it was – made the bottom of their trousers wet.

There was a bench at the bottom of the grass – the lawn, his brain supplied – and Scott collapsed on it, ignoring the wetness as it seeped into his smart pants. He watched John pace once more in front of him for a couple of seconds before his brother joined him with a huff.

'Scott, please. It's not too late to stop this. Don't let Dad ruin your future.'

'It's not about my future, John. It's about the future of the world. How can I ask you to give up your life or Virgil, or Gordon or Alan, if I'm not willing to do the same?'

'International Rescue isn't worth this.'

'Maybe. Maybe not. But Mom is. And that's all that matters.'

John sighed. There was nothing he could say to that.

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat and both men looked over to see Marion and Hanneli standing a way off. With a nod to Scott John stood and offered his seat to Marion, moving away to let the two talk in private.

Marion sat beside Scott, the closest she'd ever been to the man, and worried at her fingers. The silence was awkward between them for the barest moment before he was talking to her, but it took Marion a moment to realise Scott was talking to her.

'I – I'm sorry, what did you say?'

'Miss Van Arkel, I asked if you were alright.'

'I guess, given the circumstances, you can call me Marion.'

'Scott. I guess we should try to get to know each other, as you say, given the circumstances.'

She laid a hand on Scott's forearm, and both startled before giving a small chuckle.

'Scott. I wanted to thank you for standing firm with my father of the – the child thing.'

'You're welcome.'

He watched her bite her lip before she blurted out more.

'Did you mean it?'

'Mean what?'

'That you won't…'

Marion blushed beetroot and looked away, unable to finish the sentence. Scott's face softened.

'No. I will never do that. Ever. Marion – despite me agreeing to this marriage, I want you to know that it is in name only. I will never force myself on you or do anything to make you uncomfortable, and if I do anything - anything at all – you just need to tell me and I will back off.'

'Pappa says you want the mines. That they are all that your Pappa is interested in is our mines?'

'Dad wanted to buy the mines outright, but your father refused to sell. Dad said your Pappa wanted this arrangement to protect you, and I understand that, I really do. Even if we marry the mines are going to stay in your name, with your permission we'll mine what we need and leave you to it.'

'Will you? What if you need more stuff?'

'Then I will discuss it with you.'

'You – you won't divorce me once you've taken what you want?'

Scott looked at Marion, really looked at her. He saw a frightened woman in need of protection, not only from the world but potentially from her own father's ideas. He took one of her hands in both of his and held her gently.

'Marion…I promise I will not break this contract unless you want out. You just say the word and we will part amicably. Until that time I shall honour the agreement I have signed up for. I promise.'

She wasn't aware she was crying until Scott released one hand and gently wiped away a tear from her cheek. Laughing self-consciously, and a little hysterically, Marion sprang away from Scott, almost tipping herself onto the floor and only just managing to stand unaided.

'We should get back before our fathers get creative on us.'

'Yeah, you're right.'

She fled inside before Scott had even stood, Hanneli casting him a quizzical look before following.

John stood and watched them go, frowning until Scott joined him and nudged him.

'You were kind to her.'

'Of course I was, who do you think I am?'

'Sorry. Sorry, of course that's not what I meant. I just…sigh I just thought that she'd be easier to dislike.'

'No, Marion seems like she's as much of a …'

'As much as a victim as you are.'

'John – please don't.'

'Why? It's the truth!'

Scott sighed. John wasn't quite wrong, but he was tired of hearing it. It was his choice!

'Let's just get back in there. Hopefully they have finished.'

'All but your signature.'

He didn't answer John but strode ahead, sparing Marion a glance and a small smile before returning to his seat.

Lester put his pen down and sat back a sigh. He looked at the two men before him and sighed again.

'All that is left is for the affected parties to sign.'

'Alright then. Marion! Come here, girl.'

'Hang on, Mr Van Arkel. I want everyone to take a breather before we go forward.'

'But…'

'This is not a request, Mr Van Arkel. I need some time with my clients before I allow them to finalise this. Kindly take your daughter and her friend into the garden or into the house, please.'

'Alright, alright. Marion, Hanneli, let's go look at the garden.'

Once they were along Lester sat forward again and motioned Scott to take Van Arkel's place. John stood behind Scott.

'Now that I finally have both of you in this room let me begin by saying what a gigantic mistake you are both making!'

'Lester?'

'Jeff, you are one of my closest friends, but you are being the biggest jackass I have ever seen.'

'Hey!'

'Scott – I love you like a nephew and I got to say you are also an idiot.'

John giggled, then blushed furiously.

'You have been through an horrendous ordeal over this last year. You barely survived being a POW, you spent months in hospital and then rehab only to lose the job that put you in that situation in the first place. You have your medal ceremony only to be told the same day that your father has arranged your marriage. That was less than seven days ago. You haven't even begun to get your equilibrium back before your father had knocked it off kilter. I got to say – I'm with John on this one.'

'Lester!'

'No, Jeff. I'm entitled to speak my piece. You are also completely unbalanced. Van Arkel has not given you time to breathe, to take a step back, to look at other possibilities. He's deliberately goading you to act without stopping to think.'

'Lester…'

'Jeff. Please. Take the breather. Talk to your sons. Thrash something else out rather than this…archaic and potentially barbaric match. By that I don't mean you, Scott, I mean the woman's father.'

'I don't need time, Uncle Les. As you say, Marion needs protecting from her father and I will provide that protection. I have already made my mind up and you know me, I will not change it.'

'One – please don't call me Les again, Scott, and most definitely stop calling me Uncle. Lester is fine. Two – if I cannot disabuse you both of this path then I can at least make sure that the contract protects you both to the best of my ability. Now, let's just go over the clauses you missed, Scott, before we call the Van Arkel's back.'

They bent over the contract and listened as Lester outlined the rest of the clauses.

Van Arkel stayed near the conservatory doors but he couldn't see what was happening inside. He clicked his teeth in frustration before charging over to the bench Marion had sat at.

'You better not have jeopardised the deal, girl, when you followed Tracy outside.'

'I – I didn't, Pappa. I promise.'

'Good. Don't forget that I'm doing this for you, my dogter.'

'I know, Pappie. I know.'

He kissed her forehead and pulled her into a hug. It had been a long time since his daughter had called him by that pet name, and it made him feel warm inside.

The doors opened and Lester stepped out.

'If you are both ready, it's time to sign on the dotted line.'

Pieter Van Arkel looked at his daughter and stood, holding out a hand for her to take and smiling when she took it.

'Is jy gereed, my dogter?'

'Ja, Pappie, ek is gereed.'

*Are you ready, my daughter?

*Yes, Pappie, I am ready.