Hello apologies for the long hiatus, real life taking all my time and resources as usual! Updates may very well be sporadic but i will do my best to update it when I can, thank you for your patience in advance :-)

Beyond Paradise

The scent of jasmine lingered on his collar as he settled back into his seat, his hands gripped firmly on the levers as he navigated the suppressed depths of the Indian ocean. Gordon chewed his lip, the cherry balm leaving a faint tang in his mouth. He smiled to himself reminiscing about their recent antics as he navigated his way back to the pod.

He still couldn't believe his luck sometimes. He hadn't been looking for love, yet it had hit him like a bullet to the heart, especially when he'd fallen for the only woman off limits to him. A sharp echo of pain radiated through his chest at the memory. Every day he'd suffered more and more, trying to be the good guy by denying his wildest desires. His every moment was haunted by the accidental caresses, the melodic lilt of her voice and the haunting scent of Jasmine that clung to him long after being in her presence.

Finally, the inevitable happened on one moonlit mid summer's eve where his weakness was his undoing as their souls collided in a rush of desire. He'd been so ashamed to have put her in such a position. This in turn forced her away from him, then just when he'd lost all hope she'd come home with a soft smile that ignited his spirit and chased the doubts away as she declared her overwhelming affection for him.

Sixteen months on and there was no room for monotony anymore, his days were wholesome. Just this morning they'd been planning a day trip to the mainland; they were hoping to volunteer for the leatherback turtle release program but needed to make sure it aligned with Thunderbird Five's next personnel rotation. Gordon's brows knitted together in frustration, his hands tightening over the controls. The only contention in their relationship revolved around his youngest brother - Tin's former boyfriend.

Alan and Tin Tin had been estranged for around eighteen months, but Alan still held a torch for her. It wasn't an over exaggeration to say he wouldn't accept any new man on the scene let alone his own brother. They both knew Alan had a temper that could burn longer than the brightest star. He tried not to crush the controls as he ascended upwards, his nails indenting the foam. Gordon maintained that there was never a good time to tell him and therefore they might as well just do it. Tin-Tin felt Alan needed more time in the hope he would finally realise a reunion would never occur so that he might find someone who loved him truly. Gordon thought that was a fairy tale personally and said as much, which had earned him the cold shoulder for yet another evening when the subject arose. He sighed. It was a mess, yet he was confident a resolution could be met. It would have to be for all their sakes. He loved her and she loved him. It had been nearly two years! How much more time did he need?

Swiping a hand over his eyes at the impending tiredness, he opened the comms line. "Thunderbird Four to Thunderbird Two. Commencing docking procedures. Standby."

"Receiving you Thunderbird Four, heading to your coordinates now. ETA five minutes."

"F.A.B"

Gordon reversed up the pod ramp as the door automatically lifted to seal the pod ready for collection, his fingers drumming a beat as he waited to be extracted. He twisted his wrist around to view the time and exhaled. Most of the day would be gone at this rate, if only Thunderbird One had the capacity to lift her.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Tin-Tin sat basking on a lounger by the pool knowing that she should probably move because the boys were on their way back, but it was such a gorgeous day she couldn't bring herself to retreat just yet. A benefit of Thunderbird One rarely being housed here these days was full access to the pool.

She pushed her shades up under her floppy hat whilst flicking through her phone, scanning through her latest photos. One of the island at twilight, one with her father, a couple of technical drawings of her latest engineering ideas. Then her thumb stilled on a picture of her and Gordon forehead to forehead in a close embrace with her smiling against his lips. She missed him now that he went on rescues more regularly. Her gaze lingered on his chiselled jawline, the urge to trace it with her thumb caused the phone to slip from her grip. She gasped audibly as she scrabbled to catch it.

"Hey! That was close!" An open palm saved her phone from the concrete, Alan gently lifted it up to pass back to her. She snatched at it but not quick enough. Alan was now staring at the phone intensely.

"Alan." She swung her bare legs around on the lounger making for the phone. He lifted it further from her reach.

"Tin…. what…. I" His face blanched in horror at the image displayed in front of him – "You - you swore there was nothing between you!" Alan made to thumb through more photos as Tin jumped up to snatch it back. He dodged her, flicking through images of her kissing, cuddling, posing for, wrapped around…. Gordon!

Alan thrust the phone back at her chest. "I'll kill him." He snarled.

"Alan, no! it's not what you think. Wait!" She snatched her cardigan and ran after him.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Eventually around an hour later they arrived home, the palms dipping to the sides as the green behemoth made her way back into the hangar. Skipping out of his seat, he ran to the back of the cabin ready to exit which earned him a smile and a small head shake from Virgil.

He jogged down the steps a couple at a time before hopping the last few directly. He would have to wash Thunderbird 4 down, but he could do that later. He wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings when the sucker punch came.

"You bastard, how could you!"

Gordon staggered slightly whilst swiping his arm across his cheek to get rid of the smart. His opposite hand reflexively curled into a fist as he corrected his stance to defend himself.

"Alan!" A feminine voice pleaded.

Alan glared at Gordon with watery eyed contempt, his usual handsome features distorted with fury. "You stole her from me."

"Alan, he didn't steal me - I'm not a possession." She added in exasperation.

Alan stood towering over Gordon's shorter stature, sucking in a deep lungful of air, his face contorted in anguish.

Now over the initial shock he backed up slowly. "Alan, Tin Tin and I didn't start seeing each other until after you split up, you've been estranged for a while now. I know it's hard but it's time to move on and respect her wishes."

Alan snapped a furious glance towards Tin Tin. "How can I when I love her! I love you, Tin." The look of betrayal in his wide sky-blue eyes felt like he'd slapped her. Her breath hitched as she put a hand to her heart.

He rounded on his brother. "And you – would you jump in my grave so readily?"

"Alan! That's a terrible thing to say." Tin Tin exclaimed appalled.

"I'm not talking to you." He yelled angrily.

"Hey, don't you shout at her, it's not her fault!" Gordon's temper flared once more.

"No, not her fault she hasn't even tried to repair our relationship and taken up with you instead." He spat bitterly.

Gordon's blood boiled. "Can you blame her?"

"Ha!" Alan bellowed manically. "So, you told him? Did you also tell him it was one kiss; one I didn't ask for?"

"Alan, I'm not discussing it again, we've been over this. I'm through with it all."

"Yeah well, I'm not! I remember the way you two were looking at each other back then. You swore nothing was going on, but you were moving in behind my back weren't you!" He roared, grabbing Gordon and shoving him backwards into the wall. Gordon let out a soft oof as the wind was knocked out of him.

That's it, he'd had enough. Seizing Alan forcibly by the lapels, he swung him around pinning him where his own back had been moments before, forcing his forearm down on his brother's windpipe. "Pack it in and grow up!"

"Fuck you!" Alan punched at Gordon's side, causing him to admit a soft groan but his grip wouldn't relent, using his feet to pin his brother tighter.

By the time Virgil arrived on the scene Alan had slammed Gordon to floor winding him and was about to land a punch to the face.

"Hey that's enough!" Virgil waded in to intercept mid strike, grabbing Alan by the waist and hauling him off, pushing him backwards whilst grunting with the effort.

Tin Tin rushed to Gordon's side where he struggled to rise, she was weeping with her make up streaming down her beautiful face. Virgil had one hand on Alan's chest looking between him and Gordon on the floor.

"Look, I don't know what on earth is going on but that's enough. If Dad sees you, he'll string you up." If that wasn't enough of a threat to stop them then they were doomed.

"What's going on" panted Alan, "Is that Bastard has been bedding my girlfriend and I'll never forgive either of them." With one last furious stare, he stormed out of the hangar.

Virgil lowered his hand he'd been using to restrain Alan before slowly turning towards the other two. "Tell me that's not true?"

Gordon looked up from where he'd been doubled over, leaning on Tin Tin who was trying to stem the cut at the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief. Her arm protectively secured around his waist.

"Well, I'm not bedding his Girlfriend because the fool no longer has one but yes, I am dating his ex." He beamed at Tin Tin senselessly. Maybe he had a concussion brewing or maybe it was just the secret out the bag that he felt giddy with relief.

Virgil's astonished gaze landed on Tin Tin who nodded silently in confirmation with a weak smile, tears tracking down her face.

Virgil ran a hand through his ruddy brown hair before offering a hand to lift Gordon up. Gordon hissed in pain.

"Come on. You two can make me a coffee and explain."

"Ok, but can we grab some ice first? I think I bruised a rib." Gordon wheezed.