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loopstagirl · 3 months

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Crashing into his office chair with a long suffering sigh, Jeff Tracy ran a hand wearily over his eyes. They had barely got past the welcoming hugs before the trouble had started. He had hoped this term at Wharton's would have helped sort Alan out, but it seemed the moody teenager was just as moody as ever. He couldn't fault his other boys for the teasing; the light hearted banter had been part of their family meal for as long as Jeff could remember, he would have been worried if it had been any other way.

Yet Alan's reaction showed he still had a long way to go until Jeff considered making him part of the team. He had hoped this break would prove him wrong and he would have been able to talk to his youngest son about starting training in the summer, but after the incident at dinner, Jeff knew that was off the agenda. With a sad smile, he turned to the photos lining the edge of his desk, showing the young and carefree Alan who didn't feel the need to argue against everything his father said. All of his sons looked so young and innocent in the photos, not weighed down by the responsibility of saving the world on a regular basis.

That reminded Jeff of what he had come into his office for in the first place. Alan wasn't the only one causing him grief over the Thunderbirds. Flicking a switch on the panel in front of him, the father patched himself through to the son he needed to have a word with.

"Scott, my office, now." Not waiting for a reply, Jeff disconnected himself, resting back in his chair and allowing it to take his weight. Alan's arrival had already disrupted things on the island if Jeff was summoning his eldest son. He couldn't remember the last time he had used that tone of voice with Scott, not since he was at least Alan's age. At that time, even Alan couldn't compare to the mood swings Scott went through.

"What's up, Dad?" Startled out of his musings by Scott's almost silent arrival, Jeff swung his chair around so he was facing his son. Leaning casually on the doorframe, his eldest child didn't seem to have realised what the tone of voice meant, his posture relaxed as he hooked one hand in his pocket, the other swinging freely.

"Your control of Thunderbird One."

"There is nothing wrong with my control," Scott began, heat beginning to already emerge in his voice as he leapt to the defence of his 'bird without quite knowing what he was defending. His posture had already stiffened, the hand coming out of his pocket as he straightened up, clearly showing his father his military past as he all but stood to attention.

"Not the control, no," Jeff agreed, watching Scott closely for signs to show he knew what he had done. "Let me rephrase that then, your handling of Thunderbird One."

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Scott asked, his tone bordering on rude as he voiced his confusion. He didn't mean to sound blunt, only was completely bewildered as to what his father was referring too. The rescue had gone without a hitch, apart from the rig almost blowing up too soon for the boys to clear it. But with Jeff joining them on the rescue for a change, the team had worked to utter perfection, determined to show their father just how good they were at working together. A previous argument between Virgil and Gordon had made him accompany them this time, declaring he didn't want personal matters getting in the way of their job. Like it would though. Scott knew his brothers well enough to know whatever personally matters were occurring got left behind whenever they turned from Jeff Tracy's sons into the members of International Rescue. Although at the moment, that was not helping the eldest son work out what had his father so annoyed.

"Scott, think. On the way home, what did you do?"

"Fly? I honestly have no idea what you are talking about, Father."

"I'm going to give you one more clue, Scott. Just after we saw your brother."

And then, like a light bulb coming on, Scott knew precisely what he had done that was making his father annoyed. Jeff always had maintained that the ships were not to be used for stunts, something he believed his sons kept too. In range of the island, they did, but sometimes on the way home from a successful mission, one or more of the Tracy boys had the need to display their relief and delight in a job well done. Caught up in the adrenaline from the mission and the excitement at seeing his baby brother, however, Scott Tracy had forgotten his father was in Thunderbird Two

Watching Scott grimace slightly as he suddenly became very interested in his shoes, Jeff was hard pushed not to laugh. His son, whilst being a mature 28 year old that had the role of field commander in one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, looked exactly like the ten year old who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar again. Reminding himself that he was supposed to be angry at his son, not reminiscing in the past, Jeff smoothed his features back into a disapproving look, thankful Scott had been looking down at the time.

"Well?"

"I was testing her thrusters?" Scott offered sheepishly, only meeting his father's eyes momentarily before looking down again, a flush beginning to work its way up his neck.

"Try again," Jeff responded drily, resting further back in his chair to regard his son. He was partly curious as to what Scott would come up with; he had become a scarily talented liar during his teenage years. Although judging by that first attempt, the father was hopefully he wouldn't have to worry.

"She had a mind of her own?"

"Nope, not doing it. Scott, what are the rules regarding the 'birds?"

"Never let Gordon fly One and don't let John near Two's controls when he has had chocolate?" Biting his lip quickly, Jeff rolled his eyes, attempting to desperately stop the smirk emerging. If he was honest, Scott was completely right.

"No, the other rule. And don't say don't let Alan near the 'birds either." Judging by the look that overcame his son's face, Jeff knew he had caught his eldest out there. Once more glancing at his shoes, Scott finally faced his father.

"Sorry."

"Scott, there is a reason why the 'birds cannot be used for stunts. This isn't the air force, son, you can't joyride One, it is far too dangerous."

"I had her completely under control!" Scott burst out suddenly, feeling slightly put out that his father was doubting his piloting skills.

"I don't question that, but you are supposed to be setting an example to your younger brothers, that is why you are the field commander and not the other way around."

"Dad-," Before Scott could continue on an outburst that Jeff had not seen from his son for quite a few years, a shrill beep came out of the monitors in front of him, causing the father to sit forward with a concerned frown making its way onto his face. Checking the readings, Jeff sighed wearily. He was right to think that trouble had arrived back on the normal paradise.

"Hang on, isn't that-?" Once more cutting Scott off, hopefully before he could work out what was going on, Jeff reached out a hand and smoothly hit a button, only to find himself face to face with a worried looking Alan, Fermat just being seen in the corner of the screen.

"Alan, my office, now." Disconnecting again, Jeff couldn't help but notice he had just repeated the exact same words he had used on Scott. Who was going to be next? With a wry grin, Jeff only hoped that it wasn't going to be John. It had happened in the past though, Scott and Brains going up to collect the younger man just so Jeff could have a word. The blond was not always the calmest of people when his brothers' were out on a tricky rescue, and Jeff had been more than astonished by the language that had come out of his star-loving son's mouth. Before his thoughts could go any further, Scott all but exploded, having put together the pieces regarding his youngest brother.

"What the hell did he think he was doing? If he has touched her in the slightest, I swear I'll-,"

"Scott."

"How did he know my access codes? I've changed them since the last holidays to stop him doing this. He better not have-,"

"Scott."

"If anything is wrong, I'm going to kill him."

"Scott, that is enough! Alan is not the question here, you are. Due to your behaviour regarding Thunderbird One, you are to sit out of the next mission." Jeff knew that it was a slightly drastic measure to take, but the father was more than aware that unless he regained control now, the boys were simply going to spiral out of hand. And quickly as well. It was the only way Jeff felt he had any control over them, and if he was honest, he hoped that if Alan could see Scott being put in his place, then the younger brother wouldn't feel like it was just him that was being singled out.

"What?"

"Gordon can take One, Virgil, Two. I need you boys to know I'm serious about the stunts, they are not going to happen."

"Dad!"

"You're grounded for the next mission."

"But Dad..!"

"Bottom line, Scott. I thought you had grown up." Regarding his son coolly, Jeff narrowed his eyes as Scott opened his mouth to protest, but luckily, the young man realised his father's mood and backed down. Without another word, he turned on his heel and marched out of the room, posture tense. So wrapped up in his anger was he that he barely even noticed Alan stalk past him in the opposite direction, face mirroring his eldest brother's.

"Hey, Scott, there you are, dude. Where did you...Scott?"

"Leave it, Virg."

"You alright, man?"

"I said leave it!" Scott snapped, barely sparing his stunned brother a glance as he stormed past. He could not believe that had just happened. Alan had been back on the island for not even an hour and already things were becoming chaotic. Scott couldn't quite work out why his father was so annoyed about the stunt, if anything; it had shown precisely how in control of his baby the ex-air force pilot was. Stalking out of sight and up the stairs, he didn't hear Virgil's low whistle of disbelief.

"You alright, Virgil?" Glancing up from his painting, Virgil spared Gordon a quick glance as the red head strolled casually in.

"Something has stolen our brother and replaced him with the teenage Scott."

"Ouch," Gordon winced, just about remembering enough of Scott's teenage years to know that was not a good thing. "I think he, Dad and Al are having a party in Dad's office, I just saw the Sprout head that way."

"Great. This is going to be fun couple of weeks." Virgil moaned, carefully laying down his paint brush and stepping back to critically examine his work. Biting his lip and slightly poking his tongue out in concentration, the young man made a few corrections before stepping back once more.

"Virg, do you want to come out in the boat with me later? I need a diving buddy." Gordon suddenly suggested hesitantly, hoping his brother was distracted enough to agree without realising what he was agreeing too. Virgil wasn't the first choice for a midnight dive, heck, he wasn't even Gordon's second or third choice. But with Scott in a mood, Alan no doubt heading the same way and John not even on the planet, the red head thought he may as well give it a go.

"I don't know, Gords, I…"

"You need to grow up!"

"Then let me!"

Hearing the angry tones, Virgil glanced over at his brother, eyebrows raised. "Count me in. Can we go now?"

"Give me some time, Virg, I've got to get the stuff-,"

"Alan! If you've touched my 'bird..!"

"Let's go." Gordon practically yelped, and tearing off the old shirt he had been wearing over the top of his own to protect his own, Virgil joined his brother in the mad dash out of the villa and down to the sea front.

Standing at one of the many windows lining his office, Jeff sighed, thinking over the conversation he had just had with John. He was right about Alan, hopefully the kid would grow out of it, but for the life of him, Jeff couldn't work out what had bought on the sudden temper of his eldest. He supposed it was because, intentional or not, he had criticised Scott's handling of his own 'bird, something he knew the pilot would have taken to heart. Seeing a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye, Jeff turned and allowed the smile to form for the first time that night. Virgil and Gordon certainly weren't sticking around for this storm; they were making a break for it whilst they could. For a moment, Jeff wondered whether he should remind them of protocol regarding going out at night, how everyone needed to know where they were in case of a rescue, but hearing the shouting match taking place between his eldest and youngest, Jeff shook his head. He envied them that they could escape.

Little did he know quite how much he would long for that escape himself within the next couple of days.

#thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #movie 'verse #old stories #loopstagirl

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