Thunderbirds: Welcome to Tracy Island

Chapter 8

"Thanks for getting us here safely, Jefferson. You know I'm not a fan of these tin cans."

"Mother, Tracy One is not a tin can." Jeff replied indignantly, helping his mother out of the plane and onto the sizzling tarmac he'd just landed on. She immediately got to work opening up her lilac lace parasol which she then held above her head as the sun and humidity rained down on them.

"Well if you ask me they should put more stablilizers on the darn things." Grandma muttered, taking her bags from her son who was still unloading the plane. "I thought Scott was coming down to meet us?"

"I told you before, Mother, there's a bit of a walk down here so it may take some time for him to get here." came Jeff's gruff response. She tutted at his attitude and he rolled his eyes. His mother had grown increasingly tetchy as the plane journey dragged on and the heavy turbulence over the Pacific had not helped appease her mood.

She was miserable.

"I don't know why you decided to relocate all the way out here anyway." she complained, the intense humidity already beginning to make her sweat. "What was wrong with sweet old Kansas, anyhow?"

"We've been through this, Mother." Jeff huffed, deciding his mother was being difficult for the sake of it. "Kansas cannot sustain what we have planned."

"So you say."

He decided to ignore any of her further complaints and hauled the suitcases up to the rocky path which once cleared up a little, would soon be the main route to the house. He heard the sound of footsteps and looked up.

"Hey Dad."

"Ah, Scott!" Jeff's relief was paramount as he stood upright and greeted his son with a pat to the shoulder. "How are you and your brothers getting on?"

"Just fine. We've unpacked a lot of the stuff now and almost finished tidying the living room." he informed him, hurling a large backpack over his shoulder and grabbing two of the suitcases. "How was your journey?"

"Long."

"Hey Grandma." Scott greeted her warmly.

"Good afternoon, Scott, it's so nice to see you again." she kissed him on the cheek. "You're looking tired though, been working hard?"

"As always." he smirked. "You know me!"

She looped her arm around his own, allowing him to lead her up the path, a struggling Jeff following behind.

"So, how do you fancy an apple pie, darling?" the Tracy Matriarch asked, knowing it was one of the main things which could cheer Scott up. "I suppose you and your brothers haven't eaten too well today. Don't you worry though, we've brought plenty of supplies!"

"Haven't we just." Jeff muttered.

Scott smiled and on cue, his stomach rumbled. "Sounds good, Grandma. I think Alan would appreciate it too, for sure."

"What's wrong with Alan, Scott?" Jeff picked up on his tone immediately.

"He- uh. He's got sunstroke."

"He's got sunstroke?" Grandma cried, "Gosh if I've told that boy once I've told him a thousand times - he's got to lotion up in the sun!"

"How's he doing?" Jeff asked, concerned for his youngest.

"He's cranky and looking like a burnt tomato, but he's alright. Virgil's looking after him." Scott said.

"Oh dear, wait until I get my hands on him!" the older woman squawked, now dragging her grandson up the path.

~~~~~

"Alan Shepard Tracy!"

Alan groaned as the screech rocked the house.

"Uh oh. There's a storm coming." John declared. "You better run, Gordon."

"Why do I have to run?" Gordon barked, sounding very childish. "It's Alan's fault, not mine!"

"We all know Dad's gonna blame you." Virgil answered lazily, resting against the arm of the couch Alan had been dumped on. He took a sip of water. He frowned as Gordon nudged his head with his knee.

"Hey guys." Scott greeted as he came to a stop inside the house, lowering the suitcase handles. "I brought company."

"Alan, look at the state of you!" Grandma whined, dropping her purse as she made her way over to her stricken grandson. "Virgil, get me some aloe vera, stat!"

"I've already covered him in the stuff, Grandma." Virgil replied, standing up and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Never mind Alan, I stink of the stuff."

"But aloe vera smells nice!" Gordon protested. "It's the best part about being sunburnt - having to wear that stuff."

"Shut up, Gordon." Alan moaned. "It's your fault I got burnt so bad, anyway."

"Is that so?" Jeff raised an eyebrow, approaching his fourth born. "What happened, Gordon?"

Gordon groaned. "We went out on my yacht to do some navigational charting. I went on a little dive and left him in the sun and he felt so comfortable he fell asleep."

"I see." Jeff couldn't help but chuckle. "You've learnt a lesson there, Alan. Make sure you're in the shade before you fall asleep."

"Yeah, yeah." Alan pouted. "But at least we plotted the harbour and the boundaries around the island."

"What do you mean 'we'? It was me who did everything!"

"Now now boys, don't bicker. You've all done a great job of starting to make this place feel a little more like home." Jeff smiled, looking at each of his sons. "Soon we'll feel properly engrained here, and then the real work can begin."

"Yes, Father." they parroted.

Their grandmother smiled lovingly. "Now then, who wants some apple pie?"

The Tracy boys' cheers went through the roof.