Decisions, Decisions

A/N – This is a semi-sequel to Unexpected Encounter, and there may be some mild spoilers for that story in this. This is a bit different, so I hope you like it. Criticism and comments always welcome!

PS, for all those following Firepower, I haven't forgotten it, I'm just having a mental block on how the story should go, so I'm reverting to my first love

Chapter 1

When Tintin awoke that morning, lying on her back with her legs tangled in the sheets, she was instantly aware of two things.

1 - It was a beautiful morning in Casablanca. The sunlight was gently falling across her from the French window that led to the balcony, standing slightly ajar to allow some ventilation. The sea breeze was gently lifting the thin white curtains of the hotel room, the sound of the Atlantic ocean gently whispering against the beach in the distance. Yes, definitely a beautiful morning.

2 - There was an arm draped across her stomach.

This arm was connected to a person. A person who lay face down on the luxurious bed next to her, his legs tangled in the white cotton sheets alongside her own.

The next thing Tintin thought, as she lay on her back in the large bed staring at the fan lazily turning in the centre of the ceiling and listening to the gentle snores of the person lying next to her, was 'how on Earth did this happen?'

-x-x-

It had been another beautiful morning on Tracy Island. Tintin was watching the glittering ocean from the balcony but for once the exquisite dance of the sunlight didn't capture her. She was straining every sense in her body to hear the one-sided conversations happening behind her.

"OK John, keep me updated with how the others are getting on. I want to know everything that happens."

She turned back to the balcony rail. Nothing about Alan yet. No news was good news, right?

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realise at first that Jeff Tracy, former astronaut turned philanthropist/businessman/emergency rescue coordinator, AKA patriarch of the Tracy Clan and Head of International Rescue, had come up behind her.

"Tintin, can you tell Brains to ready the sickbay?" Seeing the momentary fear in Tintin's eyes, Jeff continued, "Scott has injured his leg somehow and seems to have done some damage. After last year I'd rather be on the safe side."

Tintin nodded, feeling guilty about the relief coursing through her before worry for Scott replaced it. The year before, Scott had been kidnapped along with his brother John and their resident engineer Brains, and had been tortured for information on International Rescue. Although John and Brains had recovered quickly from the ordeal, Scott had slipped into an uncharacteristic depression that he had never really recovered from. Jeff Tracy was understandably taking no chances with his eldest son, and any small scrape on a mission sent him straight to the sick bay.

"Hi, T-Tintin," Brains called as she entered his workshop, from where he was crouched behind one of his latest inventions. "What's up?"

"Mr Tracy would like the sickbay prepared Brains."

"N-nothing serious, I hope?"

"It's for Scott again, so hopefully it isn't anything much. I think it's a precaution more than anything."

"Well t-that's a relief." The engineer straightened up and wiped his hands on a small white, fluffy towel, leaving traces of oil.

"Brains, you know father hates it when you use the best towels in your workshop," Tintin scolded, taking the towel from him and passing him some blue roll.

"Sorry Tintin. A-anyway, I'd best go and prepare the sickbay. See you l-later."

Tintin waved as he walked away then stood indecisively for a moment, wringing the oily towel between her hands, before deciding she may as well find out what was going on and walking back up to Jeff's office.

-x-x-

The two Thunderbird machines returned together from their mission. From the snippets Tintin had gathered during the quick report Virgil gave over the Videscreen, the boys had been rescuing a farmer (and a lot of cows) that had become trapped in their shed after a heavy snowfall in North America. One of the cows, out of fear, had managed to kick out at Scott and one large cloven hoof had connected with his knee.

Once the arrived back at the island, Virgil immediately whisked Scott to sickbay to get a closer look at the knee while Alan came up to Jeff's office to debrief. Tintin waited expectantly for the lift that brought the passengers from Thunderbird 2, not really believing that Alan was unhurt until she saw it herself. It was a ritual she performed every time Alan went on a resuce, one smiled at and indulged by both Jeff and her father Kyrano, but one completely unnoticed by Alan himself.

When Alan did emerge, he was covered from head to toe in a foul smelling muck. He shot a wink at Tintin before straightening up to deliver his quick report to his father.

"…and we managed to get all the cows free father, although in the stampede one accidently kicked Scott. Virgil think it's nothing but a bruise though, and he was still able to fly '1 home."

"Well that's good to hear Alan. Now what on Earth have you managed to get all over you?"

"It's cow muck, father. As the cows had been trapped in the barn for a while and had been frightened by our engines it was quite deep. As the cows were leaving, a large bull knocked me over into a pile of it."

"A large bull?" Virgil spoke up from behind Tintin, causing everyone to turn to look at him. The middle son was drying his hair with a large towel, his unbutton shirt indicating he had just come out of the shower. "I'm pretty sure it was just a baby. A calf, I think it's called."

"Well you were the other side of the shed, so I don't know how you saw it," Alan retorted, two red spots appearing on his cheeks.

"Boys! It doesn't matter what knocked you over Alan, you'd better go and get clean. We're expecting Lady Penelope here any minute, after all."

Tintin was very fond of Lady Penelope. Being surrounded by boys all the time she really appreciated the difference having another female around made to the conversation and pastimes on the island. However, in that moment she couldn't help but wish that Penelope wasn't coming to visit, as Alan immediately perked up. "Oh I forgot Penny was coming! I'll be ready in a second!" With that he rushed off towards his room and the shower awaiting him.

"Poor Tintin," Virgil commented, throwing an arm around the younger girl. "My brother is an idiot sometimes."

"Virgil," Jeff said in a warning tone, narrowing his eyes at his son.

"What? It's the truth. Come on Tintin, I'll show you how to play that piece you like so much." With that Virgil moved over to his beloved baby grand, opening the lid and lovingly running his fingers over the keys.

"No, it's ok Virgil," Tintin replied with a half-hearted smile. "I should go and help father prepare, we don't want him to argue with Parker again."

"Very wise." Virgil played a little trill on the keys, sounding suspiciously like a teaset crashing to the ground. "Maybe later then."

"Maybe," and Tintin left for the kitchen. There she found her father bustling around while Gordon, who hadn't been needed for the rescue and so had had a long lie in, sat stuffing himself with a large English-style cooked breakfast.

"Would you like some help father?"

Kyrano smiled at his daughter. "No Tintin, everything is ready. Even that Parker will not be able to find anything to complain about. You should relax and enjoy the morning."

"Yeah, come swimming with me Tintin," Gordon offered, pushing his now empty plate to one side. "The water will be perfect."

"Maybe another time Gordon. I don't feel like swimming. I'll just see if Brains needs a hand in his lab."

"And you should not be swimming so soon after eating, Mr Gordon."

As Tintin left she could hear the red-headed brother arguing with her father, and it raised a smile on her face. She made a couple of cups of tea and headed back to the workshop. When she got there, she plonked a mug next to Brains before hopping up on to one of the stools. Without looking up, Brains took a sip of tea and grimaced before asking "Alan again?"

Tintin's only response was to sigh.

"Let me g-guess, Lady Penelope is visiting?"

Tintin started swivelling on her stool before asking quietly, keeping her eyes on the floor, "Is it that obvious?"

"Whenever you make me overstewed t-tea with no sugar in it, i-it usually means Alan." Brains smiled shyly before returning to his project.

The pair sat in silence for a bit while Brains carried on working. Eventually Tintin's curiosity got the better of her and she spoke up. "What is it that you're working on?"

"It's a-a new type of battery, Tintin," Brains replied, evidently pleased to be asked. "It uses carbon dioxide to release the hydrogen in water for energy, a-and the only by-products are oxygen and diamond."

"Diamond? Really?" Her miseries forgotten in the interest of the new invention, Tintin hopped off her stool to get a closer look at the battery pack. It was about half her height, a large rectangular unit with pipes trailing out of it.

"T-the diamonds are quite inferior really," Brains explained. "But it should generate a lot of power. M-many of International Rescue's mission are to stop machines at risk of nuclear meltdown. This battery pack should be able to p-provide a similar amount of power, without the danger."

"That's wonderful Brains, truly wonderful."

"Yes well hopefully it will be, but it isn't ready yet. The carbon dioxide separates the water c-correctly, but then for some reason it overheats and the whole machine gets very hot. A-as yet I have not been able to find a s-solution for this problem."

"Would you like some help?"

The pair began working together on the new battery pack, completely absorbed in the invention and losing track of time. They might have been there for hours, if the tannoy hadn't announced the imminent arrival of one Lady Penelop Creighton-Ward.

A/N – I hope you like this so far, if you do (or don't!) please review to let me know. I appreciate you all giving it a go!