"Ohhh this is a fancy place and no mistake," Celia Tempest cooed, her head swivelling to take in everything there was to see. She was an older lady of late middle age, and wore her hair short in a simple bob.
"Girl did alright for herself, so she did," her husband, Rufus, nodded.
"I can't believe she landed herself the son of a billionaire, who'd have thought it, our strange little daughter. Honestly, I always thought she'd end up in a commune somewhere raising goats or some such nonsense."
"Ma, they're coming, be quiet," Adam sighed, rolling his eyes at the behaviour of his parents. His sister's voice could be heard from the hallway, carrying as it always did, her happy laugh a pleasure to hear. He for one was happy for her, in the few times he'd spoken to her over the past year, when his phone actually had signal, she'd sounded more content than ever before, more comfortable in herself. He remembered how she had been with her last boyfriend, how quiet and subdued, how she had dodged questions about him and herself, yet with this one she seemed to have grown in confidence.
"I thought she was dating the good looking one with the brown hair and those adorable dimples?" Celia frowned, watching as her daughter towed a reluctant looking redheaded man into the dining room, keeping a tight hold on his hand.
"Who?" Rufus grunted, not looking up from the menu.
"That one," his wife pointed, nudging him hard with an elbow into his portly belly.
Rufus glanced up briefly, but found nothing of much interest and returned to the decision of what to have for his dinner, stroking his bearded chin thoughtfully.
Celia watched as the brunette in question leant in to speak to her daughter, who let out a quick burst of laughter, her eyes sparkling as she smiled brightly at him.
Maybe she was dating them both? "Well, she is pagan," Celia muttered to herself.
"What was that?" Adam asked, rousing himself from his quiet contemplation of the inside of his eyelids and lifting his head.
"Do you have to meditate everywhere you go?" his mother groused. Adam just shrugged, not caring a jot. "I was saying that maybe your sister is dating more than one of them, she is pagan after all, they do that sort of thing, don't they? All free love and natural ways?"
"I think there's a little more to it than that, Ma."
"More than two? How many brothers were there? Five isn't it? Oh, my days!"
"Ma, breathe!" Adam flapped the menu in his mother's direction, fanning her as his sister and her entourage, the three younger men, followed by an older man who even he recognised as the infamous Colonel Jeff Tracy, an older lady and a younger woman who's eyes seemed to warn him not to try anything.
Selene lowered onto the seat that Scott pulled out for her and hauled John down into the one beside her, still not letting go of his hand. Scott's lips twitched in amusement at the way she refused to give his brother any opportunity to escape.
Jeff, Alan, Grandma and Kayo all took their seats around the large table, Scott settling in to the last one on Selene's left.
"Hi everyone," Selene breezed, hoping that if she stayed relaxed she could transfer some of that to John whose hand felt sweaty in her own.
No one answered her, Celia and Rufus were too busy staring across the table at the gathered Tracy clan.
"Daddy, are you OK?"
Rufus was still holding his menu, but his eyes were fixed on Jeff.
"Mum?"
"Rufus!" another sharp jab to his ribs startled Selene's father into motion as he leapt to his feet.
"Rufus Tempest," his hand shot out, almost knocking over the large vase of flowers in the center of the table, coming to a stop inches from Jeff's nose.
"Oh, yeah, Jeff Tracy, good to meet you." Jeff scooted back in his chair and managed to get his hand up enough to clasp Rufus's and move it away from his face. In one smooth move that Selene was very envious of, Jeff stood up and pushed her dad's hand away while shaking, making it look effortless.
Rufus pumped away at Jeff's hand although he didn't seem to hear anything anyone was saying to him.
Jeff politely but firmly extracted his hand and offered it first to Adam, who declined in favour of clasping his hands together in prayer position and offering a "Namaste" and then to Celia, who grabbed it in both hands.
"Ohh, you're so strong," she twittered. "It's so nice to meet you, Mr Tracy. I'm Celia, Selene's mother."
"Please, call me Jeff, and let me introduce you all to my mother, Sally, and Miss Kyrano, Kayo to friends and family, and my sons Scott, Alan and of course, John."
As a unit the Tempests nodded to Kayo, Alan and Grandma before settling on Selene, seated between Scott and John.
"So which is it then?" Celia demanded to know. "Or is it both?"
Selene rolled her eyes, used to her mother's theatrics and her tendency to believe everything she read online. "Just this one," she lifted her hand, dragging John's with it.
"Not dimples?" her mum looked vaguely disappointed.
Selene shook her head. "Just swoosh hair."
John didn't know what to think, how to act, if he was ever going to make it out of this alive, or why he had been demoted to nothing more than a hairstyle. It was the first time he'd ever had to meet someone's parents and so far it was as horrifying as he had imagined.
Selene's brother was staring at him like he was looking into his soul and John was pretty sure he hadn't blinked in the last minute. He had his hair shaved almost down to nothing, the same long nose as Selene and the same blue eyes, set in a thin, angular face. In complete disregard to their surroundings he was wearing a roughly knitted poncho and had a stillness about him that even Virgil hadn't mastered.
Adam suddenly grinned at John, catching him off guard. He forced his lips into an awkward smile in return, though he was sure it looked more like he had an uncomfortable case of gas.
"Just him?" Selene's mum clarified, still stuck on her daughter's apparently unconventional relationship choices.
"Just him, who is perfect and amazing by the way." John squeezed her hand in thanks but was still too nervous to look away from her brother.
"Young man, what are your intentions towards my daughter?"
John jumped like he had been shot, tearing his eyes away from Adam's penetrative gaze to face Rufus.
"Erm... I..."
"What do you do for work?" Celia demanded to know and John's head swivelled to face her.
"I work in space-"
"Space is it? And what do you do up there all day?"
"Communications-"
"Communications? Then you should have learnt to speak up, lad."
John's eyes darted back to meet her father's.
"I..."
Selene, having had enough of her parents demanding questions, slammed her hands down on the table top, making them all jump.
"Stop bullying him." She lifted out of her chair and leant forward, closer to her parents, lowering her voice so she wouldn't be overheard. "You know full well what he does, but you also know that we're in public and he can't talk about anything to do with International Rescue," she hissed in a warning tone that promised retribution if they refused to listen. "Now be nice or we'll leave." She sat back down in her chair with a thump.
"Listen good, I'm only going to say this once. This," she grabbed John's hand again and wiggled it for emphasis, "is my fiancé, I love him, you will be nice and love him too. This," she poked Scott's shoulder, "is my best friend and John's brother, I am allowed to hug him without it meaning anything else. That," she pointed at Alan, who waved cheerfully, clearly revelling in all the drama that for once he wasn't part of, "is the cutest little bean in the world, all you have to remember is that he can do no wrong."
Scott, Kayo, Jeff and John all snorted in disbelief at that while Alan preened. Selene ignored them all.
"That is Grandma, she's awesome but will kick your butt if you upset any of her boys, that is Kayo, she'll kick your butt too but with her you only have to look at her sideways." Kayo grinned, totally unashamed of that introduction because it was true. "And you've already met Jeff, and no you can't ask him anything personal, we are not savages. Any questions?"
All three members of her family shook their heads.
"Right, let's order, I'm starving and can't deal with anything else on an empty stomach," Selene grabbed her menu, indicating that that was the end of the discussion.
***
"Are you serious about my sister?"
John jumped out of his skin when Adam melted out of the shadows to join him. John covertly felt his chest to make sure his heart was still where it should be, relaxing back against the wall he'd been leaning on. All he'd wanted was a moment of quiet, a breath of fresh air and Selene's creepy ninja brother had appeared like a ghost from the dark to scare the shit out of him.
"Sorry about that, bro, didn't mean to scare you. I just saw you out here and thought I'd keep you company."
"Thank you?" John hedged. What was he even supposed to say to that?
Adam tipped his head back to look up at the dark night sky. John did the same, taking quiet comfort in his stars.
"You seem like a nice chap," Adam began.
"Thanks, you seem great too."
"So I feel like I can be honest with you, level with you so to speak."
"You do?"
"Yeah, so I'll ask again, are you serious about my sister? Because if you're not, then you should do the decent thing and leave her alone."
"What? Now, wait just a sec-"
"She's been hurt before, and I'd rather not see that happen again. I know your type, playboy sons of the billionaire, thinking you can just pick someone up and use them until you grow bored."
"I won't get bo-"
"Maybe you should just leave now, before she ends up even more in love with you than she already is, she's not the sharpest tool in the shed if you know what I mean. She's a great girl but not quite all there." He nudged John playfully. "Come on, it's just us here, you can admit it. I lived with her for years, I know how annoying she can be."
"Now you list-"
"Money doesn't buy everything you know, she doesn't care about any of that. She's a simple girl with simple needs, far too sensitive and soft for her own good. She's easily hurt and doesn't always make the right decisions. Why don't you just do her a favour, take your fancy family and go home, leave us to pick up the pieces like we always do?"
Once again John had been cut off before he could defend himself. This man knew nothing about him, his family or his relationship with Selene. How dare he presume to tell him what to do.
"You know nothing about me," anger gave John's voice a dangerous edge as he straightened to his full height, moving closer until he was nose to nose with Selene's brother, his usual calm having deserted him. "I love your sister, and nothing you or anyone else could say or do, will change that. She is the most amazing woman I've ever met. She's not soft, she's one of the strongest people I know, she took a chance on me and I will be forever grateful that she thought I was worth the effort. If anyone should be worried about someone getting bored it's me, but I believe her, I believe in us. So you can back the fuck off, because you'll be leaving before I do."
Adam's eyes narrowed in a perfect mirror of his sister as he studied John.
I'm about to be punched, John thought, bracing himself as the other man's arm lifted. But, to his intense surprise, Adam grabbed his hand, pulling him into a hug.
"You'll do, dude, you'll do," he patted John's back, grinning.
"What the fuck was that about?" John gasped, his breath huffing in and out of his lungs. "Why did you do that?"
"I wanted to be sure you weren't lying. I wanted to see if you would stand up for her or run like the other idiots that thought they could use and abuse my sister."
"So you don't think she's an idiot or anything else you said?"
"Of course I think she's an idiot, she's my sister. I bet you're the same with your family, you can say that about them but if anyone else does you'll drop them where they stand," Adam took a vape pen out of his pocket and began a slow inhale and exhale routine with it.
"I had to make sure you were being honest with me and I've found that the quickest way to get the truth is through anger. You passed my friend." Adam slapped John on the back, tucked his vape into his pocket and meandered away.
Not for the first time, John wondered just what he had done to deserve such craziness in his nicely ordered life. He took one last deep breath of the cool evening air and followed after Selene's brother.
***
"At least they aren't killing each other," Scott whispered to Selene, nodding to the parents as he got up to help Adam with drinks for the table.
Dinner itself had gone quite well, all things considered. Celia had eased off John a little and spoken to him like a normal human being rather than a CIA interrogator and Jeff had taken one for the team by regaling Rufus with tales of everything he'd done in his life.
Adam had taken a liking to Kayo, both of them finding a common ground with their love of martial arts and meditation and they had taken themselves away, settling cosily in a corner to talk.
Celia was chatting to Grandma and Selene moved over to join them while John escaped for a moment to get some air.
"So I said to Ruf, Rufus, can you imagine what your cousin Margaret will do when she hears that our girl - the one they thought would never amount to anything with her ghosts, little cards and stones- is engaged to a Tracy! She'll be green with envy and maybe then she'll stop going on about her perfect son and his perfect career. He's a Captain, somewhat of a big shot, nice enough but often gets himself in trouble."
"Cousin Troy is a legend in his own mind," Selene laughed.
"Cousin Troy?" John's arm slipped around her waist as he returned to the table, catching the tail end of the conversation. "As in Troy, Troy? That Troy?"
"I don't know, it doesn't matter how many times you say his name, I'll still need more information than that," she squeaked, laughing when she received a gentle tickle to her ribs for being cheeky. "There's more than one Troy in the world, you know."
"WASP's Troy?"
"Oh, so you've heard of him?" Celia sniffed, sounding a bit put out that Margaret's son was indeed as well known as Margaret said he was.
"I should have realised, given your surname, just promise me one thing, you'll let me be there when you tell Gordon?"
"Why would tha-"
"Tell Gordon what?" Scott asked, overhearing as he deposited a tray of drinks down.
"That Troy Tempest is Selene's cousin," John grinned.
"Second cousin with a removed or two," Selene corrected. "His dad is dad's cousin, Norman , we don't know each other that well, only really see each other at family gatherings."
"Oh, wow," Scott laughed, "that's gonna be fun, can I be there when you tell him?"
"What is so bad about Troy?" Selene demanded to know.
"We'll let Gordon tell you," John chuckled. Selene's eyes narrowed in suspicion but it was nice to see John looking more relaxed, so she let it go.
"Well, Margaret is about to be knocked off her top spot at the next family reunion. Thinks she's queen bee that one, just because her son is the successful one, but everyone knows a Thunderbird is better than a WASP any day of the week," Celia sipped her wine triumphantly, smacking her lips in appreciation at the taste.
"I'll drink to that," Jeff raised his glass in a toast.
"To family and Thunderbirds being better than WASP's," they all choroused.
Alan sipped his drink, making a face that only Adam seemed to notice.
***
"Is Alan OK?" Selene asked Scott.
"Yeah. Why wouldn't he be?"
"Because he just walked into a chair."
"He what?" Scott spun round to see his brother trying to pick up the chair he had knocked over, obviously unsteady on his feet. "Oh God."
Scott was on his feet in a second, closely followed by Selene.
"Allie? You OK, sweetie?"
"I'm fine, totally fine," he wobbled as he tried to stand. "I didn't know this was one of those revolving hotels, so cool."
"Alan, it's not."
They got him upright, catching sight of his unfocused eyes for the first time.
"Has he been drinking?" Selene hissed under her breath.
"I don't know," Scott whispered back.
"What's up?" Adam materialised behind them like a ghost.
"Fuck!" Scott jumped, making Alan collapse on Selene in helpless giggles.
"Did you get him a drink?" Selene questioned her brother, trying to hold up the baby who suddenly seemed to weigh about 600lbs.
"I asked him what he wanted," Adam shrugged, "he said he'd have a beer, so I got him one."
"One?" Selene passed Alan to Scott, her hands firmly on her hips as she glared at her brother.
"Yeah, just one each round."
"He's only 18!"
"So?"
"Gah! It's not legal in America!"
"We're not in America," he explained patiently as if he were speaking to a child before wandering off to the bar.
"Quick, help me get him to bed before Dad sees him," Scott whispered.
"On it," she whispered back, then raised her voice. "Hey, you two, will you come help me for a second?" She slipped her arm through Alan's, dragging him out of the bar.
Alan protested mildly but behaved as they helped him up the stairs to his room next door to Scott's.
"Get the door," Scott instructed and she dived into Alan's pocket for his room key, touching it to the door pad until it beeped and she could open the door.
Scott hauled his giggling brother into the room and dropped him unceremoniously onto the bed. Alan bounced a few times by accident, then a few more on purpose, obviously finding it softer than his customary spot on his bedroom rug.
"Alan, don't you'll-"
"I'm gonna puke!"
"Fuck, Scott get him up!"
They both scrambled to drag Alan to his feet and propel him through to the bathroom he was sharing with Scott. They got him positioned over the toilet just in time for his stomach to rebel and for him to evacuate the dinner he'd eaten earlier.
Selene was sitting on the floor beside Alan, gently rubbing his back in soothing circles when her comm beeped and John's head popped up, his face a picture of panic.
"Where are you all? You abandoned me!"
"Shit, I left John with my parents!" she jumped to her feet, running out the door. "Look after the baby!"
Scott edged into the bathroom, his nose screwing up in sympathy.
"How you doing, little brother?"
"I need to pee," Alan groaned, "but I don't know if I can stand upright."
"Nope,"Scott backed up out of the bathroom quickly," you're on your own there." He slammed the door shut and sank down on the end of the bed to wait.
John met her at the door of the bar, grabbing her hand like it was a lifeline and dragging her into his arms, squashing her against his chest.
"I'm so happy to see you, please don't leave me alone with them again. Your mother wanted to know everything about me, even my blood type, I think they might be planning to murder me and make it look like an accident."
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it was an emergency."
John was instantly alert. "What happened? Did Virgil call? Do we need to leave?"
"No, don't look so eager, we're not leaving." She looked over his shoulder, checking on the others. Grandma and her Mum were deep in conversation and they appeared to be showing each other pictures on their phones. Jeff was talking to her dad, who seemed to be hanging on his every word, gazing at Jeff like he was the most fascinating man in the world. Kayo was nowhere to be seen, but that wasn't unusual, neither was Adam, again, not that unusual, but the fact that they were both missing probably needed more investigation. Selene pushed that thought aside as a tomorrow problem.
Confident that no one was watching them, she tugged John further from the doorway, tucking themselves into a quiet corner away from the flow of traffic.
"Alan's drunk as a skunk and throwing up in his bathroom."
John blinked. "He's what now?"
"Drunk, but Scott's with him. It seems that when Adam asked what he wanted to drink, he took Alan's request for a beer seriously."
John closed his eyes, his forehead resting against hers as he sighed in utter defeat. "I give up. I just give up. We will never have a normal moment."
"Well, you did ask me to marry you when you already knew I was crazy, so it's kinda your fault too."
He opened one eye to look at her. She grinned back. The other eye opened. She kissed his nose.
"Do we at least have five minutes before we have to go and help Scott?"
"Probably not."
"I don't care."
His hand came up to cup the nape of her neck, fingers twisting in her hair as he lowered his head for a kiss.
Her lips were right there to meet his, the stress of the last few days fading away, the world narrowing to nothing but the two of them. She melted against him, her arms sliding around his neck, deepening the kiss. It felt so good to just take a moment together, to forget about everything and anyone but them.
***
"How's he doing?" John asked Scott when he and Selene made their way up to Alan's room a few minutes later.
Scott tucked his phone back into his pocket. "He needed to pee so I left him to it."
"How long ago was that? Has he thrown up again?" Selene had already crossed the room to knock on the closed door. "Allie, sweetie, you OK in there?"
Silence.
"Alan?" she knocked again.
Nothing.
"Scott?" she moved aside, letting him try. Scott was less subtle than her, his fist thumping on the door.
"Alan?"
He waited a few moments then opened the door.
"Where is he?" Selene demanded to know, peering over Scott's shoulder.
"I don't know." Alan, it seemed, had recovered a little and let himself out of the bathroom, but into Scott's room instead of his own.
All three of them rushed through the bathroom and into Scott's room, John spotting the open door first. They all looked out into the hallway as if they were hoping to see something else, unable to believe what they were seeing.
"He got away."
"We lost Alan."
"A drunk Alan," John felt the need to clarify.
"Crap!" Selene took off running, the other two bringing up the rear.
She didn't want to yell for him and risk disturbing the peace of the other guests, or alerting the hotel to the fact that he was loose, but they still needed to find him.
Not holding out much hope of finding him by traditional means, John flicked on his comm, hoping and praying that Alan hadn't left his in his room.
They all breathed a sigh of relief when they found a signal, heading rapidly away from the hotel.
"He's outside, how did he get that much of a head start?" Scott asked. "How did he sneak past you two?"
Selene and John exchanged a guilty glance.
"We might have been slightly distracted," Selene admitted. "But just for a minute or two."
"More like ten," John added helpfully.
Scott rolled his eyes. "Animals have more self control than you two."
"Hey, it's not like we were doing anything bad, I only wanted a little kiss. Anyway, you were the one that lost him," Selene shot back.
"Let's not start laying blame," Scott soothed, backtracking smoothly. "We just need to find him. Sel, you know London better than us, you lead the way."
They calculated that Alan had about a fifteen minute head start on them, which shouldn't be that big a deal considering they were sober and he was not, but Alan was a law unto himself and seemed to have taken off with the speed of a jack rabbit.
He appeared to be zig zagging here and there, quite randomly, with no rhyme or reason and Selene had given up on trying to navigate. Honestly, she could get lost going to the bathroom so would likely have been more of a hindrance than a help anyway.
"There!" John pointed to the comm Selene had returned to him, "He's down there somewhere, he's stopped moving."
"Great, let's grab him and get him back before Dad realises we've all vanished."
"Any chance we could...take a cab?" Selene huffed, doubled over, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath, glaring at John and Scott who were acting like they were out for a relaxed stroll, rather than a mad dash around Kensington.
"No time, come on!"
"I hate you all."
They jogged along, the roads around them slowly changing from retail to residential the further they got from the hotel, the hustle and bustle of the heart of Kensington giving way to the quiet splendor of beautiful homes and gardens.
"Left," John instructed and they turned as one, following his directions to the letter. "Left again."
"I hear him!" Scott broke into a run.
"I'm so sick of running!"
John grabbed her hand, towing her along as they followed the sound of Alan's enthusiastic yelling.
Selene and John rounded the corner, stopping dead at the sight that greeted them. Alan was standing outside a grand victorian mansion house, which in itself wasn't too bad, but he was also waving a pool noodle, holding a trash can lid like a shield and yelling at the top of his lungs.
"Your highness! Your highness!"
Selene sagged against a nearby wall, her heart pounding, her lungs struggling to keep up with the unaccustomed strain she had put on them.
"What the ever loving fuck is he doing?" she groaned to no one in particular, it wasn't like his brothers had any more of a clue than she did.
"Your highness, it is I, Alonius, Sage Knight of the seven realms. I demand an audience with you! I am worthy!"
"Alan!" Scott yelled. "Shut up! You'll wake up the whole neighbourhood."
"I am worthy! I deserve this! Knight me so that I may be a Knight of this, the Eighth Realm!"
"Alan!" Selene ran over to help. "Sweetie, what are you doing?"
She reached for him but he dodged out of the way, brandishing the noodle like it was a sword. He had a small collection of objects on the floor at his feet, including three leaves, a traffic cone, a shoe, a flower pot, what looked like a half eaten burger, and a can of beer, all of which he was standing over protectively like a dragon with its gold.
"Back, back I say vile witch! You will not curse me this night, I am wise to your wicked plans. You will not take my offerings!"
"Vile witch?" Selene gasped. "John! Did you hear what he called me?"
"Alan, what the hell?" John started forwards, ready to defend his woman.
Alan swung his arm, booping John's head with the pool noodle. "Back, minion most foul!"
Scott snorted, his hand pressed hard to his mouth, trying desperately to hold in his laughter.
"Allie," Selene tried again, but he was too quick for her. Dropping the noodle he darted sideways, flung the metal lid in Scott's direction and with a surprising show of coordination, leapt at a lamp post, scaling it like a gym rope.
Scott had lost all control and was doubled over laughing, the lid at his feet.
"Aid, I require aid! I demand my prize! I have proved my loyalty, defended your lands from these odious Blogwarts. Knight me!"
"For the love of-"
"Your highness! YOUR HIGHNESSSS. I REQUEST YOUR AID TO COMPLETE MY QUEST."
"Alan get down!" John made a grab for his ankle but Alan kicked himself free.
"Where is my steed? Where did I park my 'bird? I have a spaceship, I'm an astronaut! I'm worthy!" Alan flung out his arms and tipped backwards, only his legs around the pole keeping him anchored. He grabbed the pole with one arm for stability but continued to wave his other hand like he was conducting an orchestra.
A light flicked on in the house and a moment later a window was thrown open. A sleepy looking man stuck his head out, his phone in his hand.
"It's past ten o' clock! Why are you yelling outside my house? I've got work in the morning."
"I'm so sorry," Selene called up to him. "Our brother just had one too many and he's a little worse for wear."
"I'm calling the police."
"No, don't do that, please. He's not hurting anyone."
"He's climbing a lamppost and waking the whole place!"
"Your highness, my liege!" Alan scrambled to get down, almost squashing John as he slid the last metre.
"Alan, are you OK?"
"Tis but a quest wound!"
John groaned, noticing that no one had bothered to ask if he was alright.
Alan staggered to his feet and stumbled forward a few steps. "My king! I have crossed many oceans to find you. I seek an audience."
"Is he high?" the man's thumb hovered over his phone screen. Alan dropped to his knees, bowing low to the floor.
"With mystic blades and firey ore, we pledge our honoured best!"
"No, he's not! Alan get up!"
"Many shall fall for only a noble few will pass the test!"
"Scott, stop laughing and help me!" Selene grabbed Alan's arm and tried to haul him upright.
"So come more worthy heroes and bring forth the cavern quest!" Alan finished triumphantly.
Selene succeeded in dragging him to his feet, passing him off to John.
Alan started to flail. "Unhand me, foul beast!"
"Your brother you say?" the man squinted down at them. "He doesn't seem to like you that much. How do I know you aren't kidnapping him or something?"
Selene's hands went to her hips, the universal sign that she was getting pissed off.
"Would you want to kidnap him? Seriously?"
"Fate has dealt me a sordid blow!"
The guy looked at Alan, currently being held in a headlock by Scott, and then back to Selene.
"Just get him out of here. If I see him again I'll call the old bill, make no mistake."
"You won't, we're leaving. Goodnight!"
"Unhand me, mortal vanquisher!"
They propelled Alan away from the house, Selene managing to carry his pool noodle, the traffic cone and the flower pot, followed along behind. Alan has ceased his struggles now that John and Scott had an arm each and had sagged between them, his feet dragging on the floor.
"I'm gonna puke!"
"Not on my shoes!" Scott, losing all patience, shoved Alan head first into a bush just in time for his stomach to regurgitate the burger he had eaten on his jaunt. They waited until he'd stopped dry heaving and stood him up again.
"Now can we get a cab?"
***
John grunted when an exhausted Selene dropped down on top of him, not even giving him a chance to get comfortable in the luxurious bed.
Alan had fallen asleep with his head in Selene's lap as soon as they had gotten him seated in the taxi, obviously her vileness didn't count when he wanted cuddles and soothing, his head apparently killing him.
They had gotten Alan back to the hotel, managed to sneak him past the bar and settled him in bed where he had immediately fallen into a deep sleep. John had set Alan's comm next to the bed, giving EOS strict instructions to alert them if he woke up or tried to leave the room again. Once the baby was taken care of they had gone back to the bar for a much needed drink and to check on the parents.
Thankfully, everything seemed to be going well. Jeff and Rufus were laughing like old friends, especially now that Rufus had apparently gotten over his awe at meeting Jeff Tracy and stopped acting star struck.
Grandma and Celia were still happily chatting when Selene, John and Scott joined them. Adam and Kayo were still missing.
"Oh, here are the kids!" Celia got to her feet, wobbled tipsily and threw her arms around John, who stiffened in shock. "Such a good boy, and so handsome." John winced as she pinched his chin between her fingers and lifted his face, twisting his head this way and that to look at him fully. "Look at those eyes!"
Selene sniggered, it appeared her mum had gotten over her disappointment that John didn't have dimples. "Mum, please don't break him, I kinda like that face."
"Sally's told me all about how wonderful you all are, and shown me lots of pictures. I especially liked that one of you in that little astronaut hat and no trousers."
Scott snorted in amusement, hiding his face against Selene's shoulder, trying to muffle his laughter. She patted his back in solidarity.
"Mum, it's a helmet, not a hat, though I think I need to see this picture, just to be sure."
"No, you don't," John insisted, his face bright red, either from embarrassment or because her mum had been flinging it around, it was hard to tell.
"Nice of you to join us," Jeff smiled, although Selene could see the dark circles under his eyes and the tired lines that marred his forehead. It reminded her that, no matter how fit and healthy he appeared, Jeff was still recovering from his time in space and needed regular rest breaks. "Say, where's Alan?"
Selene rescued John from her mother's clutches, much to his gratitude , depositing him in a free chair and perching herself on his lap for protection.
"He was feeling a bit tired so we packed him off to bed and went for a little wander in the grounds, it was getting a bit stuffy in here," Scott lied smoothly, picking up his abandoned beer and taking a hearty swig.
"Shall we have one last drink?" Rufus suggested, but Selene stopped him.
"No thanks, Dad. We'd love to, but I'm sure I can speak for all of us when I say that a switch in time zones is never easy and we're all exhausted. We really need to get some rest."
"But we'll see you all in the morning for breakfast, right?" Celia pressed.
"You sure will," Jeff promised her.
"It was so nice to meet you all," Celia gushed, her eyes sparkling with emotion.
"You're a good man, Jeff Tracy," Rufus grinned in that slightly goofy way that drunk people often had, clapping a clumsy hand to Jeff's shoulder.
"Yeah, off to bed with you two," Selene laughed, attempting to nudge her parents out of their chairs but not succeeding.
"No, wait!" Rufus dug his heels in, refusing to be herded anywhere. "Come here, lad."
John got up and shuffled over like he was going to the gallows. Rufus stood up to meet him.
"Yes, sir?"
"Such a polite boy!" Celia cooed, utterly enchanted. "So sweet and well mannered."
"We're trusting you with our daughter, don't let us down."
"Daddy-" Selene warned.
John lifted his head, meeting the older man's gaze unblinkingly. "You never have to worry about her, I promise you, I'll look after her."
Rufus nodded, John getting the same shoulder slap as Jeff. "Then you have my blessing, son. I give her to your care."
"You've raised some amazing boys there, Jeff, Sally," Celia sighed, gazing lovingly at the way her daughter has automatically gravitated back into the fold of her second family the moment her husband had released their future son-in-law.
"And you've raised a wonderful daughter," Jeff assured her, "I haven't known her long, but I've seen enough to know that my son is very lucky."
"We did alright with her," Rufus smiled at his daughter, who blew him a kiss in return, not taking the comment seriously. John was beginning to see where her teasing nature came from.
"I can't wait to meet the other two, they sound like such nice boys," Celia continued as if no one had spoken. "Five boys, you must be so proud."
"Oh, I am," Jeff agreed. "They're a handful, but I wouldn't change them for the world."
"You should come and stay with us, meet Virgil and Gordon," Sally offered.
"Before the wedding?" Celia clarified. "We can help them plan it together. Like we said earlier, youngsters these days don't have a clue how to organise things properly. If I know my daughter she'll leave everything to the last minute and try to turn up in one of her horror gowns at midnight. No, we can't be having that, we need to help them for their own good."
"Mum, I've already told you, we don't want a big wedding. I don't want a massive family affair with one of Aunty Cynthia's center pieces and Great-Grandma Dotty's old blue garter.
"You don't need Cynthia's smelly old silk flowers, I'm sure we can find something much nicer, can't we, Sally? Just leave it to us, you won't have to worry about a thing."
"Mum, no we-" Selene was pulled into her father's arms, crushed against his chest in one of his famous bear hugs.
"Just let your mother have her moment, just for a little while."
"But, dad-"
"You don't have to let her have a say in everything, just let her help, you know how she loves to arrange things and follow a list."
Selene nodded, giving in gracefully for now, not wanting to spoil the evening with an argument that might upset her mother.
"Good girl." He hugged her again. "It's just because we love you, kitten."
"I know, I love you too, Daddy."
"It's just nice to see you so happy," her mother added.
"You did good, baby girl. You've got yourself a good one there," Rufus whispered in her ear. "Be happy."
"I know I have and I will," Selene whispered back, kissing Rufus's hairy cheek, then her mother's smoothly powdered one. Rufus gave her one last squeeze then released her to John.
"Let me just get a quick picture or two," Celia dug her phone out of her handbag and they all dutifully followed her commands until she had pictures of Selene and John, Selene and Scott, Scott and John, Selene sandwiched between Scott and John, Selene with Jeff and Grandma, Rufus and Jeff, an awkwardly angled selfie of herself with Grandma, insisting on Selene taking one of her and Jeff, herself with Jeff and Rufus and finally Selene with Rufus and John.
It was a happy and relaxed band that said their final goodnights, exchanged many hugs and trooped off to their respective rooms.
John's fingers wound their way through her hair as they so often did, unconsciously seeking comfort and relaxation in the stroking of the soft strands, her head nestled against the curve of his shoulder. They automatically shifted a little, getting comfortable, gravitating into their normal sleeping positions, Selene moving to tuck into his side, her arm going around his middle.
"That didn't go as badly as I expected," Selene broke their comfortable silence. "I knew they would love you as soon as they got to know you."
"Your brother is terrifying."
Selene giggled. "No he's not, I'm the terrifying one in the family, he can just be a little unnerving if you aren't used to him."
"Sweetheart, unnerving is an understatement."
Selene lifted her head to look at him.
"Did he say something to you? Oh!" she sat bolt upright, taking his hand that was still tangled in her hair, with her. "Did he threaten you? I'll kill him!"
John gently released his fingers from their prison and sat up too, picking up her hairbrush from the bedside table. She turned her back to him, allowing him to carefully ease the brush through the wild mass that her long hair had become.
"I'm waiting."
John smiled to himself, used to her bossy tone but knowing she didn't really mean it.
"No, he didn't threaten me, but we did have words."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that he was testing my loyalty to you."
Selene sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Yeah, I figured as much. But obviously you passed, because you're you and amazing."
John set the brush down and swept the hair back from her shoulder to place a gentle kiss on her neck, loving the way she shivered in response. "Obviously."
"Mum and Dad loved you too, and it takes a lot to impress them."
"I liked them too, they're a little full on, but they're your parents so I expected nothing less."
"Yes, because your family is so quiet and reserved," Selene shot back, turning her head to steal a kiss.
"Just how tired are you?" she asked hopefully.
"Not that tired."
He pulled her closer, his lips finding hers.
***
Selene groaned, pulling the sheets up to cover her head in the vague hope that it would drown out the sound of a comm beeping.
John stirred, reaching automatically for his comm, bringing it up to answer it.
"Yes?"
Scott's torso appeared, his face and tone serious.
"John, can you meet me in the hall?"
"The hall?"
Scott nodded. "Now." Scott vanished before John could ask any more questions.
Frowning, John slipped out of bed and quickly dragged on a pair of track pants and a t-shirt.
"What's wrong? Where are you going?" Selene's sleepy face emerged from the blankets, eyes full of concern.
"Scott needs to see me, don't worry, go back to sleep, it's still early."
"You sure?"
"Of course. I won't be long, keep the bed warm for me."
She smiled, already snuggling back into the covers. "Don't be too long or I'll be forced to come and find you."
John opened the door quietly, finding both Scott and his father waiting for him.
"What's wrong? Is everything OK? Is Alan alright?" John asked, his every instinct on full alert, screaming at him that something was wrong.
"Alan's fine, still sleeping," Scott assured him.
"Then what?"
"Son," Jeff started, but John's attention was caught by movement down the hall. Grandma was standing with Celia, her arms around Selene's mother, who was silently crying, her shoulders shaking.
"What's going on?" Selene's voice startled them, having apparently followed him after all. Her eyes landed on her mother.
"Mum?"
"Selly," Scott reached for her, his blue eyes downcast, sorrowful. She batted his hand away, dodging around them to race down the hall, the others following behind her.
Loud noises could be heard from her parents room, the sound of rapidly squeaking bed springs and voices shouting orders to each other.
"Dad?" Selene stopped in the open doorway, the scene before her like something out of a movie, her eyes incapable of processing what they were seeing.
A swarm of paramedics surrounded the bed, one rapidly pumping her father's chest, another trying desperately to get a line into the back of his hand, another monitoring the med-scanner they had stuck to his shoulder while another stood off to the side, holding an oxygen mask at the ready.
"Still no output."
"It's been ten minutes, time unknown before that."
John took hold of her hand, trying to pull her away from the room. She grabbed the door handle, refusing to let go, craning her neck to see around the paramedic blocking her way.
"No! Let me go! Dad! DAD!"
"No output."
The sound of squeaking stopped.
"Call it?"
"Call it. Time of death, 6:47am."
Selene sagged against the door frame, her eyes wide with horror, her head shaking in wordless denial.
Her father was laying on the left side of the bed, he could never sleep on the right, his blue pyjama shirt, the ones she had gotten him for his birthday, spread open. His eyes were closed, his glasses on the bedside table where he always left them. He looked peaceful, as if he were in a deep, restful sleep although she knew he wasn't. The walls weren't rattling with his loud snores, a sleeping warthog, her mother always called him. His chest was still, his breathing forever silenced.
"Daddy?"
Her father, the one who had soothed her scraped knees, fixed her broken toys, threatened dire consequences to any boy who dared upset her, but who had done nothing but hold her when she shed tears of heartbreak when they inevitably did. He was the one she had relied on to fix everything and make it better, because that's what dads did. But there was no fixing this. Her dad, her first and forever hero, was gone.
She didn't feel John's arms encircling her. Didn't register when he picked her up, hugging her to his chest as he moved her away. She didn't feel Scott's arms go around her and John, sandwiching her protectively between the two people she was closest to. She didn't hear their hushed voices. All she could think about was the fact that she would never see her dad again.