Always There, Never Noticed

Always there, but never noticed

Disclaimer - I do not own the Thunderbirds

Chapter 2

"Dad!" Calliope cried as Jeff Tracy appeared in the doorway. The older man turned to face his only daughter before enveloping her in his arms, before releasing her to hug his youngest son.

"Hey Sprout, Angel!" 3 of her 4 older brothers entered the room. The 3 boys, 2 blondes and an auburn haired Tracy, each tackled their siblings individually, pulling the girl into their arms for a hug and ruffling the youngest Tracy's hair.

"How was the pick- up Alan? Bet you were surprised ey?" Gordon, the strawberry blonde sibling, smirked.

"Yeah, it was a shock until the creeps at my school started whispering about Cal." Alan shrugged before he left them to talk to their father.

Her older brothers eye's narrowed at the youngest siblings words. Oh great, now you've done it Alan. She rolled her eyes at the newly appeared protective edge in their facial expressions.

"Jeeze guys! They way your acting is making it seem like I got raped or something." Oops, maybe that was the wrong thing to say.

"Don't ever even joke about that Calliope. I don't know what I'd do if..." Scott trailed off. Calliope look at them guiltily.

"Sorry." She whispered. Her brothers gazes softened as her obvious guilt at her previous statement.

They smiled at her before changing the subject.

"Did you see the rescue? We know Alan did, he's talking to dad about it right now." Gordon questioned his sister as they sat at the family dining table.

"Yes. Against my will, might I add. Oh, and manners Scotty." She drawled sarcastically. The dirty blonde Tracy son sheepishly put down the juice carton he had taken.

Her brothers looked confused, each sharing glances at their only sister's less than enthusiastic tone. Virgil's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"And what, may I ask, does that mean little sis'?" He urged her to let them in on the private joke she seemed to have.

"It means, big brother, that I personally would chose not to watch the International Rescues as I get severely worried for you, but I have 5 freakishly obsessed friends, who worringly, not to mention disturbingly, admire you buffoons. This causes me to be forced to watch whenever you lot are on TV in school." Calliope babbled incessantly, silently cursing herself for letting slip about how much she worries about them.

"Hey, we are tough, you know that Cal, you should relax when we're away okay?" Gordon looked intently at his sibling, Callie relaxed with the comforting words from her usually joking brother.

"Go with the flow, maybe join in the chatter about how cool we are?" Gordo winked at her once he had finished his serious moment, back to the joking, to which the brunette grinned slyly.

"Yeah, I think I will, next time they discuss you guys I'll join in." The three boys smiled encouraging at her. That was until she continued.

"I'll say, and I quote "I think the Thunderbirds are probably lazy gits who are really lanky and have bad hair."" She laughed heartily as all boys hands shot up to their hair as she finished her insult, the three of them looking mildly offended.

"Watch it you! Or I'll..." Gordon began only to find himself shutting up as Virgil smacked his hand over his younger brothers mouth, preventing him from speaking. Scott rolled his eyes at his younger siblings, before addressing the two boys in International Rescue.

"So, I'm getting this reading saying I've got 60 knots right up my keester!" Scott told them as Alan sat down.

"Did you try changing the wing flaps?" He asked. Scott looked at him pointedly.

"That's the first thing I did Sprout. It's not my first time on a Thunderbird you know."

"Try and keep up." Gordon said in jest.

"Yeah, don't you have homework to do or something?" Virgil butted in jokingly.

"Unless he's blown up this school like the last one!" Gordon laughed at his own joke.

"Yeah keep Alan away from the machines, he's a hazard." Continued Calliope's brothers until their father told them to stop, so they did, only to begin talking about their missions instead.

"No, no, no Istanbul was the earthquake!"

Calliope sighed, wishing she was able to join them. She knew Alan felt the same, and longed to be included in International Rescue, she should be allowed by now, but her dad was too stubborn to let his only daughter be in any sort of danger.

The young girl watched in despair as her only younger brother left the table soon after, leaving his food behind. Although, she soon followed suit as her brothers remained oblivious to her sadness, continuing to talk about rescues, and left to go to the pool, her brothers watching in concern as they watched both their siblings leave.

"Callie!" A voice yelled to her. The brunette turned to see a dark skinned girl approach her.

"Tin-tin, hey!" Calliope smiled at the girl two years her junior. The other girl grinned back and proceeded to ask the older girl about her time in England.

"How's school going?" Tin-tin questioned.

"It would be amazing, but all my friends are obsessed with my brothers, it's so annoying listening to them go on about it cause I know who they are, so it's not as exciting for me, more terrifying when I'm forced to watch them on missions."

The other girl looked at her sympathetically as she saw the worry crease across her only girl friends face. Tin-tin reached up to place her hand on the 16 year old.

"The boys are strong, Cal, you should worry less." The Malaysian girl consoled. "Besides, you get premature wrinkles if you do." She continued, teasingly, to which the older girl instinctively reached up to her face to check, when she realised it was a joke and she lowered her hands awkwardly.

Tin-tin snorted, trying to contain her laughter, before they both broke out into fits of the giggles.

They were interrupted later on, as the sun was beginning to set, by a resounding noise from the main area of the house. Alarmed, Calliope jumped up and ran to find her older brothers, leaving Tin-tin bewildered.

"Virgil? Scott? Gordon?" She cried entering the house. This wasn't the noise she was used to hearing when there was a mission, this was something else, so that fact scared her. What if something bad had happened? She thought worryingly.

Virgil ran into the hallway upon hearing his sisters frightened cry, pulling her to him, he attempted to calm her down. He knew that the alarm would have worried her, his only sister was extremely paranoid when it came to her family.

"Relax Angel, it's just Alan, he snuck into Scott's 'bird. He's with dad right now."

Calliope visibly relaxed, but kept her arms around her brother. Scott reached them shortly, followed by Gordon. Both brothers looked concerned when seeing their sister encased in Virgil's arms. At their expressions, Virgil told the boys about how the alarm had frightened her and had caused her to panic.

Her brothers smiled at her, before Virgil forcibly drug her into the main room to play video games, something which she greatly complained about. Until they actually started playing.

"Yes! Winner! In your face Gordo!" The girl fist pumped as Gordon slumped down in his seat, highly embarrassed that his younger sister had beaten him in a car racing game. She calmed down slightly as she heard a familiar beep from her back pocket.

"Right, Scotty, you take my place, will ya? And don't make me lose, I'm on a role." She said, passing said brother the controller as she pulled out her Blackberry. She was surprised to see she'd got two messages.

From – Ali baba

Hey girl! So, major news, Ollie finally asked out Grace! It was so cute, the other boys were gutted you weren't there to see it. Ollie replied to it saying that's the reason he did it now, the cheek! Any who, I'm having a party on the last weekend of the hols, so be there or be square chicka, Love ya!

Calliope grinned triumphantly before letting out a little squeal of happiness. Blushing once she realised her brothers were watching her curiously.

"Urr.. My friend, well, he, urr.. asked out my other friend." She explained flustered, before scowling, to which the three boys simultaneously raised an eyebrow.

"I mean it's about time! They've been flirting for ages, it's really began to pi.." Callie trailed out as the oldest Tracy brother cleared his throat before she could finish.

"You know what I mean. Oh! And Aliona's having a party on the last weekend of spring break, so I'll need a lift over to England." She said, defiantly, to which her brothers nodded before going back to their game.

To – Ali baba

Yo dudette! Omg! I'm so annoyed I missed it! I bet he went as red a tomato, am I right? And I'm majorly insulted he did it deliberately when I wasn't there, I mean I wouldn't have teased him that bad.. ;) Coolness babes, I'll fly back for the Friday so we can go get outfits. Toodles!

Calliope read through her reply before hitting send and opening her other text. Her eyes read over the message quickly before blushing at the message, her heart beat increasing ever so slightly.

From – Ivan

Hey Cal, I'm sure Ali has told you by now about Grace and Ollie, finally huh? Just to let you know Grace said she would have told you but she was too busy snogging her new bf, ain't she a charmer! I also expect she told you about the party, but I reckon she didn't tell you that you needed dates?

The girl groaned at the thought of having to find someone to go with.

Didn't think so, anyway, I was hoping that maybe we could go together? You know, as friends of course.. Don't worry if you have one! I'll see ya soon then.

The 16 year old replied to him quickly, saying that she was unforgiving to Graces apology (a joke) and that she was glad he had asked as she didn't want the pressure of having a proper date, and of having to find one.