Chapter Text
An hour ago, he was alive. An hour ago, he was talking to his family. An hour ago, he was hugging his daughter goodbye. Then he wasn't. Then he was dead. Ridley hadn't a clue what to do or say. The comms link blacked out. John was smiling and laughing. Estrella and Ridley were in the comms room. John hadn't mentioned a thing to the girls. He hadn't planned to. Halley and Constella were in the room, so freaking out their mother's would freak out them. They were both grown women. He kept an eye on the meteor's protectory, while kept a calm face and mind. Smiling at his family. His loved ones.
He and Ridley had been married for three decades. He had EOS for just over ten years. All his best friends were in the room that he had called into. He was happy. He had nothing to lose. He had everything he wanted with him.
His sister had been married for thirty-five years. To his best friend. They were happy. He was glad that something good finally had happened for her. All was good. He was loved. He loved.
There was nothing for John to lose. There was nothing telling him to not alert them about the situation. To tell them he was sorry. To tell them that he loved them. To tell them goodbye. He just let the impact take him. He let the meteor smash him into pieces and destroy his ship. The channel ended abruptly. Estrella and Ridley looked at each other, both diving for Thunderbird three, leaving a confused Conrad. He sat there as the launch happened, until he realised. His best friend was probably dead.
Thunderbird three didn't take long, but the two women sat there in silence, aiming for the atmosphere and then Thunderbird five. Estrella normally hid her emotions, but she couldn't exactly hide this. Normally she could feel her twin brother's emotions and everyday livelihood. Then she couldn't.
Once they reached Thunderbird five, they couldn't see the station intact. Maybe a little of debris, but nothing that could be repaired. Grabbing their helmets, they both took an astro board each and searching for something. For a sign that John was alive. A body that could be saved. Eventually, Tracy Island appeared on comms. Jeff, "What's going on. girls?"
Ridley looked at Estrella and gestured her sister to respond. She did, "Something hit Thunderbird five and...and we can't find John." Tears had appeared under a tremble. Ridley couldn't speak.
Jeff nodded, "Thunderbird five's status?"
"Thunderbird five has been rendered inoperative." Came from Estrella.
He then ordered, "Keep searching for him. He's got to be there. Give us updates."
"F A B, Dad." Jeff's holographic form disappeared from the comms.
Estrella looked at Ridley, "Come on, we'll find him."
"Dead or alive." She manoeuvred her body toward her sister in-law, "Will he be dead or alive?"
Estrella pulled her in for a hug, "Alive. I hope."
They found him. His body was still and lifeless, floating in the vast darkness that space occupied. Ridley was the one to grab hold of him as they dragged him to the safety of Thunderbird three. Ridley held onto his hand, tightly. She laid his body on the ground as Estrella began chest compressions. Pushing her hands, deeply into his rib cage, she grunted as nothing was produced. Neither of the two women's eyes looked away from John.
After a few minutes, Ridley stopped Estrella, "It's useless. We're getting nothing from him."
"Why are you giving up?" She asked her best friend, sitting down next to her dead brother's corpse.
"I can't watch you try and save him. I just can't watch this." She shook her head, crying from pain. Estrella nodded. A tear hit her cheek as she got up and walked over to the the console. Ridley joined her. They were taking him home.
He was pronounced dead that same night.
Halley lost her father. Ridley was now a widow. Estrella had lost her other half.
When they landed Thunderbird three, Conrad was stood waiting. He hugged them both, even crying a bit himself. He had known John for years. Halley had run into her mother’s arms. Both girls crying. Ridley hushed her daughter as she kissed Halley’s hair.
“I was meant to go up there. We were meant to join, Dad and EOS tomorrow.”
“Hall, EOS is still here. He backed her code to Tracy Island before-“
She looked at her best friend, “He knew. He knew he would die. Why would he let it happen?”
Conrad still had his arms around Estrella. She wiped a tear back. She spoke, “I don’t know.”
Ridley embraced her daughter again. This time, she hugged Halley tighter. Conrad put his hand on Ridley’s back, “Come on, let’s go find out.”
Estrella gripped onto his hand. Ridley’s arms were around her daughter’s neck. Halley’s head rested onto her mother’s shoulder. Ridley leaned over and kissed her daughter as they walked away.
Estrella walked toward her father’s desk, analysing the footage of Thunderbird five’s last few minutes. She speed backward to before the call.
“John, I’ve detected an asteroid projected to hit Thunderbird five in six minutes. Would you like me to prepare the space elevator?”
“No, EOS. It’ll take to long. Is there anyway to get out of its trajectory?” He stood there thinking.
“Not in time. If it doesn’t hit Thunderbird five, it’ll hit Tracy Island. Would you like Thunderbird three to launch?” She asked John.
“Won’t get here in time.” He transferred EOS’ systems to Earth. He then opened up a channel to Tracy Island. It was Conrad.
“Hey John, what’s up?”
“Ridley and Estrella are in the comms room. Join them, I’m gonna call them.” He kept his panic hidden.
“Is everything okay?”
He shook his head, “No. I don’t have much time. Just do it.”
She looked up at both her husband and best friend, “He knew he was going to die. He didn’t try and fight it. Why?”
Conrad walked closer, hugging her from behind. She fell back into his arms, crying. Ridley walked toward the desk and projected the footage onto the holoprojector.
“Impact in 5 4 3 2 1.”
CRASH
Estrella felt herself trying to catch her own breathe. She was suffocating. The walls were shrinking. She crouched down next to a wall, locking herself in. She silently cried. She felt a hand reach down, "Hey, come here." He wrapped her in his arms.
Her tears pouring down her face. She could barely breath. Conrad kissed her hair. He had been crying too.
***
"Mum!" John ran over, hugging his mother who looked to be about the same age as himself.
She smiled as she kissed his hair, "Hey baby."
Alan ran over, "John! I missed you!" He hugged his brother.
"I missed you too, Allie."
"I've been watching you guys. Haven't we Mum? We've been watching you have kids. When did Scott and Kayo get together? And Virg and BRAINS? They're all happy. Well not at the moment. You just died. Why did you let yourself die?"
Lucille frowned, "You could have prevented your own death, John. Why could you be so stupid?"
"They wouldn't have made it. Letting my sister and wife die as well. I'd rather myself than them too."
She brought him into another embrace, "Don't you ever do that again. Come on, Alan will show you around."