Finally, the last chapter! It's been a long time and life was very different when I started this story. Thank you so much to everyone who's stuck with me - your support has meant so much and given me a reason to keep going with this. Whirlgirl, thank you so much for all the reviews, wish I could reply personally.

Chapter Thirty-One

Under normal circumstances, Penny would have ignored Scott's instruction to stay where she was, partly out of a desire to be in a position to help, but mostly because Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward gave orders, she didn't follow them. But she wasn't a Creighton-Ward any more, she was a Warrington-Farr and, anyway, the way she felt now, utterly exhausted both physically and emotionally, she wasn't sure she'd be any help if she did make it to the crash site. She'd lost so much already. The thought of losing Virgil, one of her best friends, was more than she could bear.

Not knowing what was happening was torture. If only Scott had left her a communicator, but he'd barely given her a thought as he'd leapt out of the helicopter. Why hadn't he wanted her along? Had he wanted to shield her from the horror of the mangled wreckage and what it would have done to Virgil? Or was it because he thought she'd be more of a hindrance than a help? She'd have been angry at such a suggestion not so long ago, she thought. She'd certainly have been angry at being treated in such a cavalier manner by a man who owed her more than that - Scott had been anything but gentlemanly when he'd manhandled her at the factory, practically dragging her to her feet with no consideration for the pins and needles he should have known she'd be experiencing after having been tied up for so long. It was hardly the romantic reunion she'd dreamed of.

Sahara had been right when she'd accused her of hoping Scott would swoop in to the rescue, a modern-day knight in shining armour, Thunderbird One taking the place of the legendary white charger. She'd certainly never been so pleased to see him. But what had he been thinking? For a few seconds, when their eyes had met as he was freeing her from her bonds, she'd thought there had been an unusual degree of tenderness in his expression. She'd even allowed herself to think that this was it, that he'd finally realised that she meant more to him than he'd ever allowed himself to believe. Perhaps Sahara had even done Penny an inadvertent favour in revealing her true feelings. But then Alan had interrupted them with the bad news about the helicopter and the moment was lost. All Scott's concern then was for his brother and Penny knew that was something that would never change. Whatever happened between them now, she knew one thing for sure. Maybe she'd known it all along. She had never come first for Scott. She never would.

She came first for Simon, of course - or at least she had until he'd been so brutally informed of her deception. She dreaded to think what her husband thought of her now - or what Sebastian Swayne had conditioned him to think. She'd wanted to ask Scott about it as they'd flown here, but he'd been struggling to fly with one hand in such bad weather and she hadn't wanted to distract him - or to have to face the fact that she'd lost Simon as well as Parker and Scott himself.

It was all such a mess...

She forced herself to focus on something else and so she studied the controls of the helicopter. She thought she knew which one operated the radio, but she feared making a mistake, doing some damage to the systems or broadcasting on an open channel and giving them away. There was still a chance of salvaging International Rescue and she clung to that hope.

She couldn't allow herself to believe it might all be over. Would Sahara come through yet again? Would she appear at any minute, Scott held at gunpoint? Maybe she should get out of the helicopter and find a place to hide, never mind how cold and miserable it was outside with the snow falling heavily. She couldn't bear the thought of Sahara taking her hostage again. How many times would that be now?

The bitterness she felt surprised her. A hint of the old Penelope, perhaps? It was a long time since she'd thought of herself as a competent agent, whether for MI5 or International Rescue. All of a sudden she was furious with herself for way she'd behaved over the past year or so. She couldn't blame Sahara for all of that, of course, but whilst she couldn't change the past, she could certainly do something to influence the future and to regain a little self-respect. Now the prospect of going out in the cold didn't seem so bad, not if it meant she could strike back at Sahara should the woman really still be in the game.

The sound of voices jerked her out of her reverie and her heart sank. She'd failed yet again. It was too late to hide now. But then, she realised, it didn't seem to be necessary anyway. She could hear two male voices - American voices.

She felt happier than she had in a long, long time when she saw Virgil relatively unscathed. Of course, seeing Sahara slung over his shoulders, apparently unconscious, helped. They'd brought Chen back too, though he was being dragged on a makeshift sledge made from one of the wrecked helicopter's doors. Dead or injured, Penny couldn't bring herself to care.

"Virgil! You're alright."

"I'm fine, Penny," the man said, dropping Sahara unceremoniously to the ground and enveloping her in a warm hug. She relaxed into him for a moment, grateful for the comfort and wondering why his brother couldn't have done the same.

"Is she...?" When she finally pulled away, Penny took a good look at Sahara.

"She'll be alright." It was Scott who answered. "But the guy didn't make it. Do you know who he is, Penny?"

Penny told them what she knew. "Sahara was in love with him," she said, her eyes drawn back to the semi-conscious woman currently being tied by Virgil into a seat in the back of the helicopter.

"She's lost everything then."

"Serves her right." Suddenly everything overwhelmed her and happiness was replaced by fury. Striding up to the helicopter, she stopped Virgil from sliding the door shut, instead gripping Sahara hard by the shoulder and shaking her. Sahara's eyes opened and she stared dazedly at Penny.

"Good, you're awake," Penny said. "Headache? I hope so. I hope those ropes hurt, too. But that's the least of your troubles. Chen's dead. I wanted to be the one to tell you. How does it feel to lose someone you care about? To know that he'd still be alive if it wasn't for you?"

For once, Sahara had nothing to say. She simply closed her eyes and turned away, though Penny could still see the tears that ran down her cheeks. She looked at her vanquished adversary long and hard, aware that Scott and Virgil had come to stand behind her. They'd probably be shocked at her behaviour, she thought. A lady shouldn't take delight in another's misery and she should certainly never gloat. Her mother would have been horrified. But then her mother had never been in a situation like this.

"Penny..." It was Virgil who spoke, but it was Scott who reached out to turn her round to face him. She pulled her arm away, suddenly unable to bear the prospect of him touching her.

The brothers exchanged surprised glances before Scott spoke. "Get inside, Virg," he said. "You're freezing. I need to talk to Penny."

Virgil did so without any protest.

Scott took a few steps away from the helicopter, clearly wanting to get out of earshot of Sahara.

"I owe you an apology. I should have said something before..." he began and despite herself Penny couldn't help wondering whether he was finally going to say the things she wanted to hear.

He didn't, but she found she didn't care because what he did say meant more to her than any declaration of love ever could.

"Parker's alive. Virg stopped him jumping in the river. That's how he got those bruises. Sebastian Swayne conditioned him but he's fine now. He's in Thunderbird One with Brains."

Penny stared at him for a moment, unable to take it in. It couldn't be true? Could it? But it had to be. Scott might have caused her more pain than any man ever had, but he wouldn't lie to her.

"It's true, Penny. I'm sorry, I should have realised Virg wouldn't have been able to tell you. I was so caught up in the panic over him that I forgot all about it. I- Ow! Penny!"

It was hard to say who was more surprised when Penny slapped him across the face.

Penny looked as though she was about to say something, but then she turned away. Scott knew she was crying though whether the tears were for Parker or for him he wasn't sure. Now certainly wasn't the time to discuss it.

"Guess I deserved that," he admitted. "Here..." He took off his watch and pressed a few buttons before handing it to her.

Penny's hands were shaking when she took it. "Parker?"

"'Mornin', milady."

"Oh, Parker..."

Scott walked away, letting Penny have some privacy. Settling himself into the co-pilot's seat next to his brother - with a broken hand he could hardly claim to be the more capable pilot right now - he turned to check on Sahara. She'd stopped crying and was staring silently out of the window at Penny. Scott braced himself for her comments on what had passed between him and the blonde aristocrat, but for once Sahara was silent.

To Scott's eternal gratitude, Virgil was silent too, though given that the helicopter's first aid kit was open and his brother was sporting a bandage around his thigh, Scott could only hope that he'd been busy tending to his leg instead of looking out of the window. Thank goodness it wasn't one of his other younger brothers - he'd never hear the end of it.

Penny finally returned and took her seat beside Sahara. "Does she know?" she asked.

"No," Virgil told her as he started up the engine. "Thought you'd like to break it to her."

"I'd like that very much," Penny said. "Sahara, I've got some bad news for you - or should I say some good news...?"

The flight back to the farmhouse was quiet - they didn't want to do anything to confirm Sahara's suspicions about International Rescue, so there was no contact with Thunderbird Five. Everyone was busy with their own thoughts, anyway. Sahara was too overwhelmed by the loss of Chen to care that her plans had unravelled so spectacularly.

Penny was a mass of conflicting emotions. The only thing stronger than her joy at having Parker back was the anger she felt towards Scott. How could he have 'forgotten' to tell her? Didn't he know that the prospect of Parker's death had been more than she'd been able to bear? How would he have felt if she'd done that to him about Virgil, or one of his other brothers? Still, hitting him had been such an unladylike thing to do. She'd have to apologise to him. Though that might lead to a discussion of their situation and she really didn't feel up to that any time soon.

Seeking a diversion from her thoughts, she pulled Sahara's laptop out from under the seat. A few clicks of the mouse later - she'd learnt a few things from her years working with John - she'd discovered the identity of Sahara's contact in MI5. Irving Ross would be delighted - if somewhat surprised.

Virgil's main concern was his injured leg. Now that the adrenaline had worn off he was in more pain than he wanted to admit to. But even that couldn't stop him wondering about Penny. Unlike Scott he hadn't been shocked at the vindictive way she'd broken the news about Chen to Sahara. He well remembered how it had felt to be told that his beloved eldest brother had been killed when they'd come up against Sahara the first time. He'd had the support of his family then and he'd barely got through it. Penny would have had to bear her grief alone, not to mention the added worry about Simon, International Rescue and her own fate. He couldn't blame the woman for wanting a little revenge. He was surprised at Scott, though - he himself had been dying to tell Penny the good news but had been forced to keep quiet so as not to give the game away. Scott hadn't had that pressure but he still hadn't done it. It was flattering to know that he was his brother's prime concern, but even so...

Sometimes Virgil wondered if his brother had rocks in his head when it came to Penny.

Unsurprisingly, Scott was also thinking about Penny and all the things they'd been through together. But that was the past. Penny wasn't his Penny any more, she was Lady Penelope Warrington-Farr. Simon had to be considered in all of this, and he at least had thought enough of Penny to want to marry her...

Irving Ross watched from the farmhouse door as the helicopter landed. The head of MI5 had good reason to be pleased. Jeff Tracy had called him, fresh from the press conference he'd reluctantly held to coincide with the FireFlash 'rescue' in order to show Sahara that he wasn't the director of International Rescue operations, simply a concerned father. An angry one, too, given the lurid - and apparently libellous - revelations about his son's private life that had graced the front page of that day's paper thanks to Flora Sullivan. Jeff had told him that he didn't envy Virgil having to face his brothers - or indeed his grandmother - when they got hold of a copy. Well, at least no one would believe the lothario would have the time or the energy to be a Thunderbird pilot - or indeed a master criminal. Of course, this hadn't been the real reason for Jeff's call. Scandalous headlines aside, the Tracy patriarch had been delighted to report that his sons were safe, Penny rescued, Sahara captured and Chen, a key figure in the General's military, dead.

Things couldn't have gone better, as far as Irving was concerned. He'd had his doubts about a few things, not least whether or not he could rely on Sebastian Swayne to return to the farmhouse after delivering Virgil to Sahara. But having forced him to swallow one of International Rescue's edible transmitters - the gadgets that organisation had at their disposal never ceased to amaze the head of MI5 and he wished once again he could persuade Hiram Hackenbacker to do a little espionage work on the side - and made it quite clear that he'd be tracked, Sebastian had returned as he'd promised, announcing that he was enjoying his first MI5 mission and that his cooperation should surely ensure he'd be well looked after in his new role.

Well, he would be - he was too valuable for Irving to consider doing otherwise, though exactly how to deal with him would have to be considered carefully. Not that he'd be going anywhere for a while. His first task would be to condition Sahara. Everything the woman ate or drank for the next few days would be laced with Sebastian's drug. Irving wanted her too drowsy to say anything that might alert anyone to her discovery about International Rescue. Sebastian himself would never know what he was ordering her to forget.

Of course, there would be other instructions too, before she was set free. It was the perfect opportunity to get rid of the General and to restore order to that part of the Pacific. Jeff Tracy had been unhappy about the plan, that was for sure, but when Irving had pointed out that a certain small island lay well in range of the General's scope for expansion, he'd reluctantly agreed. Sahara would return to the place where she'd been hiding out for the last eighteen months. The General - and Sahara herself - would believe that the kidnap plot had gone according to plan, though Chen's tragic death when his helicopter crashed into the ocean as he flew home would take the shine off things just a little. Sahara would take with her a huge sum of money (provided by Jeff Tracy since MI5's budget wouldn't stretch that far), the paintings from the Royal art collection as well as the items from the Crown Jewels. They were fakes anyway, Prince Louis had told him. The originals were hidden in a secret vault deep below Buckingham Palace. The prince had enjoyed overpowering Sebastian's aide, Quinn, when he'd returned with the spoils, and the man was now safely shut up in the cellar along with the rest of the gang.

The General would never have the chance to discover the deception. Irving had told Jeff Tracy that Sahara would only be required to provide information about his plans for expansion, but in fact, he'd decided that to fully ensure the safety of the region, Sahara would be instructed to kill the General, along with his closest advisors. Sahara would die, too, of course - if she wasn't killed in the bomb blast, then she'd be programmed to give herself up and so face a firing squad. There was no alternative - Irving didn't trust her not to cause trouble again and who knew how long Sebastian's influence would last.

There was no room for sentiment in MI5.

He did have feelings, though. His liking for Lady Penelope went beyond admiration for her talents as an agent - he was fond of her as a friend, too. He'd been annoyed and upset in equal measures when she'd given up her role, though he'd acknowledged that she'd lost her nerve. Still, he'd been convinced she'd get it back, that he'd get her back, but then she'd decided to marry Simon. Poor man. Irving couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Where the pair of them stood now he didn't know. He suspected she didn't either. Well, with the helicopter coming in to land, they'd soon all know.

Virgil was dispatched to take Chen's body to the barn where it could join Ken Mantle's, whilst Scott, assisted by Prince Louis, took Sahara into the farmhouse, placing the woman in the care of the ex-marine. Irving, delighted to know which of his operatives had betrayed him, disappeared into the kitchen to deal with the matter and bring the saga to an end - clearing Parker and Virgil's names in the process - leaving Scott and Penny alone once more.

"Scott, I..." Penny simply didn't know what to say.

"It's okay, Penny," Scott smiled. "I guess I deserved that slap. You've got good reason to be mad at me."

"What Sahara said..." She tried again. "I don't... It wasn't..."

"I know. I wish things had been different. Lots of things... But it's not about us now, is it, Penny? You're married. You need to go to Simon."

Then he turned and walked away. Penny watched him go. Was it her imagination or was he moving more slowly than he usually did? Was he waiting, hoping, for her to call him back? But what would she say if she did? After all, he was right. She owed it to Simon to put him first for once.

Taking a breath to steady herself, she turned towards Sebastian's study where her husband was waiting for her.

For a moment they just stood there, looking at each other, then Simon indicated one of the armchairs.

"Please, sit down. You look exhausted."

Penny did as he asked. He was right.

"I'm glad you're safe. I was worried about you. I love you very much," Simon told her. "At least," he went on, and now his voice was full of hurt. "I love the person I believed you to be. I don't know you now, Penelope. Irving told me something of your escapades while we were waiting for you to return. I can't believe it. You, a secret agent. You've done some wonderful things, Penelope - and some terrible ones."

"Simon, I-"

It was unlike the well-mannered aristocrat to interrupt her, but Simon did so then. "Please, Penelope, I'd like to have my say."

"Very well." Penny couldn't look at him any longer. She knew what he was going to say - and she couldn't say anything in her defence.

"I know these things have to be done," Simon said. "National security and all that. But for you to have done them... I admire you in many ways, Penelope. But at the same time I can't help feeling betrayed. If you'd told me before you agreed to marry me I could have come to terms with it."

"I tried," Penny said. "That time in France."

"Ah, yes." Simon's expression grew even more forlorn. "I thought you wanted to tell me about the man you were in love with. Scott Tracy. Well, I can't compete with him, I see that now."

"Simon, don't. Scott doesn't want me." Well, he'd walked away from her, hadn't he? He'd made the choice for her, done the honourable thing and sent her back to her husband.

"Then he's a fool. But you, Penelope. Who do you want? What that woman said, that picture... You do care about him."

"I care about you too."

"Not in that way. I understand, you know. I know what it's like to love someone who can't love you back, not in the way you want them to."

His words hurt her more than Sahara's ever could. "I didn't mean to make you unhappy."

"I know. But we wouldn't have lasted, even if I hadn't found out your secrets. I realise that now. You'd get tired of me soon enough. You'd miss the excitement of MI5."

"I'm finished with my old life," Penny told him.

"You thought so, I know. But I don't think it's finished with you. You'll go back to it one day. I've realised, we didn't sign anything. I'm not sure the marriage is actually legal. It might be easier to go back to who you were than you imagine."

He slipped off his wedding ring and placed it on Sebastian's desk. After a moment Penny did the same, along with the engagement ring that had passed down through centuries of Warrington-Farr brides.

"I'm sorry," she said, once again.

"Don't be." He rose to his feet. "Perhaps one day we can be friends, Penny."

It was the first time he'd called her anything other than 'Penelope' and Penny couldn't help smiling sadly. It was his final acknowledgement that the woman he'd fallen in love with had never really existed. Now he knew who - and what - she really was, he was still willing to accept her. If only she'd been straight with him from the start, maybe...

But then there would still have been the problem of Scott. What would he do once she was a free woman again? Would she even want him to do anything, given how complicated it had all become?

If all this had taught her anything, it was that she was terrible at relationships. She always had been, ever since she'd fallen in love for the first time at fourteen with the son of the head gardener.

What she had been good at, of course, was being an agent. MI5, International Rescue... she'd saved the day for both organisations many times in the past. Could she do it again? For so long she'd felt numb. Throwing herself into the wedding preparations had allowed her to push all those fears and doubts to one side. She'd have to face them now if she was going to get her nerve back.

It would be hard, but nothing would ever be as hard as the conversation she'd just had with Simon. Perhaps... No, she couldn't. Maybe if she hadn't endured so much over the last few days, but the encounter with Sahara had almost destroyed her.

But, she thought, unlike most missions, this one had been personal. Sahara had targeted her, had taken advantage of her emotions - and if a woman couldn't become overwhelmed by her feelings when she'd had her wedding day ruined and lost the one person in the world she relied upon above all others, then when could she? Sahara hadn't broken her. She'd survived. She was alive and well - in better shape than Scott with his damaged hand and poor Virgil with his injured leg.

But she was so tired...

For a moment she thought of a secluded spa in the Swiss mountains that she'd visited on occasion. The prospect of shutting herself away for a long, long time was tempting. No Simon, no Scott, none of the journalists she knew would follow her around relentlessly for the foreseeable future. That was another argument against returning to her old job. She could hardly be a secret agent if her every move was documented in the gossip columns...

She sighed. What on earth was she going to do with herself?

A knock at the door startled her.

"Tea, milady?"

"Parker!"

Well, she'd done so many unladylike things today that one more wouldn't hurt, so Penny jumped to her feet and threw her arms around a very surprised Parker. She knew now that whatever her future might hold, there was one thing that was certain.

She'd lost Simon, she might never have Scott - but she'd always have Parker.