Chapter 1: You're not our Dad?
Chapter Text
Wally began looking like his father at the age of fifteen. Not huge amounts, just smaller parts of himself. His hair, his eyes, his nose.
Only problem was, he didn’t look like his father. Lucy was almost identical to her mother. All her mannerisms were like her mother. Wally had always questioned who he had looked like. Neither of them looked like Conrad. They never looked like Conrad. Their younger sister had similar looks to Conrad, but he and his twin didn’t. He had always questioned that.
“We need to tell them.” Estrella walked over to her husband. He was in the kitchen, he paused halfway through his drink.
“Tell who about what?” He took a sip. Estrella snatched the drink out of his hands, drinking it herself, “Hey!”
“Wally’s started picking up the fact that they look nothing like you.”
“Oh. I thought we weren’t going to tell them.” He reminded her.
Estrella nodded, “I know, but things change,” She whispered to him, “He’s starting to think that he’s the product of an affair.”
“Well then, we need to talk to them about it, but do you think Emery should know about it?”
“She’s three.” Conrad stared at Estrella.
She sat down at the table, “We really should have thought about this more. They’re too young to know what happened fifteen years ago. The reason they’re here.”
He joined her, holding her hands in his, “Hey, they’re old enough to know the truth. They’ll understand.” He kissed her on the cheek. She looked at him saddened as he left the table and walked off. She was sitting there in silence for a moment. He stepped back in the room quickly, “Incoming.”
“Mum! Is Dad really our dad? Wally seems to think otherwise.” Lucy came running in. She stood in front of her mother, confused.
Estrella stood up from her spot, “Lucy, honey. Go get your brother. We need to clear the air about something.”
“Okay.” She left the room, going to find her brother. Conrad had seen his daughter and turned back to the kitchen. He smiled at her as she looked over at him, glaring seriously. He walked around to her and kissed her passionately.
She smiled at him, “I’m nervous, Con.”
“I know, and I get it. How will they react? What will they do?”
She pressed her hand on his chest. They were still in each other’s arms, “No matter what, you will always be their father.”
He smiled, kissing her hair, “I love you.”
Wally stood, crossing his arms, “See you haven’t told him, yet.”
Lucy was standing next to him. She sighed, “Wally, you’re wrong, but something is up.” She looked at their parents, curiously.
Estrella gestured them to sit at the table. Conrad sat down next to his wife. The twins, sat opposite them. Estrella exhaled sharply, “It has come to my attention that Wally has picked up on neither of you looking anything like your father.” She looked in between her children and husband. Conrad had his hand on his wife’s lap. She continued, “The truth. You two are not Conrad’s biological children.”
Wally crossed his arms, “I knew it.” His voice went deep for a second.
“Not so fast Wally. There’s more to it.” Conrad told his son.
She took a deep breath in and out, “I was a minor in college. I had this professor who had taken a liking to me. One day, he came into my room and…and…and he…and he…he hurt me. He got me pregnant. You two are product of a rape. He doesn’t exactly know about you two and I want to keep it that way. For your safety and mine.”
Lucy looked between Conrad and Estrella, then her brother, “So, technically he’s not our father. Some random dude, who Wally looks like. And you don’t want us to meet our father!”
“He is not your father, Lucy. Family isn’t just blood. It’s about those who are there. It’s about those who you love and care for.”
Conrad smiled, “You two will always be my family, whether you like it or not.”
“I like that your our dad.” Wally spoke after a deep thought. His family turned to him. Conrad smiled. Wally continued, “Mum, have you ever thought about how different we would be if you had told that professor about us?” She nodded, giving a faint, uncomfortable smile. Wally continued, “Besides, I like spending time with Dad. We do fun things, just the two of us.”
Estrella breathed a sigh of relief, “So you don’t want to know who your father is?”
Lucy smiled, “We do, he’s right here.”
Conrad got up from his seat and embraced them. The three stood in the embrace for a few minutes. Estrella smiled, watching her family.
Wally noticed his mother watching, “Please Mum, can you not watch us?” He pushed his father away. Lucy stayed in the hug longer. Wally walked out of the room.
Conrad smiled at his wife. Then he looked at his daughter, kissing her hair, “Lucy, you alright?”
Lucy turned to her mother, still in her father’s arms, “What would have happened to me?”
Conrad hugged her closer. Estrella walked over, assuring her daughter, “Nothing, baby. You’re safe here. No one is going to hurt you.”
“I love you, Lucy. You’re my daughter. Nothing’s going to happen to you. I’ll make sure of it.” Conrad kissed Lucy’s hair.
Estrella pulled her daughter into a hug, whispering, “You’re my daughter and I will go to the heavens and earths to keep you safe. All of you.”
“Thanks mum. You’re the best.” Lucy smiled. She walked out of the room after Estrella kissed her hair.
Conrad smiled at his wife, “That wasn’t so bad, baby.”
“No, not at all.”
Chapter 2: The Birthday
Chapter Text
08.10.2034
17:26
Lucille Tracy watched her newborns calmly sleep in the crib next to her. Her older boys were cuddled up to her on the bed. The four-year-old Scott was staring off as the two year old Virgil slept peacefully. She was still pregnant. She smiled.
Jeff picked up his daughter as slept. Lucille ordered her husband, “Put her down!”
She almost startled Virgil up. Scott looked at his parents. Jeff stopped, “What?”
“Jeff, don’t touch her.” She used her stern mother voice.
Jeff stepped, sitting on the bed, “What did I do?”
“Please, just don’t touch her.” He noticed some of her veins sticking out. She was serious.
“Lu, you can trust me.” He assured her.
Lucille shook her head, “Not with her.” She had tears streaming down her face.
Lee had pulled Jeff aside later that day. Jeff had explained the events that had unfolded. Lee told his best friend, “She does trust you. Be patient. It’s probably just because of dad. She’s just scared.”
“She’s my daughter too. How would you feel if you weren’t allowed to hold your own child?”
Lee crossed his arms, “Seriously, Jeff. You know what happened. All you need to do is give her space and time. Trust me. She knows your nothing like him, but deep down she wants her daughter to have a better childhood than she did.”
Lee was right. That was exactly what Lucille had wanted. That’s exactly what Estrella had gotten, with a few things not exactly working out as planned, no one knew how quickly that childhood would end.
***
07.10.2051
22:58 hours
“Almost full term. How you feeling?” Conrad asked his heavily pregnant wife as he passed her a glass of water. She was feeling uncomfortable. The three of them were up late that night. None could get any sleep. Alan was resting on her lap, between her breasts and her stomach.
She looked down at her brother, “Exhausted, but I can’t sleep. It’s painful.” Conrad kissed her hair.
John was sat on his bed, watching the exchange, “Want me to get Grandma? Surely she’ll have a nursey rhyme that might get you asleep.” He joked.
Conrad laughed, receiving a death stare from his wife. He stopped, “Sorry, but you’re keeping us all up.”
“I apologise if I’m disturbing your precious sleep.” She sarcastically responded. She felt a contraction. Screaming in pain, she closed her eyes. She woke Alan up. He looked at his sister, scared. John helped Alan get to his room.
He turned to his sister, “I’m gonna get Grandma and Dad. Remember what you know.” He walked out of the room, carrying Alan.
Estrella looked toward Conrad, “I…can’t…do…this!” She was sweating.
***
08.10.2051
01:34
She held the two infants in her arms. She was still in her bedroom. The ambulance crew weren’t there. Taking her to the hospital via a car would have been difficult. They were on the 3rd floor of the ranch. Jeff had been out on business and wasn’t expecting to return home until early in the morning for his twins birthday. When he had received the call from John that Estrella was in labour. She had given birth an hour later, as midnight struck.
He had swung open the door in the middle of night. Conrad and Estrella had looked up. John looked over. Conrad’s arms were around his wife’s body as she held the babies. He had been looking down at them. Wally and Lucy Tracy didn’t look like their father. In fact, all their features were from their mother. The only thing that Wally inherited from his biological father was his hair colour. Harold Harold’s original hair colour was a dark brown colour, before he grew old.
Jeff’s heart sank. He walked closer to his daughter’s bed. He smiled, “How long?”
Estrella had tears in her eyes, “About an hour and a half ago.”
“How are you feeling?” He asked her.
“Dad, meet your grandkids. Wally and Lucy.”
His heart sank further. She had named her daughter after his wife. He smiled as Conrad took Wally and passed him to his grandfather. Conrad told him, “This one’s Wally.”
He held Wally for a few minutes, speaking to his daughter, “Did you guys call for an ambulance? The midwife?”
John nodded, “When I called you and Grandma. No one’s arrived.”
“They remind me of you two as babies. Calm, cute.” He gave Conrad his grandson back. Conrad then took Lucy and gave her to Jeff.
He remembered seeing old baby photos of Lucille. His granddaughter looked identical to her grandmother. Jeff was the only grandparent that these children will have. He rocked her slowly. John was still sitting up. Jeff looked at his own twins, “Happy Birthday.” He smiled.
John smiled back, “Thanks, dad.”
Estrella, who was holding Wally, grinned for the first time that morning, “Thanks.”
Then they heard the sirens below. The ambulance was late.
***
08.10.2051
10:23
The twins were in their own cribs in between John and Estrella’s beds. Jeff walked back into the room, with his mother behind him. She first turned to Estrella and John, beaming with happiness, “Happy birthday my dears.”
“Thanks Grandma.” They chanted in unison.
“How are you feeling, Estrella?” She asked her only granddaughter.
“Exhausted. Haven’t slept since yesterday morning.”
She smiled, “Here’s a tip, when they sleep. You sleep.”
“Thanks Grandma. I’ll take that to heart.”
Her brothers eventually met their niece and nephew. Alan was only seven. He stayed on the bed the whole day with his older sister. Alan held the babies in his arms, watching them with complete awe. Jeff stayed in the room for most of the day. Scott, Virgil, and Gordon spent time out of the house after they met the twins.
Elizabeth met the twins, crying after she learnt the name of her great-granddaughter was her own daughter’s name. Then the family had left them alone in the house.
“You think they’ll realise the truth?” Estrella asked, looking at her babies.
Conrad placed his hand on Estrella’s back, “Someday, but definitely not today.”
John joked, “We’re gonna need a bigger house.”
Jeff smiled, “We’ll be on the island by the end of the year. More space for all of you.”
The three of them smiled, laughing.
“Lucy and Wally are going to be alright.” Jeff smiled at his newly born grandchildren. Looking between his own twins and the babies in his daughter’s arms.
Chapter 3: Professor Harold Harold
Chapter Text
Lucy naturally went to Harvard. Wally, however, went to W.A.S.P and became a Lieutenant during his training. He then took control of Thunderbird 4 before his sister even finished college. Wally had returned to the island after his second year.
During their second year, Lucy had one of her courses in her biological father’s classroom. She had followed her mother’s instructions and sat closer to the back. Out of the way. So, he wouldn’t notice his daughter.
He still did. Professor Harold may have been almost a century old, but he could still notice a hot young lady enter his classroom. Even the last name Tracy rang a bell in his mind. A two-decade long bell.
Professor Harold Harold could never have kids with his dead wife. With none of his wives. They always had miscarriages. After their quick marriage because of a pregnancy, they always seemed to lose the baby. Harold was blamed for the stress of the marriage and his wives always left. Everyone just blaming him and shrugging it all out.
He hadn’t seen Estrella Tracy since she graduated. She had stayed rather silent and online during her final year. Never speaking to him or in his class. He was in love. She seemed to not. He had led her on. She had thought it was a mentorship he had offered. She was wrong. Harold was in love. He had preferred the minor better than his own wife. The sex was good. That night was perfect, except for the barge in from her brother. After that, he didn’t see her again.
Then a younger woman, who looked identical and shared the same last name, walked into his classroom, and sat at the back. She was so alike to Estrella. He saw that pretty quickly.
“Lucy Tracy, could you see me after class.” She walked down the stairs, innocent.
“Your mother is Estrella Tracy, correct?” She nodded, her belongings in her arms. Professor Harold continued, “When were you born?”
“Why do you want to know?” She asked.
“Because you could be my daughter. Who’s your father?” He asked her.
She spoke, “I already know who my father is.”
“Sorry to bother you, Lucy. You may go.”
Lucy nodded, turning out and walking away. She called her mother. Estrella appeared on her daughter’s holopad, “Hey, how’s college?”
“Is Professor Harold my biological father? He asked me about you and dad and…”
Estrella sighed, “Lucy, honey, breathe. What did you say?”
“Is he that professor?” She asked her mother, sternly.
She nodded, “Yes.”
“Mum, what do I do?” She asked, walking toward her dorm room for some privacy. She sat down at her desk, adjusting herself in her seat.
“Listen to me, make yourself invisible. Merge into the crowd. It’s only for one unit. One class a week. For twenty weeks. You’ll be fine.” Estrella assured her daughter, breathing deeply herself. She smiled, “Let me know if you need anything. Okay?”
“Yes, Mum. I will.”
***
Harold had watched Lucy like a hawk, creeping her out. She had told her mother, who had flown to the university to confront her old professor about it. Conrad had joined her to make sure nothing horrible happened. For his wife and daughter’s safety. Lucy had stood at the back of the classroom, watching her parents.
Harold looked up at Estrella, as she walked down the stairs, “DR Estrella Tracy! It’s good to see you again.”
“Eyes off of my daughter.”
“I apologise my love. Is she my daughter?” He begged her for forgiveness, smiling.
She growled, “You don’t deserve a family.”
“But she is my biological daughter? Yes?” He asked her.
She sighed, looking back at her husband and then her daughter, “Technically, but you will never be a father.”
“I LOVED YOU! YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING, BABY!” He screamed at her. She stepped back as Conrad walked forward.
She sighed, again, “Professor, you need to back off my daughter. You are not her family.”
“Then she fails.” He walked closer to Estrella, ignoring the two behind her.
Conrad pulled his wife, before Harold could caress her cheek. They walked out in silence. Conrad wrapped his arms around Estrella and Lucy.
Estrella turned around, facing the Professor and still with Conrad’s arms around her, “If you come after my daughter the same way you came onto me, there will be consequences.”
The Professor sighed, frowning as he watched the trio depart from the room. He turned to a phone, muttering something into the old rotary dial phone sitting on his desk. He then felt a pain in his chest, sitting down on the chair and closing his eyes, his world faded to black.
***
There was a knock on her dorm room door. A man in a suit stood outside, “Miss Lucy Tracy, may I come in? I have some news for you.” She let him in, moving aside from the door. He stood in the middle of the dual beds, “Professor Harold Harold has left you all his assets in the midst of his sudden death.”
“What?” She was confused. She wasn’t aware he had died. He had been in his lecture hall a few hours ago.
“Harold died very shortly after transferring everything he has to you. His daughter.” He handed her a file of paperwork. She looked down in her arms, “I apologise, if this is too much. Please do go through everything here, it is all yours.” He left her alone.
She called her mother, “He’s dead and left everything to me.”
“What?” Estrella appeared as a hologram. She then continued, “Do you want us to come back? We can turn back around and be there in an hour.”
She shook her head, “No. Keep heading home Mum. I need to deal with this stuff alone.”
“Lucy, you shouldn’t be doing this alone. Are you okay?”
She nodded, “I’m fine. Just a little strange.”
Estrella gave her daughter a faint smile, “It’s okay to have feelings about this.”
“I know.” She closed the holopad and opened up the files. She was now the owner of an estate, multiple cars, and personal staff. She owned about 12 million in monetary assets. Her jaw dropped. She was rich.
Wally had found out shortly after and had annoyed his twin into telling him what their biological father was like when he was alive. Wally had never known that his sister had met their biological father. He was on the other side of the world with W.A.S.P. In his own head.
The next time she saw her mother, Estrella embraced her daughter tight, kissing her hair as she breathed a sigh of relief. Her baby was safe from him. Finally.
Chapter 4: Airport
Chapter Text
They only had one slight encounter with Professor Harold Harold. The twins were six, Alan was thirteen. They were at the airport. Estrella and Conrad were standing at the luggage area with the twins and Alan holding onto their hands. Estrella had been the one to notice her old professor and his wife walk through the airport to the same gate. She gripped onto Conrad’s hand as she watched their children. He looked at his wife. She whispered, “He’s here.” Conrad looked in the direction of her eyeline. He stood in a way that the Professor wouldn’t see her.
“We’ll only be here for a few more minutes. Watch the them.” Conrad kissed her head, before he walked toward the luggage carrier. He kept an eye on his family as he pulled the bags off of the carrier. He walked back and held his hand on his wife’s back. They walked off.
A woman approached them from behind, “Estrella.”
She turned around. The Professor’s wife was there. She smiled at her. Conrad stopped the twins in front of him. He held onto them.
She spoke softly, “It’s good to see you properly. How have you been?”
Estrella’s smile was faint, “I’m fine. What about you-?”
“He did it again. She wasn’t pregnant, but he’s been harassing a whole group of girls. I hate it. Are these?”
She nodded. Conrad turned to his wife, “We need to go.”
Estrella nodded, “It was nice seeing you again.” They left. That was the last time she saw her own children’s stepmother.
Conrad gripped her arm, pulling her closer as they left the airport. He whispered as the twins walked in front, suitcases rolling behind, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It was just a little scare.”
“Are you sure?” He kissed her hair as they stopped for a moment.
She nodded, still keeping an eye in front of her, “I’ll be fine.”
“Alan, Wally, Lucy. Wait up, okay?” She called out.
Alan turned to his niece and nephew, “Hold up!” He stopped, himself, waiting for his sister. He smiled at her. The twins stopped in their tracks, turning around and waiting for their parents. Estrella smiled.
Chapter 5: Wally and Conrad & Lucy and Conrad
Chapter Text
“How far do we have to walk? My feet are getting sore.” Wally complained as he carried a little picnic basket in the bush. He and Conrad were going for a mini camping trip on the island.
Conrad was carrying the tent, “Not far. Once we get there, we’ll sit before we set up.”
Wally nodded walking behind his father. After a few more steps, Conrad stopped, “Okay, we’re here.”
Wally whined, “I need to go to the toilet.”
Conrad smiled, “That bush behind there looks like it’ll work.”
Wally looked in his father’s direction, “A bush? I can’t pee in the bush!”
Conrad laughed, “Well, you’re not heading back to the house. I won’t look. I’ll be setting up the tent and dinner.”
“Fine.” He walked behind a tree.
Conrad laughed as he opened up the bag and pulled out a holopad, “Hey.” He smiled putting it on the ground.
Estrella smiled, appearing in holographic form, “Hey, you made it?”
Conrad nodded, “Wally’s peeing in a bush.”
She laughed, “You didn’t tell him about the long and short drops a few meters inland?”
He laughed quietly, “That’s a conversation for once he gets back. How’s Lucy and Emery?”
“Emery’s asleep and Lucy and I are about watch a few movies on the couch. I’m just getting all the snacks.”
“You got the baby monitor?” He asked her.
Estrella rolled her eyes, “I know how to take care of her. I’ve got it. Have fun with Wally, okay?”
“F A B. Love you.”
“Love you too.” Estrella disappeared from the holopad, and Conrad put it down into the bag. He opened a pocket and pulled out the tent, slowly setting it up a few meters away from the cliffside. He pulled the gear out of the bag as Wally walked back over, “Are we both sleeping in that?” Wally looked at the tent. He noticed the tent only really fit two people and a few bags.
Conrad nodded, looking at his son, “Yes. It’s not a big deal. Wally, it’s just one night.”
“Are you sure?”
Conrad nodded, smiling, “Yes, it’s just to sleep in. Now, come help me with the tables and chairs, and how about a few card games with snacks.
Wally grinned, “Sure.” He helped his father setting up a mini table and chairs where they could have some food and sit down. Wally sat down on his designated seat. He watched his father open a bag of chips and put it on the table. Wally dug right in.
Conrad smiled at his son, “You must be hungry.”
Wally nodded, “How long were we walking for?” He asked.
He looked at his watch, “About half an hour.”
“Why did you want to be our Dad?” He had stuffed chips in his mouth.
Conrad looked at his son. He then smiled, “Because you deserve a loving family. Harold…Harold wouldn’t ever make that easy. It might have been fine for you but your mother and sister… That’s another story.” His smiled faded as he spoke, “This family that we’ve got now is a loving family. I’ve rarely fought with your mother. She’s never had to feel the same way she did when…you were conceived, and Emery never has to know about it. The only reason you know is because, well you picked up on things that no one else. Not even most of your Uncles have picked up on.”
Wally smiled, “Really?”
Conrad nodded, “Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I realise how much you’ve probably noticed. You’re a good kid. Very smart. I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you for being there. Dad.”
Conrad smiled, “How about a game of cards and then I’ll make dinner.”
“F A B, Dad.”
***
“I’m glad you’re our Dad.”
Conrad looked at his oldest daughter, “What was that?”
“The Professor was really creepy when I met him. He gave me everything he owned the second before he died.” She relaxed at the table where her father was sitting, “He was old. Like really old.”
Conrad laughed, “I agree, he was pretty old, but what does that have to do with anything?”
Lucy justified, “When you and Mum came to confront him, he tried to make a move on her. He called her weird pet names that only you ever call her. Not that it’s creepy when you do it. It’s just creepy because he’s like half a century older than her. He's older than grandpa.”
Conrad smiled, “I know it’s creepy. I know he is creepy, but we can’t do anything about it. He’s gone now. Your mother can finally breath without worrying.”
“How much did she worry?”
“Everyday. More about you than your brother. You’re more likely to have become a victim. She didn’t want that. Neither of us did.” Conrad assured his daughter.
Lucy smiled, “There’s no need to. I’ve had a good life. There’s no need to worry.”
Conrad put his hand on his daughter’s shoulder, “I’ll always worry about you. That’s my job.”
Lucy sat down at the table, “Aww, thanks.”
Conrad got up and grabbed a coffee. He poured a glass of water for his daughter and handed it to her.