In The Bin

Author's notes: Scenelet from Cry Wolf. Scott, prompt #5, the garbage can. Inspired by the livejournal community, fic simplicity's prompt #5, garbage. Published on September 22, 2006.

Scott pulled the banana peel from his head, and wiped the coffee grounds from over his ear. He shook his head sharply; something slimy oozed down his neck.

"I'm so sorry!" Williams hurried from the house, a towel over his shoulder. He offered a hand to extricate Scott from the garbage can. Tony and Bob came running up, trying to stifle their boyish giggles.

"I should've known something would go wrong with that 'emergency exit'," Williams lamented. "But," he turned his attention to his sons, "you wouldn't have ended up in the bin had two little boys dumped the rubbish!"

Illusions

Author's notes: Virgil, prompt #3, Thunderbird 2.

Virgil woke suddenly, with an anguished cry, heart pounding. Shrugging into his robe, he flew, barefoot, to the monorail, tapping his hands impatiently on the controls. The car had barely stopped before he was out, descending into the gloom, his feet pounding down the metal stairs, echoing in the hangar.

"Lights!" he screamed. Bank after bank lit up; he slowed as he saw the truth.

She was there: whole, shining, balanced on spindly-looking supports. He heaved a relieved sigh, and went to her, rubbing her cold metal leg, reassuring himself of her well-being.

"That was one helluva nightmare."

Celestial Majesty

Author's notes: John, prompt #6, being on Earth.

I am so damned glad we live where we do. Anywhere else and it'd take a massive power outage to see the night sky as it should be, filled with innumerable stars. Here I can go to the beach, or just lie on the roof and be greeted by my oldest, my best friends - besides my brothers.

As awesome as it is to fly among the stars, there's nothing so soul-stirring as watching them from home. Here, their mystery remains, and I can ignore what they are individually and delight in the cumulative majesty that's spread out above me.

The Velvet Box

Author's notes: Alan, prompt #6, Tin-Tin. Inspired by the livejournal community, fic simplicity's prompt #17, boxes. Published on January 6, 2007.

Within his pocket, Alan's fingers smoothed over the box's velvet surface, tracing the lid's curve, feeling the near-hidden hinge. Amazing, he thought, that something so small can carry so much promise.

He clutched it within his fist, his sweaty palm threatening to crush the velvet's pile. The irony of the box became clear. Like her, the delicate outside was but a thin veneer covering a steel-hard shell and protecting the valuable – his love, which was hers forever.

Cautiously, with hope, he opened his heart as he opened the box, asking his question. "Please, will you marry me, Tin-Tin?"

Power Outage

Author's notes: Jeff, prompt #1, Lucille. Inspired by the livejournal community, fic simplicity's prompt #15, power outage. Published on December 8, 2006.

Those days were so dark. It was like all the lights went out, like a massive power outage in my heart. I was swallowed up in darkness; couldn't see where to turn, which way to go. Lucille, my radiant soulmate, the one who energized me, was gone. I missed the way she brightened every corner of my day, galvanized me to keep going when life flickered around us. Without her, everything was plunged into a seemingly endless gloom. There was nothing to reenergize me... nothing but five little live wires who slowly restored the power and got me going again.