Grandma kissed his forehead, "this doesn't seem like a vacation Virgil, you're working?" She sighed.

"It's a vacation to me, grandma, I want to earn some money," Virgil laughed, "besides, piano bars are a great place to meet women usually."

Scott snorted, "with their boyfriends yes."

"You don't know that."

"I have a good guess."

Kayo elbowed him, "I think it's a sweet thing to do. Are you travelling or staying in one place?"

"Travelling, but the hotel wants me to play on one evening too," Virgil picked up his suit bag, "I'll do my best to hide Thunderbird 2, but she's no car. If I'm needed, call me."

Kayo hugged him, "have a nice break, and let us know how you're getting on."

"I will," Virgil kissed her forehead before Scott clapped him on the shoulder.

"Sorry the minis aren't here to see you off."

"You guys are plenty, and John will call me on the way out."

"Have fun son," Grandma smiled as Virgil sent his luggage down to Thunderbird 2 via the main conveyer belt.

"Thanks, see you in a month, or when we have missions," Virgil ran up to his chute and tilted back from the lounge, ok so he was working like Grandma said, but he would be himself and make friends as he played, people always came up to talk to the pianist in bars and he was more than ready to strike up a conversation.

Thunderbird 2 took off and Virgil plotted a course to Sydney deciding it was best to not stray too far away from home in case he was needed, he had more than enough fuel to top his bird up if she needed it and he could activate her camouflage, he was just hoping he wouldn't be called but he had his car parked in the module allowing travel options. Finding a space for Thunderbird 2 wasn't easy but he managed to find a spot at the airfield and got permission to land, once paperwork and checks were sorted he drove his car out of the airport and made for the centre of the city where he had a room booked in one of the hotels near the opera house. A red carpet led up the steps to the hotel and the door was opened for him, he walked through and took in the atmosphere, to his left was the hotel lounge and that's where he spotted the piano, it was a beautiful grand and someone was currently polishing the lid for presumably a performance or a similar job to his, he walked up to the main desk failing to see a young woman sitting at the bar looking at him.

"Good morning sir, how can I help?"

"I've got a room booked for a month, under the name Virgil Grissom."

The receptionist nodded, "let's check that," her eye shadow glittered in the lights and Virgil looked around noticing a lot of people were dressed in smart attire in comparison to his casual wear, "here you are, Mr Grissom, am I correct that you are playing the piano for us on a few occasions?"

"A few? I thought it was one?"

The receptionist chuckled gently, "you can play how many times you want, I just thought only once was a bit much considering you're here for a month."

Virgil shrugged, "I suppose so, what day am I down for at the moment?"

"We have you down for this coming Friday, would you like me to change that?"

Virgil shook his head, "no that's fine, but would you be able to add me for a couple of days on the following weeks?"

"Of course sir," she turned back to the screen and hummed before answering, "so we have you down this coming Friday 8th, following possibly the 14th, then the 20th and finally how is the 26th?"

"Those dates all sound great, thank you."

"I'll put those in for you, and you'll be paid $1000 each session."

Virgil signed his name remembering not to put Tracy, "sounds great."

"Have a lovely stay here, breakfast is between 6 and 11 and the bar opens from 12 and closes at midnight. If you need anything at all, room service is available 24/7," she handed the key to him, "rooms are cleaned every day, but if you don't want it to be, just hang the card you'll find on your bed outside on the door."

"Thank you," Virgil took his stuff over to the lift and the woman at the desk turned back to the computer, he still failed to see the young woman at the bar watching him, the lift took him up to the fifth floor and he found he had a room with no neighbours on either side much to his delight, he let himself in and gasped at the size of the room which had a balcony looking over the bay, he heard his phone buzz and got it out, "hey, Scott."

"You arrived safely then?"

Virgil put his phone down on the table leaving Scott's hologram to hover above it, "this is an amazing room."

"I bet you didn't bring a keyboard with you?

"I did actually, I have my holographic one."

Scott laughed, "when is your first outing?"

"Tomorrow I go to the bar and do a set, tonight I'm just going to get my bearings."

Scott rolled his eyes, "how many rescues have we been to that have been in Sydney? You know your way around easily."

"You're better at directions than I am."

"Will your car be ok?"

"It'll be fine."

"And Thunderbird 2?"

"She's at an airfield, locked and on defence protocol. No-one can get in."

"Has anyone recognised you?"

"Not yet, it's a big city Scott, now relax. I'm going out, but I need to smarten up a bit."

"Alright. Enjoy your first night and let us know if you score, I don't want to call about rescues and stuff if you have someone over."

"I'll block you."

"Fine, have fun," Scott smirked and hung up, Virgil soon replaced his brother's voice with music and went to have a shower, he knew he wasn't going to score that night but the month was young.

The next day, Virgil went exploring and found the first bar he had signed up to play at but little did he know the girl from the hotel was following him, he walked in and she took down the name of the bar before going off shopping.

"I recognise you, you're the one playing for us tonight right?"

"That's right ma'am, Virgil Grissom."

"Oh, you can call me Marlene. I'm the manager," she held her hand out and Virgil shook it.

"Is there anything specific you'd like me to play tonight?"

"We're a pretty laid back bar, a lot of our customers will arrive for happy hour and general chatter, if you can play lounge music that's fine."

Virgil smiled, "I can improvise along those lines."

"Great, we'll pay you by the hour."

"What rate is that roughly?"

Marlene looked down, "I'm afraid it's not as much as you're probably hoping for."

"Marlene, I'm not doing this for the money, I just want your customers to enjoy music."

"That's very sweet. We pay by the session, will $500 be ok?"

"That's absolutely fine. What time do you need me?"

"If you could aim to be here for 5 that would be perfect, we'll give you breaks and food is on us mate."

"You've got it, thank you so much. Whilst I'm here, do you mind if I just get a feel for the piano please?"

"Go ahead, I've got to start setting up for lunch anyway."

Virgil put his satchel down beside the piano stool and sat down before the instrument to play, it didn't have the same softness his piano had and the pedal was a little loud to his taste, but it was in tune and that's what mattered to him, Marlene watched him from behind the bar and people who were having coffee looked over smiling at him.

"You're going to bring in a big audience Virgil."

"And that's just a taster," Virgil stood up, "I'll come back at 5, thank you so much for this chance."

"My pleasure."

Virgil bought a coffee and walked down through town passing shops opening for the day and more bars, he marked off the piano bars he was performing in on his phone and decided to go looking for them, on the way he passed a music shop and spotted a girl playing a piano inside, his feet took over and he found himself through the door, she smiled at him as he passed the piano and a member of staff walked over to her.

"Interested miss? We can't just have people playing for the sake of it."

Virgil frowned, "why not? Isn't that what people come in for?"

"We want to sell, not entertain."

The girl stood up, "I'm sorry, I was only browsing."

"Well I'm interested in buying something so we'll call you if we need you? Thank you," Virgil said politely and the man walked away, "sorry."

The girl smiled, "thanks, I thought music shops were open too."

"What were you playing?"

"Debussy's Arabesque. Do you know it?"

"I can play it, I'm a semi-professional pianist," he took her spot on the piano stool and began to play it as she went over to a different piano to join in, he looked over his shoulder at her and grinned as she winked, "are you a local?"

"I study here, what about you?"

Virgil stood up, "let's walk around before we get interrogated again first," he smiled as they leisurely wandered past various upright and grand pianos trying them as they went, "I'm here on a short break from work."

"Where are you staying?"

"The Alba."

The girl smiled, she knew she would run into this man, "fancy that? That's around the corner from my student accommodation."

"Virgil Grissom," he held out his hand.

"Alexis, but call me Lexi."

Virgil smiled, "pleased to meet you."

"I think I saw you enter the hotel yesterday, are you playing the piano there?"

"Yep, that's why I'm in Sydney, holiday and playing in bars for some money."

"Money?"

"Doing something I love, it's worth it," he picked up a guitar from the stands and tried it out.

"What else do you play then?"

"A lot of instruments in this shop," Virgil looked up at her from the strings smiling warmly, "sorry to boast."

"I think that's pretty impressive. Where are you playing first?"

"Tonight at La Nocturne."

"I passed there on the way here, I've heard it's nice."

"Want to come along?"

"I think I'll need to book."

"You can come in with me, you're not here with anyone, are you? I mean I don't want to take you away from someone."

"No, I'm here on my own. As I said, I'm a student so either I'm with friends usually or just hanging out usually."

"Is that a yes?"

"I'd love to come along with you."

"Great. Want to wander?"

Alexis smiled, "I don't want to be chucked out of this shop that's for sure."

Virgil went back to the hotel as Alexis went to her student flat, and he smiled as he closed his door behind him, could there be such thing as love at first sight? Maybe, but he wouldn't push anything with her until he knew that she might feel the same, she was going to the bar with him and that was a promising sign. An hour later and he had everything he needed, he stood in front of the mirror and smoothed the suit down over his chest before tightening his bow tie, he looked down to see his reflection in his shoes and quickly ran a hand up through his hair to spike it higher before grabbing his bag full of sheet music, a text alerted him to turn and he smiled at the message.

"I'll meet you in the lobby."

Virgil dabbed some cologne onto his neck and sighed, "showtime," he slotted his keycard into his pocket and shut the door behind him as he made for the lifts, the piano wasn't even on his mind right now, it was Alexis. They met up and he smiled at her now dressed in a simple summer frock as opposed to her jeans in the morning, she grinned at his attire and they left together.

"You smarten up nicely."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or patronising," Virgil smirked.

"Take it the way you want. What are you playing tonight?"

"You'll know a couple of pieces but a lot of the time I'll be composing, I've asked if you can have a table near the piano so I can talk to you or at least you don't feel isolated."

"Aw thank you, that's so considerate."

"When do you have classes?" Virgil asked as they crossed the street.

"This week, unfortunately, if I knew a handsome man was coming to my neck of the woods I might've cancelled."

"A whole month?"

Lexi shrugged, "I've got days off here and there, plus weekends," they approached the bar, "you first performer."

Virgil sighed now feeling a little nervous, "I'll see you at the piano, and let me know when you're hungry."

"Will do."

Marlene grinned as Virgil walked up to the bar, "excellent timing, you can start whenever you like, we've set up a microphone if you want to introduce any of your pieces?"

Virgil chuckled, "a lot of them don't have names."

Marlene raised her hands, "then don't worry about that. Thank you so much for doing this, the customers will love it."

"My pleasure, oh, regarding food how do..."

"Just stop playing whenever you feel like it and come and find a table."

"I already have, I met someone and she'll be dining with me."

"Great, I can see her, that's table 2."

Virgil inwardly smiled, that was his favourite number, "thank you, I'll start playing," he walked over to the shiny grand and prepped some music on the stand as Alexis watched him, he didn't realise how close the table was until he felt her hand on his back.

"Good luck."

Virgil handed her his phone, "could you look after this just while I'm playing?"

"Of course," she smiled and took the very expensive looking smartphone off him.

"Thanks," he began to play and Alexis watched him hypnotically, where did this man work to be able to get so good at the piano? Marlene came over to put a glass of water down on the stand of the piano above Virgil's hand and asked Alexis if she wanted a drink, as she walked away the phone buzzed on the table and Alexis' eyes widened at Virgil's lock screen photo of him standing beside Thunderbird 2 in uniform, she looked at the same man playing then back to the phone, gulping to herself suddenly feeling rather overwhelmed. Virgil continued to play not noticing Alexis' silence behind him and she continued to stare at the photo, no there was no way this was the same guy, what was he doing in a piano bar? The boys from International Rescue had no time for hobbies and breaks like this. No, this guy playing had to be a doppelgänger or lookalike. Alexis didn't even notice when Virgil stood up to bow and went over to the bar to get a drink until she noticed the empty piano stool, she hastily put the phone back onto the table and smiled when he sat down with a glass of wine.

"What do you feel like eating?"

Alexis blushed, this was definitely the same guy, "I'm not sure. Virgil, your phone buzzed."