Poor Gordon... I can't give him a break... unless it's to his leg or something :3

If you haven't read any of my Enemy Mine series, Life's a Game…, and Rescue Me, you might want to check them out! It's a whole series of trauma!
Hope yall enjoy!

OooooOOOOooooO

Vacations were few and far between for International Rescue, but when they happened it wasn't unusual for the family to head in different directions. Gordon loved his brothers, but after spending months on end with them, either around the island or on rescues, he needed some time away.

California wasn't his first choice, but the timing had been perfect. Not only were the waves at their best, it was easy to find groups of beach goers to mingle with. The urge to just have friendly conversations with people was overwhelming. The island offered little of that and rescues were too high stress on the survivors. Virgil would joke that Gordon would talk to anything whether it listened or not. It didn't help that he was caught on multiple occasions having conversations with the fish in one of the many coves around their home. So, when given his choices, California won out and it had been an enjoyable experience so far.

Gordon couldn't quite remember where the others had gone, exactly, but he remembered Virgil mentioning something about an art gallery. Probably in France if he had to guess. Scott was predictable. He'd decided to visit the same mountain ridge he climbed whenever he got the chance. It had something to do with a group that worked up there. A tradition of sorts, for the pilot to climb up and spend a few days. Alan would find a race track to play on with the fastest car he could get his hands on. Ever since the kid had learned to drive, he couldn't get enough of it. John… John hadn't told him where he was going. He'd probably told Scott and Dad simply to ensure someone knew where he was. Their father, who was almost rid of the cane he'd been stuck with for a little over a year, had decided to take Grandma on a cruise around Europe. Not the kind filled with tourists who tended to get a bit too drunk or noisy. This was a small yacht owned by one of Jeff's many friends. They'd been more than happy to lend him the boat and crew, ecstatic to have the ex-astronaut back in the land of the living.

So, everyone was off, doing their own thing, in places of which Gordon hadn't paid enough attention to the whereabouts. Unfortunately, he could have used that information.

The first sign of trouble came when the centerpieces on the tables of the restaurant he had picked that day began to fall, clattering to the tiled floor. Then, people began to scream. An earthquake hit with enough ferocity to send anyone standing to the ground. Gordon let his training kick in, only hampered by his lack of uniform. The nearest person in danger was a woman, sprawled out and screaming as a light fixture swayed and bounced above her.

The aquanaut was used to aftershocks, but rarely did he get to experience the full effect of an earthquake. So when he found purchase on the cracking floor, his first step sent him slamming into the side of the bar and tumbling over a stool. He was back up a second later, grabbing the woman and pulling her towards one of the archways that lined the room just as the fixture fell, sending glass and sparks flying across the room.

"Keep your head down!" Gordon instructed the small group around him. Amber eyes scanned the rest of the room for anyone else in need of help, but was pleased to see the others had taken shelter under their tables. Good. As long as they could hold out until the shaking stopped and no one panicked, this would all just be an exciting story for them to tell their friends and family later. And then, the lights went out and a deep cracking sounded with the screams as the ceiling collapsed.

When everything finally stopped moving and the cries for help took over, Gordon shook the dust from his head, aware of an ache by his ear from where a piece of wood hit. His phone was out as he sat, letting the woman he'd pulled aside sit up. The light filled their small corner, illuminating the shocked, dirty faces.

"You guys okay?" He asked with a wince. They nodded and Gordon could see they were simply dealing with the trauma of being in this type of situation. "Alright, we need to get out. I'm going to see if the others are hurt. Does anyone else have a light to help you get out?"

A woman held her cellphone up before switching on the flashlight. Another did the same as the group stood. Gordon took a moment to survey the damage, allowing the group to move out, along with a few others who were closer to the front entrance.

The aquanaut went to work, peering under the first chunk of ceiling that lay atop a table. He found a family of four clinging to each other, looking frightened.

"Anyone hurt?" Gordon asked as he tested a few pieces of debris blocking them in. The husband shook his head, keeping his arms wrapped around one of the crying teenagers. "Alright, I'm going to move this piece out of the way and you guys crawl out. Get outside. Help should be on the way." He hoped his brothers were on the way. EOS would have picked up the emergency and contacted John immediately. The next challenge would be waiting for them to all make it home to get to their Thunderbirds. So much for their vacations.

The family moved out with little trouble, people already standing at the entrance to guide them out. Gordon moved to the next area, pulling debris from an older man whose table had shifted when the ceiling hit. He groaned once the blonde had him free, complaining of a headache and pain in his leg. Any other rescue, he would've had equipment to stabilize the appendage. At the moment, he would have to carefully remove the man before any aftershocks started.

"Need a hand?" The voice sounded beside him, shaky, but clear enough to let Gordon know he could be an asset.

"Yes, thanks." He shifted so the newcomer could get a good hand on the older man's arm. "Sounds like a head injury and broken leg, so move slow, okay?"

"Got it." Together, they pulled the injured man up and carried him outside. At this point, Gordon could see droves of people trying to keep each other calm. It was a relief in comparison to the panicked frenzy he'd witness in other rescues.

Once the man was made as comfortable as possible, Gordon turned back to the building. He knew there had to be more survivors and even with other buildings near by experiencing some level of damage, the restaurant was familiar. He could remember the layout and how much he would need to search. It would be a quick rescue that would allow other rescue teams to focus elsewhere.

His phone rang as he stepped back inside.

"Funny, I was just thinking about you." Gordon grinned, carefully stepping over a piece of ceiling.

"Everything alright? EOS registered an 8.2 earthquake in your area." John new better that to banter with his little brother, getting to the heart of the matter immediately.

"That big, huh?" He grunted as he lifted a chunk of wood to help a trapped woman and man get up and move past for the exit and help. "Yep, it hit here. I'm getting people out before the aftershocks start. Any ETA on those?"

"EOS is monitoring. I'll have her contact you immediately before they hit." The elder answered with his usual calm.

The blonde hissed as he shifted another wooden beam, eliciting a hum of concern from John. "Got a splinter. Wish I had my suit." Gordon grinned, picturing the eye roll before he continued. "FAB, Johnny. I'll be listening."

"I'll inform the others." They wouldn't be happy, but mother nature seemed to think vacations were unnecessary for the rescue team. "Just make sure you're out before the aftershocks hit."

The call ended and Gordon went back to focusing on the tables in the center of the room. It looked like everyone who'd been using them for cover had made it out. That only left the side room on the left and he could move on to helping the people outside prepare for the next wave. The thought of a tidal wave sent his nerves on end. This close to the shore would mean excessive loss of life if they didn't evacuate in time.

A groan sounded from a booth in the rear corner of the side room. A large chunk of wall had caved in, pinning a large man to the cushioned seat by his leg. Gordon figured he'd been attempting to get under the table and been struck, his head obviously having hit the floor by the way blood had pooled around it. The trained rescuer was well aware of how bad head wounds could look and he hoped he could get the man awake before trying to remove the debris. There was no way he could move both on his own.

"Sir? You with me?" Gordon asked as he knelt beside him. Another grunt of pain sounded from the form, but it seemed to draw the man's attention, an arm moving forward to help push him up from the puddle of red. Slowly, he turned to face the aquanaut, blinking against the liquid dripping over his eye.

And Gordon almost growled, spitting out the first thing that came to his shocked mind. "Damnit, Fuse! What the hell are you doing here?!"

A pained grin spread over the villain's face as he finally looked at his rescuer. "…'ey, Squid..."

Gordon found himself unable to move for a moment, still shocked by the discovery, but the severity of the situation brought him back. It didn't matter who he was saving, they just needed to get out. It didn't help that his mind was screaming 'trap' at elevated decibels.

"Just- I'm getting this debris off of you. Can you get yourself out?" He asked, standing to get a better look at the piece of wall. Fuse gave him a thumbs up before placing his palms on the floor. Gordon braced himself under the largest piece that pinned the villain, mentally preparing himself if this didn't work. Or if it did. What next? Once Fuse was out, what was the plan? Just let him go? He didn't have the luxury to figure that out, however, the countdown ticking in his head until the next tremor. "Alright, on three. One. Two-"

"Gordon." EOS' voice cut him off. "You have thirty seconds until the aftershock hits. I suggest you evacuate your current location."

The aquanaut cursed before letting out a sharp, "three!" Both men let out grunts of effort as the physical stress mixed with the limited time frame. Gordon sucked in a steadying breath as the debris protested against his shoulder. He was rewarded with the sight of the larger man finally wriggling free to lay on the open ground. The wall fell back into place a second later, the blonde back by Fuse's side. "Can you walk?"

"Leg's busted." He ground out between clenched teeth. "Would be the same one." A pained laugh accompanied the observation. It was the same leg he'd broken during their first meeting. Nevertheless, Fuse wasn't getting out of here on his own.

"Come on." Gordon pulled the arm closest to him up and over his shoulder. "EOS? How much time?"

"Fifteen seconds." Her voice answered coolly.

Fuse was up, hobbling next to him as they made their way towards the exit. They could already feel the smaller rumbles, making each step more difficult. Debris from the first earthquake caught Fuse's leg, sending them both crashing to the floor.

"Comeon! Up, up!" The aquanaut was almost dragging them towards the light that spilled in from the open doorway.

And then it hit.

The ground shook violently and Gordon was forced to push Fuse under one of the tables that still stood. A moment later, something solid and heavy hit him, bringing with it a numbing blackness.

OoOoOoO

His head pounded with his racing heart, listening to the tick of rubble as the Earth finished its rumbling. Fuse shifted experimentally under the confines of the table and noticed that the glow from the doorway was gone, replaced by a dark void. It gave him pause to wonder just what had happened, pushing that question aside to reassess his injuries. The leg still ached mercilessly, but was thankfully not stuck under anything. The head injury was still making his stomach twist, an expected side effect he could get over. What he couldn't deal with was being trapped under this table a moment longer.

"Hey? Squid?" He coughed against the particles of dust hanging in the air. "You with me?"

The blonde, who'd unintentionally saved his life, was silent. Leave it to Gordon to almost get out of trouble, only to be trapped and unconscious under more innards of the building.

Fuse dug into the pocket of his pants, fumbling with his phone. The moment the hologram illuminated the small space under the table, he could see the multiple messages Havoc had sent. He didn't hesitate to send a request for assistance and his location. Hopefully, she'd make it in time to drag him away from the aquanaut's overprotective brothers.

Content that help was on the way, Fuse turned to see what had happened to his unfortunate companion.

"Oh…" Whatever he might have said to annoy the blonde was smothered by the sudden realization that Gordon was probably dead. All Fuse could see was an arm, motionless against the floor. Piles of ceiling and debris covered the rest of him, the largest chunk obscuring his lower half.

A breath caught in his throat and he found himself crawling the few inches to reach Gordon, already working to remove what he could from around the blonde's head. Fuse would never admit out loud that he actually cared about the aquanaut, but there was a part of him that considered what life would be like if he'd met Gordon before the Hood. Things probably wouldn't be much different, but at least they might've had a chance to be friends before the floor fell out from under them.

With Gordon's head finally visible, Fuse's concerns were still present until his fingers found the steady beat in his neck. "Alright, Squid. That's enough worryin' me for one day." He gave Gordon's cheek a few pats, earning a pained groan from the still figure. Another slight jostling and the aquanaut's eyes fluttered, his lids gradually peeling open.

Fuse set his phone down, letting the glow illuminate the rest of the small area. It was enough to pull Gordon's attention to him, the amber eyes focusing on his face. The demolitions expert wasn't sure what to expect, but he guessed shock and fear were always on the list. The blonde's eyes widened, his free arm scrambling over the tiled floor in an attempt to get away from the Hood's agent.

"Calm down, Squid." Fuse started, hands up in surrender, hoping to get the smaller man to lay still. When some of the debris covering the aquanaut began to shift, he felt a sudden panic take hold. "Gordon, stop! You'll bring the rest of the buildin' down on ya!"

It could have been the warning or a result of hidden injuries, but Gordon seemed to deflate, his hand trembling. Fuse knew the signs of shock, but there was little he could do, trapped under the table. He found himself hoping the blonde's brothers would be here soon.

"Alright, Squid." He kept his voice as calm as possible, trying to channel what he assumed the iR team did on their rescues. "There's been an earthquake, remember? Looks like the buildin' couldn't handle the aftershock." Gordon remained quiet, his only sounds coming from his wheezing gasps. "Can't see you properly. Obviously your injured." He left the statement open, hoping the blonde would get the hint and start talking.

In response, Gordon closed his eyes, wincing as he shifted under the rubble. When his eyes opened again, his voice was a harsh whisper. "Something… in my- uhm… my back."

"I think you mean on-" Fuse grinned, using the phone light the get a better look. His smile fell as his eyes landed on the slowly spreading crimson over the yellow and orange shirt. "Well, crud. Looks like you're right."

"How long?" The question was strained against the obvious damage.

"Be a bit more specific there, Pincushion." Fuse settled back to watch the lines of pain pull at Gordon's face.

A grunt of annoyance preceded the response. "How long has it… been."

"Since the building fell? Maybe five minutes. Till help arrives? You're guess is as good as mine." The time stamp on his message to his sister was the only way to tell. Gordon was silent again, but upon inspection, his face had slackened, eyes closed. Fuse's hand gave the dust-covered arm a small shake, watching it fall back to the tile. "Squid, it's not nap time." The word 'concussion' was blaring in his head. "Wake up, ya idiot."

"…not 'n id'ot…" Gordon grumbled, slowly lifting his eye lids. Fuse disregarded the beads of moisture that fell down the bridge of his nose.

"I beg to differ." He hesitated a moment before continuing. "You coulda left me and saved yourself. Idiot."

"It's my job." Gordon's sniffle turned into a sharp cry of pain as something shifted above them. "Ah! Fuse!"

Maybe it was instinct or the memory of an old friend about to breathe his last, but Fuse found himself reaching forward to grasp the aquanaut's hand, allowing the fingers to squeeze his against the assault. It didn't last long. Whatever had moved wasn't moving any more, allowing the blonde to relax his hold, shuddering breaths mixing with the tears that continued to fall.

"You're in for a good time when the cavalry arrives." Fuse half-joked, withdrawing his hand and realizing just how bad it was going to be to sit through the extraction. "Maybe passing out's a good idea."

Too focused on regulating his breathing, Gordon sent a weak glare in his direction before trying to relax into the hard floor. They lay in silence for a while, Fuse listening for any signs that help had arrived. For a moment, he thought the blonde had passed out again, the intake and output of air gradually evening out.

But, then, "Thanks."

It was small and quiet, nearly lost to the distant sounds of sirens. Amber eyes were regarding him with lids that didn't want to open all the way.

"Don't mention it." He grimaced, shifting his own injury in the cramped space. "Ya know, ever."

"Who… would believe me." There was a hint of amusement in the tired voice.

"True." The chuckle could be blamed on the head injury if he was ever questioned. He couldn't explain why he'd grown some odd attachment to the blonde, other than the few qualities they seemed to share. It was an almost welcome change to the gloom at the hideout. Ever since Jeff Tracy had been rescued and the boss's plans ruined, he'd been near impossible to be around. It's why Fuse had gone on vacation. He needed a break. Too bad it involved one to his leg.

"You didn't... cause the quake... did you?" The question had him raising a brow at Gordon, unsure if he was joking.

It was too difficult to tell. "You're kidding, right?"

"Hood's done it… before." Gordon's breathing hitched and Fuse wondered how much longer he would last.

"Seriously?" It was news to him, but after being a part of the villain's plans, he didn't doubt it. "That must've been excitin' for ya."

"Mmm… not the word I'd use." They fell into another stretch of silence before a slight tremble began to send bits of drywall across the floor.

"Another aftershock?" Fuse asked, not liking the idea of more building pieces being dropped on them. When he glanced to Gordon, who had yet to respond, there were lines of pain and concentration crossing his face. Gradually, however, the slight shaking had stopped and the blonde's lungs started working again to pull in shuddering breaths.

Something moved. Fuse could hear bits of debris being shifted just outside the building, a sliver of daylight peeking through the darkness. It looked like help had finally arrived. He was back to wondering how he could get away unseen or possibly picked up by Havoc. It was never too difficult for her to get him out of tight spots that involved the authorities. Even without all the tech they had, she could slip into just about any jail, get the supplies she needed to break him out and they'd be enjoying a quick run through their favorite fast food joint. They were some of his fondest memories and he found himself hoping they'd get a chance to relive them.

Another chunk of wall or ceiling was removed, light flooding in from the damaged entryway. "Looks like the cavalry's arrived." Fuse threw a reassuring grin at the aquanaut, watching him relax with the relief. "Ya think your brothers'll just let me be on my way? After some patchin' up, of course."

Gordon grinned at that. "And not give you the s-satisfaction of a… grand escape?"

"Ha! Ya know me too well, Squid." Fuse gently prodded the blonde's shoulder.

The sound of a group entering the building was followed by the removal of a large chunk of ceiling that leaned against the table, orange pants coming into view as whoever was rescuing them - obviously not International rescue - crouched to get a better look at their situation.

And Fuse felt his heart soar and crash all in one blow.

"Fuse, what am I goin' t-" Havoc, disguised in the search and rescue garb, went from grinning playfully to amazed shock at seeing Gordon. "Oh, isn't this interesting."

His throat felt suddenly dry, eyes finding the terrified face of the blonde who couldn't escape what was going to happen. There was nothing Fuse could do. Maybe he could convince his sister, alone, to leave the aquanaut, but as a second figure came to join them, he knew there would be no hope of that.

"Gordon Tracy." The Hood grinned, viciously. "We're here to rescue you."

OooooOOOOooooO

Ok ok ok... this was supposed to he a one shot... all whump and fluff as Fuse and Gordon bond a little bit before his brothers come to save them...

Funny what happens when I get a suggestion to replace Virgil with the Hood! Thanks goes to Glacier Blue on for that wonderful idea XD

Also thanks goes go Glacier Blue and Madamewinter for proofing this and keeping me going with this!