Stars and Stories: Chapter One

A single beam of moonlight illuminated Scott's room. The tropical breeze felt cool against his still damp hair, as he sighed deeply. A familiar ache settled in his chest as he allowed his consciousness to wander. A laugh. A smile. A far away voice. Mom. Scott sighed again and turned over in attempt to get comfortable. Their rescue from earlier that day had caused a lot of old feelings to rise to the surface. Feelings Scott was careful to keep under a tight lid when he and his brothers were out. Four days until the anniversary of the avalanche, that one fateful trip that had cost Mom her life in exchange for Alan's. Still unable to find a more restful position, Scott settled for laying on his back again and staring blankly up at the ceiling. He could still remember her, the way she brought a sense of, for lack of a better word, life, into any situation. Like that one time John had fallen off his bike when he was nine and had scraped up both knees pretty badly, or the time when Gordon was, hmm, about six and had come down with meningitis and had been rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. Mom's presence had been the rock that had carried them through that ordeal, even when they thought they had lost Gordon.

Scott continued reminiscing until something pricked at his subconscious. Turning slightly he found himself looking up into the sky blue eyes of his immediate younger brother, John. Scott frowned slightly, the normally bright eyes were slightly duller and he could see where tears had trailed their way down his brother's cheeks.

"Hey John." Scott said softly.

John had obviously not noticed that Scott had detected his presence and jumped.

"Hey Scooter."

The use of his childhood nickname flipped the switch on Scott's "big brother senses" and he scooted over to make room for the younger sibling. John timidly settled in beside his big brother and they sat in silence for a few moments before John dredged up enough courage to speak.

"I miss her."

Scott glanced over at his brother before allowing his eyes to trail around the room. "I miss her too."

They fell silent again, unsure of how to continue the conversation.

"Hey Scott?"

"Yeah Johnny?"

"Will you tell me a story? About Mom, I mean."

The whispered request made Scott see his little brother not as the communicator and dispatch of his team, but as his little brother again. It occurred to Scott just how often he'd forget that while he and his brothers were operatives of International Rescue, they were still a family, and sometimes, they needed to be just that. Scott was silent for a moment as he thought of what story to tell his brother.

"I remember back when you were about, five or six. Mom had just gotten the call from the hospital that you had been admitted with a broken arm and concussion. Virge Looked ready to explode right then and there." Scott chuckled. "Anyway..."

Their mother ended the call and put her phone in her pocket. Glancing down at her two sons, gazing up at her expectantly.

"Scotty, I need you to stay here with Virgil until your father comes home." she said grabbing her keys and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" the question had come from her second youngest but she could see it reflected in the face of her first born as well.

"John had an accident and can't get home." She said pulling on her coat.

"Is he hurt?" asked Virgil.

"Yes, I'm going to pick him up. You boys be good." Lucy called as she walked out the door.

Scott and Virgil shared a look then slunk into the living room to resume the movie they had been watching.

Ten minutes later, the two heard the front door open and they abandoned their activity instantly.

"Johnny!"

"Hey guys," he replied in a small voice. Virgil and Scott gave their brother a once over and Lucy shooed them off as she took John to the bathroom.

Virgil and Scott tagged along and were anxiously peering around the door as Lucy fussed over their brother. The knees in his pants were shredded, and once they were off, were discarded immediately. John hissed as the fabric rubbed against the scrapes on his knees, and looked like he was going to cry again.

"It's okay Johnny," assured Lucy giving her second oldest a hug. "That must have been quite a tumble."

John nodded and Virgil, who had moved closer to watch their mother, gave his big brother an encouraging smile.

"How did you crash?" Scott asked as Lucy spritzed John's knees with an antiseptic spray.

John winced, as Lucy put two large band-aids over his knees. "I wasn't watching where I was going and fell into the ditch."

"Well," said Lucy, alleviating the tension in the room, "Why don't you boys wash up and I'll make some sandwiches for lunch?"

Her suggestion was enthusiastically received and she watched with a smile as her three boys dashed off down the hall.

John laughed, "I remember that. Man, but that spray did sting though."

Scott smiled. "I wonder if that's what started Virge on his path to becoming the Tracy medical overlord."

"Possibly." John yawned.

"Tired?"

"Mhm."

Scott ran a hand through his brothers copper hair. "Go to sleep."

John heaved himself up and looked back at his brother.

"Thanks Scooter."

"Anytime, space face."

"Hey!"

"Shush, you'll wake the others."

"Not Virge, he'll sleep through the apocalypse."

"Fair enough, now go to bed."

"Yes, mum."

"Good night."

"Night."