Timeline: Sometime after Gentle Rain, but not specific yet.
Author's Notes: Written in response to a random idea thrown out in a discussion about why I ship Virgil and Kayo. The idea was that anyone could do anything they wanted with the characters and interpret them at will…heh, even have them hanging from a ceiling fan dressed in leather. Well, I'm sorry, I couldn't resist my own throw away line. This fic may be continued at some point. I hope you enjoy it – it was written for fun :D
-o-o-o-
"I should have listened to you."
The words quiet and he could barely hear her above the running water. "Kay?"
"I should have listened to you."
He shrugged, a somewhat awkward movement upside down. "Your plan worked. We got the kids out."
"It would be nice if we could join them."
"Give me a few minutes." He did his best to sound positive. Kay was not looking good with a long gash above her left eye. She seemed coherent, but he was still concerned she might have a concussion. Her demeanour was uncharacteristic and largely negative.
But then, he wouldn't be happy until they were out of here either.
Struggling yet again with the chest high leather waders, he dearly wished he had his uniform on.
What were the chances of their vacation in a dry-as-a-bone country town in eastern Australia would coincide with one of those rare La Nina events that saw half the evaporated Pacific dumped on the landmass. The water running off the Great Dividing Range hit them during the night and by morning the whole place was underwater.
Dangerously underwater.
Of course, they both volunteered to help. Virgil in his red flannel had borrowed a pair of fisherman's waders from the owner of the pub. Kayo hadn't had that luck and had to make do with her leather bike pants and boots.
His bike. Shit, his bike.
Damn.
He'd just have to find her after this mess.
They were currently stuck in the main bedroom of a house only a few hundred metres from the pub. They had heard yelling and had gone to investigate, continuing attempts to evacuate the town. They had found two children and had been able to handball them to fellow rescuers just before part of the roof caved in on top of them.
To be fair, it wasn't quite on top of them, but it was enough to trap them in the room with no exit and fast rising floodwaters for company.
"Do you think it is going to hold?"
"It has held so far. I'm keeping positive."
They were hanging from a ceiling fan. It was ancient, as was the house itself. It was the strongest damn ceiling fan he had ever seen. The fact it was currently supporting both of them was a frickin' miracle.
But, god, he wished he had his uniform, his tools and a damned grapple pack.
A Thunderbird wouldn't hurt either.
As it was, all he had was a busted lamp stand and a screwdriver, both of which he was using to try and bash a hole in the ceiling so they could escape the water that was climbing the walls and threatening to swallow them in a very short period of time.
"Hey, John, any word on Scott?"
"Sorry, Virgil, he is still caught up in Venezuela."
"Uh, time is becoming a serious concern. Any word from Thunderbird Two?"
As if answering his question, the whole building was suddenly enveloped in a roar. The walls vibrated with the sound.
Virgil let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god."
"You could thank me, you know." And Virgil was so happy to hear his little brother's voice, he didn't bother to tell Gordon to shut up.
"What am I? Chopped liver?"
Virgil snorted at his littlest brother. "No, but could you please save our bacon?" He lowered his voice. "Seriously, guys, I'm worried about Kay. She took a blow to the head when the roof caved. Can you get us out of here?"
"One double serve of freedom coming right up."
There was a clunk and the ceiling shuddered.
And started moving.
Up.
What the hell?
The sound of tearing plasterboard and daylight suddenly landed on wet clothing. The early morning sun reaching through the widening crack and gold-plating them.
"Gordon, what the hell are you doing?"
"Please, have some patience, surgeon at work."
Virgil clung to the fan, his legs wrapped around it. He was as upside down as Kay, his whole body protesting at the length of time he had been in that position. He reached out and grabbed Kay's arm, holding her secure, just in case.
The whole section of roof lifted off the building and he could hear the VTOL straining. Once they were clear, their direction changed as Gordon flew them over the floodwaters to dry land.
Collapsing on wet grass had never been such a pleasurable option.
As soon as they were clear, Thunderbird Two whisked the chunk of roof away and with a 'Tally-ho' from her current pilot, returned to the danger zone, no doubt to rescue others.
Virgil lay curled up on the grass for just a moment, letting his tortured muscles rest, before dragging himself into a crawl over to Kay.
She lay on the muddy ground shivering. Blood still oozed from the cut on her forehead.
"Kay?"
Olive green eyes turned to him and fastened on his face. "Thank god, that's over."
"How are you feeling?"
"In need of another holiday."
He touched her cheek. "Any dizziness, blurred vision?"
She caught his hand and held it. "I'm fine, love, I promise."
It didn't stop him worrying. "Okay, let's get you inside and warm."
"There are still people who need saving."
He stared at her a moment, struck by the determination in her eyes. A nudge of his comms. "Gordon, pick us up at your earliest convenience."
"Be there shortly."
Kay was smiling at him.
"What?"
"You know I've daydreamed about you, leather and a ceiling fan."
He stared at her. "What?"
A slow smile crept over her face as she reached up to touch his cheek. "Though I will admit that there was a lot less flood water, a whole lot more skin and much more bodily contact involved."
He felt blood migrate to various embarrassing parts of his anatomy. "Kay, are you sure you're okay?"
The smile became a grin. "Oh, I'm Aii-Ohh-Kay." A laugh.
But she frowned suddenly, all humour gone. "Vir-"
Her eyes glazed over and rolled up in her head.
"Kay!"
She fell limp in his arms.
-o-o-o-
TBC?