A/N; One shot based on an idea given to me by my friend Christopher Pavey :) Cheers mate
Lucille sat at the piano playing quietly to the family gathered in the room, which at the time were only Scott, Virgil and John. Jeff looked up and smiled at his wife lovingly remembering why he had fallen for her in the first place, he watched as Virgil stood up and walked over to her.
"Mummy, I want to learn to play like you. Will you teach me?"
Lucille smiled and lifted her son up onto the piano stool next to her "of course my angel."
Virgil grinned and placed his fingers on the keys "now what?"
Lucille laughed and kissed her son on the top of his head "we'll start with basics."
Later in the afternoon Virgil had nailed a small piano piece with his mother and was now giving a mini concert of it for his eldest and youngest brother along with his father, Lucille sat back on the stool and watched her son with pride. He finished the piece with a gently flourish and tried out the pedal, he grinned when it worked, the room's silence turned into applause and Virgil hugged his mother.
Back at the rescue site in 2060 Virgil looked over at the girl he and his brothers had just rescued, Scott and Gordon had gone back for her friend and the girl was looking upset, Virgil approached her.
"Miss?"
"You can call me Ella."
Virgil smiled "Ella. Are you alright?"
"I'm worried about Chloe."
"My brothers will get her out don't worry" Virgil led her to the pod and up to the cockpit "come with me, I have something to take your mind off things."
"Thank you" Ella smiled expecting a drink or something, but she was about to get a bigger surprise,
Virgil walked over to a panel along the side of the wall and pressed a button, a keyboard slid out full piano sized and a pedal popped out below in the wall, he then turned a chair around to reach the piano and sat down, Ella watched this display in utter disbelief much to Virgil's amusement "never seen a piano in a plane before?"
Ella laughed "I wasn't expecting a song" she walked over and sat down on the bench next to the piano.
"I'll just play you something to take your mind off the rescue" Virgil took a breath and began to play after loosening his harness around his legs slightly, Ella sat back against the wall on the bench, Virgil turned to her "so, what were you doing before the earthquake?"
Ella smiled not being able to take her eyes of her rescuer's hands on the keys "we had been out for dinner after a theatre performance and were heading back to our temporary apartment. This was a trip away from uni, she's my roommate."
Virgil smiled placing a delicate scale down the keys "and you were caught in the quake? Don't worry, my brothers will do everything they can to get your friend out."
Ella closed her eyes letting the music calm her down, she wondered how he managed to make her forget the situation.
"How are you doing this, uh?"
"Call me Virgil."
Ella smiled "Virgil. How are you doing this?"
"Doing what?" Virgil continued to play although much quieter.
"There's a disaster zone out there, and somehow you're keeping my mind off it."
"You looked upset and scared. It's my job to make you calmer" Virgil smiled and Ella walked over to him, as she was about to touch him he heard the Mole emerge and stopped playing, he released the pedal and got up "they're back. Come on, time to get you home."
They went down and Chloe ran towards Ella, they hugged then Chloe turned to Virgil's brothers.
"Thank you gentlemen, I would've died if it wasn't for you."
"Just doing our job, it's our pleasure" the caramel streaked haired boy grinned.
Virgil laughed "you'd do anything for a lady Gordy."
"We'd best be on our way."
"Here's the ambulance for you two, we ordered one in case" Scott smiled.
"Thank you, come on Ella" Chloe took her friend's arm and steered her away.
"Yes I'm coming, it was nice to meet you Virgil, thank you."
The girls left and Gordon looked questionably at his brother "and what may I ask was going on in the pod whilst we were underground?"
"Working my inner calmness."
Scott sighed "you're such a romantic Virgil."
The crafts took off and Gordon looked around the cockpit, then his eyes laid on the piano "you didn't Virgil?"
Virgil followed his brother's gaze "I was calming her down, nothing happened."
"Virgil you have to be careful, also if dad knew about this piano."
"Well he's not here is he?" Virgil sighed "mum's playing used to calm me down, Ella was upset so I thought my playing would do the same for her."
"Virg, she practically fell in love with you."
"That wasn't the intention."
"I know but."
"Nothing happened Gordon, just stop it."
Gordon sat back quietly "would you like me to fly us back?"
"Why?"
"Because you're clearly conflicted."
"Not true, I'm fine."
The flight home continued in silence and Gordon went back to close the piano, he paused by the keys and played a simple scale "how do you keep this in tune Virg?"
"Cos it's electric, hurry up and close it, we're nearly home."
Gordon rolled his eyes and sat down on the awaiting chair in front of the keys and began to play.
Virgil gazed out of the front windows and sighed, Gordon was playing the piece their mother had written and the first melody he had learnt as a child, he turned slightly to watch his brother for a moment before giving his full attention back to flying Thunderbird 2.
"Why are you playing that Gordon?"
"This calmed us down, I miss her too you know?"
Virgil nodded "I know Gordy, I miss her more than anyone."
Gordon smiled from the piano tapping the pedal gently "I know you do Virgie, all of us do."
Virgil sighed "you're right Gordon I'm sorry. Prepare to land, we're nearly home."
Gordon pushed himself away from the piano and pressed the button to send it back into the casing of the cockpit "you'll keep this secret from the others won't you?"
Virgil laughed "you got it bro, I know you'd hate them to know you're musical even though we were all taught how to play" he added with a smirk.
Gordon rolled his eyes slightly "you know what I mean, I'm known for the guitar, and you are the romantic piano man."
Thunderbird 2 returned into her hanger and the two brothers went back to the lounge where Scott was filling John in about the mission.
"Hi Virgil. How's Ella?" John asked with a wink.
Virgil glared at Scott who suddenly laughed "you told him?"
"It was hard not to, you got out the flipping piano for her" Scott shot back.
Gordon watched the conversation between his brothers with a frown "lay off him guys, he was just taking her mind off the quake."
Virgil's expression didn't change from the glare he was giving his eldest brother "thanks Gordy but I can get through these two's teasing."
Gordon nodded and backed down joining Alan on the couch.
"Why did you play for the girl Virgil?" Alan asked.
Virgil took a frustrated sigh "look, she was upset and worried, I remembered a time when mum used to play for me when I was feeling nervous and I thought I'd take her mind of things. I wasn't trying to seduce her or anything ok?"
Alan held his hands up in defence "I was just asking Virg."
"What did you play her?"
Virgil looked up at John's hologram "remember that lullaby mum taught me?"
"I can never forget it. She played it for all of us."
"She taught it to all of us" Scott added and without anyone noticing Gordon closed his eyes.
"Well I played her that" Virgil shrugged.
Scott nodded "and did it work?"
"Did what work?"
"The lullaby?"
"Yeah I guess so, but the main thing is that she and her friend are okay. They got to a hospital and we saved them" Virgil smiled.
"Good job bro, looks like your musical skill came in handy."
Virgil rolled his eyes "and what's that supposed to mean John?"
Gordon laid his hand on Virgil's shoulder "it means, we're proud of you music man."
"Go on Virgie, play it" Alan pushed Virgil over to the stairs leading to their father's desk where behind Virgil's piano was.
"Why do you want me to play?"
"Just do it Virgil" Scott smiled warmly.
Virgil walked over to the piano and sat down, he looked over at his brothers who each smiled back, then he began to play the lullaby he had been taught when he was a child, the piece was beautifully sad and the three boys in the lounge walked over, John's hologram floated over and stopped above the piano to enjoy the music whilst his brothers stood around Virgil. The piece ended and Gordon wrapped his arms around Virgil's waist for a hug which Virgil gave, Scott put his arm around Alan's shoulder comfortingly.
"Thank you Virgil. You may think that we tease you over your talent of piano playing, but the fact is, we treasure it" Scott smiled as Virgil turned.
"You do?" Virgil smiled tearfully.
"Of course we do, why wouldn't we?" Alan laughed.
Tears of happiness fell down Virgil's cheeks and the brothers gathered around him on the stool in a tight hug, suddenly the klaxon went off and John broke from the hug to answer it.
"Guys, we have a situation."