Playing Doctor

Author's note: I'm new to thunderbirds so if I get the order of boys wrong or anything else I'm sorry, also if there are spelling mistakes I'm sorry, I'm writing this at midnight so my mind is a little fuzzy. Enjoy.

Anakin's girl 11

Summary: a young Virgil has a bad cold; he has two nurses, can you guess who they are?

Twelve you old Virgil Tracy felt like he had been hit by a truck. His arms and legs ached so bad that he was afraid to try to sit up, his head pounded as if a steam roller was making its rounds in it. Virgil moaned as he rolled over onto his back, sending more pain through his head.

"Virgil, for crying out loud, it's nine in the morning, are you going to get up today at al-Virg -are you alright," a voice called from Virgil's bedroom door.

Virgil tried to sit up but when he did his room spun, he decided against trying that again. He didn't have to see the face of the voice to know who it was.

"I think I'm sick Scottie," Virgil moaned as his older brother Scott came over to sit on the side of his bed.

"Why, what's wrong?" fifteen year old Scott asked with concern.

"I ache so bad, my arms and legs feel like they are going to fall off; my head is pounding so bad that I can't even sit up," Virgil said with a small groan as he opened his eyes to look at Scott.

Scott was surprised and worried; everyone they knew, all their friends and family knew how stubborn each of the Tracy boys were, none of them except for Alan and on occasion Gordon would ever admit they were sick, unless it was really bad.

Scott reached out and ran his fingers through his little brother's blonde/brown hair, it was wet with sweat, Scott's hand moved until it rested on Virgil's forehead, he winced at the heat that radiated through his brother's body.

"Virg-you're burning up!" Scott said his voice changing from concern to fear.

Scott was scared, Virgil never got sick, even when Scott and the other boys had gotten the flu. Virgil had helped take care of them, never getting it himself. It was strange, Virgil seem to have a very good immune system, if his brother's had it he never seemed to get it. But on the rare occasion Virgil did get sick, he went all out. One time about two years earlier Virgil had gotten scarlet fever, the other boys had had it before and were up and around again in a week. Not Virgil, it almost killed him.

"I'm going to go get dad," Scott said standing up.

"Scottie?" Virgil was using Scott's old nickname, only Virgil could call him that without ruffling his feathers.

Scott turned back to Virgil and said, "What is it Virg?"

"You'll come back, right? Virgil asked pleadingly.

"If dad says I can, you bet I will," Scott said as he walked out the door.

Scott fast walked down the hall to his father's room, he knocked quickly, as soon as his father gave his ok for him to enter he flung open the door to find Jeff Tracy sitting at the desk in his room going over some paper work the suddenness of his son's entrance surprised him making him send his papers flying.

"What in the world is wrong, causing you to storm in here like that?" Jeff asked he could see Gordon, Alan, maybe even Virgil fling the door open like that, but not Scott.

"I'm sorry dad, I just wanted to get in as fast as I could, you need to come quick, Virgil's sick, he's got a really high fever," Scott said amazed that he was able to say it that fast.

Jeff didn't have to be told twice, when it came to his middle son being sick it scared him.

Jeff followed Scott back to Virgil's room; Jeff heard a soft moan as he entered his son's room.

"Virgil, your brother told me you were not feeling well, what's wrong?" Jeff asked as he sat down on the side of the bed.

"Dad, I just ach all over, my head is pounding so hard I can't move," the twelve year old boy rolled his head on the pillow.

Jeff put his hand on his son's forehead, the heat he felt didn't surprise him; he walked over to the bathroom and took a thermometer out of a draw and walked back over to Virgil.

"Open up," Jeff ordered putting the thermometer into his middle son's mouth.

Virgil held the thermometer under his tongue until his father took it out, Jeff frowned at the numbers.

"102.1, that's pretty high Virgil. You stay in bed today ok, it's probably just a bad cold but I want to be on the safe side with you," Jeff said as he put the thermometer on the bedside table.

"Yes sir, trust me I won't move," Virgil said rubbing his head.

"What's going on?" a voice asked from the doorway.

Scott and Jeff turned to see fourteen year old John, ten year old Gordon, and eight year old Alan standing in the doorway.

"Virgil's not feeling very well today boys, he's going to stay in bed," said Jeff softly he knew that Scott, John and Virgil had planned on taking their younger brothers to the pool today.

"Oh but what about going to the pool?" Gordon asked.

"John and I could still take you if you want," Scott offered.

"I want to stay home and help Virgil feel better," said Alan.

"If Alan gets to help I want to help too," said Gordon.

"Oh, great, now you're all fighting over me," said Virgil softly.

"I know we could make it a game," said Alan crawling up onto Virgil's bed.

"What do you mean Alan?" Scott asked a little confused.

"We could play doctor, Virgil is the patient and we are the doctors and we have to help the patient feel better," said Alan with a smile.

"That's a good idea Alan, I'll tell you what, why don't you and Gordon take good care of Virgil while dad, John and I go down stairs to find him something to eat," said Scott with a smile of his own.

"Ok, what do you need Virgil?" Gordon and Alan asked together.

……………………………………..

Gordon and Alan spent the whole day taking care of Virgil, they got him water, music, and they even tried to tell him a story. When Scott brought up dinner he saw a sight that he would treasure forever.

Virgil was sound asleep with a book in his lap; Gordon lay beside him, his arms tucked into Virgil's. Alan was curled up at the foot of Virgil's bed. He looked so much like a cat Scott had to stifle a laugh.

"That can't be comfortable." Scott thought out loud.

"You would be amazed at the positions your brothers can get into and be comfortable," Scott turned to see his father enter the room holding an extra blanket.

"Should we wake them up?" Scott asked.

"No, let them be, Virgil needs all the sleep he can get, and as for those two, I don't think they would leave if we woke them anyway, just leave the sandwiches on the table they will find them if they get hungry," said Jeff placing the blanket over his three younger children.

"Ok," Scott said putting the plate on the table.

"Good night son," said Jeff as he left the room.

"Good night dad," Scott said, but before he left the room he went up to the bed.

Scott put his hand Virgil's forehead again, his fever wasn't going down, but it wasn't going up either. Scott moved his hand and placed a kiss on Virgil's hot forehead and whispered in his ear, "Good night little brother, hope you feel better tomorrow."

Scott then turned to Gordon and Alan and placed a kiss on their foreheads as well whispering in both their ears, "Good night little doctors."

With that Scott turned off the light and turned on a night light for Alan. He closed the door and walked to his room smiling on how even the littlest people can care with all their heart.

The End