Virgil sat on his bed going over his personal report silently, his solo mission was still a secret to the rest of the family, it hadn't gone well. The removal of a boulder on the railway track had been successful, but the driver had been knocked unconscious and was now in a critical condition with head trauma, Virgil had retreated to his room after returning from Iceland and was blaming the whole injury on himself, he sighed and fell back onto his pillow running his hands through his hair unhappily before closing his eyes. Scott walked down to his room and decided to check in on his brother, he knocked on the door gently but didn't hear any response from inside, he sighed to himself and opened the door, the unhappy sight which greeted him made him run the rest of the way to the bed.
"Virg, what's the matter? Have you been in here all this time?"
"I fucked up my mission Scott."
"I'm sure you didn't."
"Yes I did, I saved the passengers but not the driver, I was too late and now he's fighting for his life."
"Virgil, I doubt that was your fault."
"But what if it was?" Virgil sat up angrily.
"You didn't do wrong Virg."
"I arrived too late! And I always do, my ship is too slow, that boulder had already crushed the front of the train," Virgil bowed his head and groaned unhappily, "I'm a failure. Grandma didn't realise, she just thought I was tired."
"Virgil, you're not a failure ok?" Scott reached out and laid his land on Virgil's shoulder.
"I was today," Virgil continued to look down.
"Every mission is going to be a hard one bro, but you saved everyone, that's a win," Scott smiled, "I'm here for you."
"I feel like I've let the organisation down," Virgil looked up tearfully.
"No, you haven't. You never have on any mission, that driver's accident had nothing to do with you, it wasn't your fault."
Tears rolled down Virgil's cheeks and he sighed, "I just wish I could've made a difference today."
Scott moved into the centre of the bed and shook his brother gently, "Virgil, listen to me now. You need to dig yourself out of this right now, come to the lounge, Gordon has put on a film and Alan is making popcorn, I believe Kayo is turning the lounge into a fort."
Virgil shook his head, "I don't deserve to be in a room with them, their brother has failed."
"Snap out of this," Scott said darkly and he watched the fear spread across Virgil's face, "that's better, now come with me."
Virgil sighed and ran his hands through his hair, "alright, but nothing will work."
Scott took his hand and pulled him up, "urgh, I'm not dragging you Virgil, mainly because I can't."
Virgil swung his legs round reluctantly and stood up to follow Scott out to the lounge, "I can't believe that driver could die at my fault."
"He won't, I promise you."
In the lounge, Kayo threw a large duvet over the cushions and smiled as Scott walked in with Virgil, she beckoned to them and disappeared inside the fort leaving her feet poking out alongside Alan and Gordon's, Scott walked down into the ring and knelt down to enter the cushion cave.
"Awwwh guys this is snug," Scott chuckled as he looked up at the film, "Kayo, shouldn't you be in bed recovering from Venus? That goes for you too Alan."
"We're fine, we've had our medications and everything," Alan rolled his eyes as he helped himself to popcorn.
The four looked behind them suddenly as they heard the sound of the piano upon the veranda, Scott sighed and reversed himself out, he glanced over to where Virgil was hunched over the keys and the others emerged quickly after him.
Kayo leant against Scott's arm, "is he ok?"
Scott shook his head, "no, he's not."
Kayo walked over ignoring the three boys telling her to stay and squeezed next to her brother on the stool not making eye contact as she heard him sniff, she traced her finger along the underneath of the piano and the music held in the air, Virgil slid his boot back from the pedal and stared blankly into the space ahead.
"Virgil?"
"Kayo."
"Come here," Kayo wrapped her arms around him and tutted sympathetically as Virgil's forehead rested against her shoulder and he began to shudder, "I've got you."
Gordon ran up to join them, "bro, don't blame yourself, heck we all got in tight spots today."
Kayo stroked the back of Virgil's head soothingly, "I think it's a little more than that, Virgil has been on two missions today."
Scott coughed, "so have I."
"What happened on the mission Virgil?" Kayo asked as she felt his arms tighten around her comfortingly.
"I dropped the boulder, and couldn't recover it in time before a casualty. I've killed a man."
Alan gasped, "no, you can't have. Virgil you just can't have."
"Alan you're not helping," Scott scolded.
"He's right, I've killed a man," Virgil looked up allowing the tears to cascade down his face, "I wasn't quick enough, and the driver is dead."
Grandma walked in hearing the last remarks, "he is not dead Virgil, I've just caught up on the newscasts, he's absolutely fine. Trust me."
Virgil smiled, "he's alive?"
"As alive as I am, he's in intensive care but well looked after. He owes his life to you, he said so in his interview, well a reporter got a statement."
"Thank you, grandma, that does make me feel better."
Kayo hugged him, "told you so."
"I just jump to conclusions."
Scott grinned as he rubbed Virgil's shoulder, "don't doubt yourself, Virgil. You've never done anything wrong on a mission, everyone you've helped comes out alive. Now come to the fort."
Gordon and Alan sprinted back to the cushions to grab the best spaces before the others had even left the piano, Scott sighed and laughed as Virgil stood up from the stool, Kayo entwined her fingers with Scott's, and they made their way over to the cushions, Virgil pulled the duvet closed around them and cuddled up to his youngest brothers who leant against him comfortably. Virgil smiled as he watched the film and down at the two against his chest before he glanced across to Scott and Kayo who were lying in each other's arms against the cushions, he yawned and stretched his legs out crossing his feet at the ankles and Scott smiled at him before kissing the top of Kayo's head.
