I wonder… will I dream?
By RocketFAN
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Thunderbirds and write strictly for entertainment purposes
A/N: This is a OneShot and I wrote it after watching a really lame movie about a couple that gets in a plane crash and one of them dies. Kind of the same situation I put Scott and John in. Yeah, anyway… enjoy.
"Heat exchanger needs a refuel and the plasma battery needs to be replaced. There has also been a little turbulence coming from the upper starboard turbine engines," John told his father through the video screen.
"Anything else?" Jeff asked his pale haired son while holding a clipboard and writing down all the suggested repairs needed on Thunderbird 5.
"No, that should do it father," John replied in his usual soft voice.
"F.A.B John. Scott should be arriving in a few hours to help you out with the repairs," Jeff confirmed with a small smile and closed the link. John stared at the blank video screen for a moment before slowly walking into the lounge and plopping down on the couch. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes for a few minutes. His thoughts swirled around the tedious job ahead of him and Scott as his mind and body drifted off to sleep.
Scott piloted Thunderbird 3 through the silence of space. The sounds of the crafts engines whirred smoothly as the still image of Thunderbird 5 came into view. Scott hummed merrily as he docked the large rocket effortlessly into the docking bay. The slight shake of the craft docking didn't faze John and he continued sleeping peacefully on the couch. Scott secured all the airlocks and grabbed the list his father had made for him of the necessary repairs that needed to be done on Thunderbird 5.
"John?" Scott called as he entered the hatch door. When he didn't receive an answer, he started to wander around the massive craft in search of his brother. "John…?" He said in a playful, sing-song voice. He walked into the lounge and noticed John asleep on the couch. With a devious smile, he walked slowly over to the couch and sat on the edge beside John. He waited until John took a small breath in and pinched his nose.
"Wh… uh… what?!" John coughed and choked as Scott plugged his nose, preventing him from breathing out. "What the hell is wrong with you, Scott?!" He grumbled sleepily as Scott started laughing.
"Sorry, John, I just couldn't't resist," Scott said while still snickering. John sat up and tried to catch his breath. He rubbed his nose and forced air out of it in an attempt to unplug it.
"Ass," John said bitterly while throwing a dagger look in Scott's general direction. He yawned as he forced his tired body to stand and prepared himself for the long and nerve-racking repairs that he and Scott were about to begin.
"Okay, got the toolbox, fuel canisters, plasma charger…," Scott mumbled to himself as he sorted through the equipment he had brought along. John stood behind him observing the contents as well.
"God, this is going to suck," John whined as he went over the list his father had made. "Re-tile the broken panels on the observation deck; tighten loose hex nuts on the control module, run systems check, and check for loose wires on the transmitter… I need to check for loose wires in his head! This is going to take forever!" John said while shaking his head. "He wants all this done in 72 hours! More like 72 days," John continued to whine.
"Well, we don't have to get it all done. Just the important stuff," Scott said calmly as he pulled a plasma charger out of the toolbox and set it down on the floor.
"Like what?" John said with a raised eyebrow. "All of it is important," he added while running his eyes over the list again.
"Well, I doubt there are any loose wires in the transmitter, so we can skip that," Scott said while examining an odd shaped hex nut that he found in the toolbox.
"Well, I am going to go back to my nap if you don't mind. Call me when you need me," John said while turning around to leave the room.
"Whoa, whoa… wait a second! Get your ass back here blondie!" Scott said while getting off his knees and catching up to John. "You are going to help me with these repairs first," he said firmly while grabbing a hold of John's arm and pulling him back into the lounge.
"Scott, I'm tired! I don't feel like tinkering with hex nuts for the next 8 hours," John groaned while pulling his arm free. Scott had never seen John so fussy before and gave him a concerned look.
"What's the matter, John?" He said sweetly while taking John's arm a little more gently than before. "You're never so whiny when it comes to doing repairs. What's going on, kiddo?" Scott pulled John into a brotherly hug and held him for a few moments until he finally cracked.
"I just haven't been sleeping much lately," he said softly.
"How come?" Scott asked him in a equally soft voice.
"I… I don't know. I just have a bad feeling something bad is going to happen," John admitted while pulling back and looking Scott in the eye. Scott could feel John trembling slightly and started rubbing his back to try and calm his little brother's nerves.
"What makes you think that something bad is going to happen?" Scott asked John softly with a confused look on his face. John looked down and sighed.
"Just a feeling that I can't shake. Maybe I've been up here too long and it's starting to get to me," John said with a small forced chuckle as he broke away from Scott's embrace and sat down on the chair next to the couch he was sleeping on earlier.
"Want to talk about it?" Scott asked while sitting down next to him.
"Well, there's really nothing to talk about. I'm just being paranoid, that's all. We should get started on those repairs," John closed the subject and got up to grab some tiles out of the box that was under a storage bin in the closet marked "solar tiles". Scott dropped the conversation as well and picked a socket wrench out of the toolbox to tighten the loose hex nuts on the control module on the main observation deck.
A few hours later, the two were taking a break in the lounge. Scott was relaxing on the couch drinking a soda while John was sitting in the chair reading a magazine that Scott had brought him. The silence between the two brothers was never awkward; they seemed to be able to read each other's minds sometimes. They always seemed to glance over at one another at the exact same time. Scott sighed loudly as he poured the rest of his soda into his mouth.
"Back to work," John said with a small groan while getting out of his comfortable position on the chair.
"Yeah…," Scott agreed while gulping the soda down and tossing the can in the trash can a few feet away. They both dragged into the area they were previously working in and assumed their positions. Scott was underneath the control module checking the tiles for cracks and breaks. John was tightening the hex nuts on the same module. "Whoa, sorry," Scott chuckled as he bumped into John, almost making him drop his socket wrench.
"That's okay," John said while crawling out from under the module and setting the wrench down on the counter. "I have to pee," he said while stretching his arms by raising them above his head.
"Thank you for sharing that information with me, John," Scott said with a snicker while continuing his work under the module.
"I'll be right back," John said while turning around and shuffling off to the small bathroom on the second floor of the massive space station. There was one closer to where they were working, but the longer he was in the bathroom, the less time he had to spend tightening hex nuts. Scott continued working when an alarm suddenly started blaring from the main control panel.
"IMPACT WARNING! IMPACT WARNING! EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!" The dreaded sound of the emergency impact warning blared thorough the hundreds of speakers throughout the ship.
"What the hell?!" Scott shot out from underneath the console and looked at the monitor. His eyes got wider than dinner plates as he saw the most horrifying image possible: a speeding meteor heading right for Thunderbird 5!
"TEN SECONDS UNTIL IMPACT! 10…9…8…7…6…5…4...," Scott stared at the screen in shock. He couldn't't even force himself to reach for the radio to send a "MAYDAY" to Tracy Island. It was too late anyway. "3…2…1!" Was the last thing Scott heard before darkness enveloped him.
Jeff was in the study when the sound of sirens pulled him out of the slumber he was slipping into. The lights in the Tracy Villa flashed red and the sound he never thought he would here shot through him like an arrow.
"RED ALERT! RED ALERT! IMPACT WARNING ACTIVATED." The monotone female voice made Jeff aware that Thunderbird 5 had suffered an impact. But how bad was it? That he didn't know. Virgil, Gordon, and Alan rushed into the control room quickly following their father. The heart stopping sight that flashed on the screen took all their breaths away: Thunderbirds 5 was completely destroyed. And they knew their two oldest brothers' were aboard the ravaged ship. Jeff picked up the comm. Link with shaking hands and tried to calm his nerves before attempting to contact Thunderbird 5.
"Tracy Island to Thunderbird 5! Tracy Island to Thunderbird 5! Come in Thunderbird 5!" His voice was loud but rather calm. He didn't breath for a few moments while waiting for a response. But there was nothing but silence on the other end. "Tracy Island to Thunderbird 5! Please come in! Scott! John!" Jeff's composure completely crumbled as he desperately waited for a response but got nothing. Virgil's eyes started to well up with tears as his two younger brothers's stared blankly into the video screen.
"Dad… what are we going to do? We… we can't get up there without Thunderbird 3," Virgil said grimly and shakily. Jeff and his three youngest sons looked at each other helplessly.
Back on Thunderbird 5, John woke up dazed and in excruciating pain. He coughed violently as thick smoke and the sickening smell of burning electrical wires filled his nose. He struggled to sit up and realized what had happened. He looked around and felt like he was in some kind of horrible dream; his beloved Thunderbird 5 was completely destroyed. He shakily got onto his feet with the help and support of a module that was smoking and crackling. The first thing that crossed his mind once it cleared was Scott. Was he okay? Was he hurt? Was he alive?
"S… Scott?" He called out weakly, almost inaudible. He dizzily made his way to the lounge while kicking debris out of the way and stepping over burning pieces of ruble. "Sc…," his words were cut off by fitful coughs forcing their way out of his throat. "Scott!" He yelled out tearfully as he painfully made his way through the rubble. His legs were on fire and his left arm was definitely broken. "Ugh!" He cried out as a sharp pain throbbed in his head. He finally found what was left of the lounge and started searching for his older brother.
Scott's eye's fluttered open as he found himself on his back. He couldn't't feel much below his chest aside from the searing pain in his stomach. He rubbed his eyes in a futile attempt to clear his cloudy vision. "Jo… John…? John? W… where are you?" His voice was unrecognizable to himself. His head was swimming with confusion as he tried to contemplate what had happened. He could see the blazing orange flames all around him through his blurry vision. He tried to roll onto his side to get up, but the numbness in his legs proved that maneuver quite impossible. He helplessly flopped back onto his back and sighed deeply. With a gasping groan, he grabbed his stomach and felt something that was definitely not right, a gapping hole in the middle of his abdomen.
John stumbled forward as he lost his balance due to his dizziness. He saw Scott's still form in the corner of his eye and made his way toward him. "Scott?" He said hoarsely as he reached his injured brother and kneeled down next to him. "Scott," he repeated a little louder while running his hand over Scott's sweat rimmed face. Scott groaned softly as he painfully turned to face his brother. "Scott!" John cried out as he saw the condition he was in. His face was blotched with blood and sweat, his uniform charred and ripped in places, and there was a mortal looking wound on his abdomen. 'John…?" Scott's voice was extremely weak and full of pain. "Oh, God… John… what happened?" He asked with hint of disbelief evident in his voice.
"It… it was a meteor," John explained while no longer trying to fight back his tears as they flowed freely down his grime smeared face. "Are you… hurt badly?" John asked while already knowing the answer, observing the wound on Scott's abdomen.
"I can't feel anything," Scott groaned as John scooped him into his lap. A quavering breath struggled to escape him as he felt a rush of cold air through his wound.
"It's going to be okay, Scott," John tried to convince Scott as much as himself that they were going to get out of this situation alive. He ran his hand through Scott's hair as a comforting gesture. "We have to try and contact base," John said tearfully.
"We… we can't… everything is destroyed," Scott replied hopelessly. John's deep blue eyes went dim with helplessness.
"Well, then we have to get out of here. We still have Thunderbird 3," John suggested with a glint of hope in his voice. "Come on, Scott. You have to get up so we can get you to a hospital," he said while starting to get up to help his brother to the docking bay. His actions were cut of by a warm feeling on his legs. Scott was bleeding profusely from the exit wound in his back. "Oh, God…," he whispered breathlessly.
"I… I don't think… I'm going anywhere soon, John," Scott said while feeling himself succumb to the darkness that was threatening to engulf him.
"No, Scott… you have to stay with me here," John said while shaking his head in denial. Tears were falling from his eyes and landing on Scott's face.
"John, promise me something," Scott said softly while looking up and John. His eyes were empty as if all the life had been sucked out of him.
"No…," John whimpered while holding his brother tighter.
"John… please," Scott said desperately as he felt his life light going out.
"Okay… okay Scott… anything," John agreed while shifting position to avoid cradling Scott with his broken arm.
"Promise me… you'll take care… take care of everyone. Especially yourself," Scott asked his little brother followed by a fit of deep coughs that send bright red drops of blood all over his pale lips.
"You can take care of them yourself, Scott. Were going to get out of here," John said while beginning to sob as he slowly rocked back and forth with Scott in his arms. Scott gave a small smile as tears escaped his eyes.
"John… we both know that's not going to happen," Scott said sadly. The wound in his abdomen spilling out blood with every shallow breath he took. John wrapped his arms gently around Scott and sobbed uncontrollably into his shoulder.
"No…," he whimpered again while realizing that his brother was going to die in his arms. This had to be a bad dream… this couldn't't be real. How could this be happening? "Scott… I love you… I love you so much… please don't leave me," John's voice was so full of pain it was hard for Scott to hear. Despite his own injuries, Scott felt worse for John, who was watching his big brother die right before his eyes.
"I love you, John… please remember that. I'll watch over you, I promise. I just wonder…," Scott's voice started to trail off as his severe blood loss claimed him. "Will I dream…," his last words were soft, yet strong. John felt his brother's breathing slow, and then stop all together. Scott's body became heavy in his arms as his life slipped away. The overwhelming pain engulfed John and caused a racking pain in his chest. He figured it was from the 2nd degree burns he had suffered in the blast, but he knew it was the pain of his heart breaking in half.
"Scott… NO!... SCOTT!... please don't leave me alone," John screamed in agony. He felt his arms flailing about and his head tossing back and forth. He continued screaming until he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"John? John?" A familiar voice interrupted his fitful tossing.
"Ah!" He yelled as his eyes shot open and he saw a comforting sight, Scott was sitting on the edge of his bed grasping his hand.
"Scott? You… you're alive!" John said while wiping the sweat off his forehead and trying to catch his rapid breath.
"Of course I'm alive. I think you just had a nightmare," Scott said softly while reaching up and tucking a stray wet strand of John's platinum blonde hair behind his ear. John's panting slowed to a normal rate as Scott's comforting arms were suddenly around him, holding him in a gentle hug. "Shhhh… it's okay. Everything is okay," he assured his brother who was now beginning to calm down.
"I… I dreamt we were both on Thunderbird 5 doing… doing repairs and a meteor hit it. You… you died," John's voice started breaking as he recollected the horrible dream. "It was so real," he added tearfully while burying his head in Scott's chest.
"I know… but it was just a dream. I'm right here John…now go back to sleep," Scott said while rubbing John's back comfortingly. He pulled back from his brother and smiled at him warmly. But as he started to get up to leave, he felt a tug on his hand.
"Scott... will you stay here with me tonight… please," John asked in a soft, fearful tone. A tone that was surprising to Scott. He always knew John to be so strong and independent. But now… he sat before him… scared and alone, needing Scott's presence and comfort.
"Of course I will," Scott said while scooting closer to John and grabbing the extra pillow off his chair. Scott pulled some blankets over himself and pulled John into his arms. The warm feeling of having his little brother in his arms made Scott smile. The fact that the idea of loosing him made him scared enough to need such comfort from him was enough to bring a few tears to his matching deep blue eyes.
"Good night, Scott… I love you," John said softly as the fatigue of the wee hours took their tool on his tired body.
"Good night, John. I love you too," Scott replied while kissing the top of John's head. "No more bad dreams, okay," he added with a deep sigh.
"No more bad dreams…," John muttered before succumbing to the fatigue and falling into a deep, pleasant sleep while still wrapped in his brother's arms.
THE END
A/N: Okay, how many of you saw that one coming?! The title should have been the biggest hint that it was all going to end up being a dream. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. I appreciate reviews greatly. Peace out!
