Title: Listen

Author: Gumnut

5 Aug 2018

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015

Rating: Teen

Summary: For the world is unkind and it needs your touch.

Word count: 877

Spoilers & warnings: None

Author's note: I may need to change my name to 'Corny'. This has probably been done before, but eh, it is just a scribble. Also, apparently I've fallen far enough to start writing poetry again ::headdesk:: Man, I got it bad.

Disclaimer: Mine? You've got to be kidding. Money? Don't have any, don't bother.

Listen, my son.

Listen and learn

Be what you can

And make what you will be

Love with your all

Share with your heart

And know

I am there for you

And will always be

If you can hear

Answer

If you have voice

Sing

For the world is unkind

And it needs your touch.

It was evening. The last of the sun's rays were just catching the glass overhead. Virgil sat quietly in front of his piano listening to his brothers arguing. It had been some time since the argument had started, but then it had been inevitable due to the day they had had. Another bad one. Another soul draining rescue that barely earned the term. The voices loudest were, of course, Scott and Gordon, but Virgil could tell it wasn't anger fuelling the words. It was exhaustion, frustration and no lack of sadness.

Alan was curled up in one corner of the couch faking sleep. John hovered in the middle of the room, his hologram frowning and interspersing words as he saw fit.

The argument was going in circles.

Virgil sighed. He had already voiced his opinion and it had been ignored. Somewhat an indicator of the level of pain in the room. No one was listening to anyone.

He looked down at the keyboard. God, he was tired.

-o-o-o-

Scott's throat hurt. It hurt to yell, but yell he did. "Goddamnit, Gordon, what do I need to do to get it into your head that I'm right?"

"Right? What makes you right and me wrong? Even if I had done what you said, she still would have died!"

"You don't know that!"

"Yes, I do, Scott, that woman was dead no matter what we did!" Gordon's eyes glared up at him. "We can't save everyone. I had to save those who could be saved."

Scott spun on the spot and sunk his boot into the nearest couch. The next couch over shook enough to startle Alan out of his fake sleep. "Christ, calm down, Sc-"

A single musical note interrupted them. Several more followed and Scott turned to glare at Virgil. But his brother's eyes were closed, and the tune was a familiar one.

Then to Scott's complete astonishment, Virgil began to softly sing.

"The road is long

With many a winding turn."

His voice was gentle, barely heard above the piano.

"That leads us to who knows where

Who knows where."

It would have been corny, but Virgil never sang. Never. Not even in the shower. Not since Mom…

"But I'm strong

Strong enough to carry him

He ain't heavy, he's my brother."

Scott was vaguely aware of his other three brothers staring as stupidly as he was. All thoughts of argument gone. Something in his heart was beating out of sequence.

"If I'm laden at all

I'm laden with sadness

That everyone's heart

Isn't filled with the gladness

Of love for one another."

Virgil did not open his eyes once. His brow furrowed, his fingers played and his voice sang. So softly, ever so gently.

"It's a long, long road

From which there is no return

While we're on the way to there

Why not share."

The piano keys echoed in the silence.

"And the load

Doesn't weigh me down at all

He ain't heavy he's my brother."

The last line was repeated. Once, twice and barely heard a last time. His brother's fingers deftly danced a last riff and then the air was empty of sound.

Virgil opened his eyes and pinned each of them in turn, his lips thin. But he didn't say anything. Simply stood up and walked out of the room.

Scott blinked.

Gordon's voice was quiet. "I guess that is one way to end an argument."

He looked at his younger brother and his lips twitched. Scott let out a breath and reaching out, wrapped an arm around Gordon's shoulders and drew him close. If his lips touched his brother's hair, neither said a thing about it.

"Let's call it a night." He shot a lopsided, wistful smile at Alan.

His youngest brother returned it half-heartedly. "It was a shitty day."

Scott stared in the direction of Virgil's exit. "Yeah."

"Yeah, it was."

-o-o-o-

End Part One