Author's note: My dad recently bought the Thuderbirds series, since he loved it as a child, I watched the movie and fell in love with it and even though the series is puppets, I think its really cool and fell in love with it too so did some looking into the background of the show of what it was suppose to be based around. Finding that Scott had been in the air force made this story pop into my head, with the help of a book I'm reading, which I promise I'm not copying:) So yes, this is my first try at Thunderbirds fic so please be kind:)

Taking a Chance

Summary: when twenty two year old Scott has been labeled MIA/KIA eighteen year old Virgil refuses to accept it. He enlists in the Air Force as a field medic, his only mission: taking a chance of finding his brother.

Chapter one

The visit

"Virgil wait up!" Virgil Tracy jumped and turned to see his two younger brothers following, both of them dragging their backpacks behind them.

"I thought you two were going to stay and watch the game, its the last game of the season," Virgil said as he came to a stop to wait for his brothers.

Being almost Christmas break it was the last game of the season, it was also freezing and Virgil didn't want to sit in the cold for three hours just to watch their school loose. After all football was not really his cup of tea. But where Gordon and Alan were concerned, that was a different story.

"We are but we just wanted to ask you to take these home for us," they both handed over their backpacks and Virgil's mouth dropped open.

"You're joking right?" Virgil asked as he put his shoulder straps over both shoulders.

"Oh come on Virge, please, we don't want to carry them around all night," Gordon wined, dropping the unwanted backpack at his brother's feet.

"And you think I want to carry them all the way home? Its two miles," Virgil said shaking his head.

"They aren't that heavy, we only have one book each this weekend," Alan said with smile.

Virgil rolled his eyes, he couldn't wait until this school year was over. Then he wouldn't have to worry about little brother's bagging him to take their backpacks home. He would be to busy with his music and his art and spend less time giving into his little brothers every time they asked him to do something.

Virgil sighed, he thought about Scott, one of his older brother, what would he do with these two? Knowing Scott he would most likely give in after a while but make them think he wasn't going to until the last minute. Virgil sighed again, Scott had been gone to long, his brother had been on his deployment to Iraq for nearly a year and there was no way he could get help from him.

Running his fingers through his hair he slowly nodded his head, "Alright fine, I'll take them, but you owe me one, both of you," he said firmly pointing to each brother in turn.

Sixteen year old Gordon grinned and nodded, "Sure thing Virge, no problem."

Virgil grinned and ruffled the teens red hair, "No problem" right. Virgil laughed and turned to Alan, "What about you Sprout-will you owe me one?"

The twelve year old nodded and grinned showing off his braces clad teeth, "Yes, Virgil you're the best!"

They both dropped their packs at their brother's feet, thanked him and ran back towards the school. Virgil sighed once again and bent down to pick up the abandoned backpacks. Slinging both of of them over his shoulders be began the long walk home.

Virgil stopped after about half a mile and put the extra backpacks down, his arms were cramping, "What was I thinking?" Virgil said out loud, kicking himself for not saying not to his brothers and making them take their own darn backpacks home. A car honking behind him made him lift his head, a smile broke across his face when he saw the car and the driver who was doing the honking. It was John.

The car came to a stop and twenty year old John Tracy stuck his head out the window, "Hey little brother, need a lift?"

Virgil smiled, "John, your timing couldn't have been better."

"Well don't just stand there then, hop in," John said pulling his head in and reaching over to open the door for his brother.

Virgil picked up the extra packs and threw them in the backseat before coming around to the other side of the car and getting in.

"What's up with the extra packs, has 12th grade changed that much?" John asked with a smile as he started going again.

"No, the two trouble making brothers of ours didn't want to carry them at the schools last game, they bagged me to take them home for them," Virgil said putting on his seat belt.

John laughed, "Virgil Tracy, you've gone soft."

Virgil glared at him, "Very funny," he changed the subject, "So what are you doing here, I thought your training was for another two months."

John had been gone for nearly four months in the NASA training program, getting ready to go on his first mission sometime next fall. He would be on the space station for at least six months, but that was what John loved and he couldn't wait for his mission to begin.

"Yeah it does but we got three weeks for Christmas and New years to do what ever wanted, I thought I come home and see how you guys are doing, and have Christmas with my family," John said with a smile.

Virgil smiled, "It will be good to have you home for a while John, I've missed you."

John looked over at him and smiled, "I've missed you two little brother."

John turned onto their lane which was to a farm just outside of town. Their mailbox, and archway were covered in yellow ribbons, and an American Flag blew in the wind attached to the first fence post. Both brothers sighed as they went under yellowed archway.

"I miss Scott too," John said quietly and Virgil nodded.

"Its been a year John, how long are they going to keep him?" Virgil asked as they began the drive up their long and twisty driveway.

John shrugged, "Don't know Virge, he should be home anytime, maybe even Christmas."

Virgil sat up straighter and looked at John, "You think maybe that could happen John."

John stopped the car again and looked at Virgil with a sigh, he knew how close the younger boy was to their oldest brother and he didn't want to get his hopes up, "I'm not saying he will or won't Virge, all I'm saying is that Scott could be getting home tomorrow and we wouldn't know about until he was on our doorstep, thats just how his unit works."

Virgil nodded, "I know, I just wish he would come home."

John nodded, "I know kiddo, I wish he would too."

John started going again and it was not long before they pulled up in front of the farm house. Their dad was home, his truck was parked in its usual spot. What made John stomped on the breaks was the other car in the driveway. It wasn't a normal car. It was a military car.

A MIA/KIA visitation military car.