Standard disclaimer: I don't own the thunderbirds or any part thereof.

A/N: Thank you to everyone that has read this story, and especially those that have taken the time to review. The feed back really helps in developing the plot lines.

Please if you have enjoyed this story (or not)- review and tell me what you think.

This is the second last chapter, I should have the last one up tonight or tomorrow at the latest. I hope.

TBZ


Battle of the brothers

Chapter twelve – Tangled webs and White lies

Gordon lay in the infirmary on Tracy Island contemplating a spider as it crawls across the ceiling, 'God I'm bored.' Behind him he can hear the clock ticking away the minutes; Virgil has the clock positioned in such a way that patients in the beds can't see it, he belies that it is easier on the patients if they aren't watching the time. Gordon and the rest of his brother's feel this is crap, but Virgil's word is law in the infirmary, and they aren't willing to argue with him; after all he gives them their yearly shots and the man holding the needle makes the rules. So Gordon has no idea what time it is, 'mid-afternoon' he guesses as he has had lunch, dinner has yet to be served, but the shadows are getting longer across the floor.

He sighs watching the spider as it crawls down over the door and begins to spin a web, grinning Gordon watches, 'at least someone's on my side,' anticipating the reaction of the next person to walk through the door. As the spider completed its sixth pass across the doorway, the automatic door opens to admit Virgil, noting his brothers intent scrutiny Virgil cautiously looks toward the ceiling expecting a bucket of water or the like, he edges into the room, face first in to the web squealing Virgil jumps back into the corridor, wiping at his face and head in disgust. Roaring with laughter Gordon sits up, "Com'on Virge, it's only a little spider."

"Thanks for the warning Gordo, really appreciate it!" Virgil grouses.

Sniggering Gordon leans back on the bed, "Well let me out of here and I won't need to be entertained by stray spiders."

Frowning Virgil checks over Gordon's records, "Your last dose of Hydeltrasol was six hours ago, how you feeling? Scale one to ten."

Gordon sits up again, "Nothing, Zero, Ziltch, Nada, I'm fine. Com'on Virge let me out. I've been in here a week already."

Ignoring his brother's plea Virgil moves behind Gordon, "Four days do not make a week!" he states firmly and lifts Gordon's shirt, pushing and prodding at his back. "How's this feel."

Flinching Gordon responds "Warm your hands damn it. Its fine, I'm fine! The world is probably fine, but I wouldn't know 'cause I'm stuck in this prison you call an infirmary." He grumbles, continuing to berate his brother under his breath.

Jotting notes on the data pad at the end of the bed Virgil looks up distractedly. "Well if you're fine, why are you cluttering up my infirmary?"

Gordon stops in the middle of his rant. "I can leave?"

Virgil nods, "Yeah…" before he can say anymore, Gordon jumps out of bed and races for the door, frowning Virgil watches him go. "I guess he's fine." He hangs the data pad back up and follows Gordon out the door.

----

Gordon strides out into the late afternoon sun enjoying the warmth, dropping a towel on a sun lounger he dives into the pool, 'a week without water…' he thinks, '…ah bliss.' He falls into his natural rhythm, lapping the pool. As he surfaces at the end of a lap he notices legs hanging in the water, stopping he looks up into Scott face, "How's it going fish?"

"Great, I'm glad to be free of Virge… God he's a grump at times."

Scott smiles, "Nah, he just takes our health seriously… very seriously." He frowns and shrugs, "No actually your right. But hey at least it's better than a real hospital. Right?"

Having spent more time in hospital than he ever wants to remember Gordon has to agree. "Yeah… but he could lighten up a bit."

Scott shrugs, "Listen I've been thinking..."

Gordon raises an eyebrow in mock wonder. "Don't strain yourself bro'...." he sniggers.

Ignoring the jibe Scott continues, "... we still need to get someone up on Five without John suspecting, do you think you could…. You know stretch your recovery out a bit longer… maybe a stint on Five just to give you time to recover properly? I'm sure Dad would go with it, and John won't have any choice but to do a rotation with you."

Hoisting himself out of the pool, Gordon props himself beside his eldest brother, "You're getting devious in your old age." He grins.

"Less of the old, thanks." Scott growls, shoving his younger brother playfully back into the pool.

Gordon surfaces, "Getting feeble as well I see!" he grins pulls himself out of the water again somewhat further away from his eldest brother. "What if he wants to stay up there to look after me or something?" Gordon questions, returning to the topic in hand.

"I'll say we need him here to replace you here, can't be short staffed, now can we?" Scott eyebrows raise in mock concern, his blue eye sparkling with humour.

Grinning Gordon looks at Scott, "Sounds like a plan… we got everything else ready?"

A evil leer appears on Scott face, "Yep… Alan got the last items yesterday."

"OK," Gordon grabs his towel and starts drying off, his voice muffled by the towel around his head he continues, "but I may need help setting some of it up, so someone will have to call through when his not watching," he drops the towel around his shoulders, concern in his amber eyes, "and we'll have to get around the communication logs, he'll check those to make sure we haven't been up to anything."

"Already sorted, Virge has got a direct link, doesn't go through the logs." Scott replies reasuringly standing and ruffling the younger mans hair on his way towards the lounge.

"Well we just need Dad to OK it then." Gordon states following Scott into the lounge.

Nodding Scott replies, "I'll bring it up at dinner, you better put on the poor me act and I'll warn Virge not to over react."

"F-A-B."

The two go seperate ways, Gordon to dress and Scott to fine his middle brother.

----

Dinner time…

Gordon slowly enters the dining room and lowers himself into his chair with a groan, looking up Jeff notices his redhead. "Gordon?"

"Yes Dad?" Gordon asks with a tired sounding voice.

"I thought Virgil said you were recovered?" Jeff turns to his middle son a frown on his face, "You said he was ok."

"He was." Virgil replies tightly.

"I am," Gordon responds, "I just over did it in the pool a bit. It will be right by morning… Hopefully." He finishes on a muted groan.

Scott entering the room covers a smirk, 'Gordon is one hell of an actor.' "Anything wrong?" he asks with contrived concern.

Jeff looks at his eldest son, "Seems Gordon's not has recovered as we were led to believe." his tone and the glare he gives Virgil, indicating his concern.

Frowning Scott looks at Virgil for a response.

"What? He was fine earlier when he dived out of bed. It's not my fault he doesn't know how to take it easy." Virgil responds in irritation. "I'll put him back in the infirmary for a week that will keep him out of the pool." 'And I'll run a battery of test as well, that will teach him to take me seriously.' he thinks, knowing he wouldn't really put his brother through needless test, but enjoying the feeling of righteousness.

"No. He just needs more timeout to recover." Scott states patting Virgil on the shoulder to calm him, and pulling a chair out to sit beside him.

"Hey I'm right here you know, you don't need to talk as if I'm incapable of understanding." Gordon grumbles, from across the table in his usual place.

"Yes well, maybe you do need a few weeks leave… get away from the island." Jeff concedes.

Seeing his plans beginning to fall apart Scott swiftly cut his father off. "Dad we can't be short staffed. You know its typhoon season. Send him up to Five and John can fill in here, that way we won't be short staffed and Gordon can hardly over do the swimming up there."

Gordon glares at Scott in false annoyance, while Viril looks between them, 'Somethings up.' he thinks.

Frowning while looking at his second youngest Jeff mulls the situation over, this time of year does tend to result in more than the average number of requests for assistance. "Gordon, what do you think, are you up to manning Five for a week or two?"

Grimacing Gordon glances at his father then returns his glare to Scott, "If I HAVE to."

"Fine that's settled then. I'll speak to John after dinner…" Jeff sits back down as Alan joins the group and Onaha brings out the meal.

----

After dinner Gordon goes looking for Scott, finding him in his room, "Hey Scott, I thought Virgil was gonna blow it, he over did the acting a bit." Gordon complains.

"He wasn't acting; I couldn't find him before dinner so I didn't get the chance to warn him. It worked out OK though."

"He was really gonna lock me up in that prison again?" Gordon asks annoyance emanating from him.

"Take it easy." Scott soothes. "You know Virgil, he wouldn't really do that."

"Yeah, right!" Gordon snorts, and slumps on Scott lounge.

Virgil hearing the voices sticks his head in the door, "What are you two up to?" He looks at Gordon slumped on Scott's lounge, "How's the back?"

"FINE!" Gordon states, straightening up and glaring at Virgil, "I'm FINE!"

Eyes narrowed in suspicion Virgil glares at the two, "I'm missing something."

"Yeah, were getting Gordon up on Five to set up the payback, you nearly blew it wanting to put him back in the infirmary." Scott answers.

"Well how was I supposed to know? I'm not telepathic ya know," Virgil demands, "Is Alan in on it?"

"Not yet…" Scott responds, he taps a key on his comlink corresponding to Alan's comlink, "Al... you busy?"

Alan's flushed face appears on Scott's comlink screen, a pink smudge down the side on his face, "Ah… a little, what's up?", in the background Scott can hear Tintin's giggling.

Scott rubs at his cheek a smirk on his face, "Ah... um..." he swallows trying not to laugh, shaking his head at his youngest brother Scott gathers himself and leers, "Payback time!"

Grinning Alan counters "I'll be right there. Your room?"

"Yep, grab four beers on your way through."

"F-A-B."

"Oh and Alan, wash you face before you get here. 'Kay"

"What?" Alan frowns, wondering if his eldest brother has finally lost it.

"Just do it." Scott smirks. Scott looks at his other two brothers sitting across from him, with identical looks of curiosity on their faces. "Pinks not his colour."

The Virgil and Gordon frown, then the penny drops, "Ahh... That was Tintin we heard giggling?"

"Yup."

"Damn that boy. Does he know how lucky he is?" Gordon grumbles.

Scott gives Gordon a warning look, "Probably not. So don't spoil it for him."

Sitting next to Gordon on the lounge Virgil cautions, "We need to be careful using the comlink, Johnny could be listening in?"

Turning serious Scott asks "Can you block it?"

"Maybe, but I don't really want to" Virgil grimaces, "Could cause problems if we get a rescue."

"Ok we avoid using the comlink."

Shortly Alan joins the others a slight pink tinge of embarrassment on his cheeks. Quickly passing around the beer he sits next to Scott, in the hopes of avoiding any comments from the other two. Scott's warning look discourages Gordon and Virgil and the four brothers settle to discuss the serious business of revenge on their space bound brother.

TBC…


A/N: Now it's down to the business end (evil laughter, ha, ha, ha.) Last chapter will be up soon... WARNING: any one that has a serious attachment to John should look away.
As Tweety pie would say "He's gonna be sorry!"

TBZ.