Disclaimer: Nothing has changed the Tracys and Thunderbirds are owned by someone else.

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating but RL took control there for a bit.

Chapter 21

Exhausted but determined, Virgil sat up and shoving the blanket that had been covering him aside. "If you don't come over here to me, I will come to you even if I have to crawl." He'd gotten so far as letting his legs dangle from the side of his bed before anyone reacted.

"What are you doing?" Scott snapped.

Virgil glared at his older brother, "Well, seeing as that you've yet to get your as…," he glanced over at their dad, "er, butt over here, I'm going to have to come to you."

Realizing that his older brother was serious, Gordon acted before anyone else could. "Get over there before he gets up, Scott." He gently shoved Scott towards Virgil's bed, earning a glare for his efforts. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You can yell at me later but that will be a small price to pay if it keeps him from falling on his face."

Scott grumbled irritably as Virgil lifted his shirt and checked the bruising on his side. "See, nothing there that wasn't already there to begin with."

Tired and grumpy, Virgil lightly poked his older brother on one of his colorful bruises. Scott hissed and shot an incredulous look down at him. "What was that for?"

"Just because it was there before doesn't mean that you haven't further aggravated the injury," Virgil snapped. The other Tracys watched as his eyes slammed shut and he swayed slightly on the bed before pitching forward. Scott reacted instantly, catching his little brother before he fell face down on the floor. Unfortunately, he wasn't prepared for his brother's sudden dead weight and went down on one knee…the leg that had been injured with a grunt of pain.

In typical Tracy fashion, Jeff snapped orders to his other sons. "Alan, call light now. I want to know why Virgil passed out. Scott, John and I will get Virgil up on his bed." Catching sight of the glare from his oldest son, he shook his head. "Don't even think of arguing with me on this one. Gordon, help Scott up and over to the chair." John took Scott's place and along with his father's help got Virgil back on the hospital bed just as the nurse came in.

Alan quickly filled her in on what happened, standing back when she checked Virgil's vital signs. "Everything looks to be in the normal ranges." Glancing up at the roomful of worried Tracys, she smiled. "He's fine. He pushed himself and he paid for it by passing out." She noticed the pained expression on Scott's face and shook her head. "Not that I don't like taking care of good looking guys but one Tracy assigned to me is quite enough. How bad did you hit your leg?"

"It's nothing. Just jarred it a bit when I caught him." Scott quickly put his I'm-hurt-but-you-aren't-going-to-see-me-show-any-emotion façade in place. Only his family would be able to see past it and know that he did more than jar his leg a bit.

Tsking him, the nurse shook her head and walked out of the room. John heard her muttering, "Men…stubborn…bullheaded…"

"She sure has you pegged right, Scott," he sniggered.

Scott looked at his brother, confused. "What?"

Jerking a thumb in the direction of the door, he told his family what he'd heard. "She said you were stubborn and bullheaded."

Since he was facing away from the door, he didn't see the nurse come back in with the doctor. "Correction, Mr. Tracy, I said men and that includes you." The doctor wisely remained quiet while he checked Virgil's chart and noted the additional notes and vital signs that the nurse had documented.

Gordon, however, didn't bother trying to hide the grin that came from hearing – in his opinion, somewhat dull – older brother get a slight dressing down from the nurse. Alan caught sight of his partner-in-crime and quickly turned away before he could be drawn into whatever Gordon might come up with. He knew the look in his brother's eyes and knew that John had been targeted. Thinking to himself, he sighed, "Uh-oh, Johnny, he's targeted you and I just know that I'm going to get roped into it as well." His father's deep voice finally penetrated his thoughts and he focused on what was being discussed.

"Will he continue to have issues with suddenly passing out, Doctor?" Jeff braced himself for whatever the doctor could say. He was out of his element here. Machines, astronomy, planes. Those were the things he knew and understood. Medicine, illnesses, and the human body were all things that he had no detailed knowledge about. Oh, he'd managed taking care of his boys when they were younger and suffering a simple cold. Little injuries like scrapes and scratches from falling off a bicycle or skateboard. Hell, even a broken arm – times five, eight if you count the times Scott and Gordon repeated the experience – was manageable. But this, meningitis was a total mystery to him and he wanted to know all possibilities and whatnot. Especially since it was one of his precious sons who was suffering.

Looking up from the chart, the doctor answered, "He shouldn't have. I explained to you before that he would suffer fatigue and such just after he was admitted. Having witnessed two of your sons after being injured, I am guessing that Virgil is much like them and pushes himself no matter the risk to his health when one of his brothers are hurt."

The four conscious brothers looked at each other before shifting their gaze to their dad. Gordon's grin had widened as he stared at his dad. "It's a family trait, Doctor. But we always look out for each other and know when the other is pushing himself too much or needlessly."

"I can see that," the doctor replied. "I can also tell you that you're going to have your hands full the next couple of weeks with Virgil. He's going to keep pushing himself and possibly suffer a relapse and spend more time with us."

"We'll keep an eye on him, Doctor. And I can assure you that once he is released, he will continue to have the same consistent care that he's had here. And that will include all the bed rest that you order."

Alan shook his head, thinking, "Oh, he is so not going to like that. More bed rest after being released from the hospital. I wonder if John would mind if I took his rotation up on Five."

John caught sight of Alan shaking his head and smirked, "If he thinks I'm letting him up on Five…oh, shit. Dad will let him go. I have a concussion. And Dad won't care if it is a small one. Damn."

In the back of his mind, Scott had kicked over into Field Commander. "Alan will have to man Five. Gordon will be in charge of Two with John co-piloting. And of course, I'll have One. Nobody flies my 'bird but me."

Jeff noticed the sudden quietness of his sons and glanced around at each of them. All seemed lost in their own thoughts. Except Gordon, who had a mischievous grin on his face. "Uh-oh, that doesn't bode well."

"I think that some marine décor should be included in the cockpit of Two. And since she will be mine for awhile, I should feel at home, " Gordon thought, grinning.

Realizing that a roomful of quiet Tracys wasn't necessarily a good thing, the doctor excused himself and quickly exited the room.

A rough voice broke the silence and startled the family. "Well, seems that you scared off my doc."