A/N: Happy Early Birthday to SimplyNotHere! :D
Chapter Twelve
"That was…four minutes and eighteen seconds. Gordon, that's amazing!"
"Still not a personal best," the swimmer grumbled, pulling off his goggles and resting his arms on the edge of the pool. Scott took a photo of the stopwatch with his brand-new cell phone, his old one having been smashed in the crash, before setting it back down on the table. He'd been recording Gordon's times for the last hour at the request of his coach.
"Gords, you're eleven years old and not even in high school yet," Scott praised. "I know your coach thinks you could make the national team in the next few years and so do I. Seriously, these are fast times!"
He watched as his brother pulled himself out the water, not even bothering to use the ladder, and Scott chucked his towel over to him.
Gordon took to the water like Scott took to the air; like it was in his blood. Learning to swim confidently by the age of five, he'd quickly excelled through all the classes at their local pool and was already amongst the Kansas elite under 16s.
If he kept up his swim meets, and they all knew he loved it too much to stop anytime soon, then he could very well find himself under selection for Team USA, meaning he could soon be competing globally. Once he entered high school in the fall, he would be under a whole new training regimen, involving an hour in the pool before school several times a week.
Scott would miss watching his races once he left for Connecticut, but he'd make sure to come home for a few. He could also get John or Virgil to live-stream the races over their cell phones.
The fish came to sit on the lounger next to his, Scott already at home on one with his leg up and cushioned, his gaze fixed out at the expanse of ocean beyond. This was their own corner of the world, no civilisation in sight for hundreds of miles. Scott would've thought it slightly frightening if it wasn't exactly what they all needed. Their dad had done well.
"When can we go and explore the reef? I want to see all the tropical fish!" his brother whined, rubbing the towel over his hair before wrapping it around himself.
"Well, I certainly can't, unfortunately," he gestured to his busted left side, arm still in a sling and leg braced, "but I'm sure Dad can take you out one day. I know he's already planning on taking Alan around the caves as a late birthday present." Alan had turned seven the day before Spring Break began two weeks previously.
"Shame you can't go anywhere for your birthday on Thursday."
Scott grinned, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. He'd be turning eighteen in three days, but in just two it would be four years to the day since they lost Mom. "Hey, a campfire down on the beach sounds like the perfect birthday celebration."
"What about Virgil and John? Will they want to go caving?"
Scott chuckled at that. "I'd like to see you pry them away from their respective spots any more than we could ever pry you away from the pool when you're training." Gordon blushed. "John's got an entire hemisphere of stars he's never seen before and you know what Virgil's like when he gets a muse."
It was just under three weeks after Scott's accident and after a check-up at the hospital the previous week, Dr Beasley had agreed to remove Scott's cast in exchange for a boot so he could at least walk around now, as long as his arm remained restrained in the sling to allow his shoulder to continue healing. Once Jeff had disclosed that they had their own method of transport over the Pacific, she'd also agreed to let him travel, and so they were having their spring break vacation a little later than originally planned.
Jeff had informed all of the boys' teachers that he'd be keeping them off school for an extra week and to send any outstanding work home with them to be completed simultaneously. So aside from their vacation fun, they each had one hour of homework every day, Scott and John both having two because of their age.
The island itself was something out of Scott's dreams. Jeff hadn't just brought them to a luxury tropical getaway, it was an entire home away from home. They each had their own en suite bedrooms, which could be decorated as they pleased, though Alan's was currently interconnected with Gordon's until he was older.
There was a games and home cinema room, complete with sofas and beanbags and a huge screen whose size was customizable for use. A gym, which Scott was devastated he couldn't use, and even a fully stocked infirmary. Dad had his own office, a huge circular room above the villa with a 180-degree panoramic window. Virgil had his own art studio, there was a telescope up in the roundhouse library at the top of the complex where John would always be found, and the second pool from the villa was half Olympic length for Gordon's training (the first pool was where they could just all mess around).
It was absolutely perfect.
"WE GO SWIMMING!" came their youngest brother's voice and Scott's big brother senses immediately clocked Alan running across the patio towards the water of the pool closest to the house. He tried to move but he wasn't quick enough, his bulky booted leg slowing him down.
"Alan, wait! You need sunscreen!" Dad came bolting through the kitchen after him, and Scott saw his own panic reflected in his father's face.
He momentarily forgot there was an expert swimmer there.
He watched as Gordon sprinted, plucked the seven-year-old mid-run and jumped, taking them both into the water. Scott remembered to breathe as they both surfaced, Alan laughing and splashing, his red armbands ensuring he floated safely.
"Good catch, Fish!" Dad panted, bent double with his hands on his legs as he caught his breath. His smile showed his amusement at the kid's antics.
"Gordon swim and me too!" Alan shrieked, kicking his legs and moving his arms.
"Allie, you need a t-shirt," Scott said, walking to stand beside their dad who grinned and nodded. "Sunscreen won't do in a chlorinated pool, Dad, a t-shirt is safer and much easier."
Alan pouted. "Aww but Gordon doesn't have to wear one!"
"Gordon just had to jump in after you, sprout. You know he's an excellent swimmer, and he's already been working hard for two hours." He grabbed Gordon's t-shirt from one of the loungers, chucking it over to Dad for Alan to wear.
Jeff caught it and sat down on the edge of the pool before lowering himself in to join his two youngest sons. Scott sat down on the nearest lounger as Dad wrestled the t-shirt over Alan's head. "Gords, you're at your daily limit," he said.
Alan shouted indignantly, and Scott snorted. Gordon merely looked sheepish which was a rarity.
"But Gordy play!" Alan said, making to cling on to his brother and Gordon laughed in delight, clinging back before giving their dad the puppy eyes. "Please?"
"And then we've got our April Fool's Day pranks to plan!" Gordon shouted, grinning. April 1st was pretty much his favourite day of the year other than Christmas.
Scott and Jeff both burst into laughter and the eldest rolled his eyes affectionately before shrugging. Dad answered their pleas and the two youngest screamed happily, starting to splash around. Scott threw in an inflatable beach ball that had been next to the lounger before bidding them farewell and heading back into the house. Dad could take care of them for now and he wanted to find and talk to Virgil.
It was obvious that the person most affected by their tropical vacation other than their father was Virgil. Poor kid had been through a lot in the last five months alone. Scott had noticed Virgil seemed to carry less weight on his shoulders now. He was less tense and much more relaxed and care-free, and it was so good to see.
He reached the door to the studio and knocked. After a second a voice answered, and he entered. His brother was partially hidden by an easel towards the back of the room and looked up and smiled upon seeing Scott.
"Hey, short-stuff."
Virgil rolled his eyes at the name and Scott winked at him. Gordon was two years younger than him but was already heading to be taller than the middle Tracy. No doubt once their aquatic brother hit his teens, he'd be very much on a growth spurt. Virgil, however, seemed to be content with staying the height he was.
"Hi," he said back, dipping his brush into the paint again. It was a beautiful seascape, looking exactly like the view outside the wall-length window. Normally Scott wouldn't intrude when his brother was painting unless Virgil called for him, but something was telling him to push this time. And anyway, Virgil had let him into the room.
"Where's this one going to go?" he asked. "Are you going to hang it up in here?"
Virgil shook his head. "Not when it's just the same view out the window. I'll put up abstracts in here. Plus, it would not match this colour scheme," he said, gesturing to the salmon-coloured walls. "It's just a rough first attempt, it'll go into my sample pile."
He smiled. They both knew he could change the wall colour if he wanted. Virgil was both very particular about his work and incredibly modest about his ability. "I'll have it in my room then."
Virgil stared at him wide-eyed. "What?"
"You heard me; I'll hang it in my room above my bed. It's beautiful."
Scott wandered over to take a seat at the desk that span the whole length of the left side of the room. Lining the walls were shelves and trays that held everything from paintbrushes, palettes, and charts to string, stencils and masking tape. On the opposite wall, there was a rectangular sink, a small fridge, and another huge window looking west.
Virgil placed his palette and brushes in the sink before grabbing two bottles of water from the fridge and coming to join Scott at the desk. He gratefully accepted the water and the two sat in companionable silence as they rehydrated.
"How're you doing?" Scott asked softly, being sure to give his brother some space, inviting him to divulge what was eating him up.
Virgil rested his head on his arms. "Better. Getting away from everything, school and stuff, just feels good. I know we have homework but it's actually enjoyable now."
Scott nodded but didn't say anything. Virgil didn't do well with being interrogated, just a few little nudges to help him along.
"We've only been here for two days and I'm already sleeping better too. I'm not having any dreams let alone nightmares. And I don't feel like I have to look over my shoulder, I think that's the best part."
Scott already knew Virgil had been sleeping better, his sixth sense not reacting in the middle of the night as it would otherwise. Plus, just seeing Virgil happy in the mornings where he would normally be down and grumpy was enough of an indicator. He'd usually snap at Gordon if he was being too loud but so far, Virgil had joined in with the prankster's jokes which then positively fed into both Gordon's and Alan's moods.
"At school, it's like I'm always having to be ready for something to go wrong even when it doesn't. People say things. About me and us, our family, and then Dan and his family. I can deal with that, it's annoying but I can deal with that."
Scott couldn't help himself. "And the journalist at the hospital?"
Virgil turned scarlet. The journalist, Paul Green, had, of course, tried to press charges, but their family lawyer had quickly shut it all down and the affair was finished before even going before a judge. "I lost it. It was like Bane all over again."
Scott sighed. Bane was what Virgil had dubbed Tony Parker, the leader of the terrorist group who had infiltrated the bank and his best friend's estranged father.
It was a coping mechanism, that much everyone knew, seeing the man as a fictional villain rather than a person. Virgil had been essentially kidnapped and had his life threatened at gunpoint multiple times, it would traumatize anyone let alone a thirteen-year-old child. John had been with him too, and that was probably the only reason why Scott hadn't overly smothered Virgil in the aftermath.
The aftereffects of that night were still being felt even months later. Scott had let John mostly help with Virgil as they had shared experience and the eldest thought he and John might have talked about it. Virgil also had weekly therapy sessions that Dad took him to but given his actions recently, how angry he'd been becoming and then lashing out, Scott was sure he'd hit a brick wall in his progress.
John had said that he and Virgil didn't actually talk, instead, both were content with each other's company whilst they did their own thing. That was why Scott was choosing to get Virgil to talk now, in an environment completely free of pressure and anxieties. There was still something he needed to let go of.
"I just feel like I should be expecting him to show up at school."
They had possibly come to the root of the problem. Tony Parker was in a maximum-security facility where he was sure to remain for the rest of his life. But try telling Virgil's subconscious that. The thirteen-year-old was still plagued by frequent nightmares even if he tried to hide it.
John had coped marginally better, throwing himself into schoolwork and keeping a very close eye on Virgil, sticking close to him whenever possible. And because John never pushed, Virgil had gotten away with not talking for months. But that was also exactly why Virgil was in therapy; it shouldn't be solely on John. Scott was stepping in now; he'd left it long enough.
Their vacation to the South Pacific island couldn't have come at a better time, even if Scott was somewhat incapacitated.
After his accident, Scott had spent the week before spring break at home as the doctor ordered. His family had waited on him hand and foot, and though it had been a lot to get used to, Scott had found it very endearing.
John and Virgil had helped move his mattress and duvet down into the lounge where he slept every night. He had tried to shift himself upstairs, but he'd barely made it up five steps before tiring himself out. Dad and Grandma insisted on him sleeping downstairs as when he wasn't resting, he was in the hospital wheelchair.
Grandma stayed home with him while Dad worked and got the kids to and from school. It was always difficult in the mornings as his three youngest brothers refused to leave him behind. But after a few words with them, they reluctantly agreed as long as they didn't leave Scott alone when they came home from school and boy did they take that to heart.
Scott found himself being brought drinks, snacks, drawings and even allowed control of the tv remote. Alan would bring Dr Bear and sit with him before bed, Gordon would fluff up his pillows and talk about his favourite sea creatures, and Virgil would make sure he was taking his medications. John would sit with him and read his book or help with his classwork.
Meg and Lee would video call him at lunch and in the evenings, telling him how envious they were of him, filling him in on the latest school gossip and complaining about homework. Meg had been around to see him twice, but the two didn't really get to talk much as his two youngest brothers demanded her attention. Scott just watched and laughed as she tried to appease them both while trying to even say a few words to Scott.
He noticed Virgil was clasping his hands, a nervous habit.
"The last week of school before Spring Break was horrible," he said, now refusing to look Scott in the eye. "You weren't there, at school, and it was like I had to keep looking for you because I wouldn't feel okay unless I did."
Scott knew they were going to have to deal with this at some point, and that maybe this was the real problem, the fact that Scott was leaving. Virgil was already feeling the separation anxiety and it was evidently interfering with his everyday life, and no doubt not okay with admitting this to his therapist.
"Virgil, look at me. Hey, look at me." Virgil slowly lifted his eyes and what Scott saw sent a jolt of pain through his heart. His brother looked so ashamed and sad. "He is never going to hurt you or John ever again, okay? If there is anything else bothering you, you know can tell me, you know that. We can work it out together."
There was silence for a moment and Scott could practically see the thoughts whizzing around his brother's head. "I don't know what I'll do when you're gone."
Virgil said it so miserably Scott wanted to hug him. He would before he left the room but for now, he continued to give his brother space. If Virgil decided to come to him though, of course, he wouldn't push him away.
"Listen to John. And Dad, and Grandma," he said simply.
Virgil looked dryly at him and Scott just smiled back. Of course, it wasn't going to be easy for any of them, but he knew they would manage.
"But seriously, Virg," he said, "I'm not going to be away forever."
"You say that," the artist grumbled, folding his arms and resting his chin on them.
"I'm not! I'll be home when I can. John and Dad can hold the fort here. You can help them. Plus, any trips to New York and I'm right next door."
Virgil groaned. "I'm not gonna even try and keep Gordy in line."
Scott laughed at that. "I wouldn't ask you to. You were a great big brother while I was in the hospital though."
Virgil visibly shuddered. "Never again, please."
They both knew he couldn't promise that. "I'll try my best."
Virgil stood up then, rounded the desk and made to hug him but stopped before actually touching Scott. The eldest almost laughed at the panic on Virgil's face, knowing his brother didn't want to hurt him by the contact.
"Come here, short-stuff," he said, opening his good arm. "I also need a hug."
"I don't want to hurt you," the artist squeaked, his eyes fixed on his left arm, and Scott rolled his eyes affectionately before stepping forward and encasing his middle brother in the tightest hug he could manage with one arm. Virgil tensed but eventually relaxed, his arms wrapping around Scott's waist.
"You could never hurt me," he whispered into his brother's hair.