Chapter 48

Virgil actually felt relieved when Jeff left the room. Despite what Avery had told him about her family, he had still expected to see something familiar in them. He knew that his own father wasn't perfect and that he had made mistakes over the years; but he had never been so grateful for the way that his father treated him…or his brothers. He never even thought it was possible that there could be a version of Jeff where his all son's were not his priority.

Left alone, it gave him chance to take in the space around him. He marvelled at all the similarities and differences that surrounded him. Again, his gaze landed on the piano and he walked over and gently placed a hand on its covered lid. Seeing the instrument covered over because her owner was no longer around to play her caused a sudden emptiness to develop in his chest. Despite the way that Jeff had spoken about Gordon, it was clear to him that the death of his Virgil was causing this Tracy patriarch a great deal of pain. The fact that he had all but hidden away a vital part of what was a part of his son's existence was a testament to the grief he was feeling.

Virgil snapped himself out of his depressing thoughts and decided that he would go in search of Avery. He guessed that she had gone to her bedroom, and as he made his way towards the bedrooms he was grateful that the basic layout of the Villa was what he was familiar with. As he got closer to Avery's room – what would have been his room at home, he could hear voices up ahead; angry voices. He stopped and kept himself out of view, not wanting to get in the way.

"I saw the way he looked at you Avery," Scott snapped.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Avery snapped back. "I didn't come home for this interrogation."

"So why did you bother coming back?" he asked angrily.

"You know why Scott, you're my family, this is my home…although right now I'm beginning to regret my decision."

"Whatever," Scott spat out before he stormed out of Avery's room, running straight into Virgil. At first Virgil was expecting Scott to say something to him, but instead he just stood there staring at him angrily. For a moment Virgil thought that he was going to have to defend himself from an attack; but instead Scott just pushed passed him and made his way back down the corridor to his own room. Ignoring the uneasy sensation that had formed in the pit of his stomach after their encounter, Virgil rushed towards Avery's door. He was about to knock, but despite the door being closed he could hear crying coming from within.

"Avery, are you okay?" he asked as he made his way into her room. As he entered he saw Avery on her bed, her face buried in her hands as she sobbed. He made his way to her side and taking a seat next to her on the bed he placed a comforting arm around her. She moved so that her face was now buried in his chest.

"I'm sorry," she said a short while later, once she had composed herself, wiping her hands over her face as she lifted her head to look at him.

"I heard some of what he was saying to you…I could go and talk to him, explain things…" he offered, as he went to get up off the bed and go out and confront Scott.

"No, its okay – really," she pleaded, stopping him.

"Avery, he had no right to talk to you that way."

"I know," she admitted sadly. "I don't know what's happened with him. We used to get on really well, but after Virgil died – he changed. At first I thought it was because he was angry and upset at losing his brother; but I think there's more to it than that."

"What do you mean?"

Avery took in a deep shaky breath. Virgil could that she was struggling with what had taken place and he was about to tell her it was okay if she didn't want to talk about it if she didn't feel up to it; but she started to tell him before he had a chance to stop her.

"After Virgil died, we found some letters that he had written to each of us in case anything ever happened to him," she grabbed hold of an envelope that he hadn't noticed was lying next to her on the bed and held it tenderly in her hands. "Scott's behaviour changed the day he got his letter. There was something in that letter that is bothering him…I'm sure of it. But he refuses to talk to me about it."

Virgil looked down at the envelope that was now resting in Avery's lap. He could see that the envelope was still sealed; it had never been read.

"I didn't think I was going to get a chance to find out what it says," she said quietly when she noticed that Virgil was looking at the letter. "I just couldn't bring myself to read it before. I promised myself that once I finally got home I would read it. But know I have it in my hands again, I'm not sure I can do it."

"Why not?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I guess I spent the last few months wondering what it was that he had written to me…"

"…and now you're worried that it won't live up to your expectations," he finished for her, understanding the reason for her hesitation.

Avery gave a nod followed by a small chuckle. "Stupid I know, but yeah."

"It's not stupid at all. If you don't feel ready to read it, then wait until you feel like you are. But at least now you know you have the option again," he told her. She nodded again.

"I'll leave you alone to think about it okay," he said as this time he did get to his feet and went to make his way out of the room, when a question from Avery stopped him in his tracks.

"Would you read it to me?" she asked. Her voice was so quiet that Virgil wasn't sure that he had heard her properly. But when he turned back to her and saw her holding the envelope out to him, he knew he had heard her correctly.

"Avery…I don't think…" he stuttered, taken aback by her request.

"Please," she begged. The look she gave him told him that she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Okay," he conceded, "If you're sure that's what you want."

With a small smile, she carefully opened the envelope and took out the paper that was inside it and passed it over to him. With a trembling hand, Virgil took the letter and unfolded it gently. He stared down at the page in his hand. It felt strange looking at the writing that was so much like his own that he could almost imagine himself writing those words that were before his eyes; yet it was also strange seeing his handwriting knowing that he hadn't been the one to write it. Just when he thought he was finally coming to terms with the whole concept of an alternate reality, something like this would make him feel like he never would.

Clearing his throat, Virgil began to read the letter out loud.

'My darling Avery.

If you are reading this, then it means that I'm no longer with you. I hope that I died doing something noble, maybe even protecting those that I love; maybe protecting you.

It's so strange that although I feel like there are so many things that I want to say to you, now that I have sat down to put pen to paper I don't know what to write.

All I do know is that I love you. I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love another person. Meeting you made me understand what my parents must have felt towards each other and I now know why my father was never able to get over losing my mum. Because I don't think I'd be able to either if I was to lose you. You know I had always scoffed at the idea of love at first sight, but the day I met you I knew it was real. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was supposed to spend my life loving you…and that was before I had even heard you speak or knew your name. I just knew that you were the other half of my heart.

I also know that if I was in a situation where I had to choose between you or me, I would happily give up my life in a heartbeat without any hesitations or regrets…okay maybe I'd have a single regret – leaving you. I know it because you are the better part of me. You make me who I am and you make me want to be a better man for you and our future family.

I hate that I will no longer be by your side and that I am the reason why you are in so much pain. Because all I have wanted since the moment I met you was to bring love, joy and happiness into your life as you deserve all of it and more. I know you are all that to me.

I am so proud that I get to be able to call you my wife, my lover, my best friend. You are my heart and my soul and being your husband has been the greatest gift I have ever been given; I'm so lucky that you chose me.

I love you more than you could ever know and I want you to know that all I want is for you to be happy and to live the rest of your life without any guilt or regret.

I hope that someday my words will bring you some comfort.

You're ever loving and devoted husband

Virgil xxx'

When he had finished reading, he looked over at Avery. She was sat with her eyes closed and tears were falling down her cheeks.

"Avery…" he whispered. He could tell that she was still trying to process her husband's last words and he was hesitant to disturb her. On hearing her name, she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Virgil, a sad smile on her lips.

"Thank you for doing that for me. It can't have been easy for you," she told him as she took the letter back from him and returned it to its envelope before clutching it tightly to her chest.

"So did it meet your expectations?" he asked around the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Better," she told him "If it's okay, I'd like to be alone for a while."

"Of course, Jeff said that it was okay for me to use the guest room; so if you need me I'll be in there."

She gave a nod and watched as Virgil turned to leave just as his eyes finally took in the room around him. When he had first entered the room, he hadn't paid any attention to it as his main concern was Avery. But now he noticed that the room was a lot like his own room back home; only with more feminine touches here and there as Avery had told him the first time she saw his room. His eyes found the painting of Thunderbird 2 that was hanging on the wall, just like the one he had in his room. Next to it was a painting of Avery with Virgil, he noticed that it was signed by Virgil but he knew the moment he looked at it that he had been the only one who could have painted it. No one else would have been able to capture the feeling between the two of the same way that he had. In that moment, staring at the picture he suddenly felt like he was intruding on what had been a private moment between the two of them. As he looked away he noticed that Avery had been watching him and he felt a blush colouring his cheeks.

"I'll just…" he said as he cleared his throat and pointed over to the door.

"Thanks again," she said as he turned and left the room, he felt so embarrassed that she had see him staring at the painting that he didn't even stop to acknowledge her. However, he did catch a glimpse of her removing the letter from the envelope once more as he closed the door behind him.

Silently he made his way towards the guest room. After what had happened with Avery and reading that letter, he needed some time to process the emotions that were swirling around inside him. As he stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him, he failed to notice that Scott was standing in the corridor just outside.