This is tsarinatorment 's fault. She wrote this amazing fic, Bloodbath, where neither Gordon or Scott come out particularly well. Please read the warnings on that fic before reading.
Consequently, the Virgil in my head went completely apeshit and demanded to be heard.
So, here we have a sequel to tsarinatorment 's fic where Virgil arrives on scene.
Thank you to both tsarinatorment and janetm74 for the readthough and support.
No real warnings on this one. Scott and Gords haven't had a good time and a lot of Virgil comfort was needed. I hope you enjoy it :D
-o-o-o-
The air burned as Thunderbird Two killed speed above Brize Norton, her presence forecast by an urgent Thunderbird Five.
Three words.
"We found him."
It had been a week since Scott had disappeared from a night club in Italy. A business conference that his brother had both been loathing and anticipating. The former because of the smarmy hangers on, the second for the chance at a little nightlife.
Security was an issue. It was always an issue. But Kayo had been on it.
A bomb, three dead security guards, five dead civilians and a nightclub of terrified patrons had been the result.
How far someone would go to obtain a Tracy had been underestimated.
And Scott was gone.
Kayo went mad. Horrified and furious, she was inconsolable. She disappeared, the only proof of life a word or two from an equally apoplectic Penelope.
They would find him or die trying.
John wasn't much better. His initial frantic was replaced with cold and calculated. Eos was everywhere.
But despite all that, despite the power and skill of the Tracy legacy, it still took five days to discover even an inkling of what had happened.
A cult. A bunch of fanatics who claimed Scott was a messiah or something.
Virgil stood in the lounge staring at Penelope's lips as they explained that his brother was still missing and they still didn't even know where to look.
By evening Gordon was gone as well.
It was Alan who discovered their aquanaut's absence and if Virgil clung to his little brother just a little longer than was needed, his excuse was simply that he needed to do SOMETHING and if comfort was all he could give, then by god, he was going to give it.
Another two days. With half his family missing it was Grandma who kept him sane. Grounded him in a way no meagre hobby of use of his hands could do.
And then Aunt Val finally made the call.
"We found him."
Thunderbird Two hit the ground with a thump. Eyes of GDF personnel stared up at her, but Virgil ignored them as he grabbed a medkit, lowered himself to the tarmac and ran.
Scott had been found.
It was with hope and a little dread that he followed the GDF aide into the depths of the building.
The dread increased as he was led to an office that clearly did not hold his brother. The desk and two chairs only emphasized the emptiness of the room.
The moment his godmother walked in, his heart plummeted.
"Where is he?"
Her eyes were kind. "Virgil, he's safe. He's with Gordon."
"Gordon?"
Aunt Val looked away and sat down on the edge of the desk. "Yes, your brother was very…persistent in this matter."
Virgil frowned. Gordon had worked with the GDF? "I would have thought that would be expected." A breath. "Are they okay?"
Aunt Val looked back at him. "Yes. Though Scott is still unconscious. A harmless sedative according to scans. Gordon has him."
"Then why am I here and not with them?" His fists clenched and unclenched.
She looked down at his gloved hands before again catching his eyes. "They will be here shortly." A small frown crinkled her forehead. "Virgil…tread carefully."
The words were meant kindly, but they only wound him up more. Where were his brothers?
Before he could say anything, the door behind him was nudged open and Gordon staggered in carrying their eldest brother.
Virgil didn't think. He just acted.
"Oh god, Gordon!"
He moved in, reaching for them, only to have his little brother stagger backwards out of reach.
"Gordon?" The aquanaut was ever so pale, his face a little scratched as if he had been scrubbing it with his fingernails. The GDF uniform was baggy on him as if it didn't quite fit properly. But it was his eyes that were the worst.
They were haunted.
"Gordy?"
His brother blinked as Scott's head lolled against his shoulder. "Virg?"
Ever so gentle. "Hey, Fish."
Gordon's arms were trembling under his brother's weight, his white knuckles clinging to the sickly grey of Scott's uniform.
"Can I see him?" Virgil took a small step forward, his eyes on Scott.
Gordon blinked. "Sure." But the aquanaut made no offer to come any closer.
"Do you want to sit down? Here…" Virgil grabbed one of the chairs and gestured Gordon to sit in it.
Virgil bit the inside of his cheek.
But Gordon slid into the chair and Virgil was thankful. His little brother was so pale…
But Scott…Virgil crouched down and reached into the medkit, grabbing the scanner. The flash of yellow startled Gordon and his eldest brother was drawn closer to the aquanaut. Regardless, the readouts started streaming back to the tablet in Virgil's hand.
Oh, thank god.
It was as his godmother had said. Unconscious, but his vitals were good. Strong indicators of a familiar but mostly harmless sedative in his system. He may as well have been asleep.
Of course, Virgil would be happier if he were awake, but he was so grateful to be seeing him after so long, it knotted in his throat.
But he couldn't let the relief flow just yet.
There was definitely something wrong with Gordon.
The yellow light flickered over his fish brother and he flinched again.
It was both a relief and a worry that only Gordon's historic injuries registered. Inflammation was forming at the base of his spine, probably in reaction to the weight he was carrying. Scott was far from light. Virgil knew from experience. Gordon had the arms and the strength, but not the stability and it was likely adrenalin and desperation were a big player in the fact his little brother could still clutch Scott to his chest.
Virgil slipped the scanner and tablet back into the medkit and quietly dropped it to the floor.
Pulling off his gloves, he let them drop to the floor beside the kit.
Gordon's eyes followed his every move.
A pause, and then holding his breath, Virgil reached out and lay a gentle hand on Gordon's shoulder.
When his brother didn't flinch away, he squeezed gently. "Let's take him home."
Gordon blinked at him, staring.
"Gordon?"
Another blink. "Yes. Virgil. Take him home."
But his brother didn't move.
Scott continued to breathe evenly against Gordon's collar bone.
Virgil reached out and brushed a finger through Scott's hair, both for himself and to gauge Gordon's response.
His fish brother immediately drew Scott in tighter and away from Virgil.
The medic let a quiet breath out between his teeth.
He knew what this was. There were textbooks and diagnoses and he had encountered it in the field himself many times.
It hurt more when it was a brother.
Cautiously but determined, Virgil moved the hand on Gordon's shoulder to the back of his neck and the bare skin there. Pressing warm palm to tense neck muscles, he leant in and touched his forehead to Gordon's ever so softly.
Quiet. Loving. "He's safe, Gords. You can let go. You've saved him."
There was nothing at first, other than a fine tremble of muscles used past their limit.
Then…
"Virgil?" His name was little more than a sob.
"I've got you. You're safe. Scott's safe. We can go home." A pause. He exhaled, relief in his voice. "We can go home."
There was a strangled sound before Gordon once again went silent. But his head slipped slowly past Virgil's to land on his shoulder.
A moment of hesitation, wary his brother might bolt, and Virgil slid his other arm around both Scott and his little brother.
There was no sound other than Scott's even breathing.
Gordon continued to tremble.
Virgil sat there, giving his brother time. He didn't know what had happened to either of them, but he did know it was bad and it hurt.
His heart ached for Gordon and feared what would happen when Scott awoke. What horrors had both of them witnessed? How badly were his brothers injured in ways no medical scanner could ever reveal?
If he clung a little to both of them, he felt he had enough reason.
But Gordon was obviously exhausted and Scott needed to go home. Scanner or no scanner, Virgil wouldn't be happy until they were both safe on Tracy Island under the watchful eye of Grandma.
He pulled away slowly to find Gordon almost asleep and blinking up at him wearily.
Virgil caught those tired eyes. "Let me help you." He slipped his arms under Scott and gently lifted him away from Gordon.
Gordon continued to stare blearily.
"C'mon, bro. Let's go home."
Scott's head lolled on Virgil's shoulder as the engineer pushed himself to his feet arms full of big brother. Big being the keyword.
Gordon blinked, looked at his empty lap and then back up at Virgil.
"I've got him, Gords."
The aquanaut stared a moment longer before nodding once and getting to his feet. He reached down and grabbed the medkit and Virgil's gloves as if an automaton.
Virgil eyed him a moment longer before turning towards the door.
The expression on Aunt Val's face stopped him in his tracks.
Her eyes were wide, but he frowned at her and stopped her from saying anything.
A swallow and she held the door. They slipped through quietly.
Corridors and doors and finally the ever so welcome sight of his 'bird.
Gordon walked beside him as Two lowered her hatch. Stepping aboard, Virgil turned and nodded at their godmother who had followed them out.
No words were necessary.
Gordon leant in and his head touched Virgil's shoulder.
A moment and the hatch retrieved them into Two's belly.
They were going home.
-o-o-o-
FIN.