Enough

by Gumnut

Virgil just wasn't enough.

"I don't want Virgil there, Dad."

Virgil froze just outside the entrance to the comms room.

"Scott, you will need him and Thunderbird Two for this."

"No. I'll take Gordon."

"Scott-"

"I don't want him there!"

"Scott, this is a delicate operation. Virgil has the skills required. I would prefer-"

"No. He can't do it."

"Can't?"

"Dad-"

"Are you doubting your brother?"

"No!"

"Then take him."

"No!"

"I don't understand. You two have always been a pair. Gordon could do the job, but this is Virgil's speciality. Why take the risk?"

"I'm not taking Virgil into a warzone!"

"You don't think he can handle it." It wasn't a question.

Scott didn't answer immediately. "I don't want him to have to handle it. Gordon has the experience. I trust him."

Virgil swallowed hard, his heart sinking. The rough rock wall scraped across his fingertips as he clenched his hands against it.

"Very well. Though I'm going to leave it to you to explain to your brother why you need his 'bird, but not him."

Scott's grunt was frustrated.

Virgil's shoulders dropped and he turned back to the stairs and began climbing back up to his studio.

Obviously, he wasn't needed.

-o-o-o-

Scott found it unusually hard to locate Virgil. The man was not in his usual haunts. His studio door was locked, his rooms empty. Two's hangar was empty except for Gordon who was finishing a final prep of Two for the mission.

It was going to be a fast in/fast out escorted by the GDF. He was hoping to keep the risk minimal. The target was a group of refugees trapped in a cave system at the edge of disputed territory. The stories coming out of the area were not good, but John had intercepted a distress call that could only be actioned by International Rescue, so they were up to bat.

Now Scott just needed to explain to Virgil why Gordon was going and he wasn't.

Scott was not looking forward to this conversation. Virgil would not like it in the slightest. The argument was liable to be pyrotechnic.

If he could just find the man.

"Scott!"

Scott cursed under his breath as his father approached. "We have a go. Colonel Casey reports a window. She'll meet you and Gordon in Auckland. Launch in fifteen."

Scott straightened. "FAB."

Then he was moving, more commander than big brother.

His heart ached though, because obviously something obviously wasn't right and leaving without speaking to Virgil was just wrong.

But duty was duty.

Fifteen minutes and both Thunderbirds One and Two launched from the Island.

Still no sign of Virgil.

-o-o-o-

Standing on a cliff at the edge of the Island, Virgil watched the two Thunderbirds launch. It was a spectacular sight. One he rarely saw from this perspective.

It felt so wrong to let his brother go without saying goodbye. But his heart was hurting and he didn't want Scott to see that and if he saw Scott right now, Scott would see right through him.

His brother did not need the distraction.

"John?"

"Virgil, I don't like this. You should speak to Scott."

"Later."

"He's been looking for you for the last half an hour. He's left without saying goodbye. You know how he hates that."

"I'll make it up to him."

"You know his thoughts on that, too."

Virgil sighed. Of course, he did. They were never guaranteed a 'later' so the unspoken rule was to attend to family matters now.

"I just needed some time. Two is fully equipped. Gordon is fully capable."

John sighed. "You know this isn't a reflection on your capabilities. You know Scott-"

"I know, John." He did. He knew the decision process behind it. Both of his military brothers' training, the skill set that was needed that he knew he didn't have. It was all logical and correct.

It still felt like failure.

Virgil was supposed to be Scott's support, his second-in-command, his right-hand man, the one who was always there to help him.

But there was obviously some situations that he couldn't be there.

Times where he wasn't wanted.

Times where he wasn't enough.

"Virgil-"

"I'm fine, John. Don't worry. You're needed elsewhere. Talk later." And he killed the connection.

Virgil sat down on a rock and stared out at the ocean.

He sat there for a very long time.

-o-o-o-

Scott had never been so thankful for a decision in his life.

The 'refugees' had turned out to be revolutionary forces caught in a snare by their dictator government. By calling in International Rescue, they had galvanised IR's position on a matter they had nothing to do with.

Scott and Gordon had barely gotten out alive. Two was sporting damage down one side that could have grounded her if the explosive had landed any closer to her tail.

And that was after they had managed to escape the government's clutches. Scott had a rib that wasn't very happy and Gordon was sporting a black eye. It had taken some serious cover supplied by the GDF and some rather grizzly scenes to make their escape.

Aunt Val knew the value of the Thunderbirds themselves and would never let the vehicles into the hands of such a corrupt group.

But there had been innocents there as well, caught in the crossfire.

Scott swallowed. It had been a long time since he had faced a situation where the options were that poor.

Gordon knew the deal. Knew the tough decisions had to be made.

Virgil…he trusted his brother with his life, but his heart was gentle…

Scott pressed his lips together as they approached Tracy Island. Okay, if he was honest with himself, Virgil would make the right decisions. His brother was too smart not to. But Scott didn't want him to have to make those decisions. He did enough on rescues. He didn't need to be directly responsible for what their sole purpose was to prevent.

Scott didn't want to see him go through that.

He shouldn't have to.

He shoved One into vertical flight above the Island and his side complained. The rib was likely only bruised or possibly cracked. He had refused attention from the GDF doctors. He had scanned himself and Gordon at the first opportunity and they had decided to go home.

Virgil was foremost on his mind.

There was guilt regarding exposing Gordon to this situation as well. Every big brother cell in his body hated it. But Gordon was qualified. He had seen action. He had the mental defences. He knew the deal. The two of them, along with Kayo and Penny, were the backbone of IR's tactical skill set. Virgil and John had strengths in other areas. Alan…Scott shuddered…no…just no.

It was Scott's job to protect them and he would fight until his last breath to do so.

Even if he hurt them a little in the process.

One lowered through the pool into her gantry and he finally began to relax a little as she trundled back into her hangar.

He let out a breath as she finally came to a halt.

A red shirted figure stood in front of his elevator, arms folded across his chest and a frown on his face.

Virgil.

His heart lifted at the sight. Something lifted off his shoulders as everything wrong suddenly felt right again.

But at the same time, there was dread.

Regardless, he triggered the pilot retrieval system and climbed out of his chair onto the platform.

The brown eyes that followed his every movement spoke volumes.

Aunt Val had dobbed him in.

He sighed as the platform reached his brother and Virgil held out a hand to help him off.

"How serious?"

"It's minor, Virg."

"Fortunately, I don't need to rely on your diagnosis." With that his brother dragged him away from the edge and pulled out a medscanner. Within moments, the yellow light was flickering all over his dirty uniform.

"Gordon-"

"Grandma's got Gordon. I've got you." Virgil glared at the readout enough to laser it out of existence. "And a hairline fracture of the fifth rib on your left side. You're off rescues for six weeks."

"Virg-"

"Minimum."

That shut him up. Virgil knew what he was doing.

Virgil's skill set lay right here, front and centre.

Scott Tracy wasn't one to apologise for his command decisions. They were command decisions, after all. They had to be made, but there was something in the way that Virgil just wasn't looking at him, some kind of…sorrow…emanating off his brother that just had the word 'sorry' aching to be said. To make things better.

He didn't say it.

As Virgil bundled him off to the infirmary with a handful of short words, Scott found himself watching the man, reading those familiar lines, the shift of those heavy lifting shoulders, the flicker of a glance that darted away as they left the elevator for the corridor.

It was obvious Virgil knew he had been left behind. Knew the reason why.

And hated it.

Nothing was said as Virgil nudged him into the infirmary…which was strangely empty of a fish brother, a grandmother and the expected worried father. Scott frowned as he sat down on one of the beds.

"Where's Gordon?"

"I asked Grandma to use Two's infirmary."

Scott blinked. "Why?"

"Because I want to talk to you."

Scott's heart sank. "About what?"

"Take your uniform off. Try not to get mud…or ash…on the bed." Virgil was fussing in a cabinet, apparently looking for something.

He did as he was asked and dirt flaked to the floor. It hurt and Virgil was suddenly there, easing his baldric over his head and, with a quick flick of a laser cutter, removing the top of his uniform.

The smell of burning fabric made his nose itch as his undershirt fell to the floor.

Virgil didn't say anything as he examined Scott's chest. The bloom of bruising was becoming very apparent. The fact there was nothing that could be done for a broken rib other than painkillers and rest made it very obvious that Virgil's fussing was little more than procrastination.

"Virg?"

His brother grabbed his hand and gave him a tiny plastic cup with two pills in it. He shoved a glass of water in the other. "Swallow. For the pain."

Scott eyed the medication, noting the strength, but the dark eyes staring him down made him gulp them as fast as possible.

The glass and cup were taken from his fingers and placed on the sink.

Virgil didn't turn back to face him. He leant heavily on the basin, his shoulders slumping. "I know why you did what you did."

"Virg-"

His brother's hand shot up and brought him to a halt.

"I know why…and…" Virgil sighed, closing his eyes. "I agree with it."

Scott blinked and stared. That was…unexpected.

Virgil pushed off the sink and straightened, turning to face him. "I agree with it, but I don't have to like it." There was a sudden vulnerability in those brown eyes Scott hadn't seen since they were children. "I'm glad you have Gordon to back you up." His brother's lips clamped tight and he reached down to pick Scott's shirt off the floor. "I just wanted you to know that."

There was something missing. Virgil's body language was desperately trying to convey his support, but his brother couldn't lie to save himself. Never could. It was something Scott loved about the man, something he so wanted to protect. "And?"

"And you should go to bed and rest. Make sure to take a deep breath every now and again, and regular pain medication. You know the drill."

Did he ever.

But still Virgil was hiding something. It was there. Call it his sixth sense where his brother was concerned. He knew the man. Knew how he thought, could predict how he would act. Knew…

No.

"Virgil, you are exactly what I need you to be."

His brother froze in the middle of the floor.

Bingo.

"You are everything and more. I could never ask for more. Could never WANT more."

Virgil turned to face him, eyes ever so sad. "Except in that situation. I'm not enough to have your back." He swallowed and turned away. "And I hate it."

Scott let out a frustrated breath. "My god, Virg, what the hell do you expect of yourself. Your skillset is-"

But Virgil spun around. "I expect to be there for you in whatever capacity you need me to be. But I can't. Not there. Not today. Not next time. Because there will be a next time. God, I hope there isn't, but there will be. And I will have to stand by and let you go without me and…and… damnit, that's not the way it is supposed to be!" He stopped as if he had run out of words to express how he felt. But Virgil's eyes said everything.

Scott reached out and grabbed him by his shoulders, flinching as the action pulled at his ribs. "Virg, you were there! If you hadn't prepped Two the way you had, we wouldn't have been able to lift off as fast as we did. You had our backs! Ask Gordon. You know Two better than any of us. You know what she needs for her to fly her best. You were there, Virgil, exactly where we needed you to be. Do you hear me? You are more than enough. You are my brother, Thunderbird Two more than that flying green brick could ever be."

Virgil stared at him, eyes wide for a solid moment, shock in his expression. Then…

"Flying green brick?"

Scott deflated, one hand climbing up Virgil's shoulder to his neck pulling him forward so Scott could touch his forehead to his own. "You idiot."

Virgil let out a frustrated breath. "I just wish…"

"I don't. I want you here."

"You don't have to watch."

"Yes, I do. Every damned day and I hate it just as much as you do."

Virgil's groan was more a frustrated whine.

With a sigh, Scott pulled him in closer, dragging him into the hug Scott probably needed more than Virgil did.

His brother didn't return the gesture with any of his usual gusto, obviously cautious of Scott's injury, but he did wrap his arms around him ever so gently and rest his head on Scott's shoulder.

Scott held him like that for some time, at least until he winced enough for Virgil to notice and back off in a hurry.

He was subjected to another brief flicker of the scanner for his efforts.

"You need rest."

He needed to know Virgil was okay. "I'll live." As if to prove the fact, he pushed himself off the bed ever so carefully onto his feet. "What I do need is a shower." And to check on Gordon.

As if his thoughts had summoned his brother, there was a knock on the door. "Hey, Scotty, has Virg finished skinning you alive yet?"

Virgil answered for him. "Why, are you volunteering to be next?"

"Hey, no fair! It wasn't my fault. They're the one's who tried to blow up Two, not me."

Virgil froze. "What?!"

The door was still shut, but Scott could read Gordon's sudden terror in his silence. "Hey, Virgil, it wasn't his fault."

Brown eyes pinned Scott where he stood. "What wasn't his fault?"

"Umm…"

"Scott? What did he do to my 'bird?"

"The brick's fine!"

"She's not a brick!"

"Flies like one."

"She's stable, unlike One, which so high strung a gust of wind in the wrong direction could slam her into a mountain."

"She's agile."

"She's suicidal."

"Only under the wrong hands."

"Same could be said for Two."

"Maybe."

"Good."

"Good."

They glared at each other a moment longer, enough for Scott to curl his lips just a little to break the moment.

A sigh and Virgil's shoulders dropped. "You asshole."

"What's a big brother for?"

He received a grunt for that. "Go to bed while I inspect my 'bird."

"It wasn't his fault."

Another sigh. "I know. Go to bed, you need it."

It was Scott's turn to grunt.

Virgil yanked the door open for him, only to have Gordon almost fall flat on his face. "What the hell?"

"Hey, Virg." Gordon's smile was weak and a little terrified. But it was Virgil's eyes settling on his little brother's eye injury that nearly broke Scott.

Gordon apparently wasn't any happier. "Hey, don't worry. I'm fine. Certified by none other than Grandma. Certificate of healthiness is in the mail if you need one."

There was always a spark in Gordon.

"Go to bed. Both of you."

"Virg…" His name was a whine.

"Now. While I go and inspect what you've done to my 'bird."

Gordon gulped. "Ah, yeah."

"It's fine, Gordon. Virgil isn't going to kill you, are you Virgil?"

"Still up for debate. If both of you don't move your asses into bed, the decision will likely not be in your favour."

Gordon didn't have to be told a third time. He darted out the door and down the hall without another word.

Scott smiled. Walking past Virgil, he slipped a hand onto his brother's shoulder and squeezed gently. "Thank you."

"Go and get some rest. I have work to do."

Scott smiled at him.

"Get. Now."

The smile only got wider and Scott ducked his head as he left.

Yes, Virgil was what and where he needed to be.

And more than Scott could ever ask for

-o-o-o-

FIN.