Prompt: You Got A Friend
Seven-year-old Virgil was upset. Very upset. So upset he'd been crying, and Scott was beside himself. For the first time in their lives Virgil had pushed Scott aside and ran inside without him. To say Scott was shocked and upset was an understatement. To say their mom was confused was even more of an understatement.
There was less than three years between the eldest three, and Scott and Virgil had been inseparable since the younger had been born. Even Scott going to school hadn't made any difference. And when Virgil had followed his big brother they still did everything together that they could.
But this year Scott had gone up to Middle School and left Virgil behind, and for the first time there was a 'disruption in the force' as John had coined it (which had surprised them all since John hated Star Wars but he knew Scott loved it). She had yet to find the cause, and whatever had happened today had obviously tipped her artistic son over the edge.
Scott had made to follow Virgil upstairs, but Lucy stopped him. If they both were as upset as each other, and they definitely were, putting the two together would only result in an argument rather than fixing the problem.
No, this was something that required tact, a quality her eldest sadly lacked when a brother was upset. However, Lucy was aware that Scott was hovering outside the room when she entered and sat on the bed. She looked away as Virgil wiped his eyes before he looked at her, and she held her arms open, relieved when he took advantage and climbed onto her lap. They hugged for a few minutes before Lucy spoke.
'Sweetie, what's wrong?' Virgil looked down, fingers fiddling with one of her buttons, and she waited. He would answer, but he would take his time. 'Has Scott upset you?' Virgil shook his head. 'You know he thinks he has, don't you?' He nodded. Lucy squeezed a little tighter.
'Harry said Scott can't be my best friend.' Lucy frowned. 'Why would he say that?' Virgil sniffed. 'He said that because he's my brother he couldn't be my best friend as well. Best friends couldn't be family.' There was the tiniest hint of a sob. 'So Harry said he was my bestest friend and I wasn't to talk about Scott anymore.' There was definitely a sob this time. And a wail: 'I don't want Harry to be my best friend, I want Scott!'
And Scott was there, scooping his brother up and clinging to him as Virgil sobbed. 'I'll always be your friend, Virgil, always.' Virgil clung tighter. 'Promise?' he whispered. 'You always got a friend in me, Virg. Always.'
It was a big night for seventeen-year-old Scott. He'd finally wrangled a night off caring for his brothers and was on a date. And not just any old date. No, he was going out with Maria, the head cheerleader. The two of them had been going steady for nearly a year, and tonight was going to be a big date.
He was putting the finishing touches to his hair, watched closely by a six-year-old Alan as Virgil was perched on the bath chattering away something about a music concert. But Scott was only half listening, mind running through his plans for tonight and making sure he had everything.
Alan, Virgil and Dad waved him off, and Scott was grinning to himself as he drove his Dad's coveted Mustang. Maria was suitably impressed and they set off for the movie theatre, where there was more kissing than there was movie watching, but Scott had learnt the hard way and had seen the movie the day before. Annoying younger brothers would be asking questions.
They went to the local pizzeria next, and it was here that disaster struck. Just as Scott had ordered his phone rang, and he apologised to Maria while he answered. She scowled in response. As whoever was on the phone began to get more animated he frown deepened. She had big plans tonight, she was going to snag herself a Tracy, and no-one was going to get in her way, least of all another Tracy. Tonight had been months in the making and it was going to happen come hell or high water. She listened as Scott attempted to calm down whichever brat was on the phone, but it wasn't working.
'I'm really sorry, Maria. I gotta go. Something's wrong at home.' She put on her best pout and lightly fluttered her eyes. 'Really, Scott? I thought tonight was going to be our night, what could possibly be more important?' As soon as the words slipped out she realised her mistake, knowing how close he was to his brothers. Frantically searching for a way back as Scott frowned at her, Maria began to babble about how important tonight was to both of them. Scott cut her off.
'No, I gotta go. Stay and eat the pizza by all means, but I gotta go.' Her nostrils flared and she only just kept her temper. 'And how am I supposed to get home, Scott? It's freezing outside, I've got my best heels on and no way am I walking.' Scott got out his wallet and put some notes on the table. 'Call a cab, Maria, whatever you need. But please, I can't wait any longer,' and he was striding out.
How dare he put his brothers first? She'd show him.
By the time Scott made it home whatever the crisis was it was over, and a shamefaced Virgil was apologising for disturbing him. Scott took it on the chin and made everyone hot chocolate.
The next day Maria rode into school with Hank, the quarterback, and Scott's bitter rival. When he saw it Scott's face fell, and he was quiet for the rest of the day. It didn't take long for the rumours to start, but Scott knew what had happened and he ignored them all. But he was withdrawn for several days.
Finally Virgil couldn't take this new withdrawn Scott, even if he didn't understand exactly why his brother was sad. He knew it was about a girl, and even if Virgil was only fourteen and thought that girls were weird, he did understand that Scott had been looking forward to that night, and he had ruined it for him.
Mornings were never his forte, so to get up early was really something, and Virgil was determined to get downstairs before Scott. He didn't realise just how early Scott got up, but his big brother was out on his run, so Virgil took advantage to make pancakes. Blueberry ones. By the time Scott got back there was a small pile, and, knowing how much effort it would have taken Virgil just to get up, let alone cook, he was delighted and insisted they shared.
'What was that all in aid of, Virgil?' he asked when every scrap had been eaten. 'I wanted to cheer you up. You lost a friend because of me, and I'm sorry. I just wanted to say I'll always be your friend, Scott. Even if your other friends come and go, you've got a friend in me.' In reply Scott ruffled his hair and gave him a hug.
When the three eldest all went their separate ways such friendships were maintained by good communication despite the distance and whatever else was going on. It was a little harder for John to stay in touch, being in space and all that, and sometimes Scott wasn't the best at it because he was on missions, but they made it work, both as the three and as the whole family.
When Scott was shot down and was MIA for several months then found, those bonds of friendship were invaluable to keep him going in his recovery. When their father formed International Rescue and asked them to leave their lives behind their friendships are what carried them through.
When Virgil was shot down it was Scott's voice that kept him going. When Scott was the first one of them to get seriously injured it was Virgil that kept him going until they reached medical help.
When their dad went missing, presumed killed in a fireball, they kept each other going, each one relying on the other, for strength and leadership and understanding and support.
For Scott's 30th birthday Gordon bought them a joint present, saying that even though there was 28 months between them, they were so close it was like they were twins, even down to matching grey hairs. They proved his point by throwing him into the pool together, then played the holodisk he had given them.
It played a very old movie, one of Virgil's favourites growing up because he wanted to be a cowboy, while Scott (much to John's disgust) had insisted he was the spaceman because he could fly. But it was the song that caught Virgil's attention, and glancing at Scott he could see that it had grabbed his too. And they remembered all the times they had said they would be there for each other. And they always were.
You Got A Friend In Me.