They sat there like that for Virgil didn't know how long. He kept his eyes closed, his forehead down and his big brother's hand clutched in his.

"You know he is going to wake up, don't you?" It was flippant and out of the blue. It shattered Virgil's carefully tended calm and his head shot up, inadvertently pushing Gordon away.

"We don't know that."

"Yes, we do."

Virgil opened his mouth, but his throat closed up. Only one strangled word made it out and it was little more than a plaintive wail. "How?"

"Because he's Scott." The surety in Gordon's voice tore at the remains of Virgil's heart. "Scott Tracy. Commander of International Rescue." Gordon's lips thinned as his eyes reflected the fluorescent lighting. "Thunderbird One."

Virgil stared at his little brother a moment. The intensity in those brown eyes screamed belief and determination.

Not unlike Scott, really.

It almost broke Virgil in half.

He looked away, back to his big brother laid out on the white bed, almost funereal in appearance. Virgil's throat clogged up, fear, distress and grief warring for dominance.

His eyes fixated on Scott's eyelashes once again and mentally begged them to open, pleaded to see that wise and inspirational blue. For his brother to return to him.

Please don't leave.

God, please, I can't do this without you.

"He's going to be fine, Virgil." Gordon's voice again intruded on his stability, shaking the fragile framework his composure was sitting on.

"He trusted me." The words fell from his lips, his voice wet, his eyes still fixated on his silent brother.

"He always trusts you. We all do." Gordon's voice was very much his rescue voice. Soft, reassuring and ever so kind.

Virgil didn't deserve it.

The powerlines had come out of nowhere. He should have predicted that at least, but instead he had John yelling in his ears and Scott swooping in low with his jetpack, grabbing him by his exo-suit and literally shoving him out of the way. Virgil had spun on one tortured ankle, but the electrical wires had missed him.

They hadn't missed Scott.

They slapped across his jet pack and vivid white and orange sparks blinded Virgil as he tried to reach for his brother. After-images haunted his sight as Scott's jet pack died. Virgil reached for his brother, claws extended, but he was clumsy, poorly balanced, and he missed.

Scott fell limp into the dark water below.

And Virgil couldn't follow.

Then it was all a mad dance to get out the reach of the still flailing powerlines, accompanied by the roar of his own 'bird swooping into a low hover and his aquanaut brother taking a swan dive off her front hatch into that same dark water.

Virgil hurried to get off the bridge, but found he couldn't.

He had been on the outside of the structure, rappelling down to secure a car that had almost fallen off the bridge due to the 6.5 quake an hour ago. The bridge was almost empty bar the last of the support personnel who had helped International Rescue evacuate the injured. Virgil had clambered out there simply to clip a restraint onto the car's chassis to prevent it from falling off the bridge and possibly causing more injury. It should have been a simple job, mere seconds before they moved onto the next site.

The pylon had fallen without warning.

And the powerlines, which weren't supposed to be there, came with it.

Scott had saved Virgil's life.

At the cost of his own.

And now Virgil couldn't even get off the damned bridge due to that same pylon, a tangle in his rappel line, and the very strong possibility he had a broken ankle.

He had to stand there and watch Gordon drag their brother onto the shore and start CPR in the mud.

The aquanaut was joined by Alan and a hovering One almost immediately. Scott was scooped off the planet and the rocket plane tore off into the distance.

He was stuck on that bridge for a good twenty minutes. Unable to reach his 'bird still hovering until John landed her in a street nearby. Unable to climb off the bridge. He was little more than just another rescuee in need of his brothers.

Full of terror.

John reported on Scott's status as much as he could and fretted in his own calm way over Virgil. His voice was, as ever, a balm, but the lack of a definitive answer on whether his eldest brother was going to survive kept Virgil's heart rate in the red.

But then there was the familiar roar of that same brother's 'bird and One shot into an abrupt hover, Alan rappelling down and finally scooping Virgil off the side of the bridge.

Scott was still unconscious when Virgil finally made it to the hospital, and his brother had stayed that way ever since.

Three days.

Three long pain-filled days.

Virgil's ankle had been splinted and he was mobile. Turned out the left strut of his exo-suit had actually snapped. How Scott had managed to shove him with that much force, Virgil had no idea. But it had achieved what his brother had wanted to do. He had saved Virgil, even if he hadn't managed to save himself.

So quiet. So still.

Gordon shifted beside him, a small sigh passing his lips.

"Thank you, Gordon." Virgil's throat clogged again. "For saving him."

"You don't need to thank me. We'd all do the same for any of us."

"You shouldn't have had to. I should have known those wires were there. I should have moved faster."

"What are you? Prophetic? John had the plans for that bridge, you had the plans for that bridge. There was no mention of hidden cables in that span. You know it, I know it. There wasn't a damn thing you could have done. Some stupid idiot didn't file the proper papers with the proper authorities."

"I should have scanned the structure more thoroughly."

"Virgil, it was a bridge, not a damned building. You and Scott located all the injured. You did good." An exasperated sigh. "This was not your fault." Gordon straightened. "And if you don't leave this room and eat something, Grandma is going to have both our hides."

Virgil didn't even bother to look at him. "No. I'm staying here." He had to, because Scott had to wake up.

He had to.

"I have to say, bro, I had to talk very fast to keep Grandma away. Forty-eight hours is ridiculous. You need food and rest."

"I ate." The discarded remains of breakfast sat on the sideboard. It had been cardboard and chaff in his mouth. The water had been welcome to wash it down.

And he'd kept it down...mostly.

Gordon glared at him. "More than three mouthfuls. Listen, if you don't move yourself, John and I are going to move you for your own good."

Virgil looked up at Gordon in shock. "No." He had to be here.

"You're forcing our hand, Virg! I will knock you out myself, if I have to, and I know...I know...Scott would agree."

"Yes, he does." It was parched and more breath than voice, but it was Scott.

Virgil spun in his chair as the fingers still wrapped in his hands curled around his. Dopey blue eyes pinned him from the bed. "What the h-hell are you doing, Virgil?"

"Scott!" Something inside broke. A dam, a wall of emotion slammed into him at the sight of that crease between Scott's eyebrows, the twitch of his lips.

It took everything he had to hold it all in.

"Hey, big bro, you're with us! How are you feeling?" Gordon was on his feet and practically bouncing. A blink and his little brother had thumbed his comms and was letting their family know.

The figure under the bed clothes shifted and groaned. "Stiff and sore. What the hell happened?"

"You got zapped like a bug, went for a swim, and made Alan fly you to these luxurious accommodations." Gordon's arm waved around at the white room.

Scott stared at Gordon a moment before blearily turning to Virgil, his expression pleading an explanation.

Virgil pushed it past the lump in his throat, voice parched. "You were hit by live powerlines and knocked from the sky. Fortunately, you were over water and fairly low. Gordon fished you out and saved your life."

A blink as those blue eyes absorbed that. "What about you?" And there was memory in those eyes, worry for a younger brother, the drive that pushed Scott to give his everything.

For his brothers.

"I'm good." Now.

"Bullshit, Virg." Gordon's expression was beyond exasperated. "You need rest."

Lips thinned. "I know what I need, Gordon."

The hand that was still in his tightened and Virgil was forced to look at Scott. Nothing was said, but everything was communicated.

For his brothers.

Scott would not rest if Virgil did not.

He swallowed his beating heart and with a gentle squeeze of his brother's hand, Virgil stood up and straightened his shoulders. "I sh-should let the others know you're awake."

Virgil was vaguely aware of Scott frowning up at him as he reached for his crutches, but a sudden light-headedness distracted him. Perhaps he should eat something.

"Virg?" Scott's voice was weak.

"What?" Virgil turned and the world turned with him.

A clatter of plastic chair and Gordon was suddenly in his face. "Hey, there, Virg. Take it slow." His little brother was frowning as much as Scott, his hand gripping Virgil's biceps holding him steady.

Virgil got his crutches under his arms. "I'm...good."

Scott was struggling to sit up.

Gordon let go of Virgil with one hand and grabbed his eldest brother by the shoulder. "Hey, you stay put."

"Virgil-"

"Virgil is fine, Scott. He is going to go to his rooms to eat and sleep for a good twelve hours even if I have to tie him to his bed." A thumb to his collar. "John, I need you in here."

Within seconds, the door opened and their red-haired brother strode in. The moment those turquoise eyes landed on Virgil, his brow creased into a frown, but it flickered as he turned to Scott, relief taking over.

Gordon didn't give him a chance to say anything

"Johnny, a clear case of Operation Big Bro Tango. You want Scott? I'll dance with Virg."

A smirk curved John's lips. "FAB."

"What the hell?" That came from Scott.

Virgil had closed his eyes at some point. The world was still going around. The sound of a chair being dragged across the floor and an arm wrapped around his waist. "C'mon, Virg, let's get you something to eat."

He didn't want to eat. He was nauseous and his head hurt and his heart was tied up in a mass of emotion that he could barely keep under control.

"Scott-"

"Scott will be fine. John has him, and I have you."

"I'm..." But he wasn't fine and he had to get out of this room before Scott realised it. Before... "I'm good." That last word scraped over his larynx and left a bloody trail. He forced his eyes open to find a worried Scott staring up at him. John's hand was on his eldest brother's shoulder and he was speaking quietly to the man, obviously trying his best to keep Scott where he was. Virgil forced some steel into his spine. "I'm good, Scott. I'm going to get something to eat. Gran...Grandma will probably be here in a moment." His hand tightened on his crutches and he carefully edged around the chair that had been his constant companion for the last few days.

Gordon hovered.

"Look after yourself, Virgil." Scott's voice was desperate.

Virgil didn't look back. "I'm good. You worry about you." A haggard breath. "Listen to John."

He got a grunt for that as Gordon held open the door, urging him through.

A last glance at his big brother, now sitting up in bed, John's hand still on his shoulder. Virgil turned his back to him and crutched his way through the door.

He made it all of five steps down the corridor before Gordon had to catch him as he fell.

-o-o-o-