Grandma and Virgil landed back on the island and were met by Scott and Gordon to help them with the shopping, Kayo unloaded the bags and watched Virgil drag himself up the stairs from the hanger before turning back to the groceries.

Gordon grinned, "hey Scotty, your gel is here."

Scott frowned as he snatched the bag from his brother, "thank you for shouting that out."

Kayo smirked as she took a bag out of the cargo box, "it's no secret to how much you use Scott."

"Very funny."

They took the shopping up to the kitchen and John helped Grandma put stuff away into the cupboards.

"Thank you, dear."

"How was the mission, Grandma? Virgil and I are really proud of you."

Grandma laughed, "don't worry yourself, John, I was fine the entire time."

"Where's Virgil?"

"I sent him to his room, the poor love is exhausted."

John nodded, "no doubt Scott will go and check on him?"

Grandma placed her hand on his shoulder, "you know your older brothers."

Scott unpacked the stuff Grandma and Virgil had picked up for him, then decided to go and check on his younger brother, he knocked gently and heard a muffled call from inside.

"Hey bro, thanks for getting me the extra stuff. Hey, are you alright?" Scott asked as his eyes fell on the curled up figure on the bed.

"Physically exhausted."

Scott smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, "it was only shopping and…" His words trailed off as he caught sight of a dark bruise on Virgil's shoulder, "how did you get that?"

"It's nothing," Virgil rolled over painfully, then hissed as Scott pulled the duvet off him, "hey!"

"Virgil, your whole side is bruised! What on earth have you done to yourself?" Scott flicked the light on and ran his fingers across the scratches, "I'm sending you to the infirmary."

"I'm fine."

"Bullshit, these are bad Virg, and don't try to hide them."

Grandma, spotting that Virgil's door was open, entered with a smile, "sweetheart, you forgot your piano strings…Oh heavens!"

Tears came to Virgil's eyes, "I was trying to keep them hidden."

Grandma crossed the room in seconds and pulled her grandson into a hug, "why didn't you tell me? Scott, run down to the kitchen and bring me up a couple of icepacks please."

Scott nodded, "sure thing."

"Oh Virgil, how did you get these?" Grandma turned his back to her and tutted at the small red marks running down his spine, "I should've got there sooner."

"No, this wasn't your fault, I pushed myself too hard," Virgil cried onto his pillow as Scott came back into the room with the ice, "the sheet metal almost crushed me."

Scott rejoined them, "what almost crushed you?"

"The warehouse," Virgil answered as he cried.

"Grandma, what happened on the mission exactly?"

Grandma placed an ice pack on Virgil's swollen shoulder, "we were on two missions, and Virgil took the main job."

"Of course."

"Shh. Well anyway, the sandstorm buried Virgil who was holding up the building, I drove in with The Mole and the roof was practically on the floor."

Scott stroked Virgil's flat hair as he felt the shudders continue, "did the shower help at all?"

Virgil shook his head as he sat up painfully, "not really, just eased the tension in my muscles."

"Bro, these are harsh bruises, nothing feels broken does it?"

"No," Virgil sniffed as he wiped tears away, "I fell on the jaws."

Grandma kissed his forehead, "wrap yourself up and get some sleep son."

Virgil snuggled painfully under his duvet and closed his eyes, "thanks for the ice."

Scott picked up the packet of strings, "I'll leave these on the piano for you."

"Just don't reattach it, you've never done it before," Virgil yawned.

Scott rolled his eyes, "wouldn't dream of it."

Grandma closed the door behind her and Scott, "I knew something had happened."

Scott frowned, "I always worry about him wearing those jaws, land on them in the wrong way and you're going to get hurt. I wish I could remind Virgil he's not indestructible."

Grandma stopped him in the corridor, "he does know that Scott, he just wants to help people so much."

Scott smiled, "I know. He's so caring."

"You all are," Grandma kissed his head, "I'm putting on some coffee, would you like one?"

"Thanks, Grandma," Scott smiled as they entered the lounge before walking over to the desk, he placed the replacement strings down on the lid of the piano then got to work on the reports as Grandma walked down to the kitchen.

Later in the afternoon, Virgil headed into the lounge wearing a fluffy dressing gown over a pair of pyjamas, he sat down with a small wince and Gordon frowned.

"What's wrong Virgil, you're dressed for flu season?"

"I'm alright Gordon, just tired from the mission," Virgil smiled, "sandy, and strenuous. My last few missions have stretched me to my limits."

"As long as you're alright. Right, I'm going for a swim."

Scott waited for the room to empty then turned to Virgil, "you should be resting."

"I didn't want to sleep anymore."

Scott rolled his eyes, "it's for your own good Virg."

Virgil shrugged and walked over to the piano, "I prefer to keep myself active."

"You're not really tuning that now?"

"New strings, I can't play until I've replaced them," Virgil opened up the lid and Scott frowned as he spotted his brother's arms shaking from the weight, "just carry on and don't worry about me."

"I always worry about you," Scott decided to change the subject, "so, I heard Grandma took over Thunderbird 2, how did she land her?" Scott asked as he wrote out his report.

"I did most of the work to begin with, it did mean I had to put my rescue victims on hold."

"What?"

"They were very understanding, it's fine," Virgil glanced down at his bruised fingers then clenched them around the tuning hammer as he leant over the piano, "ugh, this string always breaks."

Scott shrugged, "damn strings. Would you let someone take over Thunderbird 2 again?"

"Not really, although Grandma was good at driving The Mole," Virgil tightened the string, "Scott, I'm fine, trust me."

"How did you know I was looking at you?"

"You went quiet, it's always a sign," Virgil rolled his eyes then walked to the other end of the piano, "they're just bruises."

Scott turned around and took Virgil's hand in his, "you managed to damage your hand too?"

"That was from holding the roof up with the jaws, our gloves are great but they don't soften all the pain," Virgil sighed then pulled the string, "done."

Scott watched him sit down at the piano then glanced at the hammers moving up and down with the quick changes and fluent pedal releases, "don't push yourself too hard at the piano now."

"Scott please, just relax, I'm fine," Virgil looked up at him under his eyelashes, "I gave away my dice today."

"But you loved those?"

"The guy I gave them to really deserved them, he tried to do everything which I couldn't. I can always buy another pair," Virgil shrugged then winced as the movement hurt his arm, "just my shoulder."

"I really do think you should rest," Scott lowered the piano lid slightly and sat down on the swivel chair facing the piano, "you've had a tough day."

"No more than usual."

"Virgil, you've been in a sandstorm, that's a lot for one day. Not to mention having to pay more than 5p for a bag," Scott smirked then looked worriedly at Virgil who had stopped playing.

Virgil felt his eyelids droop and images appeared in his mind of the storm, he could hear Scott's voice in his mind but he couldn't get the ringing out of his head, "Scott, what's happening to me?"

Scott watched his brother come over clammy and in seconds he had his arms wrapped around the pianist's shoulders, "Grandma! Grandma?!"

Grandma heard Scott's cries and ran up the steps and over to the piano, "oh my boy, Scott what happened?"

"I don't know, he's suddenly clammy and shaking. Shall we take him to the infirmary?"

"No, take him to his room and I'll make him a tea. Check him over."

"Yes Grandma," Scott leant Virgil against him and walked out of the lounge just as Kayo was walking in, "Kayo."

"Virgil? Oh my God, is he ok Scott?"

"I don't know, could you help me get him to his room sweetheart?"

Kayo nodded, "of course," she walked with Scott keeping an eye on Virgil between them, "what happened?"

"He was playing the piano when he suddenly came over in a sweat," Scott nudged the door open with his foot and they got Virgil to his bed, "Kayo, could I have some privacy with my brother please?"

"Of course," Kayo kissed him tenderly then left the room.

Scott got Virgil into bed and helped him to undress, he ran a hand over his chest and frowned, "Virgil, does this hurt?"

"I feel faint Scott."

Scott gasped as he felt his brother's rib cage and paused on one, "shit. You've snapped a rib here, and any muscle strains will be even more painful thanks to exhaustion."

Virgil lay back with a harsh cough, "oh God."

Scott tutted as he stroked Virgil's warm forehead, "you're burning up, are those icepacks still cool at all?"

Virgil shook his head, "I'm in so much pain, what's happening to me?"

John ran in, "Scott, Grandma told me Virgil was ill?"

Scott nodded, "he's in shock, muscle strain."

Grandma walked in and placed a mug down, "he looks awfully pale, I'm going to phone our doctor to come out."

John shook his head, "no, not yet. We need to get his temperature under control, then he'll need morphine for that broken rib."

Grandma stood up, "I'll get some more ice."

"We need some healing pads too, Scott, stay with Virgil," John stood up and followed Grandma out.

Scott stroked Virgil's bruised hand, "I'm not going anywhere. You've pushed yourself way beyond your limits brother."

Virgil sniffed and tears leaked out under his lashes, "I'm sorry….I can hardly breathe. It hurts."

"Shh shh, stop talking and breathe through your nose, it might help the pain, have some tea."

Virgil held the mug between his shaking hands, "why am I shaking?"

"Lifting the piano lid was one step too far, take it easy," Scott smiled as Grandma walked back in with the packs, "thanks, Grandma."

"Here Virgil, I'm going to place one on your head, put the mug down," Grandma sat down on the bed and pressed the pack to his forehead.

Alan ran in, "what's happened!"

"Shh Ali, Virgil's just not feeling well, he'll be fine."

"What happened? I'm always the last to know."

"You can see him later, now let Virgil have some space," Scott ushered Alan out as John approached, "thanks, John."

"This will help the swelling, I've brought the morphine too," John walked in and shut the door leaving Alan to sulk outside, "how's he doing?"

"The temperature has gone down," Scott felt Virgil's forehead.

"Ok, which bruise is the rib under?"

Scott ran his finger across it, "here."

John placed the healing pad on the rib as Scott helped Virgil sit up, "take it slow Virgil, and be thankful it's only one."

Virgil smiled through his tears, "thanks, you three."

Grandma handed him a painkiller, "take this son, you're going to be homebound for a few weeks."

Virgil groaned, "but, what about Thunderbird 2?"

Scott sighed, "you're just going to have to trust Gordon, he didn't crash her on the panda mission the other day."

"Scott's right, he did very well in my opinion," John smiled as he taped the pad to Virgil's chest, "you can put your shirt back on now big brother."

Virgil smiled then painfully pulled his t-shirt over his torso, "getting dressed just got…a whole lot harder."

Scott heard impatient voices at the door and called out, "alright, come in!"

Gordon fell into the room followed by Alan and they ran over, Kayo walked in behind Alan, and Scott stopped the younger two before they could damage Virgil further.

"Virg, what's wrong?"

"Just a broken rib squid, nothing major."

"I didn't think my jokes could break ribs."

Virgil raised an eyebrow at him, "sad to say, this wasn't caused by you. The exhaustion packed it in."

Alan wrapped his arms around Virgil's neck lovingly, "I thought you were sick?"

"I'll survive Ali, but that's the last time I go shopping, and perform a mission on the same day."

Scott tutted, "it'd be better if you didn't perform stunts with your jaws of life."

"Sometimes I don't have a choice."

"Come on you lot, let Virgil have some rest and we'll take turns on checking on him," Grandma smiled as the room emptied.

Scott stayed behind with Kayo and he fluffed Virgil's pillow up, "don't lie down tonight Virg, it'll upset the rib."

Virgil yawned, "yeah I know."

Kayo smiled, "you gave us a right scare Virg, we can't lose our engineer."

Virgil smiled, "I'm not going anywhere, sis."

Scott tucked the duvet around his brother, "just get some sleep, do you need anything?"

Virgil shook his head, "you've already done so much for me, thanks."

"Alright, sleep well and do not lie on your side. Don't be afraid to scream in pain."

Virgil laughed then clutched his chest, "I guess I can't laugh."

"Advisable not to," Kayo tucked a small Thunderbird 2 plush toy against Virgil's arm, "here."

"Wow, I haven't cuddled this since I was a kid," Virgil smiled, "thanks, Kayo."

"Get well soon brother."

"See you later Virgil, remember to use the painkillers and sleep, if you even put one foot into the lounge I will push you back to your room," Scott stood up from the bed and turned the light off, "we'll go and snack on the cookies you bought."

"Oh come on!"

"We'll save one for you, don't worry."

Virgil sulked as the door closed and he snuggled down on the pillow to sleep, John opened the door quietly and tiptoed over to the bed, he edged himself across and lay down beside his brother to sleep, Virgil opened an eye sleepily and smiled.

"Thanks, John," Virgil whispered.

"I'm just glad you're safe big brother."

"I know I'm safe with all of you around me," Virgil yawned, "goodnight John," he fell asleep resting his head against his brother's and smiled as the images from the mission disappeared and were replaced by ones of his family.