sorry about the time it's taken me to update, case of uni work taking priority just now. anyway, hope you enjoy and thanks again for the reviews
A year passed, filled with missions, Gordon's jokes, looking after a baby girl and building a family that was closer than it possibly ever had been. Things were beginning to look positive. From the balcony of the house, Jeff watched the water polo match being played in the pool below him. It was a furious match, old versus young and it looked as though much of it had degraded into an attempt to drown Scott and Virgil rather than score against them. The yells of four grown men acting like teenagers always made Jeff smile as he watched Scott score a point effortlessly as Virgil held Gordon under the water.
"I think we won," Scott said, leaping out of the pool. He smiled at Tin Tin, who was bouncing a very happy baby on her knee.
"That was quite a match," she said, handing him a towel and casting her eyes over his tanned torso. Scott tickled the baby's cheek.
"Well, age is always an advantage." He sat down next to her, rubbing his hair dry.
"I think Virgil might need your help," she commented. Scott glanced back at the pool and laughed as he saw Virgil fighting desperately to keep the younger brothers as far from him as possible.
"He can handle it I think."
"How is he coping?" Tin Tin asked, lowering her voice.
"He's doing okay I think. He's really trying to get back to normal…he certainly looks happier." Tin Tin smiled wistfully, before smoothing the soft blonde hair on Lucy's head.
"These things have a habit of recurring though Scott," she warned. "Sometimes it isn't better to have loved and lost." Scott looked at her and was about to protest when he heard his father calling to them.
"We've got a rockfall in southern California boys!"
"Shit Thunderbird 1!" Scott cursed as he watched the small rock fragments shattering as they fell onto the metallic body.
"You better move it," Gordon said.
"You think I have time?"
"Yeah, plenty," Gordon said. "I mean the warning's been around for hours and it's not fallen yet." Scott nodded and began jogging to his ship. Gordon watched him step inside before hearing Virgil's deep breaths from behind him, exhausted from rushing people from the most dangerous areas.
"Where's Scott?" he asked, wiping his face on his sleeve and taking a long drink of water.
"Gone to move Thunderbird 1," Gordon replied, pointing towards Scott's tiny figure stepping into the craft.
"What…that cliff is going to go any time now…all it needs is some kind of vibration and it will collapse!" Virgil exclaimed, grabbing hold of the radio Gordon held and yelling to Scott.
"Scott don't…get away from there!" Virgil yelled, but there was no response from Scott and Virgil and Gordon could only watch in muted horror as Scott attempted to lift off. Gordon squeezed his eyes shut as the side of the cliff began to fracture and slip towards Thunderbird 1.
"Move Scott…if you're going to go, go now!" Virgil screamed, but it was too late. The cliff collapsed and dust spewed up around Thunderbird 1 as it was pounded with rocks. The engines spluttered and there was a loud thud as the ship fell back to the ground. Slowly the noise subsided and a deadly silence descended, alleviated only by the soft patter of smaller shards of rock against metal. Virgil stared in horror at the rubble around Thunderbird 1, he could hardly believe what he'd just seen.
"Scott…Scott…can you hear me…?" he yelled into his radio, but it was dead, static filled his ear and he switched to another channel. Stay calm Virgil, he told himself, running towards the ship, ignoring all possibilities of another rock fall.
"Scott!" he yelled as he got closer, suddenly aware of Gordon's voice in his ear.
"Virgil…Virgil, is he ok? I can't get anything from him. John says he hasn't moved…"
"I don't know," Virgil gasped as he reached the side of the ship, hammering hard on the crumpled metal door.
"Scott!" There was no response and Virgil strained to pull the door, but it was stuck tight. Virgil grabbed a sharp, thin piece of rock and jammed it in the small gap between door and body.
"Scott! Can you hear me?" Virgil yelled again, hammering his fist against the door before stopping when he heard a soft voice from the other side.
"I'm ok Virg…" Scott's voice, faint but he was there.
"Scott, can you get the door open?" Virgil asked him. He heard shuffling and a short, sharp curse.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine…but the door's jammed shut Virgil," Scott snapped.
"John, can you open Thunderbird 1 from up there?" Virgil asked. There was a short pause before John's voice reached his ear piece, filled with regret.
"I…uh…I've already tried. The door mechanism has been smashed by the rockfall…" Virgil stopped listening before placing his hands against the cold metal body of the ship.
"Scott…"
"I already asked John…I know…" Scott's voice had softened and Virgil felt his heart beginning to beat faster, his breath coming sharper.
"Get outta here…" Scott said finally. Virgil shook his head, forgetting Scott couldn't see him. He remained silent as around him, rock fragments began shifting once again.
"Go!" Scott shouted, slamming his hand against the door, the sound of the thud reverberating around Virgil.
"Scott…"
"For God's sake Virgil…I won't ask you again. This place is unsafe and if I'm going to go…I don't want you coming with me!"
"You're not supposed to leave me Scott! You said you never would!" Virgil yelled back, pummelling the side of Thunderbird 1 with his fists until he broke down, lying his head against the craft.
"Virgil don't do this… I know…I know this is going to be hard, but please just walk away before these rocks start falling again…please…" Virgil lifted his head, wiping his eyes and nose with his arm clumsily. Scott was completely silent, Virgil knew he was trying hard not to fall apart as he did. Suddenly he heard another voice, splitting apart the silence between the two brothers.
"Virgil…what the hell are you doing?" Gordon screamed at him.
"I can't leave him Gordon…I can't do it again…" Virgil said as Gordon reached him, grabbing his shoulder.
"What?"
"Scott's stuck in there," Virgil said. Slowly, the incomprehension on Gordon's face faded to the blinding realisation that Scott was trapped and staring death in the face.
"The cliff is going to go again. Both of you need to leave now. Don't make it three brothers." Gordon glanced at the door when he heard Scott's faint voice from the other side.
"Scott…"
"No Gordon. Tell the others I told you to leave and I love them…but I'll be ok. Now go!" Gordon nodded, grabbing Virgil's arm and tugging him away from the doorway.
"Scott…" he yelled, but Gordon's strong arms dragged him, his feet scuffling against the dusty ground as he watched the rocks beginning to shudder and crumble.
"No…Gordon we have to help…Gordon…" Virgil said, struggling to free himself from his younger brothers solid grip.
"You'll get yourself killed Virgil…don't be an asshole…" he yelled over the sudden roar of a mass of rocks and vegetation tumbling from the cliff face.
"We have to…" Virgil trailed off as he glanced towards his Thunderbird, a plan of sorts beginning to come together in his mind. Gordon had stopped walking and was staring in shock at the beginnings of the collapse. Virgil took that moment to yank himself free.
"I've got to help him," he insisted as Gordon made a grab for his brother. Gordon stumbled to the ground as Virgil pushed him back, running towards Thunderbird 2. He lifted his head and watched as Virgil stumbling in a run towards the craft.
"Virgil…don't…" Gordon screamed, but his brother was almost insane with grief and fired the engines, lifting the giant ship into the air. Navigating his way quickly towards Thunderbird 1, he lowered the clamps and began a careful descent. Rocks were battering the silver body of the smaller ship, rebounding and smacking the sides of the clamps, knocking Virgil's steering. From the ground, Gordon watched, hardly breathing as suddenly the clamps were around Thunderbird 1. Inside the ship, Virgil wiped his hand across his forehead, looking in distain as the rockfall continued. If he moved Thunderbird 1 to quickly, he ran the risk of dislodging the rocks above and causing both ships to be damaged. Taking a deep breath, Virgil began to move Thunderbird 1 carefully, watching the movement of each and every rock that balanced precariously over Thunderbird 1.
What happened next seem to pass in a blur to Virgil; somehow he removed Thunderbird 1 from the danger area without causing any more rockfalls. He listened over the radio as Gordon burned his way through the door to reach Scott, who was battered and bruised, but had a smile on his face. Gordon helped Scott to the sickbay as Virgil prepared to carry his older brother's pride and joy back to the island. Gordon stayed beside Scott during the short journey, the shock realisation of his narrow escape suddenly coming to light. It was not until they felt Thunderbird 2 touch down that Scott reached over and pressed the button on his radio to communicate with Virgil in the cockpit.
"Virgil…" Scott's voice was hoarse and Virgil knew from the tone that his older brother had been crying.
"I told you I couldn't do it again," Virgil managed to say, before turning the radio off and placing his head in his hands, his body racked with sobs as he thought of what could have been. Stumbling to his feet, he made his was to the bunk in his cockpit and lay down on it, staring at the metal ceiling of the ship. He flopped an arm over his eyes, trying to calm the range of thoughts and emotions that were making his head spin.
Gordon found him there later, sound asleep, curled up clutching the blanket around him. The rest of his family were at Scott's bedside as he recovered from injuries sustained while trapped, but Gordon had noticed Virgil's absence and after a fruitless search through the house, he knew exactly where his brother would be hiding. He was about to wake him, but the stillness on his face made him think twice. It had been a very tough day.
"Sleep well bro," Gordon whispered, closing the door over and scribbling a 'Do Not Disturb' sign.