The mood in the sick bay was one of quiet apprehension. Tensions between Jeff and Scott were high, but neither had mentioned the argument that had happened earlier. As if to make amends, Jeff entered the room where Scott lay, his eyes dull and hollow as he stared at the opposite wall. On the adjacent bed, Virgil, who'd remained by Scott's side since arriving home, was beginning to succumb to the fatigue that had plagued him. Virgil glanced towards his father, taking in the sheets of paper that he clutched in his hands.

"This is a list of hospitals…" he began, but trailed off, shoving them in Scott's direction. He accepted them and flicked through them half-heartedly and nodded.

"Any of them Dad," he said. "Just as long as they can do something…make me feel something again…"

"I will send you to the best possible hospitals…get the best possible doctors…anything," his father assured him. Scott sniffed and nodded.

"Thanks," he replied out of routine rather than honest sentiments. Jeff cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I need to make some phone calls, see if I can get you seen tomorrow perhaps? Virgil can fly you out somewhere…" he left the sick bay quickly and Scott glanced at Virgil.

"They way you look just now, I wouldn't want you flying me anywhere," he said quietly. Virgil opened his heavy eyes, but there was no laughing or smiling. It wasn't a joke. Virgil looked hellish and Scott frowned as his brother lay back on the adjacent bed.

"I'll be ok…" he slurred, but was battling against the continual waves of sleep that were beginning to drown him. Scott looked away, staring at the ceiling, his mind full of questions, doubts, fears.

"You don't need to baby-sit me you know," Scott muttered.

"And leave you moping here on your own?" Virgil yawned in return. "Anyway, I know if I went to bed, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep."

"You collapsed of exhaustion earlier…"

"Yeah, 'cause I'd just carried you out of those caverns," Virgil shot back. "Anyway, I had a good sleep then." Scott tutted and looked in his brother's direction.

"And almost gave Dad a heart attack. You were passed out on the ground, I couldn't walk to the radio…why did you send Gordon and Alan on ahead?" Virgil opened his eyes and looked directly at Scott.

"Gordon was injured…Alan was a mess…and I didn't want them to see you in the state you were in Scott. It scared the life out of me…I think it would have been much worse for them." Scott glanced at his younger brother, touched by the concern for the younger siblings, touched by his own admission of anxiety for Scott that he'd managed to hide from them all.

"Thanks." Virgil closed his eyes and sleepily nodded.

"I learned it all from you." Scott felt a smile work its way on to his face, but Virgil had already returned to dozing off. Scott was about to wake him and send him to his room, but stopped. He wanted him here now.

Gordon walked quickly to the sick bay, pushing the door open gently. He saw his father sitting next to Scott, his face pale and drawn. In the bed next to him, Virgil lay sleeping. He looked horrendous, completely drained and his sleep was a deep one, exhaustion having finally defeated him. Jeff lifted a blanket beside him and gently tucked it around Virgil. He shifted, muttering something, but settled almost immediately. Compassion filled Jeff's face and he grazed the side of Virgil's cheek with his thumb. He turned to rest his eyes on Scott and Gordon swallowed nervously as he sat on the chair, pulling it forwards and resting his hand on Scott's

"You'll be ok," he said quietly. "Don't you go giving up on us now…" Gordon's eyes widened and he backed into the hallway, unable to face the sight of his father crumpling before his eyes. Whatever had happened to Scott and Virgil must have been awful, and at that moment, Gordon didn't want to know what it was.

Jeff's eyes filled with tears. Sniffing quickly, he tried to push them back, his hand shaking violently as he brought it to his mouth, trying to force back the sobs.

"I'm sorry Scott…I'm truly sorry…" he whispered, sobs breaking his voice. Behind him, Virgil slowly opened his eyes and saw his father's creased posture, trembling as he held Scott's hand.

"Dad…" he asked softly. Jeff turned to him, his mussed grey hair and sagging blue eyes showing a very different father than the one he was used to. Virgil was shocked by the state his father was in and moved to stand next to him, but Jeff shook his head.

"No son…you need to rest…" he said in a soft voice. "It'll be fine, just rest." Virgil knotted his brow in confusion, but slowly his eyes began to droop and it wasn't long before he'd returned to sleep. Jeff looked back at Scott and sighed.

"Sometimes I wonder if it was ever worth this…"

Gordon was waiting for his father to leave the sick bay, and emerged from the shadows of the hallway as his father slowly closed the door behind him and wiped a hand across his eyes. He glanced in Gordon's direction, startled for a moment before he took a step in his direction.

"What's wrong with Scott and Virgil?" he asked, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb the sick bay's sleeping occupants.

"I don't think it's my place to say," Jeff sighed wearily.

"So there is something wrong? When were Alan and I going to be told? Is it serious?" Gordon demanded before he stopped as his father spread his hands. Gordon saw that same crushed pose return to his father, his face almost showing sentiments of panic, perhaps even fear. Gordon's felt a sickening sensation growing in the pit of his stomach.

"It's…you and Alan had your own worries. Scott has been injured and at the minute, he can't feel anything below his waist." Gordon's face was expressionless for a moment as his mind processed the appalling statement his father had spoken. His forehead creased as he narrowed his eyebrows, desperately trying to make sense, trying to think of how his eldest brother was coping, of the possible impact this could have on all of them.

"He…what?" Gordon asked, desperately. "How…how bad is it? I mean, has he broken his spine or something?" Jeff shook his head slowly and began walking towards his study. Gordon followed, matching his father's pace.

"Dad…please…what's going to happen?" Gordon pleaded. Jeff spoke over his shoulder to Gordon, not wanting to reveal his fear of what could happen. His sons might be much older now, but they still needed their father and his assurance.

"Brains is going to set up the x-ray for tomorrow morning. Until then, we don't know how severe it really is. Virgil has been trying to reassure Scott all day that is could just be a shock to the spine, so I'm hoping his semi-diagnosis proves to be correct."

"What happens if it's not?" Gordon dared to ask, stopping his father's footsteps. Jeff's shoulders slumped and he turned to face Gordon. How could he possible think of that right now? He took a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders, which suddenly seemed so heavy and cumbersome.

"I don't know."

Hours of programmes had been dedicated to showing the minute-length clip of Scott and Virgil and analyzing it to death. Alan was becoming bored, but since Tin Tin hadn't welcomed him to their bed, he'd opted to sit in the lounge and stare blankly at the television. He was so engrossed in trying to think and feel nothing, that he didn't hear his father enter the room behind him.

"Alan, you should be in…" Jeff began, causing Alan to jump, but he trailed off as his eyes found the pictures of two of his sons on the television screen. His face fell and Alan got up, looking guilty, fiddling with the remote clumsily.

"Don't," Jeff ordered. "What exactly have they been showing?" Alan looked back at the screen and shrugged limply.

"Um…I guess someone got footage from the rescue today…they've only got a minute of Scott and Virgil leaving the caves…" Jeff audibly gasped when he saw a close-up of Scott's face. It mirrored the expression he'd had when he'd blurted out his injury. It was painful for Jeff to watch and he blinked rapidly, clearing away any potential tears. Clearing his throat he looked down at Alan.

"Have they said who they are?" Alan shook his head quickly.

"No…but they are encouraging people to phone in if they know them," Alan replied. Jeff sighed and moved to his desk, sitting down and lifting a pen, intending to take instant action, to fix the problem right there and then.

"This has been one disaster after another…" he muttered, glancing at Alan how was glowering at the smiling female television host, who was claiming that she would love to hear if the two 'mystery men' were available. He angrily switched the television off and got to his feet.

"What are you going to do Dad?" he asked. Jeff lowered his pen and looked at the telephone in front of him. It was the same question Gordon had posed earlier, and again he only had the same answer. He glanced up at him shaking his head and shrugging helplessly.

"I don't know."

Having woken Virgil and ordered him to the lounge, Jeff decided while he could not stop the broadcast at that moment, he could find out why footage had been gathered in the first place. Virgil looked almost sick as he listened to the cheery commentary while he watched his brother's stricken face flash up on screen. Jeff stepped in front of the television, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Did you not hear the alarm?" Jeff demanded. "Did you not think to check?" In the chair in front of him, Virgil wiped his face.

"No I didn't," he said tersely. "Scott was hurt, I needed to help him and everything else just got forgotten. I'm sorry." Behind Jeff, the scenes from the cave collapse continued to flicker across the television screen silently and Virgil looked away uncomfortably as his own image appeared on the screen. Jeff turned and switched it off, forcing Virgil's attention to return to him.

"Did Scott not even notice?" he asked.

"He couldn't feel his legs Dad, I think he was more concerned about that," Virgil said sarcastically.

"Why didn't you tell me you collapsed?" Jeff demanded suddenly, catching Virgil off guard.

"John told me," he explained further as Virgil looked at the ground, mollified by his father's anger.

"It was nothing…" Virgil began, but Jeff shot him a look of contempt and he stopped.

"I want to know everything that happens on a rescue. That's part of the deal. You didn't do yourself any favours by not mentioning it."

"I thought you had enough to worry about with Scott. Look, I was just done in; it had been a tough one."

"Don't you know how worried I get about you all?" Jeff continued, his voice softening. Gordon appeared in the room, walking up behind Virgil.

"Dad…" his red-haired son pleaded. Jeff softened as Gordon looked up at him with his gentle eyes, pleading with him not to take it out on Virgil.

"Don't give me that look," Jeff muttered, but with a small smile.

"What look?" Gordon asked innocently. His father reached out and tousled his hair with his hand before Gordon flinched.

"Dad…" he moaned jokingly. Virgil looked thankfully at his little brother for his timely interference and Gordon smiled slyly. It was a look that didn't go unnoticed by their father and he left them alone.

"You owe me," Gordon whispered, nudging Virgil along the couch so he could sit beside him.

"I'll call off all those revenge attacks I was planning," Virgil said. Gordon reached over, smothering his older brother will a soppy hug and sloppy kiss, ignoring his wailed protests.

"I take it you're feeling better," Virgil muttered as Gordon sat back up.

"Yup," Gordon smiled. "Thanks for getting Alan to get me back so quick. I dunno what you said, but he listened."

"I just went all Scott on him."

"Really? I bet he was freaking out!" Gordon laughed as Virgil attempted to prefect a 'Scott-frown', which was being hindered by his own laughing.

"It's not permanent, is it?" Gordon asked in a hushed voice. Virgil shrugged before smiling sweetly at his little brother.

"You better hope not."

"Yeah, so should you."

The sick bay was silent and it pained Virgil to break it as he stepped up to Scott's bedside. Scott looked at him, his tired blue eyes pleading with him to tell him some news about his condition. The look on Virgil's face suggested whatever news he had, it wasn't good and Scott tried to take deep breaths, prevent premature panicking. Jeff gestured for Virgil to speak first and reluctantly he addressed his brother.

"Um…we're on TV," he said finally. Scott looked at him, his expression remaining neutral, confusion flickering across his eyes as though he had expected awful news about his spine.

"I mean, me and you…coming out of that cave…someone filmed it and it's all over the TV and newspapers…" he trailed off as Scott's face fell, the implications becoming obvious. Their identities that they'd fought to keep hidden had, in one simple minute, been broadcast to the world.

"They don't know who we are yet…" Virgil continued, but Jeff interrupted, stepping up to his son's bedside and taking his hand. He had more pressing issues to announce and he pressed his lips together tightly as he thought of the best way to explain his decision.

"Because of this breach of security, I can't risk sending you for treatment." There was a stunned silence before Virgil turned on his father. Jeff had expected this and glanced at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked, trying to remain somewhat calm, but Jeff could see he was absolutely furious.

"It's too risky," Jeff said shortly. Virgil looked as though he had a well-thought out argument, but instead turned, storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him. The papers tacked to the wall fluttered furiously. Jeff let out his breath and turned to Scott. He snatched his hand from his father's grasp, glowering at him.

"If I could, I'd have stormed out with Virgil," he uttered. "Looks like that will never happen."

"Scott…you've got to understand what's at risk…"

"No, you've got to understand that where I am right now, this means absolutely nothing to me! I'm facing the rest of my life being unable to walk, being unable to do the things I used to…needing someone to help me with the simplest of things…" Jeff lowered his head, flinching from Scott's words, spat out in pure anger. His eyes were ice cold as he snatched the water beside his bed, drinking it as a distraction, preventing himself breaking down in front of his father.

"I'm sorry…" Jeff tried, but Scott turned his head away, his bottom lip beginning to quiver uncontrollably as he fought against the surge of emotion, slamming into him.

"Just…just leave me alone," Scott managed to throw at his father. Jeff pushed himself to his feet and made his way down the hallway to Virgil's room. He knocked the door gently, and when he got no reply, pushed it open. Virgil sat on the floor, leaning against the side of his bed, his knees pulled up to his chest and his eyes glistening with fresh tears. Jeff didn't even attempt to say anything as Virgil stared straight ahead, as if Jeff wasn't there. Accepting defeat, Jeff retreated to his private territory, still unsure of what he could do.