thank you for the lovely reviews...and since i loved them all so much, here's a quick update, hope you enjoy!

The palm tree Lucy was perfecting looked quite good from where Virgil was sitting. He smiled as she put her finger in the red paint and pressed it against Virgil's sleeve.

"Finger painting…I think that's a bit advanced for you…"

"Paint!" Lucy exclaimed, slamming her hand into the green paint with glee.

"Whoa…calm down there…" Virgil trailed off as he gently lifted Lucy's hand and placed it on her picture, above the brown stalk she'd drawn.

"Tree!" Lucy cried, clapping her hands together before throwing herself on Virgil, getting both of them covered with paint.

"Look, you made a tree Lucy!" Virgil exclaimed, genuinely excited. He rubbed some paint from her cheek before gathering up the brushes and pots.

"Better get you home before your mommy and daddy find out I've covered you in this crap," Virgil smiled. She grinned toothily at him.

"Crap?" she asked and Virgil couldn't help but laugh.

"Oops…don't be saying that to mommy and daddy or your Uncle Virgil is in a lot of trouble!" He took her tiny hand and helped her toddle back towards the house. He lifted her on to his shoulders when they reached the stairs heading from the pool up to the balcony.

"Made a tree!" she yelled up towards the people gathering on the balcony. Alan, Scott, Jeff and their Grandma hovered nervously outside the lounge doors.

"Hey, a welcome party," Virgil smiled. "For what do we owe this pleasure?" Alan glanced at his older brother, holding out his hands to take his daughter. Virgil's smile faded as he swung Lucy off his shoulders, allowing her to plant a kiss on his cheek before she giggled, delighted at being with her dad.

"What's going on?" Virgil asked the remaining group. Scott swallowed slowly, preparing to break the news to his brother. Jeff filled the silence quickly.

"They know about Caitlin…Ned Cook's chat show are running a piece on the personal tragedy that you had to face…they're leaving nothing out…"

"What?" Virgil asked, his mind unable to comprehend what he was being told. He'd begged, pleaded with everyone he could have thought of to keep his private life with Caitlin, well, private. Virgil pushed past his father and stopped in front of the television where a grainy amateur video of himself and Caitlin at a party was being played over and over, Ned Cook's sleazy voice talking over it, telling of a happy couple and their subsequent destruction. His eyes blurred out of focus as he stared at his memory being broadcast across America. He turned and stormed out of the room as he watched Caitlin place her lips on his, the two of them laughing.

"Virgil…" he heard his Grandma plead, but he ignored it, going to his room and standing in the middle for a moment, disorientated and unsure of what to do, before sitting down at the edge of the bed. He'd only been there a few minutes before Scott came to join him, as he knew he would.

"You want to be left alone?" he checked, looking in concern at the sadness on his paint-spattered brother's face.

"I don't know…not really I suppose," Virgil mumbled as Scott sat down next to him. They sat in silence before Virgil rubbed his eye with the base of his hand.

"I suppose I should have expected it…"

"Well, there's nothing wrong with being hopeful," Scott told him. "I'm sure they'll find something else to interest them sooner or later." Virgil nodded, looking towards the picture of them beside his bed.

"I hope it's sooner rather than later…I don't think I can take seeing her like that…like she's still here…" Scott placed a hand on Virgil's shoulder and smiled sadly.

"Yeah…"

"Well, at least they're not trying to claim I impregnated most of the state of Texas," Virgil said, hiding a smile.

"That is not funny," Scott said, but he managed to smile. "Anyway, I didn't impregnate most of the ladies…I just had them lusting after me in their hundreds."

"Oh of course," Virgil laughed. "Scott the stud."

"Wow, you sure you're not working for the media? Sounds like a possible headline." Scott lay back on the bed. "You can be Virgil the valiant!" Both began to laugh.

"Another one like that and I'll be Virgil the violent."

"At least we can kind of laugh about it."

"Yeah."

XXXX

Outside Jeff listened to the brother's talking quietly and silently cursed his foolishness at thinking he could hide his sons and their organization away from the world. He leaned his head back against Virgil's door, letting his eyes drift upwards before closing his eyes over. He didn't know how long he stood there, but he was disturbed by the sound of a door opening further down the hallway. He opened his eyes and saw Gordon standing outside his room, a sad look on his face.

"Is Virgil ok?" he asked.

"He's trying to be," Jeff returned, stepping away from the door and down towards Gordon, placing an arm around his shoulders.

"Virgil and Scott are under a lot of pressure just now with every inch of their lives previous to this being discussed by the world…Caitlin was Virgil's world and he was doing so well until this evening. With Alan stressed about Lucy and John wanting to stay longer in Thunderbird 5, I need you Gordon." Gordon felt a glimmer of pride as he smiled up at his father.

"It'll be fine. Scott won't let malicious gossip ruin him…Virgil has found some kind of peace and I'm sure he'll be strong enough to get through this...and Alan's already proved he's surprisingly good at being a dad…"

"That's just what I mean Gordon," Jeff smiled as the voices from Virgil's room died down. Jeff put a finger to his lips and slowly opened the door a crack. Scott was curled up at the side of the bed, snoring softly, while Virgil was sprawled across the top end, his arms splayed out, one lying against Scott's stomach. Jeff smiled softly, before closing the door, letting them sleep peacefully while they still could.

XXXX

The cameras immediately focused on the two as they stepped out from the pod, armed with hand held equipment to help climbers who'd become trapped while scaling one of the sheer cliff faces beneath them.

Scott flashed a winning smile at the female news reporter who hustled through the media to get close to him. Virgil glanced wearily at the cameras, managing a slight, nervous wave. Through the questions being yelled to them, Virgil managed to pick out one above all the rest.

"Tell us about your time with Caitlin? Are you finding it hard living without her?" Virgil stopped and turned to the owner of the voice, a small brunette woman with a blinding smile.

"I don't need this…" he muttered, walking with more determination. Her voice still reached him, over the other demands and questions.

"Do you feel guilty about her death?"

"What?" he demanded, taking a step towards her. "What the hell do you mean by that?" Scott turned, hearing his brother's raised voice.

"You were down there with her…yet you've come out unscathed…doesn't it make you think what you could have done to save her?" the cameraman put in, his voice cutting through Virgil.

"Hey, wait a minute…" Scott said angrily, but he stopped as he saw Virgil's fist coming out of nowhere and he rushed towards him, grabbing him around the waist and hauling him away from the cameraman. Furiously, Virgil turned on him, sending the punch meant for the cameraman across Scott's jaw instead. Instantaneously, Scott retaliated, sending a pounding blow across Virgil's eye. The two brothers stumbled back from each other, breathing heavily. There was a tense silence from the crowd around them. Scott wiped his lip and cleared his throat.

"We've got a rescue to deal with…" he muttered, grabbing hold of his pack and slinging it across his shoulder. Virgil watched him go before stepping forward and lifting his own pack. The television presenter eyed him wearily as he slowly met her eye. She waited for him to speak, but he turned away, following Scott, the sound of bewildered murmuring filling his ears.