hey! i'm back after two weeks of fieldwork for uni! and here's an update to celebrate my homecoming! hope you enjoy and thanks for the continued reviews!

Gordon and John shared a smile when they heard Scott and Virgil laughing together from the beach. Gordon returned to lying flat on his back, floating lazily on the shimmering surface of the swimming pool.

"Told you you were paranoid," John commented from the side, where he sat with his feet dangling into the cool water.

"I was just showing genuine concern for the welfare of our dear brothers," Gordon commented. John nodded and continued reading the magazine he'd found in the communal bathroom. One of Tin Tin's probably, but it was a pretty good read. And if he ever found himself a nice lady friend, he'd know exactly how to treat her. Both were so engrossed in their activity that neither heard the muffled whispers of Scott and Virgil as they made their way towards the pool. The first that Gordon knew of their presence, Virgil was leaping into the pool, barely missing him. John glanced up just in time to see Scott creeping up on his from behind, his hands coming out to shove him into the water. John grabbed Scott's wrist, dragging him in with him. The commotion alerted their father who came running out to the balcony, hearing the angered yells of Gordon and John. He stared at the scene below him, four brothers hauling themselves out of the pool. Virgil and Scott still fully clothed and dripping wet.

"Boys get out of there now!" he yelled down to them. "For goodness sakes this is worse that when you were kids!" Four sons looked up at him meekly and Jeff bit his lip. They almost looked like their child versions. Jeff sighed and returned to his desk. His sons were going stir crazy having no rescues, being unable to leave the island and having only each other for company. Surprisingly, Alan had reacted well to being grounded and was taking the time to really be the caring, considerate father to Lucy that he wanted to be. Scott entered the living room, small damp patches marking his route past the couch towards the desk.

"Dad, can I go to the mainland?" he asked. Jeff sighed, looking up at his eldest.

"What is with you just now…"

"Dad…it's really important…" Scott interrupted before stopping, not really sure if he wanted to tell his father.

"What could possibly be so important Scott? We have photographers after the tiniest glimpse of us…reporters desperate to grab a quick word with us…and after your display the other day, plenty of people would recognize your face in an instant."

"That's a no then?" Scott asked sarcastically. Jeff glanced up at him.

"A definite no."

XXXX

An earthquake, 7.5 on the Richter scale and a Japanese metropolis had been crushed, its glassy skyscrapers lying shattered on the ground, torn up and scarred by the force. Scott felt a churning feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he found he was unable to look away. He felt Virgil shift uncertainly beside him and glanced at his younger brother, whose face held the same shock, the same realisation. Numbers were being thrown at them…number of seriously injured, number of homes crushed, number of people found alive…number of people who had died… The picture jiggled as it focused on a group of sobbing individuals, urgently digging through the rubble with their bare hands, yelling the names of loved ones. Scott winced as he remembered doing exactly the same thing himself. Virgil's eyes hardened as he watched this scene and got to his feet.

"I'm going," he said. Scott looked up at him and nodded.

"I'm coming." Virgil stood against the wall, waiting for it to tilt back, but nothing happened. Scott raised his eyebrows and Virgil pressed his hands against the wall, trying to force it to move.

"He's locked it…" Scott realised, running from the lounge and down the hallway. He pushed the door of their father's study open, causing it to clatter against the bookshelf. Jeff snapped his head up from a pile of papers that covered his desk.

"You're going to let us go," Scott said. Jeff glanced at the television screen in his study, watching the pictures for a moment before turning back to Scott.

"I can't. We're not in operation right now." Scott hadn't expected this answer and was visibly stunned. The silence was only broken by Virgil entering the room. He was about to speak, but noticed the determined silence between his father and Scott.

"You're not that heartless," Scott said.

"You're not letting us go?" Virgil asked. Jeff turned his patient eyes to him and nodded firmly. Virgil was as stunned as Scott had been and stepped back, behind his elder brother.

"People will die because they are trapped. We can save them," Scott continued. "That's what International Rescue was set up for!"

"We are not in operation right now," Jeff repeated curtly, fixing Scott with a glare which blatantly told him to back down.

"Who cares that they know who Virgil and I are? Those people need our help! Help that we are more than qualified to give!" Scott gestured at the television screen. Jeff didn't lift his eyes from the paper he was reading and Virgil touched Scott's shoulder gently. Scott ignored him, shaking his shoulder free and stepping up to the desk, standing over his father threateningly.

"You know who we helped in a situation must the same as this? Someone who was trapped after a building collapsed? Someone who would have died if we hadn't got the Mole and tunneled to save him?" Virgil made a soft protest from behind him. Jeff looked up, his eyes, so strikingly like his eldest, remaining calm.

"Virgil." Scott nodded, waiting for his father to relent, to tell him to get to Thunderbird 2 with Virgil and go and do their job, but he remained perfectly silent.

"He would have died if we hadn't…"

"I know," Jeff said slowly. "But we were in full operation, despite his absence." At this Scott glanced over his shoulder, in time to see Virgil's figure retreating from the doorway.

"This is uncalled for Dad."

"Step down Scott. This is not your call." Scott slammed his hand down on the desk before following Virgil down the hallway. He found him sitting on the balcony, his head resting against the cold stone wall.

"Hey…" Scott said softly.

"Don't try and make excuses Scott," Virgil muttered, not glancing at his brother.

"I wasn't going to. There aren't any." At this Virgil met his eyes and he shrugged.

"I'm sick of this," Virgil said finally. "Everything has to be related to what happened…to getting stuck under a fallen building, to having someone die beside you…" He set his jaw determinedly and wiped his nose distractedly.

"You can let it all out you know."

"I'm sick of crying about it…it doesn't make a difference, it makes you feel worse…I don't want to feel sorry for myself, but then someone makes a ridiculous comment and it's all back again. I just get angry now…I've put her to rest, why can't everyone else?" Virgil looked at Scott as if expecting an answer. Scott's gaze wavered and he pushed his hands into his pockets.

"Why did you just have to bring it up all over again?" Virgil demanded.

"I…I was making a point Virg…" Scott tried. "I thought by making that rescue personal, he'd realise that we are needed at that earthquake site." Virgil snorted a laugh and scratched the back of his neck.

"So I suppose if he's not letting us go out on a rescue, he's not letting you go to the mainland?"

"Got it in one," Scott muttered, half smiling. "But it's not going to stop me." Virgil looked at him in pretend horror.

"Scott going being Dad's back…controversial," he joked. Scott rolled his eyes and slid down the wall to he was sitting next to his brother.

"How does tomorrow morning bright and early suit you for flying out?" Virgil asked. Scott glanced at his brother and smiled warmly.

"Thanks Virgil."

XXXX

Sleep evaded Jeff and he looked towards the moonlight glistening on the perfectly still, glass-like surface of the swimming pool. He saw a shadow standing on the balcony, looking towards the same view. He knew it was Virgil, the golden glow from the tip of a cigarette being the give away. Making his way towards the door, Virgil glanced at him, a guilty expression on his face as he glanced at the half-finished cigarette.

"Would you believe me if I said I was holding it for someone?" he joked half-heartedly. Jeff smiled before standing next to his son, taking out his cigar case.

"Mind if I join you?" Virgil laughed softly.

"I thought Grandma had made you give up."

"I thought you'd given up," Jeff returned and Virgil took a long drag and flicked the ash onto the balcony floor before digging in his pocket for matches to light his father's cigar.

"Thanks," Jeff said with a sigh. "God that's good."

"Nothing better than a forbidden smoke," Virgil smiled. "Caitlin would have killed me for this…she hated the idea of me smoking." Jeff smiled fondly at his son.

"Your mother was exactly the same with me….funny how we are still trying to hide it though." They shared a wry smile.

"I'm more like you than you give me credit for," Virgil murmured and Jeff glanced at him, his cigar momentarily forgotten.

"True," he said finally. "Mind you, with the way you are handling this television fiasco, I like to think you got some of that from me…I'm really impressed."

"Don't, I'll blush," Virgil said with a small smile. He met his father's eyes.

"I remember when Mom died, how the media wanted some insight into your whole billionaire lifestyle and how it would all change with five sons to take care of and a multi-million business to run. You didn't get angry, you didn't get upset, you just ignored it. I'm trying to do the same…only I'm cracking up every now and then."

"You think I didn't? Why do you think we ended up on this island, away from everyone?" There was a poignant silence before Virgil spoke softly.

"You did a good job of it. I mean, we all turned out ok… I sometimes have my doubts about Gordon and Al, but apart from that…" He trailed off as both men laughed softly.

"Maybe you should let others be the father that you turned out to be," Virgil said cryptically. Jeff glanced at him and half-smiled.

"One thing your mother taught me was that there are no secrets, just things we pretend aren't going on." Virgil looked perplexed for a minute before turning away, stunned that his father had known what Scott was going through all along.

"I didn't want to bully Scott into telling me," Jeff said after a while. "I know that's why he wants to go to the mainland, and between you and me, I know he will go no matter what I say if this means a lot to him." Virgil dropped the end of the cigarette and ground it out with his toe. He got down and picked it up, brushing away the ash.

"Got to hide the evidence," he explained, noting his father's confused expression. Jeff laughed, kicking his ash over the edge of the balcony.

"The truth is since Scott's accident, I haven't stopped," Virgil admitted. "I just got very good at hiding it." Jeff clamped his hand down on his son's shoulder.

"You'll need to tell me your tactics one day. If your Grandma finds out I've been smoking, and worse, encouraging you, she'll have us both."