terribly sorry about the wait guys. it's exam time once again. anyway this is the penultimate chapter so once again i hope you enjoy.
After a silent flight home, Scott had immediately retreated to his bedroom, clutching a bottle of tequila since he and Gordon had managed to polish off most of the Scotch having nothing much else to do. Virgil frowned, before lifting a bottle of red wine and two glasses and following Scott to his bedroom.
"At least drink yourself stupid with something a little more mature Scott," he said entering the room. Scott sat on his bed and smirked.
"Here I was thinking you were bringing the salt and lemon and coming to join your brother in getting well and truly wasted…" He held the bottle up and took a large gulp. Virgil winced as Scott squeezed his eyes shut and gasped as the liquid left a burning trail down the length of his throat.
"You really need the lemon to take the edge off," Virgil commented. Scott nodded, opening his watery eyes and reaching for the bottle of wine. Sensing the need for a brotherly chat, Virgil closed the door over and sat down on Scott's floor, watching as Scott poured two glasses of the deep burgundy wine. As if feeling his eyes on him, Scott looked up at Virgil and frowned.
"Stop it."
"What?"
"Looking at me like that." Virgil raised his eyebrows and took his glass, sipping it thoughtfully and glancing around Scott's bedroom. Scott watched him for a moment before speaking.
"We slept together." Virgil glanced round and Scott, the smallest traces of a smile gracing his lips.
"Why doesn't that surprise me…"
"No…I mean, she…it was her…and it turns out she's with some other guy..." Scott trailed off as Virgil put down his glass.
"So…there wasn't much of a chance to get to know your son?"
"I got to push him on the swings for a bit. We went back to hers…and she…she seduced me Virg!" Scott exclaimed, gaining a snort of laughter from his brother.
"Now you know how it feels," he said. "She's getting her payback." Scott shook his head violently.
"There's a child here Virgil, it's not like that…"
"Well, isn't that what you did to her?" Scott frowned before getting to his feet and making to leave his own room. He paused at the doorway.
"Just 'cause you were bloody Mr. Perfect boyfriend doesn't mean you can look down on me!" He slammed his door shut and stormed down the hallway. In Scott's room, Virgil finished his wine, before making a start on Scott's and wandering around his brother's room. It was unbelievably neat and tidy, with framed pictures of his Air Force Squadron, of his family. His bookcases filled with books on aircraft, historical military books and one on 'Daring Rescue', which raised a smile from Virgil. A complete contrast to Virgil's cluttered, often messy room filled with music and art related bits and pieces. The neatness was disturbed however by a discarded shoe box, sticking out from his wardrobe. Intending to place it back inside the cupboard, Virgil lifted it, but curiosity got the better of him and he sat at the edge of the bed. Immediately in front of him was the picture of the scan. Underneath were piles of unopened letters, addressed to Jen. The post mark showed they had been sent while Scott was out on duty with the Air Force. Shortly after Jen had told him about the baby. They had been sent back, unopened. Feeling a sudden rush of guilt at how he'd reacted to his brother's comments earlier, Virgil let them fall into the box and closed it over.
"Aw Scott…why didn't you say something?" he murmured.
XXXX
"What does the dog say Lucy?" Alan asked, his normally deep voice reaching a much higher pitch as he tried to express as much excitement for 'Animal Sounds' as Lucy was. She clapped her hands excitedly, grinning toothily at Alan.
"Dog says woof!" she said. Alan smiled broadly and kissed his daughter on the top of her head.
"Yeah Luce, dog goes woof! Okay, now what does the cat say?" Lucy pondered this for a moment before answering. A soft laugh from the doorway caught both Alan and Lucy's attention, turning to see Scott watching the father and daughter moment fondly.
"Hey Scott, was does the pig say?" Alan asked him, winking at Lucy. Scott sat down beside Lucy and pressed his finger against his lips, pretending to think deeply about the question.
"Is it…moo?" he asked.
"No!" Alan cried.
"It's oink Scotty…" Lucy said causing both Alan and Scott to laugh out loud. Scott tousled her hair.
"You're a clever thing aren't you?" he asked as she wrapped her arms around Scott's bulky arm and pulled herself onto his knees. Scott kissed her cheek softly, jiggling her on his knee for a moment.
"What's it like being a Dad, Al?" Scott asked after a moment. Alan looked at his older brother in silence, the almost ten year age gap between oldest and youngest becoming suddenly insignificant.
"It's a pain in the ass," Alan said, his sight drifting from Scott down to his daughter, a wistful smile taking over his face.
"But then I look at her and I see little bits of me in there…and little bits of Tin Tin and I think how lucky we are to have had this beautiful girl to care for and look after." Alan smiled as he heard the opening bars of 'Moonlight Sonata' floating along the hallway to Lucy's playroom.
"She's got to be one of the luckiest little girls growing up here with her mom and her dad here, her grandpa, great-grandma and a whole host of uncles who want to spoil her rotten. She's going to be one talented girl, between Gordon teaching her to swim, Virgil teaching her to paint, John teaching her about astronomy, you teaching her to fly rockets, Grandma teaching her to cook…" Scott watched as Lucy put her thumb in her mouth and lay her head against his chest, her eyes beginning to close over.
"We are lucky here, aren't we?" Scott murmured, lifting Lucy and placing her in her cot, tucking her favourite blanket around her. He wandered through to the lounge, going to the drinks cabinet and pouring two glasses of Scotch. He moved to stand beside the piano, smiling as Virgil finished the piece, his fingers lingering over the keys of the last chord he'd played.
"Piece offering?" Scott offered, holding out the cool glass. Virgil took it, looking at Scott as he sipped it.
"It's not needed," Virgil said. "But thanks all the same." He shuffled along the piano stool and patted the free space he'd made. Scott sat down, his body pressed almost uncomfortably close to his brother's.
"I shouldn't have made those 'Mr. Perfect' comments…it was childish, it was spiteful…"
"It was true," Virgil interrupted with a laugh. "C'mon Scott, you were upset and I knew you didn't mean it. So there's no apology necessary." Scott drank the remainder of his whiskey and placed his hand down on the piano, playing a 'C chord'.
"Fancy a duet maestro?" Scott asked. Virgil smiled, beginning to play 'Chopsticks'. Scott laughed and joined in.
"I can play more advanced pieces than this," Scott said.
"Yeah, sure you can."
