This fic come with gratitude to soniabigcheese for the prompt: Tie with Brains. We got to chatting more…why would Brains leave the island…and this is the rather dubious result.

It wasn't often that Brains left the Island. It needed a special reason, a special occasion. Usually it took Scott to persuade Brains that he needed hands-on help for the rescue, or for there to be a very special reason like Moffie and the collider.

But this was a special occasion. And everyone had insisted. He was family, after all. Brains had no idea how to tell them that he was terrified of the whole idea, and since John was also joining them, he didn't feel like he could back out without upsetting anyone. When he had mentioned to John how he felt John had given a fry chuckle and simply said 'join the club.'

No one was allowed to miss Gordon's bachelor party. It didn't matter that he wasn't blood – he was a Tracy through and through, as much as Kayo was. Gordon's emphatic stance was mirrored by his brothers and Brains was so touched he gave in immediately.

As a result seven suits that had been suitably enhanced and reflected the colours of each brother, Parker and himself were created. With matching accessories. Gordon had been so delighted he had picked Brains up in a hug and spun him around. Brains had only just been able to keep hold of his lunch and was inordinately thankful for Virgil telling the man to put him down. If he had known that Gordon would get so over-emotional about some squids.

So here he was, in one of the most exclusive hotels in New York. The Tracy's had booked the entire top two floors, and he was in a bathroom that was twice the size of his bedroom at home. Hell, even the closet was bigger.

Brains was in trouble. He might be a mathematical genius. He might be a creative inventor. He might be an engineer extraordinaire. But he couldn't do this. He'd been trying to do this now for an hour, and there was only another two before the evening's activities. Who could he get to help him? Virgil and John, his usual go-to brothers, would likely be assisting Gordon. As would Scott. Parker made Brains nervous in a whole different way to how the brothers did, and that was despite loving them all so dearly.

He calmed himself by reciting his favourite asteroids backwards. And then he recited special prime numbers right up until there was a knock at his door. He opened it to see Scott, resplendent in his blue suit. Brains was proud of how good the brothers looked in their personalised suits.

'Brains, you're not ready yet?' Scott stood there, looking at the engineer. Brains was in his suit trousers and cream shirt but no, he was not ready. He shot Scott an embarrassed look.

'I ca-ca-can't seem to g-g-get the tie r-r-right, Scott.' There. He'd admitted it. He couldn't get the tie done right. It didn't seem right that a man with his creativeness and his cleverness, he just couldn't get this damn tie done. Brains flushed red as Scott crossed the room to him.

'Let me help you, Brains. These can be a little awkward, and I have had years of practice tying both my own and my brothers.' There followed a mere six minutes where Brains stood to attention, chin up, while Scott expertly tied his bow tie. Scott finished it off by helping Brains with his jacket, checking his clothing was aligned and brushing off some imagined lint.

'You look very smart, Brains.'

Brains blushed deeper. 'Th-th-thank you Scott.' Scott patted him on the shoulder and left, telling him not to be late. And Brains became nervous all over again.

American bachelor parties were well known to be comprised of copious amounts of alcohol and strippers. And while he was very sure that there would be no strippers at any party the Tracy's threw, the alcohol worried him. He didn't drink much at all. Of course he would be fine, his friends would look after him, after all, John wasn't a big drinker either.

Taking one last look in the mirror, he made his way downstairs.

Scott had booked out the entire Rose Club. There were quite a few people Brains didn't know and, judging from the roar when Gordon entered the room, these were some of his squad mates. In fact, Brains knew less then 10 people here and that made him nervous.

He made his way to the bar and asked for a tea. He was given a tall glass with ice and a sprig of mint and a slice of peach. Not what he was expecting at all, but a tentative sip revealed a delicious peach drink that was actually rather refreshing.

Brains found a couch in a corner with his tea. At various stages every Tracy brother spent time with him, John stuck with him the longest. And every one of them bought him a glass of that peach tea over. Scott stuck mostly with Alan, although the youngest Tracy looked like he felt as out of place as Brains did.

By the time midnight struck, Brains was surprised to find that not only was he still conscious, he was rather enjoying himself. A couple of Gordon's friends had sat and attempted to talk to him. As the main party seemed to wind down he heard the whisper of going to a local club for karaoke. Gordon was all up for it. Virgil was rolling his eyes. John flat out said no. Scott was quiet. Brains knew he would do whatever the others would, especially since Alan had retired already and Parker was on hand to keep an eye on him.

And so Brains suddenly found himself across the road, in a quietish bar. He'd reeled when the air had hit him, frowning as he had no idea why. He hadn't drunk any alcohol. Scott handed him a glass of water with ice and lemon, and sat with him on one side as John sat on the other and Virgil was propping up the bar talking to someone as Gordon serenaded them with song after song after song, each one more slurred than the last.

Eventually Brains stood up. He had no idea what Scott had been buying him, but he hadn't felt this relaxed in ages. Gordon was basically only standing up because of the mike stand. John was leaning over the end of the chair, gently snoring. Virgil had materialised and sat in a chair the other side of Scott, eyes glazed and gentle smile on his face. Scott didn't look any different, only the slope of his shoulders gave away the fact that he was actually more relaxed than usual.

It was time he took a turn. Brains didn't sing usually, especially in public, but there was something about being here, with his family, and the relaxed warm feeling coursing through him gave him a confidence he didn't usually have.

Gordon grumbled about releasing the mike, but eventually he made his way down to where Scott was sitting, practically falling on his brother as he sat. Brains tapped the mike, causing John to sit up suddenly, eyes wide, then groaning and holding his head.

When the first beats of the song came over the speakers the four brothers looked at each other. This was not a song any of them would associate with Brains. And then Brains began to move his hips in time with the music. Virgil's mouth fell open. Gordon was cheering. John was covering his eyes. Scott was sighing the sigh of the very put-upon.

Brains was enjoying himself. As the last vocals sounded the bar let up a whoop, and all at once the engineer was his embarrassed self. There was a unanimous decision that this was the right time to leave and head back to the hotel.

The air hit Brains like an express train and his legs buckled. He ended up needing to be helped by Scott with one arm and Virgil with the other. Before they made it into the hotel he threw up in the topiary outside.

No one said anything.

The next morning Brains had the mother of all headaches. He really couldn't understand why he felt like he had been drinking when all night all he had had was Long Island Peach Tea and Hanger 1 water.