Author's Note: So sorry this took a while to get out, writers block, busy period at work and a busy social life has stopped me from getting any writing done. Anyway enjoy the update, please review as it helps spur me to keep writing and if you have any ideas for what Don gets up to thrown them at me.
Warning this chapter does mention and contain self-harming at some parts.
Enjoy
Chapter 3: What Younger Brothers Are for
Don would be in his room on Tracy island, lying in his bed, it has been a week since the incident and after 5 days in hospital, they allowed him to go home as Brains, Virgil and Jen were qualified enough to keep an eye on him and Gordon would be able to help with the physiotherapy.
Downstairs in the kitchen, Jen would be sat next to Virgil as Scott walks in "You two look worried" Scott would say looking at the two.
"Just Don, he will be able to walk again, but" Virgil would start
"He's locking us all out" Scott would say as he sat down, Virgil would nod "Yeah, from what he said happened at that point it's understandable"
"He spoke to you?" Jen would ask
"In the hospital room after you all left to pack"
(Flashback to 2 nights ago)
"Don, you have barely spoken to anyone since we got you out" Scott would say as Don looks out the window "What happened?"
Don would look to Scott, explaining what happened before he blacked out. "I came to for a couple of seconds to see something swing down, I rolled out of the way but it hit me in the back, then I just went black again"
"So you saw someone in the fire, and debris went around you? Nothing hit you until after you blacked out?"
"Exactly"
"So you think one of the other enhanced was there that day and protected you"
"Seems like it"
"I'm going to called Gibbs, get them to look into this" Jen would say heading off to Jeff's office
"But what made him shut us all out recently?" Virgil would ask looking worried.
"I don't know Virg, I just don't know"
Upstairs, Alan and Gordon would be walking past Don's room. "Gords wait, I feel like we need to try and get him to talk" Alan would state as Gordon goes to open the door.
Opening the door to Don's bedroom, Gordon would see Don holding an arrow tip towards his skin, Gordon would block Alan from seeing his, lowering his voice so Don wouldn't hear him, Gordon would look to Alan "Get Virgil"
"What why?" Alan would ask matching Gordons volume.
"Go" Gordon would say, Alan would nodding rushing towards the kitchen.
"Alan what's wrong?" Scott would say as the youngest rushes down the stairs
"Gordon asked me to get Virgil, he's in Don's room" Alan would state looking worried. Scott would pull Alan into a hug "He wouldn't tell me why"
Virgil would look to Scott as he rushes upstairs, Scott would nod, taking Alan into the living room.
As Virgil got upstairs he would hear Don sounding angry "Gordon give it back"
"What so you can cut yourself?" Gordon would reply sounding just as angry at Don.
Virgil would pull out his phone texting Jeff. 'Gordon found Don self-harming, Alan was with him but I think Gordon stopped Alan seeing what Don was doing and told him to get me'
Jeff would reply instantly 'I'll get Brains'
Virgil would put his phone away before walking into Don's room.
"Virgil, thank god, he was cutting himself with an arrow tip" Gordon would reply holding the arrow tip with blood on.
"Why start self-harming again Don?"
"AGAIN?" Gordon would ask.
"We will talk later Gordon, to everyone." Jeff would state as he, Jen and Brains walk into the room. The rumble of Thunderbird Three taking off would be heard. "I've sent Alan and Scott to get John and put Five on auto"
Virgil would tend to Don's self-imposed cuts before looking at him "You should have spoken to me or Scott, you know what we said last time still stands"
"So? This is different Virgil, I may never be able to walk again, I may never be able to fly Six ever again. I've lost Izzy and now I may have lost the ability to walk" Don would say in a cold tone.
"I knew you weren't paying attention when the doctors were speaking to us" Virgil would state making Don look confused "Don, you will be able to walk again, and you just need to start Physiotherapy with Gordon"
Don would look relieved before looking at Gordon "I'm sorry"
"Don't be, we shouldn't have left you alone here for so long"
"I shut you out"
"And we gave up easily, but when I was in this position you never gave up on me, but I gave up on you talking to anyone. For that I'm sorry" Gordon would state looking at Virgil.
A few hours later, Alan and Jeff would have gone to pick John up from Thunderbird 5 and had returned around half an hour ago. Now all the family were sitting in the living room with the NCIS Teams on the screens. Alan would look confused as to why they were all called for a meeting whereas his older brothers and father knew.
"Thank you all for gathering in such short notice" Jeff would say to the NCIS teams.
"Not a problem Jeff, when you said it was about Don I think Gibbs and Pride can agree we would always answer the calls" Hetty would say.
"As some of you are aware, 12 years ago, after blaming himself for his mothers death, Don started to harm himself by cutting his arms with an arrow tip. Virgil found him in the process at one point and stopped him and informed Scott. And after I had put so much time and focus on work, it is what got me back on track in taking care of my boys.
We talked Don out of self-harming again however, due to the incident and with him unable to walk he had started to lock us out of his life again. Earlier this morning, Gordon found Don self-harming, after stopping Alan from seeing Don as he was, he sent Alan to get Virgil who messaged me"
Alan would look shocked while John would be looking at Don. "Don why do this again" John asked.
"You knew?" Scott would say quietly
John would nod to the question, "I put two and two together after I saw Grandma with an arrow tip with dried blood on it"
"I thought I wasn't going to be able to walk again" Don would say looking at John.
"Virgil told him what the Doctor's had said as he knew Don wasn't paying attention the day he got discharged" Jeff would explain.
"From tomorrow, Don will start physiotherapy with Gordon in the pool and hopefully with the accelerated healing, Don will start being able to walk properly again." Virgil would state
Gibbs would look at his phone that would have pinged, "Sorry guys, we need to deal with this case we got a lead" Gibbs would say before looking at Don "Remember Tracy, we are here for you to talk to if you need it"
"I know Gibbs, thank you" Don would say before the NCIS team based in DC would sign off.
"We gotta go to kid" Pride would say "Keep us up to date will ya"
"Will go Pride" Don would state smiling as the NCIS New Orleans team sign off.
"Get back on your feet soon Agent Tracy, we need you back in the game with the news of more enhanced being out there"
"Will do Hetty, keep me informed I will try to help as much as I can from this side" Don would state before the final NCIS team sign off.
"Don?" Alan would ask his voice quiet.
"Yeah Sprout"
"Please don't harm yourself"
Don would frown seeing Alan with worry in his eyes, he would pull his youngest brother into a hug "I promise Al, no more harming myself"
"We will hold you to that mister" Ruth would say from her seat
"I know you will" Don would say with a smile.
Two weeks after starting Physio Gordon and Scott would help Don into the pool.
"How does it feel Don?" Gordon would ask
"Cold, I feel the water on my legs" Don would grin at this, so would his brothers.
Gordon and Scott would support Don in walking the length of the pool. "Take it easy Don" Scott would say as Don loses his footing.
"Yeah, Yeah" Don would say "I need to make a call in my room"
Scott and Gordon would look at each other with worry. "Sure Don" Gordon would say as they turn him around towards the steps. Scott would get out of the pool first with Virgil coming out to help get Don out of the pool. After drying off, Don would be helped into his wheelchair.
Virgil would go to help him but Don would wheel himself up the temporary ramp and towards his room.
Virgil would turn to Gordon and Scott with worry. "What was that about?"
"I think he's getting frustrated with how his recovery is going" Gordon would say "Like I did after my accident"
"What do we do?"
"I'll go talk to him" Scott would say, before he could move towards the villa, Gordon would put his hand on his chest.
"Let me talk to him" Gordon would say heading inside after drying off
Don would be sat in his room at his desk as Gordon knocked on the door. "What?" Don would say turning to the door.
Gordon would slowly open the door before stepping inside, closing the door behind him. "Hey Don"
"Don't start"
"I'm not gonna"
"Then why are you here?"
"To see how you are doing" Gordon would say sitting on Don's bed.
"What can I say Gords, I start to make progress, and then go back. I feel like I'm not getting any better" Don would say, his eyes starting to get damp.
"But you are Don, you only slip up every now and then, remember when I had the hydrofoil accident?"
Don would shudder at the thought, seeing his immediate younger brother lying in a coma on a WASP hospital bed was something he didn't want to think about. But that was the past and Gordon pulled through.
Don would nod looking at Gordon
"And remember how I was after starting physio? I pushed you all away, but who set me straight?"
"Me" Don would say
"Exactly, and do you remember what you said to me then?"
"I said, Gordon I know its hard right now, but look at it this way, you are taking ten steps forward but only one small step back. You have five brothers looking out for you as well as Dad and Grandma. We love you and will help you no matter what."
"And then you said that I shouldn't push myself down after slipping up and not to push you away, the only thing stopping me from getting better . It pained you all to see me like that, but I pulled through, so can you."
Don would smile at Gordon "Is this your way of telling me to take my own advice?"
"Maybe" Gordon would say as he grins. Don would start to slowly rise from his wheelchair. Placing his left foot on the ground, he would slowly place his right foot next to it. After a few seconds he would gradually stand up before taking a shaky step towards Gordon unaided.
"Don!" Gordon exclaimed with a smile on his face.
Don would be grinning before pulling Gordon into a hug. "Bit shaky on the legs, but thank you Gordon"
"No worries, just the same advice you gave me"
"Who knew I was smart"
"Oh shut up" Gordon would say patting Don on the back. "Shall we go give our father and big brothers a heart attack?"
"Sure" Don would say with a devilish grin that matched Gordons.
A few minutes later, Don would be in his wheelchair, in the elevator heading down with Gordon at his side. Opening into a hallway, Don would wheel himself towards the kitchen, he could hear Scott, John and Virgil talking to Jeff.
"So Gordon is currently talking to him?" Jeff would ask
"Yeah, said he owed him this" Scott would say "Whatever that means"
"Don was the one who spoke to Gordon when he was at his lowest point during his recovery" John would start
"And convinced Gordon to keep talking to us and carry on his physio" Virgil finished
"So he owes it to Don to not let him stop" Scott would figure out.
Without expecting it the four occupants in the kitchen would jump as Don 'falls' from his wheelchair and slides across the tiled floor
"DON" Virgil would yell starting to make his way towards him. He would bend down to help Don up, however Don would hold his hand to stop Virgil. The four would look to each other confused while Gordon stands in the hallway watching.
Slowly, Don would push himself up of the ground so he was sitting on the floor instead of lying unfashionably on the floor.
Scott would go to help him only to be stopped the same way as Virgil was.
Steadily, Don would take hold of the counter he was next to and would slowly pull himself to his feet, shocking his father and three brothers.
"Don…" Jeff would start before a smile crept on his face as Don stakes a shaky step towards Virgil
"Don you're.." Virgil would begin before pulling Don into a hug
"I know Virg, I know" Don would say with a smile.
"Don you nearly gave us a heart attack" Jeff would exclaim before hugging his son.
John and Scott would soon join the hug before they hear Gordon laughing in the hallway.
"GORDON" Scott would shout making Gordon appear in the kitchen. "You knew?"
"It happened in his room before we came down"
"So you planned to give us a heart attack?" John would question only getting a devilish grin from Don and Gordon.
Alan would rush into the kitchen as the others finishing hugging Don. "What's going on?" Alan would ask. Smiling Scott, John and Virgil would move out of the way so Alan could see Don standing on his own free will.
Alan would smile as Don takes a step to the youngest Tracy. Alan would soon step forward and hugs Don "Don, this is amazing"
"I know kiddo" Don would say smiling. "Shall we call NCIS?"
After moving to the lounge and surprising the remaining Island residents. Don would be stood in front of three monitors, at once they would all turn answer and before him were the NCIS teams.
They would all be sitting in the meeting room chairs before standing up at seeing Don, standing in the middle of their screens.
"Don, you're.. That's amazing" Ziva would exclaim
"Good to see you on your feet Kid" Pride would say with a smile
"Thanks Pride" Don would say winking at his mentor
"When did this happen?" Gibbs would ask looking at Don
"About 20 minutes ago in my room" Don would start to explain what happened to the three teams
"So Gordon had good advice?" Sam would ask "That is a surprise"
"HEY" Gordon would yell from the sofa making everyone laugh
"Well really it was Don's advice to him when he needed it and he knew Don needed to hear it again" LaSalle would state
"So Don's advice" Sam would say
"I know, irony at its finest, but Gordon does have some good advice, sometimes"
"Thank you"
"When do you think you will head over to help track this enhanced?" Vance would ask looking concerned
"I will be back next month, to give me chance to get used to walking and to be spending time with my family when I'm not depressed."
"Understood, we all need to get going as we have cases to solve" Vance would state "See you next month Don"
"Will do Vance, see you all later"
As the three teams sign off, Don would look strained, Virgil would stand and help Don sit down.
"So what now?" Don would ask
"You rest, and we will talk about your return to the field in the afternoon tomorrow" Jeff would imply with his commander voice, "All of you, get some rest" looking at each of his sons, they would all nod. Virgil and Jen would support Don to his room.