Thank you so much for the awesome reaction to this - I'm so glad people are still enjoying this series!
When Scott awoke, sunlight was streaming into his eyes, he had a crick in his neck and there was a blanket draped haphazardly over his legs. He smiled. There was only one person on the island who would possess a lime green blanket with fish scattered across it and Scott wondered if Gordon had brought it on the off-chance or if he'd known Scott would be in here. For someone who spent most of the time messing around, Scott knew his little brother could be highly perceptive when it suited him. It wouldn't have surprised Scott if Gordon had known precisely where to find him.
Flinging it off and letting his legs drop to the floor, Scott groaned as all the blood relocated to his legs and pins and needles broke out. He knew falling asleep in a chair was a bad idea. But he also knew that if he had stayed in his own room, there would have been no more rest for him. There never was after a nightmare like that.
Climbing to his feet, Scott cast the bed a fond look.
"Virg?" he called softly, reaching out a hand and resting it on the lump that was his brother. There was no reaction, making Scott laugh softly as he left the room. He would have been shocked if Virgil had stirred; it was far too early for him. There was only one thing that could get Virgil out of bed earlier than he was ready and Scott had no desire for the klaxon to be going off, not when he had promised John that he would go and get him.
Forsaking his normal morning run so he could get into space quicker, Scott headed for the shower. Although he was still limping, his leg felt better than it had the day before and he knew it wouldn't give him any problems. If he was going to be stuck inside a rocket for several hours, however, he wanted to work out the crick in his neck before leaving.
Turning up the temperature in the shower, Scott sighed in relief as the pounding water did its work. He dried and dressed quickly, intent on getting breakfast. But as he walked past the lounge, his mind focused on coffee, he stopped. He blinked and then backtracked his steps, staring into the room he had just passed.
Nothing had happened that morning and there was no way he would sleep through the klaxon going off. But the lounge was in control mode. Scott walked in, glancing around. But he didn't have to look far, as his dad was sitting at the controls, focusing on something. Just as Scott made to question what was going on, Jeff held up a finger, silencing him.
"F.A.B. You are clear to launch, Gordon. See you in a few."
Scott's mouth dropped open as he glanced out of the window. It came as no surprise when the sleek red outline of Thunderbird Three began to rise from its resting place. Despite wanting to know what was going on, Scott found he could only watch as the rocket streaked away from the island and straight into the sky, vanishing from view in a few moments. It wasn't often he got to watch it happen, more often than not acting as co-pilot for either Brains or John depending on which way around the rota was. He had to marvel at the smoothness of the whole thing.
Only then did he truly realise Thunderbird Three had launched without him in it.
"What's going on?"
His father turned to face him, prepared to talk now he didn't have a launch to oversee.
"Gordon was up, Brains was happy for your brother to be co-pilot, John wants to come home and you were still asleep," he said bluntly and Scott stared at him.
"But I'm awake now. They are really that desperate they couldn't have waited the half hour it took me to have breakfast?"
"And then the half hour after that to run through pre-flight checks? Gordon can handle it, Scott. Brains said he was happy, John said the same thing. I had no reason to not let them go."
"But…"
"You didn't get much sleep last night. Stop arguing and enjoy the fact you can actually relax for a few hours before John comes home."
"I like going to get him," Scott mumbled petulantly and his father rolled his eyes, flicking a few buttons to enable the command centre to transform back into their living quarters. He stood, brushing past Scott as he headed towards the kitchen.
Remembering that was where he had been aiming for all along, Scott fell into step with the man. After a few steps, he could tell he was being closely watched. He rolled his eyes, knowing what his father was thinking.
"I did sleep, actually. Virgil's chair might not be very comfortable, but it did the trick."
"How long since you last had one?"
"Dad…"
"Answer the question, Scott."
"Do we have to talk about this?"
"Do we have to talk about how you had been yelling in your sleep before you woke up? Or how Gordon came to get me because he could hear you muttering? Or that I had to watch you trapped in a nightmare, knowing you were the only one who could wake yourself up? Yes, we do. How long has it been?"
Scott sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He knew that tone of voice. It was the only time he couldn't refuse his father. It was different compared to when they had been growing up and their dad had been trying to get them to do their homework. This was a tone of voice underlined by deep concern and a hint of fear. It didn't escape Scott's notice that the tone only worked on him and only happened after he had had a nightmare. He had no choice but to obey.
"The fire in California," he muttered, receiving a nod in response. John had been out in the field and had ended up in the infirmary after a beam weakened under the flames and collapsed on him. Scott had been the one to pull him out - and the one to witness John being torn from him by a faceless figure multiple times that night. Of course, the identity of the attacker in the dream always emerged just before Scott awoke and it was always the same person.
"So why last night, they weren't in more danger than usual, were they?"
Scott sighed, shaking his head and knowing he was going to have to explain.
"John's shoulder was hurting. Brains wanted to give me a shot while he sorted my leg. I was pretty tired after the rescue as it was, guess everything just caught up on me. And I'm fine." Scott added the last part on as his father opened his mouth. It was rare for Scott to have a dream unless one of his brothers had been in direct danger and he knew his father was worried about what it could mean.
"Would you tell me if you weren't?"
Scott started, glancing at his dad again. There was nothing but fond exasperation on the man's face and Scott knew he had just been caught out. It wasn't that he wouldn't tell his father, but that he wouldn't tell anyone.
"I thought as much. Listen, I know you said that you are fine and I believe you…"
"Why do I get the feeling that there is a but in this sentence?"
"But-,"
Scott flushed slightly at the look his father gave him.
"If you have another one after the next rescue without some specific happening to trigger it, I want you to take a break."
"What? Dad, c'mon, it's happened once…"
"I nearly lost you once from not paying enough attention to what was going on around me. I'm not losing you again to the same thing."
Scott's annoyance simmered down. How could he be angry when the man was trying to keep him safe – and sane? Although this was supposedly about him, he knew full well his father still got the nightmares occasionally as well.
"The rest of the world needs me, Dad," Scott said softly. Despite understanding where his father was coming from, Scott was not about to back down. He was never one for sitting on the sidelines and watching others do a job that he knew he could be helping with. Nor did he like the idea of his brothers being out there without him, despite trusting that they knew what to do.
"We'll see. Your family needs you more, Scott. Let's just wait and see how the next rescue goes and make a decision from there, okay?"
Scott could only nod curtly, grabbing a mug and filling it with coffee. He wanted to argue and fight back, but he knew what that would do: make his father suspicious about how many nightmares Scott had experienced and what he was trying to hide. As far as his father knew, a smooth rescue would alleviate his concerns.
Scott knew that wasn't the truth, though. The bad rescues were the ones that left him calling out in his sleep. Pressing the matter would only let slip that not every nightmare resulted in him screaming. Some were silent, and they were even worse.
Luckily, his lack of response was covered by a startled yelp. Scott knew his brothers and knew Virgil better than anyone. He knew there was nothing wrong with said brother, only that something had taken him by surprise. He only had time to share a look with his father – glad it was one not lined with concern – when Virgil came bursting into the kitchen. It was clear that he had just rolled out of bed as he was wearing a pair of shorts and his hair was sticking up at odd angles.
"What the hell is this?" he demanded, brandishing something in front of his father and brother. Scott let out a bark of laughter when he saw the blanket Gordon had covered him with clutched in Virgil's hand. He had forgotten he had pushed it to the floor. Virgil's angry gaze locked onto his big brother.
"Why was Gordon in my room?"
Scott shrugged, grinning innocently. It was bad enough he already had one little brother knowing he'd had a nightmare, he didn't need Virgil to find out as well.
"I would say to ask him, but he's not on the planet."
"He's gone to get John?" Virgil asked and Scott could have kicked himself. If there was one way to get Virgil to notice something, it was a break in Scott's normal routine. He knew his brothers mocked him for it, but there were some things that the Air Force had instilled in him that were hard to shake. Not to mention a strict routine had been the one thing that had got him through his teenage years.
"He needs the practice; you all need hours in each other's 'birds," Jeff cut in and Scott shot his father a smile of thanks. It didn't matter how much Scott hated that his dad was concerned he couldn't cope, he knew he wouldn't say anything to the others unless Scott indicated he wanted them to know.
Virgil nodded and then an alarmed look shot over his face.
"No one is going in my girl!" he yelped, grabbing the entire coffee pot, a mug and racing from the room as fast as he could without spilling it. Scott watched him go with raised eyebrows and an amused look on his face before he lifted his own mug. It was only then he realised that it was empty.
"Hey! Virg!"
Without hesitating, he shot after his brother, ignoring the disbelieving expression on his father's face. The whir of the lift indicated that Virgil had fled to the silos, clearly preparing to take up guard duty over his Thunderbird while their father had the idea of sharing. Scott smirked as he ran: Virgil had never liked sharing his toys when he was a child either. So saying, Scott wasn't sure he was any better and already had a plan in mind about stealing the coffee back before going to work on his own 'bird as a precaution to make sure no one else could get near. Not that they tended to launch the Thunderbirds without a rescue, it wasn't worth the potential security breach. But common sense never seemed to take precedence in a Tracy's head when their possessions were potentially under threat.
It didn't take him long to find Virgil. The ramp to Thunderbird Two was already downand Scott could hear that Virgil had set up his music. He moved in, heading for the control panel. He could see the coffee there, unguarded, and was just about to congratulate himself on a job well done when he heard movement behind him. Virgil reappeared, dressed in overalls this time and eyeing Scott suspiciously. He eventually sighed.
"Fine, one mug," he said reluctantly.
Scott grinned, knowing that was the most he was going to get out of his brother. He poured out the one mug and made to head out again. He would have this one from Virgil, then go back upstairs, knowing Kyrano would have already pulled out another pot from somewhere.
But just as his foot hit the ramp, Virgil's voice called him back.
"Me or John?"
Scott stared at him, realising that Virgil had known all along why there had been the blanket in his room. He grimaced and shrugged.
"You," he mumbled, not able to meet Virgil's gaze. When he glanced up, Virgil nodded softly and offered him a smile.
"Right here and not going anywhere," he replied, his voice equally as soft. Scott managed a smile of his own, raising his mug in a salute and moving away from his brother's 'bird. He did genuinely have work to do on his own craft, but he also wanted time to think.
If he was honest, Scott did more thinking than working once he got to his 'bird. He kept her in top condition; there wasn't a lot to do once he had tweaked a few things. But he didn't intend going back upstairs. He knew his dad was just watching out for him, but that didn't stop him from getting annoyed at being treated as if he didn't know his own limits. He knew he was never one to be honest about how he was feeling, not wanting the others to worry. But he also wasn't a fool. He wouldn't lie if he knew that he wasn't on top of his game and they were called out on a rescue. It wasn't just his pride on the line there, it was potentially his brothers' lives. Scott knew his father would know he wouldn't endanger the others, and that made it all the more irritating.
Still, Scott didn't mind taking refuge in One. He had spent hours choosing the seat when the Thunderbirds were first built, knowing he would be spending a lot of time in it. It meant that, on occasions like this, he was more than happy to curl up and let his hands play with the controls in front of him. He could never sit entirely still, not the way John could, but he didn't have the same need for movement as Gordon.
He only managed to hide – he knew there was no other word for it – for a couple of hours before he heard Thunderbird Three returning. There was no point staying down here now, it would be a clear sign to everyone on the island something was wrong if he didn't go and greet his brother. He left his 'bird, hearing Virgil leaving the silos, but then he hesitated.
The chances were John already knew about the dream. Gordon was incapable of keeping his mouth shut and John might have already guessed. He seemed to know what set Scott off better than their father or even Virgil, and he would have known that Scott being aware that his shoulder was hurting would have been enough for dreams to plague his older brother. If John had pushed Gordon, the redhead wouldn't have stooda chance. John had a way of getting answers. Unless, of course, Gordon or Virgil had offered the information voluntarily.
Sometimes, Scott hated how close their family was. It made keeping secrets impossible.
By the time Scott made it to the lounge, it was already empty. He knew John liked to settle back in as soon as he could when he arrived home, but this was a bit too fast for Scott to be happy with. He stood in the middle of the room for a moment, then realised that he could hear voices. He was shocked to hear them coming from the infirmary and he fled the lounge, racing to join them. He burst through the doors, his gaze running over the rest of his family before he realised that everyone seemed to be okay.
John was sitting on the edge of a bed, feet swinging childishly as he spoke with Virgil. For his part, the artist jumped guiltily when Scott came bursting in and quickly hid something behind his back. Gordon was sitting off to one side, sipping on a drink and talking with their father, although all heads turned Scott's way when he entered.
"Fifteen minutes from touchdown and he already knew we were in here. That has to be a record even for you, Scott," John muttered drily, even though his eyes were sparkling. Scott simply frowned.
"You okay?" With Brains off the island, Virgil was the medic they turned to (or were forced towards) when something was wrong. For them to be in here this soon after landing, the problem had to be with John.
John rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. What's the reason you bullied me into coming home?"
Scott gaped before flushing. If John's shoulder had been bad enough for him not to protest about coming home – Scott knew the arguments his brother could construct if he really wanted to (John hadn't even tried this time) – then it made sense for him to want to take something for the pain. Brains had come up with a drug over the years that loosened the muscles around the scar tissue in John's shoulder until it managed to ease itself. It also explained why Virgil still had a hand behind his back – he had yet to give John the shot and didn't want Scott seeing.
"Couldn't you have waited at least twenty minutes before coming up? We would have been done by then," Virgil muttered, his gaze darting between his two older brothers. He looked as if he didn't know whether he should be getting on with it to ease John's physical discomfort or be forcing Scott out to make sure he didn't see the needle. Gordon, however, took matters into his own hands.
"Hey, Scott?"
Scott should have known. The second he turned around, he should have known it was a bad idea. But it was too late. As soon as he faced his brother, Gordon chucked the rest of the contents of his glass over his brother's face. Glad that it was only water, Scott glared as the younger man shot him a grin and raced from the room.
"You looked a bit warm," Gordon called over his shoulder even as he disappeared from view. Scott didn't see Virgil's swift movement as he took off after Gordon, knowing that he was being played but still not letting it stand. It didn't take him long to catch up with his younger brother and it took even less time until he managed to dump Gordon in the pool, but it was still long enough. As Gordon spluttered to the surface – the grin on his face revealing that he knew whatwas coming but that it was worth it – the rest of the family had come out to join them.
"Gordon, go and get changed before your grandmother sees you've got another flight suit wet."
"It's not my fault, it's Scott's."
"That stopped working when you were about five, Gords." Scott settled himself back on a sun lounger as Gordon hauled himself out of the pool, wincing as his brother flicked water at him in retaliation. Gordon still grinned good-naturedly and hurried inside.
Virgil immediately spread over another lounger, a sketchpad coming out from somewhere and a pencil being pulled from behind his ear. His eyes had a far-away look in them as he gazed out to the horizon before his hand started to move. Scott loved watching Virgil draw, the way that a blank page instantly came to life under his brother's fingers, but this time he turned to face where John had settled on the other side of him. Jeff took one look at his boys, smiled contently and disappeared back inside.
John looked at his watch.
"What time does the kid get out of class?" he asked and Scott mirrored his actions, checking the time himself before grinning.
"About now."
John returned the smile. They both knew where their father had gone. A companionable silence fell over them for a moment before John stretched out with a sigh.
"It's good to feel the sun," he murmured and Scott agreed even as he moved into a more comfortable position himself. While the silos were peaceful, they were also cool. It did feel nice feeling the rays soak into his skin and it provided Scott with another reason as to why he could never take on John's role.
"Dad wants us to have time in each other's craft," Virgil called over, not even glancing at his brothers as he continued to draw. Scott chuckled at the grimace John pulled.
"It was bad enough being in a rocket with Gordon for a few hours, I'm not sure I would have a 'bird left if I left him up there alone for any length of time."
Scott found himself agreeing, but knew that Gordon would not be the only one who wouldn't want to spend time alone on Thunderbird Five. There was a reason why John had volunteered himself as Space Monitor – he was the only one who had the mental ability to deal with it for more than a few hours.
"Besides, it would just be asking for nightmares."
Scott froze at John's casual words before glancing at his brother. The look John gave him in return meant that Scott knew that John was aware he had spent the night in Virgil's room.
"Scott…"
"John, don't." Scott tried to make his words an order, not wanting to talk about it. He knew it came out as a plea though. John knew him too well.
"Don't what, Scott? Don't tell Dad that both Virg and I know that last night wasn't the first one you've had in a while like you claim?"
"What do you do, spy on me?"
"If I have to. If that is what it takes to make sure you aren't about to go out on a rescue while functioning on no sleep."
"How dare you!" Scott didn't realise he had jumped to his feet until John slowly got up himself so that Scott wasn't towering over him. "I think I know what I can and can't deal with."
"Really? Because what I know is that the one thing that makes you close up faster than an air-lock is the dreams. I know you won't tell Dad about them because he would over-react. But we don't, Scott. We can't help you if you don't tell us about them."
Scott stared. He knew that the pair of them had clearly been working up to this conversation for a while considering the fact that Virgil had put down his pad, swung his legs around and was watching his two older brothers intently. He suddenly felt cornered, but only because he knew they had a point. He didn't want help with them though, because talking about it meant admitting that for some reason in the last year, the dreams had been coming back. He thought that he had left them behind years ago, but it seemed his mind had just been playing tricks on him.
"What makes you think you can do anything?"
"Because we're the ones you dream about, Scott," Virgil said quietly, cutting through the tension that was building up. Scott opened his mouth to retaliate, only to freeze as his watch vibrated. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see both John and Virgil also glancing towards their wrists.
"Dad?"
"Someone wants a word with you three."
Scott started at the sternness in his father's voice. Instantly, their argument was forgotten about as he shared a look with his two brothers. Judging by the looks on their faces, they didn't know what this was about any more than he did.
"On our way." It wasn't the first time that Scott had spoken for them all and the other two didn't even bat an eyelid at it. Scott led the way, but was aware of his brothers directly behind him. Something told him their conversation wasn't over, just postponed for the time being. He hoped that it gave him time to think of a comeback for his brothers as he was certain the only reason they had sprung it on him in such a way was because they knew that should he have received warning, he would have been able to wriggle out of it. He was their big brother and not the other way around for a reason.
But for now, he simply led the way to his father's office. As soon as he entered, he saw his father's chair turn as the man got up.
"I'll leave you to it then," was all he said before walking out. Despite himself, Scott found that he was sharing a concerned look with his brothers before walking forward. But as soon as he saw his father's monitor, a wide grin split over his face as he sank into the seat, hearing the other two pull around chairs themselves after seeing who it was.
"What's with the tension? You three look ready to snap."
"It's nothing," Scott muttered, shooting the other two a look to keep them quiet. He knew if they said anything now, it would get straight back to their father.
"So," Scott settled himself further into the chair, feeling the tension leak away from him now that the topic had been changed. "How's life in the real world, Detective?"
"Nicole's pregnant again."
"Matt! That's awesome, congratulations!" The dream and the knowledge that John and Virgil weren't yet done with him was pushed from Scott's mind as he took the chance to catch up with their old friend.