Scott managed to make it to the tree line before his knee gave out. The trek had been slow, but manageable, until his foot slid precariously on a sandy stone. The slight motion had been enough to throw off his momentum, sending the brunette careening downwards. He'd buried Alan protectively against his chest as his head and shoulder hit the ground with an intensity that shook him to the core. The impact left him breathless, pain shooting through his temple like sharpened spears. Scott didn't have the strength to gasp at the sudden agony and remained motionless, unable to will his body to move again. Even if he had the energy to reach out to John, his arm was crushed under Alan's weight, rendering his wrist comm useless. Spots danced at the edge of his vision and he fought to remain conscious. Apparently even his anger at the injustice of the situation wasn't enough to make things right this time.
The weight suddenly left his chest, though his breath still came in pitiful wheezes. A voice called out incoherently but the sound was muffled and seemed to come from far away. Kayo couldn't possibly be here yet, Alan was unconscious and John…was it John? Scott felt a pair of hands grasp his shoulders and touch his neck, checking for a pulse. The cry became louder, like an oncoming locomotive, until it was absolutely deafening. He fought the urge to give into his hallucinations. No one else was here. He'd hit his head at least twice and guilt was eating him up inside like a wildfire. Now he was creating salvation where none existed, trying to make up for his failures as a brother, a leader of International Rescue, a son…
The voice returned like an incessant gnat, disrupting his thoughts and receding when he tried to identify the source of the noise. The hands were back, prodding at his head and shoulder injuries and this time the voice was his, vocal chords becoming raw from another round of screaming. Exhaustion finally drove him to focus on the intruder. Maybe if he just concentrated hard enough, the delusion would fade and he could finally have some peace—
"SCOTT!" The voice assaulted him just as his eyes fluttered open. The world refused to seam together and he was left with a blurry, jumbled mess, like scattered puzzle pieces. He felt his body move against his own accord, back and shoulder stretching achingly as those same hands pulled him into an embrace.
"Tell me you're okay, please…" the voice murmured, repeating his name and rocking him gently. Scott squinted, his brain working overtime to interpret the slew of images in front of his face. Blue uniform. Red sash. His forehead was pressed securely into his brother's chest.
"Al…?" he muttered softly, eliciting a yelp of delight from the blonde.
"You're awake!" Alan pushed Scott's shoulders back, his head lolling weakly without the extra support. Panic caused Alan's voice to raise an octave. "Scott?!"
The eldest closed his eyes against the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him. The nausea returned and he gripped his brother's arms weakly. "Just help me lay down. I hit my head again and everything's…I-I just can't seem to focus, I…" his voice faded to a whisper as his vision swam before him. He tried opening his mouth to finish his thought, but found he'd forgotten what he was going to say. His breath hitched with each exhale. His back felt flayed open. His knee was now so swollen it would hardly move. And his head…he'd never been so disoriented. Or in this much pain.
Instead of helping him to the ground, the astronaut grasped Scott firmly, rooting his upper body in a sitting position. He struggled sluggishly against the hands that held him steadfast, but Alan remained undeterred.
"Scott, don't. I've got you. If we're getting out of here, I can't have you falling asleep on me. You have a plan, right? Please say you have a plan." Desperation lined his younger brother's face.
Kayo's coming. They found a place to land Thunderbird S, but getting there will be a problem. We just have to follow John's path—
A hard slap to Scott's face brought him back to his senses. "Scotty, hey. Stay with me, here. Tell me what we need to do."
The older Tracy recoiled from the blow, confused. He'd spoken out loud, right? He was sure of it…though his brother's actions stated otherwise. He concentrated on his response, verifying it was verbal this time when he felt the vibrations in his throat.
"John's sending Kayo. She's landing about a mile from here. He plotted a course for me using those coordinates. It's the blue line on my wrist comm." Carefully extricating his hand from Scott's right arm and reaching for his wrist, Alan flickered the watch interface to life. The small projection appeared.
"Okay, good. So we meet Kayo. Come on, let's go."
Scott's jaw fell in disbelief. "Al, I'm not going anywhere. And neither are you. You were unconscious."
"I woke up."
"We need to get you checked out. I'm not risking moving you again."
"Good, because I can walk by myself, thanks."
"I'm being SERIOUS!"
"So am I."
Scott grit his teeth in agitation. He threw Alan an intimidating glare, but the youth simply shrugged.
"Al—"
"Scotty, you need medical attention."
"And you DON'T?!"
"I mean, more than me."
"But, your head—"
"Hurts, yeah. But I'll live." A pause. "Scotty, I can't carry you. But I'm not leaving you alone, either. If you stay here on the ground, you'll pass out. Virgil wouldn't let you live it down. So suck it up and STAND!" Again with the standing. The command became a plea as Alan shook from his outburst, quiet sobs filling the empty air. Guilt clawed at his conscience again. Scott caught his brother's eye and gave a resolute nod.
"Okay, okay. I'll try. But, I need…need your help. My eyesight won't focus and my knee. It's so painful."
Alan breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at Scott's knee as if seeing the injury for the first time. He stood, positioning his grip on the brunette's belt and coordinating shoulder sash. "Alright, on the count of three, I'm going to pull you up to your feet. If you feel like you're gonna fall, lean into me. I'll catch you." Alan commenced the countdown then yanked Scott roughly upwards. Scott's knee jarred angrily when he applied pressure and he listed dangerously toward his good leg when he reached his full height. "Easy, Scotty!" came Alan's reply as his younger brother tucked himself into his side like a human crutch, taking the brunt of the weight. Scott breathed heavily, the world twisting around as if it was attached to some giant serpent. He didn't know how long he stood before Alan motioned him onwards. Taking tentative steps forward, hunched in agony, they began the tedious journey toward the clearing. Together.
