I'll say it again...Don't own 'em! Just the ones I made up! Enjoy!

Virgil scowled as he counted the pills left in the med-locker. Then counted them again. His scowl deepened as he compared his count to the inventory log. He punched a button on the speaker phone at the desk. "Steve? Have you given out any of the Vicodin lately?" He tried to keep his voice casual.

"Not since I saw Scott a few days ago, why?" Steve asked.

Virgil closed his eyes. "No reason, I'm just doing inventory and making up a grocery list. Thanks."

"No prob."

Virgil sighed as he hung up. Now Scotty, time to find out what's going on. Virgil made his way back to the pool terrace and glanced around. Gordon was back to doing laps and the younger kids had left. Scott was nowhere to be seen. Virgil took a deep breath and pressed a button on his communicator. "Hey Scotty, where are you?" He tried to keep his voice casual.

"In the kitchen. Onaha made cookies."

"Chocolate chip?"

"Oh yeah."

"I'll be right there."

"Actually, I'm headed down to the gym." There was a strange edge to Scott's voice.

"Hmm…Good idea, I should go workout before I eat the cookies. Makes room for more. Meet you there." Virgil cut off Scott's protest and hurried to the gym. He went inside and saw Scott swallowing something and then swiftly shutting his locker door.

"Hey Virg. What's up?" Scott asked quickly. A little too quickly.

Virgil eyed his eldest brother critically. Scott was pale, with a faint sheen of sweat across his forehead. He held his injured arm tight against his chest. Virgil frowned. "You OK?"

Scott nodded and avoided his brother's eyes. "I'm fine." He said shortly. "I...

ah…I guess I don't feel like working out after all."

"Scott, I think Steve should take a look at that shoulder." Virgil said evenly.

"It's fine." Scott snapped.

"Then why are you still taking pain meds?" Virgil asked quietly.

Scott's head snapped up. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I was just up in the infirmary taking inventory. Seems like we've gone through quite a lot of Vicodin in the past few weeks." His hazel eyes bored into his brother's grey ones. "I want the med-locker key back Scott."

"I—I don't have it." Scott hedged.

"Yes you do."

"Are you saying I took the meds?" Scott demanded.

"I didn't say that."

"You sure as hell implied it." Scott started to push by his brother.

"Give me the key Scott, or I go to Dad." Virgil's tone was like steel.

"Fuck you Virgil!" Scott shoved his brother with his good arm.

Virgil easily deflected the move. "Knock it off Scott. I'm just trying to help you."

"Leave me alone!"

Virgil stepped in front of Scott, blocking the door. "I've already lost one brother to an addiction. I'm not going to sit idly by and lose another one."

"You're a fine one to talk. How many cigarettes have you had today Virgil?" Scott shot back.

Virgil shook his head. "There's a big difference between a few cigarettes and overdosing on pain meds."

"I'm not overdosing on anything! They're prescription drugs. You can't get screwed up on prescription drugs!" Scott yelled.

"That's crap and you know it!" Virgil shouted back.

"I don't have to stay here and listen to this." Scott started to push by Virgil again, but his younger brother stood firm. Scott snarled and threw a punch with his good hand.

Luckily for Virgil, Scott wasn't a southpaw and the punch merely grazed his cheek. Virgil brought his own fists up and knocked Scott backwards. "Don't Scott. I don't want to hurt you."

Scott merely snarled again and threw himself at his brother. Virgil again deflected Scott's blows. "Scott knock it off! I don't want to hurt you!"

"It's not me you should be worried about!" Scott retorted. His fist connected solidly with Virgil's face and Virgil staggered backwards into the lockers.

"What is going on in here!"

Both turned as Jeff walked into the room. "Either of you want to go first?" He asked, glaring at both his sons.

"It's nothing Dad." Virgil muttered, rubbing his jaw.

Jeff merely folded his arms across his chest and stared at them both. "Scott?"

"Just a difference of opinion." Scott answered, not meeting his father's eyes.

"Oh really." Jeff stated.

"Look Dad, it was nothing." Virgil told him.

"Didn't look like that to me." Jeff frowned at them both. "Don't you think we have enough problems without the two of you going at each other's throats?"

Both boys looked down at their feet. "Sorry Dad." Virgil said.

"Sorry." Scott muttered.

Jeff stared at them both. "Now, want to tell me what this 'difference of opinion' was?"

Before either could answer, the alarm sounded. Scott bolted from the room, with his father and brother at his heels. Before they entered the Command-Control center, Virgil pulled his father to a stop.

"You can't let Scott go on this rescue."

Jeff frowned. "Why not? Is his shoulder still bothering him?"

Virgil shook his head. "Some, but that's not why." He sighed. "Look Dad, I don't have time to get into this right now. Just don't let Scott go."

Jeff shook his head. "Virgil…"

"I'll talk to you later." Virgil opened the door and stepped inside. A few moments later, they were joined by Gordon, Alan, Tin-Tin and Fermat.

"What is it Brains?" Jeff asked.

"E-E-Earthquake in Turkey. The locals have re-re-re-asked us to respond and help." Brains replied.

Jeff gazed thoughtfully down at the screen. He looked up to find Virgil's hazel eyes locked firmly on him. "All right…Fermat, you stay here and man Base. Virgil, you, Gordon and Tin-Tin get to Thunderbird 2, I'll have Steve meet you there. Scott, you take Thunderbird 1…" Out of Scott's line of vision, Virgil shook his head at his father. Jeff took a deep breath. "Scott, you'll be acting as co-pilot. Alan will fly and you'll man Mobile Control."

"What!" Scott exploded. "Thunderbird 1 is mine! I'm her pilot!"

Jeff shook his head. "Not this time. And if you want to split hairs, Thunderbird 1 belongs to me. Unless you have a few million stashed away somewhere that you'd like to give me."

Gordon choked on a laugh and his eldest brother glared. Scott turned back to his father. "I'm fully capable of flying her father. I don't need a babysitter."

"Hey! I'm not a babysitter." Alan yelped.

Jeff held up a hand. "Enough." The room quieted. "All right Scott. You tell me you can fly, prove it. Raise your right arm."

The order took Scott by surprise. "What?"

"You heard me. Raise your right arm. High, above your head." Jeff met his son's gaze unflinchingly.

Scott merely scowled and turned on his heel, marching over to his alcove. A few seconds later the door closed and he was gone. Gordon shot Alan a cocky grin. "Good luck Sprout." He winked then he too disappeared into his alcove. Alan followed a heartbeat later, Tin-Tin right behind him.

Virgil started towards his, only to be stopped by his father. "Virgil. Keep an eye on things out there."

"I will." Virgil nodded.

"And be prepared to explain all this when you get back." Jeff said sternly.

"Yes sir." Virgil also vanished behind his portrait.

Jeff sighed and looked over at Brains and smiled thinly as the house shook from the roar of the departing rockets. "Thunderbirds are go."

"Choose Jeff. Which son do you want to live?" The Hood asked malevolently.

Jeff shook his head. "I won't."

"Then I kill them both."

A searing pain tore through John's head. Beside him, Scott slumped to the ground with a moan.

"Stop! Leave them alone!" Jeff yelled.

Hood smiled evilly. "Then choose."

Jeff bowed his head. "Scott. I want Scott."

"Very well."

"Dad no!" John screamed as his head exploded in pain. He looked up at his father. "Dad…why?"

Jeff merely shrugged. "I'm sorry John. Good-bye."

Darkness…

John looked around. He was surrounded by a grey mist. "Hello?" He took a few steps forward. "Dad? Scott? Hello?" He called out again.

"You are quite alone John."

John whirled. "Where are you?"

"But you're used to that aren't you, spending all that time up on Thunderbird 5."

"Show yourself!" John peered through the mists.

"Who are you talking to John?"

"Dammit Hood! I know you're here!"

"But where is here John?" The mist swirled in front of him. Then it solidified and the Hood stepped forward.

John backed up in fear. "Leave me…" His voice trailed off.

"Alone?" Hood laughed, an evil sound that grated on John's nerves. "John, you have no idea how amusing you are."

"What do you want with me?" John demanded, swallowing his fear.

"What makes you think I want anything to do with you?"

John frowned. This was not the answer he was expecting. "They why? Why me?"

Hood smiled charmingly. "Why John, I thought you'd enjoy having a friend."

"I have enough friends."

Hood laughed again. "Really now, then where are they?" He turned in a circle, gesturing with his hands. "I don't see anyone."

John turned. "Just go away."

"Like your family did?" Hood placed a hand on John's shoulder and turned the young man until John faced him. Hood's voice grew soft and compassionate. "They don't care about you John, not really."

"Yes they do." John tried to put some force behind his words.

"Then why did they let you go without a fight?" Hood watched the confusion appear in John's ice-blue eyes. "Did they try and stop you from leaving?"

"Yes. Dad…my father wanted me to stay." John pulled himself out of Hood's grasp.

Hood let him go. "Did he really? Or was he just saying that? Trying to do what a good father was supposed to do."

John turned. "What…what do you mean?"

Hood shook his head. "You tell me John. How hard did your father try to persuade you to stay? And how often has he called to see how you were doing?" Hood watched the emotions flash across John's face. Confusion, betrayal, realization… "I am correct am I not?"

John turned away again, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "So what if you are. I can take care of myself." His voice wasn't quite steady.

"Of course you can." Hood walked around him. "And you have your new friend, what is her name again? Ah yes, Christa."

John's head snapped up and his blue eyes flashed dangerously. "Leave her out of this." He snarled.

Hood held up his hands. "Out of what John?"

"Out of whatever little game you're playing."

"Game? What game?" He faced John once again. "Come, come John. I'm not the one playing games. You are." Hood's red eyes glittered. "You're deceiving yourself, thinking they care. Even Christa. Did she thank you for saving her life tonight? No, she criticized you for the event in the first place. Is that how someone who cares behaves?" Hood went on without waiting for John to reply. "And your family, how many times have they tried to get in touch with you, just to say hello? They didn't even bother to call when your precious father was injured in a rescue. Your brother, Gordon was it? I believe he even hung up on you when you tried to call yourself. Is that the actions of a family who cares John?"

John's shoulders slumped. "No." He whispered.

"Then why do you persist in thinking that they are concerned about you?"

John merely shook his head. "I…I…"

"Yes John, only you." Hood's image began to fade into the mist.

"Only you…alone…"

John bolted awake, his chest heaving. He winced and idly rubbed his left side. Christa stirred next to him.

"John?" She called out sleepily. "Is everything alright?"

John took a shuddering breath and laid back down, taking her in his arms. "Fine, everything's fine." She mumbled something incoherent and fell back to sleep.

John laid there, his thoughts in turmoil, staring up at the ceiling until dawn.