Disclaimer: The Thunderbirds belong to other people. And the line from the 3 Doors Down song "Landing in London" that is quoted belongs to the band and is off their CD "Seventeen Days"
I'll use your light to guide the way.
-3 Doors Down "Landing in London"
Chapter Eleven: Recovery Continues
Sleep wasn't peaceful that night, though. John was the first to wake from a nightmare. He woke with a muffled shout since his face was buried in his pillow at the time. He rolled onto his back and sat up, getting his breathing calmed down. He turned to see the door open, and Scott peered inside. As Scott came in, John sat up, shifting so his only older brother had enough room to sit as well.
"That was you," Scott said, sitting next to John. "What happened?"
"Guess."
"Well, I can see that it was a nightmare," Scott said. "Virgil?"
John shook his head. "Surprisingly enough, no. Thunderbird Five."
Scott sighed. "The Hood's first attack."
"He won't stop, Scott. Not until we're dead or he is. He'll keep finding ways to come at us."
"I know," Scott agreed softly. "I realized that before."
John laid back down hard, a breath forced out as he hit the mattress. "What can we do?"
"I don't know, John. I really don't."
It was then that they heard someone calling Virgil's name in their sleep. And they immediately knew it was Alan. Scott was the first out the door with John only a couple steps behind. They burst into Alan's room to find Gordon already there with a sobbing Alan in his arms.
"What happened?" John asked, squeezing by a shocked Scott and knelt in front of his two youngest brothers.
"I could hear him calling…saying things in his sleep. I got him to wake up, and then this," Gordon answered sadly.
"Hey Alan," John said, his voice low. "Virgil's just fine. He's in his room, fast asleep."
"He left us…" Alan managed to get out.
"But he came back," John replied. "Virgil came back to us. And he isn't going anywhere ever again."
Alan was soon asleep, and Scott was the one to help Gordon get Alan back into bed and under the covers. Then the three left, shutting the door behind them. And John turned to Gordon.
"You okay?" he asked.
"That was just too weird," Gordon answered just after he shrugged.
"I think it's all hitting us now…" Scott began, but stopped when he heard movement from Virgil's room.
"And it's his turn," John sighed.
The commotion in the hallway got Jeff out of bed. He came out of his room just in time to see three of his sons going into Virgil's room. And then he heard a yell. Jeff ran into his middle son's room and nearly crashed into the brothers. Virgil was sitting straight up, and they could see the sweat glistening off his skin in the moonlight. And he was breathing heavily as well.
John was the first one over, sitting on the bed next to Virgil.
"Hey," John said softly.
It took a few seconds, but Virgil turned to face John.
"Hey," Virgil replied.
"That had to be one hell of a nightmare," John noted and Virgil only nodded.
"Want to talk about it?" Scott asked, kneeling in front of John and Virgil.
But Virgil only shook his head. He had too much of an audience and it made him quite uncomfortable. Jeff saw that and decided to ease some of his middle son's discomfort.
"Boys, why don't you go back to bed," Jeff said.
After a little discussion, Scott led John and Gordon out of the room. Then Jeff took the place that John had vacated next to Virgil.
"What is it?" Jeff asked.
"Everything," Virgil began. "When The Hood was in my head…shooting John…feeling so alone and hated."
"I get the first two," Jeff said, "but not the last."
"Remember, Dad, when I left the hospital, I was convinced that you all hated me for what I did. It wasn't until I heard Alan respond to something that The Hood said that I knew I was wrong."
Jeff didn't immediately have words to respond, so he embraced his son until the words came. "I'm so very sorry you felt that way. Just know we could never hate you."
Virgil smiled slightly. "I realize that now."
"Try and get some sleep now," Jeff said, standing. "We'll be here. We'll always be here."