Chapter 3 is here!

Disclaimer: Is there any point in asking?

"You're going to go stiff if you stay like that."

Stiff. It seemed like everyone and everything was mocking him. Even the sky was, sun shining and all. A perfect day to fly. Well, it would be if not for the stupid bullet wound in his chest.

"Scott."

He knew what he would say: "Stop fussing and get over it!"But he couldn't. Not when it was his fault. A gentle shaking brought him back to the present.

"Scott, dearest? Come on, let's get some food, you haven't eaten properly in days."

I'm not hungry he wanted to say, he hadn't been since that day, but he didn't want to hurt the old woman's feelings by shaking her off.

"I'll get something in a minute Memaw, just need to stretch first." He smiled.

He could see her worried look through the reflection of the window; it had been there since he moved back just a few months ago. A few months since then. He sighed as he watched her go, her small frame bobbing into the kitchen. It made him laugh that he was living with his grandma- usually that would be classed as failure but he had nowhere else to slowly pulled himself up, careful not to put much weight on his right side, the wound still hurt like hell. Personally, he was more concerned about his heart; it had been through hell from the moment he got here, even before.Time to get some grub he thought as he followed his grandma into the kitchen.

Screaming. Static. Blood. More static. The events just replayed in his head. They weren't really aloud out to fly whenever they wanted to, Malcolm had said that, but one thing Malcolm had learnt is that the Tracy's were stubborn.

"C'mon, it'll be fun!" Scott had laughed as his best friend since childhood slowly crept out from the barracks.

"It might be if we don't get caught."

"If we get caught. Which we won't so stop fussing and get over it!"

"Nice way of quoting Scooter."

"What? I learn from the best M'n'M."

He had laughed at his friend's playfulness, and also at the fact he could be so easily persuaded. Not long after that, they found themselves in their plane- the Dreamer. Major Scott Tracy and Captain Malcolm Middleman had been given the jet when it had been considered rubbish, but the two had put their blood, sweat and tears into the thing-literally- and now look at it. The Dreamer was the best jet in their section of the air force and by god, if it got scratched, you would know about it. Within minutes they were in the air, gliding through the sky, g-forces taking over them. However the fun didn't last long. The first noticeable shot was when both boys, now men, felt something hit the back of the jet. Then another.

"Scott! String of bullets coming our way... watch out! Jet fighters coming up close." Now the business side of the men came out. The major swerved in and out of the incoming bullets, most of them hitting the ship-

"Scott, there's too many of them!"

-Their radar showed they were still in their own territory-

"Hold on! I'm taking her back. Contact base, we need back up!"

-Various messages were sent to base requesting back up, only they failed to grant them in time.

"Scott, there is no way out of this!" Sam shouted as many more bullets hit the jet, some going right through the interior, "Shit!"

"Just hold on Malcolm!" his reply was not one he wanted. A gurgling sound reached his ears. He screamed.

"Malcolm!" he didn't have long until he couldn't breathe. He had felt nothing at first, only a cold numbness around his right lung, then the feeling spread until he realised what was going on. Everything went dark.

He woke with a start, his top covered in sweat and his hair practically wet. It wasn't the first time he had been plagued with this nightmare no, the first was when he was in hospital recovering with two of his brothers next to him. John and Virgil had found out about Scott as they were down as his next-of-kin. They came right away of course. He had given them mini heart attacks when they got the phone call they said, felt like it was the end of their world they had said. In a way, he was glad he meant so much to his brothers.

Brothers... He and Sam had been referred to as brothers- would never been found away from each other, well only when one of them didn't have a girl with them. But now? Now he was alone. His brother didn't make it. He suddenly found himself wanting his Memaw after he felt his face go cold with tears and his heart beat dramatically in his chest, however, he knew the old woman wouldn't come, he had told her not to after he nearly killed her one night... he truly didn't mean it. Shuddering, he thought back to how he got into this position. He was 16 years old when he had signed up for the army; by this point he'd looked after his brothers for 5 years with no help from his father and desperately needed a change. He'd been given a part time scholarship with Yale University which was being funded by USAF; A life saver really, and he was just about to complete it.

After his panic attack, John had perked up a lot and had helped out more than he should have and even got the others to do as they're told by saying he was timing them to see how fast they could do something. Bloody miracle!

He thought back to each of his brothers, John had left a few years later doing a similar part time course at Cambridge but was being funded by NASA, which allowed him to get a job as an astronaut as soon as he'd finished. Which he did within 3 years. He had saw him on TV once, up in the ISS, and it had made him so proud that his little brother was doing so well and was achieving his dreams. Then there was Virgil, the artist and pianist who went on to do an engineering course at Denver university- why he hadn't went with some more creative he'd never know. And then Gordon, the 14 year old gold medallist in the 2058 Olympics. He had heard that his brother had joined WASP but had tragically had an accident involving a Hydrofoil which had worried Scott to the brim. Only once he had gotten word off his brother that he was okay, could Scott relax and carry on his duties. Then little Allie. The kid had followed in Johns footsteps and had gone straight to NASA but wasn't pursuing a part time scholarship like his other two brothers. As far as he knew, that wasn't Alan's dream, instead he preferred the technical side to everything. He'd also heard about his racing skills as well, a little arrogant in his interviews though, Scott thought to himself.

He hadn't spoken to any of the in years, and while John and Virg where helping him recover, he hadn't been completely with it, making it hard for him to remember.

Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone

The sudden noise startled him but it wasn't his alarm- no, it was his ringtone for his space case. Speak of the devil. He picked it up and answered it.

"Hello?"

"I hope you're not busy, cause you're gonna have to pick me up from the airport."