Disclaimer: See previous chapters because we get too depressed admitting that we still don't own them every chapter.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who have continued to follow this story. Big thanks to everyone who continues to review, we really appreciate it. Mystikstorm and sam1

Chapter 15

"Mr. T-Tracy, I've ma-mana-stopped the bleeding. I think it b-b-best to close the wound with s-s-sutures," Brains said.

Jeff looked up at the younger man, "You don't think he'll rip them out in his delirium, do you?"

Brains shook his head, "No, I w-w-will make sure to w-wrap it well." At Jeff's nod, he picked up a syringe that he'd loaded with a local anesthetic and injected it into several places around the open wound on John's hand. Once he was satisfied that the hand was properly numbed, he set about to close the wound with sutures. Several sutures had been placed when John suddenly began to seize. His body pulled against the restraints that were still fastened around his wrists and ankles. One last violent tremor ripped through his body before going completely limp.

The dank atmosphere caused him to shiver as he glanced around. The place felt familiar though it frightened him. He knew he'd been here before…Virgil. The last time he was here, Virgil had been here, too. His brother had been unconscious and…Where the hell was he? It was too quiet except for the harsh sound of his breathing. He took a few tentative steps towards a somewhat lighter area before stopping again. Cocking his head, he listened carefully and realized he heard a choked gasp. As if someone was struggling to breathe. Instinctively, he knew that Virgil was that someone. Years of training had him running - in what he hoped was the right direction – to help his younger brother. Stumbling out into the clearing, he fell over a supine form lying on the ground. Even in the dim light, he could see his worst nightmare and fear slithering over Virgil's arms and legs. It was obvious they were holding him down. The gasping sounds grew softer and fewer between. That's when John noticed that one of the shadows had draped itself over the younger man's forehead, keeping him from moving his head. "Get away from him." John's voice created a frenzy for it was the older Tracy that the shadows had tried and failed to claim. Before him it had been the one who'd been critically injured in an accident.

"You want me, then you let him go." The shadow holding Virgil's head inched its way towards John. Immediately, Virgil turned his head and what he had been choking on spewed out in a rush. Before he could take a breath, he felt his upper body being raised and a warm figure supported him. He sucked in great deep breaths and shifted his gaze about until it landed on the squirming, writhing mass of darkness that was converging on his brother...JOHN? The last thing he saw of his older brother was a sad smile and then he was enshrouded by the shadows. They had finally claimed the one they sought. John's screams were abruptly cut off as a legion of shadows took him down to the ground.

"NO!" Virgil's body shook due to the combination of fear, horror, and the dank atmosphere. The warmth at his back slowly registered and he glanced over his shoulder. The blonde haired young woman stared back at him with tears in her soft blue eyes. Blue eyes that he had a feeling at times had been lit with love and laughter and more than just a bit of cheekiness. He felt that he knew her. "Who are you?"

"I guess you could call me your guardian angel as I've been looking after you and John since you tried to save me. Before I passed away, you held my hand and comforted me."

"Kerrie?"

"You remember?"

Virgil nodded, "John and I…we tried so hard to save you but…but we couldn't."

"It was my time to go. But it's not yours or John's time to go yet." Suddenly, Virgil was sitting up on his own and Kerrie approached the mass. Leaning over, she reached through the shadows and pulled. A low whining sound reverberated within the clearing. She ignored it even as it increased in pitch and Virgil clapped his hands over his ears and his eyes scrunched closed. It wasn't until he felt himself being lifted off the ground that he opened his eyes. Then he found himself in a tight hug and he dropped his hands from his ears. Almost instantly, he was hugging his older brother just as tight.

"John? Oh my god, is it really you?" Kerrie stood off to the side, a small smile on her lips. Her work was done for now. Though she knew that her role as the guardian angel to the two men before her would be a full-time endeavor. And just as she had in life, she would give every bit of herself to see that it was done.

Fading from view, she called out, "You must both wake now."

Thousands of miles apart, two brothers opened their eyes much to the relief of those near them.

"Sir, I have an update on your teammate."

Jumping slightly, Scott stood up, "Is he okay? How bad are his injuries?"

Stepping back, she looked up at him. "He's holding his own. He gave us quite the worry once but he's resting peacefully now."

"What do you mean he gave you quite the worry? What the hell happened?" His questions shot off in rapid succession.

"We didn't know how bad the head injury was and since he had burns on his body, he was lying on his back. Nor did we know the level of radiation poisoning. Your teammate coded on the table due to asphyxiation. He'd gotten sick and with him being unconscious and lying on his back, he choked on it."

"Radiation poisoning? He was in a full protective suit. He shouldn't have had any exposure."

"If it had been fastened correctly and not torn or busted up as the helmet was, then he wouldn't have had any exposure. It was found that a fastening around his neck had been overlooked. As it is he only has a mild case of radiation poisoning. The doctor will be with you in just a bit so that he can fill you in on the rest." Quietly, she walked out, closing the door softly behind her.

"A fastening around his neck overlooked? I double-checked him myself," he thought to himself. "Oh god, did I miss something?" Something told him that he had indeed had missed one of the fastenings. Weakly, he sank down on the couch, blaming himself for causing his younger brother any kind of pain or sickness.

"Thunderbirds One and Two to Base, requesting permission to land." Alan's disembodied voice startled Jeff from where he was sitting next to John.

"Base to Thunderbirds One and Two, you are clear for landing," he said just as his watch started flashing. Quickly pushing a button, the watch face showed Scott's face. "Scott, what is going on? Where is Virgil?"

"Dad…he's got… radiation poisoning," he managed to say, the guilt he felt eating at him. "The doctor is still with him but a nurse came in and updated me. He's got second and third degree flash burns on his face, neck, and upper body." Jeff watched as Scott shifted his gaze and he could feel the cold tendrils of fear clutching at him. It had taken a moment for Jeff to comprehend what Scott had said about radiation poisoning.

"RADIATION POISONING? Jeff exclaimed. "No, my boy…no." He shook his head in denial. Just how much more was he supposed to take? First John and now Virgil. Hadn't his family suffered enough when Lucy had died?

Scott swallowed nervously several times before brokenly speaking, "He coded on them, Dad. They don't know if it was the radiation poisoning or the head injury that had caused him to asphyxiate when he got sick...nobody knew that he'd gotten sick because he was lying on his back." His hand swiped over his eyes, wiping away the tears he didn't want anyone to see. "We almost lost him because of me." He abruptly cut the communication before he could see the blame in his dad's eyes.

Perplexed, Jeff stared down at his watch, "What the hell is going on? Did I hear what I thought I did?" He replayed the short conversation in his mind and then it dawned on him that his sons would no doubt be heading to the infirmary once they had completed post-flight checklists. Tapping the earpiece, he ordered, "Gordon and Alan, don't come into the house until you have scrubbed down. You might have been exposed to radiation."

"Already ahead of you on that, Dad. We've already got both 'birds programmed to decontam once we clear out," Gordon said. "Has Scott called in to update you on Virgil?"

"He just called in. Virgil was diagnosed with a mild case of radiation poisoning along with a head injury and second and third degree burns," Jeff answered. "No more questions. Just get scrubbed down and get something to eat."

"FAB." The two brothers worriedly set about doing as they were told. Worry gnawing at them as their imaginations ran wild.

"V-Virg…safe…" Jeff hurried back over to his second-born's bedside. John turned his head, groggily gazing at his father. "Wh-what happened?" Jeff could see the confusion in his son's flushed face. He reached out and felt John's forehead, wincing at the warmth.

"You had a seizure then you fell unconscious." Brushing back his son's sweat-soaked hair, he asked, "Do you know where you are?"

His mind was a jumbled mess and he struggled to figure out what was real and what had been a dream. "Home?" He weakly turned his head, shifting his gaze as if he were searching for someone. "Where...where did Virg and that girl go?" He tried to bring his hand to his head only to find that he couldn't move. Shifting his gaze to his arms, he noticed the restraints. "How come I'm strapped down?"

"You're at home. We brought you straight to the infirmary after we brought you back from Five. Don't you remember Alan, Brains, and I coming up to get you?" John shook his head. "You missed your call in time and then we couldn't get you to respond to our frequent attempts to call you. Alan found you in the sleeping quarters bundled up in a comforter. You had a high fever and were suffering from hallucinations." Placing his hand on his son's shoulder, he continued, "We had to restrain you because in your delirium, you were aggressive and fought against us. We were worried that you would further injure your hand."

His father's words barely registered as he continued to look about for Virgil and that blonde haired young lady. "Dad, where are they? Where is Virgil and that girl?"

Brains and Jeff looked at one another confused, "What girl, Son? You know the only girl on the Island is TinTin. And Virgil is a patient at a hospital in Canada."

"No, I saw her, Dad. She had blonde hair. Maybe a little younger than Gordon." Agitated, he pulled on the restraints. "I've got to save her this time. We couldn't before but I have to this time."

Lightly gripping his son's shoulders, Jeff raised his voice to be heard over John's, "Son, there is no girl on this Island aside from TinTin. Please, calm down before you hurt yourself."

"She was real, Dad. I saw her...she held Virgil and then she saved me from the shadows. She pulled me up so that I wouldn't be alone anymore. I'd be with you and the guys. I don't want to be alone..." He turned his watery gaze up at his dad. "You came to get me? You didn't leave me this time?"

Gathering his precious son in his arms, he soothed him, "No, Son, I didn't leave you. And no matter what, when, or where, I will always come to get you."

His tears dampened Jeff's shirt yet neither wanted to let go right away. Then John asked, "Why am I in here? Why can't I sleep in my room?"

Brains answered before Jeff could. "You ha-have a fever a-and I need to m-monitor you. Do you re-remember cutting your hand? Or wh-what you cut it on?"

John glanced down at his right hand and for the first time noticed the white dressing that had been wrapped around it.

"I cut my hand while working on a project. Then a call came in and I didn't have time to clean it." Thinking hard, he frowned, "I started to feel sick not long after that. I just thought I had a bug of some sort."

Shaking his head, Jeff sighed, "John, you know the rules…any kind of injury must be reported especially one made with a sharp object." John rolled his eyes, feeling for all the world like a ten-year-old being chastised. Jeff had turned his attention to Brains and didn't see the eye roll but that didn't stop him from saying, "And don't roll your eyes at me, young man."

Brains chuckled at the incredulous expression on John's face as he set about removing the restraints. He quickly took John's temperature and was pleased to see that it was very slowly returning to normal. "Y-you should be out of h-h-here soon."

"Tomorrow?" Even he heard the slight whine in his voice and huffed, sulking. "Hate being in here."

"We'll s-see," Brains answered, unwilling to be held down to a set time frame. He knew that as soon as he did, John would be trying to leave.

Chuckling, Jeff patted his shoulder, "Guess you'll follow protocol next time." He struggled to keep from laughing at his adult son's pouting expression. "Who am I kidding? We all know that when it comes to "small" injuries, none of you listen. All of you are stubborn. Must have inherited that trait from your mother."

A blond eyebrow raised, "Pot calling kettle, Dad." He fought to keep his eyes open as he suddenly found himself to be exhausted. "Where are the guys?" The infirmary doors slid open and Gordon and Alan hurried to their older brother's bedside.

"Hey, Johnny," Alan said.

Gordon was a bit more hesitant as he'd been on the receiving end of one of John's volatile outbursts.

John noticed his brother's hesitancy and wondered what had caused it. "Gordon?"

Alan shoved his next oldest brother. "He isn't going to bite you. Right, John?"

Suddenly, John had a strange feeling that he'd snapped at his younger brother in his delirium. "Did I say anything out of line to you, Gordon? I don't really remember anything. I just get a snippet of various things that were said or done."

"It's not important," Gordon answered. "I was just worried that your head was going to twist around and that you'd start spewing green gunk." Alan sniggered at Gordon's comment while Jeff and Brains shook their heads. Giving up the struggle to stay awake, John let the pull of healing slumber take him.

Settled in a private hospital room, burnt-honey brown eyes slowly opened. "J-Johnny?" His pained gaze tediously swept the bland room. His next oldest brother nowhere to be seen. "W-where…am I?"

"You're in the hospital, Virg." Scott leaned over so that his brother could see him. Then, before he could stop them two tears slid from his eyes. "Don't you ever scare me like this again?"

Confused, Virgil stared up at him, "Scotty, w-what happened? Wh-where's Johnny?"

Now it was Scott's turn to be confused, "Johnny? He's at home. Remember? We were called out on a rescue and you were caught in an explosion…twice. Gordy and Al, pulled you out before the second explosion caught the three of you." Turning his head, he felt the guilt creeping over him again.

"Scott?" Struggling to sit up, he gasped as he became more aware of the pain on face and neck. As well as the pain scattered about his chest. His head was pounding mercilessly. "Are…are they o-okay?"

"They're fine. A little banged up but nothing that needed medical attention." Standing up, the oldest Tracy brother paced the length of the room. "I'm so sorry, Virgil. I won't blame…" His breath hitched a little before he steadied himself, "I wouldn't blame you if you hated me now."

"Hate you? Why would I ever hate you?"

Scott paused at the foot of his brother's bed, "You were exposed to radiation. Because of me, you suffered a mild case of radiation poisoning." Struggling to maintain his composure, he cracked and stifled sobs burst out. "You…you coded…you…oh god, I…we almost…lost you."

His head hurt and he ached all over but it was seeing his big brother breakdown that hurt him the worst. "Not your fault. I could never hate you. You're my big brother and closest friend." Sinking back against the pillows, he winced again.

"I don't know what I'd have done if I lost you," Scott said softly.

"Johnny and Kerrie saved me," Virgil muttered, sinking back into the pain-free darkness. A darkness that held no ominous shadows. His eyes fluttered shut and his body relaxed.