Thank you so much for the lovely reviews again, I really appreciate them all. Only a couple of chapters left now.
Peeling his eyes open felt like the hardest thing Scott had ever done. Leaving the ship seemed a lifetime ago and he hadn't slept the whole time he had been gone. Unconsciousness didn't count. His body had given up once the immediate danger had passed; he had been running on adrenaline for too long and as soon as he had sat in the boat, his body had relaxed. But alertness had gently been trickling back into his body for some time now and Scott knew it was time to wake up. He was lying on a bed, the comfort of the sheets soothing him.
There was a presence next to him; he could feel it. It was enough for his eyes to eventually flicker open. Gordon was sprawled across a chair, watching him. He was topless, allowing Scott to see the supportive bandage wrapped around his ribs. He was covered in scrapes and bruises, the more serious of which had been dressed. But there was colour back in Gordon's cheeks and his eyes had regained a sparkle. Scott knew Gordon leaving the boat later than him and not being starved or denied water for the majority of the time would naturally put him in better condition than his brother. Apart from the meagre mouthfuls of water Gordon had given him, Scott hadn't had anything.
He tried to sit up, only for a line to snag him. Scowling, the pilot followed it to find he was hooked up to an IV line. His frown deepened and he pulled it free, causing Gordon to chuckle. Scott ran his thumb over the bubble of blood that burst to the surface when he pulled the needle out.
"I told them you wouldn't like that. But you were seriously dehydrated and refusing to wake up, so they had to do something."
Although the words were said in Gordon's usual light-hearted manner, Scott knew him well enough to see past that. Gordon was worried and it made Scott wonder how long he had been out.
Gordon only shrugged when Scott voiced his thoughts out loud. "Only a couple of hours. But you slept through being moved from the boat. I've never seen you sleep through anything before. We only had to think about waking up and you would spring out of bed. Yet I've been up for hours and still sleeping beauty slept on."
"I'm okay, you know," Scott muttered, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He ignored the slight mocking tone to Gordon's voice. His brother watched him, one eyebrow raised in amusement as Scott attempted to stand up. Instantly, dizziness overwhelmed him and he sank back down again as his leg throbbed. Clutching at it, he saw it had been dressed properly.
"Of course you are," Gordon deadpanned. "Apart from dehydration, being basically starved... And they had to push a load of antibiotics into your line because you went and got your leg infected and had the first signs of some sort of fever. But you say you're fine, so of course you are."
"Gordon? Shut up," Scott muttered. He took it slowly this time and managed to get himself into an upright position without collapsing. He leant over and ruffled Gordon's hair, glad to feel that the egg-sized lump that had been on the back of his head had dramatically reduced. He stumbled towards the door, only to be stopped by Gordon's chuckle.
"You really are out of it. Look at the table if you are going where I think you are going."
Scott turned, and was unable to stop the enthusiastic grin spreading over his face as he changed direction and headed for the table. He was pulling food towards him almost before he sat down.
"What would Grandma say?" Gordon teased, but it didn't escape Scott's notice there was a rather large gap in the food already. Gordon had clearly been helping himself while Scott slept. "I did tell them you would be starving. Figured you would want some energy before facing the seniors."
Scott paused mid-mouthful, groaning when he thought about the debriefing that was still to come. He didn't particularly want to relive what he had gone through, but if they had the Hood in custody, they needed to know what he was capable of.
Then another thought infiltrated his mind and his blood ran cold as he turned to Gordon. "What about you?" he asked softly.
Gordon tried to look innocent. "What about me?"
"You know."
Gordon didn't need any more prompting than that and he sighed, running his fingers through his hair.
"I have to work on the training grounds for two weeks after a week of suspension, then I can return to duty."
"That's it?"
Gordon grinned at Scott's disbelief.
"I didn't disobey orders - no one told me not to go after you." Gordon had an impish grin on his face and Scott instantly felt suspicious. "Technically I didn't disobey anyone so they can't do anything to me."
Scott frowned. That didn't seem right. But when he caught Gordon's eye, his brother flushed and looked away. Scott cleared his throat meaningfully, wanting the full story. Gordon shifted for a moment before sighing and meeting Scott's gaze again.
"I don't know," he said honestly. He ran his fingers through his hair and moved to a more comfortable position. "They wanted to kick me out, I could see it on their faces. But from what I can make out, someone on your side of things has stepped in. Told them to let it go. Made a whole big deal about repercussions and word getting out how WASP lost the designs in the first place if they didn't."
Scott grinned. He knew saving Commander Evan's life would work in his favour one day. He didn't need to ask to know the man was clearly pulling some strings to make sure Scott's brother didn't get punished for helping out. He was returning the favour by saving Gordon's career. Scott hated that Gordon being the one to destroy the weapon hadn't been enough, but was grateful to the commander. That didn't mean he was going to let Gordon believe he had got away with it.
"You shouldn't have come after me. You could have thrown away your whole career, everything you have ever dreamt of..."
"Or thrown you away? C'mon, Scott, what would you have done? They can't even demote me – I don't hold any rank to lose."
Scott offered half a shrug in response. They both knew he would have done absolutely everything he could - career be damned - if it meant saving his brother. Could he honestly pretend he was angry when Gordon's actions had saved his life?
Not knowing what to say, Scott continued eating. Judging by the way Gordon's chair shuffled closer, Scott knew his brother was aware of what he was thinking. He had never experienced this with Gordon. He and Virgil could often tell what the other was thinking and - considering the expressions that split over their faces simultaneously - so could Gordon and Alan. But this was the first time Scott hadn't had to explain himself to Gordon. The feeling of peace it created soothed him far more than any medication they could try to force on him.
When Scott finally had to admit defeat with the food (feeling decidedly better for it), Gordon sighed and stood up, one arm wrapped around his midriff.
Scott glanced at him. "Where are you going?"
"Escorting you to the bridge. I said I would as soon as you woke up."
"I haven't just woken up though."
"Don't tell them that. I didn't plan on saving your ass just to hand it to those guys without some food first."
Scott grinned, believing his brother. The military were sticklers for again, Gordon had saved him – this time by giving him the chance to eat before facing the commanders. He stood up, grinning in satisfaction when he managed it without the wave of dizziness.
"Only now I can't pass out to get myself out of it."
"Scotty, if you want to go ahead and faint, be my guest. Just let me get my phone so I can send it to Virg as you do."
Scott nudged his brother as Gordon opened the door for him, but allowed the younger man to usher him out into the corridor. Gordon led the way and Scott came to the conclusion that he was never going to be able to learn his way around a ship like this. The cabin they had been in looked exactly the same as the one he had previously bunked in, yet the route Gordon was taking indicated they were at completely the opposite end of the ship. People were milling around in the corridors, some talking in small groups and some working. But the one thing they all had in common was that they all glanced at the two Tracys as they walked past.
"Looks like someone made himself a bit of a legend," Gordon mocked when they finally seemed to be in a deserted part, but Scott shook his head.
"They were watching you. Trust me, their heads turned as you walked past. I was behind you, kiddo, I could see. Looks like someone has made himself a name as a bit of a rebel."
"Thank god for that. I was worried I was losing my touch."
Scott resisted the urge to reach forward and cuff Gordon over the head, but only because he was mindful of the blow his brother had taken the day before. It felt like a lot longer ago than that now. Scott shivered with the thought and if Gordon saw, he didn't say anything. Despite Gordon's optimism, events would be lingering in his mind as well. Scott knew neither of them would ever truly admit to what had been running through their heads when the Hood had caught up with them that last time.
They arrived at the bridge far too quickly for Scott's liking. Gordon dropped back and Scott knew his brother wasn't allowed further. But just as Gordon made to turn, Scott reached out his hand and clasped his arm.
"Wait for me?" he asked softly, the closest thing to a plea that would ever pass his lips. He might have had the piloting skills to become a captain, but Scott was never going to enjoy the formalities that came with it. He would much rather grab a beer and have a casual chat about what had happened rather than trying to stand bolt upright for the whole thing as he knew he was about to do.
Gordon gave him a reassuring smile and nodded.
"Go get 'em, tiger," he muttered, giving Scott a push as if worried that the older man would turn and run. Scott had to wonder if his reluctance was that obvious or whether it was only because Gordon knew him so well. Still, he had no choice but to do what Gordon said. Holding his head high, he moved forward, knowing this was going to be one of the longest times of his life. He even wondered whether he would prefer to take on the Hood again, but then caught himself and banished the thoughts. He knew full well he wouldn't survive another round with the Hood.
Even so, he was completely right in believing that it was going to be a long few hours. He gave his report, and then they seemed to forget about him as they bickered over what needed to be done. From what Scott could make out, the Hood was still on the island but under heavy guard while they waited for a second ship to come and take him to a secure unit. What happened after that, Scott wasn't sure, they seemed to be keeping the details close and not wanting to tell him. All he cared about was that the maniac was locked up and couldn't hurt anyone ever again.
He did, however, find out how they had managed to get to the island in the nick of time. Kevin had accidentally headed straight towards them and had managed to get close enough to be seen before passing out. They had managed to get him revived and on-board in time to get a very quick run-down on what was going on before unconsciousness had claimed him again. They had left him with the medics and set off for the island. By the sounds of it, they hadn't known Scott and Gordon were still alive, but knew the Hood was still out there. It was through sheer luck they had arrived in time to save Scott and Gordon from being killed.
Kevin was being closely monitored, but Scott knew it was not going to be his physical condition that would be the cause for concern. It would be his mental one.
Despite finding the debriefing useful, Scott was still thankful to get out of there. Even with having a small amount of sleep, he could feel his body protesting at him. Luckily, one of the younger officers seemed to see the colour steadily draining from Scott's face and waved him out with a small hand gesture and a nod while everyone argued over what to do with the Hood now.
Scott stumbled out, realising for the first time just how much he wanted to get off this boat and back onto solid land. But movement out of the corner of his eye had him smiling as Gordon unfolded himself from the wall, having been true to his word and stayed there the whole time.
Gordon took one look at his brother's face and shook his head. "You need a drink. Now."
Scott allowed himself to be bundled along again, his mind still spinning from everything that had been spoken about. He only realised where he was when he found himself in a crowded cabin, the rest of Gordon's team surrounding them. Frankie handed them both a mug, and Scott decided it was better to not even ask what was in it. Gordon was watching him expectantly, so Scott simply lifted the mug in a salute and took a large mouthful. He still had no idea what it was as he almost spat it back out again, but judging by the look on the men's faces, he had just passed some sort of test.
Frankie laughed and handed him a beer. Gordon was watching him anxiously, a bottle in his own hand. Scott shrugged and pretended to look the other way. He could play the big brother card when it suited him, but ribbing Gordon about underage drinking now when the guy had just saved his life seemed a little harsh.
MMM
"…and the rest you know from the Commander on board, Sir," Scott finished up. This debriefing had been so much easier than the one on the boat, back on home territory with Commanders Evans and Grigson sitting opposite him. General Hanks was standing in one corner watching the proceedings, but Scott knew he was listening closely.
It had only taken another twenty-four hours until he was back at the base and - judging by the look Tom had given him when he had walked into the barracks - word had already spread about him being shot down. Scott knew if the men at the barracks knew, then so did his family. He only hoped that a second call had been made to inform them that he was alive and well.
To his surprise, Gordon was sent back to the base with him, and Scott had bitten back a smile when they had arrived. Gordon had looked as out of place here as Scott had on the boat, but Tom had promised to keep an eye on the younger Tracy while Scott had been whisked away. Scott wasn't sure whether to be worried or not. Gordon had a glint in his eye he didn't entirely trust and Scott had been forced to hiss a few threats of what would happen if Tom let any stories spill that Scott had no intention of the rest of his family finding out about. Especially not younger siblings with a love for blackmail.
"And the weapon is definitely destroyed? You are sure?"
"Absolutely, Sir. I would be willing to fly that way myself to prove it if it would put your mind at rest."
"That won't be necessary, Scott," Evans cut in, shooting Grigson a look that told him to stay quiet. Out of the corner of his eye, Scott could see Hanks nod in satisfaction before he disappeared out of a side door. The young captain got the feeling he would never see the general again and it didn't bother him in the slightest. If these were the sorts of missions that he was involved with, then Scott would rather stick with what he did best and simply fly.
"What about Kevin?" Scott had been dreading asking, not being sure if he wanted to know if the man could be helped or not. He was keeping it quiet that he had been exposed to the same powers that had made Kevin break. He didn't want to be closely watched every second. Luckily, Gordon had followed his lead and not said anything.
Evans and Grigson looked at each other and Evans' face softened in empathy.
"They've taken him to a good hospital in New York. It's closer to his wife and is known for being the best for psychological damage. We're covering all expenses, of course. The fact he managed to pull himself back means there is no reason why he shouldn't make a full recovery."
Scott felt a weight lifting from him that he wasn't aware had settled.
"And the Hood?" His voice was even quieter this time and Scott felt something coil within him.
Just as quickly as he had softened, Evans had sparks flying from his eyes. "Taken to a secure unit. We are not at liberty to say where, for your own safety."
"But…"
"I know you might want to face him, Scott, but it's too dangerous. We almost lost three men getting him there. It won't bring you any closure, not from a madman like that. Let it go, put him from your mind."
Scott could hear the order in the words and knew if he refused to letter matters go, he would find himself travelling north to join Kevin. He looked at the floor, trying to stop his fists from clenching.
"I want you to take a week of sick leave, Captain," Grigson said softly and Scott stared, his head jerking back up again.
"But Sir…" The medics both here and on the boat had cleared him for being fit for duty and Scott had fully intended to get a good night's sleep and be back with his team come the morning. He wanted nothing more than to put this behind him and he knew skulking around the base with nothing to do would drive him mad.
Evans stood up, rounding the desk he had been sitting at and placing a hand on Scott's arm.
"You are not required to stay at the base if you do not wish it, Scott."
There was a hidden meaning in Evans' words, Scott was sure. He simply frowned at the Commander, trying to figure it out. Evans didn't give him any clues, but his face was grave and his eyes serious. Just like that, Scott knew what he wanted.
"You want me to go home?"
"You've been through a lot, Captain. You need to get away from this. You dealt with a threat your training doesn't cover and we are duty-bound to make sure you are fit for duty and not a liability."
"I'm fine, Sir! I can fly, I can…"
"It wasn't a suggestion, Captain. I will arrange for a transport and a pilot to be waiting for you tomorrow morning. You are to leave this base for at least five days, understood?"
Scott gave a shaky nod, knowing he didn't have a choice. Evans was right - it hadn't been a suggestion, it had been an order. He waited until he was dismissed, then strode from the building.
Once outside, he tilted his head back and breathed in a long breath, the cool night air calming him down. He was torn. Part of him wanted to stay, to prove he was fine and could continue like normal. But the other part of him desperately wanted to go home. He wanted to be around his family, where things were normal and they wouldn't be analysing his every move to see if it was a sign he was cracking up. Evans had a point – training had never covered maniacs with psychic powers and Scott wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to be feeling. He knew they were worried about Kevin - not because of what had physically happened to him, but how much it had messed with his head. Scott hadn't said all that had happened to him personally. But he knew they were worried it was affecting him more than he was letting on.
Gordon saw him coming. Even from where he was standing, Scott could see the frown cross his brother's face. Scott should have known his emotions were playing across his own.
"What happened?" Gordon asked, standing up as he did so. Scott sighed, walking slowly towards him. Tom was there as well, the pair of them had been sitting companionably outside the barracks. Scott felt a rush of gratitude to his friend, glad Gordon hadn't been left waiting alone this whole time. He felt like he had been in there hours, although he knew that couldn't be the case. He held Gordon's gaze for a moment before sighing and running a hand through his hair.
"They want me to go home," he said bluntly.
Gordon watched him for a long moment before frowning.
"And that is a bad thing how?"
"They obviously think that I can't handle being here. I don't want them to think that I'm a liability…"
"Or they could just think you completed a mission that no one else could, nearly got yourself tortured to insanity and that you need a break?"
"I was not nearly tortured to insanity," Scott protested. Gordon, however, just sighed. He seemed to realise that Scott wouldn't be backing down on this.
"Isn't Virg home on a break right now?" he said quietly and suddenly Scott stopped. Gordon was right: Virgil was home. He had a few days off from Denver and had chosen to come home as he knew their grandmother didn't like the house being so empty. Suddenly, going home didn't seem like such a bad idea. But then Scott sighed, looking at Gordon.
"What about you, though? You went through just as much and you can't come with me."
"I can actually," Gordon muttered, shooting Scott a grin. The older brother had a feeling Gordon had been waiting to say this ever since they arrived. "I'm not just here to escort you. I've got a week's suspension before reporting to the training centre. I'm coming home with you, Scott! Can we go now?"
Scott smiled gently at the way Gordon was almost bouncing. It was obvious he was desperate to get home and now he had thought it through rationally, Scott was feeling the same. However, he shook his head gently.
"We'll wait until morning. Apparently we'll have a plane waiting for us."
Gordon simply gave him a look and Scott knew the bitterness in his voice was coming across. Why didn't they understand he was fine to fly? But before either could say anything else, Gordon yawned.
"Come on, I'll find you a bed." Scott moved off, wondering how the day had gone so fast, the sun already setting. He had been in that office for hours, having to recount what had happened time and time again. Gordon looked like he was going to protest, but Tom gave him a shove forward before he could open his mouth.
"Best do as you're told, kid. Captain Tracy can be harsh when his orders aren't obeyed."
Gordon looked faintly impressed and Scott rolled his eyes at his friend before walking off, knowing Gordon was following him.
"Watch it or I'll have you doing laps before dawn," he called teasingly over his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, Scott could see Tom saluting him, but as he turned around a little further, his friend flipped him off as he lowered his hand and Scott grinned. He knew his friend would want to know what had happened, especially considering he was partly responsible for Scott ending up in the situation in the first place. But he also knew that Tom wouldn't ask until Scott himself brought it up in conversation and was ready to talk.
"Hey, Scott?" Gordon's soft call brought him back to the here and now and Scott glanced sideways at his brother as he led him through the dark. "Are you going to tell them what the Hood did to you?"
"They don't need to know," Scott muttered, his voice tense. He didn't need to ask to know who Gordon meant: their family. He could vaguely see Gordon nodding and knew that his brother wouldn't say anything. But he also had a feeling that - being the only one who knew - Gordon would find a way to keep an eye on him. Scott knew that when they got home, he was going to have Gordon following him in a way he had never experienced before, even with four younger brothers.
But for now, he led the way across to the barracks. Squadrons stayed together, each room sleeping between six to eight men. But there were some empty ones at the end of the corridor, available to any guests that might turn up. Scott thumbed in the code for the door and led the way along to the first available room.
"Will you stay?"
Despite everything they had just been through, Gordon sounded young and vulnerable in that moment. Scott was nodding before he had even thought about the request.
"Of course." It was moments like this that reminded him that technically, Gordon wasn't even old enough to have been going out on missions, let alone experience something like this. Scott shut the door softly behind them and watched as Gordon perched on one of the beds. Biting back a laugh, Scott couldn't help but think that his brother really did look like a fish out of water and he sat down next to him.
"You okay?"
"I think so. It's just… I can't quite get my head around everything that just happened, you know? Not even a week ago we were moaning about having to take the ship out when we all wanted to test the new subs. And now..?"
"You'll be okay, Gords," Scott responded soothingly, slinging an arm around Gordon's shoulders. He knew out of all the brothers, Gordon was the one who sought out physical contact the most.
Gordon sighed and nodded. "I know. It's just going to be weird going home after having seen that."
"And I'll be right beside you the whole time. Get some sleep, kiddo."
Scott nudged Gordon over until he was lying down, but continued to sit next to his brother. If he was honest, he had been thinking the same thing. But he knew the one thing that would get him through it was knowing that Gordon needed him there.
Scott simply sat there, his hand resting comfortingly on Gordon's shoulder. Eventually, the younger man began to drift off to sleep, yet still Scott stayed where he was. He only moved when he was sure that Gordon was fast asleep. As soon as that was the case, he quietly got up and slipped out of the door, making sure that he left it open slightly to hear if Gordon should stir. It was a brotherly instinct; he needed to be with Gordon. But while all was quiet, Scott sighed and pulled out his phone. He quickly found a well-known number, his heart pounding as he waited for someone to pick up on the other end. It was late, but he knew there would still be someone up. Finally, the phone connected.
"Dad? It's me…"