A/N: I realized while writing this chapter that I use certain phrases quite a bit. Oops. Oh, well. Enjoy!

Third Person POV

Gordon stayed away from the pool for two weeks—somehow, no rescues required him to get in the water either—before Virgil decided to say something to him.

"Gordon, can I ask you something?" he asked, causing the blonde in question to look up from his book.

"Sure, ask away."

"How long is this going to last?" Virgil asked slowly. Gordon searched his brother's face for a moment. He knew exactly what Virgil was talking about, but he decided it was best to pretend that he did not.

"What? Me reading? I don't know Virg; this is book's pretty good," he said, a crooked smile gracing his face.

At his reply, Virgil set Gordon with a stern glare. Gordon held his brother's eyes for only a moment before his was forced to look away.

"I really don't know, Virgil. I try every day, but just looking at the pool strikes fear in me," he said quietly as he closed his book and set it aside. Virgil was taken aback; Gordon did not open up often, so his sudden proclamation of fear stunned the older man. He moved to sit by the blonde, but as soon as he hit the couch, Gordon stood.

"Sorry Virgil, I don't really want to have this conversation," he said and began walking out of the room, but upon reaching the door, he turned and said, "I can still do my job. I may be afraid, but I'm not incapable."

"I never said you were," Virgil said.

"I know you didn't, but I thought that it was important," Gordon said, turning back around and walking away.

Damn, that was not what I wanted to happen, Virgil thought. Just then, the alarm sounded. Scott and Alan ran into the main room; Gordon slowly followed the others into the room. John appeared to the four brothers along with an image of a large machine.

"This is one of many machines being used to dig up minerals in the Atlantic Ocean. This particular one is in a bit of trouble. It dug a little too deep, causing the ocean floor to collapse, and now it's currently balancing on the edge of a cliff. Virgil, Gordon, you need to get to that machine and rescue the crew; there are three people on board," John said.

"FAB," they replied together. When the two of them met in the cockpit of Two, Virgil looked at the blonde seriously.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

Gordon fixed his older brother with a glare of his own and replied, "I told you before I'm not incapable." The younger man turned and sat heavily in his seat, strapped himself in, and stared out the front windshield. Virgil only sighed and did the same before launching.

-At the rescue-

"Okay Gordon, we're almost over the mining machine. Get to Four and prepare for deployment," Virgil said. Gordon stood and made his way to his 'bird. As his approached the small submersible, he began to shake.

Get it together, Gordon, he thought to himself. These people are more important than your stupid fear. Gordon grabbed his helmet from its rack near Four. The helmet he had used on his previous mission—the one that nearly killed him—had been replaced, but Gordon could not help but see a crack in the face of the new helmet. He turned to his 'bird and could still see the hole in her hull even though he had repaired it as soon as he had felt able. Gordon felt his breath catch in his throat, and his heart began to race. The longer he stared at Four, the worse he seemed to feel.

"Gordon, we're over the drop zone. Are you ready for deployment?" Virgil called over the radio. Gordon distantly heard his brother's question, but he could not tear his eyes away from the hull of his 'bird. Gordon began to feel dizzy and nauseous, but when Virgil called for him for a second time, he could not answer.

"Gordon? Gordon, answer me," Gordon heard. He tried to answer his brother, but he just could not find the words.

"I'm coming down, Gordon," Virgil called. Gordon continued staring at Four, his dizziness only getting worse. His mind began reliving his near-drowning.

I can't breathe, he thought. There's water in my mask. I'm going to drown. Virgil's going to come and get me out of my 'bird, but I'm going to be dead. Dead. I'll be dead, and my brother's going to find me.

Gordon shook himself from the memory, but he was still staring at the non-existent hole. If I go in the water, I might crash. I might drown. He could not catch his breath, and he was leaning against the side of Two. Gordon's knees buckled, but before he hit the floor, he felt strong hands grip his arms.

"Gordon, look at me," Virgil said sternly. "You need to breathe. Look-hey, look at me." Gordon's eyes found Virgil's and he found it easier to breathe.

"You're okay, Gordon," Virgil said, smiling. "You're okay." Gordon grasped Virgil's forearm, his hands shaking. Virgil looked Gordon in the eye and reassured him several times that he was, in fact, okay. "You just need to breathe," he said. Gordon took in a slow breath and let it out before releasing his grasp on his brother's arm and standing.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Virgil nodded and said, "I know you're scared, but those people need help. If you're not up to it, I'll go." Gordon stared blankly at Virgil for a second then shook his head.

"No, this is my job. I told you that I'm not incapable, and I'm going to prove it," he said sternly.

"Gordon, you just had an anxiety attack. Are you sure you can do this?"

Gordon hesitated, but he managed to reply, "Yes, I'm sure. Fear or no fear, this is important." Gordon crawled into Four and put his helmet on before Virgil could protest any further.

Once secured in his seat, Gordon tried to calm himself further. The water is not going to hurt me. I will not drown. There are people down there that need help, and I can't just sit by and let someone else do my job. He breathed deeply and continued. This fear is not important.

"I'm ready for departure," Gordon told his brother.

"Go for it, little brother," Virgil replied.

A/N: The rescue will be in the next chapter. Please let me know what you thought.