Day 27. Shower Breakdown For Jbarkerstargazer who asked for Virgil. With thanks to Sineater.

Characters: Virgil, Scott, John

Warnings: Failed rescue, emotional breakdown, child death, crying

Virgil sighed. He was tired. Bone tired. The rescue had been one of the hardest they had had for a while, draining both physically and mentally.

Earthquakes were always among the worst, but quakes that hit impoverished areas and included collapsed hospitals…yeah.

It had been hard on all of them.

The ride home was silent. No chatter at all. In fact, Gordon had slept the entire way home after taking a couple of his stronger painkillers. Alan was sitting there, biting his lip and casting frequent glances at his fish brother.

Scott and One paced them home before shooting off to land. There was no communication but Virgil knew his brother would hit the gym at the first opportunity. He'd have to send Kayo later if Scott didn't appear after a couple of hours.

Once Two had returned to her hold Alan had given him a watery smile and mumbled something about Zombies and Gordon's room, and Virgil knew that the two would hole up together and work it all out by killing the undead.

John had already shut the comms down and Virgil knew that he would be down for dinner at the latest. He was probably already talking to Kayo as he often did.

That just left him.

After carrying Gordon to his room and getting him comfortable, and watching as Alan made his own nest on the mattress beside him, Virgil retired to his own room.

Usually when rescues went awry, or when the body count was too much to handle, Virgil would retreat to his studio. He had a whole section of thick dark paintings that would never see the light of day. Only Scott had ever seen some of them, and he had worried for days over Virgil's mental health. (Which was rich, coming from Scott, but hey ho.)

Today's first stop was going to be the shower. He needed – really needed – to get out of his uniform and wash the grime off. And the blood. He sighed. There really wasn't any grime or blood there, they had cleaned up before leaving the site. But he felt it. That itchiness that came with grains stuck under clothing sticking to sweat.

He cranked the shower up to the hottest setting that he could tolerate and stripped. There were the huge fluffy towels he favoured post-rescue within reach and he climbed in.

He stood under the spray, head bent and just trying so hard not to think of what had happened today. He wasn't sure at what point he rested his head on the tiles in front of him, nor when the spray became mixed with tears, but at some point he let out a choked sob and sat down rather abruptly on the floor.

The shower carried on regardless. Hot needles on his cold, cold skin.

Virgil clenched his fists and lashed out at the wall. He must have caught the piping because the shower stuttered and suddenly the water was cold.

He didn't move, though. Just sat there. Wasn't even sure if he was still crying. He looked down at his hands and there was still blood there.

She was thirteen. Her whole life ahead of her. In for a simple operation to remove her tonsils. But the quake had done its damage and he had hauled a wall off her bed. She'd smiled at him, blood-red lips and teeth, and thanked him for saving her. And then died in his arms.

He wasn't aware that the water had been turned off.

Wasn't aware of a towel wrapped around him.

Didn't notice Scott pull him back against his chest and just hold him.

Virgil just sat and stared at his hands.

Eventually Scott sighed and closed his own hand over Virgil's in the hope that it would disrupt the breakdown his brother was obviously experiencing, grateful beyond belief that John had alerted him. He was convinced that Virgil was unaware of just how hard he was sobbing.

It worked. Virgil startled as Scott's hand closed over his, and Scott tightened his hold as his brother turned to him and grabbed his shirt, clinging on as if it was a lifeline.

Eventually Virgil's breathing slowed and his grip loosened, and Scott knew that he'd finally wrung himself out. He just needed to get him to bed now.

'John?'

'Yes, Scott?'

'Can you ask Gordon to turn Virgil's bed down please.'

'He's already done it. You're good to go.'

'Thanks, John.'

Virgil might be the heaviest brother, but Scott was the eldest and he had years of practice picking up and carrying him. He was practically dry and Scott eased him into bed, pulled the covers over him and settled down beside him.

When John came home and saw that neither of his immediate brothers were around he had a good idea where they would be. Sure enough, the pair were asleep on Virgil's bed, Scott slightly propped up with his cheek on Virgil's head, and Virgil's head on his chest and arm across his waist.

Smiling, John picked up a blanket and covered Scott with it, backing out and closing the door quietly. He turned to his youngest brothers and they reflected his smile. In a rush of affection, John found himself being hugged either side, and the three of them disappeared to the lounge.

Virgil would be alright now, and so would the rest of them.