This is apparently what happens when I watch Trapped in the Sky...
"Hey."
Scott stepped out onto Virgil's balcony. His younger brother had his elbows resting on the railing, staring out at the horizon. Virgil glanced at him, offered a smile, but said nothing. He didn't have to.
Scott mirrored his position. For a moment, he looked out across the ocean. Then he turned his attention to his brother.
"You okay? How's the head?"
Virgil flushed. "It's fine and you know it."
Scott did: Brains had checked Virgil out as soon as they got home. Even so, he wouldn't be him if he didn't ask.
"Some first rescue, huh?" Scott said. They'd saved the Fireflash, saved the crew and passengers, including TinTin. Scott thought it was a resounding success. They'd even stopped the creep photographing One.
But, to his surprise, Virgil flushed.
"What?"
"Nothing," Virgil mumbled.
"Look, I know the guys are ribbing you about the elevator car flipping, but the pressure they were under, it's amazing only one gave out. It was just bad luck that it was the one you were in. Brains did the calculations, if it wasn't the control car to go-,"
"It's not that," Virgil cut in. He knew Brains' finding. He turned his back on the view, leaning his elbows on the balcony guard. "I know we saved them, but I did a lot of damage out there."
He sounded sheepish. Scott chuckled.
"From where car 3 had a signal failure? Don't worry about it. I was in that tower, Virg. The commander told them to let it burn. He, too, was focused on saving people."
Virgil sighed, and Scott saw his shoulders drop a fraction.
"Still," he muttered. "We can't afford for that level of collateral damage on other rescues. I blew up a plane, Scott."
"Without even trying," Scott teased, "I think Gordon's actually jealous."
But Virgil's exasperated look told Scott how serious he was about this.
"Look, it wasn't your fault. It was an equipment malfunction on the first time we've used them."
"I should've switched cars the instant I got that warning light."
Scott shrugged. "Maybe. It was your first time working under pressure. We all made mistakes out there. We'll do more testing in the future around the strain that the equipment can take. Run a few scenarios around what we should do about fault lights. It'll be okay."
Virgil smiled. "Thanks, Scott."
"Anytime."
They stood in silence for a few moments. Scott staring out to sea; Virgil gazing back into his room. Eventually, Scott broke it.
"I still want to know how some creep got into the cockpit of One," he grumbled.
Someone was right there, in his beloved 'bird, on her very first official outing. Photographing One was the best outcome – at least it set off the sensors and alerted Scott to the situation. If it had been anyone with any piloting skills, they could've tried taking off. Worse, they could've succeeded.
"You initiated the security protocols, didn't you?"
"Of course I did," Scott said. "As soon as I got there. Landed her in a clear area, requested security, got a perimeter set up and cops surrounding her."
"Penny said it was someone posing as the police," Virgil said in a reassuring tone. "That's not your fault."
"We've got the most advanced machinery in the world and someone got through all our security first time."
"Did you lock the door?"
Virgil was joking. But Scott froze. A flush started working its way up his neck, heat building in his face. He sensed Virgil glanced at him, then turn to face him properly.
"Scott. Did you lock the door?"
"I-,"
He did. He must've done. He mentally went over his steps as he'd arrived at the scene. He'd cleared the area, requested secrecy and security, and not done anything until the control tower had reassured him of that. They were against the clock, so he'd moved as fast as possible to get Mobile Control set up in the tower.
Scott remembered jumping clear, racing to deal with the life-threatening situation awaiting him.
He had no recollection of shutting the hatch behind him, let alone initiating the locking protocol.
"Oh Scotty." Virgil was trying to sound sympathetic, but all Scott could hear was his attempt to keep his laugher under check.
"I had to get to the tower," Scott protested, albeit feebly. "I needed-,"
"You know Grandma's favourite saying about barn doors?" There was no denying that Virgil was laughing now.
Scott groaned. He dropped his head into his hands. "Dad's going to kill me."
"He doesn't need to know," Virgil said. "It didn't come up in debriefing and no harm done. Dad'll forget about it."
"I was so short with those guys about security and all along, it was my fault."
"Think of it as an exercise for Penny and Parker. It was to test their response times and understand how they dealt with a situation like that."
"And if he'd gone the other way? She'd never have been able to catch him."
"Hey." Virgil's hand landed on his shoulder, giving him a small shake. "You taught me not to focus on what ifs. Take your own advice."
Scott took a deep breath and managed to look his brother in the eye. Only for a second before shame forced him to look away, but it was a start.
"You really wouldn't tell Dad?"
Virgil looked affronted. "I'm not a snitch. No one else needs to know but us."
He dropped his hand and headed towards his room. Then he looked back over his shoulder.
"Although maybe you should add locking the door into your checklist as you rush to save the day," he added.
Scott rolled his eyes, but it was half-hearted. He still couldn't believe he'd been so stupid, so reckless, on their first mission. The adrenaline rush and thrill of knowing they'd be able to help, even when all other efforts had failed, had filled his mind.
He followed Virgil into his bedroom, watching as his brother picked up a pencil and sketch pad. At least one of them looked more relaxed than five minutes ago.
It was only their first rescue. Mistakes were bound to happen. Some through mechanical errors; others, through personal errors.
Scott had a feeling he'd never forget to shut the door again, though.