Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

They had all just got back from a rescue in Chile. Immediately before Chile was a rescue involving divers on a sinking luxury cruise ship off the coast of Singapore.
Back on Tracy Island the sun was setting but was being missed as the boys were still in the hanger, dirty uniforms in various states of undress, refuelling ships and running diagnostics. Tired simple chat was being exchanged between Gordon and Alan who sat on the work bench next to Virgil, uploading the data from their tablets to the system being displayed on a computer screen.
The klaxon suddenly emitted throughout the hanger, echoing louder in the larger space and sounding more foreboding then It did up in the villa. Or maybe it was the collective exhaustion that made it feel like that.
All at once the siren stopped. Virgil craned his head to look up to the cockpit of Thunderbird One where Scott still sat doing his own post flight checks. Through the cockpit windows Virgil could see the translucent shape of Johns holographic back as he talked to Scott.
He frowned, Scott had taken the call privately. He was already raising his communicator to his face when it trilled with Scott’s incoming transmission. It was a voice call only.
“Scoooott,” Virgil couldn’t help the warning tone. He knew what the oldest brother was thinking and he didn’t agree with it one bit.
“Quick rescue. Be back soon. You guys have a break.”
“Scott!” Virgil barked but with a soft boom as Thunderbird One connected with its tracks and began its upwards trek to the launch pad.
“Scott don’t go alone! We’ll work something out!” He received no answer so switched comms to John. His blue form answered immediately.
“Virgil?”
“He’s going alone?!” Virgil growled back and unable to stop his feet from helplessly following after the disappearing jet. “Do something John!”
Just as the words left his mouth they all heard Thunderbird One’s engines fire and felt the small rumble of its launch under their feet.
Virgil focuses all attention back to the small figure of his brother at his wrist. “What was that?!” He was tired, that’s why it came out as a shout. He hated shouting, especially in front of his two youngest brothers who’s eyes he could feel on him from behind.
John admittedly looked slightly taken back. “I couldn’t stop him. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. You know what he’s like. I told him you should all go in Two but he wouldn’t hear it. Kept saying you guys had enough.” He looked truly admonished and Virgil immediately felt terrible and calmed his voice.
“You couldn’t get the GDF in first?”
Little holo John shook his head. “No. He’ll beat them by a mile. And honestly its a tricky spot with time a major factor. The GDF would have taken too long to mobilise, that’s why I called,” John seemed to pause. “I thought he could handle it.”
Virgil sighed. He knows the constant assessments John makes and the access to the biometrics of their suits. If John says Scott can handle it, he trusts him.
“He’s tired John and far too good at hiding it.” Virgil rubbed his eyes with his free hand, exhausted more like it. They all were.
“It was a cyclists who’d come off a mountain trail. He’s literally clinging to a tree over a cliff. I needed speed. Speed the GDF just doesn’t have, we know this,” John replied. “Look I’ll be with him the whole way. I’ve got to go.”
His brothers figure blinked out and Virgil was left in a quite hanger. He turned. Alan and Gordon were watching him, waiting to know how they should respond.
Virgil smiles, no need for everyone to worry. “Well jokes on Scott, I was gonna make homemade pizza.”
Alan and Gordon turn to each other to immediately high five with hisses of ‘yessss’.
Virgil shook his head, “I’m almost done here head up for showers and I’ll join you soon.”
“Thanks Virgil!” Alan cheers and turns to race for the elevator with Gordon. He hears ultimate pizza ingredients being argued between them until the elevator doors close and Virgil chuckles as he turns back to the computer monitor. His stomach is heavy with unease for Scott.

Dinner was finished and the sky was dark, dulling the Island. Sitting inside the lights of the villa Virgil gazed out at the black ocean heaving into the distance and the closer ripples of the pool, highlighted by the underwater pool lights. The palms shifted and towels left out flapped lazily in the nights sea breeze.
Scott was still not home.
Virgil knew he shouldn’t be surprised. No rescue was ever ‘quick’.
Alan was sprawled on his back in the sunken lounge, gaming tablet extended in front of his face. Gordon was in the kitchen having uncharacteristically volunteered to clean up after dinner. Scott’s pizza was being kept warm in the oven.
Despite sitting at the piano Virgil couldn’t play.
Usually after a day (and half a night) of back to back rescues they’d all be crashed in bed. But despite Alan’s relaxed state and Gordon’s sudden consideration Virgil knew they were both really waiting for Scott’s return. Unable to relax until all troops were safe home.
The lounge communicator beeped and Virgil almost chocked on the anxiety that leapt to the back of his throat. He spun around to see John’s hovering figure in the middle of the sunken lounge. Across the room but really 36,000 kms between earth and Thunderbird Five, Virgil’s eyes locked with his immediately.
John broke the gaunt silence. “He’s heading back now. Strong winds made the rescue tricky. That and the small tumble Scott took.”
Virgil shot to his feet. “What?” Alan too sat up at the couch, game forgotten and from the corner of his eye Virgil saw Gordon appear with dish cloth in hand.
John held up a placating hand to the family. “His fine. I would like to reaffirm the part where I said ‘small’. He’s flying fine and is 15 minutes out.”
Virgil was already striding for the stairs. “John, keep watching him.”
“Virgil?” Alan queried half up from the couch. Virgil stopped at the top of the stairs, turning and first taking in Alan’s worried state then Gordon’s better hidden one. He caused that. He couldn’t hide his concern and now he had his younger brothers up and waiting with him when really they should have been in bed resting. He was being a hypocrite. Especially with knowing the speech he was about to give to Scott.
He lied. “I’m not worried for him. I’m mad at him. Don’t feel like you have to stay up I’ll be sending him straight to bed. If you hear yelling don’t be surprised.” He gave the best exasperated eye roll he could.
Alan looked to Gordon then shrugged. “Alright. See you in the morning then. Night.”
“Goodnight Alan.” Virgil and Gordon chorused back. Virgil watched the youngest pick up his tablet and head up the stairs to the rooms with a yawn. One down...
“I’m almost done so I’ll be around if you need help with him.” Gordon said and Virgil opened his mouth to deter the other brother from the imminent scene. But the look in Gordon’s eyes stopped him. At 20, Gordon was no longer as easily lead as Allan. Gordon wasn’t going to let himself be told everything was fine.
Virgil simply nodded, “Okay.”
Gordon turned back to the kitchen and Virgil hurried down the stairs to the hanger.

He was on Scott’s loading platform waiting for his oldest brother when John contacted him. His small blue holo face looked concerned up at him from the comm on his wrist.
“I’m trying not to exaggerate here, but you know how we joke Scott’s performed this landing so many times he could do it in his sleep?”
Virgil huffed. “That bad?”
“I mean he’s not asleep but I am glad he has performed this landing a million times,” John finished with a grim smile.
“What am I going to do with him John?” Virgil asked with a sigh. This had been building up for weeks. Months maybe. Scott trying to do everything. Run everything. Be everywhere and take the brunt so his little brothers didn’t have to. But looking back, he’s been doing it his whole life. Ever since mum. But since losing dad...
Virgil’s not sure how to undo a habit that’s been ingrained over a lifetime.
John almost adopted his International Rescue calm, but commander tone. “You’re going to get him to bed. I’m going to field all calls tonight to the GDF and as a family we are going to discuss it tomorrow.”
Virgil gave a grateful smile down to his big brothers form. “Ok John, thanks. You should go to bed now too.”
John gave a small nod and a smile. “Already onto it.” His image disappeared.
Virgil could hear the exhaust as Thunderbird One came in for landing. He took a big calming breath but was still forming a grand speech in his head as he watched Thunderbird One roll down into the hanger on her tracks. He could see Scott’s small figure inside moving around and flicking switches.
The rocket came to a juddering halt and machines moved in to lock her in place and begin refuelling.
Thunderbird One was now close enough that Virgil could see Scott’s sprawled position in his red seat, his head laid back, hair a mess and closed eyes on a pale face.
The access bridge began extending. Scott’s hands were lax on the armrests. The bridge came to a sharp halt as the pilots chair was extended out to meet it. Virgil watched as Scott lifted his head from the rest and opened his eyes. He looked exhausted. Drained and gaunt.
“Virgil?” His oldest brothers voice wobbled with a vulnerability he’d never heard before.
Scott fumbled with his harness then grunted as he heaved himself out of the chair and onto the end of the bridge. He was taking his first shaky step as Virgil forwent all safety rules and rushed out to meet him. He caught his oldest brother just as he started to collapse.
With a grunt Virgil lifted him more securely into his strong arms.
“Scott?!” He didn’t care for the panic in his voice. But he’d never had to catch his brother like this before. His older brother, always so strong and cool in the face of danger now all but limp in his arms.
“Virgil,” he heard murmured into his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
All prepared speeches flew out the door as Virgil held his sinking big brother. “It’s ok,” he whispered into the soft thick hair. “I’ve got you Scotty, hold on.”
Highly aware of the huge drop under them and the narrowness of the bridge Virgil deftly bent to grab his brother at the hips then lifted him up into a fireman’s hold over his shoulder. Gingerly he turned and walked off the bridge to the platform. There he put his brother back down on the metal floor leaning against the railing. Scott’s blue eyes were closed and a pained expression tightened his brow.
“I heard you took a small tumble, are you okay?”
Scott huffed a laugh. “Without John in my ear it would have been a big tumble.” Eyes fluttered open and they seemed the most tired of all. “I wasn’t thinking straight out there Virgil. I couldn’t- I was too tired. I shouldn’t have gone but the GDF would have been to slow!” Scott let his head thunk back against the metal behind him. “He was literally hanging from a tree Virgil. Above a cliff, how is tiredness an excuse for leaving someone like that.”
Virgil didn’t have an argument for that and instead took in the bruise on his brothers forehead and gravel like scrape on his cheek.
The last of his anger that had been building up all night vanished. “Alright Scott. Let’s get you cleaned up and in bed.” Virgil slid an arm around his brothers narrow waist and all but lifted him from the ground with a loud grunt. He guided Scott’s arm over his own shoulder.
Scott gave a small chuckle. “Sorry.”
“Why?” Virgil grunted out. “You’re not heavy.” But after the long hours of earlier rescues Virgil could feel his legs shake with the effort. He took the elevator to the top floor instead of the stairs and was glad he could.
Stumbling out with the extra weight Virgil was glad at least to see Alan’s room dark and only a weak light from under Gordon’s closed door.
Silently the pair trudged to Scott’s room and once inside Scott thumped the light on.
“Now,” Virgil huffed as the paired shuffled awkwardly through the door. “Do I need to check on anything?”
Scott gave a pathetically tired head shake as the stumbled to the en-suite. “The suit protected me.”
Virgil deposited Scott leaning against the sink as he got the shower running. He undid they main zip on Scott’s uniform who was fumbling with weak hands at his wrist guards. Crouching down Virgil undid the ones on his shins.
“Should I keep going?” He asked eyebrow raised watching Scott’s drawn face concentrating too hard on his gloves.
His big brother shook his head.
“Alright,” Virgil relented heading out the door. “I’m gonna wait out here though, in case.” In case you collapse again, Virgil thought. He left and closed the door behind him.
Scott’s bed lay in front of him looking like it hasn’t seen it’s owner for a few nights now. Virgils only comfort is knowing Scott had been sleeping on the couches in the lounge over the last few days. But he still doesn’t like it.
Like a great cloud collapsing the past 48 hours came rushing onto Virgil all at once and he found himself unable to stop his own collapse onto the bed. He blinked furiously trying to clear his blurring vision and instead incited a yawn. The sound of the running water from the shower was lulling him to sleep.
Fighting the urge to flop backwards and go to sleep right there on Scott’s bed, Virgil forced himself to his feet so Scott wouldn’t see the effort it took.
He half-heartedly fluffed the pillows and turned down the bed.
The light turned off to the bathroom before the door opened, leaving the bedroom mostly shaded in darkness. Scott was hiding the bruises. Virgil didn’t fight it, too tired to push his brother anymore and at the end of the day Scott was 27 year old man, he could look after himself. Well, he should.
Scott slid into bed as Virgil finished closing the blinds. His older brother groaned as he slowly lowered himself and released an unguarded sigh as his body relaxed into the bed.
“Thanks Virgil. I know I messed up today.”
“You did,” Virgil agreed heading for the door. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Get some sleep.”
“You too big guy,” came the murmured reply as his brother rolled over into his pillow.
“Night Scott,” Virgil sighed with the closing of the door though he knew his brother was already asleep.

The next day the ‘talk’ never happened. A plane crash in the mountains of America called them away and Scott’s pizza got forgotten.

Chapter Text

Gordon opened the fridge and frowned at the two plates of meals wrapped in plastic. Snapping the door shut he continued to frown because he seemed to be the only one who noticed.
It was 8am on Tracy Island and already the air was thickening with summer heat. Gordon had finished his ritual of laps in the pool and was considering his breakfast in an empty kitchen. Apart from Alan, they had all gotten in late the night before after a long and muddy rescue in China involving spontaneous sink holes.
If it wasn’t for Gordon’s swimming habits permanently drilled in from Olympic days, he would still be in bed asleep too. But the water had called him and here he was sticking his head in the fridge while trying to determine what his stomach was asking for.
He considered the options once more; eggs, milk for cereal, Scott’s abandoned meals, bacon. He frowned, that needed to be remedied. Pulling out the eggs and bacon Gordon got to work making breakfast for everyone.

An hour later the kitchen table held the majority of the islands residents as they shared a meal. Kayo appeared in the kitchen not long after Gordon with Grandma Tracy shorty after her. Both women chatted and set the table in appreciation of Gordon cooking. Brains had popped in with no signs of tiredness and nose deep in holograms of Thunderbird schematics.
Just as the three finished their eggs and bacon Virgil came stumbling down from upstairs and began brewing coffee with no shirt and hair mused every which way. Gordon gave him a good helping of eggs and sat down to eat some himself. Not long after Alan bounced into the room with a bright “Morning!” Which received replies from most and a mere grunt from still half asleep Virgil.
Getting stuck into the eggs as only a teenaged boy could, Gordon watched Alan take a moment while still chewing furiously to count those present at the table. Upon not seeing the big brother Alan glances around the room to the outside deck and behind to the second lounge.
Gordon counts down quietly in his head, ‘3,2,1...’
“Where’s Scott?” Alan asks the table. Brains doesn’t flinch from reading. Kayo shrugs and Gordon refuses to look up from his eggs.
“I’ll go tell him there’s breakfast.” Alan stood from the table and Gordon was secretly pleased before Virgil suddenly awake, stopped the youngest getting too far.
“Don’t Alan, he’s sleeping,” Virgil supplies with just a slight hint of weariness in his voice. “He went on another rescue. Got in about 4am.”
Alan slunk back down to his seat slightly subdued, his previous happiness dissolved.
Gordon finished his own meal and stood with a frustrated sigh. Mission failed.
“What’s wrong with you?” Virgil queried with raised eyebrow.
“Nothing.” Gordon replied with a slight snap to his tone as he plated the breakfast left overs and added it next to Scott’s other missed meals in the fridge.

It had a been a long week of even longer rescues. Gordon was trying his hardest not to replay the details of too many close calls in his head as he sprawled on the concrete next to the pool in half sun, half shade. The day was warm but not unpleasant unlike the previous days of intense heat and high UV rays that made staying outside unbearable.
Gordon found himself trying his damn hardest to enjoy the moment, entirely in the present, grateful for the peace and agreeable weather.
Approaching splashes from the pool forced Gordon’s eyes to peak open and he watched as Scott freestyled lazily to the wall before doing (in Gordon’s Olympic eye) a pretty half-assed tumble turn and disappearing again from Gordon’s hooded sight.
His older brother had been at it for a good while now and Gordon was becoming increasingly ready to haul him out before the stubborn idiot drowned from exhaustion.
Just as Gordon was deciding how to subdue Scott into taking a break, his wrist beeped with a communication from John.
“Scott?” The holographic elder queried.
Gordon didn’t even bother removing his sunglasses. “Pool,” he responded evenly. “Though I’m pleased you will be the motivation to get him out.”
Little holo John crossed his arms all the way up in space. “Well I’m not. But the lost hikers in the Andes I’m sure will appreciate some motivation to form a rescue.”
Gordon sighed rolling on the paving from his back to stomach so as to push himself up. “Hold on,” he grunted to John grabbing a nearby abandoned flipper and threw it spinning at Scott’s passing form, splicing into the water just in front of his brothers head. His oldest brother came sputtering to a halt as he whipped his head from the pool with a fling of water. His blustered expression turned stormy at seeing Gordon standing there expectantly. The middle brother gestured to his comm before forgoing his earlier ground spot and moving to the shade of a lounge chair and flopping back down.
“Mr Tracy will be with you shortly,” Gordon supplied the holographic John in the most forced receptionist tone he could muster. His comm fell silent and Gordon placed both arms behind his head and watched as Scott swam over to the pool ladder. His brother pulled himself free of the pool with a rush of water leaving his body. He hurled himself up on clearly fatigued arms and Gordon knew he’d pushed too hard. Under his cool demeanour of sunglasses and easy smile Gordon couldn’t help his eyes racking over his brothers dripping form. Scott always seemed tall and his physique intimidating to younger brothers but Gordon had grown to learn half of it was the uniform and the other half eldest confidence, with a pinch of military background. True Scott was deep in the chest and broad in the shoulders but only Virgil was king of the bear strength title. Under the uniform Scott was as thin and delicate as John or Alan. Or even Gordon himself, who couldn’t help but notice said narrow waist seemed even smaller and collarbones more present. A big dark, black and purple bruised splayed over the torso of the eldest distracted Gordon’s eyes from the otherwise visible ribs.
If Scott had been paying the slightest bit of attention while briskly drying with his towel and collecting his own comm from the other lounge chair, he would have noticed the frown pecking above the sunglasses on his younger brothers face.
Gordon watched as Scott took the call, nodding along to the details John provided him on the lost hikers before closing comms and scrubbing his face quickly with his towel as he sauntered over to Gordon’s spot.
“Well, you’re here. Want to come?” Scott asked Gordon as his scrubbing moved onto his hair and leaving it damp and spiked.
Gordon pointed to himself questioning, sat up on the lounge chair, making a show of looking around for others before turning back to Scott.
“Oh you do mean me! Golly! Virgil too busy for you is he?”
Scott scowled already walking away. “He’s completing maintenance on Two but that doesn’t matter. I just wanted a second.”
And maybe it’s the way Scott’s bruised ribs are slightly more visible or the hips jutting above the swim shorts that have slipped that has Gordon leaping from his lounge and calling out for Scott that he’ll join him after all.

Gordon tries to remember the warmth by the pool he was enjoying that morning as his numb fingers undo the grappling line of the next stuck hiker in the blustering heights of the Andes mountains. Across the grappling line from where Gordon waits with a hovering Thunderbird One, Scott is helping the last passenger into a harness. Gordon quickly wraps his own hiker in a space blanket before cracking a foil liquid hydration satchel to activate its heating. Currently the hiker Sam? Was it? can only keep repeating “thank you” at a smiling Gordon who directs her further into the warmth and safety of Thunderbird One. He pressed the switch which motors the pulley back across to Scott and the last hiker.
As Scott works on securing his passenger Gordon removes another space blanket from the packeting and an inactivated drink.
Just as the previous two hikers, Scott gives the thumbs up and Gordon hits the button to bring the pulley and rescued back to One. Gordon imagines the passenger is closing his eyes as he flies over the endless gorge below the two Rocky Mountain peaks. Another large gusts buffers One even behind the protection of the rocky outcrop Scott parked her in the shadow of that had forced them to have to winch the hikers across to them. Gordon sticks his gloved fingers under his armpits and theorises the climber won’t be so keen for heights in a while as their legs naturally curl up underneath them when the wind sways the rescue line.
Just as before Gordon opens both arms to the hiker as he reaches his side and in a hug, pulls them that much further into the Thunderbird. Undoes the main clip. Directs them to undo their harness then sends it back on the zip line. Patient now free he drapes the blanket around their shoulders and cracks the drink.
By the time he turns back Scott is just pushing off from the opposite cliff face and it seems just in time as the wind picks him up and sways him and the line dangerously out to the side. Gordon wants to open his arms to accept the delivery of his brother just as he did with the hikers, but knew Scott would see it as unprofessional mocking rather then honest brotherly love so he kept his hands firmly squeezed under his armpits once more.
Scott entered the opening of his Thunderbird and as his feet touched the cold floor his legs collapsed under him and he stumbled. Prior restraint gone Gordon lunges forward to catch his brother around the waist and stopping him from going back out on the zip line. He pulled him further and safer in and through their comms could hear Scott’s harsh breathing. He slapped his brothers shaking fingers away from the coupling and undid it himself.
“You okay?” he asked quietly to avoid the hikers nearby hearing despite the security of their two way comm.
“Yeah just got a little cold,” Scott managed to huff out. Through his helmet Gordon could see his brothers flushed cheeks and damp hair. From the swim not even an hour ago or sweat he wasn’t sure.
“Here,” he offered cracking and forcing the warming packet drink into Scott’s trembling hands. He manoeuvred his stumbling flustered brother out of the way and activated the cable winch and once lines secured he closed the hatch door. Scott had removed his helmet and with eyes squeezed shut was sipping on the now hot electrolyte drink. As if suddenly realising how much his body wanted it.
Gordon took the moment to undo the rest of his brothers harness letting it drop to the floor. His brother awkwardly stepped out of the rest and Gordon decided to give him exactly one minute as he went to check on the rescued hikers a little further in the hold and collect their harness.
After securing all equipment and passengers Gordon climbed up into the cockpit having felt Ones engines engage and move off from her holding point.
As Gordon buckled himself into the co-pilots seat behind Scott he could see his brother piloting with both hands as the drink pack dangled from between his teeth. Once they had descended enough distance away from the howling winds of the Andes peaks and Scott could pilot with one hand he removed the pack from between his teeth.
“I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry Gordon,” he murmured in an uncharacteristic show of vulnerability so different from the Scott his brother usually presented to his younger siblings. That would make it the third time in one day.
“You haven’t been eating enough.” Gordon replied with a shrug before opening a line with the nearest hospital for a passenger drop off.

“You didn’t have to tell anyone Gordon! It was just a stumble!” Scott was sat on the Island’s medbay bed, long legs hanging off the side and flight suit pooled around his hips.
Virgil was watching the monitor reading from the blood pressure cuff from around his older brothers arm. “Calm down Scott I want a clean reading.”
Gordon had yet to get further then the threshold of the room, instead remaining leaned in the doorway with arms crossed over his chest. Far enough away from Scott’s anger to feel safe but near enough to hear for himself the result of Virgil’s quick examination of their older brother.
“You can’t have one rule for you and one for the rest of us Scott.” Virgil continued defending Gordon as he removed the blood pressure cuff. “You would have escorted any of us in yourself had the situation been refused.”
“Except that I am fine!” Scott replied refusing to lift his stern gaze from Gordon who was wandering where the shameful Scott he’d seen in Thunderbird One thirty-minutes earlier went.
“Well the science disagrees with you Scott. Your blood pressure low and electrolytes hey-wire. Not to mention your body temp taking it’s sweet time to rise. What’s going on?”
“He’s got a nasty bruise on his ribs? Could it be that Doc?” Gordon sing-songed and both Virgil and Scott’s heads snapped to look at him but for two entirely different reasons. Virgil frowned and Scott glared to which Gordon responded with an innocent grin.
“Scott,” Virgil queried in a low rumble of warning.
“It’s not that bad,” Scott replied turning to give his younger brother a charming grin that might’ve disarm the ladies but did nothing to the medic.
“Do I need to call Grandma and get her in here?”
Scott’s eyes widened the slightest at the threat, winning smile dropping from his face. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me,” Virgil challenged matching Gordon’s pose of crossing arms over chest but looking a lot more intimidating while doing so.
Scott sighed relenting and grabbed the hem of his shirt. “It’s not that bad,” he seemed to mutter to himself more then the others in the room and said nothing once the shirt was removed and Virgil immediately shifted close to examine his brothers side.
The black and purple bruising over his brothers ribs looked more intense then it had at the pool that morning, making Gordon second guess just how fresh the injury was and glad to have dobbed Scott in to Virgil.
“Stand,” Virgil commanded without glancing from the bruising and Scott silently complied with a barely disguised waver as he got to his feet.
Virgil lightly held Scott’s right elbow to steady him. “Lift your arm for me.” Scott once again followed orders but not without a wince. Virgil’s eyes flickered up briefly to his brothers face before focusing back on the injury.
Virgil’s fingers ghosted gently over the area. Pressing down firm a few times on particular spots. “Jesus Scotty. When did you do this?”
Scott hesitated on his answer, “I don’t- I don’t actually remember. Everything has kind of blurred together….recently.”
Virgil looked up with a frown from his crouched position at his brothers side.
“Honestly didn’t think it was that bad. Tried to stretch it out to get some easement in the area this morning but,” Scott didn’t finish, shrugging as an answer to the sentence.
Gordon’s mind went back to the pool from the morning and thought whatever stretching intentions Scott initially had, his swim definitely turned into something else.
“I guess in the pool it was numbed a bit and has caught up with me now.”
Gordon was shocked still, never having heard before Scott admit to so much. Eventually Virgil seemed to shake himself out of his thoughts and stood back up to his full height. “Well you’ve fractured 2 ribs which you know I can’t do much for except pain killers but with your blood pressure so low I’m not inclined to.”
Virgil flattened his palm over the bruising once more. “Big breath.” Scott did as he was told, not hiding the wince at the peak of the breath. Virgil’s deep frown was back.
“What?” Scott worried trying to glance at the area. “Are they shifting that much?”
“No they’ll heal on their own. Hope on the scales for me.”
It was time for Gordon to get caught on his own breath. He was hoping for an eventual quiet word with Virgil after Scott’s examination, never wanting to submit his brother to the harsh scrutiny Scott was about to come under.
Scott’s confused eyes caught Gordon’s for a moment and he was suddenly punctured with a shard of guilt right in the guts.
His brother seemed resigned to his fate and cautiously hopped on the medical scale.
Virgil and Scott were silent both looking at the result for a good minute before Virgil seemed to remember Gordon’s presence.
“Gords, can you give us a minute.”
Gordon shrugged off the door frame pretending not to notice the sudden drained look Virgil’s face took on.
“Sure. I’ll go restock One.”
He moved down the hall back to the hangar but the brothers seemed to be still speechless as not a single word reached him from the medbay. The peaceful morning by the pool was seeming further and further away.

Gordon had gone above and beyond checking and restocking Thunderbird One to the point where he also doubled checked Two. Not that Virgil had left anything amiss but the thought of running into Scott up in the house was something he was not quite ready to face.
“Hey Gords!” Virgil’s voice echoed around Thunderbird Two’s hangar and finding Gordon in the stock supply room.
“In here!” He replied and refused to look up at his entering brother. Instead staring at the stock numbers on his data pad as if he could concentrate enough to read them.
“So umm,” Gordon didn’t have to look at this big brother to know he’d put his hands in his back pockets out of awkwardness. “What’s been going on?”
Gordon gave up on the blurring stock numbers and looked at this next oldest brother.
“With Scott,” Virgil clarified as if they both didn’t know who was being talked about. “You have obviously noticed something to have coordinated…that.”
“He stumbled on the rescue,” Gordon supplied.
“Gordon,” Virgil pressured but hands remained in back pockets.
Gordon didn’t know why he felt guilty, as if he’d divulged on Scott’s privacy. Maybe he had but what else was he to do when his eldest brothers health was in question and the efficiency of International Rescue as a result.
“I noticed,” he began setting down the data pad and dropping to sit on a crate of rations. The irony was not missed. “A few weeks ago I noticed just how many meals Scott never touched. I shamefully forgot about it again quite quickly getting caught up in my own rescues and such but then it hit me again last week how little he eats. Meals I mean. Sure he forces down protein bars and energy boosts like the rest of us but not much else.”
Gordon’s gaze had found itself between his feet. Only noticing from the edge of his vision that Virgil had sat next to him on his own crate of water bottles.
“Then when I noticed that I began to notice how much weight he was losing and how mealtimes seemed the lowest of his priorities. To be honest I wasn’t sure how to fix it and only now am I realising I never could, not without help from Scott himself. And seeing his face when he stepped on the scales I don’t think approaching him would have gotten me very far. He appeared just as shocked.”
Virgil rubbed his hands over his face and let loose a big sigh when done. “He was. As was I,” he admitted. “He’s asleep right now hooked up to a warm drip for his body temperature and dehydration. I don’t know how long exactly his eating habits have been in decline but he’s lost 9 kilos.”
Now it was Gordon’s turn to bury his face in his hands and the feel of a strong Virgil arm encasing his shoulders wasn’t enough to comfort him.
“Oh Gordon,” his brother sighed. “I feel sick not having noticed his weight loss is so obvious now. Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
“Honestly,” Gordon replied dropping his hands into his lap. “I didn’t know how to approach it. Scott’s so…”
“Scott,” Virgil filled with a smile. “He seems above needing help, he only helps others.”
Gordon shrugged. “I guess. But obviously I’m wrong and if anything worse had happened today.” Gordon didn’t dare finish the thought.
Virgil’s hand squeezed Gordon’s shoulder. “It didn’t. You caught this issue in time and now we just have to figure out what to do about it.”
“I’ve been thinking about that the past hour.”
“Oh?” Virgil intoned. “And here I was thinking you were updating our stock levels.”
Gordon playfully shoved Virgil’s shoulders with his own.
“I can do both. But I was thinking we need to start having family dinners.”
Virgil scoffed once more, “A bit of propriety amongst the pack of brothers?”
“In a way,” Gordon defended. “I just feel if we have set family dinners. I know we’re all pretty lazy in enforcing set meal times and most of us eat to our schedules but obviously Scott skips that step. I think if we all really tried, everyone as a team to have a scheduled dinner time and we took turns cooking proper meals, then we could at least ensure Scott has one good meal a day. And then I don’t know,” Gordon shrugged. “Work backwards from there I guess.”
Despite a cheeky glint in his eye Virgil was nodding in agreement. “Guilt Scott into meals being a family time that trumps all other schedules, his included. He’ll always put family first.”
“Yeah!” Gordon encouraged. “I’ve always argued that the only way to best Scott is through pranks and tricks.”
Virgil chuckled shaking his head. “I’m not really sure that it’s a trick Gordon.”
“Oh trust me Virgil,” Gordon couldn’t suppress the evil grin that overtook his face. “There will be tricks involved.”

Thunderbirds roared over tropical water as they raced home to Tracy Island.
“Last one there has to do the dishes for a week!” Scott’s voice challenged over the comms between Birds.
“Well you better put on your rubber gloves now” Alan shot back, undeniably in first place with the powerful rockets of Thunderbird 3.
“You guys go for it, I’m just glad to be home,” Virgil responded switching dials as he watched Scott peel from formation at his right wing in the faster and manoeuvrable Thunderbird One.
“Hey just cause I’m docked with old slow poke here doesn’t mean I’m sharing dish duty,” Gordon said joining the fray as Virgil came in naturally third in the slower bulk of Thunderbird Two.
Alan’s laugh was heard as he claimed first as his rocket touched down on the launchpad.
“Thunderbird One coming in for landing,” was quickly followed from Scott just as Two touched down on her own runway.
She cruised into her hanger and once on the turntable Virgil happily declared fourth. “Thunderbird Two and Four; back to launch.” Virgil informed the others. “And technically speaking my body entered the hanger first.” Virgil supplied unable to keep the smile from his voice.
“Well looks like we have a winner Gordon,” Scott was happy to announce.
Gordon groaned, “Dishes here I come. Better not be lasagna tonight.” Hiding the smile from his voice better then Virgil had.
It seemed everyone had forgotten it was Gordon himself who out of the blue suggested the “Dinner and Dish” game three weeks ago. And it was Gordon who knew more often then not he was going to be the last home every time. And it was Gordon who would be making the lasagna because he knew it was Scott’s favourite and that he always went for seconds.