Work Text:
"And now you're ignoring me." Alan said with a roll of his eyes. "This isn't exactly my kind of fun either, just so you know, so you don't have to be such a stick in the mud."
Gordon did not deign Alan with a response. He just kept trudging along, boots sinking deeper into the mud, and Alan had to rush to keep up with him.
While the rain had at last stopped, they were still drenched and Alan swore he could feel the cold seeping through his bones. Only his legs felt like they were burning, having to work extra hard just to get through the sludge.
"You know what we should do?" Alan said, if only to break the silence. "Next time John wants one last sweep of a whole area, we should just make him do it."
Gordon kept walking.
"Not that I actually mind, you know I love saving people and it's important work, but still. Can't more landslides happen like, I don't know, on a beach or something? But I guess sand sucks too."
Gordon kept walking.
"Hello Gordon, it's me, your brother. The one that's dying of bord-ah!"
Alan jolted forward, his boot stuck in the mud as the rest of him continued on. He pinwheeled his arms, giving off another very manly screech, barely keeping himself upright.
Gordon did not laugh. He didn't even chuckle. He kept walking on even though there was no way Gordon had not seen that and there was absolutely no way it wouldn't have made him drop any pretence of anger towards Alan.
Struggling to get his boot from the mud without help, Alan caught up with him but Gordon just kept walking.
"Gordon." Alan said. "You're kinda freaking me out here. I thought Scott was meant to be the silent moody one."
Still nothing. Alan forced his heart to settle. Maybe Gordon was just tired. Hell, maybe he had put ear buds in when Alan hadn't been paying attention.
"Can you hear me?"
Gordon's eyes at last flicked to Alan.
"You can! You know, you don't need to be so rude."
"I'm going to faint."
"What?"
"I'm going to faint." Gordon said.
And with that, Gordon’s eyes rolled back.
Alan swore, launching himself toward Gordon. Alan twisted, making sure that he fell first, keeping Gordon's head from hitting the ground. His heart racing, Alan set aside his own sore body to focus on Gordon.
He was breathing, thank god, but his eyes were closed and his body was still. Gordon was never still. Alan couldn't put Gordon in the recovery position, the mud would risk obstructing his airway anyway, but he kept his brother safe in his arms and activated his radio.
"Alpha-4 to Base, Alpha-4 to Base."
Static.
Alan forced himself to be patient, watching the rise and fall of his brothers chest. Still breathing. There should have been a response by now. Maybe no one was listening to the radio. But over fifty personnel including his other brothers should be on the frequency, surely someone at Base should hear him. Surely someone would care that there was an emergency, surely someone would care that Gordon was unconscious.
Gordon was breathing. He was still breathing but at any moment he could stop and then he’ll die and it will all be Alan’s fault so why the hell was no one responding?
"This is Base, go ahead Alpha-4." A woman's voice echoed.
Hope surged in Alan's chest.
"I have a man down, I repeat man down. Twenty four year old male, unconscious but breathing normally. No sign of injury, over."
"Copy Alpha-4," The woman said. "Sending med-evac to your-"
"Alan!" Scott's voice cut in. "What the hell happened?"
Despite being mostly calm until now, hearing Scott's voice made Alan's eyes sting and his chest tighten. This wasn’t just some other patient, this was Gordon. Gordon was in his arms and he was unconscious and the world felt like it was falling down around him.
"We were walking,” Alan said. “And I was trying to talk to him but he was ignoring me but then I - Gordon!"
Gordon blinked sluggishly, staring up at Alan. He tried to sit up and Alan let him, keeping him steady with a hand on his elbow, but when Gordon tried to stand Alan kept him on the ground.
“Slow,” Alan said. “You shouldn’t stand just yet.”
Gordon looked at Alan straight in the eye and stood anyway. Immediately he was on the ground again, Alan barely keeping his head safe for the second time.
“Told you.” Alan said, trying to settle his racing heart.
If Gordon could hear him, he ignored him, glazed eyes not quite looking at Alan but passed him as he tried standing up yet again.
"Alan?" Scott barked. "Alan, what's happening?"
Alan refused to answer the radio, too busy trying to keep Gordon from making himself pass out for the third time.
"Gordon," Alan said. "I need you to-"
"I'm all good." Gordon slurred, waving a hand.
Alan rushed to grip onto Gordon’s arm as his older brother launched upwards, Alan barely keeping him in the mud. Gordon tugged back his arm, glaring at Alan with half open eyes.
"I'm fine." Gordon snapped.
"Don't make me claim New York." Alan said.
Even in his stupor Gordon understood. He twisted towards Alan, slowly, giving Alan a chance to take it back. Alan didn’t. If Gordon was going to be such a pain in the ass then Alan was going to take all the precautions he needed to keep his brother safe.
"You wouldn’t." Gordon breathed.
"Try me." Alan said.
Alan met Gordon's eyes, dropping his expression into the best Serious face he could. It took more effort than he liked to admit to not laugh staring at his brother like this, especially since they were both absolutely covered in mud, but the memory of Gordon dropping right in front of him kept him well aware of the stakes.
They did not know why Gordon had collapsed, or at least Alan didn't. Until he was cleared by medical, Alan was not going to let him stand up let alone go anywhere even if he had to invoke the New York Protocol.
Gordon of all people, even disoriented, should know the severity of the New York Protocol just as Alan, even worried, knew it.
"Alan." Scott's voice echoed through the radio. "If you don't fucking talk right now and tell me what's wrong with Gordon I'm going to kill you both."
Gordon rolled his eyes, reaching to grab Alan's radio. Alan knocked the hand away.
"He's okay." Alan reported.
"What's his vitals?" Scott demanded. "John can't see anything because of the storm."
"He's conscious and talking," Alan said. "Pupils seem a little off but he's a lot more aware of what's going on."
"He," Gordon said. "Is right here."
"He," Alan replied. "Passed out so he has to put up with Brother mode unless you want New York."
Gordon glared at him but made no further comment as Alan and Scott confirmed their position. The med-evac was already coming of course, Virgil had torn away from Base with Thunderbird 2 the moment he had heard the man down according to Scott, but it was good to fill the silence with something.
It shouldn't be much longer before Virgil arrives but Alan still startled when a big rain drop fell on his head. If Gordon was already weak, another storm would just make everything worse. Now that they had been sitting in the mud for a while, the burning heat in Alan's legs had faded but the cold quickly replaced it.
Holding back a shiver, Alan glanced around to see if Thunderbird 2 was near. They should have been able to hear it by now but as thunder rumbled, Alan simply could not see or hear the rescue vehicle.
The next voice that came over the radio wasn't Scott's or Virgil's or even John’s but the woman from earlier.
"Base to Alpha-4, Base to Alpha-4."
"Alpha-4 receiving, over."
"Seek immediate shelter, I repeat, seek immediate shelter. The storm has shifted. Seek immediate shelter. Over."
So much for waiting for a med-evac.
"Acknowledged Base." Alan clicked off the radio. "You heard her, we gotta move."
Gordon did not so much as twitch.
Of course now that he had to stand up Gordon would refuse. Typical annoying brother doing typical annoying brother things. Except none of this was typical. Gordon was never that still, nor that quiet, and even as Alan shifted his grip from Gordon’s elbow to his hand, Gordon did not meet his eye.
"Gordon." Alan said. “We need to go.”
“Go.” Gordon echoed, blinking slowly.
Gordon’s hand was limp in Alan’s.
Alan jolted as another rain drop hit him, and another, and all of a sudden it wasn’t just drops but outright rain. Lightning arced across the sky but Gordon was still just sitting there, staring at nothing, as if he hadn’t even noticed it.
Alan fumbled for his radio.
“Scott.”
“Talk to me Alan.”
“Scott, he’s not moving.”
“The hell you mean?”
The rain hit harder, the mud around them growing ever more dangerous. Thunder boomed just as Alan tried to speak so he waited, his heart pounding against his chest.
“He’s just staring.”
“Is he breathing?” Scott asked.
“Scott he’s not moving.”
“Alan. I need you to focus. Is he breathing?”
It had become darker but Alan could still see Gordon’s chest move in time with his lungs.
“Yes.” Alan said.
“That’s good.” Scott said. “Is there any shelter where you are?”
It was strange to realise the same man that had yelled at him just a few minutes ago was now speaking so calmly. Alan had heard that voice before, the voice Scott used on civilians that were panicking, but normally it wasn’t directed at him.
Oh.
That’s why Scott was speaking like that; Alan’s entire body was shaking and his chest was aching and he hadn’t even noticed. How fast had he been talking, how much did he repeat himself? Scott knew what a panicked Alan was like even if it was usually Virgil who noticed first so he was already playing damage control.
Gordon was still staring and Alan’s hands were still shaking. What a pair they made, covered in mud and unable to stand.
“Alan, can you hear me?”
Really, Alan should be better than this. He had seen the most terrible of things, just today he had helped in the recovery of an entire family from the landslide, he should be able to deal with one small storm and a confused Gordon.
“Is there shelter?” Scott asked again.
Alan looked around. He couldn’t see anything but mud and rain and Gordon.
“No.”
“Virgil is nearly there,” Scott said. “Watch the hills, there might be more slides.”
Gordon blinked slowly. He tilted his head, looking up at Gordon with hooded eyes.
“Slide.” Gordon mumbled.
Gordon’s hand twitched in Alan’s and his whole body shifted, trying to stand.
“Slide…” He said again.
“Gordie, we need to wait for Virg, okay?” Alan said, his voice shaking even to himself. “How are you feeling?”
Gordon blinked, processing the question. Lightning lit up the sky and Gordon jumped alongside Alan so Alan took that as progress.
“Alan?” Gordon said. “It’s raining.”
“Yeah, bro, it’s raining.”
“You’re shaking… We should go inside.”
Alan wasn’t sure if it was just rain getting in his eyes but they were stinging. His entire back was hurting now as well as his ribs but no matter how hard he tried to calm himself down he couldn’t. Alan felt stupid sitting here panicking when it had been Gordon who passed out but he. Just. Could. Not. Stop.
A rush of mud came at them and Alan clutched onto Gordon, wanting to, no needing to, protect him. The mud didn’t even reach them but it had still done damage. Alan couldn’t breathe at all now. Gordon could have died and it was Alan’s fault that they had taken so long with the final sweep of the area and now they were stuck here and Alan couldn’t breathe and Gordon looked so confused and they were going to die here.
Thunder rumbled and Alan sobbed.
More lightning flashed but it stayed longer this time almost like it hadn’t been lightning at all. No, Alan knew that brightness. He had helped Virgil replace that bulb not two weeks ago.
Thunderbird 2 came closer to them, jerking to the side with a gust of wind.
More mud spilled around them and Alan felt himself sinking lower. Gordon had wrapped his arms around Alan but Alan was supposed to be the one protecting Gordon. Thunderbird 2’s propulsion system set off another mud slide and Alan’s entire body shook.
Alan couldn’t see anything anymore. The sky had grown too dark and the lights of Thunderbird 2 had faded away. Virgil must have not seen them. Alan should light a flare or wave or something. Something other than sit there shaking.
“Alan! Gordon!” A voice called.
That couldn’t be Virgil. Virgil had not seen them. He had continued on. They were going to be lost here forever in the mud and the rain and the cold and something was wrong with Gordon but there was nothing Alan could do to fix it.
Gordon pulled away from him, no, Gordon was being pulled away from him by the mud but Alan clutched onto him with a sob.
“I need you to let him go Allie.” A voice said.
No, Alan couldn’t let him go. Gordon was his brother, he was not going to let anything take him away.
“Alan,” The voice said. “It’s going to be okay but I need you to let him go.”
Alan knew that voice. He had grown up hearing it, he had grown up loving it. Virgil had always sounded so cool no matter what he said and Alan had always wanted to grow up as fast as he could so that he could sound so macho.
Wait a moment…
“Virgil?” Alan croaked.
“It’s me Bud,” Virgil said and Alan felt a hand cup his cheek. “Do you think you can let me help Gordon? I promise you, I’m not going to leave you. I just need to get him to 2 but then I’ll be right back.”
“I can walk.” Alan said but even as he said it he knew it wasn’t true. “Virg… I don’t feel right…”
“It’s just shock, Allie.” Virgil said. “You’re going to be just fine.”
Alan hummed. Virgil would never lie to him yet the world still went black and Alan was left alone.
—————————————————————————————————————
Alan was on his back.
He was warm, too warm. But that didn’t make any sense. Just a moment ago he was soaked with mud and rain and yet now he was dry and there was something soft laid over him.
“Alan, can you hear me?”
Alan knew that voice too. It was different from Virgil’s but Alan loved it all the same. His eyes cracked open but just as quickly he closed them again, the ceiling above him much too bright.
“If you can hear me, squeeze my hands.”
“Really?” Alan mumbled.
“Yes, really,” The voice chuckled. “Though I guess I already have my answer.”
When he tried to open his eyes again he found a shadow blocking the bright lights, a halo shining through red hair.
“You shouldn’t be here.” Alan said.
John’s brow quirked.
“I mean,” Alan said quickly. “Someone needs to be on Thunderbird 5 and-“
“Relax, Alan, EOS is handling communications at the moment. You and Gordon needed me more.”
Alan snapped up, too fast for John to stop him and his head spun.
“Easy there,” John said, a hand on Alan’s shoulder. “Gordon’s fine, he’s back with it now.”
“He passed out.”
“I know,” John said. “You both had hypothermia it’s just that Gordon went into shock before you did. We’re lucky you managed to call it in so quickly, it could have been a lot worse.”
“I need to see him.”
“You need to rest.”
“John, I need to see him.”
“You can see him when you’re out of the woods first. Don’t make me call New York on you.”
Alan stiffened.
“You wouldn’t.”
John laughed and the sound was like a melody. He eased Alan back down until he was on his back again, readjusting Alan’s blanket.
“I don’t even need to claim New York because you know how important it is to look after your own health first.”
“Bullshit.” Scott’s voice broke in.
Alan was sitting upright again in an instant, blinking back blurs as he took in the silhouette of Scott. Scott was pushing a hospital wheelchair and on that chair was Gordon. Gordon looked exhausted and there was an tube snaking up his arm connected to a IV pole on the chair but he was alive and he was breathing and he was okay and Alan was crying.
“I’m sorry.” Alan sobbed.
He knew that he was acting like a lost child but he simply could not stop the tears from flowing.
Scott brought Gordon all the way up to Alan’s bed and Gordon reached up, grabbing Alan’s hand and squeezing it tightly.
“We’re okay.” Gordon said. “Everything’s okay.”
With Gordon holding his hand, John kept a hand on Alan’s shoulder while Scott leaned on the side of the bed, a hand resting on his leg.
“Virgil?” Alan suddenly said, his chest seizing.
Virgil had gone into the storm to rescue them. He could have developed hypothermia too or even go into shock or maybe he had been pulled away or sucked under by the mud slides.
What if Virgil was dead, having sacrificed himself for Alan and Gordon? Alan didn’t think he would ever be able to forgive himself.
“Right here, Allie.” A voice rumbled.
Virgil came around the other side of Alan’s bed and Alan found himself just sobbing harder seeing his brother safe. Virgil ran a hand through Alan’s hair and he melted into the touch.
“Rest,” Scott said. “We can talk in the morning.”
Alan didn’t want to sleep. He wanted to stay here forever, surrounded by his brothers, his friends. He didn’t want to sleep yet now that he felt warm his eyes were beginning to droop. He was safe here. He was loved here.
He let himself let go without needing the threat of the New York Protocol.