A/N: So here is the last Chapter of 'When Tensions Run High'! I hope you all enjoyed this fic, I definitely enjoyed writing it and learning what I did from it. There may be a part two... but that won't be for a while.

Thanks again for sticking with the story, I am glad you enjoyed it enough to read it through to the end!

I do not own the Thunderbirds, just my wacky story plot

PW

Outside the barn the medics were loading Virgil into the back of an ambulance Scott, John and Alan were all in a tight huddle. Suddenly, Scott fell to his knees, and began bawling. "I didn't get here in time, he's- he is so hurt and it is 'cause I couldn't get here in t-time." Scott curled in on himself, cradling his arms against his body. Eyes vacant. "He's…" Scott looked over to the medics to see them attaching an oxygen mask and a much needed IV into his brother. His weak, broken brother.

"Scott," John said as he crouched beside his brother, Alan kneeling beside him. "Think about it this way" holding back tears he began "yes we didn't get here in time to save him from all he has been through, but the important thing is we found him. And whatever pain he is in, however broken he is he will survive because we found him alive. He is alive and that is all that matters. Scott, Scott look at me" John said cupping Scott's chin and lifting his brothers head until their gazes met. "Virgil is alive, he is strong and I know for a damn fact that he wouldn't blame you for one minute. He is the first to admit that, he is also the first to admit that it is you, and Alan and Gordon, me, Grandma, that we are the people that got him through this terrible time. Virgil is too caring to let you think it is your fault, especially when it isn't." Scott had calmed and was looking into John's emerald eyes. So full of hope when he had none. So willing to share that hope. "Now," John said as he wiped the tears off his own face, "go in the ambulance with him, stay with him, Alan and I will meet you there."

With a simple nod of his head Scott got up off his knees, wiped his eyes with his sleeve and began to head towards the ambulance, mouthing thank you to John before he turned and ran to Virgil. As he left John looked to Alan and grabbed his shoulder. Alan through all of this had stayed so strong, even when his oldest brother, one of his idols, broke down. "I'm proud of you Al."

"What you said, to Scott just now, do you really believe it? Is Virgil going to be ok?" Alan asked as he watched the doors the the ambulance close and the vehicle pull away.

"I believe that Virgil has what it takes to pull through," John began following Alan's gaze. "He's got the heart, the support and that Tracy stubbornness. I know he wouldn't want you to worry Al. And I know you can't help it, but as long as you keep up moral, Virgil will too."

A soft FAB and a sniffle were all that acknowledged what John had said.

Jordy bolted out of the truck before it had even stopped moving and ran towards the hospital doors. It wasn't a big hospital, more like a clinic, because they were in a small town. Once inside Jordy headed to the desk and stood on his tippy toes so he could peak over the counter. "Hello Jordy," the clerk acknowledged. "Doctor Jason in through the emergency doors and is expecting you." By then Tod had caught up and was practically dragging his mother behind him. With one look from her boys, their mother resigned allowing the two to go ahead to find the doctor.

As the two-way doors swung open Doctor Jason turned to greet the boys, "good morning Jordy, Tod. If you would like, Virgil is in the third room on the right. It might be a little crowded in there." With a wink and a smile Doctor Jason returned to his papers and the boys headed down the hall.

One, two, three… wait three! Jordy skid to a stop, Tod got on his heels ran into his back. All he could see were the backs of the three men from earlier, Virgil's friends. As he walked in the room he could hear a faint beep every so often. He had come up behind the red haired one and the blonde one when he started to see the form of the bed.

Alan saw the small figures to his left and stepped to the right so they could see. Virgil was on the bed in white, clinic provided cloths. Hooked up to an oxygen mask, IV drip and a heart monitor, Virgil looked so fragile. So unlike his normal self. He was asleep with Scott holding his hand on the other side of the bed. A bandage was wrapped around his head and a part of his arm while the rest of him remained covered by a light blue blanket. But if the discolouration of his skin told Jordy anything, this was just the beginning in his list of injuries.

"Hi Jordy, Tod. How are you?" Scott asked from his side of the bed.

"Good. Thank you." Jordy replied, looking at Virgil's prone form. "Is he ok?"

"He will be." John replied. "He's tough. But we all have to thank you boys, without you, it could have been a lot worse."

Jordy scuffed his shoe against the floor, "I just wanted to help. Like my dad used to."

"When Virgil woke up earlier he said your dad was a firefighter." Alan looked at John and winked. John had dug into the family earlier to find out that the boys' father had passed away three years earlier. He had also found out that the town they were in was losing business and the locals were all having to move or take payouts from developers. So as a thank you, Scott agreed to buy the land as a Tracy Industries investment and help improve the living conditions of the people who lived there. Putting money into the town should make things better for these people. And they deserve that.

"Really? He told you?" Jordy exclaimed! "I didn't know he could hear me."

And while Virgil hadn't directly told his brothers about Jordy's father, he kept mumbling something about 'they lost their dad too.' He was being administered painkillers at the time, but John still took it to mean something.

"He did. He would be very proud of you boys. You were very brave." Scott chimed in.

"I am proud." A weak voice said. It was Virgil. He had stirred and motioned for the boys to come closer. After removing the oxygen mask, he grabbed Jordy's hand lightly, and began. "Despite everything, you helped me. And that means the world to me. Both of you are so strong for your age. You are both real heroes." Virgil stopped and looked right at Jordy. "Just like your dad." Looking back to Tod he continued. "It means I could go home to my brothers and my family. It means I can continue to help people, all because you decided to help me."

"Are your brothers as nice as you are Virgil?" Tod asked peeking around his brother.

"They are the best a guy could ask for," Virgil replied looking to his three brothers.

Jordy, oblivious to the side glance, simply smiled. Tod walked up to the bed. "I'm glad. If they are half as good as my brother, then they must be special."

Above them John, Alan and Scott were all exchanging glances. Each one silently saying "you are special."

A light knock at the door drew everyone's attention. "Sorry to bother you," Doctor Jason announced. "If you guys have a minute. Boys if you don't mind standing outside?" He said looking to Jordy and Tod.

"That's ok Doctor, if that smile says anything, it's good news." Scott replied.

"Well the scans came back with no brain damage or any lasting side effects. Now normally we don't release patients in this physical shape, but considering the care he will be under at home, I can make an exception." The Doctor looked from one Tracy to another grinning.

"Here that Virg? You can come home!" Alan said grinning from ear to ear.

"Don't call me Virg. It's weird." Virgil replied.

"But everyone else calls you that!" Alan whined.

"Yeah, but when you do it I sound like I'm your 40 year old relative. You know, Uncle Virg."

"Well you look 40," John chimed in, earning him a glare from his bed-ridden brother. Alan snickered in the corner causing them all to chuckle.

And for the first time in nearly two weeks, the whereabout of the artistic, loving Tracy were not just a big question mark. They knew where he was, bruised and battered as he was, but they knew.

After a few minutes Jordy's mother came into the room to say hello and collect her children. With the promise to see Virgil and the others once more before they left, they headed home.

"Now," Virgil shifted into a near sitting position, "how's Gordon?"

"How the hell did you know?!" Alan blurted while John and Scott were just taken by surprise. How did he know?

"I know you guys don't know what's happened to me, and I'll explain later, but I know Gordon's sick and I know how to help him."

"I swear he's psychic," John mumbled. "He is sick, and Brains couldn't find a cure quick enough to heal him before it got too bad. So we decided to cryo freeze him to stop the spreading while we figured something out."

"Can I talk to Brains?" Virgil asked.

"Why not in a little bit? We just found you 18 hours ago, why don't you rest? We already called the Island to tell them the good news about you, and Gordon's stable. For 3 hours why don't we all just rest."

"John's right," Scott added, "we'll get coffee and some food while you sleep and then we'll phone base."

Virgil begrudgingly shifted into a comfortable sleeping position and agreed to the plan. "3 hours," he said as his eyes slid closed.

"3 hours." Scott answered.

Three hours had past and Virgil was still sound asleep. But a promise is a promise and Scott knew Virgil would not be able to fully rest knowing Gordon was still sick. "Virgil, hey Virg." Scott said as he lightly shook the bed. It took some persuasion, but Virgil woke up.

"I've got Brains on the line, he is ready to prep the med bay." John said as he passed Virgil a comm set. Virgil explained how he remembered Prussian blue can attach and itself to radioactive particles inside the human body…

"Thus r-reducing the cells ability to absorb radioactive m-material!" Brains finished. "I have t-things in the lab to m-make a more… clinical s-solution, I will get to work a-and administer it before you guys a-arrive back on the island! B-brains out."

"FAB… I guess," Virgil said handing John back the comm.

"Alright Virgil," Doctor Jason said as he entered the room. "All I need is for you to sign these release forms and you and your family will be ready to go.

"Thank you Doctor," Virgil replied as he took the forms.

"Now we do have some last minute visitors for you if you are willing to see them." The Doctor then stepped to the side to reveal Tod and Jordy peeking around the door frame. "Come on in boys."

Both boys excitedly jumped around the corner and ran up to Virgil's bedside. "Virgil!" Jordy exclaimed, "you get to go see your brothers now! Aren't you excited?"

"Super excited Jordy," Virgil responded scruffing up Jordy's hair. "And you and your brother are going to stay out of trouble right?"

"Yes!" Both boys said. While the two boys continued to chat with Virgil, Scott stood by the doorway when the boys' mother walked in.

"I'd like to thank you, Scott." She began.

"For what?"

"It was brought to my attention last night that our town has received funding for a new Greenhouse Distribution Center as a well as upgrades to our current facilities, not to mention a major upgrade to our schools. I believe I have you to thank for that."

"How did you know?" Scott answered turning to her.

"It was too much of a coincidence, but regardless, we really do appreciate it. Now maybe people will move back to town and we won't have to move. So thank you."

"No problem Mrs. Mclean," Scott said as he extended his hand for a hand shake.

"Alright," Virgil said swinging his legs of the side of the bed, "I think I am ready to go home now."

After saying their final goodbyes and exchanging handshakes and hugs, the four brothers loaded into Thunderbird 3 and headed for home. Thunderbird Three's takeoff was not a gentle ride for Virgil with all of his injuries, but as always Virgil insisted he was fine. What were they going to do anyway, pull over? On the ride home Virgil and John had fallen asleep, and as Scott looked at the both of them all he could think was how happy he was to finally have his family back.

It took just under an hour to reach the island. Brains intercepted them on their way to the Med bay. Virgil was still asleep on the stretcher, those pain pills the Doctor prescribed seem to be doing their job. "I think I g-got it!" Brains started, "I created a more c-concentrated v-version based on what Virgil told me and a-administered it, his readings have come b-back and he is responding to the m-medication. We can begin to t-take him out of cryo as soon as h-he has improved enough."

"That's great!" Alan exclaimed.

"Perfect Brains," Scott said as he gripped Brains' shoulder, "good work."

The five made their way back to the Med bay where Brains gave Virgil more painkillers and checked his wounds one more time for his own piece of mind.

It took another week for Gordon to fully respond to the antidote. After that Brains and John reverse the cryogenics. Virgil was sitting up in a wheelchair watching the others work.

"It should take about 4 hours to fully... thaw Gordon, after that he should come out of slumber." John said as he made the final calculations.

"I am just glad you guys found a way to stop the spreading." Virgil answered. He felt awful. Of course he knows it wasn't because of him that Gordon got exposed, but he never liked to watch any of his brothers in pain. Although he was especially glad that Brains found a more effective way to treat Gordon.

As John calculated. Gordon began to stir a little more than four hours later. "Who... hit me with that bus?" Gordon said groggily.

"That would be The Hood," Virgil answered knowing full well that Gordon didn't know that he was there.

"Virgil?" Gordon said, opening his eyes. "No way… you're an ass for leaving," he joked.

"Not my choice," Virgil smiled.

"The important thing is that you are both ok," John said gripping Gordon's shoulder.

Four months, fifteen days, Scott thought as he marked his calendar. Four months and fifteen days since Dad had gone missing. Two weeks and two days since Virgil went missing, and not one day later Gordon collapsed. And although Dad wasn't back home with them yet, Virgil and Gordon were.

Scott sighed as he got up from his desk and walked into the lounge. Virgil was lightly pressing piano keys from his wheelchair, while John and Brains listened form the other end of the piano. Gordon was curled up on the couch covered in blankets, Alan right there beside him.

Grandma was with Kayo filling in Lady Penelope and Parker on the latest developments. Once again they were all together. All five brothers, in the same room, safe.

The Hood is still at large, and it nagged at Scott. But it would be a cold day in hell before Scott stopped hunting for him.

For now though, that didn't matter. Scott made his way over to the piano, the joyful sounds of music filled the lounge. He watched Virgil sway to the melody, he looked so at home at his position behind they keys. No one had even tried to touch the piano in his absence, so it was a welcome sight. His best friend made it back home safely, and that is all he could have asked for.