Oh, wasn't Bolt From The Blue brilliant?! I know we've been promised the best episodes yet during the mid-season break. With just three of them in, I'd have to say we're getting them.

As always, I loved seeing Virgil and Gordon working together. Their bickering is just priceless! This story, though, takes a more serious look at one of Virgil's scenes, where he's left hanging between their broken docking tube. Then the plot bunnies caught hold of its possible consequence, and here's the result.

Enjoy!

Creature Comforts

He'd laughed yesterday. A lot. With glee at his brother's expense, over the fiery demise of his hairdryer. Joy when he'd defied Brains' dream-crushing prediction, and cuddled the living version of his first childhood toy. Felt a wholly different kind of happiness when they'd picked up Penny and Parker, and he'd seen more than pride and relief in her eyes.

But today? Now? No, Gordon wasn't laughing, or even smiling. Standing beside Virgil's bed, teasing grins had changed into a frown of concern and dismay. Niggles of guilt that if he were as gifted a pilot as Scott or Alan, or if he'd reacted just that little bit faster, this less welcome consequence of yesterday's heroics might have been avoided.

Watching his brother lie there, oblivious to this storm of emotions, served only to cut them deeper into his conscience. If he'd wanted to, he could ruffle that fiercely guarded mop of hair, with no threat at all to his own health and well-being. Pain-killing meds, and his own exhaustion, were keeping the family bear in the deepest of hibernations.

Just as they'd done yesterday, the cause for their need lay hidden from smother-brothering eyes. But then, not even Scott had the kind of super-hero vision which would have revealed his brother's injuries. Instead, that insidious damage had only revealed itself when the rush of another successful mission had died away, allowing it to take its toll on the frailty of a human body.

Just bruises at first, marbling his shoulders, and gingerly probed during the cure-all relief of a thundering hot shower. But through the rest of the day, they'd turned deeper and darker, leaving their powerhouse of a brother wracked with pain. And they'd merely hinted at the greater harm beyond. Tendons and ligaments, torn beyond their limits by his brother's desperate measures to save his own life.

By the time they'd come down to dinner, even the simplest of tasks took increasingly difficult effort. Reaching to refill his coffee, his left shoulder had gone into spasm, and his cry of pain had given every one of his brothers the fright of their lives. For Scott, the alarm they'd all felt had been even worse, as Virgil all but collapsed into his arms.

Only then had Scott, and Grandma, even Virgil himself, realized there'd been more to his cries of exertion than the effort of staying alive. In the shock of realizing how badly hurt he was, a flurry of icepacks and healing pads had come just that fraction of time too late.

Only now did Gordon's mouth twitch towards a smile, as he remembered what had followed. Against Scott's and Grandma's insistence to get him to the Infirmary, Virgil had been equally determined to avoid such fuss. No, he'd get himself medded up, and recover in his own bed. Through the art of peace-keeping compromise, they'd reached the best kind of agreement where everyone was happy. Flanked by healing rigs and a huddle of brothers, Virgil slept in pain-free calm.

Scott, of course, was the closest. Finally at ease to rest too now, his hand curved protectively around his brother's. Next to him, Alan had curled himself into a snuggle of arms and legs. While he couldn't quite reach Virgil himself, Scott's arm around his shoulders maintained that crucial connection between them.

On the table beside them, John's holo-pad glowed his more distant presence. As always, their eye in the sky was only the click of a switch away. For a still troubled brother, it was every bit as comforting as one of Grandma's rallying hugs.

Right on cue, John's full hologram appeared, a raised hand pre-empting his brother's instinctive response.

"It's okay, Gordon, we're still in the green. I'm just checking in."

In big brother speak - why aren't you sleeping too? Enough of a more welcome routine for Gordon to smile back in genuine gratitude, and resist the wry roll of his eyes. In Scott and Virgil's absence - yes, trust John to take up the mantle of cheering encouragement.

"He'll be fine, Gords. You heard what Brains said. A few more hours under those repair fields, and he'll be good as new."

No stranger himself to their engineer's medical marvels, Gordon nodded. So much of him wanted to take this reassurance, and fully enjoy it. Yet still those doubts niggled away at him. Could he have done things differently? Charged not just with his brother's 'bird, but his life too, could he have kept that precious docking slide more stable? Kept Two on a more even, smoother keel? Could he -?

"You did fine too, Gords. You handled that rescue just as he'd have done. None of this was your fault."

The smile came easier now, as Gordon applied these assurances to his own actions. If he had messed up, then - well, yes, he'd know it by now. Scott, too, had gone through their debrief with nods and smiles of approval. Even Virgil's mutters of "...and a bit quicker on handover next time, please..." had come with a proudly admiring grin.

So yes, in the clearer light of a dawning day, with all his family safe and mostly in one piece, Gordon could see yesterday's events for what they were. Yet again, Team Tracy had been faced with a seemingly impossible rescue, and shown the world that, in their books, the word 'impossible' just didn't exist.

And yes, now he could follow his brother's prompting nod, and catch up on some shut eye himself. First, though, he had one last, more personal mission to complete.

Waving a thankful ''night...' to John, he left Virgil's room as silently as he'd entered it, and headed for his own. Once there, he searched through the chaos of his closet - wryly promising himself, and Scott, that 'yeah, I'll hang 'em up later...' as he emerged with his prize.

Puffles. The biggest, fluffiest, cuddliest panda that a little boy could ask for - made all the more special by who it had come from. Okay, so mom and dad had bought it for Scott on John's behalf, but the sentiment on that big red heart was as precious now as it had been then, all those years ago.

"To the world's best big brother."

With so many to choose from, of course, he'd become part of the family too - passed on to each older brother as the younger had arrived. Right now, though, there was only one place where he needed to be.

Returning to Virgil's room, Gordon carefully tucked the family's other favourite comforter under his brother's arm. Taking the mumbles that followed as a subconscious thank you, he then drew his chair closer to Virgil's bed and settled gratefully into it, steering a nearby stool in for a makeshift footrest.

On the brink of dozing off, his eyes cranked back open, sliding sideways for one last 'all's well' check. Finding everyone still lost to the world brought out the happiest smile of the day, but - no. Despite the closeness between them, Gordon still needed the physical reassurance that only his older brother could provide.

Copying Scott gesture of comfort, he carefully snaked his arm under Virgil's, so that his hand could rest on top of his brother's. Tucking Mr Puffles between them, he rested his legs more comfortably on their stool, and finally allowed himself to join his brothers in peaceful, healing sleep. Well, he was a Tracy, after all. And if there was one thing these Tracys loved, as much as each other, it was their little creature comforts.