Title: Phobia

Summary: Everyone has a phobia. What's Virgil's?

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I could lay claim to them, I can't. The Thunderbirds and those gorgeous Tracy brothers belong to others.

A/N: Set in their adolescence. And Virgil is the middle child in this.

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Chapter One: The Parade and the Fair

Virgil really didn't want to go to parade. In general, he liked them. He liked the floats, the balloons, and the performers. What he didn't like were the hoards of people that attended them. He hated being squeezed in with people he didn't know. He really hated not being able to see or to move. He really, really hated it when he felt like he couldn't breathe.

So when Grandma Tracy asked her five grandsons if they wanted to attend that year's Autumn Festival Parade, Virgil was the only one who said no. He'd rather watch on TV from the comfort of his living room. But his brothers ganged up on him, teasing him unmercifully until he changed his mind. But he knew he was going to regret it.

At the age of twelve, Virgil Tracy was still a relatively small boy. Fifteen-year-old Scott towered over him, even thirteen-year-old John was a full head taller. And Grandma only had two hands, and one held the hand of nine-year-old Alan and the other held onto eleven-year-old Gordon's. Not that Gordon wanted to hold his grandmother's hand, but since he was a wanderer, she held onto his.

Virgil wanted to stay in the back of the crowd, but no one else did. Everyone else wanted front row places. So the family made their way to the front, Scott shoving a reluctant Virgil along. The parade got underway and soon Virgil got caught in the mass of people around him. He tried moving a few steps one way to ease the pressure, but when that didn't work, he'd move another step or two another way. And soon enough, he was separated from his family.

He looked around anxiously, searching for a familiar person. When he couldn't find his grandmother or brothers, he began to panic. And then the crush of the crowd fell upon him and he discovered he couldn't breathe. He crossed his arms over his chest, desperately trying to get a good breath. But it was no use. Tears of fear were streaming down his face. He wanted to run but couldn't. There was no way out.

He didn't hear anyone calling his name. The tears prevented him from seeing someone coming his way, shoving people aside.

"Virgil!" Scott exclaimed when he found his little brother. "What's wrong?"

But Virgil couldn't answer, he just shook his head. Scott had already noticed the tears, and he then noticed that Virgil wasn't breathing well. Since Scott was noticeably bigger than Virgil, he picked his brother up and carried him out of the crowd. It wasn't until they were well away that Scott put his brother down.

"Come on, Virgil," Scott said. "Calm down, it's okay now."

Virgil still clung to Scott, and Scott got him to calm down enough so that he could breathe normally. Scott, with Virgil clinging to his hand, went to a nearby stand to buy a bottle of water and get some napkins. While Virgil took small sips of water, Scott dried his brother's face. They sat down on a stone wall, Virgil close to his older brother. Scott watched as Virgil drank the water, and refused when Virgil offered him some. Once he saw that Virgil had calmed down enough, he went about finding out what happened.

"Too many people," Virgil answered. "I tried getting away from them, giving myself a little more space. But then I couldn't find you or anyone. And I couldn't breathe because of all the people there. Then you found me."

"That's why you didn't want to come today. You knew there would be too many people," Scott guessed, and Virgil nodded.

"I don't like being in crowds, or just feeling trapped," Virgil explained.

Scott put his arm around his brother's shoulders. "Sorry about before. We shouldn't have made you come."

"You didn't know."

"But I do now. You don't want to go back there, do you?"

"I'll stay right here. I won't move."

"Like I'm gonna leave you alone," Scott replied. "Anyway, I've had enough of Gordon's whining."

"What's he whining about now?"

"He's hungry, he's bored, he wants this, he wants that… and Alan was getting in on the act. Grandma's got an infinite amount of patience when it comes to those two."

Grandma Tracy, along with John, Gordon, and Alan, found the other two when the parade was over. After telling John not to let go of his youngest brothers' hands, she kneeled in front of Virgil and Scott.

"Where did you go?" she asked in a reprimanding tone. "You scared us."

"I'm sorry, Grandma," Virgil replied, his head down.

"It's not his fault, Grandma," Scott said.

"Well, let's get this bunch back into the car and on our way home. I still have dinner to cook," she replied, recognizing the look that Scott was giving her.

For Virgil, it was a quiet ride back. He didn't say much, he just listened as Alan and Gordon told him what he'd missed. At the house, once Gordon and Alan were busy watching some TV, and John had a book in his hands, Grandma had a chat with Virgil and Scott.

Virgil told her what he'd told Scott. She listened carefully, nodding every so often. And then Scott added in a few details of his own.

"My dear, you're claustrophobic," she said when they were done.

"Claustro-what?" Virgil said.

"Claustrophobic. You have claustrophobia, an intense fear of enclosed spaces. And what happened today was a panic attack," she explained.

"I'm afraid of enclosed spaces," he sighed, looking down at the table.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, dear," Grandma said.

"I've got four brothers, Grandma. They'll never let me live it down," Virgil replied.

"Hey, I'm not telling anyone but Dad. It's good for him to know so we can avoid this in the future," Scott said. "As far as I'm concerned, John, Gordon and Alan don't need to know."

Virgil looked over at Scott and said, "Thank you," gratefully.

Scott just ruffled his brother's hair in response.

"Now, Virgil, I want you to take it easy tonight. You're going to be tired," Grandma said. "And I want both of you out of my kitchen. I've got cooking to do and you both will only get in my way."

So Scott led Virgil into the den where their brothers were. John looked up to see them enter, and the two others were too engrossed in their cartoon to notice.

"So, what happened?" John asked Virgil

"Just got separated. It's nothing," Virgil answered.

John knew Virgil well enough to know that he was lying and looked over his head at Scott. But Scott just shook his head. Later on, after dinner, John and Scott talked in Scott's bedroom while Virgil was practicing on the piano and the two youngest were with their grandmother.

"So, what did happen?" John asked. "And don't tell me nothing. I know better."

"You can't tell him I told you," Scott said. "And don't you dare tease him for this either. He's upset about it enough as it is."

"What?" John asked.

"He didn't want to go today because he knew there would be a lot of people. And I guess the crowd got to him and he had a panic attack."

"A panic attack?"

"Yeah. John, he scared the daylights out of me. When I found him he couldn't breathe well."

"Just from all the people?"

Scott nodded. "According to Grandma, he's claustrophobic."

"Intense fear of enclosed spaces," John said. "That explains a lot. Don't worry, I won't let on that I know. And I most certainly won't make fun over this either."

The next day was the day of the Autumn Festival Fair. There weren't usually a lot of people since it wasn't a fair with rides. It was just a lot of displays and stands and some games and a lot of food. And Grandma Tracy wanted to bring her grandsons to it. But she was worried how Virgil would react since she could tell he was still a little high-strung from the previous day. After she'd gotten her grandsons breakfast, she told the two youngest to start getting ready for the fair. Then she sent John upstairs for the same reason, wanting a minute with Virgil and Scott.

"Virgil, if you don't want to go, it's fine. I'll stay with you," Scott said once Grandma had explained the fair.

"There aren't a lot of people?" Virgil asked his grandmother.

She shook her head. "Not usually. And they usually only crowd around the demonstrations, which I doubt would interest you anyway."

"I think I'll be okay then," Virgil said, nodding.

"When we get there, we'll find ourselves a meeting place in case anyone gets separated," Grandma replied, then shooed Virgil upstairs to start getting ready.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Scott said before his grandmother could say anything.

"Good," she smiled. "Then go on up and get ready."

The fair was a little better attended then Grandma expected, and she worried for Virgil. But he seemed to be handling it well, sticking close to Scott whenever he was surrounded by people. Since John did know about the situation, he'd also keep an eye out as well. They decided on their meeting point and then they headed into the heart of the fair.

They'd been in there for quite a while, having seen a lot and eaten some, when Virgil started getting nervous. The two youngest wanted to play the games, and Grandma thought it would be good for them all to play some and win some prizes. John was the first to notice that Virgil was anxiously looking around him, and he could tell his younger brother was beginning to panic.

John poked Scott in the ribs and whispered, "Virgil."

Scott looked over to see the same thing that John did. Scott told John to tell Grandma and he grabbed Virgil's hand and led him away to the meeting point. Virgil sat on the bench and Scott sat next to him.

"I'm sorry," Virgil said.

"Hey, it's okay, kiddo," Scott replied.

"I should just stay home from now on."

"Nah, we've just got to make sure we avoid crowds."

"That plan didn't work so well today."

"We'll talk to Dad and see what he says. He may know of a way to make this better."

Virgil nodded, but said nothing more. John found them a minute later, sitting on Virgil's other side from Scott.

"You okay?" John asked.

"Yeah," Virgil answered.

"Grandma said she'd finish up with Gordon and Alan with the games. And then we can get some dinner here if you're up to it," John reported.

"I'm okay now," Virgil replied. "There were just too many people over there."

Since John wasn't supposed to know, he just nodded.

"John?" Virgil asked a bit later.

"Yeah, Virge?"

"Is there a cure for claustrophobia?"

"A cure?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not sure. It's not a sickness like a cold or the flu. Why?"

"Grandma says I have it. That's why I don't like crowds or small spaces."

John smiled at Scott over Virgil's head. "I think there are ways to make it better."

"Good. I don't want to be stuck at the house," Virgil replied.

"He thinks he should stay home all the time to avoid these situations," Scott explained, avoiding the term 'panic attacks' on purpose.

"Virge, you've been out lots before without a problem," John said. "So this weekend wasn't the best, it doesn't mean you have to stay home."

"What if no one's around? I could die from not breathing," Virgil argued.

"You won't die. The worst you'll do is pass out," John replied.

"Then I could fall down stairs, or crack my head open, or…"

"Virgil! Stop it, will you?" Scott exclaimed, exasperated. "You won't die. I promise."

And, at the time, when Scott promised something, Virgil knew he could count on it.