Brothers in Arms

Brothers in Arms

This story is based on canon, fanon and a lot of imagination. It was originally conceived to be one chapter of a longer story to be written at a later date. But my muse would not let these events lie down and she forced me to put 'pen' to 'paper'. 46 pages later, this has evolved into a complete story in its own right. However, the rest of the original story is still floating about in the soup of my mind, so don't be surprised to read a variant of this tale sometime in the next 90 years.

Thanks to Quiller, D.C. and Calliope (even if she is impatient)

I do not own any members of the Tracy family (more's the pity) and I would li ke to acknowledge those who do.

:-)

Purupuss 2006

---F-A-B---

It was lunch break at the Denver School of Advanced Technology, and in the canteen, final year students were rushing to grab their traditional tables before ignorant freshmen took possession. Virgil Tracy claimed his usual seat next to friends Dylan and Mike.

"Did you catch the game last night?" Dylan enthused. "Carson was brilliant!"

"Hollows wasn't so hot," Mike replied. "How many times did he fumble? And that pass! The coach should have taken him off much earlier. Did you see it, Virgil?"

"Hello," Dylan interrupted, looking over to the canteen door. "The Air Force is in town."

Intent on removing the lid from his orange juice as he considered the game, Virgil didn't take much notice of Dylan's observation until someone yelling his name caused him to look around. "Scott!" Leaving his lunch he hurried over to his brother. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm pleased to see you too," Scott gave him a brotherly hug.

"Sorry," Virgil grinned. "You've surprised me, that's all. It's good to see you. What are you doing here?"

"Come to see my little brother and see where he spends his days. Why else?"

Virgil indicated the table he'd just vacated. "Come and meet my friends." Seemingly oblivious to the admiring looks he was receiving from the female students, Scott followed him to where Mike and Dylan were sitting. "Guys; this is my oldest brother Scott. Scott; this is Mike and that's Dylan."

"Pleased to meet you," Scott shook their hands. "So you're the guys who've been keeping an eye on my kid brother."

"And you're the famous Scott," Mike chuckled.

"Famous?" Scott raised an eyebrow in query.

"Yeah," Dylan teased. "Virgil raves about you. Once he starts we can't shut him up. You're the best pilot the Air Force has got."

Scott looked a little embarrassed by the compliment. "Hardly the best…"

"And you can throw a curve ball that a major leaguer wouldn't be able to hit," Mike added.

"Guys… Please…" Virgil was looking even more embarrassed than Scott.

"And you graduated top of your classes at Yale and Oxford," Dylan said.

Scott looked at his brother. "Virgil?"

Virgil gave a nonchalant shrug. "So, I've said one or two things about you."

"Must be nice to have such a close relationship with your brother," Mike commented. "I only ever seem to fight with mine."

"Yeah, well…" there was a devilish gleam in Scott's eyes. "You could say I've got that special bond with Virgil that two guys can only get when one of them's had to change the other's diapers."

Virgil turned scarlet.

"Recently?" Dylan had decided that he liked the eldest Tracy. If he wanted to tease Virgil then he was more than willing to play along.

"Ohh. Not recently. Not for a couple of years at least."

"Scott!" Virgil repeated. "I thought you wanted to look about the place?"

"I do. Grab your lunch and let's walk. Catch you later."

"Later, Scott," Dylan and Mike chorused.

Scott and Virgil escaped out into the sunshine. "They seem to be a great pair of guys," Scott commented.

"They are. They've been good friends."

"Been keeping up with your flying?"

"Every chance I get."

"How's the schoolwork?"

"I was top of my year in my last paper."