Disclaimer: I do not own Person of Interest
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Finch limped slowly up the library stairs, he clutched Bear's leash in one hand and the railing in the other.
It was only four in the morning but he was unable to sleep, there was an approaching snow storm and his back and neck ached fiercely. The change in the weather made it impossible to sleep sometimes.
As they approached the top Bear started whining and pulling at the leash, he let go when they reached the landing and watched Bear race around the corner and out of sight.
He frowned in confusion, he wasn't alarmed as Bear had taken off as if to greet a friend and not tackle an enemy.
Reese had left before him the night before, but he supposed it was possible the younger man had also returned sometime during the night.
When he rounded the same corner the dog had just seconds before he stopped, the first thing to catch his eye was the soft glow from the computer monitors and then the solitary figure sitting in his chair, head down and hunched over his desk.
The dog was patiently sitting next to Reese, his tail wagging and an occasional whine escaping as Finch approached. He patted Bear on the head and gave him the command to go lay down.
Finch approached Reese slowly, not sure why he had returned to the library after leaving well before he had the previous night.
He reached his hand out gently and placed it on Reese's shoulder, concern filled him immediately at the heat he felt through his shirt.
He shook the arm beneath his hand urgently. "Mr. Reese, I need you to wake up."
Reese moaned and turned his head slightly before drawing in a deep breath. "Finch?" he whispered as he gently pushed himself back to a sitting position in the chair. He winced at the pain in his neck and shoulders at sitting at an awkward angle for so long.
"I'll get the light." Finch turned to walk away and was stopped by Reese's strained voice. "Please don't."
"Are you sick?"
Reese turned to look at Finch, his flushed face not going unnoticed by the other man even in the poor lighting. "It's just the flu. What time is it?"
"It's just a little past four in the morning, Mr Reese."
Reese nodded and after a few moments pushed himself to a standing position, leaning heavily against the desk. "I should go."
Finch huffed in annoyance. "You're not going anywhere, John."
He pointed towards the vacated chair. "Sit back down." He wasn't completely surprised when the younger man didn't comply with his request. "At least don't move, I'll be right back."
A few minutes later Finch returned, a few blankets thrown over his shoulder and a small cot being drug painfully behind him. "This was left in the storage room when the library closed down."
He made the bed quickly and returned to Reese's side, he pointed in the cots direction. "It's not the most comfortable bed, but it works."
Reese nodded, his forehead scrunched up in pain. He slowly walked over to the cot, Finch following close behind.
He got Reese settled onto the temporary bed and then slowly limped over to the little refrigerator that they kept in the office area.
He grabbed a bottle of water and walked back over to Reese, handing the cold liquid to his friend. "Is there anything else you need?"
"No, I'm good Harold. Thank you." Reese sighed and closed his eyes.
Harold turned to go back to his desk but a thought came to him. "Why did you return to the library tonight? Why not stay home where it's warm?"
Reese cracked one eye open and stared up at Finch, "This is home, Harold."
Harold stared at him for a moment and then nodded his head, "Get some rest, John."
