Disclaimer: Do not own anything of the two SyFy shows. Will take responsibility for original Alpha characters and Warehouse artifacts.
Quick notes: Thanks to McCoylover and TheUninvited for beta-reading this; thanks to V. for the 'Gibbs delivered answer to the same question I ask all too often, and thanks to H. for keeping up with the over-caffeinated ramblings 'til the midnight hour….
Dark Noises, Silent Lights
The team reacts to Dr. Rosen's rocky road to recovery – under the care of Dr. Vanessa Calder and her assistant, Steve Jinks. Post Alphas finale/pre-Warehouse 13 S3 finale.
Friday night
Bill Harken made the detour onto Burton Street, through a residential area far from where he or either of his passengers needed to be, but he knew neither of them would mind. It was a drive that had become routine for almost a year, a useless hope held on to in vain, but a hope he held nevertheless. Tonight was no different, save for the full moon.
Pulling into the driveway of the two-story house, Bill wished he could see the familiar car, a sign of occupancy and life. Nothing had changed, not even the emptiness of the mailbox he checked - another silly habit that Gary Bell decided to comment on.
"It's rude to do that, Bill. It's rude and it's wrong." The young man tugged at the wristband he wore. "Besides, there are still no signals inside."
"Tonight could be different," he said, as if that wish could be true.
Before he could knock, Rachel Pirzad's eyes widened. "Bill, I hear a heartbeat, faint, erratic." He amped up, preparing to break down the door. Rachel stopped him. "From the back yard."
The three of them ran to the back, Bill in the lead. What they saw by the limited moonlight stopped them in their tracks.
"Bill-!"
He dove in, reached the bottom of the pool and scooped the unconscious body in his arms. Rachel already spread out a towel and a robe to cushion the body. Pulse was weak, skin very pale. Brushing the damp gray, black hair aside, the eyes seemed…distant and lost.
Bill knelt beside Dr. Lee Rosen and began rescue breaths, relieved to hear Rachel take charge.
"Gary, find the number for Dr. Vanessa Calder. Tell her-." Lights illuminated the once dark patio.
"All right," Gary said, taking charge of his part. Rachel assisted Bill.
She checked Dr. Rosen's pulse as Bill continued breathing for them both. "You could have broken your neck diving in like-." They were both startled by an intake of breath by Rosen.
"Good thing I didn't," Bill quipped while rolling back on his heels.
"He has his own doctor," Gary said to either the doctor or the duo. "Right now, we don't trust him, so we need you to make a house call. Fine. Fine. I'll tell them. Fine. Bye."
Bill kept his eyes on Rosen. "What did the good doctor say, Gary?"
"She will be here soon. She's getting on a train now. It's better that way. Less hassle."
"Hey, doc," Bill said, carrying him inside and then sat him on the couch. "It isn't good therapy to scare your patients like that."
Gary gathered all of the blankets he could find. "We have to make him warm. He's cold and wrinkled now."
"Yes, Gary," Rachel said. "Bill, I'm going to grab some dry clothes for him."
He nodded without looking up. Instead, the special agent's eyes narrowed as he took the time to exam the patient. Too many bruises in front, terrible scars on the wrists. The dark circles under Rosen's eyes only heightened the sunken cheeks.
"I'm calling my mother," Gary said, going to adjacent room. "I'm staying here." Bill gave a sigh of relief, both to Gary's decision and Rachel's arrival.
As Bill sat Rosen up, Rachel's expression confirmed his fears which in turn angered him. They quickly dressed their doctor, their boss, their mentor, and friend. The entire time the older man didn't utter a sound, blinking against the brightness. When they had finished, Rosen's thin trembling hand reached for the pair of black-rimmed glasses on the end table.
"Dr. Rosen," Rachel said, placing a hand on his knee. "Can you hear me?"
The lack of response wasn't promising as the cautious expression on his face gave him a look vulnerable. His hands continued trembling as he rolled his shoulders forward and drew his knees back.
Gary frowned. "Dr. Rosen, we're not going to hurt you. We're your friends. Friends don't hurt one another."
Bill saw Rosen's lips move but nothing made sense. "How long until Calder gets here?"
"Not soon enough," Rachel said. She readjusted the blankets around his thin frame before coaxing him to lie down, cradling his head as he obeyed.
Caressing his face, she told him how relieved they were to see him at last, her words sincere and voice calm. She placed the back of her hand to his forehead, her expression neutral.
Bill paced about the living room, picking up various items to study. It was as he suspected, a father, former husband still holding on to reminders about a family life failed. Doc wore it well, Bill thought.
"Rachel, did you want to call your folks?" She shook her head. Bill called his wife, thankful that his marriage was still in tact.
Shaking her head once more, Rachel asked, "Where has he been all this time?"
"Hell?" Bill suggested. "I'm sorry if it was presumptuous that we'd-."
"Of course we're staying," she said. "Gary's right - there's no way we can leave him alone now that we've found him. I can sleep in that recliner over there, or in the guest bedroom by his."
Gary took Dr. Rosen's wrist. "This looks terrible. There should be a bandage over this, or maybe a wristband. Bill, I've an extra wristband in my lunchbox."
"All right, Gary-."
"No, you need to go get it. We can't let Dr. Rosen scratch at that or it will bleed and then it would scar more." Gary took hold of the doctor's hand and held it tightly. "You're shaking now. You're still cold?" Rachel shook her head as she and Bill exchanged glances.
"Hey, Gary, why don't you call Nina and Cameron, tell them we've got Doc. Tell them to 'be safe' – they know that drill."
"Do you want them to drive out tonight," Rachel asked. "I mean, how can we be sure-?"
Bill said no. "Gary, just tell them we've got him, and tell them to pack before coming by tomorrow morning."
Gary frowned. "We didn't pack, Bill. I only have my toothbrush in my lunch box and-."
"And we'll be fine for tonight." Bill looked at the trio before him; hoping things would be fine, gut feeling telling him otherwise.