Chapter 10: Wells Household
Joe returned to find Harrison getting back into his wheelchair and Captain. Singh holding Greg. The infant was crying and kept trying to turn towards his foster father. Harrison was struggling with getting into the wheelchair, his arms shaking and making it difficult. Stepping forwards, Joe started helping returning the angry glare Harrison shot at him. "Don't even try," Joe cautioned his friend. "You're shaking like crazy."
"Adrenaline," Harrison replied. Seated in his chair, he took a trembling breath and then turned to Captain. Singh. "Captain Singh, thank you for holding him. I can take him off your hands now if you want." Nodding, the police captain handed the baby over.
"Detective. West, I need to speak to you," Singh informed Joe with a look. Nodding Joe stepped out of earshot, glancing back at his friend and the baby. "Joe, I'm giving you tomorrow off."
"Okay," Joe drew the word out, uncertain why.
"Dr. Wells is clearly shaken up by this but he won't let me take the baby into protective custody. When I suggested it he told me that Greg was his responsibility and he wasn't going to let some crazy man trying to hurt the baby succeed," Singh explained.
"Yeah, sounds like Harrison," Joe said.
"But he can barely move without trembling," Singh countered. "I've ordered a unit to guard the house and follow Dr. Wells and his young charge but I want you to really watch over them."
"Oh don't worry, Harrison wouldn't be able to get me to leave even if he tried. I'm staying. I'll call Iris and have her bring me some spare clothes and I will make damn sure that nobody hurts these two again."
"Thank you Joe," Captain Singh said. "He clearly cares about the baby. He said he was getting ready to give little Greg a bath when the man broke through the window. Luckily, his security system is automated so a call was made as soon as the glass was broken."
"Harrison does like to be prepared," Joe agreed. "Is there anything else you need?"
"No. I'll do the paperwork, you can sign it later. Good luck." Patting Joe on the shoulder Singh headed for the exit. He glanced over his shoulder once, wondering about the relationship between the two friends but decided he would broach that subject another day.
"Are you two done talking behind my back?" Harrison asked, steering his chair over with one arm wrapped around Greg. A basket and towel also sat in his lap.
"Cpt. Singh just wanted to make sure we took good care of you two," Joe assured his friend. "You want some help with that?" He'd intended to take the basket and towel, but instead Harrison passed him Greg.
"He wants to make sure you're okay," Harrison said at Joe's confused look. Harrison lead the way to the kitchen where the sinks were empty and had clearly been scrubbed and thoroughly cleaned recently.
"Man, this brings back memories," Joe said, watching as Harrison set everything out on the counter top. "I can remember bathing Iris in the kitchen sink. She loved the sprayer."
"Who doesn't?" Harrison managed a small smile as he started the water running, testing it to make sure it wasn't too hot or cold.
"Harrison, about earlier," Joe began. He saw his friend start to protest but he plowed onward. "I pulled your file. I'm sorry. I didn't know that Tess lost a baby in the first accident." He could have tip toed around it but he figured it would be easier if he just jumped feet first. His words seemed to freeze Harrison for a moment and then the moment passed and Harrison was removing his glasses.
"I didn't tell many people," Harrison finally whispered. "Tess had only just told me that day. At the beach…" A long, painful sigh fled his lips. Tears started to form in his eyes.
"And I also didn't know about Cameron," Joe added. "How many of your loved ones have you lost?"
"All of them," came the whispered response. "Tess couldn't conceive after the accident so eventually we decided to foster. Cameron was a really tough guy when he first came to us. He was nine and had been passed from one family to another. When he came to us he figured we wouldn't last so why should he behave?" The tears started to fall and Joe found himself holding little Greg a little tighter.
"A lot of foster kids are like that," Joe said.
"Yeah, well, Tess was tougher than Cameron. She wouldn't let him get away with anything and she wouldn't let anyone bully him around. The first six months were tough but then we were the family we always dreamed… We had a routine. Bath, brush teeth, brush hair, a book and then bed. He tried to argue he was too old for the books but I kept challenging him." Harrison looked away, the last few bath items forgotten in his lap, the tap running and the sink filling with bubbles.
"When I got the call about the accident I couldn't help but think 'Not again.' At least they both died instantly. They didn't linger. They didn't suffer. Do you know, the stupid college kid who hit them walked away unscathed?"
"Yeah. I read the report. The guy fell asleep at the wheel, crossed the lines and hit Tess and Cameron head on running them off the road," Joe said. "Look, I didn't mean to bring these memories up. I just wanted to apologize for being such an idiot earlier. I did not mean to hurt you." Letting out a long sigh, Harrison actually smiled.
"Joe, sometimes I forget how little people know about me. Speaking of little people. Let's get Captain Chaos bathed," Harrison declared his voice transitioning from grief to joy.
"Captain Chaos?" Joe asked as he helped Harrison strip the baby. Giggling and kicking his legs, Greg did not make it an easy task.
"Yep," was Harrison's only response. "Duckies!" With a joyful shout he dumped the ducks into the sink and then deposited the now happy infant into the water.
"See, I knew you bought those ducks for yourself." Joe shot a look at Harrison who was playing with a ducky. Harrison ignored him, focusing on washing his own blood off the baby. "Well, he doesn't seem to be overly traumatized by what just happened," Joe observed as the baby grabbed the police duck and started gumming the duck's head.
"He's a tough little guy," Harrison agreed as he took a washcloth and scrubbed the infant. "But he was terrified."
"Harrison, you know we could put him in protective custody," Joe nagged. "I know you two have bonded but it might be what is best for him."
"It isn't," Harrison said adamantly.
"You know he might be safer if we put him in protective custody. A trained officer might be able to protect him better than you." Joe was pretty certain he knew how Harrison would react.
"You're not playing with a full deck," Harrison said. The comment seemed odd to Joe. "I learned a few things while you were at work. I'm not talking about watching out for wild shots while changing his diaper either."
Joe chuckled thinking of his own diaper changing experience with Greg. "Alright, I'll bite, what did you learn?"
"Aren't you going to ask me how I knew he wanted to make sure you were okay?" Harrison hadn't looked up from the bath. Lavender permeated the air and Greg was splashing happily, flinging bubbles.
"Fine. Why did you say that?" Joe had no idea what was going on, but he knew that Harrison would come clean when he was good and ready.
"He told me," Harrison said, looking up at Joe with an arched eyebrow.
"That right?" Joe tried not to look skeptical. The past year had taught him that all sorts of things were possible.
"Well, not with words as such. Joe, he's a meta and he's formed some sort of bond with me. I can feel how he's feeling," Harrison explained, keeping his voice low so that the police who were around wouldn't hear.
"Maybe that's not him. Maybe you're the meta," Joe suggested. He didn't know why he suggested it. They had all done the same tests when the singularity had first closed. Harrison had tested normal like everyone else, except for Barry of course. It had been the first real proof that he wasn't Eobard Thawne.
"No, Joe trust me. I'm getting it from him. It isn't all he can do either." Smiling, Harrison pointed at the little boy to get the infant's attention. "Greg, look bubbles." Still grinning, Harrison blew some bubbles off his hand. Greg laughed and bounced in the sink. At first Joe was utterly unimpressed until the boy pointed his finger at one of the floating bubbles and it seemed to take on a life of it's own. The bubble flew all around the two men and the infant, the baby keeping his finger pointed at it the entire time. Finally the bubble landed and popped on Harrison's nose. Laughing, Greg splashed harder.
"Wow," was all Joe could think to say.
"He's telekinetic," Harrison explained. "I first found out when he got hold of one of Tess's old necklaces. I didn't know how he'd managed to get it until I took it away from him and it floated right back to his little hand." The doorbell sounded. "That will be Dr. Snow. Could you get it please Joe?"
Still staring at the baby, Joe nodded. "Sure," he mumbled.
"You might warn them about Greg before bringing them here," Harrison suggested.
"Yeah, good idea." Keeping an eye on the baby until he'd made it to the hall, Joe finally blinked and went to answer the door.