Chapter 10

Sleep eluded Ray, he couldn't escape the feeling of guilt creeping its way to the forefront of his mind. He was falling for Len and he was falling fast, but he was still betraying him. Every time he picked up that phone in his desk. Every time he answered a call. He betrayed his friends and his boyfriend. He'd had enough.

He needed to tell Len, first thing in the morning he would. He sat up in bed and ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes. He wasn't getting back to sleep, he knew that much. He sighed and headed to the shower, sighing as he stepped under the hot spray. He washed his hair and lathered the shower gel, rubbing it over his shoulders and chest.

He felt hands on his back, rubbing the soap into his skin, then he felt Len's front against his back as he held him, his lips on his shoulder. Ray signed, leaning back into his touch.

Reluctantly Ray pulled away, "we need to talk."

Ray at in his lounge in a pair of sweats, his wet hair dripping onto his shoulders. Len exited the bedroom, dressed, and stood. "What do we need to talk about?"

"I'm a- I- I don't know how to say this and I need you to know, I never expected this to happen, nor did I even want to be a part of it…"

"Palmer, spit it out."

"I'm working for the government." There was silence.

"What?"

"I'm working for the government, but Len, I really don't want to be nor did I ever want to, they're blackmailing me."

"You're working for the government?"

"Yeah. But you have got to believe me, I never wanted to." More silence, "Len, please say something." He begged, his eyes pleading.

After a long silence Len stood from where he had perched on the arm of the chair, and looked at Ray. "I need to go."

"Len-"

"I need some time." Len picked up his shoes and walked out, Ray watched out of the window as he rode away on his bike. Ray released a breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding and ran his hand over his face. He'd fucked up big time. Len would out him, his friends would turn on him; he didn't doubt that Mick would kill him. He'd warned him as much.

He was going to be outed as alive by the government too. It would have all been for nothing.

The worst part was, he was seriously falling for Len.

Len didn't go to his home, he went to the main facility, to Ray's lab and just stood in the doorway. He walked through the darkness and ran his fingertips over the worktops and tools.

This was why he didn't date. This was why he kept to himself. And this was why he was truly fucked. Because he was falling and he was falling hard. And he couldn't stop himself.

Taking out his phone he sent a text to Lisa. 'You're in charge, something came up,' he lied and took his bike back to his place, packed a bag and left Central City.

Ray went into work Tuesday, though he really didn't want to. It was mid-semester break so Aideen was around. He felt worse. What would happen to her? If the cops, if the government found out Mick had a kid? He only knew about the plan to take Len down. Mick and the others had never been mentioned to him. Were they planning on arresting everyone? Would she get taken away from her father?

Nobody seemed to be aware of what he'd confided in Len, his friends still spoke to him. Lisa and Axel dragged him away for lunch at the bar and Mick told him he could still show Aideen the experiment he'd promised her weeks before. Maybe Len was in a forgiving mood? Or worse, maybe he was planning to make his life miserable.

Lisa asked him if something had gone wrong with their Valentine's plans. He lied and said everything was fine, but Len hadn't told him where he'd gone. Said it was better that way.

Wednesday continued in the same fashion. Everyone being normal and Ray acting like his friends would –rightfully so- turn on him at any moment. The same on Thursday, Friday, as he fixed the TV at the bar or when Mark turned up at his place with a couple of six-packs and announced that Shawna and Lisa were having girl's night and watching Evie.

By Sunday Ray was a wreck. He'd barely been able to look his friends in the eye all week. He couldn't go on like this. He needed to make a run for it. Before Len returned and outed him to them.

He froze as someone knocked at his door. Opening it he found Len standing there, before he could say anything Len surged forward and kissed him, it wasn't gentle, all teeth clashing and tongues moving in a heated battle. "I may not know why, but I can't get you out of my head, I tried, God knows I have tried to get over you but I can't. I'll deny it, but I'm falling for you Raymond- Ray- whatever. And it scares me because any other person who dared tell me what you did? They would be encased in ice. What exactly was the mission they gave you?" Len asked shutting the door and dropping his bag at the door and kicking off his sneakers. He followed Ray to the kitchen and took a beer out of the fridge, handing one to Ray he gestured for him to speak.

"Oh- right. They said I had to gain your trust and help them take you down. And that scares me, they never mentioned the others, but Mark and Shawna have a baby. Mick has Aideen. I'm worried about what will happen to them. Len we can't let anything happen to any of them."

"So they wanna put me in prison? What kind of information have you been feeding them?"

"I was meant to tip them off about any heists you were pulling, any weapons you had me build, names, though I told them I needed to get more into the organisation before I was introduced to people they hadn't told me about. Believe me Len, I tried, when I found out about all the good you do, I tried to convince them they were going after the wrong guy but they told me to shut up, do my job and they wouldn't release that I was alive. That much is true. I like being dead, OK, running Palmer Tech? It's not me, I just want to be myself, build stuff, and give back to the community. Like I have been doing here." Ray looked down and sipped his beer.

"We're gonna make a plan, make sure they get me and no one else. You won't like it, but you're gonna have to tell them. All of them."

"Len, Mick is quite possibly gonna kill me if he finds out I put Aideen in this kind of danger and Mark and Shawna? I'm Evie's Godfather. And the others? Len half your crew are criminal meta-humans."

"All of whom rely on me for their protection. Trust me, if they value their lives, they won't harm you." Len assured him, "and I'll remind them so before you tell them."

"Alright," Ray sighed taking deep gulps of his beer, "what's the plan to protect the others then?"

The two of them worked into the night, making a plan that would keep their friends and the kids safe. And how they were going to let Len get caught. Satisfied they retired to the bedroom, they slept in each other's arms. The first decent sleep either of them had experienced since Sunday Night.

The next afternoon Len called an emergency meeting and everybody was required to attend. They arrived at the hide-out and headed to the meeting room. Ray felt sick, he was about to tell his friends that he'd betrayed them. He expected Mick to punch him, maybe a couple of times before Len and Axel managed to pull him off, the meta-humans he couldn't predict but he knew that this had to be done.

Ray sat in the seat beside Len's at the head of the table and they waited as the crew arrived in groups and singles. Mark and Shawna had Evie with them and she was asleep, thankfully Aideen was back at school. Len planned to do most of the talking, Ray just had to tell a room full of considered criminals that he had been working for the government the whole time and betraying their trust. He listened to Len talk to Mark and Shawna about Evie before calling the meeting to a start.

"I called you all here today because well, we've been betrayed," murmurs filled the room, "you all know Ray? Ray has a few words."

Ray stood, he felt sick, he was about to lose his friends. "I've been feeding information about the organisation to the government. BUT," he said quickly before anyone could get to him, "I haven't been doing it willingly. They've been blackmailing me, I never wanted to be a part of any of it, they want to put Len away, and I don't know what they want with any of the rest of you, because they only told me about Len. Trust me, I have tried to convince them they're after the wrong people, you guys have done more for this city then any of the rich families. Look I've tried but they're putting pressure on me, they want to put Len away, I'm not gonna let that happen. I figure a few of you want to kill me about now and I don't blame any of you, I'd hate me too."

Len stood and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I've seen everything, he's telling the truth and we're going to let them get me. Give them what they want. Me." He said and watched as the crew mumbled between themselves. "I'm going to plan a heist, a solo heist, so none of you can be implicated and Ray is going to tell them I'm looking for them, they'll arrest me. In my absence keep the businesses running, keep everything going. Lisa and Mick will be in charge. You guys with shifts are gonna be moved to the unknown places, that are owned anonymously, the ones I never told you about," he added to Ray, "so they can't connect you to me or the organisation. Mark, Shawna, Mick and Axel that means you guys. Rathaway they don't associate you with the crew apparently so you're good. And no one, not one of you is to harm Ray. Understood?" There was a murmur of agreement around the room, "good, most of you can go, if I texted you this morning stay behind." He dismissed them. Ray let out a breath he'd been holding and picked up a bottle of water Len had brought with them.

"I warned you," Mick said storming over to him, Len stood between them. "Out of my way Snart, I warned him what would happen if my daughter was put in danger-"

"And she won't be. Step down Mick, we have a plan stick to it. You're my best friend Mick, don't do this, they'll ask who gave him bruises, think they'll leave Aideen with you if they find out?" Mick paused, everyone did, and even Len knew it was a low blow, "she'll be safe Mick, I promise you that no harm will come to her. Mick you can't tell her, you know that don't you?"

"She won't be harmed? Or taken away?"

"She won't." Len vowed. "When they have me, you can't keep her from the truth though, word will spread." Mick nodded and Axel managed to pry him away to get a drink and cool off, Len turned to Ray. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I was expecting it to be honest." Ray said softly. "I need to talk to Mark and Shawna." Len nodded and turned to his sister.

"Are you sure you know what you're going here Lenny?"

"I'm positive sis." Len told her watching Ray and the young couple interact.

Ray's talk with Mark and Shawna went surprisingly well. They told him they understood what it was like to be blackmailed and they didn't blame him and if he still wanted to, Evie was still his Goddaughter. Ray was so happy he could have cried, he didn't of course, there were a lot of lingering criminals giving him threatening looks, but he wanted to.

After the meeting Len, Ray and Lisa returned to Ray's home. Ray wanted to discuss something with them. "I wanna reach out to Cisco." He said to them once they were settled.

"What?" Len asked.

"Cisco, he's my friend and trust me, he can keep a secret, plus the government could find out that I tipped you off and arrest me, Cisco can do all I can and more. He's a good asset and he's crazy about your sister. I think it's time I came back to life, to him anyway."

It took a lot of convincing but Len finally came around to the idea of letting Cisco in on the plans. Lisa left to bring him over, after all, there was no time like the present and they had no idea how much time they had. Ray spoke to Len, saying it would look better on him in court if he resisted their offers of a heist and then agreed to meet up to tell them he wasn't interested, Len agreed, so Ray sent a text: 'He's not planning anything, maybe he needs some persuasion?' He put the phone in his pocket awaiting the reply and returned to the kitchen to find Len preparing enough dinner for both couples. Lisa text him they were on their way. Ray sighed and rang down to the doorman to let Lisa and Cisco in when they arrived. He received a reply from his Liaison. They would take care of everything. Ray felt sick, he was sending his boyfriend to prison. He just hoped that they could pull through this and remain strong.