How did Bradford become Rockwell's assistant?

New York

14 Years Ago

"Christopher Bradford!" a hard voice echoed through the massive cave that was the Bradford Mansion.

A tall, well-dressed man, an elegant woman, a muscular young man, and a scruffy teenager stood over a small ten year old boy. A voluminous woman in a dress that someone of her weight should not we wearing stood off to the side, glaring, with an unhappy looking dog in her arms. The boy looked down at his feet, shuffling them uncomfortably at the gaze of his family.

"Well?" the man questioned. "What do you have to say for yourself, Christopher?"

"It's Chris," the boy mumbled.

"What was that? Speak up!"

"Nothing!" Chris said louder.

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" the man questioned.

"I'm sorry, Father," Chris said softly. His father grumbled. Chris wondered if he could tell he wasn't sorry. He wasn't the best lair.

The Bradford family and the large woman were standing in the dining room of the massive house he lived in, though not by choice. Chris and his brothers didn't seem to share their parents interest in nice things and the ways of the wealthy. Cooper and Brian looked almost as uncomfortable as Chris. Or maybe they were just bored. They got bored way too easily in Chris's opinion. Then again, his own attention span was almost nonexistent like other children of his age. Ten year olds couldn't be expected to focus that long.

Chris was currently being chastised for the way he spent his afternoon. Sneaking into the yard his neighbor Mrs. Galapaga and playing with her dog, whose name he did not know, through the mud. Needless to say, Mrs. Galapaga lived in the same luxurious way as the Bradford family and did not appreciate her prized pooch being covered in wet dirt.

"Tell that to Mrs. Galapaga, Christopher," his mother instructed.

The boy turned to the lady standing in his house and tried to muster the most sincere face that he could. "I'm sorry Mrs. Galapaga. It won't happen again."

The woman snorted and lifted her head up. The layers of fat on her body bounced. Chris grimace. Cooper and Brian mock gagged behind their parents' backs then began snickering.

"It most certainly will not," Mrs. Galapaga said, "because your parents will discipline you appropriately."

"We will?" the Bradford father questioned. Mrs. Galapaga gave him a harsh stare. He quickly nodded stiffly. "I mean of course we will! Be assured our boy will not cause you anymore trouble, ma'am."

Mrs. Galapaga sniffed again. "As to be expected. I shall take my leave now."

Once one of the servants lead the gluttonous woman away, Cooper and Brian gave another series snickers then were silenced by a glare from their mother.

"I expect better from you two," she said. "It's no wonder young Christopher gets into so much trouble. You boys are such bad influence!"

"I ain't no boy, ma," Brian said. "I'm twenty, I don't live here no more. I got my own job, I don't rely on you. You can't-"

"While you're under my roof, you'll abide my my rules, Brian," his mother said sharply.

Brian sighed.

"Why is Brian even here?" Chris asked. He hadn't seen his eldest brother in awhile, he didn't even know where he lived. Probably pretty far. He hadn't even realized his brother was home until his parents called the family together to scold Chris.

"I wish to discuss something with your brother," his mother told him. "But it's none of your concern. How we're going to punish you will."

Chris resisted the urge to sigh or roll his eyes. His parents' punishments were a joke.

His mother looked to his father. The man stroked his beard in thought.

"Perhaps we've been too easy on you," his father mused then looked at his youngest son. "This will be the last time, Christopher."

Chris swallowed. He didn't like the sound of that. But he still didn't have anything to worry about, right?

"I think I'll sleep on this," his father decided. "We'll discuss this tomorrow. Come to my study at 10 am sharp, boy."

"Um, I have school…"

"10 am!" his father shouted. "Sharp!"

"Christopher Bradford!" a woman's voice screamed.

"Sorry, sorry! I gotta go!" Bradford called as he raced out of his classroom. He threw a glance over his shoulder as he ran out of the door. It was 9:36. He had twenty four minutes to get home and meet his father. Unforgettably that meant running out of the room in the middle of class.

9:38- Running across campus.

9:40- Jogging in place when he waited at the street side for the road to clear.

9:48- Nearly tripping when the terrain changed from flat to uphill.

9:55- Struggling with the gate leading to his family's estate.

9:57- Thundering through the hallways.

9:59- Standing at the doorway to his father's study.

Chris was heaving by the time he pressed his palm against the wooden door. He nearly fell over when his weight against the door caused it to swing open.

"I'm here," Chris gasped and tried to stand up straight but found he couldn't and nearly collapsed on the floor. He could feel all the blood rushing to his face. His father was sitting behind a desk. He didn't say anything, merely rose an eyebrow, prompting him forward.

Chris noticed another man. A skinny, dark-haired man in a white lab coat. He eyed Chris with a mixed expression. Chris couldn't decipher what it meant due to his blurry, fading vision.

"Are you okay?" the scientist asked. He had a British accent.

"Peachy!" Chris got out and jerked up straight. He suddenly regretted the rapid motion. He felt like he was going to pass out.

"Alright then."

"Christopher, this is Tyler Rockwell," his father introduced. "He's a… uh…"

"I'm a neuroscientist and chemist for one of New York's scientific facilities," Rockwell explained. He somewhat hesitantly held out his hand. Chris shook it.

"Chris here is going to be your assistant," his father said.

"What?" Chris squeaked.

"What?" Rockwell said. "I never agreed to-"

The older man waved him off. "You're young, Rockwell, I doubt you can afford an assistant. Well, I'm paying you to take my boy. I don't care what you do with him. Just keep him out of trouble for me will you?"

"It sounds like what you need is a babysitter," Rockwell told him.

"I'm no baby!" Chris exclaimed.

"I wasn't implying that you were, my apologies. Hired caretaker for adolescents," Rockwell corrected. He looked at the boy. "Better?"

"Um. Sure."

"See, you're getting along already."

Rockwell and Bradford frowned and glanced at each other.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Chris's father asked. He shooed them. "Go on, get on with it."

"...what?"

"To your laboratory," Chris's father said.

"I can't take a kid to by lab!" Rockwell protested.

"It's yours, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah but I'm not- I can't do anything against the rules! I haven't been working at my company long enough to-"

"I'm paying you enough not to care," Chris's father said.

"I don't care about money! I've spent so many hours and hours in school to get this job, I'm not going to blow it for-"

"Ugh, you working type," Chris's father sighed. "You're a smart man Tyler, think of how rich I am. I can pay off your superiors if Christopher gets you into any trouble."

"I know you can but will you?" Rockwell grumbled suspiciously.

"Even if I don't, you'll have enough money to fund your own research," Chris's father said. "Why are you fighting me Tyler? You have nothing to lose from my proposition."

Rockwell sighed. "Come along Christopher."

Chris sighed as well and followed the scientist out of the room.

"I don't want to be here you know," Chris said as the two walked out of the mansion and towards Rockwell's car.

"I don't want you to be here either, I just didn't want to listen to your old man anymore," Rockwell told him.

"Oh. I don't like listening to him either," Chris said. The two walked in silence. Rockwell got out his keys as they approached his car. He got into the driver's seat while Chris got into the passenger seat.

"So… what science classes have you taken?"

"I'm in fifth grade," Chris told him.

"Great."

"Really?"

Rockwell let out a long sigh.

Author's Note: This chapter is kinda meh. The next one is better. That's why its a two parter.

Chris has two brothers in this AU. There are some small details here that are expanded upon in the upcoming sequel.

Anyone want to name the dog?