Chapter 12: Fallout - December 2013
It was cold. Well, maybe it wasn't that cold. He felt cold. At least, at times he felt cold. When he could focus past the pain, there was the cold, so Harrison Wells was pretty sure it was cold. He was positive it was dark. There were moments he was sure that he could see more so he was fairly certain his eyesight was intact. The biggest problem was confusion. He couldn't remember what happened. It was possible that they'd been in a car accident. He'd tried calling out for Tess but gotten no response so he was terrified that she was sprawled somewhere badly injured. At one point part of his brain thought he was being absurd looking for Tess. Other times, he heard her calling him, ordering him to hang on. No matter what he did, he couldn't get up. Something had to be pinning his legs.
For hours, or perhaps days, he drifted in and out of consciousness. Occasionally he awoke to screaming, while other times he didn't remember waking, he just found himself conscious. Eventually, he was certain he heard voices. At first he thought it was Tess, but then the memories flooded back and he remembered the car accident and her death. Whatever had caused his injuries now, that was forgotten, but he remembered Caitlin and Cisco. He'd called for them, panicked, struggling to get free from whatever was pinning him. He couldn't and the terror took him into utter darkness.
18 December 2013 - Early Morning
The bed sheets smelled of bleach when he woke, his mind finally clear. The lights were off and the sky outside the window was black. Hospital. He was in hospital and it was night or possibly early morning. A million thoughts and questions raced through his mind. A human could easily have answered most of his questions, but he felt a deep dread when he thought about asking someone. Instead he opted for the keyboard on the bedside table. He reached it with some effort, pleased that the screen was in a location he could easily see.
With an ease he rarely let anyone see, he didn't want his hacking skills to be common knowledge, he found what he needed through the computer system. With each new avenue of investigation, his heart hurt more. Ted was gone, and was just one of many. The obituary pages burned into his brain along with pleas for information about those still missing. Not as bad as 9-11, but bad enough and everyone blamed him. He'd destroyed the city and countless lives.
It took him only an hour to peruse the information available online. He was getting ready to look over his own medical records when the power flickered, went out, and came back. Curious. The power continued to fluctuate for several long minutes until it stabilized. Harrison decided to investigate it as best he could. Stuck at the computer, illegally clicking through hospital records, he quickly found a possible link.
As he searched the hospital records another name caught his attention. His heart fluttered and he fought back tears. Would she forgive him? Still fighting tears, he read through several files before finally checking his own. Having already seen the impact on others, he felt no self pity as he examined his own file. Based on what he saw, he could guess what had happened, but nothing surfaced in his memory. All he could remember was Cisco telling him about Ted redirecting the blast and heading to the pipeline. After that his memory was hazy and unreliable.
It was early morning according to the computer clock. He'd only been conscious for a few hours. They'd turned the accelerator on a week ago. From what he could glean from his medical records, he'd been found in rubble in a damaged part of the labs several days later. The doctor had noted that Harrison had been delirious and clearly confused. Possibly due to a concussion or other trauma. Harrison's mind was racing now as he catalogued the names of all the lives he'd ruined, all the people he had hurt. Jesse! Thank god she hadn't been there that night! If she'd been injured he'd never forgive himself. She'd come to be like a daughter to him. So much so that she'd gotten permission from her parents to come spend Christmas to New Year with Harrison. They'd been planning it since before Thanksgiving.
With shaking hands, he searched for any information about her and the rest of her family. A lump formed in his throat at what he found. Now the tears fell freely and he started to wish he hadn't survived. Thinking about the pain everyone had suppered because of him caused bile to rise in his throat. While he'd only known the teen a short time, he desperately hoped she wouldn't blame him. He couldn't find enough details.
Suddenly, it was harder to breathe. The air was too thick and his chest hurt. His brain felt dopey. Remembering his medical file, he looked to the IV. There was a second, smaller bag hooked into the line. Reaching out, he pulled it, determined to keep his head clear. The pain was of no concern. A part of him felt he deserved it. It was unfair that he should escape his own pain when he'd caused so much.
Despite his efforts, some of the drugs had hit his system and that along with the damage to his body had him exhausted. Fighting through the medicine and pain, he composed and sent two emails. He barely had time to proof read them before he fell back to sleep, worn out from his brief time awake.
Hospital: Two Hours Later
Caitlin watched Cisco glare at the television. Really he was glaring at the morning news playing on the television. She could understand his anger, but felt little herself. The news had basically blamed everything on Doctor Wells. The fact that he'd not been seen since the explosion had only add fuel to the reports and rampant speculation. It had somehow been decided that Harrison Wells was hiding after blowing up the city. Few people knew that the man had never made it out of S.T.A.R. Labs. It had been days before Caitlin and Cisco had been allowed back into the building. They'd answered question after question before finally being asked to escort a group of both police and scientific investigators into the labs.
As a doctor, Caitlin had seen trauma before. The death of her own father had hurt her a great deal. Losing Ted and then having to tell his sister-in-law and niece was painful. Caitlin had been struggling with her emotions. Finding Doctor Wells, delirious but alive had lifted her spirits some. When he'd called her Tess, her heart had nearly broken. He'd been screaming when they'd found him. It looked like an explosion had launched him flying across the botany lab and into Eric Zark's recently vacated desk. The desk had broken around Wells and from what Caitlin could tell, the man had been there the three days since the accident.
The trip to the hospital was a hazy memory. Caitlin and Cisco hadn't been allowed to ride in the ambulance so they'd driven behind in the female's car. They hadn't expected much news other than whether Doctor Wells was okay or not. Oddly enough, after several hours, one of the doctors had come and spoken to them. It seemed Doctor Wells had Caitlin and Cisco listed as family on his medical records so the treating doctor had spoken with them both. While there didn't appear to be any external physical trauma, other than some bruises, there were enough internal issues that the doctor was concerned.
In the four days that Doctor Wells had been unconscious in the hospital the duo had nearly gone crazy. The news reporting that their boss was still in hiding didn't help any. Still glowering at the television, Cisco started to pace the room. Caitlin knew what he was feeling. They were both feeling it, lost, overwhelmed, and grief. The female had just opted to shut down, mostly. Feeling the emotions made it hard for her to focus. Without them, she could be clinical and helpful. Cisco, however, wasn't used to such extremes and was having difficulty handling everything. Of course, he'd been as close to Ted, if not closer, as Caitlin. They'd lost their third Musketeer.
"Doctor Snow?" A nurse who had come to know them on sight over the past four days approached them.
"Nurse Tinsel," Caitlin greeted the young man. Any other time and she'd have worried about Cisco laughing at the young male nurse's name. Not now. Neither of them felt like laughing.
"Visiting hours will start in about five minutes," Tinsel said, telling the duo nothing new. The young man paused. "I thought I should tell you, Doctor Wells is awake."
"That's good, right?" Cisco said, cheering up some. He needed good news.
Ignoring Cisco's comment, Tinsel continued, "Doctor Disco is in with him now. He should be done with a precursory evaluation soon." It was another unlikely name that any other day the two friends would have laughed about. Not now. Shooting Cisco a look, the nurse left.
The young engineer rounded on Caitlin. She read his question in his look. "It could be good or bad," she said softly. "Doctor Wells was conscious when we found him. Generally that's a good sign. However, his level of consciousness was clearly altered. He was screaming, incoherent, completely unaware of where and when he was," she grimly reminded him.
"That's bad," Cisco guessed. Caitlin shrugged.
"He slipped into unconsciousness shortly after he arrived here," she pointed out. "The good news is he was breathing on his own and occasionally responsive to stimuli."
"Cait, he didn't have a scratch on him," Cisco pointed out.
Biting her lip to hold down emotions Caitlin took a deep breath and continued. "No external signs of trauma doesn't mean no trauma. All that means is that the damage isn't visible. Internal injuries can be deadlier and sometimes more damaging than visible ones."
"Like an apple," Cisco grumbled to himself. Considering his remark, Caitlin nodded her agreement.
"The fact that he's been unconscious for the past four days is a clear indicator of injury. That's why Doctor Disco had all the testing done."
"Right, and I know you explained it all, but you used big fancy medical words that I didn't understand even after I looked them up on my phone," the engineer complained. He had his suspicions as to why she'd gone so over the top with the medical jargon. It made it easier for her to deal with her own emotions. Cisco had eventually figured out perhaps one of the most important things Caitlin had said about Doctor Wells. The young engineer just wasn't sure how to feel about it.
Before their conversation could continue, an angry voice exploded down the hall, carrying out of Doctor Wells's room as a tall, skinny man stormed from the room. Pausing, he turned back and shouted, "I don't bloody care if you are a doctor! You're a fuckin' idiot!" Scowling, the beak-nosed man turned and strode down the hall towards Caitlin and Cisco. His stormy blue eyes glared at the two and it took Cisco a moment to realize the angry man was now addressing Caitlin. "You can try ta talk some sense into that arse." As the man, Doctor Disco, spoke his Scottish accent came through stronger. Clearly, his time in the US was not enough to override his anger.
"Doctor Disco, what's wrong?" Cisco asked, confused and more than a little frightened of the man. True, he was skinny, but he was tall and his rage seemed to make him tower over the two scientists.
"That fool boss of yers is trying to check himself out! And you better stop laughing at ma name!" A bony finger was thrust first down the hall and then waggled at Cisco.
"Who's laughing? I didn't laugh!" Cisco protested, uncertain what had just happened. Any other day, he'd probably break down with glee at the doctor's name, but not now. Too much had happened in the past week for Cisco to even consider laughing. Caitlin turning ice cold wasn't helping.
"Why not? Bloody hilarious name!" Glaring at the poor, confused engineer, the doctor then rounded on Caitlin. "I know you two have had a shite week and are feeling completely lost, but that fool boss of yours is in no condition to check himself out! Now, I've tried talking some sense into him, but he's feeling even worse than you! Somehow, he's managed to get the news reports and knows exactly what that accelerator explodin' has done to the people of this city and beyond. He's on the phone right now probably getting even more bad news. Now I can't do a fucking thing fer him if he leaves here. At least if he stays I can help his body recover and mebbe his mind process and deal a bit too." Cisco wondered when the man would stop to breath. "So you two figure somethin out!" Jabbing a finger at them, he then turned and prowled down the hall, his angry steps surprisingly light.
Cisco just blinked for several moments. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned his attention to Caitlin. He could read fear in her face for a moment before it was replaced with the unfeeling look he'd seen more and more the past week. "After you," he whispered, waving a hand towards Doctor Wells's room. Taking a deep breath each, they started down the hall.
Harrison's Room
Harrison listened to the other end ring, a knot of dread in his stomach. He wasn't sure what he was hoping. Did he want her to answer or would he rather get a machine? There wasn't much time to ponder anything though as a voice answered. "Hello?" She sounded tired, sad, and even a little scared. Struggling to find words, Harrison listened to her breathe for a moment. "Hello? Who is this? I don't recognize the number."
"Harrison," he managed his own name as a hurried hiss. The drugs had worn off but now there was pain to deal with. Since he didn't want the call to be about him, he wasn't ready to talk about his situation, he did his best to keep the pain from his voice.
"Harrison, sweetheart," Sharon Morgan began before faltering. Gathering herself, she pushed on, "I tried to call you." She paused, hoping he'd do the heavy lifting of the conversation.
"My phone was damaged in the," he swallowed a lump of emotion. "Explosion. I, I." Silence ruled while he took a breath and clenched his free hand. "I'm calling from a landline. Unfortunately I've only just now been able to check the news." He paused again. Since he didn't want her to worry about him, he couldn't tell her he was just waking up in hospital. Still, he wasn't going to lie so he left the rest up to Sharon.
"I wish you'd gotten in touch sooner," Sharon chastised him. "Harrison, we didn't let the news print all the details. I wanted to talk to you first."
"I'm sorry Sharon. Please believe that I called you as soon as I was able." The door to his room opened but he ignored it. He had to deal with this first. "The papers didn't say who, just that there were fatalities." The words stopped. He couldn't force the sentence out. He switched tactics. "Was it caused by the accelerator exploding? Is it my fault?" His head spun as he finally managed to grapple with some of his feelings.
"You can't think that," Sharon countered. "Nobody knows what happened. They were all headed home from a school function for the twins. Jesse and Harry are the only survivors and I don't think they're coping very well." she broke down crying. "I'm taking care of them Harrison, but I could use some help. Little Harry has stopped talking and Jesse only speaks with him." Her sobs and words broke his heart. Staring at his sheet covered body, Harrison took a deep breath.
"I'm not sure how much help I can be at the moment," he began.
"You seem to have connected with Jesse and Harry in the past few months. It drives Jessica wild that you understand them better than her." He was silent as Sharon suddenly sobbed. "Drove her wild," she corrected herself. The sound changed and he guessed she wasn't holding the phone by her face. "Jesse, phone call."
Harrison listened as the phone was handed off and then there was silence. "Jesse?" He called her name, painfully aware that his voice was higher than usual. The stress was taking a toll on him, making the physical pain harder to ignore. "Can you hear me?" He knew the sound of her voice and she his. "I'm sorry I didn't call sooner."
The silence continued and he wondered what to say. "I'm afraid we'll have to cancel our plans," he told her. "I'll try to help Sharon as soon as I'm able." It was the best he could manage. He had no idea how to comfort a teenager, let alone one that had just lost almost her entire family.
"Don't bother," Jesse finally snarled. "We don't want to see you. We sure as hell don't want to live with you. We hate you and hope somebody does to you what you did to our family!" The harsh words were punctuated by the line going dead.
Shocked, Harrison sat with the phone to his ear, tears blinding him. His physical pain was drowned out in the wave of emotional pain Jesse's words had triggered. Staring up at the ceiling, he felt his tears slip from his eyes towards his ears.
Movement by the door caught his attention. He easily recognized Caitlin and Cisco as they stepped into his limited line of sight. Seeing them reminded Harrison of Ted and anger replaced the sadness. It boiled up hot so that he slammed the phone back into the cradle and then swiped at the tears on his face. After what he had done to his family, friends, employees, and the people of Central City, Harrison felt he deserved no pity. Especially not his own.
"Mr. Ramon, Doctor Snow," Harrison said, struggling to force himself into a more upright position. He needed to see them. Their emotional trauma was a given, but he needed to know what physical damage the explosion had done to the two.
"Take it easy Doctor Wells, you had major surgery only a few days ago," Caitlin lectured, rushing forwards to help him. "You need to give yourself time to heal," she continued as she adjusted the setting on the bed.
"I'm well aware of the extent of my injuries. I've sent an email to my lawyer. He should already be working with the investigating agencies that are looking into the explosion. I asked him to get in touch with my doctor and work on getting me out of here. That way this bed will be available for another." His anger faded some as he failed to find physical indications of injuries. Did they get out physically unscathed?
"Doctor Wells," Caitlin began, glancing quickly at Cisco before focusing on their boss. "Physically you aren't ready to check out yet. You still need a great deal of time to recover." She was surprised to see the older man shake his head.
"Doctor Snow, I appreciate your concern, but I am more than capable of making my own decisions when it comes to my medical treatment," he lectured her.
Cisco watched the two with a knot growing in his stomach. The interaction between Caitlin and Harrison lacked any of their previous warmth. It was like they had both turned off their emotions. The young engineer knew that they were all hurting, but seeing how Caitlin and Harrison were shutting down made Cisco hurt more. Swallowing his own sadness and fear, he cut into the conversation.
"Harrison, face it, physically you aren't fit to leave. Let's talk to Doctor Disco. He'd said something about moving you once you regained consciousness. You'll be able to continue under medical care and this bed will be available for someone else." The engineer couldn't believe how calm and steady his voice stayed. If only he had more words to say. Instead the room fell silent.
The sounds of the hospital filtered in from the mostly closed door. Harrison studied the two remaining Musketeers and let out a sigh as understanding dawned. He didn't need to do as Doctor Snow asked for himself. Mr. Ramon and Doctor Snow needed Harrison to do it. Ultimately, it was their well being that swayed him. It was no longer about Harrison Wells.
"Very well," Harrison agreed calmly. "I shall speak with Doctor Disco." He studied them, searching for answers. Both looked more relaxed now that he'd agreed to talk to the doctor. "What have I missed in the past week?"
An awkward look passed between the two. Taking a deep breath, Cisco stepped to the side of the bed. "Well, Ted managed to redirect the blast," Cisco began.
"But he didn't make it out of the pipeline," Harrison finished. Tears in Cisco's eyes had prompted his words. At the odd look Caitlin gave him, Harrison explained, "The news has him listed among the dead." He paused to consider his words carefully. "I'm sorry for your loss. I know you were all very close."
"We told his remaining family. They're taking it hard," Cisco said, ignoring his boss's concern for the living. "Uhm, we've been trying to get in touch with Doctor McGee," he ventured. It was true. They'd thought that Harrison's fiance would have been there immediately or shortly after, but she'd not surfaced. It seemed odd to Cisco.
"I'm certain that Chris has other concerns she is dealing with at the moment. She will get to me all in good time," Harrison said, his voice strained. He'd found details that he knew the two Musketeers didn't have. He took a deep breath and plunged forwards. "I'll help you find new jobs as much as I can," he began.
"What?" Caitlin cut him off.
"After an accident like that explosion, STAR labs is no longer going to be functional. There's already a great deal of fall out and push back not just from Central City but other cities where we had satellite laboratories. You two can stay on and help me get those labs inventoried and shut down while you search for more appropriate positions." The lights flickered, died, and then slowly came back.
"I'm not leaving," Cisco declared, turning his anger up at the lights. "You'd think they'd have a solid system that would avoid brownouts."
"Perhaps that's something you can help them with," Harrison suggested. "I'm certain you two have other things to do than just sit here and argue with me. Go ahead. I'll be fine." He saw them hesitate. Taking a breath, he reminded himself of all they had lost. Now was not the time to sever the connections. Clearly Mr. Ramon and Doctor Snow needed it. "I promise I will not check myself out without approval from Doctor Disco and Doctor Snow. Go, get things figured out. My lawyer should be contacting you. I'm certain he'll need your assistance."
"Are you sure?" Caitlin looked like she didn't want to go. Cisco had a look on his face that Harrison couldn't read. Gathering his strength, Harrison waved them away, ignoring the tug of the IV.
"Yes, I'm sure. Go. I'm certain that Doctor Disco has all sorts of hard work planned out for me now that you've convinced me to stay. I'm already exhausted. I'll see you tomorrow," Harrison ordered. It seemed to lift their spirits. With the lights still flickering, they both nodded.
"Okay. We'll see you tomorrow. Make sure you do what the doctors tell you to do," Cisco nagged.
"I promise," Harrison agreed.
"I'll know if you don't," Caitlin added. She gave him a firm look, which pleased Cisco. At least she was showing some kind of emotion. The ice seemed to be melting with the help of Harrison's stubbornness.
"I'm certain," their boss agreed. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes. Cisco realized that it hadn't just been an attempt to get them to leave. The engineer could read the pain and exhaustion on the older man's face. To his surprise, Caitlin touched his shoulder and indicated that they should leave. Managing a weak smile, Cisco followed her out.