DC || Singhaway || DC || Pied Piper || Rogues and Heroes || Pied Piper || DC || Singhaway || DC
Title: Pied Piper: Rogues and Heroes
Fandom: DC Comics / Arrowverse
Disclaimer: All rights concerning the Arrowverse reserved to Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, all rights for the comics reserved to DC. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Tags: m/m, found family, hurt/comfort, m/f
Main Pairing: David/Hartley
Side Pairings: Wally/Jesse, Mick/Len/Barry, Cisco/Lisa, Eddie/Iris
DC Characters: Hartley Rathaway, David Singh, Wallace 'Wally' West, Jesse Chambers Wells, Harrison Wells, Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, Bartholomew 'Barry' Allen, Joe West, Iris West, Eddie Thawne, Mick Rory, Leonard Snart, Lisa Snart, Crystal Frost | Killer Frost, Laurel Lance
Summary: Writer's Month Prompts: loud + prison. The life of Hartley Rathaway, from becoming the Pied Piper, a Rogue and thief, to joining Star LABs and in the end becoming a reformed vigilante, falling in love with a cop.
Pied Piper:
Rogues and Heroes
Growing up, Hartley's favorite fairy tale had been The Pied Piper of Hamelin.
It would become much more formative than his parents would ever be able to comprehend, he supposed. But in a whole different manner. No, back then, as a child, he had looked at it differently. Back as a child, it had been his favorite because it was one of the very few stories where he could see himself represented. A deaf child – a girl, but minor details – as a protagonist, as a hero. When most disabled characters were framed as tragic or victims, someone to fix or to save.
But she was a hero. And not despite her disability but because of her. Her deafness had made her immune to the rat catcher's music and as the other children of the city got lured away by the magical melody, she remained. Her, a lame boy and a blind boy, who had both been unable to follow the other children too. And while the adults panicked, the children investigated, able to follow freely without their minds manipulated by the music. The heroes to save the other children.
To his parents, he wasn't a hero, he was someone to be fixed. They had money, a lot of money. And they spent it on research and on trying everything to restore Hartley's hearing. They had money, but not the amounts they ended up spending on specialist doctors from all over the world, scientists and high-end equipment. Back then, as a child, Hartley never wondered or questioned. He had simply been in awe at what had been given to him. Hearing.
Hearing his parents voices for the first time. Hearing music for the first time. Growing up with the Pied Piper story, he had always wondered what it was like. His mother had tried to describe music to him, but how did one describe something as magical to someone who had never heard it before. Her description didn't do it justice. He was enchanted. And beyond that, he became obsessed with the mechanics behind. How sound carried, what power it had – if the magic of his favorite fairy tale was in any way or shape realistic, if science could make it possible.
Only when his parents died in a car crash and left him orphaned and with the medical debt did Hartley realize at what high a cost his hearing had come.
/Central City, Spring 1998\
Hartley was nineteen when he first donned the green cloak and the moniker of the Pied Piper.
He'd spent his time in foster care tinkering and studying, learning everything there was about sound-waves and mechanics. Once he turned eighteen, he was left to fend for himself. How was he supposed to pay off the medical debt? Find an apartment? What could he even do?
He'd worked as a dish-washer and waiter in two diners for about a year before he realized what he could do instead. A newspaper, left on a table when he cleaned up, made him realize. Snart Steals Sapphire Scepter. Snart, Leonard Snart. He'd recently been in the news as a young, up and coming thief. A mastermind. And mh. Hartley had skills, why not use them more effectively.
He'd only steal what he needed to pay off what he owed. What his parents owed. Which was how he had landed on the name Pied Piper. He was the child left to pay his parents' debts. Always pay the piper. And he fashioned himself after that piper too, with the cloak to hide his identity – because he didn't want to make a name for himself, not like that. He just wanted in and out and be done once he had enough to pay his debts and maybe get an apartment a bit better than his current hole in the wall. That'd be all. The finishing touch to his get-up was his flute.
His studies and tinkering for years had paid off, he had realized the fairy tale magic. He had created a flute that could manipulate sound so he could hypnotize people into doing his bidding.
The first time he opened a newspaper and saw a picture of himself and a headline about the mysterious piper, he couldn't help but feel conflicted. Both, proud at his achievement and mildly ashamed for having done it too. He told himself he had no other choice.
/Keystone City, Summer 1998\
"You got talent, kid."
Hartley, in the middle of robbing a jewelry store, whirled around surprised. He came face to face with no other than Leonard Snart and Snart's current, new partner. Mick Rory, wielding a flamethrower. Effective on the brute-force end of things, and according to the news, Snart did the detailed finer parts of the job. Complimenting each other.
"Listen, Peter Pan," Snart smirked and produced a business card. "If you ever want to go a bit bigger, give me a call. I could make good use of your skills."
A thief with a business card. Now Hartley had seen everything. Yet Hartley found himself accepting it. Snart escaped basically every time. And always with a huge bounty. Hartley had been doing small jobs, things he trusted himself he could handle. This would help him finally pay off the rest. Maybe get enough to pay for college, get his own life started.
"Len," Mick's voice was grumpy. "Move, I hear the coppers."
"Right. We'll be on our merry way then, got an appointment at the bank. See you around, kid."
/Central City, Autumn 1998\
Working with Mick and Len was pretty good. Not just effective and smooth – even though Mick tended to let things escalate quite a lot. It was... fun. Hartley had fun robbing, with them. For the first time since his parents had died, he felt like he had a family again.
"You should do something with that, you know."
Hartley put his flute down and turned to look at Lisa Snart, Len's little sister. Golden curls cascading all over the couch where she laid spread out. Her dress was yellow with golden sparkles. An Olympic gold medalist. The pride and joy of Len Snart. After returning with the medal, she moved in with her big brother, not taking no for an answer, being done with their father. That, Hartley didn't know a lot about. But he could piece the silence and the unspoken words together.
Before he had gained his artificial hearing, he'd learned to read people even without hearing them, since most people didn't know ASL and thought they could be understood 'better' if they talked ridiculously slow and in baby-talk, dropping words in between (when all that did was make reading lips harder), he'd learned to take body-language and micro-expressions apart. And the things Len and Lisa didn't say about their father spoke volumes.
Hartley leaned back, looking at her curiously. "What do you mean?"
"You have a real talent, with your music," Lisa sat up so she could properly face him. "You should do that. Lenny always encouraged me to follow my talent and passion too."
"And how's that working out money wise for you?" Hartley knew he sounded sarcastic. "I'm sorry. I just... what money is there to be had in flute play? When was the last time a flute player was in the charts, Liz? The way I'm using my music right now is the most lucrative."
"It can't all be about the money, Hartley," Lisa argued with a frown.
It wasn't, not with them. The score was the second most important. They were the most important. Then again, so far this had been a bit of a family business for Len – his boyfriend and his sister. So all of them getting out was always more important than the score. But even now, with Hartley, he too became more important than the score. It was part of why he felt liked working with Len and Mick. That and because Len had a codex; they only killed if it was kill or be killed.
"Once we hit a big score," Leonard walked in, a beer in hand. "You can pay for your fancy music school and then you make it big in some symphony or whatever."
He rested a hand on Hartley's shoulder, patting it. It was weird, how much Len gave him the feeling of having a big brother, something Harley didn't know. He never had siblings. But Len had taken to Hartley like a little brother, perhaps because Hartley was close to Lisa's age.
/Central City, Winter 1998\
"C'mon, Mick," there was rare laughter in Len's voice.
"I don't like this," Mick sounded even gruffer than normal. "I prefer the heat over the cold."
"Then you're dating the wrong guy," Hartley pointed out with a small grin.
Len and Mick really were opposites. Mick loved it cozy warm, while the Snarts both preferred the cold. Today wasn't a heist – they'd pulled off a successful heist last night, teaming up with Jesse James, who called himself the Trickster with his silly gimmicks. Silly, but helpful. Today, they were out celebrating. And today had been Lisa's pick on the venue, leading them to an ice ring. Lisa loved it, loved dancing on the ice and her talent really shone. The surprise was that Len wasn't half bad himself. And Hartley had his fun too. The only one glaring was Mick.
"We should lay low for a while after last night," Len looked all business again.
"I propose Aruba," Mick was nearly pouting. "Nice and hot."
Sometimes, Hartley would even forget why he was doing all of this in the first place. That he meant to stop at one point. It was just too easy, to be with the Snarts and Mick. These small things, they were the best part. They felt the most like family. For the first time, he was happy.
/Central City, Summer 1999\
Alas, Hartley's happiness wasn't meant to last. They got caught. Which was bound to happen at one point, especially with three speedster superheroes loose in the city. They got caught. Mick, Len and Hartley. And here he was, handcuffed and waiting for the cops. Mick and Len were too far away from him, but he knew that the Flash himself was with them. That guy, with his silly silver plate on his head with the little wings. Heroes and their weird costumes.
"That flute of yours is impressive," Johnny Quick commented. "Where did you get it?"
Hartley looked away from the general direction he suspected Mick, Len and the Flash to be and instead put his focus in the speedster guarding him. Sandy-blonde Johnny Quick, in his red shirt with the deep cut neckline, the yellow pants and gloves and the black mask. The symbol on his chest, a u with wings, reminding Hartley of the wing theme of the Flash.
"Made it myself," Hartley decided to answer after all.
Johnny Quick was holding the flute, looking at it curiously. "Then you must be... either an actual magician, and I do not believe in magic, or... a brilliant scientist."
"I'm not a scientist," Hartley shifted, as far as his bonds allowed. "I just... tinkered this together."
"Just," Johnny Quick huffed. "You clearly have a lot of talent. You should put it to good use, kid."
That raised Hartley's hackles a little, because coming from Len, it was near affectionate, but coming from some masked hero, it felt condescending. "I'm not a kid."
The speedster huffed amused. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you're legally allowed to go buy a beer in that bar over there," a pregnant pause and another huff. "That's what I thought."
Well, that was an unfair parameter, because Hartley was twenty. Just a couple months away from that hurdle. That didn't make him a kid though, did it? The hero heaved a sigh, resting a heavy hand on Hartley's shoulder. There was something like compassion in his eyes.
"You're a good kid. You never intentionally hurt anyone. After you get out, I'll reach out. I know someone, who'd get you an internship. You have a bright future, don't ruin it. Do your time, start over with a clean slate. You could do a lot of good with that brain of yours."
/Iron Heights, Summer 2000\
Only when he was in prison did Hartley really remember, that he never meant to lead a criminal life. Somewhere, his life had taken a different turn. That realization hit him hard one hot summer day in Iron Heights when he caught a glimpse of the newspaper a guard was reading.
The heroes of the Gem Cities were dead. Or, at least, presumed dead. The Flash, Liberty Belle and Johnny quick had just... disappeared. Not even bigger criminal activity lured them out anymore. Now the gossip mill was running hot with theories on who might have done them in.
All Hartley could think about was that promise Johnny Quick had made him. Because something deep in Hartley had... believed it. Had thought that if he came out, he'd get to start anew.
"We're getting out of here kid," Len's voice was a whisper.
They were out in the yard. But Hartley's eyes were on the new guy. Henry Jason Garrick, who had apparently murdered his wife and his secret lover, or something. Didn't sound right. The guy didn't... Being here for a year, Hartley had come to read people in a different manner than he used to and he had started to develop a feeling for whether or not someone was innocent or guilty. This man, he didn't feel like he could harm a single fly.
"I'm not coming," Hartley's focus was still on Garrick.
"What do you mean you're not coming?" Mick grunted displeased. "Len's got it all planned out. Easiest prison break ever, we're gonna pull this off."
And Hartley had no doubt about that. Mick and Len were a great team, a prison break would probably go smoothly for them. The thing was, Hartley was a good judge of character and he could see that Garrick didn't belong here. And seeing that, it made Hartley realize he did belong here. He had committed the crimes he got locked away for. He'd gotten five years for the armed robbery, even though he hadn't physically hurt anyone – he had left them emotionally traumatized. There was no precedent for someone robbing a bank using mind-control.
"I'm gonna... I'm gonna serve my sentence. And then I get to start new. Clean slate."
"Don't be naive, kid," Len furrowed his brows. "There ain't no second chances, specially not for the likes of us. Once they see you did time, they won't hire you."
"I have to... try, Len," Hartley frowned and turned to look up at him.
Len heaved a sigh and rested his hand on Hartley's head. "Fine, your loss. But if you ever change your mind, you know how to find us, right?"
The Saints and Sinners. Mick and Len's favorite bar, the place they'd first met.
/STAR Labs Central City, 2003\
Hartley had barely gotten out of Iron Heights when he received a letter. An official invitation for an internship with STAR Labs. That was hard to believe. Johnny Quick was dead. But... had he, before dying, really reached out to someone? Made arrangements for Hartley, once he'd get out. Then again, he'd also thought that STAR Labs was no more. Garrick, the crime he sat for. It wasn't just the murder of his own wife and affair, that supposed affair had been Elizabeth Chambers, wife to Harrison Wells. The attack that killed the two women had left Harrison Wells in a wheelchair. Overwhelmed with his grief, the loss of his wife and friends, the inability to move his legs anymore, had caused him to let STAR Labs slide. Hartley had seen it in the newspapers, the decline of the formerly groundbreaking facility. It was a shadow of itself, when Hartley stood before it.
"Doctor... Doctor Wells?" Hartley called out, unsure. "It's... I'm Harley Rathaway. I got your letter."
Silence, for a long stretch of time. Then the sound of wheels scratching over the floor. The man who rolled up to him in a wheelchair seemed like a shadow of the famous Doctor Wells too, just like his labs. As though he had completely lost his purpose and drive. Unshaven, with dark rings under his eyes. Sandy-blonde hair shaggy and unkempt. The man looked confused as he stared at him.
"You, uh, sent me a letter. About an internship," Hartley looked around doubtfully.
It took some more, before Wells's face cleared up with recognition. "Rathaway. The Pied Piper. Of course. I didn't know... the letter arrived today. I had it pre-set, to be send to you the day you're released. It... a lot has happened since I set that letter..."
"I know," Hartley cleared his throat. "I'm... I'm sorry for your loss."
Wells grunted and rubbed his face. "Thank you. I'm... sorry about the disappointment. I guess there is not much I have to offer to you here, kid. Look around you."
"Yeah, I am," Hartley's eyes sparkled. "And I see a lot of wasted potential. Someone once told me that I shouldn't waste my brain. My talent. I think that pep talk from Johnny Quick, you could use it too. Because... there's a lot of wasted potential all around me here."
Wells looked at him in surprise for a second, a twisted expression of amusement and grief.
"How about... we help each other, Doctor Wells?" Hartley's voice was soft.
/STAR Labs Central City, Spring 2004\
It'd taken them over a year to renovate, rebuild and rehire. But now it was STAR Labs again. The shiny building Hartley remembered walking past. All the while, Harrison had started taking Hartley under his wing, teaching him properly. Not the way Hartley had learned through books and trial and error. Harrison became more than just an employer, he became a mentor. A father-figure.
"Hey, kiddo. You here again?" Hartley grinned softly.
"Ye—ep, yep, school's out early. Where's my dad?"
Jesse Chambers-Wells was eleven years old and the only thing that had kept Harrison going at all in recent years. But now, thanks to a little nudge and help from Hartley, the man had it together again. And Hartley was glad, for both Wellses. She was a good girl, she'd already lost her mom. And with her mom's death, she had lost her father there for a while too.
"Your dad is in a conference, but you can sit with me and do homework. Maybe I can help you."
Sometimes, Jesse would bring her best friend, Wally West. Other times, even Wally's siblings Iris and Barry, who were a couple years older than Jesse and Wally. Hartley liked when the kids were over, it made STAR Labs feel more... carefree. Less like a serious work place, more like a place of wonder. Scientific wonders that had the kids stare at them with wide-eyed wonder.
"Nah, I'm good on homework," Jesse put her stuff on the desk and got comfortable.
Of course she did. She was bright. Maybe not genius levels like her dad, but bright.
/STAR Labs Central City, 2008\
Hartley had a stable life now. For the past five years, he had lead a clean life. Living in a moderately nice apartment, climbing the ladder at STAR Labs. He'd even gone on a few first dates. Never much more than that, because he had some attachment issues. He didn't dare grow attached. But life was good. He felt nearly like part of Doctor Wells' family, babysitting the kid when Harrison needed a day off, spending time with the people important to Harrison – the West family. Detective Joe West and his kids, Iris, Barry and Wally. Yet Hartley still kept tabs on his... old family. He knew getting in touch with the Snarts again would be a mistake, since he led an upstanding life now, but he felt himself missing them, watching them on the news.
These days, the news had far more to cover than just Snart's jewelry heist. That Superman in Metropolis, Wonder Woman and Aquaman in Maine, they'd been singular occurrences. Making the news, sure, but not affecting Central City itself. That was, until the summer 2008, when they formed the so-called Justice League with a legitimate green-skinned Martian, a lightning-wielding man, an actual with and the urban legend of Gotham City – Batman.
Superheroes were on the rise, when back in the day, Central City had been special for having a local superhero. Now, they seemed to be everywhere. And back in Central City too. A new Flash. Much younger than the original Flash would be today. Some kind of legacy, but wearing the original Flash's bright-red color. A new speedster to keep the Gem Cities safe.
"Su—uper tacky outfit," declared Jesse as she threw herself onto Hartley's couch.
"Not wrong," Hartley grinned and offered her a soda.
"I don't know, I think it's cool. The white stripes up the boots look like wings," Wally's voice was muffled by the burger he was stuffing into his face.
These days, Hartley had really taken to being a mentor-figure himself. Jesse and Wally were both in their 'too cool to talk to our dads' phase of being young teenagers. Harrison had practically pleaded with Hartley to be a good influence on Jesse, make sure an adult kept an eye on the girl. Hartley was happy to, Jesse was like a little sister to him by now.
"Harrison says you're considering colleges already," Hartley looked at Jesse.
"Ah. A dad sanctioned interrogation," Jesse rolled her eyes. "I guess. I mean, I'm fifteen, right? College is like right around the corner. I wanna know my options."
"I don't. I'm younger than her, I got more time, stop looking at me, Hart."
Hartley huffed and nudged Wally at that. "Sure you do, kiddo."
/West Home, Autumn 2012\
Joe cleared his throat as he stood. "I would like to say a few words."
Hartley didn't spend a whole lot of time at the West house. Wells home, yes, it sometimes even happened that he'd crash on the couch after a long session of spit-balling with Harrison. But today was a special day, because Iris West had gotten engaged earlier this week and wanted to celebrate that with her entire family and their friends. Somehow, Hartley had gotten lucky enough to be counted among them. His eyes wandered over to the newest protege Harrison had taken under his wing, who had also made his way into these circles. Cisco Ramon.
It wasn't that Hartley actively disliked the guy, but maybe it was a professional and private kind of jealousy. So far, Hartley had been the only protege Harrison had and now he had to share the doctor's attention and praise. Having been an only child, he wasn't used to sharing parental praise. Now, Jesse was different, Jesse was Harrison's biological daughter, if anything, Hartley had always considered himself lucky that she shared her father with him. But this new guy...?
"I just want to... officially welcome Eddie in the family," Joe turned toward the happy couple, smiling at his daughter and her fiance. "When I first met you, I thought you were a pretty boy who wouldn't last long on the force, too many big smiles, the kind of optimism that dies quickly-"
"What a heartfelt welcome, dad," Barry huffed amused.
He got nudged by Wally, who was giggling himself. Both boys earned a glare from their sister. It made Hartley smile. Perhaps he'd found his way into this mismatched family because of that? Barry, he was the son of Henry Jay Garrick and when his mother died and his dad went to jail for the murder, he had been taken in by Joe West. Nora Allen's partner at the PD. From what Hartley had heard, Joe'd gone through numerous partners, none able to live up to his dead best friend, before Eddie had come along. Not only did he last as a partner, now he was also becoming family.
"-and I was wrong," Joe briefly gave Barry a look for interrupting him. "You're a good cop and you're a good man. You make Iris happy and that's all I ever wanted for my daughter. I couldn't ask for a better man to join our family, Eddie."
"To Iris and Eddie West!" Wally called out, lifting his glass.
"To Iris and Eddie West," chorused everyone, before Eddie could protest.
Though even his protest was accompanied by a sparkle in his eyes. Gratitude. Acknowledgment of what it meant to be welcomed in this family. Hartley took a sip from his beer. A long one.
"You okay, Hart?" Caitlin's voice was soft as she sat down next to him.
Now Caitlin, her Hartley liked. She was a brilliant, bright young woman. And best friend to Cisco. The two were practically inseparable, nowadays it was even worse and it included Barry too. Somehow, those three had clicked. Then again, Barry had been spending an awful lot of time at STAR Labs in recent years, working on some kind of project with Harrison. Hartley figured it was less a project and more bonding time, since the two of them were united by the loss they shared.
"I guess I might envy them some," Hartley admitted after a moment. "What Eddie and Iris got."
Caitlin hummed in understanding, watching the freshly engaged couple too. The way they sat with their fingers linked, Iris leaning into Eddie as they talked to Cisco, laughing softly.
"Yeah, I think I know what you mean," Caitlin smiled thin-lipped.
"Oh, you aren't even looking," Hartley nudged her teasingly. "That guy from the physics lab, Ronnie, he'd been flirting with you for months now and you keep ignoring him. Me? I'm looking! I am. I keep going on failing dates. Love just doesn't seem to find me."
"Well, now you're just being dramatic," Caitlin looked unimpressed as she nudged him back.
"Hartley! Steak's ready," Joe called out, interrupting their conversation.
The man of the house was manning the grill and he did it well. Hartley grabbed his plate and walked over to Joe to get his share of the barbecue.
/STAR Labs Central City, 2013\
Iris gasped and nearly collapsed, but Hartley caught her. More on autopilot than anything, really. He too was too distraught, too distracted, too stunned really. STAR Labs stood in flames. There had been an explosion that had shaken the very foundation of the city.
"It was supposed to be a good day," Hartley whispered to himself.
"Iris! Iris, are you alright? Oh god, Iris, you're alright."
The next moment and Hartley could watch Iris' fiance Eddie take her into his arms, wrapping her up tightly. Fear written all over his face. He'd thought she may already be inside, she may be hurt. She hadn't been. When Hartley had arrived, she stood outside, waiting for Eddie. The two had started talking and Hartley stayed outside with her to wait. Now he wondered if that had saved their lives.
"Where's your father? Your brothers?" Eddie looked around.
"Wally... He... He's inside," Hartley frowned as he remembered. "He'd come early with Jesse, she wanted to show him around before the gala. I saw them, before I went home to get changed."
The explosion had been so loud. He could still hear the high-pitched noise. Did it fry his implants? He'd never experienced noise like this before, the sound of the building cracking with the boom of the explosion, the screams of the people inside, the sounds of the fire.
/break\
Hartley realized he'd taken the brightness of STAR Labs for granted. Renovations took months, but it was more than just the building. Barry Allen laid comatose in a special room in the lab. Every day, someone came to sit by his bedside. Joe, Iris, Eddie, Cisco, Caitlin, Wally, Jesse, Harrison. Hartley himself too. The only surprising guests at Barry's bedside were his boyfriends.
They'd apparently gotten together a couple months before the explosion. Leonard Snart and Mick Rory. Hartley wasn't sure how they'd met each other, he couldn't imagine how good little CSI had met and fallen for two famously wanted criminals. Yet when Hartley saw them sitting at Barry's bed, he could see the love and worry in their eyes. And it stunned him.
"Hart," Lisa grinned, wiggling her fingers at him.
Another frequent guest to STAR Labs these days. Surprisingly enough, because she was dating Cisco. Well, Hartley did remember that her taste in men was rather questionable, he'd been with Sam Scudder last time he saw her. And even Cisco was an upgrade from that.
"Hey, Liz," Hartley mustered a smile. "You doing okay?"
The look on her face shifted, turning more sad. "Missing Barry. He's... become a friend."
"Yeah, that's the thing about Barry," Hartley's smile turned more sad. "He grows on people."
"Lisa! You're here. Hey. You... look great," Cisco looked so smitten. "I'm all ready to go."
Lisa grinned and tilted her head, lifting the bag she was carrying a bit. "Time to skate."
"I did warn you, I am not built to glide over the ice like you, Golden Glider."
There was something peculiar to that. To the casual way with which everyone acted around the Rogues. What the Snarts and Mick called themselves these days, the Rogues. Captain Cold and Heat Wave, quite the fitting monikers for Len and Mick. Seemed they wanted to try the secret identity thing after all. Curious, how nobody officially put those together. Even more curious that Detective West turned a blind eye, even sat in grief together with the criminal couple.
"Have fun on your date, even if you could have better company, Liz," Hartley called after them.
Cisco flipped him off without turning around, causing Hartley to grin teasingly. He could hear Wells heave a sigh and then clear his throat behind Hartley.
"You know, you keep saying that Jesse is like a sister to you. But you and Cisco, you're the real brothers," Harrison looked exasperated and amused. "The way you tease each other and always try to one-up each other. Lay off him about Lisa though, he's... really happy. I think that, especially right now, all of us deserve all the happiness we can get."
The amusement turned into sadness as he turned his attention onto Barry. Yeah. This fractured family had already lost so much and now they had also lost Barry.
/break\
"How are you feeling, Caitlin?" Hartley looked worried even as he checked her vitals.
"I keep telling you people that I'm alright," Caitlin groaned.
"We both are, if you care to know."
Hartley side-eyed the other one. Like a mirror image of Caitlin, but distorted. Skin so pale nearly like snow, white hair and blue eyes. She called herself Crystal Frost these days, to have an identity for herself, separate from Caitlin. Most of them hadn't even been aware of Caitlin's DID, at least until the particle accelerator explosion had caused them to split into two bodies. Caitlin had meta-powers, always had them, but as Caitlin she couldn't access them. That was Frost's realm, and where her name came from. Control over ice. Hartley could imagine Len salivating at those kind of powers, even if he by now had his Cold Gun.
"This is completely new territory," Harrison's voice was stern. "We have to monitor you two. We already... We don't know what is happening with Barry, we can't afford to take any risks."
Frost heaved an exasperated sigh. "Yes, yes, doc. If you're done now, I have places to be."
Places being the Saints and Sinners. Hartley knew that that was where she lived. That Len and Mick had bought the bar. Legal income. Good, upstanding citizens. Even though they went around stealing as their alter egos. And Frost was currently crashing with them, because she had joined the Rogues. Hartley still didn't know how that went together. This acceptance of the thieves. But then Harrison had never made him feel like less for his own past either.
/break\
Hartley had never willingly entered the police department before. His eyes were wide as he looked around. The building itself was impressive. And easier to take in when one was not handcuffed. Aimlessly did he wander into the belly of the beast, so to speak.
"You don't look like you work here," a gruff voice, though with a soft kind of accent, Indian maybe. "If you're here to report a crime, you wandered too far."
Hartley let his gaze wander to instead look at the man who'd spoken to him. And mh. That view was even better. The man was absolutely stunning, with endlessly dark eyes, dark brown hair falling down onto his shoulder, smooth and orderly, soft brown skin, a trimmed beard accentuating his jawline. That suit fitted him very well too, snug around his biceps.
"Well," an elegant eyebrow was raised at him.
"Right. Yes. Visitors walking into the precinct is probably not a commonly allowed thing," Hartley offered a crooked grin and ran his fingers through his long blonde hair. "Sorry. I'm Hartley, Hartley Rathaway. Detective West asked me to run some tests and Doctor Wells suggested I bring the results over in person to explain my findings."
The man's grumpy attitude shifted. There was a flash of guilt or grief there – remembering that they were short the most talented CSI that the precinct had – and changing into something more welcoming as he nodded briefly at Hartley in acknowledgment.
"Captain Singh," the man offered his hand to shake. "I hear good things about you, Mister Rathaway. I know Allen outsourced some investigations to your lab in the past, things we're not equipped to do thanks to a limited budget."
"Always happy to help, Captain Singh," Hartley smiled as he shook the offered hand.
For a long moment, they just stood there, still holding hands even after they'd stopped shaking. Both too busy staring at the other, taking in every little detail they could make out.
Someone cleared their throat. "Captain Singh?"
"Detective Thawne," Singh tore his eyes away from Hartley. "Yes?"
"Caught a lead on the cause," Eddie turned to look at Hartley. "Hey, Rathaway. Joe's waiting."
"Yeah. Right. I guess we both have places to be, Captain Singh," Hartley grinned softly.
Hated to see him go, loved to watch him go. The view from behind was gorgeous too.
/break\
The Flash was gone, again. In his place, yet another new Flash. Where Central City kept all these speedsters? Hartley didn't know that either. This new Flash, his costume was practically the same as the last Flash's but the colors were inverted, what was red on Flash's was yellow on this one's. And he had a partner too, girl in red and yellow. A new Quick and a new Flash.
And Hartley didn't think about it at first. New heroes .That wasn't his concern. At least until he actually got saved by the new Flash. Aside from the obvious difference of skin-color – the last Flash had clearly been white, this new Flash was black – there was a difference in age too. He was a kid.
Now that. That made him feel conflicted. Because adults putting on thighs and saving the day? Their business. But a kid, donning a colorful suit and endangering himself? Hit a bit more close to home and Hartley didn't think that a kid should put their life on the line like that.
For the first time in years, Hartley got the dark wooden box out of the depth of his closet and opened the lid. Looking at his beautiful silver flute. The Pied Piper had done many wrongs to this city. Could he... use it for good? Become the hero he used to think about as a child? Take the load off this kid. Hartley was an adult, thirty-three now. No longer the kid he used to be when he went out as the Pied Piper. Not the kid that now donned the Flash uniform.
Hartley didn't know what kind of fate had befallen those before him. The first Flash, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, now the second Flash. Chances were, they were dead, or no longer able to go out there and run around the city to save people. Not the kind of fate a kid should run toward.
/break\
Kid Flash was pinned beneath a giant humanoid shark. Kid Quick was nowhere to be spotted, most likely busy with a crime somewhere else. Hartley was glad he'd put on the cloak again. Putting his flute against his lips felt natural, like getting home. And then he played. And the shark listened. Just like the pied piper with the rats, Hartley was able to lure the shark away. Once free, Kid Flash sped away to get chains to tie the mighty shark up.
"Who... Who are you?" Kid Flash stared at him in surprise afterward.
"Call me the Pied Piper," Hartley grinned. "I figured you could use a little help. If you want it."
Kid Flash nodded at him, nearly doe-eyed. "I... uh. Thanks. Yeah."
Before the police could arrive, Hartley made his way. Not just to avoid having to give a statement. Also because he was late for a date. The fourth time he had unnecessarily volunteered to bring results directly to the precinct, his friends started bullying him about it. Accusing him of there being something else there that had piqued his interest. In the end, it had been Caitlin who gave him the final push. Because she had... listened to him. She'd accepted Ronnie's advances. They'd been dating for barely a few months. And then the particle accelerator had exploded. And... Ronnie had died. Chances should not be wasted, the most valuable thing they all had was time.
"I'm so sorry I'm late, David. Traffic was... there was a giant man-shark on main street."
"Well, that's a first, far as excuses go," David smiled at him. "And if I hadn't seen it myself on the news while waiting at the bar, I wouldn't believe it..."
Hartley returned the smile warmly. "I was there and I can hardly believe it."
David Singh. He just couldn't get the man out of his head. That was why he kept going back to the precinct. Because he had a crush on the gorgeous captain. And on that fifth time, he finally found the bravery to ask David out on a date. The captain had been surprised at first, but in the end accepted reluctantly. Coffee at that coffee-shop Iris loved so much and recommended to Hartley; he didn't really drink a lot of coffee. So coffee for the first date, slightly awkward small-talk. That was the part Hartley had never been good at, the reason he barely ever went on second dates.
But not with David. Hartley really wanted to get to know him better. So they went on a second date, at a bar. Alcohol loosened lips and since the first hurdle of small-talk had been out of the way, things went smoother. So much so that Hartley found himself eager for a third. And here they were.
"You look..." David trailed off, his eyes wandering over Hartley. "Beautiful."
That hit Hartley by enough surprise to make his cheeks flush. "You clean up well too, David."
David's eyes were soft as he looked at Hartley. There was something about David that just made Hartley feel... understood. He felt calm and at ease. Many times had Hartley formed a place for himself among others, but that had always been an effort on his part. Not with David. Somehow, with David, it came just so naturally. So much so that it near frightened Hartley, because the two hardly knew each other. Only on their third date, yet Hartley felt as though they'd known each other a long time. Perhaps not something to be shared on the third date either.
/break\
David loved his flute play. Sometimes, the two would just be cozy in the living room of Hartley's apartment and he would play for his boyfriend. David laying sprawled out on the couch, his head resting on Hartley's lap. Hartley loved these calm moments too. He loved playing his music just to make someone feel at ease, not to control them. Though he couldn't deny there was appeal to the control too, he had to admit that he missed being the Pied Piper.
Hartley put his flute down. "There... is something I should tell you..."
"Mh? No bad news today, just rest..." David had one hand resting over his eyes.
"I just... I like you, a lot," Hartley flushed and looked away. "And I don't want this to stand between us. But I... have a past. You're a police captain. I wouldn't want you to find out any other way."
"You used to be a thief," David sat up slowly. "You spent four years in Iron Heights. Got out early on good behavior. You called yourself the Pied Piper back then and I'm guessing... you do now too."
Hartley's eyes widened as he stared at David. "I... Yes... How do you..."
"Do you think that the CCPD just lets anybody do lab work on cases?" David smiled amused. "I had your background checked, the background of everyone in STAR Labs involved with cases. It's part of the procedure. Even before you and I started... dating. Though I appreciate that you decided to tell me yourself too. Thank you, for trusting me."
"But the now, the..." Hartley frowned. "When the cops interviewed me about it, I told them..."
"You lied, yes," David arched one eyebrow. "Claimed your flute had disappeared after you got incarcerated and you never bothered to look for it again, since you went straight."
"And you don't believe that I did."
"Oh no, I do. That's why I believe that you are the current Pied Piper too," David chuckled and interlaced their fingers with each other. "The current Pied Piper isn't a crook. He's a vigilante. But beyond that, I... Your playing. I recognize your playing."
Oh. Hartley couldn't help but feel warm when he heard that. Without thinking on it did he lean forward and kiss David deeply. David had recognized him by his music.
"I think... I think I'm falling in love with you, David."
"Good," David grinned against his lips. "Because I think me too."
/break\
Harley had teamed up with Kid Flash a couple of times by now and he felt as though he had enough of the kid's trust to start this conversation. So when they sat together on a roof-top after the last team-up, just them, a bag of bagels and the sunset, he turned toward the young hero.
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you. And I think that we've had each other's backs often enough that I feel like I can ask you that..."
Kid Flash took a large bite from the bagel and nodded. "Sure thing, Piper. What is it?"
"Who's making you do this?" Hartley sat tense, watching the confusion on the boy's face. "You're not just another Flash, I can see that you're just a kid."
"Wha—at," Kid Flash's eyes widened comically. "I'm not-"
"Look me in the eyes," Hartley interrupted him. "Look me in the eyes and tell me straight to my face that you are legally allowed to buy alcohol in this country. Hell, that you finished high school."
Kid Flash faltered at that, looking worried. "I mean... I... Nobody's making me do this."
"You're a kid. A kid shouldn't put on colorful outfits to risk his life," argued Hartley. "And... This isn't a home-made suit. You didn't just put on a colorful hoodie you stitched together with a logo in your garage. This is high-tech. Which means you got funding. And while I don't doubt your intellect, I also do think that you're not behind the tech in this suit, because it seems like the same type of suit as the last Flash's. So I suspect that there are adults in your life, who make you do this."
"They're not making me do this," Kid Flash started defending himself. "I chose to."
"You're... young," Hartley turned to fully face the young hero. "You shouldn't have to choose this. There should be adults watching out for you. You shouldn't have to risk your life."
Kid Flash frowned at him, looking troubled. "There are. They do worry about me. My dad doesn't want me to do this. But he also knows he can't stop me. How do you stop a speedster? I'd be out of the house, stopped a robbery and be right back where I was before he'd even notice. I have to do this. Dad knows that too. I mean, not that he thinks I have to do this, but he knows that I think that."
"That's very noble of you," said Hartley gently. "Can I ask why you feel that way...? Why do you feel like you have to carry this burden and be Central City's hero?"
"The last Flash..." his voice wavered. "He's... He's my brother. And he can't, right now. And I can't help him. There is nothing I can do to help him. But this? This I can do. I can be a hero, I can help the people he would help if he were awake. I have to do this, so I'm not just... sitting and waiting... I have to do this for him, because it's what he would have wanted."
Hartley's eyes widened and he nodded slowly. He could understand that. The helplessness.
"Here," Hartley got an earbud out and handed it over to Kid Flash. "We've run into each other a couple of times now. But if you need backup, so you can reach me, okay? And I'll be there to help you. So you will still be there when your brother gets better. Okay?"
Kid Flash looked at him with so much relief. "Thank you."
/break\
Hartley felt like he was losing it. The wall in front of him indicated that yes, he was losing it. Photos, newspaper articles. It was just. It was something Kid Flash had said during their conversation. That his brother wasn't awake right now. And there had been coincidences in the past that he had ignored too, perhaps because he didn't want to see them. Now, he couldn't deny it any more. Too many things that didn't add up unless...
The first Flash, Liberty Belle and Johnny Quick had disappeared around the same time Harrison Wells had ended up in the wheelchair and Jay Garrick had gone to prison. Hartley had a good guess which one of them was the Flash and which one was Johnny Quick (clever on that one, picking a random name that was not his first name. People kept looking for a Jonathan). What Hartley didn't know was whether Nora Allen or Elizabeth Chambers had been Liberty Belle.
The new Flash. Barry Allen. He'd been young when he started out, eighteen if it was really Barry. Got his speed from his father (or both his parents, depending on Liberty's identity). Because the new Flash disappeared as Barry fell into his very mysterious coma. Kid Flash's brother, not awake.
Which meant Kid Flash was Wally West. And it made sense. This was the first Flash Hartley actually spent time with, talked to. Even though he manipulated his voice. The way he talked, his sentences, even just the... shape of his body. Hartley had lounged next to Wally on the couch so often over the years, the form of Kid Flash was eerily familiar to him.
Which led him to the next part. Kid Quick. Jesse Wells. Daughter of Johnny Quick, most likely.
"You... make a half-way decent cop. Don't tell me you want to switch profession."
"Please," Hartley took a shaky breath. "Harrison. Just... Tell me I'm not losing it."
"My wife," Harrison's voice broke. "She was Liberty Belle. You're right with everything else."
Heaving a deep sigh of relief, Hartley collapsed back onto his couch. "So you did that. You didn't pull strings for me. You got me that internship with... yourself."
Harrison offered him a half grin. "I saw potential in you. And now, years later, I'm pleased to see that I was right with you. You have the brains, kid. And now you're using them for good."
For a moment, the doctor paused, furrowing his brows. "You're using your flute for good too."
"I got... worried," Hartley shrugged. "When I realized our current Flash is more like a Kid Flash... I wanted to make sure nobody took advantage of his talents, made him do this. I wanted to watch out for him. Because I remember being a kid out there with nobody watching out for me."
"You're not the only one watching out for Wallace," offered Hartley after a moment. "Aside from me, keeping an eye on him from the outside, warning him, guiding him. Providing him with the tech. As I did for his brother. Those boys, they both... they have a righteous streak in them. They want to help people who can't help themselves. There's no stopping them, just like I couldn't stop Jay from going out there either. All I could do back then was be at his side, fight with him."
"Who else?" Hartley turned toward him fully. "Who else is watching out for him?"
"Ironically enough, your former co-workers," Harrison chuckled dryly. "I'm sure you've had questions about Rory and the Snarts being by STAR Labs with nobody sending them away."
"I... have been wondering, yes. Particularly about the cops in the room."
"The Flash fell for his biggest nemesis," Harrison sighed, the sigh that sounded like he needed a drink. "And believe me, Joe was not a fan of that. But the Rogues had rules, no killing, no maiming. And before too soon, they also started helping. When an enemy proved too big for the Flash, the Rogues had his back, because this is also their city. And now... Now that Barry is in this coma... They're acting much like Wally, taking up what Barry would be doing."
That made Hartley snort aloud, shaking his head. The Rogues. Doing good.
/Saints and Sinners, Central City, January 2014\
"Can a guy get a beer around here?"
"Hart," Lisa looked surprised, before nearly throwing herself over the counter to hug him. "I didn't expect you to come by the bar ever again. What are you doing here?"
"I've been doing a lot of thinking. Couple weeks ago, I had a... surprising conversation with Doctor Wells. And I sat on that for a while. So much has happened in all our lives, I didn't know..." Hartley trailed off for a moment, then bringing some distance between them. "I didn't know if I was still welcomed. Or if too much time had passed and we moved too far apart."
"I told you back then, kid. You could come here any time you felt like it."
"I'm hardly a kid anymore, Len. I'm thirty-five."
"Horrifying," Len said dryly. "When the youngsters become adults themselves."
"My brother," Lisa rolled her eyes. "Still looks at me as his darling little sister."
"That kind of thinking... That does never change, Lisa."
Hartley was startled, turning toward the new voice. New person. Some blonde lady, looking sad and hot at the same time, with fishnet stockings. Wearing a leather jacket. She fit right in here.
"Hartley Rathaway, Laurel Lance," Lisa motioned between them. "Former member of the Rogues before we were the Rogues, meet a former-and-now-again member of the Rogues."
Hartley frowned curiously at that. He was aware of the roster, more or less. Black Siren, Weather Wizard, Peek-a-Boo. On occasion, they worked with others too. The Top, Mirror Master, Trickster. Laurel, Black Siren, went to get herself a drink behind the bar and downed it in one go.
"Left the criminal life behind me when my sister mysteriously returned from the dead, because she'd never been dead. Just... stranded on an island," she refilled her glass. "Even tried myself as a vigilante in Star City. But now she's dead. For real this time, I suppose. So here I am. You?"
"N... Nothing as... drastic," Hartley swallowed. "I was a kid, realized I wanted a life not on the run or living in hiding. So I did my time and started over after."
"And now you're here because...?" Laurel raised her eyebrows and downed her drink.
"Because I hear the Rogues are in the hero business these days."
"Eh. Overrated talk," Len drawled, motioning for Laurel to get him a drink too. "Not heroes."
"More like... vigilantes, I suppose. Part-time," Laurel pushed the glass over to Len before turning back to Hartley. "The score's still important. Saving the day just happens on the pastime."
Mh. Interesting. So the Rogues still stole, but stuck to their code. And they did good too. All different shades of grey, that bunch. Hartley tilted his head.
"So you manage to keep your real identities separate from Captain Cold and the Rogues?"
"Works," Len shrugged casually. "Got a boyfriend who erased our record. Record's clean now. Well, Len Snart and Mick Rory's records anyway. Captain Cold and Heat Wave are big question marks. But us? Upstanding citizens, just a nice married couple running a bar."
"Having big neighborhood barbecues once a month," Mick tagged on with a grunt.
The big guy came to sit next to Len. Those two had never been very physically affectionate. If anything, it escalated in ways that had Lisa and Hartley flee the room.
"If the Rogues need backup during their vigilante stunts..." Hartley slid an earbud over to Len. "The Pied Piper's in the vigilante business too now, you know."
"Oh, we know. It's why we hadn't had a run in yet," Len offered a crooked grin. "Because we knew the kid's taken care of when you watch over him. Frees time up for us."
"So, you're a former-and-now-again Rogue too then?" Laurel's grin matched Len's.
"Maybe. A bit," Hartley chuckled. "But definitely count me in for Mick's barbecue."
Mick grunted, nodding. "Good choice, kid."
/Hartley's Apartment, February 2014\
The doorbell was ringing, but Hartley was in the middle of kissing David. "Ignore it. They'll go away if we just ignore it. We're very busy here, right now."
The ringing got more intense. With a groan did David back off and let Hartley go get it after all. When he opened the door, Wally West was standing in front of it, looking both eager and awkward.
"I. Uh. Didn't mean to interrupt," his eyes wandered toward David.
"Too late for that," David glared. "I feel haunted by your family. Stalked."
Hartley laughed softly at that. True enough. There were Joe and Barry at work and Hartley knew what a headache Barry gave him. Had given him... And then there was Iris, newly reorienting her career into journalism and always hoping to get the inside scoop from the cops in her life.
"What is it, Wally?" Hartley led the kid into the apartment.
"I'm just... It's... Soon Valentine's Day and I had... questions..."
"That sounds like no conversation I want to be a part of," David grunted and got up. "Give me a call when you're free and we'll meet up, mh?"
He kissed Hartley's cheek and patted Wally on the back on his way out. Once it was just them, Wally sat down on the couch, though he was unable to stop fidgeting. He looked... flustered.
"There anything you wanna tell me?" Hartley kept his voice gentle.
Barry was gay, just like Hartley. Maybe Wally was questioning himself? And with Barry in a coma, he didn't know who best to turn to? Wally avoided looking at him, seeming even more flustered.
"How do you tell someone you like them?" Wally finally turned to look at him again. "I can't talk to dad about that. It's awkward and weird and mom's... mom's dead. Harrison is so out of the question. I guess I could ask Iris, but that would mean teasing so... How do you ask someone out?"
"You just... do. You ask, whoever you like. Tell them how you feel and ask how they feel."
"I can't do that," Wally's face screwed up. "What if she'll never talk to me again and I ruin our friendships? What if she will never be normal around me again? They always say that 'we can stay friends', but it is never the same again after, is it?"
"That depends on the people," offered Hartley gently. "Yes, some aren't able to go back to being friends. But others... Is this about Jesse?"
"She's my best friend," Wally groaned, covering his face. "And she's my... partner. We are so good together, I mean out there. Taking care of criminals. I just. What if it'll fray that?"
"That's impossible," Hartley spoke firmly. "Even if she doesn't return your feelings, the two of you have each other's back out there and it will not... it will not affect that. Not with her."
"So you really think I should just... tell her?" Wally still looked doubtful.
"Here's the thing..." Hartley folded his hands in his lap. "You will never know what she feels and if you two could be together if you don't try, you know? So you have to decide... What's more important to you? Being sure that nothing ever chances, or trying to change it?"
Wally looked at him like he had just imparted some grand wisdom on him. "Thanks, Hart."
/Saints and Sinners, Central City, Summer 2014\
Hartley had been right. Trying it out was what worked. Jesse and Wally fought together well and afterward, they'd hold hands and kiss while drinking a soda at the Saints and Sinners. Nothing with alcohol for the kids. Still, the Rogues' tradition of after heist celebration also carried over to after vigilantism celebration. Len was playing cards with Frost and Laurel, Mick stood at the grill, debating with Eddie and Joe. Harrison was keeping an eye on Laurel's daughter Deedee, playing with the toddler with a surprisingly soft side. Caitlin was with Cisco, Lisa and Iris. And Wally and Jesse were holding hands, whispering into each other's ears and giggling. For a moment, Hartley just stood in the doorway and looked at them. How strange fate had worked out that way. The two families he'd found for himself and somehow, time had brought them together too.
"Hartley?" David asked curiously. "Do you just plan on standing there?"
"No. No, I just..." Hartley smiled. "I like how peaceful this is."
He slipped his hand into his boyfriend's. They'd had dinner plans for tonight, but after the big take-down of a criminal gang selling drugs that had been flooding the city lately, the team had decided on a spontaneous barbecue to celebrate. Because people had died from these ill-cut drugs. And since it had been a cooperation between vigilantes and the cops – Eddie and Joe officially on the case – Hartley thought he could invite David along too.
"Smells good," commented David once they reached the grill.
"What can I say, Captain, my husband is a genius when it comes to... working with fire."
The way Len said 'captain' always had a humorous note to it. Hartley smiled amused as he went to sit at the table. Once the first meat was done to be served, all sat down together.
Wally cleared his throat, raised his glass. "To Barry. May he join our family barbecues again soon."
Everyone did the same, with solemn faces. Hartley hoped that to come true soon, for all their sake. So Kid Flash could step back. They were close. What had happened had activated meta-genes in many had a different effect on the boy born with his genes activated. Soon, they'd figure it out soon.
~*~ The End ~*~
Author's note: Ngl, my original plans for my own world did not include Hartley at all because the TV show did not... really make him interesting or appealing to me. Buuut in my quest of reading Rogues-centric Flash comics, holy SHIT has he grown on me! Comic!Hartley is so interesting and fascinating and SINGHAWAY ARE AN ABSOLUTE OTP. Maaan am I mad at the TV show for featuring both David and Hartley and just NOT making the ship canon. Seriously, of all the ways the show has clearly fucked over the source material, Hartley probably suffered the worst? So yeah! I suddenly decided that I NEED Hartley in my world and I need him in all the found families, both the Rogues and Team Flash! :D
