Salutations! I received enough requests for more that I decided to try to keep going. I managed to get a story line plotted out and am going to post chapters after I finish them (while following my outline). That said, I have seen Trajectory and while my own story may be similar, it will be AU from after King Shark on. Please feel free to make suggestions or requests. I love input! Big thanks to everyone who has already commented and kept me interested. This is sans beta (I'm seriously a beta killer, though I can occassionally coax a former beta from the dead to beta a story - just not this one). Enjoy! - CT
Chapter 2: Introducing Johnny Chambers
Joe tried to suppress a smile as he watched Harry Wells, now Johnny Chambers, squirm. "I'm telling you this is a bad idea," Harry hissed at Joe, glaring at the detective. The only reason Harry had come along was because Joe had convinced him it was necessary if he wanted to integrate into this world. If he wanted to provide Jesse with the life she deserved, he had to make every effort to blend in and be accepted by this universe.
"Look, Johnny," Joe began, stressing the name. "She knew Dr. Wells better than anyone. If you can convince her of your identity, then you shouldn't have difficulty convincing anyone else." Harry pressed his lips together.
"Hey, Dad," Jesse began, leaning in with a tablet in front of her. "What do you think of this?" She offered him the tablet, winking at Joe. Frowning at the formula on the tablet, Harry took it, his worries forgotten.
In the other room, the secretary entered and put a file down in front of her boss. "These need your review and signature," the woman began. "Detective West is here with a Mr. and Mrs. Chambers to see you."
"Fine. Send them in, thank you Michelle," Tina McGee said, taking the folder and looking through it. She didn't look up as the door closed and then reopened and she heard several feet on the carpet. "I'll be with you in a moment."
"No rush, Dr. McGee," Joe declared, glancing at Harry and Jesse. Neither of them looked very comfortable.
Finished perusing the file, Tina closed it and looked up at the detective, Mr. and Mrs. Chambers blocked by West. "What can I do for you Detective West?"
"It's about the break in that happened here about four months ago," Joe began.
"Ah, yes. Detective Spivot returned my prototype. She never said anything about who took it or how she recovered it," Tina agreed.
"It was taken by Dr. John Chambers," Joe said, stepping aside so that Harry was standing before Tina's desk.
"Hello," Harry said, offering his hand. "I wanted to apologize for stealing your prototype."
A frown furrowed McGee's brow and she glowered at the man who slowly lowered his hand. "Is this some kind of stupid joke?" Tina demanded, standing and coming quickly around her desk. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that you are anyone other than Harrison Wells?"
"Yes?" Harry shrugged. He didn't know what West expected to happen.
"Please. You walk in here with a new haircut and some random woman posing as your wife and you expect me to believe you are someone completely different?" Tina stepped back, crossing her arms and glaring from her former friend to the young lady he'd come in with.
"Ew," Jesse instantly said, looking horrified.
"Wife? She's my daughter!" Harry protested, before glaring at his daughter. "What do you mean by ew? I'm not ugly!"
"Daddy!" Jesse protested. Before the two could get into it, Joe stepped up.
"Hey, knock it off. Let's try this again. Dr. Tina McGee, allow me to introduce Dr. Johnny Chambers and his daughter Jesse Chambers," Joe said, giving them all stern looks.
"Please. He looks exactly like Harrison!" Tina protested.
"Look, I'm sorry I stole your prototype. Believe me, Patty made more than certain I regretted it," Harry said. "Detective West seemed to think coming to apologize to you in person would be appropriate; that you might be willing to not press charges. I'm sorry. I'll be going." He turned to head to the door.
"Harrison," Tina called. Harrison's look alike didn't stop, his daughter following him. "Mr. Chambers?"
"Doctor," he declared, whirling back to face her, a finger pointing at her. Tina looked him up and down.
"You really want me to believe that you're not Harrison?" Tina glowered at him.
"Yes," Harry said, trying not to sound exasperated and annoyed. He wasn't succeeding.
"Prove it," Tina ordered.
"How? I mean, I'm already walking when he couldn't. That isn't enough?" Harry shook his head, irritated with Joe for dragging him to McGee.
"No. I wouldn't put it past Harrison to have faked his injury," Tina answered, looking the man up and down. "Take off your shirt."
"Huh?" Harry stared, confused.
"Take off your shirt," Tina repeated, carefully enunciating each word.
"No," Harry said, shaking his head.
"Come on Dad, just pretend you're at my 13th birthday pool party," Jesse said, a smile teasing her lips. As she spoke she started tugging his jacket off.
"Okay, first off, I did that because you were nervous about wearing a bathing suit around your classmates," Harry began, stumbling back some as his daughter pulled his top layer off.
"Johnny, take the damn shirt off," Joe said. For a moment, Harry looked like he was going to argue, but after a look he shook his head and grabbed the ends of his shirt.
"If the walking part isn't going to convince you, I don't know what will," Harry grumbled as he peeled the shirt off.
"Please. Last year I walked in on you while Dr. Snow was stitching up your side. Look there's the scar," Tina declared, pointing at the jagged scar on the left side of Harry's abdomen.
"Daddy," Jesse exclaimed. "What happened? How did you get that?" She stepped up and stared at her father. "And this one." Reaching out she started to touch his scar from the shooting. "And this." Her hand hovered over a single scar high by his collar bone. She walked around him, studying him critically.
"They're nothing," Harry tried to assure his daughter.
"No wonder you've been hiding under that shirt," Jesse pondered. "How many scars have you picked up in the last four months?"
"She's right," Tina whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "Harrison was injured on the right side of his abdomen over a year ago. This is the wrong side and this injury is relatively recent."
"Can I put my shirt back on now?" Harry demanded.
"No," Tina countered. Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. Frowning, she reached out and poked the scar.
"Ouch, hey!" Harry slapped her hand away and shot a look at Joe. The detective was struggling to suppress his amusement. "No poking." Harry settled for glowering at the woman.
"Okay, that's real," Tina said to herself. Reaching out, she rubbed at his right side. "Have you hidden it with makeup?" Once more Harry squirmed away, a giggle escaping his lips.
"Dad is ticklish," Jesse said with a grin.
"Turncoat," Harry shot at Jesse. "Our secret! You promised!"
"Dad, that was ten years ago," Jesse countered.
"Doesn't matter." Harry shook his head. Turning his attention to Tina, who was still inspecting his side, he demanded, "Do you mind?"
Instead of answering, Tina paced around the man, frowning at a tattoo on his back, over his heart. "Are these tattoos real?" The female scientist's question drew Joe's attention so that he followed her gaze.
"No, they're magic marker," Harry answered snarkily. At a look from Joe, the scientist rolled his eyes but fell silent.
"Did you know he had these three tattoos?" Tina looked to Jesse. The older woman was hoping to catch the two off guard in their little charade.
"Yep. He had the first two since before I was born and got the one in purple when I was two," Jesse answered. "I've seen them all."
"I assure you I have one tattoo that only your mother has seen," Harry informed his daughter without thinking. It made Joe and Tina look surprised and Jesse actually squealed.
"Ew, Daddy," Jesse exclaimed.
As the father and daughter exchanged a very father-daughter conversation, Tina studied the tattoos. There was one high on the back of each shoulder. On the left shoulder was what looked like the Celtic trinity cross done to look like an atom. It was an appropriate tattoo for a scientist. The one on the man's right shoulder was not what she would have expected. It looked like an eagle clutching a flint pistol, anchor, and trident. The one over the back of Harrison's heart was the oddest. It looked like something written by a child, with large letters in purple forming "H-O-H". The ink of all three tattoos had seeped into the skin with age. Obviously "Johnny" had gotten them years ago. Sighing, Tina finished rounding the man and stepped back from him.
"Tell me, Ms. Chambers, what did you call your mother?" Tina asked, still not willing to believe.
"Mommy," Jesse answered instantly. A smile tugged at Harry's lips.
"No, I mean what was her name," Tina said, shaking her head. The girl's father had pulled his shirt back on and was slipping his arms into his jacket sleeves.
"My wife's name was Libby," Harry said angrily to McGee. "Now, are we through here? Will you be pressing charges?"
"Libby?" Tina frowned at the name.
"Short for Liberty. Before she became Liberty Chambers her name was Liberty Bell," Harry continued. At the face both Tina and Joe made, the scientist shrugged. "I know. Her parents were a bit, well." He shrugged again and let the sentence die unfinished.
"So, you're really not Harrison Wells?"
"Look, I had nothing to do with the accelerator, or the death of Mr. Allen's mother. I'm just a guy trying to get his life back in order," Harry explained. He let out an annoyed breath.
"Why did you steal my prototype?" Tina wasn't willing to let the man walk out of her life. He looked so much like Harrison it seemed impossible. Still, the longer she studied him, the more changes she observed. His eyes were different, and he looked resigned. In his dark jeans, white shirt, black sweater, and black boots, he didn't remind her much of the Harrison she'd known or the man he'd become.
"I needed it," Harry began. Tina arched an eyebrow at him over her glasses. Sighing, Harry gave in and decided to tell as much of the truth as he could. "I needed it to save Jesse. She was kidnapped by someone trying to manipulate me into helping them."
"Who?" Tina demanded, watching him intently, looking for any sign that he was lying.
"A metahuman called Zoom. Black speedster," Harry answered tersely.
"Why did Zoom take her?" Tina asked.
"Because he thought like you do: that I'm Harrison Wells and that I would help him steal the Flash's speed," Harry answered honestly.
"Flash saved me," Jesse informed the older woman. For a long moment, Tina studied the father and daughter. Jesse had the man's dark hair, and her eyes were expressive and bright.
"Alright. I tell you what," Tina began, going back to her desk and sitting. "I will not press charges if you agree to come in and help my security team make it so you can't break into the lab again." For a moment it looked like Harry wasn't going to agree, but instead he nodded.
"Fine," he agreed.
"Excellent. It'll take us about thirty minutes to get you cleared with security and get you an ID," Tina informed him.
"Jesse, sweetheart, why don't you go home with West. I'll find my own way," Harry instructed his daughter. Nodding, Jesse turned to Joe and the two left, both glancing back once at Harry and Tina. Once they were alone, Harry turned his attention to the woman in front of him. "Alright, Dr. McGee, I'm all yours."
"No, Dr. Chambers, you are Mr. Scot's my head of security," Tina countered. Giving the man a serious look, she summoned her secretary, instructing the woman to get the head of security. She wasn't just going to let this Harrison look-alike into her life without taking precautions.