Chapter Text
There was a soft numbness that came with an air of bliss. It slowly subsided away as he awoke. Tried limbs flexed, showing signs of consciousness. Then his eyes opened. Bright blue orbs taking in a new day.
The dream from the night before had him feeling strange. The uncanny nature made him wonder of its relations with the real world. He'd been a monster, possessed by a hindu God that killed his friends. In that dream he had killed the original Einstein, and tried to kill Albert too. All this was because of the atomic bombs, he just couldn't understand why.
Sitting up in his bed he glanced out the window over the city of London. He lived in the Elizabeth tower, along with the rest of the team. He would have rather stayed in America and raised Albert there, but Churchill did some convincing and now he sits here. The sun was higher than when he'd usually get up, must of overslept. If he didn't get out of bed soon...
*knock knock knock* That'll be Marie "I'm coming!" He called from behind the closed door. Tossing his legs over the edge of the bed and pushing off the mattress to stand upright. A vision from his dream flashed before his eyes. The bombs explode over the cities of Japan, the black and white image of sheer death and destruction.
It had him reeling. No scientist ever got to see the damages, they only ever got the reports back. Where the images came from was hard to say.
Quickly shaking the image out of his head he opened the door, surprised to find that it wasn't Marie but Nikola. He looked a bit embarrassed to be there. "Oh Tesla, is there something wrong? Usually Marie wakes me if I've slept in."
Just as Nikola opened his mouth a young boy rushed past him and jumped up to Robert. "Dad! You're up!" He exclaimed.
Oppie quickly caught the boy as he lept "Hey Albert. You weren't causing trouble for Nikki here while I was asleep, were you?" He looked quizzically with a smile at the young boy who giggled in return.
"No, no trouble. Marie was busy so she left me to watch him." Nikola patted Albert's hair. "He is very excited about seeing the museum."
"Yeah!" Albert cheared. "You promised you'd bring me to the science museum today. I wanna see the Newton exhibit." He threw his arms in the air to punctuate his point.
Oppie laughed, "I'm sure you do." He knew there wasn't much to see there in the first place. But at least one thing could bring the boy some entertainment. His eyes lifted from Albert to Nikola, "Hey Nikola are you doing anything important today?"
The slightly taller Male blinked in surprise wiping away his amused smile. "Oh.. um well not really, just tidying up a few things."
"Good, so how about you join us? You did well enough with Albert by yourself."
Tesla chuckled a bit, but not quite sure he stuttered. "Oh well, I-I guess I did." He looked down at Albert in Robert's arms, seeing the boy's pleading eyes. "I don't see why not."
"Right then," Robert smiled in turn along with Albert's cheering, "If you're coming, you want to get breakfast?"
Albert jumped for Oppie's arm speeding down the corridor. Nikola could barely move out of his way before he gave his answer "Oh no you don't have to-"
"I know you well enough now to know you haven't eaten anything yet. We have the same shit schedule. Except mine is filled with cigarettes instead of bird watching." They both shared a laugh knowing they both needed someone to remind them to eat every now and again.
-
After a small breakfast at a quaint café. He had ordered a lemon poppyseed muffin and a coffee for himself, a blueberry muffin for Nikola who he shared half with Albert. While Albert enjoyed his half of a muffin and apple juice the two of them chatted. Nikola, teaching Robert a few words and phrases. Albert quickly became restless, so they were off to the museum.
Seeing Albert bounce about in excitement brings a smile to his face. Not to mention the stress on Nikola’s face, at trying to keep the enthusiastic boy from touching everything made him laugh.
Nikola held Albert's hand as the small boy pulled him along. Robert marched behind laughing at the faces Nikola made. "Yes, yes keep laughing, I'm not used to this kind of treatment like you."
Albert giggles seeing the joy he caused his father. His eyes landed on something that brought him to a screeching halt in the middle of the technology exhibit. And pointed up at a painting of a woman in an olden style dress. "Who's that?"
Nikola looked up at the nameplate and read aloud "Ada Lovelace."
Robert walked up behind them where they stopped, "You've met her, right Nikki? She created computer programming, if I remember correctly." Tesla nodded remembering the first meeting, she looked much different than the painting. Robert Glance down at Albert seeing he finally quieted down. Kneeling down by him Robert asked "She's pretty, don't you think Albert?"
His face turning red with embarrassment. He let go of Tesla's hand to cup and cover his face. Brows furrowed as he shook his head no. Still unable to remove his eyes from the painting. Robert chuckles, patting his son's hair as he turns to look down the line of incasced items.
"Have you met her, Oppenheimer?" Nikola asked out of curiosity.
He looked up at the other from the floor "No. A 'friend' of mine told me about her."
He smiled at the thought of him. It's been so long since he'd last seen him. Maybe he should drop by for a surprise.
Nikola looked confused, Robert never spoke of any friends, "Who might this friend be?"
"You don't remember him?" He said it so plainly that Nikola almost felt ashamed of forgetting someone so important; untell. "Alan Turing," Robert looked confused when the name didn't genature anything for Tesla. "He created the machine that broke the German codes…"
Now it was Tesla's turn to look confused. Albert's gaze was finally pulled away hearing his Dad's tone change. "I'm Sorry Robert but I don't know who you're talking about."
Robert huffed, rising to his feet. Marching down the small room looking for it. The war is over, why keep it a secret now?
Nothing, not a name plate nor picture, there was no mention of his friend's accomplishment. He turned and continued on his path to the war part of the museum.
Nikola followed quickly behind him, Albert on his father's heels. "Robert, is this really that important?"
The mechanics of war wasn't a place Robert would willingly walk into without some convincing, but he was set on showing Tesla his dear friend. "Of course it's important." He states, "Alan meant everything to me, how do you not know him?"
When he came upon the World Wars, he couldn't find anything there; except himself. Albert smiled seemingly unaware of the situation. "Dad, that's you!" Pointed at a photo of a slightly younger man and an US officer standing around a pile of dirt.
Robert didn't respond, he just stared past the picture at his reflection in the glass frame. He looked wrong. His reflection was too young. Then he caught a glimpse of the bombs, dioramas but his mind saw them at twice the scale. Visions blind slighted him, sending him to the ground. Nickola jumped, quickly picking the man off the floor. As a concern Albert watched in confusion.
"Robert? Robert! What's wrong? It's ok Albert, your dad is fine. I've got him."
It wasn't long until staff helped Tesla carry Oppenheimer to a bench at the front.
Later it was Tapputi that came to pick them up. Nikola wasn't just going to let Robert walk back. Tapputi felt sorry for Albert, he had know idea what happened and probably felt helpless. She didn't say much when they piled in the science mobile. Robert, still insisting he's fine with Albert holding onto him.
Nikola explained what happened the best to his own understanding. Tapputi half listened as her eyes continued to flick back at Albert in the rear view mirror. "He was Talking about a man, another scientist. Tried to find a section about him in the technology section, then the war section-"
"Wait! Tesla you idiot. You know how he feels about that stuff!" She slammed a palm on the steering wheel.
"No this is different." Robert mumbled from the back. "I saw something."
His statement made Nikola’s head spin. "Well, what did you see? What exactly happened to you Robert?" He looked concerned, whatever could he have seen that caused him to pass out.
With Albert clinging to his forearm. Robert looked at him with soft eyes, then back to Tesla. Shaking his head to signal that this wasn't the place to talk about it. He himself didn't fully understand what caused him to blackout. It was a dream, he knew that. As shocking as the image was, it was nothing to faint over, they weren't real.
"When we get back I need to speak to Churchill." He spoke softly, "I have some things I need to ask him." His eyes fell dark staring through the windshield past Tesla.
-
Stepping out of the car Robert handed Albert to Tesla. "Sorry buddy I'm going to go have an adult talk with Winston, Nikola will take care of you in the meantime.
The boy pouted, "I can take care of myself."
"I know you can." With a soft smile he looked back to Tesla, the light in his eyes vanished with a nod. With long strides he marched into the tower. Determined and looking for answers. He should be more concerned with blacking out at the museum. But why hadn't Alan's accomplishments been noted in the museum. It just wasn't adding up in his brain.
Finding Churchill in his private smoking room (his study) as the man poured himself a drink. His head turned up to the sound of Oppenheimer entering the room. Winston greated him in kind with a smile and genuine curiosity. "Hello Dr. Oppenheimer, what brings you in here? I assume you would still be out with your boy."
"That's why I'm here." He breathed evenly "At the museum today, I noticed someone was missing."
The serious tone brings concern to Churchill's face. "Missing? A Scientist?"
"Yes."
"Well who, maybe something upset the timeline and removed them." He seemed so genuine and willing to fix the problem.
Before speaking, the door opened. Tapputi poked her head in spotting Robert, she'd pushed the door open further. "So that's where you ran too."
Robert almost scowled, displeased he'd been interrupted. Quickly trying to coax her out of the room "Tapputi this was s'pose to be a private conversation."
"Well whatever it is, you owe Albert an explanation for blacking out." She blankly stated. "Poor kid keeps asking questions, and I don't have any answers."
Churchill, surprised, loudly asked. "Blacking out? Is this true?" Looking back to Robert.
"Well yes sir, but-" he keeps getting pulled off track.
"How did this happen?"
Tapputi interjects, "He said he saw something, I don't know what." She waved dismissively. "But whatever it was had him hit the floor like a sack of dildos."
Churchill rubbed his chin in thought. "Why, blacking out, hallucinations. Maybe this is something to discuss with Freud."
"Now if I can just get a word in-" Robert's last attempt for his own answer, stomped out.
"No none of that. I have you off to see Freud, perhaps we can get the answer to you blacking out." Churchill usher him out along with Tapputi.
The door closed behind them leaving both alone in the hallway without answers. Robert grumbled to himself, ringing his fingers through his tight nit curls.
"Yeah I get it, Freud is the last person anyone wants to talk to." She patted him on the shoulder.
He looked down at the half senile old woman, upset with being practically excused and sent on his way before even uttering his concerns. He could be mad at her but it would do no good to pick a fight with her. You don't pick a fight with someone who's walked away from death more times than they can count.
"I was looking for answers, Tapputi." He spoke calmly as he began to walk down the hall.
She waddled her way beside him "About what exactly?"
"It's complicated." It's not like telling Tapputi could do any damage, but it's not going to do any good either.
"Isn't everything with you."
-
Make this quick Oppenheimer thought as he stood outside of Freud's room. His hand brought up to knock on the heavy door. He'd have to knock to save them both the decency of whatever the quack was doing in his free time.
Sigmund smiled when he saw Robert at the door. A chance to get into his head was a rare opportunity, something he certainly was never granted. Stepping aside to give Robert a welcomed gesture. "Churchill tells me you are having fainting spells."
Awkwardly standing in the middle of the furnished room. "It was just the one."
He puts his hands in his pocket uncomfortable with sharing.
"Yet you've come to see me, despite what you believe." Sigmund closed the door and walked towards his chair. He placed a hand on Robert's shoulder, gesturing for him to take a seat.
Taking his own seat with a fake smile. "I came to ease Churchill's mind. Sit, talk about nothing and leave." His arms crossed leaning back into the chair.
"A little conversation won't hurt, come on. We can just talk about the women you've slept with." Freud says, like they were going to discuss art or dogs. But he caught something.
The comment disturbed Robert just enough. He scowled then proceeded "How about a man I've slept with?" He said it smoothly with a hint of coldness.
A little stunned by the admittance, Freud stumbled over his words. "Oh yes, I'm all ears."
Oppie smiled then sighed, uncrossed his arms and began. "His name is Alan Turing." He watched to see if Freud recognized the name. Only seeing the same blank expression shared with Tesla, his tone dropped. "The thing is I haven't thought about him since… I don't know when." He leaned in, steepling his fingers. "Maybe it was the nightmare last night that made me look for him. Maybe my dream is trying to tell me something."
Freud reached over to his notepad and began scribbling, "Your dreams?"
"It's what I saw before I blacked out at the museum." He slowly breathed out.
"What do you believe your dream is trying to tell you?" He started listening intently when Robert's tone changed, and noticed how drained he looked.
Robert's hands started to shake so he balled his fist close to his face. "My dreams are telling me I'm a killer." It hurt to say, feeling his heart jump in his chest.
"How? What are you seeing?" Only a simple question Sigmund believed, a question he was not going to get the answer to. Robert looked up, the more he thought about it the more vivid the dream became. Sigmund sighed before speaking "You are not a killer, I've met killers. I've looked them in the eyes." He stroked his beard in thought before giving up. Reaching over to an end table, picking up a notepad and scribbling down something. "If you believe so strongly that your dream was the cause of your black out, then I must refer you to a specialist in that field."
Sigmund leaned across to hand Robert the note he wrote and ripped out of his pad. It had a number and the name 'Carl Jung' written underneath. "You're handing me off?" Looking at the number on the scrap paper, and felt worse than when he fainted. He came here for help and now he was being sent away.
"Don't feel bad my friend, Jung may be a boob, but he knows more about dreams than me." Freud smiled with reassurance. "Unless you have anything else you want to tell me about this man? Or any others?" His eyebrows wiggled.
"No others. I haven't been with anyone after him." Oppie rubbed the back of his neck.
Sigmund snapped a finger in excitement "That is it! You have not had sex in?..." he paused hoping to get an answer but received an annoyed expression. "You need someone to help relieve all that stress. Raising Albert as a single foster parent alone must be hard." He went on as Robert began to make his leave. "Marie or Nikola? There is Tapputi, but you're not her type."
Robert's eyes rolled into the back of his head listening to him. His hand on the door when he turned to say, "Goodbye dr. Freud." Then closing the door behind him without another word escaping through it.
A weak smile faded from his face outside Sigmund's room. Looking at the number, he had little time to react to the screech and blur of white and red as it lunged at his legs. Bracing himself against the wall was not good enough and he landed on his ass.
Seeing the bright smiling face pop up over the top of his knees caused him to laugh. "Dad, are you better?" The cheerful voice asked.
"Yes I'm better now." Robert sat up slipping the note in his pocket. Hooked his hands under alberts arms, lifting him up and placing him in his lap. "Sorry about today Albert. Did you still have fun?"
"Yeah, I had a great time! I don't think Nikola did." The boy stated plainly
Marie approached them from the same hall Albert had appeared down, arms crossed the cold blank expression on his face. Robert smiled nervously seeing her approach. "Hi Marie." Albert sitting on his dad's chest turned to look at the polish/french women standing two feet back from them.
She tilted her head down to look at both of them, speaking sternly to only Robert. "Nikola tells me you fainted. He also says that you went straight to Churchill." Oppenheimer eyes wide just nodding. Her voice stressed but expression the same, "So I go see Churchill and he says he sent you to Freud. You want to tell me why you went to Churchill before coming to see me for a medical issue?"
"Because it wasn't a medical issue." He awkwardly replied with an innocent smile.
Tilting her head with a raised eyebrow. "How is faithing for an unknown reason not a medical issue?"
Silence passed for a moment between them as Robert thought. Looking down at his boy he gave a comforting smile. "Albert, why don't you go to your room and play with your toys." The boy nodded and grinned. Hopped off his dad's lap and trotted down the hall.
They watched him disappear around the corner. Robert pulled himself up off the floor and started walking in the opposite direction. "Let's walk." No destination in mind, they walked. Marie waited for Oppie to start explaining himself. Finally the mind numbing silence was too much for her. Slapping Oppie on the shoulder she demanded "Tell me what is wrong with you."
His eyes opened a bit wider, looking empty and tired. "Nothing." It was soft but truthful. To the best of his knowledge nothing was wrong with him. An answer like that wasn't going to satisfy Marie. She glared further into him. Stopping his march to nowhere he looked her in the eyes. "I'm thinking of going to see a friend." Of course there's the matter of finding him.
She softens "All of this trouble because you are thinking of a 'friend'." A hand placed on his shoulder, "It sounds more like love sickness to me."
Robert's face burned a smidge, as he chuckled uncomfortably. "It's not like that. I don't get love sick." Flustered, Marie giggled as she was grabbed firmly by the shoulders. "We didn't have this conversation. Please Marie, I'm fine." She smirked with that knowing look in her eyes.
"So you say."
Oppenheimer signed, defeated, and let go. "You all shouldn't be so concerned about me."
"You have a little boy to care for, naturally we're going to be concerned about you." She comforted him with the small bit of knowledge that they were all looking out for Albert's well being. The comfort ends with Marie's smile dropped and questioned. "What did Freud tell you?" She tilted her head in the direction of his quarters.
Oppie laughed. "The usual. I need to relieve 'stress'. "
-
Later that night after putting Albert to bed, he pondered the call to Jung. It would be a waste of time, and the money on a long distance call. He was probably asleep. It was just a one time thing. Mind wandering filled with uncertainty sitting on the edge of his mattress. Pulling open the drawer to his night stand, he dropped the number inside and shut it. Lying down in bed for the night, he was plagued with night terrors.
-
Skies filled with red fire. He couldn't move locked in place as a mushroom Cloud grew over the horizon. Screams and cries carried on the wind, knocked into him and circled like a cyclone. He couldn't even cover his ears. A weight crushed his chest and a form grew from within. A shadow imposing and terrifying, eyes glowing hot yellow filled with judgment. Holding a knowledge behind them Robert's mind erased.
"What do you want from me?" He cried out past the screams, "What does this mean?!"
" You know what you've done, Oppenheimer ." The voice deep and loud echoes off itself in different tones.
"Leave me alone!" His desperate cries pulled the shadow appart, revealing a small silhouette in the distance. Standing upon rubble and corpses.
A voice behind familiar and drenched in distress, "Robert, what did you do?" The silhouette shook and laughed, a broken cackle laced with guilt. Left to decide with facing the deranged maniac or the voice behind. Before he had a chance he was turned around. Soft blue eyes of dismay met his, as they crushed him in every sense. Fearful words shot out piercing through him. "You… you killed them."
Lost for words Oppenheimer reached out for him something to hold onto, to trust. Instead a trust was broken.
"No! Don't touch me!" His hand slapped down. Looking at it burning shame and back; he was gone.
Down the way the large figure from earlier bent over, it reels its head and his direction. Bright eyes flash and engulf him in a blinding light.