Chapter Text
Reese was finding it funny how Harold always had the worst timing to ask for updates. He happened to be in the middle of a gun fight when the older man called him and the only thing he could do was say, “I’m a little busy right now, Finch.” Eventually he got out numbered and cornered. He knew he wasn't going to get out of it this time. He threw his gun down and sighed. This was bound to be his fate and the only thing he regretted was that Harold was going to be left without a protector. He had been in love with the smaller man for almost 2 years but never acted on it except flirting. He saw the gun raised to his head and said, “I’m sorry, Finch. I just want you to know I love you and thank you for everything.” Then everything went dark.
Finch knew it was inevitable but it still shocked him anyway. His heart about stopped when he heard gun fire and then Reese’s voice over the com link basically saying goodbye before a single shot and a thud. He cried, “Mr. Reese?? John?? Please answer me.” He was crying when he called Fusco and Carter on his way out of the library with Bear. He stammered, “I need you to get to the address I sent you ASAP. I’ve lost contact with John and I….oh god. I think they killed him.” He took off as fast as he could until he got to the warehouse he last knew John had been at. He told Bear to seek and followed hoping against hope that that shot was not for his beloved friend. He had never had the chance to tell John he loved him and couldn't live without him. He saw bear nuzzling a black clad figure and when he knew it was John he fell to his knees and pulled the man’s head into his lap cried, and rocked. He didn't even care about the blood he was getting all over his bespoke suit. He was so distraught he didn’t even notice Fusco come in and check the taller man’s pulse.
Fusco had never seen four eyes like this before and it scared him. He’s seen Wonder boy out of control and angry but Finch usually didn’t show much emotion at all if any so he knew that there was more to these two men’s relationship than meets the eye. He bent down and found a pulse. He yelled, “Hey Wonder Boy’s still got a pulse. He’s alive. We got to get him outa here and to a hospital. Hey, rich guy? Four eyes? Where do you want us to take him and what name do we use?”
Harold blinked and whispered, “The best one around. I’ll deal with the other stuff. Register him as John Raven, my husband.” He knew that was the only way to be able to have control over what happened with John is if he said they were life partners. He had to go back to the library and get the paper trail taken care of for him to have power of attorney and everything else. Soon as he got the paper trail taken care of he rushed off to the hospital Fusco said he was going to take John too. When he got there he told them he was John’s husband and the doctors talked to him after seeing the power of attorney papers he had made Reese sign a long time ago.
Doctor Sanders said, “Mr. Raven, I hate to have to tell you this but your husband took a bullet to the brain. We managed to remove it but we are not sure how much damage the bullet created. He is currently in a coma and we are not sure when or if he will wake from it. If he wakes up than we can assess the extent of the brain damage he has suffered.”
Harold swallowed thickly and replied, “Thank you, doctor. May I see him?” He was shown into John private room where he sat down in the miserable hard chair that would put him in agony but he wouldn’t leave John’s side. He held onto the younger man’s hand and squeezed it. He whispered, “Please don’t leave me alone, John. I…..need you. I don’t….want to….live without you in my life. I…” No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t say ‘I love you’ until John was awake and able to return the feeling so he cried until he ran out of tears.
John started coming out of the dark when he heard a man calling to him and sobbing. He couldn’t place who it was but he knew the person was important to him and he had to go back even though it was hard to do. He drifted in and out for a while until he got a solid grip. He felt something next to his hand and with an effort reached out and touched short spiky hair and a soft chubby hand. He saw the head rise so fast he winced. He wasn’t sure why but he knew that this little man was in a lot of pain all the time. His brain seemed to be muddled and missing memories that he was sure should be there but he couldn’t find. He finally was able to come up with a name to match the be-speckled face with bloodshot eyes that was looking at him in concern. He rasped, “Ha…har..old?” He was having a hard time speaking. His brain wasn’t working right for him to speak correctly or even think the same as he used it. He wasn’t sure how he knew but he somehow knew he was not right. He pulled Harold to him until the older man sat on the side of the bed.
Harold sat on the edge of the bed holding John’s hand and caressing the younger man’s face. He whispered, “It’s all right, John. I’m right here. I promise I’m not going anywhere.” He watched John nod back off to sleep again and sighed. At least the younger man had come out of the coma but he could tell John wasn’t the same as he was before he was shot. When John woke again the doctor came in and assessed the younger man and had some tests done. Harold sat and waited holding John’s hand because the taller man would not let go or go anywhere without him. Eventually he was told by the doctor that John had suffered brain damage to his speech section of his brain and the younger man was now about 10 or 12 years old in his head. He also was informed that many things the younger man had known or was capable of comprehending, he probably never would be able to again. He had to make sure he kept everything as simple as possible so that John understood it which also meant that his aloof and mistrusting nature had to be put aside if he was going to give John happiness. He was sitting drinking a cup of tea when John started thrashing. He set the tea down and tried to hold John down while he called him to wake him up. He got punched hard in the face before the younger man finally woke up. That was going to leave him with a black eye but at least his glasses didn’t break. It also jerked his fused vertebrae and sent searing pain through his neck but he forced himself to ignore it. He said, “It’s all right, John. It was just a dream. You’re safe with me. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again. I promise.”
John finally shot awake and grabbed onto Harold tightly before he was aware of it. He saw the look of agony on the older man’s face and immediately let go and placed his palm flat against the smaller man’s round belly that was covered by a waist coat and shirt. He managed, “So..sorry, Har..old.” He felt a smaller chubby hand placed over his resting on his friend’s belly and looked to see the crooked grin through the pained expression.
Harold knew John didn’t mean to hurt him so he placed a hand over the younger man’s and said, “I know, John. It’s all right. I’ll be fine. The pain will subside.” He had noticed that whenever John was awake the younger man was always touching him anywhere he could but mostly on his round belly. It made him a bit self-conscious of the weight he had gained since the accident that damaged his body so badly. He hasn’t liked being touch at all since the accident but he knew in John’s current state he had to get used to it because the younger man was always touching him. He loved John too much to reject him or give the younger man the feeling of being rejected because of his aversion to being touched. He stiffly leaned down and kissed John’s forehead and felt the younger man’s hand slide to loosely rest on his hip under his waistcoat with a thumb hooked on his belt. He eventually had to pull away because his abused body couldn’t take the position anymore. He sat in the chair by the bed and took hold of John’s hand again. He watched John fall back to sleep but never left the younger man’s side for longer than a few minutes to get something to drink. Fusco and Carter wound up bringing him food and clothes while the hospital finally let him shower and sleep there because John went crazy if he was gone too long. He slept fitfully and was very happy when he could finally take John home and hopefully get some real sleep again.
John didn’t like being left alone or having Harold out of his sight. He was petrified to not have the older man within reach even though he couldn’t really tell why he felt that way. He grabbed the older man’s hand when he went to leave the room and didn’t realized his grip was so tight it was hurting his friend until he saw the pained look in the smaller man’s face. He loosened his grip but cried, “Don go, Har..old.”
Harold saw the terrified look on the younger man’s face and wrapped his arms around him while the younger man cried on his shoulder. He asked, “Can I sign the paperwork in here?” When he got a yes he had them bring it in so he could sign everything needed to discharge his friend. After he had signed everything he helped John get dressed and the nurse wheeled the taller man out to his Lincoln. He helped his friend into the backseat and slid in next to the younger man. He had asked Lionel to drive them back to the loft. Luckily he had Carter bring his collection of clothes from the Burdett house to the loft so he had some clothes to wear even though they weren’t his Armani suits. He decided that after a few days he would move John into his home but he wanted to know if the younger man had anything he wanted from the loft other than his clothes. He had already taken the taller man’s arsenal and locked it up in a safe place in the library. He saw Bear run over and knock John over in surprise before the younger man started playing with the dog. He smirked and limped over to start dinner for the both of them. After Dinner he helped John get ready for bed and found the younger man preferred to wear briefs only to bed so rather than fight his friend he just let it go. He stripped down to his boxers and tee-shirt since he had no idea where his pajama’s were and didn’t feel like looking for them tonight. He settled down on his back on the left side of the bed to keep his bad side away from John possibly accidentally hurting him in the middle of the night by bumping him or something. He placed his glasses on the nightstand and was surprised the younger man hadn’t attached to him like an octopus yet. He reached his right hand out and gently tugged John’s arm and sighed, “Come here, John.”
John hadn’t known what Harold would find acceptable affection if any in bed. He waited for a cue and as soon as the older man gave it to him he wrapped himself around the smaller man’s body. He kissed the older man’s cheek before putting his head on Harold’s shoulder and the palm of his hand against the smaller man’s fuzzy belly under the tee-shirt. He heard a sharp inhale of breath and went to remove his hand but was stopped by the older man’s clasping his hand. He sighed and settled down rubbing his knuckles against Harold’s soft belly until he fell asleep. He sighed, “Luv u, Har..old.”
Harold was surprised when the younger man kissed him and slipped a hand up under his tee-shirt but he allowed it knowing it was now a part of their relationship from now on. He wrapped his right arm around John’s shoulders and felt John’s knuckles rubbing against his soft belly until the younger man fell asleep. He kissed the top of his friend’s head and whispered, “Love you too, John.” He eventually nodded off to sleep to John’s light snores and Bear’s clacking of nails as the dog chased something in his dreams.