Work Text:
Walter's POV:
"Can't this thing go up any further?" Broyles asked, clearly getting agitated as we continue to have no answer.
"Yes, but we must take it slow. This isn't something that can be rushed," I answered calmly as I turn my attention over to Astrid and Peter. She was trying to keep him still and calm enough to answer, but we got nothing. My heart broke as I watched my son writhe in pain on the table from something I was doing for the sake of science. My god, what was I thinking? Peter agreed to this but I should've put my foot down as his father. How could I have let him do this? What kind of a father am I?
"Step aside!" Broyles ordered as he shoved me away as he noticed I got lost in my thoughts again. He cranked the dials he saw me using to the max and let it rip. The lights flickered and Peter arched his back as he screamed in pain. His vitals are going haywire and Broyles isn't letting up.
"Stop! Stop it! You're hurting him!" I yelled as I went up to the machine and looked at the settings Broyles picked, "You're killing him!"
"Just a few more seconds!" Broyles hollered back.
Just a few more seconds? I beg your pardon? You don't even understand what you are doing and you have the audacity to order me around? I think not. I reached down and grabbed the wires going from the machine to Peter and pulled on them. I yanked them out of the machine and everything stopped. Peter's yelling stopped, the lights stayed on, and the whirling from the machines were quiet.
"What did you do? We were so close!" Broyles exclaimed as I went over and started unfastening the restraints on my son, "We could've gotten the answer!"
"Enough! We were not close and you were killing him! I am not helping any of you "crack the case" if that means bringing harm to my son. Am I making myself clear?" I hollered and stopped reprimanding him when I felt a hand on mine.
"Dad?" Peter asked wearily, eyes unfocused and breathing still too fast for my liking.
"Yes Peter, I'm here," I soothed as Astrid showed Broyles the door while I ran my fingers through Peter's hair.