1968 (Henry Creel/OC)

Chapter 1

11th of July 1968, Hawkins Lab

"Henry." Doctor Brenner said firmly as he entered the rainbow room, other orderlies and doctors in tow.

"Yes, Papa" Henry stood from where he had sat and turned to face the group, eyeing up each unfamiliar face. It wasn't often that Papa would allow others to enter in these parts of the ward. His icy-blue eyes found the ones of a girl, her hair was auburn and shoulder-length. She seemed to be around the same age he was. It was something he had become unaccustomed to. He had grown used to watching the little ones such as 002, who were starting to demonstrate their talents. Talents they would not possess without him. Yet, he had spent years in this facility, not being able to leave and he was not allowed his powers. They had been taken from him.

"This is Maeve. She is going to be staying with us for a while." Brenner gestured towards the girl who briefly lifted her hand to wave. "Could you please show her to her room? We have prepared room 009 for her to stay in."

Henry merely nodded as he approached the girl and motioned for her to follow.

"To clarify, Doctor Brenner, she is still our patient." Doctor Maxwell, who had accompanied Maeve, insisted sternly, seeing the excitement in Brenner's eyes. "I will be here with her at all times, she will not be a prisoner here and I will take her back to London once we are finished. Whether that be tomorrow, or in five years. She is ours. Obviously your work will be paid very generously."

"What is your goal?" Brenner questioned. Part of him was gravely disappointed, he would have loved to have another asset. Another superhuman at his command. Not that Henry was, however there had been others born who would be. The other part of him needed the funding from the British government.

"We simply want to understand her better. We already have a good understanding, however we want it to be as good as it could possibly get. The rest is classified." Doctor Maxwell explained, crossing her arms.

"Isn't it extraordinary?" Doctor Brenner began, "Henry was a miracle. I never would have anticipated there to be more. Especially not across the globe."

"That's awfully narrow-minded for someone who uses someone's genetics to alter others'." Doctor Maxfield challenged in a somewhat disgusted tone.

"Perhaps it is." Brenner mused, ignoring the other doctor's digs.

   x-x

Henry led the way silently down the hallway. Part of him was intrigued by the girl, part of him could not have cared less.

"So your doctor is also your father?" came her voice, interrupting his internal debate.

"What?" He looked at her, a brow raised in confusion as he came to a halt in front of the room allocated to her.

"Doctor Brenner, he is your father? I couldn't help but notice you calling him 'Papa' earlier" Maeve explained, her hazel eyes watching him curiously.

""He is not my father." Henry replied coldly as he opened the door for her. Maeve pressed her lips together firmly as she walked past him, entering her room. She inspected it for a moment before turning back to the stranger.

"My apologies. It is not of my business. I am just a silly woman" She scolded herself. Meeting someone new was something she had always found fascinating and she found herself being too curious at the best of times. She turned towards the bed and placed her bag on it, starting to unpack it. Henry watched her in awkward silence before taking a step inside.

"Actually, he is not my doctor either" his voice filled the air, attempting to rekindle the conversation in a less harsh way. "I am one of the orderlies."

"Oh." Maeve looked at him, a little dumbfounded. "I thought you were Henry Creel."

"How do you know my full name?" He narrowed his eyes at her then, knowing the general public believed he had died.

"So it is you! I read many of Doctor Brenner's studies on you." She explained nonchalantly, flashing him a small smile. It faded when she saw the frown on his face deepen.

"So you are another doctor here to do tests on me?" His voice was calm and collected, but his eyes were filled with annoyance.

"No." She turned to face him fully then, a sigh leaving her lips. "I am here to be studied. My doctors seem to think Brenner is the best in the field."

His eyes widened at the revelation but he did not say anything. He could tell my her furrowed eyebrows that frustration was brewing within her. What he couldn't tell was whether her frustration was aimed at him or the situation.

"You can leave now to let me unpack. It's not like you're the warmest welcoming committee anyway." She continued as she set up a picture frame on the bedside table.

"I'm sorry, I haven't really... had many conversations with people my age in a while." He apologised after clearing his throat.

"How do you mean?" Maeve looked at him from the corner of her eye before resuming unpacking.

"Not many people come here. So not much chance to chitchat." He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Do you never get to leave?" Her eyebrows knitted together in a deep frown as she inspected the blond man.

"Nobody who is a patient here leaves." The words almost haunted her. She took a step back from him and cleared her throat.

"Well, that will change, my doctors would not lock me up like a prisoner" Maeve quickly retorted.

"Who is this?" Henry picked up the frame and inspected the picture inside it. There were some similarities. The woman resembled Maeve greatly and posed for the photo with a smile that lit up her whole face. Her hands were holding onto a baby bump, seemingly showing it off.

"My mother." Maeve's eyes softened as she inspected the photo. "She was pregnant with me when this was taken." Henry continued inspecting the photo. He remembered how much his mother had resented him, the reason for what he had done. He remembered how she had looked at him in fear and disdain. He felt an unfamiliar feeling, something he had never felt before in the pit of his stomach. Almost as if he had wished his mother had looked at him like this instead. Or anyone, for that matter.

"She looks like she loves you very much." He commented coolly as he put the photo back in its place.

"I would like to think she would have" Maeve agrees, her smile almost bittersweet. "She died when she gave birth to me."

Henry's mouth opened but no words came out.

"It's okay, I don't want the whole pity-party" she waved her hand dismissively, "I have come to terms with it." Henry was happy about that. He had never been one to understand or express feelings well.

"Blimey, where are my manners? I am a silly woman. Oversharing when I haven't even introduced myself. I am Maeve" she extended her hand to greet him and he took it.

"I know. Doctor Brenner told me your name. You know mine, so we are well past introductions. Your manners are just fine" he decided to tease her, lightening the mood a little.

"Oh yes, I remember now" Maeve's cheeks flushed a pink colour, embarrassed by her antics. He thought it suited her, not everybody looked good when blushing. He flashed her a smile before taking a look at the clock.

"It's time for me to take the little ones to their rooms. I will see you soon, Maeve." He closed the door behind him as he left and made his way back to the rainbow room. A smile lingered on his lips as he walked, a feeling of curiosity and intrigue lingering within him.