Chapter Text
Len veered away from the moving van when they reached the down town area. He drove into the underground parking area that served the large buildings. He used his pass card to enter a private area of the garage.
“Didn’t know you lived down town” said Barry, “and that you have a private entrance?”
“Makes it easier to get in and out unnoticed and if I was being followed this garage can be like a maze. I lost more than a few cops down here.”
They took an elevator up which opened to the back of the lobby. There by the service entrance waited Len’s cousins and Cisco. Cisco had a look on his face like he knew some private joke.
“This is the LWS building; it’s funny that you have an apartment here.”
“I don’t know why you think it’s funny that Len has an apartment in his own building” said Sid.
“Well it’s really a penthouse” said Len.
“Are you saying that you are Leonard William Siegel?” Cisco sputtered, “Billionaire recluse, philanthropist, Leonard William Siegel.”
“I’m not sure if I’m a billionaire yet.”
“Come on” choked Cisco, “you’re shitting me, right.”
Len ignore the confused young man, “Barry, come to the security office and we will get you registered.”
An equally astonished Barry followed Len and Sid.
“You boys can unload while you wait” said Sid, then we’ll figure out what Barry wants to take with him and the rest can go into the penthouse storeroom for the night.”
“Sid” said Len, “can you give Barry and me a few minutes.”
“Sure” Sid stepped out.
“Barry” said Len, “what are you feeling?”
“I’m not sure how to put it in words” said Barry, “astonished, floored, why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I was afraid I would scare you off, or that you would somehow think less of me, or that you would think I was just trying to buy you.”
“Len haven’t we been through this enough? You know you shouldn’t think that way, but how did all this happen?”
”Sit down Barry” Len went to the door, “Sid, put everything in the penthouse storeroom then you can leave and take Cisco home. We’ll get Barry registered in the morning.”
Len sat down across from Barry, “I have been a thief for most my life and most of the things I stole were incredibly valuable, the diamond I took from the museum was just an average haul. I knew this could not go on forever and eventually my luck would run out, I also had Lisa to think about. So about ten years ago I created new identities for Lisa and myself and with the help of my friend, Tron, they have become hack proof.”
“Ten years ago” said Barry, “that’s when Leonard Siegel came to Central City.”
“Yep, I had made a lot of good investments and was already millionaire so it wasn’t hard to channel that money into legitimate holdings. I created the persona of the recluse millionaire; people love that sort of stuff, and gave to charities around the city. After I had established my other self I was able to get enough investors to build the Siegel Building. This building and my other holdings have been extremely profitable and my fortune has grown considerably.”
“Then why did you continue to be a criminal?”
“Like I told you in the forest, it was for the thrill and then I had the Rogues to worry about. I thought that controlling them was the lesser of two evils. But the more I got to know you the more I realized that my life would have to change.”
“But what about the Rogues, did they want to go straight, too?”
“I think they were just looking for a reason, too. It’s not easy being a career criminal, no 401, no Medicare, or Social Security, all they needed was that little push” Len took Barry’s hand, “so that’s my story, can you live with it?”
Barry stood up and pulled Len into a hug, “no more surprises right?”
“Nope, you already know about Cindy, she was supposed to be a surprise.”
“Yes, Cindy” Barry smiled, “are we going to pick her up tonight or tomorrow?”
“No, she’s already upstairs; Sid dropped her off last night.”
“Someone’s with her right?”
“No, she’s used to being alone.”
“What, you can’t leave her alone like that” Barry sped out of the office and then looked around confused, “I don’t know where to go.”
“Come on, Scarlet, the private elevator’s over here.”
Len punched in a code to call the elevator then used a code and keycard to send them to the thirtieth floor. Barry rushed out of the elevator and vibrated through the wall into the penthouse. A confused Len went to the front door to let himself in.
Through the door he heard Barry calling, “Cindy, Sweetie, come out, my name is Barry, I’m a friend of your Daddy and I am going to be your Daddy, too. Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.”
Then Len heard a loud growl and a yelp as Barry vibrated himself back into the hall. “What the hell is in there?”
“That’s Cindy” said Len, “my cat.”
“Your cat, I thought Cindy was your daughter.”
“My daughter, how did you get that idea?”
“You told me yesterday at the party.”
“Yesterday at the party when you got me drunk and pumped me for information, did I say Cindy was a child?”
“No, but you didn’t say she was a cat” said the confused speedster.
“Oh Scarlet” laughed Len. “You look like you’re terrified of my little kitty.”
“That’s no little kitty, it’s huge and it has hands.”
Len opened the door, “don’t worry, Barry, I’ll protect you.”
Len and Barry stepped into the foyer, Len removed his boots and put on a pair of house slippers, he handed Barry a pair of slippers so he could do the same. Len moved into the front room, he didn’t say a word but he got a faraway look in his eyes. Within seconds a huge ball of fur bounded into the room and threw itself into Len’s arms. Len staggered back a bit from the force of impact as Cindy snuggled against Len’s chest and emitted a loud purr.
“Barry this is Cinderfrost, Lisa named her, I just call her Cindy”
Barry held out his hand so Cindy could sniff it and then scratched under her chin. Since Barry had a cat he knew where they liked to be scratched. Cindy rubbed against Barry’s hand and gave it a little lick.
“Hi Cindy, didn’t mean to get off on the wrong foot, I hope we can be friends.”
Unable to untangle himself from his cat, Len sat down on a couch and pulled Barry down next to him. He pulled Barry into a kiss trying to press their bodies together around a very large cat that was refusing to move. Len tried to push Cindy off his lap but seven claws came out of each front paw firmly anchoring the cat to Len’s leather jacket. Len admitted defeat and stroked the cat with one hand while holding Barry with the other. Barry scratched Cindy on the side of her face and the top of her head which caused the cat to start kneading Len’s thighs. Len gritted his teeth and endured the pain for a few moments.
“That’s enough love” he said as pushed the cat off his lap.
Cindy stretched out on the floor in front of them. Barry knelt down to take a better look at her. Cindy was not as big as Barry first thought because her coat was long and thick. She had beautiful silver-gray tabby stripes and bright blue eyes. Her front paws had seven toes each separated in fives and twos giving the appearance of having thumbs; her back paws had six toes each. Barry started to pet her and she purred a deep loud purr.
“She has your eyes Len, are you sure you’re not related?” Barry got back up on the couch and snuggled into Len’s side, “So you think she’s a Meta because of her size and those crazy paws?”
“Nope, she is a Maine Cooncat, they are large cats but she is larger than most, she weighs thirty pounds. Those extra toes mean she’s polydactyl, not uncommon in Cooncats. I’ll show you why I think she’s a Meta.”
Len sat up and got that far away look in his eyes again. Cindy got up, went into another room and came back with a ball and dropped on floor by Len.
“See, I did no hand gestures just thought ‘bring me the ball’ and she did, just like I thought called her when we first walked in, cool right.”
They played fetch for a while till Cindy got bored and jumped up on a chair to nap.
“Ready for the nickel tour?” said Len pulling Barry to his feet.
Len’s apartment took up half of the top floor. There were four bedrooms, a huge living room, a dining room and an eat-in kitchen. There were two large balconies, one off the living room and one off the master bedroom, and a small balcony off the kitchen. The master bedroom had a large bathroom with a Jacuzzi and a walk in closet. There were smaller bathrooms off two of the other bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms were made up as guest rooms and one served as Len’s office. There was a wet bar to one side or the living room.
The furniture was sleek and modern with the exception of one room.
“Do you approve, Scarlet” Len asked as he opened the door to the master bedroom.
“Oh yes, I very much approve.” The furniture was the same furniture that was in the attic at Mick’s house.
“We’ll put your desk in here, too, but there’s more” said Len.
They left the apartment and went across the hall. Len opened the door to a personal gym and large storage area.
“There’s room for your treadmill from Star Lab if you wish and any other equipment you need and I will personally train you on the fine art of street fighting.” Len then causally flipped Barry and pinned him down.
“You villain” laughed Barry as he pulled Len to him and kissed him tenderly on the lips.
One kiss turned into many and they had to force themselves to separate or the evening would have ended on that floor. Len pulled Barry to his feet and led him back into the penthouse.
“I have a present for you” said Len as he handed Barry gift bag. Inside were a red T-shirt and a pair of sleep pants decorated with lightning bolts. “That’s in case you need pajamas tonight.”
Len walked over to the bar turned on the stereo, classic Sinatra filled the room.
“I said I would tell you when this began for me, come here I’ll show you.” Len reached into the bar fridge and pulled out two bottles of hard cider and a bottle of cinnamon whiskey. He poured the cider into two large glasses and added a shot of the whiskey to each.
He handed Barry a glass. “Remember, Scarlet?”
“Are you saying you knew that night but never told me?”
“I was in denial, Scarlet, someone as good as you would never love someone like me and it took almost dying to realize you did.”
Barry clinked his glass with Len’s, “To us.”
Sinatra started crooning a slow tune; Len took Barry’s hand, “dance with me Scarlet.”
They wrapped their arms around each other and swayed to the music, time seemed to melt away.
Barry leaned his head on Len’s shoulder, “this is the first time since I was eleven that I felt like I’m home.”
“Do you know where my home is Barry? It’s in your arms and I plan to stay there forever.”
The music stopped, but neither noticed, dancing to the beat of two hearts that were beating as one.