The Yin-Yang Complex

Burnt

The wet gasoline smacked Sebastian in the face, it seeped into his injuries and made him cry out once more, only to have his mouth filled with gasoline as well. The liquid burned his eyes and throat, he felt it mixing with his blood and soak his clothing. He began to cough and hack, he felt like he was drowning. After an eternity, the gasoline ran out and he was soaked from head to toe in it, his hair clung to his scalp and his clothing to his skin. Even the ropes and chair that he was bound to would light up and be set ablaze. There would be nothing left of him but ash. Sebastian felt regret and fear wash over him, there were so many thing he hadn't done, so many people he had hurt and betrayed but never apologised to. He was going to leave behind an unfinished life.

Charles fumbled around his jacket and clothing, he was searching in vein, in his excitement and insanity he had forgotten his matches, and he had no idea where they were. Sebastian noticed this and a twinge of hope filled his heart, if Charles couldn't burn him, them he might survive. Yet he knew the criminal probably had other ways of killing him. He grumbled in annoyance and walked out the room, slamming the door behind him and leaving on the light, to try and find a lighter. Sebastian was in shock, but he wasted no time. With a shout of pain he managed to raise his chair off the ground before slamming it back down at an angle, breaking the back legs and the back of the chair with a crack. Charles had curiously made a lot of rookie mistakes. Sebastian was able to manoeuvre his hands to the front of the chair whilst holding in cries of pain. He took a deep breath as he wrapped his bound hands around the handle of the knife and yanked it out of his leg. Sebastian bit down hard on his tongue to stop himself from screaming, he had to keep reminding himself, he had been through this kind of pain before, he had escaped this kind of person before, he could do it again. He continued to awkwardly use the knife to cut off the bindings on his hands and feet.

Once he was free Sebastian pulled himself unsteadily to his feet. He scanned the room for a weapon, all he could see was an old wooden baseball bat, in the masses of empty cardboard boxes and old clothing. That would work like a charm. He limped over, leaving bloody footsteps behind him. He picked up the bat, which was leaning against one of the many boxes, that seemed to have no purpose. He then stood behind the door, he could hear the desperate footsteps of Charles returning to the room. The door flew open as Charles charged in. Sebastian forgot about his injuries and his pain, he forgot about his fear and his terror and he brought the bat straight down on top of Charles's head.

Barry sat nervously on the cold stone stairs of the CCPD. Joe was talking to Captian Singh and Henry sat fidgeting next to his son. The base had received a call from Sebastian not so long ago, Barry had desperately wanted to suit up and go save his brother, but he knew that the officers could handle it as Sebastian had already knocked out his attacker, Charles Clarington. The station was quiet, there were only a couple of officers there. It unsettled Barry slightly, he was so used to it being full of people and workers. "Do you think Sebastian will be okay?" Barry asked his father, in all truth he didn't want to think about what might have happened to Sebastian.

"Well I am sure he is fine, he managed to knock out his attacker right?" He replied, assuring both himself and Barry.

"Yeah, I hope so," Barry replied. After an hour of waiting, the officers finally returned.

Sebastian stood with a stern face on top of the balcony that overlooked the CCPD foyer. There was a slight chatter in the air as officers talked among their small numbers.Henry approached him cautiously, he didn't know what Sebastian had suffered through, "Sebastian?" He asked in a quiet voice.

The boy turned to him in shock as he was pulled from his thoughts. Henry couldn't help but notice the large bandages on his shoulder and thigh, they were soggy and red with blood. The one on his leg was far worse though, his trouser leg had hardened and solidified with nearly dried blood. He had received basic medical attention, but refused to go to the hospital until the legal work was done, much to Henry's disapproval. His hair was a tattered mess that hung over his face in clumps and his eyes had dark bags underneath them. His face was pale and ghostly, he looked awful and so broken. He reeked of gasoline, Henry didn't want to know why, but he had a good guess. He felt guilt and sorrow rip apart his insides. He wanted to help his son so bad, he wanted to just take away his pain, if it had only been possible, "what?" Sebastian snapped, his voice was course and rough, as he pulled himself together and shoved his hands in his pockets. On closer inspection Henry knew why, his hands were shaking, in fact his whole body was trembling. Henry just wanted to give him a hug, tell him everything was alright. He was terrified and trying his best to hide it. It hurt Henry that his own son felt like he had to conceal his feelings and be brave in front of his own father.

"Are you okay?" He asked awkwardly, he was stuck for words, he wasn't sure how to approach this situation, had been so long since he had dealt with something like this.

"I am fine," Sebastian hissed our each word individually and his eyes narrowed to shivering slits.

"Well you clearly aren't Sebastian, I can see you shaking, you are not fine," he replied as concern leaked into his voice, he just wanted to help. Yet Sebastian gritted his teeth and did not reply, he didn't know how,"Was it Charles who did that to you?" He gestured to the red bandages.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes, "that's none of your concern," He did well to hide it, but there was a slight tremor to his voice. He was in shock.

"But it is," Henry insisted.

"Says who?" Sebastian snarled. He summoned all his strength to put what he could into this conversation. Just because he was injured, didn't mean that he would suddenly have a change of heart, yet he could already feel negativity building on his chest.

"Says the fact that I am your damn father Sebastian," Henry replied with a little more viciousness than he had intended, it struck him, that in his first one on one conversation with Sebastian in decades, he had already began to loose his temper, but he didn't care. He knew Sebastian needed him right now, no matter how hard he tried to hide it or push Henry away.

Sebastian was struck dumb, if only for a moment, he felt a surge of years of pent up anger and betrayal circulating through his body, clouding his mind and vision "just because you are my biological father, doesn't mean that you have to care or give a damn about me, and you shouldn't" tears pricked his eyes, he only realised his mistake after he had made it, he hated it, he had just said something he knew he would regret. His entire frame was shaking and shivering, he couldn't stop it. He stood, shocked, his mouth wide open with his own words, almost as shocked as Henry, who felt guilt and pity belittle him at the sight of his shaking son. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Henry could feel the emotion and rage that was behind those words, he knew Sebastian was struggling with his emotions, but he hadn't expected him to loose his cool so quickly.

"PUT YOUR GUNS DOWN OR I'LL SHOOT!" The loud and unmistakable voice of Charles roared through the precinct.