Summary: Root's backstory and the aftermath of Harold's spinal injury are revealed when a bad storm hits and knocks their power out.

A/N- I figured it's time to reveal someone else's story because I just realized the only Harold and John's story was revealed. The others will be released soon.

Also: Someone asked if they could get a John claustrophobic scenario….Here it is.

Also: Language Warning

It was a casual Saturday in the Greer/Corwin household. It was gray and dark, the weatherman were calling for thunderstorms. 'So, it's going to be nice out later.' John thought. Weatherman were never right, John thought. During the other days of the week, all the kids have their activities and they tend to be busy. Saturday is their off day. Harold locks himself in the garage, coding, like that relaxes people? To each their own, John would think. Lionel is sleeping in. John felt more protective over Lionel once he found out Lionel was involved in a big fight against Rick Dillinger and his friends. Fusco has become withdrawn ever since the big blowout between them and his "crew." Azarello and Stills ended up passing away. The tranquilizer that they were shot with ended up being an OD. They were meant for Lionel and Harold. Rick, of course, was nowhere to be found. Something about Fusco being quiet didn't sit well with John. Fusco never shut up. He's hard to get rid of, just like fungus. Sameen beats the you know what out of her punching bag. She always hogs it. Joss is working in her room on homework, for her BioTech class. John and Joss were in the same class, but in different groups, so they worked in different cases. They both loved that class. Joss decided she wanted to become a cop after taking that class. Root is hanging with Harold in the garage, probably bugging him about his project that only he, Nathan, and Arthur know about. John, himself, is just playing solitaire. He's enjoyed card games. Heck, he liked all sorts of games. He played them often with his father before he died. Before he could think anymore about his dead parents, the lighted room John was in wasn't so bright anymore. There was a power outage.

Alicia Corwin came in holding a candle, "Need some light for your game?" She asked John

John thought for a minute, "I'm wrapping the game up."

"If you insist." With that, Alicia walked off.

Harold and Root suddenly emerged from the door that led to the garage.

"It's hard to code when there is no light on the keyboard." Harold said

"I'd imagine." John replied

Shaw came from the basement after whacking her punching bag.

"I WASN'T DONE MY REPS THIS FREAKIN' STORM!" Shaw yelled then banged her elbow against the wall

"I don't think storms understand English…" Harold told her

Shaw held her hands up in a choking fashion 2 feet from Harold and then walked away to the kitchen.

"You shouldn't do that Harry," Root began, "You know how she gets."

"But she didn't do anything." Harold countered, "She mimicked an action but restrained. That's a step in a good direction."

"Shaw? Restraint?" John questioned

"You'd be surprised." Harold began, "She's been a lot worse before you came, granted her life hasn't been…..as easy."

Before John could reply, Joss came from the stairs, "I literally put my pencil down as I finished when the power went out. Worked out great!"

"SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!" Shaw yelled from the kitchen

"Well, it looks like the power will be out all day." Alicia said as she came into the room where all the kids were.

"Where's dad?" Shaw asked

"He went to his mother's house to work. The weatherman called this last night so he wanted to get out before it really hit."

All the kids nodded.

Alicia gasped, "Why don't you kids play a board game? I used to do that all the time with my sister when we were young!"

Shaw scoffed, "Board game?"

"You have a better suggestion, Shaw?" John asked

"Yeah, sleeping." With that, Shaw went up the stairs.

"I'll play a game. I think it sounds fun." Harold jumped in

Joss shrugged, "I'm game."

"I guess I'll play." Root told the group

"Should one of us get Lionel? See if he wants to play?" John asked

Alicia tilted her head side to side, "I'll check. He hasn't been up all day." Alicia went up the stairs.

"So what are we playing?" Joss asked

"Well," John began, "There are 4 of us, and since we're not going anywhere anytime soon, how about monopoly?"

"That's in the attic." Root told us

John shrugged, "Okay. Let's get it."

John, Root, Joss, and Harold made their way up stairs. There attic was one that had a string in the ceiling and when you pulled it down a ladder would come down.

"John, can you go up?" Joss asked, "it's in the back."

John nodded, "Sure." John climbed the ladder. It's a little cramped.

John looked around,"Uhh, Joss?" He called down

"Yeah, John?" Joss called up

John started sweating, "umm, maybe you could get it. It's kind of cramped up here."

"John, you're up there already. Now, go down the little hall and monopoly is under the checkers board."

'Be a man' John thought to himself. He crawled in the narrow part of the attic. It was literally a narrow crawl space that led to a tiny storage attic. 'This shouldn't even be called an attic.' John thought. He switched the light on, of course, nothing came out. His back was 2 feet from touching the ceiling. John started sweating profusely, he was never a fan of small spaces. He once locked himself, when he was young, in a closet after he watched a cop show and he wanted to be a prisoner. It took his parents 5 hours to find him. He was hungry, tired, and upset when they found him. Ever since then, he never liked closed spaces.

"Where is this damn game!?" John murmured aggressively to himself. His hands were shaking. He was looking under every board game and monopoly was nowhere to be found. He was getting more nervous by the minute, and began sweating even more.

"Joss!" John screamed, "This damn game isn't up here!"

"Yes it is, John." She responded calmly, "Keep looking."

"I did, Joss!" John yelled again, "it's not under the chess, or checkers, or masterpiece, it's not up here I'm telling you! And I can't see anything! I'm about to bang my head on this ceiling!" He started moving board games rapidly, really wanting to leave.

"Then don't band your head, for God's sake…." Joss murmured. She asked everyone else if they have seen it elsewhere.

"It's in the basement." John heard Lionel say. "I played it a couple of nights ago and we put it in the storage bin."

John crawled fast through the narrow crawl space to the entrance. John, literally dived through the space and landed on the floor.

"JOHN!" 5 voices yelled at him. Hel felt many arms on him pulling him up.

"What the heck was that?" One asked him

"Are you alright, Mr. Reese?" Another asked

"Why did you do that?" A third asked

John held up a hand, silencing his siblings. "Sorry. I'm fine. Joss, you're going into the basement."

All of the other siblings looked at each other in confusion but followed John nonetheless.

Once Joss found the game, that took under a minute the kids started playing.

"I want my $200, Miss. Carter." Harold said as he passed go."

Lionel came back down the stairs again. He went back to his room after John dove to the floor from the attic.

"Hello Lionel. Wanna play?" Joss asked.

Lionel shook his head, and headed outside.

The kids sat there for a minute playing before Harold spoke up.

"Isn't it raining outside?" Harold asked

All the kids snapped their heads up and ran outside. They saw Lionel slumped against the rail. He was sitting on the bottom stair that led to their back yard.

"Lionel!" John and Joss yelled approaching him.

Lionel suddenly screamed and turned around. Eyes red and hair damp.

"What was that for!?" Lionel yelled.

"Why are you in the rain?" Joss asked instead on answering his Question

"I came to think. That's all." Lionel responded while turning around

John gently lifted Lionel from under his arms, "Well you can think inside where you won't get a cold."

"Since when did you care?" John though he heard Lionel mutter.

They all walked inside when they saw Shaw at the fridge.

"Why's Lionel soaked?" She asked

Lionel just glared at her.

"Sitting in the rain? Geez you're dumber than I thought."

"Shaw, that's enough." John said

"Why?" Shaw asked, "Do dumb stuff, I'm gonna point it out."

Lionel wasted no time to tackle her to the ground. They have never seen Lionel move that fast.

Lionel sat on her and punched her twice in the face. John and Joss worked in seperating them but to no avail. Shaw got the upper hand fairly quickly and she kicked him off of her. Lionel was sent tumbling into Harold. Shaw quickly, pulled back her foot getting ready to kick Lionel. Harold jumped over Lionel and took the blow into his bad knee. Harold yelled in agony and fell to the ground grasping his leg.

"Finch!" John yelled rushing over to him

"Glasses!" Lionel also yelled hovering over Harold assessing the damage.

Shaw stood there, hand over mouth, in shock of what she had just done.

"See what happens!?" Joss yelled, "When y'all fight!? Innocent people get hurt!"

"You!" Joss points to Lionel, "Had no right to tackle Shaw! You and I are gonna talk about why you've been so damn impulsive lately!' Lionel hung his head in shame.

"And YOU!" Joss points to Shaw, "I understand defending yourself, but you looked like you wanted to seriously hurt your brother! You were ready to kick your brother! And you!" Joss pointed to Harold.

Harold squinted, while still holding his knee.

"You should keep your nose in your own business." Joss told Harold

"Consider it a lesson. For you both, Miss Shaw and Mr. Fusco." Harold started, pain obvious in his voice. "Don't fight like that. Use your voices. I hate physical violence. Both of you, remember this. Next time you fight, think about right now."

Shaw and Fusco looked at each other. Both glaring mostly.

"Let's get Finch up." Joss said, breaking the uncomfortable tension.

John nodded. John and Joss each took one of Harold's arms and put it around their necks.

"One three, we are gonna lift him." John stated, Joss nodded.

"One, two, three." John said, both lifting Harold of the ground, making sure Harold put no pressure on his bad leg.

"Let's get him to the couch." Joss suggested. John nodded.

Alicia came down the stairs, "What has happened? I heard yelling and fighting! What happened to Harold?"

John and Joss laid Harold on the couch and Root brought him over an ice pack that wrapped around his leg.

"Thanks Miss. Groves. Thanks to you also Miss. Carter and Mr. Reese." Harold accepted the ice pack, appreciating their help.

Root patted his head, "Get well soon, Harry."

Harold just looked at her and then readjusted the ice pack on his knee.

"Lionel and Shaw fought and Harold tried to protect Lionel but got hurt in the process." Joss told Alicia, answering her question.

Alicia looked at them, in awe. "A fight? You two know better."

Shaw raised her hand, "I kinda don't."

Alicia glared at her, "How did this fight even begin?"

"She called me dumb!" Lionel immediately yelled.

Shaw crossed her arms and raised her index finger, "No, I said you were dumber than I thought." Shaw then turned to Alicia, "Idiot decided to sit in the rain to think."

"Stop calling me dumb!" Lionel's yelled and shoved her.

"Don't touch me!" Shaw pushed back.

"Hey!" Root yelled

All heads snapped to her.

"Do you not see your brother, injured, on the couch!? Are you two blind!? 5 minutes ago, we told you to remember this, but here we are again as if no lesson had been learned. Lionel, you and I were here when Harold was hospitalized and we both promised that as his siblings we would protect him as he has protected us."

Lionel looked at the ground, in shame. She was right.

"What does she mean?" John asked Joss, "As he protected them?"

Joss shrugged, "I know Harold saved Lionel from Stills and Azarello on multiple occasions. I don't know about Root though."

"He defended me." Root jumped in, over hearing John and Joss.

"Before I came here," Root began, "I lived with my drunken, abusive mother. Never knew my father. My mother hit me in a restaurant. Owner called CPS, they decided my mother is unfit, she didn't fight for me, here I am."

John stood silently watching as Root really just opened about her life.

"One day, my mother came here. Deciding she suddenly wanted me. Of course, she was drunk. It was here for about a month. She came a week right after Harold's accident. She literally grabbed me, ready to drag me out of the house. Harold came down the stairs, of course in pain. He literally hit my mother with his cane, grabbed me, and out me behind him. She backhanded Harold. He pushed me back away from her. He was talking so many hits and yet he was so hell bent on keeping her away from me."

Root looked at Harold, who is laying on a pillow on the couch. "He continued to take her on until John and Alicia came back and called the cops."

Harold looked up at her and smiled.

"She kicked you in the back...In your stomach, but yet you refused to let her near me." Root continued.

"Don't remind me. I was bedridden for even longer." Harold added

Transition (2 years ago)

"Root!" Alicia called

"Yeah!" Root called back.

"Your father is taking Lionel to soccer practice and I am going to pick up Harold's prescription. If he needs anything, please assist him until I get back."

"Of course." Root replied. Everyone has been worried about Harold. Ever since his accident, he has been more explosive than he ever has been. He refused eating for a bit, rushed his healing, and refused help from his family. The injury Harold received would be affecting him for the rest of his life. The family were worried that Harold would lose hope of ever walking again.

"Okay." Alicia said. She gave Root a kiss on the forehead and left.

Root decided she'd talk with Harold for a bit.

"Hi Harry." Root said as she entered his and Lionel's room. He was currently laying in bed staring straight up to the ceiling

Neck in brace. Leg in cast. Overall, miserable.

"What do you want, Ms. Groves?" Harold replied sharply

"I was just wondering if you needed anything. Food? Water? Bathroom-"

"I don't need anything." Harold cut her off.

Root went to respond, but she heard a knock at the door. Wordlessly, Root left. Missing the tear that escaped Harold's eye.

Root answered the door, boy was the person nothing she expected. Her mother.

"What the hell are you doing here? Get in da car!" Root's mother yelled

"Mom….Um. I can't. Remember? You're an unfit drunk. Wait.. how'd you even find me?" Root asked

She took a big chug of her drink, "Just come on!" She yelled and grabbed Root, unaware of the person lurking behind them.

"Hey! Let go!" Root yelled trying to fight her mother.

The mother didn't get a chance to respond because she got a face full of cane. Her drunken state didn't help her with not falling, because she fell, causing the mother to let go of Root.

Root turned behind her. Shocked at who her savior was.

"Harry? You should be in bed. Your leg is in a cast, you can't be putting pressure on it."

"Get behind me." Harold ignored her

When Root didn't move, Harold moved in front of her. When the mother entered the house, Harold forced him and Root to back up.

"Who the hell is this cripple?" Root's mother asked

"My brother." Root responded, "Leave us alone! Can't you see he's hurt!"

"Be quiet, Root. Stay behind me." Harold told her

The mother quickly walked to Harold, as if she suddenly sobered up and backhanded him.

Harold grunted, the movement of his neck in his brace hurt him like hell.

"Harry!" Root yelled.

Root's mother then kicked his leg. Causing Harold to fall, but he used the couch to catch him before he could fall on the ground. The mother then quickly raised her foot, like she's about to do a karate kick. Harold turned around before the foot can hit his stomach again. Bad move. She kicked his spine. Harold yelled in agony. But he was still determined to protect his little sister.

"Harold?" Someone yelled from outside, Alicia Corwin and John Greer entered the home to see Root supporting Harold, who looked beaten and defeated, more than he did on that unfaithful night. And a drunken woman who switched back to drunken bitch.

"Get out of here." John Greer said in a threatening voice.

"Not without my daughter." Root's mother slurred.

Alicia Corwin then grabbed her and threw her out, "SHE'S NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!" she yelled. Root smiled at Alicia's motherly instincts.

After the cops were called, Root's mother was removed from the home, and the doctor came to assess in the additional damage done to Harold.

"It's not that bad." The doctor told them. "My guess, it caused Harold a great amount of pain but no additional damage had been done to the spine. Maybe one more week in bed and he should be fine."

"Great….more bedrest." Harold said

"Be glad you have your life. Things could be very different right now, Harold." John Greer told him….

Transition (Present Day)

"She was a real miserable woman." Harold said from the couch, recalling that day.

Root nodded in agreement, "It even took you 4 months before you talked to Nathan again."

"I could walk by then." Harold responded, "Kind of."

Root nodded, "Yeah. Carter came when you had your walker and wheelchair and Shaw showed up when you were adjusting to walking without those things."

"You got to see me when I was able to walk, Mr. Reese." Harold told John

John shrugged, "I brought good luck." John winked. Harold smiled.

"Shaw." Lionel poked Shaw, "I'm sorry about what I did to you."

Shaw shook her head, "Me too."

Lionel smiled. They both looked at Harold.

"I'm sorry glasses. I didn't mean to put you in that position." Lionel gold Harold

"Sorry Finch. For kicking you." Shaw added. Harold nodded at the both of them.

"You two are still grounded for fighting and hurting your brother." Alicia told Lionel and Shaw.

"Dammit." They both muttered

TBC.Sooooooo sorry it's been so long. Corona making me busy and can't upload as often. here's a long, or what I consider long, chapter to make up for it. thank you for your support!