Forever.

That was her name. Forever. As in, Forever and ever. Happy endings. I'll be with you Forever.

Or Forever running.

Forever scared.

Forever trying to get away from what was hidden in her mind.

Forever sighed and looked at the sunset. It would be dark soon. She could hide again.

She started to run.

Sandra looked around the house. Ash littered the place. Dust filled the air. The walls were black. There was nothing left undamaged in the house. It was just… destroyed.

"This is her work." Noah Bennett came into the room after looking further around the house.

"Forever?" Sandra sighed. "This girl needs to be contained. Quickly." Her voice was without emotion, her eyes blank.

Noah looked around the house. "Any idea on the parents?"

"Dead. Both of them. They're in the other room, if you want to look."

Noah shook his head. "I'll take your word on that." He looked at her. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He looked at her. "I'd think it would be a little… close to home, wouldn't it?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Noah, it's been ten years. I think I can handle it."

He raised his hands, surrendering. "If you insist."

Forever glared at the splinter in her hand. A flash of heat seared through her palm, and the wood disappeared.

She sighed, watching the light on her hand intensify. She imagined it growing brighter and brighter, hotter and hotter, until it enveloped her entirely, destroying the city in a blast of red fire…

She shivered, and the glow died down. She looked at the ground. All around her, the grass had died.

She glared at her hands. "This is all YOUR FAULT!" She snarled. The glow started again, then spread away from her in a small wave. Not big enough to hurt anyone, but certainly large enough for her to release some of her anger.

She collapsed to her knees. She hated what she was. She hated what had happened to her. She hated this… this power. This ability. She hated it.

She started to run again. She was the radioactive child. What could she do about it, except run? Run as far as she could and hope that, somehow, someway, she could control it?

Unless, maybe, there was someone who could help…?

Peter Petrelli listened to the person knock on the door a few times before he finally decided to stand up and go towards it. He sighed and opened it.

Standing outside was a young woman. Her eyes were red-rimmed. She was soaked, and looked like she'd been in the rain for hours. "A-Are you Peter Petrelli?"

Peter looked at her. "Who wants to know?"

She swallowed. "My name is Forever."

Peter didn't know why he'd let her in. She'd just seemed so… helpless. And it wasn't as though he couldn't take care of himself is she ended up some insane killer or something.

She shivered. "I'm really sorry about bursting in on you like this. I just… didn't know where else to go."

He nodded. "It's ok." He looked at her. "What happened to you, anyway?"

She chuckled softly, darkness in her eyes. "I don't know if you'll believe me."

He smiled. "Trust me. There's nothing you can say that I won't believe."

She looked at him for a long time, then sighed. "Have you ever had a secret? I mean, one so big you can't tell ANYONE? And… and what if that secret just… just takes control of you, and you can't… can't stop yourself…" She trailed off as her hands began to glow.

Peter's eyes widened, everything becoming clear. He was at her side in a second, trying desperately to calm her down. "Shh, shh, shh… it's ok. Just keep calm, it's ok, it's ok…"

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Slowly, steadily, the glow dimmed, before disappearing entirely.

She sighed and opened her eyes, turning to look at him. "Sorry." She whispered.

"It's ok."

"But… do you understand now?"

He nodded. "You're radioactive. Trying to stop yourself from exploding every day isn't exactly fun."

She sighed. "I've lost control more than once."

He nodded again. "I know how that feels."

She looked at him for a long time. "Can you… can you help me? I…I don't know where else to go."

He smiled softly and nodded. "Why not?"

"Forever." Her father called her into the other room. "Come here, sweetie."

She sighed and walked in. "Yes?"

He looked at her for a long time. "Care to explain this?" He held up a wooden spoon, covered with as, burnt down in places so that it looked like a black handprint.

Forever felt herself panic, and forced herself to stay calm. "How would I know?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Because I saw you trying to hide it yesterday." He looked at her. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

She shook her head quickly. "No. I've never seen that before in my life."

He sighed. "Don't lie to me, Forever. I know you did SOMETHING."

"Nothing." She lied. "What do you think, that I just burned my handprint into a spoon just for the heck of it?" She snorted. "Please. Kinda expecting the impossible, aren't you?"

He looked at her. "Yes… impossible…"

Forever blew it off. "It's fine, dad."

She tried to walk past him, but he caught her arm. "Forever…"

She stiffened. "Let go of me."

"Please, just listen."

"LET GO!" She shrieked.

As long as she'd been alive, Forever had a problem with people stopping her from moving, restraining her in any way. And, ever since the eclipse, the one that changed everything, that problem had gotten worse.

Her hands began to glow, the light traveling up her arms until her father was forced to let go as the radioactivity burned his hands. He cried out in pain.

But it was too late. Forever's mother entered the room, confused by the cry and the sound of arguing. But there was nothing that could stop Forever now. The light spread across her, flashing out in waves. "GO!" She cried, desperate to get her parents out of the house before she exploded.

But there was nothing she could do. The light intensified with each passing second, sending radioactive energy across the room.

And then she exploded.

"NO!" Forever snapped awake, her breathing heavy as she tried desperately to remain calm. Her hands were glowing, and she had to force them to go to their normal state again.

She sighed and curled herself into a ball, resting her chin on her knees. Tears flowed down her face as she spoke three words that she'd been avoiding, simply because the truth hurt too much.

"I'm a murderer."