Title: Love is a Temporary Madness
Author: Pinky and the Brain/ ShenanaginsProductions
Summary: What are the circumstances surrounding Noah Gray's birth? Who is his mother? Why is he blonde? How can he exist in this new timeline? When was he conceived?
Disclaimer: We wish we owned Sylar, but we don't. He belongs to the creators of Heroes, as does the rest of the world. We think.
A/N
Brain's Notes: This story is EATING MY BRAIN. For God's sake just READ it so I won't explode! This is a story thought up by kittenspawn, about the circumstances surrounding the birth of Noah Gray ^.^ Who is his mother? Why is he blond? How can he exist in this new universe where Sylar is Nathan? Now you knooowww!
This is Pinky's first fic, and my first collaborative story, so please be gentle! Reviews are like crack for us. For real. So get us high.
We're not sure how consistent we can be with posting chapters, but we'll try to post one at least once a week!
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Nathan Petrelli did not feel like himself.
His family insisted that all his worries were over; done. Sylar was dead, his body nothing more than ashes, all the terrible deeds and sins he committed fading into distant memory. So why did he feel like his problems were only beginning?
Nathan slowly picked up that morning's paper, splashed with news of another mysterious drowning death. He had wanted to read the article before his lunch date with his Ma, but time simply didn't allow.
The clock on Nathan's bookcase ticked quietly, the small sound piercing the silence like a panicked heartbeat.
Nathan's thoughts began to drift, as they consistently did whenever he allowed his mind to wander, back to his final encounter with Sylar. There were so many blanks in his recollection, so many hardly vivid images and blurry silhouettes. He thought that he remembered blood- a lot of it, trickling in a gruesomely beautiful pattern onto the floor, but his brother's account insisted there had been a minimal amount of bleeding. There was something missing; no, there was a lot missing...
Why did his mother stare at him when she thought he couldn't see? Why was it that whenever he saw Noah Bennett, the man was smiling in that patronizing manner? Why…
RING RING RING
The phone jolted Nathan back into reality. His legs slid off his desk and landed with a 'thump' on the floor.
To answer, or not to answer?
Nathan couldn't sit in his office and brood all day.
"Yes?"
"Sir, we have a women here trying to gain access to your office. She says she's expected."
Nathan sighed in frustration. The recent formation of a government owned company, much like the one that hid in plan sight as Primatech paper, continually made his work life difficult.
The secret service was only doing their job, at his mother's request. Having noticed that Nathan was not feeling himself, she made a call to up security in his building.
"Ma, I'm FINE." He had told her over lunch.
"Nathan. You are a United States Senator. Who knows how many people out there may be trying to hurt you? This is for your own protection." She had just ended the call requesting security be doubled in Nathan's building.
Nathan was finding the change difficult, especially when a service agent followed him to the men's room and insisted on standing less than a foot away.
"Women?" Nathan repeated slowly, tapping the desk. "What does she look like?"
There was a pause. "She's short. Blonde. Do you know her?"
"Uh, no. I believe I have a new secretary scheduled to begin work today. Check her ID and send her up," Nathan ordered.
"Sir, I am under instruction that no one is to have access to your section of the building without approval…" the agent began.
Nathan huffed and stood up. "I'll be down in a moment." Muttering to himself about meddling mothers, he adjusted his tie and stepped crisply from his office.
Down in the lobby, he was greeted by a surly looking security guard glaring at a petite young woman. In her hands she held a tray with two large coffee cups, and over her shoulders were heaped several briefcases and portable computer bags. It appeared as though she were about to collapse under the weight, and with every word uttered by the guard, her frame sagged even more.
"Look, I'm trying to tell you," she panted, "I WORK here! My name is Juliette O'Neil, and I should be on the employee roster. No one told me I would need a special clearance for this job." She shifted the tray of coffee from one hand to another and fumbled to reach the folder in one of the cases that visibly weighed her down.
After a moment of watching as she pathetically attempted to keep her balance, Nathan could stay quiet no longer. "Let me help you." He extended an arm to her reaching for the heaviest case, removing it from her thin shoulders.
"Oh my gosh! Thank you!" She sighed, setting the cups of coffee on the ground and reaching into her bag.
"Here." she flashed a badge and a notice of employment to the agent. "Will this do?" Her green eyes narrowed with annoyance as the agent inspected her paperwork.
'If this guy makes me lose my job, I don't know what I'll do.' She thought, biting her lip.
Juliette's fear was well founded. She had been through four employers in the past twelve months. She needed this job, and the excellent medical benefits it came with, so she could afford the medication and doctor's visits that kept her alive.
The agent glanced at Nathan, who had not yet introduced himself to Juliette.
"Everything checks out. You can go right up, Ms O'Neil." He said at last.
"Thanks," she said as she put the folder back in her bag and picked up the coffee cups. "For nothing," she added under her breath.
She quickly started up the stairs to Nathan Petrelli's office, completely forgetting the kind man who was holding the heaviest of her luggage.
"Hey, wait a moment!" Nathan shouted as she ascended the staircase. He followed her swiftly, carrying the bags.
Juliette pivoted quickly, embarrassed, and in her haste, lost track of her own feet. Time seemed to slow as she heard the heel of her left shoe snap under the force of her turn. She felt the balance leave her body and she closed her eyes, praying for a safe landing.
She fell forward, and expected to tumble, but instead landed face first in the chest of the man who had helped her with the bags. The coffee she was carrying spilled down his shirt as the cups clattered down to the stairs below them.
"Are you okay?" Nathan asked concernedly, grabbing her shoulders gently and helping her right herself. He was almost shocked at the ease with which he could lift her back to her feet. She must have been no more than ninety pounds, a sickly weight for such a vibrant-looking girl.
"Oh my Gosh! Your shirt! You! Are you alright?!" she gasped, a blush coloring her pale cheeks a bright crimson.
Nathan flashed a small half smile at the women, whose light hair had come undone as she escaped what could have been a dangerous fall. Delicate strands of it fell over her glasses, obstructing her vision. She quickly brushed her hair away and began to apologize again.
"I'm sorry. It's just my first day here, and I wanted to make a good impression on my boss because I really need this job, so I brought him coffee and now…" she trailed off, staring sadly at the searing hot stain on his shirt.
"Don't give it another thought, I mean it. I'm fine." Nathan assured her as they began to climb the staircase again. She had to stay one step above him just to maintain eye level.
"Well, thank you for saving me." She said weakly.
"No Problem." Nathan smiled.
"Do you happen to know where Nathan Petrelli's Office is? That's where I work."
"Of course I do." Nathan placed his hand on the small of her back. A spark of static electricity snapped and startled him, but she seemed not to notice. He pointed her in the direction of his office
"It's MY office."
Juliette's heart sank to her feet, and her shy smile left her face.
"Great. Way to make a good impression, Jules." She muttered to herself, her cheeks flushing again with embarrassment.
Nathan chuckled and smiled. "It's fine, really. Quite frankly, the most excitement I have had in weeks."
"Really? I thought the life of a senator would be all kinds of exciting," she said inquisitorially.
"Not anymore." Nathan shrugged, thinking back to his days of fighting Sylar to ensure the safety of the world.
"Well." There was an awkward silence between the two. Juliette cleared her throat. "I had better get to work." she said at last, placing her bags on her desk and taking the other two from Nathan. "Already late as it is." She raised her shoulders gently as his lips twisted in a grin.
"Okay, I'll be in here is you need saving." Nathan pointed to his door as her cheeks flushed pink again with embarrassment.
He stopped at the door as Juliette began settling into her new space.
"Miss O'Neil?"
"Yes, Sir?"
"What kind of coffee is this on my shirt?"
She smiled. "Decaf Soy Latte. Someone told me it was your favorite."
"Hmm. It is. Great work."
Juliette kept smiling as Nathan disappeared into his office.
He sat down at his desk and propped his feet back up.
"Yup. Most excitement I've had in a long time."
__
As the days passed, turning in to weeks, Juliette grew more and more comfortable with her new boss. She learned to pay no mind when he drifted of into space for what seemed like hours, though it did concern her a bit.
Today, like she did every day after returning from lunch, she gently knocked on Nathan door with his afternoon Latte.
"Sir?" She asked tentatively when she noticed he was not at his desk.
"Hmm?" Nathan was once again staring at the clock, on his bookcase, his hands clasped behind his back, and an expression of worry and puzzlement on his face. He turned to face her, and when he caught her eye the worry seemed to melt away into a smile.
"Oh, Juliette. I told you, call me Nathan."
She blushed and gave a faint laugh "I don't think that is the best of ideas, Senator."
She turned her head quickly, avoiding what appeared to be a look of disappointment. She knew she was growing very fond of him, almost… too fond.
Come on, Jules. You can NOT screw this up! They want to do another EKG today and you cannot afford it without insurance.
"Oh. Fine then, Ms. O'Neil" Nathan's smile had left his face, and he turned back to the clock.
Juliette cleared her through gently in the hopes to gain his attention once more.
"Um, Senator? I have to head out for the day. I mentioned it a few days ago?" Juliette could see that Nathan was once again not paying attention. "Senator?" She reached out and placed her hand on his left shoulder. His eyes snapped back into focus.
"Is everything alright?" She asked, unable to hide her growing concern over his increasingly strange behavior.
"No. It's this clock." Nathan muttered
Juliette felt her heart drop
The clock. AGAIN.
"Well, I did call the repairman, but to do an onsite will still be a bit." She'd told him this before, several times. "Why don't you just let me drop it off for repair when I go to my appointment this afternoon?"
"No." Nathan barked. I took her aback.
"I'm Sorry, I just thought that-" she began
"The clock stays here." Nathan's eyes had gone dark, almost menacing. It was the first time Juliette had ever seen her boss upset like that. He was usually so calm and collected.
"Alright." She said nervously. "You're the boss."
She turned and hurried out of his study more hastily than she could ever recall doing in the short time she worked there. Why was she suddenly afraid of the man she'd spent her days working for in the recent past?
She reached on her tip toes to get her purse and overcoat from the tall coat rack. Everything in the world seemed to be made to tall for her small stature, and most of the items in Nathan's office where no exception. As she tried to pull her coat from the rack, it tipped, smashing the framed painting on the wall beside it.
""Oh!" She gasped, closing her eyes, as if the action would once again protect her.
It did not. Glass shattered from the frame like a rain shower, landing on the floor with an ironically musical tinkling sound.
Juliette turned, almost paralyzed with fear, to see Nathan standing near her, a look in his eyes she had never seen before.
""I am so sorry!" she cried, fearful of him growing angry with her again. "I was just trying to get my- and you see, it was too tall and I'm…""She trailed off
"I'm fired, aren't I?" She held her breath, waiting for the explosion that was no doubt on its way.
Nathan placed his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes in a way that made her feel more secure than she ever had. Secure in a way that a boss should not make an employee feel.
"I apologize. I've been,"" Nathan paused, ""Well, not myself recently."
His eyes met hers, and he held his gaze for what seemed like an eternity. Transfixed, she found herself unable to break away. His hands felt so strong and protective on her shoulders, which were still shuddering from the shock of the broken frame.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" He lowered his posture a bit to meet her at eye level. His face was close to hers, his dark eyes soft with concern. She could feel his warm breath falling lightly on her cheek. He smelled like peppermint and lemon, and for one crazy instant she thought that maybe he kept candy canes and lemon drops in his desk so he had a snack on hand whenever he got bored.
Juliette swallowed hard, and found herself glancing at the door as though searching for a way to escape. She didn't want to leave… and that was bad. Very bad.
"I, um… No. No sir," she answered slowly. He squeezed her shoulders gently before letting his hands drop to his sides and straightened up, adjusting his tie.
"You had better be along to your appointment," he said pointedly. She found herself at a loss for words. "Where is it you're going again?"
"The doctor… routine check-up, you know." She was slowly becoming aware of reality, as though shaking out of a very long trance.
"Oh." He said, as though this was the first he had heard of it. The nagging concern worked its way into Juliette's mind once again.
""I have, well…"" She lowered her eyes and stepped backwards.
'Do NOT tell him. He will think you're weak.'
"Just a thing. Can't reschedule, unfortunately,"" she finished lamely. "I've mentioned it before. It's actually on the calendar, too." She pointed over his shoulder at the large planner on the wall.
Nathan crumpled his forehead slightly, a look of puzzlement stretched across his face. He stood silent for a moment.
"Oh. Well, then have a great afternoon off."" He said, matter-of-factly.
"Thank you."
Juliette turned and walked hurriedly towards the exit. She paused just outside the doorway and looked over her shoulder, "Sir, I'm really sorry about the painting."
Nathan waved her off. "It's nothing. Piece of old junk left here by the last guy. I'll have maintenance clean up the mess."" He smiled. That smile gave Juliette a feeling him her stomach that shouldn't have been there.
"See you tomorrow then?"" She asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yeah. Tomorrow."" Her boss agreed distantly.
Juliette descended the stairs quickly and hailed a cab just outside the building.
"Where to, my friend?" the cabbie asked her politely.
"Sarah Lawrence, Cardiovascular Disorders entrance, please" she directed.
"Right away." With a gracious smile the cabbie got them slowly on their way. Jules sighed audibly, leaning her head back against the soft cushion and closing her eyes.
"…and I hope you all have a wonderful evening!"
Scattered applause followed the governor's speech, and he smiled down at his well-dressed audience, champagne flute in hand. Juliette swirled the golden liquid around her own glass, watching as the bubbles rose to the surface and disappeared noiselessly. This was her first official work party; she was surrounded by colleagues, none of whom she knew, and she felt as out of place as a fish out of water. The skin-tight black dress she wore hardly compared to the glitzy gowns donned by the rest of the ladies in the room. She felt poor, and underdressed. She had barley scraped by on her first paycheck; she hadn't had enough money left over to buy new clothes.
The crowds in front of the stage dispersed as the governor stepped down to mingle with his guests. Julie sighed and took a small sip of her drink.
"Hey, babe, are you as bored as I am?" A man appeared next to her out of nowhere, appareled in a blue tie and smelling strongly of wine.
Jules shuffled her feet uncomfortably. "No, I'm fine, thanks." She made to walk away, but Mr. Blue-Tie followed after her none too gracefully.
"Who are you?" He asked. He was tall, although everyone was all to Jules. He looked to be about 5'8, with light hair and light eyes and a sloppy grin on his face.
"My name is Juliette, I was recently employed Senator Petrelli's secretary," she informed him.
The use of mature vocabulary threw him off, and for a moment he stared at her blankly. "Oh," he said at last. "I'm Ben, I work for the governor." He didn't hold out his hand, and she wouldn't have taken it if he did.
"Goodbye, Ben." She said with some finality.
"Goodbye? Baby, we just started talking!" He made to take her by the arm, and she yanked herself out of his reach.
"I'm not your baby," she muttered.
"C'mon. You wouldn't wear that unless you wanted something from us guys." Ben looked her up and down, a sick grin on his face. She adjusted the skirt of her dress. She knew it was a bit too snug, but it was old, and the only one she owned. If she'd had any other dresses, she would have worn one.
"I think you're drunk, and you need to go away," she said quietly.
"I'll show you drunk," Ben laughed, dragging her closer to him by the elbow. Jules's eyes widened and she made to shove him off, but he was much stronger than she was. She felt her heart skip a beat. Couldn't anyone see this happening? Why wasn't anyone stopping him?
"Tsk tsk. Such manners…"
Jules never thought she would feel so relived to hear Senator Petrelli's voice.
Both she and Ben turned to face him at the same time. Nathan had the strangest look on his face, spiteful, menacing… his hands were balled so tightly into fists at his sides Jules could see the whites of his knuckles.
"Excuse me; can't you see I'm busy?" Ben asked, sneering.
Nathan smiled ruefully. "Miss O'Neil, do you like him touching you that way?" He asked.
Juliette shook her head vehemently.
Nathan stepped forward, and Ben relinquished his grasp. Jules stumbled backwards, her high heels almost causing her to fall to the ground. The senator paused only long enough to help her regain her balance, before continuing his advancement on Ben.
"What, so this bitch is yours?" Ben asked.
Nathan's rage was suddenly no longer repressed. He grabbed Ben by his collar and brought their faces close. "Gentlemen don't swear in front of ladies." He breathed slowly. He shoved Ben away, grinding his teeth. His hand twitched as though it wished to continue attacking him, but Nathan kept in control.
Jules watched, eyes wide, as Ben staggered fearfully away, almost knocking over the punch table in his haste. Nathan stood with his back to her for a moment, his shoulders heaving as he struggled with himself.
"Senator?" Juliette squeaked uncertainly.
Nathan's head twitched at the sound of his name. "I'm sorry." He said, without turning around. "I had a momentary lapse in judgment. Forgive me." And he left, without another word.
_
Juliette strode out of the bathroom, thoughts whizzing about her head like a swarm of angry bees. Her mind was still reeling over the lengths Nathan had gone to protect her; there was something cheesily romantic about it, and she felt oddly giddy, like an eight grade girl who was just complimented by her crush. On the flip side, Nathan had intimidated and frightened her. She hadn't known he could be quite so violent. At least 'Ben' had caused no physical damage that she could see, and she scouted the room in search of Nathan so she could tell him how thankful she was for his help.
"…causing a scene like that!"
Jules paused mid-step as the sound of a woman sternly chastising someone reached her ears.
"It won't happen again, Ma. I'm sorry." That was Nathan's voice!
Juliette slowly crept forward and peered around a corner, where she saw a short tight-lipped woman with her arms crossed, lecturing Nathan in a hushed tone.
"All for a silly little secretary!" Angel Petrelli said sourly.
"She's not a silly little secretary, Ma. She's… she's…" Nathan couldn't seem to find the right words.
"Below you. Far below you," Angela interjected. "She doesn't deserve you, Nathan. You have an image to uphold, and causing trouble like this is not helping your political career!"
"He was hurting her. I couldn't just stand by…" Nathan began.
"Yes, you could have. You should have. Like I said, Nathan, she doesn't deserve you. Whatever thoughts you may have had about her are wrong. Those girls are all the same. Small, blonde, innocent… she'll hurt you, dear. It's best you stick to your own kind." Angela finished. Nathan didn't answer.
Jules was frozen to the spot, fighting against tears that threatened to smudge her mascara.
She didn't deserve Nathan Petrelli, and she was stupid for ever thinking she did. She was a weak, fragile, sick little secretary, and he deserved so much more…
Nathan was special, and Jules just couldn't compare.
The cab pulled up to the hospital curb, snapping Juliette out of her reminiscence. After fumbling with the door for a moment, she finally managed to escape the hot little car. She approached the driver's side window and looked at her cabbie.
"How much?" she asked, dragging out her purse and digging through it for her wallet.
"Oh, don't worry about it, Miss," the cabbie waved her off smoothly.
"No, no, I insist!" Juliette exclaimed.
The cabbie locked eyes with her, and he smiled. "I hope you get well soon." He said quietly.
He was gone before she had the chance to respond.