Title: Saving Charlie
Author: Zoe Saugin/PrincessOfQuestionableMorals
Fandom: Heroes
Summary: Hiro never inadvertently teleported to the future before kissing Charlie. Written for the Third FP challenge.
Saving Charlie
When Hiro Nakamura set out to do something, he did it.
And he was going to save Charlie Andrews, one way or another.
But when she told him that no matter what he did, she was going to die of an aneurysm anyways, he was at a loss. And when she told him she loved him, he couldn't think straight.
So he did what his brain and other parts of his anatomy were screaming for him to do, and leaned in towards her and kissed her, the wonderful girl who had learned Japanese in a week and was fated to die soon.
And Hiro Nakamura forgot about the mission for the first time since he had seen the bomb blow up New York.
All he could think about was Charlie.
The girl in question drew back, smiling sweetly at Hiro. "So, the samurai movie marathon?" she asked, smile firmly glued to her face.
Hiro couldn't see straight. "Yes, uh…"
"Well, are you ready to leave?" drawled Charlie.
"Of…of course." Stuttered the slightly off-balance Hiro. He led Charlie to the car where a suitcase was already inside.
"I…cannot tele-port us." He said, smiling sheepishly. "Japan is…long way away."
"That's okay, Hiro." Said Charlie, smiling. "Ah don't mind the car travel."
"Just to airport." Hiro grinned.
Charlie opened the driver's side door, having learned long ago that Hiro did not know how to drive an American car the American way. The trip began in silence, with Hiro casting sideways glances at Charlie.
"Charlie?" ventured Hiro tentatively.
"Hmmm?" Asked Charlie, concentrating on the road.
"I…uhm…I love you, too." He said, frowning at his inability to communicate what he was trying to say.
Charlie's face lit up. She took one hand off the steering wheel and held Hiro's hand, smiling at him reassuringly.
"When does the plane leave?"
Hiro looked at the tickets. "It says...uh…five…thi-rty?"
"Amnesty Airlines says that we should be there two hours before." Said Charlie, utilizing her memorizing ability. "Only two ounces of liquid is allowed in each person's carry-on, and no sharp objects, including, but not limited to, scissors, nail clippers, pocket knives, razors, metal nail files, and knives of any kind." She smiled at Hiro. "Sometimes this big memory does come in handy."
"You…are very…powerful." Said Hiro, smiling back.
"But not as powerful as you!" teased Charlie. She took her hand away from his to steer the car towards the now-visible airport.
"Sometimes…the most powerful…are those who do not think they are so." Said Hiro solemnly. "My friend…Ando. He possess…great strength. But he does not know it. He believe that he is merely…sidekick."
"Can ya blame him, Hiro? You have an amazing ability." Charlie pointed out, maneuvering between lanes as they attempted to get through the driveway of the airport.
"I suppose." They fell silent as they drove through the parking lot, looking for a space.
"Yatto!" said Hiro, excitedly, pointing at an empty space. Charlie laughed, pulling into it.
"3:30. We're on time." Said Charlie, checking her watch.
The two hurried into the airport.
Hiro looked over at the sleeping woman next to him. Charlie had fallen asleep after about three hours on the plane, and had been passed out ever since. Her head rested on Hiro's shoulder and the Japanese man was resting against the window.
"Sir?" asked a flight attendant, coming through with drinks. "Would you like anything?"
"Um, yes…a…Coke?" asked Hiro in his stilted English.
She smiled, handing him a Coke and a cup of ice. "Does your wife want anything?" She asked, indicating Charlie.
"Oh, she is not…my wife." Said Hiro. "We are just…good friends."
"My mistake. Do you think she wants anything?"
"One moment." Hiro shook Charlie's shoulder lightly. "Charlie, do you want a drink?"
The redhead opened her eyes, sleepy. "Sprite?"
Hiro relayed the answer to the flight attendant. She smiled kindly at the two passengers, passing the Sprite to Charlie, who was waking up a little more and stretching, blearily rubbing her eyes.
"Where are we, Hiro?' She asked, yawning.
"We are somewhere over…the Pacific...Ocean." He replied.
"How long was I asleep?" Charlie yawned again.
"Three and-a half hours." Hiro said, smiling.
"Wow." She cuddled closer into his shoulder. "Ah think Ah'm going to go back to sleep."
"Good idea." Said Hiro sagely. "You must be prepared to stay up for the Kagasaki."
"Kagasaki," mused Charlie, racking her memory. She finally remembered. "Of course. The fireworks."
Hiro nodded solemnly. "It is…a great…celebration." He fell silent when he noticed that Charlie was asleep again. He smoothed her hair gently, watching as she sighed softly in her sleep. She turned so that her head was resting more comfortably against his shoulder.
Hiro resumed his vigil, watching outside the window.
Charlie happily drank a coffee as she and Hiro wandered down one of the streets of Japan, holding hands as Hiro spoke a rapid mixture of English and Japanese that Charlie was finding hard to follow.
"When I was hachi—um, eight?—my otosan—father—told me that I must…take over the company. My ane—older sister—is a much better prospect, though." When they got to a crossing, he stopped Charlie before she could step into the street. "Tomare. Stop." He smiled gently.
"Doko e tsurete yukuno desuka?" She asked in an attempt to get information out of him. "Where are you taking me?"
Hiro smiled secretively. "Your…Japanese has improved very much."
"That doesn't answer the question, Hiro." She said, glaring playfully.
"You must wait." He said.
"How much longer?" She whined.
"We are here." He grinned, pointing at the building.
She gasped. The building was extremely tall. "Why are we here?"
"Come with me." He pulled her towards an elevator, and she followed, taking in the inside of the building. They took the elevator up sixteen floors, before they had to exit.
"We must take the stairs." Said Hiro apologetically.
Charlie nodded mutely, and they climbed four flights of stairs in silence, emerging on the roof of the building.
Charlie gasped.
Spread out before them was the city, lit up by a thousand lights. There were a few other people on top of the building, but she didn't notice them as the fireworks started and Hiro pulled her towards the edge. He concentrated, disappearing for a second, and returned with a blanket.
"It's beautiful." Charlie whispered as they watched the fireworks explode.
"You're beautiful." Hiro corrected. Charlie smiled and kissed him softly.
"You're a very sweet man, Hiro." She said, still smiling. She stood up, laughing and twirling as she watched the fireworks etching in the night sky.
She fell back, and Hiro laughed, going over to her. When he saw her irregular breathing and blank eyes, his stomach dropped.
"Tasukete! Help!" He shouted to the other people on the roof. "Ishiki fumei desu!"
Hiro was woken up by a hand gently shaking him. He looked around. Charlie smiled at him blithely from the hospital bed.
"Hey, Hiro."
"Charlie!" He yelled, excited. He grabbed her, hugging her as she giggled.
"What happened?" She asked him.
"You fainted…on top…of the building." He said, blushing profusely.
Her eyes twinkled. "I guess it was a false alarm." She moved closer to him, kissing him sweetly. "Though I am tired."
"You should sleep." Said Hiro, moving back to the chair. Charlie yawned hugely, closing her eyes. She opened them again, smiling at him.
"I want you to know—"
"Mr. Nakamura, Mr. Nakamura." A hand shook him awake, and he sat up, realizing that it had been a dream. He looked around wildly, eyes landing on a doctor who was seated in a chair next to him.
"Mr. Nakamura, your friend, Charlie Andrews…I'm afraid she passed away a few minutes ago. She had an aneurysm, and it was impossible to prevent. Gomen nasai." The doctor left the room, and Hiro was left staring at the beautiful girl who now lay lifeless in the small hospital bed.
To clear up some of the Japanese…
"Ishiki fumei desu!"means "She is unconscious!"
"Gomen nasai." means "I'm sorry."
Reviews are appreciated.