Roads Diverged
All Within My Hands
Part One: Choices

Note: I do not own Heroes or the characters. Tim Kring created them, but I do my own characters. This one focuses one Suchi, a woman with a power greater than anyone could have imagined.
Timeline: Alternative Universe (I'm not sure where to place this in the timeline, it is a mix. Takes place right after Charlie died.)
Genre: Supernatural/Action/Adventure/Drama/Horror
Rating: Teen (or higher, but I doubt it)

Bones, I dream of them, they fill my thoughts, my sight, they haunt me. That isn't strange for me; after all I am a Forensic Anthropologist who specializes in Osteology. Bones are my life, with them I can how old the person was and how they died. With my slight artistic abilities I am able to give families closure. My work never ends, each case more horrific than the next. The current case was just dropped on my desk; a box that reeks of garbage, rotting flesh and mud, the remaining flesh is oozing through the sides and is leaking on my desk. Great, the smell will remain forever now; I'm going to have to get a new desk.

"Here you go!" The detective says cheerfully, smiling like a jackal as he goes. What an ass. He's been added to my current shit list, and he's at the top. Quickly standing I grab the box and hurry with it down to the morgue, ignoring people making comments and noises as I pass. As more of the liquid flesh drips on me, the more it seeps into my skin, the scent will linger for days, joy. As I continue rushing for the morgue, I've never been happier to be there.

The Medical Examiner looks at me as I enter; he sees the box, sees my face and smiles. I scowl at him and he continues to grin. He is a man in early 50's and has taken me under his wing since I graduated and became an Osteologist. He has been looking after me since I'm the youngest Forensic Anthropologist, I'm in my late 20s and I have more intelligence than half the cops in the department above. They of course, think they are Gods gift to the world but most are the most pathetic with the exception of a small handful. He makes room on one of the tables for my box and he is still smiling at me. His name is Gregory Armand, widowed and grandfather to a handful of children. I assume that is why he had taken me under his wing for all these years. We've been working together since my graduation nearly 10 years ago.

"Go shower, I'll get the bones cleaned, I'm finished with my latest, don't need you reeking up the place." He jokes, the twinkle in his eyes finally makes me smile, and I incline my head to him and head to the faculty women's locker room. As I shower, I douse myself with lemons; I always have a bag in my locker for moments like that. It helps cut the stench of rotting flesh but it takes a long while. Thank the Lord I do not have a social life outside of work.

When I'm finally able to be around people again I head back to the morgue where Greg has set out my skeleton on the table, from first glance I see that there are many broken bones from skull cap down, it looks like this person had been crushed. As I close my eyes and touch the bones, my mind is filled with screams and I see how death took this person, this child.

A group of children ran around a park, playing a game of tag. Their laughter and screams rang through the afternoon air. A little girl stopped, trying to catch her breath, as she paused and watched the others. Just as she was about to take a step forward and catch up with the others, but two hands grabbed her, pulling her into the woods surrounding the park. There was a brilliant flash and the girl's dying body was thrown down a ravine 20 years ago…lost to time…lost to everyone.

When I break away from the vision, Greg is watching, he knows my gift and has watched my back since he saw my gift accidentally. He has seen me work my powers over the bones; on one occasion I saved him from death. He was having a heart attack when I arrived one day, I placed my hands on him and I brought him life, but to others I have brought death. With my bones, death cannot hide itself from me. I can see it; it haunts me as the remains do. And as the phone rings, Greg answers as I begin to place each bone delicately in the box, as I place the last one in, I write the name that crosses my mind-Lily Foster, age 8.

I sigh; no child should suffer like that, especially dying alone. I look to Greg and his eyes meet mine, his age finally begins to show. Something bad has happened, I can see it in his eyes.

"What is it?"

"FBI Agent Audrey Hanson for you," he says, I'm surprised, I usually only hear from Audrey when something weird happens, which has been happening more often these days.

"This is Suchi," I say and I hear Audrey sigh.

"There has been another victim, this time a 23 year old waitress, Charlie Andrews. Same as the others, skullcap removed, but her brain is still there. He was rushed this time, too many people around. Confirm it, she is being sent to your morgue. She will be there soon." Audrey informs me, I have been assisting with the autopsies of the Sylar case for her. She has trusted me with the information that has only been shared with few people. I have a feeling that Greg has had something to do with the fact we met at all. Audrey and I met at the briefing for the Sylar case; her superiors hired me after a long consult with Greg who recommended me for the work. After that, we talked for a long time about the case and how the sight of the bodies would haunt us. They would haunt her but not me; the only things that haunt me are the bones I study. She is a good person and is trying to remain rational about a situation that is completely irrational. But the one thing I haven't told her was the genetic anomalies that all the bodies have shared, which lead me to read in the text of Chandra Suresh and to contact him on his work.

"Will her skullcap be coming with her?" I asked, I heard a male voice in the background and recognized it as her so-called partner Matt Parkman.

"Yes. She's on her way now, do the usual with the paperwork and comply with the families wishes for burial if they have any, if they don't I would suggest cremation." She advises.

"Alright, thank you Audrey, good bye." I hang up and look to Greg who has started writing up a report on the body he had been working on earlier.

"Sylar?" he asked, I nodded and began my paperwork as I waited for his newest victim to grace me with her presence.

About 10 minutes later four FBI agents appear with a body in a bag, they lay her down gently and quickly leave. As I unzip the bag, wide eyes greet me, they draw me in, and before I even begin to use my powers I know she died in fear and surprise. Greg helps me remove her completely from the bag and we lay her out on the table. She looks so innocent; I cannot believe that monster slaughtered her or all the others. The blood has clotted from her brain and I collect a small portion to study. From first glance, since I know what I'm looking for, I know she is one of those who possess the gene. Now I am relieved that I can offer her another chance. I nod to the door and Greg heads to lock it; I don't need anyone to walk in on this. As I close my eyes, I take her cold, still hand in mine, I can tell she has been dead for approximately 20 minutes, the FBI immediately got her to me and just in time. Greg walks back over and places her skull cap back onto her head, it will not stay but it will fuse back, another so called bonus to my gift.

As I begin to see her death and the moments right before. The deeper I search within the body, within the bones; I connect to the bridge between life and death. In this place, I control the appearance, it is a road diverged; I stand at the middle and wait for her arrival. I call to her, call to her spirit, sometimes there is no answer, sometimes there is but the offer is refused, but it was up to her now.

"Hello?" comes a confused but cute drawl from behind me; I turn to see Charlie standing behind. The light radiating from her is such a pure white I'm nearly blinded.

"Hello Charlie, my name is Suchi, as you can see I have a gift like you and your friend Hiro-"

"How do you know about Hiro? About me? I didn't have a gift, just a good memory is all!" she insists, I smile at her and I see wonder in her eyes.

"No my dear, it is a genetic anomaly. Hiro wasn't lying about his and you were in denial about yours. You are special and you are gifted, sadly my dear, that is why you were killed. The man murdered you because you were gifted," Charlie's expression changes to broken.

"But why would someone do that? I was just a small town girl trying to live out what time I had left by saving up to travel. I wasn't hurting anyone, I always kept to myself like I promised myself I would, well until Hiro." She babbled, she is too cute for her own good.

"I know, I know. I have an offer for you Charlie. My power is to see death, it cannot hide from me. With it I can give life and take it back, which is how I am speaking to you now. I bridge life and death through your body, your bones."

"You get to do that plus heal and kill, all I got was a big 'ol memory." She says, I smile.

"Never be discouraged by your gift, memories are important, in the end those are all we have."

"That was nice." She smiles, I reach out and take her hand in an attempt to comfort.

"Charlie, your life was taken from you too early, it wasn't fair to end your life-"

"I was going to die anyways." She says softly, I catch her eyes and hold them.

"You didn't know when your life would end, until you were killed by that man, you would have lived until at least your late 40s. You could have gotten close to people, you could have loved and lived, you could have had a family, traveled, all the things you thought you never could. Now I must ask you, if you wanted, I could give your life back. You could live again Charlie. Think it over but I don't have much time here, if I'm interrupted while I'm in between I'm not sure what will happen." I tell her, I don't want her to rush but I sense that people are coming closer to the morgue. She looks at me and she begins to cry.

"I-I-"

"Yes child?"

"This is so hard! I'm happy in heaven! But if I go back I can't go back to who I was! How will Hiro take it? How will I even find him? What will happen? What if I die again!? I don't know what to do!" she cries, I help wipe away her tears; since I am spirit in this land I can touch her obviously.

"Its your choice Charlie, and yours alone." I tell her and she closes her eyes and more tears course from her eyes.

To Be Continued

(Note: The next part will be in the works soon. Part Two will be titled: Consequences. I intend on bringing the unsung Heroes back and shining new light on some favorites. I hope you enjoyed the first part to my story.)