Chapter 1: Everything Changes

A/N: Okay guys, I've been working on this one chapter since 3-13-07 so it's taken a while. I'm a huge Matt fan :). Not a Matt/Mohinder slashy fan though, blech which is all I seemed to find on the site which is what prompted me to publish. Matt needs someone better than that cheating wife of his, don't you think? Anyways, hope you enjoy and hopefully I'll be able to publish the next chapter soon. Thanks!

What happens when you don't even recognize yourself? You look in the mirror but can't find the person you're supposed to be, who you used to be? When did the other part, the part that you don't let anyone see, take over? Will anyone be safe? How can you protect anyone from something you aren't safe from yourself?

The bar was smooth and scarred and she ran her hand across it. The jukebox played in the background as she scooted her bar stool up and smiled at the bartender.

He watched her walk across the room and smiled slowly, his face hidden in the shadows.

She'd had a rough day, and it was about to get a lot rougher, she thought, as she ordered a beer. He moved away to fill her order and she leaned back, her long hair glinting in the low lights.

When he sat down next to her, she didn't pay any attention. Why should she? She nodded at the bartender as he sat the beer down and moved away. She took a sip and studied the mirror above the bar. He wore a black leather jacket and a smirk played on his lips as he glanced at her.

"You here alone?" he asked, smiling at her.

She glanced at him and nodded, not speaking.

He smiled, mouthed the word "okay" and kept on drinking his beer from a stein.

When the drink was nearly gone, he motioned to the bartender and said, "I'll take care of this one. What's your name?"

She looked at him again, this time for more than a moment. He had hazel eyes and black hair and a look in his eye that made her want to accept the drink.

"Tory," she said, "What's yours?"

"Matt," he said. When the beer was placed in a glass in front of him, he slid it towards her. "Nice to meet you."

"You too. Sorry, I'm not in the greatest mood. I had a horrible day at work."

"What do you do?" he asked.

"I'm a teacher," she said.

"Trouble with the kids?"

"Not quite." She didn't want to elaborate. What had happened was beyond comprehension, at least, at this point. She didn't want to try to comprehend it.

"I see." She looked at him and smiled for the first time. She didn't really notice that her vision was beginning to swim and swirl. She stood up, dizzy and laughed, "shouldn't have drank on an empty stomach."

"Here, he said, "why don't I call you a cab." He led her outside to the parking lot and pulled out his cell phone.

"Thanks, I don't think so—" but she had crumpled into his arms.

He helped her into the passenger side of his truck, fastened her seat belt and then started the truck, finally hitting "send" on his cell phone.

When the other end picked up he looked at the unconscious girl and smirked, "I've got her."

Sometime later...

The light overhead was blinding. She blinked against it and licked her lips. Her mouth was dry. She'd had too much to drink. It had been warranted, but still, she needed to work on that. She moved to reach her arm to her mouth, but found that she was unable to do so. Looking down, she saw that she was strapped to what looked like a hospital bed. Panic set in quickly and she screamed at the top of her lungs until she heard a door open somewhere that was out of her line of vision. Footsteps approached and then a young man smiled at her. He had a kind smile, but she wasn't in a very gracious mood. He wore a white lab coat and dark pants and had a round face that she would probably find attractive in other circumstances.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked. He continued to look at her, as if confused by her question, and then she realized that she recognized him.

"You're the guy from the bar. The one who bought me a drink? What the hell did you do to me?" She struggled, but the straps held fast.

"Tory," he said, "Calm down. I apologize, but I can't tell you much right now. Don't worry, you're completely safe."

"Oh, right," she said. "Says who? The psycho who kidnapped me?"

"I'm with an organization who monitors those who have special abilities. We had been wondering when yours would manifest," he said quietly, his eyes searching hers.

"What?" She had no clue what he was talking about.

"Your abilities. They manifested yesterday. We've had someone watching you. For your safety and everyone around you, we wanted to test you to make sure that you were safe."

"What are you, crazy? What are you talking about?" she wiggled again.

"Calm down Tory. I don't want to sedate you but I will."

As she slept, she dreamed. How had it happened? she wondered. She'd been in the classroom, putting away some paperwork. She'd gotten a phone call and it scared her. When she jumped, half of the papers she'd put away had flown off of the cabinet and flew at her. Thinking it was just clumsiness, she ignored it. Later, she'd swear that she saw a cup slide toward her without her having to reach for it. It was just exhaustion. She was under such stress that she was hallucinating.

She awoke and loathing consumed her. She wasn't some animal. These people, whoever they were, had no right to abduct her, and keep her against her will. Her mind drifted to the odd incidents from the previous day. If she could move a glass, couldn't she move other things? She concentrated hard, trying to move something, anything, and finally, after a few moments of concentration she felt the strap securing one of her arms began to loosen. She sat up, and undid the other hand and her feet. Slipping off the bed, she made her way around the room and found a door. Obviously, they weren't worried about her escaping, because the door was unlocked.

The door opened into a very long hallway with blank, white walls. There was only one door, and it was at the very end. She tried to be as quiet as she could, but she couldn't really tell because her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears. She shoved the door in front of her open and as soon as she did so, she found herself in a large room. It, like the hallway and room she'd been in before, was completely white with blank walls and was practically empty. There were no more doors. It was just one way in, and one way out. She'd have to find another way. When she turned to go back, she saw him standing at the end of the hallway, a small smile on his face.

"So," he said, "you can use your powers consciously."

She said nothing, just stared at him, trying to formulate a way past him.

"Don't," he said. "I know what you're thinking. There's no way out of here. Another day or so and you'll be going home anyway."

She didn't reply, just glared at him. When he took a step towards her, as if she were a skittish horse, she darted into the room, closing the door behind her. She spent a half-second looking for a lock, but there wasn't one.

She'd seen him rush at her as she slammed the door, but all she could do was lean on it to keep him out and she'd probably not be able to do that for long. She finally slid down, using her weight to anchor the door shut. But the floor was so slick that he managed to shove it open after a few tries just by brute strength. She rushed away from the door, trying to put as much distance between them that she could. When she had backed herself into a corner, she looked at his face. He was smiling again. She wanted to wipe it off of his round face. Maybe she could make it past him. If she could draw him far enough into the room, she could get around him. After another few moments, she thought he was close enough to her and far enough from the door, she sprang. As if he'd known what she was thinking, his arm snaked out and grabbed her wrist as she tried to rush past. He twisted her towards him and she slapped out, punching him in the jaw with an exceptional right hook. Stunned, he loosened his grip, but not enough for her to slip away. She stomped on his foot and did her best to knee him in the groin, but he twisted her arm up behind her back as she cried out and shoved her against the wall.

"Son of a bitch!" she yelled as the breath was knocked out of her.

"I told you," he said, "not to try that."

"Then let me go!"

"I can't." She struggled as he kept her pinned, one arm had been stuck behind her back. She shoved at him as he went for his pocket and produced a syringe. She started to pull against him more violently, but he just exerted more pressure on her by pushing her into the wall until she could barely take a deep breath. He injected the syringe into her upper arm and as she began to lose consciousness quickly, she felt him begin to pick her up in his arms.

"Bastard," she said, "you can't keep me here. You have…no right."

Two hours later, she woke up where she had begun, only this time, he was standing over her waiting, a smile on his face again, which infuriated her.

"What do you want from me?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"You're so stubborn," he said, "if you'd just listen to me, this will all be over soon."

"Screw you. You're crazy."

"You really think I'm crazy?" he asked. "Do you know how many people are out there that are like you? That have abilities, dangerous abilities, which have to be monitored?"

"So, what, you get to decide how to deal with people who have…"abilities"? What right could you possibly have? I don't even know what's happening to me. But it certainly has nothing to do with you."

"That's where you're wrong," he said. His face fell. "I'm like you. I have an ability too. Mine was really cool at first, at least, that's what I thought, but it can make you unstable. I can manipulate the mind. I could put thoughts in your head to make you think or do anything. And I can tell what you're thinking right now."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Tory," he started, "I understand you're upset. And I know you're scared –"

"How would you know?" she spat back.

"Who's Tiffany?" he asked, plucking the though from her racing mind.

"What? Why?"

"You were thinking about her." He leaned close so that they were eye to eye. "She doesn't know where you are. And don't worry," he smoothed a lock of her hair out of her face, "by tomorrow, none of this will matter."

"What does that mean?"

"Don't worry," he smiled, "I'm not going to kill you. We're going to send you home, no worse for the wear."

He saw her hands twitch in the restraints, straining, but knew that with the Haitian around the corner, she wasn't going anywhere.

"Relax Tory, just relax." He turned away. "We'll have you home soon."

Matt made his way down the hall, nodding to the Haitian. She was just another bag and tag, just any other girl. The white halls gave him a headache, combined with the fluorescent lights, which seemed to bounce around, glaring.

They could use a telekinetic on the team, Thompson Jr. had said, but Matt didn't see her openly walking into the arms of the Company. Then again, three years ago, he was in the same boat. She was just a schoolteacher. But she was telekinetic. And they had training they could put her through. Before the Haitian did his thing he'd go see her one more time. Feel her out. She was angry. He'd been too. It would pass.

She was pretty, really pretty. Long brown hair down her back, cute freckles, and blazing Irish blue eyes. She was definitely a looker, but he couldn't get close. Thoughts were dangerous. And when pull turned to push, as his father had put it, thoughts could be even more dangerous. Because temptation was something he was constantly battling. But he'd give it a run anyway. They could use her, after all, just like they could use a telepath.

6 Weeks Later

"Matt!" Tory squealed when she pulled open the door. He was holding a dozen pink roses in one hand and was carrying a bag of Chinese takeout in the other. She threw her arms around his neck for a playful kiss.

"They're beautiful," she said, taking them into the kitchen of the apartment to put in a vase as he followed, closing the door behind him.
"Hungry?" he asked, putting arms around her waist and she leaned back for a kiss as his hand fisted in her hair.

"Starving," she said. "The kids are already mentally on summer vacation. I can't wait."

He took the kiss deeper as she tried to catch her breath, turning so that she was pinned between him and the fridge. She grabbed a hank of his hair and yanked, nibbling up his neck, her tongue teasing his ear.

"You're such a tease," he whispered.

"You know you love it," she said, taking a quick nip as she pulled away. "Let's eat, I'm starving. We can put a movie in."

He caught her hand and pulled her back, dipping her so that she was off balance and kissed her through her surprised laugh.

"So, Detective Parkman," she said, grinning, "how are things?"

"Much better now," he smiled. "So the kids are crazy? What else is new? Just be thankful you didn't have me as a student."

"Let me guess," she smirked, "you were the hyperactive one."

"Just the class clown," he laughed and lifted her up, and then in one swift move tossed her over his shoulder as she squealed.

"Matt!"

"What?" he popped her on the butt. "I'm gonna fix my girl dinner." He flipped her so that he carried her in his arms and tossed her on the couch and grinned. "Give me one second. Be right back."

She crossed her tired legs and leaned back. When Matt returned with the Chinese food on a tray and her favorite red wine she smiled.

"You always think of everything," she toasted him and took a sip of the wine.

A/N: So what do you think? I'm a huge fan of Heroes, so I tried to make it good. Hope you guys enjoyed and the next chappie should be up soon!
Hasta!