Summary: In his last moments, Isaac Mendez finally finds the inner peace that he tried so hard to obtain.
A/N: Man, I'm on a roll. Writing these is keeping me from going crazy waiting for the second season. I came very close to making this a drabble, but I decided that 200 words was better. Isaac deserves it anyway. I guess I've always felt more sympathetic towards him than others (or my friends who watch Heroes). There's something about the tortured artist character that always gets to me, and I'm really glad that Isaac got to redeem himself in the end. Anyway, this might be the last fic I post for a while, as classes start next Monday, but who knows when inspiration may strike again? -- Hana Li
Disclaimer: Since I forgot to add it last time, let me emphasize that I do not own any part of Heroes. It is the brilliant creation of Tim Kring.
Redemption
Isaac Mendez knew, without resorting to his precognitive abilities, that he would die at a young age. However, he thought heroine would be his killer, not a psycho who cuts people's skulls open. The visions frightened him at first, but gradually he accepted his fate. It gave him a sense of peace.
He didn't see it as resignation because he would die for a purpose. Instead of becoming another statistic used in drug education programs, he would die for his art, for his gift. Even if he didn't save the world, others would—others he helped, like Hiro Nakamura and Peter Petrelli. Sacrifices were sometimes necessary.
He thought of this as he tried to ignore the pain of being impaled by his paint brushes. What a sight it must've been. Too bad it never appeared on canvas. It was macabre and ironic enough to be a masterpiece.
Isaac knew that he was far from a saint. He regretted hurting his loved ones, but hopefully his last act would make up for some of his sins. Whatever the afterlife had in store for him, at least he finally got to be a hero. And that was enough to give him hope.
