Author's note: Telepathic speaking indicated with single 'quotes'
Peter was startled by the loud sound of the shots, and turned in time to see Nathan falling to the floor. Peter caught him and eased him to the floor, not quite able to get a grip on what was happening. He yelled, "Nathan! Nathan!"
Getting no response from his brother, Peter grabbed Nathan's face to get him to look in his direction and yelled, "Nathan!" over the roaring crowd. Nathan's eyes were shut, and Peter could feel wet sticky blood on his hands under Nathan's back. He knew Nathan was going to die. But then he wondered if his blood would do the same thing for Nathan that Adam's blood had done. It was worth a try. Peter turned to Matt and said telepathically, 'I need to get in a room alone with him. He needs some of my blood.'
Matt nodded in understanding. Matt yelled at a couple of the security guards, "Pick him up. We need to get him out of the line of fire!"
A couple of men helped Peter pick up Nathan and carry him to the back room. When they were in the room, Peter thought to Matt, 'I need a needle!'
Matt thought back, 'I don't know where to get one. The ambulance will have one.'
'I don't know if we can wait that long!' Peter realized he had one in his medical bag that he took with him when he was doing hospice care. He looked back at Matt and thought 'I'll be right back. Don't let anyone move him, and spread the rumor that Nathan had a bullet proof vest on.'
'Why? He wanted to expose this not keep it secret!' Matt thought puzzled.
'And they shot him for it!!' Peter went out the back door and turned invisible, hoping Matt would do what he wanted. He opened a window, and flew out. He flew very quickly to his apartment, got the needle out of his bag, and flew back. The whole trip only took a couple of minutes.
While still invisible he put the needle in his own arm and drew some blood. He walked into the room, walked around the security guards who were trying to put direct pressure on the wounds and perform CPR at the same time. The needle stayed invisible while he held it, and no one noticed the small dot on Nathan's arm while Peter injected him with his blood.
While Peter was gone, Matt had gone out and told the press what Peter wanted them to believe. It took a few minutes, and by the time he was done the ambulance had arrived. He showed them back to the room where Nathan had been taken, only to find Nathan awake and trying to reassure everyone that he was fine. Matt's eyes caught Peter's. 'What happened?'
'My blood fixed him. The same way Adam's blood and probably Clair's blood would.'
'''''''''''''''''''
Peter stayed with Nathan for most of the night, the two of them talking about exposure, and threats to their life. After the incident, they both agreed to lay low for a few days. They needed to take some time and think things through before they did anything else. Peter caught a few hours of sleep at Nathan's house before heading home to his own apartment to get a change of clothes.
As he was walking up the stairs in the early morning light he saw a young boy sleeping on them. Trying not to scare the boy off Peter leaned down and touched his shoulder. He shook it gently and said, "Do you need some help?"
Sylar blinked sleepily, exhaustion weighing heavy on his whole being. He lifted his head and fought back the smile that threatened to erupt across his lips. He couldn't have been more elated to see Peter not only standing in his vicinity but being the one to confront him. After Peter asked him if he needed help, the smile he had tucked away came out as he thought 'I know lots of ways you can help me Peter' but he responded, "Really? You'll help me? I think I'm lost. I was with my parents on the subway, and I got off the train without them. I've been looking all over for them but I just can't find them. Can you help me find them?" He gave his best puppy dog eyes as he thought, ' I can already taste your powers; all I need is a little privacy and one slip of you letting your guard down. They're going to be all mine soon enough.'
Peter was shocked as he read the boy's thoughts. He'd mostly been reading them to make sure the kid wasn't a run away or lying to him, but he'd never expected something like this. There was only one person that knew him by name and wanted to steal his powers. Sylar. But Sylar was an adult, and this person in front of him looked to be about seven or eight. He looked closely and could see a resemblance. Peter shook his head once and hoped his shocked expression hadn't given him away. He thought he'd recovered from the shock pretty quickly. He needed time to think about his next move, and he needed advice. His brother needed time to rest and take care of covering up yesterday's events, so Peter's second choice was Matt.
Trying to play along Peter said, "Your folks must be worried sick. I have a friend down at the police station. I'm sure he'll know what to do to help."
Peter dug his car keys out of his pocket and said, "How about I give you a ride down to the station, and I'll stay with you until they find out where your folks are."
Sylar considered his options for a moment, 'Going to a police station isn't going to get me alone with him, but if I don't go he's going to get suspicious. I have to just play along, be patient. It's not like the police are going to find my 'parents' anyway. If worse comes to worse, they'll stick me in some orphanage, and I'll have to start back at square one. At least I'll have some shoes. My feet are killing me!' Sylar grimaced feeling the now blisters flaring from the soles of his feet as he stood to follow Peter. A ride in a warm car on a comfortable seat sounded so good right now. He stared up at Peter crinkling his eyebrows in uncertainty as he asked warily, "You're not going to just leave me there are you?"
Peter looked down at Sylar and saw that he was walking very carefully and slowly. Peter's first thought was to pick the kid up the same way he would one of his nephews, but as soon as the thought popped into his head, he pushed it away thinking that Sylar deserved whatever discomfort he was experiencing. He also thought that if he himself had been turned into a kid, he'd hate being picked up. So instead he slowed down his pace to match Sylar's.
He answered him, "No I'm not going to leave you there. I'll stay with you until something gets resolved." As they walked Peter thought to himself that he couldn't let Sylar out of his sight because he might try to kill someone else.
When they got to the car he unlocked the doors and got into the driver's seat waiting for Sylar to get in as well.
Sylar followed suit mentally taking in the interior of Peter's Nissan as he climbed in. He said nothing only examining every move Peter made in pure curiosity. Even though Sylar wouldn't admit it, the man fascinated and infuriated him. He sighed tiredly and leaned back in the chair thinking, 'I can't wait to see what makes you tick Peter. You won't be more special than me; and once I get your powers, I'm going to go back to Queens and take that little bitch's powers that did this to me.'
As Peter drove towards the station he thought back to the times he'd fought with Sylar, while still keeping his mind open to Sylar's thoughts. He wanted to make sure he had a list of all Sylar's abilities in mind so that he wouldn't be taken by surprise. 'We can both use telekinesis and control radiation. And I hate to admit it, but last time we fought he had better control over both abilities. I wonder if his powers are still as strong now that he's small.'
Peter listened to Sylar and heard him thinking about the person who had turned him into a child. He'd have to find out if Mohinder had a guess as to who that was. His mind turned back to the problem at hand. 'We both have Isaac's power to draw the future. That could be a problem. Better not let him have anything to write with. Mohinder said that Sylar has enhanced hearing, and he can liquefy things as well.'
Peter pulled up to the station and parked. He turned to Sylar and said, "We're here. Ready to go in and tell my friend how you got separated from your folks?"
Sylar nodded, "Yea." He thought to himself, 'Let's get this over with' as the two exited Peter's car and gradually made their way towards the police station.
