Title: Obsession

Fan dom: Heroes

Rating: T - Violence, Adult situations, Moderate Language

Notes and Spoilers: Through "Chapter 23: How to Stop an Exploding Man", Graphic Novel Chapters 39 to 42 "Betty" and the Fan Fictions Squall and Fatigue. (Yes, so it is a good idea to read those first but I always include some flashback/recap.) This story is AU of course.

Chapter 4

Nathan turned to Alex and smiled.

"No one is safe in this world. But if my death would save Peter I would not hesitate to offer myself up. But I fear that will not even help in this case.

"He is not dead Nathan!" Alex shouted. "And we must get to Taylor's apartment She and Mohinder will know what to do, I know it! But you have an idea too, don't you? I can see it in your eyes."

Nathan nodded. "Yeah. I do. But I don't like it. But I am going to make her tell me."

"Who?"

"My mother."

"Your mother?"

And then Alex nodded her head. "Yeah! Your mother. She and Candice had this crazy plan the last time I was at the mansion. When she found out that other Nathan was not you but in fact Candice instead of being angry she had this elaborate plan of sorts. She was going to let her continue being you. She called her a decoy. And then her death ruined her plan, whatever her plan was. It almost sounded like bait to me. She was cocky as hell, but no one deserves to die, especially the way she did."

Lucia placed her hand above Peter's forehead.

"Peter," she whispered, but he did not reply.

She was no longer of this world, the reason Peter was able to see her was a fluke, one the she did not herself truly understand. But there were others that could if she could only reach them. She stood still as she heard a noise in the distance. When Peter was taken he was not alone. They took them both. She placed her hand through Peter's and closed her eyes as she tried to listen.

The man was in a nearby room. He was the man the voices of the other prisoners were talking about. He was drugged too, she could sense that, but for some reason it was not as severe. Why were they punishing Peter. It was not his fault that he is who he is.

The man turned his neck and he watched as the fluid from the IV dripped. His super hearing was as keen as ever but he could not move. He did not know why he could not move it must be the drug, it somehow blocked his powers. But they did not block them all, he could hear each drop as if they were rocks dropped from above hitting the cement ground. He would cover his ears in pain if he could move, but he could not. Was it too much to hope he could move it with his mind? He stared at the bag in hunger and he tried to focus. His mind felt like a fog, a mental block in front of his target, but he decided to try. He used all his concentration on that one item, the needle in his arm. He could feel the blood drip from his nose. He flinched; for some reason his skin was super sensitive to the touch. Still, he concentrated and he watched as each second felt like an eternity, as the needle moved a millimeter a second.

"Are you trying to escape?" a ghostly voice whispered. Her tone filled with amused disgust. She traced her finger around his forehead. And she smiled when she saw him squirm. She knew he could not hear him and she did not care. "Why are they keeping you alive?" she whispered. "Is it because they can think they can control you? Use the power you took from me for their advantage? I once thought I was invisible because I could make people see what I wanted them to see. And I wasn't that loser Betty anymore. I was Candice and I was hot, intelligent my own person. But know Sylar, there is one thing, you gave me that I didn't have before. An existence without strings, without obligation. I rule my destiny now. And you know what I want to do in it?"

She stepped closer and whispered into his ear, using her present form to cause any interference she could, "Haunt you."

Mohinder came from the kitchen, his banana in his hand, "You know Taylor, you really shouldn't even have bananas in the refrigerator anyway. They will go bad."

"What?" Taylor asked.

Mohinder finished the banana and placed the peel into the trash. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Who was at the door?"

Taylor crossed her legs and bit her lower lip. "That is the strangest thing. I heard a knock and then opened the door, but no one was there. Do you think it was prankers?"

Mohinder considered the idea. "Perhaps, but don't we know a couple people with an ability to make themselves invisible?" Mohinder suggested.

"Alex? Peter?"

"Guess again Dr. Surresh," a voice said.

Taylor gasped. "Who are you?"

"Are you Claude Rains?" Mohinder answered.

Claude appeared. "Yes. Did Peter tell you about me?"

Mohinder lowered his head. "He went to me for help once, but I did not believe him. I assume you are the person he found to help him and where he got that invisibility power from."

"Good guess. You call yourself a scientist? Do you know where Peter is?"

Mohinder shook his head.

"I thought you said that you saved her life?" Nathan asked.

Alex nodded her head. "Yeah I did. But only that once. Sylar found her again, and killed her. You should have saw the look on his face when he saw what power she had. It was in a way a sick fascination, an obsession. He wanted it for his collection. And I suppose he got it."

"He killed Peter twice," Nathan whispered.

Alex nodded. "Yeah. But Peter's all right. And he would tell the world."

Nathan nodded slowly, but the part of the equation that made him weak in his knees was the fact that if the person he killed could pretend to be him...

Alex grabbed a hold of Nathan's shoulders.

"Hold on," he told her.

Alex blinked but did not make any other reply.

She held on tightly, and lay her neck against Nathan's and closed her eyes and concentrated hard.

"Don't drop me," she whispered. "For I will be using all my strength to keep people from seeing you Nathan, I promise."

Nathan nodded.

"Hold on tight."

"Your mother's house or Mohinder or Taylor's?"

Nathan launched into the sky and Alex felt the cold air against the small of her back.

"Well, may as well stop where is closer first, don't you think?" Nathan asked.

Alex took a deep breath instead of replying at first. "Makes sense. Thank you Nathan."

"Yeah, just call me Petrelli Express. Actually don't. Just keep concentrating on that blending power. The last thing I need is a news report starring me on the 11 'o clock news."

"Agreed. And you keep an eye on buildings and planes."

"Deal. Not too far now. See that apartment building over there."

"Uh I am trying to concentrate?" Alex retorted.

Nathan landed on the balcony. "You may open your eyes now."

Alex opened her eyes.

"Wow, that was fast."

Nathan made a quick smile, "Actually, I think perhaps I should be invisible for just a bit longer as I knock on this window."

"No one has seen him in weeks," Mohinder replied. "Do you hear that knocking from the hall way?"

Taylor nodded. "Yeah. I will check it out."

"Be careful," Mohinder warned.

Taylor nodded.

"I will."

To Be Continued