Title: Squall

Fan dom: Heroes

Rating: T -

Notes and Spoilers: Through "Chapter 23: How to Stop an Exploding Man." Plus speculation based off the Graphic Novel: Chapter 34 "Death of Hana Gilman Part 2", and Chapters 35 to 38 , "It takes a Village: Parts 1 through 4" Also takes background from the Graphic Novel chapters 22 to 29 "Hell's Angel", "Family Man," and "War Buddies: Parts 1 through 6". Yes, my friends, the graphic novel is our friend!

Chapter 7

"My brother?" Peter whispered., his eyes fixated to this third nurse, or was she the fourth, waiting for some time for inflection.

"Mr. Petrelli? Do you wish for me to call your brother Nathan?" the nurse asked.

Peter looked up to try find the woman's name. Her name was Taylor. Nice ordinary name.

"He's not here?" Peter asked.

Taylor shook her head. "Not as far as I know. I can ask. Do you remember more of what happened? Should I call your mother?"

Peter paused. He tried to sit up and Taylor hurried to assist him.

"What are you doing?"

"Can I have something drink?"

"Sure...you are not trying to leave are you?"

Peter considered the question. It wasn't like he was in a two week coma this time. And he needed answers.

"Word gets around," Peter mumbled.

Taylor blushed, "I'm sorry Mr. Petrelli, but your family...your mother...she"

Peter cringed. "She made a big stink didn't she?"

If only she showed more compassion six months ago. If only she didn't sugar coat her true feelings. He wasn't sure if he valued her love if it was drenched in condescension, but he did. He loved his mother. He felt this anger for her, and it disgusted him. It was just like a month prior but worse.

"Nathan loves me. I know it."

"Rose-colored glasses."

"That's cruel Mom."

"Sometimes the truth hurts."

Peter gasped.

She was purposely trying to push him away from Nathan. Was the explosion why?

"It was like 300 miles away, he was telling me that he was hurt."

"Its okay, I know. I knew long before either of you did."

"This bomb is going to go off."

He was facing his mother's back so he wasn't aware of her expression, but he heard her voice, and absorbed her words.

"Peter. I love that boy, but he is weak. He can't even get out of his own way."

And Peter dreamt the dreams. With Nathan exploding. But it didn't happen that way. Like Nathan told Claire, the future was not written in stone. His powers, his fears crippled him, but his brother, his older brother that was always there for him was holding him tight, ready to give all to save him. He calmed down, he sent Nathan away. So he could live. He didn't die. He couldn't have but where was he? When he woke up he was alone except for that mysterious Alex , who also since disappeared. Where was this lady, and who was she?

Taylor handed Peter his water.

"I know this is a stupid question, but are you okay? Should I get a doctor?"

Peter shook his head. "But can I use a phone?"

Taylor nodded.

"Can I call long distance?"

"Who are you calling?"

"It's cell number. But I think it's a Texas number."

Noah Bennet, seriously considered driving back to Texas the night before, but he thought better of it. He knew that Claire had just suffered a great shock. Her uncle and her biological father died in an explosion. They made the ultimate sacrifice in order to save everyone.

Noah knew Peter was up to that challenge. He actually understood, the danger his power had and even accepted his possible death. This made it easier on Noah, but only a little bit. His injury prevented him from shooting Peter. So the burden fell onto Claire. She once injected Ted Sprague stopping an explosion from becoming much worse. But Ted Sprague wasn't Claire's uncle. And this time the weapon was not a syringe filled with a drug, but a gun loaded with bullets. If Claire shot Peter in the place that was required, Peter would have died, and this time he would have remained dead. Not even someone with the power of regeneration can recover from a mashed brain.

Peter was Claire's hero. He saved her from Sylar at Homecoming, and he promised Peter that he would return the favor someday. Somehow, killing him didn't feel like a return on the favor, though, by looking into Peter's eyes, Noah knew, as did Peter, that Peter could not live if he was to kill millions of people.

Noah brought Ted to New York in order to destroy the Walker System,which to his horror was a little girl. Not only did Matt Parkman prevent Noah from shooting the child, the small, panicky but surprisingly hopeful voice "My hero" spoke volumes of its own.

Even what Dr. Suresh said struck true even though he dared not to admit it.

"Would you kill one little girl to save another?"

Noah said yes, but in the end, he could not.

Claire pleaded and pleaded to be relieved of her burden, when Nathan arrived. Noah only met him briefly in Vegas. He promised to kill him if he ever saw him again. But Noah knew Nathan had other things on his mind. Claire had a gun on his brother.

"Yes there is Claire."

And the way Peter stared at him.

"There is another way to end this Peter and you know it."

Seeing the look on Peter's face, Noah knew this was true, and he along with the other people in the plaza saw the ultimate display of love. Noah told Claire to get away from these people, but in the end they did love her. Nathan did love her, like a father should. He spared her from killing someone she loved, even if it was for the better good.

Noah took off his glasses and put them back on, a nervous habit he had been doing for three years, not long after his Claire-Bear chose the horn-rimmed pair, after he told her the half truth of her adoption, for the burdens piled on and on.

He watched Claire sleep. Was the sixteen year-old girl on the bed really the same eighteen month-old girl he hesitated to love? He should have known that she would steal his heart. He assumed that her biological mother died in the fire. Claude told him that she blew up, but he admitted that he never thought of a possible biological father. Perhaps he didn't want to. He was her father. Each time Thompson called her a surrogate he died a bit inside. He loved her; he was her father!

But he started to wonder, how much in the dark was Nathan? How much in the dark was he himself? He didn't lie to Parkman when he said he didn't know how deep Linderman was linked to the organization. Nor did he lie when he told Claire that he was genuinely surprised that Peter Petrelli was her uncle.

"...and there might be a man that can travel in time."

"That's cool."

"He told Petrelli to save the cheerleader..."

"Eden." Noah whispered at the memory, wiping a tear from his cheek. "What a long five weeks."

Noah closed his eyes, and tried to shove the memories away. When was the Haitian when he needed him?

"Never forget," he whispered again. "But sometimes they smile."

Noah bowed his head. Wherever the Haitian was he hoped his friend was safe.

The sound of a ringing phone broke the welcomed silence. He stared at the number. It was a New York number, but an unfamiliar one. Who could be calling Claire's cell phone? Could they even have one restful day? Could fate give them one moment's breath?

"I removed what you asked," The Haitian informed Angela. "They are ready to send you back home or where ever you want to go."

"Heidi is going to want answers, perhaps, I should go back there."

The Haitian nodded.

"I wish I could close my eyes and think of better days," Angela whispered.

The Haitian cleared a tear soaked lock of hair from Angela's right eye.

"That I can do," he whispered.

He placed his right palm onto Angela's forehead.

Angela closed her eyes, and bent her head back, and allowed the Haitian free reign to her memory banks.

Usually the Haitian used his abilities to take away, but he could also cluster memories together, bring old memories back from a forgotten file cabinet of the mind and bring it back to front. He used the technique before the last time he saw his father.

Angela smiled but the tears remain.

"Thank you. The birth of my boys, thank you.

The Haitian nodded.

"Did you know that Nathan used to have two favorite toys that he always played with? An angel and an airplane?"

The Haitian folded his arms together and lead back against a wall, listening, allowing Angela to digress freely.

"It was cute. And so incredibly prophetic. Perhaps a little of me rubbed off on him after all?"

"Who is this?" Noah demanded into the phone, ignoring pleasantries. "Where did you get this number? What do you want?"

"Noah?" an exhausted voice replied. "Is that you?"

"Peter?" Noah responded.

At the sound of her hero's name, Claire awoke.

"Dad? Who are you talking to? Did you say Peter?"

She grabbed the phone.

"Peter!" she shouted.

"Claire," he replied. "It's good to hear your voice. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?! You're alive! How! I mean the explosion...Well, you are like me. Well, not exactly like me...Peter, if you...Then..."

Claire cut off, letting the phrase hang, worried about the answer. She and Peter could heal, but could Nathan? Probably not...she had so many things to say, but not on the phone. Peter was alive!

"Where are you? I need to talk to you. I need to see you. I need–"

"The hospital. So sick of this place. Not staying. Come see me at my place. I can give you directions."

"Oh I know where that is," Claire said with a smile, though she was also crying."I came to see you but instead got trapped into this madness."

"Heh. See you soon," Peter returned and then hung up the phone.

Taylor looked at Peter.

"So you do plan to leave?" she asked.

Peter nodded. "Yes, I can't be here. Please get me my clothes."

Taylor nodded, and then she left.

Peter stared at the phone. He was curious. There were two other numbers he was anxious to call. But he was a little afraid to do it.

"Please pick up," he whispered. "Let me hear your voice. Tell me that you are okay."

At the door way, Alex looked into the window, and eased dropped; she felt fingers on her shoulder, causing herself to jump.

"Claude?!" she shouted. "You scared me."

"Well, now you know how I felt when you first saw me. Imagine my surprise when I realized you were able to do that without even being invisible."

"Sorry. So what do you want?"

"How's the kid?"

"He'll live. But he's well, depressed about Nathan."

To Be Continued

Author Note: So it has been longer than three days, but I still think I did well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully I answered just enough questions that you forgive me for presenting more...