Author's note: I just realised I'm not supposed to be responding individually to your reviews. Sorry 'bout that. But thanks for the reviews! Sequel is finished and should start posting week after next, when I get back from my holiday.

Heroes Don't Always Wear Spandex

Epilogue

Later that afternoon both groups gathered outside SPD headquarters. Nathan's limo and staff car were waiting patiently while everyone said goodbye to everyone else.

Nathan and Cruger were talking quietly…something about setting up an exchange program between SPD and the DMA…when Jack interrupted as politely as he could.

"Excuse me, Mr Secretary, but we need to know."

"Know what?" Nathan asked, half-turning. Jack's team had lined up behind him; intentionally or otherwise, they'd isolated Nathan from Peter and the others.

Jack glanced at his team before facing Nathan head on. "Are you planning on turning us in?"

Nathan played with the sunglasses in his hand. "Are you telling me there's unregistered Metas here on the base?"

"No," Jack said promptly. "But if you…"

Nathan looked up, locking eyes with him. "Nathan Petrelli cannot be Meta. The DMA would collapse. And however you feel about us, we are necessary."

"Are you?" Kat asked. The groups were slowly realigning, Rangers on one side, Metas on the other. "Humanity have accepted aliens, they could accept you too."

Peter was shaking his head before she'd even finished speaking. "It's different. Aliens are alien, no one expects you to be human. There's an artist, a Meta. He paints the future and his paintings always come true, always. And he's painted a war, Meta against Meta against human. Everything we've done, the DMA, the Meta laws, we're trying to stop this war."

"Can you, though?" Bridge asked. "If he can paint it, it's real, right?"

Peter smiled. "We hope so."

"A war between Metas could destroy this planet," Kat said.

"We know," Nathan said irritably. "That's why we're trying to stop it."

"The war's coming," Peter said softly. "You need to choose a side."

Nathan flinched, laying a hand on Peter's shoulder. "Pete? Ready to go?"

"Um-hmm."

"Kay." Nathan smiled at him, but the smile slid off his face when he caught Matt's eye.

Cruger, seeing the look, took a step forward. "We hope you enjoyed your visit, Secretary."

"It was certainly interesting," Nathan agreed, parroting the usual phrases without paying much attention. "I hope you'll have us again."

"Certainly," Cruger agreed.

Matt and Mohinder said brief goodbyes, hustling Peter along between them. He dug in his heels when they reached Bridge, though, studying the Green Ranger for a long moment.

"Stay out of my dreams," he said finally, half-smiling.

Bridge grinned. "They're my dreams."

"You're welcome to them," Peter agreed. "I'll see you again, Bridge."

Bridge nodded quietly and Peter let Matt steer him away.

"Stay out of my dreams?" Syd repeated softly. "Bridge, what are you dreaming?"

"Cheerleader," Bridge said with a shrug, as though that meant anything to them. "Save the world."

"Bridge," Jack protested.

"I don't know, Jack. I don't remember it when I wake up."

"And Peter's in it?" Sky asked.

"He's not in it. He just sees it."

"Peter Petrelli is wandering through your dreams and you don't care?" Z asked.

Bridge shrugged. "Why would I? Peter's one of the good guys."

"Rangers, salute!" Cruger's voice cut through their talk and they quickly straightened out, saluting as Nathan's cars pulled away. Hiro waved at them from the back one, grinning widely, and the girls waved back, grinning as he overbalanced and fell into DL's lap. Ando rolled his eyes, hauling him back upright.

"That was fun!" Bridge said brightly. "Who wants to play Lightball?"

The girls went with him; Jack held Sky back for a minute. "Is he sleeping ok?" he asked, watching the others go.

"About as well as usual. I'll keep an eye on him."

"Thanks—think there's really a war coming?"

Sky shrugged. "If war comes, we'll deal. We always do." He took a couple of steps away. "Come play Lightball."

"Yeah." Jack grinned, following him. "Lightball sounds good. With popcorn?"

"You win? I'll make you all the popcorn you want."

"Deal."

They headed in together.

A few blocks away Nathan looked past Peter at Matt. "Well?"

Matt grimaced doubtfully. "Their strength's in the team. Individually they don't even have that much control; Peter could outdo any of them."

Peter, busy with his usual post-exertion sloth impression, shifted as he heard his name, and Matt added quickly, "If we're taking them we'd have to take the whole team, and keep them together. At least at first."

"What are you talking about?" Peter asked.

"Recruiting," Nathan said easily, avoiding his brother's eyes.

"From SPD? I wouldn't bother. We'll see them again."

Typically, he immediately lost interest in the conversation, switching to a window seat next to Mohinder and staring out. The visions he'd inherited from Charles Deveaux without even realising it were transitory, usually unhelpful, and often he didn't realise he'd even had one.

Nathan glanced at Matt, one eyebrow raised. "Pete? You feel ok?"

"Yeah." Peter glanced down at the hand he was holding out of their sight. A blue forcefield danced around it. "I'm good, Nathan. I feel…strong."

He closed his hand into a fist and the forcefield vanished.

"Really strong."