Title:
Whisper in my Ear
Author: devilishlysas
Pairing: Nylar (if
that's what we're calling it) Nathan/Sylar
Summary: The twisted
inner battle of the new Nathan/Sylar Character
Spoilers: Season 3
and finale - speculation on Season 5
Rating: PG-13-R
Disclaimer:
I don't own heroes or its characters... sadly
Chapter 7: Into the Heart of Forever
Irritation set his teeth on edge and Claire's hand tightened in his grip, he spared her a glance, noticing the set of her jaw, a part of him, a larger part than he wanted to admit, was pleased that her concern was steadily giving way to irritation.
"Pete." He sighed wearily, rubbing his forehead and trying not to wrinkle his nose at the smell Peter was emitting. "You've been here almost five days straight, and four before that. I understand what you're going through but enough is enough."
Pete's eyes snapped up to him, they were so blank.
"Matt couldn't have done this Nate. I'm telling you, I don't believe it. To do this to Mom, then to go home and kill..." he trailed off looking sick.
"Pete." He tried to keep his tone of voice neutral. "I was there remember, he tried to kill me too, it's only by some miracle that Ma's shot missed me, but she always was a tough willed woman."
Claire spoke up quietly, her tone level, "I can't believe it either Peter, but there's evidence, I think he just snapped."
"He didn't snap. He was driven to it," those big brown accusing eyes levelled on him, "Or I should say you drove him to it... you and your witch hunt!"
"Peter, stop it!" Claire snapped at him, "Blaming Nathan won't change anything, it wasn't his fault, he didn't make Matt do anything; he made his own choices." Something flickered at the corner of his mouth as he heard Claire's internal rebuke, she was sincere.
"Pete you're going stir crazy. Do you honestly think this is what Ma would want, to see you sat here wasting away?" Nathan accused, trying reason, it wouldn't work, he could hear the turmoil that was Peter's mind... the poor boy was lost without mommy, his whole world view seemed to have skewed with the idea that even good men like Parkman could become killers.
"Please Peter. You need to stop this." Claire pleaded and Nathan placed a supportive hand on her shoulder.
"Honey. Why don't you go wait outside; or better yet why don't you go down to the car." Claire raised an eyebrow at him, her scorn at the comment evident, even if he couldn't read her mind.
'Smooth.'
Nathan's left hand brushed down her arm, and over to her back as he leant down to her ear, "Please let me deal with this, you being here just complicates matters... he thinks he has to be strong for you."
Claire's eyes flickered to Peter with distaste as he sat slumped in the hospital chair and Nathan was glad his face was buried from sight by her hair, because he really did smirk at her thoughts that time.
Nathan waited until the door clicked closed and he felt her presence leave his mind, at least partially, he never seemed to be able to completely shake her thoughts free when she was within a one mile radius.
'Use Claire against him.' The other informed him.
"Can't you see what you're doing to her Pete?" Nathan stepped forwards and pressed a hand to his shoulder, Peter's head fell forward and he heaved in a sigh of defeat as he brushed the back of Ma's hand with his finger. "Claire has lost so much already... she doesn't need to lose her Uncle, and her hero all at once."
"I was never anybody's hero." Peter muttered quietly.
'Well at least we can cross self delusion off his list of faults.' Nathan aimed a silent jab at his other self and tried to focus on the moment.
"And you never really did much care for Claire... did you Pete." Nathan's voice, but the words were the other's this time. Peter's head snapped up and his dark circled eyes met his, confusion and anger warred inside of them.
"I know what you're doing... just stop it." Peter snapped, shoving his hand off him and stalking over to the window instead.
"She's going to live forever you know." The other pressed and Nathan remained silent, curious as to how it would play out. Peter's head inclined fractionally, oh he was definitely listening. "Alone." The voice pressed and Peter's thoughts spiralled, for a moment he allowed himself the time to consider what that might mean. "She told me that Sylar cornered her that day in the hotel room." Peter stiffened and anger flooded through the younger man. "That he was more than aware of that fact, and that she didn't have to be alone. He seemed to think they would be together... eventually." Peter's thoughts twisted violently at the idea and he slammed his hand into the wall, bringing it back blood speckled but healing.
"He was insane though." Peter pointed out darkly.
"Maybe." Nathan conceded, silencing the other's remark. "But it doesn't mean he didn't get to her that day. In case you haven't noticed she hasn't exactly been herself, losing her father hasn't helped matters. Losing you... well I think that might just finish her. She already lost Sylar."
Peter's head whipped around and he grasped Nathan's shirt, dragging their faces inches apart. "What are you getting at!" he snarled, poor boy his thoughts were in turmoil.
"She mourned him you know." Peter dropped him and backed away shaking his head. "Oh not the monster... but she mourned for herself, after all at least if she could hate him for eternity, it was better than feeling nothing."
"You don't know her." Peter snapped.
"And you do?" Nathan enquired genuinely curious as to whether his brother had the first clue about the inner workings of her mind now.
"No." He snarled, his lower lip curling down.
"You can live forever Peter... just like Claire, all you have to do is hold onto that wonderful ability of hers." Peter seemed to turn ashen and he looked away, unable to hold his eyes. "Just think; you could be her hero for eternity. Forever her constant, her respite from the cruel world, if you truly cared about her you'd see that she can't be alone."
The world fell out from under Peter and Nathan watched, listening as everything every shred of hope and strength seemed to crumble from his brother's frame. He never was much for responsibility, and he didn't have the heart for eternity. A notion flickered inside of Peter and began to roar like a flame doused in gasoline, and Nathan merely watched silently.
"I'm sorry Nathan." Peter looked up at him his eyes a swirl of emotions, "I can't be her hero... I can't live forever." Peter's hand whipped out and he brushed Ma's leaching her ability and losing Claire's. Nathan took a step forward, hesitant... 'this isn't what I want.' He told the other. But Peter was already moving, the chair was in his hand and the glass was broken on the window.
Nathan took another step forward, his hand outstretched to his brother. "Pete stop, think about what you're doing." He implored him.
"I have Nathan. Tell her I'm sorry."
He jumped and Nathan raised his right hand, trying to stop him, to will him back, to pull him up, but his left hand remained rigidly fixed at his side and the other and his abilitieswere nothing more than a black wall of silence inside of him. But his right side was already leaping; he flung himself out of the window, his body straightening as he watched Peter falling beneath him.
He wouldn't make it. The certainty of the trajectory and the speeds fed into his mind with perfect understanding.
A blonde head lifted at the shout he hadn't realised he'd made, at the name he called as they plummeted to the ground. Claire's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in horror as she watched him streaking down through the air to the ever faster falling Peter.
Her legs were moving, she was sprinting away from the car. She would make it, certainty flooded him, just like the certainty that he wouldn't; she'd break his fall.
'She won't.' The other promised.
His left hand rose and Claire stumbled, her feet catching on the uneven ground; she landed heavily with a sharp cry of despair as Peter's body crashed into the ground inches from her with a sickening sound, her eyes remained fixed on his twisted body, as he lay immobile.
Nathan was frozen in mid air, his left and right hand outstretched; one to Peter, the other to Claire. His left was always stronger, the left succeeded where he failed...Peter was dead.
His feet touched the ground and he stared horrified, thankful for the late hour and the deserted street. No one should see Peter this way. 'No one should see what we did.'
Claire had crawled across to Peter's body her hands shaking and slicked with Peter's blood as she grasped at him, cradling his face as she urged him to take her ability.
Nathan reached out with his mind; there was nothing to touch inside the body of his brothers. His knees collapsed from under him and he crumpled to the concrete heavily, feeling the tears on his cheeks. It was almost a relief, to know that he could still cry, could still grieve for the little brother he'd promised to protect from the moment his Ma had handed him to him as a child.
He left Claire to her grief, to her silent tears, she didn't scream or wail, not this time, her pain was too complete.
"I tried... he jumped. I wasn't fast enough." Nathan whispered, it wasn't a lie, not this time.
"Why?" Claire rasped bitterly, shaking Peter by his shirt front, but he couldn't answer her, he never would again. She slumped across him, clutching him to her like he had been her last hope as she cried silent tears for her hero.
