Title: Obsession
Fan dom: Heroes
Rating: T - Violence, Adult situations, Moderate Language
Notes and Spoilers: Through "Volume 1: Chapter 23: How to Stop an Exploding Man", Graphic Novel Chapters 39 to 42 "Betty", Graphic Novel Chapters 63 and 64: "Elle's First Assignment: Parts 1 & 2"and the Fan Fictions Squall and Fatigue. And some random things from non-specific episodes of Volume 2. This story is part of an alternate universe of after the close of Volume 1...
Chapter 11
Angela was right.
Alex looked into Peter's eyes, her breathed stalled.
She exhaled and she squeezed Peter's hands softly.
Angela was right.
She was right.
That power...
The second she took it she could feel a dull ache rippled throughout her body. It was like feeling an earthquake four hundred miles away.
A tear came down her face, and Peter wiped it away.
"I lived through it before. I will be fine."
Alex shook her head.
"Trust me," Peter told her.
Alex looked away.
"No," she whispered.
She knew what she saw. The pain in Peter's eyes.
"Alex," he called again. "I have to do this. You are not going to stop me."
Peter turned to Nathan and smiled.
"But it's always good to know that the two of you have my back."
Nathan started to say something when Alex positioned herself between the two of them. She held onto Peter's shoulders and glared at him. She then started to smack him and punch him, as if she was a young child throwing a tantrum.
Peter gently took an hold of her two wrists and made her look at him. He waited until she focused, and allowed her eyes to meet his own..
"Listen to me," he said sternly. "I am not saying that I am not afraid. Two months ago, wow, I was scared to death, almost literary."
Peter laughed.
Nathan did not believe such a true thing was very funny. His cell phone rang. He had the urge to ignore the phone call, but when he saw the name on the Caller ID he was glad he did not.
"Peter," he called.
Peter turned and nodded at Nathan.
"I'll be alright."
Nathan nodded, realizing that he had to take Peter's word, for now. It was all he could do. Stubbornness was a family trait. After one last simple glance, he flipped open his phone and walked out of the room.
Alex took a deep breath. Part of her liked the fact that Peter held her hands so firmly, yet not too tightly around her wrists, but part of her knew Peter was right. She was not going to be able to stop him.
Peter gasped and dropped his hold on Alex.
"Oh I am sorry. I hope I wasn't holding your hands too tight."
Alex shook her head, "No, but Peter..."
"I'll be fine."
Claude held Noah back as Bob crossed their path. He laugh at the irony, that he spent years trying to avoid the man standing in front of him.
It was the Company that betrayed him. Now Noah, too left the Company: he was going to trust him.
Claude cringed at the thought, of that one day as he watched as the Company experimented on young Elle.
She screamed and cried as the Company continuously upped her dosage of electricity. Her terror wiped away by Noah's next partner which allowed the girl to never know the horrors placed upon her. Claude always wondered how a man could do such a thing to his own child. Fortunately, if such a thing can be considered as such, these actions disgusted others in the Company. He remembered one incident well.
He did what he did best one afternoon when he made himself unknown when one of the founders was in the hallway. She did not know anyone was seeing or hearing, but still, he thought what she did was rather brave, or actually quite stupid. Perhaps in her unconscious or even conscious mind she was silently screaming for someone to hear so policy and protocol could be changed. It was a fool's hope.
"She's younger than Peter," she whispered."
She paused as if she was afraid someone may hear, and she was right as , she wrapped her arms around herself and left.
It was a few more years when he got the order, the order to kill a suspected empath. The Company did not know who he or she was, but an agent who sensed powers of others knew there was one. Claude was ordered to do want he did best. He was asked to eavesdrop. To dig deep, to shadow everyone in the Company if he had to in order to discover who this person was. He never questioned the his mission, not at first but then he heard a few people talking. One of them included Bob. He discovered that the plan was not to just merely tag and release the person. Nor would this person be sent to live in level five. The Company felt that there was only one precaution that was to be taken, the threat was to be eliminated.
There was however, one fact, that Claude could not wrap his mind around, not did the mission involve a murder of his own kind, this threat was a child. Claude was not going to kill a child.
Claude watched as Bob turned the hallway and reached another locked door. He keyed in a code, entered the door and closed. He was not close enough to follow but he got the code.
"Hello?" Nathan called into the phone. "Claire?"
"Nathan," Claire whispered into the phone.
"Yeah," he replied. He could tell from her voice something was wrong. "I'm here."
"You told me that I could call any time," she continued.
"Yes, of course. Are you alright?"
Claire paused and placed the phone on her shoulder and took a few steps to her bedroom door and opened it too see if any one was nearby. Satisfied, she closed the door and picked up the phone again.
"Claire?"
Claire sighed. She was not sure she should even ask Nathan for the help she sought. Though she was sure Nathan was sincere, it did not feel right.
"It's," she started to ask Nathan for help with the vanished Noah, but she changed her mind.
It was not like it was something new or anything.
"How is everything in New York?" she asked instead.
"Good," Nathan answered.
Now Claire knew that tone as well.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing you have to worry about," he replied, and as far as he was concerned it was the truth. He did not need to worry about any more people he loved.
Claire nodded, "Thank you for answering the phone. Sometimes its just nice to talk to someone who knows what it is like to be different."
Nathan nodded, "Yeah," he agreed. "But it doesn't really make it easier. It was good hearing from you again Claire. It is good to be safe."
Claire rolled her eyes. "Yeah safe. Bye Nathan."
"Good-bye Claire."
She hung up the phone.
As the credits of the Christmas special she and Mohinder were watching ran on the screen, Taylor stood up to retrieved the DVD. She could not help but quietly sing the extremely corny, yet more so catching Eternian song.
"That program was quite strange Taylor," Mohinder stated.
Taylor laughed.
"Thank you for watching it with me regardless."
Mohinder smiled.
"You're welcome."
Taylor bit her bottom lip and looked at Mohinder.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Taylor shook her head. "Nothing."
She place the DVD case down, before she grasped one of Mohinder's hands before kissing him on the lips.
"Cozy," a familiar ghostly voice interrupted.
Taylor pulled back.
Mohinder was startled to the abrupt discontinuation of their embrace.
"What is it? What is wrong?"
Taylor did not answer at first.
"Oh don't try that on me," the voice continued. "I know you can see me."
"You should still knock or something Betty. It's rude," Taylor scolded.
"I might be dead, but I'm not a mind reader, or a pre-cog. Where's the kid?" Candice asked.
"She's on the phone."
Mohinder looked at his watch. "Well, I will go check on her, it been about 30 minutes since we started that video."
Taylor nodded.
"Thank you." she mouthed.
After Mohinder left the room, Taylor redirected her attention to the ghostly Candice.
"What are you doing here? Is Peter okay?"
The ghost nodded.
"His brother and stalker found him."
At the sound of her knocking door, Molly, decided maybe it was time to end her phone call.
"I have been on the phone for a while," Molly began.
"Okay. I understand," Matt, the real Matt, said from the other side of the phone. "Thank you for calling me. It is always great to hear from you."
"You too Matt. Goodbye, and if I don't call again...Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas Molly"
Molly hung up the phone.
"Come in Mohinder," she called.
Mohinder opened the door.
"You are off the phone?" he asked redundantly, "I was going to say hello."
"What's up?" the child asked. "Are you and Taylor having a fun time watching movies together? Did I hear She-Ra or something?"
Mohinder laughed. "Yes."
"I thought so."
"You used to watch that cartoon? I thought it was an older cartoon. One from Taylor's childhood?"
Molly smiled.
"Well, I used to go on the Internet sometimes, before..."
Mohinder sat next to Molly.
"You must miss them. Especially this time of the year."
Molly looked out the window.
"Yeah. But I know where they are now, the boogie man can never hurt them again."
Mohinder nodded.
Molly ran up to Mohinder and hugged him tightly.
Mohinder followed suit and warmly returned the child's hug.
"And why are you here?" Taylor asked her dearly departed yet still Earth bound friend. "Are there any more spooks for you to talk to besides me?"
Betty, also known as Candice smiled.
"Sure. And actually there is a certain spook still among the living that I wouldn't mind spooking some more in the near future."
"Then...?" Taylor continued.
"Are there a certain reason you a pushing me out?" Betty inquired.
Taylor smirked.
"No, sure! Continue, to just 'drop' on by any time you like!" Taylor mockingly offered.
Betty folded her arm.
"I will take you up on that. Annoying you is a type of obsession of mine."
"I have noticed."
Betty laughed.
As Peter walked out the front gate, he stopped to look back one last time.
Nathan was worried, Alex was worried, his mother was worried. But he had to do what had to be done. He finally knew. What his dream was trying to tell him.
His cell phone started to ring. He glanced at the number and sighed. He knew this would cause worry and concern, but he was not going to be talked out of this. Just like weeks before after he woke from his coma. Without a second thought, he hit the ignore button of his phone. Then walked away.
To Be Continued
Author's Note: By the way, if any of you have not figured it out Mohinder and Taylor were watching the He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special. A pure corny classic!! Yes, I finally updated! Dang writer's block. My only worry now is that more plot bunnies will keep me from focusing on the rest of this story. But I ensure you, I will try to keep the muse at bay. Please tell me what you think, thanks!