Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes. NBC does, thanks to Tim Kring.

Chapter Fourteen: Long Story

NATHAN & PETER PETRELLI, CLAIRE BENNET-PETRELLI

MANHATTAN

"You're not Chinese," a familiar voice whispered.

Nathan stared. His eyes were playing tricks on him. They had to be. It was some cruel joke that his mind was using against him. There was no way his baby brother was standing in the living room. He was dead. It made no sense.

Nathan blinked. The man was still there. Blinked again. The image wasn't going away. "Pete?" he whispered.

The man who bared strong resemblance to Peter stood frozen. He wasn't speaking. Nathan wondered if he was even breathing. Nathan couldn't tell. After seconds of agonizing silence, the man took a step toward the door. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Yeah, it's me Nate."

Nathan squeezed through the door toward Peter. He looked at him, intensely—as if he was looking at every line on his face for error or recognition. Nathan didn't say anything, just wrapped his arms around his brother.

RACHEL, SYLAR & ELLE

CHINATOWN, NY

"Where exactly are we? This is really weird." Rachel said as Elle them down an alley.

"I can't tell you that. Some things are better left unknown until the right time."

"That's reassuring." Rachel muttered.

"Just trust her Rachel. Don't worry so much and stop complaining." Sylar snapped, his nerves completely worn.

"This from you," She huffed as they took a step and stopped. "Be quiet until we get inside. People watch this place."

Elle punched in some code and the door opened. Sylar and Rachel followed her in. Sylar had questions, like why she was taking them into some run down apartment building in the middle of Chinatown but he didn't ask. He just followed and he listened. She walked into apartment number 33.

"Sparky, this is fun but what is this?" Sylar asked as they walked inside the room.

It was different, very out of place in the building. It walls were gray and everything in the room was state-of-the-art. Surveillance footage of outside streets and random apartments, weird switchboards and appliances, wires that all lead to various spaces in the room.

"This is the safe house."

"Safe house?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, we're using it to help destroy the Company." Elle stated plainly.

Sylar's eyes widened.

"Destroy the company? I see. That's why you looked me up, to help destroy the Company?"

"Yeah. Why else would I look you up?" Elle smiled as Sylar shifted his weight on his feet. "If you would have been here the first time, you would still be hiding from us in Seattle. We need you to help us."

"You keep mentioning that but you haven't told me how yet."

"That's because I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"No, I'm just the messenger." Elle smiled at his confusion.

"Messenger for whom?"

"Ah, now that's the clincher. I can't tell you that yet. You have to wait."

"Wait? How long?" Rachel asked.

"Just until tomorrow night," Elle said, "but until then, we're all going to wait here."

"We?" Sylar asked.

"Yeah, I'm lucky enough to get to wait here with you. It'll be fun."

"Sure, about as much fun as sticking my finger in a light socket." Sylar muttered.

"I can arrange that—and you don't need the light socket."

Rachel stared at them. It was going to be a long night.

NATHAN, CLAIRE & PETER

Nathan had to sit on the couch. He was so shocked at Peter's life. No one said anything for a moment.

"Do you want some water?" Claire asked. Nathan shook his head.

"Do something Peter! What do we do?" Claire yelled in her thoughts as her body walked to the kitchen.

Peter looked at her.

"I know you're shocked right now Nate."

"That's an understatement, Peter." Nathan sighed. Claire brought him a bottle of water and he thanked her. "Peter, nine months…where have you been? How long has Claire known you were alive? Would you ever have told me if I hadn't come in here?"

"Yes of course. I was going to do it tomorrow actually. Claire hasn't known long Nathan—about two weeks."

Nathan's eyes widened at the comment. "Two weeks?"

"I made her swear not to tell you Nathan. She wanted to but it wasn't time yet. There's a lot going on that you don't know about." Peter explained calmly.

"Then tell me."

"It's a long story Nathan."

"I'm here. I've got time." Nathan stared at Peter. Peter sighed.

"Okay, I'll tell the story but it's not going to be easy Nathan."

Nathan shook his head. He wanted to know.

RACHEL

Rachel sat in the silence. The weird room was actually quite comfortable—now that the annoying arguments were over. She couldn't have planned it better if she had killed them herself. She wouldn't have done that. But locking them in a padded room together was definitely the next best thing. She could watch and listen as much as she wanted to. It was like a television show—she had that much control over what she heard and saw. She smiled as she turned on the sound button under the mirror-window and looked in.

SYLAR & ELLE

"I'm so pissed at her right now!" Elle yelled. "Let me out!"

"Sparky, she's not going to listen to you. Just deal with it." Sylar said as leaned against the wall.

Elle huffed. "I can't believe I fell for that! 'Can you give me a tour? Ooh, an interrogation room, can we go in?'"

"She's a smart one. If I would have thought of it, I would have done the same thing." Sylar laughed.

"Why are you laughing? You're stuck in here too!"

"That's the difference," he said as he moved toward her. "I've wanted to be stuck in a room with you for months."

Elle didn't move her gaze from his for a few moments. He put his hand on her face and she put hers on his back. He leaned in to kiss her.

"Ouch!" he yelled. "What the hell was that for?"

"What did you think? You could lock me in a room and sweet talk me a little and I'd forget everything?"

"No. I didn't think that." Sylar stood silently. "How long until you stop hating me?"

Elle froze.

"I don't know. I don't want to hate you. But you have no idea what it's been like."

"I'm sorry. Really, really sorry. I want you to believe me."

Elle stared at him.

"I'll believe you when you tell me what happened."

Sylar's eyes bolted to her face and stuck there, reading her.

"It's a long story Elle."

"We're stuck in this room together until Rachel lets us out. You should just tell me. Otherwise, it will be pretty quiet in here."

Elle sat down on the floor and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Elle stared at him.

"More sure than anything."

He sighed and paced the floor silently. She watched him as he walked right and left, right and left.

"Okay. I'll tell you everything but you won't like it." Sylar said as he sat down on the opposite side of her in the room.

That's it for now. Sorry it's short and that I took so long to update. The semester is kicking my butt. I don't really want to write unless it's going to be good stuff. I absolutely love this story. I hope you still do too! Thanks for sticking with me. Please review and give me some encouragement.

Until later, Dani