ECHOES IN THE DARKNESS
Part XXXVI - Vengence
"Revenge." He whispered in his sleep.
His dreams took him back to a night long ago.
Galaway, Ireland, April 19,1513 AD
Siobhán Catherwood stood waiting in the shadows. There was a baleful gleam in her dark eyes as an evil breeze blew through her black hair. "Just another moment me love." She whispered as she spotted the maiden walking down the path carrying her husband's supper. With all her charm, armed with her wicked smile, when the girl came closer she threw a stone in the girl's path causing her to stumble, nearly dropping her plate.
"Oh, let me help you." Siobhán reached out to steady the girl.
"I thank you kindly, dear lady." The girl smiled.
But her kindness was all in vain. Siobhán Catherwood gazed her black eyes of death upon the girl, as the young maiden lay lifeless on the ground.
"Well." She laughed. "Ye haven't lost your touch!" She took the girl's shawl and draped it over head, covering her shoulders. Once again, her eyes filled with malevolent fire as the girl's body disintegrated like it never was.
Picking up the plate of warm food, smiling intently, she sauntered toward the small stone jail.
In a moment, she would be reunited with Phinneus Catherwood, her love. The father of her seven year old son, Phillip. Tonight he sat in jail waiting to be hung for the murder of his older brother, Sir Andrew Catherwood, the oldest son of the Earl of Catherwood. An arrogant man was he. All of his life Phinneus was treated like a bastard. The rumors circulated the village that Phinneus was a changeling because he possessed strange powers as a small child.
Andrew was his father's favorite son. He was tall and handsome with dark hair and sharp, penetrating dark eyes. The girls of the villages and the towns from miles wanted to be his wife and bare his children.
But Andrew dared to fall in love with the daughter of Owen Malone; an Irishman with a beautiful daughter named Grace. Andrew met Grace on his travels. One evening his ship, the Armada Rose, built for him as a gift from the King of Spain, docked in Galaway and after a night at the tavern, he went out for a walk to get some air. It was then he saw the face of Grace Malone. She was a beautiful redheaded lass with milk white skin and piercing green eyes. The moment her eyes gazed into his, they fell in love.
The Catherwoods frowned upon their son wishing to marry a peasant girl. But that did not stop them. They married secretly and bore a daughter. Catraoine. A beautiful child with her mother's green eyes and her father's dark features.
Then came the day Andrew renounced his birthright. Of course, Phinneus would believe it was his place to take over his place in line as the heir to the royal throne. But their father would allow Phinneus to take his place as an heir. Angered, Phinneus murdered his father in cold blood. Upon learning of their father's death, Andrew challenged him to a dual. When it came time to draw their weapons, Andrew was paralyzed and unable to draw his weapon. He was killed instantly when Phinneus's bulled shot into his head.
Grace ran to Andrew screaming his name. But it was too late. Andrew lay dead as Grace held him in her arms, screaming in anguish.
And then it was said that the sky opened up and a light came from the sky, penetrating Grace Malone. She stood before Phinneus Catherwood, her eyes wild with fire. Some say lightening shot from her eyes.
"You will pay for this day, Phinneus Catherwood." She screamed, her voice echoing like thunder. "With my very last breath you will feel the pain you have brought to my heart!"
Back to the moment, Siobhán smiled sweetly at the guard as she entered the jail.
"Supper for the condemned, me lass?"
"Ay sir." She curtsied to him.
"Just a moment!" He stared at her face under the shawl. "Ye are not Moiria!"
But before he could react he was dead. Quickly grabbing the key, Siobhán ran to Phinneus's cell and opened the door.
"Oh my love!" He cried as they embraced and began to kiss passionately.
"Come my darling." She replied pulling him by the arm. "We must get away from here."
Holding hands they ran from the jail, but were quickly stopped by Owen Malone, the town constable.
"Not so fast ye two." He stood holding his rifle. "Ye must parish for your crime."
Phinneus only stood in laughter. "I don't believe ye understand. Me brother challenge me to a duel and he lost."
"Ye murdered yer own brother in cold blood." Owen sneered. "Ye paralyzed him and he could not draw his weapon."
"Ye have yer story, I have mine." Catherwood hissed.
And in an instant, Owen Malone was dead by the eyes of Siobhán. Phinneus turned to Siobhán, kissing her deeply. "That was brilliant, my love."
"Ay hinny!" She smiled intently returning his kiss. She grabbed his hand as they went running off into the darkness. "We must get to Phillip before the villagers take him from us."
From the village they ran. They could hear the battle cries of the villagers as they grew closer. They had to get to their son before it was too late. The night was raining; the thunder clapped in the sky as the lightening illuminated their path. Finally, they reached the edge of the bluffs. Though the rain made the climb difficult, they began the treacherous descent up the side of the mountain.
When they reached a landing, they both turned to face the villagers. Phinneus spread out his arms as the beast transformed from inside of him. The villagers stood horrified.
"He's the beast!" They cried.
"And she is the witch." A man shouted.
"Seize them!"
But it was of no use. Phinneus paralyzed them all and they were defenseless against him. .
"Kill them all!" Phinneus hissed to Siobhán
But as she started to gaze her dark eyes upon them, from behind the villagers they could hear the whinny and galloping of an approaching horse. Everyone turned toward the sea and it seemed from out of the mist a silver stallion came galloping toward them carrying a warrior on it's back. The villagers stood aside in reverence as the warrior rode through the sea of villagers to the front. Removing the headpiece, the villagers gasped to see Grace Malone sitting upon the horse; her long red hair flowing in the wind behind her. As she sat high upon her stallion, lightening soared up from behind her, emitting treacherous bolts of light from the night sky.
But Phinneus Catherwood could only stare as her green eyes penetrated him. He was powerless against her, as was Siobhán.
She came to a stop and dismounted her horse. "Phinneus Catherwood." Grace Malone shouted above the thunder.
"Let me go, witch!" He raged from his place above the cliffs.
"You die tonight." Grace shouted.
"I have had a long life and many have died at my hands. But I do not see my life ending." He proclaimed. "Not today."
Grace closed her eyes and hovered above the villagers who gasped.
"She's an angel." Came whispers from the crowd.
Siobhán Catherwood aimed her dark eyes of death at Grace Malone, but it was no use. She was no match for Grace.
Turning to Siobhán, Grace aimed her hand at her and lightening came flying from her fingertips, killing the evil Siobhán instantly.
"Siobhán!" Phinneus Catherwood stood anguished over the cadaver of his beloved, Siobhán. Falling to his knees he screamed in fury. Then he stood and looked Grace in the eye. "Hear me Grace Malone! I will kill you! I will kill every woman by your bloodline until the day comes where there are no more of you."
"You will never kill me Catherwood." She shouted. "You are powerless against me!"
"Perhaps I am." Catherwood whispered. "But what about my brother?"
Before Grace could speak, Phinneus transformed himself into her beloved Andrew. Grace stood and stared into his eyes as he walked toward her.
"Andrew, my love." She whispered. She walked toward him as he held out his arms to her. As she reached out to touch his face, he took her in his arms and embraced her.
Then, he transformed back into the beast and reached inside of Grace ripping her heart from her.
Grace looked up at Phinneus with her dying eyes as he held her beating heart in his hands.
"You are weak, Grace Malone." He hissed. "You and your kind are all weak."
"MOTHER!" Came the cry of a young child. She ran through the crowd to her dying mother. Grace managed a sad smile as she gazed upon the face of her daughter Catraoine for the last time.
"I love ye, me darling Catraoine." Grace whispered to her daughter as the life drained from her body.
Catraoine held her mother's head in her hands and gently laid it down as she cried. A moment later a brilliant light came from her mother's body and saturated her body in a warm glow that emitted from her.
Catraoine stood and faced Catherwood, her green eyes blazing in fire. With fierce determination she raised up her hand and light emitted from her fingertips. Then in a fluid motion, she flung her fingers at the ground. Then from under her feet, a pentagram of fire blazed around her. As she stood in the center of the pentagram, a beam of light shot out from Catraoine aligning with the north star in the sky.
She opened her mouth to speak, but it was the voice of Grace Malone that came.
"Hear me, Phinneus Catherwood!" The voice boomed out from Catraoine. "Know that in five hundred years to this day, in the very spot my child stands, you will be killed by the one who bares the male child. Until that day, hear my words that every woman in my bloodline will bring you pain. Until that day, every woman in my bloodline will give birth to a daughter, who in turn will die by your hands, and each power that child possesses will be passed to the next child. And on that day, the one who bares the firstborn son will rise up and with all our powers and the power of many to kill you and rid the world of your evil soul forever."
Catraoine rose up her arms, and Phinneus Catherwood found himself being thrown through the air. He tried to stand up and walk toward the village, but the Pentagram had burned a place in the ground and with it a spell that would protect the village forever.
Phinneus opened his eyes sitting up straight in bed. He stood up and walked to the window looking at the snow on the ground. He laughed balefully to himself as he thought about his dream.
"You are wrong Grace Malone." He sneered. "I am about to have everything I have ever wanted. Your kind will be cease to exist and I will have the power. The one who bares the male child, is weak and like I did to you and all of your woman kin, I will take away everything that she holds dear and weaken her defenses. Just like you murdered my beloved Siobhán, Laura Ryan will die."
He walked to the table and picked up a photograph of Gabriel and Laura ripping it in two. Looking at the photo of Gabriel he spoke. "You can change your name, but you will never change who you are. One day very soon, you will know me, Sylar. You will walk beside me as we rule the free world together."
Then he picked the half containing the image of Laura and threw it into his fire, watching as it slowly burned until there was nothing left but it's vestiges.
"A serial killer, a politician and a minister walk into a bar." Claude chuckled as they walked through the door. "There has got to be a joke in this somewhere."
"A titty bar. Great!" Peter rolled his eyes as they entered the gentlemen's club. "Can somebody please tell me why we are here again?"
"Because this is what real men do at bachelor parties." Gabriel grinned patting Peter on the back.
"Yeah, and not all of us have a pole in the bedroom and get our own private lap dance every night." Claude chuckled.
Peter turned to take a swing at him, but he was quickly grabbed by Nathan.
"You were too young to come with us when Heidi and I got married, but my buddies threw me a bachelor party and that I had enough lap dances make me horny for decades." Nathan laughed. "I woke up the next morning with a woman in my bed, I had no idea how she got there and no idea what I did with her."
"Plausible deniability." Noah chuckled. "You were a politician in training even then."
"And what were you doing when you weren't out bagging and tagging human, Noah?" He challenged. "Care to enlighten us?"
Mohinder stood between them. "Gentlemen, lets leave the alpha dog attitudes at the door. Tonight is about Peter."
"Of course." Noah replied coolly.
"Sorry Pete." Nathan patted his brother on the back.
"There's a table right up front." Ando shouted excitedly. "Common."
The others followed and sat in the front row.
"This very nice place." Hiro beamed as he looked around. "Men and women come here."
"I never quite got why women come to these places." Gabriel shook his head. "It's called a gentlemen's club for a reason, isn't it?"
Everyone turned and looked at Gabriel.
"For a guy who spent time in prison, you sure are a naive chap." Claude chuckled. "Don't you ever have fantasies of Laura mud wrestling with Niki?"
Gabriel glowered at him. "The only person I want to fantasize about mud wrestling with my wife is me. You can keep the girl on girl fantasies for your own morally corrupt head."
"You have lead a sheltered life, my friend." Claude grinned. He turned to the waitress. "A round of shots for me and my friends here. And keep em coming." He looked at Gabriel. "Make it a double for my bloke. He has some catching up to do in life." He turned again to Gabriel smiling. "Tonight, my boy becomes a man!"
Gabriel looked at Claude shaking his head. "Fuckin' brit." He muttered to himself.
"WHERE did you say they were going?" Heidi looked at Laura in disbelief as they put the finishing touches on the refreshments.
"Gabriel said it was a club downtown called Faces." Laura replied apprehensively as Heidi began to laugh out loud. "Why?"
"Oh, nothing." She snickered to herself. "You'll find out soon enough. And...so will they."
"Something tells me we are going to be reading about this night in the newspaper tomorrow!" Laura shook her head.
"Well, that nightie your wearing certainly will." Heidi marveled looking at Laura's black lace ensemble. "You are one sexy mama to be."
"Well, look at you!" Laura smiled. "You take sleazy and make it look like a class act."
"Guys, what's taking so long." Niki smiled as she entered the kitchen wearing a red merry widow. "We have a group of ladies who are ready to party!"
"Get out of here!" Laura chided her playfully. "This is your party, so you go sit down and wait for the fun to start."
"Well, it can't start without you two." Niki replied. "No offense Laura, your sister-in-law is sweet, but she is so damn boring! She is actually wearing a Sponge Bob night shirt."
"Hey! Sponge Bob is cool!" Laura said pointing at her.
"That's only because we haven't corrupted her yet." Heidi snickered. "And I must say, its too bad our men aren't here, because we are three hot, sexy looking girls."
Laura rolled her eyes. "Please! We look like hookers."
"And you even have makeup on." Niki shook her head at Laura. "It's not fair."
"What?" Laura shrugged. "Do I look like Marylin Manson or something?"
"No, between the makeup and that black lingerie, you look like a fucking sex goddess and what really pisses me off is you don't even realize it. No wonder Gabriel is always trying to bone you." Niki playfully laughed.
"Oh guys, this is nothing." Laura waved her hand. "Wait until you see Claire."
"What do you mean?" Heidi asked nervously.
"I helped her get ready." She smiled. "Neither one of her daddies are going to be pleased when they see her."
"But Scott is." Heidi giggled.
"Oh my GOD!" Laura laughed biting her lower lip. "Did you see the way those two have been looking at each other?"
"I don't think Claire's virginity is long for this world." Niki snickered as she peered through the kitchen door into the living room. "Especially if she is wearing that"
Heidi glanced into the living room to see Claire wearing a ivory satin lingerie ensemble. "Oh my GOD! We better get in there before poor Sandra has a coronary."
As they entered the living room carrying the trays of refreshments, Angela entered wearing a pink neglige toped off with a feather boa.
"Mama P, you look just like Auntie Mame." Niki said in awe.
"Thank you my dear." She smiled. "I wish I could dress in those sexy little get ups like you girls can."
"Who says you can't?" Heidi cocked her head at her.
"Oh no!" Angela protested. "I don't have the shape anymore or the hot body your girls do."
"Of course you do." Niki smiled.
"Ok, you, you and you. Stay right there." Laura said to Angela, Robyn and Sandra. "Heidi, Claire and I are going to go get some lingerie and make up, and you beautiful ladies are getting a make over."
"Oh Laura, its ok." Robyn laughed nervously. "You don't need to do that."
"Robyn." Laura narrowed her eyes at her. "You are a hot sexy woman and you are wearing a nightshirt. You should be ashamed of yourself. Now my brother will be coming home in a few hours, the kids are all with the Price's tonight...see where I'm going with this?" She winked.
A few minutes later, the girls were spread out in the living room doing each other's makeup, hair and all of the women were sporting sexy lingerie.
"Well, this house is going to be rockin' tonight." Sandra giggled.
"Yeah, for everybody but me." Claire sighed.
"Not for long." Niki almost sang.
"What do you mean?" Claire asked innocently.
"Oh, common." Laura smiled knowingly at her at her. "We all saw how you and Scott were looking at each other."
"You guys! I just met him!" Claire blushed.
"Sometimes that's all it takes." Heidi smiled playfully. "Isn't that right Laura."
"Hey, I married him." Laura replied mischievously.
"Stop encouraging her." Sandra bristled as she glared at the girls. "Claire is too young."
"Oh Sandra." Heidi rubbed her shoulder. "Get over it. You have a beautiful blonde daughter. The only alternative is to lock her up in a convent."
"Don't give her father any ideas." Angela looked at Claire. "Either one of them."
"So where did the guys go?" Niki asked Heidi who began laughing hysterically.
"Ok Petrelli!" Laura stood in front of her with her hands on her hips. "Spill it!"
"YATTA!!!" Hiro shouted as he danced on the stage around the pole with a tall redheaded woman. Ando danced with a large brested woman with long blonde hair.
"Well, it looks like those two are getting lucky tonight." George chuckled as he watched them in amusement.
"And, ah...so is the good doctor." Gabriel snickered as he watched Mohinder receive a lap dance from a beautiful Indian woman. "It's all good until the dollar bills run out."
A group of women that looked like Las Vegas show girls came running out from behind the stage and grabbed George, Noah and Claude taking them up on the stage.
"Which one of you is the groom?" The tall one asked as everyone pointed to Peter.
"Oh fuck NO!" Peter tried to get up and leave, but everyone pushed him up on the stage. "Well I ain't going up there alone!"
The dancers went running out into the audience and rounded up Gabriel, Brandon, Scott, Nathan, Mohinder, Hiro and Ando.
The DJ played Mustang Sally as Hiro and Ando began to lead everyone in the Electric Slide.
One of the dancers put her head piece on George and a feather boa around Nathan.
"And now, for the groom." The head dancer smiled as the other showgirls hoisted him up and carried him to a platform where they began to dress him in a neglige with a feather boa, but Peter nearly bolted from the stage when they tried to put lipstick on him.
"No fucking way!" Peter protested as the others cheered him on.
"Common Peter." Brandon laughed. "This is the stuff legends are made of!"
"These girls have a lot of muscles." Hiro nodded at Ando, who looked at the girls his eyes bulging out.
"Um...are women supposed to have Adam's apples?" Gabriel asked looking wide-eyed at the woman dancing front of him.
"Who you calling a girl, bitch?" Came the very masculine voice from the dancer.
"Oh fuck!" Nathan shouted looking around. "This is a goddamn drag club!"
"Shit!" Peter stood up heading for the door.
"You ladies going somewhere?" A very large bouncer in women's clothing stood in front of them, blocking their way out the door.
"Yeah, home to fuck my wife." Gabriel replied.
"Your not going anywhere, sissy boy." The bouncer replied grabbing the back of Gabriel's collar. "Not until you apologize to these ladies."
"Ladies my ass." Claude shouted. "These are a bunch of gender-confused delapidates."
They all looked around as the mob of drag queens circled them.
"You want a piece of us?" Claude shouted as he hit a beer bottle against the bar, but it only bounced back hitting him in the head. "Oh shit that hurts like a buggar!"
"That only works in the movies, ass wipe." Peter told him through gritted teeth.
"Shut the fuck up, Claude!" Nathan hissed through gritted teeth. "Your drawing too much attention to us."
"La...ah...Gentlemen." Mohinder stood up and approached them. "I am sure if we work together, we can find a peaceful resolution to this prediciment." But he was picked up and shoved into a wall by the bouncer.
"Ok, now I'm pissed!" Mohinder stood in defense stance as a patron hit him over the head with a chair. "Shit!" Mohinder muttered as he fell to the ground.
Peter turned to run, but a large man with a tiny mustache blocked his way.
"Hey, love the pornstache." Peter smiled, then quickly frowned as the man took a swing at him. Peter ducked as the bouncer took a swing, hitting Gabriel's face instead.
"Oh motherfucker!" Gabriel shouted rubbing his jaw. Then he turned around and swung at the man, hitting him in the stomach. He didn't even flinch.
"You hit like a third grade girl!" The man shouted at Gabriel.
"Yeah, well you look like a bag full of shit." Gabriel sneered.
"Forgive my friend here, mate. He's feeling a little knackered after a few rounds of shots." Claude smiled putting his arm around him. "But know that his wife is a 4th degree blackbelt and can kick your arse so hard, your ancestors will feel it."
"Not helping, asshole!" Gabriel hissed through gritted teeth.
"Oh, so the Nancy boy needs his wife to fight his battles for him." The bouncer leered.
"You stand there dressed like an Ethel Merman wannabe and you have the balls to call me a Nancy boy?" Gabriel snickered.
"Ethel Merman is a national treasure!" The bouncer replied tearfully.
"Yeah, and guess what? She's dead!" Gabriel retorted. "And you ain't her!"
"You do not dare desecrate her name in this establishment."A patron shouted.
"We don't have to, it looks like you fruitcakes are doing a pretty damn good job of that without any help from us." Brandon stood in front of him with his hands on his hips.
"Just walk away son." George put his arm around Brandon and tried to take him to the door, when the tall drag queen dressed as a showgirl stood in front of him and punched him in the face. George stumbled back and hit himself on the bar.
"Ok bitch!" Brandon shouted! "You drew first blood! Not cool!"
He reached out and tried to swing at Brandon, but he was able to get the upper hand and knocked him to the floor.
"Semper Fi, dumbass!" Brandon shouted proudly.
In a flash the brawl had started. Dancers, patrons and bouncers converged upon the group.
Ando stood helpless as one drag queen held him as the other punched. Hiro ran up behind them with a chair. "YATTA!" He shouted as he hit one of them over the head.
The other one turned around and punched Hiro.
Hiro stood up and looked at the drag queen in the eye. "Ok, now you have pissed me off!" He made a fist and swung hard as the drag queen went flying into a table, breaking it into fragments.
"Hiro!" Ando smiled proudly. "You a bad ass!"
"Don't give me any shit!" Hiro wagged his finger at the drag queen who laid on the floor as he and Ando hugged.
Nathan grabbed Peter who was managing to avoid the radar. "Peter, we got to get out of here. If the media gets wind of this, the Petrelli name is fucked."
"Oh, piss on the media, Nathan!" Peter shouted. "Don't you ever get tired of being politically correct? Saying and doing all of the perfect things? We are men and this is a great moment, Nathan! Lets embrace it together!"
Nathan smiled. "All of the sudden I feel like Butch and Sundance. Lets go and show them what the Petrelli boys are made of!"
"Hey, aren't you that Congressman that everybody has been wondering where he disappeared to?" A tall burly customer wearing a floral dress asked him.
"Yeah, you found him!" Nathan replied with his hands on his hips. "And look over there! There's Jimmy Hoffa."
"Where?" The man turned around as Peter punched him, knocking his lights out. Peter and Nathan high-fived each other. But as they turned to walk away, the were each met with the fists of his table mates.
"Oh, motherfucker!" Nathan grabbed his jaw.
"Hey, Congressmen Petrelli!" Nathan turned around as a reporter snapped his photo. "Do you have any comments?"
"Yes, I do!" He said standing up. He grabbed Noah and planted a kiss on his cheek as he once again snapped a photo. "God Bless America!" He shouted.
"Did you really have to do that?" Noah sneered at him.
"Oh Noah." Peter slapped him on the back. "Have a little security in your manhood."
Just then, they were met with two more angry patrons who tried to deck them, but Scott came up from behind them and jumped in the air, kicking them both in the face.
"It's about time you showed up to help!" Noah said to him.
"Does this mean I can ask your daughter out?" Scott smiled.
"No." Noah retorted as the redhead picked him up by the scruff of the neck and reared his hand back to punch him. But Scott grabbed his arm and threw him into the bar.
"Now I have saved your ass twice. Now can I take your daughter out?" Scott asked again.
"Ok." Noah replied defeated. "You win. Yes, you may take my daughter out."
Scott smiled and shook his hand.
"Shit!" Gabriel shouted. "The police are coming. Hiro! Peter! Teleport us out of here!"
They all gathered into two groups. "One-two-three." Hiro and Peter counted together as they teleported out.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked around for them.
"Where did they go?" One man asked.
"Where did who go?" Asked the head police officer.
"Nathan Petrelli." The bouncer replied.
The officer chuckled. "Nathan Petrelli. Was Jimmy Hoffa with him?"
"Officer, I swear! He was standing right here not even a minute ago. They just disappeared into thin air." One of the patrons said.
"Ok, you pansies!" The officer shouted. "Off to the drunk tank for all of you."
"Oh man!" A patron said. "My wife is going to kill me!"
"Yeah, especially after she sees you look better in her dress than she does." The policemen all laughed hysterically.
"Their at a drag strip club?" Niki shouted as the others shrieked with laughter.
"Now the thought of those going to a strip club is hilarious enough, but the thought of them among a bunch of drag queens is absolutely hysterical!" Laura replied laughing so hard she could barely speak.
"What I wouldn't give to be a fly on that wall." Sandra laughed.
"Dad and Nathan are both so conservative." Claire smiled. "They are going to go ape shit when they realize where they are."
"And poor Gabriel." Laura giggled. "He talks a big game, but he just isn't very worldly."
"I fail to see the humor in this." Angela bristled. "This is a disaster!"
"Yeah, I'm not real happy about my husband going to a strip club." Robyn said folding her arms. "If the church finds out, he could get in serious trouble."
"He's a big boy, Robyn." Niki replied.
"Excuse me, but who are you to tell me how I should feel about my husband going to such a place?" Robyn retorted.
Niki looked at her taken aback. "Um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."
"No, I'm sorry." Robyn replied sheepishly. "I shouldn't have snapped at you that way. I just don't feel it is an appropriate place for a man of the cloth to be going to. It does not set a good example."
"I completely agree with her." Angela replied. "Brandon is a minister, Nathan is in a high-profile position and what kind of example are these men setting for their children?"
"Ok, it's not that I don't agree with you, but it is only one night out of many in their lives." Sandra replied. "I am sure it will be fine. They go out, have a few drinks, watch the show, and they come home. What's the worse that can happen?"
"You had to say that." Laura replied flatly. Everybody followed her gaze as they saw the group of men who had just teleported into the room complete with bloody noses, black eyes, ripped clothing and bruises.
"Oh...my...God!" Niki said slowly shaking her head.
"You were saying?" Angela replied glowering at Sandra who narrowed her eyes at Noah.
"Hi honey." Noah smiled.
"Ouch! Dammit!" Nathan winced as Heidi treated his wounds with a wet cloth.
"Well, it serves you right." Heidi scolded. "What in the hell were you guys thinking taking on a bunch of guys twice your size?"
"They were wearing dresses!" Nathan retorted.
"If you think that's helping your cause, guess again." Heidi replied as she treated the laceration on Nathan's head.
"Careful!" Peter shouted as Niki touched his temple.
"Don't be getting pissy with me, Bruce Lee." She sneered playfully.
"We were just trying to have some fun." Brandon told Robyn as she sat icily turned away from him with her arms folded. "And from the way you are all dressed, can you tell you were all pure as the snow outside?"
"No, we told dirty stories, stuffed our bras and talked about organisms." Niki replied. "But we didn't get our drunk ass's kicked by a bunch of sexuality mixed-up bullies either."
Heidi chuckled. "Nathan, you should know that Faces is a drag club. We've been talking about it for years."
"I'm not the one who made the arrangements." Nathan protested. "Talk to Brandon and Gabriel."
Robyn glared at Brandon than stood up stomping out of the room.
"Thanks, Nathan! Seriously!" Brandon glowered. "Was it really necessary to fuck up my night with my wife, who by the way looks fifty kinds of hot tonight and wearing and something other than a tweety-bird nightshirt? By the way...I voted for the other guy!" He sneered as he ran after his wife. "Baby! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! Your so damn hot!"
"It is seriously pathetic to see a man of the cloth begging his wife for to get laid." Niki shook her head. "And just so wrong!"
Angela stood up and approached Nathan. "After all the years your father and I spent preparing you for a life in Washington, you go beating up a bunch of drag queens it is over in a matter of seconds!" Angela shouted at him.
"Give it a rest mom." Nathan rolled his eyes. "My career was over the day I walked out on Phillip Callahan's campaign.
"Everybody hear that flushing sound?" Peter held his hand up to his ear. "That is Nathan's political career officially going down the toilet."
"Not helping honey." Niki whispered to him.
"Do you think this is a joke?" Angela replied, her lips tight in anger. "I sure hope your little escapade tonight was worth it, because tomorrow morning when we all wake up, this scandal is going to be slapped across the newspaper headlines everywhere. The Petrelli name that your father and I have worked so hard to..."
"Mom, just shut the fuck up already about the family name!" Nathan shouted.
"How dare you speak to me that way!" Angela whispered angrily.
"I'm sorry Mom, but it's about time somebody stood up to you." Nathan stood up. "Tonight was the first time in my entire life that I let go. I got into a bar fight, I kicked ass, I got my ass kicked, I got drunk and I liked it! I have fucking had it with living my life in a fishbowl. I am climbing out of the goddamn fishbowl and I am going to finally start living. If they want to see Nathan Petrelli, they can look all they want because from here on out, my life is all about my wife, my children, my brother and my friends. If you want to come along for the ride too mom, I hope you do because it is going to be a something amazing."
Angela stood and stared at him for a moment. Then she turned on her heel and walked from the room. Nathan stood looking after her shaking his head.
George walked over and put his hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry." He winked. "She'll come around by morning. I'll see to it." He claped the side of his face. "Well, everyone." George smiled. "I have a soon to be wife to smooth over before tomorrow, so I bid you adieu. And I thank you gentlemen for the best night I have had since my own bachelor party almost thirty years ago. I haven't been in a good fight in years!"
"No problem George!" Peter grinned.
"Anytime." Nathan smiled.
"Gentlemen." He smiled. "Ladies."
Heidi stood up and pulled Nathan up by his shirt collar. "Do you know how hot I am for you right now?" She kissed him passionately. "Lets go to bed so I can support my local Congressman."
"Good night boys." He smiled and then to Peter. "Get lots of sleep tonight, little bro. Your gonna need it."
"Nite bro!" Peter stood up as they embraced. "Thanks for the night of my life."
"It was damn fun, wasn't it?" Nathan chuckled.
"Yeah, it was." Peter grinned.
"Common you big stud!" Heidi grabbed his arm. "Take me to bed, or loose me forever."
Nathan wiggled his eyebrows at the group as Peter and Niki laughed.
"So where are Claude, Mohinder, Hiro, Ando and Scott sleeping tonight?"
"Well, since we aren't supposed to be sleeping together the night before the wedding, I am sleeping in Simon's room with Claude, and Hiro, Ando and Mohinder are bunking down in Monty's room. You are going to be sleeping in the guest room with Claire and Scott will be sleeping in the bedroom in the garage apartment where you and I slept last night." Peter replied.
"Right next door to Laura and Gabriel?" Niki wrinkled her nose. "Maybe we should go give him some ear plugs."
"Nah, hell be fine." Peter chuckled. "Besides, he was so shit faced when Laura and Gabriel took him over there, he's probably passed out by now."
"Well, speaking of bed, we had best get some rest before tomorrow." Niki smiled lovingly at him. "Because tomorrow night, you are not getting any sleep."
"Promise?" He pulled her to him kissing her softly.
"Promise." She returned his kiss.
"Well." He spoke between kisses. "Just because we can't sleep together tonight doesn't mean we can't have a little fun."
"You mean here?" Niki almost gasped.
"Why don't we see what Laura and Gabriel find so enjoyable about the bathroom?" He grinned wiggling his eyebrows.
Niki stood up and took his hand leading him down the hall to the bathroom, closing the door behind them.
"I can't believe you got into a fight with a bunch of boys in dresses." Laura giggled as she tended to Gabriel's head wound. "You got a few shots in you and you just thought you were ten feet tall and bullet proof, didn't you?"
"As a matter of statement, I am six-feet-four and bullet proof!" He smiled. "Ouch! Careful." He winced with pain.
"Well, you should have thought about that before you decided to take on the drag queen mafia. "What were you thinking?"
He reached out and pulled her in close as he leaned back against the pillows. "I was thinking that I couldn't wait to get home to my beautiful wife." He kissed her tenderly.
"Good answer." She whispered smiling. "But I think you are too drunk and battered to be any good to either one of us."
He raised his eyebrow. "You expect me to be able to sleep with you in the same room with me wearing that?" He replied eyeballing her black lingerie. "I'm ready to rip it off with my teeth!" He began to remove her chemise.
"So after a night of drinking and a drunken bar brawl with a bunch of sexually confused hooligans, you really think you have the energy?"
"Oh, I have the energy alright." He nodded his eyes staring right at her.
"Ok, let me go brush my teeth and I will be right with you." She kissed him softly
"I'll be waiting." He replied returning her kiss.
But when she returned, she found him laying naked in bed fast asleep. Laura smiled as she removed her clothes and laid in bed next to him pulling the covers around them, as they held each other.
End of Part XXXVI