Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate SG-1 or Heroes, this is just an idea I've had in my head for awhile!
So yes, Peter does have a connection with the Stargate, this has something to do with his abilities and it will be very vital in coming chapters :) This is mostly back story, but bear with me! It's important!
MAJOR SPOILERS FOR SEASON 1-3 IN HEROES! Sylar does not impersonate Nathan and Nathan does not die!
Peter will be getting his powers back one at a time, so tell me which ones you want me to give back to him!
WARNING! SELF-HARM IN THIS CHAPTER!
The Stargate, Memories, and Regeneration:
Six weeks after his fateful encounter with Daniel Jackson, Peter was finally picked to be on a team. But of all the teams Peter thought he would be chosen to be on, he would never have guessed this one.
The dreaded SG-11.
"So, are you ready to go on your first off-world mission newbie?" Came an arrogant voice from his left side. Glancing over, Peter accidentally caught the eye of his commanding officer, Colonel Adam McConnell.
He flinched a little at being reminded of his 'newbie' status but let an easy grin fall on his face, masking whatever irritation he was feeling, "Yeah, I'm pretty excited."
Peter would probably be more excited if Colonel McConnell would just leave him alone. To put it lightly, the man was a brute. The rest of the team was okay, but when your commanding officers a prick, it kinda drowns out everything else.
The planet they were going to was described as P89 354. It was inhabited, but they knew very little about it. Which was why they were sending this scientific team. Peter still didn't know why he had been selected to be apart of this team, but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.
"Well, don't get too excited, you never know what's gonna happen. SG-11! Move out!" Colonel McConnell shouted, walking out the door with everyone on his heels, everyone except Peter who lagged behind a little, getting a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. He shrugged it of and kept walking, never knowing how sorry he would be that he did.
As they approached the Gate room, the nagging feeling got even worse, evolving into a sharp pain. Peter's right hand went to clutch the back of his neck and he shook his head, as if trying to clear it.
"Hey buddy, you okay?" Asked one of his teammates whom he didn't know.
Peter nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a headache is all." He responded, trying to ignore how his head felt like it was being cracked open. Vaguely he remembered his gift of telepathy and when he first learned how to use it, it had felt a whole lot like this.
When they finally made it to the gate room, Peter could do nothing but stare into it. In the middle of the room was the thing that haunted his dreams at night and his mind by day.
The Stargate.
The inner ring was spinning around, groaning slightly as it stopped abruptly before continuing in the opposite direction, repeating. Peter's eyes followed it, a frown creasing his forehead as the pain in his head got even stronger, strong enough for him to stifle a groan and clench his eyes shut.
"Dude, you sure you're okay?" The same teammate asked but before Peter could respond a disembodied voice interrupted him.
"Chevron 7, locked."
Peter watched with pain-filled eyes as blue energy suddenly erupted from the center of the ring, spilling out only to be sucked back in. Something in the back of his mind clicked then exploded in front of his eyes. His knees buckled causing him to collapse onto the floor, his normally chocolate brown-green eyes the same color blue as the wormhole for a split second before returning to normal.
"Petrelli!" Peter heard someone shout but he couldn't focus on anything, nothing except the blue pool of light that glittered in front of him. Slowly, pain seemed to encompass his whole body as he gave a slight cry, convulsing.
Peter felt someone holding him down, but his senses were failing him by now and he was looking around furiously, searching for something, but he had no idea what.
The wormhole was the last thing he saw before his eyesight mercifully turned black.
Peter's eyes opened slowly and he blearily looked around, not really recognizing where he was. Then it all came rushing back to him.
He was in New York, Kirby Plaza to be exact.
Peter's breath caught in his throat as he pushed himself up quickly, wobbling a little bit before regaining his footing. 'Not this again, please!' Peter pleaded in his mind as he glanced around, only to be confronted by an image of himself punching Sylar to the ground, again and again.
His past self's body began to glow and Peter shut his eyes tightly, a lone tear escaping from his eye before he could stop. He didn't mean to lose control. He had tried so damn hard not too, yet it still happened, and Peter had almost killed all those people.
"Looks like you're the villain, Peter. I'm the hero." Were the last words Sylar gloated as he stood back up, advancing on past Peter's glowing form. He didn't get very far however as Hiro appeared and stabbed Sylar in the sternum, releasing a battle cry. Peter made a slight choking sound as his past self turned to look at Claire, the latter holding a gun.
"Do it. Claire, you have too!" He had pleaded just as his past self did now, looking at her with his hands in the air.
"Please tell me there's another way!" Claire cried but didn't lower the pistol, her face a mixture of pain and sorrow.
"There's no other way." Peter had stated, holding his arms wide out and closing his eyes. Claire was about too shoot him only to be stopped by... Nathan.
"Yes there is, Claire. The future's not written in stone." His older brother had said after he landed, before turning around to stare at Peter's past self.
"I took his power Nathan. I can't control it!" Peter had shakily stated, his body growing hotter with each passing second as he stared pleadingly at his older brother.
"I'm not leaving you, there's another way and you know it." Nathan shot right back at him, stepping closer to Peter's past self as his present looked on in sorrow.
"I can't let you die." He had choked, tears filling and burning away from his eyes in mere seconds.
"And I can't let everyone else." His older brother had responded with a smile on his face, "You saved the cheerleader, so we could save the world."
Peter saw his past self shakily agree before saying, "I love you Nathan."
"I love you too. You ready?" At Peter's nod, Nathan strode over to his younger brother, grabbing him around the waist before flying off into the sky, hot radiation burning him as he took Peter higher and higher.
Present Peter's eyes burned with tears as he watched himself explode from the ground, the tears escaping and running down his face in rivulets as the scene rippled then changed.
As the scene took shape, Peter instantly recognized it. It was the day he had pulled the trigger and murdered his own father, the day where everything fell apart.
"You and I both know, the world isn't safe with my father in it." Peter saw his past self walking next to the Haitian as they were making they're way into Pinehearst, his past self's hand clenched tightly around the gun's handle.
"But I also know you, Peter. You want to save the world. You always have. It's that part of you that wants to save your father. Give the gun to me. I'll do it." The Haitian had responded, holding out his hand but Peter had ignored it, walking steadily towards the door instead.
"No. Just like your brother was your responsibility, this one's mine."
Present Peter watched with cold detachment as his own father taunted his past self, saying he could give him back his abilities while the Haitian was struggling to keep Arthur Petrelli's powers at bay. His past self didn't budge however and kept the gun leveled at his father's head. Finally, Arthur gave up in persuading Peter's mind and instead sneered.
"You are weak and spineless. I can't believe you are my son."
Peter felt himself flinch at those words and saw his past self do the same. They still hurt, even now, and he stood still as the bullet ricocheted through the air, only to be stopped by Sylar who disarmed Peter with a wave of his hand. He watched as Sylar asked Arthur if he was really his father, and found out Arthur was lying.
Sylar looked at Peter for a few seconds before stating, "You're not a killer Peter... But I am." With that thought in mind and never taking his eyes off of Peter, Sylar let the bullet go. It immediately skewered Arthur right between the eyes, knocking him over dead. Sylar quickly left after that, stating Peter didn't have anything he wanted and Peter's past self sent the Haitian to follow him, leaving himself alone with his father's corpse.
This is how Nathan discovered him a few minutes later.
"Awe, Pete. You did it."
"I tried to, it was Sylar." His past self responded, staring down at the dead form of his father, as if trying to convince himself. He was still trying to convince himself even now, in the present.
"Sylar huh?" Nathan responded, not sounding convinced himself as he crouched next to their father's body before gently closing it's eyes.
Past Peter looked at his older brother, "There was no other way for this to end, Nathan. That formula has to be destroyed." His past self's eyes pleaded with his brother to understand, but Nathan ignored him, still staring at the body in front of him.
"It's too late Pete. There's a dozen marines being injected right now. The formula works."
Peter's face took on a crestfallen look that then hardened into determination, "Look, I know you think you're doing something good here, but you're not."
"You sure of that?" Nathan retorted, glancing up at Peter for the first time.
"Following dad with the same plan? I'm gonna stop it."
Nathan let out a bitter laugh, "It's not dad's plan anymore, it's ours."
Peter's past self stopped short, his eyes widening in comprehension, "What are you talking about?"
"The plan...it's ours. All of us. Making the world a better place. Don't tell me you're gonna try and get in the way of that." Nathan manipulated, standing up slowly and walking around Arthur's body until he was a few feet away from Peter, looking down at him.
Present Peter's breath caught in his throat as he watched his past self stare at Nathan for a few seconds before scrambling away, putting more distance between them, "You sound just like him." He had accused, feeling betrayed and hurt.
Nathan's eyes glinted a little and he said, "I know. I can't help but wonder how long it's going to be before it's me lying here. Remember last time what happened when you had a gun in your hand?" He asked before looking at their father's corpse, "I am going to finish what he started."
Peter watched as his past self brought the pistol up and cocked it, aiming it at Nathan's head, "I'm not going to let you do that." He had vowed, steely determination in his eyes.
"Eventually you're going to have to choose a side. Now either you're with me...Pete..." Nathan pleaded, holding out his right hand for the pistol.
His past self's face crumbled before he uncocked the pistol and lowered it, "Sorry." He gave the pistol to Nathan, who's face beamed only to frown when Peter continued.
"You're wrong." Peter's past self punched him across the jaw, knocking him unconscious before he retrieved his pistol, making his way to the lab. Again the scene rippled, changing, and present Peter knew where he was going next. He closed his eyes tightly, he didn't want to see this.
Peter's eyes were forced open as he felt the heat of fire on his face. He watches as Nathan punched his past self in the stomach then proceeded to batter him with a pipe, knocking the legs out from the younger and each blow beginning to connect with much more intensity than the last.
"You broke my heart Pete." Was all his older brother said to justify his actions while past Peter lay battered on the floor.
"Stop!" Past Peter cried out as the man who had been helping him destroy the laboratory's hand lite on fire. The man yelled something unintelligible before setting the formula aflame, causing it to blaze out of control.
Peter watched as, seeing no other choice, his past self grabbed one of the last surviving vials off the floor, and injected himself. He watched as his other self's body was gripped with pain before overcoming it and standing up.
Just as the man, Flint was about to blast Nathan at point-blank range, his past self lunged through the fire towards Nathan. Grabbing him and flying the two of them out of the window to safety, just as Pinehearst exploded.
When the finally landed in a clearing, Nathan pushed past Peter away with such ferocity that present Peter also took a step back, "You flew! That wasn't me, that was you! You took the formula!" His brother had hissed in accusation, turning to glare at the younger man.
Peter's past self's eyes held a defeated look as he stared Nathan down, "I had to." He defended himself, more like tried to convince himself.
"Everything you're against..." The older brother growled, advancing on Peter in rage.
"I had no other choice...!" Peter started, his eyes flashing but Nathan cut him off.
"Why'd you save me? Why'd you do it?"
Past Peter's face took on a crestfallen look as he stared at the man across from him, "Because you're my brother, and I love you." He had stated, taking a step forward as well.
"It's not what I would've done." Nathan had said maliciously as he turned his back on his brother.
"Nathan..." His past self started but before he would finish, Nathan flew away from him.
"Nathan!" He had yelled, heartbroken as he watched his older brother leave him again. Present Peter's eyes closed in resignation as he watched his brother leave him standing there, in the cold. He saw the scene begin to change again and he wondered just how many flashbacks he would be having.
This time Peter was back in his mother's living room, at the house in New York.
"Mom?" Peter heard his past self yell as he opened the door, throwing his bag on the floor. "Mom, you home?" He had walked down the hallway, only to stop in front of the living room in shock.
Standing across from his past self was his brother, Nathan, who was staring through the window overlooking the courtyard.
"She's not here." Nathan had said with a side glance at Peter's past self, "It's been a long time, Pete."
Peter watched as his past self stiffened and stared at his brother, a hard glint appearing in his eyes.
Nathan half-smiled before turning around to fully face Peter's past self, "Sorry I've been out of touch. Been kinda busy."
"Yeah, what with all the press you've been doing lately, right?" He had scathingly retorted, pushing his hands into his pockets.
"Well, you know the media... They like new and shiny." Nathan easily rebounded, an easy grin on his face.
Peter's past self just stared at Nathan before responding, "Yeah, you have the whole country thinking you're talking about terrorists, but we both know who you're really... talking about." He said, condescendingly.
"What can I say, Pete. Last time I tried too out us, I got shot." Nathan had retorted, shrugging his shoulders, "I'm nothing if not a quick study."
"So, you're just gonna round us all up, get rid of us?" He had asked, drawing a little circle in the air to illustrate. "Let me guess," Peter's past self glanced over his shoulder, looking around, "You've got our mother involved in this too."
"Mom's got nothing to do with this, Pete." Nathan snapped slightly, his earlier playful demeanor gone as he glanced at the floor before looking back up, "It's not dads plans, it's all me. You know how I feel about this, we've been over it. I'm doing what's necessary-"
"No." Peter's past self stated, " What you're doing is turning your back on your own kind."
Nathan had said nothing but walked towards Peter's past self.
"It's one thing to disown me, Nathan." His past self kept going, "But this... you're a self-loathing hypocrite." He had spat.
Nathan looked Peter's past self straight in the eye before cheekily saying, "And you wonder why I haven't returned your calls?"
Peter shook his head in disbelief along with his past self, not finding it even remotely funny, even now.
"Look, I said some things that were pretty harsh, I admit it." His brother soothed, "I got a little emotional.." He paused before continuing, "But, I've had time to calm down and I'd like to talk too you about some ideas. I'd like your input, your... advice."
"Advice." Peter's past self said mockingly, "What advice could I possibly give you except 'kiss my ass' Nathan?"
Nathan got a crestfallen look on his face and looked down at the ground, "I'm just trying to extend an olive branch here that's all."
Peter's past self stared at him incredulously, his eyes showing his guarded curiosity.
"How about dinner?" Nathan continued, "Tonight. Just dinner." Something in his voice sounded almost pleading and after past Peter hadn't responded he took it as a yes and said, "I'll text you when and where."
Peter watched as his past self started to turn away before responding with a hesitant, "Okay." Before starting to walk away.
He hadn't gotten far, however, as Nathan asked, "Just out of curiosity, what can you do these days?" Peter watched as his past self turned around and said, "Do?"
"Your abilities." Nathan clarified, staring out the window once again. '
"What are you, a cop?" Peter's past self sarcastically asked, watching as Nathan turned around to face him once again. Seeing he was completely serious Peter had tilted his chin up and asked,
"What's the last thing you saw me do, Nathan?"
Not even pausing to think Nathan responded, "You flew."
Peter's past self jerked his head up a little before turning around and walking away, not even suspecting what Nathan was going to do next.
Peter's present body shook his head before the scene rippled once again, and this time he once again knew exactly where he was going.
When Peter opened his eyes again, he was in his old apartment, the one in New York. He barely had time to take a breath when he heard his front door open, revealing his past self who had just come off a shift at the hospital.
Past Peter dropped his keys on the table, his bag on the floor before turning into the living room, glancing at his mail. His past self hastily took off his jacket before throwing down his mail on the coffee table, walking into the corresponding room where he was met with a shock. Standing there was Nathan.
"I know we have dinner plans." Nathan said, completely calm as Peter's past self looked at him with suspicion before glancing around his apartment, "There's just some things I need to talk to you about that can't wait."
Peter's past self let out a sigh of brief annoyance before looking his brother in the eye, "Okay."
"I can only imagine how you feel about me after..." Nathan paused, "Disowning you the way I did."
Peter's past self blinked in shock, a frown creasing his forehead as Nathan continued, "It was selfish and arrogant. Obsessive."
"Those are your better qualities, Nathan." Peter's past self cheekily responded, walking towards Nathan.
"I know it hasn't been easy." His brother kept going, "Losing me as a brother and a friend, but you need to know..." Nathan paused for a few seconds, "What I'm doing is hugely important for this country. For the world."
Past Peter's eyes narrowed as he stared at his brother, not really comprehending what he was saying.
"I'm giving you the chance to understand that before you make a decision that may change your life forever."
Warning bells went off in past Peter's mind, "I'm not making any decisions, okay? I'm just trying to live my life as normally as I can." He had stated before turning his back on Nathan and walking towards the kitchen.
"That's just it, Pete. You're not normal." Nathan had responded, following him before stopping, watching as past Peter locked his door.
"Pete, please." Nathan pleaded, walking towards past Peter, "Tell me you understand that so I can make arrangements and provide you with the protection that you need." He took a deep breath before continuing, "Tell me... you understand."
Peter's past self's face dissolved into confusion as he stuttered, "Wait a sec. Why are you asking me this? What is it that you're looking for me to say?" He had asked, brow furrowed even more now.
"I'm looking for you to tell me you're with me, and I'll leave." Nathan promised, resting a hand on past Peter's shoulder.
Peter's past self stared at his brother for a few seconds before stating defiantly, "I can't do that. No, I won't do that."
Present Peter watched as his past self took a few steps closer to Nathan before saying venomously, "Look, I don't know what you're up to. But if it is what I think it is, then I'm gonna fight you with every breath that I have, I swear to God."
Nathan looked at the floor for a few seconds before letting out a defeated sigh, "Okay." He stared into past Peter's eyes for a few seconds before putting on a strained smile.
"Hey," He said, "You give your big brother a hug."
Peter's past self paused for a few seconds before nodding slightly, a half-smile on his lips and a guarded look in his eyes, "Of course."
Nathan drew him into a tight hug for a few seconds before letting Peter's past self go, gripping his shoulders while looking into his younger brother's eyes.
Past Peter stared at his brother for a couple of seconds before he felt something strike him in his shoulder. Before Peter's past self had time to react, an electrical current passed through his body, "U-ugh!" He had cried, falling into his brother's arms as present Peter watched with anger.
He should have known his own brother would betray him, but Peter never would've thought Nathan would do it like that.
Peter's past self felt himself being dragged over to the couch before being dropped onto it, hearing Nathan whisper, "I'm sorry, Pete." Into his ear before he slipped into unconscious.
Present Peter saw the surroundings ripple again and hoped that this next flashback would be his last. He didn't want to relive all of Nathan's betrayals.
The next time Peter opened his eyes, he was in an old abandoned house. Glancing outside, he saw his past self standing behind a huge tree with Tracy Strauss, a woman who had once been Nathan's lover. He remembered this, oh, how he wished he could forget.
"But what if I kill him?" Present Peter heard her ask and he watched as his past self reassured her as a car drove towards them.
"You're not going to kill him, just disable him. You get him, and we can use him as leverage against the government." Seeing her hesitance past Peter added harshly, "Look, he's not my brother anymore Tracy, and he's not your boyfriend. You understand?"
"Yeah." Tracy responded, exuding rage and determination.
"Go." Peter heard his past self say and she walked out to meet Nathan.
"Tracy." The man in question said coldly, taking a few steps towards her.
"Nathan." She responded just as coldly.
"I came alone, just like you asked." He paused a few moments, before glancing around, "Where's Peter?"
"I've got him." Tracy responded tightly, "I told him that you offered us amnesty," She looked down to the ground then back up again while taking a few steps forward, "He'll come out when he knows it's safe."
Nathan nodded, "It's like I told you." He said calmly, "You deliver me Peter, I give you your life back."
Tracy took a few steps forward, her right hand hidden behind her back as she gathered her freezing power there.
"You'll be surrounded by your friends and play house with the Governor, and nobody gets hurt." He continued, leaning against his car. Tracy kept advancing little steps at a time, her eyes determined.
Nathan's eyes hardened a little as he stared at Tracy's concentrating face, "You must know I'd assume this was a trap." Tracy's eyes widened and she froze for a few seconds. "But I came anyway Tracy, for you and the offer still stands." He pushed himself off the car and started to walk towards her.
"You deliver me Peter, and you go free." Nathan was almost directly in front of her and from the look on Tracy's face, it was obvious she didn't know what to do. "You're serious." She demanded, taking one step forward while looking at him with hard eyes.
"Tracy, I am not the devil you think I am." He said exasperatedly, "Someone like you I can trust. You and I, we think alike. Peter's..." Nathan paused for a second, his face scrunching a little before saying, "He's unpredictable. He's got it in his head that he's gonna save the world and that is not how it's gonna end..."
Present Peter scoffed a little, so that's what his dear brother had been saying to her. Peter's past self stirred a little behind the tree he was hiding behind and glanced out, seeing Tracy talking to Nathan calmly.
"He is gonna end up getting all of you killed, all of you." Nathan finished and Tracy paused for a few moments before turning off her power.
Peter's past self noticed this and he emerged from behind the tree, "What are you saying to her, Nathan?" He cocked his pistol and advanced on the man in question, who held his hands up in surprise.
"What are you telling her, Nathan? That I'm unstable? I'm crazed? You lock me up, you fix everything, you call off your dogs?" His past self spat, almost directly in front of Nathan now. Suddenly, two red dots appeared on both Peter's past self and Tracy and they both knew exactly what had happened.
"You said you were alone." Tracy accused after looking down at her chest, feeling betrayed but not at all surprised as she stared at the man who was hunting them.
"I know." Nathan said, defeated, as a car drove up, illuminating them in light. Peter's past self let out a growl before grabbing his older brother, twisting him around and putting a gun to Nathan's head.
"How many times are we gonna do this?" His past self growled in Nathan's ear, angry at being betrayed yet again.
"As many times as it takes." Nathan had stated calmly, trying to appease his brother.
"Back them off!" Peter's past self demanded as his present body looked on, knowing what was going to happen.
"I can't do that." His older brother had stated, looking at Peter's past self from the corner of his eye.
His past self's grip on the pistol tightened as he growled once again, "Back them off!"
"It's over, Pete. Give up." Nathan had said, so sure he was right.
"No, this is the beginning." Peter heard his past self whispered in Nathan's ear before taking his power of flight. Pushing Nathan away with all of his strength, past Peter leaped into the air, leaving Tracy to her fate.
And it was, the beginning of his independence. Away from his brother, away from the manipulations of his mother. If only it hadn't happened that way Peter fervently wished.
The scene changed once again, and this time Peter watched as his past self held Danko, the man who had been rounding them all up, at gunpoint.
"So you're the one that's driving all this." Past Peter stated, his eyes narrowing, "Making us run, hide."
"Peter, right?" Danko asked, his hands in the air as he tried to calm Peter's past self down with appeasing words while taking a step towards him, "You're the good brother. Compassionate one."
Peter's past self cocked the gun, his eyes holding a challenging look.
"You want me dead? Huh?" Danko continued, still stepping closer before resting his head on the end of the gun, "Do it."
"You want to die?" Peter's past self asked, angrily.
"No," The other man confessed, "But you came here with a mission, so... get it over with."
Peter's past self stood his ground but didn't fire, just stared at Danko's head resting on his gun barrel. The other man let out a light scoff, "You think you're innocent? That you're the good guy? You broke into my house. Put a gun to my head!"
Past Peter shoved Danko backwards harshly, before hissing, "You are the one, who is hunting us."
"For good reasons. And it's not ever gonna stop." The other man let out a few deep breaths, "Cause if you kill me, I'll get exactly what I want."
"And what is that?" Peter's past self questioned, his head tilting slightly but his gun never wavering.
"They'll see what I've been telling them." Danko said simply, "They'll know just how dangerous you people are."
"He's right you know." Nathan's voice came from Peter's past self's left and past Peter backed up a few paces, keeping both Danko and Nathan in his sights now.
"Hello Nathan." Peter's past self stated, his eyes barely wavering from Danko's head.
"Don't do it, Pete." Nathan said, walking so that he was directly in past Peter's line of vision.
"How the hell did you get here so fast." Danko questioned, shocked as Nathan glanced at him for a few seconds before looking back at his brother.
"I know you might think I'm the bad guy here, and maybe I am, but you've gotta believe me when I tell you-"
"I don't." Peter's past self cut him off, hand tightening around the pistol's grip, "I'm done believing in you."
Nathan stepped forward in desperation, "This isn't you-"
A gun shot rang through the apartment and Danko clutched his arm in agony as Peter's past self re-aimed the gun at the other man's head.
"Alright." Nathan said, holding up his arms in surrender, "If you kill him, the order will come down to kill you all and I won't be able to contain it-"
"Just shut up!" Past Peter screamed, his eyes flicking to his brothers, "Shut! Up!"
Nathan didn't stop, instead he kept going, "Let me figure out a way out of this!"
Still clutching his arm in agony, Danko gasped out, "You... can't... trust... either... of us. Not really."
"They're moving in on Matt and Mohinder right now." Nathan confessed, Peter's past self's eyes widening, "You pull the trigger and you're signing their death warrant."
Past Peter stared at his brother for a few seconds while Danko stared with him. Making a decision, Peter's past self moved towards the window, before turning around and jumping out of it, flying away.
Present Peter stared as his past self quickly disappeared from sight, only to see another change occurring to the landscape. He shut his eyes tightly, wishing the flashbacks would just stop.
When he opened them once again, Peter found himself on a roof. Instantly he recognized it. This was where Nathan had taken him after he had been shot by Danko.
"Are you alright?" He heard his mother ask his past self when Nathan responded, "It's just a scratch, he'll be fine."
"What, do you want a thank you?" Peter's past self questioned as he glared at his pacing brother, "Why are you doing this, Nathan?"
"Doing what?" Nathan shot back, "Saving your life or trying to save the world?"
"Perhaps there's a better way of doing it." Angela Petrelli stated, looking at her eldest son.
"Ma, this hasn't turned out exactly the way I wanted it to, okay? I'm aware of that." He stopped pacing and looked at her, "There's a lot of different agendas going on..."
"Yeah, all leading to killing us. You really should realize you're responsible for that." Peter's past self stated, his eyes showing disappointment.
"Yeah, I do." Nathan said his chin up high as past Peter stared at him in disbelief, "It's out of control and it's my fault, but I can fix it. In fact, I'm the only one who can fix it."
"Why's that, cause you're one of us?" Peter's past self spat.
"Because I'm the only one who really cares if you're alive or not, Pete." Nathan had responded coldly before holding out his hand, "Come with me, okay? And I promise you, you'll be treated well."
Past Peter just stared at him with hardened eyes as Angela said, "Don't do this Nathan."
"It's okay." Peter's past self assured his mother as Nathan said, "Ma, please..." Glancing back at Peter he said calmly, "You have my word."
Past Peter's eyes softened and his eyes flitted around for a few seconds as Nathan waited patiently for Peter's past self's answer. He had ignored the hand that was offered to him and stood up on his own, facing Nathan, his older brother.
"I know you'll take care of me." Peter's past self said.
"I will." Nathan promised.
"Because you love me."
"Pete, I'm just trying to help." Nathan stated before Peter's past self wrapped him in a hug.
"Yeah." Past Peter murmured into his brothers shoulder before pulling away abruptly, "Goodbye Nathan." He had flown up in the air, leaving his family as he sped off, hearing Nathan's distant cry of "Pete!"
Present Peter stared dispassionately at his own retreating form. He really needed to stop running away, he realized. But those thoughts were abruptly shut off as the scene changed once again, and this time... Peter didn't want to relive it.
When Peter opened his eyes, he was in Coyote Sands. The mass murder and burial ground that his mother and the other founding members of the Company had lived through.
There in front of him was his family. His mother, brother and niece, even Noah Bennett, all crowded around the hole Nathan had dug. Inside the hole was a skeleton with a hole through it's skull.
Peter remembered his mother's words the night before this had happened, "And to prepare for the future, you have to understand the past. You want the answers? Then you'll have to dig."
Now he wished he had never listened, even if it did explain so much.
"Did you know him, Ma?" Nathan asked as he noticed Angela's pale demeanor.
"I knew them all." She responded before turning her back on him, not hearing Peter's past self's incredulous, "All?"
He watched as they kept digging for hours, only for his past self to find a baseball glove before stating, "This is just wrong, digging up these graves." His past self threw the glove down before he turned to stare at Claire who was digging a hole next to him. "Why is she making us do this?"
"Mom has her reasons, Pete. She'll share when she's ready." Came Nathan's voice from across the sand, "Give her time."
Peter's past self angrily stuck his shovel in the ground before walking away a few paces, only to be joined by Claire a few seconds later, "Come on, give him a chance." She pleaded.
"Why?" Past Peter asked, "Look what he's turned us in to." He gestured down his body and around himself.
"He knows what he's done and he's carrying enough guilt for all of us." Claire reasoned, looking over her shoulder at Nathan then back at Peter, "But he's here, isn't he? He needs our support."
Peter's past self let out a scoff, "Boy, he's charmed you. Don't worry, happens to all of us." He said in a condescending manner that present Peter looked ashamed at.
His past self looked over to where Angela was standing alone and said to Claire, "I'm going to go talk to her." Before walking away, leaving Claire standing there. As Peter's past self approached her and stopped, he took a good look around and asked, "What are we doing here Mom? You said you came here to find your sister, we didn't know you had a sister."
Angela didn't respond so past Peter kept going, "Look, we need answers. Mom, what happened out here?"
She seemed to space out for awhile and Peter's past self looked uncertain before asking, "Mom?"
"My sister, my parents, they all died here." Angela finally said, turning to look at her youngest son for the first time,"And if we don't come together, if we don't settle our differences... I'm afraid history's going to repeat itself."
Peter's past self stood a little taller after she said this and he glanced around once again.
As the family gathered in one of the broken down houses, Angela began her tale.
"1961 was a different time. Kennedy was president, we were all patriots. And when the government found out about us, they told us they could cure us." She spat the word 'cure, "And we believed them. And they rounded us all up and put us here."
Silence for a few seconds, "What happened here?" Claire hesitantly asked.
Angela shook her head, "I don't know. I was lucky, I survived. But Alice, my entire family, didn't."
"So why are we here, Mom?" Peter's past self asked, "You could've told us this in a restaurant. Why here? Why are we digging up those bodies?"
Angela didn't answer for a few seconds, "I've been dreaming about my sister." She confessed, "Alive."
This grabbed everyone's attention as Angela continued, "That doesn't make sense. But my dreams often don't and they're open to interpretation. They... they're confusing, but I think-I think, I have to see her for myself. I have to find her body, find a piece of clothing, something, anything to give her a proper burial."
"You should've told us about this place." Past Peter said, pacing around, "That-that you had a sister."
Angela's eyes sharpened, "I didn't want you to know the pain! Mother's are allowed to do that. I'm allowed to protect you." She stated, dignified.
"You're absolutely allowed to do that Ma," Nathan agreed, resting his hand on her shoulder.
"It's my nightmare, Peter." She continued, staring at her youngest son, "I never wanted you to know what I suffered. I tried to forget... we made everyone forget."
Silence reigned for a few moments before Claire's voice broke it, "Who's 'we'?"
Angela scoffed and looked at her granddaughter, "How do you think the Company was formed? It started here with a vow to never let something like this ever happen again." She approached Claire, "We destroyed files, erased memories, we blackmailed, we killed, anything to keep our existence secret. And it worked, for fifty years. Now, Noah and I have tried to fix this current situation, but Mr. Danko has proved resourceful."
"So that's what you were trying to do." Claire murmured, avoiding Noah's gaze. "Yes." He said curtly.
"But you blew it." She continued, looking into his gaze for the first time. "Yeah." Noah agreed with her, nodding his head.
"The important thing is to put our secret back, so we can all stop running, return to our lives. It's time to go back to the old methods." Angela stated, her gaze piercing everyone in the room.
"You mean erasing people's memories and killing?" Claire asked.
"It's a necessary evil." Angela stated, staring her straight in the eyes.
"I'm sorry, what happened here?" Peter's past self hissed before advancing on Angela, "Mom, but-it didn't give you the right to do the things that you've done and it still doesn't."
Angela's gaze followed him as he walked past her, "We need you Peter." She walked towards him, "I need you."
"The Company tore this family apart, I'm not going to be apart of it again." His past self hissed, opening the door and walking out into the desert sun.
"Peter!" Angela went after him, Nathan following close behind. They watched as past Peter flew up in the air only for Nathan to say, "I've got him." And followed him up.
Present Peter's eyes followed him as the scene rippled once again, but this time it happened slower. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, feeling the ground dissolve beneath his feet.
When he opened them again, he was standing in Coyote Sands Cafe, his past self staring up at the TV screen but not really seeing it. The door bell chimed and in walked Nathan, covered in dust. As his past self looked at him, anger smoldering in his eyes, Nathan walked towards him.
As they stared each other down, Nathan finally took a seat from across from Peter's past self who fiddled with his cup of coffee.
"You need to see the menu?" A chirpy waitress asked, walking over.
"No, just a cup of coffee please." Nathan responded, never taking his eyes off of Peter's past self. The waitress nodded before walking away.
Peter's past self brought the cup of coffee to his lips before setting it down again while Nathan hesitantly started talking, "Pete, we need to get through whatever it is that's between us. You're not helping things by running away every time things get a little bit tough-"
"Wait, Wait..." Peter's past self interrupted, "So, what? You just disappear, up and disappear, go off wherever it is you went... Instead of staying in Washington and dealing with the problem that you created." Past Peter tapped on the table, his eyebrows raised incredulously as he stared his brother down.
Nathan let out a dry laugh, "Pete, you know nobody can look down their nose at me better than you."
Peter's past self paused before saying, "1986 Mets, you remember that?"
"Yeah." Nathan responded, his face becoming guarded.
"Dad had two tickets to the world series, and had two other tickets to the playoffs... and you convinced me... too go to the playoffs with him." Past Peter stated, his voice holding an accusation.
"I wanted to make sure you got to see a game, yeah." Nathan defended, staring Peter's past self straight in the eyes.
Peter's past self didn't say anything and Nathan shook his head in disbelief, "Come on, Pete. I couldn't have known the Mets were going to beat the Astros."
"Come on." Peter's past self said incredulously, "You got too see Mooke Wilson in that game. Six, you saw him."
"I got lucky." Nathan shrugged his shoulders.
"You got to see that game." Peter's past self tapped the table again before leaning back.
"I got lucky." Nathan repeated, firmer this time before asking, "You think I conned you into seeing a playoff game?"
"Yes, I do." Past Peter admitted, glancing at the table before leaning forward, "Because even in your generosity, Nathan, you are selfish. And that is just who you are."
Nathan's gaze fell to the table before he said, "Pete, we have got to find a way to forgive each other. We have to find the capacity for forgiveness, because without that-"
"I am trying." Peter's past self asserted while Nathan looked up at the ceiling, "Really hard." He admitted.
Before they got further, the TV was suddenly turned up and a message was heard, "This is the emergency broadcast network, a severe storm warning is in effect in the greater valley area.."
Before the message ended both Peter's past self and Nathan were out the door, flying towards Coyote Sands. When the landed a good 10 minutes later, they found Claire standing in the middle of the compound. "Are you okay?" Peter's past self asked.
Noticing the look on Claire's face, Nathan asked, "What is it?"
"Your mom... she's gone." She responded, looking at the two brothers.
Past Peter's breath caught in his throat and he looked at Nathan before they split up, going to look for their mother.
Peter's past self passed Noah and surprisingly, Mohinder asking, "Any sign of my mother?"
"No." Noah responded curtly, never taking his eyes off of Mohninder's, "Nothing."
"She's gotta be around here somewhere." Nathan stated, following past Peter's lead.
"Let's split up, we'll cover more ground that way." Past Peter spoke, and began to walk off only to be yelled at by Noah, "No one should be alone!"
"Suresh, will you go with Peter?" Nathan requested and hesitantly Mohinder followed the younger Petrelli brother.
They entered an abandoned building, "No sign of her." Mohinder said exasperatedly, "Do you really think he sister survived this?"
"I don't know." Peter's past self admitted before he accidentally stepped on an injection needle. "What was this place?" He had asked, looking at the Indian man.
"It's where he experimented on them." Mohinder had confessed, throwing a bottle of medicine at past Peter. Peter's past self caught it and looked down before picking up the syringe as well.
"I guess we're destined to repeat our parent's mistakes." The Indian man continued, bitterly while crouching down.
Peter past self looked at the other man in confusion, "How do you mean?"
Mohinder scoffed, "I mean I am my father's son. Experimenting on human guinea pigs. And why? Not for science," He stood up, "For self interest."
Past Peter shook his head before dropping the syringe and medicine, standing up as well, "You're being to hard on yourself, Mohinder. We started this a long time ago, okay? You and me. I know you, you're a good person..."
"Good intentions only go so far, Peter. I am weak, I am corruptible, and I am selfish." The other man confessed.
"We're all selfish. My brother has proven that point time and time again." Peter's past self took a step closer to Mohinder, "Look, I know what it's like to have parent's who were... less than." His past self paused before continuing, "My mother brought us here because she wants to start a new Company."
Mohinder's face dissolved into shock as past Peter continued, "She thinks it's the only way to keep this," Peter's past self looked around, "From happening again. But that first Company she started was corrupt."
"Yes, but why?" The Indian man interrupted, "Was it surviving this? This-This has to come with fear and pain and anger. Maybe that's why you can get it right." Peter's past self shook his head in disbelief as Mohinder kept going, "Because you never knew this pain. I have to believe that there is hope for redemption, I have too." He paused for a second before adding, "Even for Nathan."
Peter's past self scoffed before turning away.
The scene rippled once more and suddenly, Peter knew why he was seeing these flashbacks. They were all about his family, his brother. He shut his eyes tight as the scene dissolved.
When Peter opened them again, he was back in Coyote Sand Cafe. There, standing near the back of the shop was Angela, talking to Nathan before he asked her to join them. She hesitantly nodded yes before they made their way back to the table where Claire, past Peter and Noah sat.
Past Peter held out his hand and Angela grasped it before sitting down across from him. An awkward silence was in the air before Claire broke it, "O-kay, someone please say something."
"How are the fries?" Angela asked them all with a slight smile on her lips.
No one spoke for a few moments until ,"Look, this isn't a Company." Peter's past self stated, looking around at them all, "This is a Family. There's a big difference." This seemed to grab everyone's attention as they all turned to stare at his past self as he continued, "Families have the capacity... for forgiveness." Peter's past self stared at Nathan.
"You really mean that?" Nathan asked, hope in his words.
"We're stronger together then we are apart." Peter's past self asserted, "So there's no more hunting, we've got to make our existence secret." Everyone nodded at this.
"We'll try to put our lives back together." Noah agreed, looking at Claire as she smiled at him.
"Alright, so what now?" Claire asked, looking at them all.
Nathan paused before, "I go back to Washington, take ownership of my mistakes, talk to the President."
And he did, Nathan had fixed everything. Everything except his full relationship with his brother. Yes, Nathan had tried calling Peter many times, but every time Peter had ignored them. When they had arrived in Washington, they had found Sylar waiting for them but they defeated him. That was the last time Peter really spoke with his brother.
A light appeared on the other side of the cafe and Peter knew it was his time to wake up. He approached the light slowly, glancing backwards to look at his brother once more, whispering, "Goodbye, Nathan." before stepping through it, into his new life.
But he didn't wake up. Instead Peter found himself back in the high school in Odessa, Texas. The night Sylar had tried to take Claire's power.
He watched as the door opened and Claire ran outside, screaming. A long shadow followed her. She started running up the steps and tripped. Peter's past self caught up to her and as they both watched, Sylar's shadow appeared in the doorway.
"Hey, hey, hey! Run!" Peter's past self helped drag Claire up to her feet and they both ran up the steps to the edge of the amphitheater.
"Run!" Past Peter commanded, pointing in the opposite direction as he watched for the other man to appear.
Claire groaned, "Aah..." As past Peter dragged her to the top only to turn and see Sylar exiting the building.
"Who is it?" Claire gasped, heaving a little as Peter's past self helped steady her.
"Go, to the stadium, okay? Find people, find lights. He doesn't want to be seen." Past Peter said before turning and glancing over at Sylar, who just stood there watching them.
"What about you?" Claire demanded, clutching past Peter's arm.
Peter's past self shrugged it off, "Don't worry about me. Just go!" He commanded, harshly.
Claire didn't move, just stood there in shock.
"GO!" Past Peter's shouted at her, pointing in the direction of the stadium as Claire backed away and ran. She left Peter's past self behind, looking back only once before she disappeared completely.
Past Peter watched her go for a moment, then turned to check on Sylar only to inhale in shock. Sylar stood there, right in front of him.
The other man grabbed Peter's past self to push him out of the way but past Peter grabbed a hold of Sylar and clung onto him. In one decisive move, Peter's past self threw them both off of the building, his eyes closing as he fell.
THUD!
Peter's eyes flew open as his body rocked forward in the infirmary bed, letting out a piercing cry, trying to rip out his IV and whatever they had in up his nose. The body next to the left side of his bed startled backwards, hands flying up as if to protect his or her face while they fumbled to understand what was going on.
"Peter? Peter!" Came a voice from his left side and Peter stilled, gazing around frantically only now recognizing where he was.
"J-Joseph?" His dry voice rasped and Peter's hand suddenly went up to grasp his throat. Dear God, it felt like he hadn't had anything to drink for weeks.
"Easy there fella, you took quite a nasty fall in the gate room a few days back." Responded Joseph, one of the nurses that worked with Peter and one of his friends, "Had us scared for awhile, we almost lost you once or twice."
Peter's face frowned in confusion, "Lost me? You mean... I died?"
"Not exactly." Joseph responded before looking at Peter's now ripped out IV and bleeding arm, "Jesus man, what were you dreaming about?" He took out a gauze pad and put pressure on the wound.
"... You don't want to know." Peter responded honestly, pressing his left hand to his forehead as he thought of Coyote Sands, what his mother had lived through. No one needed to know about that, only the select few who had been chosen. He didn't even want to think about Sylar.
Suddenly, Peter's eyes widened and he looked at Joseph, "Not exactly? How 'not exactly' could I have not died?"
The other nurse paused and frowned, "It was kinda weird actually. We did lose you once and we couldn't revive you. They were going to write down a DOD and everything but suddenly you just... gasped back to life I guess. Weird huh?"
He didn't notice how Peter sat their frozen, his eyes glazed over as he contemplated the other male nurses' words. He had... revived from the dead? Could his... powers be back? At least regeneration had to be, unless someone in the infirmary couldn't get hurt or die.
"What's going on here?" Came a stern voice from Peter's right side and he glanced over, only to find a shocked Dr. Frasier looking at him. "P-Peter?" She gasped before checking his vital signs.
"... Yeah?" He asked, confused as to why everyone was making such a big fuss about him waking up.
"Can you understand me? Like, understand everything I'm saying?" Dr. Frasier asked, pointing a light into Peter's eyes. He flinched slightly but nodded when she took the flashlight away.
"Why's everyone freaking out about me waking up? I mean, I've only been asleep for a few days, right?" Peter asked, shrugging his shoulders but after a few seconds of no answer, his head snapped up, "How long have I been asleep?"
"F-For a few days, I didn't lie about that." Joseph answered when Dr. Frasier didn't answer, "But dude, you were dead for a good two minutes before you were brought back to life. That definitely leaves brain damage. Not to mention the coma."
Crap. Peter knew that, but since he now apparently had Claire's ability back, his brain would have healed in a matter of seconds. He chuckled nervously while running a hand through his hair. "Maybe I'm just... lucky?" Peter finished lamely, grinning stupidly as the two medical professionals exchanged a few looks.
"Yeah... maybe." Joseph looked unconvinced but continued to take his vitals.
"Look, if there's nothing wrong with me, can I go?" Peter asked, looking at Dr. Frasier with pleading eyes.
"I-I guess. I believe General Hammond would like to talk to you sometime though." Dr. Frasier said nervously, looking him up and down.
Bugger. Peter was really not looking forward to that conversation if he ever had it. "Just let us take some vitals then you can be on your way." Joseph promised before setting to work.
Four god awful hours later, Peter walked out of the infirmary a free man, no IV and no worries.
"Peter!" A voice shouted and he instantly turned around, only to see Danial Jackson running up to him. "Heya Doc, what's up?" Peter asked cheekily, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"W-wha- how long have you been awake?" Daniel stuttered, trying to catch his breath as he looked at the impossible man in front of him. Peter had died yet come back to life, that was something that wasn't normal.
"Four hours or so, Doc Frasier wanted to run a load of tests on me but she's finally convinced I'm in perfect health. I guess a little sleep is all I needed huh?" The other man gave a crooked grin.
Daniel's eyes bugged out of his head, "A little- Peter, you were in a coma for eight days! Not to mention dead for two minutes!" He nearly shouted, waving his arms in the air.
"Woah, easy there." Peter placated, holding his hands up, "Look, I'm fine. I'm walking, talking, perfectly normal. So yeah, sleep was what I needed."
Daniel rolled his eyes before pushing his glasses up from the bridge of his nose, "We tried to contact your family-"
Peter cut him off, "What?! Why the hell did you do that?!" He yelled, eyes frantic.
The other man's face frowned, "Because you were in a coma, dead for two minutes and we had no idea if you would have brain damage or not!" Before Peter could interrupt, "But we couldn't find any info in your personal file, why's that?"
"What the hell is this, an interrogation? I just woke up from an eight day coma and you're wondering about my family?" Peter hissed, "My family never gave a damn about me, why would I put their names in my file?!" He got up in Daniel's face, "Leave it alone if you know what's good for you. Believe me, you don't want to mess with them, or with me."
That shut Daniel up, but he knew the other man had questions. Instead of sticking around to answer them, Peter turned his back and walked away, leaving Daniel standing there in the middle of the hallway with his mouth hanging open like a fish.
When he was out of eyesight, Peter's legs broke into a run and he ran to his room, never stopping long enough to see the faces that blurred as he passed them. When he reached his door, he yanked it open with all of his strength before going in, slamming it shut before locking it. He closed his eyes and concentrated, flying up to the ceiling then landing back on the ground again.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Peter made a decision and took out his pocket knife. Clicking it open, he held it above his wrist before slicing it down, gasping in pain when the blade connected with his fragile skin while cutting it open. He watched in morbid fascination as the skin knit back together, sucking the blood back in before leaving unblemished skin where once a jagged cut would've been.
So, he did have Claire's regeneration back after all. Meaning he couldn't die.
Peachy.
So if he died on a mission, Peter would just gasp back to life. That wouldn't raise any questions, none at all.
He let his head fall into his hands as silent tears ran down his face. Just when he was starting to get used to the idea of dying, he was going to live forever. At least Claire wouldn't be alone with Sylar...
Peter didn't want to think about it, so instead he flopped on the bed, staring at the ceiling as he thought about his dreams, his flashbacks.
Why did he dream about them? Was it his way of forgiving himself, removing his guilt? Peter could only wonder. It had seemed a lot like the time he had almost lost control of his power in the middle of New York, only this time there was no Charles Deveauz.
And if this ability had appeared, what about his others? Claude's invisibility, Elle's lightning, Sylar's telekinesis, Mohinder's strength and agility, Tracy's ice. His life had just become even more complicated.
There it is folks :) It took me awhile to write this, about 2 days but I finally got it done :D I hope you enjoyed it!