Title: A Snitch in Time
Fan dom: Heroes
Rating: T
Couples: None
Notes and Spoilers: Through Volume 2: Chapter 2: "Lizards", slight AU
Part 4
The man in the dark room tried to take the necklace off. But he didn't dare drop it. It was his only clue about who he was and where he has been. He took a deep breath and reached to the lock to his shackles. He put the charm into the key lock and was amazed when the cuffs fell to his feet. The sound of the crash frighten him but not as much and the new sound he heard, the sound of a door opening. Quickly, he placed the chain back on his neck and he cowered into the corner. As if such a maneuver would help at all.
"What are you doing here?" a voice shouted.
"I was hoping you could tell me," the man in the dark room replied.
The owner of the voice said nothing but just walked closer to the man.
"Peter?"
The man in the dark room, or Peter if that was truly his name looked up at the person in front of him. He couldn't tell at all who this woman was. He had no memory of her, but she seemed to know him.
"Peter?" she asked again. "I didn't recognize you at first it was so dark. And I just met you that one time. I'm sorry you don't probably remember me."
Peter shook his head. "But I don't remember much at all. Not even my name until you said it."
Peter tried to laugh at the awkward situation.
The woman smiled back, but as she realized that Peter was telling the truth, her expression turned to one of concern.
"You really don't remember Peter?" she asked.
Nathan splashed water onto his face. He didn't want to get up. He wanted to forever stay in his bed, well, Peter's bed. But with Hiro in the apartment he knew he couldn't hibernate no matter how much the idea fancied him.
He opened the door to the medicine cabinet. Any pain medication it contained was harvested weeks ago. Nathan was actually quite glad that his addiction didn't venture further in that direction. No, drugs was not what he was looking for.
He closed his eyes for a second before reopening them. He stared at his reflection and touched the steamy glass with his fingers. Was it time to finally say goodbye?
The phone started to ring but he just turned on the faucet.
The phone rang again and he close his eyes. The answering machine could pick it up.
He reached for blue can in the back, worked up a laver, and started to shave.
Hiro, who spent the night on the living room couch, was awake by the third ring. He yawned, stretched and reached over for his glasses on the nearby coffee table. The phone rang a fifth time. He started to wonder, would the machine pick up? Should he answer?
Hiro got up and checked the number on the caller-id. It was the local police department.
"Nathan!?" Hiro called.
"Ow!" Nathan shouted as he knicked his chin. He splashed cold water on his face and took some tissue to stop the bleeding. "Let the machine get it."
"But it's the police station..." Hiro replied.
Nathan blinked. He turned toward the doorway and stared into empty space. "Pick it up," he whispered.
"Uhh...hello?" Hiro said into the phone.
"Hello?" Matt Parkman said on the other side of the telephone, puzzled by the accent he heard. "I'm sorry. Perhaps I called the wrong number. Is this the Petrelli residence?"
Hiro nodded. "Yes. Peter Petrelli. But he is not here."
Hiro paused.
"Well actually, I was looking for Nathan Petrelli, and I was given this number."
"One moment please," Hiro said.
Hiro poked his head into the hallway.
"Nathan."
"What is it?" Nathan asked again. But he picked the phone up before Hiro was able to answer the redundant question.
"Hello?"
Peter shook his head at the woman.
"I wish I was kidding," he informed the woman, staring at her blue eyes, concentrating hard for any recognition. "We just met that one time?"
The woman nodded. "Yeah, four months ago."
"Four months ago..." Peter muttered.
The woman extended an arm and Peter grasped it; she pulled him up.
"Can you walk?" she asked.
Peter nodded.
"Yeah, but I'm sore. I have no idea where I been the last four months. I could have been in this damn basement all this time for all I know–What's your name?"
The woman smiled again.
"You know I don't think you ever knew my name. I'm Niki."
"Hello Niki. I'm Peter. Well, according to you. Where are we?"
"A safe house. Or at least that is what I thought this place was, but now I am not so sure. How much do you remember?"
Peter lowered his head. "I am afraid not much at all. Tell me please."
Niki sighed, she placed her hand on the cold wall.
"I don't like remembering the night. It wasn't a good night. At first I thought something good was going to happen. A man that basically controlled my family's life for years was gone. But then the explosion happened..."
She placed her hands on Peter's shoulders. It was a gesture that somehow seemed so familiar to him.
"Something bad happened Peter. We all thought the two of you died."
"The two of us?"
Niki nodded.
"Mr. Petrelli?" the voice in the phone, Detective Matthew Parkman, said.
"Yes?" Nathan replied.
"We are calling in regard to your mother."
"What about her?"
"She has been brought in for questioning in regard to Kaito Nakamura's murder."
"What?" Nathan whispered as he looked toward the hallway, his eyes locked with Hiro's. Here he was drowning in grief and his friend didn't even realize the hell that was at fate's door.
To Be Continued