A/N: This is my first Heroes story in years, even though I wrote some fics when I was younger. I never had the right character to continue, until Nico came along with her cynicism and moral greyness. This is set post Redemption, the calm before the consequences of Claire jumping off the ferris wheel and Nico has the ability of umbrakinesis, which means she can control shadows.
This story will contain mature language and an enemies to lovers dynamic that is unhealthy and twisted in nature.
The only crime Nico Ramirez committed, was living a life different to what her mother wanted. She wanted her own ending, after saving the world again. Nico never thought one little girl could make a difference, she stayed away from emotional attachments before her ability manifested. The twelve year old, Maisie was the key. The key to getting Nico out of rock bottom and reminding her who she was, before the damage of what Sylar did seeped through her. Nico never believed she could be a hero, because she was selfish and lived for herself. She was home, when working on a case or just finished one in progress. Getting back to work was easier said than done, due to the PTSD and paranoia Nico dealt with.
Nico wished she could leave Brooklyn. The only reason she had for leaving was being was directionless. Nico didn't know what her future held for her and Peter, after they separated again. She knew what Peter did, when he disappeared for five months, meeting Elle Bishop and that Irish woman Caitlin. She couldn't afford for her trust to break again, after being bitter for many years, before Peter Petrelli came into her life. So hopeful about saving the world from Peter's self-destruction and the price of mimicking the powers of others.
Nico never thought she would drink to cope again, but she did and whiskey became her second best friend after Daniela Romero.
She hated being vulnerable, as it was a sign of weakness. A state that was foreign to her. Nico was used to being strong and unrelenting, but her former frenemy Seraphina Prince was right. Peter made Nico soft and she let her guard down. The woman was used to being alone, a part of from the odd visit from Daniela. Her life made sense, in the months leading up to the solar eclipse, which changed everything and her ability manifested late, from a genetic code through generations of the female line.
There was a half-empty bottle of whiskey on her desk, but the glass was empty. Nico dosed off on the desk, as her body told her to slow down. She had no cases for the week, but remembered she had laundry to do and to at least visit Ying from upstairs. Nico was used to her Chinese neighbour visiting and even dropping off extra food she cooked. She was glad Gloria Alvarez's granddaughter was in college, nowhere near danger and living her life. The shadowbender wondered why she allowed Genevieve Alvarez to tag along with Hiro Nakamura and Matt Parkman. The teenage girl was a stubborn kid, who wanted to get involved. Reading too many comic books, which was bad for Genevieve's little brain to handle the real dangers out there.
It was nothing like the stories, where the heroes live happy ever after without the scars.
Decency was something Nico learned early on. She saved Genevieve and Claire Bennet from Sylar years ago. The thought of teenage girls with their heads split open disgusted Nico. Life was back to normal, since the carnival moved on and she rescued Maisie from Samuel's cult leadership. Nico was glad she and the others returned to their lives. Her life was never normal, not since she shadow travelled from a subway train to the front gates of Genevieve's high school on the Upper West Side. Nico realised she wasn't the only member of her family to have an ability, which opened the flood gates in Nico wanting to know more about herself.
Through the years, Nico met many people with abilities and had a complicated relationship with Peter Petrelli. She never realised, being a hero improved and destroyed her life at the same time. Nico could trust Peter and they were on friendly terms, but stayed away. The old feelings between them were overwhelming, but there was a chance Nico and Peter could get back together. Things were different, because Nico and Peter were in their thirties, not the naive twenty somethings they were. At least, Peter tried to connect with Nico, unlike other people who saw her gruff demeanour and ran for the hills. She may not know it, but the ghost of her future self, the White Queen hung over her, since she started to leave the craziness alone.
People always told Nico, she was her father's daughter more than her mother's child.
Nothing made sense to Nico anymore. Anything involving that telekinetic psychopath was an anomaly. Nico saw the two sides of the same man; there was Gabriel, who fixed her abuela's pocket watch years ago. Behind that was Sylar, the ruthless killer full of greed and hunger for more powers. She knew who she talked to, but it was intriguing because Peter never asked about her past. It was Sylar of all people, who asked on their road trip to re-arresting Nico's renegade cousin Tina Ramirez, bringing her and her fellow inmates Michael Fitzgerald and Dennis McHale back to Level Five, doing temporary work for the Company because Mrs Petrelli had a use for her.
The experience made Nico see things from Cousin Lydia's point of view. Why she loved her job and why she would die for it. Lydia loved the control that came with being a Company woman, but she lost her humanity through the years and it was something Nico didn't want. She saw Lydia's corruption firsthand, but Nico never missed Lydia when she was murdered by Eli the Duplicating Man from Samuel's carnival for the Primatech records that Samuel wanted and Nico was glad someone killed her.
As a private investigator, Nico saw death and blood as the norm, but the delusions of Sylar being in love with her scared her more than the split open heads. In that obsessive state, Sylar was unpredictable and didn't know what he was going to do to torment Nico. The thin lie of Sylar being Peter's brother made Nico sick, knowing it wasn't true because of her investigation on him. At night Nico would spend hours looking through the Company's database and files on Sylar. Sylar pretended to be Peter's brother, while he lusted for her. The thought of Sylar's fingers brushing against Nico's skin made her blush, because she was ashamed to enjoy that man's touch. It made her skin crawl, as her body betrayed her mind for instant satisfaction.
She hated the thought of love coming from Sylar. Her trust had been broken by him once and she will never let it happen again.
Nico turned her head, dozing off didn't make things better. Things were back to normal, after she got the chance to bury her cousins. Nico pretended not to feel anything, but a noring sadness was there, when she saw two empty spaces at her mother's dining table every family dinner. She sat up, brushing a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. Nico only left to bring groceries home and avoid the neighbours, who were nosey about her private life. Nico didn't have a normal social life, as Daniela Romero was the only friend she had, who tolerated her temperament. In the past, only her cases mattered to her, unless you were a hazel-eyed hospice nurse, who barged into Nico's life without permission.
Halfway drunk and still hurting for Peter, Nico never gave up the chance to get back with him. However, through the months and years between working for the company and being a fugitive, Nico grew more attracted to Sylar. He knew the thorniest parts of her, the parts that Peter would get cut trying to get there. Drinking those feelings away was easier than admitting it. Sylar was a killer, any day he would come back and her head will be sliced off. Nico's skin crawled, when Sylar talked to her, the same way Seraphina used to manipulate Nico as a teenager to do things she didn't want to do. It was hard to distinguish between masterful manipulation or genuine feelings. Sylar was complicated like Nico was, and it was the one thing they had in common, other than the death toll and the apathy for the people they killed.
Nico chuckled under her breath; her life went from regular to adrenaline inducing because of Sylar. She didn't know what his endgame was, was it the obsession he had with Nico turning into love, a state that was foreign to him. The short-lived partnership at the Company wasn't all bad, knowing it was set up for Nico to try and seduce Sylar. The staring turned her on, as Nico was attracted to body hair on a man. Nico's desire was plain on her face, no matter how she tried to hide it. For Nico, it was a defect because it gave Sylar another advantage, other than his height. It ruined Nico, as Sylar kissed her twice, and she refused the third time. When the mess with the government taskforces and Samuel's carnival ended, things went back to normal, the old way her mother Leticia and Angela Petrelli said when the ends justified the means for the greater good.
There were noises near Nico. Might be the leaves rustling outside her window. Nico never had unwelcome visitors, unless it was Gloria Alvarez making trouble again. She shook her head, stood from her desk and her mind was getting itself back together. The woman was used to her window being open, but with the way things were, she had to be cautious. Nico stumbled on her feet, shaking her left leg and gathered herself. She was moving on with her life, getting cases and only choosing the ones worth a damn. It was a way to get her mind off her broken heart and the consequences of her poor choices through the years.
Nico pulled a knife, from her desk as it came handy. It should have done the job, whilst she was away and Sylar invaded her home. Lydia had been too late to stop him, but Nico never blamed her dead cousin for that one. It was difficult to live in her own home, knowing that man had been here, touched her family photographs and was in her bedroom. Nico hadn't known of the home invasion, until she returned from Primatech's headquarters in Hartsdale. She was closer to her mother, thanks to Adam Monroe ironically because he challenged Nico and answered the questions she wanted about her family's secrets.
She grasped onto the knife, turning her eye to the corner. Nico knew something wasn't right and it was inside her home. Nico's home was invaded before, and she was fortunate she had Daniela at her side through everything and was grateful. Daniela knew about Nico's abilities, but Nico was afraid of the side effects of having an ability. Sometimes Nico's shadows became unpleasant shapes and can cause harm, when not in control of her emotions. Nico knew it wasn't Claude, who invaded her home, knowing her home was off limits to him and he disappeared. The woman knew someone was in her home, but she didn't know who it could be and what they wanted from her.
"I'm not going to leave you, Nico." The private investigator turned to see the face, of the devil who ruined her for five years. Deep in her subconscious, Nico wanted to call out Gabriel, like when they worked together at the Company. He was close to being that man again, but Nico wasn't sure. The woman feared no one, because she dealt with murderers, the sycophants and the obsessive freaks and Sylar was just another regular day in the office.
Sylar stood there, picking at her colour co-ordinated fruit bowl. This wasn't the first time, Sylar was in Nico's home, having seen more of her apartment than Peter did. Tension was thick in the room, as Nico started to rub her upper arm, bottom lip dry and eyes stilled. Nico sensed Sylar had seen change, but she didn't care because she needed to be one step ahead of him. It was like this, since the day Sylar came for Genevieve and her ability, because she was unfortunately on Chandra Suresh's list.
Nico held onto the knife, giving some semblance of security, knowing she can escape. She was foolish to believe monsters were born and not made. All those powers corrupted Sylar, twisted him from a mild-mannered watchmaker into the enemy she knew. The mess with Samuel Sullivan and his carnival cult was over. What the hell was he doing here? Was he already there when she was drunk and out of her mind? Or was it another ability Danko allowed Sylar to take in exchange for their one-sided partnership? There was no easy answer, when it came to dealing with Sylar. If Nico knew, then she wouldn't be still dealing with him pushing her buttons.
Nico kept an eye on Sylar, but never lost focus. "You found Maisie, hiding in the House of Mirrors." Her voice monotone, the most emotionless she could muster. Maisie was a good subject matter, out from what Nico withheld.
"How did you know it was me?" Sylar replied.
"Maisie told me. The lost man with the big eyebrows found her."
The man stared at her, in a way that made Nico wrinkle her nose, with disgust her eyes. "I heard Maisie, she was scared. Wondering about the other carnies and hugging that weird dog of hers, when I found her."
"Why did you do that? You never do anything, unless it benefitted yourself. "
"For you, Nico."
Nico took a deep breath, placing the knife on the kitchen countertop. She fixed her face, with no emotion. Never wanting to give Sylar an advantage over her. "Why? It doesn't make sense. The lines between us were never supposed to be blurred. I am the hero and you the villain." Nico said harshly, wondering why an old enemy would rescue the little girl she invested herself into taking care of in the carnival cult.
"The lines were already blurred, Nico. When we became partners, catching Level Five escapees and protecting each other from Arthur Petrelli."
Nico tasted bitterness on her tongue, a part of her mind wanted to drink more and the other part wanted to do nothing. Sylar was the worst, Nico had come across in five years. Even Adam Monroe had redeeming qualities, because of his history with her mother and telling her about the skeletons in her mother's closet. The time spent with Adam gave Nico closure on her dead biological father and understanding her mother more. Nico's life was boring, before she became a hero and never admitted Sylar made her feel alive in a way no one else did.
Not even Nico's previous relationships, not her tumultuous friendship with Seraphina appealed to the thrills, the private investigator wanted in her life.
The shadowbender didn't like the staring, she found it annoying. Nico wondered how long Sylar was here for. Was he here when she was in her drunken spell? Nico shook her head at the idea of the former serial killer having touched her, while she slept. Sickening to think about, even though there was an understanding of clear consent between them. Nico disliked people touching her without permission, which came from the times she went into dingy drug houses with Seraphina and was left alone with male gangsters. Nico never talked about that time in her life, it was something she wanted buried. When Nico became a figurative, she became the girl she had been when she was in the Blackclaw Gang.
"Genny is in college. She might be still scared of you, but I'm not." Nico declared harshly.
"That's a lie, Nico. Does everything that comes out of your mouth a lie, or do you enjoying lying to yourself." Sylar replied.
"In my line of work. You have to be a good liar. The truth hurts people and lying makes things easier."
"Is that what you tell yourself?"
"What do you want?
"Is it a crime to spend time my favourite unorthodox investigator?" Sylar drank from one of Nico's favoured butterfly decorated cups. It was deliberate, Sylar drinking from one of her cups, as if he lived with her. As Peter never stayed at Nico's place long enough to drink from one of her cups.
Nico folded her arms, across her chest and couldn't believe it. Five years have passed, since Sylar came knocking for Genevieve. Nico had been at the edge of the telekinetic knife Sylar had in his finger, dragging across her forehead and the throbbing pain made her pass out. The woman was lucky to survive, whilst Sylar's other victims died screaming. In the future, Nico was supposed to be dead and her living was the first to change things. The cut left a scar on Nico's forehead, covered with makeup and didn't want it to be seen. Vulnerability was not Nico's strongest trait; she hated being weak and pitiful, as suffering made her stronger and Sylar underestimated her.
He was supposed to kill her.
Not have this obsession with her.
The line between Nico Ramirez and Gabriel Gray blurred many times. Nothing was as black and white as Nico believed. She saw the darker side of Peter, when Danko and his agents backed him into a corner but on the other side, she experienced a gentler side of Sylar, to the point of calling him Gabriel again. Growing up, Nico's step father Alonso believed in guardian angels and Nico never did, because of the circumstances of her life, as a girl with a dead father and indifferent mother. Nico was sucked into dangerous situations as a teenager, wanting to impress the older and more worldly Seraphina Prince, much to the her detriment.
Nico blinked; she sensed something warm on her skin. She realised the ex-killer was behind her, she couldn't move from where she stood. The shadowbender's hand clenched into a fist, Nico would be stupid to try and attack him because it was a fight she will lose.
"Nico..." Sylar whispered harshly, his fingers grasped her chin in a gentle manner. Nico loathed herself for being aroused. Her body betrayed her again, remembering the last time she had sex, which was with a woman she met in Las Vegas. Nico was bisexual, but she had a specific type for both. She attached herself to the saintly hearted and selfless people, because those people had patience for her off-putting demeanour to try and change her.
Her eyes widened, at two hands firmly placed on her shoulders. Deliberate touch, sending shivers from Nico's collarbone to her spine. The rubbing of the knots, relaxing the muscles in places Nico had been hurt recovered from. She tensed, at that spot being touched because only Daniela and Peter touched there. The massage was strange, in the deepest part of the subconscious she wanted to sigh or moan. She was not allowed to, in the battle against Sylar. The telekinetic psycho desired Nico in the most feral way; to be inside her, fucking her as he wanted to and whispering her name over and over, whilst he made love to her.
"You have gentle hands, for a psycho killer." Nico said bitterly. Biting her lip and swallowing whatever was left of her pride. Her shoulders were not tension ridden anymore, because Sylar's hands were strong; strong enough to take life without his ability.
"Your eyes are dilating, Nico. Your expression betrays you." Sylar said darkly.
Nico gasped, as the hand that massaged her shoulder pulled her by the forearm. Sylar stooped to this level, to get closer to her, better he shapeshifted into Daniela or a friendlier face and it wouldn't be so unpleasant. The thought of it, disgusted and aroused her. Nico remembered those moments of close contact with Sylar, from the hug outside a dusty diner and the kiss inside the filling cabinet at the Pinehearst office; afraid of being found out being a spy. Her eyes closed; as the sensation went through her body, his fingers brushed against her skin and another hand holding her waist.
Nico recoiled in shame, because Sylar put hands on her. With minimal space, Nico attempted to go, but her right wrist was held tightly by Sylar. Stopping Nico from getting away from him, wriggling away enticed Sylar's fascination with her.
"Now...now...Nico. You know how this goes." Sylar gripped onto Nico's wrist. It was the same game Sylar played with Nico for five years; she hated it when he got close because he wasn't her lover, but a dangerous enemy, who couldn't be killed, thanks to Claire's regenerative ability.
Nico gritted between her teeth. Hopelessly wanting to get away from him. "Let me go...fuck."
"Hmmm...I like it when you resist me." The former serial killer said warmly. Smirking under his breath. Nico could feel the tone in his voice, wash over her like a douse of warm water. His hand under her sweater, as she attempts to force herself away. Not wanting to scum to his touch again, when they were in the closet at Pinehearst. It was stupid, for Nico to go into enemy territory with no allies, which meant having to betray Claire and Peter and rely on Seraphina to stay alive.
"Dirty...fucker." Nico hissed, between her teeth. A cold hand placed on her waist, she shivered under his touch and leaned against his chest.
"You smell lovely, Nico...kiss me." Nico shook her head, thinking of a third alternative. Sylar was a killer, but he was feral in his desire towards her. He yearned to ravish her, like he did with women, who attracted his interest like Elle, Candice or Maya. She knew Sylar never lied about his affections for her. Sylar made it clear he liked Nico and respected her courage, no matter how foolish it was for her to go against him, every time they met.
"Never...kill me."
"What are you afraid of?"
"Nothing."
"Just...one...kiss..." The harsh, visceral whisper in her ear, raised the goosebumps on Nico's arms. She thought about it. Years ago when she and Sylar were in that closet together. She stood too close to Sylar, to the point their lips touched. When Arthur Petrelli came into the office with the Strauss woman, Nico's lips were covered by Sylar and it was a silent mouth to mouth. Almost a kiss, but turned into a real one after Arthur and Ms Strauss left the office. It was wrong, for Nico to have such a visceral reaction towards Sylar, like a hunger after everything he did to her. On the other side, Sylar saved her from Flint Gordon Jr choking her, but it wasn't due to a sudden change of heart from him.
"...Gabriel..." Nico unknowingly called out. She called out Peter and Daniela in that softened tone. Soft and vulnerable, like a weakling. She turned to face Sylar; he had the face of an angel, but lived like the devil. His eyes were as brown as a coppery sunrise. Nico was ashamed, being attracted to the man, who tormented her and the people she knew for five years. Her chin was grasped gently, his other hand was still on her waist, pulling her to where his chest was. There was a sense of comfort, Nico felt this time. Gabriel's arms were around her and she leaned against him, knowing her mother and stepfather would disapprove, if they saw her like this.
"I'm sorry, Nico."
"...For what."
"Betraying you for Danko. I hurt you more than I know."
"I don't care anymore. Just leave me." Nico gritted between her teeth.
"...No...I can't." Sylar whispered gently, cupping her cheek. Nico saw a softened expression on his face, rather than a feral one; wild and ready to strike. The gentler side was used to fool Elle, to believe he can still be saved, but Sylar killed Elle for her naivety.
The dirty bastard pressed his lips onto Nico gently. Not wanting to push her away, but the kiss was feral with tongues against each other. Nico loathed to enjoy the bitter sweetness of the sin, she was committing and the man she was committing the sin with. Her eyes closed, as the sensation sent chills through her body. Gabriel moaned softly, between Nico's lips and parting his own and saw her, with softened eyes. Both the reformed killer's hands were on Nico's face, caressed like a precious thing. A faint smile fell on Sylar's face, eyes staring and realised Nico was a changed woman, a woman who evolved and grew. Nico being held this way, made her miss Peter and his casual gentleness. Those nimble fingers of Gabriel touched Nico before, but it wasn't a sudden attraction they had for each other.
"I don't want to die alone...unloved." Sylar admitted, taking his hands off Nico. He couldn't touch her for long, before the feral side of his desire returned. The man turned from Nico, almost admitting he loved her and wanted her.
"You don't have to. Unless you make the effort to change yourself. You got addicted to killing, like a drug and you need to reflect on it." Nico said, with certainly in her tone.
"You are pathetic...yearning for a man, who never returned your feelings. Until it is convenient for him." A change in Sylar's tone from gentle to bitter.
"Shut up..."
"I know you. Haven't we been through a lot together."
"That time you nearly killed me, to get to Genevieve."
"I made you the hero you are."
"Get out..." Nico snapped, with venom on her tongue. Souring her mood, for the moment she was happy.
"...Do you get this angry with the Italian eagle scout, when he does something wrong."
"No...leave before my neighbours see you."
"Nico...I hope you learned to like me, maybe even love me someday."
"There was a moment...when I did have feelings, but I realised you will never change. You want to be the superior one, above the rest of us. That's not what love is."
"Your heart is torn."
"How do you know?"
"Lydia...the tattoo woman. I have her power without killing her."
"Why?"
"Peter...you still love him, but your feelings for me are just as strong."
"Fuck off."
Nico was proud of herself, she never cared what anyone thought. It was years of being alone with her mother, before Alonso came into the picture. Alonso became the only outsider she trusted, outside of Charles Deveaux, as the latter took care of her like an uncle. Deep inside, Nico didn't want to face this morally wrong attraction. She wasn't the kind of woman, to be fooled by flattery because she could see the bullshit. There was a chance Nico and Peter could get back together, as they were in a better place and were in each other's lives again. Nico couldn't waste the chance for a future with Peter, but that future was under threat because of Sylar and her feelings for him.
"It's Peter...isn't it. You don't want to leave him again." Sylar's whisper was sweet in Nico's ears, but the investigator turned away. Nico hated the thought of him, knowing her deepest feelings from one kiss between her lips from the tattoo woman Lydia's power. As powerful as Sylar was, it grated him, to know he lost to Peter, when it came to matters of the heart. It wasn't Gabriel's fault, he and his greatest rival loved the same woman.
"What the hell, do you know?" Nico gritted her teeth again. She did that when people annoyed her or made her angry. She grabbed the former serial killer's wrist. Grasping Sylar's wrist tightly with all her strength. Nico had martial arts training from Adam and learned from him. She could catch an off-guard enemy, which worked for her for five years of being a hero. The skills were invaluable and served Nico well, when she had to fight Danko's operatives, who chased after her and her mother.
"Nico..."
"Don't call my name, like you know me, monster?" Nico said, in an iron tone. Her voice was rising, knowing she was taken out of her character. Not even Claude Rains irritated her off this much. Nico turned and realised Sylar wasn't resisting or fighting for her to let him go. In some way, Gabriel liked being touched by her, even if it was an act of aggression. Nico was calm and collected, but when she was angry, she was a different woman.
Her teeth were sharp, but Nico was no biter and Sylar didn't eat brains. She had an anger that could destroy the world, but Daniela's calming influence and therapy helped temper the madness she inherited from her biological father. Wrath was Nico's fatal sin, the anger she used to hurt others and herself. As a child, Nico believed Alonso Guerra was her father, because he was a man, who loved a woman so much to be a part of her family and didn't mind raising a child, that wasn't his biologically. She had that belief, until Nico found out the truth of her mother lying her whole life and masking her second husband as her father for years; painting the picture of a happy family.
"Victory of the people...I like the meaning of your name." Sylar said calmly.
"Named after the angel and live like a demon." Nico replied.
"You know be so well, Nico."
"Experience...people like Peter and Hiro. They think in black and white. The world is not like that."
"That's what I like about you Nico. Your nihilism and cynicism amazes me."
"You know so much, after all these years, Gabriel."
Sylar winced, when he was called by his birth name. He didn't like it when people called him Gabriel, but allowed Nico to. "Your happiness matters to me."
"The years of being an investigator hardened me. I know everything and people cannot be trusted, especially with my track record."
"Why talk to me."
Nico's hands were in her sweater pockets. The shadowbender glanced over, the same glance she had when her abuela's pocket watch was fixed, after Cousin Tina broke it by accident. The pocket watch was the only thing Nico had left of her abuela Alondra, that time piece Gabriel fixed with nimble fingers and careful precision. Unknowingly, fixing the pocket watch was the beginning and the end for Nico and Sylar. Was it a connection back then? It might have been, had they talked to each other again or the Company didn't get in the way. Fate was the cruellest to people like Nico, who never believed in destiny because she was a realist.
She was proven wrong, when she saw her future self in the mirror, as the White Queen. A woman in white, who was Nico's future self and was stone-cold, as she used people like chess pieces. The White Queen was evil from Hiro Nakamura's point of view being his adversary in future timelines.
Her fingers were shaking, hidden under her sleeves. It got colder, when the sun went down. Nico was used to being alone, living on her own and going to bed alone, unless Daniela stayed. There was peace, with being alone and things got complicated, when Sylar threatened Genevieve. That kid grew up and became braver, than Nico expected. Throughout her journey, Nico hardened herself and became stronger, maybe Sylar was right when he said he changed her. Nico had been shot, stabbed and beaten up before, but never faced the possibility of death in her line of work. Not when the telekinetic psychopath struck fear in her heart, more than the dregs of Brooklyn ever did.
"I notice things about you." The reformed killer said, in a tone of sincerity and not full of lies.
"Do you say that to all the women you meet, or do they die screaming." Nico replied.
"I see where you get your bite from."
In another lifetime, Nico would have smiled. She couldn't because of the man she was dealing with. The same kind of men Seraphina did favours for back in the day, when she was a member of the Blackclaw Gang and took Nico with her on nightly jobs. She could imagine, back in the dusty diner with that microwave kid Luke and Sylar, before she was caught up by the government agents. The agents who came after Nico at the diner. Nico thought she left those events behind, but the scars of Tina's death and what Danko's government agents did remained with her. Nico's life became a blur in losing count, on how many people died because of Sylar and Primatech.
Her feelings began to die, a year at a time but Tina's death forced Nico to be in touch with feelings, she had not felt since Adam betrayed her and Peter exploding.
The woman was afraid of Sylar, but desensitised to his violence and cruelty. At the end of the day, Sylar was just a man and a man was human with desires and wants. Nico knew things happened for a reason. It wasn't a coincidence Maisie gave Nico the compass, leading her to the carnival and finding Samuel Sullivan. Nico got back what made her a hero, as she had been broken and torn apart by Sylar at the Capitol. Nico never lost her empathy to help people, even if it was just one black girl. The shadowbender was desensitised to violence, but Nico would never be a company woman, seeing how long term service corrupted her dead cousin Lydia and it was the reason why her life ended.
Nico followed her own code, which conflicted with the absolute loyalty of Primatech's system. She was satisfied with a life without complications. There was a part of her that wanted to save the world again. As an adult, Nico had to grow out of childish fantasies, when she read comics as a child. Nico was old enough to know, the world wasn't like the comic books of the old generation and it was more like the comics she grew up with. A morally grey world, where people are trying their best. When Samuel was defeated, Nico didn't know what to do as Claire jumped off the Ferris wheel and couldn't stop her from doing something that will change the world forever.
Her heart was drawn to Peter, but also drawn to Sylar, much to her disgust. She wanted to respect the people, who died at Sylar's hands and the voice of Isaac plagued her. Isaac's voice played mind tricks on Nico and she wanted to shake off the ghost of Isaac Mendez from her subconscious. Was it betrayal for Nico falling in love with Isaac's killer, or was it because Nico couldn't forgive herself, not Sylar for the death of her childhood friend.
The future had been written by and Isaac was destined to die for the greater good.
As stubborn as she was, Nico never allowed fate to string her along. Fate got the people she cared about killed and left her more alone than ever. Nico would never have become the woman she is, without Peter Petrelli, Claire Bennet and Gabriel Gray. She is grateful for what the three of them brought into her life, they trusted her even after Nico betrayed them to shield them from the worst of herself. The night sky in New York made Nico glad she was alive. Not just existing, or surviving every year. It got tiring and Nico just wanted to live, in a way her mother Leticia Guerra implored her to because she only had one life.
Sylar was gone and Nico's apartment was empty. Her heart sank, as if a black hole was there. The only thing Nico saw on the countertop was a black rose, she went to pick it up. She brought the flower to her nose to smell the fragrance. Nico liked flowers, especially given to people who love her and it reminded her not everyone hated her. The thorns of the flower didn't prick her, as Nico used to be called the Queen of Thorns behind her back and thorns pricked people. A man, who used to be a watchmaker was careful and could handle sharp thorns, unlike others who picked up the flower blindly and bleed from being cut by the thorns.
The shadowbender closed the windows, not wanting the city noise inside. Nico shook her head, at the thought of these feelings. An attraction towards the man, who murdered her childhood friend and killed more than he can count. It was shameless, that someone like that can have a profound effect on Nico's life. Even with the blood on his hands, Sylar was gentle towards Nico, like a lost fawn. It was nothing she wasn't used to, but what was new was the level of care Sylar had towards her. He wanted her to be happy, which was ironic because he took everything from her; from Isaac to her sanity with the inflictions he put on her.
Why would the fallacy of love change anything? Was it was because Nico was uncomfortable in facing the truth, how a reformed killer felt towards her. Nico didn't know whether she could face an uncertain future, but it depended on what happened next as the storm brews over. The shadowbender knew not to take anything for granted, because it could be taken away in a blink of an eye, but Nico was sure it wasn't Sylar who was going to cause more trouble.
But the action and reaction from Claire's jump from the Ferris wheel.
PS: Nico and her mother Leticia have abilities. She never knew her grandmother Alondra was special, until years after her death. Nico and her family are Puerto Rican, apart from Tina who is Nico's adopted Dominican cousin and stepfather Alonso being Cuban.
- The White Queen is a vision of Nico's future self. A cold woman, in a white suit who Nico sees in the mirror throughout her journey. She will be this woman in the future with white hair. A killer and a psychopath in disguise as a liberator for special people, when the government comes for them.
- Nico is still dealing with being a victim of Samuel's manipulation, and being in his cult. Only Maisie was the reason why Nico never left for some time and she was determined to rescue her and the others from Samuel's manipulative control.
- There is a part of Nico that loved Isaac years ago, but Isaac used her feelings and betrayed her when he got together with Simone. A part of her wants to forgive Sylar because of the breakdown between Isaac and Nico days before his death.