A/N: Happy Thanksgiving to all those who have enjoyed turkey with me today! I hope all your days were beautiful. I hope you enjoy this update and review!! XOXO
NIKI, DL, MICAH, & MOLLY
NEW YORK
Micah and Molly sprinted into the bedroom, on instant alert when Niki screamed.
"Mom!" Micah skidded to a stop in the doorway of his parents' bedroom when he saw that nothing was actually wrong, but his parents looked rather content in a hug.
Molly looked a little concerned about interrupting and started backing out of the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt…"
"Oh kids, no it's fine!"
"Is everything okay?" Micah asked.
"Yea, everything's great baby." Niki broke from DL and turned to the kids. "Your dad's got himself a job!" She told them. "Isn't that great?"
Micah grinned at his dad and gave him a congratulatory hug. "What are you going to be doing?"
"Nothing too exciting." DL told him. "I'm going to be working construction."
"But it's a job—a good job—and that's what really matters." Niki pecked another kiss on her husband's cheek. "And I'll be starting my job tomorrow…" she smiled at the kids. "I knew life here would be better! Everything is just working so well." She noticed Molly still hesitating in the doorway and not joining in the excited mood. "Is something wrong, sweetheart?"
Molly shook her head and forced a smile. "No, it's nothing. I've just got a headache."
"Oh, would you like to take an aspirin?" Niki offered and then reconsidered, wondering if these headaches were frequent and how Claire dealt with them. "Do you usually take something for a headache?"
Molly shook her head. "I've never had one like this before."
"Well, let's get you something and see if it helps." She took Molly in to the kitchen. "Can you swallow pills?"
Molly nodded, "I had to learn when the doctors were working on me."
"Good, then take this and then we're going out to celebrate." She handed Molly an aspirin and a glass of water. "And we need to get you kids supplies for school."
Micah and DL had left the bedroom and joined them in the kitchen.
"Who's going to take us to school?" Micah asked when he heard his mom mention school supplies. "Since both of you will be working now…"
"Well, my shift doesn't start until noon every day, so I can drive you there…" she paused to consider how the kids would get home. "Isn't there a bus you could take?"
"It's not very far." DL reminded her. "They could walk a couple blocks."
Niki frowned. "Do you think that would be safe?"
"Sure, DL shrugged. "It's not a bad neighborhood."
"It's not exactly a good neighborhood though either," Niki insisted.
"They'll be safe if they walk home together—straight home you two." DL mussed his son's hair. "I don't want to hear about you two detouring into the city, understood?"
"Yes sir." Micah grinned and ducked out of his dad's reach. "Can we come to work with you sometime?" He asked, turning to his mom eagerly.
"Maybe," Niki smiled. "If you ever don't have school, or maybe after school sometimes. We'll see." Her head ached with pain, but she was determined not to show it to her family. "Honey, why don't you get the keys. I'll be right back…"
"Is everything okay?" DL didn't miss the faded smile on his wife's face.
"Yea, I'm just going to grab my purse."
"Okay," he gathered the kids as Niki headed back into the bedroom. She shut the door of the adjoining bathroom for privacy before shuffling through the medicine cabinet behind the mirror. Hidden behind a large bottle of cough syrup, she found DL's old prescription. His pain from the bullet wound had subsided a week ago, but instead of throwing out the extra pain pills, Niki had hoarded them. Now she took one, swallowing it with a handful of water from the sink.
"Mom! We're waiting!"
"Coming baby." Niki called back. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, praying for the pills to work quickly so she could enjoy the day with her family. No one knew about her headaches and she wanted it to stay that way, or rather she needed it to stay that way. She wasn't ready to face what they meant.
"Oh come on Niki."
Niki's eyes flew open to locate the voice. "No…" She gritted her teeth and shut her eyes again.
"How long do you think you can hide it from them? DL's not stupid. He's going to realize that you're lying." The smug voice laughed. "How long do you think you can fight me? The headaches aren't really worth it, are they?"
"Go away." Niki opened her eyes again and glared into the mirror. "I don't need you anymore. I am stronger now."
"Keep telling yourself that sweetie."
"You're never getting out again."
"We'll see about that…"
"Mom!" Micah was knocking on the door now. "Okay baby." She glanced back at the mirror once more and smiled with relief: Jessica was gone…for now.
SASHA, MOHINDER
SEATTLE
"No, I'm serious, he's really good." Sasha covered her mouth with her hand, sheltering her phone conversation. "I read through all of Michael's charts. He's been fighting the virus for months, getting steadily worse. But three weeks with dr. Suresh and it's almost entirely out of his system." She glanced over her shoulder as an orderly ambled down the hall toward her. "Well…I do sort of admire him…I mean I admire his research…no of course not…I wouldn't…stop worrying so much."
"Sasha?"
She turned when Mohinder called to her from down the hall. She smiled and held up one finger, signaling that she was busy. He nodded and retreated back into Michael's room.
"He's calling for me. I will…now she hasn't yet…I'm sure she will…I could always motivate her…yes absolutely. All right. I'll call you tomorrow…goodbye Mr. Okenberg." Sasha hung up her phone and hurried back to where Mohinder was waiting.
"Is everything all right?" Mohinder asked.
"Yes, of course. I was just speaking with my employer. He is very pleased with the patient's progress." She told him. "Though he is curious as to why you are focusing so much on this one particular case."
"I beg your pardon?"
She pulled out a folder and handed it to him. "This is evidence of the virus existing in several different patients in five different countries, and yet you seem to care only for Mr. Monroe."
"I…I wasn't aware." Mohinder's eyes creased as he scanned the numerous detailed accounts of others with the foreboding symptoms.
"Yes you were. I told you before, but you chose to ignore me," she reminded him. "Anyway, now that you have the proof in front of you, what are you going to do?"
Mohinder hesitated. He didn't know how well Michael would fare without him there, but he couldn't neglect the others.
"Come now Dr. Suresh, we both know what you have to do."
Mohinder frowned, puzzled by her insistence. "What's in it for you?"
"I'm sorry?"
"You said your company asked you to come to assist me because you were familiar with the virus, so shouldn't you be content with wherever I choose to remain?"
She cocked her head to the left and her lips turned up slightly. "Dr. Suresh, up until now I have been patient with you because I believe in the good you are doing. Unfortunately, now I have to be a bit more firm with you." She motioned for him to step out of the room with her in case Michael woke up and could overhear them. "My employer sent me here to work with you in locating and healing the infected. What happens to them once they are healed will no longer be any of your concern."
"What exactly should I assume that to mean?" He demanded; he instantly worried that allowing Sasha to work with him had not been a good idea.
She smiled wider, but it wasn't a reassuring smile. "You can draw whatever assumptions you like. The point is, you are not longer free to do as you will or help whomever you desire. If I say we're going to Oslo tomorrow, you will go without questions." She paused and her smile vanished. "Understand?"
"And if I don't?"
"Well, then I hope you haven't grown too attached to Mr. Monroe's sister…"
"Is that a threat?"
"Very good, Doctor." She clasped her hands together sarcastically. "And if that wasn't convincing enough, then how about I take a trip to New York and pay a visit to that little girl you're so fond of? Tell me, how does Molly enjoy living with Niki and DL?"
"Who are you?" Mohinder couldn't understand how Sasha knew so much.
"I'm your partner." Her cocky smile had returned. "But you might be better off thinking of me as your boss. So, how about you go with your girl tonight and say goodbye…for a while at least…and tomorrow we will start our work."
He nodded slowly.
"Very good, Doctor. I have a feeling you and I are going to get along just splendidly."
CLAIRE, PETER
NEW YORK
"I'll be back by four."
Peter looked up as Claire headed for the door. "Wait."
She paused with her hand on the doorknob, but didn't turn around. "What?"
"We're going to have to talk eventually," he told her. "I mean maybe not, you're pretty good at the silent game."
"I have a younger brother," she reminded him. "I can play for days."
"Claire, come on!" He stood up from the couch. "I'm sorry that I said anything about Jaden. You're right, it's not my business."
"I told you that it didn't matter."
"Then why have you barely said a word to me for almost twenty-four hours?"
She let out a breath. "I don't know."
"That's not an answer."
She glanced at the clock and shook her head. "I've got to go. I don't want to be late for my first day of school."
"Can we talk about this later?"
She nodded, "sure."
"When?" He wasn't going to let her go that easily.
"Umm, I don't know." She wasn't any happier than he was about the silence and she knew that it was important for them not to be in a fight if she was going to help him deal with his abilities, but she didn't know how to tell him what she was really feeling.
"Claire…" he started to pry into her mind.
I wish you'd just let some things go without an explanation. You wouldn't understand what I'm feeling. You don't know everything about me…
"What don't I know about you?"
"Stop it!" She glared at him. "Stay the hell out of my mind."
He stepped back, shocked by her fierce reaction. "I'm sorry. I just don't know how to help you or make things better between us if you aren't being honest with me."
Claire rethought her earlier outburst and took a deep breath. "Tonight, okay? We'll talk tonight."
"And you'll actually tell me what's going on with you?"
"Yes," she confirmed. "Can I go to school now?"
"Yea," he opened the door for her. "You're sure you don't want a ride?"
She nodded. "It's not that far to walk."
"Have a good day." He watched her walk down the hall to the elevator. She pressed the button and waved to him over her shoulder. He returned the wave before shutting the door and immediately pulling out his cell phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi…Noah, it's Peter."
"Peter!" Noah Bennett's voice showed that he was surprised to be getting this call. "How've things been?"
"Good…I mean not bad. I know you talked to Claire a few days ago when Nathan brought her to you, so I know you've been caught up on things."
"That's true." Nathan paused. "Is something wrong?"
"Not exactly," Peter hesitated. Claire would hate him if she knew what he was doing. "I wanted to talk to you about Claire actually. It's sort of personal, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't let her know that this call ever took place…"
"Of course, you have my word."
"I was just concerned…"
"Is she okay? Has anything happened?"
"No, it's not anything bad," Peter assured him. "It's just she has this boyfriend and they've been getting pretty serious, but she doesn't seem very…I don't know…happy? Or comfortable maybe. Something feels wrong, but she won't talk to me about it."
"And you think she talks to me?"
"No, not necessarily. I was just wondering about her past relationships. What sort of relationships she's used to, I guess. I don't know what I'm supposed to do when I come home and find them together…" He stopped realizing that he probably said too much.
"Find them together?" Noah repeated loudly.
Peter sighed. "Nothing happened. I interrupted them…"
"But they were in a position that implied something could have happened if you hadn't come home?"
"Sort of…" Peter agreed. "Claire asked him to leave, but I got the feeling that something was wrong."
"Peter, I appreciate you calling me with this concern. Claire sometimes likes to think that being indestructible makes her invulnerable."
"Yea, I've noticed."
"There is something you should know about her last boyfriend…"
……………
"Honey I'm home!" Claire laughed at herself as she dropped her schoolbag by the door and headed for the kitchen.
"Honey?" Peter emerged from the balcony.
"I'm sorry, I've just always wanted to say that to somebody." She retrieved a diet coke from the fridge and tapped her nails twice on the metal top before flipping up the tab and piercing the can with a loud pop! She sucked the escaped soda from the crevice around the top of the can. "So, are we going to talk now?"
"I talked to your dad today."
"Oh? How is he? How are Heidi and the boys?"
Peter shook his head. "Not Nathan. I talked to your other dad."
"You did? Why?"
"I have had a lot of questions and I didn't think I'd get the truth from you."
"Are you serious?" Claire's eyes grew wide. "You called my dad to interrogate him about me? What hell gives you that right?"
"Exactly this kid of attitude. Claire, I'm worried about you. When I met you, you were the gentlest and kindest kid in the world…but now you're…I don't know. You seem different."
"Really? You think?" She glared at him. "A lot's changed since you met me, Peter. I almost died, you almost died, God, I almost killed you! That sort of stuff changes someone you know."
"I know Claire. It should. It's not just that though. When you left your dad a few weeks ago, you wanted to find out the truth. You wanted a purpose."
"And now you think I don't?"
"I don't know. It sort of feels like all you want is a life of a normal teenager with the hot older boyfriend…"
"Is it so bad to want to be normal?" She asked. "Besides, I haven't lost my purpose or whatever. I still want to know who I am and why I'm different and what that will mean for my future, and I'm still trying to help you to understand and control all your abilities, but in the meantime, why can't I enjoy a date every now and then?"
Peter shuffled his feet in the thick carpet. "I'm just not sure if Jaden's such a safe idea for you."
"Safe?" Claire frowned. "Oh my god. Dad told you about Brody." When Peter didn't answer, she knew it was true. "Look, I appreciate whatever it is you're trying to do here by playing big brother, or father, or whatever, but I don't need it from you. Jaden's not Brody. He would never try to hurt me."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I just am!"
That's not good enough for me. Peter knew he wasn't going to win this debate with her, so he gave up and promptly changed the subject, which sometimes helped her into a better mood. "I was working on the ability I took from Niki today. Do you want to see?"
Claire sighed, "I don't know Peter…"
"Come on, please? It's awesome. I'm like Superman."
She smiled a little at the visual her mind created of Peter in tights and a cape. "Fine."
He led her in to the bathroom and positioned himself in front of the bed. "Ready?" He waited for her nod before he bent his knees, fixed his hands under the edge of the bed and lifted. He soon had the end of the bed in the air, level with his shoulders.
"Wow…" Claire grinned. "I am impressed." She moved to the front of the bed. "Now work on keeping it steady." She told him as she crawled on to the bed and started climbing vertically to the end he was lifting. "Don't let the added weight throw you of."
"You don't weigh anything."
"I am putting pressure on it. I can tell because you're frowning. Concentrate," she demanded. "Now, when I count to three, you're going to keep the bed at this height, but I also want you to focus on your invisibility."
"Claire…"
"I don't want any excuses. You are capable of more than one ability at a time, if you just weren't so afraid to try." She gripped the edge of the bed more tightly as she started to slip down. "Just focus. One…two…don't drop me…three!"
Closing his eyes, Peter's thoughts drifted to Claude as he focused on his invisibility. The bed began to feel heavy thought and he quickly pulled Niki's strength back to mind, trying not to lose Claude's power at the same time. After what felt like an eternity, he heard Claire squeal and when he opened his eyes, she was smiling.
"Am I doing it? Am I invisible?"
"Yes!"
"Really?" He suddenly lost his strength and the bed clunked on the ground. Claire bounced off, but stood with a smile still strong.
"Next time you'll do it for longer. This was a start though." She paused. "Peter? Peter you can stop with the invisibility now. It's kind of freaking me out." She waited, but when she saw the balcony door open she knew he wasn't listening. "Peter!"
"Claude?"
"Who?" Claire turned in the direction of Peter's voice, but she had no idea where he was anymore.
"What are you doing here?" Peter was clearly not speaking to her.
"Umm…just checkin' in mate."
Claire gasped at the foreign voice that spoke from the balcony. "Peter, please tell me what's going on!"
He finally materialized, but he wasn't alone.
"Who are you?" Claire asked the unfamiliar man. He was tall and his face was unshaven; she thought he looked almost homeless.
"This is Claude," Peter introduced. "I got my invisibility from him."
"Oh!" Claire smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you." She held her hand out to him as he stepped into the room with Peter. "I'm Claire."
"I know who you are."
"You do?"
"I was with your dad when he got you."
Peter frowned. "You never told me that."
"You never asked, mate." Claude shrugged. "You don't know everything about me."