"How do we respond, when we are given a chance to change our fate? Do we lash ourselves to the chance, and weather the storm? Perhaps it is better to merely let it pass, and not take the risk."

-Mohinder Suresh

(Carter Daniels - Flint, Michigan – 8pm – Next Day)

He stood in the middle of his small room, looking down at his hands. His evil, evil hands. The hands that had caused him so much trouble in so little time. Two limbs that had changed everything for him. Bad, bad hands.

Carter stuck his tongue out at them.

His hands didn't react.

'Not like there are alive, dummy.' He thought, scolding himself. 'Well…they are alive…because that would be real creepy if they weren't. Just mean that they don't have minds of their own, because their hands…just like every hand doesn't have minds…' Carter paused. 'who the hell am I talking to?'

Flopping down in his desk chair, he looked over at the open Word program that was currently taunting him. He had a personal essay due, rough draft only, but he doubted his teacher would consider white space as a work-in-progress.

His mind was just to cluttered to try and think about what to write. Right now, his personal life was screwed up, big time, and he wasn't in the mood to set it down on paper. What was he suppose to write, "And during my Senior year, that is when I learned I had some sort of magic power."?

Leaning his head back, he silently wondered if his day could get any worse. Yesterday had been bad, what with learning he'd put Hank Delpine in the funny farm and making Kelly want to plan their wedding. Not to mention running out on her afterwards. But just when he thought things couldn't get worse, God dumped another bag of shit on his head called 'today'.

&&&

(Carter Daniels - Flint, Michigan – 10am)

"And so, I decided to apply the theories of Dr. Chandra Suresh to the workplace, to show just how the environment we work in is changing and evolving…"

Carter rested his head on his arms, trying to catch some seep as another student read of their report for the class. He wasn't in the mood to hear why some Indian Guy's ideas about genetics were perfect to example why some little asshole would work for little pay. No, he was more concerned with the sheep that were currently demanding he stop listening and start counting them.

Feeling someone tap on his shoulder, he decided that if he just laid still, maybe they would think he was dead and whoever it was would let him sleep.

"That is it for today. And remember to read chapter 5! I know I am going to go over all of it, but read it anyway!" Dr. Frey glanced down at Carter, who had not moved from his seat. "Carter, I am oh so thrilled that you want to stay and hear more. But, seriously, move your ass."

"S-sorry Dr. Frey." Carter mumbled, giving his head a little shake as he sat up. "Kinda got c-c-caught n-n-napping, didn't I?"

"Oh yea." Linda said, sitting down on the desktop. "So, you mind telling me why you were using my classroom as your personal bedroom?"

"R-rough week." Carter said simply, moving to put his notebook away. But as he reached for it, Linda's hand caught it, holding it firmly in place.

"Carter…" She said, sighing softly. Closing her eyes, she thought over exactly what she wanted to say. "I….I….listen, is this about Hank?"

"Wh-what??" Carter asked, startled that Linda had figured out what was bothering him so easily.

"I heard about him having his breakdown…his group isn't blaming you for it, are they?"

"W-why would they blame me?" Carter asked.

Dr. Frey shrugged. "Seems like they blame you for everything. I can only imagine how they could spin it to make it your fault."

"oh." The young man whispered.

"Just…if they begin bothering you…"

"I…I'll be ok, dr. Frey. Listen, I have to get to class…"

"Oh yea…go, go. Wouldn't want to impede on higher learning and all that other cliché junk." She gave Carter a final pat on the shoulder, watching as he ran off. "Just be careful, ok?" She whispered to herself.

&&&

Carter didn't take the stairs today.

Carter didn't know if he could ever take the stairs again.

Pressing the close button, he silently cursed himself for not waiting for another elevator to show up. The one he currently stood in was the handicap elevator, designed with slower doors that drove the non-handicapped students insane. At least he wasn't riding with some idiot that wanted to take the elevator one floor and get off.

"WAIT!"

Carter closed his eyes, leaning his head against the control panel as he debated whether or not to ignore the call and just get on his way. He had class in ten.

"Thank you." The student said, stepping into the elevator. "Number 3 please." Squeezing his eyes shut, Carter pressed the button, wondering as the doors slide shut if his day could get any… "Trying to run away from me, Carter?"

…worse.

"H-hey Kelly."

Kelly Raegan smirked, leaning against a wall. "Hello yourself…you know, it isn't wise to run out on your editor like you did yesterday without explaining things. They tend not to like that." She walked over and hit the manual stop button, halting the elevator in place. "Especially when you somehow make her forget that she's gay and get her to cuddle all up to you."

"I-I-I don't know…"

"Can it." Kelly interrupted. "Carter…you were able to make me feel….I don't even know how to describe it! You just somehow were able to alter my emotions with a word. How did you…"

"I don't kn-know." He stammered. "I w-wish I kn-kn-knew. But I don't, Kelly. I have n-n-n-n-n….n-n-n-n….n-n-n-no clue." He finally managed to get out. "I say a word like lo…" They both froze, watching his hands flare up with the bright light, tendrils of energy squirming towards Kelly. "You know, the l-word…" The glow died away, leaving his hands back to their normal fleshing tone. "and they just act up like that! I can't c-control it or anything! They just begin lighting up, and then people begin acting st-strangely…I didn't mean too…"

"I'm not upset."

"…you're not?"

"How could I be upset!" She exclaimed. "Do you realize how cool this is? You have magic, Carter! Real life magic! I mean…oh my God, you were the one that did that to Hank, weren't you! You cast come kind of spell that made him go nuts!" Kelly was practically vibrating with happiness.

Carter wasn't as excited.

"I don't think it's m-magic…." He began.

"Ok, maybe it's something else." Kelly said, waving her hands in front of her. "Maybe some sort of…I don't know… superpower or something. Though, I really think it was magic. I mean, it looked very Harry Potterish to me, what with the glowing hands and all. Very Hogwarts, without the wands."

"I was th-there, Kelly. Know what it looks like…" Carter said, inching his hand towards the Stop button. Kelly's hand darted out, catching his wrist. "C-c-come on…"

"Carter, listen to me, ok? Why are you acting so paranoid? Do you not realize how amazing this is? You have something most people dream of!"

Carter frowned, frustrated. "W-what? Something that m-m-makes me a fr….fr….freak?"

It was now Kelly's turn to frown. "What do you mean…that isn't that how you see yourself, is it?" She walked up to him, gently taking a hold of Carter by the shoulders. "Oh Carter…you're not a freak. The opposite…you have an amazing gift. I don't even understand what you did really did, but I do know you somehow gained this power that no one in the whole WORLD has. I know you are afraid…I would be too. But you have the chance to do some real good."

"Y-yea…r-r-r-r-right."

"I'm serious. Have you tried practicing? Seeing if you can control it? Change the strength? If you could hone it just right…

Carter pushed her hands from his shoulders. "I don't w-want to pr-practice! I don't want to I just want to be n-n-normal!"

"Carter…you have a chance to make a difference. This power, you could do so much with it. Don't just sit on it forever because you are scared. Do something…anything Carter." She hit the Stop button, letting the elevator continue its descent at last. After a moment, the doors slide open, revealing the 2nd floor. "Because Carter…normal is overrated." And with that, she left him to think about what she had said.

&&&

(Carter Daniels - Flint, Michigan – 8pm)

Carter lifted himself from his chair, making his way over to the large full body mirror that hung on his wall. Looking himself over, fingers grazing his chest, Kelly's words echoed in his ears.

'All my life, I've been afraid to act. Afraid to live the way I wanted.' He looked at his mirror image and scowled. 'And all my life, I've been trapped in this damn shell. I can't talk right, I can't do what I want…because I'm such a damn coward!' He lashed out, striking the mirror. "DAMN IT!" He screamed, clutching his bruised fist. "That usually w-w-works in the movies." He whined.

Allowing himself a moment to recover, he looked back at his own crotched self in the mirror, disgusted by how he looked. At least his mirror image was something that hadn't changed.

"No wonder Hank use to b-b-bully you…you were begging for it." He bitterly told himself. "Maybe if y-y-you actually had some con…" He paused.

His hand had begun to glow.

Slowly, Carter Daniels looked up from his hand to his own eyes that reflected right back to him. Once more, he thought of everything Kelly had told him, about how he should see this as the opportunity to change his life.

Standing before the mirror, he held out his hand, the light dancing on his fingertips.

"But should we take the risk, should we be willing to go beyond normal…then we must be ready to accept the consequences."

-Mohinder Suresh

Carter narrowed his eyes. "Courage."

Author's Note: The final scene was one of the very first scenes I had in mind when I created Carter, so I am glad I got to write it. I know some of you might be worried that I am going to use this plot twist to make Carter into some Super Marty Sue. Don't worry…I have a lot planned, and this isn't going to be smooth sailing for our hero. Just like the show, Carter is going to have to face some of his demons.