Author's Note 1: I in no way, shape or form own the show HEROES or the characters that appear within it. I am, however, the creator of all original characters in this fiction. All original characters may not be used in any fic except by my permission. But, if anyone from the show HEROES is watching, feel free to use the names, or contact me for complete permission to use the characters

Author's Note 2: The following takes place 1 week after the final events of the episode "6 Months Ago". If there areanyerrors in the timeline (or if the show's cannon changes to make the timeline of this story incorrect) I will correct them within the chapter and alert the fans.

"There are moments when everything changes. When we are forced to reevaluate our lives and ourselves. It is during these events that we discover who we truly are. When the world is thrown to chaos, the real us is exposed for all to see."

-Mohinder Suresh

6 Months Ago

(Dr. Linda Frey- Grand Blanc, Michigan)

Dr. Linda Frey sighed as she dumped her purse on the kitchen counter, letting her cosmetics, change and other ends/odds spill from the mock designer bag. Her last class had ended, and with no final exams scheduled for any of her courses, the young woman was looking forward to 4 months of relaxation intermixed with some book purchasing and research.

Deciding she wanted to celebrate her freedom the right way, Linda made her way to the fridge, dancing to the music she heard in her head. Pulling out some fruit punch, she grabbed the bottle of rum she kept hidden in the vegetable crisper and began to pour herself a nice healthy drink.

Imitating some dance music, she slid into the living room and kicked her feet up, sliding the dress shoes off. She stretched long and hard before finally settling in, drink in hand and flipping on the TV.

"Crap…crap…" She muttered, surfing through the channels. "Don't care…crap…" Smile slipping, Linda continued to flick through the channels, hoping to find something…anything that would serve to entertain her brain.

"Welcome to A&E's Look at Genetics. Since the…"

CLICK

"The Nile River did not always flow…"

CLICK

"Look, up in the sky…"

CLICK

"This…is CNN."

Linda shrugged. "Guess it's just you and Darth." Taking a long slip of her drink, the college professor settled in for some well-deserved couch potatoing.

"And in other news, police have arrested a man in connection with the disappearance of 3 men in Las Vegas who were believed to be apart of a robbery there. D.L. Hawkins, seen here…"

Linda's glass shattered as it fell to the floor.

&&&

(Lee Malion- Boston, Massachusetts)

"Malion!"

Lee looked up from his work, setting the ink pen carefully in its holder before giving his full attention to his boss.

"Yes?"

Lee's boss smiled, pulling a folder from his arm. "You know how you've hinting at taking some time off this summer?"

"Yea?" Lee asked. The graphic artist hadn't taken a vacation in 2 years, except for a few days off spent working on his own pet projects. So, he'd asked for a few weeks off so he could just relax, maybe even begin working on some pieces he'd been neglecting.

"Management has decided not to give you your requested time off."

Lee's face fell, the artist visibly upset. "Sir…" He sighed, forcing himself not to get upset. His boss had no control over this…

"Instead, in 2 weeks, we are sending you, all expenses paid, to the National Artists Convention in New York."

The man's jaw dropped, staring in shock as his boss pulled an airline ticket out and held them right infront of his nose.

"Sir…thank you so much…"

Lee's boss shook his hand. "Think nothing of it Lee. Now, if anyone asks, this is strictly for research on new drawing techniques…got it?" The older man gave him a wink.

"Sure thing…sure thing." Lee stammered, staring down at the tickets as his boss left. He waited a few moments before whooping for joy.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Hawkins?"

Paulette Hawkins frowned, not in the mood to deal with another reporter. "I'm sorry, but I will not answer any…"

"It's Linda."

"…" Paulette froze, nearly dropping the phone. "Linda…Linda Frey?"

Linda's voice came out a little shakey. "Yea…it's me."

"Linda Frey…" Ms. Hawkins stumbled back, flopping down in a chair that happened to be nearby. "It's…it's been…"

"10 years…I know." Linda paused, obviously nervous. "If now isn't the best time…"

"Honey…I have nothin' but time." Paulette smiled, her voice flavored with happiness…a happiness she hadn't felt for several days now. Not since her precious boy…"Did you see the news?"

"Yea…that's why I had to call. To see if you were alright." Linda said softly. "How…how did this…"

"I don't know…I just don't know…" Paulette replied, sounding older then she'd ever felt. "They keep saying these things…saying that D.L…."

"We both know he didn't do this." Linda said. "D.L. doesn't have it in him…and his own crew?"

"I know…he's being set up. I just know it."

Linda paused before speaking. "Do you want me to…"

"no." Paulette said firmly. "No…D.L. wouldn't want you coming back here and getting tangled up in this mess. He helped you break free of this place, Linda. It's better if you just keep living your life there."

"Ok." Linda replied. "If you hear anything…"

"I will." She said softly. "Bye Linda."

2 weeks later

(Lee Malion- New York, New York)

Lee Malion strolled through the event center, passing booth after booth. Like a kid in a candy store, or some other lame cliché, his head turned right and left as he tried to abs orbit all. Art and drawings of all sorts, styles and genres surrounded him, as did the artists, each waiting to discuss their work. Intermixed between the displays were vendors, offering the newest paints, brushes, pens, design programs, templates and canvases. There were several booths there that featured How-To demonstrations, as well as the occasional contest.

But most important of all, each booth had free goodies…and Lee was loading up on everything he could. Two bugling bags in his left hand, one in his right, and still Lee was making the rounds for more.

Stopping by one booth, a smirk slowly played on his lips. "Look who's slumming it."

"Lee?" The man said in surprise.

"Hello Isaac." Lee said with a chuckle. "Been awhile…haven't seen you in ages."

"What are you doing here?" Isaac Mendez asked, surprised

The graphic artist laughed. "Company sent me…reward for busting my ass for them all these years. What about you? Last I heard, you were a big legit painter."

Isaac shifted. "I…uh…"

Lee looked down at the table Isaac was sitting at, laughing softly as he picked up a sample comic book cover. "What is this?"

"It's…"

"Are you…" he paused, trying hard to control his laughter, "…are you…writing a comic book?"

"Shut up Lee." Isaac snapped, grabbing the sample cover.

"Come on…I think it's wicked awesome."

Isaac glared at his friend. "At least I'm not drawing posters for boy bands."

"Ouch." Lee mocked. He thought for a moment. "You seem a little…wound up."

"Everyone seems wound up to you, Lee."

"I mean, you've always been uptight, but not this bad." Isaac shifted uneasily, and Lee's smile slowly faded. "Holy shit, you're still doing, aren't you?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Isaac snapped, reaching down and pulling out one of the free handouts Simone had made him. Inside his head, he made a promise to never let his girlfriend talk him into another convention again. "Now, do you want a big metal yard stick or not?"

Lee shook his head. "I can't believe you are still on that junk. Even I quit, and I was the worst of us." The graphic artist frowned. "Man, is this why you're drawing the comic? For drug money?"

"Just shut up and leave me alone Lee!" Isaac shouted, standing up. The people around them paused, looking at them strangely as the New York Artist continued to lay into him. "I don't your help!"

"Isaac…if I think you have a problem…if I think so…what does that tell you?" Lee said, trying to calm his fellow artist.

"It tells me you are such a talentless hack that all you have to spend your time on is grabbing freebies from a convention and talking to the booth operators!"

The instant the words left his mouth, Isaac regretted them. Lee's face instantly went hard, trying to hide the betrayal he felt. Lowering his head slightly, the graphic artist held out his hand.

"I will take the yard stick."

"Lee…"

"Give it to me." He snarled, yanking the metal from Isaac and storming through the crowd, leaving his friend to watch on, stunned and ashamed.

(Linda Frey- Lake Michigan)

'What made me to decide to do this?' Linda thought with a gulp, his knuckles turning white as she gripped the towbar. Sitting on dock, skis in the water, she watched as her friends waved to her, revving up the boat.

She'd taken time out from her busy schedule of sleeping in late, eating junk food, laying out in the sun reading a good book and watching reruns on basic cable to join some friends she knew from college at the beach. That had meant she got to sleep in late, ate junk food, sat on the beach in a bikini, reading a book, and watched idiots fall off of water skis.

So, of course, she'd let her friends convince her to try the sport out.

"Get ready!" One friend shouted, revving the engine one more time. "We're going in 3…2…1…."

Linda screamed as she was yanked forward, almost loosing her grip on the towbar. Her eyes nearly popped from her head as she was pulled forward, skis skimming the water as her friends cheered her on. Closing her eyes, she continued to bounce along the lake surface, grimacing each time spray from the water struck her face.

"Stop!" She screamed. "I want to stop!"

Her friends continued to egg her on, the boat speeding up. Linda began to scream bloody murder, hanging on for dear life. Her friends continued to whoop it up, pumping their fists in the air and shouting at her.

"STOP! STOOOPPP!" Linda screamed, shutting her eyes tight. "I SAID STOP!" Her eyelids slammed open, revealing glowing blue orbs of light. Her friends couldn't see that though, being as far away as they were.

But they did feel it as the boat suddenly lurched, sending them all to the floor, the impact knocking all 3 out cold. Linda too stopped dead in the water, much to her surprise. Looking down, she watched as the lake violently flowed past her in the opposite direction, the water moving faster then the boat had been going. It had been this sudden shift that had caused the speedboat to stop, leaving them in the middle of the lake.

But as the water slowed down, returning the lake to it's normal movement, it was something else that Linda noticed that caused her to freeze upon. She stared down, unable to comprehend what she was witnessing.

She was standing on the water.

Not sinking…standing. As if the water had been made solid.

And so Linda stood there, her eyes glowing like Christmas lights, watching the water lap along her skis.

2 days later

(Location Unknown)

"Are you sure?"

Mr. Bennett's voice was quiet, controlled, on the other end of the line. "I am 90 sure."

The woman nodded, glancing once more to make sure her bedroom door was locked. "There is…still 10."

Bennett voice came out soft, almost broken. "I can't let myself cling to that hope." He cut her off before she could rebut. "She is one of them. I know it. And if Claire is one of them, there is little doubt that Carter is as well. We've both seen how alike those two are." There was a pause, the man letting out a sigh. "If it weren't for the age difference, I would swear they were twins."

"But Carter…"

"We all have a stake in this." Bennett reminded her sternly. His voice grew softer. "I know how you feel about him. I feel the same about Claire. It breaks my heart. But if they're is a danger to themselves…to the world, then we have to be ready to make the necessary sacrifice."

"You can't be suggesting…"

"I'm suggesting you to do your duty." Bennett took a moment to calm himself. "Besides, there is still the chance that Carter isn't special. In which case, this entire conversation is moot. We must remain vigilant." A pause. "are you…"

"Agreed." The woman said at last.

"Good. If you see anything, contact me."

"Of course…goodbye."

As she hung up the phone, the woman closed her eyes, head hung low as she worked to steady her nerves. The call had drudged up old fears, and her mind continued to play out images she wished she'd never seen. But, she could not undo the past. Bennett and her had done what they needed to do…and the accident that had changed both their lives those 14 years ago could never be erased.

"When the real person is exposed, when we are forced to confront who we truly are, will we rise to the occasion? Or will we chose to stay with the norm, even if it means losing everything in the end?"

-Mohinder Suresh

"M-mom?"

The woman turned towards the door, a watery smile forming as she heard her son's voice.

"Mom, who w-w-was that on the ph…ph…phone?"

"It was no one." The woman said, opening the door and wrapping an arm around her son. 14 years ago, an accident had changed her life. And whatever the upcoming months would bring, Helena Daniels would never regret it. "Nothing to worry about."

For it had given her Carter, her precious son.

Thank you to everyone that has been reviewing. I look forward every week to your reviews, and it always makes me smile to read to kind words. Next week is the Fall Season Finale of Elsewhere until January 22. So, continue to review...it will be worth it.