Heroes fic: How You Sleep (3/12?)
Title: How You Sleep - Chapter 3: Reorientation (3/12?)
Series: Heroes
Pairing: Mylar
Rating: R
Warnings: Mpreg! BS science! Fairly dark! Consent issues!
Summary: After being doused with the complete formula, Mohinder copes with a lingering side effect as he and everyone around him try to rebuild their lives and their trust.
Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
The Petrellis bought Mohinder a plane ticket, which was fine given how much longer a bus trip would've taken. He felt flustered, however, not only when he realized it was a first class seat, but when the Petrellis' driver met him with a town car at JFK. Mohinder let the driver take the small bag of his few fugitive possessions and climbed into the backseat when the door was opened for him. In about an hour, they pulled up to the modest Petrelli manor in Manhattan.
Peter burst out the front door and wrapped Mohinder in a fierce hug before the driver even got Mohinder's things from the trunk. "It's so great to see you!" he exclaimed and took the bag before Mohinder could grab it. "Thanks, Terry," he said quickly and urged Mohinder to follow him into the house. Mohinder tried not to think about the last time he was here, when he'd carried Peter's body across the threshold.
Peter set the bag on a prim chair in the foyer and looked Mohinder over. "Man, I just... I knew you were okay, but I didn't know, you know?"
Mohinder smiled. "I'm relieved you're also in one piece."
"Surprisingly!" Peter eyed his friend's stomach. "Honestly, I expected you to be bigger."
"I'm glad I'm not. Imagine the stares." Mohinder self-consciously folded his arms. "But I'm only about three months along. I just started to show." To strangers it only looked like he needed to hit the gym.
"Is that all? It seems like ages since I last saw you."
"I won't argue with that," Mohinder said. "You seem a little too used to the idea of this."
"After everything we've been through," Peter said, "it just hit me that this isn't too far beyond, you know?" He looked down again. "Though, yeah, it is a little weird." He grinned at Mohinder's laugh and gestured with his head to the next room. "Come sit down. There's tea."
They went into the parlor and sat on the couch. A tray of not just tea but small cucumber sandwiches sat on the coffee table. Mohinder helped himself to one as Peter leaned back and visibly relaxed into the cushions.
"Things are back to normal so suddenly," he said. "It's weird not having to wonder about your next move."
"It's a relief," Mohinder said after swallowing.
Peter smiled. "I bet. So my mom said you've been with Maya? How did that happen?"
"Thanks to our friend, Rebel," Mohinder said. "Wasn't he in contact with you as well?"
"Yeah, but he never mentioned sending you anywhere." Peter shook his head. "It would've been nice to know."
Mohinder shrugged slightly. "I suppose he felt it was safer to keep it to himself."
"Yeah. So did he send you to a farm or what?"
"He put us in a house in the woods, actually. It was rather nice once we cleaned it up. I'm not sure how he came to possess it. No one ever came by, wondering why we were on their property."
"He's obviously a tech whiz. He probably owns all kinds of property on paper," Peter mused. He shot Mohinder a curious look. "So how did it go with Maya?"
Mohinder felt self-conscious and busied his hands by pouring them both tea. "Surprisingly well. If we were still in Iowa when the baby came, she would have been more than helpful." He could see Peter hesitating to delve further and decided to push ahead. "So Sylar was still alive all that time."
Peter sighed heavily. "Yeah. Like a cockroach, right?"
"A very suitable metaphor," Mohinder muttered as he sipped from his cup.
"And Mom and Nathan even knew about it," Peter admitted. "I already thanked them for the heads up."
Mohinder was hardly surprised. "But that doesn't really matter now, does it? You burned him."
Peter leaned forward, resting his clasped hands on his knees. "We had to get rid of him before the government could figure out he was still alive," he said apologetically. "It was too much of a risk that they'd want to keep him that way to experiment on him or something."
"I understand," Mohinder said. "It's fine, Peter. It doesn't matter."
"Of course it matters!" Peter exclaimed. "You deserved to be there, more than most of us."
Mohinder bit into another sandwich. "So where is everyone now?"
Peter frowned but went with the change in topic. "All over the place, as usual. Uh... Well, when Hiro and Ando were in India, they got a message from Rebel to go to this house in LA and-- wait. Did you know Matt had a kid?"
Mohinder managed not to choke. "He said the baby wasn't his!"
"Uh, well, it is, and Hiro and Ando saved Matt Junior from the hunt just in time. He has a power."
Mohinder's curiosity was instantly piqued. "Oh?"
"He can turn things on and off, though since he's just a baby it happens when he's happy or upset. Hiro called him Baby Stop-and-Go."
"Of course he did."
"Little Matty also turned Hiro's power back on."
"Oh, my god!" Mohinder exclaimed. "That's incredible!" That meant that Arthur Petrelli didn't alter DNA, he only copied it and--
"Yeah, until he started getting nosebleeds and passing out," Peter said, leaning back again.
"Oh," Mohinder said, his eagerness quelled.
"He was able to free the people held in Building Twenty-Six with Ando, but for the most part it's dangerous for him to try to manipulate time and space. I assume he has top doctors back in Japan, and hopefully they can figure out what to do. I told him and Ando to call and let me know what happens, but..."
"But?"
"I dunno, Hiro seemed kind of in denial about it. I think Ando will keep a good eye on him, though." Peter smiled wryly. "Speaking of denial, Matt went back to Janice."
Mohinder stopped in the middle of reaching for more food. "Back to... How long has Daphne been gone?"
"A few weeks now, but like I said, I think he's blocking it out. When Hiro and Ando brought the baby to him, Matt says it gave him an epiphany that life is still worth living. But he hasn't really grieved. I think he just wants to put all of this behind him, but it's going to bite him in the ass."
"What about that bomb scare? How can he just travel across the country?"
"Oh, god, did you see that?" Peter slid a hand over his face. "Nathan took care of all that. I mean, Danko set the scare up all on his own, and it's not hard to get people to turn on someone who shot one of his own men. Of course, I get the feeling Sylar had a hand in the shooting, but good luck getting Danko to confess to collaborating with a supposedly dead superpowered murderer who tried to kill the President." Realizing they were back on Sylar again, Peter hurried on. "So I think Matt'll be exonerated on the news tonight." Taking another sandwich, Mohinder barely had time to absorb that Nathan had been uninvolved with the bomb threat when Peter added, "Thankfully he stopped himself from doing anything rash on his own."
"What does that mean?" Mohinder asked around a mouthful.
"Oh, uh..." Peter looked away. "Nothing."
"Peter," Mohinder said, trying to look stern while brushing away crumbs.
Peter glanced at the empty plate on the tea tray. "Do you want a real sandwich?" he said, laughing.
Mohinder felt his face get hot. "That would be wonderful, thank you," he muttered. "But don't change the subject."
Peter sighed and put their cups on the tray, picking it up. "Danko had a girlfriend near DC," he explained as Mohinder followed him into the kitchen. "Matt almost shot her in revenge. But he couldn't bring himself to do it." Peter set the tray on the counter and opened the fridge. "Like I said--"
"That's not nothing," Mohinder interrupted. "He went right from that to running back to Janice? After losing Daphne? You're right; that's not remotely healthy."
"Well, you can try telling him that, because he definitely didn't want to hear anything from me." Peter set out a plate of leftover chicken, a tomato, and a head of lettuce. "You like mayo or mustard?"
"I will talk to him," Mohinder said, leaning against the counter. "And mustard would be excellent, please."
"It'd probably benefit all of us if we could talk to a therapist," Peter said, grabbing a bottle of dijon mustard and a roll from the refrigerator before getting a knife. "Bennet's life is a mess now. And I know what you're going to say, but I really believe Bennet was trying to help us. He did help me a couple times, and he threw himself into fighting with us when Danko turned on him."
Mohinder managed not to roll his eyes at the inevitability. "And how did that happen?"
Peter concentrated on his sandwich construction. "Sylar screwing with his head. Bennet figured out he was among the soldiers and tried to kill him when he was still in disguise, and, you know, shooting your own soldiers is not favored in the military. But before that, Sylar impersonated Bennet's wife and pretty much ruined their marriage."
"I'm sure it was a fun game for him," Mohinder muttered.
Peter snorted. "Bennet did say he felt it was a long time coming anyway, but yeah. Claire keeps saying she's coping well with the divorce, but I barely talk to her since she's thrown herself into getting ready for college. She's not even going for a couple more months."
"I gather her 'pass' didn't work out."
Peter nodded. "Rebel had her helping some specials, but once Nathan was blacklisted they came for her too. But like Mom told you, she was with us in DC for that meeting with the President. We got separated and she was alone with Sylar for a bit, but in the end I don't think she was any worse for the wear."
"I suppose none of us are in the end," Mohinder said. Peter put the finished sandwich on a plate and pushed it toward him, and Mohinder took it as he amended, "Except for Daphne." He took a bite and chewed slowly.
Peter rapped his fingers on the counter. "Not just Daphne. Tracy is gone."
"What?!" Mohinder dropped the sandwich, his already lagging appetite squashed.
"Rebel got her out of Building 26, and Bennet caught up to her. He said they used her to lure Rebel out of hiding. In the end, she helped him escape and killed soldiers by turning a parking garage into an ice cavern. She was completely frozen and... Danko just shot her. That was it, really."
"Oh, my god," Mohinder murmured, unable to stop the visual in his mind-- a smooth, lovely ice sculpture exploding into thousands of jeweled pieces.
"Did you know her well?"
"No, I... I didn't know her, I just..." Mohinder shook his head. "I'm sorry, Peter, but if Nathan hadn't--"
"Nathan wasn't at Building Twenty-Six anymore when that happened."
"Still!" Mohinder said. "We and our friends were treated like animals, and there's no telling who else died, or whose lives were ruined--"
"Nathan will make up for all of that," Peter insisted, turning away to replace everything he'd pulled from the refrigerator.
"How?" Mohinder snapped. "How is Nathan going to fix what he's done?"
"The initiative Nathan brought up to the press is a new Company. He and Bennet are setting it up."
Mohinder pushed his plate away. "Really. We're starting down that road again."
"I know, I know, believe me, I thought the same thing." Peter tossed the knife into the sink. "But this new Company will be better-- no more bagging and tagging. It's government-affiliated, meaning there will be some oversight, regulations, all that."
"Really."
"Well, okay, there still has to be a high level of secrecy, but the last months were really a kick in the pants for both Nathan and Bennet about the human cost, you know? They want to do more outreach and help people, not treat them like animals."
"You know what they say about the road to Hell, Peter."
Peter exhaled sharply. "What else should we do, Mohinder? Do you really think it's a bad idea to keep track of people like us? It's a bad idea to have some contingency plans in place if there's someone like Sylar out there, or worse?"
"Excuse me if I don't trust the same people who basically confined me to a house in the middle of nowhere for weeks on end."
"So you'd rather trust a stranger to handle it? Some random bureaucratic asshole? Or even worse, they're trying to convince Nathan to get some military representative to do inspections. Nathan is fighting that tooth and nail. Do you think someone else will do the same?"
Mohinder folded his arms, unable to think of more to say.
"I'm not completely naive, Mohinder. I'm going to be in DC to keep an eye on it." Peter paused. "But you should be there too. Bennet can get the medical resources--"
"Are you mad?!" Mohinder snapped. "How could I possibly trust Bennet and Nathan with-- with this?" He opened his arms around his stomach. He jerked suddenly, realizing. "Did you tell them?!"
"I was worried about you!" Peter blurted out defensively. "They called the whole hunt off, but you were out there pregnant and I had no idea where you were, or if you were even alive!"
"How could you-- I trusted you!" Mohinder snapped. "And you just blurted it out, regardless of how private-- how personal-- to Nathan and Bennet, of all people!" He hardly knew what to say. He felt his whole body shake.
"What do you think they would do?" Peter retorted.
Mohinder nearly snarled. "I don't know. Something insane and unexpected, like exposing innocent people to a military sociopath, or maybe holding an eight-year-old at gunpoint?"
"Or injecting yourself with an untested formula and experimenting on people?"
Mohinder shoved himself away from the counter and headed right for the front door. Peter caught up to him in the parlor.
"Mohinder," he said quickly, "I'm sorry, I didn't--"
"Goodbye, Peter," Mohinder said, passing into the foyer and picking up his bag.
Peter grabbed it back. "You came back from all that, didn't you?" he said quickly. "That's what I'm trying to say. Why can't Nathan and Bennet--"
"Maybe you can take the risk, Peter, but I have more than myself to think about," Mohinder said coldly. "I can trust my own guilt, but I don't know what's going on in their heads."
"Can you trust me?" Peter asked.
Mohinder looked away. "Peter..."
"Just talk to Bennet and see what he has to say. You're not obligated to do anything. You'll be able to leave whenever you want. But just talk to him like I have, and you'll see."
"And Nathan, too, I suppose?"
"He's like a whole new person, Mohinder. Using our powers against Sylar, I think it really opened him up to how we can integrate in the world."
Mohinder gestured uselessly with his hands, still thrumming with anger, but not sure what to do with the energy. "I don't want to be part of their trial run!"
"Look." Peter carefully put his hands on Mohinder's shoulders. "It's not safe for you to try to do this on your own. The only male pregnancy there's ever been was a transgender man. I don't even know how I could help you in a normal hospital. With all the factors involved, you need people who can really monitor and analyze the progress of the pregnancy."
Mohinder stepped back, out of Peter's light grasp, and closed his eyes. He grabbed fistfuls of his hair. "I feel trapped," he said.
"You're not trapped. It's your choice. Whatever you want to do, no one will stop you."
"I want to go home," Mohinder said.
"Nathan hasn't gotten the apartment back yet--"
"I don't care about the damn apartment!" Mohinder yelled, and he didn't realize he was crying until the tears hit his jawline. He sat heavily on the prim chair and covered his face. He had managed to never cry in front of Maya, but now he couldn't stop, because he wanted to go home, wanted to pretend he never left. But in reality he'd arrive at his parents' house and have to answer the same questions all over again. He couldn't stand the thought of having earned his mother's and Molly's scrutiny. And he could never tell them the whole truth, but he'd know that Molly shouldn't trust him, and his mother... Just the thought of her disappointment felt excruciating.
And what would he do for medical attention? He couldn't do anything but stay here, submit himself to the judgment of two of the last people he wanted to trust.
"Hey," Peter said quietly. He tried to rub Mohinder's shoulder, but Mohinder violently shook him off. "I'm sorry I threw this at you now. We all just got out of a nightmare, and you still have to deal with this... unexpected development. You need to decompress."
Mohinder drew in a shaking breath, lowering his hands. He nodded.
"Are you tired? I can take you to your room."
Mohinder nodded again. He suddenly felt exhausted.
Peter led Mohinder upstairs and down a plushly carpeted hallway. Mohinder followed numbly, barely noticing the classic, expensive decor until Peter opened a door and he came face-to-face with a guestroom lavish with comfort. Long, heavy curtains blocked out the afternoon light, and warm, autumn scenes overlooked the darkly-stained furniture. The full bed was puffed up with a thick comforter tucked under half a dozen pillows. Peter set the light dimmer on low and put Mohinder's bag on the bureau. Mohinder stared at the bed, waiting for Peter to leave, but the other man suddenly spoke, sounding almost desperate.
"Can I please give you a hug?"
Mohinder laughed weakly, but genuinely. He let Peter embrace him, and after a moment Mohinder hugged him back.
"I really am sorry," Peter said over Mohinder's shoulder, "about everything. But I only told Nathan and Bennet because I want you to be safe. After everything that's happened, you're still my friend."
Mohinder knew that he probably would have done the same. "I understand," he murmured. "And thank you for being my friend."
He could feel the relief seep into Peter's shoulders. Peter pulled back. "Any time. I'll let you rest. If you need anything, my room's at the end of the hall on the right, or I might be downstairs."
Peter closed the door quietly as he left. Mohinder stripped to his boxers and the tank top under his shirt. He turned the light off and crawled into the bed, settling on his stomach under the comforter's warmth. He'd had a hard time sleeping even since the phone call with Angela, but despite the argument just minutes ago, he felt more at ease knowing that Peter was safe, knowing that he wasn't dreaming all this back in Iowa. And the room certainly helped; his exhausted body melded to the perfectly soft mattress, and a pillow soft as marshmallow cradled his head. Sleep overcame him easily.
@ @ @ @ @
In the dark, the quiet, the baby slept with the gentle rocking motion of the bassinet. The baby lay on its side, turned away under the soft blanket covering all but its head. Mohinder wanted to see it, to switch on the lights, uncover it, and get a good look, but babies needed rest.
A door opened, throwing a streak of light into the room against the hood of the bassinet, keeping the child in the dark. The light at the tall figure's back cast a dark pall over its features, and though the shiver up Mohinder's spine knew who it was, he still wanted to turn on the light in the room and throw the blackness off.
But the baby needed sleep.
@ @ @ @ @
Mohinder wearily cracked his eyes open. A thin shaft of light shot through the darkness of the room, crossing where the duvet covered his calves. Someone peered in from the hall, a silent faceless silhouette. The paralysis had yet to leave his sluggish limbs, and for a moment, still half-asleep, Mohinder thought he was still dreaming.
"Nathan!" Peter's voice hissed.
The figure closed the door. Mohinder blinked, a bit more awake. He could just make out the voices in the hallway.
"What are you doing? Your room is down the hall."
"Ma still keeps it for me?"
"Uh, of course she does."
"Oh. I guess I thought she might finally let go."
"Are you kidding? It's the only sign she has any warmth left. You didn't wake him up, did you?"
"I don't think so. What's he sleeping now for? It's only eight."
"Well, you know, long-term stress tends to screw up a guy's circadian rhythms."
Awkward silence.
"Besides," Peter went on, "he's going to need a lot of rest in the next several months."
"Right, and we'll get him the best of care."
"If he agrees."
"If? Didn't you talk to him?"
"He's not exactly keen on putting his health in your hands."
"Well, remind him I won't be his doctor. Whoever Bennet finds will be."
"Not keen on Bennet either."
"I don't know what the hell he expects to do otherwise."
"Just give him some time, Nathan! It's stupid to push him about it now. I've barely been able to relax, and he--"
"He's already been pregnant for months without a single check-up."
"I know, but the days of coercing people 'for their own good' are over. It's great you want to help, Nathan, really, but there are some things you're just going to have to let go."
"You've got to be kidding me. There is a baby at stake here and you want me to just forget about it because Suresh is stubborn."
"Seriously, Nathan, what's the alternative?"
A pause. "Look, I'll talk to him. I'll apolo--"
"No, that would be a bad idea. Trust me. Just give him time to come around. Mohinder is not going to put his baby at risk."
"His baby. That's still so weird to hear."
"Don't judge," Peter chided, but then he chuckled. "I still remember that story about how when Mom was pregnant with me, you'd shove a pillow up your shirt and whine about swollen ankles just to annoy her."
"What? I don't remember that."
"Are you kidding me? You're the one who told me."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Peter said, and his voice faded as their footsteps moved away from the door. "Once you did it when Mrs. Houston was over..."
Mohinder listened until he heard a door close down the hall, and it was back to silence and near darkness, his eyes having adjusted enough to make out the faint shapes of the room.
Hearing about his lack of options from Nathan didn't make his situation at all easier. That voice made him want to grab a pillow, sneak down the hall, and smother the man-- and he could do it, easily. But that frightening thought tempered his anger. Mohinder didn't want to kill anyone, didn't want to go back to that single-minded scientist with no care for who got in his way. And he heard Peter's voice in his head, insisting that Nathan wanted to be a new person too. Wouldn't it be hypocrisy to not give him that same chance?
And yet it would still be foolish to trust him entirely.
Mohinder wished he'd stayed in Iowa, so he could at least talk to someone who wasn't responsible for the hunt or so ready to forgive. He should have left the cell phone with Maya, but she insisted he take it in case something happened, especially since he insisted she keep all but a little of the money.
But then, Mohinder hadn't talked to Matt yet. Tomorrow, as soon as the time difference wasn't problematic, Mohinder would call him. He needed to hear for himself that Matt was okay, and to commiserate with someone who also had a child who had been in danger.
At the moment, however, he was still exhausted with his position and lack of options. He again gave into the pressing weight of sleep.
@ @ @ @ @
"Hello?" Janice's voice had an air of frustration, as if the call was just another distraction.
"Hello, may I speak to Matt, please?" Mohinder asked.
A pause. "Oh, is this Mohinder?" she said, sounding a bit friendlier.
He was a little taken aback. He'd never met the woman, only spoken to her on the phone once. "Ah, yes. I didn't think you'd recognize my voice."
"We don't get many British accents calling," she said. "Besides, Matt's been worried about you. Hold on, and I'll get him."
Mohinder was using the phone in the kitchen, and he leaned against the counter while he waited. His gaze wandered into the parlor, and amongst the array of photos in shiny, delicate frames mounted on the wall were baby pictures of Peter and Nathan. He turned around to face into the kitchen, only to recognize the distant, soft sounds in his ear as Janice's cooing as she fussed with her son. He sighed.
Matt finally picked up. "Mohinder!" he exclaimed. "It's great to finally hear from you! Safe and sound?"
Mohinder snorted. "I'm not sure 'sound' has ever applied, but yes, I'm fine."
"Peter told me you turned up, but when I tried to call last night you were asleep."
"It's alright."
"Probably the first real bed you've had in a while, huh?"
"Actually..." Mohinder explained that Rebel had contacted him and that he'd lived rather comfortably with Maya for the last several weeks. "It's you who deserves my sympathy," Mohinder finished quietly, "after all you went through."
"It all worked out in the end," Matt said unconvincingly.
"I'm sorry about Daphne."
In the long pause, Mohinder thought Matt would hang up. Eventually, Matt said, "I didn't think you knew about that."
"Rebel told us some things, although I saw you on the news myself. And Peter mentioned how you nearly--"
"But I didn't," Matt said in a strained voice, and Mohinder imagined he must have gone to a separate room from Janice. "I couldn't."
"I just want to make sure you're really all right."
"I'm fine," Matt said quickly. "I'm safe, I'm home, I'm reconciling with my wife, and I have a beautiful son."
"Matt," Mohinder began carefully, "those are all fantastic things, but don't you think you're--"
"What about you?" Matt interrupted. "Are you still, you know, healthy?"
Mohinder relented for now. "I'm doing fine."
"And the, uh..."
"I can't be sure about the baby. I haven't seen a doctor yet."
"Yet? What, are you going to waltz into a maternity ward?"
"Peter's been talking about letting the new Company handle everything."
"Let the... you mean let Nathan handle it." Matt sounded almost panicked.
"I don't trust him either, but what else can I do?"
"Doesn't Peter have medical buddies?"
"Peter's repeatedly dropped off the medical map," Mohinder pointed out. "I doubt he knows any doctor well enough who would keep such a secret."
"There have to be alternatives."
"You don't seem to be offering any." Mohinder sighed. "And I can't think of any. Peter trusts that Nathan is trying to change, and Bennet too."
"Yeah, but Peter doesn't... Peter has to trust Nathan. They're brothers. Hell, he's just too trusting overall. I told you about Adam Monroe."
"Didn't you get a feel for their thoughts?" Mohinder asked. "When you met up to stop Sylar?"
Matt went quiet again. Then: "Look, Mohinder, obviously Nathan and Bennet think they're going to do the right thing now, but there's no telling if they'll end up doing horrible things 'for the greater good' again. And I can read their minds all I want, but with a whole organization set in motion behind them, I don't know what could be done. You should just stay away."
"Thank you for affirming my bleak outlook." Mohinder leaned against the counter again. "But there does need to be an organization like this," he said, conceding to Peter in his mind. "It's going to happen no matter what, so it wouldn't be right to just ignore it. There need to be watchful eyes."
"You're telling me you're joining up?"
"No, I just... I'm going to put myself in their care and just keep my eyes and ears open." He asked curiously, "Did they ask you to join?"
"Bennet asked me to head up security."
Mohinder blinked. "Well, wouldn't that put you in an ideal position to--"
"I don't want anything to do with it," Matt said stonily.
"But you'd have oversight--"
"At Bennet's right hand. I... I know I have good intentions too, but if he's got his mind set on something, who knows what I could be persuaded into?"
"You act like he's the one with mind manipulation. I know you're stronger than that, Matt."
"I can't," Matt said. "I have a wife and kid, and I just... Look, I have to go."
Mohinder hadn't expected such a fraught conversation. "Alright," he said, disappointed.
"Are you really going to put them in charge of your medical care? Of the baby's care?"
"There's nothing else to be done. This is the best thing for the baby. It would be riskier to keep going through this blind. Would you have had Janice refuse all medical care when she carried your son?"
Matt had no argument for that. "Just reconsider, okay?"
"I do every minute."
A last pause. "Is Nathan there now?"
"He got here yesterday."
"How has he been acting?" Matt added, "I mean, has he been conciliatory?"
"Oh, he's hardly shown his face around me." Mohinder thought briefly of the silhouette. It was only when he roused himself in the early hours of the morning that he realized the image was a bit unsettling. "He's spent most of his time at his office. Why? Should I worry about soldiers bursting into the house?" He was mostly joking.
"Of course not. I was just wondering if..." Matt paused, then said, "Look, nevermind. Just... when you get to the Company, watch out for yourself."
@ @ @ @ @
A couple of days later, Mohinder and Peter sat on the couch in the parlor as Angela greeted Bennet at the front door. Her voice had that saccharine edge that made it clear her favor was always conditional, similar to the coldness in her eyes when she smiled at Mohinder as she led Bennet into the room. Mohinder often wondered what it would take to truly gain the respect of someone so unflappable.
Two high-backed chairs flanked the coffee table, and Angela sat in the one beside Peter. Mohinder reflexively folded his arms and kept his eyes on the floral centerpiece as Bennet took the seat beside him. The last thing he wanted to see was that irritating superior smirk, especially from the man who'd sold him out to Danko. Mohinder imagined that Bennet just loved what he'd gotten himself into-- Mohinder had once turned on him and shot him, after all. Nevermind that Mohinder had been trying to help fatally ill people and all Bennet could think about was the "safety" of a girl who couldn't be harmed.
But that wasn't fair, Mohinder reprimanded himself. He'd had qualms about taking Molly back into the Company, after all, and he'd never been able to figure out what Bob Bishop's intentions were. The last inkling was the discovery that Sylar had been injected with the Shanti virus, which certainly didn't say much for Bob's promise to eradicate all stored strains. There had been no trustworthy telling of what would have been done with Claire.
Mohinder abruptly realized that the conversation had started when Angela rattled a teacup in its saucer. He took it apologetically.
"... six-floor facility on the outskirts of DC," Bennet was saying. "It used to be an educational resources company, so while we don't need to install a cafeteria, there's still work to be done for a medical department, not to mention secure cells."
The new Level Five, Mohinder thought, but quietly sipped his tea.
"Make that a priority," Angela said. "There's no telling when we may need them."
"We've gotten the contractors rolling," Bennet said. "I think it'll be about three weeks for the building to be set up, maybe with some construction going on while we move in."
"Three weeks is pretty good," Peter commented, smiling at Mohinder.
"The fourth floor will be dedicated to medical needs," Bennet said, now also looking at Mohinder. "It's smaller than I would like, but once we get results I think we'll be cleared to expand."
"There will be other specials there?" Mohinder said, feeling foolish as soon as he said it. How had he not considered other patients until now?
"Well, there are bound to be other people who need medical assistance. We're only starting with ten beds, including yours, all private rooms. We'll double them up when the need arises, but you can keep a private room for as long as you're there, given your circumstances."
His own room was certainly preferable. He would much rather go through the pregnancy with the ability to take refuge in a private space.
"I'm aiming for a night nurse and day nurse on staff, in addition to the physician we've already secured. But for Mohinder, we're looking into someone more specialized, who can also stay on to help with medical issues as well as research initiatives."
"Exactly how many people are going to know about this?" Mohinder asked, trying to keep his legs from jittering.
"We're trying to keep it to a minimum, which at the moment includes everyone in this room, Nathan, the doctors, and the nurses. As for anyone else who sees you, it's up to you how to handle it. You can tell the truth, or you can make up some story about stomach distension as a side effect of a power. Personal medical business is as confidential as usual.
"As for things higher up, to prevent public panic, there is still an active effort to maintain the secrecy of this organization. The President has been willing to let us operate fairly independently so long as he can depend on my disclosure. This will not be part of that disclosure."
"There's no oversight?" Mohinder said skeptically.
"There will be a liaison between us and the President, but don't worry about that. There are strings being pulled."
Already Bennet was telling Mohinder to just trust him. "What about this specialized doctor? When can I get an exam?"
"Construction is one thing; finding highly qualified physicians who can keep their mouths shut is another. But we're already vetting several candidates, and hopefully we'll find someone soon. In the meantime, you'll be able to have a basic physical from the general practitioner."
"In three weeks."
"Yes. Although, we could try making arrangements for next week."
"No, it's fine," Mohinder said, because what if something was wrong? Did he want to find out and then have to wait another two weeks before he could get proper care?
Angela asked more about the doctor Bennet already had, as well as the nurses and the rest of the staff, propelling the conversation into matters of general operation. Mohinder faded in and out of the conversation, usually coming back to attention at a look or nudge from Peter. Almost an hour passed before Bennet brought up accommodations again.
"I'd bring a lot of personal touches given your long stay," he said to Mohinder.
"Speaking of which," Angela said, "your belongings were recovered and we have them in a storage unit."
"What about the apartment?" Peter asked.
"I'm afraid that was already rented out."
It wasn't a surprise, really, but it bothered Mohinder all the same. "Yes, well, when one drops off the face of the Earth..."
Angela ignored his tone. "Peter can go with you to get what you like. We'll hold the rest until you have permanent arrangements after the child arrives."
Arrives. Like it would show up on a bus. Peter must have noticed the look on Mohinder's face, because he patted Mohinder's back and said in an upbeat tone, "We'll head there tomorrow."
Bennet checked his watch and glanced out the window. "I'm afraid I have to get back to Washington."
Mohinder turned his head to look, Peter doing the same. The town car idled outside. The back windows were down and Nathan waited in the back seat, sunglasses shielding his eyes and a newspaper in his hands. Turning away, Mohinder couldn't stop a faint chuckle. Indeed, Nathan was so penitent he couldn't have been bothered to sit in on their meeting.
Peter seemed to feel similarly. "Nice of Nathan to say goodbye," he muttered as they all got to their feet.
Angela brushed it off with a chiding glance. "Oh, Peter, your brother is very busy. You'll see him again soon enough. Don't be childish."
Peter rolled his eyes at Mohinder. "I guess I do expect too much," he said as they followed the other two to the foyer. "You and Nathan could stay for dinner," Peter tried as Bennet pulled on his jacket.
"I would like that, but we have a meeting this evening," Bennet said. He stepped outside after Angela opened the door for him, but he paused, eyeing Mohinder. "Can I speak to you privately for a moment?"
Mohinder shifted on his feet nervously. "Alright," he agreed.
Angela closed the door behind him as he joined Bennet on the stoop. Bennet stared at him evenly. "I didn't want to put you on the spot in front of them," he said, then paused again, mulling over his words. "Have you put thought into the alternative?"
Mohinder furrowed his brow. "The alternative?"
"Terminating the pregnancy," Bennet clarified bluntly.
Mohinder stilled, feeling a sudden wave of guilt. He resisted the urge to touch his stomach. "Well, I... I didn't have... No, I decided to keep it."
"I don't know what your personal feelings are on the matter, but I think it's necessary for you to know that termination is always a possibility, especially since we're flying a little blind on how to keep the pregnancy safe and comfortable." Bennet still held his gaze, and the genuine concern made Mohinder feel surprised and awkward. "But it's always open as a choice for you, too."
"I understand," Mohinder replied numbly.
Bennet shook his hand. "I'll keep in touch with Angela about the construction progress, but I'll probably see you again in a few weeks."
"Alright," Mohinder said. As Bennet stepped off the stoop, he added, "Thank you."
Bennet smiled slightly over his shoulder and made his way down the walk. Nathan still sat with the paper, but as Bennet got in the car and closed the door, he finally looked toward the house, light gleaming off his dark lenses. After a moment, the windows rolled up and the car pulled away.
Series: Heroes
Pairing: Mylar
Rating: R
Warnings: Mpreg! BS science! Fairly dark! Consent issues!
Summary: After being doused with the complete formula, Mohinder copes with a lingering side effect as he and everyone around him try to rebuild their lives and their trust.
Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
The Petrellis bought Mohinder a plane ticket, which was fine given how much longer a bus trip would've taken. He felt flustered, however, not only when he realized it was a first class seat, but when the Petrellis' driver met him with a town car at JFK. Mohinder let the driver take the small bag of his few fugitive possessions and climbed into the backseat when the door was opened for him. In about an hour, they pulled up to the modest Petrelli manor in Manhattan.
Peter burst out the front door and wrapped Mohinder in a fierce hug before the driver even got Mohinder's things from the trunk. "It's so great to see you!" he exclaimed and took the bag before Mohinder could grab it. "Thanks, Terry," he said quickly and urged Mohinder to follow him into the house. Mohinder tried not to think about the last time he was here, when he'd carried Peter's body across the threshold.
Peter set the bag on a prim chair in the foyer and looked Mohinder over. "Man, I just... I knew you were okay, but I didn't know, you know?"
Mohinder smiled. "I'm relieved you're also in one piece."
"Surprisingly!" Peter eyed his friend's stomach. "Honestly, I expected you to be bigger."
"I'm glad I'm not. Imagine the stares." Mohinder self-consciously folded his arms. "But I'm only about three months along. I just started to show." To strangers it only looked like he needed to hit the gym.
"Is that all? It seems like ages since I last saw you."
"I won't argue with that," Mohinder said. "You seem a little too used to the idea of this."
"After everything we've been through," Peter said, "it just hit me that this isn't too far beyond, you know?" He looked down again. "Though, yeah, it is a little weird." He grinned at Mohinder's laugh and gestured with his head to the next room. "Come sit down. There's tea."
They went into the parlor and sat on the couch. A tray of not just tea but small cucumber sandwiches sat on the coffee table. Mohinder helped himself to one as Peter leaned back and visibly relaxed into the cushions.
"Things are back to normal so suddenly," he said. "It's weird not having to wonder about your next move."
"It's a relief," Mohinder said after swallowing.
Peter smiled. "I bet. So my mom said you've been with Maya? How did that happen?"
"Thanks to our friend, Rebel," Mohinder said. "Wasn't he in contact with you as well?"
"Yeah, but he never mentioned sending you anywhere." Peter shook his head. "It would've been nice to know."
Mohinder shrugged slightly. "I suppose he felt it was safer to keep it to himself."
"Yeah. So did he send you to a farm or what?"
"He put us in a house in the woods, actually. It was rather nice once we cleaned it up. I'm not sure how he came to possess it. No one ever came by, wondering why we were on their property."
"He's obviously a tech whiz. He probably owns all kinds of property on paper," Peter mused. He shot Mohinder a curious look. "So how did it go with Maya?"
Mohinder felt self-conscious and busied his hands by pouring them both tea. "Surprisingly well. If we were still in Iowa when the baby came, she would have been more than helpful." He could see Peter hesitating to delve further and decided to push ahead. "So Sylar was still alive all that time."
Peter sighed heavily. "Yeah. Like a cockroach, right?"
"A very suitable metaphor," Mohinder muttered as he sipped from his cup.
"And Mom and Nathan even knew about it," Peter admitted. "I already thanked them for the heads up."
Mohinder was hardly surprised. "But that doesn't really matter now, does it? You burned him."
Peter leaned forward, resting his clasped hands on his knees. "We had to get rid of him before the government could figure out he was still alive," he said apologetically. "It was too much of a risk that they'd want to keep him that way to experiment on him or something."
"I understand," Mohinder said. "It's fine, Peter. It doesn't matter."
"Of course it matters!" Peter exclaimed. "You deserved to be there, more than most of us."
Mohinder bit into another sandwich. "So where is everyone now?"
Peter frowned but went with the change in topic. "All over the place, as usual. Uh... Well, when Hiro and Ando were in India, they got a message from Rebel to go to this house in LA and-- wait. Did you know Matt had a kid?"
Mohinder managed not to choke. "He said the baby wasn't his!"
"Uh, well, it is, and Hiro and Ando saved Matt Junior from the hunt just in time. He has a power."
Mohinder's curiosity was instantly piqued. "Oh?"
"He can turn things on and off, though since he's just a baby it happens when he's happy or upset. Hiro called him Baby Stop-and-Go."
"Of course he did."
"Little Matty also turned Hiro's power back on."
"Oh, my god!" Mohinder exclaimed. "That's incredible!" That meant that Arthur Petrelli didn't alter DNA, he only copied it and--
"Yeah, until he started getting nosebleeds and passing out," Peter said, leaning back again.
"Oh," Mohinder said, his eagerness quelled.
"He was able to free the people held in Building Twenty-Six with Ando, but for the most part it's dangerous for him to try to manipulate time and space. I assume he has top doctors back in Japan, and hopefully they can figure out what to do. I told him and Ando to call and let me know what happens, but..."
"But?"
"I dunno, Hiro seemed kind of in denial about it. I think Ando will keep a good eye on him, though." Peter smiled wryly. "Speaking of denial, Matt went back to Janice."
Mohinder stopped in the middle of reaching for more food. "Back to... How long has Daphne been gone?"
"A few weeks now, but like I said, I think he's blocking it out. When Hiro and Ando brought the baby to him, Matt says it gave him an epiphany that life is still worth living. But he hasn't really grieved. I think he just wants to put all of this behind him, but it's going to bite him in the ass."
"What about that bomb scare? How can he just travel across the country?"
"Oh, god, did you see that?" Peter slid a hand over his face. "Nathan took care of all that. I mean, Danko set the scare up all on his own, and it's not hard to get people to turn on someone who shot one of his own men. Of course, I get the feeling Sylar had a hand in the shooting, but good luck getting Danko to confess to collaborating with a supposedly dead superpowered murderer who tried to kill the President." Realizing they were back on Sylar again, Peter hurried on. "So I think Matt'll be exonerated on the news tonight." Taking another sandwich, Mohinder barely had time to absorb that Nathan had been uninvolved with the bomb threat when Peter added, "Thankfully he stopped himself from doing anything rash on his own."
"What does that mean?" Mohinder asked around a mouthful.
"Oh, uh..." Peter looked away. "Nothing."
"Peter," Mohinder said, trying to look stern while brushing away crumbs.
Peter glanced at the empty plate on the tea tray. "Do you want a real sandwich?" he said, laughing.
Mohinder felt his face get hot. "That would be wonderful, thank you," he muttered. "But don't change the subject."
Peter sighed and put their cups on the tray, picking it up. "Danko had a girlfriend near DC," he explained as Mohinder followed him into the kitchen. "Matt almost shot her in revenge. But he couldn't bring himself to do it." Peter set the tray on the counter and opened the fridge. "Like I said--"
"That's not nothing," Mohinder interrupted. "He went right from that to running back to Janice? After losing Daphne? You're right; that's not remotely healthy."
"Well, you can try telling him that, because he definitely didn't want to hear anything from me." Peter set out a plate of leftover chicken, a tomato, and a head of lettuce. "You like mayo or mustard?"
"I will talk to him," Mohinder said, leaning against the counter. "And mustard would be excellent, please."
"It'd probably benefit all of us if we could talk to a therapist," Peter said, grabbing a bottle of dijon mustard and a roll from the refrigerator before getting a knife. "Bennet's life is a mess now. And I know what you're going to say, but I really believe Bennet was trying to help us. He did help me a couple times, and he threw himself into fighting with us when Danko turned on him."
Mohinder managed not to roll his eyes at the inevitability. "And how did that happen?"
Peter concentrated on his sandwich construction. "Sylar screwing with his head. Bennet figured out he was among the soldiers and tried to kill him when he was still in disguise, and, you know, shooting your own soldiers is not favored in the military. But before that, Sylar impersonated Bennet's wife and pretty much ruined their marriage."
"I'm sure it was a fun game for him," Mohinder muttered.
Peter snorted. "Bennet did say he felt it was a long time coming anyway, but yeah. Claire keeps saying she's coping well with the divorce, but I barely talk to her since she's thrown herself into getting ready for college. She's not even going for a couple more months."
"I gather her 'pass' didn't work out."
Peter nodded. "Rebel had her helping some specials, but once Nathan was blacklisted they came for her too. But like Mom told you, she was with us in DC for that meeting with the President. We got separated and she was alone with Sylar for a bit, but in the end I don't think she was any worse for the wear."
"I suppose none of us are in the end," Mohinder said. Peter put the finished sandwich on a plate and pushed it toward him, and Mohinder took it as he amended, "Except for Daphne." He took a bite and chewed slowly.
Peter rapped his fingers on the counter. "Not just Daphne. Tracy is gone."
"What?!" Mohinder dropped the sandwich, his already lagging appetite squashed.
"Rebel got her out of Building 26, and Bennet caught up to her. He said they used her to lure Rebel out of hiding. In the end, she helped him escape and killed soldiers by turning a parking garage into an ice cavern. She was completely frozen and... Danko just shot her. That was it, really."
"Oh, my god," Mohinder murmured, unable to stop the visual in his mind-- a smooth, lovely ice sculpture exploding into thousands of jeweled pieces.
"Did you know her well?"
"No, I... I didn't know her, I just..." Mohinder shook his head. "I'm sorry, Peter, but if Nathan hadn't--"
"Nathan wasn't at Building Twenty-Six anymore when that happened."
"Still!" Mohinder said. "We and our friends were treated like animals, and there's no telling who else died, or whose lives were ruined--"
"Nathan will make up for all of that," Peter insisted, turning away to replace everything he'd pulled from the refrigerator.
"How?" Mohinder snapped. "How is Nathan going to fix what he's done?"
"The initiative Nathan brought up to the press is a new Company. He and Bennet are setting it up."
Mohinder pushed his plate away. "Really. We're starting down that road again."
"I know, I know, believe me, I thought the same thing." Peter tossed the knife into the sink. "But this new Company will be better-- no more bagging and tagging. It's government-affiliated, meaning there will be some oversight, regulations, all that."
"Really."
"Well, okay, there still has to be a high level of secrecy, but the last months were really a kick in the pants for both Nathan and Bennet about the human cost, you know? They want to do more outreach and help people, not treat them like animals."
"You know what they say about the road to Hell, Peter."
Peter exhaled sharply. "What else should we do, Mohinder? Do you really think it's a bad idea to keep track of people like us? It's a bad idea to have some contingency plans in place if there's someone like Sylar out there, or worse?"
"Excuse me if I don't trust the same people who basically confined me to a house in the middle of nowhere for weeks on end."
"So you'd rather trust a stranger to handle it? Some random bureaucratic asshole? Or even worse, they're trying to convince Nathan to get some military representative to do inspections. Nathan is fighting that tooth and nail. Do you think someone else will do the same?"
Mohinder folded his arms, unable to think of more to say.
"I'm not completely naive, Mohinder. I'm going to be in DC to keep an eye on it." Peter paused. "But you should be there too. Bennet can get the medical resources--"
"Are you mad?!" Mohinder snapped. "How could I possibly trust Bennet and Nathan with-- with this?" He opened his arms around his stomach. He jerked suddenly, realizing. "Did you tell them?!"
"I was worried about you!" Peter blurted out defensively. "They called the whole hunt off, but you were out there pregnant and I had no idea where you were, or if you were even alive!"
"How could you-- I trusted you!" Mohinder snapped. "And you just blurted it out, regardless of how private-- how personal-- to Nathan and Bennet, of all people!" He hardly knew what to say. He felt his whole body shake.
"What do you think they would do?" Peter retorted.
Mohinder nearly snarled. "I don't know. Something insane and unexpected, like exposing innocent people to a military sociopath, or maybe holding an eight-year-old at gunpoint?"
"Or injecting yourself with an untested formula and experimenting on people?"
Mohinder shoved himself away from the counter and headed right for the front door. Peter caught up to him in the parlor.
"Mohinder," he said quickly, "I'm sorry, I didn't--"
"Goodbye, Peter," Mohinder said, passing into the foyer and picking up his bag.
Peter grabbed it back. "You came back from all that, didn't you?" he said quickly. "That's what I'm trying to say. Why can't Nathan and Bennet--"
"Maybe you can take the risk, Peter, but I have more than myself to think about," Mohinder said coldly. "I can trust my own guilt, but I don't know what's going on in their heads."
"Can you trust me?" Peter asked.
Mohinder looked away. "Peter..."
"Just talk to Bennet and see what he has to say. You're not obligated to do anything. You'll be able to leave whenever you want. But just talk to him like I have, and you'll see."
"And Nathan, too, I suppose?"
"He's like a whole new person, Mohinder. Using our powers against Sylar, I think it really opened him up to how we can integrate in the world."
Mohinder gestured uselessly with his hands, still thrumming with anger, but not sure what to do with the energy. "I don't want to be part of their trial run!"
"Look." Peter carefully put his hands on Mohinder's shoulders. "It's not safe for you to try to do this on your own. The only male pregnancy there's ever been was a transgender man. I don't even know how I could help you in a normal hospital. With all the factors involved, you need people who can really monitor and analyze the progress of the pregnancy."
Mohinder stepped back, out of Peter's light grasp, and closed his eyes. He grabbed fistfuls of his hair. "I feel trapped," he said.
"You're not trapped. It's your choice. Whatever you want to do, no one will stop you."
"I want to go home," Mohinder said.
"Nathan hasn't gotten the apartment back yet--"
"I don't care about the damn apartment!" Mohinder yelled, and he didn't realize he was crying until the tears hit his jawline. He sat heavily on the prim chair and covered his face. He had managed to never cry in front of Maya, but now he couldn't stop, because he wanted to go home, wanted to pretend he never left. But in reality he'd arrive at his parents' house and have to answer the same questions all over again. He couldn't stand the thought of having earned his mother's and Molly's scrutiny. And he could never tell them the whole truth, but he'd know that Molly shouldn't trust him, and his mother... Just the thought of her disappointment felt excruciating.
And what would he do for medical attention? He couldn't do anything but stay here, submit himself to the judgment of two of the last people he wanted to trust.
"Hey," Peter said quietly. He tried to rub Mohinder's shoulder, but Mohinder violently shook him off. "I'm sorry I threw this at you now. We all just got out of a nightmare, and you still have to deal with this... unexpected development. You need to decompress."
Mohinder drew in a shaking breath, lowering his hands. He nodded.
"Are you tired? I can take you to your room."
Mohinder nodded again. He suddenly felt exhausted.
Peter led Mohinder upstairs and down a plushly carpeted hallway. Mohinder followed numbly, barely noticing the classic, expensive decor until Peter opened a door and he came face-to-face with a guestroom lavish with comfort. Long, heavy curtains blocked out the afternoon light, and warm, autumn scenes overlooked the darkly-stained furniture. The full bed was puffed up with a thick comforter tucked under half a dozen pillows. Peter set the light dimmer on low and put Mohinder's bag on the bureau. Mohinder stared at the bed, waiting for Peter to leave, but the other man suddenly spoke, sounding almost desperate.
"Can I please give you a hug?"
Mohinder laughed weakly, but genuinely. He let Peter embrace him, and after a moment Mohinder hugged him back.
"I really am sorry," Peter said over Mohinder's shoulder, "about everything. But I only told Nathan and Bennet because I want you to be safe. After everything that's happened, you're still my friend."
Mohinder knew that he probably would have done the same. "I understand," he murmured. "And thank you for being my friend."
He could feel the relief seep into Peter's shoulders. Peter pulled back. "Any time. I'll let you rest. If you need anything, my room's at the end of the hall on the right, or I might be downstairs."
Peter closed the door quietly as he left. Mohinder stripped to his boxers and the tank top under his shirt. He turned the light off and crawled into the bed, settling on his stomach under the comforter's warmth. He'd had a hard time sleeping even since the phone call with Angela, but despite the argument just minutes ago, he felt more at ease knowing that Peter was safe, knowing that he wasn't dreaming all this back in Iowa. And the room certainly helped; his exhausted body melded to the perfectly soft mattress, and a pillow soft as marshmallow cradled his head. Sleep overcame him easily.
@ @ @ @ @
In the dark, the quiet, the baby slept with the gentle rocking motion of the bassinet. The baby lay on its side, turned away under the soft blanket covering all but its head. Mohinder wanted to see it, to switch on the lights, uncover it, and get a good look, but babies needed rest.
A door opened, throwing a streak of light into the room against the hood of the bassinet, keeping the child in the dark. The light at the tall figure's back cast a dark pall over its features, and though the shiver up Mohinder's spine knew who it was, he still wanted to turn on the light in the room and throw the blackness off.
But the baby needed sleep.
@ @ @ @ @
Mohinder wearily cracked his eyes open. A thin shaft of light shot through the darkness of the room, crossing where the duvet covered his calves. Someone peered in from the hall, a silent faceless silhouette. The paralysis had yet to leave his sluggish limbs, and for a moment, still half-asleep, Mohinder thought he was still dreaming.
"Nathan!" Peter's voice hissed.
The figure closed the door. Mohinder blinked, a bit more awake. He could just make out the voices in the hallway.
"What are you doing? Your room is down the hall."
"Ma still keeps it for me?"
"Uh, of course she does."
"Oh. I guess I thought she might finally let go."
"Are you kidding? It's the only sign she has any warmth left. You didn't wake him up, did you?"
"I don't think so. What's he sleeping now for? It's only eight."
"Well, you know, long-term stress tends to screw up a guy's circadian rhythms."
Awkward silence.
"Besides," Peter went on, "he's going to need a lot of rest in the next several months."
"Right, and we'll get him the best of care."
"If he agrees."
"If? Didn't you talk to him?"
"He's not exactly keen on putting his health in your hands."
"Well, remind him I won't be his doctor. Whoever Bennet finds will be."
"Not keen on Bennet either."
"I don't know what the hell he expects to do otherwise."
"Just give him some time, Nathan! It's stupid to push him about it now. I've barely been able to relax, and he--"
"He's already been pregnant for months without a single check-up."
"I know, but the days of coercing people 'for their own good' are over. It's great you want to help, Nathan, really, but there are some things you're just going to have to let go."
"You've got to be kidding me. There is a baby at stake here and you want me to just forget about it because Suresh is stubborn."
"Seriously, Nathan, what's the alternative?"
A pause. "Look, I'll talk to him. I'll apolo--"
"No, that would be a bad idea. Trust me. Just give him time to come around. Mohinder is not going to put his baby at risk."
"His baby. That's still so weird to hear."
"Don't judge," Peter chided, but then he chuckled. "I still remember that story about how when Mom was pregnant with me, you'd shove a pillow up your shirt and whine about swollen ankles just to annoy her."
"What? I don't remember that."
"Are you kidding me? You're the one who told me."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Peter said, and his voice faded as their footsteps moved away from the door. "Once you did it when Mrs. Houston was over..."
Mohinder listened until he heard a door close down the hall, and it was back to silence and near darkness, his eyes having adjusted enough to make out the faint shapes of the room.
Hearing about his lack of options from Nathan didn't make his situation at all easier. That voice made him want to grab a pillow, sneak down the hall, and smother the man-- and he could do it, easily. But that frightening thought tempered his anger. Mohinder didn't want to kill anyone, didn't want to go back to that single-minded scientist with no care for who got in his way. And he heard Peter's voice in his head, insisting that Nathan wanted to be a new person too. Wouldn't it be hypocrisy to not give him that same chance?
And yet it would still be foolish to trust him entirely.
Mohinder wished he'd stayed in Iowa, so he could at least talk to someone who wasn't responsible for the hunt or so ready to forgive. He should have left the cell phone with Maya, but she insisted he take it in case something happened, especially since he insisted she keep all but a little of the money.
But then, Mohinder hadn't talked to Matt yet. Tomorrow, as soon as the time difference wasn't problematic, Mohinder would call him. He needed to hear for himself that Matt was okay, and to commiserate with someone who also had a child who had been in danger.
At the moment, however, he was still exhausted with his position and lack of options. He again gave into the pressing weight of sleep.
@ @ @ @ @
"Hello?" Janice's voice had an air of frustration, as if the call was just another distraction.
"Hello, may I speak to Matt, please?" Mohinder asked.
A pause. "Oh, is this Mohinder?" she said, sounding a bit friendlier.
He was a little taken aback. He'd never met the woman, only spoken to her on the phone once. "Ah, yes. I didn't think you'd recognize my voice."
"We don't get many British accents calling," she said. "Besides, Matt's been worried about you. Hold on, and I'll get him."
Mohinder was using the phone in the kitchen, and he leaned against the counter while he waited. His gaze wandered into the parlor, and amongst the array of photos in shiny, delicate frames mounted on the wall were baby pictures of Peter and Nathan. He turned around to face into the kitchen, only to recognize the distant, soft sounds in his ear as Janice's cooing as she fussed with her son. He sighed.
Matt finally picked up. "Mohinder!" he exclaimed. "It's great to finally hear from you! Safe and sound?"
Mohinder snorted. "I'm not sure 'sound' has ever applied, but yes, I'm fine."
"Peter told me you turned up, but when I tried to call last night you were asleep."
"It's alright."
"Probably the first real bed you've had in a while, huh?"
"Actually..." Mohinder explained that Rebel had contacted him and that he'd lived rather comfortably with Maya for the last several weeks. "It's you who deserves my sympathy," Mohinder finished quietly, "after all you went through."
"It all worked out in the end," Matt said unconvincingly.
"I'm sorry about Daphne."
In the long pause, Mohinder thought Matt would hang up. Eventually, Matt said, "I didn't think you knew about that."
"Rebel told us some things, although I saw you on the news myself. And Peter mentioned how you nearly--"
"But I didn't," Matt said in a strained voice, and Mohinder imagined he must have gone to a separate room from Janice. "I couldn't."
"I just want to make sure you're really all right."
"I'm fine," Matt said quickly. "I'm safe, I'm home, I'm reconciling with my wife, and I have a beautiful son."
"Matt," Mohinder began carefully, "those are all fantastic things, but don't you think you're--"
"What about you?" Matt interrupted. "Are you still, you know, healthy?"
Mohinder relented for now. "I'm doing fine."
"And the, uh..."
"I can't be sure about the baby. I haven't seen a doctor yet."
"Yet? What, are you going to waltz into a maternity ward?"
"Peter's been talking about letting the new Company handle everything."
"Let the... you mean let Nathan handle it." Matt sounded almost panicked.
"I don't trust him either, but what else can I do?"
"Doesn't Peter have medical buddies?"
"Peter's repeatedly dropped off the medical map," Mohinder pointed out. "I doubt he knows any doctor well enough who would keep such a secret."
"There have to be alternatives."
"You don't seem to be offering any." Mohinder sighed. "And I can't think of any. Peter trusts that Nathan is trying to change, and Bennet too."
"Yeah, but Peter doesn't... Peter has to trust Nathan. They're brothers. Hell, he's just too trusting overall. I told you about Adam Monroe."
"Didn't you get a feel for their thoughts?" Mohinder asked. "When you met up to stop Sylar?"
Matt went quiet again. Then: "Look, Mohinder, obviously Nathan and Bennet think they're going to do the right thing now, but there's no telling if they'll end up doing horrible things 'for the greater good' again. And I can read their minds all I want, but with a whole organization set in motion behind them, I don't know what could be done. You should just stay away."
"Thank you for affirming my bleak outlook." Mohinder leaned against the counter again. "But there does need to be an organization like this," he said, conceding to Peter in his mind. "It's going to happen no matter what, so it wouldn't be right to just ignore it. There need to be watchful eyes."
"You're telling me you're joining up?"
"No, I just... I'm going to put myself in their care and just keep my eyes and ears open." He asked curiously, "Did they ask you to join?"
"Bennet asked me to head up security."
Mohinder blinked. "Well, wouldn't that put you in an ideal position to--"
"I don't want anything to do with it," Matt said stonily.
"But you'd have oversight--"
"At Bennet's right hand. I... I know I have good intentions too, but if he's got his mind set on something, who knows what I could be persuaded into?"
"You act like he's the one with mind manipulation. I know you're stronger than that, Matt."
"I can't," Matt said. "I have a wife and kid, and I just... Look, I have to go."
Mohinder hadn't expected such a fraught conversation. "Alright," he said, disappointed.
"Are you really going to put them in charge of your medical care? Of the baby's care?"
"There's nothing else to be done. This is the best thing for the baby. It would be riskier to keep going through this blind. Would you have had Janice refuse all medical care when she carried your son?"
Matt had no argument for that. "Just reconsider, okay?"
"I do every minute."
A last pause. "Is Nathan there now?"
"He got here yesterday."
"How has he been acting?" Matt added, "I mean, has he been conciliatory?"
"Oh, he's hardly shown his face around me." Mohinder thought briefly of the silhouette. It was only when he roused himself in the early hours of the morning that he realized the image was a bit unsettling. "He's spent most of his time at his office. Why? Should I worry about soldiers bursting into the house?" He was mostly joking.
"Of course not. I was just wondering if..." Matt paused, then said, "Look, nevermind. Just... when you get to the Company, watch out for yourself."
@ @ @ @ @
A couple of days later, Mohinder and Peter sat on the couch in the parlor as Angela greeted Bennet at the front door. Her voice had that saccharine edge that made it clear her favor was always conditional, similar to the coldness in her eyes when she smiled at Mohinder as she led Bennet into the room. Mohinder often wondered what it would take to truly gain the respect of someone so unflappable.
Two high-backed chairs flanked the coffee table, and Angela sat in the one beside Peter. Mohinder reflexively folded his arms and kept his eyes on the floral centerpiece as Bennet took the seat beside him. The last thing he wanted to see was that irritating superior smirk, especially from the man who'd sold him out to Danko. Mohinder imagined that Bennet just loved what he'd gotten himself into-- Mohinder had once turned on him and shot him, after all. Nevermind that Mohinder had been trying to help fatally ill people and all Bennet could think about was the "safety" of a girl who couldn't be harmed.
But that wasn't fair, Mohinder reprimanded himself. He'd had qualms about taking Molly back into the Company, after all, and he'd never been able to figure out what Bob Bishop's intentions were. The last inkling was the discovery that Sylar had been injected with the Shanti virus, which certainly didn't say much for Bob's promise to eradicate all stored strains. There had been no trustworthy telling of what would have been done with Claire.
Mohinder abruptly realized that the conversation had started when Angela rattled a teacup in its saucer. He took it apologetically.
"... six-floor facility on the outskirts of DC," Bennet was saying. "It used to be an educational resources company, so while we don't need to install a cafeteria, there's still work to be done for a medical department, not to mention secure cells."
The new Level Five, Mohinder thought, but quietly sipped his tea.
"Make that a priority," Angela said. "There's no telling when we may need them."
"We've gotten the contractors rolling," Bennet said. "I think it'll be about three weeks for the building to be set up, maybe with some construction going on while we move in."
"Three weeks is pretty good," Peter commented, smiling at Mohinder.
"The fourth floor will be dedicated to medical needs," Bennet said, now also looking at Mohinder. "It's smaller than I would like, but once we get results I think we'll be cleared to expand."
"There will be other specials there?" Mohinder said, feeling foolish as soon as he said it. How had he not considered other patients until now?
"Well, there are bound to be other people who need medical assistance. We're only starting with ten beds, including yours, all private rooms. We'll double them up when the need arises, but you can keep a private room for as long as you're there, given your circumstances."
His own room was certainly preferable. He would much rather go through the pregnancy with the ability to take refuge in a private space.
"I'm aiming for a night nurse and day nurse on staff, in addition to the physician we've already secured. But for Mohinder, we're looking into someone more specialized, who can also stay on to help with medical issues as well as research initiatives."
"Exactly how many people are going to know about this?" Mohinder asked, trying to keep his legs from jittering.
"We're trying to keep it to a minimum, which at the moment includes everyone in this room, Nathan, the doctors, and the nurses. As for anyone else who sees you, it's up to you how to handle it. You can tell the truth, or you can make up some story about stomach distension as a side effect of a power. Personal medical business is as confidential as usual.
"As for things higher up, to prevent public panic, there is still an active effort to maintain the secrecy of this organization. The President has been willing to let us operate fairly independently so long as he can depend on my disclosure. This will not be part of that disclosure."
"There's no oversight?" Mohinder said skeptically.
"There will be a liaison between us and the President, but don't worry about that. There are strings being pulled."
Already Bennet was telling Mohinder to just trust him. "What about this specialized doctor? When can I get an exam?"
"Construction is one thing; finding highly qualified physicians who can keep their mouths shut is another. But we're already vetting several candidates, and hopefully we'll find someone soon. In the meantime, you'll be able to have a basic physical from the general practitioner."
"In three weeks."
"Yes. Although, we could try making arrangements for next week."
"No, it's fine," Mohinder said, because what if something was wrong? Did he want to find out and then have to wait another two weeks before he could get proper care?
Angela asked more about the doctor Bennet already had, as well as the nurses and the rest of the staff, propelling the conversation into matters of general operation. Mohinder faded in and out of the conversation, usually coming back to attention at a look or nudge from Peter. Almost an hour passed before Bennet brought up accommodations again.
"I'd bring a lot of personal touches given your long stay," he said to Mohinder.
"Speaking of which," Angela said, "your belongings were recovered and we have them in a storage unit."
"What about the apartment?" Peter asked.
"I'm afraid that was already rented out."
It wasn't a surprise, really, but it bothered Mohinder all the same. "Yes, well, when one drops off the face of the Earth..."
Angela ignored his tone. "Peter can go with you to get what you like. We'll hold the rest until you have permanent arrangements after the child arrives."
Arrives. Like it would show up on a bus. Peter must have noticed the look on Mohinder's face, because he patted Mohinder's back and said in an upbeat tone, "We'll head there tomorrow."
Bennet checked his watch and glanced out the window. "I'm afraid I have to get back to Washington."
Mohinder turned his head to look, Peter doing the same. The town car idled outside. The back windows were down and Nathan waited in the back seat, sunglasses shielding his eyes and a newspaper in his hands. Turning away, Mohinder couldn't stop a faint chuckle. Indeed, Nathan was so penitent he couldn't have been bothered to sit in on their meeting.
Peter seemed to feel similarly. "Nice of Nathan to say goodbye," he muttered as they all got to their feet.
Angela brushed it off with a chiding glance. "Oh, Peter, your brother is very busy. You'll see him again soon enough. Don't be childish."
Peter rolled his eyes at Mohinder. "I guess I do expect too much," he said as they followed the other two to the foyer. "You and Nathan could stay for dinner," Peter tried as Bennet pulled on his jacket.
"I would like that, but we have a meeting this evening," Bennet said. He stepped outside after Angela opened the door for him, but he paused, eyeing Mohinder. "Can I speak to you privately for a moment?"
Mohinder shifted on his feet nervously. "Alright," he agreed.
Angela closed the door behind him as he joined Bennet on the stoop. Bennet stared at him evenly. "I didn't want to put you on the spot in front of them," he said, then paused again, mulling over his words. "Have you put thought into the alternative?"
Mohinder furrowed his brow. "The alternative?"
"Terminating the pregnancy," Bennet clarified bluntly.
Mohinder stilled, feeling a sudden wave of guilt. He resisted the urge to touch his stomach. "Well, I... I didn't have... No, I decided to keep it."
"I don't know what your personal feelings are on the matter, but I think it's necessary for you to know that termination is always a possibility, especially since we're flying a little blind on how to keep the pregnancy safe and comfortable." Bennet still held his gaze, and the genuine concern made Mohinder feel surprised and awkward. "But it's always open as a choice for you, too."
"I understand," Mohinder replied numbly.
Bennet shook his hand. "I'll keep in touch with Angela about the construction progress, but I'll probably see you again in a few weeks."
"Alright," Mohinder said. As Bennet stepped off the stoop, he added, "Thank you."
Bennet smiled slightly over his shoulder and made his way down the walk. Nathan still sat with the paper, but as Bennet got in the car and closed the door, he finally looked toward the house, light gleaming off his dark lenses. After a moment, the windows rolled up and the car pulled away.