Heroes Fic: You Can't Save Them All
Title: You Can't Save Them All
Author: druinsanity
Fandom: Heroes
Characters/Pairing: The Petrelli’s and Adam
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own them. It's just for fun.
Summary: Oneshot: A past piece where Nathan learns one of his first lessons in life. Sadness.
“Mooom! Daaad!” Little feet ran through the house, and tiny dirt-covered hands closed around the tiny animal in his palms. He found his fathers’ office and bolted in without a second thought to find his father not alone.
“Nathan, what is it?” Arthur walked around his desk to take in his son disapprovingly. “Where is Sylvia?”
He faltered, thinking of how he had given the nanny the slip but pushed forward to more pressing matters. “Dad, I was outside and I heard this chirping and I found this baby bird on the ground. Don’t we need to put him back in the tree so he can fly?”
Arthur let out a long sigh and shook his head. “Go put it back Nathan. And then come in and clean yourself up.”
“But remember when you read me that story about-“
“Do as you’re told, Nathan.” Arthur interrupted, his words quick and abrupt.
Completely taken aback by the new coldness in his father’s voice, Nathan just stared at him with wide eyes for the moment. He wasn’t sure how to react to the detachment he had never seen before from a man he idolized.
“Oh come on, Arthur. Let’s go help him put the bird back.”
“No!” Arthur answered both quickly and with anger seeping from his voice. “We aren’t playing your games anymore, Adam.” He turned a cold, steely gaze to his son. “Go put it back and clean yourself up, Nathan.”
Even at such a young age, Nathan lifted his chin and squared his jaw as he turned to walk out of the room already considering options on how to get the bird back in the tree. In the hallway, his mother found a teary-eyed version of her son. “I have to go put it back. We can’t save it.” He explained, without her even needing to ask.
Angela ran a hand through Nathan’s hair, her hand falling to his shoulder. “It’s best to do as you’re told right now, Nathan.” She guided him quietly out to the tree. “Put it down.”
“But mom… we can try to…” Nathan started, looking up to his mother and then the nest high above.
“No, Nathan. Put the creature down.” Angela lightly squeezed his shoulder and then watched as her son almost robotically put the bird back on the ground. “That’s a good boy. Now, you’re filthy. Go clean up and get ready for dinner.”
“Yes ma’am.” As Nathan turned towards the house, all emotion slipped from his suddenly pale features. He did as he was told, cleaning and preparing for dinner, which he sat quietly through. His normally chatty, child-like demeanor lost somewhere in the course of that day.
He remembered this first mask so clearly, a mask to get through his parents’ detachment that would carry through the rest of his life. Masks were a vital part of Nathan Petrelli. Not only had he become very adept at slipping them on and off, he had built copious amounts of them over the years as a defense against so many things. And they were necessary... because sometimes there were things you couldn't save.
Author: druinsanity
Fandom: Heroes
Characters/Pairing: The Petrelli’s and Adam
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own them. It's just for fun.
Summary: Oneshot: A past piece where Nathan learns one of his first lessons in life. Sadness.
“Mooom! Daaad!” Little feet ran through the house, and tiny dirt-covered hands closed around the tiny animal in his palms. He found his fathers’ office and bolted in without a second thought to find his father not alone.
“Nathan, what is it?” Arthur walked around his desk to take in his son disapprovingly. “Where is Sylvia?”
He faltered, thinking of how he had given the nanny the slip but pushed forward to more pressing matters. “Dad, I was outside and I heard this chirping and I found this baby bird on the ground. Don’t we need to put him back in the tree so he can fly?”
Arthur let out a long sigh and shook his head. “Go put it back Nathan. And then come in and clean yourself up.”
“But remember when you read me that story about-“
“Do as you’re told, Nathan.” Arthur interrupted, his words quick and abrupt.
Completely taken aback by the new coldness in his father’s voice, Nathan just stared at him with wide eyes for the moment. He wasn’t sure how to react to the detachment he had never seen before from a man he idolized.
“Oh come on, Arthur. Let’s go help him put the bird back.”
“No!” Arthur answered both quickly and with anger seeping from his voice. “We aren’t playing your games anymore, Adam.” He turned a cold, steely gaze to his son. “Go put it back and clean yourself up, Nathan.”
Even at such a young age, Nathan lifted his chin and squared his jaw as he turned to walk out of the room already considering options on how to get the bird back in the tree. In the hallway, his mother found a teary-eyed version of her son. “I have to go put it back. We can’t save it.” He explained, without her even needing to ask.
Angela ran a hand through Nathan’s hair, her hand falling to his shoulder. “It’s best to do as you’re told right now, Nathan.” She guided him quietly out to the tree. “Put it down.”
“But mom… we can try to…” Nathan started, looking up to his mother and then the nest high above.
“No, Nathan. Put the creature down.” Angela lightly squeezed his shoulder and then watched as her son almost robotically put the bird back on the ground. “That’s a good boy. Now, you’re filthy. Go clean up and get ready for dinner.”
“Yes ma’am.” As Nathan turned towards the house, all emotion slipped from his suddenly pale features. He did as he was told, cleaning and preparing for dinner, which he sat quietly through. His normally chatty, child-like demeanor lost somewhere in the course of that day.
He remembered this first mask so clearly, a mask to get through his parents’ detachment that would carry through the rest of his life. Masks were a vital part of Nathan Petrelli. Not only had he become very adept at slipping them on and off, he had built copious amounts of them over the years as a defense against so many things. And they were necessary... because sometimes there were things you couldn't save.