Fic: Solving the puzzle, Heroes, Gen, Multifandom crossover
Title: Solving the puzzle
Rating: R
Pairing: None
Genre: Gen
Spoilers: Hmm, Spoilers for 2.11 of Heroes, Torchwood-s1, BTVS-s6, Angel-s4, The 4400-s4,NCIS-s3, X-Men3
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine and belong to their respective creators, no money being made.
Summary: There comes a time
Peter watched from the woods as the girl lazily flicked a hand and skinned a man. The grief and anger that swirled around and within her was almost visible. Peter reassured himself that her black eyes couldn’t see him.
Later, Peter watched the man risk himself for the woman as she set out to destroy everything. Foolish plan but sometimes those worked the best. Peter watched Xander and Willow hug and cry and swallowed the lump in his throat. These two held no answers. He disappeared without anyone knowing he’d been there.
*
Peter stood on crumbling asphalt as two people fought. Actually, people wasn’t the correct term. One was a vampire and the other was a demon God. He cocked his head as they argued and bled. After everything he’d seen, it was still hard to even contemplate a vampire. This one called himself a protector.
Peter pulled out the man’s memories, studied his motivations, and pondered his determination. This man, demon, too fought for love, for his son. Peter knew like he knew his own name that only one person in his life had ever battled as fiercely for him. Angel never saw the man that smiled sadly and vanished.
*
The room was cold and smelled like most usually hospitals do. That couldn’t be helped. Peter stood in a corner and felt the tingle that signaled power. It was a little different and he hoped he wouldn’t be bringing anything home from his little trip. A man, younger than him sat beside a bed where another sick man lay.
They whispered and argued like they’d been doing it for years. Peter stepped closer. They were brothers. Maybe his answer was here. He clenched his fists as the older brother laid his hands on his brother’s face and killed him.
Peter wondered what would happen if he made himself known. He narrowed his focus and flipped through the weeping brother’s thoughts. He saw the growing horror; the plague as one brother’s hopes turned to death for hundreds. This was why the older had killed the younger. Peter wasn’t sure he understood, but he didn’t plan to interfere. He wasn’t looking for sacrifice, he’d been there and it wasn’t enough. He left Shawn to his grief.
*
The man screamed, but he was too late. The other man’s body lurched as he fell, but he didn’t hit the ground. The other guy caught him and as they knelt there on their knees, Peter pressed his lips tightly together. The first guy’s whispered desperate words were lost on the other man. Peter recognized the finality of death in his eyes.
Peter kept watching through Dean’s deal and Sam’s rebirth. He stayed back as the Winchesters and their friends made a desperate stand in a cemetery. The things that flew out of the gate were things that were going to give Peter nightmares for months. Then the door was closed and parents were avenged. Peter nodded to himself. His answer was becoming clearer.
*
The man screamed as the shadow of the thing landed on him. He kept screaming. Peter knew the woman was screaming too, but he couldn’t hear her. The monster raged and roared and the man kept screaming. The woman wept and Peter wondered if vampires existed here.
They needed help but he’d vowed not to let himself be seen. Each group of people, or pair, or single person, had to save the world themselves. He needed to see and he wanted to understand.
The thing roared and kept roaring as it fell, it’s body shaking the ground. The man lay still, and didn’t move as the woman dragged him into the car. Peter wondered what they were going to do with the giant dead monster. He shrugged. It wasn’t his problem.
He followed the woman, but lost her as he saw all the dead that littered the streets. It seemed the people of Cardiff had more problems than the thing out in the field. The Captain that wasn’t a Captain had saved more from the same fate. Peter wished he could have talked to him before he’d died.
*
Chaos reigned as military and shabbily dressed people all tried to run to safety. Peter stayed hidden in the darkness and the drifting smoke from burning cars.
There was power here too; intoxicating power that called to him unlike Shawn Ferrell’s had. The woman was a red flame that shined bright and beautiful, despite the screams and people that blew apart as if made of pebbles.
Only one man walked toward her and Peter was hypnotized by the flaying of the man’s skin. It grew back just as fast as it came off, but Peter knew it hurt. He reached the woman and though Peter was too far away to hear their words, the fear and love on the man’s face looked familiar.
He’d seen the same look as his brother flew him up over New York. The sharp blades that stabbed the woman were a shock. Deep down Peter had figured that the situation would end in death, but something that felt like hope wanted them both to live. He left, the man’s sorrow following him like wisps of fog.
*
Peter found himself standing behind a man as he aimed a rifle at someone in the distance. The rage and grief pouring off the man made it easy for Peter to see the images in his mind. Both wife and young daughter gone, not enough proof to convict the killer.
Peter watched the guilty man die and even though Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs’ pain was still heavy on his soul, justice helped. There were no vampires or witches or demons here, no one with super powers.
The answer Peter had searched for was here with an average man. You want to change the effect of evil; you confront the evil, not the ones impacted by it.
*
Peter materialized back in his apartment. He was so tired. Traveling from dimension to dimension had taken a lot out of him. He took off his coat and went to hang it in his closet. The man lying on the bed didn’t move.
Peter sat beside Nathan and touched his hand. It was cold. Peter pulled the covers up higher and brushed his brother’s hair back. “My little field trip was successful. Took longer than I thought, but I learned some things.”
He stood up and paced the room, trying to organize his thoughts. After the stuff in Texas he’d brought Nathan here. He’d needed time to think and the shock from Nathan being shot had torn his defenses to shreds. All of sudden, everyone’s thoughts were in his head, especially Matt’s. Matt was terrified that Peter was about to explode like he’d done last year.
He couldn’t work around that fear to figure anything out, so he’d touched Nathan and transported them here. He’d arranged Nathan comfortably, aware in some part of his brain that his brother wasn’t breathing. He ignored that. He knew he could bring Nathan back. But first he needed answers.
So he’d traveled. Seeing other versions of the world had been strange. Each threat to the world he’d witnessed had things in common. Someone took the risk and sacrificed themselves for the greater good and evil was held at bay for awhile.
Peter was willing to sacrifice himself, but he was tired of sacrificing Nathan. He needed Nathan and though his brother would never admit it, he needed Peter. Nathan would think an admission like that made him weak.
Well, it made Peter weak when he had to see Nathan hurt. When his brother had went down, his chest red, something inside Peter had wanted out, wanted to smash and kill and cause everyone pain. Peter didn’t want that, or he didn’t think he did. But he wanted Nathan safe and happy. When he brought Nathan back, he needed assurances that Nathan would be safe, or at least more safe than he’d been down in Texas.
Then he’d watched Gibbs. Gibbs wasn’t trying to save the world, only protect his piece of it. When evil had taken his family, he’d went to the source and taken it out.
Peter closed his eyes. When he opened them he was in his mother’s house. He walked up the stairs. He could have appeared in her room, but that would have been rude. The sound of his footsteps faded into the deep carpeted hallway. Nathan had sacrificed so much and Peter loved him beyond reason.
If someone had to die in order for Nathan to be safe, Peter figured he’d better get it over with.
End
Rating: R
Pairing: None
Genre: Gen
Spoilers: Hmm, Spoilers for 2.11 of Heroes, Torchwood-s1, BTVS-s6, Angel-s4, The 4400-s4,NCIS-s3, X-Men3
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine and belong to their respective creators, no money being made.
Summary: There comes a time
Peter watched from the woods as the girl lazily flicked a hand and skinned a man. The grief and anger that swirled around and within her was almost visible. Peter reassured himself that her black eyes couldn’t see him.
Later, Peter watched the man risk himself for the woman as she set out to destroy everything. Foolish plan but sometimes those worked the best. Peter watched Xander and Willow hug and cry and swallowed the lump in his throat. These two held no answers. He disappeared without anyone knowing he’d been there.
*
Peter stood on crumbling asphalt as two people fought. Actually, people wasn’t the correct term. One was a vampire and the other was a demon God. He cocked his head as they argued and bled. After everything he’d seen, it was still hard to even contemplate a vampire. This one called himself a protector.
Peter pulled out the man’s memories, studied his motivations, and pondered his determination. This man, demon, too fought for love, for his son. Peter knew like he knew his own name that only one person in his life had ever battled as fiercely for him. Angel never saw the man that smiled sadly and vanished.
*
The room was cold and smelled like most usually hospitals do. That couldn’t be helped. Peter stood in a corner and felt the tingle that signaled power. It was a little different and he hoped he wouldn’t be bringing anything home from his little trip. A man, younger than him sat beside a bed where another sick man lay.
They whispered and argued like they’d been doing it for years. Peter stepped closer. They were brothers. Maybe his answer was here. He clenched his fists as the older brother laid his hands on his brother’s face and killed him.
Peter wondered what would happen if he made himself known. He narrowed his focus and flipped through the weeping brother’s thoughts. He saw the growing horror; the plague as one brother’s hopes turned to death for hundreds. This was why the older had killed the younger. Peter wasn’t sure he understood, but he didn’t plan to interfere. He wasn’t looking for sacrifice, he’d been there and it wasn’t enough. He left Shawn to his grief.
*
The man screamed, but he was too late. The other man’s body lurched as he fell, but he didn’t hit the ground. The other guy caught him and as they knelt there on their knees, Peter pressed his lips tightly together. The first guy’s whispered desperate words were lost on the other man. Peter recognized the finality of death in his eyes.
Peter kept watching through Dean’s deal and Sam’s rebirth. He stayed back as the Winchesters and their friends made a desperate stand in a cemetery. The things that flew out of the gate were things that were going to give Peter nightmares for months. Then the door was closed and parents were avenged. Peter nodded to himself. His answer was becoming clearer.
*
The man screamed as the shadow of the thing landed on him. He kept screaming. Peter knew the woman was screaming too, but he couldn’t hear her. The monster raged and roared and the man kept screaming. The woman wept and Peter wondered if vampires existed here.
They needed help but he’d vowed not to let himself be seen. Each group of people, or pair, or single person, had to save the world themselves. He needed to see and he wanted to understand.
The thing roared and kept roaring as it fell, it’s body shaking the ground. The man lay still, and didn’t move as the woman dragged him into the car. Peter wondered what they were going to do with the giant dead monster. He shrugged. It wasn’t his problem.
He followed the woman, but lost her as he saw all the dead that littered the streets. It seemed the people of Cardiff had more problems than the thing out in the field. The Captain that wasn’t a Captain had saved more from the same fate. Peter wished he could have talked to him before he’d died.
*
Chaos reigned as military and shabbily dressed people all tried to run to safety. Peter stayed hidden in the darkness and the drifting smoke from burning cars.
There was power here too; intoxicating power that called to him unlike Shawn Ferrell’s had. The woman was a red flame that shined bright and beautiful, despite the screams and people that blew apart as if made of pebbles.
Only one man walked toward her and Peter was hypnotized by the flaying of the man’s skin. It grew back just as fast as it came off, but Peter knew it hurt. He reached the woman and though Peter was too far away to hear their words, the fear and love on the man’s face looked familiar.
He’d seen the same look as his brother flew him up over New York. The sharp blades that stabbed the woman were a shock. Deep down Peter had figured that the situation would end in death, but something that felt like hope wanted them both to live. He left, the man’s sorrow following him like wisps of fog.
*
Peter found himself standing behind a man as he aimed a rifle at someone in the distance. The rage and grief pouring off the man made it easy for Peter to see the images in his mind. Both wife and young daughter gone, not enough proof to convict the killer.
Peter watched the guilty man die and even though Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs’ pain was still heavy on his soul, justice helped. There were no vampires or witches or demons here, no one with super powers.
The answer Peter had searched for was here with an average man. You want to change the effect of evil; you confront the evil, not the ones impacted by it.
*
Peter materialized back in his apartment. He was so tired. Traveling from dimension to dimension had taken a lot out of him. He took off his coat and went to hang it in his closet. The man lying on the bed didn’t move.
Peter sat beside Nathan and touched his hand. It was cold. Peter pulled the covers up higher and brushed his brother’s hair back. “My little field trip was successful. Took longer than I thought, but I learned some things.”
He stood up and paced the room, trying to organize his thoughts. After the stuff in Texas he’d brought Nathan here. He’d needed time to think and the shock from Nathan being shot had torn his defenses to shreds. All of sudden, everyone’s thoughts were in his head, especially Matt’s. Matt was terrified that Peter was about to explode like he’d done last year.
He couldn’t work around that fear to figure anything out, so he’d touched Nathan and transported them here. He’d arranged Nathan comfortably, aware in some part of his brain that his brother wasn’t breathing. He ignored that. He knew he could bring Nathan back. But first he needed answers.
So he’d traveled. Seeing other versions of the world had been strange. Each threat to the world he’d witnessed had things in common. Someone took the risk and sacrificed themselves for the greater good and evil was held at bay for awhile.
Peter was willing to sacrifice himself, but he was tired of sacrificing Nathan. He needed Nathan and though his brother would never admit it, he needed Peter. Nathan would think an admission like that made him weak.
Well, it made Peter weak when he had to see Nathan hurt. When his brother had went down, his chest red, something inside Peter had wanted out, wanted to smash and kill and cause everyone pain. Peter didn’t want that, or he didn’t think he did. But he wanted Nathan safe and happy. When he brought Nathan back, he needed assurances that Nathan would be safe, or at least more safe than he’d been down in Texas.
Then he’d watched Gibbs. Gibbs wasn’t trying to save the world, only protect his piece of it. When evil had taken his family, he’d went to the source and taken it out.
Peter closed his eyes. When he opened them he was in his mother’s house. He walked up the stairs. He could have appeared in her room, but that would have been rude. The sound of his footsteps faded into the deep carpeted hallway. Nathan had sacrificed so much and Peter loved him beyond reason.
If someone had to die in order for Nathan to be safe, Peter figured he’d better get it over with.
End