Fic: The Geneticist and the Frog - Ch. 6

[starrdust411]

Title: The Geneticist and the Frog
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Mohinder/Sylar
Rating: PG-13
Summary: When the Prince kissed the Frog the real story began.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes or The Princess and the Frog.
Warnings: Humor, Language, Slash, AU

Prologue| Chapter 1| Chapter 2| Chapter 3| Chapter 4| Chapter 5




He had to wonder if it was all too cheesy, too cliché, too sudden. Yet even as he thought about all the negative aspects, trying to talk himself out of the action, he found his fingers moving as if on their own as they grabbed the items and fastened them together. A broken party bead and a piece of gold colored wire easily turned into a makeshift ring under his determined little fingers, the perfect representation of a question that he had no right to even consider asking.

Gabriel sighed, morosely staring out at the sky that was somewhere between the warm orange of the late afternoon and the dark blanket of stars that was the evening sky. The prince had never felt so lost, so directionless as he did in that moment, and it was all Mohinder's fault. Mohinder who was so frustrating, so moral, and who made him feel ... like someone else.

What he told Mohinder was true, he wasn't lazy. In fact his mother had told him once that he could do anything that he put his mind to. It was one of the few things she was right about. His only problem was that he lacked motivation. Nothing was ever worth the effort, especially when he already knew that his future was all planned out for him. Yet Mohinder changed all that. Suddenly doing what he felt like wasn't good enough, he wasn't good enough, and he needed to prove himself.

The sky darkened, the stars shined brighter, and the evening star, Charlene, was twinkling directly above him, taunting him with her bright glow. "I don't want to feel this way," he groaned, telling himself that he wasn't speaking to Charlene, but there was no one around to hear his lament. And really, wasn't pouring his heart out to a star better than talking to himself? "This wasn't part of my plan. What am I supposed to do?"

He obviously didn't expect an answer, so the sound of wings fluttering and the hum of warm light just inches away caused his stomach to twist and his heart to jump into his throat. "Charlene is very good listener," Hiro whispered, coming seemingly out of nowhere. "I talk to her with my problems always. Other fireflies, they don't understand, think I'm strange. Charlene... she does not judge, just listen."

Gabriel groaned, because he did not need sympathy from an insane firefly and his imaginary girlfriend, but given the situation he was in he didn't have much to choose from when it came to emotional support. "Yeah I'm... sure she's great."

Hiro frowned, pouted really, as he flew closer, trying his best to get a good look at Gabriel's face. The prince twisted, turning away from the little bug, but it was no use. He had already seen the miserable gleam in his eyes. "What's wrong Eyebrow Froggy?" the fly asked. "Smart Froggy is worried about you. You said you would not be gone for long, but it's been hours."

"No, Mohinder said he didn't want me to take too long," he pointed out snappishly. "I never agreed to that." Hostility had always been his default response to any situation, whether it was warranted or not. Yet at the moment, even he could see that he was behaving a bit like a brat. Damn Mohinder for making him realize that his attitude actually needed improvement. "I'm sorry," he sighed, and for once he sincerely understood the need to apologize, even if it was to a bug. "I just... I have a lot on my mind."

"You can tell me," Hiro pushed, placing a tiny hand on his arm. "I can be good listener too. Charlene has taught me."

A long, suffering groan escaped his green lips, because this damn fly was persistent and the prince knew that the longer they spoke, the more likely it would be that his secret would come out. On the other hand, it wouldn't matter in the end since Hiro most likely wouldn't even be able to comprehend his plight. "Well, I doubt that you can help, but... I sort of have a problem," he confessed.

Hiro hummed with intrigue, but made no other sound, a clear sign that he wanted Gabriel to continue.

"You see, Hiro, I'm ..." He stopped himself, bit his tongue, because this was all too ridiculous. He had only known Mohinder for less than a day, and somehow these feelings had developed out of thin air. Yet he could feel deep down inside of himself that they were real. It wasn't just lust -- he was very familiar with lust -- because he and Mohinder were frogs and he still managed to have these strange sensations. It had to be something else, something new. "I'm in love... I'm in love with Mohinder."

Gabriel waited, because Hiro had yet to make a sound in response, not that he expected words of wisdom and comfort to come flooding out of the mouth of a firefly. It merely would have been nice to hear something. Another heart beat passed, before a strangled, confused laugh suddenly escaped from the bug.

"But... you are boy froggies," he said finally and that was just the sort of response the prince had expected.

"No, we're humans," Gabriel corrected. "Human men... Not that that makes things any different." He sighed, rubbing at his face wearily. "This was always my problem when I was a human; I fell for the wrong kind. I mean, I've been with a lot of men, and I mean a lot of men, but I've only even kissed Mohinder once and I'm already in love with him."

"Well... you are in love," Hiro said slowly, thoughtfully. "And... and that is good. Like me and Charlene! Yes, yes he is your destiny. You are meant to be together."

"You know what Hiro? I think you might be right." He laughed. The firefly was anything but level headed and the fact that he was enamored with a star was definitely a sign that he wasn't all there, but Hiro's enthusiasm was just what he needed to hear. He couldn't be away from Mohinder, they were meant to be together, which meant that marrying Claire was completely out of the question. "I can't marry Claire Bennet, I won't, and I don't care what my mother says. I'll give up my throne if I have to."

He could see Hiro's light flashing from the corner of his eyes, a clear sign that the firefly approved of his idea. "Smart Froggy will be so happy," the bug cheered. "I can't wait to tell him!"

"No!" Gabriel said quickly, carefully snatching Hiro out of the sky and for once he had no intention of eating him. "No, I have to tell him. Alone."

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The first sign that something was wrong with him was that the Indian was actually worried about Gabriel. Only a few hours ago, he absolutely despised the prince and his snobbish attitude, but ever since the royal had begun retreating into himself Mohinder couldn't stop thinking about him. He started to realize that Gabriel wasn't really a bad person, just stubborn -- a quality that they both shared -- and perhaps a little bit too demanding.

The second sign that something was wrong with him was when Gabriel invited him to go "see something," he had actually accepted. It was a foolish idea, because despite the late hour there were actually more people wandering around the many levels of the river boat, drinking and singing and laughing freely, drunk on the intoxicating Mardi Gras atmosphere. It would be too easy for them to be spotted and have a repeat of the catastrophic situation at the Bennets' masquerade ball. However, it was the first thing that the prince had said to him in hours and the eager look on his face was nearly impossible to resist.

Mohinder was hesitant as he climbed up the roof of the captain's lookout, careful to stay out of sight, even as he followed Gabriel's lead. "Where are you taking me?" Mohinder asked playfully, because he had seen the shy glances Gabriel had shot him when he thought the Indian wasn't looking.

"I just thought it would be nice for us to be alone one last time," Gabriel told him, crawling onto the flat metal surface and reaching down to take Mohinder's hand.

He smiled, taking the offered hand in his, but his stomach went cold at the wet, sticky sensation that greeted him. It was good to know that this would be their last night as frogs, but the reminder that he was still not himself was unsettling.

The Indian pushed all those negative feelings aside as he climbed up to the top of the lookout. His breath caught in his throat at the sight that greeted him. There was a candle light dinner waiting for him -- two turned over ceramic tea cups acting as seats, a champagne glass and saucer for the table, and a bucket of ice with a bottle of champagne and a single rose. It was childish, silly really, but he actually felt his eyes fill with tears and his throat constrict at the sight. It was more than anyone had ever done for him.

"Gabriel," he whispered, wiping furiously at the tears building in his eyes, "did you do all this for me?"

The prince gave him a nervous laugh, a sound that he certainly wasn't used to hearing from the royal, but was something he could get accustom to. "Well, yes," he admitted, ushering Mohinder over to table.

Mohinder felt his heart beat quicken when Gabriel pulled out a seat for him and suddenly it all clicked into place. He may not have had much experience in the area, but he was not naive enough not to get the clear indication that this was in fact a date, a date that should not be happening. The thought made him feel warm and cold all at once. Gabriel was going to marry Claire and even if Mohinder knew that there was no romantic intention behind the union, he still did not want to be a third party in their relationship.

"Gabriel," he began, because whatever it was that the prince wanted to tell him he did not want to hear. "I-"

"Wait just one minute," he cut in quickly, as if he were sensing the Indian's mood turning somber. Gabriel reached under their make shift table and grabbed something, a silver dome covering a matching tray. With the flick of his wrist, he pulled the dome off, revealing a platter filled with a variety of chopped vegetables.

The laugh that erupted from his throat was unexpected, but one that he could not contain. "You minced!" Mohinder chuckled.

"I minced," Gabriel echoed, placing the tray down on the table.

"I'm surprised," Mohinder admitted, picking up one of the little cubed carrots between his fingers. "You did a very good job, especially since you only had one lesson."

"I'm a fast learner," he told him, slipping into the seat across from him. "And you're a good teacher."

"Hopefully I'll be doing a lot of teaching after I finally graduate," the Indian chuckled.

"You want to teach?"

Mohinder shrugged. "If I can find a university that will accept me, that is. It was a struggle just getting into a college as a student, as a professor..."

"What are you talking about?" Gabriel frowned, confusion written all over his face and for a moment Mohinder had forgotten that he was talking to someone from another country. "You're an intelligent person. Why wouldn't someone accept you?"

"It's not that simple," he sighed. "I'm... different. There aren't many places out there for people like me. It's why my father spent so many years doing thankless, menial jobs. Jobs that he was over qualified for, but still struggled to get. It's why neither of us were able to get his book published." He took in a deep breath, realizing that his bitter mood was taking the conversation in a negative direction. Yet it was hard not to feel frustrated when his life in America had been nothing but a constant struggle. He reached across the table, taking Gabriel's hand and smiling, because at long last he was going to catch a much deserved break. "But with your help, my father's dream is finally going to come true."

The royal frowned, stiffening at his words. "Me? How would-"

"The publishing company rejected the book, because I'm Indian," Mohinder explained. "But you're a prince, you're an influential person. There's no way they'll be able to dismiss my father's theories with your endorsement."

"Oh." For a moment, the young man feared that Gabriel was offended by his words, that he felt that he was being used, but the smile that quickly spread across the prince's face put Mohinder at ease. "I'm glad I can help you," he whispered. "You deserve to have things go your way for once."

A fog horn sounded, a bell chimed several times, and soon the two heard the captain announcing that they were near their destination. New Orleans was fast approaching and Mohinder could already hear the exuberant cries and music that came hand in hand with the Mardi Gras parade.

"It looks like we're about to dock," Gabriel sighed, pushing away from the table. "I'll go find Matt and Hiro."

Mohinder swallowed the cry of protest that longed to escape from him. Despite the fact that he had done the right thing, he felt awful, lonely, and lost. Just a few hours ago, he had been so sure that becoming human again would solve all of his problems, but it didn't seem to be the answer anymore.

The Indian sighed, standing up and looking towards the clear night sky, the evening star, Charlene, was out and shining brilliantly. He'd made his wish, knowing it wouldn't come true, but now everything was all spinning further out of control. "What do I do, Charlene?" he whispered. "Please tell me."

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Gabriel's heart sank as he grabbed the small, makeshift ring he had constructed and threw it over the side of the ship before Mohinder could see anything. He couldn't ruin things for Mohinder. The Indian needed his help and he was determined to give it to him. Like it or not, he would marry Claire, he would be a good husband to her -- just like Mohinder wanted -- and he would do whatever it took to get Mohinder's book published.

He hadn't gotten very far, just barely hopped out of sight when the shadow snatched him up. Gabriel struggled, fighting with all of his might to get away, but the hold the creature had on him was surprisingly firm. The prince tried to scream, but a gray hand clamped down on his mouth, sealing his voice up inside of him.

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Her hand was shaking as she rapped quickly on the door to the guest house. Prince Gabriel was a strange man. He proposed to her after only knowing her for a day, suggesting they get married the very next day, and then completely disappeared from sight. Claire had put the wedding together all by herself, making all the important decisions without Gabriel's consent, because whenever she tried to talk to him -- he moaned and coughed and said he wasn't feeling well -- and now the big day was here and still the man she was about to tie herself to would not so much as look at her.

"Prince Gabriel? Honey?" she began, giving another shy, nervous knock, before pulling her hand away. "Are you ready? Don't wanna be late for our Mardi Gras wedding."

Another cough and suddenly Claire wanted to break down the door and ring the man's long, pasty neck. "I'm, uh, getting dressed," Gabriel answered although... it didn't sound like Gabriel. The voice was both too raspy and too high pitch. "Just a few more minutes... darling."

The young woman took in a deep, calming breath. She sincerely hoped that the prince wasn't getting cold feet, because it would be unfair of him to back down when she was already having second thoughts herself. After all, she was only sixteen years old and about to get married to a man she'd known for two days and would most likely have to leave her family and everything she knew behind to go live in another country. But it was too late for doubts. Not when she was standing in her brand new wedding dress -- all soft silky white fabric, lace and ruffles, with beautiful pink roses along the skirt -- and already had her something borrowed (Jackie Wilcox's white gloves), her blue (the sapphire earrings), old (her mother's shoes), and new (the crystal tiara her father had given her just that morning).

"Alright, honey lamb," she cooed, attempting to hide her anxiety with sugary speeches. "We'll be waiting in the Packard."

"Claire Claire Claire. It's all about Claire." The bride-to-be scowled, twisting around to see Lyle -- arms loaded with fresh pink roses, the final touch she needed for the float -- heading towards the car. His face was completely obscured, but she could practically see the sour look on his face, the one he always got when he mocked her. "Let's throw a parade for Claire! No, let's make Mardi Gras all about Claire."

"You shut your dang trap, you little snot nosed troll!" she snapped, gathering her dress in tight fists as she marched towards her younger brother. Lyle had been in a mood ever since he had heard about the proposal ("It's official!" he'd groused. "Princess Claire gets everything she wants!"), but she would be damned if she was going to let the boy ruin her wedding day. "And if you so much as bruise a single petal on those roses I will personally rip your ears off and shove them up your nose! Daddy! Start the car!"

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The young valet crouched down, gazing through the key hole as Claire stomped away in a huff of plush white fabric. His stomach coiled in fear because there was no possible way they would be getting married tonight, not while he was still himself.

"Oh God," he breathed, resting his head against the cold door. "I'm doomed."

The words had barely left his lips, before a tarot card came whizzing through the air and striking the back of his head. "No, boyo," Samuel barked, causing the boy to flinch, cringing away from the witchdoctor's growing anger. "I'm doomed. If we don't get that frog's blood in-"

His words were cut off by a sudden deep rumbling. Luke's heart leapt into his throat, certain that on top of all of his troubles they were now caught in the middle of an earthquake. Yet the flickering light of the fireplace proved him wrong as he watched the ashes come tumbling down, before three long, demonic shadows erupted out, one of whom was carrying a frog.

Gabriel.

Samuel beamed in delight as one of the shadows tossed him the frog prince, which he easily caught in his long, dirty fingers. "We're back in business!" the Irish man cheered, squeezing the frog to the point where his face turned bright red.

Luke grinned, relief washing over him as he reached into his pocket and grabbed the talisman that Samuel had given him the day they had formed this strange partnership. He opened the amulet's mouth, just as the voodoo man had shown him, ready and waiting for the prince's blood.

The frog grunted, squirming desperately to get out of Samuel's clutches, but the man would not release him. "Let go of me! Get your hands off me!" he barked, ever the forceful, expectant royal. Yet Gabriel halted in his efforts when his eyes landed on his former valet. "Luke?"

The boy was practically beaming at the fear that was shinning in the prince's deep brown eyes. That look alone, more so than the prince's current form, made this plan worthwhile. "Hold still," he cackled, "your majesty."

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They had to wait until everyone on board had already gotten off the river boat before being able to sneak themselves -- and more specifically Matt -- off the ship. Yet there was a crucial member of their party missing. Mohinder frowned, taking one last look around the now empty deck before hoping off. "Have you two seen Gabriel?" he asked, because he hadn't seen the prince since their dinner.

Matt shrugged, but Hiro was practically radiating with excitement, his light glowing brighter than Mohinder had ever seen it from the glee welling up inside of him. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the fly knew something.

"Hiro, do you know where Gabriel is?"

"Did Eyebrow Froggy pop ring?" Hiro asked, flying closer to the Indian as he managed to bounce in midair with joy. "Did he give you question?"

Mohinder frowned, glancing over at Matt only to find that the alligator looked just as confused as he did if not more so. "What are you talking about?"

The firefly's face fell at the disappointing realization that Mohinder really did not know what he was talking about. "No, no," Hiro pouted. "Eyebrow Froggy said he will speak to you first and he will. I will say nothing."

"Hiro," he chided, and it seemed as if the mere mention of his name was all the firefly needed to release everything he had been holding deep inside.

"Eyebrow Froggy is in love with you!" he blurted out, his words a breathless jumble of excitement. "He loves you and he cannot marry Claire, so when he gets his kiss he is going to give up throne, move to big city, help you get book published and then marry you!" His eyes widened, the sudden realization of his mistake weighing down on him. "Oh... don't tell other Froggy I say that."

Mohinder suddenly felt light headed, dizzy, as he struggled to digest everything the bug had told him. Gabriel was in love with him. The annoying, self centered, bratty prince was in love with him. It explained everything, the royal's shift in behavior, his previous gesture... Gabriel hadn't merely been flirting, he had been trying to propose! "He loves me?" Mohinder repeated, because he was still overwhelmed.

"Uh, do you love him?" Matt asked. From the gator's tone of voice it seemed as if he were trying not to pass judgment, but finding the task more difficult than expected.

He giggled; a light, strangled sound that he wasn't quiet used to making. It surprised the Indian that he didn't even have to think about it to know the answer that was welling up deep in his heart. "Yes," he said. "Yes. I love him, too."

"Woohoo!" Hiro hooped; his light flashing as he flew towards Mohinder, wrapping his little arms around the frog as best as he could. "This is good news. Eyebrow Froggy will be so happy!"

"Well, first you have to find him," Matt reminded them, "and... well this is as far as I go. I'm sorry Mohinder, but one giant crowd of humans is all I can handle in a single day."

"Right," Mohinder breathed, trying his best to gather his senses. He had to find Gabriel and Claire and become human again. He smiled at Matt, patting the gator's scaly claw. "Thank you Matt, for everything. We never would have been able to make it this far without you."

The gator smiled back at him. It was hard to tell whether or not Matt believed that he would become a human before midnight, but Mohinder didn't care. All he cared about was the fact that he was about to lose a very good friend. It made him sad knowing that the alligator would be out of his life forever, but there was no way around it. He couldn't exactly bring the gator into the city and once things went back to normal, the Indian would probably be too busy to see him in the swamp. Not to mention, there would now be a language barrier between the two.

"Hey, don't dawdle," Matt chided, shooing Mohinder off. "You've got a prince to catch."

The Indian nodded, giving Matt one last pat before hopping towards the sea of people crowding the bustling streets.

It was late and the celebration was already in full swing. Party beads and confetti were everywhere, and Hiro and Mohinder had to duck and weave to avoid being crushed by the on lookers. The music and cheers that quickly greeted his ears told the Indian that the parade was not far away as the cluster of people became tighter.

"What are we looking for, Froggy?" Hiro asked, confused and disorientated.

He thought about last year's Mardi Gras parade. HRG had been king back then as well -- as he had for the past few years -- and he had shared his grand parade float with the entire Bennet clan. There was no doubt that the same would hold true this year. Their best bet to find Gabriel would most likely be to find Claire and Claire would no doubt be on the float.

"A float," he told the fly. "A big, flashy float with a blonde girl in a princess costume."

He huffed, unable to see anything beyond the forest of ankles. It was then that he noticed the street sign, tall and sturdy right beside him. It would give him the perfect view. With a great deal of effort, the Indian climbed to the top of the metal poll, Hiro floating just beside him. When he reached the top, he was far too anxious to even bother to be excited. He merely scanned the slowly passing floats, searching for--

His breath caught in his throat when he saw it. A car constructed to look like a giant wedding cake attached to an oversized, kingly throne. The cake was white, with several layers and a blend of both pained and real flowers. And underneath the pink, heart shaped arch where the bride and groom -- an ecstatic Claire Bennet locked arm in arm with a very pleased, very human Prince Gabriel Gray -- as a priest read them their vows.

Mohinder felt his heart die, clasping in on itself like a burned out star as he watched the priest prepare to join the two together as man and wife. Claire looked beautiful, radiant as the joy of their impending union filled her with girlish glee and Gabriel... Gabriel had already been kissed. Somehow he had managed to change back without him. He had thought that the prince had changed, that he cared about more than money and enjoying himself, but apparently he was wrong.

"What's happening?" he heard Hiro whisper, staring at the happy couple. "This... this isn't right. Can't be."

The Indian didn't bother to stay and break the news to the fly. He merely hopped off of the street sign, resigned to his fate. Lydia had lied. The spell hadn't been lifted for him and he was going to be trapped this way forever; a pathetic, lonely little frog.

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"This can't be right," Hiro muttered, because this was not what they had talked about. Gabriel had told him he loved Mohinder, that Claire was not an option anymore, but there he was, giving himself to the pretty young girl.

No. It was wrong. This was all a mistake.

The fly turned around, looking to Mohinder for confirmation, but he was gone. He frowned, searching the crowd of people, but there was no sign of the frog. Hiro turned to Charlene, because she always knew what to do and he heard her soft voice whispering to him, telling him where he should go look.

He flew towards the graveyard -- a place he had always tried to avoid, but ventured into now -- and saw Mohinder, tucked away between rows of tomb stones, alone and miserable. His insides ached at the sight. Mohinder had always been so strong, so sure, but now he was miserable, broken. Hiro couldn't let him stay like this.

"Froggy, do not cry," he whispered gently, flying closer to the frog. "I know what we see look bad, but... it's not true. If we go back now, then... you and Eyebrow Froggy will be okay."

"Just because you want something, doesn't mean you can have it," Mohinder whispered back, his voice hoarse from fighting back his tears. "Just because I love Gabriel doesn't mean... anything."

Hiro felt his eyes sting, burning with tears as he watched the frog hug himself, rubbing his green arms as if to ward off a chill that only he felt. "But... he is your destiny," Hiro pushed. "It's just like me and Charlene."

"Charlene is just a star, Hiro!" the frog snapped. "Nothing more than a mass of super heated plasma light years away! Open your eyes... before you really get hurt."

With that said, Mohinder hopped away, and Hiro felt his heart rip.

A star? Charlene... He turned towards her, where she always was, shining so brightly and so far above. The tears were flowing freely now as he thought about what the frog had said. Maybe she was a star, it would explain why he never saw her during the day and...

No. It wasn't true. She was real. Their love was real. Mohinder was just heartbroken, not thinking clearly, but Hiro forgave him for saying such awful things. He smiled at Charlene and Charlene smiled back just as he flew back towards the parade, determined to stop Gabriel from making a grave mistake.

He flew with all his might, arriving back at the float just in time to hear the bride give a breathy "I do."

That was bad. Hiro knew that much. He couldn't let Gabriel respond in turn. "Froggy! Froggy! Don't do this!" he cried, buzzing around the now human Gabriel's ear. He wasn't sure if the frog turned human would still be able to understand him, but he'd have to give it a try. "Think about Smart Froggy!"

Gabriel turned towards him, and for a moment Hiro was certain that he'd gotten through to him. Yet when the human frowned and attempted to swat at him with his large white hand, the fly knew that they could no longer understand each other.

"Hiro!"

The firefly stiffened, catching the muffled familiar voice.

"Hiro!"

He looked down and saw the wooden box resting just beside the human's feet. It was rocking, moving on its own, and Hiro suddenly realized that the man standing beside him was not Gabriel. "Eyebrow Froggy?" he started, flying towards the key hole. "What happening?"

"Just get me out! Right now!"

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Samuel smiled, clutching the voodoo doll in his long, thin hands. He had been waiting for this day for a long time and it was finally here. At long last, he was going to be able to dispose of HRG once and for all. He had a perfect view of the parade from the church's bell tower, and he watched with glee as the bride and groom turned to face one another, clutching each other's hands happily. They were just seconds away from the kiss, the kiss that would seal their fate and put New Orleans in the palm of his hand.

He could see HRG smiling, holding his lovely wife tightly as the two fought back tears. They'd be crying tears of a different kind in just a moment.

He pulled out the pin, his fingers trembling with the need to plunge it into HRG's heart. Once they kissed, he'd kill the man and take all that he held dear for his own. A thrill welled up inside of Samuel when the Irish man saw the priest mouthing the words "I now pronounce you..." His stomach filled and his heart skipped a beat.

Suddenly the little box he had thrown the real prince into flew open. The frog sprang out, lunging for Luke's throat, and the two fell off the float, landing head first on the cobble stone road below. The sight caused a startled gasp to ripple through the crowd as they stared at the fallen royal.

Samuel felt a long, deep groan welled up in his throat. He had been seconds away from getting what he wanted and now this. He huffed, throwing down the pin and voodoo doll as he marched down the steps, taking them two at time. Just as he had expected, Luke had dragged himself and the frog limping into the church, but the little fool was squeezing down on the prince, ready to choke the life out of him. Next time he really needed to think more carefully about who he chose to help with his schemes.

"What da hell do ya think yer doin'!" Samuel growled, startling the boy just enough for his hands to go slack as he turned his wide brown eyes towards him. "Git yer arse outta here an' back on ta that float!"

Luke's mouth flew open, an apology no doubt on the tip of his tongue, but it never came. In that very moment, Gabriel decided to expand his throat, the sound and sensation startling the boy into letting him go. The prince took advantage of the shock, grabbing the amulet and yanking it off of Luke. The boy's body trembled, shrinking and reshaping itself until he was back in his normal state.

"What's he doin'?" Samuel cried, because admittedly, even he was too startled to act. "Stop 'im!"

Yet before Luke could recover, the frog threw the amulet at... a fly? Wonderful. A frog and a fly were going to ruin his plans to take over New Orleans. The fly wavered, sinking under the talisman's weight before recovering himself enough to actually fly away.

"Let go of that!" Luke squeaked, but Samuel was already by his side.

He grabbed the boy by his shoulder and pushed him back towards the pews. He hit it with a thud, nearly crushing Gabriel in the process, not that Samuel cared. If he didn't get the amulet back, then Gabriel, his blood, and his valet were all completely useless. "Stay outta sight," he ordered. "I'll git that damn amulet back myself."

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Hiro panted, wheezed, his lungs and arms burning as he flew over the parade and back towards the graveyard, searching frantically for any trace of Mohinder. He spotted the frog not a moment too soon, because he was certain that he wouldn't be able to carry the weight of the amulet a second longer.

"Froggy!" he cried. "Mohinder!"

Mohinder turned towards him, startled and confused by the firefly's return and the item he was holding in his hands. "Hiro?" he began, wiping at the stray tears on his green cheeks. "What's going on?"

"It was a lie," he said, handing the amulet to Mohinder, who reluctantly took it in hand. "Bad Man used this to trick us and-"

His words were cut short by a fierce, shrill howl. Somehow, Hiro knew that it was the shadows, the ones that had attacked them in the swamp. The villain had found them, but he couldn't have the amulet back.

"Don't let Bad Man get his hands on it!" Hiro cried. "Run, Froggy, run!"

He wasn't sure whether Mohinder believed him or not, but he listened. He took the amulet, clutching it to his chest and quickly hopped away, disappearing into the graveyard.

Once Mohinder was gone, the shadows came, spreading their twisted, ugly forms along the tombstones. The bug felt his insides go cold for just a moment as he stared at the crooked smiles and evil, laughing eyes, but then he remembered. He remembered how the Tattoo Lady had defeated them back in the swamp. She had used a light to kill them. He could use his light. They were just shadows after all.

With that thought in mind, he willed himself to burn brighter and hotter than ever before. His tail was practically white as he charged at the first shadow, slamming himself into it with all his might. The creature howled, and then evaporated, just as the one defeated by the Tattoo Lady had. Confidence welled up inside him as the firefly launched himself at another, then another, each one falling under his attack.

Something solid came out of nowhere and knocked him out of the sky, slamming the bug into a tombstone. He fell to the ground, his mind reeling and his body screaming and then a shadow came over him, and then his world was nothing but darkness and pain.

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Mohinder didn't know what he was running from, just that he had to get away. He didn't believe Hiro at first, but when the creatures came after him, the Indian started to realize that the fly had been right all along and the danger he was in became that much greater. Shadowy claws spread out around him, just inches away from his own shadow and his curious mind wondered for a moment just what would happen if they caught him. Would they grab him, squeeze him breath less, or rip him to shreds with their razor sharp fingers. He didn't stay still long enough to find out, the thought giving him the much needed bust to pick up speed.

He rounded a corner and suddenly came to a reluctant halt. A dead end. He was trapped.

The Indian flinched as a long, human like shadow came from above him, reaching out to grab the talisman in his hands, but he wouldn't let it.

"Stay back!" he barked, lifting the amulet up, ready to smash it if necessary. "Come any closer and I'll-"

His words were cut off as a cloud of purple smoke suddenly surrounded him. He felt his body twist, expand, reshaping itself until he was...

...human?

Mohinder gaped, staring at his familiar brown hands, his sturdy body, and his long limbs. He was human. He was himself again. But how?

He looked up and saw that he wasn't in the graveyard anymore. Instead, he was in a library, a crisp clean library filled from wall to wall with books. Fresh, new books as far as his eyes could see. He wasn't alone either. There were people, so many people, quietly weaving in and out of the isles, reading each written word intently, or having excited, hushed conversations about the texts in their hands. He glanced down at himself again, realizing for the first time that he was dressed in a clean white suit, complete with finely polished shoes and a golden tie clip. This was everything he had ever dreamed of and more... but it wasn't real. It couldn't be.

"Yer a very down ta earth fellow, aren't ya Suresh?"

The Indian spun around, stiffening at the unfamiliar voice. He'd seen the man before on the streets, he'd heard others talk about him in hushed whispers. HRG had warned him about the witchdoctor several times, told everyone that the man would steal your soul with a smile on his face. He knew right away that this was the voodoo man who had cursed Gabriel.

"Samuel Sullivan, I presume?" he said, clutching the amulet tightly in his fist.

Samuel smiled, bowing slightly before approaching Mohinder. "Ya know of me? That's good. It'll make things much easier." With every step the witchdoctor took, Mohinder felt his body tighten and his heart beat increase. "Gotta tell ya boyo, you've been givin' me a great deal o' trouble as of late, but that's gonna end, ain't it? Yer gonna be a good lad an' hand me that talisman."

"And why should I?" Mohinder challenged, pulling the amulet closer to his chest, cupping it protectively with both hands. If Samuel wanted this, then it was nothing but trouble.

"Because if ya do then all this can be yours," he explained, gesturing towards the library with a grand wave of his arms. "Think o' it, Suresh; no more hard work, no more beggin'. Everythin' you an' yer dad ever dreamed of, all yours."

Mohinder looked around again at the ivory pillars, the polished cherry wood tables, the bright intelligent faces. It was better than any university that would ever consider accepting him.

He watched as a young man, a pale young man with carefully combed black hair, broad shoulders and long limbs gathered a few books, hugging them to his chest. His heart leapt in his chest, the name ready on his lips, but when the man turned around, Mohinder saw that the face was all wrong.

"No," he whispered. "This isn't right."

"An' whose ta say that?" Samuel pushed. He was suddenly uncomfortably close and breathing down his neck. "You've paid yer dues, haven't ya? Had ta sit back an' watch while others moved ahead? Had to wait around for bigots an' fools ta offer you a hand." Images, shadows of his past flashed in front of his eyes, too clear to be mere memories. He watched as so many classmates when off to graduation while he had to go off to work. He saw Thompson, brushing his arm away and turning his back on him. His stomach went cold and hot all at once. "An' what 'bout your ol' dad?"

He gasped, his father's ghostly image materializing right before his eyes. He saw the elder Suresh hunched over the dinner table, working on theories that no one would ever believe. He saw him limping home, rubbing at his sore back, just as he did so many nights.

"Now that was a hard workin' man. Killin' himself at meaningless, thankless jobs, all for a dream that never got off the ground."

Mohinder watched as his father's face turned pale, sunken, sickly gray, before fading away into nothingness. The tears were back, burning his eyes as he forced himself to blink them away.

Samuel's long, boney hand fell onto his shoulder, warm and comforting. "Ya can make his dreams come true, Mohinder," he whispered, leaning in closer to him. "Yer almost there."

His body stiffened when he felt Samuel's hands brush against his fingers, intent on snatching the amulet, claiming it as his own. His own fingers suddenly felt weak, the talisman weighing more than it had any right to as he suddenly longed to just drop it into the Irish man's palm.

It was then that everything came together. A new image flashed before his eyes, one that came straight from his heart. His mother's bright, encouraging smile as she wrapped her equally tired arms around his father's shoulder. The gentle kiss that she gave him each and every night, a reminder that he was working himself too hard.

He realized now what Lydia had been trying to tell him. He saw what he needed.

"My father never did get what he wanted," Mohinder ground out, backing away from Samuel as his fist clutched the amulet with renewed energy. "But he had what he needed. He had love. He had his family and he never lost sight of that!" Samuel stared at him, his eyes wide with horror as Mohinder raised the amulet up above his head, ready to bring it down. "And neither will I!"

He threw the talisman to the ground with all his strength, but the satisfying shatter never came. Instead, a shadowy hand snatched it up, mere inches before it could break. The world flashed, fading away and soon everything was as it had been before. He shrank, no longer human, but a frog once more.

Samuel cackled, talisman in hand, as he brought his long staff down on Mohinder's small green body. The tip pressed into him, cutting off his air supply. His lungs burned as the sound of his heart beating engulfed everything. "Ya shoulda taken me offer, Suresh," Samuel chided. "Now you're gonna spend the rest o' yer life a slimy li'l frog."

His dark eyes followed the amulet, dangling limply from the Irish man's fingers, taunting him. It was then that an idea sprang into his head. "I've got news for you, Samuel," he croaked. "It's not slime, it's mucus."

With the flick of his tongue, he managed to stretch the muscle just enough to snag the amulet out of the witchdoctor's grasp. Samuel jerked back, stunned as he watched Mohinder grab the amulet and smash it into tiny pieces on the hard ground. A strangled cry escaped from the Irish man's throat, just as the sky flashed purple and then green as strange shapes went whizzing through the air. The ground shook and Mohinder didn't need to be told to hop away to safety.

What happened next was probably the strangest thing he had ever seen, as the earth seemed to open up on its own, a chasm of purple and green light flashing before his very eyes as a slew of shadows reached out towards Samuel, clawing and screeching. The man attempted to get away, crawling on his hands and knees, but he wasn't quick enough. They caught him, dragging him kicking and screaming towards the cavern. The last thing Mohinder heard was Samuel's shrill, pained scream, before everything went quiet.

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Claire huffed, giving the door a good hit with her right fist, then her left, then her right one more time. If she were in a more reasonable state of mind, she probably wouldn't be assaulting the door to a church, but Prince Gabriel had stood her up for the very last time. As far as the heiress was concerned, marriage was now officially out of the question -- because if the prince was the type to run and hide whenever things got serious then she did not want him for a husband -- she merely wanted to beat the pasty bastard to a pulp.

"Prince!" she screeched. "Prince Gabriel! Your bride to be is gettin' antsy!"

With one great big huff, the petite teenager rammed the double doors with her shoulder, watching as they swung open, revealing an empty church. Well, empty save for one lone figure. She frowned in confusion at the small boy -- taller than her, but not nearly as imposing in height as the prince -- standing in the middle of the church, clutching something behind his back.

He gave her a nervous chuckle, waving at her with his free hand. "Hello darling," he greeted and it was only then that the girl realized that he was wearing the same wedding robe that Gabriel had had on, but only the boy looked as if he were drowning in the fabric.

The pieces didn't quite fall together, but Claire did exactly what came naturally to her; she screamed.

The young man flinched, dropping whatever he had been holding and running past her and out into the streets. Yet if the sound of a hefty grunt followed by flesh hitting stone meant anything, Claire assumed that the young man had been tackled by one of the Bennet men.

"Miss Bennet!" a voice cried from somewhere below her and Claire was suddenly ready to call this the strangest Mardi Gras ever. Things only got weirder, however, when she watched as a large frog with huge eyebrows hopped onto a table, and stood up on its hind legs. "Miss Bennet, allow me to introduce myself. I am the real Prince Gabriel."

She squeaked, grabbing the first thing her hands could touch -- a Bible of all things -- and slamming it down on the creature's head. It was only then that the frog's words registered with her. "Wait a minute... Did you say 'Prince'?"

Epilogue - This is Gonna Be Good