Forget Me Not Chapter 12/?
Title: Forget Me Not
Author: Bunny
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Nope, not at all mine.
Summary: Set around Shadowboxing; Claire discovers an amnesiac Sylar wandering around and takes it upon herself to help him.
A/N: Thank you everyone for being patient with me! I love that you guys are still reading and reviewing! <3
Prelude Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
So hold me when I’m here, right me when I’m wrong,
Hold me when I’m scared, and love me when I’m gone,
Everything I am and everything in me
Wants to be the one you wanted me to be.
~ When I’m Gone; 3 Doors Down
His memories were dark for the most part, like he could never full obtain them.
Occasionally there would be a sound he couldn’t make out.
A flash of light hair that he couldn’t place where it belonged.
A touch on his skin that burned with a need for more.
A hopeful whisper brushed against his skin, which he was compelled to repeat.
This dream was of the hopeful and erotic variety. At times they were full of desire for power or stress or anxious confusion, but not now. At the given moment the unseen woman laid at his side, apparently content to remain there. Though he could never fully see her, he knew she changed in appearance, but the woman mostly remained with this form. Through the haze he clung to her tightly, feeling a level of protective possession he hadn’t felt in such a long time.
Suddenly his world view jarred away as someone from the real world addressed him. “Sir,” repeated the voice accompanied with a firm shake of the shoulder. “We’ve arrived at our stop for the night.”
Sylar blinked his eyes open, agitated to find the bus driver prodding him awake. Ignoring the man he stood up and swiftly exited into the night. The town he had stopped in was small, relatively off the map. Despite the reduced population and lack of any WalMart or Starbucks he knew he was in the right place. Approaching a diner that was closed until morning, he grinned at the flyer attached to the glass.
Sullivan Brothers Carnival was residing in this town for the time being. And it was where he would get his answers.
***
Later the following day Sylar wandered with the crowd to the bright lights of the Carnival. Despite the small size of the town, there were several people purchasing tickets and milling around. Using the crowd to his advantage, he managed to slip through between ticket takers unnoticed.
As he moved amongst the people he could feel the constant thrum of abilities that grew stronger the farther into the grounds he walked. Everyone working a booth or a ride had a power, as well as a few patrons. Being around so many specials woke up the hunger to a degree he could barely contain. The only reason Sylar stopped was the potential that any one of them knew what had happened to him.
He wandered around for a time, no one seeming to pay any attention to him until all of a sudden a boy caught his eye. Perhaps 10 years old, the boy stood a few feet away and stared at him. In the shock of his stare he had dropped the ball he had been bouncing against the ground. Giving pause, Sylar began to head towards him. At this motion the boy scooped up the ball and scurried away, but the action appeared to be motivated by delight rather than fear.
Intrigued, he followed the boy as he slipped between two trailers to a back stage area. From what he could see it was abandoned, probably because everyone was on performance duty. Just a simple barrier of a few trailers and some space muffled both the noise of the Carnival and the dense wall of abilities he had been dredging through.
Turning another corner, Sylar saw that the boy had enthusiastically ran up to a man holding a bamboo stick and a woman sitting in a chair with a bare back. Though they were behind a set of sheen curtains, he could see them well. The closer he came he thought he saw a gray cloud spin and fade on the woman’s back, but he couldn’t have been sure.
The boy appeared highly animated while speaking to the pair before spotting him from a distance and gesturing wildly. The man stepped out from the slight partition, smiling widely. The boy also smiled as he scurried off.
“Brother Sylar, it’s wonderful to see you’ve found your way home!” exclaimed the man with a brilliant smile, holding out his arms for an embrace. Accepting the brief hug, the man placed his hands firmly on his shoulders. “You must see what has been done here. We have new family members, new goals, new ideas for us all. All of which I think you will find of interest.”
“I can’t wait to hear about it all,” he replied, curious to find out how it related to him.
“Wonderful! Before getting down to business, why don’t I introduce you to the new people, show the new set up.” The Carnie began to walk away, but turned back a second later asking with a grin, “Or perhaps you would prefer Lydia to show you around again?”
“Who?” As soon as that word was spoken, the man’s face deflated slightly.
“I told you he wouldn’t know,” muttered the woman, putting her shirt on as she stood. She approached the pair, gracefully holding out a hand to him. “I would be Lydia. It is wonderful to meet you again.”
“I know you?” he asked, deciding there wasn’t any reason to lie.
“Intimately so,” she replied with a hint of smug pride in her voice as she stroked slender fingers over his wrist. An eyebrow quirked up on his face. How much had he gotten around in his blank state?
The man smirked and clapped his hands together. “Well, reintroductions are in order then. My name is Samuel Sullivan, I am leader of this fine entertainment. And you met Lydia, something of my right hand lady.” Sylar merely nodded as the Carnie Master continued. “Now, I have to ask, if you don’t remember your time here, what led you back to us?”
“Perhaps I was hoping you could tell me,” he ventured vaguely, attempting to get a feel for how they would react to him. “I heard a rumor that I may have spent some time here. Now it’s leading me to think about something.”
“It couldn’t be the companionship and need of our family, could it?” ventured Samuel. In the way he posed the question, Sylar understood him to be a charismatic charmer who could convince nearly anyone to give him what he wanted. He couldn’t figure out whether he admired it or was jealous.
“Actually I was thinking of how quickly I could rip away everyone’s ability.”
For a fraction of a second they appeared worried, then Samuel chuckled in amusement. “Now there’s the Sylar I’ve heard so much about. A far cry from the one who visited us a few months ago.”
Holding back from delivering on his threat, he played along. Offering a smile and a chuckle of his own he stated, “Just trying to show that I mean business now.”
“That’s something I don’t mind,” oozed the woman as she wrapped an arm tightly around his, squeezing against his bare forearm. She closed her eyes as her finger tips glided over his skin, a motion that was both unnerving and relaxing. “I can see you’re searching for something.”
“You’re searching for answers,” observed Samuel, with an extra bit of energy in his actions as he pointed with both hands. “That is something I can provide you.”
“Are you certain that’s a good idea - ?” started the blonde, but she was immediately cut off by Samuel.
“If he is asking for help, who are we, his family, to deny him?” His tone was laced with distinct warning, but never was there the hint of a lie. “We do have a man here who can show you what you need to see. Last time complications arose, but seeing as how you are more yourself now I believe it will work.”
Sylar allowed them to lead him back into the populated area. Once more the hunger reared up as they moved closer to people, but he again swallowed it down. He didn’t trust any of these people, but at the prospect of some definitive answers he was willing to play along. Then he would kill them all.
As they walked several Carnie members appeared to abandon their work stations to catch a glimpse of him. Some kept their distance, while others smiled and waved. “I made an impression on this many people?”
Lydia gave a perfect impish smile that gave Sylar the feeling she had practiced it far too many times on men. “It’s more the promise of your return that has the family excited. There were doubters, so those of us who held faith are elated.”
This made him seem like a messiah of sorts to them, something which indicated he was going to be used at some point. He was not going to let that happen no matter what he may have promised them during his time with his memory wiped.
Finally arriving at the mirror house Lydia removed her arm from his and stood back. Samuel then stepped forward, slapping a hand onto his back to direct him in the entrance. “The answers you seek shall be in here,” he promised, waving an arm amongst the reflections. “This here is Damian.”
A man stood in the middle of the room with eyes that made him appear nearly dead. Whatever power this man had was one that Sylar did not desire as it had clearly sucked away his livelihood. Without turning away from the man he turned to address Samuel, but found he had left.
As Damian led him to the center of the mirrored room Sylar could feel the thrum of his power, though he still had no idea what it was. Damian said nothing when he exited so Sylar waited in the middle, turning to look from one glass reflection to another.
Nothing happened for quite some time. And it was leaving him restless.
“What exactly am I supposed to do in here?” he shouted, turning back to where he thought he had entered. Only now he appeared to be trapped in a circle of mirrors. “Is this some sort of trick?”
He raised an arm to slash a mirror when the glass fogged over. Startled, Sylar lowered his arm. Moving closer he watched his reflection disappear to show the Carnival Master in the dark beckoning him to join come towards the lights. The image became smoky as the scene showed several images of his time here at the Carnival. As Sylar looked from mirror to mirror he observed and remembered. Awakening in confusion, meeting all the members, being baptized into the fold, having sex with Lydia, working various jobs, breakfasts with the family here.
As these recollections and more flooded his mind, for some reason he kept flashing back to the blonde empath he had slept with. There was another memory there trying to come through, but it was as though it were being blocked. Each mirror was covered with a collage of his time at the Carnival, but in the corner of one Sylar noted a shadow of another blonde on top of him. Pushing through the headache he was receiving from the barrage of remembered thoughts, touched the glass where the memory was clearly trying to be snuffed out.
Once his fingers came in contact with the smooth surface Sylar yelled out in pain, grasping his head. While his Carnival time continued to play out, images of Claire Bennett slammed into his mind. Crashing into her by accident, her unexpected kindness, slipping into her bed - wait, was that her seducing him? - followed by news of Nathan’s death, but why had that news come months after he had slit his throat?
Pulling at his hair he collapsed to his knees as a third set of memories attacked him. He had been Nathan Petrelli. The circumstances of that happening in the Stanton was just coming through when everything began to overlap. Images of Matt Parkman and his family began to come forth. His memories were turning into a muddle of overlapping experiences and emotions that had no timeline and continued to hound him.
All Sylar could muster was one out of control laugh just before his world turned black.
***
Despite the splitting headache, Sylar stumbled out of the trailer. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it was still night time. Or perhaps night time on another day. The pain in his head continued to subside as he walked down the length of the trailer. Reaching the corner he found Samuel and Lydia plotting. She noticed him, offering a welcoming smile, “How nice to see you awake.”
“I trust the memory retrieval was successful?” asked Samuel, adding ingredients for ink into a jar. “You’ve been out for over a week.”
So much time to catch up, he thought idly, rubbing his eyes as everything cleared up. “I remember everything,” he stated with remarkable calm that was fading rapidly.
“Wonderful news,” he replied with considerable enthusiasm. He set down what was in his hands in order to give a congratulatory shoulder grab. “I was just going to consult Lydia to find how your recovery was going. But now that you are joining us, I think there is something else we could look at. You will probably find it quite interesting.”
“The thing is Samuel, I said I remembered everything,” seethed Sylar, feeling powers tingle under skin, begging to be used. He didn’t care about learning the plans, he cared about revenge. “Including what caused me to leave in the first place.”
The man picked up a jar of ink in order to mix its contents, not overly concerned with what the news would be. “I did wonder what had happened.”
“You thought you could use me as your own personal assassin,” he muttered. He greatly enjoyed watching Samuel’s face blanch, only adding to his desire to take drastic action. “I do not appreciate being tricked.”
Lydia tensed in the chair that was just out of his reached. “That was never our intention -” she attempted to begin, but Sylar held a hand up to squeeze her throat closed.
“Your lies actually smell rancid,” he hissed, applying just enough pressure to prolong her suffering. His head tilted back to Samuel, his words spitting in sarcasm. “Would you like me to demonstrate my qualifications for the position?”
A nearby carnival member saw what was happening. He cried out in protest, running over to stop what he was doing. With barely a glimpse at him, Sylar slashed out in the air to slit his throat. As the red streak splattered across the dirt, the man was reduced to gurgling as he fell to the ground.
Before the light faded completely from his eyes, Sylar had Samuel strung up like a puppet in the air. “I thought I made it clear with Edgar that I will not be used.”
Samuel began to laugh slowly, causing him to hesitate slightly. “You think this is all about you, don’t you?” he laughed. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”
In a rush of anger Sylar released Lydia, who fell to the ground gasping intensely for air. Now with a free finger he held it up to prepare to take what should be his. “I am going to enjoy taking your ability.”
He began to slice slowly through his skull and smiled as Samuel screamed in pain. However what Sylar didn’t know was when he was distracted Samuel had gained control of his body. He was so wrapped up in tormenting his victim he never noticed the small round rock floating off to the side of his head.
With a flick of his finger Samuel sent the rock flying through his attacker’s temple, burying it deep in his brain. Sylar went down dead for the moment and Samuel collapsed to his knees with his head burning. Every time his heart beat the pressure built where the incision lay.
Needless to say, this hadn’t gone as had been planned. Again.
“You’re going to need stitches,” murmured Lydia with a hoarse voice, firmly pressing a ripped portion of her skirt against his head.
Wincing through the pain, Samuel gently pushed her away to stand unattended. Despite the gush of blood from removing the rag from his head, he concentrated to use both hands to separate the ground down several feet. Addressing the crowd that had gathered at the commotion, he instructed, “Throw them in face first. That should buy us some more time.”
Two brothers came forward immediately and dragged Sylar’s dead form followed by the other man to the bottom of the makeshift grave. By the time Samuel closed the earth a worrisome chatter had risen in the crowd.
“I think it is now clear that Brother Sylar will no longer be a part of our family,” he began raising his voice so all could hear. “I know that some of you are concerned. Some of you believed that he was going to be the one to bring our salvation to us, I myself was under that impression. But reset assured; it is still coming. Even if we have to take it by force, our protection will come!”
A roar of approval rippled through the people and Samuel smiled in pleasure. Going into hiding for the next three months or so would be difficult, but for the freedom and safety of his family it would be worth it.
***
Tri-weekly tea time at Sweetie’s had become a normal thing. Though the older woman had insisted upon lemonade due to the caffeine in the traditional beverage, they still referred to it as such. Amidst the uncontrollable giggles rolling throughout both women, Claire somehow heard the ring of her mobile. An unrecognized number was calling and with a breathless voice she answered. “Hello.”
A stony silence was on the other side.
“Hello?” she repeated, mirth disappearing from her voice. “Who is this?”
Still silence, though she could hear breathing this time.
“All right, I’m hanging up now -”
“Do you know that your skin tastes like vanilla?” inquired a voice she would recognize anywhere.
“Sylar.” Claire’s breath sucked from her body as she listened, Sweetie doing the same across from her. Three weeks had passed since the funeral and there had been no word from him. Now all of a sudden he had decided to call, being as mysterious as ever while talking in seductive tones. Collecting herself she did the first thing that came to her mind; arguing the facts. “That’s not the scent of my body wash.”
“That’s what always surprised me, Claire,” he sighed, she practically could see the grin on his face through the phone. “It was a citrus smell, but yet on you it was sweeter, smoother, perfectly natural on you.”
“Is there a point to this?” she cut off. “Because I’m actually busy right now. This doesn’t prove you know anything except potentially what type of shower supplies I buy.”
He chuckled at her bluff. “It was to make you comfortable, you know.”
“This phone call? Have to tell you it’s not working.”
“You prefer bare feet,” he began again, sounding somewhat distant. “And I knew you wouldn’t die after I took your power, so I did what I could.”
A cold sweat over came her. She clung onto the table to keep a hold on the world. Sylar was answering her question. The one she came up with the first night they had made love. Meaning he had found a way to recall what had happened. Speaking through a dry mouth she stated the obvious. “I guess you know it all now.”
“And yet I still have several questions,” Sylar drolled out.
“Figure the answers out yourself,” she snapped, clicking the end button. With a fluttering in her stomach, non child related, and sweaty palms, Claire closed her eyes while breathing slowly. Her mind could only focus on the fact he had called, she couldn’t even begin to process what had been said. Once she had calmed she to address Sweetie’s disbelieving face. “What?”
“What the hell was that?”
Flustered by her friend’s abrupt attacked Claire blinked in confusion, “I don’t know what -”
“You’ve been depressed ever since he left,” she reasoned with a hint of impatience. “Then all of a sudden he calls so you decide that behaving curtly is the way to act.”
“Are you lecturing me?” she asked slightly offended. She leaned back in the chair to better rub her belly. “I don’t want to see him again. Not now, especially not like this.”
“It was just a phone call, Honey Child, and considering your current condition, it’s the best way to appease him without face to face contact which is what you want.” When Claire remained unresponsive, Sweetie frowned and reached across the table. “You know what, give me back that lemonade.”
“Hey!” she protested, jutting her lip out in a frown. “Just promise me if he stops by…”
“Absolutely,” promised Sweetie sincerely, though the next statement held just a tick of sarcasm. “If your soul mate comes by I will call your father just like I said I would.”
“He’s not…” Claire’s eyes slighted, but she didn’t feel herself actually become angry. “You are a horrible tempter.”
The buzz that indicated a received text message ran through her phone. “I’ll give you some time to think it over. Contact you soon.”
Prelude Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
Author: Bunny
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Nope, not at all mine.
Summary: Set around Shadowboxing; Claire discovers an amnesiac Sylar wandering around and takes it upon herself to help him.
A/N: Thank you everyone for being patient with me! I love that you guys are still reading and reviewing! <3
Prelude Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
So hold me when I’m here, right me when I’m wrong,
Hold me when I’m scared, and love me when I’m gone,
Everything I am and everything in me
Wants to be the one you wanted me to be.
~ When I’m Gone; 3 Doors Down
His memories were dark for the most part, like he could never full obtain them.
Occasionally there would be a sound he couldn’t make out.
A flash of light hair that he couldn’t place where it belonged.
A touch on his skin that burned with a need for more.
A hopeful whisper brushed against his skin, which he was compelled to repeat.
This dream was of the hopeful and erotic variety. At times they were full of desire for power or stress or anxious confusion, but not now. At the given moment the unseen woman laid at his side, apparently content to remain there. Though he could never fully see her, he knew she changed in appearance, but the woman mostly remained with this form. Through the haze he clung to her tightly, feeling a level of protective possession he hadn’t felt in such a long time.
Suddenly his world view jarred away as someone from the real world addressed him. “Sir,” repeated the voice accompanied with a firm shake of the shoulder. “We’ve arrived at our stop for the night.”
Sylar blinked his eyes open, agitated to find the bus driver prodding him awake. Ignoring the man he stood up and swiftly exited into the night. The town he had stopped in was small, relatively off the map. Despite the reduced population and lack of any WalMart or Starbucks he knew he was in the right place. Approaching a diner that was closed until morning, he grinned at the flyer attached to the glass.
Sullivan Brothers Carnival was residing in this town for the time being. And it was where he would get his answers.
***
Later the following day Sylar wandered with the crowd to the bright lights of the Carnival. Despite the small size of the town, there were several people purchasing tickets and milling around. Using the crowd to his advantage, he managed to slip through between ticket takers unnoticed.
As he moved amongst the people he could feel the constant thrum of abilities that grew stronger the farther into the grounds he walked. Everyone working a booth or a ride had a power, as well as a few patrons. Being around so many specials woke up the hunger to a degree he could barely contain. The only reason Sylar stopped was the potential that any one of them knew what had happened to him.
He wandered around for a time, no one seeming to pay any attention to him until all of a sudden a boy caught his eye. Perhaps 10 years old, the boy stood a few feet away and stared at him. In the shock of his stare he had dropped the ball he had been bouncing against the ground. Giving pause, Sylar began to head towards him. At this motion the boy scooped up the ball and scurried away, but the action appeared to be motivated by delight rather than fear.
Intrigued, he followed the boy as he slipped between two trailers to a back stage area. From what he could see it was abandoned, probably because everyone was on performance duty. Just a simple barrier of a few trailers and some space muffled both the noise of the Carnival and the dense wall of abilities he had been dredging through.
Turning another corner, Sylar saw that the boy had enthusiastically ran up to a man holding a bamboo stick and a woman sitting in a chair with a bare back. Though they were behind a set of sheen curtains, he could see them well. The closer he came he thought he saw a gray cloud spin and fade on the woman’s back, but he couldn’t have been sure.
The boy appeared highly animated while speaking to the pair before spotting him from a distance and gesturing wildly. The man stepped out from the slight partition, smiling widely. The boy also smiled as he scurried off.
“Brother Sylar, it’s wonderful to see you’ve found your way home!” exclaimed the man with a brilliant smile, holding out his arms for an embrace. Accepting the brief hug, the man placed his hands firmly on his shoulders. “You must see what has been done here. We have new family members, new goals, new ideas for us all. All of which I think you will find of interest.”
“I can’t wait to hear about it all,” he replied, curious to find out how it related to him.
“Wonderful! Before getting down to business, why don’t I introduce you to the new people, show the new set up.” The Carnie began to walk away, but turned back a second later asking with a grin, “Or perhaps you would prefer Lydia to show you around again?”
“Who?” As soon as that word was spoken, the man’s face deflated slightly.
“I told you he wouldn’t know,” muttered the woman, putting her shirt on as she stood. She approached the pair, gracefully holding out a hand to him. “I would be Lydia. It is wonderful to meet you again.”
“I know you?” he asked, deciding there wasn’t any reason to lie.
“Intimately so,” she replied with a hint of smug pride in her voice as she stroked slender fingers over his wrist. An eyebrow quirked up on his face. How much had he gotten around in his blank state?
The man smirked and clapped his hands together. “Well, reintroductions are in order then. My name is Samuel Sullivan, I am leader of this fine entertainment. And you met Lydia, something of my right hand lady.” Sylar merely nodded as the Carnie Master continued. “Now, I have to ask, if you don’t remember your time here, what led you back to us?”
“Perhaps I was hoping you could tell me,” he ventured vaguely, attempting to get a feel for how they would react to him. “I heard a rumor that I may have spent some time here. Now it’s leading me to think about something.”
“It couldn’t be the companionship and need of our family, could it?” ventured Samuel. In the way he posed the question, Sylar understood him to be a charismatic charmer who could convince nearly anyone to give him what he wanted. He couldn’t figure out whether he admired it or was jealous.
“Actually I was thinking of how quickly I could rip away everyone’s ability.”
For a fraction of a second they appeared worried, then Samuel chuckled in amusement. “Now there’s the Sylar I’ve heard so much about. A far cry from the one who visited us a few months ago.”
Holding back from delivering on his threat, he played along. Offering a smile and a chuckle of his own he stated, “Just trying to show that I mean business now.”
“That’s something I don’t mind,” oozed the woman as she wrapped an arm tightly around his, squeezing against his bare forearm. She closed her eyes as her finger tips glided over his skin, a motion that was both unnerving and relaxing. “I can see you’re searching for something.”
“You’re searching for answers,” observed Samuel, with an extra bit of energy in his actions as he pointed with both hands. “That is something I can provide you.”
“Are you certain that’s a good idea - ?” started the blonde, but she was immediately cut off by Samuel.
“If he is asking for help, who are we, his family, to deny him?” His tone was laced with distinct warning, but never was there the hint of a lie. “We do have a man here who can show you what you need to see. Last time complications arose, but seeing as how you are more yourself now I believe it will work.”
Sylar allowed them to lead him back into the populated area. Once more the hunger reared up as they moved closer to people, but he again swallowed it down. He didn’t trust any of these people, but at the prospect of some definitive answers he was willing to play along. Then he would kill them all.
As they walked several Carnie members appeared to abandon their work stations to catch a glimpse of him. Some kept their distance, while others smiled and waved. “I made an impression on this many people?”
Lydia gave a perfect impish smile that gave Sylar the feeling she had practiced it far too many times on men. “It’s more the promise of your return that has the family excited. There were doubters, so those of us who held faith are elated.”
This made him seem like a messiah of sorts to them, something which indicated he was going to be used at some point. He was not going to let that happen no matter what he may have promised them during his time with his memory wiped.
Finally arriving at the mirror house Lydia removed her arm from his and stood back. Samuel then stepped forward, slapping a hand onto his back to direct him in the entrance. “The answers you seek shall be in here,” he promised, waving an arm amongst the reflections. “This here is Damian.”
A man stood in the middle of the room with eyes that made him appear nearly dead. Whatever power this man had was one that Sylar did not desire as it had clearly sucked away his livelihood. Without turning away from the man he turned to address Samuel, but found he had left.
As Damian led him to the center of the mirrored room Sylar could feel the thrum of his power, though he still had no idea what it was. Damian said nothing when he exited so Sylar waited in the middle, turning to look from one glass reflection to another.
Nothing happened for quite some time. And it was leaving him restless.
“What exactly am I supposed to do in here?” he shouted, turning back to where he thought he had entered. Only now he appeared to be trapped in a circle of mirrors. “Is this some sort of trick?”
He raised an arm to slash a mirror when the glass fogged over. Startled, Sylar lowered his arm. Moving closer he watched his reflection disappear to show the Carnival Master in the dark beckoning him to join come towards the lights. The image became smoky as the scene showed several images of his time here at the Carnival. As Sylar looked from mirror to mirror he observed and remembered. Awakening in confusion, meeting all the members, being baptized into the fold, having sex with Lydia, working various jobs, breakfasts with the family here.
As these recollections and more flooded his mind, for some reason he kept flashing back to the blonde empath he had slept with. There was another memory there trying to come through, but it was as though it were being blocked. Each mirror was covered with a collage of his time at the Carnival, but in the corner of one Sylar noted a shadow of another blonde on top of him. Pushing through the headache he was receiving from the barrage of remembered thoughts, touched the glass where the memory was clearly trying to be snuffed out.
Once his fingers came in contact with the smooth surface Sylar yelled out in pain, grasping his head. While his Carnival time continued to play out, images of Claire Bennett slammed into his mind. Crashing into her by accident, her unexpected kindness, slipping into her bed - wait, was that her seducing him? - followed by news of Nathan’s death, but why had that news come months after he had slit his throat?
Pulling at his hair he collapsed to his knees as a third set of memories attacked him. He had been Nathan Petrelli. The circumstances of that happening in the Stanton was just coming through when everything began to overlap. Images of Matt Parkman and his family began to come forth. His memories were turning into a muddle of overlapping experiences and emotions that had no timeline and continued to hound him.
All Sylar could muster was one out of control laugh just before his world turned black.
***
Despite the splitting headache, Sylar stumbled out of the trailer. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it was still night time. Or perhaps night time on another day. The pain in his head continued to subside as he walked down the length of the trailer. Reaching the corner he found Samuel and Lydia plotting. She noticed him, offering a welcoming smile, “How nice to see you awake.”
“I trust the memory retrieval was successful?” asked Samuel, adding ingredients for ink into a jar. “You’ve been out for over a week.”
So much time to catch up, he thought idly, rubbing his eyes as everything cleared up. “I remember everything,” he stated with remarkable calm that was fading rapidly.
“Wonderful news,” he replied with considerable enthusiasm. He set down what was in his hands in order to give a congratulatory shoulder grab. “I was just going to consult Lydia to find how your recovery was going. But now that you are joining us, I think there is something else we could look at. You will probably find it quite interesting.”
“The thing is Samuel, I said I remembered everything,” seethed Sylar, feeling powers tingle under skin, begging to be used. He didn’t care about learning the plans, he cared about revenge. “Including what caused me to leave in the first place.”
The man picked up a jar of ink in order to mix its contents, not overly concerned with what the news would be. “I did wonder what had happened.”
“You thought you could use me as your own personal assassin,” he muttered. He greatly enjoyed watching Samuel’s face blanch, only adding to his desire to take drastic action. “I do not appreciate being tricked.”
Lydia tensed in the chair that was just out of his reached. “That was never our intention -” she attempted to begin, but Sylar held a hand up to squeeze her throat closed.
“Your lies actually smell rancid,” he hissed, applying just enough pressure to prolong her suffering. His head tilted back to Samuel, his words spitting in sarcasm. “Would you like me to demonstrate my qualifications for the position?”
A nearby carnival member saw what was happening. He cried out in protest, running over to stop what he was doing. With barely a glimpse at him, Sylar slashed out in the air to slit his throat. As the red streak splattered across the dirt, the man was reduced to gurgling as he fell to the ground.
Before the light faded completely from his eyes, Sylar had Samuel strung up like a puppet in the air. “I thought I made it clear with Edgar that I will not be used.”
Samuel began to laugh slowly, causing him to hesitate slightly. “You think this is all about you, don’t you?” he laughed. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”
In a rush of anger Sylar released Lydia, who fell to the ground gasping intensely for air. Now with a free finger he held it up to prepare to take what should be his. “I am going to enjoy taking your ability.”
He began to slice slowly through his skull and smiled as Samuel screamed in pain. However what Sylar didn’t know was when he was distracted Samuel had gained control of his body. He was so wrapped up in tormenting his victim he never noticed the small round rock floating off to the side of his head.
With a flick of his finger Samuel sent the rock flying through his attacker’s temple, burying it deep in his brain. Sylar went down dead for the moment and Samuel collapsed to his knees with his head burning. Every time his heart beat the pressure built where the incision lay.
Needless to say, this hadn’t gone as had been planned. Again.
“You’re going to need stitches,” murmured Lydia with a hoarse voice, firmly pressing a ripped portion of her skirt against his head.
Wincing through the pain, Samuel gently pushed her away to stand unattended. Despite the gush of blood from removing the rag from his head, he concentrated to use both hands to separate the ground down several feet. Addressing the crowd that had gathered at the commotion, he instructed, “Throw them in face first. That should buy us some more time.”
Two brothers came forward immediately and dragged Sylar’s dead form followed by the other man to the bottom of the makeshift grave. By the time Samuel closed the earth a worrisome chatter had risen in the crowd.
“I think it is now clear that Brother Sylar will no longer be a part of our family,” he began raising his voice so all could hear. “I know that some of you are concerned. Some of you believed that he was going to be the one to bring our salvation to us, I myself was under that impression. But reset assured; it is still coming. Even if we have to take it by force, our protection will come!”
A roar of approval rippled through the people and Samuel smiled in pleasure. Going into hiding for the next three months or so would be difficult, but for the freedom and safety of his family it would be worth it.
***
Tri-weekly tea time at Sweetie’s had become a normal thing. Though the older woman had insisted upon lemonade due to the caffeine in the traditional beverage, they still referred to it as such. Amidst the uncontrollable giggles rolling throughout both women, Claire somehow heard the ring of her mobile. An unrecognized number was calling and with a breathless voice she answered. “Hello.”
A stony silence was on the other side.
“Hello?” she repeated, mirth disappearing from her voice. “Who is this?”
Still silence, though she could hear breathing this time.
“All right, I’m hanging up now -”
“Do you know that your skin tastes like vanilla?” inquired a voice she would recognize anywhere.
“Sylar.” Claire’s breath sucked from her body as she listened, Sweetie doing the same across from her. Three weeks had passed since the funeral and there had been no word from him. Now all of a sudden he had decided to call, being as mysterious as ever while talking in seductive tones. Collecting herself she did the first thing that came to her mind; arguing the facts. “That’s not the scent of my body wash.”
“That’s what always surprised me, Claire,” he sighed, she practically could see the grin on his face through the phone. “It was a citrus smell, but yet on you it was sweeter, smoother, perfectly natural on you.”
“Is there a point to this?” she cut off. “Because I’m actually busy right now. This doesn’t prove you know anything except potentially what type of shower supplies I buy.”
He chuckled at her bluff. “It was to make you comfortable, you know.”
“This phone call? Have to tell you it’s not working.”
“You prefer bare feet,” he began again, sounding somewhat distant. “And I knew you wouldn’t die after I took your power, so I did what I could.”
A cold sweat over came her. She clung onto the table to keep a hold on the world. Sylar was answering her question. The one she came up with the first night they had made love. Meaning he had found a way to recall what had happened. Speaking through a dry mouth she stated the obvious. “I guess you know it all now.”
“And yet I still have several questions,” Sylar drolled out.
“Figure the answers out yourself,” she snapped, clicking the end button. With a fluttering in her stomach, non child related, and sweaty palms, Claire closed her eyes while breathing slowly. Her mind could only focus on the fact he had called, she couldn’t even begin to process what had been said. Once she had calmed she to address Sweetie’s disbelieving face. “What?”
“What the hell was that?”
Flustered by her friend’s abrupt attacked Claire blinked in confusion, “I don’t know what -”
“You’ve been depressed ever since he left,” she reasoned with a hint of impatience. “Then all of a sudden he calls so you decide that behaving curtly is the way to act.”
“Are you lecturing me?” she asked slightly offended. She leaned back in the chair to better rub her belly. “I don’t want to see him again. Not now, especially not like this.”
“It was just a phone call, Honey Child, and considering your current condition, it’s the best way to appease him without face to face contact which is what you want.” When Claire remained unresponsive, Sweetie frowned and reached across the table. “You know what, give me back that lemonade.”
“Hey!” she protested, jutting her lip out in a frown. “Just promise me if he stops by…”
“Absolutely,” promised Sweetie sincerely, though the next statement held just a tick of sarcasm. “If your soul mate comes by I will call your father just like I said I would.”
“He’s not…” Claire’s eyes slighted, but she didn’t feel herself actually become angry. “You are a horrible tempter.”
The buzz that indicated a received text message ran through her phone. “I’ll give you some time to think it over. Contact you soon.”
Prelude Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16