The first day after they were back in New York, Mohinder called a meeting at his apartment. He said that it was absolutely necessary, considering that in just under a month they would be going on to the biggest fight of their lives. No one really felt like going to it, especially this soon after the panic they had felt when Peter was gone. Peter was still fighting off the drugs that had been pumped continuously and dangerously and Matt was still adjusting to the sudden change in time. Nevertheless, Mohinder found a way to round them all up and sit them all down.

He paced in front of everyone, arms crossed over his chest and a look of extreme seriousness on his face. Peter was holding his head up with his arm, leaning heavily on the arm of the chair. Next to him was Niki, who was slouching and looking slovenly. Next to her was Matt, who was looking like a sleep-deprived teenager trying to stay up during Spanish class. Isaac was doodling on something in another arm chair. Mohinder turned to the group of obviously bored people, and said to them:

"In approxamately one month, we will be finishing the war against our enemies."

Peter and Niki sat a little straighter, Isaac stopped doodling, and Matt seemed like he was finally awake.

Happy that he had everyone's attention now, Mohinder continued speaking. "The seven Rainbow Crystals have been gathered, which means that the Silver Crystal can be formed. Unfortunately, it can only be formed on a full moon, which is just under a month away."

That's when the questions started flowing.

"How do we make it?"

"What are we going to do 'till then?"

"Where is our enemy?"

"Does Sailor Venus know about this?"

"Who's Sailor Venus?"

"Are we going to meet Sailor Venus before the full moon?"

Mohinder blinked. He shrugged his shoulders. "I can't answer most of those questions--"

"Who cares if Sailor Venus know we know who he or she is?" Isaac shouted, standing up. "Crap, Mohinder, if I hadn't seen Sailor Venus's whip with my own eyes I would whether or not he existed!"

"Venus is cautious. He doesn't want to reveal himself too soon" Mohinder explained.

Isaac sat down, arms crossed and staring straight at Mohinder with a sort of hatred. "He's a coward, then?"

Mohinder shook his head. "No. You're just impatient." He thought of the questions again. "I'm not sure about what the process for making the Silver Crystal is and I don't know the precise location of our enemies' hideaway, but I do know what we're going to be doing until we have to face them."

"What?" Niki asked, leaning forward a little.

Mohinder smiled a little. "Training."

(----------)

Peter fell on his face on the couch, his grunt muffled by the cushions. His joints were paining him, stiff and unable to move even if Niki zapped him again. He wanted so much to just fall asleep on that lovely, comforting couch and to drift off in the nothingness behind his eyelids.

He heard the phone ring and a pained, "leave me alone" groan emitted from Peter's throat. The phone rang three times, then went to the answering machine.

"Peter, it's Nathan." Peter blinked, a little confused and paying attention. "Listen, I know I didn't believe you back when you told me about the...Solar Scouts?"

"Sailor Scouts" Peter mumbled, eyes drifting close.

"Anyway, we're getting a little worried about you. I mean, do you even still have a job?"

Peter covered his eyes with his hand. No. He got the call this morning.

"Peter, please, come to Sunday brunch with us. We can talk one-on-one, just you and me. What do you say?"

Tempting. It's very, very tempting. Especially since Nathan sounded so sincere.

"Well, I got to go. I hope to see you Sunday." There was a beep, and Peter closed his eyes.

(----------)

Sunday morning rolled around...

And Peter was spending it hidden away in his regular coffee shop.

He had wanted to go to Nathan's and calm his nerves but...he just couldn't. Peter had started out going to the family mansion, but something subconsciously changed. He couldn't explain it, exactly, how Peter got to the coffee shop. To get to the coffee shop, Peter had to go in the opposite direction of the mansion. So, without even remembering it, Peter turned around and walked back to the coffee shop where Niki was pulling morning duty.

As Peter came back up to the counter--it was pretty slow since most people were having breakfast or were still in church--Niki just told get a stool from the bar and just stay there. Peter didn't go that far, but he did shack up at the bar, where Niki would come over to him and talk.

A little into an hour there, a man came into the coffee shop. He looked around Peter's age, maybe a year or two older. He was wearing a trenchcoat, holding a briefcase, and pushing his glasses a little higher up on his nose. They were the geeky horn-rimmed glasses that a few of Peter's professors had because they were slowly growing blind.

As the man approached the counter, a woman called out to him from another table. It was Mina, who had been at the coffee shop for, from what Niki told Peter, at least two or three hours before the manager opened up. The man with horn-rimmed glasses turned his attention to the woman. Mina almost jumped out of her chair, feeling the air around the man. "She's feeling him" Niki whispered low enough so that only Peter could hear her.

Peter bit his lower lip as he heard what Mina was saying.

"You have a strong, protective aura. Like you have something precious to protect. A little lady, perhaps? Hahaha!"

"You guessed right. I have a daughter back home."

"Really? Oh, how sweet! How old is she?"

"Five years."

"Oh...I've always wanted a child! Tell me, is it worth it?"

"More than you can ever imagine."

Peter leaned into Niki. "Does she do this to everyone?"

Niki shook her head. "To my memory just me and Jessica. Why?"

Peter looked back at the chatting couple. "Because Mina did the same thing to me the day I found out about Sailor Moon."

(----------)

"You all seem to be improving" Mohinder said joyously.

No one seemed to have the energy to glare at him. Except for Isaac, who huddled enough together to give Mohinder the finger. Mohinder ignored this and sat down on the floor, the only place that didn't have a body on it.

"I can tell that you all aren't very happy with me at this moment--"

"Yes!" Niki declared.

"--But you have to look at the bright side of the training."

"Torture!" Matt chirped.

Mohinder opened his mouth, then closed it.

Peter was staring blankly up at the ceiling, remembering the face of the man he'd seen in the coffee shop. The one with horn-rimmed glasses. Peter had seen him about two more times since that Sunday morning. By Niki's own admission, Mina hardly ever reads someone. And so far, the only people she's read were people who were, or were related to, a Sailor Scout. People with immense power lying in their hearts. Does that mean that man was another one? Or related to another one?

Peter took a deep breath. What if that was Sailor Venus? Mohinder said that it was about time for Venus to reveal himself.

Maybe...he was trying to that day.

Mohinder stood up, making the floor creak. "You all can go home now, if you want. We have another two-and-a-half weeks left before the full moon."

(----------)

"Peter...I...uh...I don't know what to say, Peter. You're...you're ignoring us, your family, the friends you made before you met the Indian guy... We're all worried about you." There was a pause in the recording. "And I hope to see you at Sunday brunch."

The answering machine beeped. Peter rolled his head towards the door to his apartment. He closed his eyes and walked away, towards his bedroom.

(----------)

After about two weeks of training, everyone stopped being so tired. Maybe it was because everyone was just doing refreshing, well-beaten exercises that would just keep pounding into their heads.

Niki had made everyone turkey sandwiches, and was back in the kitchen making seconds for three of the boys. Mohinder gave a hacking cough, alerting Niki and the others in the room. "Are you okay, Mohinder?" Niki asked.

Mohinder looked up. "I'm fine. It's probably nothing some cough medicine couldn't help."

(----------)

Peter waved the thermometer in his hand. He pushed Mohinder back down onto the couch. "Stay down. We don't need you stressing your body."

"Peter...it's nothing. Just a fever" Mohinder insisted. He sounded different with a stuffed nose and dry mouth.

"Yeah. Just a 101.7 degree fever." Peter looked up at Matt. "You don't work today?"

Matt saluted Peter. "I'll keep a close eye on him, don't worry."

Peter nodded. "Good. I'll call everyone and tell them that training is cancelled."

"But--"

Peter hovered over Mohinder. "Last I checked, I was the one with the medical degree." Peter knelt down by Mohinder, smoothing back some hair. "Chances are after some rest the fever will break and you can return to normal."

"Do you think it'll break by tomorrow?" Mohinder asked.

Peter shrugged. "I don't know, why?"

Mohinder opened his mouth, but began to cough. The force of them made Mohinder sit up. Matt held onto Mohinder's shoulders, rubbing his back and soothing him out of the violent coughs. Mohinder groaned as he laid back down, mumbling something in Hindi. Matt draped a blanket over Mohinder, who was still grumbling. Peter said goodbye and walked over to the door.

"Wait, Peter" Matt said. He met Peter at the door. "I think the full moon is tomorrow night."

"Really?" Peter asked.

Matt nodded. "Yeah. Mohinder wrote something on a calender. It's in a different language so I don't know what it says, but it's in big, red letter...pictogram...things and it's circled."

Peter nodded. "That would mean that there would be something happening tomorrow."

"What should I tell everyone?" Matt asked.

Peter wondered if someone could come up with a stupider question. "That tomorrow is the full moon."

Matt stared at him as if he just heard Peter thinking about how stupid he thought Matt was. "No, what should I tell them, Peter? What they need to bring if they need to bring anything; what time to be here; what we are going to be doing? What should I tell them."

Peter hadn't thought of any of that. In fact, he'd just assumed Mohinder would tell him what to do when time came for him to do that. Peter's mouth hung open a little as he thought of what to tell Matt. Unable to figure out anything to say, Peter just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I...I don't know. I don't know what we're doing."

Matt made a face. Peter knew that face. He'd seen his father make the same one hundreds of tims before. Like this one, they had been caused by something Peter had done or said. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Okay...I'll just ask Mohinder after he's gotten some sleep."

Peter nodded and left, feeling stupid and like a crappy leader.

(----------)

When Peter got back to his apartment, the phone rang. He ignored it for a while, thinking that it wouldn't hurt to have the answering machine pick it up. It was probably a telemarketer and they always hung up when they got the answering machine.

"Peter," Nathan's voice said after a beep, "if you are still...if you're still there, in that apartment, in that city...if you are somehow able to hear this message, please come to breakfast tomorrow. Or at least call. If not...If not I will call the police and I will find out what is going on." There was a beep.

Peter stared out a window. His brow furrowed. Was there something out there? As he walked closer to the window, Peter squinted, trying to figure out what it was. When he got to the window, though, nothing or no one was there, on the other building, on the street, or anywhere at all.

(----------)

Peter hadn't felt so happy, so relieved, so himself in so long. Which was weird, because he'd expected going back to the family mansion would be like pulling teeth, especially after he actually got in there. But it wasn't. It was like he'd just been at the mansion the week before. Peter couldn't figure it out whether or not Nathan had said something to them or they were just naturally like this. But he couldn't, because if he had, than Peter's mother would be asking him hundreds upon hundreds of questions, because that was just her nature. She did ask questions, just not a lot.

After breakfast, Peter's nephews pulled him aside to play. It was interesting, seeing them building with Legos before destroying them. Peter had played with Legos when he was little. That was when the play sets were coming out. After everyone Peter had finished, he'd gotten it placed in clear box and had it placed on a shelf somewhere. They were still in one piece, somewhere in this house.

The nanny came in after a while. She said that she needed to get the boys ready for shopping with their mother. Both boys groaned, because nothing was more boring than shopping with your mom. Peter left the room, smiling at the two unfortunate boys.

On Peter's way down the stairs, Nathan caught sight of him. He pulled Peter aside and lead him back out to the patio. No one was there. Nathan also closed the doors, so that no one would come in and interrupt them. Nathan walked over to the table and placed his hands on the back of one of the chairs. He indicated the one across from the one he was standing with. "Why don't you take a seat?"

Peter's mouth turned down a little. He did as he was told and sat down. He looked up at Nathan, who seemed to be silently refusing to sit. All the good mood that Peter had had up to this point washed away with Nathan's accusing eyes. "Peter..."

"At leat I haven't OD'd, Nathan. Does that make you happy?" Peter asked venomously.

Nathan was silent for a moment. "Very" he replied. His fingers tapped the chair. "Peter, I'm...very worried about you."

"Why?" Peter asked. "I'm fine."

"You're not, Peter." Nathan walked around the table, towards Peter. "You've ignored all your relationships, you haven't been to work in weeks according to your boss, and I know that Isaac, the painter, is a drug addict."

Peter turned angrily. "No, he's not."

"Yes he is."

"No he's not. I haven't seen him smoke a cigarette let alone do any hard drugs."

"He is, Peter. He's been in the hospital multiple times due to drug overdosing, been in and out of rehab three times, hell he almost died of a heart-attack because of drugs!" Nathan was standing calmly, hands in his pockets, staring at his little brother.

Peter stood up, seething. "How the hell do you know that? Did you get a private investigator to look into my friends or something?" Nathan was quiet. Peter rubbed his forehead. "Son of a bitch..."

"Peter--"

"No!" Peter held a finger up. "Listen. The people I have made friends with are good people. They care about each other and they care about complete strangers. They want to help save the world." Nathan opened his mouth, but Peter cut him off. "No! I know it's insane, but I have proof. And if you would just let me show you, maybe you can help us."

Nathan blinked at his brother, then something that looked like a smile spread over his face. Peter smiled back. Then Nathan stopped smiling. He stepped next to his brother and put his hand on his shoulder. "What do you want?" Nathan asked. He wasn't looking at Peter, but at someone who was hiding in the background. Peter turned around. He squinted, thinking he could see a black form.

The leaves rustled and a man stepped out. He was tall, black, and creepy. Peter took a step back, bringing Nathan back with him. He leaned into Nathan's ear. "Get out of here."

"Why?" Nathan asked.

"Because if he kills you, I won't be able to forgive myself."

"What makes you think he's going to kill me?" Nathan sounded a little panicked. Anyone would if they were staring at their potential killer.

"Because the people he's with are after me and my friends. If there is anything that'll cause us to show weakness and vulnerability, they'll do it." Nathan stiffened almost imperceptibly. Peter was afraid that he wouldn't move in time, but Nathan did eventually get off the patio and into the house.

Peter stayed where he was, standing tall, hand in the pocket that held his compact. He stared at the unblinking man. "Are you going to say anything?" Peter asked. The man didn't say anything. Taking this as his answer, Peter pulled out his compact and shouted out his transformation call.

Behind the glass French doors, Nathan watched in half-horror, half-interest. Peter was going to fight against that...man...person...giant? Nathan looked around. Nathan didn't know whether or not Peter was able to fight against someone like that. Someone who looked so...calm. He had to have had a plan. If not, than he had one good poker face.

Nathan looked around and saw the coat rack, which had Peter's coat on it. Peter needed help. And chances are that he had his teammates phone numbers on hand constantly.

(----------)

Niki was patting down Mohinder' burning forehead with a wet wash cloth. The Indian man was shivering harshly, his chattering teeth beating against each other like a pair of those fake toy ones. Matt was pacing anxiously and Isaac was busying himself with making coffee and getting more ice to put on Mohinder's forehead.

"Where would he be?" Matt asked.

Isaac shrugged, not turning to look at him. "I think he goes to breakfast with his family on Sunday mornings."

Niki looked up. "That can't be possible. He's always in the coffee shop on Sunday morning."

Isaac poured a cup of coffee. "Niki, what do you like with your coffee?"

Niki shot him a hard look. "I don't give a damn about coffee. Where the hell is the ice I asked you to get?!"

Isaac sighed. He wrapped the sandwhich baggie of ice in a paper towel and walked that over to Niki. She didn't thank Isaac when he finally gave it to her and at this point, Isaac didn't give a crap whether or not she thanked him or not. Instead, he turned to Matt. "What about you? What do you like?"

"Just black" Matt said.

"And with a doughnut?" Isaac asked with a small chuckle.

Matt glared at him. "This isn't a time to be funny."

Isaac felt like pulling his hair out. Why is everyone so uptight? It's not like they were being attacked at that moment.

The phone rang. Matt jumped up and reached out for it. "Hello?"

"Mohinder?"

"Uh...no. This is Matt, Mohinder's room-mate. Who are you?"

"I'm Nathan, Peter's brother. Listen, are...are you a Sailor Scout?"

Matt froze. "Um...uh...I don't--"

"Don't bull shit with me right now! There is a big and scary black man attacking Peter right now and-- Oh shit!"

"Okay, okay! Where do you live?"

(----------)

Peter was thrown back a foot or so after the mysertious enemy kicked him in the stomach. He held his stomach and shivered, pain starting to numb away from how used to it he was. Peter got on his hands and knees and pushed himself back up. He swayed a little before finding his balance and standing tall in front of this man.

The man didn't do anything. He didn't say anything. He just stood there, staring at Peter, until Peter made a movement. Then, normally the man would defend himself by punching and kicking Peter back.

Peter figured that this man didn't have any kind of serious weapons. It had to be because he was his own form of killing.

Peter touched his nose. He pulled his hand away, thinking, Damn it, I probably broke my nose again! Peter looked at the man. This was way too much for him. Maybe...if Peter could make a run for it, he could get to his cell phone and call the other Sailor Scouts.

"Sailor Moon!" Peter looked around. He saw Isaac, Matt, and Niki run up to him, each already in their uniform. They stood beside him, Matt and Isaac looking ready to fight, Niki quickly checking to make sure that Peter's hadn't broken anything before getting into a fighting position as well. Peter felt some relief and also got into a fighting position. Now that the odds were better, he and his friends could easily defeat this monster of a man.

Peter gestured towards himself. "I am Sailor Moon!"

"I am Sailor Mars!" Isaac chimed in.

"I am Sailor Jupiter!" Niki added.

"And I'm Sailor Mercury!" Matt finished.

"And in the name of the moon, we will punish you!"

The Haitian didn't visibly react. In his mind, he wondered what a battle cry was going to do, but oh well, they were the ones that were doing it. He figured that it might give them some courage or something like that. Whatever. Wasn't going to do them any good. The Haitian pulled out a cream-colored bag. He opened the top and dug his hand inside, pulling out a small handfull of seeds. He spread them out in front of himself, then silently placed the bag back in his pocket.

Matt looked to his team-mates. They looked just as confused as he was.

Then they felt the stones under their feet shift. As they looked down, green sprouts grew out of the cement that was peeking through the slates. In a blink, they were full-grown vines and in another blink, they had bound each of the Sailor Scouts. Niki screamed out of surprised, Isaac began cussing the vines out, Matt was trying his best to keep his breath steady, and Peter was looking to the house, to make sure that Nathan wasn't visible. He wasn't. Thank God.

"What is this?" Niki demanded. Her blonde hair was hanging in her face since the vines had grabbed her in a way that her head was less elevated than her feet.

"They're fucking vines!" Isaac cried. His face was starting to turn red from all the blood rushing to it.

Peter strained his neck to find the Haitian. He setteled with looking between his knees to look at him. "What are you going to do to us?"

The Haitian didn't respond, he just stood there, starting at Peter, calm, arms crossed.

Peter couldn't help but start to hate this guy even more than he did.

"I...I think that these things are meant to crush us" Matt said.

Niki began to feel the vines tighten around her as well. "What are we gonna do?"

Peter looked at each of his team-mates. Each one had their hands covered by the vines they were caught in. Which was bad, since they all needed their hands to attack.

Peter's eyes widened. "Jupiter, Supreme Thunder! It might wither the vine away or destroy its roots!"

Niki looked at him. She nodded. She willed the antenna up. When it appeared, Niki shouted out, "Supreme Thunder!" The sparkling stream jumped up to the top and then shot itself into the vine. The lightning crackled and then fizzled out. Niki's eyes widened. "Wh-Wha--?"

Everyone screamed as Niki's bolt of lightning charged their bodies. It wasn't enough to kill them, but it sure as hell hurt.

"Aw...damn..." Niki whispered.

"To kill the entire infection, you must kill its source" the Haitian said. He had made his way to the front of the vines. His back was to the patio. "But do you know where the roots are?"

Peter's eyes went in and out of focus. When they were finally okay again, he saw a person by the patio doors. It was a guy, in a button-down white shirt, holding a knife. Peter felt his stomach do flips in the small space the vine was allowing it to have. It was Nathan.

Peter wanted to call out and stop his brother from making a stupid mistake. He couldn't, though. If he did, that would alert the Haitian to Nathan. What would he do to him, then? Knock him out? Take away the knife? Kill him? Peter's jaw quivered. He couldn't let Nathan die.

Nathan was right behind the Haitian, now. He raised his knife high in the air, face steady and determined.

The Haitian turned around, grabbing Nathan's wrist. Nathan seemed shocked, then angry as he let the knife clatter to the ground.

"Let him go!" Peter demanded.

The Haitian let go of Nathan's wrist, then swiftly kicked him in the gut. Nathan fell to the ground, grunting in pain. He held onto his stomach and stared at the Haitian's turned back, looking like he was going to kill him, no matter what.

"Nathan, get out of here! Please!" Peter pleaded.

"But..." Nathan whispered.

"Save yourself, now! Go!" Peter felt tears prick his eyes. He figured that he was going to die. If he couldn't save the world, than at least he could save one of the people he cares about.

Peter was starting to have a hard time breathing, and from the sounds of the others, he wasn't the only one. Peter was starting to feel his legs go numb from lack of blood. His vision was blurred from tears, and spotted from oxygen deprivation. Peter bowed his head, defeated and ashamed.

"Venus Power, Make-up!"

The Sailor Scouts turned to the source of the cry, and were soon blinded by the intense light that was surrounding the man. After little under a minute there was a grunt of pain. It sounded like the man who had called these vines. Then, there was another call. "Venus Love-Me Chain!" The vines that held the Sailor Scouts were broken and the four who were caught fell to the ground. Each gave a pained groan as they took their first refreshing gasps of air.

Peter felt himself be pulled up and shaken lightly. "Peter? Peter? Wake up, Pete."

Peter slowly opened his eyes. The world was a mess of swirled color, where shapes were quickly increasing in definition. After another groan, Peter shook his head and focused his gaze on his older brother. The first thing Peter really noticed was the tiara with the yellow gem in it. After that it was the blue bow on his chest, the orange miniskirt, and the orange high heels.

It took Peter a few seconds to really grasp what this sudden change in wardrobe meant.

"Holy crap, Nathan!" Peter screamed. "Why the hell didn't you say anything?"

"Because I knew you'd react this way" Nathan said blankly.

Peter pushed his brother off of him. "Yeah...but why didn't you tell me when I first told you about how I was Sailor Moon?" Peter paused for a moment. "You knew didn't you? You knew I was Sailor Moon!"

Nathan stood as well, wiping off his skirt. The three other Scouts were helping each other up, interested in the fight the two brothers were engaged in. Or, the fight Peter was engaged in and Nathan was just apart of.

"Not right off the bat" Nathan admitted. "But I was with Mohinder when he first saw you and--"

"You were in his apartment?" Peter asked.

Nathan shot Peter a look that made Peter feel stupid. "Do you really think he was telling the truth when he told you that he didn't know about you until after he read your personal ad?"

Peter wanted to answer that, but the emotions of confusion, anger, betrayal, and relief clogged his throat.

The ground began to shake. Everyone heard Isaac curse as more vines snaked out of the ground.

"Fire Soul!"

"Supreme Thunder!"

"Freezing Shine Aqua Illusion!"

"Venus Love-Me Chain!"

"Moon Tiara Action!"

The vines that had sprouted were burnt, cut, or frosted, retarding their growth. More vines grew and the Sailor Scouts attacked them again.

"They're going to keep regrowing. Fire Soul!" Isaac pointed out.

"So how do we stop them?" Niki snapped at him. "Supreme Thunder!"

"All weeds have a single root. If you find that root and destroy it, than you destroy the entire plant" Matt said. "Freezing Shine Aqua Illusion!"

"Well, where's that? Supreme Thunder!" Niki asked.

"How the hell should I know?!" Matt asked. "Freezing Shine Aqua Illusion!" A vine that had come close to spearing him froze only inches from Matt's face.

"That guy who was here must be the source of these things!" Nathan turned quickly on his heel. "Venus Love-Me Chain!" Several vines were cut in half or split down the middle. "Peter, you have to go after that guy and get rid of him!"

"Moon Tiara Action! Why me? You're just as capable!" Peter contested.

"Venus Love-Me Chain!" Nathan spared a moment to look at his brother. "Because you're our leader, Peter. Because you're supposed to be the one who saves the world, Peter. Because you're the one who's responsible and face the things you don't want to do!"

Peter grabbed his tiara as it flew back to him. "I am responsible!"

"You hid from the people who wanted to help you" Nathan said simply, quietly. "You didn't trust us enough to let us help you with whatever your problem was. The last time you did that was in sixth grade with some stupid science project."

Nathan and Peter stared at each other, both too stubborn to give into what the other wanted. Peter thought quickly. He was a responsible person. He was going to save the world. And he did have faith in his friends and family. He didn't want to go after the man because...because...

"Fire Soul!" Peter and Nathan felt Isaac's flames lick up the vine that had sprouted right next to the brothers. As the heat died away, Peter turned and ran as fast as he could to the house. Nathan gave a small smile, then turned back to the vines and fought back.

(----------)

Peter had checked all of the first floor before running up the stairs to the second one. He checked two rooms, his mom's bedroom and the bathroom, before finally finding the Haitian. Or, rather, before the Haitian grabbed him and pulled him into the study.

Peter struggled against the arm that was holding tightly to his throat, making him press his back into the big, strong man that held him. "Let...go" Peter grunted out, trying to kick the man.

"They're all going to die, you know" the Haitian said. Peter opened his mouth, but the Haitian continued. "Even if the plants don't and even if Queen Metaria doesn't, your friends will, eventually, die." The Haitian looked out a window. "You felt the grip of death: cold and pressing. You escaped it, yes, but death is a funny thing. You think it will take you when all it wants to do is give you a false sense of security. Make you think you're invincible."

Peter had stopped fighting. This guy was different. He wasn't arrogant like the others. He didn't have a passion like the others. "What are you trying to say?"

The Haitian bent close to Peter's ear. "Give up now, Peter Petrelli. If you do, I will make sure your and your friends' deaths are quick and painless."

"I won't let you kill them" Peter whispered.

"You will eventually" the Haitian whispered. He let Peter go and pushed him away. "If not by my hand, than by someone else's."

Peter stood there, staring at the man. "Do you want me to kill you?"

The Haitian didn't move. "I am tired, Peter Petrelli. I have done many things that I now regret; things that I wish my colleagues had lived long enough to realize were not the right thing. I feel this is my only way of atoning for what I have done."

Peter took off his tiara. "There is another way, one where I let you live."

The Haitian shook his head. "No. Not with that, please."

Peter looked confused. The Haitian looked away briefly, pulling out a fine, sleek sword from the sheath at his side. He looked at it for a moment. "I have washed this blade many times, but I can never forget the blood that was once stained upon it." He closed his eyes. "I can not forget the man that had died on this blade." The Haitian handed the sword to Peter.

Peter took it. It was so heavy, almost like if it held the souls of all the men the Haitian had killed on it. Peter could imagine them gripping onto the blade, as if it was their last link to life. He looked at the Haitian. "Who died on it?"

The Haitian looked Peter in the eye. "The only man to have died on that sword, in all the many thousands of years of life I have experienced, was you Peter Petrelli. Back when you were the last hope for the Jealous Earth and the Naive Moon."

Peter glanced at the blade, then at the Haitian. He didn't seem like he wanted to stop Peter in any way.

So the young man lifted it and rammed it through the man's heart.

(----------)

"We shouldn't have let Mohinder all by himself for so long" Niki said weakly. She was tired and dirty and in pain, just like the four boys who were trailing her. Isaac and Matt had been complaining the whole long drive back to Mohinder's apartment--Nathan drove, occasionally turning back to tell them to shut up. Peter hadn't said anything. Not since he'd killed that man.

He'd been wondering the whole time, was what he did murder? It couldn't be, because the guy had asked him to. So then it was assissted suicide? Nathan had told Peter of a case where he had pulled off an acquital by saying a girl had killed her boyfriend because he had begged her to. That was the same thing, right? The guy had asked Peter to kill him, so he did. That was, by the legal definition, assissted suicide.

So why did it feel so much like murder?

"Oh my God!"

Peter snapped his head up. He looked in the apartment. Mohinder was shivering violently on the couch, beads of sweat mixing with the blood that was dripping from his lips. Niki was standing, scared and confused, by his side.

Peter nearly pushed her out of the way to get next to Mohinder. Feeling his forehead, and then reeling from a heat too hot for anyone to endure, he went into nurse-Peter mode.

"Niki, I need you to get me ice and some chilled clothes. Nathan and Isaac, carry Mohinder into his bedroom. Matt, clean up the mess." Peter took off his jacket and threw it on a clean chair. "And someone turn the temperature down! We need to cool him ASAP!"