kelly_girl (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kelly_girl) wrote2008-03-12 02:01 pm
kelly_girl) wrote2008-03-12 02:01 pm
Entry tags:
- fic,
- gen,
- heroes fic
Fic: Brother's Keeper- Heroes, Gen
Title: Brother's Keeper
Genre: Gen
Rating: R
Crossover: Mild one with Burn Notice but you don't have to have seen that show to read this story.
Spoilers: No, pre-series
Pairing: None
Disclaimer: Not mine, no money being made
Warning: Discussion of attempted rape within story. Nothing very graphic but be advised.
A/N: Big thanks to the splendid![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
budclare for her betaing skills and to sandersyager for letting me throw some ideas at her.
Summary: There is nothing he wouldn't do.
The phone on Nathan’s nightstand rang at midnight as he sat on his bed looking over some papers. He moved folders and yellow notepads out of the way and hoped it wasn’t work.
“Can you come get me?”
Nathan frowned at the slow, tired words. “Peter?”
“Can you come pick me up?”
Nathan was already standing and searching for his pants. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“I’m at a party and I want to go home.”
Nathan stopped getting dressed. “Why don’t you take a cab?”
Peter sighed and in that sound, Nathan heard something. He dressed and grabbed his keys. “What’s the address?”
Forty minutes later he pulled up in front of a pale brick building. His brother was sitting on the steps, dressed in jeans and a red sweatshirt, the hood covering most of his head. Nathan studied him as he got in the car and wondered what had happened now; breakup, drinking, drugs? His brother had said he wanted to go home, but they both knew Peter would be coming back to his place.
Peter put on his seatbelt and seemed to shrink into the leather seat.
Nathan waited, but at sixteen his brother was developing the stubborn streak that all Petrellis inherited. They were almost home when he finally asked his brother a question.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
Nathan sped up as the light turned green. “You can tell me, or I can turn the car around, go back to the Campbells’, and ask the kids still there.”
Peter shrugged. “They wouldn’t know anyway.” He rubbed his hands together. “You know those two guys I’ve been hanging out with? Reggie and Bradford?”
Nathan remembered Peter talking about his friends and his mother saying something approving about their families. “Yeah, um, Reginald Winston and Bradford Thomas, right? One of my friends works for Thomas Ventures. What about them?”
Peter rubbed at his face, and nibbled one of his fingernails, something he always did when he was nervous. “They gave me something.”
Nathan pulled into his parking spot, and tried to keep the anger and worry from his voice. “What’d they give you?”
Nathan got out of the car and watched Peter unbuckle his seatbelt and get out, closing the car door carefully. Together they got in the elevator and made their way to Nathan’s apartment. Peter spoke after the door was closed like he needed that barrier in place before he said anything.
“I think it was some new stuff that’s been going around. Kinda like roofies and ecstasy mixed together. Some kids at school were talking about it last week.” He shook his head and crossed his arm, hugging himself. “I don’t know. I didn’t stick around to ask. I mean, I had a coke, a little rum, yeah, but then the room started looking funny and Reggie pulled me into a bedroom.”
Nathan felt numb. He sat on one of the barstools he used in lieu of a breakfast table. “Then what? Do you need a doctor?”
Peter shook his head, his hair tumbling into his face. “No, nothing like that. He pushed me on the bed and then, God, I just wanted to get up, but he kept telling me to wait a minute and he wouldn’t let my wrists go.” He stopped, his hands shaking a little. “Can I have some water?”
Nathan got him a bottle of water and waited as Peter drank the whole thing. He wanted to go back over to that party right now and find this bastard. His nails bit into his hands as he waited for his brother to finish. He’d find out, then he’d act.
Peter wiped his mouth. “That’s when I noticed Bradford. He was already in the room when Reggie pulled me in, so I knew they’d planned it. He had a camera. He told me to relax, that he knew I wanted it.” Peter’s laugh was dry. “I kneed Reggie in the balls when I finally figured out what ‘it’ was. He let go and I got to a bathroom. My head was hurting really bad.” He stuffed his hands in the front pocket of his hoodie and met Nathan’s eyes. “I threw up twice, then called you.”
Nathan kept his eyes on his little brother’s, and swallowed the lump in his throat. He rarely felt helpless and this was like his heart being squeezed to a pulp. “What do you want to do? You want me to call the cops?”
Peter shook his head and Nathan hated the relieved feeling that swept through him. This needed to be about Peter, not him or his career.
“No, Dad would just get mad. And-and, I don’t know what to do.” Peter hugged himself again and Nathan went on impulse, standing and moving to sit next to Peter on the couch. His arms went around Peter’s shoulders, and one of Peter’s arms went around Nathan’s waist. They sat there for a moment and didn’t talk until Peter cleared his throat.
His brother’s voice was thick as if he was trying not to cry. “I thought they were my friends. Why’d they do that, Nathan?”
Nathan hugged him tighter. Someone was going to pay for this, pay in blood and pain. “I don’t know, Pete. Maybe they thought it was funny, or stuff got out of hand, I really don’t know. I’m sorry your friends turned out to be like this.”
Peter pushed away and rubbed at his nose. Neither of them mentioned his wet eyes. “I still don’t know why they picked me.” He tugged at the red hoodie he was wearing and bit one of his fingernails again. “Can I ask you something?”
Nathan wanted a drink as plans were being presented and discarded in his head. He wanted pen, paper and his phone, but Peter needed him calm and supportive. He smiled softly for his brother. “You can ask me anything you want.”
“Do I act gay? Is that why?”
Nathan knew he had to tread carefully. He frowned. “No, not as far as I know. Though I don’t think there’s a certain way gay people ‘act.’” He cleared his throat. “Do you have something you want to tell me?”
Peter’s eyes widened. “I’m not gay, jeez. I like girls, but whenever I even think about talking to them my stomach hurts and I say stupid stuff. Then I have to go away because um.” Peter’s face turned red.
Nathan smiled in empathy. He remembered sixteen. “You get a little excited?”
Peter nodded, the blush making itself known all over Peter’s face and neck. Nathan patted his shoulder. “It happens to all of us, man. Don’t worry. You’ll get control and realize the girls are just as nervous as you are. Just talk about movies or TV shows you think they might like or how hard one of your classes is. Come on, you want to take a shower?”
He got an extra towel out and just before Peter closed the bathroom door, Nathan put his hand on the knob. “If you do like guys, it’s okay. If you want to go to the police, I’ll handle Dad and Ma. You understand?”
Peter rolled his eyes, but Nathan saw that his words helped get the sad look off his brother’s face. Nathan winked. “If you want, once you’re out of the shower we can talk about where babies come from.”
His words continued to have the desired effect as Peter groaned loudly and closed the door. Nathan figured he might be in the shower awhile so he picked up his phone and called a doctor friend.
Dr. Waters assured him that Peter throwing up had been a good thing. He got a “watch him for the next few hours” answer and to bring him in if he became confused, fell unconscious, or his breathing became labored.
Nathan grabbed a pen and started making notes. He could have a full bio on the Winstons and Thomases by tomorrow afternoon. Then he’d form a plan. The little assholes might think Peter was weak, but Nathan would make sure they understood that playing with a Petrelli was a bad idea.
Once Peter was out of the shower, Nathan suggested they watch a movie. Peter agreed and they sat on Nathan’s ultra modern black couch and watched an action movie. That way they didn’t have to think about plot, just watch the hero kill the bad guys while making sarcastic remarks. Midway through some explosion, Nathan got up to make popcorn. He got Peter another bottle of water and made sure he drank it all.
They watched the entire movie and the start of a second one. Nathan watched Peter fight sleep until he lost and settled deeper into the couch, his head on Nathan’s shoulder. Nathan smiled, positive that the look on his face was very sappy. He’d never let anyone see it, but there were times when Nathan just wanted to sit with Peter and watch him, marveling that Peter was his brother.
He turned off the television and got Peter a blanket, tucking it around his brother’s thin shoulders. Peter didn’t stay over often, but he had some pajamas and clothes that stayed in Nathan’s guestroom just in case they were needed.
Later that night, Nathan barely woke up as Peter climbed into his bed, his feet cold and bony against Nathan’s legs. He waited to see if Peter needed anything before sighing and falling back into a deeper sleep.
The next morning Nathan watched, fresh from the shower, as Peter made eggs and pancakes. He ate the eggs and even though the pancakes were a little burnt around the edges he gave his brother a smile and ate them too. He drank the juice Peter put in front of him with a roll of his eyes. He’d get coffee at the office.
“You’re on spring break, right?”
Peter nodded as he moved eggs around on his plate. “Yeah, got three days left. Why?”
Nathan shrugged and wiped his mouth. “I have work this morning but you want to meet in the park around noon, maybe go to the movies?”
It was Peter’s turn to shrug, but Nathan could tell he was excited. “That’s cool. Can I hang around here until then?”
“Yeah. Call Ma, tell her where you are.”
Peter waved goodbye as Nathan took off, briefcase in hand.
All through his morning meetings he kept worrying about Peter and refining his plans for Reginald and Bradford. He wanted nothing too illegal, nothing that could come back to his door. He could ask his father, but he’d want to know everything and then he’d want to talk to Peter. Peter would clam up and just glare at their dad and look at Nathan with big eyes that screamed betrayal.
Then, the next time Peter needed help he’d hesitate or never call Nathan. That wasn’t acceptable, so no bringing Dad into it.
Back in his office he did his work, wrapping up cases, starting new ones, and making appointments to interview witnesses. He got an idea, something twofold that those bastards would remember. It took six phone calls to track down an old buddy of his and ask a few questions. Michael listened, made a suggestion or two and offered to do the job himself.
Nathan quickly agreed because that was better than he’d hoped. He trusted Michael and would have trusted whomever he recommended, but this way it would work out to be a sure thing. Michael had a certain way about him that got through to people very quickly.
“Give me two days, Nathan and it’ll be taken care of, okay?”
Nathan agreed and hung up the phone, already feeling better, the vise grip on his chest was gone and he breathed easier.
Three days later, Nathan was trying to play some game with Peter on his brother’s Playstation when his doorman buzzed that he had a visitor. He left Peter to his game and answered the door. Michael stood there, sunglasses making his face unreadable. He smiled and handed Nathan a package.
“They got the message. I didn’t know what you wanted to do with this.”
Nathan opened the envelope and held the small cartridge that came from a camera. He motioned Michael into the kitchen and grabbed a towel. Michael watched silent and statue-still as Nathan stomped on the small tape a few times before shaking the broken bits into the trash. He studied Michael while Michael studied his apartment, probably looking for the best exits.
“What’d you do?”
Michael shrugged and peeked around the corner where Peter was still happily killing some sort of huge monster.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Reginald Winston now has a fear of heights, which is understandable, after being held by his ankles over a balcony on the twentieth story of one of your lovely New York buildings.” He opened Nathan’s fridge and helped himself to a beer before he continued.
“Bradford Thomas may take awhile to get used to swimming again, since being handcuffed and thrown into a pool with ankle weights on can be a bitch.” He drank the beer and put the bottle in the trash.
“They’re both planning to transfer to other schools, some place more relaxing. I told them Switzerland has great schools.”
Michael chatted for a few more minutes before heading for the door. Nathan shook his hand and thanked him again. Michael nodded, flipped his sunglasses back on and left. Back in the living room, Peter sat quietly, the figures on the TV in mid-motion. He looked at Nathan and Nathan knew he’d heard Michael.
He sat beside Peter and picked up his controller. “Is it my turn again?”
Peter stared at him for a minute before taking the game off of ‘pause.’
“No because you suck at this. If any of the monsters needed a lawyer, you’d be winning, but no such luck.”
Nathan laughed and watched his brother play.
End.
Genre: Gen
Rating: R
Crossover: Mild one with Burn Notice but you don't have to have seen that show to read this story.
Spoilers: No, pre-series
Pairing: None
Disclaimer: Not mine, no money being made
Warning: Discussion of attempted rape within story. Nothing very graphic but be advised.
A/N: Big thanks to the splendid
budclare for her betaing skills and to sandersyager for letting me throw some ideas at her.Summary: There is nothing he wouldn't do.
The phone on Nathan’s nightstand rang at midnight as he sat on his bed looking over some papers. He moved folders and yellow notepads out of the way and hoped it wasn’t work.
“Can you come get me?”
Nathan frowned at the slow, tired words. “Peter?”
“Can you come pick me up?”
Nathan was already standing and searching for his pants. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“I’m at a party and I want to go home.”
Nathan stopped getting dressed. “Why don’t you take a cab?”
Peter sighed and in that sound, Nathan heard something. He dressed and grabbed his keys. “What’s the address?”
Forty minutes later he pulled up in front of a pale brick building. His brother was sitting on the steps, dressed in jeans and a red sweatshirt, the hood covering most of his head. Nathan studied him as he got in the car and wondered what had happened now; breakup, drinking, drugs? His brother had said he wanted to go home, but they both knew Peter would be coming back to his place.
Peter put on his seatbelt and seemed to shrink into the leather seat.
Nathan waited, but at sixteen his brother was developing the stubborn streak that all Petrellis inherited. They were almost home when he finally asked his brother a question.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
Nathan sped up as the light turned green. “You can tell me, or I can turn the car around, go back to the Campbells’, and ask the kids still there.”
Peter shrugged. “They wouldn’t know anyway.” He rubbed his hands together. “You know those two guys I’ve been hanging out with? Reggie and Bradford?”
Nathan remembered Peter talking about his friends and his mother saying something approving about their families. “Yeah, um, Reginald Winston and Bradford Thomas, right? One of my friends works for Thomas Ventures. What about them?”
Peter rubbed at his face, and nibbled one of his fingernails, something he always did when he was nervous. “They gave me something.”
Nathan pulled into his parking spot, and tried to keep the anger and worry from his voice. “What’d they give you?”
Nathan got out of the car and watched Peter unbuckle his seatbelt and get out, closing the car door carefully. Together they got in the elevator and made their way to Nathan’s apartment. Peter spoke after the door was closed like he needed that barrier in place before he said anything.
“I think it was some new stuff that’s been going around. Kinda like roofies and ecstasy mixed together. Some kids at school were talking about it last week.” He shook his head and crossed his arm, hugging himself. “I don’t know. I didn’t stick around to ask. I mean, I had a coke, a little rum, yeah, but then the room started looking funny and Reggie pulled me into a bedroom.”
Nathan felt numb. He sat on one of the barstools he used in lieu of a breakfast table. “Then what? Do you need a doctor?”
Peter shook his head, his hair tumbling into his face. “No, nothing like that. He pushed me on the bed and then, God, I just wanted to get up, but he kept telling me to wait a minute and he wouldn’t let my wrists go.” He stopped, his hands shaking a little. “Can I have some water?”
Nathan got him a bottle of water and waited as Peter drank the whole thing. He wanted to go back over to that party right now and find this bastard. His nails bit into his hands as he waited for his brother to finish. He’d find out, then he’d act.
Peter wiped his mouth. “That’s when I noticed Bradford. He was already in the room when Reggie pulled me in, so I knew they’d planned it. He had a camera. He told me to relax, that he knew I wanted it.” Peter’s laugh was dry. “I kneed Reggie in the balls when I finally figured out what ‘it’ was. He let go and I got to a bathroom. My head was hurting really bad.” He stuffed his hands in the front pocket of his hoodie and met Nathan’s eyes. “I threw up twice, then called you.”
Nathan kept his eyes on his little brother’s, and swallowed the lump in his throat. He rarely felt helpless and this was like his heart being squeezed to a pulp. “What do you want to do? You want me to call the cops?”
Peter shook his head and Nathan hated the relieved feeling that swept through him. This needed to be about Peter, not him or his career.
“No, Dad would just get mad. And-and, I don’t know what to do.” Peter hugged himself again and Nathan went on impulse, standing and moving to sit next to Peter on the couch. His arms went around Peter’s shoulders, and one of Peter’s arms went around Nathan’s waist. They sat there for a moment and didn’t talk until Peter cleared his throat.
His brother’s voice was thick as if he was trying not to cry. “I thought they were my friends. Why’d they do that, Nathan?”
Nathan hugged him tighter. Someone was going to pay for this, pay in blood and pain. “I don’t know, Pete. Maybe they thought it was funny, or stuff got out of hand, I really don’t know. I’m sorry your friends turned out to be like this.”
Peter pushed away and rubbed at his nose. Neither of them mentioned his wet eyes. “I still don’t know why they picked me.” He tugged at the red hoodie he was wearing and bit one of his fingernails again. “Can I ask you something?”
Nathan wanted a drink as plans were being presented and discarded in his head. He wanted pen, paper and his phone, but Peter needed him calm and supportive. He smiled softly for his brother. “You can ask me anything you want.”
“Do I act gay? Is that why?”
Nathan knew he had to tread carefully. He frowned. “No, not as far as I know. Though I don’t think there’s a certain way gay people ‘act.’” He cleared his throat. “Do you have something you want to tell me?”
Peter’s eyes widened. “I’m not gay, jeez. I like girls, but whenever I even think about talking to them my stomach hurts and I say stupid stuff. Then I have to go away because um.” Peter’s face turned red.
Nathan smiled in empathy. He remembered sixteen. “You get a little excited?”
Peter nodded, the blush making itself known all over Peter’s face and neck. Nathan patted his shoulder. “It happens to all of us, man. Don’t worry. You’ll get control and realize the girls are just as nervous as you are. Just talk about movies or TV shows you think they might like or how hard one of your classes is. Come on, you want to take a shower?”
He got an extra towel out and just before Peter closed the bathroom door, Nathan put his hand on the knob. “If you do like guys, it’s okay. If you want to go to the police, I’ll handle Dad and Ma. You understand?”
Peter rolled his eyes, but Nathan saw that his words helped get the sad look off his brother’s face. Nathan winked. “If you want, once you’re out of the shower we can talk about where babies come from.”
His words continued to have the desired effect as Peter groaned loudly and closed the door. Nathan figured he might be in the shower awhile so he picked up his phone and called a doctor friend.
Dr. Waters assured him that Peter throwing up had been a good thing. He got a “watch him for the next few hours” answer and to bring him in if he became confused, fell unconscious, or his breathing became labored.
Nathan grabbed a pen and started making notes. He could have a full bio on the Winstons and Thomases by tomorrow afternoon. Then he’d form a plan. The little assholes might think Peter was weak, but Nathan would make sure they understood that playing with a Petrelli was a bad idea.
Once Peter was out of the shower, Nathan suggested they watch a movie. Peter agreed and they sat on Nathan’s ultra modern black couch and watched an action movie. That way they didn’t have to think about plot, just watch the hero kill the bad guys while making sarcastic remarks. Midway through some explosion, Nathan got up to make popcorn. He got Peter another bottle of water and made sure he drank it all.
They watched the entire movie and the start of a second one. Nathan watched Peter fight sleep until he lost and settled deeper into the couch, his head on Nathan’s shoulder. Nathan smiled, positive that the look on his face was very sappy. He’d never let anyone see it, but there were times when Nathan just wanted to sit with Peter and watch him, marveling that Peter was his brother.
He turned off the television and got Peter a blanket, tucking it around his brother’s thin shoulders. Peter didn’t stay over often, but he had some pajamas and clothes that stayed in Nathan’s guestroom just in case they were needed.
Later that night, Nathan barely woke up as Peter climbed into his bed, his feet cold and bony against Nathan’s legs. He waited to see if Peter needed anything before sighing and falling back into a deeper sleep.
The next morning Nathan watched, fresh from the shower, as Peter made eggs and pancakes. He ate the eggs and even though the pancakes were a little burnt around the edges he gave his brother a smile and ate them too. He drank the juice Peter put in front of him with a roll of his eyes. He’d get coffee at the office.
“You’re on spring break, right?”
Peter nodded as he moved eggs around on his plate. “Yeah, got three days left. Why?”
Nathan shrugged and wiped his mouth. “I have work this morning but you want to meet in the park around noon, maybe go to the movies?”
It was Peter’s turn to shrug, but Nathan could tell he was excited. “That’s cool. Can I hang around here until then?”
“Yeah. Call Ma, tell her where you are.”
Peter waved goodbye as Nathan took off, briefcase in hand.
All through his morning meetings he kept worrying about Peter and refining his plans for Reginald and Bradford. He wanted nothing too illegal, nothing that could come back to his door. He could ask his father, but he’d want to know everything and then he’d want to talk to Peter. Peter would clam up and just glare at their dad and look at Nathan with big eyes that screamed betrayal.
Then, the next time Peter needed help he’d hesitate or never call Nathan. That wasn’t acceptable, so no bringing Dad into it.
Back in his office he did his work, wrapping up cases, starting new ones, and making appointments to interview witnesses. He got an idea, something twofold that those bastards would remember. It took six phone calls to track down an old buddy of his and ask a few questions. Michael listened, made a suggestion or two and offered to do the job himself.
Nathan quickly agreed because that was better than he’d hoped. He trusted Michael and would have trusted whomever he recommended, but this way it would work out to be a sure thing. Michael had a certain way about him that got through to people very quickly.
“Give me two days, Nathan and it’ll be taken care of, okay?”
Nathan agreed and hung up the phone, already feeling better, the vise grip on his chest was gone and he breathed easier.
Three days later, Nathan was trying to play some game with Peter on his brother’s Playstation when his doorman buzzed that he had a visitor. He left Peter to his game and answered the door. Michael stood there, sunglasses making his face unreadable. He smiled and handed Nathan a package.
“They got the message. I didn’t know what you wanted to do with this.”
Nathan opened the envelope and held the small cartridge that came from a camera. He motioned Michael into the kitchen and grabbed a towel. Michael watched silent and statue-still as Nathan stomped on the small tape a few times before shaking the broken bits into the trash. He studied Michael while Michael studied his apartment, probably looking for the best exits.
“What’d you do?”
Michael shrugged and peeked around the corner where Peter was still happily killing some sort of huge monster.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Reginald Winston now has a fear of heights, which is understandable, after being held by his ankles over a balcony on the twentieth story of one of your lovely New York buildings.” He opened Nathan’s fridge and helped himself to a beer before he continued.
“Bradford Thomas may take awhile to get used to swimming again, since being handcuffed and thrown into a pool with ankle weights on can be a bitch.” He drank the beer and put the bottle in the trash.
“They’re both planning to transfer to other schools, some place more relaxing. I told them Switzerland has great schools.”
Michael chatted for a few more minutes before heading for the door. Nathan shook his hand and thanked him again. Michael nodded, flipped his sunglasses back on and left. Back in the living room, Peter sat quietly, the figures on the TV in mid-motion. He looked at Nathan and Nathan knew he’d heard Michael.
He sat beside Peter and picked up his controller. “Is it my turn again?”
Peter stared at him for a minute before taking the game off of ‘pause.’
“No because you suck at this. If any of the monsters needed a lawyer, you’d be winning, but no such luck.”
Nathan laughed and watched his brother play.
End.
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This was lovely.
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Also, go you with a believable description to an attempted rape. It always annoys me if fanfic (in all fandoms) uses this as an intro to a sex scene. Since I think the last thing after nearly being raped a person would want is to immediately have sex with someone else. Or for that matter that the third party would respond to hearing about it by being turned on instead of wanting the almost rapists painfully dead and wanting to comfort the victim.
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Yes, I agree that fanfic is sometimes bad with the whole 'sex will cure you' trope. Peter definitely needs time to heal before he can trust someone to get close to him again.
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Good on Nathan!
(Anonymous) 2008-03-30 10:55 am (UTC)(link)Now they scared of heights and swimming pools. My heart bleeds. NOT!
Re: Good on Nathan!
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