Where Doesn't Matter (Doctor Who - Heroes Crossover)

[chimeramimicry]

Waking up in a giant feather bed, I stretch my arms above my body and turn my head to look at the curving, studded walls around me. There's not a single window here, and while that might have bothered me just a few hours ago, I've come to completely accept where I am. Nathan would call me naive. He'd call me a puppy, blindly following any stranger that held his hand out to me.

Maybe that's true, but no one would believe me back home even if I told them where I was or what I was doing. Not even the people who know what I can do and what I'm capable of. I'm the dreamer, head in the clouds. Sometimes literally.

Things have not been so easy for me lately. I nearly blew up New York City. I lost my memory and my last girlfriend in a future that I subsequently erased from existence. I met my father, a man who I thought was dead for over a year, had him purge what made me special from my very soul, and watched him die. Luckily, the illicit serum he had been working on restored what I thought I'd lost, even if it did not save me from my current strained relationship with my family.

For the moment, though, that doesn't matter. I'm grinning as I climb out of bed, locate my shirt on the floor and head out into a circular promenade so large that I actually can't remember where the stairs are. This particular portion of my current homes makes the idea of a feather bed inside a little blue wooden box less strange.

But even that can't compare to the man I'm traveling with.

"Uh... Doctor!" Or that I can even be lost inside a six foot square shed.

Comments

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

I come to gasping and thrashing around and for a moment, I'm sure that the world has ended. It takes a few long gasps to actually get myself settled and remember who I am. My arms are around his neck in a moment and I press my face against his throat. There's a weight on my lap and against my chest but I don't remember why. Or what. Or if I should care.

Groaning, I grip the Doctor's shoulders and blink up at him before I realize what I had been doing.

And who I was trying to protect.

"NO!" He's not moving. Or breathing. His face is covered in thick blue-tinted blood. "No!!"


((Please, it's never a rush, honest. <3 <3 ))

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

I feel his arms wrap around my neck, pulling me slightly closer. His body has become warm once again and life has been welcomed back inside. His chin pressed against my throat as I keep him close, allowing him to catch his breath.

"Shhh" I whisper to him gently. Trying to keep him calm because his body is still recovering. "It's alright" I add before glancing over at the small child.


I gently push Peter back down before moving to towards the child, gently rolling him over and checking over his small body. He isn't breathing, nor moving. Leaning down I try everything I can to bring life back into him.

(<3)

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

It's never all right to see someone hurt because of me, but this is beyond the shadow of a doubt the worst sort of feeling I've had in my life. I've never let a child die before. I've always been strong enough to protect those with the most to lose. He was in my arms. "I was holding him," I whisper, looking at my hands. They're laced with blood, not all of which is my own.

Not too far away, the Doctor is leaning over the child, trying to resuscitate him. Me? I can't wait to see what's going to happen.

Not when the creature that killed the boy is getting away. I don't care who sees me this time. Tears in my eyes, teeth gritted, I run after him. I don't usually kill people with my powers. I don't even know if I can kill this guy. But I'm going to take him down.

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

It takes me a moment to get both sets of lungs the little boy has filled with air, all of his hearts beating suddenly. A cry leaves his lips as little arms wrap around me, burrowing himself again me. I cradle him for a moment, whispering that all would be fine. For a moment he goes silent before looking up at me with huge eyes, softly whispering Doctor.

I make sure that the little boy is alright before hiding him. I already know that Peter is gone, long out of sight and without my help that thing will indeed kill him. It doesn't take me long to reach both Peter and the beast. Peter looks like he is rather trapped.

"Get away from him!" I demand to the beast.

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

"I got this!" Truth is, I'm outmatched. For everything I can do -- wield the elements, heal, lift objects with my mind, speak with machines, go invisible, walk through walls, even fly -- I can not stop this creature. I can not manage to do a damned thing that does not consist of making it laugh. Perhaps.

I can't really tell what it's doing at all. As the Doctor confronts the beast, and it turns towards him, I unleash electricity into it's back. Nothing happens at all and I'm at a loss for a solution.

And then the beast speaks in a bizarre sort of language, obviously ignoring me now, though it seems almost reverent to my traveling companion.

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

I shake my head at him. This beast before us both is much more than it seems to be. I've heard about his type before and what they are very well capiable of. "You don't" I whisper back to Peter lowly before the beast hisses lowly, showing its nasty, yellow teeth once again.

I hold up my hand to the beast. Trying to show I mean no harm because I do not want this thing attacking Peter at all.

I keep my eyes on Peter for a moment, making sure he is safe before I start speaking back. This beast was very angry and getting very annoyed.

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

I've never had an empathic thought about a non-human creature before, but there's something stirring in the anger and the fear the vibes I can almost taste as he growls and the Doctor speaks back. I have no idea what his motivations are, I don't know what's being said, but I do know that the beast was desperate...

For what? That I can not say. And the Doctor doesn't seem to be willing to share. In the end, the beast gets to leave and I simply stand there with wide eyes. I am not a judge. I am quick to forgive. But that thing just killed a little boy!

"Doctor," I say, whining like a dog. "We can't just let him go!"

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

I watch as the beast's eyes widen and he quickly runs away in fear. Some creatures done when they hear my name, when they finally figure out who I happen to be. My eyes fall back along Peter, going gently soft.

"He's gone for now but when he comes back I'll be waiting " he reply lowly before I walk towards him.

"The child is fine."

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

It's not that I don't believe him, but I have to see for myself. I rush back -- and he with me on my heels and beside me -- to where I left the boy and then to where the Doctor hid him. I'm moved to the point of tears, taking the four armed child against my chest as I grin almost childishly myself up at the strange man I was suppose visiting this planet with to have breakfast.

"You live up to your name," I tell him, meeting his eyes. He's got a funny sort of glow just past them, gold and brilliant and untouchable. And sad, too. as if he knows something so much deeper than anyone else will ever come close to.

I can feel his loneliness too, and I don't just mean that he's left out of the hug between the child and myself. He has his hands in his pockets, he's standing far back.

We deliver the child back to his mother together and as we walk back to the Tardis, I put my hand on his elbow. "Thank you." I'm not sure if people do that. The woman back there had been too overcome to speak.

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

A feel a soft smile forming along my lips as Peter scoops up the child within his arms. Watching as the both of them cuddle against the other. It really is a beautiful sight, it always is. I however keep my distance. Its better that way for mostly I am the reason why everyone around me gets hurt in some sort of way.

I nod my head as a thank you to Peter's words. Giving him a sad sort of smile, my hands tucked within my pockets. I can see him trying to read me. Trying to full understand just who I really am. Why my life is like this. So brilliant and untouchable yet there is a sorrow, a deep loniess within me.

As we walk back to the TARDIS, I allow my eyes to fall along him once again. "You're welcome" I reply as I open the TARDIS doors. Wondering if he was ready to go back to Earth.

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

We don't really speak much and I can feel that the air has changed drastically in here. The Doctor's usually got the brightest, most beautiful smile I've seen -- on a man or a woman -- but now it looks like he's dreading something. I can only just feel it, moving the top layer of dust from something that goes deeper than any one man can possess.

There's something about him, something real, that I will never fully understand. It's like...he's God.

Only more perfect in his imperfection.

I lean against one of the railings and tilt my head towards him. "So where now? Is there a random button on that console?"

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

I'm dreading a few things, yes. Peter almost lost his life on one of the most gentle of planets. He almost lost his life because of me. This is why I have decided to travel alone. I don't lose anyone, no gets hurt. Nor do I. I hear him ask for our nest adventure and I can almost feel my body tensing.

I keep my back to him as I walk around the consol. Pulling along levers and pushing buttons once again. I dare not look at his charming face because I know what I am about to say is going to upset him.

"I'm taking you home" I mutter lowly. Not looking up.

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

For a long, long time I don't say a word. He does his button pushing and lever pulling and the TARDIS shakes and I fall all over the place. The jolt is only momentary though. He walks passed me without looking and I grip the railing so hard I can feel it actually bending. Not the superstrength, I have to remind myself, sucking in a breath before I jog down the ramp to catch hold of the Doctor's shoulder.

"I know I messed up. I know I almost got that boy completely killed--" This feels like I'm with Nathan and my brother is telling me that I'm a dreamer, lying to my face. He thinks he wants to protect me, but in reality he only wants to protect himself.

I can't bring myself to say anything for several moments after he turns to look at me, but I do search his eyes. I've heard romantic movies and read books where a character's eyes are suppose to be endless, but the Doctor's eyes really are. He can see eternity.

"I'm sorry," I finally say, breaking down as I always do because living for myself means nothing if I can't live for someone, anyone, else. "I was only trying to help. Don't make me go back." It's not that I have a horrible life. It's just that I don't have a direction. "Everytime I try to save someone, I only hurt more people in the process. I can't do enough...and what's the point of living forever if I can't do something?"

I'm not crying. Not yet. But the frustration is already welling up in my eyes.

I grit my teeth and look away. I'm not ten years old anymore. I need to man up. "How do you manage it?" I finally ask, blinking a little more rapidly than normal. "I can only run so fast down there. And I never really get anywhere." How can he stand living forever?

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

I knew that he was going to follow me. That is just Peter for you. So full of life, hope and love yet so very stubborn. I know he doesn't want to return to earth and personally I don't want to take him back but it's for his own good. Mine as well. I can't even think about losing someone else. I feel his hand gently grip my shoulder and I come to a slow stop, closing my eyes slightly before turning around.

"You almost got killed" I shot back. I can see so many emotions taking over his handsome face. His eyes are feeling with a sadness that I have seen taken over so many of my recent partner's eyes. A sadness that I know I have some what caused. I look away from him slightly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for" I say after a moment as I grip ahold of the consol. I hear his pleading words and they almost break me. The voices of Rose Tyler, Martha Jones and Donna Noble echo back at me. "It is for the best" I say after a moment, running a hand through my wild hair as I take in a soft breath.

I glance up at him when he asks such a question. I knew it would come sooner or later. "Because I have too" I reply simply. "It's the curse of a Time Lord. Always running, getting no where. Watching the ones you love perish before you or you have no choice to leave them behind. Other times they just leave you" he adds lowly.

He glances at Peter once again. "I'm going to die soon."

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

I can feel myself start, as if I want to take a step forward and back at the same time. Instead, I'm just here, just rooted to the ground with the grating beneath my feet and too much at stake to take either option. If I leave, I'll have to watch the people I love die. I'll meddle and meddle until the Earth blows up. That's what happens to kids that have no business being heroes able to control the powers of the universe. If I stay, I'll just ruin some other planet, some other time.

My lower lip, which has been the cause of much misery since I was a kid, flops and I suck it back up against my teeth as I reach out for him.

He's going to die soon.

"And I'm never going to die," I say, too much emotion in my throat to make me cough as I touch his neck. It's a very Nathan sort of move, intimate and brotherly and wonderful in so many ways. "But... I spent a long time training to be a hospice nurse. It's sort of my job to be with people that are going to--"

But how can he die when he feels so full of life? I can feel it pulsing against my palm!

"Let me stay with you, Doctor. I use to be too proud to beg, but not anymore. Maybe we can do something good."

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

"I don't know how it will happen or when" I begin softly as I take a deep breath. "I just know he will knock four times and I've been told that my song is coming to an end" I added as I run a hand down my handsome face. "I don't actually die if I'm able to regenerate. I just.." I trail off after a moment. My eyes watering already. I don't want to think of suck things. Of how I actually die and a knew man takes over.

I take another breath and gently run a hand through my wild hair once again.

My body gently relaxes as I feel his warm hand against the back of my neck. It's comforting as are his words but even Peter can't save me from what is about to come.

"You can't save me, Peter" I mutter after awhile. "I'm sorry we share the same burden of living forever but you can't. You can't just run away with me. I'm not safe."

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

"No where is safe," I tell him, ducking my head so that I can look into his eyes. "Not really." My eyebrows arch upwards and I smile widely, the same sort of smile that you give to family members...or anyone else you want to smile with you. And I do want him to smile. He's got a great one. One of the best I've ever seen. "I could die slipping in a shower...except I'll come back again."

Once I have him locked in my gaze, fingers slipping through the strands of hair at the back of his neck.

"If you run. I'm going to follow." Christ, I hardly know the guy and it's like I'm willing to just drop every damned thing for him. There's something there, though. A tugging. "And I promise not to knock, even once."

I'm desperate for this.

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

"It isn't the same with me" I reply back quickly. I can hear the eagerness within his voice, the pleading. "I lose people" I whisper back after a moment. "I always lose people. Either they decide to leave me or I just simply have to leave them behind."

His touch is so soothing, so gentle, so perfect. It makes me shiver slightly. I then turn back to look at him.

"You can't follow me" I whisper to him softly. Watching all the hope swirl around within his bright eyes. "No one can" I add before looking down slightly.

"Besides what about your family, your friends back on earth?"

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

I duck again to keep his eyes on me. There's an advantage to being short. The Doctor just told me something very personal and as payment, I should explain myself too. There's a system of give and take, and though I am aware that I take just about nothing, the Doctor's offer to go with him had been like an offer to save me. The thought of going back is mind numbing.

"I was born to help my brother's career," I tell him, though I hold little animosity for my mother even when she deserves it.

"My purpose was to blow up and take part of New York City with me. But I survived that. I detonated above the city. Six months later I nearly helped someone wipe out ninty-seven percent of the entire world's population because I trusted someone I should have. Six months after that, my own father tried to take everything from me that makes me who I am. And now, my brother? The one who is the closest thing in the world to being who I am? He's trying to round people like me up and put us into...camps. Facilities."

My mouth feels dry from talking too much and I squeeze the back of the Doctor's neck.

"You're not going to lose me. You came to me. You asked me to go with you. You're saving me, Doctor."

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

My gentle eyes stay along Peter as he begins to speak. That soft voice spilling his heart out to me so softly and perfectly. I personally already know Peter's story. I've seen it, lived it already. I have seen this man save the earth and almost destroy it as well. I've watched him stuggle, watched him love, watched him lose great things yet he stands before me. So full of life and ready for a grand escape.

I can give him that. I can give him anything he wants and more.

Reaching foward I clap both my hands along both his shoulders. "I know" I whisper to him softly with a little grin of my own. I shiver gently at the squeeze along the back of my neck.

My eyes even sparkling brightly at Peter's soft words. He's saving me.

"How long are you going to travel with me?" I ask him once again.

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

"Forever." There's absolutely no hesitation and I don't bother to dwell on that little fact. Does it matter? I knew once I decided to go with this strange man into his weird blue phone booth -- or whatever it was suppose to be -- that my life was meant for something more than what I could ever have back home.

He blinks at me with his massive eyes and my own large eyes hold the smile bubbling up onto the surface of my face. I laugh. I laugh because it's the first choice I've actually ever made for myself.

"Go ahead and try to kick me out now. I'll cling to the back of this thing if I have to!"

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

I notice there is no hesitation within his voice as he gives me his answer. I didn't expect anything less from him. I knew exactly what his answer would be. I've heard those words before. A past partner whispered them to me and I believed her.

I was a fool.

"Forever is a very long time" I reply back to him simply. "Much longer than you can ever imagine."

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

I don't move my hand from him, not for a moment, though craning up my neck like this is not exactly comfortable. I arch both eyebrows upwards and laugh softly. "Doctor, I'm gonna find out. All I've got right now is eternity."

And this man said he was dying. Soon. I can at least give him all of my time until then. He's saving me. And he's got this light inside of him... I want to reach through to it and clasp it. He's got this weird charisma. I can almost taste it.

Not a normal thing to feel, maybe, but it might be worthwhile to let him know how I feel.

My free hand presses to his chest, fingers splayed before I look back up at him. "Doctor. It's going to sound weird, but I feel things about people. Like, the things that make them up. I'm not always a good judge of character--" Christ, I'm used more than any other man alive! "But I know it when someone's amazing. And you're amazing. I want to be near someone like that."

It's sounding like a bad romance novel now! Way to go Petrelli.

[perfect-ten10.livejournal.com]

I can't help but smile at him once again. He really isn't about to give up on wanting to travel with me forever. "You may not want to spend all of eternity with me" I laugh. "You may grow tired of me and my ways" I add with a soft smirk.

I glance down at him once again, his hand feeling warm against my chest. He really is speaking from the heart, I can see it within his large eyes. He needs me as much as I need him.

"So do I" I whisper back to him. "I hope you are very aware of the choice you're about to make?" I ask him lowly.

[chimeramimic.livejournal.com]

I actually have to bite my bottom lip to keep from grinning maniacally. That would be a little too much, even for this weird, surreal play we're both participating in. "Yanno," I tell him, fingertips pressing into his chest a little more firmly, a near embrace, even if this weird way we're holding onto each other really is an embrace. Three inches closer and we'd be pressed together. "The moment you leaned out of the TARDIS and offered me your hand, I made the choice."

A strange thought crosses my mind and I dismiss it, stepping back, suddenly embarrassed. I make some lame small talk about breakfast and wanting to learn how the TARDIS works and what sort of place we can visit for lunch.

I bury the image of the Doctor's hands on either side of my neck as he leans in to--

I've always been just a little messed up, but that, my friends, takes the cake. I head to the door and shut it, leaning back against it in triumph. Why ruin the good time we're going to have?

I use to think that the world revolves around Nathan.

But now? I think it actually revolves around the Doctor.