Disclaimer: I do now own heroes. I own characters and plot.

Present Day (aka 2006)

Buffalo New York

New York institute for the insane

The day? Hell if she knew. Coleen had lost count after a few weeks. Even through three free meals a day, she knew life "on the run" was better than this. Now she sat on a piece of flat board with her wrists and ankles strapped down with strong leather straps. Her gut, too, was strapped down so tight she could feel her heart beat.

Weeks earlier, she and Laurent had been on the run. They found themselves cornered in their 'hideout'; which was really just a cheap motel room in the middle of nowhere New Jersey. They came home one night to find dozens of cops and one odd ball. A bald African American man dressed in a suit, who looked over at them expressionless. Laurent and Coleen tried to use their abilities, but it was as if they had suddenly turned normal.

For a while, it was debatable as to where they would go. Jail, the nut house, or the chair? Debatable that is, until Coleen pleaded insanity. Laurent followed her lead, and together they told the police that they had planned to kill Jamie hand in hand. Laurent still stood his ground in saying he was the actual murderer, which the officers did not object or disagree.

They were placed in the asylum, and little by little their powers came back to them. Though, it hardly mattered because they were both too heavily medicated to get back in the drivers seat and take control again. And they were always separated.

Coleen felt as if her head might fall off, it was increasingly too heavy for her shoulders to carry, making it slump over. Defeat. That was the only word that came to mind. They had been so blind and so…defeated. Now she was able to tell that a figure or two were standing in the room with her.

"Leave," she slowly heard the musk voice in front of her demand. Coleen laughed at this foolish man. Leave? She was strapped down like a carry-on item. Was she to hobble out? She laughed even harder, her own vocals ringing in and out of her ears.

She could hear rustles to her right. "I didn't…"

"Leave!" The outburst was so loud, and Coleen had no way to cover her ears and drown the noise out. She heard whoever was beside her leave their post, and walk out of the room.

'Oh' Coleen thought. 'He wanted that man to leave…not me. God what kind of drugs am I on?' Her senses were slowly coming back to her. The fog in her head cleared only a small amount, but it was enough for her to remember who and where she was. She recalled the drugs, assuming they were warring off. 'Time for another dosage.'

"Coleen." The figure in front of her now held her in a warm embrace she could not return. But she didn't want to return it. She rather wanted to slap the figure away. She pulled at her ropes so hard it sliced her wrists, and she sobbed. "Stop…Stop!"

Ever since she was brutally tied down and raped by Jamie, Coleen could no longer stand human touch. So, being tied down in an asylum with drugs pumping through her veins and a stranger holding her against her will, was like the fiery pits of hell for her.

She screamed directly into the man's ear making him jolt back so quickly he ran into something behind him. Suddenly, the same voice which was asked to leave returned to Coleen's side.

"Dammit, I told you…this is why you shouldn't even bother."

The other figure regained composure and got back to his feet. "Parkman, I told you to leave."

"You can't expect me to-"

"Parkman! I told you under no circumstances are you to come back in here." The figure, or now known as Parkman, shut up. Slowly, he left as commanded. Coleen now remembered Parkman…he used to be more of a father to her than her real father. He was her better father. Now he allowed her to suffer and to be left alone with this stranger.

Coleen screamed again, but was hushed by strong hands pressing over her mouth. She felt suffocated but when those hands removed themselves, Coleen felt more strength flow through her. She was able to feel her head, open her eyes and…"Dad?"

"Coming around finally, I see?" Jim offered a small smile. However, Coleen glared at him and lay in silence. Such a disturbed face, of his own flesh and blood no less, gave Jim knots in his stomach and made chills go up his spine. "I unhooked the IV, I bet you feel like a weight had been left-"

"I hate you father." Jim stared. These were the first words Jim had heard out of his daughter for an entire year. Not exactly the ideal reunion. "Don't try to do me these small favors. You're nothing but an insignificant parasite," she hissed feeling the blood run down her wrists. She didn't care, she just wanted to die. "You aren't doing yourself any good. The fewer drugs I have, the more I remember how much I hate you."

Before her eyes, she watched as her father's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his face turn pale. Jim Strong blacked out. Coleen smirked down at him, and gazed only to have her eyes meet Laurent.

"I hate him too." He snickered and approached his love. She grinned at him, and didn't even care to hear how or why Laurent had managed to escape. He cut her straps and loosened the pain inflicted areas. "Damn, you cut your wrists or something. But…" he frowned with conflicted eyes." "But we have to get out of here. Can you hold on?"

Coleen stood, which caused blood to rush through her head. She nearly fell, but caught herself. "I'm gonna have to."

Brooklyn

Darcy Strong

The telephone rang, again, and again, and again. Darcy jumped awake on her coach. She sucked in a breath and held her throbbing head as she got up to answer the phone.

"Yeah?" Darcy said in a cracked voice.

"Darcy?" Darcy fingered some sleep out of her eyes and sat back down on the coach.

"Hey dad," she sighed. "Whats wrong now?" She heard her father breath deeply.

"Coleen's…Coleen escaped." Jim's voice was a mixture of frustration and anxiety. Darcy tried to swallow but found her mouth dry.

"Wha…What?"

"Laurent and Coleen escape from the asylum." Darcy let out an exasperated breath.

"No I get that. What I don't understand is how? Weren't they on 24 hour observation or something? Tied down and drugged?" There was a pause. Jim didn't need to say another word. Darcy knew her father well enough to put two and two together. He was somewhat responsible. Darcy put a hand to her forehead. "When did it happen?"

"Yesterday evening." There was another awkward pause. Darcy and her father had never really been close and the past year had been a real strain on their fragile relationship. "Darcy…I think there's a possibility they might come after you." Darcy shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Coleen wouldn't lay a false hand on me so please dad. Just don't worry about me." Jim let out a teary sniff.

"Darcy you're-"

"Able to take care of myself. I'm 23 dad. Its time you started treating me like an adult."

"There is nothing that will keep me from worry. Darcy…you're all I've got-"

"I need to get to work dad," Darcy spat out before he could finish. "I'll talk to you later." Jim sighed on the other line.

"Just be safe okay?

"You too."

"I love you." Darcy swallowed hard.

"Yeah me too. Call you later." Darcy hung up the phone and sat in silence for a few minutes. She stood to look out her window towards Manhattan. She sat on the edge of her window and glanced at the pictures on her dresser.

The first, the largest, was of her, Coleen, and Jim. It was from her freshman year of college. They were all smiling genuinely, wrapping their arms around each other. It was a sad photo in Darcy's eyes and always brought her to tears, but she could never bring herself to put it away. It was a reminder of happier times. A time Darcy would give anything to have back.

Beside the picture was a small photo of her trip to San Francisco and beside that a picture of Darcy and her college roommate Evelyn in front of Big Ben.

The fourth photo was her favorite, though it made her just as sad as the one of her family. It was of her best friend, her most trusted companion. They stood together smiling at a diner party. She remembered it had been raining, as the two were both drenched. It had been about two months since she had seen Gabriel. They were not on speaking terms anymore.

She was knocked out of her trance by the buz of her doorbell. Darcy looked through the peep hole and opened the door immediately to her elder neighbor holding a casserole dish.

"Hey Mrs. Kent." The old woman smiled toothlessly up at Darcy. She was a short woman and had to be over 85, but the woman had the spirit of a 16 year old. Mrs. Kent examined Darcy with narrow eyes.

"Well aren't you a sight Darcy! Will you not let me in?" Darcy let her pass and closed the door cautiously behind her. "I brought you some squash casserole. I know how much you like it." Darcy smile at the woman.

"You're very kind. And very right I do love your casseroles." Darcy took the warm dish and placed it in the nearly empty fridge.

"Oh I always like to feed the young ones. Especially those who need to get more meat on their bones." Mrs. Kent pointed her cane at Darcy and chuckled.

"So whats the gossip on the third floor?" Darcy asked as she offered a seat to Mrs. Kent and plopped on the kitchen counter.

"The usual. Jimmy and Lucy Devon have it out every night. Tanner is still under house arrest. You know, just another uneventful week." Darcy smiled weakly

"Can't say I'm surprised. Gossip is never thick this time of year." Mrs. Kent shook her head slowly.

"It may appear so my dear. However in reality, people are just keeping their secrets to themselves." Darcy looked down at the floor hoping Mrs. Kent wouldn't notice. She couldn't agree more. "Actually, now that I think about it, there is some news."

"Really?" Darcy sighed inwardly, relieved to change the subject.

"You know the…uh Indian man who lives three doors down from me?"

"The professor?" Mrs. Kent nodded.

"Apparently he's left. Now his son lives in the apartment. Odd man the professor. But of course the man was a scientist." She said the word as if it were a curse. "All those…theories. Nothing good could come of it." Darcy pursed her lips.

"What's the son like?" Mrs. Kent shrugged. "Well, I guess I better introduce myself. But I actually have to get to work." She led to woman out slowly. "Thanks again for the casserole."

"Anytime dear. Have a nice week." Darcy smiled.

"You too." She closed the door and turned to walk to her bookcase. She pulled out an unread book, one that Gabriel had given to her. A book by one Professor Suresh.

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