out_there | Heroes fic: The Lack of Surprise

Title: The Lack of Surprise
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Matt/Mohinder
Spoilers: Set after 2.07 "Out of Time".
Rating: G
Notes: Written directly after watching "Out of Time" (and being posted quickly to avoid being jossed!). Thank you to both

nestra and

storydivagirl for such amazingly fast betas! You girls rock my socks.

Summary: "You don't get it. This isn't about intentions. These people-- There isn't a right here. There's just wrong and more wrong."

Surprisingly, it didn't take long for the Company halls to fill. Sitting on the bed, Molly tucked up against his side as nurses completed charts and unplugged her from machines, Matt watched the employees return. They looked so normal: nurses with their hair pulled back neatly, the occasional doctor or scientist in a white coat, men and women in mid-range suits, dressed for a day in the office (or a convention, Matt thought, a group of realtors or managers, maybe dentists or insurance salespeople). They looked ordinary.

However, Matt could spot the telltale bulges on hips and torsos. Most of them were carrying a gun.

Bob had already stopped by and offered his congratulations on Molly's recovery. While they were clearing Molly to leave, Matt had heard the thoughts -- plans to keep his father sedated, permanently -- and had said nothing, done nothing.

He'd been the one to trap his father. Complaining about the man being kept in a comfortable bed and drugged-out coma seemed pointless now. He'd already made his decision.

After an hour, he left Molly with the nurses and told her he was calling a cab.

He had to ask three people -- a blonde in a straight, blue skirt; a shaven-bald twenty-something in a dark suit that looked a little more expensive than most; a middle-aged guy with a beard that looked like Colonel Sanders -- before he found the lab that contained Mohinder.

"Molly's okay," Matt said from the doorway, startling Mohinder into turning around. There was a stark, white bandage across his nose and he looked tired, eyes a touch bloodshot. Behind him, manila files lay open on the bench and beside them was a gun. A semi-automatic handgun. "Thought you might want to know."

"I heard." Mohinder glanced away and then looked back at him, awkward and uncertain. Matt had a flash of memory: Mohinder's nervous, hopeful smile as he stood in Matt's hospital room and suggested moving in together. "I was planning to..."

Mohinder shrugged, leaving the thought where it was, making it clear -- to Matt's ears, at least -- that he'd meant to visit, planned to, as soon as he worked out what came next, what was right and wrong, and what he should do.

"I'm taking Molly home now," Matt said, taking a breath and forcing himself to stay where he was, feet flat on the floor, shoulder wedged against the doorframe. "We're going to get something to eat, play some board games and watch cartoons. Tomorrow, she's going back to school."

"A little normality will do her good. I have a few things to finish," Mohinder said, gesturing to the vials on the bench but Matt interrupted before he could explain further.

"Come home with us."

"I can't," Mohinder said, dismissive and annoyingly calm. "I have responsibilities here."

"Molly's got school tomorrow." Matt dug his hands into his pockets to fight the urge to shake some sense into Mohinder. "I've got keys on me and a regular, paying job."

Mohinder looked genuinely confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm going to make this real simple for you. If you don't come home, don't be surprised to find the locks changed tomorrow."

Mohinder chuckled, as if Matt was joking. Then something -- the expression carved into Matt's face, the tension tightening his shoulders and keeping his posture straight -- made him see Matt was serious. "You can't kick me out of my father's apartment." His sneer was an equal mix of disbelief and outrage.

"Since the lease is in both our names and I can afford the rest, yeah, I can." Matt looked around the room -- cupboards, benches, chairs: all glass and stainless steel -- and kept his clenched hands hidden. If he didn't, if he walked closer and let himself reach out, he couldn't trust himself not to hurt Mohinder. Couldn't trust himself not to use force to drag him from this place, from these people, from this whole sordid mess.

"This is ridiculous," Mohinder spluttered, turning his back on Matt and flicking a page over in one of the files. "There are lives at stake."

"Yeah, Molly's."

"That's rich, coming from the man who--" Mohinder cut himself off, stopped himself from voicing the words. It didn't stop Matt from hearing it, from flinching at the accusations.

He scrubbed a hand across his cheek, feeling the beginning of stubble scratch his palm. "You're right. I was the one who put her in danger. We nearly lost her and it was my fault, my selfish actions, my stubborn insistence. We nearly lost her, in all the ways that count. I'm not letting that happen again."

"And my desire to save Niki's life would clearly do that," Mohinder said sharply, deliberately ignoring the risks he knew he was facing.

That was when Matt lost it. When he found himself striding over and grabbing Mohinder by the shoulders, using his momentum to push him hard against the nearest wall. "You think that's what this is about? You think I got Molly trapped because I wanted to prove something to my father? You think it was as stupid and pointless as that?"

Mohinder pushed back, but Matt had the advantage of position and bulk. He shoved Mohinder back against the wall and heard the thud as his head connected with plaster. He also heard the surprised grunt of pain.

Those sounds shocked most of the anger out of Matt. Made him close his eyes, breathe and gentle his grip. "You don't get it. This isn't about intentions. These people-- There isn't a right here. There's just wrong and more wrong."

"Shades of grey," Mohinder said softly, as if he already knew. Maybe he did; he was a brilliant man, after all. But he was a smart guy who got confused, frightened and angry. He was a smart guy who sometimes made stupid decisions. "It's a complex situation, Matthew."

"No matter which side you choose, people will die. And you'll be part of that."

"And if I do nothing, more will die."

Matt slid his hands from Mohinder's shoulders to his chest, thumbs lying on the lowest curve of his collarbone. "So stay. Stay and compromise your integrity, become someone different than who you are. But the guy I know, the guy you are now, the guy Molly loves, he couldn't do this. He couldn't protect a company that chooses who lives and who dies."

For a moment, Matt thought he might have gotten through. For a moment, he thought the three of them might go home, might salvage this nightmare of a day.

Then Mohinder spoke, voice soft and deep. "I need to help. I need to do whatever I can to save this situation."

"Then do it. But don't come home," Matt said, voice steady even as his heart threatened to beat its way out of his ribcage. "Don't make this part of Molly's life."

A sigh. Then Mohinder sagged, as if all his energy had gone in that one breath. "This isn't fair," he said simply, like a child whispering into the dark.

"I'm drawing a line in the sand. I don't care about the greater good and the horrible things done in its name. I care about my family. That means you and Molly." Matt leaned forward and pressed his head against Mohinder's shoulder. He was overwhelmed with gratitude that Mohinder didn't push him away. "I love both of you and I'm worried about you, about what you're doing, but Molly's a child. She needs me."

Mohinder's hand landed on his head, smoothing down his hair with careful strokes. He listened to Mohinder's thoughts, heard him debate the difference between need and want, and not once consider the idea of agreeing with Matt's simple demand.

"If I have to choose between the two of you, if I have to protect her from what you're getting involved with -- what we both were getting involved in -- then I will." Matt lifted his head up and leaned closer, tilting his head carefully to avoid Mohinder's injured nose. He pressed a kiss against Mohinder's lips, light and chaste, gentle and regretful enough to be a goodbye. Then he met Mohinder's tired eyes and said, "But I'm asking you to come home. I'm asking you to walk away right now and make Molly your priority."

Matt stepped back. He wasn't particularly surprised when Mohinder shook his head and mumbled, "I'm sorry."

It hurt and he was disappointed, but he wasn't actually surprised.