'We all imagine ourselves the agents of our destiny, capable of determining our own fate.'

'But have we truly any choice in when we rise? Or when we fall?'

'Or does a force larger than ourselves bid us our direction?'

'Is it evolution that takes us by the hand?'

'Does science point our way? Or is it God who intervenes, keeping us safe?'

꧁❃❃❃꧂

The day was new. Rose made her way back to Mohinder's apartment. Answering the call he sent the night before. There was still no word from what really happened to Peter the night before, and Rose didn't want to think about it in the first place. Perhaps he was caught in his nursing job- or perhaps he was trying to make a move on Simone for the first time.

Nothing really mattered at that point, as Rose wished to focus on what Mohinder wanted to look into. Parking her car carefully she stepped out and made her way to the entrance. Entering the building, her boots just clattered against the floor. She made her way up the steps before halting in a hallway with three figures clogging near Suresh's door.

"If you're the exterminator, why do you have a gun holster?" As Rose finally focused she noticed Mohinder having his hands up while a lady with a gun was pointing it at a larger man. The man pushed Suresh into the women and ran in Roses direction, shoving her into the wall on the way down the stairs to escape.

"Ow." Rose groaned, her head numb from being slammed into the wall. She rubbed her gloved hands onto her forehead, as Mohinder and the women approached quickly.

"Are you alright?" The Doctor reached a hand out and pulled Rose up. The blond only gave a nod as she observed the new person in the hallway. Something about her seemed familiar, but she wasn't fully sure on why.

"Not something that'll keep me down." Rose started giving a small smile to Mohinder. "Who's your new friend here Doctor?" Rose looked backed to the women. She had short brown hair and a pink over shirt with a tang top.

"Oh- I'm Eden McCain." She started holding the gun awkwardly, looking to the two. Mohinder seemed interested in the women, perhaps it was something she said earlier. But he was curious on something else, entering his apartment with a purpose.

The two women glanced at each other and followed the Doctor closely behind. Mohinder was crouched under a table, working on removing a device from the cords. Eden approached somewhat curious.

"Why would anybody want to tap Papa Suresh's phone?" She started glancing at Mohinder who was still under the table. He glanced over his shoulder with interest.

"Papa Suresh?" Eden nodded after he questioned. Never thinking his father would ever be called that by anyone.

"Yeah, he told me to call him that after I butchered his name a couple of times." She mentioned, her fingers entangling each other. Rose looked over to see the device that, what she could assume, the large man was trying to either plant or remove.

"I don't know why someone would want to tap his phone. Back in Madras I found a man in his apartment stealing his research, and now this." Mohinder continued, going back to messing with the device, but to no avail.

"Well, why don't you just ask your dad? I mean, he must have some idea who it is." Rose held her breath, and leaned over to carefully place a hand on her shoulder.

"His father died, about four days ago." This seemed to shock the old neighbor of Chandra. Her eyes widen as she guided to a seat near by. She sat down, her grief now obviously showing.

"You didn't know? He was murdered in his cab." Mohinder looked at her confused. Eden seemed completely distraught by the news. Leaning forward into her hands as she thought of Chandra.

"Oh, my God. How awful." She said almost in a whisper. Thinking of the horrid news, her mind seemingly drifting in some endless possibilities.

"You were close?" The Doctor seemed to ask carefully, trying to connect the two together. Eden nodded and looked up at the two.

"Yeah, I mean I hate cooking for one so I used to make extra and bring it over, and we would eat together." She started with a small smile, trying to bring light into the shadow of the bad news. "And he'd tell me about his theories and the map. We were friends."

Mohinder seemed slightly hurt to hear that. His father was more connected to his neighbors then to his own son. Why did he not want Mohinder to look deep into what he was working on?

"Well, then you were closer to him than I was. Happy to hear he had someone to talk to." He said tightly before glancing at Rose and then back. "I'll get you some water." He decided, turning away and heading towards the fridge.

"I had no idea anything was wrong. I knocked on the door a couple of times. I just... I thought he was out and we
were missing each other." Eden was saying as she looked to Rose and then over to Mohinder.

"You and I both- I just got sent to voice mail every time I tried calling." Rose started, seemingly troubled by Ms. McCain. She wasn't sure on how much this woman knew about the whole geneticist's work.

"I had this book I wanted to show him."

"Which book?" Rose can't help but chime.

"Darwin's Origin of Species." Eden added as she pulled out the book to offer the two. Rose nodded looking over at it.

"Read it already- I kind of been doing to much research lately." She mumbled before a familiar ring came from her pocket.

"Excuse me-" Rose apologized before answering. "Hello?" She looked over at the window of the apartment as Mohinder and Eden mumbled to each other.

"Nathan?" She seemed shock to get a call from Peter's brother. They often didn't talk much however when they did it was usually about his brother. "No, he said he'd- he what? I'll be there in a few- and Nathan? Thanks for calling me." She flipped her phone close, as the two looked at her once more.

"I'm sorry Mohinder, but I need to head to the hospital. A friend of mine- well never mind. I'll be back when everything is settled." Rose apologized preparing to leave. Eden glanced between the two and Rose nodded to her too. "It was good to meet you Ms. McCain."

"Eden is fine, and you?" Rose realized she had never introduce herself and smiled apologetically.

"Everyone calls me Rose." She said before exciting the apartment and heading for her car.

꧁❃❃❃꧂

Peter woke with a gasp and a firm hand on his shoulder. His brother was sitting next to him trying to calm him down.

"Whoa. Whoa. Easy, buddy." His brother, Nathan, was stated as Peter got his bearings and looked around. His eyes finally adjusting to the light.

"Where am I?" Peter was saying, finally coming to his senses.

"You're in a hospital." Nathan answered, before a blond bursted through the door.

"Is he okay?" It was Rose, who looked a bit winded as if she ran the moment she figured out what room he was in.

"Rose?" Peter squinted at her. He remembered the night before. "I'm sorry- I got held up- I got distracted." He felt guilty for standing her up before trying to figure out what fully happened. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Nathan asked, somewhat hopeful to use this to his advantage. When Peter shook his head Rose spoke up, shutting the room door behind her.

"I heard you jumped from a roof of a fifteen-story building." She stated, still not believing the words herself. Nathan inputed more after she informed him.

"You tried to kill yourself" Rose's eyes widened at that. Peter seemed fine the other day. Is he somehow suicidal now? Was he always depressed in which a way? How did she not know about it. "You were a little wound up yesterday, but I thought you were just being you."

Peter shook his head. "What are you talking about? I didn't try to kill myself." He was saying trying to remember what happened earlier. "You were in the alley below. I jumped and you... You flew." Peter started pointing fingers at Nathan.

Rose looked between the brothers. Flying- is it? Did that really happen? Nathan shook his head, holding a hand palm pointing at Rose. As if the whole thing was a secret that just got revealed.

"I what?" He said brushing off the reality.

"You flew up an caught me." Peter insisted looking Nathan in the eyes. His brother gazed hardened.

"You jumped Peter." He leaned over seemingly whispering in his ear to avoid Rose from overheating. Yet to no avail. She was now listening as close as she could to the conversation. "Twenty-five feet to a fire escape. I climbed up and carried you down. That's what happened. The rest is just crazy talk. You understand?"

Rose seemed to narrow her eyes looking between the two brothers. Nathan stood and looked over his phone, as if something had caught his attention. Probably just something to do with the election. Rose thought bitterly of Nathan Petrelli at times. There were obvious points where he truly cared for his brother, but other times he'd be to focused on his image to really care.

"Look, Nathan, if its okay I'd like to talk to Peter alone?" Rose spoke up, clearing her throat and easing the tension in the room. Nathan glanced up at her then back at his phone again.

"Yea- probably for the best." He excused himself, giving Peter one last look before leaving the room. Rose watched as Nathan left before assuring the blinds of the room were close to give the two some privacy.

"Rose?" Peter seemed confused, as the blond looked over to her friend laying in the bed.

"Peter." She responded assuring they would be alone before looking in the eyes of the Petrelli. "What really happened. You talk about flying, I want to know the whole story." Rose was eager to hear it all.

"I went to a painter last night, Simone had me come with her to give morphine to him. Apparently he's a drug addict." Peter started remembering the night before. "He was passed out, OD'd on drugs. While Simone looked over him as we waited for the ambulance, I noticed something off to the side. He painted me. Flying. Just like these dreams I've been getting."

"And you never told me about this?" Rose felt slightly hurt. If she had known what Peter was going through, she would had also been able to confide in him sooner with her side of things.

"I-" Peter seemed to be caught in slight defeat. "I'm sorry Rose. I just- I didn't think you'd believe me I guess." Rose closed her eyes looking towards the door of the room.

"Peter, there's a huge reason on why I decided to go to India in search for answers. There was a doctor there. To show him this." Rose rips off her glove and places a seed inside her palm. Another flower grew, but before it wilted she grabbed it with her gloved hand. She looked over the flower, looking intently at Peter after the fact. The Petrelli seemed silent and Rose placed the flower in his lap.

"I'll need some air." Rose said tightly, putting her glove back on as she turned and excited the room. She headed to the rooftop, deciding to watch the day pass as she leaned over the ledge. She looked at her gloved hands in wonder. What is wrong with me?

꧁❃❃❃꧂

Mohinder was in his looking over his world map as Eden McCain was pointing out that Chandra had a few messages on his answering machine. Playing back each of them there were messages from, an Emi, Nathan Petrelli, a rough voice named 'Sylar.' Lastly there was a few messages from Rose. After talking about Sylar being possible 'Patient Zero.' Eden began to play Rose's left messages.

"Hello?" The tearful voice came from the message. "I hope I'm calling the right number. If this is Chandra Suresh, I'm begging you I need help. Whatever this genetics' thing is, I cant control it. Please call back." The voice cut off before the next message started.

"At first this was a gift, it allowed me to heal people. I was able to put my hand on someone and mend their wounds. But as time went on I-" It seemed as if Rose was holding back a sob. "I caused someone to die- Oh god-" The phone cut off as Rose hurryingly stopped the call.

Eden and Mohinder looked at each other, slightly horrified of the news before playing the last message Rose had left for his father. Mohinder listened carefully as he messed with the hard drive they found in Lizard Mohinder's tank.

"I-I'm sorry. The man I- well. . . It seemed like he died of old age- yet he was only 43 when I was working with him." Rose's voice was quiet, as if she was too scared to continue. "I found out wearing gloves allows me to avoid doing it again. . . But I still need a way to stop this- Control it- something. I'm sorry." She mustered up, the line finally going dead.

The duo looked on at each other as Mohinder figured out the hard drive. The two were quiet hearing the news of Rose. Mohinder reached for his phone, preparing to call Rose back to the apartment, to try and get the full story on what truly happened.

꧁❃❃❃꧂

Rose watched the moon rise as she stood on the roof. Hearing shuffling behind she turned her head to see Peter approaching the ledge she was next to. Peter looked at Rose as they leaned over the side, his head tilting as he observed her. The blond remained quiet, not fully eager to talk about what had happened a few hours before.

"When did it start?" Peter asked gently, allowing Rose some time to answer.

"A few weeks ago, on the job. First I could heal people just by touching them. Their wounds would close like no problem, next I touched someone and it. . . aged them." She whispered avoiding the true fate of the person she held guilt onto.

"Do you know what you can all do?" Peter tried pressing, but Rose stayed silent, not really answering his question. Peter hops on the edge and sits down on the side, looking down at the cars that lit the streets below. "You don't have to talk now, if you like, whenever you feel comfortable." Is all he says before sitting silently with her.

Nathan reaches the rooftop sighing with slight relief seeing Peter up there with Rose.

"I've been looking all over for you Pete." He stated, breaking the silence the two had on the roof. Rose looked over at Peter and backed up, allowing the two to have their moment.

"Did you know about Dad's depression?" Peter started glancing over his shoulder.

"Yeah" Nathan sighed slightly.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Because everyone's entitled to their secrets Peter."

"I was so sure when it happened. Now it turns out I may just be going crazy." Peter seemed resigned as he stood, looking down to the cars below his feet. Rose's breath caught as the scene began to unfold.

"Look, hey. we've been through this before. We've played this game, okay? Let's just- let's just go." Nathan said urgently, not wanting for this to repeat itself. Peter swivels around to face Nathan, stepping backward.

"Tell me what happened, Nathan. When I jumped. Tell me you flew. I wanna hear you say that you flew. Tell me, or I'll jump again." He takes another step closer to the edge, Rose steps forward in horror, not wanting to see Peter jump. Peter glances over at her, and his eyes give her understanding. I trust you. "Hey, good luck on your campaign- when I'm splattered all over the ground below."

"All right. You want the truth?" Nathan stepped forward, with Peter answering with a 'yeah.' "We both flew. Pete. I caught you, and I lost control. You're too heavy. We both started falling to the ground and just before we- just before we hit, you flew. You."

"Are you lying to me?" Peter's eyes squinted as he looked at his brother, who just shook his head. "You are." He steps forwards towards Nathan and Rose, to which both watch on with small surprise. "You're trying to tell me what you think I wanna hear. You're lying to me again!"

Nathan points to Peter's feet which makes the younger brother glance down. He was hovering, when his realization hit he stumbles in the air and falls to the ground. Peter, ecstatic that it was fully true, stood up and looked at the two.

"Did you see that? Did you see that? I flew?" Peter said as if he was a child who did something fantastic. Rose seemed to giggle slightly as Nathan and Peter hugged.

"Yeah, I- I know. . ." Nathan states. "I know. . ."

꧁❃❃❃꧂

'For all his bluster, it is the sad province of man that he cannot choose his triumph.'

'He can only choose how he will stand when the call of destiny comes.'

'Hoping that he'll have the courage to answer.'