Starring:
Date: March 7, 2010
Summary:
Hiro visits Micah.
"Hope Renewed"
Gabriel and Micah's Apartment
Micah sighs as he messes around on his laptop, searching for information on disarming explosives — not that the internet is being very helpful today. With a sigh, he snaps the laptop shut and shoves off the couch towards the kitchen. Gabriel isn't here today, not now, anyways, probably off doing Gabriel-things (what these involve, Micah doesn't ask).
He walks over to a cupboard and takes out a glass. He then moves to the sink and fills his glass with water. With a sigh, he begins to take big gulps of water.
—
Pop! A wild Hiro has appeared! The one benefit of his powers going haywire is that they seem to take him where he needs to be now and it requires very little in the way of actually thinking and searching. He wanted to appear just outside the door, of course, but given his luck he appears inside and looks around. He spies the open laptop but no Micah, calling out hesitantly.
"Micah?"
—
Micah finishes his glass of water when the voice is in the apartment — a voice that knows his name, a voice that doesn't sound like Gabriel. This puts him just a little on edge, particularly when considering everything that's happened over the last few months. Quietly he places the glass on the countertop and peeks into the other room.
With a heavy sigh of relief he offers the time-traveller a lopsided grin, "Hiro?" His eyebrows furrow as he gazes at the man. "What are you doing here?"
—
Hiro would be grinning and happy to see Micah if it weren't for the news he has to bring. He attempts a weak smile and reaches into the backpack he has slung across one shoulder, producing a blank DVD case with the boy's name written on the front and another with the initials 'D.L.' on the front. He holds them out for him, still looking quite sad as he does so, "I have something to give you. From your mother."
Micah pads forward slowly. His frown deepens, his eyes droop, and his shoulders slump. He still hasn't been able to make himself believe his mother is even dead; not really. Or that his dad is dead. Butterflies push against the inside of his stomach as he takes the DVDs. He fights the frown, and tries to neutralize his expression rather futiley before blinking, "What… what is it?"
—
"I have not watched," Hiro says, letting Micah take the DVDs and slinging his backpack up on his shoulders once again, "I … travelled back in time. By accident. And I met her there. I told her what was going to happen and she recorded these for you but … Miss Cass told me what happened." To D.L., though he doesn't say that, "So I am giving them both to you."
Micah frowns as he clutches the cases and nods a little before backing up. Something is beginning to make more sense — things are becoming clearer. His frown deepens further as his eyes burn against tears that he frantically blinks back. "She… knew." His cheeks redden. "She cancelled that trip. She knew." He swallows hard to fight his own sobbing. The teen lowers himself to the floor at his surmounting guilt. "I… I didn't listen… I …" the tears begin to streak his face and as it happens he buries his face into his hands, choking on the tears. His shoulders tense under his own personal guilt and grief. At this moment Micah knows something for certain: he is guilty in his parents' deaths.
—
"These things cannot be escaped," Hiro says quietly, doing his best to be comforting but still just standing awkwardly in the center of the room, "No matter what you do to try and change them, they happen. Some things change but … not all things."
—
Irony of all ironies, as Micah had thought he'd had no tears left to cry he finds himself in a pile on the floor again. After several more rather uncontrollable sobs, he swallows the tears and pushes his now-rebellious self to the surface. He nods at little at Hiro, "I… I didn't know." He runs a hand through his hair as he manages to sit up into a kneel. "I'm… sorry…" he manages between sniffles before taking a deep breath again, "Th-thank you… for this…"
—
"It is okay," Hiro says with a nod, standing back a little bit, "You should watch those when you get the chance. She had many things that she wanted to say - she gave them to me to deliver."
—
"I… I will. When I can." Micah casts his gaze downward as he clutches the tapes. "I miss them. A lot." He looks at the DVD intended for his dad and frowns a little more, but he manages to keep the tears and sobs in check.
—
"I am sorry," Hiro says, attempting to sound as comforting as possible, "I know it is difficult. I lost my parents too. But they would not want you to just be sad - they would want you to do so—"
Haywire powers suck. Hiro is halfway through a sentence when he is suddenly dragged away through time and space, vanishing quite immediately on the spot and leaving no trace save the DVDs.
—
Micah stares at the space that used to be Hiro; he's alone again. With a heavy sigh, he takes the DVD with his name on it and puts it into his laptop before taking a deep breath. At least he's alone for this…
With Hiro gone and Micah alone — no Gabriel around — the technopath has put his DVD into his laptop. D.L.'s sits beside him, but Micah keeps a hand on the DL's case, as if trying to stay close to his dad. Sniffling, he loads up his DVD. In inhales a deep breath and holds it before clicking play.
—
The very first thing to appear on the video is a sway of blonde hair, blurring the view, which shakes, before a hand moves past the screen and steadies the camera. Niki comes into view, looking precisely as she did seven months ago, but slightly grainy in the recording in the imperfectly lit room. A timestamp in the corner reads AUG 06 09. She sits down — on the couch that was in the basement of their home. Instead of shelves in the background, there's a red curtain, rife with sparkles. A remnant of a time past, now hiding the clutter of the basement. She takes a breath.
"…Hi, Micah… " A fond smile appears, tightened by emotion, and the image of Niki looks down. She laughs; it's awkward, but undeniably Niki. "I'm hoping… that… you'll never even have to see this. 'Cause it means I'm not around anymore." She sits up a little and brushes her hair back, clearly making an effort to get it together and go on with purpose. She looks straight into the camera.
—
Tears well in Micah's eyes as his mom addresses him. His fingers leave the DVD with his father's name as he touches the screen longingly. His lip quivers as he takes a deep breath. It hurts to see the video. It hurts to consider that he did this. "Mom," he whispers. And then, he begins to whisper his apology to the woman who isn't there, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry… mom…" the tears begin to stream down his cheeks.
—
"We're a family and we look out for each other," Niki smiles. "But I knew it was a possibility… and… if whatever happened, and— I'm… I'm gone, if you're seeing this then— it means I did… we did… everything we could. Don't be mad. Okay? Don't beat yourself up, or… me for going away, or your dad, because I know how he gets and I know how you get. Take care of each other."
She takes a moment to wipe at one eye, dabbing her mascara. Despite that — despite everything — the image of Niki smiles into the camera. No matter when I die I had an amazing life. Most of that was because of you. You taught me everything, Micah. You taught me how to be a good person. You make everything worth it."
—
Micah's sobs come out in hiccupped gasps for breath as he uses his shirt sleeve to dry his eyes. "Mo-ooom. It is my fault. This is my fault. Mom…" the tears flow down his cheeks as his entire face scrunches together. "I ruined your life! I didn't make it better! I am the reason you're dead now! Mom." He dabs at his eyes again as he sniffles hard, trying to regain some measure of dignity mid-video.
—
Throughout her pause, Niki reaches up to tuck her hair, lightened by the sun like it was back in the summer, behind one ear. The quick movement blurs her hand in what looks like a webcam recording. "You made me better. And… I know… that… you're gonna be okay," she says with a nod that bobs her head along. "Everything is gonna be okay, baby, because I know that you're really strong. You've definitely shown me that, too." She smiles brightly, confident in that.
"No matter what, I just want you to have a good life. That's all I've ever wanted, even when… when it was hard, and… I know, we haven't had it easy…" Niki shifts about where she sits, hugging her arms about herself for an instant, restless.
—
"Mom," Micah whispers again as his fingertips graze her hair on the screen. He sniffles again. "I love you mom. I love you so much. I miss you so much — no one's here to ruffle my hair and hug me and threaten the bullies. How am I supposed to stay strong… without you…?" He hiccups again. "I'm trying so hard to be strong. I'm trying so hard… it hurts…" Like his mom, he's hugging himself. It's not defensive, it's pained.
—
It's obvious that Niki, on the screen, is a little out of sorts — she's sincere with every ounce of her being in the things she's saying, but not only are they difficult to say, long speeches aren't really her thing. Her arms unfold, brows lifting into their familiar furrows. "You're gonna do great things, Micah. I've always known from the minute you were born that it was like, meant to be, but the last few months have really shown me that you can do anything you put your mind to. I know I gave you a hard time, but I… honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. You're right, you shouldn't have to apologize for doing the right thing. Not ever, don't forget. And— don't forget where you came from either, 'cause— we might not be perfect but— "
Niki never finishes that thought, only smiles and disguises a sniff. "Um. You 'n' Cam are gonna be home soon so I can't keep recording forever, 's'much as I want to. I wish I could be with you forever!" Another smile. "I had this chance … to know and to … I had to leave something, say something so… so— I guess I just wanna tell you that I love you. Whatever you wind up doing I'll be proud'a you." Niki stands up, moving closer to the camera — obscuring it, with the wine colour of her shirt, until she ducks down, super close up for an instant. "I love you, Micah."
The video goes black.
—
Still sobbing Micah shakes his head, "Mom. Mom come back… mom I need you… I can't… I love you…" But Niki doesn't answer and the screen is black. Micah is alone again. And then he remembers something, someone important. He rubs at his eyes again with his shirt sleeve. "Cam."