Who knew!? [Maya/Open]

[mohinder]

December 24, 2008

Mohinder Suresh had been gone for a least a month. He wondered how fucked up the world would be when he got back. Mohinder was in the future, for a while and it was quiet frightening. He tried his best to stay away from Sylar, but Sylar was always there. He knew that he wasn’t the Mohinder of that time. And yet that Sylar seemed to creep him out. Then again, everything did. He kind of felt embarrassed when he had to explain to congress that the explosion of Costa Verde was because of an nuclear explosion.

It was a weird month Mohinder admitted to himself. He was just glad that he was back to his own time. Sure he had learned a lot in that time, but he just wanted to be back to normal. He wanted to see his own friends again. He sighed as he placed on his jacket. It was Christmas Eve and he should probably start shopping. Of course, all of the last minute shoppers were among the crowds.

Mohinder decided that he would try Macy’s for once. He had no clue what he was going to buy for anyone, but it was suppose to be Christmas and Christmas was a time for giving. He figured that he would probably shop for Molly, and some friends. He just hoped that those friends didn’t ask him anything stupid or he could admit that he was in the future. And that his future self was making everyone’s life hectic. Sure blame his future self.

He sighed as he headed into Macy’s. Macy’s was a store-chain in New York that was famous for having a Thanksgiving Parade every year. It was located in Herald’s Square. Mohinder had to admit that he preferred Macy’s over some of the chains in New York. He always thought that it was nice because he always could find everything at Macy’s. As Mohinder entered the store he glanced around wondering what part of the store he should check out.

The store itself was very busy. The last minute Christmas shoppers or perhaps Mohinder was the only one who barely started the shopping. He looked around and decided that he could use his powers to get things before people got them. Sure it was wrong, but Mohinder really didn’t care. He was going to finish his Christmas shopping in twenty-minutes. That was his goal. He was about to start his shopping when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

[annalee]

It was her very last day to finish shopping seeing as Christmas was just a few hours away, it had taken her quite a lot of pondering and sneaking around Angela's office and person to see what a good gift to get her would be. What could you get a woman who has everything? She had already got something for Peter, he was pretty easy, because she knew that he liked everything that she got for him. But then the thought of Mohinder crossed her mind a few days ago - she hadn't heard from him in what felt like months, and wondered if he was still in New York. Pulling the trolly out from the bay and ignored the looks of the other shoppers who didn't get a trolly in time before they ran out.

It was night time madness, people dashing in and out of shops trying to get the last bit of stock off the shelves before someone else came in and pinched it out from underneath them. Although the madness had some entertaining factor in it, people were almost hystical if they couldn't find that they wanted, or would fight with other shoppers if they took the last 360 game console, or the latest barbie doll for their spoiled kids. Maya didn't really understand the whole, shop until you drop. Where she came from a simple home made gift was all it took to put a smile on those whom she loved. But, those days were long passed, and since then she hadn't wanted to think of the pain that she caused to her family and the emptiness from her brothers death.

So, she pressed on. The tiny trolly wheels squeaked as she pressed on down the aisle, making sure she didn't hit anyone or they didn't hit her as she glanced from side to side in Macy's trying to find something for Angela. Anything, but the shopping center looked like bedlam. Stopping and letting people walk around her, she thought she saw a familiar shape standing in the middle of the aisle just a few steps up from where she had stopped herself. The figure resembled Mohinder, but from behind she was sure more people had his build and colouring. Her heart skipped a beat as she continued to glance at him, her eyes narrowed almost wanting to peer through his back and look at his face - but he didn't turn around.

That had to be him, it really had to. She missed Mohinder so much, after she came to New York he was the only one there for her, until, he disappeared. Bitting her bottom lip, Maya pushed her trolly up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder, hoping and praying it was Mohinder. If it wasn't, she wasn't going to be dreadfully embarrassed. "Mohinder?" she asked.

[mohinder]

Mohinder nearly jumped up as someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and faced the person who tapped him. He was going to hurt. He didn’t know why, but ever since being roommates with Sylar his personality had been a bit different. Of course after spending a long time in the future. He felt weird.

He gave a smile as he saw a person. It was Maya. He hadn’t seen her in forever. “Hello” he managed to say a bit politely. Lately he had been rude to people, but that was only because he was in the future and it would seem to be the only way to get the point across was to be rude to people. He wasn’t like that kind of person.

He never wanted to be a rude person, but it looked like in the future he was going to be a rude person. However, he hoped that it was only a part of his job. He was after all the Secretary of Health and Human Affairs for President Petrelli. He just couldn’t believe that he got that kind of job. He was also the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology. So what in the future he had a lot of jobs.

He really didn’t know why he was even reflecting on these issues at hand. He titled his head and smiled at Maya. He was slowly coming back to reality, “How have you been!?” He managed to say as he placed his hands in his pocket. He should be shopping, but it would be best to have a catch-up session with Maya. He wondered how she was doing after that day, he told her about his “issue”

[annalee]

At first she didn't think it was him, but his voice sounded with a surprised hello and her face lit up as she laughed, relieved that it was him after all - even though he looked almost a little older, worse for wear. He almost looked a little lost, or disappointed or something - she couldn't really tell by the look on his face. Although he masked it well asking how she was, and her smiled grew. "I've been good, and you?" she asked, interested in how he was going. Maya was really interested, she hadn't seen him in weeks and all of a sudden she actually caught up with him in the store, on Christmas eve.

" 'tis, good to see you, Mohinder." she added before he was able to answer, her previous question. It was good to see him, after all she didn't think they were going to meet up ever after she left the lab. She placed a tender hand on his arm in greeting as she spoke, showing some compassion to him - more really just showing him that she wasn't mad at him for any reason. Maya wasn't a vengeful, spiteful type of person - even though in her life she had been burned, but ordinarly she wouldn't go out of her way just to hate someone and if she did, over time would have just faded into a small sadness for them.

Feeling it was necessary, she lifted her hand and stepped out from around her trolly, pulling him into a gentle forgiving hug, pecking him on the cheek.

[mohinder]

Mohinder rubbed his forehead as Maya spoke to him. He was just having a bit of a headache. He hated when he had headaches, especially in the front part of his brain. It was just simply not worth speaking when he had a headache, but people wouldn’t understand. So he had to tough it out.

He smiled, “I’m doing fairly well” He said with a slight nod. Yes, he was doing very well indeed. He wondered where Maya was living now. He hadn’t been around in a while. “It is good to see you also” He said with a smile again. He was surprised that she wasn’t mad at him. He thought that she would use her powers against him.

He hugged her back and pecked her on the cheek also. It was a nice way to be gentle to people that one hadn’t seen in a while. He missed her. Well, as a friend. “So where are you residing at!?” He asked with a frown. “Last I heard you were in Level Five”

[annalee]

She was getting the feeling he was feeling a little off, perhaps a little awkward with their mishap before she moved out, but that was easily masked by the kiss and hug he gave back to her. She had almost forgotten that he didn't know where she was living after she left, she had hardly a moment to let him know and really at the time, didn't know if he wanted her to keep tabs on herself for his own benifit. After she released him and stood back behind the trolly, she titled her head and grinned happily at him, "Oh, I stay with Peter Petrelli," she mentioned off handedly, she didn't think that anything was going to throw her off today. "We, how do you say... appartment share?" she nodded inwardly agreeing with her choise of words. "Have been living for less than three weeks..." she added.

"What about you, where 'ave you been?" she asked, her eyes widening as she was interested and concerned for his whereabouts over the last month or so. She hadn't seen him, and was starting to begin to think the worst of her friend.

[mohinder]

Mohinder smiled and nodded as he listened to his friend mentioned that she was now roommates with Peter Petrelli. That was good. He wasn’t jealous or was he!? No he wasn’t jealous. He bit down on his lower lip as he ran his hands through his curly hair.

“So your roommates with Peter, that is nice” He said as he nodded. “Peter is a nice person” He said as he raised an eyebrow. It was true Peter was a nice person and probably wouldn’t bail out on Maya. Peter wasn’t that kind of person unlike how Mohinder was. Mohinder felt sorry for that, but he had reasons.

He folded his arms over his chest, “To be honest, I haven’t been in this time since December 5th, I have been in the future” He said as he looked down at the ground. “Let’s just say, I’m glad to be back here came back last night just in time for Molly and Gabriel’s birthday” He muttered.

[annalee]

There was a slight hesitance in his voice after Maya told him about living with Peter, perhaps he didn't like him, or didn't trust him underneath the polite words about Petrelli? But, on the contrary, Mohinder agreed that he was a nice man, and Maya nodded with a smile, accepting that as it was and read nothing more into his expression. "He is... kind to me." she said with a pause, "His mo'der, is like my mo'der. She takes care of me." She didn't really know why she was saying what she was, perhaps just showing him that there were people out there who were willing to help her, give her the time that she needed to get her back on her feet, and perhaps find a cure of her powers.

Maya narrowed her eyes as she listened to him speak about not being in his time since the 5th of December, and tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "Wha'd do you mean?" she asked, thinking that she misunderstood him for some bizarre reason she clenched the side of her trolly. The way he worded that strange sentance confused her, perhaps her english wasn't that good after all. "Did you say, 'in this time'?" she asked her eyebrows moulding together as she looked at him for clarification.

[mohinder]

“Well, he is a very compassionate person, he was once a hospice nurse” Mohinder said as he looked at Maya. It was nice to hear that she was getting back on her feet. He also was glad to hear from her that Angela Petrelli was being nice towards her. Usually Angela could be a total bitch.

“That is good to hear, she is a very nice person” He said with a slight smile. He knew deep down inside that Angela could manipulate people and that he wasn’t going to tell Maya that. She didn’t need to know that. Mohinder knew that because he was working for Arthur, Angela’s “late” husband.

Damnt Mohinder thought. He hated the language barrier. Looked at her and sighed, “Yes I did say I wasn’t in this time” He said as he choose his words carefully, “I was in four years into the future” He said hoping that it was in simple terms. He didn’t want to explain it again.

[annalee]

Maya wasn't sure if it was just her, or if the conversation she was having with Mohinder was a little strained a little. Like he was finding it hard to bring words to the surface while people buzzed around them. Truth be told, she didn't blame him at all for not really having much else to say, because she too was finding it hard to bring up common conversation. Nodding, she smiled at Mohinder's comment about Peter being nice, "Yes, he told me." she reassured him. It was one conversation she had with the Petrelli man upon their first night in the apartment together. Even his detatched polite comments about Peter's mother seemed a little forced and this made her frown.

Something was wrong, or different.

It had only been a minute before he cleared his words and it was what she had thought he said in the first place. Her eyes widened slightly as she lowered her gaze, looking at her empty trolly in disbelief. "How, I - How?" she stammered shooting her eyes to meet his expectantly. This seemed like an interesting story, perhaps one that he'd be willing to share. It might give some insight to his odd behavour at the moment in time.

[mohinder]

Mohinder was trying to act normal as possible, but it seemed that it wasn’t working out. He had no clue why, but all he wanted to do was to fit back in his own time. He had been gone too long and was annoyed at now knowing about the future that he had visited. He missed his own time, but it seemed not to be what it once was.

He sighed as he looked at Maya. Perhaps it was because he never was in the Christmas sprite. He was like a Scourge. He hated Christmas. He had to like it because he was in charge of a teenager who still believed in Santa. He had to pretend and it was just so difficult. He turned away for a moment and looked around the Macy’s store.

He then turned his attention to Maya again. “Well” He began “I working on trying to reverse abilities when my future self appeared. He pinned me to the wall and told me that he had to correct sometimes and he touched me and the next thing I knew, I was four years into the future…” He said trailing off.

[annalee]

It was obvious to her, that his mind wasn't in speaking about the past, as much as she was highly curious about how things happened. She wondered if it was just a subconsious nagging at the back of her mind to try and make idle conversation - just to talk to him, or if it was really something that sparked her interest. And it did. She was interested how future people could come back and drag present day people into the future, and wow, it was all just too much for her. Focusing on his expression as he sighed and talked about how he travelled back in time, she nodded as she listened carefully.

Mohinder looked a little older, perhaps stressed or unhappy about the festivities that was happening right at the moment, or maybe it was just her own mind playing tricks on her - just trying to find something that was going to account for his uneasy approach. A thought flicked to him, what was he going to be doing on Christmas? Was he going to be alone? Obviously he was buying something for someone, just as she had been doing, but still... alone on Christmas is a sad thing to overcome - at least, for her.

Maya wanted to ask questions, but judging his reluctant he was speaking to her, she decided not to press him with too many. "I see," she said hesitantly, turning her head around as she felt someone brush past her and continue down the corridor. "How did you get back?" she asked, narrowing her eyes intently as she waited for an answer.

[mohinder]

Mohinder hated to be bombarded with questions, but it was the only thing people ever did to him. These days it would seem to him. He just glanced around the department store and engulfed into his own little world. You could say that Mohinder had a short attention span. It was rare for him to have a short attention span, but everything just felt out of balance.

He rubbed his eyes together as he came back to reality. He was trying to figure out what he could shop for at this crazy store. “I hate Christmas” He muttered to himself as he shook his head watching people fight over the last pair of pants. He wanted to get his shopping done, but he didn’t want to be rude to Maya. He just smiled at her as he placed his hands in pockets.

He raised an eyebrow when Maya asked him when he got back from the future. It kind of felt like a movie. It was difficult story to say. “Peter Petrelli of the future” He said as he glanced around the department store as his phone rang. He answered the phone and only took for about a minute. “Well, it was nice talking with you Maya, but I have to go to work apparently, I’m working at Pinehearst and Arthur Petrelli is furious” He gave a weak smile. “Perhaps we could do something on New Year’s Eve, I’m going to India for a few days”

[annalee]

Maya was distracted with a snotty little kid running past her to really hear what Mohinder mumbled under his breath, and the thought of asking him to the large Christmas lunch she was going to put on slipped her mind, but her focus remained when he clearly stated that it was Peter Petrelli of the future that brought him back, she nodded understanding that his patience had warn out from her 20 questions. When his phone rang, she gripped the handle of her trolley as he announced that it was time for him to go. There was a small part of her what was deeply affected by the toneless goodbye after clicking the phone off the receiving end - almost as if she wished their meeting wasn't going to end anytime soon, but thinking that was just silly.

She averted her eyes to look down as he said his boss was furious, almost feeling half responsible for keeping him talking when he had work to do - but she wasn't to know that. "Oh, ok." she slipped out disheartenly before raising her dark eyes to meet his. "You're going to India for the New Year Celebration?" she asked creasing her brow as she peered at him, was that an open invite to travel to India with him? Surely not?

She shook her head of the thought before quickly nodding, "Sure, ok." she agreed curling a lopsided smile at him before pulling the trolley out of his path and into the oncoming flow of traffic, "I have a number, you call me." Maya pulled a small peice of paper and a pen out from her purse and jotted her number down, handing it over to him before shutting the lock on the small black shoulder bag. "I will answer when you're ready," Walking away she turned back to look at him once more - wondering if he would actually call her or if that was just a ploy to get her to keep moving and leave him be for the last minute Christmas shopping. Inwardly, Maya sighed and continued walking down the bright reflective path way, leaving him behind her as she proceeded to shop for those few friends she felt close enough to.