Eden is six the first time her mother's boyfriend molests her. She wakes to pressure, hands, and foul breath. It hurts and she cries out for her mother.

Her mother doesn't answer. She'll learn her mother never answers.

She begs, he doesn't listen. No one listens and she comes to understand she'll have to save herself. It's lucky she knows just how.

One night, when he bends over her bed, she opens her eyes and says, "Stop."

He does, slack-jawed, and she sits up with a frown on her little face. She closes her eyes for a moment and takes one breath, then another, and says, "Go away. Go away and never come back."

He doesn't.

*

She lets her mother cry for three days then she wakes her up and tells her mother to make pancakes. Then she tells her something else, "We're going to live in a house with a big yard and a treehouse."

And so they do.

*

The manager of the first national bank is a dumpy little man with sympathetic eyes. Eden feels a twinge of conscience when she smiles blithely and says, "I need a scholarship."

She wants to apologize when he nods immediately. "Yes, yes, of course -- how much would you like?"

*

Eden comes alive in college; it's atmosphere and energy so easily to get lost in. She happily lets herself be defined by classes, parties, and the routine of campus life.

Then she meets Peter.

Peter's young, idealistic, and so very alive in a way she's never really known. Her life has taught Eden to be cynical and suspicious. Through Peter she learns to look for the good in people and for the first time, she thinks she can help.

It feels good.

*

Peter's brother is a politician, his mother intimidating, and Eden should feel out of her depth but when Nathan runs for the senate, she pitches in and falls in love with it. First she stuffs envelopes, fields calls, laughingly orders birthday presents and flowers for Heidi when Nathan forgets and teases him about it the whole way.

He laughs it off and gives her a raise.

She takes a year off from college to help with the campaign and that's why she's there when Linderman Group representatives come calling.

"How much?" She asks blandly of Nathan when they leave.

He looks weary. "A lot. Too much."

"Meaning, this is so not going to be legal." Eden frowns. "Nathan, say no. If you say yes, he owns you. You'll never -- "

"I know, Eden," Nathan snaps back, frustrated. "I'm not stupid." He shakes his head. "You don't say no to this man."

She puffs a breath and thinks. "Maybe you can. Maybe I can make him stop."

He looks at her with a look of amused derision. "With all due respect, Eden, how are you going to do anything?"

Eden swallows hard and glances at the office. Peter's standing at her desk with lunch and he waves, a bright smile on his face. She smiles back and holds up her forefinger, telling him to wait and he nods back.

With deliberately calm movements, she walks to the door and locks it then turns back to Nathan.

And then she tells him.

*

"You are quite a singular woman, Ms. McCain," Linderman says, placing a plate in front of her. Eden looks at it then at him and wonders if she's about to die, poisioned by chicken pot pie. "Your ability is most impressive."

"It's come in handy," she agrees.

"Hmm, so I have noticed," he affirms, sitting across from her and placing a napkin in his lap with a quick flourish. "Your mother's boyfriend, a rather large scholarship paying for your university schooling, and now a misguided attempt to protect the good name of your future brother-in-law."

Her brow furrows and Linderman smiles in delight. "Ahh, you didn't know about that did you? Well, then, I'm the first to congratulate you." He waves his fork her way. "May I suggest lemon for the wedding cake? It's not commonly used, but, I assure you, a delight for the tastebuds."

"Assuming, of couse, I live through this meeting," Eden points out.

"Assuming?" Linderman's expression is one of wounded pride. "Why, Ms. McCain, are you insinuating that I would harm you?" She almost believes him except, she saw the look on Heidi's face right before the bullet struck.

"No," she says and her voice shakes, "I'm saying it." She wants to tell him to go to hell, but, somehow, she thinks she's the one who would take the trip. "What do you want from me, Mr. Linderman?"

He quirks a smile and she sees the dark behind his eyes. "Oh, so many things, Ms. McCain, but first, be a good girl and eat your dinner."

*

When she comes home, Peter pulls her close and presses kisses into her skin. She vaguely hears him saying something, thinks he's happy she's home, but all she sees is the gutted look in Nathan's eyes.

She closes hers and hides her face against Peter. She can't face Nathan yet.

Not that he gives her a choice. When his mother ushers everyone out to give her some time, he stays behind sitting in a chair. He says nothing, just sits quietly and stares at her with that empty gaze. She turns away stares at a statue in the corner but it doesn't help.

She can still feel his eyes on her back. "I'm sorry," she chokes out, her nails digging into her palms.

"You tried," he says. The words are hollow and she flinches. "What did he ask for?"

"You," she answers woodenly. "He wants me to use it to make you president."

"Can you do that?" She hears Nathan leave his chair and shivers when his hands come to rest on her shoulders. "Could you really do that?"

Yes. Linderman's explanation rings in her ears and she thinks how easy it could be, wonders what Heidi would think. "Yes."

Nathan's grip tightens and she lets him turn her, stares up into his unreadable gaze. "Are you going to?"

She nods and he kisses her. Eden freezes, thinks of Peter and then Heidi cold in her grave, but Nathan's hands slide down her shoulders and burn hot against her skin. She shivers again, shakes, and mewls in protest before pressing closer.

He bites her lip and tugs her hard against him. Her hands stutter over his crisp, white shirt as she tries to find purchase. Her fingers finally curl into the fabric of his sleeves and her brain is screaming at her this is wrong, this is Nathan and he's Peter's brother. Her brain is right but Eden's not listening to her brain. Nathan's tongue meets hers while his fingers push up beneath her shirt and brush the skin beneath her breasts.

She thinks she's going to fuck her boyfriend's brother on a thousand dollar rug. Compared to selling her soul to save his life, she thinks it will number as one of the least among her sins.

*

She stands at Nathan's side at a rally, they're both smiling wide as Peter works the crowd.

"In another life," Nathan tells her, "he was a used car salesman. Very good."

Eden laughs and nods, "This time it's your turn?"

"I can only hope to aspire to my little brother's skill," he vows, a twinkle of mischief peeking through the solemn expression. It's all so normal Eden thinks she may throw up. She should feel guiltier than she does, she thinks what she's doing should bother her.

She thinks it but she knows it doesn't.

Someone smiles at her, shakes her hand. She doesn't even notice the face anymore as she beams back and says "Vote Petrelli," and sends another convert on his way.

She looks at Nathan and he looks back. His hand brushes hers and she breathes. Memories of his hands on her come quick and easy, flooding her cheeks with color. She looks away and wants to laugh with hysteria. She's subverting the will of thousands with a smile and a lie and feels nothing, instead she feels guilty about this?

Nathan rests a hand on his shoulder, thumb brushing her neck and he leans in. "Thank you," he tells her, breath hot on her skin.

She knows what they look like, family sharing a perfectly innocent private moment. A camera flashes and she suspects it will turn up in the campaign somewhere. Someone will tell Peter he's a saint for letting Nathan borrow his wife, they'll laugh and that will be it.

Except she and Nathan will know the truth.

She turns away, her body shielding them from the camera, and for a moment, Nathan touches her stomach and their child kicks in answer.

Eden looks at him and nods.

"You're welcome."

 

Heroes is not mine, the brothers Petrelli are not mine, Eden is not mine.

 

Feedback is Welcome!

Email Medie
Comment on LJ