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Mohinder woke up with a terrible crick in his neck. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked blearily around the room. Molly was still sleeping peacefully in her hospital bed; he sighed in relief. He kept expecting that someone was going to try to take her away.
He stood up slowly from his chair and stretched, then looked at his watch. It was seven a.m. He gave Molly's forehead a brief kiss before leaving the hospital room. They'd offered him a room of his own, but the events of the last two days made him too anxious to leave her alone for more than an hour, let alone a whole night.
He made his way to the lobby to get some coffee. They were supposedly in a "private hospital," and while Mohinder had seen doctors and nurses hurrying about, he'd yet to see a single patient or visitor. All of the hospital rooms were closed and locked.
He got his coffee from an ancient machine and sat down in the empty lobby to watch the television. He didn't know what channel it was on, but it didn't matter – every channel was the same: Destruction. Terrorism. Nuclear annihilation. There was a hole in the world where New York City used to be.
Everything was still too chaotic for there to be any real news on what had happened – no one was sure who (or what) had caused the explosion. Yesterday, he'd seen the newly elected Nathan Petrelli giving an address to the nation on the catastrophe. He had to admit that the man was a good politician; his speech sounded almost as if it had been planned for weeks.
After he finished his coffee, Mohinder made his way back to their room. Molly was just beginning to wake up.
"Morning, Mohinder," she said with a yawn.
Mohinder sat down on the bed. "Good morning," he said with a smile. "It's early yet – why don't you go back to sleep?"
"'m not tired. I'm hungry."
"All right, I'll go see if I can find a nurse."
Just then the door opened, and a tall, blond man in a sharp suit entered the room.
"Adam!" Molly exclaimed with a big grin. She scrambled out of bed and ran towards him.
The man bent down and enveloped her in a hug. "Hello, Molly!" he said. He had a British accent. "And how are you feeling today?"
"Better!" she said.
Mohinder stood up, feeling a little alarmed. "Excuse me," he said, trying to sound polite, but firm. He reached forward and took Molly's hand, gently pulling her back and positioning himself slightly in front of her. "May I ask who you are?"
"It's okay, Mohinder," Molly said. "This is Adam – he's my friend."
"She's right – I am," he said. He held up his hands in surrender and grinned sheepishly. "Don't worry, I come in peace."
"He came and got me when I first got sick, when the other doctors couldn't help me," Molly said. "He's really nice – he brings me candy sometimes!"
"Ah, yes, I knew I was forgetting something." Adam pulled a lollipop out of his pocket and handed it to Molly, who accepted it gleefully. "I promise that I haven't put a razorblade in it," he said to Mohinder with a wink.
Molly hopped up on the hospital bed and unwrapped the lollipop. "Can I watch TV?" she asked Mohinder.
"Sure," Mohinder said. Molly took the remote and turned the television on, flipping through the channels until she managed to find a station that wasn't broadcasting about the attack. It was some children's channel that was playing cartoons; presumably, the network had decided that it might be useful to provide children with something to watch that wouldn't scare them out of their wits.
While Molly was occupied, Adam took Mohinder aside. "I hear that our Molly has made a full recovery," he said quietly. "Is that true?"
"It appears she's in remission, yes, but I wouldn't go so far as to declare her cured," Mohinder said. "And who are you?"
"Adam Monroe, CEO of Monroe Enterprises," he said, holding out his hand. "And you must be Dr. Suresh."
Mohinder warily shook his hand. His grip was cool and firm. "That's right."
Adam raked his eyes over Mohinder's body as they shook hands. "I wasn't expecting someone so…young. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
What does he mean by that? Mohinder thought. "You know who I am?"
"Oh yes – I'm familiar with your work. And your father's. We've got a lot to talk about, I think."
Mohinder narrowed his eyes. "Yes, I think we do."
Adam turned to Molly. "Molly, I'd like to borrow Mohinder for a few minutes – would that be all right with you?"
Molly sucked thoughtfully on her lollipop. "All right," she said. "But only if you promise to bring him back."
"Of course," Adam said. He turned to Mohinder and gestured towards the door. "Shall we?"
They stepped out into the hallway and shut the door. "Would you care to tell me what the hell is going on here?" Mohinder said, trying to keep his temper in check. "Two days ago, I was whisked away in a helicopter, almost against my will, and not thirty minutes after we landed here, half of New York City was destroyed in a nuclear blast. And since I've been here, no one will tell me what's happening, or even where we are!"
"First of all, allow me to apologize – I understand why you're so upset. I never intended to have you kept in the dark, but things have been a little chaotic, as you can imagine."
"I'm not a prisoner, then?" Mohinder asked.
Adam looked surprised. "No, of course not! Why would you think that?"
"Oh, I don't know – probably because I've been physically prevented from leaving." Mohinder had explored the small building from top to bottom; all of the doors leading outside had been locked, and no one would open them for him. They'd allowed him to call his mother to let her know he was all right, but that was it.
Adam sighed in annoyance. "I'm very sorry – that shouldn't have happened. I will have a word with my staff."
"You'll 'have a word with your staff?' Is that all you have to say for yourself? There's what could be the beginning of a nuclear holocaust going on, and that's the best you can do?"
Adam raised an eyebrow. "Surely you're not suggesting that the attack on New York is something I have any control over."
Mohinder blinked, and then rubbed his face with one hand. "No, of course not. I'm sorry – this has all been very stressful. I'm not thinking clearly."
"It's all right – I completely understand." He put a hand on Mohinder's shoulder. "Why don't we have a seat in the lobby, and I'll fill you in. Molly will be fine," he added before Mohinder could say anything. "She's very important to me, too – no one's going to hurt her." Mohinder hesitated, and then nodded his assent.
"So what would you like to know first?" Adam said as they made their way towards the lobby.
"Where are we? What is this place?"
"You're at the medical facility of Primatech Research's Chicago branch."
"Which is a subsidiary of Monroe Enterprises," Mohinder surmised.
Adam smiled. "Very good, doctor."
"So you're interested in my father's theories."
"Very much so, although our work with evolved humans predates him by quite a while. We've known of the existence of those with special abilities for many years, but we haven't been able to determine how or why they can do what they do."
"Who's 'we?' And why are you so interested?"
"'We' is a group consisting of myself and a number of like-minded individuals who have an interest in what is happening to humans as a species, and who think that these changes might be able to improve humanity's plight as a whole."
"If you've known about evolved humans for so long, why have you been keeping it a secret? Why haven't you tried to reach out to the public, or the government?"
"What do you think would happen if the general public discovered there were people amongst them with superhuman abilities? It would be chaos. And what do you think the government's response would be? No, it's better for everyone involved that we keep our work…low key."
"And what gives you the right to decide that?" Mohinder asked.
Adam blinked in surprise and laughed. "You know, most people wouldn't think it wise to antagonize someone who's in a position of power over them."
Mohinder bristled. "Is that a threat?"
"No, not at all," Adam said. "Quite the opposite – it's a compliment."
Mohinder couldn't think of what to say to that. "So why have you brought us here?" he asked, changing the subject.
"You were brought here when we detected a threat to Molly's safety."
"Which coincidentally also saved us from the bomb."
"Not so coincidentally, actually. I understand that you're familiar with a man called Sylar?"*
"Sylar?" His mind flashed back to the last conversation he'd had with Sylar; he had called him, panicked. I think I'm going to do something bad…I think I'm going to kill a lot more people… An apocalypse. A massacre. Half the city gone in an instant… "Are you saying that he was responsible for what happened to New York? How?"
"He killed a man named Ted Sprague, who had the ability to create nuclear explosions. We believe Sylar was coming after Molly when he lost control."
They reached the lobby. Mohinder sank down to a chair. "My God," he said. "He called me and warned me this would happen. He was pleading for help, and I frightened him away."
Adam sat down beside him and put a hand on his back. "There wasn't anything you could have done."
Mohinder nodded absently, but he barely heard him. Sylar was dead, and he had taken half the city with him. And Mohinder had known it was going to happen, and did nothing to stop him. He suddenly felt very light-headed.
"Are you all right, doctor?" Adam asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," Mohinder said faintly, but he really didn't think he was. He took a few deep breaths before regaining his equilibrium. "So where do we go from here? What is it you want from me?"
"Well, I was hoping that you'd agree to continue to work for us."
"Doing what, exactly?"
"Continuing your father's research, naturally. You'd be given a laboratory, assistants, anything you needed. And we'd pay you very, very well."
"My experiences with this organization thus far have not been exactly positive," Mohinder said.
"You are absolutely right, and again, I apologize. I should have been personally involved with your recruitment from the beginning. And I feel terrible for how poorly you and Molly have been treated. I'd like to make it up to you."
"How?"
Adam sat back and thought for a moment. "Tell you what – why don't you and Molly come stay with me for a few days until I can set you up in your own flat. No strings attached – I'll help you find a place whether or not you decide to come to work for us."
"I don't trust you," Mohinder said flatly.
"Oh, of course, I completely understand," he said. "Trust has to be earned. But I did just save your life, and Molly's – surely that has to count for something?" He startled Mohinder by suddenly taking his hand in his own. "Please – just give me the opportunity to earn that trust?"
Mohinder was taken aback at his seeming earnestness. He knew that his research was valuable, but it obviously wasn't valuable enough for this man to take a personal interest in him before – what had changed? He was skeptical, but he realized he didn't have anywhere else to go. He couldn't take Molly with him to India – he had no legal claim on her. He really didn't have much of a choice.
Mohinder slipped his hand out of Adam's grasp. "All right."
Adam clapped his hands. "Excellent! I promise you won't regret it."
Mohinder hoped he was right.
********
Adam unfortunately had pressing business to attend to, so he left Mohinder and Molly in the capable hands of Cameron, his beautiful but frighteningly intense personal assistant. Since Mohinder and Molly had lost all of their possessions in the blast, Cameron took them shopping for clothing and other necessities. Mohinder didn't have a problem with letting Cameron buy Molly expensive clothing, but he balked when she attempted to do the same for Mohinder. Accepting Adam's generosity in allowing them to stay with him was already making Mohinder feel uneasy, and he didn't want to accept any more than he absolutely had to. After a brief argument with Cameron, she relented and took him to a less expensive store, where he bought a coat, seven pairs of underwear, seven pairs of socks, five shirts and three pairs of pants, figuring that would be enough to make sure he didn't have to do laundry more than once a week. They also stopped at a drug store to buy toothbrushes and other toiletries; Mohinder also guiltily bought a pack of cigarettes. He'd quit smoking years ago, but the situation was so stressful that he decided to allow himself this small comfort.
After they finished shopping, Cameron took them out to dinner and then finally to Adam's penthouse flat. Cameron gave them a tour; the place was so huge that the word 'flat' didn't seem to encompass it. There were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a lounge, a dining room, and a study. Out on the enormous terrace were a spa and a flower garden.
Cameron left around eight o'clock, assuring them that Adam would be home shortly. Molly was tired from the excitement of the day, so Mohinder put her to bed. Afterwards, he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. He ended up putting on his coat and wandering out to the terrace to admire the view of the city. He rested his elbows on the stone balcony's edge and took out a cigarette and lit it, sighing with pleasure as he breathed in the smoke.
"I didn't know you were a smoker," said a voice from behind him.
Mohinder turned around with a start. Adam was leaning casually against the doorframe.
"Oh!" Mohinder said, holding the cigarette behind him. "I'm not! I mean – well, I quit."
Adam laughed and made his way over to Mohinder. "You don't need to justify yourself – I'm not your mother."
Mohinder smiled sheepishly. "I know. It's just that it only counts as cheating if someone catches me."
"Oh, of course," Adam said with a grin. He plucked the cigarette out from Mohinder's fingers and took a drag from it; the light from the cigarette end burned brighter for a moment, casting Adam's face in a warm glow. It was a move that Mohinder didn't consider strange until later – he hadn't asked Mohinder if he minded, but in the moment it seemed perfectly natural.
Adam handed the cigarette back to him and rested his arms on the balcony next to Mohinder's. "So how did the shopping go?" he asked. "I trust you got everything you needed?"
"Yes," Mohinder said. He reached into his pocket and took out his wallet. He removed a slip of paper and handed it to Adam. "Here."
Adam frowned. "What's this?"
"It's a receipt for my clothing purchases," Mohinder said. "I appreciate your generosity for Molly, but I'm not comfortable accepting gifts from someone I barely know; I already owe you enough as it is. I will pay you back as soon as I'm able."
Adam looked at the receipt, then back at Mohinder, and then he laughed. "All right, point taken." He put the receipt in his pocket.
He stared off the balcony at the city below them. "It seems so strange that New York is gone. It doesn't seem possible that all of that could disappear so quickly. And it's like it was more than New York that was destroyed. When we were out today, everyone was so…quiet. Like we were mourning someone we all knew. Like there was something missing from all of us now."
Adam looked at Mohinder, his eyes strangely bright. "Yes, exactly. People are more connected to one another, brought together by grief. Human beings are such perverse creatures; the only way to true peace is through tragedy."
"That's a bit morbid, don't you think?"
"Not at all! I think it's rather optimistic. Disaster can bring out the best in people."
"And the worst," Mohinder pointed out. "People are afraid right now, and fear can make people justify actions they would otherwise find abhorrent."
"Ah, but if they are united under a strong, compassionate leader, that can be avoided. Besides, a little bit of fear is healthy. People forget how incredibly fragile they are."
"Maybe. But some people neither want nor need the reminder," Mohinder said quietly. He inhaled deeply from his cigarette and held the smoke in his lungs for a moment, then exhaled. It had been so long since he last smoked that he felt a light, pleasant buzz.
"Are you afraid?" Adam asked.
Mohinder turned to face Adam and found the other man had moved in closer. "Of another explosion? I don't know," he said. "I'm worried that if the United States government doesn't discover that the bomb wasn't sent by enemy forces, they might start picking fights with the rest of the world. And I suppose there could be another genetically mutated person out there with similar powers, and something like this might happen again." Mohinder shifted his weight, which caused his elbow to brush Adam's. "How about you? Are you frightened?"
"No. But then again, I'm invincible," Adam said with a wink.
Mohinder laughed. "That must be nice."
"Oh, it is," he said. "Although it gets lonely sometimes."
"I can only imagine." They stood together in silence for a moment, looking down at the city. All the lights and the cars and the people seemed so small.
Mohinder attempted to examine the other man out of the corner of his eye. He looked fairly young – too young to have started Monroe Enterprises from the ground up; perhaps it was a family business. He held himself with a sort of casual confidence that made him easy to be around – he gave the impression that he could take care of any problem that arose, and in spite of himself, Mohinder found that calming. His life had been so chaotic the past two months that it was dangerously tempting to let someone else shoulder the burden of responsibility.
"How's Molly doing?" Adam asked eventually. "Her day out didn't overtax her, did it?"
"No, she's fine. I'm going to want to do some more tests to see if she truly is in remission – she might need a few more transfusions of my blood. Hopefully, though, the worst is behind her." Mohinder sighed and put his head in his hands. "I can manage her health, but beyond that, I don't know what to do for her. I don't even know what her legal status is."
"I'm her legal guardian," Adam said.
Mohinder looked at him in surprise. "You are? How did that happen?"
"Ever since her parents' deaths, I've been keeping an eye on her, to see if she would manifest an ability. She did, and then she suddenly became ill. I was able to gain legal guardianship of her so that she could be treated in our facilities."
"What are you planning to do with her now that she's better?" Mohinder asked.
"I expected to help find a loving family for her," Adam said. "She's a sweet girl and I certainly care for her, but I couldn't really provide her with a stable life. I'm away on business almost all the time."
Mohinder felt a twinge in his heart at the thought of Molly with some faceless family. Would he ever see her again? "My blood saved her life," he said. "I feel like that makes me responsible for her."
"Are you saying that you'd actually want to adopt her?"
Mohinder paused. Was he really ready to take on the responsibilities of parenthood for a girl he only met a few days before? "It's a moot point, anyway," he said finally. "I'm only here on a tourist visa – I was only planning on staying long enough to find out what happened to my father. I did take a job as a taxi driver, but it was very under the table. I don't even know if my status here can get me a job, let alone whether or not I'd be able to adopt a child. I don't even know if I plan on staying in this country. And I don't know if Molly would want me to adopt her, anyway – we barely know each other."
"That's a very good point," Adam said. "But if she agreed to it, and it were legally possible, would you want to adopt her?"
Mohinder thought of how Molly smiled at him and called him her hero. "Yes," he said quietly.
Adam looked at Mohinder, a contemplative expression on his face. "So you would really take in a little girl you only met a few days ago." Adam's stance was casual, but his eyes had a strange intensity, like a scientist examining a particularly fascinating specimen.
Mohinder was uncomfortable with Adam's scrutiny, so he focused his attention on the swirls of smoke emitting from his cigarette. "I know it sounds rash, but it's the right thing to do."
"Which is also the reason you refuse to accept gifts from me, I presume?"
At that, Mohinder looked up and met Adam's gaze. "Yes," he said. He couldn't quite keep a touch of defensiveness out of his voice. "Is there something wrong with that?"
Adam laughed. "No, not at all! I was just thinking that you are a very surprising person."
"Is that a good thing?"
"Very much so. I like surprises, and nothing much surprises me anymore." Adam finally looked away; Mohinder felt relieved. "I could help you with the adoption," Adam said.
"I don't see how," Mohinder said. "Unless you could magically make me able to adopt an American child without even a work visa to my name."
"Well, I do have an awful lot of money," Adam said. "That's often as good as magic."
Mohinder snorted. "Maybe. But that would be contingent on whether or not I come to work for you, wouldn't it?"
"I never said that it would be, but yes, it would be much easier for me to help you as far as getting a work visa if you agreed to take the job, which would in turn make it easier to adopt Molly."
"I haven't decided if that's what I want to do. And if I do decide to accept your offer, I'd rather do it after I've thoroughly considered my alternatives. I don't want it to be an act of desperation."
"Fair enough," Adam said. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Christmas is two weeks away**, and there really isn't anything you can do about your situation right at this moment, so why not stay here until then? I could put you up in a hotel if that would make you more comfortable, but I don't think that would particularly help with your difficulties in accepting my generosity. And really, I think that Molly would be much more at ease here."
"And what am I supposed to do during those two weeks?" Mohinder asked.
"Anything you like."
"And I'd be doing this on your dime," Mohinder said.
Adam sighed. "All right, how's this – think of it as my gift to Molly, who is very dear to me. I am a busy man and can't spend much time with her, so I would forever be in your debt if you took Molly out to have some fun."
Mohinder rolled his eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Or alternately," Adam continued, "if you do decide to take me up on my job offer, you can consider it a holiday in advance. That certainly isn't a gift." Adam leaned in closer, his blue eyes twinkling. "And I promise that I will work you very, very hard, so there's no reason to feel guilty."
"It's not the feeling of guilt that I'm worried about," Mohinder said. "You can say 'no strings attached' all you want, but that doesn't make it true. There are always strings. And until I know you better, I can't tell for certain that you won't use those strings to pull me around like a puppet."
Adam threw up his hands dramatically. "Then it appears that we're at an impasse. All right, I give in. What do you want to do?"
Mohinder hesitated. Truth be told, he didn't really have an alternative. His resources were already stretched as far as they would go – he wouldn't be able to take care of himself and Molly until he could find a job, and considering the legal quagmire he found himself in, he wasn't sure he'd even be able to find work any time soon. Until he could come up with a better solution, he was stuck. He sighed. "I'm not very comfortable with it, but I don't have anywhere else to go."
"So is that a yes?"
"To the 'holiday' you're offering, yes. As to the job – I'm going to have to think about it some more."
Adam smiled broadly; the whiteness of his teeth stood out in the darkness. "That's all I ask." He took his elbows off the balcony wall and stood up straight. "And now that that's decided, I think I'll turn in."
Mohinder took one last drag from his cigarette and dropped it on the ground, crushing the flame under his toe. "Me too. It's been an eventful few days."
They both walked back into the flat. Mohinder began to make his way to the bedroom that Cameron had indicated would be his for the duration of his stay, but he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
"I do hope that we can become better acquainted in the next few weeks," Adam said. "You've piqued my curiosity – it's been a very long time since anyone has done that." His hand lingered a moment, and then he lifted it. "Good night, Mohinder," he said, and then made his way down the hall.
What an odd thing to say, Mohinder thought, but he was too tired to try to figure out the other man's meaning. He made his way to the bedroom; he knew he ought to take a shower, but the bed looked too inviting. He stripped off his clothes and climbed in, and was asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.
******
The last holiday that Mohinder remembered taking was when he was ten years old. He, his mother, and his father had gone to Kerala. It was a miserable experience. The beaches were beautiful, and the weather was fine, but his father hadn't wanted to take the time away from work and undermined every activity they undertook until his mother gave up trying to have a nice time; they ended up leaving several days early. Mohinder had inherited his father's dislike of holidays – he always felt vaguely guilty and too preoccupied with what he needed to get done to really enjoy himself.
But being with Molly changed that. Perhaps he was trying to make up for his own negative experiences as a child, but for whatever reason, Mohinder found himself truly enjoying his 'holiday.' Adam had given Cameron two weeks 'off' to show Mohinder and Molly around the city. She had a daughter, Bridgette, who was Molly's age, and the four of them visited a dizzying array of attractions: the Navy Pier, Millennium Park, the Lincoln Park Zoo, Sears Tower, the Garfield Park Conservatory, and the Museum of Science and Industry, all of which Molly loved.
Mohinder insisted on taking Molly to Primatech's research facility three times a week to run a few tests, but remarkably, she seemed to be in complete remission. She had no problem keeping up with Cameron's ambitious sight-seeing itinerary and seemed to truly enjoy herself. She was such a bright and inquisitive child, funny and sensitive and heart-breakingly mature for her age. As each day went by, Mohinder became more and more convinced that he would not be able to leave her. At one time it would have been so easy for him to pack up and return to India - forget all of this - but being with Molly filled a hole in his life that he hadn't even known was there.
Adam didn't always make it home in the evenings, but when he did, the three of them would have dinner together. Adam and Molly got along so well that Mohinder almost felt jealous, which he realized was ridiculous. After Molly had gone to bed, the two of them would sit up and talk. Adam avoided talking about his job offer; at first, they talked mainly about Mohinder and Molly's experiences in the city, but soon they strayed to other topics. Mohinder was amazed at the depth and breadth of Adam's knowledge – he could speak confidently on just about any subject. He also made Mohinder laugh more than anyone he could remember; until Adam, Mohinder hadn't realized how lacking in humor his life had been recently.
Adam also seemed fascinated by Mohinder and constantly asked him questions about himself, his childhood, his work, his hopes and dreams. However, when Mohinder tried to ask Adam questions about himself, he always managed to cleverly dodge them, and it only would occur to Mohinder later that he hadn't actually answered anything.
Mohinder knew that the reprieve couldn't last, and that soon he would have to make some decisions concerning his life and Molly's. He still wasn't sure how to feel about Adam's offer – mostly, he was grateful to have the opportunity to be with Molly and get to know her, but he also felt suspicious. It all seemed too good to be true.
Two days before Christmas, Mohinder and Molly returned from a day at the Chicago Children's Museum just a little bit before dinner time. Mohinder had invited Cameron and Bridgette up for dinner. His clothes felt uncomfortably sweaty from all the walking they had done, so he made his way to his room to change.
After using the bathroom, he walked into his bedroom and was surprised to see a suit laid out on his bed.
"I thought I'd take you out to dinner tonight," said Adam from the doorway.
Mohinder jumped and turned around. "Jesus, Adam – you startled me! I didn't expect you to be home."
"Sorry," Adam said, grinning. He walked into the room. "I noticed that you hadn't bought a suit, so I took the liberty of picking one out for you. I hope you don't mind."
"Out? Where?"
"Everest– you'll love it, but there is a dress code. Why don't you go get changed?"
"But Molly – "
"Is having a sleepover with Bridgette tonight. I mean, if that's all right with you."
Molly suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Can I?" she said, bubbling with excitement. "Please?"
Mohinder realized with annoyance that this must have been planned out ahead of time. "Of course," he said to Molly. She ran back out to the living room with a delighted squeal. As soon as she left, Mohinder turned on Adam. "You could have run this by me first."
"But that would have spoiled the surprise!" He smiled wolfishly. "Come on, it'll be fun."
Mohinder sighed. "As if I have a choice."
"You always have a choice," Adam said. "I'm just hoping you'll come to realize I'm always your best option."
Mohinder rolled his eyes.
He changed into his suit and went to help Molly pack for her night away only to find that Cameron had beat him to it.
"Traitor," he said to her jokingly.
She held up her hands in surrender. "I was sworn to secrecy!" she said. "Seriously, though – go on and enjoy yourself. It's not going to kill you."
Cameron collected the two girls and left, leaving Mohinder alone with Adam. Adam considered Mohinder for a long moment, his head tilted and an inscrutable expression on his face. "You look nice," he said finally.
"Thank you," Mohinder said awkwardly. He never quite knew how to feel under Adam's intense gaze.
The two of them went downstairs and got into Adam's red Lamborghini. As they drove to the restaurant, a feeling of unease settled over Mohinder. The 'deadline' of Christmas was soon going to be upon them, and he knew that Adam would probably ask for an answer during dinner. But the truth of the matter was that he still hadn't decided what he wanted to do.
The restaurant turned out to be on the fortieth floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange. Mohinder was not completely acrophobic, but heights still made him nervous. Of course, Adam had arranged for a window-side table. Mohinder took his seat, and then shut his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
"Everything all right?" Adam asked.
Mohinder considered asking for another table, but was too embarrassed to admit his fear. "No, I'm fine," he said. "So what's good here?"
"Everything," Adam said. He turned to the waiter. "We'll be having the degustation menu – main for me, vegetable for him. And the wine degustation as well." The waiter nodded and left.
Mohinder bristled. "I'm capable of ordering for myself, you know."
Adam waved his hand dismissively, which only irritated Mohinder further. "Don't worry, you'll love it."
"That isn't really the point."
Mohinder must have sounded angry, because Adam looked suitably chastened. "You're right, I'm sorry. That was presumptuous of me. I can call the waiter back, if you like?"
"No, that's fine," Mohinder said, deciding not to make an argument of it. "So what did you order for me?"
"It's a tasting menu. You get seven small courses of signature dishes. I ordered the vegetarian for you. It's fabulous."
It was fabulous, actually. The food was so unusual and fascinating not only in taste, but also in presentation. He almost felt guilty eating it. They talked about nothing in particular through the first few courses; their conversation was as pleasant and interesting as usual, but Mohinder felt a growing sense of nervousness. Adam had brought with him to the table a small black portfolio, and Mohinder's gaze kept skirting to it as he tried to guess what was in it. Adam either didn't notice his unease or ignored it.
At their fourth course, Adam finally opened the portfolio. "I thought that I would run a few things by you, if that's all right."
"Certainly," Mohinder said. He finished what was left in his wine glass – he'd been downing the tastings as if they were shots.
Adam looked through the papers for what seemed like ages then finally pushed them over to Mohinder. "Here's my proposal – I've set up a bank account for you with $50,000 – that's yours to keep, regardless of your decision. If you choose to work for me, you will have a salary of $200,000 a year, plus an expense account. It took a little maneuvering to get it so quickly, but I've secured an H1B work visa for you, and I will sponsor you for your green card, if you choose to stay. And I've also drawn up adoption papers for Molly – again, if you choose to stay, you're only a few signatures and a court date away from making her your daughter."
Mohinder leafed through the papers, although he wasn't really seeing them. "This is…" he started, but then trailed off.
"Irresistible? Incredibly generous? Everything you ever wanted?" Adam finished for him, his blue eyes twinkling.
Mohinder slammed the portfolio shut. "Too good to be true," he said. "I'm not a fool, you know."
Adam blinked. "What?"
"My research alone cannot possibly be worth this much to you – it wasn't before we met, and I don't see what's changed. So the only thing I can think of that would merit such generosity is that my job description is going to include some pretty nasty, unconscionable things. You're very charming, I'll grant you, but you can't buy me."
"Oh, is that what you think?" Adam said. He had the audacity to look amused.
Mohinder glared at him. "Why else would you be so over-the-top in your offer? I know a Faustian bargain when I see one."
"Mohinder," Adam said with fond exasperation. "You are an intelligent, moral, and devastatingly handsome man, but you can be a little slow on the uptake."
Mohinder stared at him in incomprehension for a moment while his words sunk in. …devastatingly handsome? "Oh!" he said suddenly. "Is this – is this a date?"
Adam hid a grin behind his hand. "I'm sorry – I thought I'd been pretty clear in my interest. You do like men, don't you?"
"Yes, but I hadn't thought – " Mohinder could feel his face flush. He reached out for his water glass, but ended up knocking it over, which in turn knocked over Adam's wine glass. "Oh! I'm sorry!"
Adam laughed. "Don't worry about it." He gestured to the waiter. "Could we get some help here? And a bottle of whatever it is that he just knocked over."
"I didn't mean to embarrass you," Adam said as the waiter cleaned up the mess.
"I think I've embarrassed myself," Mohinder mumbled. In order to avoid looking at Adam, he turned his attention to the window, which was a bad idea – now he felt embarrassed and nauseated. He closed his eyes and tried to regain his composure.
The waiter left. Mohinder finally met Adam's gaze, which had softened. Adam reached over and took Mohinder's hand. "Mohinder," he said, "I like you. A lot. And I like Molly. If you say no, I will help you anyway."
"If I say no to the job, or no to you?" Mohinder said, more snappishly than he intended.
"Either."
Mohinder pulled his hand back. "Wouldn't it be a conflict of interests for me to date my boss?"
"I hadn't thought about it," Adam said. "Well, if you feel like that's the case, then I sincerely hope you turn down my job offer."
Just then, the waiter returned with the bottle of wine Adam had ordered; Mohinder gratefully accepted another glass. "I know you're teasing," he said. "But that really could be a problem."
"I'm not teasing – say no."
Mohinder stared at him. "So you think I ought to turn down a chance to continue my father's work with a six figure salary to date you?"
"Then say yes! I'm a very patient man, but you're killing me here."
"Then are you sure you want me in either capacity? I can tell you now that it doesn't get any easier with me," Mohinder said with a small, self-deprecating smile.
"Absolutely," Adam said. "I have a feeling that you will never bore me, and that is a very rare commodity."
Mohinder took a sip of wine that ended more as a gulp. "Well, it's your funeral."
"So is that a yes?"
"You are incredibly persistent."
"And charming. Don't forget charming," Adam said, fluttering his eyelashes.
Mohinder burst out laughing. "Yes, that, too." Mohinder set down his wine glass and picked up his fork again. "Can I finish my dinner in peace, at least?"
"Of course," Adam said, returning his attention to his own food.
They finished their current dishes (Adam's had been roasted veal loin, and Mohinder's was black garlic risotto); the waiter came to clear them away. The next course was a selection of cheeses for both of them.
"You know, I've never been to a restaurant like this before," Mohinder said.
"How do you like it?"
"It's a little overwhelming," Mohinder admitted. "Like everything else with you," he said before he could stop himself. Wine tended to make him chatty and honest – a deadly combination.
"Is that a compliment?" Adam asked.
"I'm not sure," Mohinder said. "I can never think properly around you."
"Aha – so it is a compliment."
Mohinder laughed. "I'm not so sure about that. I'm more comfortable when my thinking isn't impaired."
"But the fact that I can drive that beautiful mind of yours to distraction is high praise, as far as I'm concerned."
"Laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?"
"Is it working?"
Yes, Mohinder thought, but he wasn't about to tell Adam that. He looked around for something to change the subject of the conversation. "Are we supposed to be drinking these and the bottle we just ordered?" he said, reaching out for the wine accompaniment for the cheeses that the waiter had brought. "Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the food/wine pairing?"
Adam shrugged. "I don't think that the chef is going to come out here and scold us if we don't follow his plans."
Mohinder ate a piece of cheese then took a sip of the accompanying wine. "I actually can't really tell what I'm supposed to be tasting."
Adam laughed. "My palette has never been particularly sensitive, either."
Mohinder finished the tasting wine, ate some more cheese, and then drained his other wine glass. Adam raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as Mohinder poured himself another glass.
In retrospect, Adam's romantic interest probably shouldn't have come as such a surprise. The signs had all been there – Adam always sat too close, using excuses to touch him and brush against him 'accidentally.' He complimented Mohinder often, and listened to whatever Mohinder said as if it were the most fascinating thing he'd ever heard. And all the questions about his personal life suddenly made sense. Mohinder had always been terrible at recognizing when someone was hitting on him.
"Why?" Mohinder asked suddenly.
Adam finished chewing a piece of cheese and swallowed. "Why what?"
"Why are you interested in me? Surely I'd be more valuable to you as an employee – why complicate that? And I'm sort of a mess, if you haven't noticed."
"Ah, but you are a fascinating mess," Adam said, running his fingers up and down the stem of his wine glass suggestively. He ran his foot up the inside of Mohinder's shin and back down again.
Mohinder inhaled sharply. All at once, the cumulative effect of all the wine he'd been drinking hit him. He went from pleasantly tipsy to drunk in what felt like an instant.
"How many more courses are there?" he asked.
"Two after this one, I believe."
"Any chance we can skip out of here now?"
Adam gripped his wine glass so hard that Mohinder was surprised it didn't break. "Absolutely."
There were other people in the elevator, so they had to behave themselves, but Adam kept a hand on the small of Mohinder's back, a slight pressure that shouldn't feel anywhere near as erotic as it did. Mohinder felt flushed – with the wine, and the promise of sex hanging in the air between them.
It seemed like it took forever for the valet to bring the car around. Once they were inside, Adam lay on the gas and they took off down the road with a screech.
Mohinder fumbled with his seat belt but couldn't get his fingers to cooperate, so he grabbed onto the bottom of his seat instead. "Slow down – you're going to get us killed!"
"Don't worry," Adam said. "I'm an excellent driver." They came to a traffic light; Adam blew through it just as it turned red.
"Adam!" Mohinder yelped. "Watch out!"
Adam just grinned at him. He reached over and ran a hand up Mohinder's thigh as he steered around another corner with one hand.
"Let me guess – you're one of those people who think that life's too short to worry about speed limits," Mohinder said, slurring his words a little.
"On the contrary," Adam said. "Life is too agonizingly long – you have to go fast to outrun the tedium of it all because once that sucks you in, there's no escape."
They managed to reach the flat in one piece. The trip up to the flat was something of a blur – there was some groping in the elevator and then some stumbling and laughing and fumbling with keys at the door.
They were both halfway out of their coats and jackets when they staggered into the flat. After they wrestled them off and threw them aside, Adam grabbed Mohinder and slammed him against the wall. "When I was picking out this suit for you," he growled as he undid Mohinder's tie, "the only thing I could think about was how good it would look off of you." He whipped the tie off and pulled Mohinder into a deep, rough kiss. As they kissed, Adam's hands moved down Mohinder's body until he reached Mohinder's waist; he pulled Mohinder's shirt out from his trousers with a sharp tug, then grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him over to the sofa.
Mohinder fell onto the cushions with an oomph. Adam climbed on top of him and started kissing him again, sliding his hands under Mohinder's shirt and fondling him roughly. "Oh god," he said between kisses. "You have no idea how crazy it's made me being in the same flat as you, knowing that just a few doors away, you were dressing and undressing and bathing, and –" He pulled back a bit and looked down at Mohinder. "What do you wear to bed?"
"Um – nothing, actually," Mohinder said.
Adam moaned. "I knew it." He fell on Mohinder again, crushing their mouths together.
Mohinder kissed back, fisting his hands in Adam's shirt, but as incredible as it felt, doubts about the situation began to surface in his mind. Did he really want to get into bed with someone who held so much power over him? If he both worked for Adam and got into a relationship with him, what would happen if things soured between them? Where would that put him? "Adam – wait –" he said, pulling back slightly.
"What?" Adam said, mouthing down his neck.
"I don't think – I mean, you have to consider the position I'm in –"
"Oh, I have considered your position – several of them, if fact," he said. "On your knees, on your back, bent over the table..." He pulled Mohinder's legs up around his waist and grinned down at him. "Or on top of me, or behind me if that's how you like it." He deftly flicked Mohinder fly open with one hand and pulled down the zipper. He bent down for another kiss, but Mohinder brought his hands up and pushed him off, sending Adam toppling backwards.
"What's wrong?" Adam asked, blinking in surprise.
"This is!" Mohinder said, suddenly angry. "You think you can just waltz into my life and whisk me away with your money like that dreadful movie, with Julia – Julia, something. The one with the frightening teeth."
Adam frowned. "Julia Roberts? Do you mean Pretty Woman?"
"Yes, that's it. I hate that movie."
"…Mohinder, you're going to have to give me a little help here, because I don't have the faintest clue what you're on about."
Mohinder stopped for a minute and tried to remember what his point was. "What I'm saying is – I'm not a whore."
Adam looked baffled. "I never said you were!"
"Oh, so what am I supposed to think when you give me $50,000 and drag me back here and expect me to spread my legs for you?"
"You don't have to spread your legs! I'll spread mine! Or there doesn't have to be any leg spreading at all!"
"That's not the point!"
Adam sighed. "I'm not trying to buy you – I'm just trying to help you."
"Well, I don't need your help!" Mohinder said, standing up. "I'm plefrectly cabaple – preflectly capabable – I can bloody well take care of myself!" He went to march off in a huff, but his fly was undone so as soon as he tried to take a step, his trousers fell around his knees and he went crashing to the floor, banging his head on the coffee table on his way down.
Adam was beside him in an instant. "Are you all right?" he asked as he helped Mohinder sit up.
"Ow," was all Mohinder could say.
Adam gingerly touched Mohinder's forehead; he hissed in pain. "I'll go get you some ice."
Mohinder attempted to pull himself together while Adam was gone. The pain had managed to sober him a little, and now he felt like an idiot.
Adam returned with some ice wrapped in a dish towel. "Here you are," he said, handing it to Mohinder. Mohinder mumbled his thanks and held it up to his aching head.
They sat together for a few minutes. "I'm sorry," Mohinder said eventually.
"It's all right," Adam said soothingly. "Here, let me see –" He lifted the ice away from Mohinder's forehead. "Oh yes – that's going to leave a nasty bump."
Mohinder groaned. "I'm so embarrassed."
"Hush – don't worry about it." He gave Mohinder a small smile. "I really do want to help you, you know."
Mohinder smiled weakly in return. "I know. I have…trust issues."
"I see," Adam said. "Were these issues caused by anything in particular?"
"Well, the last person I slept with tried to kill me, and then he blew up."
"Sylar?" Adam asked, his voice carefully neutral.
Whoops. He really needed to stay away from wine. "I didn't know it was him at first," he tried to explain. "And I was so lonely, and he was so interested and kind… " Mohinder pulled his knees up to his chest. "I thought I'd found someone who would understand. And I was sad – when you told me he was dead, I was actually sad - sad that the man who killed my father was dead. And there's part of me that misses him – not who he was, but who he might have been. Who we might have been." To his horror, Mohinder felt tears begin to prick at the back of his eyes. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes so hard he saw stars. "That doesn't make any sense, does it?"
"I've heard stranger things," Adam said. "You know, you grow more and more interesting by the hour."
Mohinder laughed miserably. "I'm not sure that's a good thing."
"Trust me, it is." Adam stood up and held out a hand to Mohinder. "Come on – let's put you to bed."
Adam helped Mohinder stagger to his room. He sat Mohinder down on the bed and knelt in front of him, removing his shoes, and then helping him slide out of his trousers. Mohinder, in his wine-addled brain, thought that sex might be back on the agenda again and leaned in to kiss him.
Adam allowed it for a moment, then pulled back reluctantly. "I don't think that's a good idea right now."
"Why not?" Mohinder murmured. "Don't you want to?"
"I do. But I'd like to do it more than once, and if I slept with you now, I have a feeling that it would be the last time."
"Hmmm – all right," Mohinder said sleepily. He fumbled with the buttons on his shirt and then gave up. He lay down; the pillow felt cool and inviting against his cheek.
Adam got up from the floor and tucked Mohinder in. He started to leave, but Mohinder caught his hand.
"May I ask you something?" Mohinder said.
Adam sat down on the edge of the bed. "Of course."
"Am I the most fucked up person you've ever met?"
Adam laughed. "Not by a long shot." He brushed a lock of hair away from Mohinder's forehead. "I've been around for a very, very long time and I've met a lot of fucked up people. You aren't even in the top ten."
Mohinder looked up at him blearily. He looked about Mohinder's age – a few years older at the very most. "How old are you?"
"Three hundred and seventy, give or take a few years."
Mohinder frowned. "What?"
Adam kissed Mohinder's forehead. "Good night, Mohinder." He left the room, closing the door shut behind him.
Mohinder tried to process what he had just said. Did he really hear Adam say he was nearly four hundred years old? He must have heard him wrong. He tried to think about it, but his head was pounding. He gave up and closed his eyes. He'd ask him in the morning.
*****
When Mohinder woke up, he had a merciful few minutes when he didn't remember what had happened the previous night. All he could think about was how much his head hurt, and how his mouth felt like it had been stuffed with foul-tasting cotton balls. He sat up with a groan, and then suddenly the memory of the previous night came crashing back to him. Granted, the memory was pretty fuzzy, but he could still recall most of the highlights. Or at least he thought he did.
He considered lying back down and hiding under the covers, but that would only delay the inevitable. Sighing, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and took another minute to orient himself. He had, apparently, had enough sense to remove his shoes and trousers, but not his underwear or shirt. Actually, he vaguely recalled Adam helping him with that. He rubbed his head and tried to remember if anything else had happened – he didn't think so. There was something right on the edge of his memory, though – something about Adam, something important…
He shook his head. Whatever it was, it was gone now. Maybe it would come back to him later.
He stood up and then noticed that a tall glass of water and a bottle of aspirin had been thoughtfully laid out on his nightstand. He felt another flush of embarrassment but took the pills gratefully. He shed his clothes and went to take a shower; by the time he got out, he felt marginally better. After he had brushed his teeth and shaved, he examined the lump on his head in the mirror. It actually wasn't too noticeable, but it still hurt. I am never drinking wine again, he thought vehemently.
He got dressed and then reluctantly made his way to the kitchen. As he approached the kitchen, he heard voices drifting down the hallway.
"…and the tree was SO TALL, and they had blue and white lights that blinked and a big star on the top and – Mohinder!" Molly got up from her seat at the table and gave him a hug.
"Good morning," Mohinder said. "Did you have a good time last night?"
She nodded. "Yes! Cameron just dropped me off, and Adam's making waffles!"
Adam turned around from his place at the stove. "And eggs, too! Good morning," Adam said with a teasing grin. "How's your head?"
Molly frowned up at Mohinder. "Yeah, what happened? Did you fall?"
"Ah – yes," Mohinder said. "I tripped and hit my head on the coffee table."
"I did that once. I had to go to the hospital and get three stitches. It really hurt."
Mohinder smiled. "Well, fortunately, mine isn't quite so bad."
"Why don't you have a seat and let me get you something to eat?" Adam said. Mohinder and Molly sat down at the table. Molly went back to eating her waffles while Adam poured Mohinder a cup of coffee. "So how do you like your eggs?"
"Actually, I'm feeling a little queasy."
"I can imagine. But you'll feel better once you get some grease in your stomach."
He was probably right. "All right – over-easy, then."
"Hey – why don't we have a Christmas tree?" Molly asked around a mouthful of waffle.
"I hadn't really thought about it!" Adam said. "Well, that simply won't do. Why don't we all go and pick one out after breakfast? That is, if Mohinder's feeling up to it."
"No, I'm fine," Mohinder says. "It sounds fun."
After they ate, they bundled themselves up and set out in search of a Christmas tree. They found a large, tented-in lot right outside of the city. The selection wasn't great, but there were still quite a few trees left.
Adam and Mohinder leisurely strolled through the aisles as Molly ran ahead to find the perfect tree. Adam seemed to be in good spirits – he held his hands in his pockets, humming cheerfully to himself. Mohinder got the impression he was waiting for Mohinder to bring up last night on his own terms, for which he was grateful.
They walked together in silence for a while. Mohinder tried to piece together what he was feeling. He had truly been surprised by Adam's romantic interest in him last night, but at the same time, there was a part of him that knew that something had been growing between the two of them over the last few weeks; Mohinder just hadn't allowed himself to think about it. He still felt raw and vulnerable from his experience with Sylar.
Mohinder had decided to accept Adam's job offer – really, it was his best option, and he trusted that Adam wasn't going to ask him to do anything he would be uncomfortable with. But did that mean he wanted to get involved with Adam romantically? It was probably a terrible idea, but now that he knew how Adam felt, he realized that he felt the same way.
Finally, Mohinder screwed up his courage and turned to Adam. "I feel I ought to apologize for last night," he began.
"What for?"
"I was a little…belligerent."
Adam waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. It was sort of refreshing, actually – I'm not used to having people say no to me."
Mohinder laughed. "Well – I wasn't saying no, exactly."
Adam stopped. "So what were you saying, exactly?"
Mohinder rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably as he tried to think of what to say next. "I want to accept your job offer."
Adam smiled widely. "That's fantastic news!"
"And – well, I'm just not sure it would be a good idea to get romantically involved with you if you're signing my paychecks."
Adam's face fell. "I see."
"However," Mohinder continued, "I've never let the fact that something's a bad idea get in my way before."
This time it was Adam who took a moment to catch on. "Oh, is that so?" he said, starting to smile.
Mohinder grinned. "I like to live dangerously."
Adam looked around briefly, then grabbed Mohinder and dragged him behind a particularly large tree. "A man after my own heart," he said. He cupped Mohinder's face in his hand and drew him into a kiss.
"Mohinder? Adam?" Molly called from a few aisles over. They reluctantly pulled apart.
"Later," Adam promised. "Molly, where are you?" he called out.
"Over here!"
The two of them made their way over to her. "Have you found the tree you want, angel?" Adam asked.
Molly nodded. "This one!" She indicated a rather small, scrawny tree.
Adam and Mohinder exchanged looks. "Are you sure?" Mohinder said. "There are a lot of bigger, nicer trees here."
"I'm sure," Molly said. "It'll be like Charlie Brown!"
Mohinder frowned. "Who?" He looked over at Adam, who shrugged.
"You know, Charlie Brown? The cartoon? He's got the bald head and the yellow and black striped shirt, and his dog Snoopy?"
"Never heard of it," Adam said.
"You guys have never seen Charlie Brown?" Molly said, mouth agape with disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me! We have to get the Christmas show – it's my favorite!"
Adam laughed. "All right – we'll see if there's a video store open on the way home."
They bought the little tree, packed it up, and made their way back to the city. They found a WalMart which was still open and bought some Christmas decorations – the pickings were slim, but they found enough to be able to dress up their little tree respectably. As luck would have it, they also found A Charlie Brown Christmas on sale; Adam bought it along with a few other Christmas movies.
They spent the rest of the day decorating the tree, making Christmas cookies (Adam turned out to be an excellent baker) and watching the movies. It was ridiculously fun. Adam said he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a Christmas tree, being the consummate bachelor that he was, and Mohinder had never actually decorated a Christmas tree before. The lights alone took them two hours to figure out. But their hard work paid off – their scrawny little tree ended up looking very festive, and best of all, it brought a huge smile to Molly's face.
They saved A Charlie Brown Christmas for last. Molly curled up between the two of them on the sofa; she knew the whole movie by heart and mouthed along with the lines.
"…and on earth peace, good will toward men," she finished with the little cartoon boy with the blanket. She looked up at Mohinder and smiled. "I'm really glad we're here for Christmas," she said.
"And I'm glad you are, too," Adam said, giving them both a squeeze.
After the movie was over, Molly went to get ready for bed. After she had changed into her pajamas and brushed her teeth, Mohinder tucked her in.
"Mohinder?" Molly asked.
"Yes?"
Molly bit her lip. "Do you think that Santa's going to be able to find me this year?"
"What? Why would you think he wouldn't?"
"It's just that I've been moved around a lot, and – maybe he'd try to find me at my old house because he doesn't know that my parents are –" She broke off with a little sob.
Mohinder hugged her tightly. "Of course he will," he said. She cried softly for a little while, and Mohinder held her through it, hushing her and kissing her hair. After she had calmed down, Mohinder let her go. "You have been so good this year," he told her. "So brave and strong. Santa knows that, and tomorrow he'll bring you lots of presents, I promise." He took a tissue from her nightstand. "Here, wipe your nose."
Molly wiped her nose and eyes with the tissue. "I'm glad you found me," Molly said. "I didn't think I would ever have a family again, but I feel like you're my family now. You and Adam."
"Oh, Molly," Mohinder said, overcome with emotion. He gathered her in his arms again. "I feel that way, too." They held each other for a long while. Finally, Mohinder broke away. "Now why don't you lie down and close your eyes, and I'll see you in the morning, okay?"
Molly nodded. Mohinder gave her one last kiss before turning out the lights and shutting the door.
"Is she all right?" Adam asked when Mohinder emerged from Molly's room.
"Yes. She wanted to know if I thought Santa would be able to find her."
"I see." Adam peered at him. "Are you all right?"
Mohinder took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm fine." He smiled. "Do you want to help me finish wrapping Molly's gifts?"
"Certainly."
Mohinder went to his room and brought out the presents that he had bought for Molly and some wrapping paper; he and Cameron had left the girls with a sitter last week and had a day of gift-shopping. She'd been a godsend to Mohinder with her help in picking out presents, since Mohinder had no idea what an American little girl would want.
They sat in silence at the kitchen table and wrapped the presents. Eventually, Adam said, "Penny for your thoughts?"
"Molly said that she thinks of me as family. You, too."
"Oh?"
"Yes." Mohinder stuck a bow on the package he'd just finished wrapping. "Things seem to be coming together with distressing ease."
Adam laughed. "What do you mean by that?"
Mohinder sighed. "It's just – well, I've been alone most of my life, and I've been fine with it. And then suddenly, I meet this amazing little girl who needs a family, and then I meet you, and coincidentally, the man who's interested in me is already an important part of this little girl's life…I don't trust it. It's too easy."
Adam suddenly leaned in and captured Mohinder's mouth with his own. They kissed until they were both breathless. Finally, Adam broke away. "You have a wonderful mind," he said, running a thumb over Mohinder's now swollen lower lip. "But you really need to learn to shut it off every once in a while."
"Think you can help me out with that?" Mohinder said, panting a little.
"Oh yes, most definitely." Adam stood up. "Let's get these presents under the tree, and then – " He pulled Mohinder to his feet and kissed him again fiercely while giving him a truly breath-taking grope. "I'm taking you to bed."
Mohinder found that he had no objection to that.
*****
"Mohinder! Mohinder!"
Mohinder opened his eyes to find a very excited Molly inches from his face. "You were right – Santa found me!"
Mohinder gathered the covers around himself and sat up. "Ah – that's wonderful, Molly," he said while mentally kicking himself. He hadn't meant to spend the entire night in Adam's bed – he had meant to go back to his own bed after they'd had sex, but he'd ended up falling asleep. He looked over at the other side of the bed, but it was empty.
"Merry Christmas!" Mohinder turned his head and saw Adam standing in the doorway, fully dressed and wearing a Santa hat and a smirk.
"Hey, what are you doing in Adam's room?" Molly asked. "Is this where you were going last night?"
"…what?"
"Last night – I heard you yelling that you were coming somewhere."
Mohinder flushed in mortification. "Um – I – "
"Yes, that's it exactly, Molly," Adam said. The man was laughing, damn him.
Molly looked back and forth between the two of them. "Are you guys in love?"
Mohinder made a choking sound.
"And what makes you think that?" Adam asked her.
Molly rolled her eyes. "I'm not a little kid – I know that when two grown-ups are in love, they sleep in the same bed."
"You're a very smart girl," Adam said. "Now why don't you go to the living room so Mohinder can get dressed?" Molly scampered out of the room.
"You shouldn't have let her in here," Mohinder said as soon as she was gone.
"Why not?" He gestured towards the dresser. "There's an outfit for you on the bureau."
"Well, you certainly think of everything, don't you," he said testily. He got up and put the clothes on.
"What?" Adam said. "Don't tell me you're angry with me."
"It was not appropriate for her to see me in here."
"But she wanted to wake you up. It's nearly seven a.m. – that's incredibly late for a Christmas morning."
"Then you should have woken me up when you got up!"
"You were sleeping so soundly – I couldn't bear to wake you, especially since I'm the one who wore you out last night."
"Adam!"
"What? She's in the living room."
"Well, apparently the walls are rather thin around here, so cut it out," Mohinder snapped. He went to walk past him, but Adam stopped him.
"Not so fast," he said. He pointed up – there was mistletoe hanging from the doorway. "Pucker up."
Mohinder gave him an annoyed look. "Adam – " he began.
"I've actually put mistletoe in every doorway, so there's really no escaping it," he said, grinning.
"Oh, all right," Mohinder said. He leaned in as if to kiss him on the lips, but feinted at the last minute and pecked him on the cheek, then moved quickly past him and out down the hallway. He heard Adam's frustrated laugh behind him.
When Mohinder arrived in the living room, he saw that the number of presents under the tree had doubled. Adam had told Mohinder that he'd leave the present shopping to him, but apparently he'd changed his mind and bought some more himself. Mohinder started to think about how he was going to have to have a talk with Adam about spoiling her, and then paused. Was he already mentally including Adam in Molly's parenting?
Molly was sitting on the sofa with a present in her lap. "Can I start opening them?" she asked.
"Of course!" Adam said as he entered the room.
Molly opened each one of her presents slowly, as if to prolong the morning as long as she could. She was delighted with every present, but Adam seemed even more thrilled than she was. He excitedly showed Molly how the various high tech gadgets he got for her worked, and asked her about the toys he wasn't familiar with. While Molly explained to him about her American Girl doll (named Molly, just like her), Mohinder caught his gaze over her head. He smiled, and Mohinder couldn't help but smile back. He felt his earlier irritation melt away. Molly was bound to find out about them eventually. Mohinder would have preferred waiting until he and Adam had established their relationship a bit more, but it was water under the bridge now.
As Mohinder watched Adam and Molly together, he thought about how good he was with her, and how kind and generous he had been to both of them. The speed in which all of this had fallen together still frightened him a little, and now that Molly knew that he and Adam were in a relationship, the whole situation felt like it had gained a momentum that couldn't be stopped. A very small part of him felt suspicious – like this had all been engineered somehow, and that he hadn't really had a choice to begin with. He shook his head – that was ridiculous. Adam had always given him a choice, hadn't he? And it wasn't as if Adam were responsible for destroying New York and sending Mohinder and Molly running into his arms.
But in spite of his fear, he recognized that Molly was happy here. And, if he was honest with himself, so was he. The last two weeks had been the happiest Mohinder could remember having in a long, long time.
Adam got up and sat down next to Mohinder on the sofa, jolting him out of his reverie. He presented Mohinder with a small box. "Merry Christmas."
"Oh!" Mohinder said. They had agreed not to exchange gifts, although it didn't particularly surprise him that Adam had decided to ignore that as well. "I thought we weren't exchanging gifts."
"Open it."
Mohinder unwrapped it and opened the box; in it was a key. "What's this?"
"It's the key to your new flat. Well, a symbolic key – I haven't found one yet and figured you'd probably want to pick one out yourself. A flat, I mean, not a key."
"Oh," Mohinder said. He stared at the key for a long moment. Then he shut the box and handed the box back to Adam. "I'm sorry, I can't accept this," he said in his haughtiest voice.
"Oh for God's sake –" Adam began.
"I can't accept it because I think I've already found where I'd like to live," Mohinder continued.
Understanding dawned on Adam's face. "Do you mean..?"
Mohinder smiled. "Yes. That is, if it's okay with Molly."
"If what's okay?" Molly asked.
Adam looked at Mohinder, who nodded. "How would you like to live here permanently?" Adam said.
Molly broke into a huge smile. "Really?"
"Yes, really," Mohinder said.
Molly ran over to Adam and jumped into his arms. Adam lifted her up; Molly extended her hand to Mohinder, and the three of them embraced.
"So does this mean we're a family?" Molly asked.
"Well," Mohinder said. "We're starting to be one at the very least."
Adam let Molly down and turned to Mohinder. "If we're a family, I suppose that makes you and I officially a couple."
"I suppose it does," Mohinder said, smiling.
Adam put a hand on the back of Mohinder's neck and pulled him in for a kiss.
"Oh, gross, you guys," Molly said, but she was still grinning.
"You better get used to it," Adam said. "Because I'm planning on kissing Mohinder a lot. Now go finish opening the rest of your presents."
"I wasn't expecting you to do that," Adam said to Mohinder quietly.
"To be honest, neither was I," Mohinder admitted. "I have a tendency to make hasty decisions."
"I hope it's not one you're going to regret."
Mohinder looked at Molly, then at Adam. "No," he said, smiling. "I don't think I will."