Title: thirteen
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2007
Pairing/Charcter: Molly/Micah
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to NBC, Kring, etc. I only wish I owned this show.
Summary: Which is why Molly arriving is a such godsend: she is his age, she is fun, she is – hot?
Spoilers/Warnings: Up till 1x22 Landslide.

author's note: I caved. I wrote Molly and Micah. It's really un-angsty, which is a foreign territory to me so I'm not sure it's up to par with the other Molly/Micah fluff out there but here it is anyway. For the purposes of this story (and maybe it's canon but I'm not sure) Micah and Molly were both 11 during S1 of Heroes and are now 13.

When I was thirteen it seemed to me, that there would always be another girl to meet. There was no rush and I'd always blush, and it felt so good to take it seriously…

-- Stephen Kellogg, Thirteen

At thirteen years old, Micah has been to his fair share of exciting cities. He grew up in Vegas, visited Reno, experienced New York, saw Los Angeles, and even teleported to Tokyo. Yet in all of his travels, he's never been to historic Washington, DC. And even though a trip to the nation's capital is a right of passage for many children in middle school, Micah isn't here with his eighth grade class, nor is he excited about the visit because of history. No, the real reason Micah Saunders is excited is –

"Micah!" cries out the brunette as she exits from the car. "Hi!"

Molly Walker.

They've seen each other sporadically since that fall night they met in New York, back when Molly was seriously sick, and Micah's dad was seriously injured. Thankfully, both have recovered nicely (Micah's dad even has a sweet scar) and Micah saw Molly the Christmas after the sort-of explosion, when everyone came to the City of Sin for festivities, the following April, when everyone made the journey to LA to visit Officer Parkman's new baby, and later that summer, when the Saunders babysat Molly so Mohinder, now Molly's legal guardian, could go back to India for a week.

But Mohinder's research had taken off in September and Niki got pregnant soon after that, leaving her too tired to attend many of the gatherings around the country. They did make it to the Petrelli's for a really intense Christmas's gathering, which was mostly boring except for when Hiro got a little too drunk off the high priced champagne and was marched out of the room by Mrs. Petrelli or the way Nathan's eyes had bugged a little bit when Niki had shown up with a small pregnancy bump and Heidi had cooed over her.

But that was then and this is now: eight months later, a humid August day in DC. The weather is too hot to do anything but hang on you and the city's overrun by tourists and conferences, the latter being the reason Micah's even on the East Coast. Mohinder's presenting his findings on the genetic anomalies each of the Heroes possess to a number of extremely private (read: discreet) and well funded research companies that Mr. Bennet's personally checked out and approved.

Almost everyone's present; only Nathan had begged off, claiming work would take up all his available time. Micah and his parents and new baby brother Darren have only been there for a few hours and it's been good to catch up with everyone again, especially after such a long time. Even still, since he isn't a baby like Darren and he isn't an adult like Claire or Peter, he knows he will get lost in the shuffle as the weekend wears on. Which is why Molly arriving is a such godsend: she is his age, she is fun, she is – hot?

The Molly Micah remembers from Christmas had been bundled up in winter clothes most of the time with chapped cheeks from the cold and snow melting in her hair. It is amazing what eight months and a change in the weather can do for a person, he thinks as he watches her walk towards him. August agrees with Molly in every way: she is all tanned skin and shapely legs, pink painted nails and sheer lip gloss, teenaged perfection in her sundress.

"It's so good to see you," she gushes when she reaches him and gives Micah a big hug.

He tenses slightly as she pulls her body flush with his but returns the hug, trying desperately not to do something stupid like smell her hair or caress the bare skin under his palms. "Hi you," he returns lightly, proud of himself that his voice stays steady and sounds normal.

Mohinder checks himself and Molly into the hotel and gives Molly the go-ahead to spend the day with Micah.

"I want to see the sights, if it's OK with you," Molly says and purchases a map of Washington DC with all the museums labeled from the concierge. "And maybe walk along the Mall? Visit the Lincoln Memorial and see if his eyes really follow you as you walk back and forth?"

Micah laughs. She may be hot but she's still the same dorky Molly.

Because Micah can't think of anything better to do, they spend most of the day sightseeing. They ride the Metro for free, courtesy of Micah, and Molly repays him by dragging him to all the popular museums and tourist traps. Micah does a good job of pretending to not enjoy it as much as he does but he's totally busted at the Air and Space Museum when Molly has to pull him away from the space shuttles after an hour. They take pictures outside the White House and run back and forth in the Lincoln Memorial.

"His eyes do really follow you," Molly says in awe as they race each other down the steps.

It doesn't escape Micah's attention that Molly gets appraising looks from boys everywhere they go but if she notices, she says nothing. Micah decides she must be used to it. He also notices he gets glares from the same boys and figures most of them must think he's her boyfriend.

It's is definitely something he could get used to.

Towards the end of the day, they check out the Vietnam War Memorial and Micah's speechless at the black granite and the sheer volume of names. It's definitely a humbling experience and Micah takes his time walking leisurely down the wall, examining pictures left behind. Molly, however, marches determinedly towards the Ws and pulls out a pencil and a piece of plain white paper. She traces over CHRISTOPHER WALKER with fast, hurried strokes and only offers, "My uncle", when Micah looks at her quizzically.

She tucks the piece of paper into her pocket almost angrily and as they leave the Memorial, Molly's quiet for the first time all day. Micah buys her ice cream from a vendor and they walk down the Mall slowly, enjoying the sunset and the ease of the humidity.

They head back to the hotel afterwards because Micah's feet hurt and when they get back to the hotel, they find they've missed the buffet the conference provided. They head up to Micah's family's room and order too much room service. Molly suggests working the food off in the pool and leaves to go put on her bathing suit. Micah tries not to stare when he knocks on her door a little while later and she answers in a polka dot two piece. Suddenly, he's really glad his soccer team started mandating twice weekly weight lifting sessions. Molly's body is definitely different, thank god he's not the same skinny kid he was two years ago.

Micah feels devious in the elevator, and makes it stop on floors that the buttons aren't lit up for and accelerates the speed, much to the delight of Molly and the confusion of everyone else in the elevator with them. They get off giggling and Molly teases, "Show off."

Micah grins. Controlling technology is second nature now and he can't help it if it impresses girls too.

The pool's pretty empty with they get there, just a few kids they don't know splashing around the shallow end and Peter and Claire in the hot tub. Claire's giving Peter a massage and they're talking in low, almost intimate, tones to each other. Micah and Molly wave hello as they pass them and when they are out of hearing range, Micah hears Molly whisper, "Aren't they uncle and niece?"

Micah shrugs. He's never bothered to understand the Petrelli dynamics.

They spend a good hour in the deep end, making up elaborate jumps off the side and trying to copy each other. Molly's creative but Micah's good at mimicking and they decide to call it a draw when they notice everyone else has gone, even Peter and Claire. They move to the shallow end and sit on the pool's bottom, making faces at each other, until they are too tired to do anything but relax on the pool's entrance steps.

Micah leans back, his elbows on the step above him, ¾ of his body in the water. Molly does the same next to him but she's slightly smaller and only her neck and face is visible.

Micah thinks this is probably for the best.

"It's so quiet," Micah remarks after a while, listening to the water hit the sides of the pool.

"I bet you're not used to the quiet. Not with the baby and everything."

"Yeah, this is nice. I love my brother but sometimes I feel like all Darren does is cry."

"I wish I had siblings," Molly says lightly, trying to make it an offhand remark but fails when her voice shakes slightly. Micah looks over at her and she's doing her best to look anywhere but him, almost embarrassed. It's the first time all day that she hasn't seemed completely in charge, completely confident. "I think my mom and dad were trying before they – before Sylar …"

"You can have Darren if you want," Micah offers, trying to joke to break the mood, unsure of what to say.

It doesn't work. Molly says simply, "It's weird, you know? I mean, I miss my mom and dad, absolutely. But it's weird to think about what might have been if they hadn't died. Like – would I have a brother or sister? Would I have gotten healthy or stayed sick and maybe died because I never met Mohinder? Would I know I could find people?"

Micah wrinkles his nose. "I don't know," he says thoughtfully. "I think I always sort of knew I was good with computers and stuff. Maybe you'd just realize one day you were really good at hide and seek."

Molly smiles and punches him in the arm. Micah makes a wounded face, even though it hadn't hurt at all. "But seriously, Micah!" Molly says. "Do you ever think about it? If your dad hadn't escaped jail or Jessica hadn't taken over?"

"Not really. I mean, what's the point, y'know? What's done is done. And as much as Hiro and Peter and everyone talk about time traveling and manipulating the future, I really don't care. I mean, I'm hanging out in the pool with a hot girl…why would I want to imagine my life with any scenario other than that?"

Molly giggles, a faint blush painting her cheeks. "Yeah, you better not want to change that scenario," she flirts back and shifts in the water, moving closer to Micah, and laying her head on his shoulder. Micah tentatively wraps an arm around her and caresses her shoulder lightly with his hand. His heart is racing and he's trying to be cool but god, it's hard to be thirteen.

"You can still have Darren if you want," Micah says after a few minutes and feels Molly shake with laughter.

"Maybe," she says, sitting up, off his shoulder and turning to look at him. She casts her eyes down and fiddles with her hands for a moment before softly whispering, "But I'd rather have you."

Molly leans forward and Micah has a moment of panic before her lips settle on his. They're slightly cold from too much time in the pool but they're incredibly soft and most importantly, they're Molly's. Once he gets past the terror – it is his first kiss after all – he pulls her closer and feels Molly's lips open slightly. Their tongues touch and Micah has no idea what he's doing but Molly's wrapping her arms around his shoulders so he figures he can't be doing that bad. She tastes like chlorine and something sweeter and it feels like magic and Micah never wants to stop.

They have to, of course, and when Molly pulls back, she's smiling shyly and she rests her head on his shoulder again.

And just like that, Washington DC is officially Micah's favorite city.