Generation 1, Chapter 58 - Finale

 

Peter struggled to break the ropes that held him but they refused to loosen. The heat from the fire was becoming uncomfortable giving Peter added incentive to continue to try. He worried his boys were going to try a daring rescue despite his request for them not to. He couldn't let them get caught in this fire.

He was growing desperate as the flames grew hotter and Vallari continued her insane dance. Stopping occasionally to touch the pictures. Grabbing one she approached Peter, holding the picture out, yelling shrilly at him "I was your little girl. Why'd you leave me? Mama said it was because I wasn't yours. but I told you I would always be yours. You left me. Replaced me and mama with someone else. She gave you three sons but your favorite was Peter. Always Peter." She was so close she was spitting in Peters' face. She grabbed a fist full of his hair and forced him to look at up at her as she held a picture out to him, one of him and his Dad.

Chills ran down Peters spine as he realized the depth of Vallaris' insanity and obsession. He realized she had stalked him most of his life. He feared with growing certainty that in Vallaris' mind he and his father were one and the same both had left and rejected her.

"Always the favorite," Vallari was yelling as she gripped his hair shaking his head. "How did it feel being rejected by Daddy Dearest, Petey?" Peter looked at her knowing she had reverted back to reality for the moment. Laughing menacingly she confessed "I caused that explosion. I destroyed all Henry's precious research. My biggest regret is that it didn't kill you."

As she finished speaking she slapped Peter across the face. The force of the slap knocked Peters' head to the side. His cheek stung from the blow, his eyes watered as the smoke from the fire thickened. His time was running out, he had to do something. Desperation drove him to launch himself at Vallari still tied to the chair, knocking into her she fell back stunned. The force of the move broke the wooden frame of the chair, allowing Peter room to loosen the ropes.

 As he tried to undue the knots, he saw Adam coming down the ladder, Peter yelled at him "Get out of here."

Pausing mid step Adam shouted back, his voice just audible above the roar of the flames. "Not without you."

Undoing the last of the knots with trembling fingers Peter waved for Adam to go shouting "I'm right behind you."

Peter reached the ladder when he stopped listening to a shrill girly voice pleading "Daddy please don't leave me. I love you Daddy."

Peters' heart flip flopped hearing that plea. His mind racing thinking he couldn't leave her behind to be caught in the flames.

"Come on Dad," Adam called from the top of the ladder. "The floor is about to collapse. You've got to come now."

Peter looked up hearing the fear and desperation in his son's voice. Torn between wanting to get his son out of danger and helping Vallari who had done nothing but try to hurt him and his family. Turning his back on Vallari, Peter put a foot on the ladder when he heard that heart wrenching plea again. Turning he saw Vallari standing in front of the pictures once again. Sighing Peter went to her, hand out saying "Honey we have to go now. Come on take Daddy's hand," he spoke in a calm soothing tone as if calming a skittish horse. Once he got close, Vallari suddenly whipped around and tried to hit Peter with a heavy metal bar.

Immediately Peter backed up and ducked another vicious swing. He Slowly backed his was to the ladder as Vallari steadily advanced on him. She was crying hysterically "Why couldn't you have chosen me? All I ever wanted was to be the most important person in your life. Why did you choose them over me?"

 Peter no longer knew if she was talking to him or his dad, they were one and the same in her mind. There was no point in trying to reason with her. She moved quicker than he expected, he put up his arm to protect his head. The resulting blow vibrated through his arm leaving it hanging limp by his side. He climbed slowly, stopping at the top calling down to Vallari "You can't stay here. Come on Vallari, come with me and I'll get you some help."

She looked up at him, eyes wild crying "He left me but I can't leave him." The last glimpse Peter had was of her running into the flames to reach her pictures.

"Come on Dad we've got to get out of here," Adam said reaching his hand out to help his Dad up. They made it out of the house as the floor collapsed.