(no subject)
Redemption's Just a Word (Ch 1-6)
Heroes | Sylar, Mohinder, Bob, Matt, OC
PG13-NC17 | 15645 words
Chapter 1
Feet pounded against the cold, hygienic tile of the hospital as she rushed through the sliding doors. Worry and hesitation showed in the young woman’s features as she paced into the waiting room of the large ICU wing. She walked up to a woman, tapping her on the shoulder as she turned around.
“Abigail.” The brunette voiced, pulling the young girl into a hug. She pulled away, her eyes focused as she asked, “When did it happen?” The hand on the girl’s shoulder dropped and she answered, “Almost two weeks ago.”
“You should have called me.” Came her flat response and the woman was speechless for a moment. She shook her head, coming to her senses as she tried to reason with the girl, “He’s fine, Abby.” She paused, giving a semi-shocked laugh, “He’s joking around. They say that he’ll be released soon.”
“You still should have called me.” Abby gave the woman a dirty look, turning around as she headed towards a glass enclosed room, opening the door.
---
“You’re not supposed to get yourself shot.” the girl said meretriciously, closing the door behind her, as she saw the man’s face light up, “because then I have to come in and make sure you’re alright.”
“Hey, I’m supposed to be responsible for you.” He said, a slight smile forming on his mouth as he propped the bed up. The girl took a deep sigh, walking up as she sat down on the edge of the bed and held his hand, “And now the tables have turned and I have to take care of you.”
He laughed causing him to grimace, “I’m pretty sure this wasn’t what your mother meant when she said we had to look out for each other.” His comment made her giggle, nodding her head as she responded, “Pretty sure, yeah.” The smile quickly disappeared from her face, replaced with a worried look, “Do you want to tell me how this happened?”
Matt looked past her towards the large window behind her head, withdrawing his hand from her grasp, “Not really, no.” He brought his eyes back on the face of his visitor, noticing the disappointment in her expression. She shrugged, raising an eyebrow as she replied, “You do realize I’ll find out eventually.”
“And when that happens, I will deny everything.” The young girl rolled her eyes, knowing that he always found a way to make the most serious of topics amusing.
Abby pursed her lip, standing up from the bed as she joked, “If you didn’t have four bullet holes in your chest right now, I would punch you.”
A light knock on the glass caused the girl to turn her head. A nurse stood at the door, indicating the end of visiting hours. She walked up to the bed, leaning down to kiss the man’s forehead, “That was really stupid, you know that?”
He looked taken aback but turned it into an amused expression as he nodded, “Your mother was right, you are just like me.” He said, as he watched her pull her purse over her shoulder and smiled. She rotated her body and walked up to the door, looking over her shoulder slightly as she responded, “Get some sleep, Uncle Matt.”
---
The cold winter air blasted against her face as she exited the hospital, walking down the sidewalk and towards the subway. She was relieved that her uncle was doing better and was due to be released soon but she was still confused as to how he ended up with four bullet holes in his chest. It couldn’t have been from the call of duty; don’t they usually wear vests for that sort of thing?
Huddling her coat against her body, she shook her head not really wanting to delve on the thoughts. She reached the main subway station across the street from the hospital, walking past the security as she entered the nearest subway car.
People piled onto the transport vehicle, filing in the seats as Abby stared out the window, watching the lights begin to streak in the dimmed tunnel.
---
It had seemed like it took him hours to finally reach the floor to his apartment. The fear of his current condition causing him to use the back way as he weakly stood on the fire escape outside the window to the bedroom. He slowly crouched down to the hem of the window sill, running his finger along the metal strip as his fingers grasped the edge, anticipating the window to slide open easily. It failed to move, caught on the track as the resulting effect of his exertion rang out in the alley below.
An unknown anger began to boil inside him as he rose, sending his fist through the window as it shattered on impact. He brought his clenched hand up to his face, squinting through the darkness at the bits of light reflecting off the shards imbedded in his skin. He closed his eyes, shaking off the sting that was pricking at his flesh as he slowly pulled himself through the broken window. His feet hit the carpeted floor of the bedroom causing him to stumble at the pressure, a guttural cry tearing from his vocal cords.
His muscles were sore, his body ached and he wished he didn’t have a gaping hole in the center of his stomach. Every strand of fibrous muscle felt as if it would explode on contact with the pressure of every small movement he made. The ardent pounding in his temples was like a sledgehammer slamming against his skull, any memory too painful to try to recollect, so he didn’t even bother. He couldn’t remember how he ended up in a foot of dirty water at the bottom of a sewer; let alone where the two inches of caked on blood came from.
Keeping a hand plastered against his chest, his dark eyes fluttered about the room. The walls had been repainted and the furniture moved, and it all seemed so unfamiliar to him. He didn’t remember the apartment looking this clean and polished before. It was different and he wasn’t comfortable with different.
He shook his head, quickly rethinking it when the pounding on his temples increased and he threw a blood-coated hand to his forehead. Shutting his eyes, he opened them as he stumbled forward, unstably heading across the room.
The young man didn’t attempt to turn on the light, conserving what little energy he had. His eyes surveyed the small room, grasping the medicine cabinet as he pulled it open to search its contents. He threw various toiletries to the floor, grabbing medical items when he was stopped mid-pursuit, the sound of the door unlocking echoing in his ears.
He narrowed his eyes, realizing how impossible it was. He had to have been at least 20 feet from the front door and the sound of a key in a lock sounded crystal clear as if it was a centimeter away. Dropping the first aid kit into the basin of the sink he hesitated, pulling his body behind the open door.
---
Abby tucked the ring of keys in her palm as she entered the apartment, walking through the doorframe. She pulled her purse from her shoulder, placing it on the side table along with her keys as she made her way to the dining table, dropping her coat idly over the back of a chair.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, she yawned at the time, walking across the room as she pulled her auburn hair from a hairclip. She moved down the small hallway, finally entering the bedroom as her hand dropped the clip on the shelf. A small gray cat lay curled up on the mattress, her fingers scratching his head before moving to the dresser.
She dropped her gaze, stopping short as her blue-gray eyes surveyed the broken glass scattered across the ground. A hiss echoed behind her and she turned around quickly to scorn him, “Shh!” The cat growled and she lifted her gaze up to level, finding a shadowed figure standing in the doorway. A loud gasp tore from her throat as her hand fumbled around in the dark, trying to locate the lamp.
Yellow light illuminated the room and she saw the man’s appearance more clearly. He was tall and very slender, the dusty black clothes that he wore clinging to his skin. Abby stepped forward curiously causing him to back up, his eyes drifting between the room and her face.
He was disoriented, the sweat on his brow mixing with the dirt and grime caked onto his skin. The young girl dropped her gaze, noticing the tear in his shirt and the recognizable red substance filtrating through the fabric.
“Oh my god…” she whispered, as she watched him drop his gaze down towards his stomach, bringing it up in reaction to her voice. She thought about moving forward but decided against it when she saw his foot kick out awkwardly. He stepped towards her, the pressure placed against every muscle in his body finally taking its toll as he crashed to the ground.
Vibrations bounced off the floor as his dark eyes caught the blurred face of the young woman as she knelt down beside him. His dilated pupils picked up a speckled effect of his surroundings before fluttering shut, enormous black circles melding into pure darkness in his view.
Chapter 2
The cool water washed over her hand as she dipped the washcloth into the bowl, bringing it up as she dabbed it over grimy flesh. She ran the damp fabric against the grain of stubble on his lower jaw, watching his lips break apart slightly with each labored breath. Dipping the cloth back into the clear liquid, the water picked up the dirt as it fell to the bottom of the basin.
Her hand squeezed out the remaining fluid, draping the cloth over the side as she twisted her body towards the man on the bed. The yellow light of dawn filtered through the jagged edges of glass as it cast a dulling glow around the room. Abby’s fingers found the small, round buttons of his shirt, undoing them as she peeled the clingy fabric from his skin.
She grabbed the wet cloth once again, dragging it slowly around the open wound, careful not to injure him further. The dried blood washed away from the skin, revealing the inner flesh healed while the outer injury still remained painfully apparent. His body shuddered beneath her touch when her fingers grazed the surface of the broken skin.
The reaction caused her to withdraw her hand but returned it after a moment. She picked up the washcloth, the cold air entering the room making the fabric feel like ice in her hand.
Her palm traveled back to his torso, moving closer to the open wound when a strong hand snapped around her wrist. Abby jumped backward, the unexpected reaction causing her heartbeat to quicken as she stared bewildered at the tense fingers stiff around her lower arm.
“That hurts…”
The raspy voice drew her eyes to his face as his lips let out a pained moan. She pulled back her arm, the man’s fingers loosening around her wrist as he let her go. Solid black eyes opened, the pupils quickly retracting as dark brown filled in the blank space.
Abby dropped the washcloth into the basin, water splashing out onto the carpet; her voice rushed “I’m sorry.” She looked down for a moment, bringing her eyes up to find his gaze pointedly fixed on her face.
He could see that she was nervous, her eyebrows slightly creased in concern and unknown fear. Her shoulders shrugged lightly, the blue-gray orbits keeping its stare on the broken skin of his torso, “What happened to you?”
The question startled him as he rested his head back against the pillow, his tongue running across his upper lip as his response sounded scared, “I don’t know…” He pointed his gaze up towards the ceiling, his eyes following the blade of the fan as it spun overhead, the girl’s silence visible in the room.
Abby watched him, his body becoming rigid and limp with each movement of his muscles; but he seemed to be gaining the upper hand as his previous pained outcries turned into light, hissing gasps. She had so many questions for him, none of them worth asking, considering his current situation. Placing her hands in her lap, she looked off, an uncomfortable atmosphere filling the room as it mixed with the ice cold air from outside. Abby shivered when the chill reached her skin, her ears picking up the early morning clamor of New York City when the man’s voice cracked through the noise.
“What’s your name?” his eyes opened, his gaze directed at her again and she hesitated, finally responded to his question, “Abby Parsons.” The dark eyes diverted off, his head nodding slowly as his neck relaxed and his skull fell flat against the pillow.
The gray cat walked by the bed, pawing at the dirty black coat sprawled on the floor and she lifted her gaze up, her voice curious, “Do you know yours?” Silence was palpable in the room as the man crinkled his nose up, trying to remember. A name flashed in his mind and he responded, the air in his lungs putting further pressure on his muscles, “Gabriel Gray.”
Abby froze, recognizing the name instantly and suddenly most of the situation became clear. “You used to live here.” She said, watching his eyes as they showed some confusion to her statement, but his mind unable to dwell upon its purpose. She sighed, understanding the disorientation clouding his judgment as she drifted her gaze towards the broken window.
“I’m sorry about the window.” He said, his voice weak as she brought her eyes on his face. The young man attempted a small smile to his apology and Abby nodded, smiling back. The palms of his hands pressed against the mattress as he tried to push himself up, regretting it instantly when he sucked in a breath, a shot of pain coursing through his body. Her eyes fell on his face, the pupils of her eyes showing worry as she reached out to his arm, taking it gently as she guided him back down.
“We really should get you checked out,” she stopped, her gaze drifting to his open shirt and the wound visible in his flesh. “that doesn’t look go…”
“No.” he said, cutting her off and she looked startled, her eyes scanning his face. Gabriel paused, diverting his gaze towards the window to the rising sun. He couldn’t quite explain it but he didn’t feel safe going out in public and it wasn’t because he was injured. He felt as if it was his own wrong-doing that got him into this situation and he didn’t want to risk the consequences.
The girl took a moment, finally nodding her head as she stood up from the bed; her knees bending down to pick up the basin of water on the ground. She tucked the bowl beneath her arm, her mind unable to stop the words as they spilled from her lips, “You can stay here if you would like.” He turned his head, her statement drawing his attention as his brown eyes blinked in surprise. She quickly added, noticing his shocked expression, “I mean, until you’re better.” She motioned towards his wound, smiling nervously as she turned to exit the room.
“Thank you.” His faint voice made her stop at the doorframe, her back facing him as she nodded her head, walking through the door and into the living room. Gabriel watched her disappear from his sight, closing his eyes for a moment as he rested his head back against the pillow. He twisted his neck to the side, seeing the sun peak through the tall buildings as it lit up the morning air. A quick procession of red and orange energy flashed in his mind, departing as quickly as it appeared; its meaning leaving the man curious of its purpose.
Chapter 3
He awoke a couple hours later, the sun no longer streaming through the jagged glass as he carefully pulled himself up. A jolt of pain shot through his muscles but he held back a scream, placing his palm flat against the white gauze around his stomach. He sighed, remembering that hours earlier he had let the girl bandage his wound before she had insisted that he get some sleep.
The pain subsided and he brought a hand up to his eyes, rubbing them as he glanced around the room, finally spotting a few articles of clothing folded on the trunk beside the bed. Making sure he had a steady stance, he lifted himself up; his muscles slightly giving as he stumbled a bit. He caught himself, recovering quickly as he straightened up, dropping his hands to his sides.
Grabbing the clothes, he walked through the doorframe into the bathroom as he closed the door behind him. Setting the items on the shelf above the sink, he slowly pulled the black button down shirt from his shoulders and dropped it to the ground. He reached over, pulling the solid orange top over his head, grimacing when he accidentally brushed against the bandage.
The brightly colored shirt looked awkward on his body but he ignored it, thankful to be wearing anything clean. He was surprised that the jeans fit perfectly; the only thing marginally wrong with them was the looseness of the waistband around his hips. He figured the belt would fix that problem as he drew the leather strap through the denim hoops.
After hooking the belt closed, he reached forward, turning the faucet on as he splashed cold water on his face. His fingers found a towel nearby, unfolding it in his hands as he dabbed it against his skin; his eyes glancing forward as he straightened up.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror, a depiction of a haunted young man staring back at him as he drew a skeletal hand through the matted heap of his hair. His eyes lifted up, dark circles surrounding the brown orbits as he glanced at the sullen appearance of his cheekbones. Thick stubble covered his jaw, every facial bone protruding against the skin and he looked away, unable to look at his fragile appearance any longer.
Gabriel ran his tongue over his chapped lips, the damp towel in his grasp as he picked up his dirty clothing, tossing the items into the hamper in the corner of the small room. The loud snap of the cover closing shut caused him to stop, an eerie image of a red-headed girl, frozen in stance as blood dripped down her face flashed in his mind. He faltered, quickly shaking the memory away as he exited the bathroom, pacing through the hallway to the living room.
He found Abby curled up on the couch, her head resting on her knees as her arms were wrapped around her shins. Her long auburn hair fell in pieces over her bare arms and he continued to walk into the room, accidentally kicking a side table as it made a noise and jerked her awake. His body stiffened when he saw her head bounce up, her tired eyes glancing at his form as she blinked, yawning lightly, “Hi…”
“Hi.” He said and she untangled her arms from her legs, dropping them to the ground. She pulled a hand up to her face, rubbing her eyes, “Did you sleep well?” Gabriel nodded, seeing her rise from the couch as she added, “How are you feeling?” She walked past him, opening up the refrigerator as he turned towards her, watching her pull ingredients from the shelves.
“Alright, I guess.” He responded, his eyes surveying the scene in front of him as she assembled the items together. “That’s good.” Came her reply and she turned around, holding the plate in her hands as she walked up to him.
“Here.” She said, holding the plate out in front of him and he drew up a hand, placing his palm against the edge as he pushed it back towards her, shaking his head. “I’m not hungry.”
A loud growl echoed in the room, his hunger gnawing at his stomach as she gave him a look, pushing the plate back into his hands. “Really?” His lips drew into a straight line as he grudgingly took the plate and walked to the table.
Abby watched as he slowly lowered himself down into the chair, his fingers idly picking at the food on his plate. She crumbled at the sight; the concept of the man not knowing his past and the unfamiliar state of his condition causing him too much confusion to bear.
He finally picked up the sandwich and she relaxed, seeing him bring the bread to his lips as he took a small bite. She grabbed the blanket from the couch, moving forward towards the bedroom when his voice stopped her, “Where are you going?” She turned her head in time to see his hand drop the sandwich as his eyes locked on her face; she could have sworn she saw a flicker of coldness but it was covered quickly by an evident fear.
The fabric slipped in her grasp as she stood standing for minutes; her gaze fixated on the young man as he picked up a piece of turkey, bringing it up to bite into it. She smiled, walking up to the table as she dropped the blanket back on the couch.
Once she had taken a seat on the opposite side of the table, he let out a relieved sigh, picking up the sandwich as he took another bite. Gabriel swallowed and looked down at the plate, lifting his gaze up to find Abby staring at him, her body leaning forward over the table.
She outstretched her hand and he backed up slightly, the warmth of her fingers mingling on his jaw as she absently wiped some stray mustard from the corner of his lip. Their eyes locked for a brief moment and she withdrew her fingers from his stubbled cheek, but he moved quickly, grasping her wrist. The connection caused her to jump in surprise as his dark eyes kept its fixed gaze on her face.
Abby pulled her hand back in his grasp but he brought her thumb to his mouth, his rough bottom lip brushing against her skin as he cleaned the condiment from her fingertip. Her blue-gray eyes watched his lips, feeling his hot tongue lick the side of her finger as he pulled the digit into his mouth. He could hear her heartbeat quicken and he stopped, withdrawing her thumb from his mouth and releasing her wrist.
He immediately dropped his gaze to the table, pulling his hand away from her as if he had done something wrong, “Sorry, that was uncalled for.” Abby recovered quickly, her heartbeat relaxing as she smiled, “It’s okay.”
There was an uncomfortable moment between the two, both of their gazes diverted away from each other as Gabriel tapped his finger lightly against the ceramic. Abby brought her gaze back on him after a few minutes, her mouth opening to speak when a shrill ring echoed in the room, causing both to jump at the sound.
“I’m sorry.” She said, getting up from the table and walking towards the entryway as she grabbed her purse. He nodded, returning back to his meal as he pealed the lettuce apart on the plate, seeing her pull her cell phone from the inner pocket. The mobile flipped open in her grasp and she spoke into it; the only words heard was her voice mumbling as she snapped it shut, walking back into the living room.
Gabriel raised his head up when she re-entered the room, his dark eyes locking on hers as she spoke, “I have to go for a few hours, I’ll be back before its dark.” His mind registered the statement, he really didn’t want her to leave but he ended up nodding his head in approval. She smiled, rushing back to the entryway as she grabbed her coat and another bag.
The door opened and he watched her step out into the hall, her voice trailing behind her as she closed the door. “Stay here, okay?”
The slam of the door echoed in the apartment, the sound digging up the image of the red-head’s frozen face as it entered Gabriel’s mind again. The flash of memory disappeared seconds after it had emerged, the result of it causing the young man to squeeze his eyes shut as he prayed that he wasn’t losing his mind.
Chapter 4
It was late in the afternoon as she walked up the street towards the subway station, her purse held close to her body as she maneuvered through crowds of people. Her shoulder accidentally brushed against a young man as he plowed past her. He stopped, turning around quickly as a hasty apology spilled from his mouth and she smiled, informing him that it was her fault and not his.
He smiled, pulling the brown side bag over his head as he nodded and turned around, rushing through the mess of the crowd. A nudge on her shoulder caused her to continue to walk as people passed by her, eager to go home to their families and their lives.
Abby turned off from the horde of New Yorkers as she walked through the spinning glass doors of a huge office building. Her shoes tapped against the marble tile of the lobby as she moved towards the elevator hall. She pressed a fingertip against the arrow button, seeing it light up as she waiting for the distinctive ding.
The ring echoed in the hall and she looked up, seeing the doors open as a few people shuffled out. Her legs willed her forward as she entered the dimmed elevator, her finger gravitating towards the multitude of buttons on the side console when a masculine voice echoed outside the hall. She threw an arm against the inside of the sliding doors, holding them open as a familiar man ran into the elevator.
He stopped, recognizing the young girl as he breathlessly said, “Oh… hello again.” An awkward smile spread on the girl’s face as she replied nervously, “Hi…” There was a curious silence in the elevator as the doors closed and Abby reached over and pressed the respective button for her floor.
The young man cleared his throat, outstretching an arm as his tanned finger pressed a floor above hers. Abby lifted her eyes up above to the line of lights displayed above the metal doors when the man’s voice broke the silence, “I’m Mohinder Suresh.” He twisted his body and stuck out his hand and she took it gently, shaking it as she replied, “Abby Parsons.” He smiled and they dropped their hold, the girl turning back towards the door.
“Do you work for the Company?”
Abby turned quickly, her gaze full of confusion as she looked at the man startled, “Excuse me?” She saw that her answer wasn’t what the man was expecting as his brown eyes grew wide and he stiffened. He shakily tried to explain himself, pointing at the button console as he diverted his gaze away from her, “I’m sorry, I must have been mistaken. Ignore me.”
He laughed nervously and she smiled, looking at him for a moment before the ding echoed in the elevator and the doors opened to the 12th floor. She gripped the handle of her bag as she stepped out into the hallway, turning around as she smiled, “It was nice meeting you, Mohinder.” Mohinder lifted his gaze up and smiled back, nodding his head slightly as he replied, “It was nice meeting you too, Abby.”
The doors closed and she continued her pace into the hallway, moving down the corridor before entering a large, open space. Desks stood idly around various sections of the room and she walked up to one of them, an older woman lifting her gaze as she pointed to the office behind her, her voice stern, “He’s waiting in there.”
Abby swallowed, walking around the desk as she opened the door to a massive office. A middle-aged man lifted his head up from a pile of papers on his desk and she walked up, holding a large folder in front of him. He took it without any word and she began to explain herself when he threw a hand up, “I don’t care what you do during your time,” he paused, looking at the envelope in his hands, “as long as you deliver the photos.” He tore open the manila folder, pulling out a multitude of photographs as his eyes scanned the images. Abby stood in front of the desk, watching his expression for the slightest hint of disapproval when his voice echoed again, “Where were these taken?”
“Outside Donovan Square, a couple blocks from Kirby Plaza.” She said, seeing a smile tug on the man’s mouth as he looked up at her. “These are just what we needed.” Abby returned the smile slightly, pulling her purse over her shoulder as he dropped the pictures on the table, a collection of sepia and monotone images of a radiant explosion in the sky.
The man looked back up, regaining a dominant tone as he replied, “Next deadline is Tuesday,” he dug beneath the pile of papers, producing another manila envelope, “you’ve got a week.”
“What’s the new assignment?” she asked and he nodded his head, responding to her question, “We need you to go to Honduras to take some pictures of an unexplained crime being committed there.”
“Honduras??” she asked, her voice exasperated as she brought a hand up to her forehead, rubbing her temples. She looked back up, dropping her palm and faced the man, “I can’t do this anymore.” Her statement had an effect on him as he looked at her, narrowing his eyes behind the thin wires of his glasses. She continued, “First it was unsolved murders in high schools and diners and then it was mysterious explosions in the sky. I don’t even understand any of this and you expect me to just fly to South America and take more pictures of death?!” The man smiled, picking himself up from his chair as he calmly responded, “You’re not supposed to understand, Abby. You just take the pictures.”
He pulled his glasses from his face, cleaning them with a cloth as he placed them back on his face, picking up the folder on the desk. He shoved it into her hands, “You leave in 2 days.”
She took the envelope grudgingly and pursed her lip in annoyance, finally nodding her head as she turned to exit the office when his voice was heard once more, the tone lighter, “Oh and Abby,” she turned to face him and he smiled, “make me proud.”
The expression on her face was less than enthused as she walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
She couldn’t believe she was doing this. A year ago she had been working at a reputable magazine, taking still photographs and helping with important photo shoots. That is, of course, when she was confronted by mysterious man named Thompson and asked if she would be interested in traveling the world. She had considered it, taking a week to check out what the job entailed.
Everything the man had told her checked out and she had always wanted to travel; using her talents in contrast with the changing atmosphere of the world. She accepted and the man couldn’t have been more ecstatic; he presented her with her first assignment that day and she took it without questions.
The assignment was to fly to a small town in Texas where a local high school was having their Homecoming celebrations. The only problem was their runner up for Homecoming Queen was murdered. She hesitated, she was only here to take photographs of the scene; the man had neglected to tell her the details of the case and she wasn’t sure she was okay with it all.
Abby had pushed past the shock, finally walking up to a couple officers as she gave them her name. Surprisingly, they let her pass as they informed her that she was part of the criminal investigation unit. She didn’t think too much on it as she walked through the dimmed hallways to the yellow taped locker room.
The scene disturbed her; blood splattered all over the walls and the victim lying grotesquely on the tile, her face frozen in fear with blood smeared over the skin. Abby had looked away, unable to bear looking any further when she remembered that she was there for a job. If she drew too much attention to herself, there would be dire consequences when she returned to New York and she didn’t want to know what those consequences would be.
So she took a deep breath, walking beneath the tape as she pulled out her camera. She got the pictures she needed and upon arriving back, was praised for her good work, sending her off on another assignment. The more assignments she went on, the more she got used to the questionable situations, always keeping her mouth shut and obeying orders.
Though, through the past couple months, the program had changed hands. An even more alchemistic gentleman took the place for Thompson, who had mysteriously disappeared. She was informed not to ask questions so she didn’t, accepting the new changes as she was continuously sent on more assignments.
She glanced at her front door, realizing she had surprisingly made her way home as she unlocked the door, opening it up as she walked into the foyer. Abby threw her coat into the closet, moving past the entryway to find Gabriel asleep on the couch, the small gray cat lying on his thigh.
The scene in front of her caused her to yawn, her body finally catching up with its exhaustion as she walked into the bedroom. She didn’t bother to change clothes, pulling back the covers on the bed as she slipped underneath. Her eyes closed once her muscles hit the comfortable mattress and she peacefully fell asleep.
Chapter 5
He awoke suddenly, the lasting impression of a familiar nightmare placed on repeat in his mind as the small gray cat bounded off his stomach and ran into the opposite room. Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut, opening them moments later to stare at the halfway open door to the bedroom. Pushing the images to the back of his head, he pulled himself up from the couch, slowly walking into the room where Abby lay sleeping.
He stood beside the bed, his mind wondering if he should wake her, but the cat seemed to read his thoughts, jumping up on the mattress. The young girl stirred as Oliver walked over her leg, her blue-gray eyes opening up to the darkened room. Gabriel froze, seeing her eyes lock on his face as she faintly inquired, “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry,” he blurted, shifting his stance slightly, “I didn’t want to wake you.” He watched as she pulled her right arm out from under the covers, bringing it up to rub her eyes. She pulled her hand back to rest on the mattress as she pushed herself up into a sitting position, “Can you not sleep?”
The young man shook his head and she tilted her head as her voice asked, “Is it…” He shook his head again and she trailed off from her sentence as he responded, “No, it doesn’t hurt anymore.” As soon as he finished his sentence, he looked slightly shocked by his reply and the expression on Abby’s face seemed to match his own. She narrowed her eyes, confusion etched on her face but she shook it away when Oliver’s meow broke the silent atmosphere.
She looked at the gray cat and scratched his head as she let Gabriel sit down on the edge of the bed. His voice was so soft, she had to strain to hear it, “I’m seeing things…” Gabriel kept his gaze down, as he took a deep sigh and continued, “Every time I close my eyes, I see death.”
The girl was silent for a couple minutes, finally speaking as she placed her hands in her lap, “Maybe you went through something traumatic and…” her sentence was cut short when his voice cut through it, “No.” he pulled a hand up to rub the back of his neck, his voice slightly rising in volume, “I think I caused it.”
“What are you talking about?” Abby asked, her arm outstretching towards the lamp on the side table. The room illuminated in a yellow glow and Gabriel’s head bobbed slightly at the change in lighting. “You think you killed people?”
He didn’t speak or move for the longest time and even though she had tried to stay calm, panic was starting to emerge in her heart. His head cocked to the side as he heard her heartbeat quicken and he replied quietly, “Yes.”
Gabriel lifted his head up as he glanced at her for a split second. In that miniscule increment, he saw a glimmer of fear in her eyes and something inside him cracked. The feeling disappeared immediately and he saw her eyes return back to the compassionate gaze she always wore. A smile appeared on her lips and her voice was heard in his ears, “I don’t believe it.”
He had half expected her to freak out on him and call the cops but she didn’t and he wondered how much trust she held on him. Gabriel lifted his head again, his eyes narrowing, “But you don’t even know me.”
“I don’t have too.” She saw his muscles visibly relax and she smiled, “I don’t know what kind of man you were before this whole thing,” she said, placing a hand gently on his arm, “but I like who you are now, and that’s all that matters.”
His dark brown eyes looked at her and she shrugged her shoulders, looking down at the comforter, “Maybe it was a blessing that you don’t remember much…” She lifted her head up just as he leaned in towards her, his lips barely brushing against hers.
He had anticipated her to reject his action but she didn’t pull away so he pressed his mouth a little harder into hers. Her lips parted slightly, giving him access to her mouth and he hesitated, finally deepening the kiss. Abby pulled back but Gabriel quickly placed his arms on either side of her body, keeping her pinned as he moved forward.
Her back curved as he advanced towards her, his body looming over hers until he was completely on top of her. She broke the kiss, her breathing heavy as she stared into his dark eyes, seeing his lips part in jagged breaths. Gabriel faltered with her gaze on him and pulled back but Abby shot out her hand, grabbing his neck as she pulled him forward. Their lips crashed against each others again as his hand pulled back the covers on the bed, nestling his body above hers.
Icy air hit her bare legs and goose bumps instantly erupted on her skin as she brought her hands up, cupping his face. Her fingers slid down the grain of his stubble as she moaned lightly into his mouth. A shiver ran through her body when she felt his hands move up her thigh, inching her dress up to her stomach.
He stopped, pulling back as he tried to catch his breath, his eyes staring at her as she smiled. Abby was breathing heavy, her long auburn hair falling over her shoulders as she nodded, “It’s okay…” The fabric moved up her stomach again as he took her approval, lowering his face to her neck as his lips gently sucked at the skin. Abby closed her eyes, laying her head back on the pillow as he continued kissing down her neckline until she felt his fingers hook into the fabric of her panties.
She snapped her hand over his and he jumped, quickly pushing himself off of her as he stumbled backwards. Abby pulled herself up, grasping the front of his shirt before he could fall off the bed and he slumped forward, his palms lying flat against the mattress. The young man lifted his head up when he felt Abby’s hands grab his shirt, pulling it over his head. He stared at her for a few minutes in confusion but she didn’t seem too concerned with his gaze as she looked straight at him and gave him a playful shrug of her shoulders.
Gabriel crawled forward, returning his lips against hers as she leaned back down on the bed, her hands fumbling with his jeans. She managed to undo the button, frantically pushing down his jeans as he deepened the kiss, his hands moving back to her hips as he pulled the fabric down her legs.
A sharp ring rang out in the room as she snapped awake, her eyes scanning the room hastily as she found herself alone. She pulled a hand up towards her head and placed the palm against her forehead, trying to calm her heartbeat as the cell continued to ring on the side table. Taking a deep sigh, she wiped off the droplets of sweat that accumulated on her skin as she picked up the phone, “Hello?”
“Office.” A masculine voice echoed on the other line, “Now.”
Chapter 6
It took her awhile to calm down, her heartbeat relaxing from the vivid dream she was woken up from. She slowly dropped the phone on the nightstand, pushing herself off the bed as she grabbed a pair of boots from her closet. Throwing them on, she quickly changed, pulling her coat from a hanger as she walked back into her room. Abby grabbed her cell phone, checking the time on the clock before she walked into the hallway.
3:42 am
She tried to stay as quiet as possible as she maneuvered through the living room, finding Gabriel asleep on the couch, faint murmurs escaping his lips. Ignoring the distraction, she exited the apartment, rushing down the stairs as she made her way to the subway station.
The subway car was barren as she walked up the steps and took a seat. Closing her eyes, she found her mind wandering as the car slowly began to pick up pace. Before she knew it, the transport vehicle stopped and she opened her eyes, pulling herself up as she walked off the subway. She picked up her pace, rushing down the street as she ran through the spinning glass doors to the marble lobby.
She gripped her purse as she took the elevator up to the 12th floor, hearing the distinctive ding as the doors opened and she walked into the large room. The same lady was seated at the desk as she gave her a look, letting her pass by to the office behind her. Abby hesitated, finally opening up the door as she saw the occupant’s head bob up at the disturbance.
The man looked at her sternly, raising a hand up as he motioned her towards the desk. Abby complied, walking up as she stood in front of him, watching as he pulled out papers from various folders. “I have a few questions for you.” He said, and the girl took a deep sigh, looking down at the desk.
“Do you recognize these?” he said, placing her photographs on the desk. Abby looked down at them, seeing the gruesome images and she looked away, responding obediently, “Yes.”
“What about this one?” Abby watched as he pulled out a picture, placing it next to the crime scene photos. She took a moment before looking down at the image, stiffening upon seeing a headshot of Gabriel. The man noticed her reaction and tapped the edge of the photo, “That’s your new friend, isn’t it? Sylar?”
His statement caused her to look up startled, her eyes narrowed in confusion and he smiled, looking back down at the desk. He took an image of a red-headed girl with her skull cut open and placed it next to the photograph of Gabriel, looking back up at her as he asked, “You want to know what connects these two?”
As if it was an amusing game, Bob tapped a finger on the image of Gabriel, pulling his hand over to the girl’s photo as he dragged the same finger across her forehead. Abby swallowed hard, her nerves jumping at the mere idea of Gabriel having anything to do with what the picture depicted. He glanced at the young girl, seeing the grim expression on her face, “You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into; you need to bring him in.”
Abby shook her head, trying to justify his innocence as she explained to her boss, “No…” she paused, anger beginning to build as she continued, “Gabriel doesn’t even remember who he is, how do you expect him to know what you’re accusing him of?” She said, rage burning behind her voice and he ignored the obvious use of the man’s real name as he smiled, “He won’t, he’s human.”
His statement caused her to falter, her mind curious as he continued, “He’s human and ultimately humans crumble at their weaknesses. He’s not invincible, but if you keep him from us, he will be.”
He almost had her fooled but she quickly snapped from her trance, shaking her head rapidly, “No, I’m not bringing him in.” The man sighed, tapping his finger against the top of his desk, “I don’t believe you understand the danger you’re putting yourself in.”
“He’s not a murderer.” She said flatly but it still showed a bit of nervousness, like she wasn’t completely sure of its validity. He stared at her and she turned towards the door but his voice stopped her when she reached for the knob, “Abigail, we need his help.”
His statement caused her to hesitate, her hand hovering inches from the knob before she turned around, walking back up to the desk. She took a seat in the chair, sighing as she asked, “Why do you need his help?”
The man smiled, stuffing the images back into their respective folders as he explained, “A week ago, we had plans for him and things ended up not going in our favor.” he grasped another folder, pulling out the image of an explosion in mid-air as he placed it on the desk, “Your last assignment was what happened when our arrangement didn’t go as planned.”
Abby stared down at the photograph, remembering the urgency that was placed on that assignment as she raised her eyes back up, her voice soft, “Were you responsible for his this?”
An amused laugh escaped from his mouth as he stared at his desk, “We had nothing to do with that… and we certainly weren’t expecting him to get stabbed either” he said, looking back up, “It just happened and we dealt with the loss… but then we found out that you gained a visitor.” Abby shifted her stance, her eyebrows creased in slight panic at his words. The man pulled his glasses from his face, wiping them absently against a cloth as his voice reverted back to its demanding tone, “I’m giving you a day to bring him in.”
Abby looked at him, her head tilting slightly before she shook her head, “No… that’s not fair to him. He doesn’t know what he’s done, he could start over.” He placed the glasses back on his face, lifting his head up as he smiled, “That’s exactly what we’re trying to do Abigail. We want to give him a second chance, a chance to do some good in this world.” The young girl drifted her gaze down, contemplating his sentence as he continued, “He doesn’t trust anyone but you, that’s why we need you to talk to him and get him to accept our proposal. Can you do that?”
She took a deep sigh, finally lifting her head to respond, “I suppose.” Her reply caused the man to smile, an accomplished expression shining on his face, “Perfect.”
---
A graphic nightmare pulled him from peaceful sleep as his dark eyes shot open. Callous screams and frozen faces covered in blood made lasting imprints in his mind as he jolted his body up, the action regrettable as he clutched his stomach. He bit down hard on his lower lip causing the skin to break beneath the force, copper stinging his taste buds.
Gabriel looked around the room slightly disoriented as he shook the last of the nightmare from his mind. He slowly pushed himself up from the couch, his legs willing him to move as he walked up to the opposite wall, squinting through the dark to see the clock.
5:13 am
At least he had managed to sleep for most of the night without any restlessness as he pulled a hand through his hair. The ticking of the clock echoed loudly in his ears and he turned back towards the wall, staring at it oddly as his ears picked up the sounds of human chatter on the streets below. The experience disappeared momentarily, leaving Gabriel puzzled but he pushed past it, looking down at the table to find a large folder.
His arm outstretched towards it, his curiosity taking over when the thick plastic cover opened before his fingers even touched it. He pulled back his hand quickly, the action causing him to falter until he designated the odd phenomenon to his exhaustion.
He picked up the folder, returning back to the couch as he sat down, his fingers flipping through the contents. Every image that his eyes scanned brought on frightening and unbelievable memories as he willed himself to continue. A photograph of a young redheaded waitress, lying in the most grotesque position he had ever seen with blood everywhere caused him to linger, his eyes scanning every detail of the image before turning the page. The adjoining image was instantly recognizable, the faces in the photo all too familiar as Gabriel’s jaw clenched down, his hand balling up into a fist at his side.
---
She swung open the door, rushing into the apartment as she stopped to catch her breath. “Gabriel?” she said, looking around the barely lit living room when she noticed a blur in the corner of her eye. Abby turned quickly, finding Gabriel standing behind her and she threw a hand up to her chest, exhaling loudly, “Gabriel, you scared me.”
He didn’t react to her comment and she walked forward, a part of her eager to see his face clearly. As she advanced, she noticed that there was something different; his eyes were cold, his jaw set and his body visibly tense as he stared her down. “What did you just call me?” he asked; the tone a lot darker then she had ever heard it. Abby changed her motion as she retreated backwards, her hand dropping down to her side as her voice hesitated.
“Sylar?”
Heroes | Sylar, Mohinder, Bob, Matt, OC
PG13-NC17 | 15645 words
Chapter 1
Feet pounded against the cold, hygienic tile of the hospital as she rushed through the sliding doors. Worry and hesitation showed in the young woman’s features as she paced into the waiting room of the large ICU wing. She walked up to a woman, tapping her on the shoulder as she turned around.
“Abigail.” The brunette voiced, pulling the young girl into a hug. She pulled away, her eyes focused as she asked, “When did it happen?” The hand on the girl’s shoulder dropped and she answered, “Almost two weeks ago.”
“You should have called me.” Came her flat response and the woman was speechless for a moment. She shook her head, coming to her senses as she tried to reason with the girl, “He’s fine, Abby.” She paused, giving a semi-shocked laugh, “He’s joking around. They say that he’ll be released soon.”
“You still should have called me.” Abby gave the woman a dirty look, turning around as she headed towards a glass enclosed room, opening the door.
---
“You’re not supposed to get yourself shot.” the girl said meretriciously, closing the door behind her, as she saw the man’s face light up, “because then I have to come in and make sure you’re alright.”
“Hey, I’m supposed to be responsible for you.” He said, a slight smile forming on his mouth as he propped the bed up. The girl took a deep sigh, walking up as she sat down on the edge of the bed and held his hand, “And now the tables have turned and I have to take care of you.”
He laughed causing him to grimace, “I’m pretty sure this wasn’t what your mother meant when she said we had to look out for each other.” His comment made her giggle, nodding her head as she responded, “Pretty sure, yeah.” The smile quickly disappeared from her face, replaced with a worried look, “Do you want to tell me how this happened?”
Matt looked past her towards the large window behind her head, withdrawing his hand from her grasp, “Not really, no.” He brought his eyes back on the face of his visitor, noticing the disappointment in her expression. She shrugged, raising an eyebrow as she replied, “You do realize I’ll find out eventually.”
“And when that happens, I will deny everything.” The young girl rolled her eyes, knowing that he always found a way to make the most serious of topics amusing.
Abby pursed her lip, standing up from the bed as she joked, “If you didn’t have four bullet holes in your chest right now, I would punch you.”
A light knock on the glass caused the girl to turn her head. A nurse stood at the door, indicating the end of visiting hours. She walked up to the bed, leaning down to kiss the man’s forehead, “That was really stupid, you know that?”
He looked taken aback but turned it into an amused expression as he nodded, “Your mother was right, you are just like me.” He said, as he watched her pull her purse over her shoulder and smiled. She rotated her body and walked up to the door, looking over her shoulder slightly as she responded, “Get some sleep, Uncle Matt.”
---
The cold winter air blasted against her face as she exited the hospital, walking down the sidewalk and towards the subway. She was relieved that her uncle was doing better and was due to be released soon but she was still confused as to how he ended up with four bullet holes in his chest. It couldn’t have been from the call of duty; don’t they usually wear vests for that sort of thing?
Huddling her coat against her body, she shook her head not really wanting to delve on the thoughts. She reached the main subway station across the street from the hospital, walking past the security as she entered the nearest subway car.
People piled onto the transport vehicle, filing in the seats as Abby stared out the window, watching the lights begin to streak in the dimmed tunnel.
---
It had seemed like it took him hours to finally reach the floor to his apartment. The fear of his current condition causing him to use the back way as he weakly stood on the fire escape outside the window to the bedroom. He slowly crouched down to the hem of the window sill, running his finger along the metal strip as his fingers grasped the edge, anticipating the window to slide open easily. It failed to move, caught on the track as the resulting effect of his exertion rang out in the alley below.
An unknown anger began to boil inside him as he rose, sending his fist through the window as it shattered on impact. He brought his clenched hand up to his face, squinting through the darkness at the bits of light reflecting off the shards imbedded in his skin. He closed his eyes, shaking off the sting that was pricking at his flesh as he slowly pulled himself through the broken window. His feet hit the carpeted floor of the bedroom causing him to stumble at the pressure, a guttural cry tearing from his vocal cords.
His muscles were sore, his body ached and he wished he didn’t have a gaping hole in the center of his stomach. Every strand of fibrous muscle felt as if it would explode on contact with the pressure of every small movement he made. The ardent pounding in his temples was like a sledgehammer slamming against his skull, any memory too painful to try to recollect, so he didn’t even bother. He couldn’t remember how he ended up in a foot of dirty water at the bottom of a sewer; let alone where the two inches of caked on blood came from.
Keeping a hand plastered against his chest, his dark eyes fluttered about the room. The walls had been repainted and the furniture moved, and it all seemed so unfamiliar to him. He didn’t remember the apartment looking this clean and polished before. It was different and he wasn’t comfortable with different.
He shook his head, quickly rethinking it when the pounding on his temples increased and he threw a blood-coated hand to his forehead. Shutting his eyes, he opened them as he stumbled forward, unstably heading across the room.
The young man didn’t attempt to turn on the light, conserving what little energy he had. His eyes surveyed the small room, grasping the medicine cabinet as he pulled it open to search its contents. He threw various toiletries to the floor, grabbing medical items when he was stopped mid-pursuit, the sound of the door unlocking echoing in his ears.
He narrowed his eyes, realizing how impossible it was. He had to have been at least 20 feet from the front door and the sound of a key in a lock sounded crystal clear as if it was a centimeter away. Dropping the first aid kit into the basin of the sink he hesitated, pulling his body behind the open door.
---
Abby tucked the ring of keys in her palm as she entered the apartment, walking through the doorframe. She pulled her purse from her shoulder, placing it on the side table along with her keys as she made her way to the dining table, dropping her coat idly over the back of a chair.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, she yawned at the time, walking across the room as she pulled her auburn hair from a hairclip. She moved down the small hallway, finally entering the bedroom as her hand dropped the clip on the shelf. A small gray cat lay curled up on the mattress, her fingers scratching his head before moving to the dresser.
She dropped her gaze, stopping short as her blue-gray eyes surveyed the broken glass scattered across the ground. A hiss echoed behind her and she turned around quickly to scorn him, “Shh!” The cat growled and she lifted her gaze up to level, finding a shadowed figure standing in the doorway. A loud gasp tore from her throat as her hand fumbled around in the dark, trying to locate the lamp.
Yellow light illuminated the room and she saw the man’s appearance more clearly. He was tall and very slender, the dusty black clothes that he wore clinging to his skin. Abby stepped forward curiously causing him to back up, his eyes drifting between the room and her face.
He was disoriented, the sweat on his brow mixing with the dirt and grime caked onto his skin. The young girl dropped her gaze, noticing the tear in his shirt and the recognizable red substance filtrating through the fabric.
“Oh my god…” she whispered, as she watched him drop his gaze down towards his stomach, bringing it up in reaction to her voice. She thought about moving forward but decided against it when she saw his foot kick out awkwardly. He stepped towards her, the pressure placed against every muscle in his body finally taking its toll as he crashed to the ground.
Vibrations bounced off the floor as his dark eyes caught the blurred face of the young woman as she knelt down beside him. His dilated pupils picked up a speckled effect of his surroundings before fluttering shut, enormous black circles melding into pure darkness in his view.
Chapter 2
The cool water washed over her hand as she dipped the washcloth into the bowl, bringing it up as she dabbed it over grimy flesh. She ran the damp fabric against the grain of stubble on his lower jaw, watching his lips break apart slightly with each labored breath. Dipping the cloth back into the clear liquid, the water picked up the dirt as it fell to the bottom of the basin.
Her hand squeezed out the remaining fluid, draping the cloth over the side as she twisted her body towards the man on the bed. The yellow light of dawn filtered through the jagged edges of glass as it cast a dulling glow around the room. Abby’s fingers found the small, round buttons of his shirt, undoing them as she peeled the clingy fabric from his skin.
She grabbed the wet cloth once again, dragging it slowly around the open wound, careful not to injure him further. The dried blood washed away from the skin, revealing the inner flesh healed while the outer injury still remained painfully apparent. His body shuddered beneath her touch when her fingers grazed the surface of the broken skin.
The reaction caused her to withdraw her hand but returned it after a moment. She picked up the washcloth, the cold air entering the room making the fabric feel like ice in her hand.
Her palm traveled back to his torso, moving closer to the open wound when a strong hand snapped around her wrist. Abby jumped backward, the unexpected reaction causing her heartbeat to quicken as she stared bewildered at the tense fingers stiff around her lower arm.
“That hurts…”
The raspy voice drew her eyes to his face as his lips let out a pained moan. She pulled back her arm, the man’s fingers loosening around her wrist as he let her go. Solid black eyes opened, the pupils quickly retracting as dark brown filled in the blank space.
Abby dropped the washcloth into the basin, water splashing out onto the carpet; her voice rushed “I’m sorry.” She looked down for a moment, bringing her eyes up to find his gaze pointedly fixed on her face.
He could see that she was nervous, her eyebrows slightly creased in concern and unknown fear. Her shoulders shrugged lightly, the blue-gray orbits keeping its stare on the broken skin of his torso, “What happened to you?”
The question startled him as he rested his head back against the pillow, his tongue running across his upper lip as his response sounded scared, “I don’t know…” He pointed his gaze up towards the ceiling, his eyes following the blade of the fan as it spun overhead, the girl’s silence visible in the room.
Abby watched him, his body becoming rigid and limp with each movement of his muscles; but he seemed to be gaining the upper hand as his previous pained outcries turned into light, hissing gasps. She had so many questions for him, none of them worth asking, considering his current situation. Placing her hands in her lap, she looked off, an uncomfortable atmosphere filling the room as it mixed with the ice cold air from outside. Abby shivered when the chill reached her skin, her ears picking up the early morning clamor of New York City when the man’s voice cracked through the noise.
“What’s your name?” his eyes opened, his gaze directed at her again and she hesitated, finally responded to his question, “Abby Parsons.” The dark eyes diverted off, his head nodding slowly as his neck relaxed and his skull fell flat against the pillow.
The gray cat walked by the bed, pawing at the dirty black coat sprawled on the floor and she lifted her gaze up, her voice curious, “Do you know yours?” Silence was palpable in the room as the man crinkled his nose up, trying to remember. A name flashed in his mind and he responded, the air in his lungs putting further pressure on his muscles, “Gabriel Gray.”
Abby froze, recognizing the name instantly and suddenly most of the situation became clear. “You used to live here.” She said, watching his eyes as they showed some confusion to her statement, but his mind unable to dwell upon its purpose. She sighed, understanding the disorientation clouding his judgment as she drifted her gaze towards the broken window.
“I’m sorry about the window.” He said, his voice weak as she brought her eyes on his face. The young man attempted a small smile to his apology and Abby nodded, smiling back. The palms of his hands pressed against the mattress as he tried to push himself up, regretting it instantly when he sucked in a breath, a shot of pain coursing through his body. Her eyes fell on his face, the pupils of her eyes showing worry as she reached out to his arm, taking it gently as she guided him back down.
“We really should get you checked out,” she stopped, her gaze drifting to his open shirt and the wound visible in his flesh. “that doesn’t look go…”
“No.” he said, cutting her off and she looked startled, her eyes scanning his face. Gabriel paused, diverting his gaze towards the window to the rising sun. He couldn’t quite explain it but he didn’t feel safe going out in public and it wasn’t because he was injured. He felt as if it was his own wrong-doing that got him into this situation and he didn’t want to risk the consequences.
The girl took a moment, finally nodding her head as she stood up from the bed; her knees bending down to pick up the basin of water on the ground. She tucked the bowl beneath her arm, her mind unable to stop the words as they spilled from her lips, “You can stay here if you would like.” He turned his head, her statement drawing his attention as his brown eyes blinked in surprise. She quickly added, noticing his shocked expression, “I mean, until you’re better.” She motioned towards his wound, smiling nervously as she turned to exit the room.
“Thank you.” His faint voice made her stop at the doorframe, her back facing him as she nodded her head, walking through the door and into the living room. Gabriel watched her disappear from his sight, closing his eyes for a moment as he rested his head back against the pillow. He twisted his neck to the side, seeing the sun peak through the tall buildings as it lit up the morning air. A quick procession of red and orange energy flashed in his mind, departing as quickly as it appeared; its meaning leaving the man curious of its purpose.
Chapter 3
He awoke a couple hours later, the sun no longer streaming through the jagged glass as he carefully pulled himself up. A jolt of pain shot through his muscles but he held back a scream, placing his palm flat against the white gauze around his stomach. He sighed, remembering that hours earlier he had let the girl bandage his wound before she had insisted that he get some sleep.
The pain subsided and he brought a hand up to his eyes, rubbing them as he glanced around the room, finally spotting a few articles of clothing folded on the trunk beside the bed. Making sure he had a steady stance, he lifted himself up; his muscles slightly giving as he stumbled a bit. He caught himself, recovering quickly as he straightened up, dropping his hands to his sides.
Grabbing the clothes, he walked through the doorframe into the bathroom as he closed the door behind him. Setting the items on the shelf above the sink, he slowly pulled the black button down shirt from his shoulders and dropped it to the ground. He reached over, pulling the solid orange top over his head, grimacing when he accidentally brushed against the bandage.
The brightly colored shirt looked awkward on his body but he ignored it, thankful to be wearing anything clean. He was surprised that the jeans fit perfectly; the only thing marginally wrong with them was the looseness of the waistband around his hips. He figured the belt would fix that problem as he drew the leather strap through the denim hoops.
After hooking the belt closed, he reached forward, turning the faucet on as he splashed cold water on his face. His fingers found a towel nearby, unfolding it in his hands as he dabbed it against his skin; his eyes glancing forward as he straightened up.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror, a depiction of a haunted young man staring back at him as he drew a skeletal hand through the matted heap of his hair. His eyes lifted up, dark circles surrounding the brown orbits as he glanced at the sullen appearance of his cheekbones. Thick stubble covered his jaw, every facial bone protruding against the skin and he looked away, unable to look at his fragile appearance any longer.
Gabriel ran his tongue over his chapped lips, the damp towel in his grasp as he picked up his dirty clothing, tossing the items into the hamper in the corner of the small room. The loud snap of the cover closing shut caused him to stop, an eerie image of a red-headed girl, frozen in stance as blood dripped down her face flashed in his mind. He faltered, quickly shaking the memory away as he exited the bathroom, pacing through the hallway to the living room.
He found Abby curled up on the couch, her head resting on her knees as her arms were wrapped around her shins. Her long auburn hair fell in pieces over her bare arms and he continued to walk into the room, accidentally kicking a side table as it made a noise and jerked her awake. His body stiffened when he saw her head bounce up, her tired eyes glancing at his form as she blinked, yawning lightly, “Hi…”
“Hi.” He said and she untangled her arms from her legs, dropping them to the ground. She pulled a hand up to her face, rubbing her eyes, “Did you sleep well?” Gabriel nodded, seeing her rise from the couch as she added, “How are you feeling?” She walked past him, opening up the refrigerator as he turned towards her, watching her pull ingredients from the shelves.
“Alright, I guess.” He responded, his eyes surveying the scene in front of him as she assembled the items together. “That’s good.” Came her reply and she turned around, holding the plate in her hands as she walked up to him.
“Here.” She said, holding the plate out in front of him and he drew up a hand, placing his palm against the edge as he pushed it back towards her, shaking his head. “I’m not hungry.”
A loud growl echoed in the room, his hunger gnawing at his stomach as she gave him a look, pushing the plate back into his hands. “Really?” His lips drew into a straight line as he grudgingly took the plate and walked to the table.
Abby watched as he slowly lowered himself down into the chair, his fingers idly picking at the food on his plate. She crumbled at the sight; the concept of the man not knowing his past and the unfamiliar state of his condition causing him too much confusion to bear.
He finally picked up the sandwich and she relaxed, seeing him bring the bread to his lips as he took a small bite. She grabbed the blanket from the couch, moving forward towards the bedroom when his voice stopped her, “Where are you going?” She turned her head in time to see his hand drop the sandwich as his eyes locked on her face; she could have sworn she saw a flicker of coldness but it was covered quickly by an evident fear.
The fabric slipped in her grasp as she stood standing for minutes; her gaze fixated on the young man as he picked up a piece of turkey, bringing it up to bite into it. She smiled, walking up to the table as she dropped the blanket back on the couch.
Once she had taken a seat on the opposite side of the table, he let out a relieved sigh, picking up the sandwich as he took another bite. Gabriel swallowed and looked down at the plate, lifting his gaze up to find Abby staring at him, her body leaning forward over the table.
She outstretched her hand and he backed up slightly, the warmth of her fingers mingling on his jaw as she absently wiped some stray mustard from the corner of his lip. Their eyes locked for a brief moment and she withdrew her fingers from his stubbled cheek, but he moved quickly, grasping her wrist. The connection caused her to jump in surprise as his dark eyes kept its fixed gaze on her face.
Abby pulled her hand back in his grasp but he brought her thumb to his mouth, his rough bottom lip brushing against her skin as he cleaned the condiment from her fingertip. Her blue-gray eyes watched his lips, feeling his hot tongue lick the side of her finger as he pulled the digit into his mouth. He could hear her heartbeat quicken and he stopped, withdrawing her thumb from his mouth and releasing her wrist.
He immediately dropped his gaze to the table, pulling his hand away from her as if he had done something wrong, “Sorry, that was uncalled for.” Abby recovered quickly, her heartbeat relaxing as she smiled, “It’s okay.”
There was an uncomfortable moment between the two, both of their gazes diverted away from each other as Gabriel tapped his finger lightly against the ceramic. Abby brought her gaze back on him after a few minutes, her mouth opening to speak when a shrill ring echoed in the room, causing both to jump at the sound.
“I’m sorry.” She said, getting up from the table and walking towards the entryway as she grabbed her purse. He nodded, returning back to his meal as he pealed the lettuce apart on the plate, seeing her pull her cell phone from the inner pocket. The mobile flipped open in her grasp and she spoke into it; the only words heard was her voice mumbling as she snapped it shut, walking back into the living room.
Gabriel raised his head up when she re-entered the room, his dark eyes locking on hers as she spoke, “I have to go for a few hours, I’ll be back before its dark.” His mind registered the statement, he really didn’t want her to leave but he ended up nodding his head in approval. She smiled, rushing back to the entryway as she grabbed her coat and another bag.
The door opened and he watched her step out into the hall, her voice trailing behind her as she closed the door. “Stay here, okay?”
The slam of the door echoed in the apartment, the sound digging up the image of the red-head’s frozen face as it entered Gabriel’s mind again. The flash of memory disappeared seconds after it had emerged, the result of it causing the young man to squeeze his eyes shut as he prayed that he wasn’t losing his mind.
Chapter 4
It was late in the afternoon as she walked up the street towards the subway station, her purse held close to her body as she maneuvered through crowds of people. Her shoulder accidentally brushed against a young man as he plowed past her. He stopped, turning around quickly as a hasty apology spilled from his mouth and she smiled, informing him that it was her fault and not his.
He smiled, pulling the brown side bag over his head as he nodded and turned around, rushing through the mess of the crowd. A nudge on her shoulder caused her to continue to walk as people passed by her, eager to go home to their families and their lives.
Abby turned off from the horde of New Yorkers as she walked through the spinning glass doors of a huge office building. Her shoes tapped against the marble tile of the lobby as she moved towards the elevator hall. She pressed a fingertip against the arrow button, seeing it light up as she waiting for the distinctive ding.
The ring echoed in the hall and she looked up, seeing the doors open as a few people shuffled out. Her legs willed her forward as she entered the dimmed elevator, her finger gravitating towards the multitude of buttons on the side console when a masculine voice echoed outside the hall. She threw an arm against the inside of the sliding doors, holding them open as a familiar man ran into the elevator.
He stopped, recognizing the young girl as he breathlessly said, “Oh… hello again.” An awkward smile spread on the girl’s face as she replied nervously, “Hi…” There was a curious silence in the elevator as the doors closed and Abby reached over and pressed the respective button for her floor.
The young man cleared his throat, outstretching an arm as his tanned finger pressed a floor above hers. Abby lifted her eyes up above to the line of lights displayed above the metal doors when the man’s voice broke the silence, “I’m Mohinder Suresh.” He twisted his body and stuck out his hand and she took it gently, shaking it as she replied, “Abby Parsons.” He smiled and they dropped their hold, the girl turning back towards the door.
“Do you work for the Company?”
Abby turned quickly, her gaze full of confusion as she looked at the man startled, “Excuse me?” She saw that her answer wasn’t what the man was expecting as his brown eyes grew wide and he stiffened. He shakily tried to explain himself, pointing at the button console as he diverted his gaze away from her, “I’m sorry, I must have been mistaken. Ignore me.”
He laughed nervously and she smiled, looking at him for a moment before the ding echoed in the elevator and the doors opened to the 12th floor. She gripped the handle of her bag as she stepped out into the hallway, turning around as she smiled, “It was nice meeting you, Mohinder.” Mohinder lifted his gaze up and smiled back, nodding his head slightly as he replied, “It was nice meeting you too, Abby.”
The doors closed and she continued her pace into the hallway, moving down the corridor before entering a large, open space. Desks stood idly around various sections of the room and she walked up to one of them, an older woman lifting her gaze as she pointed to the office behind her, her voice stern, “He’s waiting in there.”
Abby swallowed, walking around the desk as she opened the door to a massive office. A middle-aged man lifted his head up from a pile of papers on his desk and she walked up, holding a large folder in front of him. He took it without any word and she began to explain herself when he threw a hand up, “I don’t care what you do during your time,” he paused, looking at the envelope in his hands, “as long as you deliver the photos.” He tore open the manila folder, pulling out a multitude of photographs as his eyes scanned the images. Abby stood in front of the desk, watching his expression for the slightest hint of disapproval when his voice echoed again, “Where were these taken?”
“Outside Donovan Square, a couple blocks from Kirby Plaza.” She said, seeing a smile tug on the man’s mouth as he looked up at her. “These are just what we needed.” Abby returned the smile slightly, pulling her purse over her shoulder as he dropped the pictures on the table, a collection of sepia and monotone images of a radiant explosion in the sky.
The man looked back up, regaining a dominant tone as he replied, “Next deadline is Tuesday,” he dug beneath the pile of papers, producing another manila envelope, “you’ve got a week.”
“What’s the new assignment?” she asked and he nodded his head, responding to her question, “We need you to go to Honduras to take some pictures of an unexplained crime being committed there.”
“Honduras??” she asked, her voice exasperated as she brought a hand up to her forehead, rubbing her temples. She looked back up, dropping her palm and faced the man, “I can’t do this anymore.” Her statement had an effect on him as he looked at her, narrowing his eyes behind the thin wires of his glasses. She continued, “First it was unsolved murders in high schools and diners and then it was mysterious explosions in the sky. I don’t even understand any of this and you expect me to just fly to South America and take more pictures of death?!” The man smiled, picking himself up from his chair as he calmly responded, “You’re not supposed to understand, Abby. You just take the pictures.”
He pulled his glasses from his face, cleaning them with a cloth as he placed them back on his face, picking up the folder on the desk. He shoved it into her hands, “You leave in 2 days.”
She took the envelope grudgingly and pursed her lip in annoyance, finally nodding her head as she turned to exit the office when his voice was heard once more, the tone lighter, “Oh and Abby,” she turned to face him and he smiled, “make me proud.”
The expression on her face was less than enthused as she walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
She couldn’t believe she was doing this. A year ago she had been working at a reputable magazine, taking still photographs and helping with important photo shoots. That is, of course, when she was confronted by mysterious man named Thompson and asked if she would be interested in traveling the world. She had considered it, taking a week to check out what the job entailed.
Everything the man had told her checked out and she had always wanted to travel; using her talents in contrast with the changing atmosphere of the world. She accepted and the man couldn’t have been more ecstatic; he presented her with her first assignment that day and she took it without questions.
The assignment was to fly to a small town in Texas where a local high school was having their Homecoming celebrations. The only problem was their runner up for Homecoming Queen was murdered. She hesitated, she was only here to take photographs of the scene; the man had neglected to tell her the details of the case and she wasn’t sure she was okay with it all.
Abby had pushed past the shock, finally walking up to a couple officers as she gave them her name. Surprisingly, they let her pass as they informed her that she was part of the criminal investigation unit. She didn’t think too much on it as she walked through the dimmed hallways to the yellow taped locker room.
The scene disturbed her; blood splattered all over the walls and the victim lying grotesquely on the tile, her face frozen in fear with blood smeared over the skin. Abby had looked away, unable to bear looking any further when she remembered that she was there for a job. If she drew too much attention to herself, there would be dire consequences when she returned to New York and she didn’t want to know what those consequences would be.
So she took a deep breath, walking beneath the tape as she pulled out her camera. She got the pictures she needed and upon arriving back, was praised for her good work, sending her off on another assignment. The more assignments she went on, the more she got used to the questionable situations, always keeping her mouth shut and obeying orders.
Though, through the past couple months, the program had changed hands. An even more alchemistic gentleman took the place for Thompson, who had mysteriously disappeared. She was informed not to ask questions so she didn’t, accepting the new changes as she was continuously sent on more assignments.
She glanced at her front door, realizing she had surprisingly made her way home as she unlocked the door, opening it up as she walked into the foyer. Abby threw her coat into the closet, moving past the entryway to find Gabriel asleep on the couch, the small gray cat lying on his thigh.
The scene in front of her caused her to yawn, her body finally catching up with its exhaustion as she walked into the bedroom. She didn’t bother to change clothes, pulling back the covers on the bed as she slipped underneath. Her eyes closed once her muscles hit the comfortable mattress and she peacefully fell asleep.
Chapter 5
He awoke suddenly, the lasting impression of a familiar nightmare placed on repeat in his mind as the small gray cat bounded off his stomach and ran into the opposite room. Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut, opening them moments later to stare at the halfway open door to the bedroom. Pushing the images to the back of his head, he pulled himself up from the couch, slowly walking into the room where Abby lay sleeping.
He stood beside the bed, his mind wondering if he should wake her, but the cat seemed to read his thoughts, jumping up on the mattress. The young girl stirred as Oliver walked over her leg, her blue-gray eyes opening up to the darkened room. Gabriel froze, seeing her eyes lock on his face as she faintly inquired, “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry,” he blurted, shifting his stance slightly, “I didn’t want to wake you.” He watched as she pulled her right arm out from under the covers, bringing it up to rub her eyes. She pulled her hand back to rest on the mattress as she pushed herself up into a sitting position, “Can you not sleep?”
The young man shook his head and she tilted her head as her voice asked, “Is it…” He shook his head again and she trailed off from her sentence as he responded, “No, it doesn’t hurt anymore.” As soon as he finished his sentence, he looked slightly shocked by his reply and the expression on Abby’s face seemed to match his own. She narrowed her eyes, confusion etched on her face but she shook it away when Oliver’s meow broke the silent atmosphere.
She looked at the gray cat and scratched his head as she let Gabriel sit down on the edge of the bed. His voice was so soft, she had to strain to hear it, “I’m seeing things…” Gabriel kept his gaze down, as he took a deep sigh and continued, “Every time I close my eyes, I see death.”
The girl was silent for a couple minutes, finally speaking as she placed her hands in her lap, “Maybe you went through something traumatic and…” her sentence was cut short when his voice cut through it, “No.” he pulled a hand up to rub the back of his neck, his voice slightly rising in volume, “I think I caused it.”
“What are you talking about?” Abby asked, her arm outstretching towards the lamp on the side table. The room illuminated in a yellow glow and Gabriel’s head bobbed slightly at the change in lighting. “You think you killed people?”
He didn’t speak or move for the longest time and even though she had tried to stay calm, panic was starting to emerge in her heart. His head cocked to the side as he heard her heartbeat quicken and he replied quietly, “Yes.”
Gabriel lifted his head up as he glanced at her for a split second. In that miniscule increment, he saw a glimmer of fear in her eyes and something inside him cracked. The feeling disappeared immediately and he saw her eyes return back to the compassionate gaze she always wore. A smile appeared on her lips and her voice was heard in his ears, “I don’t believe it.”
He had half expected her to freak out on him and call the cops but she didn’t and he wondered how much trust she held on him. Gabriel lifted his head again, his eyes narrowing, “But you don’t even know me.”
“I don’t have too.” She saw his muscles visibly relax and she smiled, “I don’t know what kind of man you were before this whole thing,” she said, placing a hand gently on his arm, “but I like who you are now, and that’s all that matters.”
His dark brown eyes looked at her and she shrugged her shoulders, looking down at the comforter, “Maybe it was a blessing that you don’t remember much…” She lifted her head up just as he leaned in towards her, his lips barely brushing against hers.
He had anticipated her to reject his action but she didn’t pull away so he pressed his mouth a little harder into hers. Her lips parted slightly, giving him access to her mouth and he hesitated, finally deepening the kiss. Abby pulled back but Gabriel quickly placed his arms on either side of her body, keeping her pinned as he moved forward.
Her back curved as he advanced towards her, his body looming over hers until he was completely on top of her. She broke the kiss, her breathing heavy as she stared into his dark eyes, seeing his lips part in jagged breaths. Gabriel faltered with her gaze on him and pulled back but Abby shot out her hand, grabbing his neck as she pulled him forward. Their lips crashed against each others again as his hand pulled back the covers on the bed, nestling his body above hers.
Icy air hit her bare legs and goose bumps instantly erupted on her skin as she brought her hands up, cupping his face. Her fingers slid down the grain of his stubble as she moaned lightly into his mouth. A shiver ran through her body when she felt his hands move up her thigh, inching her dress up to her stomach.
He stopped, pulling back as he tried to catch his breath, his eyes staring at her as she smiled. Abby was breathing heavy, her long auburn hair falling over her shoulders as she nodded, “It’s okay…” The fabric moved up her stomach again as he took her approval, lowering his face to her neck as his lips gently sucked at the skin. Abby closed her eyes, laying her head back on the pillow as he continued kissing down her neckline until she felt his fingers hook into the fabric of her panties.
She snapped her hand over his and he jumped, quickly pushing himself off of her as he stumbled backwards. Abby pulled herself up, grasping the front of his shirt before he could fall off the bed and he slumped forward, his palms lying flat against the mattress. The young man lifted his head up when he felt Abby’s hands grab his shirt, pulling it over his head. He stared at her for a few minutes in confusion but she didn’t seem too concerned with his gaze as she looked straight at him and gave him a playful shrug of her shoulders.
Gabriel crawled forward, returning his lips against hers as she leaned back down on the bed, her hands fumbling with his jeans. She managed to undo the button, frantically pushing down his jeans as he deepened the kiss, his hands moving back to her hips as he pulled the fabric down her legs.
A sharp ring rang out in the room as she snapped awake, her eyes scanning the room hastily as she found herself alone. She pulled a hand up towards her head and placed the palm against her forehead, trying to calm her heartbeat as the cell continued to ring on the side table. Taking a deep sigh, she wiped off the droplets of sweat that accumulated on her skin as she picked up the phone, “Hello?”
“Office.” A masculine voice echoed on the other line, “Now.”
Chapter 6
It took her awhile to calm down, her heartbeat relaxing from the vivid dream she was woken up from. She slowly dropped the phone on the nightstand, pushing herself off the bed as she grabbed a pair of boots from her closet. Throwing them on, she quickly changed, pulling her coat from a hanger as she walked back into her room. Abby grabbed her cell phone, checking the time on the clock before she walked into the hallway.
3:42 am
She tried to stay as quiet as possible as she maneuvered through the living room, finding Gabriel asleep on the couch, faint murmurs escaping his lips. Ignoring the distraction, she exited the apartment, rushing down the stairs as she made her way to the subway station.
The subway car was barren as she walked up the steps and took a seat. Closing her eyes, she found her mind wandering as the car slowly began to pick up pace. Before she knew it, the transport vehicle stopped and she opened her eyes, pulling herself up as she walked off the subway. She picked up her pace, rushing down the street as she ran through the spinning glass doors to the marble lobby.
She gripped her purse as she took the elevator up to the 12th floor, hearing the distinctive ding as the doors opened and she walked into the large room. The same lady was seated at the desk as she gave her a look, letting her pass by to the office behind her. Abby hesitated, finally opening up the door as she saw the occupant’s head bob up at the disturbance.
The man looked at her sternly, raising a hand up as he motioned her towards the desk. Abby complied, walking up as she stood in front of him, watching as he pulled out papers from various folders. “I have a few questions for you.” He said, and the girl took a deep sigh, looking down at the desk.
“Do you recognize these?” he said, placing her photographs on the desk. Abby looked down at them, seeing the gruesome images and she looked away, responding obediently, “Yes.”
“What about this one?” Abby watched as he pulled out a picture, placing it next to the crime scene photos. She took a moment before looking down at the image, stiffening upon seeing a headshot of Gabriel. The man noticed her reaction and tapped the edge of the photo, “That’s your new friend, isn’t it? Sylar?”
His statement caused her to look up startled, her eyes narrowed in confusion and he smiled, looking back down at the desk. He took an image of a red-headed girl with her skull cut open and placed it next to the photograph of Gabriel, looking back up at her as he asked, “You want to know what connects these two?”
As if it was an amusing game, Bob tapped a finger on the image of Gabriel, pulling his hand over to the girl’s photo as he dragged the same finger across her forehead. Abby swallowed hard, her nerves jumping at the mere idea of Gabriel having anything to do with what the picture depicted. He glanced at the young girl, seeing the grim expression on her face, “You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into; you need to bring him in.”
Abby shook her head, trying to justify his innocence as she explained to her boss, “No…” she paused, anger beginning to build as she continued, “Gabriel doesn’t even remember who he is, how do you expect him to know what you’re accusing him of?” She said, rage burning behind her voice and he ignored the obvious use of the man’s real name as he smiled, “He won’t, he’s human.”
His statement caused her to falter, her mind curious as he continued, “He’s human and ultimately humans crumble at their weaknesses. He’s not invincible, but if you keep him from us, he will be.”
He almost had her fooled but she quickly snapped from her trance, shaking her head rapidly, “No, I’m not bringing him in.” The man sighed, tapping his finger against the top of his desk, “I don’t believe you understand the danger you’re putting yourself in.”
“He’s not a murderer.” She said flatly but it still showed a bit of nervousness, like she wasn’t completely sure of its validity. He stared at her and she turned towards the door but his voice stopped her when she reached for the knob, “Abigail, we need his help.”
His statement caused her to hesitate, her hand hovering inches from the knob before she turned around, walking back up to the desk. She took a seat in the chair, sighing as she asked, “Why do you need his help?”
The man smiled, stuffing the images back into their respective folders as he explained, “A week ago, we had plans for him and things ended up not going in our favor.” he grasped another folder, pulling out the image of an explosion in mid-air as he placed it on the desk, “Your last assignment was what happened when our arrangement didn’t go as planned.”
Abby stared down at the photograph, remembering the urgency that was placed on that assignment as she raised her eyes back up, her voice soft, “Were you responsible for his this?”
An amused laugh escaped from his mouth as he stared at his desk, “We had nothing to do with that… and we certainly weren’t expecting him to get stabbed either” he said, looking back up, “It just happened and we dealt with the loss… but then we found out that you gained a visitor.” Abby shifted her stance, her eyebrows creased in slight panic at his words. The man pulled his glasses from his face, wiping them absently against a cloth as his voice reverted back to its demanding tone, “I’m giving you a day to bring him in.”
Abby looked at him, her head tilting slightly before she shook her head, “No… that’s not fair to him. He doesn’t know what he’s done, he could start over.” He placed the glasses back on his face, lifting his head up as he smiled, “That’s exactly what we’re trying to do Abigail. We want to give him a second chance, a chance to do some good in this world.” The young girl drifted her gaze down, contemplating his sentence as he continued, “He doesn’t trust anyone but you, that’s why we need you to talk to him and get him to accept our proposal. Can you do that?”
She took a deep sigh, finally lifting her head to respond, “I suppose.” Her reply caused the man to smile, an accomplished expression shining on his face, “Perfect.”
---
A graphic nightmare pulled him from peaceful sleep as his dark eyes shot open. Callous screams and frozen faces covered in blood made lasting imprints in his mind as he jolted his body up, the action regrettable as he clutched his stomach. He bit down hard on his lower lip causing the skin to break beneath the force, copper stinging his taste buds.
Gabriel looked around the room slightly disoriented as he shook the last of the nightmare from his mind. He slowly pushed himself up from the couch, his legs willing him to move as he walked up to the opposite wall, squinting through the dark to see the clock.
5:13 am
At least he had managed to sleep for most of the night without any restlessness as he pulled a hand through his hair. The ticking of the clock echoed loudly in his ears and he turned back towards the wall, staring at it oddly as his ears picked up the sounds of human chatter on the streets below. The experience disappeared momentarily, leaving Gabriel puzzled but he pushed past it, looking down at the table to find a large folder.
His arm outstretched towards it, his curiosity taking over when the thick plastic cover opened before his fingers even touched it. He pulled back his hand quickly, the action causing him to falter until he designated the odd phenomenon to his exhaustion.
He picked up the folder, returning back to the couch as he sat down, his fingers flipping through the contents. Every image that his eyes scanned brought on frightening and unbelievable memories as he willed himself to continue. A photograph of a young redheaded waitress, lying in the most grotesque position he had ever seen with blood everywhere caused him to linger, his eyes scanning every detail of the image before turning the page. The adjoining image was instantly recognizable, the faces in the photo all too familiar as Gabriel’s jaw clenched down, his hand balling up into a fist at his side.
---
She swung open the door, rushing into the apartment as she stopped to catch her breath. “Gabriel?” she said, looking around the barely lit living room when she noticed a blur in the corner of her eye. Abby turned quickly, finding Gabriel standing behind her and she threw a hand up to her chest, exhaling loudly, “Gabriel, you scared me.”
He didn’t react to her comment and she walked forward, a part of her eager to see his face clearly. As she advanced, she noticed that there was something different; his eyes were cold, his jaw set and his body visibly tense as he stared her down. “What did you just call me?” he asked; the tone a lot darker then she had ever heard it. Abby changed her motion as she retreated backwards, her hand dropping down to her side as her voice hesitated.
“Sylar?”