Corpus Christi: 1, 852 miles

Texas is a nice place, I think. I notice my white skin has gotten a little darker and there is a small layer of sweat on my forehead. I wipe it. It's too damn hot.

Maya comes out of the gas station with a map. We spread it out on the hood and pick a path. Maya traces her fingers across our chosen trail. I pick up the map, my hand coming in contact with hers. I draw back quickly, as if she shocked me.

Well, she did. An electric shock of—

Don't say it.

--LOVE! Gabriel and Maya sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G--

Shut up, I think and we get into the car. It's my turn to drive. Thankfully, Maya keeps me company while her brother dozes off in the backseat. I know he's not really sleeping, although he wants to. He's watching us through slitted eyes. I remember him telling Maya something about her powers after I convinced her to use them on the men. If they activate again, he'd let me die.

We were going to have so many issues by the time we get to New York. New York. And then the thoughts why I'm really there, sitting in the car hit me.

I'm not supposed to fall in love with anyone. I'm supposed to be special. I'm supposed to get my powers back. I'm supposed to—

Oh quit your whining, Gabriel. Isn't that how she says it?Gah-brrrr-el?

You don't know anything, I scream at Sylar. He's smirking but he quiets.

"Gabriel?"

That's not funny, I tell him. He sneers.

I didn't do that. She's really saying it.

Maya looks at me with a worried expression. "Are you all right?" I realize that she is talking to me and not Sylar mocking me.

I start to nod and focus on the road. It's sunset now. The sun glows red, casting shadows. Blood red. I look at Maya again. I start feeling a little bad that I'd have to kill her unless I figure out a way to get her powers without cutting her brain open. If I do figure out a way to do that, would she be happy or would she be angry hat I took away her ability?

"Do you like having your power?" I ask quietly. I see Alejandro is really asleep in the mirror. He will not interfere. Maya thinks.

"I do not like having a power that can harm so many people," she says.

"It's useful," I argue. "If you were ever in a fight—"

"Yes but innocent people would be killed!" she snaps. She looks out the window, trying to calm down. I don't press the matter.I don't want her eyes going black.

"I don't know the limits of my powers. I do not know if I can take out a city or a country. It would be much more easier if I could just—"she trails off. "--focus on one person that way no one else would get hurt. Or if I could stop the effect by myself. Without Alejandro." She lightens up,c hanging the subject. "Is the sunset not beautiful? I remember in the Honduras, when I was a little girl, the sun seemed so huge. It looked like it might swallow our town." She jabbers on about her childhood. I don't notice until she was talking about her brother's wedding to someone that she has tears in her eyes.

"You miss home, don't you?" I ask. She nods. "At the wedding, I first realized I had this…curse."

"Power," I correct. "Nothing like this is a curse unless it is used for evil."

"It's not a gift," she argues.

"But it's a power. Or ability," I continue. I look at her. She's so pretty. The light makes her skin glow a little. "You have not used your powers for neither good nor evil. It's a power." I change the subject. "What happened? What triggered your—"I search for a word but Maya knows what I mean.

"I saw his bride with another man. They saw me too. The man grabbed me. He told me to never tell my brother about them or he'd…I got scared. It happened. And I ended up killing half our relatives." She is crying know. I reach for her hand and she clasps mine.

Do you know what you're doing? You're holding hands!

I don't care.

I do. I might not even wait until New York if you keep acting like this.

You don't control me.

We'll see.