NO I do not own the sexy and lovable Gabriel/Sylar man or his nutzo freako mother. I just own Tehya and her mother. However if I were given the opportunity I would so chain that man to a wall and…well yeah anyway they belong to NBC or Tim Kring and blah.

Cold. An uninterrupted stream of winter hit Tehya's face as she entered the Gabriel's house. It was similar to her house in the sense that same builders put it together, but the feeling of warmth and love that she received in her home did not seem to exist here. When Gabriel opened the door she could see that the laughter and joy he had felt early was quickly dissipating. This place brought his more nervous persona. She wondered briefly why that was. After all, shouldn't coming home bring on feelings of safety and relief? Was coming home so terrible for him?

It was Gabriel's mother that had opened the door. Tehya could feel a stringy resilient energy in his mother. It moved about in steady waves, it was frantic and erratic, and it almost made Tehya's head hurt trying to keep track of it. Immediately upon seeing Gabriel his mother snatched him into her arms as if he had been gone for years and she was just now finding him again. After the awkward embrace she held him at arm's length looking him over as if he were guilty of some crime. Tehya watched all this with fascination.

"It's okay mom. I'm fine," Gabriel said resting his hand on her arm.

"You scared me half to death! God be praised! I didn't see you, I was worried Gabriel! Don't you do that to me again, you understand," his mother said shaking him harshly. Gabriel nodded dumbly, tears coming to his eyes, but he blinked them away furiously. "Yes, mom. I won't do it again."

Finally her watery hazel eyes settled on Tehya. Tehya flinched at the unwavering energy of irritation coming from her. "Can you explain to me why my son is late?"

"I'm really sorry. I just wanted him to-"

"What you wanted," she snapped," Gabriel is my son!"

"Mom, please she was just asking her mother permission to come to my house. We came straight here after! Look at the clock mom it's only been ten minutes since we got off the bus!"

Tehya was once again held under the iron gaze of Gabriel's mother. Gulping slowly she stuck her hand out. "I'm really sorry. Please, my name is Tehya Harper, I'm your new neighbor, 'cross the street."

Virginia looked in obvious distaste at Tehya's hand. Tehya took it back, close to her chest as if burned, and then looked to Gabriel.

"Maybe…maybe I should go."

She edged away from the door and ran across the street to her home, tears sparkling in her eyes.

Gabriel watched with sorrow as Tehya ran back to her house. Even before he had come here he had been afraid something like this would happen, but he never imagined his mother would do that. He didn't want to be angry at his mother, but he still was. Tehya was the only friend he had ever brought to his house. In fact, at this point in time she was his only friend. God said to obey one's parents, but his mother and father made it so hard. He wanted to be the perfect son, but no matter what he did it seemed that there was always something wrong with what he did.

"Mom why did you do that!?"

"Do what?"

He shrugged out of her grasp and backed away. "Mom she was my friend! You made her go away!"

"Gabriel, my dear, you can do so much better than her!"

"Mom I don't want better than her! She'll never come back now! Sh-she's my only friend and you made her go away!"

His mother rested her hands on his shoulders pulling him back to her, "Gabriel, I promise that you will make plenty of friends. They just don't know how special you are yet."

Gabriel in his heart knew that there was no one more perfect than Tehya, but he let his mother enfold him in her arms. He was used to being ignored by her, her always telling him how his time would come one day. When school started again he would talk to Tehya and explain his mother. He didn't know what he would do if Tehya didn't want to be his friend anymore.

The next day Gabriel eagerly awaited at the bus stop praying that Tehya would show up. She did not disappoint. He raised an eyebrow at her outfit however. She wore black shorts, white stockings, carpenter boots and a faded Bob Marley t-shirt. In short, he had no idea what to make of her. She walked to the bus stop and stood right beside him saying nothing. She shuffled her book bag a bit, and popped a piece of gum into her mouth. She didn't even look at him, and once he was certain she wasn't not going to talk to him he hung his head.

"So, Gabe," she said whispering softly, " you okay?"

The very question threw Gabriel for a loop. Honestly? She wanted to know if he was okay? All night he had had nightmares of this morning. He had expected her to hate him and avoid him at all costs. Was he okay? Now that she was talking to him he felt as if he could walk on the moon.

"I'm fine," he whispered back a huge grin lighting on his face.

"Good," she said and then she finally turned to him and kissed him on the cheek, "I was worried about you."

Gabriel blushed furiously and clasped the edge of his striped sweater tightly.

Before he could say anything the bus grumbled down the street. "Bus is here," Tehya exclaimed happily.

"Yeah," he murmured as he touched his cheek.