The consequences of Selene's actions cause trouble for her, and everyone around her.
I do not own Heroes.
For love of a friend Part 7
Gabriel's cell phone rang. He reached for it quickly, before it awakened Selene.
"Gabriel, it's Noah. I have to see you. Be here within the hour."
"Noah, what's this about? We just got back." Gabriel was ready to hang up on his boss, no matter what the urgency was.
"I can't talk on the phone. Just be here." He abruptly hung up the line.
Gabriel put down the phone, and set it on the side table. He peered over at Selene, who looked beautiful, even asleep. What was he going to say to her? Her steady breathing told him she had not been disturbed by the call. He slid out from under the covers, and quietly left the bed. Still no reaction from her. Gabriel grabbed some clothes, and slipped out into the living room. After dressing quickly, he left the suite and went downstairs. Once he'd exited the hotel, he looked around, seeing few people on the street at this hour. He rose up into the air, and flew off.
Once he reached Center headquarters, landing just outside the front doors, he stepped into the lobby. One of the guards greeted him with a cheery "Hello, Mr Gray. Mr Bennet is expecting you", and let him pass through the security checkpoint. On entering the office, Gabriel walked over to the large desk that sat near the picture window, and found himself facing a very angry Noah.
"Are you responsible for this?" Noah demanded, tossing a file folder across his desk.
Gabriel picked it up and opening it, glanced over the first page. His eyes caught the words 'murders' and 'unknown'. The second page had photos of the two muggers that Selene had killed, lying on the street in their death poses. He closed the file and tossed it back on the desk. "Are you accusing me, Noah?"
Noah sat, motioning Gabriel to pull up a chair to the opposite side of the desk. "A witness saw two people, arguing by all accounts. One was male, tall, the other, a tall-ish female. They didn't see the actual killings, just these two people at the scene after. According to the preliminary police reports, one had a broken neck. Apparently, he had been slammed against the brick wall, killing him instantly. They found blood and tissue on the bricks. The other had been burned to a crisp as if electrocuted, and had enough broken bones that it was like loading a rag doll into the ambulance. It's too soon to make best guess conclusions, but it sounds very much like your old MO. Well?"
Gabriel shook his head. "I didn't kill them, Noah. You, of all people, should know that."
Noah stared at the man who sat across the desk from him. He'd known him for years. He also knew that Gabriel, while he went by the name Sylar, never had trouble admitting to any of his crimes. In fact, he was quite proud of them. Could it be another Special was involved, and not Gabriel? Realization hit Noah. "Selene."
Gabriel tilted his head as he looked at Noah from beneath thick brows, but he said nothing.
Noah stood, placing his hands on the desk as he leaned towards Gabriel. "Did she kill those men?"
Seeing no sense in denying the truth, he answered, "Yes, she did. They were muggers, Noah. They tried to rob us. She expected me to off them, but I couldn't. So she did. They weren't worth me stopping her."
"The police know who they are. Prior prison records, repeat offenders. I tend to agree with you. But the case won't close until they find who did it. You'll have to bring her back here, Gabriel. For her own protection."
Gabriel stood now. He faced Noah, a determined look on his face. "She won't agree to that. I know her. She hates you, Noah. She doesn't trust you, in any case."
Noah slapped the desk top hard. "You have no choice! Get her here. Or...I'd hate to have to give the order for her termination. She's a danger to everything we've tried to do here. If it got out that a Special was killing people..."
Gabriel started to protest, but Noah kept going.
"...it would jeopardize all our work. You know that, Gabriel! I could order you..."
"Asking me to kill Selene would be like me asking you to kill Claire. You can ask. You can order. I won't be party to it. And I'll defend her, if you get anyone else. Even your crack teams are no match for two of us, you know that." Gabriel felt as if he had to choose between his new life and his old. Kill or don't kill. And he was becoming angry at Noah for putting him in this position.
Noah saw what was happening, so he backed off. "Alright, Gabriel. We'll think of something else. I'll give the police an answer they won't question. That'll be that. But you've got to keep Selene under control. Tell her, if you have to. No more killing." He sat back down, removing his glasses to rub his eyes.
Without a word, Gabriel turned to leave. When Noah repeated his words of warning, he neither slowed nor looked back. His mind was a mixture of emotions, some older and dark.
Gabriel returned to the hotel, still upset at Noah's words. When he entered the suite, he saw that Selene had not awakened, but had only changed position. He leaned over and kissed her.
She opened her eyes. Looking up at him, she asked, "Where have you been?"
"You weren't asleep the whole time."
"No, I wasn't." She reached up to stroke his stubbled cheek, feeling his thoughts. "I'm sorry. Was he terribly upset?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Very. It's Noah, after all. He says you can't just arbitrarily kill people. You're putting everyone, all Specials, at risk. It was difficult enough to placate people, after Claire's stunt. Might be the reason Noah is so adamant about it."
"So the police know. What can I do about that?" Selene tried to sound concerned, but in truth, she wasn't concerned..
"Noah said he'd take care of things," Gabriel said, unable to hide the bit of sarcasm in his voice.
Selene laughed at the pseudo-serious way Gabriel made the remark. He started to laugh as well. Selene sat up and leaned against the headboard. "Noah still thinks he's in charge of the world. Alright, I won't kill, arbitrarily. Now, can we go home?"
He leaned forward, lifting her chin with his fingertips, his mouth capturing hers.
Her arms slid up under his shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her hands. His flesh was unblemished by any flaw, having regenerated many times. She pulled back, looking into his passion-glazed eyes.
"We can leave...later," he said. Then he kissed her again.
Burying her face in the crook of his neck, Selene inhaled, letting his scent fill her with the desire she felt for him whenever they were together. So Noah wanted her locked away. At least Gabriel had refused to consent to that. The influence of the man who'd killed her wasn't strong enough to make Gabriel turn against her. And although she didn't feel bad about the deaths she had caused, she really didn't want to make trouble for Gabriel.
Gabriel and Selene returned to New York the next day. Gabriel helped Selene get what she'd left at her hotel, and moved her to his place. Having a companion after being alone for so long felt slightly odd. Of course, he didn't really remember living with Lydia while at the carnival. It wasn't really him. And being stuck in Matt Parkman's body was more like a short-lived nightmare, even if he had enjoyed tormenting the man. The only good thing to come out of that time was that he realized how jealous he truly was of Parkman. Jealous of his ability to balance his powers with being a normal family man. Gabriel knew he wanted unconditional love from someone who could accept him, as he was. Now he had that with Selene.
As he watched her place her clothes into several drawers he'd cleared out for her, Gabriel thought about how their life would be. He had his shop and the Center to keep him occupied. Selene might help him in the shop, but she'd never consent to work with Noah.
"You're right about that, Gabriel. I will never work with that man," Selene said aloud. "I'll stick with my government work in between working in the shop." She went over to him, placing her hands on his chest as she said, "I don't have your intuitive aptitude, but should be able to help in some ways."
He bent to kiss her. "I just don't want you to be sorry you're here. I want you to be very sure, about everything."
"Did you promise Noah to keep an eye on me?" she asked, smiling. She returned to her unpacking.
Gabriel said nothing, because he knew that Selene was well aware of his meeting with Noah. "Things have changed, Selene."
"Uh huh, I'm sure they have." She finished, and closed the last drawer, turning back to Gabriel. "As I recall, you had tried to fit in. Noah almost had you killed, but you knew what he was up to and managed to evade his little plot."
"He wouldn't try that now," he interrupted.
Selene continued, "Then let's see. You had your mind ripped from your body unceremoniously by Matt Parkman. You were then forced to live another man's life. Once you recovered your normal appearance, having no mind, you lived a life in limbo, with no thoughts or memories of your own." She saw him open his mouth, but she went on. "When you finallymanaged to merge body and mind, you again went seeking help, this time from the afore- mentioned Matt Parkman, who allowed you to speak your piece before sealing you inside your own head. There you were, stuck in some crazy nightmare until Peter went in and helped you escape." Selene held out her hands as she asked Gabriel, "How can you trust any of them?"
Gabriel grabbed her hands in his, bringing them close to his chest as he pulled her to him. "I was in a cycle of killing, not killing, and killing, until I didn't know who or what I was anymore. While I was not living my life, I found what it was like to live a fairly normal life. Through Nathan, and Parkman too."
"Gabriel, in case you haven't noticed, they weren't normal, and neither are we."
"That's not the point. They tried to live normally, and now...so am I. Can you accept that?"
Selene laughed low, while looking down at their joined hands. Looking up at Gabriel, she replied, "Yes, of course I can, sweetheart. And as long as I can put my talents to good use on occasion." She winked up at him.
Gabriel hugged Selene tightly to him. It was as good with her as it was several years ago, only in a way, it was better now. So what was this sense of foreboding he was feeling? And although Selene had promised to be wary of using her abilities, would Noah allow them to live in peace?