While Sylar is looking for Peter Petrelli in New York, Selene has more success in California. Will she get what she came for?
I do not own Heroes.
For want of a friend Part 10
Selene looked at Noah, then shifted her narrowed turquoise eyes to the gun pointed at her. She smiled. "You don't have to do that, Mr Bennet."
"Who are you, and what are you doing in my home?" The gun did not waver.
"Dad, stop it!"
"Claire, come over here," Noah indicated for her to stand next to him. Claire didn't move.
Selene stood, and fixed her eyes on the man with the insignificant weapon now aimed at her torso. "All you're going to do with that is put a hole in my new dress. And that's all the damage you're going to do. I'm just like your daughter."
"It's true, Dad. She has powers. But she didn't hurt me."
He lowered the gun just a bit, staying wary just the same.
It did not go unnoticed by Selene, who continued speaking before she lost his relaxed attention. "I've come all the way from Washington DC to speak with Claire. And you."
"She knows Nathan, Dad." Claire looked at Selene, then back at Noah. "She's a friend of Sylar's."
"Sylar!" He tightened his grip on his gun. "Sylar has no friends."
Selene merely tilted her head, and with raised brows, said, "He does now."
Noah thought a moment, then said, "Ok, in my office. Claire, I want you to stay here." He started down a hall. "This way," he said to his unexpected guest.
Selene turned to the girl. "We'll talk some more later," she said, smiling.
Once they were in his office, Noah shut the door and turned on Selene. "Alright, one more time. Why are you here?"
"You can put the gun down, Noah. May I call you Noah?" She saw a letter opener on the desk, and picking it up, pushed the sharp tip into her palm. She winced from the brief pain, then removed the tip. She held up her hand so that Noah could watch the bloody red hole instantly seal up.
This was only the second person he knew who had the same regenerative power as Claire. And that other person had stolen it from her.
"Yes, I know how he came into that ability," she said, stressing the word 'he' "I, however, was born with mine. I don't steal powers from people."
"You read minds," he asked, making note of her seeming response to his thoughts.
Selene just nodded. She thrust out her hand quickly, and the gun flew to her, taking Noah quite by surprise. She held the formidable weapon in her open palm, willing the golden energy to dance around and inside it. She handed it back to Noah. "It won't work anymore. The parts are fused together."
"Why did you have to do that?" he asked, placing the useless weapon on his desk.
"Just to prove a point. I may be like Sylar in many ways, but I am not Sylar."
"Did he send you?" He didn't like having no idea where Sylar was or what he was up to. Maybe if he played his cards right, he would find out from this woman.
Selene had to laugh. Father and daughter sounded so alike. "No. The truth is, he's in New York, looking up Peter Petrelli. Noah, Sylar is trying to change. I've been with him, and I know what he's looking for. We're hoping Peter can help."
"That killer will never change. I'm surprised he hasn't killed you."
"I have nothing he wants. We have similar powers, except that he can shape shift, and I can read minds. Since we've been together, he hasn't used that many of his abilities. And he hasn't shown any desire to take my mind reading. He knows that he's done a lot of harm to people, innocent people. He wants to change, Noah, but he'll need our help. I ...I was hoping that I could convince Claire to get you to let me bring her to New York."
"Why would you possibly need Claire?" Noah sat down at his desk.
Selene went to stand by the window, peering out at the quiet neighborhood street. She turned back to Noah. "It's possible that Peter and Claire can work together to...remove...the hunger within Sylar. It's just a chance, but one we have to take."
"My daughter was one of those 'innocents' you spoke of. That murderer came into our home, and did something so horrible, it took months for her to recover. The trauma alone...did he tell you...?"
"Yes, he did, and more. Sylar has few secrets from me, Noah. Unless he shields his thoughts, I know everything he thinks, everything he feels. I know his history, his deeds." She walked over to the desk and leaned her hands on it, staring at Noah with her piercing turquoise eyes. No smile lit her face. "Sylar also told me how you tracked him down for days, you and Elle. You got her to insinuate herself into his life, pretending to be his friend. She brought someone with an ability, someone as bait, to get Sylar to take that power, to prove what,...that he could? In reality, she was the murderer there, not Sylar. Without your prodding him to do the unthinkable, he would probably have killed himself. Guilt is a strong motivator, Noah. You and Elle saved him on the one hand, and destroyed the man he was on the other. It all went downhill from there, didn't it?" Selene walked the room, as she continued to detail Noah's part in the destruction of Gabriel and the birth of Sylar. "You tried to control him, Angela and Arthur Petrelli both tried, and in the end, each time he attempted to 'fit in', you made it impossible. Don't think I'm not sympathetic to your grief. Claire went through a horrible experience. And I can understand your anger as her father."
"What would you know of a father's fears for his child?"
"'Don't get close.' Isn't that what someone said to you, so many years ago, when a small child, barely a year old, was placed in your arms?"
Damn, he thought. She read my thoughts, and I don't know how to stop her.
"Don't worry about it. I just wanted to know your feelings for Claire. You love her as if she were your own. You would die for her, wouldn't you. You disregarded the rules and grew to love her. For all intents and purposes, she is your daughter."
Selene stepped within inches of Noah. He knew she was looking into his mind, and he let her. "Claire loves you, too. She's risked her life for you more than once. Sylar saved her life as well. When...you worked together." Selene tilted her head, as she searched his thoughts. "He kept her from being sucked into a vortex of some kind. You didn't even thank him. In fact, you tried to have him killed." She looked into his eyes again. "How are you any different from Sylar?"
"I don't just kill people. I capture and sometimes, have to kill the bad guys. Do you know the difference?"
Selene nodded. "At that time, you could have taken him, molded him into someone who could have had purpose."
"We went on a mission together, yes. Did Sylar tell you that he killed one of the bad guys right in front of me, after I ordered him not to? He took his ability, and I couldn't do anything to stop him. I knew then he couldn't be changed. He'll always want what he doesn't have."
Selene lowered her head. In some way, she knew Noah was right, but Sylar had been able to restrain himself since they had met. He helped her on her mission for the CIA, and performed beautifully. He had his temper, but then so did she. She didn't know if she was getting anywhere with Noah. His thoughts were open to her, yet she didn't know all his feelings. He was not what she had expected at all.
He spoke up, indicating for her to take the chair against the wall, which she moved closer to the desk. "Now, if I let you take Claire to New York, how will you guarantee her safety?"
"Your daughter is invincible. Like me, she can't be hurt, at least not permanently. But I will watch over her myself. She won't ever be alone with Sylar, I promise you. But I don't think she's in any danger from him anyway."
"How can you be so sure?" Noah leaned forward, his arms on the desk.
She stated matter-of-factly, "He already has what he wanted from her. If he had meant to kill Claire, he would have done so then. I know he won't hurt her."
Noah looked Selene in the eyes, an unmistakable threat in his voice. "If you're mistaken, and Claire gets hurt, I will hunt you down, and find some way to make you regret that mistake. Understood?"
Selene smiled, her eyes never wavering from his. "Agreed." She stood. " I'll call the airline and book a seat for her. I don't think First Class was sold out last I checked. If it is, I'll change flights and get us both booked as soon as possible." She held out her hand. "It's been a pleasure to meet you, Noah. I can see why Sylar has such respect for you."
Noah's face took on a shocked expression.
"Oh, he hates you too. But um...there is a begrudging respect there. I'll go talk to Claire now."
Selene left Noah's office, and proceeded back to the living room. She saw the young girl sitting on the couch. Selene went to sit by her. "Claire, your father says it's ok for you to come with me to New York to see your Uncle Peter. That is, if you want to."
Claire thought a moment, although she had been thinking of this already, while Selene was speaking with her dad. "I'll go. I guess my curiosity is stronger than my fear."
Selene touch her hand. "You've got no reason to be afraid. I'll take care of you. I promised your father that much. Now, I'll need your number. And I'll pick you up in the morning. As soon as I've called the airline, I'll let you know what time to be ready. Im afraid I can't tell you where I'm staying. If I know your dad, he would send reinforcements to capture me or something." The huge grin on Selene's face betrayed her jest, as she didn't feel any threat from him, or anyone really. Like Claire, in whom she sensed some feelings concerning her invincibility, Selene was blase about dying.
Claire wrote her phone number on a piece of paper and gave it to Selene. "Is Sylar really trying to change? I'll never forget what he did to me. But...maybe I can start to forgive. I don't know. I can try. I can't promise anything." She held the door while Selene walked out onto the porch.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Selene said, smiling. As she walked back to the car, she decided she would call the airline and make her arrangements. Then she would call Sylar. She had meant to do that earlier, but was eager to get this over with. She knew there was something he had to know before she returned to New York tomorrow.
*************************
As soon as she reached her room, Selene called her airline, found that there were still empty seats in First Class, and booked one for Claire next to her. Now that that was done, she dialed Sylar's cell phone. It rang a few times, but finally his voice came online.
"Hello, Selene," his deep voice sent waves of pleasure through her. How she loved that voice.
"Sylar, how are things going out there?" She kicked off her shoes and lay on the bed, cell in hand.
"Not great right now. I've checked several hospitals, and no one has heard of him."
"Sylar, did you check the Emergency rooms specifically? Peter is an EMT after all..."
"No one has heard of him! This is ridiculous," he interrupted her impatiently.
"Sylar, sweetheart, relax. You'll find him. I'm coming out tomorrow. We can look together."
When Sylar heard Selene call him 'sweetheart', he felt something stir inside him that he hadn't felt in a very long time, and he knew that he loved this woman. No matter what he'd done in the past, no matter how much blood was on his hands, with her he felt clean. She never censured him, never made him feel like a monster. He never saw fear in her eyes when he was with her. Plus, they made a pretty good team. Her powers were as strong as his, and she used them freely. He liked that. What was the good of having abilities if you never used them. Those Evolveds disgusted him sometimes.
"Sylar, are you still there?"
"Yeah, I'm here. I...miss you, Selene." He really did miss her. Having her with him did temper him more than he cared to admit. She steadied him.
"I miss you, too." She waited a moment, then said, "I'm bringing Claire with me."
There was silence on the other end. Then, "Noah Bennet is letting you bring his precious daughter with you to New York?"
"Stop that! Yes, he said it would be ok, as long as I swore YOU would not harm her." She heard a snort on the other end. "He's serious, Sylar. I'm depending on you to be on your best behavior. Besides, I have a feeling Mr Bennet won't be far behind."
"You think he's planning to fly out?"
"Oh, I'd bet on it. The next flight out, if I know him. And I did read him somewhat while I spoke with him. He was too amenable to my request. But Peter is Claire's uncle, after all. I think we should watch out for him in any case. Until we find Peter, she'll have to stay in the hotel with us, Sylar. I only hope we find him soon." Selene had a sudden thought. Noah would have skills in tracking people. Perhaps they should let him lead them to Peter, but that would mean keeping Claire with them. She'd discuss it with Sylar when she got back. "Noah will expect Claire to be with her uncle. He won't be happy if I tell him she's with us."
"Yeah, I've come up against Noah Bennet often enough to know not to trust him. Where Claire's concerned, he is a father." He was glad that Selene knew not to trust him as well. Her mind reading abilities proved to come in handy. If Bennet was going to come to New York, it could mean he was going to try and capture him again. He wasn't going to allow that to happen. "When will you be arriving?"
"Plane comes in at 1:30pm, New York time. Can you meet us at the airport?"
"I'll be there. It'll be nice having you back again." He sincerely meant it.
"It'll be nice to be together again." She let the silence hover between them a moment. "I love you," she finally said.
Sylar saw no reason to deny his feelings. She would know them already. "I love you, too, Selene. See you tomorrow with the cheerleader."
Selene disconnected the call, smiling at his warped sense of humor. Then she considered the possible things that could go wrong, if Noah Bennet decided to make trouble.