ECHOES IN THE DARKNESS
Part X – Round 2
Gabriel opened his eyes to Peter milling about in the kitchen. His head hurt and he desperately needed a shower. He rolled off the hide-a-bed, then folded up the blankets and put the couch back together. He put his shirt on and slowly walked toward the kitchen.
"Morning." He grumbled sleepily.
"Hey." Peter greeted him casually. "So, how was your first night as a free man?"
"Well, aside from having the girl I had hoped to come home to and sweep off her feet shouting obscenities and throwing blunt objects at me, I guess it wasn't too bad." He smiled caustically.
Peter half-smiled at him. "Like I said last night, give her some time, man."
"Yeah, I know." Gabriel sighed. "I knew she wouldn't come running back to me, but I wasn't expecting her to be so vile either. I've never seen this side of her. She is so…so…fiery." He laughed closing his eyes. "What a bitch!"
Peter laughed softly. "You know, the fact that she is so angry is a good sign. If she ignored you and wasn't angry, then you would have something to worry about."
"Yeah." He smiled distantly. "One of the qualities about her I fell in love with was her feistiness. And her sweetness. It never ceased to amaze me how quickly she could go from one extreme to the next."
"You'll never be bored…that's for damned sure." Peter grinned. "Hey, I was just making some coffee. Want some?"
"Yeah, that would be great." He replied.
"Why don't you have a seat in the living room and I'll bring it in when it's ready." Peter suggested.
"Peter. I don't understand why you are showing me kindness after all I have put you and your family through, but I just want you to know that I am grateful. Thanks."
Peter half-smiled. "Well, I'll tell you about it all someday, but Laura and I found some information that shed some light on a lot of things. But for now, let's just concentrate on getting your girl back."
Gabriel nodded and headed for the other room.
The doorbell rang. Peter went to answer it finding Nathan on the other side.
"Come on in." He said opening the door. "To what do I owe this visit?"
"I need a huge favor." Nathan began
"As long as it doesn't require taking foreign dignitaries daughters out on the town." Peter held his hand up to him.
"Oh shit, would you get off that! The man told me his daughter was beautiful…"
"Nathan, she had more hair on her back than you do! Between that and taking out her nose flute in the in the middle of Tavern on the Green…"
"Ok fine! I won't set you up ever again!" Nathan vowed. "But this is more of a favor to Heidi. She has a full plate today and we still need copies of the permits for the fireworks tomorrow night. Can you help her out by going to the Public Works office to get them pulled? Tell them you're my brother."
"Sure, for Heidi, no problem." Peter replied. Want to hang out for some coffee? It's almost ready."
"Yeah, that would be great." The phone rang. "I'll just go have a seat while you get that."
Nathan walked through the living room door, looking around. He stopped as he saw Gabriel in the living room. Nodding at Gabriel he slowly walked back to the kitchen as Peter was hanging up.
"Um...you do realize Sylar is in your living room, don't you?" Nathan whispered pointing in the direction of the living room.
"Yeah. He got home yesterday. He didn't have anywhere to go, so I offered him the couch." Peter replied. "Is that a problem?"
Nathan looked at him incredulously. "Peter! What in the fuck is the matter with you? This is Sylar. The man who tried to kill you in Texas, then again at Mohinder's apartment and SUCCEDED…temporarily, and then he tried to kill all of us in Kirby Plaza."
"Well, I hate to keep bringing up the past, bro, but if your conscience didn't get the better of you, a lot of people in New York would be dead right now. You live in a glass house Nathan, so I wouldn't be throwing any stones if I were you."
Nathan looked at Peter thoughtfully. "You have a point I suppose. I don't get why you're doing this, but just be careful, ok."
"Well, I figure if he were going to kill me, I would be dead by now." Peter looked mindfully at Nathan.
Gabriel poked his head through the door. "Hey Peter, do you mind if I use your shower?"
"Yeah, go ahead." He replied". I already put some towels in there for you"
"Thanks." He took off down the hall.
There was a knock at the door.
"Holy crap! I haven't had this much company since I was in college." Peter looked through the peephole. "Oh shit!"
"Who is it?" Nathan asked.
"Well, the Forth of July isn't until tomorrow, but if you stick around there are going to be some kick ass fireworks a day early." He said opening the door. "Laura!"
Nathan bit his tongue to keep from laughing.
"Hey! I just wanted to apologize for taking out my issues on you last night." She hugged and kissed Peter. "I come bearing breakfast." She held up a small paper bag.
"I hope you brought a lot." Nathan came up behind her smiling covertly at Peter.
"Well good morning, handsome." She hugged him happily. "I didn't know you were going to be here or I would have brought more."
Nathan smiled, kissing her cheek. "It's ok Laura. I only came for the show."
Laura looked around confused. "What is he talking about?"
"Nothing." Peter said looking at Nathan, narrowing his eyes. .
"Can I count on you tomorrow for the 4th party?" Nathan asked her.
"Of course I'll be there!" She smiled. "Peter, can I use the bathroom. I overloaded on coffee this morning."
Peter and Nathan looked at each other, shaking with laughter.
"Of course." Peter smiled By all means, please do."
"You two are acting really weird, you know that?" She shook her head as she headed toward the bathroom.
Nathan and Peter stood close together, snickering under their breaths. "Wait for it...wait for it..." Peter anticipated under his breath.
Laura let out an ear piercing scream. "Oh! Son of a BITCH!!!! What in the hell are you doing here?"
Peter and Nathan busted out laughing.
"Well, good morning my love." They heard Gabriel greet her. "You just can't stay away from me, can you?"
"Don't flatter yourself...asshole." She shouted at him.
"I don't have to baby...I can see where your looking!" He taunted her stepping closer to her. "You just wanted to remember what a real man looks like. The doctors still not doing it for you, is he?"
She smiled sarcastically at him. "Well, you caught me! That's exactly why I came over here! But since I haven't been successful in getting these two to drop drawers, I came to check out the comic relief!"
"Nice one Laura!" Nathan shouted. They both snickered.
"Thank you." She shouted back.
Ah...there it is! Your cheeks are flushed. Your cheeks always turn bright pink when you are really horny!"
Peter and Nathan heard a loud crash.
"OUCH!" They heard Gabriel shout out in pain. Peter and Nathan doubled over laughing.
"Would you please put something on?" She hissed at him.
"Why? It's not like you haven't seen any of this before, baby. Come to think of it…I'm not used to seeing you wearing clothes in the morning either." He grinned at her. "Common…I'm showing you mine….."
"Fuck you!" She shouted abruptly turning and storming down the hall
"I'm ready when you are, baby! Hey…you might want to do something about those high beams!" He called after her.
Laura stopped, abruptly turning around giving him the finger. She came bursting down the hall followed by Gabriel wrapping a towel around his waist watching her amused. She walked over to Peter, smacking him on the side of the head. "You set me up, you shit head."
"I'm sorry Laura, but this is was just too fucking hilarious to resist!" He and Nathan laughed uncontrollably.
"You're assholes! Both of you!" She raged at them.
"I'm a politician…it's what I do!" Nathan said through tears of laughter.
"You are so not getting my vote!" She hissed at him.
"Laura, you're not being little lady, my love." Gabriel reached over stroking the side of her chin. "Your using language that would send sailors running home to their mommies. She turned and whacked his hand away. Gabriel snickered.
"Well, I'm NOT a lady." She spewed back at him.
"Oh THAT is a severe understatement." He stepped closer to her.
Peter and Nathan howled with laughter.
"Wait…I just remembered something. My legs work…and you...are nauseatingly boring! Later!" She started heading for the door.
She opened the door and Gabriel lifted his hand, telekinetically slamming it.
"Oh shit…their using powers now." Peter grimaced in jest.
Laura turned hands on hips, eyes flashing in anger. She lunged forward extending her hand out in a tiger's claw. The towel around Gabriel's waste fell off and disappeared.
"Just had to get in another peek, didn't you." He smiled with conceit.
"Dammit Laura! That was one of my best towels!" Peter shouted in disbelief.
I'll buy you another one for your birthday!" She shouted as she walked out slamming the door behind her.
Gabriel stood there smiling. He looked at Nathan and Peter.
"Well, that was a stimulating way to start out the morning." He smiled immodestly.
"Yeah, I can see that." Nathan replied pointing awkwardly at his male equipment.
Gabriel looked down then quickly up, smiling uncomfortably. "I'm going to go get dressed." He sauntered back to the bathroom.
Peter and Nathan stood silently for a moment. They looked at each other falling over in laughter.
"I feel really dirty saying this, but that was HOT!" Nathan told Peter. "I give it one week. She'll be on her back screaming his name, digging her nails into him."
Peter shook his head thoughtfully. "I give it two. Only because she's really stubborn and won't admit he's right until she implodes."
"Twenty bucks?" Nathan reached out his hand. They shook.
"You know, that hot-blooded Irish temper of hers is sexy as hell." Nathan shook his head. "I'll never understand why you haven't tried to nail that!"
"Nathan, you're a married man!" Peter reminded him.
"I'm not dead!" He retorted. "I love Heidi with all my heart, but I can read the menu. Laura's a pretty girl."
"I don't disagree. She's gorgeous." Peter shrugged picking up the mess. "I just don't feel that way about her. Besides, she falls under the 'hands-off' category."
"The 'hands-off' category?" Nathan repeated, puzzled.
"When Gabriel went off to be executed that night, he asked me to look after her." Peter remembered. "I told him I would."
Nathan shrugged. "Peter, you got to be shitting me…he is Sylar…he's a killer. Not your war buddy asking you to look after his girl."
Peter looked at him thoughtfully. "I know. He has done some seriously fucked-up things. But I am not entirely convinced he wasn't a pawn in somebody else's game."
"What are you talking about?" Nathan asked incredulity. "Nobody made him go after my daughter, Issac…the others."
"I'm not condoning what he's done Nathan." Peter replied. "I just have seen enough to know that I think there is something else at work here."
"Is this why you have softened toward him so much?" Nathan asked. "He is a criminal Peter. He may have gotten a get-out-of-jail-free card from Bennett and the organization you work for, but he was sentenced to a life term which he should still be serving."
"Nathan, I know we have the laws of man, and I respect those laws as a citizen and try not to break them." Peter answered thoughtfully. "But even more so, I believe in the law of the universe. When he came to me the night he asked to be put to death, I could see the pain and remorse in his eyes." He closed his eyes. "And when he saw Laura "die" that night, something inside him changed forever. He went through hell. She was the love of his life. He had to relive that moment over and over again for almost two years before he realized she was still alive. And the man was tortured in that place. Did you see the scars all over him? As far as I am concerned, he has paid for his crimes many times over."
Nathan nodded. "Well, when you put it that way, how can I argue?"
Laura walked into the dojo just in time to hear Hiro and Ando arguing.
"You tell her!" Ando shouted at Hiro anxiously. "You are management."
"No can do!" Hiro waved his hands. "She brought her dog last month. When I tried to tell her animals weren't allowed and she beat me with his leash."
"Hey!" She spoke loudly above their voices. "You two are scaring the students. What is this all about?"
"Oh, Laura! Thank goodness!" Ando approached her first. "Mrs. Faversham is throwing a fit because she needs new gi's and we don't' have a size 5 in stock."
Laura looked simply at him. "So why is that a problem? Just order a set. Tigers Claw can just Fed-ex them and they'll be here tomorrow, just in time for her next class."
"That's not the problem." Hiro chimed in.
"So…what is?" Laura shrugged her shoulders waiting for an answer.
Hiro and Ando looked at each other. "She wears a size 7."
"Oh." Laura smiled absorbing his words. "OH! I can see how this is a problem." She put a hand on each of their shoulders smiling. "Don't worry boys. I'll field this one." She winked at them.
"Miss Ryan!" Came a shrill voice from behind her. Laura closed her eyes taking a deep breath, grimacing.
Laura turned around smiling. "Yes, Mrs. Faversham. What can I do for you this morning?"
"Well, I washed my Karate uniform and one of Mr. Faversham's red socks accidentally got in my wash, and now it is PINK!" She held up her jacket which was lightly stained in pink. Laura bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
"Oh no. That's awful." Laura replied putting her hand on her shoulder.
"Oh, you're telling me!" She shrieked. "All of my whites are pink!"
"I'm so sorry. How can I help?" Laura asked sincerely.
"Well, you can start by firing the boys at the front desk! Their IDIOTS!" She shouted shrilly.
Ando began to speak, but Hiro stepped on his foot. "Ouch!" Ando shouted. Hiro angrily put his finger to his lips telling him to be quiet.
"Mrs. Faversham, isn't that a little harsh? Surely they couldn't have done anything that bad." Laura looked her in the eye compassionately. "Can you tell me what happened?"
"I asked that one for a size 5 and he said they were out of stock!" She replied pointing at Ando.
"And he's right." Laura replied. "It's my fault Mrs. Faversham, I was supposed to turn the order in last week, but I got sidetracked."
"You know Mrs. Faversham…" Laura smiled cunningly. "Would you hold that jacket up to your face?"
Mrs. Faversham did as Laura asked.
Laura wittingly gasped. "Well Mrs. Faversham, that color looks absolutely amazing on you!"
Hiro and Ando smiled as they watched Laura spin her plot.
"Really?" She asked. "It doesn't clash with my hair?"
"Clash?" Laura continued. "You look absolutely ravishing! And that color next to your skin…yes…pink is definitely your color."
"So I don't need a new uniform?" She asked hopefully.
"I wouldn't dream of asking you to change when you look so elegant." Laura smiled winking at Hiro and Ando. "So you go put on that beautiful uniform and I'll see you when class starts. Ok?"
Mrs. Faversham ran into the women's restroom and changed into her uniform.
Laura leaned into Hiro and Ando. "That gentlemen...is how it is done!" She smiled and headed off to teach her class.
Ando looked at Hiro and smiled. He looked out the window and his smiled turned to wide-eyed fear. He tapped Hiro on the shoulder and pointed out the window to a man crossing the street. "Sylar!" He whispered hiding under the desk."
"Ando." Hiro encouraged him smiling. "It's ok now. He's changed. He's better now. Laura changed him."
Gabriel walked through the door, smiling at Hiro.
"Mr. Gabriel!" Hiro greeted him. "Welcome back to New York."
"Thanks Hiro." He smiled. "It's nice to be back. It's good to see you."
Ando poked his head out of from under the desk. He looked at Gabriel apprehensively.
Gabriel peered at him. "Hi." He said awkwardly.
Ando waved nervously.
Gabriel smiled. "Common out. I promise I won't try to cut your head off again. I was pretty messed up for a while. I'm trying to do better, ok?"
Ando smiled and nodded.
"Now. Where can I find Laura?" He asked them.
"Sh...She's teaching the senior self defense class in dojo 2." Ando replied nervously.
"Can I go watch." Gabriel motioned toward the inside.
"Of course." Hiro smiled at him.
"Thanks." Gabriel grinned and headed off to find Laura.
Hiro watched him smiling. "You see Ando. He has found his way back to the light."
"Well, I still don't trust him. He's done a lot of bad things. You do remember he killed Charlie!"
"Yes, he killed Charlie." Hiro recalled sadly. "And I stab him with sword. But he asked for my forgiveness when I teleported him back to California. I forgave him. What are we if we can't forgive?"
"You're a better man than I am." Ando replied. "Is Laura going to want to see him?"
"I don't know." Hiro answered thoughtfully. "I guess we find out."
Gabriel entered the dojo and sat in the top row of the risers unseen by Laura as she instructed her class.
"Ok ladies. Today we are going to learn about inward defense." Laura told the class. She looked around at the class. "Who wants to come up and help..." She saw Gabriel in the risers. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him.
Gabriel smiled waving to her.
A slow smile spread across Laura's face as she walked toward him from the front of her class.
Gabriel's smile faded. "Oh shit!" He thought to himself. "I know that look. This is going to hurt!"
"Ladies. We have a volunteer today." She approached Gabriel.
"Hi!" She smiled at him.
"Hi." He winced uncomfortably.
"Ladies, this is Gabriel. I think he's a little shy." Laura smiled smugly. "Why don't we give him a little encouragement?"
The ladies clapped and whistled at him.
"Your just going to make this hell for me, aren't you?" He whispered uncomfortably.
"Abso-freaking-lutly." She smiled sweetly at him taking his hand pulling him to the front of the class.
"Now Gabriel, you stand right here. Ok ladies. Let's say this man is stalking me and he decides to attack me. Common Gabriel...gives me your worse!" She challenged him.
Gabriel shrugged his shoulders and lunged for her. "KI-YI!!! She shouted giving him a palm strike to nose.
"Mother-fucker!" Gabriel painfully grabbed his nose.
"See ladies...he was wide open. Now let's kick it up a notch. Common Gabriel, come at me again." He turned and glared at her. "Oh don't be such a sissy." She whispered. "I barely tapped you."
"Your just loving this, aren't you?" He whispered harshly at her.
"More than you know!" She whispered back. "Common Gabriel, come get me."
He ran at her full force. Laura grabbed his arm, flipped him over, giving him an elbow to the back on the way down, ending it with her foot in the middle of his groin.
"Holy freaking shit!" Gabriel shouted in pain. "Ok...you made your point!" He whispered through his teeth at her.
"Let's give Gabriel a big hand ladies." The ladies all applauded. Laura could hear them talking amongst themselves. "Oh, if I were 40 years younger, I'd like to get me some of that..." "He has big feet I wonder if that means..."
Laura rolled her eyes.
"Ok ladies, that's all we have time for today. I'll be here tomorrow same time. Be careful out there and don't take any crap from anyone!"
Laura stomped out to the lobby where she found Gabriel waiting for her.
"What in the hell was that?" He demanded.
"Oh, I'm sorry...I though with your line of work you enjoyed pain."
"Cute." He smiled wrinkling his nose. "If you were a man I would kick your ass into orbit right now!"
Laura looked at him, arms folded. "Well, if you were a man, I'd be worried!"
Gabriel stepped toward her smiling. "Why don't you just get over yourself and admit you want to throw me down and do me right here!"
"WHAT?" She smiled in disbelief at his arrogance.
He stood close to her whispering under his breath. "You wanted to throw me down on one of those mats and have sex with me in there. You know it. I know it. Everybody in this room knows it." He ran his finger down her neck toward her breasts.
She grabbed his hand throwing it off of her. "This is a Martial Arts studio." She hissed at him. "For those of us who study and respect it, this is like a church! You will NOT desecrate the Martial Arts!" She shouted pointing her finger at him.
Laura looked up to see everyone looking at them. She awkwardly backed off.
"Why don't you two just go get a room somewhere and fuck each other's brains out already? You're making us all crazy!" Mrs. Faversham said loudly as she walked by them. She put her hand on Gabriel's shoulder, whispering her ear. "She can protest all she wants, but she is hotter for you than a bitch in heat."
Laura's mouth gaped open in disgust as she stormed out of the room, slamming the door to her office. Gabriel laughed wildly and kissed Mrs. Faversham on the cheek. "You, my dear lady, are my new best friend." He smiled at her.
"Well, you go get that beautiful girl and make her happy. Keep her legs open and give her lots of babies. She doesn't know how lucky she is to have a handsome buck like you chasing after her. Hell, if I were forty years younger, I'd do ya."
Gabriel bit his lip to keep from laughing. "And I'd probably let you." He winked at her.
"Ok, I think I've made enough trouble for one day." He bowed to Mrs. Faversham and the rest of the women. "Ladies." They all swooned.
He turned to Hiro and Ando. "Don't let her make life hell for you." They looked at each other then back at Gabriel.
"Please come again." Ando smiled and waved.
"Oh, I plan on it." Gabriel smiled, then turned around and walked out the door.
-- End of Part X --