Author's Note: More Gabriel and Bennet bonding in this chapter. And more smut to come. I swear things will be better and worse all at once for Gabriel and Elle.

CHAPTER 21: The Fear In Man

"You know I'll bet you think you have a good reason to be living."- Disturbed, Fear

"She's going to be cool with this Zach." Claire told her friend in an offhanded way. Not that Zach was nervous about Claire skipping cheer practice to show off her indestructible ability to the camera. No he was more worried about the footage getting around. This was attempt number six. He was sure these would somehow get on YouTube or something. He didn't want the closest thing he had to a friend to disappear in some government lab.

"We shouldn't really be doing this anymore." He wasn't usually such a worry wart, but recently his parents had almost caught his tapes after thinking he was selling drugs. As if that was his biggest secret.

"Still have to test our . . .theory." That was the cover. Science experiment. It went well. Claire and Zach were in the same bio class. "I just need to run it by her so I don't get kicked off the squad. Besides you are coming over to dinner. "

"Still not sure what to think about your mother making empanadas." Claire laughed moving slowly toward Miss Bishop's class room. Some girls passed them giggling. Claire rolled her eyes dressed in her cheer uniform. Merely for effect. She was trying.

"Don't be worried." Claire Bennet assured him pressing her hand to the knob of Elle Bishop's door. "You can always use the napkin trick." Zach just smiled as Claire opened the door.

The young woman was shifted through what looked like a batch of new test papers. She had on a light blue button down shirt and light ten slacks. Her hair was pulled back into a high hanging pony tail. She smiled at the two as if she wanted them to rescue her from something.

"Hey Claire." She greeted with a cheery smile. Claire waved aimlessly at her.

"Hi Miss Bishop." She said equally excited to see her. She really liked Miss Bishop. Almost a month with her on the squad had improved them quite a bit. She ignored the football players and even Jackie had warned up to her. "I just wanted to let you know I'm not going to be at practice today." The teacher's face fell a bit. "Zach," She pulled her friend who waved at the teacher. "And I have a last minute Biology project in the works. It's due next week and I would really like to have my week end a little free for once." Miss Bishop slowly ran the idea over.

"You're going to get me in trouble." She concluded narrowing her eyes at Claire.

"I know. I promise I will do extra time practicing. Zach will even tape me practicing the routine for Homecoming." She folded her hands in prayer pouting a bit.

"Okay," Claire's lips spread into a smile. "But you have to promise me one thing." Claire nodded softly. "Run for Homecoming Queen against Jackie." Claire seemed confused, but Zach just smiled.

"Already nominated her." Zach grinned letting out a soft laugh.

"What?!" She asked taking a step back from Zach.

"Oh come on. You weren't going to campaign for it so I'm doing it myself. For you. For once, let's have a Homecoming Queen who doesn't want to trip me in the halls without good intentions." Zach recalled once Claire had tripped him to get his attention when he had ignored her for no good reason.

"Claire, you are the nicest girl on the squad." Miss Bishop piped in. "You have a really good chance to win and even if you don't you can say you did." Claire looked at the teacher.

"Were you Homecoming Queen?" She asked. Elle just laughed.

"I went to school in New York. Too many students to get even nominated." Truly Elle didn't find titles important, but if Claire was special like Thompson thought she would want this. Want to be noticed. Elle did want to be noticed, but did it by dressing a bit . . . slutty. Maybe that's why people thought she slept around. "But for you this could be stepping stone to get yourself noticed. You know you are important and special Claire. Let everyone else see it." Claire just smiled. Zach nodded. "I'll tell Ms. Brown you weren't feeling well, but you have to at least pretend to be sick for a while."

"Swear." Claire promised leaning over the desk to hug Miss Bishop. "Thanks again." Elle muttered something along the lines of no problem as they left. She could have sworn she heard Claire say to Zach: "Told you she was awesome."

Elle seemed pleased with herself shifting through the files. Tonight would be fun. It was going to be their first anniversary. One year to the day from when Elle had rescued Gabriel from death. Rescued herself from a lifetime of loneliness. She was glad to have him. Hold him. Love him. Please him. She couldn't imagine her life before him. It seemed so unfulfilled. Unhappy. With him near her. With her. She seemed so strong. Like she could do anything. Be anything. She was special to him and she loved that. She loved him above all else.

As Elle stuffed her papers into her messenger bag before going to the field she recalled something. Claire was the kind of girl who wanted attention, but not all of it on her at once. She needed it to be known she could do things. Nearly a month of cheering with her told Elle of this. She would have to have shown her ability to someone. She wasn't close with her family, but Zach with his camera . . . Elle slowly found herself realizing what she needed to do in order to prove that Claire Bennet was more similar to her than they thought.

--

"Gabriel," It was Noah again. His voice rang like an encouragement to the young budding romantic's sprit. They were a dark black car minutes from the scene. Hostage situation at a bank. An escapee from one of the New York facilities. "I'm sure she'll love it."

"She'll say she loves it." He was doubting himself again. "Like she did before." He remembered the gift he had given Elle for her birthday. An antique German cuckoo clock with pink trim. She had smiled saying she loved it, but it had gone untouched until two weeks after they moved in. She had put it in the kitchen above the sink. Gabriel always wondered what Elle thought about his watch making skills. Isn't wasn't exactly a job that turned most girls on. Though Elle seemed to enjoy to watch him work on his little gadgets. Maybe she just liked watching him do anything.

"I highly doubt she lied to you." He was sure Elle physically could lie to his face. Work around the truth maybe, but tell him she liked something when she didn't was not for her. Gabriel's eyes flickered toward Noah from the passenger's seat.

"I just feel this time it should be something . . .special." He smiled at the last word. Yes Elle deserved more than a simple pocket watch or grandfather clock. She deserved the world.

"Jewelry?" Noah asked peering over at the clueless man in love. He had been that way once. So in love it could have hurt him. Sandra and he were still in love, but they just didn't tell each other the whole truth anymore. He wondered if Elle and Gabriel knew everything about each other.

"She doesn't wear much." In fact Gabriel couldn't remember a time when she had worn jewelry.

"Clothes?" He asked knowing Elle seemed very much into clothing and shoes when he and Eden had been spying on them. Elle always seemed to be changing shoes and clothes. Gabriel dipped his head slightly.

"She has enough clothes as it is." Gabriel admitted. Noah nodded pulling up by a police car. Line of police cars. LA was hot. Not as hot as Texas, but still a difficult place to be in.

"Maybe you shouldn't change your mind at the last minute." Bennet piped in shutting off the car. He glanced over at Gabriel. "You could always-"

"Don't think so Bennet." Gabriel interrupted. He wasn't ready for the thing he and Bennet had often discussed. The terrifying option of proposing. "Not ready for that." He wasn't. He was scared of rejection. Terrified she wouldn't think he was special enough to have the honor of being her husband.

"Well you let me know when you finally take the plunge." Noah Bennet laughed lightly hooking the gun to his belt. Gabriel nodded. "We'll have a party." He laughed to himself hitching the gun to his belt tightly as well. Noah unbuckled, but Gabriel was the first out of the car.

They passed media interviewing various officers and armored vehicles. Was it just one man? Could one man be able to do this? They went pass the barricades without a single word. Gabriel was a little disappointed. It wasn't the first non bag and tag mission he had. There had been a man in Houston holding his wife and son hostage. That had been a good one. Saving the mother and teen seemed like something good in his life. Elle could hear about his days at work unlike Noah's wife, Sandra. The one who bred dogs and worked around the house.

"Want to use that silver tongue of yours as a cover?" Noah Bennet was enjoying his partnership with Mr. Gray. Gabriel was his first partner in a long time who actually seemed to enjoy his job. The younger man just grinned and nodded.

"Who the hell's in charge around her?" An accent layered thickly on for show. Perfection. Gabriel always noticed little details like that. Made him stand out. Made him special. Bennet grinned. He enjoyed the show Gabriel put on for the cops. One of them showed up. A short stocky looking man with a wrinkled brow.

"I'm Lieutenant Cory." He stated with extreme importance and confusion. Gabriel had his hands at his hips as if unimpressed. "Who are you?"

"Special Agent Andrew Hanson FBI." Got it all out in one breath. Noah hid a laugh seeing the cop struggle. FBI again. He probably thought. Cops hated federal agents. Took away their glory, though if this man really knew what would be going on he would be glad that these two were taking over for him. "You mind telling me why these barricades aren't thirty feet further back? You want the media up our ass?"

"Sir I'm in a little-"

"Are you trying to get one of these looky loo civilians killed?" Nice angle. Gabriel was a natural at this. Noah quickly learned he was practical and precise. He noticed little details in an instant. Things normal people wouldn't. Noah was finding it hard to find something wrong with his partner. They stared down for a good long minute. Blue uniform to black suit with a snazzy dark green tie. Elle had picked it out for him while on a spree. Shopping. One of the few she had, but weekends were tough. He couldn't watch her while he had reports to file. At least he had gotten some clothes out of it. And lingerie for her.

"You heard the man," He called to his fellow officers. "Back these horses up! All hands." He started walking passed the pair.

"And we're going to need some coffee." He stated in his fading accent. Noah looked at him as if he were going too far. The man looked at him with a nod. Like he had to obey. "Decaf." He turned to leave.

"Decaf?" Noah asked knowing Gabriel did not like his coffee that way. Black or with tons of sugar, but not decaf.

"You need your sleep." Gabriel admitted slipping back into his normal tone.

"But you don't." He grinned with a bit of knowing his eyes. Gabriel just laughed to himself.

"What are we looking at?" He wondered trying to see passed the cops lined up at the opening of the bank. He only saw the top of a dark head inside.

"Knox and Jesse. Dangerous in a sense. Criminals in their past lives. That's why we caught them. Though they didn't like our ultimatum." Gabriel nodded softly. They probably did worse things than him and Elle. Bad before they had powers and not because of their powers. "Jesse has sound so just cutting off his air should stop him. Knox is trickier. He gains physical strength from fear."

"So choke and blind courage. Got it." Gabriel shifted as Noah went to the side of an armored vehicle. He knew this was going to be a day filled with excitement.

--

Gabriel was leaning against the truck waiting for his partner. Getting debrief on the hostages and how many were in seemed simple. So very simple. It could be kick if he were to go in. Choke Jesse. Choke Knox. Out like lights. Take into custody. Back in time for dinner and some very feverous love making. He still debated on whether the 19th century wall clock was good enough for a one year anniversary.

Maybe if he got home earlier he could surprise her with flowers or something. Put rose petals on the bed. Bring home some fruity wine and Chinese. Let her fall asleep on his chest while they watched You've Got Mail for the millionth time. Maybe find something new. A psychological thriller that made her head work where her brow creased and he saw how curious she was.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe she would love the gift. It wasn't exactly old looking. He had been working on it for nearly five months. The frame work was very unique. He had sent quite a bit of money and time in it. The metal frame work was gold. Solid gold, though Gabriel wasn't sure it was real. It was too cheat to be real. The design in the metal was rose curling around the light colored clock. It was beautiful. A piece of art work. She would love it. He had decided that she would love it if he had put so much love into fixing it up.

He then saw Bennet. He was coming back with a bullet proof vest. He wasn't too surprised. Noah liked the danger of the job. It excited him. He was a man of action. Gabriel preferred action and protection. They were both worthy jobs.

"You going in?" Gabriel asked curious as Bennet hand him his glasses and coat as he pulled the bullet proof vest over his head.

"I am." He slipped it on carefully. "You're waiting out here." Gabriel had always been a patient man. Patient in fixing watches. Patient in waiting for his girlfriend to make the first move. Patient in waiting for Elle feel her way around the relationship when she had been unsure. He could wait, but he just smile at the vest.

"What's that going to protect you from?" Surely not a punch through the chest or even the radiating sound waves of a mad man.

"Nothing." He clarified snapping in all the right things to make the vest secure. "It's for show." Of course it was. The cops had to think the criminals were armed with guns. Most powerful outer weapons one could get without extra special permission. He slipped the gun off handing it to Gabriel.

"And you're going in without your gun too?" He was confused. Bennet wanted to die today. Maybe it was just tradition for today. One year ago today he had almost died by suicidal means. Maybe Bennet had a death wish today too.

"Knox wants me unarmed." So he had spoken to the man now? Smart. Bennet was a smart one. "Says he'll release the hostages." That was good. All those innocent people in there. He couldn't imagine if Elle was in there. If she might be subjected to one of those criminals.

"You do realize that they aren't going to let you out alive." Gabriel explained handing the man his glasses. He just stared at him.

"Well this is our first little partnership disagreement. Let's bath in the moment." Noah laughed like a dead man walking. Gabriel found it slightly more serious.

"This is serious Noah." He said looking at him with narrowed eyes and a squinted brow.

"I know, but those hostages aren't going to release themselves." Then Gabriel found it. Noah cared about others more than himself. He needed those people out. Maybe like himself he was wondering if they had been his own family. His children. His wife. Gabriel nodded softly finding the compassion in his eyes. Knox and Jesse wanted Noah alone and unarmed. They wanted Noah dead in exchange for letting a dozen or more people go.

"I can help." He encouraged. "Let me do something." Noah tucked his glasses on.

"Alright." The man in the horn rimmed glasses said pulling at his vest. "Debrief the hostages." Gabriel nodded slowly. He could do that. "Use that silver tongue of yours to defuse their stories." He was sure that would be easy. No truly physical powers like the last time. Not a man turning his arm into metal. Nothing like that. "Got me?" Don't follow. I can handle it. Almost like Gabriel could read his thoughts. He was disappointed not to see any actions, but sighed.

"Yeah." He sounded like a defeated five year old giving into not getting a new toy because Mommy and Daddy were saving up for Disney. Which made Noah the proud father who patted his son on the back before going off to work.

--

He may have gotten himself in too deep this time. May being an understatement as Knox held Bennet by the collar of his shirt. After giving the man who put him away for a good two years a stern talking to and beat down while Jesse just watched amused. In exchange for the hostages being released Bennet was getting his life beaten out of him.

"You just ran out of options." He snickered quaintly. Accent from down in New Orleans. Bennet could tell years in level five had made him bitter and full of hate. Jesse didn't do much. He was always the lackey. Wrong place wrong time guy. Though he enjoyed the pain of others just as much as Knox did.

"Turn yourself in." He watched as his partner came into view behind the two criminals. Arms folded across his suit. Not the first time Gabriel would be saving his sorry ass. "And nobody has to get hurt." His lip was already throbbing from the pain.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Bennet wasn't in charge anymore. Knox had control. Though he could feel the fear drain out of Bennet. He thought he could win with a bruised face and broken lip. How was that possible?

"Just a guy with a partner standing right behind you." Smug little grin. Smug little bastard. Knox should have remembered the Company had partners. Knowing the ropes he judged this guy was like him. A special.

Jesse and Knox turned. Gabriel held up his hand. Knox paused as he attempted to punch Bennet again. Jesse took in a breath. Ready to scream. Gabriel held up his other hand in a choking manner. He tried to speak, but instead gagged.

"Shhh." Gabriel insisted smiling at the man. His eyes went wide knowing they were both screwed.

"Glad you didn't listen to me." Noah stated as he got to his feet. He unhooked hand cuff from his belt buckle. Gabriel did the same. He knew the drill.

It didn't take much convincing to get the two criminals up and about. Bennet explained that someone form the New York division would be picking them up tomorrow to take them back to lock up. Holding them in Texas meant little work for them. Noah felt obligated to give Gabriel his time with Elle. After all the man had saved his life. Why not reward him with some time away from work? As they led the two criminals to an unmarked armored van Gabriel spotted him.

"They're federal prisoners Parkman." Lieutenant Cory explained to a dark haired cop trying to get a look at the suspects. "Up to the God damn feds now." Gabriel locked eyes with the man trying not to think too hard. He thought about his girlfriend and getting home to her. See how to make things special for her. Special. Once the officer seemed less than interested he turned his attention to Bennet.

"Next target came to us." Gabriel had read Matt Parkman's file. Mind reader. His father worked for the Company before he became rouge. Bennet peaked his head up spotting the figure walking away from the crowd with a blonde. Another officer.

"Take Jesse and Knox into our facility." Bennet ordered him. "Hank and Lisa can sedate them until transfer tomorrow. I'll handle Parkman." Gabriel just shook his head.

"It might be dangerous. You cou-"

"I'll be fine Gabriel." He put his hand on his shoulder. "I'll call the Haitian. He really is better suited for this. You just get home and have a long relaxing weekend with that beautiful girlfriend of yours." Gabriel nodded softly trying to relax. The ride to Odessa would be a bit long, but he was wide awake. Adrenaline from the capture still stung in his heart.

As he got into the seat of the vehicle watching Bennet dial the Haitian, the man with the mental talents, he realized it would be the first time he had been alone with captives. His heart thudded letting his brain wonder how they worked. How Knox knew fear and grew off it. How Jesse changed his voice to become something more.

No one would miss them. The hunger started to curl against his throat almost letting his fingers twitch. He took in a breath closing his eyes. He regained control because he saw her. Her smiling face that told him he couldn't. Not for any power could he disappoint her. One year ago today she had given him another chance at life. To help his kind instead of hurt. He wouldn't let his second chance go to waste.

He drove off knowing his hunger could be suppressed because he feared losing her and control most of all.