(22) The Reckoning

Aviv trotted away, carrying his leash in his mouth. He ran up the ramp while Sylar used the three short steps to get in front of the cheeky corgi. He met the dog on the patio of the café. "You know, I'm the one who is supposed to hold on to that leash," Sylar told Aviv as he picked the dog up. Aviv grumbled. "Hush." Aviv heaved a sigh. "I know. You're missing Noah, aren't you? He's not busy with Jason right now. He'll be home tomorrow."

"Gabriel? What are you doing here?"

Sylar glanced around. "Hi Nehemiah. Aviv & I decided to go out for breakfast."

Nehemiah came back up the steps. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," Sylar instantly had a feeling something was wrong. "Why?"

"Well, you said you were going to talk to Noah, soon," Nehemiah tried.

Sylar put the dog on the ground. "Soon," He stated. "It's going to be a really weird birthday for him." He glanced around. "Where are the boys?"

Nehemiah hesitated before answering. "They should be on the plane home soon."

Sylar stared at him. "Plane? Where'd they go?"

Nehemiah gasped & looked down to the road towards his car where his wife was waiting. "Gabriel, did you not sign the consent form for a school field trip?"

"No," Sylar replied slowly. "Noah didn't mention anything about any trip! Where did they go?"

Nehemiah took a step back. "That can't be right! I saw both consent forms. You signed the one for Noah!"

"I did no such thing, I didn't even know," Sylar said. A long moment went by. "Nehemiah? Where's my son?"

"How?" Nehemiah gasped to himself out loud. "I am so sorry. I thought ... but I saw it. Gabriel! The trip's to New York!" Sylar remained silent in shock. "Gabriel, please call the school. Get them to check the consent forms! I swear you signed it. I checked both before they were dropped off."

"I would never sign such a consent before it's time!" Sylar replied in a low dangerous voice. He pulled off the glasses, ignoring Nehemiah's look of concern, then slapped the other end of the leash into the Rabbi's hands. "Take Aviv home." He marched down the stairs.

"Wait, what are you going to do?"

Sylar didn't look back. "No idea!" He snarled before disappearing on the spot.

"Oh no," Nehemiah all but ran for the car. By the time he got there, Tirzah had gotten out.

"What happened?"

"It's what's going to happen that I'm more worried about!" Nehemiah said, tossing a disgruntled Aviv into the back seat before both got in. "Gabriel didn't sign the consent form."

"What?"

"He didn't know!" Nehemiah explained. "I think those boys forged it!"

"WHAT?" Tirzah exclaimed. "That could set him off!"

"I damn well know that, Tirzah!" Nehemiah shouted at her. "I'm sorry," He muttered in a calmer voice.

"What should we do?"

"We don't have the magic for it," Nehemiah said. "Let's just warn his Kabbalah group & then, we get to that plane & get our son!"

"Do you think he'd kill Jason?" Tirzah was crying now. "NEHEMIAH?"

"I'm guessing on not," Nehemiah tried to calm her. "But should we take any chances with our son? From this moment on, until we know what's going on, we have to assume we are dealing with Sylar, not Gabriel."

Sylar appeared inside the school Noah & Jason went to. It was closed for the holidays. He went into the principle's office & sat at the desk, then called the principle using that phone. "Hello, Madam Guzman," He began. "We need to have a little talk."

Within half an hour, Sylar had brought in not only the principle but several of the remaining teachers as well. He stood by while they rifled through files of consent forms, first finding the proper year, then the proper date & finally looking for Gray.

"Yes, it's here," Madam Guzman soon pulled it out & handed it over.

Sylar took it but barely looked at it. "I didn't sign this." The others cast uncomfortable looks at each other. "There is no chance in hell I would allow my son to go any where near that place before I talked to him. You're all Jews. You know what I am!"

"May I see your signature please?" The principle asked.

"This isn't mine."

"I mean yours," She said. "Write it down." Sylar glared but did so. The principle took both his signed paper & the consent form. She scanned each one over with her eyes before putting them on the computer & scanned them into the system. "They're practically identical," she finally said. "He's good. He's really good. But the computer can find a few differences." She sat back in her seat, shaking her head. "I wish you had found out a lot sooner. The trip is over. They are on their way home right now. Had we known earlier, we would have cancelled it & brought them home immediately." She slowly stood up. "It's too bad. He's such a good student. Well liked. Such a waste." She sighed. "I'm sorry Sir, but it can only be expulsion for him."

"I expected that," Sylar said. "Is there no other way?"

"None," Madam Guzman stated. "He lied. He went behind your back as well as ours. Especially being your son. Yes, we know. New York is not the best place for either of you. This is very serious. So no, he can not come back."

"If he doesn't complete his education," Sylar began. "he won't be able to go on to a university or have a career or pretty much any job in Israel. It's going to cripple him. He was going for a degree in paleontology."

"I know," one of the teachers said. "But he brought it on himself."

"Just a few months short," another teacher lamented. "He would have been finished this year."

"Technically, he is finished," Sylar said.

"I really am sorry to see him go," Madam Guzman said. "He's a good kid."

"So am I," Sylar turned to leave. "He's going to have to learn the consequences the hard way." His hand lingered on the doorknob. He turned back to the group. "What if you set him back?"

"Set him back?" one teacher asked.

"He skipped part of a grade," Sylar said. "He was a bit advanced. Maybe make him redo this year. Have him pick up some stuff from Grade one as well. He can do that in summer school on top of being pushed back here." He waited a moment while they thought it over. "Either way, he won't be graduating this year. Make him finish this year off but don't give him the credit. Then he has to redo it all next year. I'll make him do Grade one during summer instead of having it off."

"That's a lot of work," a teacher began. "Plus his military training on top of it."

"It is," Madam Guzman agreed. "Not only for him but for us as well. We'd have to rearrange a lot in our systems." She looked at Sylar. "Only if you make him do what he skipped during summer."

"Believe me, I will!" Sylar left at last. He teleported home just in time to meet up with Nehemiah who dropped Aviv off. Sylar let the dog loose in the house, then called Noah's commander next. After sorting that out, he started up the stairs to Noah's bedroom. He went to work on it & was soon oblivious to time.

"So this is where you've been hiding all this time?"

Sylar stood sharply & turned to stare down the barrel of a gun. With a flick of his fingers, the gun went flying. "Claire?" He stared at her for a long moment, all the feelings of the future rushing to the surface once more. But it was highly unlikely that this was HIS Claire. "What are you ... wait. Never mind. Noah."

"Yes," Claire huffed sharply. "Noah." She held up a second gun. "Now, before I finally kill you, I want to know exactly what the hell you did to me that day you took my power?"

Sylar rolled his eyes. "Well, I cut open your head & touched that little node at the base of your brain to copy your power. It is in fact a fairly simple procedure. But Claire," He put a hand on the gun & held it away. "I do hate the pain I've put you through. I truly am sor—"

"Shut up!" Claire ordered. "Did you suck a few of my eggs out as well?"

Sylar choked down a laugh. "W-what?" He spluttered.

"Or perhaps when you all but raped me in college?"

"I never raped—oh my God! Claire! That was my empathy power on you & you bloody well know it! We just kissed. I didn't even strip you down."

"Well, you must have done something!" Claire demanded. "How the hell does Noah exist? I've run several DNA tests. We're his parents! HOW?"

"I am not your Sylar, Claire. Now get out of my house & go home!"

"Not until I kill you!"

"News flash, woman!" Sylar shot back. "I moved my spot a long time ago."

"I'll just start blowing holes in you until I find it," Claire threatened.

"Fine, it's down in my cock, speaking of sucking! Start with that, just like Peter & his nail gun!"

"You disgusting bastard!"

"You walked into it, sweetheart!" Sylar shouted as he went down stairs.

"I'm not finished with you!" Claire ran after him.

"Well I am more than finished with you!" Sylar held open the door. "Claire, you have no idea what you walked in on, here. Now I suggest you leave & quickly."

Claire turned her gun from him to the dog. "Just tell me what you did," She began. "Or I'll kill your dog first."

Sylar instantly, discreetly, put his force power over the dog's head. "He's not my dog, he's Noah's & I didn't do anything. It's Peter who did it."

"Peter?" Claire repeated. "Is he here?"

"If he was, one: I would not tell you & two: he'd be dead," Sylar replied. "No one hates that man more than I, even now. But he is the one who tossed me into the future. No one else was alive then, except you & that's when Noah will get born."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Noah will be born in the year 7280, give or take a few months."

"Then why are you back here with him? Why didn't you just stay there?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sylar teased.

"Yes, I would," Claire wasn't playing. "I am not leaving until you tell me."

Sylar closed his eyes for a moment. "Because, you ... ohh, you die Claire & there is nothing I can do about it there."

"I die? What, did you finally kill me?"

"I NEVER WANTED YOU DEAD, CLAIRE!" Sylar finally lost it on her. "Never!" Aviv yipped in fright & ran for it as Sylar advanced on Claire. "I plan to save you from what happened but the only way to do that is for me to stay in Israel with Noah, away from everyone & more importantly, out of time's way. If we're not careful, we could not only erase our futuristic son from history but I could lose you as well. Now please," Sylar lowered his voice. He could feel tears try to form. "Please leave now before it's too late. Stay away!" Claire slowly raised her gun again. "If you kill me, you'll kill Noah & yourself." They stared at each other. "Claire, I am the only chance you have."

"I'll just have to take that chance," Claire shot him at last, right where every man hated getting hit the most.

Sylar screamed & clutched himself, doubling over. "OHH YOU BITCH! IT ISN'T ACTUALLY THERE! I WAS JOKING!" He fell to his knees. "GOD! I wish you did manage to kill me just now!"

"It was worth a shot," Claire snarled.

Sylar lay on the floor & rolled onto his back as the Regen cleared things up down there for the second time. "Satisfied now?"

"Fuck you!"

Sylar scoffed. "You will, in five thousand years." Claire unloaded her gun into him, shooting up his legs, shattering both kneecaps, striking his abdomen more than once & kept on shooting up until the last bullet entered his throat. After a few moments, she saw her bullets falling out to the floor as Sylar sat up. "You missed!" Claire just glared. Sylar stood up. "I get it. You're angry at my past self. I know Sylar deserves every last bit of your rage. All these years later, you're still hurting from what I did to you. Claire, despite whatever I've done, one thing I never did to you, is lie to you. I truly am sorry!"

"That doesn't undo what you did! That doesn't bring my father back!"

"I know."

"I will destroy you, Sylar!"

"My name is Gabriel," Sylar began. "When you tell me you're pregnant, I try to get my power under control for the baby's sake. Then Noah got born. It will be the most terrifying moment in my life, but also the best. Kids change a person. Sylar is finished. It's just a power stored up here." He tapped his temple with one finger. "I am in complete control of it. I know I've tried more than once to get this curse under control. But I got help. The Jews. They understand. They fixed me. I won't go back to Sylar like how it used to be. I'm holding back for Noah's sake." He added, "Can we at least agree on our son to keep him safe? He's never hurt anyone & he didn't get the Gray curse. He's a lot safer than me."

"We don't have a son!"

"Not yet," Sylar tried again. "He's from the future, where I come from."

"Why the hell didn't you stay there?"

"Because Noah didn't have his power yet," Sylar said. "He couldn't survive the death of the planet."

"The planet?"

"Earth explodes," Sylar explained. "I had to choose between you or our son. I was with Noah at the time. He had trouble breathing when the atmosphere disintegrated. I had to get him out of there but I can't get back to save you since there is nothing to go back to so I have to live through it all & find a way to stop it all from happening." He slowly put his hands on her shoulders. "No one can survive an exploding planet, not even someone like us with our Regen. Claire, you don't have a war with Noah. You'd like him if you met. He's a lot like you. I need you, for Noah's sake!"

"What do you want with me?" Claire asked in a shaking voice. She was still scared of him, even now.

Aviv barked from under the table before Sylar replied. "Three things. You need to stay away for five thousand years." Claire gaped at him as he added. "Also, can you take Aviv?"

"Aviv?"

"The corgi," Sylar said. "Noah disobeyed big time. He's a good kid, usually. He has never done something like this before. He has to suffer the consequences of his actions." He told her everything that had happened in the last week. "So it all has to go. That includes his dog. You're used to small dogs. You can give Aviv a good home for his twilight years." Claire looked down as Aviv finally came out of hiding to sit between them. "Uh, don't kill him before his time," Sylar pulled the empty gun from her hand.

"You want me to take the dog?" Claire asked. Sylar nodded. Claire looked down at Aviv again. "What's the third thing?"

Sylar put his hands around her face, petting back some loose hair. "Hate me for as long as you need but please, don't fear me. I am not your Sylar. That thing is done!" He wiped away a few tears from her face. "No, no. Don't cry anymore. It's over. A long time ago. Or perhaps, a long time from now, whichever way you want to look at it. Now please take Aviv & get out of here?" He leaned forward, barely touching her forehead with his lips. "I swear I won't follow you," He whispered softly.

"Five thousand years?" Claire wasn't sure she heard that right. Sylar merely nodded. "You would really stay away from me for five thousand years? Are you even capable of that?"

"We have no choice," said Sylar. "We could erase Noah if we mess up the timeline."

"I might forget you & Noah still wouldn't get born."

"You do forget me," Sylar replied. Claire stared at him. "You forget a lot, even your own name. It's because you ended up alone. Some plague wipes out the human race."

"What?"

"I'm hoping to do something about that as well," Sylar said. "But I've got some time to sort it out."

Claire pulled away & picked up Aviv. "To be rid of you for that long. I can barely believe it. But you're right about one thing. You have never once lied to me, unlike pretty much everyone else in my life."

"I really hate the mess your life is in," Sylar began. "Part of it is my fault. But I can't even help you with the way things are right now. I can only look forward & find a way to save you." He petted the corgi's head one last time. "I won't be seeing you again, you old mutt. You're not immortal like we are. But I will miss you, anyway."

Aviv whined, knowing something weird was about to happen. Sylar looked at Claire, then moved away from the door to let her go. She slowly stepped outside, went to the car she had rented & left with Aviv looking back at him out of the back window. Sylar went back inside & collapsed on the couch at last. He tiredly rubbed his face with both hands as he stared at the carpet without seeing it. The day had been beyond draining & he wasn't even finished yet. He went back to Noah's room to resume what he had been doing. By the time he was done, it was late afternoon. He came downstairs, instinctively looking for Aviv but he found René instead.

"Rabbi Gatineau told us about Noah," René said.

Sylar muttered under breath, "That's next on my list. I have to call him about something first." He went out onto the front porch & called Nehemiah.

Tirzah looked down on the ringing phone. "It's Gabriel. Should we answer?"

Nehemiah picked up the phone. "Are you alright?"

But Sylar knew what was really being asked. "Relax, Nehemiah, I'm not going to kill Jason." He could hear a sigh of relief from both of them. "But there is something else that we need to do."

"Tirzah & were thinking the same thing," Nehemiah said after a while. "Goodbye, Gabriel." He slowly hung up & then pulled his wife into his arms as she cried in relief.

Sylar hung up & went back inside to René. "You need to keep them apart from now on. You can get some help for this if you need to," he finished.

"Should I erase Jason's memory?"

"I would like to but we can't do that with Noah so there is no point in erasing Jason as Noah would just find some way of getting back to him." Sylar checked his phone. "The plane is landing in Tel Aviv right now. I'm going to go get him." He disappeared on the spot. He found the Gatineau car & stayed near it, waiting for them to come out.

"I'm not looking forward to telling your parents about Dad," Noah was saying.

"First things first," Jason grabbed Noah's hand for a moment, petting the gold ring. Both picked their extra bags off the carousel & turned to find Jason's parents.

"Uhh, your Dad doesn't look too happy," Noah said a moment later. The pair slowed down as they came closer to Nehemiah & Tirzah.

"Is something wrong?" Jason asked timidly.

Nehemiah's eyes drifted over to Noah for a moment. "Get in the car. Just you wait until we get home."

Jason & Noah lagged behind as the walk to the car seemed long & silent. Jason leaned close to Noah. "I think maybe your Dad found out we faked your consent form."

Noah simply nodded as they neared the car. They put their bags in the trunk. Nehemiah & Tirzah got in first & Jason slipped into the back seat, moving over to make space for Noah. But Noah never managed to get another step closer to the car. Someone grabbed him from behind.

"Noah, how DARE you disobey me like that!" Sylar wrenched his son around to look him in the eyes.

No glasses. Noah gasped. "Dad please! Let me—just let me ex—"

"You think I would never find out?" Sylar interrupted. He pulled his glasses from his pocket. "You see these, Noah?" He held them up. Suddenly, they burst into flame. Sylar dropped them. "I will never wear them again! You have no idea how much trouble you're in right now." He yanked Noah hard to himself & hung on.

Without thinking, Tirzah half got out. "Gabriel!"

"Stay away!" Sylar bellowed at her. "I am NOT in a good place, right now! Just stay away!" He hung on to his struggling son both physically as well as by his force power. "Let's go home, Noah!"

"NOAH!" Jason was already out of his seat & running towards where Sylar & Noah had just been a moment before.

"JASON, GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW! JASON!" Tirzah demanded.

Jason turned back. He settled in his seat once more & Nehemiah turned the car out into the street. Jason leaned forward. "Dad, we have to get Noah back."

"We are going home."

"Dad, there is something you need to know about Rabbi Gray," Jason tried again. "He is—"

"SILENCE!" Nehemiah ordered. "Not another word from you until we get home."

"But Rabbi G—"

Nehemiah slammed on the breaks, undid his seat belt & turned to strike Jason across the face. "Damn you, boy! You have no idea what you & Noah just did! How dare either of you? Now shut up until we get home. I am not through with you yet! I haven't even gotten started."

Jason clutched his stinging cheek & remained silent until they got home. All he could think of was Noah being any where near that man. He had to remind himself Noah couldn't die, but on the other hand, what did Sylar have in mind for his son? As soon as the car was parked & they got out, Jason wondered if it was safe enough to speak again. "He's a killer Dad! A very dangerous serial killer!"

"WE KNOW!" Nehemiah shot at him.

"You ... do?" Jason stared. "You know about Sylar?"

"Of course we know," Tirzah curtly replied as they entered the house. "All Jews know about the Kabbalah. We may not have magic in us, but we have always known that Sylar was here."

" ... Always?" Jason gasped in a hoarse whisper.

"Yes, since you & Noah were very young," Nehemiah said. "But we also knew Shlomo Gordon who had the exact same deadly power Gabriel has. Shlomo received the proper training for it since he was born here in Israel. He fixed Gabriel. Made him safe for society!" Nehemiah leaned close to Jason so that they were almost nose to nose. "WHAT YOU BOYS JUST DID MIGHT JUST AS WELL HAVE UNDONE ALL THAT! YOU STUPID BOY!" He back handed Jason so hard that Jason fell to his knees.

"Nehemiah!" Tirzah shrieked.

"Be quiet!" Nehemiah snapped at her. He grabbed Jason by one arm & forced him to his feet. "You will never become a Rabbi!"

"Dad?"

"I've already notified our synagogue. We're all agreed! You will NEVER join us!"

"Dad no! Please!" Jason begged. "How else am I supposed to serve G-d? That is my calling!"

"You set Sylar loose into the world once more!" Nehemiah retorted. "In the Holy Land no less! Israel has enough problems without having to deal with Sylar on top of it all! Not even G-d can help you now! You're finished! Now you march to your room! No food tonight, either! Do you understand?" Jason blinked back tears & fled. Nehemiah dropped into the nearest chair. He looked up at Tirzah who was glaring at him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

She came to sit beside him. "I'm mostly worried about Noah right now."

"He can't die," Nehemiah muttered. "He'll be fine. But thanks for reminding me. I forgot to mention that." He got up & went after Jason.

Noah was thrown onto the stairs. He rolled to his back to look at his father. "Dad, I'm sorry."

"HA!" Sylar scoffed. "You're not sorry! Not yet! Now you go to your room."

"Dad, can I—"

"NOW!" Sylar screamed so hard he activated an old ability of his. It flipped Noah upwards a few steps. Noah cast him a hurt look before picking himself up & going to his room. Sylar crossed his arms. "Just you wait." A few moments later, he heard a wail of anguish. "NOW you're going to start being sorry."

Noah entered his room to find it empty save for a single mattress on the floor! Everything was gone. His huge king sized bed. His plush collection. It was all gone except the makeshift bed on the floor, a single at that, & his clothes in the closet. There was nothing else left. Noah stumbled out of his room & latched onto the railing. He looked down into his father's eyes. "Dad, what did you do?"

"It's gone, Noah."

Noah's voice was weak & cracked with shock. "My life's work on that collection! Where are they all?"

"I said gone!"

"No," Noah looked back at the door to his room. "No no no. No, this cant be happening!" He knelt down on the tiny mattress. "DAD!"

Sylar walked by the door. "Good! Now you just stay there!" By power alone, he grabbed Noah's door & slammed it shut. Sylar went to his own room & lay back on his bed. He could hear Noah sobbing in the next room. "Keep crying, boy," He muttered to himself. "I'm just getting started." He knew removing the collection would really affect Noah. Destroying an obsession was a devastating blow to anyone. It was almost two hours before he heard Noah's door open. Noah slowly came out & began whistling. Sylar continued to scroll through his phone. "Ahh, well, here goes round two." He let Noah go all the way downstairs & out onto the porch looking for the dog before going after him.

"AVIV?" Noah called out towards the beach. He was starting to have a very bad feeling. He went back inside only to run into his father.

"I didn't give you permission to come out yet," Sylar crossed his arms.

"I'm going back in a moment."

"Now, Noah."

"I just want Aviv with me."

"He's gone."

Noah gasped. "Did you kill my dog?"

Sylar almost wanted to say yes for the hell of it. But he had rounds three, four & five in no particular order to think about. "Of course not! While you were out having fun, somebody showed up. Claire."

"Claire?"

"Yes, Claire," Sylar repeated. "She's used to having dogs in her life, so I gave her Aviv. He's back in America right now!"

"I want my dog back!"

"I don't care," Sylar said. "You will never see Aviv again! He's getting old. Claire can end him when it's time."

"Can I see my Mom again?"

"Go back to your room!"

"You still won't talk to me about her?"

"UPSTAIRS NOW!"

"Fine!" Noah stormed up. "But you owe me an answer!"

"I owe you nothing! Now get in there & stay there!" Sylar waited for the door slam before settling on the couch.

Noah curled up under the single blanket on the mattress. He had the one pillow. His room had become a prison cell. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket & pulled it out. "What?"

"Noah? How are you?"

Noah sat up. "Jason? It's all gone! Even Aviv." He told Jason everything.

"Aviv?"

"Dad gave him to Claire."

"Noah, my parents don't want me seeing you anymore."

"I can understand that," Noah muttered. "I kind of agree with them right now. Dad's really pissed. His glasses are off. Not just off, but destroyed! Peter said no glasses means it's Sylar."

"I will find a way to get you out of there," Jason said. "Let's just give them time to calm down." He let a moment go by. "I'm banned from becoming a Rabbi now."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah," Jason sighed. "I can hear Dad coming up. I'll see you at school in a few days at least. We'll figure something out then."

"Ok," Noah lay back. "Good night. I hope." Hardly had he hung up with Jason when his door opened & in walked Sylar.

"The phone," Sylar held out his hand. "Give it to me." Noah rolled his eyes as he handed it over. Sylar took it. "You will not be seeing Jason again!" Noah glared at him. "Did you hear me, boy?" Sylar demanded. "You will not contact him in any way. I'll be blocking him on your phone. You will not speak to or even look at Jason in school, either."

"I'm pretty sure you can't stop me from even looking at him, Dad!"

"Try me!" Sylar threatened. "Remember who can die around here!" Ignoring Noah's shocked look, he turned & left, closing the door behind him. Round three over & won.

Noah clutched his head, digging his fingers through his hair. Losing the collection, losing Aviv. He could handle that. Barely, but neither meant as much to him as Jason did. He would not lose Jason. But he knew he could not go with Jason now or he would lose him in a different way. Did he want Jason or did he want Jason alive? Noah burst into tears for the uncountable time that evening. He didn't sleep much that night & woke up in a daze the next morning. Earlier than usual. He went into the washroom & spent longer there just as an excuse to get out of his dismal plain room. He eventually trudged back out, passing his father's door. Sylar was on the bed, watching him. Noah wondered if he should go to his own room or go to his father. He slowly went in & sat on the edge of the bed farthest from his father.

But Sylar still grabbed him, twisted him around & held him to the bed. He stroked an index finger across Noah's forehead. "Do you know what I do to people who betray me?"

Noah felt a few tears fall. "I didn't betray you Dad."

"I am not your father," Sylar said. "Gabriel let me out to deal with you. Answer the question!"

Noah closed his eyes. "You cut them open. Expose the brain. Take their powers."

"I would really love to have your Regen," Sylar all but purred. "It's better than mine."

"Then take it! I can't die."

"Pity," Sylar said. "I would love to kill you right now." Noah felt his breath catch in his throat. "Oh relax! First of all, I can't. Secondly, Gabriel's here, somewhere. He wouldn't let me. That's the deal! But I can do anything else to you!"

"So are you going to rape me like what you did to my mother?"

"What?" Sylar rolled his eyes. "Oh you stupid boy. You are so much like your mother! I didn't rape her. Never have. You're an idiot!" He got off Noah & stood up.

"Then how did I get born?"

Sylar dared to smirk at him. "Well, when a male & female like each ot—"

"DAD, I AM NOT IN THE MOOD! HOW DID I GET BORN?" Noah bellowed.

"You watch your tone of voice with me, young man!" Sylar ordered.

"Mom hates you!" Noah ignored him. "She doesn't even remember having kids yet all the DNA tests say Claire is my mom! I always knew she was my mother when I first saw that picture you have. I just knew!"

"Oh what do you know? You're not even born yet!"

"She IS!" Noah insisted. "Claire is my mother!"

"Boy, you don't listen at all, do you? I said you're not even born YET!"

They glared at each other. "When was I ... oh!" Noah remembered the strange date written on the box he & Jason had found. "Oh no! 7280? That's five thousand years from now!"

"Exactly!" Sylar said.

"So Peter was right!"

"Oh you met Peter, did you?" Sylar retorted. "Don't get attached."

"He told me something about different timelines," Noah said.

"Peter threw me forward in time," Sylar corrected. "I got stuck there for a bit. Ran into Claire who had forgotten me by then. Things happened. I was in the future for almost three years. She & I got real close at last! You're the end result of that."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Noah got up. "My birth certificate—"

"Is complete bullshit!" Sylar finished for him. "All of it. Hell, we're not even sure of the actual day. Claire & I knew it was spring when you were born. I picked May nineteenth as a logical middle date in the middle of the season."

"EXCUSE ME?"

"Sorry, it's the best I can do!"

"The best you can—oh my God! How could you do—I hate you so much right now!"

"Funny thing, so does your mother in this past timeline," Sylar just smiled.

"I wonder why!" Noah groaned through gritted teeth. "So I'm not even born in New York then?"

"The State, yes. The city, no," Sylar said. "More than half of New York State will drown. The city will end up all under water some day. I don't even know when but that was yet another reason I wanted you to stay out of that place. You could get dragged under whenever the land shelf breaks."

Noah put both hands on his face. "I have a stress headache right now!"

"I don't care," Sylar snapped. "Let's go downstairs. Your Christmas present is waiting."

"Christmas ... " Noah all but stumbled after his father, nearly falling down the stairs. He managed to catch himself & using the railing, he got down on his feet. He looked around. "Wait, where are all the decorations?"

"Got rid of them," Sylar replied tersely. "You're a Jew, now. You guys don't celebrate Christmas."

"I'm not converted yet," Noah replied tiredly.

"Oh that's right & I doubt you ever will because you can't get circumcised," Sylar smiled at Noah's confusion. "You'll heal it right over! Here." Noah glared at the envelope. "Take it," Sylar insisted. "It's a gift from the school."

Noah furiously ripped it open. He took several minutes to read through the letter. "I have to redo Grade twelve?"

"Be grateful, Noah! You were very nearly expelled for lying on a consent form!" Sylar snapped. "Oh & you will be doing the rest of Grade one, ya know, the stuff you skipped, during summer holidays so kiss your plans good bye!"

"Whatever," Noah slammed the school letter onto the coffee table.

Sylar just smiled again. Round four was now over. "Just wait until you get back to base. Your commander has his own ideas for you. I believe it's something along the lines of double training but no promotion for a very long time or something like that. Which means never since you will only be there two years & it will be just two years, let me assure you!" Noah just glared, making Sylar laugh. The extra work but nothing to show for it in the military was his fifth round of bringing Noah down. Sylar stood close to his son. "Are you quite sorry, yet?" Noah looked to the floor as tears fell again. "Did you really honestly think I would never find out, hmm?" Sylar asked softly, dangerously. After a moment, he pulled Noah into a hug, but it wasn't the soft tenderness they had once shared between them. It was cold. "Merry Christmas." Sylar let Noah go.

"This is not what I wanted," Noah sniffled. "Not at all what I wanted."

"Hmm? What? Oh! My poor dear boy. I'm so sorry!" Sylar taunted. "No one wants a serial killer for a father, yet here we are!"

Noah rubbed his eyes with one hand but it didn't help. "D-Dad? I don't even care about the killings, right now. I really don't!" Sylar raised his brow in surprise. Noah wasn't lying. "I just want Jason back."

"Well, you're not getting him back," Sylar replied. "Besides, with the workload you're facing, you won't have time for Jason, anyway. I'd say kiss your boyfriend goodbye, but you can't even do that now."

Noah held up his hand, showing the two rings. "Jason proposed to me & I said yes. He is my fiancé now."

"It's over, Noah!" Sylar disagreed. "You're not marrying him & with the way things are going, you won't be able to get married for a very long time. I'll take that ring!" Before Noah had a chance to protect it, Sylar had yanked off the gold one by his force power. He held it up in one hand & flames soon engulfed it. The flames disappeared a moment later & Sylar opened his hand to reveal nothing more than a pile of gold dust in his palm. He threw it at Noah. "Get used to it!"

"WHAT MUST I DO TO GET JASON BACK?" Noah threw himself at Sylar's feet & bowed down to the floor. "Please! I'll do anything."

"There is nothing you can do," Sylar replied. "Now get up!"

"There must be something," Noah looked up at him; though, he could barely see through the tears. "You can take my collection. You can take my dog. Fine! I accept that! I accept, ok? But please leave me one good thing in this world! I need Jason!" He curled up on the floor. "Please leave us alone. It's killing me inside!"

Sylar crouched down next to his son. He petted back some of Noah's hair. "Is your heart breaking yet, Noah?" He coldly asked. Noah could only nod, still sobbing. Sylar grabbed his hair & wrenched him forward. They were now kneeling on the floor, facing each other. "Good!" Sylar angrily declared. "What you feel right now? It's only half as bad as how much you broke my heart when you ran off behind my back & betrayed me like that!" He stood up. Noah slowly got up a moment later. Sylar continued to glare at him. "Think about that!"

"It's not how I meant it," Noah whispered.

For the first time, Sylar struck Noah. Hard across the face. It didn't physically hurt Noah as much as it would someone like Jason, for the super Regen instantly cleared it while the strike was happening, but it wounded Noah to the core. His father had never struck him before! "You're as troublesome as your mother!" Sylar retorted.

"Dad—"

"Get back to your room!"

"Dad, if you would just liste—"

"Why? You didn't listen to me! Now go back to your room & stay there!"

Noah retreated to the bottom of the stairs. He looked back at Sylar for a moment before going back to his room. As the door slammed once more, Sylar closed his eyes, feeling a few tears of his own escape at last.