Disclaimer: I still don't own heroes. If I did I'd make there be an episode every week!

Chapter 2

Liz Haines was exhausted. Her head hurt like hades, and despite the aspirin she took, it did nothing. Every time she looked at something too bright, her head throbbed. It was the worst migraine she'd ever had. The rest of them said it would seem near to unbearable when her power finally kicked in. She hated to tell them they weren't wrong.

This day wasn't going too well so far, so it seemed. First her good friend and mentor, Gabriel, had flipped out and almost killed her. He could have killed her in any way, with his power. Fate-bending, Peter called it fondly. Gabriel was far more experienced with it than Peter was, and Peter had needed him to use his power to stop the explosion.

But Liz wasn't there when all this had happened. Mohinder had just recently found her. The world was still far from perfect, despite all of the public awareness now drawn to them all. Not that the public knew too much, however. All they knew was that a few people had stopped a giant explosion (which was already in progress) and saved thousands of people. They didn't know how, and Mohinder intended to keep it that way.

"Well, we're all set. He's going to have an MRI tomorrow at 5. We just need to talk to him in the meantime," Mohinder told Liz outside Gabe's apartment. Liz nodded, massaging her temples, "Liz, are you alright? Is it the headaches again?"

Liz exhaled, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just adjusting. Mohinder, what exactly is Gabe's power? I mean, I know he can change people's fates, but, how does he do it? Issac paints what he sees… What does he see when he uses his power?"

Mohinder paused, thinking, "Well, from what I understand, it depends on a person's willingness to change. He can change someone- to an extent. And I think he can only see the outcomes of certain events. The overall good or bad results, not what it takes to get there."

"Oh. Okay. That's kind of weird. Have you figured out mine yet?" she asked, hoping he had.

"I'm sorry, Liz, I haven't had any time to-," he began. Liz waved it away, knowing that she'd figure things out soon enough. It had been a hard few weeks for them all. Mohinder had found Liz shortly after the near-explosion. She'd been a nervous wreck, shy and socially backward. At a young age, she'd been put under the Witness Protection Program. Now, she knew she had nothing to fear, but still kept her old name and look (bleached hair). She was 22 years old now and still learning so much.

She'd met other "fellows" like Matt Parkman, who could hear thoughts. He was fun to be around, and generally very warm. In a crisis, he tended to make very emotional decisions, though, which wasn't the best. Liz had quickly gotten over her fear of other people when they'd eagerly taken her in. In fact, she had completely changed.

The door opened again behind them and Peter came out, followed by Gabriel who looked- well, it was hard to say how he looked. It was a medium between apprehensive and nervous. Liz looked at Peter inquisitively.

"It's okay. Um- Gabe's okay, I mean," Peter explained. Mohinder and Liz automatically looked at Gabriel, as if picking him apart with their eyes as Humans often do.

The truth was Gabriel wasn't too sure how to explain to them why he'd snapped that morning. It was obviously a strange behavior for the Gabe in this universe. But that wasn't what was nagging at his mind. Peter had been so helpful, even after he'd discovered that his best friend (apparently that's what they were here) was actually a serial killer from a different universe and that his real best friend had disappeared. But why?

Gabriel couldn't remember how on earth he'd gotten here. It was too strange. One moment Sylar had successfully escaped Peter Petrelli (was it truly the same Peter standing next to him?) and the next- he was here. It was all slightly unnerving. Was this a power? Peter had explained to him how his power worked, or the basics, rather. It was a strange power… But very useful. Not that he could use his power, of course, due to Mohinder's clever little inhibitor. Sylar was still screaming inside; he wanted to rip the inhibitor out and make all beside him die in gaudy fashions- something original and memorable.

Be Quiet, Sylar, Gabriel commanded. The influences of the universe surrounding him were changing his character from slightly like his alter-ego to polar opposite.

Be quiet? Gabe, you were always the quiet one. I freed you. Never forget that I freed you, Sylar purred back. Gabriel shifted uncomfortably. All the while, he was aware of Peter's stare. He could hear everything that was going on- all the conflict.

"Gabe- do you wanna go lie down? You know, because of your headache?" Peter asked him, covering for his shifty behavior.

"Uh- yeah, I think I will. Um- thanks guys. I think… I remember now. Prob'ly just a little amnesia or something. Inhibitor sickness or something," he babbled. Mohinder and Liz nodded.

"Well, Gabe, your appointment's tomorrow. I hope you feel better," Mohinder walked off with a small smile after this comment, leaving Liz to wave and smile widely, apparently consoled that her mentor was alright. She too left shortly afterwards and Peter and Gabe went back inside the apartment.

"Um- Gabriel, are you sure you're gonna be okay? You seem pretty conflicted yet. I can't let anyone get hurt. Even if it means that I'm going to have to restrain my best friend," Peter told Gabe with a fierce glint in his eye, "You're still the same Gabriel, I'm not concerned about that. But this Sylar part of your personality is what's changed. The Gabriel from here had him under control. You gave him a name, and you gave him power. Now he wants more. It's obvious why you had so much trouble with him."

Gabriel looked at the floor. Power, Sylar growled. Gabriel shook his head, angry at himself, "No! I can't let him take over like this! Not again. I feel like-,"

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" Peter suggested, to a fervent nod, "I think you need to talk to Niki Sanders."

"Niki Sanders?" Gabriel asked, drawing a blank.

"She's not exactly like us- she has an alter ego. Her alter ego has super strength, and- she kills people. Now, of course, she's in a sanitarium- probably for the rest of her life. They have to give her drugs to keep her stable. So her alter ego, Jessica doesn't come back. Now, we just gave her an inhibitor, so she might be a little more responsive. But we can visit her."

Gabriel thought. Were Sylar in his own separate body, he would've rolled his eyes at his counterpart's reluctance. Annoyed, Gabe blurted, "Yes. I- I think that might help."

Peter looked at Gabriel. He would have to make sure this Sylar character didn't take over for an extended period of time. He was dangerous and outright sick. As Gabriel walked alongside him to the street below, Peter heard Sylar again, I'll never let you win, Gabriel. Never. Sylar's voice was a low growl- that of a lion about to eat her meal. And, even though Peter knew Sylar couldn't win here, it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up.

A/N: Ok, I got a lot of questions about Gabe's power. I hopw this cleared some things up...

Oh, and as far as pairings go, I don't know yet. I might have some people flirt to get their way, of course, but I find that pairings drive certain groups of readers away. And I don't want that...

R&R- Enjoy!