Claire tapped Peter on the shoulder and as soon as he turned around, he found himself reeling back from a punch. "What the fuck?"

Claire looked at him apologetically. "Sorry, I need to make this look convincing."

"You could have warned me first!"

"Sorry, can I punch you again?"

"Hell no!" Peter said, massaging the spot just under his eye where she hit him. "No more hitting me."

"I don't think that one bruise will be convincing enough."

Peter frowned and after a few moments he dropped his hand. "Fine, just don't hit my face again."

"Fine, I won't hit your face again," Claire replied, as she aimed right for his side. "But I gotta make it look like there was a bit of a struggle."

"Somehow I don't think that they are going to believe that you took me down, no matter how many bruises I have."

"Well, that's an easy one. I just tell them that I gained your trust before catching you off guard," Claire replied, punching him in the arm and taking a step back. "I think that that should be fine."

Peter rubbed the spot on his arm where she had hit him. "Okay, now what?"

"Now you get in the car and pretend to be knocked out when we reach Building 26."

"Building 26? Why not go straight to the facility?"

"You'll get there, I promise."

"This better work."

"It will," Claire said before looking around the room. "Now we just need something to tie your hands up with."

"You're not tying my hands together."

"Why not? You let me punch you," Claire said before grabbing the cord to the phone in room and tearing it out of the wall and the phone. "Don't worry, I'll pay for this. Now give me your hands."

"How do I know you won't just tie me up and throw me to Nathan and be done with all of this?"

Claire held out the wire. "Would you like to tie me up instead and make me your hostage?"

"Then Nathan would definitely be able to tell that something is up."

Claire walked over and loosely tied his wrist together. "There, now you can easily escape if you want." When she finished, she looked up at him. "You must really care about Gabriel if you're willing to risk your life to free him."

Peter nodded. "It's funny. I only knew him for a week, but I feel something for him. Like a sort of connection. I haven't really figured out what kind of connection, but there's something between us. It could just be that he needs me to save him but-"

"But you really care about him." Claire nodded towards the door. "Come on, let's go get him back."

She drove him to Building 26 and called Nathan. Peter pretended to be knocked out when Nathan came out of the building with some guards. Peter listened to Claire tell them exactly what they planned out earlier in the hotel room and Nathan was gullible enough to believe her.

The guards roughly grabbed Peter out of the backseat and brought him into the building, throwing him into what Peter could only assume was a temporary cell. The door was shut and he was ignored for a while. He got up and walked over to the door, pressing his ear against it. It was too thick for him to hear through, so he sat down and waited.

Claire followed Nathan into a large room where people were monitoring videos and phone calls and others seemed to be searching for the whereabouts of other specials. Her father was sitting at one of the computers and he stood up when she walked in. "Claire? What are you doing here?"

"She brought Peter to us," Nathan replied, taking a seat at one of the desks. "Seems like he put up a fight."

"Well, he trusts way too easy," Claire said as she leaned against the wall. "So, now that you have him, what will you do with him?"

"Keep him out of the way," Nathan replied.

"If you wanted him out of the way, then why didn't you capture him sooner? I'm sure that you could have spared the manpower to do it."

"Because he's been a mere mosquito," Bennet said. "So we didn't do anything about it. We were waiting for him to come to us, but you solved that one for us." He walked over and gave her a hug. With his back turned to Nathan he whispered in her ear. "I left the laptop out for a reason. Thank you."

Claire showed no signs of hearing him, but hugged him back. "You're welcome, Dad."

Bennet stepped back and stood beside her. "Where are we taking him?"

"Leave him in that room for now," Nathan replied, as he grabbed the folder from the pile on his desk and flipped it open. "I'll think of where to put him later."

"What about that facility you're using?" Claire asked.

Nathan looked up at her with a suspicious look. "How do you know about that?"

"Umm..."

"She saw something about it on my laptop," Bennet replied. "I let her use it without closing out of a file. It was my fault. Besides, Claire's not one to deceive us, right Claire-bear?"

Claire shook her head. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Nathan seemed to accept that answer and went back to looking at the folder. Bennet pulled Claire aside where they were out of earshot. "We need to get Peter there, but I don't know how to do that."

"Just ship him over."

"I can't do anything without Nathan's approval first."

"Can't we sneak him over there?"

"If I could find a way, then I would."

"If you're on our side, then why are you here?"

"Because somebody needs to be on the inside and Nathan doesn't trust Angela not to betray him."

"But he'll trust you?"

"I don't think he trusts me so much as he wants me on his side."

"But you'll get Peter to the facility? You'll help him save Gabriel?"

Bennet nodded. "I knew about the split personality from the beginning. We used that to our advantage and that's why he became a killer - because we made him that way. The Company did and I regret doing that now. I regret a lot of things I've done."

"But at one point you were ready to kill him."

"If I killed him, then I would have stopped Sylar," Bennet replied. "Killing an innocent man seemed a suitable price for taking out a murderer."

"But you don't want to see him dead anymore?"

Bennet shrugged. "I don't know anymore."

Peter didn't see anyone for hours. When the door finally opened, Bennet was on the other side. He walked over and yanked Peter up by the arm and dragged him out of the building. Bennet threw him into the back of the car before driving off. When they were stopped at a red light a few blocks down, Bennet turned around with a knife in his hands and cut through the wires around Peter's wrists. "We have to do this quickly, before your brother gets back."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked, rubbing at his wrists.

"You want to save Gabriel, right?" Bennet asked. "Well, I'm going to help you do that, but we have to do it before Nathan returns." Bennet handed Peter the phone and wallet Nathan's guards had taken from him earlier, before they put him in the cell.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because I made a mistake," Bennet replied.

They made it to the mental treatment facility and Bennet got Peter inside. He directed Peter down to the Gabriel's cell, but Bennet didn't follow. "I have to make a diversion and give you some time. So get in there and get out."

Peter nodded. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Gabriel was curled up in the corner of the cell, huddled in on himself like he was trying to block out the rest of the world. Peter's heart clenched in his chest to see such misery in his friend's body language. He felt tears start to his eyes, but he had no time for them as he rushed to Gabriel's side, kneeling and putting his hand very carefully on the man's shoulder. He didn't want to startle him. "Gabriel?" he whispered softly, heartfelt.

Gabriel opened his eyes and looked up at Peter in wonder, like he was seeing an angel come to deliver him from his horror. "Peter?" he rasped, voice rough from disuse.

Peter gave him a gentle smile. "Yeah, it's me. I'm going to get you out of here." Using his telekinesis, Peter managed to break the shackles and helped Gabriel up before pulling him into a tight hug. "Never again."

Gabriel was a little hesitant as he returned the hug. "Never again, what?"

"You are never getting kidnapped again," Peter replied, looking into Gabriel's soft brown eyes. "I'll make sure of that."

Peter then leaned in and ever so softly pressed his lips against Gabriel's. Gabriel froze up and Peter pulled back when he noticed the lack of a response. His mind flashed to the possibility that Gabriel might not return his feelings. He quickly squashed those thoughts - really it just wasn't the right time to be exploring their feelings. His first priority was to get Gabriel out of there. There was plenty of time later for other things. "I'm sorry. We should get out of here. Let's go."

Peter started to turn away when Gabriel wrapped an arm around his waist and kept him in place. Peter looked up at him, an unspoken question in his eyes. Gabriel moved his free hand to the back of Peter's head and tangled his fingers in Peter's hair before leaning in and kissing him.

It was just a gentle press of lips against his own, but Gabriel grew bolder when Peter returned the kiss. Peter ran his hands up Gabriel's arms, placing them on his shoulders. He was still in a bit of shock. As much as he'd been dreaming about this moment, he couldn't believe that it was actually happening.

Gabriel pulled Peter even closer, his hand caressing along Peter's lower back. Peter definitely couldn't have dreamed of a better first kiss than this. He felt his knees grow weaker and he leaned against Gabriel for more support, which Gabriel gladly gave.

After what felt like an eternity, Gabriel finally pulled away and pressed his forehead against Peter's. They were both equally breathless, and Peter couldn't help but let out a small laugh. He felt Gabriel began to pull away, and he held him tighter. "No. I'm not laughing at you." He kissed him again. "We should really get out of here."

Gabriel moved one of his hands to Peter's cheek and gave him another kiss. "Thank you, for saving me."

"I knew you two were fucking," Nathan growled out, startling both of them.

Gabriel immediately began to cower in fear. Peter turned around and stood in front of him, protecting him. Peter felt disgusted at the sight of Nathan. "Nathan."

"You would really side with a monster over your own brother, Pete?" Nathan asked. "I thought you wanted to save the world?"

Peter reached back and laced his fingers with Gabriel's. "The only monster in this room is you, Nathan. Gabriel is a good person and I would side with him any day over you if this is your plan for specials. You can't lock us all up, and you can't decide who's dangerous and who's not. No one can."

"Well, we'll just have to see about that," Nathan said, pulling a gun out of his pocket. He aimed it right at Gabriel's chest. "Now, won't we."

Peter's eyes widened and he pushed Gabriel out of the way just as Nathan pulled the trigger. The bullet missed, bouncing off the sink and hitting Peter in the shoulder. Peter cried out in agony and fell to the floor, clutching at his wound.

Gabriel's eyes darkened. Peter reached out his hand, but he couldn't reach the man that he had come to know so well. "Don't let him out."

But it was too late. Peter's hand was knocked aside before Nathan was thrown through the window, smacking his head hard against the concrete wall. Peter's eyes widened and he yelled in alarm. "Sylar!"

Sylar yanked Peter up by his good shoulder and pushed him out of the room. "Let's go before he wakes up, or better yet, the re-enforcements come."

Peter pulled out of Sylar's grip. "Did you have to knock him out? I could have talked to him."

"Your brother just fucking shot you! Don't tell me that you could have talked to him," Sylar yelled, shoving Peter. "Now get going before I decide to just kill him."

"You wouldn't!"

"Move!"

And when Peter didn't budge, Sylar grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the cell. When they made it out of the building, Sylar turned Peter to face him. "Take healing before you leave even more of a blood trail than you already have."

Peter closed his eyes and got the ability he wanted, the wound on his shoulder instantly healing. As soon as it did, Sylar grabbed his arm once more and started to drag him away again. "We need to get you out of here. Somewhere safe. Is there anyone you can trust?"

Peter thought of Bennet and Claire but that would probably be the first place that Nathan would look. So he thought of something outrageous. "My mother."

"Your mother?" Sylar said. "Are you fucking crazy?"

Peter shook his head. "It'll be the last place Nathan looks. Trust me."

Sylar gave him a look that told Peter he didn't approve of the idea, but nodded anyway. "Fine, but you get to talk to her."

Peter grabbed his phone out of his pocket and got a hold of Angela. She wasn't happy with them, but gave them the address of a hotel that she and Arthur had used when they were in D.C.

They made their way there and Peter gave the clerk his mother's name. In return they were handed a card key. Once in the room, Peter rounded on Sylar. "Give him back control."

There was annoyance in Sylar's eyes before they softened. It was this that let Peter know that Gabriel was with him again. He reached out and pulled Gabriel into a hug. "You're safe now."

Gabriel returned the hug for a moment before pulling away, his hand finding the bullet hole in Peter's jacket. "You were shot."

Peter shrugged his jacket off and pulled the collar of his shirt away. Gabriel ran his fingers over the smooth skin where the bullet hole used to be. "How?"

"Sylar made me take healing, said he didn't want me leaving a blood trail," Peter said. "Don't see why he didn't just kill me and be done with it." Peter stopped talking when he noticed that Gabriel wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. He placed his hand over Gabriel's. "Gabe?"

Gabriel pulled back suddenly and turned away. "I-I um..I need a shower." He scurried off towards the bathroom, leaving Peter feeling a little confused. Then it hit him. They were alone in a hotel room with a single bed, and they had shared their first kiss not too long ago. Peter smiled to himself before sitting on the edge of the bed. He wasn't really surprised that Gabriel was freaking out a bit.

Peter stripped off his ruined shirt and tried to wipe away some of the blood. He gave up after realizing the blood was too dry and decided to wait until Gabriel was out of the shower so he could get a washcloth. The phone by the bed went off, making Peter jump. He hesitated before reaching over and answering. "Hello?"

"Peter, you made it to the hotel alright?" Angela asked.

"Yes."

"I want you to know that I don't approve of anything that you're doing."

"Then why are you helping me?"

"While I may not agree with your tactics, I do believe that Nathan needs to be stopped," Angela replied.

"Then why haven't you tried?"

"I have, Peter," Angela said. "I have been trying for awhile now, but you know how stubborn you Petrelli men are. Nathan won't stop any more than you will. Not until he gets what he wants."

"I still don't know why you're helping us."

"Everything I do is for a reason, Peter," Angela said. "Now, there are should be some clothes in that room. I called ahead and had some delivered for you two. Have a nice night."

"Mom-"

"Goodbye, Peter."

The line went dead and Peter hung up, feeling a bit defeated. The shower turned off and a few minutes later, Gabriel reappeared in the room. The clothes Peter's mother mentioned must have been in the bathroom because Gabriel was in a new pair of pants. It also looked as though Sylar had regenerated their body when he had taken over, earlier. Gabriel stuttered, "I-if you need the shower, you can have it."

"Actually if you could just hand me a damp cloth then I can just wipe this blood away."

Gabriel disappeared again and when he came back out he handed a washcloth over to Peter. Peter wiped all the blood off his skin, aware of the fact that Gabriel's eyes were roaming over his chest. When he looked up, Gabriel quickly looked away with his cheeks flushed. Peter patted the spot next to him. "Sit down, Gabriel."

Gabriel sat down next to him, arms wrapped tightly around his chest in a sign of insecurity. When Gabriel said nothing, Peter asked, "What's on your mind?"

Gabriel shrugged. "Nothing."

"Something," Peter teased.

Gabriel looked up at him. "What if we just ran away? Just you and me? Get away from all of this."

"You want to run away?"

Gabriel nodded. "I just-we don't have to fight anymore. I just want it all to be over. I mean, even if we manage to stop Nathan, there is eventually going to be someone else out to get specials. There will always be somebody out there."

Peter thought over Gabriel's words for a moment. "Where would we go?"

Gabriel shrugged. "Italy? Paris? Finland? Does it really matter?"

"The problem is, if we left, my brother would hunt us down," Peter said. "Do you really want to spend the rest of your life being hunted?"

"Like I said, there will always be someone after us, Peter."

"And you want to spend your time running with me?"

"Nobody wants to be lonely, Peter," Gabriel said, with a confidence that Peter hadn't seen before. "And you are the only person who actually wants to be around me and not for reasons that benefit them. To tell the truth, you're the only real friend that I've ever had."

"And is that all I am?" Peter asked before he could stop himself. "Just your friend?"

"Is there something else you'd rather be?"

"Think of earlier," Peter said. "When I came into your cell." Gabriel's cheeks flushed once more and Peter leaned in close. "Now answer your own question."

Gabriel brought his hand up to Peter's chest and pushed him away. "No. Not unless you promise me that we don't have to fight Nathan anymore, that we don't have to fight anyone."

"Gabe," Peter said softly. "I can't do that."

"I don't want to have any part of this fight between all the specials. I don't want to partake in any more violence! I just want to live a normal life for once!" Gabriel said. "You saved me and I thank you for that, but I can't just go back there. And I can't spend the rest of my life fighting."

"Then you don't have to," Peter replied. "You can stay here and I can go take care of Nathan. I need to stop him."

"Peter, you really don't understand do you?" Gabriel said. "I would follow you anywhere."

"And why is that?"

"I don't want to see you get hurt again," Gabriel said. "I want to be there to make sure that you're safe."

"I'll be fine. I'll just hold on to healing."

"You can still die, Peter," Gabriel said. "Even with healing. If they decapitate you, then you will die. And I don't think that I could handle that. I think that I would lose control."

"Then I won't go," Peter said, reaching over and taking Gabriel's hand. "I won't leave you alone."

"You mean that?"

Peter nodded. "Yes, I mean that."

Gabriel smiled and leaned in, pressing his lips against Peter's. Peter kissed him back, wrapping his arms around Gabriel's neck and pulling him closer.

************************

Dawn was breaking over the city and Peter lay propped up on his elbows as he watched Gabriel sleep. Mentally, he was kicking himself over what he had promised Gabriel the previous night. He really did want to run off with Gabriel and he wanted to see the world with him and have the best life that they could. The only problem was that Peter didn't think they could achieve the possibility of a happy life together when they would have to be looking over their shoulders all the time. Gabriel deserved security and stability and if that meant that Peter would have to go back on his promise, then that was just what Peter was going to do.

He leaned over and pressed his lips ever so gently to Gabriel's before he got out of bed and found the clothes his mother had mentioned the night before. He pulled on his jacket and gave a last remorseful look at Gabriel before leaving the room. He hand lingered on the door for a few minutes while he thought about just how much Gabriel would be hurt by his actions.

He took a cab to Building 26 and walked right in, ready for what could be his final confrontation with his brother. He was immediately confronted by a security guard. It didn't take long till he managed to cause a big enough commotion to draw his brother out.

He was being held back when Nathan turned the corner. His eyes were cold and he snarled when spoke. "Peter."

"Nathan," Peter said with anger.

"I thought you ran away with your tail between your legs. What happened?"

"I think it's time that we have a nice long chat," Peter replied. "Just you and me."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"Tell them to let me go and we can go talk," Peter indicated the guards with a jerk of his chin.

"And how do I know that you won't turn on me once we're alone?"

"Even if I say I won't, you'll never believe me."

Nathan nodded towards the guards. "Let him go."

"But sir," the one on Peter's left started.

"I'll be fine," Nathan said with disdain. "If I need you, then I'll call for you. Come on, Peter."

Once they were alone, Peter rounded on his brother. "So tell me, do your faithful followers know about your ability? Or have you failed to mention it to them?"

Nathan shoved Peter against the wall, his arm pressed against Peter's neck, choking him. Nathan leaned in close, his words cold. "I told you to stay out of my way, Peter."

"Why? You would have rounded me up eventually," Peter managed to get out. "Along with Claire and our mother."

Nathan's hold got tighter. "They would have been safe if it weren't for you. I was trying to protect our family. And something I discovered while going through the Company records is that you aren't actually part of the family, Peter. That makes you expendable! You're not a Petrelli. You're just a reminder that Ma couldn't keep her legs closed!"

"Do you even know what family means, Nathan?" Peter spit out. "Because I think that you and I have two completely different meanings of the word." Peter kneed his brother sharply in the groin, making Nathan grunt and release his hold. "If I wasn't family, then Arthur wouldn't have allowed me in his home. He wouldn't have allowed me to call him my father." He kicked Nathan in the chest as hard as he could.

Peter looked down at his brother who was clutching his chest and staring up at Peter. Peter knelt down and grabbed Nathan by the collar of his shirt and yanked him up so that they were face to face. "Call it all off, Nathan. Let all the specials go. Do the right thing for once."

"What makes you think I'm not doing the right thing?" Nathan spit out.

"It's called karma, Nathan and it's going to come around and bite you in the ass if you continue down this road."

Nathan seemed to think about it for a moment. "What if I let you off the hook instead? You and that … that thing."

Peter growled at him. "He has a name."

Nathan huffed. "I'll let you and Gabriel go, if you promise not to interfere any more. You can run off to the other side of the world and I promise that I won't follow."

Peter closed his eyes. He really, really wanted Nathan to stop the search, but he came here with Gabriel in mind. He came here so that he could have a life with someone he loved. Peter nodded and stopped up. "You better keep your word, brother." Peter started to walk away and spotted Gabriel by the door. "How did you-"

Gabriel's expression shifted to alarmed and he yelled, "PETER!"

Peter didn't have enough time to turn around before he was thrown to the ground and Nathan was on top of him. Nathan wrapped his hands around Peter's throat, cutting off his air supply. Gabriel started to step forward when Nathan tightened his grip. "Take another step and I will snap his fucking neck."

Peter began to tug at Nathan's arms as his head began to swim. "Nate..."

Nathan looked down at him, but didn't loosen his grip. "You shouldn't have saved me that night at Pinehearst, Peter. You should have just let me die in that building. Let us both die. It would have been better than me finding out the truth about you!"

Peter struggled for a last breath, feeling his eyelids droop and his head pound. It was as his eyes were shutting and he was about to pass out that Nathan was violently shoved off of him. Peter sat up, coughing and gasping for air. He caught sight of Nathan and Gabriel fighting and watched as Gabriel began to raise his hand, his finger extended.

"Gabriel, no!" Peter shouted.

But it was too late. Nathan was now clutching his neck as blood poured out of it. Peter watched in horror as his brother stumbled back and fell back into the chair. Peter's heart felt like it was being ripped out of his chest. "Nathan…"

Peter could just barely register Gabriel apologizing over and over. Gabriel moved in front of him, kneeling before him. "Peter, I'm sorry. I-I-"

The tears came and Peter placed his face in his hands. His brother was gone. Even despite all that Nathan had done, Peter still felt like he'd been cut open. No matter what Nathan had done recently, no matter what he'd said about disowning him, Peter still saw him as his brother and the man he had looked up to for so many years. Gabriel placed his hand on Peter's shoulder, but he violently shoved it off. "Don't touch me! Don't you dare fucking touch me!" He shoved Gabriel away as hard as he could. "Get the fuck away from me!"

The pain and hurt in Gabriel's eyes was hard to miss, but Peter tried to ignore it as much as he could. He got up from the floor and walked over to his brother's body. He reached out and closed Nathan's eyelids, before wrapping his arms around him and crying even harder.

He could hear Gabriel walking closer and he looked up. Gabriel stopped in his tracks when he saw the pained look in Peter's eyes. "Peter, please listen to me."

"He was my brother, Gabriel! My brother! And you killed him!"

"He was hurting you!" Gabriel called out, in anguish. "I did it to protect you!"

"You could have found another way to do it!" Peter turned away from Gabriel and cradled at the body of his brother. "We could have-He could have been locked up or…." Peter couldn't finish, couldn't even think clearly with his grief. "He was my brother, my family…"

Gabriel walked up to him and ripped Peter away from Nathan. Peter shouted and tried to push Gabriel away. "Let me go!" He looked up and found himself staring into the eyes of a killer. "Sylar..."

"You should listen to him when he talks," Sylar said. "He did it to protect you and now you've upset him."

"Sylar, let go of me. Now."

"You are going to listen to me. That monster in the chair doesn't deserve to be your brother and deep down you know that," Sylar hissed out. "He was hurting you and Gabriel was trying to protect you. He loves you, Peter. That's something else that I know you know. Now I'm going to give him back control and you are going to apologize to him and then get the fuck out of here."

"Nathan may have been a monster, but he was still my brother and I loved him." Peter wanted to agree with Sylar and he knew he was right, but all he could think of was that he'd lost the man who'd practically been a father to him.

Sylar raised his hand and Peter flinched. "Apologize to Gabriel. Don't make him feel horrible for saving you." Sylar leaned in closer, his voice a mere whisper. "Don't ever hurt Gabriel again, or I will kill you myself."

Peter looked at him, his eyes wide. "Gabriel wouldn't allow you to do that."

"Gabriel won't be able to stop me. Now I'm trying to be nice to you, no matter how much I want to rip your throat out. Don't hurt him again."

Sylar closed his eyes and when he reopened them, they were softer. He looked at Peter in confusion. "Peter?"

Gently, Peter pushed him away. His voice was strained and thick. His shoulders shook slightly with suppressed sobs. "You shouldn't be here. I can't deal with this right now, Gabriel. Give me some time, please. Nathan's dead," he said voice cracking as he looked over at the body with renewed anguish, pain and remorse lining his face because he knew this was all his fault. If only he'd taken Gabriel's advice and run away with him, Nathan would still be alive. "You have to leave, before they find you here."

"Peter-"

"Just leave."

A tear fell down Gabriel's face as he turned away. Peter walked back over to his brother and knelt down beside him. He reached out and touched his brother's hand, feeling the tears coming back full force once more. He pressed his forehead against the arm of the chair and just sobbed.

And that was exactly how his mother found him. She screamed at the sight of her older son and ran to him, shaking his shoulder. "Nathan? Nathan? Nathan!"

Peter reached out and grabbed her wrist. "He's gone, Mom. He's gone and it's my fault."

"Of course, it's your fault," Angela snapped, pushing Peter away from Nathan. "I told you this would happen, Peter. I told you to make the right choice. I told you to stay out of it."

"I know, Ma!" Peter yelled out. "I know I fucked up big time. Do you think that I want Nathan dead? Do you?"

"Sometimes your judgments are wrong Peter," Angela hissed out. "I told you before that this would end in Nathan's death, but you refused to listen to me." She roughly shoved Peter. "Get out of here, Peter. Get out of here and never step foot in front of me again."

Peter took a step back. He had never felt so disconnected from his own family. It was like the whole world was turning against him and the only person who loved him, he'd made leave. "I loved my brother, Ma. I never wanted this. You know that I would never want this."

Peter took one last look at his brother before walking out of the room. He made it about a block away before he broke down once more on a bench. For the first time in his life he felt truly alone. And even though Gabriel had murdered his brother, he really wished he had him there with him at the moment. He just needed someone.

When Peter finally made it back home a few days later, he was worn out both physically and emotionally. He collapsed on his couch and let out a sigh, he was too tired to cry anymore, so he just lay there. His mother wasn't speaking to him, Bennet was keeping Claire away from him and his brother was dead. Not only that but he had lost Gabriel. He couldn't find him anywhere in D.C.

"Gabriel, I was wrong," Peter muttered. "I really wish you were here right now."

A shadow caught his eye and he looked up to see Gabriel standing near the bedroom. There was a sadness in his eyes and he looked ready to bolt. "I don't see why you want me here."

"You were right, nobody wants to be lonely and I've lost everyone I've ever cared about. Don't make me lose you too."

"I killed your brother."

Peter walked over to him and ignored the fact that it was spiking up Gabriel's anxiety. He placed his hands on Gabriel's arms. "I remember my brother being something else entirely. He hasn't been the same since my father died. Grief makes people do desperate things and hurt those they love the most."

"You're only saying that to make me not feel so bad."

"No, I'm not," Peter said. "You're not a bad person, Gabriel. You were just protecting me."

"I feel like I should go turn myself in," Gabriel mumbled. "I feel like I should be locked up. I killed somebody, Peter, someone that you loved very much."

"It was all my fault. I shouldn't have left the hotel room without talking it over with you. You didn't deserve that. I just woke up and felt so powerless to keep you safe, from being kidnapped again and I thought if we ran away, that Nathan would be after us forever. So I went back thinking I could talk him out of it. I didn't realize how far gone he was, or how much he hated me. I didn't think he'd try to kill me!" Peter shook his head, glad, in a way, that he was too emotionally drained to cry about it anymore. "I'm so sorry I hurt you. I was hurting, too. I wasn't thinking. I should have been." He took a step closer and wrapped his arms around Gabriel's neck, resting his head against Gabriel's shoulder. "I love you. I turned my back on my family for you, Gabriel. I risked my life to get you back. That has to mean something to you."

"It does mean a lot to me," Gabriel replied, as he wrapped his arms around Peter's waist. "And-and I love you too, I just feel so horrible for what I did. Do you really want me to stay here with you?"

"I want you by my side for however long you want to be there," Peter said.

"You do know that if you'll have to deal with Sylar as well, right?"

"Can I ask you something?"

Gabriel nodded. "Anything."

"Why did he allow you to have control back?"

"Because Sylar craved having a family just as much as I did," Gabriel replied. "When Angela had us believing that we were related, Sylar allowed me to share in that feeling, but he had locked me away again shortly after he killed Elle. After that, I fought as hard as I could to see you again. Because something inside of me told me that you would accept me, and that you would save me."

"And did I … save you?" Peter asked softly, holding Gabriel just a bit tighter.

"Sylar's been getting gradually weaker," Gabriel said. "And it's because I finally found someone who cared about me. I found you."

Peter smiled as he felt his heart swell. He leaned in and kissed Gabriel softly. "Then you'll run away with me?"

"And where are we running off to?"

"Where ever you want to go."