It was several days until Elle visited Sylar again. In his isolation, he started to believe she wasn't coming, or that she had never existed.

He couldn't get his mind off of her. The little smile, the vivid blue of her eyes, the childlike tenor of her voice… It may just have been the fact that she was the only person who had spoken to him like a human being during his stay here, but no matter what, she was stuck in his head.

Therefore it was a struggle to contain his enthusiasm when she walked in on his fourth day waiting.

"Elle," he greeted her pleasantly; he didn't have to turn this time, he'd starting facing the door at all times since she came. He noticed she was more subdued than last time. The smile she gave him was weak, half-hearted, and it fell away quickly.

"Hi, Sylar. How're you today?"

He cocked his head to the side, intuitive as ever.

"Is something wrong?"

With the clear air of someone who had little practice at acting normal, she shrugged her shoulders and made a futile attempt at a smile.

"It's nothing, I just got in a fight with my dad."

"Sylar slid forward on his cot, his face the very picture of genuine concern.

"What happened?"

Elle bit her lower lip and turned away, one arm across her chest as she held onto her other arm. Sylar used the opportunity to let his eyes rake predatorily over her body. Her blonde hair was gathered in a ponytail today, and she wore a light grey zip-up sweater over a pale yellow tank top. Her eyes darted back to his face, and he snapped easily back to concern.

"I don't know if I should tell you," she pouted.

Sylar stood as he spoke.

"You can talk to me about anything, I promise. Besides," he gestured around the cell, "who am I going to tell?"

Elle let out the childish giggle he remembered as she considered his words. After a moment, she sat cross-legged on the floor and brought herself to his eye level, then launched into her story.

"Okay, so Daddy sent me to talk to this guy, gave me a list of questions to ask him, told me not to hurt him unless it was absolutely necessary, blah blah blah…"

Sylar leaned sideways against the glass, arms folded, listening intently. He notices she talked with her hands a lot. If the glass wasn't there, she would probably have serious boundary issues.

"So I go to the guy, I ask him the first couple questions, and he freaks out and pulls a gun on me! So I'm thinking this is an "absolutely necessary" situation, but I guess I got a little carried away, and…" she fell silent, looking down at her hands. Sylar leaned closer.

"And?"

"Okay, I killed him," she said exasperatedly, rolling her eyes to the heavens. Something desperately monstrous flickered in Sylar's face. "Now Daddy's all mad at me, and I'm not allowed to go on assignment anymore while we're here, so I'm stuck inside this place until we leave!"

That was a frustration he could understand. He found himself wanting to put an arm around her shoulders, but that was impossible. So he said the only thing he could think of.

"I've killed people too, you know."

She glanced up at him.

"I know."

"Between you and me, it's not as big of a deal as everyone says."

She grinned like a little girl shown a magic trick. He smiled sweetly, then grew serious.

"You're like me, then."

She looked very upset for a moment… pouty, even.

"It was an accident."

"No, I mean you have powers."

She nodded warily.

"What can you do?"

Her whole face lit up spectacularly.

"You wanna see?"

He nodded and moved back for a better view. Elle moved to a kneeling position and held her hand out in front of her, palm up, like a claw. As he watched, a ball of electricity, as blue and ominous as her eyes, started to appear and grow in her hand. Sylar watched its progress hungrily, and glanced up at Elle. Her face was full of pride and excitement in the blue glow. He looked back at the ball, his eyes full of an ecstatic evil.

We're going to be very best friends.