Not
far from here
You see me crack
Like a bone, Like a bone
I'm
so breakable
And I'll take everything from you
But you'll take
anything
Won't you?
-Prodigal by One Republic
The man's heart was tangible through his shirt as Jane leant hard against him. Her heart beat so hard it made her dizzy, and her head swam as her eyes took in the stranger's appearance. Even though he could have been a burglar, raper, murderer, Jane felt suddenly very safe as she held tightly to his blue shirt. She could feel herself swaying even closer to the stranger, but he caught her and pushed her firmly up.
"Hello there," he said again, his smile dimmed slightly by some other emotion.
Jane blinked and shook her head like a dog trying to dry itself off. She wanted to be able to speak, but found his presence so overpowering she almost couldn't. He reminded her so clearly of her dreams that Jane found herself taking in his face with a reverance.
"I'm Gabriel," the man continued to say, looking slightly worried at her continued silence. "You must be Jane."
"What," she snapped suddenly, blinking rapidly as she felt her feet touch the ground once more. "How do you know my name?"
"Your mother," Sylar quickly explained, his smile spreading. "That's how I got in, if you were ever going to ask me. Unless having men sneak into this house is a common practice."
"I was going to ask you," Jane snapped back, trying to make up for her earlier hesitation. "You just scared me."
"Sorry," he replied, spreading his hands as if to surrender. "I should have made myself known."
Jane bent down to pick up the shatter bowl, and Sylar bent down too. As Jane moves to collect the jigsaw of china, their faces brush past each other in one heart stopping moment. They both freeze, their hands hovering over the jagged fragments, as their noses almost brush.
"Er..." Jane floundered, the smell of shaving cream and masculinity almost making her fall backwards. His whole body seemed to give off vibes, and they had Jane wanting to wrap herself in them.
Sylar gulped, but continued to stare at her, and Jane felt all sense leave her as she got caught in his dark brown eyes. But before she could regain herself, Sylar had already collected some fragments and stood.
How does he make me so confused?
"Sorry," Jane sighed, scooping up the rest of fragments delicately as she stood. "I am Jane."
She dumped the broken bowl into the sink and then turned to offer Sylar her hand. "Welcome to Bray."
Sylar took her hand slowly, and she tried to ignore the heat that their touch ignited in her. "Hey, I'm-"
"Gabriel," she finished for him, "I got that."
Sylar nodded and looked around the kitchen, his eyes taking in the first floor with an odd glint. Jane watched as he did so, and began to notice his general appearance. His clothes looked good on him, as much as clothes like that could, but he seemed to not suit them, like he was wearing some alien skin.
Jane looked up at his glasses, and watched as they catch the lamp light and reflected her awed look.
He's trying to supress something, Jane concluded as she watched him fiddle with the fabric of his pants, he's concelaing some element of-
Sylar turned to look back at Jane, and his sharp eyes had Jane biting her lip like a child caught doing something bad.
"Why, uh," Jane looked down at his duffle bag, a welcome alternative from his divining eyes, "why are you in Bray?"
"I wanted to get away." Sylar replied quickly.
Jane nodded, "Where are you from originally?"
"New York."
She felt my heart leap in her chest, the mention of the city made Nathan Petrelli's face flash in her mind. Now was Jane's chance to show she wasn't just some ignorant country girl that went frantic over some city newcomer.
"Like where that Senator was just killed!"
Sylar nodded, his eyes observing her. "Yeah. It's getting pretty hectic up there."
Each word Sylar says seems so precise, as if he knows every word he's going to say, and it continues to lead Jane down to thoughts of what he's really like without his facade. She smiled encouragingly, trying to get him to speak a little more, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.
Sylar continued to watch Jane as she continued to watch him, and they both became stuck in the awkward silence that descended them. The silence is painful, but Jane can't stop trying to imagine what Sylar would look like without his glasses to think up a good topic of conversation.
"Do you, uh, want to see your room, maybe?" She finally offered.
Sylar's gaze grew intense, and it had Jane shifting under the heat from his orbs. She bit her lip again and waited for an answer.
"How old are you?" Sylar asked, his hands stuffing themselves into his deep beige pockets. Jane watched the fidgeting bulges a few moments before she raised her eyes to meet his. It was then she really noticed how tall he is.
"Eighteen," Jane responded.
Sylar seemed to stifle a groan as his head turned to look out the window at the fading light.
"Sure," he said in a defeated voice. "Show me the way."
O-O-O-O-O-O-O
The room was the one furthest down the long hall, its brown door always locked for privacy. As Sylar fished around for his key, Jane pointed to the door closest to his and identified it as hers. He didn't even look, but instead yanked his key out a little faster then necessary.
As his door swung open, Jane peered in first to check everything was in order. The king sized bed was made, the blue sheets spread smoothly across the matress. The bedside table's lamp was off though, and so she rushed in to turn it on as Sylar moved in her wake.
Jane bent down onto her knees and lifted the duster circling the edge of the bed. From her position I can see the disconnected cord, and with a small sigh, she fell onto her stomach and began to crawl over to the awkwardly placed outlet.
"What are you doing," Gabriel asked from somewhere in the room, and Jane identified what she thought was annoyance in his voice.
"Sorry!" she grunted, finally reaching the power source. "I'm just about done."
She got the cord into the wall, and could see the light illuminate the room. With a few more grunts, Jane managed to sneak back out from under the bed. As she raised herself up and dusted off her clothes, Sylar cleared his throat.
He was sitting on a chair just behind Jane, sandwitched in between the bed and the window. His legs were crossed imperiously, and his hands were on each arm of the chair, his fingers running against the soft fabric absent mindedly. As Jane observed him, she felt a wave of heat gush through her stomach, and felt her cheeks burn. Sylar watched her intently, his eyes never straying from hers.
"You like?" she asked, gesturing to the room with a trembling hand.
"Very nice," Sylar replied in a voice like velvet as he rested his deep brown eyes continually on hers.
"How long will you be staying?" she asked, her bare feet playing with the threads on the carpet.
"As long as I want." says Sylar, his eyes still on on hers, the heat growing. "So who knows."
"You'll like it here," Jane enthused. "I mean, Bray is small, but there a few fun things."
His smile was the same as always as one of his eyesbrows began to rise. "Like what?"
"Er... The fair. That's coming in a few weeks. And.. um... other... things." Jane says lamely, grimacing slightly as Sylar slowly nodded his head.
"You might just have to show me around." he said in a deep voice.
Jane froze, her eyes fluttering as she continued to look at him. "I'd love to." she said back in a whisper.
Sylar looked towards the door, his eyes dimming as he speaks, "I should be getting some sleep now."
"What?" Jane croaked, blinking rapidly and shaking her head.
She had been momentarily lost to day dreams of spending time with Sylar. She could just see them both laughing at some silly joke, wrapping up on the couch to watch a romanticmovie, speaking passionatly about their feelings for one another. Her mind dwelling on an image of the pair tangled together in a hot embrace, Sylar's lips possessing Jae's as she caved agianst his will...
"Sleep is always good." Jane gasped, her hands fidgeting at her sides. "Goodnight, Gabriel."
"Goodnight, Jane," his voice replied in a dark tone, his eyes following her retreating form.
She quickly shut the door behind her and leant against it. Her whole body then began to shake.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O
Jane Hart sat on the couch once more, her eyes staring at the TV but her mind not really absorbing the show on offer. She was really going over what had just happened only an hour previous.
She had thought it impossible for any man to have such an effect on her. It was almost spellbounding, the way she had reacted to his presence. And that voice. It had such conviction, and all his words took on so many tones and meanings, that Jane felt herself going down long spirals just trying to decipher them.
She had reheated her pasta, and now sat hugging the bowl as her eyes glazed over.
The truth of the matter was, that Sylar, both the one she had just met today, and the one in her dreams, had awoken feelings she never felt for a man before.
She felt trust, love, lust, loyalty, passion... Her whole life up to that point now seemed barren and pointless compared to what it could be. Sylar just seemed to shoot out of no where and give Jane something to aspire to, something to crave.
Jane ran a hand over her face and, for what seemed like the millionth time, shook her head as if to clear it of water.
"You're still up?" asked a dark figure from the kitchen.
Jane started and looked around her, her heart beating fast and furious as she peered into the shadow that was the kitchen. She could already tell it was Sylar, his presence setting off her senses almost automatically, but she still felt afraid.
"Who-Who is it?' she asked in a trembling voice, and that's when Sylar, his own bowl of pasta in his hands, stepped out of the dark. His smile was wide and dangerous, that of a predator to anyone else. But Jane smiled as if she saw an angel.
"Oh," she said in a long sigh. "Its you, Gabriel. That's the second time today that you've scared me."
"I'm not doing very well, am I?" Sylar laughed, and he began to move towards her before stopping himself. His brow creased as he looked upon Jane's trusting face.
Can I trust myself to sit next to her? She has no power to use against me – she's meerly innocent. Too innocent to even sense a murdering bastard like myself...
"Aren't you going to sit down?" Jane asked, moving over slightly to give Sylar room on the already spacious couch.
Her lips were pouted, and her body was still dressed in that figure revealing number from earlier.
"Thanks," Sylar smiled, moving in and placing himself next to Jane. "I just didn't know-"
"You're always welcome to do what you want in this house," Jane said kindly, smiling as she searched for the remote. Her smooth pretty brow creasing as her hand dug deeper and deeper down into the couch's cusions.
Sylar spotted it on the far chair, and with a smilpe finger twitch, had it in his hand before Jane could even spot the movement.
"Looking for this?" he asked, offering up the remote, and Jane beamed at him.
"I'd loose my head if it wasn't screwed on," Jane giggled, taking it from him.
Sylar couldn't even smile as all the gaping, life ending wounds he had caused flashed in hid mind's eye. He looked to Jane and it didn't take much imagination to see her body limp, her face pale and frozen in shock, with the top of her head just an empty cavern where blood seeped out.
"I should..." he began, his heart beating hard in his chest as he looked down at her small curled figure.
"Oh," Jane gasped, reaching up and grasping to his hand. "Don't. We'll watch what you like, I promise I won't make you watch Project Runway or anything. I'm so lonely, I just want some company."
Sylar looked down to where her small hand held to his rough one, her body warmth reaching out to him like big strong arms. He wanted to say no, he should have said no, but the man in him, not the monster, won over and he settled back down. This time a little closer to Jane.
"Why couldn't you sleep?" Jane asked as Sylar channel surfed. "The bed's not bad or anything, is it?"
"No, no," Sylar sighed, his hand running across the frame of his glasses. "I just couldn't rest."
"I know what you mean." Jane said in her small voice.
Sylar's eyes twitched over at her, and he saw that her eyes had wandered from the screen too.
"Do you?" Sylar asked, his whole body seeming to hum. "Can't you rest either?"
"I haven't been able to rest for a very long time." Jane relpied, her voice quiet as her light brown eyes searched Sylar's face.
Sylar saw the heat in her eyes, the trust and longing that had her brown eyes glowing. How could he live with himself if, only hours after meeting her, he had kissed her? It was ridiculous that he should even be thinking about it! He had tried to kill girls younger then her, and felt no remorse what so ever. Why should someone like Jane bring him out of his cold calculating shell so fast?
And this was partially her fault too. There she was, offering up trust and warmth, all wrapped up in a young, beautiful package. Sylar's heart was beating faster then it had ever done, and he tried to shut it off, tried to will it not to respond.
"Stop," he whispered to Jane as she leaned forward even more. She seemed unable to hear him as she continued to move toward him, her lips parting slowly. Jane's scent of jasmine overwhelmed Sylar and he almost felt like grabbing the girl and running off into his bedroom with her where he could keep her his and safe forever.
I can't.
"Jane," Sylar said more firmly, his hands grasping her shoulders. "What are you do-"
The backdoor squeaked open, and Sylar and Jane both dived down onto the couch. Sylar's brow was creased, and his eyes were still glaring hard at Jane, but this new interruption had annoyance burning his veins. What had he expected to happen? He was about to stop Jane's foolishness... wasn't he?
"Its my sister," Jane hissed to him as the floorboards somewhere nearby squeaked under foot. "She's only just getting home."
"Who care-" Sylar began, but then he cut himself off. He wanted her to go away.
"Stay down, Gabriel," Jane muttered, and Sylar's anger was forgotten as he heard his name on her tongue. She had said it before, but it took on a whole new light with these new feelings. But, before he could even get to grips on what he was feeling, Jane was springing up from the couch.
"God, Sasha," said Jane, her arms crossed over her chest. "Why are you out so late? I lie to mom, and then you do this!"
"Why," says another female voice. It could have been Jane's voice, but where Jane's was mature, and had conviction to back it up, this voice, presumably Sasha Hart's, was higher and had a more flighty tone to it that automatically set Sylar off. The voice carried on, "Is she home?"
"No," Jane admitted, her conviction wavering. "But she was for all you know, and you're still late."
"God, Jane," Sasha groaned, "Why so edgy?"
Jane's eyes flashed to Sylar, and he gave her an 'are you daft' look.
"Because," Jane continued, acting like she hadn't just given the couch a panicked look, "if mom found out you were sneaking out with all kinds of guys and I was the one covering up for you – I'd get grounded."
Sasha gave a derisive laugh, "Yeah, like you have a social life anyway."
Jane's face began to heat up, and Sylar looked away. He shouldn't have even been there, he should have left Jane to wait for her sister in peace. He knew Jane was attracted to him, knew the moment their faces brushed on the kitchen floor. But he had told himself it was nothing but teenage hormones, and his reaction was nothing if not involuntary.
So why was he still on that couch, waiting for Jane to collect herself and come back to join him?
"I should be getting off to bed," Jane whispered once her sister's bedroom door was slammed.
Sylar blinked and sat up, his eyes taking in her now clear and lucid expression. It appeared that her sister's jibe had shocked her back to reality, and alerted her to the fact that maybe Sylar wasn't the best guy to be with.
He could only hope she was now sensing his danger, his 'don't come near' aura.
But Jane just wanted to run away and hide, deeply embarassed that Sylar had heard Sasha make fun of her. She couldn't bare it that Sylar had pushed her away before, and now that he knew she didn't do anything but eat meals alone and scold her sister, he must see her as some loner.
"I'm sorry, Gabriel," she husked, knuckling at her right eye. "I'm – I'm such a loser."
Jane then turned and scurried past the couch. Sylar stared out into oblivion while his mind tried to deal with the alien feeling of disappointment.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O
That night, Jane and Sylar both settle into their dreams with apprehension. Jane, in her bed, hugged close to her pillow as she struggled around in her duvet. And Sylar, his face contorted in worry, fidgeted constantly as he mumbled out.
The first parts of their dreams went ahead as usual, Jane crying out and trying to grab at Noah Bennet as he strangles her. And Sylar shwoing up, just in the nick of time, to save her with abilities fueled by her obvious devotion and blind trust.
But this time, as Sylar heaves the girl to her feet and brings her in close, his hand reaches out and touches the girl's cheek. The first contact made! And as he fingers the soft skin, her head tilts up.
"Gabriel?" Jane asks him.
Sylar freezes and stares down at her, his eyes taking in her wide brown eyes and soft, flowing brown hair. He smiles despite himself and lets his hand wander through her soft strands.
"Yes," Sylar replies, his eyes turning hot as Jane smiles in recognition. "Its me. Its your Gabriel."
He's different in this dream, he wears his black ensemble like always, instead of the geeky outfit, and his glasses no longer sheild his eyes from Jane's view. She clings tight to him, as she reaches one small hand up and takes off a black cap Sylar wasn't aware he was wearing.
Jane's eyes grow even wider as they shine up at him. She feels her heart quicken in joy at Sylar's appearance. She's elated that its Sylar holding her. That it's been Sylar all along, saving her night after night, but concealing his true identity from her. Its peace around them as Jane gazes upon Sylar with totaly faith, and Sylar stares back with unabaiting devotion.
All of a sudden there are loud noises, like an advancing mob, coming from everywhere, and no matter where Sylar and Jane look, nothing appears.
Sylar momentarily wants to throw Jane off, because somewhere in him he knows its all his fault that the mob is after them. He knows that if he lets Jane go, and she slips from his grasp, she'll be safe and untouchable forever.
"I don't want you to be afraid." Sylar whispers to her, his forehead leaning against her own and his hot breath brushing against her face. She seems to have sense his intentions, because she wraps both her arms around his middle and squeezes tight.
"I'll never leave you," she vows with such conviction it has Sylar abandonning all hope of ever convincing her otherwise.
Its then that he too wraps his arms around Jane, and holds her tight against him. The scene around them dims, but as they hold to another, the light never actually fades. The sounds grow louder, but Jane can only hear Sylar's heartbeat aginst her ear.
Its confirmation he's still alive.
