(A/N) Warning – explicit language.
I'm
not here
This isn't happening
In a little while
I'll be
gone
The moment's already passed
Yeah, it's gone.
Strobe
lights and brown speakers
Fireworks and hurricanes
That there,
that's not me
I go where I please
I'm not here
This
isn't happening
I'm not here, I'm not here ...
-How
to Disappear Completely by Radiohead
Jane fell to her knees in a sob as suddenly her Gabriel was no longer distinguishable in those black orbs. She shut her large brown eyes, squeezing out big fat tears that ran down her high cheekbones, and kept them closed as she heard struggling from the chair. Her hands shook so bad that even though she braced them against her belly, they continued to tremor all up her muscles.
"Gabriel," she whispered.
There was a low, angry chuckle from the chair, and the noise of straining and stretching leather and wood stopped. It was a frightening sound, and it had Jane curling into a tight defensive ball.
"Look at you," the voice that sounded so alike Gabriel's said. Jane fought the urge to look up – it wasn't Gabriel. "You're more beautiful then Gabriel's eyes give you credit for."
Jane froze on the carpet, her eyes opening and staring down at the soft carpet she laid so close to.
"Look up at me," Sylar commanded imperiously. "I want to see your face properly."
She couldn't fight that voice, not even if she had wanted to.
Her neck muscles contracted against her mind's wishes. This man killed her love; it was because of the creature that now possessed his body that Gabriel was on the run, why Gabriel has to hide from murderous killers bent on vengeance. Still, she looked up.
Sylar let out a long breath as Jane's glossy eyes connected with his narrowed ones. Jane, however, still fought her body as it trembled with an urge to run to the man in the chair. He was so intense that as Sylar looked at her she felt stripped of her clothes and her skin flayed to the bone. Still, as scary as his whole body told her he was, she couldn't fight the want to be closer to him, nor the feeling that he might be dangerous to other people, but not to her.
She nibbled her bottom lip, and spent her energy trying to stop her legs moving up to him.
"He won't keep you from me any longer," Sylar said angrily, his voice was so convicted it left Jane breathless. "The fool," he spat out the word, "will pay for the danger he placed you in."
After a tender look, Sylar's eyes moved towards the window, and the sun hit his face with glorious warmth. His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. Jane watched him the whole time, still stuck in her transfixed state. She couldn't come to grips that this was the same face that her lips had explored the night before, that this was the same face she had for so long associated with Gabriel. As Sylar looked around the room with long appreciative breaths, the face seemed to come to life with him, and transform into a new mask. Or maybe this was the absence of a mask.
Sylar's eyes found Jane again, and he smiled.
"Speak to me," he said slowly. His tongue and lips made the words otherworldly.
"I won't let Gabriel die," she said, working up all the courage her young 17 years had given her.
Sylar's eyes caught a steely glint as he observed her in the sun's light. Jane's breath made her chest heave up and down, and her eyes were wide as she looked at him.
"Don't you understand what he was doing to you?" Sylar asked.
Jane's eyes darted down before she raised them bravely. "He loved me. He was gentler on me then you would have been-"
"Don't try and pretend," Sylar said in a low and dangerous voice. "You like it when he's rough. I'd be rougher, this is true, but you'd like me rougher."
Jane refused to let her body react to the sentence, though she could feel a warming, liquid like feeling that started in belly and began to sink further. He winked at her and Jane had to work to stay focussed.
"Then what do you mean? I love Gabriel, and he loves me. He was protecting me from everyone, and from you."
Sylar's jaw ticked, and took awhile to respond.
"Don't ... " he began and underneath it all Jane could see him seethe. "I love you more than anything else in this world. And he didn't listen to me! I've lost lots of people who I've cared for," he said to her. "I wasn't about to let you join the list."
"Can you sense something?" Jane asked timidly, her lips curling into a grimace; a habit she had when she didn't understand something.
"You would have died had I not been allowed to come out and protect you," Sylar said, gaining composure and raising his head. He noticed that she now knelt near his feet with her hands wrapping around in an anxious ball. "But now I'm out I know you're okay."
Jane gave a small nod, and moved her hands to his restraints. He leaned forward, and smelt her strong, warm smell of jasmine as she untied his right hand. Happily, the hand moved to be placed against her small neck. His fingers entwined with her hair, and Jane froze suddenly.
"What are you doing?" she asked, her wide eyes staring at the left arms' restraints.
"You loved us both, Jane. We're one in the same. We both love you." Jane made her grimace as she fumbled with the left hand restraints. "You gave him your love, what makes me different?"n
Jane ignored the question as she started to work on the restraints that, minutes ago, she had wrapped around her beloved.
They fell to the floor with a soft clunk, and Jane froze as she realized how close to Sylar she had become. His dark power, ten times as radiant as it had been with Gabriel, drew her into him and made her yearn for closeness. The man made her feel protected.
She took a deep breath and stood back onto her feet. Sylar followed, maintaining the close distance between them.
"I have to get ready for school," she said quietly, looking down at the floor where his feet stood, planted firmly.
"Good, normalcy is a good cover. You go to school and I'll start packing." His jaw was set as his eyes narrowed in thought.
"Packing," Jane breathed, her big eyes gazing up at the man.
"Yes, Jane." Sylar said, running a hand down the length of her hair. "I'm going to finally get out of here. That idiot backed you into a corner-"
Jane didn't hear the rest. In that heart stopping moment she realized that she was going to achieve the one thing she had wanted for so long – she was going to leave Bray. And with the man, or men, of her dreams.
She made an involuntary grimace, but ignored it as her happiness overcame her.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Leaning up to him, she closed her eyes and let her small hands run up the length of his chest. Touching him was supposed to be like touching the root of all evil, and yet all she wanted was to touch him more – and to have him touch her.
Why did it seem that everyone seemed to hate this man? He was all passion – not evil.
Sylar chuckled darkly and wrapped his hands round Jane's tiny waste and pulled her to him tightly. He moved her hands so that she held his neck, and that's when they joined in a kiss.
He kissed just like Gabriel, but there was anger and passion behind the kiss. She felt herself getting lost into it as he lifted her off the floor with the embrace. As she began to wonder if Sylar was liking it just as much as she, Jane found herself up against the wall with Sylar's body hard against hers. She was gasping for breath as he kissed her bare shoulder and ran his hand up her legs and brought them around him. His large chiselled hands ran across her jaw, applying pressure as he pulled her closer to him.
There was a knock at the door, and Jane fought against Sylar as he fumbled with his boxers. There was another knock and this time her mother's voice floated through the door.
"Gabriel," she called. "I forgot if you liked your eggs sunny side up or scrambled."
"Scrambled," Sylar growled, dropping Jane to the ground.
"Are you sure?" Susan called. The door knob began to turn, and Jane was suddenly thrown into the closet by Sylar.
"Yes," Sylar said imperiously as he leaned against the wall where he just had Jane pinned.
"Oh, good," Susan said, looking down at the floor and backing out of the room.
Jane could only assume it was Sylar's suddenly dangerous attitude that had Susan leaving so quickly. If it had been Gabriel, Susan wouldn't have left for another 30 minutes.
"Have you seen Jane, by the way?" her eyes glanced around the room. She noted the ruffled bed spread with a sniff, but didn't manage to give Sylar a disapproving look.
"No," Sylar said, observing his nails. "Maybe she went to school already."
"Thank you," Susan said formally, backing out of the room and closing the door quietly behind her.
Jane stumbled out again, picking a tie off her head as she slipped on one of Sylar's shirts. Sylar watched her with a smile as she blew out a frustrated breath and pulled a face at him.
"We'll go to New York." Sylar said, his mind flashing forward to the distant future where he saw plans folding out. He quirked a smile at her and beckoned her in. "I'll take you away from here and finally keep you safe."
OOO
Jane's hands moved with careful precision as she leafed through her possessions. Gym shoes, Shorts, sweaty beater; things she could leave behind. A picture of her sister and herself at the age of five; Jane was scared of the ducks by the river, and Sasha held her hand tightly as she encouraged her little sister to give them bread from her palm. She removed it from the door and placed it gently in her wallet.
It was at that moment that Sasha walked by, nose in air and snide expression on her mouth and her friend Diana with her.
"Hey, Sasha," Jane said sweetly, readjusting her bag on her shoulder.
"Whatever." Sasha said as she passed by.
Though, Diana gave a sympathetic smile. Jane grimaced uncertainly and turned back to her locker.
She could care less about the various texts she had stored away, but she did pick her biology text book for her last class.
Sasha was just rounding the corner, and Jane enjoyed a last view of the sister who would never know how much Jane had loved her. And hated her.
Jane quickly turned the other way, ready to finish up her life in Bray.
OOO
Mohinder had been watching the girl through the whole class. He constantly struggled to find and understand what on behind those deep honey brown eyes. And Jane would have noticed this, had she not been caught up in her own longing thoughts as she gazed out the second story window.
When the bell finally rang, Jane was finally drawn out of her thoughts, and quickly started packing her stuff up in a daze. Other students filed out, depressed with a knowledge that they'd be back again; Jane slowed slightly, depressed with a knowledge that she never would.
"Ah, Jane," Mohinder said, standing by her desk.
Jane looked up. "Yes, Mr. Brown?"
"May I speak to you?"
Mohinder was using his gentlest voice. It was a strain not to just tuck the girl under his arm and take her away from Sylar, but he managed it.
Jane looked anxiously at the door.
"It is rather delicate," Mohinder said, standing in her line of vision, "Please."
He brought her over to his strategically placed chair: a little ways off from his desk so she didn't feel pressured, but close enough to create some intimacy. She sat down awkwardly, brushing at her jeans and looking at the heavy piles of text books piled on one side of the desk.
"What did I-" Jane coughed awkwardly, then went on, "What is it?"
The door opened and Diana's head poked in. Her blond hair fell over her shoulder as she opened the door.
"Ah," Mohinder looked relieved. "Elle."
OOO
Sylar walked out of the travel agents, shuffling the airplane tickets in his hand happily as he whistled a tune. First class of course, courtesy of the open wallet of Susan Hart. The crime, no matter how petty, felt good.
He still felt all tensed up, but he knew it wasn't the petty crime that had him feeling in want.
It was Jane. The very thought of him made his blood catch fire, and his hands tighten into balls. She had requested one day to tie up her loose ends. And he had agreed because she never missed school – so an absence would raise a flag.
But once he had her in New York, he'd have her.
He had been forced to watch as Gabriel forced distance between them, had almost kissed her. He had wanted that woman the moment he heard her thoughts flow into his as Gabriel snuck them around the back of the house. He had watched her slowly fill the void the absence of their love made, but turning to a fool of a boy for something.
He had come forward when Gabriel had given himself completely over to their power, and he had been the one to draw the future that he wanted, the future he would find. It wasn't a predicted future, it was a future that Sylar would bring about.
Sitting down in the black interior if his black car, Sylar adjusted his mirror to a more appropriate angle.
"Can't you feel it?"
Gabriel was sitting in the back seat, arms crossed and gazing at him.
"Feel what," Sylar growled.
"Jane," Gabriel began. "You're putting your plans for revenge in front of her safety-"
Sylar's jaw ticked, and he concentrated all his energy on bottling Gabriel out. He had no right to lecture Sylar on protecting Jane – he was doing a better job than that idiot ever could.
He could feel Gabriel rage up inside of him, and simply ignored him. He had more things to deal with.
Maybe he'd commit Grand Theft to take this edge off before he went back to the Hart place to collect Jane.
Again he closed his eyes and thought of that pert body. He'd enjoy it.
With his wicked, level eyed smile, Sylar peeled away from the sidewalk and skidded into traffic.
Stupid Gabriel, he thought, Jane is perfectly safe. This is Bray after all.
OOO
"I've got the camera." Elle said, winking at the terrified expression on Jane's face.
"Well," Mohinder said, gesturing to the TV in front of the chalk board, "put it in."
Elle nodded obediently, forgiving Mohinder's impertinence for the fun she'd have with Jane; Her only link to Sylar.
She moved quickly to hook the camera to the monitor, and pressed a few buttons on the TV.
All the while, Jane stared at her back, watching the golden strands of hair sweep past her waist. She was beautiful – and yet so deceiving, Jane could see that now.
Oh, if she had only seen it before.
"You know why we're here, of course," Mohinder said, testing his delicacy once more.
"N-No..." once in doubt, deny.
Elle sprang up impatiently. "Yes, you do!" she accused.
Jane sat tight lipped. She'd do her man proud.
"Fine."
Mohinder regretted brining Elle into this. Instead of being a comforting female to the terrified Jane, Elle was now happily pressing the play button on the camera, turning the blue screen into the streamed video.
Jane could see herself underneath Gabriel, her arms held above her head as he ripped her white nightgown off, and began to tug off his own black shirt. The camera was shaky, and you could hear the camera picking up Mohinder's indignant and disgusted gasps as he filmed.
Jane was mortified.
She got up to run, but Elle quickly stretched out her hand and electrified the door handle until it stuck fast; melted. Jane reached it and began tugging violently at it – but it didn't budge.
"He is a sick man, Jane!' Mohinder said, getting up from his desk. "Don't you know what he does?"
Jane refused to listen, but pounded against the high window of the door.
"He's tried to kill girls younger then you."
Jane turned around, angrily. "So it's you two that he's been running from?"
"Yes," Mohinder said, advancing slowly. "Don't you wonder why he's running though? I bet he hasn't told you."
"He's different now!" Jane yelled.
Elle giggled, moving up to Jane. Her eyes sparked and her hair raised from the static electricity around her. "What?" she asked venomously. "And you think you changed him, don't you?"
Jane remained still, her hold body responding to the dangerous current this girl controlled. This time, she wasn't drawn to it.
"You'll never change a man like that! He hates everything he touches. It all rots and squirms, and dies trying to escape." Elle was screaming now, and Mohinder was stuck, dumbfounded at the anger.
"I love him," Jane said, quietly but with conviction.
"Jane," Mohinder began softly, "you don't understand the man you think you love."
Elle turned towards him sharply. "Maybe she's a lost cause, Mohinder. Maybe she likes it rough."
She swung her head back to look at Jane,
"Is that true? When he's practically raping you, Jane, do you enjoy it?" She gestured back to the video that still played, to where Sylar was forcing Jane's legs apart. "I bet you do, your his dirty, little sl-"
Jane slapped Elle hard.
Suddenly, before Jane had any time to realize what she had incurred, Elle's hands were outstretched and shooting white/blue streaks of electricity towards her.
"Elle!" shouted Mohinder, but she ignored him. And he was forced to watch as Jane lay on the ground, twisting and crying out with the immense pain that ran all up her body.
OOO
Sylar suddenly stopped mid packing. His eyes gazed forward and his whole body rumbled and shook.
"You feel it now, don't you?" Gabriel asked, standing at his left with a glint in his eyes. "She's-"
"In danger."
Sylar let a loud scream rip out of him, as he tore out of his bedroom, down the stairs, out the back door, and into his car.
"I warned you, you fucked up piece of shit!" Gabriel was sitting next to him in the car, shaking his head furiously.
"Where's the school?"
"Six blocks south. You'll never make it."
"I manage to keep her alive for months!" Gabriel ranted. "And you show up, thinking you know best, and now look!"
"Who is it?"
Sylar's anger was so profound, he felt tears burning his cheeks.
Gabriel was wiping his own away as he replied. "How do I fucking know?"
"I-I thought she was safe here..."
"She's never safe with us. We ruin everything. We're evil."
"You sound like Bennett."
"He was right. I should have locked us up."
Sylar pressed his foot even further down. Their silence was intense for a few minutes more.
"She'll die," Gabriel said, silently weeping. "She'll die and I will die with her."
Sylar swerved against the wet muddy grass of the school yard.
"If she dies," he grunted, throwing open his door, "I will live long enough for everyone to know what they killed."
OOO
Mohinder grabbed Elle by the shoulders and spun her around, forcing her to look at him.
"Don't hurt her, Elle." Mohinder pleaded. "You're better than that."
She stopped, and bowed her head.
Jane was struggling to stand, gasping with pain as he muscles tried to leave her body. Her face was covered in tears and dust from the floor. There were razor blades in her whole body, and she whimpered slightly as she fell down after an attempt to get back up.
Elle walked disdainfully away as Mohinder bent down to help Jane.
Jane screamed out and pushed at his hands.
"Fuck you! Sylar will hurt me? Ha!" She managed to push herself up, and stood shakily with one hand against the door to keep her up. "Ha! You will hurt me before he does!"
"I don't understand how you can desperately cling to a man who's killed so much." Mohinder said in frustration, shaking his head.
"I see in him a good I don't see in others," she glanced at Elle who was bracing herself against a desk with her eyes shut tight. "All he needs is a chance..."
"Too many people have died," Mohinder said vehemently.
Jane began eyeing the window. This man apparently wouldn't listen to her, nor change his idea about Sylar, or Gabriel. He would hunt her love down until they cornered him, caught him, and killed him.
"Don't worry, Jane," Mohinder said, running a hand down her hair then onto her shoulder. "Where we're taking you, you'll get better. I think you'll find that with a few weeks of our care, once Sylar is caught, you won't be 'needing' him so much."
Elle caught a smile on her lips and moved to look out the window. Jane would be trapped in one of her father's cement cell blocks until Sylar was caught. During those gruelling weeks she'd be examined by therapists, drugged beyond belief, and protected so that Sylar couldn't come and get her. Then, once Sylar was killed, so as not to have her make a fuss, her mind would be wiped by the Haitian, and released to a different family, in a different city, never to know of Jane and of Sylar again.
It was then she saw the black the car. She saw it, and recognised it, in the same moment. And it was the same moment that the door was ripped off its hinges and Jane sucked back by an invisible force in a blink of an eye.
