How They Came To Be
Written by: Addie Price
Summary: They weren't always a team.
Words: 2,711
Note: I'm a little worried about how I captured Gary in this one; I'm not sure I did his wonderful character justice. Please review and let me know!
Disclaimer: ALPHAS is the property of SyFy Broadcasting Company and its associates. I am in no way affiliated with SyFy nor do I own any of the characters depicted in this story.

GARY BELL

"Growing up is a good thing to do. But not today."

Nina and Bill were faring better than he could've hoped. They got along well and they were in almost full control of their abilities after only a few months of training under Dr. Rosen. They had been together for nearly a year before the next addition was made to their team.

Bill had regained his position at the FBI, working as a liaison between Don Wilson and Dr. Rosen, helping them to find Alphas and send them to Binghamton if they had to. Some were in almost full control of their abilities when they met Rosen and only needed minimal training under him before they could be allowed to resume their lives. Most, however, didn't have enough control to even be considered for Dr. Rosen's training; they were sent to Binghamton immediately.

Despite the Alphas that came and went during their first few years with Rosen, Bill and Nina remained with him then entire time. Even after they gained full control of their abilities, even after they were cleared by both Rosen and Wilson to resume their lives before Rosen, they stayed. Nina because she had nowhere else to go; Bill because he felt as if he could do something good with Rosen's team.

Rosen, believing that the mentally handicapped had Alpha abilities that either caused or were caused by their disabilities, spent much of his time at mental facilities and schools for the disabled. He had found several Alphas already, but all of them had mental handicaps that were to debilitating to be helped. They were all sent to Binghamton for help.

Rosen smiled at the secretary as he stepped into Prairie View School for the Mentally Handicapped. "Hello, Dr. Rosen," she said, handing him his nametag. "We have a new student today. He's in Sue's class." She handed him a file as well, the name GARY BELL written on the tag.

The employees at Prairie View knew that Rosen was a doctor but they didn't know that he specialized in Alphas. He had told them he specialized in mental disabilities, especially Autism and Asperger's.

"Thank you, Connie." Rosen opened the file, skimming the contents quickly. "Autistic?"

Connie nodded. "But he's very high functioning. I don't even feel like he really needs to be here." She leaned towards him. "To be honest with you, I think his mom just needs a break. Don't know why, though. Kid's great."

Rosen chuckled lightly. "We could all use a little break every once in a while. Well, thanks again Connie." He saluted her with the file and went to the classroom where the new student was.

The walls at Prairie View were painted with bright colors to please the students there. They were decorated with the artwork from the students themselves, like a bright kindergarten. Some doctors believed that the colors would be over-stimulation for some of the students at Prairie View, but not the ones running the facility.

Rosen raised a hand to knock on the door to Sue's classroom but the door opened before he got a chance.

"It's 12 o'clock, Mrs. Brae! It's time for lunch!" A boy had opened the door but wasn't looking out of it, instead turned back towards the classroom and whomever he was speaking to.

"I know, Gary," came the gentle voice of Sue Brae, one of the many teachers at Prairie View. "But we have to wait for the others to be ready."

The boy, Gary, pointed to a watch on his wrist. "I have a schedule to keep, Mrs. Brae! You do not want to see me get off schedule!"

Sue came to the door then, ready to try and speak with Gary in a more personal session. She saw Rosen standing outside the room. "Oh, Dr. Rosen! Hello." She looked at Gary. "Gary, why didn't you tell me there was someone here?"

Gary looked at her. "I didn't know he was there." He turned to Rosen, wringing his hands together. "I didn't know you were there. I have to go eat lunch. She won't let me go eat lunch."

Rosen smiled at the boy. "That's okay, Gary." He looked up at Sue, eyes soft. "I can take him for lunch, Sue. We wouldn't want to disrupt Mr. Bell's schedule."

A look of relief came over the woman's face. "Thank you, Dr. Rosen. That would be great."

She went back into the room to take are of her other students, leaving Gary with the doctor.

They began the walk down to the lunchroom, Gary easily keeping pace with Rosen, wringing his lunch bag in his hands. "How did you know my last name was Bell?"

Rosen lifted the file, showing it to Gary. "It's all here, in your file."

"What else do you know about me?"

Rosen opened the file, reading its contents out loud to the boy who walked next to him. "Well, let's see. Your moms name is Sandra Bell. You are nineteen years old and you have Autism." They arrived at the lunchroom and Rosen sat down at a table while Gary took a seat across from him, methodically unpacking his lunch, careful to keep all his foods separate as he opened each container. "I understand that you see things, Gary? Things that other people can't see?"

They boy looked up at him surprised. "How do you know that? Who are you?"

Rosen steepled his fingers together over the open file. "My name is Dr. Lee Rosen. I help people like you."

"People with Autism?"

Rosen chuckled. "No, Gary. Not just people with Autism." He shut the file and looked up at Gary as the boy slowly at his sandwich. "Gary, can you tell me about these lights you see?"

Gary nodded but carefully finished chewing his bite and swallowing before answering Rosen's question. "They're everywhere, all the time. But sometimes there's more than usual. There's more in the city than when I'm at home, though."

"What do they look like?"

Gary took another bite but didn't speak with his mouth full. "They look like strings. Strings of lights and colors all around. They come from the TV and computer and my mom's cell phone." He nodded at Rosen's pocket. "There's some coming from your phone right now."

"Do they do anything?"

"I can open them and see what's happening inside."

Rosen nodded. From what he knew about Alpha abilities, he was almost certain that Gary Bell was a Transducer, able to see, hear and understand the electromagnetic waves that moved through the air. "What happens inside?"

Gary shrugged. "Everything. I can listen to people talking on the phone, watch TV, see what people are doing on the computer." He took a bite of a carrot, looking at Rosen. "Can you see the lights, too?"

Rosen shook his head. "No, but I work with people who are a lot like you, Gary."

The boy perked up from his lunch. "They can see the lights?"

"No, Gary. But they can do things like you, things that other people can't do."

"But they don't have Autism and they can't see the lights." It was a statement, not a question. Rosen could see Gary closing off, but was happy that they had gotten this far in their conversation in the first place. "What can they do then? How are they like me?"

"Gary, the things you can do make you different. Your brain is developed differently than other people."

Gary snorted. "I know that. I have Autism."

"Yes you do, Gary. But that's not the only thing that makes you different. The lights you see mean that you are a Transducer; you can see electromagnetic wavelengths. That is what makes you special. And the people I work with are special like you. Nina can persuade people to do things they wouldn't normally do. And Bill can make himself have super strength or speed."

"How?"

"They're Alphas, Gary. Just like you."

"Alphas?"

"Their abilities make them different, like the lights make you different. They're called Alphas."

"And I'm an Alpha, too?"

"Yes, Gary." Rosen leaned forward towards Gary over the table, smiling gently. "Gary, I understand that sometimes the lights are overwhelming, that they become too much for you?"

Gary nodded, carefully packing up the containers from his lunch. "They give me headaches. I don't like the headaches. They hurt me."

Rosen nodded. "I understand. If you come with me, Gary, I can help you. I can teach you how to keep the lights under control so that they won't give you headaches anymore. I helped the others with their abilities and I can help you with yours."

Gary looked up from his already packed lunch, eyes wide. "You can help me?"

"Yes, I can help you."

The boy dropped his gaze to his lunch, a small smile spreading over his face. "I'd like that. I'd really like that."

Rosen brought Gary to the Alpha offices the next day. After getting all the proper paperwork signed and talking with his mother, both were relieved to have someone to be able to help Gary with his Alpha ability.

Nina was ready to greet Gary and Rosen as they came in the office, sitting in the break room with a cup of coffee. "Good morning, Dr. Rosen." She looked at Gary, offering him her hand. "Hi. You must be Gary. I'm Nina."

Gary shook her hand politely. "I'm Gary. Dr. Rosen was late picking me up this morning and that's why I'm cranky. I'm not normally this cranky."

Nina laughed lightly. "That's alright, Gary."

"No, it's not. I don't like being cranky. Dr. Rosen got me off schedule."

"Why don't you try to not be cranky if you don't like it?"

"Because I'm not on schedule now! I have to follow my schedule!"

Gary shook his head in anger and stormed past Rosen out of the room and around the building, past Bill's and Nina's offices and in an empty room towards the back. "Dr. Rosen said I get an office!" he yelled out to the others. "This is my office now!"

Nina looked at Rosen, apologetic. "Sorry, Dr. Rosen. I didn't know he'd get so upset."

"That's alright, Nina."

"Do you want me to Push him to calm down?"

"No, Nina. We'll let him cool off on his own. If we don't see him before, he'll come out at noon for lunch."

Gary sat in his new office, taking in the surroundings. He knew that he was going to have a session with Dr. Rosen later, especially about the tantrum he threw. But Dr. Rosen was late picking him up. He threw the entire schedule for the day. He almost didn't even want to go with Rosen to the office; he wanted to stay home since he had already missed the beginning of his schedule. But his mother wouldn't have it; she packed him his lunch and sent him off with Rosen after talking with the doctor briefly and signing some forms.

She left him with a stranger.

As much as Gary wanted help and as nice as Dr. Rosen was, he couldn't help but feel nervous about the entire situation.

A small knock came at his door. Gary glanced up to see a large, dark skinned man standing there. "Hello," he said, taking a step into the room. "Is it alright if I come in?"

"You already have," Gary pointed out, indicating the man's feet in his office.

The man chuckled. "My name's Bill. You must be Gary. Dr. Rosen told us we'd have a new addition to our team today."

"I'm Gary."

Bill nodded. "Nice to meet you, Gary. What do you think of the Alpha offices?"

"They're nice. But Dr. Rosen was late. I don't like being late."

Bill sat down on the only open chair in the room, leaving Gary to stand as he looked out the window, his fingers twitching. "I don't like being late either, but sometimes it happens. It's not that big of a deal."

Gary spun around to look at him. "It is a big deal! It is! Dr. Rosen was late and now my schedule is screwed up! What will happen to order if anyone can be late, huh? There won't be any! Schedules are meant to be followed. If they're not followed, then what's the point?"

Bill leaned forward in his chair, folding his hands together in front of him. "Listen, Gary. I work for the FBI, so I understand the need for schedules and punctuality, but sometimes it doesn't always work out. And sometimes that's okay. Sometimes, things need to be off the book, you know?"

Gary shook his head. "No. It isn't okay. It's never okay. And I don't like you in here talking to me like that. Get out!"

Bill raised his hands in a surrender gesture. "Woah, Gary, calm down, let's just-"

"Don't tell me to calm down! You calm down! And get out of my office!"

Bill stood and left the office, feeling his own anger begin to simmer just beneath the surface.

"That boy is crazy," Bill said, standing in Nina's office just moments later.

"He's just a little eccentric." Nina sat at her desk, applying a fresh coat of nail polish to her fingernails. "But Rosen says his Alpha ability is amazing."

"What can he do, anyways?"

"He's a transducer; he can read electromagnetic wavelengths."

Bill huffed. "I know that. But what does that even mean?"

Nina shrugged. "I don't know, but Rosen thinks his abilities will come in handy."

Dr. Rosen stood outside the door to Gary's office, steeling himself for the encounter with the young man. He took a deep breath before knocking on the door to let Gary know he was there and then pushed it lightly open.

"Gary?"

The boy in question was sitting at his desk, flicking his fingers through the air as he scanned the frequencies that danced around him. He didn't even look at Rosen as he approached, seemingly oblivious to the man.

Rosen was just about to call the transducer's name again when he spoke, his eyes still focused on something the doctor couldn't see. "I'm sorry I got upset earlier."

Rosen smiled lightly and sat down in the vacant chair. "It's okay, Gary. I understand where you're –"

Gary cut him off. "I have a headache."

Rosen leaned forward slightly. "You have a headache? Do you know why?"

"That's what I said. And yes." The transducer didn't offer an explanation, instead opting to flicker through frequencies.

Rosen let the silence reign for a moment before prodding Gary further. "Why do you have a headache, Gary?"

Gary let his hand drop to his lap and looked at Rosen, his eyes slightly downcast. "The lights. There's too many. They give me a headache."

"What do you mean, there's too many?"

"They're all over the place. Disorganized. I can't see straight and I don't understand them. That's why they give me a headache. I don't understand them."

Rosen smiled, glad that the transducer was opening up to him like this. "Well, why don't we do something to help you."