I do not own Alphas.

This is Rachel-centric, and written entirely in 2nd person from her point of view. It's set after 'Never Let Go' and contains considerable spoilers for that episode. Also, it is not canon, due to the fact that the airing of the next episode changed the continuity. So, I guess it's AU.

This is my first post in this category, but I love the show and have been tuning in every Monday. So, to celebrate another new episode, I decided to post this.

You push a strand of hair behind your ear, and look out over the city.

Gary comes out to the roof, fingers lazily flicking through the streams of data visible only to his eyes.

"Gary," you warn the boy as he gets closer to the edge.

His head swivels towards you. "Rachel."

"Did you hear her again?" you ask, leaning back against the gray concrete wall at the mention of Red Flag's leader.

"Just thinking about something she said. I…" his attention is captured by another data stream momentarily, before he continues. "Do you ever wish you were…?"

You smile slowly, and step beside him, to lead him away from the edge."Normal? ... I used to, especially when I was your age. If I was more honest with myself, and Dr. Rosen, I still hold on to this… hope, I guess," you chuckle, "that I'll be normal someday." A hand on his shoulder, you gently push him back to the door of your offices.

"Anna said that I could take care of myself. I mean," his shoulder drops, "you all do."

"Gary," you sigh, "I nearly died today; if it hadn't been for Dr. Rosen, I would have."

"But at the end of the day, you're still going home. You won't have to listen to your mom whining about your messed up schedule, or water, or anything else that has absolutely nothing to do with anything I…I mean, you'd just been through."

"I wish I had that," you admit, crossing your arms.

For once, Gary looks straight at you, complete concentration in his eyes. "Rachel, lots of people love you. No crazy mom could change that, even if she has some beastly Alpha power."

A smile touches your lips at the high school slang and his sincerity. "Thanks, Gary. And, for the record, your mom's pretty cool."

He grins. "I know."

"Honestly, Gary," you confess, looking down at the heels Nina had lent you, "I'd do anything to switch spots with you. My mom won't even take my calls."

"I know. Dr. Rosen tried to call her already," he mutters, flicking his fingers to the burst of data from earlier in the evening. "It's almost nine. Mom said I have to be home early…"

You smile, knowing that his birthday was tomorrow. He'd be twenty-one. You'd almost be worried, but you knew Sandra, and you know that she'd never let him on his own. Or, let him drive.

"I'll drive you," you offer, taking his hand to help him up. "Come on, Gary."

"Dr. Rosen," you call as Gary retrieves his lunch from the fridge.

The gray haired man looks up at you, and you're brought back to the moment he's calling you his daughter. "Yes, Rachel?" his voice pulls you from the reverie.

"I'm taking Gary home. I'll… um, see you tomorrow?"

The therapist smiles. "Yes. Ten o'clock, right?"

You nod, hoping that Gary's busy looking for his lunch box. "Dr. Rosen, please don't be late."

He sends you a smile and sets down the folder he'd been holding. You catch a glimpse of Jessica's name and the word Binghamton before Dr. Rosen sets another paper on top of it. "I won't be. Have a good night, Rachel. Try and get some rest. We should talk."

You send him a soft, sad smile. "I think I'd like that."

Gary barges into the room, and you try not to chuckle, noticing that he'd neglected to return David Burton's letterman's jacket. "Gary," you scold, as he tucks it under his arm.

"He was mean," the transducer snaps.

"Gary," Dr. Rosen begins wearily.

"Just till I get my own. Hicks is going to sew a G on it for me. A G for Gary."

You laugh, thinking of tough Cameron and his soft-spot for this young man.

"Come on, Gary. Let's get you home."

"I can drive."

You share a look with Nina as you grab your coat. "Sure, Gary. Just not tonight."

You wave to Hicks, who flashes you a smile and winks before flicking a pencil off the doorknob and up into the ceiling. You try not to wince as the powdery smell of sheet-rock dust hits your nose.

"Goodbye, Bill," Gary calls.

The FBI agent mutters something that suspiciously sounds like 'good riddance.'

"Whatever, Bill."

Bill chortles and tells you he'd see you tomorrow.

You roll your eyes, trying to distract Gary from Bill's accidentally-on-purpose slipup.

"Rachel?" Gary asks in the car.

"Mmm-hmm?"

"Why are your mom and dad not talking to you?"

"You remember Matt?"

He looks at the blue-gray carpet of the car Nina had acquired for you. (Yeah, you didn't approve, but you didn't ask questions either.)"Yeah. I got mad," he admits embarrassedly.

"We all did. I yelled at my mother, and I really hurt us both."

"Did they let you go to school? My mom wouldn't let me go to school. Not high school."

You smile and turn into the parking lot of a small, all organic café. "I did. My parents thought it was easier to ignore my Alpha abilities that to talk to me about them."

"I can't have fast food," Gary insists as you unlock the car doors.

"This isn't fast food. It's probably even healthier than the sandwiches your mom makes."

"Bill ate my sandwich," Gary laments as you order two smoothies.

"I know," you mutter, taking the beverage tray and letting Gary trail after you on the way to the car.

"My mom says we shouldn't pretend Alphas are anything less than we are. I…" he sucks a chunk of ice through the straw, "dunno your mom and dad, but I don't think they'd want you to be somebody else."

You sigh, and let the icy feeling of a brain freeze wash away the stress of the day. "My parents want me to meet a nice boy and settle down."

"I don't know anybody more calm than you, and, besides, you know me."

He's beaming up at you and you just can't bring yourself to burst his bubble. Instead you chuckle and nod. "I guess you're right, Gary."

"Of course I am."

As you pull up in front of the Bells' house, Gary is slurping down the last of the smoothing.

Sandra comes outside to meet you. "Nine-ten," she laughs. "I was surprised, you're actually on time."

Gary rolls his eyes and brushes past his mother, plastic glass still in his hand.

"What's that?"

"No sugar, I promise," you say. "We had a tough day."

The blond woman smiles confusedly. "At the office?"

You just smile. "Gary," you call as he opens the door. "Remember what I talked about, okay?"

"Uh-huh."

The front door slams.

Sandra sighs. "Thank you, Rachel."

"Mrs. Bell? I know Gary probably doesn't way it much, or even remember Mother's Day, but he's lucky to have a mom like you, who's so… forgiving and loving."

You feel like you've been on an emotional roller coaster all day, as she hugs you lightly. "Thank you dear. You're coming tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Yes. Bill's bringing his wife, Jeannie, and I reminded Dr. Rosen. Nina and I are coming together, and I think Cameron will be here."

Sandra gives you a relieved smile. "Good. Gary…just doesn't have many friends. The last time I asked, he said something about an Anna, and then wouldn't talk to me for the rest of the day."

"It's…complicated."

The middle-aged woman laughs. "With you guys, what isn't?"

"I know what you mean. Good night, Mrs. Bell."

"Good night, Rachel."

As you sit in your car, outside Nina's building in Soho, you dial a number from memory on your cell phone.

"Mom? …I know it's late, I'm sorry." You close your eyes and try to think of the right words. "I love you, and I just wanted to apologize. Can we talk?"

A click, followed by the dial tone has you wanting to through your cell out of the car and run it over multiple times. However, you know the momentary gratification would soon have been replaced by the realization that not only had you accomplished nothing, but you'd also have to purchase another phone.

You unlock the front door, pointedly not listening to what was going on in Nina's bedroom. Turning on the CD player in your bedroom, you light a few candles to distract yourself from the activity occurring in the bedroom two doors down.

An hour or so later, Nina knocks on your door, her skin glowing. Of course, that's if you overlook the germs, the perfume, and the pheromones, which you wish you could.

"What's his name?" you ask, knowing that most women your age would respond in that manner.

Nina giggles.

"Never mind. I don't think I want to know. What?"

"I was thinking." Nina smiles, playing with her fingers, no doubt imagining them to be those of the lover still stretched across her sheets. "I could talk to your mom for you; get her to hear you out at least."

"No!"

"Look, I'm sorry… it's just, it's my thing."

"I… I know." You rub your fingers against your forehead, hoping to stop the oncoming migraine. "I'm not mad. I just…"

Nina smiles encouragingly. "Look, I get it. When your family doesn't get this, it's hard. I drove them all away when I found out that it was this thing in my brain that was making them like me. "

You don't argue with her, but you're not sure you agree with her either.

"Rachel, you can say anything you want to me. I won't kick you out."

You laugh. "I'm tired. I think I'll get a glass of water and go to bed."

"Okay. The purifier's in the drawer, I was cleaning the kitchen earlier." Nina stops. "Well, someone else did it for me…"

"Don't worry," you comfort her, "I won't tell Dr. Rosen."

She throws her head back and laughs. "G'night, Rach."

You smile. "Good night, Nina."

She closes the door to her room, and you walk to the kitchen. Sensing an extra heartbeat, you slow down. Recognizing the stranger, you stifle a laugh and turn on the light. Without looking at him, you open the cupboard.

"Hi, Cameron," you mutter, grabbing a glass.

"How'd you know, supergirl?"

You snort at the nickname. "Honestly?"

"Why not?" he asks, lifting his own glass to his lips.

"You smell like grass."

He nearly chokes from laughing. "What?"

Your cheeks turn pink. "I'm serious. You play baseball with your son, right?"

Hicks nods.

"You tap your fingers when you're thinking. Always one two, three-and-four, starting with your index finger. That, and Nina's quite loud."

He laughs, eyes twinkling. "Did you get Gary a present?"

"Yeah. Well, I'm going in the morning, to get him a big G."

Cameron grunts. "Funny. I didn't think he'd take me seriously."

"That's Gary for you; he takes everything seriously."

He tips back the glass. "I bought a pass for go-carting."

You laugh. "So he can drive."

"Tyler would love it. I thought… I mean, I have him next weekend, so… maybe…"

"I'm sure Gary would love to meet him."

Hicks grins. "You think?"

"I know it," you promise.

He beams, throwing up his cup so it hit the ceiling fan.

You watch as the red plastic cup flies through the air, bounces of the fridge like a backboard, and lands in the trashcan beside the door.

"Showoff," Nina teases from the hallway.

Hicks rolls his eyes, but a smile lurks on his lips. He gives you a two-fingered salute before following Nina down the hall.

The next morning, you're awake twenty minutes before your alarm is set. Had you been at home, you would have rolled over and ignored the sound of your mother making coffee and breakfast. Yet today, Nina's giggling in the kitchen signals that Hicks is still here.

"Good morning, Rachel," Cameron says, setting a warm plate in front of her. "I made sure I washed my hands for at least five minutes. Twice."

You blush.

"Hey, none of that," Nina chides, sliding the salt and pepper shakers across the table. "We're friends and we understand."

"Better than anyone else, I'd bet," Hicks adds.

You don't have the heart to tell them you hate omelets, so you focus on every aspect of your fork, then your chair, and finally your own clothes.

"So," Cameron puts the plates in the sink, "what does Rosen tell Gary's mom that we do all day?"

Nina sighs. "Therapy, bonding. I don't know. Something like that."

With an eyebrow raised, he questions, "Do I look like the type for bonding?"

You chuckle into your glass of juice before changing the subject. "So, Nina, do you think there's room for a big G patch on the jacket we bought for Gary? Hicks offered to sew it on for him."

"Woman, you are going to get me in trouble," he teases with a shake of his head.

Nina laughs and eventually you and Hicks join her. This is a family you could get used to…

One Week Later

"This is so cool!" Tyler exclaims with a grin, staring at the sunshine yellow go-cart before hm.

Cameron beams, his eyes twinkling just like his son's.

You laugh, and knock on Gary's helmet.

"What? I'm ready."

"I know you are. Just, be careful, okay?"

"I know, I know. Dr. Rosen already told me. And, concentrate, I know," he repeats. "Two and ten," he whispers, positioning his hands on the steering wheel of the go-cart.

"Are you sure this was a good idea?" you ask Cameron.

"Of course it was!" he slides into the seat of a red go-cart.

"I'm going to sit with Nina."

"Good choice."

You throw a wink to Tyler and stop beside Gary again.

"This is the one and only time I'm ever going to say this, Gary, so listen close: drive like Bill."

The twenty-one year old laughs and revs the engine. "Oh, and Rachel?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell Nin to stop sending Hicks dirty texts? It's race time and I'm s'posed to be concentrating."

At a loss for words, you laugh, and then promise to do your best.

The worker raises a green flag and waves it in the air.

Two go-carts race away. "Go, Gary!" you shout. "Green is go!"

He hits the gas and you can hear his whoop of "Boogity, boogity, boogity!" as he gains ground on Hicks and Tyler.

Laughing at the NASCAR lingo, you watch as the boy yanks the wheel and cuts across the grass in the center of the track and comes sliding to a halt just beyond the finish line.

Cameron and Tyler pull up behind Gary's green go-cart and kill the engines. Hicks gets out and shuts off the motor in Gary's ride.

"Dude!" Tyler yells, scrambling from the yellow go-cart. "That was so awesome. You are so cool!"

Gary grins. "Thanks. That was awesome." He turns to Bill. "I told you I could drive."

"Not in my car," the FBI agent mumbles. His wife, Jeannie, elbows him in the side.

Gary turns to you and pulls at the hem of his black leather jacket, examining the large, green G. "He called me cool. I think it's the jacket."

You smile. "No, Gary. It's you. You are cool."

He beams and Jeannie clicks a photo. She'd sent it to you a month later.

When you look at it, you don't see the pixels, or the chemical makeup of the ink or the photo paper. You see happiness, and a family that gets you: Gary, Nina, Bill, Cameron, and Dr. Rosen, and you know that this is where you're all meant to be. Together.

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