Chapter two, episode tag for "It's Coming." Next is "The Eclipse, Part I" and after that, "The Eclipse, Part II." I may write a tag also for "Brave New World" after that, but that's it for this story. I may write an AU next if I feel like it.

Hope you enjoy.

"All these heroes come and go, but you're still standing..." ~ 'Heroes' by David Cook

His whole life, Gabriel Gray had searched for family, had searched for a place to belong. His whole life, ironically, Gabriel Gray had also been abandoned for as long as he could remember. His father walking out on him, his mother pushing him to rise up when all he'd ever wanted to be, really, was just Gabriel. Imbedded within him was a deep-seeded need to feel special, to be special. To be different, to be unlike anyone else. But at the same time, he just needed his mother to tell him that he didn't need to be any different. That maybe, he could just be Gabriel, and she could still love him.

His dear mother Virginia, who had died because of his curse.

Why had he accepted the Petrellis so openly, why had he let his guard down? He should have considered the possibility that they were lying, that they were simply using him. But so like a little boy, so yearning for love and acceptance, he took their words with the utmost sincerity and tried to be better. He wanted to be a good person. He knew it.

The solitary, lonely tear streamed down his face as he felt electricity pour through his veins, erupting delicately from his trembling fingertips as he realised, truly, that he had never had to kill a single person. That he had the ability to take people's abilities without taking a single life. He could've been a hero. He could've been a proper friend and brother to Peter, who was somewhere out there, defenceless. His breath trembled as he gasped out his amazement, a grin spreading, finally, onto his face.

"Oh my god..."

His breathless laugh allowed even the sweaty, weakened Elle Bishop a smile. Dark eyes diverting from her face and back to his still-tingling hands, Sylar conjured up a slight bit of electricity, almost looking up nervously to Elle as if to ask if he was doing it right, as if he was doing okay. She smiled at him and nodded encouragingly, and suddenly all thoughts of Arthur, all thoughts of the Petrellis had vanished from his mind. They didn't matter.

But Elle did.

This girl whose life he had spared not once, but twice now. This girl he had once fallen too hard for, the very girl who had betrayed him. And funnily enough, that didn't seem to matter to him.

"I only saved you so we could use you. Like a lab rat."

Maybe that had been true. For some reason, the Company had needed to see his ability in action, they needed to see him kill, when that was the last thing he had ever wanted to do. The funny thing, though, is how little that bothered him now when he looked into Elle's grateful face.

Years hadn't changed how her grin made his heart skip a beat.

Oh, yes, he still loved her.

"I forgive you."

He'd forgiven her before she'd even left his apartment building the day he'd killed Trevor Zeitlan.

"Now you need to forgive yourself."

That was the real trick.

But, Gabriel mused as Elle began to teach him to correctly harness her ability, it had been worth it. They were both broken and tortured, both unloved and misunderstood. Maybe they could help each other.

Remember to review, cookies for all who do. Or scones, if you prefer. Or waffles. I'm good at making all of those. ^_^

Cheers,

Teddy