2009-10-15

thewatchmaker: (Nathan's Skin)
Continued from HERE

It takes me a couple of days to work up to going to see Angela Petrelli. I have to remind myself that she’s not my mother. She’s Nathan’s mother. I don’t have one. Virginia Gray was stabbed with a pair of scissors. The cops think I did it. I think they’re probably right, but I don’t have anyway of finding that out. I spent another day at Gray & Sons trying to rebuild my life, but I don’t feel like Gabriel Gray is who I was. The files called me Sylar, but other than Brian Davis’ brutal murder, there aren’t anymore Sylar memories there for me.

Gabriel Gray’s apartment is gone. There’s a family of Armenian immigrants living there now. They looked at me like I was a serial killer when I asked to go inside and look around. Should have picked up a fake badge or something, conned them into believing me. So that was a dead end.

I’d be lost if it weren’t for Heidi. The more I find out about the real me, the less I’m sure it wasn’t better to be Nathan. He was a dick. He was alone. But he wasn’t a murderer. Not like me.

I’ll have to wear Nathan’s face to get in the door at Angela’s. Heidi’s coming with me. I’m not sure if I’m glad or not. I’m afraid of her seeing the monster that I really am, and I’m not sure I can keep it at bay when I deal with Nathan’s mother.

But if anyone can fill in the blanks and explain what they did to me, it’s Angela Petrelli.
thewatchmaker: (Default)
Title: Movie Night
Rating: G
Genre: Gen
Wordcount: 498
Pairings or Characters: Gabriel and Virgnia
Warnings: None
Summary: Movie Night at Virgiiia's - before the series.
Prompt: Popcorn picture prompt [livejournal.com profile] heroes_contestDrabble #18

The handle of the grocery bag was digging into my fingers while I rang the doorbell. I’d already called mom, asking permission to come over, but the door was still locked. Through the thin wood I heard her undo all three locks, and finally the chain come down.

“Gabriel!” I was hit by a wave of heat as she held the door open for me. She wrapped her thin arms around me. The apartment smelled like lilacs, bleach and a bit of mildew. I couldn’t stand the smell, but I knew the popcorn would cover it up soon enough. “I was worried you weren’t coming.”

“Of course I was coming, Mom. It’s movie night.” I edge around her, careful not to topple over the pile of knitting she had on the arm of her chair. “I did call.”

“Well yes, but that’s because you have to call before you come over. If you have that rule for me to visit, you have to have that rule to visit me.” She glared up at me defiantly like I was the parent before turning to close and lock the door.

“Yes Mom. I know.” She’d never been to visit me. I made the rule on the off chance I might have someone special over, but she barely left her apartment now. As far as I knew she went to the market, the yarn store and church, and that was all. She didn’t visit me at the shop either. But I knew the minute I had a girlfriend, she’d be there at the wrong time.

“Did you bring it?” She reached for the smaller bag from the video store. “Did they have it?”

“See for yourself. I’ll go make the popcorn.” The kitchen was old but immaculately clean. The smell of bleach was stronger there, and it nearly made my eyes water until I ran the water for a bit to clear it out of the sink. I pulled out the old frying pan that I’d learned to make eggs and bacon in. There wasn’t much Teflon left on it, but it was still good for our weekly movie night. No microwave popcorn for the Grays.

“Oh Gabriel this is my favorite movie.” She hugged me from behind as I pulled down the bowl we always used for popcorn. It was bright orange and it had been part of set she got when I was little. Only the big orange bowl survived. “How did you know?”

Because we watch it once a month. I closed my eyes and shook the pan to keep the popcorn from burning as it started to ping on the lid. “What kind of son would I be if I didn’t know that Singing in the Rain is your favorite movie?”

“You’re a good son, Gabriel.”

“Go put it in, and I’ll melt the butter.” I winced as the movie started. The TV was always on too loud, but at least I couldn’t smell the bleach anymore.