Everything Goes Dark 1/7
Title: Everything Goes Dark 1/7
Author: yaoi_anti_drug
Beta: ladywilde80, Matt, and Chris
Pairings: Elle/Eden, Elle/Adam
Overall Pairings: Elle/Eden, Elle/Claire, Sylar/Mohinder, Peter/Sylar, Nathan/Peter, Elle/Adam, and Claire/Peter (unrequited)
Characters: Eden, Elle, Adam, Bob, Bennet
Genre: Drama, Angst, Dark Future Fic
Rating: R
Summary: An AU fic based on the Five Years Gone Verse
Word Count: A little over 5,300
Spoilers: Light spoilers for Volumes 1 and 2 & Elle's First Assignment
Overall Warnings: Violence, Character Death, Sex, Incest (Graphic Only In Chapter 2), Non-Con (Only In Chapter 6)
Notes: Dedicated to slavefaith. And a big thank you to ladywilde80 for helping me with the inspiration and to Matt and Chris for giving me the courage to post! Constructive criticism is always loved and comments, even if it’s to say you hate it, are always appreciated too. Title from "Everything Goes Dark" by The Hoosiers
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, if I did, well...wouldn't Heroes be interesting?
Author Note 2: The "One of Us, One of Them" rule doesn't apply here because no one without powers can control her. (Just go with it, yeah? XD)
Everything Goes Dark 1/7:
This was a girl fresh off the streets. She wasn't raised in these strict conditions, she didn't know a thing about how it was ran, the people, or the danger. Yet, she had the audacity to waltz in like she owned the place.
Her dark eyes sparkled, similar to the stars Elle could sometimes spy out of her tiny window. On her lips lay a shadow of a smile. Elle respected her immediately, but with that respect came a certain disdain. Eden was her first partner, her first real assignment, even if she'd been at the Company all of her life.
Her father had refused to let her out until recently. Even so, she had training, more than Eden likely had, so she considered herself to be the more well-educated one of the pair.
However, on top of her lack of field work, she didn't have Eden's confidence or elvish beauty. She was at an impasse between admiration and hate. She went with the emotion she identified with the best.
Wide, intrigued eyes narrowed into daggers.
“Elle, this is Eden,” Bennet offered, trying to start a conversation rather than watching the two girls glare at one another.
“Eden? Your mother a bible thumper by any chance?” Elle quipped.
“No, my mother was a whore and my father was even worse,” Eden began almost politely.
“So, where'd the name come from?” Elle said, not particularly caring to listen to a sob story.
Eden put her hands on her hips, obviously not appreciating the disruption. “You're quite rude, aren't you?”
“Yep, better get used to it, newbie.”
Eden arched an eyebrow. So, it was a competition, was it? Well, perhaps Elle had her beat, since she herself had been here a mere few weeks. That conceded, Bennet had already told her what Elle's abilities were and she doubted the girl could do the things with her powers that Eden could, experienced or not.
So she could short out an entire city. Big Deal. Eden, with enough preparation, could make every single person in an apartment building simultaneously shoot themselves.
Besides, she was good enough to already have a few assignments under her belt, 'newbie' that she was.
Eden gave a mischievous smile, mouth opening before Bennet interrupted their petty squabble.
“Stop it now, children.” Both girls turned their poisonous glares on Bennet. “This is not the time to show off. “ Bennet spotted the blue spark forming in Elle's palm. “Either of you,” he said more firmly.
Eden and Elle glanced back at each other. The lightning in Elle's hand sluggishly dissipated.
“There. Down to business. Eden, you're to train Elle.”
Elle gasped, “What?! You're kidding me! She's...” Barely legal. Yeah, like Elle was any better. At a loss for words, she huffed while Eden smirked victoriously.
“Eden here may be new, but she's already achieved the rank of Agent. You, Elle, may have the grounds memorized, but you have no idea what it's like on the outside. Eden is going to help you with that flaw.”
Agent? Eden grinned wider; this was the first she'd heard of the news. Apparently, promotions came quickly around here... Either that or Agents died often.
Elle groaned, “But...”
Bennet simply shook his head. “No. Don't try to con your way out of this, Elle. It was your father's decision."
Elle apprehended she had no chance of overturning an order from her father. Defeated, she crossed her arms in a semblance of surrender.
Bennet smiled, “Alright then. I'll leave you two to get acquainted. No Powers, or it'll be trouble, got it?”
Bennet pointed at the both of them so the rule sunk in. He then turned and shut the door on his way out.
Elle continued to glower.
Eden sighed, not really wanting Elle's training to be a constant battle of who was superior. She was tempted to use her ability to accomplish her given task which, at the current moment, seemed so hopeless. Unfortunately, Bennet would recognize it if she took a shortcut. “Listen, I understand you're not very happy about this arrangement.”
Elle snorted in amusement. Eden disregarded it and proceeded with her attempt to smooth things over.
“I'm not exactly ecstatic either, but it's not going to change. We've got to make the best of it. An agreement has to be made. How about... I don't act high and mighty, since I admit, I'm not... And you don't give me too hard of a time?”
Eden gave her a moment to process her words prior to continuing to clarify her offer, “You learn what I can teach you. I need some lessons about how this place operates. We benefit from each other what we can, you become a fully-fledged Agent, and we don't ever see each other again. Fair enough?”
Elle eyed her over, searching for any trace of sarcasm. Finding none, her mood changed in the blink of an eye. She uncrossed her arms quickly, giving Eden a nod and a radiant smile.
“Alright! Sounds good to me,” she winked, “Partner.”
Eden shifted uneasily. That transformation seemed much too casual. Nevertheless, she accepted the response. Presently, as long as Elle didn't fry her where she stood, her objective had been reached.
------------------------
It turned out that Elle's unhealthy mood swings were purely ordinary, a daily routine. But that didn't make it any less difficult to grow accustomed to. Eden was startled by them every time; she had no clue how to react.
Eden assumed that, most likely, the underlying origin of her fickle behavior was the fact that she'd been locked away all of her life. She was unused to etiquette, having been shaped to be selfish in order to get what she wanted.
She had also been reasonably coddled by her father and not in the 'oh, my, you can't play there, you might get hurt!' manner, but in the 'someone might be planning to murder you, so you can't go anywhere' way.
Meaning, at 23, Elle had not once been in the same room with someone her own age unsupervised.
Her world was that of frequent solitary confinement, save for the few hours a week she was authorized to wander the facility by herself. It was a license she'd gained only a year earlier.
Eden, with this newfound perception, slowly developed a knack for how to make her partner's bipolar nature lessen. She created rules to abide by so as to not rile Elle up.
The rules were easy to follow. They were basic, yet essential when dealing with Elle. Stay away from subjects about the outside world, unless Elle asked, and make sure not to sound conceited when she spoke of her ability.
The pair sat together in Eden's small, stark room that harbored the necessities alone, discussing everything that came to mind. They'd met like this once or twice, actually making an effort to get to know each other.
And then she slipped. They were talking of their past. Elle had asked.
“When I went to school, I met this guy, Richard. He was great, someone I thought I could be with. Sweet, caring... I wonder what ever happened to him...” Eden could not by any means be sure. She had ran away and she would absolutely not go back. Especially not for some boy, as terrific as he'd been.
Elle instantly shut down. She stood up, a sudden intensity engulfing her body. She turned and stalked off, as if she was about to go and commit a heinous murder. Potentially more than one.
Curious of what she'd done so wrong - Richard had just been a passing thought - Eden pursued her.
She pondered using her power to make Elle not notice her trail, but she found no need to. Elle knew she was being tailed. She knew damn well. It was as if she'd predicted Eden would come after her.
She walked directly to a cell that contained a blonde haired man. He was in Company Issue clothing with uniquely chiseled facial features; very regal and handsome.
He had seemingly been waiting for Elle, leaning back into the white chair he was lounging on. With no ado, she climbed onto his lap and their lips locked. Their kisses were hungry and violent; not an inkling of tenderness between them.
Eden was positive she detected blood droplets at the edges of their intertwined mouths.
Elle's eyes shot open, staring straight into her prying gaze. Eden caught her stare, jaw tight, not backing down from the challenge that screamed back at her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the girl's milky white hands traveling up the man's arms and into his shirt, feeling the bare skin beneath.
A tingle ran down the back of her legs as she stood, wracking at her knees, demanding them to waver as she leaned her hands onto the glass.
Elle's fingers reached their destination, harvesting an appreciative moan from the man's throat, muffled by the still vicious kiss.
The temperature had suddenly spiked.
Elle's eyes clung to Eden as her hand began to move. She was quite aware how intimate this scene was, and that she was a trespasser.
In spite of it all, those pools of bright blue refused to give up their hold on her.
Eden froze, fastened to the spot; incredibly hot, the luscious noises produced by Elle and that man reverberating through her mind. Her instincts were clear: she shouldn't be here. Oh no. She should be in there. An not with the stranger. With Elle.
With that lewd stare fixated on her, those ravenous hands on her skin; not his, whoever the hell he was. He was unworthy of such a mysterious beauty. There was no possibility that he could ever fully grasp how intricate Elle really was.
Eden could.
Then it was over. The man drew in contented breaths, Elle's attention remaining on her. Eden heard the man speak, an English accent, felt his gaze on her and she didn't think. She just ran, not to flee the nameless prisoner, but to escape the shame of lust rising, consuming and undeniable, from inside her.
------------------------
Elle stared at the glass as if she was expecting the dark-haired girl to return at any moment; hopeful and determined.
“Does your friend want to join?” Adam inquired, his voice indicating he would not mind that course of action in the least bit.
Elle glanced down at Adam, obviously upset. Adam feigned a sympathetic expression. “What's wrong, love? Your plan to get that girl in here go awry?”
He smiled as she said nothing, taking that as a yes. “Well, if you would have told me your intentions, we could have done it right.”
Elle glared at him, pushing him away and mumbling something unintelligible. Without as much as a proper farewell, she ran off about as quickly as the other girl had. Adam watched, rolling his eyes.
Human emotions such as those were futile and would attract only pain in the end. Adam knew that better than most. Alas, it would be useless to tell them. His advice would fall on deaf ears; he could already see they had fallen victim to love's snare and had yet to truly acknowledge it.
------------------------
It had started out with a characteristic attempt to impress Eden. To prove her own aptitude for the job she'd been born into. With time, her urges had grown less innocent and increasingly possessive.
Eden could solely praise Elle's skills, be around her, talk to her. Whenever she saw any individual with her mentor, even a random coworker stopping to say hello, Elle would silently take her revenge on them later.
In less than two weeks, the populace of Primatech Paper Co. could deduce exactly whom Eden belonged to. And things had been going wondrously, until Eden mentioned an outsider. Richard. If Elle learned his last name, she'd take him out of the picture as well.
An impulse to once more grandstand, to demonstrate to Eden that she was not the only one with someone, she had resorted to her every-time-the-mood-strikes lover, Adam Monroe.
Eden's reaction was not what she had sought, not what she had anticipated.
What she had been expecting, she wasn't certain. And then Adam had said it.
Join them. No. Not Adam, just her.
Elle's breath hitched as she stood in front of Eden's door, not sure what she aimed to say. This should have been embarrassing, after making such a scene, but Elle had a goal in mind.
It was crazy, but then again, Elle was nothing if not a little cracked.
The door opened slowly, hesitatingly, eventually revealing an extremely flustered Eden. Her surreal features were magnified like this; face tinted red, eyes shimmering more than usual, body tense and awkward.
“Elle, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have followed...”
“No. I wanted you to.”
Eden blinked, waiting for more of an explanation, fidgeting as if she could not wait for her to leave.
Elle didn't waste any time. Taking advantage of the perfect curve of that swan-like neck of Eden's, she dipped in and pressed their bodies close. Her heart pulsated through her chest, convinced that Eden could feel the erratic beat.
The kiss Elle laid on Eden's lips was deceptively placid and tame. Nothing compared to what she could dish out and she sensed why. She was scared of this. Of rejection.
A man Elle could handle. But a woman? Totally out of her league. And she wasn't alone. All the same, it stood to reason that the way her body had responded to just watching Elle with another person was evidence enough for her to realize what she desired.
Neither was foolish enough to deny what felt good. They were not stupid, simply hedonistic.
A silent, mutual contract was made at the precise moment Eden's lips pressed back, fingers brushing Elle's shoulder until finally cupping her face, deepening the kiss as she pulled her inside.
Elle kicked the door closed as they shuffled their way safely to the mattress.
For once, the field was level. Both had a lack of experience, both fumbled their way to an understanding; together they could do anything.
It was that feeling of invincibility that drove them to bear no shame.
Clothes were barriers that were torn down so fingers could explore, touch, and stroke; unfamiliar but wholly glorious and unbridled sensations running rampant; their breath hot and needy. Husky gasps were lost in the silence of unadulterated passion. Not one comprehensible word was uttered, lest they disturb the delicate balance between pleasure and doubt.
Eventually, such tip-toeing was no longer necessary. What they lacked in carnal knowledge was compensated through animalistic barbarity; biting, clawing, kissing, groping, thrusting, grinding, claiming.
The air grew damp and heavy. Uninvited exhaustion crept up from the dark calm as they collapsed in each other's arms, fingers lingering on slick skin to caress the peppered bruises of desperation and rapture.
------------------------
Elle didn't give it a thought when she cast Adam aside in exchange for Eden. Her decision wasn't based exclusively on Eden's talent in bed, or because she was far more captivating than Adam.
She recognized Eden was satisfying in greater ways than simply primal.
Adam may have been four hundred years old and feature the talent best suited for living through any bout of Elle's temper, but Eden was hers on an entirely different level. She was a rare delicacy of complex emotions, ethereal beauty, and something else altogether.
Elle wouldn't say 'soul-mate' - gag - yet being with her was the closest thing to 'happily-ever-after' that she'd ever felt. She refused to let go, to lose it.
Whether Eden felt the same or not, Elle owned her. Body and soul, and she wasn't one to give her possessions up lightly; Eden was stuck with her.
And Eden, for her part, didn't mind at all. Rather, she relished it. To be loved so profoundly without the use of... persuasion was all a girl could wish for.
------------------------
“Why do we have to do this again?” Elle asked for the third time.
“Because he's a case that we have to watch in his own environment. If we bring him in and toss him someone to murder, do you really think he'll let us study him?” Eden replied as patiently as she could.
They'd been sitting in the Primatech Van, waiting for Gabriel to show up for hardly a half an hour, but Elle got bored so very easily.
Finally, Gabriel, dark hair slicked back, garbed in a royal blue cardigan, unlocked his workshop and entered, not even bothering to flip the 'closed' sign to 'open'. It looked as if something was already up.
Bob and Bennet had both decided it would be best if it were Elle's job to figure whatever it was out. It was crucial that she get more one-on-one experience on missions, and this was the perfect occasion. Her every move would be monitored on camera within distance of immediate assistance if something were to go wrong.
Elle had already been on one solo assignment and she'd screwed it up. She had been supposed to watch Claire Bennet (Mr. Bennet had no idea, of course) but her hatred for the girl got in her way. She'd almost killed a boy; emphatically beyond the criteria for a successful mission.
If Eden had not stopped her, who knew what could have happened, especially if Bennet had gotten wind of their deception.
This was Elle's second, and last, chance. She couldn't afford to fail.
Eden would be lying if she said that she still wasn't anxious about putting Elle in this situation. This guy, Gabriel Gray, was a murderer. He had killed one person already. He also had a spectacular ability: Intuitive Aptitude.
When utilized correctly, it rendered him nearly unstoppable, and she wasn't sure that the electric girl was capable of defeating such a strong enemy, largely due to the gift he'd collected from Brian Davis's brain.
Eden would have preferred to go. She could influence Gabriel if it was called for, but her bosses had insisted on it being Elle, and who was she to defy them.
“Alright, get going.”
Elle grinned and gave her a quick, slightly electrified kiss - a quirk Eden was quickly growing to cherish - and hopped out of the double doors and made her way inside.
------------------------
The mission was uncomplicated. Sentiments were left at the doorstep, which, for Elle, involved no effort since Gabriel was emotionally delicate and fairly pathetic. He was a sweet boy, but it stopped there.
It may have appeared cruel to manipulate a man into murder, but it wasn't Elle's responsibility to decipher the morality of a mission, it was her duty to get it done and get it done right.
Elle could still sleep at night; it was Eden she was worried about. Her lover invested herself in their charges, sometimes too much. Eden didn't mind it if the victim deserved it, and therein lay the problem.
Gabriel seemed to genuinely regret his past actions.
Pushing him to kill simply for the sake of research was wrong.
Nonetheless, Eden coerced herself to dissociate from the ethics of it so they could get it over and done with. Then she and Elle could go about their business and hopefully never have to do anything so unsavory again. Bennet did say that Gabriel was one of a kind.
Right away, the project progressed without a hitch. Gabriel promptly trusted Elle, requiring little reinforcement to do so. It was almost too easy. The boy was obviously frantic for company, or perhaps it was merely Elle's awe-inspiring charisma and saintly 'girl-next-door' persona.
Whatever it was, Eden soon surmised it was time to bring in the bait. The unfortunate individual was a man named Trevor Zeitlan, hand-picked by Elle after she'd stolen a list of names and numbers from Gabriel.
Eden watched the screen attached to the wall of the van as Trevor was invited inside and compelled to exhibit his ability, choosing to do so by shattering two glasses. She gazed wide-eyed as the expression on Gabriel's visage transformed from astonishment to jealousy.
Her fingers gripped the chair she sat on, fingernails biting into the metallic arm in terror. The look on his face, it was homicidal, and Elle was smack-dab in the middle of it.
Elle gasped in surprise as Trevor was flung into a nearby bookcase. Gabriel caught her panicked eyes, hissing out, “Who are you?”
“I'm...” 'like you.' The answer died in her mouth as she began to back away. To finish her excuse would be suicide. He advanced on her, silencing Trevor's whimpers with a pinch of his fingers.
“Answer me!” Gabriel roared. The madness that gripped him spilled forward, submerging everything in its wake.
“Stop. Don't come any closer,” Elle demanded precariously.
She itched to electrify him into submission, except his powers were so frightening. She'd thought she could handle herself if she encountered an incident like this. Alas, she was learning the hard way that there was no comparison between imagining it and actual performance.
His lips twisted into a smirk and Gabriel was gone; the monster replacing him. His free hand raised from his side and she was pitched back into the wall, vanishing from view of the camera.
Seeing this, Eden dashed out of the van in a heartbeat, deliberately forgetting to close the doors behind her.
Elle crawled up to a standing position, sending a ball of cobalt flying at him. That he wasn't expecting. He hit the ground and Elle attempted to form another, but she was not quick enough. Gabriel was up and angry as hell, obviously in pain, and he didn't hesitate this time.
Elle collided with the wall once more, a line of scarlet appearing at her forehead. She screamed, her mind oddly blank despite the inconceivable agony
Reflexively, her body built up it's last resort: a massive electrical charge. Abruptly, her anguish ceased. The warmth of her ability melted, involuntary tears sprinkling her cheeks. She felt Eden's fingernails tracing the salty trail of liquid, ushering her back to reality.
Eden had saved her life. She must have knocked Gabriel out or something. She forced her eyes open, eluding the charm of unconsciousness.
Eden, faced with the terrible condition of her bleeding lover, was close to hysterics.
Elle let out a pained laugh, “Don't worry, Silly. Just a little cut, nothing I can't handle...”
------------------------
“I told you I should have been the one to deal with Gabriel!” Eden yelled, throat turning hoarse from shouting.
In pure opposition to Eden's vehement tempest, Bennet remained cool and logical, “Elle needed the experience. Now she'll appreciate the value of being cautious. In any case, she's fine, so no harm done.”
Eden choked out a bitter laugh, “No harm done?! Are you serious, Bennet?! She almost died!”
“But she didn't. There is no point in arguing this, Eden. She's going to survive and you got Gabriel in custody; although we did miss out on an important discovery...”
Eden couldn't believe it. Elle barely made it out that apartment alive and all they cared about was failing to witness Gabriel's cursed ability in action. “Damn you and your stupid experiments! Gabriel deserves to die and you know it. We should get rid of him before he harms anyone else," she paused, "I could tell him to kill himself."
“No. Absolutely not. Gabriel is not to be terminated. We need him.”
Eden didn't speak for a moment and then shook her head, resolute and unfaltering, “You're going to regret that decision.” Eden slammed the door behind her.
Bennet swallowed hard, not precisely certain why her ardent warning sent tendrils of dread cavorting down his spine.
------------------------
Elle woke from inexplicable dreams to the delight of Eden's chaste lips on her forehead. She wriggled, smiling, “Hey. Why just my forehead?”
Eden gave her an indulgent grin, blessing her with a lingering kiss on the lips. Her smile declined to fade, having been woken up in a most marvelous manner. Eden took a seat on the bed next to her, fingers interlaced with Elle's.
The wounded girl looked around at the bleak white room. She frowned, “How much longer do I have to be trapped in here?”
“Not too much longer. You need to rest though, you went through a lot.”
“And Gabriel?” Elle asked.
“I put him to sleep, then I tranq'd him just to be sure. He's in a cell.”
“Good. At least that's over with...”
Eden's face fell and she averted her gaze from Elle to the bed, holding onto her fingers all the tighter. Elle's eyes narrowed in concern.
“What is it?” she inquired.
Eden shrugged, raising her eyes to once more meet her lover's. “I just don't think he should be kept alive. That man is dangerous. What if he gets out? What he's capable of...”
Elle sighed, aggravated that her morning had to be sullied with such talk, “We have a lot of dangerous people locked in cells right now. I don't see you worried about them. Forget about Gabriel...”
“I can't, Elle. I can't. He...” her brown eyes hardened, voice raising with rage, “He hurt you, he tried to take you from me! No, I can't stand to see him alive. I won't allow it...”
Elle wasn't accustomed to such bursts of raw and sincere emotion from anyone, particularly when her welfare was the catalyst. She grappled for words, “Eden... He's locked away. He won't get out, they never do. I'm fine. Daddy wanted him, they have their reasons. You know not to try and intervene.”
Eden gritted her teeth, “Their reasons? Fuck!” Elle jumped, truly treading on unfamiliar territory. Eden seldom, if ever, swore. And she wasn't even finished yet, “What sort of rationality could make them keep that monster breathing?! It's bullshit, Elle, I'm telling you... Fucking bullshit! I can't stand it! I won't.”
Elle gripped her hand, as if seeking to jerk her back into reality. “Eden, please stop. You're beginning to freak me out.”
Eden's gaze softened at her plea, “I'm sorry...”
“Could you go and get me some food, please? I'm starving!” Elle's attempt at changing the subject was welcome. Gabriel was poisoning their time together. Eden had almost lost the person that made her unbelievably happy. Rightly so, she snubbed any further efforts made by her frustrated mind to ruin the opportunity they'd been given.
Eden nodded, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I just want you to be safe and happy, Elle.”
Elle smiled, “What makes you think I'm not?”
She shrugged, “Nothing. I just... Oh never mind.” Regardless, that percolating stir of trepidation in the pit of her stomach returned with full force.
Elle narrowed her eyes, clearly about to request details, but Eden didn't give her the chance. “It's nothing. I promise. I'm going to go and get you dinner, okay?”
------------------------
Elle pulled her pillow close as she slept, a relaxed sigh tumbling from her lips as she yawned awake. She glanced over at the space next to her, fully expecting to find Eden only to be sorely disappointed.
Elle frowned as she sat up, a bit vexed. Why would Eden leave her after she got out of the infirmary? She wouldn't do it on purpose...
Fear of being deserted withered away, resolving that Eden probably went to get them breakfast. She reached up and brushed the stitching on her forehead before standing up and making her way outside the room.
The halls seemed barren, more so than usual.
Out of downright curiosity, she walked down to Eden's room, which was a few doors down from hers, and knocked. Nothing. She opened it: empty.
“Elle.” She turned to find her father standing close by. She gave him a happy smile even though she was angry that he had not visited her while she'd been injured.
“Daddy.” Her smile fell when she noticed her father had his business face on. That was in no way a good sign. “What's going on?”
------------------------
Elle gasped out for air, scarcely able to breathe as her legs quivered and failed. She fell to the ground, grasping her knees, bringing them in close to her chest, shaking as she wept.
Eden was dead. Sylar had killed her. Dead.
Oh god. Dead.
“No... No!” Elle screamed, repeating the same word over and over as she thrashed about. Surges of electricity cascaded from her body in every directions, the room rapidly transforming into a virtual war zone.
She heard her father yelling at her to calm down, to control herself, but he was nothing but white noise. She wanted to throw aside restraint and any sense of discipline. She ached to incinerate and destroy.
Sylar. He'd killed her.
The only person who she had ever truly cared for, the only one who had loved her for all of her faults. And now she was gone, as a result of Elle's foolishness.
She should have handled Gabr- Sylar - better. She should not have been so weak, should not have required rescuing.
Oh God, Oh God, Eden was dead.
Bob executed the sole order he could rely on, calling in the Haitian to deal with his delirious daughter. His instant proximity caused Elle's powers to cease functioning, a godsend for all that had the potential to burn.
She was driven to mourning like a normal girl. She beat up the floor, crying so hard she was blinded by her tears. She felt the Haitian's hands on her arms - only his could be so strong and certain. He held her motionless and she fell forward, fists on his chest.
She knew what the Haitian was here for, and she refused to allow it to come to pass.
“No! Don't you dare take my memories of her. Don't you fucking dare!”
The Haitian glanced at her father, who shook his head. He looked back at the bereaving girl in his arms and took pity. Rather than obeying orders like the immaculate soldier he had been prepped to become, he put her to sleep, fashioning the illusion of ripping from her the memories of Eden McCain.
An arrangement would need to be reached, but that could wait until she woke from the essential slumber.
------------------------
As was his duty, when Elle's eyes fluttered open, the Haitian was there. She was primed to go right back into the hysterical state she'd been confined to in the first place before he stopped her with a sedative touch.
A compromise was consequently agreed upon.
She had to pretend as though she did not remember her relationship, friendship or otherwise, with Eden. Her father permitted her to retain the knowledge of her training, that was all.
However furious as she was, Elle understood his motivation and it wasn't wholly heartless. He didn't want her to suffer. What he didn't comprehend was that she preferred to suffer than forget.
Due to the Haitian's kindness, she had to grieve in solitude. It was the only way to keep Eden's ghost close, so she embraced it; as awful and lonely as it was.
She continued on as if nothing had happened, as much as it tore her soul to pieces. Her heart was broken and she couldn't even fathom it ever being fixed.
------------------------
Sylar escaped a mere two days after Eden's murder. It was so difficult to act as though it wasn't personal. To make up for that dishonor of Eden's memory, despite being forced to accomplish her goal in secret, Elle swore that until she got bloody and gruesome satisfaction, she'd never stop hunting him.
Chapter Two
Author: yaoi_anti_drug
Beta: ladywilde80, Matt, and Chris
Pairings: Elle/Eden, Elle/Adam
Overall Pairings: Elle/Eden, Elle/Claire, Sylar/Mohinder, Peter/Sylar, Nathan/Peter, Elle/Adam, and Claire/Peter (unrequited)
Characters: Eden, Elle, Adam, Bob, Bennet
Genre: Drama, Angst, Dark Future Fic
Rating: R
Summary: An AU fic based on the Five Years Gone Verse
Word Count: A little over 5,300
Spoilers: Light spoilers for Volumes 1 and 2 & Elle's First Assignment
Overall Warnings: Violence, Character Death, Sex, Incest (Graphic Only In Chapter 2), Non-Con (Only In Chapter 6)
Notes: Dedicated to slavefaith. And a big thank you to ladywilde80 for helping me with the inspiration and to Matt and Chris for giving me the courage to post! Constructive criticism is always loved and comments, even if it’s to say you hate it, are always appreciated too. Title from "Everything Goes Dark" by The Hoosiers
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, if I did, well...wouldn't Heroes be interesting?
Author Note 2: The "One of Us, One of Them" rule doesn't apply here because no one without powers can control her. (Just go with it, yeah? XD)
Everything Goes Dark 1/7:
This was a girl fresh off the streets. She wasn't raised in these strict conditions, she didn't know a thing about how it was ran, the people, or the danger. Yet, she had the audacity to waltz in like she owned the place.
Her dark eyes sparkled, similar to the stars Elle could sometimes spy out of her tiny window. On her lips lay a shadow of a smile. Elle respected her immediately, but with that respect came a certain disdain. Eden was her first partner, her first real assignment, even if she'd been at the Company all of her life.
Her father had refused to let her out until recently. Even so, she had training, more than Eden likely had, so she considered herself to be the more well-educated one of the pair.
However, on top of her lack of field work, she didn't have Eden's confidence or elvish beauty. She was at an impasse between admiration and hate. She went with the emotion she identified with the best.
Wide, intrigued eyes narrowed into daggers.
“Elle, this is Eden,” Bennet offered, trying to start a conversation rather than watching the two girls glare at one another.
“Eden? Your mother a bible thumper by any chance?” Elle quipped.
“No, my mother was a whore and my father was even worse,” Eden began almost politely.
“So, where'd the name come from?” Elle said, not particularly caring to listen to a sob story.
Eden put her hands on her hips, obviously not appreciating the disruption. “You're quite rude, aren't you?”
“Yep, better get used to it, newbie.”
Eden arched an eyebrow. So, it was a competition, was it? Well, perhaps Elle had her beat, since she herself had been here a mere few weeks. That conceded, Bennet had already told her what Elle's abilities were and she doubted the girl could do the things with her powers that Eden could, experienced or not.
So she could short out an entire city. Big Deal. Eden, with enough preparation, could make every single person in an apartment building simultaneously shoot themselves.
Besides, she was good enough to already have a few assignments under her belt, 'newbie' that she was.
Eden gave a mischievous smile, mouth opening before Bennet interrupted their petty squabble.
“Stop it now, children.” Both girls turned their poisonous glares on Bennet. “This is not the time to show off. “ Bennet spotted the blue spark forming in Elle's palm. “Either of you,” he said more firmly.
Eden and Elle glanced back at each other. The lightning in Elle's hand sluggishly dissipated.
“There. Down to business. Eden, you're to train Elle.”
Elle gasped, “What?! You're kidding me! She's...” Barely legal. Yeah, like Elle was any better. At a loss for words, she huffed while Eden smirked victoriously.
“Eden here may be new, but she's already achieved the rank of Agent. You, Elle, may have the grounds memorized, but you have no idea what it's like on the outside. Eden is going to help you with that flaw.”
Agent? Eden grinned wider; this was the first she'd heard of the news. Apparently, promotions came quickly around here... Either that or Agents died often.
Elle groaned, “But...”
Bennet simply shook his head. “No. Don't try to con your way out of this, Elle. It was your father's decision."
Elle apprehended she had no chance of overturning an order from her father. Defeated, she crossed her arms in a semblance of surrender.
Bennet smiled, “Alright then. I'll leave you two to get acquainted. No Powers, or it'll be trouble, got it?”
Bennet pointed at the both of them so the rule sunk in. He then turned and shut the door on his way out.
Elle continued to glower.
Eden sighed, not really wanting Elle's training to be a constant battle of who was superior. She was tempted to use her ability to accomplish her given task which, at the current moment, seemed so hopeless. Unfortunately, Bennet would recognize it if she took a shortcut. “Listen, I understand you're not very happy about this arrangement.”
Elle snorted in amusement. Eden disregarded it and proceeded with her attempt to smooth things over.
“I'm not exactly ecstatic either, but it's not going to change. We've got to make the best of it. An agreement has to be made. How about... I don't act high and mighty, since I admit, I'm not... And you don't give me too hard of a time?”
Eden gave her a moment to process her words prior to continuing to clarify her offer, “You learn what I can teach you. I need some lessons about how this place operates. We benefit from each other what we can, you become a fully-fledged Agent, and we don't ever see each other again. Fair enough?”
Elle eyed her over, searching for any trace of sarcasm. Finding none, her mood changed in the blink of an eye. She uncrossed her arms quickly, giving Eden a nod and a radiant smile.
“Alright! Sounds good to me,” she winked, “Partner.”
Eden shifted uneasily. That transformation seemed much too casual. Nevertheless, she accepted the response. Presently, as long as Elle didn't fry her where she stood, her objective had been reached.
------------------------
It turned out that Elle's unhealthy mood swings were purely ordinary, a daily routine. But that didn't make it any less difficult to grow accustomed to. Eden was startled by them every time; she had no clue how to react.
Eden assumed that, most likely, the underlying origin of her fickle behavior was the fact that she'd been locked away all of her life. She was unused to etiquette, having been shaped to be selfish in order to get what she wanted.
She had also been reasonably coddled by her father and not in the 'oh, my, you can't play there, you might get hurt!' manner, but in the 'someone might be planning to murder you, so you can't go anywhere' way.
Meaning, at 23, Elle had not once been in the same room with someone her own age unsupervised.
Her world was that of frequent solitary confinement, save for the few hours a week she was authorized to wander the facility by herself. It was a license she'd gained only a year earlier.
Eden, with this newfound perception, slowly developed a knack for how to make her partner's bipolar nature lessen. She created rules to abide by so as to not rile Elle up.
The rules were easy to follow. They were basic, yet essential when dealing with Elle. Stay away from subjects about the outside world, unless Elle asked, and make sure not to sound conceited when she spoke of her ability.
The pair sat together in Eden's small, stark room that harbored the necessities alone, discussing everything that came to mind. They'd met like this once or twice, actually making an effort to get to know each other.
And then she slipped. They were talking of their past. Elle had asked.
“When I went to school, I met this guy, Richard. He was great, someone I thought I could be with. Sweet, caring... I wonder what ever happened to him...” Eden could not by any means be sure. She had ran away and she would absolutely not go back. Especially not for some boy, as terrific as he'd been.
Elle instantly shut down. She stood up, a sudden intensity engulfing her body. She turned and stalked off, as if she was about to go and commit a heinous murder. Potentially more than one.
Curious of what she'd done so wrong - Richard had just been a passing thought - Eden pursued her.
She pondered using her power to make Elle not notice her trail, but she found no need to. Elle knew she was being tailed. She knew damn well. It was as if she'd predicted Eden would come after her.
She walked directly to a cell that contained a blonde haired man. He was in Company Issue clothing with uniquely chiseled facial features; very regal and handsome.
He had seemingly been waiting for Elle, leaning back into the white chair he was lounging on. With no ado, she climbed onto his lap and their lips locked. Their kisses were hungry and violent; not an inkling of tenderness between them.
Eden was positive she detected blood droplets at the edges of their intertwined mouths.
Elle's eyes shot open, staring straight into her prying gaze. Eden caught her stare, jaw tight, not backing down from the challenge that screamed back at her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the girl's milky white hands traveling up the man's arms and into his shirt, feeling the bare skin beneath.
A tingle ran down the back of her legs as she stood, wracking at her knees, demanding them to waver as she leaned her hands onto the glass.
Elle's fingers reached their destination, harvesting an appreciative moan from the man's throat, muffled by the still vicious kiss.
The temperature had suddenly spiked.
Elle's eyes clung to Eden as her hand began to move. She was quite aware how intimate this scene was, and that she was a trespasser.
In spite of it all, those pools of bright blue refused to give up their hold on her.
Eden froze, fastened to the spot; incredibly hot, the luscious noises produced by Elle and that man reverberating through her mind. Her instincts were clear: she shouldn't be here. Oh no. She should be in there. An not with the stranger. With Elle.
With that lewd stare fixated on her, those ravenous hands on her skin; not his, whoever the hell he was. He was unworthy of such a mysterious beauty. There was no possibility that he could ever fully grasp how intricate Elle really was.
Eden could.
Then it was over. The man drew in contented breaths, Elle's attention remaining on her. Eden heard the man speak, an English accent, felt his gaze on her and she didn't think. She just ran, not to flee the nameless prisoner, but to escape the shame of lust rising, consuming and undeniable, from inside her.
------------------------
Elle stared at the glass as if she was expecting the dark-haired girl to return at any moment; hopeful and determined.
“Does your friend want to join?” Adam inquired, his voice indicating he would not mind that course of action in the least bit.
Elle glanced down at Adam, obviously upset. Adam feigned a sympathetic expression. “What's wrong, love? Your plan to get that girl in here go awry?”
He smiled as she said nothing, taking that as a yes. “Well, if you would have told me your intentions, we could have done it right.”
Elle glared at him, pushing him away and mumbling something unintelligible. Without as much as a proper farewell, she ran off about as quickly as the other girl had. Adam watched, rolling his eyes.
Human emotions such as those were futile and would attract only pain in the end. Adam knew that better than most. Alas, it would be useless to tell them. His advice would fall on deaf ears; he could already see they had fallen victim to love's snare and had yet to truly acknowledge it.
------------------------
It had started out with a characteristic attempt to impress Eden. To prove her own aptitude for the job she'd been born into. With time, her urges had grown less innocent and increasingly possessive.
Eden could solely praise Elle's skills, be around her, talk to her. Whenever she saw any individual with her mentor, even a random coworker stopping to say hello, Elle would silently take her revenge on them later.
In less than two weeks, the populace of Primatech Paper Co. could deduce exactly whom Eden belonged to. And things had been going wondrously, until Eden mentioned an outsider. Richard. If Elle learned his last name, she'd take him out of the picture as well.
An impulse to once more grandstand, to demonstrate to Eden that she was not the only one with someone, she had resorted to her every-time-the-mood-strikes lover, Adam Monroe.
Eden's reaction was not what she had sought, not what she had anticipated.
What she had been expecting, she wasn't certain. And then Adam had said it.
Join them. No. Not Adam, just her.
Elle's breath hitched as she stood in front of Eden's door, not sure what she aimed to say. This should have been embarrassing, after making such a scene, but Elle had a goal in mind.
It was crazy, but then again, Elle was nothing if not a little cracked.
The door opened slowly, hesitatingly, eventually revealing an extremely flustered Eden. Her surreal features were magnified like this; face tinted red, eyes shimmering more than usual, body tense and awkward.
“Elle, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have followed...”
“No. I wanted you to.”
Eden blinked, waiting for more of an explanation, fidgeting as if she could not wait for her to leave.
Elle didn't waste any time. Taking advantage of the perfect curve of that swan-like neck of Eden's, she dipped in and pressed their bodies close. Her heart pulsated through her chest, convinced that Eden could feel the erratic beat.
The kiss Elle laid on Eden's lips was deceptively placid and tame. Nothing compared to what she could dish out and she sensed why. She was scared of this. Of rejection.
A man Elle could handle. But a woman? Totally out of her league. And she wasn't alone. All the same, it stood to reason that the way her body had responded to just watching Elle with another person was evidence enough for her to realize what she desired.
Neither was foolish enough to deny what felt good. They were not stupid, simply hedonistic.
A silent, mutual contract was made at the precise moment Eden's lips pressed back, fingers brushing Elle's shoulder until finally cupping her face, deepening the kiss as she pulled her inside.
Elle kicked the door closed as they shuffled their way safely to the mattress.
For once, the field was level. Both had a lack of experience, both fumbled their way to an understanding; together they could do anything.
It was that feeling of invincibility that drove them to bear no shame.
Clothes were barriers that were torn down so fingers could explore, touch, and stroke; unfamiliar but wholly glorious and unbridled sensations running rampant; their breath hot and needy. Husky gasps were lost in the silence of unadulterated passion. Not one comprehensible word was uttered, lest they disturb the delicate balance between pleasure and doubt.
Eventually, such tip-toeing was no longer necessary. What they lacked in carnal knowledge was compensated through animalistic barbarity; biting, clawing, kissing, groping, thrusting, grinding, claiming.
The air grew damp and heavy. Uninvited exhaustion crept up from the dark calm as they collapsed in each other's arms, fingers lingering on slick skin to caress the peppered bruises of desperation and rapture.
------------------------
Elle didn't give it a thought when she cast Adam aside in exchange for Eden. Her decision wasn't based exclusively on Eden's talent in bed, or because she was far more captivating than Adam.
She recognized Eden was satisfying in greater ways than simply primal.
Adam may have been four hundred years old and feature the talent best suited for living through any bout of Elle's temper, but Eden was hers on an entirely different level. She was a rare delicacy of complex emotions, ethereal beauty, and something else altogether.
Elle wouldn't say 'soul-mate' - gag - yet being with her was the closest thing to 'happily-ever-after' that she'd ever felt. She refused to let go, to lose it.
Whether Eden felt the same or not, Elle owned her. Body and soul, and she wasn't one to give her possessions up lightly; Eden was stuck with her.
And Eden, for her part, didn't mind at all. Rather, she relished it. To be loved so profoundly without the use of... persuasion was all a girl could wish for.
------------------------
“Why do we have to do this again?” Elle asked for the third time.
“Because he's a case that we have to watch in his own environment. If we bring him in and toss him someone to murder, do you really think he'll let us study him?” Eden replied as patiently as she could.
They'd been sitting in the Primatech Van, waiting for Gabriel to show up for hardly a half an hour, but Elle got bored so very easily.
Finally, Gabriel, dark hair slicked back, garbed in a royal blue cardigan, unlocked his workshop and entered, not even bothering to flip the 'closed' sign to 'open'. It looked as if something was already up.
Bob and Bennet had both decided it would be best if it were Elle's job to figure whatever it was out. It was crucial that she get more one-on-one experience on missions, and this was the perfect occasion. Her every move would be monitored on camera within distance of immediate assistance if something were to go wrong.
Elle had already been on one solo assignment and she'd screwed it up. She had been supposed to watch Claire Bennet (Mr. Bennet had no idea, of course) but her hatred for the girl got in her way. She'd almost killed a boy; emphatically beyond the criteria for a successful mission.
If Eden had not stopped her, who knew what could have happened, especially if Bennet had gotten wind of their deception.
This was Elle's second, and last, chance. She couldn't afford to fail.
Eden would be lying if she said that she still wasn't anxious about putting Elle in this situation. This guy, Gabriel Gray, was a murderer. He had killed one person already. He also had a spectacular ability: Intuitive Aptitude.
When utilized correctly, it rendered him nearly unstoppable, and she wasn't sure that the electric girl was capable of defeating such a strong enemy, largely due to the gift he'd collected from Brian Davis's brain.
Eden would have preferred to go. She could influence Gabriel if it was called for, but her bosses had insisted on it being Elle, and who was she to defy them.
“Alright, get going.”
Elle grinned and gave her a quick, slightly electrified kiss - a quirk Eden was quickly growing to cherish - and hopped out of the double doors and made her way inside.
------------------------
The mission was uncomplicated. Sentiments were left at the doorstep, which, for Elle, involved no effort since Gabriel was emotionally delicate and fairly pathetic. He was a sweet boy, but it stopped there.
It may have appeared cruel to manipulate a man into murder, but it wasn't Elle's responsibility to decipher the morality of a mission, it was her duty to get it done and get it done right.
Elle could still sleep at night; it was Eden she was worried about. Her lover invested herself in their charges, sometimes too much. Eden didn't mind it if the victim deserved it, and therein lay the problem.
Gabriel seemed to genuinely regret his past actions.
Pushing him to kill simply for the sake of research was wrong.
Nonetheless, Eden coerced herself to dissociate from the ethics of it so they could get it over and done with. Then she and Elle could go about their business and hopefully never have to do anything so unsavory again. Bennet did say that Gabriel was one of a kind.
Right away, the project progressed without a hitch. Gabriel promptly trusted Elle, requiring little reinforcement to do so. It was almost too easy. The boy was obviously frantic for company, or perhaps it was merely Elle's awe-inspiring charisma and saintly 'girl-next-door' persona.
Whatever it was, Eden soon surmised it was time to bring in the bait. The unfortunate individual was a man named Trevor Zeitlan, hand-picked by Elle after she'd stolen a list of names and numbers from Gabriel.
Eden watched the screen attached to the wall of the van as Trevor was invited inside and compelled to exhibit his ability, choosing to do so by shattering two glasses. She gazed wide-eyed as the expression on Gabriel's visage transformed from astonishment to jealousy.
Her fingers gripped the chair she sat on, fingernails biting into the metallic arm in terror. The look on his face, it was homicidal, and Elle was smack-dab in the middle of it.
Elle gasped in surprise as Trevor was flung into a nearby bookcase. Gabriel caught her panicked eyes, hissing out, “Who are you?”
“I'm...” 'like you.' The answer died in her mouth as she began to back away. To finish her excuse would be suicide. He advanced on her, silencing Trevor's whimpers with a pinch of his fingers.
“Answer me!” Gabriel roared. The madness that gripped him spilled forward, submerging everything in its wake.
“Stop. Don't come any closer,” Elle demanded precariously.
She itched to electrify him into submission, except his powers were so frightening. She'd thought she could handle herself if she encountered an incident like this. Alas, she was learning the hard way that there was no comparison between imagining it and actual performance.
His lips twisted into a smirk and Gabriel was gone; the monster replacing him. His free hand raised from his side and she was pitched back into the wall, vanishing from view of the camera.
Seeing this, Eden dashed out of the van in a heartbeat, deliberately forgetting to close the doors behind her.
Elle crawled up to a standing position, sending a ball of cobalt flying at him. That he wasn't expecting. He hit the ground and Elle attempted to form another, but she was not quick enough. Gabriel was up and angry as hell, obviously in pain, and he didn't hesitate this time.
Elle collided with the wall once more, a line of scarlet appearing at her forehead. She screamed, her mind oddly blank despite the inconceivable agony
Reflexively, her body built up it's last resort: a massive electrical charge. Abruptly, her anguish ceased. The warmth of her ability melted, involuntary tears sprinkling her cheeks. She felt Eden's fingernails tracing the salty trail of liquid, ushering her back to reality.
Eden had saved her life. She must have knocked Gabriel out or something. She forced her eyes open, eluding the charm of unconsciousness.
Eden, faced with the terrible condition of her bleeding lover, was close to hysterics.
Elle let out a pained laugh, “Don't worry, Silly. Just a little cut, nothing I can't handle...”
------------------------
“I told you I should have been the one to deal with Gabriel!” Eden yelled, throat turning hoarse from shouting.
In pure opposition to Eden's vehement tempest, Bennet remained cool and logical, “Elle needed the experience. Now she'll appreciate the value of being cautious. In any case, she's fine, so no harm done.”
Eden choked out a bitter laugh, “No harm done?! Are you serious, Bennet?! She almost died!”
“But she didn't. There is no point in arguing this, Eden. She's going to survive and you got Gabriel in custody; although we did miss out on an important discovery...”
Eden couldn't believe it. Elle barely made it out that apartment alive and all they cared about was failing to witness Gabriel's cursed ability in action. “Damn you and your stupid experiments! Gabriel deserves to die and you know it. We should get rid of him before he harms anyone else," she paused, "I could tell him to kill himself."
“No. Absolutely not. Gabriel is not to be terminated. We need him.”
Eden didn't speak for a moment and then shook her head, resolute and unfaltering, “You're going to regret that decision.” Eden slammed the door behind her.
Bennet swallowed hard, not precisely certain why her ardent warning sent tendrils of dread cavorting down his spine.
------------------------
Elle woke from inexplicable dreams to the delight of Eden's chaste lips on her forehead. She wriggled, smiling, “Hey. Why just my forehead?”
Eden gave her an indulgent grin, blessing her with a lingering kiss on the lips. Her smile declined to fade, having been woken up in a most marvelous manner. Eden took a seat on the bed next to her, fingers interlaced with Elle's.
The wounded girl looked around at the bleak white room. She frowned, “How much longer do I have to be trapped in here?”
“Not too much longer. You need to rest though, you went through a lot.”
“And Gabriel?” Elle asked.
“I put him to sleep, then I tranq'd him just to be sure. He's in a cell.”
“Good. At least that's over with...”
Eden's face fell and she averted her gaze from Elle to the bed, holding onto her fingers all the tighter. Elle's eyes narrowed in concern.
“What is it?” she inquired.
Eden shrugged, raising her eyes to once more meet her lover's. “I just don't think he should be kept alive. That man is dangerous. What if he gets out? What he's capable of...”
Elle sighed, aggravated that her morning had to be sullied with such talk, “We have a lot of dangerous people locked in cells right now. I don't see you worried about them. Forget about Gabriel...”
“I can't, Elle. I can't. He...” her brown eyes hardened, voice raising with rage, “He hurt you, he tried to take you from me! No, I can't stand to see him alive. I won't allow it...”
Elle wasn't accustomed to such bursts of raw and sincere emotion from anyone, particularly when her welfare was the catalyst. She grappled for words, “Eden... He's locked away. He won't get out, they never do. I'm fine. Daddy wanted him, they have their reasons. You know not to try and intervene.”
Eden gritted her teeth, “Their reasons? Fuck!” Elle jumped, truly treading on unfamiliar territory. Eden seldom, if ever, swore. And she wasn't even finished yet, “What sort of rationality could make them keep that monster breathing?! It's bullshit, Elle, I'm telling you... Fucking bullshit! I can't stand it! I won't.”
Elle gripped her hand, as if seeking to jerk her back into reality. “Eden, please stop. You're beginning to freak me out.”
Eden's gaze softened at her plea, “I'm sorry...”
“Could you go and get me some food, please? I'm starving!” Elle's attempt at changing the subject was welcome. Gabriel was poisoning their time together. Eden had almost lost the person that made her unbelievably happy. Rightly so, she snubbed any further efforts made by her frustrated mind to ruin the opportunity they'd been given.
Eden nodded, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I just want you to be safe and happy, Elle.”
Elle smiled, “What makes you think I'm not?”
She shrugged, “Nothing. I just... Oh never mind.” Regardless, that percolating stir of trepidation in the pit of her stomach returned with full force.
Elle narrowed her eyes, clearly about to request details, but Eden didn't give her the chance. “It's nothing. I promise. I'm going to go and get you dinner, okay?”
------------------------
Elle pulled her pillow close as she slept, a relaxed sigh tumbling from her lips as she yawned awake. She glanced over at the space next to her, fully expecting to find Eden only to be sorely disappointed.
Elle frowned as she sat up, a bit vexed. Why would Eden leave her after she got out of the infirmary? She wouldn't do it on purpose...
Fear of being deserted withered away, resolving that Eden probably went to get them breakfast. She reached up and brushed the stitching on her forehead before standing up and making her way outside the room.
The halls seemed barren, more so than usual.
Out of downright curiosity, she walked down to Eden's room, which was a few doors down from hers, and knocked. Nothing. She opened it: empty.
“Elle.” She turned to find her father standing close by. She gave him a happy smile even though she was angry that he had not visited her while she'd been injured.
“Daddy.” Her smile fell when she noticed her father had his business face on. That was in no way a good sign. “What's going on?”
------------------------
Elle gasped out for air, scarcely able to breathe as her legs quivered and failed. She fell to the ground, grasping her knees, bringing them in close to her chest, shaking as she wept.
Eden was dead. Sylar had killed her. Dead.
Oh god. Dead.
“No... No!” Elle screamed, repeating the same word over and over as she thrashed about. Surges of electricity cascaded from her body in every directions, the room rapidly transforming into a virtual war zone.
She heard her father yelling at her to calm down, to control herself, but he was nothing but white noise. She wanted to throw aside restraint and any sense of discipline. She ached to incinerate and destroy.
Sylar. He'd killed her.
The only person who she had ever truly cared for, the only one who had loved her for all of her faults. And now she was gone, as a result of Elle's foolishness.
She should have handled Gabr- Sylar - better. She should not have been so weak, should not have required rescuing.
Oh God, Oh God, Eden was dead.
Bob executed the sole order he could rely on, calling in the Haitian to deal with his delirious daughter. His instant proximity caused Elle's powers to cease functioning, a godsend for all that had the potential to burn.
She was driven to mourning like a normal girl. She beat up the floor, crying so hard she was blinded by her tears. She felt the Haitian's hands on her arms - only his could be so strong and certain. He held her motionless and she fell forward, fists on his chest.
She knew what the Haitian was here for, and she refused to allow it to come to pass.
“No! Don't you dare take my memories of her. Don't you fucking dare!”
The Haitian glanced at her father, who shook his head. He looked back at the bereaving girl in his arms and took pity. Rather than obeying orders like the immaculate soldier he had been prepped to become, he put her to sleep, fashioning the illusion of ripping from her the memories of Eden McCain.
An arrangement would need to be reached, but that could wait until she woke from the essential slumber.
------------------------
As was his duty, when Elle's eyes fluttered open, the Haitian was there. She was primed to go right back into the hysterical state she'd been confined to in the first place before he stopped her with a sedative touch.
A compromise was consequently agreed upon.
She had to pretend as though she did not remember her relationship, friendship or otherwise, with Eden. Her father permitted her to retain the knowledge of her training, that was all.
However furious as she was, Elle understood his motivation and it wasn't wholly heartless. He didn't want her to suffer. What he didn't comprehend was that she preferred to suffer than forget.
Due to the Haitian's kindness, she had to grieve in solitude. It was the only way to keep Eden's ghost close, so she embraced it; as awful and lonely as it was.
She continued on as if nothing had happened, as much as it tore her soul to pieces. Her heart was broken and she couldn't even fathom it ever being fixed.
------------------------
Sylar escaped a mere two days after Eden's murder. It was so difficult to act as though it wasn't personal. To make up for that dishonor of Eden's memory, despite being forced to accomplish her goal in secret, Elle swore that until she got bloody and gruesome satisfaction, she'd never stop hunting him.
Chapter Two