Crack in the persona - tag drgabrielgray and drpeterpetrelli

[howtheydied]

I meet with the forensic pathology department at Mercy Heights first. I guess I wanted to get a tour of the place, build up to meeting Dr. Petrelli again. Their facilities are good, the location is closer to my apartment, the staff is friendly enough, and they appear eager to have me. The head must have googled my name before I arrived. I

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[drpeterpetrelli]

I loosen my tie and relax against the back of my chair, letting Ted and Gabriel get to know each other. I can see that Gabriel's enjoying him as much as I did, if not for the same reasons. I just hope Gabriel can see why I'm curious about this one, why he might not be prey but maybe, maybe, an ally.

Gabriel's last comment almost makes me choke on my drink and I barely stop myself in time. I give him a look, trying hard not to let the laughter escape. Is he trying to get me to screw this up or something. The corner of my mouth quirks up and I turn towards Ted. "Which is part of the reason he's in neurosurgery and not in the trenches. The fact that the human brain fascinates him is the main reason." This time I can't help the small smirk.

"I would take both Pathology and Neurosurgery over some of the patients that I have. Some days, I'd love nothing more than to tell them to just shut up and get over themselves. But, of course, I can't do that and I do enjoy helping them along." Especially the ones that I push in the wrong direction. Seeing them fall apart right before my eyes is so much fun.

[howtheydied]

A reference to 'getting my hands bloody' that makes Peter look like he swallowed a fly (for only a bare moment, of course), and another bit of apathy showing through- I'd guess we're into the real conversation now. Again, I wonder how Peter really 'helps them along' sometimes.

"And we get to the heart of why I could never be a psychologist," I say, with a smirk. "I'd probably end up telling them all to shape themselves up within a week or two. I just don't have patience for a lot of people, much less ones with real problems. I will stick over in the field where you hack your patients up. Sounds like Dr. Gray is with me on this."

I give him a small smile and turn more toward him. "Of course you have to be much more careful. Neurosurgery takes such a delicate hand. You're the head of the department, you said? Do you like having such a high position? The extra paperwork seems like such a detriment to me, but of course there are tons of perks." He doesn't seem very old yet- ambitious one, isn't he? I'm not surprised.

[drgabrielgray]

"It'd annoy the living shit out of me too," I say with a snort and finish my drink. I sure as hell miss getting a buzz from alcohol, not that I mind being immortal especially considering the enemies I've made. "I much prefer sticking my fingers in a brain and making someone twitch."

"I sort of fell into the position. My predecessor got a job out of state, and Dr. Scully wanted me to take her place." Not that I didn't have to force the issue with Chandra, but with Mohinder taking up residence in the hospital incinerators he didn't have sonny boy around to take my spot. "I was top of my class from Stanford, and I was the only person on staff up to the job. I do hate the meetings and paperwork though."

"It's a lot better when you get to play with your food." Yeah, let's see what Ted thinks about that comment. Peter liked it enough to chuckle.

[drpeterpetrelli]

I might not get to hack my patients but I do get to hack into people, not that I can tell Ted that. "It's not always easy, believe me. Especially the ones that can't see that they're the ones causing the problems, not everyone else." I finish my drink and stand up, binging the decanter over to see if they want more too.

Gabriel explains how he got the job after Dr. Scully left and I smile, remembering why Chandra, and especially Mohinder, weren't there to do the job. I really wish we could've enjoyed killing Mohinder more but I'm sure that others will eventually come through so we can have more fun with them. A never ending supply of Mohinders to torture, god that sounds great.

I swear to god Gabriel is trying to make me crack up in front of Ted and he's doing a damn good job of it too. I can't help chuckling while I finish filling my glass and set the scotch down on the desk within reach of them both. My eyes flick to Ted to see how he reacts to that throw away comment. Whatever darkness I saw in him before is still there and I think Gabriel is bringing it out even more with his comments.

[howtheydied]

'Making someone twitch'? No swallowed-fly look from Peter this time. If I hadn't watched them drinking the Scotch, I'd wonder if it was drugged. Even Jake wasn't this honest with me the first time we met. But then this isn't my first meeting with Peter. And I'm a little different now. They might be able to tell.

Nonetheless, I sit up a little more in my seat. Gabriel mentions playing with his food, Peter chuckles, and I just can't keep it in. I laugh too, shaking my head. "Interesting way of putting it," I reply, giving him a smile.

I should be scared, but instead I'm just tense-- awake. "So are we going to speak plainly, or is half the fun talking in riddles? Because I'm fine with either. We've just about run out of work-related gossip, though, unless you want me to get into why I transferred out of my last residency." I'm being a smart-ass. It's what got me into trouble the last time, too.

[drgabrielgray]

Aw Ted's getting impatient and there I was doing my best to be interesting. I give him a sly smirk while I refill my drink and lean back. stretching my legs out before me. It's not as if Ted could hurt either of us. He's no threat at all, but he could be an ally. Hell, he could be a friend.

"I'd love to hear why you left. Do tell." Please make it a good story, Ted. Peter will know if you're lying, and where would the fun be in that.

This will be a challenge for Peter and I. Neither one of us wants to use a power in front of Ted. We've got to play this human. Well as human as a pair of serial killers get.

[drpeterpetrelli]

Ted's impatient but able to keep control of it, that's a point for him. I can't blame him for wanting to know what's going on but he's going to have to wait a little bit longer. Gabriel's the only one I've ever told about my games to and now, to tell someone else... I'm not scared, just wary. The fewer people that know what we do, the better but Ted feels different. Like he could be one of us, join our merry little band of killers.

Gabriel encourages him to tell us why he left his last residency and I pay attention. What he says here will tell us a lot on whether we can trust him with anything about us, other then the public faces. "Gossip is boring but Gabriel's right, we would like to know why you left. It sounded like you had a good thing going there, so what changed?"

Ted looks slightly uncomfortable but not enough to not talk to us. Besides, he opened up the conversation for this topic. "I'm sure it can't be that bad." A smirk quirks the corner of my mouth.

[howtheydied]

I weigh in my mind what exactly I want to start out saying to them. As much as I sounded like I was complaining, I do have fun with this dance. Besides, there's no way I'm going to out myself as a murderer when Ben's the only one who knows-- about one. However....

"My fiance died," I say flatly. I knew I'd have to mention that, so I get it out of the way as quickly as possible. "In my apartment. It was arrhythmia brought on by a mitral valve prolapse, so it was very sudden. I didn't want to be reminded of it."

I let the quiet sink in before I look up at them and continue. "Strangely enough, four of my fellow residents died that day, as well. Burned to death in a subbasement area they'd apparently been using to do drugs." I shrug. "They wouldn't have noticed the gas leak before they lit up," I say, with a small half-smile.

[drgabrielgray]

His fiance died. I wonder if Peter picked up the proper amount of grief. What I'm getting is anger. It's deep, hidden beneath a heavy layer of his ego. And yes Ted Grey has an ego that might rival mine.

Didn't want to be reminded about it my ass.

"That sounds like a horrible, horrible accident." Now the talk about the other residents. There's a flair of pride there, and a hint of smugness in his eyes. "They should have been more careful. Good thing you were engaged in their activities. You might have been killed too."

[drpeterpetrelli]

He's not lying about his fiance and he does still love her, that's pretty easy to read on his face and I wonder what really happened. There was a prolapse, he's not lying about that but there's something not...completely truthful about what he's saying. Whatever caused it, he knows and it pisses him off. I want to know what it was.

Then he talks about the other residents and there's that same tingle. It's a half lie, an incomplete truth and I glance over at Gabriel. I'm not sure he's getting any of this off of Ted and we'll have to talk later. "Of course, if you had been part of their group, it's very lucky that you weren't there when the explosion happened." There's a flicker in his eyes at that and I'm almost sure I'm right.

He is one of us. Maybe not exactly like us but his hands are bloody and not from his job. "That must've been hard though, losing fellow residents like that. I can see why you wouldn't want to stay there. Getting far away from...trouble is good. If you had anything to worry about that is." I know you did.

[howtheydied]

They both look at me while I speak, of course- anyone would be riveted with this particular story. But instead of just listening, they're watching me. Looking for tells, I imagine, or trying to find the proof that I'm not the nice guy I pretend to be. Well, they have plenty to go off of there.

"I didn't mind losing them," I state plainly, leaning back in my chair and taking another swig of my drink. "They were too arrogant. They thought they were invincible. As far as I see it, that just makes something like that far more likely to happen." I finish off my Scotch and set the glass down. "None of them were worth hanging around. Good thing I figured that out quickly, huh?"

These guys are a little different- far more cautious, which is a good thing. Of course, that'll make this back-and-forth dance take a little longer, probably, but that's okay. "So what about you? Either of you ever have anything bizarre like that happen around you?"

[drgabrielgray]

Damn, if he thought they were arrogant and cocky... Where is that going to leave Peter and me? We're about as smug as possible, although Peter's stint in jail did help slap us both into reality. And I wasn't too fond of being shot when Bennet thought I was a different Sylar.

"I've had a few different things happen over the years. The Chief of Staff's son vanished a few weeks before I got my promotion for example." Fuck this chess game. I'm getting bored with it. "They think he went back to India, or he fell back through one of the time fissures."

"You do know about that, right? I mean speaking of weird." Might as well clear that up since the other versions of me are either pathetic or psychotic.

[drpeterpetrelli]

That's funny coming from him. He's arrogant too and cocky but he's also a lot smarter than whoever it was that blew up. He knows more about that then he's saying too but that's okay, he can keep those secrets. If he's able to keep all that a secret, there's a good chance he'd keep our secret too. Which we need, no loose lips.

"It's a very good thing. I'd hate to have lost such a...brilliant mind to such carelessness." Gabriel's getting impatient, I can see it from the way he's shifting slightly in his chair and when he mentions Mohinder. Ah, I miss the fun of all that. Ten he brings up the time rips and I duck my head down, smiling into my glass. Ted may not know about them but he will now.

"It's all quite fascinating. Part of my work is done with those that have come through." I look Ted straight in the eye. "Of course, it helps having first hand knowledge of what they're going through." If he can't accept everything we're telling him well...we'll just have to make sure he doesn't mention it to the wrong people. "Gabriel lends a hand when needed too."

[howtheydied]

I nod and smile a little at the talk about the Chief of Staff's son. Vanishing people- sounds like we're speaking the same language. Or...we were, until Gabriel mentions 'time fissures'. What the hell? Are they pulling my leg? I wonder briefly if these guys have ended up on the psychotic end of things, with what they're talking about. Maybe this won't work out...but I didn't get anything like that from my talks with Peter. Jake was worse off than they were, so what gives?

"What do you mean, time fissures?" I ask, figuring I'll address that. I'm giving them weird looks, but I'll listen. "I haven't heard anything about that."

[drgabrielgray]

I sit back and explain to Ted what we know about the time fissures, and how lucky Peter and I are that we're here together. And how most of Mercy Heights was from our time line when we came over.

"Neither one of us feel any reason to go back if it's even possible. It does get a bit uncomfortable when I'm mistaken for one of the others who wear my face." A smile creeps over my face as I meet his eyes. "The funny part about that is most of them are serial killers. I'm the only one with a college education that I know of. My life turned out very different I've been lucky."

"Poor Peter was arrested a month or so ago because they thought he murdered one of the versions of his brother. Of course Peter's real brother isn't here." It's good to see that Ted's eyes aren't glazing over. He did have a nice little twitch at the corner of his eye about the serial killer part. Good thing I'm not telling him about abilities. That would blow his fucking mind.