Cierre sus ojos y el sueño de ángeles

Every night when her mama told her to dream of angels, Maya never thought that she would sleep beside one of her very own.

They took turns driving during the day, Alejandro stayed out of the driver's seat because he couldn't answer questions if they were stopped, but she and Gabriel each spent hours driving, until the sun went down and they pulled off the road somewhere for the night.

"Is it safe here?" Maya asked, and Gabriel nodded absently, not looking up from the map where he'd drawn out their route with his finger.

"Yes, we've been taking back roads and avoiding the authorities very well, we should be fine." He tilted his head toward the back seat. "Tell him that too, since he doesn't believe anything from me."

"That's not true," Maya protested, but turned to wake Alejandro.

"If I said it was raining, he would put his head outside to check," Gabriel said, but didn't sound angry at all. He wasn't afraid of Alejandro's threats and dark looks, they made Gabriel laugh and shake his head when he wasn't tolerating them silently. Maya worried that her angel and her brother, the two people in the world who she trusted to protect her, would never be able to be friends the way she wanted. They were on their way to find answers and she only hoped that they could learn to get along and not fight instead of searching for what they all needed

Alejandro was tired, but woke up long enough to ask if Maya was well and cautioned her about not checking the route for herself. Maya sighed and promised that she would be careful and Alejandro eyed Gabriel suspiciously a moment longer and went back to sleep.

Gabriel had Dr. Suresh's book face down in his lap and Maya pointed to the photograph on the back.

"Why didn't you stay there and help him, the doctor?" Maya asked.

"Suresh and I parted ways, he wanted to continue his work and I had to find more people like me, to help them like we set out to," Gabriel said.

"You helped others like me, the ones who've been cursed," Maya said.

Gabriel shook his head. "What you can do isn't a curse or a disease, Maya, it's part of who you are, and it makes you different, special." He glanced at her, and the way she had her hands clasped in her lap. "You shouldn't deny it, that would be the greater sin." 

Maya thought about being afraid all the time, not knowing whether she would hurt someone, and how it would be not to have to fear herself. She turned toward Gabriel and boldly touched his bare arm.

 "I want you to tell me, what it's like to use your gifts."

"Your brother won't like you talking about this," Gabriel said, but he wasn't scolding, just reminding her.

"He is asleep," Maya said. "I want to know, Gabriel, how does it feel?"

Gabriel moved so they were closer together, their shoulders meeting between the front seats and reached for Maya's hand.

"Do you want to hear about the first time?"

"Si."

"I moved a cup across a table for Dr. Suresh." Gabriel laughed. "I accidentally smashed it, but he told me it was alright, that it was just glass."

"How did you do it?" Maya asked.

"I used my mind," Gabriel said. He was tracing the faint blue of veins under Maya's skin and smiled. "It was like a rush of clarity, suddenly my place was clear as it never had been before."

"I don't know what that's like," Maya said. She had used her abilities many times now, but only once, under Gabriel's direction, had it been on purpose and had saved them from the policia.

"When the time is right, I'll show you," Gabriel promised, and ran his fingers through her hair.

Maya moved into his touch, intertwining their fingers where they rested on the book, then dared to put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

Buenos noches

-end