Title: Acting Out
Author: scy
Feedback: scynneh@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Not mine
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Sylar/Elle
Rating: PG
Spoilers: up through the current season
Summary: Noah doesn't like the situation at all
Author's Notes: s8219 and I were chatting about potential dynamics, and I idly wrote a few lines, which led to more.
October 2008

"It's dangerous."

"Really, Noah, that can be said about so many things, can you be any more specific?"

"Don't be dense, you know what i'm talking about. Your pet monster can't run around doing whatever he wants, especially when there are children involved."

Angela looked disdainful. "Gabriel is not a monster."

"Don't start defending him. After everything he's done, I can't believe you even let him loose."

"He's your partner."

"Not by my choice."

Angela smiled. "You and Andre will work together again soon, but you and Gabriel are well suited, and this assignment requires both of your skills." Her expression darkened. "Attempting to alter the situation does not persuade me to change my mind. Gabriel will work with you, and you will abide by the terms of our agreement. Is that understood?"

Noah never asked how Angela Petrelli knew so much more than anybody else, but he didn't doubt that she had found out about him trying to have Sylar killed. He would give in, for the moment, but that wasn't his only issue. "That doesn't make it okay for him to assault young women. He attacked Claire, your granddaughter. Doesn't that bother you?"

Angela sighed. "Yes, his methods were a bit unpleasant, but Claire has recovered, and it was an important lesson for her."

"What, that her family is dangerous and she needs to be protected from them?" Noah asked.

"By that logic, you're a danger to her as well," Angela said, and when Noah glared, she looked impatient. "You simplify things, and then conflate others out of proportion. Claire is learning about where she fits in the world, and it's understandable that she is rebelling."

"She and Elle have been running loose for weeks." Noah didn't know how Claire had found Elle, or if the other girl had found his daughter first, but they seemed to have put their history behind them, and apparently were getting along much too well for his liking.

"Yes, and in light of your concern, I've sent Gabriel to bring them home."

"He'd better not go about it the usual way."

"With which girl?" Angela asked.

"Either of them," Noah said.

Angela's smile was knowing. "He knows how to deal with the girls."

That assurance did nothing for Noah, and he stared unflinchingly back, letting Angela see that and refusing to back down until she nodded slightly, although a smile still rested on her face.

When Noah heard raised voices later that evening, he followed them to the den.

He found Sylar, Elle, and Claire inside, not, as he expected, arguing dangerously, with violence imminent, but as if they were all getting along.

Sylar had slumped down, propping his feet up on the coffee table, and Elle was perched next to him, batting at his legs while Claire leaned on the back of the couch, watching them.

"Claire-bear," Noah said, and his daughter looked up.

"Dad." She smiled and came over to hug him.

He held her tightly, but felt that distance that had been growing between them. "Are you all right?"

"We're fine." Claire frowned. "Elle and I were having fun, and then Gabriel showed up and we had to come back."

"Sylar didn't hurt you, did he?" Noah asked. He'd noticed that Claire was taking after her grandmother and using her uncle's given name. It was another thing that he didn't like, on several levels, but especially because Sylar seemed to enjoy it.

"No, he didn't." Claire looked exasperated.

"I don't hurt people unless I have a good reason," Sylar said.

"We weren't finished," Elle said. and there was an electrical crackle, and Noah guesed she was frustrated, and didn't have to turn around to know how she was expressing it. Surprisingly, there wasn't a scream afterwards, only a small thump, and he turned around to see Sylar pressing Elle back into the couch, eyes intent on her.

"Are you going to let me have some fun?" Elle asked breathlessly.

"Only if I get to play too," Sylar said.

Elle held up a finger. "Nothing permanent."

Sylar grinned. "Agreed."

Noah opened his mouth, and Claire grabbed his arm. "Come on, Dad, you don't want to be here for this."

"She's going to-"

"Have a good time," Claire said. "At least one of us is." She dragged Noah away, calling back, "You two owe me for this."

Elle raised her voice. "I'll make it up to you, Claire, I know somebody who's a lot of fun, and I'll introduce you the next time we go out."

"Can I come too?" Sylar asked.

"That depends," Elle said.

"On what?"

"How good you are," Elle said, and giggled.

Noah glanced back in spite of his better judgement.

Sylar was watching Elle throw sparks into the air and twirl them into patterns, and they fell on him, leaving tiny burns that healed almost as soon as they appeared. He brought his hands up, and the sparks froze, hovering in midair.

He spun them deftly, weaving them in patterns, blue light casting their faces in a muted glow. With a flick of his fingers, Sylar made the electricity dance in the air, and pulled more off Elle's palm, making her gasp.

Noah couldn't watch anymore, and walked out on Elle, eagerly looking for a reaction, and Sylar, eyes taking in her every move, smiling.

-end