Stage: Somebody save me

[spongetastic]

Well, you know I have a love, a love for everyone I know.
And you know I have a drive to live, I won't let go.
Can you see this opposition comes risin' up sometimes.
That its dreadful imposition, comes blacking through my mind.

And that I see a darkness.
And that I see a darkness.
And that I see a darkness.
Did you know how much I love you?
Is a hope that somehow you,
Can save me from this darkness.

Silence hung like a heavy curtain between them, invisible yet both could feel its weight on them. The smallest scrape of ceramic on the wood table burst out like a drum. A clock in the hallway counted each second they spent under that curtain. It trapped them, suffocating their voices. Finally the chair's legs scraped loudly across the tiled floor as Peter rose to leave.

"Peter." He stopped, turning to look at the other man. "You don't have to leave," Gabriel told him.

"I can't stay," Peter argued. "I still have work to do."

"I know that, but Peter..." Gabriel expelled a sigh, his fingers sliding underneath his glasses to rub his eyes tiredly. "You don't have to do this alone. I could help you."

"No."

"Then why did you bother coming here at all?" Gabriel demanded, anger sparking his words. "Why are you here?"

"I..." Peter hesitated, his eyes wavering away from Gabriel's face. "I don't know. I shouldn't have come." He turned to leave but Gabriel caught him by the arm. Peter turned and could almost feel the man's dark eyes trying to piece him together.

"You always do that," Gabriel complained. "You walk away without really saying anything. I can help you, but you have to let me."

"I already said 'no'," Peter retorted. "I need to do this alone."

"You don't need to," Gabriel argued heatedly. "You just push everyone away. I don't understand why. Why won't you let me in?"

Peter didn't know how to respond. He was like this once, so eager to help everyone. When Gabriel was still Sylar Peter fought to help him. Sylar pushed him away but Peter was stubborn, and over time the two grew close. But after Peter got his scar he started pushing away all his remaining relationships. Now he was distancing himseslf from Gabriel.

It was better this way, he reasoned. At least now Gabriel would be safe and alive. He couldn't bear to lose anyone else he cared about.

"What happened to you, Peter?" Gabriel continued. "You used to be so full of hope and love. What happened to that man?"

"He woke up and saw reality," Peter answered, his finger thoughtfully tracing down his scar.

"I think he's still there." Gabriel tilted his head, fingers moving up to gently brush the other man's cheek. "If you would just let me..."

"I'm not one of your damn watches, Gabriel!" Peter snarled, jerking away from him. "You can't fix me!!"

"How would you know?" Gabriel snapped back. "You won't let me even try!"

"Because you weren't there!!" Peter fell silent, heaving in deep breaths. "You weren't there," Peter repeated, his eyes dropping to the floor. "No one was there. I was alone."

"Peter..." Gabriel tenderly wrapped his arms around the scarred man. Peter stiffened under the embrace. "I'm so sorry," Gabriel whispered. He briefly nuzzled the side of Peter's face before delicately placing a kiss on his mouth. Peter's eyes fluttered closed and for a moment the world stopped. All he could feel was Gabriel's lips on his, the man's fingers petting his hair.

Then he woke up and saw reality.

Peter pushed away; Gabriel didn't stop him. "I have to go," Peter said flatly.

"Peter..." Gabriel looked like he was going to protest, but he let it go. "Will you be back soon?"

"I don't think I'll be coming back here," Peter answered. He kept his back toward the other man. He couldn't look at Gabriel now. He didn't wait for Gabriel to form words, to think of some way to make Peter stay. He walked out of the door and back into the harsh cruelty of his world.

It was a dark place he was going into. He didn't want Gabriel to follow and be lost. He loved the man too much.