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[fixeswatches]

Angela's talk with him ended up being orders. She told him that he and Elle were going to be sent on assignment together. That the only way he would really learn control would be to test it in real life situations. After all, he had proven time and time again that he wouldn't kill Elle, so her showing off her power to him wasn't a significant test of his control.

He wasn't even sure he wanted control, but he kept that part to himself and took the orders, along with the suit he was apparently supposed to wear.

They were being sent to take care of a bank robbery. The perpetrator had a power, of course. He could create fire. Gabriel couldn't help but shiver a little as he thought about that idea. What a wonderful, useful power that one could be.

And then he reminded himself that he was supposed to bring the man, Flint, in alive.

What a disappointment.

He stood in front of his mirror, adjusting the tie of his suit. He couldn't help but feel like a fraud. He didn't really want to do any of this. But for now, it seemed he had little choice if he wanted to stay close to Elle.

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[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

If she said it was getting any easier to be near him, to look at him... she stifled a sigh as she entered the room, clutching the file in her hand for dear life.

It never got any easier, and Elle doubted it ever would.

"Ready?" she asked succinctly.

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

He was snapped out of his thoughts by her words, turning around to face her now. He gave a nod in response.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

"Good," she quipped, and turned back out into the hall, not bothering to look back to check if he'd follow. "Our assignment is Flint Gordon," she said, flipping open the folder. "His ability is pyrokinesis. One sister: Meredith Gordon, no other known relations. He's after money and essentially, he's not the brightest tool in the shed." She paused. "We're going in the bank as FBI agents, bagging him, and leaving. Questions?"

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

"None." He replied sharply as he followed her out into the hall. As uneasy as he felt, it was kind of exciting. This was the sort of life he had always imagined having. Exciting, special, and not boring.

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

"Good," she repeated, and continued at a brisk pace to the back exit, pulling her truck's keys from the pocket of her slacks. She jumped into the driver's seat and started the car up; instantly a loud pounding of pop music assaulted her ears and she slammed her palm down on the radio's power button.

She already had a headache.

Quickly and efficiently she pulled out of the space and took to the road, easily going over the speed limit, concentrating hard on the road. She figured if she ignored him for the most part and did the job, maybe she wouldn't end up breaking down in front of him.

Again.

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

He stayed silent as they drove along. He wondered if he could do it, if he could.control himself. It felt too soon.

But he supposed they would find out soon.

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

It wasn't that long of a ride at the speed she was going, and Elle was perfectly content flying down the road and ignoring every movement he made, just eager to get the assignment over and done with.

She felt an uncoiling of fear that he wouldn't be able to control himself--and she knew there was a large chance he wouldn't--but like she usually did, Elle decided to worry about that problem when she came to it.

Unfortunately, it was quite soon. She turned onto the street, eyes taking in the police cars, the officers, the SWAT van, and the spectators standing around like a robbed bank was an afternoon show. She noted the news crews, and then sized up the building.

Well, here goes nothing, she thought to herself, and parked, sliding down onto the pavement and making her way over to the yellow police tape. She blindly threw Gabriel's fake badge into his direction, and pulled hers out.

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

He cought the ID, grinning a little. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be, but this was kind of fun.

He approached one of the officers, speaking with an accent. "What's the situation?"

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

Elle snapped surprised eyes over at Gabriel as he slipped into the role with way too much zeal than she was expecting.

"And you are?" the officer said, and Elle quickly recovered, flashing her badge with an all-business look.

"FBI," she said, and then couldn't help but incline her head towards Gabriel as she clipped the badge to her belt. "Sorry, he's new. Where's your boss?"

The officer pointed towards a man in a brown suit and sandy hair. Elle said a short "thanks" and ducked under the police line, walking with urgency towards the man. "Hey," she said, and pointed to the badge at her hip. "Bishop, FBI. What's the situation?"

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

"He has four hostages and plans to torch the place if they don't give him all the money," The officer explained.

"Bishop and I are specialists. We've been sent in to deal with the situation before it escalates," Gabriel indicated his own badge as he spoke in a matter of fact tone of voice.

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

The officer looked them both up and down and then nodded tersely. Elle was relieved; usually officers got overly sensitive when the FBI came round to play. "The SWAT'll give you vest and then you're clear to go in."

"Awesome," Elle clipped, and not five minutes later she was strapping herself into a useless bullet-proof vest, eyes glancing towards the building with growing apprehension. "We're going to go in, make sure no one gets hurt, and neutralize him somehow, okay? No messes," she said pointedly, and looked up into his eyes with a knowing, straight look. "Or else."

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel pulled on a vest, nodding in agreement. He knew exactly what she meant by mess.

"No killing him."

He isn't sure he can do it, but he knows he has to try, at the very least. What else could he do at this poing? If he succeeded in resisting, maybe he would be one step closer to winning Elle back.

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

She just wanted to get it over with. "Come on. Keep your hands up." She did so, palms in the air, and approached the building, narrowing her eyes to peer inside--she saw Flint watching them, fire bursting from his palms defensively.

Elle was pretty sure the slight movement near his feet were the hostages, and as they approached the door, she realized she was right. She opened the glass door, and walked slowly, inside, keeping her expression calm and locking her eyes with Flint.

"One step closer, girly," Flint snapped out nervously, raising his hand threateningly.

Elle tried not to roll her eyes, but stopped. "Flint, right? Chill out," she told him ironically. "We're not here to hurt you. We're just hear to talk."

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel raised a hand, seizing Flint's body with his telekinesis. "That's right," He said in dark, dangerous tone as he stalked toward the firestarter. "We just want to talk."

Ticking going off in his head as desire overwhelms him. Such a wonderful, beautiful, useful power. To create flames. Fire. Like the first man.

He wanted it and it took all of his self control not to break into Flint's head right there and take it.

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

So much for subtle, she thought.

Flint's eyes blazed with panic when he couldn't move. "Hey, what--what the hell are you doing to me?"

Elle flickered her eyes back and forth between the two men--she recognized the dark desire in Gabriel's eyes immediately, and she calmed the immediate wave of pain it flared, holding out her arm to place a restraining hand on his chest as he started to walk past her. She let a tickle of electricity hum through her fingers in warning.

She'd love to see him try to push her away this time.

"What's going on?" Flint asked, panicked.

The fire in his hand jumped straight up, finding no target. She couldn't deny that Gabriel was being useful... so far.

"We're going to take you someplace nice," she answered darkly, lifting a free hand full of blue lightning. "Four walls, a bed, and a toilet. You'll learn to like it."

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

A shiver ran down his spine as she let the electricity run against him. He wondered if she would fight him if he tried to kill Flint. It would be curious to see her try, though he was pretty sure he could stop her if he had to. The more he used his telekinesis, the stronger he realized it was. It certainly was a good choice for his first power.

"Did you really think you'd get away with this forever?" Gabriel asked with a wry smile. "The world is no place for thugs like you."

Flint's eyes filled with panic and the fire went further up his arm. "You don't let me go, I'll let the whole place burn, it ain't gonna kill me."

So he couldn't die by his own fire? Interesting. Gabriel's eyes narrowed and he twisted his hand so that Flint choked a little. "I don't think that would be wise."

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

"If you don't come willingly, we'll take you by force," Elle said. She had a feeling it would be the latter. "So why don't you make this easier? I'm having a bit of a bad day."

More like the worst week of her life.

Of course, she couldn't count on anything to go right, because that was when Flint let out a gurgled shout and fire erupted, in hot, streaming waves that flushed and burned her with heat and reached to stroke the ceiling.

Bastard.

Elle extended her hand and let a torrent of electricity--it hit Flint square in the chest and he started to spasm under the crackle.

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

As the fire reached closer to Elle, something in Gabriel went off. The ticking grew louder, and that dark, deeper desire to take take take overrode his sense of reason. He stalked toward Flint's whimpering body, bringing a hand up.

It was too hard to resist.

It was too hard not to kill.

He began to cut through the man's forehead, the screams of agony only pushing him further.

Somewhere, he knew his "mother" would be angry at him for messing up the mission, but he can't get himself to care.

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

Elle dropped her hand and could only watch in horror for a moment when Gabriel began to--suddenly the Haitian was holding her again, and she was kicking and screaming and the blurry images were all in stark relief--her Daddy's mouth ajar in agony, blood running down his forehead, his eyes open in terror--and then suddenly she was back, and Gabriel was killing Flint, and the heat was growing hotter.

And it wasn't going to happen again.

The flames were reaching the roof now, and she screamed at the hostages to "Get out!"

They needed no further instruction and ran towards the door. Elle's hands were already poised, and she unleashed on Gabriel, electrocuting him hard and fast with a flick of her wrist.

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel hissed out in pain as she electrocuted him. Without even a thought he flicked his own wrist in retaliation, throwing her against the wall. If he was thinking logically enough, he would probably feel bad. She was the last person he wanted to hurt, but she was in the way.

He crouches next to Flint after finishing the incision. He ripped off the man's skull and chuckled to himself, as if he was surprised to actually find any brains in there before tossing it aside. He felt around, looking for it until he shuddered as he found that special spot he had been searching for.

He rose to his feet once he finished taking the power and held a bloody hand out, letting blue fire form in his palm.

He couldn't help but smirk proudly.

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

She could scream--she should scream as he threw her against the wall, but she couldn't breathe. For a fleeting moment, she thought he was choking her, but no--there was no pressure, there was just panic. Her heart pounded an erratic rhythm out of her chest as she slammed down into the ground, and for the first time since she was a child, her electricity went rogue, crackling and zapping out of her in white flashes.

She lifted her head and finally sucked in a breath as he searched Flint's exposed brain (her dad's lifeless eyes and Gabriel's hands--hands that had loved her--sliding over the bloody matter). She scrambled to her feet, sparking uncontrollably as he rose as well.

And she snapped.

She didn't even think to electrocute him first; she barreled into him, using all her of weight and momentum to push him to the ground under her.

She grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and hardly needed to push out her spark--there was so much it hurt even her (or maybe that was just the grief?), and he was just a good a conductor as anything.

She tilted her head back and screamed--all the memories from that she'd pushed back and ignored and flashed through her mind, unbidden, and she was shaking with pained tears by the time it was all over, collapsed on his chest.

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel cried out in pain as she channeled all her electricity, her pain, her hate, everything she had, she was putting it into him. He was surprised he could take it. It feels worse than before, somehow. He can't explain it.

As the pain subsides, he can't help but bring a bloody hand up, brushing away some of her long blond hair. He never meant to break her. He had never realized how fragile she was.

His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He had forgotten how nice it felt, having her so close. Sure, she had just attacked him, and was crying her eyes out, but there was still something lovely about the moment that he couldn't quite explain.

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

She choked on each and every gasping breath, and cried harder as he held her close; it hurt, everything hurt, and he was so warm and gentle, and she didn't have any fight left.

"I hate you so much," she slurred, forced out through her hoarse throat. "You're a monster," she said, but it was just a fact.

Flint was dead, and her dad was dead, and all she had left was him, all any higher power thought she deserved was a murderer. An animal.

What did that make her?

[justgabriel.livejournal.com]

His hands continued to run through her hair, as if he was unsure of what else to do at this point. He had never meant to lose such control of himself.

It made him wonder if he ever had control to begin with.

"I never said I wasn't." He said in a simple tone.

He knew what he was, now more than ever. He was a monster, an addict, unable to control himself.

And yet she was so beautifully broken, crying and weeping in his arms. His, but at what cost?

They were almost like a fairy tale. Beauty and the Beast. Only Gabriel doubted they would ever get any sort of happy ending.

[electrocutesy.livejournal.com]

"You wanted to be good," she gasped out uselessly, blinking out tears. "We were supposed to be good."

They were supposed to be happy. She'd thought they'd be happy.