Never before had Gabriel invited a boy over to his house. But Mohinder didn't make him feel at all self-conscious when he looked around at Gabriel's modest surroundings. The Grays didn't have much at all. Gabriel's father worked at a factory and Virginia stayed at home. As the only son, Gabriel faced a lot of pressure to strengthen his family's legacy. The boy had dreams of more. Of living a life of adventure and distinction like the characters in the books he spent most of his time reading. One more practical, though still out-of-reach, dream of his was becoming a professional watchmaker.

When he was a young boy, Gabriel went to New York with his parents and while there, he visited a watch shop. As he viewed the shops proprietor manipulate each timepiece's cogs and gears—a great love and respect for the art of horology was instilled into the boy. This interest presented itself in the simple act of the love of fixing things. He spent many hours from that day forth taking apart then repairing anything he could get a hold of. His mother's alarm clock or his father's gold pocket-watch were frequent victims of Gabriel's tinkering. As soon as Gabriel arrived home he led Mohinder through his house and straight to his bedroom. Thankfully, his mother was busy tending to her garden in the backyard when they first arrived. During dinner the other night, Gabriel was wheedled into talking about his new friend. And after such an interrogation, Gabriel had no intention of putting Mohinder through that personally.

Mohinder tossed his satchel onto Gabriel's bed and sat down next to it. Mohinder's father, Chandra also had a curiosity about his son's friend. Gabriel Gray was talked about at length in the Suresh household. Mohinder had even been told to ask the Grays over dinner some evening.

Gabriel picked up his multi-lens glasses from his dresser and sat them back onto his desk. After Mohinder dug around for a bit, he found the stack of books that the two would be adding another chapter to. Mohinder glanced back then turned toward his companion.

"Does your door lock?"

A slight nod and then Gabriel moved to his bedroom door. His pale hand twisted and latched a couple of pieces before walking back to his desk.

"It didn't used to, but I decided that my mother shouldn't be able to deny me my privacy by barging in whenever she wanted."

Virginia was extremely upset the day she had to knock in order to gain to entrance to her own son's room. But Gabriel felt it was only appropriate that his room be his sanctuary and his escape. Though now he had other mean with which to get away from it all.

He slid his hand along the surface of the cherry-hued Mahogany.

"It's really not as complicated as it might look, Mohinder."

Suresh leaned to the side of the squeaky, stiff mattress. His eyes roamed over not only the intricate design but the young boy next to it.

"Whatever you say, Gabriel. Now then have you thought about where we should begin today?"

Mohinder nodded at the stack of books next to him. Gabriel took a silver and white pen and moved to the bed, sitting down next to Mohinder. He reached out to pass the writing implement to his friend; their fingers grazed so slightly and caused a spark in both men. Mohinder smiled and set the tip to the paper. Gabriel scooted a little closer as he spoke.

"What was the last thing we wrote…oh yeah... So Dr. Suresh walked into the magnificent shop of the Watchmaker—eager to tell the man news of what he could do…"

"—Powers are end-less, you could be the one to save the world from the Chimera"

The Watchmaker stood up and brushed a hand through his dark smooth strands, pushing them over to the right more. His amber eyes lit up at the sound of the fantastical.

"Wait. You mean a Chimera? The beast with two heads and a serpent for a tail…they exist?"

Suresh shook his head, soft curls flinging to and fro'. He stood by the Watchmaker and set a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly.

"No. But the truth is just as incredible…this is a man. A man who can emulate abilities of others such as yourself, from mere physical contact."

His nimble fingers slid along the fabric of the Watchmaker's sleeve.

"He sounds dangerous Suresh…I can barely move a teacup with my mind let alone fight someone so powerful. I fix watches…I understand complex systems, I am not a fighter."

Suresh pursed his lips and nodded, gripping the Watchmaker's shoulder just a little tighter.

"The Watchmaker cannot fight the Chimera…but the man he could become, can. There is a man inside of you who can wield the power to bend the delicate fibers of space, who can create explosions with a mere blink of an eye. But you need to find this man and I will help you."

When the Watchmaker stood up he removed the black-framed glasses from his nose and folded them in, he set them aside and looked at Suresh dead-on in eyes of a matching amber hue.

"I'm ready to try but why did you come all of this way? Why me?"

Suresh adjusted the striped scarf cradled around his thin mocha neck. His eyes stared off in the distance as he spoke.

"I suppose I'd chalk it up to…destiny."

Mohinder stopped moving the pen and read over what they'd wrote thus far, the grin on his face widened at each word. But Gabriel…he was still in that world. He was reaching out and feeling the soft fabric of Dr. Suresh's scarf between his fingertips and finding it slightly thread-worn but no less exquisite.

"Have you thought about your name?"

It took him a moment to snap back into…this world. Gabriel turned to Mohinder, confusion etched onto his features.

"My name? Do you mean in the story?"

Mohinder nodded, pen at his lips, slightly in between them.

"Mhm. When your character becomes more than the Watchmaker. What do you want him to be called?"

Gabriel laid his head against his pillow, staring at the ceiling for a few minutes. Long, lanky legs stretched out and crossed at the ankle next to Mohinder. Then it hit him and his eyes sparkled with inspiration. The young man rolled off his bed and strode across the room over to his dresser. He searched through the drawers and gasped softly when his fingers curled around the intended object, a simple silver watch with a black face. Gabriel brought it over to Mohinder and set it gently down on the bed.

"I bought this in New York…It took months of my allowance but it's the most treasured thing I own. Look at the name on the face."

Mohinder loved this side of Gabriel, the boy really was quite passionate. He took up the timepiece and mouthed the word before he spoke it.

"Sylar. I like it…the Watchmaker will become Sylar."

Gabriel smiled, his eyes became fixed on Mohinder's arm as the man reached out and took the watch. For a moment he simply looked at it then he placed the cold metal onto his skin, adjusting the straps to his wrist. Those black leather straps only showed wear on one of the adjustment slots. Now two of the holes would be just a little different from the rest of the row on the strap. Gabriel's heart lurched for some reason when Mohinder has his most treasured possession gracefully worn on his slender wrist. His pale fingers reached out to trace the shape of the face, wanting to push through the gears and metal to touch the skin underneath—to feel instead his pulse and a hint of bone.

A sudden loud knock made Gabriel's fingers jerk away from the watch's surface and back to the sheets of his bed, nearly landing on Mohinder's khaki-clothed knee. He turned and slid off the bed again, undoing the locking mechanism of his door and poking his head out instead of opening it wide. Virginia stood in a plain dark skirt, ankle-length with a blouse buttoned up to her neck. Thin, gray wisps of hair pulled up into a tight bun. Her lips pulled even tighter to try and replicate a smile of warmth and acceptance. Gabriel knew better at this age.

"Gabriel what are you doing in here with the lights of—"

She stopped and looked past her son's shoulder to see the lounging form of the young Indian. Virginia pushed past the boy to walk to the bed. Trying to be as polite as she could but the look on her face was darkened by doubt and the very subtlest hints of something not quite right. Not quite pure.

"You must be Mohinder…I'm Gabriel' s mother, Virginia. It's wonderful to finally meet you, Gabriel has always had trouble making friends. I don't know why…he's so special that anyone would be lucky to count him as a friend."

Gabriel twisted his face as he watched her frail hand be enveloped in the flesh of Mohinder's own soft skin. Why was she already so determined to make Mohinder think he was a freak? Just like everyone else.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Gray, yes Gabriel has made this latest move… my best."

That got a genuine smile from the taller boy as he felt a flush of warmth crowd his cheeks. Mohinder was not like the others, his peers at school. Virginia glanced back, she noticed the very same blush. Her worry only grew.

"I see…well, dinner is in a few minutes that's why I came in. Would you like to stay Mohinder?"

Gabriel knew dinner was in a few minutes. Dinner was served every evening at 5:20 sharp. Tonight would be no different, no she had to find an excuse to butt in. He took a step forward, speaking quietly.

"Actually no, Mohinder has to get back home."

Mohinder subtly gathered up their books back into his satchel and stood up again.

"Perhaps another time."

Again, the forced smile from Virginia as Mohinder went to leave, suddenly realizing he still wore the 'Sylar' watch on his wrist. His deft fingers unclasped the straps and he handed it back to Gabriel with a knowing smile. The young man left Gabriel with his mother in the room that suddenly felt very empty.

"What were you and that boy doing? And you never let anyone touch that watch…"

He sighed and moved to straighten his bed up again.

"Mohinder was helping me with my homework and I've never met anyone I wanted to touch that watch. Now I have.

Such ominous words for his mother to hear…this was not how young boys talked about their peers. That tone was off completely.

"I see. Well…dinner is soon, you should wash up."

She bit her thin lip for a moment then turned and left the room. This would have to be carefully watched. Gabriel was already 'different' enough from other boys and she would do everything in her power to make sure he grew up normal.

Gabriel moved back to the door and locked it again before he moved back to the bed. Tracing his fingertips on the spot where Mohinder had been not moments ago. It was still warm. He slid his arms across the bed and lay down on his stomach across the bed. Holding up his Sylar watch and grinning, already eager for the next day at school—for their next chapter to unfold.