Discovering Shadows (Completed)

Meeting Sylar

Aiden POV

Being telepathic has always came easy to me. Control...well not so much. I mean a little kid is known to be impulsive.

After losing everything. You quickly learn the rules of life.

1. Always depend upon yourself. You are the only one who can change the course of your life and how you approach any situation determines whether you fail or succeed.

2. Mistakes are final and done. Nothing you will ever do can erase what you have done. So make your choices carefully.

3. Trust is easily destroyed and painfully hard to earn. Don't trust anyone easily.

4. Always protect what you have no matter the cost. You don't always have a lot to protect but you may have more than most.

5. Hold up the broken. Protect the weak. Love the lost.

This rule I learned last. Each one was difficult to learn while under the age of 5. I was on my own for three years before Asher and Fate found me. Before Max became my best friend...my brother. He taught me the last rule one day after training had gone bad and I was giving up again. There are kids in this world Aid. He spoke softly, Kids that have far less than us and survive. They are why we do this. He carefully pictured children in all types of situations and sent it to me mentally. Without us to fight the battles they don't know is coming they would be destroyed in seconds. He showed me the fights he was too late for. We have to fight for them. We are all they have in the world even if they don't know us.

Now after I have found a place I belong. A place where no one is able to be influenced by my uncanny abilities to affect a person's mind. Now there isn't much that I wouldn't do to protect the ones that I have grown to love as my brothers and sisters. It has changed the rules.

It's no longer just myself. But 11 others. Asher and Fate have changed the fabric of my reality to include this misfit family they created. Even when Max and Silas boss me around, or Eli and Lila follow Hunter and I around asking millions of questions, even when Kinsley is persistently banging around the music room, or Avery is exhausting herself on the OC or Nora is trying to nurture me for a small sneeze...I still can't imagine a life without them. Nothing would ever be normal without them.

Now listening to Asher and Fate explain their sudden visit. I can't help but look to the future with dread. It has been 4 years since they have brought in a new child. I had begun to think that we had finally satisfied their savior complex. That we were final good enough. I thought they were happy with us. I know that isn't why they have decided to bring in a new child and that it really does have nothing to do with any of us not being good enough but once you have the street mentality you never really lose it no matter how good your life becomes. You are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

They have discussed this little girl with us at length, yet I still know nothing important about her. Like her name or her favorite things, her attitude and choices, and try as hard as I can, I cannot pull anything from Asher or Fate's mind to prepare myself for this new change.

We all hear the car pull up and know what is coming. I see the same excitement in Asher and Fate's eyes as it appeared when each of us was introduced to the group. I look to the others. Max looks composed which just means he's internalized his fear and will deal with it in his dreams tonight. Silas looks solemn like he's been waiting for this. The girls all look fearfully excited. Eli and Hunter are holding hands and Eli looks just as impatient as the girls; always ready to meet someone new. Hunter is merely holding him back from racing out the door.

We stand in the door as Kevin gets out of the back.

Strange I don't think I have ever seen Kevin ride. What is he holding?

All I see is a bundle of fabric and brown curls. It takes me a moment to realize... he is actually carrying the girl. When he sets her down in front of him she looks like she's about to melt into his legs. She is quivering in fear but meets Fate and Asher's eyes with a strength her body doesn't show. When they speak her eyes flash in surprise. She glances at us quickly before looking back and forth.

I hear Max ask her name and can't wait to hear it. This little girl is a beauty. An angel. How she lasted so long on her own is surprising. She looks to be a small three year old, she's so tiny. Her brown hair falls in unruly curls all around her face and her rounded face does nothing to hide the lack of food in her short life. Her big blue eyes show an intelligence and an insight I have never seen in one so small. What I was once dreading I am now grateful for. This young girl doesn't deserve to be alone.

Then I hear Asher and Fate reply that they do not know her name or anything about her. I suddenly feel very angry. How could they have possible kept her for days or weeks without knowing. Furiously I glare at them and know instantly that it wasn't from lack of trying on their part. But that the girl does not speak. And I instantly move forward to correct the problem. She cannot go one more second unknown, unwanted and unimportant. She will not be invisible to us. We will claim her as our family. She will be one of us.

"It's ok." I say as I bend silently down in front of her when she flinches in fear at my approach. I silently plead that the others stay where they are although I know they want to join me now to introduce themselves. "My name is Aiden."

She smiles slightly and nods an affirmation. Wait...What... she knows me? Have I...no I have never seen her. I turn quickly and ask Fate if they told her about us. They have never revealed or spoke about us before but they could've to try to gain her trust. When they deny it. I look at the little girl who is looking at everyone with a familiarity that comes from years of acquaintance. I want to try something even though I know she won't speak. So I ask for her name and when she shakes her head I begin to listen with my telepathy. I hear the sweetest of voices like angels singing in the sunshine of the garden. It's all I need, to know that she belongs with us. I will fight anyone who argues differently. I hear the hunger in her mind when she talks about pizza. I offer my hand without thinking and begin planning our dinner. What I didn't expect was the full explosion I feel in my mind when her small hand touches mine.

That small touch. It shows me everything she's ever saw, heard, touched, tasted and experienced. However helpful that is for me later it is in no way helpful to me as I see the panic in her eyes and realize that she felt the same and it wasn't expected. Try to hold on to her hand but somehow, she manages to elude my grip and move past Kevin in the same second. Before anyone can react, she's gone...running down the drive as fast as her tiny legs will carry her. Even as we take measures to prevent her escape she eludes us. I stop for a few moments to realize how she does it.

It seems the small little angel is much more than we realized. Little Sylar has powers. Before I shield my mind and head to the trees I send out a quick mind message that I am disconnecting. They will all instantly understand both my plan and the reason and will quit chasing her.

I watch her silently as I move behind a tree. She runs right in mydirection and thinks she has cleverly gotten away. She is leaning against atree and trying to catch her breathe. She's so adorable I almost feel bad aboutmy ambush. I walk silently to her and touch her head before she can react. Isee the surprise and fear in her eyes before they close with my command toSleep.