[center[bFreak[/b-[iA Claire/West Fic[/i[/center

[cbox80[bDisclaimer: I am just a fan of Heroes. I don't own anything about it in any way. Although I wish I did. Only the idea for the story is mine.[/b

He had seen her out of the corner of his eye one day, during the summer, and she had been a passing thought. He had been too far up in the air to really see who she was, or if she was pretty or not. He thought he'd never have to see her again. He was wrong. And now he was dating her, but he couldn't tell anyone.

West had always been the loser of his school. The freaky nerd who the science teacher loved to converse with, and he was obsessed with genetics. He had kept to himself, and maintained a relatively low PR up to that point. But she was changing him. She had this magical draw about her. She was different. Like him. A "freak" and they fit so beautifully together. Except for the fact that she wouldn't let him tell anyone he was dating her.

This was infinitely difficult for West. To act like they were 'just friends' or to listen to her bad-mouth him with the other girls, when all he wanted to do was just be with her. Even if it meant sacrificing what he really wanted. But how long did she expect him to hold his feelings in?

He didn't see what the big deal was anyways. What was it about her family that she didn't want him to know? West's family wasn't normal either. His mom could burn stuff with her hands and his dad had left them when he was two. So, what could possibly be worse than that?

He rubbed the marks on his neck. He still didn't know what had happened to him. He had woken up in the bushes and seen the guy with the Horn Rimmed Glasses. He hadn't told Claire this, but his powers seemed to have weakened a bit since the guy had screwed him up. He didn't know how or why, but he had never been the same. Up until now, he hadn't really minded it. But now, he needed to be different. For her. To help her feel comfortable. He knew it was one of the only reasons Claire trusted him, and to have that taken away from his, was inexcusable.

"Boo" he heard her say from behind him, and she popped out from around him. She had that strange habit of sneaking up on him, so she could steal a kiss when no one was looking. At first, it had been kind of cute, but after a month, it was getting tiring.

"Claire, when are you going to tell your dad? Why can't you tell him?" West asked, looking at her desperately. He pleaded to her with his eyes. He wanted her safe and protected, but he also wanted to show off that he'd managed to snag the pretty new girl. He wondered how people didn't suspect it anyways. He was always watching Claire like a hawk, sometimes when she didn't even know he was there.

"You know I can't tell him West. I want to, but I can't. Things are- They're complicated. I just can't. I'm sorry." Tears were welling up in her eyes again, and he hated that. He hated knowing he was the source of her pain, especially since he tried so hard to be the reason she wasn't in pain. But he wanted to know.

"Why, Claire? Why's it so complicated? How do you think it is for me, huh? Seeing you, wanting you, but not being able to hug you, kiss you, even touch you. This month hasn't been a piece of cake for me either. Why can't you tell your dad?"

"Because it'll screw up everything! Don't you understand?"

"No, I don't. What's so bad about your dad, that you're scared to tell him?"

"I can't. I just can't"

"CLAIRE"

"H.R.G. Okay. H.R.G. My dad is the guy with the Horn Rimmed Glasses, okay? The guy that's taking your powers away. Bit by bit. The guy who did awful things to awful people. Okay. Are you happy now West? Are you happy knowing that you're dating his daughter. Are you happy you're dating a freak?"

He had expected a million answers from her. Her dad was dead. He was on business. He'd hit her. She'd have to move. Anything, but this. West didn't know what to say. He was dating the daughter of the guy who had come into his life, and made him question everything he knew and thought about himself. West didn't understand. And why was she here now? Were they looking for him again? To take him somewhere? Lock him in some kind of facility?

She ran. Ran as fast as she could. Away from him, from the school. From everything. She just kept running. Aimlessly, not knowing if she was going in circles, or continuing in a straight line, or how she'd even get home. But she didn't care. She had to get away from him. What if he thought she was watching him? She wasn't, but would he believe her?

She came to the edge of a cliff. It reminded her of the tower she used to jump off of in Texas. Things had been different back then, familiar. But now, things were different. She judged it was about 100 feet of a fall. She'd be badly bruised. But she didn't care. Physical pain was better than what she was going through right now. She lept off in a backflip, plummeting gracefully, like a bird, with her arms open. Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled to the left and up.

She looked at what or who had saved her. It was him. Like the last time. She smiled nervously. "What? But how? Why didn't you let me fall?" Nothing seemed to be coming out coherently. Everything was a blur. But what he said next, changed everything.

"I told you already. Because I never want to see you in pain."

The End.[/cbox