Title: Love & Ecstasy

Subtitle: The line between love and lust is blurry

Pairings: Peter/Claire and Isaac/Claire

Spoilers: Up to episode 1.9 (Homecoming) – the rest is AU

Summary: AU. They say it was destiny. One girl capturing the hearts of two men. But when three hearts are in play, heartache is always near. And when the heartache gets too much… she realizes she has to make a choice. Between the two men that has her heart. Between love…and ecstasy.

Author's note: This is a Peter/Claire/Isaac love triangle story. Obviously there will be Isaac/Claire relationship…but Gina and I are both Paire lovers at heart…so you all know how it will end… Also note that it is AU and doesn't follow the storyline of the show…so Nathan is not her father.

Author's note 2: Credit has to be given where credit is due. That is why I give full credit to my co-writer and muse Gina who deserves a medal for all the help she has given me during the process of writing this story. The countless time we spent on MSN figuring out the actual plot, the hard questions that needed to be answered and even the banner that had to be made. Though I wrote this fic…she is in every way a co-writer because of the amount of input she has given…which I believe was sometimes even more input than I gave! For all of this – and so much more – I thank you from the bottom of my heart…without you I would have never written this on my own…and I guess that makes this part of our tragic yet gold lives. (Also thanks to my other best friend – Muffin – you totally rock. Gina and I thank you for giving us a guy's perspective…we really needed to see into your head!) Big hugs and kisses to both of you!

Chapter 1

Golden locks blew through the air as Claire Bennet made her way through the busy streets of New York. Her sea-green eyes darted around as she watched the busy lives of the people around her – moving to beat the pressure of the inevitable time. The small smile that slid across her features was one of jest and in some ways of familiarity.

Claire had spent the 20 years of her existence in Odessa, Texas – a small town that held no true meaning except to those who had lived there. It was one of those towns that still had the town elders, still held town meetings now and then and everybody knew everybody else's business. But Claire had never fit in there.

She was only 13 when her father – Noah Bennet – had told her she was adopted, but somehow Claire had always known. She had never fit in – never felt that true blood connection with Lyle – her adoptive brother. So when she was 17 – almost 18 – she met Matt Parkman for the first time in her life…

Her biological father wasn't exactly what she had expected. He was a divorced 38 year old police officer that lived in New York. He had told her that her biological mother had her when she was just 18 and that she and then 20 year old Matt had not felt right bringing up the child at an age where neither of the two could care for her. Three months after the Bennets had taken her in as their own daughter – Claire's biological mother had passed away. Luckily she had found solace in her father – who shared a secret with her. He matched her power to regenerate with his power to read minds…and it was the one thing that had immediately connected them.

Now Claire found herself in New York, moving to be closer to her father who – though being comfortable with each other – she was not really close to. That was the main thing she wanted to fix because family truly was important.

"Claire! Do you have everything?" Noah Bennet called through the hallway as he neared his daughter's room. He knocked first before entering, only to find her sitting on the bed with all her teddy bears. Smiling he sat next to her.

"I think it's time for the bears to migrate…" Claire frowned as she placed the New York one back on the pile. The room was almost completely bare except for the bears and one last photo frame she had not packed in.

"You know Claire-bear they can always migrate to New York." He joked and Claire gave her father a smile.

"No Dad. I think they should stay here with you and Mom…they can protect my room from Lyle and his superhuman powers." They shared a laugh and a hug before Matt's car horn was heard. Slowly they made their way to the door.

"Claire…aren't you taking that picture with you?" Noah asked as he turned back and Claire gave a look over her shoulder to it – the picture that had meant so much to her when she was 16.

Her own golden locks shined out as the sun glinted from it. Her eyes held a happiness that she had long since forgot she could have and her hands were linked with another set of hands. The young man's face was scrunched up with laughter as one of his dark bangs fell over his face. And even though you could not see it…Claire was pretty sure what she had said there at that exact moment.

You are totally my hero.

Claire turned back towards Noah with a sad smile as she shook her head.

"No I think I should leave that here." Noah gave her a concerned look.

"Claire-Bear…he meant so much to you…" but Claire shook her head dismissively as she made her way down the stairs.

"Peter was just a fling Dad…I was just another girl he needed to save…"

"Claire?"

Claire almost jumped out of her seat as she heard Matt speak next to her. He wore a comfortable smile on his face – something she had grown used to – but her eyes had darted to the person standing next to him.

"Oh hey Matt…" she laughed quickly. From under her lashes Claire studied the man next to her father. He definitely fell into the dark and handsome category – his long dark wavy hair fell to almost above his shoulders, his smoldering eyes gazed at hers and from the way his shirt stuck to him it was obvious he was well built.

"This is my daughter Claire…" Matt said as he turned to his friend who smiled at Claire before Matt turned back to her. "Claire this is my good friend Isaac Mendez."

Claire beamed as she greeted the young man – who seemed to be about 26, the same age of that person she didn't let herself think about – and suddenly it felt to her that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to move to New York after all.