Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes or any of it's characters.

Background: Set post season 4. Peter gets a little worried that Sylar may be struggling to stay on the right path and so decides to take him in to the future and show him what could be if he doesn't give in to temptation and go back to his old ways. Rated M for later chapters. This is utter Sylaire by the way!

Chapter 1

Sylar woke with a start, his whole body covered in a sheen of cold sweat. His surroundings familiar and strange all at the same time. He was in bed, the light was dimming outside, it was either dawn or dusk, he wasn't sure which. Sitting upright he surveyed his surroundings, he wasn't in his apartment...where the hell was he? He searched his memory for how he got here but his recollection was hazy. None of this made sense, the last thing he recalled clearly was falling in to his own uncomfortable ill fitting bed, in his own dingy and foreboding apartment. He now found he was in a comfortable king size bed, the linen was clean and fresh, embroidered with a pattern that could have only been chosen by a woman, he surmised.

Panic rose in his chest as he heard a door slam shut down stairs, whoever this house belonged to - they were home. Footsteps padded up the stairs. Noting that he was absolutely naked he opted to stay under the sheets, if he had to use his powers against a complete stranger in their own home, he could at least do it with a shred of modesty.

Preparing himself for a stand off his eyes fixed on the doorway, he couldn't hide his astonishment as none other than Claire Bennett stood before him, all 5ft of her, clad entirely in a well tailored black suit that flattered every delicious curve. Had she done something to her hair? The blonde was darker and her tresses were neatly pinned back high on her head.

Ready for the oncoming storm he tensed for a split second, anticipating the barrage of abuse she would unleash upon him finding him naked in her bed. What she did next utterly threw him; her face lit up in to a beaming smile as she raced towards the bed and flung herself on him, the power of her tiny frame knocking him backwards in to the pillows.

"You're back!"

She squealed like a little girl although there was an air of womanhood about her that he had never noticed before.

"I thought you guys wouldn't be done until tomorrow? Did you manage to get that sadistic son of a bitch all tied up early?"

She spoke barely pausing for breath, her face hovering right over his.

"I guess" he answered trying not to sound too perplexed.

"You're just too good hu?"

She cocked her head to one side and giggled bringing herself further forward to plant a full and firm kiss on his lips, unable to stop himself from responding his arms reached up to encircle her waist. His lips parted willingly as she sneaked her toung against his teeth. Soon he found himself clinging on to her as though his life depended on it. The hunger he had grown so used to but had never been able to overcome seemed to be dying away as Claire's dainty hands ran through his hair. Through no control of his own his hips bucked up to her and his arms pressed her down on his growing arousal. She gave a frustrated moan breaking their kiss.

What was this? Some cruel joke? Send the cheerleader in to break down his defences?

But no. She looked genuinely displeased, her lips swollen and her heavy lidded eyes alight with lust,

"Baby," she stroked her hand against the stubble on his chin, "I would love to do this right now, but I need to go get Noah from Pete and Emma's, I can't be late, they've been so good picking him up from school for us" she sighed disappointed.

There it was, the f**king bomb to end all bombs! Who the hell is Noah? Sure as hell wasn't that horned rimmed freak Claire called Dad, not if he was at school age? Words failed him; he just stared back up at her aghast.

"Oh don't be mad" Claire pleaded.

She should know this wasn't mad, Good Lord she had seen him mad and this wasn't it! This was totally 100% confused!

"I'll make it up to you later, you'll see!"

This time she kissed his neck, nibbling at the skin just beneath his ear, as though she knew it would get her forgiveness, as though she'd done it many many times before.

"Mmm..ok" was all he managed in response.

He noted a strong pang of regret as Claire got up off of him, straightened out her suit and reached for her bag. She got to the door and looked back

"Did you get a haircut in Japan? It feels shorter?" she raised a well manicured finger to his hair. Noticing she was waiting for a response Sylar lifted his hand running it through his recently trimmed locks.

"Oh yeah, was starting to look shabby" he shrugged.

"Aww" she hung on to the door frame, shooting him a smile that held such warmth his breath caught in his throat. "Maybe I like shabby" she teased and with that she blew him a kiss and made her way down stairs.

Hearing the click of the door he hurried to the wardrobe to be faced with rows of shirts, they were set out exactly as he would set them out, organised by colour and folded neatly. Pulling on a pair of jeans and black wife beater vest he decided to explore his surroundings. He counted three bedrooms and a bathroom. It was by no means large but it was homely, full of sweet little touches that told of a loving family. Toys were scattered intermittently down the stairs. This would have normally irritated him greatly but he couldn't bring himself to be angry. It was all too intriguing. His eyes wondered to a photo in a frame by the telephone. It showed a little boy in his pyjamas surrounded by Christmas wrapping paper and new toys, he was beaming from ear to ear holding on to the handle bars of a new bike. He couldn't have been more than four, with a flock of brown hair and deep set brown eyes; he was beautiful.

"He got your eyebrows poor little guy.."

Sylar nearly dropped the frame, startled by the familiar voice that came from behind him.

"Peter?"

Sylar boomed setting the frame back on the table beside him.

"Care to tell me what the hell is going on here Patrelli, why am I shacked up with the cheerleader?"

His nostrils flared as he raised an accusing finger in Peter's direction. Sylar looked on with dismay as Peter threw back his head and laughed heartily.

"Oh man, do not let her catch you calling her that, she's small but you know she could kick your ass" he leaned over and picked up a newspaper from the telephone table.

"What?" Sylars brows knitted in confusion. Wishing Peter would just explain already.

"I had to bring you here, had to show you what you could have, what is going to be if you carry on the right path. If you let us help you."

There was a silence between them as Sylar tried to piece together what he was being told.

"Oh please Patrelli, quit the ghost of Christmas future crap... did you really think I'd fall for this?"

Without a moment's pause Peter handed him the newspaper, rolling his eyes as though he was expecting Sylars scepticism.

"Look at the date"

He waited patiently digging his hands deep in his pockets as Sylar gawked at the newspaper in his hands; November 7th 2019. Peter leaned forward grinning wildly.

"I borrowed Hiro's power of time travel, you seemed a little out of sorts recently, thought you might need a nudge in the right direction." Peter smiled, ever the boy scout.

"What? So I stay with you, help you catch bad guys and Claire just falls in to my arms?"

Sylar scoffed unwilling to believe this future could be his. Looking far too pleased with himself Peter rolled his eyes once more, relishing being the powerful one for once.

"I wouldn't put it quite like that...you two didn't have the easiest of starts. But what can I say? My niece is a complicated woman...and you always loved a challenge. What you still don't believe me? You're the human lie detector; am I lying Gabriel?"

Peter's eyebrows leapt up to his forehead willing Sylar to believe him. For once in his life Sylar was rendered speechless. Lie detection was one of his most potent powers, not to mention one of his favourites and Patrelli wasn't lying.

"So I have a family?"

Sylar gestured to the picture of the little boy holding on to his new bicycle. Shooting him that trademark crooked grin Peter nodded

"Sure, you, Claire and little Noah, you weren't that keen on the name but Claire got her way".

Pinning the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his forefinger Sylar gave a nervous smile. For the first time in years he was scared, scared that once he actually allowed himself to believe what he was being told that he would be able to think of nothing else.

"You have ..." Peter paused raising his wrist to look at his watch, "about 24 hours until you... the future you gets back from Japan, then I'll have to take you back".

"So what do I do until then?" Sylar asked honestly his deep brown eyes wide and pleading.

Peter shrugged his shoulders, "Enjoy your family dude, hang out with your son, annoy your wife...oh and in 5 years when you find yourself saving a bunch of people from some super-powered nut job in Japan, you'd better remember to get a haircut or we're sprung!"

Peter spun on his heels and hotfooted it out of the front door.