A/N James isn't anyone in particular from 'Heroes', he is an OC just acting in the role of Claire's boyfriend in this story. Don't be put off, he isn't there for long.
Pretending
"What are you doing home so early?" Claire grins as she feels strong arms wrap around her waist.
"I couldn't wait any longer," whispers James' voice. And the clock in the corridor was ticking away.
"I wanted to see you sooner. Wanted to hold you."
Claire spins in his arms and drapes hers over his shoulders, staring deep into his familiar green eyes.
"You'll get in trouble," she pretends to warn him, smiling all the time.
And the clock in the corridor ticked out a rhythm.
"I'm sure I will," he purrs and slowly covers her mouth with his own. He kisses different, as though he hasn't seen her for a long time.
Time.
The clock in the corridor mocks her, reminds her how little she has left with him. It reminds her that until 'death do you part' is nothing when one of you can't die. She is going to leave him so that she will not deprive him of someone he can live his life with. The time for leaving is near.
The clock in the corridor is there to remind her to enjoy the little she has with him.
Tick tock.
Still so lonely even though he's with her.
Tick tock.
His kisses are so different. Animalistic. Savouring her but passionate. They are on the cold kitchen floor, both tops discarded…and the phone rings.
He trails kisses over her skin and she gasps.
The answer phone switches on.
"Hey Claire. It's James."
The kissing stops. Her breathing stops.
"I'm running late tonight. Traffic is awful. Thought I better let you know. Love you. Bye."
The machine clicks off.
She lies still as the face above her shifts and changes.
Tick tock.
"I should have disconnected the phone…I'll remember that next time."
"There won't be a next time," Claire snarls up into Sylar's leering face.
"Really?" Sylar purrs with an infuriatingly knowing look on his face. "That would be a pity. You were enjoying it so much!"
She tries to kick him off, eyes on the knife rack, but he's stronger and not even using his powers. Claire stills, feeling the freezing floor on her bare back. Hates him for tricking her. Wishes she had her top back on so she didn't feel so venerable.
"So what now?" she hisses.
"Well," Sylar pretends to think about it and lifts up a finger. "Option one: I could just get up and leave." Claire glares at him. He smirks. "But where is the fun in that? Option two:" he lifts up a second finger, "we wait here till your darling," it drips with sarcasm, "James gets home and finds you in a questionable position with a strange man."
That would be one way to end up leaving him she thinks bitterly.
"Or…I could just kill him the moment he walks through the door."
Now she feels fear.
"No!"
Sylar raises an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"No," she says again. "Touch him Sylar and I will…" the threat trails off. It would be empty. Like her life. Like his.
"You know I can't stay here with him for long." Is she begging? Pleading? How humiliating. But it's for James and it might just work. "You and I will live for a long time." Silence as she pauses.
Tick tock.
"Don't do it."
What she doesn't say hangs in the air between them.
We will have eternity with each other, what is a couple of years?
Sylar tilts his head at her, "Well…I guess that leaves option three."
She is grateful for the change of subject but isn't sure she should be. Sylar's eyes take on a strange look and she becomes aware of his bare skin on her own, of how soft it is…and his powerful arms holding her down…not gripping as tightly anymore.
Suddenly she knows option three.
"We carry on as we started," Sylar's voice whispers in her ear, out of James' face. "I told you I couldn't wait Claire."
His hand releases her wrist and trails lightly over her skin. Claire fights down any physical reaction desperately and when he kisses her she forces herself not to respond…despite the surge of loneliness, despite knowing that he's the only one who would understand, who could fix it.
"How does that sound Claire?" he whispers suggestively.
She feels slightly sick to the stomach, panicked…and then she notices that he didn't keep James' face…he's shifted back to his own…and she realises something.
She slips a sneering look of disgust onto her face. "I can think of better things to do than have sex with a psychopath. I wouldn't…" he puts a finger to her lips, halting her. He kisses her neck lightly.
"Before you say 'if you were the last man on earth'" he adds in an amused voice between kisses, "remember that one day I might be." He brushes the hair back from her eyes with a couple of fingers.
"Besides," he chuckles, "you almost did earlier," and he smirks at her. Claire's voice changes its tone, her face a harsher expression, corners of her lips curving upwards slightly.
"It wasn't you though was it?" He stills. The smirk is vanishing. His eyes are piercing into her triumphant ones. Tick tock. "Not really."
Suddenly she is on the other side of the kitchen, bruises across her back healing, and she knows she's touched a nerve.
Sylar pulls her up with his power, pressing her to the wall with it. He is…furious. Hair disarrayed, eyes wild, chest heaving. She laughs, knows she shouldn't but can't help it.
"You have to pretend to be someone else. You are always pretending to be someone else." She sees the flash of fear across his face. "Because you know Sylar," her teeth grit together, "that I would never touch you otherwise, and neither will anyone else."
His yell of fury makes her flinch. Glass smashes and his fingers are around her throat.
"You – know – nothing."
For a split second she sees all his fear…and his humanity and then it is gone.
"You will want me Claire. Sooner or later. You will."
…and then he's gone too and she's on the kitchen floor, surrounded by glass, listening to the clock in the corridor.
Tick tock.
When James comes home she locks herself in the bathroom so she doesn't have to look at him yet…and when she starts to see Sylar in his face she knows that its time for her to go.
The clock in the corridor stops ticking.
Time up.